Loyola University Chicago

Women and Leadership Archives

Stories

  • Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM

    The WLA remembers Mary Alma Sullivan, BVM, cinema studies & communications instructor at Mundelein College and Loyola University Chicago, who passed away June 25, 2023.
  • Piper Hall Summer 2023 Construction Update

    This summer, Loyola began various stormwater improvements and interventions to protect campus buildings, including Piper Hall. This project includes separation of the storm and sanitary systems. As this project continues, the WLA remains open to visitors by appointment. Work in the plaza in front of Piper Hall will continue through Spring 2024.
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  • The WLA Remembers Dr. Caroll Henry

    Caroll Easter Henry, scientist and educator, taught briefly at Mundelein College during her distinguished career. Henry passed away June 22, 2022.
  • Hoellen Grant 2022

    The WLA used the Hoellen Family Foundation grant in 2022 to purchase a laptop for staff use and digitization of audiovisual materials from two WLA collections, A College of Their Own Records and Helen Ramirez-Odell Papers.
  • Calling All Mundelein College Alumnae – we want to hear about your experience at Mundelein College!

    We are continuing our Share Your Story: Student Life at Mundelein project to expand and enrich our records of Mundelein College’s history. But we need your help!
  • Mundelein Alumnae Celebrate Class Reunion 2021

    On October 2, 2021, graduates of Mundelein College will gather virtually for this year’s reunion. The celebration will include honoring the 50 year reunion of the class of 1971, and their induction into the Golden Phoenix Society.
  • WLA Remembers Donna Quinn, O.P.

    Donna Quinn, O.P., founder of Chicago Catholic Women, co-founder of Women-Church Convergence, and advocate for women’s equality, passed away July 30, 2021.
  • WLA Remembers Margery Frisbie

    Mundelein College alumna (Class of 1944), Director of Public Relations, and accomplished writer, Margery Rowbottom Frisbie passed away August 8, 2021. Read more about Frisbie's life and career and her collection at the WLA.
  • Remembering Bren Murphy, Ph.D.

    The WLA remembers Loyola professor of nearly 40 years and WLA supporter, Bren Ortega Murphy, Ph.D, who passed away April 26, 2021 at the age of 72.
  • WLA Newsletter

    Read issues of the WLA Newsletter.
  • Judith Roth Papers at the WLA

    The papers of artist Judith Roth were donated to the WLA in 2020. Among her many accolades, Roth was president of the Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art, founder of the Ravenswood ArtWalk, and an award-winning window designer at Marshall Field & Company.
  • Piper Hall Photograph Tour

    Photographs of Piper Hall
  • Remembering Dr. Irene Meyer

    The WLA remembers Mundelein alumna, professor and activist Dr. Irene Meyer who passed away February 11, 2021 at the age of 91.
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  • Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote

    "Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote" is a Chicago History Museum digital exhibit launched in Fall 2020 and curated by LUC faculty member, Elizabeth Fraterrigo. We are pleased to share that an article on the cover of Glos Polek, a publication from the WLA's Polish Women's Alliance of America records, is also included in the exhibit. Click through to explore the exhibit and read the article.
  • 2021 Color Our Collections

    The WLA is once again participating in #ColorOurCollections February 1-5, 2021. Relax with FREE coloring books from archives and museums from around the world!
  • Hoellen Grant 2020

    Thanks to the generosity of the Hoellen Family Foundation, the WLA is pleased to share several items that have undergone conservation treatment and digitization at the Conservation Center.
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  • Glos Polek Suffrage Articles

    In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and thanks to the generosity of the Polish Women's Alliance of America (PWAA), the WLA is pleased to share English translations of select Glos Polek articles from 1913-1920 discussing suffrage and women's role in society. Glos Polek (The Polish Women's Voice) is a publication from the PWAA.
  • Access to Archival Materials: Fall 2020

    Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Women and Leadership Archives and Loyola Archives & Special Collections staff have limited hours on campus according to the University’s policies on de-densification and social distancing.
  • Suffrage 2020

