Women's Colleges in the Southern United States
Encyclopedia
Women's college
s in the Southern United States
refers to undergraduate, bachelor's degree
-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations consist exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Salem College
is the oldest female educational institution in the South and Wesleyan College
is the first which was established as a college for women. Some schools such as Mary Baldwin College
and Salem College
offer coeducational courses at the graduate level.
Educational institutions for women during the 19th century typically began as schools for girls
, academies
(which during the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the equivalent of secondary school
s), or as teaching seminaries (which during the early 19th century were forms of secular higher education
), rather than as a chartered college. The Women's College Coalition
noted that: "Seminaries educated women for the only socially acceptable occupation: teaching. Only unmarried women could be teachers. Many early women's colleges began as female seminaries and were responsible for producing an important corps of educators."
Schools are listed chronologically by the date in which they opened their doors to students. Current women's colleges are listed in bold text. Schools that are closing or transitioning to coeducation
and former women's colleges which are now coeducational are listed in italics.
for women developed in the Southern United States.
which was dissolved as part of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
in 2006. It is now a part of Tulane University
. This also includes a few historically black women's colleges: Barber-Scotia College
adopted coeducation in 1954; Tillotson College (a women's college from 1926–1935) is now coeducational Huston-Tillotson University
; Hartshorn Memorial College merged with Virginia Union University
in 1932; and Mary Allen Seminary became coeducational in 1933. Bennett College
, founded as a coeducational school, became a women's college in 1926.
Mississippi University for Women
changed its single-sex admissions policy
to include men
in 1982 following the U.S. Supreme Court
ruling in Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan
. The court found that the university would be in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment
's Equal Protection Clause
if it denied admission to its nursing program on the basis of gender. The 5-4 opinion was written by Justice O'Connor
, who stated that "In limited circumstances, a gender-based classification favoring one sex can be justified if it intentionally and directly assists members of the sex that is disproportionately burdened." She argued that there are a disproportionate number of women who are nurses, and that denying admission to men "lends credibility to the old view that women, not men, should become nurses, and makes the assumption that nursing is a field for women a self-fulfilling prophecy." In their dissenting opinions, Justices Harry A. Blackmun, Warren E. Burger
, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., and William H. Rehnquist suggested that the result of this ruling would be the elimination of publicly supported single-sex educational opportunities. The ruling did not require the university to change its name to reflect its coeducational status.
In 2006, Randolph-Macon Woman's College
announced that it would adopt coeducation and change its name. Former Interim president Ginger H. Worden argued (in a 17 September 2006 editorial for the Washington Post) that it was not economically feasible for the college to remain single-sex as young women are no longer interested in attending women's colleges. In response, a number of presidents of women's colleges challenged Worden's article, arguing that other women's colleges are still doing well and attracting students. This includes: Agnes Scott College
, Columbia College
, The Seven Sisters
, a separate article from Mount Holyoke College
, Simmons College
, Sweet Briar College
and Hollins University
. In addition, there were numerous protests on campus including rallies, blocking administrative offices, mass requests for transfer transcripts, banners all over campus, striking from classes, and participation in quiet protest to highlight lack of student voices in the board of trustee votes. This led to the formation of a non-profit "Preserve Education Choice" (PEC), composed of students, faculty, and alumnae who are trying to reverse the decision. Two lawsuits were filed by Preserve Educational Choice. On January 23, 2007, both lawsuits were dismissed in Lynchburg Circuit Court. PEC raised enough money, however, to appeal both dismissals and a group of nine students brought the case to the Virginia Supreme Court where "Richmond lawyer Wyatt B. Durrette Jr. asked the state's high court to grant an appeal of the group's lawsuit. In addition, Professor emeritus of romance languages, Charlotte Stern, published the 24 page letter (with signatures from alumnae, former professors and a former president of Randolph's board of trustees) condemning the decision on the PEC website. Ginger Hill Worden, Interim President, responded to this letter. The Virginia Supreme Court agreed to hear appeals in both the student contract and charitable trust cases. The Court affirmed the trial court's decision in both cases in opinions issued June 6, 2008. It was re-named Randolph College
on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational.
