Q&A with Martha Frye Baker ’81, Women ACT ACTivator
May 27, 2025
- Author
- Danielle Strickland
L-R: Mary Frye Erwin ’83, Dr. Edith Parker ’83, Ginny Morrow ’82, Elizabeth MacMillan Hagood ’83, Dr. Adelaide Wilcox King ’82, Martha Baker ’81
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.
Martha is a longtime donor and volunteer for Davidson, and she has served multiple times on the Board of Visitors. She previously served in a regional campaign leadership role and was a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Advisory Committee that developed Women ACT. A strong and trusted leader, Martha is committed to Davidson and continues to make a meaningful impact through her service. Martha and her husband, Tom Baker ’81, come from a long line of Davidson legacies.
Our family (L-R: our son Sam Baker, Martha Baker ’81, son-in-law and daughter, Sydnor and Julia Baker Kerns, Tom and our daughter, Cameron Baker).
What inspires you to support Women ACT?
What’s not to love about Davidson women coming together and changing lives? I’ve been involved in Jacksonville, Florida, in women-led philanthropy for over 20 years and think it’s the future of philanthropy, as it’s inclusive, innovative and collaborative.
I found the conversations these past couple of years leading up to the creation of the Women ACT Initiative very exciting, as so many passionate alumni explored leadership and engagement opportunities for women at Davidson. We are all leaders, mothers, daughters, professionals and volunteers, but these conversations brought us together, deepened our community and created a multi-generational collective, which generated new friendships and an expanded involvement as we gained a better understanding of the complex issues women face on college campuses today.
Why is the Wildcat Women’s Fund’s focus the past two years on Health and Well-Being important?
Post pandemic, I think we are all more aware and mindful of the serious impact of health and wellness issues and the importance of prevention. Certainly these are at the top of challenges for today’s college students. I feel assisting our students through wellness initiatives will be an especially effective way to support them as they face stressful and demanding situations, helping them to have a better quality of life and college experience and also ensure their resilience and success in the world beyond Davidson.
What is most special about your Davidson experience and keeps you involved and invested?
Without question, what I gained and value most from my time at Davidson are the deep and lasting relationships I made while there; from my husband Tom, whom I started dating during my freshman year, to my closest women friends, whose shared experiences have always continued to support, challenge and encourage me to be my best self — much like Davidson did! My support of Women ACT is made in their honor.
