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WESLEYAN COLLEGE, SUMMER 2020
ADMINISTRATION Vivia Fowler President Melody Blake Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Andrea Williford Vice President for Institutional Advancement Clint Hobbs Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management Robert Moye Vice President for Business and Finance and CFO Christy Henry Dean of Students WESLEYAN MAGAZINE STAFF Mary Ann Howard, Editor Director of Communications mhoward@wesleyancollege.edu Brandi Vorhees Creative Director of Brand and Website Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 Alumnae Director csnow@wesleyancollege.edu Millie P. Hudson ’75 Director of Development Julie Jones Director of Advancement Services Katie Sadler-Stephenson ’00 Class Notes Editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Brown Allen ’17 Whitney Davis Amanda Wiggs PHOTOGRAPHY BY Maryann Bates PRINTING Panaprint SPECIAL THANKS Mary Kathryn Borland ’04, and alumnae and friends for providing photos. Wesleyan Magazine is published twice a year by the Wesleyan College Office of Communications 4760 Forsyth Road Macon, GA 31210-4462 phone (478) 757-5137 Contents may not be reprinted without permission from the editor.
A Note from the President This edition of WESmag is a love letter from your alma mater—not just the song written in 1918 by Margaret Atkinson Clark, but in the Latin meaning of the word, your “nourishing mother.” Whether you graduated in 1970, as this year’s Golden Belles did, or you are graduating in the Class of 2020, I’ve heard you talk about the personal, intellectual, social, and spiritual nourishment you received—and continue to receive—from Wesleyan. Just read the stories of our amazing, thankful, and successful students in the pages that follow. Enjoy excerpts from some of their thank you notes to scholarship donors—notes of sincere gratitude for their Wesleyan experience. See how they are “paying it forward” through lives of service and dedication to their professions. Marvel at their intellect, their insight, their perseverance. Know that all of us—like doting mothers—are proud of our true, faithful, and loyal daughters. The Wesleyan family has come together this spring as families do in times of crisis, and this crisis, caused by COVID-19, has touched everyone in our Wesleyan family. Many of you have showered the sixty students who remained on campus with snacks, and you helped us provide more than 100 Senior Boxes for our virtual senior toast. You have continued your generous giving to support scholarships, academic programs, athletic teams, and student activities. You have connected virtually with classmates and with local alumnae
groups, joining scores of faculty, staff, and trustees who have maintained the momentum of Wesleyan’s operations even though we couldn’t gather together physically. As I signed one message to students with a variation of our motto, we are One Wesleyan. Many Locations. Stay Well! We expect to start classes on campus as planned on August 17, but the campus will look and feel different as we implement a series of initiatives to keep faculty, staff, and students safe and well in the midst of a great deal of uncertainty. In fact, all of higher education is facing an uncertain future, but in many ways we are in a better position that other institutions with our 200-acre campus, large buildings and classrooms, small classes, and a creative, cooperative community that is committed to providing a positive Wesleyan experience for all. As we move beyond the current crisis, I hope you will join the students and alumnae featured in this edition of WESmag and fight for the future of Wesleyan. Fight with your voice, your prayers, and your gifts, so that she will remain strong, will continue to be an anchor in the Middle Georgia community, and will continue to educate and empower undergraduate women and graduate women and men to lead and serve for many years to come. Hail Wesleyan!
AS THE FIRST COLLEGE IN THE WORLD CHARTERED TO GRANT DEGREES TO W O M E N , W E S L E YA N H A S E D U C AT E D A N D P R O P E L L E D THOUSANDS OF STRONG WOMEN OUT INTO THE W O R L D TO D O M O N U M E N TA L THINGS. THROUGH STUDENT AND ALUMNAE INTERVIEWS, T H I S I S S U E C E L E B R AT E S T H E M A N Y W AY S T H AT W E S L E YA N W O M E N H AV E CHANGED THE WORLD OVER THE LAST 183 YEARS.
WESLEYAN MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2020
38 Message from WCAA President 40 Award recipients
42 Alumnae Connections and Club FB
44 Marriages/births/sympathy/memoriams 46 Class notes
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
A Star
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in the Dark
Is thy glorious past.
The year was 1836. Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the United States, Arkansas became the twenty-fifth state of the Union, and Davy Crockett was in Texas fighting the Battle of the Alamo. It had been almost two hundred years since Harvard University granted the first baccalaureate degrees to men in this country when a visionary group of Macon citizens recognized the need for an institution to offer the same privilege to women. A radical idea at the time, there was a common public opinion, particularly among men, that, as one Georgia legislator stated, “all a young lady needs to know is how to weave clothes for her family and paint a daisy in water colors.” Despite opposition and challenges, that group of Macon citizens partnered with the Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to charter the Georgia Female College (now Wesleyan College) with an expressed aim of granting the “power to confer all such honors, degrees, and licenses (to women) as are usually conferred (to men) in colleges or universities.” That’s where this story begins.
A year and a half after Wesleyan opened her doors, Catherine Elizabeth Brewer (Benson) was the first member of her class to receive a diploma. At that first graduation, President George Foster Pierce said, “A grievous error has been incorporated into the organization of society... Woman’s influence has been underrated as to its nature and capabilities…Woman can do more. It is her province, her right, her duty…” Within ten years, a total of one hundred young women had earned diplomas at Georgia Female College. There was no turning back. Thirty-nine years later at Wesleyan’s semicentennial reunion of alumnae, Benson said, “The idea that woman could compete with strong-minded man in the pursuit of knowledge had never taken possession of the public mind. It was enough education for a woman if she could calculate the cost of 27 ¾ yards of cloth at 33 1/3 cents per yard, or 6 ½ pounds of butter at 18 ¾ cents per pound! How far wrong they were in their opinions has been fully demonstrated in the number of cultured women who have left these halls.” An impressive start, considering it would be 32 years before any women in America had the right to vote.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
I am Wesley
From the beginning, Wesleyan has educated women to use their strengths and their voices to do extraordinary things in their careers and in their communities. The first one hundred years of Wesleyan graduates included the first woman in Georgia to earn the doctor of medicine degree; the first woman dean at the University of Georgia; the first woman to argue a case before the Georgia Supreme Court; the first Chinese women to be educated in America; the first woman in Georgia to be issued a commercial pilot’s license; and so many others. More recent graduates include the first woman to be ordained Bishop of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church; the first woman staff director for the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee; and the first act in Billboard history to have their first fifteen singles all reach the top ten on the country charts.
The challenges facing today’s world demand leaders with excellent thinking skills, global knowledge, intercultural competence, and real world abilities. Numerous national studies demonstrate that women’s colleges surpass co-ed public colleges and universities in helping students learn to think analytically and creatively, write and speak effectively, solve problems, and make sound decisions. These studies consistently validate what Wesleyan College has believed and supported all along. The landscape at Wesleyan is continuously changing and growing to meet the needs of today’s students. New majors and minors, online degrees, certificates, and graduate programs have been added in recent months. The College maintains consortia with several domestic institutions and more than forty countries around the world. The Center for Career Development (CCD) partners with dozens of businesses, local and across the country, that offer our students internships which often lead to jobs after graduation.
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A speaker at this year’s Scholarship Luncheon, Munroe Scholar Melissa Rey ’20 told attendees that when she began her college search, she “had always been interested in science, but I had no female scientists to look up to. At my high school, I was one of only a handful of girls in the STEM program, and it was difficult to endure the sense of loneliness. As I began my college search, I sought a place where I could build myself up; grow as a woman; and become the confident scientist I wanted to be. Then, I stumbled upon Wesleyan. I remember calling for the first time and expressing my passion for science and my need for a place to grow. Every week I would call with different questions, and each time I was greeted with respect and patience. Even before I came onto Wesleyan’s campus, I knew it’s where I belonged.” After experiencing internships, mentoring from Trustee Yehudi Self-Medlin ’96, assistance from the CCD, summer research programs at other colleges, and one-on-one interaction with dedicated faculty and staff, Melissa applied to chemistry Ph.D. programs and was accepted at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, and Emory University, and chose to enroll at University of Minnesota. Speaking to everyone at the luncheon, but mainly to the representatives of the Munroe Scholarship, Melissa ended her speech in the spirit of a true Wesleyan Woman: “You have given me the opportunity to attend the Oldest and Best, and in doing so, you gave me the tools I needed to be a strong, self-assured woman capable of taking on the world. I will carry this gift with me for the rest of my life, and I will pass it on by becoming a role model to other women, inspiring the next generation of scientists.”
Hail Wesleyan.
yan.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
F R EVER &EVER
Thy glory
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The year is 2020. In March, the COVID-19 health crisis suddenly required a change in the way we educate our students. On March 30, President Fowler announced that Wesleyan College would conduct classes via remote instruction through the end of the spring semester. This followed earlier announcements that all campus-sponsored activities were suspended; all USA South Athletic Conference spring sports were canceled; Willet Library, Mathews Athletic Center, and the arboretum were closed; commencement was postponed; and Alumnae Weekend was rescheduled for September. President Fowler commended faculty and staff for managing this major shift in operations with the professionalism and creativity that are characteristic of Wesleyan employees. She complimented students, who exhibited patience and
flexibility. She thanked the board of trustees, alumnae, and members of the Macon community for their many expressions of kindness and encouragement. Wesleyan has been educating women for more than 180 years and she has seen tough times before. She survived the Civil War and two world wars; the cotton panic of 1837; the stock market crash of 1929; the Great Depression; and the flu pandemic of 1918. She will find her way through this challenge, too. Indeed, Wesleyan College will survive and continue to educate remarkable women - women who will step up to help save the world, exhibiting the same strength and courage as current alumnae who are caregivers and healthcare workers, teachers and students, employers and employees, parents and daughters.
WE MUST FIGHT TO SAVE WESLEYAN COLLEGE SO THAT THERE IS NO END TO THIS STORY.
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shall last. Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
“To contribute to prosperity of our For the past 161 years, thousands of alumnae have recited this pledge when inducted into the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association. The Benson Charge makes clear the obligation alumnae have to ensure the College’s future. While Wesleyan has persevered through almost two centuries, it has never been a wealthy institution. She has endured – sometimes in the face of tremendous adversity – due to generations of generous and loyal alumnae and friends who year after year have given to the College. Once again, Wesleyan has reached a pivotal moment in her history and she needs your help. Wesleyan is one of the few colleges still dedicated exclusively to the undergraduate education of women and, with the external threats to small liberal arts colleges and particularly women’s colleges, we believe that our mission is more important than ever. Our mission is one that is enhanced by tradition, nurtured by a sense of family, strengthened through personal and spiritual growth, and unified through a bond of sisterhood. Consequently, we think more women need to have this unique Wesleyan experience.
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IN THE SAME PIONEERING SPIRIT AS OUR FOUNDERS, WE ARE BOLDLY LAUNCHING A NEW FOREVER CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AN UNPRECEDENTED $3 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE ANNUAL FUND FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS BEGINNING JULY 1, 2020. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS GOAL – AN INCREASE OF $1 MILLION A YEAR OVER OUR PREVIOUS ANNUAL FUND GOAL. HOWEVER, THIS CAMPAIGN MUST BE SUCCESSFUL FOR WESLEYAN TO REMAIN FOREVER.
the strength and r alma mater...” THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT REASONS THAT THIS ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION PER YEAR IS NECESSARY. FIRST, all institutions of higher learning, especially small liberal arts colleges, are receiving more intense scrutiny by accrediting organizations.
SECONDLY, the landscape of higher education has become increasingly competitive, and the pandemic has accelerated this competition.
LASTLY, to compete successfully with other institutions, Wesleyan’s facilities and grounds must be well-maintained.
Throughout Wesleyan’s history, the College has been able to postpone or defer maintenance and improvement projects until we could raise special gifts for capital projects to fund those needs. This practice cannot continue. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Wesleyan’s accrediting agency, has become increasingly resolute in requiring us to cover the cost of ongoing maintenance and improvements using annual revenue to maintain our accreditation.
National student surveys are projecting a possible 20% decrease in college attendance this fall. While we remain optimistic about our fall enrollment based on deposits, we are anticipating a smaller class than originally projected. Further, Wesleyan must offer extremely competitive financial aid packages in order to recruit and retain excellent students. The majority of the scholarship aid we provide comes from gifts to the annual fund, and this aid has more than doubled in recent years. Additionally, we must invest in academic support to retain these students through graduation.
Currently much of the campus is in desperate need of a facelift. If we raise $1 million more each year, we will be able to address this growing list of campus projects which include replacing leaking roofs, updating technology, and painting our aging buildings. Furthermore, we must retain our stellar faculty and staff, who tirelessly give their time and resources. In recent years, we have suspended raises and next year we are reducing retirement benefits, which makes it difficult to keep talented and devoted employees.
WESLEYAN’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON OUR ABILITY TO BUILD A ROBUST $3 MILLION ANNUAL FUND. FOR ALL WHO TAKE PRIDE IN THE EDUCATION THEY RECEIVED AND FOR ALL WHO SUPPORT THE IMPORTANT MISSION OF EDUCATING WOMEN, NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN WESLEYAN BY MAKING AN ANNUAL FUND CONTRIBUTION. GIVE NOW SO WESLEYAN CAN REMAIN FOREVER.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Why did you choose to attend Wesleyan? I chose Wesleyan because my mother went to Wesleyan! I grew up listening to her stories about the pep rallies and STUNT. My mother left Wesleyan before she graduated, got married, and had kids before she finished her degree. But Wesleyan changed her - sisterhood made her stronger. When it was my time to go to college, I knew I wanted what she found at Wesleyan. I wanted to finish what she started.
What did Wesleyan provide that you wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere? I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I could not have had the same experience at a co-ed college. Wesleyan taught me to share my voice freely and unapologetically. I wouldn’t have gotten that at a co-ed school (I certainly didn’t get it in high school). Wesleyan’s small class size and close community also allowed me to build authentic, meaningful relationships with both my peers and my mentors – relationships I still have today.
How do you think a women’s college guided/affected your postgraduate choices?
After graduating from Wesleyan with a degree in political science, Adrianne attended the University of Cambridge in England where she earned her certification to teach English to speakers of other languages. In 2018, she earned her master’s degree in education from UCLA. GALA provides a highly rigorous college preparatory STEMfocused education in an all-girls environment based on voluntary enrollment that fosters academic excellence, ethical leadership, and intellectual curiosity. GALA instills the core values of excellence, leadership, and wellness throughout the school.
