OUTCOMES
For 178 years, Saint Mary’s School has been preparing young women for lives of meaning and intention. With every generation, Saint Mary’s alumnae have taken on challenges, overcome obstacles, forged new paths, and made myriad differences, big and small, in the lives of their families and communities. Today, Saint Mary’s School continues to prepare young women for the opportunities of their day with an educational experience designed expressly for girls – one that guides them in the development of key competencies, supports them in their individual aspirations, inspires them with confidence in their future, and transforms them into young women of intelligence, integrity, and purpose. From innovative classroom and real-world learning experiences to lifelong friendships with peers and faculty alike, the Saint Mary’s experience is like no other. The following pages highlight the journeys of a handful of recent Saint Mary’s alumnae and illustrate how Saint Mary’s gives every girl the foundation she needs to build a future of her choosing.
Caroline Ward Manning ’06 Hospitality and Events Manager, Augusta National Golf Club, August, Georgia Caroline Ward Manning ’06 grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, in a family with a long history of attending boarding schools, so leaving home for Saint Mary’s was a natural choice for her. She stayed busy during her four years at Saint Mary’s, playing sports (soccer, basketball, swimming) and serving as the student life representative on the Executive Student Government Association (SGA). In this role, she worked with the student life team to plan campus events, a forerunner to her future career.
During her senior year at Saint Mary’s, Caroline interned with Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels in Greensboro. “That was when I fell in love with the hospitality industry and found that my passion lies in creating bespoke experiences that wow people.” Caroline chose the University of South Carolina for college because of its outstanding hotel, restaurant, and tourism program - one of the top programs in the nation. She received the Banfi Scholastic Tour Scholarship during her junior year, giving her the opportunity to travel through Italy studying wine. During the summer, she worked in the New York City office for Quintessentially, the luxury concierge firm. Her first job after college was with Marriott International in the management development program, which took her to Scottsdale, Arizona, to work for the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn. In 2012, Caroline landed her dream job – clubhouse manager in the department of club operations at the famed Augusta National Golf Club, home of the iconic Masters golf tournament. At the time, she was the first woman hired as a manager in that department, during the first year the club opened its membership to women. Today, Caroline is Augusta National’s hospitality and events manager, overseeing many functions in preparation for Masters week and managing logistics for member events throughout the year. Caroline, who lives in Augusta with husband Hamp and young daughter Mary Hunter, found her career passion, and that is what she hopes for today’s Saint Mary’s girls. “My hope for Saint Mary’s students is to take full advantage of the amazing opportunities that our school offers. We should never underestimate the strong network that is represented by our Saint Mary’s family. Utilize those connections to help make your dream job become a reality.”
Kendall Hamilton ’15 Graduate Student/HBCU Fellowship Recipient, Columbia University, New York, NY Kendall Hamilton ’15 entered Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the fall of 2019 with a sense of confidence and a litany of achievements that earned her a full scholarship to pursue a master of science in strategic communications through Columbia’s HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Fellowship program. “This fellowship is granted to only 20 graduates of select HBCUs every year, so I feel extremely blessed to have been awarded such an amazing educational experience in New York City,” says Kendall. “The fellowship aims to be a bridge between the selected African-American students and the Fortune 500 companies eager to employ them.” Columbia’s HBCU fellowship is awarded to highachieving undergraduate seniors selected by partner HBCUs. Hamilton graduated Magna Cum Laude from Howard University in May 2019 with a B.A. in political science and a minor in strategic communication. At Howard, Kendall was a two-year captain of the university’s varsity soccer team. At Saint Mary’s, Kendall was named for four years to the TISAC all-conference soccer team, was named for three years to the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association all-region team, was a two-time Saints soccer MVP, and was the 2016 Saint Mary’s Athlete of the Year. She was an honor student, a member of the Beacon honorary leadership society, a volunteer for Special Olympics and Helping Horse therapeutic riding program, and a member of the Holy Cross Church youth group. Kendall credits Saint Mary’s School with the confidence that led her to success at Howard University and beyond.
“Saint Mary’s gave me the confidence to seek guidance from those who inspire while supporting the women who come after. I am proud to be part of Saint Mary’s alumnae network and love how I gain an instant friend whenever I connect with someone from Saint Mary’s and the bigger world feels so much smaller.”
