On the plaza with Craig Melvin

By Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89, Jake Crouse and Marga Van Der Linde ’25

January 13, 2025, will forever be Craig Melvin Day at Wofford College.

The honorary date became official on the TODAY Plaza in New York City, where Melvin ’01 was presented the proclamation certificate for Craig Melvin Day by Campus Union president Marga Van Der Linde ’25.

It marked Melvin’s first day as anchor of the 7-9 a.m. hours of TODAY on NBC, replacing Hoda Kotb. The occasion was capped off with the singing of Wofford College’s alma mater by Melvin and a crowd of Wofford alumni and friends who gathered to mark the special day.

After things settled down a bit, Melvin sat down for an interview with Wofford Today, facilitated by Van Der Linde. Below is a Q & A from that interview.

Q: The TODAY team did such a good job of surprising you. Did you have any idea? What was the most surprising thing?

A: It meant more than you’ll ever know that my college showed up in full force. It was a special morning, obviously, but that was one of the most special parts.

I was most surprised by my entire family being on the show. I had invited them up the week before because we were going to do this nice little family brunch in the city, and I wanted to thank them. Lindsay had raised the idea about the kids coming in for the brunch, and quite frankly, they had already missed five or six days of school this year. I said, they can’t miss another day. It’s not worth that. … I never considered that they would be off that day.

When I leave in the morning, the object is very simple. It’s not to awaken anyone else in the house, including the puppy. So, when I left that morning, even though my folks were here, even my brother, everyone was dead asleep. I think I left that morning at 4:15/4:30 a.m. As soon as I left, Lindsay had worked out this plan where she would go around knocking on doors to let everyone know I was out of the house so they could start getting ready.

So, my kids and wife and my folks showing up was the biggest surprise.

It was my parents’ first time on the show. When you have small children, and they’re wearing live microphones on live television, it’s a dice roll. I didn’t know what questions they were going to ask them, but I know my children. So, I know that it could have gone another way. We could have had a moment on live television that was epic for all the wrong reasons.

Q: How did it feel to see Wofford friends and faculty/staff/students/ alumni show up in 20-degree temps on the plaza for your first day?

A: It made my heart smile. It warmed the soul on a special day. I had gotten word that one or two folks might come up. I didn’t know that it was going to be what it was. To look out on the plaza that morning and to see so many familiar faces … it was an emotional morning anyway, and that just added to it.

It’s nice to have special moments in your life, to celebrate, but what makes them even nicer is when you can celebrate them with people you adore and love and who have been with you along the way.

That’s why weddings and college graduations are so special. Those special moments — I think the kids call them core memories — when you’re enjoying those core memories with people who have been with you for those different chapters.

Roberta Hurley ’81. I’ve known her for — God bless — 25 years. To see her out there freezing her butt off … that was special … really, really special. We’ve had a special relationship for a long time. The good dean remembers when I wasn’t the co-anchor of the TODAY Show, when I was a struggling college kid who was having trouble finding his way. I was not always the most well-behaved kid. I did not always make her life easy. I think for her to be able to see the fruits of her labor is probably a nice thing. It’s interesting, I didn’t fully appreciate it until recently that sometimes your success is not your success. It’s the success of so many other people.

I had this conversation recently with a friend of mine. I never appreciated the number of people who would take so much pride in seeing me succeed. Now I see it, and I’m thankful for it. It’s not just about you or me. It’s about the village around us that’s invested time and effort and for them to be able to say, “I’ve got a return on the investment, I’m happy.”

Q: So … Craig Melvin Day … What would a Craig Melvin Day at Wofford College look like?

A: There’s a band playing down on the row. Do they still call it the row? There are food trucks. It’s after a day of service in the community. It’s a little service then a little party.

No one asked before, but that’s how I envision it.

Q: Will you encourage Delano and Sybil to visit Wofford for a campus tour when it’s time for them to make a college decision?

A: It’s beyond encourage. They’ll have to, but they know that. They already wear the gear. Wherever they decide to go, that’s fine. I’m not going to push it on them, but for me to pay for college, they’ll have to at least visit the campus.

It’s a lot harder to get into now than it was when I was coming up. Hopefully they’ll have the academics.

