In this issue…

Volume 2   •   25 July 2007  •   Issue 6  

	Welcome from the Executive Director Alumnae adventures around the world		Nominate an Outstanding Alumna Medal of Honor
	Reunion Roundup Reunion 2007		Cori’s Career Corner Surfing jobsites
	Making News MHC alumnae in the media		I-Witness The women of Sarajevo
	Online Class Notes Read the latest news from your sister alumnae

Welcome from the Executive Director

n summer, the song sings itself.”

Do you know the poetry of William Carlos Williams? The quotation above is one of my favorites. It expresses the pleasure and ease of summer and the natural sounds that accompany it—water, wind, birds at dawn. It also reminds me of the Mount Holyoke College Glee Club Alumnae, whose voices are a force of nature as much as any chorus of blue warblers. On Sunday July 1, the Glee Club gave a lovely bon voyage concert in Abbey Memorial Chapel before embarking on a tour of China. The 57-woman ensemble, with retired MHC choral director Catharine Melhorn conducting, presented four concerts in cities including Hangzhou, Xi’an, and Beijing. If you didn’t happen to be in China for one of their concerts, enjoy the photos of the on-campus performance or read the College news story about their exciting trip.

International travel is the adventure of choice not only for the Glee Club, but for many MHC alumnae this summer. Recent Alumnae Association Educational Travel trips have included a voyage to the Greek Isles and Turkey and a trip along the waterways of Holland and Belgium with MHC professor of music Linda Laderach. Professor Laderach also took the fabulous photos for our photo gallery. Wish you had been there? Look in your summer AlumnaeQuarterly for a list of 2008 trips we’re planning (ever dreamed of journeying down the Amazon? Attending an opera performance in Milan? Playing golf in Scotland?). Or consider joining us for what may be the most exciting trip of all: “South Africa: Beyond Apartheid,” a trip that is part of a groundbreaking Seven Sisters program, “Among Women: An International Dialogue.” Find out more at Bryn Mawr’s Web site

I haven’t been abroad yet this summer—the farthest I’ve gone so far is to Chicago. However, I am looking forward to spending some time with our European alumnae in Geneva at the European Symposium in the fall. Where do you hope your travels will take you? What places would you like to explore together with sister alumnae in our Educational Travel Program? Write to me with your suggestions. I’d love to hear from you.

Stay cool, and stay in touch,

W. Rochelle Calhoun ’83
Executive Director, Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College

Nominate an Outstanding Alumna

he Alumnae Association’s Nomination of Alumnae Trustees and Awards committee is requesting your help in identifying candidates for the Alumnae Medal of Honor for the 2008 reunion classes (3’s and 8’s).

The Medal of Honor is presented at the Association’s annual meetings, which are held during reunion weekends each year. The Medal of Honor is awarded for eminent service in promoting the effectiveness of the Alumnae Association, for signal service in completing definite projects undertaken by the College, or for other noteworthy services that strengthen the position of the College.

The committee will spend the next several months researching each candidate and make a final recommendation in early 2008. All candidates are carefully considered and the Alumnae Association Board of Directors makes the final decision. Your recommendations will be kept in the strictest confidence. If you know alumnae who meet the criteria for this award, please use our online awards recommendation form. All nominations must be received by August 15, 2007.

Reunion Roundup

1,200 alumnae returned to campus during their reunion weekend this year, making Reunion 2007 one of the largest and most successful in recent years. You can relive the joy of Reunion 2007 (or experience it virtually) by viewing photos and articles on our Reunion 2007 Web page.

Both reunion weekends featured a number of highlights, but perhaps one of the most memorable was a tribute to Leonard DeLonga. Organized by the class of 1967 for their 40th reunion, the event honored a deeply beloved Mount Holyoke professor. Journalist and author Shoba Narayan ’88 traveled from India to deliver the keynote address and Diane Z. Lehder ’67 contributed some words to the Laurel Chain about the event:

“I’m not one to second guess my decisions and seldom look back with regret about roads not taken. Even so, once in a while I’ve had occasion to discover—and regret—missing something or someone truly extraordinary. The DeLonga Reception on May 26, sponsored by the Class of 1967 in honor of its 40th reunion, was one such occasion.

“Professor Leonard DeLonga came to Mount Holyoke in the fall of 1964. An established artist, sculptor, and teacher, he was instrumental in establishing the Studio Art Major which graduated its first class 40 years ago in 1967. While he taught a number of art courses, his sculpture studio was legendary as a haven for creativity, enlightenment, and self-expression. The supportive environment he created for his students allowed those simply exploring—as well as those intensely committed to—these media to flourish.” More…

Children’s Program: an insider view
Sixth-grade reporter Amanda Blackwell and photographer Madeleine Stern, daughter of Jill Parsons Stern ’84, attended the afternoon activities of the Reunion I Children’s Program, which included an outdoor puppet show, a “bounce house,” and plenty of wands for making giant bubbles. The two young journalists took photos, interviewed participants, and managed to find time to join in the fun as well. Read all about it…

There were kids of all ages in the Children’s Program. Everyone seemed friendly, and the supervisors were very nice. The program started with some indoor activities—playing with toys, painting on paper and wood, and filling jars with beads and sand. We talked to some of the kids about what they were doing and what they liked best. Ralph G., busy with sand, said: “I’m building a town. This is the bank.” A smiling Maggie N., holding a dripping paintbrush, explained her project: “I’m painting a heart for my Mom. She’s in the red boa class.” Julia J. chimed in about her mom, who “always has good stories to tell about the golf carts at reunion.” More…

Planning for your next reunion

Reunion comes only once every five years, so why not enjoy it without worrying about finances? An easy way to prepare for reunion expenses is to set up a prepayment plan with the Alumnae Association for your upcoming reunion.