Women's colleges in the United States
Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
s in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
refers to undergraduate, bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations consist exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Salem College
Salem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
is the oldest female educational institution in the South and Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college located in Macon, Georgia, United States.-History:The school was chartered on December 23, 1836 as the Georgia Female College, and opened its doors to students on January 7, 1839. The school was renamed Wesleyan Female College in 1843...
is the first which was established as a college for women. Some schools such as Mary Baldwin College
Mary Baldwin College
Mary Baldwin College is a private, independent, and comprehensive four-year liberal arts women's college in Staunton, Virginia. It was ranked in 2008 by US News & World Report as a top-tier, master's level university in the South. Mary Baldwin offers pre-professional programs in law, medicine,...
and Salem College
Salem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
offer coeducational courses at the graduate level.
Educational institutions for women during the 19th century typically began as schools for girls
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, academies
Academy (England)
In the education system of England, an academy is a school that is directly funded by central government and independent of control by local government in England. An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind...
(which during the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the equivalent of secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s), or as teaching seminaries (which during the early 19th century were forms of secular higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
), rather than as a chartered college. The Women's College Coalition
Women's College Coalition
The Women's College Coalition was founded in 1972 and describes itself as an "association of women's colleges and universities – public and private, independent and church-related, two- and four-year – in the United States and Canada whose primary mission is the education and advancement of...
noted that: "Seminaries educated women for the only socially acceptable occupation: teaching. Only unmarried women could be teachers. Many early women's colleges began as female seminaries and were responsible for producing an important corps of educators."
Schools are listed chronologically by the date in which they opened their doors to students. Current women's colleges are listed in bold text. Schools that are closing or transitioning to coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
and former women's colleges which are now coeducational are listed in italics.
Historically black colleges
Historically black colleges and universitiesHistorically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
for women developed in the Southern United States.
| Educational Institution | Location | School type |
Current enrollment (as female institution) |
Opened door to students |
Collegiate charter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotia Seminary | Concord, North Carolina Concord, North Carolina Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area... |
Coeducational Barber-Scotia College Barber-Scotia College Barber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord, North Carolina, United States.-Scotia Seminary:Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870... since 1954 Lost accreditation in 2004 |
N.A. | 1867 (female seminary) 1916 (Scotia Women's College) 1930 (Merged with Barber Memorial College) |
1946 (Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... ) |
| Bennett College Bennett College Bennett College is a four-year liberal arts women's college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1873, this historically black institution began as a normal school to provide education to newly emancipated slaves. It became a women's college in 1926 and currently serves roughly 780... |
Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S... |
Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... |
572 | 1873 (coeducational) |
1926 (Becomes women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... ) |
| Mount Hermon Female Seminary Mount Hermon Female Seminary Mount Hermon Female Seminary in Clinton, Mississippi was a historically black institution of higher education for women.Founded in 1875 by Sarah Ann Dickey, the school was patterned after Dickey's alma mater, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary .The seminary was eventually closed in 1924 by the American... |
Clinton, Mississippi Clinton, Mississippi Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:... |
Closed in 1924 | N.A. | 1875 | N.A. |
| Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary (now Spelman College Spelman College Spelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female... ) |
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... |
Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... |
2,290 | 1881 | 1924 (First college degrees awarded in 1901) |
| Tillotson College | Austin, Texas Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in... |
1881 -1926 (Coeducational) 1926-1935 (Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... ) 1935–present (Coeducational) Huston-Tillotson University Huston-Tillotson University Huston–Tillotson University is a historically black university in Austin, Texas, United States. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the United Negro College Fund.... |
N.A. | 1881 (coeducational) |
1926 (Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... ) |
| Hartshorn Memorial College | Richmond, Virginia Richmond, Virginia Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area... |
Merged with Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American... in 1932. |
N.A. | 1883 | March 13, 1884 (First college degrees awarded in 1885.) |
| Mary Allen Seminary | Crockett, Houston County, Texas | Coeducational in 1933 | N.A. | 1886 | N.A. |
| Barber Memorial College | Anniston, Alabama Anniston, Alabama Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741... |
Coeducational Barber-Scotia College Barber-Scotia College Barber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord, North Carolina, United States.-Scotia Seminary:Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870... since 1954 Lost accreditation in 2004 |
N.A. | 1896 1930 (Merged with Scotia Women's College) |
1946 (Women's college Women's colleges in the United States Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges... ) |
Current women's colleges in the South
- 1772: Little Girls' School, (now Salem CollegeSalem CollegeSalem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
): Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy (high school) and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college, and the oldest female institution in the Southern United StatesSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. - 1833: Columbia Female Academy (now Stephens CollegeStephens CollegeStephens College is a women's college located in Columbia, Missouri. It is the second oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college in the United States. It was founded on August 24, 1833 as the Columbia Female Academy. In 1856, David H. Hickman turned it into a college,...
