In 1972, Mont Alto celebrated its graduating students with the first commencement ceremony held on campus (before, held only at University Park). The year was monumental for another reason, as well: the first female student had completed and was graduating with a degree in Forest Technology - one of the campus's three available associate degree programs. That does not mean that women were not present before; in fact, women have been active on campus and holding pivotal roles since its very beginnings as the Pennsylvania State Forest Academy in 1903.
This exhibit was viewable during the 2023-2024 academic year and endeavored to highlight how women have been impacting Mont Alto for the last 120 years.
You can view the display for the duration of the 2023-2024 academic year on the second floor of the library during our normal hours of operation.
Women in Forestry
Although women have always been on campus, their presence in the Forestry department was less pronounced. Pictured here are three of the “first women in forestry” at Mont Alto.
Clockwise from top
- Frances M. Wilkinson: The first female forestry student – and the only recorded female student during the days of the Pennsylvania State Forest Academy. She married Gayle Somers (PSFA, 1922) in 1917 and enrolled as a student in 1921. According to Elizabeth Thomas, she completed her first year but did not return to finish the program. The exact reason is unknown, but Thomas speculates she may have become pregnant or followed Somers to Connecticut when he enrolled in the Yale Forest School.
- Gayle Friday (Pusnik) (PSMA, 1972): The first female to graduate with a Forest Technology degree after Penn State Mont Alto began offering the program in 1963. In speaking with Gayle in 2023, she noted that after the first couple weeks, the male instructors and students realized she was serious about her studies and work in the program. The students, especially, always treated her respectfully and she sometimes felt like she had “too many big brothers.” She put her degree to good work through the years, initially with a forestry-related company, and then through schools as a coordinator for various outdoor programs. (Photo taken January, 1971. Faculty member in hard hat is Ken Swisher.)
- Beth Brantley: Penn State Mont Alto’s first female forest technology instructor. She came to campus as a faculty member in 1997. Beth remained at Mont Alto for 22 years until she departed in 2019 to join Bartlett Tree Experts. In her time at Mont Alto she was known for her excellence in instruction and engaging and entertaining tree walks. (Photo from c. 1999, Brantley is holding a copy of Elizabeth Thomas’ book, A History of the Pennsylvania State Forest School, 1903-1929)
Mira Lloyd Dock
A "loyal supporter of forestry, and friend and counsellor of the undergraduates" (1923 Oak Leaf yearbook)
Mira Lloyd Dock (1853-1945) was an educator, botanist, environmentalist, and one of the leading voices in establishing a forestry school in the state of Pennsylvania.
Born in Harrisburg in 1853, Dock was educated in boarding and finishing schools throughout Pennsylvania. She may have planned on pursuing higher education but her mother died in 1876 and Mira returned home to care for her family - for nearly 20 years. After her father passed away in 1895, she enrolled at the University of Michigan to study botany, a subject she had long been interested in. (She had even taught herself photography so that she would be able to photograph plant specimens she collected.)
In 1894, she heard Dr. Joseph Rothrock present on the poor state of Pennsylvania forests and was “filled with the idea of doing something for the forests of Pennsylvania.” After completing her University of Michigan coursework in 1896, she returned to Harrisburg and began lecturing on forestry, city beautification and “civic improvement” – the beginnings of her “City Beautiful” campaign. In 1897, she was selected to speak on forest conservation to the State Federation of Pennsylvania Women, leading to more invitations from other groups, and by 1901 she had been appointed to serve as the first woman on the Pennsylvania Forestry Reservation Commission. In this role, she worked closely with Rothrock and helped him lobby for the creation of a forestry school.
When the Forest Academy was officially founded in 1903, Mira Lloyd Dock became a regular lecturer and often hosted students at her house near Caledonia for Sunday afternoon visits, even after she retired from the Forest Commission in 1912.
"...the home of the Docks receives extra-curriculum visits, because, in the affections of the 'Forestry boys,' the Misses Dock hold a high place, and in many ways constitute members of the school circle." (1923 Oak Leaf yearbook [Mira was living with her sister, Lavinia, near Caledonia])
For a more detailed biography and account of her work, see the article from Pennsylvania Heritage, entitled, “With a Woman’s Instinct”: Mira Lloyd Dock, The Mother of Forestry in Pennsylvania
Student Life
Having women on campus impacted all areas of student life and academics, from housing to clubs to available majors. Women initially lived in Conklin Hall (1963-1968), then moved to Mont Alto Hall (1969), and were finally split between Mont Alto Hall and Penn Gate 1 (1971); they joined existing clubs and organizations (Woodsmen Team, ROTC) or developed their own (Association of Women Students); and they eventually majored in every program.
