Like many small liberal arts colleges, Sweet Briar had been struggling to survive, but alumnae fought to save it.

"A year after the alumnae of Sweet Briar College stopped a plan to close their school, the college exceeded fundraising goals for the 2016 fiscal year, balanced the budget without spending from the endowment, raised $10.25 million in 10 months, and recruited five times more new students than last year." - The Washington Post