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Alumnae Matters-Winter 2009

Jane E. Zachary Named New Alumnae Association Executive Director

Jane E. Zachary, director of alumni relations at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, began work in January as the new executive director of the Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College. She replaces W. Rochelle Calhoun ’83, who left last summer to take the job of dean of student affairs at Skidmore College.

Zachary, who holds a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and served as a court administrator in the Pennsylvania judiciary for more than fifteen years before making a move to alumnae relations, is a graduate of Chatham, which was established as a women’s college in 1869.

“I am firmly committed to the education and advancement of women globally, and to the development of leadership skills in women,” Zachary said. Her enthusiastic support of women’s education, the liberal arts, and fostering women’s connections for the purpose of lifelong learning and personal achievement makes Zachary an excellent fit, said Mary Graham Davis ’65, president of the Alumnae Association.

“Her background in the legal profession and court administration, combined with her experience expanding alumnae relations activities at Chatham University, will serve our association well.

Jane will oversee our association as we undertake our own global expansion, increase our use of technology to reach our alumnae, and participate more fully in the lives of MHC graduates through significant interest groups, continuing education efforts, and career-focused activities,” Davis said.

Zachary began work first as a law clerk at the trial and appellate court levels and later as executive administrator of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. She also served as director of the family division of the trial court in Allegheny County.

A generalist with diverse interests, Zachary said she decided to leave the field of law to work in a more “positive, consensus-building environment.” During her tenure at Chatham, she instituted numerous programs to engage alumnae and students and to honor the traditions that define a women’s-college experience.

“Jane brings the combination of high energy, intellect, and interpersonal skills that will engage both our alumnae around the world and our colleagues on campus in our mission of connecting alumnae to Mount Holyoke and to each other,” Davis added.—M.H.B.

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Illuminating Issues Through Stories of Resistance: MHC’s Summit on Education

“Outrage is a good emotion to have for this scenario,” Sonia Nieto, professor emerita at UMass–Amherst’s School of Education, said to the fifty women seated in Gamble Auditorium in early October. Nieto, the keynote presenter at the Alumnae Association’s Summit on Education, was referring to structural inequities in education systems that can portray teachers “as the villains.”

To overcome the lack of resources and the convoluted bureaucratic policies that can hinder teachers, Nieto recommended going beyond the teaching qualifications of “No Child Left Behind”—an academics-based list that she referred to as “the minimum.” Instead, the best teacher must “incorporate aspects of the heart as well as the head.” Women in the audience nodded along as Nieto listed another important aspect of teaching: “the courage to question mainstream knowledge and conventional wisdom.”

Notions of struggle and opposition from teachers were recurrent in the lectures, panels, and presentations that took place October 10–12. Before the screening of her documentary Granito de Arena (Grain of Sand), narrating the violent conflict between teachers and the government in Oaxaca, Mexico, producer and director Jill Freidberg described the international efforts of teaching advocates “trying to illuminate issues through stories of resistance,” an idea that many of the teachers in the audience seemed to understand.

Fears of the effects globalization will have on education were aired during a panel titled Educating Students for Global Citizenship. Cheryl Ryan Maloney ’73 voiced concerns about international outsourcing of education (using technological tools such as the Internet rather than a live classroom to facilitate learning), and the possibility that future American workers will not be able to compete worldwide. As far as preparing students for participation in global professions, “the question is how to do it,” MHC Professor of Economics Eva Paus reminded the audience, promoting study abroad experiences and active language learning as solutions to the concerns Maloney presented.

Amplifying ideas of international progress was a live-streaming feed of panel discussions available online to alums who couldn’t make it in person. Projected on a screen above the panel participants, the video feed was accompanied by a live-response chat (or “twitter”) from watching alums.

During the Curricular Reform panel, screen-name “mhc1974” forwarded her opinion on bridge building between K–12 and college educators: “I definitely see the need for more links among all types and ages of learners and education systems … Administrators seem open to meet, but I don’t know about teachers, except for opportunities like today.”

Technological innovations like the live chat are proving to be a great way for educators to connect with one another, according to Barbara Kallin ’99. “I feel I got a real education about the technology and the future of education here watching the ‘twitter’ Web component to the panel discussions, which I’d never seen before,” special education teacher Kallin said.

