From a Brainstorm to the Blue Chair: Where Fontbonne Stories Come Full Circle



Ashley, who has built a career in luxury travel and content creation after beginning her professional journey in finance, was the perfect person to launch this series.

But it wasn't her career accomplishments that made the afternoon so memorable.

It was her story.

Within the first few sentences, Ashley's eyes filled with tears.

"I loved Fontbonne."

"You girls are so lucky. These were the best years of my life."

And then, almost in the same breath, she shared something that made her story even more meaningful.

"I didn't want to go to Fontbonne."

There it was. The full-circle moment.

The young girl who once didn't want to attend Fontbonne was now sitting in a blue chair, nearly two decades after graduation, telling a room full of students just how much this place had shaped her life.

As Ashley reflected on her journey, one thing became abundantly clear: Fontbonne is woven into the fabric of who she is.

The friendships. The confidence. The resilience. The courage to take chances, ask for what you want, and believe in yourself even when the answer is no.

Ashley spoke about the unexpected turns life can take. How the path you imagine for yourself isn't always the path you follow. How failure can become opportunity, and how sometimes the greatest things happen when you're brave enough to bet on yourself.

She reminded our students that success isn't a straight line and that the strength to navigate life's twists and turns often begins long before we realize it.

For Ashley, so much of that foundation was built right here at Fontbonne.

And for those of us listening, it was a reminder of exactly why we created this series.

Because these are the stories worth telling.

The Blue Chair Series isn't simply about inviting accomplished alumnae back to campus to talk about their careers.

It's about the moments in between.

The stories of who they were before they became who they are today.

The teachers who believed in them. The friendships that carried them. The lessons they didn't realize they were learning until years later.

It's about giving our current students the opportunity to see themselves in the women who came before them.

And it's about reminding our alumnae that no matter how far life takes them, there will always be a place for them at Fontbonne.

What started as a brainstorm is quickly becoming something much more meaningful.

A movement of storytelling, sisterhood, nostalgia, and connection.

One blue chair. One alumna. One story at a time. And perhaps the most beautiful part? Every woman who sits in that chair brings a different story, but somehow, they all lead back to the same place. Fontbonne.

Next Up: Alumna and Author Carlene Marie — November 3

On Tuesday, November 3, we are thrilled to welcome alumna and author Carlene Marie to the Blue Chair for the very first stop on her book tour!

Carlene is the author of Enough Already: Release Self-Doubt, Reclaim Your Worth, Remember Your Light, a powerful book that encourages women to break free from self-doubt, rediscover their confidence, and recognize the worth they have always carried within them.

Discover Carlene's book, Enough Already, on Amazon!

From the stories that shaped her at Fontbonne to the journey that led her to become an author, Carlene will bring another inspiring perspective to our growing series.

Her visit is another opportunity to celebrate the incredible women who make up our alumnae community and remind our students that their own stories are still being written.

Because that's the beauty of Fontbonne.

Every graduate has a story. Every story has the power to inspire. And every time an alumna comes home, a little piece of Fontbonne's history comes alive again.



The chair may be blue, but the stories are pure Fontbonne.