Alumnae Magazine

64 Pages·1999·6.2 MB·English

by  Sweet Briar College Alumnae Association

LUMNAE Magazine
DIHG
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Suaaaahr/Fall 1999 Vol. 71, No. 1
DearAlumnae and Friends,
By the time you read this,we will have welcomed the Class of2003 to campus. Our more
than 200 new students are bright, inquisitive, and in some ways still a bit unsure ofthemselves.
But theywill soon gain self-confidence as theytake ownership oftheirown Sweet Briar.
When you read my most recent President's Letter,youwill know that theyhave chosen a col-
legewhere the clear emphasis is on a three-pronged, integrated educationalprogram thatpro-
vides not onlyknowledgeofthetraditionalacademicdisciplinesofthe liberalarts,but also clear
connectionstotheworldheyond Sweet Briar, and the careful developmentoftheprofessionalskills
thatwill distinguish the well-educated woman oftomorrow. SweetBriarwiU change theirlives.
Bythe act ofenrolling here, these youngwomen have entered aworld ofconnectivity (to use
today's technological language).We expect them to learn quicklyhow to drawconnections
amongverydifferent courses, lectures, independent studies, physical activities, spiritual experi-
ences, volunteer service, and to see how these all fit to educate thewholewoman. Further,we ex-
pectthem to begin fromtheirfirst week to develop networks that can andwill expand to offer
them lifelong intellectual, professional, and personal support.
This issue ofyourAlumnaeMagazinefocuses on oneofthe most importantkindsofconnections
ourstudentscan make:between themselvesandSweetBriaralumnae. Our alumnae networkis leg-
endary, assisting students to find internships and externships, givinggraduates a hand as they
move to a new city, search for ajob, or entergraduate school.To develop these networks quickly
and efficiendy, students are helped enormouslyby our Career Services Center. Under the able di-
rection ofJoanne Mahanes, Career Services is providing students from theirfirst semesterwith
—
the tools to tap into the SBC network and in the process, to develop a sense oftheirpersonal
capabilities and professional options.
Youwill enjoy this testament to the power ofSweet Briar to change lives. And having read
this special section,I hopeyouwill puU itout and share itwith ayoungwomanwho mightben-
efit from a Sweet Briareducation. Ifyou see otherways you can help, please let us know!Take a
moment, too, to strengthen the networkyourselfbyconnectingwith aclassmate oraprospective
student, orbygivingus some feedback(voice mail, e-mail, or snail mail) for our"letters" depart-
ment.
Elisabeth S. Muhlenfeld,
President
WEET
Briar
Magazine
M
U N A E
Inside Front A Message from the President
3 Commencement Honors
5 Class of1999 Alumnae Relatives
andTurning Points
7 Dedication: Giving Us Wings;
Groundbreaking at the Elston Inn
10 Reunion Service ofRemembrance
ByTheReverendFlemingParkerRutledge '59
13 Reunion Scrapboois.
TheClassof 1999on graduationday. Seestoryon page2 15 Outstanding Alumna Award:
ElizabethTrueheart Harris '49
SweetBriarAlumnaeMagazinePolicy TheAlumnaeOfficeStaff
Oneoftheobjectivesolthemagazine LouiseSwieckiZingaro'80, Director,
istopresentinteresting,thought- AlumnaeAssociation,ManagingEditor, 17 In the Spodight
provol<ingmaterial. Publicationofma- AlumnaeMagazine;AnnMacDonald'97,
terialdoesnotindicateendorsementof AssistantDirector;SandraMaddox 18 Slate for NewAlumnae Association
theauthor'sviewpointbythemaga- AH'59,AssistanttotheDirector;Nancy
Board Members
zine,theAlumnaeAssociation,or Godwin Baldwin '57, Editor,Alumnae
SweetBriarCollege.TheSweetBriar Magazine; Noreen Parker,AssistantDi-
AlumnaeMagazinereservestherightto rector,AssistantEditor&ClassNotes Special Section: Careers Internships
editand,when necessary, reviseall Editor,AlumnaeMagazine,TourCoor-
materialthatitacceptsforpublication. dinator;BonnieSeilz,AlumnaeCom- Networking Succeeding
puterProgramsCoordinator ByMaryMolyneuxAbrams '86
Contactusanytime!
