A look back at the transformative journey of Randolph College under

A look back at the transformative journey of
Randolph College under President John E. Klein
Randolph
A Publication of
2
Randolph College
Founded as Randolph-Macon
Woman’s College in 1891
John E. Klein
President
Sandra Bartholomew
Vice President for
College Relations
6
Brenda Edson
Editor
Director of Communications
[email protected]
Office of College Relations
Dave Blount
Bryan Gentry
Linda Hoffman
Keeley Cordingley Tuggle
Brian Wallace
Skip Wallace
Special Contributors
Amy Jacobs ’14
Parker Michels-Boyce
Photography
Sam Stroud Photography
Rick O’Neil Photograpy
Jessie Thompson
Design
Brian Wallace
Printing
Worth Higgins & Associates, Inc.
Randolph is published
three times a year by the
Office of College Relations
Randolph College
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA 24503
434- 947-8142
www.randolphmagazine.com
Please send comments,
ideas, suggestions to
[email protected]
On the cover:
Randolph President John E.
Klein will retire in June after
leading Randolph through
the coeducation transition.
12
26
Randolph
Vol. 4 No. 3
FEATURES
From the President
1
Here Let Wisdom Rise2
Returning Home
5
Randolph is enhancing its strong liberal arts curriculum.
Building a Brand
8
A Class Act6
Family Ties
9
Colton Hunt ’13 is a shining example of Randolph’s commitment
to producing student-athletes.
COVER: Lasting Legacy12
Randolph President John E. Klein will retire in June after
leading Randolph successfully through its transition to
coeducation and building a foundation of growth and renewal.
A Tale of Two Students
10
A History of Honor
28
Enduring Traditions
30
Important Conversations
32
A Full Partner26
Susan Klein devoted countless hours volunteering her
time and talents to Randolph College during her husband’s six-year
term as president.
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From the President
S
ix years ago, I was heading to my new job at Randolph in the College van
after being picked up at the airport in Richmond late at night. As we traveled
in the dark on Interstate 64, the vehicle broke down. We ultimately made it to
campus with the van hoisted on a flat-bed tow truck. It was not the best start to
my presidency, but, as I look back now, it seems a bit symbolic. There we were in
the dark, unsure of how we would get to our destination, but fully confident that
we would indeed get there.
Today, as I prepare to leave Randolph, I am proud of the significant progress
we have made on every front, including admissions and retention, alumnae
and alumni engagement and giving, communications and marketing, planning,
expense control, a culture of continuous improvement, improvements in our
academic program, creation of a strong athletic program, and the development
of a senior staff “dream team.” We have made transformative improvements to
our campus facilities without impacting the College’s finances. And our campus
is filled with laughter, energy, and that unquenchable quest for knowledge that
our R-MWC alumnae remember so well.
The journey through our coeducation transition was not smooth or easy.
Randolph faced great obstacles and challenges, including a warning from our
accrediting body, tension on campus, an angry and hurt alumnae base, ongoing
lawsuits, a name change, and not least, the global economic meltdown.
The feeling was, at times, much like that long journey riding in the cab of
the flat-bed truck to Randolph. With so many challenges all at once, there were
moments when it felt as if we were navigating in the dark, unsure of how or
when we would get to our destination. But as on that night six years ago, there
was never a doubt in my mind that we would get where we were going.
And we did. The College has successfully completed its transition to
coeducation, and, thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, a strong
foundation is now in place, built upon the rich history of R-MWC.
Like the thousands of students, faculty, and staff who have spent time behind
the Red Brick Wall, the College is now part of Susan’s and my DNA, and it will
forever be in our hearts. As we make our new home in Washington, D.C., we
will always be thankful that we had the opportunity to be a part of this great
institution’s history. We will be cheering you on from the sidelines!
Vita abundantior.
John E. Klein
President
W
Chad Beck, a Randolph
communication studies
professor, conducts class
during the spring semester.
2
THE RANDOLPH
hen Chad Beck learned the results
of the presidential election last year,
one piece of data that caught his attention
was the surge in voting by Hispanic citizens,
who cast 12.5 million ballots in the election.
He saw this as further evidence of the impact
of a growing Hispanic population and
another demonstration of the importance
of Randolph’s new Latin American studies
minor.
“This is changing everything from media, to politics, to economics,
to business and advertising here in the United States,” said Beck, a
communication studies professor who helped create the new program.
“Students learning more about the heritage and cultures of Latin American
countries can learn about the country they’re living in now.”
The new Latin American studies program is one of many recent changes
and additions to Randolph’s academic program, which is designed to help
students thrive in a changing world. Over the past six years, Randolph
professors and administrators have focused on the College’s core strengths
and expanded the curriculum with new programs and more experiential
learning. That means Randolph students have more academic opportunities
inside—and outside—the classroom.
“There is vibrancy about what’s happening,” said Paula Wallace,
Carolyn Sarson, a physical
associate dean of the College. “People have said, ‘How can we build on our
education professor,
strengths?’ And faculty members are coming forward with these ideas.”
teaches students in
Randolph’s weight room.
Many of these discussions have led to new academic programs and
opportunities. In addition to the Latin American studies program, the
College added a new major in sport and exercise studies, along with minors
in multimedia journalism, equine studies, and curriculum and instruction, which is geared toward helping noneducation majors learn about the process of teaching.
Beck said the journalism courses have strong enrollment, and every year, he talks to prospective students who
are interested in the field of study. “We have a unique program among our peer institutions in the sense that we
train journalists by giving them professional skills using multimedia technologies. We combine that with production
history and critical thinking skills,” he said.
The new sport and exercise studies major focuses on
nutrition, the diagnosis and treatment of injuries, and the
“We are really interested in
psychology and social impact of sports. The first students to
major in the program will graduate in 2014.
refreshing the liberal arts
In addition to the new offerings, other academic programs
curriculum and thinking of ways
have also been reinvented. In 2011, the economics and business
to improve it so that it remains
department proposed an overhaul of the business major, which
relevant to great traditions as well had been introduced in 2007 on the cusp of the coed transition.
as to a changing world.”
New courses and requirements couple an understanding of
- Heidi Kunz, Professor of English
business and finance with the wider world of liberal arts.
“Developing one’s abilities in areas such as critical
thinking, communication, and quantitative reasoning is
important to any career,” said Jeff Heinfeldt, a business professor. “Studying business in a liberal arts environment
ensures that students receive a solid foundation in these areas and are prepared for their careers, no matter what,
or where, they may be.”
The English department also revised its major requirements to focus on genres rather than literary movements
and time periods. This allows students to focus more on the craft of literature in addition to the context. “Given
the results that we’ve seen in student writing and comprehension so far, we are pretty optimistic,” said English
professor Heidi Kunz.
The curriculum modifications demonstrate the College’s willingness to innovate, Kunz added. “We are really
interested in refreshing the liberal arts curriculum and thinking of ways to improve it so that it remains relevant to
great traditions as well as to a changing world.”
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Carl Girelli said liberal arts colleges today face
significant pressure to focus more on vocation than on traditional academics. However, the exact qualities that
STORY TITLE
3
employers most desire—a dedicated work
ethic and the ability to persuade others and
to solve problems—are skills that the liberal
arts develop better than any other kind of
education.
“ T h e re i s a b i d i n g v a l u e , b o t h
vocationally and personally, in the liberal
arts,” Girelli said. “Liberally educated
people will continue to be valued, will
continue to prosper, and will continue to
have lives of joy.”