Q: What kind of stories are your favorites to tell?

A: I enjoy stories about ordinary people who do extraordinary things. I enjoy highlighting the helpers. The people who show up when terrible things happen, whether it’s the wildfires in Los Angeles or the hurricane in North Carolina.

I love talking to regular people who are having a phenomenal day, one of the best days of their lives. I love interviewing Olympians. Olympians who have just won a medal are the best. They’ve trained for their entire lives for something that takes sometimes 30 seconds. And they do it, and right after they do it, they’re talking to you.

I get all mushy because their parents are there. … I love those interviews.

Q: Who is on your interview bucket list?

A: The list is long, and we’ve had some meetings about the list. Denzel Washington, one of the great actors of our time, is at the top. I haven’t interviewed Barack Obama since he left office. I’d be interested in another interview with him.

A lot of times the folks I really want to talk to depends on the moment that we’re in. Right now, I’m fascinated with this kid who plays basketball at Duke. We’re trying to get him.

There are a number of folks we’re actively pursuing.

Q: What’s your ideal day off look like? Have you even had a day off? If you had an off day, what did it look like?

A: Here’s the problem, Marga. Your body clock adjusts pretty quickly. This past weekend at 4:15 a.m., my body was like (awake). I’ve gotten to a point when I can usually, on the weekend, go back down for an hour, hour and a half. But even on the weekends, I’m not sleeping past 6/6:30 a.m.

So, I get up. I work out. I’ve got a sauna here, so I’ll steam sometimes.

That’s one of the worst things. I used to be able to sleep in on the weekends, really, really sleep.

I coach my son’s basketball team on Saturday mornings, and my daughter had her first play this weekend, so we went to two performances of the play.

On Sunday, I put on knockabout pants/ house pants and a soft pullover and sat on the couch for about six hours. I had two bourbons and a beer — that’s another thing, you can’t drink too much anymore on Sundays because you have to get up at O-dark-30. And as you get old … well … When I was at Wofford, that would be like a pre-game. Now… I had some soup. So, Sunday we went to church, had brunch, went to a play then came home and sat on the couch and watched football.

My ideal day is to wake up in my house and never leave my house. Except to walk the dog, and the short walk, not the long walk he prefers. And quite frankly, maybe not even take a shower. … Save your judgment.

Marga: I’m a college student, I don’t judge!

New York was a natural move for Thomas DeLoache ’12.

“I could have pursued a career in finance in Charlotte, where I was from, but I knew that working in finance in New York was an experience I wanted,” says DeLoache. “I didn’t expect to have stayed so long, but 13 years later, I’m still here.”

DeLoache’s resume includes stints at Wells Fargo Securities, thanks to an opportunity made possible by John Hackney ’04, and Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets. DeLoache is now director of investment banking with D. Boral Capital, a boutique investment bank in Manhattan.

“I find the smaller environment refreshing, and I enjoy interacting with everyone at the firm,” he says. DeLoache and his wife, Kayla, who works in public relations, live in Stamford, Conn. with their two small children, Hannah and James, and they have another on the way. DeLoache commutes into the city.

“Banking is going back toward every day in the office. Companies realize that you can’t replace the in-person interactions,” says DeLoache. “The development of junior associates and new people was becoming a problem.”

DeLoache, an economics, finance and Spanish triple major, says he was prepared for a fast-paced career in New York finance after his experience at Wofford.

“Dr. (Phillip) Swicegood and Dr. (Michael) Merriman prepared me for the line of work I ultimately went into,” says DeLoache. “Beyond the content of what I learned in the classroom, the dynamics I found in the smaller interactive classrooms made me more comfortable contributing and voicing opinions and interacting with others.”

DeLoache was a co-managing partner of the student-managed James-Atkins Investment Fund. He chaired the college’s Honor Council, studied abroad in Madrid and participated in the certified financial analyst challenge. He also traveled during Interim to Chile and went to Haiti with a group from the James- Atkins Fund.

“Study abroad and the leadership roles Wofford offered me were enlightening and as valuable as the classroom,” says DeLoache. “Interacting with people from different cultures, having responsibility, managing and being a part of a team — these experiences translate well to the work world.”

