A Century-Old Decision, Revisited in Community and Faith
In February 1926, Bennett College made a decision that was both resolute and quietly radical for its time: it chose to educate women. That choice—clear in purpose and enduring in consequence—has shaped the institution for a century, influencing not only the lives of its students, but the communities they have gone on to lead, serve, and transform.
One hundred years later, Bennett will return to that defining moment with a gathering rooted in reflection, faith, and recommitment.
The Significance of Bennett Chose Me Day
On Sunday evening, February 22, 2026, alumnae, students, neighbors, supporters, and friends of the College are invited to campus for “Bennett Chose Me” Day, a Centennial observance marking Bennett’s legacy as an all-women’s institution. The centerpiece of the evening will be “Still Choosing Women,” an ACES Chapel Service held at 6:30 p.m. in Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel and livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
The service is designed as a sacred pause, with worship, reflection, and presentations that will reaffirm Bennett’s enduring commitment to women’s education—an idea that remains both urgent and aspirational in a changing world. It is an acknowledgment that the decision made in 1926 was not finite, but one that must be renewed by each generation.
For many, the evening will carry personal meaning. Bennett’s influence often lives not only in transcripts and diplomas, but in stories passed through families, in friendships formed across decades, and in the steady confidence of women who learned here that their voices mattered. The service will honor those layers of history—visible and unseen—that continue to shape the College’s identity.
Beyond the chapel, the Centennial observance invites participation from across time and distance through a series of digital initiatives. A tribute wall will allow members of the community to honor individuals—past or present—who have shaped their Bennett experience. Short video reflections will capture why women’s education continues to matter, while a digital time capsule will collect messages for students who will arrive at Bennett a century from now, in 2126.
Together, these moments—both in person and virtual—form a collective record of belief: in women, in education as a force for transformation, and in the responsibility of institutions to hold fast to their purpose.
As Bennett College marks its Centennial as a women’s college, “Bennett Chose Me” Day is less about looking back than about standing firmly in the present. It is a reminder that the choice made in 1926 still echoes—and that choosing women remains an act of vision, courage, and hope.
Learn more and participate at www.Bennett.edu/BennettChoseMe
