Mills Quarterly fall 2011

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Mills Quarterly Fall 2011 Alumnae Magazine

Listening, learning, leading president alecia a. decoudreaux arrives

M I L L S

C O L L E G E

A N N U A L

F U N D

“Hello”

is Jessica’s favorite thing to hear when she calls you.

Jessica Glennon-Zukoff ’13 majors in English literature and women’s studies at Mills.

She is also a representative of the Telephone Outreach Program for the Mills College Annual Fund.

Jessica enjoys calling alumnae like you to hear about your memories of the College, share what it’s like for her as a current Mills student, and ask you to contribute to the annual fund.

I

love my work with the Mills College Annual Fund.

I understand how important it is for alumnae to give so that Mills students like me continue to receive the opportunity to attend a women’s college with an incredible legacy behind it.

The relationships I forge with donors on the phone are my way of assuring that Mills remains an exceptional women’s college, and I look forward to making the first of many gifts to the Mills College Annual Fund when I graduate.

Pick up the phone and say “Hello” to Jessica when she calls.

Make your gift to support today’s Mills students.

Give to the Mills College Annual Fund by calling 510.430.2366, picking up the phone when a student calls you, or visiting www.mills.edu/giving.

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Mills Quarterly

contents Fall 2011 8

In her own words by Dawn Cunningham ’85

Alecia A. DeCoudreaux, the 13th president of Mills College, speaks about her background and why she values women’s education and shares her thoughts on the role of alumnae in the life of the College.

14 Commencement 2011 The newest cadre of alumnae carries forth a dedication to social justice, creating a peaceful world, and improving opportunity for all. Plus: Bent Twigs.

18 The power of play by Susan McCarthy Many adult women’s lives are empty of play—but research shows that play time has deep benefits for grown-ups.

32 Sound off!

Alumnae offer words of wisdom and advice for the new Mills president

Departments 2

Letters to the editor

3

Mills Matters

20

Bookshelf

22

Class Notes with Notes from Near and Far: Alumnae Activities Report plus features on Leslie Warner ’63 and Sarah Ciehomski Yamaguchi ’07

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In Memoriam

“Alumnae are a great bridge from the past to the present to the future; they provide an essential sense of continuity. I’m very excited about all the possibilities to engage alumnae in thinking about how, together, we can ensure the success and the future viability of Mills.”

–Alecia A. DeCoudreaux

On the cover: Alecia A. DeCoudreaux in the garden behind the President’s House, her new home on the Mills College campus. Photo by Erin Lubin.

Letters to the editor I was moved by the article “Evolution

of a revolution” by Nadia Mostafa Saleh ’59, sharing her experience of the events which took place in Egypt earlier this Volume XCX Number 1 (USPS 349-900) Fall 2011 President Alecia A. DeCoudreaux Vice President for Institutional Advancement Cynthia Brandt Stover Senior Director of Communications Dawn Cunningham ’85

year. Countries that have never experienced a situation like this can certainly learn a lot, analyzing why and when it could happen and preparing solutions to avert such chaos.

I came from a country, Ethiopia, that went through a revolution in 1974 whereby thousands of lives were lost and property destroyed; unquantifiable num-

at the end of the program. For me, as a

bers of people became refugees.

somewhat sheltered suburban young

What I fear for Egypt now is the next

woman, it was an innovative and chal-

Managing Editor Linda Schmidt

phase. Will the “transitional” govern-

Design and Art Direction Nancy Siller Wilson

ment become a military government

Now that I’m retired, I volunteer with

and destroy the country as in Ethiopia?

three nonprofits here on our little island

Will it be a civilian government ready for

in Puget Sound, and I think that what I

another corruption? Let us keep positive

learned in that summer internship pro-

and pray for the future to get better.

—Abonesh Tamrat ’77 Piedmont, California

gram has stayed with me for my entire

Contributing Writers Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92 Kelsey Lindquist ’10 Susan McCarthy Editorial Assistance Allison Marin ’12 The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California, and at additional mailing office(s). Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

lenging experience.

life. I hope the 2011 interns enjoy an equally inspiring experience and I salute President Holmgren for rejuvenating a

If you check the archives —it was so long

ago—you will find that while the “excit-

valuable learning program.

—Jane Hartstone Stone ’66 Bainbridge Island, Washington

ing new summer internships” initiated by President Holmgren will provide “signifi-

Those of us who were music majors in

cant learning opportunities” and will be

the 1940s and later had the rare oppor-

“collaborative with the city of Oakland,”

tunity to study with one of the world’s

they will not be “new.”

outstanding composers of his era: Darius

During the summer of 1965, I was

Milhaud.

Copyright © 2011, Mills College

part of a similar collaborative intern-

The Class of 1945 at their 50th

Address correspondence to the Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity or length.

ship program between Mills and the

Reunion established an endowed fund

city of Oakland. Twelve of us (if my

to help underwrite annual performances

memory serves correctly) were chosen

of Milhaud’s music. Subsequently, the

to be “immersed” in various political

Darius Milhaud Performance Endowment

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312

and human services agencies. I worked

Supplement was established to make sure

at the city’s Volunteer Bureau and my

that such performances continue at Mills

roommate from Orchard Meadow, Adrien

in perpetuity. I hope that alumnae will

“Dusty” Waller (now Helm), worked in

consider supporting the supplement to

the mayor’s office. We met regularly with

help keep alive the music by this com-

other interns and our Mills advisor to

poser who made our education so special.

Printed on recycled paper containing 10 percent post-consumer waste.

share our experiences and observations and produced a comprehensive report

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M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

—Mary Ausplund Tooze ’44 Portland, Oregon

Have a comment or opinion? Write to us at Mills Quarterly, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613 or quarterly@mills.edu. Letters may be edited for clarity or length.

Mills Matters Multimillion dollar grant will help prepare women for science leadership Mills College has received a $2.5 million

the natural sciences at the College, as

grant from The Joseph and Vera Long

well as attract talented faculty members

Foundation to renovate the Biology

who are dedicated to training the next

Department research laboratories,

generation of our nation’s scientists.”

providing the type of research experi-

With interest in the biological sciences

ence that is essential to keeping the

projected to increase, there is a grow-

College and its students on the cutting

ing need for science courses on campus.

edge of scientific technologies in the

Currently, students in biology-related

21st century.

programs represent about 20 percent of

The renovation, which will more than

all undergraduates, making biology one

double the amount of usable research

of the top five academic programs at

space, will also help Mills attract and

the College. During the next academic

retain prominent faculty. The renovated

year, Mills anticipates having the largest

labs will also provide students with

number of biology students it has had in

greater opportunities to study the

25 years.

sciences and prepare them to become

In addition, the department supports the

leaders in the scientific community.

successful post-baccalaureate pre-medical

The gift was made in honor of Janet L.

program and the Nursing Program.

Holmgren on the conclusion of her tenure as president of the College.

“At Mills College, where 42 percent of the undergraduate female student

capacity; and

The underutilization of women’s tal-

body identify themselves as women of

ents in science, technology, engineering,

color and an additional 12 percent say

will include an enhanced backup power

and mathematics has been well docu-

they are multiracial,” says Greer, “we are

supply, environmental control system

mented in studies by the National Science

committed to educating women from

upgrades, and fume hoods, among

Foundation. More recently, the White

underrepresented groups, particularly in

House Office of Science and Technology

the sciences.”

Policy hosted a symposium noting the

The generous gift from The Joseph

• improving research equipment, which

other equipment enhancements.

Located within the former Life Sciences Building, the Biology Department

“stark disparities for women at every level

and Vera Long Foundation will transform

research facility was built in 1950 and

of the scientific career path pipeline.”

the Biology Department’s 1,570 square

last renovated in 1984. In keeping with

feet of research space by

Mills’ commitment to sustainability and

has maintained an exemplary commit-

• increasing usable research laboratory

historic preservation, the lab retrofit

ment to excellence in women’s educa-

space by 50 percent, increasing the

will be accomplished within the build-

tion—and to the belief that a firm grasp

flexibility of existing space, and updat-

ing’s existing footprint. Construction is

of the scientific method is of utmost

ing infrastructure in the labs and the

expected to begin in August 2012 and

central preparation area;

the labs will be ready for use in fall 2013.

“Throughout our history, Mills College

importance to all liberal arts students,” says Mills College Provost Sandra Greer.

• creating two additional sterile rooms

The project represents one phase of

“With the renovated research labora-

dedicated to research, allowing for

a multi-part Women in Science Initiative

tory space and updated equipment for

new types of research, such as tissue

at Mills, which already has seen the

culture, to be conducted;

completion of the LEED platinum-

the Biology Department, Mills will be better able to retain a growing number of undergraduate women who will study

• reconfiguring the faculty research lab to provide greater flexibility and

certified Betty Irene Moore Natural Sciences Building.

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Donors enjoy an afternoon in Sonoma Valley Diane Johnson Mayo ’56 welcomed 50 members of the Cyrus and Susan Mills Society to the Mayo Family Winery in Glen Ellen, California, for a summer wine tasting event on June 11. Diane, her daughter Meredith Mayo, and other winery staff invited guests into a private barrel room to taste six Mayo Family wines paired with savory and sweet appetizers from Sonoma Meritage Catering. Diane and Meredith spoke about each of the wines, and guitarist Charles Lloyd, MFA ’12, provided musical accompaniment for the afternoon.

