In a time when women were frequently barred from college, Emily York is Willamette's first graduate.
1976
Female political pioneer
Trailblazer Norma Paulus advanced women's rights, education and environmental protection. In 1976, she became Oregon's first female secretary of state.
1997
Special Teams
Liz Heaston was the first female to play and score in a college football game. Since 1997, Willamette has had two more female kickers.
1935
First Black graduate
George Cannady was a Senior Scholar who was involved in football and track. He later became an attorney in Los Angeles.
2017
Resilience Baked In
Carina Corner has grown through her experiences of cancer and navigating a sighted-world as a blind person. She's founded a Scandinavian-inspired, vegan bakery in Beaverton where she employs people with disabilities.