The weather is getting warmer, the sun is staying out longer… it’s March! But, better yet, it’s Women’s History Month! While women deserve to get recognition each and every day, this month we get a little extra love. With that in mind, here are five UCSB alumnae who will not only inspire you to go above and beyond, but also motivate you to acknowledge the amazing women we are surrounded by each day.
Lois Capps
For anyone interested in Political Science, this is your woman! Lois Capps, a former U.S. Congresswoman, graduated from UCSB in 1990 after earning her Master of Arts degree. However she was a scholar long before attending our campus. Along with her degree from UCSB, Capps attended Pacific Lutheran University and earned her degree in nursing, and continued on to earn a master’s degree in religion at Yale Divinity School in 1964.
Capps’s greatest contributions to our country were completed as a representative of the Democratic Party in the U.S. House of Representatives. Initially, Walter Capps, her former husband, was elected to Congress in 1996, but died of a heart attack in 1997 before finishing his term. In honor of her husband, Lois Capps won the same seat her husband had served on, and worked wonders for our state environmentally and health-wise. As a representative of California, Capps served on the Energy and Commerce committee, as well as the Energy and Air Quality subcommittee. As if she could not be any more accomplished, Capps also served on the Subcommittee of Health.
elizabeth gabler
Calling all arts majors, Elizabeth is the woman to know! Elizabeth Gabler has served as the president of Fox 2000 since 1999. Since graduating from UCSB in 1977, she has worked on a number of films you may recognize. Gabler oversaw the making of Oscar-winning Life of Pi, as well as The Devil Wears Prada, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and more! Perhaps one of her most impressive works is Love, Simon, which broke societal norms by becoming the first gay lead to be released by a major studio. Gabler earned the title of 2017 and 2018 Variety500 Honoree, as well as visionary of the year at the 2018 GLSEN Respect Awards. As of now, Gabler is joining Sony Pictures Entertainment to oversee more of the content we have come to love and celebrate over the years.
Carol Greider
Here’s some inspiration for all the stem girlies. Carol Greider was born in 1961 in San Diego, and grew up without a mother from the age of 7 years old. However, her loss did not discourage her, and she persevered to instead study how life flourishes. Greider graduated from UCSB in 1983, received her PhD at Berkeley in 1987, and went on to attend and work for John Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she earned the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009. After building upon the work of Elizabeth Blackburn and Jack Szostak, Greider discovered telomerase in 1984, which produces the telomere’s DNA. Essentially, Greider was rewarded for finding how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.
Barbara Nwaba
I couldn’t forget someone for all my student-athletes! Barbara Nwaba, to this day, still represents the Santa Barbara Track Club. While being known for multiple events, she is an Olympic champion, having won in the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field competition for the heptathlon event. Having graduated from UCSB in 2012 with a sociology degree, she set numerous records here as well. After achieving above and beyond in the 100 meters hurdles, 4×400 meters hurdles, and 400 meters hurdles, she was named All-American. Since then, Nwaba has contributed her coaching efforts at Santa Barbara High School, and continues to pursue a professional career in athletics.
Paula Kaatz
Last, but certainly not least, is an absolute fashion icon. Paula Kaatz graduated from UCSB in 1967, but unfortunately passed away in May of 2013 at the age of 67 years old. Kaatz worked on costume design for an array of films and TV shows. From The Dukes of Hazzard to The Green Mile, Kaatz’s work does not go unnoticed on the characters. Kaatz has won two Emmy awards for her work as well. In 1988, Kaatz won Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for a Series for China Beach on ABC. A year later in 1989 she won the award of Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for a Miniseries for Pancho Barnes on CBS. Besides her awards, Kaatz has also been a nominee for costume design Emmys three times throughout her career.
Hopefully you enjoyed learning about these great Gauchos, and that these stories inspire you this Women’s History Month!