Salem College Magazine 2012

SALEM

P2 Embracing the Fear FactorP6 Groundbreaking Expansion | P48 Honor Roll of Donors

S A L E M C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 2

P20 Ins�irationa� Sa�em

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46OUR MISSION: Salem College, a liberal arts college for women, values its students as individuals, develops their unique potential and prepares them to change the world.

Salem students apply for selection as an Orientation Leader and participate in a training program that equips them to assist new students with making a successful transition to college life. They also gain valuable leadership training though the Pat Rather Leadership Week at Salem and the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop (SROW) hosted by a college or university in the South, a three-day student leadership training conference that features workshops on such topics as academic support, multicultural competency development, and individual leadership strengths identification. –PHOTO BY JORDAN BRANNOCK

DEPARTMENTS

2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE EMBRACING THE FEAR FACTOR

8 BACK PORCH NEWS Fabulous Facts from Admissions, p. 11 Putting “I DID IT” in College Success, p. 13

14 FACULTY NEWS

32 ALUMNAE NEWS Making History: Gwynne Stephens Taylor C’72, p. 33 Alumnae Awards, p. 34

FEATURES

6 EXPANDING FOR THE FUTUREA new student center will become the hub of activities and student resources.

COVER GIRL: How does one choose a cover girl from among 241 years of remarkable Salem women? Salem’s inspirational spirit stretches back nearly two-and-a-half centuries to 1766, when four young women and 12 older girls (ages 13 to 17) walked 500 miles from Bethlehem, Pa., to Bethabara, N.C., the first Moravian settlement in the Wachovia tract. Those Single Sisters would eventually raise money to build the Single Sisters House and found what we know today as Salem Academy and College. And, so for our cover girls, we have leaned upon the spirit of risk-taking and determination that speaks to all of us through Sister Elisabeth Oesterlein, who taught the first students at Salem in 1772. Each year at Convocation, Salem students honor “Sister O’s” inspirational spirit by placing daisies—a symbol of innocence, loyalty and truth—upon her grave in God’s Acre. With each story we tell about our

extraordinary alumnae we continue to honor Sister O’s tenacity in contributing to one’s community, one’s world, through the education of women. –MICHELLE MELTON; PHOTO: JENNIFER BRINGLE HANDY

Events Gallery, p. 36 Going Hollywood: Marsha Ray Sherry C’63, p. 41

42 GIVING Salem’s Organ Legacy, p. 42 Remembering Two Beloved Salem Supporters, p.45

46 IN CLOSING | YOURS TRULY FREEZE-FRAME, 1972

48 THE 2011-2012 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

20 INSPIRATIONAL SALEM Our alumnae inspire all of us to persevere and reach for our very best.

22 DAIRY QUEEN Liza White Plaster C’67

24 THE LAW OF CONFIDENCE Sandra Rivera C’99

26 THE TRANQUILITY CONSULTANT Jeanne Garner Clay C’69

28 M.S. WON’T STOP ME Sue Ellen Crocker Bennett C’90

2 • MAGAZINE 2012

Salem College may be lovely, but it is not all “peace and tranquility.” Our lush green lawns, arching shade trees, curved walkways and historic buildings create an environment that is a treat for the eyes and a balm for the soul, but nevertheless, beyond all that beauty lies risk. That is exactly how it should be. At Salem we are passionate about the

As a student once told me, now I, too, tell Salem students that Salem is the safest place in the world to take a walk on the risky side. - Susan E. Pauly

intellectual life of students, and we know from experience that the life of the mind is also a life full of feelings, some of which are ‘dangerous’ and unpopular. The most powerful of these feelings is fear of failure. Not a day goes by that we do not encourage students to embrace failure as a vital part of their academic journey. The need to protect one’s image is strong in all of us. Yet self-protection is the antithesis of academic life. The great opera star, Beverly Sills, spoke of the importance of risk when she warned that we “may be disappointed if we fail, but we are doomed if we don’t try.” Each semester as the weeks go by, the faculty guide students to explore more unfamiliar material and to think even more deeply and creatively. Throughout life, our students will confront new information that must be

mastered, and so in every discipline we challenge them. We urge them to create chemical reactions in labs and new works of art in studios; to balance formulas in their heads and balance their bodies in yoga class; to stretch physically, socially and intellectually and to direct, debate, dance, synthesize, solve and sinnggg! For more than two centuries, women at Salem have learned to embrace risk. The amazing success stories of Salem alumnae that are celebrated in these pages remind us all that accepting the ‘fear factor’ in life is what puts us in a position to realize our true potential and achieve our dreams. After all, it is what comes after fear that matters most. The actress Mary Pickford noted that any of us can have a fresh start at any time, for the thing we call failure is “not falling down, but staying down.”

President'sM E S S A G E

Embracing the“Fear Factor”

I was reminded of this truth once when a student stopped to talk with me about Salem’s historic hazard: our charming but infamous brick sidewalks. “President Pauly,” she explained, “when you finally fall face down at Salem—and you will—no one will laugh at you because at Salem, we all fall down.” The years that students spend with us are a unique opportunity to practice the art of falling . . . not failing, just falling. And so, as we celebrate the arrival of this new semester and a new calendar year, I send out fond wishes to each woman at Salem: may she feel the gentle, insistent pressure from our faculty who know well that guiding a student out of her comfort zone is the greatest gift we can bestow; may she find herself at the end of the semester filled with healthy pride, the kind that

comes from achieving that which she did not know she could do; and may she fall down (just a little) on her journey toward standing up. As a student once told me, now I, too, tell Salem students that Salem is the safest place in the world to take a walk on the risky side. After all, there is always someone here to pick you up, dust you off, and point you in the right direction. That direction would be the future—the place where our current students will someday shine, serve and make a better world, just like the remarkable alumnae who preceded them.

Safe travels,

Susan E. Pauly, President

SALEM COLLEGE • 3

BOARD OF TRUSTEESCharles A. Blixt, chair; Winston-Salem, NCLeigh Flippin Krause C‘85, vice chair; Raleigh, NCD. Wayne Burkette, treasurer; Pfafftown, NCAnna McCoy Smith C‘98, secretary; Winston-Salem, NCWinifred Currie Ballenger C‘74, Roanoke, VALisa Herron Bankoff C‘73, Atlanta, GADeana Bass C‘95, Alexandria, VAElizabeth Copeland Becher A‘58, Winston-Salem, NCMary Martha Whitener Beecy C‘88, Charlotte, NCRobiaun L. Charles, Austin, TXL. Duane Davis, Winston-Salem, NCMary Maples Dunn, Cambridge, MARodgeryn R. Flow, Winston-Salem, NCMcDara P. Folan III, Winston-Salem, NCGinger Renick Griffin, Greensboro, NCAnn Stone Hanes A‘71, Winston-Salem, NCSallie Craig Tuton Huber C‘68, Newton, MAStephen G. Jennings, Panora, IAMartha Riggs Lowry A‘79 C‘91, Winston-Salem, NCJennifer Reinhardt Lynch A‘77, High Point, NCMartha Johnston Manning A‘73, Winston-Salem, NCChi-Chi Ziglar Messick C‘89, Winston-Salem, NCWilliam H. Petree Jr., Winston-Salem, NCWilliam R. Phillips, Winston-Salem, NCS. Margaret Pike C‘94, Winston-Salem, NCM. Elizabeth Rader, Cincinnati, OHRebecca Hewit Rauenhorst C‘74, Tampa, FLNancy Taylor Sumner C‘69, Raleigh, NCRamon Velez, Pfafftown, NCWallace C. Wu, Winston-Salem, NC

TRUSTEES CONTACT INFORMATION:Salem Academy and College Board of TrusteesInspector’s House/Office of the President601 South Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101

Introducing “Walking Together”An occasional sojourn by the president of Salem Academy and College on the topics of educating women, leadership, contemporary culture, and inspiring individuals to be agents of positive change.

Join the Conversationwww.susanpauly.com

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“Fear Factor”

4 • MAGAZINE 2012

This year, new Salem students gathered in the

May Dell during orientation to participate

in one of the institution’s most esteemed

traditions—the signing of the Honor Code. As

students signed the code, which is posted in all

academic buildings and residence halls, they

pledged to be women of honor and integrity

not just during their years at Salem, but for life.