): Originally established as an academy (high school), it later became a college. It is the second oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college. - 1838: Judson Female Institute (Judson College (Alabama)Judson College (Alabama)Judson College, originally named Judson Female Institute, was founded by members of the Siloam Baptist Church in 1838 in Marion, Alabama. It is the fifth oldest women's college in the United States. It was named after Ann Hasseltine Judson, the first female foreign missionary from the United States...
): Founded in Marion, AlabamaMarion, AlabamaMarion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
, it became Judson College in 1903 and later Judson College - 1839: Georgia Female College (now Wesleyan CollegeWesleyan CollegeWesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college located in Macon, Georgia, United States.-History:The school was chartered on December 23, 1836 as the Georgia Female College, and opened its doors to students on January 7, 1839. The school was renamed Wesleyan Female College in 1843...
): It is the oldest (and the first) school which was established from inception (chartered in 1836) as a college for women. - 1842:Valley Union Seminary (now Hollins UniversityHollins UniversityHollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
): Established in Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, VirginiaRoanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
as a coeducational school, it became a school for women in 1852, and was renamed Hollins Institute in 1855, Hollins College in 1911, and Hollins University in 1998 - 1842: Augusta Female Seminary (now Mary Baldwin CollegeMary Baldwin CollegeMary Baldwin College is a private, independent, and comprehensive four-year liberal arts women's college in Staunton, Virginia. It was ranked in 2008 by US News & World Report as a top-tier, master's level university in the South. Mary Baldwin offers pre-professional programs in law, medicine,...
): Founded in Staunton, VirginiaStaunton, VirginiaStaunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, it became the Mary Baldwin Seminary in 1895, and the Mary Baldwin College in 1923 - 1847: Kentucky Female Orphan School (now Midway CollegeMidway CollegeMidway College is an independent, liberal arts college with approximately 1,800 students located in Midway, Kentucky. Related by covenant to the Christian Church , it currently offers two and four-year degrees. Midway is the only women's college in Kentucky...
): Midway's day program on its main campus remains all-female, but its evening/weekend and online programs are coeducational, and it opened a coeducational pharmacy schoolMidway College School of PharmacyMidway College School of Pharmacy is a private pharmacy school planned to open in Paintsville, Kentucky, United States. Announced to the public on January 11, 2010, the school plans to open on Big Sandy Community and Technical College's Mayo Campus in the fall of 2011...
at a separate campus in 2011. - 1854: Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina)Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina)Columbia College is a private liberal arts women's college in Columbia, South Carolina. The school is affiliated with United Methodist Church and has more than 1,500 students...
- 1857: Peace Institute (now Peace CollegePeace CollegeWilliam Peace University is a small liberal arts college located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.-History:...
): Founded in Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... - 1873: Bennett CollegeBennett CollegeBennett College is a four-year liberal arts women's college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1873, this historically black institution began as a normal school to provide education to newly emancipated slaves. It became a women's college in 1926 and currently serves roughly 780...
: Founded in Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
as a coeducational school, it became a women's college in 1926 - 1878:Georgia Baptist Female Seminary (now Brenau UniversityBrenau UniversityBrenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia, USA, that was founded in 1878 as Georgia Baptist Female Seminary, though it has never been affiliated with the Baptist Church. The total enrollment of Brenau University tops 2,500 students in its four schools...
): Founded in Gainesville, GeorgiaGainesville, Georgia-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
, it became Brenau College in 1900, and Brenau University in 1992 - 1881: Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary (now Spelman CollegeSpelman CollegeSpelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
): It was the first historically black female institution of higher education to receive its collegiate charter in 1924, making it the oldest historically black women's college. - 1889:Converse CollegeConverse CollegeConverse College is a liberal arts women's college in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. It was established by a group of Spartanburg citizens and named after Dexter Edgar Converse.-History:...
: Founded in Spartanburg, South CarolinaSpartanburg, South CarolinathgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of... - 1889: Decatur Female Seminary (now Agnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
): Founded in Decatur, GeorgiaDecatur, GeorgiaDecatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, it became the Agnes Scott Institute in 1890, and Agnes Scott College in 1906 - 1891:Baptist Female University, (now Meredith CollegeMeredith CollegeMeredith College is a liberal arts women's college located in Raleigh, North Carolina. For the 2010-2011 academic year, there were approximately 2,300 students enrolled, including about 350 graduate students, making Meredith the largest women's college in the southeastern United States...
