Sitting on the outskirts of Connecticut's capital city, tucked in the quiet suburbia of West Hartford is a jewel that has been hidden for too long and is striving to be seen. I'm talking about the institution I've called my home for almost four years, the University of Saint Joseph. This University, formerly known as Saint Joseph College, was founded 84 years ago with one purpose in mind, to educate young women. And for the past 84 years Saint Joe's has done more than just educating young women, it has transformed them into strong-willed, proven leaders. Saint Joe's was the home to countless female leaders locally and nationally such as: Antonia Uccello, the first female mayor of Hartford, Jahana Hayes, the 2016 Teacher of the Year, and Sheila Horan, the first female FBI Agent, just to name a few. Saint Joe's students and alumnae pride themselves on the all-women's based education and community they have formed at the institution. So then comes the question I have constantly been asking since the announcement on the first of November that my university was seriously considering co-education: Why are we skipping to a last resort?

For 84 years, the Sisters of Mercy have had a very clear list of core values they developed with the establishment of Saint Joe's, one of them being Commitment to Women, and I cannot help but feel as though welcoming men into our traditional undergraduate school will only weaken this commitment, not "do so even more effectively," as it has been stated. This consideration only goes to reiterate what so many girls and women have been told by society for countless years, an ideal that this University has tried for 84 years to demolish: women can not thrive without men.

I cannot shake the feeling that going co-ed is Saint Joe's giving up. Giving up on current students. Giving up on the tradition and family that has been created. Giving up on our core and roots developed by our founding Sisters. And if I have learned one thing during my time at USJ it is that giving up should NEVER be an option.

I knew I couldn't be the only one feeling this way, so I reached out to those in the Saint Joseph community and asked for their opinion on the matter. Although the feedback seemed to lean more one way than the other, every student had a valid backing for their position. Current student Adriana Kelly has stated, "I chose to go to USJ mostly for the commitment of women," even going on to say, "Our school is currently helping us to go out in the world as strong, powerful, confident women knowing that we are equal and possibly better than a man. So why change?" Alumna Nicole Battistone questions whether the money brought in from male students would go toward continuously bettering the women's experience and even offering a possible solution stating, "I believe we need to work on the USJ presence and vision before we remotely think to bring in another population." Others have no issue welcoming males into our community. Current senior, Lauren Wojsnarowicz, expresses her view on the consideration stating, "I believe we have something special in our programs here at USJ, especially nursing, education and social work. I don't see why we should keep others from the great education so many women have been able to experience for the past 84 years."

And though I agree with Lauren that we have something special here at USJ, I have the nagging feeling that our woman specific culture is the reason for such amazing programs. Having numerous years of forming programs and classrooms designed to help women excel and strive for the best, introducing males may set off balance the university has almost perfected.

Despite my opposition towards the idea, I do know one positive thing that has come out of the co-educational consideration announcement. I now know that the University of Saint Joseph is truly a place where students are welcome to speak what is on their mind to influence change. Students have been welcomed to join the task force that will be conducting research in order to make a final decision on a co-educational undergraduate program. We are not being brushed to the side and overlooked, so I courage all Saint Joseph students to stand up and make your voices heard because THEY'RE LISTENING. Don't let our roots be destroyed.