The parents’ perspective: Graduates from women’s colleges are more successful in their careers. They tend to hold higher positions, are happier, and earn more money.

As a Hollins alumna, I have always tried to provide my daughter, Lee, with insights into the lifelong advantages of an education at a women's college.

It is evident in the life paths and careers of Hollins alumnae. While working in the alumnae relations office at Hollins, I was privileged to meet and get to know many of the remarkable women who have been educated at Hollins — whether they graduated last year or as far back as 1928! And when I worked in the admission office, I got to know many recent and current students and became even more convinced that Hollins continues to do an excellent job of educating and preparing young women to face the future with confidence and self-assurance.

As a mother, this was what I wanted for my daughter, even though Lee's enrollment at Hollins almost didn't happen. After looking at several different schools, she chose to attend a large out-of-state university and was filling out her housing application when she had a last-minute change of heart. Turning toward what was to her familiar territory and a smaller more nurturing environment, she enrolled at Hollins in the fall of 2003. Naturally, I was thrilled!

When Lee was only a sophomore, I began to see the transformation and growth that she is experiencing as her mind opened to each new challenge that she faced the possibilities that are ahead of her. I know that while at Hollins she will be nurtured — not only by caring and dedicated faculty but also by a community of staff who are the hallmark of what makes Hollins such a special place. I remain thrilled with her choice of Hollins and trust that her future will hold many exceptional opportunities because of her time spent there.

Tamara Taylor Oakey '82, mother of Lee Pembroke '07, Roanoke, Virginia

 

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Amanda and I fell in love with Hollins the minute we walked onto the campus.

We were especially attracted to the small, intimate, positive atmosphere and the opportunities to get to know people from other cultures and backgrounds. Hollins has given Amanda the chance to advance her independent thinking, become more self-sufficient, and allowed her the space to become the young woman that she is today.

As a resident assistant (RA) and president of the Hollins Christian Fellowship, she advanced her leadership abilities and interpersonal relationships. Hollins gave her the knowledge and self-confidence to know that she has a whole world of opportunities and possibilities open to her. Amanda has expressed much admiration and appreciation for the learning environment that is especially supportive of women. She valued her experiences as a biology major and thoroughly enjoyed the amazing faculty.

Amanda's experience at Hollins is one that we will always treasure and appreciate.

Tracey Range, mother of Amanda '05, Richmond, Virginia

Since graduation Amanda has worked in the health field and plans to attend seminary in the fall of 2007.

 

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Nicole is the oldest child of five children. My husband, Robert, and I are very particular about our children. We spent a lot of time searching for the right school for Nicole.

She and I looked at several colleges. When we visited Hollins, we loved it and thought the campus was beautiful. We were most impressed with the study abroad program and the January Short Term. While my daughter was at Hollins, she grew as a woman and blossomed spiritually. I feel that Hollins gave Nicole a safe environment in which to grow, explore, and become a confident woman.

She was very involved in several organizations. Nicole met some wonderful friends who were a constant encouragement to her and she to them. As a parent I didn't worry about Nicole because I knew she was in a place of peace, a place of friendships, a place of growth, a place of learning, a place of fun, a simply awesome place.

Pam Oxendine, mother of Nicole '03, Durham, North Carolina

Nicole teaches dance in the Durham public school system and in a private studio in North Carolina, where she also performs locally.

 

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Benefits of women's colleges

Studies have found that, by attending women's colleges, women:

• Are more likely to experience high levels of academic challenge, engage in active and collaborative learning to a higher degree, and take part in activities that provide opportunities to integrate their curricular and cocurricular experiences than women at coeducational colleges.
• Report greater satisfaction than their coed counterparts with their college experience in almost all measures — academically, developmentally, and personally.
• 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.
• Report greater gains of self-understanding, acquired through both singular study and through study groups.
• Score higher on standardized achievement tests.
• Are more than twice as likely as graduates of coeducational colleges to receive doctorate degrees and to enter medical school and receive doctorates in the natural sciences.
• Are more likely to graduate.
• Tend to be more involved in philanthropic activities after college.

Professional achievements

• A woman's college graduate became the first woman Speaker of the House in 2006.
• Also in 2006, another women's college graduate was elected to a second term as governor of Kansas.
• 33 percent of the women on Fortune 1000 boards and 36 percent of the highest paid women officers of those companies were graduates of women's colleges.
• Women's college graduates constitute more than 20 percent of the women in Congress.
• Graduates of women's colleges represent 30 percent of a Business Week list of rising women stars in corporate America.
• Nearly half of women's college graduates have earned advanced degrees, while 81 percent have continued their education beyond college.
• Women who have graduated from women's colleges have more opportunities to hold leadership positions and are able to observe women functioning in top jobs (90 percent of the presidents and 55 percent of the faculty at women's colleges are women).
• Women's college graduates are more successful in careers; i.e., they tend to hold higher positions, are happier, and earn more money.