While living in Colorado several years ago, Patricia Scott read an article about a national organization of people who work with children in foster care, advocating for them as they are protected by the courts. "I knew it was something I wanted to do, so I sought them out to see how I could help."

For the past eight years, she has volunteered with the local Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) group in Lexington, Kentucky. She currently serves as president of the board. "I have found it sadly illuminating and often horrifying, but a very rewarding experience. If you ever see me on a soapbox, abused children will probably be my topic." Scott has appeared on television, testified in court and spoken to groups about the projects and children of CASA.

"We work with kids who have real life-changing problems. We try to help keep them from falling through the cracks and put them in a stable situation. They need strong advocates who will give them the best opportunity to get into a home that can meet their needs."

For one particular child, she is personally working to create a more permanent solution. Scott became a foster parent to 14 year-old Ashliegh one year ago. They live next door to her other daughter, Jana, and her family, including her husband, Steve, and two sons, Ryan, six, and Jay, two.

Scott is the communications manager for the Association for Telecommunications Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA). "I know," she says, "it doesn't match the acronym, but that's another story." She writes, edits, designs and produces all the publications for the organization, which provides educational programming and services for people on college campuses whose responsibilities include voice, data and video capabilities. ACUTA counts more than 800 schools in its membership, including Southwestern.

"As a student, it was the ‘personal touch’ that originally drew me to Southwestern," she says, "and that's what kept me there, too." A history major in the education department, Scott was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and a classmate of current Southwestern President Jake B. Schrum. Some of her fondest memories include "All-School Sing, Derby Day, raincoats over shorts and pants (women were expected to wear dresses on campus at all times), caroling at Christmas, mandatory chapel, crickets on the back porch in the fall, candle passes and serenades on the LK porch. It seems impossible that a college experience could get any better than ours."

To this day, she keeps in touch with most of her pledge sisters. She even created an annual Christmas letter for the group. "There were 26 of us and I can tell you where all but three are, who they married and how many children they have. I still value those friendships very much."

Since graduation, Scott has spent time being a full-time mom, teaching junior high, writing for several publications, and serving as editor of the Current® catalog.

"I think Southwestern played a huge part in making me who I am today. I love going back to campus, even though it looks very different from what it did in the '60s. I'm sure in some ways it's much better. I have learned that nostalgia does strange things to our memory, so I have confidence that today's students will be just as fond of their memories as I am of mine. And from the looks of things, they may be even better prepared for the future than I was!"

-Greg Holland