BoxwoodAlumnaeHouse, BoxE, SweetBriarAlumnaeMagazine
SweetBriar,VA24595;(804)381- Production 19 Letters
6131;FAX[phone]; Printed byMidAtlantic Printing, Ltd.,
E-Mail: 1)(Office)[email protected]; AltaVista,VA 20 Transitions; RecentDeaths
2)(Magazine)[email protected] Graphicdesignby NancyBlackwell
Marion '74,TheDesignGroup,
Lynchburg,VA 21 Book Shop Ad
.AlumnaeAssociationwebsiteaddress:
http://www.alumnae.sbc.edu 25 Class Notes
Sweet Briarwebsiteaddress:
www.sbc.eclu 36 Bulletin Board
Inside Back In the Sweet BriarTradition
SweetBriar WelcomesIvanaPelnar-Zaiko
Su,mAER/FALL 1999 • Vol. 71, No. 1 New VPforDevelopmentand
CollegeRelations
Commencement Honors
The EmilieWatts McVea Scholar
Thehighest-rankingmemberoftheClassof1999.
LindseyCorliss Neef.WestBloomfield, Ml
The Presidential Medalist
ThePresidentialMedalrecognizesseniors whohavearangeofaccomplish-
mentscomparable tothoseassociatedwithcandidatesforRhodes. !\/larshall,
orTrumanScholarships.Awardeesmusthavedemonstratedexemplaryintel-
lectualachievement
Melissa Gail Henning, Mehoopany, PA
The Penelope Lane Czarra Award
Thisawardhonorstheseniorwhobestcombinesscholasticachievement stu-
dentleadership, andeffectivecontributionstothequalityoflifeattheCol-
lege.
HeatherArlene McLeod, San Marcos,TX
TheConnieM. Guion Award
Thisisgiven toaseniorforherexcellenceasahumanbeingandasamember
Wind oftheCollege.
Strong
Amira Susana Hernandez, Spartanburg,SC
TheWalkerFamilyAward
Thisawardhonorsaseniorwithhighscholasticstandingwhohasacheerful,
Blows positivedispositionandshowswarmth, generosity, andhumility.
Brandi RistineWhitley, Monroe, NC
TheJudith MolinarElkinsPrize
Of1999 ThefamilyofthelateProfessorJudithElkinsestablishedaprizetorecognize
Class theoutstandingachievementsofaseniormajoringinthemathematical,
physical, orbiologicalsciences, whileactivelyparticipatingintheCollege
communityanddemonstratingtheidealsanddedicationtolearningexempli-
into The Future! fiedbythelifeofProfessorElkins.
Mary Christine Harris, Columbus, OH
One hundredandtwenty-nine members ofthe Class
of1999 receivedtheirdiplomas on Saturday, May 1,
when SweetBriarcelebratedits 9(r^ Commencement
Exercises in the Quad. Unremitting windgusts,
which whippedacademic robes andthreatenedto dis-
mantle the stage set upfor the cereniony only seemed
to addexcitement to the occasion as ''TheMiners,"as
they were referredto by Dean George Lenz, laughed,
cried, huggedeach other, andpreparedto say "An
—
Revoir"to The Patch SweetBriars newest wave of
intrepidalumnae!
