Signature: spring 2015

THE MAGAZINE OF EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL SPRING 2015

CONTRIBUTORS

Casey Johnston ’05

(page 30) Describe Emma in two words: Stimulatory Oasis. I have not been in a place before or since where I felt so comfortable pushing every one of my limits.

Where was your favorite place to study at Emma? If I had to pick a favorite it would be the giant mod plastic armchairs on the ground floor of the library scattered between some book stacks.

What’s on your travel list, and why?

Patagonia, because you can go any time of year and there will be something epic going on there: ocean, mountains, snow, rivers, lakes, beaches, glaciers, weird animals, desert, tiny towns.

If you were a heroine in a book, whom would you be? The character Atalanta from Greek mythology as described in a book I’m obsessed with: The Amazons: Lives & Legends of Warrior Women Across the World.

Jessica Kingsley Anderson ’90

(page 14) Describe Emma in two words: Strength Training Where was your favorite place to study at Emma? I studied in what used to be the ‘senior lounge’ in the day-student locker area. Actually, it was kind of creepy, as it was mostly underground with a tiny window.

What’s on your travel list, and why?

Athens, Greece. I love the classics.

If you were a heroine in a book, whom would you be? Tasmin Berrybender from Larry McMurtry’s Berrybender Narratives.

S P R I N G 2 01 5

T H E MAGAZ I N E O F E MMA W I L L A RD SC H O O L

Gabrielle DeMarco

Director of Communications gdemarco@emmawillard.org Kelly F. Cartwright

Director of Alumnae Relations kcartwright@emmawillard.org Jill Smith

Class Notes Coordinator jsmith@emmawillard.org Megan Tady

Managing Editor www.word-lift.com Lilly Pereira

Designer www.lillypereira.com Trudy E. Hall

Head of School Please forward address changes to: Emma Willard School 285 Pawling Avenue Troy, NY 12180 518.833.1787 alumnae@emmawillard.org or www.emmawillard.org/alumnae

GOING G RA P H I C The artists of Intermediate Studio Art teamed up with the writers of English elective Girls Write Here to create their very first beautiful, touching, and quirky graphic novels. To help the girls with this new experience, Emma enlisted parent and graphic artist and novelist Barbara Slate. Slate, who has worked for DC Comics and Marvel among other top comic companies, was floored by the girls’ work, which encouraged them to collaborate across disciplines to create powerful works of art. For a better look, go to www.girlswritehere.com.

Signature, the magazine of Emma Willard School, is published by the Communications Office two times each year for alumnae, parents, grandparents, and friends of Emma Willard School. The mission of this magazine is to capture the school’s values and culture through accurate and objective stories about members of the Emma community, past and present, as they put Emma Willard’s mark on the world.

ON TH E COV ER The “signature” on the cover was created by Associate Head of School Judy Bridges.

In the photograph, Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’89 looks from her office over the Manhattan skyline.

Photo by Don Hamerman.

Printed on 100% recycled paper manufactured entirely with nonpolluting, wind-generated energy.

F E AT U R E S

14 Pack Leader

One alumna’s life-long passion for the sport of beagling

22 The Price of Chocolate

Becoming the first certified fair trade school in the nation

30 Girls Code

Emma women excel in the male-dominated technology industry

D E PA R T M E N T S

02 From the Triangle

38 Connections

100th Revels, the senator returns to Ida, girls share their engineering chops, the girls’ school advantage, diversity dialogue, feminist energy abounds, and other Emma news

The Emma Network connects across the country and a message from the AAC

10 Faculty Voices

45 Memorial List

Q&A with student life legend Judy Bridges on the eve of her retirement

80 Signing Off

12 The Classroom Linda Maier brings deep experience to A.P. Biology

42 Class Notes

Head of School Trudy Hall talks about what’s “next” for Emma

From th" Triangl"

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

FROM THE TR IA NGLE

100 th

For 100 years the Lords, Ladies, Jesters, and “Great Folk� have held their annual festivities on Mount Ida. The tradition of Revels is a bond that connects Emma Girls across generations.

This year, the Class of 2015 put its twist on our most beloved tradition for its centennial performance.

Among the magical, whimsical, and devilish visitors to the Great Hall were 100-year-old Grandfather Jester and his granddaughter, who brought extra merriment and misrule along with them.

P H OTOS BY MA RK VA N WORMER

Spring 2015

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FROM THE TR IA NGLE

NCGS Finds the Girls’ School Advantage What does an all-girls’ high school experience mean for girls? The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools found that girls in such environments gain a greater sense of safety in their surroundings, a willingness to challenge themselves in the classroom, and greater self-confidence in themselves and their abilities.

According to NCGS’ report Steeped in Learning: The Student Experience at All-Girls Schools* survey, girls STRONGLY AGREE with the following statements:

75.9% Girls’ School

70.5%

Co-ed Independent Schools

58.2%

Co-ed Public Schools

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

Girls in Emma’s Engineering Projects class learn hands-on—in and outside of the classroom. And they love sharing their techie knowledge. The girls demonstrated their skills at this year’s GE Family Day on the GE campus in Schenectady, New York, where they worked with young kids to construct marshmallow shooters for a chance to win yummy prizes.

FA ST FACTS

Girls give their MAXIMUM EFFORT in most of their classes

NCGS’ report Steeped in Learning: The Student Experience at All-Girls Schools used data compiled in the 2013 High School Survey of Student Engagement to compare student attitudes between girls’ schools and coeducational schools. The creation of the report was led by Head of School Trudy Hall who also serves as president of the board of trustees of NCGS. The results found girls in all-girl environments were more likely than girls in coeducational schools to desire challenge and aspire to go on to pursue graduate degrees.

“We knew the results would show the benefits of the all-girls’ experience, but they were particularly striking,” says Trudy. “Our girls deserve the head start in grit and drive the all-girls’ experience provides to them.

Our world deserves it, too.”

EMMA ENGINEERS VOLUNTEER AT GE FAMILY DAY

Girls feel COMFORTABLE being themselves at their school

43.7% Girls’ School

35.4%

THE HARKNESS TABLE FOR A NEW GENERATION Decades of Emma Girls have sat around the solid, sturdy oval Harkness Tables. The tables encourage classroom dialogue, ensuring each girl has an equal seat at the table. Today, if you peak through our classroom windows, the Harkness is still a foundation of the Emma experience.

But, as with so much at Emma, it too has continued to evolve. Thanks to light design and swiveling wheels, the Harkness table of today’s Emma can quickly shift from discussion-based oval to group pairings for collaborative work or separate desks for testing or personalized study. The once hefty tables are easily moved about the room, as dynamic as the girls and faculty using them.

Co-ed Independent Schools

18.3%

Co-ed Public Schools

*To see the full report please visit ncgs.org

An easy shift between a personalized and collaborative classroom, thanks to the new Harkness Tables.

FROM THE TR IA NGLE

A Senator Returns Home to Mount Ida Emma is blessed to have many of our girls go on to lead and influence great change in the world. In October, Emma Girls got to hear from one such alumna, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ’84, who stopped by campus to discuss her book, Off the Sidelines, and to have an intimate Q&A with the Emma Community. The students, in true Emma Girl form, asked tough questions about the Senator’s experience running for office, dealing with staunch dissenters, overcoming bias in the workplace, the male influences in her life, and prioritizing her hectic schedule.

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FROM THE TR IA NGLE

FA L L C R E W

A Big Splash in Boston Seniors Fiona Casey and Sasha Weilbaker became the first rowers from Emma to compete in the massive Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts, this fall. The girls rowed hard and earned the title of first place school team, and 15th place overall after competing against a number of well-known club teams.

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S P EA KER S ER IES

To fully honor the vision of Martin Luther King Jr., the Emma Willard community traveled together to see the movie Selma, which highlighted the battle the civil rights leader and his constituents fought to bring voting rights to the south. The moving film led into an afternoon of discussion on race, identity, stereotypes, and unity.

Emma Girls reported the day allowed them to feel deeply connected to the reality of King’s legacy and to consider the impact of the civil rights movement in new ways.

“The combination of such a thoughtprovoking film and small discussion groups forced students and faculty to dig deeper, particularly into the change, or lack thereof, in American race relations, and made us all confront our role in these things and how we can do better,” said Courtney Breiner ’15.

Emma believes in leading by example as demonstrated by this year’s Serving and Shaping Her World speakers.

Our first speaker was Jamia Wilson, the dynamic executive director of Women Action Media (http://womenactionmedia. org) and a TED-prize winning storyteller. In an Inside the Actor’s Studio-inspired session with Trudy Hall, Jamia led the community in thinking about our personal identities and honing our self-awareness in a way that allows us to best engage with and support others.

Serving and Shaping Her World

FROM THE TR IA NGLE

Deep Diving into Diversity to Honor MLK Day

RO UN D SQUARE HOUSE

Brings the World to Campus Emma’s commitment to fostering a distinctive worldview in our girls led us to take our global programming to the next level with the introduction of our Round Square House. Emma Girls in the house strive to uphold Round Square’s six IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, and Service.

The girls exemplify these IDEALS by working together to establish their own house rules, performing meaningful acts of service, engaging in discussions surrounding global issues, and celebrating their micro-community with house dinners inspired by their diverse experiences—whether that be their backgrounds or time spent away on exchange at one of our partner schools.

What kind of great projects are the Round Square House girls up to? Check our their twitter feed: twitter.com/EWSRoundSquare

Spring 2015

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F RO M T H E STAG E

Dance Company It’s said that to dance is to live. For girls in the Emma Willard Dance Company, dancing is most certainly a way of life.

The Dance Company first came to Mount Ida in 1994 thanks to Emma’s Elsa Mott Ives Chair in Dance Sue Lauther. Experiences in her own high school swing choir and recruiting dancers on behalf of the Northwestern State University of Louisiana taught her how valuable strong dance programs and early experiences performing for audiences can be for teaching girls confidence and responsibility.

Sue, who is celebrating her retirement from Emma this year, built the company at Emma around learning and performing on tour.

“I discovered [performing on tour] really matured the dancers quickly to go out in the community and get that kind of feedback,” explains Sue. “They got a lot more clear and confident, and able to make more artistic choices.”

While learning and touring remain the cornerstones of the Dance Company, the program has evolved from its early beginnings. One notable change is that girls do not audition for a spot; they’re invited to take part. Barbara Magee, dance instructor and Dance Company co-advisor explains the invitation involves girls after having them in classes and learning how they work both as individuals and alongside others. In addition, girls’ potential may not initially shine through.

“For some [dancers], their technique maybe isn’t fantastic at the moment, but you know them

so you know their potential and that they’re going to come forward given the opportunity,” says Barbara.

For Emma Muschett ’15, joining Dance Company was a chance to explore her potential and push herself in new ways. After weighing her commitments and feelings about her dance abilities, she felt it was her responsibility to find a place where she could invest herself in something that made her happy.

“The final deciding factor was that I always leave the dance studio rejuvenated,” says Emma. “After a long day of classes, computer screens, and responsibilities, dancing recharges my mind and reminds me of the valuable connection between my mind and body.”

Emma Girls not only bring their technical prowess to Dance Company, but also eagerness and cooperation, essential traits to master the group’s complex choreography.

There are a few pivotal moments throughout the year that bring the girls together in this way, and they don’t all happen on the dance floor. They also take place when they are fundraising for spring tour— picking apples and turning them into pies and tarts or dipping and candying them to sell to the community.

The girls also come together when visiting guest artists work with the company at Emma. Each artist brings their own style when creating dances for the company. Learning from these working professionals shows the girls how important it is to be sensitive to each other—physically and emotionally—to bring forth the artist’s intended spirit in their performances.

Once they head out on tour, their tight-knit connection is especially evident. In addition to being responsible for their dancing, each girl has a job—from company manager, business manager, and costume manager to historian and archivist—and each is vital to ensuring the show goes on.

This year, tour travels to Jamaica, where the girls will get the chance to learn reggae and incorporate the rich, unique culture of the Caribbean into their dancing.

Tour tends to be a transformative experience for the girls, according to Barbara.

“Almost every year when we’re on tour something happens—and it’s not always dance—but that you see this person has had a life change,” she describes. “They’re seeing the world differently.

They’re seeing themselves differently, and seeing that shift happen, is the most rewarding experience.”

BY KATIE COAKLEY

FROM THE TR IA NGLE

SO CIA L ME D IA

Follow us @emmawillard

Girls: Use Your Voice: Change the World emmawillard.org/blog/ girls-use-your-voicechange-the-world/

@emmawillard via @FactTank: despite gains, America lags behind in number of women leaders. #GirlsSchools can help change this! http:// pewrsr.ch/1ENs2S

Redefining Herstory through Imagery emmawillard.org/blog/ redefining-herstorythrough-imagery/ likes

#Herstory

facebook.com/ emmawillardschool Members of FASO had a lot of fun taking over the kitchen and preparing their favorite home delicacies.

Thanks for a great meal!

#ForeignandAmericanStudentOrganization(FASO)

Our JV basketball team took home their first win of the season against Stillwater. Can you feel their excitement?

#FirstWin

“If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat.”

—Sheryl Sandberg #WiseWords #QOTD #WomenLead What’s the secret to creating “smart,” productive groups? Having women involved! http://theatln. tc/1Bfhs30 #WomenLead #EmpoweringWomen

#EmmaGirls in our Technical Theater Support class had a great time exploring behind the scenes @EMPACnews!

vimeo.com/108081879 Patricia Ho ’15 encouraged the community to remember to make time for the fun, happy moments in this Happy video.

tinyurl.com/ aboutrevels #Happy

What do you think Revels is about?

Spring 2015

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Th! Classroom

BY KATIE COAKLEY

AP Biology

Bringing Deep Experience to Scientific Inquiry “Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth, are never alone or weary of life.”

This wisdom, imparted by American biologist Rachel Carson, describes the true essence of the field of biology.

Emma Girls who have had the opportunity to learn from our Homer L. Dodge Chair in Science Linda Maier often leave her classes with this important understanding of the world. In her A.P. Biology class, girls explore the full range of biological topics—from cellular biology and molecular genetics to plant and animal systems, and everything in between.

While her Introduction to Biology courses allow for flexibility in the length of study per section, the A.P. curriculum challenges her girls to quickly move through the seven distinct disciplines of biology, which can be a powerful experience.

“When the girls are done they can see how it all fits together,” explains Linda. “They’re not just seeing one little slice, but the grander picture which allows them to think critically about how— even if they’re a scientist working in one field—their applications can be applied to a number of others.”

To enable this in-depth understanding and appreciation of each field, Linda leads the girls in her A.P. courses in a series of labs in which they are responsible for carefully experimenting, analyzing, and reporting on their experiments. But, before they pick up a pipette or prepare a petri dish, girls are given pre-lab materials that get their brains in motion before they walk up to the dark, stone lab bench.

“It makes them think about each step—why would they do it?

What are they hoping to accomplish?—and forces them to think, ‘I wonder what will happen.’”

On this day of class, a lab is in session. Adorned in gloves and goggles and equipped with detailed notes, girls gather around a wide table preparing pipettes for the task at hand—transferring the glowing properties from a jellyfish to E.coli samples using an engineered plasmid called pGLO. For many, it’s their first time handling such

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

an instrument, and its adjustment is crucial for such a precise experiment.

Girls in each group assist each other in ensuring their pipette is where it needs to be—fine-tuning it ever so slightly before approaching Linda who stands nearby with the E.coli. Keeping their pipette straight, girls carefully dip and measure the bacteria and transfer it to a plate, mindfully avoiding smearing or poking the sample.

Once their tools and samples are ready, they move around the room visiting lab stations that take them through the experiment—from applying the transformation solution and incubating their samples on ice, to using the heat shock. The next day, they will see which of their experiments has successfully taken on the glowing property.

Squeals of accomplishment are bound to ensue.

As they work together, Linda carefully notes everyone’s progress while gracefully moving around the room—seemingly arriving just as a question arises in one group, or in time to commend another on a successful step completion.

“I think as a seasoned teacher you learn to always be surveying the room,” she notes. “You look to see who’s hovering in a way that says they’re stuck, or

P H OTO BY KRIST IN REH D ER

TH E CLASS RO O M

feel your ears perk up because you overhear someone saying ‘Oh, we’re going down a wrong road.’”

With her calm and careful guidance, the girls are able to call upon their pre-lab knowledge and continue on. This speaks to the biggest shift Linda has noticed in her more than 20 years teaching A.P. Biology—the reliance on critical thinking skills.

Linda discusses how A.P. courses across the country used to be criticized for being based on memorization. Today, the course at Emma fosters critical thinking skills and deep understanding of learned concepts, and as such, asks girls to do a lot of data collection and manipulation and apply their knowledge.

The shift has resulted in a more rigorous, but ultimately more beneficial learning experience for Emma Girls, according to Linda.

“You see the girls struggle at first and then become really independent learners—learning to be proactive in their learning and trying different things until they finally find what they need to be successful and have a real sense of pride in their work.”

“I find the difficulty doesn’t dissuade them. It actually gets them more psyched for the class,” she says. “That’s what I like about the class. You see the girls struggle at first and then become really independent learners—learning to be proactive in their learning and trying different things until they finally find what they need to be successful and have a real sense of pride in their work.”

Emma Girls carry these lessons on with them to college

and beyond, and are sure to let Linda know how impactful her class has been—Linda already has a drawer full of deep notes full of gratitude from alumnae, each recalling their Emma A.P. Biology experience.

“They’ve learned to be precise. They’ve learned to be concise, and how to think and express themselves in important ways that extend well beyond the classroom.”

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“We’ve taken a sport and an interest that has primarily been a maledominated sport and now it’s all absolutely equal. That whole club and community is realizing it’s an equal playing field.”

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

Jessica kingsley Anderson ’90 reigns as the first female president of the National Beagle Club

Pack Leader

B Y M E G A N TA D Y P H OTO S B Y K Y L E A D A M S Spring 2015

15

T

he week before the last beagle hunt of the season, a foot of snow fell on Columbia County, New York. On the day of the hunt, a sunny December afternoon, the rolling hills are covered in what looks like a white wool blanket, and the rutted dirt and gravel roads are crusted with ice.

This doesn’t stop Jessica Kingsley Anderson ’90 from taking out her hounds. As a huntsman for the Old Chatham Hunt Club, she’s hoping her pack can put on a good show for the hearty spectators—about thirty people—who have pulled on their warmest winter gear to tromp after her.

The hounds, fourteen beagles with names like Finder, Apollo, and Bastille, orbit around her, jumping and whining for a pat on the head or the soft kibble she sprinkles from the pocket of her dark green huntsman jacket.

Jessica’s not just good at this sport; she’s a pro. In 2012, she was given the venerable title of president of the National Beagle Club of America, the first woman to hold the post.

Jessica, flanked by husband Cody and staff members, leads the pack after a successful hunt. Right: Two hounds are rewarded for a job well done.

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She carries a long wooden walking stick, a horn, and a black whip.

She points up a hill, instructing her staff—a half dozen other people trained in the sport—where she’s planning to hunt. They take off in different directions, punching their boots through the crispy top layer of snow. If they need to, they’ll help Jessica redirect a hound that breaks loose from the pack.

She’s trained the hounds to track the scent of a rabbit—and only the scent of a rabbit. The snow doesn’t help. Scents disappear quickly on cold days. Still, the pack is ready,

and when Jessica blows her horn, the hounds dash around a bend to a thick bramble of trees and bushes, sniffing all the while.

The objective isn’t to capture and kill. The hounds rarely, if ever, actually catch a rabbit. Rather, beagling is a sport of scent and chase. Within moments of the blast of the horn, one hound, and then the others, begin barking. The bark sounds like the word, “harp” over and over

again, signaling that they’ve found a cottontail.

The spectators, called “the field,” yell out their own signal: “TallyHo!” And the hunt is on.

The hounds pursue the rabbit by scent, their noses glued to the ground as they run, all the while under Jessica’s diligent direction.

The field watches, and Jessica notices that the hounds are starting to run toward the road. She cues

the staff, and Lauren Berry ’18, a staff member, bursts out running to cut off any wayward hounds.

People in the field crane their necks to get a glimpse of the rabbit, but the hunt is quickly over.

The rabbit “goes to ground,” meaning it scurries into a hole.

On a good day, the hounds can track the line of a rabbit for upwards of 90 minutes. Today, with this snow, we’re lucky to have

seen any hunt at all. The field applauds. It’s a victory for the hounds and the huntsman.

Jessica blows the horn and yells, “Pack up.” The hounds come bounding toward her, happy and triumphant, eager for the next round of orders from their leader.

“When they do a good job and they know they’ve done a good job, they’re so excited,” Jessica says.

“And then I’m so excited.”

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“[Jessica] is very thorough, and she has a good ability to communicate. She has to be able to make all these people happy,” Jack says, alluding to both the spectators at the hunt and the NBC’s 300-plus members.

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POOR MAN’S FOXHUNTING

Jessica is excited. She’s animated and loud, talking with her hands in a small room in the back of the kennel an hour before the hunt begins. The hounds can sense it’s a hunt day, and they bark and jump as if to say, “Choose me.”

She shouts to her husband, Cody, a New Jersey transplant, to check that the hound truck starts up in the cold.

“Hi Smokey, hi Smokey,” she says, greeting a feisty new addition to the pack who jumps high enough to escape his kennel.

And then, “Where was I? Oh yes!

Basically, I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

Jessica was five when she met her first beagle.

“I was in the middle of this kennel, and I got scratched up, knocked down, and beaten up, and it was the greatest day of my life,” she recalls.

From that day on, she tagged along with her father, Jack Kingsley, who had also learned the sport of beagling as a child. Jack became a huntsman for the Old Chatham Hunt Club, a subscription club where members pay dues to board the hounds. Jessica was in his stride, learning everything she could about how to command a pack of animals.

“I was fascinated by the trailing of scent,” she says. “I watch their work ethic. I watch their noses down. They care about nothing else. They are doing nothing else. When you are in a situation where a group of animals is working together to accomplish something, it’s pretty amazing.”

L–R: Jessica prepares for the hunt at the kennel; a hound sits for treats; Jessica’s father Jack Kingsley in his huntsman jacket; starting the hunt; hounds eager to get to work; the award-winning pack’s “silver”; Emma alumnae join the hunt, from left, Jessica, Leslie Quinn Stanton ’65, Samantha Moran Vining ’90, P’18, Lauren Berry ’18, and Cristin Albert Palacios ’90; a sniffing break.

I really appreciate that Emma was willing to trust me that this wasn’t just something that was a five-minute passion. This became a part of my life.”

Hunting with scenting hounds has been around for thousands of years—first as a necessity and then as a sport with English heritage.

Fox hunting is the more aristocratic of the sports, which involves following foxhounds on horseback.

Beagling is known as the “poor man’s fox hunting” according to Jessica, because participants don’t have to pay to keep horses or feed a larger breed of dog.

Jessica was hooked. At Emma, she did her independent study, or Practicum, on beagling—a project that combined her love of writing with her work with the hounds.

She kept a journal of each hunt.

Her father and the other huntsman, Tom Kelly, gave her more responsibility, and soon she was taking the hounds out on her own to train them and hunt with them. She also led the hounds in competitions in Aldie, Virginia.

Jessica says the Practicum “turned me from a shadow to a leader.”

Years later, she’s still grateful that Emma said yes to a girl who wanted to spend her afternoons training hounds.

“I really appreciate that Emma was willing to trust me that this wasn’t just something that was a five-minute passion,” she says.

“This became a part of my life.

They allowed me to keep pursuing something that I may have lost.”

After she left the area for college and a job, she returned to the sport in her mid-twenties. When she was 30, the Club named her a huntsman, and she now shares the duties with her father.

Twelve years later, Jessica can tell the hounds apart and distinguish their “voices.” On this day, she and Cody are trying to determine which dogs to pick for the hunt.

“We have to be alert to the fact that these hounds are going to be pushing through snow,” she says.

She calls out names, like a teacher reading a roster, and Cody lifts each delighted hound from his or her kennel.

“If I feel a tug on my pant leg, I know that it’s Graceful,” she says, bending down to put a collar on a hound.

THE PIED PIPER

Back on the hunt, Jessica and father Jack deliberate. Should she cut to the right to move toward an open field or guide the pack further down a forested path?

“Jessica has the great instincts of a good hunter,” Jack says. They push forward, Jessica yelling commands for the hounds to stay behind her.

A six-year-old boy named Cameron is on Jessica’s heels much like she was to her father. Another young girl follows on cross-country skis. “Bend your knees,” Jack instructs. The entire sport is built around community—something that both Jack and Jessica have worked hard to cultivate.

“My dad does so much for the kids who come into this area and fall in love with beagling,” Jessica says. “He promotes and has taught me to promote their involvement and enthusiasm.”

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Samantha Moran Vining ’90, P’18 tromps up the hill in a Carhart jacket. She insists she’s just along for the party—a tea that happens after the hunt. But the sport is in her blood, too.

Samantha and Jessica have been friends since they were five years old. She was introduced to beagling around the same time, and passed down the tradition to her son, Cameron, and daughter, Lauren Berry ’18, the other Emma Girl who helped contain the hounds at the start of the hunt.

“This is a rural area,” Samantha says. “You can’t play with the neighborhood kids because there are none. So we bring the kids to the neighborhood.”

She says Jessica, who also has a full-time job, devotes herself to the pack. In turn, the pack wins numerous awards (called “silver”) in competitions. Last year, Jessica’s pack won two out of three hunting classes.

“Our small little hunt club has more silver than you could possibly imagine because she works day in and day out,” Samantha says. “She takes them out every day. They really get good at it.”

Cristin Albert Palacios ’90 lives on the same street as Jessica. She says she was drawn to the sport because it was family oriented.

“She’s like the pied piper,” Cristin says. “She just has to call the kids and they’ll meet her at the bottom of the road and off they’ll go.”

Lauren sprints up the hill after the pack. She’s one of those kids entirely inspired by Jessica. “[Jessica’s] the perfect combination of beauty, skill and being on-point with everything,” Lauren says. “She’s like a second mom with all of us.”

Another Emma alumna, Leslie Quinn Stanton ’65, joined the hunt as well. Samantha says it’s remarkable that five Emma Girls enjoy the sport together, and that it can all be traced back to Jessica’s Practicum at the school.

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“People ask me what’s so special about Emma,” Samantha says.

“They allow you to follow your passion, and that’s what this is. It’s been a love of Jessica’s since Emma.

Whatever you want to do, they support. It’s very freeing.”

A PACK LEADER

Until the ’60s and ’70s, beagling was primarily a male sport. The National Beagle Club (NBC), which was founded in the late 1800s, banned women from staying overnight on the grounds where field trial competitions were held.

Today, Jessica estimates that women run at least 40 percent of NBCaffiliated packs.

“These are strong women,” Jessica says. “It takes individuals with real drive. You have to be in good physical and mental shape to be able to do this. You’re running a small organization.”

When the NBC board elected Jessica as their next president— making her the first woman to run the show—she says it sent a message that times are changing.

“I think that [being the first female president] means that we’ve taken a sport and an interest that has primarily been a male-dominated sport and now it’s all absolutely equal,” she says. “That whole club and community is realizing it’s an equal playing field.”

Her father thinks she’s perfect for the role.

“She’s very thorough, and she has a good ability to communicate.

She has to be able to make all these people happy,” Jack says, alluding to both the spectators at the hunt and the NBC’s 300-plus members.

In Columbia County, the wind is picking up and the hunt is winding down. The season is coming to a close. Jessica gathers the hounds and the field, and together they crunch up a dirt road, past horses whinnying in a corral.

People debrief on the hunt and congratulate Jessica on the season.

Soon, they’ll be eating venison stew by a roaring fire at Jackson’s Old Chatham House, joined by other members who didn’t want to brave the snow.

While club members gather around Jessica to thank her, it’s she who is grateful.

“The people brought me up through the club with so much encouragement and accolades, even when I fell on my face, and even when they knew they could do the job better,” she says. “I’m going to get teary-eyed. To grow up in a very supportive environment being told by members of my community, ‘Yes you can,’—there’s not many things out there like that.”

Much later, as she does after almost every hunt, Jessica will sit down to write about the day’s adventure. It will sound much like this entry from October 19, 2014: We made one last stop at the dam and hounds rummaged around the old foundations and the along the pond. Much to the huntsman’s delight, it was the young draft Smokey whose chop voice brought the pack to water’s edge. Half a minute later a cottontail sprang forth, past the dock and back to the muddy shore scrub.

Our quarry squatted a moment while Xerxes and Smokey worked the line along the edge until he popped into full view of the Field and headed to the road. Cody hallooed at the road and pointed out where he had crossed into to the field south of DeBeyeSaxinger’s. Hounds remained incredibly unified in the tight hedgerow with Apollo picking the line across the road and Texas assuming the front position of the pack.

They were thought to have overrun [the rabbit], but instead Velvet, once again, was digging with unstoppable fervor. Jessica blew to ground, took a breath and blew home.

And so she blows the horn toward home. They’ll return again in the spring.

I was (five years old) in the middle of this kennel, and I got scratched up, knocked down, and beaten up, and it was the greatest day of my life.�

Spring 2015

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e t a l o c o Ch THE PRICE OF

A M E R I C A’ S F I R S T FA I R T R A D E H I G H S C H O O L

It started with chocolate and a simple question: If the chocolate industry has been linked to child slavery, how could girls at Emma enjoy eating something so sweet when the people making it were suffering? The answer: they couldn’t.

22

E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

B Y H O L LY M C K E N N A P H O T O S B Y M A R K VA N W O R M E R

A high school student in Guatemala who receives scholarship support from Emma Willard’s Fair Trade Club. Her mother is a weaver in the Fair Trade cooperative Mayan Hands.

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Across the globe, more than 20 million people are estimated to work in slavery, according to the latest US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report. The types of slavery include child labor, sexual slavery, bonded labor, and forced immigrant labor. Women, children, and people living in poverty are particularly vulnerable to slavery. Children make up most of the world’s slaves today in the chocolate, coffee, cotton, and fishing industries.

When Emma Girls learned these statistics from inspirational guest speakers at the school, they couldn’t turn a blind eye. But they didn’t stop eating chocolate entirely.

Rather, they changed the source of the chocolate they ate at Emma, and with it began a shift in consciousness about consumerism at the school and beyond its walls.

The girls began to understand that in a globalized society, what they buy has a direct impact on people’s lives elsewhere. Emma Girls wanted a more compassionate footprint. Now, people at Emma buy chocolate from two fair trade, slave-free companies, Equal Exchange and Divine.

But the girls didn’t stop with chocolate. In 2010, Emma became the first recognized Fair Trade High School in the nation—a designation that students, with the help of faculty and staff, had worked toward since 2009. However, the school started serving fair trade coffee in 2006 at the recommendation of longstanding photography and media arts teacher Mark Van Wormer, who saw fair trade as a just way for Emma to support small producers. Mark would become a mentor for the fair trade girls.

Fair trade means producers, farmers, and workers get a fair price for their products in a safe and respectful environment. Emma’s move to support them has sparked other schools across the country to follow suit.

