Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine | Vol. 96, No. 1 | Spring 2026

Years

Dear Sweet Briar Alumnae and Friends,

The year 2026 is a significant one in Sweet Briar’s history: We’re celebrating the College’s 125th Anniversary and 125 years of educating women leaders.

This edition of the Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine celebrates and elevates that history, as well as educates our readers on all that has changed and evolved at Sweet Briar during the 25 years sice the college celebrated its centennial. Our academic programs have grown and been enhanced, from partnerships to an endowed program and a graduate program. Campus has evolved with the renovation of the Mary Helen Cochran Library and the expansion of the Williams Gymnasium to become the Fitness and Athletics Center, along with other new and rehabilitated facilities. We’ve learned more about our history through our Cultural Landscape Study, built upon the discovery of the Burial Ground for Enslaved Families, and gained a deeper understanding of the history of the Monacan Indian Nation and the land on which our college sits. Of course, we also remember the remarkable efforts of the Sweet Briar community to overcome the events of 2015. We’re also looking back a little further to visit memories and milestones of the past.

The stories within the annals of Sweet Briar are not just about our college, but also the people who steward its mission and its very existence.

Our students, alumnae, faculty, staff, families, retirees, neighbors in Amherst County, and friends comprise this history and influence the next 125 years of women’s leadership. I am grateful to everyone who shared their stories and perspectives for our quasquicentennial in this alumnae magazine, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading them, too.

Most of all, I hope that you feel gratitude for Sweet Briar. No matter your relationship to this place, I know that it has had a special kind of impact on your life, as it has on mine. The upcoming events and celebrations recognizing our 125th Anniversary will provide many opportunities to reflect on these impacts, and to consider the ways in which Sweet Briar can continue fulfilling its mission to produce women leaders who will create a more just and sustainable world. I hope to see you in person this year, whether on campus or at an alumnae club event. Campus is and always will be home for you, so come see us soon! Your love of this place and the impact you continue to make is seen each and every day as we strengthen Sweet Briar College.

With gratitude,

Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83 President

Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine

Spring 2026, Vol. 96, No. 1

Sweet Briar Magazine Staff

Editor Clélie Steckel

Assistant Editor Rachel Balsley

Contributors

Lea Sparks Bennett ’83, Phyllis Watt Jordan ’80, Sally Old Kitchin ’76, Annora Melton ’27

Art Direction and Design Journey Group

Photographers

Cassie Foster Evans Photography, Cole Pillow, Rachel Balsley, Sweet Briar College Archives

College President

Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83

Board Leadership

Board Chair

Justice Verda Andrews Colvin ’87

Board Vice Chair

The Honorable Robert “Bob” Goodlatte

Board Secretary Katherine Williams

This magazine aims to present interesting and thought-provoking content about Sweet Briar College, its people, and its connections around the world. Publication of the material does not indicate endorsement of the author’s viewpoint by the College. We reserve the right to edit and revise all material that we accept for publication. If you have a story idea or content to submit for publication, contact the editor, Clélie Steckel, at cdsteckel@sbc.edu

Contact Information

Office of Alumnae Relations and Development

P.O. Box 1057 Sweet Briar, VA 24595

alumnae@sbc.edu

When you have finished reading this magazine, please consider passing it along to a prospective student or family.

© 2026, Sweet Briar College

Departments

On the Quad

7 Community Conversations

Sally Old Kitchin ’76 and Annora Melton ’27 discuss attending Sweet Briar College 50 years apart.

13 Giving

Support the next 125 years of women leaders.

14 Alumnae Recs

Check out recommendations for your next read.

16 Of Note

Sweet Briar College celebrates several recent accomplishments, accolades, and pieces of exciting news.

Celebrating Seniors

Across Sweet Briar’s history, Senior Games have remained an important rite of passage for students as they prepare to take their next steps. At Sweet Briar today, students gather in Prothro Hall during lunch to recognize and celebrate (including giving a Holla, Holla, of course) seniors as they announce their graduate school acceptances (Scroll Games), job placements (Key Games), or engagements (Ring Games). The entire community is welcome to watch as the seniors pass around a symbolic token and wish them well after Commencement. Pictured here is Kendall Rander ’26, who will be pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology from Louisiana State University next year. Visit Sweet Briar College’s Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn profiles to read about other recent Senior Games.

Celebrate 125 years of women’s education with a commemorative item from the Sweet Briar College Book Shop! Represent the College and this important milestone by adorning the special logo on a shirt, sweatshirt, or pin, as well as an ornament for your Christmas tree. New items will also be added throughout the celebration. We hope to see you in your 125th gear soon!

“Sweet Briar has left me with my closest friends, my roommate in particular, with whom our friendship has lasted for just shy of 60 years.”

—Pam Fromme Formato ’67

You can make a gift to support:

• our students, through scholarships;

• our faculty, through professional development and academic program support;

• stewardship of our natural and built environment, including our historic district on the National Register of Historic Places; and

• our entire community through greatest needs.

Use the envelope enclosed with this issue of the Alumnae Magazine, make a gift online at sbc.edu/give, or visit sbc.edu/ways-to-give for other ways to make a gift.

Community Conversations → P.7 Giving → P.13

Alumnae Recs → P.14 Of Note → P.16

On the Quad

Now & Then

Sally Old Kitchin ’76 and Annora Melton ’27 discuss attending Sweet Briar College 50 years apart.

By Clélie Steckel

IIt takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a committee to celebrate a college’s 125th Anniversary! Sweet Briar’s 125th Anniversary Planning Committee has brought together alumnae, students, faculty, staff, and friends to plan and commemorate this truly special occasion. Among them are the committee’s chair, Sally Old Kitchin ’76, and Annora Melton ’27, a student leader on campus. On one February morning, Sally and Annora met to talk about Sweet Briar, their perspectives and experiences separated by half a century. But even so, they found threads connecting the college each of them individually knows to the other’s, learning that some things, like the Sweet Briar spirit, never change.

Annora Melton: What brought you to Sweet Briar?

Sally Old Kitchin: Well, the usual answer is the campus, and it was the campus. A number of the men’s colleges had just gone co-ed the year before or even that very year, in 1972. Their admissions were very competitive. I was interested in continuing to play tennis in college, and some of the women’s colleges had really good tennis teams. We visited the traditional women’s colleges in Virginia: Hollins, Mary Baldwin, Randolph Macon Woman’s College, and Sweet Briar. When I came to this campus, I was just overwhelmed by the beauty of it,

the beauty of the buildings and the land. I knew Sweet Briar had an excellent academic reputation and a good tennis team. So, I applied and was just very happy from the moment I came to campus in the fall of 1972 to now, 54 years later!

AM: I saw your tennis plaque in the FAC the other day. I was like, “I know her.” So, you’ve definitely left a legacy there too, in addition to all the other things you’ve been doing.

SOK: Well, it was fun. I think that is the advantage of a Division III college. You can have a full college experience, as well as play sports. My daughter, class of 2004, played field hockey and lacrosse all four years here at Sweet Briar. She just loved being a part of the teams, but also being able to have college experiences and not just be training, training, training like at a Division I school. She and I had similar experiences here with academics,

athletics, and student government. She also took advantage of academic programs and student life experiences that were not available when I was a student. We did share one professor—Ninie Laing, for art history!

AM: You’re actually here to go to college. And what did you study when you were here?

SOK: I studied sociology and cultural anthropology. We had, of course, the general education requirements that you had to fulfill, which is a wonderful thing about the liberal arts. You are able to experience different subjects that you might not otherwise take. I enjoyed my religion, government, and history classes. I majored in sociology, the study of people, and we had some really good professors in that department at the time. What are you majoring in?

AM: I did a self-design major in medieval studies.

SOK: Wow. Do you have an advisor who oversees your work?

Above: Sally Old Kitchin ’76 with classmates Dede Alexandre, Keedie Crones, Ann Works, Connie Radford, Libba Corin, and Susan Verbridge in 1975.

AM: I have three advisors, I have a whole council. It’s a combination of art history, history, and archaeology because, like you, I loved a whole variety of things. And that’s something that I love about the academics here at Sweet Briar: You can do so many things because they all relate together in the real world, too. Math is never going to be isolated. Understanding people through sociology or understanding ethics through philosophy is never isolated. You’re always connecting those things to solve the problem. How have you seen the things that you studied come in later in your life?

SOK: Certainly studying sociology has helped me navigate communities I have been a part of in business, community service, church, and boards. I benefited from a basic understanding of a number of subjects, which as you say, are all interrelated. It helps you put the big picture together.

AM: That’s the beauty of liberal arts.

SOK: Yes, it is.

AM: I’m curious, coming back to campus after 50 years, what was sort of your impression of campus in the ’70s versus how it is now?

SOK: As a student, you are not really tuned into the inner

Right: Annora Melton ’27 and Dr. Tracy Hamilton examine a historical document.

Below: Sally Old Kitchin ’76 and Jody Anderson Wharton ’75 at Reunion 2024.

workings of a college. Through the years, I have known a number of people who have worked here, in many positions, from presidents to faculty and staff. They all work together to advance the mission of the College and each function is interrelated, similar to your studies. You may not recognize the collaboration as a student, but you understand it as an alumna. The people here really care about this College and care about the students.

Surrounded by our buildings and landscape, a student may not always appreciate the importance of our campus. I am serving on the Historic Preservation Advisory Group, and one of the things we are focusing on is the care and maintenance and rehabilitation of our beautiful historic buildings. Once you can appreciate the whole picture of the campus, the buildings and the landscape, I think you have a different perspective on the significance. We have 23 buildings on the National Registry of Historic Places, comprising the National Register Historic District in the campus core. Our buildings are one of the largest collections of Ralph Adams Cram architecture in the nation. As you know, we are celebrating his work

on our campus during the 125th Anniversary with a display of his original drawings.

AM: Absolutely. That’s something that has been really cool to see working on the 125th Anniversary Committee, is how everybody is in different stages of life where we’re all doing different jobs. I mean, my job is a student basically, but we all love Sweet Briar, and that’s why we’re doing this. There’s something distinct and special about the community here, which is what drew me. And you said you’ve worked a lot with the Alumnae Association. How would you say that Sweet Briar’s alumnae are unique in comparison to other women’s colleges?

SOK: Well, the alumnae saved the College! And, that is known nationwide. If you mention you went to Sweet Briar, whomever you are talking to will say, “You saved your college.” And it was such a remarkable feat. I don’t think enough attention has been brought to it. Unfortunately, there are many small liberal arts colleges that are closing their doors, and I think our alumnae stand as role models for strength, confidence, and resilience.

AM: To come together like that so quickly and so strongly all at once to help the situation immediately.

SOK: It was remarkable because the time frame was very short, from the announcement in March to the deadline of June 30th, when the faculty and staff were to leave the College. Our new president, Phil Stone, rallied the remaining faculty, staff, and students. He kept our accreditation with SACS, kept us in the ODAC, and just brought in all kinds of great support to keep us open without having to start over again. His work of keeping us open so that we never really closed was a key piece to it all.

AM: That’s something that’s always struck me about that whole situation because I’m from the area, so I remember hearing that, “Oh, Sweet Briar is closing.” “Sweet Briar is closing? No, that’s crazy. It’s been here forever.” A friend of my mom’s is an alumna, and she had taken chalk markers to the back of her car and put “Save Sweet Briar” and “donate here” and things like that. I remember that very clearly, but everything came together so, so quickly. I wish that we could talk about that more because I think it’s a really incredible rallying

point that really exemplifies what actual teamwork looks like and what the spirit of Sweet Briar looks like when we’re all working together. How would you say coming out of that situation, what things have remained Sweet Briar and what things have evolved?

SOK: The connection of the community of Sweet Briar, not only on this campus, but our connection with the surrounding area and the great support from Amherst County and Lynchburg continues. And I believe they were all very, very pleased that we stayed open. In the same sense, with the student body, they are all here together respecting each other, but you are all here for the educational experiences and opportunities that you enjoy and are afforded here. I think that’s similar with the faculty and the staff, they are all here to educate young women.

Our board chair, Verda Colvin, Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, spoke recently on Charter Day. In her address to the SBC community, she charged the students to go forward and be leaders in whatever path they

Below: Sally Old Kitchin ’76 with Mildred “Bee” Newman Thayer ’61, Kathy Upchurch Takvorian ’72, and Virginia Upchurch Collier ’72 at the groundbreaking of the Fitness and Athletics Center in 2002.

follow. You have been well prepared and empowered by your Sweet Briar education. Justice Colvin assured them they have the skills, so don't just say, “I tried.” Go out and do it. And I believe the same spirit of “we can do it” that we had before the attempted closure is stronger than ever now.

AM: I loved the things that Justice Colvin said. “‘Try’ is a lie” is going to stick in my brain. She’s right. So, in 1976, the women’s movement was gaining a little bit more momentum. Did that show up in campus life, like the sort of national conversation about that? And if it did, how did it?

SOK: In 1976, the Vietnam War was ending. When I first came to campus, we were still, believe it or not, wearing skirts and dresses to class, and it was almost a different era. But in those four years that I was here, from ’72 to ’76, the whole culture and community changed. There was a backlash from the Vietnam War.

Yes, nationally and at Sweet Briar there was more of an emphasis on women’s education, women’s leadership, and women’s athletics. But we did not have a women’s leadership program like we have here today, which is a unique curriculum for the College and the students. We had some courses focused on women in society, and there was a professor who taught courses preparing women to compete with men in their careers. There is now more of an emphasis on graduate studies and careers after graduation. Internships, semester studies, and honors programs are expanded to prepare students.

AM: Often I feel like the individual professors who say things like that or who put an emphasis on teaching holistically make all of the difference. You mentioned that it was right at the tail end of the Vietnam War. What was that like having America’s bicentennial right around that time as well?

SOK: There was, of course, a nationwide celebration of it, and the country was coming back together after the war. Our class called ourselves “The Spirit of ’76.” So, we played off of that a lot in our senior year. And we’re doing it for our 50th reunion!

AM: As you recall all of the things that have happened over the past 50 years, from the 200th Anniversary of America’s founding to the 250th, what changes for women, and for Sweet Briar in particular, have been most prominent in your memory?

SOK: Women’s colleges are now highly respected as places of learning that are producing really good citizens. Global citizens are what we need. As students we were preparing to be good citizens and leaders. Every time you are a student leader, captain of a team, or

“The College has always focused on producing educated women, but now we can see more clearly the need for women leaders to create a better world.”

—Sally Old Kitchin ’76

in a production, you assume leadership roles that help prepare you for your future when you are leading a team of people working together in a business or in your community. Now, at Sweet Briar there is more emphasis on preparing the global woman leader of tomorrow.

AM: What connections do you see between the mission of Sweet Briar in 1976 and our mission today?

SOK: Our mission today is more refined and goaloriented toward producing young women who are going to be consequential citizens and leaders in a global society. The College has always focused on producing educated women, but now we can see more clearly the need for women leaders to create a better world.

AM: Absolutely. It’s been really cool and really interesting to see what has changed, become more refined, and what things have remained the same or remained sort of essentially Sweet Briar. And I think that’s a really great marker of a healthy place, is that it changes, but it keeps the things that are good the same.

SOK: That is beautifully said and so, so true. Indiana Fletcher Williams wanted to educate young women, and that is what we are doing. There are now even more opportunities, which we have captured such as internships, curated studies, the archaeology program abroad, and more. Yes, other colleges have unique offerings, but I feel like we search for what is out there and make it happen. And just like your

professors working with you to create your own degree and your own interrelated studies, that is remarkable. I am not sure that all colleges can make that happen like Sweet Briar does. I love what you have put together. You are right, art history, archaeology, the study of people and their cultures, geography, all of them are interrelated. You can’t look at any discipline as isolated. You've got to tie them all together. Our administration, faculty, and staff can work with each student to create just the right experience for them.

AM: What other small school, let alone small women’s college, ABET-accredited, has a longlasting program with Oxford, has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, has honors summer research, and has an archaeological field school active in Albania?

SOK: It’s true, it’s a very good point.

AM: My dad’s a professor, so I’ve seen a good bit of academia, but I haven’t seen a school like Sweet Briar before. It’s why I love it.

SOK: You have spoken so beautifully about so many unique opportunites at the College and

just articulated it so well and brought it all together. It’s true. It really is. It’s a unique place. You feel it from the moment you drive on campus. You just feel this sense of it saying, “Welcome home.” You feel like, “I’m home,” because it’s always home. You are always welcomed. It’s so interesting to see what the students are doing and what the professors are teaching. And it’s just a beautiful experience, a beautiful place.

This is a special year as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our nation and the 125th Anniversary of our beloved College. Under the outstanding leadership of our first alumna president, Mary Pope Maybank Hutson, we are well positioned for our future with financial strength and a compelling mission.

As I prepare for my 50th Reunion in May, I am thankful for Sweet Briar College for all it has offered to students for 125 years; outstanding educational opportunities, student life experiences, leadership preparation, a supportive community, and the gift of lifelong friendships.

Onward to the next 125 years!

Supporting the Next 125 years of Women Leaders

Individuals, foundations, and corporations have the opportunity to underwrite activities celebrating Sweet Briar College’s 125th Anniversary, making an investment that will launch the next 125 years of educating women leaders. We invite donors to take advantage of one of the following sponsorship tiers as Sweet Briar celebrates its quasquicentennial and looks ahead to its next major milestones. The culminating event of the 125th Anniversary celebration will be a gala held on Oct. 24, 2026, which will bring decades of alumnae and friends of Sweet Briar from around the world together in honor of our special institution.

Patron—$1,000

• 2 individual tickets to the Celebration Gala

• Recognition on signage at the Celebration Gala and in the College’s Annual Report

Boxwood—$2,500

• 4 individual tickets to the Celebration Gala

• Recognition on signage at the Celebration Gala and in the College’s Annual Report in the Boxwood Circle

Pink Rose—$5,000

One table (8 individual tickets) at the Celebration Gala

• Recognition on signage at the Celebration Gala and in the College’s Annual Report in the Boxwood Circle

• Recognition on the 125th Anniversary website: sbc.edu/125

Silver Rose—$10,000

Two tables (16 individual tickets) at the Celebration Gala

• Recognition on signage at the Celebration Gala and in the College’s Annual Report in the Boxwood Circle

• Recognition on the 125th Anniversary website: sbc.edu/125, with the option for logo placement online and at the Celebration Gala

Golden Stairs—$25,000+

Two tables (16 individual tickets) at the Celebration Gala Lodging at the College’s Elston Inn for the Celebration Gala for two individuals (one room)

• Recognition on signage at the Celebration Gala and in the College’s Annual Report in the Boxwood Circle

• Recognition on the 125th Anniversary website: sbc.edu/125, with the option for logo placement online and at the Celebration Gala

• Recognition in remarks made at the Celebration Gala

Those interested in sponsoring the College’s 125th Anniversary through one of these packages should contact alumnae@sbc.edu.

Alumnae Recs

What Are Alumnae Reading?

Check out recommendations for your next read!

The

Briar Club by Kate

Quinn

Recommended by Christine Bump ’00

Once Upon a River

by

Diane Setterfield

Recommended by Jennifer McCallum Smith ’92

“I purchased this book for three reasons: (1) It has “Briar” in the title; (2) I loved The Rose Code, by the same author; and (3) the characters live in a women’s boarding house in Washington, D.C. As an intern during my Sweet Briar days, I did too! The story is set in the early 1950s and explores issues and challenges facing women in the post-WWII/Korean War era, which have implications today: the lingering effects of Nazi Germany, navigating McCarthyism and the Red Scare, discrimination against immigrants, discrimination based on race and sexual orientation, pursuing professional success, and not wanting children. The book begins with two murders, but the victims' identities are not revealed until the end. As the story unfolds, you learn that every character has a secret that could cause them to kill or be killed. The historical details are also very interesting.”

“I strongly recommend two books, Like Trees Walking and Gracious Uncertainty, both by Sweet Briar alumna Jane Slack Sigloh ’56. Jane is an Episcopal priest. She writes with wisdom and poignancy and humor. For those who studied under Evelyn Eaton, no woolly muffle here.”

“Highly recommended.”

Reading

Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times

by

Azar Nafisi

Recommended by Deirdre Conley ’72

Like Trees Walking and Gracious Uncertainty

by

Jane Slack Sigloh

’56

Recommended by Julia Shields ’62

BY

“I read Allen Levi’s book Theo of Golden almost without stopping and have told several of my friends, who also have loved it. It's the only book I've read that I'm ready to read again! Thoughtful, uplifting, and so very needed these days!”

—Laura Hendrickson Bartels ’70

“Multi-generational story about family in the context of slavery and racism. Best quotation: ‘If life had taught them anything, it was that a person’s path still could be lit by moments of joy, even after unspeakable loss.’”

Good

Dirt by

Charmaine Wilkerson

Recommended by Linda Lucas Steele ’75

MOST RECOMMENDED

Theo of Golden

by Allen Levi

Recommended by Laura Hendrickson Bartels ’70, Jennifer McCallum Smith ’92, & Virginia Spigener ’84

Prisoners

of

Geography

by Tim Marshall

Recommended by Holly Smith ’72

The Hag Stone: A Novel of Love and Loss During the Bubonic Plague by W.J. Small

Recommended by Wylie Jameson Small ’83

“An absolute must for everyone!”

—Virginia Spigener ’84

“Encouraging material.”

The Desert Walk: A Journey Through Lent with Jesus by Leslie Carson Albizzatti ’90

Recommended by Candace S. Preston Eccles ’90

Check out my book!

The Apex Between

On the Altar of Greece by Donna J. Gelagotis Lee ’78

Transforming Higher Education: How Bold and Innovative Leaders Entrepreneur the Future by Dr. Mary Landon Darden ’74

Sing to Me

Billy the Kid by Frances Bonney Jenner ’68

Of Note

5 Sweet Briar College Farm Wines Earn Medals

For the second straight year, Sweet Briar College Farm is celebrating more recognition of its award-winning wines. Five wines earned either a silver or bronze medal in the 2026 Commonwealth of Virginia Governor’s Cup. Silver place winners include the 2023 Leading the Way Chardonnay, 2024 Briar Bubbly, and 2024 Celebration Sparkling Chardonnay, while the bronze winners are the 2023 Constitution Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon and 2024 Earned the Rosé. Learn more about our wines and how to try them at sbc.edu/farm.

Historic Garden Week

The gardens of Sweet Briar House were featured as a part of this year’s Historic Garden Week, an annual statewide event that includes unique tours organized and hosted by member clubs. Sweet Briar House, on the National Register of Historic Places, is surrounded by a boxwood garden and Daisy’s Garden, which date to the 19th century. The Garden Club of Virginia restored the front arrival court and added to the original arboretum on the front grounds with native and exotic trees. On April 21, guests were welcomed to Sweet Briar House to visit the gardens and enjoy their historic beauty.

Sweet Briar Welcomes New Associate Academic Dean

—

In the fall, Dr. Amy Gilley joined the Dean’s Office as associate academic dean, bringing with her a distinguished record of leadership, scholarship, and creative inquiry across the humanities and design disciplines. She holds two doctoral degrees: one in architecture design and research from Virginia Tech and another in dramatic arts from the University of California–Santa Barbara, where she also earned a master’s degree. Dr. Gilley completed her undergraduate studies in English at the University of Baltimore. Before coming to Sweet Briar, Dr. Gilley served in numerous academic and administrative roles, including academic dean and professor at Eastern Shore Community College; dean of arts and humanities at both Mott Community College and Ocean County College; and dean of humanities at Tarrant County College.

Summer Programs Return to Sweet Briar

Sweet Briar is thrilled to offer a robust collection of summer programs this year. Sessions cover a wide range of topics, from athletic camps led by Sweet Briar coaches to professors offering STEAM programs, and much more. These programs are offered in addition to the College’s Summer Arts & Writing Retreat, now in its third year. The collection of sessions will take place across campus throughout the summer, with opportunities for middle and high school girls, as well as adults. Check out sbc.edu/summer-programs to learn more and register, availability permitting.

Sweet Briar Recognized by General Assembly for 125-Year History

Sabena Moretz, CICV; Andrew McAllister, Sweet Briar Board of Directors; Sally Old Kitchin ’76, Chair of the 125th Anniversary Planning Committee; Mary Pope M. Hutson, Sweet Briar College President; Senator Creigh Deeds; Chris Peace, CICV

Sweet Briar College’s 125th Anniversary was recognized by the Virginia General Assembly on March 5 in conjunction with CICV in honor of National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day. Senator Creigh Deeds sponsored a Senate joint resolution celebrating Sweet Briar’s role in advancing women’s education and leadership. National Women’s Colleges & Universities Day, the resolution, and Sweet Briar College were introduced by Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent of Northern Neck, who read the resolution aloud in the House of Delegates.

Dedicated Show Team Returns to Sweet Briar Riding

Starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, Sweet Briar Riding will once again offer its Show Team for independent competitors, a club program that was last offered in 2014. The Show Team will provide independent competitors who currently show with their own or leased horse to continue doing so, but in a more formalized, structured, and consistent way. The Riding Program will offer a calendar of rated and local association shows across the East Coast for each rider to choose from, with opportunities for both hunters and jumpers.

Sweet Briar Among Top Virginia Schools & Universities

Sweet Briar College was once again chosen by Virginia Living as one of the Top Schools & Universities for 2026. Each year, Virginia Living magazine releases a “State of Education” in their March–April issue, highlighting the best institutions across the Commonwealth. Pick up an issue today to see Sweet Briar’s listing and highlighted ad!

Sweet Briar College looks back at more than a century of women’s leadership.

By Clelie Steckel & Rachel Balsley

The year 2026 doesn’t just represent 125 years since Sweet Briar’s charter was filed with the Commonwealth of Virginia. This year, we’re celebrating 125 years of breaking barriers and inspiring change. We’re celebrating 125 years of educating women and shaping leaders. We’re celebrating 125 years of defying the odds as international and educational landscapes continue to shift. We’re celebrating the past, and we’re looking toward the future.

In this special section of the Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine, you’ll have the opportunity to look back at our history, explore untold stories, and see what the last quarter-century held as Sweet Briar continues to build and shape its legacy. Throughout this section, you’ll also find reflections, memories, and notes shared by alumnae about their Sweet Briar experience.

This issue serves as a continuation of what has already been reported,

chiefly in the 75th (1976) and 100th (2001) Anniversary editions, that tell so much of our story, while also filling in some of the gaps. In addition to what’s covered in these pages, we invite you to go to sbc.edu/magazine to read, or perhaps revisit, both of these previous magazines to learn even more about Sweet Briar’s long history and enduring legacy.

Here’s to 125 more years of Sweet Briar College!

Throughout this section, you’ll find short reflections shared by alumnae. We invite you to travel down memory lane with us as they share parts of their Sweet Briar experience.

Rooted Here: The Monacan Indian Nation

TThe Monacan Indian Nation has lived in the Commonwealth of Virginia for thousands of years, and the current tribe is descendants of those ancestors. Unfortunately, the Monacan Indian Nation has been treated as a footnote of Virginia history rather than one of its main chapters. Recently, Sweet Briar has taken steps to better learn and acknowledge this history and the people of the Monacan Indian Nation. Sweet Briar and the Monacans have been neighbors for more than the College’s 125-year-long existence, and the College gratefully acknowledges Chief Diane Shields’ and Assistant Chief Edith Lou Branham Parrish’s recent involvement in Sweet Briar community events.

The First Stewards of the Land Long before the Fletcher-Williams family established Sweet Briar Institute through a trust in 1901, the Indigenous people whose descendants are citizens of the Monacan Indian Nation stewarded the land we now call our campus.

The 2,847 acres that make up Sweet Briar College’s land ownership today are part of the ancestral homeland of the Monacans. Their stewardship of these lands dates back to around 10,000 BCE, when the Monacan people’s ancestors arrived on the land that would become Virginia. By 1,000 CE, the earliest Monacan settlements were established. The term “Monacan” represents a confederacy composed of several major Eastern Siouan–speaking Indigenous groups, as well as the smaller group that originally inhabited the town of Manakin. Their villages were established in proximity to rivers like the Rivanna, James, and Roanoke, and by the 17th century, an estimated 50 Monacan villages were in existence in Virginia. The Monacan people inhabited much of the Virginia interior, living above the fall lines of the James and Rappahannock Rivers, immediately to the west of the Powhatan territory in regions including the Piedmont and areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Monacans were then an

Early 17th-century map of Virginia. Note the word “Monacans” to the left of the banner reading “Virginia.”

agricultural people who grew a variety of domesticated foods yet also hunted and fished. They mined copper, established trade networks, and created burial mounds for their dead.

Karenne Wood (1960–2019) was a citizen of the Monacan Indian Nation known for her poetry and work in tribal history. Her poem “Homeland” ends with two poignant lines:

Nothing was discovered. Everything was already loved.

With the growth of English colonization following the founding of Jamestown in 1607, by the early 1700s, white colonial settlers began to move west of the fall line of the James River.

As the English moved into the Piedmont,

to read

encroaching on Monacan lands, the Monacan’s strategy was largely to avoid contact—and conflict—with the intruders. Some Monacan people decided to leave Virginia. Others relocated to more remote areas of their territory, including those in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, who were joined by members of other dispersed tribes such as the Saponis, Occaneechis, and Tutelos, and became the Monacan Indian Nation of today.

Establishing Bear Mountain

The Monacan Indian Nation describe themselves as the people of Bear Mountain. This historic and sacred land, some of which the Monacan Indian Nation has had to purchase back, includes a burial site. Some of this land is within the ownership of Sweet Briar College. In 1831, William Johns purchased 52 acres there, and he purchased an additional 400 acres in 1833, creating a settlement for the Monacan families related to him. In 1868, the Monacans received a donation of land to provide a meeting place, and shortly thereafter, a log cabin was built on Bear Mountain, which was used by evangelists and preachers who ministered to the Monacan Bear Mountain residents.

The first phase of the construction of Sweet Briar College envisioned by architect Ralph Adams Cram was undertaken between 1901 and 1912. As was the case during the era of Sweet Briar Plantation, local Monacan and African American residents supplied much of the labor to construct and maintain the College’s campus.

In 1907, Reverend Arthur Gray established an Episcopal mission program for

the Bear Mountain community. Gray was also one of the first Trustees of the Estate of Indiana Fletcher Williams, rector of Amherst’s Ascension Church, which Indiana attended, and served on Sweet Briar’s Board of Directors from 1901–1921. In 1908, Gray directed the construction of the church on Bear Mountain and expanded the existing log cabin to become a two-room schoolhouse.

According to The Monacan Indians: Our Story, shortly after 1916, Sweet Briar itself directed the construction of a mission house for the new deaconesses at the mission, and around the same time, the Bum Chums began making regular trips to the mission and organizing activities for its residents.

Fighting for Identity

Unfortunately, the Monacans suffered many hardships throughout the colonial period in Virginia. By the 1920s, 500 Monacan residents occupied Bear Mountain. Dr. Walter Plecker, head of the Bureau of Vital Statistics, worked to get the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 passed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This law required each person born

in Virginia to have a birth certificate, and limited the options for describing race on the certificate to “white” or “colored,” dictated by Plecker’s belief that Virginia’s Indigenous people had been amalgamated with the state’s African American population. The law also prevented intermarriage between races. Plecker dictated that any birth certificates that pre-dated 1924 that identified people as “Indian” were overwritten as “colored.” This led to the erasure of Virginian Indian identity, including the Monacans.

This erasure is significant in the history of the Monacan Indian Nation and other Virginia tribes. Because they were no longer allowed to marry anyone of their choosing or register as Indian in any official capacity, many Monacans left Virginia during this time. Federal recognition required tribes to “prove” Indian ancestry in order to gain tribal sovereignty. The Monacans successfully challenged the birth certificate classifications, and in 1943, the local draft board resolved their incorrect racial classification in the World War II draft.

Monacan Tribal Chief Diane Shields and Assistant Tribal Chief Edith Lou Branham Parrish gather around the land acknowledgment plaque with President Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83.

In 1967, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Loving v. Virginia that Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws violated the 14th Amendment. In 1975, the Virginia legislature removed the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 from state law. In 1997, the tribe petitioned the Virginia Council on Indians to allow corrections to the overwritten birth certificates and other official documentation, a bill that was passed, and which also allowed these changes in documentation at no charge to members of the tribe. The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution in 2001 condemning the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, and in 2020, the Act was repealed by the Virginia General Assembly as part of the efforts to remove all racially discriminatory laws in the state.

The journey to state and federal recognition was also a lengthy endeavor for the Monacans. Both levels of recognition provide opportunities like grants, placing lands into trust, and reclaiming tribal identity. In 1981, the Mattaponi-Pamunkey-Monacan Consortium was created, which secured funding for jobs and job training. In 1988, the tribe became a state-registered corporation. In 1989, the Virginia General Assembly recognized the Monacans as one of the eight Indigenous tribes in the state. In 1993, the tribe became a registered nonprofit organization, established a museum steering committee, and held its first annual Powwow. With the funds raised from the Powwow, the tribe purchased 110 acres of its sacred land on Bear Mountain, which is held in trust for future generations. In 1994, the tribe negotiated with the Episcopal Diocese to open a tribal museum at the mission. In 1995, the Episcopal Church returned the deed to 7.5 acres of land to the Monacans. On Jan. 29, 2018, the Monacan Indian Nation received federal recognition when the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 was signed into law.

The Monacan Indian Nation & Sweet Briar Today

Today, the Monacan Indian Nation Museum and tribal government are located in Amherst and the tribal government offices are located in Madison Heights.

Dr. Dwana Waugh and President Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83 recite the land acknowledgement with Assistant Tribal Chief Edith Lou Branham Parrish during a ceremony on campus.

In 2024, Sweet Briar established a land acknowledgment honoring the campus’ Monacan heritage, which is now read before College events. It reads:

Sweet Briar College acknowledges the many benefits, responsibilities, and relationships of being in this place. We respectfully acknowledge the Monacan Indians, upon whose historical homeland our College is located and who have lived on this land for generations.

In fall 2025, the College officially dedicated a plaque honoring its campus as a part of the ancestral lands of the Monacan Indian Nation. The dedication took place on the Quad, where the plaque is displayed on a boulder, and featured remarks by campus and Monacan leaders.

“I want all of you to think, in your heart, who you are. You know yourself, and don’t ever, ever let somebody else tell you you’re not who you are because you are the best you can be, and that’s what you were born to be,” Chief Shields said about the importance of identity to attendees of the College’s 2025 Convocation.

Sweet Briar has also partnered with the Monacan Indian Nation to create a scholarship to welcome Monacan students to the College, with its inaugural recipient now a student. If you would

like to contribute to the scholarship, please reach out to alumnae@sbc.edu.

In 2021, the Monacan Indian Nation opened its newly-constructed tribal office in Madison Heights. In 2023, a new health center and senior center opened adjacent to the new tribal offices. The Monacan Indian Nation Museum on Bear Mountain is open to the public and displays artifacts and information panels that break down the years and major milestones for the Monacans. Each year, the Monacan Indian Nation holds its Powwow; this year’s Powwow will be held June 6–7, 2026, on the Powwow grounds in nearby Monroe.