Still, the College is enhancing programs
to help students cultivate opportunities
for careers and graduate study while
studying the liberal arts. A year ago,
the College organized the Center for
Student Research and the Center for
Ancient Drama to promote research, the
Greek Play, and other hands-on learning
experiences that strengthen students’
résumés. More recently, the College began
allowing students to complete internships
for academic credit as sophomores rather
than waiting for their junior year. This will
provide more incentives for students to seek
internships earlier and more often, which
will demonstrate and strengthen the skills
they learn in the classroom, Wallace said.
“It’s not about what you do with a
major, but what does a major teach you to
do,” Wallace added. “The liberal arts is our
past, but it is also our students’ future.”
Danielle Currier, a sociology
professor, teaches a spring
semester course.
Amy R. Cohen, a classics
professor, adjusts a mask
for the Greek play.
(Left to right) Robert Villanueva ’14,
Bentley Kennedy-Stone ’16, and Evan
Smith ’15 discuss a topic in class.
Sofia Shaer ’16 participates
in a class discussion.
4
THE RANDOLPH
Returning Home
D
uring a recent visit to campus, Adgie Lou Dirom
Davidson ’82 shared dinner and memories with a
group of Randolph students from Texas, where she lives.
They laughed and talked about their common love for the
College.
“They seemed very happy,” Davidson said. “It’s fun
to be around young people who are hopeful, loving, and
interested in their future.”
It was an enjoyable evening that almost never happened.
Several years ago, Davidson was one of many R-MWC
alumnae who were angry about changes that were happening
at the College.
Unlike some others, her unhappiness did not begin with
the coed decision in 2006. It was the later decision to sell
four paintings from the College’s art collection in order to
increase the endowment that created the biggest issues for
Davidson. “I very easily transferred over to the other side,”
she recalled.
Randolph’s Board of Trustees knew both difficult
decisions would harm relationships with some alumnae,
but they also knew they were necessary components of the
institution’s survival.
Rebuilding alumnae support was one challenge Randolph
College President John E. Klein and his wife, Susan,
undertook immediately. “John was very good at answering
questions honestly,” said Heather Ayers Garnett ’86, director
of alumnae and alumni. “He was very committed to helping
Adgie Lou Dirom Davidson ’82
alumnae understand and see the possibilities that could
come.”
Answering questions from alumnae like Davidson became
a priority for the College. “We did that with hundreds and
“The spirit has stayed the same.
hundreds of people, one by one,” Garnett said.
The quality of the students, their
Davidson compiled the answers she received with
minds, and their spirits—those are
information from her own research and began to more fully
understand the reasoning behind the College’s decisions. Her
things that you can’t necessarily
change of heart was complete when she realized that opposing
test or quantify, but you know it
Randolph would harm the faculty and staff members who
when you meet them. That’s what
were trying to carry the College’s mission forward. “I was so
never left. It’s what still attracts
moved to support these really good people,” she said.
students to come today.”
Since those early years, Davidson has become a frequent
- Adgie Lou Dirom Davidson ’82
visitor to campus. She is happy to see how the current students
who are attending a school with a different name bring the
same attributes that always defined the College when it was R-MWC.
“The spirit has stayed the same,” Davidson said. “The quality of the students, their minds, and their spirits—
those are things that you can’t necessarily test or quantify, but you know it when you meet them. That’s what never
left. It’s what still attracts students to come today.”
5
C
lay Nunley will never
forget the first basketball
game Colton Hunt ’13 played
for Randolph. With seconds left,
Hunt intercepted a pass, drove
to the other end of the court, and
scored a layup that sealed the
victory for Randolph.
“That play speaks to who
Colton is,” said Nunley, Randolph’s
head men’s basketball coach. “He
is driven, competitive, focused,
and able to come through when it
matters most.”
That game was the beginning
of what would become a successful
athletic and academic college
career for Hunt, who, like many of
Randolph’s student-athletes, chose
to play at the D-III level because
it provided him the opportunity
to play competitively while also
focusing on a rigorous academic
program.
Hunt, who is a member of
Phi Beta Kappa, graduated with
a nearly perfect academic record.
During the 2013 Commencement,
he received one of the College’s
highest honors, the Maude Huff
Fife Award, which is given to the
senior with the highest Quality
Point Ratio.
He was the first men’s
basketball player in the Old
Dominion Athletic Conference
to score 1,800 points, grab 600
rebounds, give 200 assists, and
make 200 steals—all while
maintaining a spot on the Dean’s
List every semester.
During his senior year, Hunt’s
excellence in the classroom and
talent on the court earned him
the prestigious national Jostens
Trophy award. He was also named
the Capital One CoSIDA D-III
Academic All-American of the
Year. In May, Hunt earned the Doc
6
COLTON
DRIVING
FORCE
Points per game: 24.2
Rebounds per game: 7.3
Assists per game: 3
2013 Jostens Trophy
2013 Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year
2013 ODAC Player of the Year
HUNT ’13
CLASS
ACT
Major: Economics
Minors: Finance, Physics
Quality Point Ratio: 3.954
Phi Beta Kappa
Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society
Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society
Jopson Award, the ODAC’s award
for the top male scholar-athlete of
the year.
“Colton is a great example of
what we work for day-in and dayout,” said Tina Hill, Randolph’s
director of athletics. “We want
to put our students in a position
where they can excel and really
develop their potential. Colton
certainly has done that.”
During the first years of
the coed transition, there were
concerns that efforts to fill new
sports teams would come at the
expense of academics. The men
and women who chose to play
during those early years set the
bar high for the athletes to come.
“Our student-athletes from
our first recruiting classes really
valued not just getting a good
education, but taking pride in
putting forth their best efforts to
obtain that education,” Nunley
said. “I appreciate that our players,
both past and present, want to live
up to the term ‘student-athlete’ in
its fullest—having success on the
court while also earning strong
marks in the classroom.”
The focus on responsibility
and hard work has paid off with
an ODAC championship for men’s
soccer and national-level play for
men’s basketball and soccer, not to
mention two ODAC Coach of the
Year awards and championshiplevel play for softball.
Like many athletes, Hunt
credits his coaches and professors
for his success. “At the end of the
day, I wouldn’t be where I am if
it was just me,” he said.
“It’s required some
hard work and some effort
on my own, but I would say
I’m the one who is fortunate to
be here.”
7
I
n 2010, Randolph College launched a new rebranding
campaign that did more than reach prospective students. The
vibrant yellow background, candid, student-shot photographs,
and declaration to “Be an Original,” quickly resonated with
both the on-campus community and alumnae.
“When you pick up a brochure and it says ‘You are not
a clone’ and ‘You are not the boss of me,’ and it has buttons
hanging all over it, it makes a statement. Randolph was bold
enough to do that,” said Lisa Jordan, owner of the Atlanta-based
Mindpower branding agency.
When it went coed and changed its name in 2007,
Randolph College faced a difficult marketing challenge. Even
though R-MWC was well-known for its excellent academics
as a woman’s college, Randolph was an unknown and needed
to rebuild its reputation. As the transition to coeducation
progressed, the institution needed a campaign that would
express its identity to the world. “We were a College that had
a strong sense of history, traditions, and value but had not yet
found a voice with which to articulate that,” said Mike Quinn,
vice president for enrollment management.
So Randolph asked Mindpower to develop a new brand that
accurately reflected the College and its community. Jordan and
her team interviewed alumnae, students, faculty, and staff to get
a picture of the spirit of Randolph. In almost every interview, a
common theme started to emerge.