Approximately left to right:
- “Girls of Conklin,” from the 1966 Michaux yearbook (Mont Alto Hall not yet built)
- “Mont Alto Hall Women,” from the 1991 Prism yearbook (So many more female students, not even including those living in the Penn Gate buildings)
- 1967 photo of the Association of Women Students group
- 1975 photo of Nursing students - before Mont Alto even had a Nursing major (Captioned in Record Herald (10/16/75): "Mrs. Jane Criste, director of nursing at Waynesboro Hospital, explains how to take a blood pressure reading. Observing are six of the nursing students from Mont Alto Campus who will spend Tuesday mornings at the hospital for the next 15 weeks. The students are, left to right, Cathy McNew, Teresa Twigg, Chris Trimmer, Darlene Reaka, Rondi Korkuch, and Lisanne Parsons.")
- 2003 photo of Nursing program graduates
- 2023 photo of Nursing students submitted by Bella Dymond, who included this note: "While it was draining and difficult, I had a group of friends to get me through. We became a family who loved and took care of each other. We studied together, went to class together, and would take "mental walks" around campus together. Not to mention all the times we quite literally could not stop laughing in the middle of a lecture. We now have a notes page on our phones dedicated to the "quotes" each other said resulting in our own hysteria."
- 1991 article from the Gettysburg Times on the creation of the associate degree program in Nursing
- 1963 photo of the rifle team, possibly the Ranger Club (ROTC)
- “Ranger Club,” from the 1991 Prism yearbook (ROTC)
- 1991 photo of the ROTC awards
- 1972 photo of the class of 1973 forestry summer camp
- Photo of Kris Anderson, woodsmen team member at 1991 field day
- 1965 photo of women participating during field day
Athletics for Women
With a variety of intramural, varsity, and club sports, opportunities for women to participate in athletics have changed significantly in the years since they began enrolling at Penn State Mont Alto.
- First female Physical Education instructor, Maxine Hunter (Grace) worked at Mont Alto from 1969-1985. Under her guidance, opportunities for women’s sports opened up and included basketball, volleyball, and cross country. She was also heavily involved in orienteering and organized several competitions.
- 2003 photo of cheerleading squad
- 1968 photo of cheerleading squad
- “Women’s Basketball,” from the 1990 Prism yearbook
- “Women’s Basketball,” from the 1970 Michaux yearbook, showing Maxine Grace, coach
- Chart indicating years of availability for women’s sports (Occasionally, campus would also have table tennis, chess, tennis, golf, and bowling teams that competed and were all co-ed)
- 2002 photos of volleyball and softball teams
- “Soccer Team,” from the 1991 Prism yearbook (Caption: "An interesting feature of this season's team was the fact that there were two female teammates. When asked what it was like to be one of the females, Steph Stasik replied, 'It felt awkward being the only girl on the field for the first few practices, but then JeanMarie joined the team and everything blended well." Likely the first year the team was co-ed.)
- 2003 photo of soccer team, still co-ed
- 2018 photo of women’s soccer team (First female team started in 2015, but no photo is available)
- Recipient of first Mont Alto’s Woman’s of the Year award (1973-1974): Jennie Gilbert (Gilbert attended Mont Alto from 1973-1975 and graduated from University Park in 1977 – though she attended the ceremony here at Mont Alto. She participated in women’s basketball and volleyball, as well as cross country. While at UP, she worked as a student athletic manager for several teams.)
- “Mont Alto Girl Paces Big Win,” article from 1973 issue of Public Opinion (On Jennie Gilbert’s success in cross country invitational at University Park)
Women behind the Scenes
Since the very beginning of the Forest Academy 120 years ago, women have been working behind the scenes to keep campus running.
Left to right, back row first
- Pages from yearbooks featuring notes about matrons, kitchen staff, etc.
