college magazine 2011

Salem Shines in ... ... Doris Eller’s Dedication to Salem.

... A New Dean, New Faculty and New Programs.

SALEMS A L E M C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 1

SALEM COLLEGE Magazine

Susan E. Pauly PresidentSusan Calovini Dean of the College, Vice President for Academic and Student AffairsVicki Williams Sheppard C’82 Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Office of Alumnae Relations Karla Gort C’00, Director Rosanna Mallon, Assistant Director

Published by the Office of Communications and Public Relations Jacqueline McBride, Director Jennifer Bringle Handy, Communications and Social Media Manager Contributing Writers: Jane Carmichael, Karla Gort C’00, Jennifer Bringle Handy, John Hutton, Ryan Jones C’10, Susan E. Pauly, Katherine Knapp Watts C’80 Designer: Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00 Photography: Allen Aycock, Alan Calhoun, Karla Gort C’00, Nick Grancharoff, Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00

The Salem College Alumnae Magazine is published by Salem College, 601 S. Church Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

This publication is mailed to alumnae, faculty, staff, parents and friends of Salem.

Salem College welcomes qualified students regardless of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities of this institution.

For additional information about any programs or events mentioned in this publication, please write, call, email or visit: Salem College Office of Alumnae Relations 601 South Church Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 336/721-2608 Email: [email protected] Website: www.salem.edu

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SALEMS A L E M C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 1

D E PA RT M E N T SBack Porch News 4Graduate Studies 12Fleer Center 13Admissions/Traditional 14Alumnae News 16

F E AT U R E SMessage from the President 2A Conversation with John Hutton about Sister Maus 28Reunion Weekend 2011 32New Design Initiative 40 Remembering a Friend 42

INSERT: Honor Roll of Donors

ON THE COVER: Caroline Souza C'13, daughter of Marti May Souza C'84.

page 10 page 42page 22

2 • MAGAZINE 2011

SALEM COLLEGE • 3

Sometimes, numbers can be beautiful. In the midst of a

global recession and with unpredictable swings in the market,

at Salem there are numbers that make us smile. They serve as

windows to the past, they make us feel pride in the present and

they inspire us to envision an extraordinary future.

Of course some of our favorite numbers are dates in history,

including 1772, our founding date, and 1785, the year the Single

Sisters House was completed—now the oldest building in the

country dedicated to women’s education. Our archives of 19th

century life at Salem serve as a treasure trove of human interest

stories—like the letter dated January 13, 1818 from 15-year-old

Margaret Maria Crockett to her father in which she assures him

she is studying poetry and English history at Salem except on

Wednesdays when, she admits, “we read newspapers.” From the

pain of wartime separations to the pride felt when Main Hall was

erected in 1855 (with its 12-foot-wide porch and 50-foot Doric

columns), numbers reveal the trials and triumphs that made

Salem a unique success story in the history of our country.

Today numbers at Salem still tell stories. They convey

our excitement about continued growth in enrollment: more

than 1,100 students are enrolled this fall including the largest

incoming class in 40 years. Numbers help describe the timeless

beauty of campus and the sights and sounds we love: did you

know that more than 200 magnificent trees spread their shade

over our lawns; that there are 35 steps leading down to the

bottom of the May Dell; that the bells of Home Church peal

softly across campus 72 times a day? (The chimes ring out every

15 minutes, 365 days a year, reminding us that time waits for no

one and life at Salem is precious.)

At Salem, there is always a number to celebrate. Statistics

help demonstrate the academic success of our students (a medical

school acceptance rate of more than 85% for more than a

decade) and students’ athletic accomplishments in seven varsity

sports. Numbers reveal the reach of our expanding women’s

wellness program (13 options this semester include free yoga

on Thursdays, QiGong on Mondays, sessions with personal

trainers and the new women in nature (WIN) program). Even

the intellectual energy of our faculty can be detailed through a

number: in the past 12 months alone, four new majors have been

A Messa�e �rom the Presidentadded along with 10 new minors from music entrepreneurship

to statistics. Whether we’re tallying fall activities that introduce

new students to our values and our traditions (ropes courses,

Moravian Lovefeasts, sunrise yoga on the square and our

beautiful opening convocation, to name just a few) or whether

we’re counting how often we sing the alma mater during the

first two weeks of the semester (seven times!), we like the way

numbers tell the amazing story of this extraordinary institution.

Sometimes, numbers even foretell the future. Our

continued growth in enrollment has dramatized the need for

additional academic facilities, residence halls and athletic fields,

and our ambitions include expanding campus by 17 acres to

accommodate growth and programs for women now and into

the next century.

With thousands of inspiring numbers to choose from, it is

hard to select a final number to share with you. So I chose the

number 1, for what better way to share Salem than through the

eyes of one of our first-year students? “Dear President Pauly,”

she wrote this summer, “I can hardly wait for August 20th! I

have often set my sights on impossible things. Of course I never

really believed any of them would happen! That is why it feels

so extraordinary to me to be sitting here writing to you. As my

college search went on, every college was top of my list at least

once, and equally, every college was bottom. In the end, I found

it was a case of discovering priorities and where they will be

fulfilled. I explained this to a friend who asked “why have you

chosen Salem? What’s your priority?” I replied, “Happiness.”

How many times have I read this letter and smiled? I admit

the number is too high to count. But then, like your love for

Salem, some things just can’t be measured. And so in this, our

240th year, I thank you for the love and support that made

possible this young woman’s dream of happiness at Salem. Our

gratitude to you, like the number of stars above, is endless.

Sincerely,

Susan E. Pauly, President

4 • MAGAZINE 2011

Back Porch N E W S

The Class of 2011 enjoyed a beautiful, sunny commencement

in the May Dell on Saturday, May 21. Nearly 200 students—80

traditional students, 47 Fleer Center for Adult Education students

and 56 graduate students—were eligible to receive their degrees.

The senior class invited Eleanor Smeal, president of the

Feminist Majority Foundation, to deliver the 2011 commencement

address. Smeal, who also served as the president of the National

Organization for Women (NOW) for several years, has worked

on the forefront of the women’s rights movement since 1970.

She encouraged graduates to continue the fight for equality by

taking leadership roles and making sure their voices are heard.

Graduates and their families, along with faculty and staff,

gathered after the ceremony to celebrate with a buffet brunch in

Corrin Refectory.

Commencement 2011

SALEM COLLEGE • 5

Brittany Tedrick C'11, Nicole Swinney C'11, Christine Tillman C'11 and Lindsay Tharpe C'11.

6 • MAGAZINE 2011

New Pro�rams Offer More Choice Salem expanded its already diverse academic offerings

with the introduction of several new majors, minors and

concentrations for the 2011-2012 academic year.

New majors include criminal studies, environmental

studies and teaching, schools and society. New concentrations

within majors include business entrepreneurship and health

care management within the business administration major, and

advocacy, math, environment, literacy, natural sciences and social

sciences within the teaching, schools and society major.

The criminal studies major and minor include elements of

both criminology and criminal justice. The program sociologically

examines the definitions of crime and deviance; the causes,

correlations and patterns of crime and deviance; and the social

costs and social control mechanisms of crime and deviance.

The environmental studies program focuses on the study

of natural systems and our relationship with them as a basis for

taking action to support sustainability. Its mission is to deepen

student understanding of environmental issues and principles of

conservation ecology while preparing students to develop and

manage environmentally sustainable processes and shape public

opinion and policy in support of sustainable environmental

systems.

The teaching, schools and society program offers students

several concentrations as well as a separate licensure curriculum

which allows students in other majors to add teaching licensure

to their course of study. The teaching, schools and society

concentrations offer blends of study: advocacy (public policy,

sociology and psychology), math (multiple math disciplines),

environment (environmental sciences, teaching in green schools),

literacy (English, creative writing), natural sciences (biochemistry,

physics and environmental science) and social sciences (history,

sociology, economics and political science).

Within the existing business administration major, two

new concentrations will be offered: business entrepreneurship

and healthcare management. The business entrepreneurship

concentration will allow business majors to focus on the process of

business product innovation and new business opportunities for

themselves or for their employers. The health care management

concentration will allow business students to focus on the business

aspects, including policy and economic issues, of the health care

industry in preparation for promotions or employment in health

care management positions.

New minors include criminal studies, statistics, business

entrepreneurship, visual arts entrepreneurship, dance management

and music entrepreneurship.

The minor in statistics is intended to prepare students for

more advanced study in statistics at the graduate level, for graduate

programs in other disciplines that rely heavily on statistical analysis,

and for professions in a wide variety of fields.

The minor in business entrepreneurship is designed to provide

non-business majors with the educational background needed to

nurture an innovative product or service idea and grow it into a

new business opportunity. The minor will also be helpful to those

non-business majors who envision being self-employed in their

own small businesses which grow out of their passions for arts and

science.

Minors in music entrepreneurship, visual arts entrepreneurship

and dance management provide students an opportunity to

assess options and prepare for pursuing a life in the arts. Students

completing the minors will study contemporary “arts delivery

systems” and established freelance opportunities for artists. In

addition, they will be introduced to emerging non-traditional roles

of the arts and professional artists, along with structural options

through which creative enterprise can be carried out.

Dr. Eve Rapp with students.

SALEM COLLEGE • 7

A Salem education has always been an invaluable tool for women who want to excel

in their careers. Now students have an even stronger edge over the competition with

the new Salem Signature Leadership Program. The four-year comprehensive leadership

program for traditional-age students celebrates women as leaders and provides students

with opportunities to distinguish their college experience. Through the program, Salem

students may choose from a variety of personal and professional leadership development

opportunities to enhance their abilities and develop their potential as a leader.

Made possible by a generous grant from BB&T, the Salem Signature Leadership

Program features class retreats, workshops, conferences, speakers, panel discussions and

community outreach programs. In addition, students have the opportunity to apply

their leadership skills as officers of more than 30 campus clubs and organizations and

the student government association. In the past year, students have participated in

everything from the International Women’s Leadership Conference to the Twin Cities

Leadership Conference, an annual joint conference for student leaders from the four

colleges in Winston-Salem.