Ellen Smith Rose ’12 fell in love with New York when she was 11 years old. Her grandmother loved the city, and when her parents took her for a visit that included many of the iconic sites and restaurants, she knew that the city would be a part of her future.

“I understood even then how people thrive on the energy and excitement of the city,” says Smith Rose, a fourthgeneration Wofford graduate. She and her brother Charlie ’15 followed their great-grandfather Dr. Charlie Dorn Smith Sr., Wofford Class of 1908; grandfather Charlie Dorn Smith Jr. ’56; and father Dr. Dorn Smith III ’80.

At Wofford, Smith Rose majored in business economics and religion. She enjoyed great mentoring relationships with professors, studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain, and traveled to Israel and Costa Rica for Interim.

“The religion and economics departments were on complete opposite ends of the political spectrum, but I loved hearing both sides and then deciding for myself what I thought was right,” says Smith Rose. “I learned to think critically and ask good questions.”

As she approached graduation, she began to study for the LSAT and prepare to attend law school. At about that time, she also met Mike Brown ’76 through the Aspen Institute and Brown’s summer internship program.

“The summer I spent at the Aspen Institute was the singular most defining experience at Wofford. I met Condoleezza Rice, Madeleine Albright and Bill Clinton and began to understand that the world is so much bigger than I realized,” says Smith Rose.

Brown became a mentor, and Smith Rose discussed with him her desire to make a positive impact on the world. A legal career in South Carolina still seemed like a good path, but she was having doubts.

“Mike Brown asked me to consider if I might be able to make an impact beyond South Carolina, and he said, ‘I think you can do something bigger, and I’ll do what I can to help you,’” says Smith Rose. “Mike gave me the confidence to not apply to law school, and, instead, look for jobs at big companies, even outside of South Carolina and the Southeast.”

Smith Rose connected with the IBM consulting program through Blakely Wise Whitman ’11. “Blakely called me and recommended that I consider IBM’s entrylevel consulting program. A week after graduation I got a call from IBM saying they wanted me in New York City.”

Today, Smith Rose leads go-to-market strategy for one of the largest sales organizations in IBM. She and her team run strategic transformation projects and change management, including transforming the sales coverage model, investing in new hires and driving revenue growth.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have so many opportunities through IBM,” says Smith Rose.

Through the company, she’s earned her MBA from Columbia University’s business school. She’s held a variety of different positions and has traveled the world, including business trips to Portugal, China and South Korea. She now holds three patents with the U.S. Patent Office, has been recognized for excellence in management and received the CRN Women of the Channel 2023 Rising Star of the Year Award. She also met her husband while working at IBM. She is an active volunteer with the New York Junior League and still finds time for family, yoga and reading.

“I love having the opportunity to make a positive impact every day for my team, our company and clients, our partners and the community,” says Smith Rose. “That’s what gets me up in the morning. I’ve found a city and a company that lets me run, and that’s made all the difference.”

David Harrell ’94 calls the Wofford network a landing pad. He found that to be the case in Columbia, Charleston, Washington, D.C., and now New York City.

“Wofford folks are everywhere, and we find each other rather quickly,” says Harrell. “Wofford being such a closeknit community definitely affected my path. Even without the social networks that students have today, my friends and I worked to keep in touch because of the experience we shared at Wofford.”

After graduation, Harrell went to law school at the University of South Carolina, joining about a dozen other Wofford grads studying to become attorneys at USC. He moved to Charleston to work for a large firm based in Atlanta and roomed with Wofford grads. Traveling for business and pleasure gave him confidence and opened his eyes to possibilities he could not have imagined growing up in Irmo, S.C.

“I had a type of early midlife crisis and took a sort of delayed gap year,” says Harrell, who spent close to a year backpacking through South America, Europe and the Middle East in his early 30s. He calls it a “fantastic, eye-opening experience” that led him to move to Washington, D.C., where he lived down the street from Wofford classmates. He began to pursue a career in commercial real estate, then moved to New York City, where he now lives with his wife, Maureen, and son, Adrian. And true to form, he lives in the same Tribeca neighborhood that’s home to other Wofford people.

