Irma Elizabeth Voigt (September 1, 1882 – May 9, 1953) was an American educator. She was the first

Dean of Women The dean of women at a college or university in the United States is the dean with responsibility for student affairs for female students. In early years, the position was also known by other names, including preceptress, lady principal, and adviser ...

Ohio University Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...

; she held that office from 1913 until her retirement in 1949.

Early life

Voigt was born in

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...

, the daughter of Henry G. Voigt and Mary Tuffli Voigt. In 1913 she earned a PhD in German at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

; her master's thesis and doctoral dissertation were both about German-American writer

Therese Albertine Luise Robinson Therese Albertine Luise von Jakob Robinson (26 January 1797 – 13 April 1870) was a German-American author, linguist and translator, and second wife of biblical scholar Edward Robinson (scholar), Edward Robinson. She published under the pseudonym ...

, also known as "Frau Talvj".

Career

Voigt taught school and was a high school principal in Illinois as a young woman. She was the first Dean of Women at Ohio University in

Athens, Ohio Athens is a city and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Athens is best known as the home of Ohio Universit ...

, holding that title from 1913 to 1949. She recalled that, upon arrival in 1913, the president of the university said to her, "I don't know what a dean of women's for, and I suspect you don't know what you're to do. Get busy and find out." As dean, Voigt held weekly fireside chat sessions in her home, and led Saturday hikes. She also wrote revues, ceremonies, and pageants for the university, and directed the productions. She was president of the Ohio state chapter of the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 ...

(AAUW) and served on the association's national board. In 1922, she spoke to audiences of girls in Nashville about the "three B's" of a happy and successful life, which she listed as "be buoyant, be generous, be idealistic." From 1924 to 1928 she was the first president of the Ohio Association of Deans of Women. In 1936, she was president of the

National Association of Deans of Women The National Association for Women in Education (formerly known as The National Association of Deans of Women, the National Association of Women Deans and Counselors, and the National Association of Women Deans, Administrators, and Counselors) was ...

. She served on the national board of the

YWCA The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...

Publications

* ''The Life and Works of Mrs. Therese Robinson'' (1913) * "Spiritualizing the Relations Between Men and Women Students" (1926) * "National Association of Deans of Women" (1937) * "The Report of the Future Policy Committee: The American Council of Guidance and Personnel Associations" (1939)

Personal life

Voigt lived and traveled with the chair of the Ohio University English department, Edith Wray, at a home nicknamed "the Irmatage", and was often seen on campus with a companion dog, Lady. Voigt died in 1953, in Athens, at the age of 70. There is a residence hall at Ohio University named Voigt Hall in her memory. Ohio University Libraries holds Voigt's papers, and other materials related to her life and career.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Voigt, Irma 1882 births 1953 deaths People from Quincy, Illinois University of Illinois alumni Ohio University faculty Deans of women 20th-century American academics 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American educators