Associate Professor of Business Strategy, University of Virginia
Name: Adelaide Wilcox King
Years as a Camper: 5 Summers (1970-1974)
Years as a Staff Member/Positions held: Riflery Counselor in 1980. This was kind of a random position, especially since I had stopped going to Seafarer to play competitive tennis. But it was the opening that came up when I was looking for work, and it was so much fun to have the chance to go back as a counselor.
Current Profession and Title/Years in role: Associate Professor, Business Strategy, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia, 28 years
Can you provide a brief overview of your job responsibilities?
I teach business strategy courses to undergraduates and pre-experience grad students, conduct research on organizations and have held a variety of administrative roles.
Do you have any career advice for members of our Camp community?
Pay attention to what is meaningful to you and find work that allows you to have an impact in that direction.
What do you believe have been some of your greatest personal and professional accomplishments? Is there a goal toward which you are currently working?
My greatest personal accomplishments are being a mom to Alexandra and Ruffin, and that I have maintained a number of wonderful friendships throughout my life. My greatest professional accomplishments were earning tenure at UVA and any work I’ve done that had a positive impact on my students and colleagues. The goal I’m currently working on is to continue to move forward with a loving and productive life alongside the deep grief I continue to feel since Ruffin died in 2021.
How do the values or skills you learned at Camp show up in your everyday work and/or personal life?
For me, Seafarer was a loving and joyful community that encouraged growth and development of skills and capabilities that I valued. The combination of structure and freedom to try new things was perfect for me. As a professor, I aim to create similar communities where students feel they belong and are challenged to learn about themselves and grow in meaningful ways.
Is there a person or a situation that had a huge influence on you while you were at Camp? How and why did they/it impact you?
My last summer as a camper I sustained a 9” cut on my leg in a freak Hobie Cat accident. The counselor who was with me was all of 17 and was so brave and mature in helping me feel safe as we swam/hobbled onto land so I could be carted to Sea Gull for stitches. I wasn’t able to go in the water for the rest of Camp but everyone was SO nice in making that last week fun and looking out for me. My sister Melissa was in Camp I and delivered a sweet note and stationery to be on my bunk when I got back from Sea Gull, despite being terrified that she appeared to be cabin squatting. My counselor, Hope Faircloth, made extra trips with me to the infirmary and made extra time hanging out with me seem like exactly the way she wanted to spend her time. I took the Hobie Cat Skipper written test and am sure I didn’t score high enough to pass, but Captain Bill signed my Blue Book anyway. This was such a great lesson that hard times also bring out the chance to see and experience how brave, kind and generous people can be.
Favorite Camp meal: Fried Chicken
Favorite Camp event: As a camper, I envied the girls who had birthdays during Camp and got to run around the Mess Hall, knowing I never would because my birthday is May 25. Then my family went to Family Camp over Memorial Day weekend AND I DID!!
Devotion you best remember from Camp: The one about saying something unkind is like squeezing toothpaste out of the tube.
