From the hills of Mary Baldwin … to the piedmont of North Carolina.
Two celebratory events in April brought a piece of MBU to alumni in Raleigh and Charlotte. During “An Evening with Mary Baldwin,” attendees reconnected with each other and enjoyed delicious regional fare at the City Clubs in these cities, where top-floor locations yielded amazing views, especially as the sun set.
Susan Palmer, chair of the Board of Trustees’ Advancement Committee, spearheaded the strategy behind “An Evening with Mary Baldwin” and helped the Office of Alumni Engagement craft the initiative to bring engagement opportunities to alumni-dense areas across the nation.
“While the location selections are data driven, the heart of these events is relationship building,” said Amy Davenport, associate director of alumni engagement. “We want to continue re-invigorating and strengthening relationships with our valued alumni. Inspired by Mary Baldwin’s alma mater ‘to inspire to high endeavor, to uphold that light forever, Mary Baldwin!’ — we are excited to bring the dynamic energy of the hill right to our alumni in their locality.”
A broad range of alumni were represented at the events, from classes of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s up through recent graduates of 2017 and 2018, as well as alums who earned their degrees through MBU Online.
President Pamela Fox, together with Davenport and Ernest Jeffries, vice president of student engagement, gave a presentation of university updates, including notable student success highlights, record-breaking athletic seasons, grounds improvements such as the Pearce Science Center renovation and the new Bissell Center for Leadership, record enrollment numbers, and the upcoming alumni engagement survey.
A member of the City Clubs in Raleigh and Charlotte, Trustee Peter Gwaltney, whose daughter was a student in the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted at MBU, and Trustee Margaret Wren de St. Aubin ’81 generously sponsored MBU at the venues.
“We plan to continue these exciting alumni engagement events throughout the upcoming academic year in alumni-dense regions across the nation, including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Northern Virginia, and more,” said Davenport.
The Office of Alumni Engagement also continues to support volunteer-led chapter events. If you are interested in hosting an event or connecting with MBU alumni in your area, please email Davenport at [email protected].
“We plan to continue these exciting alumni engagement events throughout the upcoming academic year in alumni-dense regions across the nation, including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Northern Virginia, and more.”
Amy Davenport, associate director of alumni engagement