The Briar Wire
THE SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE ALUMNAE NEWSLETTER
My fellow alumnae and friends,
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reetings to all of you and I hope you had a glorious summer full of great memories and joy. As we enter another fall on campus with nearly 500 students, the atmosphere is lively and vibrant. The landscape is changing colors and the sloping entrance to campus welcomes prospective students, athletic teams and all of us who have been on the road. Coming home is how it feels each time we drive up the driveway to be embraced by the old growth forests on either side, leading up to the expanse of the west dell and Mills Chapel before entering the Quad after winding around the library past Sweet Briar House. The campus is truly glorious this time of year and it reminds all of us that special places matter – our land and our historic district set in this place matter as we set ourselves apart as a distinctive institution in the competitive landscape of colleges, clamoring to attract students. This is where we come into the picture – all of us who understand and appreciate the beauty and depth of the Sweet Briar education and experience—this fall, we are asking all alumnae to pull out your megaphone (or perhaps bells for all the Bum Chums) and tell the story. Convey to each young woman who is approaching college age that this place and this experience are one of a kind. Nestled in this issue of The Briar Wire is a list of admissions events and also news of the fly-in program, which you can use to encourage friends and family to experience this amazing opportunity inspired and underwritten by alumnae. Why wouldn’t we want to show off our fabulous campus and tout the professors and sterling education? Once we get these prospective students here, they discover the nation’s best kept secret—that need not be a secret. In a few short weeks, we will have a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new state-of-the-art, water-
V o l u m e 8, I s s u e 7 | O c t o b e r 2022
2022-2023 Sweet Briar Fund Goal: $5,250,000
Raised as of Sept. 30, 2022: $741,015 unrestricted $695,392 restricted 27.4% of goal
based turf field and also the new soccer field named after alumnae who made lead gifts along with many others who have made it possible. The fall will also usher in countless events for students, exhibits, concerts and speakers that are bringing the best experience forward for the next generation of Sweet Briar women. It is our hope that you will visit campus soon and see all the renovations and innovations Join us in referring a student, promoting the College and giving to the Sweet Briar Fund (sbc.edu/give) so we can continue the legacy—your legacy. Take care of yourselves and see you soon. With gratitude, Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83 Senior Vice President for Alumnae Relations and Development