December 01, 2021
WaterFire honors 50 Years of Women at Providence College
On the evening of Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, the college’s Homecoming Weekend celebration extended to downtown Providence with several events during WaterFire, a public art installation of dozens of bonfires on the city’s rivers.
The evening began with a “Ring of Fire” ceremony to commemorate Then, Now, Next: 50 Years of Women at Providence College, a yearlong initiative in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the institution’s transition to coeducation. Among the honorary torchbearers were Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G, who was inaugurated the day before as the college’s 13th president, and Ann Manchester-Molak ’75, the first woman executive vice president in college history and a member of the first class of undergraduate women.
This year also represents 50 years of women’s athletics at PC, officially launched when Helen Bert was named women’s recreation director in 1971. Current and former student-athletes, coaches, and staff gathered for a special event on the Washington Street Bridge during the WaterFire lighting to mark the occasion.
Additional gatherings along the river included a fan zone for Friar athletics enthusiasts, a meet-up for alumni of color, a long-awaited reunion for the classes of 1975 and 1976, and a welcome back party for the Class of 2020 and their families in advance of their much-anticipated commencement the following day.
This is not the first time that Providence College celebrated a momentous occasion at WaterFire. In 2017, the college also marked its centennial anniversary with a full lighting.
