News and Events
Event: November 19, 2024
Join us for "Preserving a Legacy: The League of Women for Community Service Archives & the Black Women's Club Movement," a talk from Dr. Johnnie Hamilton-Mason (Simmons University) who will situate the League, its founding, and mission within the broader Black women’s club movement of the early 20th century.
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WLA 30th Anniversary Celebration
As we closeout our anniversary year, please join us at the WLA 30th Anniversary Celebration on November 7, 2024. Enjoy refreshments, conversation, and a display highlighting WLA collections. Guests will hear brief remarks from the WLA Director and can purchase tickets to participate in the prize raffle. Follow the link to learn more and register.
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Remembering Mary Ann Smith
The WLA remembers former 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith, who passed away on July 31, 2024. In serving the 48th ward, Smith was dedicated to matters concerning economic and residential development, environmental issues, community outreach through education, traffic and transportation improvements, and expanding services to youth and the elderly. As an advocate for human rights, she promoted ethnic and racial diversity in the Edgewater and Uptown business districts and worked to integrate the new immigrant community. Known as “Chicago’s Green Alderman” Smith also served on various parks and environmental committees and earned a United Nations Environment Programme Award for Citizen Action to Protect the Global Environment. Learn more about Mary Ann Smith’s life and career through her collection's finding aid.
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Sister Jean: Back in the Day
On August 21, 2024, Sister Jean celebrates her 105th birthday! Before the world fell in love with her, we knew Sister Jean (Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM) from her long career at Mundelein College.
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'90s Crafts and Snacks: Aug 28, 2024
We're going back to the '90s to celebrate the WLA's 30th Anniversary! Stop by the Information Commons entrance during the first week of classes on August 28 to grab a '90s snack and craft kit.
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Study Hall: April 25, 29, & 30
WLA anniversary events continue with study hall hours. The WLA reading room (Piper Hall, third floor) will be open as a quiet study space for students leading up to final exams. ‘90s snacks will be provided!
LEARN MORE'90s Crafts and Snacks Events Celebrate the WLA's 30th Anniversary!
We're going back to the '90s to celebrate the WLA's 30th Anniversary! We'll be sharing '90s snacks and crafts with the Loyola community. From 11am-1pm, we'll be in the Information Commons on April 11th and 17th and in Damen on April 16th!
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Explore the Mundelein College Collection Online
Explore the Mundelein College photographs now available online in the Illinois Digital Archives. During a webinar on March 30, 2023, Emily Reiher, WLA Director, demonstrated how to browse and search for materials in the online collection. Watch the recording of the demonstration now!
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Step into the Buildings of Mundelein College
Visit our new digital resource that tells the stories of some of the buildings that were once part of Mundelein College's campus. See historic photos and learn the history discovered in the Mundelein College Records of buildings that still stand or have since been demolished. We will be adding more buildings for you to explore in the coming weeks!
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Access the WLA’s Digital Collections (Video)
Learn how to access the WLA's digital collections in our latest instructional video. We'll walk you through exploring digitized materials in Preservica.
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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!
The WLA Remembers Patricia A. Crowley, OSB
Sr. Patricia A. Crowley, OSB, who dedicated her life to serving people experiencing homelessness and other social justice issues, passed away October 14, 2023. Services will be held on November 4 in Evanston, IL.
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Open House Chicago 2024
On October 19–20, the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) is hosting Piper Hall as part of Open House Chicago with the Chicago Architecture Center! The first floor will be open to visitors 10am-4pm each day. We’re one of more than 170 sites in 20+ neighborhoods welcoming visitors for this FREE annual architecture festival.
DETAILSMundelein Reunion 2024
Mundelein Reunion Weekend is September 28-29, 2024! All alumnae are invited back to campus to reconnect with friends and classmates, explore campus, and celebrate the Mundelein College legacy. Congrats, Class of 1974: It’s your 50th Mundelein reunion! Follow the link to register for events, including building tours and an open house hosted by the WLA.
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Piper Hall Construction Update
In Summer 2023, 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.
