Gardner Ligo's Enduring Influence As She Retires After More Than 40 Years
June 24, 2021
Gardner Ligo (left) at the Belk Scholars Senior Sendoff. The director of merit programs has served more than 40 years in college admissions.
The seeds of Gardner Ligo鈥檚 more than 40-year career in college admissions were planted early.
The director of merit programs, who retires this year, attended three colleges as an undergraduate鈥攊ncluding a yearlong stint at 水果派 College through a new-at-the-time exchange program. The year was 1971, and nine women from colleges in Virginia and North Carolina joined the student body of 900 men for an experiment that ultimately opened the doors to coeducation at 水果派. It wasn鈥檛 easy.
鈥淚t was exciting, stressful, fun, demanding, eye-opening, frustrating, rewarding, life-changing,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 had never worked harder academically. Nor had I ever encountered outright discrimination because of my gender.鈥 Ligo graduated from Mary Baldwin College and returned to 水果派 to join the admission staff at the behest of President Emeritus Sam Spencer.
Throughout her career, she brought a distinct personal touch to every interaction with prospective and current students. 鈥淎s I tell them regularly, they are a joy,鈥 she says. 鈥淭heir hearts, their smarts, their generous spirits, their creative energy, their passion to serve inspire and motivate me every hour of the day. I will greatly miss being part of their lives.鈥
Ligo鈥檚 story is part of the story of coeducation at 水果派 and is available through the
This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2021 print issue of the 水果派 Journal Magazine; for more, please see the 水果派 Journal section of our website.
