Dreaming of a Career as a Movie or Television Producer?

In this video, Vivian Marui, Class of 2014, interviews Debra Martin Cases, Class of 1977, movie and television producer. During the interview, Debra shares with Vivian her college experience and explains how her education at a women’s college, Mount Holyoke College, provided her with the environment to thrive. Mount Holyoke College is a place that empowers big-dreamers.
 
“You have the power within yourself to be anything you want to be,” says Debra Martin Case. 
 
This video, “Women of Influence: Debra Martin Chase '77” was published on February 26, 2013.

Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. To learn more, click here.

Why Choose a Women’s College?

In this article, "Why Choose a Women’s College?," Neha Thirani asks the current President of Barnard College, Debora L. Spar, various questions, mostly as they relate to international students about the benefits of a women’s college and the benefits of Barnard. Click here, to read the article.

Barnard College, a liberal arts college for women affiliated with Columbia University, located in New York City. To learn more about Barnard College, click here.

This article was published March 22, 2012 in The New York Times, Global Edition India

Neha Thirani Bagri is employed by The New York Times in India as a Reporter. She recently graduated from Oxford with her Master’s in English Literature and resides in her hometown of Mumbai, India.

Star Trek: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Science

In this article, “Star Trek: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Science,” James Martin and James E. Samels write about four women’s colleges that are preparing young women for roles as environmentalists, biologists, chemists, forensic scientist, and physicists. All these women’s colleges are accomplishing this via strong women networks while providing a hands-on approach to learning.

The colleges they reviewed include Cedar Crest College, located is Allentown, PA, Sweet Briar College, located in Sweet Briar, VA, Smith College, located in Northampton, MA , and Rutgers Douglas Residential College, located in New Brunswick, NJ.

This article was published in University Business on June 1, 2009.

Click here to read the article.

Video: Women's College Advantage

Here’s another YouTube video where students of Hollins University share their thoughts about the advantages of a women’s college.

Hollins University is a women’s college located on a 475-acre campus in Roanoke, VA. To learn more, click here.

Women’s Colleges Are a Hidden Treasure (Continued)

Yesterday I posted Theresa Antonellis' comment, an alumna of Mount Holyoke College, in response to the article, “Why Choose a Women’s College?” by Neha Thirani that was published in The New York Times. Today, I’m posting two additional comments from the article and they are as follows:


Sharon's posted comment, “I also graduated from a women's college (Mount Holyoke) and am also in the sciences because of my experiences there. The environment enabled me to take academic and personal risks that I could not have taken elsewhere (actually "did not" in my case since I transferred to Mount Holyoke after having spent my first two years of undergrad at a coed college that had formerly been all male). Watched women being systematically silenced in the coed environment and knew that I needed to go elsewhere ---especially since I come from a family background that offers absolutely no support for my pursuing professional training of any sort. Had a wonderful experience at Mount Holyoke.”

Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college located in South Hadley, MA. Click here to learn more.

Kathy's posted comment, “As a Barnard graduate, I can attest to the outstanding education I received there. I was a premed science major, and I was able to take the intro courses at Barnard, and some of the advanced science courses across the street at Columbia. In face, some of my Columbia colleagues cross-registered at Barnard for the intro to biology, sociology, and poly sci courses. In fact, I met my future husband in the same biology course. Today I am a physician, for which I am most grateful to Barnard for molding my initial scientific interests. You have the experience of college, if you wish to simply focus on college life, but also the amazing life of NYC. I treasure my time at Barnard, particularly for the wonderful friendships, and of course, my most enriching relationship with my husband.”

Barnard College is a women’s college located in New York, NY. Click here to learn more.

As a point of reference, The New York Times published Neha Thirani’s article “Why Choose a Women’s College?” on March 22, 2012.

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day—February 21, 2013

This day is dedicated to Dr. Sally Ride.To learn more, click here and/or watch their video. If you are thinking about a career in this area: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM), please consider a women's college as women's colleges do a better job preparing you for a STEM career. I'll be writing more about this in the future, so please subscribe to my blog!