Donors who contribute $1,500 or more to Mills in one year are invited to join the Cyrus and Susan Mills Society (CSMS). CSMS members are invited to social and educational events, and receive other special benefits. Join them! Call 510.430.2366

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or email mcaf@mills.edu.

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1. Event host Diane Johnson Mayo ’56

5. Carol Ivanoff ’95 with Thomasina Woida ’80

8. Leone La Duke Evans, MA ’45

2. Amy Millar ’68, Kay Lamer ’68, and Lynda Campfield ’00, MA ’02

6. Barbara Evans ’63 with Cynthia Brandt Stover, Mills College vice president for institutional advancement

9. Jamey Coopman Francis ’60 and Barbara Parsons Sheldon ’56

3. Charles Lloyd, MFA ’12 4. Diane Mayo with Alumna Trustee Diana Birtwistle Odermatt ’60 and her husband, Robert 4

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

7. Michelle Balovich ’03

10. Erica Brevet-Stott ’76 and her mother, Rita Weber Brevet ’51

New Trustees begin terms Irene Panagopoulos ’85, managing

boards of the Museum of the African

accepted four new members on July 1.

director of Magna Marine, a shipping

Diaspora, San Francisco Opera, Grace

These Trustees, who will serve three-

company in Athens, Greece (third

Cathedral, The Urban School, California

year terms, bring extraordinary

photo above). A studio art major at

Arts Advocates, and Cathedral School

knowledge of governance, dedication

Mills, after graduation she worked in

for Boys. She has also served as a grant

to community service, and breadth

graphic arts, marketing, and manage-

panelist for the National Endowment

of academic expertise to their roles

ment for a ferry company and Royal

for the Arts.

in guiding the College to a strong and

Cruise Line. She has been a civic leader

viable future. In addition to Diana

in the city of Vouliagmeni, serving as

was elected in 2010 but deferred her

Birtwistle Odermatt ’60, who will serve

vice mayor, a three-term city council

appointment, is chief executive officer

as Alumna Trustee until 2014 (see

member, chair of public works for the

of the San Francisco Foundation and

page 7), Mills’ new Trustees are:

Olympic Games, and president of the

assistant clinical professor at UCSF

board of education. She previously

School of Medicine. She previously

ogy at New York University and

served as a Mills College Trustee from

was director of public health for the

Chancellor’s Professor at the University

1988 to 1992.

City and County of San Francisco

The Mills College Board of Trustees

Troy Duster, a professor of sociol-

of California, Berkeley (pictured above

Lawyer, writer, arts administrator, and

Sandra Hernandez (not pictured), who

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and has served on national commis-

left). He is a past president of the

advocate Alma Robinson (above right).

sions on philanthropy, the healthcare

American Sociological Association and

A graduate of Middlebury College

industry, and other public health top-

has chaired the board of directors of

and Stanford Law School, Robinson is

ics. Hernandez was named Hispanic

the Association of American Colleges

executive director of California Lawyers

Business Magazine’s 2008 Woman of

and Universities. Duster has particular

for the Arts and has held academic

the Year and has been a board member

academic interest in studying the social

positions at Stanford and San Francisco

of Blue Shield of California and Lucile

and political implications of develop-

State University. She has served on the

Packard Children’s Hospital.

ment in human molecular genetics.

Mei Kwong ’70, an executive career consultant to MBA students at the Business School of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (second photo above). Kwong studied anthropology and sociology at Mills, obtained her MBA degree at Stanford, and worked in marketing and brand management before returning home to Hong Kong in 1981 to help develop the family business, in part by open-

At Mills, for Alumnae Alumnae Relations Alumnae.mills.edu 510.430.2123 alumnae-relations@mills.edu Career Services 510.430.2130

ing trade opportunities with China.

Alumnae Admission Representatives

She has extensive experience in

Joan Jaffe, Associate Dean of Admission 510.430.2135 ..........................joanj@mills.edu

entrepreneurial ventures and inter-

Giving to Mills www.mills.edu/giving 510.430.2366........................... mcaf@mills.edu Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC) 510.430.2110 . ..........................aamc@mills.edu Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92, President ...................................... 510.430.3374 To contact the AAMC, please write to: AAMC, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86, Oakland, CA 94613-1301

national business.

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Calendar Reunion 2011: September 22–25 Register at alumnae.mills.edu/reunion Questions? Please contact 510.430.2123 or alumnae-relations@mills.edu.

Convocation/Installation Ceremony Kick off the academic year and welcome the new president of Mills College, Alecia A. DeCoudreaux, on Friday morning, September 23. Events throughout the weekend provide opportunities for alumnae to meet President DeCoudreaux personally.

Class Luncheon and AAMC Awards Ceremony On Saturday, September 24, the fifth annual AAMC Awards Ceremony will honor Diane Chin ’85 with the Distinguished Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to social justice as a civil rights attorney. Susan Brown Penrod ’71 will receive the Outstanding Volunteer Award and Irina Dang ’08 will receive the Recent Graduate Award.

Alumnae of Color Committee Celebration For 20 years, the Alumnae Association of Mills College’s Alumnae of Color Committee (AOCC) has been dedicated to promoting diversity and social justice throughout the College. Join in celebrating the AOCC at these events: • Saturday, September 24 From MacArthur Boulevard to Main Street: Mills Alumnae of Color in Conversation, a panel discussion.

• Sunday, September 25 Alumnae of Color Morning Program, an hour of music, dance, and poetry presented by students and alumnae, followed by a delicious Barbeque Lunch, with entertainment by saxophonist Sonya Jason ’83 with her jazz group.

Round out the afternoon with the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Alumnae of Color Committee, as the women who started it all share the 20-year history of the committee and their passion for students and alumnae of color.

For information about the Mills Music Now fall concert series, see back cover.

Songlines September 26  Jason Kahn Based in Switzerland, Kahn has been active in composition, installations, percussion, and electronics. He has exhibited his work and performed in museums, galleries, festivals, and clubs throughout Europe, North and South America, and Australia.

October 3  Magda Mayas and Tony Buck Mayas (piano) and Buck (percussion) have performed as a duo for many years.

Developing a vocabulary utilizing many facets of their instruments, they explore textural, fast-moving sound collage.

October 10  Tim Feeney and Vic Rawlings Feeney, a percussionist and electronic improvisor from Ithaca, New York, joins forces with Rawlings, a Boston-based improvisor who has developed an instrument divided between a “prepared” cello and self-assembled analog synthesizer.

All Songlines lecture/performances begin at 7:30 pm in the Music Building Ensemble Room and are free to attend. For details, see musicnow.mills.edu.

On view at the

Mills College Art Museum mcam.mills.edu

Frances Stark: the whole of all the parts as well as the parts of all the parts September 14–December 11, 2011

Coming January 18–March 11, 2012 The museum is open 11:00 am–4:00 pm Tues. through Sun., 11:00 am–7:30 pm Wed., and is closed Monday.

Admission is free.

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Contemporary Writers Series September 13  Cherríe Moraga 7:00 pm, Student Union, free Playwright, poet, and essayist Moraga is co-editor of This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, which won the Before Columbus American Book Award in 1986; her non-fiction writings include Waiting in the Wings: Portrait of a Queer Motherhood. She has been artist-inresidence in the Department of Drama at Stanford University since 1996. This event, co-sponsored with the Ethnic Studies Department and Mujeras Unidas, is part of Latina Heritage Month.

October 4  Rae Armantrout A professor of writing at the University of California at San Diego, Armantrout’s collection Versed received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry, and was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her most recent book of poetry is Money Shot.

October 11  Zenon Fajfer and Katarzyna Bazarnik

Fajfer is a theoretician and a poet. Bazarnik is a senior lecturer in the Institute of English Philology at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. Together, they are two leading names in the field of liberature, which focuses on “the indissoluble bond” between the text and the physical shape of the book.

November 8  Michelle M. Wright

Spaces of Life: The Art of Sonya Rapoport

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Cherríe Moraga

A faculty member in the Department of African American Studies at Northwestern University, Wright teaches courses on blackness and black identity in the US and Europe. Her work emphasizes the fluid, necessarily individualized nature of these identities as formed through the lenses of gender, sexuality, class, and other manifestations of time and space. She has also written extensively on the literature and philosophy of the African Diaspora.

Except for the September 13 event, all events in the Contemporary Writers Series begin at 5:30 pm in the Mills Hall Living Room and are free to attend. For more information, contact syoung@mills.edu or 510.430.3130.

At the Botanic Garden

AAMC leadership welcomes new governors

Fall Plant Sale September 27 and 28, 10:00 am–4:00 pm, Mills College Botanic Garden California natives, drought-tolerant and deer-resistant plants, seasonal edibles, succulents, indoor plants, and more will be available. Cash or check only. All proceeds support the Botanic Garden.

Four new members of the Alumnae Association

Worm Compost Workshop

In addition, a student governor will be selected

of Mills College Board of Governors were announced at the AAMC annual meeting in May. These new members, whose three-year terms began July 1, all bring experiences and skills that enhance the leadership of the 20-member board. to join the board this fall.

October 26, 5:15 pm–6:30 pm, Gaia House, Mills College Botanic Garden, free Learn an easy, compact, indoor method of composting food scraps to create excellent “worm casting” fertilizer. Contact 510.430.2230 or cmcwhort@mills.edu to register before 4:00 pm, October 12.

Limit: 6 participants.

Mills Community Garden Gatherings September 9, 16; October 7, 21, 28; November 4, 11, 18; 10:00 am–1:00 pm Mills College Botanic Garden Show up when you can and learn how to plant, water, harvest, and enjoy healthy, seasonal food, manage pests, and more through short talks and hands-on experience.

Creek Care Days September 17, 9:00 am–12:00 pm October 22, 10:00 am–1:00 pm November 5, 10:00 am–1:00 pm Signs along Leona Creek near Post Road bridge and Oval bridge will guide you to locations where you can enjoy the camaraderie of other volunteers while planting native species to help restore habitat along Leona Creek.

Diana Birtwistle Odermatt ’60 returned to the board to serve as Alumna Trustee until June 2014.

In this position, she will also serve on the Mills College Board of Trustees as a representative of Mills alumnae. Odermatt has served numerous times on the AAMC board, most recently from AAMC President Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92

2006 to 2009 as a board vice president. She has chaired or served on most AAMC committees and brings significant knowledge of the AAMC as well

as creativity and initiative. Odermatt spearheaded the creation of the AAMC Alumnae Awards, which have been awarded annually at Reunion since 2007.

Diane Ketelle ’78, MA ’89, is the new faculty representative. An associate professor in Mills’ School of Education and director of the administrative credential and master’s degree programs, Ketelle leads the AAMC-sponsored alumnae writing group and was on a Fulbright Scholarship in Armenia in 2010. Ketelle’s position as a faculty member allows her to act as a liaison to other Mills professors and will facilitate the expansion of faculty-led programming for alumnae.

Marge Nicholson, MA ’96, joins the board following a 20-year career in Mills’ human resources department, including many years as its director. Nicholson is a member of the 2011 Reunion Planning Committee; during Reunion she will co-lead a tour of the Oakland Museum of California and will present a historical lecture entitled “Mills: Then and Now.” In addition to being a docent at the Oakland Museum, she is the assistant chair of the History Docent Steering Committee and a board member of Montclair Presbyterian Church.

Her experience in leadership positions with other nonprofits will bring new ideas to the board.

Lillian Sahagun ’10 is now pursuing her master’s degree in early childhood education at Mills. As an undergraduate student, Sahagun was honored with a leadership award for her campus involvement as orientation leader, lounge manager, and class treasurer, as well as her participation in several campus groups. As a recent graduate and continuing student, she brings a strong sense of the needs and interests of new alumnae.

I’m looking forward to the many meaningful ways the new and continuing members of the AAMC Board of Governors will find to connect with students, engage alumnae through our programs, and relay the interests and concerns of alumnae to the greater Mills community.

nanc y siller wil son

—Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92 President, Alumnae Association of Mills College

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“It’s as critical now as ever before that we have

vibrant institutions for women.

An education in a women’s college can alter a woman’s life in 8

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

very positive ways.”

President Alecia A. DeCoudreaux

in her own words

By Dawn Cunningham ’85 PHOTOS BY ERIN LUBIN

Alecia DeCoudreaux creates an immediate impression of warmth and elegance. In conversation, she is thoughtful, well spoken, and exhibits a delightful sense of humor. But above all, DeCoudreaux is clearly a woman who has followed her convictions to achieve remarkable success both in the corporate world and in service to her community.

Among her top convictions is a belief in the continuing importance of women’s education in today’s world. A graduate of Wellesley College, she also earned a doctor of laws degree from the Indiana University School of Law at Bloomington and has been a Wellesley trustee since 2002. When she was selected to become the 13th president of Mills College earlier this year, DeCoudreaux put aside her three-decade career at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, where she was vice president and deputy general counsel, to follow her passion into the academic world.

DeCoudreaux took office at Mills on July 1, 2011, and will officially be inaugurated during Convocation on September 23. In the first month of her presidency, we sat down and discussed her views on women’s education, the role of alumnae, diversity, moving into the President’s House on campus, and meeting her new husband.

Dawn Cunningham ’85 is senior director of communications at Mills and was a member of the Presidential Search Committee.

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What appeals to you most about being president of Mills College?

here today. I would never have even allowed my credentials to

I am most passionate about engaging with students at Mills

be considered. I can be very specific about that.

and helping them understand the choices they have in life.

It’s through education that they will be able to achieve these choices.

I’m also looking forward to working with faculty at Mills. I think of them really being the heart and soul of an academic institution. The opportunity to work with a faculty that’s renowned for being innovative and creative is very, very exciting to me.

This opportunity to lead a women’s institution allows me to follow my passion into the academic world—and I think my past has prepared me well for this job, or I wouldn’t have accepted it. That said, I know I have a lot to learn, and I look forward to that learning—one of the things I enjoy more than anything is continuous learning. I’m looking forward to being part of a very dynamic intellectual community, and that includes the alumnae body.

How do you make the transition from your work as a vice president at Eli Lilly to being president of Mills College? What corporate skills are most valuable in the position as president here?

Well, human nature is human nature. Organizations are made up of human beings. Most of my experiences within the corporate world relate to working with others, leading others through challenges, helping others to work to their optimal levels. Those are the kinds of things that I think you do in any environment.

I think it helps that I’ve also had a fair amount of experience with other educational institutions. In addition to the work I’ve done with Wellesley, I also served on the Board of Visitors for the Indiana University School of Law. So I have a good sense of how an academic community works differently than a corporate community.

“I just want to meet and get to know

What are the first steps you are taking in your presidency?

as many students as I can.

I’m meeting with as many people

I’m very interested in helping them to learn, and quite frankly, in learning from them.”

within the Mills community as possible, and listening intently to what I’m hearing. I’ve read a lot about Mills, and I’ve got a lot of facts and figures, but Mills has its own unique culture

You’ve had years of involvement in women’s education as a

and history, and I want to spend my time learning that culture

student and alumna of Wellesley College, a director of the

and helping Mills to be the very best Mills College that it can be.

Wellesley College Alumnae Association, and a chair and member

In July I attended a seminar for new presidents at Harvard’s

of Wellesley’s board of trustees. What are the most valuable

Graduate School of Education. The seminar was extraordinary

lessons you have learned about women’s education?

in terms of helping you to think through what you need to do,

I can say easily that it’s as critical now as ever before that we

and it also introduced me to a national network of presidents. In

have vibrant institutions for women. An education in a women’s

addition, I’ve been welcomed into my role by a number of estab-

college can alter a woman’s life in very positive ways, starting

lished college presidents—including a few who, like me, have

with the fact that once you enter into a women’s college, the

come from non-traditional backgrounds—and they have offered

expectation of every single person in that institution is that you will succeed. You are encouraged to explore and to learn and to make mistakes. You have around you lots of role models and examples of strong women who have been successful in a variety of fields. I realize that going to a women’s college is not for

their knowledge and support.

I’m also very excited about the opportunity to really get to know the class of Mills students that is entering at the same time as I am. I feel like this will be “my” class, so to speak. It’s a blue class, and blue’s my favorite color.

every woman. But for certain women and for many women, it’s a

You’ve been meeting with many leaders on campus. What can you

unique and critical experience.

tell us about working with Kathi Burke, chair of the Mills College Board of Trustees?

Do you foresee any significant changes in Mills’ mission as a

Kathi Burke was a member of the Presidential Search Committee,

liberal arts college for women with graduate programs for women

and as I was talking to the committee, I noticed Kathi nodding at

and men?

things that I’m really passionate about. We’re also both lawyers

If you’re asking whether I foresee any changes in Mills as a wom-

by training and love to read mysteries, so I thought, surely she

en’s college, the answer is absolutely not. As I was being consid-

and I would work well together. As I’ve come to know her, I think

ered for the presidency, my first question was, what’s the board

she’s an extraordinary person. I have an enormous amount of

thinking about Mills as a women’s institution? And had the

respect for the work she has done in the last two years as board

answer been anything other than a reaffirmation of the board’s

chair. She’s giving of herself for an institution that she’s clearly

commitment to Mills as a women’s college, I would not be sitting

come to love and care deeply about.

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M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92, president of the Alumnae Association

I think about alumnae in that way—sustaining themselves,

of Mills College, was also a member of the Presidential Search

sustaining each other, and sustaining the college. Alumnae are a

Committee. Have you had a chance to get to know her more?

great bridge from the past to the present to the future; they pro-

I have had dinner with Linda and we’ve talked several times, and

vide an essential sense of continuity. I’m very excited about all the

she’s another person who clearly demonstrates her commitment

possibilities to engage alumnae in thinking about how, together,

to Mills, not only with her time but also with her enthusiasm. To

we can ensure the success and the future viability of Mills.

me, that deep-seated commitment makes working with someone so much fun. She will be a really good partner in getting me up to speed on what’s going on in the alumnae community and giving me the opportunity to meet alumnae.

How do you plan to build that sense of engagement?

Well, there’s nothing like meeting people face to face as often as possible. So my number one choice is to spend as much time as I can meeting alumnae personally. You know, when people talk

Speaking of alumnae, what role do you see them playing in the

about communication, they usually think about sending mes-

life of a woman’s college?

sages out; I also think about receiving messages. I’d like for com-

Well, quite honestly, I don’t separate the two. My own life, for

munication with alumnae to be as two-way as possible. That’s

example, is deeply intertwined with the life of my college. Now

best done in person, but that’s not the only way. I also think that

that’s in part because I chaired the board at Wellesley, but my

it’s important to use other media that are available for connect-

dearest friends are friends from college. Those connections are

ing and communicating—again, going both ways, with informa-

some of the most sustaining relationships I have.

tion both coming in and going out.

