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Gift Supports Simmons Commitment to Global Learning, Outreach, and Solutions

Grace Richardson '60, Corporator(November 8, 2012) -- Simmons and Grace Richardson '60 share a strong commitment to women's issues and international outreach. So the former Colgate-Palmolive senior executive decided to think globally about women when she contributed $250,000 to our Making Education Work Campaign.

"I want part of my legacy to be building Simmons for the future, and that includes providing a place where international women can come and find a supportive educational environment," says Richardson. "I'm so proud of what Simmons is already doing on the global stage, and I want to help the College do even more. Therefore, I am establishing the Richardson Global Partners Fund so that we can have an even greater impact."

The strategy guiding the College forward envisions Simmons as "a university with a global perspective." Provost Charlena Seymour says Richardson's fund "accelerates our efforts to act on the strategy and live out one of our core values, 'crossing boundaries to create opportunities.'  We are grateful to Grace. Support like hers makes it possible for our faculty and students to immerse themselves in new experiences, to seek global challenges, and to envision a better world."

Richardson, a member of the Simmons Corporation since 2005 and a member of the Simmons Leadership Council, says her own interest in international issues relating to women expanded during her travels as vice president of global consumer affairs at Colgate-Palmolive. She left the corporate world in 2004, but Richardson is hardly "retired."

"I continue to work on initiatives focused on empowering women and girls – with the objective of bringing their voices into the public policy arena. Key organizations I'm involved with are the U.S. Committee for U.N. Women, the World YWCA, and Women for Women International. Another recent and interesting project was serving as an outreach advisor to Abby Disney for her Public Broadcasting Service series on 'Women, War and Peace'," says Richardson, who received the Simmons Alumnae Achievement Award in 2002.

 

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