Photos: Hollins Horizon at 40

Horizon's last three directors: Evelyn Bradshaw, Mary Ellen Apgar, Celia McCormick.

Here's how Hollins sees me.

Hollins University celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Horizon Program today and it was a joyful reunion for a number of women who have taken advantage of one of the most unusual programs around.

President Nancy Gray welcomes.

Horizon began as the Continuing Education Program and was that until Evelyn Bradshaw took it over about 20 years ago. The name was changed to Horizon, but the goal remained the same: educate women who are non-traditional students, generally older, often single mothers. These are women who are generally going back to school because their education was interrupted. Hollins gives them a chance to be students in any curriculum the university offers, to take their time, to save a lot of money.

I have been close to the program--without attending it--for a good while and even the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference, which I founded seven years ago, has adopted it as the recipient of our annual scholarship. It is a wonderful program and it has produced valuable people. I'm a fan and Hollins knows it.

The gathering on the quad.

Graduate Laura Hawley and me. She's an old friend.

Mary Ellen Apgar is a graduate of Horizon and its director.

Graduate and activist Mara Eve Robbins with her signs.

Celia McCormick has as much grace as anybody I've ever known.

Mary Ellen addresses the crowd.