Originally, Linda imagined herself as an actress, and Streep’s alma mater was very tempting. But then again, so was another—a New York City-based college known for its theater program. In the end, it was the College’s financial aid package, need-blind policy, and support for first-generation students that made her choose Vassar.

“I didn’t think I could afford to do anything else because, as I’ve seen with other first-gen folks, a lot of us are helping the family,” Linda said. “I was helping my niece, my nephew, and my sister.”

Once on campus as a drama major, Linda discovered the freedom to explore in ways she never had before. Having attended a strict classical high school, she was accustomed to structure and limitation. At Vassar, the open curriculum allowed her to venture into different areas of study, including taking two education courses with Professor Thomas McHugh, who would greatly inspire the future trajectory of her career in education. Through trips to New York City public schools, she saw classrooms up close and began imagining a career rooted not in performance, but in purpose—in education. Education had changed the trajectory of her life almost singularly, so she felt called.

Vassar’s education major was co-founded by McHugh two years after Linda graduated. “It was something about his classes that really touched me,” she said. Today, Linda carries that purpose forward as Associate Head of School for Equity, Inclusion, and Wellness at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts, reaffirming her understanding of what supporting education can do.

Linda began supporting the Vassar education she had experienced, her first gift sparked by the birth of her son in 1997. She found herself thinking about how fast life could change; and nearby, a letter from Vassar sat, asking alums to consider making a gift to the College. She looked at it and thought about the people who had once given to her—strangers whose generosity helped open doors she hadn’t been sure would ever be available.

“And I wrote my first check,” Linda said. “I had done a fair amount to help the people I loved. The family was doing a bit better, and I really thought about how important it is to give back and the difference I could make, even in a small way. The gifts add up in someone’s life.”

For years before she was able to start giving financially, Linda gave in other ways to her community, including volunteering to tutor or drive scholarship students to extracurricular programs.

Linda directs her Vassar giving to the College’s greatest needs—unrestricted funds that can be used to support anything from classroom maintenance to financial aid. “What kept me from giving for a long time was that I thought it had to be at a certain level,” she said. “But it adds up, and giving continues to keep you engaged with the College.”

For Linda, her support of the Vassar Fund is a way of honoring what she’s received and making sure someone else can feel that same sense of belonging and opportunity. “I’m giving back because I want to do for someone at Vassar what a stranger did for me as a student,” she said.

“I give to the Vassar Fund because it helps ease students’ stress and anxiety, so they can focus on what they’re here to do: study, engage in extracurriculars, and pursue fieldwork,” she added. “I want low-income kids like me to be able to thrive.”

POSTED: March 16, 2026