type here...
In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Rita Sutherland Purdy, 1941-2018

Rita S. Purdy, professor emerita and former chair of the department of family and consumer sciences at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, passed away late last month. She was 77 years old.

Before coming to Baylor, Dr. Purdy served as a professor and dean of undergraduate programs for College of Human Resources at Virginia Tech. She joined the faculty at Baylor in 1996 as chair of family and consumer sciences and served as a professor until she retired in 2009.

“Dr. Purdy led the department of family and consumer sciences at Baylor with vision and grace during a time of transition for the university during the late 1990s and early 2000s, providing a strong voice for the program and its faculty,” said Dr. Rinn M. Cloud, chair and professor of family and consumer sciences at Baylor. “Through her career, her personal life and her Christian commitment, she embodied the mission and vision of our discipline to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and communities.”

Dr. Purdy received her bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles from Virginia Tech. She went on to earn a master’s degree in clothing and textiles from the University of Tennessee before returning to Virginia Tech to complete her Ph.D.

Related Articles

Latest News

Data Shows High Attrition Rates for Women in STEM Degree Programs

0
For women who began their four-year college career in a STEM discipline, 14 percent dropped out of college and 32 percent switched to a non-STEM major before earning their degree.

Monique Guillory Named Ninth President of Dillard University

0
Dr. Guillory has served as Dillard University's interim president for the past seven months. Her background includes over three decades of higher education administration experience.

Lynne Coy-Organ Is the First Woman President of Husson University

0
Lynne Coy-Organ has been named the first woman president of Husson University in Maine. She has served as the university's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the past 15 years.

Donna Hedgepath Will Be the First Woman President of Wayland Baptist University

0
Current provost of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, Donna Hedgepath, has been named president of Wayland Baptist University in Texas, making her the first woman to be selected for the position.

Three Women Scholars Appointed to Provost Positions

0
The new provosts are Elizabeth Dumont at the University of California, Merced, Marguerite Giguette at Xavier University in New Orleans, and Margaret Brown Marsden at Midwestern State University in Texas.

Latest Job Listings

MOSDOH – Dean of the Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

0
The dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for MOSDOH, leading a mission-driven dental school known for innovation, community partnerships, and service to the underserved.

Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer

0
The successful candidate will have a strong financial and administrative background and demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex community college that values integrity, excellence, empowerment, inclusiveness, collaboration and stewardship.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

0
The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.

Instructor, Economics

0
The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions in Economics at the Instructor position level to begin in the 2025-26 academic year and is renewable for up to three years.

Vice Chancellor for Student Success

0
The Vice Chancellor for Student Success will be a strategic, student-centered, data-informed, systems thinker who thrives in a fast paced, high-achieving environment.

About WIAReport

Tracking the Progress of Women in American Higher Education

Phone: (570) 392-6797

WIA Jobs

Latest Articles

Women Authors Are Less Likely Than Male Authors to Have Their Research Articles Retracted

0
A new global study has found male authors are more likely than women to have their scholarly articles retracted. While there was no gender difference in retractions attributed to mistakes, men were more likely to have their articles retracted because of plagiarism, authorship disputes, ethical issues, duplication, and fabrication or falsification.

Manya Whitaker is the Fifteenth President of Colorado College

0
"I am inspired daily by our students’ passion, our faculty’s wisdom, our staff’s dedication, and the entire campus community’s commitment to the College’s values," said Dr. Whitaker. "I look forward to working together to build on our strengths and shape an even brighter future for Colorado College."

International Study Determines the Gender Gap in Math Emerges in First Grade

0
A new study regarding 2 million children has found no evidence of a math gender gap prior to formal schooling. However, within the first four months of first grade, a small gap favoring boys emerged. By second grade, the gap had quadrupled.

Three Women Selected to Lead Community Colleges in the United States

0
Lori Gonko has been named interim president of Henry Ford College in Michigan, Lena Tran has been appointed interim chancellor of Yosemite Community College District in California, and Laura Treanor is the new president of Virginia Western Community College.

Newsletter

Receive our FREE email newsletter delivered each week to your inbox

2025 © Women In Academia Report | a BRUCON Publication