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When I was wrapping up my teacher credentialing program and looking for work, someone told me about GALA (Girls Academic Leadership Academy), an allgirls public school within the Los Angeles Unified School District. I knew immediately that this was where I wanted to work. I had such an incredible experience at my women’s college that I knew I wanted to teach at a girls school. Wesleyan’s all-female environment allowed me the space I needed to develop as an individual and especially as a woman, an experience I work to provide for my students. I took this lens into my graduate studies as well. For my master’s research, I studied how girls develop leadership skills by building sisterhood and solidarity among each other, a lesson I learned first-hand in my time at Wesleyan.
You have chosen to work at a girls school that promotes STEM. What is it like to empower these students and help them build confidence to become leaders as women in today’s world? My students are scientists, engineers, computer programmers, and mathematicians. They spend their summers writing code, running lab experiments, and programming robots. Their academic prowess is formidable. But more than that, my students are just exceptional people. My job as their teacher is not necessarily to inspire them; it’s to facilitate an environment where they can inspire each other and, in time, inspire the world. In truth, they’re the ones who inspire me.
Why do you love what you do? For me, teaching is a vocation of social justice. These girls are going to go shape the future of our world, and helping them reach their potential is the most political thing I’ve ever done.
Are women’s colleges relevant in today’s world? One thousand percent. Young women need space to unpack and to situate all the incessant messaging of society. The messages that tell girls to sit down and sit out, that they are not enough, that they are best seen and not heard – these messages are unavoidable and none of us are immune to them. Women’s colleges give women space to sort through these messages and decide for themselves what they want to listen to.
What is your hope for their futures? My students are forces to be reckoned with, that is certain, but they deal with their fair share of obstacles, too. They won’t just face barriers as women but as immigrants, as people of color, as religious minorities, and as a myriad of other identities that will shape the way the world treats them. My hope is that the women of this country always hold space for them no matter their backgrounds, no matter their differences.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
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WHY A WOMEN’S COLLEGE? As studies repeatedly underscore the need for critical thinking, global knowledge, intercultural competence, and real-world abilities, women’s colleges surpass co-ed public colleges and universities in helping students learn to think analytically, bring social and historical perspective to issues, work as part of a team, write and speak effectively, make sound decisions, gain entry to a career, prepare for career change or advancement, and be politically and socially aware. Wesleyan helped me advance my soft skills and engage in the community. I had opportunities to develop my leadership, teamwork, presentation, and communication skills via involvement in a variety of extracurricular and volunteer activities. By collaborating with professors, staff, and my peers, I learned these soft skills, interacted with people from diverse backgrounds, and experienced the U.S. culture in ways that I would not have learned from any textbook. I was open to a lot of opportunities that helped me determine my passion. I have also been inspired to try my best to empower others and make contributions to the local community. These valuable and special experiences have made me more competitive overall and a better person. Xin (Catherine) Tang ’18
Women’s colleges receive higher effectiveness ratings from their alumnae* in helping students learn to relate to people of different backgrounds, develop self-confidence and initiative, and be a leader. I have been an educator for eighteen years and I have taught in three different states. Yet, when I think about the most intelligent people that I have ever been surrounded by, I think of the young women of Wesleyan College. They came from all over the world - valedictorians and salutatorians from everywhere. I learned just as much from my peers as I did from my professors. My peers elevated me. The small classes engaged me, and the curriculum changed me completely. Wesleyan makes leaders out of women who don’t even aim to become leaders. The Black Student Alliance was pivotal in making me feel that I belonged. Twenty years later, I use my experiences to shape the minds of my students and colleagues. When I left Wesleyan, I felt liberated, and that is what it’s all about. Shana Underwood-Stephens ’00 Alumnae* of women’s colleges are more likely to agree there was a sense of community among students, and believe it is extremely important to promote racial equality and other social justice issues, contribute to their community, and be involved with their undergraduate college or university after graduation.
Wesleyan allowed and encouraged me to be bold, try new things, stumble and learn from those setbacks, meet interesting people, and participate in new experiences. I saw women leaders - in and out of the classroom - women who respectfully challenged ideas, conquered goals, and embraced femininity in all forms and expressions. I made lifelong friends, women who are sisters of the heart. Wesleyan allowed me the stage to become the best version of myself with the humble confidence to share those gifts with the world. Lisa Shiveler ’87 A women’s college network (alumnae, faculty, friends) significantly increases a woman’s chances* in being accepted to graduate school, earning her graduate degree, and finding her first job. Wesleyan had been such a savior for me as a young adult that I decided to return later in life to earn my MBA. When I was at a point in life when I wanted to re-establish myself professionally, I went back “home,” where it started, and it was another good decision for me. I was able to change careers and re-establish myself right at the end of the recession. Wesleyan is very much a part of my identity and I am not sure where I would be right now without it. Monica Duran Evans ‘97 (MBA ‘11) * Versus alumnae at all other colleges and universities.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Micah Davidson “ONCE I LEFT THE COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME, A DOOR OPENED FOR MY SIBLINGS AND ME. I NOW KNOW THAT I CAN GO ANYWHERE.”
When she began her college search, senior Micah Davidson was looking to attend a women’s college. She was accepted at Spelman and Agnes Scott, but the familial atmosphere on campus and the financial aid package Wesleyan offered won her over. Micah earned Lettie Pate Whitehead and HOPE scholarships. “Attending a women’s college certainly made me more confident, especially when it comes to public speaking. I went to a conference recently and felt so comfortable sharing my thoughts in front of others. Also, when I meet other women in the workplace, I want to help them accomplish their goals. That is a love and appreciation that I did not have before.” As an admission ambassador, one of Micah’s duties was helping facilitate the most recent Scholarship Day. “As I spoke with students, I found myself saying things like, ‘No faculty members will care about you as much as they do here’ and ‘You will not feel this way on other campuses’. As cheesy and rehearsed as it sounds, I honestly believe both of those statements are true.” During the second semester of her junior year, this psychology major and Spanish minor founded MATES (Making All This Easier) for the purpose of helping international students feel more at home in the Wesleyan community. She got the idea from a study abroad experience at Ewha Womans University in South Korea where she participated in a buddy program. MATES connects at least one domestic student to one international student and provides them with activities to do together in hopes they will cultivate strong, lifelong friendships. “That is my legacy here. The practice of inclusion is a passion of mine, and I certainly hope that I have made a difference at Wesleyan.” “We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because Wesleyan has become integral to the lives of thousands of alumnae around the world and several more thousands who have been touched by these women. There is no diversity like the diversity and inclusivity on our beautiful campus.”
One word to describe you.
GENUINE
One word to describe women.
UNDERRATED One word to describe Wesleyan.
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Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
WHY WESLEYAN COLLEGE? In February, we asked all alumnae to answer the question Why Wesleyan? With fewer than forty women’s colleges in existence today, we thought it would be good to look back and invite alumnae to share experiences, thoughts, insights, and memories that reflect the greatness of a women’s college education. We also asked alumnae to tell us what they fondly remember about their days on campus, asking “Why should we fight to save this women’s college?” In the next pages you’ll read some of the answers. BEST. DECISION. EVER. Not only did I find my voice in my WISe 101 class, but I made long-lasting and cherished friendships with so many people. Sisterhood is what made Wesleyan so great for me. By having that special PK/GK bond, I had automatic sisters that had my back no matter what. Joi Raushan ’18 I remember very little literary theory. I don’t recall any of the electives I took during my four years. My mind goes blank if asked about my senior thesis topic. What I do remember (other than the cafeteria’s legendary chocolate pecan pie) are 2 a.m. trips to Kroger. I don’t think Carl, the late night cashier, ever saw us wearing anything other than pajamas. I remember late nights spent rocking on porches, surrounded by unopened textbooks. I remember excitedly decorating Dollar Store plastic cups with puffy paint for our Little 16
Sisters and everyone piling onto my bed to watch The X-Files every Wednesday night. I remember camaraderie and laughing and crying and sharing deep, dark secrets, and fighting and forgiving. The older I grow and the more adult responsibilities I take on, the more I hold fond those memories of being an amazing young woman, with the world at my feet, and with the support of other equally amazing young women buoying me. Nowadays, I’m a little more wrinkly, a little more jaded…okay, A LOT more jaded…but I can still trust those same amazing women to have my back. I don’t have any female biological siblings, but I like to tell people that Wesleyan provided me with all the sisters I could possibly want. Bingle Brown ’99 I discovered a Wesleyan College brochure under my desk when I was in the eighth grade. I didn’t know what a Pirate or a Golden Heart was, all I knew was that I wanted to be one of those women...I looked at that brochure daily throughout high school not knowing what the path would be, but knowing it ended with Wesleyan College. Anita Battles ’11 (After graduation) I married and became a stay at home mom, but before I was 50, I found myself to be a widow. One child was engaged, and the other about to begin college. I had to have a job. Without my degree from Wesleyan, what on earth would I have done? I shudder to think. The diploma that I fought so
hard against throughout my homesick first year became my lifeline. There was an opening for a teacher at Classical Christian School, and they hired me. I could hardly believe it. It was a twentyone-year journey that could not have happened without my years at Wesleyan. I just retired in 2019. Sara Walters Ingram ’68 Wesleyan was where I first experienced freedom and independence. Kendra Rhoulhac ’02 I come from a poor family who did not value education. My mother assumed that I would graduate high school and get a job at Woolworth’s. I had other ideas. My drama teacher arranged an audition with a representative of Wesleyan who was impressed by my scene from Our Town. I was offered a partial drama scholarship from Wesleyan and my whole life changed. Wesleyan is a physically beautiful campus and I loved it. But it was the lifelong friends I made, the fantastic professors who were such a positive influence on my life, the roles I was able to play onstage and most of all the continuation of the friendships I made with my Wesleyan sisters sixty years ago that have remained a beacon of love and hope in my life. We all still turn to each other for affection and support. I shall be eternally grateful to Wesleyan for taking a chance on me. Linda Maria Willson ’60
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Emily Criss “EXPLORING, MEETING NEW PEOPLE, AND EVEN THE OCCASIONAL PARTY ARE ALL PART OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE.” One word to describe you.
PERSEVERING One word to describe women.
CAPABLE
One word to describe Wesleyan.
CHALLENGING
“We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because there are young women everywhere looking for a place where they can flourish and learn not only academic subjects, but also about themselves.”
During her junior year of high school, Emily Criss ’20 visited a college fair and felt completely overwhelmed by all of the options. She felt sure she wanted to attend a large university, but on a whim as she was leaving the fair, she stopped by Wesleyan’s table and spoke with an admissions ambassador who told her about the scholarship and research opportunities Wesleyan offers. Emily says she was sold almost immediately. Wesleyan was the only school at the fair that she felt any connection with and ended up being the only college she applied to. A psychology major and neuroscience minor, this Margaret Pitts Scholar from Valdosta, Georgia, said “While I have always known I wanted to go to medical school after my
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undergraduate studies, I believe studying at a women’s college has provided challenges for me – both socially and academically – that will shape the way I am able to analyze and problem solve.” Emily is thankful for the small class sizes that provide a space for open discussion and oneon-one assistance as well as the faculty’s willingness to assist in students’ academic success and their ability to make meaningful personal connections with students. Emily was a Wesleyan Disciple, served as vice president of the Wesleyan College Pre-Medical Society, and as treasurer of the Disability Awareness Club. After graduation, she plans to take the MCAT and apply to medical schools.
Christen Davis “I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO WESLEYAN AND ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT HER FOR HELPING ME TO GROW INTO THE STRONG WOMAN I AM TODAY.” One word to describe you.
STRONG
One word to describe women.
CAPABLE
One word to describe Wesleyan.
NURTURING
Christen Davis ’20 said that prior to studying at Wesleyan, she was so timid she might never have applied to college for fear of having to speak with administration or enrollment counselors. Luckily she had a friend who helped make the experience easier. “My pastor knew Ruth Knox ’75 and brought me to the College for my first visit. I fell in love with Wesleyan on that visit and turned down all other offers to attend college elsewhere.”
The Bibb County School District awarded Christen a paid internship to teach at a local elementary school for her entire senior year. With minimal guidance from her supervisor, Christen served as the teacher of record in her own first-grade classroom which included creating lesson plans and conducting parent-teacher conferences. Upon graduation, Christen signed a two-year contract with Bibb County.
A Mary Knox McNeill Scholar from Atlanta, Georgia, Christen majored in early childhood education while serving as a Wesleyan Disciple all four years. Christen says that her women’s college education has provided her with opportunities for leadership roles that she stepped into with confidence. “On a co-ed campus, I probably would have sunk into the shadows. Now I am making bold decisions about my future and I’ve confidently presented myself at job fairs, for impromptu interviews, and so much more.” At Honors Day 2019, Christen was awarded the Student Leadership Award.
Christen remembers her proudest moments as co-hosting Wesleyan’s first and second Contracted Staff Awards ceremonies. Students voted for contracted staff to win certain awards in recognition of their dedication to keeping Wesleyan running smoothly and comfortably. Christen said that she and Ms. Stephanie Rowe, who works for Metz Dining Service as front of house supervisor, have become dear friends, a relationship that illustrates the care and support students receive from the Wesleyan community.
“We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because she is the best at fostering leaders and sending them out into the world to make a change. Wesleyan women are making a difference in the world in many ways.”
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Kali Goding “THIS IS THE PERFECT COLLEGE FOR ME. WESLEYAN HAS MADE ME A MUCH BETTER PERSON.” One word to describe you.
PATIENT
One word to describe women.
WORTHY
One word to describe Wesleyan.
DETERMINED “We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because, honestly, I don’t know where I’d be today if it wasn’t for Wesleyan. I don’t know who I’d be or what I’d be doing. I know that my life wouldn’t be as perfect as it is now. There are other girls out there who need this safe place to grow. We need to fight for Wesleyan’s future so other girls get the same chance I have.”
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Kali Goding’s ’21 primary interest when she began her college search was finding a small institution where professors would know their students’ names and would work to develop personal relationships with them. She wasn’t looking for a women’s college; in fact, she says she didn’t even know singlesex colleges still existed. “When I learned that Wesleyan was a women’s college, I was surprised and then intrigued. The more I thought about it, the more I really, really liked the idea of going to a single-sex college. In the end, that was a deciding factor for choosing Wesleyan over my other options.” This chemistry major and forensic science and mathematics double minor from Covington, Georgia, says Wesleyan has provided her with sisterhood and an open learning space. She fully believes that women have a much easier
time speaking up in class, testing their own knowledge, and offering their own ideas when there are no men in the classroom. “The students understand what you’re going through. Women can relate to women about women’s issues. Wesleyan is a tight-knit community, and the feelings of sisterhood surround the whole campus. Being able to open up with this small group of women you know is amazing – it’s something that I certainly wouldn’t have gotten at a co-ed college. I am more comfortable with myself than I ever have been.“ Kali is the recipient of the prestigious, full-tuition Munroe Scholarship. She is a member of the Math Club and works on campus with Girls Who Code. Her postgraduate goals are to continue her education and to enjoy a career as a forensic chemist.
d e r e w o p Em
N E M WO r e w o Emp Did you know that a high percentage of Wesleyan students juggle schoolwork, family responsibilities, and jobs? And that more than forty percent of Wesleyan students are eligible for the PELL grant, twenty-five percent are first-generation college students, and eighty-seven percent are young women from Georgia? Nationally, nearly half of first-year students live at or below the poverty level, making finances a huge concern.
