This interview was published in the August edition of Bay Area Business Woman.

Not only is she president of one of America’s oldest and most esteemed women’s colleges, Dr. Janet L. Holmgren also leads women nationwide as the chair of the National Council for Research on Women, based in New York City.

Since 1991, Holmgren has sat at the helm of Mills College in Oakland, consistently ranked as one of the top 75 liberal arts colleges, and one of the top 10 most diverse colleges, in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. She has helped to more than double Mills’ endowment through fundraising and sound investment management.

Holmgren earned a BA in English from (ironically) Oakland University in Michigan and an MA and a PhD in Linguistics from Princeton University, where she later ended up serving as vice provost.

Throughout her career, her teaching and research have been interdisciplinary, and she has taught at every level from pre-college to advanced graduate courses in literature and linguistics. Her publications include numerous articles and two books.

Holmgren was instrumental in organizing the Princeton’s Standing Committee on the Status of Women and is a nationally recognized speaker on women in higher education and the contributions of women’s colleges to women’s education. She also chairs the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

On top of all this, she has managed to raise a family and stay as warm and personable as a “regular” woman!

Most important thing learned

Always treat others with respect and ask for help and advice.

Biggest challenge

Balancing the responsibilities of family and professional life.

Favorite quotation

From Journal of a Solitude, by May Sarton: “One must believe that private dilemmas are, if deeply examined, universal, and so, if expressed, have a human value beyond the private and one must believe in the vehicle for expressing them, the talent.”

Advice to girls and/or women trying to achieve success in your field

Believe in yourself and in your talent and ask for help.

Woman you most admire

Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

When will we elect this nation’s first women President?

In my lifetime, I hope!

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