During the weekend of October 5-8th of 1972, a College symposium entitle "Voices of Today's Woman" took place. The committee composed of the Dean of Women Mary Watson Carson, Pam McFarland, who was a graduate intern at the College, and a group of women students planned a diverse program consisting of a play, panel discussions, guest speakers and get-togethers. The symposium was designed to examine "the political, educational, legal, and social conditions" in the society which could reduce "women's participation as full partners with men in many aspects of life." The symposium was the first devoted by the College specifically to women.
On Thursday night, the weekend began with a workshop presentation titled "We've Only Just Begun," in which the production included a historical account of women throughout the years with emphasis on the choices and obstacles that women faced at those times. During Friday's luncheon, Mary Ames Raffensperger, M.D. was the guest. She was the Coordinator of Rehabilitative Services of Children's Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Three panel discussions were held on Friday afternoon, one discussion was titled, "Where Does Ms. Stand in Her Rights and Responsibilities?" given by Esther Polen, Attorney at Law. The second topic was "Sex-Role Stereotypes: A Current Appraissal" conducted by Susan R. Vogel who was a clinical psychologist with the Mental Health Center of Brandeis University. A third topic was "Is There Equality for Women in Higher Education?" led by Lirna S. Jaffe who had conducted a graduate study at the University of London and Yale University.
On Friday night, the Honorable C. DeLores Tucker, who was the Secretary of the Commonwealth, gave a speech entitled "Where Do We Go From Here, An Appraisal of the Expanding Role of Women in the 1970's." Ms. Tucker was the first Black woman ever named to a cabinet post in Pennsylvania. The program concluded on Sunday with College Chapel, the topic discussed was "Voices of Today's Woman in the Church."