SBCChaplain Susan Lehman, Commencementspeaker, praised theseniorsfor
their"fire,"and challengedthemtocontinueit
2 • Summer/Fall 1999 Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu
TheAcademyofAmerican Poets Catherine PatriciaO'Brien,A.B.,Warrenton,VA
Jessica LeeWest,The Plains,VA Emily Lea Poore,A.B.,WestNewbury, MA
ChinYee"Regina"Yau, Perak, Malaysia Kelli Michelle Rogowski,A.B., Newport News,VA
TheAmerican InstituteofChemists JenniferHazen Schmidt,A.B.,Yarmouth, ME
Award in Chemistry Danielle Marie Schofield,A.B., Livermore, CA
Laura Elizabeth Lamb, Hillsboro, OH AndreaLynn Sharretts,A.B., Patton, PA
TheAmerican InstituteofChemists AmyMarieSmith,A.B., Manlius, NY
Award in Biochemistry Erin Elizabeth Sobotta,A.B., Roanoke,VA
Brandi RistineWhitley Monroe, NC MeredithTillery,A.B.,Augusta, GA
JillAlissaTriana,A.B., Charlotte, NC
Phi Beta Kappa 1999 Carolyn CelesteVaughan, B.S., Centreville,VA
RachelAnn Bratlie, Lorton,VA Erin JenniferVlasaty,A.B., St. Louis, MO
Emily Clark, Puyallup,WA WendyCarolynWebb,A.B., Unionville, PA
MargaretEdelweiszYvonnaElaineDallyColumbus,GA Jessica LeeWest,A.B.,The Plains,VA
Associate ProfessorofMusic JonathanGreen Sarah Emery Dean, Eairfax,VA Sharon MarthaWilson,A.B., Radnor, PA
receivedthe 1999 Excellence in TeachingAward Jessica Lynn Dennig, Clarkston, Ml
AmyJo Downing, Raleigh, NC Cum Laude
The Lawrence G. Nelson Award for Mary Chhstine Harris, Columbus, OH KathrynAlfisi,A.B., Monument, CO
Excellence in English AmiraSusana Hernandez, Spartanburg, SC Shannon Bazar,A.B., Calabasas, CA
HeatherArlene McLeod, San Marcos,TX LauraElizabeth Lamb, Hillsboro, OH MeredithAshley Bonnell, B.S., Maplewood, NJ
TheShakespeare Prize HeatherArlene McLeod, San Marcos,TX Christina Lee BradyA.,B., Middleton,Wl
TiffanyTyler, Lynchburg,VA Lindsey Corliss Neef,West Bloomfield, Ml KelleyShea Dize,A.B., Kilmamock,VA
TheWall StreetJournal StudentAchievement Catherine Patricia O'Brien,Warrenton,VA Allison Leigh Dubenezic,A.B., Harrisonburg,VA
AwardforExcellence in Economics EmilyLea Poore,West Newbury, MA CourtneyGross,A.B., North Richmond Hills,IX
Erin Elizabeth Sobotta, Roanoke,VA Jennifer Hazen Schmidt,Yarmouth, ME Elizabeth Marshall Hamilton,A.B., Charlottesville,VA
The LeighWoolverton Prizefor Devon LinleyVasconcellos, Boulder, CO LindsayHickes,A.B.,Tempe,AZ
Excellence intheVisual Arts Carolyn CelesteVaughan, Centreville,VA tarrah Marsh HollyA.B. Huntsville,AL
,
Tara Kimberly Hartnett,Whitefield, NH Brandi RistineWhitley Monroe, NC Anne Pelton Jones,A.B., Fredericksburg,VA
TheJames Lewis HoweAward in Chemistry Ann Figgie Kitchen,A.B., Bradenton, FL
Brand! RistineWhitley, Monroe, NC Summa Cum Laude Jae-Young Lee,A.B., Springfield,VA
The Pauline RobertsOtisAward in French RachelAnn Bratlie, B.S., Lorton,VA SaraSeyfarth,B.S., Saline, Ml
Devon LinleyVasconcellos, Boulder, CO AmyJo Downing,A.B., Raleigh, NC Shannon Smith, B.S., Raleigh, NC
TheAlpha Lambda DeltaAward MaryChristine Harris, B.S,, Columbus, OH LauraWalters,A.B., GrayTN
LindseyCodiss Neef,West Bloomfield, Ml Lindsey Corliss Neef,A.B,,WestBloomfield, Ml Helen BatemanWintermeyer,A.B., Richmond,VA