Hays Scholarship recipient majoring in advertising, marketing, and communication, spoke at the luncheon.
Every year, donors who have established scholarships at Wesleyan are invited to campus to meet the students who are benefiting from their generosity. Scholarship donors get the chance to hear first-hand about the hopes and dreams of the students affected by their gifts. In turn, students learn the stories of their scholarships’ namesakes and have the opportunity to thank their donors in person.
Rachel said, “(This) scholarship has given me the flexibility to take advantage of internships with various local and government nonprofit organizations and agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor, the Otis Redding Foundation, Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand With Us), and the Douglass Theatre. These opportunities have not only strengthened my resume, they have also allowed me to meet great people who have advised and guided me. I participated in the 2019 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., conducted research to help African American businesses in the downtown Macon area, write scripts for television advertisements, and design posters and websites that are viewed by hundreds of people.
This year’s luncheon, held on Valentine’s Day, was attended by more than 130 donors, students, trustees, faculty, and staff. Melissa Rey ‘20, a Munroe Scholar majoring in chemistry and Rachel Solomon ‘20, a Louise Frederick
“Finally, the scholarship aid has made it possible to become a Wesleyan Woman, one who is proud, strong, intelligent, and confident. I am especially inspired by just such a Wesleyan alumna – my own grandmother – Dyleane Tolbert Taylor ‘72.
As one of Wesleyan’s “First Five,” the first black women to graduate from Wesleyan, my grandmother was instrumental in breaking down barriers to ensure all women have equal opportunity for a higher education. “Whichever path I ultimately choose, I am determined to give back to the Wesleyan Women of the future, just like the donors here today have done for us. This is my commitment to you – and to my grandmother’s legacy – to keep Wesleyan always ‘First for Women’.” Wesleyan College is committed to making it financially feasible for any admitted student to attend. In addition to named scholarships, the Annual Fund allows the College to provide students with more than $4 million in scholarships each year. The following two pages contain excerpts from thank you notes scholarship recipients wrote to their donors earlier this year.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Thank you!
Recipients of Wesleyan’s premier endowed scholarships gathered in January to write thank-you notes to the fund representatives of their awards. Through these notes, students express their gratitude, share their academic and extracurricular accomplishments, and give updates on their future plans. The students’ heartfelt appreciation and love for Wesleyan are evident in the selections you will read on these pages.
I want to take the time to thank you again for all of the help you and your family offer me each year. It’s due to the lifted financial burden that I am able to focus on being involved on campus and in the community...Because of the constant comfort and excitement towards learning you offer, I am motivated to be a better student. Barbara Reigel ’22 Findlay Scholar
As my senior year comes to a close, I have been reflecting on the past four years, and I have realized how truly blessed I am to be a Wesleyanne. I’ve been able to learn from great professors, play soccer under great coaches, and hold countless leadership positions that have prepared me for my role as SGA President. Without your generosity and faith in Wesleyan, these opportunities would not have been available to me. Thank you so much for all that you do for the Oldest and Best. Katie Ann Fitts ’20 Corn Scholar
This scholarship has given me many opportunities that I would not have received anywhere else, and I know these memories will stay with me forever. In one semester at Wesleyan, I have experienced sisterhood and developed many meaningful friendships...I love Wesleyan and will continue pursuing my goals with appreciation for your family. Thank you for everything you have done for me. Plae Meh ’23 Mary Knox McNeill Scholar
Thank you so much for your support through this scholarship. I really enjoy the education I’m receiving here as well as the lifelong friends and memories I am making. I am a first year, but after I graduate, I plan to get a master’s in music therapy. Thank you for helping me achieve my dreams. Rebecca Layfield ’23 Mildred Goodrum Heyward Scholar
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I am honored to be a recipient of the Munroe Scholarship at Wesleyan...Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to realize my dream of traveling to the United Kingdom. I was able to participate in a direct exchange program with Ulster University in Northern Ireland last semester. It was an amazing experience, and I’m so grateful I was able to do that. It was, however, really nice to come back to Wesleyan. It was like coming home. I loved that everyone still knew my name and knew where I’d gone and asked how I was. I wouldn’t have that without your support. I appreciate everything you do for the Munroe Scholars and for me. Kali Goding ’21 Munroe Scholar
I am very honored to have received this award. It truly means the world to me. My love of music grew throughout high school and by my junior year, I decided that singing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I just didn’t know how I was going to do that... Then I came to Wesleyan, and it was the most welcoming school I have been to by far... My growth as a person and as a singer has amazed me, and I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity to live out my dream. Emerald Pierrain ’23 Lane Scholar
This scholarship makes it possible for me to attend Wesleyan, and I am so blessed and grateful to be here. Wesleyan is a wonderful institution, and it has given me so much more than I ever thought to ask for. Amber Youngblood ’23 Nancy Peterson Shaw Scholar
I am honored to be this year’s recipient of the Katherine Hillhouse Goss scholarship. I am now in my third year, and I am a double major in international relations and applied data analysis with a minor in French...I am so grateful to be studying here at Wesleyan because I know this institution is preparing me for a successful career. Benedicta Dadson ’21 Katherine Hillhouse Goss Scholar
Thank you for your generous support during these last three years that I have been a Munroe Scholar. Your donations have allowed me to fulfill more than I thought imaginable...I’m entering my senior year as a biology major with a chemistry and business minor, and I am preparing to apply to medical school... I’ve been blessed to use skills learned at Wesleyan to land several internships. Elspeth Hansen ’21 Munroe Scholar
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
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Jill Celeste '94
“WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.” Jill is a marketing teacher for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and founder of The Celestial Circle. Through Celestial University, she serves many types of businesses from health coaches to travel planners, animal communicators to graphic designers. Are all your clients women? If so, why? I serve only female entrepreneurs through Celestial University. I believe we’re at a critical crossroads nationally and globally. If we want our country and world to improve, female entrepreneurs of the world must rise up, embrace their divine gifts, and get louder. That’s how the world will change for the better. Do you feel women must approach marketing their businesses differently than men? Society teaches women that we must be polite and easygoing, not rock the boat, and be a “good girl.” We have also been taught that money is a taboo topic. All of these societal expectations hinder a female entrepreneur – from deciding what to charge for her services to executing her marketing plan. I teach women to be braver, louder, and more unapologetic about how they market and run their businesses. My students learn to create boundaries, elevate their self-worth, and be more visible through their marketing. Why did you choose to attend Wesleyan? I visited Wesleyan during a scholarship weekend and fell in love. I was a “sister” and not even a student yet! Back then, my friends would gasp, “You’re going to an all-women’s college?!?” And I would smile and say, “Yes,” knowing I was about to receive the best education of my life, surrounded by Wesleyan sisters who would always have my back (and still do). How do you think a women’s college guided/ affected your postgraduate choices? In 1990, before my first year at Wesleyan, a study was published that showed male students monopolized the professor’s attention in class.
Male college students answered more questions, raised their hand more in class, and got a better education as a result. It was a strong selling point for Wesleyan and profoundly affected me. I wanted to learn and interact with my professors without male students interfering in the process. As I headed to graduate school, I was ready for a co-education experience because I had learned it was okay to speak up, present my ideas, and assert my opinion. I can’t tell you how much this helped me while I pursued my master’s degree. I remember encouraging my fellow female graduate students to speak up in class. Please finish this thought: Had I not attended Wesleyan, I might not have … had the courage and audacity to start my own business. Being an entrepreneur is an act of bravery. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. What did Wesleyan provide that you wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere? The list is endless, but I’ll give it a shot: Priceless friendships that continue to this day; a highquality education that I use every day in my life and business; a sense of community that I try to replicate for my Celestial University students; confidence that I could do anything I set my mind to; and the courage to change the world, one person at a time. Are women’s colleges relevant in today’s world? Yes, women’s colleges are very relevant in today’s world. Sadly, patriarchal beliefs still rule the day. We are getting better, but our journey is far from done. What better way to “break the patriarchy” than by enveloping yourself at an institution with fellow female learners, led by strong women! Young women are smart and savvy. If we can show them that a women’s college will give them tools to help them succeed in a world still dominated by men, they’ll consider a college like Wesleyan.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Hannah Allen “WOMEN’S COLLEGES GUIDE WOMEN TO PERSEVERE AND TAKE CHANCES. THEY OPEN A NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN.” One word to describe you.
DETERMINED One word to describe women.
PERSISTENT
One word to describe Wesleyan.
TRANSFORMATIVE “We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because Wesleyan is a community and a home to many, even long after they graduate. Wesleyan offers an experience like no other and friendships that last a lifetime. Wesleyan has been life-changing for me and helped me find my calling. 26
Hannah Allen ’21, from Thomson, Georgia, chose Wesleyan College because she wanted to play softball. She said at first she thought it might be “weird” to attend a women’s college, but after she visited campus, she knew she would fit right in. “Everyone was immediately welcoming and took an interest in me personally. On visits to other campuses, I often felt like I was just another number. The Wesleyan experience is very personalized. Every student’s well-being and success is valued.” Hannah said she spent much of her first year at Wesleyan unsure of what she wanted in a career. With guidance from faculty and staff, she decided to take a leap of faith and give nursing a shot. “It has been more than rewarding. Looking back, I couldn’t be more satisfied with that decision. The nursing professors have pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me successful,
which is a feeling like no other. I can’t wait to start working in my field.” After graduation, Hannah hopes to work in a medical surgery area of nursing at Navicent Health and then, two years later, enroll in a nurse practitioner program while continuing to work. “Wesleyan helped this once very indecisive and unsure individual find confidence and a program that is the best fit for me. The women in my cohort find comfort in the all-women settings where we feel free to speak up and be independent. This is an opportunity we might not have found the courage to take at a co-ed school.” Hannah is a recipient of the Hannah L. Allen Scholarship, established by Wesleyan Trustee Hannah Allen ’80 and her family. Prior to the awarding of the scholarship, the two Hannahs had never met.
Chy Brown “GRADUATES OF WOMEN’S COLLEGES ARE MOTIVATED TO SUCCEED.”
One word to describe you.
RESILIENT
One word to describe women.
PREVAILING
One word to describe Wesleyan.
EVER-CHANGING Chy Brown ’20 is the first person in her family to graduate from college. This women’s studies major from Macon, Georgia, earned a Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship; served as her senior class vice president and as a women’s studies ambassador and tutor; and competed as a cross country and volleyball athlete. As a senior looking back on her four years at Wesleyan, she says, “I am happy that Wesleyan welcomed me into her home and made me family.” Chy says that Wesleyan encourages communication and friendships between students of every race and economic class, while also trying to help every student with her specific needs. She will recommend Wesleyan to future students because of the inclusion and diversity on campus and because Wesleyan provides multiple experiences to help students find their voices. Wesleyan is a college that is focused on academic success, she says, but Wesleyan also stresses that extracurricular activities are important for self-care. Wesleyan teaches her students “how to have a fun college experience while getting good grades.” “I believe women’s colleges teach women to succeed beyond obstacles that might prevent them from fulfilling their dreams. They give us the hope and the motivation to accomplish what society says women are not able to do. Women studying at women’s colleges will be more outspoken than those attending a co-ed college who didn’t learn and practice those skills like we do at Wesleyan.”
“We should fight for Wesleyan’s future because she was the first ever women’s college. Wesleyan offered women an education at a time when it was barely accepted. The world has been forever changed because Wesleyan provides women with the tools they need to succeed and fill leadership roles. If we don’t fight for Wesleyan now, what does the future hold for women’s education? What does the future of the world hold for women?” Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
A WOM Why did you choose to attend Wesleyan? I decided during my junior year of high school to attend a women’s college and I wanted to stay in Georgia to be near my family. Wesleyan was my first choice out of the four colleges I visited. How do you think a women’s college guided/affected your postgraduate choices?
Tonya is assistant dean for equity and inclusion at Wesleyan. Previously she served as the director of education and outreach at the Tubman Museum of African American Art, History, and Culture, and as the executive camp and program director for Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Inc. Her primary focus is to support students from diverse populations and preside over the student-focused diversity and inclusion programming and initiatives at Wesleyan. Tonya earned her bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy with a minor in theatre, and a master’s degree in theology from Beacon University’s Christian Life School of Theology. At the 2020 Honors and Awards Day, Tonya was honored as SGA Staff Member of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.
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At Wesleyan I gained the confidence to listen to and trust myself. I also recognized my calling into ministry, though it would be years before I accepted it completely. I had been ignoring and outright denying it because I was taught, though not directly, that women could not or should not preach. My experience at a women’s college led me to question that and to respond with a resounding, “why not?” Please finish this thought: Had I not attended Wesleyan, I might not have… been open to the idea of breaking the traditional roles of women in the church as I knew them, to become the minister I am today. I learned during my time at Wesleyan, not only could I preach, but I should. I might not have discovered this confidence, my voice, and the courage to stand up for others and to take the lead in my own life.
AN FOR WOMEN Have you sought professional opportunities that help to empower women?
What is it like to help students build confidence to become leaders in today’s world?
I began working for the Girl Scouts of Middle Georgia (now Historic Georgia) during my sophomore year at Wesleyan and continued there for thirteen years, first as summer camp counselor and eventually as program director for 86% of the state of Georgia. The combination of attending a women’s college and working for an organization for girls and young women equipped, shaped, and empowered me to become a woman for women.
Each student whose path has crossed with mine is a unique individual looking for an honest exchange between the two of us. I must look beyond what I see, hear beyond what is said, and provide what is needed, be it a listening ear, a drop of wisdom, an empathetic nod, a word of encouragement, fuel for the journey, advice on next steps, and other designated and creative measures as needed. In return, the students provide me with the opportunity to serve, to learn, and to grow. We shape each other as leaders in these encounters.
You’ve come full circle from studying at Wesleyan to working for the College. What enticed you to come back? Sometimes people are called “for such a time as this.” I am one of them. This role provides me the opportunity to do the things I am passionate about and feel called to do - to help bridge gaps of understanding, advocate for the diverse student population, and bring people together. I knew my work would not be easy, but I also know that I am a Wesleyan Woman. I was built to face challenges, not to shy away from them.
