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Sweet Briar College Magazine – Spring 2019

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Sweet Briar College Magazine – Spring 2019 Dear Sweet Briar alumnae and friends, Friendship and family have been on my mind lately, and so I want to tell you about some new friends I’ve been making this semester. One of them is Ray, who is tall and smart and also known as Love Z, and the other is Blues, who is very personable and a wonderful teacher. My friendship with Ray has grown over time; frankly, I didn’t seem to make much of an impression on him at first. My friendship with Blues blossomed immediately; we seem to be simpatico. As I joked with Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten, the director of Sweet Briar’s acclaimed riding program, maybe I bonded faster with Blues because he’s rather short, and so am I. And if you haven’t already figured it out, Ray, a chestnut warmblood, and Blues, a gray quarter horse, are members of the College’s equine family, and along with Mimi, they’ve been teaching me how to ride. As Sweet Briar’s president, it’s vital for me to learn as much as I can about the Col- lege, its programs and its people. That’s why I taught a course in our inaugural three- week session in the fall of 2018; that’s why I have just instituted collegial gatherings of faculty and staff every Monday evening (called Sweet Briar Hour); and that’s why I’m taking riding lessons, so that I can better understand our equestrian program, its ac- complishments and its needs. Riding also gives me a connection with many members of our Sweet Briar family; a full third of our students identify as riders, whether for competition or recreation. In fact, the more I learn about horses and riding, the more I see that equestrian skills have a strong connection to our new core curriculum with its focus on leadership. Riders develop trust in and empathy for their equine part- ners; riders learn perseverance and discipline; riders gain confidence. These traits are among the habits of mind, along with problem-solving and creativity, that democratic leadership requires, and which our core curriculum aims to inculcate in every Sweet Briar student. Seeing our horses grazing in our pastures is a beautiful, bucolic sight and always raises my spirits. It also reminds me that farming was part of Sweet Briar’s history — and it’s about to become an important part of the College’s present and future. We are implementing a number of agricultural initiatives, ranging from an apiary to green- houses that will grow organic vegetables and herbs for our dining hall, to vineyards that will produce grapes we will market to wineries throughout Virginia. You can read more about our plans to bring aspects of Sweet Briar’s farming legacy back to life and the ways in which the farm will be integrated into our academic program in the story on page 2. I’m excited to share this news about the farm with you, many of whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet and become friends with since I came to Sweet Briar. As I reflect no the benefits of friendship and family, I want you to know how much I value the stories you’ve shared with me about Sweet Briar’s influence on your personal and professional lives. Thank you for all that you do to support the College. I look forward to seeing you back on campus — and if you haven’t already met them, I’ll introduce you to Ray and Blues. Sincerely, Meredith Woo CONTENTS MAGAZINE Spring 2019, Vol. 89, No. 1 Deep Roots: Farming at Sweet Briar This magazine aims to present interesting and 2 Sweet Briar has a long history of farming. This year, agriculture returns thought-provoking news about the College and its alumnae. Publication of the material to the College. does not indicate endorsement of the author’s viewpoint by the College. We reserve the Leaders in Public Service right to edit and revise all material that we 10 Careers in public service are as diverse as the Sweet Briar women who accept for publication. If you have a story idea or content to submit for publication, contact have them. the editor, Amy Ostroth, at [email protected]. Ahead of the Game: Sweet Briar Lacrosse Magazine Staff 16 The College launching its athletic association in 1907 was ahead of its time. Amy Ostroth, Editor In the years since, lacrosse has been an important part of the community. Clélie Steckel, Director of Annual Giving and the Sweet Briar Fund SilverLining Design, Lead Design Daisy’s Harp Cassie Foster Evans, Photographer 18 A new experimental ensemble bridges music and engineering, as well as past and present. Contributors: Janika Carey ’10, John R. Shannon, Gardner McFall, Alex Grobman ’12, Sybil Slate, Annie Begly