The Newsroom of Sweet Briar College

Dr. Christopher Smith
Sweet Briar College
+1 434-381-6240

Sweet Briar College
134 Chapel Rd
Sweet Briar, Virginia, 24596
United States
+1 434-381-6240
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Unleash Your Bold. Sweet Briar College is a private liberal arts and sciences college for women located on a breathtaking 2,800-acre campus in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. With a student-to-faculty ratio 12:1, Sweet Briar provides a personalized and rigorous academic experience that empowers students to lead from the outset. The college’s innovative core curriculum emphasizes women’s leadership, ethical reasoning, sustainability, and career readiness. Students can choose from more than 20+ areas of study, including distinctive programs in engineering (ABET-accredited), business, environmental science, equestrian studies, leadership, and the arts. Sweet Briar’s campus is a living laboratory—with vineyards, riding trails, a greenhouse, and an apiary—offering immersive, hands-on learning. Sustainability is at the heart of the college’s mission, providing women with practical and academic opportunities for engagement in environmental stewardship. Ambitious and curious women thrive here, supported by a tight-knit community committed to their success. Sweet Briar is also profoundly committed to affordability, offering generous merit scholarships and need-based aid. Our roots run deep. With over 12,500 active alumnae, Sweet Briar women support each other fiercely, raising over $160 million in the last decade alone. Students benefit from a robust network, including 15 alumnae mentors for every student. Eighty percent of students engage in research with faculty, and nearly 40 percent study abroad. Behind every Sweet Briar woman is a community that believes in her. Faculty, staff, and alumnae are united in one purpose: to guide and empower students to achieve an education—and a life—on their terms.