You are involved in many interesting and important things in addition to your job, including inspirational speaking, workshop facilitation, and serving on the Gold Committee for Girl Scouts and on the board of Real I.M.P.A.C.T. for girls in STEM education. You are also a registered Inclusion Practitioner as well as a licensed minister. What drives you? I am driven by calling and purpose. I am led by the Spirit within me. I attune myself to it and it guides me. I am also driven by that which
I love and am passionate about and by compassion and empathy for others. I stand firm for equitable and fair treatment for all people. As a woman and a Black woman, equality and fairness do not come easily. I am driven to take my rightful place in the world and break down barriers. What have been some of your most satisfying moments? I will share two. One happened on a Sunday in December of 2018 as I stood in the pulpit of the church I grew up in, the very same one where I was taught women should not preach. I was asked to serve as the guest pastor, and I did just that, even though some members still believed that women should not preach. Standing in the position in that space was a huge personal and spiritually satisfying moment. The second happened in 2017 when I was voted SGA Staff Member of the Year. Because that year had been so challenging and daunting, it was rewarding to know that I was making an impact. That experience, the outpouring of love and support from the Wesleyan community, fueled me and gave me hope, and assured me that the students had faith in me and that my work was effective.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Heather Shaver Evans '94
“AT WESLEYAN I COULD JUST BE ME.” Why did you choose to attend Wesleyan? I was a transfer student and fell in love with Wesleyan’s equestrian program. Little did I know how valuable the education would be in influencing my life. I had attended huge classes at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University not realizing the lack of diversity and inclusion in the content of the classes. At Wesleyan, I found the small, intimate classes and the brilliant women who surrounded me to be a guiding light in helping me discover how to bring my highest potential to all of Wesleyan’s offerings. While many schools offer women’s and gender studies classes, at Wesleyan every class incorporates the female point of view.
How do you think a women’s college guided/ affected your postgraduate choices? As I moved into my career, I realized that there were many stories and myths about women and the workplace, and that I had the power to re-write those stories for myself and for others. I was tired of hearing things like, “You can’t have it all,” “Your family will suffer if you travel,” and “Women are too emotional.” My education at Wesleyan gave me the confidence to challenge myself and the organizations that I supported to be creative and make bold requests that would allow women to bring their highest value to the organizations and clients that they support. You worked with the multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi for fourteen years. How did that affect your future?
As a leadership coach, change agent, radio talk show host, and renowned speaker, Heather says she has come to realize that change does not happen on global levels. Change happens one person at a time. After graduating from Wesleyan with a degree in business administration and management, Heather earned her master’s degree in business administration from Mercer University. Last year she completed the Advancing Women in Leadership Assessment Certificate.
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Early on at Sanofi, Tim Rothwell, the company’s North American president, committed to advancing women into leadership roles. He was a champion for valuing diversity in teams, and promoted and challenged the organization to correct the inequality of women not advancing into executive roles. The hiring for front line was evenly split male to female, but as you advanced into leadership roles, the disparity became more evident. Sanofi started Women Inspiring Sanofi Excellence, a committee focused on the advancement of female leaders. We sought to understand why female leaders were not applying for advancing leadership opportunities. Our challenge was to look at what made them ready (knowledge of roles and a network to support advancement), willing (ability to make choices that allow them to live an integrated work/life balance) and able (skill development) to apply and compete for these roles. Once we understood the drivers, we partnered with human resources and the Executive Leadership Committee to enact policies regarding childcare and travel support, to formalize mentoring programs, and to fund networking events and partnerships with organizations like the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Network. During the next few years, Sanofi improved its diversity in senior leadership – including hiring a female North American president.
Lindsay Savage Now you are a leadership coach at Change Catalyst Group. Yes, we coach leaders and organizations to become catalysts of awesomeness. Our primary focus is in healthcare, where we partner with leaders to build highperformance teams during times of transition. We offer one-on-one coaching, team coaching, and group coaching. We partner with our clients to co-create solutions so they are able to bring their vision, culture, and performance to life. Do you feel women must approach leadership differently than men? There are core foundations of great leaders that are not gender specific. However, from the research we know that there are seven specific hurdles that women face that are not challenges for men. The big one is our inner critic – the voice in our heads that stops us from being compassionate to ourselves and to others. Women seem to have a higher level of self-conversation around guilt, shame, and blame. When we coach our inner critic to look at life with abundance and not scarcity, we discover a new world of opportunities – and it is freeing. Would you recommend Wesleyan or any women’s college? Certainly. I am living proof that the right education can be its own catalyst of awesomeness in young women’s lives. At Wesleyan, I liked the ability to take out some of the gender distractions and disparities and just be me.
Getting to campus for classes can be a big challenge for working women and for those who are caregivers, even during normal times. Today, the advantages of earning a degree 100% online might prove to be advantageous for some more than ever before. Studying from the safety of your own home promotes the distancing guidelines established by the CDC during this time of global pandemic. Lindsay Savage, an online degree student at Wesleyan, is pursuing her degree in business administration after a twentyyear hiatus from school. With a background in healthcare administration, Lindsay searched for an online degree program that had the values and flexibility she needed. She discovered Wesleyan’s program while taking Lean Green and Six Sigma Green certification training on Wesleyan’s campus. “I took a Green Belt/ LEAN certification course with Wesleyan Associate Professor Kara Kostiuk. She mentioned that Wesleyan had an online degree option that was flexible and convenient for working women like me.” Lindsay had taken online courses at another college and found they weren’t flexible in the ways she needed to work around her fulltime job and family obligations. “The support at Wesleyan has been phenomenal. It is clear that the professors and staff are held to very high standards. They have a genuine desire to help students achieve their goals and objectives. I’ve had at least six professors now and they all are helpful, knowledgeable, and engaged. It’s night and day compared to my prior experience.”
Wesleyan Online offers year-round admission so students can enroll at any time and complete either full-time or part-time coursework whenever and wherever. Courses are offered in five sessions a year, each eight weeks long. From the start, classes have intentionally been kept small. Not only do students enjoy a close, personal relationship with award-winning professors, but also with a tightknit group of like-minded women. “As someone who is returning to school after nearly twenty years, I can tell you that Wesleyan’s online program is exactly what women are looking for. It provides a way for me to do the majority of the work on my time when I can. It would be impossible to attend traditional classes with my work schedule. The admission process is simple and convenient and the staff is so helpful. I think it’s an amazing school and can’t recommend it enough. I tell women it’s a decision they won’t regret.” Lindsay said she received a lot of motivation to return to school from Wesleyan Trustee Dr. Ninfa Saunders, president and CEO of Navicent Health. “I really like that Wesleyan’s values are rooted in feminism and inclusion. It’s nice to attend a school where the values closely resemble my own.”
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
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FACULTY MEMBERS RETIRE W/
100yrs COMBINED TEACHING AT
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WESLEYAN COLLEGE
Professor of Modern Languages Dr. Teresa Parrish Smotherman joined Wesleyan’s faculty in 2001. Previously, she served the University of Georgia’s Department of Romance Languages for eleven years after teaching Spanish at the high school and middle school levels. Serving at Wesleyan as an advisor for the Fulbright program and four-time faculty advisor for the Summer Leadership Institute, Smotherman also served on more than twenty committees including study abroad, athletic policies, and strategic planning. During her illustrious career, Smotherman traveled extensively to attend and conduct workshops and make conference presentations around the world including visiting Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, London, Dubai, Scotland, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico. She served as an instructor of Spanish for the elite Governor’s Honors Program and as a translator for the Clarke County Superior Court and for the Consul General of Argentina. She is a longtime member of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and the Latin American Studies Association. Smotherman earned several prestigious teaching awards at
Wesleyan including the Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Nonie A. and William F. Quillian Distinguished Teaching Award. She was named as one of the Governor’s Teaching Fellows in 2000 and 2001, and the Georgia Professor of the Year 2001 by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. She also served as president of Wesleyan’s Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society for the last fifteen years. Smotherman earned her Ph.D. in romance languages and her master’s degree in Spanish literature from the University of Georgia, and her bachelor’s degree in Spanish, magna cum laude, from Valdosta State College. Professor of Communication Deidra Donmoyer said, “I have been honored to work with Dr. Smotherman throughout the years. From questions about pedagogy to informal socializing over many, many lunches in Hurdle Cafe, to a partner in leading the Summer Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., I know she is someone who will provide me with insight and a full-bodied laugh. Dr. Smotherman is genuine and sincere in her care for students and love of life. I respect her deeply.”
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Dr. Libby Bailey began teaching at Wesleyan in 1976, and, with the exception of a threeyear hiatus for doctoral coursework, has served either as an adjunct or full-time faculty member ever since, attaining the rank of professor in 2002. Bailey is a teacher, art historian, artist, and art preservationist.
in 2005. In 2015, she was honored with the Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities. The award recognizes the value of the arts and humanities in the creation of a thriving economy and the recipient’s contributions to education, innovation, growth, and quality of life.
For more than forty years, Bailey taught drawing, painting, and art history to more than 2,000 students at Wesleyan and says her fondest memories are being in Murphey 104 discussing great works of art with her students. Under her supervision, art history students presented forty-two papers at The Georgia Undergraduate Art History Conference. In addition to being an oil and watercolor painter, she is also a printmaker and an artist of woodblock prints. In 2002, she created the Adopt-A-Painting program at Wesleyan with the philosophy that the College’s art must be conserved, displayed, and enjoyed by all.
She earned her bachelor of fine arts and master of fine arts degrees in drawing and painting and her Ph.D. in art history from the University of Georgia. Her area of specialization in art history is Medieval/ Renaissance art in Tuscany, but she also focuses on the issues of women, Native Americans, and African Americans represented in the arts.
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Bailey earned three prestigious teaching awards at Wesleyan: The Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1997 and in 2018 and the Nonie A. and William F. Quillian Distinguished Teaching Award
D. Abbott Turner Professor of Free Enterprise Dr. Glenna Dod Meyer has been a professor at Wesleyan College since 1983. Previously she held various positions at institutions in Mississippi, Texas, Kentucky, and New York, and from 1986 to 1997, she was a part-time adjunct professor of marketing at Mercer University. In 1990 just after the Berlin Wall came down, Meyer served as a Fulbright Professor at Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria, as the first professor of free enterprise at a flagship university in that country. She is a two-time Fulbright-Hays Scholar, first in Malaysia and Singapore and later in Taiwan and Thailand. Among many other global experiences, she served as professor of business English and marketing at Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, and studied businesses in Copenhagen, Denmark, to compare Danish and American businesses through a Wesleyan College Summer Research Grant. In addition to being published dozens of times and serving on many college and civic committees and boards, Meyer’s awards include the Marketing & Advertising Excellence Award for Best Marketing/ Advertising/Media Professor from the Central
all of the many leadership roles she has held, Libby has been meticulous but never bossy: she manages to use her vast knowledge, but also to synthesize ideas drawn from the whole group. Libby is a gifted teacher, an inspired artist, and a kind and generous colleague. We will all miss her at Wesleyan.”
Long time colleague and friend Dr. Frazer Lively, professor of theatre, said, “Dr. Libby Bailey has served as a shining example of how to be a Wesleyan professor. She has endless curiosity and a real ability to listen. These are just two of the qualities that enliven the many classes she has taught for Wesleyan over more than forty years. She is an evocative painter of complex pieces, and a published art historian. She takes pains to teach students how to think critically, present research, and write. In
Georgia Advertising Federation, 2003; Honoree inducted into the first Academic Honors Hall of Fame, Wayne County High School, 2002; and the Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching, as the award’s first recipient in 1989 and again in 2007. Meyer said, “My experiences with the intelligent, kind, and generous young women of Wesleyan have enriched my life beyond measure. I like to follow their achievements and cherish their friendships.” Friend, colleague, and Emeritus Professor of Economics Dr. Philip Taylor said, “I appreciate this opportunity to join many others in expressing my gratitude to Dr. Meyer for her tireless and unending support of Wesleyan College, her students, and her colleagues (especially me). The successes her students have gone on to achieve in life can be traced to Glenna’s timely words of encouragement and confidence in their abilities. Personally, I cannot remember a time that seeing Glenna’s open door did not make me more happy I chose Wesleyan for my career. Glenna, you are and will be missed.” The Glenna Dod Meyer Award was established in 2020 by the Department of Business & Economics to honor Dr. Meyer
upon her retirement. The award goes to a deserving rising senior in the department of Business and Economics who is chosen on the basis of character and academic achievement. Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
CAMPUS NEWS
Students, faculty, and staff recognized on Honors Day Wesleyan College held its annual Honors Day on April 22, 2020. This event honors faculty, staff, and students for their work in the classroom as well as on campus. Usually held in Pierce Chapel, this year’s event was held with over 200 members of Wesleyan’s family streaming the event live from their devices all over the country in order to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
four years. In the fall, Katie Ann is looking forward to beginning her career.
Senior Katherine Ann Fitts received the highest student-nominated honor, Wesleyan Student of the Year. The award is based on three principal traits: leadership, dedication to the Wesleyan Community, and friendship to others. Katie Ann is a Corn Scholar from Columbus, Georgia, majoring in business administration and management. She served as SGA president her senior year, as class president her junior year, and as a member of the Wesleyan Wolves soccer team for
Senior Kristen Kelley was honored as Wesleyan Student of Success, awarded each year to a junior or senior who stands out in academics, community service, and extracurricular activities. In the fall, Kristen, a biology major/neuroscience minor from Atlanta, Georgia, will be working as a medical scribe at an Atlanta-area hospital before entering medical school. Jill Amos ’87, director of disability and advocacy services, was honored with the SGA Faculty/Staff Workhorse Award and, for the fourth consecutive year, Tonya Parker ’01, assistant dean for equity and inclusion, was honored as SGA Staff Member of the Year. Two Presidential Staff Awards were honored - Dionne George, director of residence life and Jan Tedders ’08, systems administrator.
Faculty award winners included Professor of Biology Holly Boettger-Tong, Ph.D., SGA Professor of the Year; Associate Professor of Accounting Kara Kostiuk, Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching; Assistant Professor of Psychology Holly Cole, Ph.D., Quillian Distinguished Teaching Award; and Associate Professor of History Nick Steneck, Ph.D., Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award. Kayleigh Buie was honored as the first recipient of the Glenna Dod Meyer Award. Established in 2020 by the Department of Business & Economics, this award honors Dr. Meyer upon her retirement this May from Wesleyan College after 30 years of teaching, and is awarded to a rising senior in the department of business and economics. The recipient is chosen on the basis of character and academic achievement.