New-tech gadgets are also making an appearance in the classroom. Marcia R. Webb ’87, an eighth-grade Spanish teacher, described her use of ‘G-Cast,’ a podcasting program, to help her students adjust to speaking the language comfortably.

The question-and-answer periods following panels and lectures were perhaps the most telling of the weekend’s activities. Hands shot up, sending Rosie Ettenheim ’09 running up and down the auditorium stairs passing a wireless microphone among alums and students. The conversation passed from the panel to the audience, and soon the teachers and aspiring teachers seated in Gamble had taken full ownership of the discussion.

“It feels really good to come to a conference on education at a place where I feel I was taught so well,” Kallin said. In true MHC fashion, experiences were shared and questions broached and answered in a way that was open, respectful, and fueled by a desire to communicate and collaborate for a greater common good.—Hannah Clay Wareham ’09

Learn More: At our Web site, you can participate in an interactive wiki for alumnae teachers, view videos of the keynote speaker and discussion panels, or see photos from the weekend.

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Mark Your Calendar for Reunion 2009

The Alumnae Association and your classmates are busy planning this spring’s Reunion, and we want to make sure you get it on your calendars! On May 22–24, we will welcome back to campus the classes of 1934, 1939, 1959, 1984, 1989, 1999, 2004, and 2007. The weekend of May 29–31, the classes of 1944, 1949, 1954, 1964, 1969, 1974, and 1979 will gather on the greens. Participating classes can expect a preliminary schedule in the mail in March. Information also will be posted on the Alumnae Association Web site.

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New Association Vice President Chosen
The Alumnae Association board has elected Maureen McHale Hood ’87 vice president of the association. She replaces Linda Yu Bien ’75, who passed away unexpectedly. Hood, who is a marketing director at Procter & Gamble, has served as an Alumnae Association director-at-large, member of the Affiliate Group Ad-Hoc Committee, reunion gift caller, class agent, copresident and program chair for the Cincinnati Club, and as her class’s Reunion welcome/hospitality chair.

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In Search of Board and Committee Members
Are you interested in being considered for a volunteer position on an Alumnae Association committee? Or do you know of someone who might be just right for one? The Nominating Committee is always eager to hear from and about potential volunteers. Recommendations should be sent to Jill Brethauer ’70, Nominating Committee chair, at jill_brethauer@alumnae.mtholyoke.edu or 724-443- 6575.

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MHC’s Online “Institute for the Informed Voter”
This past fall, the college partnered once again with the New York Times Knowledge Network to present the second in a series of online courses offered to Mount Holyoke alumnae and the general public.

The theme was the American political process and public policy. Six courses—in politics, international relations, science, history, and documentary filmmaking—involved participants through online chats and class discussions. Instructors included MHC professors Robin Blaetz, Joseph Ellis, Vincent Ferraro, Rachel Fink, and Kavita Khory. Courses ranged from Documentary Film and the Political Process and Competing Visions of Foreign Policy in the 2008 Presidential Elections to Stem Cells 101: The Science Behind the Headlines.

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Transitions: What’s Your Next Step?

 

This May, Mount Holyoke will offer you an opportunity to step away from day-to-day activities to think anew about your life and choose which steps to take next.

This transitions workshop, open exclusively to no more than twenty-four alumnae, will take place on the MHC campus Sunday, May 31, and Monday, June 1, dates immediately following the second Reunion weekend.

A professional facilitator will help participants plan how to reposition themselves so their lives reflect their values, goals, and dreams.

You will be led through individual and group exercises—including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Life Options Profile—to refine and deepen your understanding of what you value and what you’d like to do in the next phase of your life. Group discussions and guest speakers will add ideas and enhance your learning. The content will be of special relevance to alumnae contemplating the transitions that occur at mid-life and later.

You’ll leave the workshop with new insights and a preliminary plan for putting them into action. A partner system will encourage participants to support one another, sharing discoveries and successes, after the workshop.