In her remarks to the students, President

Susan Pauly explained the importance of the

tradition. “Our mission statement declares

that Salem nurtures a woman’s individual

talents and her future role as an agent of

positive change. And our three core values—the

pursuit of excellence, personal responsibility

and community—support that mission. Most

importantly, it is our Honor Code that explains

how, as women of honor, Salem women live

those values on campus and how academic

integrity and personal civility help support an

extraordinary sisterhood.” –PHOTO BY MICHELLE

MELTON

For more photos from the Honor Code signing, visit our Facebook gallery.

Read Salem’s Honor Code online: www.salem.edu/HonorCode

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6 • MAGAZINE 2012

A NEW STUDENT CENTER WILL

BECOME THE HUB OF ACTIVITIES

AND STUDENT RESOURCES.

Soon, Salem College will break ground for a student center. The college’s Board of Trustees voted in the fall to proceed with construction, which is slated for completion in the spring of 2014. The student center will be the first building added to the campus since 1982, when the fitness center, pool and gym were constructed. This new facility will showcase a vibrant campus and act as a hub for student

EXPANDING

activity. The student center will feature a café, student lounge, lockers for commuting students, spaces for collaboration and small meetings, an information desk and student mailboxes. The bookstore and the Student Activities department will relocate to this facility, and a 90-seat theatre with adjacent meeting rooms will allow for multiple uses and continued functionality over time. Lambert Architecture + Interiors has designed the $6.8 million project that will be built by Frank L. Blum Construction to be modern and open while reflecting Salem’s historic roots.

The student center will be constructed between the science building, the refectory and Bryant Hall. Preliminary renditions illustrate how the new facility will relate to the other historic surroundings, while offering the services, environment and technologies that today’s discerning student expects when choosing her college. “We are thrilled to have the highest enrollment in history and to be building a bright and exciting future,” says Salem College President Dr. Susan Pauly.

Aramark Food Services, which

has supported the dining and catering

needs of Salem Academy and College

for more than 20 years, has committed

a $1 million financial gift to the college

for food service enhancements as part

of its contract renewal.

The gift was presented to Anna

Gallimore, Vice President for Campus

Administration, who oversees the work

of Aramark on the campus.

“Our relationship with Aramark

these many years has helped us offer

our students the best in food service.

This generous gift is but one example

of Aramark’s on-going investment

and partnership with Salem to provide

the highest quality in student support

services,” said Gallimore.

In making this gift, Aramark hoped

to demonstrate its faith in Salem’s

future, particularly as the College

announces its plans to break ground on

a student building.

“We could not be more pleased

with this lead gift from Aramark, which

we have received as an endorsement

of our exciting plans for future campus

expansion,” said Vicki Sheppard, Vice

President of Institutional Advancement.

SALEM COLLEGE • 7

EXPANDINGfor the Future

ARAMARK FOOD SERVICE PLEDGES $1 MILLION TOWARD EXPANSION

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NEWS

SILVER ANNIVERSARY Salem College School of Music Director Barbara Lister-Sink was honored with a surprise reception on April 1 to celebrate her 25th anniversary at Salem. Following a concert by School of Music students, Dean Susan Calovini lauded Lister-Sink’s achievements, and the Friends of the School of Music presented her with a gift to thank her for her service to Salem. Lister-Sink (left) celebrates the moment with Margaret Meuller, Professor Emeritus of Music, Lister-Sink's mentor and former piano teacher.

BACK PORCH

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SISTER MAUS RETURNS Salem’s favorite mouse is back, exploring a new adventure in the latest Sister Maus book, Flowers for Mr. President. The fourth book in the children’s series written and illustrated by Salem professor John Hutton follows the adventures of Sister Maus and her friend, Emma, a student in the Girls School. The pair meets President George Washington when he comes to Salem to give speeches and visit the Sisters House.

The book is available at Old Salem and online at

www.salem.edu/community/maus-books. The hardcover

books are sold individually or as a four-book boxed set.

by John Hutton

SALEM COLLEGE • 9

ELBERSON FINE ARTS CENTER The FAC has a new name. Salem Academy and College recently named its fine arts facility the Robert E. Elberson Fine Arts Center in honor of former Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees member, Robert E. Elberson, who donated $3 million dollars to the school to help fund student scholarships. The $3 million dollar gift adds to $2 million previously given to the school, totaling $5 million in lifetime giving by Elberson to Salem. Elberson grew up in Winston-Salem and served as President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Sara Lee Corporation in Chicago before retiring in 1989. In 2002, he received Salem’s Comenius Award, the school’s highest honor and most distinguished non-alumna award. The dedication for the Elberson Fine Arts Center was held on April 20, 2012, in a private ceremony.

SINGING THEIR PRAISES

The Palmetto Voices, a choral group comprised of Salem College choral director Dr. Sonja Sepulveda's present Salem College Choir students, as well as her alumni singers from several other institutions, was selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference on March

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12-16, 2013, in Dallas, Texas. The group will perform during the Music in Worship Ecumenical Service. More than 250 ensembles from around the world applied for a coveted performance slot at the ACDA conference, and only 40 were chosen to be a part of this world-class event. The honor of being

a part of ACDA is similar to that of being selected to participate in the Olympics. "Some conductors would do anything to be chosen to be a part of this convention. We are blessed," says Dr. Sepulveda. In July 2013, the choirs will perform at the Festival of the Aegean in Athens Greece.

10 • MAGAZINE 2012

SOFTBALL IS A HIT After making its February debut, complete with pep rally and bleachers crowded with fans and local media, the new Salem softball team finished its first season with a respectable 13-22 record and a run in the Great South Athletic Conference playoffs. Softball is Salem’s seventh NCAA Division III sport. The inaugural team, a group of stellar players, included former all-conference pitcher and infielder Shelby Drummond; Sampson County co-player of the year Amber Bass; and Kayla Kennedy, who received a number of honors and was a member of the NCISAA

State Softball Championship team in 2007 and 2008 at Wayne Christian. The softball Spirits are coached by Scott Long, who came to Salem after spending three seasons as the varsity softball head coach at Calvary Baptist Day School in Winston-Salem. “This team has a rare opportunity to make history at a school that’s very historic,” says Long. “It’s really exciting because this team will lay the foundation for what’s ahead for our softball program.”

Two new dynamic coaches are at the helm of the Salem basketball and volleyball teams. Coach Anita Howard took the reins of the basketball squad, following retired coach Jim Jackson. Howard comes to Salem from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, where she served as associate head coach of the women’s basketball team. Howard was also an assistant coach at Shaw University, and she helped lead Shaw to the 2011 NCAA Division II Final Four. That team was also

the 2011 CIAA Conference Champions. She has also coached at Winston-Salem State University, as well as for several Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) leagues. This past spring, Dana Wall became the third coach in the NCAA era of the Salem volleyball program, following Amanda Ziemba, who resigned in May to be with her family. Wall came to Salem with more than three decades of experience as a player, instructor and coach. She is currently the AAU North

Carolina State Chair and Director, and her coaching experience includes assisting at the NCAA Division I level at Cal State Dominguez Hills. She also coached the Elon School in Burlington to a third-place finish in 2010 and a first-place finish in 2011 in the North Carolina Private School 1A State Championships. Wall also was a coach for "Team Nfinity" during the summer of 2011, which finished eighth at the European Global Challenge in Croatia.

NEW COACHES JOIN THE SPIRITS

NEWSBACK PORCH

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Salem College is...Thriving: Fall 2012 enrollment is the highest in

Salem's history!

Selective: The acceptance rate is 61 percent.

Academically Strong: The average

high school GPA is 3.89, the middle 50 percent of SATs are 1040-

1240, 62 percent of students are ranked in the top 20 percent of

their high school classes.

PROFESSIONAL: The average Salem

graduate has completed three internships. This year's examples

include: NYC Department of Housing, NC Supreme Court, Smith

Barney Atlanta,Turner Broadcasting, Brenner Children's Hospital,

Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity and a Model UN internship

in the Galapagos Islands.

Diverse: Salem students come from 33 states and eight

countries of origin. One third identify themselves as students

of color.

FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE: • Popular majors are business, teaching, biology and psychology.

• New majors are criminal studies, environmental studies, public

policy and exercise science.

• New minors/concentrations include music entrepreneurship,

musical theatre, sports management, health care management and

statistics.

Global: Recent Jan Term trips and internships were in France,

Greece, Spain, China and Mexico. Salem offers a new semester

abroad program at Harlaxton College in England.

