Dear Sewanee Family,
I hope you’re wearing your coziest sweater and sipping hot chocolate—the holidays are here!
In University Relations, we’re raising a toast to your generosity as we prepare to celebrate with family and friends. We know that the Sewanee experience wouldn't be possible without support from dedicated alumni, families, trustees and regents, faculty and staff, and other amazing community members. During this season of giving, I’m especially grateful for your thoughtful philanthropy.
This time of year always includes an exciting array of Sewanee festivities. I especially appreciate Lessons and Carols Week and the many opportunities it brings to reflect on spiritual blessings. I’m also thankful for our fun Christmas receptions in Nashville and Atlanta. If you took part in any of these gatherings, I hope they inspired and delighted you.
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If you need an extra holiday gift for a special person, please consider contributing to your favorite Sewanee cause in honor of your loved one. You can give online here or find more ways to donate at waystogive.sewanee.edu.
I’ve loved getting to know the donors featured in this issue of Philanthropy and Engagement, and I hope you enjoy seeing the Mountain through their eyes. Again, thank you for making 2024 a year of wonderful Sewanee successes!
With best wishes for a joyful Christmas and fulfilling new year,
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Vice President for University Relations |
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Carla, C'83, and Mallory, C'81, Nimocks Show Love for Sewanee with Cornerstone Scholarship and Athletics Support
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A good-natured prank brought Carla, C’83, and Mallory, C’81, Nimocks together as Sewanee undergraduates, and this October they celebrated 43 years of marriage. The couple says they’re happy to honor their alma mater by regularly supporting the activities and programs that enriched their time on campus. Recently, they created the Carla and Mallory Nimocks Cornerstone Scholarship to expand access to the Sewanee experience. They are also major contributors to Sewanee football and baseball.
Along with their Sewanee philanthropy, the Nimockses fund a scholarship at East Arkansas Community College, located in Forrest City, Arkansas, where they now live. Though Mallory is a native Arkansan, Carla grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She credits the University with introducing her to one of the South’s most famous culinary delights. Before arriving on the Mountain, she says, “I’d never eaten grits in my life. I became a big grits fan when I went to Sewanee.”
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Carla, C'83, and Mallory, C'81, Nimocks
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Philanthropy in Action
Meet the Sewanee alumni, parents, and friends who are shaping students'
experiences on the Mountain!
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YSR Swimming & Diving
and the Breslin Society
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“I just really enjoy giving back. I think it's fun and fruitful, and I'll continue to do it as long as I can."
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William C. Skaggs, C'76, Scholarship Fund and Planned Giving
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"When I came up to Sewanee as a freshman, I was never homesick a day in my life—not once. I wanted to be there so badly."
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Education for Ministry (EfM)
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The Rev. Shari Bishop Harrison, T'22
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“[EfM] really opened me up to the fact that God is so much bigger than what our preachers, teachers, and others can describe. It helped me see the overabundance of love and mercy and grace that we receive daily."
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Novelist and Sewanee Writers' Conference faculty member Jill McCorkle
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| Jill McCorkle First Year Fiction Scholarship Elevates Sewanee's School of Letters |
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous supporter, Sewanee’s School of Letters recently expanded its ability to attract, develop, and form lifelong connections to talented storytellers. The Jill McCorkle First Year Fiction Scholarship, established with the donor’s $30,000 gift, will cover 100% of first-year tuition costs for an incoming fiction student through 2028. Every student who receives this merit-based scholarship will also be awarded a Sarah Barnwell Elliott Scholarship, covering 30% of tuition fees each subsequent year of the MFA program. “These competitive scholarships are really essential to our recruiting,” says School of Letters Director Justin Taylor. He notes that when Sewanee began advertising the McCorkle Scholarship in early 2024, applications to the School of Letters nearly doubled.
The new scholarship is named for Jill McCorkle, a renowned novelist and longtime faculty member with the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. “One tradition we have in the School of Letters is we like to name scholarships after educators,” Taylor says. “We thought that honoring Jill, who had been this donor’s teacher, was a great way to carry that tradition forward.”
Taylor says the School of Letters is now seeking additional scholarship funding—both to extend the longevity of the McCorkle Scholarship and to create similar scholarships for nonfiction and poetry writers. While a matching gift would be more than welcome, he says, “It’s also possible to get involved at nearly any giving level.” Last year, with gifts from the Blake and Bailey Fund, as well as Provost Emeritus Linda Bright Lankewicz and her husband, Frank, Taylor helped set up an endowment for the School of Letters, and he hopes to grow that fund. Naming opportunities are available for donors who want to honor special mentors, family members, or other important people. “Absolutely any gift helps,” Taylor says. “We love first-time donors, and we would be glad to hear from people about where their interest lies.”
For information on supporting the School of Letters, contact Taylor directly at jdtaylor@sewanee.edu.
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Caldwell Marks Jr., C'97, and Moses Vincent III, C'25
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| Benefactors' Brunch 2024 Celebrates Sewanee Connections |
“Being at Sewanee isn’t just an opportunity—it’s a blessing.” Sewanee senior Moses Vincent III, C’25, shared this testimonial with attendees of the University’s 14th annual Benefactors’ Brunch, held on Dec. 7 at the Sewanee Inn. The reception brings together Sewanee’s philanthropic leaders and the students and seminarians who benefit from their generosity. Along with Vincent, student speakers included Aqsa Jamali, C’25, and Caroline Alessio, C’25, from the College and Chris Farrar, C’12, T’27, from the School of Theology. You can find photos from the event here, and view a recording here.
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