In Memoriam Tena N. Roberts, Class of 1960 November 22, 1938 - January 20, 2020 Tena Roberts ’60, beloved Wesleyan librarian for 41 years, passed away on January 20, 2020. In her official capacities at Wesleyan, Tena supervised the moving of books from the original Rivoli campus library in the Candler Building to the new Willet Library, completed the transition from the Dewey Decimal System to the Library of Congress System, began the computerization process of the library, started an archival program, and brought Wesleyan’s media facilities into the twenty-first century. In 1996, Tena became Wesleyan’s first archivist and served as the resident expert and final word on Wesleyan’s history. She wrote successful applications to have the campus named to the National Register of Historic Places and to have the Rivoli campus and original conservatory site named Historic Sites of the United Methodist Church. Yet hundreds of Wesleyannes will remember Tena for being a master 34
storyteller. Her “Legends and Lore” tales about the College fascinated and enchanted all members of the Wesleyan family. Using her spellbinding humor and wit she connected past and present, fact and fiction, to bring Wesleyan’s own behind-the-scenes stories to life. Tena retired in June 2004 and was named Professor Emerita. In 2005, the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association honored her with its award for Distinguished Service. In 2020, her Green Knight Class of 1960 adopted a 60th reunion project to name the Librarians Suite on the second floor of the newly renovated Willet Library in honor of their classmate. Tena N. Roberts was a “true, faithful, and loyal daughter” of the Oldest and Best. Her unwavering devotion to Wesleyan College, her role in preserving Wesleyan’s history and traditions, and her generous sharing of time and talents with her alma mater will be greatly missed.
Caty Hogeland
Audrey Mecklenburg
Two Wesleyan equestrian team members qualify for IDA National Championship Wesleyan College equestrian team member Audrey Mecklenburg ’22 qualified to compete in Upper Training Dressage Seat Equitation at the 2020 Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championship and Catherenne (Caty) Hogeland ’20 qualified in Individual Lower Training. The event was be hosted by Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, April 24 – 26 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both riders joined the IDA Team when the College joined in fall 2019. Wesleyan is a member of IDA Region J that includes colleges from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Wesleyan is the only school in Georgia competing in IDA. Audrey qualified for the IDA National Championship after competing this season in two shows hosted by The University of Florida, placing 1st and 2nd in November and 1st and 5th in February. The criteria for judging Dressage Seat Equitation includes overall correct position, relaxation and suppleness of rider, unity with the horse, lightness and correct application of aids, ability to maintain tempo and rhythm, and overall quality of performance. Caty qualified after placing 1st and 2nd in November and 2nd and 3rd in February. Dressage is an ancient equestrian discipline that highlights movements originally used in battle with warhorses. Dressage means “training” in French. Scores are given on individual movements in a
standard test with each movement awarded a score of 0 to 10. The rider with the highest overall score wins. The criteria includes balance of the rider with the horse, correct bend and preparation of transitions, harmony of horse and rider, as well as geometry and accuracy of the test demonstrating correct size and shape of movements. Wesleyan Head Equestrian Coach Catherine Baker said, “I am so proud of our IDA Team for taking on a new discipline and doing an outstanding job in their first year of dressage. Since this was our first year competing in dressage, we did not have a dressage arena for them to practice their tests. Our limited experience dressage riders did an amazing job earning great scores and placings at each show. We had three riders competing in IDA this year and for two to qualify for IDA National Championships is an accomplishment almost unheard of.” The IDA began in 1995 at Mount Holyoke College with college and secondary schools participating in team dressage competitions. In 2003, IDA became a collegeonly organization providing team dressage competitions where the rider draws for the horse on which they will compete. Horses are provided by the host school, other colleges, and private owners. IDA is affiliated with USDF (United States Dressage Federation) and adheres to USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) competition rules.
Wolves at Work Fair brings more than 30 local organizations to campus The Center for Career Development and The Lane Center partnered to co-host Wesleyan’s annual Wolves at Work Fair. The fair’s purpose is to help current students make connections with potential employers, learn about career options in their fields, discover volunteer opportunities, and network with community leaders. “The goal of both departments is to foster connections between Wesleyan College’s student body and the local community. This event allowed us to do so, and we look forward to seeing the opportunities that come from the meaningful interactions that took place,” said Mallory Neil, assistant director of the Center for Career Development. “Today’s event was very informative and provided an opportunity to share information about the programs offered in our office. We were able to share with the students, as well as hear about their interests and future aspirations,” said a representative from Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. More than 100 students attended the oncampus event to network with more than 30 local businesses and organizations - including Amazon, GEICO, Girls Scouts of the USA, and Visit Macon - to discuss potential job, internship, and service opportunities. “The Wolves at Work Career Fair was the perfect chance to talk with employers within my field and explore what jobs are available locally. The conversations were great. I now feel more confident that I will be able to find a job after graduation,” said Rawlanda Hercules ‘20, selfdesigned music-theatre major.
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
CAMPUS NEWS
Bringing the Wesleyan Experience to India
Imagine transporting a battery-operated microscope, human tissue specimens, and a variety of water samples through several airports, a range of vehicles, and finally into the foothills of the Himalayas. That’s exactly what Biology Professor and Department Chair Dr. Holly Boettger-Tong did during her spring semester sabbatical. With her current research directed towards understanding barriers that disadvantaged people face in accessing a healthy environment, she insisted on visiting a locale facing substantial challenges. After deciding on India, based on its struggles with poor air and water quality, she looked for a non-governmental organization (NGO) that focused on education, women and children, and the environment. She found Pyunli. Based in Gaucher, India, Pyunli, founded in 2015, sets out to help every child gain a quality education regardless of their economic or social standing. The name “Pyunli” comes from a very popular flower in Garhwal, India’s, culture and symbolizes a beautiful woman. Inspired by the noble tradition of ‘service before self’, Pyunli “believes in the process of social change through women empowerment and child education.” Knowing that part of the key to understanding and solving environmental issues is providing all young people with access to the tools of science, Dr. BoettgerTong set out to bring the necessary equipment to the small school Sanskar in Gaucher, India. With the College’s blessing, Dr. Boettger-Tong gifted the school a microscope on behalf of Wesleyan.
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In a school with no heat and very little resources, Dr. Boettger-Tong designed simple experiments for testing water and facilitated a class for 13- to15-year-old students who had never seen or used a microscope before. “Girls in India (and many countries) struggle to receive an education equal to their male counterparts, so it is especially important for colleges like Wesleyan, who are willing to share resources with less privileged educational institutions, to help level the educational playing field to make science more accessible for everyone,” said Dr. Boettger-Tong. Dr. Boettger-Tong is in her twentieth year at Wesleyan. Her primary research interest is reproductive biology. She has supported 18 undergraduate honors theses in her lab at Wesleyan and helped to secure grants including an NSF S-STEM award designed to support the Student Preparation and Retention Collaborative (SPARC) Scholars Program, which aims to improve STEM retention and graduate outcomes for socioeconomically disadvantaged, high-achieving, undergraduate students. Dr. BoettgerTong has worked with a variety of colleges and k-12 partners in the context of Math Science Partnership and GEAR UP funded collaborations. She has received many awards for her outstanding work in the classroom, including the Vulcan Teaching Excellence Award, the Quillian Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Ann Munck Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2019, she was named as the Storza Chair for Excellence in Teaching. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in biology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Graduate programs get new leadership Dr. Seth David Selke joined Wesleyan’s faculty in January serving as the Executive MBA program director and assistant professor of business. Dr. Selke has served the College as adjunct professor of business since 2018, developing the online curriculum for the business degree and creating courses on the LMS platform. Prior, he served as director of training for M3V eLearning, Indianapolis, Indiana; an assistant online program director and instructor for The Art Institute of Pittsburgh; the general manager of a restaurant and wholesale food distribution company, Connersville, Indiana; and as adjunct instructor for Ivy Tech Community College in Richmond, Indiana. Having served on many academic committees, Dr. Selke is a highly sought after conference presenter and conductor of online workshops. Dr. Selke earned his doctor of business administration degree from Northcentral University, San Diego; his master of science in management degree from Indiana Wesleyan University; and his bachelor of science in business administration degree from Indiana University East. Dr. Selke said, “Now serving our 35th cohort of EMBA students, Wesleyan’s program has proved to be of great benefit to our graduates. There is real value in investing in yourself, your company, and your career. We are proud that our graduates experience a healthy return on their investment, having earned career and salary advancement soon after graduation.” Wesleyan College welcomes Dr. John Christopher as assistant professor of psychology and director of the master of industrial organizational psychology program. Dr. Christopher has twentyfive years of experience in designing human resource practices that foster effective and psychologically healthy work environments. He has served in roles from organizational psychology faculty to principle investigator to consultant. He brings direct experience as a research manager-consultant in the public health, electrical energy, and telecommunications industries. Dr. Christopher holds a doctorate degree in industrial-organizational psychology from Wayne State University and a predictive analytics certificate from University of California Irvine. He has presented papers at annual conferences for the Southeastern Psychology Association, Society for Teaching Psychology, Academy of Management, International Association of Business Communicators, and HR Florida Conference & Expo. He teaches graduate courses in organizational behavior, data analytics, employee development, and organizational justice as well as undergraduate courses in industrial-organizational psychology. Dr. Christopher said, “Wesleyan’s program is particularly focused on human resource practices that lead to healthy, just, and diverse work environments. Wesleyan is uniquely capable of delivering this curriculum because of its historical role in developing women leaders. I believe Wesleyan’s global connections help the program emphasize the value of diversity and justice in all aspects of work.”
Wesleyan’s Head Librarian uses sewing skills to make masks during COVID-19 pandemic When the COVID-19 pandemic began dominating the news, Wesleyan’s Head Librarian and Library Director Kristi Peavy noticed pictures of homemade masks showing up on her Instagram feed and immediately knew how she could help. As a quilter, Kristi keeps a large selection of quilting cotton and other supplies on hand in her craft room. She knew there was a need for masks in her Byron, Georgia, community and she had the supplies to help. She contacted her brother-in-law, a local nurse, to ask if homemade masks would be accepted. When he said yes, she found a pattern online and made the first batch of masks for her brother-in-law and his wife, who is also a nurse. Then she made more. “I made more than fifty masks and donated them to my local hospital. Since then, I’ve made them for family, colleagues, former students, neighbors, friends, and friends of family.” To date, Kristi estimates she has made more than one hundred masks. “I’m so sad that masks are necessary, but I’m glad to have the skill, supplies, and time to help my community. I will continue to make masks as long as there is a need for them.” Kristi also oversees the new Makerspace housed in Willet Library. The room is equipped with sewing and embroidery machines, Cricut cutting machines, knitting materials, and more. Last semester, Kristi and President Fowler hosted two “Sew with the President” workshops to introduce the space. Both events were at capacity as students learned to make pillows and to sew pillow shams. Students also enjoyed making towels at a workshop last November. Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
A Message from the WCAA president
Hello, Sisters: I got on a bicycle earlier today. It’s probably been more than a year since the last time. The bicycle was a recent purchase. As in yesterday recent...and from Craig’s List. Realizing that I had to do SOMETHING different from my new norm (to simultaneously get myself out the house and maintain safe distance) and in my effort to buy used, it happened pretty quickly.
Candlelighting, a toasting flute in lieu of Senior Toast, a tote bag and other Wesleyan memorabilia, and a message about becoming a member of the oldest alumnae association in the world. Included also is a copy of the Benson Charge and information on how Seniors can stay connected to the College as our newest alumnae.
It felt a little different, and Lord knows the sight of me exercising likely caused double-takes from my neighbors. But I did it, and am not ashamed to admit that my change-up was a result of change. I likely wouldn’t have felt the urge had COVID-19 not entered our lives, but if I keep it up, it will do me good.
The analogy of my bike ride to what Wesleyan is doing is not lost on me, and I hope you see the correlation as well. What we do may not feel or look quite the same moving forward, but Wesleyan is growing from it. Despite limitations and in the face of challenges, Wesleyan is continuing to do what she does best: preparing students for the future and celebrating them in time-honored and relevant ways.
