Anyone who is in any way associated with Mary Baldwin College knows that the institution is actually changing its name to Mary Baldwin University come August 31st.

Excitement fills the lives of many who have watched Mary Baldwin evolve into what it is today, but some continue to be on the fence about what exactly a university status means. What lies ahead with such a bold step forward?

To answer that question: a lot. Some things might be scary, but most will be a benefit to not only the university, but the students, faculty, and alumni as well.

1. More Programs

While most of the student population occupies the Mary Baldwin College for Women (MBCW), there is the Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences, the College of Education, Shakespeare and Performance Graduate Program, Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG), and the Baldwin Online and Adult Degree Program.

As MBU continues to expand, so will its programs, and that only benefits the students and the options from which they have to choose.

After all, much of college is choosing the right educational path for your future.

2. Prestige

While everyone who attended MBC knew that the college status was just as good as a university one, sometimes employers, and the rest of the world, are biased in that department.

We know that the main difference between a college and university is how many programs offer graduate degrees. All a university does is really offer more further education. But both offer focused undergraduate programs suitable for the workforce, along with a few graduate programs.

With the idea of universities being bigger and better comes society's misconception that a college doesn't offer just as much. Anyway, the naivety of some is a benefit for us. University here we come!

3. Appeal

Mary Baldwin is small. It's something that many of us love about it. But we need more people to want to come here and stay here for the programs.

With more to do at Mary Baldwin University, more people will be able to maintain their fighting squirrel status, even as their life goals require different programs.

4. Witnessing History

Mary Baldwin has had a few name changes from its original, Augusta Female Seminary in 1842, but none of us were here for them.

With the change to Mary Baldwin University on the 175th anniversary, we all get to experience one of the biggest changes in the institution's history.

Let's not underplay that.

Crista Cabe, Senior Vice President for University Relations at MBU, who also initiated the big change, says that Mary Baldwin has met the criteria for a university for years. The name just hasn't went with it.

So if you're still pretty scared, just think, we've already made it. The name is just a better representation of who we are as fighting squirrels.

Mary Baldwin will always be the place for women to lead the way. They don't call us Boldly Baldwin for nothin'.