Mills Quarterly, Spring 2013

DIGITIZING THE art COLLECTION

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a soldie r ’ s sto r y

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w o m en in p olitics

Mills Quarterly Spring 2013

Amelia Lopez ’11, MPP ’12

Photo by Dana Davis

District staff member California State Assembly Donor to the Mills College Annual Fund

“Giving to Mills College is like a grassroots initiative. The number of people involved is more important than how much each one contributes. I just made my first gift a few months ago. I thought it was time to start giving back.” — Amelia By giving to Mills each year, you can be part of a community making a significant impact, one person at a time. Alumnae contributions help the College maintain its strong academic programs and reputation. At the same time, your giving sends a message to prospective students and corporate and foundation donors that you believe in Mills.

Make your gift today and show your Mills education is important to you.

Give to the Mills College Annual Fund by calling 510.430.2366, visiting www.mills.edu/giving, or returning the enclosed envelope.

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Mills Quarterly

contents Spring 2013 8 Connecting art and ideas by Linda Schmidt A far-reaching project to create a “virtual collection” of all the artwork in the Mills College Art Museum—and to make the images available online—sparks new ways of thinking for curators, students, and anyone who cares to look.

12 Leading from the front by Elizabeth Trobaugh ’10 In the midst of a war-torn country, Army officer Elizabeth Trobaugh found a way to put her Mills values into action: helping provide access to education and resources to build better lives for the women of Afghanistan.

16 Votes of confidence by Susan McCarthy Evidence tells us that women’s perspectives change the sorts of policy produced and even the nature of politics for the better, yet women remain a minority in elected office. These alumnae of the Public Policy Program plan to change that.

20 Alumna trustee election Vote for your representative on the Mills College Board of Trustees and the AAMC Board of Governors. See your ballot on the inside back cover.

36 Say hey—and play!

Heyday Playday—a day of labor and laughter on the Mills campus that originated during the Great Depression—is resurrected by alumnae dedicated to giving back to the College.

Departments 3

Message from the President

4

Mills Matters

22

Class Notes

33

In Memoriam

On the cover: Two Women in Front of Building in Rain, a Japanese color woodblock print on paper from the late 19th century, is one of the thousands of items in the Mills College Art Museum that have been digitally photographed and cataloged in the last year.

A searchable image bank of the museum’s collection is available online at mcam.mills.edu.

Volume CI Number 3 (USPS 349-900) Spring 2013 President Alecia A. DeCoudreaux Vice President for Institutional Advancement Cynthia Brandt Stover Senior Director of Advancement Communications and Outreach Dawn Cunningham ’85

A Message from the President of Mills College

L

ast fall, I asked the Mills campus

a summary of alumnae responses to the

community, trustees, and alum-

strategic planning survey we conducted

nae to envision what they would

in September).

like Mills to be known for in 2027, the

The future of Mills depends in great part

College’s 175th anniversary. I invited

upon our success in increasing enrollment

Managing Editor Linda Schmidt

them to participate in identifying the

over the next few years by recruiting new

College’s strategic direction for the next

students and retaining those who matric-

Design and Art Direction Nancy Siller Wilson

three to five years—a direction that will

ulate. We must also continue to provide a

ultimately position us to achieve our

stellar educational experience that meets

Contributing Writers Susan McCarthy Elizabeth Trobaugh ’10

long-term vision for Mills.

the needs of students now and in the

Editorial Assistance Maggie Slover ’14 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.

Six months into our strategic plan-

years to come. Our most exciting ideas

ning process, the Mills community has

focus on these goals. We are exploring the

produced a trove of creative ideas, rang-

possibility of enhancing or creating new

ing from projects we can implement

undergraduate and graduate programs,

right now to ambitious programs for the

changing

long term. I invite all alumnae to read

ments, internationalizing the curriculum

more about these ideas and share feed-

as well as the student body, preparing stu-

back by logging in to the strategic plan-

dents for life after Mills, burnishing our

ning page on the Mills College Alumnae

external reputation, and making campus

Community: alumnae.mills.edu/strategic-

life more vibrant and the whole College

planning. (You can also read on that page

as student-centric as possible.

general

education

require-

Copyright © 2013, Mills College 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.

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312 Printed on recycled paper containing 10 percent post-consumer waste.

At Mills, for Alumnae Alumnae Relations alumnae.mills.edu 510.430.2123, alumnae-relations@mills.edu Alumnae Admission Representatives Vala Burnett, Assistant Director of Admissions 510.430.2269, vburnett@mills.edu Career Services 510.430.2130, career@mills.edu Giving to Mills www.mills.edu/giving 510.430.2366, mcaf@mills.edu Library Services 510.430.2377, library@mills.edu

M Center/Transcripts 510.430.2000, mcenter@mills.edu Pool and Gym Trefethen Aquatic Center 510.430.2170, pool@mills.edu Haas Pavilion Fitness Center 510.430.3376, athletics@mills.edu Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC) aamc.mills.edu Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92, President 510.430.2110, aamc@mills.edu AAMC, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86, Oakland, CA 94613-1301

For more information on these and other alumnae services at Mills, visit alumnae.mills.edu.

Some benefits, such as access to the pool and fitness center, require you to show your AAMC membership card, available from Alumnae Relations and the AAMC. 2

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

Currently, my cabinet and I are evaluating these ideas according to their financial viability, their potential to increase enrollment and revenue, and the benefit they bring to our students. The most promising ideas will become part of the strategic plan that I will present to the Mills College Board of Trustees in May. To help us better understand our challenges and opportunities as we develop the plan, our new vice president of finance

and

administration,

Tammi

Jackson, is developing financial projections for the next five years. Before the end of this five-year period, we aim to achieve a balanced budget. We also aim to reduce our endowment payout from an unsustainable 7 percent to a healthy 5 percent, in keeping with best practice.

We have already made great progress over the last year in reducing Mills’ budget deficit. The measures we implemented in fall 2011—from furloughs to a staff restructuring to cutbacks in non-salary expenses—continue to help us in the current fiscal year. In addition, we welcomed a large first-year class in fall 2012, which significantly improved our tuition revenues, and we have enjoyed generous philanthropic support from our alumnae and friends. While we have not yet completely eliminated our deficit, which we expect will be around $1.2 million this year, it has been significantly reduced from the $3 million deficit that loomed over us at the start of the fiscal year. Our total operating budget in fiscal year 2012-

“This is an inspiring time to be part of the Mills community. [We] are sharing ideas about how to ensure that the College will be as strong in 2027 as ever in its history. We are addressing tough financial challenges and finding innovative solutions in the process. And we are preparing to recruit a larger number of students than ever to a campus that is welcoming to all.”

13 is $81.3 million.

Another long-term project at Mills is to bring the campus into full com-

disabilities will have unfettered access to

Hundreds of us—students and alumnae,

pliance with Title III of the Americans

all campus facilities. This agreement pri-

faculty and staff—are sharing ideas about

with Disabilities Act (ADA) by 2023.

oritizes our work for the next 10 years,

how to ensure that the College will be as

Accessibility has long been a priority

from minor alterations such as replacing

strong in 2027 as ever in its history. We

for the College, which has been making

door handles so they are easier to open

are addressing tough financial challenges

gradual updates to buildings constructed

to more major upgrades, such as rebuild-

and finding innovative solutions in the

generations before the development of

ing the entrance ramps to Lisser and

process. And we are preparing to recruit a

accessibility standards.

Alderwood Hall. To read more about the

larger number of students than ever to a

agreement, visit the Ask Alecia archive at

campus that is welcoming to all.

In January, Mills entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice that

alumnae.mills.edu/ask_alecia.

spells out exactly how Mills can best

As you can see, this is an inspiring

move forward to ensure that people with

time to be part of the Mills community.

Sincerely, Alecia A. DeCoudreaux

Read updates on Mills’ strategic planning process at alumnae.mills.edu/strategicplanning spring 2013

3

Mills Matters New VPs join President’s Cabinet Tammi Jackson joined Mills College as

in higher education management, in

England Graduate School, University

vice president for finance and admin-

addition to a JD from the University

of Texas at Austin, University of Toledo,

istration and treasurer on October 1.

of Maryland and an MBA from Sacred

and California State University Fresno.

Jackson came to Mills from her previous

Heart University.

Stiglitz received a BA in psychology

position as associate dean of finance

Eloise Stiglitz became Mills’ vice

from Indiana University and both her

and administration at North Carolina

president for student life and dean

MS and PhD in clinical psychology from

Central University School of Law, where

of students on February 1. Stiglitz’s

Purdue University. Her publications and

she was a key member of the Dean’s

background blends over 25 years of

presentations address various topics in

Administrative Cabinet, overseeing

leadership in student services, experi-

student life, civic engagement, feminism,

budget and finance, human resources,

ence as a licensed clinical psychologist,

diversity, and psychotherapy.

and technology. She held various admin-

and a passion for women’s leadership

istrative positions at the Valparaiso

and community development. Her

bers of the cabinet of President Alecia

University School of Law, including

past professional positions include vice

DeCoudreaux, which also includes Chief

executive director of financial planning

president of student affairs at California

of Staff and Vice President for Operations

and human resources, and worked as

State University San Marcos, associate

Renée Jadushlever, Provost and Dean

director of administrative services at the

vice president for student services at San

of Faculty Sandra Greer, Vice President

University of Maryland, College Park.