Through ongoing educational programs, events, purchases, and sales, Emma Girls have inspired the school to buy and use other certified fair trade items as well, such as tea, bananas, sugar, rice, and quinoa. Students also have the opportunity to visit fair trade farms and companies in Nicaragua, which drives home the impact of buying fair trade. The school also connects with women farmers and weavers in Guatemala.

“When I buy something that’s fair trade, I think of a girl in Guatemala named Karen-Lilly who will have

24

E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

a healthy meal tonight and go to school tomorrow because we are willing to pay a fair price, not just the cheapest price, for things like chocolate, coffee, and tea,” says Crystal Chan ’14, the former co-head of Emma’s fair trade club.

And such compassionate, just roots go deep at Emma.

Being a fair trade school is an extension of Emma Hart Willard’s conviction that girls should use their educations to transform society for the public good. But, becoming a fair trade school didn’t happen overnight.

Like any social change, it’s taken time, patience, and incredible passion.

WAKING UP / When Benjamin Skinner, a modern day slavery expert, spoke at Emma in 2009 about child labor in the chocolate trade, his words had a profound impact on Natalia Choi ’11.

“His speech woke me up to the issue of slavery and I was very emotional,” says Natalia, now a senior at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. “I had no concept of fair trade until I got to Emma.” The school already had established the fair trade club, and Natalia was inspired to start another club, Slavery No More, to continue to broaden the school’s impact.

At first, the girls had wanted to boycott chocolate at Emma, but Mark and other teachers suggested alternative ways to affect change through the fair trade movement.

“The school brings in important role models that help contextualize the need for fair trade,” says Mark, who is the fair trade club’s advisor. “These girls are getting the message from the school that they can change the world.”

Mark’s personal passion for fair trade began ten years ago. “For me as a coffee drinker, I began looking

1

FIRST

HIGH SCHOOL

(1) A worker demonstrates to Emma students how coffee is roasted at a fair trade establishment in León, Nicaragua. (2) Carole Dore ’11 and Makeda Morrison ’11 taste coffee at a fair trade coffee processing plant, Solcafé. (3) Weavers spin cotton thread at the cooperative Flor de Algodon in Guatemala. (4) Denise Meza ’12, Natalia Choi ’11, and Makeda Morrison ’11 learn about organic methods of raising coffee seedlings.

2

3

4

Spring 2015

25

Natalia Choi ’11 takes a weaving lesson at a cooperative in the indigenous community of El Chile, Nicaragua.

26

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

FA I R T R A D E means producers, farmers, and workers get a fair price for their products in a safe and respectful environment.

“The school’s commitment to fair trade is showing the students that WE BELIEVE in making the world a better place, and their EDUCATIO N can help them do that, too, in small ways or in big ways.”—MA RK VA N WO RME R for fair trade coffee back around 2004,” he says. “I saw it as a means to support small farmers who, because of the system of commodity pricing, were at times paid less than the cost of production for their coffee.” As a result of unjust practices, big coffee bean producers can absorb a dip in price, while small farmers can lose their farms, he explains.

“I saw fair trade as a way to support a more just and earth friendly means of production. And it didn’t hurt that I knew my purchases were contributing to a greater good.”

Some of the key fair trade principles include supporting safe and empowering working conditions in developing countries, respecting cultural identity, cultivating environmental stewardship, developing deep relationships between buyers and sellers, and paying promptly and fairly, according to the Fair Trade Federation, which is a trade association that supports fair trade in North America.

“There are few things more exciting than seeing today’s youth come to understand the role they can play in making a more just world through fair trade,” says Courtney Lang, a national organizer for Fair Trade Campaigns, a non-profit organization which promotes and monitors fair trade programs across the country.

PASSING A RESOLUTION / Just as a brand of coffee must go through many rigorous steps to become a certified fair trade product, so must a school appeal to become a fair trade institution. The first step: getting buy-in from the board.

The girls sought out the help of Anne Kelly, a founding member of the National Steering Committee for Fair Trade Colleges and Universities as well as Fair Trade Campaigns. Anne, who happens to be Mark’s wife, is also the co-director of Mayan Hands, a non-profit and member of the national Fair Trade Federation. Anne helped the girls draft a resolution to present to Emma students, faculty, and the board of trustees asking them to commit to becoming a fair trade school.

Before the resolution was presented to the board, Emma Girls had to encourage fair trade around campus.

They created a fair trade committee, which brought

fair trade goods to the campus dining hall and school store with the strong support of dining services (often a hurdle at other schools). To qualify as a fair trade school, Emma also had to serve fair trade products at school events and in school offices. The girls had numerous educational speakers visit to teach their classmates the fair trade basics, and held film screenings and chocolate tastings. Fair trade cocoa and coffee co-op farmers from the Dominican Republic and weavers from Guatemala also visited the school.

“The board had legitimate concerns about hidden costs and sustaining this after the girls graduated,” says Head of School Trudy Hall, adding that the girls and faculty worked hard to answer the board’s questions and address their concerns. The resolution provided continuity for when the girls graduate, she explains.

After two presentations, the board passed the resolution and then Fair Trade Campaigns, which reviews applications, agreed that Emma met the criteria for a fair trade school.

“I believe the school decided this was the right thing to do because ‘to serve and shape her world’ is part of our mission,” says Mark, who was recently given a seat on the Fair Trade Towns National Steering Committee to represent the school-side of the Fair Trade Campaign.

“The school’s commitment to fair trade is showing the students that we believe in making the world a better place, and their education can help them do that, too, in small ways or in big ways.”

Five years later, the school’s commitment continues to be strong as the fair trade committee seeks out new ways to incorporate fair trade into school life—consistently adding fair trade items to the vending machines and the school store, and providing fair trade health and beauty products to boarding students.

And the introduction to fair trade begins early at Emma. The Admissions team regularly puts out bowls of fair trade chocolates at admissions fairs with a large poster encouraging future Emma Girls not only to partake, but asking them why chocolate is so important to Emma. The team adores the resulting conversations, reports Director of Enrollment Jamie Hicks-Furgang.

“Emma Girls are agents of change,” Jamie says.

Spring 2015

27

Above: Mayan Hands field worker Theresa Gomez visited Emma Willard to discuss the impact of fair trade in developing countries like Guatemala.

Right: Students Seojin Park ’13 and Kotohah Takashima ’12 enjoy hot chocolate at an event to pressure chocolate giant Hershey to end their connection to forced child labor in west Africa. The girls appealed to the company by writing valentines to the board of directors.

The nationwide campaign sparked Hershey to promise to change its practices.

28

“When we talk to a prospective girl about fair trade, we are letting her know that this is a place where she can make a real impact. It might just be chocolate, but for us it goes quite a bit deeper, and helps us draw in compassionate and globally-minded girls.”

MAKING IT PERSONAL / In 2011, Natalia and four classmates, accompanied by Mark and Anne, rode the bumpy roads into the small rural town of El Roblar, Nicaragua, which is home to a women’s fair trade cooperative. Surrounded by lush green hills, they were guided by members of the cooperative to see the coffee plants from they which they enjoyed their morning coffee at Emma.

The girls also met with representatives of organizations that helped women workers in sweatshops, poor pregnant women, and women suffering from domestic abuse. At one stop, they talked with people who assist children employed in the Managua municipal garbage dump.

“It was a deepening experience about how fair trade was at play in real life instead of what I read from brochures and watch in documentaries,” Natalia says.

“The trip showed me that fair trade is not the magic bullet to cure all social ills, but one part that can lead to social change.”

On the trip, the girls also had the opportunity to live and eat meals with the women and their families. Mark believes the trip was an opportunity for students to deepen their connection to the fair trade movement.

“The girls learned what life was like before fair trade brought a higher and more stable income,” he says.

Mark and Anne maintain ties with women who work in fair trade cooperatives in Guatemala and share the importance of the club’s work with the girls through the women’s testimonials.

One testimonial, from cooperative member Maria Eugenia Ajú Bixcul, drives the point home: “I want you to know what is behind the products that I make. They represent a better life for my family. We have food on the table every day and my children are in school.”

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

KEEPING IT GOING / “Modern day slavery is an enormous issue to tackle alone,” Natalia says. “The caring environment at Emma Willard helped us to grow solidarity together.”

And that movement is continuing to grow. Since Emma’s fair trade status, 22 elementary, middle, and high schools have followed suit—14 declared and 8 in progress.

“Emma has inspired a nationwide movement to bring fair trade products and education into the classroom,” says Courtney of Fair Trade Campaigns.

Several of these schools have reached out to Emma to learn how to start the lengthy fair trade process at their schools.

“Emma’s [resolution] is the gold standard,” Anne says.

And Emma alumnae are continuing to carry the fair trade vision forward. Natalia has coordinated with several alumnae on strategizing ways to increase awareness about fair trade at their new college campuses.

“It is cool how it keeps going,” she says. “Social change is slow and requires patience.”

Dana Fein-Schaffer ’15, who is co-head of the fair trade club this year, says she’s looking for colleges with similar philosophies. “If they have [a fair trade club], I will join it and if they don’t have one, I will think about starting one,” she says.

Through sales and fundraising efforts, the fair trade club has contributed thousands of dollars to various scholarship programs for girls, many of them daughters of fair trade workers. They have also loaned more than $5,000 in microfinance loans through the Kiva organization.

Because of its efforts to become a fair trade school, Emma was also named a 2010 Human Trafficking Hero

by Change.org, an online petitioning site used by millions of activists around the world.

“I think that part of [the girls’] motivation for seeking fair trade status was to ensure an institutional commitment to fair trade, so that even after they graduated, their passion for justice would be a part of the social fabric of the school—in a way, their legacy,” Anne says.

Other alumnae were also part of the successful Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign to encourage the chocolate giant to certify all of their chocolate to be fair trade by 2020.

“Fair trade provides direct concrete action I can take on an everyday basis to fight against the exploitative system that traps people in poverty, leaving them vulnerable to slavery,” Natalia says. “If a school can unite together to support fair trade and take an active stance against modern day slavery, perhaps there is hope that more schools, towns, maybe even nations, can also join hands to abolish slavery.”

Holly McKenna is a freelance writer and writing teacher in Albany, New York.

Spring 2015

29

30

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

[STORY BY CASEY JOHNSTON ’05 PHOTOS BY DON HAMERMAN]

<Girls Code> Emma Women Breaking Boundaries in Tech:

Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’89, the technology CFO and business manager at J.P. Morgan’s Corporate and Investment Bank, says she “lives for analytical thinking.”

J.P. MORGAN’S OFFICE TOWER imposes on midtown Manhattan from the corner of Madison and Vanderbilt Avenues. On

onto the cityscape. From one of these Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’89 helps manage billions of dollars in technology resources and assets.

Spring 2015

31

:S

haron is a managing director at J.P. Morgan’s Corporate & Investment Bank. She is the technology CFO and business

oversight for software and hardware solutions designed to help corporate clients.

“Our tech teams actually deliver the applications and the software that says. “I am literally the guardrail

Her sparse desk and orderly onscreen spreadsheets belie the enormity of her work.

Only

24% of computer science professionals in technology are female; just

3%

are African American women.

32

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

“I live for analytical thinking,” she says. “I love the stability and rhythm. I have always liked tech.

I think learning to write code— structural thinking 101—should be something everyone does.”

Sharon is one of many Emma alumnae who have risen to hold posts of power and prominence in male-dominated technology sectors, placing her among a rarified group of women. In 2009, just 24 percent of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workers were women.

The STEM industry is booming. In 2011, the US Department

of Commerce predicted that the STEM job growth rate would rocket to 17 percent between the years 2008 and 2018, compared to the non-STEM rate of 9.8 percent. Despite its reputation as an economic and professional growth powerhouse, the STEM fields are notorious for their inability to attract and retain women like

tech industry—including Emma alumnae—have found work, lifestyles, and environments they love.

So, what gives?

Several Emma alumnae who have risen in the technology ranks provide their insight into the technology sectors’ “women problem,” and they offer advice on how other women—Emma or otherwise—can hold their own.

Admitted to the club

<I

Sharon to their ranks. Insiders and outsiders alike have raised questions over the diversity of employees, leaders, inventors, and funders.

“Why aren’t there more women in STEM?” has become a common refrain, a question that leaders from Etsy to Google have posed.

The low numbers aren’t due to lack of ability. Multiple studies

have proven women equally capable in math, science, engineering, and technology. Women are also outpacing their male counterparts in education; women are now 33 percent more likely to attend college than men according to a 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics study.

And those women who have broken past the pressure and into the

n our high-tech age, women aren’t flocking to STEM-related careers. But why? The issue is multi-faceted, as the alumnae can confirm.

While the tech industry claims to want more women to join its workforce—Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg is begging women to “lean in”—its leadership is advertently and inadvertently discouraging women. Last year, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella advised women not to ask for raises, but to rely instead on “good karma” to reward them.

And if women are able to get their feet in the door, they often quickly find the exit. A 2008 study published in the Harvard Business Review found that more than half the women working in tech left the field.

Then there are the social constructs that teach women how to view themselves—not analytically, technically, or computationally minded. Take, for example, a book released by Random House in June 2014, called Barbie: I Can Be a Computer Engineer. Just six

Spring 2015

33

callout:/ [Kelly] loves her work because at the solving puzzles. there’s always a

/end

STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

sentences into the book, young girls read that Barbie is designing a computer game, but needs two men to code it for her.

It’s no wonder women—and men—are questioning the female place in the field.

While her professional path was unwavering, Kelly Moran ’05 says she experienced her fair share of self-doubt. In her first computer science class as a freshman at Tufts University, Kelly was intimidated by the atmosphere; there were only two other women in the class.

“Girls get to class, and it feels like boys already know what they’re doing,” Kelly shares.

Kelly and the other women kept mostly silent during the course.

“None of us spoke up in class,” she confides. She was confident enough to stay.

One day, as Kelly was leaving the classroom, the teaching assistant wondered aloud to her why the women in class weren’t speaking

34

E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

What does “STEM” stand for exactly?

up more. Kelly explained that they felt uncomfortable. “He said that was weird,” Kelly recalls, “since the women were getting the best grades in the class.”

At the beginning of 2014, after majoring in computer science and working as a software engineer at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, Google offered Kelly a job engineering

accessible user interfaces or UIs in New York City. This means Kelly focuses on making sure Google Docs are easy to use for people with different abilities.

“I’m primarily focusing on making sure that vision-impaired users have a great experience with the Docs suite, which often means improving the experience with

At Google, Kelly Moran ’05 improves the readability of the company’s Google Docs program for users with different abilities— including the vision-impaired.

screen readers, a tool for verbalizing content,” Kelly says. She loves her work, she says, because at the core of it, she is solving puzzles. With programming, there’s always a “black-and-white, fulfilling answer.”

Kelly says she’s grateful she didn’t give into feelings of selfdoubt in college. She may have

been experiencing impostor syndrome, the belief that one is actually not smart and is fooling people. A 1978 study noted that impostor syndrome disproportionately affects women, preventing them from internalizing their accomplishments and making them feel like frauds who have yet to be found out.

Women are

33%

more likely to attend college than men.

Spring 2015

35

Lisa Radcliffe ’82 Jen Skevington ’07 Kelly Moran ’05 Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’98

36

Lisa Radcliffe ’82 is the vice president of operations for CTG, Inc., a software engineering and management consulting firm specializing in large technology implementations for government, banking, and healthcare. She says it “matters on a daily basis that I’m a woman in technology.”

“I don’t naturally have a lot of self-confidence,” Lisa says. “It’s been really hard to learn to just stand up for myself at all. It’s probably the hardest thing on a regular basis.”

Lisa describes a class she took in college covering the FORTRAN computer programming language.

For their final project, Lisa says the professor asked the students to write a “beauty contest” computer program that would evaluate a woman based on a given set of statistics and measurable attributes.

“I was the only woman in the class,” Lisa remembers. “No one saw a problem with it; I had to sit there and do it just to get my grade.”

After she earned her position at CTG, she was invited to join a small and exclusive club of chief technical officers in New York. But even this professional accomplishment came with challenges.

“For the first three years, no one spoke to me,” she says. “Breaking in was such a long, hard process.”

Lisa says the hard work was worth it. “It paid off, it definitely pays off in the long run. I’ve had a really nice career. I’m really happy with my career.”

She was the third woman admitted to the club; now there are a dozen.

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

Lisa Radcliffe ’82 quote:/ As long as you only get input from half the you’re missing half the creative ability and advancement you can half the opportunity for invention and discovery./end

Good for business

[R

esearch shows that women are, quite literally, necessary for business because they offer attributes and points-of-views that men don’t often have.

For example, a 2004 report from the non-profit, Catalyst, found that Fortune 500 companies with the most women on leadership teams enjoyed better financial performance. In addition, a recent joint study by Springboard, a promoter of women-led companies, and recruiting firm Korn Ferry, found that women entrepreneurs have the “agile learning” abilities that companies need to succeed.

“The reality is that diverse input and ideas ultimately make for a better product,” Sharon shares. “In the consumer market, women hold a majority of the buying power, which makes it extremely important to have women’s input when developing technologies for that audience.”

Lisa echoes Sharon’s perspective: “Women problem-solve in a very different way,” she says. “As long as you only get input from half the population, you’re missing half the creative ability and advancement you can make in any field, and get

half the opportunity for invention and discovery.”

Even some of STEM’s most attractive places of employment have difficulty maintaining a diverse workforce. Only 17 percent of those who hold technical jobs are female.

Women of color fare much worse. Data from the National Science Foundation in 2012 found that while 25 percent of computer science professionals in technology are women, just 3 percent are African American and 1 percent are Latina.

“Diversity of ethnicity, experience, disability—all of that contributes powerful things to teams and leads to better outcomes for companies,” Sharon says.

Girls can do anything

I

n Luxembourg, Jen Skevington ’07 tinkers with cars, but not in the traditional sense. She works with Delphi Industries, a leading global automotive and commercial vehicle supplier. As an engineer, she tests thermal parts and air conditioning systems for cars.

“My favorite part is that I’m down in the labs, working with

people, very hands on,” says Jen, who also interned at NASA. “Even after three years [at Delphi], I’m still learning every day.”

Her freshman year of college, she grappled with the question of whether to pursue engineering at all.

“I went to my professor and said, ‘Look, I’m really struggling, what can I do to do better?’” She said the male professor responded by telling her perhaps engineering was not “for her.” But when a male friend went to the same professor with the same apprehension, the professor offered his support.

To withstand the doubt, Jen recalled her Emma Willard School experience.

“Emma’s biggest role for me wasn’t the technical courses, but helping me be comfortable in them, especially because it’s a completely male-dominated field,” she recalls.

For Lisa, who came from a family centered on boys, Emma also gave her confidence. “Emma was the first time in my life that I was taught girls are the center of the universe and girls can do anything,” she says.

Sharon, who still wears her class ring every day, credits Emma with “forming [her] as a person.”

“I didn’t realize it until much later, but Emma gave me the confidence to speak up, in a place where race, gender and religion were all respected.”

Kelly discovered her passion for computers in an A.P. computer science class at Emma. “That was the single-most important thing,” she says. “I genuinely don’t think I’d be in the field if I hadn’t taken computer science at Emma.”

All four alumnae agree that having mentors was essential to their success. Sharon, who recruits women

candidates for J.P. Morgan, said partnerships with alumnae can help Emma women who want to pursue STEM as a career.

Meredith Legg, Emma’s Sara Lee Schupf Family Chair in Instructional Technology and Classroom Innovation and leader of the STEAM learning team at Emma, couldn’t agree more, noting that mentorship is at the forefront of Emma’s current STEM educational initiatives, which also blend in the arts for multi-disciplinary “STEAM” programming for girls.

The school’s new Signature program aims to pair students with labs or workplaces, as well as mentors who can introduce them to the professional STEM experience. “[Students] get exposure to the people they may one day be working alongside,” Meredith says, as well as an early opportunity to connect with grad students, professors, and researchers who can guide them.

Emma’s STEM@Emma program also gives younger girls the opportunity to function as small research teams overseen by a university-level professor while still at Emma.

For girls who are still ramping up their interest and involvement in science and tech, there are elective

classes like Astrobiology and an introduction to the programming language, Arduino.

In the core curriculum, Meredith hopes to thread technology, especially computer science, through even more classes. A new media and literature English class will take lessons from Codeacademy, an online programming learning site, in order to learn to build websites using HTML and CSS. With these offerings at Emma, alumnae in tech are eagerly awaiting and hoping they’re inspiring younger generations of women to join them in the industry they love.

“It’s been challenging at points,” Kelly says. “But it’s all been worth it. I can’t wait to work with more women.”

Casey Johnston ’05 is a journalist and editor at The Wirecutter and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Fortune 500 companies with the most WOMEN on LEADERSHIP teams enjoy BETTER performance.

Sharon Khanuja-Dhall ’98 quote:/ I didn’t realize but Emma gave me the

and religion were all respected./end Spring 2015

37

Connection"

BUILDING A STRONGER EMMA NETWORK Have you moved recently? Started a new job? Help us build an even stronger Emma Network by updating us on your new promotion, address, or career. The stronger the Emma Network is, the stronger your network is! You can update your information by visiting our website or emailing us at alumnae@emmawillard.org.

Revels Challenge

BY THE NUMBERS

119

TOTA L D O N O R S

$69,472 TOTAL DOLLA RS RA I SED

38

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

Leading up to the 100th Revels, The Emma Fund hosted a Revels Challenge.

A total of 119 donors participated with a gift to The Emma Fund and received a chance to vote for their most memorable character. As for the winner? We found that even during the season of giving, there is always a little room for misrule. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, the winning character was the playful Jester!

With your support, we raised a total of $69,472 for The Emma Fund!

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through your generous giving that traditions like Revels continue to live on and create unforgettable memories for our girls. Thank you for putting your signature on the 100th Revels.

CONNECTIONS

REGIONAL ALUMNAE EVENTS

The Emma Network Hits the Road!

The Emma Network was in full effect during the Bicentennial Weekend. Based on that success, the network set off around the country to continue to make strong connections—bringing the network to you.

This year’s regional cities held events took place in 10 regional events different cities and all showcased and strengthened our network of feisty, powerful Emma Girls. Each event highlighted two or three alumnae who come from different backgrounds who led a discussion with alumnae across the generations on where confidence comes from, mentors, and how networking played a role in their career. Thank you to all of our alumnae panelists and guests who made these events so successful!

10

Giving Tuesday This winter, our alumnae gave back to the school in ways big and small from volunteering and mentoring to giving. One such way was on December 2. On Giving Tuesday, you took to social media to consider #Giving2Emma on that TOTA L D O L L A R S R A I S E D special day. We are thrilled to say many heard the call, raising $5,000 for The Emma Fund in one day! We cannot thank you enough for your support.

$5,000

JESTERTH ON In honor of the 100th Revels, Hillary Denton Kohler ’83, P’13 and Evelyn Reading ’50 of the Alumnae Association Council (AAC) hosted a “Jesterthon” event. During three days in December the Boston Emmies took over Hillary's wonderful professional kitchen. Donning large yellow and red Jester hats with jingle bells and black aprons bearing the colorful Jester hat on the bib (all made by Maggie Bownes Johnson ’83), the group made cookies in the shape of Jester hats, and added a Jester cookie cutter and information on Revels to commemorate the l00th year of Revels at Emma. They then set out distributing them to other alumnae.

All together, the Boston Emmies reached 90 Emma Girls in not only the greater Boston area, but also throughout Massachusetts and in California, Connecticut, D.C., Idaho, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, plus France and Italy.

CONNECTIONS

C A A e h t m o r f o l l e H TE N G CO M M IT TH E ST EE RI M O FR ER LE TT

E

st ouncil (AAC) la e Association C na nial m lu en A nt e ce th Bi to lead llow the When we agreed g could quite fo in for the th up no ar at ge th d ol ncerne g the scho in lp he e tim year, we were co of a lot left to do? e had all spent ssibly could be po t ha W s. ar Celebration. W ye ree the previous th grand event over hat historic enty. eye opening. T d an g in lm The answer is pl he w ngth of our al was both over preciate the stre ap to The Bicentenni ity un rt po Emma all a unique op n to calling the ke ta ve ha e w weekend gave us t ross k—wha azing women ac alumnae networ owcased such am sh nae in t en um al ev he om T fr Network.

We heard e. ar sh to h uc so m opy, and AAC? As your generations, with w and philanthr la t, en So what is the nm ai r rt ou te of confident and en s, we dedicate representative science, media next generation he T alumnae w. ing fe ect a nn e co m efforts to at part of , to na and er, the school, art and finance e left realizing th W e. ag with one anoth st e th es: , strong, ined on is role includ its students. Th ork of intelligent Emma Girls sh tw ne into the its ls gir is ior ue sen iq g ma un • Initiatin ats iation from tre what makes Em Alumnae Assoc r en. g Senior Dinne rin this experiom sp w to , g els at Rev fascinatin r 200 years for he ot ckages in an pa t e ai car w e lleg to ed and co ay—from But we don’t ne moments everyd al ni the fall en nt ce Bi ma create tes, from mnae of Em • Informing alu ence. We can re ring new gradua to en pus and in m cam to on ts s en ing en happ cal ev g local networking at lo just plain seekin to s er their region pe om fr ce advi a new city. portunities • Developing op pursuing career when moving to na um eract and al int a to m ae mn Em for alu an expand and tter where knowledge from is to continue to s ar volunteer no ma ye e re th xt e ne t by moment, they live Our goal over th ways—momen w ne for in ae k mn or alu w g et tin • Selec ma N ards activate the Em recognition aw gion by region. re ways we want s, as cl class by just one of the is e in az ag m e th issue to learn This section in ok for it in each Lo t. ec nn co to e in to share ur opportunities and please writ k— or tw to highlight yo ne e th t is going on in more about wha us. your stories with Sincerely,

s ’92 Samantha Jone AAC President

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

’88 Heather Wells ent AAC Vice Presid

ley ’94

Suzanne Long AAC Secretary

That’s You!

APP !

JOI N THE NET WO RK— GET THE search for Emma

al. Just The alumnae directory has gone digit e store to download the Appl or oid Andr the on ol Willard Scho on. mati Emma App and update your infor GET “SOCIAL” Connect organically with your classmates and other classes online—Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

Search for Emma to see what’s out there!

WORK THE NETWORK The school sponsors events in each of our major regional associations. Don’t miss these great opportunities to hear from the school, the faculty, and/or local alumnae. And an alumnae event doesn’t have to be a formal affair of hundreds.

Do you want others to join you for that morning run ritual? Trip to the museum?

Book club? You have yourself the makings of an alumnae

regional activity! Your regional association can help you connect with any alum right where you live. Go to www.emmawillard.org/ alumnae/alumnae-your-area to see who is a contact in your area. No contact in your area? No problem! Contact Kelly Cartwright kcartwright@ emmawillard.org to find a list of alumnae in your area and host it yourself!

ON:

The Emma Willa rd Alumnae Ne twork is 7,800 women strong, hailing from 73 countries, 50 states, and over 100 professions. As a former studen t of Emma Willard, you ar e a lifelong mem ber of the organization. Bu t, it is not enou gh to simply define our netw ork by the impr essive stats; we need to rem ain connected, engaged, and involved with on e another and the school to keep it alive. It’ s this connectio n that affirms our identities as unique Emma Women.

CONNECTIONS

TH E A LU M N A E A SS O CI ATI

BUILD THE NETWORK Looking for ways to get connected?

• Become a core connector • Host a regional event • Plan your reunion • Drive fundraising for your reunion class • Join the AAC#

REST ING TO YOU ?

ANY OF THE ABOVE LOO K INTE you. Contact us at from hear to Reach out to us—we want . .com mail ip@g dersh ewsaaclea

Be a part of it and contact ewsaacleadership@gmail.com.

MEET AAC MEMBE RS Sandy Mardigan (right, class of ’71) and Evelyn Reading (left, class of ’50), generations working together to help bring great opportunities to the Emma Network. Just look at our selfie! It says everything about why I love the AAC. At our last meeting, we had a “getting to know you” activity and I was paired with Evelyn. We spent a few minutes getting to know each other and then told the group what we’d learned. And we took a selfie to commemorate the moment. I’m pretty sure it was Evelyn’s first selfie! I love serving my school by being a member of the AAC. It’s an uplifting opportunity to meet and share with other alumnae, and get to know and work with alums from every decade. I never cease to be amazed at how unique each of us is, and yet how similar we all are, largely due to our common Emma experience—all of which makes it really fun to work together.

*Reunion April 24–26 Spring 2015

41

Clas! Note!

44

Alice Forstall Dana, 85 Mann Hill Road, Scituate, MA 02066,

781.545.3346, alfranda@comcast.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

45

Betsey Moore Tinkham, 3604 Fulton E #244, Grand

Rapids, MI 49546, 616.459.2868 70th Reunion • Nothing to report.

Please send news. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

46

Nina Pattison, 127 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180,

518.274.5933, npattison@nycap.rr.com • Meg Noble Peterson, P.O. Box 491, Langley, WA 98260, 973.762.3332, megnoblepeterson@gmail.com, megnoblepeterson.com (web site), megnoblepeterson.wordpress.com (blog)

From Meg—Once again I am alone in my ruminations. Come on, girls, we are the Class of ’46. Do you remember how we prided ourselves on being outstanding? And we were! We are! Anyone who can overcome the Revels disappointment and survive World War II, even from the sidelines, can do anything in her life. I know many of you are still pursuing your careers, skiing, playing tennis, writing, volunteering, and caring for others. Please share this with your classmates. You surely aren’t texting and playing video games in your old age…or hovering over Monday Night Football.

Come on…prove me wrong! First off, I shall be a bore, again, and refer you to my blog, above, which to some of you may be anathema, because you think I’m going to give you a Facebook rundown of my trip to the grocery store.

No way! Even though I’m habitually behind, like not having posted photos of my trip to Bhutan last year, I still have a few choice things to say about my move from New Jersey (and Broadway, sob) to the Northwest…namely, Langley, Washington, on Whidbey Island off the

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

coast of Seattle. It’s a natural paradise and a place I used to visit every summer so I could climb in the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. It took a bit of adjustment from the bustling (or should I say frantic) East Coast, but isn’t change what keeps us young? Or should I say, keeps us growing and expanding our horizons? I sound like one of my father’s sermons, but so be it. It works. All the physical activity finally caught up with me and I had what I call a prophylactic minimally-invasive anterior hip replacement last June. I wasn’t suffering big time, but I could see the writing on the wall and it wasn’t Picasso. Three months after the operation my doctor at the superb Swedish Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle said, “See you in two years,” and I was given the go-ahead to travel to India and trek in Nepal, starting November 24. This time my daughter, Cary, and I will return to Dharamsala, Bir, and Suja, where we support several Tibetan refugee students. We’ll do some hiking in areas we haven’t visited before, then head for Boudhanath, our favorite haunt near Kathmandu in Nepal. Over the years I’ve made many friends in the trekking community, which will keep us busy until we go to the Helambu/ Yolmo area, known for its spectacular scenery and sacred Buddhist caves. By the next writing I hope to have put several slide shows on my blog (now that I’ve figured out how to do it!).

Speaking of slide shows, I have several presentations, which can be found on my website, under the rubric, Traveling Through Life Off The Beaten Track.

