Retired educator now draws a bead on business

By Jenny Rosti

As full of twists and turns as the jewelry she now helps people create, life for Alyce Rodeniser Szathmary ’60 continues to take her in unexpected directions.

“What we think we want to do is often not the best path for us,” says the accomplished educator now tackling the world of business. “Sometimes other things are just meant to happen.”

Szathmary, who was honored with the Roanoke College Medal in 2002, entered the College at 16, intent on becoming a physician.  “I loved my Roanoke College experience,” says the Roanoke native.  “My professors were so personal with students both in and out of class.  Most importantly, they challenged me academically.”  By 19, she had earned a double major in biology and chemistry and a full scholarship to the Medical College of Virginia.  Married and pregnant during her first year there, she took a hiatus, and when her daughter, Kristie, was eight, Szathmary reapplied to medical school and was accepted. “But my heart just wasn’t in it anymore,” she says.

Her heart, in fact, was with children and the challenge of engaging them in learning, as she had been at Roanoke College.  Beginning as a science and math teacher in Roanoke public schools, Szathmary advanced to department chair, assistant principal, principal of Breckinridge Junior High School, director of magnet schools and finally principal of William Fleming High School, a position she held for 12 years.  While at Breckinridge and Fleming, she helped lead both schools to earn U.S. Department of Education awards for being among the top schools in the nation.  Sometimes logging in 14-hour days at Fleming, she was hailed as “Mother Szathmary” by many of the students.  After her retirement in 1999, the school renamed the building that houses the School of Arts as “Szathmary Hall.”

Szathmary had planned after she retired to read law under her attorney husband, Robert, so that they might practice together, but again her plans changed.  Her daughter, who had achieved the medical degree her mother did not, decided to leave her family practice after 10 years and pursue her passion – beaded jewelry – and she wanted to do it with her mom.

Three years ago, the two opened Beads Indeed! on Roanoke’s City Market.  Specializing in beads from around the world, the upscale store allows customers to design and make their own jewelry. Roanokers voted it “Best New Store” in both 2004 and 2005 in the City Magazine, and it’s now one of the largest bead stores on the East Coast and even expanding on the Web.

“Thank goodness Roanoke College encouraged me to explore different interests," Szathmary says, chuckling. “They said you need to broaden your horizons, and it’s made a real difference.”