More Than Academics, Athletics Too!

On the outskirts of Philadelphia is the town of Bryn Mawr. It is here this non-denominational women’s college is located and named after. Founded in 1885, Bryn Mawr College is a private women's liberal arts college. As one of the Seven Sister Colleges, Bryn Mawr also is highly-competitive and offers students academics that are rigorous.

Learn about the history of Bryn Mawr College here. I also linked additional information about the college’s academics and athletics programs.

Women’s Colleges: Developing Wise Women

This women's college has a new president! The College of St. Benedict welcomes President, Mary Dana Hinton.

“As so brilliantly stated by a colleague, we teach women to view their value. To view their value as leaders; their value as scholars; their value as partners and family members; their value in the community.

We inspire women to learn to achieve their full potential, as defined by them, and as necessitated by the world they inhabit. We develop wise women.”

Continue reading here.

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Autumn Beauty at Women’s Colleges

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

From the college Web site:

"Smith College opened in 1875 with 14 students. Today, Smith is among the largest women’s colleges in the United States, with students from every state and 60 countries. An independent, nondenominational college, Smith remains strongly committed to the education of women at the undergraduate level, but admits both men and women as graduate students.

Academic Opportunities - 1,000 courses in more than 50 areas of study.

Success After Smith - Almost 70 percent of each year’s senior class step from graduation right into good jobs, while 25 percent go directly to graduate school."

Women’s Colleges Hidden Treasures

Consider this hidden treasure: The Smith College Historic Clothing Collection.
 
 "The Smith College Historic Costume Collection is an archive of clothing and accessories of women in the United States from 1800 to the present and from a range of social classes. It is a resource for students and scholars of costume design, the history of dress and material culture, art and literary history, and curatorial practices. Founded in 1979, the Collection includes over 1000 objects; most of these are donations from Smith College Alumnae."

Below is the video, "Stitched in Time: The Smith College Historic Clothing Collection" for your enjoyment. 

  

This is an exciting collection and one I’m sure you'll want to investigate further. Take for example this dress worn by a student in the first graduating class of Smith College.

For additional resources and links visit here, as well as this historic clothing collection (Smith Digital Collection) resource.

To learn more about this women's college, Smith College, located in Northampton, MA, visit the college Web site.

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Photo Credit: Meghan Kotz '14

Looking to Study Abroad? Consider Attending a Women’s College!

Today, more and more, young college-bound high school girls are looking to study abroad. If this is you, consider attending a women’s college. Just about every women’s college provide their students with this opportunity to study abroad for the summer or semester, like Meredith College does.

Gabrielle Hoover, Paris Fashion, Summer 2014  says: "I have learned that I am very independent, strong, bold, capable, and can adapt to change. Change is always good. We always look at the way other people live and think, 'Oh that’s weird' when people are saying that to us as well. Learning about how other people live and see life makes for a well-rounded person."

Catherine Perry, Italy-Switzerland, Summer 2014 says: "While studying abroad I have learned that I am much more independent than I thought. I could not simply just rely on my teammates because they could have been relying on me. By traveling to a new place I had never been before I had to make sure I did certain things independently not only to ensure they were getting done, but also as a learning experience for future traveling."

Sansepolcro, Italy, is where Meredith College has both semester and summer study abroad programs.

 

Learn more about this women's college: Meredith College or their study abroad programs.

Celebrating Legacy Students at Women’s Colleges

Deciding to attend a women's college is easy for legacy students!

This women's college, Mount Mary University located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has 50 legacy students (students whose mother or grandmother attended Mount Mary) currently in attendance at Mount Mary!

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Women’s College Traditions: Apple Day

Apple Day at Mary Baldwin College: "Six decades after MBC first celebrated Apple Day, the event is as popular as ever. Although historically the actual date was a surprise, today’s celebrations are announced in advance, but that does not diminish the excitement. Perks include cancelled classes, a carnival, apple gleaning, paint the town, and a plethora of apple dishes served at the Dining Hall.

