SUMMER 2017
LISTENING, OBSERVING, ADAPTING, and
PROBLEM SOLVING PAREENA LAWRENCE Hollins University’s 12th president
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Hollins Hollins Magazine Vol. 68, No. 1 July - September 2017
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Hollins’ new president, Pareena Lawrence, talks about her vision for the university to prepare women to be global citizens who understand their responsibilities and are ready to lead lives of consequence. By Pareena Lawrence
EDITOR Cecelia Crow crowch@hollins.edu Hollins University Box 9657 Roanoke, VA 24020 www.hollins.edu
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Listening, Observing, Adapting, and Problem Solving New president Pareena Lawrence draws upon a lifetime of personal and professional experiences to inform her leadership philosophy. By Jeff Hodges M.A.L.S. ’11
President Pareena Lawrence; Vice President for Institutional Advancement Audrey Stone; Director of Public Relations Jeff Hodges M.A.L.S. ’11
Ann Atkins Hackworth ’82, M.A.L.S. ’95; Mary Ann Harvey Johnson ’67, M.A. ’71; Lucy Lee M.A.L.S. ’85, C.A.S. ’03; Linda Martin; Brenda McDaniel HON ’12; Sharon Meador; Kathy Rucker; Kate Stackpole
Reunion 2017 More than 671 alumnae and guests attended. See photos and read fun facts.
ADVISORY BOARD
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
A Global Force
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Connected by History Alumnae believe they were destined to discover a Hollins connection in historic Manassas home. By Beth JoJack ’98
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Beyond the Classroom Research fellowships take students throughout the country and around the world. By Jeff Hodges M.A.L.S. ’11
CLASS LETTERS EDITOR Olivia Body ’08
DESIGNERS
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We Heard You Thank you to those of you who participated in the Hollins magazine survey. Every one of your comments is valuable, and we will be taking them all into consideration as we continuously improve your alumnae magazine.
Sarah Sprigings, David Hodge Anstey Hodge Advertising Group, Roanoke, VA
PRINTER Progress Printing, Lynchburg, VA Hollins (USPS 247/440) is published quarterly by Hollins University, Roanoke, VA 24020. Entered as Periodicals Postage Paid at Roanoke, VA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hollins, Hollins University, Box 9688, Roanoke, VA 24020 or call (800) TINKER1. The articles and class letters in Hollins do not necessarily represent the official policies of Hollins University, nor are they always the opinions of the editor. Hollins University does not discriminate in admission because of race, color, religion, age, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, or sexual orientation and maintains a nondiscriminatory policy throughout its operation. For more information, contact the director of human resources/Title IX coordinator, (540) 362-6660 or hollinshr@hollins.edu. Questions, comments, corrections, or story ideas may be sent to: Magazine Editor Box 9657 Roanoke, VA 24020 magazine@hollins.edu
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In the Loop Focus on Philanthropy Alumnae Connections Class Letters
WWW
Visit the online version of Hollins magazine at hollins.edu/magazine.
Cover: President Pareena Lawrence. Photo by Sharon Meador.
FROM THE
President
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GLOBAL
FORCE
2 Hollins
Sharon Meador
Hollins’ new president, Pareena Lawrence, talks about her vision for the university to prepare women to be global citizens who understand their responsibilities and are ready to lead lives of consequence.
ince accepting the privilege and responsibility of serving as Hollins University’s twelfth president, two of the questions I’ve been asked regularly, and ones that I relish the opportunity to address, are: Why Hollins? What drives your passion to lead an institution dedicated to providing undergraduate liberal arts education for women? Growing up in India, I was a quiet, shy child. Because of my father’s work, my family moved every couple of years, and he recognized how that was negatively affecting me. He knew I needed stability, and he was a strong believer in the power of education. So, beginning in the seventh grade, he made significant sacrifices and arranged for me to attend a highly regarded all-girls boarding and day school. The next six years were among the most pivotal in my life. The school gave me a space to grow and find myself. It was a safe place. It gave me the opportunity to take risks without the fear of failure. It bolstered my selfconfidence and encouraged me to explore many different areas to discover where I excelled. My friends were an incredibly supportive network of women—we built each other up instead of tearing one another down. We challenged each other but more importantly we cheered for each other to reach the finish line. I grew in grit and resilience. Within two years at this school, I was a different person. At a women’s liberal arts college such as Hollins, this kind of deep transformation is a daily occurrence, but on an even higher intellectual level with many more opportunities. A liberal arts education isn’t simply about intellectual development in the classroom. For four years, you’re immersed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in deep learning together with your peers. I truly believe much of the learning at a liberal arts institution happens outside the classroom when students are engaged in discussion and debate, working on group projects, or participating in athletics or other cocurricular and extracurricular activities. Critical thinking, communication,
and leadership skills are taught in the classroom and then honed and practiced in a variety of ways outside the classroom. Intercultural competency is enhanced through active, ongoing contact with those from diverse socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and international backgrounds. Professors and staff foster deep mentoring relationships. Students learn and experience what it means to be a responsible global citizen and how to work across differences to find common ground. All this happens much more organically at a residential liberal arts college, and especially at a women’s college. In contrast to the linear progression that occurs at many other institutions, the trajectory of intellectual and personal growth is exponential at places such as Hollins. I believe more than ever that the women of the United States need women’s institutions of higher learning. The glass ceilings and concrete walls are present in every sector of our economy. But I am even more certain that, because of the deeply entrenched gendered norms and inequities in many parts of the world, the women of the world need women’s institutions such as Hollins. My vision is that Hollins will become an international force for educating women. My goal is that our trademark becomes this deep sense of individual and social responsibility where we enable and empower women to make a difference within their spheres of influence. Through years of research I have witnessed firsthand the impact empowered women can have on a community, village, or a region. I am confident that through education, women can create better lives not only for those around them today, but for future generations. The multitude of Hollins women who have embraced this philosophy to affect change culturally, economically, and politically have much to contribute to realizing our role as a global institution. I look forward to learning from you and drawing upon your experiences as we prepare the next generation to lead lives of consequence.
IN THE
Loop Presidential Portrait Is Unveiled
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Berkeley
Joseph
Kolmstetter
he official portrait of retired president Nancy Oliver Gray is now on display in the historic Botetourt Reading Room. The portrait was presented on June 2 and hangs alongside those of her predecessors in office going back to founder Charles Lewis Cocke. Annette Polan ’67, an internationally recognized portrait artist, painted the work and took part in the ceremony. Noting that she wanted to go beyond just showing “the very fine, strong, courageous leader of Hollins,” she consulted members of the Board of Trustees “and what I got back was such love and admiration for Nancy as a friend, as a person.” “It captures our president so well,” said Board of Trustees Chair Judy Lambeth ’73. In her remarks at the June ceremony, Gray simply stated, “I love it.” She called Polan “a gifted artist” and thanked her “for all the thoughtfulness as well as the creativity. The beauty of it was getting to know you through the process.”