    The WLA is dedicating 19 days to commemorating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the 19th Amendment. Follow the WLA on Facebook (facebook.com/WLArchives), August 26-October 29, 2020, as we remember those who fought for women’s suffrage and the continuing journey towards a more equitable society. The 19 Days (and more) can also be found on the WLA website.
  • Sister Carol Frances Jegen, BVM Remembered

    The WLA is saddened by the recent passing of Sister Carol Frances Jegen, BVM, an instrumental faculty member at Mundelein College for over 30 years.
  • Carolyn Farrell, BVM Remembered

    Sister Carolyn Farrell, BVM, the last president of Mundelein College and founding director of the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, passed away on June 14, 2020. The WLA remembers her leadership at Mundelein College and the Gannon Center.
  • Welcome the New WLA Director!

    Please help us welcome Emily Reiher! Emily began as the Director of the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) starting in January 2020.
  • Women and Leadership Archives: The First 25 Years

    When Mundelein College affiliated with neighboring Loyola University in 1991, Sister Carolyn Farrell, BVM, President of Mundelein, and others immediately began planning for a center at Loyola that would carry on Mundelein’s legacy of women’s education and leadership. As part of the future Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, Carolyn Farrell envisioned an archives that would care for Mundelein’s records and collect other valuable collections on women and leadership.
  • Jean Fritz and the Chicago Seven Trial

    Jean Fritz, a 51-year-old mother of three, found herself in the middle of one of the most publicized a controversial trial of her time. She spent four months sequestered in a hotel and separated from her family and the outside world as she, and the other eleven jurors, held the fate of seven young defendants in their hands.
  • WLA 25th Anniversary

    In 2019, the Women and Leadership Archives is celebrating 25 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing women’s stories. Explore the links on this page to learn more about the WLA’s past achievements, collections, and upcoming events.
  • Sister Jean: Back in the Day

    Before the world fell in love with her, we knew Sister Jean (Jean Delores Schmidt, BVM) from her long career at Mundelein College.
  • WLA Blog

    Do you like stories about fascinating people and archives? Our blog has you covered!
  • Color Our Collections 2019

    #ColorOurCollections is a week-long coloring fest on social media organized by libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions around the world. These institutions create and share free coloring books using materials from their collections.
  • Class visit at Water Tower Campus

    On October 29, 2018, Nancy Freeman, WLA Director, visited COMM 402: Organizational Leadership and Change Management taught by Adjunct Faculty, Mary Hills. Nancy talked about archives and how to use archival collections. Although the class was offsite at the Water Tower Campus, a few archival collections travelled to class so students could work together in small groups to delve further into collections and analyze the content of the records.
  • Loyola Awards Grant to Help Commemorate 150-Year History

    Loyola has started initial planning for its 150th anniversary by documenting and digitizing its rich history. The grant will fund employment for four graduate students as Sesquicentennial Scholars in University Archives and Special Collections in Cudahy Library and the Women and Leadership Archives in Piper Hall.
  • Chicago’s History of Activism

    The Women and Leadership Archives recently contributed materials to the Chicago Collections Consortium for a new online exhibit titled Place of Protest: Chicago’s Legacy of Dissent, Declaration, and Disruption.
  • Women of Noble Cause

    Join us at Polish Museum of America for the official Chicago premiere of Women of Noble Cause on November 4, 2018.
  • Open House Chicago 2018

    Join us for Open House Chicago! The Women and Leadership Archives welcomes you to beautiful Piper Hall at Loyola University Chicago as a part of the Chicago Architecture Center's annual event.
  • Adapt or Perish

    The Women and Leadership Archives provided records to Gallery 400’s new exhibit, Chicago Disability Activism, Arts, and Design: 1970s to Today, which explores the disability rights movement in Chicago through the artwork of Chicago-based artists with disabilities.
  • Gannon Center Timeline

    The Gannon Center for Women and Leadership celebrates its 25th anniversary this year! Visit the timeline to learn more about the history of the Gannon Center.
  • Visiting Archivist from Poland