One last note. I’ve mentioned a documentary written, photographed, and produced by a close friend here on Whidbey, Chris Korrow. The film has been on PBS and is entitled Dancing With Thoreau about the benefits of a connection with nature on the lives of all human beings. You can check out the trailer on line—https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=KbN9msrh3P0. Yesterday, I saw

another one that I highly recommend.

It was produced by John Sussman and Jessica Plumb. Jessica is married to my nephew, Frank Magill, and they live in Port Townsend just across the water on the Olympic peninsula. It’s about the successful removal of a huge dam over the Elwha River, which had ruined the habitat for salmon and for the indigenous Elwha tribes. It is not only beautiful and informative, but also full of hope. There ARE people concerned about our environment and the future of this plant! Check out the trailer—www. elwhafilm.com. Nina, who is as peripatetic as ever, was last seen winterizing her garden and throwing out some nasty garbage that was evidently stinking up her pristine abode. At the same time she was freezing another pot of cassoulet so it wouldn’t get groaty. Now I have no idea what all that means, but I bet you couldn’t find a better description of the busy homemaker, even on Facebook (you can see I’m down on them today).

Please don’t kill me, Nina.

47

Winifred Bergin Hart, 65 Sycamore Lane, Lexington VA

24450, granwinz@aol.com

Sally Bettendorf Fuller reports via Facebook that she is still selling real estate in La Jolla. She had a grand 85th birthday party! She is playing tennis, is #13 in the USTA National (80s) and will go to San Antonio in November to play in the USTA Intersectionals.

Go for it, Sally! She has four sons and three grandchildren (one girl.) Her oldest grandson graduated from U of C in Denver where her granddaughter is a junior. The youngest grandson is 10.

She saw Jean Lattner Palmer ’48 who was in town for Arbor Day which her grandfather started. She was honored at Balboa Park. As for the rest of you— please send news. Or do I have to chase you down the Internet autobahn?

Elinor Crawford Schultz, 11241 Otsego Street, Apt.

2, North Hollywood, CA 91601, 818.508.6912, cyberma212@yahoo.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

49

Cilla Hall Wall, 104 Moorings, Park Dr.

#203, Naples, FL 34105, 239.530.2134, jackcilla@comcast.net

This fall Jack and I crossed Florida for a brief two nights with Mary Hough Blair. While there we called Harriet Moore Manning to get any news from Denver. Mary and the Mannings are all fine and the Denverites are settling down for a long winter. They were planning their annual family Thanksgiving gathering at their mountain home.

Lynn Healy Nichols spent some time in Florida this fall and planned to return in early January. She returned to Waverly, Pennsylvania, mid-November to prepare for Thanksgiving as she was having 25 for the “big feast”—doing it all on her own. She claims to love to cook and it is a good thing that she does! Whew!

Twenty-five guests! Barb Andersen Bolling arrived in Sarasota, Florida, from the Carolinas in October. She had plans to be with their whole family for Thanksgiving in Baltimore—all 20 of them. She and Don spent two weeks in Alaska this past summer, accompanied by their son, David, and his family.

Mary, Lynn, Barb, and I are planning to attend the EW gathering in Naples in February and hope other classmates in the area will be there, too. Jean Van Kleek Pettigrew is still busy, busy in Tryon, North Carolina, where she is on the board of a contemporary art gallery. She says she is definitely the OLD one on the board with vibrant, artistic people. She is also involved with the Fine Arts Center. Jean has two sons and a daughter—her oldest son, Lane, is an architect building resorts in the Caribbean. He lives on the island of Guanaja—a bay island off the coast of Honduras. His resort, Guanaja Reef Club, is unique. His three children graduated from college and are working in Miami. Eric and Christina have been in London for 30 years. Their son, Toby,

29, has switched from a musical career to medicine and is at UVM catching up with premed science courses and will enter med school in 2015. Unmarried, but his tall (6'6"), gregarious, adventurous self, doesn’t lack for a social life, says the proud grandma! Jean’s daughter, Julie Pettigrew Ellis ’77, after 20 years in Germany and Japan, has moved to Washaw, North Carolina, just two hours from Jean. Julie and her husband work for Wycliffe (Google it). Their children are at UNC. News from Alumnae Relations: Lydia Dingwell Wheeler, Duxbury, Massachusetts, passed away on November 6 from lung complications.

Lee graduated from Wheaton College in 1953 and married Bill Wheeler whom she met when Bill was a Yale undergraduate. They had two daughters, Elizabeth Wheeler Burnam ’73 and Louise, with a combined seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

50

Julie Hatheway Jordan, 67 Lounsbury Place, Kingston,

NY 12401, 845.338.0234, pjjordan1@ verizon.net • Judith Jordan Miner, 11 Canberra Court, Mystic, CT 06355-3105, 860.536.5472, jjmwwm@comcast.net 65th Reunion • From Judy—Special thanks to Evelyn Reading and Patty Ide Williams for the many years they have reported our class news. They have made it interesting and timely, and we appreciate their efforts as Lee Hatheway Jordan and I attempt to continue their fine coverage. Suzie Russell Spencer is still living in Sebastopol, California, and one of her daughters lives next door.

She has continued her interest in art and clay sculpture. She has also taken up the ukulele, a small guitar of Portuguese origin, and her group often entertains seniors and shut-ins. Carol Sameth Breed-McCauley lives in Bonita Springs, Florida, in the winter and Flagstaff, Arizona, in the summer. She loves the beautiful aromatic pine forest. Carol studied at Brown University following graduation from Smith and received a graduate degree in geology.

Her husband was also a trained geologist. They lived and worked in the west but traveled around the world in their

work including mapping large areas.

Unfortunately, Carol lost her husband two years ago. Georgianna Sherman Orsini lives in Ashville, North Carolina.

Georgie transferred to Harvard after one year at Wellesley. She mentioned that she does keep in touch with Susan Carter Harris. She said that Susie is “flourishing” and “adventurous!” She is very involved with museums in Boston.

Georgie has written and had published a book of poetry. She now has a second book at the publisher. She remembers how beautiful Emma Willard was, particularly the gardens, and how much she loved the library. She also has stayed in touch with Sarah Schilling who has retired from the theater in New York and continues to be involved with the Metropolitan Museum and the Opera.

When Bill and I were married in 1966, we agreed that we wanted to do as much world traveling as possible. Most years we were able to take a trip with our two children, depending on their ages and the time of year, and then take a week by ourselves. As we both like sea travel, we often travel by ship. This past spring, we took a flight to London and then to Singapore where after a few days, we boarded a Norwegian ship, the M.S. Black Watch, that was returning from a round-the-world cruise. We sailed on her to Chennai and Mumbai, India, Oman and Jordan. The ship had about 600 passengers most of whom were British.

It was just a beautiful trip and very interesting and exciting. I wasn’t able to attend my 60th Wellesley reunion this year and it’s hard to believe we have our 65th reunion at Emma Willard this spring. We’ll hear more from the school as the date approaches. Lee Hatheway Jordan and I are planning to attend and hope many of you will too. Please send one of us notes of your activities that we can share in our next newsletter.

From Lee—As Judy Jordan Miner and I take up our new duties, we want to thank Evelyn Reading and Patty Ide Williams for their fantastic job of keeping us in touch with our 1950 classmates for the past several years. They will be a hard act to follow! Here is a start including some of my own news.

Grace Carter van Vliet and daughter,

CLA SS NOTE S

48

Spring 2015

43

CLA SS NOTE S

Annette, had a fabulous trip to Scotland in August where they watched the Royal Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle and had a super tour of the highlands.

Ginny Kenyon MacFarlane and husband John moved to Peterborough, New Hampshire, in December 2013 to be near her daughter. My husband, Paul, and I had two great visits with them.

In August we met for lunch at their new home, and in September we all got together in Ogunquit, Maine. I, Lee Jordan, am happy to report that I have had a good year and went on two wonderful trips. In May I enjoyed a visit to Cornwall, England, with my two daughters, Joyce and Ginny Poole. We stayed a week in Falmouth visiting Joyce’s daughter who is studying at Falmouth University. We spent time seeing beautiful gardens in Cornwall, eating at local pubs, and generally having a great time.

Three weeks later Paul and I went on a Viking riverboat cruise from Prague to Berlin. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

51

Sara Barbaresi Futh, 47 Kielwasser Road, Washington

Depot, CT 06794-1119, 860.868.2863, starberry@snet.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

52

Jeanie Freed Pelzman, 936 McCarthy Court, El Segundo,

CA 90245-2446, 310.640.8962, jfpelzman@att.net

Sometimes it is not easy to gather info from classmates scattered around the world for a report to send to school, and this is one of those times. I am sure I can speak for those members of the Class of ’52 who gathered for the Bicentennial last May. We still hold dear the treasured memories of a splendid time together. After that it would not be easy to share that kind of enthusiasm and excitement. Those were the memories from May 9-11, 2014. The highlight for me came in June when I turned 80—not wanting a big party, one of our close doggy friends had an intimate dinner at their home a few weeks before my actual birthday, June 23. My wish was to celebrate in Maine

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

and have a lobster fest clambake which we did. Fortunate to rent a wonderful place on the river in East Boothbay, my sister and brother-in-law joined us for the weekend of June 28, which was my sister’s birthday, and we had a combined party that day on site. Ruth Ring Harvie and her dear husband, Jim, joined us as our friends the Moroneys catered, cooked, and gave us The Dream experience. While the fire and rocks were heating for the clams and lobsters, Al Moroney put lemon garlic scallops on the barbeque for hors d’oeuvres.

Michelle and daughter Rachel had made several accompaniments that satisfied above and beyond any expectation!

To top it off, there were two birthday cakes (blueberry pound cakes): one for sister Boo with a “76” on top, and mine with “80!” The love and friendship, the lifetime memories we shared were priceless. Treasured memories are what give rainy days sunshine. Have heard briefly from Kasa O’Connell Mellon and Martha Stauffer. It is always a treat for me. Also had this note from Lissa Robison Prout: “Jeanie, so sorry to hear about all your sadness. It always worries me to hear of a death from breast cancer being a survivor myself, I hope. Anyway, my best news is that No. 1 granddaughter, Mackenzie Prout ’00, got married on September 21 at a lovely wedding including many EW grads. Mackenzie is the development specialist for the American Heart Association in Albany and her husband is a radiology tech at several local hospitals. Three other granddaughters are in college: Kathryn Prout ’14 is at Northeastern, and Alison Prout Stipkovich ’88’s daughters are Emily, second year at Ohio State and Anna, first year at Ohio University. All is well here in Troy.” The rest of the summer was nice; however, we lost our 51-year-old daughter-in-law to cancer September 25, followed by our cousins’ daughter-in-law two weeks later of breast cancer, and finally, our favorite auntie in Boston died November 15 to round out the fall. We are ready for happier times as the holidays approach beginning with one of our granddaughters from Chicago getting engaged on a trip to Italy, her younger sister getting married November

15 in Chicago, and another to be married in Tennessee December 20. As we reach this stage of our lives we see more and more of life in session and are grateful for what we have, those we have and have had in our lives, and enjoy life one day at a time. I would very much like to hear from some of you before the next newsletter comes out. I am always happy to get news good, bad, and in between. George joins me in wishing all a healthy and Happy New Year, and hope we will see some of you in 2015.

Blessings and love, Jeanie.

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Julia Harrington Kilby, 11 Wellington Way,

Niskayuna, NY 12309, 518.280.8018, kilbyj@gleneddy.com

As amazing as it might seem, most of us will be turning 80 in 2015, quite a milestone. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Birthday. I have talked to several of you on the phone recently and will report what news I have obtained.

Elizabeth Warncke deRham, a very good friend of Sanford Stallworth Bradbeer, told me Sandy died on April 11, 2014. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. She leaves behind three children and five grandchildren. Lee on the other hand is coping with severe sclerosis in her back. She is however looking forward to the wedding of her granddaughter in 2015. Judith Gibson Conklin is doing well and has no special news.

She seems to be in contact with many of our classmates. She still spends most of her summers at Cossayuna Lake in the town of Argyle, New York, about 40 miles north of Troy. Dorothy Sturges took a National Geographical trip to the Galapagos Islands recently.

Sturge said the animals are quite used to humans and will come very close to them. She loved the experience and took some wonderful pictures while there.

I had a nice conversation with Sylvia Upton Wood. She had a stroke in the recent past and now walks with a cane.

She did travel to her daughter’s house in Virginia for Thanksgiving and has been invited to Scotland for New Year’s Eve.

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Memoriam 1932

1949

Alice Robinson Erb August 18, 2014

Lydia Dingwell Wheeler November 6, 2014

Katharine Stone White July 4, 2014 1933

Ann Ford Logan November 13, 2014 1937

Melita Renfert Harkness September 25, 2014

County Road 39, Bloomfield,

NY 14469, 585.657.7053 (home), drumalavase@hotmail.com

Betsey Saunders Calhoun had a fall last May but it took until August before a third X-ray showed that an area of her femur had been crushed. The result was she was removed from her cane and walker to a “wheelatron,” but is optimistic that she will continue to have time to read, make projects, and watch missed movies during what will be a slow healing process. She says that much of her design work is difficult and she has a new appreciation for people working impaired. The Malavase family lost a true “daughter of the heart” in July— our son, Dirk’s, companion of 25 years, Mary Hickey. She had been a childhood diabetic and was on dialysis for the past five years awaiting a kidney and pancreas transplant, which she finally received in June. She was making a great recovery when she suddenly died. In spite of that, all of us urge all of you to consider being an organ donor since even a few weeks of living a more normal life has value to a recipient. Your reporter retired on June first and went directly from a celebration of my 30 years with STOP-DWI to a local animal shelter where we adopted

1951

Cornelia Pierce Serafin April l6, 2014 1953

Sanford Stallworth Bradbeer May 20, 2014 Grace Quimby Flock September 26, 2014

1940

1956

Virginia Holmes Brown September 23, 2014

Ellen Kenney Lang November 18, 2014

1941

Judith Wilkinson November 17, 2014

Sara Coyne Dickinson August 3, 2014 Ann Draper Doran 2014 June Willard Hails January 4, 2014

Dru Escher Malavase, 2270

CLA SS NOTE S

Her husband passed away last year but if she can find a traveling companion, she plans to make the trip. Go for it, Sibby.

Marcia Sherwood Martin reported the sad news that Ellie Ball Jones’ husband passed away in November 2014.

My husband and I have cut back our traveling quite a bit but did manage a trip to St. Louis and Branson, Missouri, this fall. We then drove the full length of Tennessee to southern Virginia and spent two days with our granddaughter at Virginia Tech. We then drove north to James Madison University and watched our grandson play football. It has been very exciting to watch him play, first line, offensive, even a couple of times on national television. We had wonderful foliage to see on this trip, especially in the mountains of Tennessee. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any news.

Margaret Morris Nutt January 14, 2014 1942

Rosa Drake Julstrom August 5, 2014 1946

Joanne Laird Smith October 12, 2014

1958

Julia Quirk Shepley January 26, 2014 1959

Sara Wellington McWilliams June 22, 2014 1963

Alice Tinker May 1, 2014 1965

Catherine Murphy Hoag November 30, 2014

1947

Anne Heminway Botto April 26, 2014 Jean Trainer Veach August 4, 2014

a Jack Russell Terrier, having lost our seven-year-old Reggie to pancreatitis.

In July Russell Rescue called me with news of another older dog whose owner couldn’t keep him, so we are now back to having two, who get along very nicely. Al and I walk them between three and four miles each day, including in rain and reasonable amounts of snow, and they have turned out to be good at racing, high jumping, and agility. Great exercise for all! Sorry for so much personal news, but for the next issue I expect to hear from many of you!

55

Carol Nugent Blackwood, PO Box 951, Madison, CT

06443, 203.421.4150, blackc3@snet.net 60th Reunion • Many thanks to all who

answered my cry for help with news for this bulletin. I am ever grateful to those of you who responded so quickly. Notes came in from Connie Craw Chapin who is still in Connecticut and doing well, Norma Humphries Stehli who says she is busier than ever with grandchildren and general running of two households. Norma’s husband, Jim, is suffering from back troubles which keeps him pretty much incapacitated. Lee Sparrow Streett is still very much

Spring 2015

45

CLA SS NOTE S

involved with the art world and still doing some of her own paintings which she shows and sells on occasion. Penny Fenn Snow wrote in that she had dinner with Yvonne DuMont-Stelle recently and they are both busy and doing very well. Barbara Roby Nixon was heard from and it sounds like her life is good also. I had a long note from Charlotte Bull Gibbons in England. I believe I reported last year that Charlotte lost her husband. She is now living close to her daughter and moving on with life. She says she has had some visitors, one of whom was Carla Washburn Rensenbrink and they had an enjoyable time together. I also had a long email from Kathy Manchester Meyering and she is still very involved in tennis and had just returned from a tournament in Texas I believe. She seems to engage in a lot of competition playing. Kathy… where do you get the energy to keep on with the game like this? Way to go!!

Kitty Davenport Bernard sent me a photo with sister Beth Davenport Fish and Judy Parker, a former classmate some of you may remember. They were having lunch together and catching up on old times. Michele Lucas wrote me a newsy note saying she has been writing a lot but having trouble getting anything new published. She is going through her books, making changes, and recording them on discs which she says she will leave to her grandson. Susan Barker Gutterman sent me a wonderful article about EW and its founder from the local papers. It reminds me what a remarkable thing Emma did at the time when she founded this school against many odds.

Susan said she personally had a “serious accident” last February, requiring hospitalization and then spending time in a rehab facility for a couple of months.

The facility was on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, “right across Amsterdam Avenue from the great Cathedral of St. John the Divine.” Sue went on to say she “found it very good for my morale to be able to look at the inspiring façade, and also to see the spring blossoms in the lovely Cathedral Close garden with its three peacocks. I found myself thinking back to a day trip from EW when we toured the Cathedral.” Sue assured me

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E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

she is remarkably well recovered from her injuries. Rosemary “Bibsy” Mizener Colt sent me a note saying she has been in her Providence apartment for three years and feels reasonably settled and she is still traveling. She was in India for three weeks last winter and is planning to go to Florence this coming spring.

Bibsy also wrote, “My family and I suffered a grievous loss in June when our youngest son, Nicholas, died suddenly of a heart attack. He was on a race in Narragansett Bay, racing with close friends, when it happened. His godmother, Linda Miller, was one of the speakers at his memorial service in Amherst, which was an amazing tribute to his ability to connect with many kinds of people. He leaves a wonderful wife and two beautiful children and we all miss him terribly.” Bibsy sent me an updated note in mid-November to say the family has all enrolled in a program at the Brigham in Boston that is studying the genetic heart condition that killed him. “I’d always blamed it on the Colts, but it seems that I could be the carrier too. We are grateful that the next generation will be watched so carefully too.” Bibsy said, “I am in a collaborative learning group here in Providence, both teaching and taking classes. I’ve also just finished up a memoir of the last few years that I intend to self-publish. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who’s tried this. I’ve gotten some good advice from a friend but can always use some more.” Dianne Fuller Doherty sent me a quick note saying her major challenge is “when to retire. I love my job as a regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center.

Would really miss the business advisory and economic development pieces of my job. Family is fine and Paul and I count our blessings daily.” Had a very newsy note from Jean Davis Davison in which she says, “Seems like a coon’s age since that reunion in Troy in 2010. My ‘teen safari’ to Tanzania that year with my four younger grands was wonderful: wildlife of the Serengeti and elsewhere; four days spent in the Kilimanjaro foothills volunteering with kids and staff at the Tanzania Children’s Center that my oldest grandson, Alex, had volunteered at

two summers when he was in high school; and picking coffee berries at a nearby ‘plantation’ with local farmers and learning that they only make 37 cents per karai (bucket) and are lucky to fill six of them per day…a reality test for my grands (ages 13-16) and me. Having picked tea and coffee in the Mt. Kenya foothills for two years I could resonate with my grands response—disbelief. That winter I bought a condo back in the San Francisco Bay area to return home for my ‘sunset’ years, and moved in 2011 back there just as my newest book, Mother Of Fire: An Iraqi Woman’s Journey From Mosul To Malawi, came out. That August, while in Maine, I found out that I had a grapefruit-sized tumor in my colon which was metastasizing into my bladder. Next year spent commuting to Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer, for chemo and three surgeries, from Rhode Island, where I lived temporarily to be near my eldest son and family. Now I’m back in the Bay area and enjoy the beautiful weather, but am unable to run or play tennis or do many of the things I love. I had another radical surgery on a tumor in my groin in mid2012, and have been pretty much living the joy of each day as it comes since then. Friends and family have woven a place of love and help around me as I made the transition to Hospice-By-TheBay. Otherwise all is well. Oldest son Steve and family in NYC, Steve and Barbara having launched Anbau Associates, an architectural/development firm in 1995 is still going strong. Rick and family returning from seven years in Shanghai at the International School to their home in Austin next June, and daughter Ann busy with her management of a dog care outfit near me.

Would love to see/hear from any EWSers of ’55. Still summering in Maine four months of year.” Another voice heard from was Alice Armstrong Enloe who said she has a lot to be thankful for, having survived cancer and lives with a “Fib.” Despite it all she has traveled to India and the Taj which she said is “truly a surprise in person.” Then on to Australia to see the Sydney Opera House and Nepal. “The wonder was the New Zealand Mountains.” Alice says that to

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Kaye Benner Reardon, 3217 N. Briar Leaf Court,

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Susan Blackwell McNamara, 1159 S. Longwood Avenue,

LaPorte, IN 46350, 219.326.7771,

Los Angeles, CA 90019, 323.525.0198,

kayereardon@hotmail.com

susanbmc57@yahoo.com

Let’s do the upbeat news first. Zanna Smith sent news that she is now a greatgrandmother. Amelia Dean Correll was born Nov. 19, and Zanna was planning on spending Thanksgiving with Amelia’s family. DeDe Poppen Zwilling writes that she and her friend, George, are still traveling, and they love the cruising life.

I’m with DeDe. Mary Ann Merriam Koontz is housebound with arthritis but keeps in touch with the world with her iPad. Her husband and six grandchildren keep her busy. Nan Anderson Coughlin has been extra busy. She had her 13-year-old grandson for the summer, then returned him to his parents in Ghana. Her volunteer job at THIS for Diplomats held their sixth Festival des Artistes and staged performances from around the world. Nan’s youngest daughter, Brenda, is one of the producers of a new documentary, Citizenfour, and it has gotten rave reviews. She recommends seeing their previous documentary, Dirty Wars, which was nominated for an Oscar. Now I have to pass on some other news. Judy Wilkinson passed away in November of this year.

I learned this from another Emma alum who was a good friend to Judy. Mary Sykes Starr called me one morning recently. Her wonderful husband, Art, recently passed away. Mary and I had a great chat. She’s planning on being at our next reunion. Peggy Maurice Robards and partner Blair Childs are well and happy in Suffield, Connecticut.

“I now have eight grands and seven greats (mostly in the Denver area). This is probably a record for the Class of ’56! Best wishes, Peggy.” I won’t bore you with all the details of my life. I am happy and well and enjoying my family.

My youngest daughter, Vickie Barrett Jacobsen ’91, is living in Germany with her family for a year, so, of course, I had to visit them. There are more international travel plans in the future. I want everyone in the Class of ’56 to take good care of themselves so we can all be together at our reunion in 2016.

The Bicentennial was a fantastic energizer for Emma, but this year was also a personal event for our class as most of us celebrated our 75th birthdays! Some of you joined me in celebrating quietly while others celebrated with family and friends. Probably the most planned for and anticipated celebration was the one for Joyce Ostrow Sillins. Joyce told me about her party this way. “It was a great party as we were able to have one of the best party planners in the NYC area.

The venue was the Edison Ballroom in Times Square. A fabulous crowd showed up (Reporter’s note: including Chuck and Maryann Mettler Croner and Matt and Prue Kielland Pecorella) and I was able to get my all my grandsons on the stage to introduce them to all. Dionne Warwick sang and after she appeared, I later made my Broadway Debut in a gilded cage to the song “The Girl in a Gilded Cage,” which my band leader sang. I sang “I Am Who I Am,” “Falling in Love Again,” and “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” The flowers and table arrangements were amazing. A good time was had by all. A year’s planning was all gone in five hours. Now life has returned to a more normal state.” Joyce and Bernie are spending the winter in Florida where the bridge is good, the weather better than NYC, and family is close by. Grandson Nick Katz has been recruited by the International Lacrosse team to play all over Europe for the next four summers; culminating in the international finals. Grandson Sam bought a house needing more work than Joyce can even imagine. Maryann and Chuck went to Houston to meet Fiona Scott Sherman born January 29, 2014, to Rachel Sutel Sherman ’86 and husband Brad. Fiona is a super baby with the biggest blue eyes ever. She joined big sister, Veronica, who turned four in July.

On their way home, they stopped in NYC for the event of the year—Joyce’s 75th! “What a super evening to celebrate a super woman,” Maryann gushed.

Son Seth Sutel is engaged to Alysa Rothman and they will be married in

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do all this she is now an independent contractor doing specialty travel. On her home front her daughter Winnie, age 44, and husband live in Edina. Her grandchildren are all into sports (ages nine & 11). Her son Will, age 42, had a bad auto accident 11 years ago and is struggling with chronic pain and working as an independent contractor in planned giving. Last, but certainly not least, is Jill Harrold who checked on me regularly through my surgical adventure. You should all have such a friend. Jill played tennis for years but decided to hang the racquet up and is now engaging in croquet tournaments. She sounds like she is having a lot of fun with it. As for me, or, yours truly…once again I went under the surgeon’s knife in October for another bowel resection to fix more damage from the Crohn’s Disease. The surgery went well. I was discharged after nine days and 12 hours later readmitted with a staph infection in the incision and was kept another six days. That second admission really did me in. Then I found out I needed to write this column quick!

With no energy for same I appealed to all of you and as you can see my ’55 buddies came through with flying colors.

Thank you, thank you…so very much.

You have all been rather silent of late so I did not know what I was going to do.

I am healing well although I am still home-bound with the VNA nurses coming to change the drains and dress the wound. I am hoping I will only need about two more weeks of that. I have one more request of all of you. When I sent out the email asking for help several of them were kicked back at me as being undeliverable and these were folks for whom I had viable addresses last time I contacted you. That being said… would you please let me know if you have new addresses or the whereabouts of the following: Julie Thompson Gal, Virginia Diefendorf Preston, Peggy Thomas Wescott, Gail Bertholf Hardesty, Lannie Elmore King, and Nancy Veeder. See you all next time or maybe at reunion? Do you believe we have another one coming up? The numbers are getting huge! Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Nancy Smith Bushnell ’57 and Judy McKenna ’57 in Denver, CO, October 2014

her hometown of Milwaukee in January.

Alysa’s mom will lend a coat to Maryann because she no longer owns one because they live in Puerto Rico. Prue and Matt live very busy lives whether they are entertaining at their home in Bonita Springs or traveling from their home in upstate New York. In June they flew to Barcelona, Spain, in order to board their Holland America ship for a 12-day cruise to Monaco, Marseille, Corsica, Florence, Naples, Tunisia, Palermo, and Rome. In Palermo they met and had a couple of hours to visit with Matt’s cousin. They had a little language barrier but had arranged for a person to be with them to translate. It was great fun meeting them and they are going to stay in touch.

At the end of the cruise they spent one night in Rome and three nights in Positano. They love Italy! In August they took their daughters, Tracy and Sherry, to Sturgis, Michigan, where Prue was born and lived until they moved to Connecticut at the age of 12. Prue had a mini-reunion with a couple of childhood friends and spent a great afternoon on Lake Michigan catching up on the past 60 years. We found the house she lived in, the lake cottage her grandparents owned, and visited Howe Military School where her father was headmaster.

Then in late August they flew to NYC for Joyce’s birthday bash. Maryann, Prue, and Joyce planned a November mini reunion in Bonita Springs and included Nancy Smith Bushnell and Vic Reiling.

They all had a fun time. When Nancy was visiting her daughter and family in Denver she also had a mini luncheon reunion with Judy McKenna. Judy and husband Terry were married in Aspen 15 years ago, so they returned there to celebrate. They had “Colorado perfect”

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weather and enjoyed delicious and decadent meals. Dorothy “Dee” de Ferranti Abrahamse related bits of their October travels to Italy. On an unbelievably crowded Sunday, she managed to make her way to her favorite church, Basilica of San Clemente, and marveled over its three layers, a 12th-century church on top, then a 9th-century church beneath, and below that, a 2ndcentury mithraeum, an ancient Roman cult site. Another day they took a food tour with stops for cornetti and tiramisu, proscuitto, peccorina al tartuffo and parmegiano reggiano, pizza, bruschetta and caprese, three kinds of pasta for lunch, gelato, and a visit to Keats grave thrown in—“Heaven.” A few days later, they walked up the Juniculum Hill for a spectacular view of Rome, beautiful early music concerts in Baroque churches, and a lovely dinner at their favorite restaurant, Broccletti. And what would a trip to Italy be without a strike! Sciopero!

One morning Dee walked up to Ste. Maria Maggiore to take pictures of mosaics and found the street blocked off, police everywhere, and helicopters overhead. Jennifer Glidden Guberman has settled into life in Atlanta where she enjoys seeing her sons and grandkids, Gemma and Luke, all the time. She has made new friends at the YMCA where she works out, swims, teaches knitting, and sometimes teaches French in the after-school program. Although she only lives two blocks from the zoo, one might imagine her backyard to be filled with exotic creatures. Instead, it teems with birds, chipmunks, and squirrels.

Recently, Jen visited Zion National Park with her brother and two sisters, all in their seventies. They hiked the canyons at a pretty good clip. “It was awesome!”

Nancy Bloom Johns and Jim are healthy. She still plays golf and loves being out with friends. They took a riverboat cruise on A and A Waterways, traveling from Budapest to Amsterdam. It was fabulous and a great cruise line. They spent Thanksgiving in Dallas with their two youngest grandchildren, Jimmy, five, and Lucas, three. Christmas will be in Pittsburgh before heading back to Hilton Head. Meg Gray Vickery and Vic are thrilled that their youngest son and

his family were recently transferred to Tucson, just 45 minutes from Tubac. Vic is in heaven having his son and grandson join him for frequent rounds of golf.

As previously reported, Trish Corbett continues to enjoy her new passion for “birding.” She had joined a challenge for 2014 to see and identify 200 species of birds just in New York State. She achieved her goal before Thanksgiving.

During the winter she plans to study the songs and calls to ensure that she can identify the birds more quickly and know where to look for specific species.

She sees Louisa Mattoon LaFontan quite often. In July, I visited my sister in Santa Cruz and also had lunch with Susan Earl Klebl, who now lives only a few blocks from my sister. We had Meg’s family with us in LA in August and then I visited them in Michigan after a trip to Massachusetts. We still miss her like crazy. While visiting “birding” friends on Cape Cod, I introduced them to Sarah Harris Pinney and Bill. Sarah and Bill live on a wonderful property popular with migrating birds. I spent Thanksgiving in the Palm Springs area with my LA family. I love being with the kids. Hope it keeps me young! Please send all the news that’s fit to print!

