WESmag, Summer 2022

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WESLEYAN COLLEGE, SUMMER 2022

ADMINISTRATION Vivia Fowler President Melody Blake Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Andrea Williford Vice President for Institutional Advancement Clint Hobbs Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management Larry Wakefield Interim Vice President for Business and Finance and CFO Christy Henry Dean of Students Tonya Parker ’01 Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator WESLEYAN MAGAZINE STAFF Mary Ann Howard, Editor Director of Communications mhoward@wesleyancollege.edu Brandi Vorhees, Designer Creative Director of Brand and Website Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 Alumnae Director csnow@wesleyancollege.edu Hannah Vanover Digital Communications Officer, Photographer Kayla Stroud Web Content Manager/Graphic Design Millie P. Hudson ’75 Director of Development Julie Jones Director of Advancement Services Whitney Davis Director of Annual Giving Susan Wheelis ’95 Class Notes Editor CONTRIBUTORS Christine Everette ’72 and Sonya Tomlinson Holland ’72 PRINTING BY Panaprint SPECIAL THANKS TO Alumnae and friends for providing photos.

WESmag is published twice a year by the Wesleyan College Office of Communications 4760 Forsyth Road Macon, GA 31210-4462 phone (478) 757-5137 Contents may not be reprinted without permission from the editor.

From the President As I complete my thirty-sixth year at two United Methodist women’s colleges, I have been counting my blessings…and they are many! I used to say that Wesleyan and Columbia College (my alma mater and the place where I spent twenty-one wonderful years on the faculty) were very similar, but with Columbia College now one of the latest women’s colleges to begin admitting men, along with Converse College—also in South Carolina, the comparison is now history. Over these years I have often been asked what I think is the future of women’s colleges, and my answer was this: “Until women and men have economic parity, there is a need for women’s colleges.”

This issue of WESmag points out that women and men still lack economic parity. Don’t we all hope that day will soon come? After all, more women than men are earning college degrees, and we have laws designed to promote equity in hiring, promotions, salary, and workplace environments.

But the discrepancies that are noted in the introduction to this issue are real, and they are experienced differently

by women according to factors other than gender—factors such as race, sexual orientation, language (even accent), and culture.

I am so very proud to have witnessed many accomplishments over the last fifteen years at Wesleyan College—a place where students grow academically, socially, personally, spiritually, and in so many more ways.

It’s a place dedicated to the holistic development of the women who enroll. This is why our graduates tell the stories like the ones you will read in this issue of WESmag. And now if anyone asks me what I think about the future of women’s colleges, my answer will be different. I will say this: “Even if men and women reach economic parity, there will still be a place for women’s colleges—institutions of higher education committed not only to the idea of equity, but where equity is practiced and experienced.”

Hail Wesleyan!

Contents

W E S L E YA N M A G A Z I N E S U M M E R 2 0 2 2

Commencement 2022 2 Addressing the Gender Gap It’s alive and well

19 First Five Black Graduates Testimonial from one

23 Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 A well-deserved honor

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24 Alumnae Award Recipients Learn more about these exceptional women

26 Alumnae Weekend A recap in photographs

30 President Fowler

Thanks for 15 years of service WESmag SUMMER 2022

ADDRESSING THE

Gender Gap Major D’Andrea L. Price ’90 (see page 10) served as manager for the major crimes section for the City of Atlanta Police Department for thirty years before retiring in 2021.

Though she faced some obstacles being a woman in a career dominated by men, she feels that overall women are gaining respect as equals with men in the law enforcement field. “It is getting better. It was better for me than for the women in the 1980s and hopefully women like me who rose through the ranks make it easier for the women who follow. When I joined the force in 1991, I was told by a male officer that I should be home, barefoot, and pregnant; that the streets were not for women. That only made me want it more.” D’Andrea’s motivationstyle leadership encouraged and empowered the other women on the force to serve and to lead in this male-dominated field and earned her a steady stream of promotions. When she retired, people addressed her as Major Price.

Looking back through history, the percentage of women working outside the home in 1941 was 25%, mostly in low-level clerical work, or as nurses and teachers.

By 1945, near the end of World War II, about one-third of women 2

worked outside the home, many in factories doing “men’s work” for the war effort, but around 1950, the number returned to the pre-war percentage as women began staying home to take care of children and the house. By the 1960s, the ideal of the stay at home mom was beginning to wane, and by 1980, 50% of women were working outside the home, double the figure from the 1950s. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the labor force participation rate of women increased throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and peaked at 60% in 1999. Over these four decades, the women’s labor force participation rate increased even during several economic downturns.

BLS further states that since the peak in 1999, the women’s labor force participation rate, which historically offset the decline in the men’s participation rate, has been decreasing and is now contributing to a decline in the overall labor force participation rate. Since the midpoint of the Great Recession in 2008, the rate has further declined by 2.8 percentage points to 56.7% in 2015. BLS projects that this rate will continue its decline and fall by 0.9 percentage point to 55.8% in 2024.

During 2020 and 2021, the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the workforce as a whole, but on women especially. According to Lorman Educational Service’s website, statistics show that almost twice as many women as men left the labor force in 2020, many in order to care for their children as schools and day cares closed. However, according to the BLS, 2021 ended with the highest rate of women in labor force since the first month of the pandemic, at 57.8%. Of all the net jobs the economy added in the past year, 3.3 million went to women and 3.1 million went to men. Even so, women continue to be underrepresented, underpaid, and discriminated against in the workforce, particularly in jobs that often are referred to as “male dominated.”

Traditionally these jobs include STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), finance, IT and software development, construction, architecture, and law enforcement, among others.

According to data, women were less likely to receive a pay increase in the past 12 months – 60% vs.

71% for men. The data shows on average, women who did receive pay increases saw only a 6.5% increase compared to the 12.1% increase men received.

Today, women make up more than 50% of the United States population and a record high 59.5% of all U.S. college students. Studies show that by the time women enter college, they are significantly underrepresented in STEM majors. For instance: • • •

Only around 21% of engineering majors are women.

Only around 19% of computer and information science majors are women.

Nearly 80% of the health care workforce are women, but only about 21% of health executives and board members are women, and only about a third are doctors. Women are more highly represented in lower-paying fields, such as home health workers, nurses, and the lower-paying specialties such as pediatricians.

THE FOLLOWING FACTS PROVE THE GENDER GAP IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL. At the beginning of 2020, women held 38% of manager-level positions, while men held 62%.

For every 100 men promoted to manager,

only 85 women were promoted. And yet, a

recent Gallup study found that gender-diverse business units have higher average revenue

than less diverse business units and genderdiverse teams have higher sales and profits compared to male-dominated teams.

The good news is, according to the Wesleyannes we interviewed, most say they are witnessing a change in women’s workplace roles, even if ever so slowly.

The 2020 Fortune 500 list revealed a record

Alexia Barrett-Flake ’15 (see page 6) worked as an industrial engineer at AGY for four years before changing jobs a few months ago. “Historically, engineering is considered a man’s field. I do believe those tides are turning. Part of my job was recruiting and managing interns, and toward the end of my time at the company, we were seeing more young women than men apply for internship positions. Last year all the interns were women. It was really nice to witness.

The group of women and men who chose the interns chose them because they were the best candidates for the jobs.”

highest representation of women on boards

In the next several pages you’ll read about the work experiences of Wesleyan alumnae who are serving in male-dominated fields.

They offer advice to young women who are considering following in their footsteps and outline the ways their alma mater prepared them to take on these demanding roles.

D’Andrea’s advice is, “Focus on the career you desire, learn the job, and work hard to achieve the goals that will make you competitive with men and other women.”

high number of 37 women CEOs, compared to the 463 CEO positions held by men. Studies show that Fortune 500 companies with the

financially outperform those with the lowest representation of women on boards.

Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women

earned 83% of what men earned for full-time,

year-round work in 2020, and according to the

U.S. Census Bureau, the national earning wage gap was $10,150 in 2019.