LEARN MOREShare the WLA with your Valentine
The WLA is sharing the love with new Valentine cards! Print the cards featuring art and photographs from WLA collections
Glos Polek Translations
Selection of Glos Polek articles translated into English in 2023 with a focus on the changing perspective of the role of the Polish woman within American society.
Footprints of Polonia
An evening with Ewa Barczyk, President of the Polish American Librarians Association and editor of the book "Footprints of Polonia: Polish Historical Sites Across North America".
WLA Remembers Sr. Patricia A. Crowley, OSB
Sr. Patricia A. Crowley, OSB, who dedicated her life to serving people experiencing homelessness and other social justice issues, passed away October 14, 2023. Services will be held on November 4 in Evanston, IL.
Remembering Alice Bourke Hayes, Ph.D.
The WLA remembers Alice Bourke Hayes, Ph.D. A graduate of Mundelein College Class of 1959, Dr. Hayes served as president of the University of San Diego 1995-2003. She also served as served as vice president for academic affairs, associate academic vice president, dean for the natural sciences and chairperson of the department of natural sciences at Loyola University of Chicago. Hayes was a botanist who conducted research in mycology, was a member of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Biology Program, and served on advisory panels of the National Science Foundation. Read her WLA collection’s finding aid to learn more.
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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.
Mundelein at 90 Project Update: June 2023
The Mundelein at 90 digitization project, as supported by the IHDI grant, concluded June 30, 2023. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Illinois Digital Archives, and will continue to make updates to this page as additional items are uploaded.
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Celebration of Mundelein College History: April 27, 2023
Join us for a celebration of Mundelein College's history at a reception with refreshments, photo displays, Mundelein trivia, and prizes! Stop by any time for all or part of the evening.
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Remembering Enid Baron
Clinical Psychologist, Mundelein College Director of Counseling, and poet Enid Baron passed away in October 2022. Her collection at the WLA includes materials related to her volunteer work with the Poetry Center of Chicago, her work as a counselor, and her published poetry. See the new finding aid for her collection to learn more.
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WLA Collection Featured in Chicago Collections Consortium 10th Anniversary Exhibit
Items from the Eleanor Foundation Records at the WLA are featured in the CCC exhibit, A Glimpse Back at Chicago's Communities and Neighborhoods. On each page of this exhibit, photographs, videos, objects, and documents from CCC member collections offer glimpses into the rich history of Chicago's communities and neighborhoods. Explore the West Side chapter to find the images submitted by the WLA!
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EVENT: The Synod and Women: Which Way to the Future?
Please join us September 27, 2022, for a talk from Phyllis Zagano, an internationally acclaimed Catholic scholar and lecturer on contemporary spirituality and women’s issues in the church. She belonged to the 2016-2018 Papal Commission for the Study of the Diaconate of Women and holds a research appointment at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York.
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Ravenwsood ArtWalk
Stop by the WLA's booth at the Ravenswood ArtWalk September 10 and 11, 2022. The WLA holds the collection of Judith Roth, artist and ArtWalk founder, and is happy to help celebrate the ArtWalk's 20th anniversary this year.
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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.
Women’s History Month Archives Exchange
Join the WLA and Gerber/Hart Library at 6:30pm on March 31, 2022, for virtual tours of both archives and a "show and tell" of a few favorite collections. WLA Director Emily Reiher will discuss SisterSerpents, a radical feminist art collective that was formed in 1989 Chicago. Archivist Whit Sadusky and librarian Erin Bell of Gerber/Hart will discuss Lorrainne Sade Baskerville, an American social worker and activist best known for founding the transgender advocacy group transGENESIS. Free to attend!
REGISTERVIDEO: Loyola at 150: Student Life Timeline Project
Did you miss the event on February 16, 2022? Watch the recording of the presentation: Loyola at 150: Student Life timeline Project, now available online.
