Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA · founded 1837 · 2,200 students · liberal arts college

Known for: Mount Holyoke College is one of the oldest women's colleges in the United States, known for its pioneering role in women's education and its strong programs in the sciences and international studies. It is a member of the Seven Sisters colleges and part of the Five College Consortium.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #30
Forbes: #88

Top programmes

Biology
Environmental Studies
International Relations
Chemistry
English
Psychology

Notable alumni

Emily Dickinson — Poet
Frances Perkins — First female U.S. Cabinet member (Secretary of Labor)
Mary Lyon — Founder and educator
Ntozake Shange — Playwright and poet
Wendy Wasserstein — Playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner
Martha Graham — Modern dancer and choreographer
Eliza G. C. M. Harrison — Early alumna and educator

Traditions

Laurel Parade
Mountain Day
Big/Little Sister
International Festival
Winter Ball

If Mount Holyoke College were…

As a food: Homemade granola with local honey — Wholesome, earnest, globally conscious about ingredient sourcing, more substantial and complex than it first appears, made by people who genuinely care about sustainability, and pairs equally well with serious intellectu
As an athlete: Megan Keller — Olympic hockey player who combines athletic prowess with academic rigor (BC grad), team-oriented, tough but not flashy, represents a sport that requires both individual skill and collective commitment, and excels in a tr
As a person alive today: Jane Goodall — Global perspective, environmental activism, pioneering woman in her field, equally comfortable in the wilderness and the lecture hall, dedicated to education and mentorship, and built a career on careful observation and
As a historical figure: Frances Perkins — Literal Mount Holyoke alumna who became FDR's Labor Secretary, first woman in the Cabinet, architect of the New Deal, combined intellectual rigor with social activism, and spent her life fighting for workers' rights and
As a movie or TV show: Parks and Recreation — Earnest, activist-oriented, believes government (institutions) can make the world better, ensemble of strong women supporting each other, combines humor with genuine care for community, and set in a small town where ever
As a US president: Eleanor Roosevelt — Progressive activist, global humanitarian, championed women's rights and social justice, more interested in doing good than looking powerful, transformed the role she inherited, and understood that real change requires b
As a city: Portland, Oregon — Progressive, outdoorsy, earnest about social justice sometimes to the point of self-parody, beautiful natural setting, strong sense of community, attracts people who want to change the world, and smaller than the big-nam
As an element: Nitrogen — Essential for life (amino acids, DNA), abundant in atmosphere but requires fixing to be useful (education activates potential), critical for growth, cycles through ecosystems globally, and enables flourishing when proper
As a car: 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition — A globally-capable, intellectually adventurous wagon that summits mountains and attends UN conferences with equal ease. Mount Holyoke's Seven Sisters pedigree meets hiking boots and climate activism in a vehicle that's a

Campus life

Mount Holyoke offers a vibrant, inclusive community with a focus on global engagement and outdoor activities. Social life is enriched by the Five College Consortium, providing diverse academic and cultural events. The campus has a strong tradition of student activism and leadership.

The film, scored

This profile answers “if Mount Holyoke College were a movie or TV show?” with Parks and Recreation (2009). Earnest, activist-oriented, believes government (institutions) can make the world better, ensemble of strong women supporting each other, combines humor with genuine care for community, and set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and traditions matter. It sits in the 86th percentile on rankquant, which re-centres every critic score on the reviewer who gave it, so a percentile means position against peers rather than a raw star average. The full film & TV catalogue ranks the rest the same way.