“Perhaps the most memorable moment of any Vassar tour is when the guide brings visitors into the Thompson Memorial Library to see the stunning central stained-glass window depicting Lady Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to earn a doctorate in European history, defending her thesis to an enraptured audience of formerly skeptical male scholars. However, even students who pass by the window on a daily basis may be unaware of the story of the central figure depicted in this iconic emblem of Vassar’s campus. On Friday, Nov. 9, the Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library will present a celebration of the 340th anniversary of Cornaro’s commencement that seeks to explore her life beyond her landmark intellectual achievement. This event is sponsored by Creative Arts Across Disciplines (CAAD), The Italian Studies Department and Vassar College Libraries.”
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The Miscellany News, by ABBY TARWATER.
October 31, 2018