Until 1920, the University's students were exclusively male. During these men-only years, Jill T. Rinehart applied with hopes of breaking the precedent and opening the University's doors to women.
Her initial attempt failed, but her persistence eventually paid off. Rinehart graduated from the Univeristy in 1980, at the age of 59.
Today, Rinehart has returned to Grounds once more to attend the annual luncheon, lecture and award ceremony for which she is the namesake and endower.
The Jill T. Rinehart Lecture and Luncheon takes place today at 12 p.m. in the University of Virginia Women's Center, located across from The White Spot. The event will feature food and a distinguished speaker, Sara James.
James, who graduated from the College in 1983, will receive the Jill T. Rinehart award at the luncheon and speak on her experiences as an NBC Dateline News correspondent.
James has had a noteworthy international journalistic career, covering topics such as Bosnian war crimes, medical experiments conducted on World War II P.O.W's by the Japanese and present day slavery in Sudan.
Additionally, James has been recognized with a National Press Club Award and has won top honors from the American Psychiatric Association for her work covering the debilitating effects of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Devon Breithaupt, first-year Graduate Arts & Sciences student and Events and Programs Coordinator for the Women's Center, estimated that over 100 people will attend the event. The luncheon is open to the public, and the Women's Center is expecting a mix of students, faculty and community members.
The lecture is evidence of the impact women such as Rinehart and James have made on the University since 1920. "This represents a huge step for women at U.Va. and the contributions they're now making in the world," Breithaupt said.
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