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EVENT: Loyola at 150: Student Life Timeline Project
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, join us for an online presentation by three of the Sesquicentennial Scholars. Created to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Loyola’s founding, this digital project explores Loyola’s history, the connections between the Loyola student body and the world while highlighting student life at Loyola and Mundelein College. The project features interactive timelines, themed exhibits, and historical photographs and documents from the University Archives and Special Collections and the WLA.
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Grant Received: Mundelein at 90
We are pleased to announce the WLA has received a grant to fund the "Mundelein at 90" digitization project, which aims to digitize and provide online access through the Illinois Digital Archives to unique historical records from Mundelein College. Follow the link for more information and updates on the project.
LEARN MOREMundelein Reunion 2021: Recap
Did you miss the 2021 Mundelein College Reunion? See the slides presented by WLA Director, Emily Reiher.
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Celebrating Class of 1971 and the Mundelein College Reunion
On October 2, 2021, Class of 1971 and other Mundelein College alumnae will gather virtually for the annual reunion! To celebrate, we are sharing a timeline of events at Mundelein College from 1967-1971, photos, and other resources for all alumnae!
MOREMundelein 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.
Onsite Researchers at the WLA: Fall 2021
Loyola University Chicago is welcoming visitors back to campus again, and the WLA reading room is now open to researchers by appointment. In accordance with University guidelines, please note the following requirements for onsite research at the WLA: Appointments may be made Monday-Friday concluding by 5pm, masks must be worn indoors in all campus buildings and are available at the WLA if needed, visitors must provide proof of vaccination upon entry or attest to a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 72 hours pre-arrival, and please do not come to campus if you have COVID-19 symptoms. To schedule an appointment, please contact the WLA at wlarchives@LUC.edu. Find additional details on University guidelines at LUC.edu/returntocampus.
DETAILSWLA 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.
Summer 2021 WLA Update
WLA staff will continue to be onsite as needed to fulfill digitization and remote research requests. The WLA may accept donated materials and collections with the Director’s approval. Please contact wlarchives@luc.edu for additional information.
Loyola at 150: Student Life Timeline is Live!
Launched in May 2021 and created to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Loyola’s founding, the “Loyola at 150: Student Life Timeline” project is a digital project consisting of timelines drawing together significant world, Chicago, institutional, and student events characterizing each decade in Loyola’s history since 1870. The timeline project also includes Mundelein College student experiences. Head over to the website to uncover these stories!
VIEW![Photo from oral history interview with Patsy Crowley in 2018. Pictured left to right: Corinne Chapman, Nancy Freeman (Director, Women and Leadership Archives), Patricia A. Crowley, OSB [seated], Bren Ortega Murphy, Teresa Neumann.](/media/lucedu/wla/images/20181116_101751.jpg "Photo from oral history interview with Patsy Crowley in 2018. Pictured left to right: Corinne Chapman, Nancy Freeman (Director, Women and Leadership Archives), Patricia A. Crowley, OSB [seated], Bren Ortega Murphy, Teresa Neumann.")
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.
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.
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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Demo: Accessing the Women and Leadership Archives Online
Emily Reiher, Certified Archivist and WLA Director, gave a brief presentation via Zoom on Using the Women and Leadership Archives Online on February 18, 2021. If you missed the event, you can still watch the presentation.
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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.
COVID-19 Update: February 1, 2021
For Spring 2021, WLA staff will be onsite as needed to fulfill digitization and remote research requests. The WLA may accept donated materials and collections with the Director’s approval. Please contact wlarchives@luc.edu for additional information.
Mundelein 90th Anniversary
2020 marked the 90th Anniversary of Mundelein College opening its doors to students. First presented at the Advent Vespers event on December 5, 2020, we're happy to share this slideshow of images of Mundelein through the decades.
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Ask an Archivist Day 2020
#AskAnArchivist Day is an opportunity to learn about archives from archival professionals. Check out what WLA Director, Emily Reiher, had to say in response to your questions.