This flexible automatic payment plan enables you to make monthly payments towards your reunion reservation from July 2007 – April 2008. Here are some of the benefits you’ll receive on the plan. More…

Cori’s Career Corner

t’s summer and the living is—or should be—easy. For those of you who relied on America’s Job Bank, an online source that listed up to two million jobs, the living may be a little bit harder: the service was shut down at the end of June. This means that there are no more federally funded labor-exchange Web sites. It also means a major change for federal contractors who are required to list career openings regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The private sector is creating two options which you should know about for your searches. DirectEmployers, a nonprofit consortium of major corporations, has created JobCentral, a centralized job board; a second option is America’s Job Exchange, a for-profit effort with revenue through advertising.

At the CDC

Applying to law school? Here are three important things you should know:

1) Your pre-law advisor, Katerina “Katya” King, wants to talk to you about your plans. Katya can help you strategize on all aspects of your application: LSAT preparation, letters of recommendation, choice of school, and the very important personal statement. E-mail her at kpking@mtholyoke.edu. For other MHC pre-law resources, see the CDC Web site.

2) As a Mount Holyoke alumna, you are eligible for a (nearly) half-price discount on a KAPLAN LSAT preparation course anywhere in the country if you register through the Amherst Kaplan Center. Contact Katya King for details.

3) Want to win a totally free Kaplan Course? Fill out a short registration form and send it to Katya King by August 1, 2007 to enter in a drawing for a full LSAT preparation course by Kaplan.

Making News

I-Witness

lison Morse ’02 is a graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she is focusing on development economics and issues affecting refugees and displaced persons, particularly women. This summer, she is working with BOSFAM (BOSnian FAMily), a non-governmental organization that supports Bosnian women who were displaced by war by providing them with income-generating handicraft products. Alison, who is keeping a blog about her experiences, contributed this article to I-Witness.

Sarajevo is a city on the mend. New construction, chic European stores and all the ice cream one could ever eat make for a happy façade to this city that saw over 1400 days of conflict just a decade ago. I arrived in Sarajevo to hours of honking in celebration of a football win over Turkey. I was immediately brought back to the 2004 Red Sox World Series win when the streets filled with happy revelers and cars honked until dawn. The mood in Sarajevo on the night of my arrival demonstrated the life of a city that has celebrated every small victory in an effort to move beyond its not-so-distant tragedies.

The remnants of war are of course still present in the city. Many buildings remain gutted and covered with tarps. There is a general darkness to parts of the old town that can only be attributed to the drabness of Tito’s era. Craters in rooftops, windows without panes, and wires dangling from buildings are not uncommon once one leaves the main tourist drag. Transportation, though excellent and inexpensive, is the most obvious remnant of international aid. UNHCR buses that have not been upgraded in ten years are packed each morning with school children –worn tire treads carry sagging frames that are filled to capacity. The tram cars vary between those with German slogans and those marked with Japanese flags, both donations to the post-war reconstruction effort.

As every guide book will tell you, Sarajevo has a rich history –it is in fact the proverbial “crossroads of civilizations.” The sights and sounds of Sarajevo prove that the city remains a bastion of both religious tolerance and mingling cultures—the Muslim call to prayer is followed by the clanging of church bells around the city. Nuns travel in tight packs followed by bands of teenagers in tight jeans talking on cell phones. The main promenade gives way to the cobblestone streets of the old town where men and women sit outside shops hawking their wares. Fine French fashion is sold just doors away from display cases of Turkish delights.

It is from here, this city on the mend, that I will make my way to Tuzla, the third largest city in BiH and largest coal producer, to begin my summer internship. I will be working with a small non-profit that assists refugee women build sustainable livelihoods through handicrafts…so if nothing else, I will have an enormous supply of wool socks and hats to ward off the cold winters in Boston.

Alison welcomes alumnae e-mail.

Online Class Notes

o read more online class notes, or post your own notes and photos, please visit our Web site.

Melissa Rockefeller ’94 writes, “I graduated my Emergency Medicine residency in New York City, got a job working for Kaiser Permanente in Portland, OR and got engaged all in one month! My fiance is Minh Pham. We’ll move to Portland in September after he finishes his pediatric anesthesia fellowship in Boston.”  

Eera Sharma ’94 and Oscar Rollán are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Nikhil Joaquín Sharma Rollán. He was born on May 16, 2007 in New Haven, CT, and weighed 7 lb., 11 oz.. Big brothers Pablo and Andrés are enjoying their new baby brother.  

Saira Malik ’95 writes, “Hi all — I will be starting an MBA program at Yale this fall in Healthcare Leadership — advice on how to juggle the f/t work and still have a social life and sleep is much appreciated! Cheers, Saira.”  

Lisa Kobayashi Bradley ’01 and Mathew Bradley are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Jack Ryan Kobayashi Bradley. He was born on June 8, 2007 in Silver Spring, MD, and weighed 6 lb., 3 oz.. Lisa and Matthew are enjoying parenthood (aka sleepless nights) with new son, Jack. Jack is looking forward to visits from his mommy’s college friends!  

Karina Barbalace FP ’99 writes, “Karina Barbalace, FP’99 and Mary (Katie) Blizzard ’02 standing next to the American Ambassador in Argentina and representing Mount Holyoke College at an international University Fair organized by the ALFA foundation for Argentine Alumni last July 2007 at the Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina”