Spotlight on Alumnae – Kathy Whitehead Ludwig ’75

Alumna Passionate about Human Rights, Provides $1 Million Gift for the Global Village.

As a French major at Douglass College, Kathy Whitehead Ludwig ’75 dreamed of traveling to France. Today, she has traveled the world, focused on her commitment to women’s leadership and global human rights. It was a perfect fit between Kathy’s passions and her love for Douglass College that inspired her to pledge a $1 million gift to help build a new living-learning residence hall designed specifically for students living in the houses of the Global Village at Douglass.

“We have to keep investing and talking about the value of a college education at Douglass,” says Kathy, who believes one draws upon the college experience for a lifetime. “The living-learning residence is just another way of expressing the emphasis that we put on quality education here and what it means to us.”

In the years since graduation, Kathy has followed her passion for human rights and studied the dynamics of globalization, receiving a master’s degree in intercultural communication. “Beyond the classroom,” she says, “you still have to go see how people live, see what they are doing, how their governments treat them and what policies they live by, and experience living in another culture.”

This new residence hall will be on Jameson, right in the center of the Douglass campus and the new building will be home Douglass’ renowned living-learning communities. There are currently ten living-learning communities in the Global Village at Douglass: the French and Spanish Houses, the Africana and East-Asian Houses, the Leadership House, the Middle East Coexistence House, the Human Rights House, the Women and Business Entrepreneurship House, the Women and Creativity House and the Social Justice House.

“I believe in this project on many levels,” shares Kathy, “it is an exciting and very tangible way to advance the College’s strength in living-learning experiences. I am continually amazed at the work the students do and the impact it has on their education and personal development. I invite other alumnae and friends to join me in creating an outstanding new home for the Global Village.”
In April 2012, Kathy and her husband, Edward Ludwig, pictured on far left at the 2012 Founders Day Awards Recognition Luncheon with Douglass Dean Jacquelyn Litt, and Associate Alumnae of Douglass College Board of Directors President Tina B. Gordon ’72, far right, were awarded Douglass Medals by the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College and Douglass College for their outstanding support.

For more information on the Global Village or to join Kathy in supporting the project, please contact Director of Development, Eileen Cotter.