It Happened at Michigan: Rose June Colby Was the First Woman to Earn a Ph.D. At U-M

Oct. 27, 2025
Read time: <5 mins
It Happened

In 1886, Rose June Colby made University of Michigan history as the first woman to earn a Ph.D., becoming one of the earliest women in the U.S. to achieve this distinction. Her lifelong dedication to education and advocacy continued through her four-decade career teaching English literature and supporting women’s advancement in higher education.

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