"Salem College is offering a women's leadership program at a time when many

colleges and universities are necessarily downsizing or eliminating their leadership

programs because of economic challenges,” says Krispin Barr, Dean of Students. “We

move forward with tremendous gratitude for BB&T's generous grant, which has allowed

us to design a program that offers personal and professional development in such areas as

managing social change, ethics and decision-making, negotiating conflict and developing

multicultural competencies.”

On campus, traditional students get the opportunity to participate in training,

seminars and workshops designed for their particular graduating class. Seminars and

workshops focus on topics that complement students' growth and development. The

workshops and programs teach students leadership, with the added benefit of providing

an additional bonding experience with the members of their class.

In an increasingly competitive job market, it’s essential for graduates to have

the knowledge and skills that set them apart from their peers. The Salem Signature

Leadership Program gives Salem graduates that edge.

"Our Salem women have the opportunity to participate in programs and workshops

that will provide them with 21st-century skills that will support their success in an

increasingly diverse and complex world," says Barr.

As Salem Academy and College celebrates

240 years of sustainability, we continue our

dedication to preserving the environment

by becoming an Earthwise campus. In

partnership with Brady Trane Energy, the

campus is implementing a series of Earthwise

Campus Energy Conservation Opportunities

(energy saving upgrades) that will significantly

reduce our environmental impact:

- Steam Plant: By upgrading our steam

plant system, the campus will create an

environmental impact equivalent to

removing 55 cars from the road and a

reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to

that generated from the electricity use of

29 homes for one year.

- Lighting: By replacing incandescent

light bulbs with CFL bulbs and installing

motion sensors, the campus will reduce its

energy use by an estimated 729,000 kWh,

equivalent to removing 100 passenger

vehicles from the road and a reduction of

CO2 emissions equivalent to that generated

from the electricity use of 63 homes for

one year.

- Water: Plumbing upgrades will reduce

campus water consumption at an estimated

3.6 million gallons per year.

- Fine Arts Center HVAC Equipment and

Digital Controls: HVAC and controls

upgrades will allow for more energy-efficient

heating and cooling at an estimated annual

savings of 121,000 kWh, which is equivalent

to removing 19 passenger vehicles from

the road.

Savings generated through these energy

conservation measures provide resources for

the following facility improvements: 1) new

gym air conditioning, 2) new Academy boiler

and 3) new fine arts center boiler.

Earthwise Campus Facility Updates

8 • MAGAZINE 2011

Faculty News

More than two centuries ago, a small group of women in the Moravian settlement

of Salem started a school for girls in the revolutionary belief that women were just as

deserving of an education as their male counterparts. This year, Salem Academy and

College celebrates the 240th anniversary of that momentous occasion and the legacy of

academic achievement since that time.

As we begin our 240th year, Salem has much to celebrate. The College has added

new programs and new faculty and has welcomed the largest first-year class in 40 years.

While these developments are exciting, even more thrilling are the institution’s plans for

future growth. Unveiled by Dr. Susan Pauly last year, Salem’s proposed vision includes an

expansion of campus onto land now occupied by the city of Winston-Salem. The city’s

plan to move operations to another site leaves the tract open for development. Salem

hopes to acquire the land and repurpose it for new campus projects including science

buildings, residence halls and a women’s conference center.

“We are moving forward and expanding our educational outreach to women,” says

Dr. Pauly. “We want to make it possible for women in our community and far beyond

to come to Salem for specialized workshops, conferences and other events.”

In addition to the new buildings, the expansion would also include new athletic

fields. “Today’s young women are focused on physical fitness and wellness, and our

NCAA athletics program is thriving. It’s essential that we expand athletic facilities to

serve our students now and into the future,” says Dr. Pauly.

While the plan is in early development now, it’s clear that the future is very bright

for Salem.

“For 240 years, this community has shown that it values the unique advantages

of an education focused first and foremost on excellence and the needs of girls and

women,” says Dr. Pauly. “We are excited to be building upon and continuing that

tradition.”

Celebratin� 240 Years

With the addition of new degree programs

and classes, Salem realized the need for

new faculty and expanded its ranks for the

2011-2012 academic year with 10 highly-

qualified professors:

1) Sara Shuger Fox joins Salem as the

new assistant professor of exercise science.

Fox received her B.S. from Iowa State

University, where she majored in exercise

science and minored in gerontology. She

received her Ph.D., also in exercise science,

from the University of South Carolina.

2) Alyson Francisco is the new Mary

Ardrey Stough Kimbrough Professor

of Business and Economics. Francisco

received her B.S. from North Carolina

State University and her M.B.A. from

Duke University. In addition to her

educational credentials, Francisco was also

a successful business executive in senior

finance and administration positions at

Sara Lee Corporation and Hanes Brands.

SALEM COLLEGE • 9

3) John Gerstmyer joins the department

of teacher education as an assistant

professor of education. Gerstmyer received

his B.A. (English) and M.Ed. (guidance

and counseling) from McDaniel College

in Westminster, M.D., and his Ph.D.

(education) from the University of

Pennsylvania. He will oversee Salem’s new

M.Ed. program in school counseling.

4) Ana León-Távora is the new assistant

professor of Spanish. A native Spanish

speaker, León-Távora studied at the

Universidad de Sevilla in Spain, earning

a B.A. (philology), M.A. and Ph. D.

(philology with a focus on literature). She

previously taught Spanish at Wake Forest,

as well as at universities in Spain and

Mexico.

5) Joanne M. Black will teach within

the new criminal studies major/minor as

visiting assistant professor of sociology

and criminal studies. Black received her

B.A. (sociology, behavioral science and

law) from the University of Wisconsin,

Madison; M.S. (criminal justice) from the

University of New Haven and J.D. from

Gonzaga University School of Law.

6) Jennifer Piscopo is the new assistant

professor of public policy. Piscopo

received her B.A. (Latin American studies)

from Wellesley College, M. Phil. (Latin

American studies) from the University of

Cambridge and Ph.D. (political science)

from the University of California, San

Diego.

7) Megan Silbert joins Salem as an

assistant professor of economics. Silbert

received her B.S.B.A. (marketing), M.Ed.

(educational leadership) and Ph.D.

(food and resource economics) from the

University of Florida.

8) Natasha Veale joins the department

of teacher education as an assistant

professor of education. Veale received

her B.S. (education for the deaf and

hearing impaired) from the University

of North Carolina at Greensboro,

B.S. (special education) from North

Carolina Agricultural and Technical State

University, M.Ed. (special education)

from The University of North Carolina

at Greensboro and Ph.D. (education-

special education leadership) from Capella

University.

9) Elroi Windsor is Salem’s newest

assistant professor of sociology. Windsor

received her B.A. (women’s studies)

from Chatham College and her M.A.

(sociology) and Ph.D. (sociology) from

Georgia State University.

10) Jing Ye comes to campus as the

new assistant professor of chemistry and

physics. Ye received her B.E. (applied

chemistry) from Guizhou University

in Guiyang, China, and is completing

her Ph.D. (biophysical chemistry) from

Florida Atlantic University.

Dr. Sara Shuger Fox with students.

10 • MAGAZINE 2011

There’s a new face in Main Hall. This past summer, Dr.

Susan Calovini became the new Vice President for Academic and

Student Affairs and Dean of the College at Salem College. Dr.

Calovini replaced Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson, who was recently

named the President of Mount St. Mary’s College, a college for

women in Los Angeles.

“I am truly honored to be a part of the Salem College

community, especially during this amazing year of exceptional

enrollments and the 240th anniversary,” says Dr. Calovini. “I am

still learning what it means to be the vice president for academic

and student affairs and dean of the college, but what I love about

the job is that I get to be involved in so many different parts

of the institution—faculty life, student life, athletics, religious

life, technology and more. Every day reveals a new facet of the

College to me and challenges me to expand my knowledge or

leadership abilities. There is no chance of getting bored!”

Dr. Calovini comes to Salem from the University of

Evansville where she served as dean of the college of arts and

sciences. Among many accomplishments, Dr. Calovini worked

Salem Welcomes New Deanwith faculty to introduce new programs, revise the general

education curriculum and establish a new art gallery. Prior to

serving as dean at Evansville, Dr. Calovini was a faculty member

at Austin Peay State University, specializing in Victorian literature.

There, she was awarded the university's two highest honors for

teaching excellence. She served as coordinator of the women's

studies program, which enjoyed significant growth under her

leadership, and held other administrative positions including

department head, college dean and associate vice president for

academic affairs.

Dr. Calovini received her B.S. in journalism from Ohio

University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in English from The Ohio

State University.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Calovini to the College,”

says Dr. Pauly. “Dr. Calovini's experience as director of a women's

studies program, her strong record of accomplishment as an

academic leader and her enthusiasm for and commitment to our

mission made her the ideal choice for Salem.”

SALEM COLLEGE • 11

Salem Spirits fans had a lot to cheer about this past season.

The athletic program grew with the addition of two new sports

(softball and track and field), new coaches and strong efforts in

conference play.

Jamie Williams joined the Salem athletic department as head

coach for cross country and track this year. He takes on a cross

country team that finished third in the Great South Athletic

Conference Championships at Maryville College. At the season’s

end, Stephanie Mendez C’13 was chosen All-Conference Runner

and Natali Olveda C’14 and Joanna Mills C’14 were chosen All-

Freshman Runners. The new track team competed in four meets

this year with 18 runners participating. They look forward to

more growth and success this season.

New coach Mike Dryman takes the helm of the tennis team,

which finished with a 7-7 overall record and 1-6 in the Great

South this past season. The team returns several standout players

from last year, including Katherine Elliott C’13 and Summer

Whitener C’13, who were each named Great South Doubles

Players of the Week. Dryman will also serve as director of sports

performance, overseeing strength and conditioning for Salem’s

seven varsity sports teams.

