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RENO, Nev. — The , and ÁùºÏ±¦µä Alumni Association will hold a sesquicentennial event at the on Oct. 11 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the monumental contributions made by women at the University in the past 150 years. The event, entitled “150 Years of Women’s Contributions to the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno,” features the unveiling of the Frankie Sue Del Papa Presidents’ Conference Room in the ASUN Center for Student Engagement.

Del Papa, a 1971 alumna of the University, was the first post-World War II female ASUN student body president. After graduating, her impressive career in public service has included serving on the ÁùºÏ±¦µä System of Higher Education Board of Regents in 1980 and becoming the first woman elected as ÁùºÏ±¦µä secretary of state in 1986 and ÁùºÏ±¦µä attorney general in 1990.

The naming of the President’s Conference Room was made possible by a resolution sponsored by ASUN Senator Kelsea Frobes and unanimously passed by the ASUN Senate in 2023.

"As a woman in leadership I am honored to have sponsored legislation that reflects the efforts of Frankie Sue Del Papa,” Frobes said. “I am exceptionally proud to be a part of and to represent a community that is truly dedicated to uplifting the strong women who work around the clock to make vital change for those on and off of the University's campuses."

The Oct. 11 event will celebrate the significant impacts of Del Papa and more than 60 other women, for their individual or group contributions. Other notable honorees include:

• Hannah Clapp – First instructor and librarian at the University.
• Catherine Cortez Masto – A University alumna and the first female U.S. senator elected in ÁùºÏ±¦µä’s History.
• Susan Desmond-Hellman – A University alumna and a physician-scientist who led the development of the first-gene-targeted drug for treating breast cancer.
• Cary Groth – First female athletic director of the University.
• Stella Parsons – First black woman to earn a degree from the University.
• Lauralyn Sandoval – First University alumna to become first lady of the University.

“I am deeply proud to collaborate on an event that not only honors the remarkable strides women have made over the past century and a half but also reaffirms our commitment to supporting and celebrating their ongoing contributions to our community and beyond,” Ila Achtabowski, president and CEO of the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Women’s Fund, said.

The event will also include the announcement of a new alumni chapter for former ASUN officers and student staff of the Center for Student Engagement. This new chapter will be a place for former student leaders to engage with one another, support current officers and give back to their beloved University.

“The ÁùºÏ±¦µä Alumni Association is proud to support the ‘150 Years of Women’s Contributions to the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno’s event highlighting the strength, leadership and innovation of our remarkable alumni. This event embodies the spirit of our university’s commitment to empowering women and fostering a community where every voice is valued and every achievement is honored,” ÁùºÏ±¦µä Alumni Association Board President Bryan McArdle, said. “Here’s to celebrating our past, inspiring our future and forging new paths of success and empowerment together.”

MEDIA AVAILABILITY:

• 2:10 p.m. (outside of the JCSU Theatre): Interviews with Del Papa as well as representatives from ASUN and the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Women’s Fund will be available.
• 2:30 p.m. (JCSU Theatre): An awards ceremony honoring women’s contributions to the university: past and present will be held.
• 3:30 p.m. (ASUN Center for Student Engagement): The dedication of the Frankie Sue Del Papa ASUN Presidents Conference Room will be held.

MEDIA PARKING: Media driving marked vehicles are encouraged to park in the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex. Media driving unmarked vehicles can contact Jessica Lozada at jfagundes@unr.edu or 775-217-8521 to obtain a parking pass.