We are grateful to Chief Diane Shields and Tribal Secretary Teresa Pollak for their review of this article and providing input and additions.

Learn More

To learn more about the history of the Monacans, read The Monacan Indians: Our Story, a booklet written by Karenne Wood and Chief Diane Shields, made possible by a grant from the Administration for Native Americans to conduct historical research to help the Monacans gain federal recognition. You can also learn more at the Monacan Indian Nation website, monacannation.gov. In addition to these valuable sources, this article was written with source material from Sweet Briar College’s Cultural Landscape Study.

Enslaved Founders of Sweet Briar College

At the time of publication of the 2001 Centennial issue of the Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine, a foundational component of the College’s history was still known by only a few members of the campus community. Dr. Lynn Rainville, who came to Sweet Briar that year as visiting assistant professor of archaeology and anthropology, had not yet confirmed the suspicions of Paul Cronin, who “shared his concern about a possible graveyard on the riding grounds,” according to Dr. Rainville’s 2021 article, “A College Founded on an Antebellum Plantation Digs Into the Pain of Its Past.” During her 18 years at Sweet Briar, she taught archaeology and anthropology, led the Tusculum Institute focused on public history, and later, served as dean of the College.

The research, study, and identification of depressions in the ground in a grove of trees just north of Sweet Briar’s Upper Lake and on top of a hill southwest of Lower Lake would not have been possible without the oral histories of the descendants of the souls who rest in the Burial Ground for Enslaved People, many of which Dr. Rainville collected. The Burial Ground for Enslaved People, where more than 60 people were laid to rest, is only part of the evidence of that population that remains on Sweet Briar’s campus today. Behind the Mary Clark Rogers Garden Cottage—the former overseer’s house— sits an Enslaved Community Cabin. The last residents of the cabin were a few members of the Jones family; Sterling Jones and his third wife, Aurelia Tyler, lived in the cabin from 1921 to 1924 with their first two children, Louise and Dorothy. Sweet Briar repurposed the cabin beginning in 1924, when it was made into a classroom. It also served as a tearoom, the offices of the Alumnae Association, a chapel, and the “Farm Tool Museum.”

Thanks to the descendants who shared their oral histories with Dr. Rainville, and Dr. Rainville herself, the cabin is now a museum that includes an exhibition of illustrated panels depicting the cabin’s history and the history of the enslaved population at Sweet Briar, which likely totals approximately 140 people over time. Of course, the existing cabin was not the only cabin that housed enslaved families. One of the oral histories came from Nannie Cashwell

Christian, who cooked for Indiana Fletcher Williams. Her account recalls that there was a row of cabins along what is now Elijah Road, along with three other rows of cabins at other locations on Sweet Briar’s property at the time— leading from Sweet Briar House to the burial ground, near Farmhouse Road near the former location of the Riding Center, and across US 29 from the College near Mt. San Angelo.

Slavery and the Fletcher Family

When he first moved to Virginia from Vermont in 1811, Elijah Fletcher, Indiana Fletcher Williams’s father, was opposed to slavery. Yet, by the time of his passing in 1858, his will bequeathed not only his land, livestock, and furnishings, but also the human property enslaved on Sweet Briar Plantation. The enslaved laborers were listed in the will, to be divided between Indiana, her sister, Elizabeth, and their brother, Sidney. Indiana chose 68 enslaved individuals to stay at Sweet Briar Plantation.

One of the better-known narratives of the population enslaved by the Fletcher family is that of Martha Penn. Elijah

Fletcher owned Martha’s sister Mary, and in a letter to Elijah dated Feb. 16, 1854, Martha asks him to purchase her so she would not be separated from Mary. Dr. Rainville’s helpful transcription of the handwritten cursive words reads:

Mr. Elijha fletcher, I write to you now for you to grant me a great favor which you will oblige me very much. I am now In the hands of Mr. Woodrough and I expect to start verry soon too the south if you will not oblige me as much as to buy me. I would be very glad if you would. I was a servant of captain Edmond pen. A sister Mary of which you own. Martha pen. I was sold in Lynchburg when Mr. george Payne went away please to Answer it as soon as you can and buy me if you please.

Martha Pen your humble servant Lynchburg Va.

“Mr. Woodrough” refers to Seth Woodruff (or Woodroof; the spelling varies from source to source), a slave

trader in Lynchburg. Martha received her surname from her first owner, Edmund Penn, to whom she refers in her letter. He had never been particularly careful in managing money, and when he passed away in 1850, his affairs were not in order. George Payne, Edmund’s daughter Catherine’s husband, who was mentioned in Martha’s letter, settled the estate. Payne sold Martha to Woodruff.

In addition to the courage Martha demonstrated in sending a letter to Elijah Fletcher, the very act of writing the letter was in itself bold and risky; she could have faced consequences for interfering with Woodruff’s business. Elijah did purchase Martha.

In Elijah’s will, drafted in 1852, six years before his death, he intended that Indiana and Elizabeth manage and profit from Sweet Briar Plantation together for 20 years after his passing. However, Elizabeth married 18 months after their father’s death, and Indiana

feared her brother-in-law’s motives in marrying her sister. As a result, Indiana decided to purchase Elizabeth’s share of Sweet Briar by trading other land for 1,300 acres. She placed the entire estate for sale so she could buy it back in whole and rid herself of any financial entanglements with Elizabeth and her husband. Despite discouragement from her northern relatives to divorce herself from the practice, Indiana continued to maintain an enslaved labor force at Sweet Briar Plantation.

Shortly thereafter, the Civil War erupted, with many conflicts occurring in Virginia. Dr. Rainville cites an interview with Lawrence Freeland from 1931, recalling his time at Sweet Briar during the war, when he was enslaved. In addition to sharing reminiscences of Indiana, his memories include that he was born in a cabin behind Sweet Briar House (the Enslaved Community Cabin that still stands today) and that during the war, members of the Union Army came onto the property and set fire to the barn and the smokehouse. This recollection is the only account of any conflicts on Sweet Briar’s property during the war.

Unfortunately, there is no such account of what took place at Sweet Briar

Plantation when the 13th Amendment became law in 1865, for either the freed population or Indiana. However, at other plantations in Virginia, a portion of the freed African Americans traveled north. Following emancipation, some of the formerly-enslaved residents of each plantation chose the surname Fletcher, while others chose other surnames. This makes it challenging to trace genealogical connections between siblings, and their post-emancipation surnames sometimes also differed from their antebellum surnames.

The same year that the Civil War ended, Indiana married Reverend James Henry Williams of New York City, whom she had been writing to during a long-distance courtship. Afterward, they spent most of their time in New York managing the rental properties that James Henry and his mother owned. While Indiana and James Henry would have had the freedom to marry whenever they pleased, that right was newly granted to formerly-enslaved African American couples after the Civil War. James Henry is listed as the officiant on marriage certificates of newly freed people in the Coolwell community, many of whom were previously enslaved by the Fletcher family. Dr. Rainville posits that

African American workers in front of the Power Plant and laundry complex.

this evidence supports James Henry’s opposition to or discomfort with slavery.

From Visibility to Recognition

Throughout the history of Sweet Briar College, many members of its staff were the enslaved laborers of Sweet Briar Plantation or their descendants. People like Sterling Jones, who worked at Sweet Briar throughout his life and passed away in 1959; Martha Penn Taylor, who cooked for Sweet Briar students until 1911 when she passed away; and Sofia Jordan, Sofia Wright, and Louise Richardson, who ran the laundry in the early days of the College and were born as enslaved laborers. Logan Anderson, who was part African American and part Monacan, was likely enslaved on an Amherst plantation and later worked as farm overseer and served in other roles for Sweet Briar Plantation, and then worked at Sweet Briar College in its earliest days—he was interviewed by an alumna from the Class of 1917.

In recognition of the enslaved community of Sweet Briar, many of whom helped to build the College after they were freed, the descendants of the enslaved individuals who worked at Sweet Briar, and the descendants who still work at Sweet Briar, a plaque was placed on a rock at the Burial Ground for Enslaved Families in 2003. It reads, “Sweet Briar Plantation Burial Grounds: Sacred Resting Place of Unknown Founders Who Labored to Build What Has Become Sweet Briar College. We Are in Their Debt.”

In 2014, Founders’ Day incorporated a walk to the burial ground for the first time, with those in attendance bringing flowers to the plaque. The tradition continued in 2015 and 2016, with groups repeating the gesture to honor the

Students, faculty, staff, and guests lay roses on the plaque honoring the College’s enslaved founders.

enslaved African American families with flowers and a moment of reflection. In 2016, students asked for recognition of the enslaved population to be formally recognized and celebrated during Founders’ Day. While those early iterations of the ceremony occurred in the morning, the College now conducts the ceremony in the evening, when enslaved populations typically laid their loved ones to rest.

There is still much to learn about the people who were enslaved at Sweet Briar Plantation, as well as their freed descendants who worked at Sweet Briar College. There are still likely other gravesites that have not yet been found, cabins whose foundations are just beneath the red clay, and artifacts hiding in our forests, pastures, and discreet corners of the land that makes up our college.

Community members participate in the walk to the Burial Grounds for Enslaved People.

Learn More

Like the history of the Monacan Indian Nation also included in this issue of the alumnae magazine, a relatively short magazine article cannot do the history of the enslaved population of Sweet Briar Plantation justice—in space, or in action. In addition to the valuable sources listed below, this article was written with source material from Sweet Briar College’s Cultural Landscape Study. The editors encourage all readers to learn more about the stories that were untold for the majority of Sweet Briar’s existence, and to read from available research and source material such as:

Invisible Founders: How Two Centuries of African American Families Transformed a Plantation Into a College by Lynn Rainville

“A College Founded on an Antebellum Plantation Digs Into the Pain of Its Past: How Sweet Briar Is Finally Remembering the Enslaved People Who Built— And Were Buried Beneath—Its Campus,” by Lynn Rainville, zocalopublicsquare.org

Hidden History: African American Cemeteries in Central Virginia by Lynn Rainville

Sweet Briar by Design

Ralph Adams Cram

Sweet Briar’s architect, Ralph Adams Cram, became connected with the College almost from its very beginning. John McBryde, one of the members of the Sweet Briar Institute Board of Directors and then-president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, first proposed engaging Cram in August 1901. Cram’s firm proposed 17 buildings for Sweet Briar’s campus but ultimately designed 13. In addition to his work on

Sweet Briar’s architectural plan, Cram is known for many churches and religious buildings, most notably the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, N.Y.; libraries and academic buildings at institutions such as Princeton University, the University of Richmond, Williams College, Phillips Exeter Academy, Rice University, and the U.S. Military Academy West Point; and a small number of private residences.

Cram’s design of what the community calls the Bell Tower, which at the time was

a pavilion and arcade to Gray Hall as it did not contain bells until much later, is one of Sweet Briar’s most prominent pieces of iconography. It is instantly recognizable in photographs and serves as a symbol of Sweet Briar’s perpetuity, which is why it was chosen as a key element of the College’s 125th Anniversary logo.

While the drawing included here is not dated, the Gray pavilion and arcade was constructed in 1906 and one of the first buildings on campus to be completed.

Looking Back

Revisiting iconic moments, favorite campus spaces, and unique Sweet Briar traditions and customs.

Integrating Sweet Briar

In 1963, the legal proceedings to admit African American students to Sweet Briar and comply with the Civil Rights Act officially began, combating specific language cited in the will of the College’s founder, Indiana Fletcher Williams. The College had been accepting non-white students, primarily of Asian and Native American descent, since 1940.

President Anne Gary Pannell and J. Wilson Newman, chair of the Board of Directors at the time, led the charge, contacting Frank G. Davidson, Jr., a Lynchburg tax and estate attorney, to begin the proceedings, as well as constitutional consultant Thomas S. Currier, to help determine why the will was drawn for “white girls and young women” only.

On Aug. 17, 1964, Sweet Briar’s counsel filed a bill of complaint in the Amherst County Circuit Court. The following legal battle lasted years, a tumultuous time for Sweet Briar as it both gained and lost support from constituents.

Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp ’68

In 1966, a temporary restraining order prevented the enforcement of a racial restriction in the will, allowing Sweet Briar to admit its first African American student, Marshalyn YearginAllsopp ’68, before the conclusion of its legal battles. On July 17, 1967, a special three-judge panel unanimously and permanently enjoined the Attorney General of Virginia, the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Amherst, and their successors in office from seeking to enforce the racial restriction on Sweet Briar College.

Following graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a major in biology, Marshalyn proceeded to earn an M.D., serving as a developmental pediatrician, medical epidemiologist, and chief of the developmental disabilities branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

I am most likely the only student to have attended Sweet Briar TWICE, once as a freshman through the first half of my sophomore year, and then returning for the first term as a junior. Despite my punctuated attendance, Sweet Briar has left me with my closest friends, my roommate in particular, with whom our friendship has lasted for just shy of 60 years.

The Art of Sharing Art

Whether performing on stage, creating in the Art Barn, or visiting one of the College’s galleries or installations, art is everywhere at Sweet Briar.

In October 1985, what was the College’s Refectory was dedicated as the Anne Gary Pannell Center, featuring an art gallery. Since then, it has been used to house countless art exhibitions, including pieces from Sweet Briar’s own expansive collection, which now has more than 1,700 pieces donated to or

collected by the College and Friends of Art over several decades.

The collection and exhibitions are also used by professors to aid in their lessons across disciplines. As a part of Sweet Briar’s 125th Anniversary celebration, Eras: People Watching 400 BCE to 2022 CE was on display from October 2025 through March 2026 featuring 65 pieces from the College’s art collection, and many classes studied and wrote about the

display. Students even 3D printed replicas of three of the collection’s physical pieces to be displayed alongside their original counterparts.

Pannell Gallery is one of three on campus, the others located in Benedict Hall and Mary Helen Cochran Library, which are used for a variety of exhibitions. A gallery in Babcock Fine Arts Center has also historically been used as a display space.

Traditions

Traditions have always held a special place at Sweet Briar. While many date back to early in the College’s history and still take place today, new traditions are still forming.

One of the newest traditions honors every single student as she begins her journey at Sweet Briar. The first Daisy Ceremony took place in August 2016 as new students accepted a daisy in front of family and friends. As per tradition, seniors receive a rose during their Baccalaureate Ceremony, bringing to fruition the College’s motto: She who earns the rose may bear it. The daisy serves as a beautiful juxtaposition at the start of a Vixen’s time at Sweet Briar and pursuit of her rose, as well as a fresh start and new beginnings.

Other traditions come in the form of annual events, which now include a host of activities that students can expect to enjoy every year. Whether it’s the Campus Events Organization’s (CEO) Oktoberfest during Families Weekend, Student Life Spooktacular, Multicultural Night Market, or Spring Fling, the annual calendar boasts much fun to be had on campus.

One of my memories is playing the Ring Game, announcing receiving an engagement ring. I was the first our senior year.

During a semester break, Jackie Mabie Humphrey ’60, Suzanne Reitz Weinstein ’60, and I went to Washington, D.C. We visited three embassies, knocking on the doors and being greeted by someone who let us inside.

At the Italian Embassy, we were shown a couple of rooms and I remember the gorgeous chandelier in one of them. At the Russian Embassy, we were directed into a small room filled with magazines. Someone very briefly talked to us and we were not able to go further.

At the Cuban Embassy, we were greeted by someone who did not speak English, but found a man who did. Jackie and Susie had studied French, so my Spanish had to carry us. Staying inside the doorway, he asked several questions in Spanish, which I managed to answer somewhat, but leaving, I realized I forgot the definite article in listing my courses. We enjoyed dinners each evening at foreign food restaurants. I recall my first Bird’s Nest Soup and Baklava.

—JANE

TATMAN WALKER ’60

Boathouse

The Boathouse has been a part of the campus and a staple for community members for decades. Based on historic references in a few publications, it’s estimated that there was a boathouse constructed on Lower Lake in the early days of the College that was later replaced with the current structure, the drawings for which are dated 1941. But the lake was serving students even before then, with the long-held tradition of “lake days” beginning in the 1930s. Students would often be found sunbathing, canoeing with guests, or studying on the docks. Today’s Vixens also use Lower Lake for “floathouses,” paddle boarding, canoeing through the Outdoor Program, the annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, hanging out on the docks, and—of course—Boathouse parties, proving that some things never change. Having two lakes and the opportunity for water recreation is one of the many special things about the College’s gorgeous grounds, which continue to serve every generation.

Visiting as a Prospective Student c 1973

By Donna J. Mihalik Gelagotis Lee ’78

What could be more fitting for approaching learning than the long drive down the treed lane, mature oak and pine shade letting in just enough light, the attendant at the guardhouse who greets me, the campus with well-groomed students walking to class?

The brick buildings, columned. The drive winding past it all to the boathouse, where the boys come to eye the girls on blankets in the shade of the elm. The sound of the water hitting the dock as each girl rows in. The nice ladies in admissions who want to know if I’ll fit in. The tall ceiling in the refectory, where students sit down together to eat. White tablecloths and good manners. I could even have coffee with a professor. The busy quadrangle. Tennis, boating, riding, swimming, hiking.

Such hopeful serenity among the southern trees. Such rarified peace. Each mount schooled and ready for the ride. Each professor as accessible as the paths to class. I want to eat grits in the morning, yogurt from the oncampus dairy. I want the Virginia mountain air to come down to cool me, winter to bring postcard snow. I’m already nostalgic for a school this beautiful, where even the mind is groomed to learn. I want to get on that horse, study equestrian art, listen to Mozart. Did I mention the parlor of the dorm with its oriental rug and baby grand piano? Yes, bring me to this place. Let me live in it. Let it live in me.

Uniquely Their Own

Sweet Briar’s collection of tap clubs is so uniquely Sweet Briar. Not quite like a sorority and not quite like a club or honor society, they occupy their own category of student organization at the College, and have for nearly its entire history. The first club dates back to 1910 when performing artists created Paint and Patches (P&P), “tapping” new members following their involvement in campus productions. With a somewhat exclusive nature of tap clubs, “rival” clubs formed, such as Ain’ts n’ Asses, which provided an outlet for those who did not succeed in gaining membership to P&P. Today, each group has their own mission and merits, providing joy to members and the community through annual special events and traditions, and adding much character to the Sweet Briar experience.

One of my favorite memories is the evening I was tapped for the Sweet Tones. Auditions had been held and all of us were anxiously sitting in our dorm rooms wondering if we had been selected. When they came on the floor singing “Sing Along, Sweet Tones” (the theme song), all of our nerves were tingling on high alert and what a joy it was when they came into my room, grabbed me, and swept me along with them! My moment was tinged with a little sadness, though, because a dear friend sitting with me in my dorm room who had also tried out was not selected. But she generously cheered me on.

Being a Tone was so special. We worked hard at practices, learning intricate melodies and harmonies (thanks in large part to the composition skills of Kathy Kavanagh ’74 and Marian Dolan ’76). We sang a wide variety of music, from “Coventry Carol” to “Blue Moon” to “Killing Me Softly.” We sang in a variety of venues, including the president’s house and on the bench in the Quad. We had planned engagements and impromptu gatherings. We traveled to sing with the men’s glee clubs at Harvard and Yale, recorded an album, caroled in the wee hours in every dorm, and loved every minute of it! There were no “Big Is” and “Little Yous.” We supported each other fully, knowing that we each contributed something powerful (lyrical tones and personality) to make beautiful music together!

—MARSHA TAYLOR HORTON ’76

Founding dates provided by clubs or estimated based on records and editions of the Briar Patch

Alumna Reflection

Jocelyn Connors ’62

Back in the 1950s, there were very few coeducational schools for girls. Duke and William & Mary were the only two that interested me. Most of my friends were applying to women's colleges, some with the idea of transferring to the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill for their junior year, or if they were from Texas, the university in Austin. The University of Virginia was all male, with the exception of the nursing school. Sweet Briar, Hollins, and Randolph-Macon were three of the highly-selective southern women’s colleges when I began looking at schools my junior year in high school. I applied to all three and was delighted to be accepted. Then I visited the campuses and fell in love with Sweet Briar. It was so beautiful with its pastoral setting and magnificent Ralph Adams Cram architecture. The Saturday I visited, I saw happy and outgoing students. Many of them were on their way to parties and events at the nearby men’s schools, Washington & Lee, VMI, Hampden-Sydney, and UVA. Their dates were there to pick them up or they were catching the 3 p.m. train to Charlottesville. It stopped at the Sweet Briar Station, right across US 29 from the campus. I met faculty members, had a meal in the Refectory, and toured the campus. It was wonderful!

Being from Charlotte, N.C., I rode the train, Southern Railways, to and from

Sweet Briar. When I arrived my freshman year, I was accompanied by my trunk, as were my classmates. Some kind and very strong soul carried it all the way up to my room on third-floor Reid. We had orientation, which included a swimming test in the lake. We did not have the pool, Guion, or Meta Glass at the time. Dew was brand new. The Wailes Center, the Florence Elston Inn, or the chapel had not been built yet. We had the Daisy Williams Gymnasium where, in the lower level, which was the dance studio, we had to disrobe from the waist up, and have “posture pictures” taken of our backs. We were issued gym outfits, which consisted of a blouse over which we had a blue “tunic” with a pleated skirt. The president, Anne Gary Pannell, led services on Sunday mornings, using the Episcopal liturgy, in the basement area of Manson.

Our dress code was written in stone. The only pants allowed were riding breeches, which were worn by students who had horses or who were taking riding for one of the required gym classes. Among our choices were dance, riding, tennis, golf, and field hockey. We wore dresses or skirts to all classes, and we had to wear flats with stockings to dinner, which for the freshmen, was in the basement of Reid. Upperclassmen dined in the Refectory, which is now Pannell Gallery. The dinners were rather formal, with white tablecloths and special Sweet Briar china. Student waitresses served platters and bowls of food, and we ate family style. There was

a set menu for all meals. The favorite things I remember were cinnamon toast at breakfast and flank steak for dinner. Our milk and yogurt came from the Sweet Briar Dairy. In the spring, the milk had an onion taste. The cows were eating spring onions! There was a daily bus from the City of Lynchburg, which was available to transport students into town where we could shop and have lunch at the Columns. We were required to wear stockings and heels for these trips.

Dorothy Jester was the dean of students. She had an apartment in Dew, the “new” dormitory at the time. We respected Ms. Jester. She was the epitome of the genteel southern woman. We all had little handbooks that listed the rules. The mantra was: “A Sweet Briar girl uses good taste and good judgement at all times.” We were not allowed to go off campus for dates during the week, and we had “closing hours” on weekends: 10:30 p.m. on Friday nights and 12 a.m. on Saturdays. Alcohol was forbidden on campus, and if we were 18, we were allowed to drink 3.2% ABV beer in approved establishments, including Tommy’s (now the Briar Patch), where we all knew Hazel and Mutt, and Buck’s, a dance hall in Madison Heights. We were expected to abide by the honor system for academics and social life, and for the most part, we did. Smoking was restricted to one room in each dorm. If you walked into one of those rooms, you did not need to have a cigarette to inhale copious amounts of smoke! We had a strong

honor system and student government, and each dormitory had student leaders. Every hall had one telephone that was shared by all. A student was on telephone duty each night to answer the phone and find the recipient of the call. That was always exciting, because a boy from one of the men’s colleges might be calling to ask for a date.

The social life was a big part of my experience. We had tap clubs like Bum Chums and QV, which are still in existence today. We also had formal dances, the biggest of which was May Day. The May Court was a tap club. A senior was always chosen to be the May Queen, and the May Court, consisting of girls from all classes, processed in the dell in front of Sweet Briar House. It was lovely, but not long after my time there, the idea of a May Court was no longer apropos, so it was abandoned. We loved going to fraternity parties at men’s colleges. On weekends, we had to stay in “approved” houses, and we were expected to be in the house on time at night. Most of the approved houses were like boarding houses or bed and breakfasts that kept girls who were spending the night. We met other girls from different women’s colleges and became friends with them.

The academics were rigorous. I was a biology major, and my professors were Elizabeth Sprague, Miriam Bennett, and Jane Belcher. Our classes and labs met in what was then called “Academic” (Benedict Hall). Two of my favorite classes were comparative anatomy and genetics. We dissected cats, dogfish sharks, and an amphibian (necturus) in the first, and studied fertilized chicken eggs and the common fruit fly (drosophila melanogaster) in the latter. James Watson and Francis Crick had just discovered DNA at the time, and with one of the first electronic microscopes that Sweet Briar had, we were able to see the chromosomes of the fruit fly. We kept them in little jars that contained the nutrient agar and observed their inherited characteristics. I took mine home for Christmas on the train. I also loved Classical Civilization, a challenging class that all students were required to take. Other notable professors that I had were Eleanor Barton, art; Lucille Umbreit, music; the Ramage sisters, Sarah and Ethel, English; Milan Hapala, history; Harriett Rogers, director

of Riding; Lucy Crawford; philosophy; and Kay McDonald, field hockey and physical education, among many more. I can only say that they were all excellent faculty, and we carry their influence with us to this day. They all lived on campus and frequently invited us into their homes. They also dined, several at a time, at President Pannell’s table in the Refectory. Mary Jane Pearl was dean of the College, and Dr. Carol Rice was the resident physician. There was a “hospital” for students in the Mary Harley Infirmary. I had mononucleosis my sophomore year and spent a few days there, spoiled by the excellent care and the delicious ice cream, which was all I could swallow.

My senior year, the College was overflowing with students, and Meta Glass was under construction, so some of the seniors were placed in faculty houses. Twelve of us lived together in what was then called Lancaster House on Elijah Road. We had so much fun there in that house with a kitchen, a beautiful view, and definitely not a dormitory! Over the years, we have stayed in close touch with each other. It was like being in a sorority house. I know that we alumnae all have our own memories, and many could expand on what I have written. All I can say is that I loved my four years at Sweet Briar so much that I was instrumental in recommending it to numerous young women over the years, including babysitters, my children’s classmates, our neighbors, and my own two daughters. On top of that, my husband, Tom, courted me there my senior year, and when we became engaged, I played a Ring Game. He loved the College so much that he served first as a member of the Board of Overseers and then as vice president and treasurer from 1986–1995. We lived in the Farmhouse, which was always open to students and faculty. International students spent holidays with us, and we had parents of students as frequent guests. We walked the Dairy Route every morning and went to the chapel for morning prayer with the Reverend Susan Lehman. Tom came out of retirement in 2015, filling the vacancy in his old job, to help President Phillip Stone save the College. He stayed in the Garden Cottage. I came up from WinstonSalem every other week and stayed with him. They worked long and hard together and became dear friends.

Alumna Reflection

Beryl V. Bergquist ’71

My first year at Sweet Briar in 1967 was an adventure—specifically, second-floor Reid. Long before the Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum and sustainability, SBC was quietly practicing cross-cultural awareness. Freshmen were paired with roommates from different regions. Not intentional polar opposites—but close enough. Some of us knew to stand in the shade on a warm sunny day. Others had yet to acquire this essential life skill. I, a Georgia girl, was paired with a new friend from New York City. A freshman from Montgomery, Ala., landed with Hartford, Conn. Louisiana met Pennsylvania. You get the picture.

This system worked beautifully … until it snowed. Montgomery raced down the hall to my room, breathless with news of a first-time miracle: IT WAS SNOWING.

Wanting to share this extraordinary moment, I woke N.Y.C. to announce the great event. She was speechless— possibly overwhelmed with excitement—and simply rolled over to face the wall. Clearly, she was savoring the moment in her own quiet way. Meanwhile, Montgomery and I were beside ourselves. We burst outside Reid to make iconic snow angels, shout rebel yells, and marvel at this astonishing weather phenomenon. Our first snowfall was pure joy. Once back inside, our soaked coats and heavy clothes

made us reconsider our wardrobe choices for the coming years. Southern girls, meet Virginia winter.

Housing was determined by lottery. Roommates self-selected and jointly crafted a carefully ranked wish list of rooms. I paired with Silver Spring, Md., who graciously agreed to my heartfelt dream: a room facing Paul Mountain head-on. That meant one of three vertically stacked rooms in Grammer Hall— and a daily hike up to the third floor. But for a girl from South Georgia (where flat is a lifestyle), this was my chance to look at a mountain every single day. Worth every step. We got our room with a view, and the year was wonderful.

The following year, my sophomore roommate studied abroad in Italy, opening the door for junior year creativity—back to Grammer, this time aiming for a suite. I struck a deal with Rocky River, Ohio. As a math-physics major, I agreed to help her survive her lone math course. In exchange, she attempted to teach me 10 important dates in history (and insisted 1492 wasn’t one of them—news to me). When quizzed, I learned to answer “the French Revolution” with confidence, even if I was occasionally off by a century. In my defense, my field focused on the future

of science. History, after all, had already happened. With great minds collaborating, we proposed to the administration that we welcome a junior transfer into our suite for better assimilation (and stellar roommate guidance). Enter Concord—and success! Our first-floor Grammer suite featured two bedrooms and, most importantly, an en suite bathroom with a gleaming white cast-iron tub. This was the ’60s. Tie-dye was IN.

That tub became both a bathtub and dye vat. Pant legs were knotted and applied rubber bands foretold spirals we imagined. Bold color patterns emerged. Unfortunately, so did a rather ghastly tub interior. After a desperate search, we located powerful cleaning chemicals in the first-floor communal bathroom closet. Unsure of dilution ratios, we guessed. Miraculously, a gleaming white tub reappeared.

Rocky River and I didn’t stop there. The college carpenters were available to hang artwork at the start of the year, and we seized our moment. Rocky River acquired a massive 7-UP billboard in neon green, yellow, and orange. The workers

admitted this was a first—but installed it beautifully. Thus, I awoke every morning inside the rising sun.

As first floor Grammer Hall president, our suite naturally became a gathering place. It would be hard to top junior year housing. But we already had a plan.

Senior year brought a bold new housing adventure. House 3 on Faculty Row was the French language house. House 1, meanwhile, had earned a reputation as home to independentminded, occasionally rebellious, often rowdy seniors. Naturally, about 20 of us dedicated students—science, history, math, art, and assorted creatives—banded together to petition for House 1.

We were not the usual residents, but we were hopeful. The administration was ecstatic—and relieved. We got House 1. Then came the small matter of fitting everyone inside. An internal lottery sorted most of it out until Silver Spring noticed that the final room, formerly a single, simply didn’t accommodate two students.

Enter creative problem-solving. I volunteered to relocate and “make my own space.” House 1 was chockablock

full, except for one surprisingly spacious area: the laundry room. True, it featured vinyl flooring rather than original hardwoods. But it also came with major perks—everyone passed through, there was a large sink and generous counter space, built-in shelving, and a wideopen doorway to the world of House 1. Honestly, it couldn’t have been better.

My parents were less enthusiastic upon discovering that their room-andboard tuition was funding my residence in the laundry room. But it was commodious, bright, and instantly became a social hub. During the college vice president’s annual House 1 and House 3 fireside chat (also known as the fire-escape how-to tour), he paused mid-walkthrough when he learned of my unique living arrangement. Peering out my lone window, he thoughtfully observed that I might be able to jump, if necessary. Comforting.

Since I managed to complete my studies one semester early, my beloved laundry-room suite quickly became a top pick for a senior returning from study abroad. And just like that, House 1 took on a new life.

Saving Sweet Briar

By Phyllis Watt Jordan ’80

It’s impossible to look back at the past 25 years of Sweet Briar’s history and leave out the extraordinary efforts of alumnae, students, faculty, staff, families, and friends in 2015.

While it’s a story that has been told many times in the decade that has followed, it stands as a pivotal moment in the College’s legacy. With colleges and universities closing each year, Sweet Briar remains open due to the fierce and unyielding support of its community.

In the timeline that follows, you’ll read about the immediate and all-encompassing support the College received after the announcement of the attempted closure, and many of the notable milestones throughout the legal battle that thwarted it.

To all who participated in any way in saving Sweet Briar, we thank you.

MARCH 3, 2015

Board announces plans to close Sweet Briar by Aug. 25, citing “insurmountable financial challenges.” Students, faculty, and staff are informed in meetings on campus. Alumnae respond with anger on a conference call with college leaders. A website, savingsweetbriar.com, is created.

MARCH 9

Amid a flurry of fundraising activity and organizing, a group of alumnae formally incorporates Saving Sweet Briar Within two days of its incorporation, the organization raises more than $1 million in donations and pledges

MARCH 15

Alumnae gather along Sweet Briar’s winding driveway to greet students returning from Spring Break, consoling them and encouraging them to continue fighting for the College’s survival. Alumnae leave flowers at the gravestones of the founders at Monument Hill.

MARCH

20

Amherst County Attorney Ellen Bowyer writes to Sweet Briar’s lawyers, advising them that she’s considering a lawsuit to stop the closure. She accuses President Jones and members of the Board of Directors of violating Virginia law, citing the Virginia Charitable Solicitations statute governing how donor funds are used and Sweet Briar’s trust, which asserts the property must remain a college for women.

MARCH 30

Bowyer files suit with the county Circuit Court, asking for an injunction restraining the Board from taking further steps to close the College. She points to Sweet Briar’s trust and the law governing charitable contributions. She also asks the court to replace the current leadership.

APRIL

14

Bedford County Judge James Updike rules that Amherst County can proceed with its case against Jones and the Board in terms of their handling of donor funds, but not for enforcing the trust. The county appeals the decision to the Virginia Supreme Court.

APRIL 15

Judge Updike grants a 60-day injunction that stops Sweet Briar’s leaders from spending general solicited donations to close the College. He stops short of replacing leadership or ordering that the College remain open. Saving Sweet Briar has raised about $11 million in pledges and $1 million in cash by this time.

APRIL 17

Bells toll to recognize the more than 300 employees set to lose their jobs.

APRIL 8

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring weighs in on the case, asserting that Amherst County does not have standing to question the closing and any possible violation of the trust. Herring works with Jones and college administrators to consider what donor funds can be used for shuttering the College.

A group of students, parents, and alumnae file a lawsuit, claiming that if the College closes, alumnae degrees would be tarnished and students would be “irreparably harmed.” They seek an injunction to preserve Sweet Briar’s assets.

Sweet Briar faculty members file a complaint against the College in Amherst County Circuit Court asking for $42 million in compensatory damages for tenured faculty and another $2 million for non-tenured faculty. The complaint, citing the audit released April 2, claims the “financial exigency” cited in their termination letters does not exist.

that have been used and are being used to close this college, and I don’t think that the people who gave the money gave the money for that purpose.”

JUDGE JAMES UPDIKE, JR.

APRIL 29

Judge Updike grants a six-month injunction prohibiting Sweet Briar from selling or getting rid of its assets in response to the complaint filed by students, parents, and alumnae. He declines, however, to issue an injunction stopping the closure. Both sides appeal the decision to the Virginia Supreme Court. Updike amends the order in early May to allow a transfer of two study abroad programs to Hollins University.

