Sweet Briar College Magazine - Fall 2016

ance
Embracing Assets
Stone came to Sweet Briar in July 2015 as
part of the legal settlement that spared the
College from closing. He plans to turn over
the reins next summer to a new president
who will lead Sweet Briar into the future.
Stone often recounts how he arrived on
campus to find no students, no staff and no
faculty. But he quickly identified the assets
that would help turn around the College
and make it resilient going forward.
The stunning campus, always near the
top of the nation’s beautiful campus lists,
helps draw new students and create an environment
conducive to learning, he says. Its
residential nature, with students and many
professors living on campus, also encourages
what Stone calls “a special bonding.” So
does the woman-only experience.
“This week we had Step Singing, a crazy
little ritual but a great bonding experience,
a beautiful thing,” Stone says. “Guys aren’t
going to be as good about stuff like that.
And frankly women are not going to be as
good about it when guys are around.”
Despite the recent troubles, the College’s
reputation remains intact. “We have a
cachet,” he says. “Sweet Briar is well known.
You’ll even see us referred to in fiction.
There is a certain image of Sweet Briar
women as being educated and sophisticated.
And we’ve had such distinguished
alumnae.”
The faculty remains strong, with the
small band of professors who remained
on campus last year now being joined by
those returning from one-year contracts
elsewhere. Math department chair Jim
Kirkwood was one of 13 recipients of a 2016
“
”
“It is not
enough to
have a college
built on
nostalgia,”
Stone
said at the
Founders’ Day
Convocation.
“We are not a
museum.”
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