“It seemed that from its inception, the College created space
for the individual,” Jordan said. “That hasn’t changed. There are
all of these authentic, original people who have always been at
Randolph. The word ‘original’ just seemed to work.”
Mindpower developed a series of brochures, a web design,
“It seemed that from its inception, the
College created space for the individual.
That hasn’t changed. There are all these
authentic, original people who have
always been at Randolph. The word
‘original’ just seemed to work.”
- Lisa Jordan, owner Mindpower branding agency
and on-campus banners that focused on that theme and used the
College’s history as a woman’s college as a testament to original
thinking. That move was crucial to the campaign’s success and
acceptance by constituents, Quinn said. “It showed that we had
maintained our heart, our guiding principles, and our mission,
despite the fact that we had become a coed institution,” he said.
Even though colleges typically refresh their marketing
campaigns every several years, Quinn foresees some aspects of
this brand remaining constant. “It is not just a tagline that you
put on a brochure,” he said. “Regardless of where our outward
facing promotions take us, ‘Be an Original’ will always be a part
of our institutional and community identity.”
8
Grace Cummins ’16
performs in a Randolph
theatre production.
W
hile waiting for their
10th-grade daughter’s high
school play to begin, Margaret Decker
Cummins ’78 and her husband opened
the play program and found their daughter’s
name listed with the other actors. To their surprise,
her biography in the program said she planned to
attend Randolph College.
“We need to go see it,” Margaret whispered. “It’s
not the same school I went to.”
When they did visit the campus where Margaret
and her mother, Peggy Fisher Decker ’48, had
graduated, Grace Cummins ’16 came away with her
choice confirmed. She kept making visits until she
enrolled last year. “I had the same experience every
time I came back,” Grace said. “It was exactly where I
wanted to be.”
“It really does feel like we are
passing on a legacy.”
- Margaret Decker Cummins ’78
For more than a century, daughters, nieces,
sisters, and granddaughters followed in their family
members’ footsteps to attend R-MWC. Beginning in
2007, sons, nephews, brothers, and grandsons began
joining the mix. Today, Grace is just one member of a
Donald Saltmarsh-Lubin ’16
followed the footsteps
of his grandmother and
mother to Randolph.
growing class of legacies. Last year,
there were nearly 50 legacy students
enrolled.
“There’s a lot of history at Randolph,”
said Donald Saltmarsh-Lubin ’16, the son of Sara
Saltmarsh ’78 and grandson of Anne Frankenberg
Lasher ’53 . “It only makes sense that there would be a
lot of legacy students here.”
Cameron Hall ’13 started visiting the College for
Pumpkin Parade and other events when his sister,
Sarah Hall ’06, was a student. Soon, he felt connected
to the campus and its traditions. “This set the standard
for what I thought college should be,” he said.
He was grateful for the opportunity to attend
Randolph and carry the traditions forward. “Those
who joined since it went coed are excited to be allowed
to be a part of it,” he said.
Margaret Cummins has found pleasure learning
more about her alma mater through her daughter’s
eyes. She has watched as Grace joined the a cappella
group Songshine, performed in a musical, competed
in the VFIC intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, and worked
to keep up with the tough academics. Other alumnae
with legacy students feel the same, she said. “We all
have the same feeling of excitement that our child has
chosen to attend our college, and that she or he may
come to love it as much as we do,” Margaret said. “It
really does feel like we are passing on a legacy.”
9
A
ra Friedman ’09 was about to walk into her first
class at R-MWC when someone tried to stop her.
“Don’t go in there,” the woman said.
It was August 2006, and many students were
boycotting class in protest of an upcoming Board
of Trustees meeting. At the meeting, the Board was
expected to approve a new strategic plan that would
make the College coeducational in 2007. It was the
beginning of what would become a rocky transition.
A transfer student, Friedman was not focused on
controversy. “Not only am I conflict averse, I also was
just really excited to be there, and I just wanted to have
this college experience,” she said.
10
Little did she know that she would eventually play
a key leadership role in bringing community members
back together. After the Board’s decision in September,
Friedman and several of her friends thought about the
type of men who would fit at Randolph. A close friend,
Sequoyah Healy-Louer ’09, topped their list.
“Some of the students weren’t in favor of the
transition, but once it happened, they made the best of
it,” Healy-Louer said. “If there were going to be guys
there, they figured, why not the ones they knew were
all right.”
Healy-Louer had many female friends who had
attended the College over the years, so he was well
aware of its academic reputation. He toured the campus
and met Bryan Waggoner, who was working to recruit
the College’s first men’s soccer team. “Soccer is a really
big thing for me,” he said. “I’ve always played. I wanted
the chance to help start a program and play for Coach
Waggoner. I really liked the approach that he has.”
Healy-Louer transferred in as a junior in the fall
of 2007 when R-MWC officially changed its name to
Randolph College and admitted its first coeducational
class.
It was a rough year marked by conflicts,
misunderstandings, and difficult choices as the College
worked to improve its financial situation. Through
it all, Friedman watched Healy-Louer build bridges
of understanding. “One of his greatest strengths as
a person is that he’s able to get along with just about
anyone,” Friedman said. “He made friends with all
different groups on campus.”
“It was an experience that you
could not have had anywhere
else... it was definitely worth
being there for it and going
through it.”
- Sequoyah Healy-Louer ’09
Healy-Louer said he and some other men felt a
personal responsibility to help the transition go more
smoothly. Waggoner reminded the soccer players of this
constantly. “As the first males on campus, we definitely
were under a microscope of sorts. We had to make sure
that we conducted ourselves well,” he said. “I think it
was good for all of us to be aware of that.”
As Friedman began her senior year, it was clear
that the College still had a ways to go in bringing its
community back together. As Student Government
President for 2008–09, Friedman made a concerted
effort to close the rift between different groups at the
school. She invited Randolph President John E. Klein
to numerous student government meetings to answer
questions from students.
“There was no part of that process that was easy,
trying to bring the different parties together,” she said.
“I felt that it was a worthwhile cause and one that I kept
working on the whole year.”
Four years after becoming the first male to graduate
from Randolph College, Healy-Louer knows he made
the right decision to attend the newly coed school. “It
was an experience that you could not have had anywhere
else,” he said. “It was not for the faint of heart, but it was
definitely worth being there for it and going through it.”
He believes his college experience prepared him for
his grassroots canvassing work for Clean Water Action
in Colorado, which involves talking to many people
who may or may not agree with the legislative stances
his group advocates. “Being there during the transition,
I learned to really try to understand where other people
are coming from, and at the same time, be able to stand
my ground and really present my point of view,” he
said.
He added that he is happy to see the progress the
College has made since his time as a student. “It seems
that it has really turned a corner,” Healy-Louer said.
Even though her college years were not the
easiest, Friedman believes the experience has prepared
her to deal with life’s challenges. She now works in
Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Agency for International
Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance,
which sends disaster relief all over the world.
“Having the opportunity to work with students,
Trustees, and the College administration through my
time in Student Government helped me to refine my
communication skills and was excellent preparation
for my job at USAID,” she said. “R-MWC provided me
with a quality of mentorship and leadership experiences
that I do not think I would have received in a bigger
school.”
Friedman feels optimistic about the future of her
alma mater. “The element that got people the most upset
back then was this fear that the sense of sisterhood and
the sense of community might be lost,” she said.
