Scene Magazine | Winter 2021
After a quiet drive on country roads en route to Baroda, Michigan, alumni of St. Ambrose University will feel a familiar sense of peace as they arrive at the Ambrose Bed & Breakfast and enter its main room, where tall ceilings resemble those of Christ the King Chapel.
A warm welcome from owners Angie (Pritchard) '89, '97 MBA and Dave Seger '85, and a home-cooked breakfast with fresh coffee and inviting conversation will also feel familiar to those who once called the St. Ambrose campus home.
Proudly displayed near the front entrance are diplomas from their alma mater and business namesake. SAU- and bee-themed decor are tastefully found throughout the entire B&B, including a gifted print of Ambrose Hall from the Alumni Office.
The building was built in the early 1900s and served as a schoolhouse, then a church before the Segers purchased it in 2018. After a complete renovation, the Ambrose Bed & Breakfast opened in 2020. Suites are named after each place the Segers have called home, including "The Davenport," the largest of the five suites, perfect for special occasions.
Since opening its doors, the Ambrose B&B has hosted several alumni celebrating anniversaries, honeymoons and annual get-togethers. That includes Angie's girlfriends from SAU, who have been Day One supporters of the Seger's newest endeavor.
"We get together every year," Angie said. "And I remember just bouncing the idea off of my girlfriends one year and they were so supportive. We've had so much support, it never felt like it was just our project. It was an extended family and friends project, too."
Special guests have included St. Ambrose President Emerita Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ, PhD, ('21 Hon), and Jim Stangle '82, Dave's former classmate and the SAU vice president for advancement.
Both Angie and Dave leaned on their SAU education when starting the business. "My background in communications and marketing really helped when we were writing our business and marketing plan," Angie said. "Dave's background in finance also made working with banks easy and efficient. The combination of our skill sets, rooted in our Ambrose education, really set us up to be able to cover all the bases of the business."
The Segers' experiences outside of the classroom also influence how they run their business.
"I liked that St. Ambrose was a smaller, close-knit community," Dave said. "Everyone you met and talked to was so wonderful. I felt like it was the right place for me. We wanted to create that same feeling here in Baroda."
Added Angie: "We had such a good experience at St. Ambrose. We felt so welcomed and at home there. So it seemed natural to use that name for a place where we were also going to be welcoming people."
-Story and photos by Lindsey Row '16
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