True to its roots, Apple Day continues to be used as a platform for promoting community service through local organizations and encourages involvement in campus clubs. It is a testament to the purpose for which the tradition was originally created. There will always be people who need the volunteer help of Mary Baldwin College students, faculty, and staff."

Learn more about this women's college, Mary Baldwin College, by visiting their Web site.

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Women's Colleges Are Known for Making a Difference -- High Heel Hundred Spotlights Gender Pay Gap

Last Friday,Converse College held their fourth annual High Heel Hundred  event.

"The Converse College Student Government Association (SGA) presents the fourth annual “Hub-City High Heel Hundred,” a 100-meter dash in your favorite pumps, on Friday, Sept. 12 at 5:00 p.m. Check in begins at 4:30 p.m. in downtown Spartanburg. The event aims to raise awareness about the gender pay gap and the continuing need to achieve equitable compensation for women."

Learn more about this women's college, located in Spartanburg, SC  by visiting Converse College's Web site.

Graduates from Women’s Colleges Land GREAT Jobs

Women’s colleges have an excellent track record when it comes to their students landing GREAT jobs after graduation . . . check out this success story from Saint Mary's College located in Notre Dame, IN!

"Let's hear it for the girl! Katherine Kautz '14 graduated with a bachelor's in communication studies and minor in gender and women's studies. Two weeks ago, she started working as a business relations specialist at The HON Company located along the Mississippi River in Muscatine, Iowa. She's excited to be starting her career communicating with customers of HON, as it is the largest operating company of HNI Corporation, the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world."

If you're a career-minded girl who wants to go to college, consider attending a women's colleges. These single-sex colleges are an option that have lots to offer!

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Happy Birthday Wishes to the Grammy Award Winning Country Music Singer and Women’s College Alumna

Happy Birthday Jennifer Nettle!!!

Can you guess which women’s college this Grammy award winning country music singer graduated from? Click here for the answer!

Jennifer Nettles' That Girl . . .

 

Women’s College Traditions: Flower Sunday

"Flower Sunday is the longest-lived tradition at Wellesley, dating back to 1875. Each entering first-year student is paired with a student from an older class (a.k.a. "big") who helps the new student, affectionately called "little," acclimate and navigate the ins and outs of the College."

At my Alma mater, we also had Big Sis/Little Sis . . . and some 32 years after graduating from college, I’m still in touch with mine!

At women’s colleges you really do form friendships that last a lifetime . . . it’s the Sisterhood!

To learn more about this single-sex college, visit the Wellesley College Web site.

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Move-in Day at Women's Colleges

"Now that Move-In Day 2014 is a thing of the past, I thought it would be fun to do a quick rewind and revisit the event. Moving into a new home-away-from-home is quite an affair, one that requires lots of help moving boxes and other necessities, hoping to transform a dorm room into one that feels like home.

This blog post is a collection of sights and sounds (photographs and videos) from Move-In Day at various women's colleges across the country. In it, we'll take a look at what it was like for these students and their families. For first-year and transfer students it's a feeling of anticipation and for returning students it's a feeling of coming home.

Either way, Move-In Day is always so exciting! So let's get started!"

Below is the first video (from Bryn Mawr College) from my HuffPost blog post, "Move-in Day at Women's Colleges" and I know you'll want to view the rest of the visual images, so click the link below and enjoy!

Continue reading here and view all the photographs and videos.

"Here's to all students (new and returning), and wishing each of them a 2014‒2015 academic year filled with joy, inspiration, fun, discovery, and learning!"

Welcoming the Class of 2018

I recently penned a HuffPost blog post, Women's Colleges Welcome the Class of 2018, and starts off with the following:

"As colleges around the country greet their first-year students, it's time to welcome the Class of 2018 and what a fantastic class it is. Going from a high school senior to a first-year college student is pretty darn exciting.

I'm especially excited for women's colleges as they welcome their first-year students to campus."