TheJessicaSteinbrennerMolloyAward in Devon LinleyVasconcellos,A.B,, Boulder, CO
Theatre Brandi RistineWhitley B.S., Monroe, NC The Honors Program,Classof1999
taofa ElizabethWalters, Gray,TN HighestHonors in Biology
TheAnneGaryPannellTaylorAward in His- Magna Cum Laude Brandi RistineWhitley Monroe, NC
tory AimeeElizabethArmentrout,A.B., Mechanicsville,VA Honors Degreewith HighestHonors in
EmilyLea Poore,WestNewbury, MA Christine Regina Carl,A.B.,Arlington,VA Anthropology
Mary KathrynTaylor, Houston,TX Aracelie LeonaCastro, B.S. SanAntonio,TX Catherine Patricia O'Brien,Warrenton,VA
The Marthavon Briesen Prize in Photography Emily Clark,A.B., Puyallup,WA Honors Degreewith HighestHonors in
JessicaAnne Brandrup, Benbrook,TX Margaret EdelweiszYvonnaElaine Dally B.S., Government
TheW.Edward OverlyAward in Spanish Columbus, GA Devon LinleyVasconcellos, Boulder, CO
AmiraSusana Hernandez, Spartanburg, SC Sarah Emery Dean,A.B., Fairfax,VA
JenniferHazen Schmidt,Yarmouth, ME Jessica Lynn Dennig,A.B., Clarkston, Ml Honors Graduates
TheMaxine GarnerPrize in Religion Amy Fitzgerald Gibbs,A.B., Geneseo, NY RachelAnn Bratlie, Lorton,VA
AmiraSusana Hernandez, Spartanburg, SC JulieAnn Harju,A.B., Plympton, MA Emily Clarke, Puyallup,WA
TheJean Besselievre BoleyAward Melissa Gail Henning,A.B. Mehoopany, PA KelleyShea Dize, Kilmarnock,VA
Sarah Emery Dean, Fairfax,VA AmiraSusanaHernandez,A.B., Spartanburg, SC AmiraSusana Hemandez, Spartanburg, SC
The Helen K.Mull Graduate Fellowship Susan Knapp Hurley,A.B.,West Point,VA LindseyCodiss Neef,WestBloomfield, Ml
in Psychology Ehko Ikeda,A.B., Mie,Japan Emily Lea Poore,WestNewbury, MA
Bridget Lynette Meier, Butler, PA Sarah Elizabeth Kingsley,A.B., Fort Morgan, CO Andrea Lynn Sharretts, Patton, PA
TheSweetBriarFineArtsScholarship Tracy Christine Kitchen,A.B.,Wingina,VA Amy MarieSmith, Manlius, NY
MelissaGail Henning, Mehoopany, PA Laura Elizabeth Lamb, B.S., Hillsboro, OH
TheLucile BarrowTurnerAward HeatherAriene McLeod,A.B.,San Marcos,TX
Chhstine Regina Carl,Ariington,VA BridgetLynette Meier, B.S., Butler, PA
Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu Summer/Fall 1999 • 3
1999 Alumnae and
Class of Relatives T;
PhotosbvChaklesGrlibbs
ElizabethTaylor '02;sisterMary kathryn Taylor KaraVlasaty '97;sisterErin Vlasaty
Emily Sartorwithaunt Elisabeth Sartor Harden '68(1) \ .^Mndnioiher |aneOliver LindaGouldCapano '70;daughterAndreaCapano
Sartor'39
AnnaCarmichael;cousinAmylenkinsMillican ' JenniferSchmidt;sisterKimberley '01
4 • Summer/Fall 1999 Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu
ning Point Students
AllisonDates;motherAnn ShipperDates 71 Sarah Elkins:cousins Debra Elkins '93 (I), Rachel ElkinsThompson '91
Catherine London;sister ElizabethAshley London '95 janine ParisSchofield '97 mother|ulia ParisTP'99
Kelley Dize;sister Leslie-Ann Dize '02 Turning PointGraduates:Sheila Bowles;Julia Paris; DanielleSchofield
Notpictured: EmilyClarkand sisterAlii Clark '01
Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu Summer/Fall 1999 • 5
Ann Bannard atdedication ceremony
Reunion Dedication
ByAnnHendersonBannard
I lookback50years and real- tassels atgraduation, I'llbetthey CoincidenceorPrescience?