I may be popping the ibuprofen in the days to come as a result, but acknowledging the need for positive change and responding to it...that’s what matters, right? Below, I’d like to share with you just a few ways Wesleyan has recently adapted to change: • Converted instruction to online • Downsized on-campus services as a result of decreased student body • Rescheduled Alumnae Weekend 2020 • Started planning for future on-campus events to reflect social distancing I am most familiar with things the Alumnae Office is doing as a result of spring events being postponed or re-engineered altogether. I think you will be especially proud of how your alma mater is celebrating her students’ achievements in new ways. By the time you read this, each Senior will have received a custom-designed Wesleyan purple box. Its contents: a keepsake candle to represent
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As sisters and as alumnae, there are ways we can adapt, too. THANK YOU to those who sponsored one of the purple boxes. THANK YOU to those who have volunteered professional advice and have become a mentor on the Purple Briefcase platform. THANK YOU for those who have been a guest speaker to students (in-person and virtually). In the many shapes and forms that your involvement can take at Wesleyan, THANK YOU for remaining true, faithful, and loyal. I look forward to seeing you (fingers crossed) in person at Alumnae Weekend in September. Warm Regards for Sister Safety and Wellness,
Abbie Smoak Lacienski ’01 President, Wesleyan College Alumnae Association
ALUMNAE WEEKEND 2020
RESCHEDULED
Simply Sisters: Forever Friends September 11, 12, and 13 Registration for Alumnae Weekend 2020 will remain open at wesleyancollege.edu/reunionregistration. We can hold your reservation for September or please contact us at (478) 757-5173 to discuss your individual registration needs. Please remember to make your gift by June 30. All gifts made by June 30 will count toward your reunion class gift. For more details: wesleyancollege.edu/alumnaeweekend
Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
2020 Alumnae Award Recipients Distinguished Service to Wesleyan College Susan Woodward Walker Class of 1970 By the time Susan graduated from Wesleyan, she had co-chaired the New York Seminar for three years; played soccer and other sports; and served as a Junior Marshal, junior advisor, and senior dorm assistant. She was a member of Splinters, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, and Who’s Who. In her senior year she was tapped to chair the student division of the Wesleyan Capital Gifts Campaign, an experience that set her on a course of service to her alma mater over the next 50 years. As a young alumna, Susan was elected to the Alumnae Association Board of Managers serving as alumnae weekend chair and as class liaison. Later she served as vice chair and then chair of the Loyalty Fund. In 2006, Susan agreed to serve as board president-elect, became president in 2009, and continued as past president through 2015. Her tenure on the board was marked by her dedication to making sure that the alumnae association’s efforts were compatible with the needs of the College, focusing on admissions and fundraising. She developed and continues to champion the Wesleyan First Book Award, a scholarship given to high school sophomores who matriculate at Wesleyan. Susan earned an award from Wesleyan’s admission office for her work in recruitment, which includes hosting events in the Nashville area, and personally presenting Wesleyan First Book Awards. Susan joined the board of trustees in 2013 and now chairs the development committee and is a member of the enrollment and marketing committee. She co-chairs the committee organizing her class’s 50th reunion, is a member of the Society for the 21st Century, the Stanback Society, and is a Friend of Pierce Chapel and of Willet Library. Susan has chosen to continue a family tradition of service to Wesleyan begun by her mother and her aunts. 40
Distinguished Service to the Church Rev. Felecia Pearson Smith Class of 1974 Felecia began her journey into ministry at Wesleyan. After graduating cum laude with a degree in religion, Felecia earned the distinction of being the first African American woman to be admitted and to graduate from the Candler School of Theology with a master’s degree in divinity. In 2010, Felecia was chosen as a fellow in the Black Women Ministerial Leadership Program at the Interdenominational Theological Center. In 2015, the Black Student Caucus of Candler School of Theology named her the recipient of the first annual “Felecia Pearson Smith Trail Blazer Award” for significant leadership in the church. Licensed in 1977 and ordained in 1985 by the Georgia Ministerial Assembly of the Church of God, Felecia served as president/CEO of the Shenango Valley Urban League in Pennsylvania for three years and then as director of the Bonner Office of Community Service and Student Development at Spelman College for 10 years. Today, as executive pastor of Community Church of God in Atlanta, Felecia leads a myriad of ministries along with her husband and senior pastor Michael Smith, but her outreach to women and pastors’ wives has been the focus of her faith career. She is the state coordinator for the Georgia Fellowship of Women’s Ministry, co-founder of Cascade Clergy Spouses, and member of the Atlanta Chapter of Ministers’ Wives and Widows. Felecia serves as a coach for the Church of God Ministries and has created a course “Finding Your Voice Amidst the Noise in the Sanctuary” that speaks especially to women. She also teaches online classes, hosts a weekly Facebook Live discussion, and is the author of My Hair My Marriage. Always faithful to her alma mater, Felecia supports Wesleyan’s annual fund, has returned to campus as a panelist/speaker, and has worked with campus leaders on diversity and inclusion efforts.
Distinguished Service to Wesleyan College Jane Price Claxton Class of 1968 During her 25-year career as a high school English teacher and counselor at Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, GA, Jane shared her knowledge in content and classroom strategies with new teachers while inspiring her students to win state championships in literary meets and helping them reach their educational goals. Jane also wrote and coordinated the program that allowed 100 GISA schools to become part of the Scripps Howard Spelling Bee Competition, was named STAR Teacher in 2000, and received the St. Francis de Sales Award for outstanding service to the school. In 2006, her son Joe, Jr. moved to Wesley Glen Ministries, a residential facility serving adults with special needs. Jane joined the Wesley Glen Auxiliary where she founded and still runs a cost-free Santa Shop. She is a member of the Wesley Glen Ministries board and has been recognized on three different occasions for outstanding service. Her service on the Alumnae Association Board of Managers spans 15 years. As vice president for educational enrichment she chaired three Katharine Payne Carnes Lecture Series, bringing authors Jane Smiley, Carmen Deedy, and Mary Alice Munroe to Wesleyan. She also directed efforts to nominate alumnae for induction into Georgia Women of Achievement. As vice president for public relations she served as class notes editor for WESmag. She is a founder of the Macon alumnae Pioneer Book Club, often serving as hostess. Jane has supported the Annual Fund since graduation, is a member of the Society for the Twenty-first Century, and is a Friend of Pierce Chapel and of Willet Library. As a candlelighter, an alumnae admissions representative, former Loyalty Fund chair, and a class reunion committee member, Jane is recognized as an extraordinary volunteer.
Young Alumna Award Brittany Joiner Lucas, Ph.D. Class of 2006
Young Alumna Award Jessica Kendrick Thomas Class of 2008
After graduating from Wesleyan with a degree in middle grades education, Brittany earned her M.Ed. degree at Georgia College and State University and began her career as a middle school teacher. In 2009, she accepted the position of director of operations, satellite operations at MGTC (Middle Georgia Technical College now Central Georgia Technical College/CGTC). She has spent the last 12 years working as an adult education literacy teacher. Through a newly created job she served as the instructional coordinator for the Career Pathways and Accelerated Opportunities program which allows students to enroll in college courses for credit while working on their GEDs. In 2013, Brittany served as director of operation for the Hawkinsville Workforce Development Center where she worked with adult learners and also with high school students in the areas of dual enrollment and in economic development training. During this time, Brittany earned her Ph.D. in adult education from The University of Georgia. Currently at CGTC, Brittany is executive director for re-entry services providing technical certificates of credit and onthe-job training for citizens at 13 Georgia correctional facilities. Under her leadership CGTC has partnered with the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) to establish the RESET Award for previously incarcerated citizens. She also created educational and job readiness programs for residential substance abuse treatment facilities within the GDC and the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. In 2012, MGTC honored Brittany as Adult Education Instructor of the Year. At Wesleyan, Brittany was a basketball athlete, president of Kappa Delta Epsilon, member of Mortar Board and WAVE, and participated in STUNT. She has returned to campus to speak with students and to serve on alumnae panels.
Having served four years on the Council on Judicial Affairs (as chancellor her senior year), participating in Summer Leadership Institute 2007, holding several positions with SGA, serving as a member of Mortar Board and Alpha Kappa Psi, Jessica graduated from Wesleyan with a degree in English, and went on to earn her master’s degree in business administration from North Carolina Central University. Early in her career, she supported contract billing of various government entities before working with the U. S. Navy in Washington, D.C. Jessica’s career has focused on assisting in Navy Audit Readiness efforts. She spent four years supporting the assistant secretary of the Navy’s Financial Management Office Financial Management and Comptroller Office Audit Readiness effort. Today she serves as an analyst for Booz Allen Hamilton Associates, an American management and information technology consulting firm headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with 80 offices around the globe. She works as a contractor to improve military pay functions for the Navy, supporting the OPNAV N10 Business Development Office in providing audit oversight and insight into the Navy Pay and Personnel platform. In 2017, Jessica received the Passionate Service Award for successful coordination and creating recordable opportunities for the FY17 Full Financial Statement Audit Award and the Team Freundel WAR Award for which she was nominated by team members. In 2018 and 2019 respectively, Jessica earned Scrum Master Certification and Scrum Product Owner Certification. Jessica is a member of The Junior League of Washington. She also serves as the group leader for Wesleyan’s Washington, D.C., Metro Alumnae Club, where she organizes club events. She has collected clothes for Wesleyan’s CCD Career Closet, serves as a Purple Briefcase mentor, and helped organize the Summer Leadership Institute’s trip to Washington in 2019. Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
AlumnaeCONNECTIONS
A New Normal, the Same Sisterhood. Sisterhood has no boundaries, is not restricted by quarantines, and is not weakened by distance. The sisterhood of Wesleyan BC (Before COVID-19) is the same sisterhood that Wesleyan women have continued to share with each other. Though our methods of gathering together and connecting with each other now may be different, we still look to our Wesleyan friends for encouragement, support, and for virtual hugs. In the end we are all Simply Sisters, and it is that spirit of sisterhood that will keep the College moving forward as we continue to connect with Wesleyan, her students, and each other from afar. To schedule a virtual alumnae event or class meeting, mentor a student, present a Wesleyan First Award, and/or volunteer for the WCAA, contact the Alumnae Office at csnow@wesleyancollege.edu (478) 757-5173 or the WCAA Board of Managers at WesleyanBOM@gmail.com. Alumnae events listed below were held before COVID-19 restrictions.
Florida
Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia
Tallahassee
In early March area alumnae held a Wesleyan Lunch & Learn at Goodwood Museum and Gardens, where Director of Athletics and Head Softball Coach Penny Siqueiros gave a power point presentation to the group and discussed how Wesleyan athletics is helping to grow the College. Alumnae Director Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 was on hand to greet guests and also gave an update on the College. Virginia Barber Perkins ’63 arranged for the meeting with help from other alumnae hostesses Shari Richardson Arrington ’71, Bootsie Laslie Brinson Bird ’58, Ermine Owenby ’61, and Martha Herring Stubbs ’68.
DC Metro Area
In late February, area alumnae held a Meet-Up at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Center. The group also sent a collective Wesleyan snack box to students who could not return home due to COVID-19. Members signed on for a virtual Happy Hour in May with Anastasia Cooper ’07, winner of a recent Sagamore Spirit Cocktail Showdown, who provided a cocktail and mocktail demonstration via ZOOM. Members were encouraged to wear sunglasses and a favorite shirt!
Georgia Atlanta
Past Presidents of the Atlanta Club sponsored a Galantine’s themed Sisterhood Social in February that encouraged area alumnae to meet up with Wesleyan roommates, big and little sisters, and with other Wesleyan friends at the home of Atlanta artist Lu McElroy Steed ’58. Guests from the College included President Vivia Fowler and Advancement Officer Susan Brown Allen ’17 who greeted alumnae guests. Everyone enjoyed a tour of Lu’s extensive art collections, including a collection of her own work. Leesa Akins Flora ’87 is president of the Atlanta Club.
Sisterhood in Action: Connecting with Students during COVID-19.
The WCAA would like to thank our alumnae for helping to sponsor Wesleyan Keepsake Boxes for 2020 graduates filled with symbolic items used in Senior traditions that could not take place this year. The boxes contained a Wesleyan tote bag, a Candlelighting candle, a Senior Toast champagne flute, and a heartfelt letter from WCAA President Abbie Smoak Lacienski ’01 welcoming graduates into the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association. Words to the Benson Charge, Senior Toast, and alma mater completed the custom designed boxes that included information on the many ways in which our newest alumnae can stay connected with the College.
Macon
Macon Pioneer Book Club discussions were held in Willet Library until March. Area alumnae also donated snacks for students who are still living on campus. A Macon Club virtual reorganizational meeting was scheduled for May. Interested in sharing your ideas? Contact csnow@wesleyancollege.edu or Jan Lawrence ’80 at WesleyanBOM@gmail.com.
North Carolina
North Carolina Triangle Club (Raleigh/Durham)
The Club’s annual meeting in January took place at The Carolina Country Club in Raleigh. Lisa Sloben ’00, curator of collections and trustee relations at Wesleyan, spoke to club members on “Wesleyan’s Art Treasures.” Club co-leaders, Linda Brown Walker ’73 and Pamela Henry Pate ’71 welcomed alumnae guests to the event that featured luncheon fare served on Wesleyan china.
Feeling the distance? Get Virtual. @wesleyancollege and @wesleyancollegeAA 42
We also appreciate the many alumnae who continue to send snacks to current students who are still on campus. Thank you for joining Amazon SMILE and the Kroger PLUS Community Rewards Program that also benefit Wesleyan.
For current updates on news of classmates, friends, and alumnae events check us out on Social Media.
@WesleyanCollege
wesleyancollegega
Wesleyan College
CLUB facebook 1. Lunch & Learn Ladies. Tallahassee-area alumnae gathered in March to learn about Wesleyan’s athletic program from Director of Athletics and Head Softball Coach Penny Siqueiros. 2. Sharing Smiles. (L-R) Tallahassee hostesses Ermine Owenby ’61, Bootsie Bird ’58, Martha Stubbs ’68, Shari Arrington ’71, and Virginia Perkins ’63 greet Coach Penny Siqueiros.
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3. A Presidential Welcome. Atlanta Club Past Presidents and Wesleyan College President Vivia Fowler thank hostess Lu Steed ’58 (center) for hosting a Sisterhood Social in February. 4. View from the Gallery. (L-R) Atlanta alumnae Colleen DeGraff Holtz ’15, Selina Snider ’10, Cecelia Richmond ’10 and Happy Nassos ’17 enjoy viewing artwork at Lu Steed’s home.
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5. Annual Meeting. NC Triangle Club members enjoy the Club’s annual luncheon meeting in Raleigh. 6. Sitting Pretty. Melissa Thomas ’69 (L) and Pamela Pate ’71 (R) welcome luncheon speaker and Wesleyan’s Curator of Collections Lisa Sloben ’00 to Raleigh.
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7. All Together. Raleigh-area alumnae pose for the camera at The Carolina Club in January. 8. Museum Meet-Up. (L-R) Washington, DC, club members Tabitha Parker ’05, Pris Bornmann ’68, Tanya Parker ’08, Jessica Thomas ’08, Nikkii Hatcher ’04, and Amanda Harris ’90 meet-up at the Natural History Museum.
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9. Happy Hour Girl. Award-winning mixologist Anastasia Cooper ’07 practices for her upcoming ZOOM presentation for the virtual May meeting of the Washington, DC, Club. 10. Senior Surprise. Members of the Class of 2020 received custom designed Wesleyan keepsake boxes filled with symbolic mementos representing annual Senior traditions and events. 9
10 Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
Sympathy The Wesleyan College Alumnae Association extends sympathy to: Jane Chandler Rhodes ’49 on the death of her husband, Clarence “Mutt” Lee Rhodes, Jr., on May 28, 2019.
Caroline Hollis Baker ’70 on the death of her husband, James “Jim” Blount Baker, on April 9, 2020.
Lesley Culpepper Huckeba ’90 on the death of her father, Bobby Clenton Savage, on January 22, 2019.
Susan Thigpen McDuffie ’53 on the death of her husband, William “Bill” Robert McDuffie, Sr., on February 17, 2020.
Jan Drury Cox ’70 on the death of her mother, Lois Bailey Drury, on April 11, 2020.
Jane Carver Kimbrel ’94 on the death of her mother, Gwin Fitzgerald Carver, on December 24, 2019.
Harriett Willis Bevil ’54 on the death of her daughter, Susan Bevil Parker, on December 13, 2019. Judy Detwiler Sutton ’55 on the death of her brother, John Christopher Detwiler, on February 25, 2020. Harriett Johnson Bell ’59 on the death of her husband, Melvin “Mel” Perry Bell, on February 2, 2019. Yvonne Grant Lindsey ’59 and Shannon Lindsey Hudson ’80 on the death of Yvonne’s husband and Shannon’s father, Dr. I. Lehman Lindsey, on January 29, 2020. Louise Somers Davidson ’60 on the death of her husband, William C. Davidson, on June 28, 2019. Nancy Glover Kennedy ’62 on the death of her husband, William “Bill” Thomas Kennedy, on September 3, 2019. Betty Jane Owens Betts ’64 on the death of her brother, Charles Lafayette Owens, Jr., on January 17, 2020. Lin Carter Puster ’66 on the death of her husband, James “Jim” G. Puster, Jr., on September 9, 2019.