MAY 6

State legislators urge Attorney General Herring to investigate Sweet Briar’s acceptance and management of Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant money for in-state students attending private colleges. Sweet Briar leaders say they have spent none of the money for the coming school year.

Attorney General Herring, assuming the role of mediator in the Sweet Briar conflict, convenes a meeting of 25 stakeholders. Participants describe the three-hour meeting as “an open and candid exchange of ideas and a productive step in fostering a conversation about the future of an institution that we all care deeply about.”

MAY 8

State legislators from Amherst County urge Attorney General Herring to take a stronger stand on saving Sweet Briar.

MAY 12

The Virginia Supreme Court clears the way for a hearing on the situation, rejecting the College’s request that Amherst County's case be dismissed and accepting briefs the county has filed.

MAY 16

Sweet Briar holds Commencement for the Class of 2015, with many students and alumnae fearing it will be the last.

“What is so poetic, so tragically beautiful, is that Sweet Briar, in what some say is her last aching breaths, is providing you a leadership lesson of a lifetime.”

—THE HONORABLE TERESA PIKE TOMLINSON, 2015 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

MAY 18

Sweet Briar’s historic campus is placed on Preservation Virginia’s list of most endangered historic sites

MAY 19

Saving Sweet Briar is granted nonprofit status, making it easier to convert pledges into cash.

MAY 21

The College’s lawyers file an appeal to the state Supreme Court on Judge Updike’s six-month injunction preventing the College from disposing of its assets.

MAY 29–31

Reunion brings a record 1,800 alumnae and family members to campus. Saving Sweet Briar hosts several off-campus fundraising events.

JUNE 4

In a room full of women in pink cardigans, the Virginia Supreme Court hears Amherst County Attorney Bowyer’s arguments for overturning lower court rulings and for issuing its own injunctions to keep Sweet Briar open. Pledges and cash have topped $16 million.

I’ve told this story many times, but it’s one of my favorite memories of those fraught, intense months in the spring and summer of 2015 when we all came together in all our wild individuality to accomplish an impossible result.

By late June 2015, Saving Sweet Briar, supported by thousands of alumnae and friends of the College, had succeeded in its goal of wresting control of the College from the administration and Board that wanted to close it. The Attorney General brokered a settlement by which the old Board and administrators would resign and new leadership dedicated to reviving and renewing the College would be appointed. All that remained was the payment of $12 million in hastily donated funds to the College to show that the new leadership had the means as well as the will to turn the College around.

As the chair of the Saving Sweet Briar Board, I was responsible for ensuring the funds thousands had donated over the previous four months were wired to the College by

the July 2 deadline. No problem— except that I was bicycling in deep Southwest Virginia on the annual Bike Virginia tour that whole last week in June. Again, no problem. I had my cell phone in my pocket and kept pulling over on the side of the beautiful rural roads around Abingdon, Va., to answer the multitude of calls from our lawyers, accountants, and bankers as they decided how and when and how much to wire to the College that morning to meet the terms of the settlement. I’d stop, answer the phone, and then ride on for a few more miles while all the lawyers and bankers continued to discuss the details. Finally, the noon hour arrived and I answered that last call from our bank to authorize the wiring of the last $5 million to the College to complete the terms of our agreement. I’ll never forget standing there on an isolated country road outside Abingdon, leaning on my bike and finishing that last detail to make sure Sweet Briar endured. I was alone, but knew I was surrounded by thousands of fellow alumnae at that moment, including many—like my mom (Martha Clement ’48)— who were cheering us on from heaven. What a day!

—SARAH

CLEMENT ’75

JUNE 9

The state Supreme Court rules that Judge Updike was wrong in deciding that Amherst County cannot seek an injunction based on trust law. The case is remanded to the lower court. The high court extends Updike’s initial injunction on using certain donations until June 24.

JUNE 11

Judge Updike declines to dismiss the faculty lawsuit and sets a hearing for June 22.

JUNE 30

Saving Sweet Briar delivers $5 million, the first installment of its payment.

JULY 2

A newly reconstituted Board of Directors names Stone as president. His two-year tenure is widely credited with stabilizing the College’s finances and reassuring students and alumnae.

JULY–AUGUST

JUNE 15

Amherst County files a motion asking Judge Updike to appoint Phillip C. Stone, retired president of Bridgewater College and a former member of the regional college accreditation board, as a special fiduciary to evaluate Sweet Briar’s finances.

JUNE 20

College leaders and Saving Sweet Briar announce an agreement settling the three lawsuits and keeping the College open. Under the plan, brokered by Attorney General Herring, Saving Sweet Briar promises to deliver $12 million within 60 days to the College for the 2015–2016 academic year. Herring agrees to allow the College to have access to $16 million in previously restricted funds in its endowment.

JUNE 22

Judge Updike formally approves the settlement and is greeted with a rousing chorus of “Holla, Holla”

“As I watched the alumnae group fight for this college, it really impressed me how they had bonded as undergraduates and how that bonding remained, not only with each other, but with their school. I thought that reflects to me some special gift that Sweet Briar gave them and I'm going to fight for that.”

—PHILLIP C. STONE

The inaugural alumnae Sweet Work Weeks is held to spruce up campus ahead of students’ return.

JULY 20

Sweet Briar and Hollins announce the transferring control of the co-ed Junior Year Abroad programs in Spain and France back to Sweet Briar.

AUG. 24

The College reopens for the 2015–2016 year with 248 students for the fall semester, 38 of them first years and 80 from various schools studying abroad.

SEPT. 1

Saving Sweet Briar delivers its final installment of the funds it promised to provide the College.

Saving Sweet Briar Sparks New Opportunities & Unexpected Visitors

New Alumnae Programs

Several new programs and traditions were born following the attempted closure of 2015, allowing alumnae to stay better connected and consistently give back to the College, both financially and by volunteering.

From July 25–Aug. 14, 2015, more than 200 Sweet Briar alumnae, spouses, students, and friends of the College worked across campus to chip away at a long list of maintenance tasks that needed to be completed before the start of the next academic year. Organizers Debbie Thurman ’76 and Jen Staton ’02 called the effort Sweet Work Days—an homage to Patchwork Days, an early Sweet Briar tradition in which students and faculty helped spruce up the campus.

While the program has undergone a few iterations, it still lives on today. This

year, Alumnae Relations & Development launched the latest version, Sweet Work Weekends, which will provide the same opportunity to alumnae, but in the form of several shorter time periods. Common projects completed by alumnae during their stay on campus include landscaping, organizing Daisy’s Closet, power-washing, painting, construction projects, and much more.

In 2016, two new traditions were also formed in response to the fateful March 3 announcement. March Days of Giving was launched in March 2016 as an opportunity for alumnae to continue their leadership through giving. Since then, March Days of Giving has taken place each spring, sparking unprecedented generosity of alumnae and friends of the College. In 2025, the 10th annual giving day, the total reached a record with $2.8 million for the campaign, the second-highest total raised.

In addition to the annual giving campaign, the campus community gathers early in March for a Rose Planting Ceremony during which attendees take turns spreading dirt on a new rose bush in the Sweet Briar Rose Garden between Gray Hall and Anne Gary Pannell Center. This ceremonial tribute is a beautiful reminder of our communal pledge to Sweet Briar.

Alumnae interested in getting involved can visit sbc.edu/alumnae to learn more.

Celebrity Guests on Campus

Following the failed attempted closure, Sweet Briar welcomed not one, but two major celebrities to campus through online contests. While it seemed unlikely a small women’s college in rural Virginia would win multiple vote-based contests, the power of Sweet Briar brought comedian Seth Meyers and singer songwriter Rachel Platten to campus.

In November 2015, Seth Meyers visited campus as the first installment of Xfinity’s Professors of Entertainment. The College secured statistically more votes than bigger schools across the country, with more than half the student body participating. The votes were divided by the student body to even the playing field, leading the way for Sweet Briar’s strong community to rally together and secure a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

“I

did not realize how tumultuous and dramatic this last year was, but after I knew I was coming here, I was lucky enough to start reading up on this incredible story, this incredible rising from the ashes.”

—SETH MEYERS

“There’s a lot of strong women

in

this audience, and I love nothing more than women going after what they want and getting

it. All

I

know is that if you have something that you’re going for, besides saving the school, which is pretty incredible, do not give up on yourselves, do not stop fighting for what you believe in.”

—RACHEL PLATTEN

The following May, Rachel Platten, singer of the iconic track “Fight Song,” rocked the Fitness and Athletics Center as a part of the #CheggMusic 101 series, with Sweet Briar beating out 2,500 other colleges and universities across the nation through the online contest.

This win had a particularly special meaning for Sweet Briar, representing the students, faculty, staff, and alumnae’s fight to keep the College open. Platten’s “Fight Song” became the rallying anthem for students and alumnae, who led a successful fundraising campaign that overturned the previous administration’s decision to close the College.

Dave Matthews Live Album Supports Saving Sweet Briar

Many already know of the now legendary performance that took place in the dell on April 14, 1996. On what could be described as a perfect spring day, a young, and soon to be global phenomenon, Dave Matthews performed a solo acoustic concert for the Sweet Briar College campus community.

The now fabled performance took place just ahead of the release of Dave Matthews Band’s (DMB) third album, “Crash.” An intimate affair, Matthews spent breaks between songs sharing anecdotes, including that the place of inspiration for the band’s hit song “Crash Into Me” was a nearby residence hall, where he’s said to have also written the song. Matthews was a frequent visitor to campus during that time as he was dating Ashley Harper Matthews ’96, whom he married in 2000. It is often noted that the song features the lyrics, “Sweet like candy to my soul, sweet you rock, and sweet you roll.”

Ten years after the fact, DMB announced the release of a high-quality recording of the 1996 performance to be sold on CD along with a companion T-shirt commemorating the event. Net proceeds were donated to the College during the ongoing Saving Sweet Briar movement, leaving a small mark on what is now Sweet Briar’s own legendary story.

Changing Coursework

The most recent quarter-century of the College’s 125 years of women’s education featured many advancements in academics, from a major curriculum reset following the attempted closure to the launch of new majors and programs. While the community and stunning campus are also often referenced as hallmarks of the Sweet Briar experience, academics are always at the forefront of what the College does best.

Engineering Program

Sixteen years after it came to Sweet Briar in 2004, the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Program received a transformational $3 million gift by Margaret “Peggy” Jones Wyllie ’45 and her husband, Jesse. Peggy, who started at Sweet Briar in 1941, wanted to offer today’s students the chance to study engineering, an opportunity she didn’t have herself in a time when women in engineering wasn't possible.

Today, the program is thriving, with 84% of recent graduates (2021–2025) starting engineering jobs or graduate school within three months of graduating and 95% within a year. With the help of our Career Services team, Sweet Briar engineers have gone on to companies like NASA, IBM, and the U.S. Navy, and highly competitive graduate programs at Duke, Virginia Tech, and Johns Hopkins, to name a few.

Centered around an engineering science major, the College’s program is multidisciplinary, with students able to explore mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering through courses like Practical Metallurgy, Electrical Circuits, Mechatronics, Thermal and Fluid Systems, and much more. The program also requires students to complete an internship prior to graduating.

Led by dedicated and experienced faculty, students gain a solid foundation before entering the workforce. They’re also supported by local community ties,

have opportunities to network with professionals in the field, benefit from the annual Engineering Week Banquet, and get tons of hands-on experience throughout every level of the program.

“We’re able to provide broad instruction in engineering as a whole. We’re all engineers, which is not true for a lot of engineering programs at liberal arts colleges,” Professor of Engineering Jon Bender previously said at the time of the program’s 20th anniversary.

“[Our] vision is to make Sweet Briar the preeminent engineering program in the nation for women—period.” Dr. Bender led the program from 2022–2026. Assistant Professor of Engineering and Physics Dr. Michelle Gervasio was announced in March 2026 as the program’s new director.

And Sweet Briar is on its way. Now one of the College’s most popular majors, the engineering program remains one of only two ABET-accredited women’s colleges in the country. Accreditation comes from the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, which first accredited the College’s bachelor’s degree program in engineering science in 2009.

Students are also active through the College’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), which welcomes guest speakers from alumnae in the field, organizes trips, and hosts relevant workshops for members. Members also have the chance to attend the annual SWE conference, which this past fall took place in New Orleans, La. In 2024, the program also arranged partnerships with the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech so Sweet Briar students could better access and reduce the timeline of receiving master’s degrees in the field.

Certificate Programs

While the Arts Management Certificate program has been offered since 1982, two additional certificate programs were implemented between 2001–2026, including the Equine Studies and Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture and Food System programs.

Sweet Briar’s Equine Studies Certificates, offered with two concentrations, allow students to have practical experience that paves the way for a career in teaching and schooling or barn management. Introduced in the 2003–2004 academic year, the barn management concentration provides education on not just how to manage horses on a day-to-day basis, but organizing events, judging horse shows, and other areas of running an equine facility. Teaching and schooling is often the track taken by graduates who want to ride professionally or become trainers themselves. The teaching and schooling track also includes prerequisites each student must achieve in their skill levels as they advance through their education at Sweet Briar. Both concentrations require an internship, which allow students the opportunity to specialize in a specific area they may want to pursue after graduation. Alumnae who have earned the Equine Studies Certificate have gone on to have careers in barn management, competition management, professional riding and training,

equine-focused business marketing, and riding instruction.

Students in any major can earn the Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Certificate, which was introduced in the 2021–2022 academic year. Regardless of the career paths these graduates choose to take, they are equipped to contribute to more sustainable and just food systems. The certificate program builds student leadership capacity in agriculture, agribusiness, food systems, natural resources conservation, and land stewardship; prepares students for careers and incorporates ways of thinking and priorities from these areas into their work in other fields; and provides hands-on experiential learning opportunities, both on-campus and in real-world settings, and strengthens Sweet Briar’s on-campus food systems sustainability and sustainability/ agriculture relationships/partnerships in our region. Alumnae who graduate with this certificate may go on to have careers in farm, food, or beverage business management; climate-smart agriculture lobbying; greenhouse growing and management; agricultural communications or public relations; community or extension food systems education; and crop variety trials research, among many others.

Audrey Flattich Cozzolino ’25 examines vines during a class session in the vineyards.

Archaeology

Sweet Briar College’s archaeology and ancient studies department launched the Matohasanaj Archaeological Project in 2024, which brings students across the world for a hands-on research opportunity. After years of preparation, the project kicked off in June 2024 as Abigail Huling ’25, Chloe Burchett ’26, and Assistant Professor of Archaeology & Ancient Studies Dr. Erin Pitt traveled to Albania for the program’s first excavation. In summer 2025, Arin Armistead ’25, Alyssa O’Quinn ’26, and Bella Perdue ’28 made the international trek.

Led by Dr. Pitt, with assistance from adjunct instructor Mirgen Shametaj and a crew in Albania, the Matohasanaj Archaeological Project is a professional research opportunity coupled with a field school for students without excavation experience. The project brings students to Matohasanaj, a real excavation site located in Albania, to learn about archaeological field methods. Their work includes gaining understanding in the methods of documentation such as archaeological drawing, paperwork, photographing, working with artifacts, and cataloging; learning from industry experts like GIS digital typographers and LiDAR specialists; and digging up artifacts and the remnants of structures during an actual excavation.

On campus, the Matohasanaj Archaeological Project has also been incorporated into existing courses, serving as a case study for classes like Cities and Urban Spaces in the Ancient World, which examines the different roles cities and townscapes have with and their connection to other smaller sites in the landscape.

Institute for World Politics

In 2024, Sweet Briar College and the Institute for World Politics (IWP) created a new partnership for international affairs, national security, and intelligence education.

Through the partnership, Sweet Briar students have the opportunity to have early assurance on or after April 30 of their junior year when applying to IWP, as well as priority consideration in its internship program. Additionally, the College has the opportunity to bring 10 students and graduates for an annual visit to IWP.

Graduates have access to a special partnership scholarship for IWP’s inperson master’s programs, which in 2024 was a $2,200 scholarship per semester. They also have the opportunity to receive reduced tuition of $500 per credit hour for IWP’s online programs.

Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum Reset

In 2017, within the first year of her presidency, Meredith Woo announced several major changes to how Sweet Briar approached academics and affordability at the time. Following a faculty-led academic initiatives task force, three major curricular changes were developed to begin in the 2018–2019 academic year, several of which still live on today.

• The Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum: The revised leadership core curriculum consists of integrated courses that refocused Sweet Briar’s general education requirements on its greatest strength. Students will become exemplary leaders who take charge of the complex world around them with confidence, courage, and agility.

• Centers of Excellence: Starting that year, the College placed an enhanced focus on creativity and sustainability through the creation of

Centers of Excellence, creating space for interdisciplinary collaboration without structural barriers.

• Updated Schedule Structure: In 2018, the academic calendar moved from 15-week semesters to a 3-1212-3-week schedule to incorporate short terms dedicated to experiential learning opportunities such as research, internships, and study abroad. Every undergraduate student is eligible for up to $2,000 to fund these experiences through the Grants for Engaged Learning (GEL) program. The College continues to innovate its calendar structure; after extensive work by a taskforce, it will move to three terms in fall 2026. See the “2026 Schedule Update” section to learn more.

“At the heart of these changes are our brilliant faculty who are great teachers and communicators unshakably committed to Sweet Briar. Our students graduate career-ready and life-ready,” Woo said at the time of the 2017 announcement.

Other than Sweet Briar’s excellent academics, my memories revolve mostly around the International Club and the German Club, and the friends I made within these clubs. During the three years I was a student at Sweet Briar College, I held the positions of treasurer, secretary, and eventually president of the International Club. Members of the International Club were students from Peru, Uruguay, France, Scotland, the Netherlands, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, India, Germany, the USA, and other countries.

Among other things, we celebrated Guy Fawkes Day on Nov. 5 with a bonfire in the Dell and those famous Sweet Briar cookies; we took day trips to Washington, D.C.; met with the International Clubs of other colleges (Hampton Sydney, Washington & Lee, Lynchburg); and hiked the Blue Ridge Mountains. The German Club, under the guidance of Professor Ronald Horwege, met every Wednesday for lunch in the dining hall. Often we would meet in the afternoon at the Bistro to sing German songs accompanied by Mr. Tambor’s accordion. Good times!

—MONIKA KAISER ’82

2026 Schedule Update

Sweet Briar College will be moving to a new academic calendar beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. The new format will consist of fall and spring terms of approximately 14 weeks with a 3-week January Term (J-Term), which will offer three-credit classes.

“College leadership continuously reflects on and evaluates all aspects of academic life at Sweet Briar in efforts to enhance the student experience and provide a range of opportunities,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean of the College, and Chief Sustainability Officer Dr. Lisa Powell. “We look forward to embracing this new calendar format with our students and faculty in the coming years.”

The decision was made after years of informal discussions prior to assembling a faculty task force consisting of representatives from all areas of the curriculum. The task force met numerous times starting in spring 2025, inviting stakeholder input based on observations of student experience, discussions with students, and other factors in their areas. Members of the task force also incorporated student feedback from years of course evaluations and a survey about the Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum.

The new schedule will provide many new opportunities for students and faculty, such as:

• More time for extended for-credit internships and other experiential learning across Winter Break and January Term

• Better alignment with partner institution programs

• Symbiotic scheduling with academic conferences and equestrian programs in January

• Potential lower costs for travel courses

• Enhanced support for first-year students in their transition to college life

Adjustments are also being made to the calendar of student, faculty, and staff holidays and breaks.

SPOTLIGHT

M.A.T. Program

In 2005, Julia Ambersley ’02, Anne Benham ’04, Ellen Phillips, and Angela White earned the first-ever master’s degrees from Sweet Briar, which introduced its Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program in 2004.

Anyone with a bachelor degree may apply and enroll in the College’s M.A.T. program, which results in teacher licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The program can be completed in one or two years, depending on previous coursework, preparing graduates to effectively design instruction and learning environments that meet the needs of all students in their classrooms, schools, and communities. Concentrations include elementary, secondary, and PreK–12 education.

Throughout the program, teacher candidates fine-tune their teaching skills through graduatelevel coursework and extensive PreK–12 classroom experience. The M.A.T. program is specially designed to maximize teacher candidates’ readiness to lead their own classrooms.

Sweet Briar also added an undergraduate elementary education program in 2019. The College’s Teacher Education Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

I was immersed in historical research while at SBC, and am still at it at age 82. My memories of being there in the early ’60s consists partly of spending too much time in the library, and gratitude for the fantastic mentorship of professors Lysbeth W. Muncy (who became a lifelong friend), Gerhard Masur, and Milan Hapala.

—ROBIN RANDOLPH CUTLER ’66

Growing Agriculture Programs from the Ground Up

Once home to a dairy farm, it’s not surprising Sweet Briar further embraced agriculture in the last decade. With the introduction of multiple new programs and revenue streams, agriculture is thriving on campus, changing how the College approaches both sustainability and auxiliary revenue.

Starting in 2018, Sweet Briar began its agricultural pursuit with the introduction of a 20-hive apiary, now named in honor of the Brown family. The apiary produces

honey that is for sale in the campus Book Shop and wine shop, along with a variety of honey products, including soap, lotion, and body scrub.

Just across the way from both the College’s expansive wildflower meadow, which was planted as a pollinator habitat in 2018 with support from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, sits a large portion of the College’s nearly 18-acre tracts of vineyards. An additional tract is located on Farmhouse Road, which you can see from US 29. The vineyards were planted in 2019, the beginning of Sweet Briar’s fruitful foray into the wine business.

Since then, the land bore fruit to make the College’s first batch of wine available for purchase, which made its sales debut at Reunion 2024. Though the grapes were grown initially to supply Virginia wineries, the College began bottling its wine under the Sweet Briar College Farm name, made in collaboration with Michael Shaps Wineworks and bottled in Charlottesville, Va., and has found great success. In 2025, three Sweet Briar College Farm wines earned medals in the Commonwealth of Virginia Governor’s Cup 2025 competition, with the 2023 “Earned the Rosé” taking gold while both the 2023 “Leading the Way Chardonnay” and 2023 “Meadow Merlot” were awarded silver medals.

The wine shop, located on campus in the Wailes Center, offers bottles for sale as well as wine tastings. Wine shop hours of operation can be found at sbc.edu/farm. Our wines can also be found at several local restaurants and businesses, and online for shipping to select states.

“I greatly enjoyed being part of the first wine sales. I was able to learn

about the different varieties of grapes we use to make our specialties, how the wine bottling process works by physically going to the facility where it takes place and helping with packing the wine, and got to meet some great alumnae along the way as they picked up their wines!” former Willits Fellow Kendall Compton ’25 said of her time working with the College’s wine enterprise during which she helped with selling wine to alumnae during Reunion.

Across campus, a 26,000-square-foot greenhouse sits across from Prothro Hall and was completed in 2020. Produce grown by students in the greenhouse not only supplies campus dining and local food banks, but also is sold wholesale to local restaurants, schools, and other institutions, and directly to community members through its on-campus markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions. The

greenhouse features nine bays and an automated environmental control system. In addition to both hydroponic and soil-based growing space, there is a classroom and market area and cold storage. Adjacent to the greenhouse, there are compost corrals using an aerated static pile system, fenced outdoor growing space, and facilities to support maintenance of the hydroponics equipment.

Many courses across disciplines benefit from the hands-on and real-world learning opportunities offered by these agricultural programs. In addition to classes like Vineyards and Agricultural Operations, students can earn a certificate in Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems and/or participate in the Willits Summer Food Systems Fellows program.

“The scale of our greenhouse, vineyard, and apiary provides our students with unparalleled hands-on learning opportunities and practical skill development—preparing them for a range of careers.”

—Dr. Lisa Powell

Since its inaugural year in 2021, and because of the generosity of Laura Willits Evans ’79 and the family’s foundation, the Willits Summer Food Systems Fellows program has given students the opportunity to combine hands-on experience in campus agricultural operations with opportunities to pursue diverse endeavors related to agriculture, natural resources management, and food systems, including research, community engagement, advocacy, and communications.

“My favorite part of the program this summer was working with the hydroponics in the greenhouse,” Ella Leichty ’22 said following the inaugural summer of the program. “I really enjoyed the plant care and upkeep as well as learning the engineering and setup of the hydroponics area.”

The expansion of Sweet Briar College Farm and its agricultural offerings is supported by the Center for Human and Environmental Sustainability, established in 2018 to facilitate curriculum, research, and community engagement activities that support improved environmental outcomes, economic development, equity, and quality of life. As part of this, the center facilitates

Liza Dareing ’26 works in the greenhouse.

integration among academic activities and the campus landscape and agricultural operations.

At the helm of the College’s impressive array of agricultural programs is Dr. Lisa J. Powell, who officially joined Sweet Briar’s community in January 2020 and now serves as dean of the College and vice president for academic affairs, in addition to chief sustainability officer.

In her time at the College, Dr. Powell has affirmed the Center for Human and Environmental Sustainability as a unit combining academic programs and entrepreneurial initiatives that prioritize hands-on coursework and employment experiences for students, such as the community supported CSA program and produce markets, wholesale produce distribution, apiculture, and wine sales. She developed and secured buy-in from internal and external stakeholders for the certificate program and built the Willits Food Systems Summer Fellows program. Dr. Powell has also worked alongside student leaders to grow the Sustainability Club, one of the largest on campus.

Learn more about agriculture at Sweet Briar: sbc.edu/sustainability.

Space Renovations

Across campus, numerous renovations have enhanced existing spaces to improve academics, student life, safety, and sustainability in the past 25 years.

Library

Mary Helen Cochran Library was one of the first buildings conceptualized as part of the original master plan designed by notable collegiate architect Ralph Adams Cram, with construction concluding in 1929 just before the economic crash that year. In 2014, the library debuted numerous renovations as well as an addition.

Sweet Briar partnered with VMDO Architects on the $8.8 million renovation project, which aimed to respect Cram’s vision for the building by strategically locating new programs around the original core of the structure while

preserving its historically-significant elevations and major public spaces. The central reading room remains the only fully intact Cram-designed interior space on campus.

The renovations reversed some work that was done to the building in 1965 which buried much of Cram’s design. The addition reestablished sight lines to campus, enhanced daylighting, and highlighted the original architecture while preserving the building’s continued use as a library. A new terrace was added, beneath which compact shelving pulls the bulk of the library’s collection out of the core of the historic building, opening

up the original architecture. A vaulted gallery along the front of the entry façade has been reopened as a 24-hour study area with art adorning the arcade’s niches. Outside, significant landscaping was done to accompany the beautiful changes within and the new terrace.

The library also features large glass windows in a gray slate façade, which now look out over “Uplift,” a red-clay earthwork sculpture designed by Sweet Briar’s Catherine Peek ’01.

Prothro

Sweet Briar reimagined student life on campus in 2002 with the introduction of its $14 million Prothro Student Commons. Located in between four dorms, the commons is a village center surrounded by the Book Shop, Post Office, Daisy’s Café, Daisy’s Closet, and Prothro Dining Hall, including the Nancy Hall Green ’64 Atrium. Today, this setup feels second nature to the student body as a centerpiece of their daily lives. The renovations and construction included the demolition of the existing Prothro Commons to make way for the new construction. A dedication ceremony for Prothro Hall was held on Oct. 25, 2002.

Guion

In 2020, Sweet Briar announced two gifts totaling $6 million from anonymous alumnae, both of whom majored in or have had careers based in the sciences, to renovate Guion Science Center.

So far, the gift has helped replace the roof and begin plans to modernize the building, which is home to the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Program and other science disciplines. Planned renovations and modifications include creating laboratory spaces that support research and 21st-century instructional requirements, as well as updating the building’s systems to ensure safety, efficiency, and accessibility.

An aerial view of the ’72 Student Commons Courtyard.

“The ’72 Student Commons Courtyard is always buzzing with activity! From hosting Quad Rocks and outdoor movies on the big screen, to reading on the turf or enjoying lunch under the umbrellas’ shade, the courtyard has truly become a hub for campus life.”

—Jess Austin

Class of 1972 Projects

For their 50th Reunion, the Class of 1972 raised funds for the Sweet Briar Fund, capital projects that fall under the Where Women Lead campaign, and their ’72 Memorial Scholarship. These gifts totaled more than $10 million—a new record for Reunion giving.

In 2022, Daisy’s Café, Reid Parlor, Reid Pit, and the Meta Glass common room were refreshed and redecorated to

meet the needs of our current students. The ’72 Student Commons Courtyard in front of Prothro was constructed, including a turf area to allow frequent use of tents by dining services and outdoor activities that may affect planted grass. The remaining area includes a beautifully landscaped garden. Over the summer of 2023, the remaining student spaces were renovated, which included the E.B. Room and kitchen in Dew, the mezzanine and kitchen in Carson, the lounge and kitchen in Randolph, the common room and kitchen in Manson, and the lower-level parlor and kitchen in Grammer. In October 2024, new benches, tables, and chairs were added to the courtyard to create additional seating for students and guests.

These transformative projects make an impact on campus every day and in the life of all students, helping to attract and retain students and improve the overall quality of life on campus.

“The renovations funded by the Class of 1972 have had a significant impact on our campus community by providing beautiful spaces to connect and unwind. In the residence halls, the updated lounges and parlors provide a warm atmosphere that promotes relationship-building through both casual interactions and coordinated Residence Life programs,” said Assistant Dean of Student Life Jess Austin. “The ’72 Student Commons Courtyard is always buzzing with activity! From hosting Quad Rocks and outdoor movies on the big screen, to reading on the turf or enjoying lunch under the umbrellas’ shade, the courtyard has truly become a hub for campus life.”

Students participate in the 2025 historic preservation workshop outside the Bell Tower and Gray Hall.

Health & Wellness Center

In 2020, amidst a global pandemic, having an on-campus health-clinic stopped being a general need and became a must-have in order to successfully remain open for the fall term.

Powered by support of Reverend Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66, the project began in May 2020 and the new health center opened in early October 2020 in partnership with HealthWorks and Horizon Behavioral Health. The new health center is now housed in the lower level of the chapel, a building that now serves both spiritual and physical health.

Today, Sweet Briar’s Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66 Health & Wellness Center offers free on-site medical and mental health care to all students five days a week. The clinic offers a variety of services, from administering flu tests to treatment for skin care and infections, as well as behavioral health services.

Gray Hall

In addition to her leadership with the health and wellness center, in 2023, Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66 initiated a transformative $5 million gift to Sweet Briar College as a part of the Where Women Lead campaign to support the rehabilitation of Gray Hall.

Gray was one of the first residence halls designed for Sweet Briar by architect Ralph Adams Cram and was constructed in 1906, along with Carson Hall. Around 2000, Gray was transformed from a residence hall to an administrative and academic building, with the addition of classrooms and by modifying dorm rooms to become offices for faculty and staff.

Gray will be returned to its original purpose as a residence hall, which will include removing modern institutional finishes to reveal hardwood floors and plaster ceilings. The College is considering restoring missing fireplace mantels following their original designs and other woodwork, such as baseboards and picture rails, which were removed as part of late-20th-century improvements. The project may also restore original residence hall room configurations, replace demolished partitions, re-open blocked doors, and will improve bathroom, kitchen, and laundry facilities. The College will also modernize Gray’s HVAC system.

As of February 2026, all drop ceilings, carpet, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing elements not original to the building have been removed. A mock room has been created to help develop concrete plans for the configurations of double rooms and suites.

In April 2025, Sweet Briar hosted a historic preservation workshop led by representatives from the Campaign for Historic Trades (a division of Preservation Maryland) and MCWB Architects during which students, staff, alumnae, and friends learned about the process of building a structure like the Bell Tower and Gray.

Outdoor Recreational Spaces

Over the past few years, several outdoor spaces on Boathouse Road were created or received necessary updates for use by future generations of Vixens.

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweet Briar administrators prioritized a stabilization initiative for both the Boathouse and Outing Cabin at a time when recreation and using our campus for learning and enjoyment had never been more important. This initiative addressed structural needs at the Outing Cabin, including a new roof, attention to the logs hewn in the late 1930s and the chinking that joins them, and examining the structure for its soundness. The Boathouse also got a new roof, along with new wood siding on the addition, repairs to the logs and chinking, stabilization to the stone chimney, new

The Bird Observation Deck was built and dedicated in honor of Martha “Ookie” Hays Cooper ’76.

windows, and installation of a splitter air conditioning unit.

Down the Ookie Trail past the Boathouse now stands the Martha “Ookie” Hays Cooper ’76 Bird Observation Deck, which was generously donated in her memory in 2021 by the

Class of 1976. Utilized by the College’s Audubon Student Conservation Chapter, other students, and visitors, the observation deck overlooks Lower Lake. The deck offers ample opportunity to view the campus’ many residents, including blue and green herons, Canada geese, and red-bellied woodpeckers, as well as notable visitors such as river otters, pied-billed grebes, belted kingfishers, and hooded mergansers.

The Boathouse gets new siding, in addition to other repairs.

A Roadmap for Stewardship: Historic Structures Master Plan

In February 2020, Sweet Briar College finalized its most recent Historic Structures Master Plan in collaboration with Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects (MCWB). These types of plans serve several purposes in stewarding and maintaining any historic buildings or campuses.

First, and perhaps most importantly, a historic structures master plan provides information about the significance of the structures, including their history and distinguishing characteristics, which help establish what must be preserved— particularly if the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places—and what can be changed to modernize the structures. For example, some structures may need updates such as elevators or ramps to allow access to them for people of all physical abilities.

These plans also provide existing conditions assessments, treatment recommendations, maintenance

planning, and cost estimates for any treatment options, including preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. The conditions of each structure are documented, including physical state, architectural integrity, structural soundness, and any deteriorations or past alterations. The cost estimates are developed using rough order-of-magnitude costs, and include suggestions for potential funding sources such as historic tax credits, grants, or bonds. Maintenance planning allows the institution to establish guidelines and protocols for its stewardship efforts to avoid additional deferred maintenance or unexpected significant expenditures in the future.

A historic structures plan also prioritizes projects by urgency and suggests a schedule for each phase of work over a period of time, as well as providing recommendations for how each building should be used in the future. These use and interpretation

recommendations carefully consider both the historic integrity of the buildings and the practical nature of needs like accessibility or supporting the needs of the buildings’ occupants.

In 1994, an Initial Planning Agreement to form a strategic planning committee was adopted by the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors. Following a strategic planning retreat in 1997, the College selected Sasaki Associates to “assist in the formulation of a campus master plan to build on work done by the Strategic Planning Committee” (Sasaki Associates Comprehensive Master Plan). The development of this plan included the work by Sasaki Associates on master planning, architecture, and landscape architecture; Harnsberger & Associates, Architects, P.C., on an exterior architectural assessment of historic buildings, and other contractors focused on traffic, circulation, and parking studies; HVAC, electrical, and mechanical assessments; and utility inventories and assessments.

