The Briar Wire | Volume 12, Issue 1 | February/March 2026

The Briar

Sweet Briar to Adopt New Academic Calendar in 2026-2027

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 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 last spring, inviting stakeholder input based on observations of student experience, discussions with students, and other factors in their areas, which included all academic divisions, Student Life, Athletics, Student Academic Success Center, Financial Aid, Registrar, and the College-wide calendar committee. 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 has been adopted to address concerns with the 3-12-12-3 format, and 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

The College will also be incorporating more holidays for students, faculty, and staff in the coming years. Faculty are continuing their work on the new academic calendar, including possible adjustments related to the daily/ weekly course schedule and any needed adaptations in academic requirements. More information will be shared with students as this work continues.

Sweet Briar College Board of Directors

Justice Verda Andrews Colvin ’87, Chair

The Honorable Robert “Bob” Goodlatte, Vice Chair

Katherine Williams, Secretary

Elizabeth Groves Aycock ‘96

Elizabeth “Lele” Frenzel Casalini ‘82, P’14

Nancy Webb Corkery ‘81

Jane Dure ‘82

Michela English ‘71

Laura Willits Evans ’79

Sally Mott Freeman ’76

Lendon Gray ‘71

J. Eric Greenwood P’12

Martha Holland ‘72

Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66

Dennis Ling

Andrew McAllister P’21, ‘24

Michelle O’Neill ’85

The Honorable J. Chapman “Chap” Petersen

Allan Stam, Ph.D.

Phillip C. Stone

Claude Becker Wasserstein ’82

Mary Pope M. Hutson ’83, President (ex officio)

Alumnae Relations and Development Staff

Claire Dennison Griffith ’80, Vice President of Alumnae Relations and Development

Terrie Conrad, Chief Development Officer

Calli Arida, Advancement and Stewardship Manager

Edwina Bell, Senior Director of Major Gifts and Parents & Families Liaison

Lea Sparks Bennett ’83, Advancement Services Coordinator

Pam Boydoh, Executive Assistant

Lee Anne MacKenzie Chaskes ’83, Director of the Sweet Briar Fund

Paula Eanes, Director of Advancement Services

Katie Hawk ’21, Advancement Services Associate

Caroline Chappel Hazarian ’09, Associate Director of Alumnae Relations

Keeley Sullivan Jurgovan ’92, Associate Director of Alumnae Relations

Brianna Lee, Alumnae Relations & Development Team Support Specialist

Xavier Storey, Alumnae Relations & Development Event Coordinator

Megan Sunwall, Sweet Briar Fund Associate

The Briar Wire Staff

Clélie Steckel, Director of Communications, Marketing, and Events

Rachel Balsley, Communications Generalist

Serenity Bishop, Communications Office Manager

Cathy Cash Mays ’84, Director of College Events

Dear alumnae and friends,

In honor of the College’s 125th anniversary, starting in September, Sweet Briar has held numerous events, performances, lectures, gatherings, and celebrations. This anniversary is about so much more than the passage of time. We are celebrating women’s leadership, educating each other and those beyond campus about Sweet Briar, and elevating the College’s reputation and profile.

Each student who has attended Sweet Briar, every faculty or staff member, and each founder of Sweet Briar is a thread in the tapestry of the past 125 years. Each one of those threads tells a story of women’s education and leadership.

As we have celebrated Sweet Briar Days through December, January, and February, we have been reminded of the vast network of this tapestry, and how much its foundational elements—the vertical threads that make up the weaving wrap—have not changed, and how each horizontal-weft thread—the people who make up our community—can shape the image of the tapestry. A student can shape that image by creating a new club, setting a new record in athletics or riding, conducting honors research, or becoming an alumna who shares Sweet Briar in her community or her career path. A faculty member can do so by developing a course in their field that becomes a defining experience for the students. A staff member can shepherd students by overseeing a particular program, ensuring scholarships are secured, providing a beautiful place to live or preparing food for nourishment, or helping students secure internships or spots in graduate school.

Some of these threads connect to parts of the tapestry created years ago, through our legacy connections to Sweet Briar. Many of us have grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, or family friends who are tied to our own threads throughout the tapestry. One

common thread that all of us hold is that we were empowered to be leaders as students, and we take that leadership with us when we leave Sweet Briar. Indiana Fletcher Williams intended that Sweet Briar students go on to be “useful members of society,” and in 2026, that vision has evolved to developing our students into consequential citizens, the namesake of the capstone course in our Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum.

