OVERVIEW
The Online Celebration will be a mix of live events and asynchronous events, including a virtual Laurel Parade, back-to-class sessions, and virtual tours, among other favorite activities. Events are labelled as either All Alumnae events or Class of 1971 events.
Access to each event requires a Zoom link and password. The Zoom link for all Class of 1971 events is https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902 except where noted below. The Zoom link for All Alumnae events is provided for each event below.
The same password is used for all events and given at the time of Reunion Registration. If you do not have the password, please email our 50th Reunion Chair Carol Cramer Mills at carolcramermills@gmail.com
Click here to download and print a PDF of this schedule.
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021 — EASTERN TIME (ET)
Friday, 8:00 – 9:00 am
MHC – State of the College with Sonya Stephens. All Alumnae. President Sonya Stephens will provide an update of the state of Mount Holyoke College. There are two opportunities to hear her remarks: this one and one in the evening.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/99220187226
Friday, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
MHC – Virtual Back-to-Class. All Alumnae.
The Crisis and Transformation of US Politics. Presented by Adam Hilton, assistant professor of politics. As politics has become more deeply polarized in our nation, the very mechanisms of the democratic process — voting, conceding and transferring power — have been transformed into partisan issues, putting America’s democratic foundations at stake. This class seeks to understand how the U.S. has arrived at this perilous point in history and what the future may hold for American democracy.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/98313584342?
Friday, 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Class of 1971 Archives Discoveries: Wendy Wasserstein. Small groups will examine and discuss Wendy Wasserstein’s “Great Expectations” collages, created during her senior year at MHC. Hosted by Leslie Fields from MHC’s Archives and Special Collections and ’71 classmates Beth Grosvenor Boland and Carol Cramer Mills. Click here for more information.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902. Space is limited and requires reserving a seat. To add your name to the waiting list and possible repeat of this event, email BethBoland@aol.com
Friday, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
MHC – Virtual Back-to-Class. All Alumnae.
The Politics of Reproduction: The Struggle for Abortion Rights in Latin America. Presented by Cora Fernandez Anderson, assistant professor of politics. Latin America is a region characterized by restrictive abortion laws. However, feminist movements are on the rise and are challenging the patriarchal norms that have ruled the region for quite a long time. This class will analyze the roots behind the criminalization of abortion and the current trends toward legalization in the region, with a particular focus in the Southern Core.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/95607672802?
Friday, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
MHC – State of the College with Sonya Stephens. All Alumnae. President Sonya Stephens will provide an update of the state of Mount Holyoke College. There are two opportunities to hear her remarks: this one and one earlier in the day.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/96982384906
Friday, 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Class of 1971 Zoom Orientation. Practice session for classmates who are not familiar with Zoom, breakout rooms, renaming, muting, etc. (optional).
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
Friday, 6:30 – 8:00-ish pm
Class of 1971 Welcome and Conversation. After a welcome from Class President Liz Berens and Reunion Chair Carol Cramer Mills, we will be joined by President Sonya Stephens who will welcome us to our 50th Reunion. We will then move into breakout sessions organized by senior-year dorms and hosted by: Wendy Hagen Bauer, Kathy Bendo, Liz Berens, Marcia Katz Birken, Anne Brandon, Judy Katzenelson Brownstein, Sarah Sharer Curley, Susan Sokalner Dickstein, Karen Scott Forzani, Laurie Hammel, Meg Gere Harris, Barbara Kelly, Linda Keown, Lisa Dake Oberreuter, Meredith Tennent, and Sallie Welles.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
Friday, 8:00 – 9:00 pm
MHC – Friday Fun Night. All Alumnae. Join fellow alums for fun Zoom games. The session will begin with a short performance from the V-8’s followed by Trivia and a game called “Never Have I Ever.”
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIldOuprT4tHdHO1eABhR90860Vc8W2Yd0w
SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 — EASTERN TIME (ET)
Saturday, 8:00 – 9:00 am
MHC – Morning Tai Chi – All Alumnae. Join Hong Vuong ’95 for morning Tai Chi, a great way to start the day! She enjoys sharing the practices of tai chi and meditation to promote a healthy mind and body and returns each year for Reunion to offer this to alums.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/6879069819?
Saturday, 9:30 – 10:30 am
MHC – Virtual Back-to-Class. All Alumnae.
