(Alums celebrate Mountain Day in person and virtually on Sept. 30, 2021)

Dear fellow alums,

It’s been wonderful connecting with so many of you these last couple of months. At the end of August, our Uncommon Alums, Uncommon Paths event series featured Environmental & Public Health Consultant Dr. Ann Blake ’85 who shared stories of her incredible professional journey and lifelong dedication to environmental justice and creating change. Her trailblazing career as a woman and a scientist was truly inspiring. 

In September, we gathered via Zoom for an intimate discussion centered around the topic “Is it Worth It?” at our Monthly Mentorship Group, hosted by Jean Han ’87. This is an ongoing series, so please join us on the first Tuesday of every month to continue deepening the dialogue. The next meeting (October 5 – register here) will focus on pivoting industries or positions. Come share what’s worked and what hasn’t.

And just last Thursday, we celebrated Mountain Day with an in-person get-together at Hometown Creamery in San Francisco as well as a live online meetup via Zoom. Thanks to our hosts, Leah Hellerstein ’08, Hannah Fairbanks ’03, Marija Vulfs ’08, and Ellen Setchko Palmerlee ’16 as well as all the alums (from classes 1974 through 2019!) who came out and shared MHC memories and sweet treats. ⛰🍦

If you missed any of these chances to be in community with other local alums, don’t worry—October and November bring more opportunities to meet up both online and in person! Check out our slate of upcoming events below. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Teach-In

This October 11, the College will be presenting a webinar entitled How to be an Ally to Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples’ Day, commemorated throughout the United States on the second Monday in October, is a holiday that seeks to honor the histories, contributions, legacies, and experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of North America often referred to as Native Americans. Mount Holyoke honors the legacies of Indigenous tribes in Western Massachusetts who were the original caretakers of the area that the College now occupies. This educational opportunity is centered on understanding Indigenous cultures and histories. Sign up to hear from speakers Claudia Fox Tree, Johnny Cole, Marika Hamilton, and Jennifer Wolfrum.

In Memoriam

The NorCal Club would like to acknowledge two Northern California members who recently passed away: Mrs. Henry J. Wittrock (née Marguerite G. Killingbeck ’47) of Santa Rosa and Jeri Lynn Cohen ’81 of San Francisco. Steven Winn shared this touching tribute to Jeri in the San Francisco Chronicle in July. Our sincerest condolences to their families and friends. 

NorCal Book Club Celebrates One Year

Our NorCal Book Club, where we read and discuss books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers, just celebrated its first anniversary. We have a dedicated core group of readers and we’d love for you to join us. Check out the books we’ve read over the last year!

On November 10th, we’ll meet to talk about Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (register here) and will be mapping out our books for the upcoming year. We hope to see you there or at a future meeting. We’ll send out a schedule with books we intend to read over the next six months. Do you have a book you want to read with the Club or a favorite book you’d like included in the list? Drop us a line. 

Pay Your Dues 

Many thanks to those of you who have already paid your dues and/or become Lifetime Members. If you want to pay membership dues for the 2021-2022 year or become a Lifetime Member, please do so here: MHC Club of Northern CA Membership Dues. If you prefer to pay by check, please email us. Additionally, if your company offers corporate matching or incentives for volunteering or being a part of a non-profit organization, we are happy to work with them to find ways to financially support our Club.

Let’s Connect

As we continue planning for 2022, please share with us what types of events, programs, and resources may best support you at this time or any which you may wish to offer. Email us or fill out this form to get started. 

We’d love to showcase members of our alum community on social media. If you’re interested in sharing your story, let us know here.

Our very best wishes,

– The Board