First Women Students at CMC

Kathleen (Evans) Hurley '80

Kathleen Evans

On March 15, 1976, Kathleen Evans of Lakewood, Colorado sent in her commitment deposit reserving a place in the class entering CMC the following fall, becoming the first woman to enroll at CMC. Evans was the daughter of a mining engineer and raised in various places around the United States and Australia. Kathy looked forward to a career in mining engineering, metallurgy, or mineral economics–her father was a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines and her brother a professional metallurgist. She enrolled in a joint CMC-Colorado School of Mines five-year dual degree management-engineering program with a three-year concentration in economics, mathematics, and sciences at CMC, followed by a transfer to the Colorado School of Mines for two years of engineering. Following the successful completion of the five-year program, CMC would award her a bachelor of arts and the Colorado School of Mines, a bachelor of science. While at CMC, Evans would also go on to become a star athlete, earning letters in cross county, volleyball, and track–where she was selected as team captain. Her strong cross country performances in particular earned her a spot on the All-SCIAC women’s cross country team  (Kathy Evans subsequently married Kelly Hurley ‘79 and changed her last name to Hurley. Their daughter Erin graduated from CMC in 2007.)

Kathleen (Evans) Hurley ‘80 stands with Jack and Jil Stark during a visit to the Claremont Men's College campus.

Kathleen (Evans) Hurley ‘80 takes a tour of campus with CMC students Brandy Birtcher '76 and Mark Schwartz '78.

Press Release_CMC Admits First Woman Student_1976 March 17.pdf

A Claremont Men's College press release announces the admission of Kathleen (Evans) Hurley ‘80, its first woman student for the upcoming 1976-77 school year.

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A short feature included in the May 1976 Alumni Association Newsletter introduces Kathleen (Evans) Hurley ‘80 to the CMC community.

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A 1976 press release discusses the enrollment of CMC’s first women students and upcoming orientation and social activities planned for the fall semester. Sixty women registered for classes at CMC (19 were transfers) out of an entering class of 277. At the time, fewer than 15% of CMC’s first-year students were women and made up less than 8% of CMC’s entire student body totaling 830 students.

A portion of CMC's 60 entering women students for the academic year 1976-1977 stand on the steps of Bauer Center for a group photograph. (Hover over the photograph's annotation boxes to see student names)

Orientation, September 18, 1976

1976’s Orientation marked the end of CMC's 30-year run as an all-male college with 60 women registering for the fall semester. Orientation activities included campus tours, discussion groups with faculty and counselors, and a Parents Convocation and Supper.

Women's Athletics

A joint women’s athletics program was established with Scripps and Harvey Mudd in 1976, competing under the name the Athenas in five intercollegiate sports: volleyball, basketball, swimming and diving, track and field, and tennis. Cross country was added as a sixth sport in the fall of 1977.

ROTC

Throughout the 1970s, CMC maintained a high rate of ROTC scholarships and student cadets. By the fall of 1978, 17 percent of CMC students participating in ROTC were women.

Beckett Hall Residents

In 1978, Claremont Men's College elected Carol Metzger '80 as its first woman dorm president. Carol served as president of Beckett Hall and can be seen on the far right of the bottom row in both photos.

"Coed CMC: How Well is it Working?"

This Claremont Collegian article from October 18, 1976 discusses Claremont Men’s College’s recent decision to become coeducational and features interviews with women students examining some of the early successes and challenges of attending a previously all-male institution.

"Has CMC Changed?"

One of CMC’s first women graduates, Maria Payne ’78 (now Maria Rasmussen) wrote this article for The Campus periodical in which she discusses her decision to transfer from Scripps College to CMC and describes how, if at all, the Men’s College campus has changed since the arrival of women students.

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A student stands in front of the Claremont Men's College dormitory quadrangle (North Quad) sign at Mills Avenue, circa 1976-1977.

Women students in Benson Hall, circa 1976-1977.

A student studies at her dorm room desk, 1981.

Suzanne (Schork) Graeser ’83 sits in her dorm room, 1981.

Men and women students sit together at a table, circa 1979-1980.

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A student sits at a desk in a classroom, circa 1976-1977.

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Women students in costume in a Claremont (later Auen) Hall dorm room, circa 1978-1979.

Students sunbathing on Parents Field, 1982.

Students at a football game, circa 1980-1981.

President Jack Stark sits with a student on the lawn, circa 1979-1980.

A sign of the times. No longer an all-male institution, a urinal in a now women's dorm bathroom is repurposed as a planter and watering location for plants.

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Claremont Men's College's First Women Graduates

The spring 1978 commencement ceremonies at Badgley Garden saw Claremont Men's College's first women students graduate. Barbara Christman, Maria Payne, Deborah Hasty, Mary Eiland, Catherine Higgins, and Jennifer Jones and received their diplomas, while long-time registrar Katherine Lowe (subsequently Katherine Benson) was declared an honorary alumna. The commencement address was given by National Public Radio International Affairs Analyst and Producer Pauline Frederick. Above, Katherine (Corbett Lowe) Benson, Barbara (Christman) Hutchings, Maria (Payne) Rasmussen, Deborah Hasty, and Mary Eiland stand on the stairs in Bauer Center on Commencement Day.