HIDDEN AGNES Buzzing life thrives on top of the Mary Brown Bullock Science Center.
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BEING RED ON A PURPLE CAMPUS The college explores political diversity and conservatism on campus.
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GRACE ON A MISSION An alumna’s fight against House Bill 51
STORIES FROM THE WOMEN’S MARCHES Scotties share personal stories of participating in the historic marches.
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volume 93, number 1 Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing: Danita Knight Editor: Nicholyn Hutchinson Contributing Writers: Jim Abbot, Sara Baxter, Monica Gayles Dorsey, Arden Howell, Stacey Jones, Echo Montgomery Garrett and Chuck Toney Class News Editor: Lindsey Walsworth ’05 Designers: Steve Parker and Lee Thompson Illustrator: Nicolette Morgan ’03 Photographers: Edward Crim, Rob Felt, Robert Hill, Tom Meyer and Jerry Mucklow, unless otherwise noted Creative Services: Julia Lutgendorf ’04 Printer: ProGraphics Communications, Inc., Sandy Schoonover, Senior Account Representative Mission: Agnes Scott College educates women to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times. © 2017 Agnes Scott College. Published for alumnae and friends twice a year by the Office of Communications and Marketing, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030-3770 The content of the magazine reflects the opinions of the writers and not the viewpoint of the college, its trustees or the administration. Change of address: By mail to Office of Advancement Services, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030; by telephone, 404.471.6472; or by email to alumnae@agnesscott.edu. Email: info@agnesscott.edu Website: agnesscott.edu At right: Haley Keesler ’20 in Churchill, a town in Manitoba, Canada, during a blizzard on a SUMMIT Global Journeys immersion experience. Photo by Maya Webster ’20
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Main News Agnes Scott launches its presidential search, unveils a portrait honoring a former Board of Trustees chair, explores sustainable food production in the inaugural Team Global Challenge, and provides educational and research opportunities with its arboretum.
8 Faculty Focus A professor gets creative with digital tools in the classroom, while another examines how immigration and cultural attitudes about wealth shape neighborhoods.
10 Hidden Agnes The Busy Bees of Bullock
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Being Red on a Purple Campus The college explores the issue of political diversity and what it means to be conservative at Agnes Scott.
Grace on a Mission An alumna courageously leads the charge to defeat a proposed bill that will take away rights of campus sexual assault survivors.
20 Stories From the Women’s Marches Scotties share personal stories of participating in the historic Women’s Marches on Washington and Atlanta.
24 A Home Away From Home Two Scotties give a special inside look at their residence hall room.
26 Connecting Academic Success to Career Futures The SUMMIT Career Mentor Program provides diverse opportunities for students and alumnae to connect.
28 SUMMIT Career Ally and Mentee Profiles Ashley Brady ’04 and Mishaal Khan ’17 discuss their inspiring experience participating in the SUMMIT Career Mentor Program.
30 Recent Alumnae Publications See a selection of must-reads for summer.
36 The Natural Culmination of a Lifetime of Dedication and Service A new professorship honors Linda Lentz Hubert ’62 and her extraordinary and distinguished career in teaching.
38 Outstanding Alumnae 2017
42 Alumnae Weekend Photo Gallery Relive the fun of this year’s Alumnae Weekend through photos capturing some of the special and unforgettable moments.
44 Alumnae News
46 Class Notes
32 Giving Highlights The Greatness Before Us campaign makes history. Agnes Scott community members share stories of the campaign’s impact.
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Lifting Up Our Voices Engaging the intellectual and social challenges of our times has never been a more important charge or worthy pursuit. And for better or worse, opportunities to do so abound. We live during a time when thoughtfully expressing our views, listening to opposing positions and engaging in a respectful, if intense, exchange of ideas is needed more than perhaps at any other time in recent history. Quite simply, now is not the time to keep our thoughts to ourselves or let the momentary comfort of neutrality hamper our inclination to take action. The stakes are too high, the cost of silence too great. Denying the need to speak up, failing to educate ourselves about the issues, and indulging in silence and nonanswers—these are not hallmarks of those striving to think deeply. Waiting for others to begin the charge and searching for the safety of inconsequential conversations—these are not characteristics of those seeking to live honorably. However, earnest engagement with the issues, particularly when it is not easy or expedient—these are the actions of individuals engaging the intellectual and social challenges of our times. As graduates of Agnes Scott College, lifting our voices is our responsibility, whether we like it or not, whether we know it or not. And we are well-equipped to do so. We are the products of long nights in the library, spirited debates in the residence halls and thoughtful engagement in the classroom. Moreover, we are members of a community that struggled to find the right response to desegregation in the 1960s, an institution that made a point to welcome undocumented students during a time of national hostility toward immigrants and a college that has made clear its commitment to gender inclusion. We know well the difficulty of grappling with divisive issues and the pain that comes from neglecting our responsibility to stand up for what is right and consequently ending up on the wrong side of history. And just as the college has come to realize its role as a change agent, so must we embrace our responsibility to speak out.
We have not been educated simply to enrich ourselves, look out for our own interests and play it safe. We are to identify and root out injustice, do our part to alleviate suffering, lift up the voices of the disenfranchised and address the issues that threaten the humanity and freedom of all. We are motivated to engage in tough conversations about political and social issues alike—rising sea levels and rapidly dwindling species, global security and pandemic diseases, nuclear proliferation and biological warfare, human rights and refugee resettlement, growing famines and ethnic conflict, federal budget decisions that impact our local libraries and ability to offer foreign aid, and gun control and freedom of speech. The issues we care about and the ways in which we choose to lift our voices and take action are as varied as the individuals who have graduated from our beloved college. And thus the ways in which we speak out present themselves in a myriad of ways: It is introducing a new point of view in a one-sided discussion; it is refraining from laughing at a racist, sexist or homophobic joke; it is challenging the status quo; and yes, it is lifting up your voice. But more than anything else, it is a genuine attempt to make a meaningful contribution—to not sit in silence but to stand up for what is right, even when it is daunting or disadvantageous to do so. Because if we are scared of speaking up or taking bold action because it is what the young do, it is what the radicals do or it is what the bleeding hearts do, well then, what do well-educated, thoughtful individuals do? Remain silent and sit idly by? I submit we all know the answer. As alumnae, we all have the capacity to understand the importance of lifting our voices now; and better yet, the ability to make meaningful contributions to the consequential conversations of our day.
Lauren Gaia ’13 currently serves as special assistant to Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of CARE USA. Gaia previously worked with Michelle Nunn on her United States Senate campaign and with Colleen Nunn as her specialassistant. A flower enthusiast, Gaia has launched an entrepreneurial endeavor farming heirloom blooms in middle Georgia.
main news Agnes Scott College Launches Presidential Search President Elizabeth Kiss announced in May that she will conclude her service to the college at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year. Agnes Scott is a better place today because of her extraordinary vision and unwavering commitment to the college’s mission of educating women to be strong leaders in a global society. As the college’s eighth president, President Kiss has made a significant impact on Agnes Scott and has built a legacy of notable achievements. Her innovative leadership has not only contributed to the implementation of SUMMIT but also to other lasting initiatives, including enrollment growth; new interdisciplinary majors and minors; sustainability; and diversity, inclusion and a living wage. She has strengthened this college’s infrastructure, raising $115.9 million in The Greatness Before Us campaign, completing construction of the Julia Thompson Smith Chapel and renovating the Alumnae House, Campbell Hall and now Rebekah Scott Hall.
With the board’s approval, the college has retained the highly regarded national executive search firm Witt/Kieffer to guide Agnes Scott through an effective search process. Trustees Deborah Harris Painter ’75 and Elizabeth H. Noe ’86 have agreed to co-chair the search committee. “Agnes Scott College has grown tremendously because of Elizabeth Kiss’ extraordinary leadership,” said Agnes Scott Board Chair Elizabeth Daniel Holder ’82. “Because of her success, we are wellpositioned to find a president who can continue to carry the college forward with the same unwavering passion and dedication to our mission as President Kiss.” More details about the presidential search can be found online at agnesscott.edu/presidentialsearch. You are invited to send your thoughts about the presidential search to presidentialsearch@agnesscott.edu or to ASCPresident@wittkieffer.com. Join us in celebrating President Kiss’ legacy by sharing your stories and photos of her from over the years on social media with the hashtag #AKissGoodbye.
Agnes Scott Honors Clyde C. Tuggle With Portrait In keeping with Agnes Scott College’s long-standing tradition of honoring past Board of Trustees chairs, the college commissioned a portrait of Clyde C. Tuggle at the time he stepped down. Tuggle served as a trustee of Agnes Scott from 2004 to 2016, chairing the board for seven years. Made possible by an anonymous donor, the portrait was unveiled during Founder’s Day Convocation, at which Tuggle was this year’s speaker, participating in a conversation on the topic of innovative leadership in a global society. Following a 28-year career with The CocaCola Company, Tuggle recently retired from the position of senior vice president and chief public affairs and communications officer. From left to right: Former Board Chair Clyde C.Tuggle; Tuggle’s oil portrait was painted by award-winning Tuggle’s wife, Mary Streett; Board Chair Elizabeth Daniel Texas artist James E. Tennison and currently hangs in Holder ’82; and President Elizabeth Kiss. the Nelle Martin Tuggle Entryway in Campbell Hall. “Clyde provided incredible board leadership during an important, transformational time at the college, and for me personally, he continues to be my role model and friend,” says Elizabeth Daniel Holder ’82, who succeeded Tuggle as board chair. “We are excited to honor Clyde,” says President Elizabeth Kiss. “From navigating the recession to launching SUMMIT, he has provided strategic leadership and has been a passionate and dedicated supporter of the college.”
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Team Global Challenge Takes on Green Cuisine
Back row, from left to right: Regine O. Jackson, associate professor of sociology; Barrett Smith, Global Growers Network; Tom E.Will, Kathy ’68 and Lawrence Ashe Associate Professor of Business Management;Tania Herbert, director of The Paideia School’s Urban Agriculture Program; John Pilger, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology; and Kitti Smith Murray ’78, founder of Refugee Coffee Co. Front row, from left to right: Students Julia Henning ’19, Frances Feng ’19 and Namkha Norbu ’19.
How we grow and receive our food has gotten greater attention recently, not just from foodies but from the environmentally concerned as well. Agnes Scott College’s Team Global Challenge asked students to consider the true “cost” of the food we eat and how the campus might contribute to global change at a local level. In the new program’s inaugural year, the theme was “Sustainable Food Production.” Part of the college’s Peak Week, Team Global Challenge is a co-curricular element of SUMMIT. The annual topic builds on themes introduced throughout the academic year. Subsequent years will offer different subjects on which students will deliberate. The Team Global Challenge student teams consist of sophomores and are interdisciplinary in nature, including STEM, social sciences, and arts and humanities majors. During Peak Week,Team Global Challenge participants toured the Gaia Gardens, a certified organic urban farm located in the East Lake Commons.
