We came to know Jane Ritter half-way through her college career, but she is always quick to make a lasting and powerful impression.
When her husband-to-be was scheduled to be sent overseas during the war, Ritter left her first alma mater, Wellesley, to marry him. Fate did not return her to Wellesley after the war, her commitments to children and family intervened, but in the 1960s she matriculated at William Smith. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1966 with a B.A. in religion.
Ritter's experience with us was certainly an atypical one. She developed a strong bond with both the classes of 1966 and 1948, two groups of William Smith students separated by a generation. She also developed close personal ties to several members of the faculty in the dual roles of student and personal friend.
Ritter has shown her dedication and loyalty to the Colleges ever since. She has been an active and highly visible William Smith alumna, serving on the Alumnae Council from 1981-91 as well as the Leadership Gifts Committee. Ritter has been a gracious patron of the Heron Society and the Geneva Scholarship Associates Program.
These things shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows Jane Ritter. Her commitment to community service was clear from the very beginning. While still a student she volunteered at Trinity Church in Geneva, improving the lives of all those who came in contact with her. Presently, as a strong supporter and “professional volunteer” for the United Way and Meals on Wheels, she works to aid the needy in her own community and throughout our country, each and every day.
As a member of our Board of Trustees during the mid-nineties, she helped to shape the future of the Colleges during a period of enormous growth. Ritter was made an Honorary Trustee in 1998, where she continues to support the efforts of this community with her usual steadfast dedication.
Ritter's advocacy for the Wheeler Society and her continued efforts to establish scholarship opportunities attest to the importance that one person can have in the history and growth of an institution.
Jane Ritter is a loyal sustainer, benefactor and confidant. She is a woman who has rendered outstanding service to her community and to the life of the Colleges. In her own words, “I think if you don't get anything else from a liberal arts education, you get the fact that it's important to think about other people besides yourself.” Truer words have never been spoken.
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