Dr. Eliza Mosher, the first Dean of Women at the University of Michigan, decided to pursue medicine after the death of three close family members to tuberculosis. She felt called toward finding what caused the deadly disease (1). However, this passion for science and medicine was not easily met. Born into a traditional Quaker farming family, her mother absolutely detested the thought of her daughter working in the all-male field of medicine. So Mosher stayed at home, burying her head in medical books and attending as many public anatomy and physiology lectures as possible. Eventually, Mosher gained her mother’s permission to work as a nurse intern at the New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston (1). Mosher absolutely adored her work at the hospital, which mainly consisted of delivering babies, and dreamt of one day fulfilling her goal of pursuing a degree in medicine.

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        Fortunately for Mosher, the University of Michigan opened female enrollment to their medical school shortly following Madelon Stockwell’s entrance into the University. She immediately applied and would be one of the first female graduates of the University’s medical school.

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         Years later, and as more women began to freely enroll in the University, both President James Burrill Angell and Regent Betsy Barbour discussed the need for a new University office--the Office of the Dean of Women. Having excelled greatly during her time studying medicine, President Angell knew exactly the woman for the job: Dr. Eliza Mosher. Mosher’s role would become one of both administrative and counseling support for the female students. The goal was to have Mosher be “a guide, philosopher and friend” for the women students at the University (1). However, with Mosher’s extensive background in healthcare, her role evolved to include mentorship on personal hygiene and health. She had female students attend mandatory physical education classes and created a corset that was actually safe for women to wear (imagine that!).

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        Dr. Mosher’s time at the University was quite memorable, so much so, that in 1930 the University built a new women’s dormitory and named it after her and another Dean of Women,  Myra B. Jordan (2). The building is most commonly referred to by students today as “Mojo.”