This year, Equal Pay Day fell on March 15, a date that symbolizes how far into the year

women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year - 73 days in 2022.

A survey by Glassdoor found that 32% of

women do not try to negotiate pay raises with

their employer, mainly due to the fear of being denied or losing their job.

WESmagSUMMER SPRING 2021 WESmag 2022

DON’T STOP DREAMING.

Kritika Thapa ’09 came to Wesleyan from Nepal on a full-tuition plus room and board international student scholarship to study environmental science with a focus on chemistry and a minor in mathematics. Today she serves as an environmental engineer and project manager at EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc., PBC., in Syracuse, New York. Her work is primarily in the field of site characterization and remediation, which involves remediating historically contaminated federal and state Superfund sites. Her duties involve managing and designing environmental remediation systems and performing feasibility studies for the cleanup of contaminated sites. This includes using various environmental models to assist with system design and engineering data evaluations; preparing plans, specifications, and cost estimates for construction; managing projects to assure that the technical, administrative, hour, and schedule targets are met within the established company framework and in accordance with professional standards; preparing contractor work plans and scopes of work; providing oversight of

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construction and field activities; and preparing various reports as they pertain to feasibility studies, basis of design, and construction completion reports.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS FIELD?

My love for nature and the idea of being able to give back by understanding and solving complex environmental processes and problems. My dad, who is a civil engineer by profession, likely influenced me as well. I grew up in a patriarchal society in Kathmandu, Nepal, but in a very supportive family of three daughters. Growing up, we had this mindset: girls can be equal to or better than boys.

DID YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE SUCH AS A SIMILAR JOB PRIOR OR AN INTERNSHIP AS A STUDENT?

After my junior year at Wesleyan, I worked as a soil hydrologist intern at the University of Minnesota. There, I got to understand subsurface contamination and how plants could be used to clean up agricultural contaminants. After

graduating, I went on to work as a modeling and assessment specialist at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality where I managed projects and used various environmental models alongside engineers to demonstrate how Texas could meet EPA air quality goals. My graduate degree is in environmental engineering, focused on water resources engineering.

WOULD YOU SAY THERE ARE MORE MEN THAN WOMEN IN YOUR CAREER FIELD AND IF SO, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

Yes, there are definitely more men. The gap is noticeable but slowly shrinking. In the past, women often assumed the caretaker role, delaying their entry into the workforce. Hence male dominance has persisted as we try to catch up. Young girls consider math and science difficult subjects that are mainly for the boys, particularly as they are exposed to more male figures in these fields. Even with recent advancements and the push for women in STEM, the continuing workplace sexism and gender stereotyping has led to women quitting as they struggle to be taken seriously.

HAS GAINING RESPECT AND PROVING YOUR ABILITIES BEEN AN INTIMIDATING PROCESS?

There is an unspoken expectation of what a female engineer ‘should look like,’ and if you don’t fit the box, you may have to work even harder.

Because I’m well aware of the biases against minorities in this field, I’ve always worked harder which comes naturally to me. I believe I learned that work ethic from my hardworking mom.

HAVE YOU MET WITH OBSTACLES AT YOUR JOB BASED ON THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A WOMAN? Not so much in the workplace but sometimes at construction sites while working with contractors, most of whom are men. They often think I’m much younger than my age.

I’ve found I have to be very straightforward with them to be taken seriously. I have a senior female engineer as my mentor, with whom I often discuss ways to overcome these challenges and she provides guidance.

During my wide range of work experience with several employers over the years, I have encountered some challenges along the way like dealing with unsolicited male advances, having men talk over me, and not being taken seriously.

DO YOU FEEL WOMEN ARE TREATED/RESPECTED AS EQUALS WITH MEN IN YOUR FIELD? What I have realized over time, again and again, is that women tend to underestimate and doubt themselves despite knowing more than what they give themselves credit for.

This may sometimes show up as seeking reassurance from others in the form of feedback or experiencing impostor

syndrome. On the other hand, I think men do have self-doubt but they do not necessarily seek reassurance. Unfortunately, as a result, women appear inferior to their male counterparts and generally end up having to work harder to be recognized and treated as equals.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN YOUR CAREER CHANGE SINCE YOU STARTED YOUR JOB? IF SO, HOW? In the past few years, there has been a steady influx of junior women engineers, a beacon of hope in this generally maledominated field. Additionally, I’ve seen many women engineers stepping into senior leadership roles and believe more females will climb up the ladder/ranks in the not-so-distant future.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR YOUNG WOMEN INTERESTED IN A “MALEDOMINATED FIELD?”

Don’t stop dreaming. Sometimes our path may not seem clear but when you keep pushing toward what you enjoy doing, life presents you with opportunities.

Stay involved on and off campus as both give you important experiences. Do not doubt your talents and skills or feel inferior to the males in the field. Both men and women have unique abilities and perspectives to contribute, but women need to continue building a presence to make this field more dynamic.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

The foundation of what Wesleyan is and stands for helped me.

Wesleyan was able to give me an education without the social expectations of being a woman hanging over my head. We were leaders and Wesleyan was a place for me to learn how to lead and be unapologetically me. I was able to take up my deserved space and I was able to voice my ideas with confidence.

Alexia Barrett-Flake ’15

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FIND YOUR SUPPORT.

Lane Scholar and biology and theatre doublemajor Alexia Barrett-Flake ’15 began her career as an industrial engineer at AGY collecting and organizing data for use in key decisions regarding continuous improvement projects. She maintained and developed purchase acceptance standards and packaging bill of materials, and developed cost models and process writing for staff justification and training. She was also in charge of AGY’s internship program which required recruiting, screening, selecting, and managing candidates. She says she faced struggles being a woman in the field of engineering and that some men refused to see the value of having a woman in her position. Luckily her peers and superiors were always on her side.

Because she did not have an engineering degree and no prior experience in the field, she had more trouble overcoming her own impostor syndrome and earning the respect of others.

“I had issues connecting with some of the men I worked with. I did get comments from some of the older men but I did not tolerate any demeaning

jokes about women. At one point I had a choice to take a situation to human resources or to deal with it myself. I found the best strategy for me was to stare at them and say I didn’t understand the joke, then ask if they could explain. That strategy nipped many of them in the bud.”

Alexia says there are more men than women in the field of industrial engineering, but she believes that is changing. Her advice to young women interested in a male-dominated field is to learn, listen, and speak up. “Learn from everyone, not just the managers or your peers. Learn from other departments, learn from the ‘old timers’, and learn from the people you are managing. Look for the women who have been through it all already; they will be your friends and mentors. Find your people and be yourself. If someone makes you uncomfortable, call them out. You have more allies than you think. And lastly, do not be afraid to be labeled as ‘difficult’ because if I learned anything, ‘difficult’ is just a euphemism to replace another word and avoid a trip to HR.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

If a student is interested in a male-dominated field, I would remind her that while the climb may be difficult, to never let anyone underestimate her and make her forget who she is, which is a strong, powerful, and loyal Wesleyan Woman.

Dr. Vida Olivares ’02

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THE M IN STEM IS FOR MATH.

You may be surprised to learn that mathematics is one of the most employable majors a student can choose.

Math majors are in demand because their versatility offers potential employers a multifaceted approach to accomplishing business objectives across a variety of industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 27% job growth rate for math occupations between 2019 and 2029, a rate extraordinarily higher than the 4% average for all occupations.

Dr. Vida Olivares ’02 teaches college readiness mathematics to seniors at Mary Persons High School in Forsyth, Georgia. Vida says she’s always wanted to teach math, even as a teenager, and has taught all levels of secondary mathematics over the course of her career. After earning her PhD from Mercer University, she spent seven years teaching K-12 preservice teachers at the University of Central Missouri how to teach mathematics.

“I love teaching secondary mathematics, especially to seniors preparing to go into the real world. Students learn early whether or not they can ‘do math’ and I strive to help every one of them realize that they can be successful in math. I love when students who have previously struggled in class come out of that class with a new appreciation of their skill level.”

