Sally Mallory ’59

Fostering a Culture of Scholarship and Passion for Chemistry

Sally Mallory ’59, M.A. ’60, Ph.D. ’63 has been giving back to Bryn Mawr since her graduation. Recently retired from the University of Pennsylvania, where she spent 39 years as a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Sally’s gifts towards the Defy Expectation Campaign are focused on encouraging more young women to enter the field of chemistry. Notably, she established the Frank B. Mallory Endowed Professorship to support the Department of Chemistry. This professorship will carry the legacy of Sally’s and Frank’s passion for chemistry forward for generations to come.

From the first moment she arrived on campus, Sally experienced an exciting sense that one could truly be anything one wanted to be. She refers to the feeling as a “culture of scholarship” fostered on campus. That quintessential Bryn Mawr culture encouraged her to explore chemistry as a career, even though it was unusual for women to enter the sciences at the time.

Over the years Sally and Frank have made gifts to Bryn Mawr in a variety of ways, including establishing charitable gift annuities. To create the professorship, Sally worked closely with the Gift Planning team to achieve her philanthropic goals. Together they identified multiple giving methods such as making qualified charitable contributions from her IRA  and donating real estate. As Sally says:

“Frank and I had decided 10 to 15 years ago that we would eventually leave our Caversham house to the College. I did so last spring and that gift enabled the College to establish the Frank B. Mallory Professorship in Chemistry. This is such a fitting way for him to be remembered at the College where he taught for 54 years! President Kim Cassidy announced at Commencement that Michelle Francl (who is now the chair of the Chemistry Department) will hold that chair. I couldn’t be more delighted with that choice and I know Frank would be as well!”

Discover how you can strategically use your assets to achieve your philanthropic goals here. Learn more about the Frank B. Mallory Professorship here.