Women Through the Decades: 1990s
Jul 8, 2019
Thousands of women have attended Xavier since the doors opened to them in 1969. They had different experiences depending on the decade they attended. The women highlighted here represent those alumnae who leveraged the benefits of their Xavier education to reach their goals and lead fulfilling, productive lives that inspire others to follow their dreams.
MARY N. CHANEY, ESQ. | 1994 BSBA INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University | Owner, The Law Offices of Mary N. Chaney | Certified Information Systems Security Professional | Former Special Agent, FBI
Mary Chaney's mother worked at Xavier, creating the opportunity for a Xavier education for her daughter. She was challenged to do and be more than she had ever imagined while overcoming the barriers of being a minority female. It worked. She earned a law degree and became a special agent for the FBI, where she developed skills in cyber security and cybercrime.
As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, she now specializes in cyber security law and volunteers to help minorities and women advance professionally. It’s her way of thanking the women who came before her.
“I believe the women before me paved the way and allowed XU to expand its curriculum to focus on inclusivity and varying points of view. They opened minds about what can be done with education and determination.”
JULIANNE SMITH | 1991 BA FRENCH, BA COMMUNICATIONS
Richard von Weizsacker Fellow, Robert Bosch Academy, Berlin | Adjunct Fellow, Center for a New American Security | Former Principal Director, European NATO Policy, The Pentagon | Former Deputy National Security Advisor, Office of the Vice President
The liberal arts education Smith received at Xavier prepared her for a field she didn’t even know existed at the time and later found was not too woman-friendly. Welcomed at Xavier, she honed her skills in problem-solving, research, writing and presentation, and gained a solid foundation in international relations and languages—all skills she uses today.
But it was her year at the Sorbonne in Paris that changed everything. Without Paris, she says, she may not have ended up in foreign policy, a male-dominated field she says is slowly changing because of women who came before her—including at Xavier.
“I'm grateful to those first classes of women who decided to seize on an opportunity to make Xavier a more diverse community. They continue to serve as an inspiration to all of us.”