Lucretia Mott (1801–1880) was a Quaker and the first woman to earn a college degree in the United States. At age 12, she became a member of the Religious Society of Friends. She married at 19 and had four children. In 1828, she attended Oberlin College for women, where she earned a bachelor's degree
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She was also active in Friends conference programs for education and helped establish the first Quaker school. After her husband died, Mott became involved with education efforts, including founding a girls' school and working to improve Quaker institutions. When people asked why she did not teach men, Mott replied: "Neither male nor female can serve two masters." She traveled widely as an advocate for women's rights and abolitionism, establishing schools in several states.