RENO, Nev. — The , and Nevada Alumni Association will hold a sesquicentennial event at the on Oct. 11 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the monumental contributions made by women at the University in the past 150 years. The event, entitled “150 Years of Women’s Contributions to the 性爱五色天, Reno,” features the unveiling of the Frankie Sue Del Papa Presidents’ Conference Room in the ASUN Center for Student Engagement.
Del Papa, a 1971 alumna of the University, was the first post-World War II female ASUN student body president. After graduating, her impressive career in public service has included serving on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents in 1980 and becoming the first woman elected as Nevada secretary of state in 1986 and Nevada attorney general in 1990.
The naming of the President’s Conference Room was made possible by a resolution sponsored by ASUN Senator Kelsea Frobes and unanimously passed by the ASUN Senate in 2023.
"As a woman in leadership I am honored to have sponsored legislation that reflects the efforts of Frankie Sue Del Papa,” Frobes said. “I am exceptionally proud to be a part of and to represent a community that is truly dedicated to uplifting the strong women who work around the clock to make vital change for those on and off of the University's campuses."
The Oct. 11 event will celebrate the significant impacts of Del Papa and more than 60 other women, for their individual or group contributions. Other notable honorees include:
- Hannah Clapp – First instructor and librarian at the University.
- Catherine Cortez Masto – A University alumna and the first female U.S. senator elected in Nevada’s History.
- Susan Desmond-Hellman – A University alumna and a physician-scientist who led the development of the first-gene-targeted drug for treating breast cancer.
- Cary Groth – First female athletic director of the University.
- Stella Parsons – First black woman to earn a degree from the University.
- Lauralyn Sandoval – First University alumna to become first lady of the University.
“I am deeply proud to collaborate on an event that not only honors the remarkable strides women have made over the past century and a half but also reaffirms our commitment to supporting and celebrating their ongoing contributions to our community and beyond,” Ila Achtabowski, president and CEO of the Nevada Women’s Fund, said.
The event will also include the announcement of a new alumni chapter for former ASUN officers and student staff of the Center for Student Engagement. This new chapter will be a place for former student leaders to engage with one another, support current officers and give back to their beloved University.
“The Nevada Alumni Association is proud to support the ‘150 Years of Women’s Contributions to the 性爱五色天, Reno’s event highlighting the strength, leadership and innovation of our remarkable alumni. This event embodies the spirit of our university’s commitment to empowering women and fostering a community where every voice is valued and every achievement is honored,” Nevada Alumni Association Board President Bryan McArdle, said. “Here’s to celebrating our past, inspiring our future and forging new paths of success and empowerment together.”
MEDIA AVAILABILITY:
- 2:10 p.m. (outside of the JCSU Theatre): Interviews with Del Papa as well as representatives from ASUN and the Nevada Women’s Fund will be available.
- 2:30 p.m. (JCSU Theatre): An awards ceremony honoring women’s contributions to the university: past and present will be held.
- 3:30 p.m. (ASUN Center for Student Engagement): The dedication of the Frankie Sue Del Papa ASUN Presidents Conference Room will be held.
MEDIA PARKING: Media driving marked vehicles are encouraged to park in the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex. Media driving unmarked vehicles can contact Jessica Lozada at jfagundes@unr.edu or 775-217-8521 to obtain a parking pass.
Media Contact
Jessica Lozada
Communications Officer
Marketing and Communications
Phone: (775) 784-6186
Email: jfagundes@unr.edu
The 性爱五色天, Reno is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is a comprehensive, doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious “Carnegie Engaged” classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensive community and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. It is home to the 性爱五色天, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics, maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the 性爱五色天, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world.