![\"Normalee](\"http:\/\/www.hollins.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/normalee_ash_240.jpg\" "\\"normalee_ash_240\\"")
Normalee Ash \u201900 is so enthusiastic about persuading her students to consider Hollins that she jokes, \u201cI have a male student who plans to apply and come to Hollins in drag in order to attend.\u201d<\/p>\nNormalee Ash \u201900 is so enthusiastic about persuading her students to consider Hollins that she jokes, \u201cI have a male student who plans to apply and come to Hollins in drag in order to attend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ash teaches at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, and she has made it her mission to share the difference Hollins has made in her life and the transformative impact the university can have on others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI graduated a young woman full of self-confidence, ready to change the world and make it better in any way I could,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen I talk to others about their college years, their experience does not compare.\u201d<\/p>\n
To find students she believes would succeed at Hollins, Ash says she first looks for young women who are academically strong but not necessarily \u201cA\u201d students. \u201cI seek students who are passionate about learning, who like to study and explore new things. I then look for two different types of girls: those who are strong-willed, well-spoken leaders, and those who need help in those areas. The first group is what Hollins needs, the new generation of woman leaders who will take the campus by storm. The second group needs Hollins, a safe environment that will help them grow into the young women they can be, a place where they can find themselves. Both types are a good fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ash touts the Hollins attributes she cherishes most, including J-Term (\u201cAmazing opportunities come from the internships and classes taken that month\u201d), study abroad (\u201cStudents love how Hollins enables affordable academic travel\u201d), and leadership training (\u201cHollins gives students leadership roles and allows them to make mistakes and adjust; they can use those skills later in life\u201d). She praises the Hollins faculty: \u201cMy professors all knew and cared about me, and made sure I did what I needed to achieve my goals.\u201d And she talks about the sense of community on campus and \u201chow the young women there take care of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the years, Ash estimates 15 of her students have shown real interest in Hollins and six have enrolled. \u201cHaving students say they are so glad they chose Hollins because they love it there is all the validation I need.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, she\u2019s hopeful two members of Annandale\u2019s senior class will enroll. \u201cI had a student who visited Hollins over the summer. She said, \u2018It was just as magical as you said it was!\u2019 It\u2019s good to know Hollins\u2019 enchantment is alive and well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ash advises other Hollins alumnae in the teaching profession that keeping Hollins materials in the classroom \u201cis a great conversation starter\u201d but \u201cmodeling your own essence really draws students to you. When young women see confidence, professionalism and satisfaction in older women, it makes them curious. They want to know about you, and for me the Hollins experience is part of who I am. Telling students about Hollins becomes easy. Encouraging students to visit is key. Once they see the campus, they\u2019ll know if it\u2019s for them.\u201d<\/p>\n