USF Women’s Club Collection
On August 8, 1960, days before the University of South Florida officially opened, USF's first First Lady Grace Allen opened her home to host the first meeting of the USF Women's Club. The club has served an important social role, especially at a time when many wives of faculty did not work outside the home. Women's roles have changed significantly since 1960, but the dedication of the club has remained unchanged. Although playing bridge was a perennial passion, the Women's Club has engaged heavily in many of the activities that make USF great: Service, philanthropy, and hospitality. As the very first club on campus, the Women's Club and its first president Grace Allen set a tone early that such social groups have the potential to change the community for the better. For over fifty years now, the Women's Club has done exactly that, providing scholarships to deserving students and fundraising for the university.
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Susan Vastine oral history interview
Susan Vastine
Susan Vastine (b. 1942) earned her BA from Florida Presbyterian College, now known as Eckerd College, in 1964 and her MLIS from Emory University in 1965. She moved to Florida upon applying for a position in USF’s cataloging department. From her arrival at USF as an associate librarian, she was involved with the Women’s Club. During this oral history interview, Susan Vastine recounts her experience with the Women’s Club at USF from the 1960s until the present. She describes the club’s priorities and format, along with some of the personalities that made the club what it was. She also comments on the difficulties of keeping the tradition of the club relevant as gender roles shift away from the home and into the workplace.