Jose State, and dean of student affairs at

for Institutional Advancement Cynthia

Jackson has an EdD from the University

Rutgers University. She has also worked

Brandt Stover, and Vice President for

of Pennsylvania, with a concentration

at Georgia State University, Antioch New

Enrollment Management Brian O’Rourke.

Both Jackson and Stiglitz are mem-

Two new College trustees appointed Two new members joined the Mills

Association of Mills College (AAMC) and

College Board of Trustees on February 1.

has served that organization in a num-

women at a wom-

Both are Mills alumnae with a strong his-

ber of different roles; she is also a former

en’s institution

tory of volunteer service and professional

board president of the Oakland Police

continues to be

expertise who will contribute knowledge

Foundation.

valuable,” she says.

and vision in this leadership role.

Karen May ’86 completed her Mills

“Educating

“Contemporary

“It was at Mills that I found my voice,

issues shift, but the

grew intellectually, and developed the

BA in psychology and went on to earn

confidence to speak my mind,” she says.

an MA and PhD in industrial and organi-

“I’m interested in how we can develop

zational psychology at UC Berkeley. She

extraordinary leaders to change the world,

see more women enjoy the benefits and

is currently the vice president of people

how we can help make a Mills educa-

challenges of a Mills education, and I want

development at Google, managing the

tion possible for more women, and how a

to see more alumnae support the College

company’s executive development and

women’s college can thrive in the future.”

financially to ensure we can thrive.”

talent management. She previously

Katie Sanborn ’83, an English major

Katie Sanborn

underlying need is timeless. I want to

Sanborn has maintained close ties to Mills

led RedFish Consulting and Terranova

at Mills, received a master’s degree

through her involvement on the AAMC

Consulting Group, firms specializing in

from Medill School of Journalism at

Board of Governors, with the East Bay Mills

executive coach-

Northwestern University and is now

Branch, and as a member of the Palo Alto

ing, leadership

director of editorial services with OTR

Area Mills College Club board of direc-

development,

Global LLC, an independent investment

tors, where she has served as chair of the

and organiza-

research firm. Her previous employment

Charming Cottages of Palo Alto house tour.

tional consult-

includes positions at Curve magazine,

ing. May is a

the San Francisco Business Times, and the

Open Space Trust and Pigeon Point State

former president

Contra Costa Times.

Historic Park.

Karen May 4

of the Alumnae

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

She is a volunteer with the Peninsula

Mills introduces joint master’s degree in public policy and business administration In response to a growing demand for

The MPP/MBA curriculum reflects

enterprise areas, organizations needing

professionals who can work collabora-

an integrated and effective balance of

to work in partnership with business

tively across public, private, and non-

public policy and business management

or governments, nonprofits that aim to

profit sectors, Mills College now offers

courses. Students who pursue the joint

operate more like corporations, busi-

a joint master of public policy and busi-

degree will gain critical knowledge of

nesses with strong corporate citizenship

ness administration (MPP/MBA) degree

organizational management in multiple

initiatives, or government agencies seek-

program.

sectors, economic and policy analysis, the

ing people with business skills.

“Our research revealed that switching

relationship between business and soci-

“Today’s management landscape

between sectors is extremely common

ety, and key functional areas of business

demands cross-sector knowledge,”

in the careers of MPP graduates,” says

such as accounting, strategy, operations,

says Deborah Merrill-Sands, dean of

Carol Chetkovich, director of the Public

information and technology systems, and

the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of

Policy Program. “This joint MPP/MBA

marketing.

Business. “It is essential for professionals

degree will help prepare students with

By combining public policy training

to understand the practices of private,

a broad knowledge base and a focus on

with business acumen, the program is

public, and nonprofit entities as a way of

social responsibility that is essential to

well suited for graduate students who

relating to the diverse social and political

organizational leadership today.”

want to serve in nonprofit and social

dynamics in any business environment and to further their own careers.”

MAKE A

MEANINGFUL

IMPACT BUSINESS. EDUCATION. PUBLIC POLICY. Mills offers professional graduate programs to prepare you for careers that make a difference in business, education, and public policy. Pursue a focus in one area or take on challenges across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors through one of our new joint degrees. Learn more today.

mills.edu/mba | mills.edu/education | mills.edu/publicpolicy

spring 2013

5

Untitled (Baton Practice), Bill Owens, c. 1970-76, 8 x 10 inches, gelatin silver print

Contributions support a wide range of endeavors Mills College gratefully acknowledges the following gifts, grants, and pledges of $50,000 and more received between June 16 and December 31, 2012.

Annette Chan-Norris ’65 and her husband, Evan Norris, made a gift to create the Annette Chan-Norris ’65 and Evan Norris, MD, Endowed Visiting Professorship in Science and Technology. A search has begun for a visiting professor or practitioner who will begin teaching in fall 2013.

Betty and Gordon Moore contributed generous support to Mills’ Greatest Need through the Mills College Annual Fund, as did Jacklyn Davidson Burchill ’44; Burchill also made a gift for the President’s Discretionary Fund. Karl Holmberg and his brother Eric C. Holmberg contributed to the Patricia A.W. Holmberg Endowed Scholarship, established in memory of their late mother.

Trustee Wendy Hull Brody ’68 made a gift with her husband, William, to underwrite exhibitions of the work of undergraduate and MFA studio art students in the Mills College Art Museum while also supporting Mills’ Greatest

A lens on life: A series of 31 photographs of women and girls—chosen with the interests of Mills students in mind—became part of the Mills College Art Museum collection in December. The gelatin silver prints by Bill Owens are a gift of Robert Shimshak and Marion Brenner.

“The Mills College Art Museum is honored to receive this major gift of Bill Owens’ photographs,” says Art Museum Director Stephanie Hanor.

“Owens is internationally recognized for his depictions of Northern California suburban life in the 1970s, and this remarkable group of images demonstrates his keen interest and respect in documenting the lives of middle-class girls and women.”

Owens worked as a photographer for the Livermore Independent. A book of his documentary photo essays, Suburbia, was published in 1973 (and reissued in 1999). In the early 1990s, Owens turned over his negatives to Robert Shimshak to organize and promote.

Need and the Johnson/Tupper/Hull Scholarship. Another member of the Board of Trustees, Barbara Ahmajan Wolfe ’65, directed a gift in support of marketing initiatives to help Mills increase enrollment. Fellow board member Maribelle Leavitt and her husband, Steven, made a contribution to create the Sandra C. Greer Fund for Faculty Development as well as to add to the Janet L. Holmgren Presidential

Calendar

Scholarship. Trustee Mei Kwong ’70 and her husband,

MFA Thesis Dance Concert

Lawrence Franklin, made a gift through the Morris S. Smith Foundation to add to the Jean and Y.H. Kwong Fellowship Endowment.

The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation once again renewed their funding of the Mills Teacher Scholars Program at the School of Education. The Walter and Elise Haas Fund also supported Mills Teacher Scholars with a grant.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation made a grant to expand the Mills College Art Museum’s capacity to integrate the visual arts in teaching across the humanities and human sciences.

The College also received distributions from bequests made by two generous alumnae, Ida Simanouchi ’38 and G. Patricia Beckman ’55, as well as Bette Hope Waddington, a friend of the College.

April 18–20, Lisser Hall, 8:00 pm $10 general, free to Mills students and alumnae. For information, contact 510.430.2175 or dance@mills.edu.

Mills Music Now April 5–6  X Sound Festival April 14  Farallon Recorder Quartet (4:00 pm) All events start at 8:00 pm (unless otherwise noted) in the Littlefield Concert Hall. $15 general, $10 senior and non-Mills students, free to alumnae with AAMC card. See musicnow.mills.edu or contact Steed Cowart at 510.430.2334 or steed@mills.edu.

Contemporary Writers Series April 4  Faculty reading and reception for newly admitted graduate students (6:30 pm reception, 7:00 pm readings, Lokey Graduate School of Business, Gathering Hall) April 10  Anne Carson (7:00 pm, Lokey Graduate School of Business, Gathering Hall) All events are free. For information, contact Stephanie Young at 510.430.3130 or syoung@mills.edu.

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

Campus kudos A selection of recent achievements by faculty, staff, and students Micheline Marcom, visiting assistant professor of English, has been named a

Cage Festival in Brooklyn, New York.

Chiuhung Chen, Patsy P. H. Peng

a special issue of Journal of Social Issues focusing on the intersection of psy-

USA Fellow in Literature. The prestigious

Visiting Professor of Chinese Language

chology and globalization (September

honor provides a $50,000 award to

and Literature, presented her paper

2012). She recently presented a paper

50 of America’s finest artists. Trisha

“Developing Intercultural Competence

at the University of London’s Institute

Brown ’58 was also selected for her

through Tandem Learning” at the annual

of Education and has articles forthcom-

achievements in dance.

convention of the American Council

ing in The Urban Review (with Visiting

on Teaching Foreign Languages in

Assistant Professor of Education Terry

Philadelphia in November.

Pollack) and Journal of Social Issues

In June, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Dance Department Ann Murphy presented “Bringing the Country to the

Carlota Caulfield, professor of Spanish

Review (with Assistant Professor of Education Priya Shimpi).

