She was the daughter of Horatio Stebbins, pastor of the First Unitarian Church of San Francisco and a regent of the University of California.

She graduated from Radcliffe in 1902[3] and worked in Massachusetts as a social worker until 1910, when she returned to Berkeley to become Assistant Dean of Women.

During her time in office, she increased the enrollment of women from 1,200 to 6,400 by raising money for scholarships and expanding curriculum.

During her tenure, the schools of Nursing and Social welfare were established, as well as the departments of Home Economics and Decorative Arts.

Upon conferring an honorary LL.D award to her in 1953, President Robert Gordon Sproul described Lucy Ward as "a teacher and dean... who saw clearly into the hearts and minds of students, and stimulated them by precept and example to achieve their highest potential.