NZ woman graduates since 1877
A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa
Celebration of the first women gaining university degrees in NZ
On 11 July 1877, Kate Edger became the first woman in NZ and the British Empire to gain an university degree (Bachelor of Arts). At the graduation ceremony held in Auckland, Bishop Cowie presented Kate with a white camellia, which he said represented 'unpretending excellence'. Nowadays, large numbers of women can be seen graduating with degrees at capping ceremonies held by NZ universities. The following extols Kate and the other pioneering women graduates who were an inspiration for women to undertake tertiary education.
Since 1877, women have attended university and received their degrees at capping ceremonies
(Image: Three women who graduated from Victoria University in 1956)
Alexander Turnbull Library
In 2008, two-thirds of Bachelor degrees were received by women - the highest figure on record in NZ by then
Image: Graduation procession at Lincoln University in 2008
Lincoln University
By Dec 2014, the percentage of women in NZ with a Bachelor's degree or higher was 32% & males 27.2%
Image: Capping ceremony at Lincoln University in 2014
Lincoln University
In 2023, 59.74% of tertiary students (excluding international students) identified as female gender
Image: Graduates with their awarded degrees at Lincoln University in 2020
Lincoln University
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Kate Edger: First woman graduate, 11 July 1877
On 11 July 1877, Kate Edger (1857- 1935) became the first woman in NZ & the British Empire to gain an university degree
Kate was 5 years old when her family emigrated from England to NZ. Her father (Rev Samuel) was Univ of London graduate.
Nelson Provincial Museum
Kate had attended Auckland College & Grammar School for boys which was affiliated to University of New Zealand
Her father had obtained permission from the Headmaster as Auckland didn't have secondary schooling for girls
Auckland Libraries
After becoming First Assistant at Christchurch Girls' High, Kate studied for her MA at Canterbury College (awarded 1882)
Kate (right) & sister Lilian (left) who also received an MA in 1882, with Helen Connor (seated) who received MA in 1881
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Later in 1882, Kate became the first principal of Nelson College for Girls which opened in Feb 1883
Her salary was £350 per annum, with board & lodging provided at the school which had a boarding house for students
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Kate (seated on right with her staff) also taught subjects until resigning in 1890 after marrying minister William Evans
After marrying on 6 Jan 1890, Kate resigned couple of months later to have first of 3 sons & moved to Wellington in 1893
Nelson Provincial Museum
William became a volunteer in Forward movement; & was later appointed in charge of Newtown Congregational Church in 1904
Kate held private lessons for sec. girls & adults; marked UE entrance; & worked for Dept of Ed for 2 years during WW2
Wellington City Libraries
Kate Evans (née Edger) became involved in the women's suffrage movement & was actively involved in unions & societies
eg NZ Society for the Protection of Women & Children; Women's Christian Temperance Union; League of Nations Union of NZ
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
In 1923, at the golden jubilee of Canterbury College, Kate headed the woman graduates' section of the procession
After Kate's husband died on 6 Nov 1921, she lived at Wellington until 1932 when she shifted to her 2d son in Dunedin
Auckland Libraries
In Easter 1933, Kate attended the golden jubilee of Nelson College for Girls
She continued to write for Women's Christian Temperance Union's journal, the White Ribbon (was former associate editor)
Auckland Libraries
In 1935, Kate was awarded King's Silver Jubilee Medal shortly before her death on 6 May 1935
She also posthumously received an Honorary Doctorate of Literature from the University of Auckland in 2023
Alexander Turnbull Library
Find out more:
Beryl Hughes. 'Edger, Kate Milligan', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2e3/edger-kate-milligan
University of Auckland: News and opinion (18 Sept 2023): “Higher education pioneer given honorary doctorate”
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Other pioneering woman graduates
In 1881, Helen Connon became 1st woman in British Empire to receive an MA degree & with 1st class honours
In 1880, she had become Canterbury College’s 1st female to graduate with a BA & the 2d woman in the British Empire
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
In July 1897, Ethel Benjamin graduated from the University of Otago’s Law School to become the first woman lawyer in NZ
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
During 1890s, Stella Henderson gained 3 degrees: BA, MA with 1st class honours & a Bachelor of Laws
Her BA included political science papers & her MA had 1st class honours in English & Latin
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
In 1967, Elizabeth Gregory received an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) – the 1st NZ woman graduate to receive one
She had previously graduated Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in biochemistry at University College, London, in 1932
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Find out more:
First woman graduates from a New Zealand university, URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/first-woman-graduates-from-new-zealand-university, (Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 6-Jul-2020
Carol Brown. 'Benjamin, Ethel Rebecca', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b18/benjamin-ethel-rebecca
Cherry Hankin. 'Connon, Helen', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c28/connon-helen
Coral Broadbent. 'Henderson, Stella May', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2h29/henderson-stella-may
Leah Taylor. 'Gregory, Elizabeth', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5g19/gregory-elizabeth
Education Counts: Tertiary participation, URL: https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-participation
This DigitalNZ story was compiled in July 2024.