“I had a wonderful time meeting Madeleine Albright and Vicente Fox. I have learned a lot from these events." - Sally Davis
Not even taking a wrong turn in Lansing on her way to Alma from Kalamazoo could diminish Sally Davis’ positive feelings about Alma College.
The 86-year-old Davis, a long-time financial contributor, still enjoys traveling to Alma for donor events and the major speeches sponsored by the Robert D. Swanson Responsible Leadership Speaker Series, though in recent years she has brought a friend instead of attempting to drive alone.
“I’m very fond of liberal arts colleges,” says Davis, “and I’m very impressed with Alma College. The College gives beautiful parties, such as the thank-you events for the Open Windows Campaign and the speeches by Madeleine Albright and Vicente Fox.”
Davis first became acquainted with Alma College many years ago when she was a trustee for the Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo.
“I started giving independently after seeing how little our local church had budgeted for the College,” she says.
Sally and her late husband, Robert, are the parents of five children, with three attending Alma and two graduating. Son Richard attended one year, leaving to work for General Motors. Daughters Mary and Martha each attended four years, with Martha graduating cum laude. Mary Collins ’81 is a teacher in Ohio, while Martha Logan ’84 works for Chase Bank, formerly National Bank of Detroit, in the Detroit area.
“Dr. Oscar Remick came to Alma when Mary started, and Mary was friendly with Mrs. Remick,” says Davis. “My husband and I didn’t go up to Alma much when our girls attended. But in recent years I’ve become quite acquainted with Carol Hyble and Saundra Tracy.”
Her visits to major events at Alma are “fabulous,” she says.
“I had a wonderful time meeting Madeleine Albright, and Vicente Fox was a wonderful speaker,” says Davis, who lives in Friendship Village in Kalamazoo. “We attended a small dinner prior to his speech, and when the Foxes arrived they went to each and every guest and introduced themselves and chatted. I have learned a lot from these events.”
Davis’ commitments to Alma College have been long and lasting. She established the Robert G. and Sara E. Davis Endowed Scholarship. She also supports the Alma Fund and scholarships and is a member of the College’s Heritage Society for her establishment of an estate gift.