Holland
Berkeley, Joseph, Kolmstetter, Holland Join Board of Trustees
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lfred R. Berkeley III, Mary Terrell Joseph ’66, and Elizabeth “Liz” Brownlee Kolmstetter ’85 have been elected to the Hollins University Board of Trustees. Berkeley is a son of the late Jane King Funkhouser Reid ’40, a greatgranddaughter of Hollins founder Charles Lewis Cocke. He earned an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently chairman of Princeton Capital Management and vice chairman of Gentag, Inc. A resident of Baltimore, Maryland, he has also served in leadership roles with the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. Joseph, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a partner in the law firm of McGlinchey Stafford. She has served in various nonprofit leadership roles and was a member of the Hollins Board of Trustees from 2000-2012.
Kolmstetter holds a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Virginia Tech and is currently the director of NASA’s Workforce Engagement Division. She has pioneered numerous innovative talent management programs across six federal agencies. She is the daughter of former Hollins president Paula Pimlott Brownlee, and lives in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, Alumnae Board President Sarah Holland ’64 has joined the Board of Trustees as an ex-officio member. Holland spent 30 years raising funds and consulting for an array of nonprofit organizations in New York City, where she resides. She has been a lifelong Hollins volunteer, for which she received the Rath Award.
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n May 22, the day after Hollins’ 175th commencement exercises, the university launched its highly anticipated $6.5 million renovation of Dana Science Building. The work is being completed in two phases. Phase One involves refreshing four existing laboratories and the construction of two office suites for faculty, and will be completed before
the beginning of Fall Term 2017. The renovation of the lobby area is also scheduled for completion by the start of the 2017-18 academic year. Phase Two features the construction of five completely new labs and support spaces. This phase will be completed by the end of fall term and these areas will be fully operational by Spring Term 2018.
Sharon Meador
Dana Renovation Under Way
Summer 2017 3
IN THE
Loop Faculty promotions announced Promotions in English for two faculty members Pauline Kaldas and Julie Pfeiffer received a promotion to full professor. Each professor was asked to provide a personal viewpoint on teaching students at Hollins.
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often tell my students that I teach the courses I wish I could have taken when I was in college. My classes focus on multicultural and international literature, including International Women’s Voices, Writing Out of the Multicultural Experience, and Immigrant Literature, as well as creative writing in all genres, especially creative nonfiction. I approach my courses as a creative writer and scholar, blending the two in the way I teach and the assignments I offer my students. My courses open a door for students to enter into other worlds that can reflect on and expand their own lives from a more culturally inclusive and global perspective. We discuss issues related to cultural conflicts, the concept of home, and national identity. As an immigrant and Arab American, I approach literature from both an intimate and scholarly perspective in an attempt to extend the literary words beyond the page. Our students at Hollins are wonderfully diverse, and I love sharing my passion for literature and writing with them.
Kaldas
Pauline Kaldas is the author of Looking Both Ways, a collection of essays; The Time Between Places, a short story collection; Letters from Cairo, a travel memoir; and Egyptian Compass, a collection of poetry. Her research interests include immigrant literature, multicultural literature, and Arab literature. She received her Ph.D. from SUNY-Binghamton.
Hollins Wins ODAC Equestrian Title
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Pfeiffer
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iterature is the focus of all of my courses, from introductory writing intensive courses to graduate seminars, from John Milton’s Paradise Lost to Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I read and teach literature because I am passionate about books, ideas, and the ways imagined worlds help us live more consciously in this world. When I first came to Hollins, I wrote in an assignment, “Words lie at the center of this course,” and I would still agree with that statement. I ask students to look carefully at word choice, at the ways words are used to form sentences, at the ways words resonate with other words in a single text and across texts. But these days, I would add the claim that students lie at the center of my courses—the student as reader, as writer, as engaged and growing human being. For this is what literature does. It helps us see ourselves differently, it makes sense of the inexplicable actions of others, and it pushes us toward a profound empathy. I appreciate the small classes and motivated students at Hollins that make it possible for me to facilitate these conversations. Julie Pfeiffer has published articles on early novels for girls, Charlotte Brontë, Paradise Lost, and Doris Dörrie. She is the editor of Children’s Literature. Her current work investigates the cross-cultural development of nineteenth-century girls’ fiction and relies on gender theory and disability studies. She received her B.A. from Carleton College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut.
he Hollins University riding team has captured its twenty-first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship. Hollins bested five other schools during competition at the university’s Kirby Riding Ring on April 5 to earn its first conference title since 2013. Led by head coach Claudia Roland, the quartet of riders representing Hollins at this year’s ODAC championship show included Randi Byrd ’18, Madi Hurley ’17, Madeleine Lohr ’19, and Allison Sherwood ’20. Lohr earned All-ODAC honors for the second consecutive year, and Roland was named ODAC Coach of the Year for 2017.
W E STA N D CORRECTED In the article “The Worth of a Woman,” Caroline Arnold Davis ’60 was erroneously listed as serving on the Board of Trustees in the Spring ’17 edition. Anne Altizer ’85, in the article “Reinventing in the Middle of Navigating Life,” was incorrectly listed with class year ’74.
REUNION 2017 More than 671 alumnae and guests attended reunion festivities the first weekend in June. In addition to 396 reunion-year alumnae from classes ending in 7 and 2, 126 alumnae from non-reunion class years participated.
F U N FAC T S
Mary Dell Petit ’07 traveled the farthest from Naples, Italy. Others traveling many miles to campus included Martina Boehmfeldt ’87 (Hofheim, Germany); Joy Sparrowhawk ’04 and Mischa Privette ’87 (Paris, France); Meredith Pierce Hunter ’97, Carolyn Lindsey ’97, and Christina Weisler Hunt ’92 (London, UK); and Gety Ispahani Kazerouni ’92 (North York, Ontario, Canada).
1943
MOST SENIOR CLASS YEAR
2016
MOST RECENT CLASS YEAR
THREE MOTHER-DAUGHTER PAIRINGS Mary Lou Payne Hatten ’46 and daughter Mary Beth Hatten ’71 Andrea Beegle Broido ’77 and daughter KT Broido ’09 Linda Bertorelli Jennings ’85, daughter Catherine Bertorelli Arnold ’12, and granddaughter Lia Helen Arnold MOST IN ATTENDANCE
1967 1997 1992 2017 with 45 alumnae
with 44 alumnae
and with 43 alumnae each
For more photos, visit www.hollins.edu/reunion. For a summary of reunion giving, see page 8. In the class letters section, read short profiles of the Distinguished Alumnae Award winners: Suzanne Hubbard O’Hatnick ’67, Ginny Smith Granade ’72, Jill Wright Donaldson ’92, Tiffany Marshall Graves ’97, and Distinguished Young Alumna Award recipient Alexis Davis King ’02.
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Summer 2017 7
REUNION 2017 REUNION 2017 CLASS GIFT TOTALS GIVING AWARD WINNERS
Includes gifts and pledges for all purposes made between July 1, 2016 and June 3, 2017. All pledges are to be completed within the next five years. As of June 3, 2017
PRESIDENT NANCY OLIVER GRAY AWARD *New this Year* For the class with the highest total giving to Hollins for all purposes
CLASS OF 1962 * with $21,916,777
* including the $20 million gift from James and Libby Hall McDonnell ’62 through the JSM Charitable Trust.
TINKER MOUNTAIN AWARD For the class with the largest total gift to the Hollins Fund.
