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By Jeannine DeFoe RC’97
Photos by John O’Boyle
In 1932, Nathalie Clothier, wife of then-Rutgers President Robert Clothier, realized many wives of the school’s administration and professors didn’t know each other. So, she sought a way to connect Rutgers women and founded the Women’s League of Rutgers University.
Women met regularly in the organization’s early days over dances and afternoon teas. More than 90 years later, the Women’s League, or WLRU, is still going strong. However, in recent years the WLRU has pivoted to focus on fundraising to provide scholarships for Rutgers New Brunswick undergraduate students and hosting educational events about Rutgers. The group is now also looking to coordinate programming with Rutgers Alumni Association to develop events that would appeal to members of both organizations.
WLRU’s 80 members include alums, former staff, and their family members, though membership is now open to any woman interested in Rutgers University.
Muffin Lord is the former Director of the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program at Rutgers. After retiring five years ago, she became a WLRU member to stay connected with undergraduates. She is now the group’s first vice president and helps oversee the scholarship program.
The WLRU has bestowed 288 scholarships throughout its history, including 11 awards of $1,000 each in 2022. The group will grant additional scholarships in future years based on fundraising. Scholarship recipients need to satisfy three components set by the group: strong grades, financial need, and community service.
Though Rutgers grants many scholarships, the WLRU is unique in combining those three requirements for applicants, said Lord.
WLRU works closely with the Office of Financial Aid and the Rutgers Foundation in awarding scholarships. One of the organization’s biggest fundraisers is a two-day garage sale held in Executive Board Member Rena Falk’s driveway in Highland Park, New Jersey. The event raised nearly $5,000 in the fall of 2022. Falk’s husband is a former Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers.
The group is also trying to track down some of their earliest scholarship students to hear about their success. Many past recipients have donated to fund future WLRU scholarships, said President Evelyn Sedehi, Douglass College 1963. For example, a past recipient recently made a significant donation in the name of his parents, who struggled to help him pay for tuition.
“People are interested in supporting the next generation of students as soon they can,” said Sedehi.
In November 2022, the group gathered scholarship recipients and their guests at a reception at Winants Hall, attended by Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway and his wife, Aisling, an honorary WLRU member.
After hosting many virtual events during the COVID pandemic, the group is trying to restart in-person gatherings, including an end-of-the-year luncheon. WLRU also publishes a twice-yearly newsletter to update members.
The WLRU is always looking for new members. Those interested can visit the group’s website or read the newsletter.
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