to being an astronaut, because that's one of the hardest things for right yet!"says Hyde, who was recently scouting wedding loca- our girls to figure out, "Hyde explains. Girls then apply the skill- tions with her fiance, Blair Baldwin'o2, Bog. In the course of of-the-week in a hands-on project--using everyday objects such graduating from college, working for a couple years, going back as paper plates and paper towel rolls to build space shuttles, for to graduate school, perhaps starting a company or nonprofit(as ample. Lessons conclude with journal writing, with prompts she has done), and having a family, the question her cohort asks like, "What are two ways that you'll use your critical thinking is, "How am I going to fit in all of these great things that I want skills this week? "SWSG also teaches coping skills(from healthy to do?" eating and exercise to stress management), and partners with Alpha girls want to do everything--have successful careers and sports-focused nonprofits to provide girls with a holistic experi- marriage and children, in sequence or combination. How will ence. During the last six weeks of the school year, the girls and they handle the realities of the workplace and the tough choices their mentors create a service project for their community. their own mothers faced? "It won't be quite as easy as it was for The volunteers, who serve as role models themselves, are a key them in high school and college, "says Dan Kindlon. "They'll get element of the Strong Women, Strong Girls program. These slapped around a little when they get out into the world, " he smart,successful young women from various backgrounds intro- thinks, "but theyre ready for the challenge. "And as Hyde points duce their inner-city students to diverse cultures, ideas, and ca- out, "Some of the structural challenges around balancing work reer paths. "The girls may see a woman who's an English major, and family-maternity- and paternity-leave policies, women's ome of the structural challenges around balancing work and family--maternity and paternity-leave policies, women's wages, and on-ramp/off-ramp opportunities in the workforce--have not caught up quite as fast as women's own belief in themselves and in their capacities who's really passionate about writing and poetry and literature, wages, and on-ramp/off-ramp opportunities in the workforce- working with a woman who's a physics major, who's really pas- have not caught up quite as fast as women,'s own belief in them sionate about science and electronics, "says Hyde. "They look up selves and in their capacities to both women, who are doing very different things with very In Kindlon's research, he found that financial success was a different interests and passion ollege be- top priority for nearly all the alpha girls surveyed, and that al- Many of these girls know few people who,ve gone to college be- most a third were determined to get rich. But they will en- sides their mentors, notes Hyde, but"they start to feel, ' Gosh, counter a persistent wage gap: in the United States, for each dol ollege is something that I could do. "To encourage this lar earned by white men, women overall still earn only 77 cents ense of familiarity, SWSG includes campus field trips. "We have and African-American and Hispanic women earn even less,64 some girls who now have been to Harvard three years in a row, and cents and 52 cents, respectively. A recent AAUW study found they really feel that it's a place that holds possibility for them to be that even though women earn higher grades than men, this supe- there. That's a tremendous change, to go from saying, I don't rior academic performance doesn't translate into higher-or Harvard campus and saying, "I feel like I belong here. I know percent of the salaries of their male peer, t ge, women make 8o know anybody who's ever go one to college to walking onto the even equal--compensation A year after coll rs later, the gap where I'm going, and this is a place that feels comfortable for me. widens The program works. Most parents feel their daughters have But alphas are starting to reverse the wage gap learned new skills(94 percent), increased their self-esteem( 88 time in large cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago. Accord percent), and strengthened their belief in themselves as a leader ing to Queens College sociologist Andrew Beveridge, women b (So percent). The mentors also benefit: nearly g5 percent report tween the ages of 21 to 3o working full time had median incomes greater self-confidence and empowerment. At many SWSG part- as much as 17 percent higher than their male peers-because 53 ner colleges, there are waiting lists of volunteers percent of the women had college degrees compared to 38 per- Strong Women, Strong Girls is helping distribute the benefits cent of the men. "There are going to be more living college-edu of feminism, yet the young women who volunteer often"come to cated women in this country in about five to 1o years than col- the work with less of a politically oriented agenda and much lege-educated men Historically, that,'s unprecedented, "notes more of a service-oriented agenda, "reports Hyde. Volunteers fre- Kindlon "Were going to see some really interesting changes in quently tell her, "I had positive experiences as a young woman, the next 2o or 3o years and I believe that it is incumbent on me to help other young Women's educational advantage will influence work, marria women also have positive experiences. "As a result, more inner- and family in unexpected ways. African-American women now city girls are breaking out of gender stereotypes and gaining the earn B A s at almost twice the rate of black males, for example, "emancipated confidence"of alpha psychology to expand their which is contributing to huge declines in their marriage rates, ducational and career opportunities. note Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz. Although marriage among educated whites is occurring later and more permanently Having It all2 many educated black women dont just delay marriage, they don' "THE MYTH OF HAVING IT ALL, and having it all at once, is what marry at all. With potential black male partners facing jobless my generation is working to figure out-and we haven't gotten it rates of up to so percent for high-school graduates and up to72 HARVARD MAGAZINE 39 Reprinted from Ha arvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746Harvard