The Harrells sponsored the Wofford in NYC gathering on the evening of Jan. 13 at the Yale Club. Maureen is managing director, private equity, with Hudson Advisors. David is a vice president with Colliers.

“There are 500 million square feet of office space in New York, which means it’s a dynamic, fascinating place to work in commercial real estate,” says Harrell. “Everyone I know from Wofford is doing cool stuff, and decades later my friends and I still like hanging out with each other.”

Harrell believes part of that is the result of Wofford’s small size and general education requirements.

“Those core liberal arts classes are shared bonding experiences with professors who have been there a while. Some are memorable personalities,” says Harrell. “Pretty much everyone in my Sigma Nu pledge class took history with Dr. Joe Killian, and most of us had Dr. Dennis Dooley for English. Dr. David Tyner in government still stands out as both a meticulous, methodical teacher and someone who was genuinely interested in what you were doing and what you were thinking. A 20-yearold doesn’t always experience that a lot in life. Dr. Tyner made students feel like their thoughts mattered. That’s something you get regularly at a small liberal arts college that you don’t often find at a large university.”

New York is one of the few places in the world where Rachel Ann Sisson Reading ’03 could turn her parallel passions for art and scent into a thriving career. An olfactory art advocate, Reading has curated gallery exhibitions incorporating scent. She regularly leads tours spotlighting contemporary independent perfumery in Lower Manhattan using her background in gallery teaching and museum education to present fragrance as artistic medium and perfumer as artist.

After Wofford, Reading lived in Charleston, S.C.

“For six years and seven glorious summers I worked in art galleries, museums and historic houses before moving to New York City in 2009 to pursue a master’s degree in art history/art museum studies at The City College of New York,” says Reading. She also worked at The Frick Collection in education and at the New York Historical Society, incorporating its fine art collection into school curricula. Her Wofford experience was always in the background.

“Wofford taught me a great deal outside the classroom about building relationships and finding ways to establish and maintain connections,” says Reading, who was on Orientation staff, an Admission ambassador, a member of a sorority, a student caller for the Annual Fund and involved in Wofford Theatre. “These recurring interactions all helped bring me out of my teenage shell, and the people skills I learned have served me well since.”

Reading loves New York City and the access to culture, but she also loves traveling.

“I had not been outside the country before college and was fortunate to get to travel internationally three times, including a semester abroad at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland,” says Reading. “Fun fact: I was a year above then-Prince William and Kate Middleton at St. Andrews, and I got to work the university’s 600th anniversary gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2014.” William and Kate were both in attendance at the event.

Katherine Waters ’17 works on Broadway! For the past three years she’s worked in marketing for Audience Rewards, Broadway’s Official Loyalty Program. She manages program communications and partners with the marketing teams of Broadway and off-Broadway shows as well as other theatre-adjacent events, such as the Tony Awards.

For the past five years, she also has volunteered with the red bucket team at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, an organization that mobilizes the theatre community to provide support for essential health and social services.

“I’m in theatres twice a year to collect donations with Broadway Cares, so if you’re seeing a show — either in NYC or in a touring house across the county — and you see red buckets, know that your donations go to a really worthy cause!” says Waters. She majored in English and philosophy at Wofford then took the communication skills she learned into marketing jobs across several industries: hospitality, higher education, finance and now theatre.

“Wofford pushed me out of my comfort zone in many ways and challenged me to reach beyond what I thought was possible,” says Waters. “At Wofford, taking on new opportunities like study abroad is encouraged. If I hadn’t spent a semester in a new country, I may not have had the confidence to move from South Carolina to NYC.”

Now Waters loves being surrounded by the arts and culture in the city.

“On top of theatre (of course!), I can spend an evening watching world-class musicians perform or walking through an incredible museum,” says Waters. “I try to step outside of what I know to check out shows, exhibits or other events that I normally wouldn’t. There are so many people in this city making beautiful things, and I’m so lucky to be around it!”

Joe ’16 and Mills Reigel Nelson ’15 moved to New York City in 2022. Joe is an investment banking associate with J.P. Morgan in the mergers and acquisitions group. Mills is a senior account luxury manager with The RealReal, working with high-profile clients in the luxury resale and e-commerce space. And now they’re first-time parents; Hudson Sheets Nelson — happy and healthy — was born Jan. 22.

