Women's History Month – Rose Ackerman

For Women's History Month, the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health is sharing the stories of women who have made a difference in the Lehigh Valley. One key person is Rose Ackerman.

Watch this video to get to know Rose Ackerman:

For her timeless dedication to the arts, this women's history month, we recognize Rose Ackerman for positively impacting the quality of life in the Lehigh Valley. 

From her early days in Wilkes-Barre, Rose Ackerman watched in awe as her Italian mother's swift fingers operated the sewing machine. Those humble beginnings inspired a lifetime devotion to the arts, fashion and fabrics. Spending many days searching Philadelphia and New York City for different fabrics, Rose often created clothing for her children, as well as her own gowns for special occasions.  

Such love for the arts was shared by Moravian College art professor, Rudy Ackerman. The two were married in 1953 and stood by each other's side for 61 years. Rudy, who served as the Executive Director for the Baum School of Art for more than four decades, offered Rose the opportunity to fill an open registrar position in 1974. But from the mid-1970’s until her retirement in 2011, Rose quickly evolved from administrator and avid fundraiser to influencer. In the early 1980s, Rose spent three summers in Florence, Italy learning how to make her own patterns. Within a few years, Mrs. Ackerman started teaching a pattern-making class at the Baum School of Art, with other fashion classes following.  

Shortly into the new century, Rose created the school's art curriculum and launched a program where students can earn college credit through Lehigh Carbon Community College. To this day, the Rose Ackerman Fashion Scholarship is one of many youth merit scholarship awards granted each spring to children and teen Baum School Students.