On August 16, 2011, Mount Saint Mary College lost one of its
finest teachers, scholars and colleagues. Dr. Virginia Davidson,
known to most of us as simply Ginny, devoted twenty-five years to
the Mount and its students, and her keen intelligence, boundless
energy, generous spirit, and dedication to excellence are sorely
missed.
For many of her students, Ginny will probably be best remembered
for imparting her passion for good writing, for literature, for
language itself. Thanks to her, the Mount is possibly the only
college in America that can boast such a large body of alumni
capable of reciting Chaucer—in Middle English.
Never one to consider her job done upon leaving the classroom,
Ginny’s office seemed always filled with students, where they not
only received sound academic advice but also genuine concern for
their well-being and happiness. She seamlessly blended the roles of
teacher, mentor, taskmaster, counselor, and surrogate mother.
Dr. Virginia Davidson truly personified the Mount’s image as a
close, caring community. As a college community we are grateful for
all the gifts Ginny shared with us: her total lack of pretense, her
infectious laughter, her sheer joy in life, her concern for social
justice, and, above all, her determination to make this college the
best it can be for our students.
During this holiday season, when the spirit of gratitude is so
strongly felt, we find it only fitting that we do our best to show
our gratitude for a woman so totally committed to Mount Saint Mary
College. Those who knew Ginny best, her family, are working to
establish a scholarship in her name to be awarded annually to a
student who demonstrates Ginny’s own passion for writing and
literature. Friends, colleagues and alumni have chosen to honor
Ginny’s memory with donations ranging from $25 to $1,000 toward The
Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in
English.
We are hoping that you will join us and contribute to our
efforts to keep Ginny’s legacy alive for future generations of
deserving students.
James Beard
Professor of Communication Arts
For those of you interested in contributing in Ginny’s memory,
please make your checks payable to Mount Saint Mary College, and
write “Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship” in the memo line.
Checks should be sent to the Office of College Advancement at
Mount Saint Mary College, 330 Powell Avenue, Newburgh, NY
12550.
You can also choose to make an online
gift to the Virginia Davidson Memorial Scholarship
Fund.
James Beard
Professor