Beth Alexander and Joan Garety

The popularity of women's athletics is growing at an astronomical rate across the country. Proof of this trend is in the record crowds attending women's NCAA championships, new women's professional sport leagues, and the increasing visibility of all women's sports in the national media. Much of this recent success can be traced to athletic visionaries such as Billie Jean King, Donna Lopiano and Nancy Lieberman-Cline who challenged the status quo to provide more opportunities for female athletes. Michigan State University is fortunate to have our own visionaries, Beth Alexander and Joan Garety, leading the way.

Providing opportunity is what it's all about for Alexander. She is a professor in the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State, a member of the MSU Health Team, and an avid tennis player. A true and loyal Spartan, Alexander believes in the benefits associated with team sports and says she is "committed to women's athletics as a vehicle for helping young women students."
Her most recent and primary interest has been in supporting the women's tennis team, but she also supports women's basketball and other campus academic and cultural programs. Tim Bauer, head coach of MSU's women's tennis team, sees Alexander as the ultimate Spartan supporter. "She understands our goal of making better people, not just better tennis players," Alexander helps accomplish this goal by pledging her support. She is a Spartan Fund Scholarship Level donor, is recognized for her overall contributions in the prestigious Jonathan L. Snyder Society, and is honored in the Linda E. Landon Society through provisions made in her estate for a future gift to benefit MSU.

Joan Garety (Accounting, '79) is another great Spartan and generous supporter of women's athletics. She was a member of four Big Ten Conference champion women's golf teams from 1974 to 1978 and served as a captain of the team for two years. Garety, Vice President and Treasurer for Meijer, Inc. in Grand Rapids, is a supporter of MSU's newly crowned Big Ten Champion women's golf team. The women's golf team travels extensively to play tournaments in warmer climates and against the top competition in the country. The support of alumni, fans and friends of the team makes it possible for the team to challenge themselves against the top players in the nation while also building the Michigan State name and image around the country.

Head women's golf coach Stacy Slobodnik knows she is fortunate to have loyal and dedicated alumni like Garety contributing to her program. "Joan is a wonderful ambassador for our university and for the women's golf program," she said. "I feel very lucky to have her as an alumnus of our program, and more importantly as an alumnus who supports us in our goals." Garety generously supports the goals of the program through her personal financial contributions. Like Alexander, she is a Ralph Young Fund Scholarship Level donor who is also recognized university-wide in the John A. Hannah Society.

The opportunity for female student-athletes has never been better. Right now, people like Beth Alexander and Joan Garety are making a difference and building a legacy for women's athletics at Michigan State.