My mother tricked my father into sending me to an independent all women's college.

[MLAA]

21. What a smart mother! Whew, she made all the difference for you.

My parents never thought to encourage me to go to college. I would be the first in my family to graduate college on either side. It just didn’t occur to them, I was a girl in the south. Dad encouraged me to be an artist or go into a number of traditional women’s fields. He was not controlling. They did tell my 2 year older brother that he either had to go into the military or college, his choice. I always had the strong feeling that I never wanted to rely on a husband or anyone else to support me so I went to an engineering school. My brother and I both graduated on the same day me in the morning and him in the evening. Both engineering degrees. Dad and mom were very proud and said so many times. Dad later told me he just never imagined the things I chose to do were possible for me but was very proud that I did.