Women ACT
Women ACT at Davidson College
Aspire. Create. Transform.
Women ACT (Aspire, Create, Transform) brings together Davidson alumni, parents and friends who want to make a difference. By leading, giving and engaging with one another, we create meaningful opportunities for students, strengthen the college and inspire the next generation of leaders.
In the 50 years since Davidson welcomed its first full class of women, their leadership and generosity have shaped the college in powerful ways. Women ACT builds on that momentum, harnessing our collective energy to help shape Davidson’s future.
What We Do
Women ACT brings together Davidsonians who:
- Aspire to make a difference for Davidson and its students
- Create new opportunities and pathways for leadership, engagement and philanthropy
- Transform the student experience and the ways graduates lead and serve in the world
Since its launch during Davidson’s 50+ Years of Coeducation celebration, Women ACT has inspired more than $70 million in commitments from alumni, family members, faculty, staff and trustees. These gifts, and the vibrant community behind them, are already changing lives on campus.
We’re delighted to introduce Table for Eight: Dine with Davidson Women, a series of alumnae-hosted dinners designed to bring Davidson women together for conversation, connection and community building.
Women ACT has the power to transform Davidson for years to come. I am excited and honored to be an accelerator of the Wildcat Women Fund, helping to move forward Davidson’s strategic priorities for the good of current and future Davidson students.
Ways to Give: Two Paths
Donors who make leadership-level annual gifts within the Wildcat Women Fund are known as Accelerators, providing additional momentum for the priority area each year.
While Women ACT is designed to engage those who identify as women, anyone can get involved by becoming an ACTivator or by making an annual gift to the Wildcat Women Fund. A number of men have generously supported the Wildcat Women Fund, recognizing the importance of its priorities and the collective impact of this community. Funds raised through this initiative are not limited in their application to women.
Just as coeducation was a transformative event at Davidson, Women ACT is building a community of philanthropy that will transform Davidson for the future.
2026-2027 Giving Priority: Women’s Athletics
This year, the Wildcat Women Fund is championing Davidson’s Division I women scholar-athletes. Building on historic momentum, like Women’s Lacrosse securing Davidson’s first-ever A-10 women’s conference title, this year’s fund addresses long-standing funding gaps between men’s and women’s sports. While Davidson College maintains institutional funding parity across all programs in compliance with Title IX, a disparity in overall resources persists due to a gap in philanthropic support. Because men’s programs were established earlier, they benefit from longer-standing pipelines of alumni giving. You can make a gift here by selecting Wildcat Women Fund, a designation of The Fund for Davidson.
Flexible resources allow coaches to compete and win at the highest level by supporting:
- Travel Support: Limiting academic disruption so Davidson’s scholar-athletes thrive in the classroom and on the field.
- Performance Technology: Delivering advanced training tools to make everyday practice more effective.
- Targeted Recruiting: Helping us bring the next generation of standout Wildcats to campus.
The Davidson Women ACT initiative makes more visible and dynamic what is already true at Davidson—women lead with intelligence, heart and a commitment to make an impact at Davidson and beyond.
Ways to Engage
Women ACT creates opportunities for alums, parents and friends who identify as women to engage meaningfully with Davidson and one another. Our programming is designed to encourage connection, learning and leadership among women in the Davidson community. While our focus is on creating space for women to support and inspire each other, the initiative and its events are open to anyone who believes in the mission of Women ACT and wishes to support its goals.
Opportunities to engage include:
- Signature Events: Gatherings such as the Women of Davidson Alumnae Weekend, regional meetups and special campus gatherings.
- Small Group Experiences: Events such as “Table for Eight: Dine with Davidson Women” where women share stories, experiences and ideas in an intimate setting
- Professional and Personal Development: Virtual and in-person panels featuring Davidson women leaders across industries
- Regional Events and Gatherings: Hosted by and for Davidson women to build community wherever they are
- Volunteer Leadership: Opportunities to help shape Women ACT as a committee member, event host or advocate.
Wherever you are on your Davidson journey, Women ACT invites you to join a welcoming community dedicated to making a difference for Davidson and its students.
Women ACT Leadership
Women ACT is led by a dedicated advisory committee of alums, parents and friends who help shape the initiative’s impact and growth.
Women ACT Advisory Committee
- Beth McCaw ’92 (co-chair)
- Mary Margaret Cochrane Porter ’98 (co-chair)
- Olivia Ware ’78 (co-chair)
- Martha Frye Baker ’81
- Ann Hayes Browning ’79
- Angelina Darrisaw ’09
- Sarah Duncan ’15
- Yvette Pita Frampton ’95
- Allison Sargent Franco P’20
- Meredith Lorenz Heimburger ’05
- Kim Taylor Hirschfeld ’01
- Ameesha Pandya Kansupada ’89
- Alison Hall Mauzé ’84
- Sallie Permar ’97
- Whitney A. White ’08
- Janet Stovall ’85
Engagement in Action
Part of the excitement of Women ACT is the opportunity to bring women together.
Spring 2025
- "Women in Storytelling" Back-to-School Class: Panel featured Davidson alumnae across creative industries. Watch the Zoom recording.
- "Women in Tech" Event in San Francisco: Spotlighted three alumnae leaders and attracted strong attendance.
Spring 2026
- Women of Davidson Alumnae Weekend: March 20-22, 2026, at Wild Dunes Resort (Isle of Palms, SC). A weekend of inspiration, connection and rejuvenation.
Looking Ahead
- Table for Eight: Dine with Davidson Women: An initiative launched last year and continuing in cities across the country!
Explore how Dr. Ameesha Kansupada '89 connects her passions for medicine and well-being to the Wildcat Women Fund, and how her Davidson experiences continue to inspire her commitment to student success.
Discover how Devon Winsor '17, a champion for access and equity, is helping to lead Davidson's Women ACT initiative and why her passion for education drives her commitment to scholarship support.
Martha Frye Baker ’81, a Women ACT ACTivator and supporter of the Wildcat Women Fund, believes in women-led philanthropy as it is inclusive and collaborative. Learn more.
In its 13 years, Davidson College’s Sustainability Scholars Summer Internship Program has connected students passionate about people and planet with community partners in the Charlotte area. Learn more about its next chapter thanks to Elizabeth Lusk ’85.
Sara Tatum Pottenger ’79, a Women ACT ACTivator, believes in the power of women when they come together with a shared passion and purpose.
Maia Harrell ’20 followed a strong line of women to Davidson. She is pleased about the opportunity to give through the Wildcat Women Fund and make a difference for those following in her Davidson footsteps.
This year, Morgan Bell Kee ’12 and Harvey Kee ’11 added the Wildcat Women Fund to their list of philanthropic priorities at alma mater. Read more to find out why these community-involved professionals and parents of two are supporting this new Fund.
Sallie Permar ’97, a Women ACT ACTivator, is a physician who specializes in the treatment and prevention of neonatal viral infections. Learn more about her service to the Davidson College Alumni Healthcare Professionals Group and her role as a job
Join Us
Women ACT is open to anyone who wants to make a difference. Whether through leadership, giving, or engagement, there is a place for you in this community. Together, we are transforming Davidson for today’s students and for generations to come.
Questions or Ideas?
Contact Marya Howell ’91
Senior Major Gifts Officer – Women’s Philanthropy
mahowell@davidson.edu
704-894-2761