Ruth Mandel, voice for women in politics at Rutgers, dies at 81

Ruth Mandel, a Board of Governors professor of politics, died on Saturday from ovarian cancer, according to a University-wide email. She also founded and directed the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics, as well as later serving as the institute’s director.

Mandel came to the United States as a refugee when her and her parents escaped the Holocaust on the S.S. St. Louis, according to the email. While the ship was denied access to Cuba and the United States, Mandel and her parents were accepted into England and remained there until moving to the United States in 1947.

Mandel joined the Rutgers community in 1971 when she created CAWP and helped build the program into a resource that promotes the advancement of women in the political world, according to the email.

She became the director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics in 1995 and worked to develop research programs and centers within the Eagleton Institute of Politics, as well as bringing in established speakers to build a strong community of scholars, students and dedicated alumni, according to the email. Mandel also authored multiple publications on how the roles of women in politics are changing, such as “In the Running: The New Woman Candidate,” according to the Eagleton Institute of Politics' website.

In addition to this, Mandel held a presidential appointment to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council from 1991 to 2006, according to the website. She was named the Vice-Chairperson of the Council by former President Bill Clinton in 1993 and served until 2005, as well as serving in multiple other positions during her lifetime.

Her life and career is also detailed in an obituary from The New York Times.

“We are deeply saddened at the news of (Mandel’s) passing, and while we cannot gather in-person at this time to celebrate her life, you will be hearing more about how the Rutgers family will pay tribute to her,” said University President Robert L. Barchi in the email.