You’ve contributed thousands of hours of volunteer work not only to your alma mater, but to many community organizations. How do you make time to volunteer so extensively? And what motivates you to do so?

“I’d like for communication with alumnae to be as two-way as possible.”

I wouldn’t be sitting here today were it not for many, many people within my family and beyond who in some way have reached out and helped me. And it starts with my grandmother.

When my grandmother baked bread, she made many loaves— some were for us and some were for others who might not otherwise have bread. That’s the way it always was. Even as a child, as a Brownie or Girl Scout or as a member of the Catholic Youth Organization, I began to recognize that there were lots of people volunteering to help me have the experiences that I had. It’s just very clear that we’re all in this world together and we have an obligation to help one another, so it’s something that I just wanted to do.

In terms of making the time, it’s important to note that I didn’t do a thousand hours in just one year. But I’m very organized, I have a systematic approach, and I set goals. I also thoroughly enjoy all of the volunteer work that I do, so it doesn’t seem like work—it is just what I want to do and it is fun.

How do you envision your relationship to Mills students?

I want to meet and get to know as many students as I can. I’ve already enjoyed my first interactions with students. I’m very interested in helping them to learn, and quite frankly, in learning from them. I appreciate every opportunity I have to understand how young people view the present and their role in the future, to understand what they are thinking, what excites them, and what their issues are. And I think the best way for me to stay young is to spend time actively engaging with students!

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11

You recently received a lifetime achievement award from the

You were an advocate for increasing diversity at Eli Lilly.

organization College Mentors for Kids. Who have you mentored

What does diversity mean to you?

and how have you built relationships with them?

It’s been interesting to me to see how views about diversity have

I have mentored some students, primarily law students. I’ve also

changed over the course of my career. There was a time when

mentored the daughters—and a few sons, but mostly daughters—

people talked about diversity in the context of race and gender,

of a few of my colleagues at Lilly. But most of my mentoring has

and it was very, very limited. To me, the value of diversity is

really been with the younger associates at Lilly. And then I do have

much broader than that. I think that if we are truly going to

a few nieces and nephews who don’t come seeking me, as others

build on the strengths of one another, we have to value diversity

might do, but I make sure they at least have the—I would say—

of all types, whether that’s your sexual orientation, your reli-

the benefit of my thinking. They might phrase it a little differently!

gious background, your age or race or gender, or the way in

But I think a mentoring relationship has to be based on mutual

which you think. We really need to take advantage of the rich-

respect and trust, and that’s not something that happens overnight. It’s very important for me as well as for a potential mentee to be certain that this is a relationship we both want to be in.

ness of diversity as broadly as possible.

What issues should Mills address to become more wholly diverse?

To be honest, I don’t yet have an answer to your question. I look at the student body at Mills, I look at the faculty, and I see that there is a very diverse population. What I don’t know right now is how the value of diversity is demonstrated or if there are issues on campus as a result of that diversity. I note that there are lots of different student groups, but I don’t know how those groups interact with one another. From my own previous experiences, I recognize that you can’t always fully appreciate the value of the diversity if you have different groups off in their own corners and not interacting with one another and building on each other’s perspectives.

You were recently married; can you tell us about your husband and how you met?

I met him three years ago when my mother, my niece Ana Alecia (she’s named after me and is about as close to a daughter as I could possibly have), a dear friend, and I decided to go to the Cape Verde Islands, which is where my mother’s family originated. My grandparents came from the island of Brava, which is the smallest and most remote of the islands. It’s very difficult to get there—it’s quite a journey! But we had read about a place called Pensao Sol na Baia that was right on the ocean. Once we arrived, we found ourselves in this lovely place filled with beautiful art and, as we looked at all of the paintings, we saw the same name on every one—José Andrade, who ran the pensao.

We just couldn’t wait to get to know this person. He was so busy with a full house of guests, but one day we practically forced him to come sit and talk to us. By the end of that four-hour conversation, I promised that I would host an art exhibit for him.

(And I did, a year later in Indianapolis.)

José and I became friends, and the friendship grew and developed. My family went back to Brava last September, and that’s when José and I noticed that there was a little more to the relationship. And, as you know, we were married in March.

Family ties: President DeCoudreaux with her mother and aunt; on vacation with her niece, Ana Alecia, and her husband, José. “I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the many, many people within my family and beyond who in some way have reached out and helped me,” says DeCoudreaux.

And you honeymooned in Africa?

Well, we went with my niece, so we’ve had these jokes about the “honeymoon for three”! But let me be a little bit more clear: My niece and I had been planning this trip in celebration of her 30th birthday and, in September, we started thinking about José as a part of the trip as well. And then, of course, we got married, so it became

12

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

“If we are truly going to build on the strengths of one another, we have

to value diversity of all types.”

the honeymoon/birthday celebration and quite an adventure for

Are there other activities, besides cooking, that bring you

the three of us. Ana and I were speaking to each other in English,

great joy?

Ana and José were speaking Portuguese, and José and I were

I thoroughly enjoy walking for exercise and exploring new

speaking French. The conversations were very interesting and

places on foot. And I have such a poor sense of direction, I

exciting, filled with lots of hand gestures and explanations. But

often find myself in unfamiliar places. You know, some pieces

we had a fabulous time, exploring Mozambique and Zanzibar,

of furniture and other things that I have in my house have

and then Cape Town and the winelands of South Africa.

come from my getting lost in neighborhoods and stumbling

We understand you have moved into the President’s House on campus.

into antique stores or other places. Whenever I get lost, I usually find something wonderful.

Oh yes. I wanted to get as settled in the house as quickly as I

What challenges do you see in your role as president in the

could, because I wanted to open it up and have as many people

years ahead?

over as possible. I love to entertain and I love to cook. So I’d like

Many of the challenges that I will face are those faced by other

for the President’s House to be a house for the College and for as

college presidents, especially those who are leading liberal arts

many people as possible to come and enjoy it.

institutions. There are difficult challenges to the liberal arts

And your mom, Viola, will be joining you for part of the year?

As a matter of fact, she’s here with me now. She usually just spends the winter with me, but came early to help me unpack and move into the President’s House. My mother’s an avid gar-

these days, as there are to women’s colleges. And of course the general economic picture presents a challenge to all institutions, including Mills. We’ll have to look very closely at how best to sustain Mills well into the future.

dener at her home in Cape Cod, and she’s thrilled with all the

What are your main thoughts and hopes about the College as you

new varieties of plants she’s seeing here in the Bay Area.

take on the role as president?

Where did you grow up?

I was born and brought up in Chicago and had the good fortune to spend my summers in Cape Cod, which is where my mother was born. In many respects, I had the best of both worlds: I had the city life during the school year and the beach life during the summer months.

Mills is an innovator and a leader in advancing women, in educating women, and in helping women to recognize and develop their leadership skills. As I think about the roles that women have played in the world—and, most importantly, the roles that women can play—given the challenges that we have today, we need as many strong, well-educated women leaders as possible.

The rapid changes in the business world, in technology, and

How do you like living in the Bay Area?

in science are altering what we do every day, and how we do

I’ve lived twice in the Bay Area. The first time was from 1978 to

it. We need women who are prepared in those fields to help us

1980, when I was an attorney with Pillsbury Madison & Sutro. I

not only to accelerate the pace of change but to make sure that

left to join Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, but felt very fortunate when

we’re changing in the ways that are best for our society. Mills

Lilly sent me back to California in 1987, and I stayed for three

offers the kind of education that will help women provide that

years. I absolutely love the Bay Area. I have a brother who lives

leadership, and I envision Mills being even stronger in the future

here, a number of cousins, and some dear friends.

than it is today.

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13

2011

Commencement

Excited master’s of public policy candidates enjoy their big day together.

A graduate shows the camera her “I can’t believe this is really happening!” face.

Bright balloons liven up the festivities for Lizeth Chavez-Izazaga.

14

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

It’s a two-thumbs-up day for Isis Blanchette.

photos by s te v e babul jak

W

arm smiles dispelled the chill of an unseasonably cool morning as more than 600 undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2011 crossed the outdoor stage at Mills on May 14. As each one marked the transition from college student to alumna, however, the sense of jubilation was clearly balanced by a sense of responsibility. Speakers representing several generations of Mills women related how battles for social justice, equality, freedom, and opportunity transcend the years and cross the borders of all countries.

“Education has to be a means to empower each and every one of you. Use your education for peaceful and

better worlds ahead of us,” said Janet L. Holmgren as she presided over the final Commencement ceremony of her 20-year tenure as president. Indeed, as these graduates left campus armed with the power of knowledge and optimism for the future, it seemed sure that each one, in her own way, will make our world a better place.

Graduate speaker Sahar Shirazi Shirazi, who earned her MA in public

across the world to arrive in an unknown

policy, emigrated to the US from Iran in

place, facing racism and ignorance in her

1985. She completed her undergradu-

new land. What could become of this

ate degree in English literature at the

young girl? I carry that young girl within

University of California, Berkeley, and this

me. I know that she could never have

fall begins the Presidential Management

predicted this moment.

