Louise Beinetti Wise '40
Louise Beinetti Wise ’40, former director of admissions, died January 18, 2018. She was 98.
A 1940 Skidmore graduate in speech and drama, Wise (“Bennie” to friends and close colleagues) began work at her alma mater in 1970 as an assistant director of admissions and was promoted to associate director in 1972 and director in 1977, the same year she was named chair of the college’s Taskforce on Coeducation.
Wise, who had previously served as president of the Alumni Association and member of the Board of Trustees, retired in 1983, having overseen a more than 80% increase in applications, a nearly 25% increase in male enrollees and major strides in selectivity over her final six years at the helm.
“Bennie provided strong leadership to the Admissions team in a time of significant transition for Skidmore,” says Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Mary Lou Bates, who came on board as assistant director of admissions in 1974 and maintained strong personal ties with Wise until the end. “We were in the early years of coeducation and still operating on the old downtown campus as we continued construction on the new Jonsson campus.”
Professor Emerita of American Studies Mary Lynn, in her book “Make No Small Plans: A History of Skidmore College,” reveals that in 1976–77, Skidmore applications dropped by more than 60%, resulting in a shortfall of 120 students and substantial pressure on the budget. She credits Wise and her small Admissions team with “rescuing the college from near disaster.”
“Bennie was so strong, so principled, and so hard-working,” says Sibyl Haley ’71, who was assistant director from 1972 to 1974 and is serving her second term as president of Skidmore’s Alumni Association. “She was ahead of her time. Women from her generation were more likely to be homemakers, but she had the courage of her convictions.”
No surprise then that she was president of the College Government Association her senior year. “Bennie had a real presence,” says Haley. “She was just so good and effective with people.”
Wise was an experienced professional when she answered President Joseph Palamountain’s call to strengthen Skidmore’s admissions efforts. She had worked in retail in Boston, then returned to her hometown of Albany, to work in radio broadcasting and advertising, and moved on to wear three hats as a drama teacher, counselor and director of studies at St. Agnes School.
Named one of Skidmore’s 50 outstanding alumni in 1972, Wise also received an honorary doctoral degree at the College’s 1984 Commencement and an Outstanding Service Award at the 1985 Reunion. In 1983, the Louise Beinetti Wise ’40 Scholarship was created in honor of her talent, dedication and accomplishments.
After her retirement, Louise stayed connected with the life of Skidmore, serving on the presidential search committee that brought in David Porter in 1987 and heading a major Skidmore fund drive, “Strength in Numbers,” which launched in 1990.
Survivors include three sons, Michael Glenn, Anthony Charles and Peter Ashton; granddaughter Vivien Lorraine; niece Janeth Beinetti Thurling; nephews, Peter Beinetti and David Beinetti; and many extended family members.