Ranked the #1 liberal arts college in America for Social Mobility in 2021 by US News and World Report, Bennett College has established itself as the pre-eminent women’s college for those seeking more productive and fulfilling lives in the workplace and community.
Established in 1873 in Greensboro, North Carolina, Bennett College transitioned from co-ed to a women-only in 1926. Now one of only two HBCUs for women in the country, this dynamic school leverages its micro size to make a macro impact with fluid curriculum and a comprehensive and diverse campus experience.
Bennett’s daring shows in its innovative re-invention of the traditional semester. Administrators divided the school year into six ‘minimesters,’ wherein students can master a topic or skill in depth in one to two classes while gaining practical experience in internships or related work opportunities.
Leading the Present
Upgrading the experience of a higher education while remaining true to its position in the Top 20 Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina, Bennett is making it possible for the school to provide opportunities for women that were formerly non-existent.
Bennett focuses on securing graduate career opportunities in STEM fields and journalism and in working with women of color who aspire to global leadership. Its liberal arts curriculum provides students with both specific skills applicable in their career as well as a perspective of leadership values that emphasize a new frontier of social justice, civil rights, and technology.
Legendary Bennett leaders include alumna Dr. Carolyn Payton, appointed in 1977 by US President Jimmy Carter as the first woman and first African American Director of the Peace Corps; and former Bennett professor and current United States Congresswoman Alma Adams, founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus.
“We meet our students where they are and focus on helping them move toward achieving their dreams and finding their place in the global economy. In staying true to that commitment, our goal is to redefine what prestige means in higher education– that it is not who we keep out, but rather who we include and successfully serve.”
Suzanne Elise Walsh, President
Upskilling the Future
More agile than larger institutions, Bennett helps its graduates quickly upskill their future. Because of this, the HBCU has garnered recognition by the Fulbright Program as a Top American College and a Top 50 Most Historically Notable Colleges in America. Its distinguished sponsors include Strada Education Network, a Fashion Nova Cares Grant, and the National Science Foundation’s grant for the school’s commitment to biological sciences.
Bennett also caught the attention of Beyonce and Jay Z. In partnership with iconic Tiffany and Co., these talented artists recognized Bennett’s commitment to social mobility with a $400,000 About Love Scholarship, opening the college’s healthy, whole student experience to more deserving and underserved women.
The school’s culture of data, measurement, and learning consciousness and conscience is supported by a Department of Defense grant to upgrade labs; a partnership with Red Ventures RISE to mentor students in developing key business, technical and leadership skills as a foundation for Digital Marketing Analyst careers; and internships with global brands such as Disney, Peloton, Reuters, Lenovo, Pfizer, Red Ventures, ASCAP, and more.
Boldly challenging convention and giving more women of color access to a meaningful education is proving that with its micro size, this HBCU is making a macro impact.
Company: Bennett College
Industry: Higher Education
Headquarters: Greensboro, North Carolina
Ranked: #1 national liberal arts college for social mobility
Strategic Plan: A Right-Sized Micro College Model; A Healthy, Whole Student Experience; Open to and for the Future; Data, Measurement, and Learning Consciousness and Conscience; The New Frontier of Social Justice, Civil Rights, and Technology
Impact: Economic impact-$36 million; Employment impact-369 Jobs; Graduate lifetime earnings ~$266 million
bennett.edu
