Women of Auburn Timeline

1846
1846

The Auburn Female College (later the Auburn Masonic Female College) is built as a separate school for women

Auburn Female College Langdon Hall

The original home of Langdon Hall, the largest auditorium in East Alabama in 1853.

1856
1856
1866
1866
1884
1884

Dr. William LeRoy Broun persuades the Board of Trustees to consider allowing women to matriculate

William Leroy Broun

Not full co-education, but only that “in a limited way” the “privilege be given to qualified young women to enjoy the advantages of instruction at Auburn.

1892
1892
1892

Women at Auburn 1892 – 1900

Auburn men and women of the late 1890s posing for a picture.

Click the title to read the story

1893
1893

Dr. Broun reports that Auburn’s success was widely published in the state

Early 1900 faculty photo

Broun noted that the girls had proved “their ability successfully to cope with the best of their male competitors, and in some instances to obtain the mastery over them.” All women who applied were accepted and “their rank was with the best students… their influence eminently inspiring and influential.”

1894
1894

For the first time ever, women graduate from Auburn with “degrees and all honors.”

Willie Little Katie Broun and Maragret Teague

Click the title to read “Women at Auburn 1900 – 1940.”

1895
1895
1896
1896

Willie Little ’94 marries George S. Clark ’92, the first marriage between Auburn grads

willie little and george clark

Click the title to read “Willie Little and 5 Generations at Auburn.”

1896
1896
1907
1907

Class enrollment included 11% women

10 out of 87 classmates are women

In 1907 10 out of 87 students were women.

1907
1911
1911
1915
1915

Basketball is the first sport for women at Auburn

Click the title to read “A Brief History on Women’s Basketball.”

1915

The first Auburn Women’s Tennis team is created

First Women's Tennis team with raquets

From the 1915 Glomerata: In Tennis, as well as basketball, our Co-eds have been greatly interested this year. The Club comprises most of the girls in college. From left to right in the picture are: Misses Edwards, Steele, Mrs. Smith, Misses Stodghill, Crenshaw, Duncan, Terrell, Wright.

1916
1916
1918
1918
1920
1920

Auburn Women’s Basketball defeats Georgia in the first intercollegiate matchup

1920 female basketball team

Click the title to read about team captain “Cutie” Brown Lee ’26.

1922
1922

The Women’s Student Government Association is organized

Womens SGA inaugural class group photo

Formed for 67 women in a class of 1,295, the WSGA was created to improve women’s conditions on campus.

1922
1923
1923
1923
1924
1924
1928
1928
1929
1929

Martha Haupt is voted “Miss Personality Plus,” believed to be the forerunner of Miss Auburn

Martha Haupt Miss Personality Plus

Rather than win a scholarship, the recipient received the leading role in the school play.

1933
1933
1935
1935
1940
1940

The First 3 AU women return to campus for the dedication of the new Women’s Quadrangle Dorms

3 older ladies standing on porch

Dedication-day ceremonies included a luncheon for Kate Teague Hagler, Willie Gertrude Little Clark and Katherine Conway Broun Fulgham. The dorms featured private baths between rooms, but the mirrors had not been delivered and there were still only 1 pay phone per floor.

1943
1943

Auburn women during WWII

Helen Leslie old photo

Click the title to read the story

1944
1944
1944

For the first time ever, there are more women (904) enrolled at A.P.I. than men (864)

Women outnumber men for the first time

There were 3,152 men participating in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and Naval radio and Aviation Training, though, keeping the ratio of men to women high.

1944
1944
1946
1946
1950
1950

Auburn Memory: Harvilee Harbarger ’53

Harvilee and group

Click the title to read the story

1953
1953
1957
1957

Several Auburn Football players are caught during a panty raid in a women’s dorm and are expelled

Photo of a panty raid

Halfback Lloyd Nix is moved to quarterback. The ensuing punishment bonds the team and coaches together, directly leading to the 1957 National Championship.

1961
1961
1964
1964

Auburn desegregates for the first time in its 100+ year history

Desegregation 1964

Click the title to listen to interviews with Harold Franklin, the first African American student.

