Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts college in South Hadley, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest women's colleges in the United States.
Founded in 1837, Mount Holyoke is the oldest member of the Seven Sisters schools, a group of elite women's colleges. It is also a member of the Five Colleges, with Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
It is named for Mount Holyoke, with an elevation of 878 feet.
General information
Mount Holyoke is the oldest continuing institution of women's education in the United States. Today, Mount Holyoke enrolls approximately 1,900 undergraduates from across the country and around the world. Approximately 18 percent of students are African American, Latina, Asian American, or Native American. A further 15 percent are international students. The College is known for its strong science programs, for its interdisciplinary studies (such as International Relations and Critical Social Thought), and for its beautiful campus. Although the college has faced its share of problems in the past years, applications have also risen steadily.
History
Mount Holyoke College was founded as a seminary (Mount Holyoke Female Seminary) on 8 November 1837 by Mary Lyon (1797-1849), who also founded Wheaton College (originally Wheaton Female Seminary). This early date is the college's claim to being the first women's college; however, the seminary did not attain collegiate status until 1888, and the seminary itself was not renamed to Mount Holyoke College until 1893.
Famous alumnae and faculty
Alumnae
Famous alumnae of Mount Holyoke College include:
Fictional alumnae
In the movie Dirty Dancing, Jennifer Grey's character "Baby" was said to have studied at Mount Holyoke College.
