Quilts are used frequently as metaphors in books, plays and speeches. Piecing together multiple scraps of fabric to form a new object shows resourcefulness. Mixing different textile blocks and patterns, in different shapes and colors, displays the beauty of diversity. And stitching it all together with a common thread highlights the unity or shared beliefs of a community. In the end, a quilt can tell a powerful and meaningful story.
It seems fitting, then, that when President Emeritus Vivian A. Bull (1934-2022) retired from Linfield in 2005, she was presented with a purple and cardinal quilt.
Bull’s legacy at Linfield is woven into the institution’s history and culture. Her financial leadership resulted in a record-breaking fundraising campaign, a near-doubling of campus land holdings and the establishment of financial support for faculty and student research. She advocated for marginalized populations on campus and enhanced the university’s international programs. She generously gave of herself as an active member of the Linfield, McMinnville, Methodist and global communities.
“The Linfield Quilt” presented to Bull was pieced, quilted and embroidered over the course of two years by a group of 13 employees. After receiving the quilt, Bull sent a note to Shelly (Sorensen) Sanderlin ’83 writing, “I am so deeply indebted to all of you for this wonderful gift, of yourselves and of Linfield. I promise to return it to the library but will cherish it in the meantime.”
True to her word, the quilt returned for Bull’s campus memorial on Nov. 12, 2022, and now resides within the Vivian A. Bull Collection in Linfield’s Archives and Special Collections. Visitors can view the quilt, a tribute to a leader, colleague and friend who is permanently woven into the fabric of Linfield’s 165-year history.
Appointments can be made by calling 503-883-2734 or emailing archives@linfield.edu.