    Visiting Archivist from Poland
  • Sister Ann Ida Gannon Remembered

    Sister Ann Ida Gannon, BVM, the longest serving President of Mundelein College from 1957-1975, passed away on June 3, 2018.
  • Polish Women's Alliance and WLA Preservation Project

    The Polish Women's Alliance (PWA) and the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) have teamed up for the PWA Preservation Project. The PWA is one of the oldest fraternal benefit societies founded by women to help them and those they care about establish financial security and economic independence. Click to learn more about ongoing fundraising efforts to preserve the PWA records at the WLA.
  • The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: One Juror’s Ordeal

    The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: One Juror’s Ordeal
  • Cesar Chavez: Loyola and Mundelein

    Cesar Chavez: Loyola and Mundelein
  • Machinal Reception & Talk Back

    THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018 Immediately following the 7:30PM performance • Mundelein, Palm Court, 4th Floor • Loyola Lake Shore Campus
  • Color Our Collections 2018

    Color Our Collections 2018
  • Winter Break Hours

    Winter Break Hours
  • Politics of the Pantry: Photos

    Politics of the Pantry: Photos
  • Chicago Open Archives 2017: Hidden Stories

    Chicago Open Archives 2017: Hidden Stories
  • Farewell, Megan

    Good luck, Megan! We enjoyed having you at the WLA. Melanie Chambliss, BMRC Special Project Intern, will continue processing the Carol Moseley Braun papers. To find out more about Megan’s time at the WLA, please visit our blog. Learn more about the Black Metropolis Research Consortium at bmrc.lib.uchicago.edu.
  • BMRC Archie Motley Archival Intern at the WLA

    This summer, the BMRC (Black Metropolis Research Consortium)continues, in its third iteration, the Archie Motley Archival Internship Program. This program is designed to provide students of color with opportunities to gain practical work experience in archives management, and to recruit students of color into the archives profession as a means to address the critical issue of the underrepresentation of people of color in the field. Megan Naylor has been named the Archie Motley Archival Intern for summer 2017. Naylor will process the records of Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, which are housed by BMRC member institution, Loyola University Chicago within the Women in Leadership Archives.
  • Polish Women's Alliance of America Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser: May 21

    Polish Women's Alliance of America Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser for the PWA Archives Preservation Project at Loyola University Chicago: Celebrating Women's Ethnic Voices Please join PWA Council 27 for an interesting event exploring women’s ethnic voices in journalism as we observe UNESCO World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, May 21, 2017.
  • Ramonat Scholar Final Colloquium

    Ramonat scholar Final Colloquium
  • Women in Politics Event Highlights

    Women in Politics Event Highlights
  • Women in Politics: Past & Present

    Women in Politics: Past & Present
  • Celebrate Love with the WLA

    Throughout February, the WLA will be highlighting materials in our collections that celebrate love in all of its various forms. As part of this celebration we will be posting audio recordings of WLA staff reading selections of some of those items on Facebook! Follow this link to our first post here. Be sure to follow us so you don't miss a post!
  • From the Mixed-up Files of the Mundelein College Collection

    This year, the WLA received a $5,000 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board (ISHRAB) to put towards the Mundelein College Paper Records Project. Recent LUC graduate, Caroline Gianakopulos has undertaken the task of processing and creating a finding aid of the paper records for the Mundelein Collection. The Mundelein College records document Illinois’ last all women’s college, that operated from 1930-1991.
  • WLA Receives ISHRAB Grant

    The Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board (ISHRAB) awarded the Women and Leadership Archives a $5,000 Historical Records Preservation Grant. The grant will be put towards the Mundelein College Paper Records Project. Recent LUC graduate, Caroline Lynd Gianakopulos has been hired to create a finding aid of the paper records for the Mundelein Collection. The finding aid will be published online and cataloged into the world wide library catalog (OCLC). Mundelein College records document Illinois’ last all women’s college, that operated from 1930-1991. Click the image above for more information!
  • Women and Labor: The Story of Mollie West Lunchtime Program

