Class Archives

Re”Zoom”ion, June 6, 2020:  Class Meeting Notes
Special Meeting:
In advance of the regular class meeting, which has traditionally been held in person at reunion and after a brief discussion, the 26 members of the Class of ’85 in attendance at the time of the vote unanimously endorsed the new language for the by-laws to allow for virtual participation and electronic voting. The website will be updated with the changes to article VI of the by-laws.

Class Meeting:
In her introductory remarks, outgoing Class President Melinda Smith took a moment to acknowledge the current times and the effects of the pandemic and racial injustices. She offered a hopeful future and reflected on Mount Holyoke’s influence on our lives.

Reports by:
— Class Scribe/Secretary:  Notes from past reunion meetings have been and 2020 will be posted on the class website.  A reminder that class notes for the quarterly are submitted 3 months in advance of publication. Facebook offers a more up-to-date discussion.
— Treasurer: Thanks to outgoing treasurer Steva Stowell-Hardcastle for all her hard work over the last 10 years. Our healthy treasury, which sits in a non-profit checking account, will be transferred to the new treasurer/bank of her choice.
— Head Class Agent: We were approaching our reunion goal of $100,000 and 35% participation.

Melinda then presented the proposed slate of new officers, with an additional member for the nominating committee. All 30 members, in attendance at the time of the vote, approved the slate. Bios and contact information for the Executive Board and the Nominating Committee will be posted on the website.

We voted to decrease class dues to just $5.00 for the next 5 years and encouraged classmates, if they were so inclined, to donate any additional money directly to the college or its Covid-19 relief fund.

Before adjoining, we took time to remember those classmates we have lost.

Re”Zoom”ion activities to continue throughout the summer and will focus on the college’s Be Well program: Health Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Community, Healthy Life.

Reunion, May 2015:  Class Meeting Notes
In May 2015, 87 members of the Class of 1985 attended our 30th Reunion.We marched in the Laurel parade with our wildly (or subtly) decorated green umbrellas, completed a scavenger hunt across campus, and danced the night away to our favorite 80’s tunes. Even though we were all on the other side of 50, but we felt like we were “22” again as we carefully, and not necessarily gracefully, danced down to the floor for some of our favorites like “Rock Lobster”.

At our class meeting, we elected a new slate of officers, even getting volunteers from the floor for the positions of Reunion/Social Chair and Web-Coordinator. We had a moment of silence for deceased classmates and fondly remembered Ada Szeto Rubin who was so instrumental in revitalizing our class connections through social media leading up to reunion. Our “closed” Facebook page has increased membership to almost half our class. The consensus was to continue using this medium to keep conversations current. While our participation percentage of giving to the Mount Holyoke Fund increased in the year leading up to reunion, our class in dedicated to increasing participation to “above average” for each year in the next five years. Classmates asked that information and clarification regarding giving be provided in future letters from the class board.

Finally at the Alumnae Association meeting, Carol Van Belle Josefek, outgoing class president, partnered with Sharon Murray Lorenzo, president of the class of 1970, to share their reflections on the changes in the world, nationally and on campus between 1970 to 1985.  Here’s the text

Reunion May 2010, Class Meeting Notes:
Members of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1985 held a class meeting the afternoon of 5/22/2010 during our 25th reunion festivities.  Carol Josefek called the meeting to order.  She thanked Reunion Committee members and recognized them for their individual efforts both prior to and during the weekend.  The primary agenda of the meeting was to approve the new slate of class officers.  Aside from the recommendations from the nominating committee for the positions of president, vice-president, secretary/scribe and treasurer, nominations were taken from the floor to fill the remaining positions of Reunion/Social Chair, Co-Head Class Agents, the next Nominating Committee, and a new position Web Coordinator. Attendees wholeheartedly approved the ballot.

Classmates also approved class by-laws which include information about the operating of the Class Board and alum activities.  We discussed ways to coordinate our social and fundraising efforts and plan for a successful 30th reunion on both fronts.  Dues for the next 5 year period were raised to $85.

Through the weekend, we enjoyed catching up during class activities Friday and Saturday evenings, marching in the Laurel parade with the graduating seniors, attending the Alumnae Association meeting and sharing our class history, lunching on the green, touring the new and renovated facilities, remembering deceased classmates in a private memorial service, and reliving our own Baccalaureate with Professor Meredith Michaels who joined us for dinner Saturday evening.  We were not able to physically dig up the time capsule that we had buried under our class tree.  Several years ago the tree had to be moved from its location near the lake across campus near Abbey Hall.  The predictions, however, were saved in the Mt. Holyoke Archives and Xerox copies were available for alums to take home.  The Theme for our weekend was “Being Green… Then and Now”.  We pledged to refocus our attentions on being green in our daily lives, carried PBA-free green water bottles and recycled Capri Sun bags in the parade, and remembered connections and our favorite Mount Holyoke traditions.