At the request of and in honor of his late wife Lisa Kimball ’70, John F. Cooney made a leadership gift to The Fund of Sarah Lawrence. He explains: “Lisa regarded her four years at the College as a pivotal time in her life: when she learned how to teach herself what she needed to know to pursue her intellectual and professional interests; developed a love of learning and of conversing deeply on matters of common interest with like-minded searchers for knowledge; and emerged with the self-confidence in her own abilities that powered her belief that she could and did promote the common good while experiencing great enjoyment in the process. Lisa was a proud daughter of Sarah Lawrence and hoped that with her help, the school could provide a comparable educational experience to future generations of students.”
Sarah Lawrence College is grateful for John’s generous gift and for Lisa’s devotion to the Sarah Lawrence community. She was close with her classmates and served as a driving force in building Sarah Lawrence’s Washington, DC alumni chapter. Well before the explosion of social media, Lisa started a listserv for her class that still is active today. She also served on the Alumni Board and volunteered at Reunion. Lisa and John graciously opened their home to host Faculty on the Road events and other gatherings and welcomed students on visits to DC by making entrees into exploring different career paths. David Kessler ’75 writes: “Lisa loved Sarah Lawrence, what it gave to her, and what it continues to give.” Sima Rae Osbody ’66 agrees: “Lisa mentored, nurtured, engaged, and enriched Sarah Lawrence alumni. If someone asked me for an example of an ideal Sarah Lawrence alumna, Lisa Kimball would undoubtedly be among the first, if not the first, to come to mind. Her spirit will live on through this generous gift.”
Lisa Kimball celebrating her birthday with her friends at Reunion