Susan Tolman Mills

Biography

Susan Tolman Mills (1826–1912) built her life around the belief that young women deserved rigorous education. After co-founding what became Mills College in Oakland, she nurtured generations of students with an emphasis on liberal arts and moral purpose.

Her philanthropy extended beyond the classroom, as she steadfastly supported cultural and charitable institutions in Oakland, leaving a legacy of opportunity and civic generosity that endures in the Bay Area.