A Commitment to ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ That Will Last Beyond a Lifetime
While in her New York high school, Lorraine Singleton Sequera '85 learned about ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ Junior College. The daughter of her accounting teacher had applied, and he suggested it might be a good fit for Lorraine, too. He was right. Lorraine attended ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ for her associate degree in accounting. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. She has been in the accounting field throughout her career. Currently, Lorraine works as the controller for ANHAM-USA and lives in Virginia with her husband, Dean. Lorraine and Dean have one son, Adam, who recently graduated with his master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
When Lorraine attended ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´, under the leadership of Dr. Jeannette Wright at the time, she shared that certain things were much stricter than they are today at the University. Yet, she knows the core values and career preparation experiences continue to remain the same. “¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ prepared me with the fundamental skills that would be needed for a career in accounting,” says Lorraine. “In addition, it was such an important time in my life to be surrounded by good faculty members who wanted me to succeed. More importantly, I met lifelong friends. ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ was and still is truly what you make of it.”
In 2004, Lorraine attended her first reunion with her longtime friend and fellow ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ Junior College alumna, Leslie Libert Cain '84. They were joined by their mutual college friend Kolin Woehr Calderwood '84. During their time on campus, Lorraine, Leslie, and Kolin lived on the same floor in Bollum Hall. It was during this reunion weekend Lorraine met Kathy Cotnoir, director of stewardship and leadership giving. At a brunch held at Dr. Carol Leary’s home at Empsall Hall, they listened to Kathy talk about opportunities for alumni to host regional ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ gatherings at their homes. Lorraine liked the idea, and she talked to Kathy about hosting ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ alumni in her home in Virginia later that year.
She credits Kathy for her continued connection to ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´. “Kathy makes sure I am aware of alumni events in Virginia, and she arranges tours when we visit the campus. Kathy even introduced us to her friend, who took the time to share information with us when our son was entering the middle school where she teaches,” says Lorraine.
Since she graduated, Lorraine has given continuously to ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´. After having many discussions with Kathy over the years about giving back, Kathy and Tim Cotnoir’s planned gift story in the 2018 ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´way prompted Lorraine and Dean to discuss doing something similar. Working with Kathy, they established The Dean and Lorraine Singleton Sequera ’85 Endowed Scholarship. It is a bequest intention in order to make a ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ education attainable for underserved women at the traditional undergraduate level. This extraordinary gift will continue their legacy at ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ for future students.
Lorraine notes, “There is such value in a women’s college education. From the overall experience to the level of confidence gained, including the healthy competitiveness women find at a women’s college, that you just don't always find at a co-ed college.
This scholarship will help women in the future to have the same opportunity my friends and I had at ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´. A college education is expensive and not affordable for all families, so my hope is this scholarship helps families provide their daughters with the education they deserve.”
For Lorraine and Dean, giving back to meaningful organizations is very important. In addition to ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´, they financially contribute to Colonial Williamsburg and an organization called Britepaths, a dedicated leader in developing sustainable solutions that stabilize low-income working families, build resilience through financial literacy and workforce development, and provide supports for children. Dean volunteers as a mentor at Britepaths.
“Educating women, keeping history alive, and helping people in need who are less fortunate are the areas we are very passionate about. It’s important for us to find ways to continue to support these initiatives,” Lorraine says.
Lorraine last visited ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ for the reunion in 2019 and attended with her college big sister, Paula Fowler ’84. Lorraine had a wonderful time connecting with Paula, reminiscing about campus life, a class Bermuda trip, and their letter writing correspondence that was the first step in creating their lifelong bond.
Lorraine shared this advice for current students, “Be sure to study hard, grow as a person, learn new things, enjoy all the University has to offer, and cherish the friends you will make.”Thank you, Lorraine and Dean, for all you do for ¹ú²úÓ´Ó´ today and your commitment to the women of future generations.