A Message from the Class of 2010 Class Board

Photo courtesy of the MHC Archives

“Every generation of Black people, up until now, has had to face the reality that no matter how hard we work we will probably not see the end of racism in our lifetimes. Yet many of us keep the faith and try to do all we can to make change now.” — Barbara Smith, in the introduction of “Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology” (1983)

These words from Barbara Smith ’69 – groundbreaking author, activist, and co-founding member of the Combahee River Collective – were written almost 40 years ago. Though the 1980s often feel very distant from us living in 2020, our nation continues to struggle with the same deeply entrenched anti-Black racism. It permeates all aspects of our society and manifests in how we build our cities, construct our laws, and engage with one another.

Your class board feels strongly in stating that Black Lives Matter. That the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and thousands of other victims of police violence and racially-motivated hatred matter. The events of the last few weeks, and in reality the events of the last 400+ years, have caused irreparable harm to Black communities throughout the US and globally.

Honoring and attempting to heal this harm will not happen overnight and, as a board of volunteers, we know that our contributions will be limited to what is within our control. Luckily, we, as a class, do have control over who serves on this board, how we prioritize our class goals, and how we engage with Mount Holyoke at-large and hold the school accountable. Over the next few days, we’re going to share some of the issues that came up in our class meeting this last weekend — specifically around diversity, inclusion, and leveraging our resources.

Together, we will find a path forward for how we can make meaningful change now and in the future.

Mount Holyoke College Class of 2010 Class Board — June 10, 2020

Registration open for Reunion!

The time has come to register for Reunion!

Getting ready to take our class photo.

Getting ready to take our class photo back in 2012

With three months to go, now is the time to make your travel plans, connect with carpool buddies, and put together your schedule. Be sure to register by April 15th, as the price will increase by $25 after that date. Plus, if you register by April 15th, you will be entered to win one of those awesome scarves that everyone after us has been getting at graduation.

To register online, you must be a part of the online directory, but you can also register by phone by calling Luisa Tavares at 413-538-2201. And remember, we are part of Reunion II this year!

The full schedule for our class is available on the AA website, with 2010-specific events highlighted in green.

Information will be coming more regularly from this point forward, so be sure to check whichever email account you have registered with the College and follow Class of 2010 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Current Stats on 2010 Giving

How are we doing?

Number of 2010 classmates that have given: 79

Participation Goal by June 30: 25%

Participation Met: 12%

Dollars Received: $3,114

Pledge Balance: $320

Total: $3,424

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed this year! 2010 did a solid job in the FebruMary Challenge. But we have a ways to go before we can meet our goal of 25% participation. Can we get there by the end of the fiscal year?

For many of us, the idea of giving money to MHC can feel a little premature. After all, most of us are still paying back loans and will continue to do so for quite some time. Additionally, we are in a stage of attending graduate school, starting families, buying homes, and all sorts of expensive stuff. But it’s important to remember that the size of the gift is not necessarily what matters – the important thing is participation. While every dollar counts so that MHC can continue to operate and provide aid to 70% of its students, the participation rate is also a very important indicator of institutional health. It even factors into our rankings in the US News and World Report, which, for better or worse, remains a big player in drawing new students to the school, as well as the kinds of grants MHC will receive.

In recent years, 40% of the 30,000 living alumnae gave to the college, raising a total of $8.7m (more on this here). While this compared favorably to our sisters at Smith and Wellesley, colleges like Amherst and Williams typically have participation rates in the 60-70% range. Of the 9,000 young alumnae, the giving rate reached 20%.

