Skidmore College - Scope Magazine Spring 2019

SKIDMORE COLLEGE 7 As of May, Nancy Wells Hamilton ’77 is chair of the Skidmore College Board of Trustees. Hamilton has served as co-chair of Creating Our Future: The Campaign for Skid- more , as a member of the Presi- dent’s Advisory Council, as an alumna trustee and as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. A partner with Jack- son Walker LLP, in Houston, Texas, Hamilton has a national legal practice focused on First Amend- ment law, intellectual property and complex commercial litigation. She has represented major media outlets, including CNN, Fox News and CBS, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Phil, among others. She succeeds W. Scott McGraw P’12, who oversaw the launch of the public phase of Skidmore’s campaign; the hiring of four members of the President’s Cabinet; groundbreak- ing for the Center for Integrated Sciences; and board approval for a plan to accelerate the project for completion in 2024. Hamilton said she’s honored to serve as chair and looks “forward to building on the momentum that Scott has created.” Donna Ng is Skidmore’s vice president for finance and administration and treasurer. Ng joined the College on Oct. 1 from Simmons College in Boston, where she served as senior vice president for finance and administration. Ng formerly held positions at Scripps College, Wellesley College and Babson Col- lege. Ng earned a master’s degree in business administration from Babson College and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Boston College. She succeeds Mike West, who retired after 14 years. The Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition again offered Skidmore students a unique opportunity to hone their business skills with alumni mentors as they competed in presenting business plans. “I am extremely proud of all the students, and I know that this experience will change many of their lives,” said Ken Freirich ’90, who founded the competition in 2010. Many alumni and friends of the College contributed their time and expertise, including Raymond Bryan ’94, Graeme Campbell ’98, David Cynamon P’22, Dana Naber- ezny ’95, Dexter Senft, and Rich Wartel ’91, who served as judges in the final round. Jessica Ndrianasy ’20 picked up first prize — $20,000 cash plus $5,000 in business services — for her business Ndriana Agro, a Madagascar agribusiness providing top- quality, organic import and export produce and prioritiz- ing the hiring of unemployed women. Ndrianasy’s alumni mentors for the competition were Molly Dyson-Schwery ’04 and Nancy Wekselbaum ’73. Her peer mentor was Will Potter ’19. The “Shark Tank”-like business competition is one of the best-funded contests among liberal arts colleges nationally, with cash prizes and business service awards valued at more than $50,000. Big Ideas Wanted Kenneth A. Freirich, founder of the Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition, sits on the judges’ panel April 5 during the ninth annual contest. Jessica Ndrianasy ’20 presents her winning business plan at the Freirich Business Plan Competition. Lucy Beizer ’19 presents during the Freirich Business Plan Competition. Leadership Christopher Massa; Nancy Wells Hamilton contributed photo