WATCH VIDEOEnd of Fall 2020 and Winter Break
Please note the following WLA hours & services for the remainder of the Fall 2020 semester through Winter Break:
• November 9-20: Open by appointment
• November 21-29 (Thanksgiving Week Break): CLOSED
• November 30-December 12 (Last Week of Classes and Finals Week): WLA staff will have their last day of physical access to the collections on Thursday, December 10 and will resume access in the new year. Please contact the Women and Leadership Archives at wlarchives@luc.edu with any digitization requests by Friday, December 4.
• December 13, 2020 - January 18, 2021 (Winter Break): Staff will be working to fulfill reference questions remotely between semesters, except during university holidays.
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.
COVID-19 Update: August 19, 2020
For Fall 2020, WLA staff will be onsite as needed to fulfill digitization and remote research requests. The WLA may accept donated materials and collections with the Director’s approval. Please contact wlarchives@luc.edu for additional information.
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Explore the WLA's Digital Collections on Preservica
The WLA's digital collections are now available on a new platform called Preservica. This tool allows us to manage digital collections for the long run by keeping secure backups and helping us to migrate formats over time as software changes. View fascinating documents, photographs, and artwork from the WLA's collections wherever you go!
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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 passing of Sister Carol Frances Jegen, BVM on July 7, 2020. Sr. Jegen was an instrumental faculty member at Mundelein College for over 30 years.
Glos Polek Newspaper Now Available Online!
Glos Polek (The Polish Women's Voice), a publication from the Polish Women's Alliance of America, is now available online. Browse Glos Polek issues from 1902-2007 as part of the Women and Leadership Archives Digital Collections.
GALLERYCarolyn 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.
Mundelein Timeline Updated
The Mundelein College Timeline has recently been updated with more photos and information. Follow the link for a more in-depth look at Mundelein over the years.
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Organizing Your Personal and Family Archives: June 10, 2020
Did you miss the event? Follow the link to view the slides from the presentation: Organizing Your Personal and Family Archives. Emily Reiher, WLA Director, presented information about storing and handling items safely, encountering outdated formats, purchasing supplies, and managing digital items.
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PWA Preservation Project Update
The preservation project between the Polish Women's Alliance of America and the WLA is well underway! Read the latest update in the June 2020 issue of Fraternally Yours (Zenska Jednota), the official publication for the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association.
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WLA 25th Highlighted in Salt Magazine, Winter 2020
The Women and Leadership Archives 25th Anniversary was highlighted in the latest edition of Salt (a magazine published for friends & family of the Sisters of Charity, BVM). Read the full issue here!
READCOVID-19 Update
March 18, 2020 Update: The WLA is closed to all onsite visitors until further notice. Please contact us at wlarchives@luc.edu with any questions or remote research requests.
Effective March 16, 2020, the Women and Leadership Archives will be operating by appointment only for the Loyola University Chicago community (faculty, students, and alumni). These researchers are encouraged to contact the WLA to see if virtual accommodations can be made or if an in-person visit is necessary. All other in-person visits and events will be postponed until further notice. WLA staff are available to conduct research, digitize items, and conduct other services to provide access to collections remotely. For more information, please contact the WLA at wlarchives@luc.edu. Follow the link for information regarding Loyola University Chicago’s response to COVID-19.
The Past, Present, & Future of Feminist Spaces: POSTPONED
This event, sponsored by Loyola's Women's Studies & Gender Studies Program and Women & Children First bookstore, has been postponed until further notice.
Pop-Up Library at the WLA, Spring 2020: CANCELED
The remaining pop-up events in March and April have been canceled.
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.
Spring 2020 Hours
*Effective March 16, 2020, the Women and Leadership Archives will be operating by appointment only for the Loyola University Chicago community (faculty, students, and alumni). See COVID-19 UPDATE in the News section for full details.* The WLA is open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm during the spring semester (January 13-April 24, 2020). We will be closed January 20 and April 10 for holidays. Appointments are encouraged but not required. If you would like to visit the archives outside of our regular hours, please call 773.508.8837 or email WLArchives@luc.edu to schedule a visit.
