Bonnie Ethel Cone (1914 – 2004) was an American educator and administrator who played a pivotal role in the development of the institution that later became the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).
Early life and education
Cone was born in 1914 in North Carolina. Details of her early education, including degrees earned and institutions attended, are documented in university archives but are not fully detailed in publicly available sources.
Academic career
Cone joined the faculty of the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (the precursor to UNCG) as an English instructor. She advanced to administrative positions, serving as dean of women and later as a key leader during the college’s transition to coeducation. In the early 1960s, she was appointed the first president of the newly chartered University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a role in which she oversaw significant campus expansion, the establishment of new academic programs, and the attainment of university status in 1965.
Legacy
In recognition of her contributions, the main library on the UNCG campus was renamed the Bonnie E. Cone Library. The building serves as a central resource for students and faculty and stands as a lasting tribute to her impact on higher education in North Carolina.
References
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, “Bonnie E. Cone Library History,” UNCG Archives.
- “Bonnie E. Cone, 89, Founder of UNCG, Dies,” The News & Observer, June 30, 2004.
This entry reflects information that is documented in reliable historical and university records.