But after meeting recent graduates at an alumnae
and alumni chapter event, it was evident to her that
the fear had not been realized. “I felt that sense of
connection to them, even though the College had
changed since I had been there,” Friedman said. “The
sense of community was still present, even though the
College is now coed.”
11
John E. Klein
President, 2007–2013
12
THE RANDOLPH
“When we look at his multiple accomplishments, John will be one
of the most, if not the most, distinguished presidents that we will
have had.” - Susan Braselton Fant ’84, Board of Trustees
STORY TITLE
13
Klein stands in front of
Michels Plaza and the
new Student Center.
T
he cheering crowd stood shoulder-to-shoulder, filling the
lobby of Main Hall as Randolph President John E. Klein handed
the giant scissors to Student Government President Zara Sibtain
’13. Smiling, they cut the ribbon together, officially opening the
College’s new Student Center to the campus community.
The completion of the alumnae-funded $6 million renovation in
February was a historic moment in the life of the College—a moment
many believed best symbolized the College’s positive emergence
from a very difficult transition to coeducation.
“What a difference six and a half years can make,” said Becky
Morrison Dunn ’70, chair of the Board of Trustees, about the day of
the Student Center dedication. “On this date, everyone on campus
was enthusiastic about our College and optimistic about its future.
This Student Center is a tangible symbol of the transformation that
has happened since the coed decision.”
Randolph’s journey through the transition was not an easy one,
nor was it without conflict, controversy, and upheaval. But looking
back, Board members are confident it was necessary to ensure the
The Student Center officially
College’s future.
opened in February.
“The past years will be seen as one of the most critical periods
in the history of the College,” Peter Dean, a member of the Board of
Trustees, said recently. “We faced up to the fact that the College was not doing as well as it could, and we made the
necessary decisions to implement changes and sustain the institution for the future.”
Trustees have credited Klein, who will retire in June after serving the College since 2007, for leaving a legacy of
renewal, growth, capital improvements, and optimism about the College’s future. “John Klein did more than lead
this College through the transition,” said Lucy Williams Hooper ’73, trustee emerita and chair of the Board from
2007–2012. “He really built a foundation upon which the institution could grow and thrive.”
Growing
Randolph is currently on path to enroll more than 200 first-years for the first time in a decade,
and total enrollment is expected to be about 700, up 200 from the lowest point in 2009.
14
Jolley Bruce Christman ’69
delivers the news of the
2006 decision to admit men.
‘It felt like the perfect storm’
William Waugh Smith, frustrated with RandolphMacon College’s refusal to admit women, founded
Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in 1891 as a way to
provide women with the same educational opportunities
as men. Over the years, R-MWC built a reputation as
one of the premier women’s colleges in the South. In
the ’70s, however, the dynamics of higher education
began to change as formerly all-male institutions
across the nation opened their doors to women.
During the decades that followed, maintaining
enrollment became increasingly difficult, especially
for an all-female college in a small city. In an effort
to increase enrollment numbers, R-MWC provided
students with a higher amount of financial aid, which
substantially decreased the institution’s operating
revenues. The result was an endowment draw far
above what was considered prudent or sustainable.
The market for a single-sex education was dwindling,
and more students were transferring away from the
College to attend larger, coed schools near metropolitan
areas.
In 2003, the College underwent an extensive strategic
planning process aimed at finding a way to maintain
R-MWC’s single sex status and put it on a sustainable
fiscal path. In 2005, when the results from the strategic
planning process revealed the College’s future as a singlesex institution was grim, the Board began to explore
coeducation. After a year of focused study, the Board
announced on September 9, 2006, its decision to change
the course of R-MWC’s history—a move the Board, which
was comprised mostly of alumnae, made reluctantly.
“It was a very somber moment in the life of the
College,” remembered Dunn. “We knew it was the only
decision we could make in order to give the College the
chance to survive. But there were tears in our eyes.”
Following President Kathleen Gill Bowman’s
retirement in June 2006, Virginia Hill Worden ’69
was chosen to serve as interim president. During the
2006–07 academic year, committees worked diligently
to prepare for the transition—even while the oncampus and off-campus communities were in upheaval.
The year was marred by controversy, including
protests, strikes, and a constant barrage of negative
media as students and alumnae voiced anger over
the decision. Lawsuits were filed to challenge the
coed decision, opening up a drawn-out legal battle.
Students boycott classes
in protest of the Board’s
pending coeducation vote.
“It was a very somber moment in
the life of the College. We knew
it was the only decision we could
make in order to give the College
the chance to survive.”
- Becky Morrison Dunn ’70, Board of Trustees Chair
Improved Communications
• The Be an Original campaign was successfully launched in 2010.
• Randolph magazine published its first issue in February 2010.
LASTING LEGACY
15
When the Board chose Randolph College as the
new name of the institution, the decision complicated
already tenuous relationships with alumnae and created
marketing problems associated with recruiting students
to an unknown school.
In the midst of the challenges, the College’s
accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools (SACS)—scheduled to be on campus in the
early fall to review a new master’s program—notified the
College that it would also conduct a special review of the
College’s finances. At the end of 2006, SACS placed the
College on warning for financial reasons.
“It is going to end up being one of the most essential turning points
in the history of the College.”
- Peter Dean, Board of Trustees
R-MWC had to convince SACS to lift the warning,
fight two lawsuits about going coed, deal with ongoing
strife on campus, prepare for a new name, repair damaged
relations with alumnae, decide how to significantly
increase the endowment, and recruit the first coed class—
all while finding a new president willing to take on the
daunting problems.
“You could say it felt like the perfect storm,” said
Trustee Peter Dean. “But I also felt like it was a storm that
we had to get through and that we knew would pass. It is
going to end up being one of the most essential turning
points in the history of the College.”
In December 2006,
College leaders revealed
R-MWC’s new name.
Randolph’s first coed
class wore shirts
proclaiming, “I am
proud of the W.”
Students and alumnae
protest the coed
decision in 2006.
Capital Improvements
• $6 million Student Center renovation
• New field and track stadium
16
• Major renovations to the library, Main Hall, Bell Hall,
and Caldwell Commons
‘it seemed as
if i had been
training for
this job my
whole life.’
Klein arrived on campus in August 2007, just three
days before the first coed class. He knew there were
challenges ahead but felt that he and his wife, Susan,
could make a difference. “It seemed as if I had been
training for this job my whole life,” Klein said.
A 1967 graduate of Princeton University, Klein earned
a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Prior to coming to Randolph, Klein worked as a teacher
in Beirut, Lebanon, as a lawyer for a New York law
firm, as an international business executive for 28 years,
including 18 years as CEO, and as chief operating officer
for Washington University in St. Louis. He also served
on the boards of two independent girls’ schools, one of
which merged with a boys’ school during his board term.
The College’s trustees felt that Klein’s experiences
and strengths well-prepared him to lead Randolph.
“John Klein was the right person to be president of
Randolph College, and we were lucky enough to bring
him here,” said Susan Braselton Fant ’84, a member of the
Board. “His business background was essential to help us
understand where we were and where we had to go. He
was able to make the tough decisions and get us where
we needed to be to achieve financial sustainability and
to help the College grow for the long term.”
Planning for the future
• Facilities Master Plan approved in 2008
• Adopted new mission statement in 2010
‘The future of the College was at stake’
Klein knew he had his work cut out for him.
Responding to the SACS accreditation warning topped
the list. “It was a matter of survival,” Klein said. “There
was so much we had to do in a short amount of time. The
future of the College was at stake.”
As Klein focused on the report to SACS, which was
due three weeks after he arrived, the community had to
adjust to a new name and the addition of men on campus.
For the next three years, Randolph’s close community
would be divided, with some students who had enrolled
under the single-sex R-MWC and others who came to
the coed Randolph. The controversy and worldwide
economic meltdown created multiple challenges for
the admissions office. Instead of increasing as hoped,
enrollment initially dropped.
Meanwhile, the Board searched for a way to increase
the endowment, which would place the College on a
firmer financial footing and also ease the concerns of
SACS. After nearly a year of trying to find alternative
solutions, in October 2007, Board members finally
decided to sell four pieces of the College’s extensive art
collection. While the specific works were chosen to limit
• Approved new 2011 Strategic Plan
LASTING LEGACY
17
Representatives of the media
wait for the College’s new name
announcement in December 2006.
Members of Randolph’s
first coed class gather for
Convocation in August 2007.
the negative impact on the cohesiveness of the collection,
the inclusion of the beloved Men of the Docks by George
Bellows escalated problems for Randolph. Alumnae, staff,
faculty, and students saw the decision as another loss.
The group spearheading the litigation over the coed
decision joined forces with those angry about the sale of
art, and another lawsuit was filed. Although the College
planned a November auction of the four paintings,
a surprising decision by the Virginia Supreme Court
allowed the plaintiffs to file an injunction preventing
the sale of the paintings. The lawsuit was dropped a few
months later, and one painting was sold, but by then,
the economic meltdown in 2008 had undermined the art
markets, and Randolph’s opportunity to gain the most
value for the artwork disappeared. Plans remain in effect
to sell the remaining three paintings when the American
art market allows.
Klein took much of the heat for these decisions, along
with members of the Board. “Through it all, you had to
keep listening to our constituents and to keep reminding
yourself that even though we may be on different sides of
the issues, we all shared a deep love of the institution,”
Hooper said.
Academic Enhancements
• The Center for Student Research
• The Center for Ancient Drama
18
Continuous improvement
The focus of Klein’s leadership became the phrase,
“continuous improvement.” “If you are going to raise the
bar, you can’t keep doing the same things the same way,”
Klein said. “Every day, we had to ask ourselves, ‘How
can we do things better?’”
Change, he added, is hard at any level. And one of
Randolph’s biggest obstacles was facing many changes
all at once. “It creates fear and uncertainty,” Klein said.
“There was so much to be done, and not everyone agreed
with all of the changes we were going through. It made
making progress even more difficult.”
But the efforts soon began to pay off with significant
improvements. In December 2007, SACS lifted its financial
warning. The following June, the Virginia Supreme Court
ruled in Randolph’s favor on the two coed-based lawsuits,
which had been appealed to the higher court.
“Every day, we had to ask ourselves,
ʻHow could we do things better?ʼ”
- John E. Klein, Randolph College President
In 2008, a new Facilities Master Plan was adopted,
which provided the framework for current and future
physical plant needs. The new plan, which was created
by a committee of faculty, staff, and students, was crucial
for the College as it planned for its future as a growing
coeducational institution.
“Creation of a campus plan shows that the College
is looking to the future and is managing its resources
prudently,” said Rick Barnes, a Randolph psychology and
environmental studies professor and chair of the Master
Plan Steering Committee.
• Randolph Innovative Student Experience award program
• New majors: business and sport and exercise studies
Building for the future
A legacy of success
Careful and strategic long-term planning became a
guiding force for the College, and life on campus grew
more positive with each passing year. By 2010, Randolph
was on an upward trajectory and seeing important
progress in all areas of campus, including enrollment and
giving. Though finances were still limited, the College’s
administration began strategically investing available
resources into projects and programs that would increase
enrollment and reap the biggest reward for the College.
The College adopted a new mission statement in 2010
and updated its Strategic Plan in 2011.
During its regular review by SACS—five years after
being put on financial warning —Randolph received
full reaffirmation of its 10-year accreditation in 2011,
meeting or exceeding every requirement for academic
quality, financial stability, student life programming and
retention, and athletics and fundraising initiatives.
Despite limited resources, Klein’s tenure brought
major improvements to the College’s campus and
facilities. A new field and track stadium and new tennis
courts were built, and major landscaping enhancements
were made throughout campus. The main floor of the
library received an extensive renovation, including the
creation of a consolidated Academic Services Center.
Main Hall lobby and corridors were also rejuvenated
with new paint, furnishings, and other touches. Other
improvements included moving the Campus Store onto
campus to a newly renovated space near the dining hall.
That renovation also included the creation of Caldwell
Commons.
Enrollment increases and the anticipated additional
future growth have prompted the College to address
residence hall needs. Last summer, the College began
renovating residence halls, including the installation of
air conditioning, new furniture, and other amenities. In
addition, the Fitzgerald Global Community Center was
created in Bell Hall. Randolph also recently purchased a
nearby apartment complex, which will be renovated and
opened to students in the fall of 2014. Except for the debt
that funded the new field and track stadium, the financial
support of alumnae made these improvements possible
without causing the College to incur additional debt.
John and Susan Klein pose
with several Davenport
Leaders during a first-year
Orientation session.
• New minors: Latin American studies, multimedia journalism,
Chinese studies, curriculum & instruction, and equine studies
LASTING LEGACY
19
John and Susan Klein
stroll through the newly
finished Michels Plaza
outside the Student Center.
20
“This has always been a beautiful campus, but it
looks better now than it has during any time I have seen
it,” Peter Dean said. “I’ve been amazed at what we have
been able to accomplish on an extremely difficult budget
while also cutting costs.”
By far, the most significant improvement to campus
was the renovated Student Center, which opened in
February 2013 after a 20-month renovation.
Fundraising efforts led by Klein secured the $6
million necessary to complete a transformational project
that included large gathering spaces, a second floor
dedicated to student entertainment, additional conference
rooms, a theatre, and a two-level fitness center.
The entire project was funded by a small group
of alumnae and their families. Trustee Mary Michels
Scovanner ’77 provided the funds for brick walkways
and an outdoor plaza, complete with a fountain and
ampitheatre seating, which has helped to dramatically
change the appearance of the College’s back campus.
“We have this fabulous new Student Center that
nobody even dreamed was possible,” said Don Giles, a
trustee. “John went out and pretty much single handedly
raised most of the money. This facility has brought every
part of campus together.”
Bobby Bennett, the College’s director of capital
projects, said Klein’s tenure will be known for the
improvements to facilities made under his leadership.
“Education-wise, our faculty and academic program
have always put us in the top tier,” he said. “Now we are
bringing our facilities up to meet those same standards.”
Changes to the campus environment have gone
beyond buildings, added Bennett, who has served the
College for 17 years. “We’re leaps and bounds from where
we were,” he said. “It’s a different environment. Instead
of feeling like we are going to keep struggling to make
it, everybody sees that we are making it. We are moving
forward. Randolph is a good place to be, and that says a
lot about how far we’ve come.”
Athletic Success
• Men’s soccer won the 2011 ODAC Championship and earned
a spot in the NCAA Sweet 16.
• Men’s basketball made it to the ODAC Championship in 2011 and
2012 and won a spot in NCAA national tournament in 2013.
• Women’s softball earned its way to the 2011 ODAC Championship.
The $6 million Student Center
renovation has transformed campus
life since opening in February.
A commitment to the liberal arts
Academically, Randolph has been able to strengthen
its offerings while maintaining a deep commitment
to the liberal arts and to an individualized focus.
Randolph’s mission statement, adopted in 2010,
reflects the institution’s rich heritage as R-MWC and
commitment to providing the educational experience
needed by tomorrow’s students: “Randolph College
prepares students to engage the world critically and
creatively, live and work honorably, and experience life
abundantly.”
New majors and minors were created, the business
program was expanded, some existing curricula were
revamped, and new faculty members were hired. A
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was added, and the master’s
program in education has experienced dramatic growth.
Randolph continued to enhance its liberal arts
programs to help students cultivate opportunities for
careers and graduate study. In 2012, the College organized
the Center for Student Research and the Center for
Ancient Drama to promote research, the Greek Play, and
other hands-on learning experiences.
Randolph’s fine arts program has also grown. The
dance program continues its long tradition of bringing
successful visiting artists to Randolph, and the theatre
program has begun producing more shows, including
musicals.
Students continue to excel in art, even curating an
entire exhibition at the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph
College in 2012. The College has continued to purchase
important pieces of art for its collection. In addition, the
music program has begun a new chamber orchestra that
performs with professional orchestra members.
As has been the norm for 122 years, the College
continues to place an emphasis on community. Students
are encouraged to pursue their passions, and the close
relationships with faculty and staff help facilitate this.
The commitment to students has not gone unnoticed.
In addition to regularly being recognized by national
guidebooks for its outstanding educational program,
Randolph was recently ranked first in the nation for the
accessibility of its professors by Newsweek.
Marian van Noppen ‘12
performs in a
Randolph musical.
Martin Wiley ’13 received
his diploma in May.
Members of Songshine and Voices
perform the school song
at the 2013 Commencement.
New Athletic Teams
• Women’s lacrosse
• Women’s and men’s cross country
• Women’s and men’s track & field
• Men’s soccer
• Men’s basketball
• Men’s lacrosse
• Men’s tennis
LASTING LEGACY
21
“This is an institution poised to move forward, to
take charge, and to continue to provide
vita abundantior to all of our students.”
- Cathy Greer ’73, Board of Trustees Chair
Preserving the ‘essence of R-MWC’
Reassuring and reconnecting alumnae who were
worried about how life would change on campus became
an immediate priority for the College after the coed
decision. The Kleins put a special emphasis on alumnae
relationship building and traveled to 75 chapter events
across the United States during their tenure, often
coordinating these visits to include stops at nearby
independent schools to meet college counselors and
prospective students.
“Both John and Susan spent countless hours visiting
alumnae around the country and devoted many weekends
to alumnae and alumni events on campus,” said Heather
Ayers Garnett ’86, the College’s director of alumnae and
alumni. “It speaks volumes about how invested they are
in our alumnae and alumni and our entire community.
Alumnae and alumni have recognized their devotion to
the College and have responded by sending hundreds of
letters of thanks to the Kleins, not just recently for John’s
retirement, but during their entire tenure.”
The College also increased efforts to connect with
younger alumnae and alumni, and a new program started
a tradition of class banners and special class events to
engage students while they are still on campus. While
Reunion is still the largest event, a new fall Homecoming
is now drawing an increasing number of alumnae and
alumni.
“The campus looks better,” Garnett said. “It feels
more energetic and more like the community we’ve had
in the past. There’s a sense of optimism among faculty,
staff, students, and alumnae.”
high profile national speakers
• Maya Angelou • Howard Dean
• Richard Dawkins
• Karl Rove
• Nikki Giovanni
• Candy Alt Crowley ’70
22
Jan Meriwether, vice president for institutional
advancement, said the Kleins’ impact on Randolph
extends beyond financial stability. “John and Susan’s
passion for our students and programs is contagious and
has helped John be amazingly successful at encouraging
and motivating our constituents to be incredibly
generous,” she said. “Their hard work has helped
strengthen Randolph and put us on the right path to meet
our long-term goals.”
While some things have changed during the
transition, alumnae returning to campus often find the
things they loved about R-MWC, including the traditions,
friendships, faculty relationships, and challenging
academics, remain a vital part of campus life. “I hope over
the next 10 to 20 years, people who were disenchanted or
angry will be able to see that the essence of R-MWC has
been preserved and enhanced in Randolph College,” said
Cathy Greer ’73, a Board member. “I certainly see that and
could not be prouder of this College. This is an institution
poised to move forward, to take charge, and to continue
to provide vita abundantior to all of our students.”
Klein talks with alumnae and a staff
member during the 2013 Reunion.
Capital improvements like WildCat Stadium
and the new Student Center have significantly
improved the aesthetics of back campus.
“Our coaches make sure our students know
that academics come first, and they help
them build the skills they need to manage
a competitive athletic schedule and a
rigorous academic program.”
- John E. Klein, President
The life more abundant
The addition of men to Randolph’s campus brought
new athletic teams for men and women. During the
spring of 2007, coaches had to convince students to be
pioneers and take a chance on fledgling programs. The
hard work and strict standards Randolph’s coaches set
for their teams during those early years continue to pay
off for both men’s and women’s teams.
“When students decide to play at the D-III level, they
know they are students first and athletes second,” said
Alexis Wagner, the head women’s lacrosse coach. “The
work in the classroom has a direct impact on their playing
time as well as their participation in practice. When you
are building a program, you have to start with that culture
and maintain that culture as you get more competitive.”
Men’s soccer, men’s basketball, and women’s softball
have all made championship runs. Soccer made history in
2011 by winning the ODAC championship and earning
a spot in the NCAA Sweet 16 bracket. Two coaches also
received ODAC Coach of the Year honors.
“Our coaches make sure our students know that
academics come first, and they help them build the skills
they need to manage a competitive athletic schedule and
a rigorous academic program,” Klein said. “The coaches
set the bar high for their athletes. They knew the type
of student they wanted to recruit, and they put together
teams that have defied the odds.”
Men now make up about 37 percent of Randolph’s
student body, and enrollment has grown. Klein expects
enrollment to be about 700 students in fall 2013 for the
first time since coeducation. The goal is for enrollment
to continue heading toward the 1,100-student goal in the
coming years.
Randolph students are as serious about academics as
their R-MWC sisters, but the coed environment has also
created a more energetic campus. “Students are more
visible and livelier,” Dean said. “When one walks into
the dining hall, there is a perceptible and audible buzz
of noise and conversation. We have gone from a College
that was a suitcase school to a College where students
ask, ‘Why would anyone want to leave on weekends?’
This is exactly what we wanted.”
Over the past six years, students have been the
driving force behind the emergence or revitalization of
many organizations on campus. For instance, students
grew the Organic Garden into an integral part of campus,
created a free-trade coffee shop called the Red Door,
brought the College’s radio station, WWRM, back to
life, and formed Voices, a coed a cappella group, to
complement Songshine, the long-time female a cappella
group.
Being involved in student life has been a treasured
part of the Kleins’ daily life on campus. The couple
made a point of attending as many performances,
athletic competitions, and other events as possible. The
In 2011, Randolph received full reaffirmation of its 10-year accreditation,
meeting or exceeding every requirement for academic quality, financial stability,
student life programming and retention, and athletic and fundraising initiatives.
LASTING LEGACY
23
involvement did not go unnoticed. “Last year we gave
them the Spectator-of-the-Year award for always being
there to support our students and our school,” said Jake
Hood ’14, president of the Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee. “They were always there cheering us on.”
