Mary Rippon ( May 25 , 1850 - September 8 , 1935 ) was the first woman to teach at a state university , as well as the first female professor at the University of Colorado Boulder . Rippon began teaching French and German at CU in 1878 , became head of Germanic languages and literature , and served at the university until 1909 . Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre , the location of the annual Colorado Shakespeare Festival , is named in her honor
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Mary Rippon