Celebrating Women’s History Month
The month of March marks Women’s History Month, when we celebrate the vital and often overlooked contributions of women to American culture, history and society. Women’s History Month actually began in California as a Women’s History Week celebration in Santa Rosa in 1978. In 1987, March was designated Women’s History Month by Congress after women’s groups and historians lobbied for national recognition. UCLA has no shortage of influential alumnae to celebrate this month — keep reading to learn more.
Catherine Hardwicke
Catherine Hardwicke is a director and graduate of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television graduate school. She is best known for directing Twilight, which grossed $400 million on a $37 million budget and made her the most commercially successful female film director at the time.
Susan Wojicicki
Former CEO of YouTube and special advisor to Google and Alphabet Susan Wojicicki earned her MBA at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management in 1998. Wojicicki was an early advocate for online video and YouTube is currently the world’s most popular digital video platform with over two billion users.
Elinor Ostrom
Elinor Ostrom is the only woman to have received a Nobel Prize in Economics. She won the prize in 2009 for her analyses of how individuals and communities can manage common resources just as well as or better than markets, companies or governments. She earned a bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree from UCLA.
Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett is an award-winning actress, comedian, singer, writer and best-selling author known for comedic and dramatic roles in film, television and Broadway, in particular The Carol Burnett Show. She has received various awards including Emmys, Golden Globes and more. She is an alumna of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT). In 2025, she endowed a scholarship to UCLA TFT to offset the cost of tuition and fees for a new student, according to UCLA Newsroom. “I found my true passion at UCLA, and in this scholarship lies the hope that it will do the same for many others for many years to come,” said Burnett.
As we enter March, the stories of UCLA’s alumnae remind us that history isn’t just something we study; it’s something Bruins shape. Happy Women’s History Month, Bruins!