Open House Chicago 2019
For 110 years, Piper Hall has served as a home, coffeehouse, religious studies center, and archives - and you can come visit! As part the Chicago Architecture Center’s Open House Chicago, the Women and Leadership Archives welcomes you to beautiful Piper Hall at Loyola University Chicago. On October 19 and 20 from 10am-5pm, this historic white mansion on the lakeside will stand alongside hundreds of other architectural gems in the city for this annual event, along with Loyola's Mundelein Center and the Information Commons. We hope you'll include us on your list as you explore all that the city's neighborhoods have to offer. (Photo by Eric Allix Rogers)
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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.
LYPW Polish Translation
We are happy to announce (just in time for the Legion's 80th anniversary in 2019!) that the Legion of Young Polish Women Digital Exhibit is now available in Polish! Follow the link to get access to the English and Polish versions of the digital exhibit.
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WLA 25th Anniversary Celebration
The WLA is celebrating 25 years! Join us on September 27, 2019, for refreshments, conversation, and exhibits as we look to the next 25 years of collecting and preserving women’s stories.
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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.
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.
Unsung Heroes in the History of STEM and Health Sciences
Sister Mary Therese Langerbeck, BVM, reportedly “the world’s first Sister-Doctor of Astrophysics” has been included in the Society of American Archivists list of "Unsung Heroes in the History of STEM and Health Sciences." Sr. Langerbeck taught physics at Mundelein College in Chicago from 1936-1970. (Photo: Sister Langerbeck with globe, n.d.)
LEARN MOREWLA closed January 30 & 31
Due to the predicted record-breaking frigid temps, the WLA will be closed Wednesday (1/30) and Thursday (1/31). Regular hours will resume on Friday (2/1). Stay warm!
Risk Versus Benefit
The Society of American Archivists awarded Nancy Freeman, recent WLA Director, honorable mention in the 2018 Archives Short Fiction Contest for her short story, "Risk Versus Benefit."
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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.
Introducing Voices From Mundelein: Media Portal
The WLA’s new portal features more than 30 interviews that allow listeners to discover the history of Mundelein College through the personal experiences of students, faculty, and staff. This resource, created by Loyola History PhD candidates Jenny Clay and Nathan Ellstrand, was funded through the LUC Libraries.
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Chicago’s History of Activism
The Women and Leadership Archives contributed materials in 2018 to the Chicago Collections Consortium's 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. On display through October 20, 2018, the exhibit 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.
Chicago’s Innovative Sisters of Theater
Check out the September 25, 2018 post from the Lakefront Historian, a student-run public history blog from Chicago: Chicago’s Innovative Sisters of Theater: A Reflection on the Mundelein College Drama Department.
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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.
Visiting Archivist from Poland
In December 2017, an archivist from the Archivwum Akt Nowych in Warsaw visited the Women and Leadership Archives to review the Polish Women's Alliance of America records.
.jpg "WLA Director, Nancy Freeman, with Antoinette Trela, Secretary-Treasurer of the Polish Women's Alliance, and Bozena Norwicka McLees, Director of Interdisciplinary Polish Studies at Loyola University Chicago, at an event held to launch fundraising efforts for the project.")
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, launched in December 2016. 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.
The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: One Juror’s Ordeal
On August 26, 2018, the Edgewater Historical Society will open a new exhibit entitled, “The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: One Juror’s Ordeal.”
Peace Studies Digital Exhibit
Oral histories tell the story of Peace Studies at Loyola University Chicago which was conceived out of an obligation to make a difference in the world. That responsibility was the primary mission of Mundelein College, which launched the Peace Studies program in 1989 and brought it to Loyola when the two institutions affiliated in 1991. Visit the digital exhibit created in 2018.
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Loyola's Women and Leadership Archives Captures Chicago's History of Activism
Nancy Freeman, WLA Director, was interviewed by Rebellious Magazine about MuCUBA (Mundelein College United Black Association), quiet leaders, and the stories told through archival materials. Read the March 5, 2017 article here.
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Congratulations, Kate!
