A gracious, steady and effective leader. A William & Mary VIP who makes others feel like VIPs. The epitome of what the Alma Mater of the Nation is all about.
These are just a few ways that people describe Sue Hanna Gerdelman ’76, P ’07, P ’13.
With humility, hard work and enthusiasm, she has served William & Mary and her communities throughout her life. At the university, she has held pivotal leadership roles, including chair of the highly successful For the Bold and All In campaigns, chair of the William & Mary Foundation Board and Secretary of the Board of Visitors.
For her dedication, William & Mary has selected Sue to receive this year’s Prentis Award. The honor is presented annually to a person who demonstrates exemplary civic service to the university and community.
“It’s a huge honor, and I’m flattered by the recognition,” said Sue. “I wasn’t expecting it. I do these things because I love William & Mary.”
Sue will receive the award during a private ceremony on March 23. This year’s award coincides with the university’s Year of Civic Leadership.
“Sue has been a guiding light for so many of our recent efforts to sustain and preserve William & Mary for all time coming,” said President Katherine A. Rowe. “My memories of working with her on For the Bold are filled with pride and serious fun. It was a grand accomplishment, and the best part is the friendship that grew along the way. She is a true servant leader, and we are delighted to honor her with the Prentis Award.”
A career in education and civic service
Sue graduated from William & Mary with a degree in elementary education. After working as a teacher in Washington state, she made her first foray into institutional leadership on the local school board.
Later, she broadened her civic service by taking on roles in the federal government, including White House policy councils on homeland security and the economy. She also volunteered with the presidential inaugural committee in 2001.
She said that working in education and her time at William & Mary gave her the confidence to take on new opportunities.
“As an early childhood teacher, you need to know a little bit about a wide variety of things,” she said. “And then William & Mary really empowered me with the belief that I could do anything. That’s why you come here: to learn, to think, to do.”
A bold volunteer goes all in
Throughout her life, she has remained closely connected with William & Mary. She met her late husband, John Gerdelman ’75, L.H.D. ’19, P ’07, P ’13, at the university, and their children — Mark Gerdelman M.B.A. ’13, M.Acc. ’13, and Emily Gerdelman Ridjaneck ’07 — are alumni. Mark’s wife, Rebecca M. Gerdelman M.B.A. ’12, is also an alumna and now serves on the board for the Alumni Association.
Sue started volunteering with the William & Mary Foundation in 2005, eventually becoming its chair. In 2013, she was appointed to the Board of Visitors to fill a vacancy from an unexpired term and then reappointed in 2014 and 2018. While on the board, she was a member of the Committee on the Student Experience; vice chair of the Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds; chair of the Committee on Institutional Advancement; and was elected secretary of the board.
Sue continued her advancement work as chair of the For the Bold campaign. Officially launched in 2015, it set an ambitious goal of raising $1 billion by 2020. The campaign ended up raising a total of $1.04 billion, making it the most successful fundraising campaign in the university’s history.
Sue was the “north star” of the campaign, said Mark Begly, associate vice president of development & chief development officer.
“Sue is the best kind of volunteer,” he said. “She was able to operate at a very high level and was also willing to do the smaller things that are critical to building relationships vital to campaigns like this. She’s a wonderful ambassador for William & Mary.”
Rebecca Murray M.B.A. ’23, campaign director, said that Sue’s warmth draws people in.
“She is so kind,” she said. “People gravitate to her and feel very comfortable around her. There’s no pretense. She makes you feel like family.”
Many people know her as “Mrs. William & Mary,” said Senior Vice President for University Advancement Matthew T. Lambert ’99. Part of what makes Sue so extraordinary is her humility and willingness to do anything needed, Lambert said.
“I have profound admiration for her steady and capable leadership, wise and calm counsel, generous gifts and devotion to alma mater and For the Bold,” said Lambert. “Most importantly, I am grateful for her friendship, which is the greatest gift I could have ever hoped for during my own William & Mary journey.”
Sue’s success with For the Bold led to the opportunity to take the helm of All In. With John having played football and Sue a member of the Mermettes synchronized swim team, the Gerdelmans have been longtime supporters of W&M Athletics. With Sue at the helm, All In raised $57.2 million.
In addition to supporting W&M Athletics, the Gerdelmans have generously supported many other aspects of William & Mary, including through the annual Gerdelman School & Unit Challenge during One Tribe One Day.
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this prestigious award than Sue Gerdelman,” said Director of Athletics Brian Mann. “Sue has long distinguished herself in our community with exemplary civic leadership and unwavering commitment to William & Mary. Her service to athletics has positively impacted the trajectory not only of our department but also that of countless student-athletes. Sue’s enduring leadership continues to inspire those around her, and I will be forever grateful for her friendship and counsel.”
A decorated legacy of service
For her many contributions, Sue was awarded the Alumni Medallion, the university’s highest honor for alumni, in 2011. In 2024, she received an Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award at Commencement. Currently, she is chair of her 50th Reunion Committee and a member of the W&M Athletics Foundation Board and is in her second stint on the W&M Foundation Board, where she chairs the Real Estate Committee.
In addition to her service to William & Mary, Sue has been active in the local community, including the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees. She is also currently a member of the steering committee for the VA250 commission, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the nation and Virginia’s role in establishing it.
For all that she has given, Sue says she has received much more.
“I’ve learned. I’ve grown,” she said. “It’s really been an extraordinary experience to be so involved.”
Erin Jay, Senior Associate Director of University News