Founded by Women, For Women
In the 1920s, women at Washington University in St. Louis had no dedicated space of their own. To remedy this, female students took action; through fundraising efforts, WashU sorority students were able to raise $250,000 to construct the Women's Building. This successful campaign resulted in the formal opening of the Women's Building in 1928.1
Unlike earlier campus spaces where women were an afterthought, the Women's Building was created with women specifically in mind. The success of the campaign demonstrated women's organizational strength and determination, and the building became a physical symbol of women solidifying their rightful place and lasting presence on campus. Because women had a permanent space that affirmed their belonging, they were able to step more confidently into campus life and shape its direction, laying the foundation for the Women's Building's legacy as a conversation hub and center for cross-cultural exchange. Later, in 1979, the Women's Building was rededicated and renamed the Ann Whitney Olin Women's Building, and to this day, it continues to build upon the legacy of the women that built it.2
1 University Archives, Washington University in St. Louis. “Greek Life.” Celebrating Women, Washington University Libraries, www.uaexhibits.omeka.net/exhibits/show/celebrating-women-washington/campus-life/greek-life
2 University Archives, Washington University in St. Louis. “Women’s Building.” Celebrating Women, Washington University Libraries, www.uaexhibits.omeka.net/exhibits/show/celebrating-women-washington/donors/womens-building