The Women’s College Experience

 “ . . . the women’s college experience isn’t about isolating yourself from men as much as it is about really working on female relationships and women-based communities– something I think we could use a lot more of in this society. Young women today are encouraged to completely tear apart other girls. We’re told we must compare ourselves to other girls constantly and compete with them – the effects of which are none too healthy. But at a women’s college, that sense of competition is slowly stripped away. Female friendships are more authentic and we’re free to be ourselves and explore who we really are, the effects of which last a lifetime, even when we’re back in a co-ed world. As for the sexuality point, my sexuality did not factor into my decision to attend a women’s college in any way (nor did it for any of my friends here, as far as I know). I attend school with women who are straight, gay, bisexual and undecided. But I’m pretty sure that’s the case at any college in this country.”

Continue reading Julie’s blog post here.

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Attending a Women’s College Won’t Hinder Your Dating Life

Randi C. Heathman is an independent educational consultant and assists equestrian students find their right-fit college. Her consulting practice is named The Equestrian College Advisor and is based in southern Michigan. Ms. Heathman is the only practicing independent educational consultant who has both enrollment and intercollegiate equestrian program experience. She works with students from all over the United States.

In a recent blog post she explains why attending a women’s college won’t hinder your dating life (and I totally agree).

Read Ms. Heathman's  blog post here or learn more about her college advising services here.

Expert Advice From a Women's College Alumna About Seeking a Career In Marine Biology

If you're thinking about a career as a marine biologist, I think you'll enjoy my Huffington Post blog post from last week, "Expert Advice From a Women's College Alumna About Seeking a Career In Marine Biology."

I spoke with Dr. Naomi Rose and she offered expert advice for selecting a major.

Dr. Rose received her Ph.D. in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz where she studied the social dynamics of wild orcas. For the past 20 years, Dr. Rose has been advocating on behalf of marine mammals; she is currently a marine mammal scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute.Dr. Rose graduated from Mount Holyoke College (MHC), a highly selective liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Read my blog post here.

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Her College Story: A Family Tradition - Wesleyan College

By Auburn Davidson
Wesleyan College
Class of 2017
Double Major: Psychology and Neuroscience

Growing up, I spent hours pouring over my mom’s Wesleyan College yearbooks.  Looking at all the traditions, sisterhood, and best friends excited me more and more as I got older.  When it came time to apply to colleges, Wesleyan was my first choice, although I was hesitant about the lack of boys.  But, my mother and grandmother having gone there, it just made sense. 

From my first contact with my admissions counselor to now, finishing up my first year, Wesleyan has completely captured my heart…and I hardly notice the lack of boys. 

You can ask almost anyone I know, I have changed in remarkable ways since entering Wesleyan.  I am more confident, more intelligent, and happier than I ever have been.  The diversity of backgrounds of the women who have become my sisters has opened my eyes to many different ways of thinking.  I am a much better advocate for myself, and I don’t find myself constantly wondering if I look good enough. 

After I accepted my scholarship, people joked with me that I was going there so I wouldn’t be distracted by guys, and I thought it was funny, but now, I see that it is completely true.  I actually pay attention in classes instead of wondering if the football player two seats over thinks I’m cute.  I truly believe that if I had not come to a women’s college, I would be self-conscious and caught up in the same drama I had in high school.

However, because I am at Wesleyan, the First for Women, I am a much stronger, happier, and healthier woman.  If I could go back and tell senior-in-high-school me anything, it would be to get ready, because Wesleyan and all of the strong women that come along with it are going to rock your world!

                                        © 2014 - Auburn Davidson

Women's College Happy - Pharrell Style

Here's a GREAT video to get your week off to a Great start! Bennett College is Happy! Enjoy!

Bennett College is an all-women historically black college and is located in Greensboro, NC. To learn more about the college, visit their Web site.

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Waiting for Your College Acceptance Letter . . . Flashback to1933

This is the time of year colleges send out their acceptance letters. Here's a vintage video, "A Freshman Comes to Smith College (1933)" that I know you will enjoy.

To learn more about Smith College, visit the college Web site.

Happy Spring 2014

Happy Spring from Simmons College

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Check Out Yet Another Excellent Women’s College

This March 11, 2014 newspaper article, written by Christine Fonville, is about a 125-year old women’s college: Agnes Scott College. In Christine’s article, “GREAT SCOTT 125 year old college still a leader in women’s education" you’ll also discover how the college was named.

