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Alumna Spotlight: S.Y. “Sharyl” Mason-Watson ‘76

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology, a master’s degree in public affairs, and a juris doctor degree, it is safe to say that S.Y. “Sharyl” Mason-Watson ’76 is a woman of varied interests. With a career that has included resident advising, healthcare consulting, Senate staffing, presidential campaigning, and of course the law it seems there is nothing Mason-Watson can’t do.
So how much of this came from her time at Chatham Hall?

“Are you kidding?  Notwithstanding all that was already instilled in me by my parents and family - I had a strong sense of self, even at thirteen - how could I have accomplished all of the above without Chatham Hall’s influence?  Strength, courage, perseverance, self-awareness, self-confidence, etc. My feminist flag was already flying high when I got to Chatham, but it flew even more resolutely after my experience at Chatham Hall.”

Her experiences at Chatham Hall were as varied as might be expected from her resume. Mason-Watson described myriad memories that take over when she thinks of her time at the School.

“Picnics and other events held in Big Meadow; after-dinner coffee in the dining room with my fellow Seniors; Saturday night formal dinners; horseback rides on the nature trails through the woods; the freedom to spend time engaging with other girls and sharing with each other; traditions like Old Girl/New Girl, the Lantern Ceremony, freshman flag duties; new privileges as sophomores, juniors and seniors; walks into town on Friday afternoons to sit at the counter at Whitehead’s Pharmacy to devour grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries, and cherry or vanilla Dr. Pepper or Coke AND hot honey buns with butter pecan ice cream on top.”

Among those memories remains one faculty member who looms large for Mason-Watson.

“Miss Joan Boyle, my freshman English teacher,” she said. “At the time, we thought of her as eccentric and out of touch. She was fastidious, prim and proper, exacting. In hindsight, she instilled in me a sense of purpose, she always expected and demanded excellence, nothing less than my very best and she encouraged us to use our deductive skills. I do not believe that any other teacher at Chatham has had such a profound effect on me. Though she remains with us in spirit only, I owe Miss Boyle my esteemed gratitude.”

To today’s students, Mason-Watson offers the advice to soak in every moment and seize every opportunity.

“Relish the time that you have to discover yourself, what you enjoy, what you want to build upon, what you want to take with you out into the world,” she advised. “Don’t be afraid to speak up, cultivate your curiosities, find your voice and let it be heard. Take it with you when you leave and spread it out into the world.”

As for herself, Mason-Watson knows she has done just that.

“I am so grateful that I had this unique experience, four years of high school at Chatham Hall.  I learned so much about myself. I overcame my fears and learned horseback riding. I became a passionate Purple Cheerleader - Go Purps! I spent my entire Winter Trimester Senior Year in Great Britain as the only Chatham Hall girl in the Woodberry Forest in England Program, traveling out of the country by myself at sixteen - WOW!  I arrived as a thirteen-year-old girl who had never been away from home, alone, for more than a week or two without my parents or sister and emerged as a seventeen-year-old young woman ready to take on the world.”
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800 Chatham Hall Circle  •  Chatham, VA 24531
+1 434.432.2941  •  admissions@chathamhall.org
Day and boarding school for girls grades 9-12 in the Episcopal tradition.

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