The soccer team enjoyed another great year, finishing second

in Great South regular season play with a 15-3 overall record (6-1

S�irited Seasonin the conference), losing in the conference semifinals. Even more

impressive, the team finished third in NCAA Division III (out of

more than 400 teams) in goals per game (4.6).

Several members of the soccer team were honored with awards

for their performance on the field. Tia Bringhurst C’13, Sabrina

Thiel C’13, Stephanie Hubbard C’14, Anna Trakas C’14, and Alexi

Saganich C’14 were named to the Great South All-Conference team,

and Hubbard, Trakas, Saganich and Mackenzie Schmidt C’14 were

named to Great South All-Freshman team. Hubbard also received

the Salem College Anne Woodward Athlete of the Year award, and

Trakas was named to the North Carolina All-State First Team.

The basketball team finished seventh in the Great South regular

season and had a 7-18 overall record. Shamaz Denerson C’13 was

named to the Great South All-Conference team and to the North

Carolina All-State Second Team. Kelsey Rector C’11 became first

Spirit to score 1,000 points in a career.

Salem’s volleyball team finished the regular season with an 8-21

overall record and a 4-3 conference record. Though they lost in the

Great South quarterfinals, Christine Tillman C’11 was named to the

Great South All-Conference team.

Salem’s new softball team will begin competition in spring

2012. So far, nine first-year students have committed to playing on

the team.


GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND TEACHER STUDIES

While Salem College has added several new undergraduate

academic programs this year, graduate studies has grown, as well.

This fall, Salem’s graduate studies department began offering the

College’s first online degree program, the Master of Education in

School Counseling (M.Ed.-SC).

“For some time now, teachers and administrators in our

partner schools have expressed the need for a counseling program

that blends Salem's constructivist pedagogy with a focus on the

kinds of interpersonal skills and educational expertise required

by 21st-century school professionals,” says Dr. Susan Gebhard,

director of teacher education and graduate studies. “In response,

Salem is pleased and proud to introduce our new program for

school counseling.”

Through a research-driven program, Salem’s online M.Ed.-

SC degree allows students to gain the knowledge and skills

required to become licensed school counselors. Students learn

about advocacy, ethics, legal issues, assessment and evaluation,

career counseling, personal development counseling, action

research and program management.

Heading up the program is Dr. John Gerstmyer, who

has an extensive history in education and school counseling,

which includes working as a school counselor and teaching at

McDaniel College and Penn State University-York. He is joined

by adjunct assistant professor of education, Anne Morris.

The program is comprised of online classes, internship

experiences and two weekend seminars on Salem’s campus. The

M.Ed.-SC, which can be completed in 36 months, is delivered

in a convenient and flexible format that offers part-time and

full-time enrollment. The online master’s in school counseling

degree adheres to the Council for Accreditation of Counseling

and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards and

fully reflects Salem College’s tradition of educational excellence.

“We hope that having a quality course of studies with the

flexibility of online classes will allow working teachers and other

career-changers to pursue school counseling in a schedule- and

family-friendly way,” says Gebhard.

Graduate Studies Expand to the Web

Dr. Susan Gebhard.


Some things in life are meant to be. Just ask LaShonda

Stone, a 34-year-old single mother who ended up more than

8,000 miles from her Winston-Salem home battling treacherous

terrain and frigid temperatures on the side of the world’s highest

mountain – all because of a Carter High School essay contest her

daughter entered.

In the spring of 2010, Stone was nearing the end of her third

year at Salem as a Fleer Center student. Between caring for two

children, working in the mental health field and keeping up with

her interior design major, she was busy but managing.

Stone was also helping her daughter, LaQuishia, then a

junior at Carter, prepare for her upcoming trek to Mount Everest

base camp. A few months earlier, LaQuishia had been selected

out of 750 other students as the winner of the trip for her essay

answering the question “What’s your Everest?” To go, LaQuishia

needed a parental escort in addition to the school faculty member

who would also join the expedition.

From the beginning, Stone said, the plan had been to send

LaQuishia’s father with her so the two could enjoy a bonding

experience, but after running into several roadblocks she had a

hunch that he would not be the parent going on the trip.

“We just kept running into obstacles,” said Stone of LaQui-

shia’s father. “The second time we ran into a problem I knew we

needed a plan B.”

When LaQuisha’s father’s passport application was denied

due to outstanding child support payments, Stone went to her

Salem professors to find out what she would need to do to make

up for the classwork she would miss during the 25-day journey.

Thankfully, they understood.

“They were more excited about it than I was,” Stone laughed,

remembering how each of her professors helped her work out

a schedule to complete alternate assignments and take exams

early. “They knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her

(LaQuishia). They never said ‘no.’”

Though she describes herself as an adventurous person, Stone

readily admits the trip challenged her in ways she never imagined.

“Seeing kids on the street begging for food and money was

hurtful to me. It was hard from a mother’s standpoint,” said

Stone, describing the first few hours after she and LaQuishia ar-

rived in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Of the climb to base camp itself, which sits at an altitude of

about 17,500 feet, Stone said, “It was the most challenging thing

I’ve ever done in my life. You hear people say the air is thin but

you don’t know what that means because you’ve never experienced

it.”

Stone, who has an irregular heartbeat, said she frequently was

short of breath during the trek and had to rely on a horse to carry

her up the narrow, winding pathways so she wouldn’t fall too

far behind the rest of the 11-person group. “If one person didn’t

make it we had to stop or go back and I didn’t want to be the

cause of us not making it to base camp.”

Stone also got a crash course in simple living.

“In 13 days we only took two baths,” she said. “At one of the

lodges where we took a bath they had internet service. I got on

Facebook and I would literally tell people at home, ‘We have it

made. People in the U.S. are really spoiled.’ It really changed my

perspective.”

Despite the difficult test of will, Stone said she would jump at

the chance to return to the Himalayas.

“I really do miss it over there. You can’t even explain how

beautiful it is. ‘I can’t believe I’m actually here’ ran through my

head so many times. After everything happened I know it was

meant for me to go.”

MARTHA H. FLEER CENTER FOR ADULT EDUCATION

“I can’t believe I’m actually here.”Fleer Center student discovers different world at 17,500 feet

14 • MAGAZINE 2011 Elizabeth Smetana C'15, Haven Mosley C'15 and Miriam Maldonado C'15.


Salem is on a roll! New student enrollment is the highest in almost four decades!

This fall, Salem welcomed 203 first-years and transfers, the largest number since 1972.

We need to build on this momentum – and we need your help to do it!

At Salem, we recruit a class one student at a time. It takes a village! As alumnae, it is

our privilege and our responsibility to guarantee Salem’s future and to introduce Salem to

the next generation of students. Everyone can do her part. Listed below are the top five

ways you can help. Recruiting a new student to Salem is one of the most rewarding and

impactful ways you can help Salem.

Top Five Ways to Help Admissions:1) BRING A STUDENT TO CAMPUS.

Visiting campus is the best way for a student to fall in love with Salem. The beauty

and friendliness of our campus works magic. Seventy percent of visitors choose

Salem. Come for an individual visit or one of our upcoming open house programs:

Spring Visit (for high school juniors and sophomores) – April 14, 2012

Legacy Day (for all high school grades) – August 6, 2012

2) SEND US A NAME (BETTER YET, A BUNCH OF NAMES).

If you know high school-aged girls, send their names to [email protected]. We

will send personal communication to students whom our alumnae think will shine

at Salem. Alumnae referrals become some of our best Salem students.

3) ADOPT A HIGH SCHOOL.

Please let us know if you could visit a high school in your local area. Contact Shari

White Dallas C’83 at [email protected]. We will send you a tote bag filled

with Salem literature and goodies for the school counselor. Having a local alumnae

contact helps support the work of our admissions counselors.

4) VOLUNTEER.

Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining our team of

alumnae volunteers. We might ask you to represent Salem at a college fair in your

area or to present a Salem College Alumnae Book Award in a local high school.

5) TALK IT UP!

Everywhere you go, spread the good news about Salem. There is nothing better

than the hum of positive buzz. Tell everyone you know and see that Salem is a great

school and that anyone who knows a teenaged girl should encourage her to take a

look at Salem. It might be the best advice she ever gets!

ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID

The Class of 2015: By the Numbers

203 new students—the second largest

class in school history

181 first years, 22 transfers

21 percent increase over 2010

23 states, from Alaska to Hawaii

4 students have dual citizenship

60 percent are from North Carolina

4 valedictorians, 4 salutatorians

88 percent applied to Salem online

43 plan to play on one of Salem's

seven athletic teams

2 most popular first names: Taylor

and Samantha

4 Chatham Scholars from 4 different

time zones: Great Britain, Atlanta,

Ft. Worth, San Diego


Alumnae N E W S


page 26

Preston Stockton A'73 and Camilla Prevette Wilcox C'70 at Reynolda Gardens.

page 27pages 24-25


Salem Alumnae Devoted to Their Dream Jobs For Preston Stockton A’73, manager, and Camilla

Prevette Wilcox C’70, curator of education, going to work

each day comes with the literal promise of a rose garden. For

more than 30 and 31 years, respectively, these Salem alumnae

have been the two people most associated with operating

Reynolda Gardens, the gardens that historically belonged to

the home of Katharine Smith and R. J. Reynolds, founder of

the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in Winston-Salem. Reynolda

Gardens was established on 129 areas of the 1067-acre estate,

and they include woodlands, fields, wetlands, four acres of

formal, cultivated gardens—both floral and vegetable—and a

magnificent greenhouse and conservatory. Today, the beautifully

preserved and maintained refuge is a spectacular community

resource for learning and quiet recreation. Preston and Camilla

are the driving forces that keep it in service for all to enjoy.

Preston is quick to note that beauty has its price in the

variety of work required in caring for the gardens. Without

a doubt, managing the facilities requires a large amount of

physical stamina. During the hottest times of the year, the

staff may arrive as early as 6:00 a.m. to begin digging, lifting,

hauling, cutting, and other labor-intensive work. Indoor tasks

include fundraising, always a priority, and communication

tasks, such as writing articles for the semi-annual newsletter,

“The Gardener’s Journal,” which goes out to donors and other

friends.