Our tapestry is not perfect. It has knots, it has loosened in spots, or perhaps some colors may have been faded by the sun. Yet, this tapestry is beautiful with each perceived flaw holding its own story of courage and resilience. I encourage you to think about your thread in this tapestry. What part of this 125-year-old story does it tell? How does your thread make up part of the entire image? Of course, we know that many of the threads in this tapestry are pink and green, varying in tones, shades, and hues. How does your thread show that you are a consequential citizen and part of the Sweet Briar community?

No matter how you answer any of these questions, you are part of this tapestry, and Sweet Briar is home for you. I hope you will share your thread with us and return to campus, whether for one of our 125th Anniversary events, Reunion, a summer program, or a spur of the moment visit as you’re driving through Virginia. Sweet Briar will be here for you.

With gratitude,

Claire Dennison Griffith ’80 Vice President for Alumnae Relations and Development

P.S. Please join us for March Days of Giving from March 1-10! Learn more on page 7.

See the schedule of upcoming 125th Anniversary events and recordings of previous events: sbc.edu/125

Join Us April 17-19 for a Sweet Work Weekend

This year, Sweet Briar is introducing Sweet Work Weekends, allowing for more opportunities to connect and give back to the College!

Come back to Sweet Briar April 17-19 for a Sweet Work Weekend, where alumnae and friends will volunteer to care for the College’s buildings and grounds. Projects will include:

Weeding/trimming Daisy’s Garden

Cleaning up flower beds around Sweet Briar

House

Pressure washing walkways and brick walls

Organizing Daisy’s Closet

When you come to campus to volunteer for

a Sweet Work Weekend, Sweet Briar will provide you with dorm housing and meals during your stay. You’ll work alongside alumnae and friends during the day, and in the evenings, you’ll have time to get to know each other and learn what brought you back to Sweet Briar as a volunteer!

Stay tuned for more information about how to register for the Sweet Work Weekend.

SWEET BRIAR DAYS

Jan. 10, 2026

North Texas

Susan Stephens Geyer ‘74 hosted alumnae in Dallas, Texas for lunch featuring dishes from the Sweet Briar Alumnae Club of Dallas 1990s cookbook, The Sweet Briar Sampler.

Jan. 6, 2026

Hampton Roads

Alumnae enjoyed a cocktail reception hosted by Ann Kiley Crenshaw ’76, Sally Old Kitchin ’76, and Maria Kitchin Moore ’04 at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, Va.

SWEET BRIAR DAYS

Central Florida

Alumnae gathered with Phyllis Bell ‘76 and Lee Lombardy ‘82 for a luncheon at the Tap Room at Dubsdread in Orlando, Fla.

Minneapolis

Evelyn Anderson ’27 and her parents, Emilie and Thomas, welcomed alumnae to the Minneapolis Club in Minneapolis, Minn.

Nashville

Victoria Gentry ‘12 welcomed alumnae to the Courtyard Restaurant at Restoration Hardware in Nashville, Tenn. for a luncheon.

New Officers, Members Named to Board

During its October meeting, the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors welcomed new leadership and voted to add two members.

After serving as vice chair, Justice Verda Colvin ’87 was elected the new board chair following the leadership of Mason Bennett Rummel ’83, who served on the board from 2015-2025 and as board chair from 2022-2025. Verda has been a board member since 2022. Following a career as a prosecutor and Superior Court judge, she was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by Governor Brian Kemp in 2020. Governor Kemp then appointed her to the Georgia Supreme Court in 2021.

Joining Verda as board officers are the Honorable Robert “Bob” Goodlatte as vice chair and Katherine Williams as secretary. Starting in January 2026, two new directors also began their terms as members.

Dennis Ling, now retired, spent his career in finance at the senior leadership level for numerous major companies, including as senior vice president of Conair and Saks and senior vice president of finance and treasurer of Avon. He also previously served as international finance manager for PepsiCo and finance manager for Ford. He is a graduate of Cornell University, where he studied civil engineering, and the Wharton School, where he earned an M.B.A. In the community, Dennis has served as chairman of the Board of Directors for the Shelter for Abused Women & Children since 2012. The son of Juliet Tchou Ling ’44, the first Chinese woman to attend Sweet Briar College,

Dennis established the Juliet Tchou Ling Memorial Scholarship in 2023 in her memory.

