By: Caroline Tierney
Considering UMass Amherst’s strong academics, you can only imagine the brilliant alumni that have graduated from our university. As March is just a day away, here are some of UMass Amherst’s most notable female alumni, to start off Women’s History Month on the right foot. These women have helped lay a foundation of empowerment and equality for students across the board.
Karen Kaplan ’82 - CEO and President of Hill Holliday, one of the world’s largest marketing and communications agencies based in Boston, MA. After starting out as a receptionist hoping to save enough money for law school, Kaplan dipped her toes into nearly every role at Hill Holliday, making her the ideal candidate for the CEO position. Over half of her executive team are women!
Cady Coleman ‘91 with a Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering - selected by NASA in ‘92 to join their team of astronauts. Some of her space flight experience includes being aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia orbiting Earth 256 times in just over 15 days. Additionally, Coleman is a former Air Force Colonel and continues to advocate for women in STEM.
Natalie Cole ‘72 - well-known music artist and actress from the 70s. Some of her hits include “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” - yes that amazing, catchy song, “Miss You Like Crazy”, and “Unforgettable”. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2015, but her legacy and impact on the R&B industry remain.
Buffy Sainte-Marie ‘70 - Canadian American singer, songwriter, and first indigenous person to win an Oscar for music composing. She is also passionate about digital art and creating awareness around indigenous communities through her music.
Joanne Weir ‘75 - cookbook author and host of her own cooking show.
Irma McClaurin ‘89, ‘93 obtained multiple degrees from UMass - American poet, anthropologist, and author of several books. She is the first female president of Shaw University. McClaurin has written several pieces of literature about black feminism, African American history, and has advocated for her own culture of Belize.
Madeleine Kunin ‘56 - Former Vermont Governor and author. She is currently a lecturer at the University of Vermont, speaking on the topic of feminism and women in politics.
Briana Scurry ‘95 - U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Goalkeeper, two-time Olympic gold medalist, World Cup Champion (‘95, ‘99, ‘03). Scurry’s role in women’s soccer is monumental, she is one of the first female African American professional soccer players and has paved the way for increased diversity in the sport. One of her biggest passions is creating awareness around concussions and head injuries; she regularly speaks on this topic.
Danielle Henderson ‘99 - former gold medal-winning Olympic softball player and current UMass Softball Head Coach. Henderson was a three-time collegiate All-American Athlete during her time playing at UMass. She is very well known for her success in the sport and continues her legacy as the current Softball Head Coach here at UMass.
Valeria Martin ‘74 - poet and author of 12 novels. Her most recent novel is “I Give It To You”, published in 2020. Martin has taught writing programs at several colleges including UMass, Mt. Holyoke College, and more.
Serena Williams - globally known female tennis player. Williams participated in the University Without Walls education program at UMass and changed her major from Business Management to Pre-Med, per her tweet in 2014.
