yale whiffenpoofs accept female into group

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The country’s oldest collegiate a cappella group is
breaking with tradition as
they formally accept their
first-ever female member.
The Yale Whiffenpoofs,
established in 1909, are
pioneers in the vocal arts
community as being the
longest running aca-group
in the country’s history.
What’s been a constant of
the group is their long held
standards of excellence.
Such standards as only
senior students are
allowed membership, the
group’s formal attire
seen at nearly every
performance, and world
tours embarked upon each
school year. What has also
been typical since their
founding is their all-male
membership.
In recent years, many
groups, including The
Whiffenpoofs have openly
discussed the need for
reform in making all extra-
curricular groups more
inclusive.
Like other groups at their
university, including the
Duke’s Men of Yale, The
Whiffenpoofs have not
been shy in voicing their
support for change to the
gender restrictions tied to
certain school groups and
activities.
Enter Sofia Campoamor.
Courtesy of Sofia
Campoamor Facebook Page
Campoamor has made both
Yale Whiffenpoofs Admit First
Female Member In Group’s
History
Whiffenpoofs.com. Published 2018
By Brian Alexander

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Yale and aca-history as
being accepted as the first
female member of The
Whiffenpoofs.
News of the acceptance
broke at the end of
February, inspiring support
from both social media and
the Yale community-at-
large.
Campoamor will join
The Whiffenpoofs after
having sung with Yale’s
Mixed Company for the
last three years. As
both a current music
director of her college
a cappella group and an
accomplished composer
(she seriously writes her
own music - check it out
here), Campoamor will bring
a bevy of talent to The
Whiffenpoofs.
In an interview with NPR,
Campoamor cites why she
decided to audition for the
originally, all-male group:
“I always had really
enjoyed the music of The
Whiffenpoofs and as well
as the opportunities that
were available by joining
the group. They have
traditionally taken a year
off to travel the whole
world, and they really just
have a level of resources
and opportunity that
none of the other groups
have been able to access
just because they’ve been
around the longest.”
Campoamor will begin
singing with the group come
August, where they will
embark upon a year long
schedule of performing
before members return to
complete their senior year
of schooling. This change
is a new one for the aca-
community as more groups
push for inclusiveness. We
hope to hear and see more
stories such as this one.
Yale Whiffenpoofs Admit
First Female Member In
Group’s History