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ADMINISTRATIONDesigningwomenPHHP women leaders navigated challenges,helped build a tradition of excellenceBy Melissa M. ThompsonThere were no departmentfounding fathers here — justa trio of women each at thehelm of the College of HealthRelated Services’ fi rst threedepartments.They designed the health services curricula andfought to establish research programs and gainadequate academic and professional space withinthe Health Science Center. Fifty years later, thestrength and innovation of Alice Jantzen, Ph.D.,chair of occupational therapy; Barbara White, M.A.,chair of physical therapy; and Ruth Williams, Ph.D.,chair of medical technology; continue to influencehealth professionals.Physical and occupational therapy as well as themedical technology fields historically employedmore women than men. As thousands of menreturned wounded from World War I and II, thedemand for skilled health workers increased.Although the college’s women leaders enjoyedpositions of influence, through the decades theylearned to manage social challenges such as gainingequal recognition and finding a balance betweendedicating time to their craft and their families.Lela Llorens, Ph.D., former chair of thedepartment of occupational therapy, said she wasattracted to the profession because she wanted tohelp people and was grateful the field offeredleadership roles where other health disciplines fellshort.When Llorens joined the UF faculty in 1971,Jantzen mentored her and helped her adjust to theadministrative nuances of being a professor at alarge university.“I knew she was going to retire at some point,”Llorens said. “I made her agree to stay five yearslonger because I wanted to learn from her. She was astrong, no-nonsense woman who took a mentor rolewith people who worked with her.”Llorens said she worked to make her voice heardduring interdepartmental committee meetings,especially when she was the only woman.“There tended to be lower expectations forwomen, especially if you were the only one in theroom,” Llorens said. “It was always amusing to meto think I was going to surprise somebody with myideas.”Eileen Fennell, Ph.D., a professor in thedepartment of clinical and health psychology, was awife and mother of two young children when sheentered the college’s clinical psychology doctoralprogram in the early 1970s.While the women’s movement made it moreacceptable to pursue higher education, a gruelingschedule didn’t make it easier to juggle life as afull-time student and Super Mom. Fennell says shestruggled with the same guilt, sacrifice and stressmany working mothers face today.“I remember what it was like to feel like you werestuck between a rock and a hard place,” she said.“As the years went by it got better, and it got a littleeasier for new generations to manage those things.”Fennell remembers waking up before sunrise onweekends to drive her children to their swim meetsby 7 a.m. and cheering them on to victory inbetween studying for exams by the poolside.“I can remember sweating at times thinking,‘What am I going to do?’” she said. “My sense of itwas that the faculty was still adjusting to havingwomen with families in graduate school.”Claudette Finley, M.S., an associate professoremeritus in the department of physical therapy, saysshe never felt the proverbial glass ceiling hangingover her head. Opportunities existed for those whoworked hard and wanted to advance their careers.The student applicant pool, however, was primarilyfemale, something that was illustrated withinclassrooms. Finley remembers teaching a class of 25students in the late 1960s — only one or two of thestudents were male. By the time she retired in 2002,the male to female student ratio was even.“I’m really proud of our college and what it hasaccomplished,” Finley said. “Back then, I got to stepinto that department and see role models I couldrelate to. It showed me it was possible to do this.” PVisit us online @ http://news.health.ufl.edu for the latest news and HSC events. 11•08POST5