Admissions Blog: What I love about Founders’ Day
Posted on September 20, 2018 by Asha Stewart ’21
Founders’ Day 2017What I love about Founders’ Day is the ceremonial aspect of dressing in white, walking up the hill and paying our respects. It is simply beautiful to see the greenery of the campus and all of the alumnae and students who care about this small women’s college.
The dance afterwards adds fun to the tradition. To be honest, I am not one who likes parties or dances. However, I had a blast last year going to the Founders’ Day dance. Not only was it fun to have friends around and loosen up after having classes, but it also felt as though I was part of a special club of people who care about the education of women.
Last year, there was a mention of the slave burial ground during President Woo’s speech. However, there was no service to walk to them and pay our respects. I very much look forward to that service this year. I believe many people forget that the Fletchers, of course, founded this college, but it was the slaves who built it. As a person of black ethnicity, I feel privileged and overjoyed that I can attend a college built by individuals like myself who helped it to become the place we know and love today. I am very interested to see how the service to the burial site is and how many people attend.
I see Indiana Fletcher Williams’ intentions on campus every day in the independent, smart and hard-working women around me. I love the influence Sweet Briar has had on my life. I used to be a very shy person who would get anxiety just from speaking on the phone. However, Sweet Briar threw me head-first into being social and I even became social enough to work in admissions. Without all of the founders of this college and the alumnae who continue to support, I might have gone to a college that would not stimulate my growth. For this, I am proud to celebrate Founders’ Day and celebrate all the women and men who made this college what it is.
Asha Stewart ’21 is majoring in psychology with a double minor in biology and visual arts. She’s originally from Milford, Penn., but moved to Georgia a few years ago, where she learned about Sweet Briar. She loves to draw, sketch and paint and is interested in all forms of artistic expression.