Vida said that while there have been more women than men teaching math in the secondary schools where she’s worked, there have been more men in the colleges of mathematics and science. “I felt that I really had to work at the university level to gain respect amongst my male colleagues. It was more frustrating than intimidating. I do not have this problem working at the high school level. With my students, I am glad that I see less of the idea that boys are better at math than girls than when I first started teaching.”

Vida says the number one, best educational decision of her life was attending Wesleyan College - that had she attended a larger university, she would have struggled in her mathematics courses and possibly changed her career path. “Dr. Charles Benesh provided me with the positive reinforcement that I needed to continue in mathematics. I want my students to see that there is a place for them in mathematics. I also really stress to my students the importance of advocating for themselves. Wesleyan’s leadership opportunities allowed me the courage to step up when it was needed, which I have continued throughout my career.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

Wesleyan prepared me to be a confident and empowered woman capable of leading in my field by making me believe that women are equal even if society says we are not.

That by believing in yourself and through hard work and dedication you can reach any goal you have.”

D’Andrea L. Price ’90

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STAY IN THE FIGHT.

Deviancy, social problems, and the stigma associated with classes are what attracted Major D’Andrea L. Price ’90 to join the Atlanta Police Department. She was born and raised in Atlanta and decided the year after she graduated from Wesleyan College to return home to serve her community.

During the course of her career she managed the major crimes section - homicide, sex crimes, robbery, domestic violence, aggravated assault, and Crimestoppers – and was a certified instructor to teach at the police academy.

While at Wesleyan, this psychology and sociology double-major worked for the Crisis Hot Line and held an internship at the Macon probation and parole office. D’Andrea believes law enforcement is a male-dominated field and says she definitely met obstacles being a woman. “Men will try you, and question your authority. Staying humble, taking the high road, and working hard was my motivation. You have to prove yourself, work twice as hard as the men, and stay in the fight. Once I learned to stand up for myself, I became the one that most men were intimidated by!”

Among so many accomplishments, D’Andrea was a senior Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training certified instructor who served as the official host for the City of Atlanta Police Department to visiting agencies for the College Football National Championship Game 2018, Super Bowls LII and LIII, and Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange GILEE- 2018/2019. She was appointee to represent the City of Atlanta for GILEE in Isreal 2018 and National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives 2014-2019. She earned her Master of Public Safety Administration degree from Columbus State University in 2018.

D’Andrea’s advice to women planning a career in a male-dominated field is to follow your heart. Don’t worry about what others say to sway you from your decision. Focus on the career in which you desire, learn the job, and work hard to achieve the goals to make you competitive with men and other women.

“Don’t sit behind a desk answering the phone and doing paperwork unless it’s what you want to do.

Don’t allow men to dump on you as being beneath them while they are praised for their work.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

Don’t look at your field as male dominated. Go in as yourself and do the best you can at whatever job you are assigned. Speak up and take opportunities to grow and improve your skills. Be willing to take on the projects no one else wants. Lead by example. Don’t take negative input from anyone that you don’t feel is warranted, but learn to take feedback graciously if it is genuine.

Kelly Russell ’80

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LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

In her position as forest supervisor for USDA Forest Service, Kelly Russell ’80 provides oversight and leader’s intent for management of the 1.2 million acres of the National Forests in Florida.

Approximately 200 employees plus volunteers cover the gamut of managing the natural resources, from managing all aspect of wildlife and endangered species to firefighting, engineering, administrative needs, budgeting, prescribed burning, working with partners, and many other things.

After graduating from Wesleyan, this Pierce Scholar and biology major served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where she worked on an aquaculture project with local farmers. This led her to Auburn University where she studied fisheries and eventually landed a job as a fisheries biologist with US Forest Service.

For the last twenty years, Kelly has served in leadership roles all around the country including the 3.3 million-acre Gila National Forest in New Mexico, the 1.7 million acre Klamath National Forest in Northern California, and the 1.8 million acre Ouachita National Forest in central Arkansas, plus three forest fisheries.

Kelly thinks that traditionally many of the natural resource management fields have attracted men, but a lot has changed since she began her career thirty-six years ago. “I think women are more accepted in this field these days and not just looked at as someone who got their position due to some sort of equal opportunity requirement. It has been a nice change to see the evolution. My career has been challenging at times and there may have been some questioning my abilities as a woman in this field early in my career, but I’ve never encountered anything that I couldn’t handle.”

Kelly says she came to Wesleyan very much an introvert, but the small class sizes, the opportunities to be in leadership roles, participating on multiple sports teams, and helping to create the student newspaper all helped her embrace her strengths and learn how to meet challenges head-on in a way that made others successful, too. “These days I like the fact that I can make changes happen that will help preserve public lands for future generations.

It is also important to me to set up my employees for success in their careers and to enable them to achieve their goals.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Dr. Esiri Tasker-Armstrong ’14 admits she became interested in forensic science in high school after reading fictional crime novels. This newfound interest led her to discover crime shows like Forensic Files and she became hooked on forensics. Today she serves as forensic biologist II at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, Texas, where she analyzes sexual assault kit evidence for the presence of male/Y-DNA. Most of the leaders in the field of forensic biology are men but Esiri says she’s mostly worked with women.

This Corn Scholar and biology major says she has experienced more passive racism than sexism in her career. Overall she hasn’t observed a culture of sexism, but she has witnessed horrible, sexist behavior from some men in her field. “Honestly, I’m far more concerned about how I’m perceived as a Black person than as a woman. There are Black and POC women/femmes in my field but we’re certainly

not the majority. Part of the reason I earned a PhD was to give people fewer excuses to not take me seriously.”

According to Lorman Education Services’s website, in 2019 people of color made up nearly 40% of the population. However, people of color, especially women, continue to face bias in the workplace. Due to extreme inequity in the workforce, women of color are more likely than white women to stagnate in their career.

“At first, I struggled with feeling inadequate next to my peers, which was further exacerbated by insecurities about being a Black woman in a STEM field. Thankfully, I had a support system that helped me realize that I am good enough. Once you come to that realization, things like entering a male-dominated field become far less intimidating. You’re able to tackle things head-on because you know yourself and the opinions of others begin to matter less and less.”

“Ultimately, you can’t control how others perceive you. I carry myself with confidence because I know who I am.”

Dr. Esiri Tasker-Armstrong ’14 14

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.

Merry Barton Quick ’96 believes that engineering has traditionally been a male-dominated field because in school, women are not always encouraged to seek out STEM careers. She says there is still a stigma that women engineers are somewhat inferior, but it does seem to be changing.

for the engineering/construction field because I was a woman. The older engineers and construction foremen were not always used to working with females. I had several experiences that made me question my abilities but I would ask questions, learn from others, and invest in all the training I could.”

Having majored in dual degree engineering at Wesleyan, Merry serves as a staff engineer for the City of North Charleston, South Carolina. Her duties include reviewing the residential and commercial developments in the City of North Charleston to ensure the projects meet the City’s design standards as part of the MS4 program. The MS4 program is mandated by the EPA for storm water discharges from the municipality. She also coordinates with the MS4 inspectors during construction and assists with the close out of the projects and with the on-call engineers for the Community Development Block Grant sidewalk projects.

Merry credits Wesleyan for helping her realize her importance in the workforce. She says that if she’d started engineering at a larger school, she might not have continued in the field. After transferring to Auburn University to finish her degree, she saw how difficult it was for the engineering students just starting out there.

“Being at Wesleyan with the small classes allowed me to grow and to learn from the many strong women who helped me become a stronger person.”

“When I first started, I had a few instances where the person(s) I was working with didn’t feel I was qualified

What does Merry love most about her job? “It is exciting to see the development after construction is complete and know that I was a part of the improvements. It is also good to know that we are doing what we can to address environmental concerns as much as possible.”

“Follow your dreams and do not let anyone tell you that you can not succeed. Be open to learning from others and always continue to learn as we are never too old to learn.”