ATHLETIC: More than 20 percent are student

athletes on one of Salem's seven teams in NCAA Division III

athletics.

Committed to Service: All Salem students

complete a significant community service project. Last spring

Salem students built a playground for disabled children in the

Dominican Republic.

Successful: Salem students have been accepted

in recent years to graduate, medical and law schools at Harvard,

Brown, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, UNC, UVA, Wake

Forest, Georgetown, Northwestern and UCLA.

A Timeless Legacy: Eight percent of new Salem

students are related to, or were referred by, a Salem alumna.

Let's continue to build that number! (See our 2012 Legacy

connections, p. 46)

SALEM COLLEGE • 11

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The Office of Admissions at Salem College is

pleased to report the highest overall enrollment

in the school’s history and the fourth largest

incoming class in 30 years, among many more

fabulous facts.


ROTARACT ON A MISSION The Salem College Rotaract Club devoted its spring break to serving others in the Dominican Republic. Twelve members of the 80-member-strong Salem chapter helped build a fully-accessible playground for children suffering from physical disabilities and developmental challenges. This fall, the club worked with a local Winston-Salem elementary school that has a single-gendered classroom. Rotaract members became pen pals and worked with the class throughout the fall semester.

CHAIR LIBRARY OPENS Where can you go to see some of the world’s most iconic chair designs, including one from

The Hunger Games? Salem, of course. The Sutton Initiative for Design Education (SIDE) Chair

Library was unveiled during a reception earlier this year.

The library and accompanying SIDE program, named in honor of Martha Stevens Sutton

A’71, includes two major donations from Sutton and her husband, Charles. The donations by

the Suttons include 900 books on furniture, architecture, design, history and interiors for

Salem’s design research library and nearly 40 chairs,

each considered icons by furniture historians. No

other college or university in the country has a

collection of chairs like this, which students will

use for study and inspiration.

The Chair Library includes a brand new chair

used in the recent hit movie The Hunger Games, which was filmed in North Carolina. The chair

was made by the Phillips Collection, a North

Carolina company based in High Point.

Follow the Chair Library on Facebook

NEWSBACK PORCH

WINNING SPIRITSSalem’s fall sports teams scored amazing finishes—and a variety of awards—this season. The cross country season ended with a second place finish at the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) Championship meet and All-Conference and All-Conference Academic awards for three runners. The soccer team scored its first-ever GSAC regular season championship and finished second in the conference tournament. Coach Jay Callahan was named GSAC coach of the year, and eight players earned All-Conference honors. The Salem

volleyball team dominated the GSAC tournament, winning the title and earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. Four team members were named to the GSAC All-Conference team and another to the All-Freshman squad.

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PUTTING "I DID IT" IN COLLEGE SUCCESS

Dean Suzanne Williams says the NOW program is designed to assist

adult learners who often struggle to make time in their busy schedules to

return to school. “Taking longer to graduate often means a delay in job

promotion or an ability to pursue a new career, which equals a potential

loss of income for these students and their families,” says Dean Williams.

“In our current economy, successful progress towards graduation is more

important than ever. Careful academic planning, combined with courses

offered when students need them is a critical component for colleges like

Salem that seek to attract, retain and graduate outstanding adult students.

Dean Susan Calovini and I work closely each semester to meet these

needs as much as possible by offering additional courses at adult friendly

times, such as evening and weekends."

Fleer NOW

Fleer Peers: Having a friend who understands what one is going through makes a huge difference when starting something new. That’s the thinking behind the new Fleer Peers initiative, which kicked off this fall. New students in the Fleer Center for Adult Education are matched with peer mentors who provide guidance and support from a fellow student's perspective. “We wanted a way to connect with new students and help them feel welcomed,” says Fleer Center student and Fleer Peers mentor Alana Meltzer. “This is an attempt to reach out to them and offer them a resource for getting a student's perspective as well as help calm their nerves and reassure them.” Interested students can sign up to participate in the program in the Fleer Center office.

A Fresh Look: The Fleer Center’s marketing campaign received a fresh look over the summer. New ads and materials feature Fleer students and alums, all communicating the new tagline: “I did it. You can, too.” The new campaign highlights how Salem makes earning a degree possible for adult learners.

Fleer NOW: Working on a degree just became more convenient for adult students with the new Fleer Center NOW (nights, online and weekends) course offerings. Fleer students can now earn degrees in select programs attending evening- only classes.

Applicable NOW degrees: • accounting• business administration with concentrations in accounting, business entrepreneurship, economics, finance, international trade, marketing, sport management and health care management• communication• criminal studies• interior design• not-for-profit management• public policy• sociology • teachingApplicable certificate programs: • accounting• historic preservation• injury-preventive keyboard technique• not-for-profit management


NEW FACES AMONG FACULTY Salem College welcomed six new professors and one returning emeritus professor in disciplines ranging from biology to creative writing to join its esteemed faculty for the 2012-2013 academic year. “These new and returning faculty provide a wonderful combination of fresh perspectives and seasoned experience that will deeply enrich our academic programs,” says Dr. Susan Calovini, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Dean of the College.

Dr. Kathryn Adams, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education, B.S., Intermediate Education, UNC-Greensboro; M.A., Middle Grades Education, Appalachian State University; Ph.D., Curriculum and Teaching, UNC-Greensboro

Dr. Karen Hixson, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, B.S., Health and Physical Education, Springfield College; M.A., Physical Education (Exercise Science), UNC-Chapel Hill; Ph.D., Exercise and Sports Science (Exercise Physiology and Wellness), UNC-Greensboro

Dr. Wade Mattox, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Mathematics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Ms. Aimee Mepham, Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing and Interim Director of the Center for Women Writers, B.A., English, Albion College; M.F.A., Creative Writing, Washington University of St. Louis

Dr. Craig Miller, Visiting Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, B.S., Chemistry, Lewis and Clark College; Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of Illinois-Urbana

Dr. Darlene Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Not-for-Profit Management and Director of Not-for-Profit Management and Arts Management programs, B.A., Liberal Studies and Psychology, Florida International University; M.P.A., International Development and Non-Governmental Organizations, Rutgers University; M.S.W., Community Empowerment and Program Development, The University of Georgia; Ph.D., Public Administration and Policy, The University of Georgia

Dr. Laura Watts, Assistant Professor of Biology, B.S., Biology and Business Administration, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor; Ph.D., Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

NEWSF A C U L T Y

ADAMS HIXSON MATTOX MEPHAM MILLER RODRIGUEZ WATTS

Blogs Worth Your Time• Bienenstock Furniture Library's DesignLAB, featuring

regular contributor Dr. Rosa Otero, professor of interior design.

• The Huffington Post featuring new blogger Dr. Jennifer Piscopo, assistant professor of public policy for its HuffPost Students United Kingdom site.

• Walking Together, an occasional sojourn by President Susan Pauly. www.susanpauly.com


Commencement 2012 was a bittersweet day for the Salem community as it bid farewell to three long-time faculty members who retired at the end of the academic year. Biology professor Dr. Steve Nohlgren served Salem for more than 40 years. Known for his funky ties, Thanksgiving turkey carving skills and encyclopedic scientific knowledge, Nohlgren was honored as Senior Lovefeast speaker. In a nod to his playful sense of humor, the science department created “Flat Nohlgren,” a life-size cardboard cutout of Nohlgren decked out in a tuxedo. With more than 25 years of teaching at Salem, Dr. Doug Borwick was head of the not-for-profit management department, teaching both that

NEW ON THE FACULTY BOOKSHELF Two members of Salem’s faculty published books this year, both examining historic moments in American politics. In Free Radical, Salem assistant professor of history Dr. Tekla Ali Johnson explores the fascinating story of the radical and revered Nebraska state senator, Ernest Chambers. Free Radical is the first published biography of Chambers’ career, a powerful account that documents an intellectual’s and a community’s struggle to repel the attacks of those who would abuse their authority against the African American citizenry. Salem College assistant professor of history Dr. Daniel Prosterman’s first book, Defining Democracy: Electoral Reform and the Struggle for Power in New York City, was published in December. The book examines a little-known experiment in voting undertaken in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s to clarify our understanding of democracy's evolution in the United States and the world. It presents a new conceptualization of the history of democracy in the United States, with a focus on urban politics as a site of democratic experimentation and vitality.

and arts management courses. Borwick prepared generations of Salem students to make a difference in the non-profit world. He was honored at the end of the year as speaker at the annual baccalaureate service. Also serving more than two decades at Salem, math professor Dr. Wenzhi Sun was honored during Honors Convocation with the prestigious H.A. Pfohl Faculty Award. Sun was hailed not only for his expertise in the classroom, but also his unwavering dedication to students. He often welcomed students with no other place to go to join his family for Thanksgiving dinner, and he was instrumental in starting what eventually became the annual International Dinner.

