The first women to formally enroll at what is now the University of Connecticut arrived on campus in 1891, technically before it was legal for them to attend the institution. What was that first decade like for UConn’s “coeducational” students?

The regimen featured an all-women dormitory, called Grove Cottage, where monthly receptions for their male counterparts were the only institutionally sanctioned form of socializing (initially, women at the school were prohibited from attending dances held in the area).

But things changed quickly: in 1900, the first female leader of student government was elected. In this excerpt from UConn 360, we hear the words of some of the women who attended UConn in those years reflecting on the triumphs and frustrations of their lives here.

Listen to the podcast (from episode 32):

For full episodes of the UConn 360 podcast, visit uconn.edu/uconn360-podcast.