For young college-bound women looking to travel abroad, you’ll be happy to learn: “Plans for future “Scotties” include a four-year leadership development process and increasing the percentage of students who travel abroad from 50 to 100 percent.”

Continue reading here.

From Wikipedia: “Agnes Scott College is a private liberal arts college in downtown Decatur, Georgia. The college was founded in 1889 as Decatur Female Seminary by Presbyterian minister Frank H. Gaines.” 

Motto: Educating women to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times. Also on this Web page you can see an impressive list of notable alumnae as well as where movies were filmed.

To learn more about this women's college, visit the Web site of Agnes Scott College.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Converse College

Converse College has a Writing Center and today they are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It’s a great place to hang out as well as have your papers edited/revised. Employers today are always interested in hiring individuals with solid writing skills and women’s colleges, like Converse, go the extra mile for ensuring their students do!

Converse College is a liberal arts women's college in Spartanburg, South Carolina and was founded in 1889.

Check out their undergraduate programs here.

You can learn more about Converse College here or schedule a visit here.

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What's In A Women's College?

Rachel Hennessy, before graduating from a women’s college, Scripps College, in 2013 with a BA in American Studies and a minor in Fine Arts, wrote an insightful article, “What's In A Women's College?” for Forbes Magazine.

I’ve included the highlights below and encourage you to read the entire article.

Article Highlights:

"By attending a women’s college, females are driven to tackle traditionally male-dominated areas in academics and clubs. The argument that these female students are living in a competition-free oasis that does not represent the “real world” undermines the fact women certainly have one another to compete with! Choosing to attend a women’s school is the opposite of “comfortable” because it challenges students to step outside of gender norms and engage in new leadership roles." . . .

"A women’s college is not a place where students “hide out to collectively agonize” over gender issues. It’s a place where students encourage one another to be educated about feminist history. It’s a place where students dare to defy gender norms. It’s a place where students come to engage in leadership roles that they may not otherwise have had access to."

Continue reading here.

Currently, Rachel is an Editorial Assistant at Good Housekeeping Magazine.

To learn more about Scripps College, visit the college Web site.

Women's Colleges Provide Empowering Learning Environments

The biggest advantage (and often overlooked) of attending a women's college is the empowering learning environment. This is so important to consider when researching colleges.

Today, I'm sharing an insightful article written by a 2010 graduate of a women’s college, Abbey Stone: "Why Women's Colleges Still Matter, and Attending Barnard Was the Best Decision I Ever Made."

Article highlights:

"I attended Barnard College, the women’s college affiliated with Columbia University, from 2006-2010. And during that time, I learned to trust my instincts, value my intelligence and refuse to be silenced. Before Sheryl Sandberg coined the term “lean in” in her 2010 TED Talk (and reiterated its importance in her commencement address to Barnard’s class of 2011) my friends and fellow students were living it. I was surrounded not only by thousands of challenging, engaging, and inspiring peers, but also by powerful women leaders (65 percent of Barnard’s faculty is female, compared with 38 percent of college faculty nationally). It was impossible not to feel empowered."

Continue reading here.

To learn more about Barnard College, visit their Web site.

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Her College Story: Women’s Colleges are Dedicated to You

By Michelle Niewald
Stephens College
Class of 2014
Integrated Marketing Major

As a high school student, I never considered attending a women’s college. Every guidance counselor and teacher was quick to tout large state universities, and as I toured these institutions, I found myself less than inspired.

I owe everything to my women’s college. I’ve grown into an amazing woman here at Stephens. The needs of women, in society and the workplace, continue to evolve. There’s no finite way to predict what a woman’s role will be ten years from now, as cultural attitudes change constantly. Attending an institution that values receptiveness, flexibility and change is critical to women entering the job market.

I know how it feels to be a senior in high school considering a women’s college. I also know how it feels to be a member of a unique institution that treats students as more than just numbers. Women’s colleges are dedicated to you.

As a college senior, I have spent many hours reflecting on my experiences here. I have learned many lessons that I know my peers at co-ed institutions may never learn. Real women empower each other. Stephens possesses some of the most cutthroat career paths available: theater, dance, fashion and advertising. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is encouraging.

I cannot possibly describe how proud I am to call myself a Stephens woman. I remember watching my supervisor-a fellow Susie-at an internship in New York City, simply awestruck at her dynamic presence and creativity. She was an incredible boss and support system to me. Most importantly, she never belittled anyone, especially not another woman.