BELOVED FACULTY GOODBYES

NOHLGREN

BORWICK SUN


@MarisaRippey Awesome, Deana Bass! Was an inspiration as

a student & now as alumna.

NEWSF A C U L T Y

Salem College Center for

Women in Business: Our inaugural conference was such a success! Thank you to everyone who helped make the day a success!

DEVELOPING EMERGING PROFESSIONALS “As a professor at Salem College, nothing gives me greater

pleasure than to work with bright young women who will

become future business leaders around the globe,” says Mary

Ardrey Stough Kimbrough Chair for Business and Economics

and director of the Salem College Center for Women in Business

Alyson Francisco, who made history at Salem in September,

launching Salem’s inaugural Women’s Conference: Developing

Emerging Professionals. “Preparing students with practical, out-

of-the-classroom knowledge, experience and skills helps them

develop greater confidence to compete in professional arenas.”

The day-long event for area college students in Elberson

Fine Arts Center featured workshops, networking opportunities

and talks by professional women (including several Salem

alumnae), plus a keynote address by actress and activist

Kathy Najimy.

DEANA BASS C’95

@jacque_phillips The fantastic #CherylLindsay reviewing &

wrapping up #SalemConference

MARY SALEM THACKER C’72

@MiAmorChristina Learning so much in Jacqueline's session!!

Lisa Kiger: Today was a great experience! Thank

you Salem College for a wonderful conference! There was so much information in such little time! Very well done and hope to attend many more in the years to come! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

JACQUELINE MCBRIDE

“PLANNING TEAM”


JESSICA FULKENBERRY C’01

DOROTHY HENLEY C’91

Rebecca Brannon: The conference was great!

Having Kathy there as keynote speaker was truly an honor I won't forget. Thank you Salem!

@crt Just watched @kathynajimy rock the house

KATHY NAJIMY

MARGARET SPRING AND SUSAN SMITH C’72

@kathynajimy A tardy but true thank U 2 all the attractive,

smart folks @salemcollege. I very much enjoyed speaking to U. (Film and television

actress, activist)

@cyntgm What a special place! There is a sweet and wonderful spirit on the

campus of Salem College. I'll be back! (President,

AT&T North Carolina)

CYNTHIA G. MARSHALL

BRANDY NELSON C’97

PHOTOS BY ALAN CALHOUN, JASMINE HUFF

The 2012-2013 academic year marked the

inaugural class for the Salem Firsts program.

The initiative connects first-generation students

and their families with the information and

resources needed to successfully transition into

collegiate life at Salem. Salem Firsts students,

parents, siblings and grandparents participated

in a pre-orientation that included faculty

meetings, peer mentoring and a special pinning

ceremony held in the May Dell. The program

puts Salem at the forefront of a national trend

to assist first-generation students as they

navigate college life. With 47 percent of this

year’s first-year class being first-generation,

the initiative is especially relevant to Salem

students. –PHOTO BY JORDAN BRANNOCK

For more photos of Salem Firsts, visit our Facebook gallery.


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Whether she’s in heels and a suit, farm boots or road-sturdy cycling shoes, a Salem woman leads with strength and confidence nurtured by the determination and passion she wears deep inside her. The stories of Salem alumnae have the power to inspire all of us to persevere and reach for our very best. These stories remind us that we can be surprised by our own skills; that what is learned and experienced at Salem College will equip each graduate for opportunities not yet imagined; that one’s initial academic path may flourish in unexpected professions; that every Salem graduate has within her the capacity to make a difference in the lives of others. This issue continues to celebrate Salem’s spirit of inspiration. And, while there are hundreds of stories to be told, may these selected examples inspire many courageous women to follow as the Salem sisterhood increases! –Michelle Melton

22 DAIRY QUEEN Liza White Plaster C’67

24 THE LAW OF CONFIDENCE Sandra Rivera C’99

26 THE TRANQUILITY CONSULTANT Jeanne Garner Clay C’69

28 M.S. WON’T STOP ME Sue Ellen Crocker Bennett C’90


Liza White Plaster C’67 is living her dream. As founder, owner and manager of the idyllic 24-acre Ripshin Goat Dairy in the Yadkin River Valley near Lenoir, N.C., Plaster spends each day running a business she loves. Plaster's office, however, is unlike most—it overlooks a herd of 30 white American Saanen milking does and kids who rest elegantly under a sheltered loafing area in a green meadow, while two attentive bucks relax in a nearby pasture. Two Great Pyrenees guard and protect the reclining animals, all of whom know and respond to Plaster's soft voice and touch. The animals patiently approach her for a generous share of petting and recognition. As a biology major at Salem, Plaster didn't foresee a future in goat farming. After graduation and raising two children, she directed the Caldwell (County) Arts Council for 10 years, and then worked for a decade more as communications coordinator for her family's business, Greer Laboratories. Founded by her maternal great-grandfather, R.T. Greer, in 1904, the business

began as a buyer and seller of roots and herbs. Plaster's parents, Elizabeth Greer Dobbin White C’41 and Bill White, bought the business in 1947 and began manufacturing sterile, injectable allergenic extracts in the 1950s. Today, Greer Laboratories supplies allergists and veterinary dermatologists worldwide with extracts for testing and treating allergic patients. During the 1980s, Plaster developed an interest in raising dairy goats after visiting Connemara Farms in Flat Rock, the former home of Carl Sandburg. Inspired by Sandburg's wife, Paula, who had once raised champion dairy goats on the farm, Plaster began reading everything she could about raising dairy goats. Plaster traveled to France twice, visiting small goat dairies and learning all she could about their operation. Starting with four doelings from Goat Lady Dairy in 2004, the Ripshin Goat Dairy herd now grows to 70 or more when the kids arrive in early spring. The farm, on land once owned by her maternal grandparents, is named for the nearby Ripshin mountain range.

The dairy is truly a family affair for Plaster. She serves as manager and operational overseer while her husband William Early is closely involved with all hands-on aspects of goat care—feeding, haying, hoof-trimming and more. Her daughter, Rachel,

is cheese maker, and the contemporary dairy building was designed and built by Plaster's architect son, Jesse. Half a dozen additional part-

time employees help with milking, feeding and cleaning. Produced and packaged on the farm, Ripshin’s handmade farmstead cheeses are sold at farmers' markets in Boone, Blowing Rock and Hickory, and at wine and cheese shops in Banner Elk, Blowing Rock and Hickory, as well as at Stick Boy Bakery in Boone. Ripshin chevre is also enjoyed at restaurants in Boone, Blowing Rock, Hickory and Lenoir. As Plaster looks back on her journey to becoming goatherder/cheesemaker/businesswoman, she credits the foundation she received at Salem for preparing her for many aspects of managing this venture. "My professors, including Lucia Karnes and Roy Campbell, my mother and my grandmother—all the people along the way—have believed there is nothing a woman cannot do. I have had that lifelong encouragement."

Jane Carmichael serves as Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations. Photos: Jordan Crossingham Brannock.


Sandra Rivera C’99

“”

“You have to accept that you are going to mess up. It happens to everybody. But if you can accept it and decide to still take the chance, the rewards are so worth it.”

by Jamie Mungle Rorrer C'99

Jamie Mungle Rorrer C'99 is a North Carolina-based writer and classmate of Rivera. Photo: Joseph Gamble.

