Lehigh is marking the 50th year of undergraduate coeducation with a university-wide celebration of the impact and contributions of Lehigh women—past, present and future. Join us as we celebrate this milestone in coeducation and continue to soar into the future.
Soaring Together: 50 Years of Coeducation
Five alumnae (shown above)—each representing a decade of undergraduate women at Lehigh—share their experiences. Collectively, their stories paint a larger picture of how women helped to transform Lehigh and continue to impact their communities.
Cheryl Matherly Reappointed as Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs
Matherly arrived at Lehigh in 2016.
Soaring Together Events
History
Defining Moments
Explore the impact of coeducation on today’s Lehigh and imagine the possibilities for the future.
At a Glance
undergraduate women enrolled in the first class of coeducation in 1971
Chapter of Society of Women Engineers is chartered
of Lehigh students are women*
of alumni are women*
of faculty are women*
conference championships in women’s athletics since 1982
*Historically, Lehigh has not collected gender identity data. Beginning in August 2021, Lehigh launched a new gender identity policy.
We invite you to join this celebration by attending an event, sharing a story, engaging with alumni, giving to support scholarships, and learning more about the impact and contributions of Lehigh women.
Share Your Story
Lehigh women have shaped the university and our world. Read reflections on coeducation from our community and share yours.
Victoria Herrmann ’12
Seeking climate solutions--in the Arctic and beyond. Read more about Herrmann >
Mary Clougherty ’21
Lehigh women’s basketball team captain is making her mark on--and off--the court. Read more about Clougherty >
Stacey Cunningham ’96
Cunningham made history in 2018 when she became the first woman president of the New York Stock Exchange in its 226-year history. Read more about Cunningham >
Patrice Banks ’02
She launched an auto clinic where girls rule. Read more about Banks >
Pam Fusek ’13
Pam Fusek ’13 stoked her passion for space exploration at Lehigh and landed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. Read more about Fusek >
Jill McDermott, geochemist and field scientist
For Jill McDermott, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lehigh, this Arctic deep sea expedition was 'like taking a trip to the moon.' Read more about McDermott >
Beth Galetti ’93
At Amazon, Beth Galetti ’93 oversees one of the largest workforces in the tech industry. Read more about Galetti >
Ellen Stone ’87
She whips up buzz for popular shows on Bravo, Oxygen and Universal Kids. Read more about Stone >
Kathryn Kundrod ’15
The bioengineer is part of a team that worked on developing a faster, simplified COVID-19 test. Read more about Kundrod >
Gelsey Bell ’04
She shined on the Broadway stage as Princess Mary in the immersive, energetic musical Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. Read more about Bell >
Elsa Reichmanis, the Carl Robert Anderson Chair in Chemical Engineering
She helped make possible the chips in almost all of today’s electronics with her contributions in the field of microlithography. Listen to a podcast with Reichmanis >
Dede Ayite ’07
She followed her heart to a career in the arts, but also used what she learned in neuroscience at Lehigh to design costumes for Broadway. Read more about Ayite >
Academics, Research & Scholarship
Discover more about these initiatives that are driving Lehigh forward.
Programs, Organizations & Resources
Tap into these resources and groups across Lehigh.
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Contact Us
Email: soaringtogether@lehigh.edu
Toolkit
For logos, messaging guidance and celebration support visit the Soaring Together toolkit.
Partner Projects
Connect your existing event or program to the university-wide Soaring Together celebration.
As we commemorate this milestone, we reflect on and embrace the identities and histories of the entire Lehigh community. We are committed to continuing our work toward becoming an inclusive and affirming institution for all.