Reengineering Elite Higher Education. Presented by Benjamin Gebre-Medhin, professor of sociology. The internet has reshaped significant portions of our social, economic and political life, yet elite higher education remained relatively resilient to these changes through the 2000s. Using evidence from three years of field work at Harvard, Stanford and MIT, Professor Gebre-Medhin analyzes the role of Massive Open Online Courses in accelerating the struggle over the future of elite higher education in the digital era.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/97666962829?
Saturday, 11:00 am – Noon
MHC – Meet the President Elect of the Alumnae Association. All Alumnae. Meet Ellen Hyde Pace ’81, incoming president of the Alumnae Association.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/94050848924
Saturday, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
MHC – Alumnae Awards Celebration. By invitation only. All Alumnae award recipients will receive an invitation that includes the link and password.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/6879069819?
Saturday, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
MHC – 149th Alumnae Association Annual Meeting. All Alumnae. In celebration of 148 years of tradition and success, Mount Holyoke College alumnae, graduating seniors and guests gather to honor the past and welcome the future. All alums are welcome, regardless of reunion class year. Class of 1971 Class history will be read, and several classmates will receive awards. (Click here to see the 1971 award recipients.)
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/94240371012
Virtual Laurel Parade. Following the annual meeting, there will be a special showing of the Virtual Laurel Parade which can also be found here: https://alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/reunion/ (run time 30 minutes)
Saturday, 2:00 – 4:30 pm
MHC – Department At-Homes. All Alumnae. Stop by to visit the professors. Each department has a separate Zoom account. To access the zoom links for Department At-Homes, copy the following URL into your internet browser, https://events.mtholyoke.edu/virtual_reunion, near the top of the page, find the section with “Main Events At-Homes Cultural Centers 1951 1956 1961…” and click on At-Homes. Many At-Homes start at 2 pm. Each department has its own Zoom link.
Saturday, 3:00 – 5:30 pm
Informal Gatherings at Cultural Centers. All Alumnae. To access the zoom links for the Informal Gatherings at Cultural Centers, copy the following URL into your internet browser, https://events.mtholyoke.edu/virtual_reunion, near the top of the page, find the section with “Main Events At-Homes Cultural Centers 1951 1956 1961…” and click on Cultural Centers.
Saturday, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Eliot House Interfaith Gathering of alumnae. Share multifaith blessings, a litany of remembrance, images of sacred spaces on campus, and time for alumnae to share their memories and blessings.
Eliana Ortega Cultural Center serves as a home away from home for students within the Latinx Diaspora.
Saturday, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Jeannette Marks Center provides support, resources, and programming for LGBTQIA+ students and their allies.
Saturday, 4:00 – 5:00 or 5:30 pm
Asian Center for Empowerment serves as a space that provides support, education, community, and a meeting spot for students within the Asian diaspora (including but not limited to Asian, Asian American, and South Asian).
Betty Shabazz Cultural Center assists and supports students who identify within the African Diaspora (including but not limited to African, African American and Caribbean) through interactive programming and as a space to come together and celebrate.
Zowie Banteah Cultural Center promotes visibility and empowerment for Native American and communities of Indigenous people by providing a space for dialogue, interaction, and community in the Mount Holyoke College community.
Saturday, 4:30 – 5:00 pm
Class of 1971 Zoom Orientation. Practice session for classmates who are not familiar with Zoom, breakout rooms, renaming, muting, etc. (optional).
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
Saturday, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Class of 1971 Late Afternoon Events. Join at any time; bring your own drinks and snacks.
Saturday, 5:00 – 5:45 pm
Art Exhibit viewing and celebration of classmates’ work. Host Ann Barclay Robson will present a showing of artwork by Class of 1971 artists and Class of 2021 student artists. Click here for more information. Click on the 50th Art Exhibit menu above to view the exhibit.
Saturday, 5:45 – 6:00 pm
Music of Our Time in College and What’s Behind the Music. Co-hosted by Donna DiPaolo and Wendy Hagen Bauer. Click here (or on the Music Memories menu above) for a list suggested by classmates.
Saturday, 6:00 – 6:05 pm
Bookshelf on Goodreads.com Carol Cramer Mills will share the list of 63 books published by 11 classmate authors, which can be found on the goodreads.com website, and in the 1971 Bookshelf menu above. Click here for more information.
Saturday, 6:05 – 6:30 pm
Class Meeting. Class president, Liz Berens, and other class officers, will thank Reunion organizers, share reports, and read the names of classmates who died since our 2016 reunion; Nominating Committee Chair, Judy Katzenelson Brownstein, will read the slate of class officers for 2021-2026 and call for a vote.
