Christina Mercer McGinley (‘84) was one of the first 12 female students to arrive on Webb’s campus during her sophomore year. She spent her freshman year at Claremont High School, transferring to Webb later when they opened enrollment to female students at the Vivian Webb School. As a Webb student, she spent each morning riding her bike up to the campus from Sumner Avenue, excited to embark on the new challenges and experiences within VWS.  

McGinley was a passionate student who loved the openness of the campus and exhibited admirable qualities of bravery for her time. The achievement at Webb she is most proud of is helping develop the Honor Council. At Webb, she participated in numerous theater productions as an actor and technician and played in multiple varsity sports including basketball and tennis. She was fond of the pranks her class would pull on the teachers, such as bringing food for her entire math class when her teacher told her that if she had to eat in class, she had to bring food for the whole class. She appreciated that Webb was a safe place that encouraged individuality.  

Her favorite part of Webb was the innovative spirit that the pioneer class developed, as well as the lifelong friendships formed. She mentioned that it was student-led initiatives and proactivity that built the school. 

“Looking back, we got so much power given to us to do that work,” said McGinley. “We could have just shown up to the school and had it all done for us. But we had endless meetings. We were deciding on school colors, and some of the ideas were terrible. Another example was deciding whether we wanted to have cheerleaders or not — that was a big deal.” 

One of the stories we found simultaneously inspiring and amusing was her senior chapel talk. She discussed the inequality and disrespect that WSC students treated VWS students with, embodying the message of “you guys suck” to WSC students to hold them accountable and bring awareness to the issue. This talk was given only to WSC students, addressing the inequality and disrespect that the VWS students face. She received support and guidance from both the school administration and the peers around her to deliver her talk. 

With the school merging this year, she had a positive mindset when discussing preserving the legacy of VWS.  

“I hope that the spirit of student-involved institutional recreation and reinvention that created VWS will live on,” McGinley said. “The world needs leaders who can imagine something new, disrupt what is, and create something different. I also believe we all need that kind of imagination and creation, and sometimes disruption to live fully.”