The Mary Baldwin College Advantage

What do you want from your college experience? We've asked hundreds of young women and these are some of the answers we hear again and again:

I want to connect and get involved I want to have fun and find out what it is like to be on my own I want to know my professors and I want them to know me I want to grow as a whole person, and learn about the world in lots of different ways — in the classroom and out I want to be comfortable as myself and let my light shine I want to get a good job when I graduate and I want to be sure that my education helps me take my next steps in life I want to be part of an exciting community and find lifelong friends, serve the community, and meet people from differing backgrounds and cultures I want to become the best “me” I can be

Drawing on comments like these, plus over 160 years of experience in educating women and helping them grow into capable leaders and citizens, plus looking at best practices from all over the country, MBC put it all together into a set of 10 interrelated experiences that make sure you get the absolute most out of your college education. You learn to make a positive difference in yourself, so you can make a positive difference in the world.

In a nutshell, students will get the MBCA through programs and activities like these…

• A First Year Experience
  As a new student, you get a very personal introduction to Mary Baldwin. Your academic advisor and student leaders welcome you to the college during orientation and work with you throughout the year in your MBC 101 class, field trips, and special events — you learn about options and opportunities at MBC, work on your plans for college, and set the stage for real achievement in college and beyond.
  A First Year Experience: http://www.mbc.edu/student/fye/
• A Personalized Learning Plan and Portfolio
  Every student starts an online portfolio in her freshman year MBC 101 class. Working with your advisors, you take a look at who you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. By the time you graduate your personal portfolio will include written work, progress reports, creative projects, evidence of special achievements, and other materials that that capture your college experience and present it to the world. What a fabulous resource when you head out into the world to start your career!
• A Personal Wellness Plan
  Wellness encompasses a wide range of those questions you often ask yourself. Not only “am I eating the right food and getting the right exercise?” but also “are my relationships emotionally healthy?” and “am I doing the right things for my community and environment?” In MBC 101, you start by assessing your own physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Then you build your personal four-year plan to help you accomplish your own goals in these areas.
• Learning Communities
  Sharing discoveries helps you get a whole lot more out of college — and learning is a whole lot more fun when you connect with others who get a charge out of the same things you do. Current learning communities include the Honor Scholars Society and the Ida B. Wells Society (for the exploration of African American culture and history) — you have to apply separately to these programs. Leadership, community service, science and society, and identity and culture are some examples of themes around which learning communities can be formed depending on interest.
• Strong Academic Majors
  Students select from over 30 majors that are distinctive in focus, curriculum, and methodology. The independent majors (which allow you to combine elements of different majors and design your own program) and majors that draw on several disciplines are popular with students who really want to shape their own education. Your major gives you depth of understanding, while the general education requirements and core curriculum make sure that you have the breadth of understanding you need to be successful in our global society.
• Friends and mentors
  Mary Baldwin College places a high value on human connections. Faculty members are available to learning communities and to students they advise. A big sister supports you when you’re a new freshman, and will likely remain a lifelong friend. Your Peer Advisor looks out for you and helps you navigate the transition to college life. Graduates of the college will mentor students and assist in career choices and job searches. Bottom line is you’re never alone — there’s a whole community of great women (and men) here to support you.
• Experience
  When you put your knowledge into practice, see how it works in real life, and reflect on the experience, what you learn means so much more. It also puts you a step ahead when you start your career or go to graduate school. You can select an internship, community service, participation in the corps of cadets, student government, and a host of other hands-on learning outside the classroom.
• Study Abroad
  Global engagement is high on the priority list at Mary Baldwin College, so we make sure that all students have the opportunity to travel, learn, or even do community service in other countries. There are lots of options. Australia, Peru, England, Bulgaria, Japan, Russia, India, South Africa, Austria are only a few of the places Mary Baldwin students have gone in conjunction with MBC courses or individually.
• The Big Finish
  Mary Baldwin calls it the capstone experience. It's your final senior project that brings together what you’ve learned and the skills you’ve developed. The very best are selected to be presented at an annual festival — the Capstone Fair — held just before Commencement, where the community — students, faculty, staff, family, interested members of the public —honor seniors and recognize their accomplishments.

Questions? Contact the Admissions Office.