Virginia “Ginnie” Cretella Mars ʼ51

“Ginnie Mars was one of Vassar’s finest trustees,” Vassar President Emerita Frances Fergusson said. “She brought her intelligence, commitment, love for Vassar, wit, and charm to every trustee meeting and every task she undertook. As the indefatigable chair of the Campaign for Vassar in the 1990s, she was central to raising then-record resources for the College.

“Ginnie traveled the country with me, speaking persuasively to our [alums]—and offering the Campaign hat off her head to anyone who would make a substantial pledge,” Fergusson continued. She was a delightful presence, always with a smile and great warmth for all of us who were her friends. I loved being with Ginnie. She was, in every way, the best of Vassar.”

As a student, Mars sang in the Vassar Choir while studying art and drama. She earned her bachelor’s degree and teaching certification in 1951. After graduation, she began her teaching career in Connecticut. In 1955, she married Forrest E. Mars Jr., whom she divorced in 1990. Mars channeled her passion for the arts, conservation, and education into philanthropy by founding the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation in 1994.

Mars was deeply involved with Vassar, volunteering in numerous roles. She served as a trustee and chaired the campaign committee, was president of her class, and led the Class Reunion Gift Committee. Additionally, she was active on the Vassar Fund Committee. She received the 2005 AAVC Outstanding Service to Vassar Award for her dedication and volunteer contributions.

“Ginnie Mars was exceptional in her generosity and leadership as a Vassar alumna,” Vassar President Elizabeth H. Bradley said. “She was a board member for 12 years, co-chair of a capital campaign, and ever ready to jump on a call or Zoom to give sage advice that I treasured. She was truly one of a kind, in a category all her own, and someone I will miss dearly.”

Mars was a stalwart supporter of the Annual Fund, giving for nearly 50 consecutive years a total of $4 million in unrestricted operating support to the College. She played a key role in funding several important projects, including the Fitness Center, the Class of 1951 Scholarship Fund, the entrance to the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, and the Class of 1951 Observatory. In 2023, Mars celebrated the opening of the Richard L. Cretella Tennis Center, which she helped establish in memory of her brother.

“I was in awe of Ginnie Mars—my mentor from another generation,” Missie Rennie Taylor ʼ68, former AAVC Board of Directors Trustee and friend to Mars, said. “I used to drive her from New York City to Poughkeepsie, and once, my car had a flat tire. The ultimate Vassar ‘doer,’ the respected and elegant Ginnie rolled the tire to the nearest station with me, laughing the whole way! That wasn’t in her job description, but it showed who she truly was. I aspire to be like her, though there will never be another Ginnie.”