MOUNT HOLYOKE CLASS OF 1975 FALL 2023 NEWSLETTER

Dear Classmates,

     September is here, and Mount Holyoke classes are in session under our new College President, Danielle Holley.  President Holley’s formal inauguration is September 21, and time will tell how the College will evolve during her presidency.  It’s an exciting time at Mount Holyoke!  Last month, Holley held an online M&C’s (that’s what Milk and Crackers is called these days) for invited Alumnae Association volunteers.  Your Class Co-president Sandi Carbonari Welsh and I found Holley to be articulate and eager to immerse herself into life at Mount Holyoke.  This year’s first year class, the Class of 2027, is a very large one, as an unexpectedly high number of accepted students from last year’s applicant pool have enrolled at the College.  Although this is a nice problem for Mount Holyoke to have, it has led to a  housing crunch, and parts of Willits Hallowell Center have temporarily been converted to dorm rooms.  

     Our fall Class of 1975 activities begin with a Zoom Monday, October 2, on the topic of moving.  Many classmates have left their longtime residences for a variety of reasons- to live closer to family members, to reside in a warmer place in the winter, or to have the adventure of living in a place they’ve always wanted to be.  Some of us have downsized to avoid the upkeep of a large home we don’t need, or to save money.  If you have moved or are thinking of moving in coming years, this Zoom is for you!  Our panel will consist of the below alumnae.  Liz will offer advice as a professional realtor, and Eileen, Coral, Ellen, and Gloria will discuss their recent moves.  We have geographical representation from coast to coast! 

Liz Hirsch, San Francisco CA, 

Eileen Leahy Epstein, Falmouth, ME

Coral Grout, Winchendon, MA and Tarpon Springs, FL

Ellen Kane, Washington, DC

Gloria Niedringhaus Jarvis,  St. Louis, MO

Below is the link to join this event:

 Share Your Tips and Stories about Moving!

Time: Oct 2, 2023 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85355277312

Meeting ID: 853 5527 7312

Passcode: 642248

     Watch your inboxes for information on our second Zoom of the fall, a program on traveling and living in France, planned by Eileen Epstein.  Eileen has traveled to France many times, and will be joined by classmates who live in France or who know the country intimately, including retired Kenyon College Professor of French, Jane Cowles.  

Thank you to all who have paid class dues.  Dues are not a donation to MHC, but fund Class of 1975 programming.  For those who have not yet done so, 2020-2025 dues of $50 may be paid by sending a check to Co-Treasurer Alice Maroni at 15 Franklin St., Alexandria, VA 22314-3828.  The more dues we collect now, the better our Reunion Chairs can budget for the festivities at our 50th Reunion.  

    As always, please contact me at elizabethmstone2712@gmail.com or Sandi Welsh at sandiwelsh12@gmail.com if you have suggestions for class activities, and write Class Scribe Eileen Epstein at batescolby2@gmail.com if you have news to share with other ’75’s.  You are also welcome to post news about yourself or others to our closed Facebook group, Mount Holyoke ’75.

Wishing you a safe and healthy fall season,

Elizabeth Stone

Co-president, Class of 1975

MOUNT HOLYOKE CLASS OF 1975 SPRING 2023 NEWSLETTER

Spring greetings to all members of the Class of 1975!  There is a lot of news to report in this letter, so read on!

MARCH4MHC Results

First of all, a BIG thank you to all who participated in Mount Holyoke’s two day fundraising challenge, the March4MHC, on March 9-10.  The Class of ’75 blasted past our goal of  80 donors for the two day event, as 92 classmates gave $19,359.  Anonymous matching donors agreed to give an additional $500 for every 20 donors from our class, which means our class is credited with raising an additional $2000 for Mount Holyoke.  Way to go, Class of ’75!  We beat our previous dollar and participation goals, and finished in the top 20% of all of Mount Holyoke’s alumnae classes.  Special thanks are due to our Head Class Agents Sandy Fotiades and Ruth Dillingham, to Maddy Franchi, who spurred our class on from the Mount Holyoke ’75 Facebook group, and to all who phoned or emailed classmates to encourage participation.

COME BACK TO CAMPUS ON APRIL 2 FOR THE “RINGS AND ROSES” CEREMONY

On Sunday, April 2 from 4-6p.m., any of you living near Mount Holyoke are invited to attend a special campus event with our Connections Class, the Class of 2025.  This is the annual Rings and Roses Ceremony, which commemorates the halfway point through college for Mount Holyoke sophomores.  The Rings and Roses Ceremony is an annual tradition that has evolved since we were in college.  Each sophomore will be given a rose and, if she has ordered one, a class ring.  Members of the Class of ’75 will distribute the roses and participate in a Fireside Chat with the Connections Class.  If you would like to go back to campus and interact with some delightful college sophomores, please contact Judy Stein at judystein13@gmail.com. 

