When NASA astronauts first walked on the moon in 1969, eight-year-old Pamela Melroy was watching. Very few people who saw the Eagle land have forgotten the sight, but for Pam, the experience was more than awe-inspiring-it changed the course of her life.
For girls who are the bookworm sort - and any true devotee of the often 500-page-plus Potter books probably qualifies as one - Hermione is the kind of heroine who gives flight to their imaginations, who inspires and serves as a role model.
Today more women are attending college than men; many older, nontraditional students are earning degrees while raising families; and financial aid, scholarships, federal loan programs, and changed policies have opened collegiate doors for students of all income levels and cultural backgrounds.