Notable First by Women at UTHSC “ Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives in Higher Education”

College of Medicine

Sarah Conyers York, MD In 1913, she was the first woman to receive an M.D. degree from the University of Tennessee. She graduated first in her class.

Earline Houston, MD The first African American female to graduate from the UT College of Medicine in She was a native Memphian and an alumnus of Manassas H.S.

Rhea Seddon, MD In 1978, was selected as the first astronaut surgeon in space. Dr. Seddon graduated from UT College of Medicine in 1973.

Veronica Mallett, MD In August 2005, Dr. Mallett was appointed as Chair, OB/GYN in the College of Medicine. She was the first female and African American to have this appointment at UTHSC.

Fannie Brown, Ph.D. Served as UTHSC’s first female African American Assistant Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs in the College of Medicine.

Catherine Swtanberg, MD First female chair of the Department of Dermatology.

Mukta Panda, MD, FACP Serves as the first female and Asian Assistant Dean for Medical Student Education at the College of Medicine at Chattanooga.

Polly Hoffman, Ph.D. Serves as the first female Senior Executive Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs.

College of Graduate Health Sciences

Cheryl Schied, Ph.D. In 2009, she served as the first female Dean of the College of Graduate Health Sciences. Currently serves as the first female Vice Chancellor for Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs.

College of Dentistry

Minnie Enyeart McCellan, DDS In 1916, she was the first woman to receive a D.D.S. degree from the College of Dentistry.

Janet Harrison, DDS Serves as the first female Chair of Restorative Dentistry.

College of Pharmacy

Emma Hutson Hutchingson, PharmD In 1914, the first woman to graduate form the College of Pharmacy.

Marie Chisholm-Burns PharmD, MPH Serves as the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. She is the first female and African American to hold this position.

College of Nursing

Ella George Hinton, GN, RN College of Nursing In 1927, she served as the first Acting Director of the School of Nursing.

Alys Harris Lipscomb In 1948, she was named the first director of the Radioisotope Unit.

Mona Wicks, Ph.D., RN Appointed as the first female and African American Associate Dean for Research in the College of Nursing (CON) in 2007.

College of Health Professions

Brenta Davis, Ed.D. In 1997, served as the first female Acting Dean in the College of Allied Health (College of Health Professions).

Susan Mansfield, Ed.D. In 1997, served as first female Dean of the College of Allied Health (College of Health Professions).

Noma Anderson, Ph.D. In March 2005, Dr. Anderson was appointed Dean in the College of Health Professions. She is the first African American to hold the title of Dean at UTHSC.

Administrators

Chandra West-Alston, MBA, CAP Appointed as the first African American Assistant Dean for Administration in the College of Health Professions. First female and African American to serve as Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources.

Sheila Chapmlin, MA Serves as the first female and African American Assistant Vice Chancellor Communications and Marketing.

Debbi Smith, Ed.D. Serves as the first female Associate Vice Chancellor for Research.

Lue Ida Walls-Upchurch Served as the Chief of Campus Police and the Director of Parking Authority She was the first female African-American to hold this position in the UT System.

Cheryl Schied, Ph.D. In 2009, she served as the first female Dean of the College of Graduate Health Sciences. Currently serves as the first female Vice Chancellor for Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs.