Despite, or perhaps due to, a volatile economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, donations for the year pushed the Hollins Fund for 2019-20 over its $3.55 million goal, almost $400,000 more than the university raised the previous year. Overall philanthropic gifts for the year totaled more than $11.7 million, again up a substantial amount compared to the previous year.

Clark Hooper Baruch ā€™68, who chairs the development committee, credited the commitment of volunteers for much of the success. ā€œThe volunteers were pivotal in generating and building the kind of momentum needed for this level of effort. They made a real difference, and it wasnā€™t just the impressive overall number of volunteers, but also the breadth of experiences and classes represented in that group that helps us engage with people beyond those who are already in the donor pool.ā€

She especially emphasized the promising growth in younger alumnae/i volunteering. ā€œTheyā€™re the key to securing a healthy future for Hollins the farther we travel into this century.ā€

What is also clear in the rearview: Hollins alumnae/i and friends are generous in good times and bad, and they love a good challenge.

Last December, an anonymous donor offered to match every gift made in the month up to $100,000, and the challenge was met barely halfway into the month. The effort so impressed the donor that she promised to match any additional gift, up to $5,000, for the remainder of the calendar year.

Then, in June, another anonymous donor offered up $100,000 if Hollins could generate 500 donors in the month. The donor reiterated her conviction that Hollins is in a very strong place, but that ā€œnow is the time for anyone who cares about Hollins to give something, no matter what the size. There is no better time than now to show your support of Hollins.ā€

Once again, the challenge was not only met, but swiftly, as the goal was met on June 21. Yet another donor offered an extra $25,000 if Hollins could generate another 100 gifts in the final nine days of the fiscal yearā€¦ and our donors responded with more than 350 additional gifts!

ā€œThis spring and summer have been such a roller coaster of emotions for us,ā€ said Suzy Mink, vice president for external relations. ā€œWe have all been heartsick for the way the pandemic disrupted the campus experience for our students, faculty, and staff, and especially our graduating seniors. Further, we knew Hollins would face some unexpected financial strain from having to close the campus, and our office felt a tremendous responsibility to do what we could to minimize that strain.

ā€œWe were already impressed in the spring with how many of our alumnae/i reached out to us, or responded to our calls, with such incredible generosity, but then June kicked all of that to another level.ā€

The Costly Road to Reopening

In the world of ā€œyes andā€ news, yes, the successes of the FY20 fundraising efforts are cause for great celebration, and the added financial challenges of responsibly operating a complex small university during an ongoing pandemic are expected to continue piling up in the summer and fall months.

As of early July, the projected additional costs for unexpected operational needs around reopening the campus were at $600,000 and expected to increase as the term progresses. The added costs run from the expensive and complicatedā€”additional lab or photography equipment to minimize the need for sharing of items, for exampleā€”to the simpleā€¦ yet still expensive. An example of the latter is the projected costs for all the disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizing gels needed to meet the needs of keeping classrooms, common spaces, and equipment and appliances clean before and after use: $30,000. ā€œThat amount does not include all of the cleaning and disinfecting supplies that the facilities staff would be using daily,ā€ said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kerry Edmonds, who said adding in those costs would more than triple the amount.

Edmonds said the ultimate challenge has been and remains preparing fiscally for the unknown.

ā€œHollins is in a more secure position, financially and otherwise, than most small private colleges, but we can be almost certain this fall will come with added costs, and potential revenue losses, that we canā€™t reasonably project with the shifting landscape of this pandemic. Nevertheless, we are committed to doing what we can to make the fall term a positive and rewarding one for our students, while respecting the public health guidelines and health concerns for our entire community.ā€

Student Village Update

When this issue went to press, the first three houses of Phase II of the Student Apartment Village were on course to be open and available for students by the start of fall term. The three new homes add 14 rooms and a total of 28 beds to the housing capacity. An additional three houses are plannedā€”funding is still being securedā€”which will bring the entire capacity for the area to as many as 98 beds.

One key factor in the effort was the securing of a $400,000 challenge from the Cabell Foundation in May 2019. Thanks to donors helping Hollins raise $1.2 million over a single year in support of the project, the grant was provided in June.

ā€œItā€™s been so great to be able to gather and welcome people, whether itā€™s in our kitchen, or in the common space, or on our front porch in a rocking chair. Whether itā€™s studying or hanging out, itā€™s been a great place to just be together,ā€ said Monica Osborne ā€™20 as she reflected on being one of the villageā€™s inaugural residents.

The Student Village could be especially valuable in the fall, as their outdoor gathering areas work well for socially distanced gatherings, and their kitchen and living room areas will allow for several students to gather while maintaining the minimum distance expectations and wearing face masks.

Student Village Progress

May 12, 2020

May 26, 2020

June 22, 2020

July 15, 2020

1842 Society members enjoyed music, museums, and more

Members of the 1842 Society met in New York last November for a weekend of arts, culture, food, and Hollins news.ĢżDaytime activities included visits to New York museums, a reading by Natasha Trethewey M.A. ā€™91, a tour of Central Park, and a rehearsal of the renowned Choir of Men and Boys of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue.ĢżThe group also enjoyed a luncheon program by voice artist Fred Newman of A Prairie Home Companion fame.ĢżThe evenings featured gatherings at the home of Julian Robertson (brother of Trustee Emerita Wyndham Robertson ā€™58) and the headquarters of the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust on the Upper East Side.

The weekend culminated in a celebratory dinner at the Links.ĢżDuring the program, former trustee Sandra Frazier ā€™94 was honored with the Hollins Medal, and June Brill Myles ā€™64 was recognized for her generosity to Hollins with an induction into the Levavi Oculos Society. Interim President Nancy Gray provided an update on Hollins today.

The 1842 Society comprises donors of annual gifts of at least $1,842 to the Hollins Fund. The societyā€™s weekends began more than 16 years ago, with the location of the event changing annually. Recent weekends have been held in Nashville; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco.

Debbie Meade (Board of Trustees member), Hazel Bernard ā€™76, and Mary Page Evans ā€™59.

Sandra Kiely Kolb ā€™70 (Board of Trustees member), Elizabeth ā€œBetsyā€ Akers Crawford ā€™70, and Frances Leitner ā€™73.

Sandra Frazier ā€˜94, Alexandra ā€œAlexā€ Trower ā€™86 (chair of the Board of Trustees), Interim President Nancy Gray, and June Brill Myles ā€™64.

Abigail ā€œAbbyā€ Ross Sioussat ā€™81, Pierce Sioussat, and Kate Nicolaides Lyons ā€™81.

Miriam ā€œMimā€ Hayllar Farmakis ā€˜67, Tom Farmakis, and Betsy Akers Crawford ā€™70.

Sandra Frazier ā€˜94, Wyndham Robertson ā€˜58, and Paige Smith Jernigan ā€™87.

Anne Hipp Habeck and Zelime Gillespie Matthews, both class of 1968.

Sandra Kiely Kolb ā€™70, Elizabeth ā€œLibbyā€ Hall McDonnell ā€™62, and Leslie Dunne Ketner ā€™84.

Phase one of the student village opened in August, to the delight of its first residents.

During the spring and summer, those who watched construction taking place on the road to the stables above Randolph and Tinker could see four houses taking shape as phase one of the new student residential village. These structures, whose design incorporates key architectural elements from campusā€”from the historic Front Quad buildings to the late 19^th– and early 20^th-century Hill Housesā€”offer spacious porches and lots of windows that open to stunning views of the campus and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Those who placed high in last springā€™s housing lottery are the first residents this fall. The village is the universityā€™s first new residential housing in 50 years.

The operating principle behind this construction is that it will bring more students to the main part of campus to strengthen the sense of community. The village is physically connected campusā€”close to classes, dining options, extracurricular activities, and athletic eventsā€”but with all the benefits of apartment living.

The four buildings in phase one feature eight units with 12 double rooms and 16 single rooms, accommodating a total of 40 students. Phase two, for which fundraising is underway (see chart), will consist of six buildings with 12 units, 16 double rooms, and 24 single rooms, making a total of 56 beds. The amount needed to build the second phase is $6 million.

The village replaces the university-owned student apartments, located across Williamson Road from the main campus. Those apartments closed in late July following the conclusion of the graduate programsā€™ summer term. Administrators are exploring options for redevelopment of the land that will support the campus as well as the surrounding community and businesses.

Photo: The new apartment village offers a variety of suite-style living options popular with todayā€™s students. The units include single and double bedrooms, communal living spaces, kitchens, private bathrooms, laundry machines, spacious front porches, and shared outdoor areas. To view floor plans, visit ĢĒŠÄ“«Ć½.edu/village.

Next: Phase two of construction

Currently, fundraising is underway for phase two of the village. Donors have many ways to support the construction of the student apartment village and establish an endowment to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the amenities of apartment style living for many years to come.

Cabell Foundation challenge grant

The Cabell Foundation of Richmond has awarded Hollins a challenge grant of $400,000 to support the second phase of construction. The grant requires a three-to-one match, meaning $1.2 million must be raised by May 23, 2020, to receive the grant.

Village: $5,000,000
Two buildings: $1,000,000
One building: $500,000
Apartment unit: $100,000
Kitchen: $50,000
Porch: $35,000
Bedroom: $25,000

For more information:
Suzy Mink ā€™74
Vice President for External Relations
minks@ĢĒŠÄ“«Ć½.edu
(202) 309-1750 or (540) 362-7439

ā€œI am thrilled to see Hollins providing new, modern housing, which will foster a greater sense of community and build upon our beautiful campus. Thank you to all of the generous donors who have made this milestone possible.ā€

Casey Mahan ā€™20

ā€œOur class is looking forward to being a part of history, as we will be the first class to live in the new student village. We are so thankful to the alumnae/i who have helped enrich our living experience at Hollins.ā€

Monica Osborne ā€™20

ā€œThe student village brings contemporary housing to the Hollins campus, enhance the already beautiful scenery, and provide a space that embraces both community and nature.ā€

Epa Cabrera ā€™20

This chart highlights the areas of giving for fiscal year 2018-19.

Reunion class giving award winners for fiscal year 2018-19.

Thanks to the 2018-19 reunion volunteers.

1959
Susan Eaves Otter,Ģżreunion chairĢż
Anne Harrington Kiland,Ģżreunion chair
Roberta Gagnon McNeillĢż

1964
Virginia Hutcheson Ritchie,Ģżreunion chair
Sarah Shaver
Suzanne McCormick Taylor

1969
Mary Lou Mertens Lowry,Ģżreunion gift chair
Jan Nicholson,Ģżreunion gift chair
Nancy Wright Slain,Ģżreunion chair
Anne Peach Biddle
Ann Scott Black
Kae Nelson Bolling
Amanda Cockrell
Lynda Cole
Elaine Garrett Evans
Carol Dawson Fassio
Mary Flinn
Ann Payne Haslanger
Susie Cook Hoganson
Sandy Strother Hudson
Ana Torstenson Kehoe
Liz Miles Montgomery
Randy Dooley Peters
Cathy Hoar Pinson
Carol Schwenzfeier Robinson
Therry Steinhardt-Neilsen
Joan Phillips Timbers
Allyson Neece Weathers
Pam Danos Wiegand
Liz Lacy Winn

1974
Linda Koch Lorimer,Ģżreunion gift chair
Suzy Mink,Ģżreunion gift chair
Trisha Rawls, reunion chairĢż

1979
Patti Thomas Brown,Ģżreunion chairĢż
Susan Coudriet Freeman,Ģżreunion chair
Emily Morgan,Ģżreunion gift chair

1984
Judy Morrill,Ģżreunion gift chair
Ann Davant Crehore
Leslie Dunne Ketner
Annette Kirby
Allison Stanton MacDuffie
Pam Parsons

Ģż1989
Leigh Johnson,Ģżreunion gift chair
Monique Carpenter
Bryna Wedner Darling
Cherie St. Clair

1994
Deidre Mattox Franey,Ģżreunion chair
Kristin Jeffries Henshaw,Ģżreunion gift chair
Jennifer Held Bieberich
Amy Breeman-Rhodes
Angel Byrum
Becky Hinkle Cope
Meredith Daniel Ensign
Ashley Hinkle Haun
Laura Traa Neville
Katherine Donahoo Nott
Kathryn McClure Shourds
Katie Bussie Woodliff

1999
Cristen James English
Shanna Ganne
Keyser Harris Glancy
Kimberly LaMotta Maye
Jennifer Rubin
Megan Normand Smith

2004
Jessica McEwan,Ģżreunion chair
Beth Burgin Waller,Ģżreunion gift chair
Elizabeth Barron
Page Rast

2009
Patricia Cope-Levy,Ģżreunion chair
Monica Huegel,Ģżreunion chair
Rebekah Lee,Ģżreunion gift chair
Elena Samel,Ģżreunion chair

2014
Carrie Boswell,Ģżreunion chairĢż
Maggie Dwyer,Ģżreunion gift chair
Committee:Ģż
Kacee Eddinger
Lauren Mendenhall
Cecelia Parks
Christine Somersett
Ally Spaulding

2017
Amber Markovitz,Ģżreunion chair
Cecili Weber,Ģżreunion chair

New and emeritus members

New members of the Board of Trustees include Tracy Roberts Frist M.A. ’03, M.F.A. ’14 and Tiffany Marshall Graves ’97. William ā€œBillā€ Johnston, who served on the board for nine years, has been named a trustee emeritus, joining a select group of individuals who have served Hollins with distinction.

Tracy Roberts Frist M.A. ā€™03, M.F.A. ā€™14
Franklin, Tennessee

Frist is the founder, owner, and operator of Sinking Creek Land and Cattle, LLC, a primarily woman-run agricultural operation in Southwest Virginia. At Sinking Creek, Tracy promotes human-animal therapy, literacy programs, federal and state conservation and environmental programs, and multi-university internships.

An award-winning writer, Frist holds masterā€™s degrees in creative and in analytical writing from Hollins. She has been active in social and economic development in Haiti, Cuba, China, and Ireland, working through the global board of the Nature Conservancy, Nashville Health Care Council, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. She serves on the boards of Centerstone Tennessee, a nonprofit organization that provides community mental health and substance abuse treatment and support across multiple states, and the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.

Tiffany Marshall Graves ā€™97
Ridgeland, Mississippi

Graves graduated with honors from Hollins with a B.A. in Spanish and political science. She went on to earn her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2006. As a law student, she was honored with the Powell Fellowship in Legal Services, which allowed her to pursue her commitment to assisting disadvantaged populations by working at the Mississippi Center for Justice. She is currently pro bono counsel at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP, where she oversees the development and administration of the firmā€™s pro bono programs.

Graves is the immediate past president of the Capital Area Bar Association, a member of the Mississippi Board of Bar Commissioners, a member of the Community Advisory Board of The MIND Center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and a member of the Board of Visitors of Millsaps College. In 2016, Attorney General Jim Hood appointed her to the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women.

Bill Johnston

Rooms with a view

Ground broken on new student village

Construction began in March on the new student apartment village, located on the road formerly known as Faculty Avenue. Under construction are the first four of 10 apartment village buildings, with the expectation that students will be able to move in at the beginning of fall semester.

The cost of the entire project is $10 million, and with four houses now funded, we continue to seek contributions for the remainder of the project. If you wish to make a commitment of a naming opportunity in the village, these opportunities are available:

Name a building: $500,000

Name an apartment: $200,000

Name a common room: $100,000

Name a kitchen: $Ģż 50,000

Name a porch: $Ģż 35,000

Name a bedroom: $Ģż 25,000

For more information, please contact Suzy Mink, vice president for external relations, at minks@ĢĒŠÄ“«Ć½.edu or (202) 309-1750.

For details about the student village and to follow the construction progress: .

Ģż