Women’s Colleges Are a Hidden Treasure

Theresa Antonellis, a Mount Holyoke College alumna, posted a comment to the article Neha Thirani wrote for The New York Times, “Why Choose a Women’s College?” I liked this insightful comment so much, that I decided to post it on my blog and it follows:

“Women’s colleges are a hidden treasure. Some might ask why would any woman need to be sheltered from men in a democratic and modern world? Women’s colleges are not sheltered. In fact there were male students in some of my classes at Mount Holyoke College, the oldest women’s college. Mount Holyoke is part of the Five College Consortium, which includes Amherst College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts as well as Smith College. All of us were free to take courses at the other colleges, and I did.

However, within the co-ed liberal arts setting, I was shocked to find my voice interrupted and worse, re-interpreted by the top male students in the class. As if I didn’t know my own mind! This is exactly why women’s colleges are relevant today. Without Mount Holyoke, I would have continued to defer to overconfident men. I’m currently in grad school at University of Massachusetts, earning the MFA. I’m happy to be here, and eternally grateful for my undergrad years at Mount Holyoke College.

By the way, to those of you thinking, ‘oh those snooty women’s liberal arts colleges, with high-price tags’, I’m also a Frances Perkins Scholar, as in 'scholarship'! Mount Holyoke College gives very generous scholarships to the non-traditional student, and other under-represented college students. I have no doubt that women have the power to lead in better directions, and I know that women’s colleges will continue to produce world leaders.”

As a point of reference, The New York Times published Neha Thirani’s article "Why Choose a Women’s College?" on March 22, 2012. Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States and is the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges. Click here to learn more.

Meet Moore - the first and only visual arts college for women in the United States

Spotlight: Moore College of Art & Design

Inspiring Careers

Even though I was biology major, I loved spending time on the potter’s wheel – and found myself (after college) going back to clay – only to discover my passion for creating using handbuilding techniques.

If the visual arts is your thing, I encourage you to discover Moore!

Moore College of Art & Design is located in Philadelphia. Highly-creative women from all over the world come here to study.

Moore’s BFA programs include: Art Education, Art History, Curatorial Studies, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interactive & Motion Arts, Interior Design, and Photography & Digital Arts. A good place to start is on Moore's BFA Programs page.

If you would like to meet current students, click here.

If you would like to read about students with internships, click here.

Click here to learn about alumnae.

You can meet the faculty by clicking here.

Meet Moore’s Student Ambassadors by clicking here.

Connect with student’s blogs by clicking here.

http://www.moore.edu

Student Satisfaction at a Women’s College

By Diane Propsner

As you know, I’m always looking for insightful information to include on my blog. The goal is to make researching women's colleges easier for you!

With that in mind, I would like to share with you an interesting student satisfaction entry I found on the Web site of Saint Mary's College -- Benefits of a Women’s College page. Click here to visit the Web page.

Student Satisfaction
By all accounts, there is a high rate of student satisfaction at women's colleges. Nine out of 10 women's college graduates give their colleges high marks for fostering self-confidence. More than three-quarters of women's college graduates continue their involvement with their alma mater as trustees, mentors, class agents, intern employers, recruiters, etc. It's difficult to say who is "right" for women's colleges and who isn't. Just about everyone can benefit from the supportive atmosphere they provide. In the end, it's largely a matter of personal preference.

Saint Mary's College is a women’s college and is located in Notre Dame, IN. Read what a current student says:

“The drive to excel is contagious, and we're all pushing each other to strive for more. Saint Mary's is where you can achieve things you never knew you could. You'll feel like you can go out into the world upon graduation and do something incredible.”
—Chelsea Young '13, art major

If you would like to learn more about Saint Mary's College, click here to visit their Web site.

Are Women's Colleges Outdated?

In this Huffington Post article, entitled, “Are Women's Colleges Outdated?,” the author Tom Matlack writes about his experience while accompanying his daughter on a campus tour of Barnard College, a women’s college located in New Your City.

Not initially convinced of the values of a women’s college, his mind is changed when the Barnard Campus Guide says, "Why wouldn't you want to send your daughter to an institution whose sole purpose is to insure the success of women? Three percent of women graduating from high school go to women's colleges, and yet 30 percent of congresswomen went to women's colleges and 20 percent of the female CEOs. There's a reason that is the case and that's why we are still here."