Dr. Allan Stam is a university professor of public policy and politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. A lifelong academic, he has held faculty positions at a variety of institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, University of Michigan, and American University. He was previously the director of the International Policy Center at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and senior research scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. Before earning a B.A. in government from Cornell University, where he lettered in heavyweight crew, he served as a communications specialist on an ‘A’ detachment in the U.S. Army Special Forces and later as an armor officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. He also holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan. Allan’s academic research has been featured in numerous political science journals, and he has authored several books in his field. He has received numerous awards over his career, including the Victoire Ingibire Umuhoza Prize for Democracy and Peace from the International Women’s Network for Democracy and Peace and the J. David Singer Data Innovation Award from the American Political Science Association. He currently sits on the DTE Advisory Board and Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s council.

Celebrating March Days of Giving

This year, Sweet Briar College proudly celebrates its 125th Anniversary, marking more than a century of academic excellence, community, and a steadfast commitment to educating women leaders prepared to serve, lead, and shape the world. As part of this historic milestone, we invite alumnae, families, and friends to come together for March Days of Giving, March 1-10.

March Days of Giving is a special opportunity to honor Sweet Briar’s legacy while investing in its future. Our goal this year is to raise $1 million (or more!) in support of the students, faculty, and programs that define a Sweet Briar education and ensure the College continues to thrive for generations to come.

Each year, alumnae and friends make their gifts to the Sweet Briar Fund, the College’s annual giving program designed to make the greatest impact. The Sweet Briar Fund offers several meaningful ways to support students and campus priorities:

• Greatest Needs: This unrestricted area of

support provides critical, flexible funds that allow the College to respond to immediate needs and seize new opportunities that benefit students today.

• Student Scholarships: These unrestricted funds support need and merit-based scholarships, giving the Financial Aid Office the flexibility to recruit and support talented students from diverse backgrounds.

• Academic Support: These unrestricted gifts strengthen faculty salaries and academic development, the Student Academic Success Center, Honors Summer Research Program, Career Services, Grants for Engaged Learning (GEL), lectures and events, curatorial support for museums and galleries, and other essential academic resources.

• Stewardship of the Natural and Built Environment: These funds help preserve and enhance Sweet Briar’s historic campus, including its 22 historic properties and 2,847 acres of land.

A gift of any size makes a difference, providing today’s students with the resources and opportunities that make a Sweet Briar education distinctive and transformative.

Make your gift online today at sbc.edu/give

Join us for March Days of Giving: March 1-10

As part of our 125th Anniversary celebration, we will also host a special rose-planting ceremony on Monday, March 2 at 12 p.m. The event will be livestreamed on the College’s YouTube channel — more details coming soon!

Many supporters like to plan ahead. If you’d like to send a check in advance to count toward March Days of Giving, please write “March Days of Giving” in the memo line. If you plan to give stock or make a wire transfer, please ask your broker or wealth manager to note that the gift is for March Days of Giving. Credit card gifts may be made online at sbc.edu/give.

You can help make March Days of Giving even more successful by inviting others to participate. Alumnae are encouraged to reach out to five classmates and ask them to join in supporting Sweet Briar students during this milestone year. Thank you for being part of Sweet Briar College’s remarkable 125-year legacy and for helping shape its future.

Make your gift online at sbc.edu/give!

Sweet Briar College

134 Chapel Road

Sweet Briar, VA 24595

May 29-31, 2026

No matter your class year, we hope to see you at Reunion 2026! We will honor those classes that end in 1 and 6 to recognize their anniversary Reunion years, but all are welcome.

Registration is open at sbc.edu/ reunion. Early bird pricing is in effect until April 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Registration will close May 19 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Reunion is always a fun time, with plenty of events for you to attend with friends and classmates, learn more

about Sweet Briar and updates to campus, and enjoy our wonderful farmto-table dining experiences. Here is a sampling of what you can expect for Reunion this year.

Picnics (weather permitting)

Special dinners for the 50th and 25th Reunion classes

• Greenhouse and museum tours and wine tastings

• Reunion Convocation

• Alumnae Colleges with the

opportunity to learn from current Sweet Briar professors

Riding and a nature walk

A celebration dinner and dance Visit sbc.edu/reunion for the full schedule, information about pricing, what to bring, accommodations, frequently asked questions, who’s coming, and more. Reach out to us at 434-381-6131 or alumnae@sbc.edu with questions. We hope to see you soon!