Ellen Fitz Pendleton

Ellen Fitz Pendleton (August 7, 1864 – July 26, 1936) was an American educator. She was president of Wellesley College for 25 years and notably expanded it financially and physically.

Early life Pendleton was born in Westerly, Rhode Island on August 7, 1864. She was the youngest of nine children of Enoch Burrows Pendleton and Mary Ette (Chapman) Pendleton, and a descendant of Brian Pendleton who was the first in her family line to immigrate to America from England in 1632 and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Career Pendleton attended Wellesley College and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1886.

Pendleton initiated a major rebuilding of the college facility grounds. College Hall was destroyed by fire in March 1914. This building had the classrooms, offices, dormitory quarters, and library. Pendleton built temporary quarters for her students within three weeks to hold classes. Over the next ten years a 3-million-dollar campaign she promoted resulted in construction of several new buildings. Before Pendleton retired she initiated many new buildings on the college grounds and created a $10-million endowment during her presidency; she was president of Wellesley College for 25 years. Wellesley College trustees terminated her contract in 1919. Pendleton strongly opposed her dismissal for support of academic freedom. As a member of the Naples Table Association she supported women's scientific research. She received the honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Brown University in 1911 She ultimately retired in June 1936. Pendleton died the next month on July 26 in Newton, Massachusetts of a paralytic stroke.