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“By working in interdisciplinary teams, students practice skills such as articulating and appraising problems and solutions from multiple perspectives, critically considering diverse sources of information, and employing effective teamwork,” says Regine O. Jackson, associate professor of sociology, who coordinated Team Global Challenge for the spring 2017 Peak Week. The students’ challenge this year was to present a creative and viable program that augmented or built on the college’s existing sustainable food practices. Two faculty and three community members judged their efforts. Over the course of the week, they consulted with faculty, area experts and leaders during specially designed Team Global Challenge Peak Week sessions centered on the topic. Sessions included Meet the Farmer: Oxford University Organic Farm Tour, Brown Bag Lecture: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Food Justice” and Meet the Farmer: Gaia Gardens. “What was interesting to me was the tension between students’ capacity to understand and articulate the complexity of the problem on the one hand and on the other hand their ability to generate actionable ideas,” says faculty judge Tom E. Will, Kathy ’68 and Lawrence Ashe Associate Professor of Business Management. “Complexity seemed to paralyze action, and that may tell us something about the depth of the challenge with which the students wrestled.” “I appreciated the diversity of solutions proposed by the students and the rigor of their preparation in light of the previously limited exposure to these issues of some students,” says community judge Barrett Smith, director of programs for Global Growers Network, a nonprofit that works with U.S. refugees and immigrants to support their efforts to grow healthy, sustainable food. The winning team of the challenge, Frances Feng ’19, Julia Henning ’19 and Namkha Norbu ’19, who called themselves the “Green Cuisine Queens,” presented a three-part solution consisting of a greenhouse herb garden for use in the dining hall, a water reclamation program and a “vermicomposting” program, which uses worms to break down food waste and consume shredded paper and cardboard.
Nature as Teacher Sometimes inspiration is right under your nose, or in the case of Jim Abbot, right outside your window. In 2006, Abbot, a former visiting scholar and adjunct professor of classics at Agnes Scott College, was teaching in a program that has since become SUMMIT’s Foundational Skills Seminar. Ready for a change in his syllabus, Abbot determinedly sought a new topic for the course. “It finally occurred to me that my new topic was just outside my window,” remembers Abbot, who is now retired from classroom teaching. “Agnes Scott’s campus is one of the country’s loveliest, and in significant part, that’s because of its trees. Suppose, for example, I required students to study Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is set in an enchanted forest. We could walk outside into an enchantingly beautiful forest on our very own campus.” For the next several years, Abbot incorporated the campus trees in his course, drawing on knowledge he gleaned from his volunteer work with Trees Atlanta. When in 2010, Susan Kidd ’78 M.A.T. ’07, executive director of the Center for Sustainability, and her then-intern Kimberly Reeves ’12, began contemplating an update to the campus tree walk, they brainstormed ideas with him. One exciting idea stood out to them. Kidd, along with Reeves—who was Agnes Scott’s first student to declare a minor in environmental and sustainability studies, quickly partnered with Abbot on a project that would bring the arboretum to engaging, interactive life. The outcome of their collaborative efforts is the awardwinning, nationally certified Agnes Scott Arboretum, which features a self-guided tour encompassing 18 sites on the college’s 100-acre campus. Each site is marked with a plaque and a quick response (QR) code that visitors can scan to access an online map showing
A stately pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) located near Rebekah Scott Hall’s porch offers shade and beauty.
their location on campus and other sites. For each tour topic, visitors have the option of reading a lesson or listening to a recording. The arboretum has served to educate the campus community and its visitors about the very same liberal arts disciplines that Agnes Scott students study in their classrooms, such as the psychological effects of trees on humans. The effort to create the arboretum has paid off in ways that the college could not have anticipated back in 2006. Five years ago, for example, Agnes Scott earned the distinction of being admitted to the Arbor Day Foundation’s prestigious Tree Campus USA network. In 2015, the arboretum’s innovative approach garnered the Georgia Urban Forestry Council’s education award for the state. More recently, the Arboretum Advisory Committee worked closely with the U.S. Forest Service on an innovative effort to create
tools for auditing the tree management practices of a university, city or corporate campus. The pilot of that audit is guiding Agnes Scott in revising the ways in which it stewards one of its key assets—its green, beautiful campus. As Kidd says, “In Atlanta today trees are at risk from age, disease, weather and development. The arboretum highlights the college’s success at being a good steward, and it sparks a deeper conversation about history, art and culture.” To learn more, visit arboretum. agnesscott.edu. To support the Agnes Scott Arboretum, visit the arboretum website and click on the “Give to the Arboretum” button. On the Giving page, click on “Other” and fill in “Arboretum.” You may also contact Elizabeth K. Wilson, associate vice president for development, at 404.471.6041 or ewilson@agnesscott.edu to discuss your interest in supporting the Agnes Scott Arboretum.
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faculty focus Creative Writing in a Digital Space Teaching creative writing to students can force you to be, well, creative. When a colleague from another institution told Alan Grostephan that he had his students use a blog to exchange ideas and publish their work and how it ended up being a course highlight, Grostephan thought it might be a technique he could use too. When he mentioned to Nell Ruby, Kathy ’68 and Lawrence Ashe Professor of Art, that he was thinking about using the idea in his fall 2015 creative writing classes, “she encouraged me a lot,” the assistant professor of English says. “She said even if I was unsure of how to use the technology, the only way to learn was to try it out. She was right.” Several semesters later, the assignment still works, he says, even if you are not an expert. It is an idea that he tried to impart to the Agnes Scott faculty who attended the digital workshop “Reimagining Your Domain Space as a Pedagogical Tool: An Online Literary Journal Project,” which he led this past fall. “I think most of my colleagues are using the digital realm in various ways,” Grostephan says. “Some of them, myself included, have struggled to learn the technology. My advice is just take the risk and go for it.” Alan Grostephan, assistant professor of English, and Anastasia Rogers ’18 view a digital journal that creative writing students have contributed to at Agnes Scott College.
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He shared with participants the outline he provides to his students to launch their digital journal. His goal is to get students to understand not only the logistics of publishing but also how to submit their work to outside journals. He includes in the outline instructions for how to submit a cover letter. To create their digital journal, Grostephan’s students polish their writing, submit it to editors for revision, decide on a publication theme, and supervise the design and artwork. He emphasizes to students that a key benefit of the digital space is how it expands the reach of their audience. “If they’re just turning it in to me for a grade, then they’re only being read by me, and the writing kind of ends there,” he explains. “Whereas, if it goes online, it’s out in the world and available.” “The response from students is overwhelmingly positive. They begin to take themselves seriously as writers. They write about race, the body and where they are from. They experiment with form. One student’s essay about Islamophobia got shared multiple times on the internet, and this meant the whole journal for that class found a larger readership.” Titles of journals students have contributed to include Study of the Body, Unapologetically Human and Hands Full of Chaos. Grostephan has been teaching students writing since he lived in Bogotá, Colombia, after his college graduation from the University of Wisconsin. “My students [there] were obviously struggling in so many areas of their lives, but in writing poems or telling stories or acting, there was a huge escape,” he says. “I think it was a space where their lives felt meaningful, when in other areas, in a very violent place, with huge deprivation, their lives didn’t have meaning.” He collected some of their work in a book, Stories of Life and Death, for which he served as editor and translator. He wrote a second book, the novel Bogotá, while earning his MFA at the University of California, Irvine. Whether it is for online or print publication, Grostephan works to make the act of writing less daunting for his students. In Colombia, it was as easy as buying $10 worth of pens and notebooks. At Agnes Scott, he urges students to let go of preconceived notions of what a writer is and does. “Writing is something anyone can do. You don’t need to be wearing a certain outfit or have a certain degree or be of a certain privileged class to do it,” he says. “You just have to sit down and write.”
Ethnic Roots, Race and Money Matters How Immigration and Different Cultures’ Attitudes About Wealth Shape Neighborhoods
Growing up in Boston in the 1970s as the daughter of Haitian immigrants, Regine O. Jackson became intrigued by the city’s neighborhoods and the different racial groups that she saw around her. “It was during the busing crisis,” she says, “and our neighborhood and the city’s schools were changing dramatically.” Her curiosity led her to devote her career to researching immigrant communities. Jackson, associate professor of sociology, is a migration scholar who researches and teaches about American immigration, the Haitian diaspora, and Caribbean and African immigrants in the U.S. Her book on various Haitian immigrant communities, Geographies of the Haitian Diaspora, was published in 2011. She recently contributed to a groundbreaking and myth-busting study called NASCC that is part of a multimetropolitan effort—focusing on Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Tulsa and Washington, D.C.—to examine communities of color, their wealth positions, employment and education behaviors. “It was a collaborative effort,” says Jackson, whose focus was her hometown. “The idea was to examine wealth disparity and disaggregate these large groups. Studying the experiences of blacks and whites isn’t enough. We wanted to break down those racial categories. African immigrants and Caribbean immigrants behave differently from African-Americans. Hispanics and Asians have broad differences depending on where they came from. When you break down these racial categories, the story changes.” Another factor that came into play as the research teams worked to better understand the disparities in wealth was geography. “The housing market in Los Angeles is very different than in Boston or Washington, D.C.,” she says. And there are different kinds of “place-based” opportunities and obstacles that matter when we talk about wealth. In Boston, notes Jackson, the traditionally held black/white narrative assumes that the city’s black population (about 25 percent of Boston’s citizens) are native-born and descended from slaves. However, close to 50 percent of African-Americans in Boston are foreign-born, and one in four people in its black population traces their ancestry out of the Caribbean.
“The largest group is from Haiti,” says the professor. “There is also a large Cape Verdean population. In Boston, the largest Hispanic groups are Puerto Rican and Dominican.” One of the papers that came out of the collaboration was “Financial Insecurity Among Middle-Class Blacks in Boston.” “One of the things that was surprising in Boston households of color is that they reported fewer intergenerational transfers of wealth, but at the same time, they provided more financial assistance to their families and relatives,” observes Jackson. “It makes sense, because although they are not all starting from scratch, for the most part they don’t have the American assets such as homeownership and businesses that make up generational wealth in the U.S.” The paper also suggests that middle-class blacks still worried about the future and felt like their financial positions were much more tied to how their extended family was doing. They defined wealth as money you don’t have to work for, and when they looked at assets and debt, they felt in a much more precarious position. Says Jackson, “These sorts of studies are important because they help us think more critically about inequality and provide a much more nuanced portrait of people’s economic experiences.” Next up for Jackson is exploring issues of race, place and spatial inequality in Atlanta, which has been her home for the past 14 years. “Atlanta has always been positioned as a highly tolerant city and as a black mecca where there is a strong African-American middle class and blacks have positions of power and influence and economic wealth,” says Jackson. “But I’ve seen tremendous changes in neighborhoods since I’ve lived here. I live in the East Lake neighborhood in Atlanta, and I see a lot of the older African-American population being pushed out and priced out of these markets.” Jackson, whose current work is focused on black communities in the New South, sees a lot of opportunities to study the diverse neighborhoods that comprise metro Atlanta. “We have international migration as well as internal migration and a lot of transplants,” she says. “It’s complicated. Like Boston, it’s a great place to study what’s happening in American cities.”
