Senior Director's Message

Dear Scotties,

On March 12, members of the Atlanta Chapter Steering Committee met in the Alumnae House Tea Room. A few of us hugged and others of us bumped elbows, as word of this “novel” virus was all around us and we were trying to find our way at that moment. By the next night, Giselle Fernandez Martin ’98 (then Alumnae Association president), Whitney Miller Ott ’03 (then president-elect and now current president) and I were hosting conference phone calls, gathering leaders from every reunion year to seek their input about a decision we would soon make about Alumnae Weekend 2020.

That day feels almost like a lifetime ago. I never imagined how the coming months would impact our lives. The hubris of trying to predict the future — even the future of just a few months away — looms large at times, and yet, this publication is all about connection; our connection to one another, based on our shared experiences, and our joy at sharing news of our lives.

Here, in The Onyx, we share news of deaths as well as births, weddings and promotions. We need each other in times of sorrow too. Hearing from Scotties who have had to bear the burden of losing a loved one during this time cracks open any illusions that we are self-sufficient. The much-needed attention on systemic racism reveals so clearly how we are connected. Our alumnae of color — especially our younger ones — have shared their experiences of how deeply pain can run.

These past months have been hard. We have lost some of our great Scottie sisters this year, such as Connie Curry ’55, H’15, as well as spouses, friends and family. We have had to do some honest reckoning with injustice. How do we grieve in isolation? How do we shudder at ills in our society, rest, recover and act? We do that work in community.

Reaching out, our fellow Scottie alumnae have honored us by sharing their deep losses. Serving in this role, I am humbled almost daily. Our connections to one another make us who we are. There are joys now and joys ahead. Let’s try to hold onto our faith in that. It’s part of Agnes Scott’s motto. Your alma mater remains here for you through all of it. Together, we nurture the ties that sustain us.

Best,

Mary Frances Kerr ’93, Senior Director of Alumnae Relations