Town: The Multi-Local in Selected Work

and Spanish American studies, was a

of Trisha Brown and Molissa de” at the

keynote speaker at the International

Society of Dance History Scholars in

Experimental Poetry Conference, Poetics,

Leadership Program in Early Childhood,

Philadelphia. In October, she was part of

Critique, and Reception, celebrated at the

developed a policy paper to guide the

a panel at the National Dance Education

Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

discussion of child care at the Women’s

Organization conference in Los Angeles.

in October.

Policy Summit, a state-level conference

In October, Distinguished Milhaud

What Should I Do? Confronting

Julie Nicholson, director of the

in January. Many of the conference par-

Professor of Music Roscoe Mitchell

Dilemmas of Teaching in Urban Schools,

ticipants were funders and policymakers

performed at the sixth annual Jazz and

a book by Professor of Education Anna

with important influence in the areas of

Beat Festival in Davis, California, and at

Richert, is in print from Teachers

education and child care.

Yoshi’s in Oakland; the following week

College Press (2012).

he premiered “Red Flower On A Bamboo Pole” for solo saxophone at the Beyond

Carol Theokary, assistant professor of

Sabrina Zirkel, professor of educa-

business, chaired a session on healthcare

tional leadership, served as co-editor of

quality at the Decision Sciences Institute annual meeting in November; she also presented her paper “Linking Quality Performance to Cost Performance: An

Mills College Art Museum April 2–21  Senior Thesis Exhibition May 5–26  MFA Thesis Exhibition June 12–September 1  West of Center In the 1960s and ’70s, a diverse range of artists based in the American West broke the barriers between art and lifestyle and embraced the new, hybrid sensibilities of the countercultural movement.

(Exhibition organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver.)

For more information, see mcam.mills.edu or contact 510.430.2164 or museum@ mills.edu. The museum is open 11:00 am–4:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 am–7:30 pm Wednesday, and is closed Monday. Admission is free.

Commencement 2013 May 18, 9:45 am, Holmgren Meadow

Save the dates for

Reunion 2013

September 26–29, Convocation on September 27

Empirical Analysis in the US Healthcare Industry,” which examines the relationships between multiple dimensions of quality and cost efficiency using a sample of 800 US hospitals.

Professor of History Bert Gordon contributed the chapter “World War II Tourism in France” in the book Emotion in Motion: Tourism, Affect, and Transformation (Ashgate Publishing, 2012). He made presentations last fall at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, and at the annual meeting

Celebrating alumnae from class years ending in 3 or 8, including the Golden Girls of 1963 All alumnae are welcome A Reunion schedule and registration form will be mailed in early summer to alumnae in reunioning classes. For further information, contact the Mills College Office of Alumnae Relations: alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123.

of the Western Society for French History held in Banff, Alberta.

This winter, galleries in San Francisco and Santa Monica exhibited trans/ literate, Professor of Studio Art Catherine Wagner’s new show of photographs of classic literature printed in braille. The show was also featured in the San Francisco Chronicle. spring 2013

7

Connecting artand ideas The task of creating digital records of the holdings of the art museum increases access for students, researchers, and the community By Linda Schmidt T h e wo r ks i n th e Mi lls C o llege Art M use um collection date from 3,000 BC to the present and represent every continent. Art pieces range from Native American baskets to ceramics, from etchings and paintings to sculpture and textiles— more than 10,000 items in all.

But when Museum Director Stephanie Hanor came on board three years ago, she faced a great dilemma in trying to utilize this treasure trove of resources. “We had a very basic database of the collection, with very limited functionality,” she recalls.

“Less than 1 percent of the collection was documented in digital format, so it was very hard for me to know what we had. You could only find a piece if you knew specifically what you were looking for.”

And so began an extensive, multi-year project to sift through every drawer and carton and cabinet of the museum, creating digital images and recording as much information as possible about every item within. The end result of this massive “spring cleaning” not only allows the museum staff to create exhibitions and programs more effectively, but also makes the collection more accessible, visible, and useable in a variety of ways.

“Digitizing solves myriad problems for us. It allows us to know what we have and to better use it and better connect it to our community,” says Hanor. The works in the museum will be more readily available for student-curated exhibitions, to outside researchers, and to members of the public.

Most importantly, she adds, “Increasing our ability to access the collection allows us to integrate artwork into the curriculum on a broader level, not just within art history and art, but within history or education or English or biology.”

Professor Bert Gordon, for example, is encouraging students to research World War I and World War II propaganda posters in the collection, from both the United States and Europe, as part of his class on early 20th century European history. “That’s Portrait of Georgette Magritte (Standing), Rene Magritte, c. 1940, left 8

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

“We greatly admire Imogen Cunningham, an early female West Coast photographer and co-founder of Group f/64, a wildly influential group of 20th-century San Francisco photographers including Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Sonya Noskowiak. Her husband, Roi Partridge, taught at Mills and was the first director of the College’s art gallery. This image is particularly striking—seen so closely, the magnolia flower becomes abstract and almost alien.”

—Katy Kondo ’13

a really great resource for students to see and understand how the visual language of propaganda was used in the war,” says Hanor. Professor John Harris, who leads an ornithology class in the biology department, will be sharing a selection of 19thcentury hand-colored lithographs of bird species from New Guinea with his class.

“One of the things I love about being at a college art museum— and especially with the kind of eclectic, diverse collection that we have at Mills—is finding ways to make work relevant to things that students are thinking about now,” Hanor says. “We live in an extremely visual society; having access to visual pieces provides an important way to understand history and culture and the way we live.

“Digitizing helps spark ideas, not only for us as curators, but for the students themselves. We’re connecting art and ideas to expand the ways that students are learning.”

A core group of work-study students are the heart and hands of the digitizing process. Working closely with Stacie Daniels, the museum’s manager of collections and exhibitions, they are learning technical skills such as photography, lighting, and how to handle delicate artworks properly. They have already digitized over 6,000 works on paper and are now moving on to other areas of the collection, including ceramics, textiles, and sculpture—all of which will eventually be available to view on the museum’s website. The students are also encouraged to do background research on the artwork they are documenting. Several of them found the work so exciting that they started a Tumblr blog to post the images and comments.

“For example, when hurricane Sandy hit, our students did a Tumblr post of World War II posters from the American Red Cross, about helping others in times of disaster. They saw a connection there,” says Hanor.

Magnolia Blossom, Imogen Cunningham, 1925, top Birds of New Guinea and Environs, John Gould, c. 1875, right spring 2013

9

“The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan was still in our minds when we came across this Japanese print from a series about an earthquake.

Seeing this connects historical and contemporary experiences; it helps us remember that what we experience today is connected to the past. Sometimes pain feels so new, and so fresh, and so unbelievable, but there is strength in understanding our history, and power in knowing that we’re not alone in time.”

—Katy Kondo

Senior Katy Kondo has been involved in the project from the beginning. “I get to look at art all day, photograph art all day, and blog about art all day,” says Kondo. “It’s definitely fun, but it’s also great to be part of a larger discourse. We are connected to museums across the country and it’s so valuable to be a part of a community that’s growing around art online.”

A studio art and public policy double major, Kondo sees art as a direct expression of ideas. “For me it’s about creative problem solving, about finding ways to address an issue or a concept, and in not just a novel, but a practical, way,” she explains. “In policy making, that’s like recognizing what I can do to change an issue out there in the world. And in art making, it’s about taking an interesting concept and figuring out how I make someone else start to think about that same topic. They are both about new ways of thinking and reimagining the world that we live in.”

The digitizing project has yielded some unexpected benefits. “The biggest surprise has been discovering that we had far more artworks than we originally thought,” says Hanor. The previous database did not contain complete up-to-date records of all the museum’s holdings, and Hanor has new knowledge now of several thousand additional pieces. The endeavor also serves as a way to perform a full inventory of every object. “We’re literally looking at every single thing and making conservation notes for the items that need some extra care,” says Hanor.

The project opened up a whole raft of new questions and decisions that needed to be made. “When you’re creating a digital image you’re creating this whole separate collection, and you have to maintain and store that collection as much as you do your actual objects,” says Hanor. Staff needed to make choices about what type of file formats to utilize, how to plan Restricted Bridge in Tokoyo (Mansei-Basi), from the series 1923 Kanto Earthquake, Shuin Kondo, c. 1923, top Hadirepulogep Kiallitas, Budapest, Hungary, 1917, left The Ardent Bowlers, Peggy Bacon, 1932, opposite page 10

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

for adequate media storage and backup, and ways to make sure the new data would be compatible with future changes in technology.

Several consultants provided experience and understanding. Michael Black, who works for the Hearst Museum at the University of California in Berkeley, and an intern from John F. Kennedy University’s graduate program in museum studies helped write a digital standards manual. Bob Futernick also contributed valuable guidance. As associate director of the Fine

“I’ve definitely gained a new respect for some media that I never had been interested in before— like etching, which always seemed so stuffy and dull. I have an appreciation now for the skill, the craftsmanship, the fact that so many of these pieces are so small, and yet so incredibly detailed.

There’s always a sense of wonder, in every box or every drawer you open.”

—Katy Kondo

Arts Museums of San Francisco (now retired) with particular expertise as a conservator of works on paper, he had managed the massive digitizing of over 80,000 works in their collection.