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The Busy Bees of Bullock
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Tucked on the rooftop of the Mary Brown Bullock Science Center, thousands of workers busy themselves tidying up the home offices, “shopping” for food, preparing meals, and tending to the needs and wants of the boss. These buzzing home offices are two honeybee hives managed by faculty members Douglas Fantz and John Pilger. They estimate some 40,000 to 60,000 bees reside in the small towers, which resemble vertical dollhouses. “Usually there are two big boxes that the bees use for their own purposes—to make new bees and to store pollen or nectar,” says Fantz, associate professor of chemistry. “You put the smaller boxes on top, and that’s there for them to store extra honey, and that’s what we harvest.” “Bees are very interesting because of their social behavior and the fact that they are so significant and important to our food supply,” says Pilger, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology. “They say that about a third of whatever we eat is available because of bee pollination.” In fact, that was the motivation for starting the hives, which are now about two years old. With global bee populations waning, it’s important to encourage the success of colonies—and limit the pesticide use that has contributed to their decline. During this year’s Peak Week, the professors team-taught a group of students who learned about the biology of bees and suited up to practice beekeeping.
“The students took apart the hives and looked at the frames, trying to find eggs, pollen and baby bees,” says Fantz. They took the frames downstairs, spun honey from them and then bottled it. They also used beeswax from the hives to make lip balm. Pilger showed a sample of the amber-colored beeswax, which resembled a hockey puck. A student group, the Bee Society, assists Pilger and Fantz with the hives. They hope to eventually turn Agnes Scott into a bee-certified campus. Bee-certified campuses must grow a pollinator garden, limit the use of pesticides and host annual awareness events, in addition to meeting other requirements. When the students are not on campus, Fantz and Pilger harvest the honey in the summer— the bees’ busiest season. Honey gleaned in the spring tends to be a lighter color and sweeter, they say, and the summer’s crop tends toward a deeper color. They have branded the Agnes Scott honey “Sweet Agnes.” The yields of the bees’ labor are hard-earned. It takes thousands of trips to the flowers and back to the hive for a bee to create a teaspoon of honey. “We might collect 50 pounds of honey in one of those big buckets, and that’s not a huge harvest compared to some hives,” Pilger says. The busy bees on the Mary Brown Bullock Science Center’s rooftop might just need to up their output.
On previous page: Douglas Fantz, associate professor of chemistry, inspects honeybee hives with students during the Introduction to Honeybees and Beekeeping Peak Week session. On this page: In the Bullock Science Center’s greenhouse, John Pilger,William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology, teaches students how to extract honey.
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Being Re on a Purple Campus How Diverse Is Agnes Scott When It Comes to Politics? By Echo Montgomery Garrett On a campus that prides itself on its commitment to diversity and inclusion, some forms of diversity more than others challenge the status quo. Students at Agnes Scott predominantly identify as liberal or progressive, and conservative views are in the minority. In recent years, administrators and faculty have made attempts to reach out to and express support for conservative students, including hosting a session on “Being Red on a Purple Campus” in the run-up to the election. But in the aftermath of one of the most polarizing presidential elections in U.S. history, questions about the college’s climate for political diversity have taken on new visibility and urgency. When Donald Trump was elected president, the celebrations began across the country, as did the protests. The post-election mood on Agnes Scott College’s campus was somber at first. But the mood shifted as many Scotties began to passionately raise their voices against the Trump administration and its policies on a range of topics, including women’s rights, immigration and science. This prevailing mood made it difficult for those who hold conservative political beliefs to speak up. Alexis Doss, a first-year student from Jacksonville, Florida, who plans on majoring in political science and whose father was a Navy commander, fell in love with Agnes Scott when she visited as a prospective student during Achievement Weekend. One of the things that impressed her the most during her college search was the open-mindedness she found on its campus. However, at the organization fair last August, she was surprised to find that there was no conservative or Republican political organization that she could join. She also experienced some discomfort in the political climate at Agnes Scott. “After the election, being a conservative on campus was not the best thing to be. Most of the student body wanted Hillary Clinton to win. We weren’t able to be happy, and it was difficult to speak out without being scrutinized. Conservatives were in the shadows,” says Doss, who associates being conservative with promoting family values and the military. She shared her concerns and idea to start a student group for conservatives on campus with Robin Morris, an assistant professor of history who focuses on gender and political realignment in post-1945 Georgia and has done extensive research on conservative Southern women. Morris, who was teaching a course titled History of U.S. Conservatism last fall, offered Doss support and agreed to be a faculty sponsor. Subsequently, Doss worked with the Center for Student Involvement and founded a chapter of the Network of Enlightened Women (NeW), a national group for conservative college women. Founded at the University of Virginia in 2004, NeW now has about 30 chapters on college campuses around the country. NeW’s stated mission is to “educate and train the next generation of conservative women leaders,” fitting nicely into SUMMIT’s focus on leadership development for all students. “We’re not trying to change the beliefs of people, but we are making sure that people who don’t currently have a say in political conversations have a voice at the table,” explains Doss. President Elizabeth Kiss, who had hosted a gathering of conservative students at her house two years ago to hear their concerns, met with Morris and Kate Colussy-Estes, the Julia Thompson Smith Chaplain, and offered her support for
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the fledgling conservative organization. She also arranged for members of NeW to attend a talk by conservative columnist David Brooks. Part of the challenge, Kiss notes, is that “conservative” can mean different things to different students. Some are socially conservative or have conservative views on social issues grounded in religious faith. Others are fiscally conservative or identify as libertarian. “At a time of great political polarization, it’s important to recognize that there are many nuanced ways of being conservative and that conservatism intersects with other identities in complicated ways,” she says. “I see this as a defining moment of opportunity for Agnes Scott to examine our commitment to diversity in every area. As a liberal arts college, we have a core commitment to creating a campus where opposing views can be
articulated and debated,” elaborates Kiss. “I look forward to working with NeW and others on campus to bring some interesting and thoughtful conservative voices to our campus and expose all members of the campus community to a broader range of political opinion.” Morris also supports NeW and praises Doss’ efforts in starting the Agnes Scott chapter, which has a racially diverse membership. “Alexis reached out to the Morehouse College Republicans to talk about the challenges they have had and how to deal with a culture that’s not always open to conservatism,” she says. “This is the generation that hates labels. They want to be able to have conversations beyond labels.” Another student, a sophomore at the college, is one of those who feels shut down by being labeled. “I consider myself a libertarian and moderate,” she
says. “I came to Agnes Scott thinking I was a bleeding heart liberal but have come to realize I’m socially liberal but fiscally conservative.” Like Doss, she feels unfairly judged. She also tends to be quiet in class. “I don’t want to get shut down and ostracized,” she says. “Academically, this is a great place; 90 percent of my professors are Ivy League scholars, but people can feel uncomfortable in the classroom if they have more traditional views. I didn’t want Trump as president either, but the school went into mourning.” Morris sympathizes with both sides of this divide. “On the humanities side of campus, we have a lot of politically engaged students, who pay attention to the issues—and especially women’s issues,” observes Morris. “In 2016, the rhetoric of the national campaign made it hard for people everywhere to have conversations. People associate conservatism with Trumpism. Students don’t know how to start a conversation with a student who identifies as conservative. Agnes Scott does a great job of challenging assumptions. We are trying to help students start with a conversation rather than a stereotype.”
Faculty member Augustus “Gus” Bonner Cochran, III, Adeline A. Loridans Professor of Political Science, has been teaching on campus for several years and has seen many elections. “College students were surprisingly inclined to vote for Bernie Sanders, even at Agnes Scott, but they overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton in the general election—not unexpected at a women’s college. But this election was different in several respects,” Cochran says. “Trump was not a typical candidate; his campaign was completely unorthodox, and he did not fit into any of the normal ideological categories—and the terms ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ have seemed increasingly inadequate to describe American politics for some years now. And then there was his upset victory. So the strong reaction to the election was one of shock and confusion for many on campus.” Cochran goes on to say that the commonly voiced concern about “liberal” college professors somewhat misses the mark. “Of course we have political opinions. It would be strange, even derelict, if we didn’t. But a political scientist’s job isn’t to teach students the one correct way to think about politics but rather to help students develop their own views. We’re trying to teach how to analyze and see politics accurately so students can think for themselves and formulate their own political beliefs. That’s in line with the fundamental purpose of the liberal arts,” he says. “Ideally, a liberal education exposes students to a variety of ideas reflecting a multiplicity of responses to the questions of human existence so that they can liberate themselves from unreflective and narrow notions and realize their potential as self-directed individuals and self-governing citizens.” He notes that the college has been trying to facilitate students’ engagement with society, whether through church or charity work, or volunteer work.
“This election galvanized students, and as a result, we had large numbers of students go to the Women’s March,” he says. “When the administration gets a request, we try to facilitate that engagement. Students have been more politically engaged since the 1990s.” Alumna Mary Szelistowski Piercy ’08, former chair of the Agnes Scott College Republicans, remembers feeling this encouragement from the administration to be active in the community. “We brought in speakers, did things for Veterans Day, volunteered in Decatur,” says Piercy, who joined the state board for Georgia College Republicans when she was a senior and was chairperson of the chapter when it won the Georgia College Republicans Chapter of the Year award. After graduation, Piercy became the southern region field director for the College Republican National Committee for the 2008 campaign. “It’s exciting to me that Alexis Doss feels empowered to stand up
for what she believes is right,” Piercy responds when asked about the NeW chapter at Agnes Scott. “I had countless opportunities because of my political involvement at Agnes Scott, which supported me and empowered me to be involved politically.” With the fierce debate now transitioning into meaningful dialogue, the college reaffirms its commitment to political diversity and fostering an inclusive environment. As part of Agnes Scott’s strategic plan approved 18 months ago, the college will be conducting a campuswide diversity audit during the 2017-2018 academic year. The results of this in-depth audit will lead to an action plan. “Political diversity is an important component of a vibrant learning community. We must create a climate where we promote free inquiry and conversation. In today’s America, this will be painful sometimes, but we will all be better for it,” says President Kiss.
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Grace Starling ’16 at the Georgia State Capitol.
GRACE ON A MISSION
An alumna’s fight against House Bill 51 By Echo Montgomery Garrett
Societal expectations of women often cause them to remain silent on issues that some people deem uncomfortable, painful and shameful. But if there is one thing Scotties are known for, it is defying expectations, and alumna Grace Starling ’16 is no exception. To her, the price of silence was too high, not only for herself but also especially for others who experience what happened to her. Stepping out into the glaring eye of the public and politics, she has become an advocate on a mission, armed for battle with two powerful weapons—her determination and her voice. Starling’s journey in advocacy began in spring 2014 when she was sexually assaulted by a student on his college’s Atlanta campus. Starling, a sophomore at the time, initially told only a small circle of people what happened, including an Agnes Scott faculty member and select administrators. She also reported the incident to law enforcement as well as her assailant’s college. At the time, as with many other sexual assault survivors, the press did not release her name. Over the following two years, she began the process of healing, receiving extensive counseling and accommodations at Agnes Scott, which she credits for giving her the critical support she needed to continue her education and graduate. After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics, Starling says her experience sparked her decision to attend graduate school and pursue a law degree. Accepted into Georgia State University’s College of Law, she began a new chapter in her life, diving into her demanding studies. Everything changed, however, when Starling learned of House Bill 51, or HB 51, sponsored by Rep. Earl Ehrhart and introduced in the legislature in January 2017, that would require Georgia colleges and universities—public and private—to report campus sexual assaults to law enforcement even without the victim’s consent.
