When Lelia Thompson Flagg, a 1960 graduate in civil engineering, arrived at Missouri S&T for the first time, there were no dorms for her to stay in. Instead, she stayed with a Black family south of campus while earning her degree.
Flagg was the first Black woman to graduate from Missouri S&T and was one of only 11 women during her freshman year in 1956. She excelled at math in high school and was encouraged by her teachers to study engineering.
After graduation, Flagg headed to California to work at the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering. Later, she returned to S&T and became assistant director of admissions until 1998.
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Raising support for scholarship
Zebulun Nash, who graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in 1972, was part of a team that got its…
Ron Epps: getting the job at NASA
After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1967, Ron Epps began a long and illustrious career at NASA...
Gwen (Ingram) and Chase Davis
Gwen (Ingram) and Chase Davis, who both earned their bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering from S&T, met after participating in…
All aboard! Ozzy comes to S&T
Rocker and reality TV star Ozzy Osbourne visited S&T’s Experimental Mine in 2018 for an episode of Ozzy and Jack’s…
Chloe Howenstein-Heskin and Shayne Heskin
Chloe Howenstein-Heskin and Shayne Heskin met during the spring semester of their freshman year in 2011. The two were part…
Jack Ridley: a humanist among engineers
Jack Ridley, who won many teaching awards during his career, describes the circumstances he faced as a new...