simmons college is led by president helen drinan and simmons has provided financial, operational, andogistical support. helen drinan, the 8th president of simmons college, has used her business and leadership experience to guide the institution to a competitive strength operationally, financially, and academically. simmons college has used her business and leadership experience to guide the institution to a instant competitive strength operationally, financially, and academically. she is a steadfast advocate of women's education as a pathway to success and has used the platform of college president to advance and highlight the importance of women in leadership positions. drynan of helen simmons college. [applause] >> thank you. all of us atfrom simmons college. we are honored to serve as the major academic sponsor for this event. when gloria steinem visited simmons last spring emma she explained to us that anyone who believes in equal rights for both men and women is a feminist. surely the woman we celebrate this evening, angelina only anas not abolitionist, but also an early feminist

pathway to success and has used the platform of college president to advance and highlight president helen drinanf simmons college. [applause] >> thank you. good evening from all of us at simmons college. we are honored to serve as the major academic sponsor for this event. when gloria steinem visited simmons last spring, she explained to us that anyone who believes in equal rights for both men and women is a feminist. surely the woman we celebrate this evening, angelina grimke, was not only an abolitionist, but also an early feminist. i would also like to suggest to that the founder of simmons college, john simmons, a true ally of women of his age, was also a feminist. at the very time in 1838 that angelina grimke was speaking to the massachusetts state legislature against slavery and for a woman's right to vote, only a mile away in the north end, john simmons was actively growing his tailoring business, employing many women here in boston and in the countryside around the city. having observed that most of his customers fell into standard sizes, he departed from custom tailoring and innovated t