“We took advantage of their knowledge, what they encountered, and what they wouldn’t do again,” says Hanor. “We were able to make choices and adopt standards used by the Getty Museum or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for instance, to help us develop our catalog properly and to the highest level.”

The museum was able to acquire all of the cameras and computer equipment needed for the process through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a government agency. The grant also enabled the purchase of a specialized collection management database as well as software that will allow public access to the images through the MCAM website.

Explore the museum’s image bank at mcam.mills.edu.

See the students’ blog of images and comments at millscollegeartmuseum.tumblr.com

Hanor acknowledges that the digitized pieces are surrogates, but sees that the ease of access and added information will increase the usefulness of the collection dramatically. “I am a huge advocate for the actual physical object,” she says. “But I hope that this will pique somebody’s interest so that they want to come and see the real thing, to have that experience of being able to stand in front of a work of art.”

Katy Kondo, who laughingly says she “lives on the Internet,” sees a particular advantage in providing online access. “Museums are intimidating institutions for a lot of people,” she says. “You can’t touch anything, it can feel so stifling and uninviting. But the Internet is so accessible—it isn’t scary, and you can just find an image, and think about it, and fall in love with it.” ◆ spring 2013

11

Leading from the

front

By Elizabeth Trobaugh ’10

o

n the day i graduated from mills, with a BA in international relations, I was commissioned as an active duty officer in the United States Army. It was almost an accidental career—I had exhausted my financial aid and got a full scholarship under ROTC at Berkeley. To stay at Mills, I did what I had to do. I never imagined that my Mills education and an Army career could complement each other so harmoniously.

Seven months into my service career, I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North

Carolina, working as a postal platoon leader—not exactly the foreign relations career I’d envisioned for myself. But then I heard about Female Engagement Teams (FETs), all-female soldier teams that allow combat arms units on the front lines to reach out to local female populations in cultures that restrict communication between men and women.

The Army in many ways tells you what to do, where to live, and who you

work for. This was my chance to get into a job that could meet the Army’s needs and let me do something I am passionate about. I was determined to get on one of those teams.

12

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

Through an unexpected pairing of her Mills education and military duty, one soldier serves the women of Afghanistan At Mills, I had grown immensely as an

There were spatterings of qa’lats all over

since August 2011 and most unit com-

individual and strengthened my roots

the place—little compounds that make up

manders have little experience employ-

as a feminist; I met all types of women

villages. The bigger villages had bazaars,

ing such teams. It was up to me and my

from all types of backgrounds. My classes

rows of shops built of earth and straw

second-in-charge on the FET to ensure

educated me about what is happening to

with food and goods laid out. Plenty of

that commanders, at all levels of my

women in the international arena. Most

kids were running around, with no shoes

brigade, understood how our capabili-

importantly, I learned what it means to be

and tattered clothing. They’d ask for

ties supported the overall mission. As

a world citizen and realized the unwaver-

candy and pens; if you brought any of

liaison to local women, FETs leverage

ing duty I have to be a force for good for

that out they would swarm. If you were

that half of the population to help pro-

all women.

lucky, you would see a woman in a blue

vide social and economic stability. FETs

burka bob by.

build relationships to assess needs,

I was selected for the position and joined 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd

The land was devoid of nutrients

passively gather information, conduct

Airborne Division, in November 2011. I

essential to farming, though some people

classes when possible, or secure needed

quickly learned that life in the 82nd is

were making a valiant attempt. There

resources. Most importantly, our team

not for the faint of heart. We work long

were vineyards, with the soil shoveled

went out on patrols—to show, not tell,

hours, we are incredibly physically fit,

out between high berms. The low parts

what we could do.

we swear a lot. The unit stands ready

between rows were five feet down or so,

As FET officer in charge, I wrote the

to deploy anywhere in the world within

providing good concealment while on

brigade FET mission for three front-line

18 hours. At the same time, I began FET

foot patrol. There was dust, sun, and more

teams of seven women each. The team I

training and, in March, we deployed to

dust. A small tree-lined creek ran through

led was attached to the 1-504 Parachute

eastern Afghanistan.

our base. I remember seeing a flower for

Infantry Regiment, a previously all-male

the first time in months and being amazed

infantry battalion. I was the only female

at its beauty.

officer originally deployed with the bat-

our base was in the high desert, at

The Forces Command Guidance is

talion, and my FET included the only

an altitude of about 6,700 feet. The ter-

that all units will deploy with a FET, but

seven females in the battalion operat-

rain was flat, broken by isolated peaks.

this directive has only been in effect

ing in combat arms companies rather than support units. (A change of policy announced by the Pentagon in January finally makes the presence of women on the front lines “official”—clearly, women have been active in FETs and other roles for some time.) My team could hold their own. We could keep up, we could fire back.

And we brought back good information.

personal relationships are highly important in Afghan culture, and establishing trust with the local women is a primary component of FET training.

But security comes first and our goal was always to support to the mission of our commander. However, my FET team went Trobaugh invites a young Afghan woman and her children to medical education classes (left).

After working out a business plan, the women who formed a sewing co-op meet to accept sewing machines provided by the Army (above).

a step further. With help from contracted social scientists, we compiled three significant questions to ask Afghan women: spring 2013

13

What are your security concerns? Do you know your government officials? What is the biggest problem facing your village?

Women see everything that happens so, as data started coming in, we were able to supply our commander with a more accurate picture of what was going wrong in the villages and successfully identify sources of instability.

We faced challenges from many sides: first and foremost, it wasn’t always easy to get a chance to speak with Afghan women. On our daily patrols, my team made an effort to reach out. We asked children, “Where is your mother?” or asked men, “May I speak to your wife?”

The women were very afraid of our guns—and sometimes would question if we were really female. When out on patrol, in full body armor, we wore scarves wrapped loosely around our necks so they could see we were women. If we were in a house for any length of time, we took the helmet off and the scarf

Elizabeth Trobaugh ’10 at Mills Commencement (left), and with the members of her Female Engagemeant Team (above). Opposite page: An early meeting of the sewing co-op group. With resources and support from the FET, more than 100 Afghan women signed up to participate in the business venture.

went on.

Although FET training included some rudimentary language lessons, we depended on interpreters in the field—but usually had only male translators available. Afghan men

for projects such as getting them permis-

me through an interpreter, I could sense

did not want us talking to their wives

sion to work in the bazaar.

her passion and urgency as she asked,

with another man in the room; if they did

Government officials supported this

“Can you help me get to college? I have

let us speak, the men would stay. With

effort, but we also learned that women’s

taken my exams; many of us have. We are

a male relative in the room, we would

greatest concern was security; there-

ready to go.” I began to cry. This young

get one set of answers from the women;

fore, putting women in a storefront was

woman was determined to achieve more

if the man left, wives sometimes gave us

not the most effective solution. (Lack of

for herself.

very different opinions about their con-

access to health care was another com-

I was deeply moved by the courage of

cerns. On the rare occasions when we did

plaint on the sources of instability; some

these remarkable women. Many of them

manage to get a female interpreter, the

of these women had barely traveled out-

face great personal risk in approaching

eldest woman in the room often spoke

side their qa’lat walls, let alone seen a

Americans; women who seek educa-

for everyone—but at least there was more

clinic.) Eventually, we learned of a group

tion or those who resist the Taliban can

freedom.

of women who were ready to start their

be harmed or killed. These women are

We were able to build a collaborative

own business, but lacked the means to do

among the most marginalized people in

working relationship with local govern-

so. We were able to respond by provid-

the world—caught in the crossfire, they

ment officials, conveying problems from

ing them with sewing machines to begin

are seeking better, safer lives for them-

the women’s perspective and helping the

a sewing co-op—achieving successes for

selves and their families. I reflected on

Afghan district governors try to use their

both the Afghan women and the commu-

how blessed I was to attend an institution

own systems to solve these issues. When

nity at large.

like Mills and on the investment that so

the local government required additional

We also discovered that this particular

many people have made in my own life. I

assistance, I worked with the American

group of women was running the only

told this woman I would do everything I

government,

Department,

girls’ school in the region. On the day we

could to help her and others like her.

USAID, and NGOs to bridge the gap.

presented the sewing machines, a young

With only 30 days left in country, I

Based on the women’s stated desire for

woman sat down next to me. Though she

approached my battalion commander

employment, we began to gain approval

spoke Pashto and communicated with

about helping women attend college. I

14

the

State

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

argued that educated Afghan women

on their entrance exams and can physi-

is also a partner in the 10,000 Women

would educate their children, who would

cally get to the schools, they can attend.

program.) This six-week training pro-

educate their grandchildren and great-

However, many of the women we were

gram even pays for transportation to and

grandchildren, thus disrupting future

working with had not scored high

from the women’s homes. We were able

generations’ propensity toward insur-

enough on the test and, unsatisfied with

to get the leader of the co-op enrolled;

gency. His crushing response, however,

this outcome, needed to retake the exam.

the young woman who asked me about

was that we weren’t there to solve the

In addition, the local rural universities

college, and many more like her, also

feminist issues of Afghanistan. I was

lacked the resources to provide the “life

wanted in.

sorely disappointed but, as a professional

support” needed to sustain women stu-

soldier, it was my duty to place the mis-

dents—they were simply unable to house

sion first. I had to say “yes, sir,” and do as

women separately or give them their

i don’t know how this story ends. It is

he ordered—but I was determined, some-

own dining facilities. Only the larger

still unfolding. Our team paved the road

how, to make good on my promise.

universities in Kabul or Herat offered

for the incoming FET. We set down guide-

I passed my information on to the

such capacity and, for most women in

lines and a system to aid the community,

State Department and to my contacts in

our group, traveling that distance was

but I won’t see the fruits of my team’s

Kabul. Not long afterward, some influen-

not possible.

labor in Afghanistan. I have no idea if the

tial American advisors came to our base.

