"When I came to Lehigh in fall 1971 as part of the first class of women entering the university, I was not thinking so much about breaking barriers for women as I was looking for a solid education in my chosen major, chemistry," recalls Emily Winn-Deen, a member of Lehigh's first co-ed undergraduate class and an entrepreneur and consultant in the life sciences industry." While I loved growing up in a university town (Princeton, NJ), when the time came, I wanted to 'go away' for college. I looked for options similar in atmosphere to Princeton, with a strong science and engineering focus. Lehigh and all of the Ivy League schools were in the process of transitioning from all-male undergraduate programs to admitting women for the first time. While my top choices were Lehigh and Cornell, I applied to Lehigh early decision, was quickly accepted, and became part of the first class of women to attend Lehigh—100 women, 3000 men."
Learn about Emily, her educational experience, and her advice for the next generation of women targeting careers in STEM fields in Lehigh's Resolve magazine, Volume 2, 2021.