It would also limit a school’s power to conduct campus sexual assault investigations and take disciplinary actions against perpetrators. Immediately, Starling swung into action. “The bill offered no mention of survivors’ rights whatsoever,” says Starling, pointing out that HB 51 was all about protecting the rights of the accused while simultaneously putting additional burdens on the crime victim and further stripping that person of choices about her or his own case. One of the first things she did in protest was to start a Facebook group called Students Against House Bill 51, which quickly swelled to more than 1,000 supporters, and she went public with a Change.org petition that garnered more than 7,500 signatures. In her petition, Starling wrote, “HB 51 would make Georgia universities less safe for students who have been raped. By stripping universities of their role in responding to sexual misconduct—including disciplining offenders—student victims like myself will lose access to the support we need to remain in school and to heal from our assaults.” Soon her fight for the rights of campus sexual assault survivors began to garner national attention from news outlets, including CNN and The NewYork Times Magazine. Starling pushes for the media spotlight to shine not on her but on her cause. “I am speaking out for the rights of marginalized sexual assault survivors,” she says. Despite her heavy course load at Georgia State University, Starling became a fixture at the Georgia State Capitol, meeting regularly with legislators over the next four months. Throughout the final week of this legislative session, Ehrhart maneuvered to revive HB 51. When the Senate refused to take it up again, he tried attaching HB 51 to a bankruptcy bill, sponsored by the Senate
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committee chair. But during the Senate judiciary meeting, on the third to the last day of the session, says Starling, “We had the votes to beat HB 51, so the sponsor asked for it to be tabled. The political maneuvering that went on was indicative of the intent of the bill, further proving that rape was being treated as a partisan issue by the Georgia State Legislature.” She knows that the battle is not over and expects HB 51 to be reintroduced next year. The work that should have been done, Starling asserts, was to update Georgia’s rape statutes to bring them in line with the FBI’s definition of what constitutes rape. “This summer I am working with a professor to research and prepare law review articles about campus sexual assault,” says Starling. “I would love to draft a bill completely contrary to HB 51. It might be a blueprint for future legislation nationwide.” Starling’s battle on behalf of survivors’ rights has not been easy for her; she has faced some criticism for being vocal about her experience. “For the most part, I’ve gotten a lot of support since going public, but there is this expectation out there that sexual assault survivors can’t be strong and can’t speak out,” observes Starling. “This is the way rape victims shouldn’t be treated when they choose to participate in politics.” One of the things that makes her angry is victim blaming and the push for her to offer details about her own case. “I’m a survivor,” she says. “I never tell people where I was and what I was wearing. I don’t believe that I owe it to anyone, and I refuse to be part of a system that requires that I give details of what happened to me to validate my experience.” With only six out of every 1,000 reported rapes being successfully criminally prosecuted, survivors often feel that they will not be believed. Starling says she is well-aware that she is “privileged” by the fact that she is
white and comes from an intact family with professional careers. She asserts that all people—regardless of race, religion, social standing, gender—must be protected from further traumatization by the law. This concern for others was key to Starling courageously pushing past the stigma of sexual assault to be a vocal advocate. “One of the first public things she did was participate in the Carry That Weight campaign, where students who have been sexually assaulted carry a mattress on campus,” says Kijua Sanders-McMurtry, associate vice president and dean for community diversity, who is one of Starling’s closest mentors. “What’s beautiful about her story is she found her calling. She took something horrible and used it as a place of resilience and hope. As a survivor myself, I wish I had had somebody like Grace around me to serve as a role model. She sticks up for people who are nothing like her. Her movement is really intersectional in the most incredible way possible.” Flo Starling, Grace’s mother and also an advocate for sexual assault survivors, agrees and is not surprised her daughter has taken on this mission. When HB 51 was announced, Flo supported her daughter’s decision to come forward to help other survivors. “Grace has always taken up for anyone she saw being bullied or treated unfairly,” says her mother, a former member of Agnes Scott’s Parents Council. “She wanted justice and felt other victims should have the accommodations, support and services that she was afforded. The way the bill was written, you couldn’t get accommodations unless you reported the incident to the police, and the victim was expected to move rooms, change or drop classes, or change schools. Grace was already in law school and had gotten justice, but she was concerned about others.” Her father, Kent Starling, initially worried about the blowback that she might receive, creating more trauma.
Grace Starling ’16 reconnects with Kijua Sanders-McMurtry (left), associate vice president and dean for community diversity, and President Elizabeth Kiss (right) at the 2017 Alumnae Weekend in April.
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Grace Starling ’16 at the state Senate Judiciary Committee’s meeting on March 23, in which the Senate voted to table House Bill 51. Photo by S. Daniel Carter
“Early on, I was counseling her to be careful about who she told,” he says. “But Grace never put up with bullies. If she saw something wrong, she was determined to do something about it. When she first started going down to the Capitol, it did bring back bad memories, but she fought through it and earned the respect of the senators. They listened to her. That bill would not be dead now if it wasn’t for Grace.” Poised to begin her second year of law school, Grace has made an impression on her professor Andrea “Andi” Curio, who has written extensively about campus sexual assault. “Grace’s ability to talk about the laws and interpret them far exceeded what one would expect from a student at this stage in their law school career. The analytical training and her writing ability that she learned at Agnes Scott are amazing,” says Curio. “Grace was able to figure out the [legislative] system very quickly and proved to be a formidable adversary and advocate for other sexual assault survivors. Agnes Scott should be very proud of one of its own.” As for Starling, her experiences at the Capitol showed her millennials are being underestimated when they should not be. “We are thinking deeply and intellectually,” she says. “I pay taxes, I vote, I participate and I deserve your respect. I am living out Agnes Scott’s mission statement. I learned the critical thinking that only comes with a liberal arts education. I don’t just take people’s word. I look at what they are saying and analyze and talk about it.”
“The world needs more women who have the courage to stand up and speak out for justice,” says President Elizabeth Kiss. “I remember meeting Grace when she was a high school senior and thinking, ‘Wow, she would be an awesome Scottie.’ Well, she has certainly become that and so much more. Out of personal trauma and pain, she has forged incredible strength, positive energy and a courageous commitment to stand up for others. I am so proud of her and look forward to watching her leadership journey evolve and grow.”
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Stickers were created for sexual assault survivor advocates and allies to wear to show solidarity and support.
Stories From the
Women’s Marches By Sara Baxter
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“It’s a critical time for people to get involved for the first time—having a chance for women to stand up is very powerful.” — Andie Sweetman ’17 21
“Our families give us to Agnes Scott College for four years,” she says. “If during those four years we come across something we want to do or accomplish, I think it is a good thing if the school steps in to support that. These issues matter to students right now. This is part of their education.”
Atlanta Amira Daugherty ’20, a student from Stone Mountain, Georgia, had been wanting to go to the Women’s March on Washington but was not sure— financially and logistically—how to make it happen. As a political science major, she was so excited when she saw the email saying Agnes Scott College was sponsoring a trip to the march that she scrambled to find her charge card to pay the requisite $20 to secure her spot before the trip filled up. When she couldn’t put her hands on it quickly, she called her mother and implored her to send money. “I was not going to miss that trip,” Daugherty says. “There are issues that don’t affect me personally, but impact others around me. I absolutely needed to be there.” She says she was filled with a feeling of empowerment to be among those advocating for women’s rights and human rights in general. Still, she understands the divide. “I hope that we continue with the momentum of political awareness on both sides,” she says. “We need to continue the dialogue and do away with the polarization.”
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“I had goose bumps. I was filled with a sense of pride to be representing women everywhere, and I was so glad to be a part of it.” That’s how Agnes Scott alumna Sally Horne ’13 described her participation in the Women’s March on Washington. Horne traveled from Columbia, South Carolina, where she is attending law school at the University of South Carolina, to attend the march. Though she did not run into the group from Atlanta, she was proud Agnes Scott was represented.
Julia Caroline Knowlton has been a professor of French at Agnes Scott College for over 20 years, and she believes that attending the Women’s March on Washington as a faculty chaperone was one of the most meaningful opportunities she has ever had as a teacher. “Going to Washington is completely reflective of what we stand for as a college,” she says. “Being a part of a women’s college in the context of this socially challenging environment couldn’t be more relevant. The entire spirit of the event was euphoric. It felt like some real change was possible.” Yet she understands the other perspective and acknowledges that there is a strong need for the conservative viewpoint to be heard on campus. “If we don’t have equal time and space for all viewpoints, then we are missing out on the opportunity to make progress,” she concludes.
Bryn Bassett ’17 was among a large group of students, faculty, staff and alumnae who showed their solidarity at the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women. The group, carrying homemade signs, left the Agnes Scott College campus, buoyant and cheerful despite the pouring rain. As they headed to the MARTA station to take the train downtown, drivers honked their car horns at the group, showing their support. “There was such a positive energy as we walked and that continued with the bigger crowd on the train,” she says. “It was so exciting to see everyone coming together.” This was a new experience for Bassett, who is a studio art major from Snellville, Georgia. “I used to be afraid to publicly state my opinion,” she says. “But the fact that women don’t have equality is a big issue for me. To me, attending the March wasn’t political, it was about empowering women to stand up for their rights.”
Andie Sweetman ’17 is not new to lending her voice to causes she believes in. A religion and social justice major from Tallahassee, Florida, she recently attended a Black Lives Matter March and, through an internship, she was able to meet with senators to address important issues such as education, health care and military spending. Before she even heard that Agnes Scott was sponsoring a trip to the Women’s March on Washington, she was trying to figure out how to be a part of it.
“I wanted to be around people who feel the same way I do, and I also wanted to be a part of history,” she says, adding that women’s participation in the march demonstrated how big activism is becoming. “It’s a critical time for people to get involved for the first time,” Sweetman says. “Having a chance for women to stand up is very powerful.” “There is a special power you get from being at Agnes Scott. I felt that empowerment in Washington. Along with so many alumnae supporting us, we were standing in solidarity with women and other marginalized groups.”
During her senior year at Agnes Scott College, Margaret VanDeman Blackmon ’63 was part of a civil rights group made up of students from Agnes Scott College, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College and Spelman College. The group of about two dozen students met at the different college campuses and had “lots of conversations” on the topic of civil rights. Fast-forward 50 years and Blackmon, who divides her time between Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Atlanta, was once again joining Agnes Scott students—this time as an alumna—in an important social discussion as she accompanied the group to the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women. “From the very beginning, Agnes Scott has encouraged women to get in on the conversation and not sit on the sidelines,” says Blackmon, who has remained politically active since those early days. “Participating in both the Atlanta and Washington marches is a great example of this, and is consistent with the college’s message of thinking deeply and engaging socially and intellectually about what is happening in our country right now. I was proud to be a part of it.”
