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‘This Great Adventure’: Alumnus takes on new role behind the Red Brick Wall

Ludo Lemaitre ’11, director of alumnae and alumni relations

As a young teen, Ludo Lemaitre ’11 had his future planned out. He’d attend a university in his native Belgium to study chemistry or environmental science.

Then his father threw him for a loop, accepting a job offer in Northern Virginia. Although Lemaitre’s parents gave him the option to stay in Belgium to finish high school, he chose to join them and his younger siblings on what he now calls “this great adventure.”

He began his senior year in the United States and started the college application process. The College—and being a member of the first coed class—intrigued him, and he began what would become a life-changing journey as part of the Randolph family, first as a student, then an employee.

In January, he took on his latest role as director of alumnae and alumni relations.

“Ludo brings a unique set of skills and experience to his new role as director,” said Farah Marks, vice president for institutional advancement. “Ludo graduated in 2011, and he has remained a member of the campus community ever since, having now served in five different roles in the areas of sustainability, alumni relations, and development. He appreciates and values the traditions and rich history of R-MWC, while being able to engage across a diverse range of Randolph graduates.”

The thing that first attracted Lemaitre to the College is what has also kept him here for more than a decade.

“Out of all the colleges and universities I visited, Randolph ended up being the most responsive and caring,” he said. “The level of attention I received from professors and staff sealed the deal for me.”

Once he was behind the Red Brick Wall, Lemaitre flourished as an active member of the College community.

“I got wrapped into more projects than I can count, and those projects—from the Organic Garden to the Bike Share Program—are a major reason I stayed at the College post-graduation,” he said. “Of course, every project takes a village, and what has stuck with me all these years, what really led to the successful completion of all the initiatives I have been a part of, is the sense of community I have felt throughout.”

After graduating with an environmental science degree, Lemaitre served as the College’s first sustainability coordinator. The work enabled him to continue projects he’d tackled as a student while also moving ahead with money-saving initiatives, including implementing a campus-wide single-stream recycling program and negotiating one of Virginia’s first renewable energy purchase contracts for an institution of higher learning.

During his time here, he has also served as the assistant director of the College’s Annual Fund and held positions in prospect research and corporate and foundation relations.

“I loved the perpetual discovery of countless alumnae and alumni who had held exciting careers in every field imaginable,” Lemaitre said. “This is when I started thinking about the alumni relations world and the many opportunities there are to continue cultivating the sense of community I experienced as a student.”

As director of alumnae and alumni relations, he works to keep graduates connected to both the College and current students, meeting the needs of graduates across the generations.

“Our role is to listen to everyone’s suggestions in order to better serve each generation. This is where our committed groups of volunteers, who constitute the R-MWC Alumnae and Randolph College Alumni Association, really shine and help provide this crucial feedback,” he said. “Opportunities to engage alumnae from earlier decades with younger alumni makes for much richer and meaningful interactions. These cross-generational exchanges contribute to a better understanding of the world we live in, and in turn, help its participants to live a life more abundant.”

This story appears in the Spring 2022 edition of Randolph College’s magazine, Vita Abundantior. 

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