Renée Fleming (b. 1959)
Captivating audiences with her rich, velvety soprano, opera singer Renée Fleming, also known as “the people’s diva”, has become one of the most celebrated and beloved operatic singers of our time.
Emily Sibley Watson (1855–1945)
Founder of the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery. Philanthropist and patron of the arts in Rochester. Emily Sibley Watson left a significant mark on the city and the University…
Donna Theo Strickland (b. 1959)
University of Rochester alumnus. Canadian physicist. Pioneer in the field of lasers. Recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. The laser, or light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation,…
Constance (Connie) Mitchell (1928–2018)
The first African American woman to be elected to the Monroe County (New York) Legislature. Fierce advocate for education, housing, jobs, and equality in Rochester. In 1965, Connie Mitchell walked…
Olivia Hooker (1915–2018)
University of Rochester alumnus. Psychologist and professor. Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The first African American woman to serve active duty in the US Coast Guard. As…
Vera Micheles Dean (1903–1972)
In a career spanning 30 years at the Foreign Policy Association, Vera Micheles Dean informed public opinion and international policy with her insightful and unbiased work.
Mary Steichen Calderone (1904–1998)
University of Rochester alumnus. Cofounder of the Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). Early medical director at Planned Parenthood. Mary Calderone ’39M (MD) was known as “the…
Sylvia (Sylvy) Kornberg (1917–1986)
University of Rochester alumnus. Biochemist who made significant contributions to the discovery of DNA polymerase. In 1953, the discovery of our now famous double-helix structure of DNA initiated a wave…
Ruth Holland Scott (b. 1934)
Community activist and educator. The first African American woman to serve both as a member and as president of the Rochester City Council. In the title of her memoir, The…
Margaret “Midge” Costanza (1932–2010)
Midge Costanza made U.S. history in her role as assistant to the president for public liaison in the Carter administration. Never before had a woman served on the senior White House staff, positioned just outside the Oval Office, with unprecedented access to the president.