Inspirational LSE women alumni

Posted 6 months ago

Celebrate the achievements of LSE women

Continue the fight for gender equity! 

Doesn't matter who you are, we all have women in our lives who have had a positive impact on us or women in our history whose influence is still felt today. They deserve recognition and the women of the future deserve support! On Wednesday 8th March we will be celebrating so join in!

#EmbraceEquity

This year's campaign theme is Embrace Equity which takes into consideration that each person has different circumstances, and we need to allocate the right resources and opportunities to reach an equal outcome for all. It's easy to get this mixed up with equality but watch the video below to understand the key differences:

Embrace Equality video

The inspirational LSE alumni

Here are just a few examples of women (who have graduated from the very university you are attending) who have gone on to do amazing things and sometimes be the first ever to do them:

  • Helen MayelleInternational UN Volunteer
  • Minouche ShafikLSE Director
  • Beatrice Webb (1858-1943) A pioneer of social research and policymaking, Beatrice worked on Charles Booth's enquiry, published a Minority Report on the Poor Law, and lectured at LSE on trade unionism and employment.
  • Charlotte Payne-Townshend (later Shaw) (1857-1943)Although she was not a founder, her financial support was crucial for the survival of the early School. One of her donations funded what is now known as the Shaw Library. It's named after her - and not her famous husband.
  • Alice E Murray and Amy HarrisonThe first women to be awarded doctorates at LSE in 1903. Alice on the history of commercial and financial relations between England and Ireland, and Amy on the history of factory legislation.
  • Ellen Marianne LeonardThe first female President of the LSE Students’ Union in 1907. 
  • Mithan Tata One of the earliest women to be called the Bar, Mithan later became the first female Professor of Law in India.
  • Lilian KnowlesThe first female Professor of Economic History in the UK in 1921. 
  • Edith Abbott The first American woman to be appointed the dean of a graduate school in the United States in 1924.
  • Maureen ColquhounThe first openly gay woman in UK parliament.
  • Eugenia CharlesDominica's first female Prime Minister (1980).

There are plenty of other inspirational alumni at LSE that are worth shining a light on, so explore their achievements when you get the chance.

If they can do it, you can too! Want more amazing women? Check out the history of women at LSE.