Reunion 2015 Award Winners

The Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College congratulates the 2015 alumnae award winners who have taken the values of Mount Holyoke College out into the world as well as donated their time, expertise, and service to the Association and College. View a list of all previous winners and recommend an alumna for a future award.

View photos and video of both reunion weekends»

Mary Graham Davis Leadership Award

This year the Alumnae Association instituted a new award that honors an alumna who has served both the College and the Alumnae Association in order to advance the mutual interest of both through visionary thinking and a passion for collaboration.

Mary Graham Davis ’65

Davis has served as president of the Alumnae Association and member and chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. In these leadership roles she continuously advanced the collaboration between the two organizations, taking opportunities to explore mutually beneficial initiatives. She led with a vision for the future and carried the name of Mount Holyoke as a blazing torch for the world to see through her efforts advancing women and women’s education through initiatives such as Women’s Education Worldwide, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and the Women in Public Service Project to name a few.

Medal of Honor

Awarded for long-term service and leadership in promoting the effectiveness of multiple areas of the Alumnae Association and/or College.

Alumnae Achievement Award

Awarded for outstanding achievements that exemplify the ideals of a liberal-arts education through salaried or volunteer fields of endeavor.

Catherine McArdle Kelleher ’60
Kelleher was the second female professor in the history of the US National War College, teaching in the military strategy department. She continued to make strides for women by founding and leading Women in Security, an organization aiming to enhance the prospects for women in business and international relations. She also served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, and US secretary of defense’s representative to NATO in Brussels, during Bill Clinton’s presidency.

Mary Bremer Kelley ’65
As a distinguished historian of American women’s experiences, Kelley has served as president of both the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic and the American Studies Association. Her expertise in the realm of women and gender in nineteenth century America has culminated in the landmark publication Learning to Stand and Speak. She has also served Mount Holyoke as a member of the Board of Trustees of the College and the Board of Directors of the Alumnae Association.

Laurie Fendrich ’70
As an abstract painter and a professor of art for more than thirty-five years, Fendrich has contributed immeasurably to the inspiration and development of countless young artists. She has taught at the University of Houston, the University of South California, the College of Design in Pasadena, California, and Hofstra University. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, and she has gained wide recognition as an important abstract artist of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

Loyalty Award

Awarded for consistent and active involvement in one area of service over an extended period of time.

 Young Alumna Volunteer Leadership Award

Awarded to young alumnae for strong leadership and active involvement in the Association or College.

The Office of Advancement announced the following awards:

• A Laurel Chain Society award was given to the class of 1965 for having 70 percent of its fiftieth reunion class in the Laurel Chain Society.
• A Laurel Chain Society award was given to the class of 1955 for having 97 percent of its members in the Laurel Chain Society.
• The Griffin award for special achievement was presented to the classes of 1965, 2015, and 1955 in recognition of their leadership and inspirational optimism.
• The class of 1965 was awarded the Sphinx, Pegasus, and Lion awards acknowledging its high participation and total giving.
• A Sphinx Award for highest participation in giving was awarded to the class of 1955, which had 100 percent participation.
• A Lion Award for most dollars raised over five years to all funds went to the class of 1970.
• The class of 1970 received a Pegasus Award for the most dollars raised for The Mount Holyoke Fund in the fiscal year 2015.

June 1, 2015

Tags: awards, reunion, reunion 2015