Fellows program in Washington DC.

“This is a culmination of all my expe-

Senior speaker Jasmine Abele A first-generation college graduate, alumna

riences, but it is much more than that.

of the Summer Academic Workshop, and

It is all the people who have sacrificed,

four-year soccer player at Mills, Abele

struggled, and supported in order to get

graduated with a degree in intermedia arts.

me here. I could not have predicted this

She will continue her education at the Pratt

moment—but they did.

Institute in New York to pursue dual

“Women of Mills, none of us have got-

master’s degrees in science and in art.

ten here on our own. Take a moment and

“We have learned so much at Mills,

think of all the people who have helped

much more than academics. Mills taught

you achieve today. We have been given

us about social justice and the politics of

a gift: the gift of education and of power.

privilege. We’ve learned to make respon-

“Imagine a young girl living in a war-

And as Franklin Roosevelt said, ‘Great

sible individual choices because we know

torn world surrounded by death and fear,

power demands great responsibility.’ Let’s

they impact the world. We were told—and

under constant threat of foreign bombs

use our power to fulfill our great respon-

now understand—that we are the future

and domestic tyranny… who flew alone

sibility to others.”

leaders of this country.”

Mikal Hemingway and Tabatha Hovestadt are all smiles.

Katie Cage, Darcy Caba, and Dorothy Lee Inspiring speeches brings smiles

Lawrence share a laugh before lining up

to the crowd.

to march.

special thanks to k el se y lindquis t ’10

Fa l l 2 0 1 1

15

Honorary degrees Kathi Burke, chair of the Mills College Board of Trustees, presented Janet L. Holmgren with an honorary doctor of humane letters for “inspiring generations of women and men to create a just and equitable society.”

In addition, Burke announced that the Holmgren Presidential Scholarship will provide scholarships in perpetuity for four undergraduate and two graduate students and that Toyon Meadow has been renamed the Janet L. Holmgren

Highest honors: Beate Sirota Gordon ’43; President Janet L. Holmgren (top row); May Ohmura Watanabe; presentation of the senior class gift (bottom row).

Meadow in honor of her leadership.

“It’s official now, I am a Mills woman!”

Holmgren said after accepting the degree.

Senior class gift

“I am thrilled to think that a scholarship

Senior class officers Alexandria Magallan,

Keynote speaker Beate Sirota Gordon ’43

in my name will be used for generations

Jessica Vazquez, Gloria Huerta, and

Born in Vienna and raised in Japan, where

of Mills women going forward. It could

Jessica Aleman presented a check for more

she became fluent in Japanese language

not be a more important aspect of my life

than $8,000 to fund a scholarship for an

and culture, Gordon entered Mills in 1939.

and legacy.”

undocumented student at Mills.

When World War II erupted, her knowl-

“Our gift will further help promote social

edge made her a valuable recruit as a

President Holmgren presented an honorary

justice within the Mills community. By

government translator. She joined General

baccalaureate and the gift of a Pearl M to

a vast majority, the senior class voted to

MacArthur’s staff in Tokyo in 1945 and

May Ohmura Watanabe, who began her

become part of the struggle in the daily

soon found herself on a team charged with

studies at Mills College in 1940. Watanabe

lives of undocumented students. As Mills

writing a new democratic constitution for

was forced to leave in her sophomore

graduating students and future alumnae,

Japan. Gordon lives in New York and lec-

year when the US government began to

we understand the financial hardships

tures frequently.

intern Japanese American citizens during

one can encounter and felt the respon-

World War II. In 1944, she left California

sibility to alleviate a less privileged indi-

and enrolled at Syracuse University.

vidual’s financial struggles.”

Watanabe completed graduate study in

profoundly influenced my life’s work.

University of Pittsburgh.

“When I presented my draft [of the

“I remember so clearly that numb feel-

clause on women’s rights] to the steer-

ing when I returned from the chapel that

ing committee, the chairman, Colonel

Sunday morning and heard the incredible

Charles Kades, said, ‘Beate, you have

fearful news on the radio,” said Watanabe.

given more rights to the Japanese women

“From that time, the course of my life was

than are in the US Constitution.’ I said,

changed. My family’s experience of being

‘Colonel Kades, that is not difficult to do,

abruptly uprooted and imprisoned without cause was shared by 120,000 others

For some grads, the day brought

of Japanese ancestry. American citizen-

its share of emotional moments.

action.

“I am very moved by this honor bestowed on me but, more important, I feel that it is a great day for Mills College because it is addressing an injustice. I am so very fortunate and I am so grateful.”

pus about social and economic issues, and dedicated to the advancement of women,

a long career with Semester at Sea and the

a tragic, unjust, and unconstitutional

professors, the speeches I heard on camthe exposure I had to men and women

nursing at Case Western Reserve and had

ship suddenly had no meaning. It was

“The education I received at Mills from my

since in the US Constitution the word “woman” isn’t even mentioned!’ My draft nevertheless revolutionized the status of women in Japan, because it guaranteed women’s civil rights based on the equality of men and women.

“Although at the end of World War II we were convinced that there would never be a war again, the last 65 years proved us wrong.…I hope this will inspire you to create a peaceful world, where all can live in harmony.”

16

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

q 2

3

Bent Twigs 2011 A Bent Twig is a Mills student or alumna whose family tree includes another Mills alumna.

1

4

1 Chloe Yumuri Garcia and her mother, Dorothy Yumi Garcia ’79 2 Nina Wread and her sister-in-law, Jenny Sit ’03 3 Anna Fornaeus and her mother-in-law, Lori Taylor ’89 4 Divinia Anderson and her mother, Drucilla Anderson, both members of the class of 2011

11

5 Nicole Beckerman and her mother, Audree Scheffer De Angeles ’80

5

6 Nicole Vermeer and her cousin Cheryl Espinosa-Jones ’79 7 Kathleen J. Rojas and her mom, Patricia Roberts ’89 8 Kaila Sanford with her grandmother, Helen Drake Muirhead ’58, and parents Walter Sanford, MA ’93, and Ellen McDaniels Sanford ’88 9 Sabra Luqthart with her aunt Anne Barnett ’84 10 Tova Osborne and her mother, Jennifer Osborne ’01

10

9

photos by DANA DAVIS

11 Dana Doughty and her mother, Carol Evans Doughty ’63

6

8

7

Fa l l 2 0 1 1

17

By Susan McCarthy

Julie Nicholson

course focused solely on children’s play,

full of robust physical activity or more

which extensive research has shown to

sedate; it may be done as part of a group

be tremendously important. “Play is chil-

or in solitude. Students also learn that

dren’s natural language for learning,” says

“leisure” isn’t necessarily play—watch-

Nicholson, a visiting assistant professor

ing TV seldom brings the feelings of joy,

of education. She explains that children

freedom, and ease that play brings—but

learn countless things through play, from

truly rewarding play is characterized by a

the nature of the physical world to con-

sense of spontaneity, internal motivation,

cepts such as fairness and risk. “Through

and a sense of agency.

play, children establish and maintain rela-

The most notable finding, however, is

tionships and construct understandings

how empty of play many grown wom-

of the world around them.”

en’s lives are—and how they delight in

Coursework is now augmented by see-

its rediscovery. “Oh, it was wonderful! I

ing how play is expressed in adult lives,

loved it,” says Thao Chung, MA ’12, who

including those of students in the class,

chose to swing on the trapeze when stu-

Nicholson says. “As we talk about chil-

dents were asked to try some new form of

dren’s play, we work on creating connec-

play. “It was amazing! It was more excit-

tions between the women’s reflections on

ing every time I did it,” she says. Another

h en Luz Mayn es ’11 took the

their own experiences to help them have

student tried coloring: at first her dorm

class History and Theories of Play

greater understanding, empathy, and

neighbors teased her, but by semester’s

to complete her BA in child development,

ultimately a deeper and more integrative

end they were joining her.

she didn’t expect that assignments would

understanding of their work in the pro-

include actual play. With blocks, for

fession of early childhood.”

W

Not surprisingly, women report that making time to play brought them joy

example. In class. “I was expecting a the-

Throughout the semester, students

and elevated their moods. But there

ory class with a lot of lectures—what I

refine the definition of what play actu-

are deeper benefits of play: women also

actually got was very different,” she says.

ally is by examining the widely varying

report that participating in playful activi-

The unorthodox curriculum was also cru-

activities that constitute “play” to differ-

ties lowered stress, helped them solve

cially valuable, adds Maynes, who is now

ent people—including themselves. Golf,

problems, and even allowed them to heal

an adviser to childcare centers at the

for example, may be sheer bliss for one

from trauma or loss.

University of New Mexico. “It helped me

person, torment for another. Some people

But women, in particular, face social

see what young children are experiencing.”

find joy in sports or board games. Others

and psychological barriers when it comes

Julie Nicholson first taught this class

might dance, do crafts, or play computer

to play, says Priya Shimpi, assistant pro-

on play six years ago and, at that time, the

games like World of Warcraft. Play can be

fessor of education. Many women don’t

18

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

photos by DANA DAVIS

It’s not necessarily the best idea to “put away childish things.” Play time is beneficial for grown women, too.

