News & Events
Alumna to Alumna
“Alumna to Alumna” is an occasional column highlighting alumnae who have taken the Mount Holyoke ideal of service to heart. This month, we are pleased to feature an interview with Peggy Andrews ’90, an attorney who has made her life a testament to the power of giving back.
What were some of your volunteer roles, and what drew you to those particular roles?
“I meet alums and they always ask, ‘Are you interested in doing this or that?’ and before
I know it, I’m volunteering. I’m on the boards of several nonprofits, many with Seven Sisters alumnae. One I’m especially committed to is the country’s oldest feminist women’s choir, Anna Crusis. We do events and fundraising, programming, legal advising. As a corporate litigator, I use my legal skills as jumping-off point for my volunteer work. Special events are my passion. I’m still on the board of the Philadelphia club and do at least one or two events a year—including organizing private tours at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We just did the King Tut exhibit, which was led by an alumna docent. Fantastic!
“Because I work with other boards and because I go to a lot of events, I meet people. If I know of something happening that’s great and educational, I always include Mount Holyoke. For example, I went to a private event and met a yoga instructor who turned out to be the first yoga instructor for MTV. With [associate director of clubs] Krysia Villón’s help, I approached her to do private Pilates/yoga classes for club members. I’m so excited! We’re trying to have different types of events to focus on female health: lectures, workshops, nutrition classes, body awareness seminars.”
“I also work with Seven Sisters alums in New York doing joint events—Columbia and Brown want to do joint events with us as well. Our events are educational but also fun: we plan art events, concerts, and theatre events where we meet the cast. We went to Wendy Wasserstein’s last Broadway play—she reserved seats for the New York Club. And the best thing is that we get all different races, ages, and backgrounds. Everyone is included.”
When did you first get involved in volunteer service?
“When I finished law school I went back to Philadelphia, where I’d lived earlier. I met an alumna in the Mount Holyoke Club of Philadelphia and one week later I found myself hosting an art event for the club. Next thing I knew I was at another club event, where I was told, essentially, ‘Hey, we think you’d be a great vice-president.’ So…I stepped up and became vice-president! I guess I’m so willing to get involved because I love MHC. It really made difference in my life. And clubs can help so much when you’re in an unfamiliar place; you don’t have to be alone, plus you’ve got great networking opportunities. I lived in Hong Kong for a year and went to club events there; in law school at Tulane, same thing. In New York, I was on the programs committee and then became vice-president of the New York Club. Besides love, the other reason I do it is for fun. I always try to take jobs that are fun!
What is the achievement you're proudest of as a volunteer?
“When I became president of the Philadelphia Club, I felt that the club is what you make
it. If you have a passion, you can move the club toward. I wanted to do volunteerism, so in essence I imposed my private life onto the club! We did the Ronald McDonald House in Philly. Now we do it every year: We make dinner for 50 to 75 people and their families. We all sit together; we eat and clean up, and then get a tour of the mansion. We’re all in the kitchen together. We also got involved with the Food Bank making food baskets, and we volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Race for the Cure. We do a Valentine’s Day dinner for a group called Women Against Abuse. I think Alumnae in Action,—the service program created by the Alumnae Association—is great. It’s s wonderful way to support people getting involved in service in their own communities.”
What piece of advice would you give a new volunteer?
“I tell everyone every day that we have a duty to give back. I spread the word to the attorneys I work with—volunteering takes you out of your head. It’s a great feeling to do something for others. It’s a stress reliever and a good way to meet people. You have to remember, I pick and choose what I want to do. I make sure it’s fun and I make sure I like it. You don’t have to be a vice-president or president; you can serve on a committee, you can do small tasks. If you love museums, do museum tours; if you love to bake, give a class in baking. Host an event at your house; have a lunch or tea. Make it about you! And when it’s too crazy, you just say, that’s it.
“My whole experience at MHC has been magical; I’ve made some great friends I’m still very close with. The college has been a stepping stone in my life, and that’s another reason I give back. I’ve received so much, and I continue to receive—I meet alumnae everywhere, and so often it leads to jobs and projects. I can’t tell you how many times I get hired for a project (I’m a freelance lawyer) and then find out my boss happened to go to Mount Holyoke. It’s a small school but not a small presence in the world. We have a global presence. And part of that presence is the way we contribute to the world we live in—the way Mount Holyoke women always seem to be there when something needs doing.”
