Alumnae Corner
#5WAV Concert Reception:
We know that a lot of our alums expressed interest in performing with us in “How Can I Keep From Singing” but weren’t able to participate for some reason or another, but we wanted to give everyone who might be interested a chance to come hang out with the chorus after watching the #5WAV concert to celebrate everything we’ve done this semester! If you’d like to come chat with the current chorus members after the #5WAV Concert on Zoom, please fill out this form.
Opportunities for Alumnae:
We love keeping our alumnae involved in everything we do, so we wanted to give everyone a chance to have some input in our newsletter content and possibly even be featured in it! For more information, you can leave us some feedback and be one of our alumna in the spotlight through this link here. Outside of incorporating your feedback, we have also been working very hard to organize our alumnae database to make sure everyone who wants to receive our newsletters is still getting them and that everyone has a chance to participate in our events.
Last semester, our previous Alumnae Relations Chair, Mackenna Gordon, worked very closely with one of our alumnae, Chris Butler, to start another wonderful opportunity: the Supersisters mentoring program. We wanted to reach out to anyone who didn’t get a chance to sign up last semester but still would like an opportunity to connect with and mentor some of our current chorus members and to ask anyone who participated last semester to fill out a feedback form. You can click here for the link to the sign up form, and here for the feedback form!
Alumna in the Spotlight:
Name: Susan Souren Bangs
Graduation Year: CLAS 1989
What are your favorite VWC memories?
I was a member of the Virginia Women’s Chorus from the Fall of 1985 until I graduated in May of 1989. I have many wonderful memories of my time in the Chorus, including spring break trips to Florida and New York City, leaving Old Cabell on dark winter nights and looking up the Lawn at the illuminated Rotunda, and making beautiful music with wonderful women. The Chorus was one of the first places I had the opportunity to be a leader and a decision maker.
What lessons did you learn from being in the Chorus?
In the spring of 1989, the Music department announced plans to drop the Women’s Chorus and the Men’s Glee Club as classes. After a huge unsuccessful effort to overturn this decision, the members of the Chorus voted to disband as an organization. I think those of us in the Class of 1989 learned some big lessons about University politics, the importance of single sex organizations, and navigating difficult situations.
What has life been like after graduation?
I took all these lessons with me when I graduated from the University with my English degree, and headed to New York to work in publishing. Several years later I ended up moving to Atlanta, getting married, and earning my MBA at Georgia Tech. For about 10 years I have had my own accounting practice that specializes in non-profit clients.
My husband and I live in the suburbs of Atlanta with our dog Ollie, who is living his best life during the pandemic! We have two daughters; Abby lives and works in Seattle and Mary will graduate from Georgia Tech in May. I am not currently singing with an organized group, but I make music with the English Handbell choir at my church.
Why are you serving on the AFA?
I am currently an at-large board member of the VWC Alumnae & Friends Association. I have been so impressed with the current members and leaders of the VWC. They have worked tirelessly to navigate choral music in the time of pandemic, showing maturity and grace beyond their years.