): Founded in Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, it became the Baptist University for Women, in 1891, and Meredith College in 1909 - 1901:Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school's Latin motto translates as: "She who has earned the rose may bear it."...
- founded in Sweet Briar, VirginiaSweet Briar, VirginiaSweet Briar is an unincorporated community in Amherst County in the central part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It is approximately 11 miles northeast of Lynchburg. Sweet Briar is best known for being the home of Sweet Briar College, a women's college founded there in 1901...
Former and defunct women's schools
- 1814: Louisburg Female Academy (now Louisburg CollegeLouisburg CollegeLouisburg College is a private two-year college located in Louisburg, North Carolina. The Methodist-affiliated college claims that 90 percent of its graduates move on to four-year institutions...
): Founded in North Carolina; Louisburg Female College, founded in 1857. Later merged with Franklin Male Academy. - 1818: Elizabeth Female AcademyElizabeth Female AcademyThe Elizabeth Female Academy, founded in 1818 in Washington, Mississippi, was the first female educational institution in Mississippi. It was named after Mrs. Elizabeth Roach , who donated the land on which the school was located....
: First female educational institution in MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
; it closed in 1843 - 1821: Clinton Female Seminary: Georgia. Forerunner to Wesleyan CollegeWesleyan CollegeWesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college located in Macon, Georgia, United States.-History:The school was chartered on December 23, 1836 as the Georgia Female College, and opened its doors to students on January 7, 1839. The school was renamed Wesleyan Female College in 1843...
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/gahistmarkers/clintonfemalehistmarker.htm - 1827: Knoxville Female Academy: Rechartered as the East Tennessee Female InstituteEast Tennessee Female InstituteThe East Tennessee Female Institute was an all-female institution of higher learning that operated in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, from 1827 until 1911. Originally chartered as the Knoxville Female Academy, the school offered high school and college-level courses to the women of Knoxville and...
in 1846, which granted "Mistress of Polite Literature" degrees; closed in 1911. - 1831: LaGrange Female Academy (now LaGrange CollegeLaGrange CollegeLaGrange College is the oldest private college in the U.S. state of Georgia. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it is located in LaGrange, Georgia, with an enrollment of about 1,000 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1...
): Founded in LaGrange, GeorgiaLaGrange, GeorgiaLaGrange is a city in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de La Fayette, who visited the area in 1825. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census...
, it became LaGrange Female College in 1851, and coeducational in 1953 - 1835: Livingston Female Academy and State Normal College (now University of West AlabamaUniversity of West AlabamaThe University of West Alabama is a public university located in Livingston, Alabama, United States. It is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body....
): It became coeducational in 1915. - 1839: Farmville Female Seminary Association (now Longwood UniversityLongwood UniversityLongwood University is a four-year public, liberal-arts university located in Farmville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 and became a university on July 1, 2002...
): Founded in Farmville, VirginiaFarmville, VirginiaFarmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
and became a full-fledged college in 1860; it became coeducational in 1976. - 1842: Fulton Female Academy (now Synodical CollegeSynodical CollegeSynodical College provided education for young women and was a successor institution to the Fulton Female Academy opened by Rev. William W. Robertson in Fulton, Missouri in 1842 as one of the earliest American women's colleges....
): Founded in Fulton, MissouriFulton, MissouriFulton is a city in Callaway County, Missouri, the United States of America. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,790 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Callaway County...
, it closed in 1928 - 1846: Greensboro Female College: Charted in 1838 in Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
; it is now the coeducational school Greensboro CollegeGreensboro CollegeGreensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838... - 1851: Tennessee and Alabama Female Institute (later Mary Sharp CollegeMary Sharp CollegeMary Sharp College , first known as the Tennessee and Alabama Female Institute, was a women's college, located in Winchester, Tennessee. It was named after the abolitionist Mary Sharp....
): It was the first women's college to grant college degrees to women that were the equivalent of those given to men; the college closed due to financial hardship in 1896. - 1855: Davenport Female College (later Davenport College): Founded in Lenoir, North CarolinaLenoir, North CarolinaLenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...
. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1859. Merged with Greensboro College in 1938.http://www.caldwellheritagemuseum.org/davcollhist/davcoll.html - 1857: Charlotte Female Institute: founded in Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
; became the coeducational Queens University of CharlotteQueens University of CharlotteQueens University of Charlotte is a private, co-educational, comprehensive university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has approximately 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students through the College of Arts and Sciences, the McColl School of Business, the Wayland H. Cato, Jr. School...
after World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - 1867: Scotia Seminary (now Barber-Scotia CollegeBarber-Scotia CollegeBarber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord, North Carolina, United States.-Scotia Seminary:Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870...
): It was the first historically black female institution of higher education established after the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and became a women's college in 1946. It became a coeducational school in 1954 and lost its accreditation in 2004 - 1873: Blue Mountain CollegeBlue Mountain CollegeBlue Mountain College is a private liberal arts college, supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention, located in the northeastern Mississippi town of Blue Mountain not far from Tupelo, Miss. In 2005, the College's Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the college to go fully...
: Founded in Northeast Mississippi, it remained focused on women's education until 1956 when a program to train men for church-related vocations was started. In October 2005, the college's Board of Trustees voted to make the school co-educational. - 1875: Mount Hermon Female SeminaryMount Hermon Female SeminaryMount Hermon Female Seminary in Clinton, Mississippi was a historically black institution of higher education for women.Founded in 1875 by Sarah Ann Dickey, the school was patterned after Dickey's alma mater, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary .The seminary was eventually closed in 1924 by the American...
: Founded in Clinton, MississippiClinton, MississippiClinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 23,347 at the 2000 United States Census.-History:...
, it closed in 1924 - 1881: Tillotson College: Founded as a coeducational, it was a women's college from 1926–1935. It is now the coeducational school, Huston-Tillotson UniversityHuston-Tillotson UniversityHuston–Tillotson University is a historically black university in Austin, Texas, United States. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the United Negro College Fund....
- 1883: Hartshorn Memorial College founded in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. In 1932, it merged with Virginia Union UniversityVirginia Union UniversityVirginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
. - 1884: Industrial Institute & College, (now Mississippi University for WomenMississippi University for WomenMississippi University for Women, also known as MUW or simply the "W" is a four-year coeducational public university located in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly known as Industrial Institute and College and later Mississippi State College for Women...
): It was the first public women's college; became coeducational in 1982 as a result of the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
's Mississippi University for Women v. HoganMississippi University for Women v. HoganMississippi University for Women v. Hogan, 458 U.S. 718 was a case decided 5-4 by the Supreme Court of the United States. The court held that the single-sex admissions policy of the Mississippi University for Women violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United...
case, but maintained its original name. - 1886: Mary Allen Seminary : Founded in Crockett, Houston County, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It became coeducational in 1933. - 1886: H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial CollegeH. Sophie Newcomb Memorial CollegeH. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College, or Newcomb College, was the coordinate women's college of Tulane University located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was founded by Josephine Louise Newcomb in 1886 in memory of her daughter....
: Became coeducational in 2007 (merged with Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
) - 1889: Georgia Normal and Industrial College: The coordinate college for Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, it granted its first degrees in 1917. After two name changes, the Women's College of Georgia became coeducational in 1967. Three more name changes followed, with the current name of Georgia College & State UniversityGeorgia College & State UniversityGeorgia College & State University is a public liberal arts university in Milledgeville, Georgia, United States, with approximately 7,000 students...
adopted in 1996. - 1891: Randolph-Macon Women's College: It become coeducational and changed its name to Randolph CollegeRandolph CollegeRandolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational....
in 2007. - 1891: North Carolina Women's College: It became the coeducational University of North Carolina at GreensboroUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroThe University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
in 1963. - 1896: Alabama Girls Industrial School: Became coeducational (Alabama College) in 1956 and changed its name to University of MontevalloUniversity of MontevalloThe University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Programs are offered through the Michael E...