In this blog post are video from the following colleges: Hollins University, Meredith College, Wellesley College, Douglass Residential College, and Smith College.

Below is one of the vidoes included. To view the other 5 videos,read my blog post,  Women's Colleges Welcome the Class of 2018, here.

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Women’s College Traditions: First Step

Women’s colleges are known for their many beloved traditions. This one, “First Step” is specifically for Seniors at Hollins University. This tradition entails Seniors walking across Front Quad to signify the official start of their senior year.

Learn about the many other traditions at Hollins University here.

Learn more about this women’s college by visiting the Hollins University Web site.

Understanding How Attending a Women’s College is a Truly Unique Experience

I always love reading blog posts from students at women’s colleges! Here's one from a first-year student at Wellesley College, Kay Ma.

Blog Post Highlights:

“Now that I’ve finally moved into college and the first three days of orientation are over, I have some time to reflect on this transition. I’m only beginning to fully understand how attending a women’s college is a truly unique experience. While our friends at larger, co-ed schools across the nation tell us about the frat parties they’ve attended, the crazy stuff happening in their dorms, and the generally daunting social atmosphere, we’re becoming good friends with the people in our residence halls, chatting strangers up about their goals and dreams, becoming awestruck by our approachable and passionate faculty, having important discussions on self-care, sexual violence, mental health, diversity, gender and sexuality, and community, and celebrating sisterhood. For the first time in too long, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I couldn’t be happier, or more grateful for this opportunity.  . . . 

My biggest piece of advice for high school girls currently navigating through the college application process is really a no-brainer considering I just finished raving about Wellesley, but here it is: open yourself up to the possibility of attending a women’s college. At the very least, make a genuine attempt to research and understand the opportunities they provide before making a decision. Let yourself explore an option that is less taken advantage of.”

Continue reading here.

Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, MA. To learn more about this women’s college, visit the Wellesley College Web site or watch the video "(For Applicants) FAQ: Wellesley College" created by a student below.

Or view this video; "Reaction to getting accepted into Wellesley College!!!"

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Three Reasons to Attend a Women’s College

I love it when students and alumnae of women's college blog about the advantages of attending a women's college. Here's another blog post written by Yuanyuan “Rebecca” Fang '13 an economics major from Agnes Scott College and currently enrolled in a master's program for economics and education.

Several weeks ago she penned "Why Choose a Women’s College?"

Highlights include:

"Some of the great advantages of attending a women’s liberal arts college are opportunities for social, cultural, physical, and spiritual development. The greatest advantage of a women’s college is that everything is shaped by the interests and needs for women. So, here are the top three reasons I recommend that you attend a women’s college.  . . . Women's colleges have been educating women for leadership and preparing women for various occupations from teachers to engineers. Whether you imagine yourself as an artist, a writer, a scientist, an actress, or a banker, a women’s college is the best place to start. I believe you will be surprised as to what a women’s college can bring to you in the future."

To learn Rebecca’s top three reasons for attending a women’s college, read her blog post.

To learn more about her Alma mater, Agnes Scott College visit the college Web site.

A Shout Out To Sisterhood: Perks Of Attending A Women’s College

A Shout Out To Sisterhood: Perks Of Attending A Women’s College, by Tiffany Chaney Staff Writer at Luna Luna.

Highlights:

"I was hesitant at first to apply to an all women’s college; I attended Salem College in Winston-Salem, N.C., the oldest women’s college in the U.S., one of the less than 50 remaining women’s colleges in the country, with a rich history going back to 1772; still going strong. After I visited the campus, I was theirs, if they would have me, and turns out I was accepted. You know what, I wouldn’t change a thing about my decision to go to an all women’s college. . . . My decision to attend an all women’s college was more organic than statistics. I was one of those lower income students, from a single-parent home; so attending a private institution had me worried. The positive experience I had upon the visit to the campus radiated throughout my four years at the institution. Attending a women’s college was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I’ll tell you why."

Continue reading here.

To learn more about this women's college, visit Salem College's Web site.