Our team also found that the Englishrequirements

of

programs

young woman who spoke up made it to the business training program or if more

My commander asked their opinion on

language

the topic of women attending college.

offered in Afghanistan by foreign orga-

The advisors spoke just as passionately as

nizations were another obstacle. Our

My team completed their tour in

I had, but better articulated how educat-

women barely got basics; achieving a

September and I returned to the US,

women got signed up.

ing women was

where I am now filling a

an important mes-

staunch 9-5 position at

sage to the community.

In

the

next meeting, my battalion

com-

mander said get-

I was deeply moved by the courage of these remarkable women. . . . Caught in the crossfire, they are seeking better, safer lives for themselves and their families.

Fort Bragg. It is something I can do while I recover from the last year. I poured everything I had into the FET, and it gave very little back. My team, while I

ting one or more

love them, was not easy

of the women to college would be my final project before

second language, while not impossible,

on me. Not to mention, there was always

leaving the country.

was not on the priority list. In the end,

the added threat of someone trying to kill

Throughout the tumultuous month, I

the most viable option was the Goldman

you while doing that job. That takes a tre-

researched the requirements for women

Sachs 10,000 Women business education

mendous toll. I was almost hit on several

to attend college in Afghanistan. On one

program, run by American University

occasions—no joke: a foot to the left, I’d

hand, Afghanistan’s higher education

of Afghanistan in Kabul in partner-

be going home in a box. Despite these

system is entirely funded by the gov-

ship with Thunderbird Global School of

difficulties, or perhaps because of them, I

ernment. If students score high enough

Management. (It’s a small world; Mills

still felt driven to do as much as possible under the circumstances, even without any guarantee of what the final results might be.

I don’t know how my own story ends, either. I may continue on to pursue a graduate degree in international relations. Or I may stay in the Army after my current contract is complete—but I am grateful to have so many options. While the frequent violence during my time as a soldier in Afghanistan forced me to hold my emotions at bay, the job also showed me the necessity of investing in human capital. I hope my work, in some small way, will help provide the women of that country with greater choices for their own freedom and self-determination. ◆ spring 2013

15

16 

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

Votes of

confidence

Well grounded in policy analysis and media know-how, a new generation of candidates promises to change the nature of political debate

By Susan McCarthy • Photos by Dana Davis

C

arla Hansen, MPP ’11, wants your vote. If you live in her

Moses agrees that women too often don’t picture themselves in

town, she hopes to knock on your door soon and gain

a leading role. “I tell my students, “You don’t have to stand behind

your support.

a curtain whispering into someone’s ear. You could be in front of

Hansen came to Mills with a degree in journalism and an inter-

the curtain.”

est in sociology and politics. She thought she knew her options.

Women’s Leadership in Politics (often called Women in Politics),

“I assumed that if you want to make change in the world, you

co-taught by Moses and adjunct professor Catalina Ruiz-Healy,

can work at a nonprofit or in government,” she says. “I went into

presents women speakers from both political parties who are

Mills thinking I would go into nonprofit management.”

council members, school board chairs, commissioners, fundrais-

The course Women’s Leadership in Politics helped change Hansen’s perspective, she says. On the first day of class, which

ers, campaign managers, and pollsters. The class also teaches skills useful in political campaigns and in holding office.

primarily attracts undergraduate policy students but also includes

Chetkovich is impressed with the results since the class was first

those pursuing master’s degrees in public policy (MPP), adjunct

offered in 2010. “We’ve seen many students come in with a slight

professor Anne Moses asked how many students had ever imag-

interest in politics and really get fired up.”

ined running for office. Hansen was not among the one or two

On the last day of Hansen’s Women in Politics class, Moses

who raised their hands. Running for office seemed like something

asked again who would consider running for office. “Probably

only rich, well-connected people, maybe from political families,

six or seven people raised their hands”—and this time, Hansen

would do.

was one.

When women run for office, they’re just as likely to be elected

    

as men, says Carol Chetkovich, director of the Public Policy Program at Mills. But fewer women run, so there are fewer

“The Women in Politics class really demystified

female politicians. That makes a difference in what issues are

the process of going through a campaign and actually working

discussed and what legislation is produced. The Public Policy

in office,” says Hansen. “It made it easier to fathom doing such a

Program, at both graduate and undergraduate levels, is encour-

thing in my own life.”

aging women to apply their education in policy and planning within elected office.

Hansen is gaining relevant experience through her current work as an analyst for a North Bay city, where she is excited

“Politics is actually where you make the most policy,” says

about finding the best way to build affordable housing. She

Chetkovich. But it’s common for women with a strong interest

enthusiastically describes comparing the pluses and minuses of

in politics to imagine themselves in an advisory role.

working with the federal government versus contracting out to

“It’s not that people won’t vote for women,” Chetkovich says.

a nonprofit agency.

“Research shows that it’s primarily a problem of not enough

A Mills class in Local Planning and Management had already

women running for office. One of the reasons is that at equal

given her a different understanding of how complex systems

levels of self-confidence, men are more apt to say, ‘Yeah, sure, I

interact in a city or town. Analysis of zoning regulations, com-

can run.’”

mercial districts, and transportation planning answered questions

As part of Mills’ commitment to increasing women’s leadership at the local, national, and international levels, the College is also participating in the Women in Public Service Project (WPSP). This initiative, established through a partnership between the US Department of State and women’s colleges across the country, aims to identify, educate, and support a new generation of women committed to public service—with a goal of achieving a world in which political and civic leadership is at least 50 percent female by 2050.

See more at womeninpublicservice.org. spring 2013

17

like, Why are there potholes in my road? or Why are there no small businesses here, only big box stores? “It opened my eyes to how policy decisions have real effects in the community,” she says.

She plans to run for local office in El Cerrito, perhaps within the next few years. “One of my goals is to talk with every resident, and knock on every door,” she says. She wants to meet people who don’t necessarily go to city council meetings, and

“Women politicians raise a different mix of topics—women’s rights, reproductive rights, family issues, domestic violence. We need to add our voice on any issue that affects us.”

—Natasha Middleton, MPP ’13

find out what they want. Are they concerned about children’s summer camp hours being cut? Pruning on road medians?

Sustainable growth? “What do they expect out of local government, and what can staff actually deliver?”

And what will she do if she wins a seat? Hansen will be able to answer that question better after she’s knocked on some doors.     

“Don’t we want the diversity of the government to represent the diversity of the population?” asks Anne Moses.

“Learning about the dearth of women in public office in the United States had such an impact on me,” says Lori Droste, MPP ’11. “Women are 50 percent of the electorate, but only 18 percent of Congress.” In California, which has elected women such as Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, and Diane Feinstein to prominent national offices, women fill only 28 percent of the seats in the state assembly. “In reality, we’re completely underrepresented,” Droste says.

“I really feel obligated to become involved in politics. I feel obligated as a citizen.”

—Lori Droste, MPP ’11

Droste might have been expected to find the idea of a political career more familiar than most. Her mother was the mayor of Circleville, Ohio, the small town where Droste grew up, and has also been involved in state politics. Perhaps because of her mother’s career, Droste hadn’t realized how under-represented women are in politics.

“I’d actually never thought about running for public office,” she says. But after the Women in Politics class, “I really feel obligated to become involved in politics. I feel obligated as a citizen.”

Before entering the Public Policy Program at Mills, Droste taught high school and was an educator for homeless people.

She has now been elected chair of Berkeley’s Commission on the Status of Women and secretary and treasurer of Alameda County’s Human Relations Commission. Her work with the commissions has focused on human trafficking.

Droste has a wonky enthusiasm for policy research. Often, she says, “there seems to be a great eagerness to find a solution without adequately defining the problem.” She describes a hypothetical example of people energized about tackling human trafficking, for instance, who might want start by providing awareness programs for children in local schools, who are presumed to be at risk. “But what if we analyze the problem and find that 99 percent of the victims are international victims?” she asks. “Then putting resources into school programs would miss the problem.”

18

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

As a woman, a lesbian, and, by Berkeley standards, a political moderate concerned about walkability, affordable housing, and the direction of downtown development, Droste is setting her sights on a city office in order to play a part in making her local government more representative. “In Berkeley, there’s a strong

“Policy decisions have real effects in the community.”

—Carla Hansen, MPP ’11

dedication to socially progressive values. I think that I can represent that while also implementing smart growth for the city,” Droste says. She’d like to help “grow the city in a way that’s progressive and environmentally sound, and will allow our businesses to thrive, and allow the people who live and work there to thrive.”     

Will it make a difference to have more women in office? Research shows that women practice politics a little differently. “Women tend to be more collaborative, more consensus-building,” says Anne Moses. “The issues that get talked about are different when different people are at the table. People tend to bring up issues that concern them.”