Washington, D.C.
Another Side of the
Women’s March
Like many 21st-century protest movements, the Women’s March on Washington grew out of social media. A call-to-action Facebook post shortly after the election of Donald Trump spread quickly across the globe, and on Jan. 21, millions of women and men joined in solidarity to support the event’s official platform that promoted equality and addressed a broad range of issues, including women’s rights, immigration reform, LGBTQIA rights, religious tolerance, civil rights, environmental justice and ending violence. In D.C. and other cities where sister marches were organized, a moving sea of protest signs and people filled the streets. Among them was a large number of Agnes Scott College students, faculty, staff and alumnae. This participation of Scotties, though, was not without debate, particularly around the topic of Agnes Scott College chartering a bus for a small group of students and staff to attend the D.C. march. It was a decision that was met with both support and disapproval by students and alumnae, and President Elizabeth Kiss understood and respected both views. “Some people thought the college crossed a line,” notes Kiss. “However, we try to facilitate student participation in a range of civic activities, and this felt very mission-aligned.” Kiss adds that the college had “a groundswell of interest” from students, alumnae and the network of other women’s colleges for Agnes Scott to be represented at the march. “This was an incredible learning opportunity around women’s issues,” says Kiss, who also attended. “It was also a historic moment, and we wanted to make it possible for students to attend. Regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum, we have an obligation as a women’s college to empower our students to be active citizens and engage in the political dialogue.” While the D.C. trip inspired many students and alumnae, it also brought to the forefront a concern some members of the community were expressing: whether the college was supporting conservative students and providing a safe, inclusive space for them to express their views. (See “Being Red on a Purple Campus” on page 12.) “We are committed to providing an environment that is conducive to sharing all viewpoints,” Kiss says, “and where students feel safe to express those views. The comments we received about the march helped us become more proactive.”
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A Home Away From Home Students Selena Lomeli ’20 and Gillian Sayre ’20 open up their cozy and creatively decorated room in Winship Hall.
Gillian
Selena The Third Roommate Another resident shares the room—Onyx, the betta fish, who is named after the stone in the Agnes Scott ring. Gillian says she enjoys having a little companion when her roommate, Selena, is gone.
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Rock Band Fan Vampire Weekend is Gillian’s favorite band, and their concert in Nashville is the first one she saw as a ninth-grader. She also proudly remembers their album as the first vinyl record that she purchased.
Biology of Bees The vintage-style Bees & Honey poster is a treasured find that Gillian’s brother purchased for her at a Decatur shop. A biology major, Gillian wants to be a biologist and has always been interested in insects.
Daily Motivation Aside from thinking the “You Are Magical” sign is cute, Gillian says it is nice to wake up to a motivational phrase every morning.
Going Global The “See the World” poster is the first one that Selena placed on her wall. She has always wanted to travel and was able to do so for the first time when she participated in the Global Journeys Central Europe immersion experience.
Purple and Comfy Selena and Gillian each received an Agnes Scott blanket as a gift from the college’s Division of Enrollment for participating in admission tours of their residence hall room.
Have Space, Will Study Selena’s desk is an important spot to her and where she often works on her laptop or studies hard for her classes, including German.
A Thrifty Gift As a special addition to the nightstand, Selena’s sister purchased a lamp from a local thrift store and custom-decorated it for her.
Mapping Out History During World War II, Allied prisoners of war escaped German prison camps using a secret map printed on a specially made deck of playing cards. Psychology major Selena likes the fascinating history the poster reflects, and she hopes to attend graduate school in Germany.
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Ashley French ’05, an art director and designer at Georgia-Pacific, taught a Peak Week session in spring 2017 titled “What Does Your Communication Convey AboutYou?”
Connecting
ACADEMIC SUCCESS to CAREER FUTURES SUMMIT makes the Career Mentor Program a peak experience for students and alumnae
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Agnes Scott College’s Office of Internship and Career Development has worked to develop the best way to serve students and provide alumnae with more engagement opportunities, using its research of other colleges and universities as a guide. “Many schools had small mentoring programs with 25-40 students, but we didn’t find a school that opened it up to every single student,” says Dawn Killenberg, director of internship and career development. After a successful pilot last fall, the new SUMMIT Career Mentor Program model is the innovative result. “For years we’ve had a sophomore event where alumnae would visit campus to talk about how their majors translated into careers,” says Killenberg. “The program creates more opportunities for students to engage with alumnae throughout the academic year. It offers group mentoring, career panels and career treks to a workplace. Some events are big networking receptions. More than 50 alumnae came to one of our networking receptions.” All events are publiczed in advance and promoted to students. The meetups are usually held on a Sunday afternoon, and each has a different theme—from international students to careers in the environment and writing. “We wanted to offer a flexible opportunity for students to take their professional development into their own hands and to provide alumnae with a different avenue to give back to the institution,” says Kendra Strickland, former career mentor program coordinator. “Some alumnae may not have the financial means to give back yet but have their time and knowledge to offer students. This way they can have an immediate impact as well as a long-term one on Agnes Scott.”
The new program has three components: monthly career mentoring events; technology created especially for Scotties, which Strickland describes as a “mini LinkedIn” called CampusTap that is currently being launched; and a 1:1 match opportunity. “CampusTap will allow students to easily connect with alumnae,” says Killenberg. “It gives them a network of mentors to answer general questions about a particular employer or practice an industry-specific interview. On the student side, they can form virtual affinity groups. The whole idea is to make it easier for students to find and interact with alumnae.” Since the launch of SUMMIT Career Connect, a part of the SUMMIT Career Mentor Program, more than 300 alumnae have gotten involved in a myriad of ways—from giving informational interviews to forming long-term mentoring relationships. Formerly, students did not have that many opportunities until they were closer to graduation. SUMMIT helps students get started earlier when it comes to exploring career paths. “A first-year can attend career mentoring events and panels and use the technology,” says Strickland. Students must submit an approved resume and complete mentor preparation workshops on professional communication and networking prior to participating on CampusTap or requesting a career ally 1:1 match for junior year. They can apply in the spring of their sophomore year and get an ally for the fall of their junior year. “We’ve got a good mix of alumnae, but we’d like to build up our alumnae presence in public health, STEM and the fine arts,” Strickland continues. “We’ve got some alumnae who are retired and others who just graduated last May. The more perspectives we can offer the students, the better.” Killenberg and Strickland have been pleased with the results thus far. “One alumna is a CPA with her own firm, and she was able to help a student get an internship and find a back door to pursuing that career,” Strickland says. “The student wound up with a job offer from the firm.” Another alumna and a student developed such a strong mentoring relationship that they decided to continue to hold each other accountable for their life goals. “They called each other ‘accountabil-a-buddies,’” says Strickland. “The alumna exposed the student to career opportunities she hadn’t thought of, and the student held her accountable for pursuing her MBA.” The pilot helped shape the program. “One of the things we learned in the pilot was that it was daunting to students to be in conversations with professionals,” Killenberg observes. “A student would be thinking ‘This is a person who could help me get a job’ and was afraid to ask ‘dumb’ questions. We wanted to create a safe place for them to get important questions answered and build their career literacy.” The program’s goal is to help students learn to articulate their career goals and what works best for them.
“It’s a very flexible program that invites all alumnae and all students of varying expertise and experiences to participate,” says Strickland. “Students indicate that advice from alumnae is really helpful in building confidence and specific skills. There’s big support from the alumnae and great participation from the students.” Alumnae interested in participating in the SUMMIT Career Mentor Program should visit agnesscott.edu/mentors.
“SINCE THE LAUNCH OF SUMMIT CAREER CONNECT, A PART OF THE SUMMIT CAREER MENTOR PROGRAM, MORE THAN 300 ALUMNAE HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS—FROM GIVING INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS TO FORMING LONG-TERM MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS.” —Dawn Killenberg, director of internship and career development
Anner Harris ’18 (left), a student worker in the Office of Internship and Career Development chats, with Kendra Strickland (center), former career mentor program coordinator, and Dawn Killenberg (right), director of internship and career development.
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SUMMIT Career Ally and Mentee Profiles
Ashley Brady ’04
Director of Strategic Consulting, Huron Consulting Group
Meaningful Mentorship
Mishaal has a strong interest in diplomacy and foreign policy. We are both international relations majors and were even taught by some of the same wonderful professors, including Cathy Scott, professor of political science. As Mishaal kicked off her senior year, I was able to help her think through course selection and extracurricular activities. She also was considering law school or graduate school. As someone who obtained a master’s degree in international affairs and served as a U.S. diplomat in China and Canada, I was able to give Mishaal feedback and advice on the variety of career paths that she was considering based on her own passions. Leveraging the Agnes Scott network, I also connected Mishaal to an alumna, Sarah Ford ’05, who chairs the World Affairs Council of Atlanta’s Young Leaders Program. Mishaal obtained an internship with the council, which I am incredibly proud of her for doing. Our pairing as mentor and mentee could not have been a more perfect match.
Guiding to Success
When Mishaal and I first met, she immediately impressed me. She is a bright, highly motivated and determined young woman with a passion for making an impact in the global arena. Through our conversations, I could tell that she had put serious thought into what she was passionate about but that she was looking for guidance on how to pursue those passions, how to get the most out of her experience at Agnes Scott and how to set herself up for success after graduation. As her career ally, it was my job to be a sounding board for her as well as to encourage her, give her advice and use my experiences to help her in her own personal journey.
Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
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If there is one thing that I know to be true about Agnes Scott, it is that our college represents a strong sisterhood of capable, fierce and inspiring women. And I have been reminded of that throughout my participation as a career ally in the 1:1 mentoring program. As much as mentees are excited to be paired with a mentor, mentors are equally excited to develop a relationship with a current student and to connect with Agnes Scott on another level. Being able to give back to my alma mater in a way that helps to develop the next generation of Agnes Scott leaders is something that has been truly fulfilling. I definitely encourage other alumnae to leverage their professional experience, diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in service of the college by becoming a mentor.
Mishaal Khan ’17
International Relations Major
Connecting With My Career Ally
The most valuable part of my mentoring experience was the mutual agreement and connection I had with Ashley. At the first meeting, after we got to know each other and discussed each other’s schedules and communication methods and platforms, everything was smooth sailing. Initially, it also helped that I was completely open about what I was thinking, feeling and planning on doing after graduation, because although it was a jumble inside my head, speaking to Ashley about it allowed me to get advice from someone who has remarkable expertise in the exact career path I want to follow. We just established a comfortable yet professional relationship, which I feel balanced really well with both our schedules and commitments.
