Sweet Briar College Magazine - Fall 2018

ON THE QUAD
ALUMNAE
SURVEY
OVERVIEW
Distributed to alumnae
in August of 2018.
Alumnae of all years and backgrounds
have affirmed these common
values: that Sweet Briar provides an
excellent, challenging education for
women that is grounded in the liberal
arts and in its small, close community.
It would seem these values are ones
in which the alumnae body and the
College administration are in strong
alignment. In announcing Sweet
Briar’s tuition and curriculum reset,
President Woo identified Sweet Briar’s
three most defining characteristics as
its rural location, its small size and
close community and its commitment
to educating future women leaders.
You also indicated a belief that
critical thinking, intelligence and
leadership are core aspects of the
Sweet Briar identity. As such, alumnae
also recognize the complicated path to
success.
In open-ended responses to questions
about the curriculum and tuition reset,
alumnae indicated a sense of “holding
their breath.” Many of you reflected
the importance of the liberal arts and
of excellent, well-supported faculty,
and a recognition of the challenging
financial situation presented by the
near-closure and within the higher
education market in general. You
hope that the College will emphasize
growing enrollment, ensuring financial
viability and recruiting students who
are a good fit for Sweet Briar: smart,
talented, driven and eager to become a
part of our unique community.
As Sweet Briar embarks on its new
path, the College will face obstacles
and challenges. As alumnae, we may
especially struggle with this fact. New
interpretations of our identity may feel
unclear or uncomfortable. Your voices,
expressed through this survey and
across other forms of media, as well as
statements from the College, assure us
that Sweet Briar continues to embody
the ideals and values that we, as alumnae,
cherish.
I believe in the character of Sweet
Briar women. I know that if we believe
in these common values and work
toward them with a common character
— as women of consequence — our
common goals cannot help but be
realized. I have faith in our future and
I look forward to sharing more results
with you from the alumnae survey in
the months ahead, and to the path
we will continue to forge together for
Sweet Briar’s success.
More results of the survey and information
about the implementation of
its findings will be released in future
issues of The Briar Wire and in the
spring issue of the Alumnae Magazine.
Thank you for participating!
Received more than
1,000 responses, electronic
and hard copy.
Alumnae of all ages
and backgrounds affirmed
that Sweet Briar provides
an excellent, challenging
education for women that
is grounded in the liberal
arts and its small, close
community.
Alumnae
believe that
Sweet Briar’s
identity rests
in critical
thinking,
intelligence and
leadership.
fall 2018
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