Now More than Ever

“Mary Baldwin has survived wars and crises in the past and has each time, emerged several laps ahead of the place they found her.”

The world is changed. And while many times throughout its history, Mary Baldwin has faced hardship, uncertainty, and forces beyond its control, these are unprecedented times. We stand in the face of a global coronavirus pandemic and widespread civil unrest unlike anything else we have seen in our lifetimes. Having read and reread the volumes of Mary Baldwin University’s rich history over the years, this passage from Mary Watters’ History of Mary Baldwin, 1842–1942, emerged to me — resonating deeply. It speaks to the spirit of our great school at its core. 2020 has become another inflection point in our long history, and one that will continue to shape and define us — underscoring our resilience, courage, and fortitude to drive forward in our mission of empowering generations of students to become the inclusive leaders our ever-changing world needs.

The challenges we must overcome now are not unique to our community. Regardless of their size or wealth, colleges and universities across the country face similar changes and pressures brought on by recent events. Yet as we try to make sense of what is happening and create a way forward for our students and university, we find the inspiration right within our own unique history and mission — and our approach to solving these challenges will reflect this.

The pages of this digital magazine speak to the heart of the Mary Baldwin spirit. The stories show how faculty, staff, students, and alumni have risen to recent challenges with a determination to help others and continue their own paths of fulfillment. We explore our most recent fundraising effort that focuses on the bedrock of the Mary Baldwin mission, critical now more than ever.

As we face the pandemic and take action to lead solutions for social justice here locally, we look ahead to opportunities before us — to the exciting plans underway to support and enhance our academic offerings, to strengthen alumni engagement, and to prepare to welcome our students back to campus this fall. I express my deep and humble gratitude to each and every member of our community — faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and friends.

One hundred seventy-eight years bring challenges, but Mary Baldwin University has emerged stronger after each. This is who we are. This is our legacy.

Pamela R. Fox President