The workshop’s cost will be less than $1,000. Look online (www.alumnae.mtholyoke.edu) for more details, watch for an e-newsletter update, or contact the Alumnae Association at 413-538-2300.

 

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Spring Lyon Lecture Explores Frankenstein

The spring Lyon Lecture will feature Elizabeth Young, professor of English and gender studies at MHC, speaking about her new book, Black Frankenstein: The Making of an American Metaphor. In it, she argues that the Frankenstein monster has served as a powerful metaphor in U.S. culture over the last two centuries for both reinforcing racial hierarchy and shaping anti-racist critique.

The event will be held at the College Club in Boston on Saturday, April 4. Save the date now; details will be posted on the Alumnae Association Web site later this winter.

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Career Services for Alumnae
Need help organizing your career? Cori Ashworth is here to lend alumnae a hand! The services she offers and issues she helps you address include career and life transitions, self-assessment, identifying new areas of work, job-search strategy, coaching on interviewing and networking, and editing tips for resumes, letters to prospective employers, bios, and personal statements. Office hours are Tuesday–Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. All evening appointments are by phone.

To make an appointment, call 413-538-2080. Many questions can be addressed by email, as well. Don’t forget to check out the career resources available on the Alumnae Association Web site under Programs and Services.

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Golf Academy Set for 2009
Golfers interested in learning to play or in improving their game, playing on some of the best greens around, and listening to one of the most acclaimed speakers from the world of women’s golf should plan to be at The Orchards golf course at Mount Holyoke College May 31–June 3.

Building on last year’s program, Golf Academy 2009 will offer instruction by some of the best pros in the area, give players generous on-course time, and offer breakfast, lunch, and one gala dinner; networking opportunities; and lodging in beautiful South Hadley. The cost is $695.

This year, the Golf Academy will be open to alumnae and the general public, though enrollment will be capped at thirty-two. For more information about the program, e-mail golfacademy@mtholyoke.edu. To register, contact the Alumnae Association at 413-538-2300.

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Oldest MHC Alumna Dies at 110

Mary Gorham Higley ’21, the oldest living MHC alumna and one of the hundred oldest people in the world, died on Christmas day, 2008, at the age of 110. A zoology major, Higley worked as a bacteriologist for the state of Rhode Island before marrying and raising three children. Her husband Clifford died in 1976. She moved to Meadowood Retirement Community in Pennsylvania when she was ninety-six years old and insisted, during her first snowstorm there, on shoveling her own walkway. (She later relented when told the grounds people would finish the job.) Even after celebrating her 110th birthday in August, 2008, she still got up at six a.m. daily, read, took walks, and always had a jigsaw puzzle going.

We received this news just before press time; a tribute will appear in the 1921 class notes in the spring Quarterly.

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Alumnae Association Treasurer’s Report
Fiscal Year July 1, 2007–June 30, 2008

The fiscal 2008 Alumnae Association audit was completed by Lester Halpern & Company, P.C., Whitney Place, 14 Bobala Road, Holyoke, MA 01040. Its financial statements contain an unqualified opinion and are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. A synopsis of the financial statements follows; a copy of the annual report is available through the Alumnae Association. Please contact Karen Northup-Scudder, CPA, director of finance, with questions at 413-538-2736 or knorthup@mtholyoke.edu.

I am pleased to report that the association’s financial position remains sound. During fiscal 2008, the association delivered strong programming and progressed toward its strategic goals while meeting its financial budget. We completed our first in-depth market-research survey to better inform us about alumnae engagement, and continued to invest in and leverage our use of technology. We look forward to continuing to advance the work of the association while meeting our financial objectives.

Statement of Financial Position
Assets $5,105,024
Liabilities $354,615
Net Assets $4,750,409

The Statement of Financial Position reports the association’s assets, liabilities, and net assets for the year. Total assets increased 7.4%, or $352,201, during fiscal year 2008, driven primarily by growth of the Founder’s Fund with the addition of investment income, gifts, and unrealized gains. As a result, net assets increased 7.3%, or $323,384.