Shannon Fisherkeller

give themselves permission to play, often

own lives, she saw what they’d lost. “Play

play into her adult life extremely valuable

because they feel they are too busy or

was being taken away from them. In my

and sets aside time to play with her young

can’t afford their hobbies, or that such

teaching, I saw a parallel between what

grandchildren or “go to a coffee shop or

pursuits are too silly, embarrassing, or

was happening in children’s lives, and

farmer’s market or go look at books.”

self-indulgent. In addition, women often

what I was hearing about adults’ lives,”

The class uses students’ rediscovery

place service to others, whether in their

she says. “Many adults talk about losing

of play as a teaching tool; Nicholson and

family or community, above service to

play in middle childhood. And when they

Shimpi believe that a personal experi-

their own needs.

lost play, a part of their identity was lost.”

ence of play is a prerequisite for effec-

The benefits of play, however, are quite

“If you don’t play when you’re growing

tively advocating for children's play.

clear. “The class was very eye-opening,”

up, it hurts you in so many ways,” says

Students who complete a degree in early

says Robin Hepworth, MA ’12, who plans

Lilly Sahagun ’10, who notes that play was

childhood education go on to work in

to work as a child life specialist in hospi-

disapproved of in her childhood home.

settings from preschools or childcare

tals. “As master’s students, we’re all really

Now working towards her master’s in

facilities to hospitals. “Many of our grad-

stressed. But when you actually find time

early childhood education, Sahagun took

uates are entering environments where

to play, it helps you focus on the other stuff

Nicholson’s class and recognizes the nec-

play is increasingly misunderstood. It

when you come back. That was something

essary function of play for both children

is essential that they gain the skills to

I didn’t really expect to happen.”

and adults. “If you can’t release your feel-

speak articulately about the value of

When Nicholson encouraged students

ings, you grow up holding on to all those

play with a range of stakeholders who

to analyze the history of play in their

stresses,” she says. She has found bringing

may not understand play or may outright denigrate it,” says Nicholson.

“There is a fear that play takes away

Priya Shimpi

Share your story

from learning,” adds Shimpi. “Our gradu-

Intrigued by findings from the History and Theories

communities, schools, and parents.” Some

of Play class, Julie Nicholson, Priya Shimpi, and research assistant and MA candidate Shannon Fisherkeller launched the Women’s Play Project, a research initiative that collects and analyzes women’s reports of play from childhood to the present (www.womenatplay.wordpress.com). This summer they launched the Global Play Memories Project, www.globalplaymemories.org, documenting adults’ memories and children’s experiences with play around the world in an effort to research the diversity of play and to support advocacy efforts for children’s play in our communities today.

ates may face resistance at all levels: by youngsters are so over-scheduled with activities like ballet, violin, and soccer that little time is left for simple play. The pressures of school and homework can have the same effect.

Like many of her students, Shimpi asserts that play has even changed her own life. She has recently learned how to hula-hoop—“It’s made all the difference in how I feel!”

Fa l l 2 0 1 1

19

Bookshelf A passion for making meaning

By Linda Schmidt Judith Rock, MA ’77, heard a calling. And then another, and

very long, and I got to wondering, what could it be like to do

another, and another. Yet as she has followed that calling from

that job?” Rock says. “So I went through a little training and

one vocation to the next—as a religious scholar, dancer, teacher,

found myself walking patrol in the 20th precinct as a member

cop—she has gathered experience and knowledge that find

of the volunteer auxiliary unit. I absolutely loved it. I loved not

expression in her role as author of several immensely entertain-

knowing what was going to happen.” A tenure-track position

ing historical mystery novels set in 17th-century France.

in the dance department then lured her to St. Olaf College in

Rock’s first stop on her circuitous route to crime novelist was as a student of theology. She earned her MDiv from the San

Minnesota, where she again volunteered with the local police and eventually was hired as a part-time officer.

Francisco Theological Seminary, but realized soon enough that

Another vocation, however, soon drew her attention. “While

a different calling was even stronger. “What I wanted to do was

I was at St. Olaf, I got a commission from Luther College in Iowa

dance,” she recalls. “I wanted to dance more than I wanted to

to do a public lecture.” With the directive to “do something dif-

breathe.”

ferent,” Rock delivered Response Time, a one-woman stage show

For Rock, the change wasn’t at all illogical. “What I loved was

asking the question, what happens when a middle-aged female

a passion for making meaning. It seemed, and still seems to me,

artist hits the street as a cop? Recognizing that her heart did not

that both religion and art are ways human beings make mean-

lie in academia, she left teaching, expanded the show, and per-

ing. That’s where my vocation has always lain.”

formed in various small venues for several years.

In her 20s and with no significant dance experience, she

“During a two-week run in a little theater in New York, a

talked her way into the graduate program in dance at Mills. “It

woman came backstage and said, ‘I’m a literary agent. What else

seemed to me the best place to play catch-up as intensely as I

are you writing?’” she recalls. “She became my literary agent

could and to begin to get connected to the dance world,” she

and, without her, the novels would

says. While at Mills, Rock stumbled across an intriguing footnote

never have happened.”

referring to a “ballet ambulatoire” performed in Italy in the early 17th century. One of her private modern dance teachers was



also, coincidentally, a seminal dance historian with deep knowl-

The Rhetoric of Death, the first

edge of that period.

installment in Rock’s Charles du

Before long, Rock was learning the intricate footwork of

Luc series, was released by Berkley

baroque dance (performing in her own custom-sewn costume),

Books in October 2010. The second

leading the Body and Soul Dance Company, and pursuing a doc-

book, The Eloquence of Blood, was

torate in theology and art at GTU, where she restaged a baroque

published on September 6 this year,

ballet for the Jesuit School of Theology. A Jesuit-themed dance

and both have won high praise from

is not as unusual as it may seem, she explains: the order has

reviewers like Publishers Weekly

a long-standing dedication to the

(which gave both books starred

performing arts and values elo-

reviews), mystery readers, dance

quence both of voice and of the

aficionados, and history buffs.

body.

“I was always interested in his-

After Company

the

Body

disbanded

and

Soul

in

1988,

tory,” says Rock, who, after writing

two

contemporary

police

Rock moved to New York to con-

procedurals that remain unpub-

tinue dancing, touring as a solo

lished, began to wonder if she

artist and choreographer around

could make a story out of her ear-

the country. During that time,

lier doctoral research. The long-

she became fascinated with the

ago dance commission from the

women working for the New York

Jesuits had paid for her first trip

Police Department. “Women had

to France and she had made sev-

not been assigned to patrol for

eral subsequent visits, living in a

20

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Cut Through the Bone

By Ethel McDonnell Rohan ’02, MFA ’04 Dark Sky Books, 2010

Jesuit community north of Paris for months at a time. Her studies unearthed intricate details of the dance and much more besides. “I became fascinated with the whole way of being in 17th century,” she says. “The thing that I want to do most in my books is to take people there and be with those people then.”

In her imagination, one of “those people then” became Charles de Luc, a Jesuit teacher of rhetoric and ballet newly assigned to the college of Louis le Grand in Paris—and who almost immediately finds himself investigating the murder of a student. It is July 1686 as The Rhetoric of Death opens; less than a year earlier, Louis XIV had revoked the Edict of Nantes and exposed Protestants throughout France to brutal persecution.

“On the most outward levels, Charles is a young man with all of the energy, passions, and attitude that most young men have. He’s an ex-soldier and has been wounded; he’s good-looking, there are women in his past,” says Rock. “But he becomes more interesting because of the ways he’s more than that. His family is both Protestant and Catholic, and that experience has led to one of his most basic religious convictions: that cruelty in God’s name is blasphemy.”

Rock acknowledges that the religious conflict presents an obvious parallel to modern tensions between the Christian and Muslim worlds. But her dedication to historical accuracy dictates not only her keenly observed details of dress, manners, architecture, and food, but also the morality and motivations of her characters.

“I read a lot of historical novels in which the characters are

With deft precision, Rohan’s 30 very short stories—most only a few pages long—present piercingly intimate sketches of people who have suffered some form of physical or emotional loss, from an aged widow to antagonistic sisters to a young woman relearning her own body following a radical mastectomy.

So much of the beauty in this collection lies perhaps in what is not said: the simple, lyrical prose illuminates a mere moment of what is clearly a much larger story, and the reader is left to ponder and to feel haunted— or inspired.

Plum Gorgeous

By Romney Steele ’02, MFA ’04 Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011

Following the success of her cookbook/ memoir My Nepenthe, Steele delves into a more usual cookbook format with Plum Gorgeous. Bursting with sweet and savory fruit-based recipes, the book’s luscious photography perfectly complements the author’s imaginative dishes, with their unfussy preparations and inventive combinations of color, texture, and flavor. Best of all, Steele encourages readers to use her book as inspiration more than instruction and, though each of these dishes seems worthy of a special occasion, they are accessible even to busy cooks who need weeknight meals in a hurry.

far more feminist, or aware of diversity, or act in some way that just could not happen in the period,” she says. “Avoiding

Making Limonada

that is really important to me. Charles has to be of his time.

He has his feelings and opinions, but he can’t have them for

By Diana Hirsch Cohen ’81 Dona Quijote Press, 2011

21st-century reasons.”