Merry Barton Quick ’96

WESmag SUMMER 2022

What’s most important is ensuring you have a passion for the work. Because of the obstacles and challenges you will face, you will question if the pursuit is worth the trouble. The passion you have for your work will empower and rejuvenate you on the days when you feel lonely and exhausted from the pressures of trying to succeed and fighting for fair treatment and equal opportunities. For me, I never look at the situation as ‘male-dominated.’ I look at work and in everything I do, as I am setting the standard…and my standard is high.

Sophia N. Hall ’01

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PASSION DRIVES POSITION.

As supervisory management and program analyst for the Department of Homeland Security, Sophia N. Hall ’01 is responsible for the accountability and control of personal property, including fleet assets for the Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations (RAIO) Directorate. As part of the RAIO Property Team, she helps to manage 2,500 assets valuing close to 1.4 million dollars. Sophia says there are definitely more men than women in her career field, partially because women are challenged at a higher rate than the men and that women’s work is scrutinized much more than their male counterparts. “At our agency, we do have women in leadership positions, unfortunately the grooming process is very selective and exclusive.

Sometimes it is not just the men you have to be concerned with, but with other women who are a part of the male-dominated mental state. When these situations arise, the women are often more critical of other women than the men are.”

Sophia says that in general, women tend to gravitate to more collaborative, team-oriented positions

in training, communications, human resources, travel, accounting, public affairs, etc., whereas men are more likely found in positions in the areas of information technology, budget, security, and asset management. She believes she was denied promotions because supervisors and leaders were intimidated by her drive and determination to succeed. She also says she could have moved up in the ranking sooner, but she had to stay in a position which was more conducive for someone with a family. She had to make a choice.

“The challenge for me was to continue to move forward; to find the ‘hole’, fill it, and come back stronger; and to gain respect and peer legitimacy.

Work/job proficiency is paramount. Once I was comfortable in my duties, I could begin to address some of the work climate and work landscape shortcomings I perceived. Fighting for recognition in doing the same job and often doing the same job better than my male counterparts was and still is a great challenge. When the opportunity arises, I am happy to prove my abilities and stand toe-to-toe with anyone. Wesleyan helped to shape this mindset.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

CHANGE THE MINDSET.

As branch chief of fluid minerals (oil, gas, geothermal, and helium) for the Colorado State Office-Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Kemba Anderson ’02 is a big STEM and STEAM advocate. She manages a team of engineers, geologists, natural resource specialists, petroleum engineering technicians, and land law examiners and has worked in several states including Maryland, Virginia, Texas, New Mexico, and Nevada.

Award in Diversity and Inclusion. She says now is the time for women and minorities to make a change and to make a difference. “Sometimes I am the only person of color or the only women in the room. I use these situations as opportunities to create awareness. My advice is to be willing to fail and fail often and to learn from mistakes in order to make yourself and others better at what they do.”

Kemba says as a result of the natural resource field still being male-dominated, she has been passed over for promotions and has delayed completing her PhD on several occasions due to having to work “ten times harder than my male counterpart.” In addition to her work duties, this 2017 Leadership Academy graduate has served as special emphasis program manager throughout her BLM career service, as black employment coordinator and federal employed women coordinator, and is currently a diversity change agent.

In 2020, she was honored with the BLM Director’s

In her sixteen-year career at BLM, Kemba has seen the glass ceiling slowly changing with more women entering in STEM/STEAM careers, but says the change is not happening as quickly as it should. Also, she says, this increase is being seen in the lower grade levels. In the higher grades, the gender ratio is about 85% men to 15% women. “There are still individuals who have traditional ideas of what a woman’s career should be.

I have been in meetings where the men thought I was the note taker until I was introduced and then it’s a ‘whoa moment’ realizing I’m the boss of the group.”

“My philosophy on life is that it takes one person to make a change but a society to make a difference.”

Kemba Anderson ’02 20 18

How I Became One of the First of Five Black Americans to Graduate from Wesleyan College

by Sonya Tomlinson Holland, Class of 1972 One of the former music staff members at Wesleyan College was a well-respected friend of my mother’s family. My mother was from Macon, and she was very familiar with the Wesleyan campus. Marvette Baldwin and I were classmates at Henry McNeil Turner High School and we participated in the Governor’s Honors program which took place on the campus of Wesleyan College.

After our experience in Governor’s Honors, we each received music scholarships to return to Wesleyan.

Marvette was the daughter of Betty Baldwin Pleasure, one of the first members of the Atlanta Symphony Chorale, directed by the late Robert Shaw. Marvette was blessed with a four-octave range. She inherited that singing talent from her mother who had a beautiful voice. Both of us were in the Atlanta Public School system Chorale and auditioned in our senior year of high school. We both participated in the Turner High School chorus. I recall the beautiful Wesleyan College campus from our Governors Honors program experience. My mother’s family friend, Dr. Jelks, encouraged me to return to Wesleyan College to matriculate as a music student. I fondly recall a graduation gift from Dr. Jelks - a beautiful China set with a picture of the old Wesleyan College campus printed on it. I treasure it to this day.

I have some memories from my time on campus – specifically, that my education classes and the Modern Dance instructor were my favorites.

My most memorable moment still lives in my memory every time I pass the Fountain. I have very pleasant memories of that fountain because when we were at the Governor’s Honors program, we had to shake the hand of then-sitting Governor Lester Maddox. I will never forget that

occasion. The Caucasian students in the program were very bright; many of them were future MENSA students and had extremely high IQ’s. They felt sorry for the 14 Black students that we had to endure the insult of shaking the Governor’s hand. The evening after we shook his hand, hundreds of our sympathetic peers gathered around the fountain, surrounding us Black students, for a “cleansing of the hands” ceremony. So, every time I pass the marble Fountain today, I smile. It is a very pleasant memory for me. On campus, when we had our Black Student Alliance photo taken for the yearbook, I suggested that we pose around the marble fountain.

The younger students were unaware of why I selected that location for the photo.

dressed in Confederate soldier uniforms, carrying sabers to pick up their Wesleyan Belles, wearing full antebellum hoop skirts and carrying parasols. They locked their arms and walked as couples under the arched sabers. This was shocking to me - very shocking to the Black students. We were upset, but we didn’t know how to deal with it. Our Mercer peers came over when they found out it happened. Fortunately, the Black students could talk to Dr. Strickland.

So, in all his wisdom, Dr. Strickland and the president of Mercer joined forces and banned that activity on both campuses. This was very wise on both Presidents and helped to keep the conflict down. To this day, “Old South Day” is not campus-sanctioned on either campus.

A lot of the students don’t realize that the original name of the “Sisters of the First Five” was the Black Student Alliance and why it was formed. The Mercer University students came over to our campus upset because they heard that Wesleyan was also experiencing “Old South Day.” They had the same event on their campus.

They realized that students had come over on the Wesleyan Campus

If I could give the current students at Wesleyan College any advice, I would say to them to be very careful of your words and your thoughts, because you never can tell how - 50 years from now - they’ll come back and haunt you.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

Alumnae award renamed for Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 Each year, alumnae are encouraged to submit nominations for distinguished alumnae awards that include achievement awards and awards in the category of service that are presented during Alumnae Weekend by the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association.

Traditionally the service awards have been Distinguished Service to Wesleyan College, Distinguished Service to the Community, and Distinguished Service to the Church.

As of Alumnae Weekend 2022, and forever henceforth, the award for Distinguished Service to Wesleyan is now named the Cathy Coxey Snow Award for Distinguished Service to Wesleyan in honor of Wesleyan College’s alumnae director since 1992.

Cathy has served Wesleyan as director of alumnae affairs for three decades, and has created and developed alumnae programs that other schools follow. In 2021, Almabase, a global company that

focuses on alumnae relations and advancement programs, spotlighted her in its online monthly newsletter sent to alumnae professionals world-wide. Her service is notable, however, not because of the number of years she has served, but for the commitment, the talent, and the sheer love of Wesleyan she demonstrates every day. She has held positions to include vice president of the Macon Alumnae Club; decorations chair for Alumnae Weekend; Alumnae Weekend Chair, WCAA Board of Managers; co-chair for inauguration reception for President Robert K. Ackerman; Alumnae Link Program chair; class notes reporter for the alumnae magazine; class liaison; candlelighter; and served in other volunteer roles throughout the years.