CLASS OF 1967 with $439,593 CATHERINE ORGILL WEST ’51 AWARD For the class with the highest participation in giving to Hollins.
CLASS OF 1967 with 55% HOLLINS ROCK AWARD
For the class among the 10 most recent classes with the highest participation in giving to Hollins.
CLASS OF 2015 with 32% 8 Hollins
Class
Reunion Gift Chairs and Committees
1952 Reunion Gift Chair Anne Finlay Schenck
Total Percent Commitment Participation $1,028,680
47%
$21,529
38%
$1,916,777
46%
$2,761,657
55%
1972 Reunion Gift Chair Mary Louise Hoss
$481,954
40%
1977 Reunion Gift Chair Craige Pepper Victor
$168,876
27%
1982 Reunion Gift Committee Jennifer Tuttle Arnold
$169,266
21%
$26,789
19%
$49,293
39%
1997 Reunion Gift Chair Missy Green
$71,353
28%
2002 Reunion Gift Chair Megan White Hudson
$43,676
33%
$32,494
30%
2012 Reunion Gift Chair Jessica Hall Arrington Reunion Gift Committee Jacqui Sommerman
$2,661
24%
2015 Reunion Gift Committee Elizabeth Valvano Brandi Rogers Sha-Keara Pinkney Meg O’Brien
$4,621
32%
1957 Reunion Gift Chair Carol Wallace Sherman 1962 Reunion Gift Committee Elizabeth Artz Beim Betsy Johnston Nancy Dick Bill Johnston Carol Greene Donnelly Anne Martin Langley Susie Marckwald Mackay Gigi Scott Feazell Elizabeth Hall McDonnell Jane Goodrum
Kathleen Day Norfleet Betty Evans Pearson Alice Siegel King Trousdale
1967 Reunion Gift Chair Miriam “Mim” Farmakis
1987 Reunion Gift Chair Mary Shelmire Reunion Gift Committee Barbara Karstrom Paige Jernigan 1992 Reunion Gift Chairs Christine LeFever Kmieczak
Stacy DuPont Nash
Reunion Gift Committee Devon Davis Baldwin Courtnay Buxton Gilmore Samantha Nielsen Ballard Kim Enderson Hensley Catherine Parrott Bolton Amory Armstrong Kenny Amanda Glenn Brady Elise Ahlgren Leake Anita Thompson Brunero Cheryl Brumm Newberger Abney Wallace Durham Anne Bell Osler Julia Reidenouer Durham Isabel Willard Peterson
Emilie Leake Reddoch Candace Moss Sawall Phoebe Platt Simon Samantha Smith Jennifer Wallace Alyce Wellons
Reunion Gift Committee Kristin Cowdin Laura Gardner 2007 Reunion Gift Chairs Dee Mudzingwa
Katie Lowe
FOCUS ON
Philanthropy
Sharon Meador
President’s House Dedicated to Honor Linda Lorimer ’74
Lorimer
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n recognition of her visionary leadership in guiding two presidential searches, Hollins has renamed the President’s House in tribute to Linda Koch Lorimer ’74. Lorimer House honors the alumna and member of the Board of Trustees who chaired the search committees that appointed Presidents Nancy Oliver Gray in 2004 and Pareena Lawrence in 2017. Lorimer also served on the search committee that chose Nora Kizer Bell as Hollins’ tenth president in 2002. Recently retired as vice president of global and strategic initiatives at Yale University, Lorimer has been an international leader in the education
of women and higher education administration. In 1983 she became one of Yale’s three associate provosts, making her the youngest person in university history to reach that administrative rank. Three years later, she was named president of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, the youngest president the college had ever hired and its first female president. She returned to Yale in 1992 to become vice president and secretary, one of only six university officers, and in 2013 attained the position from which she retired. At Hollins, Lorimer has served as a trustee beginning in 1984-87 and then again from 2001 to the present.
Summer 2017 9
FOCUS ON
Philanthropy Scholarship fund honors President Emeritus Nancy Oliver Gray $2.3 million raised to provide scholarships for undergraduate students
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n 2017, to honor President Gray’s leadership and legacy at Hollins, the university established the Nancy Oliver Gray Endowed Scholarship Fund. Over the course of her twelve-year tenure at Hollins, Gray dedicated herself to Hollins students, with the goal of providing a Hollins education to any qualified woman. To that end, Gray focused on Hollins’ financial stability. At the time of her arrival in 2004, Hollins had $15 million in debt. The university was debt free by 2007. Gray also focused on increasing the university’s endowment to help ensure the school’s bright future and wide reach. Under her leadership, the
school’s endowment has grown from $101 million in 2005 to $161 million in 2016. In the year since it was established, the Nancy Oliver Gray Endowed Scholarship Fund has received $2.3 million in gifts and pledges. To receive a $5 million matching donation from an anonymous donor, donations to the scholarship fund also contributed to the effort to raise $10 million by June 2017. The Nancy Oliver Gray Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships to undergraduate students at Hollins, ensuring that young women of all backgrounds have access to a Hollins education.
Gray
Birthday milestone Kathryn “Kay” O’Keeffe, one of Hollins University’s oldest living supporters, to turn 100 years old.
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O’Keeffe
10 Hollins
ollins University offers happy birthday wishes to Hollins alumna, class of 1939, Kathryn “Kay” O’Keeffe of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She will reach an amazing milestone of 100 years of age on October 23, 2017. She is one of the oldest living Hollins alumnae and living major supporters. O’Keeffe earned “Top Scholar” during her sophomore year at Hollins and went on to receive her master’s degree in chemical engineering from Connecticut College in 1941. O’Keeffe is a member of the Levavi Oculos and Heritage Societies at Hollins for both her magnanimous outright and planned giving. Some of her most notable and generous support can be seen in the Wetherill Visual Arts Center in the O’Keeffe Seminar Room and with the Mary Woodrum O’Keeffe Lecture Fund, as well as the landscaping surrounding Wyndham Robertson Library.
O’Keeffe has many Hollins legacies: Grandmother
Mary Woodrum O’Keeffe, class of 1864 (deceased)
Cousin
Emily Kirk, class of 1939 (deceased)
Great-niece
Edwige Camm Knight, class of 1995 of Brooklyn, New York
Cousin
Chantal Vaiden O’Keeffe, class of 2000 of Lynchburg, Virginia O’Keeffe has many Hollins friends. Happy birthday to you, dear Kay O’Keeffe.
FOCUS ON
Philanthropy Challenge Met and Exceeded $14 million in new gifts from over 3,000 alumnae and friends
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n December 20, 2016, an anonymous donor came forward and issued a challenge to Hollins: if, and only if, Hollins raised $10 million in new gifts and pledges for any purpose between December 20, 2016 and June 30, 2017, the donor would give Hollins $5 million upon receipt of proper documentation. No amount less than $10 million would qualify for the match. So what happened? In short, you did it! As of the end of June, Hollins had exceeded the $10 million challenge, achieving $14 million in new gifts and pledges from more than 3,000 alumnae and friends. Gifts of every level made a difference. From the smallest to the largest gift, alumnae wanted to help in whatever way they could: reunion gifts to the Hollins Fund, multi-year pledges, 175 Club membership, and support for scholarships, capital needs, or career program assistance. In addition, many alumnae stepped up to help as Class Chairs, Class Fund Chairs, and Reunion Gift Chairs. Some classes offered their own challenges within the context of the larger challenge. Alumnae across the board embraced the challenge, added their own creativity and generosity, and drove us across the finish line in grand style. We are profoundly grateful to have achieved such astounding success in such a short period. Thank you to every person who contributed and pledged.
goal
$10 MILLION $14 MILLION raised
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ALUMNAE
Connections
“A Competitive Advantage” Hollins alumnae are engaging with students at an unprecedented level to foster mentoring opportunities and boost career preparation. B Y S A R A H A C H E N B A C H ’ 8 8
Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington ’97 works with Nishu Acharya ’14 at Gilman Hill Asset Management.
