Southwestern Magazine | Spring 2020

signed by the male passengers before they stepped off the ship. It established early self-governance, and the strands of its ideals are woven into the American democracy of today. He credits his SouthwesternExperience for teaching himthe skills for this kind of nuanced interpretation. “Writing long papers and defending hypotheses taughtme to assimilate vast amounts of information very quickly, distill that information, and communicate it clearly and concisely. It was hard work, but it has paid off many times over. That kind of thinking is so critical to understanding what truth is.” Croxford’s voyage to England began on a short-term work stint. He became an ardent Anglophile and relocated there 13 years ago. “It felt like home,” he says. “It is a very different culture. Thework–life balance is really a balance, and there is amuchmore collaborative working environment. It suits my nature andmy personality.” And havingmet and forged a life with his husband of four years in the U.K., he can’t imagine leaving. In a sense, the Mayflower landing marks a genealogical watershed. ThirteenmillionAmericans can trace their history to a passenger, including recent presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Organizers like Croxford are hoping that many of these descendants will want to make their own personal voyage for the 400th anniversary and experience their ancestry firsthand. After all, says Croxford, whether by blood or inheritance, “everyone in America has some connection back to the Mayflower story,” says Croxford. “We have all been impacted in some way.” For more information about global commemorations, visit www.Mayflower400uk.org. Alumni Spotlight continued from page 7 Scarlett's Letter continued from page 5 theBoard of Trustees and thePresidential SearchCommittee, our next president will be well vetted and undoubtedly well prepared to lead our beloved university successfully forward. As we look to the future of the University’s marketing and communications, I ask that you please take the readership survey located inside the back cover, after page 42. It is important for us to knowhowyouwant to receive information about Southwestern and what types of content most appeal to you as an alum, donor, parent, student, or member of the faculty or staff. We want and need to hear from you. Finally, I want to express my personal appreciation to President Knobel and the senior staff for welcoming me back to Southwestern and helping me step into the world of higher education. My deepest thanks to the staff of the Office of Marketing and Communications, who are incredibly dedicated, wildly creative, and genuinely remarkable humans. You’ve made my leap back to Southwestern so easy, and I feel so lucky to work with you every day. Sincerely, Scarlett J. Moss ’86 Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Vice President for Integrated Communications The Mayflower Memorial in Southampton, U.K., was constructed in 1913 to commemorate the British seaport where the ship was provisioned for its trans-Atlantic voyage. IF YOU ARE INTERE STED IN BEING AN AMBASSADOR FOR SOUTHWE STERN, VISIT SOUTHWE S TERN.EDU/AMBA S SADOR S. #BeSouthwestern /SouthwesternUniversity @SouthwesternU @SouthwesternU K E E P U P W I T H S O U T H W E S T E R N O N S O C I A L M E D I A ! 38 SOUTHWESTERN