Part of the challenge of Klein’s presidency was
honoring the College’s history while also preparing it
for the future. “It was a mixture of staying true to what
was important and moving on to what will be the future
of the College,” Dean said.
“Just as R-MWC was before
it, Randolph College is about
teaching students to live the life
more abundant. Our motto still
rings true, and I don’t think it
could be any more perfect.”
- Lucy Williams Hooper ’73, Trustee Emerita
Recent graduates are grateful for the opportunity
to have been a part of the College’s history. “Randolph
gave me opportunities that, still to this day, I’m surprised
I was able to take advantage of,” said Carl Coffey ’11,
a member of the first fully coed class. “The close-knit
environment that women had cherished at R-MWC
naturally transitioned to Randolph after the coed switch.
Things started off rocky, but by graduation, my classmates
and peers had become some of my closest friends.”
Though he and his classmates sometimes grumbled
about the small classes which made it “hard to hide,”
Nationally Recognized
• Ranked #1 in nation for accessible professors by Newsweek
• Princeton Review Best 377 Colleges
24
Coffey now sees what he gained. “Had I gone to a larger
institution, it would have made it more difficult to get
the one-on-one attention and the ability to connect with
professors who realized my potential and made a point
to give me tough love and hard discipline when I needed
it,” he said.
For students like Zara Sibtain ’13, the College’s
history as a woman’s college added an unexpected bonus.
“The traditions we have on this campus help us bond,
not only with our own class but with all the classes,” she
said. “It’s a bond that you form for a lifetime. What has
made this place so special to me is our community and
how connected we are with everyone, not just students
but with faculty and staff. You form these relationships,
and that’s what you value the most.”
It was important to the Board of Trustees, especially
those who were alumnae, that the spirit of R-MWC remain
alive and well at Randolph College.
“Just as R-MWC was before it, Randolph College is
about teaching students to live the life more abundant,”
Hooper said. “Our motto still rings true, and I don’t think
it could be any more perfect.”
“Klein’s legacy will forever be that
he led the College through the dark
times and set a bright course for
the future of the College.”
- Becky Morrison Dunn ’70, Board of Trustees Chair
• Forbes Best Value
• Ranked 13th in the nation for best professors by the Center for
College Affordability and Productivity
A new chapter begins
Wi t h t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o
coeducation finally complete,
Randolph is prepared for the next
stage of its journey. “Between the
lawsuits, the accreditation warning,
the recession, and the effort required
to bring a fractured community back
together, those early years were
extremely difficult for all of us,”
Klein said. “But they are behind us
now, and Randolph is in a different
place and experiencing growth and
positive momentum. I am proud
of where we are today. We still
have work to do, but I have full
confidence in our future.”
The challenges Randolph faced
created a difficult presidency, but
Klein was able to be successful,
trustees said. “When we look at his
multiple accomplishments, John will
be one of the most, if not the most,
distinguished presidents that we will
have had,” Fant said.
In 2012, Klein announced his
decision to retire at the end of June
2013, and the Board of Trustees began
a presidential search. In February, the
Board named Bradley W. Bateman,
provost at Denison University, as the
president-elect.
During the announcement,
the Board paid tribute to Klein
for turning the College around.
“We would not be here today
without John Klein,” Dunn told
the audience. “Klein’s legacy,” she
added recently, “will forever be
that he led the College through
the dark times and set a
bright course for the future of the
College.”
New student organizations
• Organic Garden
• Red Door free trade coffee shop
“Randolph is in a different place and
experiencing growth and positive
momentum. I am proud of where we are
today. We still have work to do, but
I have full confidence in our future.”
- John E. Klein, President
• Voices: coed a cappella group
LASTING LEGACY
25
T
he first time Susan Klein saw her future husband, he was walking
through the Pittsburgh airport with a typewriter in one hand and a
tennis racket in the other. It was 1968, and Susan was headed to the University of
Michigan to begin her sophomore year. John Klein was also headed to Ann Arbor
to begin his first year at the University of Michigan Law School.
They met on the airplane, and after marrying in 1970, began a lifetime partnership that has taken them around
the world. Susan, who graduated with a degree in English and a minor in French, worked for Citibank and Irving
Trust Company in New York before the Kleins moved to Brussels, where she served as the executive director of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium.
The couple moved frequently to accommodate John’s positions at Bunge, the global agribusiness company
where he worked for 28 years. When Susan and John moved back to the United States, she focused her attention on
their two now-grown children, Jennie and Tom, and on volunteer activities.
26
Susan Klein was named an
honorary member of the Class
of 1958 and received a College
ring at the 2013 Reunion.
“Susan worked as hard behind the
scenes as John did in the public eye.”
When John accepted the position at Randolph, he
did so knowing he had Susan’s full support, and the
couple made Lynchburg their ninth home. In addition
to serving as a confidante to John, Susan took on
many roles as a volunteer for the College, including
managing events at the President’s House, arranging
the Kleins’ extensive travel to alumnae chapters and
independent schools, and playing a significant role in
the interior design elements of the College’s capital
projects.
She also helped select and hang paintings from
the College’s collection throughout the College,
including in the new Student Center, and was a
constant presence, along with John, at student
activities and events.
“Susan worked as hard behind the scenes as John
did in the public eye,” said Katharine “Kitty” Stark
Caldwell ’74, a trustee emerita.
“Indefatigable, Susan joined John in championing
the College by her engagement of our constituencies,
her promotion of the College, her assistance in
campus improvement decisions, her entertainment
of the College’s friends, and her support for the
president during a difficult transition time. Randolph
has been first and foremost in Susan’s life these past
six years,” Caldwell added.
Susan’s diligence was apparent to many who
worked closely with her. “I’ve seen her in conversation
with just about every constituency of the College,”
said Carolyn Burgess Featheringill ’69, a trustee.
“No matter who it is, Susan is invariably smiling
and those beautiful eyes are focused solely on the
person to whom she is speaking,” Featheringill
added. “Everyone is important to Susan. When I try
to describe Susan to my College friends who haven’t
met her, I invariably end by saying that, if Susan had
been with us in College, she’d have been one of our
best friends.”
Susan treasured the personal interactions. “My
favorite parts of our time at Randolph have been
meeting so many wonderful alumnae, attending
athletic and other events where we watched the
students perform, and working with the College’s
wonderful staff,” she said.
The long hours and challenging times were worth
it, Susan added. “We feel really good about where the
College is and how we are leaving it.”
- Katharine “Kitty” Stark Caldwell ’74, Trustee Emerita
27
D
uring a recent visit to talk about his research on academic integrity, author and nationally known expert Eric
Anderman received a firsthand view of an intangible, but important, part of life at Randolph—its Honor Code.
During a campus tour, Karl Sakas ’10, an admissions counselor, asked students to tell Anderman about the
Honor Code.
“What struck me was that everybody was aware of it,” Anderman said, doubting that most students at Ohio
State University, where he teaches psychology, could say much about their academic honesty guidelines. “Honor
codes communicate core values to students about the institutions, but in some institutions, some people are not
aware of them.”
Randolph’s Honor Code, which is administered by students rather than faculty, has been a vital part of life
since the College’s founding in 1891. Anderman said this type of Honor Code, which includes unproctored exams,
is an effective way of preventing cheating because it helps create a culture of trust. Randolph students say it is
important because of the attributes it helps them develop.
