ALUMNAE/I UPDATE
Class of 1988 Celebrates the Memory of
Khakasa Wapenyi
Members of the Class of 1988 lost a beloved classmate and friend in the fall of 2013, when Khakasa Wapenyi passed away suddenly, after a short illness. Khakasa was a practicing psychiatrist and advocate in New York City, specializing in the care and treatment of members of the LGBT and AIDS communities. She attended Harvard after graduating from Dobbs and earned her medical degree from Tufts University. Deeply moved by Khakasa’s passing, several members of the Class of 1988 banded together to celebrate her legacy by organizing a special on-campus tribute to their dear friend. Classmate Lisa Ench Semler and her family donated a beautiful redbud tree, which was planted along the circle drive in front of Masters Hall. A memorial plaque, donated by Elizabeth Szatmari Krasnoff with contributions from other classmates, bears the inscription: “Dr. Khakasa Wapenyi; 1970-2013; Beloved and distinguished member of the Class of 1988; Devoted friend, sister, daughter, mentor and advocate of those marginalized by society.”
Above, beginning front left and moving around the table clockwise: Alyson Sivak Grossman ’88, Sandrine Humbert ’89, Lauren Martin ’89, Katy Spahn Thatcher ’88, Jennifer Poole Pride ’88, Diana Pryor Combs ’89, Amy Levitin Walsh ’88, Melinda Panella Insana ’88, Amanda Cox Skinner ’88, Aneesa Majid ’88, Amy Zimmerman Freed ’88, Suzie Paxton ’88, Amy Rice Curley ’88, Heidi Ziegahn ’88 and Adria Devereaux (personal friend of Khakasa).
24 | www.mastersny.org
Khakasa’s classmates and friends returned to Masters to take part in a memorial service and tree dedication ceremony on September 25, 2015, on the occasion of the opening of the Fonseca Center. The women shared stories and memories, reflecting on the transformative impact that Khakasa’s life, work and spirit had on so many. Following the ceremony, the Class of 1988 held a dinner in celebration of Khakasa’s life in Manhattan, organized by Alyson Sivak Grossman, Aneesa Majid, Lauren Martin and Suzie Paxton. Thanks to the collective efforts of her classmates, Khakasa’s memory will live on at Dobbs, and in the hearts and minds of all who knew and loved her.
Below: First row, left to right: Sandrine Humbert ’89, Adria Devereaux (personal friend of Khakasa), Suzie Paxton ’88, Aneesa Majid ’88. Back row, left to right: Stephanie Dunne Cohen ’88, Alyson Sivak Grossman ’88, Katherine Spahn Thatcher ’88.