Region VII

States:

Regional Chair: Vikki Schroeder `87, Saint Michael, MN

Staff Liaison: Colleen Karaffa Murray `06

Active Clubs:

For more information on contacting a Sweet Briar Club, attending events, or starting a new club in your area, contact us at alumnae@sbc.edu, (434) 381-6131.

A Special Message from Alumnae Board Region 7 Chair, Vikki Schroeder `87

Hello Sweet Briar Alumnae,
You may not be aware but you are living in Region VII of the Sweet Briar College Alumnae Association and I am your Alumnae Association Board Regional Chair. Part of the Regional Chair's responsibilities is to help promote SBC around the Region. The current Admissions theme for Sweet Briar is “THINK is for Girls.” I would like to challenge each of you to take that one step farther: THINK PINK --- SPEAK PINK. In the next thirty days, talk about Sweet Briar ten times; at work, on the train, at the grocery store, with your neighbor's daughter. Wear something pink and green and get people talking.

This fall the first-ever Sweet Briar Homecoming was a great success. Okay, so SBC doesn't have a football team but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate coming “home” to Sweet Briar. Thursday night Brian Greene, Physicist and String Theorist, presented a lecture. I was a bit worried about it being over my head; string theory is not a common topic of discussion with co-workers or neighbors. Dr. Greene did a great job of presenting the relationship of “Space and Time” from Newton , Einstein to the current string theory. In the process of learning something new, everyone in the audience laughed a lot.

Jo Ann Soderquist Kramer `64 received the 2005 Distinguished Alumna Award on Friday afternoon during Founders' Day Convocation. Jo Ann gave a wonderful talk on key leadership qualities. I can't wait to post her list on my cube at work. Friday evening we were entertained by the Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra. The performance was under the direction of Dr. Jonathan D. Green; he is also SBC's Dean of the College and Professor of Music. Dr. Nicholas P. Ross, assistant professor of music, joined the orchestra on piano. The concert concluded with the world premier of Dr. Green's own Symphony No. 7.

Did you know there is a creek on campus called Williams Creek ? I missed out on that during my time at SBC. On Saturday at the Boathouse, Dr. Rebecca K. Ambers, assistant professor of Environmental Sciences presented “If a Stream is Dammed, Does It Go to Hell? Environmental Effects of the Sweet Briar Dam.” She described student research, under the direction of many professors, to study the lake, dam and the two creeks. Following Dr. Ambers' talk was the dedication of the new Nature Center (formally the water treatment plant). Next was the Engineering program's cardboard boat regatta. Four teams of Sweet Briar students assembled card board boats made with only twenty pounds of card board and fifty feet of duct tape. We had a great time cheering them on. Only one boat sank; the girls swam back to the dock with a determination to complete the race one way or another. Sweet Briar Varsity Soccer vs. Emory & Henry College was the “big homecoming game.” With a lot of pink and green we cheered for the Lady Vixens. One thing the other team figured out was the women of SBC, current students and alumnae, are not quiet!

As you might tell, I had a great time back at SBC for Homecoming. Put September 21-24, 2006 on your vacation schedule for next year. I hope to see many of you there. In the mean time, I am looking for alumnae in each area to host an event. A lunch, tea, BBQ at your home, drinks at the local coffee shop, simplistic to extravagant. When two or more Sweet Briar women are together sharing and laughing, it is a successful event. Included could be alumnae, current students or even prospective students and parents. Your Alumnae Club Presidents, the Alumnae Association and I are here to help you with ideas, the planning, and even sending really fun pink and green SBC napkins to you for the event.Currently there are twenty-one Region VII women at SBC. For their upcoming exams I will be putting together some “Survival Kits,” with goodies to cheer them on. During the rest of the school year I hope to create similar kits for other mile stones. This is a fun way to provide students a connection with the alumnae from their home area.

If I have sparked a light of interest from any of you for any of these events, don't hesitate to drop me a line and we can chat in more detail. Hopefully I have provided you an opportunity to Think SBC/Think Pink for a few minutes. Now put this letter down and begin to Speak Pink!

Thanks for your time ladies,

Vikki

Vikki Schroeder `87

Alumnae Association Board Region VII Chair
3079 Kagen Avenue, Northeast
Saint Michael , MN 55376
Home: 763-497-7901
Cell: 763-218-8300
E-mail: Redrosevs@aol.com

Regions: All | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X