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Preferred Citation
Kelly Organski Master's Project Oral History, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries
Content Description
Graduate student Kelly Organski interviewed five female student-athletes who were enrolled in the early to mid-1970s at William & Mary. During their time, Title IX was passed in 1972, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activites. These transcripted audio files include alumnae Jane Bates, Jean Blackwell, Mary Anne Blazek, Peg Hutchinson, and Mindy Wolff.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by interviewees' last name.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Alumni and Alumnae
- College campuses -- Virginia
- College sports for women
- Oral histories
- Student activities
Container List
Born in Louisville and raised in Bethesda, Jane Bates (née Harland) attended William & Mary from 1969-1973. She was on the varsity field hockey team and participated in several intramural sports. Her excellence in swimming and diving led to her introduction to the William and Mary Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. Originally a math major, she switched to secondary education with a focus on physical education. During her time in Williamsburg, she pledged Gamma Phi Beta and taught swimming. After graduation, she was a YMCA aquatics director and a substitute teacher wherever her U.S. Army officer husband was stationed. Her interview discusses this and her experience at William & Mary, touching on the gender and race relations of that time.
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Interview2019 March 13
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Transcript2019 March 13
The child of Virginia natives, Jean Blackwell was born in Georgia, moved around as a child before settling in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Blackwell followed her older brother, a member of the Tribe basketball team, and attended William & Mary from 1972-1976. During her childhood, few athletic opportunities existed for girls in small towns. However, she joined the field hockey and lacrosse teams, eventually playing for the varsity squad in the latter. Combining her athletic experience with a degree in Economics and a concentration in classical music, Blackwell served in several positions in the cabinet of Indiana Governor Evan Bayh, whose father is called the "Father of Title IX." She is the current Executive VP at Cummins, Inc. and has served as CEO of the Cummins Foundation. She discusses her background and her experiences on campus, as well as the progress she's seen at William & Mary in gender, race, and LGBTQIA+ relations as a gay alumna.
The subject has embargoed this interview for 10 years, ending 2029 March 14.
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Interview2019 March 14
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Transcript2019 March 14
Mary Anne Blazek was the first in her family to attend college. Inspired by her high school English teacher and falling in love with its tradition, Blazek attended William & Mary from 1970-1974. Born in West Virginia but raised in the DC suburbs, played lacrosse and field hockey despite only having high school experience in basketball and softball. Blazek switched her major from English to physical education. A member of the Women's Recreation Association and team captain, she took part in the group determining how to implement Title IX upon its enactment. Outside of lacrosse and field hockey, she played intramural basketball and volleyball, while also refereeing. She devoted herself to education - serving her community as an elementary school physical education teacher. She touches upon the campus environment, both while she was a student and now as an alumna. Among other issues, she talks about the integration efforts between William & Mary and Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).
The subject has embargoed this interview for 40 years, ending 2059 March 11.
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Interview2019 March 14
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Transcript2019 March 14
A 2015 inductee into the William & Mary Athletic Hall of Fame, Peg Hutchinson (née Lawlor) hails from the Philadelphia suburbs and graduated with the Class of 1975. A renowned athlete, Hutchinson was a 4-time national finalist for the swim team, serving as captain. As captain, she was a member of the group determining how to implement Title IX after its enactment. A pioneer in her family, her daughter and two younger sisters followed her footsteps and are also alumni. Graduating with a degree in elementary education, Hutchinson chose law school and spent her life as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Her dedication to the law earned her the first ever Lifetime Exceptional Service Award from the Executive Office of the U.S. Attorneys. Her interview weighs in on the campus environment along with what convinced her to leap from education to law.
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Interview2019 March 13
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Transcript2019 March 13
A member of the Class of 1975, Mindy Wolff hailed from the Philadelphia suburbs and was an accomplished swimmer before ever stepping foot on the campus of William & Mary. She qualified for the 1968 Olympic trials, but injuries derailed her elite swimming aspirations, though not her love for the sport. She brought that love with her, spending four years competing on the swim team. Her greatest collegiate memories were the trips to Idaho, Arizona, and Penn State for nationals. After college, she taught math, eventually becoming a tutor. Her interview includes gender equality on campus, being a "Yankee" in the south, the network she's forged because of William & Mary, her desire for an engineering program at her alma mater, and advice for future college students.
The subject has embargoed this interview for 10 years, ending 2029 March 7.
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Interview2019 March 14
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Transcript2019 March 14