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Anne Schaeffer Eaton, P.O. Box 428, South Salem,

NY 10590-0428, 914.533.7334, anagram1@optonline.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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The Class of 1959 is looking for a bulletin reporter. If you are

interested, please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@emmawillard.org.

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Susan Decker Hendricks, 55 Tallman Avenue, Nyack,

NY 10960-1605, 845.358.6826, shoofry42@yahoo.com

55th Reunion • Gillian Newth Downes wrote in June 2014, “Afraid I have missed the slot for spring news as I have been on a lovely Scottish island for the past two weeks with no wi-fi connection.

Unfortunately, I am recovering from

road north from Florida to the Hudson Valley. In August, I heard from Gretchen that there were plans afoot for a get together with Margery Fleigh and Cynthia Alley Andrews in the Hudson Valley. Margery reported, “In August while Cynthia was in the Hudson Valley, she and I had a nice afternoon at Olana and she, Gretchen, and I had a super day of lunch by the Hudson and a walk on the Walkway over the Hudson, an old railroad bridge, now a public walkway in Poughkeepsie.” I’ve had a few conversations with Bev Burke Gunther this fall, and among other topics we covered was the fact that Revels at Emma is about to be 100 years old! Can that be so? I have vivid memories of our Revels, when I sang the “No, John, no!” duet with Peggy Brown Estes. Kendra Stearns O’Donnell was our lively Jester, larking about. Do you remember what part you played? I have now come to the end of my class news. SO sorry! I do apologize for this tiny sample of updates.

Since our flurry of 1960 email exchanges last spring, I have been mostly out of touch, in my own vortex, always in a whirl. Busier than ever. I pledge to do more preparation for the next edition.

In the interim, I invite you to send me newsy emails so I will have some content ready the next time Emma calls for our news. Best to you all! Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Ruth Kramer Ziony, 1742 No. Alexandria Avenue,

Los Angeles CA 90027, rziony@gmail.

com, www.rziony.com

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news of my brother, Steve’s, death this past summer from multiple myeloma, after a valiant and intense (for all of us) four-and-a-half-year struggle.

Many of you in the Emma Willard community reached out and I will be forever grateful. Fortunately, the wedding of Vicky Thompson Winterer’s youngest son, Mark, in October in Vermont, offset my sadness: a jubilant occasion, which affirms that life is meant to be lived to the fullest extent. The wedding was held in Manchester, Vermont, at Hildene, the Lincoln family home. Nancy

Linkroum Pennell picked me up in New Hampshire from my “luxury bus ride” (ha) from New York, along with her daughter, Megan Seidner, one of my “fairy god-children” (as is Mark Winterer, of course). Also present was a wonderful surprise: Kathy Plunkett, director of Camp Aloha Hive, whom I met in 2005, when I went to Megan’s wedding (my first “destination” wedding). Ladies who lunch is one of my favorite occupations. I’m quite sure the Pine Restaurant at the Hanover Inn has never been treated to such a disparate group of women, discussing so many varied topics (for which I let you use your imagination, but, of course, included the fabulous 200th birthday celebration at EW in May, which Nancy and I still love to enthusiastically talk about). I asked about her granddaughter, Caroline Pennell, whom many of us grew to know and love from her appearances on NBC’s The Voice last year; she is now a freshman at Tulane and also working on her own songs with her longtime partner in Nashville. Remember the name! As all of you know, I am sure, weddings are no longer simple affairs. Vicky and Bill had been planning the part of the week-end activities (and housing) they sponsored for well over a year—from housing at the Painter Panther Inn, to the Hunt Breakfast, put on by Vicky’s sisters and sister-in-law on Sunday. Vicky and Bill did an absolutely amazing job. Even the weather cooperated; a gorgeous weekend with foliage as intense as the first tour I took in 1958 when fathers were celebrating the weekend on the EW campus.

Vicky and Michael Gage had both reached out to me during the “official” mourning period for my brother. Vicky took me to lunch at the Harvard Club (of course) and Michael and I had a wonderful visit (and lunch) at the Neue Museum, where we marveled at the exhibit of German Expressionists. Of course our appreciation of the art reached right back to our days in art and history classes at EW with Mrs. Payne and Miss Page. While on my way to the east coast right before my brother died, I sat next to a woman who had not only been Mim Miller’s neighbor at their original home in Cleveland Park, but their sons

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another mastectomy. Thought I had beaten it over 12 years ago but, following a routine scan, a massive lump appeared.

The good news is at least I match now! I was diagnosed in April and had surgery at the end of the month. Have felt rather frustrated as the healing process is not as good as it was last time…but, of course, I am a wee bit older. I was determined to get to Scotland as my family was joining me. The doctors were not that keen on me going but so glad I did as we all had a fantastic time, especially the grandchildren! I will finish with something to make you laugh. Yesterday I went back to the hospital to get my new prostheses.

My matching pair! The nurse said, ‘You are rather small-breasted; would you like to try something larger?’ She produced a pair that would make Dolly Parton proud and I just had a fit of the giggles as I looked absolutely ridiculous. Went smaller. Only problem was they only had ONE in my size. The other will come via the mail. Hopefully in a plain brown box.” Gretchen Beck Green sent some summer news as well. “I am writing from Hamburg, Germany. We flew over last night…maybe one hour of sleep, if that.

Got into our room just before noon and did get a nap. It is a glorious day here today, with rain forecast for tomorrow.

So, off we went on a boat ride. This is a lovely city, lots of water activities, lots of water birds. On our return to the hotel, we did find a purveyor of packaged adult beverages, so I’m sitting here sipping some scotch on the rocks. A childhood friend and her husband who arrange much of our travel, arrived here yesterday. On Saturday, we’ll board Azamara Quest (and join other friends already on board) for a cruise to the Norwegian fjords. That has been on my bucket list for years! We disembark in Copenhagen on 6/28. We are on this trip because we had canceled a trip in October 2014, to northern India, and Nepal in December 2013. It appears that our days of ‘exotic’ travel are over. Still, there are lots of places fewer time zones away, and where good medical care is easily accessible and English is commonly spoken. That leaves the EU and the Western Hemisphere… not too shabby!” At the end of July, Gretchen and husband Angus hit the

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are best friends and involved in writing and producing films in LA. It was an effort not to simply gossip during the flight, but luckily, my mind could barely grasp the small world nature of my life!

While in DC, Mim took me and Didi Andrews Smith to lunch at the Chevy Chase Club. She had offered but instructed me to choose (relatively) “conservative clothes” (shades of my father!).

Mim regaled us with the logistics of planning Zack’s wedding (just a month away) at the summer camp in Canada, built by Mim’s father, always prescient and a tremendous patron and supporter of fine art and architects. Irwin Miller commissioned Eero Saarinin to build two of the three homes he designed; the second was for Mim’s aunt, Clementine Miller Tangeman ’23. (The third, across the river, was for himself.) After lunch, Mim gave me a tour of her new house— a total creative renovation of an existing structure, where Mim now has room for her many interests, including photography, of course, and a complete darkroom.

Mim is also dealing with ongoing agerelated issues involving her physical structure; I’ll spare you further details, but we can all agree, I think, that getting up in the morning feels like unfolding Lego pieces, many of which no longer seem at all connected. Sigh. I am happy to report that at my annual birthday luncheon in mid-October, hosted this year by Mary Lake Polan at the Hearst Tower (I was present only in spirit), Mim reported that all went off without a hitch! Mary Lake had been on safari in Kenya, with Frank and their combined families, including Mary Lake’s two young granddaughters, Emma Lake and Kate, who are both under the age of five. The photos that she sent via email of giraffes, elephants, and other wild beasts in their native environment, as well as daughter Lindsay’s children in rapt attention at all of these incredible sights, were breathtaking; email from across the continents is one of the things that makes technology so marvelous.

(More from me on that subject later.)

Mary Lake and Frank travel for business and pleasure all over the world; I receive emails from places like Hong Kong and Africa. They recently purchased an

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elegant apartment in Miami’s South Beach, which they are renovating. The property is specifically near the Doral Golf Course and they will play regularly.

Vicky is also an avid golfer and her Florida home is located right on the course in Boca Grande. Both Vicky and Mary Lake are involved in volunteer activities, too many to mention here, but I know that Vicky has initiated and been a force in the development of learning skills within the community of children who make up a great part of the ethnic community in their area. Since it takes most of my energy keeping my house and garden in working order, I am always amazed and envious by the many and varied volunteer activities our classmates commit to. Jill Casler Colver and her husband and one of her sons took a marvelous tour of the lighthouses of northern Michigan; she only sent me fabulous photos and a fragrant potpourri made by women in the town adjacent to one of them. In August they were off to Germany, to visit their son, Erik, who lives there with his wife and children.

I was astonished to learn that her son, Brett Wilkes, is the national executive director of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens). And again, when I am next in DC, I will invite myself over to meet the first grandchild in 70 years (!) in the family of Lorraine Kipnis Arnfeld, whose son, Aaron, and his wife made it possible with the birth of their daughter, Zoe Shoshannah. May all your troubles be little ones, Lorraine!

No longer in DC, I had an incredible series of emails from Ann Alexander Roosevelt, who said all the right things on the loss of my brother, as well as sharing news of her own. I could not resist letting her tell you in her own words.

“Learning about retirement…seems as though I’m pretty busy, doing a special report for the former employer, trying to get the house together and more boxes unpacked, find winter clothes—it’s freezing here. Also, actually, for the first time I’ve hired a cleaning woman, who is very nice and keeps the place sparkling.

Amazing—too bad I didn’t think of this earlier, but was always busy and did it all myself. Nice to only have to keep it up between cleanings. Otherwise, I think I

missed out telling you I went to Panama twice last year, both times for the Panama Canal Centennial, which I found fascinating. The first time was with the Theodore Roosevelt Association, about 70 folks—we went all over the place, looking at places, going through the Canal, and museums relating to the Canal and Theodore Roosevelt, combined with good food. I needed a vacation when I got back, strenuous…7 a.m. breakfast and off and about until about 10 p.m. at night. Not used to the pace!

Also had never been anywhere with a group, ’cept at Emma, I think, so that was interesting. Nice folks. Went again in August, invited by the Canal administrator. Came back exhausted, but had a wonderful time. I convinced myself to go by thinking that I surely wouldn’t be around for the next centennial!

Otherwise, the rest of the year has been full of getting colds, trying to get better (kept backsliding), and finishing off working. Upon my retirement, they had a surprise reception and so many folks I worked with came, I was amazed, and so pleased! Still have the cold, but I blame it on the rotten cold weather. So I’m keeping inside and sniffing away. I’m working on a project to turn two small bedrooms at one end of the house into one large library/den sort of thing. It’s taking forever. Also have next project in mind.

There’s a room attached to the garage I want to weatherize, add a bathroom, and make it a guest place. That all said I still have a guest room in the house, so there is a lot of room. And that’s the shorthand version of what’s been going on. A lot and not so much. I’m adjusting to not working, the best part is no daily deadline.” Just to show you that I have not become an “old fogey,” I am on my way to celebrate the 80th birthday of a friend in Miami Beach who is the founder and head of the World Erotic Museum there.

It promises to be a grand bash—and afterwards, I have taken Barney Baxter up on his invitation to visit them in their new home in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Jamie Adkins Baxter will have just returned from closing up the home her mother spent so many wonderful years in in North Carolina. Her sister, Leslie Adkins Gunnels ’64, will join her to

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The class of ‘61 gathered in NYC in October 2014. L-R: Valerie Phillips Parsegian, Amanda Cluett Fry, Margaret Miller, Barbara Mahony Kent, Jameson Adkins Baxter, Mary Lake Polan, Jeanette Stoner DeLucia, Cabell Smith Tower, Michael Gage, Susan Doyle Knowles, Victoria Thompson Winterer, Lezah Fisher Pinnell

participate in what is yet another sign that life presents us with many changes—and not merely for those who are seniors. Another example of this comes from our own class, when Sudie Doyle Knowles, Lezah Fisher Pinnell, and Cabell Smith Tower got together (and sent a wonderful photo) of their celebratory drink at the St. Regis Hotel in NYC, after the birthday luncheon which I mentioned earlier that Mary Lake hosted. (When Cabell returned to NYC for the Matisse Cut-out exhibit which she said was wonderful, she and Jeanie Stoner Delucia got together at Jeanie’s loft/performance space in Tribeca.

Also present at the luncheon was Val Phillips Parsegian, who was on her way to Rehoveth, Israel, for a reunion at the Weitzmann Institute of Science, which is where she and Adrian spent the early part of their marriage. Yes, Val and Adrian have been married the longest of all our classmates and that is one of the few things that has not changed in more than 50 years!! Barbara Mahony Kent was also at the luncheon and wrote me about how much she enjoys seeing her grandchildren and babysitting on a regular basis. In going through my diaries during my EW years (looking for memories of my brother), I came across the most fascinating entry re: Alva Katz Daffner recorded in October 1958: “I went to Alva’s house one Saturday, sometime after Yom Kippur. According to my diary, we went to see Damn Yankees with her mother, because we were not allowed to go to the movies by ourselves. We met a boy; he is real cute, named Richard Daffner. He USED (?) to like Alva!”

Richard is Alva’s husband of many years, so I guess he came back to “liking her.”

On another subject, both Alva’s mother and father are still alive and thriving.

Her mother recently moved into a senior living facility, leaving her friends, etc., in Louisville to be closer to Alva in Pittsburgh. Another senior mother whom I feel close to is Ruth Rabb, Emily Rabb Livingston’s mother, who still lives in her own apartment on Park Avenue in NYC. (When Emily was at EW, they lived in the San Remo on CPW and how well I remember getting ready for our graduation dance at the Colony Club (sponsored by Cabell’s parents). Perhaps sharing all these memories will jar some of yours and you will share them. I had hoped to see Ruth after the wedding of Mark Winterer and Lauren LeShane, but she was too busy (and not with doctor appointments!). BTW, speaking of the wedding (again), what a marvelous surprise to run into a friend of Sudie Doyle Knowles who had, on her recommendation, been working for Mark in his “ReCover” green roofs business— devoted to installing roofs that are compatible with our environment.

Speaking of the environment, not a topic I devote a lot of time to, for better or worse, I have had some great exchanges from Jill Casler Colver. In a discussion of pigs, along with Halloween decorations, Jill shared the following with me: “Living here in the Midwest, I am well aware of how animals are treated prior to landing on our plates. My neighbor is coordinator of a CSA (community-supported agriculture) and I buy from there when possible as well as have a small

garden. I hardly eat meat and my poor spouse and son have had to put up with some strange meals over the years. I do eat seafood, and the CSA has a source for wild Alaskan salmon and other natural fish. We are one mile north of a pig factory farm and have to endure many days of stink plus I am constantly reminded of the miserable lives pigs must endure until they’re hauled off to the slaughter house. Iowa rivals North Carolina in pig factory farms. Iowa also has many chicken factory farms where the poor creatures are crowded into cages until they’re spent laying eggs; then they’re shipped off for soup. Alright, once again I have written almost book-length class notes—and I could go on…but enough. Oh, yes, I just had a note from Ginna Pratt Malcolm who wrote, “My life is purrfect.” and Judy Hayman Pass (whose mother is not only still alive, but enjoys many of the jokes I send to Judy via email). She and Suzanne Niemann (who also lives in St. Louis) had contact. Another EW graduate has a mutual friend who was a flute player at Washington U. When Suzie and I were students there and had written to ask how to get in touch, I was happy to once again see the EW network loom large and fluid. (It’s not just me who receives these messages….) One more note: Adele Adest Yellin ’65 has taken the Grand Central Market in downtown LA and completely transformed it from a purveyor of everything from fish to spices in bulk form to a modern food mecca—selling everything from first-rate butcher cuts (fabulous pork bacon and great stewing chickens,

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worn out from laying fertile eggs. Yes, I made a delicious chicken soup, which helped but did not cure (alas) my ongoing respiratory problems) to designer ice cream with flavors so exotic, even their names don’t convey the magic. I also attended a Yarn Bomb that occurred there one night and for those EW women who like games, they have everything from Scrabble to Pictionary every Thursday evening. A few of the old stalls are left; they serve as a reminder of how much downtown LA has (and is) changing. You have to see it to believe it, but Adele definitely has her hand on the pulse! OK, ENOUGH! I must return to the challenge of using my new hearing aids with my iPhone—the visit with Jamie and Barney is fast approaching.

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Shelagh Gordon Talbot, PO Box 34, Greenville

Junction, ME 04442, 207.695.2727, shelagh.talbot@gmail.com

We lost one of our classmates this past April—Corinne “Corky” Paine Freake. I remember her as a thoughtful and imaginative individual with great musical and artistic talent. She was involved with all three campus publications—Triangle, Clock, and the Gargoyle.

She was also a practical person and a member of the Business Committee.

I remember how pretty she was—her beautiful laugh and alabaster skin. I recall her wonderful sense of humor and gracious way. She was very kind.

Onward to the stars, Corky. We sure will miss you! I got very little news from classmates this time. From Lesley Rosecrans Smith: “The only new news would be that we are out here in Benson, Arizona, at Kartchner Caverns volunteering as cave lead guides—a job we LOVE! Cannot beat this beautiful weather—no snow and blow for us.”

From Joby Bengtson Donalson: “Gosh, where has the time gone? Can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving. I will be home this year and spend Thanksgiving with Amy and family. Rob and Karen will not be here for Christmas this year so am going there (San Marcos, California) mid-December for a long weekend instead. That ought to be a fun

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weekend as they are having their annual holiday party. I will have Christmas with Amy and fam! I’ll be taking the kiddos (Katherine, 14, Annika, 11, and Thomas, seven) Christmas shopping soon. Fun day with each. We do their shopping, have lunch and then come back to my home to wrap their gifts. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen these days. I bake a lot (take it to others) and have a couple of good friends that come for dinner often. It’s more fun to cook for more than one! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas and a healthy 2015!” From Sue Williams Brown: “Have had a great fall with short historical, ecological and exercise trips to Nashville, Beaufort, St. Helena and Charleston, Savannah and Tybee/Little Tybee Islands with winter plans for short trips to St. Mary’s, Fernandina Beach, St. Augustine, perhaps Miami, and then a week doing the DC monuments and Smithsonian, all while taking up crocheting and Tai Chi.” (I had begged for at least a sentence from classmates, and Sue gave me a perfect one!) From Dianne Martiny Strong: “My EWS Signature had barely arrived—slow boat to Guam—when out came your call for news. So here’s the ‘dive’ report from ‘Where America’s Day Begins!’ I have a new family, saying good-bye to my 12-year-old Labrador in February. I just adopted two Labshar-pei mix female litter mates! Such a joy to have a furry family again. I can proudly boast that it won’t be long before I will be famous as an author of an ‘out of print’ book! My supply of my hardcover Witness To War biography (November 2013) is dwindling and the holidays are approaching. The book’s translation into Japanese is near completion. Hopefully the book will be launched on Japan’s first e-book reader, the Rakuten Kobo Touch—perfect for all those train commuters! I will be in Chuuk (Truk Lagoon) over Christmas, with my ‘adopted’ human family, the Aiseks, three generations after Kimiuo Aisek. On 13 September in his memory, the Memorial Museum was dedicated.

It is the largest collection of artifacts in Micronesia. The eight ship bells, three telegraphs, huge optical range finder,

Arisaka rifles, china, bottles, and ethnographic display were viewed by a record 85 passengers from the cruise liner Lindblad National Geographic Orion.

The divers went to explore Sankisan Maru, a 110-meter long (367 feet) freighter of 4,776 tons. The snorkelers went to look at a different ship, in shallower water, followed by a visit to another site where they swam over a wrecked float plane. The glass-bottomed Zodiac guests went to look at an upsidedown Japanese Zero fighter plane located near the old airstrip, and also had time to explore the beautiful nearby surrounding coral reefs. I am thrilled to be part of the effort to preserve the history of Truk Lagoon, and my education at EW contributed to my success in publishing Kimiuo Aisek’s biography.

Semper Fi!” From Emily Allen: “Early in July, my oldest daughter, Missy (47), discovered a lump in her breast. In the almost five months since, our family has rallied around her, sitting with her during chemo, two operations, and radiation. What a wake-up call it has been. As I write this, our 22-month old granddaughter, Giada, is napping in ‘her’ room. At least once a week I pick her up at daycare at noon, and bring her home with me. We play tea party and watch Mickey’s Club House on TV and read on my Kindle The Monster’s Lullaby story her daddy’s relative wrote for his children. For the ten years since my retirement from Vital Records, I have tutored reading skills to children with dyslexia. Who would have ever thought I could assist more than thirty children to develop reading skills that will help them be independent and successful adults?”

As far as my life goes, the summer (what little there was of it) went by wa-a-ay too fast and am now up to my elbows in greenery as I make wreaths for my town, friends, and customers. Merry Christmas to all and have a Happy 2015!

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Bonnie Scott Jelinek, P.O. Box 758, South Orleans, MA 02662,

781.589.6400, bsjel@usa.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

Jaci Canning-Murphy, 269 Hudson Street, Cornwall on

Hudson, NY 12520, 845.534.5494, jaciart@aol.com

It may seem so long ago, but then the warm memories of every holiday season remain close to us all year. Think back to last Thanksgiving Weekend…wrapping up family gatherings, enduring the first seasonal snow, thinking of retrieving Christmas, Hanukah, and the meanings of each holiday we love and remember.

Also, maybe planning a trip to Troy for Revels or reflecting on your own participation in Revels 1963. Meanwhile, our class has not been reporting much news lately for this publication, though Facebook does get some action, reflecting the travels of a few of us. For instance, a small group of Greens joined Jestena Boughton at the Colony in Maine during the fall, while Sue Ris Schongalla and husband Doug have been seen at several points around the USA. Three ’64s have written: when asked about her holidays, Maria Barbosa De Montiel reports that in Venezuela her Christmas gathering was very different from those past… “everything 10 times more expensive and there are lots of products out of the market...soap, sugar, flour…unbelievable!” For most of us, this is sad to think about. On the road but not recorded on Facebook were the interesting and rather nomadic travels of Ronni Rosen Silver and husband Rob in their super mobile home, winding up in Tucson, where they’ve wintered for several years.

They have established close and caring friendships in their traditional park so this is really going home to share “family” stories. Right about this time, they drive to San Diego for more reunions.

Susan Davis Terry made early and firm plans to attend a winter Emma Willard networking reception in New York City, motivated by the fact that she’d missed Thanksgiving in Brooklyn with her son, Max, and his now-famous artist wife, Carol Bove. Susie said she couldn’t miss this opportunity for a visit.

Bebe Clute Lee took a break from her teaching post at Kean University and traveled with her church group to England, Wales, and France. Also in France and having thoughts of her

studies with Mademoiselle Bruneau was Marcia Mills Wakeman. Her trip, last October, included a self-drive canal trip between Lyon and Dijon with friends and her sister, Judy Mills Courter ’59.

Class Notes give you all the opportunity to share thoughts or experiences. So get them to me.

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Linda McAdoo Ware, 115 N. Mountain Avenue #125,

Claremont, CA 91711, 909.560.5582, ware.assoc@gmail.com

50th Reunion • Nothing to report.

Please send news. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Penni Wisner, 3845 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114,

415.552.6579, penniw@pacbell.net

Peg Baird Towle: “Like Wendy Dominick, I am ‘a student of the game’ (golf ), as they say. I play in three different leagues each week (in season) and practice two or three days a week as well.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised that I’m still improving! I wonder how long that will go on. We will see, only time will tell. In the off season (late fall and winter), I play outside when conditions permit; otherwise I go to the range as often as possible.” Liz Beal Bowman: “I have a new grandson, August Henry, who was born at the end of August in Durham, North Carolina, and we are very happy. My granddaughter, Juniper Rew, has started pre-k and loves to write stories. Her mom and Grand-Lizzie (me) take dictation while she does the illustrations. We are all going to gather at daughter Erica’s house in Jamaica, Vermont, for Thanksgiving so my mom can meet her newest great-grandchild.

Mom has just moved to a senior residence in Plattsburgh, New York, where my sister, Cornelia Beal Forrence ’68, lives. Mom got tired of being a homeowner and now wonders why she waited so long to make this choice. As for me, my gardening business, The Compleat Gardener, is trying to get the remainder of our gardens to bed for winter, but the weather is making it a challenge. I have just finished 13 years of writing a weekly

garden column in the Bucks County Herald and am looking for new topics as year 14 gets rolling. I am part of a community chorus and a church choir, a poetry group, and a drumming group.

My husband sees me occasionally. And so it goes.” Heather Henderson Mewhinney: “Husband Nate and I retired about a year and a half ago and moved to Panama City, Florida, last September. Our first great-grandson was born this summer and life is good.”

Bonnie Hunter Trotta: “Daughter Katama, husband, and four kids make living in NYC seem wholesome! My three sons are in LA, Jackson, Wyoming, and NYC; none married yet but hope springs eternal! I did a walking trip in Northern England from the Lake District in the west to Lindisfarne in the east and then north through Scotland just before the vote on independence; quite spirited conversations were had with locals (mostly I couldn’t understand a word of the brogue but loved the accents!).”

Jeni Smith: “Husband Tom and I came back refreshed from a 10-day trip to Scotland where we limited our cell phone and email time. We roamed castles, drove through green glens, and hiked a few bens (mountains), all the while tasting some wonderful Scottish food and whiskeys. We were most fortunate to have excellent weather; cool compared to St. Thomas, but a nice change. This Christmas holiday takes us to our Greenville, South Carolina, home where our Colorado family will join us as well as all of Tom’s South and North Carolina family. We are looking forward to making lace cookies with grandchildren, meeting new sweethearts of the nieces and nephews, and just relaxing by the fire. Wishing the Class of ’66 a wonderful holiday season and joy, peace, and happiness in the new year.” Tyler Tinsworth: “I have finished a large project in the city (NYC) which included the replacement of all 24 windows in a fullfloor apartment in a landmark building, along with installing central AC, and redoing all of the lighting. We needed 13 weeks; the clients gave us ten. It was dramatic but we did get it done. Right before the job began, I took a day-long espresso class at Counter Culture Coffee

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Spring 2015

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and had a blast. It really was for those who want to be professional baristas, but was also excellent for the home aficionado. And I seriously was doing things the wrong way! At the end of the summer I flew to London to join youngest daughter Gavin for the weekend and to see her boyfriend’s flat, etc. (She is moving over to London in January.) I then hopped over to northern Spain and did a 120-kilometer hike for Walkabout on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

Maude, the 16-year-old daughter of a friend, decided to join me for the hike.

(My daughter had to stay in London to work in JP Morgan’s London office.)

Maude and I had a divine time. I found myself going to bed at night laughing like crazy over something we had done during the day. It was a great group of international businessmen and women and us. I cannot believe I had never hiked before. I mean really, walking your way across a country and eating, too— what could be better! We raised a lot of money for spinal cord injury research and for the delivery and donation of Rough Rider wheelchairs to those in need all over the world. We ended back in London for two more days and then headed home. This week I marched in the NYC Veteran’s Day parade with my son, Major Caleb Weiss, USMC, for the Wounded Warriors. It was amazing. Then Saturday night four of Caleb’s seven siblings and I attended the Marine Corps Ball for the company and battalion of which he is the commanding officer. I had never seen my son in ‘mess dress’ before and he looked so handsome. It was also amazing to see him essentially giving a party for his 300 men and their dates. He was an excellent MC and gave a great speech. The guest of honor speaker was family friend and Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Paul Bucha. It was a very moving evening.” Surpik Zarikian Angelini: “I am back from a wonderful trip to Italy last month with husband Paolo and younger son, Giorgio. Since Giorgio is now an architecture graduate, we visited the Venice Architecture Biennale together. It was fun to share our many creative interests, accented by our passion for great Italian cuisine! In fact, Giorgio

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thoroughly documented our culinary adventures as well as our encounters with family members throughout Italy. We visited aunts, uncles, and cousins in Milan and Pavia, and then we went on to Bologna, in search of the family home where my husband spent his early youth.

We also headed south to a small town called Matera, to visit a nephew who lives in a spectacular house built around a mountain cave. Before heading back to Milan, I introduced Giorgio to the countless, unforgettable art treasures in Florence. What a jolt to the spirit it was!

I am now back in Houston, running after my 92-year-old mother, whose boundless energy is as challenging as ever! She is amazing. She still lives in Caracas, but comes to visit us as often as her busy schedule allows. After a year of planning and design, we will be breaking ground for a new building that will house my 18-year-old Transart Foundation, an experimental research center and creative workshop for contemporary art and anthropology. It will be a beautiful little nod to my grand neighbor, the fantastic Menil Collection.

I’m very excited to have my own space in which to present exciting exhibitions, lectures, seminars, workshops, films, etc.

I will keep you posted. You will all be especially welcome! Put Houston on your future agendas! Enjoy the coming Holiday Season!” And then, there is me: After a 25-year hiatus but with the same dreams, I enrolled in a beginning weaving class at City College. I am totally obsessed and have signed up for a second semester beginning in January.

Now where to put a loom?! Exactly now the rain is pounding down for the first time in what feels like years. It may only last like this for thirty seconds, but it is so good to know it can still happen here.

We are all (or should be) terrified by the drought and I find myself taking Navy showers. The state (or unstate) of the world so concerns me that I only peek at the front page of the New York Times.

My time is better spent, I believe, in wiser, steadier company. So I read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her stories weaving together the wisdom of plants, science, and Native Americans restore me. Not because she

is a pollyanna or in denial. She is an ecobotanist, poet, university professor, and Native American. Her stories provide a perspective that helps alleviate my feelings of frustration and powerlessness.

Despair, she states, is especially bad because it leads to inaction. And so, with renewed vigor I pick up trash as my dog and I roam the streets, perhaps preventing a few pieces from joining their brethren in the Pacific Garbage Patch. Without planning it, the day or so before Thanksgiving, the book opened to her chapter, “Allegiance to Gratitude,” about the Thanksgiving Address of the Haudenosaunee Peoples. What a relief to read this Native American invocation.

It seems I have heard more about Black Friday this year than I have about the thanks and abundance that gave birth to the feast. For pictures of classmates on their adventures, remember to check out www.ews66.com.

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Mags Caney Conant, 69 Mansfield Avenue,

Burlington, VT 05401, 802.862.1141, 802.734.1420 (cell), magsvt@aol.com

Anticipating a visit from David and Carol Good Whitman (in Vermont for a wedding), Betty Berman Levin proposed another EW mini-reunion brunch in early September. Five eager “locals” joined Betty and Carol (and Diane Drew, who drove up with C&D) for a sunny and yummy afternoon garden party. Carol is enjoying her “trial” retirement, gathering no moss. A love for travel has lured her to Morocco (with Betty) and India (with a friend) in 2014.

In an email just before the Vermont gathering, Diane described her Labor Day visit to Carol and David’s beautiful Maryland shore home. “Carol is an incredible host: wonderful food, boating, kayaking, local fairs, fireworks. I could barely pull off one of those items. We had a ball.” Our inveterate traveler, Betty, had led tours to Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Galapagos, Berlin, and Belgium this year, and was headed to South Africa and Botswana this fall. Linda Hunker Burgess joined us from her summerhouse on Lake George, where she and John enjoy boating and visitors

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into the fall. Side trips to Kennebunk, Maine, to see grandchildren highlight their summers. A few years back they migrated to Southern Pines, North Carolina, where they can ride their horses on 4000 acres of wooded and trailed land outside their door all winter and spring.