    Loyola’s Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities' second Fall 2016 lunchtime program is co-sponsored with the Women and Leadership Archives. The lunchtime program features the WLA's new digital exhibit: Women and Labor: The Story of Mollie West.
  • From Mundelein to Loyola: The Origins of the Peace Studies Program

    In fall of 2014, Kathleen Maas Weigert, Ph.D., the first Carolyn Farrell, BVM, Professor, hired Kathleen Ermitage to undertake an oral history project to document the origins of the Loyola University Chicago Peace Studies Program. Its roots lay in Mundelein College, a woman’s college which the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary founded in 1930.
  • WLA Participating in Chicago Open Archives

    Chicago Open Archives is a chance for the public to explore over thirty archives and cultural institutions around the city. During the three-day event, visitors can engage with history and have a chance to talk with archivists, librarians, and curators. The Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) is participating in Chicago Open Archives!This event is free of charge.
  • The WLA Congratulates Parting Graduate Assistant

    The WLA Congratulates Parting Graduate Assistant
  • Mary's Pence

    On Saturday April 23, the organization Mary's Pence, held a reception at Piper Hall for their board meeting, staff, and supporters.
  • The WLA in BROAD Magazine

    BROAD magazine March issue
  • Women in Science: Then and Now

    Women in Science event
  • 2016 Women's History Month Events at Loyola

    March is women's history month! Celebrate and learn at these events taking place throughout the month!
  • Summer Research Grants 2016

    Summer Research Grants 2016 information
  • Anthropology students learn about preservation at the WLA

    The WLA had a recent visit from an Anthropology 396 class. Click to read about their experience.
  • History Fair Success for Emily Stevens

    The WLA celebrates Emily Stevens, now a senior at Maine South High School. Emily researched at the WLA for the 2014-2015 season and experienced big successes, advancing to the state level and winning the Margaret Cross Norton Award for the Best Use of Primary Sources. Here’s more about Emily's topic and a chance to view her winning dramatic presentation!
  • Explore Chicago Collections

    Do you love research, but don’t know where to start? Behold: Explore Chicago Collections.
  • Caring for Your Personal Photographs

    There are guidelines that archivists closely follow when handling and storing photographs. You don’t have to be an archivist to follow these basic guidelines and ensure your photos last well into the future!
  • Family, friends, and the community celebrate the life of Mollie West

    On October 3, people gathered at Piper Hall to remember the influential and inspiring leader of the Chicago labor movement.
  • New Exhibit at Harold Washington Library Features Chicago Historical Collections

    From August 7 to November 15, see materials from the WLA and other archival repositories presented together to tell the stories of Chicago's past.
  • What is an archives and why should you care?

    The WLA is participating in Archives Month by weekly features on the website and Facebook page. To get started, here is a post by Director Nancy Freeman, first published in September’s BROAD magazine.
  • Join us in celebrating the life of Mollie West on October 3.

    A reception will be held on Saturday, October 3 to celebrate the life of the longtime leader of the Chicago Labor Movement and the Illinois Labor History Society, who passed away at the age of 99 on August 7.
  • Summer Research Grant Recipients Visit the WLA

    The WLA has had a busy summer with visits from our two summer research grant recipients, Suzanne Bost and Jillian Plummer.
  • WLA Hours for 2015

    See when the WLA is open, and start planning your visit.
  • WLA summer research grant recipients

    The WLA is pleased to announce its 2015 Summer Research Grant Recipients, Suzanne Bost and Jillian Plummer. Click here to learn more!
  • WLA bids farewell to spring interns

    Spring semester saw two undergraduate history honors students, Adam Mogilesky and Elyse Voyen, interning at the WLA. Click here to learn more about their experiences!
  • WLA congratulates our former graduate assistants

    This summer, the WLA said goodbye to graduate assistants Jenny Pederson and Mollie Fullerton who graduated from Loyola's Public History Master's program in May.
  • Why is there an angel on our webpage?

    Curious as to why there is an angel on the side of our page? Click here to learn more!
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