Ellyn Uram Kaschak ‘65, a renowned author and scholar who founded the Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls in 2018, passed away on Feb. 20, the University told the campus community in an email late last week. She was 81 years old.

The institute that bears her name aids and advances different areas of research that mirror her work positively affecting women and girls.

“Her legacy at Binghamton also includes the creation of the Dr. Ellyn Uram Kaschak Summer Research Grant to benefit Harpur College undergraduate students and their research in the field of social justice for women and girls,” the University message read.

“In addition, her generous support of Binghamton spanned many other areas to advance an exceptional education and University excellence,” it continued.

Kaschak, a renowned psychologist, was a founder of the field of feminist psychology, practicing for around 40 years. She taught at San Jose State University for 35 years and was a visiting professor at the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

In 2022, she won the University Medal, adding to several awards honoring her achievements and contributions to the field. Kaschak authored or edited 14 books, including “Engendered Lives: A New Psychology of Women’s Experience” in 1992 and “Sight Unseen: Gender and Race through Blind Eyes” in 2015.

Kaschak earned a bachelor’s degree in Russian from BU in 1965 and a master’s degree from George Washington University in 1968. After working as a school psychologist for some time, in 1974, she became one of the first groups of women to earn a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.

“I am most impressed — both by her vision for this institute and her impact on her discipline as one of the founders of the field of feminist theory,” University President Harvey Stenger told BingUNews in 2019. “But most of all, I’ve been impressed by Ellyn’s commitment and thoughtfulness in engaging with Binghamton, and supporting Harpur College and our students.”

Kaschak told BingUNews that it was not Harpur College that turned her into a feminist — it was being a woman. She added that Harpur College gave her the tools and vision to engage with these ideas and ask productive questions.

“I have persisted, insisted and resisted,” she said at the time. “But I cannot finish the job. My work will be done when every girl on the planet is given justice, safety and respect.”

“When skin color and sexual orientation are no longer used to categorize and demean and are nobody’s business but your own,” she added. “When every woman and girl is safe, is educated and is able to fulfill her own destiny.”

The Kaschak Institute, founded through an endowment from Kaschak, hosts events and programs both internationally and in the United States promoting learning opportunities for students through a mix of disciplinary approaches.

As part of its continued efforts to fight climate change, the Kaschak Institute worked with the 1 Million Women campaign and a group of University partners, including Binghamton 2 Degrees and the Office of Sustainability, to launch IMReady_Bing in February 2024. The initiative aims to encourage students to take action against climate change.

“That girl lives inside you for the rest of your life and inside me she is saying, you did it and more,” Kaschak said in 2019. “She is happy beyond her wildest dreams. I have suffered hatred and discrimination for being born female. I have experienced joy and triumph specifically as a girl and woman. I have understood and changed things as a feminist and a scholar.”