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ishu Acharya ’14 was excited and nervous about attending her first Hollins Career Connection Conference (C3) in fall 2012. As a junior with a major in business with finance concentration and a minor in economics, she hoped to meet an alumna in finance who worked in the New York metropolitan area, but beyond that, she wasn’t sure what to expect. What she discovered were alumnae in every field, ready with advice and connections. “The alumnae
I met were so willing to help me network,” Acharya recalls. For her next C3, she was laser-focused on landing a Signature Internship in finance in New York City. She also made a connection that has inspired the trajectory of her career. Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington ’97, CEO and portfolio manager at Gilman Hill Asset Management, met Acharya at C3 and encouraged her to apply for the internship Harrington hosted—a competitive application-only Signature Internship that comes
ALUMNAE
Connections with a stipend and housing. In January 2014, Acharya interned for Harrington, who shared job-hunting advice and coached her with mock phone interviews in the months that followed. After graduation, Acharya moved to New York City, emailing Harrington to continue to network. Turns out, Harrington needed a summer intern and Acharya got the position. Four months later, Acharya was hired as a full-time analyst for Gilman Hill. She’s thrilled with her dream job, city, and the Hollins network that made it all happen. “Jenny has been amazing,” she says. “She’s not just my boss but my mentor. She helped me with the decision to go to grad school, and she’s very encouraging.” Now Acharya is “paying it forward” by attending C3 as an alumna and helping with the Super Saturday career preparation program to connect alumnae and students. “It’s great to be on the other side of the table,” she says. “I give students lots of advice, but the most important thing I tell them is to reach out to Hollins alumnae.” This is exactly the kind of high-impact engagement Judy Lambeth ’73, chair of the Board of Trustees, hoped for when she chaired the National Steering Committee to create Hollins’ 2012 strategic plan, “Connecting Liberal Arts Education and Experience to Achieve Results.” Developing a deeper alumnae role in preparing students for purposeful careers is a cornerstone of the plan. “It’s important, now more than ever before, to support women,” says Lambeth, who recalls the 12 women in her law school class and the “old boy” network that continues today. “Your network is your most important thing. We want the Hollins network to be a support system.” Research revealed that alumnae wanted that, too, and were eager to support career efforts. Excited, the committee got to work expanding the Short Term (January Term or J-Term) internships and creating new initiatives to connect alumnae with students. The first C3 kicked off in fall 2012, attracting alumnae from across decades and career fields to campus for an intense day of mentoring, interviewing, and networking with students (and each other). This past fall, 400 students attended industry-specific panels, speed interviewing, keynote and networking events, one-on-one resume critiques, and panels on business etiquette, personal finances, and more—all staffed by alumnae volunteers. The committee, in collaboration with the Career Center, developed alumnae-hosted signature internships in New York and Washington, D.C., and this past spring, the Career Center launched the new HU Mentoring initiative for sophomores, aimed at getting second-year students up to speed. “Sophomores don’t get as much attention and direct programming on career skills and preparation,”
“IT’S IMPORTANT, NOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, TO SUPPORT WOMEN. YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT THING. WE WANT THE HOLLINS NETWORK TO BE A SUPPORT SYSTEM.”
says Ashley Glenn, Career Center director. “We have first-year programs and a focus on seniors, but sophomores have been left out.” Last spring’s pilot program matched 20 sophomores one-on-one with alumnae for phone and email conversations throughout the year. Alumnae mentors offer advice, serve as a sounding board, and more. “It’s meant to be an organic connection,” explains Glenn of the pilot, which runs through December 31, 2017. This fall, another 20 matches begin. “The groups are strategically small due to staffing/ program management and to provide quality matches.” Keeping the momentum going is critical. Super Saturday, the all-day career mentoring “phonathon” for alumnae and students created by members of the National Steering Committee, is at full throttle since its inception in spring 2015. The committee hopes to expand Hollins’ hallmark Short Term internships into summer internships, particularly for the many students majoring in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). A month-long January lab internship often is not realistic, though Hollins would like to increase Short Term options in hospital settings, science grant writing, and other non-lab STEM venues. The committee also is looking to Atlanta and Richmond as possible places to expand internship perks like free housing in safe, residential hotels, as students have in New York and Washington, D.C. Other possibilities include making deeper, career-interest-specific mentoring connections and a possible J-Term career exploration to front-load career skills early. “The goal of everything we do is to give students a competitive advantage,” Lambeth says. “The kind of woman who comes to Hollins today is one who is really passionate about her education and wants to define the world on her own terms.” Just ask Mary Stewart ’18, political science major and would-be public defender. She spent the summer before senior year applying to law school and shadowing attorney Elysse Stolpe ’10, who works in the Charlottesville-area district attorney’s office. Stewart and Stolpe connected after Stewart’s Super Saturday mentor this past spring gave her a list of alumnae attorneys to contact. Stewart, a C3 veteran who interned with National Steering Committee member and attorney Courtney Chenette ’09, has embraced the Hollins network since first year. “Everyone at Hollins talks about how great the alumnae network is, and every conversation I have had with an alumna has been extremely helpful,” Stewart says. “It’s a confidence booster. I am 100 percent prepared for law school and job interviews. All the things I have done with alumnae have taught me how to own myself.”
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ALUMNAE
Connections
Super Saturdays W
Super Saturday in Washington, D.C., on September 24, 2016 Left to right: GeLynn Thompson ’05, Colleen Berny ’10, Lauren Buie ’12, Barbara Duckworth ’72
Left to right: Ashraqat Sayed Ahmed ’17 and Lorato Sekwababe ’19 work with Barbara Van Allen ’76 at The Economic Club of New York.
14 Hollins
hat’s the sound of a dozen Hollins women in an office suite on a Saturday afternoon in two different cities calling students? Mostly laughter, encouraging words, ringtones, paper shuffling, and soda cans being opened. Listen carefully, though, and you’ll hear the sound of possibility, of connections sparking. Super Saturday is the brainchild of National Steering Committee members Courtney Chenette ’09, Alumnae Board member Barbara Duckworth ’72, and Trustee Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington ’97. It evolved from their discussions about ways to connect more deeply and directly with students on career preparation. Four years ago, Harrington and Chenette, a lawyer with Morris Duffy Alonso & Faley in New York City who is heavily involved in the internship program, commiserated on the rapid-fire phone interviews they experienced when entering the financial and legal fields. Could it work for Hollins alumnae and students, they wondered? Absolutely. On a Saturday in May 2015, Chenette and Harrington gathered seven, mostly younger, alumnae in Chenette’s law office to talk via phone or Skype with 28 Hollins students who had registered through the Career Center and emailed their resumes. Each 30-minute call included a practice interview, constructive critique, and conversation with the student about skill development, career goals, and internship interests. The following spring, Washington, D.C., joined the program, led by Duckworth, a retired senior executive with the Department of Defense, and both cities added a fall 2016 Super Saturday.
