--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I guess the biggest difference between me…" description: "\"I guess the biggest difference between me and many of today's female graduate students is that a lot of them were raised by mothers with careers, and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/debra-monroe-41367_college_i-guess-the-biggest-difference-between-m_2468272.jpg" --- # I guess the biggest difference between me and many of… ![“I guess the biggest difference between me and many of today's female graduate students is that a lot of them were raised by mothers with careers, and they got college degrees studying with female professors. Both of those factors make the enterprise of educating yourself for a serious profession…” quote by Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/debra-monroe-41367_college_i-guess-the-biggest-difference-between-m_2468272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/debra-monroe-41367_college_i-guess-the-biggest-difference-between-m_2468272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/debra-monroe-41367_college_i-guess-the-biggest-difference-between-m_2468272.jpg) > “I guess the biggest difference between me and many of today's female graduate students is that a lot of them were raised by mothers with careers, and they got college degrees studying with female professors. Both of those factors make the enterprise of educating yourself for a serious profession seem feasible.” [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She highlights how maternal career role models and female professors empower women to pursue serious professions. **In simple terms:** Female role models make advanced careers feel attainable. Key Takeaway Promote mentorship and representation for women. Themes education gender equity mentorship Mood hopeful analytical Type educational advocacy When to use this quote - academic advising - scholarship programs - policy advocacy Key Concepts role modeling institutional support career pathways Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions institutionalize mentorship? - What policies best support women’s career advancement? A Different Perspective Without systemic change, individual role models may have limited impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-degree/) [Educating yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educating-yourself/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Female Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-graduate-730625/) [Female Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-professors-730624/) [Graduate student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-student/) [Graduate students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-students/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Raised Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raised-mothers-730627/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Studying Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studying-female-730626/) ## Related quotes > [There's still sexism in the world, so there's still sexism in publishing and in graduate school. But it is different. Now, it's more coded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/there-s-still-sexism-in-the-world-so-there-s-still-sexism-in/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [I've done everything from working at a local Waffle House to becoming the first female graduate of The Citadel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-ve-done-everything-from-working-at-a-local-waffle-house-to-becoming/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Raised by two mothers...wow, most of us barely survive one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/raised-by-two-mothers-wow-most-of-us-barely-survive-one/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Scoring high in procreation, got an A studying female anatomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/scoring-high-in-procreation-got-an-a-studying-female-anatomy/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [When I became a professor of physics circa 1991, I doubled the number of female professors of physics in the U.K.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-bell-burnell/when-i-became-a-professor-of-physics-circa-1991-i-doubled-the-number/) [Jocelyn Bell Burnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-bell-burnell/) > [I realize now how lucky I was, in the total absence of role models, to have only men to rebel against. Today's women students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-realize-now-how-lucky-i-was-in-the-total-absence-of-role-models-to/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [In 1969, nationwide, female professors who had never been married and never published earned 145% of their counterpart male colleagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/in-1969-nationwide-female-professors-who-had-never-been-married-and/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [“I Philo, educating yourself was something you had to do in spite if school, not because of it -- which is basically why so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-philo-educating-yourself-was-something-you-had-to-do-in-spite-if/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [It's really not about the money. It's just about educating yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-leslie/it-s-really-not-about-the-money-it-s-just-about-educating-yourself/) [Lisa Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-leslie/) > [For a lot of us, awareness is merely realizing the extent to which we've been lied to all our lives. You start educating yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/for-a-lot-of-us-awareness-is-merely-realizing-the-extent-to-which-we/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [“Ideally, what should be said to every child, repeatedly, throughout his or her school life is something like this: 'You are in the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/ideally-what-should-be-said-to-every-child-repeatedly-throughout-his/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I encourage my fans to get involved, whether it's just educating yourself on premature birth, or you can donate or volunteer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-brooke/i-encourage-my-fans-to-get-involved-whether-it-s-just-educating/) [Ally Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-brooke/) > [“Having a college degree does not make you educated. Always learning new things is what makes you educated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/having-a-college-degree-does-not-make-you-educated-always-learning/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [If you feel your rights are being abused by the authorities, and you don't say something, sometimes the cops don't know how far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/if-you-feel-your-rights-are-being-abused-by-the-authorities-and-you/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ## More by Debra Monroe > [Memoirs are going to be problematic sells for a while, though, because even if memoir means "based in memory," right now, in the collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/memoirs-are-going-to-be-problematic-sells-for-a-while-though-because/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [I started writing nonfiction because nonfiction is well-suited to subjects that, if you wrote them as fiction, people would say, "I don't believe this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/i-started-writing-nonfiction-because-nonfiction-is-well-suited-to/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [Historians will look back on this era and how the Internet changed what we value, what we consider art, the way we think, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/historians-will-look-back-on-this-era-and-how-the-internet-changed/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [The advice I give is , "Don't think of your career as a plan or blueprint. Think of it as growing toward the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/the-advice-i-give-is-don-t-think-of-your-career-as-a-plan-or/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [I don't know a lot of writers, even writers who have been on the bestseller list for a few weeks, or writers who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/i-don-t-know-a-lot-of-writers-even-writers-who-have-been-on-the/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [Grading creative writing is always an ethical dilemma. But what you brought up about grading personal stories versus the research paper is of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/grading-creative-writing-is-always-an-ethical-dilemma-but-what-you/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [I know a few women younger than me who have careers and children, and so the burgeoning career and family happen at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/i-know-a-few-women-younger-than-me-who-have-careers-and-children-and/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [Yet one new trend I do like coming from mainstream publishers right now is memoirs tied to research that explores the narrator's dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/yet-one-new-trend-i-do-like-coming-from-mainstream-publishers-right/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [There's still sexism in the world, so there's still sexism in publishing and in graduate school. But it is different. Now, it's more coded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/there-s-still-sexism-in-the-world-so-there-s-still-sexism-in/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) [Explore all 10 Debra Monroe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I guess the biggest difference between me and many of today's female graduate students is that a lot of them were raised by mothers with careers, and they got college degrees studying with female professors. 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