Class Notes
‘One child at a time’ In a world full of millions of orphans, there is high demand among families wanting to adopt and legions of children who need good homes. But adoptions are becoming increasingly difficult, both domestically and internationally, says Mary Lib Mooney ’81, executive director of the child placement agency International Adoption Guides. “A lot of people do not realize how hard it is,” she says. “We have all of these children in foster care and orphanages, but in actuality, we don’t have a lot of children available to adopt.” Mooney knows the trials and tribulations of adoption from experience. When she and her husband struggled to conceive after their first child was born, the couple began the process of adopting a child from Russia. The adoption fell through. “We had such a terrible experience that I wanted to get involved and make adoptions easier for other people,” she says. The ordeal inspired Mooney, who earned a degree in human services from Elon, to join a domestic adoption agency. She forged connections with international adoption programs, too, and in 2002 established International Adoption Guides. The
organization, based in the Carolinas, has its own programs in Belize, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. In the past, the organization has hosted programs in China, Guatemala, Russia and Haiti. As executive director, Mooney works with families in the process of adopting at home and abroad. She travels to programs and orphanages abroad, conducts home studies and contributes to various humanitarian efforts. Licensed by the Ethiopian government, International Adoption Guides has completed more than 300 adoptions since establishing programs in the cities of Addis Ababa and Mekele. The agency’s partners in Kazakhstan have been processing adoptions since 1997, completing more than 2,000 adoptions over the past 13 years. The Ministry of Woman’s Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan have lauded the agency for its clean record and success in placing children. Despite the agency ’s accomplishments, Mooney says, increased regulation of adoptions in the United States and other countries has made the process cumbersome. “When I started traveling to Ethiopia, we were getting families in and out in six months, and now it’s at least a year,” Mooney says. “In Guatemala, it used to be four months, then a year, and now
Kristen Ann Shirley ’05 and John J. Farley, 8/1/09. Kristen is a teacher. The couple reside in Plymouth, Mass.
Jaclyn Nicole Puccini ’06 and Nicholas Zatezalo, 8/21/10. The couple reside in Atlanta, Ga.
by Sarah Beth Costello ’10
Steve Wagner ’05 and Brian Sedor, Donna Marie Webber ’08 and 7/16/10. The couple held their com- James C. Wilkinson, 5/14/10. The mitment ceremony at Historic couple were married in Charleston, Waynesborough in Paoli, Pa. Elon S.C. Elon alumni in attendance alumni who attended the ceremony were: Betsy Whitehead ’08, Lindsay were: Jessica Snow Feinberg ’03, Morgan ’08, Brandon Middleton ’08, Michelle LaSalle ’04, Bethany Chloe Baker ’07, Devin Kelley ’08, Beechy Sanford ’05, Ellen Whiteman Morgan Massey ’07, Heather Talley ’05, Michael Bumbry ’07 and Tim ’07, Sarah Schupp ’08, Mike Purcell Rosner ’05. Steve is a behavioral ’07, Ben Efird ’08, Hilary Watson ’08, specialist for Delaware County. The Ashley Sabol ’08, Nicole Spurlock ’08, Shannon Guerard ’08, Margo couple live in Norristown, Pa. Smith ’08, Lauren Doxsey ’08, Kelly Christine Hopewell ’06 and Michael Chencharik ’08 and Lindsay Young A. Fenn ’07, 6/27/09. The couple ’08. Donna is pursing a law degree. reside in Charlotte, N.C. The couple live in Durham, N.C.
Mary Lib Mooney ’81, at left
the country is closed to adoptions. In China, when I started, it was six months. Now it is five years or more.” Many countries have instituted restrictions on the number of adoptions that can be processed annually. China, once the biggest source for international adoptions, recently created stricter policies preventing homosexual couples, singles and obese individuals from adopting. In the United States, the government has started to crack down on adoptions without proper paperwork and birth certificates to ensure that the children being adopted are actual orphans, not exploited children who have been kidnapped or sold.
“There are fewer places to adopt children, but there’s the same number of people wanting to adopt,” Mooney explains. “You get a backlog.” That hasn’t stopped Mooney from working hard on behalf of the world’s orphans. “Children don’t have a lot of rights. We need more advocates for children. The abuse so many of these children go through is heartbreaking,” Mooney says. “A lot of people ask me how I do this job, because I’ve been to some terrible places. I tell them I do it one child at a time.”
Cindy Goodson ’10 and Andy Blanchard, 6/26/10. Cindy is a math teacher at Knox Central High School. The couple live in Knoxville, Tenn.
Christine is a reading specialist for Baltimore County.
births
’90s Holly Bell Gates ’91 and Tracy Gates, Winston-Salem, N.C., adopted their son, Trenton, age 3, from Ethiopia in Dec. 2009. He joins older siblings Sydney and Tyler. Christine Zellers Heckert ’97 and Gregg R. Heckert, Millersville, Md. Son: Reece Coltin. 10/23/09.
Marisa Morgan Bryant ’98 and Josh Bryant, Raleigh, N.C. Son: Ezekiel “Zeke” James. 11/10/09. Jeni Schompert McAllister ’98 and Kris McAllister, Wendell, N.C. Daughter: Sara Abigail. 2/4/10. She joins older sister Maddie. Jeni is a sales manager for Schwab Performance Technologies in Raleigh. Meghan McGlinn Manfra ’98 and Dennis Manfra, Raleigh, N.C. Daughter: Mia Corinne. 9/16/09. Meghan is an assistant professor of curriculum, instruction and counselor education at North Carolina State University. the magazine of elon
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