Mary Griggs

On May 5th, a day after the graduation of the class of 2025, my alma mater will close its doors for good. This small, liberal arts college in Laurinburg, North Carolina had its share of challenges (read about the history of the school here) but the sudden announcement of the closure was a shock.

Many years ago, I chose St. Andrews Presbyterian College for the SAGE program. The General Education program was exactly what I wanted following six years of Catholic schooling as a non-catholic. All students, no matter the major, were required to take them so there was a great diversity of people and viewpoints in the class. I found the courses essential to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to apply them across cultures and time. Bringing together the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, we learned the basics of inquiry and analysis that are central to problem-solving across disciplines. I still apply those skills in my everyday life.

(And, yes, the fact that I could take a symbol system like art or a foreign language instead of mathematics was a definite bonus!)

I had some pretty amazing experiences and made many incredible friendships during my time at St Andrews. I grew more as a person during those four years because of the people around me. With laughter, honesty and support, they lifted me. Sure, there was also heartbreak but learning to love was crucial to my becoming a better me.

The class sizes (except SAGE) were small and the professors were dedicated to teaching the material while also teaching personal and social responsibility, civic engagement, ethical reasoning. From them, I gained a lifelong love of learning.

I lived in both coed and single sex dorms and found value in both. I played soccer, studied abroad, and came out as a lesbian. I learned to be an advocate from Model UN and student government and, as a TAB (temporarily able bodied), I learned to look beyond limitations. I went from student to adulthood and will always treasure my time at SAPC.

As I say goodbye to something that was more than a school, I keep in my heart the students and professors who must now search for a new academic home. May they find a soft place to land.

Xìe xìe, SAPC!