Cathy has served as an ambassador for the College through her community involvement with organizations where it is important for Wesleyan to have a presence.

These include executive board member, Career Women’s Network of Macon; president, American Association of University Women, Macon Chapter; president, Wesleyan Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi; president, The Morning Music Club of Macon; president, The History Club of Macon; president, The Macon Concert Association; board member, Macon Symphony Orchestra; board member, Macon-Bibb County Convention and Business Bureau; member, DAR - Mary Hammond Washington Chapter.

As a student, Cathy was a Junior Marshal, editor of Wesleyan Creative Magazine, a Scribe, and a staff reporter for Times and Challenge.

She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Gamma Mu, Pi Delta Epsilon, Mortar Board, and earned semester honors, Student Recreation honors, and the Emmett S. Johnson Scholarship (STUNT), among her other campus activities.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

Thanks to President Vivia Fowler for 15 years of true, faithful, and loyal service to Wesleyan College For 10 years, Vivia L. Fowler served as provost and vice president for academic affairs before becoming Wesleyan’s twenty-fifth president in 2017. Bringing more than thirty years of experience in higher education, specifically at women’s colleges, she was the third female president of this women’s college, and she is the first female ordained United Methodist minister to hold the office once traditionally held by Methodist clergy. Among her many accomplishments as provost were her development and initiation of the Wesleyan Academy for Lifelong Learning (WALL), her leadership to create the bachelor of science in nursing program, and her direction of the Guangzhou dual degree program.

As president, Vivia welcomed four of the largest first-year classes in recent history while also raising more money for the Wesleyan Fund each year – and doing all of this during two years of a pandemic! Under her leadership, the renovation of Willet Library was funded and completed, becoming the students’ favorite place on campus.

Frequently, Vivia is asked to be a speaker or to serve on a panel to share the work Wesleyan has done on campus to address equity and inclusion, and the College has become a role model for other institutions of higher learning. Last year she founded the Lane Center for Social and Racial Equity and has been an active participant while also leading the President’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion.

Her commitment to diversity and inclusion has led to national attention for the College including in the form of two important grants: The Mellon grant for “Crafting Democratic Future” and the NetVUE grant for “Reframing the Institutional Saga.”

Vivia has tirelessly represented Wesleyan at hundreds of community and national meetings, served on numerous community boards and higher education advisory committees, and traveled the country to meet Wesleyan’s alumnae. But for all of her accolades and honors, Vivia’s legacy will be her selfless leadership and stewardship of Wesleyan and her students. Her selflessness is evident as she has

often said, “It is not about me. It is about Wesleyan.” When asked how donors could honor her presidency, she simply said, “Make a gift to The Wesleyan Fund. That is what Wesleyan needs most.”

Wesleyan is forever grateful for Vivia’s servant’s heart and her willingness to serve the College for fifteen years.

2022 ALUMNAE AWARD RECIPIENTS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

Joyce Rice Ellison Class of 1972

When Joyce Rice Ellison ’72 matriculated as a Pierce Scholar, she became active in almost every aspect of campus life, serving on her class’s STUNT committee and soccer team and as a member of Pi Gamma Mu, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, and the Times and Challenge staff. Voted Outstanding Senior, this history/political science major took a journalism class her senior year that led to a job with The Macon Telegraph following graduation. There, Joyce became the Georgia Living editor and in 1976 she won the Georgia Press Association award for best feature section.

Moving to Hawkinsville in 1976, Joyce joined the Junior Woman’s Club, working on beautification projects and obtaining training equipment for first responders. Twice her work earned her the club’s Citizen of the Year award.

At St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Joyce raised money for a new organ and began service as a volunteer organist.

She played for services, developed a choir, and codirected children’s musicals.

Throughout the years, Joyce also served on the Wesleyan Alumnae Association’s Board of Managers, was volunteer accompanist for Stratford Academy’s chorus, and became active in Macon Little Theatre. Joyce joined the Morning Music Club of Macon and began substitute teaching at Stratford, where the Class of 2010 honored her by dedicating their yearbook to her.

Returning to Hawkinsville in 2012, Joyce became the branch manager of the Roden Library where she has written and directed songs, skits, and scripts for all manner of events. The Chamber of Commerce named her Citizen of the Year in 2018.

THE CATHY COXEY SNOW AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO WESLEYAN

Pamela Henry Pate Class of 1971

Pamela Henry Pate ’71 became a Golden Heart when she entered Wesleyan in the fall of 1967, which inspired her trademark signature, “From the bottom of my GOLDEN Heart.” As a Wesleyan student Pam played soccer and basketball and served on the staffs of the Veterropt and the Times & Challenge – and assisted her class in winning STUNT each of their four years.

Pam is one of Wesleyan’s greatest ambassadors. She has served as class liaison and encourages donations from alumnae. She is a member of her Class’s 50th reunion project, helping to raise funds that exceeded their goal to name Willet Library’s new Archival Workshop. Pam started the Triangle NC Alumnae Club and a monthly Wesleyan Book Club which she (thanks to her porch) kept going through the pandemic. Each year, she organizes a WOW project for area alumnae and has driven alums to campus so that they could attend their class reunions.

As an outstanding public school teacher in Chapel Hill, Pam has used her Wesleyan education to distinguish herself for her work with the North Carolina Holocaust Council, serving under four state governors. She is a member of Colonial Dames and DAR. She was one of the first visual art teachers to receive certification by the National Board of Professional Standards and is an active volunteer in her church.

Pam has taken full advantage of her Wesleyan education to speak up for her beliefs, to follow her passion for serving others, and to secure Wesleyan’s future for others.

Joyce Rice Ellison ’72, Jane Price Claxton ’68, Susan Woodward Walker ’70, Leah Roberts ’08, President Vivia L. Fowler, Dr. Brittany Joiner Lucas ’06, Rev. Felecia Pearson Smith ’74, Pamela Henry Pate ’71, and Jessica Kendrick Thomas ’08 (not shown). Scan QR code or visit wesleyancollege.edu/awardwinners to read full stories on all recipients from 2020 and 2022.

YOUNG ALUMNA AWARD

Leah Roberts Class of 2008

Leah’s contributions in the field of molecular diagnostics during the COVID-19 pandemic made a difference in the lives of more than a million people.

In March 2020, Leah helped Ipsum Diagnostics Molecular develop a high-throughput method of testing that was not being used by the CDC. Leah’s lab managed a ramp-up from 100 samples per week to 10,000 samples a day in a matter of months.

Under her leadership, Ipsum was the first lab in Georgia and the twelfth in the country to receive FDA emergency authorization.

During this time, Leah was thrust into the position of molecular diagnostic manager and her normal day-today tasks grew on an exponential scale. She worked to combat personnel and inventory shortages, moved the laboratory into a larger space, performed validations on

equipment, and worked along side IT to streamline integration of reports. Labs across the country that use the same equipment began using Ipsum’s protocols to start their own processing.

In September 2021, Leah was promoted to chief operating officer at Ipsum, was the keynote speaker at Sandy Springs Chamber Women of Distinction Event, and honored by Bizwomen Atlanta Business Chronicle Mentoring Monday as one of twenty local business community’s most influential women leaders in Atlanta.

Leah is a volunteer with Fayette Democratic Women and is in the process of completing her induction into the National Society of Leadership and Success. At Wesleyan, she was a member of the Black Student Alliance and WAVE. She earned her Master of Public Health degree at Walden University in 2015. Leah is fulfilling a vital need for diverse female role models in the field of science. She is a woman of color at the helm of lifesaving technology during what could be considered the greatest crisis the human race has faced in recent history.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

Sympathy The Wesleyan College Alumnae Association extends sympathy to: Mildred Fincher Efland ’42 on the death of her sister, Phyllis “Penny” Fincher Smith, on November 23, 2021.

