Dean Helena Benitez, Women's University, Philippines

Artist / Maker Christian Petersen (Danish - American, 1885 - 1961)

Date1946

OriginU.S.A.

MediumPainted plaster

Dimensions21 x 22 x 10 in. (53.3 x 55.9 x 25.4 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LineGift of Friends of the University Museums. In the Christian Petersen Art Collection, Christian Petersen Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberU89.34

Status

Not on view

Collections

CultureAmerican

Label TextFrom the University Museums Collections Handbook, vol. 2, 2025: Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez (1914–2016) was a trailblazing Filipina academic and administrator of the Philippine Women’s University, with a lifelong career in public service spanning over 70 years. Among her notable achievements, she served as a Philippine senator (1968–1972), authored significant legislation on education, environment, and youth development, and chaired the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (1969). Benitez was the first woman to lead the UN Environment Program (1975) and received numerous national and international honors for her contributions to women’s rights, environmental protection, and education. A graduate of Philippine Women’s University and George Washington University, Benitez also pursued studies at Iowa State, enhancing her global perspective. Her time at Iowa State University is marked by Christian Petersen’s portrait bust of her, modeled during her visit as Dean of the Philippine Women’s University in 1946. Photographs show Benitez at Petersen’s campus studio having her bust modeled, and she later recalled that he may have also sculpted her hands. This work commemorates her role as a global leader in education and advocacy. A lifelong advocate for education and culture and renowned for her commitment to environmental conservation, Benitez passed away at 102, leaving behind an enduring legacy as a transformative figure in Philippine and global history.

Published References"Christian Petersen Remembered" by Patricia Bliss, p. 123-124

Locations