Lana Tygart Griner ’70 on the death of her mother, Marjorie “Margie” West Tygart on March 24, 2019. Susan Wyllys Wallace ’72 on the death of her sister, Sylvia Wyllys Boone ’60, on January 27, 2020. Marsha Brown Thomas ’73 on the death of her mother, Oberley Andrews Brown, on January 31, 2020. Susan Powers Champion ’74 on the death of her father, Lloyd Mayhue Jones, on April 16, 2020. Sandi Davis Townley ’75 on the death of her husband, Christopher Alan Townley, on March 6, 2020. Janet Friberg Jarrett ’78 and Hillary Jarrett Maedel ’08 on the death of Janet’s father and Hillary’s grandfather, Richard E. Friberg, on January 12, 2020. Nadine Cheek ’79 on the death of her sister, Nannette Cheek Soles, on January 11, 2020. Louise Daniels DeLaurier ’80 on the death of her father, John “Cecil” Daniels, on June 17, 2019.
Anne Hilger Manley ’67 on the death of her cousins, Wesleyan Trustee Susan Pyeatt Kimmey ’71 on April 30, 2020, and Phyllis Pyeatt ’73 on February 13, 2020.
Melissa Nichols Showers ’83 and Amy Nichols Dever ’85 on the death of their mother, Carole Adams Nichols, on April 21, 2020. Carole retired from Wesleyan after twenty-five years of service as assistant to the dean of admission.
Evelyn Walrath Yearty ’68 on the death of her father, Burton J. Walrath, on May 17, 2019.
Cheri Nelson Butler ’85 on the death of her husband, Rodney Scott Butler, on August 15, 2019.
Dianne Carstarphen Bowman ’69 on the death of her father, Robert Bruce Carstarphen, Sr., on April 21, 2020.
Maricka “Ricky” Rogers-Randall ’88 on the death of her daughter, Emily Schwinabart, on April 13, 2020.
44
Nikki Dillard Lytle ’98 on the death of her father, Michael Wayne Dillard, on August 8, 2019. Adriana Cooper-Jones ’01 and Empress Buxton ’23 on the death of Adriana’s father and Empress’s grandfather, Cicéro F. Jones, on March 20, 2020. Jessica Bennett Hubbartt ’04 on the death of her grandmother, Phyllis Patricia Butler, on July 13, 2019. Jaime Fox McQuilkin ’06 on the death of her grandfather, Joseph Warren Wilson, on April 11, 2020.
FACULTY, STAFF, AND TRUSTEE DEATHS Susan Pyeatt Kimmey ’71, Wesleyan trustee, died on April 30, 2020. Carole Nichols, retired assistant to the dean of admission, died on April 21, 2020. Tena N. Roberts ’60, retired librarian, archivist, and professor emerita, died on January 20, 2020. Joyce Turner, director of campus events (1999-2009), died on March 3, 2020. Kenterrous Taylor, campus police officer, died on March 17, 2020. Harold Coleman Weathers, former member of Wesleyan’s Board of Associates, died on January 21, 2020.
Marriages Congratulations to: Jessica Dermody ’08 and Tracy Gibson who were married on October 27, 2019, at Rose Hall Event Center in Dallas, GA.
Esiri Tasker ’14 and Demerest Armstrong who were married on October 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Class of 2014 sisters who were bridesmaids were Paula Lockhart, Ashlee Day, and Brittainee ReChele Lee.
Natalie Chapman ’10 and Kyle Bryant who Colleen DeGraff ’15 and Colin Holtz who were married on October 19, 2019. were married on April 25, 2020. Sabrina Edmondson ’10 and Colt Lee Wright who were married on August 9, 2019. Karista P. Travet ’15 and Justin Clayvon who were married on April 30, 2020. Rebecca D. Navarre ’14 and Jason Peterson Kelli M. Kushinka ’15 and Philip Knauer who who were married in October 2019 in were married on March 21, 2020. Bourne, MA.
Births & Family Additions Congratulations to:
Shelby Smith ’98 and Kimble Sorrells who welcomed their daughter, Evie, in 2019. Janice Roberson Anderson ’00 and Maurice on the birth of their daughter, Journey Monaé, on April 2, 2020. Tiffany Noell ’00 and her spouse who recently adopted two little boys, Ben and Elliot.
Kathryn “Kat” Quirk ’10 and Alex on the birth of their first child, Zelda Faye Bobbs, on February 23, 2020. Kyla Wall Burns ’12 and Brandt on the birth of a second child, Rose Ella Burns, on August 8, 2019, joining big brother Harrison - age 2.
Susan Pyeatt Kimmey JUNE 11, 1949 – APRIL 30, 2020 Quite unexpectedly on April 30, 2020, the Wesleyan College Board of Trustees and indeed, the entire Wesleyan family lost an exceptional, spirited leader whose personality was comprised of quick wit, uncanny instincts, and impressive charm. Susan Pyeatt Kimmey, Class of 1971, and a native of Searcy, Arkansas, earned a master of education degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. She practiced law in Atlanta as a judicial clerk for the Georgia Court of Appeals before becoming the mother of twin girls and an enthusiastic community volunteer. A devoted alumna of Wesleyan College, Susan served on the alumnae association board of managers and was invited to join Wesleyan’s board of trustees in 2008, serving for twelve years until her death. During her service as a trustee, Susan held the position of board chair, chair of the committee on trustees and policies, and served on Wesleyan’s trustee executive committee. As a community volunteer, she served many boards including the Atlanta Speech School, Prevent Blindness Georgia, and Buckhead Christian Ministry, among others. She was president of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Women’s Guild, served on the finance board of the Church,
and was a member of the board of visitors of the Monastery of Holy Spirit in Conyers. Susan is preceded in death by her husband John Lansing Kimmey III, who died on February 13, 2020, and her sister Phyllis Pyeatt, Wesleyan Class of 1973, who also died on February 13, 2020. The Wesleyan family sends heartfelt condolences to Susan and Lansing’s two daughters, Laura Kimmey Nix and Susannah Kimmey Bartko, their four granddaughters, all of Atlanta, and to Phillip Harrison Pyeatt of Searcy, the father of Susan and Phyllis.
In Memoriam 1932 1937 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1957 1958 1959 1960 1964 1965 1966 1967 1971 1973 1975 1980 1990 1995 2002
Marjorie Howard Smith Mary Ray Robinson Harriet Loeb Feeney Beth Collins Penn Kathleen Branan Roughgarden Virginia Rowland Whelchel Elizabeth Pittman Claiborne Alice Mitchell Jeffries Jo Dyer Mosley Adele Dippy Phillips Betty Parham McGee Nancy Wyattt Ezzard Joanna Mauldin Johnson Margaret Lynch Cordell Eleanor Isom Harrington Harriet Getzen Knight Amelia Adams Wilson Mary Blair Johnson Peggy Leonard Glover Joann Garrett Rusch Elizabeth Brender Belanger Carol Kea Carter Jeanette Puckett Perrine Richard Earle Barnette Betty Jordan Hiley Betty Monk Johnson Albert Everett Amos Rosa Maria Leighty Bocco Sylvia Wyllys Boone Clynton Williams Goodrich Tena N. Roberts Diane Blackmon Nix Carol Bishop Rivenbark Judy Lunceford Esterer Sumie Iwasa Venice Fisher Rollins Carol Evans Sanchez Peggy Martin Timberlake Betty Irish Wright Susan Glover Logan Karen Short Cummings Jeannie O. Bowen Susan Pyeatt Kimmey Phyllis Pyeatt Laurie Brunson Altieri Vicki McCaleb Gilpin Elizabeth Parramore Nix Angel K. Robinson Tommie Forehand McClung Fowler
Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Magazine Magazine Magazine Spring/Summer Spring/Summer Summer 2016 2020 2020
Class Notes 1940s Monique Samson Dempsey ’48 is well and living at home with her daughter. Her two sons and three grandsons visit regularly. Youngest grandson Nate graduates from Harvard College in May. Mimi Roads Griffith ’49 writes, “I still remember Wesleyan with love and appreciation for a wonderful education and special memories.” Jane Chandler Rhodes ’49 shares, “I’m expecting my 6th great-grandchild this summer. Two of them live in the house in which I grew up in Greensboro, GA.”
1950s “Daughter Jeanne Norton Rollberg ’79 reminded me on my 88th birthday that should we add together our ages, we’d be 150 years old!” writes Joan Jennings Norton ’53. “I am sad to report the loss of my daughter, Susan, in December (13, 2019). She attended the last two reunions with me and fell in love with Wesleyan and my wonderful classmates. It amazed and delighted her to see the bonds of sisterhood continuing long after graduation. My love and prayers for health to you and your loved ones,” reports Harriett Willis Bevil ’54. (See Sympathy) “It has been a sad year for us in the loss of our oldest son, Sydney Brown Freeman, Jr., to suicide. Be assured the Lord has blessed us with loved ones to help us through this situation. We received cards from several of my Wesleyan classmates, for which we are thankful,” reports Natholyn Miller Freeman ’54. Lloyd Young Flanders ’56 enjoys playing bridge, reading, and serving on the Altar Guild in Darien, GA. “I have traveled extensively and have been to 70+ countries on all the continents,” writes Lloyd. “We are blessed to have three children, nine grandchildren, and five great-grands. Even though they are scattered about – living in DC, London, Geneva, France, and in the US, 46
we manage to see them all at least once a year. I enjoy book club, music, Emory board, conservation/environment, cabin life, French group, walking every day, good friends, and good health,” writes Mary Emma Welch McConaughey ’56. According to Julie Adams Hawk ’57, “2019 has been a great year to talk with classmates: Jean Middlebrooks Morris, Nan McClellan Flowers, Maria Higgins, Mary Pierpont “Pont” Hall, Sylvia Vanlandingham Rossiter and Joan Maddox Sammons. Let’s keep in touch friends! Facebook and email can be fun for sharing good times.” Congratulations to Nancy Doss Holcombe ’58 who welcomed her 11th great-grandchild into the world on October 25, 2019. “She is my third great-granddaughter,” reports Nancy. “Blessed! Three children (ages 55, 61, and 62). Seven grands (ages 31 to 38). 11 great-grands (ages 1 year to 11 years). My oldest grandchild, Elisa Wallace, has become well known as a combined training competitor (3 day events) and trainer of American Mustangs and off-thetrack thoroughbreds. She recently moved from Jasper, GA, to Ocala, FL,” writes Medra Lott Keyser ’58. Condolences to Harriett Johnson Bell ’59 whose husband, Melvin P. “Mel” Bell, died on February 2, 2019. “I have Parkinson’s, yet everything else is okay,” writes Harriett. (See Sympathy) In Macon, Carol King Pope ’59 is enjoying good health, keeping busy, and still doing a little painting… “and still a Golden Heart.”
1960s 1960 (60th Reunion)
Gloria Boyette ’60 and husband Frank Corker are enjoying life in Valdosta, GA. Frank’s mother was a Conservatory alumna and Gloria has enjoyed reading through his mother’s Wesleyan annuals. Robert Karski, husband of the late Barbara Williams Karski ’60 who died on March 27, 2020, remembers his wife of 31 years. “Barbara battled lymphoma and many
complications during the last 2-1/2 years. She studied music, especially organ at Wesleyan. She was the music and choir director for many churches and evolved to become a landscape designer who created gardens in California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. She loved her son, Wesley, her four adopted sons, and her cat, Rodie. Barbara loved LIFE. Her last words were ‘Let’s Go!’” Members of the Class of 1964 remember the late Carol “Moon” Burt. “I am writing this annual fund check with tears thinking of our beloved classmate that was the Class of 1964’s leader. She is so loved and will continue to be,” writes Fran Strickland Massee ’64. “I am sorry about my friend - Carol “Moon” Burt’s passing. She was a blessing to the Class of 1964. I’ll miss talking to her,” says Linda Poole McCurdy ’64. “I miss all of you! Easter inspiration continues,” writes Andrea R. Moody ’64. Linda Maria Willson ’64 is at last fully retired and enjoying every minute. “I thought I would go back to acting, but I can’t learn lines anymore. So, I am attempting assemblage, card making, creative books, and decoupage.”
1965
(55th Reunion) Congratulations to Helen Kendall Elder ’65 and her husband, Rob, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this year. “Am still after all these years thrilled and thankful I had four years at Wesleyan. Wesleyan gave me MUCH MORE than classes,” writes Leticia “Tish” Ritchie Eppink ’65. Sally Eisen Miller ’65 remembers, “On June 1, 2019, a light went out in the Miller household in the Houston, TX, community. My husband, David Miller, passed away. (See Sympathy, WESmag, Winter 2019) Jane Silverman Mason ’66 reminisces about her Wesleyan Days. “Purple Knight class... Volunteered at the Georgia School for the Blind in Macon during my sophomore year... Wesleyan trip to Washington, DC, in 1962 studied different departments of government
and visited historical monuments - a wonderful trip with Wesleyan sisters! Freshman year served on the student council for Wortham Hall dorm...And lots of fun weekend trips to Atlanta...That’s all I can remember!”
of study and love to travel! I went to Europe for the first time in the summer of 2019 to Ireland. I teach yoga and gentle aerobic dance for women, targeting women who are older and/or have medical issues.”
Wadra Garner McCullough ’83 writes, “I am grateful to have known Tena Roberts ’60! She was a joy and such a keeper and sharer of knowledge!”
Margaret “Dee” Thompson Monahan ’67 reports, “My dad has joined my mom at Arlington National Cemetery. He was 96, she 91. Very special parents as ours are. Retirement is busy and we are mostly healthy. Keeping up visually with great grand nieces and nephews. Technology!”
“Jean and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. My novel The Oystercatcher’s Cottage is due for release in May 2020. We traveled to Ireland two years in a row. In April we had an adventure gem mining in North Carolina. My daughter is an award winning creative director and choreographer at The Force Dance Academy in Richmond, KY. My son started film at the University of Wisconsin. Busy years ahead!” writes Wendy Eastman Becker ’77. Condolences to Wendy on the death of her uncle, Jack Eastman, on August 28, 2019.
(35th Reunion) Marianne R. Brotschul ’85 announces, “Great news! My great niece Lauryn DiGiovanni has been accepted into the Wesleyan Class of 2024! I am so happy and excited for her, knowing she will not only receive a life-long body of knowledge, but that she will have the best college experience available!”