Betty Smith Addison ’51 on the death of her spouse, James E. Addison, on December 26, 2021.

Anne McKay Garris ’51 on the death of her spouse, Berle Garris, Sr., on July 25, 2021.

Frances Bruce Van Horn ’53 and Cris Wren Van Horn ‘77 on the death of Frances’s sister and Cris’s aunt, Martha Bruce Irwin, on January 21, 2022.

Joan Cordova Walker ’54 on the death of her brother, Joseph James “Joe” Cordova, on January 24, 2022.

Leila Kight ’68, on the death of her cousin, Jane Shirah Srump ’72, on March 19, 2022.

Cleveland Smith Muecke ’68, on the death of her spouse, Harold Wright “Hal” Muecke, Jr., on November 25, 2021.

Carol Bell Melton ’78 and Crystal Bell Davidian ’80 on the death of their father, Dr. Grover Bell, on March 3, 2022.

Barbara Ann Betts Tuck ’60 on the death of her spouse, Frank Kenneth Tuck, on August 7, 2021.

Anne Shirah ’78 and Martha Shirah Brumbeloe ’81, on the death of their sister, Jane Shirah Stump ’72, on March 19, 2022.

Jane Wooten Waller ’67 on the death of her mother, Jane Wooten, on December 23, 2020.

Wendy Ward Winton ’67 on the death of her spouse, Edward Lee Winton, on July 25, 2020.

Pamela Buchanan Kent ’70 on the death of her mother, Elizabeth “Libby” Johnson Buchanan on November 12, 2021.

Sarah Duncan Kinsey ’58 on the death of her spouse, Joseph Chandler Kinsey, Jr., on December 29, 2021.

Mary Jane “Cissy” Bloodworth Brumfield ’71 and Flo Bloodworth Mellard ’61 on the death of Cissy’s spouse and Flo’s brother-in -law, Bruce Carlton Brumfield, Ph.D., on February 5, 2022.

Stella Tidwell Avret ’59 on the death of her sister, Edwina Tidwell Ferguson, on August 18, 2020.

Mary Margret Woodward McNeill ’60, Judy Woodward Gregory ’63, and Susan Woodward Walker ’70 on the death of their brother, Robert D. Woodward III, on January 27, 2022.

Janella Sammons Brand ’62 on the death of her spouse, A. Lee Brand, Jr., on May 22, 2021.

Iris Carroll Edwards ’62 on the death of her spouse, Walter Dale Edwards, on July 22, 2021.

Becky Chapman Bryson ’65 on the death of her son, Phillip Chapman Bryson, on April 11, 2021.

Dottie Kea Johnson ’65 on the death of her spouse, Thomas D. Johnson, on April 13, 2022.

Carol Adams Garland ’66 on the death of her spouse, Benjamin McCaskill Garland, on April 10, 2022.

Susan Sears Lebold ’66 on the death of her brother, David Needham Sears, on January 13, 2021.

Catharine Burns Liles ’66 and Hazel Burns Struby ’74 on the death of Catharine’s spouse and Hazel’s brother-in-law, Marion Harper ‘Brother” Liles, on February 8, 2022.

Christy Spruill ’76 on the death of her mother, Doris Waddell Spruill, on June 2, 2021.

Joanne Tinsley Junkin ’69 on the death of her spouse, Gregory Stephen Junkin, on January 10, 2021.

Jane Allen Mitchell ’55 on the death of her sister, Frances Allen Ferguson, on February 22, 2022.

Jane Howard Reinmuth ’58 on the death of her spouse, Donald Everett Reinmuth, on December 31, 2021.

Catherine Bass McCarthy ’76 on the death of her mother, Sara Jackson Bass, on March 20, 2020.

Linda Moore ’79 on the death of her mother, Frances Jordan Moore ’49, on May 18, 2022.

Lee Lee Seabrook ’79 on the death of her mother, Araluen Clinkscales “Clinky” Seabrook, on December 8, 2021.

Sarah King Pilger ’85 on the death of her father, Kenneth Felix King, on December 26, 2021.

Judy Forward Lear ’86 on the death of her father, Roy Forward, on December 9, 2021.

Nancy Barnes Huppert ’71 and Flo Barnes ’72 on the death of their sister, Mary Cecelia Barnes, on April 16, 2021.

Jenny Carswell Stafford ’86 on the death of her stepmother, Carolyn Hughes Carswell, on March 31, 2020.

Rosalyn Telford Kendall ’71 on the death of her spouse, Robert Preston “Bobby” Kendall, on July 18, 2020.

Teri Green Frazier ’87 on the death of her mother-in-law, Lucy Alston Frazier, on October 10, 2021.

Holly Pearson Payne ’71 on the death of her husband, Tom Payne, on January 28, 2022.

Joan Finney Hatcher ’88 on the death of her spouse, Eugene Stetson “Gene” Hatcher, on February 3, 2022.

Beth Loflin Vech ’71 on the death of her mother, Rebecca “Jane” Hardaway Loflin, on October 16, 2019.

Meg Hogan Campbell ’72 and Kristina Hogan Leggett ’80 on the death of their mother, Jane Morgan Hogan ’49, on November 30, 2021.

Judy Adkins Harvill ’72 on the death of her spouse, George Randy Harville, on April 22, 2021.

Dyleane Tolbert Taylor ’72 on the death of her son, Omar T. Spradley, in January 2022.

Joan Hill Creviston ’74 on the death of her mother, Elma Mae Savchenko Hill, on March 3, 2021.

Robbie Pirkle Smith ’74 on the death of her aunt, Martha Rumble Pirkle, on December 6, 2021.

Linda Taunton Hopkins ’75 on the death of her mother, Bert Louise Taunton, on January 9, 2022.

Maria Shackelford Gause ’90 on the death of her mother, Betty Powell Shackelford, on June 21, 2021.

Mariana dos Santos Furlin ’92 on the death of her father, Hermes Martini Furlin, Sr, on January 23, 2022.

Meri McMillan Khoury ’92 on the death of her mother, Judy Maddox Adams, on February 20, 2020.

Megan Stockton ’96 the death of her sister, Nicole Stockton, on October 15, 2021.

Julie Cannon Grigsby ’97 on the death of her spouse, Michael Grigsby, on March 15, 2022.

Mary Kathryn Borland ’04 on the death of her grandfather, Emile Evans, on May 24, 2022.

Allison Scenna ’08 on the death of her father, Albert Scenna, Jr., on September 14, 2021.

In Memoriam

Marriages Congratulations to:

Bingle C. Brown ’99 who and Marcie McFarland who married on October 4, 2021.

Catherine “Cat” Zopfi Merschat ’06 and Robert-Jon “Rob” Andrew Pyle who married on October 30, 2021, at Saint Andrews Presbyterian in Macon, GA. Callie Rawlins ’13 and Ryan Linch who married on November 20, 2021.

1942

Raleigh Kate Chance ’14 and Rudy Aguirre who married on December 18, 2021.

Chrisina Mayfield ‘15 and Matthew Denninghoff who married on November 6, 2021.

1943 1945 1946

Alannah “Shelby” Rivers ‘16 and Eric Wolf who married on March 5, 2022.

Charlotte “Nicole” Wilson ’17 and Stephanie Mariette Artola ’18 who married on October 15, 2021.

Births & Family Additions

1947 1948 1949

Congratulations to: Anna Cornelious Martin ’04 and Patrick on the birth of a daughter, Emily, on May 6, 2022.

Jennifer Eady Hopkins ’14 and Jake on the birth of their second son, Ezra Dwayne Hopkins, on December 28, 2021.

Ying Tang ’09 and Anthony Kroestch (of Troy, Michigan) who married in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 30, 2021.

Denver Payne ’20 on the birth of a daughter, Huntley Rose, on May 20, 2022.

