Chalk another one up for today's young women, as Smith College graduated their very first class of engineering majors this past weekend - first all-female college in the U.S. to achieve this milestone.
From the article on Boston.com:
"Sarah Jaffray arrived at Smith College with a plan to study physics or German. Then, in her first year, she decided to try something new not only to her, but to this 133-year-old women's college: She signed up for Introduction to Environmental Engineering That was four years ago. Tomorrow, Jaffray will be one of 20 seniors graduating with a Smith engineering degree, the first class of engineers at any women's college in the United States."I fell in love with the whole logic behind engineering," Jaffray said. "I see this as a foundation for whatever I want to do in my life."
Smith's pioneering program was designed to make a dent in one of the most persistently male corners of the professional world. Nationwide, women earn only 1 out of 5 bachelor's degrees in engineering -- and the profession itself is 90 percent men."
Smart marketing on the part of Smith College as well - as Boston.com goes on to note: "...this storied college in Northampton, alma mater of first ladies, may have found a fresh way to attract top students to a single-sex college in an era when few female high school graduates say they would consider women's colleges."
[thanks to Courtney at 3 Blind Mice for the link]
I was thrilled to see your posting this morning! I'm a Smith grad and an alumnae interviewer for prospective students to Smith. Many of the prospective students I met this past year were very interested in the Engineering program at Smith - I'm thrilled as we're always looking for new ways to recruit students. I just got the list of the students who will be going to Smith next year, and several of them are future engineers, who turned down larger programs at established engineering schools. Looks like the marketing is working!
Posted by: Katie | May 19, 2004 at 07:36 AM