Barbara Marble Tagg ’69 has been appointed ACDA Florida State Chair for Women’s Choirs and continues to conduct. Her plans to found the Adironduck Youth Choir are on track for July 2020. Barbara says, “I was honored deeply to have conducted the choir at my 50th-reunion Morning Watch memorial service.”
1970s 1970
(50th Reunion) Condolences to Lana Tygert Griner ’70 whose mother passed away in March 2019 at the age of 92. (See Sympathy) Diane Dennington Robertson ’70 is proud of her granddaughter, Christine Buck. “I am thrilled that my granddaughter is a freshman! She has wanted to attend Wesleyan since she first heard about it. She certainly appreciates the Legacy Scholarship.” “I’m very grateful to the faculty and colleagues at Wesleyan for a wonderful undergraduate education in music,” writes Jane Magrath ’72. Congratulations to Tina Farkas Williams ’74, who is celebrating the 45th anniversary of her theatre company, Young Actors Theatre, where she is still very active. Tina misses her mom, Betty Anderson Farkas ’42, who died in 2013 and her dear husband, John, who passed away in 2016. Her daughter, Worth, lives in Grand Rapids, MI. Tina has two wonderful grandchildren!
1975
(45th Reunion) Mary Messner Lewis ’75 shares an update on her life. “Married. Met my husband when I was in the USAF (1975-1978), but married many years later in 2005. He is retired USAF. I was an RN from 1984 until I fully retired in 2017 (had partially retired in 2011). Specialized in 3 areas: ER/Critical care, Public Health, and Psychiatry. Lots of work with children/families in my latter career. Mother of one son who is 39 and have two granddaughters, one age 10, the other age 4. I have many interests and areas
1980s 1980
(40th Reunion) Congratulations to Lisa Martin Darden ’80 who has retired after teaching for 31 years in Cobb County schools. Monique Martin Whorton ’81 shares a Wesleyan family love story. “My mother, Virve Paul Martin ’52, and my father, Albert Lynn Martin ’53, celebrated their 91st birthdays this year, as well as their 67th wedding anniversary. They moved to Tennessee to live with us on our property but have their own home. They talk often about the Thanksgiving at Wesleyan when they met. They also fondly remember the dances from their courtship days at both the Conservatory and the Rivoli campus. They have three daughters, although I am the only Wesleyanne. They have six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and one great-greatgrandchild. My parents have been blessed with long, healthy lives and we are grateful Wesleyan brought them together.” “I’m still happily working as a Performance Improvement for BayCare Health Systems in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. In addition to earning a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in 2016, I also earned the Lean Bronze Certification from the Society of Mechanical Engineers in late 2019. What a feat for a psychotherapist! I’m still a community volunteer. As board president of the Humane Society of Polk County, I am involved in fundraising activities to support Central Florida’s FIRST No-Kill Shelter. Fun is always involved in these FUNdraisers....a great one is our upcoming Critter Cruise. I also volunteer with the Winter Haven Charity Challenge, Restaurants Against Hunger, and lots of community events. Looking forward to reuniting with the Green Class of 1980 and my little Red Sister Class of 1985 at Alumnae Weekend in September,” writes Beth Koon ’83.
1985
Carol Durham Taylor ’85 is giving back to her community in Burlington, NC, where she serves as the creative/art director at The Eugenia M. Durham Foundation and Center for the Arts which she founded in January 2018 and opened in March 2019. Named for her late mother, The Rev. Dr. Eugenia M. Durham, who encouraged Carol to follow her dreams as a child when she drove Carol to art, cello, orchestra, piano, and ballet lessons....every day after school, the Center will provide children, young people, and adults in Burlington the same kinds of opportunities that Carol’s mother gave to her. Jill Amos ’87, director of disability and advocacy services at Wesleyan, was honored with the SGA Faculty/Staff Workhorse Award for the fourth consecutive year during Wesleyan’s virtual Honors and Awards Day convocation in April. Kudos to Jody Bethea Riggs ’88 who was recently named to the 2020 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors list. Achieving this national recognition is an honor that symbolizes high ethical standards, quality of service, and success in business. Jody’s oldest daughter, Mary Katherine, is in the middle of a 3-year doctoral program at Samford to become a nurse anesthetist. Younger daughter Sarah Beth is working for the Chattanooga Food Bank and is on the front lines of meeting so much need brought on by the financial implications of this pandemic. “Damon and I are still going in to the office, but all client meetings are virtual and many of our staff are working from home,” says Jody. In May, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC) held its annual Spring into Action Benefit as a virtual event, where the University of Pittsburgh’s Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Legal Officer Geovette Washington ’89 was honored. She received the Judge Justin Johnson Award for her dedication to PMC’s mission and involvement in civic engagement initiatives throughout Pittsburgh. Geovette also serves on PMC’s Board of Advisors. Wesleyan Magazine Spring/Summer 2020
1990s Cheryl Kirk Westmoreland ’93 is proud of daughter Sydney Lafferty who started at Wesleyan in August 2018, enlisted in the US Army Reserves in 2019, and attends ROTC at Mercer University while attending Wesleyan. Cheryl was promoted to chief legal counsel, Suncoast Region, Florida Department of Children and Families, on July 1, 2019. Condolences to Jane Carver Kimbrel ’94 whose mother, Gwin Carver, passed away on December 24, 2019. “I have wonderful memories to treasure, including how she cheered me on during every opportunity at Wesleyan,” writes Jane. (See Sympathy) Congratulations to Shelby A. Smith ’98 and Kimble Sorrells who welcomed their daughter Evie in 2019. (See Births & Family Additions)
2000s 2000
(20th Reunion) Janice Roberson Anderson ’00 is married to Maurice Anderson and they have three daughters, ages 20, 10, and a 2 month old. “Our precious baby girl, Journey Monaé, made her debut on April 2, 2020. (See Births & Family Additions) Congratulations to Lareine Danforth Archer ’00 who graduated in December with an associate’s degree in nursing. She started a new RN position in Medical ICU at CMC Main in Charlotte, NC.
2005 (15th Reunion)
After graduating from Wesleyan, Irina Tanurcov ’05 worked for LUKOIL as a translator before entering law school at Harvard. She earned her JD in 2011 and was hired and worked as an attorney for Snell & Wilmer LLP in Phoenix, AZ, until 2014. In addition to food blogging for Foodjoya since 2017, she is the co-founder of Celebrista LLC, an event planning service. Check it out! “I have relocated, with my husband and daughter, to the Houston area of Texas. We live in a small town an hour south of the big city, and 30 minutes north of the beach. My husband was recently ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and has been installed on his first call to a small church here. We had a daughter who was stillborn this past June, and many of my Wesleyan classmates sent cards, called, or visited, which brightened the days. We celebrate and mourn all of the changes that have come our way recently, as we look forward to the future with hope for what God has for us,” writes Shelly Walden Gable ’06. Check out the Pink Chief Boutique in Macon and say hello to Anissa Jones MBA ’06 who is the owner. In April, Jan Giles Tedders ’08, systems administrator at Wesleyan, was presented with a 2020 Presidential Staff Award during Wesleyan’s virtual Honors and Awards Day convocation. Congratulations!
Amanda Driggers Grau ’00 has started her own bookkeeping business.
2010s 2010
Congratulations to Tiffany T. Noell ’00 and her spouse who recently adopted two little boys, Ben and Elliot. (See Births & Family Additions)
(10th Reunion) Congratulations to Natalie Chapman ’10 who married Kyle Bryant of Savannah, GA, on October 19, 2019. (See Marriages)
Amy R. Stone ’00 sends an update. “After serving on active duty as a JAG officer for 10 years, I was medically retired in May 2019 at the rank of Major. I’m currently of counsel at a world-wide military law firm, where I specialize in criminal defense, medical separations, and military board of corrections work. I work from home in Savannah, where I live with my husband, Alex, and our two amazing pups.”
Kathryn “Kat” Quirk ’10 recently accepted a position as production manager at the South Bend Civic Theatre in South Bend, IN. She and husband Alex also welcomed their first child, Zelda Faye Bobbs, on February 23, 2020. (See Births & Family Additions)
Tonya Parker ’01, assistant dean for equity and inclusion at Wesleyan, was honored as SGA Staff Member of the Year during Wesleyan’s virtual 2020 Honors and Awards Day convocation. Congratulations!
Kyla Wall Burns ’12 sends an announcement. “Our second child, Rose Ella Burns, was born August 8, 2019, joining big brother Harrison age 2! I was also recently promoted to director of marketing at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital. (See Births & Family Additions)
Silla Sumerlin ’02 says, “Ummmm. STUNT ❤ 48
Chelsie E. Dunn ’11 and Michael C. Brown were married on August 11, 2018, in Newnan, GA.
Hannah Jahant Glazebrook ’13 sends a life happenings update. Hannah married in 2011 and had a baby boy in December 2014. She earned her master’s degree in 2016 with 4.0 GPA. Hannah currently works at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico as a design researcher/user experience designer. Ashlee G. Day ’14 started a new job as an assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Seattle University in November 2019. Rebecca D. Navarre ’14 shares news. “PK 14, graduated a year early with the Pirates of 2013, married Jason Peterson last October in Bourne, MA.” (See Marriages) Esiri Tasker ’14 is now Esiri TaskerArmstrong. She and Demerest Armstrong married on October 5, 2019, in Atlanta. Classmates who were bridesmaids included Paula Lockhart, Ashlee Day, and Brittainee ReChele Lee. (See Marriages)
2015
(5th Reunion) Congratulations to Kelli M. Kushinka ’15 who married Philip Knauer on March 21, 2020. (See Marriages) Allison Callaway Pierce ’15 is the program coordinator for an internal medicine residency at Coliseum Medical Center. She says she thinks of Wesleyan often and misses everyone! “I am recently engaged,” reports Mellissa K. Webb ’17. Mellissa is a 4th-grade-level chair and team leader at her school. She also is the pitching coach for her high school alma mater. Xin “Catherine” Tang ’18 lives in Arlington, VA, and works at Bates White. She earned her M.A. degree in economics from Columbia University. In August 2019, Melissa Latimer ’19 moved to Texas to begin an Americorps service year with Literacy First.
2020s File it in the category of a “small Wesleyan world” event when current senior Renee Gable ’20 returned from completing her full time student teaching in Bahrain with Wesleyan’s DODEA partner school on the island. Prior to returning, she interviewed for a position at the Modern Knowledge School, 5 minutes away from the DODEA partner school, where Keneithia Cook ’06 is the assistant principal! Renee was hired and will return to the island to live and teach once she’s completed her degree in August.
W E S L E YAN IN AT L AN TA:
Focusing on the Future “As one of the oldest Wesleyan alumnae clubs, we have a long and valued history of establishing and nurturing a relationship with alumnae in the Atlanta area. In fact, our By-laws state our very clear objective to bring together in bonds of friendship and fellowship all former students of Wesleyan in the area. We take this mission to heart and we are constantly exploring new ideas to engage our alumnae. Our goal is to ensure the relationship between Atlanta alumnae and Wesleyan continues well after graduation.” As I write this, our world has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Our beloved Wesleyan College has adapted beautifully to accommodate students, staff, and faculty in this new environment. After weeks of isolation, I miss the personal connection with others – family, friends, and my Wesleyan sisters. When we are allowed to socialize again, the Atlanta Club will be eager to see our alumnae! Not knowing what was to come, we began 2020 strong with a full calendar. Due to the pandemic, we only held one event - our Sisterhood Social. Traditionally hosted by Club Past Presidents, we revived this event due to its popularity. Even with a snow day in Atlanta, we had a glorious event in February at the home of artist Lu McElroy Steed ’58. We are rescheduling the other events, so look for your invitation soon: • Annual Spring Luncheon. Our Luncheon (planned for March) will be held at the Swan Coach House with a silent auction that showcases alumnae artists who have generously donated their work. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Club’s scholarship fund. • Networking Night. A complimentary Networking Event (planned for April) will include experts in the fields of law, education, and visual arts. The Purple Briefcase mentoring program will be highlighted. • Walk for Wesleyan. This event (planned for May) will be a family fun run/walk in Blackburn Park in Brookhaven.
The Atlanta Club also supports the College in its Strategic Plan to Recruit, Retain, and Sustain. To recruit future Wesleyannes, our members participate in the Wesleyan First Book Award program, which encourages local high school counselors to nominate qualified young women for a Wesleyan scholarship. To help retain current students, the Atlanta Club Scholarship is awarded annually to a local Atlanta student to help offset costs of her education. Our purpose to connect with alumnae and create a lasting relationship is naturally aligned with the strategy to sustain the College financially. By engaging our area alumnae and creating an extension of the College locally, we encourage our alumnae to volunteer and support Wesleyan. We welcome all alumnae in the Atlanta area and want to connect with you! Follow our Facebook page (Wesleyan Atlanta Alums) where we post our event details. Also, keep your email current with Wesleyan to receive email invitations. Questions? Email us at atlanta@wesleyancollege.edu. I look forward to growing the Wesleyan Atlanta Alumnae Club each year, so please join us!
Leesa Akins Flora ’87
President, Atlanta Wesleyan Alumnae Club
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On March 23, Wesleyan College announced that, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, all undergraduate and graduate courses would be taught remotely through the end of the semester. A frightening turn of events on so many levels. We are beyond proud of the way students and faculty rapidly transitioned to remote instruction and learning. In April, students were asked to complete a survey that included questions about the support the College, professors, and staff were providing. We are pleased, but not surprised by the responses. We are confident that the integrity of the excellent academic experiences for which Wesleyan is known persevered though tough times. Over all, how would you rate Wesleyan’s communication with you since classes went remote? 86% Good to Excellent
How helpful has each of the following been in keeping you up-to-date on changes as a result of COVID-19? Administration 80% Good to Excellent Professors 80% Good to Excellent
Comments: • Every email from Wesleyan put my mind at ease that they were here for us. • I think the school is doing a great job supporting the students at this time. • An excellent job. I couldn’t ask for more. • Wesleyan is amazing! The various emails sent out just saying that you support us, that you’re here for us, that we’re all together really means the world to me. • The communication helps more than people might think.
Are you excited about returning to campus in the fall? 81% Agree to Strongly Agree Comments: • I can’t even contain my excitement. I can’t wait! • I thrive going to classes and participating in campus activities. • I miss everyone! I honestly love WesCo. • Not being on campus is affecting me more than I thought it would; I didn’t realize how much the environment supported me or how much being physically near my friends helped my mental and emotional state.