in 1969. - 1896: Barber Memorial College: Founded in Anniston, AlabamaAnniston, AlabamaAnniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
, it merged with Scotia Women's College (formerly Scotia Seminary) in Concord, North CarolinaConcord, North CarolinaConcord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
in 1930 to become Barber-Scotia Junior CollegeBarber-Scotia CollegeBarber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord, North Carolina, United States.-Scotia Seminary:Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870... - 1905: Florida State College for Women: Founded as the coeducational West Florida Seminary in 1851, it went through four name changes in its first half-century, becoming Florida State College in 1901. The school then became a women's college in 1905. In 1947, it returned to coeducation and adopted its current name of Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. - 1908: State Normal and Industrial School for Women at FredericksburgFredericksburg, VirginiaFredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
: After changing its name to Mary Washington College (MWC) in 1938, it became the coordinate women's collegeWomen's colleges in the United StatesWomen's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
of The University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in 1944. MWC was separated from UVA in 1972, two years after both schools became fully coeducational. MWC adopted its current name of the University of Mary WashingtonUniversity of Mary WashingtonThe University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
in 2004. - 1908: The State Normal and Industrial School for Women at HarrisonburgHarrisonburg, VirginiaHarrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
: Became de facto coeducational in 1946, by which time it was known as Madison College (the school's fourth name), and became officially coeducational in 1966. Adopted its current name of James Madison UniversityJames Madison UniversityJames Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
in 1976. - 1938: Ursuline College: Located in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, it merged into the previously all-male Bellarmine College, also in Louisville, in 1968. The merged school adopted its current name of Bellarmine UniversityBellarmine UniversityBellarmine University is an independent, private, Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. The liberal arts institution opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after the Cardinal Saint Robert...
in 2000.
Coeducation
A number of women's colleges have become coeducational such as H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial CollegeH. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College
H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College, or Newcomb College, was the coordinate women's college of Tulane University located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was founded by Josephine Louise Newcomb in 1886 in memory of her daughter....
which was dissolved as part of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2006. It is now a part of Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
. This also includes a few historically black women's colleges: Barber-Scotia College
Barber-Scotia College
Barber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord, North Carolina, United States.-Scotia Seminary:Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870...
adopted coeducation in 1954; Tillotson College (a women's college from 1926–1935) is now coeducational Huston-Tillotson University
Huston-Tillotson University
Huston–Tillotson University is a historically black university in Austin, Texas, United States. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the United Negro College Fund....
; Hartshorn Memorial College merged with Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
in 1932; and Mary Allen Seminary became coeducational in 1933. Bennett College
Bennett College
Bennett College is a four-year liberal arts women's college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1873, this historically black institution began as a normal school to provide education to newly emancipated slaves. It became a women's college in 1926 and currently serves roughly 780...
, founded as a coeducational school, became a women's college in 1926.
Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women, also known as MUW or simply the "W" is a four-year coeducational public university located in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly known as Industrial Institute and College and later Mississippi State College for Women...
changed its single-sex admissions policy
College admissions in the United States
College admissions in the United States refers to the annual process of applying to institutions of higher education in the United States for undergraduate study. This usually takes place during the senior year of high school...
to include men
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
in 1982 following the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruling in Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan, 458 U.S. 718 was a case decided 5-4 by the Supreme Court of the United States. The court held that the single-sex admissions policy of the Mississippi University for Women violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United...
. The court found that the university would be in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
's Equal Protection Clause
Equal Protection Clause
The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
if it denied admission to its nursing program on the basis of gender. The 5-4 opinion was written by Justice O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, who stated that "In limited circumstances, a gender-based classification favoring one sex can be justified if it intentionally and directly assists members of the sex that is disproportionately burdened." She argued that there are a disproportionate number of women who are nurses, and that denying admission to men "lends credibility to the old view that women, not men, should become nurses, and makes the assumption that nursing is a field for women a self-fulfilling prophecy." In their dissenting opinions, Justices Harry A. Blackmun, Warren E. Burger
Warren E. Burger
Warren Earl Burger was the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Although Burger had conservative leanings, the U.S...
, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., and William H. Rehnquist suggested that the result of this ruling would be the elimination of publicly supported single-sex educational opportunities. The ruling did not require the university to change its name to reflect its coeducational status.
In 2006, Randolph-Macon Woman's College
Randolph College
Randolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational....
announced that it would adopt coeducation and change its name. Former Interim president Ginger H. Worden argued (in a 17 September 2006 editorial for the Washington Post) that it was not economically feasible for the college to remain single-sex as young women are no longer interested in attending women's colleges. In response, a number of presidents of women's colleges challenged Worden's article, arguing that other women's colleges are still doing well and attracting students. This includes: Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
, Columbia College
Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina)
Columbia College is a private liberal arts women's college in Columbia, South Carolina. The school is affiliated with United Methodist Church and has more than 1,500 students...
, The Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters (colleges)
The Seven Sisters are seven liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States that are historically women's colleges. They are Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, Radcliffe College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College. All were founded between 1837 and...