Like so many who have taken the leap to start their own business, Salem alumna Sandra Rivera C’99 felt some apprehension upon opening her own law practice nearly two years ago. But she refused to let fear stop her from pursuing her dream. “You have to accept that you are going to mess up,” she says. “It happens to everybody. But if you can accept it and decide to still take the chance, the rewards are so worth it.” For Rivera, the reward of owning and managing her law practice, Castro Rivera & Associates in Orlando, Fla., has been especially sweet as she watches her firm grow within one of the nation’s most competitive fields. Business ownership was not what Rivera anticipated when she finished law school. Her career began with the Florida State Attorney’s office where she gained valuable trial experience. Then, she worked in several other private firms before opening a law practice with her former husband. Following their divorce, she worked in another firm and realized she missed the independence and flexibility of owning her own business. “I learned a lot about myself going through the divorce. That part of my journey helped me get to where I am now,” says Rivera. “When I went back to working for someone else, I realized I missed running my own business and knew I wanted to get back into it.” Rivera sees herself as an innovator because the law field is highly saturated with males. Her Hispanic culture also helps set her apart in this male-dominated field and has fueled her success in an area with a large Hispanic population. “There are certainly not a lot of female Hispanic attorneys,” she says. “I am someone whom my Hispanic clients can trust because I understand their background.” According to Rivera, courage is the primary attribute to becoming an innovator in her field. “I had to be willing to take some risks and step out of my comfort zone to get here,” she says.

Rivera also credits a strong network of mentors and colleagues with helping her succeed. “Especially in the field of law, you need people with more experience whom you can turn to for support and advice as you go through the learning process,” she adds. Rivera believes Salem provides countless examples of strong, successful women. During her four years at Salem, she was able to meet or learn about many accomplished alumnae. “I feel like Salem shows women that we do have the ability to make a difference, and that women can be affirmative and assertive while still being compassionate and sensitive,” she says. “Salem played a role in giving me the confidence that a woman can be both.”

A sense of peace and relaxation seems to permeate throughout Lavender and Lace, the Raleigh fine linens shop owned by Salem alumna Jeanne Garner Clay C’69. It’s by design. From beds outfitted with sumptuous linens to candles in Italian glass with scents like “boudoir” and “beach house,” Clay fills the store with items that encourage tranquility. And her laid-back salesmanship and soothing Southern charm add to the vibe. “I always encourage people to just walk around and relax,” she says. “The last thing I do is pressure someone to buy.”

The approach works. Clay has been in business for nearly two decades, outfitting the homes, beach houses and even dorm rooms of generations of customers. Clay’s roots in retail run deep. As a teen growing up in Myrtle Beach, S.C., she worked in gift shops, selling trinkets to tourists. After graduating from Salem with a degree in music and living for a time in Washington, D.C., she moved with her husband to Green Bay, Wisc. It was there that she returned to retail, opening a small gift shop with a friend. Eventually, Clay landed in Raleigh, where she first worked at Crabtree & Evelyn and then Laura Ashley. When the nearby Lavender and Lace


Jeanne Garner Clay C’69

Jennifer Bringle Handy serves as Communications and Social Media Manager. Photos: Michelle E. Melton.


linens shop came up for sale, Clay saw an opportunity to own her own business again, and she jumped. “You don’t want to be scared,” she says of opening a business. “You have to be flexible and willing to take chances.” The risk paid off. In a time before Bed, Bath & Beyond and the like, Clay offered shoppers access to high-end bedding—think fine Italian linens—normally only found in large cities. With the advent of big box home retailers and the internet, access to fancy linens grew. So Clay evolved the business, adding fine lounge wear and nightgowns, candles and bath products, making Lavender and Lace more of a lifestyle shop than just a place to buy nice sheets. “It’s really important to keep changing what you do,” she advises. “Stay within your frame, but learn how to augment what you do—I think all successful people do that.” Building strong customer relationships was another key to Clay’s success. She knows that shoppers can buy their sheets or candles at other stores, but they’re not as likely to receive the personal service offered at Lavender and Lace.

“I’ve learned to listen to what people ask for,” she says. “I love talking to people and helping them talk through their vision.” Clay, who comes from a strong family of Salem women (her mother, Nancy O’Neal Garner A’37 C’41; aunt, Ruth O’Neal Pepper C’43; and cousins, Charlotte Pepper Faulkner C’76 and Pam Poe Pepper C’75), credits their influence, along with that of her classmates, with helping mold her into the confident, savvy businesswoman she is today. “Salem, to me, was all about being well-rounded and being surrounded by lots of smart girls,” she says. “I was lucky that my friends were leaders in school and went on to become very successful. It was a long time ago, and this group of girls is still close.”


When Sue Ellen Crocker Bennett C’90 was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) soon after her 40th birthday, she knew there was only one thing to do—find her new normal. With three sons, Daniel, now 14; Thomas, now 9; and Ward, now 6; and her husband, Tom, counting on her to be part of their lives, Bennett quickly started therapy and got her symptoms under control. She wasted no time becoming active in the National MS Society Central N.C. Chapter, and even picked up a few new physically-demanding hobbies along the way. “All my girlfriends started riding bikes, so I borrowed a bike from Paceline and ended up buying it,” she says. “I was invited in March of 2009 to join the Road-Worthy bike team for the Bike MS Tour to Tanglewood. That year, I road 100 miles.”

“We met with a leading researcher in the field of MS who gave us a lot of hope and tons of gratitude for our fundraising. If not for our fundraising the research would not be possible,” said Bennett. Affecting more than 2.1 million people worldwide, MS is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system, characterized by fatigue, numbness, visual impairment and pain; symptoms Bennett keeps in check with therapy. In May, she tested the success of her latest regimen, completing her first half-marathon. “It’s just sheer determination and willpower for me. I have to make sure I take good care of myself and pace myself. I’ve had to learn how to keep things in balance so that I’m there for my family and for all those wonderful fun things,” she says.

Ryan Jones C’10 is a writer for The Winston-Salem Journal, among other publications Photo by Alan Calhoun

by Ryan Jones C’10M.S. Won't Stop Me!Sue Ellen Crocker Bennett C’90

Not only did Bennett raise more than $14,000 for MS research in the two years she participated in Bike MS, she led her team to victory in the Team Village as spirit captain twice. “We won the Best Friends and Family Team Tent contest two years in a row. We’re hoping this year for a three-peat,” says the Rocky Mount native, who participates in the two-day cycling event in support of several people in her life, including her sister, Natalie, also suffering from MS. In 2011, Bennett qualified for the Bike MS Tour of Champions trip to Austin, Texas, where she met Lance Armstrong and Bo Jackson, and came away with a renewed sense of the importance of MS research.

“I’m very determined to beat this. It’s not like it used to be. It used to be a death sentence.” Bennett said the time she spent as a student at Salem prepared her to meet the most significant challenge of her life head-on. “I feel like being at Salem empowered me as a woman. I think that empowerment has really bled into all parts of my life. Having that in my back pocket has really fueled a lot of my successes over the years.”

“Do not cut yourself short—don't tell me where

you think you are going to be in five years. Show

me,” said commencement speaker and former

CEO of Heifer International Jo Luck, during

her address to the class of 2012. The nearly 200

graduates—88 traditional students, 61 Fleer

Center for Adult Education students and 17

graduate students—were inspired by Luck, who

led the international non-profit that works to

end global poverty and hunger by supplying

needy families with income-providing animals.

–PHOTO BY ALAN CALHOUN

For more photos from Commencement, visit our Facebook gallery.


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THOMAS WINS OESTERLEIN AWARD Faith Thomas C’12 received the Elisabeth Oesterlein Award—Salem’s highest honor for a graduating senior—during the Founders Day ceremony in April. Thomas made her mark on the Salem community in many ways, serving as chair of the Honor Council, a member of Creating Hope in Cancer Survival (CHICS), a member of Presbyterian College Ministry and as an Honor Guide. She was on the Dean’s List all four years and was inducted into several academic honor societies, including Alpha Lambda Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board. The Oesterlein Award is named for Salem’s first teacher and honors a senior for her outstanding academic achievement and leadership on campus.