The 2020 Historic Structures Master Plan is comprehensive in its documentation of conditions, treatment recommendations, and cost estimates. MCWB used drone and 3D scanning technology to produce images of each building showing all of its interiors and exteriors in great detail. The laser scanning technology used allows for the creation of a 3D model in the future. Reports were delivered on each assessed building that include the history of their construction and any alterations; recommendations for historic preservation; accessibility recommendations; an assessment of the building’s current assessment priorities and recommendations; an environmental assessment; the conditions of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing and recommendations; cost estimates based on all priorities; existing floor plans; and exterior elevation orthophotos (the product of the laser scanning).

All of the information that came from the conditions assessment is valuable, but the most valuable information is likely the general guidelines for future projects. These guidelines instruct the steps for all projects, from the purpose of the building, to any alterations, to the placement of any future buildings or landscape elements.

Sweet Briar College’s Cultural Landscape Study Completed

In the Spring 2025 issue of the alumnae magazine, Sweet Briar reported on the College’s process to conduct a cultural landscape study with Liz Sargent Historical Landscape Architecture, a womanowned firm based in Charlottesville, Va., which began in January of 2024. A cultural landscape study investigates how human activities and cultural values shape historically significant properties by examining the historical and cultural significance of landscapes beyond just the built environment. Sargent and her team evaluate historical contexts and significance, identify character-defining patterns and features, analyze issues and opportunities, and develop treatment guidelines and recommendations. The cultural landscape study report is the product of these efforts and more.

The team, including Sargent, Jane Jacobs, and Sean Dunlap, visited Sweet Briar’s campus several times during the study. They conducted research in the Mary Cochran Library archives, the Wick Building (where the College has stored many files on Sweet Briar history and ephemera), and used many of the drawings by Ralph Adams Cram, landscape architects, and more recent architects in the room in the lower level of Fletcher, where these materials are stored in flat files.

The team also spent considerable time walking and driving around campus. They took many photographs and analyzed relationships between different landscape features. As a result of these inquiries, Sargent and her team subdivided the campus into “character areas,” which are distinct regions with unified groupings of buildings or landscape features. For example, Faculty Row is a character area.

The report provides an extensive introduction to Sweet Briar’s land and buildings, including much of the historical context spanning from the Monacan era through plantation history up to the present college history. The background on the history of the physical site of Sweet Briar College is also incorporated, including sites that pre-date the construction of the College. The report also gives information on the existing conditions of the land comprising Sweet Briar College and its contiguous properties as they stand today.

Among the historical contexts provided in the report is a summary of the history of the Monacans, the people indigenous to central Virginia, who took root in the area in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Sweet Briar College is located in the heart of the traditional homelands of the Monacan Nation, which remains one of more than 16 Siouan-speaking groups that occupied central Virginia.

Liz Sargent and her team presented Sweet Briar faculty, staff, and administrators with the final report that includes treatment recommendations by character area and future implementation projects. One example of treatment recommendations is the section on the core academic campus and the Quad. Recommendations include preserving and maintaining the original historic spatial organization provided by Cram’s plot plans and aerial photographs depicting conditions between 1926 and 1975. This also includes the topography and vegetation in the viewshed along Quad Road toward Mills Chapel. Implementation projects include vegetation management plans, an accessibility evaluation, a lighting study and plan, a utility plan, and more.

Sweet Briar currently plans to have Liz Sargent Historical Landscape Architecture give a talk and presentation during Founders’ Day Weekend, September 18–20, 2026.

This article was adapted from a piece that appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of the Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine and incorporates updates to the Cultural Landscape Study process since that time.

A presentation model prepared by Ralph Adams Cram’s firm.

Athletic Additions & Renovations Modernize Sweet Briar Sports

In 2002, a dream to improve athletics at Sweet Briar College started to become a reality. Starting with a transformational first pledge from a dedicated alumna and then Board of Directors member, the late Florence Barclay Winston ’57, and her husband, Charles M. Winston, a seven-year process began to expand Sweet Briar College’s fitness and athletics facilities.

Prior to the construction of the Fitness and Athletics Center (FAC), the College relied on the Daisy Williams Gymnasium, which was built in 1931 and housed a gym, fitness center, and the Prothro Natatorium, for its sporting and physical education needs. At the time of the FAC’s construction,

the existing gym was the smallest functioning gymnasium among NCAA schools, proving an upgrade was long overdue.

Athletics and physical education have been a part of Sweet Briar nearly the entire length of its 125-year history. An Athletic Association was created in 1907 to promote sports at the College, and with it several programs began. By 1917, athletic teams for basketball, boating, field hockey, lacrosse, riding, and tennis had formed, many of which participated in inter-class competitions on campus before the first intercollegiate game took place in 1919, with others following over the next few decades.

Construction of the Fitness and Athletics Center nears completion.

A century later, the College’s facilities needed to match the demand. Then, and still today, nearly a third of total students enrolled participate in a team sport, making student-athletes a powerhouse among our community. The expanded 53,000-square-foot Fitness and Athletics Center, which officially opened in 2009, offers a three-lane elevated track, racquetball and squash courts, spinning room, and multi-purpose event space in the Upchurch Field House, in addition to locker, aerobics, free-weight, and fencing rooms. Construction began

The opening of the Fitness and Athletics Center is celebrated in 2009 during Homecoming.

in May 2008, ushering in a new era of Vixen Athletics.

The new gym helped put Sweet Briar on par or above its peer schools in the NCAA, offering athletes and coaches more space, better resources, and increased opportunities to build overall wellness. The FAC serves as a wellness center for the entire Sweet

Briar community, where students can gather in the Robertson Recreation Lounge, catch a film or lecture in the 1948 Theater, or attend a class in the Wood Multi-Purpose Room. The Athletics Hall of Fame is also located in Pottsie’s Lobby, along with staff and coach offices nearby.

Once completed in 2009, one of

“It was undoubtedly one of the most phenomenal days in the history of Sweet Briar.”

—Kathy

Upchurch Takvorian ’72 during the formal dedication of the FAC

the FAC’s first official uses was as the backdrop to Dr. Jo Ellen Parker’s Presidential Inauguration. The field house is named for Ann Samford Upchurch ’48, mother of Kathy Upchurch Takvorian ’72 and Virginia Upchurch Collier ’72, who were both active in planning for the facility. The official ribbon cutting took place shortly after during that year’s Homecoming and Founders’ Day celebrations.

In addition to the FAC, many other capital projects and enhancements came to Sweet Briar Athletics over the past quarter-century. Thanks to the Where Women Lead campaign, improvements were made to outdoor athletic fields as well as numerous changes and additions to the campus’ equestrian facilities.

Other Major Athletic Renovations & Additions

In addition to the FAC, several other athletic spaces were either renovated or added in the past 25 years.

Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center

The Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center has seen numerous improvements to its spaces in the past several years, made possible by the generous donations of Richard C. Colton, Jr. and the Richard C. Colton, Jr. Foundation. Completed in two phases, the first focused on renovations to the Howell Lykes Colton ’38 Stables, including replacing stalls, stable windows, and barn doors, a new concrete floor, electrical and plumbing updates, refurbished tack rooms, new roofing and gutters, updated drainage systems, replacement siding, and new directional signage and landscaping.

The second phase of enhancements was completed in spring 2025, which included the construction of the Richard C. Colton, Jr. Equestrian Arena (pictured above), a covered outdoor riding arena to be used for competitions, clinics, and instruction space. The new $1.5 million arena includes a 115' x 200' interior space, as well as additional parking.

Colton is a long-time friend of Sweet Briar. His mother, Howell Lykes Colton ’38, attended Sweet Briar, as did one of his sisters, Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66, and two cousins, Charlotte M. Jorgenson ’72 and Susan Mueller ’70.

Prothro Natatorium

The Prothro Natatorium recently received a series of transformational renovations and upgrades to better serve the swimming program and all pool users. Projects completed in 2024 included replacing the metal halide lights with LED fixtures, which led to replacing the ceiling and metal grid supporting the new lights while also updating existing electrical panels. These necessary upgrades not only improved the facility’s electrical wiring, but also offered an opportunity for cosmetic updates that have changed the look and feel of the space.

The extensive upgrades were made possible by the generous support of the Perkins-Prothro Foundation, the Prothro Natatorium’s original benefactor in 1976, Lynne Pottharst McMillan ’69, and many other dedicated donors.

Tennis Courts

In 2017, the College’s tennis courts were reconfigured and redesigned during a major renovation. The layout we know today features six courts directly behind Williams Gymnasium. The renovation also included an updated viewing area for spectators as well as a new and improved drainage system, fencing, surface, subsurface, and nets.

Thayer & Meyer Fields

Thanks to the generous support from Sweet Briar alumnae and friends, the College raised more than $2.6 million to make state-of-the-art athletic facility improvements. Completed in October 2022, Thayer Field is a water-based turf field used primarily by the field hockey team while Meyer Field is a grass soccer and lacrosse field, which was reoriented and resodded. Situated adjacent to Babcock Performing Arts Center, both fields also have new lights, stands, and a shared audio-visual system for announcements and livestreaming opportunities.

Thayer field gets its name from Mildred “Bee” Newman Thayer ’61, who is also a donor to the project. Bee played on the field hockey and tennis teams and is a member of Sweet Briar’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Meyer’s namesake comes from the late Margot Saur Meyer ’60, who played on the field hockey and basketball teams at Sweet Briar and was a friend of Bee’s since their time together at the Kent Place School in New Jersey.

New Athletics Programs

Not only did facility improvements allow current athletic programs to prosper, but they also made way for the addition of new sports to the lineup.

Golf

A golf program was also adopted by Sweet Briar College in the 2016–2017 academic year. At the time, Vixen golf was the seventh women’s program in the ODAC. In addition to the ODAC, the golf team participates in the VSGA. The team practices at Poplar Grove, a golf course within a 10-minute drive from campus.

Softball & Volleyball

Following hiatuses for both programs, softball and volleyball were recently reinstated as varsity-level sports at Sweet Briar. The softball program paused operations in 2017 before rejoining the lineup in 2023. Now in its fourth season back on the mound, the softball program has built a solid foundation that has led to programmatic success each new year. In the 2026 spring season, the team achieved the most wins in program history. Vixen volleyball was active from 1979–2010 and was reinvigorated in 2025. The volleyball program is in the rebuilding phase and it is gaining traction thanks to the dedicated coaches, players, and administrators.

One of my favorite activities at Sweet Briar was fencing. I never fenced before and took Coach Jennifer Crispen’s Introduction to Fencing class my first semester to fulfill the PE distribution requirement. I ended up loving the sport and fenced on the club team all four years at SBC. Fencing was not a conference sport, so Division I, II, and III schools in Virginia competed against each other in the Virginia Intercollegiate Fencing Association. Under Coach Crispen’s leadership, our team was highly competitive against fencers from UVA, Virginia Tech, JMU, and William & Mary, many of whom had fenced at the national level. It was so exciting to see our names ranked among theirs! Coach Crispen taught us the techniques and strategies for foil, epee, and sabre fencing and was astute at identifying which fencer would excel with which weapon. I was grateful to be switched to epee after a series of touches out of the target area for foil! Coach Crispen inspired camaraderie, instilled team spirit, and led our secret society. The fencing team and Coach Crispen helped to make Sweet Briar the best four years of my life.

—CHRISTINE BUMP ’00

Track & Field

The 2024–2025 year marked the start of both indoor and outdoor track and field, offering new opportunities for student-athletes at Sweet Briar. The program competes across two seasons, winter and spring, and features a variety of events such as long jump, shot put, relays, and more.

Cross country was one of two teams to be added to Vixen Athletics in 2016. While a club sport for many years beforehand, they began conference competition that fall, utilizing the College’s beautiful campus and natural resources for its program. They competed in the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Region Cross Country Championship for the first time in 2018.

Vixen Mascot

Through the Years

While Sweet Briar has been around since 1901, educating women since 1906, and participating in intercollegiate athletics since 1919, the use of the Vixen as the College's mascot has had a much shorter tenure. Before the spring of 1979, athletic teams were known as “The Briar.” The president of the Athletic Association at the time, Robin Behm ’79, instituted a contest to pick an official mascot, calling on students to vote between the final three candidates: the Daisies, Pink Panthers, or Vixens. By a narrow margin, the students chose the Vixen. Following its selection, physical education professor and coach Jennifer Crispen drew the initial graphic representation of the Vixen, which has been affectionately known as the “Crispen Vixen” ever since. In 2020, Vixen Athletics debuted a major rebrand which included a new logo, known then as the Fierce Vixen, which is still in use today.

Over the years, several updates have been made to the physical mascot suit that can be seen around campus during events and matches. In 2010, the mascot was named Indiana or “Indie” in honor of one of the College’s founders, Indiana Fletcher Williams. Community members took part through a campus-wide naming campaign, landing on one that represents the College’s history in more than one way. The literal meaning of Indiana is “land of the Indians,” which pays homage to the many Native American tribes that call Virginia home, including the Monacans, Chickahominy, and Mattaponi. The mascot suit itself has seen numerous iterations, the most recent coming to Sweet Briar in 2023 and often featuring athletic apparel.

NCEA Champs

Sweet Briar Riding made college history in 2021 when it earned its firstever National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Single Discipline National Championship title. The No. 1 seed team, the Vixens earned a 6–2 victory over the No. 2 seed University of Lynchburg. The raw score came to 1710–1574 in favor of Sweet Briar with Lily Peterson ’21 named the Equo Most Outstanding Fences Performer (Single Discipline) and named to the McClennan County All-Championship Team Over Fences.

The National Championship title came on the heels of the team’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win, their sixth title in the previous nine conference championship meets at the time. Lily and Head NCEA Coach Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten ’93 were named ODAC Rider and Coach of the Year, respectively.

Sweet Briar Leverages Campus Assets to Combat COVID-19

There likely wasn’t an educational institution in the world that escaped the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020. In the U.S., March 13 marked for many the start of a quarantine that lasted months, beyond the end of that academic year.

For Sweet Briar, a quick shift to remote learning allowed students to finish the term while extensive planning helped to welcome students back to campus the following fall. Unlike some schools with larger student bodies, Sweet Briar was able to capitalize on its size and location to start to find a way back to “normal.”

On Aug. 11, 2020, Sweet Briar was the first higher education institution in Virginia to start in-person classes for the 2020–2021 year, using an early start to allow students to finish their fall classes, return home for Thanksgiving, and remain there during a heightened risk period. In addition to regular testing, face coverings, dedicated quarantine

spaces on campus, outdoor learning environments, and student volunteer “COVID Captains,” the College fully utilized its unique assets to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for students, faculty, and staff. These included its prided 8-to-1 student-tofaculty ratio, expansive campus, and 26,000-square-foot greenhouse that provides fresh, farm-to-table food for the campus community, as well as local food banks. Student Life was also able to offer a single room to every student who wanted or needed one—a unique offering in higher education.

The community was even able to maintain its special spirit as traditions took place throughout the year, even if modified for safety. Opening Convocation was held outdoors in the dell; Fall Step Singing brought its usual joyous singing to Sweet Briar, even if from a distance; and many events were still held, including dell parties, Oktoberfest, and frequent virtual events like trivia and bingo. Nothing can dampen the Sweet Briar spirit, not even a global pandemic.

May 1970: My second semester and unrest on college campuses was sweeping the country! Students across America were protesting our involvement in the Vietnam War and the invasion of Cambodia, and Sweet Briar was going to be part of the action. No more white gloves and tea parties for us. The afternoon was delightfully warm with blue skies as we gathered in the Quad for speeches. Tables were set up for petition signing and postcard sending. A troop of Princeton boys had driven down to organize and they were so cute! There is nothing like a handsome revolutionist! My friend’s brother-in-law, a grad student from UNC, had stopped in that afternoon and we were eager to show him what we were all about as we sat on a bedspread soaking in the activities. As the 5 o’clock hour approached, a parade of kitchen staff clad in white aprons and toques marched out to set up dinner buffet style in the Quad that night so events would not need to be interrupted. Our visitor gasped and proclaimed, “Now I have seen everything—a catered riot!” Ah, those were the days. Viva la Sweet Briar!

By the Numbers

1906

First year with students on campus

3

Students in the first graduating class

101 in the Class of 2026 (anticipated)

Since 1901, Sweet Briar has been paving the way for women. Today, generations of students and alumnae have been impacted by their time on campus, bringing their talents and expertise out into the world.

22,417

Students who’ve ever enrolled at SBC

72 Countries students have ever come from

71

Faculty and staff residences

23

Historic buildings

Sweet Briar House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1995, 22 other campus buildings were added.

Test Your Knowledge

Crossword Puzzle

Word Scramble

ACROSS

2. Historically, on whose land the campus sits

4. The College’s current most popular major

5. Word that “college” replaced in the school’s original name

8. that you cannot do!

10. She who earns the rose may

11. Flowers and a place to get a snack

12. Guest lodgings on campus

14. How a unique Sweet Briar club might offer membership

1. Was an inn, now home to the Alumnae House

3. Where one might go for a float

5. The mascot’s official nickname

6. Both a founder and a state

7. Half of the College’s official color scheme

9. Other half of the College’s official color scheme

13. Athletic conference, abbreviated

Trivia

What year was the Vixen chosen as the College’s mascot?

Which nearby mountain is the ancestral home of the Monacan Indian Nation?

When was the first Tap Club, Paint and Patches, founded?

During which college tradition does the campus community walk to Monument Hill?

Email us a photo of your completed puzzles and answers at communications@sbc.edu for a chance to win Sweet Briar swag!

In Memoriam

1945

Joan Stover Kemper

February 26, 2026

1946

Ariana Jones Wittke

October 16, 2025

1947

Ann Colston Leonard October 6, 2025

1949

Patricia “Pat” Brown Boyer November 8, 2025

1950

Jane Thompson Burge February 7, 2026

Patricia “Pat” Owens Purvis January 28, 2026

1951

Margaret Works Gibbs December 24, 2025

Joan Davis Warren January 6, 2026

1952

Florence Fitch Patton January 7, 2026

Mary Grafe Warren November 2, 2025

1953

Mary Littlejohn Belser December 11, 2025

Olivia “Sug” Cantey Patton January 11, 2026

Marion McMurray Vanderslice November 24, 2025

1954

Doreen Booth Hamilton October 17, 2025

Lamar Ellis Oglesby November 22, 2025

1955

Charlotte Taylor Miller November 20, 2025

Renis Siner Paton September 17, 2025

Gretchen Armstrong Redmond December 29, 2025

1956

Joan Phelps Burkett

January 7, 2026

Louisa “Lou” Hunt Coker December 27, 2025

Frances Timberlake Meares January 6, 2023

Nancy Ettinger Minor October 27, 2025

Lucy “Sug” Blanton Park February 25, 2025

Betty “Bet” Forbes Rayburn December 25, 2025

Jane Slack Sigloh February 20, 2026

Mary Ann Hicklin Willingham November 24, 2025

1957

Virginia “Ginger” Bonner Norcross November 3, 2025

Ann Paxton Poucher October 7, 2025

1958

Amelia “Mimi” White Booker October 26, 2025

Marion Thorington Conover February 12, 2026

Marsha Taliaferro-Gillis August 20, 2025

Eleanor Schatze St. Clair Thorp

March 1, 2026

Mary-Louise Burelle Woolsey December 18, 2025

1959

Elsie Prichard Carter

December 10, 2025

Ann Turnball Lowry January 5, 2026

1960

Elizabeth “Liz” Few Penfield February 6, 2026

1961

Louise Cobb Boggs

January 6, 2026

Judith “Judy” Rohrer Davis November 23, 2025

1962

Patricia “Patsy” Cox Kendall January 14, 2026

Jean Gantt Nuzum November 18, 2025

Anne Dismukes Shepard December 7, 2025

1963

Carolyn Gabel-Brett September 25, 2025

Margaret “Meg” MacKenzie Nowacki December 6, 2025

1964

Florence “Cita” Cook January 27, 2024

Susan Shierling Harding November 1, 2024

1966

Sarah “Sally” Kalber Fiedler February 11, 2026

Kathleen “Kathy” Sheahan Reid January 20, 2026

1969

Suzanne “Sue” Thompson Watkins December 31, 2025

1970

Rebecca “Becky” Bentsen

Phillips February 10, 2026

1972

Rosine “Roe” Kaliff Chlala

December 30, 2025

1973

Pamela Rasche

October 24, 2025

1977

Anne Rubel Waddell January 14, 2026

1982

Danielle Bielenstein October 7, 2025

1983

Rebecca Coggin Hubert December 6, 2025

Ruth “Ruthie” Lewin October 26, 2025

Mary Watt Messer October 2025

1985

Susan Cooper Mueller Unreported

1998

Jessica Simpson December 18, 2025

Faculty & Staff

Brenda Joyce Eldridge Kramar January 6, 2026

Peggy Joyce Campbell Dalton November 9, 2025

Data reported as of March 9, 2026. Please send alumnae obituaries to alumnae@sbc.edu

Jane Slack Sigloh

FEBRUARY 20, 2026

The Reverend Jane Slack Engleby Sigloh ’56 of Charlottesville, Va. died on Feb. 20, 2026, in peace surrounded by her family. She is survived by her husband, Denny Sigloh; their children Matt Engleby (Linda), Kate Kelderman (Theo), and Sally Farrell (Chris); and grandchildren Cotton Engleby (Emma), Sybil Engleby (Jake), Maitlyn Engleby, Keene Kelderman (Jemile), Sjoerd Kelderman, Tommy Farrell (Jazel), Henry Farrell, and Jack Farrell; and one beautiful great-grandchild, Lilia Jane Kelderman. Jane was predeceased by her son, Ethan Engleby.

Jane was a daughter of Thomas Alfred and Kate Keene Slack of Houston, Texas. Her first husband was Joseph Thomas Engleby, whose family formed the historical foundations of Roanoke, Va. They were married in 1957 and had four children. Sadly, Tommy died in 1974 of pancreatic cancer. Three years later, Jane met Denny Sigloh from Minnesota, who told lots of stories about the Midwest. They were married on Jane’s birthday in 1979.

Jane graduated from Sweet Briar College with a bachelor’s degree in English and subsequently earned a master’s in English from Hollins University. In 1988, she received a master’s degree in theology from Yale Divinity School and was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1988.

Jane loved teaching, both at North Cross School in Roanoke, Va., and at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Conn. She loved her students and the literature they studied together. Her calling to the ordained ministry grew out of her engagement with her students and her desire for a deeper connection. She served for seven years as rector of Emmanuel Church in Staunton, Va. In her retirement, she wrote two books about faith in the second half of life: Like Trees Walking and Gracious Uncertainty

Known as “oma” to her grandchildren, Jane loved spending time with them. Over their years together, they baked biscuits, fished on the Morman’s River, built sand castles at Bald Head, and harvested grapes on the farm. Her greatest gift was sending them to Camp Kanuga in North Carolina.

Jane and Denny retired from their farm in Crozet, Va., in 2017 and moved to Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge (WCBR). Both contributed to the leadership of that community in multiple ways. Jane wrote a history of WCBR called “Beyond the Horizon.” With the help of good friends, she organized a gathering called Singing Seniors and initiated a Puppet Program for residents living with dementia, which serves both Health Care and Vista (the memory care facility). Continuing her love of teaching, Jane gathered a group of women for bible reflections, and every December, she read Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” to listeners online.

Brenda Joyce Eldridge Kramar

JANUARY 6, 2026

Brenda Joyce Eldridge Kramar passed away on Jan. 6, 2026, at the home of her daughter in Jackson Springs. She was the daughter of Clarence and Pearl Eldridge from Cutler, later Pinckneyville, Ill. She was preceded in death by her little dog, Casper; her parents; and sisters, Barbara Lee and (Bill Christy), Glenda Carol Eldridge, and Melba Nadine Eldridge. She is survived by her children, Brenda Kramar Rice (Kyle); David Eldridge Kramar (Valquiria); grandson, Daniel; and her grandpup, Cash. Her children (and dog) brought her great joy in life and have grown up to be fantastic adults.

Joyce had amazing careers. Her first was 12 years working at McDonnell Aircraft (now Boeing). She worked in the aerospace division as secretary to the engineers who built the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft. During this time she was also privileged to work with the first group of astronauts. She married a naval aviator and was honored to be a military wife, where she made lifelong friends. What a tremendous experience to be a part of this great group of women.

Joyce was able to stay home to raise her children until they were in junior high school before going to work at Sweet Briar College’s Mary Helen Cochran Library, where she retired after 25 years. As a reader, she loved the job. Her home was always filled with books. She loved to read and collect books and had amassed a collection of more than 1,500 books, a proper library. She also loved sharing her books and encouraging her friends to read.

Peggy Joyce Campbell Dalton

NOVEMBER 9, 2025

Peggy Joyce Campbell Dalton of Monroe, Va. passed away on Nov. 9, 2025 surrounded by her loving family. Peggy was born in Charlottesville, Va. on April 11, 1939 to the late Jack Campbell and Lorrine McGann Campbell.

Peggy is preceded in death by her stepfather, Wiley N. Colemean; sons Kenneth Wayne Dalton Sr. and Donald Ray Dalton; grandson, Kenneth Wayne Dalton Sr.; and great-grandchild, Hudley Hamlett. She is survived by her sons, Roger Lee Dalton (Faye) and James Edward Dalton (Colleen); grandchildren Jennifer Dalton, Brian Dalton (Lauren), and Michelle Harrison; great-granddaughter Hannah Pierce; great-grandson Cason Dalton; great-granddaughter Juliet Dalton; and great-great-grandchildren Oaklynn and Aurora Spradley.

She was employed by Sweet Briar College for more than 20 years as a clerk in the Campus Safety Office.

Class Notes

Pat Layne Winks

312 Arguello Blvd., Apt. 3 San Francisco, CA 94118 plwinks@earthlink.net

There are fewer of us, so news received is all the more precious.

Phoebe Defoe Adams enjoys her condo in small town New England. In the spring, her daughter took her on a 4-day drive through the beautiful Champlain Valley, and in the summer, her son took her on his small plane to fly over his land in Maine. That’s an adventure we can’t match! Nancy Hamel Clark celebrated her 95th birthday with a trip to Nashville, where her son Jim lives. (Daughter Ann came, too.) Laura Radford Goley lives in an apartment near her daughter and husband, who occupy the beautiful family home, Rothway.

Some lucky dogs live with our classmates. Anne Pope Wells shares her home with a 14-year old schnauzer. Pauline Wells Bolton shares her Houston apartment with her daughter and dog. Going to the dog park gets her outdoors. Jane Russo Sheehan lives in a retirement community (where Nell Zinsser also lives) and has a Jack Russell terrier.

I’ve been going to my beloved New York City each fall for many years. As my pace slows, the city maintains its frenetic pace. New York City brings its own Sweet Briar memories. Carnegie Hall: where Benita Phinizy Johnson and I saw her beloved piano teacher Irene Marek perform. Lincoln

Center: where Ginger Dreyfus Karren could walk from her apartment across Broadway to enjoy music and theater. Columbia University: where I earned my M.A. and visited with Susan Otis Thompson, professor of library science after working as a CIA spy in Europe (no kidding!). Another Columbia professor was the husband of Gay Maupin Bielenstein. The Russian Tea Room: where several Sweet Briar classmates reunited with Susan Hobson McCord, back from years of service in India with her heart surgeon husband and their children. And even the Subway, where many ads featured Grace Wallace Brown, first as a candidate for Miss Rheingold, then as the smiling wife in multiple Lucky Strike cigarette ads. (Grace didn’t smoke.)

As our travels are over, we cherish memories of friends we met at Sweet Briar and sustained over the years. 1954

Buce Watts Krucke

brwkrucke@gmail.com

Jerry Dreisbach Ludeke: This was my big travel year while I’m still mobile enough to enjoy it. Three cruises: Viking to the Amazon, the Croatian coast, and The Nation Seminar Cruise, plus a trip with Scott/Patty to join Kevin/Amy at their Costa Rica home. Also the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. Demolished that bucket list!

Activities at The Redwoods include the scholarship committee, Seniors for Peace, and bird watching at our tidal marsh. I’m blessed to be active in the Methodist church almost next door where I sing in the choir and direct a handbell choir. I’m in the perfect place for me to be!

1956

classnotes@sbc.edu

Lona Chang Crozier: Warmest greetings to my ’56 classmates. All is well and on a pretty even keel here in Novato, CA. Al and I will be celebrating our 66th anniversary, and we now have four great-grandchildren with another on the way. Reading and music are favorite pastimes. And of course, family gatherings (which happily, are becoming more crowded!)

1958

Jane Oxner Waring foxyoxy7@gmail.com

Beedy Tatlow Richie: Hey, let’s not rush this aging process! I am still 88 and will be 89 in December 2025—NOT 90! And, yes, I am upright, walking, talking, thinking, reading, golfing, aqua aerobics, eating, imbibing with friends and family, and enjoying life with my husband in our paradise at Indian Ridge Country Club in Palm Desert, CA. We love where we live! Our children are scattered all over the good ’ol USA—Beverly Hills, Boston, Darien, CT, Washington, DC, Ocala, FL, and Alexandria, VA. Grands are 21, 19, 17, 11, 6, 4, and 2.

Ethel Ogden Burwell: This past year, I have enjoyed visits from each of my four great-grandchildren, along with their parents, of course. And in 2026, two more are expected to arrive. Of course, Lexington, Virginia, is a fun place for them to come visit me.

1958

1960

Lura Coleman Wampler lcwampler@comcast.net

Katie Mendelson McDonald: For the past three and a half years, I have been living back in Hong Kong (where Jack and I lived for 39 years) and where my youngest daughter and her family live. My two young grandchildren, 8 and 15, keep me occupied with school concerts, sporting events, spelling test preps etc. My lunch group of 9 women is still very active after 55 years, and I am enjoying many book-related activities with the press club. I managed a 3-week visit to Madrid last July and had a wonderful time with many old friends.

Nancy Corson Gibbes: Curt and I had great trips to the Amalfi Coast and Mexico City, ending up in San Miguel de Allende. Also, we enjoy family playtime at Curt’s family mountain home on Lake Burton in north Georgia, swimming, kayaking and communing. We had perfect weather for the outdoor wedding of my grandson and bride at Smithgall Woods State Park in north Georgia. I inherited two great-grandchildren as she had been previously married.

Betsy Buechner Morris: I’m just back from a trip to Colombia. I was there twice in the mid-90s when my husband Monty and I sailed there from our home in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Then we were on a leisurely 5-year sail around the Caribbean, South America and Central America. This time it was with friends on an orga-

nized trip. I’m lucky to be healthy enough to still travel, ski, sail and play pickleball,

Jane Tatman Walker: Frank and I are happy with our move 5 years ago to the Hoosier Village Retirement Community in Zionsville, IN while also enjoying connections and events in our former Indianapolis neighborhoods. Most of our family lives in this area too, so we value sharing occasions, including the arrival of our 2nd great-grandchild. I continue tai chi, physical training and a book club. We traveled with daughter, Kitty and her husband Rick, on the American Cruise Line in September.

Linda Sims Newmark: I am still living on Lake Keowee in upstate South Carolina and am lucky to have my daughter, Anna and her husband also living here since 2020. I am still active playing some golf, more bridge, book club, Bible study, stitching group and walking our beautiful trail every day. I became a great-grandmother for the first time in August.

Carol Barnard Ottenberg: I moved to a retirement community in Exeter, NH last July while keeping my apartment in Seattle, also in a retirement community, and plan to split my time at each place. At least that’s the plan! Exeter puts me close to my remaining family and our summer place in Maine.

Gail Lloyd: I did see Lucy Gianino recently and attended the fall NYC reception for President Hutson for a college update.

Mickey Oliveri Svoboda: Hello from Richmond. I have been very lucky with good health. I traveled to Paris for 2 weeks in October, where I did one ‘thing’ each day. The most memorable events were lunch at the restaurant in Chatou, where Renoir’s Boating Party was painted, Sunday mass at Notre Dame, and for those of you who watch Emily in Paris, we had dinner at Gabriel’s restaurant.

Barbara Beam Denison: George and I love our home of 2 1/2 years at Fox Hill independent living, minutes away from our Bethesda, MD home of 57 years. Many interesting people and an active community of new friends here. Children and grands are all well.

Carolyn Gough Harding: I am planning a trip to Paris in April with my son, Nicholas. We have signed up for a tour of places some of our Founding Fathers visited while

lobbying Louis XVI for French aid during the American Revolution.

Dickie Wilson: I am in my 10th year in a lovely retirement community, Mountain Meadows, in Ashland, OR. Grateful for each day.

Patti Powell Pusey: I enjoy good health and pleasant living at a long-term care facility, Westminster Canterbury, in Richmond. My 3 children and 11 grands come often to visit. I do use a walker for getting around for short distances, and a seated pushcart for longer distances. We have weekly chair classes where we do stretch exercises for 45 minutes.

Carolyn King Ratcliffe lives with Clyde in a section close by, so she comes by on a regular basis.

Sue Styer Ericksen Cahill: I am very fortunate that I am still golfing and planning to ski again this year. I’ve become very active in my retirement community as a member of the Resident Council and 4 other committees. My whole family (7) was able to get together here for 3 days in early October to do fun Fall things.

Lucy Martin Gianino: I continue to be involved with Parents In Action in NYC, and I moderate the annual Teen Scene Panel. I look forward to the release of a film titled The Wretched Devourers, in which I play the part of an old lady of the countryside who tells the history of why evil spirits are harming the villagers.

Lura Coleman Wampler: My husband and I continue to live on our little farm in Wayne, PA, where I carry most of the load since he is incapacitated after his stroke early in 2025. I am supported by two of our children who live in this area. Both Lucy and I want to thank those of you who respond to our letters and emails. All of those who sent in news for this article mentioned how fortunate they feel to be healthy and living in the right place. Here’s to another year! 1962

Bettye Thomas Chambers

3900 Royal Blvd. Lynchburg, VA 24503

bettyethomaschambers@gmail.com

Collectively, we are:

• marveling at the fact that we are 85+ and still kicking,

• enjoying life, mostly in activity-packed retirement communities,

• welcoming great-grandchildren into the picture,

• wishing we saw our SBC classmates more often,

• living mostly in the original 13 colonies.

First on our geographical tour, Marilou Green and Fernanda “Effie” Castelli Sammis checked in from the far Northwest. Writing from Billings, MT, Marilou recently enjoyed a trip to Norway and Iceland, the latter of which reminded her of Yellowstone National Park. She adds that winter is a great time to tour Yellowstone in a snow coach! Effie lives in Hailey, Idaho, near Sun Valley and relishes the variety of snow sports it offers. She reports happily that she, her husband, and all of their children and grandchildren are well. The entire family had a wonderful trip to Malta last June. In addition to the rich history of the island, Malta held a particular fascination for them, as her paternal great-grandfather was born and raised there. They would have loved to see the villa his family built in the 1700s, but two just-following-orders soldiers wouldn’t let them in, not even to take a proper photo of the exterior. Hopefully, the Maltese Government will invite them to one of the official functions it holds there!