, a separate article from Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
, Simmons College
Simmons College (Massachusetts)
Simmons College, established in 1899, is a private women's undergraduate college and private co-educational graduate school in Boston, Massachusetts.-History:Simmons was founded in 1899 with a bequest by John Simmons a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Boston...
, Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school's Latin motto translates as: "She who has earned the rose may bear it."...
and Hollins University
Hollins University
Hollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
. In addition, there were numerous protests on campus including rallies, blocking administrative offices, mass requests for transfer transcripts, banners all over campus, striking from classes, and participation in quiet protest to highlight lack of student voices in the board of trustee votes. This led to the formation of a non-profit "Preserve Education Choice" (PEC), composed of students, faculty, and alumnae who are trying to reverse the decision. Two lawsuits were filed by Preserve Educational Choice. On January 23, 2007, both lawsuits were dismissed in Lynchburg Circuit Court. PEC raised enough money, however, to appeal both dismissals and a group of nine students brought the case to the Virginia Supreme Court where "Richmond lawyer Wyatt B. Durrette Jr. asked the state's high court to grant an appeal of the group's lawsuit. In addition, Professor emeritus of romance languages, Charlotte Stern, published the 24 page letter (with signatures from alumnae, former professors and a former president of Randolph's board of trustees) condemning the decision on the PEC website. Ginger Hill Worden, Interim President, responded to this letter. The Virginia Supreme Court agreed to hear appeals in both the student contract and charitable trust cases. The Court affirmed the trial court's decision in both cases in opinions issued June 6, 2008. It was re-named Randolph College
Randolph College
Randolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational....
on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational.
See also
- List of current and historical women's universities and colleges in the United States
- Timeline of women's colleges in the United StatesTimeline of women's colleges in the United StatesThe following is a timeline of women's colleges in the United States. These are institutions of higher education in the United States whose student populations are comprised exclusively or almost exclusively of women. They are often liberal arts colleges...
- Women's colleges in the United StatesWomen's colleges in the United StatesWomen's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
- Seven Sisters (colleges)Seven Sisters (colleges)The Seven Sisters are seven liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States that are historically women's colleges. They are Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, Radcliffe College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College. All were founded between 1837 and...
- Women's College CoalitionWomen's College CoalitionThe Women's College Coalition was founded in 1972 and describes itself as an "association of women's colleges and universities – public and private, independent and church-related, two- and four-year – in the United States and Canada whose primary mission is the education and advancement of...
Further reading
- Guy-Sheftall, Beverly. "Black Women and Higher Education: Spelman and Bennett Colleges Revisited." The Journal of Negro Education, Vol. 51, No. 3, The Impact of Black Women in Education: An Historical Overview (Summer, 1982), pp. 278–287.
- Muhlenfeld, Elisabeth and Nancy Gray. "Women's colleges must be an option." The Roanoke TimesThe Roanoke TimesThe Roanoke Times is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Landmark Media Enterprises...
, September 14, 2006.
External links
- "Giving Voice to a New Generation: Metro Atlanta's three women's colleges are going strong, even while the number of women's colleges nationwide has declined" (Agnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
, Spelman CollegeSpelman CollegeSpelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
, and Brenau UniversityBrenau UniversityBrenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia, USA, that was founded in 1878 as Georgia Baptist Female Seminary, though it has never been affiliated with the Baptist Church. The total enrollment of Brenau University tops 2,500 students in its four schools...
) - "In Virginia, three elite women's colleges reinvent themselves and find a new mission in a coed world" (Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school's Latin motto translates as: "She who has earned the rose may bear it."...
, Hollins UniversityHollins UniversityHollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
, and Mary Baldwin CollegeMary Baldwin CollegeMary Baldwin College is a private, independent, and comprehensive four-year liberal arts women's college in Staunton, Virginia. It was ranked in 2008 by US News & World Report as a top-tier, master's level university in the South. Mary Baldwin offers pre-professional programs in law, medicine,...
) - "All women, and thriving" (Meredith CollegeMeredith CollegeMeredith College is a liberal arts women's college located in Raleigh, North Carolina. For the 2010-2011 academic year, there were approximately 2,300 students enrolled, including about 350 graduate students, making Meredith the largest women's college in the southeastern United States...
and Peace CollegePeace CollegeWilliam Peace University is a small liberal arts college located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.-History:...
)