Statement of Activities
Operating Revenues and Support
Support from MHC $1,908,776
Alumnae Association Support and Revenue 387,599
Founder’s Fund and Other Donations 35,184
Total Operating Revenues and Support $2,331,559

Operating Expenses
Administration $572,123
Programs/Conferences 852,306
Quarterly 393,674
Information Services 263,971
Communications 181,620
Committees 62,499
Depreciation 9,366
Total Operating Expenses $2,335,559

Change in Net Assets–Operating ($4,000)

Nonoperating Revenues
Founder’s Fund Interest and Unrealized Gain $327,384

Total Change in Net Assets $323,384
Net Assets 7/01/07 $4,427,025
Net Assets 6/30/08 $4,750,409

The Statement of Activities presents revenues and expenses for fiscal 2008 and reports the change in net assets over the year. The change in net operating assets reflects a very modest shortfall, in line with our expectations. The total change in net assets reflects a gain of $323,384. Total operating revenues were down 1.3%. A 2.1% increase in support from MHC was largely offset by lower than anticipated reunion fees. Contributions from MHC, in accordance with the July 1, 2002, agreement between the trustees of MHC and the association, represented 79.7% of total revenue. Other revenue includes reunion, conference/program, and advertising fees.

Expenses increased 3.4% during fiscal 2008 compared to an 8.0% increase during the prior year. The primary drivers were annual wage and benefit adjustments (consistent with MHC practice), an in-depth market research survey, and programming costs.

This year, sixty-six active alumnae clubs held 284 different events around the world, and twenty-one of these clubs have ongoing programming. We produced forty-three paper mailings and 119 e-mail blasts on behalf of clubs. As part of the Speakers’ Bureau, we assisted with thirty-one events, which twenty-five faculty, administrators, and staff attended. In collaboration with the Weissman Center, the association produced two Lyon Lectures.

On-campus programming included a mix of programs, events, and conferences that built strong and meaningful connections between alumnae and students. In addition, it provided tremendous on-campus visibility for the association with students, faculty, and staff. Participation in undergraduate class events was 667 students, or 32% of the student body. Student registrations in LifeNet, our online networking vehicle, increased by 24%. A survey of students was conducted to gauge how much awareness was built. Of the 459 students or 22% of the student body who completed the survey, only one did not know of the association. Our two on-campus conferences (Alumnae and Students of Color and The Future in Communications) brought together 234 alumnae and students.

A reunion pilot was launched, with 1,456 alumnae and guests returning, or 18% of active class members. Back-to-Class enrollment totaled 972, an increase of 1.5% in popular events, which included forty-one classes. Alumnae Council and Reunion Planning Workshop training programs for club and class officers were successful and held for the first time in conjunction with the Office of Development’s Volunteer Conference.

The Alumnae Quarterly reached 33,000 alumnae, students, faculty, staff, and friends of MHC and significantly enhanced its online presence. Interactive engagement among readers was established with an online “blogazine.” It was an immediate and dramatic success and continues to draw thousands of viewers to the site each issue.

Building on career-development opportunities provided over the past four years, we offered programs in Geneva, London, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, and Boston. Lunchtime telecasts were also offered on traditional career topics.

Information Technology and the Web team provided much of the infrastructure to support these efforts. The team increased MHConnect-registered users 5.1% and e-mails on file for active alumnae 2.4%. They also processed more than 4,000 online updates and launched new Alumnae Association Facebook and LinkedIn groups.

Founder’s Fund
The Founder’s Fund is the Association’s long-term investment vehicle and comprises alumnae gifts, bequests, investment income, and unrealized gains. It is invested with the MHC endowment, pursuant to the June 1990 agreement between the association and the college. The Alumnae Association’s Investment Subcommittee, reporting to the Finance Committee, oversees the management and performance of the association’s investments. As of June 30, 2008, the fund had a market value of $4.4 million, compared to $4.1 million for the prior year. The fund has experienced steady growth since inception; however, it is possible that the value of the fund will trend down in FY09 due to currently weak market conditions.

Alumnae Scholar Program
The Alumnae Scholar Program was established in 1971 and has been supported by generous donations from clubs and individual alumnae. Fiscal 2008 contributions were $41,251. Total program contributions approximate $2.8 million.

Linda Ing Phelps ’86
Alumnae Association Treasurer