One of the our graduate assistants at the WLA, Kate Johnson, is graduating May 2018 with an M.A. in Public History from Loyola University Chicago. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors! [Pictured: Kate Johnson and Nancy Freeman, WLA Director]
Suzanne Bost WLA Summer Research Grant Publication
Suzanne Bost, PhD, Professor of English and Graduate Program Director of Women's Studies and Gender Studies at Loyola, was the recipient of the 2015 Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) Summer Research Grant. Her research at the WLA culminated in the article, “Identity and Cross-Cultural Empathy: Writing to Sister Maryagnes Curran, O.S.F.” published in the Summer 2017 issue of Feminist Formations.
READ MOREMundelein College Records Grant Completed!
The Women and Leadership Archives is pleased to announce completion of an Illinois State Records Advisory Board (ISHRAB) 2016-2017 grant. WLA received a $5,000 grant from ISHRAB to re-organize and make more accessible the records of Mundelein College. The College operated from 1930-1991 and when it closed, was the last all women’s college in Illinois. Loyola’s University Libraries and Gannon Center for Women also contributed funding to the project. Recent Loyola graduate, Caroline Giannakopoulos, led the grant project and produced a finding aid, or road map, for the records of Mundelein College. A big thank you to ISHRAB and Loyola’s University Libraries and Gannon Center for Women!
History Fair Students
We were happy to have a number of History Fair students research at the WLA in 2018. One pair of students created this documentary about the Equal Rights Amendment. Check it out here!
WATCH VIDEO
Students, Scholars Explore African-American Archives in Chicago Libraries
The March 9, 2018 UChicago News article, "Students, Scholars Explore African-American Archives in Chicago Libraries" features Megan Naylor, Archie Motley Archival Intern at the WLA last year, along with a photo of her and Melanie Chambliss, current intern at the WLA. Megan and Melanie were both working with the Carol Moseley Braun collection at the WLA.
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120th Anniversary of the Founding of the Polish Women's Alliance of America
Sunday, April 29, 2018, celebrate the PWA 120th Anniversary with the WLA! A lunch and presentation of the WLA/PWA Preservation Project will take place in the Klarchek Information Commons 4th Floor.
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Cesar Chavez: Loyola and Mundelein
With the screening of the documentary Hailing Cesar at Loyola on February 19, 2018, the WLA is highlighting the connections between Cesar Chavez, Mundelein, and Loyola.
Machinal Reception & Talk Back
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018. Immediately following the 7:30PM performance • Mundelein, Palm Court, 4th Floor • Loyola Lake Shore Campus
Politics of the Pantry
On November 18, 2017, the WLA hosted the book launch of Politics of the Pantry: Housewives, Food, and Consumer Protest in Twentieth Century America by Emily E. LB. Twarog. See photos from the event.
Chicago Open Archives 2017: Hidden Stories
Guerilla art! Communists! A bowling poet!...? Uncover clues from various WLA collections that tell the stories of Mollie West (Chicago labor leader, women’s right activist, and one-time Communist Party member), SisterSerpents (Chicago feminist art collective that made political statements through art), and Eleanor Risteen Gordon (professor, poet, and bowling enthusiast).
Marie Sklodowska Curie: Piecing Together the Historical Puzzle
Thank you to everyone who attended the 5th Annual Focus on the Book: "Marie Skłodowska Curie: Piecing Together the Historical Puzzle" on October 26, 2017. Helena Pycior, Professor Emerita of the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, presented an interesting program about Marie Skłodowska Curie, renowned scientist and twice Nobel Prize winner, became known as the “healer of cancer.”
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Researching at the WLA
Want to know how to research at an archives? Find out how to use the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) in this short video created by Graduate Assistant Ellen Bushong. Lu Wolf, mascot of Loyola University Chicago, experiences the archives first-hand and learns how to use our finding aids, navigate the WLA website, and how to properly handle documents, photos, journals, and much more!
Farewell, Megan
Good luck, Megan! We enjoyed having you at the WLA during Summer 2017. Melanie Chambliss, BMRC Special Project Intern, will continue processing the Carol Moseley Braun papers.