Held on the same day and time, Super Saturday attracts alumnae spanning four decades and a range of careers. While the Super Saturday cochairs and Career Center work hard to match alumnae with students by career, it hardly matters. “The calls are always very full with questions related to general career advice,” notes Harrington. In turn, the students give the alumnae great insight on internships, and several new internships have been added as a result of Super Saturday. An unexpected bonus is the deep connections alumnae make with each other at the event. “It is like being on campus,” Harrington says. “I feel the Hollins love all over again.” Many volunteers are younger alumnae who are not able to host an internship yet but whose contacts and recent job-hunting experience are invaluable. Coaching students on how to network is a key goal of every call. “Students learn that networking with alumnae is accessible and that alumnae conducting the calls share their wisdom and experience with Hollins students no matter where they are in their careers or lives,” Chenette explains. Alumnae volunteers identify those students who need more polish with interviews and work with them over the course of the year. “Super Saturday is a great opportunity to help students to think more broadly about careers,” Duckworth adds. “It’s a concrete example of how alumnae can continue to love Hollins and give back.” She’s quick to point out that you don’t need to live in New York or Washington, D.C., to help a student along her career journey: “Alumnae engagement is broadly defined. If you are an alumna, you have a role.”
ALUMNAE
Connections
Internship Influx J
-Term, January Term, or Short Term. Whatever you call it, it’s a smart career move and one that more and more Hollins students are making. In 2017, 193 students held internships, 16 more than in 2012 when the strategic plan was created. Today, over 75 percent of students have had at least one internship before graduation.
72 31 90 53 27 85 LAST JANUARY
students completed Signature Internships with
different organizations
students participated in the first-year internship program with
students completed independent internships with
different organizations
different organizations
Signature Internships are competitive application-only, alumnae-hosted internships in New York and Washington, D.C., with housing stipends. First-year internships also are by application and hosted by 27 organizations in the Roanoke Valley. Sarah Achenbach ’88 is a Baltimore-based writer and author who fell in love with a writing career during her 1986 Short Term internship at Jim Henson Publications.
Left to right: Tegan Harcourt ’17 works with supervisor Molly Wright at SCOUT Marketing in Atlanta, Ga.
TOP TEN WAYS TO HELP THE HOLLINS NETWORK Offer or help identify an internship for J-Term or summer. Volunteer for C3. Volunteer for Super Saturday. Host a student internship. Mentor a student in your profession. Provide funds to support a student during her internship for housing. Join the Hollins University LinkedIn group. Post your company’s job openings on the Hollins University Career Center LinkedIn group for students and alumnae to view them. Keep Hollins updated with your career information at alumupd1@hollins.edu Parents, encourage your daughters to participate in Super Saturdays. Call 1-800-846-5371 (800-TINKER1)
Left to right: Mary Beth Hatten ’71 works with Roshaye Graham ’18 at Rockefeller University.
Summer 2017 15
LISTENING, OBSERVING, ADAPTING, and PROBLEM SOLVING
New president Pareena Lawrence draws upon a lifetime of personal and professional experiences to inform her leadership philosophy. B Y J E F F H O D G E S M . A . L . S . ’ 11
16 Hollins
W
hen Pareena Lawrence and her sister were growing up in India, their father affectionately compared them to two of the world’s most recognized women, trailblazers who took starkly diverse approaches to the betterment of society. “My sister was much more competitive and focused on personal goals and achievements, while I was more concerned about what we could do to make the world a better and more equitable place,” Lawrence recalls. “My father would introduce us to his friends and colleagues by saying, ‘I have two daughters: one is Margaret Thatcher and the other is Mother Teresa.’ Today, my sister is an investment banker in Singapore and I’m a college president. We’re different, but I admire her competitive instincts and sharp focus on her goals and she admires my commitment to educating the next generation of change makers and collectively solving complex problems.” Indeed, Hollins’ twelfth president has solved problems and overcome challenges by using her considerable listening, observation, and analytical skills. From growing up in a society where women were often treated as second-class citizens and then moving alone to America to get her Ph.D., to her transition from professor to higher education administrator, her ability to learn and adapt has played a crucial role in shaping the leader who will oversee and coauthor the next chapter of Hollins’ history.
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President Lawrence, and her family, growing up in India in the ’70s - top to bottom, left to right: Pratap Singh, Padma Gupta, Pareena Gupta, Sonali Gupta (sister).
A GENDERED SOCIETY
Sharon Meador
I
ndian girls and women still faced formidable obstacles when Lawrence was born and raised in the 1970s and ’80s. “Girls are often assigned more household chores, while their brothers have more time to devote to schoolwork,” she explained. “At mealtimes, it is not uncommon, particularly in rural homes, for men to eat first and the women to eat later. Sometimes very little food is left after the men are done eating. I clearly recall while growing up, my parents, with two daughters, were constantly asked, ‘Aren’t you going to try for a son? Who is going to take care of you in your old age?’ The universal view was there was no return on investment in your daughters. One needed to have a son.” When Lawrence entered college in the mid to late ’80s, different standards remained pervasive. “Girls had to be back in the dorms by six in the evening; boys could stay out until much later.
Sexual harassment was widespread, but you didn’t complain because you were afraid your parents might consider withdrawing you from attending school or college. So you told yourself, ‘As long as I’m safe, I can tolerate and navigate through the verbal and sometimes physical abuse.’ In the public sphere, there never was a moment when I could ever forget that I was a woman. I had to dress appropriately and speak appropriately. It was part and parcel of growing up in a gendered society.” Fortunately, Lawrence’s parents defied societal norms “and gave my sister and me every opportunity to succeed. We had limited resources. But my father stressed the importance of education and told us if we didn’t want the lives we saw other girls and women lead, we had to focus on our education and make a life for ourselves. My parents did everything they could to support us,
even as some of our neighbors and relatives would say, ‘Why is your daughter wasting time studying? Why aren’t you teaching her how to cook and take care of the family? After all, that is what is going to come in handy for her someday, not all this education stuff.’” Before Lawrence entered the seventh grade, her father conceived of a way to get her into a highly selective allgirls boarding and day school. A civil engineer in the Indian military service (he had completed a certificate program in engineering), he agreed to do some design work for the school in exchange for his daughter’s admission. Over the next six years, Lawrence thrived (an experience she discusses in her essay on page 2 of this issue). Lawrence’s academic devotion and her father’s ingenuity paid off: She went on to study economics at India’s top university, the University of Delhi.
Summer 2017 17
“ ” I REALIZED EDUCATION WAS MY CALLING
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President Lawrence received assistance from the campus community as she moved into Lorimer House in late June.