Clockwise from top left: Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Dean of the College Susan Calovini

delivered the Founders Day address; seniors donned their caps and gowns for the ceremony in the May Dell; seniors

also wore silly glasses, as is tradition; Salem College President Susan Pauly with outgoing Salem Academy and

College Board of Trustees Chair Gwynne Stephens Taylor C'72, who was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine

(see p. 33); students reflect on Salem's 240th anniversary. –PHOTOS BY ALAN CALHOUN

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Founder’s Day 2012 was a big day for Gwynne Stephens Taylor C’72. Not only was it her last as head of the Board of Trustees, but the day was particularly special as Taylor was awarded both the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is awarded in recognition of fine spiritual qualities that are practically applied to daily living. “When I received the letter informing me that I was getting the Sullivan Award, I cried; it really deeply touched me that people would think that I measured up to that,” she says recalling that day. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is one of the highest honors the governor can Story: Jennifer Bringle Handy


bestow on a North Carolina citizen. Taylor joins such esteemed North Carolinian recipients as Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan and Bob Timberlake. “I could not even fathom being honored in such a way,” she says. The surprises didn’t end there. During Reunion Weekend, Taylor was awarded the Distinguished Service Award, a richly-deserved recognition only bestowed upon five alumnae to date. Upon graduating from Salem, Taylor earned a master’s in history and historic preservation from Wake Forest. During her career as a preservationist, she served as the director of Historic Bethabara Park, served as chair of Preservation North Carolina, inventoried historic properties for the State of North Carolina, wrote an

architectural history of Forsyth County and served on the restoration committee of Old Salem Museums and Gardens. She also is the author of From Frontier to Factory: An Architectural History of Forsyth County. She brought her expertise back to Salem, helping oversee the multi-million-dollar restoration of the Single Sisters House on Salem’s campus. “I actually got started on the Sisters House renovation as a student,” she recalls. “I lived there, and my graduation year was the 200th anniversary of Salem Academy and College. I was on a committee to develop some sort of museum in the Sisters House.” Years later, in partnership with the Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, Preservation NC and others, the renovation project was completed in 2007. For Taylor, who helped both as a member of the board and a preservationist, it was a labor of love. “It will remain the most inspirational project for me ever,” she says. “What’s really fun for me now is to see people enjoying it—people visiting the museum, or admissions interviewing in the parlors, or faculty teaching and students learning in those rooms.” “Salem gave me opportunities as a student that I wouldn’t have had the courage to take at a larger coed institution,” she says. “Salem continued to give me opportunities—they were what I called life opportunities—and I have learned so much from each experience Salem has given me. I’m just so grateful.”

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD Named one of “America’s Top 20 Visionaries” by US News & World Report in 1999, Rebecca “Becky” Chappell Anderson C’62 has dedicated her life to promoting sustainable economic development. In 1993, she co-founded Handmade in America, an organization that works to improve the lives of citizens in western North Carolina through public, private and non-profit collaborations that promote education, community and sustainable economic development. She was the chief officer of Handmade in America Foundation, Handmade in America Services, Inc. and Handmade in America Community Development Corporation, reinforcing regional craft culture. Recently “retired” from Handmade in America, she has served as director of the Mitchell County, N.C., Economic Development Commission and as a consultant, training others in economic development promotion. She also has served on the board of UNC-TV, the Blue Ridge Heritage Committee, the Center for Nonprofits board and with the Center for Craft Creativity and Design.

REUNION WEEKEND: EVERYONE LOVES TO COME HOME TO SALEM! Throughout the year, Salem alumnae gather at events held in major cities near and far

away from Salem College. Once a year, however, alumnae come home to campus for Reunion Weekend. It's a special time for all, especially classes that are

celebrating their 25th and 50th Reunions! –AWARD IMAGES AND REUNION PHOTOS BY ALAN CALHOUN


YOUNG ALUMNA AWARD As vice president of marketing at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York City, Keesa Schreane C’97 manages the digital, sponsorship, advertising and thought leadership content focused on the firm’s platform for hedge fund, pension fund and asset management clients. Prior to joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, she worked as a financial marketing executive. She also teaches adult college students at The College of New Rochelle in New York and is a personal finance guest writer and columnist for Essence Magazine, Latina Magazine, Black Enterprise and the NBC News site, The Grio.com. In 2006, she won the New York Association of Black Journalists award for her Black Enterprise article, “My First Home.” Schreane also served as a member of Salem’s Alumnae Board and started the Salem Professional Alumnae Network in New York City.

ALUMNA SERVICE AWARD For the past 39 years, Susan Lundeen Smith C’72 has worked in many capacities in the financial services industry. Her business career began in 1972 with C&S National Bank (later NationsBank and Bank of America), where she held a variety of positions, including senior vice president and team leader. In 2001, she joined the Robinson Humphrey Company (now Morgan Stanley Smith Barney), where she is vice president of wealth management and a financial planning specialist. In 2009, she was named a “Five-Star Wealth Manager” by Atlanta Magazine. A native of Atlanta, she has one adult daughter (also named Susan) who graduated from Salem in 2008. Smith also serves as vice-chair of the Salem Academy and College Board of Visitors. She has offered numerous internships and provided housing for many Salem students over the years, and she is a steadfast supporter of the Atlanta Alumnae Club.

SAVE THE DATE: April 26-28, 2013.

It's not too early to mark your calendar for

Reunion Weekend 2013. If your class year ends in "3"

or "8", plan to attend and celebrate your Reunion!


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1 Alice Huss Bost C’62 and Joan Brooks Ontjes C’60 (Atlantic Beach, N.C.)

2 Adam and Alison Gill Falkoff C’89 (Washington, D.C.) 3 Zakiyyah

Samuels Niang A’96 C’00 and Lindsay Cunningham Joyner A’96 C’00

(Winston-Salem) 4 Haynes Brawley Paschall A’89, Mary Heath McDeavitt

C’86, Virginia Edmundson Sutton C’90, Clay Corpening Ijams C’86 and Mary

Martha Whitener Beecy C’88 (Charlotte, N.C.) 5 Neili Cole Akridge C’95

and Mary Crowley C’79 (Spartanburg, S.C.) 6 Angela Hamilton C’10 and

Audrea Lindsay C’11 (Atlantic Beach, N.C.) 7 Toccoa Powell Mayhew

C’88 and Joanna Winecoff Wells C’88 (Raleigh, N.C.) 8 Katherine Chalk

Arthur C’64 and Kathy Glover C’82 (Atlantic Beach, N.C.) 9 Mary Crowley

C’79, Mary “Putsy” Williamson Wardlaw A’53 and Jo Stephenson Brown

C’83 (Spartanburg, S.C.) 10 Molly Lewis Anthony C’98, Lynn Cundiff

Dwiggins C’98 and Krissy Cooley Mingia C’98 (Winston-Salem) 11 Rosalyn

Fogel Silverstein C’51, Sara Honeycutt Hamrick C’51 and Clinky Clinkscales

Seabrook C’51 (Spartanburg, S.C.) 12 Rhonda Goins Taylor C’03 G’05 and

Kate Clement Hall C’03 with their families (Winston-Salem) 13 Whitney

Smith Hsu C’08 and Anne Donovan C’08 (Winston-Salem) 14 Michele

Williams C’93, Jeanne Garner Clay C’69 and Ann Norris O'Neal C’82 (Raleigh,

N.C.) 15 Kristie Vernon Pristas C’00 and sons (Winston-Salem) 16 Carson

and Nicole Riggs Felkel C’07 with son (Winston-Salem) 17 Cindia Gonzalez

Leonard C’07 (Winston-Salem) 18 Darcy Camp McCurry C’77, Laura

Ferguson Esleeck C’73, Annette Perritt Lynch C’75 and Missy Wagner Easter

C’80 (Winston-Salem) –PHOTOS BY KARLA GORT


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1 Mary Vincent Sumner C’67, Susan McIntyre Goodman C’59 and Anne

Summerell Davant C’59 (Charlotte, N.C.) 2 Becky Tucker Sczudlo C’77, Alan

Bubes and Nancy Taylor Bubes C’77 (Washington, D.C.) 3 Frances Bailey

Crutchfield C’64, Susan Pauly, Anne Kendrick Hall C’65, Julia O'Neal Proctor C’61

and Catherine DeVilbiss Moomaw C’61 (Richmond, Va.) 4 Monique Farrell C’01,

Monica Varandani C’01 and Mary Hilliard Fowler Moran A’96 C’00 (Winston-

Salem) 5 Claire Barnhardt Herring C’91 and Cherie Norton McDonald C’94

(Charlotte, N.C.) 6 Cameron Frey Sealey C’80, Pamela Brown Beckner C’76, Susan

Maley Rash C’80 and Betty McCollum Isaacs C’75 (Richmond, Va.) 7 Nancy Allen

Carlton C’86 and Haynes Brawley Paschall A’89 (Charlotte, N.C.) 8 Carrie Mobley

Seck C’96, Deborah Coxe Hensley C’96 and Lee Ann Kennedy C’97 (Raleigh, N.C.)