BMRC Archie Motley Archival Intern at the WLA
The BMRC (Black Metropolis Research Consortium) has named Megan Naylor as the Archie Motley Archival Intern for Summer 2017 where she will work at the WLA. 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.
LEARN MOREPolish 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.
2017 Ramonat Scholar Final Colloquium
Amanda Malmstrom won the Ramonat Prize for her research project titled, “Labor of Love: Women, Art, and the Catholic Worker Newspaper."
Women in Politics: Photos
See photos from the March 27, 2017, panel discussion featuring current and former Illinois politicians discussing the state of women in politics and their own experiences in political life, both past and present.
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Women in Politics: Past & Present
On March 27, 2017, please join us for a panel discussion featuring current and former Illinois politicians discussing the state of women in politics and their own experiences in political life, both past and present.
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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 2016 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.
Find WLA content on the Chicago Collections Consortium and the Catholic Research Resources Alliance
WLA Content on CCC and CRRA
The WLA Congratulates Parting Graduate Assistant
WLA graduate assistant Caroline Lynd Giannakopoulos graduated with her Master’s in Public History from Loyola on May 10, 2016.
Mary's Pence Event
On Saturday April 23, 2016 the organization Mary's Pence, held a reception at Piper Hall for their board meeting, staff, and supporters.
Women in Science: Then and Now
This Women's History Month event on March 21, 2016 will feature a WLA presentation about Dr. Mary Therese Langerbeck, BVM, the first sister doctorate in the world, who transformed the involvement of women in science at Mundelein College and beyond.
MORE2016 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
The purpose of the Summer Research Grant is to support and encourage scholarly research on women and their contribution to society by utilizing the holdings of the Women and Leadership Archives.
Anthropology students learn about preservation at the WLA
The WLA had a recent visit from an Anthropology 396 class in November 2015. 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!
Family, friends, and the community celebrate the life of Mollie West
On October 3, 2015, 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
August 7 - November 15, 2015 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 with weekly features on the website and Facebook. To get started, here is a post by Director Nancy Freeman, first published in the September 2015 issue of BROAD magazine.
Join us in celebrating the life of Mollie West on October 3.
A reception will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015 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.
2015 Summer Research Grant Recipients Visit the WLA
The WLA has had a busy summer with visits from our two 2015 Summer Research Grant recipients, Suzanne Bost and Jillian Plummer.
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 2015 Interns
Spring 2015 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 2015.
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!
LEARN MOREThe History of the Women and Leadership Archives
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.
Color Our Collections with Our New Coloring Book
The WLA joined other institutions in Color Our Collections, a fun way to connect with library and archives collections! Print, color, and share our 2024 coloring book, which features artwork from the Judith Roth collection.
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We're Hiring! Graduate Assistant Positions Open Now
The WLA is looking for Loyola graduate students to join the team this Fall. Apply by July 1, 2024 for first consideration.Tap "Learn More" for more information and how to apply!
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Gannon Center Program Manager
Join the team! The Gannon Center for Women and Leadership is now hiring for a Program Manager. Follow the link for details and how to apply.
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Sister Jean Memoir 2023-2024 Rambler Read
The Rambler Read is Loyola's common reading experience, an opportunity for the Loyola community to foster meaningful discussion and engagement on issues that impact our community. This year's Rambler Read is "Wake Up With Purpose!: What I've Learned In My First Hundred Years" by Sister Jean and Seth Davis. Learn more in the Libraries Research Guide.
READ MORERemembering Suellen Hoy, Ph.D.
The WLA remembers award-winning historian Suellen Hoy, who passed away on May 4, 2023. Dr. Hoy researched and published works on public health, women reformers, and Catholic women religious orders, particularly those residing in Chicago. She was also a founder of the National Council on Public History. She received numerous fellowships and prizes to support her research, including two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Conference on the History of Women Religious in 2007. Learn more about Dr. Hoy’s life and career through her collection's finding aid.
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