Coeducation at Amherst College

Two alumnae wearing the AmHERst t-shirts

AmHERst Alumnae Series

The AmHERst Alumni Series is an annual event that showcases the women of Amherst College. The WGC will host one speaker per year. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Amherst College class to include women, we will host several speakers during the 2016-2017 year.

AmHERst Alumnae Series

Celebrating 40 Years of Women Graduates

Celebrating 40

In 1976, Anita Cilderman, a transfer student from Mount Holyoke College, became the first woman to graduate from Amherst College with a bachelor’s degree. Her class included 8 other women, who were all a part of the 12-College Exchange. This moment was a true milestone in the College’s history, occurring over 100 years after the College began discussing the possibility of coeducation.

The Women's and Gender Center commemerated this anniversary in a variety of ways. First, through two additions to our website: this page on Coeducation and the Women's and Gender Timeline. We also hosted an alumni series during the 2016-2017 academic year to showcase women graduates. 

At Reunion 2016, several events took place to honor our history and highlight women at Amherst College. 

Resources on Coeducation: 

Highlights from Reunion 2016

During Reunion 2016, several events were held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first graduating class to include women. Many of these events were caught on film, we have selected three to share.