Moving down the Pacific coast, Mary Sturgeon Biggs reports that she is still working at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She orchestrates all school visits to the museum and trains the docents, assigns them to tours

there is a sick docent. As she says, “tons of fun but tons of work!” She was looking forward to seeing all her children and grandchildren at Christmas. Sadly, Betsy Shure Gross, who had been living in Davis, Calif., is no longer with us. Anne Allen Symonds and Taft are still in Houston, TX, but have moved, after 35 years, next door to their youngest son, David, and his wife, Meredith, their happy alternative to the “old folks home,” says she. Their active, peripatetic life is the antithesis of “old folks”: still golfing and skiing; Park City for five months last spring–summer and again at Christmas; a visit to Japan with the Garden Conservancy; and a post-Thanksgiving dinner in New York, where their guests included fellow classmates Nancy Hudler Keuffel and May Belle Scott Rauch

Back in the East, Kay Dienst Allen is still in her hometown, Augusta, GA, living in her “Forever” home, which is still standing, now restored after the damage Hurricane Helene inflicted on it and its surroundings. She “travels” via emails and videos from children and grandchildren, especially her oldest son and his family, who have retired to Nice, France. She reports: “I still have all my original body parts, but some of them are becoming less reliable, and I am working part-time, consulting and helping with gardening projects. As for future plans, I want to adopt a middle-aged cat and will be glad to have its company. Lastly, just trying to age gratefully and keep a sense of humor.” Sad to say, Martha Baum Carlton, who had so actively and

class, died in Nashville last July. Three correspondents chimed in from North Carolina. Brooke Hamilton MacKinnon is still in Cashiers, where she continues to enjoy the climate, the overwhelming beauty and the rich cultural life it offers. She is happy to report that her far-flung progeny and sisters are well and busy. Alice Allen Smyth enjoyed an annual reunion in Brevard last summer with classmates May Belle Scott Rauch and Patsey Carney Reed

Jocelyn Palmer Connors wins the prize for Maintaining Most Connections with Classmates. During the past year she has been in touch (in person or by phone) with Mina Walker Wood, Jo Wheatley Overbey, Anne Johnston Henderson, Barby Ross Goode, Allison Moore Garrott, Adele Vogel Harrell, Anne Allen Symonds and Anne Ritchey Baruch. She has a message for us all: “I want to encourage all our classmates to support Sweet Briar every year by making gifts. The amount does not need to be large. It’s the participation that counts!”

Five of us are living in Virginia. Cary Lamond Courier says, “I have taken the leap, as have many of my classmates, to senior living!” driving through a winter wonderland of snow from Asheville, N.C. to her new home in Woodleigh Chase in Fairfax, Va. Anne-Bruce Boxley Burgess and Edward are enjoying a quiet, relaxed retirement in Leesburg, where they have lived for the past 58 years. Julia Shields is “still alive and kicking… when my knees don’t hurt!” and is still cutting the grass in her big back yard in Charlottesville, but is “increasingly looking forward to moving to a retirement home.” The past year was punctuated by several special family events: two beautiful weddings (one at a sweet Chapel of Ease in Charleston, and one on a beautiful hillside in Greenwood, Va.), plus the birth of her great-grandnephew James, joining his delighted sister, Ruthie. Last April, Jo Wheatley Overbey was part of a show of five artists at the Lynchburg Art Center, where she sold several paintings, and then won an award for one of her paintings in June. “I feel like an artist now,” she says. When not painting, she devoted much of last year to her new puppy, a sheepadoodle named Mia. “She is mostly poodle and way smarter than I am!

It has been much like having a toddler, only shorter. I am thrilled to have a dog back in my life!” Jo and I always have plans to get together much more often than we do, but we sometimes manage to work in screenings of The Met: Live in HD at our local movie theater and various events of the Dante Society of Virginia here in Lynchburg. Last spring, Al and I had a glorious trip to South Africa, with two safaris as the highlight, and in July we went to Rocky Mount to join in the celebration of Anne Carter Lee Gravely’s 85th birthday. The sad news from Richmond was that Molly Harris Jordan had died.

Adele Vogel Harrell reports from Bethesda, Md: “2025 was an emotional, bittersweet, up-anddown year for me. In April, Parker died after a very tough year following a crash on his mobility scooter. Within six weeks, we all gathered for a memorial service in May, followed five days later by the wedding of grandson, Jeb. In the following month, grandson Gordon graduated from Princeton on what was the weekend of Parker’s 65th reunion (he so wanted to be there). In the next three weeks, granddaughter Natalie graduated from Northwestern and her younger brother from high school. Lots of celebrations. But perhaps the highlight was the birthday of our first great-grandchild, Adele Blair Helmers, on July 27th.”

Ann Percy Stroud says, “I am in a closer relationship with the wheelchair these days than I’d like to be, thanks to knee and shoulder arthritis and an easily-replaced broken hip combining. Doesn’t cut down on doing things but does on going places. Fortunately, I live in a bit of Pennsylvania countryside not much changed since the 18th century, where the fox hunt still goes through and people still ‘stop by’.”

For Parry Ellice Adam, who valiantly collected and curated our alumnae tidbits for so long, “life is great, although slower, in the hills of New Jersey.” She and Sandy are happily plodding along with the usual community activities and keeping limber with outdoor chores around ‘this old house’. Daughters Aubrey ’89 and Gladden ’90 and their families (“four grands and two greats”) are, fortunately, also well.

“Still in my house, but not for long,” what with the advent of winter and its snow and ice, reports

Mary Steketee MacDonald from Clifton Park, N.Y. Her family is still growing, as one granddaughter has recently gotten married and there are great-grandchildren, who keep things lively. Although her email address is still “hiker2931@gmail. com,” she says that her hiking days seem to be over, replaced by visits to numerous doctors. But before she discarded her hiking boots, she had one last trip to Australia and New Zealand with Viking: “wonderful time and lots of good food.”

Winding up our Magical Classmate Tour in the Northeast, Anne Parker Schmalz reports from Bedford, Mass. that she and Bob are still in pretty good shape and busy at their Continuing Care Retirement Community, CarletonWillard, “which gives us what we need and has allowed us a whole new set of activities for what is our ‘fifth quarter’.” For our valedictory address, Anne has said it best: “We are thankful for the next generations, but sorry we did not make the world a better place, safer place for them and for the many who long for what we took for granted.”

1964

Mary Green Borg 1854 13th Avenue Greeley, CO 80631 maryborg68@gmail.com

Thanks to all who responded to my survey, as I take over this note project from the amazing, incomparable Ginny deBuys

From the survey and my unscientific conclusions, we have owned more dogs than cats, though one of us has lived with four damn cats! Mary Deas Boykin Wortley seems to live in a full on menagerie of dogs, cats, cockatiels and lots of orphaned wild critters, she and her kids cared for and then released back to the wild. We seem to prefer historical fiction…so I guess we read fiction and non-fiction at the same time! Most of our classmates have had one partner, many of us are widows and two divorced stupid husbands who left for younger women. One of us admitted to making two husband mistakes and Penny Writer Theis reports she and her husband just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and writes “Life is Good!”… ah how great!

If we’ve raised kids, most of us had two or three and one after trying for a daughter, got her tubes tied after birthing five sons. One of us has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and remains hopeful and happy and on her own. We have all kinds of new parts… VM DelGreco Galgano just got two new knees last year. (I will include a question next year about new body parts and breast cancer survival…the typical organ recital). Jackie Nicholson Wysong wins the prize for most jobs…over twelve and Lee Daughtridge Turner is still happily employed in her 30th season as the Director of Operations for the University of Florida gymnastics team. She is having too much fun to retire.

We are a travelling group; everyone seems to be going everywhere and having amazing adventures. Speaking of traveling, APD (Anne Herrmann) has invited all to stay at the Herrmann Hotel on Park Ave in NYC…(I took her up on that once and can tell you all, Anne Day and Johnnie Herrmann are terrific hosts). Vera Le Craw Carvaillo has also invited each of us to visit her if we are near Geneva, Switzerland.

Alice Fales Stewart, who lives in a lovely condo in DC, Susan Williams Snead, who has lived on the coast of Maine for 36 years with her now retired psychiatrist husband, Bob, and Joann Soderquist Krammer, who lives near Burlington, VT, all noted that daily walking is so important in their lives for physical, mental and intellectual health…so gals, I for one, may take up their challenge as they are all smart and in shape!

Every summer for about 10 years, seven of our classmates get together in different home states. Nancy Green, Susan Dwelle Baxter, and Vicky have hosted in Sea Island and Ponte Vedra. Lately (for the past 4 years) we have gone to Cashiers and Highlands, NC, to Caroline and Harriet’s wonderful mountain homes.

Vicky Cox Commander, Susan Croft, Susan Dwelle Baxter, Harriet Shaffer Pope (newly married), Caroline Keller Theus, Nancy Green, and Dottie Norris Schipper convened again in Cashiers this past August 6. I am tempted to just send you the pictures of the showcase floral arrangements Caroline made from her garden blooms, but I will

include a couple of us. Vicky, stunning in red, won my vote for the most photogenic, so she gets two pictures! Caroline has given up on making us hike straight up “her” Whiteside Mountain and cross rivers on logs, but we did manage to fill up days and nights with lots of activities and catching up on news and family.

Dottie Norris Schipper’s own life is full of upcoming weddings and graduations: Two grandchildren are getting married in the spring and fall of 2026: one more graduate from PA school in Nashville, and her brother from the Naval Academy. Dottie is thinking about driving up to SBC with her 15-year-old granddaughter to show her the campus. She is a fencing enthusiast (fanatic, actually), and now we have that sport on the athletic roster. I just want an excuse to visit and see all of the vineyards and the equestrian center. All is healthy in Greenville. All 3 of her sons and their families have moved there. It is beautiful, the airport is gorgeous and busy with flights to almost anywhere.

Dottie took the two youngest grands to NYC on the requisite BIG CITY visit and we literally did everything. Susan Baxter is the best travel agent of all! And she is honest about what NOT to do. Thanks for that, Susan. Thanks for keeping us up on each other.

Those of us who attended our 60th Reunion, perhaps realized it may be our last one, so I want to close these notes with two thoughts from our classmates. “Being with dear old friends had an almost magical quality as I remembered the girls we were and witnessed the women we have become…in the beautiful setting of the college…we all learned so much at Grace Mary Garry Oakes and I treasure my family, but oh! I care for my SBC friends! Each interaction is a joy, and I know we need to hold hands through this time in our lives.” VM DelGreco Galgano. So, let’s do stay connected…reaching out to each other as we navigate our 80s. Cheers to each of you.

1966

Keenan Colton Kelsey keenankelsey@comcast.net

Well…thank you! We have a lot of responses…Such fun!

The most succinct was from Vicki Chainski Verity: “Old age is a full-time job.” It seems we can all attest to that, myself included.

Some of our challenges came with losses. From Betty Booker Morris: Sad to report that my dear husband, Dabney, recently entered

gracious gift that hones the spirit as it eliminates the unimportant!

Jean Campbell Barquin also reports: Sad news from me. I lost my husband of 48 years in May 2025. We had a wonderful vacation in the Dordogne and were packed and ready to fly home the next day. Ramón and I went to bed, and he never woke up. It was and is very hard, but I can always be glad that we had a last wonderful vacation and that Ramón had such a wonderful end. My children and grandchildren have been unbelievably supportive. Riggan Adamson’s husband, Cassel, died in December. They were married for 59 years! We also have aches and pains in common.

From Natalie Roberts Funk: It has not been a wonderful year for me. My brother died in May 2024, then my sister in December 2024. But losing Jeff in August really did me in. We’d had 33 wonderful years together, traveling, enjoying family and just being. I don’t know where life will lead me next, but I’m looking forward to our 60th reunion and hope many of you can join us.

Kathryn Carroll Matthewson: I find hitting my 80s to be challenging. I’m nowhere near 80 in my head. But my body says differently. Dave and I spend

too much time at doctor appointments! In the past couple of years, I’ve had 2 ablations for AFib (which worked!), a debilitating sciatica caused by a cyst which was removed in a spinal fusion surgery (which worked!), and hospitalized by Syncope (vertigo), which was treated by the Epley Maneuver (which worked!). Sorry to bring up health issues. Don’t you just hate it when old people talk about their health all the time?! Good news, though. We now have a granddaughter in the SBC freshman class, Kat Rainville. She’s enjoying her classes (especially trying riding for the first time) and adjusting to the new adventure of being away from home. I loved being with Heather and Kat when we came for Kat’s interview a year ago. Such wonderful memories as we toured around, but also so many new buildings!! I’m so impressed with the agriculture and engineering programs and venues. I also like the leadership curriculum that Kat is getting. I continue to be thankful that I am able to minister as a Sunday supply priest every now and then in my diocese. I shall make an effort to get up to SBC for our 60th.

Yes, grandchildren continue to keep us happy and grateful. Wesie Robb says: My biggest news in my 80s is that we are excited to be looking forward to our first great-granddaughter in April! Life is good!

Diana Peppie Yaeger Rankin has moved to Lake Worth, FL, where she still coaches some friends in the finer points of dressage and walks 5 miles daily. She is also immensely proud of her grandchildren. Charlotte played professional women’s ice hockey last year; and this year, she’s playing internationally for a team in Stockholm, Sweden. Madeleine has a Spanish Grand Prix horse on which she is learning the finer points of dressage and horse whispering. Rocco is an honor roll seventh grader who is a talented lacrosse player. Aslan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Wisconsin and now has a great job with Marsh in Chicago. Johan is an engineering major at the university, Niklas is an economics major at the university. Happiness indeed!

Many of us are still quite active. From Penn Willets Mullin: My annual fly-fishing trip to Montana with my family was the highlight

Class Notes

of my year. Then a trip to Ireland with my daughter, Lucy, was such a gift! Explored Thailand with my Thai cousin this fall and fell in love with the country and its people! For the past three years, I have been working as a teacher/mentor at a local school for autistic young adults. I just love this community and look forward to this coming semester to taking 4 young people through an English course at our community college. Grandchildren are such a major joy in my life, and I love to join up with the 7 of them whenever possible! Having Keenan and Randi nearby is really a gift and I host a garden party for all our local alums every May. So looking forward to Reunion with all of you!!

From Muriel Wikswo Lambert: I am still a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, teaching graduate and MD/PhD students, attending and presenting at meetings and writing papers. I gave two presentations at an International Dermatology Congress in Budapest at the end of June and was in charge of organizing one of the sessions at the meeting. I love teaching and interacting with the students. My husband, Clark, is now Emeritus at NJMS and works on publishing papers. We still live in our same house in Montclair, NJ. It fills up when the grandkids are here, who love running up and down the front and back stairs, just as our children did. My oldest child, Anastasia, is a family physician who has her own practice outside of Portland, Maine and is also the Director of an emergency clinic. She and her husband have three boys, ages 8, 10, and 12. They all love the year-round outdoor activities they take part in the surrounding areas of Maine. My oldest son, Phelps, is also in family medicine and has his own private practice outside of Philadelphia. His daughter Simone is 14 and has just started high school. He would like her to look at Sweet Briar for college. She loves horseback riding as a sport, as well as swimming and cross-country running. My youngest son, Peter, is in Internal Medicine and is an Endocrinologist working in Northern California. His wife is also a physician specializing in Oncology/Hematology and practices in Northern California. They have one son, 2 3/4 years, who is a pleasure to try to keep up with. My family is scattered across the country, so it was great to have

them here at Christmas and to have the grandchildren interact with each other. Very best wishes to you all.

From Martha Madden Swanson: I’m so looking forward to coming to Reunion in May. At our last reunion, I was one of two from the Class of 1966. Let’s do better this year. It’s been a relatively quiet year for me as I continue to adjust to living alone since my husband died. BTW, he loved the reunions, so it will be strange to be there without him. I continue to stay busy on the Board of the School of Hope Foundation, raising funds for St. Al’s, our school in Kibera slum in Nairobi, serving the orphans and other vulnerable children. I am also on the Board of the Georgetown Retirees Association for Faculty and Staff. Both St. Al’s and Georgetown have been severely affected by the loss of federal money. Such challenging work all around. I continue to follow Georgetown sports, and have subscriptions to two theaters in DC, so am energized by them. Children are well and, fortunately, still gainfully employed. Northern Virginia has been severely affected by the government firings, so we are grateful. Look forward to seeing many of you.

Katie Barret: I’m afraid my life is a lot quieter than most of you. After my mother died, I eventually moved into the house I grew up in. It is over 100 years old, quite large, and has a 10-acre yard with hundreds of trees. I’ve always loved housekeeping and yard work, so it’s a good fit for me. I have 4 grandchildren. One daughter has a son, 13, and a daughter, 11. They play soccer pretty much year-round and basketball for their school teams. I see every game I can. Another daughter has 10-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. I take the girl to horseback riding lessons every Monday afternoon. My only extracurricular activity is being a docent at the local museum, 2 1/2 hours a month.

Jane Nelson says: (Despite) some additional pains, which come with age, I enjoy living at my Westminster Canterbury residence here in Richmond, as well as being at my family home in Culpeper, and especially having family reunions and visits from friends there. My church involvement is enjoyable and meaningful, as is, volunteering with a non-profit. I am happy with periodic trips, mostly to see family.

The annual visit/trip that Keenan, Penn, and I have kept up since college is “yet to be”—hopefully soon. I pray that the current state of our country and world will improve and be better for all.

Jeannie Jackson Exum reminds us what reunion might look like: In April 2025, I had the amazing pleasure of welcoming at my Atlantic Beach, N.C. cottage my darling, dear Sweet Briar classmates Marcia Pace Lindstrom, Sheila Nolan Fuller, and Harriette Horsey Sturges, We laughed and carried on with stories from our years together on campus, and then periodically switched to more serious discussions concerning the new challenges facing Sweet Briar. Our families filled a lot of our talk. It’s exciting to see kids and grands learn, grow and flourish. Sadly, Harriette and Sheila lost their husbands a few years ago; Marcia and I are hanging on tight to ours and have been able to travel together a lot with promises of more coming up. We decided that aging is not fun, and falling is very trendy. We are indebted to the orthopedists, cardiologists and surgeons, etc., who keep us afloat! I was afraid that when I retired 3 years ago, I would be bored. Boy! was I wrong. There is always something to do. It is hard to believe that 60 years have gone by since graduation and all that has taken place since then.

I am cancer-free, writes Lee Miller after a two-year bout with melanoma. Have my energy back and am moving fast. We travel a bit, especially visiting our youngest daughter in Portugal. We enjoy the symphony and theater in Atlanta; we enjoy our beach house on an island in South Carolina. I still work often at the center I started

for the mentally impaired indigent. It is connected to the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Can’t believe this is our 60th coming up.

News from Makanah Dunham Morriss: This has been a year of big changes. We sold our lovely small farm out in Forest and moved into Lynchburg Westminster Canterbury, a CCRC, where my SBC roommate, Kit Baker Sydnor, lives. We are just a few cottages away from each other. How cool is this!! I think maybe Kit and I win the prize for roommates living closest together for this part of life’s journey. It is a wonderful community, and we love our very roomy 2-bedroom independent living cottage. We sold our farm to good friends, and I get to keep my remaining retired mare there, so we make daily visits to the farm. I had a knee replacement in March and a fall a week after, resulting in a rod, plate and screws in the femur. I am recovering well, albeit at an 80s pace. Glad to be here and near Kit. And from Kit Baker Sydnor: I am contented in my little cottage with my Corgi, who is little, too, by leg measure, but very big in her mind. She gets me up and walking several times a day—I am glad for Makanah and Bob Morriss as neighbors here—I had a great National Geographic boat trip down the Snake and Columbia rivers this fall. Encourage travel before we are more decrepit! I hope to see friends at our reunion.

Randie Robin Cutler sends wishes for a serene and joyful 2026, in spite of it all. She continues: It’s wonderful to be in a new apartment (same building but higher up) with a better vista and no garbage collection trucks and produce delivery at 4 AM right outside the window. Family is

thriving; how lucky I am to have these grandsons not far away. The paperback and e-book updated version of my first book, A Soul on Trial, should be out by Memorial Day. The 1907 story seems especially timely now because a free press was so instrumental in helping this Oregon housewife and patriotic mother find the truth about what happened to her Marine Corps lieutenant son. This time, the book will be dedicated to the mothers of fallen service members. I also keep busy with volunteering, reading, films, blogging, and as much exercise as humanly possible under the circumstances. My thoughts are with you all as we approach a milestone reunion.

Bitsy Taggart Fitzsimmons: Who knew that at 80+ I’d completely change direction, write a family history/genealogy book, reconnect with my middle school boyfriend, and co-write historical fiction with him! The attached photo is blatant self-promotion.

Happily, we are both in good health, and plan a trip to England in April to do additional research in Oxfordshire for the next four books in the series.

My kids are adjusting to being empty nesters, but I simply cannot believe that the youngest of my grandchildren graduated from college last year, and that my youngest great-grandchild is in first grade. 235 Carson is still so vivid.

I, Keenan, am among those with health issues, sinus, back, ankle, giant cell arteritis, etc. But I decided I am just an old car that needs new parts! I am looking forward to being spry by May. I join with others, hoping many of us will attend reunion! Every blessing to each of you.

1968

Pembroke Herbert Kyle 26 Canterbury Hill Topsfield, MA 01983 pembroke.kyle@gmail.com

Katherine Burton: I am in good health, for which I am always grateful. My partner, George, and I are very fortunate to still be active and able to enjoy a life of frequent travel in addition to taking advantage of the vibrant jazz scene

in the Chicago area, as well as great restaurants and theatre offerings. We attend a few early jazz festivals each year, try to take part in a walking festival somewhere in the UK once a year, which we prepare for by regular hiking at home, and enjoy an annual European river cruise. Another highlight of each January is the Sherlock Holmes Society of London annual dinner in the House of Commons.

Sophie Belouet: We have spent most of the summer at our house in Cancale on the northern coast of Brittany. The weather has been wonderful most of the time, and the garden is producing bumper crops of strawberries, raspberries, pears, peaches, apples, and tomatoes. I have been busy making jams and jellies to see us through the winter…not something I learned at SBC. But I did learn to speak French so that I can read a French recipe!

Phoebe Peacock Bruner:

The highlight of my 2025 was my daughter, Anne’s, April 5 wedding, a civil ceremony at the DC Army Navy Club. We all love her

husband, a structural engineer and colonel in the USAF. Melinda Brown Everett attended and hosted a bridal shower/luncheon two days before the wedding. Otherwise, life here at Watergate South, in your nation’s capital, has been a sad scene for me. National Guards patrolling, obviously bored with the highlights of their days posing with tourists for pictures. Demise of the institution across the street from me (i.e., Kennedy Center.) But as an ovarian cancer survivor, I keep “things” in perspective.

Connie Williams deBordenave: Dear friends, greetings to you all! Tad and I are recovering from a bad bout of the flu over Christmas. Today, the 28th, our family joined us to open Christmas presents. We are blessed with three children, three great in-laws, and five grandchildren. I am so grateful for my history of art major every day and for four delightful years at Sweet Briar. Wishing you all a healthy 2026.

Percy Clarke Gwinn: Thank goodness 2025 is over! What a

dreadful year it was for us. Too much illness and too many deaths of friends and family. Hopefully, this year we will fare better. I did get a nice visit with Martha Bennett Pritchard Connor in early June after her round of golf on one of our courses in Pinewild CC. It was fun catching up. Our summer in Maine was lovely despite all our issues. Our son and his family are doing well despite these tumultuous times. Hard to believe our granddaughter Amelia will graduate from HS this June and plans to go to The University of Dublin in Ireland. She and her sister, Sara, are both outstanding volleyball players and play on traveling teams. I look forward to celebrating my 80th Birthday all year! How did we get so old!? Cheers!

Carter Hunter Hopkins: It has been a quiet year. My health is improving. In July, we took our third Viking river cruise—this one from Basel to Nuremberg. Definitely restful and welcome after our usual 2-week family stay at Pine Knoll Shores, NC. My grandsons, Graham (10) and Reed

Class Notes

(6), are playing basketball this winter while they eagerly await the opening of baseball season. Graham plays on a select baseball travel team (Loudoun Aces) as well as a Central Loudoun Little League team, while Reed has moved from T-ball to “real” baseball! I (Mamou) am a devoted fan, attending as many games and tournaments as I am able to, living 2 1/2 hours away. My son, Hunter, now lives close to us in Staunton and serves as Deputy Clerk, Probate for Augusta County. Courtney, her husband, Michael, and the boys live outside of Leesburg in Lucketts. Courtney is Senior Executive Vice President of a marketing firm that serves charitable organizations and Michael teaches Special Education in Loudoun County.

Sally Paradise Ingber: Anne Hinshaw Vanderweil and her husband, Gary, and I had dinner together on December 29th at Le Mistral in Boston. What a treat! Anne and Gary came up from Cohasset, and I’ve been visiting family. What a nice ending to 2025 and a good beginning to 2026! Wishing all our classmates all the best in the New Year! Another beginning!

Frances Bonney Jenner: I know I’m supposed to be retired,

but instead I’ve been writing my historical novel about Billy the Kid since 2013, after my first novel, Prairie Journey, was published. I’m excited to share that Sing to Me, Billy the Kid has just been published on January 14, 2026, by Speaking Volumes, a traditional Western publisher. I’d love to connect with any of you on Facebook at Frances Bonney Jenner. Wishing you all well.

Pembroke Herbert Kyle: It took our son, Kevin, a long time to find Cora, but she was worth the wait! They were married on a beach in Nantucket and had their reception in our backyard. The photo shows our happy Kyle family.

Amy Thompson McCandless: 2025 was a crazy year for Steve and my blended family. We flew out to California four times to help out with Steve’s youngest daughter’s new baby.

Granddaughter Madeleine is the happiest baby ever (but then we are biased). We also enjoyed trips to Asheville to visit with grandson Henry (son of Steve’s oldest daughter). Steve and I spent a week in Jamaica in the spring and then took a Viking cruise around Iceland in July with family members. Later in the summer, my sons and I traveled to Bar Harbor

to hike in Acadia National Park (Steve bowed out of this trip since he was scheduled to have back surgery). I continue to play tennis and serve as lector, chalice bearer, usher, and secretary at Grace Church (Episcopal) Cathedral.

Frances Kirven Morse turned 80 in December and survived the experience! She and John then spent 2 weeks in Ireland, celebrating the holidays with her daughter and grandkids, who recently moved to Dublin. They had a wonderful time in spite of the ‘freezing fog’ and wicked winds. Bundled in borrowed warm outer gear, they visited the Cliffs of Moher, Malahide Castle, the Book of Kells, heard traditional Irish music in pubs, and tracked down some clues to Frances’ Irish roots (Kirven was originally Kirwan). They hope to return soon when it’s warm there!

Catherine Porter: Our daughter, Terrell, married Jack Newell on June 28, 2025. We have sold our weekend place in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and purchased a place in Middleburg, Virginia. So we would love to connect with any classmates nearby.

Marguerita Riggall: Two big weddings this past year! Our niece,

Francis, married Peter Stephens of Houston on April 23 in Memphis. Our granddaughter (Anneliese’s child), Madeleine, married Dillon Mulhern of Portland, ME, on September 20 in Blue Hill, Maine, with George officiating at both weddings. Last May, George & I flew to Maastricht, Netherlands, to see our grandson, Luke Brosnan, who’s earning a joint Business/ Engineering degree at the University. Luke will continue with a semester in Newcastle, Australia in July. Then we flew to Bristol, UK, where I lived in 1974, and on to the Cotswolds. After Maddie’s wedding in September, we drove with our sister, Lois Erb, to Quebec City. Our two-week trek took us to Banff/Lake Louise, then across the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver (& by seaplane to Victoria) for a wonderful visit with Jean, Andy, and the children. On December 30, George & I reunited with the Davis/Brosnan children/ grandchildren in Fairfield, CT, and then we celebrated our 35th anniversary in NYC.

Nancy Hickox Wright: Gil and I just got back from visiting Prescott and family in Montana. Our son, Prescott, shot this photo of Gil and me in Montana this January! He is a rascal and master

of AI! (Read the signs on the trailhysterical, but several friends fell for it—OMG!)

Martha Bennett Conner: Fortunately, my first husband and I traveled a good bit as he spoke in the US, Europe, South America, and Australia. When C.V. and I got married 20 years ago, my 4 children all lived with us for one reason or another at different times and then started getting married in 2013… and then my wonderful 8 grandchildren. While C.V. and I did travel a good bit in the US, out west, NYC & Amagansett, and to visit Lynn Gardner at her place in Keene, NY one summer, we now stay within driving distance on trips together. I try to get to my boys in Eri, Colorado and Kansas City when I can. C.V. will be 93 next month and no longer wants to fly. You and I hope we can do what he does at his age, but he has some health issues so I really don’t like to leave him for too long and we stay pretty close. I also am not wild about flying by myself. However, my latest adventure was to see the Buddhist Monks on their walk for Peace on Friday. They were at Jordan Lake Rec. Center which is about 50 min. from me, walking to Apex and then Raleigh. They are amazing! I have never seen so many people gathered! They will spend tonight just south of the VA border. It is very cold here now for us. The N.C. Governor is the only governor that has welcomed and they have been through 7 states…starting in Oct. in Texas! They are so peaceful. I check where they are every day and often listen to their talk when they address the crowd. I have attached a photo of my sister-inlaw, Betsy Bennett (Hollins & UVA) and I following the Monks. If you are looking for something to do, listen to one of their talks. They are all over Facebook. I am not on FB, but can get the Youtube. Can you tell I am stuck at home today, yesterday and probably Tues. because of the ice out my door! It is supposed to go up to 36 today and it is sunny today so we will see. I am supposed to meet a friend in Hilton Head, Wed. or Thurs. and maybe stop in Columbia to see Betsy Wolfe and maybe play a round of golf. I actually hope it is postponed until warmer weather. My friend, in Charlottesville, owns a 2 bedroom condo on the water in Sea Pines that she rents. She often asks me to come down when she refreshes the

place, counts the knives and forks and puts in an upgrade or two. C.V. and I often went through his TimeShare, that he wishes he had never bought but I’m glad he did because I Sit on GO and it made him go. We got rid of it last year because it was out of FL and they were inspecting it for a possible hurricane upgrade. That sounded expensive to me…so we got rid of it.

1970

Betty Glass Smith 528 Rio Vista Weems, VA 22576 smithbet@hotmail.com

Those of us who attended our 55th reunion this year had a great time with nice weather, informative programs, fabulous food and lots of time to reminisce and explore. The campus was gorgeous as usual! I am so looking forward to our 60th and hope that many of you will be able to attend. Now, news from our classmates:

Jean McKee Carmichael: My only news is that I seem incapable of escaping my YMCA career. After 37 years as an employee, I retired and was immediately recruited to serve on the national board of YMCA Alumni, our professional YMCA retiree organization. Now, after four 3-year terms, I was really looking forward to “retirement” again this coming year, when I was asked to represent the USA on the international board of the World Fellowship of YMCA Retirees. It’s another 4-year commitment and proves I can’t say no. I still have a passion for the YMCA and building spirit, mind and body for all worldwide!

Heather Tully Click: Debbie Ohler Bowman, ML Moore, and I had a fun September 2024 reunion in Charlottesville that included Thomas Jefferson, beautiful gardens, good food and a delightful afternoon winery visit. I rode the train down from Annapolis, MD. Debbie came over from Lynchburg, and we stayed in a lovely B&B near ML’s place.

Nia Eldridge Eaton : My December was front-loaded with activities. I worked on the Holiday House tour for the Norristown Garden Club, our major fundraiser for scholarships and community projects.

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Clockwise: 1. Marcia Pollack Ragsdale and Bill at the Biltmore with granddaughter Sterling, whose honor chorus was performing. 2. Heather Tully Click and Debbie Ohler Bowman. 3. Debbie Ohler Bowman, ML Moore, and Heather Tully Click. 4. Lawson Calhoun Kelly and her family. 5. Debbie Ohler Bowman and ML Moore.

It’s 2 weeks of madness whilst we descend on 5 homeowners and transform their homes into something magical for Christmas for an Open House! I also ran a canine cardio-clinic we do annually at our supported entry dog show, and then hosted my neighborhood garden club’s Christmas party. Then it was back to my usual routine of docent at Winterthur & Brandywine Museum. Yuletide transforms both special sites into the next level of lovely & inspirational— even Scrooge cracks a smile.

Generally, it’s been a year filled with wonderful experiences. A wonderous week in New England this fall was special, connecting with friends unseen too long! Lyn Barr Hoyt and I explored the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, always a treat…chatting, laughing, and remembering why we always had a good time together. Such a special, loving few days of rediscovering and further sharing the lives of Jane Gott, Barbara Offutt Mathieson, Candace Buker Chang, Jo Shaw Lawson, Betty Rau Santandrea, at the

wonderful, unique art-filled home of Laura Sickman Baksa and her partner, Joan. Years fell away as we talked about the past, present and future with that unique, honest reality we share as Sweet Briar sisters. We explored the charm of Cape Cod, ate, talked— did I say “ate”? No lobster was safe. Such a feel-good time I’ll always remember—thank you, ladies! The mundane encroached because this is real life. I finally got my pool restored, so I was able to get in it late Sept to close a week later. My condo complex in Bethany Beach, DE experienced a fire on Thanksgiving 2024. It’s been a complicated mess of fire & smoke remediation and condo Association structural & preventative improvements. Hopefully, I’ll be able to enjoy the ocean again by June 2026! My dog is a wonderful companion, turning prematurely grey at 6—guess that’s what living with me does. I am constantly fighting and accommodating encroaching arthritis. We are all discovering that age is not for the faint of heart.

Louise Hayman: I happily encountered a trove of SBC alum, including Mary Jane Hipp Brock, when I spent a fall weekend at Stratford Hall, Virginia’s spectacular heritage site.

Also enjoyed was a visit to Highlands, NC with Kathy Barnes Hendricks and Barbara Waters Larson. I’m in Annapolis with time on the Eastern Shore, adjusting to life after the death of my longtime partner and undeniable aging. So glad SBC is marching forward. It is a special place, turning out special people.

Lyn Barr Hoyt: My days have been spent doing routine things with intermittent visits from my grandchildren as highlights. They are girls (12 and 15) who seem to grow by leaps and bounds each time I see them. My husband and I went to Scotland and hiked on the West Highland Way in April and enjoyed the scenery and locals. Some rugged days gave me a sense of great accomplishment. This fall, I had a wonderful visit with Nia Eldridge Eaton, who caught us up on things. It was a treat spending some time with her.

Deborah Jones: My big news of the year was a reverse shoulder replacement in July. It became apparent in March that my twice-repaired shoulder would

need to go, so that was done in July. No pushing, pulling, or lifting for 3 months, but PT, which I do consistently, is getting me back, with limits. I hope to start swimming again in January. Non-shoulder issues keep me in the company of physicians, and I hope that these will be resolved before too long. We see the older grandchildren (upper 20’s) as their schedules permit and as they are able to travel our way, and that is fun. Here’s hoping 2026 will be a healthy year for all of us!

