Fox wants vision realized

By Bob Stuart

Published: August 27, 2008

STAUNTON — Mary Baldwin College President Pamela Fox invoked music from Beethoven and Stephen Sondheim in a state of the college address Wednesday, saying a vision for the college’s future success is not enough.
“Innovation is execution — it is not the creation of ideas alone but the bringing of them to life,’’ Fox told a packed house at Francis Auditorium.
Mary Baldwin is in the fifth year of implementing a 10-year strategic plan. Fox played part of a Sondheim song “Putting It Together’’ to illustrate how a vision isn’t enough.
During her half-hour speech, Fox noted that enrollments for the private women’s college in both the PEG and Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership programs are at all-time highs. The college exceeded its $2.3-million annual school campaign fund goal, she said.
But Fox said future challenges for Mary Baldwin include enrollment.
A changing demography, the rising cost of attending college and competition for students and donations are all national trends working against student recruitment, she said.
Mary Baldwin will rely on a Chicago firm, Human Capital Resource Corporation, to help recruit students, she said. The college has targeted women of all ages, adults, minorities, foreigners, commuters and part-time students, she said.
Mary Baldwin is still working toward a goal of 1,000 residential students, but Fox said the school has met its 2008-09 target of 311 new students.
Fox said another key to Mary Baldwin’s future is assuring the success of first-year students.
She said the first-year experience needs to be comprehensive “inside and outside the classroom.”
“Students’ success in the residential college means engaging every woman inside and outside the classroom —- academically, culturally, and socially,’’ Fox said.
Fox said she also wants to step up the campus dialogue to include student representatives on her advisory team.
“Excellence thrives when divisional walls are down. Robust dialogue promotes cross-college knowledge of processes,’’ Fox said.
Today marks the official moving-in day for Mary Baldwin students, even though VWIL students reported a week ago. Classes start Monday.