New Opportunity School for Women Collection

In 1987 the New Opportunity School for Women was founded by Jane Stephenson, wife of former Berea College President John Stephenson.  Jane recognized a chronic problem in the Appalachian region of women needing to be better educated and needing assistance in the search for employment.   The mission statement of the New Opportunity School for Women is “...to improve the educational, financial, and personal circumstances of low-income, middle-aged women in Kentucky and the south central Appalachian region” (http://www.nosw.org).          By the year 2000, over 580 women completed the School's three-week residential program on the Berea College campus. This program is notably successful with 74% of graduates now employed, furthering their educations, or participating in both simultaneously.  Graduates of the New Opportunity School for Women have gone on to seek employment in social work, counseling, education, public relations, business, and healthcare.   (http://www.nosw.org) Outreach workshops for women throughout the region and career and educational guidance for program graduates are a large part of NOSW’s year-round commitment to the women of the region. As such, NOSW offers workshops throughout central and eastern Kentucky in a wide variety of subject areas, such as job search skills, leadership development, returning to school, building self-esteem, journaling, and computer basics. All workshops are offered at no cost to participants.