Click here to review the minutes of our 2016 meeting.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
Saturday, 6:30 – 7:00 pm
Class of 1971 Break. Listen to background music which is a playlist of favorites from our years in college. Stay and chat with classmates or leave and come back later during the break time.
Saturday, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Class of 1971 Discussions of Major Issues Facing Society Today. Climate Change and Racial Justice: Where were we 50 years ago? Where are we now? And where do we go from here? The two sessions will be held simultaneously and are described below. Before attending any session, consider reading the Commencement Address given by President David Truman at our graduation. Click here for a copy.
1. Racial Justice. No matter where our life journeys have taken us over the past half century, our experience and our struggle for racial justice and equity unites, complicates, and enriches our history. In this gathering, classmate Valerie Smith will facilitate a sharing of memory and insight. By giving voice and listening to each other’s stories – from our time together at Mount Holyoke through the tumultuous period we are living through today – we will reflect on the diverse threads in the tapestry of our lives…when we have reveled and when we have borne deep sorrow … how we have been tested and how we have triumphed…what we have been given and what we have yet to give.
Valerie has been facilitating diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops since 2003 in the corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors.
This session is open to ’71 classmates only. Space is limited, so classmates need to reserve a seat. To do so, please email MHC.class.1971@gmail.com: provide your name and cell phone number and request a space for the Racial Justice session. You will be sent a Zoom link, pass code and other session-specific instructions. The email address you use will be the email address that will be given access Saturday night. The deadline for reserving a seat is Wednesday, May 19.
This session is full.
2. Climate Change: Where are we now? Where do we need to go, and how do we get there? Learn how each of us can help limit global warming and build a more sustainable world. A panel of nationally recognized experts will discuss the current situation; where we need to be; the opportunities and barriers; and the use of US global influence. Laura Helmuth, Editor in Chief of Scientific American, will serve as moderator. Our panelists will be Jessica Hellmann, Professor of Ecology at the University of Minnesota; David Doniger, senior strategic director of the Climate & Clean Energy Program at the National Resources Defense Council; and Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org. and Scholar in Residence at Middlebury College. The session will include Q&A with the panelists and will be recorded. After the session, there will be an opportunity for break-out sessions with classmates.
The members of the Climate Change Panel committee have come up with some reading suggestions that may interest you. Click here for a copy.
This session is open to all alumnae who are attending Reunion. We encourage classmates to log in 5 to 10 minutes early to ensure the session starts promptly at 7:00 pm.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/94081307524
SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2021 — EASTERN TIME (ET)
Sunday, 11:30 – 12:30 pm
Class of 1971 Pilobolus: Connecting with Balance. Val Bryan will welcome participants and then Pilobolus staff will teach a one-hour class. Exercises in mobility and balance will encourage participants to improve balance, stability, and mobility. This class is open to all levels of ability. For this class, you will need a chair, a small can or plastic cup, a ball (like a tennis ball) and a little open floor space. Click here for more information.
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
Sunday, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm-ish
Class of 1971 Coffee and Conversation. Stay for as long as you like. Leave one group and join another. |
Zoom link for this session: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/3499916902
1. Travel Including arts- and culture-focused trips, as well as general travel discussion. Hosted by Nancy Novogrod. Click here for more information.
2. Artist chat The Artist Chat event will offer an opportunity to connect with classmate artists and have conversations about art-making and creative activity. Hosted by Ann Barclay Robson. Click here for more information.
3. Facing Retirement or in Retirement Hosted by Judy Katzenelson Brownstein. Click here for more information.
CLASS OF 1971 REMINDERS
View at your leisure:
– Class 1971 50th Reunion Book online (see the 50th Reunion Book menu above for Classmates’ Pages, Class Officer History, 50th Reunion Survey, Notable Events: 1967-1971), or click here. A printed version of the book will follow reunion.
– Class 1971 50th Reunion Art Exhibit Public Website available until September 30, 2021 at https://www.mhc71and21.com or, access from the Class of 1971 website (see the 50th Art Exhibit menu above or click here).
– Virtual Laurel Parade which includes Class of 1971 photos, can be found at https://alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/reunion/ (run time 30 minutes). Or, click here to see 1971 Virtual Laurel Parade pictures on this website.
– Virtual Tours of the college campus using the link https://alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/reunion/
OTHER CLASSES’ EVENTS
Consider attending other classes’ events which are open to all alumnae. To review a list and get links, go to
https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/you_are_invited_to_other_class_events#.YJ_q4KhKjBU
PASSWORD: Please email mhc1971web@gmail.com to request the password to protected pages on this website.