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Women's colleges play a unique role in quest

for equality
Gender equity through academic excellence
By Kimberly Wright Cassidy
2018

Kimberly Wright Cassidy is the president of Bryn Mawr College, a women’s liberal arts college in
Pennsylvania. In this article, Cassidy discusses the benefits of women’s colleges. As you read, take notes on
how the author describes the environment of a women’s college.

[1] Women’s colleges have by definition led progress

toward equality between the sexes since their
founding in the 19th century — and, I would
argue, they lead it today. One reason is that
women’s colleges offer an environment in which
women are the focus, and the drivers, of
academic excellence.

What is the impact of this environment? One

compelling answer to that question comes from a
2012 Women’s College Coalition survey showing
that women’s college graduates earn advanced
"Bryn Mawr College: May Day 2011" by Meagan is licensed under
degrees at a higher rate than other graduates. CC BY-NC 2.0
Specifically, 51 percent of the surveyed women’s
college graduates earned advanced degrees, compared to 33 percent of liberal arts and 27 percent of
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flagship public university graduates.

The impact is especially notable when one looks at achievement in traditionally male-dominated fields,
including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

When Quartz magazine, for example, created its list of the 25 schools most responsible for advances in
science — a list that tracks the undergraduate affiliations of winners of the highest recognition in the
sciences — Bryn Mawr College made the list, even though that list did not account for women’s
historical and present-day barriers to success in STEM fields.

[5] There are several critical components of the heightened academic achievement of women’s college
graduates. One is access to female-majority workgroups and female mentor networks. Research
indicates that these are crucial to creating a sense of belonging, particularly in STEM fields, which in
turn predicts greater confidence in one’s abilities and greater persistence.

Another is a culture of enlarged expectations of and opportunities for women.

1. the best of something

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Graduates often tell me that a women’s college is the first space where they felt it was acceptable to be
smart and passionate about ideas. As one young alum put it recently, a women’s college experience
“gives you the confidence to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to… It’s cool to be
intelligent.”

Women’s knowledge and skill is not all that’s required for gender equity in the workplace, but it is a
necessary condition. And it is because, as I’ve argued here, women’s colleges provide more support for
these intellectual achievements that they play such a critical role in preparing students to level the
playing field.

“Women’s colleges play unique role in quest for equality” by Kimberly Wright Cassidy, Bryn Mawr College, September 11, 2018. Copyright ©
The Conversation 2018, CC-BY-ND.

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 Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: Which statement best expresses the central idea of the text?
A. Students who attend women’s colleges report overall greater satisfaction with
their education, as they don’t experience sexism as often.
B. The empowering female culture of women’s colleges contributes to the success
of graduates in whatever field they choose.
C. Women’s colleges are higher-quality universities that require more from their
students, regardless of their gender.
D. Women’s colleges go out of their way to encourage their students to explore
male-dominated fields, hoping to close the gender gap.

2. PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “Women’s colleges have by definition led progress toward equality between the
sexes since their founding in the 19th century – and, I would argue, they lead it
today.” (Paragraph 1)
B. “There are several critical components of the heightened academic achievement
of women’s college graduates.” (Paragraph 5)
C. “As one young alum put it recently, a women’s college experience ‘gives you the
confidence to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to…It’s cool to
be intelligent.” (Paragraph 7)
D. “Women’s knowledge and skill is not all that’s required for gender equity in the
workplace, but it is a necessary condition.” (Paragraph 8)

3. What is the author’s main purpose in the text?

A. to emphasize the accomplishments of women’s colleges, especially in moving
towards gender equality
B. to encourage women to consider attending a women’s college if they’re
interested in pursuing something in STEM
C. to draw attention to the obstacles that women encounter when they attend
universities including men
D. to show how women will soon dominate fields that they previously did not, due
to the work of women’s colleges

4. How does paragraph 4 contribute to the author’s exposition of the accomplishments of

women’s colleges?
A. It proves that women’s colleges focus more on STEM fields than other
universities.
B. It suggests that more women’s colleges would likely be top contributors to the
sciences, if they hadn’t been discriminated against.
C. It draws attention to how few women’s colleges have been given the proper
recognition for their contribution to the sciences.
D. It highlights what undergraduates from a women’s college have been able to
accomplish, despite obstacles.

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5. What is the relationship between the environment of women’s colleges and the success of
their students? Cite evidence from the text in your response.

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 Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to
share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. In the text, the author discusses how women’s colleges are helping close the gender gap in
STEM fields. What are the benefits of preparing female students to enter fields that are
largely dominated by men? How do you think STEM fields could benefit from women’s
perspectives and ideas?

2. In the text, the author discusses how students who attend women’s colleges are allowed
and encouraged to be smart. How do you think this compares to women’s experiences in
other learning environments? Do you think women are typically encouraged or praised for
being intelligent? Why or why not?