AMHERST CO (WSLS 10) - What was once thought to be the end became a new beginning for Sweet Briar College.
The 2015-2016 school year is being seen as a new chance at making Sweet Briar College financially work. A chance many of the administration and staff didn't think they had a few months ago.
Now, with a new president in place, the administration says most of Sweet Briar's faculty members have returned to their former positions. Interim Chief Enrollment Officer Steven Nave says even more plan to come back in the upcoming semesters. Just this week, an open house was held for the school's masters programs, which will be co-ed. The college offers two masters of education programs for graduates with and without bachelors degrees in the education field.
Students seem to be on board. So far, despite a shaky summer, around 300 students have committed to attending this fall. That's half of last year's student body size.
"At this point, the biggest tangible change on campus is the sense of optimism that we are going to do very well," Nave said. "I think everybody absolutely believes in Sweet Briar, that we can prevail, that we will enroll students, that we will do everything that we need to do to be here anther hundred years."
Despite the court's ruling in Sweet Briar's favor, the enthusiasm to save Sweet Briar hasn't stopped. Hundreds of people from all over the country are on campus, helping prepare for the upcoming semester.
Those alumni and community members, who fought for months through court battles and aggressive fundraising to keep the school open, are now taking it a step farther.
It's what many are calling a labor of love. More than 200 people are on campus for a three-week work session program to rejuvenate the 114-year-old campus. The program is affectingly known as "Sweet Work."
Sweet Work is made up of sweat equity. Sweet Work co-chair Debbie Thurman says it is another mode of giving for alumnae.
"It's what we do: rise to challenges," Thurman said.
Inside and out, Sweet Briar campus is being cleaned and polished. They've even revamped the furniture at the Vixen den by sewing valances and re-upholstering furniture.
The value of work the group is provided is estimated at 10-thousand dollars.
Volunteers are working on landscaping, painting and "sprucing" up the campus. As you drive by you'll notice crowds of people with Sweet Briar swag and work gloves with a variety of tools in hand, putting their time to good use. They say the drive is well worth a common cause they all believe in.
"Sisterhood. It's a true sisterhood," said Ginny Hoffman, a 1980 Sweet Briar graduate.
Although it's a lot of hard work and heavy lifting, for the alumnae on campus, it's more like a reunion.
"We old gals get out here and get all dirty and sweaty and we get to sit down at the end of the day and feel good about what we've done," Hoffman said.
After a long battle during last semester, Myth Bayoud, also a 1980 graduate of Sweet Briar says they want the school looking better than ever.
"We just wanted the campus to look pristine when everyone came back," Bayoud said.
The volunteers traveled from all across the county. Many have deep history with the school and many have no ties at all.
Traveling all the way from New Hampshire, Park Adams brought his daughter to volunteer. His 16-year-old daughter is a prospective student. His mother is a member of the graduating class of 1954. Adams says the college meant a great deal to her. For Adams and his family, those are ties that he says are well worth working for.
"I think this is just the beginning of everything here at Sweet Briar. I really do," Adams said.
Whether it's mulching, weeding, painting, chipping or caulking ALL 220 volunteers are pitching in -- getting their hands dirty, to help shape the future of sweet briar.
"We want to welcome these students. We want them to fall in love with it like we did. So we want it to have its best foot forward," Hoffman said.
Volunteers will remain on campus assisting staff through the end of next week.
Classes begin on August 27.