Woman's Place Project
The Impact
For more than 30 years, the Woman’s Place Project has empowered generations of Notre Dame students to showcase the accomplishments of women leaders as they develop their own pathways to becoming women of impact.
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1 Artist's
Installation
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1 Teacher's
Vision
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5,025+
Place Settings
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30 Years
of Impact
The Project
The Woman’s Place Project was originally inspired by artist Judy Chicago’s iconic feminist installation, The Dinner Party. Over the years, the project has evolved into an interdisciplinary study of the strength and contributions of women across time, culture, and industry. Drawing from religious studies, fine arts, history, and English, students engage in research, writing, and public speaking as they explore what it means to be a woman of impact.
The Teacher
In the 1994-95 academic year, Sister Maureen Hilliard conceptualized the Woman’s Place Project and adapted it for Notre Dame’s freshman religious studies classes. Her vision was clear: to create a process and space for young women to honor the contributions of those who came before them, while beginning to see themselves as leaders in their own right.
The Celebration
The project culminates in a gathering where the freshman class presents their completed place settings and written toasts honoring women of impact. Students also recognize the women in their own lives through the Butterfly Wall of Honor, celebrating the strength and influence of members of our own community. This shared moment marks a meaningful rite of passage as students begin their study of women’s leadership and commit to becoming women of impact.