WESLEYAN FIRST: A Message from the WCAA Alumnae President Dear Wesleyannes, Every time. It still gets me every time. Each spring when I visit local high schools to present the Wesleyan First Award, I am renewed in mind, spirit, and soul. For the seniors, the prospect of embarking on the “next step” and the hope of what’s to come are palpable in the air at the gymnasiums and auditoriums during these honors ceremonies. Always, I am humbled to participate in these events, and always, I am proud to provide this opportunity to a surprised young woman on behalf of the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association. Having presented the awards virtually last spring, the return to in-person was welcomed. After noticing my arrival at one honors program, a school counselor walked over to tell me that the student about to receive the award would be elated. Having been pointed out by her daughter, the mother then approached me. The mother had heard about an award presentation two days earlier at another school across the county. She was nervous, thinking somehow this would change her daughter’s odds of receiving it (even though I’d personally called to make sure she knew to attend the event for this very reason). And did she attend! Along with a host of supporters in the bleachers who celebrated when I announced her daughter’s x
name: siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and even her mother’s work supervisor in tow. Extremely excited and humbled, the recipient shared that she’d watched me hand out the award for six years, and had sworn she was coming to Wesleyan, even if she didn’t receive the award! Sisters! This award has the potential to be life-changing in a multitude of ways. And not just for these students, but for their families and communities. Just like Wesleyan shaped you and I for the better, you know this to be true. And you can do this. As an alumna, you have the right to share the one-page nomination form with a school counselor to facilitate this award right where you are. Please consider learning more about the ease of giving this award and commit to trying this next year. If I can claim responsibility for the enrollment of four current Wesleyan students, so can you! The other benefit of this award is that it may be instrumental in saving the life of Wesleyan, as women’s institutions continue to close; most recently it was Judson College. Friends, it is certain that colleges will close without students to sustain them, and Wesleyan is no exception. Wesleyan needs our support by helping provide steady enrollment. While I will soon be vacating my position as president of
Wesleyan First Award recipient Lainey Hendrix from Portal High School in Statesboro, GA, with WCAA President Abbie Lacienski.
the WCAA board of managers, I pledge to remain “true, faithful, and loyal” by continuing to support the College in the ways I can. Sisters, my parting words to you are, “Please continue to choose Wesleyan so others can, too.”
Abbie Smoak Lacienski ’01 For more information about the Wesleyan First Award, a program developed by the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association, and how you can present awards to high-school students in your area, contact WesleyanBOM@gmail.com or admissions@wesleyancollege.edu