Local Patsy Wheeler McLaughlin (Essex, Vermont) still enjoys teaching wellness classes part-time at UVM. Her son, Jamie, is a computer whiz in San Diego and daughter Sara is taking graduate courses at UVM to prepare for medical school. Jennifer Maduro is still leaving her door wide open in Montreal for wandering EW classmates.

No worries about the safety of that: you should have seen her swinging the 15 lb. mallet of a 20 ft. tall “High Striker” my husband made (think: country fair) for a fundraiser at Burlington’s annual South End Art Hop that same weekend. No surprise, Maduro nailed it, ringing the bell every time! Drew and Maduro boarded a Megabus together early Monday, heading into the sunrise for more fun in the Big City. (In June, by chance, Ed Levin and I shared the NYC bound Megabus—Ed’s “second office.”

Thanks to Megabus WiFi, he can conduct business AND Facetime with Betty in one of those foreign countries en route. Efficient!) Emily Williams Moore was truly the icing on the cake at Betty’s brunch. We were all delighted that she joined us from Deerfield, New Hampshire. In the past 47 years she has been a published writer (Strong Stuff: Mother’s Stories, 2000, recently reprinted), raised sons Jess and James, and worked hard on her path to pursuing her love of painting, including weekly trips to Boston for private lessons in a special oil painting technique. She wowed us all with her beautiful artwork. Emily’s son, Jess, runs a solar power company and lives south of Burlington with his family.

Emily is a happy grandmother of little boys, and we’re happy their proximity helped lure her to Betty’s! Nancy Jones joined us on a speakerphone call; she was between Bluegrass Festivals and her work at the NY State Dept. of Transportation, looking forward to time at her family’s Grafton, Vermont, camp. It was a wonderful get-together. (Thank you,

Betty Berman Levin ’67 and Georgina Murphy Scott ’67 in the Galapagos Islands

Betty!!) Margy Upton Trumbull is staying busy, though her husband, Scott, has “partially retired.” LinkedIn informed me that Margy is a founding board member of Good Grief of Northwest Ohio, Inc. Their website describes it “provides support for children, teens, young adults, and their families, who have experienced the death of someone significant, through play therapy, journaling, and art projects.” Margy and Scott took a three-week road trip this summer to Illinois, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho—with their dog! While in Colorado, they could have passed Elsey “Zee” McLeod on her way to the Tetons and Glacier National Park from Denver. Steve and I were in Colorado in August for a wedding, surprised not to see more evidence of their newly legalized agricultural “product.” No Reefer Madness, after all. Congratulations to Sherry Sutler’s son, Todd, who has opened his dream school, Compass Charter School (compasscharter@gmail. com), in the heart of Central Brooklyn!

An A-team’s effort has created an exciting school model based on “best practices” research gathered while visiting dynamic schools across the country, including my district’s (magnet) elementary Sustainability Academy in Vermont.

Middle school teacher Sue Peckheiser Erhlich took an 11-week leave this past spring to nurse her husband, following his golf cart accident on a sporting clay course that shattered his femur. “After surgery to put Humpty Dumpty back together again and three long weeks in the hospital, it was wonderful to be home. The bright note during the hospital stay was that our daughter, Zoe, got engaged! We are very happy but no plans as of yet. They want to enjoy being

Denise Sweeney Hartman ’67 and Madame Willard at the Kremlin, September 2014

engaged.” Beth Morgan Adcock recovered well from her first knee replacement surgery in July in time to prep for her other knee’s surgery in late November. Ouch! She wrote from rehab, “Now that I’ve had a decent night’s sleep and my new knee has suddenly decided that it’s related to me in more ways than pain, I’m starting to feel more human again!” Best wishes for a smooth ride through recovery, Beth! Alicia Wille Ruvinsky wrote between flooding episodes in Santa Monica in Dec: “I savored all the Blantyre/Reunion pix and emails from classmates this year and really, really wish I could have been there with all of with you and seen Jody and the amazing, gracious world she has created. What a treat. This has been the year of starting Story Thread Press, our own publishing imprint. The journey began with editing Morrie’s new short story collection, launching a website, reviewing proofs, dealing with Kindle conversions and EPK’s (electronic press kits with pictures and bios of varying lengths) and, and, and...now the book is out there! Meeting God Or Something Like It is funny and serious and, well, if you go to amazon.com (or Amazon UK) and look for the title, you can read reviews and click through to our website for all sorts of info about our books and what we’ve been up to. (The paperback of Meeting God... is already available and the Kindle version is coming shortly.

Meanwhile, Morrie and I, our daughter,

Spring 2015

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Anja Stehr Carr, 3 Lawson Road, Sand Lake, NY 12153,

518.674.3084 ALSCarr@nycap.rr.com • Temporary: 2460 Nita Warren, Michigan 48091, 586.920.2150, ALSCarr@Comcast.net

1967 in Vermont. Top: Emily Williams Moore, Patricia Wheeler McLaughlin, Betty Berman Levin, Diane Drew. Front row: Mags Caney Conant, Carol Good Whitman, Jennifer Maduro, Linda Hunker Burgess

Jessica, and her husband, Michael, have had visits from a stream of friends and relatives including our new grandniece, Clementine, the first Clementine I’ve even heard of since Mrs. Tangeman of EW’s Board of Trustees. Splice in: our daily walking and most especially a 23-mile walk from downtown LA to the Pacific Ocean. The first section going west to LACMA—the LA County Museum of the Arts—is a six-mile stretch through amazing LA architecture, varied neighborhoods, language groups, food smells, and historical sites (e.g. what’s left of the Ambassador Hotel where RFK was assassinated). I recommend it to everyone. Also add in a David & Goliath local battle, with an Election Day win for David against large and well-financed interests from out of state. Mostly we’re fine. I wish the same for each of you and hope to see you here or there.”

Carolyn Alden has been enjoying writing this year, including articles she’s submitted to magazines. Attending a Wayne Dyer “Writing from your Soul” workshop in May made Carolyn “eligible to submit a book proposal to win a publishing contract with Hay House, a major publisher of spiritual and self-help books. The Workshop and Wayne Dyer really energized me! Words are flowing and I’m almost finished with the first draft of my proposal. When not writing and needing a break, I am swimming or walking on the beach.” Pam Wejman and her husband, Jim Smith, took an apartment for a month in Barcelona this fall, exploring the art and culture of the region, including a little getaway trip to the Costa Brava. Georgie Murphy

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Scott’s husband, David, sent photos from their June ’14 hike with Georgie’s sister on the last third of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain. They had just spent “a great week with Ed and Betty” in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Betty’s “Hola from Columbia!” email in early December mentioned her two-week fall tour in Peru and Ecuador with Georgie, Ed, and 27 others this fall, including Machu Picchu and the Galapagos: “a most amazing trip.” (I’m now imagining a room full of pre-packed suitcases at Betty’s home, organized by continent and climate…how does she do it?) Sue Gilbert did Hospice training in September, just before taking a memorable trip to Australia with some of her siblings in October. Her photos of camel riding, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, and exploring Sydney captured their great vacation. SuSu has been creating and exhibiting beautiful surreal collages this winter, participating in the North End Arts Tour in Seattle in early December. Our daughter, Molly’s, wedding in late August ’15 will be my first adventure after “reprioritizing” (sounds more apt than “retirement”) in June. I’ve also been exhibiting recent artwork, and look forward to more time playing in my new studio. May you all enjoy a healthy, happy winter. Please post me the highlights! xoxo, Mags.

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Anina Minotto, 2188 N. Holliston Avenue, Altadena, CA

91001, 626.798.6030, aminotto@aol.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

1965. And thus began our journey…just a few days ago. Or so it seems. And with Bob Dylan and Jacques Brel in my brain, I’m reminded that we do have our seasons and our times and they do change.

Changes come to Natalie Shiras. “My news is my pending retirement in 2015 after 34 years of professional ministry.

My last Sunday is February 1 at Church on the Hill in Lenox. Lucy Holstedt and Kirk Etherton, who were a great hit at the church in September, are returning to send me off with their original compositions. Come join this musical worship service and celebrate! More good news is that I am to be a grandmother. A daughter is to be born to Alex and Petula McShiras, due February 5 in Denver. I continue to enjoy the tender loving relationship with my partner, Rich Lumma.

“And yes, Rich and I plan to come to the 100th Revels. It will be fun to see you!

Love, Nat.” And changes for Margie Rowland: “My big news is that I am retiring as the chief medical officer of CareOregon after 11 years. Otherwise, I am so sorry to have missed reunion (never could get the Drop Box to work).

I will no longer have work as an excuse to stay away! Best to all, Margie.” Did you see Ann’s photos from Vienna on our class Facebook page? “I was excited this fall to present one of my diabetes research projects at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Vienna,” wrote Ann Sawyer Williams.

“Most of my career I have worked as a clinical nurse specialist, teaching selfmanagement to people with diabetes, often in blindness rehabilitation settings.

Since 2008, I have been doing research in that area. Having my work accepted for presentation at a major international conference felt like an affirmation of my late-career shift in my work focus.”

Cate Moffett’s family has been through a wringer. “I have had a very difficult summer/fall due to my sister’s catastrophic bicycle accident. She sustained a traumatic brain injury, and as if that

intruded on the silence was…I wonder what EW classmates of mine are drawn to this stuff and while taking a peek at my phone tonight I see this email from Anja. Hence, I am answering it and now back to silence…wish y’all well. Love, Kt.” I must say, it sounds intriguing, Katie Jacobson. Jackie Kennedy recently took a big leap. “Mark and I bought our first home, a second floor condo in a triple-decker in Roslindale, a neighborhood of Boston, walking distance to the Arnold Arboretum. One hundred years of Revels, that is to be celebrated. The Revels in Cambridge, much newer.” Sandy Jemison never stops moving. “Well, where do I begin? You know everything I am doing. lol. I do have two prospective students visiting the campus next weekend. [That was in November]. They are from the Akwesasne Territory in northern New York along the St. Lawrence Seaway. The two are very talented girls and would make a bright addition to our students.

Back here in Buffalo we were hit with the midwest snowstorm so we are freezing as well. The grandkids were hoping for their first snow day, but it didn’t work. Only three-five more inches are expected tonight, then it should end. Whew. I am awaiting our fifth grandchild expected near the end of March, beginning of April. It is supposed to be a boy. I can find out the gender but not the proposed name. I don’t think that is fair. I think I will whine until Rachel gives in to me.

No major trips planned. Our August trip to Disney World was definitely one for the vacation books. The kids love it, of course. The parents were exhausted from being on the go for 10 days. They did all the touristy things. Now their next trip they will be able to spend more time being loungers vs. being a tourist.”

“Good Morning!” comes from Shelly Henderson. “The 200th birthday/45th reunion in May was glorious with 50 of us returning! It’s hard to believe we will be celebrating our 50th next time! My husband, Ray Gabler, and I celebrated our second anniversary in June. After teaching in the business school at BU our first year of marriage, I am now semiretired and can finally see the end of the renovations of the house and gardens.

Newly-wed in my sixties is a true joy!

Ray and I are headed to Fort Myers for the month of January, and would just love to see anyone else who cares to visit or get together. Please get in touch! Dot Flood has been commuting to work here in Boston from her home in West Chester for the last four years. We are planning to ski a bit together soon— mid-week—come join us! Best to all, Shelly.” “I can hardly believe we’re six months past our Bicentennial bash. Did they ever find the silver bowls?” asks Adrienne Graves Southgate. “I don’t really have any news at the moment, but I promise to send some for the next bulletin (by then, I should know whether I will have a position with the next administration). Meanwhile, everybody is fine.

Cheers, Adrienne.” Our latest publishing news comes from Amy Demarest.

“My book, Place-based Curriculum Design: Exceeding Standards Through Local Investigations (that little monster that kept me from coming to reunion), is out this week. (For more info: see my website ourcurriculummatters.com.) Nice it is over. Looking forward to a more peaceful life work-wise and more time for friends, family, and dogs! And being able to come to our next reunion! Love to all.

Amy Demarest.” “Things are calm and quiet here,” according to Ellen Cutler.

“Our great moment of late was a trip to the midwest—flying into Columbus, Ohio, then heading to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and back to Columbus—to knock a few more art museums off the bucket list. Indianapolis is fantastic by the way. The most stunning experience—and I was left dazed and disoriented—was the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, just over the river from Cincinnati. That’s the place that explains that the earth was indeed created a little over 6,000 years ago in six 24-hour days. I thought it would be a hoot. It wasn’t. It was an extremely high-tech, well-produced bit of theater that had hordes of visitors enthralled and left with ‘scientific evidence’ that the Biblical account is literally true. Anyone who wants to get a sense of how disturbing it is that such arrant nonsense would be fully embraced by literate people living in the industrialized west in

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were not enough, we are fighting with Aetna because they stopped coverage. It is a learning curve I would not wish on anyone. The silver lining is that Susan’s friends have been very supportive, and will continue to help. We are fitting out her home to accommodate a wheelchair, etc., and hope to have her home for Christmas.” “Nothing new from Texas,” claims Janet Kinney Schmidt.

Ah, but the adventures she’s having. “I enjoyed all the emails this spring from and about old classmates. Sorry that I could not make the event in May. It’s hard to believe that Revels will be performed for the 100th time. I’m still working as a pediatrician, but only part-time. I have been doing consulting work for Project HOPE as I mentioned earlier. I’m off to Belgrade, Serbia, and Skopje, Macedonia, for two weeks this December. I will be assisting with development of NICUs in Serbia and a new PICU in Macedonia.” Janet occasionally posts photos on Facebook and our page.

“My family is doing well. My youngest graduated from Mizzou this spring (Go Tigers) and he is now in law school at IUPUI. He loves law school! My other son is back working in Texas. He is a true Texan. My husband loves retirement and is happy. He’s a beekeeper, rancher, and consultant.” Calling the Vermont contingent: Abby’s en route! “I’ll be seeing my brother, John (who dated Sue CeppiBussmann sophomore year), at his son’s wedding in Stowe, Vermont, January 3.

I plan to meet Betsy Austin when I’m in her backyard. Maybe the rest of the Vermont EW crowd could crash the wedding?” Abby Merriam Lederman continues, “My daughter, Annie Lederman, is a comedian and currently featured on a show called Girl Code on MTV. If you have a teen girl in your family, you may know about the show. It’s a bunch of silly adult comedians giving high school girls advice. I’ll let all the California crowd know when she starts sending me airfare to visit her in LA—coming soon, I hope.” “Hi all. I’m writing from a fiveday silent meditation retreat. Does anyone else from ’69 enjoy these? It’s cool to be with 400 people and no small talk… no talking at all. So I’m meditating today and one of the many thoughts that

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the 21st century should check out the reviews on Tripadvisor. It was quite the experience. Before leaving Cincinnati, however, we tracked down the graves of members of my mother’s mother’s family in the Spring Grove Cemetery. We do have fun during fall break!” “Last year’s vacation was to sunny Troy for my first reunion,” according to Becca Cooper.

“This year’s vacation was to San Diego for a week’s immersion in integrative and holistic medicine followed by the board exams. And I just found out I passed the boards! So I’m now certified to be a crunchy granola doc! Woohoo!” So I had to ask Becca. “Integrative medicine means that you integrate all modalities that might help someone (surgery, medications—allopathic, homeopathic, Ayurvedic—therapy, yoga, nutritional supplements, massage, sleep, etc.). It’s what I’ve practiced for years. Doesn’t mean I follow my own advice! And no one ever said vegan was a healthy diet!

And yes, it helps aging bods! And kids.

And I would be delighted to find you camped out on my porch. Better yet, knocking on the door so you could sleep in a bed!” [I often threaten to appear out on her back porch, poolside, some warm Florida morn when the northeast is in the throes of a Polar Vortex or Alberta Clipper] Susi Ceppi-Bussmann writes, “I am enjoying reconnecting with my cousins in Sedona, Arizona, for our first annual retreat. I was inspired by my experience with my Emma Willard connections at the 200th this year. I am finding as I grow older these friends and relatives are a more treasured part of me than I could imagine. This Thanksgiving I will be grateful for the health and happiness of my loved ones.” I believe many of us would agree. On Facebook, we’ve marveled at the many exciting opportunities available to today’s Emma girls (and more than one classmate pondered whether we could go the Benjamin Button route so we can partake). We enjoy from great distances our classmates’ philosophies and news of grandbabies born and growing and weddings and hobbies and lifestyle and lifeplace changes. If you’re not yet a member of our class Facebook page, please consider joining us. Jane Burdis has the last

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L–R: Carla Sabloff Smith ’74, Betsy Gifford Gross ’72, Beverly Burke Gunther ’60, Cortney O’Toole Morgan ’92, Erica H. Ling ’75 at a talk by Kristen Rutnik Gillibrand ’84.

word: “Just want to wish everyone happy holidays. Again, I’d like to thank my classmates for their kindness and generosity so I could attend the Reunion in May. Love and best wishes from Jane.”

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Donna Krupkin Whitney, 2021 Kingsbury Drive,

Nashville TN 37215, 615.579.8307, dkwmd@comcast.net

45th Reunion • Nothing to report.

Please send news. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Carolyn Busch Foster, 3541 Highgrove Way, Atlanta,

GA 30319, 404.257.9444, fosterphotography@yahoo.com

Susan Forrest Castle is very excited about her new book she has been writing for over a year titled Richard Segalman: Black & White—Muses, Magic & Monotypes. It will be available in March 2015 and have its first book signing on March 15 at Harmon-Meek Gallery in Naples, Florida. Susan moved to Naples two years ago and loves the opportunity to bike twelve miles every morning before breakfast. Anne Schechter Crouse is thrilled about the prospect of being a grandmother for the first time in February 2015. Her son and daughterin-law live in Denver so she plans to commute more frequently from Santa Fe to Denver. Leslie Fleming-Mitchell attended her first EW get together in LA in November and was touched by the gathering of Emma women ages 25-85

sharing stories, thoughts, friendship, and wise counsel. Leslie just filmed a Lifetime historical docu-drama after a twelve-year hiatus and she is teaching the tried and true artist’s way workshop at Second City in LA. She also continues her business in chart consultations Alison Knopf Insinger enjoys her life in the country as a long-time freelance journalist. Her son, Patrick, is 17 and applying to colleges, and daughter Sojie is twelve and a competitive figure skater. Her husband, Chip, works as a tech assistant at a college nearby. Mosey Walrod Leckie attended the Bicentennial at Emma in May where she enjoyed reuniting with classmates. In the summer she traveled with her entire family on a safari in Kenya and Tanzania. She encourages everyone to go see the elephants since they predict a possible extinction in ten years due to poaching and the receding snows on Kilimanjaro. Tinker Gross Sanford is very busy trying to sell her home of 28 years and move to neighboring Stamford. She has been spending a lot of time in Colorado with her daughter, Rachel, who purchased an old home there. Tinker loves the opportunity to ski in Colorado while visiting. In Connecticut she continues with her tennis, yoga, and body barre classes. She also is actively volunteering at the hospital giving Healing Touch along with substitute teaching. Jane Beltzer Mecz, living in London, says she retired from J.P. Morgan last June after a 35-year career as in-house counsel. She wrote, “Needless to say, I have been enjoying my life post JPM doing all of the things I never had

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Madeline Shaw, 1213 Leicester Place, Columbus, OH

43235, 614.431.6932, madelineshaw@ columbus.rr.com

For some of our classmates, 2014 has definitely been a year of transition and, from the reports I’ve received, mostly a period of personal growth. In our house change has been largely about our daughter, Claire, who has returned to Columbus after six great years in the California Bay Area. I flew out so that the two of us could drive her little car across the country and stayed with Carol Bergh Terwilliger and her family before we hit the road. Claire and I had some fun mother-daughter adventures on the way, especially through the Rockies and ski country. The good news is that she is really enthusiastic about her first year of med school at Ohio State. She and her housemates are also elated the town greatly exceeded expectations and is not at all like the staid suburb where she grew up. Even though it’s an unwritten rule to maintain my distance, I love having her nearby to fuss over.

Mary “Ming” Chan has no news “other than I turn the BIG 6-0, VERY soon.

Considering, I actually feel quite good!”

Heidi Dent was lucky to have escaped the incredible November “snowmageddon” that struck the south Buffalo area by just being a mere few miles north of it all. Even as one who lives in this region, she says she was in awe about the vast amounts of snow that had piled up. “Once the snow stopped south of Buffalo, all the various emergency rescue

agencies from across the state could help dig out those hard hit areas. The Buffalo Airport had 17 inches of snow, but just a mere three miles away there was 75 inches of snow! Unless you live in one of those areas, I don’t think you can imagine that amount. I certainly hope those who like to make fun of Buffalo snow storms will keep in mind many have suffered so much. Yet there are so many who are lending a helping hand from all over during this epic event! Thank goodness for those able-bodied, good-hearted citizens!”

Hopefully, Heidi was able to fly out of the airport to spend Thanksgiving with her 90-year-old mother. Anne Evans sent in this note: “I continue to work for Ashoka, now going on five years, and really enjoy working in the social change arena. I still live in Great Falls, Virginia.

Our kids, William (27) and Sara (24), are both in DC which is such a blessing! Both are launched but there are no marriages or grandkids yet. I am gradually getting into a state of mind where I can imagine and enjoy the idea of that.

Haven’t seen any EW buddies recently but would love to!” Classmates can visit the Ashoka website www.ashoka.org to find out how their fellows are changing the world. Nili Lange writes, “I have been in Boulder since mid-July, after my mother, Vidie Lange, fell, hit her head, and developed a serious traumatic brain injury, and will continue living here at least until mid-July 2015. I am finding out what works and what does not in our healthcare system for the elderly in this situation. Luckily, my husband’s work at Ball Brother’s Aerospace has its headquarters in Broomfield, across the highway from the old Lange Co. and 10 minutes from Boulder. I ran a few campaigns before Mom’s fall, but all that work is on hold for the time being. Right now I am wearing my ‘MD hat,’ insuring she gets the best of care which is challenging to do for women in their 80s. As a family we are taking things day by day.”

Madeleine “Missy” Ludlow reports, “All is well in Cincinnati. Overall, I find being 60 a wonderful age. I semi-retired in January and now work one day a week at my venture capital firm. Of course, I couldn’t let that last and recently went to work at my church 20 hours a week

helping our new pastor with the transition. That is a temporary position. I am also traveling a lot. This year has contained a trip to Italy, two trips to Israel, the last of which just ended yesterday, and many trips to NYC. My son is working for Blackstone in NYC and loving it, which gives me an excuse to visit often. I have almost finished my master’s in theology at Xavier University. My next step is to find a way to engage in interfaith dialog; we need to understand each other if we are ever going to have peace. I have the time, health, and resources to pursue those things for which I have a passion. I hope all of my fellow classmates, and fellow 60 year-olds are doing well.” Casey Clark Obert, who continues to teach English in Chamonix to nurses at the hospital, hotel staff, and bankers, wrote about traveling back for her parents: “We held a memorial service for my dad in late July on Martha’s Vineyard. Annie and I went to the USA for the memorial and spent a week on Martha’s Vineyard with a good number of family members.

It was nice Nancy Sinsabaugh could join us, as she knew my dad and his wife, Carol. We then went to the west coast to visit my mom and met up with yet more family. As it was a really rainy summer in Chamonix, it was so good to be away.” She also wrote, “Annie had taken a ‘gap year’ after her Baccalaureate in 2013, spending four months in Madrid working on her Spanish and training for the difficult slalom test, the first step in becoming a ski instructor. She did lots of Grand Prix races and was on seven podiums out of ten competitions! She is now at The University of Savoie in Chambery, studying languages (English and Spanish) and living in the historic center of town.

She had a visit recently from Abby, EWS 2013, who is studying in Madrid.” Casey welcomes any EWS alums who are in the Chamonix area to contact her. Nancy Sinsabaugh has had multiple encounters with EW people lately. She writes, “I enjoyed attending the 200th anniversary celebration, spending time with Betsy Gifford Gross. In late May, I bought a little cottage on Martha’s Vineyard, and this summer I was able to spend time there with Casey Clark Obert, and Bob and Sally Hammett. I have seen Jack and

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time to do when I worked full time. Our summer was capped by the engagement of our daughter, Elizabeth, to her college sweetheart and they will wed in August.

Our cup runneth over.” As for me, Carolyn Busch Foster, I am officially retiring this year from my 36-year photography career, but will always enjoy it for my personal satisfaction. Finally I am able to work on my own archive of images from many years sitting at the computer! Keep the news coming and if you have not received an email from me of late, then please update me with your new email address!

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Marci Easterling frequently, since they live just across the water in Falmouth.

Marcia Brooks ’74 and her husband came for a visit at the end of the summer. If anyone comes to the Vineyard, let me know; I would love to see you.”

Alice van Straalen reports some big changes in her life. After all those years of living in Manhattan, Alice is now a bona fide New Jersey resident! She has moved to Montclair, New Jersey, and is living happily with sweetheart Jeffrey Cole. She is freelance fund-raising and editing, and studying for master gardener certification, which is mostly for volunteer purposes and “could not be more fun,” she says, adding, “I’m acclimating to suburban car culture, but thanks to Montclair’s multiple semi-urban neighborhoods, I can still do most things on foot. I often make the quick trip into the city; you can take the girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the girl!”

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Ronna Cohen, 3661 East Macintosh Lane, Salt Lake

City, UT 84121, 801.733.0603, ronna@ ronnacohen.com

I am compiling this between turkey and friends and family. This is the set of days where we all are juggling the same things.

Amazing, though, how many of us continue to reinvent ourselves. I had to start with Holly Turner…it’s her first four words that grabbed me. Holly wrote, “I am incredibly happy in a new job I began in April. Never imagined I could replicate the amazing career I had in sports! But at 60 (!) I find myself genuinely enthralled as national director of corporate partnerships for Canine Companions for Independence. We are the preeminent assistance dog organization in the world, training dogs in four levels of service for people with disabilities; service, skilled companion, facility, and hearing dogs. Every day is a joy.

Wonderful colleagues, puppies (!), and inspiring dogs and graduates! Nothing could be better. I am actually trying to establish a puppy-raising program at Emma! It’s been delayed this fall but I am going to re-engage with the powers that be next month. We already have programs underway at Foxcroft and other

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boarding schools in the east. We also have a terrific prison program that provides inmates the opportunity to raise puppies. Hugely successful program in several prisons around the country. I will miss being with my beloved cousin, Catherine Eliot, her siblings, and my sister, Laurie Turner ’69, e familia on Thanksgiving. They always get together in Maine. I am perennially jealous!”

With the puppy theme, Betts Howes Murray emailed, “On August 10, we got a puppy and we are now in puppy mode which really is crazy…a full-time occupation. Son Francis is working for Lindblad Expeditions in NYC and had a weeklong trip to the Galapagos for his job.

Daughter Polly is working for an engineering firm in Boston and has taken up furniture-building and jam-making.

Feeling very blessed as I head toward the 60th birthday.” Mary Nelson: “I have been spending time in the pottery studio.

I sold 91 pieces at my show in June.

Took a pottery class this summer at the Taos Art School with an Acoma Indian Potter, Lucy Lewis’s granddaughter for any potter collectors out there. Hoping to return to study with a Hopi potter.”

Carol Gundersen Haid: “I have been battling health problems these past few months. I had two TIA’s a week apart and have had other diagnoses I have been dealing with. Just a few bumps along the way. I am very blessed having an understanding boss, supportive boyfriend, and family standing by me.” Eleanore “Bijou” Clinger Miller: “Things are busy here. I continue to coach kids in voice and acting. Husband Greg is about to release a musical composition app which introduces kids to musical concepts and different genres of music. Now that the nest is empty, we have put together a cabaret act and are performing again. Older daughter Sara is currently living in Kenya and working for the RSC (Resettlement Support Center, not Royal Shakespeare Company!). She works in a northern Kenyan refugee camp. We are trying to steel ourselves for not having her home for the holidays, which will be difficult beyond words. Younger daughter Juliet is a freshman at Hamilton and loves it. I thoroughly enjoy catching up with Emma classmates on Facebook but

Mary Wertheim ’73 and Sara Johnson Meyers ’73 in NYC, November 2014

my major resolution is to have some face-to-face meetings in 2015!” Mary Wertheim: “Sara Johnson Meyers, husband Eric, children Sophie and Chad (their son Sam unfortunately couldn’t join us due to studies in California), and I recently enjoyed a night of delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, theater, supper, and cupcakes in NYC.” Pat Whittle: “Busy here with the new job. Very demanding and much to do. The job change has been a big deal for me in many ways and just working to establish my new normal. Finally getting a management team together and delineating responsibilities. Have a few days off this Thanksgiving and looking forward to a few more at Christmas. Maybe come January or February I can take a bit more time. Husband Steve passed his pilot’s exam. Hooray!! Now on to new adventures and instrument training.

Kids are all good, happy, healthy, and employed. Dad not doing well but not surprised. Dementia becoming more evident. Mom doing well though fell and broke her wrist on July 4 which put a crimp in things for a while. Thank goodness they are already in a retirement community that includes assisted living and skilled nursing. There’s a nurse available at all times. We all feel better for it. Steve has been wonderfully supportive.” A recent article on Ranche Sante Fe’s water use prompted ML Bass to immediately contact Steph Sides. Steph reminded me that the community using much water during a drought is nearby but not where

Music, celebrates its 10th anniversary this season—the most creative and best endeavor I have undertaken besides having my children! We are still in Rochester, New York. Husband Ron is on sabbatical this half-year from the U of Rochester Medical Center, writing a book. I am a free-lancing lutenist and baroque music specialist, and run my concert series. Son Eli is 25 and in grad school for computer science theory.

Daughter Malka graduates from College of Charleston in May with a public health major. Turns out a dear musician friend was brought in to EW to play Revels in recent years. She had a blast and we had fun sharing memories. Revels is where I started to fall in love with early music. I value my connections to friends near and far, even though sometimes years pass between communications. Will try to keep in better touch—love to all!”

Susan Van Wie Kastan was strolling through Troy recently and sent me a picture of a façade with the name of my mother’s handbag store, Laine’s, still visible, though the store closed over 30 years ago. Deborah Longley: “I am moving to Syracuse, New York, after 25 years in Minnesota. I have a new position at Upstate Medical Center in Breast Imaging. I am going from one bad climate to another! Oh, well. Hopefully I am earning my eventual retirement to a better climate.” For me, I continue to love being class reporter. I have gotten to know so many I never knew while in school. I feel so fortunate to have so many wonderful women in my life. Each day I work and I play. I do have a new activity that does not involve getting sweaty. Almost a year ago, I began piano lessons. I am surprised at how much I enjoy my 15–20 minutes a day. Beyond that, it might feel like work. I play whatever catches my fancy, mostly so slowly as to be unrecognizable. To all, stay safe and stay healthy.

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Kerry Doyle, 22 West 15th Street, 14G, New York, NY 10011,

212.924.8973, kdoyle@mindspring.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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The Class of 1975 is looking for a bulletin reporter. If you are

interested, please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@emmawillard.org.

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she lives. Dimmie Weller Zeigler: “Husband Greg and I have another grandson born in January, now living in Boulder, Colorado. Son Alex is working at University Bike in Boulder after completing the Barnett Bicycle Mechanics training program. His wife, Megan, and little boy, Caleb, are settling into life in Boulder quite well. Even the early snow was a big hit. Daughter Jamie still teaches at the Lycée Français in Manhattan. Her son, our other grandson, started the preschool program there this fall. So much fun to see them heading off to school together. Youngest son Wil continues to live and work in Jackson Hole, serving up delicious meals to the public. It is great to have him nearby and we get to see him frequently. I travel back and forth to Illinois each month for a week– 10 days to attend to my elderly parents.

It is a challenge to run a household and its employees from so far away but it’s nice to get back there and see old friends and make sure all is well with the folks.

At home I am into yoga, skiing, walking and hiking, reading voraciously, and trying to get back into my pottery studio.

I am enjoying retirement, although I have really just changed careers! Husband Greg has been traveling a lot all year for his new book, The Straw That Broke.

I meet up with him whenever I can between my parents and the grandkids!

The book is doing really well and is being considered for movie rights. All about water issues in the drought-ridden southwest. Also chosen for the all-school read by Kiski School in Pennsylvania.

Summer held hiking and biking, a trip to France, the wedding of our oldest son, Alex, to Megan, and lots of book events all over the place! Jackson Hole is so wonderful in the summer—we just love it and hated to be gone so much. So sorry to miss the 200th. I know it was memorable. Watched the graduation on YouTube. Have read all the info about the 200th and poured over the wonderful photos in Signature. Our Anne DePrez did a great job. Thank you, Anne, for the leadership you have given the Board and the pride you have given our class!”

Deb Fox: “I am grateful for no news being good news. My family and I are all well. My concert series, Pegasus Early

40th Reunion • Reunion

April 24–26, 2015.

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Cassandra Eckhof, 24 Bacon Street, Waltham, MA 02451,

781.899.2132, ceckhof@gmail.com

I’m writing this on a cold, cold day in December and my only comfort is knowing that, when you read this, it will be spring. Wow, people really responded to my request to speak now or hold your peace. Ursula Mathers Nehrt is feeling older (and aren’t we all?) since her eldest son got engaged. We click off our life transitions. She is still at Yale-New Haven Hospital as a physician assistant on the palliative care consulting service. “It can be quite challenging in many ways, but certainly makes me appreciate every day and my family.” Cathy Schreier Nash is still enmeshed as the mom and driving her 9th-grade daughters to events.

She says she is “keeping them close for now but the wing span is wide.” After a health scare for her husband, her family’s priorities are slanted to one day at a time and seizing the day. “I am working hard as a volunteer at school with the community service program. My pet project is midnight run, a life-changing experience. We walk the beach each day, do a few downward dogs, and embrace friends and family.” Melva Gibson Wagner is moving her corporate office to Naples, Florida, after being in Key West since 1996. She will continue to have close ties in Key West by continuing to serve as one of Governor Scott’s KW utility board appointees and on BB&T’s local advisory board. Also on the move is Ren Dietel who has relocated to Seattle after a period of time in Maine (“I’m a West Coaster at heart.”). Ren’s daughter, Kaeley, is a junior and a peer educator on Sage 3 Long. They are looking forward to this time next year when they’ll go back as a family for Revels. Both Liz Westbrook and Cara Christie-Rocha wrote of a great weekend in New York they shared with Mary Hill and Page Starzinger. They spun through the Met

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Cara Christie-Roca ’76, Page Starzinger ’76, Elizabeth Westbrook Hydes ’76 in New York City, October 2014

and then saw the Prague Philharmonic Choir. “Memories of Emma and Russell Locke were invoked, especially during the final piece ‘Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming.’” Cara is still singing in two choirs in Nassau. As for Liz, she is beginning a job in alumni relations at the New York office of the London School of Economics. “Looking forward to the change as much as I will always love ‘my’ Riverside Park!” Page also wrote that Karen Busch Cox’s daughter is working toward the Olympics in swimming. Go Hannah! Cynthia Savage Drouin is beginning the practicum phase of her master’s in clinical mental health counseling and will be finished in August 2016.

Her husband is also pursuing a scholarship and will receive his master’s in history in May 2015. The Drouin family is an academic one—Cynthia is still working for the dean at Butler; Jim teaches in a special needs classroom; their oldest daughter, Caitlin, is teaching in a kindergarten class while she finishes coursework towards licensure; and daughter Kristin is pursuing her master’s in social work at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a concentration in integrated health.

Says Cynthia, “In my free time I read a ridiculous amount of mystery novels. We are committed members of Netflix and Butler basketball (and now University of Michigan) fans. Simple pleasures! As for me, Garrett and I decided that we had become way too sedentary. Some people would join a gym, but we adopted a six-year-old rescue beagle christened Mr. Peabody. He enjoys riding in the car, sniffing, and shredding paper. And we’re losing weight.

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Leta Davis, 575 Solano Avenue, Sonoma, CA 95476-6137,

707.996.5233, leta@letaviolin.com • Sarah Soule, PO Box 415, Shelburne, VT 05482, 802.425.4403, 2cedarbeach@ comcast.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Gwen Krause, 6 Whitman Court, Troy, NY 12810, 718.510.7104,

gwenka@aol.com

I’m writing this in November, but by the time you get your bulletin it will be after the holidays so wishing everyone a wonderful New Year! I had a long phone call with Coleman Hough who was a panelist at an EW alumnae event in LA. She is pitching a TV series about gun control and a female-owned gun shop in the middle of the desert. She is finishing her film, Walking Into Walls, about living with Parkinson’s and getting ready for brain surgery (DBS) in January. Tory Kelly wrote, “I became a new instructor of French studies at the University at Albany. A very delightful job and a wonderful place to be because we speak French all the time in the department!

I’m in heaven! I most likely will be on staff at both UAlbany and St. Rose. I’m hoping to return to St. Rose in January and will conduct a French Immersion Weekend in Montréal this coming May of 2015!” (Thank you, Madame Weinraub and Madame Hunter, when she was head of La Maison Française!)

Rachel Klau Sandage and her husband, Dave, went on a whirlwind tour of Dublin, London, Paris, Macon, and the Priorat region of Spain. “In Macon we did a wonderful cooking class—two hours of cooking in a working restaurant

kitchen with two French chefs, followed by three hours of eating, sightseeing, and then three hours more of eating. In the Priorat we got to sample many wonderful wines as well as learn about the history of the area and meet wonderful winemakers and growers. We finished it off with a two-week cruise from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, and I got to teach Nia classes on the ship. Imagine doing an aerobics class while plowing through 12-foot swells and you’ll have some idea of the kind of fun we had! Our son, Josh, and his lovely wife, Jen, are living half an hour away so we get to see them often, and Tim is a sophomore at UC Santa Cruz. If you want to read more details than you can possibly imagine about our trip, go to http://rachelsor.blogspot. com/2014/09/the-longest-short-day.html and just keep reading…there are only 38 of them.” Heather Noyes Gregg is gearing up to have two middle schoolers under one roof and can’t believe how fast her girls are growing up! “My landscape architecture firm is busy, but I am still committed to providing a flexible work environment for employees, especially working parents, which sometimes results in me having to work a whole lot more work/marketing/admin than I ever intended. But I wouldn’t change a thing…I am fortunate to have wonderful clients and great projects throughout Colorado. I am also engaged in efforts to ensure that women/minority owned businesses get their fair share of public sector contracts; I am constantly amazed at what an uphill battle that still is! I spend a lot of time on the sidelines cheering on my soccer and basketball players, gardening, get a bit of beach time now and then, and am looking forward to the ski season! Things are busy, but fun and am super grateful that I have so many friends and family close by.” Esther Palmer sent this for the last bulletin but it was too late to include. I still wanted to share it. “I am finally divorced as of last week and am so happy/relieved; free from craziness at last. Hope that all of you are well. Tory Kelly and I recently took a long walk around the Washington Park and Russell Sage areas of Troy to commemorate the 200th, admiring the fabulous architecture, brownstones, etc.,

Month. I am supposed to be writing a novella; I mean, that’s the idea of the game. 50,000 words. But, I have one of those waiting in the wings already, and fiction is not what I need to be writing now, so memoir it is. These days, I remember you all and my childhood more than I remember what I did the day before yesterday, so when Gwen asked for an update, I thought I would let you know that I am doing well—better in some ways than when I was first diagnosed with this recurrence of breast cancer. They said the average life expectancy for my kind of cancer would be 13 months, but everyone around me thinks I’ve got years. None of us knows how long we’ve got, but life is really good when you wake up knowing you are lucky to be here. My intention is to last at least long enough to visit my son in Montreal. After many applications to grad schools in the US, Nick found an awesome professor at McGill University to take him on. So, my young man will be studying human genetics and eventually getting his PhD. He will be working on a cure for muscular dystrophy.

Proud? I am. Margot gave birth to my first grandchild who is remarkable! Not only is my girl, my woman, raising her boy, but she is finishing her undergrad in linguistics and preparing to do her master’s in Finland. Proud? I’m as proud as a mother can be, as proud as you are of your kids, I’m guessing. So, I have got most everything ready to go. Couple of things: buy my cremation and finish planning out my memorial service. You all are invited. But, I want to take this moment to be blunt and to say it is you Emma girls who have shown the most generous support these last ten months.

Your gifts of money, care packages, cards and kind words on Facebook have buoyed me through the toughest times, and I have had a few of those. Thank you. I love you. If we don’t talk before I go, bye!”

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Jane Giammattei White, 305 Old Bridge Street,

Mantoloking, NJ 08738, 732.899.8028, janegwhite305@gmail.com • Marianne Gunther-Chin, 21-15 Rene Court,

Ridgewood, NY 11385, 347.628.9279, mariannegunther@gmail.com

My exciting news is that we moved back into our home in June after Hurricane Sandy. Twenty months of three different rentals with our two dogs and a cat and many boxes later we have a new and improved home at the Jersey Shore.

I must also mention that we raised our house and it is 11 feet above sea level now. It was a crazy ride to say the least.

My daughter just got into a graduate program at the University of Auckland Technical School for emergency mgt., our son lives and works in New York, and our youngest daughter is a senior a Wagner College. Agnes Bogdan Chapski: “My latest news is that our company (Condé Nast) is in the process of moving downtown to One World Trade Center. My Allure team moved last week to an amazing state-of-the-art building with spectacular views. I live in Tribeca so I’m fortunate to now be able to walk my youngest son to school and then walk to work. If anyone’s in the neighborhood, please stop by to say hi.” Sue Nelson Walazek: “Daughter Shawna got married on June 21. She married a wonderful guy; they have known each other since eighth grade.

We had a wonderful time with a great party! I decided to go back to college after the 1st. Getting my bachelor’s degree in health care management.”

Mary Pat Evans: “The past year and a half has been busy and wonderful for me! In May of 2013, I was married to Dan in a beautiful garden wedding in Raleigh, North Carolina. That summer, we took an amazing two-week honeymoon in Greece, visiting Athens, Hydra (our favorite), Crete, and Santorini. We got serious with house-hunting upon our return and moved into our new home in November, right before Thanksgiving.

My beloved dog, Roxie, had died the previous September, so our sadness turned to joy when we adopted our sweet dog, Kelsey, in July. I’m still working way too hard as a teacher, but love my students and the opportunities it gives me to keep learning.” Rita Spellman-Parks: “I am adjusting well as an empty nester…

Recently started a new job at a law firm downtown so I’ve been pretty busy as

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stopping at Emma’s statue (rereading the inscription(s)), and chatting 24/7 about EW, Mrs. Carter, Mr. Locke, our friends, families, and all of our memories. Then we walked to Second Street for a very relaxing dinner by the Troy Music Hall.

How so very lucky we were to attend EW. So much has changed but in many ways we are all still as ‘thick as thieves.’”

Cyndi Skripak attended the Emma Bicentennial and said it was amazing!

“The best part was seeing friends from classes ahead and behind ours, which doesn’t happen at regular reunions. I was adopted by my sister’s (Pam Skripak ’80) friends, and am now enjoying Facebook posts from several others whom I haven’t seen since graduation.

Rena Zurn Fulweiler and I took the required silly hats pic for posterity. The school has been a huge part of my life, as a student, as a faculty/staff member in my 20s while dating my hubby, as part-time employer and daycare when my first son was born, as the site of my wedding, and as visiting aunt during my niece, Hallie Skripak-Gordon ’12’s, time there. It’s always great—and a bit overwhelming—to return and revisit so many memories. Oh, and I went to a talk by Kirsten Rutnik Gillibrand ’84 and bought her book Off the Sidelines.

Amy Williams, Tory Kelly, Esther Palmer, and I had an elegant and hysterical dinner last summer at the home of Anne Welles Haus. We sat on Anne’s patio and reminisced, laughed, and caught up. So much fun! I had a trip to Barcelona and the south of France with a bunch of friends from college and just like Emma friends we picked up right where we left off. It is happy chaos in Troy with a big kitchen renovation going on and lots of fun negotiations with Ron about cabinets, appliances, etc. I want to end this with a deeply moving letter I got from Gretchen Pasanen Ferrazza.

“I’m still here! I was talking with my cousin, David, about being blunt. We were recalling times of sticking our feet in our mouths, and I was so flooded with memories of ruined moments and failed friendships that I thought I might just add them as a chapter to the memoirs I am writing for NaNoWriMo (nannorhyme-oh) National Novel Writing

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of late. Sarah loves being at Emma and is developing some wonderful friendships with girls all around the U.S. and abroad. She is living on Kellas 3 Short in a single and is working on her third scarf in weaving! Two of her closest friends are living in my old room on Kellas 3 Long. The freshmen are on Kellas 3 Long, Short, and T. There are so many boarding freshmen this year that a few of the girls are in some of the Hyphen rooms. It is so great to have Sarah home for the Thanksgiving holidays I am sad to see her go in a few days. I am thinking about going to the 100th Revels performance this year. Anyone game?” Chris Little: “Greetings! I am so glad to have connected with Emma friends, old and new, since having attended the recent Reunion. I have been living in Maine now for 18 years with my husband, Mark (social worker at the VA), and two daughters, Morgaine (13) and Sedona (10). For those of you who remember my mother, Joan Little, night nurse at Emma—she and my dad just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary! She is well and, having a far better memory and ability to stay in touch with folks than I, remembers many of you fondly and by name! I recently had the wonderful chance to meet Marianne GuntherChin and husband Gary while they vacationed in Maine last summer. I then invited Marianne to return this fall in order to present her art therapy work at a class I am teaching at the University of Maine, Augusta. We had such fun planning, collaborating, and then relaxing! I would also love to shamelessly recommend viewing a new documentary that is out entitled She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry! It is the only full-length documentary exploring the herstory of the modern women’s movement and is getting great reviews; it is directed by the sister of a dear friend, and we are hoping to get the word out, as it is showing now across the country. I think Emma grads will appreciate it! You can view the trailer and scroll the list of cities/showings at www.shesbeautifulwhenshesangry.com.

If you ever find yourselves in Maine, I would love to hear from you; you have a place to lay your head. I would especially love to hear from Bronwen Wirta and

E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

Juliette King-Bridges; I think of you and wonder how you are. Much love and gratitude for all the blessings that my time at Emma offered.”

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Vivienne Kaye West, 503 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood,

NJ 07040, 973.378.3893, viviennewest@ aol.com, facebook.com/vivienne.west

35th Reunion • As I write this it is just a few weeks to Revels and I look forward to sharing the excitement of the 100th performance, although I will certainly be more excited next year when my daughter is in it! Hilary Kirshman Chalmers asked for classmates to share memories of their Revels part: “I remember that we were to list our three preferred parts in priority order. While I don’t remember my second and third choices, I remember how overjoyed I was when I got my first choice of being Jack Finney.” Lucy Schwab Blythe recalls, “I remember being called in to be told what part I had been given. I had requested lord, lady, or something else (I wanted to dance). I was told, carefully, that I was too tall to be a lady, and didn’t make it to lord; a part had been created just for me—the falconer. I had the impression that they expected me to be disappointed by the minor part, but I was happy enough because I was part of the Morris Dance. I found out only later, after moving to the UK, what a niche (and generally hilarious) role this dance plays in English life today.” Bekkie Wright remembers, “Obviously I got my first choice, the jester! Wish I’d been able to juggle back then, but I didn’t learn how to juggle and unicycle until my freshman year in college. My sister, Anne Wright ’84, was the herald, and I recall her Revels fondly as well. I’ve only been back for Revels one other time. I took my husband on one of our first three dates.

I figured he needed to know about that part of my history to appreciate where I was now. I don’t think he realized what a big deal the event is at that point, but after reading the 100th anniversary article it really made an impression on him. We made one more quick trip this year to South Carolina in December to pick up another state for Joe in his 50 States +

DC Marathon/Ultra quest—50K trail run along a salt marsh. That’ll be state #42 for him. November is always busy for me as I’m the race director for two events with my running club, the ‘Silk City Striders:’ Parker Holt Celebration Run 5K to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and ‘Know Your Pace Race’ where the winner is the one who most accurately predicts their finish time.

No watches, iPhones, or GPS devices allowed.” Rayona Taylor Bennett wrote, “I look forward to going to Revels.

Last year was the first time I went back for Revels ever. Caroline Bennett ’14 and I will make the trip. I was a marshal but I remember that I wanted to be a lady (loved those pretty dresses!) All is well here in Maryland. My business has kept me quite busy this fall. (Busy is good!)

I went to the fall furniture market at Highpoint, North Carolina, in October and that was great fun. Last week Laura Pearle stayed the night on her way to a conference in DC so we had a nice visit. It is hard to believe that my sweet Caroline is a freshman at George Washington University but it’s great she is just a short 90-minute drive away which is much easier than the six–seven hour drive to Emma Willard!” Laura Pearle “tried out for alchemist (got the apprentice role), devil, and lord/lady. My underclass friends predicted a lord or lady and were very surprised to see me when I actually showed up! I’m now into my second year at Porter’s, and by coincidence there’s an Emma connection: Katherine Brink ’09. She asked about my ring and I’ve started wearing it again on a daily basis, after a hiatus of about 20 years! One of the nicer things about leaving home for a conference is making non-conference connections, and on my way to this year’s ALAN Workshop in National Harbor I spent the night sharing great food and even better conversation with Rayona Taylor Bennett and husband Bob. Beyond that, life is mostly cats, books, tea, and work.” Joanne Brown “so wanted to be the magician!

Or St. George or the dragon—I was a bell ringer—it was a huge let down! I did have fun with the other bell ringers, though, including Josephine Schmidt.”

Kath McHugh remembers, “I did

was sick, but did catch up with Ellen Friedlander ’78 in Paris. Ellen lived in Ocala years ago, but we had not seen each other since our kids were toddlers.”

Right after Linda Storer Anderson and John moved from Arizona to Martha’s Vineyard, Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer. After successful surgery and a break for her niece’s wedding, she completed radiation treatment in October, which meant commuting daily from the Vineyard to Falmouth. In the midst of all that, she and John moved to their new house on Chappaquiddick! I was on Cape Cod frequently this fall helping my parents move and was able to meet Linda for lunch and drive her to treatment a couple of times. Happy news from Meredith Manning who shares, “I joined the Emma Willard Board of Trustees this fall for a three-year term and went to my first BOT meeting in October. I’m really looking forward to helping EWS out in this capacity and learning a lot about girls’ education and even more about the school!” Tracey Campbell writes, “Just signed up to do a master’s, this time in The Anthropology of Food at SOAS in London. Am trying to fit it in around Chris (12) and Joanna (11) and running households in and outside London which keeps me pretty busy.

Had a wonderful time at Lucy Schwab Blythe’s 50th earlier this summer and very much enjoyed catching up with Jennifer Kealy ’81 who was the impetus behind going back to college. Hope everyone is keeping well.” Kimberley Harding says, “My older son is a freshman at Tufts and is mostly enjoying it.

He misses Mom’s cooking but likes participating in Tufts Hybrid Racing. My younger son is a sophomore in high school and was recently elected to represent his school on the Greater Boston Regional Student Advisory Council.

I’m still figuring out what to do with myself now that I am not homeschooling my kids anymore. I had a fun week doing shibori indigo dyeing at Snow Farm in Williamsburg, Massachusetts, in September.” I was thrilled to be a lady in Revels. After parts were announced I remember an odd meeting of all the lords and ladies when we were mixed up and paired in different combinations until the

powers that be liked what they saw. At our last reunion I loved visiting the Revels costume room and visiting my dress!

I’ve had a very busy fall helping my parents relocate to Cape Cod. The upside of the craziness was seeing Linda Storer Anderson a couple of times. My daughter, Lucy, is now in her junior year at Emma (how did this happen?) and very busy and happy. At Parent Days I enjoyed catching up with Rita SpellmanParks ’79 (daughter Sarah is a freshman) and was delighted to run into Christine Albertsson ’83 whose daughter is a new sophomore. My son had a wonderful summer studying WWII history in Poland and is now immersed again in engineering studies at Northeastern. He will do his second co-op this winter at a firm that manufactures medical devices.

Rick and I recently hosted an Emma networking event at our home which was great fun. It was a wonderful mix of alumnae, prospective students, school staff, a trustee, and some local school representatives. I really enjoyed meeting May Van Norman ’98, Dori Komarin ’92 and her husband, Brian, and Alise Shuart ’88, who lives about a mile away from me. The strength of the Emma community and the bonds that link Emma women across generations were very evident. I hope that you all will return for our 35th reunion to renew and strengthen those ties. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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NOT try out for Father Christmas because I did not want to be pigeonholed. I tried out for jester, a lord, and ???? Can’t remember the last one. Of course when the list was posted, there I was—FATHER CHRISTMAS. I was annoyed but believe I made the best of it.

I also remember how LOUD it was and that I said my first lines from the hallway and the minute I opened my mouth all the underclassman started screaming.

Then I was glad I was Father Christmas.

We have finally settled back into our daily routine after a wonderful six-week summer vacation in France. We spent a week in Paris and then settled into a farmhouse in Pont Aven, a lovely seaside town in Brittany. It was a wonderful opportunity to really get to know the area and relax into the culture. Miles, who is now 10, and I spent mornings at the beach. He took sailing lessons (in French!) and I read books while hanging on the beach. It was a little tricky to watch him and his eight-year-old crew mate sail off around the point into open ocean waters that first day, but the latté at the café helped. We spent our weekends traveling, including Mont St. Michel, where we watched the tide rush in, the beaches of Normandy, the Loire Valley, and the Island of Guernsey where we visited a college friend. After a month of late dinners, local fruit/veggies and fish purchased at the farmer’s market, art classes in town, and hikes along the ocean cliffs. It was hard to head home.

We are hoping to do something like this every summer. I have my eye on northern California for our next long-term vacation.” From Ocala, Florida, Jenny Salpeter writes, “Still working at my cat practice, Brick City Cat Hospital. Have two kids in college. Lewis will be graduating with an architecture degree in spring 2015 from U. Tenn. Knoxville.

Elliot is a biochemistry major at U. of Central Florida in Orlando. Lizzy is an IB sophomore in Ocala. Herb and I will celebrate 28 yrs. of marriage this spring.

We were in Zurich last summer and visited Gabrielle Baumeler von Bernstorff who was so kind to help Lewis who studied there last spring. It was wonderful to catch up after 30+ years. We hoped to see Milena Hileman as well but her family

Beth Wellington, 58 Liberty Street, Apt. 6, San Francisco, CA

94110, 650.248.3220, bethwellington@ yahoo.com

Thank you to everyone who sent in updates and I apologize that I don’t have time to reply to everyone individually.

I’m busy trying to finish up work loose ends to embark on a three-week vacation! I’m heading to India for a wedding and then traveling to Bangladesh and the Philippines. Here at home, one of the best perks of being a Montemaggiore wine club member (besides the great wine) is being able to spend time with Lise Pfau Ciolino and Valerie Gonyea ’82. The harvest is over and Lise and her family hosted a tri-tip feast to celebrate,

Spring 2015

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which was a lot of fun. Katharine Hadow was the first to reply. “I don’t remember the last time I sent you news but unless it was years ago, there’s been no change. Lloyd and I live in Indiana.

I enjoy keeping up with my Emma Willard friends on Facebook. I’m a freelance marketing communications pro, and when I’m not gardening I’m writing a history of my great-grandfather’s rug factory in Kashmir.” “I attended the EWS bicentennial celebration and had an amazing time,” writes Arlene Mainster Holtzman. “EWS is an impressive place and I feel lucky to be an alumna.

Recently my sister and I started a new business—Holtzman and Menuck, Wealth Advisors for Women. Our focus is on helping women to formulate comprehensive financial, retirement, and estate plan strategies. After college and law school I practiced law for seven years, but never loved it. I transitioned into fundraising starting at Oxfam America and really loved the work. I continued working with non-profit organizations in Boston for 17 years, specializing in helping donors craft impactful major and planned gifts. Over the years I noticed that women had more trouble deciding on a gift, usually because they were less sure about their own financial status. As trust and estate attorneys and gift planning professionals, my sister and I really enjoy working with women to educate, empower, and help create a clear, comprehensive financial picture.

My other job is touring colleges with my son, Joe, who is a senior in high school.

My son, Sam, is a sophomore. We live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and all classmates are officially invited to visit on your next trip to the Boston area!”

It was great to hear from Adriane Kufta who says, “Normally I don’t submit news but this one is fun for me. Patrick and I bought a cottage/house through the help of Jen Capala. With the help of her husband it’s gonna be great. It also just happens to be a five-minute drive from their house. It’s been great to see more of her/them. The bar is still rocking and rolling, as Pat would say: ‘It’s A Party’ (and ‘Go Pack Go!’). (BW note: If you find yourself in NYC stop by Kettle of Fish in Greenwich. It’s a fun

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place to enjoy a drink!) “Our family traveled to Australia this August and spent a few weeks enjoying their winter,” writes Alexa Toney Reeb. “We spent time in Sydney, Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Cairns, and Palm Cove. My husband, Pete, and daughter Rory surfed Bondi Beach and snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. Pete and the girls dug for opals in the mines in Coober Pedy. We all got up close and personal with some of the fantastic animals of Australia—kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. My favorite moment was getting to hold a koala bear. Now I’ve held both a koala and a panda bear!” (BW note: I’ve never held a panda and I was surprised how heavy the koalas are!) Sheila Stenhouse Lee: “I am writing to announce the release of my new book, Holding Cancer in My Hand. It is the story and documentation of lessons learned during my mother’s six-month battle with Stage 4 esophageal cancer. There are checklists, sample contracts, and a glossary of terms and other information that I think folks of our generation will find helpful should they ever be responsible for managing someone’s health care.”

Jennifer Kealy says, “2014 has been a year of EWS connections! In April, classmates Kirsten Diekmann Gerald and Kathleen Delaney came to visit me in France and we celebrated our half century together. Kathleen impressively ran the Paris Marathon! Then, in May, it was such a joy to re-connect with EWS alumnae at the Bicentennial—many of whom I had not seen since 1981! The weekend was wonderful and the food, dancing, and fireworks on Saturday night were superb. I especially enjoyed meeting current students, younger alumnae, and networking. Amy Clarke Luchsinger and I got together after the weekend in NYC. Another mini-reunion took place in London in June for a celebration of Lucy Schwab Blythe ’80’s birthday.

She really knows how to throw a fabulous party! In July, the Easterlings and I had lunch together in Bourg-en-Bresse, famous for its chicken. Valerie Gonyea ’82 and husband Jeff came to France and we met up in Aix-en-Provence. Big news for me is after 12 years of consulting, I have accepted a position as senior

project leader with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, reporting to the Head of the Medicines Research Unit. After 10 years in the French Alps, I’m ready for a new challenge and a change. So Rembrandt, my Bernese Mountain Dog, and I, will be moving to Basel, Switzerland, in February. I’ll be involved with research and development of new treatments for neglected diseases, including vaccine trials for Ebola. Sadly, I have lost colleagues and friends to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, so I hope we can make an impact in combatting the spread. Come visit me in Basel in 2015!”

Baret Boisson spent three wonderful months in France this summer with her dog, Blueberry. “I lived in Versailles and spent weeks traveling all over the south of France, namely in Provence and Les Cévennes. I was inspired to create a few pieces that spoke to my vie en rose experience, which included dining in amazing Michelin-starred restaurants and touring the beautiful landscape. Mary Alice Pomputius ’82’s blog, Dog Jaunt, did a little story about my travels with Blueberry which included some of the great photos I took of my little muse. All of the photos of both my artwork and Blueberry were posted on my Facebook page this summer, and although I’d hoped to make a book with the photos, I’m so busy painting that I have not yet gotten there. For those of you who have not yet joined Facebook, I encourage you to. Yes, you can get lost in the vortex, but for me, it really has been a great way to keep in touch with my Emma sisters.” (BTW, the link for photos is: www.dogjaunt.com/posts/blueberry-andbaret-in-france-from-rescue-pup-to-muse/.)

Carol Batchelder Trester sends the following. “Now have an empty nest!

I am so excited about the second best 50 years of my life!” “Two big things for me,” writes Nicole Skinner Caron.

“Last March, Jennifer, Team Golden (aka our gorgeous Golden Retrievers), and I moved to St. Petersburg. The move shortened my commute by half an hour, which I needed because my job has changed twice in the past 18 months.

My teaching load has been reduced and I’m now the ESL & writing coordinator at Ringling College of Art and Design.

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Margaret McKelvy Speranza, 82 Main Street, Hopkinton,

MA 01748, 508.633.3760, msperanza@ hotmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Kristi Vainu Chenvainu, 66 Beveridge Road, Mahwah,

NJ 07430, 617.571.4801, Kristi.e.cv@ gmail.com • Maggie Bownes Johnson, 32 Bow Street, Plainville, MA 02762, 508.494.8655, mhbownes@yahoo.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Jennifer Dryfoos, 2300 West Alameda #D5, Santa Fe,

NM 87507, 505.471.6361, jadryfoos@ gmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Laura Bedford O’Donnell, P.O. Box 16, Castleton, NY 12033,

518.732.1308, huntersmom@hotmail.com 30th Reunion • Nothing to report.

Please send news. Reunion April 24–26,2015.

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Gamze “Gigi” Ilkay Horowitz, 4413 Silica Place, Bismarck, ND

58503, 917.817.2963, GigiIlkay@aol.com

The holidays will be upon us soon and the winter has come quick! A few updates from our classmates came in. I begin with Jennifer Smith. She writes: “Well, life seems to have quite different plans for my immediate future. I am going to be relocating my life back to Connecticut/ Westchester to help my bestie with her ‘growing-too-fast’ company. We are about to embark on a cross-country extravaganza in my little RV home and I will

be blogging about it along the way as well as teaching yoga classes. Although I am not super thrilled about the impending idea of winter and severe cold, I am keeping an open mind and looking positively towards the challenges of helping her expand her awesome interior design ‘workroom’ and working with an entirely different mindset of people with regards to yoga.” She hopes to be able to reconnect with some Emmies back on the east coast and hopefully will be back in Portlandia a year from now because this city has stolen her heart. Good luck Jennifer! And from Liz Dryfoos: Liz had a most terrific time with Galen Newman, Leigh Neville Tauber, and Laura Sprague. Laura picked Leigh and Liz up in upstate New York, and drove to Galen who lives on the north shore of beautiful Lake Ontario. They caught the tail end of the fall colors, hiked, went on a fabulous wine tour, ate delicious food, shopped, and hung out. She enjoyed hanging out with her Emma buddies. “Life is good! I’m still an RN helping deliver babies. Kids are awesome.