JUNE IS TIME FOR CLASS OF ’75 MINI REUNIONS

It’s time to have a mini reunion in the Windy City!  On Saturday, June 3, from 3-6p.m., the Mount Holyoke Club of Chicago will hold its annual meeting at The Newberry Library.  This will be a perfect occasion for ’75 classmates from Illinois to meet, mingle, and network.  The president of the Chicago Club is Alexis Lewis Trocki ’05, daughter of our deceased classmate and former MHC trustee Mindy McWilliams Lewis.  Alumnae Association President Ellen Hyde Pace and Executive Director Tricia Tanner will be among the special guests in attendance, and drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.  Founded in 1887, the Newberry Library is one of Chicago’s most historic cultural institutions, a learning community for historians, genealogists, artists, and writers.  If you are on the mailing list for the MHC Club of Chicago, you will get an invitation directly from the club.  If you do not reside in Chicagoland but wish to attend, please email me directly at elizabethmstone2712@gmail.com.

Due to the success of our first mini reunion in western Massachusetts, Judy Stein will host another Berkshires mini reunion this June.  Watch your inboxes for further information as the date and time is finalized.

If you would like to host a mini reunion in your state, please contact Judy at judystein13@gmail.com.

NETWORKING GROUP FOR CAREGIVERS OF SPOUSES OR WIDOWS

We are increasingly cognizant of the number of ’75’s who assist a spouse living with serious illness or who have lost a spouse in recent years.  Patti Barnaby Koltes would like to start a group for any of you who are caregivers or recent widows.  If you would like to join a virtual group of ’75’s for sharing and support, please contact Patti at jkoltes@mindspring.com.

CLASS OF 1975 DUES ARE PAYABLE

Class of ’75 dues of $50 cover the period from 2020 to 2025 and are payable by check to Co-treasurer Alice Maroni, 15 Franklin St., Alexandria, VA 22314-3828.  Why are you being asked to pay dues right after being asked to donate to the March4MHC?   Class dues fund special events at our 50th Reunion in 2025!  The more dues we collect, the better we can plan for our 50th, and the better the Class of ’75 will celebrate in 2025.  Below are the surnames of ’75’s who have paid to date.                                                                            

Berney        Maroni

Brown          Milnor

Bidden Bend Campbell    M. Murphy

Crosby         D. Muphy

Cillingham     Owens

Ducat            Pascale

Ellington        Porrazo

Epstein         Seibert

Fine              Sheehy

Foster           Sims

Fotiades        Sosnow

Gavalis          Souder

Gerber          St. John

Grealish         Stein

Grout            Stone

Hirsch          Teasdale

Hunter         Terrazas

Kadlec          Walgren

Koltes          Weinberger

Leber           Wellvang

Lipschutz     Welsh

Lundin

STAY IN TOUCH!

As more of us retire, change emails, or disconnect land lines, your information on file with the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Association may become out of date.  Please look yourself up in MHC’s online Alumnae Directory to make sure your contact information is current. Log in or register at alumnae.mtholyoke.edu to review your profile.  This is where you can also look up any classmate.  Reach out and reconnect with an old friend!  Our Class Scribe Eileen Leahy Epstein would love to hear from you whenever you have news for the Alumnae Quarterly at scribe75@mtholyoke.edu.  

If you have any questions or suggestions in general, please contact me at elizabethmstone2712@gmail.comor Co-President Sandi Carbonari Welsh at sandiwelsh12@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Stone, Co-President

Summertime Greetings, Class of ’75!

This month, we begin our third year of a five-year cycle between Mount Holyoke reunions.  It is an appropriate time to reflect on where we are going as we progress toward that monumental milestone, our 50th Reunion.  More of us have joined the ranks of the retired, yet many ’75’s resolutely continue productive careers.  Either way, as we emerge from our pandemic cocoons, I feel joy every time I hear of a classmate who has resumed travel, attended a family reunion, held a new grandchild, or even done something as mundane as going to the movies.  

Have you joined one of our Class Zooms over the past two years?  The Class Board has presented a variety of programming for these online events, including programs by classmates,  purely social gatherings, and trivia contests.  Getting acquainted with classmates we didn’t know back in college seems to be the most fun part of these Zooms!  We will continue to meet virtually in the coming year.  Please mark your calendar for September 21 at 8p.m. Eastern time  for “From Dili to Ulaanbatar and Other Places in Between: The Unexpected Journey After MHC” by our own Kim Hunter.   Kim has lived in Bangladesh, Mongolia, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines.  Join us as we hear about Kim’s firsthand experiences in Asia over the decades.

Our first mini-reunion last spring in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts was a success. Reunion Co-Chairs Judy Stein and Linnea Grealish will set up additional gatherings in the next three years.  Planning is already underway for events in New York City this fall and Florida over the winter.   If you live in a major metropolitan area and would like to host a mini-reunion, please email judystein13@gmail.com, or linnea1027@comcast.net.  We intend to keep these events small enough to promote lively conversation and fellowship among all the attendees.  We’d also love to have a volunteer to host a ’75 gathering at the Black Alumnae Conference Nov.3-6.

Your Class Head Agents, Sandy Fotiades and Ruth Dillingham, are always hard at work with fundraising for Mount Holyoke.  In the past year, the Class of ’75 met their goals for donations to MHC both in dollars and in class participation for the Annual Fund, but Sandy and Ruth would like you to know that ANY donation you make to MHC in the next three years, such as buying an annuity, or making a gift to athletics, the Museum of Art, or musical programs, counts towards our 50th Reunion class gift.  

Independent of fundraising for the College, the Class of ’75 has its own treasury account, which will be used to fund our 50th Reunion celebration.  The account consists of Class Dues of $50 per person for the period 2020-2025.  To pay dues, or to confirm whether you’ve already paid, contact treasurer Alice Maroni at  acmaroni108@gmail.com

Each year, the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Association presents awards to graduates with exceptional professional achievements or service to the College or Alumnae Association.  To nominate a classmate for such an honor, visit alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/award.  We have so many accomplished graduates in our class who are deserving of such recognition!

Sadly, a portion of our class is totally out of touch with Mount Holyoke.  This includes women who have never attended a reunion or other event, made a donation, or even given an email address to the Alumnae Association.  In the coming year, your Class Board and other volunteers will reach out to these graduates to say hello and reconnect.  We’d love to have these alumnae return to the Mount Holyoke fold.  To help this effort, you can go to alumnae.mtholyoke.edu, review your own contact information in the Alumnae Directory, and at the same time, look up and reach out to a long-lost person from your Mount Holyoke day

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Stone

Co-president, MHC Class of 1975

elizabethmstone2712@gmail.com

Due to a recent tidal wave of comment spam, I have reset our website’s controls to disallow comments on posts older than 30 days.  If you are a class member who wants to respond to an older post, please contact me through the MHC Alumnae class communications site and I will re-post it here. 

Thanks,

Rhonda Berney ’75

Dear 1975 Classmates,

Have you bought or sold a home or other property in recent years?  Are you considering downsizing in retirement, buying a second home, or moving to be nearer to family?  Are you surprised how hot the real estate market has grown in the pandemic?

Join our next Class of ’75 Zoom starring classmates and realtors Liz Hirsch, Carol Grunebaum Kelly, and Fran Schofield!  This will be an informational Zoom on buying and selling real estate in today’s market, with opportunities to ask questions.  As we continue efforts to stay connected online, we hope you’ll join fellow classmates from near and far for this presentation.  One thing that unites us as a class is that we have all survived the stress of moving to a new home in the past 46 years, and in many cases, moving multiple times!

Please contact me or any member of the Class Board if you need the link to the Zoom, which has been sent to your email inbox.

Hope to see you, soon,

Elizabeth Stone 

Co-president, MHC Class of ‘75

<img id=”” class=”Apple-web-attachment” style=”opacity: 1;” src=”cid:1″ alt=””> Dear Classmates, Most of us are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 now, so I wish you a healthy, safe, and active summer!   Please join our upcoming Class Zoom on Thursday, June 10 at 9a.m. EDT.  Our Zooms to date have featured specific programming, but the June event is designed to simply reconnect and chat.  If you have not joined us before, we would love your participation.  Register by contacting Judy Stein at  judystein13@gmail.com.  This time, our Zoom is scheduled when classmates overseas can conveniently take part, which means  those of you on the West Coast will need to set your alarm clocks! President Sonya Stephens and her team delivered an online State of the College report on May 21 during graduation weekend.  Here are a few facts gleaned from the presentation:   This past semester, MHC had an enrollment of 2019 students, 700 of whom were on campus.  Ninety-seven percent of classes had fewer than twenty students.  To accommodate remote learning by students around the world, class times went from 8a.m. to 10:30p.m. Eastern Time.  The College performed 2000 Covid tests weekly, with a positivity rate of 0.1%, and held on-campus vaccination clinics.  New academic offerings include a 5-year B.A./M.A. program with the Graduate Institute in Geneva, for students interested in international relations and global development.  The MHC Semester in D.C. went virtual this year, with participating students doing remote internship work for 20-24 hours per week.  The Miller-Worley Center for the Environment (named in part for our classmate Sarah Miller and her sister) has set a goal of carbon neutrality for Mount Holyoke by 2037. Please extend a special welcome to the incoming Class of 2025 if you have the chance to meet them.  This is our Connections Class, the class who will graduate at the same time we hold our 50th Reunion.  Over the next four years, your Class Board will find ways for us all to get acquainted with these young women and offer them support and friendship. If you have ideas, please contact me.  Now that the College is reopening to outside visitors, those of us close to campus will have the opportunity to visit occasionally and share intergenerational stories with the 2025’s.  This should be fun.  This fall’s class is 80% domestic and 20% international, with half of the international students coming from China.  A recent admissions survey revealed that 92% of entering students choose Mount Holyoke for academic excellence, with only 65% selecting MHC because it is a women’s college.  Appreciation for Mount Holyoke as a women’s college develops later! Mount Holyoke notifies your Class Board of the death of a classmate every few months, and in April, Laura Horner Weinbarger sadly passed away.  If you hear of classmates who are seriously ill or have been adversely affected by Covid, please notify the Class Board so we can offer support.  And keep your good news coming!  Class Scribe Eileen Leahy Epstein would love to hear from you at batescolby2@gmail.com. Sincerely, Elizabeth Stone Class of 1975 Co-president elizabethmstone@hotmail.com

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