A new self-guided campus tour focuses on the role women have played in the history of the University of Oregon’s built environment, with 24 stops featuring women from the 1800s to the present day.

“The tour is a tool to help raise awareness and recognition that women played a vital role in the development and growth of campus, from the university's inception era of the late 1800s through modern day,” said Liz Thorstenson, a planning associate for Campus Planning and Facilities Management.

One highlight is the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, whose first director, Gertrude Bass Warner, is regarded as a pioneer in museum studies. Another stop is the “Luna” sculpture, designed by American sculptor and UO graduate Ellen Tykeson. Also on the tour is the Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center, named after civil rights activist and UO alumna Lyllye Reynolds-Parker.

“Women in the History of the Campus Built Environment” is a collaboration between the Office of Campus Planning and student interns in the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration. Eve Manumaleuna and Makaal Williams brought a student perspective to the project.

Thortenson said the tour is open to everybody, but she thinks it will be especially inspirational for the young women who will be starting at the university in the fall.

It can be found on the UO app and the Self-Guided Campus Tours page of the campus planning site, along with other options, like the “Trees of Interest,” “Sustainability Initiatives” and “Campus Artworks.”