Staying Connected the Old-Fashioned Way

As the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects continued last summer, Michele Moses ’90 noticed many of her fellow classmates were posting on social media about their struggles as parents of college-aged kids. She couldn’t help but think of the difficult decisions they had to make before the upcoming fall semester.

Naturally, this led Michele to think about current Agnes Scott students — especially first-year students — and the difficult situation COVID-19 put them in.

“I remembered how much campus life meant to me,” Michele said. “The beautiful campus, the amazing friendships created in the dorms, the excitement of being in a college classroom with professors, all sorts of new concepts and ideas coming together to transform who I was.”

As an alum, Michele wanted to create a small but meaningful way for alums to express their support to first-year students. She posted on the class of 1990 Facebook page asking what her classmates thought about sending cards to first-year students. After missing their 30th reunion due to COVID-19, the class of 1990 was ready and eager to engage with students and the college.

Getting alums to volunteer was easy, but matching those willing alums to students — while protecting their privacy and making sure everything was done properly — was a little more challenging. Michele worked with Senior Director of Alumnae Relations Mary Frances Kerr, who in turn worked with colleagues across campus to create an action plan.

In late September, an email was sent to all firstyear Scotties at their college email addresses asking if they wanted to receive a letter from an alum. Michele and Mary Frances nervously contemplated the response from students. What if first-year students in 2020 thought actual, physical greeting cards were lame?

It became apparent quickly that any concerns of student participation would be put at ease. Nearly 50 first-year Scotties signed up to receive a card from an alum.

“It didn’t bother me that students may have thought ‘old’ alums wanted to send them ‘old-fashioned’ cards,” Michele said. “I knew, even in this modern world, that a card can still speak volumes about how much someone cares about you.”

Another email went out to first-year students in early October, and more Scotties signed up to receive a card. Every willing student and every alumna had a match.

Grace Ashton ’24, a French major, started her Agnes Scott experience remotely from her home in New Hampshire this fall. She was the first-year student whom Michele was matched with.

“I am so grateful for Michele’s generosity and hope to emulate her community-mindedness as I grow here at Agnes Scott,” Grace said. “Her words of support reminded me of how I have become part of a welcoming community of people who care deeply about their [alma mater].”

All together, approximately 80 first-year students would be contacted by an alum who wanted to send them a little extra love and encouragement from their Scottie sisters and siblings.

“Sometimes simple ideas and gestures can mean so much,” Michele said. “The struggles of 2020 are enormous for everyone, but reaching out to each other during difficult times does make a difference. The Scottiehood is alive and well; even a pandemic cannot tear us apart.”

Do you have a special onyx ring story? Let us know at alumnae@agnesscott.edu!