ize thatmostofyouwhowere give theirwings alittle shake too. Commentsexcerptedfroman invocation deliveredbyJoanneHolbrook
here thenwould nothave known I hope ourclass giftofthis Patton '52atadinne—rhonoringseniorshostedbytheAlumnaeAssociation
the shyshadowthatI was.This space, abeginning-to-be- BoardinApril1995 sometimebeforetheideaof,andfouryearsbefore
sculpture, GivingUs Wings,por- beautiful courtyard to enclose thededication of"Giving Us Wings."
trayinghands touching, and end- BunnyandWalter's giftofthe
ingin a soaring sUver)'wing, scul—pture,wHlbecome a place for Letus take this momentto be
represents SweetBriar's nurtur- fan and meditation. Mydream thankfiilforthe spiritofour Sweet
ing, enablingenvironmentwhere is that Giving Us WingswiUbe Briar College which connects allofus
I foundwings...1 know that I am encouragement and inspiration to here with allwho are partot ourex-
notalone.There is additional thewomen ingenerations after tendedfamilynow, orwho havebeen,
symbolism—too: the Chinese con- uswhowiU standwherewe are orwho everwiU be.
ceptot ch'i spiritand energy, standingand know that, thanks Especiallytoday, mayourfellow
flowing through thebodyto the to SweetBriar, no dreams are out alumnae everywhere sensethelifelong
fingertips.Just read theAlumnae ofreach, and leave this campus camaraderie that SweetBriar's large
Magazineto discoverthe spirit and fly. and lovingfamUyoffers allotus.There
andenergyofwomen who are I amveryhonored to have a alwaysvsdllbehandswavingtogreet
goingout into theworld and sculpture in this beautifulplace, us,hands readytoliftus up,hands to
makingadifference in a multi- and am so appreciative ofall holdours in timesot need, hands to
tude ofways. thosewho have had faith in me, point theway, andhands to applaud
And it's happeningto the ourclassmateswho contributed the successes thatare sure to be ahead
College itself Fiftyyears ago it to make theprojectareality, and ofus on the road from SweetBriar to
was segregated, nowit is en- especiallyBunnyandWalter, our future,whereveritmaylead.
richedbystudentsfrom all over who made the dreamswe had to- Forthe blessings ofthe SweetBriar
the planet. And the long-ra—nge gethercometrue.Thankyou! College familywhich are shared byus
plans will change itfiirther but all, ourthanks nowand always.
not SweetBriar's most important Amen.
