Women of Wofford walking trails
Women of Wofford walking trails
Five walking trails honoring five trailblazing women
THE ANNE
Honoring Anne Springs Close
0.4 miles / Green
In 1984, Anne Springs Close became the first woman to chair the Wofford College Board of Trustees. By that time, the board included more diverse perspectives, but when Anne was elected as a trustee in 1974 — the first woman to serve — that was not the case.
Joe Lesesne, Wofford’s ninth president, met Close while working on a statewide committee to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial. When the college was considering residential co-education, he called on Close to serve on the board and help the college navigate the change. He considers her the mother of co-education at Wofford. Anne served a total of 20 years on the board, including a stint as “chairman,” her preferred title, from 1984-86. Her daughter, Katy Close ’83, continued the tradition of Wofford Board of Trustees service.
Anne traveled to 60 countries before her death on Aug. 20, 2021. She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro three times, the last at the age of 78. At 65 years old, she completed the New York City Marathon. She was also a pioneering force in conservation, land preservation and natural history.
THE LISA
Honoring Lisa McGahey Lefebvre
2.0 miles / Blue
Lisa joined the Wofford community in 2011. She earned a BSN from Clemson University and was working at Duke University Medical Center when she met John Lefebvre, professor of psychology at Wofford, who was a doctoral student at the time. They fell in love and became partners, parents to two Wofford graduates — Alex Lefebvre ’18 and Max Lefebvre ’21 — and adventure companions who loved to travel and spend time with friends.
As director of employee wellness, she led the campaign to make Wofford a tobacco-free campus, promoted healthy relationships and developed programs, such as Create, to boost student mental health. For her work during COVID-19, the Southern Conference named her to the 2020 SoCon Faculty and Staff Team, and in 2024 she was named Campus Union Staff Member of the Year.
Lisa died May 21, 2025, after a 17-month battle with kidney cancer. She established the college’s employee wellness program, including a series of walking challenges. She began working to designate walking paths in 2014. The Women of Wofford Walking Trails is the realization of her vision.
THE MEG
Honoring Margaret Kathryn “Meg” Hunt ’84
1.7 miles / Gold
Although Wofford began admitting women resident students in 1976, it wasn’t until 1980-81 that the college fielded intercollegiate women’s athletics teams. These first teams had to yield practice time and space to the men’s team as well as for intramurals competitions. Meg was the first woman to receive a Wofford athletics scholarship.
A standout student-athlete at Woodruff High School, Meg averaged 23 points in her first five games on the Terrier women’s basketball team. She was inducted into the Wofford Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. Her career statistics are still tied for fifth in scoring (1,537), sixth in scoring average (16.1), third in field goals made (614), eighth in free throws (288), third in rebounds (887), first in defensive rebounds (690) and seventh in steals (228).
She has spent her career in journalism and media relations, serving leadership roles with Media Women of South Carolina and a term as president of the National Federation of Press Women. She never misses an opportunity to support women’s athletics at Wofford and beyond.
THE PREMA
Honoring Prema Rajpal Samhat
1.0 miles / Pink
Prema grew up on a college campus. Her father (professor of English) was a college president, and her mother was a professor of education. Prema graduated from Bradford College in Massachusetts, where her mother had held a faculty position. For the Rajpals, walking was always a fun family activity.
Prema returned to India after graduation from college and began her career in hospitality with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts. After she and Nayef married, she worked in marketing in the healthcare field, raising three remarkable daughters — Alia, Jehan and Leila — and championing Nayef as he earned his Ph.D., and moved through the ranks of academia.
When Nayef became the 11th president of Wofford College, Prema committed to supporting Wofford as a full-time volunteer — hosting events, mentoring women, expanding the college’s presence in the Spartanburg community, honoring employees, developing relationships with alumni, leading group travel to her native India and being an ever-present advocate for student success. She and Lisa Lefebvre (blue trail) worked together to build a walking culture at the college. Prema and Lisa took several Wofford groups to walk in the Kiawah Half Marathon.
Prema and her pups (Zoey and Ava) have probably walked Wofford’s campus more than anyone else over the past 13 years. She used the opportunity to provide pet therapy to students and a listening ear.
THE VIVIAN
Honoring Vivian Boyd Fisher
1.1 miles / Peach
Vivian came to Wofford in 1973 as the first woman appointed to a full-time, tenure-track position. She became the first woman to earn tenure in 1978. Vivian holds degrees from Duke University (B.A.) and Emory University (M.A. and Ph.D.). She retired as professor of English, emerita, in 2008.
Vivian’s first office was in Greene Hall. Just after moving in and before the semester began, a young man walked into her office and sat on the corner of her desk. He assumed she was a secretary and asked who she worked for; Fisher enlightened the student who ended up enrolled in her class. “Change has to start somewhere,” she said.
She enjoyed her colleagues on the faculty, adored her students, practiced with the fencing team and performed on stage with Wofford Theatre. Vivian was famous as a stickler for grammar and for her high academic expectations, which included close reading of complex texts. She shared her love for both Victorian poetry and novels with generations of students as well as her passions for photography, historic preservation and gardening.