Overview
Creativity Rules at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia
Hollins University graduate and Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard describes her alma mater as a place "where friendships thrive, minds catch fire, careers begin, and hearts open to a world of possibility."A nationally acclaimed liberal arts university, Hollins in Roanoke, Virginia, offers an undergraduate program for women and seven coed graduate programs, all in a picturesque setting. Founded in 1842 as the first chartered women's college in Virginia, Hollins attracts students from more than forty states and nearly a dozen countries. Some of Hollins's distinctions include a nationally ranked creative writing program, one of the oldest study-abroad programs in the country, and extensive leadership and internship opportunities. Another Hollins University distinctive is creativity-and not only in the areas one would expect, such as art, creative writing, dance, theater, and music. Hollins-style creativity explodes across all disciplines, from the sciences to the thesis required of all history majors. That creativity is seen in the inimitable Hollins traditions (Tinker Day, anyone?), in the clubs students start, and in the internships they find each January Short Term.
Students Will Not Get Lost in the Crowd at Hollins, But They Certainly Can Go Global
At Hollins University, students do not get lost in the crowd. With a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, there is a lot of give-and-take in the classroom. Students are part of a dynamic learning environment in which a student's contribution to class really makes a difference. Faculty members serve as mentors, working with students on research projects, theses, symposia, and seminar presentations. While the personal touch is important on campus, Hollins also knows the world is their students' classroom, so the university gets students to travel outside of Roanoke, Virginia, and go global with study abroad. Hollins sponsors its own programs in Paris and London, but its students can also study in Córdoba, Argentina; Seville, Spain; Ludwigsburg, Germany; Osaka, Japan; Puebla, Mexico; Cape Town, South Africa; Legon, Ghana; Perugia, Italy; and Limerick, Ireland. Or they can study in Rome or Athens or at the School for Field Studies, which has programs in Costa Rica, Mexico, Australia, and Kenya. Hollins also sponsors an annual international service-learning project in Lucea, Jamaica.
First-Year Seminars Being Academics to Life, and Internships Provide On-the-Job Experience
First-year students at Hollins examine a slate of more than fifteen First-Year Seminars (such as Art: I Know It When I See It; The Nature and Culture of Water; or What If Michelangelo Had Been a Woman?) that are designed to grab and hold their attention, but they may choose only one. Then the seminar's 15 students get to know their professor, who will also be their first-year academic adviser, and an upper-class peer mentor assigned to their group to answer questions and promote discussions and understanding. Later in their college careers, students get on-the-job experience during one or more internships. The January Short Term gives students a full month to test career interests. The Hollins internship program has developed far-reaching ties to corporations, government agencies, private foundations, hospitals, museums, technology firms, and media outlets-which means students have unmatched opportunities and connections.
At This Women's College, Students Get an Edge with Leadership Training, ESP, and Creative Writing
A recent national survey showed that women's college alumnae are more likely than women at coed institutions to gain leadership experience in student government and campus media; to learn to think analytically; to work as part of a team; to write and speak effectively; and to gain entry to a career. But there is an intangible benefit, too: the kind of confidence that comes from spending four years at a place constructed entirely with women, their education, and their empowerment in mind. This is evident at Hollins, where students can earn a Certificate in Leadership Studies through a combination of interactive seminars, skills-development labs, and leadership projects-an unusual bonus to be able to include in one's undergraduate portfolio. The university's general education program-called Education through Skills and Perspectives, or ESP-allows students to satisfy their general education requirements in ways that stress breadth and depth across the curriculum. Hollins is known for creative writing and has received national acclaim for the works of its graduates (four have won Pulitzer Prizes) and for its distinctive approach to teaching. In recognition of its long history of graduating fine writers, Hollins' library was designated Virginia's first National Literary Landmark.
At Hollins, Students Experience a Balanced Life
A student at Hollins can lead a balanced life. The school is famous for its friendships, and many of those begin right off the bat. Because 85 percent of Hollins University students live on campus in dorms, language houses, or university apartments, a large family of friends develops from the very first year. In addition, there are more than thirty-five clubs and organizations, including the multicultural club, the Black Student Alliance, and the political, environmental, women's, literary, and volunteer organizations. The academic program is enriched by guest lectures, art exhibitions, dance, music, and theater productions, the annual Literary Festival, and more. Athletics are not ignored at Hollins. It offers first-rate athletic facilities and seven varsity sports: basketball, golf, lacrosse, riding, soccer, swimming, and tennis. In addition, students hike, ski, climb, canoe, and camp with the Hollins Outdoor Program and can participate in such club sports as cross-country, fencing, martial arts, and softball.