gift to us:when seniors flip their
h • Summer/Fall 1999 Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu
1949s Giving Us Wings
ByKatie Wright '00 GivingUs Wings, symbolizing
AlumnaeMagazineIntern "two hands touchingin a nurtur-
ingwayand ending in a soaring
Inthe midstofchanges, those wing"was sculptedinAnn'sTuc-
planned forthe future ornow son studio and castinbronze at
takingplace at SweetBriar,one the Desert Crucible Foundry
thingneverchanges: the gener- there.Where to place the sculp-
ous nature ofSweet Briaralum- turewas ofutmostimportance;
nae. Immediately after Reunion the spotchosen is peaceful, away
Convocation, avet}'specialgift from traffic areas."I really
from the50*-" Reunion Class wantedpeople to thinkabout
was dedicated. whatthe sculpture is, andwhat it BradleyHale, nitrnlx'roi Sweet Brurs Buarcl ut Directors, Cordon Beemer,
Abeautifiilbronze sculpture means,"Ann said."I hope that and PresidentMuhlenfeld breakground lorthenewInn/ConferenceCenter
entided Giving Us Wingsnow thisis somethingthat SBC sm-
standsin anewcourtyarden- dents can relate to overthe Groundbreaking Ceremony During Reunion '99
closedbyDewDormitory. Itwas years."Theviewfrom its setting
createdbyartist/sculptorAnn is ideal: in direct sightisMonu- SweetBriarCollegebroke wingto thecurrentfacility,ex-
Henderson Bannard '49, 1991 ment Hill.Thebrickcourtyard, groundon the newFlorence pandingitfrom22 to40
DistinguishedAlumnaAward witha namedbrickforeach class ElstonInn and Conference rooms.The addition includes a
recipient. member, offers atranquilplace Centeron Reunion Saturdayat newreception area,24-hour
Also agraduate ofthe Amer- forquiet contemplation orwel- the Florence ElstonInn on desk, a\'isitorinformationcen-
icanAcademyofArtin Chicago, comes smallgatherings. campus. ter, aloungewith fireplace, an
Annuseswood, stone,bronze, Giving Us Wi?igswas com- The ceremonyhonored entrycourt)'ard,and a recep-
tile, andglass.Herworksgrace missionedbyCatherine"Bunny" GordonBeemerand his late tion courtyardforopen-air
universities,churches,zoos, BarnettBrown '49 and husband wife FlorenceWoeltel Elston- events.
parks,libraries and museums Walter,formerBoard oiDirec- Beemer"21.The Florence TheWailes Center,adjacent
acrossAmerica and Europe. tors chairman andhonoraryclass WoeMel Elston-BeemerTrust to theInn,vnHbeconverted
With manyappearances in invi- member."I see the sculpmre as made available $4.2 million to into afull-serviceconference
tational exhibitions throughout also representing SweetBriar provide mostofthe fundingtor center.Meetingrooms,
the Southwest, shehasbeen friendships reachingoutthrough the $5 million project,which equippedwith arange ofau-
honoredwithone-person shows theyears,"Bunnysaid. began inAugust. diovisual and displayequip-
inTucson and SantaFe. The Inn and Conference ment,directinternetaccess,
TV
Centercomplexwillgive the andcable hookups,willac-
College much-needed space for commodate 12-70people.The
hosting College events and buUdingwillhave areception
allowthe hostingotacademic areawithoutdoorspaces,afor-
meetings and conferences and maldiningroom, and abreak-
non-CoUege conferences. fastroom servingboth the Inn
Theprojectadds anew andConference Center.
On handforthegroundbreakingwere membersofCordon'sfamily;(leftto
right) DianeandMichael C. Beemer, Gordon,CharlesC.and NancyBeemer.
