Alumna Christina Lindholm Honored with Spirit of Martha Award
Members of the Griffiths Leadership Society honor an MU woman each spring with the Spirit of Martha Award. The 2011 recipient is Christina Lindholm, the Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Lindholm studied clothing and textiles at Mizzou where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After leaving Mizzou, Lindholm began her academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. While on the faculty, she also served as curator of the historic costume collection and as chair of student affairs for the School of Design. She joined Virginia Commonwealth University in 1995 as Chair of the Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising, VCU School of the Arts.
In 1997, Lindholm participated in the USIS Grant Faculty Exchange Program, teaching fashion design at Bulawayo Polytechnic in Zimbabwe. Following her experience as a visiting professor, Lindholm assumed the role of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts. In this role, she oversees the 3,000 students enrolled in the college.
Lowanne Jones, one of her nominators, stated that, “Christina is a woman of vision, able to see what needs to be done and do it. She is a wise woman and a leader in her field.” Chuck Thorpe, a co-nominator and dean of a sister university in Qatar, said, “Christina should be honored for founding the first true oversees branch campus, for leadership in oversees education, for empowering women through education, and for being a role model and inspiration.”
The award was created in 2006 as a way to recognize MU women who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession and exemplify the spirit of leadership particularly in the furtherance of women. Past recipients include Pam Benoit, Executive Vice President and Provost, Ohio University; Rebecca McDowell Cook, former Missouri Secretary of State; Cynthia Mustard, Executive Director of the Voluntary Action Center in Columbia; and Linda Remelle Evans, retired director of the Missouri Division of Judicial Education.