Alexandra Speros ’06 Nurse-midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner Vanderbilt School of Nursing Faculty Practice As a high school student entering Saint Mary’s School, Alexandra Speros ’06 was determined to become a movie star. And, while she was a star of the Pittman Auditorium stage in the musical Nunsense and other school productions, Saint Mary’s theater teacher saw such great potential in Alexandra that she encouraged her to explore her talents beyond acting. “Saint Mary’s allowed me to explore every inch of who I was and who I wanted to become,” says Alexandra. “I was constantly pushed to explore a new or deeper aspect of myself.” Alexandra’s career path led her far from her youthful Hollywood dreams to becoming a rising star in the field of medicine. A 2019 graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing with a Master of Science in Nursing, she is a nurse-midwife and family nurse practitioner at the Vanderbilt School of Nursing Faculty Practice, working with women throughout their pregnancies, births, and beyond. “As an executive Student Government Association leader at Saint Mary’s, I learned to work with others to advocate for common goals and affect change in our community,” says Alexandra. “I saw first-hand what smart, empowered girls could do. I knew that I never wanted to be in a world where I didn’t have the support and brainpower of women beside me. Now, I work hard to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of women, both daily in my job and on a larger scale for my community and beyond.” Alexandra didn’t have to look far for a smart, empowered role model. She followed her sister, Lindsay Speros Robbins ’02, M.D., to Saint Mary’s and, ultimately, into the medical field, where they are both advocates and practitioners for women’s health. “I first got to see Lindsay blossom at Saint Mary’s. While she had always been my hero, she seemed to transform into this confident, mind-blowing, power-woman while she was away at Saint Mary’s. I couldn’t wait to go to Saint Mary’s and get some of what she had found there!” The Speros sisters credit their parents, each other, and Saint Mary’s faculty and friends with shaping the women they have become, both making a difference in the lives of the women, families, and communities they serve.
Lindsay Speros Robbins ’02, M.D. Obstetrician-Gynecologist, University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital Lindsay Speros Robbins, M.D., says there is no doubt in her mind that the two greatest influences on her life path have been her family and Saint Mary’s School. “My parents gave me a wonderful, solid foundation, and Saint Mary’s gave me the education and confidence to know that I really could achieve any goal I set in my mind,” says Lindsay. “At Saint Mary’s, I learned discipline, independence, how to work hard, and the rewards of true friendship. In nearly every class, with nearly every teacher, I was challenged, pushed, inspired, and nurtured. “As I watched Lisa Yount pour such passion into every dance class, I learned that if you love what you do, it won’t seem like work, and the passion will spread to others. As I watched Katie Floyd get so excited teaching biology, I developed a love for science and the fascinating human body. For the first time, ‘growing up to be a doctor’ was no longer a vague childhood sentiment, it was a firm goal I was preparing and laying the foundation for.” After Saint Mary’s, Lindsay attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Carolina Scholar, a full four-year scholarship given for academic achievement and leadership potential. She graduated from UNC with a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. She received her M.D. in 2014 from East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine. She is an obstetrician-gynecologist affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. She has won top awards and honors for research, residency teaching, presentations, integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, empathy, and service. Lindsay, a wife and a mother of two young boys, shares a passion for medicine and motherhood with her family, including her father, a physician, and sister Alexandra Speros ’06, a nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner. “The fact that my sister and I wound up in health care, caring for women and welcoming babies into this wonderful world isn’t surprising given our parents’ influences. My mother always celebrated motherhood as the greatest gift, and my father has been so fulfilled and rewarded by his experiences in medicine, so it makes perfect sense!”
“The fact that my sister and I wound up in health care, caring for women and welcoming babies into this wonderful world isn’t surprising given our parents’ influences.”
Elizabeth Lowder ’07 Sports Journalist
When AL.com multimedia sports journalist Elizabeth Lowder ’07 is in a media scrum after a big game trying to interview legendary Alabama football and basketball coaches Nick Saban and Bruce Pearl, she is surrounded by mostly male sports journalists and very few women. She credits the strong female role models in her family and her experience at Saint Mary’s School for giving her the confidence to navigate her work in what has traditionally been a man’s profession.
After graduating from high school at Saint Mary’s, Elizabeth earned three degrees from the University of Alabama – a B.A. in advertising and public relations; a Master of Arts in community journalism; and a Master of Arts in advertising, public relations, and applied communications. Elizabeth produces and manages social media and video content for the official AL.com social media accounts; shoots, edits, and posts live video from events, pre- and postgame press conferences and field interviews; produces Facebook Live web and studio shows; analyzes and implements digital strategies for events; designs graphics, social cards, text overlays, video assets, and other materials. Al.com is Alabama’s source for news, sports, entertainment, weather, and more. When going for that big interview question after a game among the hordes of reporters, Elizabeth says, “I might have to stand on my tippy toes to get a good angle, but I’ll do it with grace and resourcefulness. Every day, I’ve got to be fierce and strong-willed. At times, it seems as if I must earn or prove my knowledge and skills. There will be people who say women don’t belong on the football field, but I’m here to show them the opposite and make my voice heard.” Elizabeth learned from the strong women in her family and from her experiences at Saint Mary’s, an empowering all-girls school, the values, confidence, and courage to find her voice and never be afraid to use it.