Magazine 39 to being an astronaut, because that’s one of the hardest things for our girls to figure out,” Hyde explains. Girls then apply the skill￾of-the-week in a hands-on project—using everyday objects such as paper plates and paper towel rolls to build space shuttles, for example. Lessons conclude with journal writing, with prompts like, “What are two ways that you’ll use your critical thinking skills this week?” SWSG also teaches coping skills (from healthy eating and exercise to stress management), and partners with sports-focused nonprofits to provide girls with a holistic experi￾ence. During the last six weeks of the school year, the girls and their mentors create a service project for their community. The volunteers, who serve as role models themselves, are a key element of the Strong Women, Strong Girls program. These smart, successful young women from various backgrounds intro￾duce their inner-city students to diverse cultures, ideas, and ca￾reer paths. “The girls may see a woman who’s an English major, who’s really passionate about writing and poetry and literature, working with a woman who’s a physics major, who’s really pas￾sionate about science and electronics,” says Hyde. “They look up to both women, who are doing very di≠erent things with very di≠erent interests and passions.” Many of these girls know few people who’ve gone to college be￾sides their mentors, notes Hyde, but “they start to feel, ‘Gosh, maybe college is something that I could do.’” To encourage this sense of familiarity, SWSG includes campus field trips. “We have some girls who now have been to Harvard three years in a row, and they really feel that it’s a place that holds possibility for them to be there. That’s a tremendous change, to go from saying, ‘I don’t know anybody who’s ever gone to college’ to walking onto the Harvard campus and saying, ‘I feel like I belong here. I know where I’m going, and this is a place that feels comfortable for me.’” The program works. Most parents feel their daughters have learned new skills (94 percent), increased their self-esteem (88 percent), and strengthened their belief in themselves as a leader (80 percent). The mentors also benefit: nearly 95 percent report greater self-confidence and empowerment. At many SWSG part￾ner colleges, there are waiting lists of volunteers. Strong Women, Strong Girls is helping distribute the benefits of feminism, yet the young women who volunteer often “come to the work with less of a politically oriented agenda and much more of a service-oriented agenda,” reports Hyde. Volunteers fre￾quently tell her, “I had positive experiences as a young woman, and I believe that it is incumbent on me to help other young women also have positive experiences.” As a result, more inner￾city girls are breaking out of gender stereotypes and gaining the “emancipated confidence” of alpha psychology to expand their educational and career opportunities. Having It All? “The myth of having it all, and having it all at once, is what my generation is working to figure out—and we haven’t gotten it right yet!” says Hyde, who was recently scouting wedding loca￾tions with her fiancé, Blair Baldwin ’02, B ’09. In the course of graduating from college, working for a couple years, going back to graduate school, perhaps starting a company or nonprofit (as she has done), and having a family, the question her cohort asks is, “How am I going to fit in all of these great things that I want to do?” Alpha girls want to do everything—have successful careers and marriage and children, in sequence or combination. How will they handle the realities of the workplace and the tough choices their own mothers faced? “It won’t be quite as easy as it was for them in high school and college,” says Dan Kindlon. “They’ll get slapped around a little when they get out into the world,” he thinks, “but they’re ready for the challenge.” And as Hyde points out, “Some of the structural challenges around balancing work and family—maternity- and paternity-leave policies, women’s wages, and on-ramp/o≠-ramp opportunities in the workforce— have not caught up quite as fast as women’s own belief in them￾selves and in their capacities.” In Kindlon’s research, he found that financial success was a top priority for nearly all the alpha girls surveyed, and that al￾most a third were determined to get rich. But they will en￾counter a persistent wage gap: in the United States, for each dol￾lar earned by white men, women overall still earn only 77 cents, and African-American and Hispanic women earn even less, 64 cents and 52 cents, respectively. A recent AAUW study found that even though women earn higher grades than men, this supe￾rior academic performance doesn’t translate into higher—or even equal—compensation. A year after college, women make 80 percent of the salaries of their male peers; 10 years later, the gap widens. But alphas are starting to reverse the wage gap for the first time in large cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago. Accord￾ing to Queens College sociologist Andrew Beveridge, women be￾tween the ages of 21 to 30 working full time had median incomes as much as 17 percent higher than their male peers—because 53 percent of the women had college degrees compared to 38 per￾cent of the men. “There are going to be more living college-edu￾cated women in this country in about five to 10 years than col￾lege-educated men. Historically, that’s unprecedented,” notes Kindlon. “We’re going to see some really interesting changes in the next 20 or 30 years.” Women’s educational advantage will influence work, marriage, and family in unexpected ways. African-American women now earn B.A.s at almost twice the rate of black males, for example, which is contributing to huge declines in their marriage rates, note Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz. Although marriage among educated whites is occurring later and more permanently, many educated black women don’t just delay marriage, they don’t marry at all. With potential black male partners facing jobless rates of up to 50 percent for high-school graduates and up to 72 ome of the structural challenges around balancing work and family—maternity￾and paternity-leave policies, women’s wages, and on-ramp/off-ramp opportunities in the workforce—have not caught up quite as fast as women’s own belief in “Sthemselves and in their capacities