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YOU WERE THROWN IN TO FIGURE IT OUT
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t age 21, Lawrence graduated from the Delhi School of Economics with a master’s degree. However, she faced a major dilemma. “If I stayed in India to get my Ph.D., there would be tremendous pressure to enter into marriage. I would most likely not have a chance to finish my doctorate. Intellectually it made sense to go overseas to study in the United States or the United Kingdom. But emotionally this was a difficult decision. I had no relatives in the U.S. or U.K. and knew no one there. My family had never traveled overseas before. In fact, none of us even had a passport, nor had I ever seen a passport.” Ultimately, she accepted Purdue University’s offer of a full remission of tuition plus a teaching assistantship that covered her living expenses. These important financial benefits were offset, however, by other challenges: a graduate program with few women, a very competitive academic atmosphere, little community amongst her peers in the
18 Hollins
graduate dorms, and no mentors to help navigate what was expected of her academically. Lawrence’s academic survival depended upon her penchant for learning and adaptation that she developed during the first two decades of her life. “You were thrown in to survive and figure it out, so I just absorbed what to do by observing my American classmates and colleagues. It was all very different from India, and I had to learn mundane tasks such as how to operate a washer and dryer—I actually watched stealthily how it was done for over an hour—and more profound pursuits, including how to actively participate in the American classroom, how to study, and most importantly, how to write a research paper and make arguments supported by evidence.” Despite the initial culture shock, Lawrence’s patience and resourcefulness enabled her to begin achieving success at Purdue within a few months of her arrival.
awrence’s ability to adjust when facing barriers was tested again after she completed her Ph.D. in 1993. “I thought I was going to make a difference in the world by working for an international development organization,” she recalled, but an economic recession froze budgets and hiring at several of these organizations. As a stopgap, she decided to take an academic position and hope for a healthier job market the following year. Lawrence began teaching at the University of Minnesota, Morris, a public liberal arts college. Within three months, she was no longer considering jobs in international development. “I fell in love with teaching and mentoring students at a small, residential liberal arts college. I realized education was my calling. I could make a bigger impact in the world by teaching and preparing students to go out and make a positive difference in their communities and the larger world. I could see the indirect multiplier effect I could have.” Indeed, many of Lawrence’s students have gone on to serve with international and governmental agencies in the United States and overseas. Her accomplishments earned accolades: She won the University of Minnesota, Morris Alumni Association Teaching Award in 2005 and the Horace T. Morse—University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education the following year. In 2008, she became a full professor of economics and management. The classroom environment was fulfilling, but Lawrence discovered that she could have an even more profound impact at the institutional level. Many of her experiences as a junior faculty member led her to conclude, “If you want to change the system, you have to join the system.”
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T
he University of Minnesota system gave Lawrence the standard six years to earn tenure. To succeed, she was bluntly told: “Don’t stop your tenure clock if you want to be considered a serious academic.” “If you had a child or adopted a child while you were a tenure-track professor, you were eligible to stop your tenure clock to take the pressure off from research and publication. You were still expected to teach and serve the institution. They called it ‘stopping the clock,’” she explained. “When I became pregnant with my firstborn before I had earned tenure, I was told, ‘Nobody has stopped their clock in our division. Even though you’re allowed by policy, you’re going to raise eyebrows if you do this. You won’t be taken seriously as a scholar or a researcher.’ So I didn’t. But later on, I thought, ‘Why did I force myself over that year to push forth with my scholarship when I had a newborn child? I shouldn’t have had to do that. Somebody has to start changing the system.’ So, when I had the opportunity to become the chair of the Division of Social Sciences, I strongly encouraged my female and male colleagues to consider stopping their clocks. ‘This is your right as a parent, and no one will hold that against you when it comes time for tenure or promotion,’ I told them.” Lawrence decided that she could affect positive change on a macro level as an administrator. In 2011, she was appointed provost and chief academic officer at Augustana College in Illinois. Her leadership draws heavily upon her experience as a professor and as a researcher. “My leadership, just as my teaching and scholarship, is informed by data, evidence, and context. But it’s also inclusive. While I am a problem solver, planner, innovator, and strategic thinker, I am also a very good listener. I strongly believe that the best solutions
Sharon Meador
WHILE I AM A PROBLEM SOLVER, PLANNER, INNOVATOR, AND STRATEGIC THINKER, I AM ALSO A VERY GOOD LISTENER.
Pareena Lawrence at the announcement of Hollins’ 12th president on November 29, 2016.
come when a participatory and inclusive approach is used. At Augustana, we brought the entire community together as part of the strategic planning effort to explore our strengths, opportunities,
aspirations, as well as our realities. We were able to implement our strategic plan much faster because people had ownership of the plan, the broad strategies and the tactics.”
Summer 2017 19
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‘YOU’VE GOT TO BE A COLLEGE PRESIDENT’
Judy Lambeth ’73, chair of the Board of Trustees; former President Gray; President Pareena Lawrence; and Linda Koch Lorimer ’74, chair of the presidential search committee.
20 Hollins
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awrence believes her leadership style complements Hollins’ mission. “My more recent research, both as an economist and as a chronicler, looks at individuals and how they impact their communities. (Her new book, Life Histories of Women Panchayat Sarpanches from Haryana, India, was published this summer by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.) One of the things that I’ve learned is that if you want to make a positive impact on a community, you must educate and empower women.
My empirical work conducted in Northern India shows that women have a much greater interest than men in issues related to health, the environment, and education. I’m not downplaying men’s role, but men are more often engaged with priorities such as income, trade, and transportation. Women are more interested in fundamental societal change that will affect the quality of life not only today but also for the next generation.” Along with what she has drawn from her scholarly work, Lawrence emphasizes the part colleagues and family have played in her personal and professional life. The late Brenda Barnes, the first female CEO of PepsiCo and later president, chairman, and chief executive of Sara Lee, became Lawrence’s mentor while Barnes was an Augustana College trustee. Barnes was the first person to tell her, “You’ve got to be a college president.” Lawrence advises young women who are thinking about starting a family and career that “the most important choice you’re going to make is who you pick as your life partner and how they will support your career. I have a tremendous partner in Todd,” her husband, who will join Lawrence in residence at Lorimer House next year after their youngest son, Josh, graduates from high school in Iowa. Aaron, their oldest son, is a junior at Augustana majoring in biology and public health. “Aaron’s passion is to be a football coach and mentor young men. It gets him up at six in the morning excited about his day in a way that his organic chemistry lab does not! That’s what I’ve always tried to impress upon my students and my kids and have practiced in my own life: Where your passions intersect with the needs of the world, that’s your calling and that’s what leads you to live a life of consequence.”
CON N EC T E D by H I STORY
Speiden home image provided by the Manassas Museum System.
Alumnae believe they were destined to discover a Hollins connection in a historic Manassas home. BY BETH JOJACK ’98
T
he white house with green shutters and matching green roof is a well-known landmark in the city of Manassas, Va. That’s partly because noted architect Albert Speiden designed and lived in the home and partly for another reason. “People believe the house is haunted,” explains Meaghan Devlin Reddick ’08. While working on her master’s degree in the history of decorative
arts from George Mason UniversitySmithsonian Associates in 2012, Reddick landed an internship with the Manassas Museum System, which includes the museum located in Old Town Manassas as well as several historical sites. Curator Mary Helen Dellinger assigned Reddick, whose interest is in clothing and accessories, with organizing the system’s costume and textiles collection. The pieces had recently been moved out of storage to the bedroom
Summer 2017 21
Reddick
Tailor Made: Vintage Fashions From the Museum’s Collection Unveiled features textiles from the 1890s to the 1950s pulled exclusively from the museum’s collection. Included are examples of wedding wear, party dresses, children’s clothing, and sporting wear. Cocurated by Mary Helen Dellinger and Meaghan Reddick, Tailor Made will remain open to the public through September 24, 2017.
