Captain Joan Hankey: The Experience of a Lifetime

Captain Joan R. Hankey ‘59 joined the US Navy three days after graduating from Wilson. She earned a Master’s in Computer Systems Management from the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey CA. She directed one of the Navy’s largest computer operations centers. Joan was the first woman executive officer of a Navy command not involved with administration of women, and the first woman officer named as assistant for automation for the organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When she was promoted to Captain, Joan was one of only 17 women Navy captains outside the Nurse Corps. She was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for outstanding service.

This exhibit is an intimate story of Hankey's life as told in her unpublished memoir and in conversation with Amy Ensley. It was presented to the Wilson College community during Women's History Month in March 2022 by Amy Ensley, Director of the Hankey Center for the History of Women's Education.