Camilla edits and writes for the newsletter, while handling

other communications tasks, as well. Community outreach is

her strong suit. She is constantly creating courses and other

learning experiences for groups of all ages. In her Young

Naturalists summer program, second through sixth graders

come every morning for a week to explore nature. “We study all

areas of nature—plant life, birds, snakes, turtles, everything,”

Wilcox explains. This year, the students had a focus on healthy

food, planting and taking home plants, and preparing food

that incorporated herbs and vegetables from the garden. One

morning they made radish and butter sandwiches, and another

morning, they tasted ratatouille.

Both Preston and Camilla are known throughout the

community as unsurpassed gardening resources. Preston is

the “go-to” person for information about botanical things and

Camilla about teaching and learning about plants. Both have

their own gardens at home. Preston has a penchant for dwarf

conifers, day lilies, and elephant ears. In addition, dogs play a

big part in Preston’s home life. She loves dachshunds and has

four of them, including one 15-year-old. She is a deeply involved

volunteer with dog rescue organizations. However Camilla tends

toward growing perennials and vegetables at Reynolda as well as

modern plants and testing horticultural techniques at work, and

she collects and designs plantings off hours to the time period of

her Federal style house. Her husband, Sydney C. Teague II, is the

hands-on gardener at home.

Both women are often approached at parties or on the

street for free advice. Preston can’t resist the urge to provide

information, such as the time she was in a big home improvement

store and a customer was complaining to a clerk about leaf

spots on his Japanese Maple tree. Preston turned and asked him

whether the tree was planted recently and if the weather had

been scorching. “Yes,” he sighed, just as Preston said, “It’s only

sunburn,” and made further recommendations to restore its

health.

Early on, Preston lived in Reynolda Gardens in the boat

house on Lake Katharine. “What a spectacular place it was to

watch sunrises and sunsets. It was beautiful year-around. Mists

and ice—absolutely lovely.” There was a downside, however.

Slitherly, slimy snakes often found their way inside. Her

containment method was to slam a bucket over the snake and

then stabilize the bucket with a brick until the snake could be

safely removed into its original habitat.

Salem days are very memorable for both alumnae. Preston

is from an established family in Winston-Salem. Her mother,

Edmonia (Monie) Rowland was a Salem College alumna, class of

1952 and May Queen; and her mother’s sister, Emily Burns, was

in the class of 1950. Preston enrolled in Salem Academy, first as a

day student and then for her senior year, a boarder. Her memories

Alumnae Profile


include classes taught by Ann Dowell, biology and advanced

biology, and those of Suzanne Britt, who taught Latin. “Mrs. Britt

went to school with my daddy and called him ‘Bobby.’ That raised

the bar of awe a little for me in that class. Once, in another class—

chemistry—we all bet on who would make the worst grade. I did,

and I started collecting those quarter bets. One friend wouldn’t pay,

and I harassed her in Mrs. Britt’s class. Soon after, Mrs. Britt called

me outside the door. She looked at me and said, ‘Hold out your

hand!’ I had no clue what she was doing. I held out my hand, and

she put in a quarter. Then she said, ‘The bet’s paid. Get on with it.’

I did!”

Art major Camilla, a native of Salisbury, N.C., remembers

skills that she learned in Dr. Steve Nohlgren’s biology classes. “He

had us sketch plants in botany class. I use many of the techniques

he taught us with my students now. Dr. Louise Gossett taught me

how to write. She worked with me until I understood what to do.

I also recall that author Robert Morgan spent a year at Salem when

I was there. He had been talking about contemporary writers that

the class should read and realized that the students were not reading

widely. I remember he slammed his fist on his desk and said to the

class, ‘If you girls don’t read, you’ll never learn to write!’”

Like Preston, Camilla also has strong family ties to Salem. Her

sister, Dr. Mary Prevette O'Briant C'61, also has been an active

volunteer with her class at Salem. Also, Camilla’s first husband,

Neil J. Wilcox (d. 1997) earned his teaching certificate at Salem.

After Salem Academy, Preston went to UNC-Chapel

Hill, earning a degree in botany, and afterwards to Sandhills

Community College for an AAS degree in horticulture. Then she

had an internship at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson

in Virginia, a job at Stratford Hall, the home of Robert E. Lee,

also in Virginia, and then came back to Winston-Salem and

Reynolda Gardens. She has worked through a $1.4 million

restoration of the gardens and the restoration of the greenhouse

and conservatory. “At one point, we couldn’t go in the greenhouse

when the wind was blowing—the glass panes would fall out

and break on the floor!” Her biggest challenge today is money.

“Fundraising is highly important to maintaining our work.”

Camilla’s career has always been in the teaching field. She

passionately speaks of the joys of reaching children and sharing

with them the joys of natural environments. “This incredible

place is a microcosm of the Piedmont environment. It is hugely

challenging to get children here with the cuts in education

budgets. Adults are today separated from nature, also. Here in the

gardens, that separation can quickly change to involvement. My

challenge is to get people here.”

Stockton and Wilcox in the garden.


Liz Lee Lacy C’81, Samanthi Gunawardena C’96, and Nicole Winslow Levell C’06 in Atlanta at the home of Skip and Marietta Hardison Petters C’67.

Sydnor Cozart Presnell A’71, Louise Marsh Pariser C’67, Martha Gomer C’69, and Jennifer Eury C’78 in Chapel Hill at the home of Rudy and Louise Marsh Pariser C’67.

Pam Hardison Braxton C'71, Nancy Wilson Bowers C'71, and Anne Berger

Salisbury C'71 at the 5th annual luncheon at the Coral Bay Club in

Atlantic Beach, N.C.

Amanda Dean C’06, Bridget Rierson C’05, Kristin Baum Agnelli C’06, Susan Smith C’08, and Megan Ratley C’06 in Atlanta at the home of

Skip and Marietta Hardison Petters C’67.

Alumnae Events


Suzanne Moye Edwards A'83, C'87, Claire Lashley Bryant C'87, and Sterling Talley Wheless C'87 at the 5th annual luncheon at the Coral Bay Club in Atlantic Beach, N.C.

Carol Perrin Cobb C’74, Paula Jeffords Wynn C’75, and Sidney Campen Surles C’71 at the Upstate Alumnae event in Greenville, S.C.

Toccoa Powell Mayhew C’88, Joanna Winecoff Wells C’88, and

Leigh Landis Dauchert C’07 in Chapel Hill at the home of Rudy and Louise

Marsh Pariser C’67.

Wilson Alumnae Luncheon: For over 30 years alumnae from the 1940s, and many times their daughters, have been gathering in Eastern North Carolina every July. They catch up on each other’s lives, reminisce about their time at Salem, and laugh a lot! First Row:

Jean Moss Fleming C’47, Doris Schaum Walston C’44, Mary Lib Allen Wood C’46, Doris Little Wilson C’46 and Ann Douthit Currie C’46. Second Row: Nancy Vick Thompson C’71, Nancy Moss Vick C’45, Jane Youngblood (Mary Lib’s daughter), Senora

Lindsey Carrow C’46, Jean Sullivan Proctor C’47, Katherine Manning Skinner C’44 and Winn Currie Ballenger C’74.

Alumnae Events


Patrice Black Mitchell C'89 with her niece.

Amy Congdon C'97 with her niece.

Strat Newitt Kiger C'90 with her niece and sister-in-law.

Amy Faulk Welton C'94 with her daughters.

Admissions Legacy Day


Brett Ashcraft Pesce C'87 and Millie Eubanks Price C'88 in Single Sisters House with their daughters.

Mother Daughter Celebration of a Salem Christmas

Update Your Info!

Have you moved? Have you changed your name? Do you have a new job? Did you have a baby? Do you have a new email address?

Here are TWO ways to update your

contact information if you are a Salem

alumna:

1. Send us your business card and we

will send you a Salem luggage tag!

Mail to: Salem College, Alumnae

Office, 601 South Church Street,

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

2. Choose the online method:

1. Go to www.salem.edu.

2. Click on “Alumnae” at the top of

the page.

3. Choose “Update Biography” in

menu on left.

4. Fill in form and click “SUBMIT” at

the bottom of the page.

Clay Corpening Ijams C'86 trimming Moravian candles with her daughter.

Jill Starling Britt C'90 in the Club Dining Room after a Moravian chicken pie lunch with her daughters.

An Unwaverin� Dedication to Salem

“Magnolias in My Briefcase” is the title of a volume of a

literary journal, Thema, that originates in the Southern states.

The volume’s title creates a series of classic images of archetypical,

exemplary, professional ladies, dressed immaculately, and carrying

briefcases that, when unlatched, reveal a scattering of fragrant,

silky white blossoms on glossy, green leaves. If you are asked to

describe a lady in that image, your answer might be Katherine

Hepburn or Meryl Streep, or even Emma Stone. If you were

asked to limit your lady in the image to Salem College, it very

well could be Doris McMillan Eller C’54. For more than 25

years, Doris was the director of alumnae affairs for Salem College.

Hired by Salem’s President at the time, Dr. Dale Gramley, Doris

came to the position after serving as president of the College

Alumnae Association.

A home economics major at Salem, Doris was well educated

in the proper ways to entertain and to promote the best side of

Alumnae Profile


everything. She soon realized that she would do almost anything

to foster her alma mater. Beyond organizing and coordinating

alumnae gatherings, Doris often was called upon to endorse

capital fund drives and find financial support among her sister

alumnae or former faculty or friends. Traveling the state of North

Carolina and beyond to meet with alumnae and donors was her

constant activity. Doris recalls going at least once a year to a very

small town in Arkansas, a two-hour drive from Little Rock, to

visit an alumna. At the end of every visit the alumna would hand

Doris a five-figure check for Salem. “She wanted to stay in touch

with Salem, yet, she was not able to travel herself. I may have

made the Arkansas trip nine or 10 times,” recalls Doris.