So what will your money be going to? By giving to the Mount Holyoke Fund, your money supports our enormous financial aid budget, bringing in top students regardless of income. It goes to establishing new programs like Nexus, our Curriculum to Career minor option, and keeping us on the cutting edge of technology. It funds faculty salaries so that we can attract and retain the best professors, and it also allows us to keep our buildings and grounds in good shape so that we don’t have leaky ceilings and environmentally-unfriendly buildings. At this time, tuition – the amount of money being paid by students and their families – accounts for only 59% of the operating cost of the school. That means that Mount Holyoke relies on alumnae, family, and friends, as well as grants and returns on the endowment, to cover the other 41%. And while our endowment is sizeable at $588m, we must do more with less than many of our peers, including Smith and Wellesley, whose endowments both top $1billion.

If you would like to make a gift to MHC, there are lots of ways to do so. Mail a check using the form you received recently, or use PayPal or a debit or credit card here: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/giving/givenow.html

Everyone at Mount Holyoke thanks you!

Run for Class Office!

Every Reunion, class officers are elected to steward the class for the next five years. With our five-year just around the corner, it’s time for elections, which means that the Nominating Committee is seeking candidates to add to the slate. Voting will take place on the Saturday of our reunion, and all class members present will be able to vote.

But what does it really mean to be a class officer? The Alumnae Association provides these definitions for each position. If you have questions, feel free to contact any current board members to learn more. To submit your name, or that of someone whom you think would make a great leader, email mhc2010reunion@gmail.com with the subject line “Nomination.”

President:

  • Oversees new officers and ensures continuity from previous officers
  • Leads development and implementation of five-year plan for the class
  • Maintains regular contact with the class board and makes decisions about class activities
  • Works with the communications coordinator on class outreach and communications plan
  • Approves budget and bills for payment
  • Leads class reunion planning
  • Writes at least one class letter and calls class board meetings
  • Attends a reunion planning workshop prior to Reunion
  • Presides over the reunion class meeting and presents the class history at the Association’s formal reunion meeting
  • Informs the Association of class honoraries and invites them to the class social hour and dinner
  • Works with head class agent and Advancement Office as needed and helps to foster a positive fundraising environment
  • Appoints Nominating Committee chair and selects two other members
  • Delivers final class officer slate to the Association by Sunday of Reunion, notifies all newly elected officers, and helps with the transition of records and the treasury
  • Writes a letter to the class after Reunion to thank reunion organizers and announce the new class board

Vice President:

  • Fulfill duties as assigned by the president (duties should be outlined by class board prior to soliciting candidates for position)
  • Works closely with president and may assume presidential role as necessary
  • May chair Reunion, organize and promote mini-reunions, and write class letters

Reunion Chair(s):

  • Attends the Reunion Planning Workshop 18 months prior to Reunion
  • Organizes the class’s reunion, with assistance from the president and reunion committee
  • Appoints the reunion committee chairs, outlines their duties and responsibilities, consults with them frequently, follows up on plans, and makes deadlines clear
  • Serves as the primary contact to Alumnae Association staff
  • Writes or co-writes two reunion class letters—due in October and February
  • Develops the reunion budget with assistance of the treasurer, class board, and reunion committee
  • Is encouraged to observe the prior year’s reunion.

Secretary:

  • Preserves class records, keeps minutes of board and class meetings, and retains meeting minutes book
  • Supervises the collection and storage of all permanent class records and memorabilia, except for the records kept by the scribe, class agent, and treasurer (contact Archives & Special Collections at the College for advice)
  • Assists the executive committee with the preparation of letters and publications
  • Occasionally assists the president and reunion chair, as requested, in preparing a letter to the class

Scribe:

  • Gathers, verifies, and prepares class news items, which are forwarded to the Alumnae Quarterly class notes editor four times a year. See the Scribe’s Guide.
  • Maintains a file of classmate correspondence and news
  • Coordinates with president and communications coordinator to solicit news and accomplishments from classmates
  • Notifies Alumnae Information Services of classmate address changes
  • Notifies Alumnae Information Services of the death of a classmate and arranges for the publication of a tribute. News of a death must be verified by a dated newspaper clipping and/or a letter from a relative. A personal tribute by a classmate who knew the deceased is desirable, but the scribe may also opt to contact a family member for a tribute.
  • Appoints regional assistants, as necessary, to relay news from different regions

