A legacy fulfilled

One hundred and fifty years ago, Margaret Boyd stepped onto the Athens campus and into the Ohio University history books as the institution’s first female student.

Much has changed since that day in 1868. For one, the student body is now majority female. Opportunities for all students to learn, develop, and flourish have grown exponentially.

The Margaret Boyd Scholars Program (MBSP) seeks to inspire and encourage undergraduate women to become engaged, confident, and connected leaders at OHIO and beyond. Ohio Women caught up with three members of the program’s inaugural class, now alumnae, to see how it shaped their educational experiences and early careers. Excerpted responses to our questions follow.

As for Margaret Boyd herself? Her diary entry from “Commencement Day” on June 26, 1873, provides some insight into the excitement and anxiousness she felt as she walked across the stage and into the world beyond OHIO. Perhaps her experience was not so different after all:

What have you been up to since graduation?

Sara Sand, BS ’17, CERT ’17 : I spent the first year after graduation living in Konstanz, Germany, and doing research on solar cells in a physics laboratory at the University of Konstanz through a Fulbright Scholarship. This fall, I have started my Ph.D. in material science and engineering at MIT.

Bianca Hillier, BSJ ’17 : Two days after graduation, I moved to NYC and started working at CBS News as a broadcast associate. About seven months later, though, I switched jobs and began working on the digital team at Dateline with NBC News. I am now a digital producer at Dateline, where I write crime stories for NBCNews.com, produce web videos to accompany the broadcast, and manage the Dateline social media channels.

Grace Keyes, BS ’17, CERT ’17 : For the first year after graduation, I lived and worked in Athens as a GIS tech for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The job was a great introduction into my field, and it was an added bonus that I got to stay in Athens after graduating. In March, I moved to Golden, Colorado, and got a job at a private oil and gas company in Denver. I am a GIS and land tech for the company I currently work for. I do mapping and legal work for the company's land department. I have learned SO much and absolutely love my job.

What did the Margaret Boyd Scholars experience mean to you?

Sara: For me, it meant a network of amazing women to support me through my college years and beyond. This support came from my peers in the program but perhaps even more so from the Margaret Boyd [Scholars Advisory] Board, who were wonderful role models for me.

Bianca: The program was not only a key tool in setting me up for career success, but also—and maybe even more so—it was a key tool in preparing me for social success and personal growth. By listening to the women around me, I learned about the woman I am and the woman I want to be.

Grace: It means so much to me. While I was in college, it meant that I had a support system when my dad died. It meant that I had a group of like-minded women who were ambitious and intelligent. Today, it means many of the same things to me as it did before. It really shaped my college career, and I truly believe that I wouldn't be where I am without it.

How have you used the skills you gained through the program in your career?

Sara: I wouldn't say that Margaret Boyd Program taught me specific tangible skills; it didn't teach me to use a new piece of lab equipment. But perhaps more importantly, it provided me with role models and emotional support when there were difficult times. It also taught me about networking, the challenges that women face in academia, and the role that I can play to support other women in academia and particularly in STEM.

Bianca: Mainly, I use the interview skills and career social skills I learned in the MBSP

Grace: I work in a very male-dominated industry, and having the experience I did in the MBSP means that today I'm not intimidated in my day-to-day job. I speak my opinion even when I feel like people might not take me seriously because I’m a young woman. For the most part, I am fearless. I credit a lot of that to the MBSP for being surrounded by women who were not afraid to go after their dreams.

What experience, lesson, or relationship from the program has stuck with you the most?

Sara: Over the summer, I went to the wedding of one of my fellow Boyd Scholars, so I have definitely had some relationships that have stuck with me. Some of the discussions that I had with my fellow Boyd Scholars were also particularly meaningful to me. I particularly remember our discussion with author Izzeldin Abuelaish and biologist Neil Shubin.

Bianca: My first friend in the program was Nora Kornelakis, BBA ’17. She continued to be my friend all throughout college, and we're still friends now, as we only live a few blocks from each other in NYC.

Grace: When we had our bi-weekly seminars with our cohort, I wasn't afraid to speak about the way I felt about what was going on politically in our country. Even though my opinion differed from some people in the cohort, and even though people disagreed with me, I still felt heard and like my opinion mattered.

What would you tell a first-year Margaret Boyd Scholar today?

Sara: Take advantage of as many of the opportunities as you can: Go to events with visiting lecturers, dinners with University administrators, and any other events that you can. Get to know the program's board. They’re amazing people who are wonderful to know on both a professional and personal level.

Bianca: Open your ears. Listen to the women around you. Learn from their experiences.

Grace: SLOW DOWN. Hit the brakes. Take everything in thoughtfully and earnestly. You are not in a rush to graduate from college. Why? Because you will never in your life experience the amazing community that you have while you are in college—through the Boyds and through your personal friend group.