1951 1952 1953 1955 1956

1957 1958

1960 1961 1962 1963 1965 1966 1968 1970 1971

Announcing Alumnae Weekend 2023

APRIL 21, 22 & 23, 2023 It’s not just for reunion classes!

Mark your calendar now and plan to join us next spring! Reunions are celebrated at five-year intervals, but all alumnae are invited to this and every Alumnae Weekend.

1972 1974 1976 1979 1981 1987 1992 1996 2010 2022

Jacqueline Vickers Hasell Davis Carolyn Norman Keefer Maige Jane Hutchinson Thornton Noel Volk Troxclair Mary Belle Gardner Quesenberry Bettie Hotaling Bland Ruth Middlebrooks Barnwell Helen Fredrickson Brown Mary Nunn Domingos Peggy Halliburton Pickard Martha Rumble Pirkle Julia Struby Burke Winnifred Hopkins Durden Barbara Sherer McAfee Frances Henry Almand Monique Samson Dempsey Phyllis Fincher Smith Betty Buntyn Googe Mary Lane Edwards Hartshorn Jane Morgan Hogan Barbara Seitz Williams Esther Deal Baker Carol Northcutt Worley Betty Smith Jennings Madge Hill Sidwell Joann Wilkes Williams Ada Morris Lamon Mary Ann Wetherington Ratcliff Sarah Ware Arthur Kay Johnson Bergh Colleen Denton Chambliss Elizabeth Almond Travis Josephine Tryon Lange Sherry Snavely Abernethy Judy Fletcher Cannon Berta Dodd-Marbut Erma Juanita McMullen Helen E. Cannon Sondra Tucker Chapman Paula Talbert Johnson Mina A. DeLaVergne Katie Lee Tankersley Janet Mixson Templeton Emily England Stamos Marilyn Johnson Tuttle Lucinda Speake Mynatt Fabia Trice Rogers Judy Maddox Adams Virginia Anne Dollar Lawson Catherine Cushing Thierry Rita Jane Thomas Chimiak Elizabeth Epps Cassidy Anne Teal Ruddell Catherine Bates Akin Coulmas Aleta N. Huser Phyllis Collins Marshall Debbie Weeks Felker Ann Dulin Hudson Mable V. Booker Bebe Paulette Chrismon Marianna Patton Walker Barbara Beddingfield Magnan Claudia E. Calvez Cynthia Bearden Hayslip Marlo S. Ross-Christian Claire Peed Whitaker Lauren Chelsea Long WESmag SPRING 2021

A message from

THE WCAA PRESIDENT Dear Wesleyan Alumnae, I left Alumnae Weekend this year grateful for the opportunity to gather in person and for the added bonus of being back at Wesleyan with so many classes I overlapped with as a student. I hope we see more of this in the future. We fell back into the friendships formed so many years ago and made new memories while sharing stories from our days as students. As I told the assembly gathered for the Annual Meeting, “Y’all look good!”

THANK YOU to the advancement and alumnae office staff and to Natalie Puckett Evans and her team who did such an outstanding job of planning a weekend for three times the usual number of reunion classes.

Being on campus, listening to stories, seeing old friends, making new friends, hearing about what is happening at Wesleyan today, and learning more about the Lane Center for Racial and Social Equity gave me a real desire to engage more in Wesleyan’s future. It will be a future we embrace while reconciling the past in some cases. It will be a future where beloved majors give way to the needs of today’s students. It will be a future where Wesleyan graduates continue to excel. It will be a future where we embrace the change that comes as the years pass without losing sight of who we are. I hope you will join me in a commitment to engage more.

During a panel discussion, we learned from Wesleyan’s First Five Black alumnae about their experiences as students and they were honored with the naming of a new award for Black students created

by Sisters of the First Five Black affinity group.

Congratulations to Cathy Coxey Snow ’71 for the honor of having the Award for Distinguished Service to Wesleyan renamed for her. Lastly, thank you to President Vivia Fowler for 15 years of service to Wesleyan.

Alumnae Weekend provided a perfect venue for a panel discussion featuring three of Wesleyan’s First Five Black graduates from the Class of 1972 as they celebrated their 50th class reunion. Christine Everett, Sonya Tomlinson Holland, and Dyleane Tolbert Taylor were overwhelmed with the tremendous turnout they received from alumnae and friends.

Afterward, Christine hosted a book signing for her book Prayers of Praise, and contributed all proceeds from sales to a new award for students who selfidentify as Black and/or of Black descent created by Sisters of the First Five (SOFF), an affinity group for Black alumnae. During the Annual Meeting, Najah Yasin Webb ’13, SOFF interim president, announced the establishment of the new award honoring the First Five. Jan Lawrence, president of the Wesleyan College Alumnae Association, also announced a gift from the Association to the new award. The WCAA presented these courageous women who integrated Wesleyan College in 1968 with a piece of Wesleyan china. The First Five Black women to graduate from Wesleyan were not only trailblazers, they were changemakers. Amid the racism and inequity of the 60s and 70s, they integrated Wesleyan, founded the first Black Student Alliance chapter on campus, and built bridges between people of color at Mercer University and surrounding Middle Georgia schools.

Today Wesleyan has one of the most diverse student bodies in the country and that is one of our greatest treasures. Not in attendance: Marvette Baldwin Jenkins and Carolyn McClinton Woodard.

Scan QR code with phone or visit wesleyancollege.edu/livefeed to watch this panel discussion featuring three of

Wesleyan’s First Five Black graduates from the Class of 1972.

50th Reunion Classes CLASS OF 1970

(L-R) Row 1: Linda Goulding Camp, Susan Reynolds Gregory, Diane Dennington Robertson, Jan Drury Cox, Susan McMahan Fink, Maggie Lane Evans, Karen Murphy Freeney, Jane Thompson, Anne Herndon Oswald Row 2: Glenda Thomas Ellington, Kathy Arnold Hale, Patti Voyles, Emily Chase Cook, Ann Scott Terry, Janet Thomas Brewer Row 3: Jane Ward Gault, Carolyn Wills Garrard, Shirley McFadden, Charlene Payne Kammerer, Vonnie Dykes Hartig Row 4: Wanda Saltmarsh Hopkins, Mary Ella Gibson Bernard, Cathy Coxey Snow, Jan Bull Burgess, B.J. Molpus Posey, Pat Grogan Borders, Leslie Rumble FrazerVillers, Carol Crow Lineberger, Susan Woodward Walker Not pictured: Ellen Fling Danner, Sally Myhand Flannagan Neal, Arlyn Matthews Hawley, Lynn Lamberton Long, Brenda Witham McGinn, Debbie Giugni McMillan

CLASS OF 1971

(L-R) Row 1: Pamela Henry Pate, Becky Curtis Basset, Peggy Parrish Hasty, Holly Pearson Payne, Gail Hambrick Steele, Kimberly Fritch Vantreese, Debby Smith Kelly Row 2: Debbie Hall Loftiss, Jan Shelnutt Carriker, Salina “Sam” Metts Harkelroad, Louise Cross Stewart, Beth Loflin Vech, Pam Finlayson Row 3: Cathy Coxey Snow, Becky Edenfield Lingerfelt, Vivian Hallmark, Louellen Edwards Jeong Row 4: Derrill Dunn McRae, Carol Rogers Smith, Gena Roberts Franklin, Harriett Mayo Not pictured: Martha Yates Thomas, Helen Ferguson Zachry

CLASS OF 1972

(L-R) Row 1: Carol Ann Para, Lynn Golson Priester, Susan Mann Kimball, Kathy Weeks Leaman, Sher Senna Pollard, Susie McDonald Sheehan Row 2: Kasse Andrews-Weller, Eileen Vickery Thurmond, Sonya Tomlinson Holland, Jane White, Linda Sue Chance Newiger, Marianne Graeme Fortuna, Susan Wyllys Wallace, Pam Huston Rosenburg, Joyce Rice Ellison, Deborah Wedgworth Altman, Mary Catherine Collins O’Kelley, Nancy Jackson Osmundsen, Dena Radley Row 3: Debbie Dye Gigliotti, Dianne Claussen, Kathleen (Rusty) Propps Langford, Elizabeth Rogers Kelly, Christine Everett, Jane Magrath Not Pictured: Dyleane Tolbert Taylor

WESmag SUMMER 2022

For more Alumnae Weekend

In Memorium Sylvia L. Ross June 9, 1930 - May 5, 2022 After a long illness, Sylvia Ross ’92 (honorary alumna of the Class of 1992) died on May 5 in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She was a beloved member of Wesleyan’s music faculty for 33 years, retiring in 1993 as Professor Emerita of Music. She also served as Diaconal Minister of Music at Vineville United Methodist Church. Sylvia was a colleague and a friend to many Wesleyan College students, faculty, staff, and alumnae.