Read the entire article by clicking here.

As insightful as Tom’s article is, I also enjoyed reading the many comments from Barnard alumnae, sighting two of them below.

Betsy Summers posted on 04/14/2011
“Proud Barnard (and Barnard Theater) Alumna here... My father actually found Barnard and encouraged me to apply. I'm his only daughter, and he was so proud of everything I accomplished there. Though a co-ed college was certainly attractive to me as a 17-year old, being surrounded by awesome, smart, focused, and amazing women totally trumped any reticence. True, I ran into lots of stereotypes about Barnard women, but it made me stronger, focused, and I made fantastic friends on both sides of Broadway. Now being president of my alumnae class (06), and with our 5th year reunion approaching, I return frequently to thoughts of Barnard and how it shaped me. Barnard has produced some incredible women, and I think it helps that potential really spring to life in a conscious way that co-ed colleges don't. And Barnard Theater, oh man, how awesome. I gained exposure to Barnard, Columbia School of the Arts, NY Off-Broadway, and then created my opportunities (with the help of an amazing Barnard professor) down in St. Thomas. I really enjoyed the article; it was quite refreshing, and I'm going to share it with my dad with a big thanks to him for inspiring me to go to Barnard.”


Christina Sok posted on 04/13/2011
“I was at first skeptical about women's colleges before I went to Barnard, especially since my Grandmother who had gone to a women's college was raving about it (it seemed rather antiquated). But after graduating from Barnard, I'm the one raving about it. Barnard really did give me the confidence to challenge myself and compete harder than before. The strong, intelligent women at Barnard are inspiring and involved not only on Barnard's campus but all across Columbia's campus. There are so many opportunities to meet men on both campuses, and Barnard women are found as leaders of so many clubs at Columbia. The intimate community at Barnard is an enriching place where each student is really cared for academically and personally. I know some of my Columbia male friends wished they could enroll at Barnard, including my boyfriend who graduated from Columbia. Now in the working world, I have come across so many influential leaders who went to Barnard. I think having the opportunity to attend a great liberal arts college like Barnard with the strong emphasis on women's education and growth, would be a privilege to any young woman out there.”

I hope you also caught the comment Tom posted on 04/14/2011

“I just want to give a big shout out to all the outpouring of Barnard love in these comments and which I have received directly for posting what I thought was a little blog about my being a block head but, through my daughter's eyes, seeing something true and good about the role of women's colleges most specially Barnard. It is quite something to see my idle thoughts shared rather casually create such a stir. Thank you for taking *me* seriously. It all speaks volumes for the quality of the institution, its students, and alums.”

As a point of reference, Tom's article was published on 04/08/2011.

Article: In Defense of Women’s Colleges

In Madeleine Minke’s article, “In Defense of Women’s Colleges,” she concludes her article with the following “. . . But the community they (a women’s college) create is incredibly important for women who want to go in to a male-dominated work force. The support and welcoming community that women’s colleges create protects women from being ignored and treated as less than. And that environment is something I see as being very necessary.” To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Feminspire published the article on December 7, 2012. Feminspire is an online publication that houses a compilation of female voices. To learn more about the publication, click here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” -- Lucille Ball

“I think every girl needs to love herself, regardless of anything. Like if you're having a bad day, if you don't like your hair, if you don't have the best family situation, whatever, you have to love yourself and you can't do anything until you love yourself first.” -- Julianne Hough

“No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.” - Barbara de Angelis

“Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.” -- Veronica A. Shoffstall

“Ultimately, love is self approval.” -- Sondra Ray

“We will discover the nature of our particular genius when we stop trying to conform to our own or to other people’s models, learn to be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open.” -- Shakti Gawain

“If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.” -- Author Unknown

“It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else’s eyes.” --  Sally Field

"Love yourself or no one else will." -- Unknown

The Best Kept College Secret: Women’s Colleges

By Diane Propsner

Shhhhhhh, can you keep a secret?

Okay then, I’ll let you in on the best kept secret most college bound young women don’t know.

Graduates of women's colleges achieve higher rates of success than their female counterparts at coeducational institutions.

