Alumnae/i Engagement
Something We Can All Celebrate: Alumnae/i Engagement makes Hollins better for everyone!
Alumnae/i engagement is growing! Fiscal Year 2024 was our second year quantifiably tracking alumnae/i engagement, and we’re thrilled to report a critical mass (22%!) of alumnae/i engaged with Hollins through volunteerism, events, communication, and philanthropy! This represents a two percent increase over the previous fiscal year.
We are deeply grateful for our volunteers, who are the lifeblood of the alumnae/i association and help all of us to lift our eyes toward the bright future we are collectively building for Hollins. We also extend our gratitude to each alumna/us who attended an event (in-person or virtual!) or took the time to write, email, or call us—it is such a gift to see the alumnae/i network in action! Lastly, we sincerely appreciate all who made a gift last year. Alumnae/i gifts not only directly impact today’s students but stand as a testament to the value of your degree and provide confidence to foundations, corporations, and major gift philanthropists investing in Hollins.
Everyone who has attended Hollins has benefited from someone else’s generosity of time, talent, or treasure. This tradition of giving back truly makes Hollins a better place for everyone. We look forward to engaging even more alumnae/i in Fiscal Year 2025!
How You Made a Difference in Fiscal Year 2024
Since 1943, alumnae/i participation in annual giving has been a vital Hollins tradition, evolving from the Alumnae Fund’s original mission of supporting the Alumnae Association to strengthening the entire college community. As Lindsey Mann Field ’03 says in her profile on page 31, “It’s not just about giving back—it’s about investing in the next generation of Hollins women, keeping our community strong, and preserving the magic of Hollins for years to come.”
Every act of generosity matters. Whether you volunteer, refer a student, or wear a Hollins hat to the supermarket, you carry the Hollins mission into the world. Likewise, when you give to the Hollins Fund, you take action to ensure the perpetuity of that mission. As Sarah Himes ’23 shares in her profile on page 31, “All acts of generosity and financial gifts matter—regardless of size.” Major gift donors, including foundations and corporations, look to alumnae/i participation as evidence that the cause they are being asked to support is worthy. So a big thank-you to the 19.3% of alumnae/i who made their Hollins Fund gifts in fiscal year 2024—your generosity inspires confidence and ensures Hollins’ bright future!
2023-24 Volunteer Leadership
Alumnae Board
Anne Chisman Abraham ’77
Emily Daniels Ashton ’06
Nancy Peterson Benninger ’02*
Allison McHenry Bough ’93
Blair Neill Celli ’03
Anna Cork ’96, M.A.L.S. ’04
Susan Schnider Duke ’76
Diane Hall ’88
Kristin Jeffries Henshaw ’94
(president)
Antoinette Hillian ’00*
LaNita Lykes Jefferson ’07
Linda Bertorelli Jennings ’85
Christine LeFever Kmieczak ’92
Dee Mudzingwa-Bohling ’07*
Puja Sharma ’11
Beatrice Shaw ’91
Board of Trustees
Patricia Thrower Barmeyer ’68
C. LaRoy Brantley F’15
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein ’84
Callie V. S. (Ginny) Granade ’72
Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale ’75
Lucy Davis Haynes ’84
Kristin Jeffries Henshaw ’94
Paul Hollingsworth P’22
Cynda Johnson
Kay Kendall ’66
Leslie Dunne Ketner ’84*
Sandra Kiely Kolb ’70*
Elizabeth Brownlee
Kolmstetter ’85
Anne Lindblad ’79
Dudley Wood Macfarlane ’77*
Tamina D. McMillan, M.D., ’95 P’23
Debra Cartwright Meade F’76, board chair
Janet C. Nicholson ’69
Mary Flynn Niemitz F’75
John Poulton P’06
Karen Rabenau ’89
Sabrina Rose-Smith ’00
Savon Shelton Sampson ’04*
Natasha D. Trethewey M.A. ’91
Alexandra Trower ’86*
* Last year of service, 2024
F: Family of alumna/i
P: Parent of alumna/i