My daughter just started at an all-girls’ middle school that reminds me a lot of Emma Willard. Go girl power. Hope all is well with our ’86ers. All are welcome at my house in Seattle if passing through.”

Laura Rodormer wrote a quick report.

She and her son have been living in the Boston area for two years now and are enjoying the east coast seasonal activities, proximity to family, and new friends.

She is working at National Grid focusing on developing energy efficiency strategies to help homeowners save money on their utility bills and improve the comfort within their home. Recently at the fall Alumnae Association Council meeting, she had the opportunity to see Wendy Graham ’85 (Board of Trustees), Deb Geraghty ’88 (Board of Trustees), Deirdre Chiarmonte, Heather Wells ’88, Noel Nowicki Knowles ’88, and many other alumnae (several of whom live within the greater Boston area). In October, Marcy Taylor Pattinson ’64 made the trek from San Francisco to come to see them for the weekend. They enjoyed zipping around the Newton area and then going up to Mont Vernon, New Hampshire to visit Marcy’s sister at her

beautiful horse barn. Laura is still somewhat “new” to the Boston area, and says she would enjoy the opportunity to connect with other EWS alumnae. As for me, my daughter’s school is off to a great start with a wonderful first grade teacher, which makes all the difference. We are making plans in a year to move on from North Dakota, so I am excited to venture on to hopefully a warmer, friendlier, and more diverse place! In December my family will be off to visit BFF in Denver to enjoy what we hope is an awesome New Year’s flapper party, dress included. Best wishes and Happy New Year to all! Gigi

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This is my sixth year there. It’s a great place and I am so fortunate to have such intense job satisfaction. I’ve also been doing some freelance writing and editing on the side. I’m on Google and LinkedIn.” Monica Simms Van Horn built a home on Martha’s Vineyard and is just finishing up the deck. Look for an invite to visit in the next class notes!

Athena Nagi Mays, 424 Turnberry Way, Souderton, PA

18964, athena_nagi@yahoo.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Kara Green, 6907 Clearview Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119,

kara.green@comcast.net

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Jodi Kittle Carle, 306-902 Well County Complex 3,

Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 406-733 Korea, jodikittle@gmail.com

Only a few things to add this time around (partially because of a late shoutout on my part…oops), but let’s get started! This just missed last notes, so first off is Sharon Khanuja-Dhall: “[I live] in Bedford Hills, New York.

Three dogs, one recently lost a leg but spirits are good. Closely in touch with Keri (lives five miles from me just like she did in Troy growing up). I work for JPMorganChase, a managing director in Information Technology in Corporate Investment Bank: I’ve been there eight years and am active in the local community. I was at GE Capital most of my career before that…and along the way I did two master’s (MBA and org psych)— still not sure what I want to be when I grow up. Married, no kids, not lucky there, but really good mentor to many beautiful children. I loved seeing everyone at reunion and there is something so special about our Emma experience. I feel

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as I get older the more valuable the skills, independence, trust, freedom of thought, and growth at Emma is. I am lucky to have been there and hope we all keep in touch.” I apologize for not getting this soon enough for last notes, but thanks and agree on the sentiment. Cyndi Hengsterman Beal wrote in: “I am continuing on my path to become a teacher.

I’m hoping to finish up with all my prerequisite college classes this fall so that I can work on getting into a graduate program. It’s a total restart, but an exciting one.” As one of the proud, the crazy, the educators, I say, yay! Amy Hall Shouse Barlin chimes in: “After four years of working to get into graduate school, I have left. The program I was enrolled in was in Edwardsville, Illinois, and a three-hour drive (one way) from home.

I was literally living in a dorm (much less fun without you all) during the week and then driving home to see Ron and the girls on the weekend. Needless to say, I am so much happier to be home making Halloween costumes, and Civil War Day costumes, and Immigration Day costumes for the girls. I am putting the art in domestic. I am also writing again. Post Reality: Correspondence from the road never taken (postreality1. com). They are real postcards and I write the back. I usually link on Facebook.”

Pratima Rao has had a busy time since reunion: “On the day I flew out to New York with the kiddos, we made an offer on a home. Fortunately, everything went well and we moved into our new home on 6/28. It’s a lovely property in a small city with a great school district. At the same time, I left my job of the past ten and a half years at Xerox and joined Microsoft as a senior materials engineer.

It’s a great move, and I’m enjoying it a lot. We develop large screen displays with multi-touch abilities. Our products are used on CNN and ESPN. (Originally, the company was a start-up, Perceptive Pixels Inc.) Did I mention that I started more serious strength-training? Squats and bench presses with a barbell type of thing. Fits and starts, really. I’m on break yet again due to a back injury. That gets frustrating fast. We are looking forward to a lovely rest of 2014, and I really can’t say what I hope happens in 2015. Lots

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of good memories, I hope!” And then me…in Korea! We are having a blast in our new school, house, town, country, continent. I keep having “little conferences” to check out for which I need a visa. Annika loves speaking Korean, but is also really looking forward to being back in the U.S. at the holidays. There is a Korean guestroom, as well, and we are an easy hop to lots of Asian destinations.

Come and play!

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Christiana TampasWilliams, 84 Ridgewood

Drive, Burlington, VT 05401-2624, 802.864.9420, bookies1@hotmail.com 25th Reunion • Hello, Ladies! Due to the

quick turnaround with this submission, stuffed in between Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I resorted to a lot of cutting and pasting. I know, I know—lame.

But, you get what you get, and you don’t get upset, k? As 2014 wound down, Anne Snyder reflected: “My only comment for this past year is not appropriate for publishing so here are some positives…Boys are getting bigger…I am recovering (finally)…Looking forward to a better year next year!” Jeana Hong wrote: “Anna Levak and I got to work together on an ad shoot for LeSportsac this past fall…which was an amazing experience to reminisce about Emma days, Tinker, and day students! Happy Thanksgiving!” Julianna Morgan’s brief submission made me giggle. “So, here is my little tidbit—working as a photographer and also on my first documentary film. Always traveling, even if it’s mostly in my mind these days.” I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that my mind is right with Julianna’s.

Busy mama Jennifer Marsh Norton is “currently working very part-time as a studio manager for a local Pilates/ yoga studio—nice way for me to get my classes for free! I also just completed Mat 1 Pilates certification and hope to take the Reformer certification in the spring.

I am involved in a mentoring program to move towards teaching Pilates and am hopeful to be doing so in 2015. Most of my other time is filled with shuffling and moving three boys around to various sports, activities, appts., and school

events—not very exciting, but putting the Momvan to good use. The next big adventure is building a house. After purchasing land in town and developing plans for a couple of years, it looks like it’s a go. We’re hoping to break ground in a couple of weeks with a potential end date sometime in the spring. Looking forward to Thanksgiving with family.

My sister, Sarah Marsh Leonard ’95, and family will be here. Also, gearing up for another fun ski season with the boys at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.”

Jennifer Ryan Hagar wrote in with this very incredible update: “I have been meaning to write to you for the bulletin, but school and work had me running around crazy, just like everyone else! lol.

The boys and I are well, can’t believe they are almost 10 and 13. I decided this past spring to change careers and am currently in school getting my pre-recs done to apply for a diagnostic sonography program this winter. If I’m accepted, I’ll start next July and do 13 months intensive training clinicals. I’m volunteering at a local hospital now and recently quit work to focus on my GPA. Two and a half years ago, I had twins as a gestational surrogate for an amazing couple from New York City. I had a boy and a girl for them in April of 2012; they are adorable, but I’m biased. So hard to believe they are already two and a half! Then this past April I just had a little girl for another wonderful couple. Being a gestational surrogate was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had next to having my own children. Besides that, I’m very happily living with my boyfriend of one and a half years in an 1850’s farm house, getting ready to build a chicken coop.”

Elizabeth Williams Renkens, another classmate who is hitting the books, wrote in to say, “After five years of transition, we are finally settled in to our new house and loving it! My boys and I primarily stay busy with school, sports, and activities. I did manage to squeeze in time to take to Disney World and Legoland for the first time this year and had a blast!

I’m hoping to make it to Reunion, but with all three of us in school, it will be a challenge. I will do my best. I miss all of you!” The ever-active Bari Nan Cohen Rothchild wrote: “OK: The kid

come together to celebrate a pretty amazing milestone. We will be posting periodical updates about reunion on our Facebook page. If you haven’t yet joined us there, please do! (facebook. com/groups/12623377574/). Be well! xoxo Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Beegee Tolpa, 29 Whiteoaks Circle, Bluffton, SC 29910,

206.523.3230, beegee@beegeetolpa.com

Dear Classmates, this one will be short and sweet since I can only assume everyone is out there creating exciting news instead of telling us about it. Sarah Pinto writes, “The kids are great. Thea is nearly two and practicing her new favorite song ‘All a ba-ba bass, ba-ba bass, no trouble,’ and Eve is 13 and still dancing and still pleasant company. The living creatures to care for/watch grow keep multiplying—kids, chickens, cat, now a new puppy, Sir Rocky Sly, the redbone coonhound. My big accomplishment of the last six months is completing the first draft of a novel. There is a long way to go, of course, but when I finally ‘finished,’ the first person I wanted to tell was Ms. Carroll.” Aww, long fiction never dies in your heart! Cassandra Barry writes, “We bought a house in Griffith Park—Los Angeles—that is costing us almost as much to renovate as it did to buy it. Also, my son, Laszlo, started kindergarten.” As for me, my family and I moved back to the town adjacent to where I grew up. Backpedaling? Yeah, maybe. But my husband is going to work for my dad and take over his real estate business. I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this but most of that is trumped by the fact that it’s December 1 and I’m wearing sandals. After 12 years in the rain of Seattle, I’m maybe willing to overlook the politics of this state in order to save my own vitamin D levels.

Being in your 40s makes you do things you never dreamed.

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Annika Moman, 618 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA 22314,

619.508.6401, a_moman@hotmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Betsy Duryea Biernat, 91 Cambridge Drive, Red Hook,

NY 12571-1619, 845.835.8007, betsy.biernat@gmail.com

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update. Lance is 11, in sixth grade, and Seth is in second grade in our neighborhood school. There’s, you know, always SOMETHING, and I’m forever in the car to tennis, karate, and, by the time this is published, the ski hill! Work-wise, I wrote the May cover-story of Woman’s Day—the magazine flew me to NYC to interview Trisha Yearwood. It was a quick trip to catch up with work colleagues, and, at the last minute, Dori Komarin ’92 and her husband drove uptown to meet me on the Upper West Side for a drink. I’m still writing a blog for Deer Valley Resort (blog.deervalley. com), doing several volunteer gigs at both schools, and doing a little work at our marketing company, including some interesting consulting work. Elizabeth Williams Renkens brought her sons out to Park City for a vacation last winter, and we had a blast—the boys got along great and the grownups had a terrific time catching up. I’m looking forward to reunion!” Jenya Rose is still living in the Chicago suburbs with Tim and Mr. Poops. They vacationed this year in Door County, Wisconsin (the Martha’s Vineyard of the midwest), to celebrate 17 years together (not Mr. Poops—he stayed home with his grandma). Jenya’s tax and financial business was booming this year. She also passed the exams to become an investment advisor so she can add that to her tool belt. Jenya learned to cook this summer, which was something she had always wanted to do. She has sworn off knitting (after a long and glorious relationship) and the only thing she will knit henceforth will be socks.

She has replaced that craft with needlepoint and is, of course, mildly obsessed.

(Jenya wins the prize for this update.

She wrote in the third person!) Things here in Vermont are freezing up for the winter. I am about to start a part-time job working in a school-based preschool which serves kiddos with disabilities alongside typically developing peers. I’m so excited to jump back into education!

Work isn’t the only fantastic endeavor. I, along with the fabulous Jenika Conboy, have been tapped by EW to chair our 25th Reunion. I know that this timing of reunion isn’t optimal, but we’re really hoping that folks can rally and

My Facebook post fishing for information certainly lured in some news for this column, and I hope others will be attracted by my bait and add more of their life adventures to the thread. My first bite was from Alaskan waters from Heather Coletti who is in Anchorage, Alaska, with her husband and two boys, Wade (four) and Silas (one). She’s still working for the National Park Service as a marine ecologist and wrangling two boys which keeps things exciting.

Courtney DeBerry Baraglia also wrote in to share that she’s living in Colorado, is married, and has a four year old and a newborn born on 10/18/14. As if that’s not keeping her busy enough, she’s back in school to be a pediatric nurse practitioner and enjoying all Colorado has to offer. If anyone heads out that way, let her know; she would love to catch up! Although she has moved “to the ’burbs,” Sarah Collins Laffer is still in the Bay Area with the family and is loving it. She and her husband have Fern, who is almost four, and Cooper, who will be nine months. Both of her sisters live there, too (all within 20 minutes of each other in Marin). Susan Collins Weir ’90 has two children (four and one) and Sandra Collins ’95 is auntie extraordinaire. She is still working at Edgewood Center for Children and Families but moved into the QA/QI department. She saw Alicia Hafner Kletter and her beautiful family at the pumpkin patch “which was great, as we have not seen each other in ages despite living nearby.” Alicia Hafner Kletter also wrote in from San Francisco to say, “I’m still taking a break from seeing patients (I’m a nurse practitioner) to raise my two young kids (Moses, five, and Talia, three), but I am still a professor at a local university in the nurse practitioner program. I’m turning 40 in March and am freaking out, so I signed up to run a marathon five days before my birthday. Training this time has been kicking my butt; the last time I ran one I was six years younger and had no children! As Sarah mentioned, I did get to see her last month and it was

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awesome! Fern apparently is a big fan of mine and in turn, my daughter LOVES Fern. We must get together more often!

Besides work, carpooling to my son’s kindergarten, and volunteering at my daughter’s preschool, our family loves to travel and have some fun trips planned for 2015: Mexico, Berlin, Germany, camping in Yosemite, Arizona for baseball Spring Training (OK, that’s my husband’s choice but still it’s fun), and possibly Denmark to visit my younger brother who moved there earlier this year for a job. Thankfully traveling with these kids is getting easier, and they really enjoy it, so I’m hopeful it will be a good year of fun adventures. It’s nice to hear from everyone! Stay warm and healthy!” Andreanna Kapogiannatos also wrote in from the west coast, specifically Seattle, to report: “This is our fifth year in Seattle and we love it here. I stay busy with my two daughters, Ava, nine, and Alena, three, and our new addition, a five-month-old Vizsla puppy named Ruby. Our family really enjoys exploring the Pacific NW, trips to the east coast to visit family, traveling to California to see the in-laws, and the occasional visit to Hawaii for some sun in the winter. My husband has also gotten the girls interested in watching and going to football games, so much so that their favorite colors are blue and green. Go Seahawks!”

On the eastern front there was a lot of positive news about artistic endeavors from both Heather Milne Ritchie and Jessica Harper. Heather wrote to say, “Been hitting the rock pretty hard up here (in Vermont)—ha! But seriously, making my own sculptures and ones for the memorial industry has kept me busy lately. I am going to send the Emma Development Office a hard copy of the Vermont Woman article so they’ll have it, but that was the highlight of my fall.

The kids are both in school and doing great. I have carved the EWS logo in limestone and would like to donate it as a class gift, but I still need to arrange the details of it with the school. My best to everyone for the holidays!” Jessica Todd Harper shared, “My most interesting news is that my second book of photographs, The Home Stage (http:// www.artbook.com/9788862083645.html)

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is out this fall. My best Emma worthy story is that Bridghe McCracken drove two hours (and left two kids) to be at the accompanying opening in New York earlier this month just because, as she described it, this was my dream in high school. Bridghe is great. But we knew that. My book travels also took me to SF where I was lucky enough to see Alicia Hafner Kletter. Her family and her home are both lovely. Chris and I are still right outside Philadelphia and our twin boys, Nicholas and Marshall, started first grade this year while our youngest, Catherine, started pre-school.

My book is very much about this stage in life—the ‘you’ve got your hands full’ time of life.” Many thanks to all of you who wrote back to my FB post with news; I hope we can continue the conversation! There’s also quite a few of us who will be turning forty shortly, so if you’d like to gather for a toast, please get in touch!

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Leslie Butler-MacFadyen, 23 Holden Road, Cherry Hill,

where we got to bond pre-race in outrageous outfits to keep warm (I wore a bathrobe and Kate wore a children’s puffy coat). The good news is that we all managed not to be blown off the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 40 mph winds, and also that we all made it across the finish line. Kate Lang Litton also gained a new neighbor and running partner in Cristen Murray, who reports that she recently left her job at New Balance and moved to Portland, Maine, where she is currently staying home with her two girls.

For the sports fans, Tracey Gibson is now the president of the Sea Hawkers Booster Club of Southern California.

She also recently spent some time with Yukiko Iguchi ’96 in Tokyo, where they reminisced about life on Sage 3 Long.

Courtney Clark Hunt and her husband bought a farm and are in the process of starting a winery. Any chance for an EWS 20th reunion 2016 vintage?

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Caryn Lewis Hadley, 16 Lynbrook Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603,

845.891.4948, carynlewis@hotmail.com

NJ 08034, 856.667.3281, macfadyens@

(You can also find me on Facebook.)

verizon.net

Alert! Record number of people reporting in! It is so good to hear from you all!

Anju Lunia Williamson is living in Atlanta with her husband, Dan, and two kids, Sid and Lina. Lina was born on June 12. Anju reports her biggest accomplishment in the last few months was surviving her daughter’s colic. This fall she started back to work part time as a pediatric dentist. Atlanta has been a fun place to raise kids, but they do miss all their friends and family up north. Jenny Orr Sensenbrenner reports in with baby news as well (you will see the majority of our posts relate to babies). Her third child, Libby Jane, was born on June 9.

She is very excited to finally have a girl to join big brothers Jack (love that name; if I had a boy he would be named Jack) and Matthew. Elda Abate reports in for the first time! As you can all expect Elda has been living an active life between NYC, Los Angeles, and South Beach building up her career in the field of nightlife at “some of the most amazing bars and nightclubs in the U.S.” She has been back and forth from South Beach to

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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Andrea Hanley, 16 Michigan Avenue, Troy, NY 12180,

ak.hanley@cdlschool.com 20th Reunion • Nothing to report.

Please send news. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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Lilliana Anthony-Brown Mason, 167 East 67th Street, Apt. 6A,

New York, NY 10065, 917.679.6339, lillianhall@gmail.com

To start, two of us gave birth, and two of us ran a marathon. I’m going to go ahead and tell you that birth hurts more, and marathons hurt a lot. Laura Freelove and Kate Breen Roberts both welcomed baby boys named William. You read that right; we’ve got not one but two new little Williams in the 1996 family.

Kate Lang Litton and I both ran the NYC Marathon in November, along with Meghan Deberry MacArthur ’95,

Meghan Holland McDonald started a new job as the seventh grade counselor at Julius West Middle School in Rockville, Maryland. She loves the new community and is leading the French Club after school! To top it off she joined the Board of Directors for her daughter’s pre-school, Takoma Children’s School. Outside of work, life keeps Meg busy with two little ones—Wilkie (one) and Margot (three).

Huda Abbasi is very busy managing three kids—Ali (eight), Ziyad (five), and Safa (two)— in-between swimming, soccer, etc. After a two-year hiatus, she returned to work at Siemens in energy management as a bid manager. The work-life balance this creates for her is fulfilling. I have to agree with you, Huda; I love my kids but I fully enjoy my career at the same time. Jennifer Myers Dort has two boys that “are awesome.” Enzo (two) is busy teaching little brother (Nico, eight months) how to run—yikes!

Maybe you have a future Olympian? She continues to work part-time three days a week as a PT in Lee, Massachusetts. “Life is good.” Christy Dostal paints a beautiful picture for us…“Watching the sun come out after a foot of snow fell last night. Winter is here and it’s beautiful in Park City, Utah!” As expected she’s got the family out skiing already. Graham (three) practices in the driveway; Greta (15 months) is getting geared up for her first experience. Aside from skiing, Christy is working as an event director at a non-profit that raises money for kids to participate in winter sports; it’s a great gig because she can work a lot from home while running after the kids. The family spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii—so VERY jealous. All are welcome to visit her in Utah. The “guest room is always open for any visitors.” See what I mean by record number of write-ins…I’m not done yet…if you all keep this up I may have to pass the job on. Compared to Christy, Kimara Glaser-Kirschenbaum Gustafson (wow, that is a name) is experiencing an unusual blast of “warm” winter weather so all their snow has melted!

Son Kai (21 months) is growing and changing and constantly making them laugh. Kimara is also doing the work-life dance being two and a half years into practice as a community-based general

pediatrician. Kirsten Owad Keyser is also in the medical field as a physician assistant at a family practice outside Albany. It is never a dull moment between work and a mom of four!

Amanda Poppei and family (husband Peter, almost seven-year-old Marcella, and three-year-old Joanna) are all good.

“Work is fulfilling and often deeply meaningful” as a senior minister at the Washington Ethical Society. Meghan Holland McDonald and Kalisse Anderson have both visited for a service on a Sunday. Tamara Finkelstein’s son Nathaniel just turned one. The entire family trekked to Canada for the celebration. It was a birthday and U.S. Thanksgiving extravaganza. And Christmas/Chanukah will be in Paris.

Who else is jealous besides me and Kathleen? Elise House wrote in from Connecticut where she is a dorm parent/ co-director of residential life, assistant volleyball coach, and mental health counselor at Westover, an all-girls’ boarding high school. Elise is mom to two little ones—Marian (four) and Etta (two). Etta was born hearing impaired; they are all learning sign language as a secondary means of communication to the cochlear implant. In the future Elise would like to get her LCSW and incorporate animalassisted therapy into her practice—very cool. Five more reports to go…

Moving further south and west Emily Steinberg reports in from Austin, Texas.

She works in development for a nonprofit focused on improving kids’ health through movement (Marathon Kids) and running a transformation/breakthrough practice for individuals looking to bust out of whatever boxes they need or want to (www.emilyYES.com). In her spare time she plays on stage with the local improv community and participates in triathlons. You go girl! Her partner of six years, Meredith Smith, is the ED of a “kick ass” non-profit, Whole Cities Foundation. When not deep into work, they attend retreats with their sangha (a Tibetan Buddhist congregation). “No kids on the horizon but hey, you never know.” Jane McKenna also joined the FB conversation but did not report on anything. Jane according to FB you have twins…Life cannot be dull! We’d love

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Albany, so she can stay connected to her family, for almost seven years now bartending, managing, and consulting. In 2013 she sold her family’s business in Albany, Elda’s On Lark. This year she opened Star Bartenders Institute, a vocational career school licensed by NYS Education Department, in Troy just down the hill from Emma. She misses “all the amazing Emma girls” and has tried to keep tabs via Facebook as she has unfortunately been out of the area working during all of our reunions. Elda does not have kids yet but did state that you never know what the future will hold… so good to hear from you, Elda. Keeping plugging along! Lanise Tekelhaimanot Goosby is living in sunny southern California, with husband of almost 14 years and two daughters. She has the pleasure of homeschooling two days per week and working from home for a virtual high school which provides for a flexible life style. With this school she has served as teacher, trainer, and now administrator. The kids extracurricular activities, horseback riding, softball, cooking, sewing, and art, happily consume her outside of work. Kathleen Moore became a mom on October 27.

Welcome to this world, Katie Beth! All I’ll say about that is if you think you want a water birth, be sure you are capable of remembering how to sit up so you don’t slide under the 18 inches of water and think you’re drowning.” As expected she has entered the sleepless world of mommyhood taking turns on night duty with wife Sandra. “Having her is amazing and wonderful and sometimes I’m so enraptured that I stay awake just watching her sleep. Between Katie and the foster children we had this year, I feel like my whole life revolves around parenthood now. It’s a wild new world.” Yes, yes it is! Congrats! On June 22, Zoe McKee welcomed her second child, baby boy Cedric. Zoe is in her third year of ob/gyn residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and cannot wait to graduate in 2016. What a long haul…awesome job, Zoe! Ja-Woo Kim joined the FB conversation but did not report on herself. Regardless it was great to feel the connection. Miss you and your beautiful smile, Ja-Woo! This fall

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to hear more from and about you.

Jennifer Bennett Laflin just returned from a family trip to Disney with her parents, husband, kids (Dexter, four, and Violet, two), and sister’s family. After that she feels she needs a vacation from vacation! Jen is still working as a residency coordinator at the psychiatry department at Albany Medical Center; she works on recruitment, educational planning, and all sorts of other fun stuff. If you are ever in the Albany area give her a call.

Sonya Cheuse had a wonderful time at the EWS Bicentennial earlier this year.

Our class had a poor turnout so Yen Duong and Sonya spent a lot of time catching up with Classes of ’96 and ’94.

“It was such a magical celebration and I felt such an incredible sense of pride.”

She also had an unplanned reunion with Meghan Holland McDonald in Takoma Park, Maryland. Sonya is still living in Park Slope in Brooklyn with her cat, Lily.

She just completed her second year working at Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, as the deputy director of publicity working with a list of incredible authors that includes Nicholas Sparks, David Baldacci, Jeffery Deaver, Preston & Child, Brad Meltzer, Jami Attenberg, and Benjamin Percy, to name a few. You may have heard about Grand Central Publishing in the news; they “fought the good fight this year against a behemoth online retailer to try to protect our authors and our business.”

Sonya, like Emily, has had an athletic transformation this year; she joined South Brooklyn Crossfit and is training for a big rowing competition in March— good luck! Besides all that, Sonya enjoys having her life brightened by niece Elena (15-month-old daughter of sister Emma Cheuse ’94) and nephew Minalu (five).

And last but not least…Last report I mentioned a significant career change was forthcoming for me at IBM. I am happy to report that came true. I moved from the Microelectronics Division (MD) to Corporate Technical Strategy just before Global Foundries bought IBM’s MD. In my new role I act as a project manager for a new product just released called Enterprise Insight Analysis (IBM likes boring big names). The product does massive geospatial, temporal, and

E M M A W I LL AR D SC HO O L

predictive analytics on terabytes of data in the fields of intelligence, counter fraud, and security; in other words the product can look through A LOT of data and find the bad guy. Example: A bus bomb goes off. We sift through the data and connect the dots up to six degrees of separation to find out who set it off.

Another similar product of ours was used to help rescue Captain Phillips (captain of the ship taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2009; Tom Hanks starred in the movie about it). So as you can see I think it is really neat exciting stuff. For the new job I travel. In September I flew to DC for a conference and got to catch up with Kalisse Anderson; she looks amazing and has a peaceful aura around her. It felt like no time had passed since we last saw each other. In October I flew to Las Vegas for IBM’s big software conference, Insight. My new team has great team spirit so we worked all day, played all night, and slept very little. One of the guest speakers at the conference was Kevin Spacey; he was hilarious and insightful at the same time. After hearing him talk I think he is one of the great current pioneers of the film and entertainment industries. When I am not at work, I am completely consumed by my kids. I love them to pieces; it’s fun to rediscover and learn things. OK enough…I need to go stretch my legs after this. It was soooo great to hear from so many. Please stay in touch and keep reaching for the stars!

Until next time…

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Meghan Concra, 1798 Spring Street, Mountain

View, CA 94043, 650.968.2467, mconcra@gmail.com

Nothing to report Please send news.

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Rebecca Pillemer Lewis, 810 G Avenue #E, Coronado,

CA 92118, 858.205.7283, rmu.lewis@ gmail.com

Hey, everyone. Thanks to a couple of you who have sent in your notes. Hopefully, next time, we’ll have more responses. If you want, as you’re reading this, open up an email window and shoot me a

message with your notes for the next issue. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Susan Huang continues to work with the Department of Energy on their SunShot Initiative, which is striving to bring the cost of installed utility-scale solar electricity down to $1/W through research and manufacturing in the US. She is having a rollicking time although ironically her office has no windows and she spends all day deprived of sun. She has been enjoying DC and recently got together with some other DC Emma alumnae including Zoeann Murphy (who just got a staff position at the Washington Post), Rachel Naft (who is still working her photography magic like no other), and Jennifer Shapiro (who is working her butt off on the hill). She welcomes any Emma alumnae who are or will be in the DC area to get in touch!

Jessica Tassinari Shanahan writes, “It’s been a busy year. I took a new job with Albany VNA in February. Still enjoying working as a homecare physical therapist but now learning new territory in Greene County in addition to my native Columbia County. I’m now officially Mrs. William Michael ‘Mike’ Shanahan as of June 7. Mike actually proposed following the Revels performance in front of the Christmas tree last December. My daughter, Julia (now approaching 13 in February), was my lovely maid of honor.

She’s growing up so fast. She’s now in the seventh grade, enjoying soccer, ballet, piano, and cello. We also are very excited to announce we are expecting a baby Shanahan in April 2015. Looking forward to the holidays and very grateful for all our blessings! Merry Christmas! Hope to see everyone at Revels!” As for me, my life has been a whirlwind of ups and downs in 2014. I broke my hip in August and had to have surgery. (Apparently, all of the endurance races took a toll on me!)

Three screws and many months later, I thought I was finally on the mend only to find that my hip is broken again and the screws are bent. Guess I really am Wonder Woman, as I apparently can bend (stainless) steel. Surgery is on the horizon yet again. Thankfully, physical “downtime” has enabled me to plow through my nursing school prerequisites, and that makes me one step closer to the

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Mackenzie Prout Shorter’s wedding in , September 2014. L-R: Kyla Scott ‘00, James Dykeman, Amelia Hershberger ‘01, Amelia’s husband, Ashley Vellano ‘01, Ashley’s guest, Matt Shorter, Mackenzie Prout Shorter ‘00, Elissa Robison Prout ‘52, Kathryn Prout ‘14, Alison Prout Stipkovich ’88, Olivia Pattison ‘04, Viveca Pattison ‘00, Denis Almquist, Lauren Ford ‘00, Richard Teal

finish line, which will hopefully, within five years, result in becoming an RN and ultimately, a physician assistant. In any case, I’ve had the pleasure of raising my biological daughters (seven and 11) as well as two foster kids. The excitement and frustrations of being a single mom to four have made this year one of the toughest, yet most rewarding, of my life.

And for those of you with pre-teenagers…please tell me that “it gets better” with age! My mom, however, is enjoying this stage of my daughter’s life as she simply smiles and tells me that it’s “payback.”

It would be really great to hear from you lovely ladies. If you’re in the San Diego area, shoot me an email. Hopefully one of these years, I’ll make it back for Revels or Reunion. Take care!