Travel within North Carolina would often be made as round

trips, leaving the campus about 5:00 a.m. and arriving back after

midnight. Doris remembers one meeting that she attended in

eastern North Carolina, which included a dinner and a program

with students. Merrimom Cunniggim, the College’s Interim

President, drove with Doris and the students. The meeting

had gone well, and the trip home was spirited and full of good

conversation. Doris fondly recalls Dr. Cunniggim leading the

tired group in a sing along of the hit song, “Downtown Strutters'

Ball” at 11:30 p.m.!

One of her great challenges, however, was an assignment

she received to contact a former faculty member who had

moved to the Northeast and ask him to make a planned, estate

gift to Salem. She knew the faculty member well, but she was

not comfortable asking for an estate gift. After exchanging

pleasantries, Doris made the leap and revealed the purpose

of her call. The other end of the phone remained quiet, and

Doris eventually said goodbye. Not long after the telephone

call, the former faculty member died, followed by a substantial

check arriving at Salem notated as an estate gift from him. “It

was difficult for me to ask, but he did want Salem to have this

marvelous gift, and I was thrilled to have been a part of making it

happen.”

Almost daily, Doris would be seen on campus early in the

morning, completing a task that she wanted done—perhaps

weeding a flower garden. Stories abound of Doris, dressed for

work in heels, suit, and gloves, painting the Refectory door to

assure that it would look its best for Reunion Weekend. She

often prepared lemonade and cookies in the Alumnae House and

invited maintenance employees in for refreshments.

One of her great gifts is listening and memory. Doris pays

attention to other people’s stories. She remembers names of

children, grandchildren, sisters, mothers, grandmothers and

more. Her smile is always bright, and she will look straight into a

person’s eyes when a conversation is developing. Her agile mind

and quick wit often makes for lively exchanges, and Doris delights

in a measure of humor. This gift has made Doris the “go-to”

person for quick and accurate information about an alumna or

her family. A telephone call to Doris can save many hours of

research in identifying the right person—she is literally a quicker

resource than the institutional computer data base. Her network

is the best for bringing together the names of aunts and cousins

and many other relatives. In 2008, Doris received the Algernon

Sydney Sullivan Award, which recognizes fine spiritual qualities

that are applied to daily living, high character, and service to

others. This special honor distinguishes one who is representative

of the ideals and values of Salem Academy and College.

For years, Doris helped to find furnishings for the campus,

especially the Rondthaler Gramley House, and she maintains an

office there today. She often is called upon to help on campus

with in-kind gifts of furniture, paintings, china, and other

decorative accessories. She carries in her head an inventory of

where things are stored.

When she visits campus today, Doris is always impressed

with the appearance of the grounds. She is particularly delighted

to see the Single Sisters House restored. The beauty of the campus

is truly special to her.

Doris and husband Jimmy share many special interests,

including golf and skeet shooting, and spending time in the

mountains with their daughter, Elaine Eller Stephenson A’79 and

her family. Doris’ grandchildren fondly refer to their summer

residence in Roaring Gap, North Carolina, as “Camp Nanny

Pearl.”

Every generation of Salem sisters has classmates to admire.

Times change, but the Salem spirit remains a constant. For

many, Doris exemplifies the Salem spirit better than most, with a

remarkable, busy, sparkly edge that is uniquely her.



Makin� Political History

Earlier this year, Salem alumna Aisha Dew C’00 made

history. After a hard-fought campaign, and years of work before

it, Dew was elected the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party

Chair. She is the first African-American woman to hold the

position, and also one of the youngest.

“I ran against five men and beat them after three rounds of

voting,” she says. “When the former chair said, ‘We made history

today,’ and announced I’d won, I was astounded. I was prepared

to be a gracious loser, so when I won, I was just absolutely

amazed.”

The Charlotte native’s interest in politics came at an early

age. Her parents and family were very politically active, and Dew

herself was an active campaign volunteer, long before she was old

enough to vote.

“I have been interested in politics since I was very young,”

she says. “The first campaign I worked on was Harvey Gantt’s

mayoral re-election campaign when I was a wee tot, and I

interned for Mel Watts’ campaign the summer before I came to

Salem.”

During and after college, Dew became even more

politically involved, volunteering for campaigns, working on

fundraisers and participating in various events with the Young

Democrats of Mecklenburg County. After the 2008 election,

Dew was appointed first vice chair for the Young Democrats

of Mecklenburg County (a position in which she’s served three

terms), and she also ran for third vice chair of the Mecklenburg

County Democratic Party, winning and holding both vice chair

positions at the same time. As if she weren’t busy enough with

that, she also took a position managing the successful re-election

campaign of State Representative Kelly Alexander. In her new

position, she’ll also wear many hats.

“Fundraising is a major component of what I do, and

another goal I have is to build and strengthen the party structure,

supporting precinct organization and getting organized on a

different level than in the past,” she explains. “I’ll also stay busy

running meetings, handling media relations and working to get

Democrats elected.”

Part of her work also includes serving on the host committee

for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, which will be

held in Charlotte this coming September.

“I’ll help make sure all our precinct people and volunteers

have an integral role,” she says. “I’ll also make sure that after the

convention is over, Charlotte and the state as a whole will have

something to show, politically, for having the convention here.”

The drive to take on such a demanding leadership role is

something that was instilled in Dew during her years at Salem.

“One of the first things that happened when I came to

Salem was seeing really fantastic women in leadership positions,

and noting how they handled themselves with such confidence

and poise,” she says. “I think if any Salem woman wanted to

run for elected office, they would be head-and-shoulders above

the competition because of their education and because Salem

prepares you to be a leader.”

Alumnae Profile


Runnin� into the Record Books

As a student at Salem College, Sarah Covington Fulcher

C’86 had lofty ambitions to do something to help change the

world for the better. So as her senior project, she put together

a run across Australia that allowed her to bring attention to the

problem of world hunger, all while making history as the first

woman to run across the land down under.

“I had to do a senior project and I was inspired after doing a

fast for world hunger,” says Fulcher. “I’d been to Australia before

and I thought I’d run across the country as a fundraiser for the

Australia Freedom from Hunger campaign.”

Fulcher lined up sponsors and made the 2,727-mile run from

Bondi Beach, NSW, to Perth in Western Australia. The run was

the start of a history-making running career that’s documented in

the new book, Sarah’s Long Run, by David Burl Morris. Morris’

book tells the story of Fulcher’s runs through photos and excerpts

from media coverage.

“The idea came together one day when I realized that Sarah’s

world record of being the first woman to run across Australia

could never be broken because there can only be one first,” says

Morris of the book’s genesis.

After her Australian run, Fulcher took on an even more

monumental goal—to run around the perimeter of the

continental United States, crossing 34 states and covering 11,134

miles in a matter of 438 days. The run, which garnered her a

world record for the world’s longest solo run by anyone around the

perimeter of the U.S., began in Laguna Hills, Calif., in July 1987

and ended in Los Angeles in October 1988.

“I had never run a marathon before but I knew I could do it,”

she says. “Other people helped me—the crew was very important.

They’d drive ahead, give me snacks. The crew is so important

because they’re the ones who support you and keep it all together.”

Fulcher and her crew traveled around the country, facing harsh

weather conditions that ranged from blazing heat to snow and ice.

Along the way, fans and media cheered Fulcher on, as she ran to

raise funds for a national fitness center that would help promote

healthful living to the nation’s children. She brought that message

of fitness directly to children, too, stopping at schools along the

way.

“I actually ran into schools and did fitness testing, gave prizes

and then ran out,” she says. “The kids really kept me going because

they’d cheer for me and make little cards for me.”

Also cheering her on were friends and classmates from Salem

College, who inspired and supported her to follow her dream to

help others.

“I went to Salem and it saved my life,” says Fulcher. “The

people were so nice and they became friends for life. Salem really

supported me—it was so amazing—and it’s so wonderful to be

connected to such a great place.”

A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN HUTTON ABOUT SISTER MAUS

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE AND

ILLUSTRATE THE SISTER MAUS BOOKS?

The idea behind the books first came with the discovery—or

rediscovery—of a historical mouse hole in the baseboard of the

front hall of the Single Sisters House during the renovation.

Gwynne Stephens Taylor C’72, now chair of our board of trustees,

and then head of the committee that was charged with renovating

the Single Sisters House, was confronted with an interesting

problem, namely—should they just ‘fix’ the baseboard and get

rid of the mouse hole, or keep it and write a book about whoever

it was that originally lived there? I was very happy that the

committee decided to write a book and that they asked me to do

it. Gwynne had heard that I wrote and illustrated picture books.

In fact, the notion of a picture book is itself a Moravian

invention. Bishop John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), an

important Moravian leader and educator, is credited with

creating the first illustrated book for teaching children, the Orbis

Sensualium Pictus of 1658.


AND IS SISTER MAUS’ ‘HISTORICAL’ MOUSE HOLE

STILL THERE?

Yes, just where it’s always been—just inside the door, on the

left side, in the central hall. The committee placed a nice little

sign over the hole, so you won’t miss it. The admissions staff

tells me that children often leave cheese and cookies by the hole,

and that it’s always gone when they come back from visiting the

museum in the building a few minutes later!

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO PRODUCE THE

BOOKS? WHO ELSE WORKED ON THEM WITH YOU?

It took about one year to research, write, and create the

artwork for each book. One of the most wonderful things about

the book projects, for me, was the chance to work on them with

many other Salem people. Amongst others, Gwynne read the

manuscripts for historical accuracy along with Paula Locklair,

vice president of education programming and research with Old

Salem Museum and Gardens, Inc.; Penny Niven, a renowned

local author who taught in Salem’s creative writing program for

many years, edited the stories; Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00, a

former student of mine, designed all three books and arranged

for their printing, and Jane Carmichael, director of foundation

and corporate relations, took care of all business matters. Scott

Crockett of Keiger Printing Inc., a company which has worked

for Salem for more than fifty years—Scott’s daughter Mary

Crockett C’08 also went to Salem—printed the books in town.

Charlie Hemrick, a Winston-Salem philanthropist, saw the

earliest illustrations for the books and envisioned many benefits

for the Single Sisters House and for the College. He agreed to

underwrite the printing costs to enable the book’s profits to go

into the Single Sister House Fund. Kilpatrick, Townsend, and

Stockton provided the legal work, such as the copyright, pro

bono. Many different people suggested wonderful ideas for all

three books. It was a great privilege to work with everyone.

THE SISTER MAUS BOOKS ARE FULL OF

HISTORICAL DETAILS—HOW DID THAT COME

ABOUT?

When I first started to work on the books, I decided very

early that I wanted everything in the books—the stories and

the pictures—to accurately reflect Salem’s rich heritage. Almost

all of the story elements in all three books come from historical

sources. For instance, when I was planning the first book, Sister

Maus, I carefully read Less Time for Meddling by Frances Griffin,

which is a wonderful account of Salem’s early years. I made a list

of all the most interesting things that happened in Ms. Griffin’s

book—consulted a few other authorities—and then tried to

work every one of these ideas into the plot of Sister Maus—from

Sister Elisabeth Oesterlein’s walking journey from Bethlehem,

Pennsylvania, to Salem, to sewing lessons and glove making. I

did similar things with cookies, the Boys School and Moravian

Christmas traditions in Christmas Maus. For Easter Maus, I

worked with Salem pottery, Moravian Easter traditions and

Brother Peter Oliver, an African-American potter who lived in

Salem and Bethabara. All the historical features of the stories are

described in detail on the final page of each book in the Author’s

Notes section.

DID YOU SAY THAT THE PICTURES ARE ALSO

HISTORICAL?

Yes, very much so—as much as the stories. I think it’s very

important when doing a picture book to make things as accurate

as possible, and I use all sorts of different historical sources for all

of my illustrations. For Sister Maus, I crawled all around Sisters

House with my camera—getting a ‘mouse-eye’ view—in order to

take reference photos of parts of the buildings for my watercolors.

The front door, front hall and back stair scenes in that book are

based directly on those photos. The furniture and other objects

seen in the book—tables, pin cushions, samplers—were based

on photos of objects in the Old Salem Collection, where the

curators were kind enough to show me many things that were

either known to have been used in Sisters House or could have

been. Not that I didn’t make some mistakes! The spiral stair in the

front hall in my drawing in Sister Maus is the wrong color—green

instead of brown. I made my watercolor before the renovation of

the building was finished, and used the color scheme of a similar

staircase in the Boys School. Green woodwork was authentically

Moravian—just not authentic for Sisters House. I fixed the color

of the stair in Christmas Maus.

WERE THE PICTURES IN CHRISTMAS MAUS AND

EASTER MAUS ALSO HISTORICAL, THEN?

That was certainly my goal. Most of the details in Christmas

Maus were based on old prints, and photos of Christmas

Lovefeasts. I referenced an excellent book on Moravian Christmas

traditions, written by Nancy Smith Thomas and published by Old

Salem. Johanna Brown C’08, curator of the Old Salem Collection

and a Salem alumna, was kind enough to show me actual

examples of Salem pottery—and also lend me photos—when I

was planning Easter Maus.


DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE PICTURES IN

YOUR THREE BOOKS?

What a question! That’s like asking which of my children—I

have three—I like best! I think if I have to pick any, I’d pick

the three ‘doll house’ pictures in the books. These are pictures

that show rooms inside the buildings. Many children have told

me they like them best because there are so many interesting

things at which to look. The three are: the cross-section of Sisters

House in Sister Maus, where the mice are singing, eating, reading

and going to sleep up in the attic near the date stone; the Boys

School picture in Christmas Maus where Sister Maus is meeting

Brother Maus’ friends; and the barn scene in Easter Maus

where the country mice are greeting Sister and Brother Maus

and starting to color Easter eggs. I also really like the Lovefeast

double page picture in Christmas Maus and the sunrise service in

Easter Maus.

WHO IS THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR BOOKS?

Young children are the natural audience for any picture

book. But I like to think that a beautifully designed, illustrated

book with an interesting story can attract people of any age.

Eighty-year-old alumnae tell me how much they like the pictures

and stories; sixty-year-olds tell me they put them on their

coffee tables; forty-year-olds say they buy them for themselves,

maybe their grand-children, someday; even my eighteen- to

twenty-year-old students like them and three- or four-year-olds

sometimes insist on reading them every night. They really can be

for anyone.

Even Salem sons can like them! After having had several

small boys ask me “where is Brother Maus?” during readings

of Sister Maus, I made sure to include boy mice in each of the

following books.

DO YOUR SISTER MAUS BOOKS HAVE ANYTHING

TO DO WITH WHAT YOU DO AS A FACULTY

MEMBER AT SALEM?

I teach a children’s book illustration course every third year

in January term, and I always share my experiences with the

Sister Maus books, as well as other illustration projects, with

those students. As an art history professor at Salem, I strongly

believe in combining those two fields, art and history, wherever

possible. Historical book illustration gives me another way to

pursue these dual interests. I often encourage my art history

students to use their research to produce creative projects and

recommend as an option that they try to design picture book

projects based on the art of historical periods—say, a fairy tale inspired

by Gothic architecture and painting; a Greek myth inspired by

Minoan frescos, and so forth. They do some really marvelous things.

ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO ANY NEW SISTER MAUS

BOOKS?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve just begun to start thinking about a book

based on Salem’s beautiful gardens, George Washington’s visit to Salem

in 1791, and a character inspired by Emma Lehman, a longtime

teacher at Salem in the nineteenth-century who was very interested

in the sciences, especially botany. It will be a sort of Fourth of July

summer book, I think.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN ILLUSTRATION?

I was an art history and studio art major in college and have

always loved to draw. I took my first class in illustration at an art

school in Boston when I was in graduate school. I did my first

illustration projects for a friend who has a small, very fine publishing

firm in New York—Thornwillow Press. They do a few hand-made,

limited editions every year, and also design stationery for larger

firms like Montblanc and Cartier. From there, I did my first mass-

produced book, the White House ABC for the White House Historical

Association and then went on to begin the Sister Maus books. I am

mostly self-taught and have learned by studying the work of such

classic illustrators as Beatrix Potter, Walter Crane, Richard Doyle and

John Tenniel.

HOW CAN ALUMNAE SEE MORE OF YOUR WORK?

I have just set up a website, designed by Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00.

There are sections for each of the books, plus historical background

information. For children, there are coloring sheets and instructions on

how to draw Sister and Brother Maus. There are also galleries of other

illustration projects, including the White House ABC for the White

House Historical Association and a few pages for landscape, portrait

and animal paintings. The address is www.huttonillustrator.com.

John Hutton has taught in the Art Department at Salem College since

1990. He lives in Winston-Salem, and was educated at Princeton and

Harvard Universities. He is illustrator of The White House ABC: A

Presidential Alphabet (2004) and Alphababel, an Illustrated Tower of

Languabets (2001)


EARNED INCOME FOR THE SINGLE SISTERS HOUSE The Sister Maus book project, from the beginning, has been a source of revenue

for the Single Sisters House and for Salem College. Everyone who has worked on the

project has donated their time, and it has progressed with very few expenditures. The

largest cost has been printing and binding. Full color printing is important to display

the brilliant original watercolors that Dr. Hutton creates for the series. Hardback

binding is important for a children’s book that will last.

Charlie Hemrick, a Winston-Salem native and lifetime Moravian, became aware

of the project at the outset of the Single Sisters House restoration. Charlie wanted to

see the house restored properly, and he wanted to make a large audience aware of the

architectural treasures on the Salem campus and in Old Salem. He was introduced

to the project through Annette Perritt Lynch C’75, who is Vice President for

Philanthropic Services at the Winston-Salem Foundation. Charlie is the designator of a

fund that Annette oversees, the Sam N. and Pauline Carter Fund, that was established

by his aunt. To move the project along, Charlie agreed to designate a grant for the

printing and binding costs. Carrie Pritchard Dickey C’00 generously donated her

services in graphic art layout and design, looking forward to working with her former

professor, Dr. Hutton, on the project. Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton donated their

services for copyright and contract agreement. Old Salem Museum and Gardens, Inc.,

eagerly awaited the publication of each book, set in the National Historic Landmark

District and on campus, to sell in their Visitor’s Center and the Old Salem gift shops.

The proceeds from the sale of the books are for the Single Sisters House Funds, which

includes its maintenance. Aside from a few dollars used in marketing and advertising,

the three books have produced about $30,000 in income for the Single Sister House.

The book projects have educated many on the fabulous legacy of Salem Academy

and College, served as recruiting tools, provided unknown numbers of baby gifts and

delighted generations of alumnae and friends. The Christmas Maus book has been

selected by one Moravian church as a gift to children of new member families. The

children’s book reviewers in the Winston-Salem Journal maintain that “every local

household should own a copy and give one away each holiday as a gift. Not only is it a

delightful tale, but it belongs to all of us who cherish having Old Salem nearby.”

The three books, Sister Maus, Christmas Maus and Easter Maus, can be purchased

easily. Buy the entire three book set for $62 ($50 plus $12 postage and handling) or

buy individual copies for $24 each ($20 plus $4 for shipping and handling). Order

online at the Salem College website (www.salem.edu) by clicking on the “Info” tab and

then on “Sister Maus Book Series” under the heading “Community” - an order form

will follow. A telephone or mail order may be placed with Jane Carmichael: 336/917-

5552 or Salem Academy and College, Attention Jane Carmichael, 601 S. Church

Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101.

To: Mr. John Hutton

From: Araminta Sawyer Pierce Blowe C'32

(pictured above right with granddaughter

Sally Pierce Corpening C'90)

July 2011

My years at Salem were long ago,

But wonderful, every one;

To reminisce makes my ninety-nine

Years feel that teen-age has just begun!

But much has changed,

As surely it should:

I’d alter very little

Even if I could.

