Susan Raynor Puckett '75
President
Dear Loyal Daughters and Sons,
I am looking forward to the upcoming Homecoming Weekend at MUW. It will be an important time for our university and our alumnae association. I understand that some of you have questions about who I am, what I stand for, and why you should support me as incoming president of the MIJW
Alumnae Association. I am impressed and actually relieved that many of you are unwilling to blindly cast your votes for people you do not know. Willingness to do otherwise would be a contradiction of all I believe a W alum represents.
I was born in Tupelo, grew up in Jackson and have lived in Clinton for the pan 23 years. I graduated from TheW in 1975 with a major in history. After graduation, I married Bobby Puckett and taught high school history until my first son was born, 1 was a stay-at-home mom for my two sons for many years but was always active in volunteer work for my community, church and college. After my sons were high school age, I returned to full-time work, first at the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and, later as general manager of the Fairview Inn Bed & Breakfast. I also own a business with my sister, Ricki Garrett (Class of '73), that presents corporate seminars on business etiquette, executive dining and international protocol.
My involvement with the W since graduation has taken a number of different directions. Among other things, I have served as the president of the Jackson Metro Chapter of the MUW Alumnae Association and co-chaired two homecoming galas in Columbus. I co-chaired the Southern Grace cookbook with Jenny Katool and co-chaired and helped create the Alumni Oral History Project with Barbara White. We have presented an annual Oral History film at Homecoming highlighting the interviews from that year entitled, "The Women of The W Speak." Over the years, I have been honored to receive the MUW Vision Award and the Alumnae Achievement Award.
I have been deeply troubled by the deterioration in the relationship between Dr. Limbert and the Alumnae Association. I have attended mediation sessions with Dr. Limbert, lobbied the legislature on behalf of the association and sat through countless brainstorming meetings with alumni leaden as we struggled to find a way to resolve the conflict between ourselves and Dr. Limbert.
I respect the position that Dr. Limbert holds as president of our university. Like so many of you, I had high hopes for Dr.Limbert's administration when she took office in 2002, and I applaud the successes she and her administration have had. However, I feel that her administration has been a disappointment in many ways. We have looked to Dr. Limbert for leadership and compromise but, in the words of Dwight Eisenhower, "You do not lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." MUW deserves a president that respects and is eager to work with the strong, independent women that MUW so successfully produces.
My hope for the new year is to continue the fight for the strong and independent alumni association that has always existed at MUW and that Betty Lou and others have so passionately worked to protect. Regardless of the decision made by Judge Colom or the IHL Board, we will remain a viable and active organization. A large part of our time, energy and resources must go toward assisting our university. It is increasingly important that the faculty and legislature that have supported us and the students who look to us see that our primary focus is, and always will be, the future of Mississippi University for Women.
I look forward to meeting you all.
Susan Puckett,
President
MUW Alumnae Association