Hello all, and I hope you are enjoying the rest of your summer. It’s hard to believe but the 2023-2024 year at MHC is beginning soon, and since we are headed towards our 50th reunion, the Class of 1977 is the “Connections Class” with the incoming Freshman class. Below is a brief summary of the background of this program, and you will be hearing more about this over the next couple of years.
Overview
As alumnae classes prepare for their fiftieth reunion, many choose to initiate a “connection” with the class that is fifty years younger, in order to find common ground between generations. Classes approaching their fiftieth have supported the newest members of the Mount Holyoke community by holding special campus events, offering encouragement through letters and emails, and participating in Mount Holyoke traditions.
The relationship between fifty-year connection classes is unique to each pairing and dependent upon the interest, commitment, and investment of both groups. Learn more about the history of the program in this article from the summer 2015 issue of the Alumnae Quarterly (alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/blog/meaningful-moments).
Goals
- Grow the base of connected alumnae through involvement with classmates and with current students (specifically in the years leading up to the fiftieth reunion)
- Create cross-generational learning opportunities and foster community between alumnae and students
- Demonstrate the network of support that exists within the alumnae community
And for our 14 (and possibly 16) classmates who are part of the Pairing Project with incoming International Students, this might be a perfect time to meet your “Pair” face-to-face.
BTW, you may wonder why I am sending this to the entire class, but I have realized that many of you might be in the South Hadley area from time to time, so I don’t want to assume that only Massachusetts alums could get to College for the Orientation.
I hope some of you will be able to represent our Class on September 1st, and also get to “connect” with fellow ’77 classmates.
Fondly,
Liz
