First MFA in sculpture by the University of Iowa awarded to Elizabeth Catlett.
On June 5, 1940, Elizabeth Catlett became the first person to receive a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Iowa, a monumental achievement underscoring the university's progressive embrace of the arts. Under the tutelage of artist Grant Wood, Catlett cultivated a distinct style that combined modernist aesthetics with a focus on social justice themes, eschewing traditional boundaries in pursuit of highly expressive forms.