And while I’m not saying a women’s college is for every young woman, keep this in mind, the same studies that identified the higher achievement rates of alumna of women’s colleges, also identified that after two years in a coed college, women have been shown to have lower levels of self-esteem than when they first entered college.

POW!

The reason a women’s college is so powerful is that it provides an environment that is empowering to young women. If you watched Hillary Clinton’s video you heard her say, “. . . this is an opportunity for the women to run everything. You run the newspaper. You run the student government. You speak out in class . . . so I really cherished the experience that I had.”

When a young woman attends a coed college this environment is not offered (simply because both men and women are involved) and therefore is impossible to experience this same empowering environment. Only same-gender environments offer this possibility.

And this is what an empowering environment is all about.

Women’s colleges provide an empowering environment where small “wins” are experienced over a period of four years. The subconscious mind of a young woman does not realize that the deck is stacked in favor of women (simply because there are no men around); it only sees that women are successful and that she is in a caring and nurturing environment and this is the message that is driven home! And soon the young women becomes more involved and engaged in activities -- in the classroom, in college clubs, in sports, in the student government, and maybe even the college newspaper -- while the subconscious mind is reinforced with experiences of success and empowerment.

This is the power of a women’s college; this incredible environment that empowers young women. And if you like feel free to ask any Developmental Psychologist for they will reinforce the power and importance of a nurturing, supportive, and empowering environment. It’s an environment that positions young women to thrive.

Here’s how one of my classmates, Liz Verhey Neale feels about a women’s college:

"I believe my alma mater, a women’s college offered a unique educational experience in a beautiful setting. It had small classes where each student must be prepared and must participate in her education to succeed. The single sex environment made it safe for students to take chances and to participate in college life in ways she wouldn't be able to if those positions were filled with male students. Here students were not competing against one another for attention from male students, which creates a unique friendship arena. This is why alumnae love women based colleges with such passion."

Today Liz is co-owner of a gymnastics school in NH, Off the Wall Gymnastics. Please understand that her love for gymnastics was encouraged and fostered during her college years. If you would like to learn more about Off the Wall Gymnastics, click here.

So there you have it, the best kept college secret of college bound women.

And here’s the reason I say it's a secret. Consider this, only 2% of college bound women research all-female college institutions.

As a women’s college advocate, I’m committed to bringing more awareness around the advantages of a women’s college because I believe ever young women deserves the opportunity to have a choice in her education. If the opportunity is not know, the choice is not available.

Please help me by sharing this secret with your college bound girlfriends. Heck share it with everyone! Your family, your teachers, your neighbors, your friends . . . everyone!

Together we can bring more awareness to this important topic and encourage more college bound young women also to include women’s colleges in their mix when researching colleges to attend.

3 Reasons Why a Women’s College Could Be Perfect For You

By Lauren Ingeno

I enjoyed reading Lauren’s article and hope you do as well. It starts off with the following,

“Ladies, would you ever consider attending a college void of men?

In high school, Rebecca Collins, 21, said she was “the last person in the world” anyone expected to go to a women’s college.

But after three years at Philadelphia’s Moore College of Art & Design — the first and only women’s arts school in the nation — she is very happy that she did the unexpected.

“I think maybe there’s a stigma with any women’s college, that it’s a man-hating, bra-burning place, but it’s not like that at all,” said Collins, a fashion and design student. “It just puts you in an environment where you’re a lot more focused on what you’re learning and your future career.”

Women’s colleges have held a long-standing and respected tradition in the United States. The Sisters colleges — Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Wellesley — are highly selective liberal arts women’s colleges, often compared to Ivy League institutions.”

To finish reading the article and learn the three reason why a women's college could be perfect for you, click here.

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

When Lauren Ingeno wrote this article, she was a Collegiate Correspondent with USA TODAY. Her article was published July 13th, 2012 -- USA TODAY COLLEGE

Did You Know This About a Women’s College?

"Studies have found that by attending women's colleges, women develop measurably higher levels of self-esteem than other achieving women in coeducational institutions. After two years in coeducational institutions, women have been shown to have lower levels of self-esteem than when they entered college." *

* As sited on the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Web site, a women’s college located in St Mary-of-the-Woods, IN. Click here to learn more about the college.

