Lake Erie College Alumna, Suffragist Selected as Lake County’s America 250 Bobblehead Honoree

As the nation prepares to commemorate 250 years of American history, Lake Erie College is proud to celebrate its own milestone—170 years of educational excellence—while honoring one of its earliest alumnae, Frances Jennings Casement, as Lake County’s official 2026 America 250 bobblehead representative.

Casement, who attended the Willoughby Female Seminary, the institution that would later become Lake Erie College, earned the highest number of votes in a community-wide selection process. She received 204 votes (31.7%) out of 643 total ballots cast. Voting concluded on March 17 and was conducted both in person at the Lake County Board of Elections and online.

A pioneering advocate for women’s rights, Casement played a vital role in advancing the suffrage movement in Ohio and across the country. After returning to Painesville in 1870, she organized the Equal Rights Association in 1883 and helped found the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association in 1885, serving as its president until 1889. She collaborated with national leaders including Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and lived to see the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920.

Her legacy remains deeply rooted in the Lake Erie College community, where she is honored on the Women’s Walkway, open year-round for self-guided tours, highlighting the achievements of influential women connected to the institution.

“This recognition feels deeply personal to our campus community. Frances Jennings Casement is not just a historical figure—she is part of the living legacy of Lake Erie College,” said Lake Erie College President Jennifer N. Schuller. “As we mark 170 years as an institution during our nation’s 250th celebration, we are proud to see her story continue to inspire and bring our community together.”

The winning bobblehead design featuring Casement will be officially unveiled during the Lake County Fair on Saturday, August 1, 2026, with free bobbleheads available to the first 1,000 visitors.

The America 250 initiative celebrates the individuals and stories that have shaped both local communities and the nation.