Barbara LaLance Kelly:

Terry and I are fine. I’ve been taking it easy recently because I’m recovering from meniscus surgery, but otherwise I’m in good condition. Our daughters, Sarah and Rachel, and their families are not far away (Boston and Exeter, NH) and we just saw them over the Thanksgiving holiday. The grand kids are growing—Tom (13) is already 6’2”, Zoe (13), Taylor and Sally (11), and Hazel (8). Several years back, I did a ton of family genealogy research, but in the past few years I’ve amused myself with New York Times online games. I’m still involved in Friday Morning Club activities, and very recently prepared a reading (from Raising Hare: A Memoir) for an upcoming meeting. It’s a wonderful book and I recommend it highly to all my classmates! Also, I’m still active in our church’s altar guild, and I play golf—but not well! I continue to take on copy editing projects now and then.

Lawson Calhoun Kelly:

Everyone our age knows the reasons, lots of hours in the gym watching grandchildren more than exercising ourselves and many year-end visits to doctors, not to waste our deductibles. However, our big news of the year was a trip to Africa with our family of ten. We went to Tanzania with Abercrombie & Kent for ten days and got to see the big five, plus one million of their closest friends. Even though we went to see the animals, the people were what intrigued me. In a country where the average daily wage is $6/day, compared to $243/day in America, they seemed to be very resourceful, self-reliant and happy people. We went to a business that specializes in selling products that have been made by handicapped people. There was a motto on their wall, “Kindness is a language that deaf people hear and blind people see.”

All in all, the trip exceeded our high expectations in that we saw the great migration of the wildebeest and zebras across the River Mara, as well as meeting some resilient and loving people.

Mardane Rebentisch McLemore: Much of my time for the first quarter of 2025 was spent recovering from my rotator cuff surgery. Physical therapy went well into the summer. I had 2 complete tears and am still not back to normal—looks like no golf till late spring (ugh)! In late April, my daughter, Sarah ’08, treated me to a Charleston, S.C. trip. I loved it! The plantations, downtown, the museums, the food—all great. I spent several weeks at the beach on the Outer Banks during the summer and in the fall, went to Florida with my sister, Sally Randolph ’74 and her family. Then in November, I went on a land tour of Croatia, which, despite a lot of dreary weather, I very much enjoyed. Generally, I love retirement and really don’t know how I ever had time to work. I think this is a good thing! I see Betty McLemore White often. She is at the Chesapeake in Newport News, Va. Betty is her same entertaining self and would love a visit if anyone is in the neighborhood. She has one daughter, who lives in Northern Virginia, and 2 adorable grandchildren.

Betty Rau Santandrea: Seven of us got together on Cape Cod early October 2025 at the home of Laura Sickman Baksa and her partner, Joan: Laura, Candace Buker Chang, Jo Shaw Lawson, Jane Gott, Barbara Offutt Mathieson, Nia Eldridge Eaton, and me. An alternate class of 1970 55th reunion. We enjoyed each other’s company as we devoured New England seafood. I just returned from a Thanksgiving family gathering of 16 in Tulum, Mexico celebrating my older son’s 50th birthday and saying Bon Voyage to my daughter and her family, who move permanently to Lausanne, Switzerland December 28th.

Katy Warren Towers: The Lord abundantly blessed me another year! I have more aches and pains but am still able to “run” (if you can call it that!) 3 1/2 miles a day, do a good bit of yard work, serve on a couple of foundation boards and at a homeless shelter, and travel. In February, I went on an inspiring and enlighten-

ing ministry vision trip to the Dominican Republic to see women using microfinance loans to lift themselves up, their families, and their communities. In July, I visited 8 interesting and beautiful Balkan countries, and I continue going to NC to see family and friends. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for!

Betty Glass Smith: It was another quiet year for Bill and me as other than one trip to the Outer Banks, we enjoyed staying home watching waterfowl, boats, sunrises and sunsets. Bill turns 83 this year and finally understands he can’t do things he did when he was 18! He still loves his Jet ski, though, and cruises the Corrotoman River, stopping by any dock with people on it to visit! We are both hanging in there for two old coots! Our health issues are under control, and recent doctors’ appointments have been positive. Our sons, Wes in Shelton, WA and Corbin in Richmond, VA, are also doing well, as are our grandkids, Allison (18) and Nolan (13). I play Mahjong at least once a week, if not more, and we frequently spend time with both sides of our families. We are blessed to have relatives and friends close by or within an hour or so driving time. My best wishes to every one of you and may you have a happy and healthy 2026.

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Jill Johnson & Mary Sue Morrison Thomas 98 Pine Bluff Portsmouth, VA 23701 msuethomas@gmail.com

Dale Shelly Graham has a new grandson born Dec 30th. Lawson is the second son of her daughter, Lily, in Charlotte. Dale and husband James plan to move there in June. Lily’s husband is attending the Executive MBA program at Wharton and must fly to classes in Philadelphia every other weekend for two years, so she really needs some help with the boys. When not going to North Carolina, Dale and James spend a lot of time flying to Dallas to see their son Fielding’s daughter, Nelle, who turned one in December. Visiting grandchildren is a welcome job!

Working with the Washington DC Daughters of the American

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Clockwise: 1. DeDe Conley, Lorie Lichtlen ’82, and new K-pop friends. 2. Carter Frackelton welcomes ‘2026’ by hosting a New Year’s Eve luncheon in her home in Fredericksburg, VA, with fellow alums MarySue Thomas, Jeannette Pillsbury, Janet Nelson Gibson, Jill Johnson and Martha Holland. 3. Greyson Shuff Tucker and husband, Garland, with Susan Snodgrass Wynne, Rhonda Griffith Durham and husband, Lynn, celebrate colorful traditions during a trip to Rio de Janeiro. 4. Jane Powell Gray and sister, Judy (JP) Powell ’69, shared a journey to the Cotswolds.

Revolution, Holly Smith co-wrote a brochure about the statues in Lafayette Park, the square opposite the White House. The pamphlet explained that four of the five statues represented Europeans who had come to the aid of the Colonists during the American Revolution, and that without the help of such foreigners, the War could have been lost. The brochure has proved to be popular, and hotels and tourist information centers near the square are giving it out to visitors. Back in London, Holly’s Garden Square News magazine celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Kathy Upchurch Takvorian has enjoyed keeping up with several classmates via email, especially facilitated by Jeannette Pillsbury’s regular updates. She also enjoyed attending the Stratford Hall Board celebration weekend in October. There were many SBC alums in attendance, and she shared a cabin with Susan Snodgrass Wynne (a direct Lee descendant), Sally Old Kitchin ’76 and Louise Hayman ’70. Martha Holland and Chris Iribe spent the winter months last

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year in Key West. In the summer, their children and grandchildren made many visits to their other beach house in VA Beach. Pure chaos, but great fun! Their children hosted 75th birthday parties for Martha and Chris in the Fall of 2025. There were great celebrations with family and friends.

DeDe Conley had a wonderful summer in France in Le Fugeret, where her husband’s family lives. She also spent two weeks in Paris, enjoying the beautifully renovated Notre Dame, and notes the Olympic torch has been put back up in the Tuileries gardens for the summer. While in Paris, DeDe lunched with alums Lorie Lichtlen ’82 and Catherine Viette ’93. DeDe then had a mission to see as many Caravaggio paintings as possible in Rome and Naples. Jean Chaloux Miani in Milan and DeDe stay in touch since they live “nearby” each other, just across the Alps. DeDe also connects often with Jean Andrews, Liz Clegg Woodard, Sarah von Rosenberg, Marty Neill Boney, Mary Pat Varn, Jane Powell Gray, Cissy Gott, Georgie Vairo and Jeannette Pillsbury. DeDe sends a big thank you to Jeannette for her tireless communications

Clockwise: 1. Penny Thomas makes it look easy hiking the ocean path in Cornwall. 2. Ellen Moore Miller and her husband, Rodney, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. 3. Deborah Wilson Hollings honors her mother, Monique Yvette Gisselle, for her 100th birthday celebration. 4. Sweet Briar alums gather at Stratford Hall for a party. L–R in the picture Ann Wesley Ramsey ’75, Sally Old Kitchin ’76, Susan Snodgrass Wynne, Ginger Upchurch Collier, Mary Jane Hipp Brock ’70, Kathy Barnes Hendricks ’70, Louise Lake Hayman ’70, and attending but not pictured, Kathy Upchurch Takvorian.

efforts. She is already looking forward to seeing everyone at our 55th in 2027.

Jane Powell Gray, Cary, NC, spent a great deal of 2025 traveling. She and her sister, Judy, better known at SBC as JP Powell ’69, went on a walking tour of the Cotswolds in May followed by a few days in Edinburgh. In August and September, Jane and husband, Frank, toured southern Norway and then cruised from Bergen to Iceland via the Faroe Islands. All beautiful parts of the world! They also enjoy being spectators at their grandsons’ sporting events— Hunter (14) and Reid (11) play soccer, basketball and baseball. She loves keeping in touch with the Class of ’72.

Ellen Brown Apperson has been thinking a lot about the value of our Sweet Briar liberal arts education and hopes to start getting some manuscripts published soon. She expects that many of our classmates share her love of history and realize that we were blessed with professors who taught us critical thinking and provided many opportunities to develop our talents—study abroad programs and chances to sing, act, lead organizations, and so much more. Ellen states her challenge to us: “We should all write essays about our memories and maybe we’ll publish them for future graduations.”

Susan Snodgrass Wynne joined classmates Rhonda Griffith Durham (with husband, Lynn) and Greyson Shuff Tucker (with husband, Garland) on a fabulous two-week Tauck tour to South America in December. They visited Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires and Santiago, enjoying memorable 75th birthday celebrations.

Moving from Northern Vermont to a continuing care retirement community in Concord, NH has been quite an adjustment for Penny Thomas. Going from a home with a barn on acres where the bear and moose roam to a cottage with four closets has been a challenge. It feels as if it’s a good move while she’s (relatively) young and healthy, can make new friends and have the energy to go through the downsizing. And it will be fun to explore a new city and be close to airports, hike new exciting paths and embark on newly discovered art adventures.

Retired in Horseshoe Bay, Tx. Ellen Moore Miller considers

herself blessed to still be married to her husband for 53 years. She stays active with two book clubs, church work, mahjong and tournaments, working in an organization which helps women advance themselves through education, and keeping up with family including nine grandchildren. Ellen enjoys traveling with her husband and with two great girls’ groups who love to travel and shop. She recently spent a weekend with one grandson cadet at West Point Military Academy and will be in Chicago this spring for another grandson’s graduation from Kent Law school.

Jeannette Pillsbury had a busy 2nd half of 2025, first semester of the 2025–26 school year. She appreciates the communications she receives from classmates— greetings, comments, questions, affirmations. She was thankful to end 2025 with a New Year’s Eve luncheon with some alums in Fredericksburg. Such gatherings with classmates energize Jeannette.

Greetings to everyone from Carter Frackelton in Fredericksburg, VA. She continues to stay busy as ever, focusing on her never-ending health improvement journey and enjoying the summer at her Camp in the Adirondacks. She and Janet Nelson Gibson enjoy co-hosting mini-reunions with nearby ’72 classmates in her home. Carter is looking forward to her next rendezvous in Charlottesville with Marty Neill Boney and husband Bill in February.

Deborah Wilson Hollings writes that 2025 was a rough year for her 99-year-old mother; however, on December 18, 2025 Monique Yvette Giselle turned 100 years old. Family from France, as well as many friends, she calls her “Guardian Angels on earth” came to celebrate at a Provence-style luncheon in Columbia, SC. After a brief slide show of her life, she proclaimed “Enough of this ego trip, let me thank you all…Je t’aime maman,” writes Deborah.

After 40 years as a gastroenterologist, Alice Johnson Krendel retired and has been able to care for family members in California and South Carolina, and enjoy family gatherings in Pennsylvania and Georgia, and travel to South America. Husband David, an avid birder and gardener, practices neurology in Atlanta and plans trips, including the next journey to Panama soon. Alice’s daughter,

Mary, has a family practice in northern California and her son, Carl, has taught English internationally and hopes to start a real estate career in South Carolina. Alice’s most recent horse retired in 2022. She especially appreciates Sarah von Rosenberg’s letters and extends thanks for keeping her up with the news.

Jill Johnson and MarySue Morrison Thomas are appreciative of the alums who came forward willingly to share their exciting life news with our class for the Alumnae Magazine Spring Edition. And to those who succumbed to browbeating and constant threats, we also extend our warmest regards. Most certainly, the check is in the mail.

Edie McRee Bowles emcrbowles@gmail.com

Suzy Castle Rolewick suzcr@yahoo.com

Elizabeth Andrews Watts: In May 2025, I enjoyed a Smithsonian cruise on the Rhone and Soane rivers in France with Jane Hutcherson Frierson, Susan Stephens Geyer, and Leslie Elbert Hill. Afterwards, Jane and I spent a few days in Paris and had a wonderful time at the French Open tennis tournament. Bobby and I are looking forward to a Christmas 2025 cruise on the Queen Mary 2. All is well with us and our family.

Edie with Aaron Bowles, Jamie Whiteman, daughterin-law, Meghan, and grandchildren, Olivia (11) and Harrison (9). 3. Jane Hutcherson Frierson, Susan Stephens Geyer, Leslie Elbert Hill, and Elizabeth Andrews Watts on a river cruise through Provence.

Mimi Hill Wilk : In November 2025, I had an amazing vacation with my son, Beau (Kenneth W. Wilk, Jr.), and his 2 boys (Heath, 8, and Georgie, 11). First, we went on a Premier Fishing trip with sea lions on the pier. Then, we returned to the Loew’s Coronado hotel to take the golf cart to the beach to boogie board with sting rays for the next couple of days. And on the way home, we went to Lego Land! Too much to cover in such a short time period, but we did it! So fun! Still “California dreamin’!”

Leslie Elbert Hill: 2025 went so quickly that I was surprised when December arrived. Glancing over my calendar, I see many women’s events at church, family gatherings, and several wonderful trips. A French and Spanish Basque Country tour, for which I signed up as a solo traveler, was eye-opening and thrilling. Immediately afterward, I met Susan Geyer, Jane Frierson, and Elizabeth Watts in Lyon for a Provence river cruise. In October, my sister and I toured Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro. Each trip was a Smithsonian tour, and each was truly memorable! Looking forward to Alaska with the family in June 2026.

Edie McRee Bowles: Last year began with my niece’s winter wedding at the Homestead and was filled with family/friends visits, exhibits (Sienese art & Sargent at the MET, Frick newly re-opened), history talks (250th VA), Jazzercise, and Virginia Garden tours. Plus trips to see older son Jamie Whiteman and family in Chicago and visit younger son Alex in Denver before his September relocation to Richmond. We loved our BIG October trip to cruise the Mediterranean on Viking from Greece (Athens, Corinth, Delphi, Nafplio) to Istanbul—truly awe-inspiring! We stopped off in Madrid (Prado, Thyssen Bornemisza). Christmas 2025 was with Jamie’s family.

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Lynn Kahler Shirey

Rock Moore House, 121 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 lynnrshirey@gmail.com

News from the 50th Reunion Class of ’76: ‘Such a gathering of fascinating women.’—Cheryl Lux

Sally Old Kitchin is celebrating the very special year of 2026 — Americans will celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the founding of our nation, the College is celebrating 125 years of Women’s Leadership at Sweet Briar College (for which Sally is chairing the Committee), and we will celebrate the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1976—the Spirit of ’76! She urges us all to join with all our classmates on campus May 28th–31st to enjoy a weekend of celebration, to see our beautiful campus with amazing additions and updates and to reunite with friends we first met in the Fall of 1972. Holla, Holla, Holla ’76!

Sally Mott Freeman reveals that the past year has been a feast of travel and friends! She had a wonderful February visit and fun in the sun with Treacy Markey Shaw and Tricia Cassidy O’Callahan at Tricia’s gorgeous pad at Loblolly in Hobe Sound, FL. They ventured into Palm Beach one evening and had a memorable Class of ’76 dinner with ‘winter locals’ Kari Andersen Shipley and Meg Shields Duke. Palm Beach will not soon forget them! While their beloved (but labor-intensive) Lewes lighthouse continues with repairs and renovations, she and husband, John, headed to England for a multi-week hike across the Cotwolds and Cornwall, with a day break between the two, nursing our sore feet and visiting her old haunt, Exeter. She loves seeing DC area classmates Lynn Shirey and Megan Morgan often and many others on our class Zooms. She had a delightful dinner recently with Mary Woodford (whose family hails from Cornwall, by the way) and reconnected with Tennessee Nielsen and Cissy Humphrey at a Dallas book club presentation.

Susan Verbridge Paulson and her whole family are now living in Colorado, moving there a year ago

with her 96-year-old mother from New York who is doing well. They have enjoyed many 4-generation occasions. The four grandchildren are getting to know their great-grandmother, and all are learning lots about caregiving! She and Larry continue with volunteer work, especially at church, and Susan is still playing the pipe organ almost every day.

Larkin Barnett Braun continues to love running her Pilates Evolve Studio in Spokane, Wash., where she grew up. She is also thrilled to be teaching movement at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture. She and husband Steve enjoy summers at Priest Lake.

Karina Schless reports that, while at a ranch in Wyoming, she treated herself to a new Quarter Horse (“Roller”) she had known for years from Red Rock Ranch. He arrived in Pa. in September—very sweet! She continues working in healthcare part-time. In April, she hopes to go to Edinburgh to visit an old friend and was in Italy last May (“travel while you can,” she urges us all!).

Tricia Cassidy O’Callahan retired two years ago from her job as deputy county attorney for Westchester, NY and then pursued her bucket list. She spends her time in Rye, NY, where her grandchildren, Harold and Annabel Cassidy Higgins, reside, and still goes to Nantucket in the summer and to Hobe Sound, FL (Loblolly) in winter. She had a great week at Lake Burton, GA last spring with Treacy Markey Shaw, Katy Mikell Cochran, Laura Lee Bost and Sally Mott Freeman. And in October, she spent a sunny few days with Treacy and Katy in NYC visiting museums and dining.

Norris Judd Fergeson reports from Houston that things are fine. The vocational school that her daughter, Katie, attends, NonPareil Institute Houston, has now been open for a decade, and they celebrated in December. She and daughter Cecily spent a week in Vermont in August, hiking and kayaking. They then took a quick trip to Montreal where they saw a very interesting exhibition of early works by Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani. She reports no grandchildren yet, but has a couple of adorable great nieces who live in NYC—Cameron (4) and Emerson (2), and is having fun being a great auntie.

Virginia Spangler Polley and husband David are not very retired—still running an import flooring business. They went on a China cruise in February, calling on suppliers and mixing business with pleasure. They are enjoying their two grandsons (4 and 1 1/2) when they can, since they live in New Jersey. She is also staying busy with Garden Club, book club, and hosting their 25th annual Christmas party—for about 175 of their closest friends!

Ann Kiley Crenshaw continues to enjoy retirement! The free time has allowed her and her husband, Clarke, to spend more time with their children and grandchildren in Dallas and Virginia Beach, and have had wonderful times vacationing with the family. They continued their family tradition of spending Thanksgiving week at the Greenbrier in Virginia. This year, they had the thrill of a good UVA football team and really enjoyed home games in Charlottesville.

Kay Ellisor Hopkins reports that their move to the Houston area two years ago has proven to be a great decision. Spending more time with 3 granddaughters (12, 10, 3) has been so enjoyable for her and husband, Joe. Spring 2025 was a difficult season for her family, as her 94-year-old mother passed away unexpectedly. Surgery, settling her mom’s estate and planning her memorial service kept the two of them from their usual spring travels!

Deborah Mutch Olander spent much of the year on her Snowflake Project—a generous fundraising initiative for our 50th Reunion. She urges her fellow classmates to order their own snowflake from the Book Store, and hopes to join in the festivities in May if she can manage the trip.

Patricia “Trish” Talbott Reed retired to Gwynn’s Island, Va., in 2014 with husband Tom— what they call “the back of beyond” on the western shore of the lower Chesapeake Bay. Life is good—six Saturdays and a Sunday—and they are centrally located for easy access to their four children and their families. Beach week in the Outer Banks numbers 16 and growing. Family, friends, travel and their volunteer activities keep them so busy that she wonders how they ever had time to work!

Kari Andersen Shipley has been splitting her time between

Class Notes

their home in Lake Toxaway, N.C., and Delray Beach, Fla., while tending to her 94-year-old mother, husband, and five grandchildren. She continues with her volunteering, board duties and church mission work and, in her spare time, golfs, hikes and paints, raising money for non-profits from the sale of her paintings. Last year, they celebrated her 70th birthday and their 47th anniversary with a barge trip in France with all their children, and this year were blessed with the addition of grandbaby number five, born at their home. She did have time for a mini SBC Reunion in FL with Sally Mott Freeman, Treacy Markey Shaw, Meg Shields Duke and Tricia Cassidy O’Callahan Debbie Gahagan Hill tries to stay healthy and somewhat active, learning to dribble, shoot and pass with her basketball-loving grandson (9), tennis with the boys (12 and 9), walking and biking, and daily swimming during the warmer season. Her granddaughter is a talented gymnast, and she enjoys watching her perform throughout the state. Debbie retired from her 33-year career as a senior vp lender at a credit union, as did her techy fiancé of 38 years. Within the commercial rental warehouses he owns, they manage a vintage furniture, antiques and collectables business. She inherited property on Lake Parker with eight rentals and, fortunately, both sons own landscape companies which handle 90% of the maintenance. She enjoys traveling almost monthly—to the eastern Caribbean, the St. Lawrence Riverway, Bermuda, Western North Carolina every October and the Keys in the spring. She enjoys staying in contact with LindaJean Smith Schneider and Kathy Creech Richardson. Marsha Taylor Horton took a family trip to Georgia and Alabama, and she was particularly moved to visit the three Legacy Museums founded by Attorney and Social Justice Advocate Bryan Stevenson. The highlight of her year was the graduation of daughter Jasmine from Creighton University in Omaha, NE, who is now “adulting” in Delaware with her first apartment and full-time job! An emotional experience was the relocation of Marsha’s church in Dover, DE to a new campus, resulting from the efforts of many. But, after 30 years in Delaware, she and husband

Bobby have relocated to a beautiful 50+ community in New Kent, VA and are so enjoying first floor living.

Sharon Ruvane splits her time between Farmington, CT, and Lakewood Ranch, FL. She is still playing a lot of golf, but took up partner dancing about a year ago and is hooked. She competed in a ballroom competition in April, while continuing to immerse herself in Lindy, Hop and swing dancing when up north. Grandson Logan is a freshman at U-Conn.— he lives at home and loves the arrangement. His sister, Lucy, is a junior in high school and already looking forward to roommates and college dorm life. Both grands are creative and travel with their sketchbooks. It was amazing when they visited over Christmas, as both love museums and the arts.

Catherine Adams retired from working in a friend’s ladies boutique in Warrenton after 32 years, but has had no problem staying busy! She enjoys garden clubs (particularly in the conservation realm), tennis, hiking and Pilates to try to keep limber! A highlight was a trip on the Sea Cloud II with Jane De Butts Kates two years ago to Lake Como, Venice and Croatia. Then, since she had the bug, travelled to Egypt. It was beyond anything she ever expected and couldn’t recommend it more.

She travelled to South Africa early in the year, so she thinks she will be staying home for a while now!

Liz Farmer Jarvis retired from museum work a year and a half ago and is now painting in watercolor. She recalls that SBC did not offer that course when we were in school, so she found a great teacher in the Philadelphia area and has advanced to portraiture. She and husband Andrew have eight grandchildren with two sets of twins, ranging from eight months to eight years. She keeps in touch with Jill Wentorf Wright and Lisa Schubert who are prospering. Lisa has just adopted a BIG rescue dog who she is training not to drag her around Central Park.

Gail Ann Zarwell Winkler and husband John are enjoying traveling. They experienced several river cruises in Europe and their first ocean trip to Spain and North Africa—circumnavigating the Western Mediterranean. She read about the history of the area and was completely intrigued, particularly enjoying learning about Queen Isabella of Ferdinand and Isabella fame—realizing that there is so much more to her story! She spent Christmas in Richmond, VA with son William, his wife Bridget, and their two grandchildren, Camille (2 1/2) and James (9 months). She realized that she

had forgotten the combination of charm and chaos that being with a two-year-old brings. Gail is teaching (and practicing) yoga, and she has found that this has really helped maintain mind and body through the challenges of aging!

Andie Yellott shares the overall class feeling that “it is the pits getting old!” But she always feels supported by dear SBC friends, especially Ann Works Balderston and Holly McGlothlin ’78.

Caroline Bickel McLoughlin is still living in DC after moving from New Jersey in 1989, when husband, Hollis, came supposedly for 4 years to work at the Treasury Department under George H. W. Bush. They still live in the same house after 35 years. Their daughter lives with her husband and 3 children 15 minutes away, and their son lives in NYC. Her main interests are her 3 grandchildren (including the 4th who arrived early this year), flower guild at church, and the guild at the National Cathedral. She plays a lot of tennis, platform tennis and golf at the Chevy Chase Club and runs an Interclub tennis league called 50+. Summers finds them sailing in Hyannis Port. Last spring, they spent 3 weeks driving around Spain, topped off by a week in Paris. Their fall trip was

to Turkey, followed by a two-week cruise around the Greek islands.

Linda-Jean Smith Schneider took the plunge into retirement in mid-2022, after more than 44 years in the field of law librarianship and firm administration, following hubby Lee a few years before. They are now rediscovering the benefits of living in beautiful Bucks County, PA. They have regularly journeyed to FL, LA, PA and Las Vegas to visit family and friends. Planned are trips to Ireland and Scotland, train travel in both Canada and the U.S., and the Biltmore in NC. They volunteered for the Philly Folk Festival for almost 20 years, and regularly attended similar fests along the East Coast. Her love of singing led her to join a huge range of choral groups, and she fondly recalls the workshop in Atlanta that the Sweet Briar Chorus attended during Senior Semester, learning from Master Choral Director Robert Shaw. She has stayed in touch with dear friends Marsha Taylor Horton and Debbie Gahagan Hill, and with her sister-in-law, Jo Ella Schneider Samp ’77. Kelsey Canady Grice has found life a whirlwind since her company was purchased last summer and she found herself looking for a job—at 70! She found one at Eastern Virginia Medical School simulation center and finds it a dream! Her family has been busy as well—daughter McKenzie’s wedding was at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic, where she and husband Michael met 15 years before! She lives in Williamsburg (about an hour away) and is an orthopedic surgery PA. Husband Chuck is a yacht broker, as is son Parker, who works with Worth Avenue Yachts and lives nearby. No bad days for them! They are all so happy to live at the beach—all the outdoor activity has kept them fit and strong.

Missy Briscoe McNatt reports that 2025 was a whirlwind year in which she and husband Jack experienced an unforgettable two-week adventure in Thailand. Since retiring from the federal government in June, she has enjoyed staying active with a part-time role at the Calvert County Historical Society. The highlight of her year, however, was the birth of her grandson— daughter Marisa and her

husband welcomed baby Archer McKinsey Porter in October. Megan Morgan sends greetings from the English Channel, having just crossed the North Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 headed for Southampton. Then, a week in London with friends and theatre ensues. She is finding joy in retirement and travels, with a cruise to Scandinavia and the Baltic States last September and October. She is still living in Takoma Park, Maryland with her Jack Russell, Declan.

Lochrane Coleman Smith and husband Mell took a wonderful trip to Portugal and Spain in September. But more wonderful in her eyes is all the time she spends with her precious granddaughter, Connors, born on her birthday a year ago—the best present ever. She is so fortunate to have Connors 15 minutes away from their house, though she says that is 14 minutes too far!

Carol Wilkinson Lee returned to Alaska after graduation and worked as a heavy equipment operator on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. She subsequently worked for the State of Alaska for 25 years, rising to the position of petroleum land manager. This entailed negotiating with oil companies for the exploration and development of the State’s oil and gas resources, and she credits Sweet Briar for giving her the confidence for the job. While on a three-week vacation with her husband in Costa Rica in 2004, they bought a condo for getaways. In 2007 they both retired from their jobs, sold their house in Anchorage, built a house on a golf course near their Costa Rica condo and, in 2008, moved in. She says that living in a foreign country has had its challenges, but has been an adventure—and she doesn’t miss the snow!

Peggy Parish found 2025 to be a year of change. She retired in January and sold her historic home in May. She remains in Danville, VA but reports that downsizing from 6000 square feet to 1850 has been liberating, depressing and exhausting. She played tourist for 3 weeks in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands with friends, and then spent 9 weeks on a solo adventure to the UK and France.

Norma Neblett Roadcap retired from the division of consolidated services in Richmond after 47 years. Husband Richard

retired from his full dental practice in 2022, but continues working part time at a dental office in Bon Air, VA while also serving as adjunct professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University Dental School. Last fall, Norma hosted a luncheon at their new home in Richmond for Terrie Conrad (Chief Development Officer for SBC) and Keeley Sullivan Jurgovan ’91 (Associate Director of Alumnae Relations for SBC). She also attended the SBC Richmond ‘Meet and Greet’ session for the SBC 125th Anniversary Committee at the Virginia Historical Society in October. Among her many volunteer activities, she assisted the Colonial Heights and Chesterfield Christmas Mother organizations in locating sponsors for families, seniors and children in need during the holiday season.

Cissy Humphrey is very involved in the life of her grand nieces and nephews (13–19) and follows their myriad activities. She took her second music cruise in August out of Boston, to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Over the 5 days, she enjoyed 25 bands playing 60’s and 70’s music—Moody Blues, Al Stewart, Zombies, Alan Parsons and the Electric Light Orchestra, to name just a few—“It was a blast!” She is still working at the Bank of America in the Oil & Gas division. It has been 11 years—she may retire in another year or two, but it keeps her brain going! She sees Tennessee Nielsen, Beth Bates Locke and Kay Ellisor Hopkins

Cheryl Lux reports that life on the farm is a constant schedule but they are all still in good health and active. Her days are filled with deworming and branding replacement heifers (when the winds are conducive), advertising for spring bull sales, preparing for calving, synchronizing and artificially inseminating new heifers, and turning out bulls for breeding the cowherd. This is all handled while keeping everything running—“When one deals with big machinery and a lot of big animals, stuff gets broken and needs repairs ASAP—tougher to do when the nearest large town—Great Falls, MT—is 1 1/2 hours away!” They did take a trip to Seattle early this year to see the Mississippi Delta Blues Project play with the Seattle Symphony — their first vacation in 1 1/2 years.

Becky Burt made a driving trip to New Mexico and Colorado

in July to purchase inventory for her fall event in Austin and got to do a couple of side excursions: to Chaco Canyon, the New Mexico Ice Caves, and, after 40 years, finally got to Acoma Pueblo. Estate sales and her antiques business keep her busy, along with the house she purchased after Hurricane Ida—which is finally coming together after 3 years! She is starting work now on her Mardi Gras costume—“Why live near New Orleans if you don’t do Carnival?”

Ann Works Balderston is loving life on their Wyoming ranch. They spend most of their time in Bondurant but still have an apartment in Pittsford for visiting friends there. Sarah ’09 and Maggie ’11 live nearby in Jackson, which is wonderful, and our son, John, lives in DC but is thankfully a frequent visitor. Sarah recently married a guy that we love! Andie Yellott and I stay in close touch and I have had some great chats with Dede Alexandre LeComte. Dede Alexandre LeComte is still living in Greenwich, CT, with her 4 children living close by! Her two oldest sons are married and she has 4 awesome grandchildren, 3 girls (7, 5, and 3) and a grandson (18 months). Her daughter is in her 3rd year of law school, graduating this spring and taking the bar. My youngest son is her roommate in their 2-bedroom apartment, along with two dogs and two cats! For 16 years, she was the director of admissions in a therapeutic day school in Stamford, working with high school students with extreme anxiety and depression which overall was very rewarding. On the fun front, she attended a fantastic surprise birthday party for Janet Myers Deans ’77 thrown by her husband, a UVA alum who she had known in grade school in Oyster Bay! She has enjoyed being in touch with her roommate, Ann Works Balderston

Lynn Rogerson Shirey bookended the year with knee replacement surgeries but I am now bionic—35 years of travel and fun are promised on each! Two of my greatest annual joys are reuniting with Professor Aileen Laing ’57 and a group of her adoring art historians (the ‘Ninie Laing Fan Club’) and participating in Sweet Work Weeks. Antique Packard automobiles are my passion, and highlights this year were a Classic

Class Notes

Car concourse in St. Louis, driving my 1934 Packard Super Eight Formal down Constitution Avenue in the DC National Memorial Day Parade and receiving the “People’s Choice” award at the Horses and Horsepower show in Upperville, VA. After a bit of a hiatus, daughter Olivia is finishing her degree (on the Dean’s List!) and further joy comes from sailing on husband Steve’s boats and slipping away to our summer house in Maine. Finally, as I suffered within a Class Notes length restriction, I ask my classmates to generously forgive my edits.

1978

Suzanne Stryker Ullrich 1222 Gov. Meldrim Thomson Scenic Highway Orford, NH 03777 suzullrich@icloud.com

2026 has been in full swing…for all of a few weeks as I write! As I read what everyone has submitted to share, it proves that, despite retirements for many and continued work endeavors for others, there is no shortage of activities, challenges and joyous occasions we are all experiencing! (And all while perhaps entering our 8th decade! Yes, the BIG 7–0 has, or will be arriving soon, for most of us!

Cannie Crysler Shafer writes “ups and downs at this stage of life with health, but the ‘ups’ far outweigh the ‘downs’!” Cannie was able to fly to Seattle to meet her son’s fiancé Hannah’s family, and she was able to welcome their first grandchild, Wesly, last May. “Love trying to keep up with SBC buddies and so appreciate everyone’s support.” Cannie has been able to return to her work at St Peter’s School and UPenn while still trying to play a decent round of golf!

Carolyn Ennis writes that she continues to do a lot of running (joined Park Run, “a wonderful international running group”) and was recently visited by Ieke Osinga Scully and Mark last November at her home in the High Black Forest, Germany, where they both took a run together! They also went hiking to meet Herr Horwege’s “charming and brilliant granddaughter, Cathy, who is studying in Freiburg im Breisgau.”

Carolyn has also gotten back into orienteering, enjoys catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, and even canoeing. She loves being alone in a garden with her cats and lots of books (joined a book group), and continues with language studies as well as ancient and modern history and literature! Once a learner at SBC, always a lifelong learner!

Perhaps Carolyn will get to visit with classmate Leigh McDonald Forrester, when she and John head to Italy for a year! “After ten years in the mountains of NC, this is what happens after a two-week vacation to Tuscany.” They were going to head back to Italy in February to look for a rental and planning to make the move in July “back to the land of fine wine, great gelato and adventures!” (I think we need a mini-reunion somewhere in Europe! There is a growing number of us over there!)

