Have you ever wondered what calls alumni to join the Virginia Polo Board of Directors and motivates them to give their valuable time and treasure to our 501(c)(3) organization? Our Directors passionately believe in the mission of Virginia Polo:
To provide students with the opportunity to experience the sport of polo at an affordable price and to instill in each student the merits of responsibility, hard work, dedication, the rewards of fellowship, working as a team, and the ability to compete in an intercollegiate sport on the national level.
Most of our directors are alumni who believe their years spent in the Virginia Polo Club profoundly impacted their personal development and equipped them with skills that benefit them in their professional lives. They dedicate their valuable time to governing the club now to ensure current and future students have the opportunities they benefited from.
Ashley Hart
As a student Ashley Hart, UVA Class of 2012, was very involved in the Polo Club. She first learned how to play polo in high school with Mary Muldoon in Poolesville, Maryland. When she arrived at UVA, she was thrilled to be able to continue to hone her polo skills– coming to the barn daily to enjoy as much horse time as possible and playing all four years. She embraced a leadership role in the club and served as club team captain in her third and fourth years. Even while in school she was eager to pass on her knowledge to other students learning polo.
Along with the joy of learning and playing polo and helping others to learn, she forged a lifelong friendship with Meg (Greenhalgh) Pryde. A friendship that continues now as the two enjoy serving on the board together and playing in alumni chukkers.
After graduating from UVA, Ashley attended law school at Washington & Lee. She continued to ride occasionally when opportunities arose, but was unable to continue with polo due to the demands of law school. That being said, Ashley’s alumni involvement with VA Polo started early, connecting with past Board Chair and lawyer Nancy Schlichting while she was working in Charlottesville during her first summer in law school. Ashley had first met Nancy during her undergraduate years when Nancy hosted fundraising phone-a-thons. As Chair, Nancy was working with alumni to plan the club’s 60th anniversary celebration and Ashley offered to help. She attended the 60th anniversary party and met alumni from all years. She recalls the “Buy the Land Campaign,” and still has a mason jar of VA Polo dirt in her house from supporting the club’s goal to purchase the Virginia Polo Center property from Alumni Hall- one that was successful.
Upon graduating with her law degree, she accepted a position in Harrisonburg, Virginia and fully dedicated herself to her career. With little spare time, riding and polo continued to be put on hold. She missed the excitement of polo and time with horses and was motivated to get back into the sport she loved. Nearly three years ago, Ashley moved from Harrisonburg back to Charlottesville and looked to see how she could reintegrate polo into her life. Here her Virginia Polo connections came into play.
When she looked to move to Charlottesville, Ashley reached out to Nancy Schlichting for advice. “There is great value in the network polo provides,” Ashley said. This proved true for her professionally because, as it turned out, Nancy’s firm had an opening and her polo connection facilitated her move to Charlottesville. Her friendship with Meg Pryde had also kept Ashley connected to Virginia Polo through the years. As a new Charlottesville local, she was eager to get back into polo. Both Nancy and Meg encouraged her to join the board.
Ashley began serving on the Virginia Polo Board of Directors in October of 2022. Since then, she has taken an active role lending her legal expertise as needed to board matters. Along with helping the legal committee, Ashley supports club events, attending Nationals hosted at the Virginia Polo Center and attending the 70th Anniversary Celebration last October. This is an enjoyable, but no less important part of a directors’ role, as attending events helps by showing support of program initiatives and supporting from a fundraising perspective as well. Additionally, when board members show up like Ashley does, it gives the students an opportunity to meet alumni who remain committed to the program after graduation and envision themselves in a similar role of giving back later in their own lives. As she had hoped, Ashley reentered polo and enjoys playing in alumni chukkers.
Ashley enjoys her role on the board of directors and the opportunity to stay connected with the club, fellow alumni, and the current students who play. She is instrumental in helping the next generation of UVA students by actively engaging in prospective student interviews and supporting applicants with recommendation letters. She sets a good example for students on how to give back to the club after graduation and exemplifies how the network of polo can be beneficial to both an alum’s professional and personal lives.
Ashley Hart said it best herself:
I'm excited to be on the Board to be giving back to an organization that brought me some of my closest friendships, taught me leadership and responsibility, and gave me incredible opportunities to grow my horsemanship. While in college, I loved being able to head to the barn and spend a few hours in a beautiful setting, caring for horses, and playing on a team. I look forward to helping grow these opportunities for current UVA students.
Thank you Ashley for your time and commitment to the Virginia Polo Club!