Recently, President Dianne Lynch held a press conference to announce the donation of an unrestricted $15 million. In her address, she described Stephens women as “elegant, graceful, intelligent, articulate, stubborn, opinionated and ambitious,” and this is because of the education that never belittles, insults or attempts to masculinize the qualities of women that make us so amazing.

The women’s college experience is indescribable. The faculty, staff and students inspire others to do better simply for the sake of being all that we can be. After all, one small step for women is one large leap for humankind.

                              © 2014 - Michelle Niewald

Celebrating Women’s History Month, Stephens College Style

Check out Stephens College’s new Women's History Month Web site!

"Stephens College is committed to women’s education. We believe in giving women the opportunity to develop into confident, self-sufficient, independent leaders.

Located in Columbia, Mo., home of the University of Missouri, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact with everyone. On campus, though, you’ll have more opportunities to be a star—and that’s going to give you a better chance of being a star after graduation.

Although graduates of women’s colleges represent only 2 percent of all women graduating from college, 30 percent of rising women stars in corporate America graduated from women’s colleges, and 20 percent of women in Congress graduated from all-women’s colleges. Studies show those graduating from women’s colleges are more successful, earn more money and are happier than their co-ed peers."

Learn more about this women's college by visiting their Web site.

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Why I Chose a Women's College

Learn more about Smith College.

Birthday Wishes for this Women's College

Meredith Celebrates Past and Future on Founders’ Day

"Meredith College celebrated Founders’ Day on February 27, 2014, marking 123 years since the College’s founding in 1891. The College community took this opportunity to celebrate its success and to look toward the future.

“Today marks  Meredith’s 123rd birthday, making this an ideal opportunity for faculty, staff, students, alumnae, and community members to gather to honor Meredith’s past, celebrate recent accomplishments and talk about the ways that Meredith College – an institution that is Going Strong -- will become even stronger in the future,” said President Jo Allen. A member of the Class of 1980, Allen is the first alumna to serve as Meredith’s president.

Meredith College has grown from a student body of 200 women when the College’s doors opened into one of the largest and most successful women’s colleges in the nation, with 2,000 students and 19,000 graduates."

Learn more about how Meredith College is Going Strong!

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Her Mom Suggested a Women’s College

 "Being the first and only residential college for women that provides students to build their success while uniting women together, Douglass Residential College is a place that Jennifer can call home. Her mother initially convinced her to apply to Douglass, feeling it would be a great idea for Jennifer to surround herself with a community full of strong women.”

Douglass is part of Rutgers University (The State University of New Jersey). Both of my sisters graduated from Douglass and loved going to this women’s colleges. Get to know Jennifer Osolinski, a senior at Douglass, to see if Douglass might be right for you!

Blog Post Highlights:

“Leadership and determination is something Jennifer most definitely brings to the table. She is a Douglass woman who brings out the best in her colleagues and is able to take her leadership roles and persistence to encourage many young women across Douglass. Jennifer wants the women of Douglass, as well as across the nation to be fearless and take leadership roles, they should never let society’s perception of their gender get in the way of what they aspire to become.”

Learn more about Douglass College from their Web site.

As referenced on Wikkepedia: "Douglass Residential College, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is a part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. . . .It offers a community that focuses on developing women's success. Douglass Residential College provides opportunities for women to reside in single-sex residence halls, to participate in women-centered organizations and to develop leadership skills."

Dom Streater Winner of “Project Runway" Gratuated from a Women's College

 

Yup, that's correct . . . Moore College of Art & Design. How cool is that?

And if you live in the Philadelphia area, check out the new billboard featuring Dom Streater.

“Beginning this Monday, March 3 and continuing through April 27, 2014 look for billboards promoting Moore’s legacy as the first and only visual arts college for women in the country and featuring alumna Dom Streater '10, winner of “Project Runway.” They will be located southbound on I-95 at State Road, northbound on the Schuylkill Expressway at Maiden Lane, and rotating on a digital billboard on the Vine Expressway/I-676 at 5th Street. Feel free to take photos and share them via your favorite social media.”

Also, if you're thinking about a career as a fashion designer, read my Huffington Post blog post about Dom and her advice for college-bound high school girls interested in a fashion career.

Moore's BFA Program for women offers the following majors: Art Education, Art History, Curatorial Studies, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interactive & Motion Arts, Interior Design, and Photography & Digital Arts. For additional information about Moore College of Art & Design, continue here.

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