Marjorie Stern

Our department honors Marjorie Stern, a single mother who worked to provide for her four children while also attending San Francisco State University at the age of 36. She put her ambitions on hold after high school to become a homemaker after being discouraged from attending college by her family. However, this did not stop Marjorie from pursuing her dreams despite her circumstances. She received her bachelor's from SF State and graduated 4th in her class in 1958.

After college, Marjorie became a teacher and taught at Galileo High School for 22 years. She also taught about women and unions/labor force for 5 years at CCSF and 1 year at SFSU. She was a strong advocate for women’s rights, especially in education. Marjorie was a founding member for both the American Federation of Teacher’s (AFT’s) Women’s Rights Committee, where she served as the Chairwoman from 1971 – 1974, and Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Marjorie established her own Scholarship at SF State and bestowed it upon our very own Women and Gender Studies Department. She wanted to give back and provide students the same opportunity she had at SF State where she was not discriminated against for her age or her gender. In recognition of Marjorie’s achievements, she was inducted into SF State’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 1995. Her photo still hangs in the first-floor lobby of the Administration Building.

The Marjorie H. Stern Scholarship supports women’s rights and social justice by helping Women and Gender Studies (WGS) students in immediate financial need remain in school.

Since 2014 when it was first established, the scholarship has supported a great number of students, and has been instrumental to their academic success.

Support inspiring students who will make a difference in the world, like Marjorie Stern!