- Unlabeled, undated photo featuring women working
- 1914 Oak Leaf yearbook
- Elizabeth Thomas, campus librarian (1963-1979) and author of A History of the Pennsylvania State Forest School, 1903-1929, the comprehensive book on the early days of the Forest School
- 1923 Oak Leaf yearbook
- 1987 photo of the Continuing Education department staff: Susan Pentz, Janet Patterson (director), Vickie Sprenkle
- 1907 photo of Mrs. Wirt (wife of school director, George Wirt), setting the cornerstone during the construction of Conklin Hall
- c. 1903 photo of Irene Bortree, sister of school director, George Wirt (Mrs. Bortree lived on campus as a housekeeper and the school’s first matron until 1907. During this time, she also taught occasional courses [though which ones is not specified].)
- c. 1903 photos of Mattie Reed, Laura Reed, and together (Note on back of photo says, “Miss Laura Reed (Now Mrs. Oscar Heefner), her sister, Miss Mattie Reed (later, married to Elmer Cline, now deceased). Mont Alto girls who worked for Mrs. Bortree (when she was housekeeper for her brother Mr. George H. Wirt). Picture taken about 46 years ago by Francis X. Drackbar, student rooming in Wiestling Hall. Drackbar entered in 1903, but did not finish the course. Data collected April 27, 1951.”)
- Undated photo of Martha Fisher, Professor of English, 1968-1988 (The Martha A. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching is awarded each year to both a student-nominated full-time and part-time faculty member on the Mont Alto campus. The award was first given in 1990 – to Martha Fisher herself.)
Enrollment at Mont Alto
In 1963, Penn State Mont Alto became an official commonwealth campus. Prior to this, Mont Alto was solely where all forestry students began their education. With this change in status, the campus added its first associate degrees (Forest Technology, Surveying) and became a starting point for students in bachelor's degree programs before transitioning to University Park.
Women began enrolling immediately, starting with about 27 in 1963 and continuing to climb each year after. Women were housed in Conklin Hall until 1969 when Mont Alto Hall opened. According to the Record Herald, the tremendous increase in female student enrollment that year – nearly 3 times more! - “was made possible by the opening of the new women’s dormitory.”
In 1991, associate degrees in nursing and occupational therapy assistant were added. This was also the first year that women surpassed men in enrollment numbers – a trend that continues still.
Clockwise from top
- First women residents of Mont Alto, 1963-1964
- Enrollment graph, 1963-2022 (data unpublished for some years) (Note: Enrollment data for nonbinary and transgender students unavailable before 2020)
- 1970 Penn State Woman at Mont Alto Campus bulletin (Designed to supplement the Student Handbook with information specifically relevant to women students, this bulletin includes a welcome from Pat Byers, the Dean of Student Affairs; Chris Rees, President of Association of Women Students; and Madeleine Schmidt, Coordinator of the Big-Little Sister Program)
Female Leaders
Mont Alto has long had women on campus – whether as employees or students – but the women featured here are some of the first to be in higher level administrative positions.
Clockwise from top
- Patricia Byers, Dean of Student Affairs, 1968-1986: Started as the Assistant Director of Student Affairs in 1967 and moved into the Director position in 1968. During her time the position was also known as the Dean of Student Affairs. A 1986 Public Opinion article on her retirement says the following, “Byers said she is proud to be a ‘trailblazer’ in her field by being one of the first women to hold the position in the Penn State system. She is still one of the few women in the state and nation that holds the position of dean of students.”
- Corrinne Caldwell, Campus Executive Officer, 1987-1996: First – and only – woman to serve as Campus Executive Officer (now Chancellor). Prior to coming here, she was the Dean of the Division of Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering Technologies at the Community College of Philadelphia. She left in 1996 to become the Vice President and Dean of Temple University’s Ambler Campus. She regularly addressed the topic of women in higher education, saying in a 1993 Herald Mail article, “My feelings run the gamut from feeling proud that I made it to feeling lonely.”
- Andrea Christopher, Director of Student Affairs, 1996-2017: Christopher had a long career in Student Affairs before becoming the Director. She joined the campus in 1975 as an assistant to the Director, and in 1988 was appointed as the Assistant Director before becoming the second woman to hold the Director position – 10 years after Pat Byers retired.
- Kathleen Lodwick, Director of Academic Affairs, 1988-1990: DAA for only two years, but she was the first – and only – woman to hold that position at Mont Alto.
I would like to thank all of the women through the years who have had positive impacts on the Mont Alto campus and its students, paving the way for future generations.
If you have any questions about what you have seen here, please contact Kristi Addleman Ritter at kra132@psu.edu.