Linda Tarr-Whelan, former ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, has documented that when a political body includes 30 percent women or more, there is more negotiation and compromise. Greater attention is paid to issues like health care and childcare. “Thirty percent is the tipping point,” says Catalina Ruiz-Healy. “You see the decisions changing and the outcomes of legislation.”

Hansen, Droste, and Middleton are all currently

Natasha Middleton, who expects to complete her MPP degree

enrolled in Emerge California, a seven-month intensive political

in May, agrees. “Women politicians raise a different mix of top-

leadership training program for Democratic women. “They tell

ics—women’s rights, reproductive rights, family issues, domestic

you how to media-message your campaign, how to gain endorse-

violence,” she lists. “We need to add our voice on any issue that

ments, but also how to be your authentic self,” Hansen says.

affects us.”

But the roads to office are many and varied. Sahar Shirazi,

She also sees the concrete value in taking a collaborative

MPP ’11, is in Washington DC, where she’s a Presidential

approach. “Politics is all about having difficult conversations,” she

Management Fellow and a policy analyst in the Department of

notes, and explains how the Negotiations class, offered at the Lorry

Transportation. “I never thought of myself as being able to be

I. Lokey Graduate School of Business, was particularly helpful.

one of the decision-makers. I’m from an immigrant family, a low-

“To have a meeting of minds, you have to really understand

income family. It just didn’t seem like a real thing that I could

where the other side is coming from,” Middleton says. “You have

accomplish,” Shirazi says. But the Women in Politics class gave

to be able to reach out to that person and see if they’re willing to

her the insight and confidence to pursue that goal. “Ultimately I

compromise. It’s about really understanding their position—and

plan on returning to the Bay Area to run for office.”

also helping them understand that not everyone’s going to win 100 percent of the time. ”

Undergraduate Dawna Williams, a lifelong “political junkie,” also recognized that there could be a leading part for her in poli-

Middleton has spent her last 20 years—and raised her son—

tics. “Regular people run for office. They have lives, they have

in Oakland. She’s passionate about the city, and has been a

families,” she says she realized while hearing the Women in

policy intern for the school district’s African-American Male

Politics speakers. “If they can do it, why can’t I?” Williams will

Achievement Office, served four years on the board of the Family

be appointed to a community advisory commission in Pittsburg

Violence Law Center, and interned for City Council member

in June 2013, which she anticipates will be a stepping stone to

Larry Reid. She also served as a delegate to the 2012 Democratic

the city council. She has no doubt that she will run for office in

National Convention. “It was inspiring to represent my district,”

the future.

she says, “I’ve always believed in this process.”

Ruiz-Healy says that several students sent her thank-you

She plans to pursue work in city management and eventu-

notes at the end of the 2012 Women in Politics class. “One said it

ally seek office, and credits her time at Mills with increasing her

restored a little of her faith in political practice,” Ruiz-Healy says.

commitment to public service. “Even though we write about

Having met the women who work in politics and came to speak

policy, it’s not enough,” she says. “We need to be acting.”

to the class, “Now she knows there are some good people work-

“I do believe if you want to see some change, and you have the opportunity to do it, you almost have a duty to do it,” she says.     

ing in government. She was heartened by that.” And as more women come to the fore of political leadership, there will be even more good people in government.

◆ spring 2013

19

Melissa Stevenson Dile ’91 San Jose, California Education: BA in history, Mills College, 1991; master of public administration, San Jose State, 1996.

elect your

Employment: Assistant city manager, Mountain View, California.

Alumna Trustee

Volunteer experience: Volunteer work at my church, focused on stewardship of physical and financial resources, youth ministry, and advocating for the full inclusion of LGBT members.

one of the three women described on

My understanding of leadership was shaped by the 1990 Strike, which occurred just a few days after I became ASMC president. Working with students and alumnae, supported by faculty and staff, the Strike enabled the College to resolve anew to support women’s education.

Since graduating, I have treasured working with so many bright, capable women who are passionate about learning, growing, and giving throughout their lives.

these pages will be your next alumna trustee. Help determine who it will be by casting your vote now.

The ballot is printed on the inside back cover of this Quarterly and must be received by the Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC) by May 10, 2013.

Serving for three years (July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2016) as a full member of both the Mills College Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors of the AAMC, this alumna trustee will help ensure that alumnae are well represented in the leadership of the College by conveying the views of the AAMC board to the College board. She will join continuing alumnae trustees Diana Birtwistle Odermatt ’60 and Julia M. Almanzan ’92. We also offer our thanks to Gayle Rothrock ’68, who is concluding her 2010–13 term.

We are pleased to present this slate of accomplished women and we encourage your participation in this election to ensure that alumnae continue to provide a strong voice in the leadership of the College.

20

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

AAMC involvement: Board of Governors, 1995–2000; vice president, 1997–2000, Nominating Committee, 2001–02; co-chair, Task Force on Fundraising, 2004.

How has Mills affected your life? Attending Mills and being involved in the Mills community as an alumna has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Mills provided a tremendous educational experience for me academically and in my development as a leader and a woman. I loved the challenging and collaborative environment in the classroom and the support given to pursue wide-ranging interests.

How do you view the future of the Alumnae Association and its relationship with the College? Though the formal relationship between the AAMC and College has changed over time, the AAMC fulfills a vital role supporting the College and alumnae. I have been impressed by AAMC and College efforts to create new ways for alumnae to connect with Mills, and would be honored to help deepen that collaboration.

What are your hopes and expectations for the future of Mills College?

Mills has adapted to changing economic conditions, making difficult financial decisions while investing in new opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Mills needs to continue to seek financial stability and adapt to emerging needs in order to preserve and enhance our leadership role in educating women. I expect the College will continue to work closely with alumnae to achieve this mission.

Christina Hannan ’91

Judith James ’74

Seattle, Washington

Strasburg, Virginia

Education: BA in biochemistry, Mills College; certificates in business leadership & change management and in integrated skills for sustainable change, Antioch University; master of science in management, Antioch University.

Education: BA in cultural anthropology/sociology, Mills College, 1974; master of arts in education/secondary teaching credential, Holy Names University, 1975; doctorate, organization and leadership in higher education administration, University of San Francisco, 1989.

Employment: Nonprofit operations director, small business manager, director of education.

Employment: Virginia Community College System, Middletown, Virginia.

Volunteer experience: Race chair, director at large, secretary, race crew member, Yacht Club; ambassador, Chamber of Commerce; teacher and team leader, Junior Achievement; vocational committee member, Rotary; family partner, Habitat for Humanity; environmental science category judge, California State Science Fair.

AAMC involvement: I have been an alumnae admissions representative and am on the steering committee for the Seattle Mills Club.

How has Mills affected your life? My experience at Mills provided me with strong tools for working successfully in groups and valuing diversity for what it brings. It strengthened my need for details while holding the big picture in mind. In my graduate program, when my classmates would make sweeping statements about paradigms, I would consistently say, “that is not how [it] was presented at my school.” My professors constantly told me that my learning was not the norm—I had tools others were not given. I chose Mills because of all the schools that accepted me, Mills had the highest name recognition. It continues to open doors for me.

How do you view the future of the Alumnae Association and its relationship with the College? The Alumnae Association is the lifeblood of the College. It is through our connections that the Mills name is shared and appreciated in our greater community. We are responsible for inspiring candidates to follow in our footsteps and we are responsible for supporting the College so that it remains viable and thrives. We are ambassadors, lobbyists, marketers, and financial supporters. The AAMC is how we focus those roles.

What are your hopes and expectations for the future of Mills College? I would like to see Mills continue as a leading-edge school for educating and empowering current and future women leaders. As the global community changes, so should the curricular and extracurricular Mills experience.

Volunteer experience: Board member, Apple Country Head Start (2011­­­–present); community member, Highland Food Pantry Strategic Futures Planning/Visioning Committee (2012–present); community member, Northern Shenandoah Valley Advocates for a Beloved Community (2012–present).

AAMC involvement: Participated in establishing the Mills College Alumnae of Color Scholarship (2011); liaison to the offices of the vice presidents of student life and enrollment management on behalf of the Alumnae of Color and ultimately all alumnae interested in the opportunity to actively support the College’s student access, retention, and career planning and placement goals (2011–2012); moderator/panelist, Mills Alumnae of Color Leadership Workshop (2012); member, Washington DC Metropolitan Area Mills Club.

How has Mills affected your life? At age 15, my life was first changed by Mills when I was admitted to the Upward Bound Program. That open door, followed by admissions to Mills as an undergraduate student, subsequently served to open many doors for me, academically and professionally. Notable achievements include earning a doctorate and acquiring an extensive professional background in higher education administration at the national, state, and campus levels.

How do you view the future of the Alumnae Association and its relationship with the College? Given the climate of 21st-century independent colleges and universities has been severely impacted by world, state, and local fiscal exigencies coupled with a turbulent and unpredictable political environment, the AAMC of the future must be fully synchronized with the College and its internal and external communities—nationally and around the world—in support of Mills’ mission, governance, and ongoing sustainability.

What are your hopes and expectations for the future of Mills College?