As a young widow with three small chil-

Already under contract for two more volumes, Rock makes

dren, the author found refuge in a tiny

an unusual comparison: “Having been a choreographer, I

Spanish village on the Costa del Sol. After

understand that you have to take your audience from the

remarrying, she returns to that simpler life

point where they begin and, whether it’s through minutes

and, as she learns the history of Spain’s

on the stage or pages in a book, lead them somewhere new.

brutal civil war and equally brutal dicta-

Somewhere they didn’t expect to be.”

torship, discovers that each person must find their own way through tragedy. This

Judith Rock lives in Sarasota, Florida. She will be signing

memoir relays Cohen’s process of mak-

The Eloquence of Blood on September 24, 4:30 pm, at

ing peace with her own history, but shines most brightly in her

Murder by the Book in Houston, Texas. For updates on

depictions of the sights, sounds, and smells of village life and in

additional appearances see judithrock.com.

the lovingly drawn characters that inhabit her small town.

Fa l l 2 0 1 1

21

In Memoriam Notices of death received before June 13, 2011 To submit listings, please contact alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123

Alumnae Sarah “Sally” Land Holland ’27, April 16, in Sunnyvale, California.

Meryle Martin Evers ’33, September 25, 2010, in Los Angeles. Survivors include two daughters.

Margaret Swetnam Raney ’33, May 11, in Mitchellville, Maryland. She was 100 years old. She was involved in several community groups and active in the Episcopal church. She is survived by her daughter Gail Raney Fleischaker ’60, a son, and nine grandchildren.

Catherine Spainhower Anderson ’39, March 22, in Lone Pine, California.

She earned her private pilot’s license and became an officer in the Women’s Air Corps, later working as a teacher and volunteering for many civic organizations. She is survived by her daughter and a grandchild.

Alice Gill Scofield ’39, October 13, 2010, in Lodi, California. Her long career in education included work as a professor of English at San Jose State University. She is survived by a daughter.

Francoise Aron Ulam ’39, April 30, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Paris native, she left Europe at the beginning of World War II and married a scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project. She is survived by a daughter and a granddaughter.

Lois Mitchell Blackmarr ’40, MA ’42, April 26, in Menlo Park, California.

An accomplished pianist and music instructor, she volunteered with the Stanford Music Guild, the Stanford Music Library, and the Palo Alto Area Mills College Club. She and her husband, a violinist, often played duets at local senior centers. She is survived by four children, including Gail Blackmarr ’79, and five grandchildren.

Helga Wolski Dudman ’42, November 24, 2009, in Israel. She was a translator in the Nuremberg Trials, a staff member with the Jerusalem Post for 30 years, and author of a dozen English-language non-fiction books, as well as co-author of the autobiography of Ruth Dayan, Or Did I Dream a Dream?

Marjorie Nicholls Gibson ’42, April 6, in Palo Alto, California. An Oakland resident for 67 years, she was a longtime leader with Children’s Hospital Oakland, serving as a member of the hospital’s board of directors for several years. She was also the only woman among the five original commissioners for the Oakland Museum, where she served from 1963 to 1972. She is survived by two children and four grandchildren.

Elizabeth Fuller ’44, April 29, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She worked as a teacher and travel agent and loved the history and landscape of the Southwest.

Stella Bowne Hoard ’44, April 10, in Grass Valley, California. She traveled widely, circumnavigating the world on cruise ships and visiting every continent. Also an avid reader, she was interested in the arts, film, and birds. She is survived by three children and her cousins Margaret Gerber Cheyne ’56 and Sylvia Gerber Bruce ’58.

Hope Gregory Troyer ’44, March 28, in Honolulu. A music major at Mills, she studied with Darius Milhaud. After returning to her native Hawaii, she was the music librarian at the Honolulu Central Library and was deeply involved in regional music and arts. Survivors include her sister.

30

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Mary Jean Rosenberry Ferris ’45, April 1, in Spokane, Washington. She ran a gift and furniture business with her husband and was a leader in many organizations, including the Spokane Symphony, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and the Junior League of Spokane, where she served as president. She is survived by five children, including Sara Ferris ’74; three grandchildren; and her sister-in-law Ellen Graue Ferris ’46.

Betty Dodson Kuntz ’46, April 23, in Castro Valley. An art history graduate, she danced with the San Francisco Ballet and enjoyed playing the piano and doing artwork. She is survived by her husband, Ted; two children; and five grandchildren.

Helen Rosenfeld Lachman ’46, April 11, in Portland, Oregon. She had a career in newspapers and public relations, following the food and fashion industries. After retiring she became a competitive runner, twice winning national age-group championships in the 5,000-meter event. She is survived by a son, three grandchildren, cousin Jane Kendall ’38, and sister-in-law Elise Feldman Rosenfeld ’47.

Patricia Bassett Pels ’46, May 8, 2010, in Austin, Texas. She was a world traveler, duplicate bridge master, and a supporter of local theater groups. She is survived by her husband, John; four children; and eight grandchildren.

Nancy Bernheim Rogers ’47, April 24, in Belvedere, California. She taught elementary school in San Francisco and was active in many Marin-area charitable organizations. She had a lifelong love of sailing and taught boating to children and young adults, served as a board member of the Belvedere-Tiburon Recreation Department for over 25 years, and earned numerous racing trophies as one of the first women members of the San Francisco Yacht Club, where she was named “Yachtswoman of the Year” in 1984. She is survived by her husband, Harvey; two sons; and two granddaughters.

Denise Higgins Guillemin ’50, January 6, in Rancho Cordova, California.

Patricia George Peterson, MA ’50, March 11, in Ballston Spa, New York. She established the dance department at Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, and organized numerous dance performances, festivals, and classes throughout her region.

We apologize!

Gifts in Memory recognitions were not available for publication in this issue of the Quarterly. All tribute gifts received from March 1 through August 31, 2011 will be reported in the winter issue of the magazine.

For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

nanc y siller wil son

Jane Newhall ’36 Jane Newhall had ties to Mills College well before she was born— her great-grandfather, Henry M. Newhall, was acquainted with Cyrus Mills and contributed to the original construction of the campus’ first building. Jane Newhall called Mills Hall her home when she entered the College in 1932. She passed away July 27 at her family estate on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

A lifelong resident of San Francisco, Newhall was a Mills honors graduate in chemistry and worked in the laboratory of Shell Oil for 10 years, then served as a director of the Newhall Land and Farming Company from 1960 until 2004.

She was an exceptionally generous benefactor of Mills College, serving on the Mills College Board of Trustees and as honorary chair of the Campaign to Save Mills Hall after the iconic building was damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake. She was named a Lifetime Trustee in 1989 and was granted an honorary doctor of humane letters by Mills in 1992. Newhall was also a trustee of the Graduate Theological Union and of the San Francisco Theological Seminary.

As president of the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, her strong support helped establish both the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia, California, and what is now known as the Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley. She will be greatly missed by the Mills community.

Gertrude “Muggy” Feather Anderson ’53, February 9, in Colchester, England. An avid golfer, intrepid traveler, and talented cook, she met her husband while sailing to Europe and lived in England since 1955.

She is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

Meredith Crossley Young ’53, April 11, in Beaverton, Oregon. After growing up in Hawaii, she and her husband ran a small farm in Oregon; she also worked for Tigard Travel for 27 years. She was a member of the Junior League in both Honolulu and Portland, volunteered in her children’s schools and 4-H, and co-chaired both the Catlin Gabel Rummage Sale and the OES Country Fair in the 1970s. She is survived by two daughters and four granddaughters.

Janet Blundell, MA ’55, March 11, in Emeryville, California. She had a career as an artist and teacher in Santa Cruz and in Berkeley. Survivors include four children.

Joan Knuth Houston ’55, February 15, in Capitola, California.

Sally Whitmer Thompson ’56, March 5, in Long Beach, California.

She was an Olympic-level equestrian and taught both Western riding and dressage, and served as a leader in several organizations serving children’s causes. She is survived by her husband, Bill; two children; and four grandchildren.

Carol Smith Roper ’57, February 9, in Foster City, California. She had a 40-year career as a teacher. She is survived by her partner, Don; three children; and seven grandchildren.

Gloria Westphal Bourke ’59, March 29, 2010, in Homewood, California.

Survivors include her cousin Jane Van Rysselberghe Bernasconi ’53.

Reinhold Marxhausen, MFA ’62, April 23, in Seward, Nebraska.

An Army veteran of World War II, he taught art at Concordia College from 1951 until his retirement in 1990. He worked as a photographer, sculptor, and muralist, and was best known for his unusual “sound sculptures” and two mosaic murals that are on display in the Nebraska capitol. He is survived by his wife, Dorris; two sons; and two grandchildren.

Sharon “Joy” Nickals Hale ’63, April 18, in Castro Valley, California.

She was a floral designer for more than 30 years and a talented watercolorist. She is survived by her husband, James; two children; two grandsons; and her cousin Mary Luke ’72.

Sue Shafer Stenstrom ’51, February 20, in Lafayette, California. She was active in school affairs and volunteer work, serving for many years as a member of the Junior League of the East Bay and as a volunteer at Samuel Merritt Hospital in Oakland. She is survived by her husband, Tom; three children; and a granddaughter.

Lee Hoiby, MA ’52, March 28, in New York City. One of the greatest masters of opera and song of our time, his rich catalog of works encompasses operas, oratorios, choral works, concerti, chamber works, song cycles, and more than 100 songs, many of them championed by such singers as Leontyne Price and Marilyn Horne. He recently completed his last opera, a setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

A pianistic child prodigy, he was influenced by numerous strains of the 20th-century avant-garde. His works have been recognized by awards and grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the Ford Foundation, the Fulbright Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He is survived by his partner and longtime collaborator, Mark Shulgasser.

