The White House held a roundtable discussion today to celebrate the 37th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark equal rights legislation that eliminated gender discrimination in government-run schools. Hosted by President Obama’s Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, the event brought together an all-star lineup of influential female athletes, academics and government officials to discuss the legacy and future of Title IX.

Billie Jean King, tennis legend and the founder of the Women’s Sports Foundation, called the Title IX event–the first ever to be celebrated at the White House–”the 37th anniversary of the 37 words that made up one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century.” King, who reportedly met with longtime-fan and avid tennis player President Obama before the roundtable, was commended for advancing the visibility of women in professional sports and for serving as a role model for girls. Said Jarret of King’s victory over tennis champ Bobby Riggs in 1973, “looking at the court, I really felt that my future was in your hands.”

Although the panelists agreed “we’ve come a long way” since Title IX’s passage in 1972, they highlighted a number of key gender equality issues yet to be resolved.

Olympic Gold Medalist Dominique Dawes criticized mainstream sports media for ignoring women’s sports and reinforcing gender stereotypes. “It is very hard to find stories about women athletes and I think that’s a negative message to send to young girls,” she said. Although she was born four years after the Title IX’s passage, Dawes said she benefited greatly from the initiative and was greatly inspired by trailblazers like King.

Kicking off the event, Education Secretary Arne Duncan also thanked King and her peers for advancing the cause of gender equality. A sign of the legislation’s massive success over the past 37 years, Duncan said participation in women’s collegiate sports increased from 15 percent in 1972 to more than 43 percent today. Despite the progress of women’s athletics, he vowed to push further. “The Obama administration strives to remove the obstacle of gender discrimination as a way to increase access to college and careers for all students,” Duncan said.

Senior female NASA officials also addressed the audience, calling for increased funding for math and science programs for young women. Agreeing that furthering education for women was “absolutely critical,” Duncan announced that the Obama Administration would fund $2.4 million in grants to help high school-aged women achieve proficiency in the sciences.

Thirty-seven years after its passage, Title IX, now known formally as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, is seen as a touchstone of gender equality in America. The bill was written by the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink (D - H.I.) and signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The watershed legislation made gender discrimination in government-run educational institutions, as well as those receiving federal funding, illegal. Although the law was not specifically written for school athletics, Title IX has had a major impact on high school and collegiate athletics programs nationwide.