“We are enjoying some slower time away from work right now while on leave, which includes daily walks in Central Park and exploring the Upper East Side, where we live,” says Mills. Joe’s path to J.P. Morgan and New York includes experience with Elliott Davis in Charlotte, N.C., and an MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Mills, who was a curatorial intern in Wofford’s art galleries, also interned as a gallery associate at the New Gallery of Modern Art in Charlotte. She was an estate cataloger and project manager with Everything but the House before moving to the fashion side of art. They both studied abroad for the first time as Wofford students, and their internship and leadership experiences at Wofford helped them land first jobs after graduation. Now they are hitting their stride in New York City.

“The city truly is a global hub, and everything it has to offer is at your fingertips — restaurants, entertainment, history, sports. We love being able to pop over to Broadway or Saturday Night Live or the U.S. Open,” says Joe. “We also appreciate how each neighborhood has its own character. You never know who you might run into on the street.”

Each week Dave Wansley ’02 commutes to New York from a home in Davidson, N.C., where he lives with his wife, Laura Sams Wansley ’01, and their two children, Libby (18) and Tripp (15). As the senior vice president of procurement at Mavis Tire, the largest independent tire retailer in the United States, Wansley and his team, based in White Plains, N.Y., are responsible for all purchasing, pricing and inventory planning for corporate warehouses and about 2,300 retail locations.

That means Wansley is on a plane several times most weeks, but he and his family make the most of it.

“The apartment in New York has been a great launching spot for family trips and adventures, whether it is into New York City or up through New England,” says Wansley. “Laura usually comes up for a date weekend in the city a couple of times a year while our kids also come up to visit friends, go skiing, catch a show on Broadway, attend the U.S. Open or see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.”

Wansley earned an MBA from Wake Forest University in 2004. After he and Laura married, they settled in Lake Norman, N.C., where Wansley spent 15 years at Lowe’s Home Improvement across its supply chain and merchandise planning organizations. In 2019 he joined Mavis, and the family moved to Connecticut for a few years. Now they’re back in North Carolina and enjoying both small-town and big-city life. He and Laura also like being close to the Wofford campus and community.

In July 2024, Maybry Baehr ’19 white- knuckled the drive into New York City. Her hands were still on the wheel outside of her new apartment building when someone knocked on the car window.

“I looked up to find Natalie Simkins ’19, one of my best friends from Wofford, waving at me in shock and excitement. She knew I was moving, but it was a complete coincidence that we ran into each other in such a big city,” says Baehr. “I took it as a sign that I had made the right decision to pack up my life in Washington, D.C., and move to New York.”

Baehr says her Wofford experience has given her the courage to step outside of her comfort zone again and again.

“Moments like this remind me that Wofford is more than just a college — it’s a feeling of home and security, no matter where you are in the world,” says Baehr, who worked with an event planning company in Charleston, S.C., for a few months after graduation. She then worked for four years in marketing and advertising in D.C. Baehr now lives in the West Village, where she works as a media planner at a digital ad agency focused on higher education.

“I develop comprehensive media strategies, craft engaging ad content and optimize campaigns to achieve marketing goals and enhance brand visibility,” says Baehr, who has embraced New York City.

“The city reveals endless possibilities every time you step outside,” she says. “Its vibrant energy is both refreshing and inspiring, fueling a sense that anything is achievable and motivating me to be the best version of myself.”

Craig Melvin’s rise to anchor NBC’s TODAY Show was a full-circle moment for Dr. Dendy Engelman ’98. When he came to the college for Wofford Scholars Day, Engelman was his student interviewer.

“Craig was a standout then and is a standout now,” says Engelman with a heaping dose of Terrier pride.

She’s also a standout. After Wofford, Engelman graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston then did her medical internship at Mount Sinai in Manhattan. After a dermatology residency in Charleston, she returned to New York to complete a fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and procedural dermatology. She’s been practicing in Manhattan ever since and is currently director of dermatology and laser medicine at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. She’s also frequently consulted by national publications such as Marie Claire, Forbes, Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Fashionista, just to name a few.