Thank you for your

“Sister Maus” books,

How wonderful they are

Each one better than the last,

Earning for the author

Many a gold star!

Please continue “Sister Maus” tales,

I’m looking forward to more,

May they one day fill my room

From the ceiling to the floor!



Reunion Weekend 2 0 1 1


pages 34 page 35 page 39


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Reunion 2011

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1. Yvonne Marsan C’96 and Gretchen Brandies Covine C’96.2. Members from the Class of 1956 celebrating their 55th Reunion:

Julia Parker Credle, Marianne Boyd Gore, and Dot Tyndall Benner.

3. Class Officers from the Class of 1961 present their class gift to President Pauly: Cathy Gilchrist Walser, Cynthia Hyatt Kratt, Velva Whitescarver Woollen, and Mary Prevette O’Briant.

4. Alumnae from the Class of 2010 celebrating their first reunion at the Reunion Weekend Kick-off Party: Christine Barrett, Sarah Eldred, Corey Bamburg, and Jennifer Woodcock.

5. Rebecca Russell Ferrell C’66 on stage with “Black and Blue” at the Reunion Weekend Kick-off party.

6. Mary Ann Paschal Parrish A’37, C’41 and Minnie Louise Westmoreland Smith C’42 at the Golden Alumnae Dinner.

7. The Class of 1986 celebrating their 25th Reunion: Penny Fowler Westmoreland, Kim Rider Rech, Mary-Dixon Presbrey Smith, Paula Inserra Mackovic, Geri Alligood Callahan, Nancy Allen Carlton, and Leigh Trevey Tanner.

8. Members from the Class of 2006 at the Reunion Weekend Kick-Off Party: Brandi Jones, Megan Ratley, Lara Crews, Lisa McReynolds, Mary Clayton Blackburn, Emily Hanes Hinesley, and Taylor Hutchinson Plumblee.

9. Members from the Class of 1971: Chris Coile Say, Alison White Parker, Anne Berger Salisbury, Linda Smith Conner, and Melene Tuton Patchel.

10. The Class of 2001 gathers on Bryant Hall Patio: Jessica Faulkenberry, Monica Varandani, Courtney Spellman Snyder, Kris Amidon, Monique Farrell Harmon, Jennifer Schleider Edney, Leigh Ann Jones Lichty, Kimberly Engebretson Scott, Jennifer Fedor Shamshoian, Andrea Hartley Bishop, Alexa Starr, and Mimi Aledo-Sandoval.

11. Lucy Rose C’76 with her aunt, Jane Langston Griffin C’56.12. Hoi-Chu Wong C’01, Dr. Dick Johe, Assistant Professor of

Business, and Dasha Barabash C’01.13. Alumnae from the Class of 1981: First Row: Martha Browning

Doss, Cornelia Outten, Mary Allen Waller, and Julia Owen Baker. Second Row: Ann Blair Austin, Monica McGurn Walsh, Susan Hatz Wilburn, and Meggins Reinhardt Tuchmann.

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Distin�uished Alumna Award

Diane Dailey

C’71, head

women’s golf

coach at Wake

Forest University,

received the

Distinguished

Alumna Award during Reunion Weekend

2011.

The Frankfort, Ky., native joined the

LPGA Tour in 1970, while still a student

at Salem. After graduation, she earned her

master’s from N.C. State in 1973, and

went on to serve as vice president of the

LPGA and on its board of directors from

1985-86. She also was president of the

LPGA Tour in 1986.

Since becoming head coach at Wake

Forest in 1988, Dailey has built the Lady

Deacons golf team into a consistent

powerhouse. The team has finished in the

top 10 of the NCAA Championship four

times since 1993. Her teams have won

four ACC Championships and two NCAA

East Regional Championships, and the

Lady Deacons have finished in the top 20

of the final national rankings in each of the

last 18 years. And under her leadership,

the Lady Deacons have advanced to 12

NCAA Championships.

She has brought home four ACC

Coach of the Year awards; LPGA Coach

of the Year; National Golf Coaches

Association (NGCA) District Coach of the

Year, and is in the NGCA Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Wake Forest University

redesigned its on-campus golf practice

facility, now one of the top facilities in the

nation, and named it for Dailey.

Dr. Paula Young,

associate professor of

mathematics, received

the annual H.A. Pfohl

Faculty Award at Honors

Convocation, held May 11.

Dr. Young earned a B.S.

in mathematics from the

University of Arkansas at

Monticello and then went

on to receive an M.S. and

Ph. D. in mathematics from

the University of Arkansas

at Fayetteville. Upon

receiving her doctorate in

1993, she came to Salem to

teach mathematics. During her time here, she has taught everything from calculus to a

January Term course on “Science Fiction as a Window on Society.”

As a respected member of the faculty, she has been active on a number of

committees, including the Curriculum Committee, Strategic Council Steering

Committee, Honors Committee, SACS Steering Committee, Tenure and Promotion,

the steering committee for the Celebration of Academic Excellence and the

Coordinating Committee. She also has served on countless search committees,

scholarship committees and taskforces. Aside from her committee work, Young has

also found time to write and contribute to nearly a dozen publications, as well as

conduct numerous workshops and presentations.

Her commitment to and passion for Salem has been rewarded several times

during her tenure here. She was chosen Salem Distinguished Professor from 2002-

2007 and she received the Omicron Delta Kappa Outstanding Teacher Award, given

by the Salem student body, in 1996. Outside Salem, Young was honored in 1999 by

her alma mater, the University of Arkansas in Monticello, with the Alumni Award for

Achievement and Merit.

Respected and beloved by both faculty and students, Young has made an indelible

mark on the Salem community. Her place on this campus was succinctly summed up

by a colleague quoted in her Honors Convocation introduction: “Her eyes and ears

are always in sync with the pulse of Salem College. Before any decision is made, she

contemplates deeply the welfare of her colleagues and students.”

Young Receives 2010-2011 Pfohl Faculty Award


Alumna Service Award

Julie Trabue

Hanes C’86,

family support

coordinator for the

Children’s Center

for the Physically

Disabled in

Winston-Salem, received the Alumna

Service Award at Reunion Weekend 2011.

Hanes’ love of Salem inspired her

to become an active member of Salem’s

Alumnae Board, serving two terms on the

board as the nominating vice president. In

addition, she has assisted the admissions

staff by giving her time to keep the office

open during staff retreats; greeting visitors

and answering the many phone calls in

the staff’s absence. Whether volunteering

independently, or as part of a group, her

dedication to Salem and the community is

unmatched.

As the family support coordinator for

the Children’s Center for the Physically

Disabled, she screens, evaluates and

manages the admissions process for

children birth to three years of age. She

gives ongoing support to parents of all

special needs children, including service

referrals, sponsoring parent support groups

and outings, as well as representing the

school in community meetings.

In all that she does, Hanes keeps

Salem College in her heart and mind and

is a wonderful advocate and ambassador

for our institution wherever she goes and

in whatever she does.

VOTE FOR: Alumnae Awards Presented Each Year During Reunion Weekend

We invite you to vote! Please submit the name and class year of the nominee/s to Karla Gort C’00, director of alumnae relations, via email to [email protected] or mail to Salem College, Alumnae Office, 601 South Church Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101. Self-nominations are accepted.

Distinguished Alumna Award - recognizes a Salem alumna’s achievements in

volunteer service and/or her professional distinctions.

Alumna Service Award - recognizes a Salem alumna’s outstanding service to

Salem through leadership, student recruitment, alumnae club leadership,

internship opportunities or other beneficial activities.

Young Alumna Award - recognizes a Salem alumna, who within 15 years of

her graduation, exemplifies the outstanding leadership qualities, through

professional and/or volunteer service. A commitment to the College since

graduation must be evident.

april 27–29, 2012

Reunion 2012


Kari Ross C’11 received the Elisabeth Oesterlein Award—the school’s highest honor

for a member of the graduating class—during the 2011 Founder’s Day Ceremony on

April 29 in the May Dell.

Ross, who was nominated by faculty, staff and fellow students, was very active on

campus during her time at Salem, holding many different leadership positions. Ross

served as a resident assistant (RA) and was chair of the Judicial Council, leading peer

reviews of infractions against Salem’s college and residence life policies. She also served

as a member of the Student Government Association executive board, and on the

Committee on Community.

A staunch supporter of women’s rights, Ross served as an intern at the Feminist

Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) office in Washington, D.C. Upon return to

campus, she helped establish an FMLA chapter at Salem and was then invited to D.C. as

the only student to speak on a panel of internationally-renowned feminist leaders.

Since graduation, Ross has worked as an organizer for the Florida offices of the Obama

for America campaign. In this role, she is responsible for the outreach, training and

development of volunteer leaders who will speak to voters about President Obama's re-

election campaign.

The Oesterlein Award is named in honor of Salem’s first teacher at its founding

as a school for girls in 1772. Each nominee is chosen for her outstanding academic

achievement and leadership on campus.

Ross Wins Oesterlein Award

Young Alumna Award

Kris Porazzi

Sorrells C’96 was

the recipient of

the Young Alumna

Award at the 2011

Reunion Weekend

Luncheon.

Sorrells, a respected mathematics

teacher at Salem Academy, earned a

Master’s degree from Wake Forest in

1998 and has enrolled in Ph.D. courses

at UNC-Greensboro. In 2000, she

co-authored a paper in the Journal of

Mathematical and Computer Modeling,.

In 2010, she was honored by the

North Carolina Council of Teachers

of Mathematics (NCCTM) as their

Outstanding Secondary Teacher of

Mathematics of the Year.

To improve the mathematics

program at the Academy, she started a

Pi Day Celebration and wrote grants to

obtain funds for a Math Center which

implemented peer tutoring. Of her

dedication to the Academy, head of school

Karl Sjolund says: “She is passionate about

her students and her subject. She does

everything that an exemplary teacher is

supposed to do. She inspires her students

without pampering them. She is a leading

edge innovator with an old-fashioned work

ethic.”

