Mary Pope Maybank Hutson ’83 Inaugurated as 14th President of Sweet Briar College
On Sept. 28, members of the Sweet Briar community, family, and friends gathered for the Inauguration of Mary Pope Maybank Hutson ’83 as the College’s 14th president.
Posted on September 30, 2024
Following a week of rain, the sun shined brightly over the Sweet Briar College campus on Sept. 28 as members of the community, family, and friends gathered for the Inauguration of Mary Pope Maybank Hutson ’83 as the College’s 14th president. The first alumna to hold the position, it was a historic day, and first of many joyous occasions in the institution’s new era.
“Today, we shine a light on Sweet Briar College — its legacy, leadership, and vision for the future, this place and its inspiring academic experience in an incomparable setting, the dedicated faculty and staff who give selflessly of their wisdom, time, and care, for us and for future generations,” said President Hutson said during her remarks.
The ceremony began with a procession led by Albemarle Pipes and Drums; faculty including Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Chris Penfield who served as chief marshal and mace-bearer; delegates from other academic institutions; current and former members of the Board of Directors; members of the Alumnae Alliance Council; the president’s cabinet; former Sweet Briar presidents; and honored guests. The Rev. Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66, a member of the Board, gave an invocation and the College symbols and artifacts were presented to President Hutson by Board Chair Mason Bennett Rummel ’83.
“When Mary Pope agreed to work at Sweet Briar, it just made sense. We’d just been through a milestone in our history…and she agreed to serve on the settlement board and shortly thereafter came to work at the College to keep that momentum going. Mary Pope Hutson has fulfilled that promise. She had the courage to persevere, and she has never slowed down in the last nine years. Her passion for Sweet Briar — and her pace — are unmatched,” said Rummel.
President Hutson is a leader, mentor, and champion of women’s education, conservation, and preservation. She was appointed in November 2023 by the Board of Directors as the College’s next president following nine years of service as senior vice president for alumnae relations and development. Under her leadership, alumnae engagement and financial support dramatically increased as she has secured contributions totaling more than $168 million during her tenure. In 2015, President Hutson was one of thousands of alumnae, other volunteers, and the Saving Sweet Briar Board who helped raise the millions of dollars necessary to avert the College’s threatened closure. Now, as president, she reaffirms her unwavering commitment and dedication to Sweet Briar.
“Today I stand before you as the first alumna of Sweet Briar to hold this position. Mindful of the debt I owe to all my predecessors, to all the stakeholders, to all the well-wishers and all those opposed, and to all the rose-bearers, I pledge to help and guide, with all the power that I can summon, the next generation of rose bearers,” said President Hutson. “We are fully committed to our mission. Moreover, we are fully confident that a great many girls, women—including alumnae—and their families and fellow citizens, all see the value and wisdom of our course. This is the philosophy that will guide Sweet Briar during my tenure. Our role on behalf of girls and women reaches back more than a century, and yet we can say to the world, together, we will balance fidelity and quality, diversity and sustainability, so that all of you might bear the rose.”
During the ceremony, Sweet Briar’s 12th president, Phillip C. Stone, spoke of the attempted closure, the enduring symbolism of the Sweet Briar rose, and President Hutson’s success in alumnae relations and development during and following his tenure at the College. 
“I was delighted when Mary Pope was chosen as president. I saw her, of course, as a great fundraiser, but more than that, I saw someone who loved Sweet Briar. She loved it so much she gave up her career,” Stone said. Speaking to President Hutson, he said, “I want it to be said about you when your tenure is finished as I have said about some of your illustrious predecessors, ‘While Mary Pope Hutson was at Sweet Briar College, the roses bloomed.’”
Stone was followed by Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, who joined remotely to speak to the challenges presented to higher education institutions today.
“This is truly a special day in the life of Sweet Briar College. A new beginning. A time of renewal and reflection,” said Dr. Wheelan. “In these days of reduced budgets and increased accountability, a president’s job is more complex than ever before. However, it is obvious that you will have the support of the College family and the central Virginia community in continuing to provide a high-quality education to the students who entrust their future to you.”
With extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, President Hutson’s career has taken her around the globe. She previously served as the executive vice president of the Land Trust Alliance, executive director of the Lowcountry Open Land Trust, and director of educational programs for the Historic Charleston Foundation. President Hutson also worked in the U.S. Senate and Department of the Interior as a liaison for the Office of Territorial and International Affairs to St. Thomas, as Guam Desk Officer, and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary. In 1990, she was appointed by the White House as special assistant to the Ambassador of Kenya. Throughout her career, she has served in numerous volunteer leadership roles, including an appointment by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt as the chairwoman of the National Park Service System Advisory Board and a recent appointment by Governor Glenn Youngkin to the Virginia Board of Historic Resources. Though President Hutson’s passion for history and preservation runs deep, she has her eyes focused on her beloved College’s future.
“As a category of one, legacy, leadership, love, and courage are the foundation for the future. I see a future where Sweet Briar is once again the preeminent leader in women’s education, where the quality of instruction is clearly reflected in the leadership roles played by its growing legions of graduates, where a restored and renewed nationally significant campus serves future generations, and a financially secure institution is poised to meet any challenge that the future holds. As individual women and as a sisterhood, we will form our grand procession, taking our movement forward to secure the future. We will bear the rose.”
To view a recording of the ceremony, please visit the Sweet Briar YouTube channel. A copy of President Hutson’s remarks is available at sbc.edu/inauguration.