“New York City is perfectly fitting for my lifestyle and personality,” says Engelman. “My patients are all fascinating. They work and excel in every sector: law, banking, performing arts, medicine, journalism, etc. Every day in my exam rooms, it’s as though I am sitting front row at a live TED Talk. Through my patients, I get a glimpse into so many aspects of what New York has to offer, both professionally and socially. I love my patients and am honored to share their experiences.”

Engelman lives in Tribeca with her husband, Devin, and their two children, Gadsden and Ellis. Growing up in Summerville, S.C., she admits she never dreamed that she would raise a family in New York City.

“While there are certainly some challenges to raising children here, there are so many benefits, including access to some of the world’s best museums, performing arts and unique experiences,” says Engelman. “Our children love living in the city, but they also love coming ‘home’ to South Carolina. I try to get them back quite often, so they know their roots.”

She also shares her love for Wofford.

“My time at Wofford gave me the confidence to accept new challenges and to embrace adversity as a part of personal and professional growth,” says Engelman. “The people of Wofford are a special breed who always leave you feeling supported and championed. It’s a very special place.”

Sally Gamble ’18 has followed “opportunities to continuously learn and grow through various roles at PepsiCo.” She’s lived in Greenwich, Conn.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and now New York City, where she finds the energy contagious!

As a human resources business partner at PepsiCo Inc., she supports the marketing department and partners with leadership in the New York and Los Angeles areas on all decisions that impact their people.

“I counsel marketing leaders,” says Gamble. The topics include having empathetic yet challenging conversations, selecting the best talent, restructuring teams to fit evolving business needs and creating a positive work environment.” Gamble also serves as a confidential sounding board.

“Wofford played a crucial role in setting me up for success,” she says. “My class was ambitious, fun-loving and committed to building community. The friends I made at Wofford are an important reason for where I am today.

We have always lifted each other up and challenged each other to reach our potential. Being surrounded in college by ambitious women who had fun but were studious, studied abroad independently, held internships and aspired for graduate school and careers only pushed me to challenge myself. I’m still close with my Wofford friends, and they continue to be a source of support and inspiration for me.”

Gamble graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in business. Her combined interests and the guidance of faculty mentors led her to the master’s in human resources program at the University of South Carolina.

“I would love to thank the Wofford faculty and staff for fostering an environment that prepares so many students for the future,” says Gamble. “The culture at Wofford is unmatched, and I would love to help any students or alumni who have any questions or interest in all things PepsiCo, NYC or human resources.”

Kasey Widmyer ’18 says she’s living her dream: a life of business and fashion in New York City with lots of opportunities to create, run, travel and mentor others interested in the industry.

After graduating from Wofford, Widmyer, whose twin, Kaity ’18, and brother, Ben ’09, also graduated from Wofford, moved to New York City for a one-year program in fashion marketing and communications at the Parsons School of Design. During that time, she interned with a stylist working on editorial, runway and red-carpet projects. After finishing her program, she joined the accessories brand Brother Vellies as a creative assistant.

“When the pandemic hit, I returned home to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and worked at my family’s boutique, Marmalade, which my mother owns. Being back reminded me of how special the boutique has been. It’s where I discovered my passion for fashion,” says Widmyer.

Determined to continue her career in New York City, she proposed expanding Marmalade to Brooklyn. In December 2020, Marmalade opened in the hip up-and-coming neighborhood of Greenpoint. Now they’re moving the company into a larger, more prominent space in the Williamsburg neighborhood.

“I hope to establish Marmalade as a leading fashion retailer, spotlighting fresh and innovative fashion designers,” says Widmyer, who majored in accounting at Wofford. “In a creative industry like fashion, numbers often take a back seat to creativity. My education at Wofford gave me the tools to balance passion with practicality, helping me approach the financial side of business with confidence.”

One of Widmyer’s favorite memories was taking an Interim on sustainable clothing and sewing with Dr. Catherine Schmitz, professor of French.

