Celebrating trailblazing women reared by Rutgers
God is a woman. We might be playing Ariana Grande's song on repeat all month long, because March is National Women’s Month. It's time to overwear our “The Future is Female” t-shirts and reflect on all the goddesses in our lives.
From our mothers to our sisters, friends and girlfriends, we all have women in our lives who inspire us. But it’s not just women we personally know. There are countless women making waves in STEM, government, literature and Hollywood. What do a lot of these incredible women have in common? They’re Rutgers alumni.
Rutgers is the heart of New Jersey, a little slice of heaven. Is it really a surprise that some of the most notable and respected senators, news anchors, athletes and Hollywood stars would hail from the home of grease trucks? Here’s a list of some of the most successful, female Scarlet Knights who inspire us everyday.
Elizabeth Warren (1970s)
We hope that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) can maybe attribute some of her phenomenal self and career to her schooling at Rutgers, where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1976. Since graduating, Warren has boldly and fearlessly slayed in every aspect of her career.
After splitting from her husband in 1978, Warren began to focus her research on bankruptcy and commercial law and how it affected financially distressed companies, women, the elderly and the working poor. Warren has carried this passion for the American people throughout her career. Warren has taught law, advised the new National Bankruptcy Review Commission and chaired the Congressional Oversight Panel.
In 2010, former President Barack Obama appointed Warren as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Two years later, Warren won the Senate election of Massachusetts.
This Scarlet Knight is unstoppable, and her recent running announcement for the 2020 presidential election makes us wonder if our very own alumna will become the first female president.
Jane Krakowski (1980s)
Actress and Parsippany native Jane Krakowski first showed off her acting chops as a student at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. While at Mason Gross, Krakowski met fellow “Ally McBeal” co-star Calista Flockhart. Since graduating, Krakowski has starred in some of our favorite TV shows and comedies, including “The Simpsons,” “30 Rock,” and most recently, the very binge-worthy “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
Krakowski is almost TV royalty, and a Broadway connoisseur. Krakowski has starred in “Grand Hotel,” “Nine” and “She Loves Me,” just to name a few. We will happily enjoy our bragging rights, getting to add the fabulous, Tony Award-winning Krakowski to our list of Rutgers alumni.
Natalie Morales (1990s)
Part of the class of 1994, Natalie Morales graduated Summa Cum Laude with a dual degree in Journalism and Latin American Studies. Have you ever doubted Rutgers’ renowned School of Communication and Information? Morales is just one out of many to have made it big after attending.
While at Rutgers, Morales took a class with the notorious Steven Miller, whom every Journalism or Communications student will end up meeting at one time or another. Morales accredited much of her great experience at Rutgers to Miller, and said he was a great help and mentor to many students.
Since graduating, Morales has made a name for herself, becoming a notable and successful news anchor for over two decades. Today, you can find Morales hosting "Access" and broadcasting the West Coast’s “Today."
Carli Lloyd (2000s)
At this point, Rutgers soccer is synonymous with record-breaker and Olympian Carli Lloyd. Lloyd made a name for herself on the Banks, years before becoming an Olympian, as she became “the only Scarlet Knight to earn First-Team All-Big East Honors four times in her career (2001-2004),” according to the Rutgers University Alumni Association.
Lloyd is also a Rutgers’ all-time leader in points and goals, and the first Scarlet Knight to be named 2001 Big East Rookie of the Year. Since her time on a Rutgers field, Lloyd became the only woman in history to score the winning goal in two separate Olympic gold medal matches, scoring gold medal-winning goals in both Olympic finals in 2008 and 2012.
We can get so used to the routine of our lives that we forget all of the wonderful and extraordinary things in them (i.e., Rutgers and women). Defying gender binaries, labels and obstacles, these four women made history and continue to shine in their careers. They're trailblazers, exemplary women and Rutgers legends.