“The more I work with it, the more I see it become
“I would like it to be celebrated, so
a code of living,” said Maddy Carmain ’13, chair of the
that it is known that at this school,
Student Judiciary Committee last year. “You uphold the
we live this way.”
Honor Code because it’s the right thing to do, not just
- Maddy Carmain ’13
because you are told to do it. Following the Honor Code
requires a lot of personal integrity and responsibility.”
The Honor Code is so much a part of Randolph’s culture that Megan Hageman ’13 was shocked to learn about
widespread cheating at the colleges her high school friends attended. That led her to collaborate with psychology
professors Holly Tatum and Beth Schwartz, the Catherine E. & William E. Thoresen Chair in Social Sciences and
assistant dean of the College, to study how honor systems affect academic honesty.
28
Their studies indicated that students at small colleges are less likely to
cheat due to the close student-faculty relationships and open discussions
about cheating. “This tends to be part of the culture of the institution,”
Tatum said. “Our Honor Code is educational.”
Two years ago, the College convened a task force to look for
opportunities to reaffirm Randolph’s commitment to its Honor Code. At
the recommendation of that task force, the Student Judiciary Committee has
sponsored Honor Weeks to encourage students to more fully understand
the Honor Code.
Carmain hopes these efforts will help students place an even greater
value on the Honor Code and carry its ideals into life after graduation. “I
would like it to be celebrated, so that it is known that at this school, we
live this way,” Carmain said. “The point is not getting people in trouble.
The point is not the judicial process. The point is to live honorably, with
integrity, and with respect for other people.”
29
30
A
s Gage Stuntz ’13 waited with his classmates on
the steps of Martin Science Building, he glanced
down at the buttons with Latin words, Randolph logos,
and funny phrases adorning his stole. For generations,
seniors have passed down robes and buttons to their
sister class, the sophomores. Stuntz was anxious to carry
on the longstanding tradition.
As the Class of 2015 marched across front campus
with a long cord of ivy interwoven with daisies, Stuntz
was proud. “To me, that says that we did a good job
teaching them the traditions,” he said. “Now they are
doing them and want to pass them on as well,” he said.
One of the most frequently heard concerns during
the transition to coeducation was whether the College’s
traditions would endure. Randolph students have not
only embraced the longstanding traditions inherited
from R-MWC, but they have also revived longabandoned ones and even created a few new traditions
of their own.
“The men who get into the traditions do so for the
same reason that the women do. It’s a really fun thing to
do, and there is a sense of community,” said Karen Rose
’13.
Stuntz remembered splattering the Even Post with
red, blue, and gray paint when he was a first-year. That
tradition—part of the Even/Odd class rivalry—helped
Stuntz find his place at the College. “It got me to get
out of my comfort zone and be more social,” he said. “It
helped me meet really amazing friends as well.”
Last year, Rose decided to bring back a long-forgotten
tradition called calithumping. In the early 1900s, seniors
would serenade their professors on Halloween. The
faculty members were then expected to respond with
songs or speeches. Elements of calithumping evolved
into another loved tradition, Pumpkin Parade.
In the fall, Rose and 20 other students visited
and sang to several professors and staff members on
Halloween night. “We had some pretty cool responses,”
Rose said. One professor sang to them in a wizard
costume, another read poetry and gave out candy, and
another had a Halloween-themed egg hunt prepared for
them.
“Traditions give us a feeling of
continuity... Passing them down
is a great feeling.”
- Karen Rose ’13
The past few years also have seen the birth of a
number of new traditions, including Homecoming.
Rose said Homecoming is a great time to reconnect with
recent graduates, and the culminating bonfire is a fun
way to bring the campus together.
“Traditions give us a feeling of continuity,” Rose
said. “A hundred years ago, they weren’t doing the exact
same things, but it was the same sort of spirit. Passing
them down is a great feeling.”
IMPORTANT
CONVERSATIONS
A
fter Maya Angelou’s paralyzed son underwent several surgical
operations, he called and asked her to recite a poem they both
loved. Telling this story to more than 1,000 people at Randolph College
in January, the internationally acclaimed poet recited Invictus again:
{
32
}
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
The standing-room-only audience listened with rapt attention as
Angelou told them that poetry “has kept us alive.”
“I urge you to find the poetry and realize that whatever it says, and
however it says it, it was written for you,” she said.
Angelou was one of the most recent high-profile speakers
Randolph has hosted. Since 2008, students have met and
mingled with CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Alt
Crowley ’70, former DNC chair and New Hampshire
Governor Howard Dean, civil rights leader and poet Nikki Giovanni,
evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, Republican strategist Karl
Rove, Skeptics Society founder Michael Shermer, Under the Tuscan Sun
author Frances Mayes ’62, and more.
Keeley Cordingley Tuggle, assistant director of special events, said
there has been a concerted effort to build on the College’s rich history
of introducing students and community members to important thought
leaders in different fields. This both expands a student’s educational
experience and attracts the attention of prospective students. “It shows
the community that we are a College where important conversations take
place, and that we are thirsty in our quest for learning from all points of
view,” Tuggle said.
Kira Chhatwal ’12 said it was important to students to have speakers
from across the spectrum, including secularists, atheists, liberals,
conservatives, artists, and more. “I remember panels where students
were asked to brainstorm speakers they wanted to hear,” she said. “That’s
pretty big. Our opinions mattered.”
It was equally important to hear from impressive women like Nikki
Giovanni and Maya Angelou, she added. “In keeping with our roots of
being a woman’s college, the female speakers are especially important to
our community,” Chhatwal said. “Having worked their events, I could
see the excitement of the people coming to watch—not only our students,
but community people of all ages who might not have had the chance to
see them otherwise.”
Maya Angelou
Candy Alt Crowley ’70
Howard Dean
O
n February 14, the Randolph College Board
of Trustees named Bradley W. Bateman as
the College’s 10th president. The Board began the
search process last summer, and a search committee
comprised of students, staff, faculty, and trustees
reviewed applications from a diverse field of more
than 90 strong candidates.
“I feel both exhilarated and humbled to be asked
to do this job,” said Bateman, who is 56 years old.
“Randolph College is a wonderful institution with
an incredible community that was built on the strong
foundation of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. It
is an excellent institution about to come into its own,
and I am proud to be a part of this exciting time.”
Bateman will begin his tenure on July 1.
“Randolph has undergone a dramatic
transformation since our decision to admit men
seven years ago,” said Becky Morrison Dunn ’70,
chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are proud of
how far we have come as an institution, and we are
indebted to our current president, John E. Klein,
for leading Randolph successfully through this
transition. Just as John was the right president for
our time of transition, Brad is the perfect fit to lead
us into the future. ”
Bateman comes to Randolph from Denison
University, where he has served as provost since
2007. Before Denison, Bateman was associate dean at
Grinnell College in Iowa.
“The great passion of my life is liberal arts
education,” Bateman said. “It was transformative
for me personally, and I chose to become a liberal
educator because I wanted to help offer that same
transformation to other people. It is a passion that I
bring to Randolph. Randolph’s rich history and the
chance to continue working on the evolution of the
College are things that are appealing to me.”
A 1979 graduate of Alma College in Michigan,
Bateman earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in
economics at the University of Kentucky. He began
his teaching career at Simmons College.
To learn more about Randolph’s new president,
please see http://president.go.randolphcollege.edu/
Randolph College
welcomes its
10th President:
Dr. Bradley W. Bateman
Randolph College
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