The World of Being an Intern
I began my internship with the World Affairs Council in January 2017, and it has been wonderful! What I enjoy most about it is the opportunity to plan and organize programs that help you learn about many different world affairs issues and also give you the opportunity to network and engage with so many young leaders and working professionals in an array of different fields. Program preparation takes a lot of planning and teamwork, and I appreciate how my colleagues and supervisors encourage everyone to take on different roles and get a chance to experience different departments, whether programming, administrative, outreach or membership.
Valuing the SUMMIT Career Mentor Program
The mentoring program really helps put your post-Agnes Scott vision into perspective. You have the expertise of someone who has gone through all the hurdles that you may be going through or have not even reached yet, but you are still in the position to make changes or grab opportunities. You also feel more in control of your future when you know that there is a whole support network rallying for your success and interested in improving your future.
My Five-Year Plan
After graduation, I plan to move back to Pakistan, where I will prepare to take an exam to enter the Foreign Service, as my ultimate career goal is to be a diplomat. In addition, I plan to start up a nonprofit for children in education and open various small-business ventures. I am definitely not done with academia, so I eventually plan to pursue master’s degrees in international diplomacy, international law and the politics of international security.
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RECENT ALUMNAE PUBLICATIONS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE THIS FALL…
Hannah Slagle Palmer ’00
Kathryn J. “Keiti” Pierce ’03
Flight Path: A Search for Roots Beneath theWorld’s Busiest Airport Hub City Press, April 2017 hubcity.org/flightpath
Yours Truly The Wild Rose Press, March 2017 www.misplacedmisfit.com
Sarah Scoles ’07
Captured Peace: Elites and Peacebuilding in El Salvador Ohio University Press, January 2016 www.ohioswallow.com/book/Captured+Peace
Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Pegasus, July 2017 pegasusbooks.com/books/making-contact9781681774411-hardcover Evelyn Brown Christensen ’71
The Twelve Days of Christmas in Kentucky Sterling Children’s Books, October 2016 evelynchristensen.com/kyxmas.html
A big Thank You
Christine J. Wade ’94
Other books out in 2016/2017 include: Nicaragua: Emerging from the Shadow of the Eagle Westview Press, July 2017 Latin American Politics and Development Westview Press, July 2017
to all of our alumnae who responded to our
call for authors. Not everyone fit the parameters to be included along with their
book jackets, but here is a list of even more alumnae authors in our midst. 30
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Marguerite’s Landing: A Novel of Jekyll Island Twin Oaks Press, April 2016 junehallmccash.com
June Hall McCash ’60
Loretta June Ross ’07
Reproductive Justice: An Introduction University of California Press, March 2017 www.ucpress.edu/go/reproductivejustice Kathy Helgesen Fuller-Seeley ’82
Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy University of California Press, October 2017 www.ucpress.edu/go/jackbenny Mary Anna Ogden Bryan ’51
Cardinal Hill Mercer University Press, 2016 http://www.mupress.org/Cardinal-Hill-ANovel-P899.aspx
Catherine Fleming Bruce ’84 Anna Case-Winters ’75 Ruth Douglas Currie ’59 Carolyn Newton Curry ’64/’66 Lynn Denton ’63 Reem Faruqi ’06 Laney Hall ’10 Betty Reiney Henley ’55
After graduating from Agnes Scott with a B.A. in French, June Hall McCash ’60, completed her M.A. in French and Ph.D. in comparative literature at Emory University. She went on to become a university professor of French and humanities. Since retiring from her academic career in 2004, she has become a full-time writer. Now the author of 13 books of nonfiction, historical fiction and poetry, she has twice received Georgia’s Author of the Year Award from the Georgia Writers Association for her historical novels. McCash holds the rank of professor emerita from Middle Tennessee State University, where she served as both chair and graduate director of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and where she was founding director of the Honors Program, now the MTSU Honors College. She has been a fellow of the American Council on Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as a recipient of her university’s Distinguished Research Award and Career Achievement Award. She was honored by Agnes Scott College in 1996 with its Outstanding Alumna Award for Distinguished Career. She served for six years on the board of directors of Humanities Tennessee, with three of those as its chair, as well as nine years on the board of directors of the Jekyll Island Foundation, where she continues as an active member of its advisory board. McCash was just elected to the Alumnae Association’s Board of Directors in April 2017, for a three-year term.
Alex Capell Hughes ’05 Kathryn “Kagie” Johnson ’47 Muriel Lindsay ’64 Lucy Morcock Milner ’63 Bonnie Jo Henderson Schell ’66 May Muse Stonecypher ’56 Nancy Thomas Tippins ’72 Robin Ogier Warren ’84 Dudley Milward Zopp ’63
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giving highlights
AGNES SCOTT’S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TOTALS $115.9 MILLION The Greatness Before Us campaign exceeds $100 million goal
President Elizabeth Kiss with (left to right) National Campaign Co-Chairs Elizabeth Rhett Jones ’73, Elizabeth Daniel Holder ’82 and Clyde C. Tuggle.
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Agnes Scott College has exceeded the $100 million goal of its seven-year capital campaign, securing gifts and pledges totaling $115.9 million. This was the largest capital campaign in Agnes Scott’s history. “I am thrilled by the tremendous generosity of Agnes Scott’s alumnae and friends. We have exceeded our goal for The Greatness Before Us campaign thanks to their resounding support for our mission as a college that changes lives and empowers women to make the world a better place,” says President Elizabeth Kiss. “Gifts to this campaign have enabled us to provide scholarships and transformative learning opportunities for students; to attract and retain extraordinary faculty; to renovate
critical elements of our beautiful campus and turn them into state-of-the-art living and learning spaces; and to offer a wide variety of innovative programs that prepare our students for success.” The campaign focused on four areas: • Campus Vision—Capital improvements to campus facilities that will preserve and protect the iconic buildings that define the campus while also demonstrating a forward-thinking commitment to sustainability. • Faculty Excellence—Professorships, professional development opportunities and resources to attract and retain excellent teacher-scholars and to help professors reach their full potential as educators. • Student Excellence—Scholarships and awards to help attract the best and brightest students and provide them with transformative learning opportunities. • Innovative Programming—Programs that nurture strong women with the knowledge, skills and experiences to engage a wider world. “Exceeding our goal is a remarkable testament to the commitment and dedication of our donors, volunteers and staff,” says Robiaun Charles, vice president for college advancement. “We are deeply grateful to those alumnae, friends, foundations, corporations and organizations who gave generously in support of this campaign, and we look forward to the long-lasting impact of their philanthropy and to being honorable stewards of their support. This is a proud moment in the college’s history.” Campaign co-chairs Elizabeth Daniel Holder ’82, Elizabeth Rhett Jones ’73 and Clyde C. Tuggle expressed their gratitude for the campaign’s success and excitement about its impact on the future of Agnes Scott. “The success of the campaign really means success for Agnes Scott. The financial commitment of our alumnae, friends, trustees and donors in support of the campaign’s goals means that our students will have opportunities they have never had before,” says Holder. “It means our faculty will be supported as they deserve to be supported. And it means that this beautiful campus will be protected for decades to come.” “Agnes Scott prepares young women for lifetimes of effective and meaningful leadership,” says Jones. “I am very proud of the Agnes Scott alumnae who modeled that leadership for our students by contributing more than 50 percent of the total raised in this campaign. We are all deeply grateful to you for your support and for the impact it will have on students for decades to come.” “There is greatness before us, as the campaign’s tagline says, but there is also greatness among us. That greatness is the passion, dedication and generosity of those who support the Agnes Scott mission,” adds Tuggle. “The future is strong because of their support, and lives will be changed because of what they did in this campaign.”
EVERY SCOTTIE EVERY YEAR Extraordinary young women at Agnes Scott are working hard to change the world. That’s why your annual gift to The Fund for Agnes Scott is so important. No matter the size of your contribution, you are providing Scotties with the tools—distinguished faculty, innovative programming and financial aid—to become leaders that make a difference. Make your gift to The Fund for Agnes Scott today at give.agnesscott.edu. Questions? Contact Pam Cottrell, director, The Fund for Agnes Scott, at 404.471.5475 or pcottrell@agnesscott.edu.
“Quotable Greatness” 34
“The Greatness Before Us campaign has provided me with the Agnes Advantage Award—a $3,000 scholarship that allowed me to find another home away from home, 6,406 miles away in Nagoya, Japan. Upon arrival at Agnes Scott in 2013, I had no comprehension of the vastness of opportunities in the world, nor did I think I could find a niche beyond the borders of the United States. Three and a half years later, however, I am now emboldened by a five-month, language-intensive study abroad experience made possible only through the Agnes Advantage Award. Thanks to my Advantage experience, I now know I can survive and thrive in a foreign environment. I can pay bills in a foreign language, navigate intricate subway and bullet train stations, and facilitate intercultural exchanges. But perhaps the most important reason why I am grateful for my Advantage experience is that I can now communicate with 126.8 million more people than I could three and a half years ago. Had it not been for the Agnes Advantage Award, I would have been deprived of the wisdom, knowledge, and sense of assurance and purpose that I gained in Japan. I owe the confidence I have to step outside of my home country and pursue a life in another to my Advantage experience, and I will carry its memory with me for the rest of my life. Because of The Greatness Before Us campaign, I am stronger, bolder, wiser and kinder, and I have the necessary skills to be a change agent in today’s turbulent world.” —Imani Young Bey ’17
“The Department of Physics and Astronomy has been a member of the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy consortium since 2005. This group of 12 colleges and universities jointly operate three 1-meter research telescopes located at some of the best sites in the world: the Canary Islands; Kitt Peak, Arizona; and Cerro Tololo, Chile. As a member of this consortium, the department is granted 40 to 50 observing nights per year, giving us the ability to make remote observations from dark-sky sites. Agnes Scott is the smallest school and the only women’s college in the group. The telescopes are completely remotely operated from our SARA control room in the historic Bradley Observatory. When we first joined the consortium, we had to come to the Office of the Dean of the College each year, asking for the annual membership fee (which exceeded any money that we had available in departmental funds). But thanks to the JoAnn Sawyer Delafield ’58 Endowment Fund for Excellence in Physics and Astronomy, our membership fee is now covered each year. This has been a transformative change from an annual scramble for money to cover the membership to an established, dedicated fund, allowing us to focus on student-faculty observations with these three telescopes. I am deeply grateful to Joie and Dennis Delafield for their generous support of the department over the years I have been here.” — Chris De Pree, Charles A. Dana Professor of Astronomy and Chair
“Sustainability programs at the college have relied on broad community involvement but also on the generosity of our donors and The Greatness Before Us campaign to fund these culture-changing initiatives. Specifically with donor funds, we have employed nine Agnes Scott graduates as sustainability fellows, the position I now hold. These graduates have gone on to graduate school and sustainability jobs, including working in Colorado in sustainability and higher education, in Atlanta in land conservation, in Mississippi in energy efficiency and on Cumberland Island in organic agriculture. With donor support we reached our goal of $1 million in our Green Revolving Fund, which enables us to complete energy and water efficiency projects across campus, and has gained the college national attention for its innovation. Utility savings from these projects will return $1 million to the fund in just five years. With the renovations of Campbell Hall and Rebekah Scott Hall, Agnes Scott will boast approximately 100,000 LEED-certified square feet, accounting for nearly 10 percent of our campus building footprint . . . Because of your generous support, we can continue to educate our students to live both honorably and sustainably.” —Elizabeth Rowe ’15, Sustainability Fellow
More than 10,000 donors
63 faculty innovation and departmental excellence funds
More than 20 single gifts of $1 million or greater
$$$ $26 million toward the endowment
1,324 student donors
By the Numbers
142 student scholarships and awards
7 professorships
$2.5 million to support energy efficiency and environmental sustainability
$500,000 for athletics
Capital improvements in Campbell Hall and Rebekah Scott Hall
$20 million to The Fund for Agnes Scott
THE NATURAL CULMINATION of a Lifetime of Dedication and Service: The Linda Lentz Hubert ’62 Professorship in Public Health
Excellent student, inspiring professor, innovative administrator and transformative philanthropist: Linda Lentz Hubert ’62 has achieved an Agnes Scott College Grand Slam unique in the college’s history. So Agnes Scott’s newest professorship, The Linda Lentz Hubert ’62 Professorship in Public Health, made possible by a generous gift from Linda and her husband Richard Hubert, is only the latest chapter in a long history of dedication to the college. As a student, Hubert majored in English, was elected to Mortar Board and demonstrated an activist streak, getting involved behind the scenes with the civil rights group SNCC. After earning her master’s and Ph.D. in English from Emory University, Hubert returned to Agnes Scott as a faculty member in 1968 and served her alma mater for 36 years. She chaired the English department and provided innovative leadership for many programs and projects. Her notable achievements include founding the Master of Arts in Teaching program and organizing lectures and readings by such literary luminaries as Eudora Welty, Rita Dove and Robert Penn Warren. One of the most memorable was a celebrated event featuring Alfred Uhry, Pulitzer Prizewinning screenwriter of Driving Miss Daisy. Uhry told the audience that, as he looked back on his Oscar win, he would always regret never thanking the teacher who had a major impact on his life by recognizing and encouraging his talent for writing. As the platform party marched down the aisle of Gaines Chapel, a surprised Uhry spied the selfsame teacher in the audience and peeled off to give her an enormous hug. That moment, Hubert’s husband recalls, “was as touching as you can imagine,” with many in the audience— including Hubert—in tears.
