Women’s College celebrates inaugural graduates

Mississippi University for Women’s newly formed Women’s College will reach a milestone with the graduation of its first cohort this month.

Six students– five undergraduate and one graduate– received their diplomas during The W’s commencement exercises, Friday, May 9.

“Celebrating these graduates at commencement is a truly wonderful way to cap off our first year,” said Dr. Kim Whitehead, senior associate vice president for Academic Affairs and founding director of the Women’s College. “They are at the head of what we know will be a long blue line within the Women’s College. We are very proud of them, as they exemplify the outcomes we seek for our students–to develop a stronger sense of their purpose and depart The W to become leaders in their professions and communities.”

There are two undergraduate designations within the college, 1884 Scholars and 1884 Fellows, named after the year the university opened its doors as the first state-funded institution for women in the country. Open to all W students, the college is grounded in the university’s rich history of academic and leadership development for women and offers coursework, a living-learning community, a speaker series, mentoring opportunities with alumni and other programming opportunities focused on supporting students to grow as leaders.

The graduates will be recognized by their designation, similar to honors students, when walking across the stage to receive their diplomas. They will also wear green cords, the color of which was chosen by the students and faculty for two reasons: its significance as a symbol of hope during the women’s suffrage movement and its connections to Ginkgo Green, one of the University’s official colors.

The Women’s College places an emphasis on the dynamics that shape women’s lives and professional opportunities, an aspect undergraduates found most appealing about the program.

“The Women’s College is inspiring to me to learn more about women’s history and culture,” said Miranda Collier, one of the 1884 Scholars.

According to Mariah Hopkins, another 1884 Scholar, “The Women’s College provides opportunities for students to uplift each other and work together on women’s studies research, activism and advocacy while receiving guidance from wonderful professors.”

Graduate students at The W are also welcome to join. Genena Woodson Armstrong is a graduate student who will graduate from the college. She is also a non-traditional student who returned to school after a 30-year gap, to receive her graduate degree.

She is proud to call herself an 1884 Graduate Fellow and hopes to see the program, of which she was on the ground floor, continue to grow and excel.

“What an honor and privilege to be counted amongst the pioneers of the Women’s College,” Armstrong said. “Dr. Whitehead has spearheaded something really special. This is just the beginning of the journey. I am convinced the Women’s College will become well renowned in academics and in launching change agents and leaders across the globe.”