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2015 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 718
Commending Westhampton College.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 30, 2015
Agreed to by the Senate, February 5, 2015

 

WHEREAS, in 2014, Westhampton College, a women’s undergraduate college at the University of Richmond, celebrated 100 years of providing a strong liberal arts curriculum while fostering leadership opportunities among young women; and

WHEREAS, in 1898, President Frederic W. Boatwright received approval from the Richmond College, now University of Richmond, Board of Trustees to admit women into the college; in the early 1900s, Richmond College relocated to the Westhampton Lake area and established Westhampton College as a unique, women-only coordinate college system; and

WHEREAS, Westhampton College opened in September 1914 under the administration of May Lansfield Keller, the first woman to receive a doctorate from the University of Heidelberg and the first woman to be named dean of a Virginia college; she devoted her career to ensuring the highest academic standards at the college and inspiring young women to pursue their personal and professional interests; and

WHEREAS, under the continued leadership of deans Marguerite Roberts, Mary Louise Gehring, Stephanie Bennett, Patricia Harwood, Ellie Sturgis, and Juliette Landphair, Westhampton College has flourished and is recognized locally and nationally for its tradition of academic excellence, its role in promoting women’s leadership, and its strong support for students; and

WHEREAS, Westhampton College has initiated innovative programs such as the Women Involved in Learning and Living program, which was established in 1980 as the first program of its kind for women students in the United States and has been studied and emulated at other colleges and universities; and

WHEREAS, in its first 100 years, Westhampton College graduated more than 20,000 alumnae, who have demonstrated generous support to further the college’s traditions of excellence and whose own lives are a testament to the college’s success in developing generations of women leaders; and

WHEREAS, Westhampton College continues to inspire great devotion and active engagement among current students, for whom the Westhampton experience will play an enduring role throughout their lives; and

WHEREAS, Westhampton College remains committed to its mission of guiding and challenging undergraduate women intellectually and personally, cultivating their leadership talents, and providing personal support; and

WHEREAS, the leadership opportunities, lifelong learning skills, and fulfilling relationships nurtured by Westhampton College continue to encourage its women to become engaged, effective, and respected members of their communities; and

WHEREAS, to commemorate Westhampton College’s 100th anniversary, the Board of Trustees will honor the contributions of alumnae, the college’s historic achievements, and its essential role in the University of Richmond system; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Westhampton College on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Juliette Landphair, dean of Westhampton College, as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the college’s many achievements and unique role in higher education.