Echoing a lot of what’s already been said, I experienced a supportive community of women, while attending my alma mater, and a huge boost in confidence from being steeped in a campus culture that constantly upheld the idea that women can and do achieve at the same levels as men, when given the right atmosphere and tools for learning. That confidence carried with me into my career, and my overall attitude has been “Yes, I can” and has really helped me to be successful in I.T. a field that is traditionally, male-dominated. I also stepped in and out of single-sex education prior to college. Grades K-5 co-ed, grades 6-10 single-sex, grades 11-12 co-ed, so I was not unfamiliar with single-sex education when I made the decision to attend a women’s college.
Overall, I think it’s the “we can do it” atmosphere on women’s campuses that infuses many students who attend, and it just becomes a part of who you are. Many women’s campuses are also more inclusive for non-binary people, and LGBTQ. This was something I had almost no experience with or exposure to prior to college, and my college experience really opened my eyes, and my mind to other ways of thinking about sex and gender than what I was used to.
As an alum, I’ve benefited enormously from ongoing contact from fellow alums. This hasn’t necessarily translated into career boosts, but rather ongoing support, mentoring, and information sharing, and it’s not limited to just my alma mater, but ALL of the 7 Sister schools, and other women’s colleges. There’s a vast network out there of alums from these schools, all supporting each other, and cheering each other on. That’s priceless.