Celebrating Historic Women Who Have Shaped Marshall's Progress

Behind every "first" milestone is a story. In this issue's look at history, we're celebrating women and highlighting 12 moments when women paved the way right here at Marshall. Whether they intended to be a "first" to create lasting change or they just wanted to live their lives — the women featured here were leaders in student organizations, athletics and in administrative roles both on campus and in Huntington. Their achievements remind us that progress happens when someone takes the first step, inspiring us all to lead and maybe even be first, wherever we are.

ORA B. STAATS was the first woman to serve as the registrar at Marshall and she did so from 1913 to 1923. She was also listed as the treasurer and an associate dean at this time. After this role, she continued teaching English. She later became the financial secretary until she retired from Marshall sometime around 1945.

MAXINE PROCTOR was the first woman to serve as the student body president to the Student Government Association in 1942. Most of the initiatives that year were geared toward war efforts. In a 1987 interview with The Parthenon, Proctor-Waugh stated, "I had the leadership qualities [to do it], and it just so happened I was a woman."

ELIZABETH "BETTY" ARRINGTON (who later added Nichols) was the first woman to serve as the editor-inchief of The Parthenon student newspaper in 1944. At the time, the staff on the newspaper was almost entirely women. Due to the war, funding for the paper was cut. These women sought funding from local businesses so they could continue writing and so they could send out 400 copies of the paper each week to the men in the service.

MARY STEVENS was the first woman to join the Veterans Club on campus in 1959. She joined the group as a sophomore after serving a year in the Women's Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antionio, Texas. The second woman joined this organization in 1960. MARY DAVIS was the first woman to earn the title "Miss Black Pearl" and she did so in 1969. Miss Black Pearl was a pageant started by the Black United Students organization and was considered part of the Homecoming activities at Marshall. This specific pageant ran from approximately 1969-1982.

DEBBIE BAILEY was Marshall's first African American cheerleader, joining the team in 1970. In an issue of The Parthenon published on Oct. 29, 1970, she said, "My parents were quite proud, and Black students have been very enthusiastic, especially the guys who are playing."

She said all the hard work was most worthwhile when the Black members of the football team said, "It's so good to have a sister out there cheering for your cause."

DR. PHYLLIS CYRUS, an associate professor of management at Marshall, was the first woman sworn in as the mayor of Huntington in 1973. She was originally elected to the City Council in that year's election. She succeeded Mayor Owen Duncan, who died on Aug. 19, 1973.

JETAUN C. WASHINGTON was the first African American woman hired on with the University Security Department in 1973. When asked whether her race or gender influenced her being hired, she replied: "It may have, but I'm pretty sure it was because of my background." She received her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from West Virginia State University earlier that year.

DOROTHY "DOT" HICKS was a pioneer for the women's sports program at Marshall University. In 1974, she awarded Marshall's first two sports scholarships to women (golfer Nancy Bunton and basketball player Kathy Haas). In the early 1980s, as the director of athletics for women's sports and the liaison to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), she oversaw the universities' transition from the AIAW to the NCAA. In 1990, she was inducted to the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame. In 1999, she retired from the university. In 2008, the Herd Softball field that bears her name was opened. In 2024, she was named the Homecoming grand marshal.

SANDRA TAYE WILKERSON was the first woman to serve on Marshall University's Advisory Board in 1979. As an alumna of Marshall, she earned her degree in physical education and speech in 1957. Marshall President Robert Hayes said in a press release, "I believe she will make a great contribution to the work of the board."

KAREN PELPHREY was the first woman at Marshall to have her jersey number retired in 1986. She was the fifth athlete overall to have her number retired — No. 12. For her contributions to basketball, she received the Most Outstanding Player award and all four performance awards that year (best field goal percentage, best free throw percentage, leading rebounder and leading scorer).

NANCY L. FRANCIS was the first woman elected president of the Marshall University Foundation in 1993. She was the 21st person to serve in this role. She had been a member of the Foundation since 1984 and an officer since 1987. She was instrumental in founding Hospice of Huntington, the Huntington Museum of Art, United Way of River Cities and Marshall's Society of Yeager Scholars.

SARAH DENMAN was the first woman to hold the title of provost at Marshall University and did so from 1999 until her retirement from the university in 2008. Her work as a leader across campus was instrumental. Working 39 years in education, 33 of which were at Marshall, she played a major role in the growth of the university and its available programs offered today. Many other women helped pave the way at Marshall as well, all of them helping make the university what it is today and inspiring future leaders.