22 Hollins
of a historic home, which had been bequeathed to the Manassas Museum System by Virginia Speiden Carper, daughter of the architect who designed the home. Because Virginia Speiden Carper’s spirit is rumored to still reside in the home, visitors are careful to always extend a courteous greeting. “When you go in, you say, ‘Hi’ to Virginia and ‘Goodbye’ to Virginia when you leave,” explained Reddick. “Everybody does that.” When Reddick would enter the home to catalogue the collection, she always made a point to go straight up to the bedroom where the clothing and textiles were stored. “You’re alone in a big house that people say is haunted,” she says. “It’s a little creepy. I wasn’t going to explore.” Until, that is, one day when Reddick had a strange compulsion to look around. “I came in one morning, and I felt… you could say called or that I had an inkling to go straight into the kitchen,” she recalls. From there, Reddick could see the screened-in porch, where she spotted a box of music magazines from the 1930s. “I thought, ‘I need to bring those in,’” she says. Reddick carried the box to the music room and dropped it in front of a piano. As she straightened up, she noticed a Hollins diploma on the wall. Virginia, it turns out, was a 1930 graduate. Reddick shivered from chills. “I feel like the world has more order than we give it credit for,” Reddick says. “I just felt close, like I was supposed to be there.” Reddick believes some force in the universe — maybe Virginia Speiden Carper, maybe not — wanted her to see the diploma, to know she and Virginia were connected by green and gold threads across history. “Since that day, I felt a strong connection to Virginia Speiden Carper, her home, and the costume collection,” Reddick wrote in a January letter to Hollins.
Carper
Preservers of history
C
arper, who died in 2005 at the age of 96, willed her family home to the city with the intent that the Manassas Museum System would, one day, showcase it as a historic landmark. Some neighbors of the home, however, balked at the idea. Currently, city officials are trying to decide whether to continue keeping up the home or to return it to the descendants to be sold, according to Dellinger. Whatever happens to the home, Carper already made quite a contribution to Manassas’ historical record. Her obituary lists her as a member of the Manassas Museum Associates, who worked to initially establish the city’s museum. After her father’s death, Carper also donated hundreds of his drawings of buildings and his drafting tools to the museum. Like Reddick, Carper developed an interest in recording history at a young age. She glued mementos ranging
A matter of destiny
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At the 1991 reunion, from left to right: Virginia Speiden Carper, Mary Clemens Paul, Dorothy Quarles Dick, Meg Baker Hicks, and Florence Underwood Adams.
from train tickets to programs from Hollins concerts into two scrapbooks she kept of her college years. Over the course of her long life, Carper carefully safeguarded other Hollins items, including exam blue books, a planner, and her textbooks. Dellinger gifted those items to the archives at Wyndham Robertson Library. Carper arrived at Hollins from her home in Manassas in the fall of 1926. During her college years, Carper served as a member of the Hollins Choir, the Choral Club, and the Ensemble Club. In 1928, Carper received a letter from Hollins President Matty Cocke, who commended her for her “excellent progress” and offered her a scholarship earmarked for a music student who plans on a teaching career. After graduating in 1930, Carper returned to Manassas, where she taught piano lessons in the Speiden home to many generations of Manassas youth.
Andy Harrover took piano lessons from Carper, as did his mother. “She was strict,” says Harrover, who happens to be the father of Erin Harrover ’19. “She would not put up with any foolishness.” Carper didn’t retire from teaching the piano until the age of 90. She served as organist for the Manassas Baptist Church for more than five decades and published several two-piano arrangements, some of which are housed at Hollins. Throughout Carper’s life, she stayed in touch with Hollins friends and attended all of her reunions. She also remembered Hollins in her estate. A plaque hangs in the Wyndham Robertson Library that credits continuing maintenance of the building to Carper, who gave the gift in honor of her cousin Marian Speiden Bayne ’31, who served as a librarian at Hollins for several years.
n the summer of 2016, Dellinger invited Reddick, who had graduated from George Mason with a Master of Arts degree in 2014, to return to the Manassas Museum System as cocurator of an exhibit. “Tailor Made: Vintage Fashions from the Museum’s Collection Unveiled” opened in May and continues through September. The exhibit features textiles from the 1890s to the 1950s. Last January, Reddick came to the museum for a meeting and met Emily Collins ’19, then a Hollins sophomore who was spending J-Term interning at the museum. Collins would later work with Reddick, setting up display cases of accessories as a “sneak peek” for the upcoming exhibit. Collins spent the last day of her internship in January working with Reddick in the Speiden home. She’s not convinced that it’s haunted one way or another. “It very well could be,” she says. “But I don’t think it’s as haunted as some of the rooms at Hollins.” Even so, Collins shares Reddick’s feeling that she was somehow destined to find herself in the Speiden home. “I was meant to be here,” she says. “I was meant to meet Meaghan. Yeah… kind of like fate.”
Beth JoJack is a Roanoke writer who contributes frequently to Hollins magazine.
Collins
Summer 2017 23
Beyond the Classroom
Research Fellowships Take Students throughout the Country and Around the World
B Y J E F F H O D G E S M . A . L . S . ’ 11
Whether it’s in political science or neuroscience, on the Cape Cod peninsula or the Arabian Peninsula, Hollins students are growing their capabilities through an impressive range of research fellowships in the U.S. and abroad. Over the course of two months to an entire year, these opportunities offer experiences that are the building blocks for pursuing a Ph.D. or launching a career. This spring and summer, students engaged in immersive study that will enable them to not only improve their own knowledge and skills, but also make important contributions to international relations, health care, and the environment.
24 Hollins
Persian Gulf Region Study Trip Broadens Understanding
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n April, Hanna Strauss ’19 spent seven days engaging in the culture, society, and economics of Qatar, one of seven Arab states that border the Persian Gulf. A National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations fellowship made it possible for Strauss to also learn about government priorities, concerns, and needs as they pertain to U.S.-Qatari relations and Qatar’s role in regional and world affairs. She was introduced to a broad range of government and business representatives, academics, policymakers, specialists, and student peers. This was Strauss’ second study abroad experience in the Persian Gulf region in as many years. During the summer of 2016, she studied Arabic in Oman for eight weeks. “Next year, as part of this fellowship, I’ll be working to bring events and outreach opportunities to Hollins,” Strauss, a double major in Spanish and political science, said.
Strauss
Brain Investigation Sets Stage for Medical Career fter the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year and through the end of July, Gabrielle Lewis ’18 moved one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming a physician. She received a neuroSURF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in Roanoke. “The applicant pool for these fellow positions was extremely qualified and deep,” said Michael Fox, director of the VTCRI neuroSURF program. Lewis participated in hands-on research at one of VTCRI’s state-of-the-art neurobiology labs. At the end of the program, she and other fellows delivered presentations based on their investigative work at the annual Virginia Tech Summer Research Symposium. Lewis is on the pre-med track at Hollins, double majoring in biology and biochemistry. After graduation next year, she hopes to attend an M.D./Ph.D. program at either Georgetown, Ohio State, the University of Virginia, or Wake Forest.