Friend and colleague Dr. Fletcher Clark Anderson, Professor Emeritus of Music 1970-2005, remembers Sylvia as a remarkable person, with a love for choral music, a passion for teaching, and a commitment to providing rich, expressive singing experiences for the members of her choir as well as awesome moments of beauty for those who listened. She was one of the driving forces behind Wesleyan trying new approaches to curriculum, including the January term. She was enthusiastic about interdisciplinary studies, and was especially sensitive to the needs of international students, to the disabled, to minorities, and to younger faculty. Certainly hers was a friendship to treasure to and cherish.

A 1948 graduate of Wyomissing High School, Sylvia graduated from Denison University, Granville, Ohio, in 1952, earning a bachelor’s degree in music education. She earned her master’s degree in sacred music at Union Theological Seminary, New York City, and a doctor of musical arts in choral conducting at the University of Illinois in 1972. Sylvia volunteered with the Reading (Pennsylvania) Symphony Orchestra League and was active as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Road to Recovery Program. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi.

View more photos and videos from Alumnae Weekend Scan QR code or visit wesleyancollege.edu/aw2022

Wesleyan Trustee Beverly Mitchell ’68 said, “I’ve never forgotten Sylvia’s care of others and genuine kindness. She was always smiling and laughing. I never saw her despair – perhaps she had her moments as we all do, but my memories of Sylvia were of a fun-loving, dedicated musician devoted to Wesleyan and her ideals.”

WESmag SUMMER 2022

WESLEYAN HONORS STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF Wesleyan College held its annual Honors and Awards Convocation on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. The event celebrates students who are honored for their outstanding academic, service, and leadership achievements by academic departments, the student government association, and the College. Outstanding faculty and staff are also honored for their commitment to teaching and to service.

Erica Brown ’22 received the highest student-nominated honor, Wesleyan Student of the Year. Given to a graduating senior, this award is based on three principal traits: leadership, dedication to the Wesleyan community, and friendship to others. Erica is president of SGA and is a lead admission ambassador. In previous years, she served as senator of Activism and Advocacy and as a student intern for various social justice organizations. In addition to her campus activities, she works part-time at Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia as a sexual assault advocate. Erica will enter the Candler School of Theology at Emory University this fall on a fulltuition scholarship to pursue a Master of Theology degree.

Taj Haywood ’22 was honored as Wesleyan Student of Success, an award given annually to a junior or senior who stands out in academics, community service, and extracurricular activities. Taj has served Wesleyan as a resident advisor, an admission ambassador, and as president of her class and of Black Student Alliance. This Woodruff Scholar and Findlay Fellowship recipient has appeared on the president’s list multiple times, is head Junior Marshal, and earned a Phi Kappa Phi certificate.

Front row: Jessica Tucker, Alexis Hall, Melody Blake, Vivia Fowler, Diedra Donmoyer, Laura Lease Back row: Ken Blair, Ellie Hansen ’21, Latisha Warren, Holly Cole In the fall, Taj will enter Mercer University School of Law on the George W. Woodruff full-tuition scholarship.

Each year, the student body votes on faculty and staff to be honored with SGA awards. This year’s honorees are: Faculty/ Staff Workhorse, Director of the First Year Experience Ken Blair; Staff Member of the Year, Residence Life Coordinator Ellie Hansen ’21; and Professor of the Year, Assistant Professor of Psychology Holly Cole. The newly created Student Leadership Award went to Savannah Pollock ’22.

Teaching award winners include: Ann Munck Award for Excellence in Teaching, Associate Professor of English / Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning Laura Lease; The Quillian Distinguished Teaching Award, Associate Professor of

Education Latisha Warren; and The Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award, Professor of Communication Diedra Donmoyer.

The Presidential Staff Award recognizes extraordinary contributions by members of our staff to the improvement of the Wesleyan community. Based on a high level of service, dedication, conscientiousness, and caring above and beyond normal expectations, this year’s honorees are Assistant Registrar, Candice Cagle; Enrollment Coordinator Jessica Tucker; and Nursing Program Coordinator Alexis Hall.

Wesleyan is proud of each of these award recipients and is thankful for all they do on a daily basis to serve the College above and beyond the call of duty.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

CONGRATULATIONS CLAS 127 GRADUATES 2 93 32

BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS

BACHELOR OF ARTS BACHELOR OF ARTS IN NURSING

TOP MAJORS

On May 14, Wesleyan College awarded diplomas to 127 graduating seniors.

The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Atlanta, Dr. Amina Smaila, served as keynote speaker at commencement exercises.

32 26 25 10

NURSING PSYCHOLOGY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION

33% GRADUATED WITH HONORS 12 DOUBLE MAJORS

SS OF 2022!

The Sullivan Award

GRADUATE SCHOOL ACCEPTANCES: University of North Carolina Greensboro, Georgia State University, Brenau University, Mercer University School of Law, Medical College of Wisconsin, Emory’s Candler School of Theology, and the University of Vermont Programs include: master of arts in English, Ph.D. in neuroscience, Ph.D. in biochemistry, master of social work, master of science in clinical psychology, master of theology, and Juris Doctor degree in law ENTERING THE WORKFORCE: Georgia Academy for the Blind, Houston County schools, Atrium Health, Navicent, Grady Health, GEICO, Bibb County schools, Northside Hospital - Atlanta, PNC Bank

Scan QR code to view photos from class of 2022 graduation festivities or visit wesleyancollege.edu/classof2022

Congratulations to Cassie Montelongo ’22 for receiving the 2022 Mary Mildred Sullivan Award for excellence in character, leadership, service to the community, and commitment to spiritual values. The Sullivan Award is the only award presented to a graduating senior during commencement exercises.

Originally from Texas, Cassie, who earned her degree in religious studies, summa cum laude, came to Wesleyan by way of Warner Robins. She has been a leader in the Wesley Fellowship; provided service to DayBreak, a center for people experiencing homelessness; was a chapel intern; and last summer earned a prestigious internship in Washington, D.C., with the Poor People’s Campaign. While discerning her call to ministry, Cassie is serving as the Community Ministry intern at Centenary United Methodist Church where she works with children, youth, college, and young adult ministries. She manages social media for Centenary Community Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides resources for local, under-served areas, and she coordinates bike co-op, a service where donated bicycles are made operational for use by community members who need reliable transportation.

WESmag SUMMER 2022

WESLEYAN COLLEGE 4760 FORSYTH ROAD / MACON, GA 31210 WWW.WESLEYANCOLLEGE.EDU

CONSIDER HIRING A WESLEYAN STUDENT FOR AN INTERNSHIP AT YOUR WORKPLACE. An internship should: • • • • •

provide an environment where students can ask questions about the work, field, and their career paths. allow for students to demonstrate their initiative and problem-solving skills. be an educationally enriching project that outlines responsibilities and involves mentoring, quality training, supervision, and evaluation. include regular meetings for performance feedback. keep clerical work to a minimum. 75% of the time should be spent on projects with progressively increasing levels of responsibility.

For more information on Wesleyan’s KEY Internship Program, contact Ivy Word, director of career development, at iword@wesleyancollege.edu or (478) 757-5224.

An internship can be either virtual or in-person.

Scan or visit wesleyancollege.edu/KEY to read more about this program.

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