Sweet Briar Honors Alumna Norma patteson Mills With Doctorate
Amherst, Virginia – May 17, 2024 – Sweet Briar College, on May 17, bestowed an honorary doctorate upon alumna Norma Patteson Mills at its 116th commencement ceremony. The honor recognizes Ms. mills’ lifelong dedication and generosity to arts and cultural organizations and Sweet Briar College.A true philanthropist, Mills’ impact on her community has been widely felt.To learn more about the legacy of norma Patteson Mills,read on.
Sweet Briar College Bestows Honorary Doctorate on Alumna Norma Patteson Mills ’60
Sweet Briar College recognized Norma Patteson Mills, a member of the class of 1960, with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its 116th Commencement ceremony on May 17. This distinction, rarely awarded in the college’s 124-year history, acknowledges Ms. Mills’ extraordinary lifetime of service and generosity to numerous arts and cultural organizations.
A lifetime of Dedication
A native of Amherst, Virginia, Norma patteson Mills harbored a childhood dream of attending Sweet Briar. She enrolled in the fall of 1956, eager to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Even though she departed Sweet Briar at the end of her junior year to marry Olan Mills and relocate to Chattanooga,Tennessee,her connection to the college remained strong.
Ms. Mills completed her psychology degree at the University of Chattanooga and furthered her education at Sewanee: The University of the South,earning a degree from the Education for Ministry Programme. Together, Norma and Olan Mills have become renowned philanthropic leaders, contributing substantially to various nonprofits and institutions, including Sweet Briar College.
Transforming Chattanooga and Beyond
The Mills’ commitment to their community has played a pivotal role in transforming Chattanooga. Their extraordinary generosity to Sweet Briar College, supporting a range of vital initiatives, led to the renaming of the Memorial chapel as the Mills Chapel in 2021.
Beyond financial contributions, Norma Mills has dedicated her time to inspiring others to give, serving on multiple campaign cabinets for Sweet Briar. She has also served on the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors and is a former member of the Alumnae Board.She and Olan have been regular attendees at events supporting the College. Moreover, Norma was honored with the College’s Outstanding Alumna Award in 2005.
Civic and Church Leadership
As an active civic and church leader, Ms. Mills’ philanthropy has extended far beyond sweet Briar College, positively impacting countless lives. She has served on numerous church search committees and on the boards of organizations such as the Chattanooga children’s Hospital Foundation, Tennessee Aquarium, AIM Center of Chattanooga, Tennessee River Gorge Trust, University of Chattanooga Foundation, Episcopal Media Center, Sewanee, and Hunter Museum of Art. norma is the former president of the board of the Shining School, vice chairman of the Campaign for Sewanee, and co-chair of the Visiting Committee of the School of Theology of Sewanee.
Recognition for Arts Leadership
In 2024, Norma and Olan Mills received the Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership award from ArtsBuild, recognizing their extraordinary service to the arts community of Chattanooga.
A Testament to Art and Culture
Clearly, Norma Mills has a deep appreciation for the value and benefit of art and culture on the spiritual well-being, creativity, and intellectual lives of the people in the communities she and her husband are part of.
President Mary Pope M. Huston ’83,Sweet Briar College
President mary Pope M. Huston ’83 shared these words while presenting the honorary degree during the Commencement ceremony, underscoring ms. Mills’ profound impact.