Treasurer:

  • Maintains permanent, accurate records of all class funds, and transfers them to her successor at the end of her term
  • Establishes and maintains bank account. See treasury guidelines.
  • Completes and submits an Annual Financial Report (Form C) to the Alumnae Association by July 31 each year
  • Collects dues authorized by the class. (A minimum of $35.00 for every five-year period is recommended, although many classes ask $35 to $75 for a five-year period.)
  • Records and promptly deposits all receipts
  • Promptly pays all bills approved by the class president (approval may be indicated via email, attached to the paid bill, and filed)
  • Reconciles bank statements on a monthly basis
  • Sends financial reports to the president at least every six months (format should match the Annual Financial Report)
  • Attends class board meetings or provides written accounting reports
  • Transfers the treasury and records to the new class treasurer by September 15 following Reunion
  • Schedules meeting with new treasurer to update her on the state of the class treasury
  • Has books reviewed by another class officer or someone appointed by the president at least once every five years. See treasury guidelines.
  • Arranges to have sufficient reserve funds available preceding Reunion, so that bills may be paid promptly for expenses incurred before reunion fees are paid
  • Deposits all checks for class fees and pays all reunion bills
  • Brings the class checkbook to Reunion to reimburse volunteers as needed
  • Settles balance due to the Alumnae Association immediately after receipt of bills
  • Reports on reunion finances to the class president and the incoming class treasurer by August following Reunion

Communications:

  • Creates, maintains, and updates the class website and/or other class social media channels (may require a co-coordinator depending on volume)
  • Works with other class officers, and the Association as needed, to market upcoming events and activities to classmates
  • Attends class board meetings
  • Aims to increase engagement and communication among class members
  • Possesses basic skills/knowledge of photography, photo editing, web design and maintenance, and/or social media

Head Class Agent:

  • Reports to MHC Advancement Office
  • Responsible for class fundraising goal to The Mount Holyoke Fund each year
  • Motivates and manages team of class agents, Cornerstone callers, and reunion gift callers
  • Appoints planned giving chair in consultation with the Advancement Office after 20th reunion

Nominating Committee:

  • Nominating Committee consists of five members: three elected by the membership at Reunion and two appointed by the president
  • The president appoints the chair (recommended to be one of the three elected members)
  • Nominating Committee selects candidates for elected class officers and submits official slate for class elections
  • Chair contacts all committee members, makes assignments of positions to be filled, sets up timeline, and prepares slate for distribution to class prior to Reunion
  • Chair sets up a conference call no later than early fall of the reunion cycle to start the process

 

Call for Class Notes

This is how I look when I write to the AQ.

Have you won a Pulitzer prize recently?

Discovered a new planet?

Eradicated a major disease?

Been elected to Congress?

Well, neither have we, and we are so totally okay with that. And regardless, we still like each other and want to know what’s going on in each other’s lives. So submit a line or two to the next Class Notes and let us know how you are. Whether you’re relocating, starting a new job, going to school, doing a fun project, meeting up with MHC friends, or just looking to get in touch with people, submit a one or two sentence blurb! Our fantastic scribe Aviva Elzufon compiles everything she receives and sends it in to the Quarterly four times a year.

Deadlines for each submission are

January 16
May 1
August 3
November 3

and can be sent to scribe10 @ mtholyoke.edu.

The other great thing about Class Notes are that the Class Board occasionally (read: every issue) puts in an announcement about Reunions or other stuff that’s going on. So stay tuned!

The FebruMary Challenge is Here

Mary Lyon saw you coming

Reunion President’s Cup.

Won it on the first try.

The 2013 Young Alumnae Challenge.

Bam. 

2010 Challenge for the New Year.

Surpassed.

FebruMary Young Alumnae Challenge?

We got this.

