Dear Sewanee Family,
It’s hard to believe Sewanee was blanketed by snow and ice just a few short months ago. The dogwoods outside the Bishop’s Common are in full bloom, and the picnic tables at Stirling’s are regularly packed. Spring is here!
In University Relations, our surest sign of spring is Tiger Tuesday. This year’s celebration, on April 9, was an amazing triumph, thanks to your overwhelming generosity. In total, 3,378 members of our Sewanee community—including students and alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Theology, and the School of Letters; faculty and staff; parents and families; and friends from around the world—gave $4,041,592, breaking all previous records for participation and support!
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Another milestone: For the first time ever, the University received Tiger Tuesday gifts from all 50 states. (A round of applause for donors in Hawaii, Wyoming, and West Virginia, who single-handedly represented Sewanee for your state!) The day was an international success too—gifts were made in 10 countries. Who knew the Tiger was such a globetrotter?
Graduation is now right around the corner, and we’re also looking forward to summer send-off events. If you’re interested in greeting our new and returning students, stay tuned to our Sewanee Club webpage for event dates and details. If you’re a parent, relative, or friend of a C’24 or T’24, now is a great time to consider making a gift in honor of your special graduate. It’s easy to give online here, or check out the All Saints' Chapel recognition opportunity described below.
The donors featured in this issue of Philanthropy and Engagement truly embody EQB, and I’m delighted to share their stories with you. I hope their recollections of the Mountain evoke good memories for you!
With best wishes for a wonderful season,
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Vice President for University Relations |
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Kilmartin Family Creates Endowment for the Sewanee Fund
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Mother-daughter duo Betsey and Kelly, C'90, Kilmartin weighed several options when deciding how they wanted to give back to Sewanee. Ultimately, Kelly says, they were drawn to the limitless possibilities inherent in Sewanee Fund giving. Because the Sewanee Fund supports the University’s most pressing needs, it strengthens “all the things that make the unique Sewanee experience,” Kelly says. The David, Betsey, and Kelly-Erin Kilmartin Family Endowment for the Sewanee Fund is also a tribute to Kelly’s late father, David, who never missed a Parents’ Weekend during Kelly’s time on the Mountain. As Kelly explains, her father didn’t have the opportunity to pursue a college education, and he delighted in seeing Sewanee through her eyes. “I know he would be so proud of Sewanee. He loved Sewanee”
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David, Betsey, and Kelly, C'90, Kilmartin (right) with niece, Marcia Eslami (left)
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| Philanthropy in Action
Sewanee Alumni and Friends Support the University Through Impactful Gifts
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Susan Mashour Diehl, C'83
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“I looked at other colleges, but Sewanee was a magical place. It still is."
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SUMMA Theological
Debate Camp
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The Rev. Dr. Chris Keller, P'08
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"I wanted students to have access to a university library, and I didn't want [SUMMA] to have a 'church camp' feel. Sewanee was the place I had in mind."
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“I think it's important to give back—to lift as you climb."
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Graduation Giving:
All Saints' Chair Plaques
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It's almost time to celebrate! In less than two weeks, students and seminarians from the Class of 2024 will receive their well-earned diplomas and bid farewell to the Mountain. As you brainstorm ways to honor your favorite Sewanee graduate, consider ordering a commemorative chair plaque to be placed in All Saints’ Chapel. Email universityrelations@sewanee.edu for more information, or click the button for details.
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Larry and Margo Williams, both C'81, Build Opportunities with Scholarship Support
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Four decades after graduating from Sewanee, Larry Williams and Margo Johnson Williams, both C'81, maintain daily connections with the Mountain. Their next-door neighbor, Jennifer Caldwell, C'11, is a University graduate. Margo is in a Wordle group with Sewanee friends. And, perhaps most importantly, they're each married to a Sewanee alum! Recently, the Williamses provided a major gift toward a scholarship endowment. "I think most people who attended Sewanee feel a real sense of loyalty to the University," Larry says, "because they appreciate the friends they made and the great education they received. It's easy to be loyal."
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Larry Williams and Margo Johnson
Williams, both C'81
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Alfred Cameron Mitchell, C'58
| | Alfred Cameron Mitchell, C'58, Bequest Strengthens Observatory |
Thanks to a recent bequest from the estate of Alfred Cameron Mitchell, C’58, Sewanee students will have an easier time aiming for the stars—and keeping other celestial objects in view too. Mitchell designated his support for the purchase of a telescope, which will be placed in the University’s Cordell-Lorenz Observatory. “Cameron was an accomplished scholar in the quantitative sciences, and his gift is a wonderful asset that will help Sewanee foster curiosity and analytical thinking,” says Director of Gift and Estate Planning Allison Cardwell.
Jim Hyde, C’59, recalls that Mitchell was always eager to explore the world beyond the Mountain. The two met at Sewanee when Hyde administered Mitchell’s FCC exam, which was a required step in the process of receiving an amateur radio (ham) license. “After passing that test, it became a common sight to see [Mitchell’s] 1953 Plymouth parked close to the radio club station (K4ETH) at one end of old Magnolia Hall,” Hyde says. After graduating with a B.A. in economics, Mitchell earned master’s and Ph.D. degrees in mathematics from the University of Texas. In 1966, he joined the University of Houston’s faculty as a professor in the Department of Quantitative and Management Science, a position he held for 42 years.
During Hyde’s junior year, he and Mitchell each put $100 in their wallets and spent two weeks traveling across the western United States. “We went to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone and had a wonderful time,” Hyde says. Over the next several decades, they often met for additional adventures. “We went to Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands,” Hyde says, “but nothing could top rafting all the way through the Grand Canyon—approximately 285 miles—which was akin to a religious experience for us both.”
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| Destination: Summer in Sewanee |
Already making summer plans? Consider putting Sewanee on your itinerary! The University offers a range of summer activities for visitors and locals of all ages, interests, and energy levels. From the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and Sewanee Summer Music Festival to tennis workshops, the Sewanee Summer Seminar, and summertime graduate programs, there are plenty of opportunities for finding inspiration, recreation, and relaxation. Check out Summer in Sewanee here. Programs and camps for high school students are detailed here.
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Stay Connected with Sewanee |
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The University of the South • Office of University Relations • waystogive.sewanee.edu
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