Is a Women’s College Right for You? Eight Questions to Ask

By Diane Propsner

Not sure if a women’s college is right for you? A good place to start is by asking the following questions.

Question One: Are you interested in achieving higher career levels and earning larger salaries?
Question Two:  Is having higher levels of self-esteem important to you?
Question Three:  Are you looking for a career in the male-dominated fields such as medicine, engineering, politics, and/or law?
Question Four: Would you like to have more opportunities in leadership roles?
Question Five:  Would you like to participate more in class discussions?
Question Six: Would you like your career to include serving on the boards of Fortune 1000 companies?
Question Seven: Do your educational goals include earning a doctoral degree?
Question Eight: After graduating do you see yourself being involved in philanthropy?
   
If you answer “yes” to any of the questions, I encourage you to include at least one women's college to investigate. First identify the women's college that offers the program you want and visit the campus. Meet with students and professors and then decide if a women's college is right for you. Please know that based on a recent study, young women who attended a women’s college typically receive the above benefits. Coed colleges simply can not provide the same supportive environment that many young women find so empowering.

List: Notable Women’s College Alumnae

Get ready for success! While researching online I discovered an extensive list of “firsts for women” and all of the women attended a women’s college. The list includes:

• FIRST woman to be named Secretary of State in the U.S: MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, Wellesley College
• FIRST woman editor, The New York Post: JANE AMSTERDAM, Cedar Crest College
• FIRST woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize: EMILY GREEN BALCH, Bryn Mawr College
• FIRST woman to receive a college bachelor's degree: CATHERINE BREWER BENSON, Wesleyan College
• FIRST scientist to identify the Hong Kong flu virus: EARLA BIEKERT, Wesleyan College
• FIRST woman to earn a doctorate in chorale conducting from Yale University: MARIAN DOLAN, Sweet Briar College
• FIRST woman leader of the American Newspaper Publisher Association: CATHLEEN BLACK, Trinity Washington University
• FIRST African-American woman judge in the U.S.: JANE MATILDA BOLIN, Wellesley College
• FIRST African-American woman surgeon in the South: DOROTHY L. BROWN, Bennett College for Women
• FIRST to win Nobel Prize in Literature: PEARL S. BUCK, Randolph-Macon Woman's College
• FIRST female Rhodes Scholar, Georgia: ILA BURDETT, Agnes Scott College
• FIRST woman secretary of the Democratic National Party: DOROTHY VREDENBURGH BUSH, Mississippi University for Women
• FIRST woman to be Executive Vice President of the American Stock Exchange: SARAH PORTER BOEHMLER, Sweet Briar College

Click here to review the entire list.I found this information on the Sweet Briar College’s Web site. Sweet Briar College is a women’s college located in Sweet Briar, VA. To learn more about Sweet Briar College, click here.

Article: 5 Women’s Colleges and State Dept. to Foster Public Service by Women

If you're thinking about a career in public service, this article is for YOU!

In Andrew Mytelka’s article, he writes about Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and Wellesley Colleges partnering with the U.S. State Department to encourage more women to explore opportunities within the public sector – specifically public service and political leadership. The article, "5 Women’s Colleges and State Dept. to Foster Public Service by Women," was published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on March 14, 2011. Click here, to read the article.

Video: Why Choose a Women's College?

In the short and insightful video, Columbia College students answer the question, “Why Choose a Women's College?” Columbia College is a private liberal arts women's college in Columbia, South Carolina. To learn more about Columbia College, click here.

Profile: Spelman Alumna La’Shanda Holmes ’07 becomes the First Black Female Helicopter Pilot in Coast Guard History

Get to know La’Shanda Holmes, an exceptional woman who, at a young age is already paving the way for other women! And guess what, La’Shanda graduated from a women’s college, Spelman College - A Choice to Change the World college. Click here to read her inspiring story.

Article: Are Women's Colleges Still Needed?

Selena Rezvani, author of, The Next Generationof Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won't Learn in Business School, wrote the following linked article, “Are Women's Colleges Still Needed?” Her article was published in The Washington Post, on September 3, 2010. Click here to read her article.