Mimi Borst Quillman had a busy year as well! “Exciting first trip to Paris in May with my sister, cousin and niece. Stayed right across from the Arc de Triomphe, where the celebration for the 80th Anniversary of VE Day was held. Seems like every Police Nationale and Gendarmerie was patrolling. To make it crazier, the local French futbol team “PSG” won a championship, and it was wild in the streets until 3 am. Apparently, this is normal. The ever-adventurous hiking group, consisting of Mimi, Scott, Mary Goodwin Gamper and Billy, and Ginny Craig (Dick Gamper, Maria Rixey Gamper’s husband, was unable to join the group last summer), all hiked to “our 8th and last Appalachian Mountain Club NH Hut, ‘Lake in the Clouds’”. This challenge for all of them started years ago, with all of them doing a two-day hike for an overnight each year, only missing a couple of years during COVID. In February, the six traveled to Patagonia for yet more hiking adventures! Mimi was also looking forward to a cruise in Alaska in May with a cousin and her sister.” I enjoyed the talented Angela Scully ’77 and husband George Elser’s art exhibit with Meg Richards Wiederseim, Suzanne Stryker Ullrich, and fun to see Cannie Chrysler Shafer Drusie Hall Bishop and I talk often. She keeps me connected to the horse world with the adventures with Batista, who

and Jane Peters. 2. Carolyn Ennis and Ieke Osinga Scully had a wonderful meet-up in Freiburg! 3. Cannie Crysler Shafer, her daughter-in-law, Hannah, and her first grandchild, Wesley.

she is riding. Grandsons Pierce (4 1/2) and Alex (2) live not to far away in Wilmington, DE both like coming to “Meep’s” house to ride on the tractor. And, what a treat to see Eric Clapton last September in Philadelphia.

Life is still good in Laguna Beach, according to Deb Davison Klein! She also gets to visit Atlanta and see daughter Whitney and her family (husband Alex and granddaughters Callie and Hollis). Deb was sad to miss one of Jill Steenhuis’s art shows in Atlanta, but reported that Ann Yauger went. ‘Local’ son and daughter-inlaw are in San Juan Capistrano, but the youngest, Peter, and 8-year-old Brooke are in Minneapolis. “Haven’t been yet, but hope to visit them soon.”

Lauren Place Young had a very busy year! To summarize: Shoulder surgery for her with a long recovery, hand-surgery for Chris…gaining great mobility. Youngest Makenna and her fiancé (also named Chris) welcomed Holden Meyer on Lauren and

Chris’s anniversary last May, bring the grandchild number to 3 (two boys—1 1/2 and 9 mos.; and one girl, 3) In June, Lauren and other SBC grads (Deedee Alexander ’77, Jean Beard Barden and Suzanne Stryker Ullrich) helped celebrate Janet Meyers Deans ’77 at a wonderful surprise party on Long Island. A ‘layover’ in Stamford with Jean meant 3 meals a day…out, as Jean’s house was under extensive repairs following some earlier flooding, and no kitchen! MANY laughs were had! Summer in Bristol, RI meant ‘Porch Fest’ with the entire family, followed by visits from friends, including time with Suzanne and her sister, Kitten— visiting houses in Newport and eating lobster rolls on the beach! Older daughter Brittany spent her summer and fall in Bristol as well, crewing and racing aboard the 12-meter sailboat ‘Nefertiti’ on which Lauren and Chris were treated to a beautiful sail. With their Hawaiian years behind them, Lauren, son Jake and Brittany got to a concert by Ian Tongi from

Oahu, which made all of them miss and remember their many years living there. Lauren added, “My life is fuller with grandchildren, growing older, and improving health!”

Kim Hershey Hatcher shared the highlight of 2025 being the marriage of their daughter, Lynn, to Will Bensur, son of Sally Ann Sells Bensur ’79 in Annapolis, MD. “It was a perfect ceremony.” Lynn spent a lot of attention to details, including making dresses for flower girls (granddaughters Olive and Liza) from Kim’s wedding dress from 1977! What a wonderful ‘something old’! Daughter-in-law Alex Hatcher was the Maid of Honor. “Our Scottie, Lucy, and theirs, Bennie, were also part of the wedding!”

Foot surgery last October didn’t hold Lenore Cox down too long. She healed well and was able to celebrate Lisa Spruil Darby’s birthday in November with their other best friends, Mary Catherine Carrington and Jane Peters.

Many know that Muffy Hamilton Parsons’ niece, Kendal Gretsch, has participated in the Paralympics over the years. This March, Muffy and other family members traveled to Cortina/ Milan to watch Kendal compete

in Nordic and Biathlon events in her 5th Paralympics! She is considered an elite athlete as she competes in both the Winter and Summer Paralympics and has many gold medals to show for her efforts. Muffy also shared that their family expanded by two this past year! A busy time for all as older son, Spencer, and his wife, Rachel, welcomed their first child, Lucas, in August, followed by another little boy, Shea, who joined older brother, Brooks (2), and his parents, Spencer and Devon, in October!

Grandchildren are popping up everywhere, and now GREAT-grandchildren! Donna J. Gelagotis Lee welcomed their first great-grand, Elliot, this past year. Both Donna and husband, Dennis H. Lee, have been prolific poets. They have each had their work published in numerous journals all over the globe. Donna was honored to have her work read at the launch of ISSUED: Stories of Service, and to have received On Deck recognition at the 2025 National Baseball Poetry Festival. She also had a poem nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Dennis’ poem “Coney Island—July 4, 1952” was read on a podcast after

Burning Bright. The list of poems is extensive, but if interested, you can check out the poetry at www. donnajgelagotislee.com.

Ieke Osinga Scully wrote in from Simsbury, CT, where she and hubby are supposed to be retired, “but volunteer work keeps us busy, plus managing two properties now, (the second one is currently being developed as “sustainably” as possible. The home front got a lot of activity this last year, with the marriage of our second son in our back field this past Aug. The barn came in handy, and the tent for the reception looked so festive! Looking forward to doing some trips in our camper van, especially to Revolutionary War sites during the 250th anniversary year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence!” Perhaps there will be a few visits to SBC classmates along the way?

Cindy Whitley Auman and Dave are happily vacationing with their two labs in Florida—St. Augustine in ’23 and St George Island in ’24. They had to be evacuated from St. George due to Hurricane Helene. After losing both of their four-legged friends to cancer in ’25, Cindy and Dave are again happy with two more! “They are a real handful, but such cuties!”

Barbara Mendelsohn Price and her husband split their time between Palm Beach and Paris, ‘with gratitude for my French studies with Mr. Artinian and the French teachers at SBC. I visited Nanette Cooper and Louise Pulizzi ’75 who also live in Paris. We had Girls Night Out a few times together. Also enjoyed a lunch with Sue Griste Russell and husband, Lindsay, near our old hangout spot. We had a wedding in Saint Andrews, Scotland, for our older son. Living in Europe, half the year we appreciate the continued education we are getting in Europe.”

A second grandchild, John, arrived last July for Barbara Behren’s Peck and Jeff. This past December was particularly joyous when John and his cousin, Shep, (born August ’24) and their parents, daughters Haley and Sarah, and their husbands, all gathered in VT. After 20 years working on a project commissioning art for the Downtown Greenway in Greensboro, NC, Barbara is finally winding things down. The big opening celebration will be in May,

“after which I will heave a huge sigh of relief and fill my time with other passions, including those little boys, life with Jeff in VT and NC, and my wonder Dales Pony, Jilly.” Barbara keeps up regularly with many SBC friends and also stays in touch with the College through Friends of Art, which I find both challenging and rewarding. We had a terrific meeting in Chicago last fall, and I’m looking forward to a spring meeting in NY this spring or early summer. FOA is a great way to stay connected—please reach out to me if you have any interest in joining the Board.”

A quick last-minute note from Ann Key Lucas…Life is grand! Expecting grandbabies 5 and 6 in February and May! How could life get any better—6 grandbabies, 3 years and under!

And still another grandchild, John ‘Rory’ Kelley, arrived in October to Paula Brown Kelley and Jack’s son, John, and wife Katie, joining big sister Quinn. A family gathering took place in Hingham, MA, for Rory’s christening, where daughter Genny was excited to become a godmother! Genny is a potter, living in Brooklyn, NY, making mostly mugs, vases and some custom pieces, at a pottery studio. She also teaches pottery to school-aged children. Paula was able to join Genny last year in Denver for a craft show. It was fun for Paula to see how Denver had changed after 30 years when she last visited. The mother and daughter duo were able to fit in some hiking (“I was able to climb up to Red Rocks with only one break”) and take a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. Paula was able to do a solo visit to the (Unsinkable) Molly Brown House, which she had visited back in 1988.” Molly was a remarkable woman, and the house is full of history! Right up my alley!” Genny received a grant from Etsy last year, providing her with a mentor and several online meetings. In 2026, Genny plans to travel to Portugal for a residency for which she is very excited!

Paula is still heavily involved with Rotary, and she and Jack, along with other Rotarian friends, decided to take the train to the International Convention, which was held in Calgary. They were able to squeeze in a visit to Banff, traveling on the Rocky Mountaineer before the conven-

tion. Being involved with Rotary has provided many opportunities to meet friends from not only the U.S. but from all over the world! Paula is at the point where she hopes to NOT become a committee chair, but prefers to be a ‘worker-bee’ on such projects as literacy with school-age children, youth contests in speech, music and essay writing, creating community service clubs in area high schools and Food for Neighbors, which fills the food pantries in local schools.

Family vacations are challenging (for all of us) with children living all over the place, but Paula and Jack plan family reunions each summer, this past year in Sagamore Beach, MA. “We enjoyed local seafood and a wonderful beach outside our door!”

Never far from SBC friends in the DC area, Paula enjoys gathering and visiting with former classmates, including Becky Dane Evans, who hosted a lovely SBC gathering for the DC area alumnae, and newest neighbor, Anne Taylor Quarles ’79! Navy football games and continued real estate work (Kelley Commercial Real Estate, Inc.) round out a very busy life for Paula, and while Jack retired from NASA in ’22, he stays busy with teaching as an adjunct professor at George Mason U. Traveling during school breaks and summer…ah! Memories!

Susan Negaard Harley is still very involved with volunteer driving for the American Cancer Society, taking care of animals at the Charleston Shelter (walking the doggies helps keep the weight off!) and Red Cross Sheltering and Disaster Support.

She loves her visits to Colorado to see her son, daughter and her partner. “Our family Christmas there was lovely except for the lack of snow for skiing! I do hope to go back at the end of February. I had a great visit and dinner with Ann Thrash Jones and Katherine Powell Heller, and their husbands, in December in Atlanta! We had a great time playing the ‘remember when’ game and hope to do it again soon. I also saw Ann and her husband, Bob Jones, a few other times last year when in Atlanta. We are hoping to connect with Maggie Laurent Gordy, Janet Rackoczy and Leigh Ramsay Simmons in 2026.”

Beth Preston writes that she and her husband got to attend their grandson, Bailen’s, graduation.

He and her husband love being in Michigan, closer to her son Luke Stephanie, and their children!

And as for me, life continues at a fast clip. The yarn business (SUFibers) has grown and keeps me busy, and provided an opportunity to visit spinneries in Norway last May, and ‘retired’ Rick has turned into a great un-paid intern! There are lots of trips to visit the 6 grands, which usually include a very exhausted Nana and Dadad at the end! Celebrating Rick’s 70th last August with the entire crew in the Adirondacks was complete with a day of tie-dyeing, hiking, swimming in the lake, and a day of Rail Riding for all, which I highly recommend! The year closed out with us deciding to move to Orford, NH. I certainly miss friends and family in Chester County, PA, and DE, but look forward to many new adventures!

And as Barbara Behren’s Peck wrote, “we are almost neighbors in nearby NH now that they have bought a house there.” New adventures indeed, living in a 1790’s house, beautifully restored, and with gorgeous views! We blame it all on Lauren Place Young, who just before Election Day last Nov called to say, “I think you better come and see this one…quickly!” After initially ruling it out as being ‘too far out there’, Rick finally saw it just after Thanksgiving, and the decision was made! There are actually many SBC peeps up in the area, so it will be fun rekindling friendships, all while kindling wood! There are three fireplaces and a functioning wood-fired stove…as well as a regular stove! Friends and hikers welcome…we are very close to the Appalachian Trail, lakes, Hanover, AND King Arthur Flour! Being in a great hiking area will be a good training ground for a longer hike to take place this coming September!

Always sorry if I missed anyone who may have written in.

So, until next time, Happy Trails, retirement or otherwise, to all of you! Remember to let us know if you move. We’d hate to lose touch!

Hugs, Suzanne.

1980

Phyllis Watt Jordan

711 Woodcrest Lane

Monterey, CA 93940 phylliswjordan@gmail.com

Ellen Clement Mouri: Son Cameron and Emily were married Memorial Day weekend 5/25/25. We had a great week in Denver celebrating them and meeting their Colorado friends. Our grandson Axel, son of Sarah Mouri ’06, is now 4. He’s such a delight. He comes for a week every July for

1980

Clockwise: 1. Ellen Clement Mouri’s son and daughter-inlaw, Cameron and Emily, at their wedding in May. 2. Tinsley Place Lockhart, her daughter Esmeralda, and baby Isabella. 3. Florence Rowe Barnick and Swee Lan Wong Dolan (right) with sisters (from left: Sweet Kam Wong, Jeanette Rowe Cadwallender ’79, and Sallie Rowe Roberts.) 4. Florence Rowe Barnick with (from right) daughter Skye, son Andrew, husband Richard, and Skye’s wife, Elisabeth. 5. 2025 Reunion: Emily Quinn McDermott, Fran McClung Ferguson, Tish Longest Tyler, Phyllis Watt Jordan, Carolyn Birbick Ownby, Claire Dennison Griffith, and Lisa Ward Connors.

Nana/Papa camp. I am two years out from my unexpected craniotomy to remove a golf ball-sized meningioma following a major seizure in July 2023. It took about a year to feel at full strength, but I am good to go now! I ride four days a week and take strength and Pilates classes regularly.

Ann Connolly Simpson: I truly cannot believe it’s time again to say hello to all my classmates! It’s been a good year here—still working at Excellent Vision in New Hampshire and managed to get away to Squam Lake, also in New Hampshire, for a week in the summer and Martha’s Vineyard for another week in September, a lovely time to be there! Bigger news is the birth of baby grandson Jay in June 2025, joining big sister Andi, who is 2 and trying to decide if this is a good thing or not!

Ginny Faris Hoffman: SBC continues to enrich my life through time spent in the company of amazing sister vixens!

Sally Gray Lovejoy: After 15 years, this will be my last season at Spoleto USA, my second retirement! Spent a week in Iceland in October 2025 chasing the northern lights, and they did not disappoint. Finally, I spent Christmas 2025 with Kim Wood Fuller in Charlotte. Lots of laughter. I am still in Charleston, S.C.

Fran McClung Ferguson: Husband Norman and I are both dealing with health issues that restrict our travel, but happily, both of our children visit often.

Tinsley Place Lockhart: This is the first year I haven’t worked full-time since my department was restructured to make way for AI. Oh these times! I was a Sweet Briar Scholar in Creative Writing! Now I’m happy Granny T! And intending to paint more when I’m not napping on the sofa in front of daytime TV!

Emily Quinn McDermott: Husband Ed and I are living in Southern Rhode Island near the ocean, where we love it seven months of the year but plan regular escapes between November and March when coastal New England gets a bit quiet and a bit gray. Escapes over the past year included Paris, London, Florida, and Boston.

I volunteer at the local hospital on Mondays and cap off that day with a late afternoon online bridge game with classmates Phyllis Watt Jordan, Lisa Ward

Connors and Megan Coffield Lyon; it’s a great way to start the week! Our daughters, Elizabeth and Faith, both work and live in New York City, where they are just an Amtrak ride away.

If anyone’s passing through Rhode Island, c’mon by for a visit!

Florence Rowe Barnick: Have had lots of extra time this year since I’m not supporting the college. Have traveled multiple times to see my beautiful daughter and her wife in Canada. Had another Wong family wedding (following last year’s in Malaysia) This one was easier as it was near Asheville, N.C, where Swee Lan Wong Dolan has settled in her retirement. She’s a pickleball enthusiast! (I am not!) Had a great visit (but too short) in November with Camp Alleghany friends at Phyllis Watt Jordan’s beautiful home in Monterey, CA. Another camp group gathered to remember alumna Mary Ann Hicklin Willingham ’56. SBC and camp continue to overlap.

As for me, Phyllis Watt Jordan, I’m enjoying our new life in Monterey, California, where my husband is working at the Naval Postgraduate School. I’m working part time for an education news website and trying my hand at writing a novel. Our son, Jake, is living with us now as he applies

for graduate school, while our daughter, Miranda, is still enjoying her work with a nonprofit in New York City.

I enjoyed returning to Sweet Briar for reunion last May and spending time with classmates, including Carolyn Birbick Ownby, Tish Longest Tyler, Fran McClung Ferguson, Emily Quinn McDermott, Lisa Ward Connors and, of course, our resident classmate, Claire Dennison Griffith

1982

Patti Snodgrass Mullins pattibmullins@gmail.com

Heather Pirnie Albert: We spend a lot of time on the “High Seas.” Took the Queen Mary 2 from Southampton to NY via Norway and Iceland after having spent a week in London. Even did a tour of my high school! Then left from Vancouver and sailed to Honolulu. Lots of sea days on both. Enjoying retirement in San Antonio, although I still do tax work during tax season. Michael has taken up pickleball a couple of days a week. I am back doing volunteer work at Navy Marine Corps Relief Society,

something I did 30 years ago!

Monika Kaiser: Again, I have been traveling several times to Germany this year to help with the care of my 92 1/2-year-old mom, who suffers from dementia and will move into a nursing facility this November. The death of my godchild and niece, after battling cancer for a second time, and who would’ve turned 29, was devastating. One highlight was the wedding of my nephew. I was honored to officiate the nuptials. Son Julius was promoted to senior lab tech at Science Care and moved to Philly. Alexa and Dallas are happy in their home in Tampa. Richard traveled the world.

Polk Green: After 40-some odd years, I am retiring in December!

Monty Tripp: 2025 has been a wild ride. Started with my husband Don’s serious illness. We learned in September that he had a remission (which might be temporary), so we took a very impromptu and wonderful trip to Europe. We returned to the amazing news that he continues to beat the odds. This may be the best year ever!

I’ve missed you all, but expect to see Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff (’84) at her ecolodge in Ecuador this winter. She loves having SBC visitors!

Deborah Price Bowman: I moved to Denver almost 3 years

ago, and I’m loving the low humidity and blue skies, and so many activities, both day and night, both outdoor and cultural. I’m an organizer for the Denver Cinema Club, and I’m taking advantage of the fact that I can audit university classes for free as a senior; I’m concentrating on art history, design and film.

Sally Shapard Peek: 2025 is a year I’ll remember! Three of my children married…Sara in Ireland in June, Anthony in East Hampton in September, and Bobby in Atlanta in November. To ensure life stayed busy, I had a knee replacement and two bathrooms remodeled as the weddings were happening! I’m looking forward to a calm 2026… oh wait…another bathroom is being torn out after Christmas.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our next reunion!

Maryce Ramsey: After 40 years of working in international public health, gender and development, I was ready to kick back a bit. But with the rampant destruction of public health, gender and development programs globally, that wasn’t in the offing. So, this old lady put on her sensible shoes, did a refresher training in civil disobedience, and got arrested by the National Capitol Police for the crime of “incommoding”—twice. Sweet Briar taught me as a woman I could do anything, and Rev. Bloy taught me that “anything” should include making the world a better, more equitable place.

Jean von Schrader Bryan: Hello from Amherst VA. Sweet Briar is still the favorite employer around here!! I saw Andy Tennant-Heckard (1978–1980 SBC) at Danielle Bielenstein’s memorial service. A very sad occasion. I’m sharing because my SBC friendships have helped me through some tough times. Molly, Dirt, Brianna, Lele, Michelle, Jane, Marie and many others have been by my side for over 45 years! I’m so thankful! Life is short…Sisters of 1982, please come to our 45th reunion in 2027!

Ethel Burwell Dowling: Husband Ben and I have enjoyed entering the grandparent stage and continue to treasure small-town community life and the beauty of the Lexington/Rockbridge County, VA area.

Mary Ames Booker: Patti Snodgrass Mullins and I had great fun visiting in May here in

Wilmington, North Carolina. We had a lovely lunch with Elizabeth Perkins Simmons ’78 and enjoyed local festivities. I continue as curator on the Battleship North Carolina and was recently presented with an award from the Historic Naval Ships Association for my 23 years of service. I am always happy to show the Battleship to fellow Vixens coming through town.

Molly Finney Grenn: I was able to be with Jean von Schrader Bryan and family and Nancy Daugherty Davidson and family for Christmas Eve!

We are planning another trip together with Jane Dure, Consuelo Martinez, Lele Casalini, Brianna Brown and Nancy Davidson to Morocco in the fall of 2026!! Grace is a junior at William & Mary and I hope to retire once she graduates in 2027 unless she decides to go to medical school. Please consider attending our next big reunion would love to get a big group there!

1984

Louise Jones Geddes 2590 Woodward Way NW Atlanta, GA 30305 ljgeddes5@gmail.com

Holla, holla, and happy new year to all! I always enjoy hearing from everyone sending updates and I am grateful for your time and effort in responding to the request. Judging by these notes, we’ve been busy and fruitful. We are beginning to write about retirements and more and more of us are writing about grandchildren… My, my! Where has the time gone? Although it’s a cold, wet January day that I am working on editing and collating these emails, by the time the magazine arrives, the year will be halfway finished, so if you are enjoying reading about your classmates, please make a midyear resolution to send me your own news when the next request rolls around.

Patricia Dolph Fallon has been working in the Admissions Office at Sweet Briar since August 2024. She enjoys spending time on campus, attending college fairs and events and connecting with other AAs (Admissions

1984

Leslie Caroline Kirkby Wardell, Natalie E. Cockey ’25 and Stephanie A. Kirkby Cockey at SBC graduation.

Ambassadors) She took her husband to Sweet Work Weeks last year and they both enjoyed it very much! Tricia’s kids are out of school—no weddings or babies yet!

Holly Pflug Allport is now working remotely for two Florida law firms, drafting estate plans. Finally, she and Peter can stay for extended periods of time in the family’s cabin in upstate New York. Holly became a grandmother on 10/4/2025 and she is still at a loss for words to describe the joy little Eleanor has brought to the family. Looking forward to doing fun things with the Class of 1984, including get-togethers via Zoom.

Virginia Lynch Kiseljack retired in April 2025 after 39 long years. Katie (28) is living in Charlotte, working as a cybersecurity specialist at Allstate and Chase (25) is a project supervisor for Madison Communications in Atlanta. Virginia is enjoying decompression in Marietta with husband, Charles, still working. She had a great though brief visit with Katie Hoffner in Fort Collins in late summer.

Leslie Caroline Kirkby Wardell writes that another year has flown by for her. Her SBC legacy niece, Natalie E. Cockey ’25, graduated in May with 15 family and friends in attendance, and Leslie is so proud of Natalie’s accomplishments, including starting a master’s degree at American University. Leslie is a grandmother to a beautiful baby boy, and her eldest is engaged. Her youngest has begun his career. Unfortunately, our beloved black retriever, Charlie, died at 15, and my Anglo-Arabian bay mare, “TT”,

Rose of Talal, at 24 years young, passed away. They will be greatly missed. Otherwise, this has been a wonderful year.

Debbie Jones is still enjoying leading Capital Markets for Citizens, BOD roles in housing finance, nonprofit education for nonprofit CapitaW, and policy advocacy with regulators and lawmakers. A lot of travel and speaking engagements, but deepening relationships and enjoying the leadership roles to help make a difference when and where she can. Debbie enjoys her farm, horses, family and friends, when she is not traveling. She loves seeing friends from Sweet Briar in the community and further away. On the Square One Vodka sale last year to Uncle Nearest Whiskey, follow the unfolding scandal and her and her sister’s efforts to “Save Square One!” Enjoy the hilarious cartoons and lawsuits. www.thebourbonandryeclub.com/splash-page/unclenearest-lawsuit-live-updates

Tracy Glaves Spalding writes that 2025 was a big year of change! She retired from running a Natural Foods Chef program and transitioned into retirement although keeping a focus on food! Randy retired as well and they did 3 culinary tours abroad— Oaxaca, Mexico, Transylvania and Catalonia—a couple of road trips in the US, and a month at their summer home in MN. Lots of good food and learning about ingredients and techniques. Working is totally overrated!

Kirsten Vold Larsen: Via the Garden Club of America, Kirsten has embarked on a journey to become a judge in Botanical Arts.

Creating, entering pieces, and travelling to flower shows in Houston, Philadelphia and Atlanta last year provided her with opportunities to meet new friends and embrace her creativity. Her window treatment business, Lake Geneva Blind CO, continues to thrive here in Lake Geneva, WI. She writes that ‘draperies are having a moment’, and she never tires of working with beautiful fabrics in lovely settings. Her children, Eleanor (29) and Lars (27), both have careers in New York City. She and her husband, Kris, are so proud of them and enjoy visiting often for the cultural and culinary delights NYC has to offer. They are in the sweet spot of “pre-retirement”, blending their work life with travel to ski or sun with friends. She sends wishes for good health to all of the Class of 84!

Vida Henry-Gooch spent her 64th birthday in Greece (Athens, Heraklion, and Delphi), following in the footsteps of Persephone, Perseus and the gang. She still loves working for the City of New Orleans, dragging the technology and its users of 13 criminal justice agencies from the 1980s into the 21st century, and preparing against the arrival of our Federal friends, sometime soon.

Ginger Reynolds Davis traveled to France with Lynn and 2 other couples last year. They cruised the Rhône River, and it was an awesome trip via Tauck Tours. She and Lynn also went to Seagrove, Fla for a week, later in the year, and she recommends traveling to 30A if you’ve never been. They visited Debbie Jones to ring in the new year.

Susan Dickinson Lindner continues working as an oncology nurse. She recently completed 10 years with Tennessee Oncology. She took a great trip to Maine in October, visiting Acadia National Park and enjoying some great hikes and wonderful fall weather, and also visited some of the surrounding area. Susan highly recommends visiting Maine to everyone.

Lisa Burwell Reichard sends greetings from a suburb of Nashville, which she moved to, from a DC suburb in Maryland, when Ben, her youngest of four children, was a sophomore engineering student at Lipscomb University. Ben is now finishing his Master’s degree in Structural Engineering at Vanderbilt University, and is engaged to be

married! Her eldest son, Drew, lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife, Katie, and 6-year-old twin boys, Elliott and Beckett, and is a marketing manager for Bible Gateway (a branch of HarperCollins Christian Publishing), and an independently published writer. Her daughter, Mary, also lives in Grand Rapids, where she teaches 7th-grade history. Mary and her husband, Max, have a very active 2yo daughter named Eloise, and are expecting a 2nd child in June. Hunter, my third son, is currently living in S. Korea, where he originally went to teach English. Finding he enjoyed South Korea, he enrolled in a Korean language school, so he could seek out other employment opportunities and more readily develop local friendships. Lisa is loving this stage of life with grandchildren and the ability and time to volunteer more! She tries to get to Lexington, VA as often as possible to visit with her mom, Ethel Ogden Burwell ’58, and her sister, Ethel Burwell Dowling ’82. Beyond family, she hasn’t kept up with any other SBC grads, as she has always lived just a bit too far from the city centers where events are usually held.

Robin Cannizzaro writes that she and her partner got married after 28 years together on January 4th 2025, and she notes that it took a few years to decide that perhaps they should go ahead and get married! Robin has met with Anne Reisner Bonney and Helen Gillick who now live in Ocala. They are nearly in Robin’s back yard. She still rides and has horses, which are still a passion. She and her partner live with 5 dogs, three cats, one bird, four cows and three horses and their mini donkey, Daisy. They

still live on a 10 acre farm and Robin works from home enjoying Homeopathic Holistic Veterinary Medicine for clients all over the US and Canada.

As for me, Louise Jones Geddes, life keeps rolling along. Athletically, I spent most of 2025 recovering from knee surgery, doing lots of PT and trying to play tennis when I could. Happily, I think 2026 will see me back on the tennis court, and I am also loving padel. If you are a rackets enthusiast and have access to a padel court close by, run—don’t walk—and take some lessons! It’s a really fun sport. Jim and I went on a cycling trip in Alsace in late summer last year and had a fabulous time in a beautiful part of the world. I continue traveling with Jim to and from Australia a couple times a year. It’s a long way to go, but I know I am lucky to get to do it. I am looking forward to the World Cup here in the USA summer 2026, and am keeping my fingers crossed that I might attend one game somewhere! Jim and I now have 3 grandchildren as our daughterin-law safely delivered twin boys at the end of 2025. I stay in touch with Elizabeth Harley Willett and Penney Parker Hartline and occasionally see Elizabeth Cahill Sharman too. I also love catching up with some of the gals in Mobile, AL where my daughter and son-inlaw live, and occasionally see some familiar faces in the HighlandsCashiers NC area too. Seems there are Sweet Briar connections everywhere!! I encourage each and every one of you to reconnect with a Sweet Briar friend! Do it now while we still have our wits about us! Reconnect and re-engage with

the College. I want it to succeed and I hope you do too! (and if you haven’t made a gift this year, please do so now: www.sbc.edu/ give). Thanks for reading!

1986

Alis Van Doorn alisvandoorn@hotmail.com

Nancy Palermo Lietz: Happy to update after being incognito for too many years. Living in Charlotte and opened a Wellness practice after working in a hospital setting for almost 30 years. Reminder that SBC gave us confidence to take chances and succeed. Happy to see Mary York Robison Oates, but excited to reconnect with everyone soon.

Lisa Leigh Ringler Bennett: Still on the farm in Honey Brook, PA. We now have two labs on the farm in addition to Odin. Odin is constantly swimming in the pond…hence why I buy a lot of candles. I’m currently working with an art gallery that wants me to cater dinners in accordance with the gallery’s theme. I’ve done one event so far, and it was a success. If Odin had opposable thumbs, I’d make him my sous chef!

Sally Engleby Farell: Greetings from Southport, NC! Last December, I retired, along with my husband. After serving three years as the Director of St. Mark’s Day School in FL, we picked up and moved to our wonderful little coastal town. Retirement is definitely an interesting new way of life, but we are taking advantage of it with travel,

visits with family, long beach walks and fishing on my husband’s boat. Needless to say, we love it! Hoping to see Karen Gonya Nickles soon.

Olivia Hardin Pettifer: We all had a great time together in September at Lee Malley Lowe’s lake house in Virginia. Playing games, cooking and telling ghost stories. We are all grateful for the close friendships.

Elizabeth Lindsey: I spent most of 2025 working on a ghostwriting/copy editing project, which I had to return to its author unfinished because the rest of the year was spent getting chemo for acute myeloid leukemia and losing all my hair (it’s growing back). This was NOT on my 2025 bingo card! As of this writing, I’m on a bone marrow transplant list. (Please encourage the under35ers in your lives to become donors, my.nmdp.org/s/join) To my classmates: thank you for all the encouragement, support, love, and #vixenstrength you’ve been sending throughout this journey. It’s meant the world to me.

1988

Jennifer Crawley Lewis

4902 Duck Creek Lane

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 lcrllc@aol.com

Stacey Sickels and Lee live in Mountain View, CA and has completed two years at Stanford’s

Human Centered AI working internationally raising funds for research, education and policy. Stacey recently accepted a new remote position leading West Coast and Midwest strategy for Boston University. She is grateful for her son, Kent, who lives in Cleveland with his wife, Jamie, and her grandchildren, Isla and Grey. Isla and Grey call her Moxie. She stays in touch with classmates, Christina Savage Lytle, Katie Keogh Snelling, Sonja Gruhl Dupourque, and Heather Buerger. She is looking forward to her son Leland’s wedding in March and a 60th birthday family trip to France in July where she hopes to see Jill Steenhuis ’80.

Alesia Hildebrandt reports that she is retiring after this school year. She has worked 30 years in public education for a total of 37 years. Her dad passed in October and she plans to move in with her mom after retirement.

Kelly O’Connor’s life has been quiet after losing her beloved Mike, 8 years ago. Her work as the development director of a nonprofit supporting people with intellectual disabilities is very rewarding, and she continues doing consulting, facilitation and workshops on the side in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and conflict management. She also stays busy as an active Junior League Sustainer and Rotarian serving in a district role this year. When she’s not working, writing, or volunteering, she does a little traveling and spends a month bouncing around Oceana and

visiting family in Corpus Christi. Virginia Bennett Leeds is wonderful about keeping in touch. Kelly would love to catch up with anyone in our class! Please reach out to her if you are anywhere in the Nashville area!

Tracy Tigerman Goodman has retired from teaching after 32 years. She tutors a few times a week and is enjoying life and traveling. Son, Ryan (30), is a diesel mechanic. Daughter, Kaitlyn (23), is working on a second degree in photography.

Jeanne Rovics Dees had a great trip in August 2025 with Nici Pechman and Maia Jalenak including spouses in Napa for a week. They were missing Kristen Randolph and Laura Kasprzak, as they were busy preparing for the weddings of their eldest sonsKristen (Ranny) Laura (Jack). They all had a great time and are eager for their next adventure!

Jennifer Crawley Lewis had a lovely year in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. I was busy with finishing home renovations and keeping up with several friend groups involved in various activities, including water aerobics, gym, learning mahjong and local and national politics. Our daughter, Diana, got a great job as a patient-specific design engineer at Ponte Vedra-based Treace Medical Concepts and moved into her own apartment. We enjoy seeing her about once a week. Max and I took some local trips, but our business is just too busy to take more than a few days at a time away.

Jean Spillane Benning 1120 Walnut Farm Road

Lower Gwynedd, PA 19002

1990sweetbriar@gmail.com

Amanda Berkey 5702 Criner Road

Huntsville, AL 35802

1990sweetbriar@gmail.com

Dear Classmates—thank you to those who submitted notes this time around. We appreciate your dedication to Sweet Briar and sharing your lives with us.

Parker Shultis Pearson: It was really great to come back to campus for our recent reunion. I got the chance to re-explore the campus and catch up with fellow alums. The time we had together was so therapeutic and the text thread we started while on campus has turned into a lifeline—for all of us, I think. It was the first time on campus for me since losing my roommate and best friend Jenni Vance ’91—which was so hard. It made me realize how many classmates I’d really love to see come back next time. You were definitely missed!

Brandi Beck: I’m still living in NYC and enjoying my work as a clinical psychologist and happy with my small family of partner, Andrew, and daughter, Daria. I keep in regular contact with Elizabeth Mason Horsely, Beth Melloy Lyons, Tisa Delaney Pearce, Heather Colson Ewing, Charlotte Cantrell Doran, and Kana Goldsmith. Over the past few years, I’ve developed a new vixen friend in New York, Magda Salvessen, class of 1965. Her friendship has brought me both pleasure and a wider perspective on New York City and Sweet Briar. I hope everyone has the opportunity to develop friends from different generations. Be well.

