In this issue...

Volume 1   •   12 January 2006  •   Issue 1 

	Message from the Executive Director Happy New Year from the Alumnae Association		LifeNet What can LifeNet say about you?
	Nominations Sought for “Take the Lead” A fall leadership program at Mount Holyoke College for idealistic high school women who want to change the world		Fall Visions Screensaver Download beautiful images of the MHC campus as a screen saver for your computer
	Name the Newsletter Vote Vote for your favorite e-newsletter name		Alumnae Interest in Joe Ellis Book Tour Professor Joe Ellis tours with his new book, His Excellency: George Washington

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

Message from the Executive Director

appy New Year! 2006 has arrived, and with it comes the annual ritual of positive resolutions. Here at the Alumnae Association, we’re carrying last year’s resolution right into this year. Our goal is simple and clear: find out what alumnae want, and give it to them. We went about doing just that during our successful re-launch in 2005, creating exciting new programs, new services, and a new look and Web site-and we intend to keep it up. If you haven’t yet checked out what we offer, now is the time.

Now is also an ideal time to add alumnae activities to your own list of resolutions for the new year. We’ve come up with some great ideas for ways you can get involved. Choose one (or choose a different one for each month), and make it part of your resolution to give more-and get more-as an MHC alumna.

• Come to Reunion 2006 (if this is your reunion year)
• Update your contact information in the Alumnae Association directory
• Become an alumna mentor to an MHC student
• Volunteer for your class and/or local MHC club
• Look up an old friend in our online directory
• Participate in our new service project, Alumnae in Action
• Contribute to Class Notes (or visit Share Your News on our Web site)
• All of the above!

If you have ideas for additional alumnae resolutions, we’d love to hear them. Here is one more of mine: to meet as many of you in the MHC alumnae community as I can. Look for me at a club event in your area, or come back to South Hadley and visit us. I look forward to seeing you.

Warmest wishes for a happy, prosperous, and healthy new year,


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

To take part in LifeNet, you must be registered with the Alumnae Association Web site. To do so, click here. You will need your security ID which you will find on your Alumnae Quarterly address label to complete the registration process. If you don’t have your latest Quarterly magazine, e-mail ais@mtholyoke.edu to request your ID.

LifeNet

eatured LifeNet Profile: Brunilda Hernandez FP’93 is one of more than 300 alumnae who have already created a LifeNet profile. What does her profile say about her? Brunilda majored in Women’s Studies at MHC, and went on to receive a BS.N. at the University of Texas. She is a public health nurse in Virginia, and is a participant in Mount Holyoke’s newly created pre-health mentoring program. In addition to health care and career choices, Brunilda is interested in discussing community service and cultural/ethnic issues in the workplace, and LGBT issues with other Mount Holyoke alumnae and students. Her hobbies include camping, community service, dancing, and volunteer work.

You can become a resource for your Mount Holyoke sisters too, by creating your own LifeNet profile and adding as much or as little detail as you choose. In less than three minutes, you will be connected to a dynamic worldwide community of exceptional Mount Holyoke alumnae and students.

If you do not create your LifeNet profile by January 25, a default profile will be created for you based on current information in your online directory listing. If you do not wish to have an active profile, you may opt out by changing your profile status. Simply go to My Profile and change your profile status from Active to Inactive. LifeNet will be open for alumnae and students to search in early February.

Please contact Stacey Coleman-Litterer FP’06 with any questions.

Nominations Sought for “Take the Lead”

gain this year, alumnae are encouraged to nominate bright, idealistic high school sophomores for Take the Lead, a highly competitive leadership program. For nomination forms, visit the Take the Lead Web site or call 413-538-3500. Nominations are due April 12, and the 2006 Take the Lead program is scheduled for September 28–October 1.

Fall Visions Screensaver

ntroducing our Fall Visions screen saver. You've asked for it-here it is! We received many requests from alumnae for a screen saver using images from our presentation of seasonal images of the College. We now have a screen saver available for download. Click here to download and install the screen saver. Check our Web site in the future for additional seasonal screen savers.

Name the Newsletter Vote

e received many wonderful suggestions for a new name for the Alumnae Association e-newsletter, and have narrowed the choices down to three: The Gateway, Laurel Chain, and Alumnae Connections. Now we’d like your help to choose the final name. Please click here to vote by January 31, 2006.

Ellis Goes on Book Tour for His Excellency

rofessor of History on the Ford Foundation Joseph Ellis begins a national tour this month for his latest book, His Excellency: George Washington . Ellis will cover ground in the West, Midwest, and South speaking about his best-selling biography of the country’s first president. The popular MHC professor has drawn enthusiastic alumnae crowds on previous book tours, and many alumnae are looking forward to his appearance this month at a bookstore, library, or club in their area. Click here for a list of author appearances and other events of interest in your local area.