LYNCHBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech plans to accept late admissions applications from Sweet Briar College students.
The Lynchburg, all-girl’s school just announced they have to close due to lack of funding.
Virginia Tech officials say anyone wishing to transfer needs to fill out an online application as soon as possible.
Saving Sweet Briar formed
Meanwhile, a group of Sweet Briar College alumnae announced Friday that they are forming Saving Sweet Briar, Inc., a Virginia not-for-profit corporation, whose mission will be to reverse the decision by the Sweet Briar Board of Directors and President to close the College, announced earlier this week.
According to a press release, the first action by the alumnae members of Saving Sweet Briar was to hire a prominent law firm to mount a legal challenge to the planned closure of the College. Troutman Sanders LLP has been retained to mount a legal challenge to the planned closing of Sweet Briar College.
Tracy Stuart, a 1993 graduate of Sweet Briar College, is helping to set up Saving Sweet Briar, which will be led by a Board including several Sweet Briar alumnae and others with an interest in the College continuing its educational mission.
“In hiring Troutman Sanders we have taken an important step in a multi-pronged effort to stop the closure of Sweet Briar College,” said Stuart. “In the coming days, my fellow alumnae and I will continue to talk with other alumnae, students and faculty to discuss the options we have to save Sweet Briar and protect an institution that has served thousands of women over the course of its 114 year history.”
“As we continue our concerted effort to save Sweet Briar College in the days and weeks ahead, we ask for the continued support of the extended family of Sweet Briar alumnae, students, faculty and others who share our outrage over the process that led to this week’s sudden and stunning announcement,” Stuart added. “We are grateful to the thousands of Sweet Briar supporters who have pledged their financial and moral commitment. We need to continue working together in order to protect the institution that has meant so much to all of us.”
Stuart is urging supporters of Sweet Briar College to remain actively engaged in the dialogue about saving the school through social media channels and through a newly formed website, savingsweetbriar.com.
Saving Sweet Briar group urges current students to wait before committing to other schools
Leaders of Saving Sweet Briar are asking current students of Sweet Briar College and their families to consider waiting before making any decisions to transfer to other schools in the next several weeks.
“As we advance our legal strategy and develop alternatives to the closure of Sweet Briar College, it is critical that current students give our efforts time to bear fruit before they commit to attending other institutions,” the group said in a press release Saturday.
The group’s leaders acknowledged the outpouring of support from other women’s colleges for the Sweet Briar community, saying it is deeply appreciated and underscores the powerful union that exists across the nation among women’s-only college students and alumnae.
“As we ask our current students to wait before making decisions to leave, we also ask our sister colleges to give our efforts time to succeed,” said the group.
Prospective donors also are asked to pledge donations at the website while an account is set up to receive donations.
