Famous Alumnae of Women's Colleges

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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 600 undergraduates.
A Few Famous Alumnae:
Dr. Glendora M. Putman, the first African-American women to serve as National President of the YWCA
Dr. Dorothy L. Brown, the first African American general surgeon in the south and to serve on the Tennessee State Legislature.
Yvonne J. Johnson, the first black mayor of Greensboro, NC
Faye Robinson, Opera Singer
Barbara Hamm, the first African-American woman to serve as a television news director in the United States
Dr. Linda B. Brown, author and professor of English at Bennett College
Belinda Foster, the first African American District Attorney in North Carolina

Kameelah Brown of FL 4:24PM August 31, 2009

Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary's College continues to grow and prosper, with approximately 18,000 living alumnae. A few notable alumnae include:
Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen ‘66, MD, the first female physician in the history of the U.S. Congress, the first woman to represent an offshore Territory, and the first woman Delegate from the United States Virgin Islands
Adriana Trigiani ’81, the award-winning playwright, television writer, and documentary filmmaker and bestselling author of the Big Stone Gap trilogy
Susan P. Peters ’75, Girl Scouts Board of Directors, vice president of executive development for GE (General Electric), executive vice president of human resources for NBC

Ali of PA 1:35AM May 29, 2009

Hon. Judith N. Keep - first female Chief Judge of the southern district of California (as well as the first female judge on that court). She received her B.A. degree in Humanities and Literature from Scripps College, and served as a federal judge for the Southern District of California. She served as Chief District Judge of the Southern District from 1991 to 1998, and chaired the Conference of Chief District Judges in 1997. Nominated by President Jimmy Carter, Judge Keep came onto the federal bench in 1980. She was the first female federal judge in her district and its first female chief judge.

AA of Scripps of CA 2:56AM May 18, 2009

This article omitted another famous college for women: Chatham University, formerly the Pennsylvania College for Women, located in Pittsburgh, PA. Founded in 1869 as Pennsylvania Female College, famous alumnae include Rachel Carson, renowned environmentalist and author of "Silent Spring," and Dr. Kathie Olsen, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the National Science Foundation. Although the Graduate College and College for Continuing Studies are co-educational, the undergraduate Chatham College for Women remains single-sex.

Lisa A. Lambert of PA 12:24PM March 22, 2009

Betty McCollum (D-Minn., Fourth District) is a 1987 graduate of St. Kate's. In 2000 McCollum made history as only the second Minnesota woman elected to serve in Congress since statehood in 1858.
Pamela Wheelock, currently vice-president and Leadership/Community Engagement Team Leader at the Bush Foundation, is a 1981 graduate of St. Kate's (and a currrent member of the board). She served as the state's finance commissioner during Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura's term.
Just two notable women who graduated from the College of St. Catherine, soon to be St. Catherine University (as of June 1, 2009).

Julie Michener of MN 11:17AM March 20, 2009

I am a senior at Trinity and my experience at a woman's college has been enriching and comforting. I am happy to know that Trinity is being acknowledged as not only a school for middle class women, as it once was, but a school that is dedicated to helping people that are less fortunate. As it did when Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi attended, Trinity is opening doors for women in DC and around the world. There are students from Africa, South America and my hometown Connecticut. Trinity’s legacy is represented by the incredible and inspirational women that are in office today. With great faculty and staff, Trinity is on a great path and I know that with a Trinity education women will be able to take on leadership roles just as Nancy Pelosi and Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human, have done.
Jackie (Blue Class)

Jackie of DC 3:49PM March 19, 2009

It is unfortunate that this article omitted Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa. Founded in 1869, Wilson is one of the first colleges in the U.S. to accept only female students and remains a college for women today. In 1996, Wilson was also one of the first in the nation to offer an on-campus residential educational experience for single mothers with children. Men were later able to earn degrees through Wilson’s adult degree program beginning in 1982, but the primary emphasis remains on the college for women. In summer 2006, Wilson began offering its first graduate-degree program, a Master of Education for certified elementary school teachers. This spring, Wilson’s M.Ed. program was expanded to include secondary school teachers.

Debra Collins of PA 9:04PM March 17, 2009

I will be attending my 50th reunion this spring, and I am so proud of the way Trinity has responded to the needs of minority women, particularly those coming from an urban environment.

Mary Ellen Graham of PA 6:57AM March 15, 2009

Stephens College in Columbia, MO is the second-oldest women's college the U.S. Alums include Maude Adams, Jeane Kilpatrick, Beverly Sills, Dawn Wells, Tammy Grimes, Paula Zahn, Annie Potts and Jennifer Tilly.

Susan Pierce of OK 9:18AM March 13, 2009