News & Events

Loyalty Award Ceremony and Reception

By Stephanie Miedema ’07

Reunion chairs, club representatives,

L to R: Susan Ham Heldman ’76, Julianne Trabucchi Puckett ’91, Elizabeth M. Margolis ’96, Christine L. Roch ’96, Lori Hiratani Rough ’81, and Mary Dethloff Dryselius ’66. Winners not pictured are Leslie Yun-Ting Fu ’97, Louise Whittemore Hine ’51, and Verity A. Chegar ’00.

and class officers gathered for the Alumnae Association’s Alumnae Council award ceremony and reception on October 14, 2006, to present nine honored alumnae with the Loyalty Award, a new award that recognizes dedicated and sustained volunteer efforts made by alumnae across the world. Award recipients who attended the gala were Julianne Trabucchi Puckett ’91, Elizabeth M. Margolis ’96, Christine (Chris) L. Roch ’96, Lori Hiratani Rough ’81, Mary Dethloff Dryselius’66 and Susan Ham Heldman ’76. Three winners were unable to attend: Leslie Yun-Ting Fu ’97, Louise Whittemore Hine’51 and Verity A. Chegar ’00.

This was the first presentation of the Loyalty Award, the culmination of two years of effort by Antoria Howard-Marrow ’81 and the Loyalty Award Development Subcommittee. The Alumnae Association board of directors reviewed existing awards and decided that “there just wasn’t enough recognition for the massive numbers of volunteers,” according to Alumnae Relations Committee Chair Cynthia L. Reed ’80. The award is divided into two subcategories: the Young Loyalty Award for alumnae who graduated less than 10 years ago, and the Loyalty Award, for “the alums with more gray hair,” Reed explained. After soliciting nominations from alumnae, college staff, and other college-affiliated sources, the subcommittee narrowed down the list to nine winners: five Loyalty Award recipients and four Young Loyalty Awards recipients.

The awards ceremony was held at the Willits-Hallowell Center, accompanied by dinner and a photo shoot of the award recipients. Honoree Lori Hiratani Rough ’81, who has supported Mount Holyoke by volunteering at college fairs, hosting home events, and interviewing high school prospective students in Northern California, Arkansas and Dallas, praised the ceremony but, smiling, wondered about her eligibility. “It’s been fun… it hasn’t been work… I don’t deserve this!” Reed mentioned the “who, me?” phenomenon in her introductory speech. Laughing, she told the group that while calling the award recipients with the news, the most prevalent response was “Do you have the right name?? But what about so-and-so??” “It must be a woman thing,” she said.

The awards were presented by division: class, club, development, and admissions awards. Presenting class awards, Maureen E. Kuhn ’78, Classes and Reunion Committee Chair, commended Julianne Trabucchi Puckett ’91 for her exceptional energy and resources to the college and Louise Whittemore Hine ’51, fondly known as “Wheeezy”, as “a trooper who embodies the MHC spirit.”

MaryAnne Capers Young ’81, Director of Development, introduced the trademark team of Elizabeth M. Margolis ’96 and Christine (Chris) L. Roch ’96. These two Young Loyalty Award recipients raised over $25,000 last year, collecting donations from nearly 35 percent of their class. Also awarded was Mary Dethloff Dryselius ’66, fundraiser extraordinaire who has been a cornerstone of the Houston Club, “committing herself to ensure Mount Holyoke stays a great liberal arts college,” said Young.

Presenter Lily Klebanoff Blake ’64 introduced two loyalty award recipients, “unsung people who do so much work to keep the [alumnae] clubs going.” They were Susan Ham Heldman from Northern California and Verity A. Chegar ’00, who was absent from the ceremony.

Two final awards were given to admissions and recruiting alumnae volunteers, Lori Hiratani Rough ’91 and Leslie Yun-Ting Fu ’97. Fu, an alumna living in Hong Kong, was absent from the ceremony but a video—“a cheer to Hong Kong”—was being taped for Internet transmission back to Southeast Asia.

The Loyalty Award recipients received a framed citation and silver pin emblazoned with the four class mascots: the sphinx, lion, griffin, and Pegasus. As delighted recipients stepped out after the ceremony, Chris Roch, addressing the general sentiment of the honorees, commented that “doing things for Mount Holyoke is just natural.” Lori Rough chimed in, “If it wasn’t this fun, I wouldn’t do it.”