Great-great graduation

Volume 10 Number 9 September 8 - October 13 2014

 

Sophie Curtis, the great-great-granddaughter of Lydia Harris – who was among the four women to be first admitted to the University of Melbourne in 1881 – graduated recently from the University of Melbourne, wearing her great-great-grandmother’s graduation colours.

Ms Curtis has completed a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and French and hopes to continue studies in psychology at honours and masters level. She said it was an incredibly moving experience for her whole family to wear Lydia’s hood while she graduated.

Although the first cohort of women numbered four, two did not complete their courses and although Lydia Harris and Bella Guerin completed together, Lydia needed to retake her exam in the history of the British Empire after failing at her first attempt. Her graduation was delayed, meaning her fellow student Bella Guerin is officially deemed the first woman to graduate from Melbourne.

 

Today women and men are equally represented among the student body.