Converse II Alumna Celebrates Community with Commuter Center Gift

Written by Baker Maultsby

As president of the Converse Commuter Club, Leslie Ramirez ’25 (Nisbet Honors) works hard to help students feel “supported, connected, and equipped with the tools and knowledge” to have the best Converse experience possible.

To that end, she has been passionate about updating and enhancing the commuter student lounge in the Montgomery Student Center. The space is important, Ramirez said, because “we don’t always get to go home to a dorm room and unwind like residents do. For us, the lounge can serve as a place to have lunch, relax, make a cup of coffee, watch a show or gather with friends.”

This summer, university leaders embraced the possibility of making the lounge a more functional and appealing space. And they found a generous supporter of the idea: Fain McDaniel, a Converse trustee and member of the class of 1992.

McDaniel was a single mother who enrolled as a Converse II student. Commuting each day from Greenville, she managed to have a great academic experience while establishing friendships among students and faculty members. 

“I felt a real sense of community at Converse,” she said.

Still, there were times when it was difficult to find a good meeting space or just a comfortable spot to recharge or study. She spent lots of time in the library, and the fledgling commuter student organization could book the Log Cabin for meetings.

But, McDaniel said, “I wish that we’d had a dedicated place … something nice that would draw students in.”

Now she’s helping make that happen.

“This is a project that speaks to my legacy – I’m proud,” she said.

“This is a project that speaks to my legacy – I’m proud.”

Fain McDaniel ’92

Following her graduation from Converse, McDaniel went on to become a CPA. Her first job was with a firm in Spartanburg. She eventually became a partner with KPMG LLP, where she provided audit and attest services to large multinational/global, middle market and start-up public, private and nonprofit entities.

McDaniel is now retired and living in Greenville.

“I spent my career in a collaborative environment, and I worked with teams all around the world. We can get on Zoom and that kind of thing. But part of human nature is that we require contact beyond social media and Zoom,” she said.

“It’s important to have spaces where students can come together and just talk. And having a location that’s comfortable and inviting – a place where you can talk or study or meet – is very important for commuter students.”

Roughly one-third of Converse students are commuters.

Lexi Stoneburner, who serves as Director of New Student Experiences and Transitions, said the renovated commuter center fits the university’s vision for enhancing campus life across the spectrum of the student body.

“Converse is great at bringing people together, creating a sense of belonging,” she said. “That can sometimes happen with residential students more easily. But all of our students matter equally – and that’s why this space is so important.”

“Converse is great at bringing people together…all of our students matter equally.”

Lexi Stoneburner

The newly renovated Fain Langdale McDaniel Commuter Center will be a “testament to the university’s commitment to cultivating a vibrant and inclusive community,” said Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy Kimberly Jolley. “This refreshed space is designed to be more than just a place to wait between classes; it’s a dynamic hub where day students can unwind, engage, and connect.” 

Whether students are looking for a comfortable spot to relax, a collaborative environment to work on group projects, or a welcoming place to catch up with friends, the commuter center offers the space to meet their needs.

“We are immensely grateful to Fain for supporting this project,” Jolley said.

McDaniel is in her 11th year as a member of the Converse Board of Trustees. She believes the university has made bold moves to secure its future – changes she believes are “the right way forward to uphold the values of the institution and have those values passed on to new generations of students.”

McDaniel added: “I am more excited today about Converse than ever before.”

As she reflects on what the university has meant to her life, McDaniel feels grateful – and determined to support the success of all Converse students. Converse II and other commuter students continue to hold a special place in her heart.

“We have poured our hearts and souls into this project.”

Leslie Ramirez ’25

She hopes they will have a lifelong relationship with the university, and she envisions the renovated commuter center as “a springboard for students to have an experience that stays with them.”

Commuter Club president Ramirez certainly believes in the potential of the renovation to enhance student life and strengthen commuter students’ ties to the Converse community. 

“We’re looking forward to seeing how our plans for the renovation will come together in the end,” she said. “We have poured our hearts and souls into this project.”