In addition to her work at the

Academy, Sorrells finds time to stay in

touch with her classmates, volunteers

to help with College admissions and

has served as a reunion volunteer and

giving chair. She is married and has two

daughters.


Salem Le�acies

Amber Cox C’14 and mother, Pam Simmons Morgan C’86

Elizabeth Hinkle C’81 and cousin, Carol Barnhardt Pettit C’76Rachael Barnett C’12 and sister, Jenn Clay Mickey C’01

Taylor Edwards C’14 and sister, Tina Edwards Vaughn C’00

Charlotte Tomlinson C’81 and aunt, Harriet Tomlinson Hill C’61

Anna Katharine Mansfield C’96 and mother, Kathryn Wilson Mansfield C’67Laura Phillips C’11 and mother, Patricia Loewit Phillips C’72

Fran Cartier Creasy C’61 and granddaughter, Rebeka Grella C’12


CHAIRS OF DESIGN

Charles and Martha Allene Stevens Sutton A’71 created an

educational initiative, and they are crafting it with significant

professional expertise for the benefit of Salem students. The

Sutton Initiative for Design Education (SIDE), named in honor

of Martha, is an educational resource with three components:

collaboration, scholarship and research. Shaped uniquely for

Salem College, this new interior design program is fashioned to

teach students by means of a vibrant engagement with design.

The goal is to educate a 21st-century thinking designer, who is at

the intersection of art, design and architecture.

Salem College has a new director of interior design, Dr.

Rosa Otero, who is an architect and is excited about the program

and gifts that the Suttons are providing. “Charles Sutton has a

strong background in design, furniture making, education and

law. He holds several college and university degrees. He has

owned his own fine furniture reproduction company, Sutton

House Reproductions, specializing in handcrafted, 18th century

American museum-quality furniture. He twice won the industry’s

Daphne Award for his best reproduction furniture. Affiliated

with Century Furniture Industries, his company was responsible

for reproductions licensed by the British National Trust and

the Smithsonian Institution.” In addition, Charles Sutton was

President and CEO of Arthur Brett & Sons (USA) Ltd. He

served as the Chairman of the Board for the North Carolina

Museum of Art and on the Board and Executive Committee of

the Bienenstock Furniture Library, which serves the furniture

industry and contains more than 8,000 volumes, some dating

as far back as 1620. He also published the magazine Furniture

Review. In recent years, he has been an adjunct professor

teaching a history of furniture design at Appalachian State

University in Boone.

In order to improve Salem College’s design research

library, the Suttons have donated his personal library of more

than 900 books on furniture, architecture, design, history

and interiors. The Sutton Furniture Book Collection is the

most comprehensive that Dr. Rose Simon, Director of Salem’s

Gramley Library, has seen outside the Bienenstock collection

in High Point. The collection is available now as part of the

Gramley library.

A major component of the Sutton Initiative for Design

Education is The Teaching Chair Collection. One of the most

varied of all furniture types, the chair is the focus of incessant

experimentation especially in the 20th century. During the

past century, designers have drawn on the possibilities offered

both by new materials and new technological processes to

transform the chair into a functional item that also is an object

of sculptural beauty.

Dean Susan Calovini, Charles and Martha Allene Stevens Sutton A'71.


About 40 chairs that are icons of furniture historians will

make up the core of Salem’s Sutton Collection. Each chair is

unique by design, use of materials and technology, innovation, or

creativity. The chairs chosen for The Teaching Chair Collection

have stood the test of time, or seem set to do so. A few of these

chairs have sold millions, some have remained in continuous

production since they were first designed and all are in current

production. These chairs reflect the energy and creativity of one of

the most inventive and exciting periods in furniture history. The

chair collection gift is in preparation. Each item will be a high

quality reproduction such that students can handle and come to

understand the components that make the object.

The Teaching Chair Collection is unique in that no other

college or university in the country has assembled a comparable

collection of chairs that students can study and use as a source

of inspiration. The Suttons are delighted to help Salem, as he

explains: “We want Salem College to have these collections. Its

location—in the heart of a state that recently had a thriving

furniture industry with an enormous impact on the economy—

is one of the reasons we chose Salem to have them. Another

is Martha’s personal connection through Salem Academy and

through many other of her relatives who are alumnae of the

Academy and College.”

One of the keys to a successful new venture in design

education at Salem College, according to both Mr. Sutton

and Dr. Otero, is collaborative partnerships, networking the

abundance of informed, experienced professionals who are or

have been part of the furniture and design industry in North

Carolina. Such individuals are ready to become advisors, mentors,

consultants, guest speakers, and potential adjuncts.

While respecting past traditions, Salem College can produce

a new breed of design professionals with fresh relevance and

training to face 21st-century design challenges and opportunities.

With the dynamic plans and support given by the Suttons, the

interior design program is positioned to soar. Is there anything

more the Suttons can suggest to launch this imaginative and

vibrant idea? One thing, according to Charles, is to find more

resources for scholarships: “In seeking to attract the most talented

and gifted students, Salem College needs to be able to offer more

financial aid and assistance.” In reflecting upon the exciting and

lively concepts in the program, Salem will continue to work to

attract undergraduates who delight in learning in this outstanding

environment.

Dr. Rosa D. Otero

holds a master’s of

science and a Ph.D.

in architecture

from the University

of Pennsylvania;

a master’s in

architecture from

Virginia Tech; and

a bachelor’s in

environmental design

from the University

of Puerto Rico. She

is the interior design

program director at Salem College. For three years she acted

as interior design program coordinator, a program she helped

establish, at Forsyth Technical Community College. The interior

design program at Salem College enjoys a strong presence within

the community due to Dr. Otero’s outreach and collaborations

with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. She is on the

executive committee of the Creative Corridors Coalition and co-

chairs its design committee. At a local level she is active with the

YMCA and serves on the advisory board of the Forsyth Technical

Community College Interior Design program. She is also

involved with the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association.

Dr. Otero contributes a unique outreach through her involvement

with the Latino community, specifically, her association with the

Hispanic League of the Piedmont Triad, and her induction to

the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi.

Prior to her North Carolina teaching and professional experience,

Dr. Otero was program coordinator for the architectural

technology program at Essex County College in Newark, N.J.,

where she helped established a local AIA Student chapter. She also

worked at the architectural firm Hillier in Princeton and Newark.

Currently, she is on a team of architects and former classmates

working on a book, White Architecture That’s Green, edited by

D. David Leatherbarrow. She is also active with the Interior

Design Educators Council and the American Society of Interior

Designers, professional organizations that serve interior design.

Dr. Otero believes that architecture and design have a major social

role, having the potential to enrich people’s lives and that it is the

architect’s responsibility to perform that role.

Designing Woman

REMEMBERING A FRIEND

Sue Jones Davis C’55, Roy Davis Jr. and President Susan E. Pauly.


Salem lost one of its greatest supporters this year when

Board of Trustees member Roy Davis, Jr., passed away on

September 15, 2011.

A Concord native, Davis was a 1955 graduate of Davidson

College and was chairman-emeritus of S&D Coffee, Inc., the

company his father founded in Concord, North Carolina. Under

his leadership, S&D Coffee became a national coffee and tea

supplier. Davis married Salem alumna Sue Jones C’55 in 1960 and

they had two sons, Alan and E. Rhyne and three grandchildren,

Carrie Elizabeth, Brian Peden and John Kenneth (Jack).

Along with his wife, Davis was a strong ally of Salem. He

began his service on the Board of Trustees in 2005, and with his

wife, established the Sue Jones Davis Scholarship Fund at Salem

College. Both also are members of the Ronthaler Circle at Salem,

the institution’s planned giving society.

At Founders Day 2010, Davis was awarded the Algernon

Sydney Sullivan Award, which was established as a permanent

reminder of one of the noblest of human qualities as expressed

and followed in the lives of Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary

Mildred Sullivan. The award recognizes fine spiritual qualities that

are practically applied to daily living and is presented to those

exceptional individuals who meet the award’s qualifications and

characteristics.

In addition to his service to Salem, Davis served his

community in a number of ways. He was active with the

Davidson College Board of Trustees, the First Charter Bank

Board of Directors, Cabarrus County Community Foundation,

the Barium Springs Home for Children and Big Brothers/Big

Sisters of Cabarrus County. He received a lifetime achievement

award from the Cabarrus County Chamber of Commerce and

was a life member of the Salvation Army.

Davis’ legacy of giving and service is a fine testament to

his strength of character. His kindness and philanthropy will be

remembered for years to come.

CELEBRATING MARGARET VARDELL SANDRESKY A’38, C’42

Beloved Salem alumna, professor emerita of music and internationally recognized composer, Margaret Vardell Sandresky A’38 C’42, celebrated her 90th birthday this year with a special gala concert on October 1 in Hanes Auditorium. Sandresky was presented with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor the governor can bestow on a North Carolina citizen. Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines also proclaimed the day Margaret Vardell Sandresky Day in Winston-Salem. During the celebration, the winner of the annual Margaret Vardell Sandresky International Composition Competition was announced. Dr. Joseph Eidson of New Cumberland, Pa., won the competition with the composition “Songs of Enchantment and Wonder,” which premiered during the event.

1. Doris Anne Miller, Copey Hanes, Margaret Vardell Sandresky A’38, C’42, Dr. Charles Fussell and E. Sue Cox Shore A’37, C’41.

2. Margaret Sandresky and Winston-Salem Mayor, Allen Joines.3. Jane Frazier Gray C’45, Joan Jacobowsky and Diane Ward

Higgins C’714. Margaret Sandresky and Judy and Bill Watson. 5. Copey Hanes6. Margaret Sandresky and Dr. Joseph Eidson7. Charlie Sandresky, Eleonor Sandresky, Margaret Sandresky,

Linda Yarnell, Jacob Sandresky, Chip Sandresky, Loretta Sandresky and Drew Sanders.

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601 South Church StreetWinston-Salem, North Carolina 27101

Non-ProfitUS Postage

PAIDPermit No. 31

Winston-Salem, NC

college magazine 2011

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