9 Paige Coulter C’07 and Mary Elizabeth Seay C’07 (Raleigh, N.C.) 10 Kathy

Marakas Barnes C’81, Melanie Adams C’81, Jane Williamson Helvey C’81 and

Brenda Fenton Gerding C’81 (Winston-Salem) 11 Virginia Anderson Davis C’63

and Patricia Houston O'Neal C’59 (Charlotte, N.C.) 12 Maureen Carlomagno C’02

and Jennie Dugan C’07 (Charlotte, N.C.) 13 Laura Dossinger Slawter C’93 and

son, Will (Winston-Salem) 14 Gavin Stannard, Tracy Concaugh Stannard C’86

and Diane Davis Thomas C’91 (Washington, D.C.) 15 Mary McNeely Royal C’05,

Francie Opfer Cronlund C’98, Maggie Crowell Langdon C’98, Winters Campbell

Androney C’05 (Raleigh, N.C.) 16 Lindsay McLaughlin Jordan C’70 and Sandra

Holder Davis C’70 (Raleigh, N.C.) –PHOTOS BY KARLA GORT

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STRENGTH IN LEGACY. This tradition helps keep Salem strong. Eight percent of the 2012-13 incoming class are connected to Salem alumnae. We love capturing and celebrating the legacy bond each year at Reunion and Commencement. 1 Mary McGinnis Shultz C’92 with mother, Kate Cobb McGinnis C’57

2 Pam Snyder Corum A’76, C’80 and daughter, Olivia Corum A’07, C’11 3 Lisa Wyatt C'09 with her daughter, Cassandra Wyatt C'12 4 Judy Dearborn C'12 with her daughter, Ashley Goad C'10 5 Fran Cartier Creasey C'61 with her daughter, Elaine Creasey Grella C'85, and granddaughter, Rebekah Grella C'12 6 Suzanne Fowler Springthorpe C’85 with mother-in-law, Roberta Ashburn Springthorpe C’56 and daughter, Katie Springthorpe C’15 7 Megan Barnhart C’12 with father and retired Salem professor, Dr. Doug Borwick, and sister, Amy Barnhart C’07 8 Dorothy "Jenny" Barker C'12 with her aunt, Dottye Law Currin C'87 9 Betty Tesch Barnes C'53 with her daughters, Melanie Barnes Hicks C'87, Laura Barnes Hayworth C'85, and granddaughter, Laura Elizabeth Hayworth C'12 10 Gwendolyn Taburen Horn C'12 with her daughter, Elizabeth Jakuviwski, A'01 11 Rachel Scott C'12 with her sister, Erin Wilson C'08 12 Stacey Sexton C'99 with her daughter, Lacey Sexton C'12 13 Kimberly Wisen C’11 with her sister, Lauren Wisen C’12 14 Linda Faber C'12 with her daughter, Michelle Faber C'12 15 Lindsay Crabb C'12 with her mother, Lisa Crabb C'04 16 Fiona Johnson A’16 with mother, Michelle Huneycutt Johnson C’87 17 Liz Rhodes Perritt C'78 with daughter, Meredith Perritt C'12 and sister-in-law, Annette Perritt Lynch C'75 18 Kelly Barnes Laham C’87 with daughter, Jordan Laham C’13 – PHOTOS BY ALAN CALHOUN

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my daughter is a great mom and, as an attorney, does public policy research and writing for the NC Center for Public Policy, so I’m just so happy for them both.

What was it like being on set with your son and Steve Carrell?

It was fascinating to see the complexity of shooting a feature film—there were at least a 100 people working together all the time, from the lighting crew to the makeup artists to the actors. Every single person I watched was totally focused on their job. They were under a lot of pressure during the last days of shooting, and yet, everyone was so polite and respectful to each other.

How surreal was the Oscars red carpet?

It was just beyond any dreams. To be there and walk the red carpet, it’s exactly how it looks on TV—everyone is in a happy, celebratory mood.

What was it like to see Jim win?

Jim let me read the first draft of The Descendents script, several years ago and I knew in my deepest intuitive wisdom that it was going all the way. I just knew. When they actually won, I was just

blown apart. I knew on a deeper level that they would win, and yet when it actually happened, it was just beyond; I was so thrilled.

When you’re not hobnobbing with stars, what do you do?

I’m a psychotherapist. All my life I’ve been fascinated by psychology and how the human mind and heart work. I went back to graduate school later in life and I was working most of the time and taking classes at night. I decided this is really what I want to do—it’s my bliss. I’ve also always painted a little bit and done fiber art. I’m doing beading and wall hangings—that’s the way I express my creative side. Life is very rich these days.

Tell us about your time at Salem.

I majored in English literature with almost a double-major in history. I adored English and I had Jess Bird; she was an icon at Salem for many years. It was just a wonderful time. My suitemates and I are all in touch now and getting ready for our 50th Reunion in April. It’s going to be really fun to come back and see everyone again.

Walking the red carpet with Brad and Angelina. Hanging out on set with Steve Carrell and Toni Collette. For Salem alumna Marsha Ray Sherry C’63, 2012 has been a glamorous year. The Colorado resident enjoyed the celebrity treatment thanks to her son, Oscar-winning screenwriter and actor, Jim Rash. Rash picked up an Academy Award in February for best adapted screenplay for The Descendents (and stole the show by cheekily mocking Angelina Jolie’s leg posing). Currently, he can be seen camping it up as wacky Dean Pelton on the NBC comedy, Community. Sherry recently took time after visiting her son on the set of his next movie—a coming-of-age story called The Way, Way Back, starring Steve Carrell—to tell us about her exciting year:

How does it feel to be the mother of an Oscar winner?

As a parent, your only prayer for your children is that they grow up to have their dreams come true, and I think I can say that about my kids. All Jim ever wanted to do, from the time he was two years old, putting on shows on the steps, was to be an entertainer. And

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SCREENWRITER NAT FAXON, MARSHA RAY SHERRY AND HER SON, SCREENWRITER JIM RASH, AT THE 2012 OSCARS.


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SALEM ORGAN LEGACY On September 15, Salem College and the School of Music celebrated its magnificent legacy of organ teachers, students and alumnae with a symposium and recital featuring the historic 1965 Flentrop organ in Shirley Recital Hall. Through lectures, conversation and performance, Salem honored the role of legendary teachers John and Margaret Mueller (above, center) and their extraordinary influence in the Baroque organ movement in America and the historical importance of Salem’s Flentrop organs. The day's festivities included a lecture on the Mueller legacy by internationally acclaimed organist (former student of John Mueller) Kimberly Marshall (far right). A workshop on injury-preventive organ technique with noted technique expert Barbara Lister-Sink (far left) and Alexander Technique instructor Susan Perkins and a panel discussion and tour of the organs in the Fine Arts Center were also held. Timothy Olsen (second from right), Salem professor of organ, joined Marshall for a gala recital, which was followed by a public reception in honor of the Muellers. The Organ Legacy Day inaugurated a campaign to restore the historic 1965 Flentrop Organ.


Givin�

THE FLYNT FARM BEQUEST On a bright sunny day this past spring, a picturesque farm in Rural Hall, N.C., teemed with collectors, historians and friends of Salem interested in owning a piece of Moravian history. They gathered for the auction of the possessions of Patricia Flynt C’57, who willed her home and its contents to Salem upon her passing in January. Coming from a long line of Moravians, Flynt’s belongings included a variety of antiques, such as a Moravian farm table, salt-glazed pottery, silver and more. Flynt’s farm is also for sale. The farm is located in Rural Hall on 26 acres. It is eligible for inclusion in the Register of Historic Properties. Salem alumna, Brooke Burr C’79, realtor and wife of Senator Richard Burr, is handling the sale. Interested parties can reach her at 336/779-9200.

A donation to Salem College through your estate plans helps attract talented students, hire and retain extraordinary faculty and provides leading-edge programs grounded in a history of academic excellence.

With a Planned Gift, you can:• Give without affecting your income.• Provide yourself with added income.• Safeguard the future of your heirs.

Learn more at our new Planned Giving website: www.salem.edu/giving. Or talk with a Planned Giving representative at 336/721-2607.