Sallie Bailey Plumley ’11 Custom Woodworking Entrepreneur
Sallie Bailey Plumley ’11 says Saint Mary’s School played a pivotal role in her development as a woman. “At an all-girls school, I learned to be confident in how God made me and excited to share the things I love with other people,” says Sallie. “I learned that it is awesome to go after the things you dream about and worth all of the hard work it takes to get there. My teachers, Teresa Assenzo (art) and Lisa Yount (dance), always pushed me to dig into my artistic perspectives more than I thought I wanted to. I decided to attend art school for college and wouldn’t have pursued that adventure without the encouragement of those at Saint Mary’s.” Sallie is the founder and owner of Sallie Plumley Studio in Richmond, where she designs, creates, and builds timeless, custom pieces for clients who want their living or workspaces to convey their personal tastes. Sallie Plumley Studio is a onewoman-owned, Richmond-based company that offers custom, handcrafted woodwork. After graduating from Saint Mary’s, Sallie earned a B.F.A. in crafts and material studies, with a concentration in woodworking and ceramics, and a minor in art history from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. She also studied at the Penland School of Crafts workshop, Peter’s Valley School of Craft workshop, VCU in Peru art history and cultural study abroad program, and Visual Arts Center of Richmond workshops.
“I’ve been creating things for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was encouraged to entertain myself with creativity. My grandfather was a furniture maker and welcomed me into his space. He left me his shop when he died. Little did I know; the wood world would become my world. I graduated from VCU and went to work for a traditional furniture genius in Richmond. After living in a world where I constructed someone else’s ideas, I felt a deep need for a life where I could design, build, and make my own work, while being in direct relationship with my customers. So, I created Sallie Plumley Studio.”
Alex Marshall-Brown ’03 Actress and Stuntwoman
Alex Marshall-Brown ’03 is a Los Angeles-based actress, stuntwoman, and motion capture performer wrapped up in a variety of creative endeavors, both onstage and onscreen. Alex has appeared on network television on HULU, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, USA, TNT, and HBO, in shows including Scandal, Modern Family, This is Us, Halloween House: Seven Moons, The Fosters, Grey’s Anatomy, and more. Her film credits include The Oath, Destroyer, The Hateful Eight, No Trace, Pitch Perfect III, and more. She has appeared onstage with the Metropolitan Playhouse and Dog Run Rep in New York, as well as with Ammunition Theatre Company, Taylor Theatre, and other companies. She has appeared as the leading character, Vi Moradi, Princess Leia’s top spy of the Resistance, in Disney’s Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. She has worked as a stunt double for the likes of Kerry Washington, Angela Basset, Jerikka Hinton, China McClain, and others. She is winner of best actress in a short from the Idyllwild International Film Festival and best female actor by the Connect Film Festival. Alex remembers fondly her years as a high school theatre student at Saint Mary’s, appearing on the stage in Eliza Battle Pittman Auditorium, as well as the holistic educational experience and friendships at Saint Mary’s. “I remember sharing the Pittman Auditorium stage with Mr. Mason and the other theatre students for Saint Mary’s shows,” says Alex. Alex excelled in many ways at Saint Mary’s on and off the stage, immersing herself in school life as a four-year boarding student. She was a member of Executive SGA as vice chair of the Judicial Board; she served as a prefect; and participated in a sport or a theatrical production every semester at Saint Mary’s.
“Saint Mary’s was a refuge where I could safely expand my interests and independence, test my capacity for grit and growth, and master goal-oriented organization,” says Alex. “I remember the kinetic jubilance as a swarm of red and blue gathered outside the dorms for Sigma-Mu field day, and the laughter that would ripple down the halls during study hall break. Whether it was at formal dinner or movie nights in the dorm, I could scan the room and witness the faces of hard-working young women sharing life experiences, as we gathered for shared activities. These are my Saint Mary’s friends who are still a part of my life today, and those are among the most cherished relationships in my life.”
“Saint Mary’s allowed me to explore every inch of who I was and who I wanted to become,” says Alexandra. “I was constantly pushed to explore a new or deeper aspect of myself.”
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