As many of you may know, March was International Women’s History Month. Schools around the country celebrated women and their vast accomplishments in numerous ways throughout the month. Whether dedicating a day, a week, or the entire month to trivia events, guest lecturers, or luncheons, schools participated in a number of ways to show their community how they appreciate women.
Because all-women schools are all around the country, I thought it would be interesting to see how some of them place a special emphasis on Women’s History Month at their school. As obvious as it may seem, they push this time of honoring and commemorating more than other schools. Let’s take a look at what great ideas these all-women colleges have come up with!
Barnard College
Barnard College in New York City is a private women’s liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University. As part of their Women’s History Month celebrations, the school creates a Women’s History Month Committee, which meets regularly to discuss and plan multiple events and activities that last throughout March.
Each year, the month has a different theme associated to it; this year’s theme is “Perceptions.” According to the Committee’s event page on Facebook, the aim of the theme is to “hope to find the truth behind common misconceptions of women, and to shed new light upon the issues women continue to face today.” Some events that the Committee has planned, with the help of numerous organizations, include a cupcake study break, panels, opening and closing ceremonies, and different lectures varying in topics from “Women in the Muslim World” and “Women of the Stage.”
Scripps College
Across the country in Claremont, California is Scripps College, a liberal arts school with less than 1,000 students. While celebrating Women’s History Month in a number of ways, one major event that Scripps has planned is a food drive for Crossroads, Inc.
The Scripps website states that Crossroads, Inc. provides “housing, education, support and counseling in a homelike environment for women who have been incarcerated,” and they hope to empower these women to change their lives in positive ways. SCORE, also known as “Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment,” and the organization running the food drive asked students to donate non-perishable food items throughout the month.
Hollins University
In the south, one all-women school that stands out in Women’s History Month celebrations is Hollins University, located in Roanoke, Virginia. Hollins is a private university and was initially a coeducational school when it started in 1842, but that quickly ended in 1852.
Some of the inspiring activities that the Roanoke school provided for students were visits from well-known women, book and poetry readings, theatrical performances, and film viewings. One of the most interesting events that I found was a student performance of “The Vagina Monologues.” Although this was one of the few events that people had to pay to see, it’s a great show for many college students that I’ve heard is absolutely hilarious!
Just because these all-women schools put a lot of time and dedication into their events for Women’s History Month doesn’t mean that only all-women schools do that. It is crucial for women to be recognized for their amazing victories and accomplishments in history. After all, Beyoncé said it best: “Who run the world? Girls.”