Sari Herzig Millard ’88, May 22, in Corvallis, Oregon. She was an educator in Fremont, California, for 17 years and enjoyed hiking, biking, entertaining, dance, and travel. She was also a creative writer, poet, and painter. Survivors include her husband, Larry; daughter, Jana Rogers-Pastena ’07; a son; and three grandchildren.

Spouses and Family Douglas Doughty, husband of Carol Evans Doughty ’63, February 11, in Florence, Oregon.

Riccardo Falchini, husband of Helene Donker Falchini ’64, November 25, 2010, in Florence, Italy.

Edwin O. Wheeler, husband of Ruth Siren Wheeler ’43, February 15, in Lexington, Massachusetts.

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Sound off!

Alecia A. DeCoudreaux, who became president of Mills College on July 1, has made it a priority to meet alumnae and to hear their experiences and opinions. In advance of her Inauguration, we asked alumnae:

What information, advice, or hopes for Mills’ future would you like to share with President DeCoudreaux?

I am a member of the Class of 1952—the centennial class.

My daughter Sarah was in the class of 1990. I was on the front line during the rebellion of 1990. My granddaughter may be entering Mills in the fall of 2014. I am thrilled by what I have seen and read about Alecia DeCoudreaux, and am delighted by the thought that my granddaughter may be aboard a ship that she is steering—it should be a very interesting ride! But then, Mills always does a fantastic job of being very traditional and also on the cutting edge at the same time, a great balancing act!

—Marie Muirhead Escher ’52

I want Mills to preserve its lovely

I hope Mills will continue as a wonder-

I hope that President DeCoudreaux will

wooded campus with resident students

ful institution of higher learning for

keep the needs and desires of students

(and not convert the grounds to park-

undergraduate and graduate women and

foremost in her mind. It is also my hope

ing for commuters). I want the college

that it will keep the academic integrity

that she try to maintain a close friendship

to maintain its undergraduate liberal

that I was fortunate enough to experi-

with current and former students, with

arts focus and to continue to strive for

ence throughout my college career. I

as much transparency about decisions

excellence in all areas: the fine and per-

hope Mills stays true to its commitment

being made as is humanly possible.

forming arts, athletics, and especially

to increase and maintain a diverse stu-

academics.

dent and faculty population through —Laura Buhl ’97

I so hope that President DeCoudreaux can help bring a feeling of sincere con-

—Rosalie McGie ’06

the curriculum offered, admission goals,

I hope that Mills will stop trying to be a

and vital programs such as the Summer

vocational school and return to its liberal

Academic Workshop (SAW).

arts roots.

—Monique C. Parker ’04, MBA ’06

—Louise Levis Weiss ’52

nectedness and shared vision between the various Mills populations—faculty,

I hope that the spirit of academic and

I hope that Mills remains a women’s

administration, students, and alumnae.

artistic cooperation will continue to

college with a strong focus on educat-

—Jackie Gamble ’00

thrive. I did not realize how unique the

ing women for leadership, and that the

atmosphere was at Mills, but I did not

Alumnae Association of Mills College

find that spirit in any of the other colleges

remains a significant contributor to the

in which I taught. (An assessment shared

process of defining and shaping the

by alumnae I met who said they didn’t

future of Mills. The AAMC played a criti-

appreciate Mills until they left.)

cal role in moving Mills’ board to retain

This fall, President DeCoudreaux will answer questions directly from alumnae with an “Ask Alecia” feature in the @mills email newsletter. If you do not already receive @mills, sign up by sending your email address to alumnae-relations@mills.edu along with your full name, any previous name, and class year. Write “@mills” in the subject line.

32

M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

—Mariana Bauman, MA ’72

the status of the College as a womenonly undergraduate college; it also plays an important role in involving younger graduates to become and remain active in the College over their lifetimes.

—Nancy Sirmay Banker ’67

illus tr ation by y uri k uzmin/is tock .com

Alumnae tr avel 2012

See the AAMC travel website at aamc.mills.edu for dates, prices, and full itineraries as they become available. For reservations or additional information, call the Alumnae Association of Mills College at 510.430.2110 or email aamc@mills.edu.

Peru

Discover Switzerland

January 19–27, 2012 From the misty, magical hush of Machu Pichu to the ancient city of Cuzco, from the colonial flair of Lima to the Incan temples of the Sacred Valley, discover the diversity of the ancient and modern cultures that have shaped this extraordinary country.

9 days, $3,095 plus airfare and VAT if booked by September 27, 2011

July 19–August 2, 2012 This trip is a wonderful introduction to many quaint and scenic towns. From your base at the first-class Alpin Sherpa Hotel in Meiringen, travel by cable car to Magisalp and its magnificent views, visit the mountain village of Kandersteg, and make other excursions to Interlaken, Berne, and Lucerne.

16 days, $3,695 plus airfare and VAT if booked by April 3, 2012

Tahiti and French Polynesia February 23–March 4, 2012 Enjoy nine nights in Tahiti and French Polynesia, including a week aboard the small ship M.S. Paul Gauguin where an onboard naturalist guides your learning about the islands’ history and heritage.

11 days, $4,995 including airfare from Los Angeles

Waterways and canals of Holland and Belgium April 18–25, 2012 Experience beauty, history, and culture aboard the MS Amadeus Diamond. The highlight of this trip will be a visit to the Floriade, a horticultural event that is presented once every 10 years.

Antwerp, Bruges, Delft, and The Hague will also be part of the itinerary.

9 days, $2,495 plus airfare and VAT if booked by October 18, 2011

Sketches of Spain May 18–27, 2012 Journey to Pamplona, famous for the running of the bulls, and meander along the winding streets of San Sebastián’s Old Town. Experience the cutting-edge Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the magnificent cathedral in Burgos, and the whimsical architecture of Barcelona. Vibrant Madrid and historic Toledo round out this exciting itinerary.

11 days, $3,495 plus airfare and VAT if booked

by January 10, 2012

Discovery Retreats Colorado June 3–8, 2012 This unique learning adventure is infused with a love for the West.

Stay at the breathtaking Gateway Canyons Resort which was established by Hendricks and infused with his spirit and love for the West.

Where else will you find dinosaur paths, ancient pueblos, uranium mines, and hideouts of notorious outlaws like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? 6 days; costs are still under development

Cruising the Black Sea: A bridge of two continents September 9–17, 2012 Join us for a seven-night cruise aboard the six-star, all-suite MV Silver Wind during the best season of the year to visit Istanbul, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. Choose among attractively priced shore excursions to such destinations as the 6th-century BC Bulgarian town of Nessebur; Ukraine’s Livadia Palace, Khan’s Palace, Odessa Opera Theater, and Potemkin Steps; and the Romanian port city of Constanta.

8 days, $4,595 including airfare from select gateways

Italy’s magnificent Lake District September 19–26, 2012 Discover the beauty and magic of Italy’s Lake District, a region where Italy kisses Switzerland.

Visit unique and charming towns, majestic Renaissance villas, and lush gardens. Witness the baroque splendor of the Borromean Islands, and see the 18th- and 19th-century villas of Bellagio, built by the town’s noble families. Visit the cosmopolitan city of Milan, the cultural and economic hub of Italy.

9 days, $2,895 plus airfare and VAT if booked by May 8, 2012

Paris and the villages and vineyards of France September 21–30, 2012 Discover the bucolic countryside, picturesque vineyards and charming towns of Champagne and Burgundy. Begin your exploration in Reims, once the coronation site of French kings, and your gateway to the idyllic landscape and renowned champagne houses in the area. Visit the towns of Dijon and Beaune, and travel the legendary Route des Grands Crus. Conclude with three nights in Paris, the City of Light, and discover the highlights of this cosmopolitan capital.

11 days, $4,495 plus airfare and VAT if booked

by May 15, 2012 Fa l l 2 0 1 1

33

Mills Quarterly Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland, CA 94613-1301 510.430.3312 quarterly@mills.edu www.mills.edu Address service requested Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, CA, and at additional mailing office(s)

2011 Fall Concert Series Saturday, September 10

Ikue Mori, David Tudor Composer-in-Residence Laptop improvisations and multimedia compositions

A tradition of experimental music

Ikue Mori

Friday, September 23

Heaven and Earth: Songs by Darius Milhaud and Olivier Messiaen The Darius Milhaud Concert, part of Reunion 2011

Friday, October 7

Improvisation: Myra Melford, Nicole Mitchell, and Tomeka Reid Spontaneous compositions for piano, flute, and cello

Saturday, November 5

Mills Performing Group: Hocket!

Music by Ramon Santos, Pauline Oliveros, Danongan Kalenduyan, and Chris Brown, featuring the Mills Percussion Group

Sunday, November 13, 4:00 pm

Gianna Abondolo Cello music by Crumb, Shostakovich, Tanaka, and Abondolo

Gianna Abondolo

All performances are at 8:00 pm in the Littlefield Concert Hall (unless otherwise noted).

Myra Melford

$15 general, $10 seniors and non-Mills students, free to alumnae with AAMC card For details or to purchase tickets, see musicnow.mills.edu or contact Steed Cowart, steed@mills.edu or 510.430.2334.