Class of 2010, let’s be real – we kick ass when it comes to these kinds of things. Are we just that much more competitive? More committed? More obsessed with Mary Lyon? I don’t know. But I know I just love that every time MHC throws a challenge at us, we don’t just meet it, we go above and beyond. It’s a nice reputation we’re earning, don’t you think?

You probably just found out about this FebruMary thing coming up, and your first thought was that this is a weird pun for a kind of insignificant birthday. I know I can’t stop plugging it into the Subway commercial song. But then your second thought was, I will absolutely give something so we can WIN! And so current students can get financial aid and the lights can stay on and stuff.

But silliness aside, you know how important it is to give back to the place that gave us so much. There’s a whole page about it here on our site. To find out just how this new challenge works, the rules are all laid out for us. Make a gift on February 10th (that’s 10 for 2010). The class with the most participants (NOT the most dollars!) wins a matching gift of $1,837. If you have the means and desire to make a Cornerstone Gift, it will be matched, too.

Already gave this fiscal year? Well, thanks! You’re awesome! Feel free to do it again on February 10th! Thinking about it, but haven’t gotten around to it yet? February 10th is a great day to do it! Call your old moving group. Tweet it wildly. Snapchat a picture of Mary Lyon to every 2010er in your address book. Spread the word about February 10th, and give back to MHC.

Reunion Planning is Underway

Reunion co-chairs Ariel Hahn and Symone New met with 2010 Treasurer Nikki Chambers and Communications co-chair Cathy Ilowite this past weekend at the Reunion Planning Workshop, where they attended sessions on event planning and management, met with leaders from other alum classes, and brainstormed for our five-year (can you believe it??) reunion coming up in May 2015.

They also created a new Instagram account (mhc_2010) to accompany our Twitter (mhc2010) and Facebook accounts. Check it out!

Call for Articles and Updates

Have you started a new graduate program? Just graduated from one? How’s that new job going? Have you moved recently, gotten married, or gone on a fabulous trip?

Keeping your MHC Profile accurate and up-to-date is super important, so with every milestone make sure to update that. But keep your classmates in the loop as well! If you have a story to share, we would be happy to feature you on our website here. Looking to celebrate a friend’s accomplishments? We will gladly take submissions of articles about 2010ers for our Pegasus Profiles feature, which is set to launch in June.

In addition, feel free to submit articles that address issues that are particularly pertinent to our cohort. We will happily link to blogs, articles, essays, artwork, et cetera by 2010ers.

Simply click “Contact Us” at the top of the page for our contact form to start the conversation!

Class of 2013 Graduates

The time has come – as of today, with the Class of 2013 taking the stage to receive their diplomas, our schoolmates have all officially left MHC. The Class of 2013 entered in the fall of 2009 to witness our fantastic senior convocation, take part in a rockin’ Disorientation, and hold a special place in our heart as “our firsties.”

Commencement was broadcast via LiveStream, featuring, for the first time, a slate of speakers composed entirely of alumnae: Kavita Ramdas, Mona Sutphen, Joanne Lupton, and Mary Mazzio (click the links to watch/read their inspiring speeches).

 

 

Live Stream Laurel!

Can’t make it to Mount Holyoke for graduation weekend this year? No worries – the College has you covered with a live stream for the whole weekend, beginning with Laurel Parade. See the schedule below for the times to catch events, including Kavita Ramdas’s commencement address.

Saturday, May 18: 9:00 am – Laurel Parade
Saturday, May 18: 9:00 pm – Baccalaureate
Sunday, May 19
: 10:30 am – One Hundred Seventy-Sixth Commencement

You can also engage with MHC via Twitter (@mtholyoke, #mhc2013) and the Mount Holyoke Facebook page.

http://www.livestream.com/mhcstreaming

For those of you who will be in the area, let us know via Facebook. Not yet connected? Be sure to “like” Mount Holyoke College – Class of 2010 to stay in touch and find out about what’s going on!