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The power of teachers to inspire minds and change lives is at the heart of Hubert’s life and career. Her husband, an attorney, says that when it comes to her achievements at Agnes Scott, Hubert is “modest to a fault.” But generations of former students recall her as an excellent and inspiring teacher. Emily Stone Kandetzki ’95 describes Hubert as her all-time favorite professor and vividly remembers how she communicated her love of poetry with eloquence and a keen sense of drama. Kandetzki’s book of cherished quotations includes several entries from Professor Hubert’s classroom. To understand poetry, Hubert told her students, “is to see the poetry in a conversation or a walk across campus … to see the juxtaposition of a cloud and a tree and realize there is a pattern there … to see the patterns in other people.” And she warned, “If you live your life without poetry, you’re going to be dull.” Having experienced Agnes Scott as both a student and a professor, Hubert relishes the benefits of learning and growing in a small liberal arts college environment. Faculty “care about the students and are invested in their good fortune … Somebody’s always got your back. And at Agnes Scott, many people have your back.” That experience of being educated in what is “almost a one-on-one” environment, she adds, “is a very real gift.” Hubert’s love of teaching and learning has continued to shape her life since her retirement from Agnes Scott. She tutors a Tibetan girl, chairs the board of Horizon Theatre, and has served as president of the Atlanta Association of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, arranging lectures and programs that underscore the national organization’s mission of promoting the arts and sciences. A new chapter in Hubert’s involvement with her alma mater began almost two decades ago thanks to the O.C. Hubert Charitable Trust, named for Hubert’s late father-in-law. Hubert explains that his dream was “to serve the poor
and downtrodden and to feed the hungry.” In an effort to put this dream into practice in effective and sustainable ways, the trust, led by her husband, embarked on a remarkable journey of philanthropy, supporting health and service programs throughout Atlanta and then at different universities across the nation and around the globe. Increasingly, their efforts focused on promoting training in global health. As Hubert notes, a commitment to global health “multiplies people. It trains young people who then spend their energies assisting other people who spend their energies assisting other people … It’s like concentric circles. They go out and out and out.” At Agnes Scott, the Hubert Trust established the Hubert Scholars Program, which funds summer internships focused on serving human needs. Since 2000, this program has enabled Agnes Scott students to pursue projects across the U.S. and around the world focused on health, poverty, homelessness, education, girls empowerment and refugee issues. The Huberts also created the O.C. Hubert Lecture, which has brought distinguished lecturers to campus including then-president of CARE USA Helene Gayle and legendary global health leader Bill Foege, who spearheaded the eradication of smallpox. Now, with public health having grown into one of Agnes Scott’s largest majors, the college needed to add faculty in public health. For Richard Hubert, it was the perfect opportunity to honor his wife’s extraordinary service by naming a professorship in public health for her. “The gift from the Huberts to fund a professorship in public health is transformative for
Agnes Scott,” says Robiaun Charles, vice president for college advancement. “Public health is one of the most popular majors on our campus, and this professorship will allow us to attract and retain extraordinary faculty. Words cannot express the immense gratitude we all have for their gift.” “This is not about me,” Hubert emphasizes. But she is excited that the professorship will strengthen the college’s ability to prepare students for study and service in global health and inspire more of them to commit to global health as their life’s work.
“Public health is one of the most popular majors on our campus, and this professorship will allow us to attract and retain extraordinary faculty.” —Robiaun Charles Vice President for College Advancement
Richard Hubert believes this professorship is “the natural culmination of a lifetime of dedication and service.” He hopes the Hubert professorship will inspire future generations of students, and the Huberts’ own grandchildren, to see what it means to make a difference and be a citizen of the world.
Left: Linda Lentz Hubert ’62. Above: Linda and Richard Hubert at their home in Atlanta, Georgia.
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2017
OUTSTANDING
Alumnae
By Arden Howell
Keri Payne Norris ’02
Outstanding Young Alumna
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Inspired by memorable professors and mentors at Agnes Scott College, Keri Payne Norris ’02 has conducted research, convened thoughtleadership conversations and led public health initiatives, earning her many accolades, including the 2017 Outstanding Young Alumna Award. Norris majored in Africana Studies at Agnes Scott, where she engaged with her professors and sought new passions. “Long before Sheryl Sandberg said that we should ‘lean in’, faculty here were teaching us to not only sit at the table, but to own it—and make room for others,” Norris says during her acceptance speech. At an internship during college, she became intrigued by the trends in causes of death among African-Americans from 1925 to the early 2000s. She describes her interest as starting to shift from history and culture to the impacts of history and culture on aspects of health and health equity. From her start in Africana Studies, Norris went on to earn a master’s degree in public health at Morehouse School of Medicine and a Ph.D. in health promotion, education and behavior from the Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. When asked what her favorite phase of her career has been, Norris confidently answers, “Right now. Because I’ve been able to make an impact
with strategic and meaningful partnerships, I’m now in a position to really take off and stand on what I’ve done in the past.” Norris is currently the Chief of Health Policy and Administration at The Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, the owner of Grady Health System. Although her work keeps her busy, she stays very active in the broader public health realm. She has served as the program co-chair for the American Public Health Association’s Women’s Caucus, in addition to gaining recognition for her written publications and national presentations. She recalls, “Agnes Scott is where I became empowered and fearless,” which Norris refers to as being “Scottie Strong.” She believes her Agnes Scott experience has led her to her professional successes, eventually spearheading programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (working with national organizations in communities across the country), advocating for health equity and immersing herself in communities with the most vulnerable populations—demonstrating her passion for health and for people. She is proud that she contributed to molding Agnes Scott’s public health department and was one of the first to teach in the department. Norris continues to give back to Agnes Scott by serving as a mentor, connecting students to internships and job opportunities, opening doors like the ones that she herself worked hard to walk through early in her career. “I absolutely love what I do. I eat, sleep and breathe public health,” Norris says. She penned her first book in 2013, The Other Side of Thru (under the pen name Payne Nickerson), which led to her participation in the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s 2015 Washington, D.C. program where she gave a speech to advocates, members of Congress and White House staff. She also uses the book as her platform to advocate for survivors of various traumas through book club appearances and speaking engagements. Speaking from a place of great achievement and perspective, she encourages current students to “forget about the money. Forget about the accolades. Forget about the recognition. Pursue your passion, what drives you and what you would do for free. In the end,” Norris says, “everything else will come when you pursue your passion.”
Ann Stein Alperin ’58
Service to the Community
Many Agnes Scott alumnae give back to their communities. But Ann Stein Alperin ’58, winner of the 2017 Service to the Community Award, has served as a full-time volunteer and community leader nearly all of her life, impacting countless people across the Atlanta area and beyond. Inspired by her Jewish faith, Alperin has lived a life committed to the concept of “tikkun olam” (Hebrew for “repair the world”). She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Agnes Scott and credits the rigor of her education with giving her the confidence to take on projects and leadership roles that have had lasting effects. While she has taken on some two dozen volunteer leadership positions, including service on the Board of Trustees of Agnes Scott, she sees a common thread among all of her community and organizational work, with each new endeavor and engagement tracing back to her desire to invest in education, the arts and young people. Most notably, as a founding board member and long-term executive director of Young Audiences of Atlanta, she developed a statewide arts education organization. She has also provided volunteer leadership to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Associates and Youth Orchestra, to the Georgia Coalition for Arts Education, and to the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra, where she is currently vice president of the board. “I tend to always end up being involved in organizations that strengthen these areas,” Alperin says.
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When her children were younger, Alperin saw ways to serve and stepped into those roles readily. She shelved books at her children’s schools and organized library assistant programs to ensure that these initiatives continued to succeed after her time there. When asked what her favorite form of contribution is, she answered, “That one’s easy—I like to have a flexible enough schedule so I can meet the needs that come along,” continuing to open up her time for new ventures. “I keep a lot of balls in the air at one time,” she says. Alperin’s passion for education, the arts and kids is infectious, and she brings a youthful enthusiasm into each of her volunteer roles, continuing to inspire others to serve as wholeheartedly as she does. Having worked with so many community members and leaders over the years, Alperin has earned the respect and admiration of her peers, who speak of her with amazement, praising her energy and hard work for the causes she cares about. This commitment to service is what Agnes Scott hopes to continue to impart to students, and Alperin’s forward-thinking, selfless engagement is an inspiration to us all.