Nancy Kershner Dodge: Since retirement, Bill and I have been doing a lot of traveling. We had a wonderful trip to London, where we had a chance to visit Taki Kinoshita Austin and her family and Catherine Tooke ’11.

LuAnn Hunt: I attended the 2025 Alumnae Reunion and had a great time catching up with classmates from 1990 and meeting

so many others from different classes. Sweet Work Weeks in July was small in attendance but big in heart and accomplishments! We all had a great time making a beautiful difference on the campus. As for me, even though I just celebrated my 35th SBC Class Reunion, in December 2025, I’ll celebrate 50 years of marriage with my husband, Larry. Remember, I was a Turning Point student (and I got married young!) Last February, we welcomed a new member into our family, Sophie, who is a 5 year old Chihuahua Pomeranian. She has quickly stolen our hearts. Finally, in September, I began serving on the Sweet Briar Alumnae Alliance as the co-chair. I look forward to some of the exciting things we’ll be working on in the coming year.

Alicia Taylor Gowans: In August, my longtime partner Chuck and I were married. We live together in his house in Alexandria, Virginia.

Charna Manning Falls: I served as a Team Captain for The CenterPoint Energy Pink Fireballs 2025 Komen Race for the Cure (for breast cancer). Our team raised over $25K to fight breast cancer. I was also acknowledged as a VIPink Ambassador.

Amy Donnelly Tobik: I’ve excitedly entered year five of my award-winning magazine, Exceptional Needs Today. I enjoy my time volunteering for DAR, Rotary, and the SBC Mentor Program. My oldest, Katie, got married in the Spring and works for Levine Cancer as a genetic counselor. My youngest, Emily, moved this year to the Upper East Side. She is over two years into her role at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as a Special Projects Coordinator in the Bureau of Emergency Field Operations. Happy to add, Steve and I will be celebrating 35 years of marriage this summer. I’ve enjoyed staying in touch with old SBC friends over the years and hope to see everyone at the next reunion.

Candace Collins Preston: This summer I had an opportunity to attend a faith conference and spend time with my friend and freshman/sophomore years roommate Leslie Carson Albizzatti. It was wonderful to share memories and create new ones. I continue to enjoy her weekly blog and was excited to pre-order a book she has written called “The Desert

Walk.” My husband, Steve, and I have enjoyed traveling together when our jobs allow. We attended my daughter’s graduation from Florida State last May.

Allison Richards: We are very thankful for a reboot 2025. Alison and Scotty had the opportunity to travel to South Africa and tour multiple game reserves, as well as travel to one country in Stellenbosch, and enjoy the lifestyle and surrounding beauty of Cape Town. This year, Scotty retired from real estate and will be pursuing his wildlife and land scape photography passion. We hope to see a publication from him in 2026. Allison continues to show her KWPN warmbloods in Ocala where she spends several months out of the year traveling backand-forth to the 30A area where she and Scotty reside. Allison is the principal of the #1 small team for Compass 30A as The Richards Group. Focusing on luxury beach, real estate and investment property properties. To celebrate the new year, Allison and Scotty will travel to East Africa and look forward to immersing themselves in the culture and wildlife in Rwanda and Tanzania. I always welcome any of our alumnae to the 30A area and would love to host and be your inside guides. Just reach out!

Amy Kroeger: I have relocated to Albuquerque to do a Preventive Medicine Residency and a Masters of Public Health. I really like the program. Albuquerque has been good to me and my daughter, Macy, 3, who has a new boyfriend and loves her new school. I’ve had the good fortune to get to know Ann Gateley ’70. She has been very inspirational to me. I still keep in close contact with my SBC posse in Phoenix.

Karen Meyer ’63, Mary Beth Orson ’85, Mimi Wilk ’74, Sharon Cipriano ’64, and Kelly Molique ’93 gave me a lovely goodbye. Mary Beth and I have since been able to connect in Santa Fe. I hope that continues.

Cheryl Bishop Gillman: I was so sad to have missed the reunion, but Scott and I were in NYC that weekend celebrating our birthdays and 34 year anniversary! This fall I am celebrating 13 years as a home birth midwife! Still loving seeing all the families grow but hoping to stop night calls sometime next year. Our family grew with another grandson born in Virginia in March and another granddaughter in April— both born at home. Our youngest

1990

Clockwise: 1. Squiffy Walker Christopher and Joie Roderick Tankard at Reunion on Friday night. 2. Wizzie Hillegass ’20 and Chris Carriere Zazulak. 3. Sweet Work Weeks Group. 4. Chris Carriere Zazulak and Squiffy Walker Christopher at reunion. 5. Dolly Garcia Simonet and Jean Spillane Benning in Phuket.

granddaughter lives across the street with our oldest Jenna and her husband. They moved to KC last spring from North Carolina. It’s so much fun to see them almost daily! We now have 6 grands! In my free time I still enjoy riding and fox hunting with Fort Leavenworth and Mission Valley. I keep up with Beth Babbitt Bowen on a regular basis and Staige Grymes a few times per year.

Ann Marie Beatty Malone: It has been a full and wonderful year for the Malone family. Alex graduated from Villanova University Nursing School in May, passed the NCLEX in July, and is now working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a pediatric oncology nurse. Sam and his wife are doing well and are busy keep-

ing up with our grandson, Chase, who turned two in April. Bill and I are lucky enough to spend every Monday and Friday with him after school which has been such a joy. Bill is still with Coal Fire Federal and has retirement in sight for 2026. I recently stepped into a new role with Abbott Diabetes Care as a Strategic Account Manager for the Northeast. And as always, I feel very fortunate to live only a few blocks away from Jean Spillane Benning and her family which allows us to spend a lot of fun times together.

Leslie Carson Albizzatti: This past year, Nicolas and I enjoyed several trips, including Costa Rica, Argentina, and Peru, where we walked the Inca Trail. It was unforgettable, though it

took two weeks to recover, and will likely be my last “roughing it” trip. Our daughter got engaged and will be married in April of ’26, our oldest son and daughter-in-law welcomed their first baby, and our youngest son graduated with a master’s degree in accounting and is officially off the payroll. While we’ve tried to embrace empty-nest life, the kids keep moving back in—perhaps 2026 will be our year. I also completed my first book, a Lenten devotional, to be released in January 2026.

Candace Collins Eccles and I saw each other this past year and greatly enjoyed reminiscing and reconnecting.

Allison Miree Novellino: Hello & love to you all! If anyone comes to Birmingham, I have an empty nest. Come visit as Marc & I have extra rooms available! My kiddos are living their best lives. Anna is at Auburn in her freshman year. Christopher is in year 2 at South Alabama Medical school. I had a great visit with Nancy Jones in Bluffton, SC. Loved seeing her

with our reunion group; let’s keep it going!

Louise Bouldin Carter : Our third child, Jack graduated from high school, and he is a freshman attending the University of Alabama. Eldest child, our daughter Virginia, started law school at Stetson Law. Eldest son Brian is a senior at Auburn University. And the baby, Lewis, is a junior in high school and wrestling all the live long day. And when I am not managing the kids (they are sort of still kids right?), I am managing my small business staging homes or playing tennis or volunteering with the local Symphony Board. Brian is still practicing with The Orthopedic Center, and we will be married 25 years this March.

with some respectful protesting mixed in. I hope to see more of you at our 40th!

new projects in person, and you can find her work on Instagram: @may_river_neptune is her user name. I am looking forward to seeing Ashley Flynn Blanchard someday soon. I am staying busy playing tennis and riding, and I am learning to shoot skeet with husband Marc as well. Currently, we are on the way to Vail, CO with the family during Christmas. Oh, and I’m still trying to fit in a full time job to pay for all these activities & keep me out of trouble!

Squiffy Walker Christopher: All is good in RVA! We are all still employed by the same companies! I had a blast at the reunion, my first! Loved seeing all that attended, it wasn’t hard to revert back to those college days, haha! Wizzie ’20, decided to join our class for reunion and what fun, she fit in perfectly! Ready to go to the next reunion! Can’t wait for 2026, I’m going to be a grandma! Wizzie is due the beginning of March, with a boy! Little did she know that reunion was her last hoorah! Love staying in touch

Sarah Andres Sale: I am still living in quiet Staunton, VA with my husband and our two dogs, Daphne and Annabel. 2025 seemed like a good year to find some ways to escape from reality, so Lamar and I made it a year of travel. We took a total of 10 trips that included both domestic and international destinations. Some highlights included: Anguilla, New Orleans—where we got to visit with Chris Carriere Zazulak, Sphere Las Vegas—when we saw Bobby Weir for the last time, Amsterdam, Italy, and London. We definitely stayed busy! When I’m in Staunton, I see Joie Roderick Tankard (and other SBC alumnae) regularly, which is always a treat. Another special time this past year was the weekend of our 35th class reunion. We had a small but mighty turnout and had a fabulous time celebrating together

Jean Spillane Benning: This past year has brought lots of fun. I was able to travel to Thailand for work, and Dolly Garcia Simonet joined me. We spent all of our time in Phuket traveling to different islands. I am definitely meant for boat life. I also took a long weekend trip to Paris in April. It never gets old there, and I hope to live in Paris for a few months at some time in my life. My oldest daughter finally got her dream job working as a Labor and Delivery nurse. It’s so great to hear how happy she is and what she has to endure. It’s not for the weak. My middle daughter, Paige, is working in marketing and pursuing a modeling career. My youngest daughter, Tara, is finishing out her junior year at Babson and wants to stay in the Boston area after school. She is hoping to get into law school somewhere up there. I continue my career at Elsevier and am enjoying my new greenhouse, playing some pickleball and spending time with Ann Marie Beatty Malone

Amanda Priddy Berkey: Even though I retired from economic development for the local government a few years ago, I am still very actively managing a nonprofit international trade association. Husband Chris is still an independent insurance agent and also working to grow a new business with offices in Huntsville and Chattanooga. Our son, Chase, is in his last year studying computer science at the University of Alabama and is still

ated in December. They went on a scuba diving trip in Florida before Christmas to celebrate. Chase will conveniently have another fall semester/football season to cheer on the Crimson Tide! We’re planning a family trip to Europe for Chase’s graduation. Still enjoying as many concerts as we can, and Chase & Maddie have gotten me on the pickleball court a few times. I am enjoying living vicariously through my well-traveled friends and classmates—love hearing about all of your travels! Counting down the days until my next girls’ trip to the beach this spring (with Louise Bouldin Carter and other longtime friends from Huntsville) and our planned island trip to celebrate our 60th birthdays! Also (and this is mainly for Jean) looking forward to seeing Rod Stewart again in April! Keep in touch—I’d love to see more of you in the near future—in the Rocket City or a visit somewhere else in the world! Thanks again for sharing your news—hope to hear from even more of you next time!

1992

classnotes@sbc.edu

Cynthia Chilton Barrett: I’m still here in Charleston, WV. After my mother passed away in 2020, I was inspired by her lifetime of community work to volunteer for The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation on their Education Task Group and Distribution

professional training, I am loving volunteering in the philanthropic sector. I currently work with 3 different charitable entities and find the work extremely rewarding. Being a part of supporting dedicated non-profit organizations to improve the quality of life in my community has not only been educational but deeply inspiring. I hope all my classmates are well! Warmest regards!

Janeime Asbury-Brown: I’m currently still working as a registered Dental Hygienist in Marietta, GA, and also a part-time professor at Georgia Highlands College. I almost have an empty house, my son is a junior in college, and my youngest daughter is in her first year of dental school in Boston.

1994

Katherine Cook madvixen94@gmail.com

Lion Farrington lfarrington@sbc.edu

Molly Morris Flasche: I’m entering my 2nd decade (3rd on staff) at the Columbus Museum of Art. I manage and train volunteer docents. I have about 95 active docents, and I am currently training a class of 30. Eddie (11) has started Middle School, and he’s on a club soccer team. They’re doing great, and they just won their most recent tournament. We’ve introduced Eddie to the joy of travel, but we’re sticking to home for the time being. Chuck

has been working from home post-pandemic, so we’re putting an addition on our home to accommodate a dedicated office space and space to entertain.

Kimberly Bramley Estep: My debut novel, The Apex Between Us, explores risk, reinvention, and identity through the lens of motorsports. It’s a metaphor for women’s determination to define their own pace—a value I first learned at Sweet Briar. Our college’s survival reminds me daily that persistence and sisterhood change outcomes. This book is my tribute to that enduring spirit.

Kelleigh Smith Sommer: Richard and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary in January. We went on a European Ocean Cruise to celebrate and had the best time. We still live in Bulverde, TX, and both work from home. Our son, Sam, got married to his high school sweetheart in December of 2023, and we are enjoying having a very sweet DIL. I occasionally text with Caitlin Sundby Russell in Georgia and Betsy Lanard McCafferty in New Jersey.

Katherine Schupp Zeringue: still resides in Merritt Island, Florida, working for NASA, supporting NASA’s Artemis II Moon-to-Mars program and SpaceX operations. She is Kennedy Space Center’s Cultural Resources Manager, keeping track of changes to Apollo-era infrastructure as well as ensuring archaeological sites are protected. In September, she travelled to Istanbul and Egypt. Highlights of the trip included cruising the Nile, cocktails at the Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile, and pyramids and mummies. Other highlights of the year included dinner with Olympic gold medalist Grant Holloway and getting back into a travel groove.

on safaris, rode on a 5-star train and met people from around the world. Best is we are great travel partners and can’t wait until the next adventure. Katie Martin is now a travel agent and did a great job helping us plan the trip.

Kelly Bowman Greenwood: Just celebrated 20 year wedding anniversary with Wayne in September! Looking forward to graduating from the UC Berkeley Master of Real Estate Development and Design in May 2025. I was honored to receive a ULI Chamberlin Fellowship to serve on a product council, and I’m looking forward to next steps—a career in sustainable property development. We attended the Big Game a few weeks ago, and got to see the Bears defeat Stanford at home and fans rushed the field.

Cyndi Hague Hineline 1613 Finefrock Rd. Fremont, OH 43420 cyndi.hineline@gmail.com

Cady Thomas: Serena Putegnat and I traveled to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa this year. We went

Anne Smith Culver: Anne Culver’s oldest daughter, Beth, was married this past May. Anne still works as an art teacher at a small private Christian school, and she and her daughter created a beautiful work of art together, making the wedding dress. They enjoyed seeing Andrea McCarney and her family at the wedding.

Class Notes

Cyndi Hague Hineline : Shawn and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary in November! I continue to work for our county’s Juvenile Court, and perform with the Toledo Opera Chorus and various community theatre productions along the “North Coast” of Ohio. I was also able to meet up with my friend Nancie Howe Entenmann Roberts ’56 for lunch and a good visit in September.

Cynthia Bumgardner Puckett: Cancer-free again! I have appreciated all of the cards (from our 25th reunion specifically)!

2000

Katie Cesarz Galloway

777 N Van Buren Apt 3205 Milwaukee, WI 53202 kcesarz5478@gmail.com

Cheers to the Class of 2000!

Allison Davis Atkinson, Christine Bump, Kimberly Harden Fella, Katie Cesarz Galloway, Germaine Gottsche, Mandy Rice, and Evangeline Easterly Taylor celebrated our 25th Reunion on campus last May, and we raised our glasses of Sweet Briar wine in a toast to all of our classmates. We enjoyed our milestone dinner Friday night at the Boathouse and were honored to include the Class of 1995, who had missed out on this experience due to COVID. It was great to see the remodeled dorm spaces, vineyards, greenhouse, and apiary. We hope to see even more classmates at our next Reunion in 2030!

Ashley Hill: Katie Wright Thomas, Carol Skriloff Starr, Renee Dupre Dugan, and I gathered in Nashville this October for a long-awaited mini-reunion. Nearly 15 years had passed since we were last all together, yet the moment we reconnected it felt as if no time had gone by. While shopping and exploring 12th Avenue, we spotted a street sign for Sweetbriar Ave, and couldn’t resist stopping to capture the perfect photo! Ashley Hill continues to work as a landscape designer on Boston’s North Shore and still finds time to stay involved in horseback riding whenever she can.

Christine Bump: 2025 was an exciting year! I celebrated the 5th

anniversary of Penn Avenue Law & Policy, my DC-based solo practice. Though Elias and I moved to the Cincinnati area in 2023, I kept my office. I provide FDA regulatory advice for medical devices and diagnostics. Drastic regulatory changes are keeping me busy. I had so much fun attending our 25th Reunion! It was wonderful to be back on campus, taste Sweet Briar wine, celebrate our class, and catch up with our small but mighty group! I am looking forward to hosting alumnae events in Ohio this year.

Jennifer Marshall Hooper: Jennifer and her long-term partner, Nathan, are celebrating a year in their first home, a second grandchild’s arrival, and becoming (mostly) empty nesters.

Anne Ryan Craig Sinnott: Life is busy and full. We still live in Haymarket, VA. Our oldest, Abbey (19), is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina. I am in my thirteenth year at St. Luke’s School in McLean, where I serve as principal. My son, Colin (12), and daughters Jane (9) and Tatum (6), also attend St. Luke’s. Having my three youngest children at school with me is truly special. I am living every stage of life at once and savoring it all. My husband, Matt, is a captain with the Alexandria Fire Department, making life hectic, demanding, and wonderfully rewarding.

Lindsey Custer: I’m still living in Glen Allen, VA and working as Director of HR for a local homebuilder. Since my last update, I adopted a dog named Hattie Mae and rescued a kitten (Hazel) out of the middle of a busy road. Hattie Mae had her first visit to SBC over the summer and loved it! I had a fabulous time visiting Sarah Cunningham in Asheville over the summer. I also joined the VCU executive MBA students on their trip to Copenhagen and Paris in the spring which was amazing! If anyone wants an international travel buddy, let me know!

Kimberly Harden Fella: Chad and I are still in Macon, GA, and will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this spring. We enjoyed traveling last year to Banff, Canada, and the Caribbean island of Bonaire. We especially enjoyed catching up and spending time with classmates at our 25th Reunion at Sweet Briar in May. We both continue working at our

respective jobs within the local school systems—me as a high school counselor and Chad as a part-time tech specialist. Our two Cardigan Welsh corgis, Hazel (12) and Gus (3), keep us constantly entertained and on our toes at home. If anyone is ever traveling through Macon, please reach out—would love to see you!

Mandy Rice: I had so much fun at our 25th Reunion at Sweet Briar. I am still enjoying my job as an operating room nurse in Louisville. This year’s travels led

me to Germany and Guatemala. I am planning a trip to Ireland in the Spring. I love wearing Sweet Briar apparel while traveling. I’ve run into alums and friends of the college all around the world. I hope to see everyone at the 125th celebration!

Jackie Hauslein Kruchten: I thought I would take the bait this time and send in an update, although I also applaud everyone’s Gen X resistance to this task. Jake and I reside in Warrenton, VA, where he continues to work for

2000

1. Germaine Gottsche, Kimberly Harden Fella, Christine Bump, Katie Cesarz Galloway, Allison Davis Atkinson, Mandy Rice, and Evangeline Easterly Taylor at the 25th reunion. 2. Katie Wright Thomas, Carol Skriloff Starr, Renee Dupre Dugan, and Ashley Hill at Sweetbriar Ave in Nashville. 3. Jackie Hauslein Kruchten and daughter Lillie (current sophomore at SBC) in front of Reid Hall. 4. Christine Bump and Elias Papasavvas at the 25th Reunion Boathouse Party. 5. Allison Davis Atkinson, Germaine Gottsche, Christine Bump, Kimberly Harden Fella, Mandy Rice, and Katie Cesarz Galloway at the 25th Reunion.

Microsoft and I continue to work for Prince William County Public Schools (24 years). I have the best job, serving as one of the school librarians at Gainesville High School. Our three children, Lillian (19), Caleb (15) and Kyle (9) keep us busy between sporting events and school. Their social demands are our social life…Can anyone else relate? Lillie is in her sophomore year at Sweet Briar and is majoring in Biology and Psychology. When the stars align, and I am lucky enough, I get to see Katie Wright Thomas and encourage everyone to follow this talent @katiedidfloral on Instagram. Emily Pegues and I now live in the same town (gasp!) and sometimes manage to connect for a coffee or trip to the local quilt shop; the laughs and stories are always the best. If you find yourself in the Warrenton area, please reach out. I am always up for a quick catch-up. Times are strange, but strong female friends make it so much more bearable. Read, make art, volunteer, and continue to resist. Much love to you all.

Evangeline Easterly Taylor: From tasting the first release of Sweet Briar Sparkling Rose to walking on campus, our 25th Reunion was a wonderful way to see campus updates while spending time together as a class. Our next trip was a blast camping overnight at the NASA Space Center in Houston.

Allison Davis Atkinson: While 2025 was a crazy year on the macro level, it was pretty steady for my family and me. I thoroughly enjoyed getting back on campus for our 25th reunion and loved hanging out with Germaine Gottsche, Christine Bump, and my fellow alums. It was a great reminder of all of the wonderful and lasting things produced by the college each year, and the campus is as impressive as ever. I also had the pleasure of hosting 20+ SBC engineering students when they were in New Orleans for a conference this Fall—a real treat for me.

Katie Cesarz Galloway: I celebrated my first wedding anniversary in October! Sean and I enjoyed visiting Sweet Briar for our 25th Reunion. It was wonderful catching up with friends and being back on campus. I graduated with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2017, and

currently practice in Hospice and Palliative Care in Wisconsin. Our two cats, Tootsie Roll (5) and Whatchamacallit “Cha Cha” (4 months), keep us entertained. I enjoyed hearing from all of our classmates who sent notes to be included in this issue of the magazine, and I hope to hear from more of you next year!

2002

classnotes@sbc.edu

Liz Waring McCracken : I’m still teaching online dance courses as an adjunct professor at App State. When I’m not grading or prepping classes, I’m usually chauffeuring Isadora (16) and Athena (13) all around Boone—mostly to the pool for swim team. I’ve also been busy with my own dancing and yoga practice. I’m extra excited about a yoga retreat in Costa Rica planned for 2026!

Additionally, Chris and I are preparing for a kitchen renovation. It’s definitely not as glamorous as a tropical getaway, but every bit as big an adventure—and just as expensive! It’s a busy but good season in life.

Amanda Davis Stevens: She has been very busy this year, as she was appointed Co-Liaison Counsel for Subrogation Plaintiffs in the Eaton Fire Litigation, as well as Managing Partner at her law firm. With work being so busy, she is grateful for every moment she can squeeze in with her husband and kids, Graham (12) and Lizzie (15).

Ginny Wood Susi ginnysusi@gmail.com

Autumn Matysek-Snyder Fish: Jeremiah and I celebrated our 20th anniversary this past summer! Xavier started 10th grade, is driving himself, and still swims for SMAC— making seniors championships this past year. Daisy started 6th grade, changed softball teams, and made a travel volleyball team for this winter. We added a new dog to the mix last summer—Peaches. Merri

Top: Elaine Mathews Honeycutt’s newly published children’s book Chop-it-Chip: Quest of a Ninja Chef Bottom: Kimberly Wilson admiring her newborn son, Nolan Everitt Patzner, being held by her husband, Jerod Patzner.

2006

Morris Park & I caught up at one of Daisy’s softball tournaments!

Ebony Scurry : Ebony Scurry became President of the Association of Applied and Clinical Sociology. On November 15, 2025, she was ordained into the Unitarian Universalism ministry as a Community Minister. She continues her private practice as a Clinical Sociologist and serves as Adjunct faculty of Sociology at both Montgomery College and the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Jenny Lynn

550A E. Francis St. Williamsburg, VA 23185 sweetbriardaisy@gmail.com

Ivey Tabor Godfrey lives on her homestead in East Tennessee with her husband, Ryan (HSC ’05), and their 5 kids. She has been designing flags and props for a major marching band supplier for the past 15 years. Her oldest daughter, Caroline, is in the process of applying to Sweet Briar for the class of 2030!

Elaine Mathews Honeycutt: “I published my first book this past May! The title is Chop-it-Chip: Quest of a Ninja Chef and it is great for kids ages 3–10! It is available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.”

Jenny Lynn was promoted to Master Tinsmith of the Colonial Williamsburg Tin Shop in September 2025. She is currently up to her eyeballs completing her capstone paper on how weather can be utilized for visitor experiences at living history museums for her ALM in Museum Studies from the Harvard Extension School. She intends to graduate from Harvard University at the end of May 2026.

On July 22, 2025, Kimberly Wilson, with her husband, Jerod Patzner, happily welcomed their son, Nolan Everitt Patzner. The baby shower was hosted by her twin sister, Kathleen Wilson Wissel and had friends Meg Shortlidge and Katie Vaughan Myers in attendance.

though now, it’s from a new perspective as a proud show mom, cheering from the sidelines and enjoying seeing the next generation develop a love for the sport.

2025 was a year of lots of life changes for Mary Massie. Mary got engaged to her wonderful fiancé, John, last Christmas, and they will be getting married this Spring. In April, Mary accepted a new position as Site Manager at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, N.C. Mary and Will also moved to the Outer Banks, fulfilling a lifelong dream of Mary’s to live at the beach!

2008

classnotes@sbc.edu

Alyson Napier Gajjar: Mr. and Mrs. Gajjar are delighted to announce the arrival of their precious baby boy, Kiaan Varun Gajjar, born on July 7, 2025, at St. Francis Hospital in Midlothian, Virginia. The family is overjoyed to welcome this little bundle of joy into their lives.

Laurel Sanders Berry: Laurel Sanders Berry, M.D., is an assistant professor in Gynecologic Oncology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She was recently awarded an early investigator grant for ovarian cancer research through the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (ORCA), which will fund her work for the next 3 years. She and her husband, Christopher Berry (HSC ’07), love living in Winston-Salem, NC, with their two daughters, Emory (10) and Madison (7).

2010

Victoria Nilsson Washington, DC vgnilsson@gmail.com

Heather McPheeters Lake is an AVP, Talent Acquisition Operations & Programs for Voya Financial. Heather and her husband, Will, stay wonderfully busy with their 6- and 7-year-old, Anne and Baker, who keep every day full of energy and laughter. Horses continue to be a big part of life—

Jennifer Lundy served on a McCain Institute pre-election assessment mission to Moldova ahead of the country’s 2025 fall parliamentary elections. The delegation met with government leaders, including President Maia Sandu, independent journalists, representatives from the major political parties, and civil society organizations to understand key issues surrounding the election. Jennifer published an oped of her findings from the mission, focusing on Russian malign election interference.

There have been lots of changes since Tina-Rose Tolpa McGuire’s last update! Tina-Rose started working for Ferguson in 2021 and has quickly climbed the ranks to Area Manager. She covers all water and waste water treatment plant project management in the northeast. In 2022, the McGuire family relocated to western Powhatan, and are building their small 15-acre farm with chickens and horses. Tina-Rose and her husband welcomed their first child, Finley, in June 2023. Their second bundle of joy, Astrid, was born May 2025.

Alexandra St. Pierre alexandra.stpierre17@gmail.com

Khristian Salters khristiansalters@gmail.com

Emily Dent continues to serve as the Youth Programming Coordinator for West Virginia University Campus Recreation. She has enjoyed the Sweet Briar Mentor Program thus far. She

continues to reside in Morgantown WV with her husband, David, and 3 pets.

Megan Stewart: I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll begin my master’s in Fiction and Creative Writing at Harvard University this January. Returning to the classroom feels like coming home to the stories and questions that first inspired me. I’m so thankful for the professors and classmates who nurtured my curiosity and encouraged my writing journey. I can’t wait to continue learning, growing, and creating in this new chapter—one filled with books, ideas, and maybe a few too many cups of tea!

2014

Melanie Rinehart 1516 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19146 rinehart.melanie@gmail.com

Kaitlin Schaal: I’m still living in Liverpool, working as a postdoc in microbial ecology and evolution. I’ve had the chance to travel a lot while here, both within the U.K. (including fossil hunting in Cornwall!) and to Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and Czechia. This year, I was finally able to visit the U.S. again for the first time since 2022. I’m hoping to move back to Switzerland when my position here is finished—wish me luck on fellowship applications!

Natalie Dubishar: In September, I started a new job as an Assistant to the Preschool Teachers for the Extended Care Program at a local preschool in my area. I get to help take care of our students and it is very rewarding!

Mary Earnhart Carson: 2025 has been a year full of change! I got married in March, and in June, I began a new role within the Department of Homeland Security. I was so glad so many SBC alums were able to come to my wedding; it was wonderful being able to celebrate with everyone!

2016

Megan Shuford meganeshuford@gmail.com

Charlotte Barbour Watters: Andrew and I welcomed our second child into the world on September 3, 2025 in Greenville, NC. We are loving being a family of 4 and can’t wait to bring the kids to campus soon!

Alexandra Lane: Alexandra and Brent Reid eloped in 2024 and are now settled into married life, their household enlivened by three dogs.

Madison Cromwell Palmer: Moved to a new home in Goochland, VA, celebrated 5th wedding anniversary with Nick (HSC ’16) and spent countless hours riding with friends!

Madeleine Coleman: I got engaged to Michael Davis in March of 2025!

2018

Arienna Groves arienna.groves@gmail.com

Emily Hawk Melson: The Melsons are continuing to grow in Lynchburg! We celebrated 5 years of marriage this year and have 2 sons, Arlo and Lincoln. I am in my 4th year teaching at Beacon Academy with fellow alum Erin Coyne Lanier ’08 and loving every moment!

2020

Olympia LeHota Waitman 266 W Clark Rd. Inman, SC 29349 olympia.waitman@gmail.com

Michaela LaCasse Korovin bought her first house and just got married!

Mary Grace Williams is still living in Atlanta, GA, and has started her 4th semester of grad school, completing her master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mercer University.

Olympia Waitman received a promotion to Talent Development Program Manager at United

2016

Clockwise: 1. Charlotte Barbour Watters and her husband welcomed their second child in September. 2. Michael Davis proposed to Madeleine Coleman in Fredericksburg, TX, in March 2025. 3. Alexandra Lane and husband Brent Reid. 4. Photo by Joe Svetina at Princess Anne Hunter Pace.

Community Bank. United Community is headquartered in Greenville, SC, where Olympia will be the steward of United’s Internship Program (for college students), scheduled to launch for the first time in the summer of 2026, and the Junior Board of Directors (a high school program). In addition to these programs, Olympia maintains her role as Chairwoman of United’s Employee Advisory Council, The Power of U, for another year. The Power of U Employee Advisory Council serves as a bridge

between Employees and the Senior Leadership Team, ensuring the Employees’ voices are heard.

Cailey Cobb moved to SC 3 years ago after graduating from SMU with her M.S in Management. She has loved working for RYOBI outdoor tools in the supply chain and last September started her own horse lesson and training business in Anderson, SC. Cailey often travels up the coast to visit classmates!

2022

Annika Kuleba Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 ajkuleba@gmail.com

Caroline Czarra carolinet2000@gmail.com

Annika Kuleba graduated with her M.S. from the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University, SC, where her thesis explored the climate benefits of wetland restoration. Prior to graduation, she began working as an environmental research manager at Clemson University’s Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science in Georgetown, SC.

2024

Vicky Harder vmharder@yahoo.com

Delaney Armenti: After graduating from Sweet Briar College, I spent a year traveling and immersing myself in the sneaker and streetwear industry. This fall, I proudly opened LaneyKickz, a woman-owned sneaker resale shop located at 1107 Main Street in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia— built entirely on my own, with no loans or investors. I was honored to win a competitive grant through Launch Lynchburg, and since opening, LaneyKickz has been featured in Lynchburg Living Magazine, WSET News, and The News & Advance. My mission is to create a space that celebrates culture, community, and authenticity through sneakers. Follow on Instagram: @Laneykickz

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Disclaimer

While the Alumnae Relations and Development Office reserves the right to edit submissions for any reason, our goal is for Class Notes to represent the multitude of alumnae voices. To that end, we limit editing. Alumnae should be aware that they are submitting notes to a college publication and utilize appropriate grammar, punctuation, spelling, word choice, content, and correct spellings of classmates’ names. Please be mindful that Class Notes are a place for updates and friendships but are not to be used as a political platform. The thoughts and opinions expressed in Class Notes are personal and do not reflect those of Sweet Briar College. Sweet Briar women have strong ideas and thoughts that may not be shared by all readers. Our community is a loving and accepting place for all.

Next Class Notes Deadline (odd-numbered class years only): Aug. 9, 2026

Letter from the Editors

As we were compiling this special edition of the Sweet Briar Alumnae Magazine, we realized just how important documents like these become to the history of an institution. From deciding on the content we wanted to include and which stories to highlight, to determining structure and format, we looked back countless times at the anniversary issues that came before. We were guided by what our predecessors put together as they celebrated earlier milestones, helping us determine how we’re commemorating this one. Because, what is an institutional magazine if not a snapshot in time? It’s a time capsule, showcasing the items the editors, administrators, and contributors deem most important, interesting, or of note for that time.

While putting together this issue, the questions ever-present on our minds included, how do we want to encapsulate the past 25 years of Sweet Briar College history? How do we tell the stories of the past while looking forward? As you’ve seen throughout this issue, we chose a little bit of everything. We honored the past, some of which is well-known. We highlighted the founders that, for the vast majority of the College’s history, were left out

of the story. We paid homage to the memories of the past, while placing a larger focus on the past 25 years. These pages serve as the next installment of the Sweet Briar story encapsulated in the 75th and 100th Anniversary issues of the magazine. We built upon the work of those who came before us, whether in similar positions to those we hold today or as contributors to the College they love. We are especially grateful to our predecessors and past writers in the Offices of Development & Alumnae Relations; Public Relations; College Relations; and Media, Marketing, and Communications, as well as the Alumnae Association and alumnae freelance writers. We hope you enjoyed reading this issue as much as we enjoyed compiling it for you. No matter how many issues we put out a year, we could never highlight every program and tell every story simply because they are endless. We know that Sweet Briar shines brightest in the hearts of those who know and love the College. Each alumna, student, faculty and staff member (former and present), and friend has left their own mark on Sweet Briar, and for that, we are truly grateful.

—Clélie Steckel & Rachel Balsley

Ensure Your Legacy Makes a Lasting Impact

In 1899, Indiana Fletcher Williams founded Sweet Briar College through a visionary planned gift. Indiana’s vision of a college for the education of young women inspired her to establish a trust of land and other assets that became her enduring legacy. This planned gift has provided transformational education opportunities for generations of young women for more than 100 years.

Please join us as a Williams Associate to ensure that her legacy—and yours—will prosper in perpetuity. Donors who are 70 1/2 or older may make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QDC) from their IRA or at age 73 a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD).

Not sure how to get started? Visit: sbclegacy.org For questions, please contact the Alumnae Relations and Development Office at 434-381-6131 or alumnae@sbc.edu.