Just Say Yes
The Women's Advancement Initiative would like to thank Mims Butterworth for her lifelong commitment to women's education. Her willingness to live fully and embrace challenges inspired The Women’s Advancement Initiative to adopt her “Just Say Yes” philosophy as a core value of its LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program for today’s students. The design of LEAD was inspired by the way students at Hartford College for Women were supported and challenged. In Spring 2018, The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s Dorothy Goodwin Scholar Taylor Ugrinow '18, and videographer Kyle Conti '20, documented the amazing life and legacy of Mims Butterworth. The “Just Say Yes” documentary, created in collaboration with University of Hartford faculty mentor Susan Cardillo, is a remarkable tribute.
Built on the legacy of Hartford College for Women, The Women's Advancement Initiative is a distinctive program at the University of Hartford that uniquely positions women for success through education and leadership programs, research and scholarship opportunities, and career connections and experiences. Learn more.
Lifetime champion of peace, justice, and women's education
Miriam “Mims” Butterworth—historian, educator, activist, parent—was born in Hartford, CT, April 14, 1918. She died in Bloomfield, CT, on July 9, 2019, just a few miles from her childhood home, but traveled the world from Germany in 1938, to the World Conference on Women in China in 1995. She served as chair of the CT Public Utilities Control Authority (PUCA), on the West Hartford Town Council, and was acting president of Hartford College for Women. She authored several books on history and social causes. Her memoir Just Say Yes was originally published in 2005.
In addition to serving as president of Hartford College for Women (HCW) from 1979 to 1980, Butterworth has been actively involved with The Women’s Advancement Initiative. She worked with Dorothy Goodwin Scholars and student/faculty teams to expand her original research on “Beyond Manifest Destiny: U.S. Expansion in the 20th Century” to include the development of updated maps and a teacher’s guide, and helped develop a documentary about her life. Her “Just Say Yes” philosophy is one of the major tenants of The Women's Advancement Initiative's LEAD Program, inspiring today’s female students to “just say yes” to life's challenges and opportunities. In 2018, The Women’s Advancement Initiative enjoyed working with the Butterworth family to plan a celebration in honor of her 100th birthday. This included the planting and dedication of the “Just Say Yes” Tree in the HCW Garden in the center of the University of Hartford Campus.
The Miriam and Oliver Butterworth and Family LEAD Program Endowed Fund celebrates their family's meaningful history with Hartford College for Women and The Women's Advancement Initiative. This generous gift will provide programmatic support to the LEAD program, and to this day, has supported 222 students and counting.
Syndey Lewis '22, Civil Engineering and PsychologyYour generosity has enabled me to grow personally and professionally. I have a supportive network, more self-confidence, and better leadership skills. Thank you for empowering me to share my voice and say yes to opportunities.
To learn more about how you can make a difference for future generations, please contact Alex DeVivo, director of planned giving, or call 860.768.2415.