Susan Stevens Hitchcock ’67
Service to the College
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“When I entered the corporate world in 1967, it was a very different time. There were almost no women in my sphere of influence in leadership roles. I knew I had aspirations but no role models. Fortunately, Agnes Scott had given me the confidence that even in a male-dominated professional environment, I could be a leader.” This reflection from Susan Hitchcock explains why, after a successful 24-year career with Southern Bell/BellSouth Corporation, she has devoted so much of her energy to giving back to Agnes Scott College and its students, earning her recognition as the 2017 Service to the College Award winner. “I was committed from that point forward to contribute to the advancement of women, and it has without a doubt become my passion,” Hitchcock recalls. “It’s obvious that as I look back, Agnes Scott was a turning point for me—a transformative experience that influenced both my career and my lifelong passion for women’s leadership. That’s why I love Agnes Scott!” With this passion in mind, Hitchcock has contributed her leadership and time to helping the college launch and promote the SUMMIT program, giving students incredible opportunities that will propel them forward as strong leaders in whatever career they choose. “I am envious, as an alum, of current students,” Hitchcock admits, commending the success of SUMMIT and other programs that allow current Agnes Scott students to participate in global learning and leadership experiences, as well as to see women role models in global leadership roles. After joining the Turknett Leadership Group in 1992, Hitchcock launched several initiatives focused on women’s advancement. She brought this same passion to her alma mater, joining the Alumnae Board and serving as its president. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees and is the National Fund Chair for the Fund for Agnes Scott. She is also the immediate past president of the Alumnae Board, and she recently served on the Steering Committee for her 50th reunion. She has given back to Agnes Scott not only with her leadership but also financially and with her valuable time, serving as a formal and informal mentor for students seeking internships and jobs, and honing interview and resume-building skills for the future women leaders of countless organizations. Each month, Hitchcock uses her platform at Turknett Leadership Group to invite two Agnes Scott students to a “Women in Leadership” seminar.
Students have the opportunity to network and connect with high-level professionals and potential job opportunities in the area. Hitchcock plans to continue her work with the Board of Trustees, chairing the Student Affairs Committee and serving on the Executive Committee, as well as continue to volunteer her time to support and advocate for the future leaders from the college. She adds, “I encourage all alums to stay engaged with Agnes Scott by recruiting prospective students and serving as mentors and allies to current students to help them pursue their passions and engage a wider world.”
Margaret L. Moses ’64
Distinguished Career
Margaret L. Moses ’64, winner of the 2017 Distinguished Career Award, is an embodiment of the mission and values of Agnes Scott College. She continues to build on the passions she discovered in her time as an undergraduate to propel her forward through an accomplished career in law and education. Moses graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Agnes Scott in 1964 and went on to earn an M.A.T. from Harvard University, an M.A. and a Ph.D. in French language and literature from Indiana University, and a J.D. from the Columbia University School of Law. Moses recalls that a French professor from Agnes Scott was the person who first encouraged her to study abroad in France, where she discovered her passion for the French language. Continuing her dedication to education, she married her two passions of law and language, teaching and practicing law in the U.S. and around the world, helping to empower the next generation of lawyers and scholars and becoming a globally recognized authority in her specialty, international arbitration. She has demonstrated her leadership as one of the few women in this field, exemplifying Agnes Scott’s global focus through her work with clients around the world, including in Paris, Milan, China and North Africa. Throughout her career, in addition to her speeches and presentations, Moses has written and published many law review articles. Her book, Principles and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration, published by Cambridge University Press, is now in its third edition, and is widely used around the world by students, faculty and practitioners. She also serves as an international arbitrator for international institutions such as the International Center for Dispute Resolution and the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration. Her expertise is built on the foundations of her international experience and impressive academic background. Moses is now a professor of law and director of the International Law and Practice program at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, where she has also held other leadership positions on various committees and task forces. Her commitment to excellence at Loyola stems from her passion for the school and her students. “I love where I am now, teaching full time at Loyola University in Chicago. I get to see students continually rise to the occasion and continue to learn and grow. It’s rewarding to see them succeed,” says Moses. As a professor, Moses is doing her part to inspire the leaders of tomorrow, setting an example with her devotion and her seemingly endless list of professional achievements. Perhaps, just as her professor did at Agnes Scott, Moses can be the motivating spark for today’s students to discover new passions and pursue their dreams and goals on a global scale.
2017 OUTSTANDING
Alumnae
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THIS YEAR’S ALUMNAE WEEKEND welcomed back 867
alumnae and guests for a jampacked weekend with 60 events over two days. We celebrated class reunions ranging from the 70th to the 5th as the classes from 1947 through 2012 returned to campus. What a wonderful weekend of Scottie feistiness and fun!
2017 Alumnae Weekend
To see more Alumnae Weekend 2017 photos, search for #ASCAlumnaeWeekend2017 on social media.
alumnae news
Why I’m #ProudToBeAScottie
Pam Tipton ’86 President
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION
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At the Alumnae Board meetings we think strategically about ways to further the mission of Agnes Scott College, including generating engagement with alumnae. What if every time any alumna posted anything celebratory on social media related to Agnes Scott, we collectively punctuated our posts with #ProudToBeAScottie? This got me thinking: Why am I proud to be a Scottie? Here are just a few reasons…
We innovate. Confronted with an unsustainable business model, college leadership, faculty and trustees collaborated to reinvent liberal arts education for the 21st century via SUMMIT. To witness the faculty and staff innovations coming to fruition is exhilarating! These innovations have garnered much public acclaim. The 2017 ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation is just one proof point.
We celebrate our past and invest in our future. This year, more than 860 alumnae gathered to celebrate the past, present and future during Alumnae Weekend. Traditions came alive with The Hub Sing and war stories shared across the generations. And we’re taking an active role in preserving our past through the digitalization of yearbooks, paper archives and the “History Harvest” of alumnae personal memorabilia. Check out agnesscott.edu/library and select Archives & Special Collections. The Greatness Before Us campaign placed an aggressive stake in the ground of a $100 million investment in Agnes Scott’s future. At the final bell, not only was the goal exceeded by $15.9 million, 52 percent of the $115.9 million raised was given by alumnae. To top that, this year’s reunion classes made investments of $511,000 toward The Fund for Agnes Scott and more than $7.4 million in total gifts and pledges! Our gifts preserve and grow the value of our degree.
We celebrate differences and speak up for what we believe. We are a Posse school. We admit and foster the education of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students. We compassionately respect and embrace individuals regardless of gender identity, political identity, spiritual identity, race identity, or other affiliation. We support and encourage conservatives, moderates and liberals to engage in productive dialogue through Think, Live, Engage sessions and by sharing stories like those featured in this issue of Agnes Scott The Magazine. And, wow! What a Commencement!
We celebrate each other. Let’s face it, Agnes Scott produces smart, engaged, generous and humble leaders—many of whom are regularly featured in this magazine. The annual Alumnae Awards celebrate the best of the best: nominated by alumnae, selected by alumnae. Check out the feature in this issue on page 38.
We give back, and we pay it forward. In addition to the many ways alumnae engage in their communities and with Scotties Give Back, alums pay it forward by recruiting prospective students and investing in current students through SUMMIT Career Connect as career allies, mock interviewers and panelists. It is never too late to sign up! In closing There is so much more to say and so little space to say it! So I’ll close with this call to action: What makes you proud to be a Scottie? Take your Scottie pride to digital media and join the #ProudToBeAScottie movement. We would love to hear from you!
Pam Tipton ’86 President, Agnes Scott Alumnae Association
Alumnae Board Welcomes New Member Linda Marks ’67
Anna I. Young Alumnae House Becomes Temporary Admission Welcome Center The Alumnae House will be closed for rentals of overnight rooms and event spaces from Monday, April 24, 2017, through Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. As of Monday, May 15, 2017, the Alumnae House became the temporary Admission Welcome Center while Rebekah Scott Hall is being renovated. The Alumnae Association will host select alumnae events in the Tea Room during 2017-2018 on evenings and weekends when the Welcome Center is closed. “I was thrilled that we were able to create a shared-use plan that meets the needs of the college, enrollment and the Alumnae Association,” says Kim Vickers ’87, senior director of alumnae relations. Beginning in the summer of 2018, the Alumnae House will begin accepting reservations for rentals after September 2018.
Agnes Scott College Alumnae Board 2017-2018 Returning members and newly elected members as of April 22, 2017 Meredith Goodman Ash ’10 Jane Bigham ’06 Nancy Brock Blake ’57 Sabrina Cintrón ’08 Ellen Parker Gaffney ’87 Vivian Hays Guthrie ’55 Helen Davis Hatch ’65 Lora Hawk ’04 Susan Stevens Hitchcock ’67
Immediate Past President Nitya Jacob ’95 Vernita Bowden Lockhart ’76 Marianne Lyon ’77 Linda Marks ’67
Giselle Fernandez Martin ’98
President-elect June Hall McCash ’60 Adele Dieckmann McKee ’48 Tiffany McKenzie ’07 Whitney Miller Ott ’03 Penny Powell ’97 Diane Rickett Sandifer ’84
Linda Marks ’67 grew up in Memphis and is a graduate of Hutchison School. At Agnes Scott College, she majored in English, accompanied the Glee Club on piano and was active in student government. After graduation in 1967, she got her M.A. in English at the University of WisconsinMadison and taught both high school and college English. In 1986, she received her J.D. from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, which led to her becoming a patient rights advocate and conflict resolution specialist during her many years in Portland, Maine. In 2004, she returned to Memphis and began working at the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), an organization founded in 1968 to help heal the community after Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination. Her position as MIFA’s inter-faith and community outreach officer has given her the opportunity both to appreciate the distinctiveness of many faith traditions and to offer opportunities to bring diverse groups together to support MIFA’s vision of uniting the community through service. Beginning in the classrooms and practice rooms in Presser Hall and the beloved Hub, Marks has continued to play the piano for choruses, soloists, church choirs and community theater. She also continues to make annual pilgrimages to Agnes Scott to play the piano for The Hub Sings. Our apologies go out to new Alumnae Board Member Linda Marks ’67, whose biography and photo were accidentally left out of the Alumnae Weekend program schedule.We are pleased to be able to share it with you now.
Secretary Pam Tipton ’86
President Helen Tzow ’10 Harriett Schneider Williams ’73x
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Frances Winship Walters, class of 1894, cared deeply for Agnes Scott College. Her service, leadership and loyal giving expressed her appreciation throughout her life. Then she made an important decision—to care for Agnes Scott forever through her legacy gift.
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To learn more about a planned gift to Agnes Scott, please contact Lee Davis, director of legacy giving, at 404.471.5448 or ldavis@agnesscott.edu.
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Your legacy gift can help generations of Agnes Scott women. Through your will, your retirement account or a gift that provides you with lifelong income, you too can help support the future of Agnes Scott—now and forever.
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Even today, Walters’ gift continues to support Agnes Scott traditions and innovations. Every day she contributes to the life of the college and the future of every student.
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AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE
141 E. College Ave. | Decatur, GA 30030 agnesscott.edu
Thank You
Together, we raised $115.9 million in The Greatness Before Us: The Campaign for Agnes Scott College!
For more information on the results of the campaign, visit agnesscott.edu/thegreatnessbeforeus or see our campaign recap on page 32 of this issue.