During Sweet Briar’s 116th Commencement ceremony, Norma Patteson Mills ’60 received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the College.
In its 124-year history, this is an honor that the College has rarely bestowed on an individual. Following a lifetime of extraordinary service and generosity to many arts and cultural organizations, Mrs. Mills is truly deserving of this special title, said officials.
A native of Amherst, Va., Mrs. Mills was interested in attending Sweet Briar from childhood. She entered the College in fall 1956 as a proud member of the Class of 1960, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She left Sweet Briar at the end of her junior year to get married to the love of her life, Olan Mills, and move with him to his hometown of Chattanooga, though she never forgot Sweet Briar.
She completed her psychology degree at the University of Chattanooga, and earned a degree from the Education for Ministry Program at Sewanee: The University of the South. Throughout their lives together, Norma and Olan have been philanthropic leaders and visionary donors to a number of nonprofits and institutions, including Sweet Briar College. They have joined others in transforming the city of Chattanooga through their service and commitment to their community. In recognition of their generosity to the College, which has supported a variety of vital purposes, Sweet Briar’s Memorial Chapel was renamed the Mills Chapel in 2021.
In addition to her generosity, Mrs. Mills has also dedicated her time to inspiring others to give through serving on several campaign cabinets for Sweet Briar. She served on the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors and is also a former member of the Alumnae Board. She and Olan have been regular attendees at events supporting the College. Furthermore, Mrs. Mills was honored with the College’s Outstanding Alumna Award in 2005.
As an active civic and church leader in her community, Mrs. Mills' philanthropy and dedication has benefited Sweet Briar College and touched many lives. She has served on several church search committees and on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Chattanooga Children’s Hospital Foundation, Tennessee Aquarium, AIM Center of Chattanooga, Tennessee River Gorge Trust, University of Chattanooga Foundation, Episcopal Media Center, Sewanee, and Hunter Museum of Art. Mrs. Mills is the former president of the board of the Bright School, vice chairman of the Campaign for Sewanee, and co-chair of the Visiting Committee of the School of Theology of Sewanee.
For their extraordinary service to the arts community of Chattanooga, Norma and Olan were presented with the Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award by ArtsBuild in 2024.
“Clearly, Norma Mills has a deep appreciation for the value and benefit of art and culture on the spiritual well-being, creativity, and intellectual lives of the people in the communities she and her husband are part of,” President Mary Pope M. Huston ’83 said while presenting the degree during Commencement.