Sweet Briar president commits to strong, vibrant community

President Phillip C. Stone delivered the following comments during the March 3 rose planting and dedication.

Our Commitment

In dedicating this garden of Sweet Briar roses,

We commit

That just as roses must be tended, protected and cared for, so we will tend, care for and protect our College.

We commit

That this College shall never again be abandoned to perceived difficulties and challenges, but shall continue another 115 years and beyond.

We commit

That generations of young women will continue to be educated here as leaders, with a liberal arts education, to prepare them for lives of fulfillment, service and meaning.

We commit

That the women of Sweet Briar, who miraculously saved their College, will remain bonded in boldness and unified in common mission, to protect their College from all peril and danger.

We commit

That the fervent prayer of Indiana Fletcher Williams to create a lasting memorial to her daughter, Daisy, by enabling young women to be educated on this beautiful and historic property will continue to be fulfilled.

We commit

That we will keep faith with the founder and the generations of women who preceded us, who refused to surrender in the face of personal tragedy and trying external circumstances of their own day, but who heroically passed on this beloved college to our generation.

We commit

That we will be a diverse, civil and engaged community delighting in the variety of our gifts; with courtesy, civility and consideration for each other’s views we will be kind to each other, and we will show respect for the dignity of each member of the community, not seeing others as mere caricatures of our cultural or personal prejudices but as fellow human beings worthy of respect and dignity.

We commit

That through our devotion to the highest aspirations of our common vision, we will demonstrate that at Sweet Briar College, roses shall forever bloom.

We commit

That today, March 3, with the eyes of the nation upon us, we accept our responsibility to preserve and nurture this school that we love and to transfer it strong and vibrant to those who follow us.

May the campus bells, which will ring out today and in the days and years ahead with beautiful sounds of joy and celebration, constantly remind us of our commitment today to preserve Sweet Briar College from all harm.

We hereby dedicate this garden of Sweet Briar roses as a symbol of this, our solemn and sacred pledge.