“That class sparked a deeper interest, and I even kept my sewing machine in my dorm room to continue teaching myself how to make clothes,” says Widmyer, who’s now the buyer and store director for Marmalade Brooklyn and the company’s Savannah, Ga., locations. Her role blends creativity and strategy, with a focus on selecting, managing and merchandising inventory. She attends New York Fashion Week and works with New York designers as well as with brands and showrooms in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Copenhagen, Paris and beyond.

“My ultimate goal is to elevate Marmalade into a leader in the fashion retail space and create a store experience that inspires women,” says Widmyer.

Inspiring others in the fashion space and helping college students learn both the creative and business side of fashion is important to Widmyer. She enjoys mentoring students with the Savannah School of Art and Design through Marmalade Savannah. For the past two years, she’s also run in the New York City Marathon, and she’s raising funds to run the Chicago Marathon with Girls on the Run.

“As a former track and field studentathlete, I love staying connected to my competitive spirit through long-distance running,” she says.

“It was so nice to celebrate Craig and have Wofford gathering in the city!” says Dr. Ellen Rhame Pottharst ’01.

After graduating from Wofford, Pottharst attended medical school at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She did her residency in anesthesiology at New York University and then a pain medicine fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston. She practiced pain medicine for eight years in Charleston, S.C. There she married and had her first child. She and her family moved to San Francisco for a year where she practiced pain medicine with the Permanente Medical Group before moving back to New York City.

“When we moved back to the city, we had our second child, and I returned to the practice of anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center. Around a year after this move, the COVID pandemic hit, and I found myself practicing as a critical care physician in the Bronx,” says Pottharst. She and her family moved to Connecticut a few years ago, and she continues to practice anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center.

“Wofford College not only prepared me well for the rigorous studies of medical school, but also taught me about life and the world,” says Pottharst. “I was encouraged to push boundaries and go places that I never dreamed of while growing up in my small town, Holly Hill, S.C. The Interim travel experiences (to India and Brazil) were invaluable, and the strong friendships I made at Wofford will last a lifetime.”

Erin Roche ’20 says working in finance in New York City has given her a “strong professional network and opened countless doors to valuable career opportunities.”

She says she loves everything about New York. “Trying new restaurants, workout classes, museums and shopping. I will never run out of things to do and explore.”

Roche’s first job in New York was at CBAM Partners, co-founded by Jay Garrett ’81.

“Garrett ran interviews for summer interns on Wofford's campus in the fall of 2018, and a teammate of mine from the soccer team, Catie Slater ’19, encouraged me to apply,” says Roche, who got the internship. “My best friend, teammate and roommate at Wofford, Allie Cardew ’20, had already secured an internship for the summer in NYC, and she convinced me to accept the role and move to NYC with her.”

The challenging and rewarding internship paved the way for a full-time job offer after graduation. Now, Roche is an associate on the investment team at Brinley Partners, a company founded by women that offers capital solutions primarily to high-quality, sponsor- backed companies in the large-cap and upper-middle market space.

“I work to assess the credit risk of potential and existing investments through in-depth company and industry research, financial modeling, valuation, comparable analysis and analysis of other technical and legal aspects of the investment,” says Roche.

In October Amelia Anne Marsh ’22 celebrated her first work anniversary as a tax associate with Crowe LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm in New York City. She loves the challenging professional environment and the people with whom she works.

“I still find myself giddy at working in NYC and can attest to the fact it’s the greatest city in the world,” says Marsh. “I truly love the vibrant energy, and although there are so many people in Manhattan, there is such a strong sense of togetherness that you feel when living here.”

That sense of community is something she says she valued at Wofford and carried with her as she attended Clemson University to earn a master’s degree in professional accounting along with two of her closest Wofford friends.

“I’ve always been drawn to places with a strong sense of community, and Wofford was simply perfect for me,” she says. “I attribute so much of my confidence, success and passion for lifelong learning to Wofford. I learned from incredible professors, met my people, took opportunities to travel and got involved around campus.”

An accounting and studio art double major, she appreciates the balance she was able to achieve at Wofford.

“I miss being on campus but have loved returning for Homecoming with friends each year since graduating,” says Marsh. “It was so nice to gather with other Terriers in NYC to celebrate Craig Melvin’s success and next step in his career. I have been inspired by so many Wofford alums and am truly proud to say I’m a Terrier.”