Your Contribution Your Le�acy,Your Plan,


Salem Academy and College lost two loyal supporters with the passing in 2012 of former Board of Trustees members John G. Medlin Jr., (above left) and Eleanor Sue “E. Sue” Cox Shore A’37 C’41 (above right). Medlin, who served as CEO of Wachovia Bank and Trust Co., was a nationally recognized leader in the banking industry. Under his leadership, Wachovia grew exponentially, accumulating $35 billion in assets by the time Medlin stepped down as CEO in 1993. Medlin served his community and Salem with the same energy and dedication that he brought to his banking career. He served on the Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees and he also gave

generously to the school, leading efforts to establish and fund the prestigious Sisters Merit Scholarship. The scholarship, which pays full tuition, room and board for four years, has afforded many deserving young women the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of an Academy education. A loyal alumna of both the Academy and College, Shore (known affectionately as “E. Sue”) was a longtime supporter of Salem, generously giving both time and treasure year after year to the institution. Shore served on Salem’s Board of Trustees, as well as with the Friends of the Salem College Library and the Alumnae Association, for a number of years.

An English major at Salem, Shore worked for several years during World War II as a reporter at The Twin City Sentinel in Winston-Salem. After leaving that job to start a family with her husband, Dick, Shore stayed active in the community, serving at Home Moravian Church with the Emma Bahnson Service League, the Junior League of Winston-Salem and other varied organizations. Both Medlin and Shore left their indelible marks on the Salem community, and their legacy of philanthropy, loyalty and leadership will live on for many years to come.

Story: Jennifer Bringle Handy

REMEMBERING TWO BELOVED SALEM SUPPORTERS

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In ClosingYOURS TRULY

FREEZE-FRAM E 1972wore jeans to class and never at meals, did not miss the irony of a story about denim (jeans were against the dress code at the time). Martha Lee Johnston Manning A’73 tells the story this way: Two Salem Academy students ventured to the Drama Workshop in the Fine Arts Center, where the magazine staff was conducting makeovers, haircuts and all, which the magazine called a “groom-in.” Following the free demonstration, the teens were singled out and invited to meet with photographers to participate in a special story, “On Campus: Salem College.” They persisted in telling the crew that they were not students at the College. But, with permission from the head of the Academy, they joined several of

the traditional college students on the trip to Tanglewood Park, for the photo shoot that involved fishing! “We had no idea what to do,” recalls Manning, who had undertaken the adventure with Academy roommate Jan Stickley Brady A’73. Donned in thigh-high waders, “we were told to act like we were fishing. So it was a big surprise to everyone when I cast my line and instantly reeled in a fish!” This was the shot they published (above right), along with a six-page spread that featured Brady and Salem College students Carol Smith Andrews C’75; Martha “Marcy” Priester Choate

It’s a familiar game—name three things about yourself, with one being an unexpected truth that no one would presume. It was during such an icebreaker

that Salem Academy and College discovered a little-known fact about the day Mademoiselle magazine highlighted Salem College in its pages. It was 1972, Salem’s bicentennial celebration, when Mademoiselle came to the oldest women’s college in the United States to do a story on “the smart young woman” in a spread about wearing jeans. Of course, the Salem women, who rarely


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

FREEZE-FRAM E 1972C’74; Cathy Bailey Peterson C’74; Shawn Gallagher Dalio C’72; and Janet “Jan” Baumhauer Mejia C’74. An accompanying article describing the college and Old Salem, and how a “small band of Moravian refugees struggled through the North Carolina forests to found a settlement where they could live their religion,” also featured college students Lucinda “Cindy” Greever Nicholson C’74; Kyle Fauth C’73; and Katharine “Kathy” Manning C’72, and President John Chandler, who emphasized the importance of women's colleges for the future. Manning went on to earn her degree in French at the University of Tennessee and enjoyed a long career in marketing with Piedmont Airlines, which later became US Airways. Over the years she kept up with many of her Academy friends, particularly at Reunions. In 2007, she accepted the invitation to serve as recording secretary of the Academy

Alumnae Board. Currently, she is completing her second term as the Board’s president. She said she feels honored to represent Salem Academy and to work with an amazing group of individuals on the Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees. “As I observe today’s Salem girls and young women, I am not only impressed by their intellect, diversity, and hard work, I am also moved by how joyful they seem to be,” she said, adding that a nurturing and caring faculty and staff contribute to such an environment. She loves how strong Salem is today and looks forward to even greater success over the next 10 years when the Academy and College will celebrate its 250th anniversary.

Story: Michelle Melton

Forty years after gracing the pages of the popular magazine, Mademoiselle, these Salem Academy and College alumnae are still living an adventure:

Jan Stickley Brady’s A'73 debut in Mademoiselle led to a career in modeling and television commercials during her years at Middlebury College in Vermont and in New York City, between graduation and the birth of her first child. After raising five children, she has worked with a NYC non-profit that employs prison inmates to help raise and train bomb-sniffing dogs for ATF and other Explosive Detection Canine organizations.

Martha “Marcy” Priester Choate C’74 lives in Charlotte, N.C., with her spouse and two children. Whether she is building homes with Habitat for Humanity or gardening at home, she continues to live the legacy of a capable, Salem woman.

Shawn Gallagher Dalio C’72 lives in Houston, Texas. Since graduating from Salem, Shawn has raised three girls, taught piano and worked for Gulf Oil. An avid golfer, she and her husband, who is retiring soon, plan to spend half of their time in Santa Barbara.

Over the past 40 years, Kylie Fauth C’73 worked as a psychotherapist and raised five children. She currently resides in Windsor, Vt., and is writing a novel, entitled Homebound. An excerpt of it was featured recently in an online literary magazine for writers 60 or older, called The Feathered Flounder.

Living in the Pasadena, Calif., area, Katharine “Kathy” Manning C’72, who received her M.A. in acting at Wake Forest University and was an actress in New York for 20 years, is now a psychotherapist (M.S.W.), ordained minister, energy healer and teacher who practices counseling and healing through her private practice, called Southern Fried Spirituality.

Lucinda “Cindy” Greever Nicholson C’74 and her husband, Joe Nicholson, have two children and now reside in Tazwell, Va., on a farm that has been within her family for five generations. Cindy also works with the Historic Crab Orchard Museum in Tazewell, where she serves as a board member.

Cathy Bailey Peterson C’74 lives a life of adventure in Atlanta, Ga., with her spouse and four children, loving the time that she spends with four generations of family. Fitness is important to her and helps her maintain energy in keeping up with her five grandchildren.

The magazine was not able to reach: Carol Smith Andrews C’75, who is living in Raleigh, N.C. orJanet “Jan” Baumhauer Mejia C’74, who lives in Atlanta, Ga., and has served as vice president at Jega International.

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JOIN US THIS SPRING: Spring Visit for Perspective Students: April 6 Celebration of Academic Excellence: April 24 Founders Day: April 26 Honors Convocation: May 15 Commencement: May 25 and...

april 26–28, 2013

Reunion 2013

Susan E. Pauly, President

Susan Calovini, Dean of the College, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

Vicki Williams Sheppard C’82, Vice President of Institutional Advancement

EDITORS:

Michelle E. Melton, Director of Communications and Public Relations

Jennifer Bringle Handy, Communications and Social Media Manager

Karla Gort C’00, Director of College Alumnae Relations

HONOR ROLL:

Laura Dossinger Slawter C’93, Director of Annual Giving

DESIGNER:

Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00

OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT:

Jane Carmichael, Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations

Kellie Bodsford Dentler C’04, Director of Giving Services and Stewardship

Judy Eustice, Director of Development Operations

Shelley Hindmon A’07, Assistant Director of Annual Giving, Foundation and Corporate Relations

Mark Jones, Webmaster

Judy Line, Director of Special Events

Rosanna Mallon, Assistant Director of College Alumnae Relations

Jennifer Morgan C’90, Director of Major and Planned Giving

Megan L. Ratley C’06, Director of Academy Alumnae Relations

Melissa Wilson, Assistant to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Ellen Yarbrough, Assistant Director of Major and Planned Giving

SALEMS A L E M C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 2

The Salem College Alumnae Magazine is published once each year by the Office of Institutional Advancement at Salem College. This magazine is available online

to all Salem College constituents at www.salem.edu. It has a print circulation of approximately 7,500 and is printed by Keiger Graphic Communications,

Winston-Salem, N.C. Third-class postage is paid at Winston-Salem, N.C.

© Copyright 2012

Salem College welcomes qualified students, regardless of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, or disability to all the

rights, privileges, programs and activities of this institution.

For additional information about any programs or events mentioned in this publication, please write, call, email or visit:

Salem CollegeOffice of Alumnae Relations

601 South Church StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101

336/721-2608 | [email protected] | www.salem.edu

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Salem College Magazine 2012

Documents

Transcript of Salem College Magazine 2012