President DeCoudreaux has established a wonderful bridge to foster communication and collaboration with every member of the College’s constituency (internally and externally, among and across all constituent groups). I am hopeful and expectant, therefore, that this “bridge” will facilitate ongoing and meaningful dialogue and engagement that enhances awareness regarding the “state of the College,” creative solutions to challenges, and philanthropic and other positive commitments and outcomes that will continue to elevate the College’s greatness and ranking, nationally and regionally. spring 2013

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Alison left a legacy for Mills students.

You can too.

E. Alison Kay ’50 (1928–2008) Alison was professor of zoology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for over 40 years and served as editor in chief for the journal Pacific Science. An active environmentalist, she pioneered the use of micromollusks in environmental monitoring. Her unrestricted bequest supported student scholarships and other College needs from 2008 to 2010.

Katie Young ’12 Katie, an environmental studies major, received the merit-

Bequests to Mills help the College meet future needs.

Your unrestricted bequest will give Mills the flexibility to use your gift where it will benefit students most.

based Presidential Scholarship—funded in part by Alison’s bequest—all four years she studied at Mills. Now an ecologist with an environmental consulting company in Berkeley, Katie conducts surveys of native plants and animals.

To learn more about creating a legacy of your own at Mills contact us toll-free at 1.877.PG.MILLS (1.877.746.4557) or planagift@mills.edu.

If you’ve already included Mills in your estate plans, please let us know.

In Memoriam Notices of death received before December 21, 2012 To submit listings, please contact alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123

Alumnae Mary Frances Bestor Cram, MA ’34, April 24, 2012, in Flemington, New Jersey. Born at Chautauqua Institution, she participated in Chautauqua programs for 94 years; served as a trustee for the Institution, and was a board member of the Chautauqua Foundation. She is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

Elsie Louis ’36, April 10, 2008, in San Luis Obispo.

Dorothy Gaylord Argo ’37, September 29, in Monterey, California. She was executive director of the Monterey Girl Scout Council in the 1950s and enjoyed gardening, painting, and her cats. She is survived by three daughters, including Sally Carley ’71 , and seven grandchildren.

Nedra Arendts Niles Snouffer, MA ’37, November 1, in Santa Monica, California. A resident of Dallas, Texas, for 64 years, she was director of The St. Michael School and the Hockaday Lower-Middle School for girls; she also served on the Teachers Education Advisory Committee of the University of Dallas. She is survived by a son, two grandsons, and four step-children.

Ivey Adell Ruiter Lambert ’38, MA ’46, November 15, in Sacramento.

She had a 38-year career teaching in local high schools and at Sacramento City College, and was a founding faculty member of Consumnes River College. Survivors include three children and eight grandchildren.

Kathryn Keeler McGanity, MA ’39, November 13, in Alamo Heights, Texas.

Betty Buonpane Crummey ’41, December 7, in Loudonville, New York.

She was a high school English teacher, a founding member of the Saint Gregory’s School for Boys, and was frequently honored for her work as a leader in numerous charitable and arts organizations. She is survived by her husband, Edward; three children; and six grandchildren.

Harriet “Penny” Fagan Johnston ’41, August 29, in Portal, Arizona.

Janet Skittone Mussman ’41, January 16, 2012, in Modesto, California.

She lived in the Bay Area for many years, but returned to live on the family ranch in 1999. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she was the force behind the Scotch Acres Horse Show. She is survived by two children and three granddaughters.

Frances Barthes Daniels ’42, June 10, 2012, in Hughson, California. She worked as an elementary teacher and in hotel management.

Elizabeth Alden, MA ’43, May 7, 2012, in Pacific Grove, California. She earned her PhD at Ohio Northern University, served as director of the University of Iowa Preschool Lab and spent a year as an educational consultant in Afghanistan. She also raised champion Hackney ponies at Spindrift Farm.

Jane Kunkel Bradford ’45, August 27, in Carmel, California. She was a prolific painter and showed her work in numerous local galleries, as well as in other states. She is survived by three children and four grandchildren.

Betty Bryan Finley ’45, July 2, in Bolton Landing, New York. An accomplished ceramist, she was a high school math teacher before retiring to Sanibel, Florida. She was a member of the Lake George Garden Club and supported conservation efforts in the Lake George area and along Florida’s Gulf Coast. She is survived by her children, Michael and Laura “Sandy” Finley Alexander ’72, and a granddaughter.

Beate Sirota Gordon ’43 Beate Sirota Gordon, whose work in post–World War II Japan helped guarantee women’s rights in that country, died December 30 at her home in New York City.

Raised in Tokyo, where her father taught music, Gordon was fluent in Japanese language and culture—knowledge that made her a valuable recruit as a government translator during World War II. Following the war, she joined the military as a civilian researcher and soon found herself on a team charged with writing a new democratic constitution for Japan.

Her efforts resulted in clauses that decreed, “all people are equal under the law” without discriminating on the basis of “race, creed, sex, social status, or family origin.” The constitution also declared that marriage must be by “mutual consent of both sexes” and gave women the right to choose a spouse, divorce, and claim family inheritances.

Gordon remained silent about her role for many decades, but the 1995 release of her memoir, The Only Woman in the Room, made her a celebrity in Japan. She was also the subject of A Gift From Beate, a documentary film that chronicles her life and the post-war evolution of women’s rights in Japan. The film screened at Mills in 2009, when Gordon donated her personal archives to the College.

Gordon was director of performing arts at the Asia Society in New York for more than 20 years, bring artists from across Asia to American and Canadian audiences. She received an honorary doctor of fine arts degree from Mills in 1991 and returned to campus as the keynote speaker at Commencement in 2011. “The education I received at Mills from my professors, the speeches I heard on campus about social and economic issues, the exposure I had to men and women dedicated to the advancement of women, profoundly influenced my life’s work,” she said.

Gordon is survived by a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren.

The family has asked that gifts to Mills in her memory be used for the preservation and dissemination of her papers (which will be housed at Mills pursuant to her wishes) and for curriculum or programs related to Asian performing arts.

Julia Clark Gwynn ’45, October 23, in Asheville, North Carolina. She was a lecturer for several years in the computer science department at California State University, Sacramento. Survivors include her sister, Janet Clark McCoy ’47.

Mary Bressi Persic ’46, December 15, 2011, in Los Angeles. She was active in the Volunteer League, Assistance League, and other organizations. She is survived by three children.

Betty Mee Wescott Rowntree ’46, August 9, in Oklahoma City. She joined the US Department of State after World War II and lived in Rome until 1980. A member of the Colonial Dames and a bridge Life Master, she is survived by her son, two stepchildren, and five stepgrandchildren.

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Anne “Onnie” Wegman Taylor ’46, October 16, in Greenbrae, California.

Born in Shanghai to Dutch parents, she received an MA in music from San Francisco State College. She was on the faculty at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont for 25 years, where she established the curriculum for voice majors, and hosted “Radio for the Blind.” She is survived by her partner, Charles Wirth, and three children.

Luise Errol, MA ’47, February 26, 2012, in Monterey, California. A concert pianist and church organist, she taught music at several colleges, including Mills, before embarking on a career in secretarial work. She is survived by her brother and six nieces.

Joan “Joanie” Cummings Hobbs ’48, December 9, in Boulder, Colorado.

A longtime resident of Lafayette, California, she was a member of Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church and was active in Mills fundraising and alumnae activities, serving as a class agent, phonathon volunteer, and event coordinator. She is survived by her husband, Bill, as well as two sons and their families.

Carol Ann Beal Francis ’50, October 11, in Boulder, Colorado. She worked in public relations at Gates Rubber Corporation for many years. Survivors include her husband, Ronald.

Anne Hartley Stager ’53, October 16, in Manson, Washington. She was active in North Shore Bible Church, Lake Chelan Boat Club, and the Bach Fest. She also taught piano and composed handbell arrangements. She is survived by her husband, Don; three sons; and 12 grandchildren.

Rena Ellis Rossi ’55, November 3, in San Francisco. She is survived by her husband, William, and her sister, Pat Ellis Severn ’64.

Cayce Mae Chapman Du Bose ’56, November 24, in Yountville, California. She enlisted in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943 and graduated first in her quartermaster training class. After World War II, she worked as a chemist, teacher, and real estate broker. Later, she learned signing and was a missionary to the deaf. She is survived by four children and 12 grandchildren.

Lorraine Eisenberg Iverson ’48, September 3, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is survived by her husband, Earle; daughters Tami and Hana Iverson ’79; and six grandchildren.

Lois Robin Meyers ’58, November 4, in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was involved with education and literacy programs at Fourth Presbyterian Church while living in Chicago; after moving to Arizona, she became a docent at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. She is survived by her husband, Ronald, and a daughter.

Mary Lynn Pratt Lukens ’48, November 6, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

A gifted artist, her talent in ceramics led to the creation of Whimsicals, a line of pottery known well on Philadelphia’s Main Line. She is survived by four children, including Catherine Gayle Simard ’75, and five grandchildren.

Linda Rooney Markstein Shaw ’61, November 21, in New York City. She was a teacher at Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY; a leader in the field of English as a Second Language; and a well-known textbook author. She is survived by her husband, Donald; two daughters; two step-daughters; and five grandchildren.

Nanette Nelson Rigby ’48, December 4, in Madera, California. She took on leadership roles in the California Federation of Republican Women, the Heart Association, and several youth organizations. She is survived by five children and 10 grandchildren.

