Former MBU trustee and parent Sarah Flanagan honored with the NAICU’s Henry Paley Award.
Sarah Flanagan, a Mary Baldwin University trustee from 2010 to 2020 and parent of Ellen Flanagan ‘12, has served the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) for 30 years. Now retiring from her position as vice president for government relations and policy development, she was recently named the recipient of the 2025 Henry Paley Memorial Award.
According to NAICU, “the Paley Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates an unfailing service toward the students and faculty of independent colleges and universities and sets an example for all who would seek to advance educational opportunity in the United States.”
NAICU President Barbara Mistick commended Flanagan, whom Mistick says “earned this recognition for her tireless efforts on behalf of NAICU, our member institutions, our state executive and secretariat networks, and, most importantly, the students we serve.”
At MBU, Flanagan arrived first as a parent on a serendipitous stop by the historic campus with her daughter, Ellen. Together, they met longtime theatre professor emerita, Dr. Terry Southerington, a conversation which led to Ellen’s enrollment and eventual graduation as a history major, student leader, and thespian. Flanagan then met former president Pamela Fox while hiking on a brilliant autumn day during Family Weekend and joined the Mary Baldwin board shortly after. This would be the beginning of a decade of fruitful service to the university.
Upon her retirement from the Board of Trustees in 2020, MBU issued a resolution in her honor, stating “Mary Baldwin has been extremely fortunate that Sarah keeps the university at the forefront of private higher education, placing us on the pulse of every leading development … in Washington, D.C. and across the United States.”
While President Jeff Stein began his tenure after Flanagan’s stint as an MBU trustee, he recognizes the lasting impact of her leadership and dedication to the university. Hearing the news of her retirement, Stein shared his appreciation for Flanagan’s contributions and impact:
“Sarah has been an incredible resource and support for independent colleges and universities across the nation. In my short time at MBU, I have so appreciated her wisdom, expertise, and kindness. I offer hearty congratulations on her retirement and the impact she has made in higher education. We are grateful for her years of service on Mary Baldwin’s Board of Trustees and proud to call her an MBU parent.”
Interested in learning more about MBU’s current board of trustees? You can see their stories and read about each trustee here.