When will National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day be celebrated? March 5th of each calendar year.
What is National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day? American women’s colleges were founded more than 250 years ago in the face of deep-seated discrimination against educating women. We cast open the doors to access and opportunity for women’s education, changing the face of this nation and the world for the better, and the 30 remaining Women’s Colleges and Universities in our nation continue that trailblazing tradition of serving women, especially those from underserved communities. From uniquely preparing women to lead a global society and closing the gap in male-dominated fields, to being epicenters of inclusive excellence and creating a community that promotes lifelong learning and connection beyond graduation – women’s colleges have more relevance today than ever before. Our mission has always been to serve women, especially those who are underserved and under-resourced – 40% of our students are Pell recipients, 93% receive aid, 50% are BIPOC and nearly a third of our institutions are federally designated Minority Serving Institutions.
How should National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day be celebrated or observed? Share stories of success of women’s college alumnae, donate to a women’s college that is important to you, encourage your senators and representatives to support women’s colleges.
Why was National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day created? Women’s Colleges and Universities deserve to be recognized for the indelible impact of the women’s college movement and sector and for their invaluable contribution to the American higher education landscape and to the Nation’s workforce. Despite our indisputable track record of producing strong women leaders across industries, Women’s Colleges and Universities have always been chronically underfunded. Many women’s colleges were explicitly founded with the goal of affordability for lower- and middle-income women—a bold innovation for the time—but that instantly created funding disparity. Beyond being historically underfunded, the sector has been deeply shaken by the pandemic, as evidenced by the closure of several institutions during this period. The survival of these valuable and unique institutions is dependent on finally receiving national celebration and support for the parity they have created.
Who created this day? This day was created by Women’s College Coalition in 2024.