1966
1966
1966

Auburn Memory: Teresa “Terry” Rodriguez ’69

Terry and Milo

Click the title to read her story

1969
1969
1969

Auburn Memory: Nelda Lee ’69

Nelda Lee '69, the only woman in Aeronautical Engineering

Click the title to read her story

1970
1970
1972
1972
1972

Auburn Memory: Sophia Bracy Harris ’72

Sophia Bracy, 1971

Click the title to read the story

1974
1974

First Women’s Swim Team Forms

Lisa Ross and first swim team

Click the title to read the story of Lisa Ross ’76, one of the inaugural co-captains.

1974
1974

Leah Rawls Atkins ’58 earns a Ph.D. in History from Auburn

Leah Rawls Atkins first to get PHD in history

Atkins is the first man or woman at Auburn to do so.

1975
1975

Marianne Merritt ’79 is the first woman to earn a basketball scholarship to Auburn

Merritt making a basket

Merritt was voted twice to the Coaches’ Top-20 team in the South and represented Auburn in the 2003 class of Women’s SEC Basketball Greats.

1975
1976
1976

No more curfew for Auburn women

Women in front of train shed

The Board of Trustees abolishes all curfews at women’s dorms, authorizes a plan for coed visitations in response to possible Title IX violations.

1976

Dr. Joanna Davenport is hired as the first full-time Women’s Athletic Director

Lady Running cross country

Auburn Women compete in eight sports for the first time: basketball, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

1976

Auburn Memory: Auburn Women in Engineering

Olivia Owen testing for engineering

Click the title to read about women in engineering.

1976

Auburn Memory: Tigerettes

Katherine Pittman '12

click link to read about the first Auburn Tigerettes. 

1978
1978

Auburn Memory: Viki Woerner ’82 Friend of Aubie

Viki Woerner Aubie 4

Click the title to read her story

1979
1979

Susan Karamanian ’79 is the first female Rhodes Scholar chosen from Auburn

Karamanian Rhodes Scholar

Karamanian, named the outstanding student in economics, also played on the golf team. After earning a degree at Oxford in philosophy, politics and an economics and a law degree from the University of Texas, she did pro-bono work for death row inmates and is associate dean at George Washington Law School.

1984
1984
1985
1985

Dr. Pat H. Barnes becomes the first female Vice President for Student Affairs

1986 Administration

This is the first time that a woman has held a VP Position at Auburn.

1986
1986
1988
1988
1989
1989
1991
1991
1993
1993

Auburn Women’s Gymnastics reaches the super six for the first time

Women's Gymnastics- 1993 Super Six

Auburn Women’s Gymnastics wins the National Invitational Tournament Title, the first national athletic championship of any kind for Auburn women.

1993
1996
1996

Women’s Volleyball ties for 1st in the SEC West

Click the title to read Jaunelle White’s story, one of the Tiger’s top players.

1996
1997
1997

Auburn Softball’s inaugural season

1997 Auburn Softball takes the field

Click to read the story of an Auburn Softball charter member Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson.

1999
1999
2000
2000

Sarah Wentworth wins SEC Gymnast of the Year

SEC Gymnast of the year

Click the title to read “How Could I Not Go? — Sarah Wentworth’s Journey.”

2002
2002

Auburn Women’s Swimming & Diving wins the first of its 5 NCAA National Titles under Coach David Marsh

Womens Championship team rolling

Click the title to read former Auburn swimmer Maggie Bowen’s story.

2004
2004
2006
2006
2006
2008
2008
2009
2009

Auburn Women’s Basketball clinches the SEC Conference Title at home with a win over Tennessee

Basketball SEC Title

Click the title to read  “You Learn To Take Care Of Each Other — DeWanna Bonner.”

2011
2011

Women’s Soccer wins the SEC Tournament Championship

Womens Soccer Wins 2011 SEC title

Click the title to read former Tiger Katy Freels’ story.

2015
2015
2016
2016
2017
2017

Auburn competes in 2017 Air Race Classic

Air Race Classic Competitors

Click the title to read their story

2017

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Women of Auburn: Tiffany Welch ’94

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Tiffany Welch '94, exemplifies Women's History Month with her dedication to community and successful business ventures.As Women's History Month draws to a close, we are proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Tiffany Welch, a highly accomplished Auburn...

Fair Play

Fair Play

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