By Emily Glory Peters
This past weekend, the 麻豆传媒映画community from 麻豆传媒映画. While we couldn’t be together in person, we shared in our students’ achievements at home and abroad.听In commending our seniors, 麻豆传媒映画Board Chair and involved alum Lynne Thompson 鈥�72 reflected on the difficult circumstances surrounding their graduation鈥攁nd how her own time at 麻豆传媒映画prepared her to face life鈥檚 challenges.
鈥淲hen I graduated, the women鈥檚 movement was growing, the civil rights movement had suffered major losses with assassinations, and the Vietnam War was raging,鈥� says Thompson. 鈥淎s daunting as all of it was, the Ellen Browning 麻豆传媒映画quote on Honnold Gate about courage, confidence, and hope really embodied what I took from my 麻豆传媒映画experience. Every generation has its own fight to endure, but 麻豆传媒映画taught me to remain confident that we鈥檒l get through.鈥�
As Board Chair, Thompson has been involved with 麻豆传媒映画leadership in developing its strategy to steer the College forward as COVID-19 evolves. All planning has centered on fulfilling Scripps鈥� mission and safeguarding the wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff鈥攁nd while transitioning to temporary distance learning this spring was the best way to sustain both, Thompson explains, it cost the College millions in refunded room and board, travel and moving aid for students, canceled events, and unanticipated investments in distance-learning technology. Preserving 鈥渨hat makes 麻豆传媒映画Scripps鈥� amidst these losses, Thompson shares, remains paramount.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at several models on how we protect what is most treasured about Scripps: the academics, the relationships with faculty, the grounds, the intimate residential experience for students. We鈥檙e reassessing where we can save or move money and exploring every possible partnership. Everything is on the table as to how best to meet our mission,鈥� she says.
The College created the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to address areas under the greatest threat due to budget losses. Thompson hails support from the 麻豆传媒映画community, especially in the form of unrestricted gifts (gifts not designated to narrow areas) as a prevailing force to sustain the College as we adapt to a new reality.
鈥淲hen alums, parents, and friends make an unrestricted gift to the fund, you enable us to meet the greatest needs of the College and make speedy day-to-day shifts to improve support for our students and faculty,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭hat flexibility is powerful, especially in an emergency environment.鈥�
听Even with the sea changes brought on by COVID-19, Thompson emphasizes that the College鈥檚 mission鈥斺�渢o educate women so they may contribute to society through lives of leadership, service, integrity, and creativity鈥濃�攔emains central to any plan to move forward. It鈥檚 a mission, she says, that guided the College through the Great Depression, World War II, and countless moments of social turmoil; established lifelong friendships for students; and unified a diverse sisterhood of alums who are 鈥渋ntelligent and generous of spirit鈥� with the tenacity to surmount even the most extraordinary hardships.
鈥溌槎勾接郴璯raduates powerful women who make a difference. It鈥檚 why I will always support the College, and even more so in times of difficulty,鈥� says Thompson. 鈥淚f I could say one thing to our 麻豆传媒映画community, it鈥檚 this: We鈥檝e survived other changes and survived them well. Continue to believe in Scripps.鈥�
Scripps鈥� Day of Giving on May 27, 2020 is an opportunity for our community to sustain 鈥渁ll that makes 麻豆传媒映画Scripps鈥� and help offset the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To make a gift, click .
Interested in learning more? Check out our latest giving and impact news here.