A Tribute to Elizabeth Jones Herlihy

By Krista Zuba, CJ 370 and Colleen McFarlund

Elizabeth Jones Herlihy is remembered for her pioneering spirit, her commitment to women’s education, and her generosity to the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. An outstanding student, Herlihy attended Chippewa Falls High School and completed her studies at Eau Claire State Teachers College (now UW – Eau Claire) in 1940 at the age of 18. One year later, she earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Many American women enjoyed unprecedented career opportunities during World War II, and Herlihy was no exception. Upon graduation, she was offered a highly competitive position at IBM as a systems service representative. Herlihy’s professional success came at a price, however. She earned one fourth of the salary of her male equivalents, received no commission, and lost her job five years later when the men returned from war.

Herlihy then became chair of the Tempe (Arizona) Union High School English department, holding that post for ten years. She returned to school and in 1959 became the first woman to graduate with a doctorate in education from Arizona State University. She taught briefly at Phoenix (Arizona) College before joining the faculty of Glendale (Arizona) Community College in 1964 as professor of English. Herlihy served as the Arizona state president of Women in Higher Education from 1979 to 1981 and held state offices in the National Education Association.

She received the UW-Eau Claire’s Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1981 in recognition of her long teaching career and professional activities. In 1999, she delivered the keynote address at summer commencement. In her address, she urged graduates to embrace diversity, advising them to find “the flexibility and open-mindedness to consider new ideas and attitudes, along with tolerance and respect for those who offer them.”

Herlihy established the Herlihy Women of Substance Fund, which supports the education of women students, especially non-traditional students and single parents, at UW – Eau Claire. Generous support from the Herlihy fund made this publication possible. We honor the memory of Elizabeth Jones Herlihy by celebrating the legacy of the UW – Eau Claire women’s studies program and feminism in the Chippewa Valley.

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