Be prepared to shape society
For almost 175 years,
SEM has been a leader in girls’ education. SEM is Western New York’s only non-sectarian all-girls school, founded in 1851, when the definition of the word “seminary” was associated with educational opportunities for women during a growing trend toward women’s equality. Since the school’s inception, SEM’s mission, to prepare a diverse group of young women to be engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it, and ready to live and lead with honor, courage, and confidence, has been demonstrated by thousands of remarkable alumnae.
"I always felt that from the faculty to the administration to my fellow students - everyone wanted me to discover my authentic self and the ways in which I would personally be successful in the world, not based on anyone's metrics but my own."
Jessie Fisher '92
Executive Director, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House
SEM understands that learning
is a lifelong endeavor. The academic environment is designed to encourage students to explore thinking with creativity, flexibility, and curiosity. The faculty are intellectual leaders who mentor and support students in their scholarly pursuits, fulfilling the mission and ensuring that SEM continues to lead as an inclusive, joyful, and innovative community designed for girls.