Wetli, Kiliii Yuya Sweet Briar Goes to Washington 20 Sweet Briar’s amazing alumnae network has helped make an annual trek Contact Information to Washington, D.C., a chance for students to network and learn about Office of Communications job opportunities. P.O. Box 1052 Sweet Briar, VA 24595 434-381-6262 Sweet Briar’s 2019 Presidential Medal 23 Student Government Association President Caroline Thomas ‘19 has won Office of Alumnae Relations and Sweet Briar’s highest honor: the Presidential Medal. Development P.O. Box 1057 Sweet Briar, VA 24595 New Kids on the Blog 800-381-6131 24 Our award-winning Admissions Blog is a great way to learn about day-to-day life on campus from the perspective of students, faculty and staff. Parents of Alumnae If this magazine is addressed to a daughter who no longer maintains a permanent Q&A with Alison Lifka ’13 address at your home, please email us at 30 Last fall, we had a chance to talk to Alison Lifka ’13 about her training for the [email protected] with her new address. Iditarod, a 1,000-mile sled dog race through Alaska. Thank you! 34 JYF in Paris: a Family Legacy Find Sweet Briar Online As JYF in Paris celebrates its 70th anniversary, read the story of one family, sbc.edu who sent three generations to study in the City of Light. The Camille Flood of 1969 38 Read how Sweet Briar faculty, staff and students helped rebuild the community after the historic 1969 flood. DEPARTMENTS 26 On the Quad 43 In Memoriam 40Giving 46 Class Notes 2 sbc.edu Jan Y. Osinga worked at the Sweet Briar farm for more than 41 years. In a memoir written in 2009, he said he was often asked, “What is a dairy farm doing at a college?” Jan’s response was always the same: that the farm was there first. Indeed, it was. The Sweet Briar Plantation was founded in the 1830s and operated as a farm throughout the 19th century. After the College’s founding in 1901, the school’s acres were divided into an orchard; a sheep, hog, chicken and Black Angus beef farm; and a Holstein Friesian dairy. In the end, the College streamlined its farming efforts, increasing the milking herd and focusing on dairy operations. spring 2019 3 A watercolor rendering of how the wildflower meadow might look. Artist: Annie Begly Wetli “Old and former barns are still a silent witness of the past, part of the Sweet Briar Farm History, while the open fields, once planted in hay, corn and small grain, will remain a constant reminder of the past.” — Jan Osinga Driving around campus after his retirement and the end that would weave sustainable agriculture into the fabric of of dairy operations, Jan observed that “old and former barns Sweet Briar’s campus. These efforts have two primary func- are still a silent witness of the past, part of the Sweet Briar tions: to provide academic opportunities for Sweet Briar Farm History, while the open fields, once planted in hay, students and to produce alternative streams of revenue for corn and small grain, will remain a constant reminder of the the College. But more than that, Sweet Briar wants to honor past.” its agricultural legacy and create chances to connect with No longer a thing of the past, this year, farming will return residents of Amherst County. as an active part of College life. In setting her strategic vision And the timing couldn’t be more perfect, with more for the College, President Meredith Woo identified the cam- women taking on agricultural businesses than ever before. pus as a distinctive asset and stewarding its land as every- “As women run an increasing number of the nation’s farms, one’s responsibility. She began asking questions about how Sweet Briar will be poised to recruit and educate women to build an artisanal agricultural community that would who will be the agricultural and natural resource leaders have a purposeful academic component. of tomorrow,” President Woo says. “Moreover, by reactivat- After consulting with the College’s Sustainability Com- ing heritage agricultural lands, the farming operations will mittee, President Woo asked Lori Husein, vice president for provide us with critical sources of auxiliary revenue, and will finance and administration, and Nathan Kluger, director of help ensure that we fulfill our responsibilities to be wise and agricultural enterprises, to implement new farming activities proper stewards of our natural environment.” sbc.edu 4 Sweet Briar is Growing They took surveys and conducted soil testing so they could make nutrient adjustments and ensure that the vines would In March, the school’s new agricultural operation buzzed grow strong and healthy. The team built trellises and now back into life, when the bees in the hives that were installed vines are being planted.
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