00

Lauren Ford, 1 Beekman Court, Loudonville, NY 12211,

518.577.2307, lauren.ford@gmail.com

15th Reunion • Drum roll please! Hi, everyone! Erin was kind enough to pass on the torch to me handling all the class notes. Hopefully, I can fulfill this duty as efficiently as she has. Thanks to social media I know our class has had a lot of wonderful changes over the past year, whether new additions, engagements, and marriages. It’s all so exciting. There are definitely a few of you who have mini-Emma ladies in the making! Just this summer I met up with Miss Sibbie Favata, in Lake Placid, New York with her new princess, Miss Evie Lou Morgan, and wonderful mother Linda Favata. She is doing fabulous living in Georgia with her daughter, and husband, drummer

Brad Morgan of the Drive-By Truckers.

We hung out along the Ausable River, eating s’mores and regaling of everything we had done since the last time we saw each other. It was great seeing her and picking up right where we left off.

In July, my boyfriend and I took a trek out to the west coast and enjoyed time between Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, California. We hung out with Lucia Bartholomew, her husband, Alex Mayle, and fur-baby Crosby. Lucia and her friend, Cayley Lambur, opened a branch of the architectural firm called Scott Morris Architects. They have done some fabulous projects that can be seen at http://scottarch.ca. I also had a brief brunch with Whitney White ’99 and got to catch up with the newlywed. She and her husband, Peter Van Steemburg, were married this past April in Palm Springs, California. She and Peter are doing well and loving the west coast life.

I had the pleasure of being a guest at Mackenzie Prout Shorter’s wedding to her husband, Matt Shorter, this past September. She and Matt lucked out as it was an Indian summer evening. Also in attendance were Amelia Hershberger ’01, who presided, Kyla Scott, Ashley Vellano ’01, Viveca Pattison, Olivia Pattison ’04, Oliver Peters ’99, Kathryn Prout ’14, Alison Prout Stipkovich ’88, and Elissa Robison Prout ’52. As for our other classmates, Phoebe Siter has some exciting news, “Stephen and I are expecting a little girl in early April (so I’m unsure if I’ll make it to reunion). My Etsy shop is doing well (phoebemade.etsy. com) and we are moving to a nice rural house in Barre, Massachusetts. Luckily I’ll

be able to keep running my shop from home while I’ve got the little one running around.” Alexis Kostun Clement has been keeping busy as well. “I’ve had a busy year between work and keeping up with my three little boys. Our youngest, Carter, was born in February and was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. He has had four surgeries this year and I can happily say we are all done with surgeries for a few years. If any alums out there who are reading this (or their family or friends) are facing a cleft diagnosis, I would be more than happy to share our experience and story.” I also was able to spend some time with Hilary MacKenzie-Brown Savoie and family over the summer. They live locally in Troy, New York. She and Alexis Kostun Clement are neighbors. Hilary writes, “I have been busy with my work at The Cute Syndrome Foundation, which I started to raise funding for research on PCDH19 Epilepsy, a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly girls and women—my three-year-old daughter Esmé included.

We’ve funded two major research grants in the U.S. and Italy and are looking forward to the first PCDH19 Epilepsy clinical drug trials in 2015 (please cross your fingers and toes with me!). I graduated with my PhD in Communication and Rhetoric last May and have started work on my first book (because I needed a new sprawling project). Otherwise I am home with Esmé coordinating her monthly visits to Boston Children’s Hospital. I see Alexis Kostun Clement and her beautiful boys regularly, which is wonderful.

Mercy Bachner-Reimer Hume writes, “My daughter, Caroline, just turned one

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year. I celebrated with Faith (BachnerReimer) here in Seattle, because her birthday is two days before ours. I am teaching English as a second language at an all-girls’ school here. I got a chance to travel to China last summer, and I’m going to go to Korea this summer! I’m excited to have a little bit more free time now that Caroline is growing up. I saw Sarah Fleming ’99 out here a few times and her sister, Beth Fleming ’01, but Sarah just moved to Georgia because she got engaged.” Also, in case you didn’t hear, we have a fellow classmate who now is a teacher at EWS! Leslie Crowell writes, “I’ve spent the past two years teaching at an all-girls independent school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Now I’m back at Emma, teaching English and living in the smaller apt. on Sage Long! I’m not a house parent, just a resident. Seeing Emma from the teaching side is different, but no less inspirational.”

As for me, I’ve been living locally in Albany for the past three and half years now. I’ve been working as a digital sales consultant with Hearst Media. I absolutely love it. It’s been keeping me busy along with my boyfriend and my new puppy, Elsa. She is a Newfoundland/ German Shepherd mix and a complete love bug. I’ve also been able to reconnect with some other classmates this fall. Carolyn Bennett, Jessica Miller Rossetti, Laura Osterman, Kate Wiley, and I all had dinner about a month ago.

It was wonderful getting with all the girls, especially since Laura has just completed her two years with the Peace Corps. She has lots of wonderful stories to share.

Jessica is a principal in Queensbury, New York, where her daughter, Ella, has just started school. She and her husband, Sean, recently moved into a beautiful house in Queensbury with their two children and pup Mia. Kate has been busy working with her company between Texas and DC. And Carolyn has been keeping herself busy working for CDPHP and building a new house. We are all looking forward to watching the 100th Revels!

That is all from me now. If you have any exciting news to report, please feel free to contact me. Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

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01

Elizabeth Crain, 15321 Main Street NE, Suite 102, P.O.

Box 219–#154, Duvall, WA 98019, 978.844.0282, escocrain@gmail.com

Winter is here at last, bringing her first snow dusting at Leafhopper Farm LLC where I am settled in with chickens, sheep, goats, and dog Indo. The permaculture plan is moving forward including earthwork swales and pond to hold the bountiful waters of this northwest landscape. I have settled in Duvall, Washington, with the intension of cultivating holistic living and communityminded agriculture on my little acreage.

Right this second I am going to chase a young hen off the porch. Amelia Hershberger has been cultivating family with her husband, Jason, welcoming beautiful son Henry into the world last January. She is having a lot of fun in the gig of parenthood and excited to see who this little person turns out to be. More growth in the household of Andrea Frydl who looks forward to celebrating her five-year anniversary in November with husband Brian. They have adopted an all-black cat named Biff into the home menagerie. Andrea is still pursuing her MBA part time and working for The National Cancer Institute. There will soon be another thriving young lady in the home of Audrey Ting Schmook.

She is thrilled to be due in early March 2015 with her second daughter. This summer, she started a new job at United Way of Greater St. Louis working with companies to run fundraising campaigns.

Rebekah Strock Layton has migrated her whole family south from New York to North Carolina. She writes: “Sad to be far away from Ye Grey Walls now (so I can no longer pop in for visits all the time), BUT happy to say I am finally on to new adventures! After finishing my PhD in June (social psychology) at UAlbany, my family and I moved down to Durham, North Carolina for my new job, a post doc at UNC-Chapel Hill. We love our new home here, and our (almost threeyear-old!) daughter, Ariya, is now at preschool right near the university, which she loves. Dog and cat remain happy cuddlers and playmates for Ariya. We’re hoping for less snow here in North Carolina than back in New York…so we’ll see—winter

is coming! In the meantime, happy to be rowing again, now for Carolina Masters Rowing—got to compete at races in DC and Tennessee this fall which was great.

Seth is happy playing tennis here, too, so we’re both getting our sport on. Also, since he’s a Papa John’s logistician at his new job, we get corporate discount on the goods…yummm! So, lots of pizza this year! That’s news from Bekaville this round! Hope everyone is well! Xoxo”

02

Sara Schultz Peichert, 921 Washington Avenue #6K,

Brooklyn, NY 11225, 617.838.7334, saranschultz@gmail.com

I am happy as I am writing this as I heard from a lot of you this quarter! Thank you for your contributions and please keep them coming! Katherine Clore Ridzi reports that things are well in Albany with husband Tom and son Mark. Mark is going to become a big brother this coming March as Katherine is expecting a little girl. Everyone is very excited! I heard from Candice Corvetti who has relocated to Boston. She recently ran into Amanda Hodes and Anika Hedberg and caught up with them over dinner.

Amanda, Anika, Lauren DiGiulio, and Alice Tavener all spent time together in Las Vegas celebrating Katie Martin’s birthday. Alice ran into Al Rosenberg at the NYC Picklefest in October. They were both shocked as they realized they hadn’t seen each other since graduation.

My favorite part of Alice’s submission (and a timely one with Revels around the corner) was that she ran into Mrs. Bradley and her son at a bar in the West Village. Mrs. Bradley apparently relayed a hilarious and embarrassing story about Alice at Emma that Alice had conveniently blocked from memory! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that one! She says: “As a costume designer, among many fun projects, this year I’ve assisted on two Broadway shows—Rocky and Holler if Ya Hear Me—and look forward to future opportunities now that I’m part of the designer’s union USA829.”

I am really excited to report that Manal Shakir is going to be a published author!

This February, Harpers Collins India will be publishing her book called Magic

03

Amy Clore, 2287 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80207,

303.870.3937, amytclore@gmail.com

Thanks again, ladies, for the lovely updates, as always! Evin Rosenberg Catlett is still living in and loving Salt Lake City. As she explains, “It’s hard to complain when you are within 30 minutes of seven amazing ski resorts. I’m nearing my two-year anniversary with Amer Sports where I lead digital marketing efforts in the Americas for Salomon, Suunto, Atomic and Mavic.” She loves the brands she represents and is inspired every day working in the outdoor industry. With brand global headquarters in France, Austria, and Finland, she travels abroad quite a bit and is able to tack on a few personal trips, as well. Outside of the office, Evin explains, “My husband and I recently purchased a 112-year-old Victorian and have been enjoying ALL the highs and lows of home renovation.

If anyone is heading to Utah this winter, don’t hesitate to give me a shout—we love visitors!” Victoria Atkinson reports that life as a mother continues to be challenging and rewarding in ways she never knew possible. “Gone are the days when I could systematically work my way through a list of pressing todos. Now my list has only one item of the utmost importance: to keep George Magnus happy and healthy! So if I have brushed my hair by 5 p.m. then frankly I have over-achieved! He is a very sweet, fun, and friendly baby, whose mission it seems is to charm his way into the affections of anyone who should happen to meet his gaze. A valuable lesson to have learned so young, I feel. We took him home to Scotland in the late summer and he was in his element.” Victoria will resume her PhD in the New Year and is excited to finish. Liz Appel is

finishing up her first clinical rotation for the year at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases working with patients on a neurological rehabilitation floor. As she excitedly states, “I’m finally almost a doctor of physical therapy!” She is back in Manhattan and loving it and trying to see other Emma ladies including Shayna Silverman and Molly Warheit on occasion. “I saw Maggie Webster Piccirillo in Boston last weekend and it was wonderful to catch up! Just school and studying for me, but I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Congrats, Apple! Liz Toohey Gardner sends word, “The biggest news for me is that I was married in August to an amazing guy, Chad Gardner. We had been dating for about five years and couldn’t be more excited to now be married. We got married on the top of Aspen Mountain and had a number of EWS gals in attendance including Durban Swartz, Jane Phelan, and Megan Toohey ’00 who all served as bridesmaids. Arica Crootof, Devon Swartz ’00, and Jennifer Kercull ’99 were also there to dance the night away.

I am still living in Denver and joined Mile High United Way about two and a half years ago as their senior director of corporate and employee engagement.

I absolutely love the organization and being able to work with such a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations in the community. Outside of work, I love taking advantage of everything Colorado has to offer from the skiing to hiking and everything in between!” Speaking of Arica, she sends word from Tucson that she started a PhD program in geography at the University of Arizona to study water resources management.

Lastly, I got a quick hello from Fabiana Alvear Gilbert. She did not have time to send much of an update since her wedding was the weekend submissions were due. We are sure the wedding was fabulous, Fabi, and hope for an update soon! It has been great seeing so many girls from our class getting hitched. You all are certainly giving me inspiration for my own wedding this coming August to Scott. We have been together since college and along the way he has had the opportunity to meet too many Emma girls to count! I am still enjoying my job

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Within. Congratulations, Manal. I can’t wait to pick up a copy! Last but not least it was delightful to hear from my junior-year roommate Tawnya Akins.

She is currently living near Portland, Oregon, and happy in life and love with a wonderful husband, a one-year-old daughter named Piper, and expecting TWINS to arrive late spring 2015.

Abby Sussman Anderson’s wedding in Vermont, July 2014. L-R: Caitlin Jones ‘04, Abby Sussman Anderson ’05, Sophia Michelen ’05

in the media division at Vail Resorts.

Winter is my big travel season so I’m excited to get on the road!

04

Susanna Kellogg Evans, 2240 N. Sawyer, Apt. 3, Chicago, IL

60647, 802.373.1177, susanna.kellogg. evans@gmail.com

Daniella Keller was admitted to the New York State Bar. She was hired at a firm in Guilderland, New York, called LaFave, Wein & Frament, PLLC. Daniella is an active member of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Committee (social media chair), and she’s also working with the NENY affiliate’s executive director to start a young professionals group. She says, “I’m living in Albany and really love my late 20s! What? If there are any EW ’04 alumnae in the Capital District, I’d love to know! I’m eager to reconnect, especially since I missed reunion.”

Karen Brifu says, “Reunion was awesome. It was great to see many of my Emma girls that I’ve missed so much.”

Since reunion, Karen has graduated from business school and put more energy into purchasing her first home with her boyfriend, which they did in August. “I have been watching and reading HGTV shows and magazines to get all my decor ideas.” Karen also adds, “I really want to stay in touch with as many of you as possible. I had dinner with Evette Stair ’01 and Laura Reyes ’03. I also put together a mini gathering after reunion with Heidi Knoblauch, Annie McShiras, and Elizabeth Yalkut (Goldleaf ). I plan to see more of you so don’t be surprised when I call or message you!” Cherise Perrotti’s six and a half year run in Orlando has ended! Cherise and her

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Abby Wilpers’ wedding in Brooklyn, August 2014. L-R: Maureen Harrison, Jennifer Ulicnik, Annasimone Krementz ’05, Ashley Hongisto ’05, Allison Lopez ’05, Abby Wilpers ’05, Melissa Wilpers ‘10, Chrystel Valdez ’05, Claire Breedlove ’05, Dr. Robert Naeher, Mary Naeher

boyfriend have recently relocated to the Chicago suburbs and are focusing on saving some money to (“hopefully!”) buy a property in the city. Cherise’s family has taken over the deli, and she’s currently taking it easy and figuring out what to do next. “I’m excited to be back up north and have seasons again (it’s snowing as I type), and I really don’t miss the 85-degree Christmases in Florida! Oh, and of course, I visited Meredith and her beautiful little girl at the end of the summer, and had a great time back home!”

Uyai Umoren Effiong has gotten married and has two little boys now under the age of three, “so they’ve been keeping me really busy.” Uyai has also recently started her own business-consulting firm in Nigeria. “It’s been hectic, but really worth it because I can schedule my own time.” Sarah Naeem got married on November 8. Samar Warsi was one of her bridesmaids and Nida Ajaz also attended the wedding. Sarah’s wedding lasted three days; the first two (mhendi and nikkah) were in Houston and the reception was the following Saturday in New Jersey. She says, “It was so beautiful and so much fun! Between the nikkah and the reception we went on our honeymoon to Playa del Carmen—oh I wish I could’ve stayed there for months! I would recommend it to anyone who’s going to Mexico.”

05

Ashley Hongisto, 1848 Pine Street, San Francisco,

CA 94109, 415.710.1792, ahongisto@ gmail.com 10th Reunion • Greer Schott currently

lives in Portland, Oregon, where she

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works as a senior strategist at the creative agency called Swift. She writes she is “LOVING the west coast.” Living in Portland has an added bonus too—she regularly gets to see Abby Sussman Anderson. Speaking of Abby, congratulations are in order for her marriage to Devon Anderson. Abby and Devon married in July in Vermont, with Sophia Michelen and Caitlin Jones ’04 in attendance. Meredith Hunter moved to Boston two and a half years ago, where she has been working in marketing for a law firm. She recently started her own photography company, Meredith Jane Photography, which is keeping her busy with headshots and family portraits.

Meredith also has a real estate license, and has been doing rentals in Boston as well. This summer Meredith went sailing, running, and also went hiking with Lauren Moses ’03 on Columbus Day. Meredith also did the Boston Athletic Association half marathon. Meredith went to Martha’s Vineyard for the first time and spent the day jet skiing and riding a moped around the entire island. In November, Meredith ran the Falmouth Road Race on the Cape even though it was canceled due to 50 mph winds, snow, and downed power lines.

She writes, “A few friends and I decided that since we were already at the starting line we were going to do it anyway.”

Meredith represented Emma at the Pike Middle School in northern Massachusetts and says, “It was fun catching up with Laura Burgess ’02 via FaceTime so she could prepare me for the event!”

Abby Wilpers married Michael Hayes in August in Brooklyn, New York.

Congratulations! The wedding served

as a mini-reunion of sorts, as I was in attendance along with Anna Krementz, Claire Breedlove, Allie Lopez, Chrystel Valdez, Sarah Rosenblatt, and of course, Melissa Wilpers ’10. Along with all of the former Emma girls, Jenn Ulicnik, Maureen Harrison, and Robert Naeher were in attendance. Sarah Hyde is currently in the homestretch of her master’s program at Northwestern, where she will graduate in June 2015. She also began an internship in the Office of Undergraduate Admission at Northwestern in September, where she says she is “loving interacting with prospective families and singing Northwestern’s praises!” Laura Stover Fitzgerald is still living in Nashville and says, “If anyone is headed this way, let me know. I’d love to show you around!”

She also started a new job last March at Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) as a business solutions analyst.

Samantha Smith-Bowman Scruggs recently moved to Henderson, North Carolina, which is thirty minutes north of Durham. They bought a cute little fixerupper house that they are remodeling. Sam accepted a new job in renal nutrition, an area in which she has never worked. Sam says, “I’m not sure I want to do it for the rest of my life, but I certainly want to stay here for a while.” Sam loves working with the patients. “Dialysis is so hard on the patients so they need as much support as they can get.” Sam has become very passionate about her job, and wants to encourage people to donate to the American Kidney Foundation, because “they do so much for our patients like paying for their COBRA payments, insurance deductibles, supporting them during the transplant process, etc.” Sam has two kids, Madeline, three, and Clara, two. Devon Thurmond was recently promoted and transferred to Washington, DC with Hyatt as an event manager. She has been working with them for three years and absolutely loves it. This summer Devon was sent to Boston to help out at the Hyatt Cambridge with training and she got together with Sophia Michelen before she left to go to school in London. In DC, Devon lives with Claire Breedlove, which has been a lot of fun. Monica Taylor Boghos and her husband, Joe, recently bought

a microfinance nonprofit. Kaybern Cuffy returned to New York from England to spend the holidays with her family and while she is having fun, she says she has “been virtually asleep the whole time.” Kaybern recently finished her master’s in developmental psychology at the University of Lincoln, and she will be graduating with distinction.

Congratulations! Kaybern has decided to stay in the United Kingdom a bit longer and just moved to a new flat in Nottingham (home of Robin Hood).

As for myself, I spent my summer studying for the California Bar Exam.

After taking the grueling three day long test, I had a great time celebrating Abby Wilpers’ wedding in August, before heading off to a post-bar exam trip to France for three weeks. I am excited to be heading back to the east coast for New Year’s Eve, and to see Abby and Claire!

Reunion April 24–26, 2015.

06

Dara Cohen, 1354 S. 600 E, Salt Lake City UT 84105,

917.617.4961, Dara0609@gmail.com

The EW 2006 class Facebook page was a highlight of my, and many ladies, week when Melissa Skevington posted access to every class video she has (many of which were skillfully and generously made by Natasha Kermani back in the day). Watching the videos gets me so excited for reunion, not too far away.

A few news highlights from the class page include: Freya Currie will be living in Brooklyn for a few months as part of a work project. Marina MezzogiornoBrown is now living in Toulouse in southern France. Emily Wroczynski writes, “I’m still plugging away at grad school. In my second year I get to do treatment on real objects and I am currently cleaning a life-size wooden cutout depicting a Turkish man from the 18th century. I spent the summer in England working on wallpaper and you can read about it in a blog entry on my school’s website: www.artcons.udel.edu/ news/2014/08/29/student-blog-historicinteriors. I haven’t been back home much and am missing my Emma friends.

Hope all is going well with everyone else!” Brittany Larkin Gutberg sends,

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a house and moved to North Andover, Massachusetts. She is still teaching fourth grade at The Meadowbrook School of Weston and loves every minute of it.

Monica says she hasn’t connected with many Emma girls in a while and is hoping to reconnect with some in the coming months. Kelly Moran finished her master’s in Computer Science in January 2014 and moved to New York City for a job at Google and to be in the same city as her boyfriend. Kelly sees Casey Johnston around pretty frequently, and she hopes to see some other EWS people around the city more often. Sarah Rosenblatt is getting super excited for our upcoming reunion, and hopes to see lots of our class there! Sarah is working on taking her AREs, which are seven total licensing exams to become a registered architect. To keep herself from getting too miserable with studying, she also joined a local choir. Sarah says, “It feels so good to be singing again! Makes me miss our days in Maguire Auditorium with Dr. SpiroAllen.” Claire Breedlove is living in Washington, DC, working on a state department funded international exchange program that brings teachers to The College of Saint Rose (among others) in Albany. The fellows teach at local schools, like Guilderland. Claire also ran the New York City Marathon, and is excited to go back up to the city for New Year’s Eve to see me! Alyssa Bernstein was recently in San Francisco for the American Society of Criminology conference, where she stayed with Tess Marstaller. Alyssa writes, “It was amazing seeing her for the first time in years— made me excited for reunion next year.”

Alyssa is continuing her PhD research on Palestinian prisoners, and should be around New Haven for the next several months while she processes her data and does a writeup. Ashley Gardner just returned from the Dominican Republic, where she was serving in the Peace Corps for the last two years. Her sector was community economic development, and she primarily focused on teaching financial literacy and entrepreneurship to women. Ashley also recently became engaged—congratulations! Along with her fiancé, Ashley moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where she is working for

Brittany Larkin Gutberg’s wedding in Denver, Colorado, May 2014. L-R: Brittany Larkin Gutberg ’06, Christine Bendorf ’06

“I got married in May! It was a small outdoor ceremony in Denver with the mountains in the background. Christine Bendorf was one of my bridesmaids!

I am currently living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with my husband and finishing up my second and last year of my MBA/MS Industrial & Operations Engineering dual degree at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.”

Melissa Skevington reports, “I’m in San Francisco working as a software engineer.

The change of career has been everything I had hoped for. But where are all the women? I hope Emma Willard is working on getting the students involved and excited about technology. Also, I recently got to see Kelsey Chandler and her piggies up on her farm in Vermont!”

Hannah Darrin shares, “I’ve moved out to Boulder, Colorado, to be closer to the mountains and make up for three years of no skiing while I was in Africa. I have dinner with Chef Claire Burns most Tuesday nights. Then Emily Gasperetti came to visit. She was going to move with me, but she got a cooler job in New York. I’m doing some freelance writing and blogging for a paycheck in between NOLS sailing and hiking contracts. I recently partied ‘like a rock star’ in New York City with Marina MezzogiornoBrown, Natasha Kermani, Freya Currie, my mom, and Marina’s mom! That was pretty epic! I just ran my first marathon in Vegas and plan on being on the slopes lots this winter. I’m currently in Utah for Thanksgiving, but it doesn’t look like I’ll make it to your mountains. Maybe I will next season!” Emily Gasperetti says, “I recently accepted a new job and will start after the new year. I will be

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08

Alexis Murphy, 525 East 14th Street, Apt. 9E, New York, NY

10009, alexisbmurphy@gmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

09

Amelia Marstaller, 1410 S 300 E, Salt Lake City, UT

84115, 207.751.0157, amelia.marstaller@ L-R: Hilary Rosenthal ’08, Thea Mink, Erica H. Ling ’75 at a talk by Kristen Rutnik Gillibrand ’84.

working in Glens Falls, New York, and hopefully living in Saratoga Springs. So if there are any ’06s in the area, let me know and we should meet up! In Emma news, Hannah Darrin and I went on a mini vacation to Boulder, Colorado, which was so much fun. Katie Neilson came to the east coast and Jess King and I got to have a yummy lunch in Troy with her after a quick visit to the Emma campus. I later spent a weekend with the wonderful Marina MezzogiornoBrown and her mother. She made the best homemade gnocchi I have ever had; it was mind blowing. Happy Holidays!”

As for me, your priceless and tireless class news reporter, it’s been a fast-paced few months. I made it through the Utah Bar Exam. A rough two months, now I don’t have to take another standardized exam ever again. I spent the month of August letting my brain recover by riding my bike and eating pastries. Since the swearing-in ceremony for new attorneys, I’ve hit the ground running and opened up my own office doing estate planning, wills, and trusts. I’m flapping my wings as hard as I can and am steadily getting off the ground. I’m sad to not be ski patrolling again this winter, but excited and ready for the next professional adventure.

As always, if anyone is passing through Utah I’ve got a guest room, an open door, and a very hip brunch restaurant a few houses down.

07

Lee Valigorsky, 319 West Chelten Avenue, Apt. 406,

Philadelphia, PA 19144, 814.321.7887, lgvali4@gmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

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gmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

10

Alexandra Epstein, P.O. Box 578, Upperville, VA 20185,

518.817.2242, aaepstei@uvm.edu • Anoushka Millear, 1133 37th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, 206.605.5354, anoushkamillear@yahoo.com • Ciara Peacock, 2202 Broadway Avenue SW, Apt. A, Roanoke, VA 24014, 540.982.3503, cpeacock@mail.umw.edu

5th Reunion • Karmela Padavic: “After graduating from the University of Chicago with an Honors BA in physics and a BS in mathematics, I have taken another step towards achieving the goal of becoming a theoretical physicist— something I was already very passionate about while attending Emma Willard— and started a PhD program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since leaving Emma Willard, in addition to learning a whole lot of physics and math, I have stayed consistent in non-academic matters as well and can report to having seen a number of amazing heavy metal concerts and worn black for the vast majority of the past five years.” Tergel Purevdorj: “After taking a break from college for two years and working at a startup in San Francisco, I have returned to the University of Rochester to finish my dual degree in computer science and studio art. If any Emma girls are in the region, I would love to meet up!”

Sarah Gettman: “Things are going well here in DC. I’m finishing up my master’s in art education and will graduate in May. I’m interning at a queer tech company which is something I never expected to be doing and absolutely love it! This past summer was lovely. I volunteered at a camp for LGBTQIA Youth in Seattle and was able to meet up with Anoushka Millear, while I was out

there. I have no clue what May will bring and I’m down for all the adventuring.”

Colleen Kilbourne: “I am spending a busy year in Albany…at my desk!

Plugging away in my first year of medical school at Albany Medical College… definitely a challenge but the advice from fellow health professional Allie Epstein, and the mandatory study hours at EW have prepared me well! Reunited with Chandana Hemanthkumar this past May and am excited to reunite with everyone else at the five-year reunion!”

Alexa Ortiz: “Having graduated from Cornell in May, I am currently living in sunny Florida and applying to law schools! Despite being so far from Mount Ida, I am so lucky to have been able to see some beautiful Emma ladies lately, including Sarah Schmer, Sandra Brooks, Kenzie Yezzi, Melissa Frederick, Linnhe Kapner ’12, and Ann Lim. I miss our Emma bubble every day, and hope to see more of you at Reunion this spring. My best to everyone in the meantime! Xox” Reunion April 24–26,2015.

11

Lauren Miller, 13 West Cobble Hill Road, Loudonville, NY

12211, 518.462.1844, laurenmiller1080@ gmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

12

Nicole Ratelle, P.O. Box 502, Cambridge, NY 12816,

518.269.8895, nratelle22@gmail.com • Camille Shaw-Pigeon, 342 Weldon Drive, Sandgate, VT 05250, 802.733.4409, camille_sp@hotmail.com

Nothing to report. Please send news.

13

The Class of 2013 is looking for a bulletin reporter. If you are

interested, please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@emmawillard.org.

14

The Class of 2014 is looking for a bulletin reporter. If you are

interested, please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@emmawillard.org.

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Spring 2015

79

Signing Off HEAD OF SCHOOL TRUDY HALL

“Next”

has become my new word for those moments when the future must be different from current reality. The word “change” is no longer in my vocabulary. Visualize it: CHANGE. Images of upset, fear, anxiety, concern, stress, and more swirl as the sound of it hits airspace.

And let’s be honest, those moments of upheaval are all too frequent in our lives on both the work front and the home front. A new boss, marriage, a baby, a new job, retirement, divorce, a merger, a new home—each of these is a “next” chapter in our lives. “Next” is hopeful; it contains a question mark wrapped in potential.

“Next” is the upbeat version of the unknown; it is vibrant positivity.

In our post-Bicentennial world at Emma, we have a laser-like focus on “next” as we are guided by Isaac Asimov’s wisdom that “no sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.” And the world as it will be for our girls is a dynamic one indeed. Fortunately, Madame Willard’s “‘Next’ is the vision and her school are also dynamic, and innovation toward excellence is an expectation on Mount Ida. For Emma faculty, upbeat version of innovation means a commitment to exploration of best availthe unknown; it is able pedagogy; it means understanding what might be possible; it means continual exploration, prudent experimentation, vibrant positivity.” on-going discovery, and persistent curiosity.

“Next” is in the air as we imagine best practice in girls’ education. Our work is guided by the nimble 2020 Vision that carries forth our “next” attitude. We are intent on doing work that will be celebrated for its vision another 200 years from now!

So how do we ensure that our Emma Willard will always be our founder’s school, known for intellectual rigor, joyful camaraderie, and deep and purposeful relationships? We view “next” through the lens of her vision, that’s how. We hold ourselves accountable to her high standards for girls’ education.

Jump fearlessly into the process and play with us as we look to provide the same quality of experience and education to today’s wired, wireless, and global girls. Grab the possibility of “next” in your own life; move with the rhythm and confidence of an explorer with the single-minded purpose of wholeheartedly embracing opportunity. It’s been the recipe for success on Ida for 200 years.

Why would we change it now?

80

E M M A WI L L AR D SC HO O L

Why I give…

REV. BONNIE SCOTT JELINEK ’63 Years at Emma Willard: 4 (Diehard)

Occupation: Minister, psychotherapist Revels Part: Devil

On leaving a legacy

On making a bequest now

On a future for women

Leaving a legacy is an act of significance and meaning. It is a way of saying, “Thank you for my years at Emma Willard,” not just for the rest of your life but beyond.

Leaving a bequest is a gift to the future and a gift by way of example to my children.

I wanted to do something special in honor of my 50th reunion year, to give thanks, and to honor the memory of classmates we have lost. And, to be quite frank, in my role as minister, I bury a lot of people. I am constantly reminded of the importance of making plans while you are around to enjoy them.

Emma Willard allowed me to believe, from a very early age, that I could follow my dreams and pursue a career in the ministry, even at a time when women were denied that chance. A gift to Emma Willard is a gift to young women of all backgrounds, women who will lead fully enriched lives, who are dedicated to service. Educating women is the best way to effect change in the world. It is the best kind of seed planting.

For information on including Emma Willard in your will, contact Joe Hefta, director of planned giving, at 518-833-1831 or jhefta@emmawillard.org.

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