Ann Bannard,Walter Brown and Bunny Brown hold small renderingofGiving
Us Wings
Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu Summer/Fall 1999 • 7
Reunion
of
Service
Remembrance
1999
SermonbyThe ReverendFlemingParker Rutledge 59
You didnot choose me, butIchoseyou
andappointedyou thatyou shouldgo andbearfruit
andthatyourfruitshouldabide (John 15:16)
For Christalso diedforsins onceforall,
the righteousforthe unrighteous,
thathe might bring us to God (I Peter 3:18)
Portraits ot all the former TheFeminineMystiquewas when the members ot myclass Werejoiceinourhopeofsharingthe
presidents ot SweetBriarhangin published in 1963, fouryears were barelytort)', longbetore gloryofGod. Morethanthat, we
thereadingroomotthe Mary atter myclass graduated. I felt time'swinged chariotstarted rejoicein oursufferings, knowing
HelenCochran Library.AUbut the earth quakeundermyteet bearing down onus in earnest. thatsufferingproducesendurance,
one ofthem, asyouknow, are thatyear; itwas the momentof Nowwe are seriouslysizingup andenduranceproducescharacter,
women. One ofthe greatthings the seismic shift inwomen's ex- each other's veins and age spots. andcharacterproduceshope, and
aboutwomen'scolleges is that perience.Mydaughterscannot Domengothrough this?Notto hopedoesnotdisappointus, because
portraits ofwomenhave always even imagine aworldlike the the same degree, surely. Beinga God'slovehasbeenpouredintoour
been on thewalls. Everyotherin- one I grewup in.Yet the greatest woman is extra-complex,and heartsthroughtheHolySpirit
stitution ofhigherlearningthatI social revolutionthattheworld beinga Southernwoman is even whichhasbeengiventous
havebeen associatedwithhas had has everknown is stUlin its in- more so.Itisverydifficultto ne- (Romans5:2-5).
togo rummagingaround in the tancy. I am notsure thatour gotiate thevarious expectations No one everbecame more
basementto see ifanytorgotten granddaughterswillbe anyless thatpress in upon us. Apercep- mature and morewisebybeing
portraitsofwomen couldbe conflicted abouttheirroles in life tive commentwas made atlunch caretree. Sufferingiswhatshapes
found. Some ot them have even thanwe have been.Women's yesterdayaswewere discussing a us. Here is a fundamentalditfer-
gone so faras to commission new lives are stillmysterious, and the formerlyfrivolous classmatewho encebetween theWestand the
portraits ofdeceasedwomenwho wayahead isuncharted. had surprised usbyhaving an East. Eastern philosophyand re-
were notdeemedimportant College reunions prompt impressive career.Wewondered ligion is oriented toward the ces-
enoughtopaintwhentheywere manyreflections.ThelasttimeI whyshe has neverreturned fora sation ofstruggle, the
alive.Women's colleges are merci- preached at SweetBriar,I had a reunion."Maybe,"mused one of suppression ofconflict, the pas-
tiiUyfree trom thisproblem.Yes- fuU head ot darkbrown hair. I us,"she doesn'twant to have to sive endurance ofsuffering.'
terdaywhenIvwotethefinal distinctlyrememberlookingwith dealvidth thewaywe allremem- Western thought, shapedby
draftofthis sermonin the library, pityupon returning alumnae ofa berher. She's movedon." Christianityall thewayto Marx,
I satwhereI could see thepor- certainvintage,hardh'imagining True ornot,we are none of Freud andbeyond, tends towards
traitofMissBenedict.Myaunt, that such decrepitudewould ever us the same aswewere, notso apositive evaluationofstruggle.
MaryVirginia Parker,wasinthe happen to me. Manytimes I muchbecausewe have had dif- The French philosopher Simone
secondgraduatingclass at Sweet have heardotherwomen saythat terentexpectations,butbecause Weil said that the onlyworth-
Briar. Becauseotherreverencefor theydidn'twanttogobackto all ofus havebeenmarked,in while question to askanother
Miss Benedict,I feltthatI had theirreunions because theydidn't onewayoranother,bystruggle. human beingwas,"Whatareyou
known ourfirst presidentmyself want to see theirfriends looking It is struggle, ultimately, that goingthrough?"
andtothisdayam inspiredbythe old. Infact,thefirsttime I heard shapes character. Here are some Sincewe arrivedon campus
powerofhere.xample. thiswas abouttwentyyears ago words ofSt. Paul on thatsubject: on Friday,we've been tellingeach
• Summer/Fall 1999 Sweet BriarCollegeAlumnaeMagazine • www.alumnae.sbc.edu