This past weekend was "Sweet Briar Day", which was celebrated nationally by all the different alumnae clubs across the country. The Boston event was very well attended and there was a lot of exciting news to share …. from the construction of a new gymnasium to the design of new 100% "green" dormitories on campus! Enrollment is way up, and new facilities are being built to support the increase in students. Because Sweet Briar stayed a women’s college, while many of the surrounding schools went coed, there has been a lot of anticipation in the last few years, to see how we would fair, and it is thrilling to see the college thriving!
Along with the many new students on campus, SBC is also hosting two Afghan women. Through the program, the students are given full scholarships to study. The program is called the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, and was started by the president of Roger Williams College’s wife, Paula Nirschel. I was really impressed with the organization, and the information they provided. It seems like the women that participate in this program, want to get a good education, so that they can go back to their home country and get involved with leadership and making changes. A couple quotes from the women read ….
Education in the United States will be a valuable contribution to our country. We hope to be the future leaders of Afghanistan.
Joining the IEAW is the biggest achievement of my life. Learning in the wold’s best education system will equip me to reach my goal of becoming a leader in my country.
Higher education will give me the skills to build a bright future for me and the women at home who have for decades worked to defend their basic rights.
Sweet Briar is not the only college hosting these women, Middlebury, Roger Williams, and Meredith College, are just a few others. To learn more about the program, they have a really great website with a ton of information.