David Hungate VTCRI
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Lewis
From Hollins to a Global Leader in Ocean Research, Exploration
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an Nguyen ’18 was one of approximately thirty college and university students from around the world to take part in a twelve-week summer research fellowship at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), a world-renowned marine research organization in Massachusetts. Nguyen was assigned to WHOI’s Marine Policy Center, which performs social scientific research that combines economics, policy analysis, and law with the institution’s basic exploration of ocean sciences. “It [was] really helpful to me to get that experience and connect to researchers in the field,” Nguyen said. This was the second consecutive year in which Nguyen, a double major in environmental science and economics, has participated in a prestigious summer program. In 2016, she completed an eight-week residence internship at the American Institute for Economic Research. In addition, she worked with the School for Field Studies’ Center for Mekong Studies in Cambodia in 2015. After graduating from Hollins, Nguyen plans to pursue a doctorate in environmental economics. Nguyen
Jeff Hodges is director of public relations.
Summer 2017 25
WE HEARD YOU. T
hank you to those of you who participated in the Hollins magazine survey. Every one of your comments is valuable, and we will be taking them all into consideration as we continuously improve your alumnae magazine. For 115 years, Hollins magazine has been produced with its readers foremost in mind. We’re always grateful for your ongoing support of the university and continued input. We had a tremendous response to the survey, with 465 of you giving us your valued opinion. A sample of responses is captured here in this feature. More can be found in the online version of the summer magazine.
26 Hollins
Here are some highlights of what we learned:
YOU READ IT AND YOU READ ALL OF IT
66% of you read every issue
YOU KEEP IT AROUND
75%
of you read most of it or all of it
30%
of you keep an issue on hand up to one month, and
50%
of you more than a month YOU SPEND TIME WITH IT
28% 41%
60 minutes or more 30 to 59 minutes
77% 20% MOST OF YOU PREFER PRINT Print
Both print and online
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT THE ONLINE VERSION?
56% 51% 53% Ease of use and navigation excellent/ very good
Use of multimedia (photos, videos)
Layout and design
Your comments line up closely with our sense of your preferences and reaffirm our belief that much of the magazine’s success depends upon its editorial diversity. Here are a few anonymous representative comments: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HOLLINS MAGAZINE?
• Reading about people I knew there and about positive changes or accomplishments at Hollins. • I like finding out how the story of Hollins is changing, especially what other alums are up to and the activities of current students. • It makes me feel like I have an inside look to what is happening on the campus. • Learning about new initiatives on campus, hearing from current Hollins students, professor profiles, learning about inspiring alumnae— particularly in the sciences. • The updates on interesting things that alumnae and professors are doing. Spotlight articles on changes and innovations around campus are great too. • Class News! Even with social media, I love reading about the other classes. I also love the articles about Hollins and Hollins women. • Love reading the alumnae letters at the end as well as information about teachers/places on campus. It’s nice to feel connected. • Hearing alumnae stories about how Hollins women are making a difference in the world.
AGE BRACKETS
76
12 >25
92 61
45 43
25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT HOLLINS MAGAZINE?
WHAT STORIES INTEREST YOU?
• The extremely long delay between the time an alum sends in her news for a class letter and the time she finally sees it in print. • Wish there were more stories about alumnae successes…not just the award winners, but those who are quietly leading in their communities too. • I would like to read more about what the professors are doing and thinking. • Please ensure a continuous focus on diversity of those highlighted, including from various socio-economic backgrounds. • Need more about the amazing professors and research. The things that make Hollins Hollins. • It would be nice to see a little more about alumni of the graduate programs. • Need news of Hollins athletes.
8 8 nt e c r e p
• Campus history • Individual alumnae profiles • Class letters • Stories about academic or faculty accomplishments SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE:
• Show us the student side of Hollins so we can see how things are alike or different from when we were attending. • I’d love to hear what’s going on with other departments. • I want to see more diversity in alums in every demographic. • I would like to see profiles of ordinary alumnae to hear how Hollins has shaped our daily lives. • Don’t ignore the accomplishments/work of alumni from the graduate programs. • I’d like to see more diverse stories about alumnae reflected. • Have a space somewhere online where alums and the Hollins community can anonymously submit article ideas. • Would like the online version to be more easily viewed on mobile devices. • More photography and stories around campus traditions. • Include more info on young alumnae accomplishments.
of you agree that Hollins magazine strengthens your connection to the university.
Rest assured we have read each and every comment you submitted carefully. We have already talked about ways to fine-tune our content to meet your desires. We promised Hollins swag bags to five of the survey respondents. The winners, who have been notified by us personally, were selected by a random drawing from respondents’ names and email addresses. They are Liz Spencer ’81, Lydia Everton ’69, Missy Green ’97, Christina Easterly ’04, and Sabrina Elise Barnett ’10. We have fun working on the best possible alumnae magazine we can bring you. A lot of that has to do with our affection for Hollins and being able to share the rich and textured Hollins experience with you. We want you to feel close to this university, to friends and community, to the intellectual excitement and time-honored traditions. The magazine tells stories, offers a dynamic exchange of viewpoints, and lifts up youthful ideals, abiding values, and new horizons. Thank you for taking the survey, your patience as we move forward, and your ongoing support of Hollins magazine and the university.
Summer 2017 27
WHY I PROVIDE FOR HOLLINS IN MY WILL “Truly my experience at Hollins played a significant role in who I am today. Simply… I want to continue to invest in Hollins now and for the future successes of tomorrow. I am able to accomplish this through Planned Giving.”
Margaret “Meg” Freeman ’84 FROM: Richmond, VA HOLLINS ROLES: Served as an Alumnae Board director and
Alumnae Board secretary; involvement in Atlanta, Nashville, Baltimore, and Philadelphia alumnae groups; assisted with admission, career networking, class gift chair, and reunion gift chair; represented Hollins for inaugurations at area colleges CURRENT EMPLOYMENT: Heywood Financial, LLC, principal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS: Board member of United Way of Chester County, PA, and Home of the Sparrow; current board member of the Chester County Community Foundation
there are many ways to give planned gifts to hollins, including
Bequests | Lead trusts | Retained life estate | Retirement plan
contact the office of institutional advancement to learn more about planning your gift to hollins.
gifts@hollins.edu | (800) TINKER1 | (800) 846-5371
Welcome President Pareena Lawrence Join us in welcoming Hollins’ 12th president as she travels* to meet with alumnae and others.
*As of this printing
September 7
Roanoke-Tinker Mountain Chapter Reception
November 2
Washington, D.C.-Alumnae Reception
November 3-5
Washington, D.C.-The 1842 Society Weekend
January 7-12, 2018
Florida West and East Coasts
January 16
Atlanta, GA
January 23
New York
March 17
Roanoke-The Boyce Lineberger Ansley
Leadership Summit May 2-3
Charlottesville and Richmond, VA
Details on dates, times, and locations will be made available as they are confirmed.