Carolyn Louis Shultz ’63, September 14, in Tucson, Arizona. She earned her master’s at Tulane School of Social Work and was employed as a social worker at Charity Hospital of New Orleans. An avid tennis player, she is survived by her husband, Lee, and two daughters.

Isabelle McIlvaine Bowman ’49, September 21, in Denver, Colorado. She had a career as a travel consultant and tour director. She is survived by her husband, J. Clinton; two sons; and seven grandchildren.

Catherine “Cem” Macey ’66, November 17, in Akron, Ohio. She served as an officer in numerous historical societies. Survivors include her sisters, nieces, and nephews.

Jo Ann Tweedie Jantze ’49, September 27, in North Riverside, Illinois.

She served as PTA president, school board member, and Cub Scout den mother; she was also a leader in her church and the local Republican Party organization. She is survived by her husband, Clyde; a son; and two grandchildren.

Nancy Sears Montgomery ’67, September 30, in Orinda, California.

She was an elementary school teacher in Boston and Orinda, worked at the Orinda Veterinary Clinic, and was a devoted mother and grandmother.

She is survived by her husband, John; three children; and six grandchildren.

Gifts in Memory of Received September 1–November 30, 2012 Sheila Weibert Ballantyne ’58 by Chana Feinstein Pederson ’90 Timanna Bennett ’02 by Marcia Randall ’02 Emma and Norick Bize by their daughter, Sheryl Bize-Boutte ’73 Doris Hillman Blackwell ’41 by Mary-Lee Lipscomb Reade ’41 Anita Brown by John Anderson, Kathleen Burke, Elaine Davidson, Suzanne Fong, Harriet Ivey, Elizabeth Meek, Richard Watkins Linton Castille by his daughter, Lynette Castille-Hall ’75 Bob Clark, husband of Judy Horwedel Clark ’63, by Barbara Goldblatt Becker ’63 Patricia Collins ’61 by Ann Gordon Bigler ’61, Mary Doerfler Luhring ’61 Margaret Curwen, P ’71, mother of Beverly Curwen ’71, by Michelle Balovich ’03

Paul Egner, husband of Jane Heberling Egner ’59, by R. Bruce and Alice London Bishop ’58, P ’87 Martha “Marty” Miller Evans ’63 by her husband, Geoffrey Evans Carol Beal Francis ’50 by Margaret Clarke Umbreit ’49 Joseph Gordon by the Mills College Club of New York Elaine Johnson Gutleben ’44 by her husband, Chester Gutleben Julia Clark Gwynn ’45 by her sister, Janet Clark McCoy ’47 Benjamin “Ben” Heineman Sr. by the Mills College Club of New York Patricia Wells Holmberg ’49 by her son, Karl Holmberg Ruth Nemoede Jepsen ’58 by Ethel Black Deffeyes ’58, Sandra Ong ’59 Edith Klein by her daughter, Amy Klein, MA ’75 Charles Larsen by Mura Kievman ’64 Carol Lennox ’61 by Angelique Di Schino Felgentreff ’90 James Long by his daughter, Courtney Long ’01

Evelyn “Peg” Deane ’41 by Mary Hart Clark ’42

Patricia Chilton Martyr ’46 by Madeleine Ebbesen Davis ’46

Jay DeFeo by Heather Cox ’88

Elizabeth Pope by Susan Garfield ’73

Janet Graham Dewing ’27 by Alice Flick ’50

Margaret “Meg” Quigley ’63 by Marilyn Schuster ’65

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Leanne Haney Rhodes ’62 by Meg Patten Eaton ’62 M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Lynne Bantle ’74, November 27, in Berkeley, California. She earned a master’s degree in international relations and her JD from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley, then became one of the first women litigation partners at Pettit Martin law firm in San Francisco. She later obtained a real estate broker’s license and worked in both real estate and law. She served on the AAMC Board of Governors from 1997–2004.

She is survived by her husband, Laurence Masson, and two children.

Adekemisola “Rachel” Odumakinde Tunrarebi ’83, July 1, in the Seychelles. A native of Nigeria and a longtime resident of the Las Vegas area, she earned her doctor of pharmacy degree at Idaho State University in 1996. She was a clinical pharmacist for Sav-On Pharmacy and for Veteran’s Affairs, where she became the head of the pain management clinic. She is survived by three children.

Mildred “Ticia” Casanova ’93, December 21, 2011, in Berkeley, California.

Spouses and family Ricardo Arenas, father of Paula Arenas Berdal ’86, January 2, in Fremont, California.

Margaret Curwen, mother of Beverly Curwen ’71, September 29.

Donald Fouser, husband of Judith Wilson Fouser ’51, July 3, in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Dennis Heitman, husband of Georgi Criswell Heitman ’60, March 22, 2012, in Old Station, California.

Fran Kruss, mother of Jennifer Kruss ’08, September 15, in Mountain View, California.

David Robinson, son of Melinda Singleton Robinson ’62, September 24, in Dubai.

Marjorie Strong, mother of Ann Strong ’83 and Carolyn Strong Eychenne ’87, November 12, in Riverside, California.

Faculty and staff Robert Johnston, October 31, in Carmel, California. An assistant professor of government at Mills in the 1950s, survivors include his wife, Donna.

Dave Brubeck, MA ’46 Famed for his bold use of unconventional time signatures and dense chord structures, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck combined experimentation and accessibility to become one of jazz’s first pop stars. His recording Time Out, featuring the classic hit single “Take Five,” was the first jazz album to sell a million copies.

A Bay Area native, Brubeck came to Mills on a GI Bill scholarship and studied with composer Darius Milhaud—who was so influential that Brubeck named his first son after him. It was not always an easy road.

“I thought my future in music was doomed,” Brubeck wrote in 2011 as he recalled a performance from his first semester at Mills. Milhaud had organized a recital for students to present their compositions before a few well-respected critics. “By the time it was my turn to play I was a complete wreck. I put the music on the rack and played the first few bars as written, but discovered that I could not read a note. So rather than stop I improvised for a minute or so. Then, I tackled the second piece. The same thing happened. The first few bars were under my fingers, then I could not remember what I had written or read what I had notated. Again, I just played whatever came into my head until I thought it was an appropriate time to end. I received generous applause but I could not leave the stage fast enough. I tore up my manuscript, threw it into a waste bin backstage, and walked out into the night….”

Luckily, there is a happy ending to this story: “Milhaud, the next day, was all smiles when I came in the door. He greeted me with ‘Very nice, Boo-boo, but not what you wrote!’” 

Beatrice “Betsy” Woodworth Richmond ’46 by Madeleine Ebbesen Davis ’46 Suzanne Du Prau Rogers ’68 by Susan Stern Fineman ’68 Anne Sherrill by Sally Matthews Buchanan ’64 Ida Shimanouchi ’38 by Margot Jones Mabie ’66, the Mills College Club of New York Elbert Smith by Barbara Goldblatt Becker ’63 Marion Stebbins by Elizabeth Bryant Miles ’34 Anne “Onnie” Wegman Taylor ’46 by Nancy May de L’Arbre ’46, Lucile Pedler Griffiths ’46, MA ’47, P ’75, Paula Merrix Sporck ’46, Anne Nicholson Turchi ’47 Frances Weiler Varnhagen ’52 by Katherine Schapiro Jerry Werlin, husband of Barbara Gilinsky Werlin ’50, P ’76, by Susan Stern Fineman ’68 Marcia Marple Weston, MA ’37 by Nancy Black, Thomas Black, Richard and Judith Hoopman, Patricia Lapham Reynold Wik by Sally Matthews Buchanan ’64 p=parent; For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

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In a career that spanned more than six decades, Brubeck worked with numerous partners, most notably alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, with whom he formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet from 1951 through 1967. Brubeck went on to perform with his musician sons and frequently collaborated with his wife, Iola, who had served as her husband’s publicist and business manager in his early years and contributed lyrics and librettos to several works, including “The Real Ambassadors,” a jazz suite that dealt with race relations.

Brubeck often used his music to address social and political divides.

While touring in the 1950s and ’60s, he refused to play segregated clubs or perform without his bassist, Gene Wright, who was black.

He also explored a variety of compositional forms, including a concerto grosso for 45-piece ensemble, an oratorio and four cantatas, a mass, two ballets, and works for jazz combo with orchestra.

A resident of Wilton, Connecticut, since 1960, Brubeck was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts and received a Kennedy Center Honor for his contribution to American culture.

Dave Brubeck died December 5 at age 91. He is survived by his wife, Iola; five children; and 10 grandchildren. spring 2013

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

1, 2: Saddle shoes and shovels were the fashion accessories of choice in the 1950s.

3: In the 1970s, hairstyles and attitudes may have changed, but a spirit of service remains.

4: The pond by the Music Building gets some new landscaping.

5: Kay Gilliland ’50 and April Ninomiya Hopkins, MFA ’03.

6: President Alecia DeCoudreaux echoes a classic pose.

Say hey . . . and play! 

Equal parts exertion and exuber ance , Heyday Playday is a Mills tradition that began during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Toward the end of the spring semester, classes would be suspended for a day and students would band together to complete various projects on the campus grounds, such as painting, gardening, and making repairs.

Afterward, the Mills community would celebrate their hard work and accomplishments with games, a talent show, and a feast. The event evolved with the times—in the 1950s, many activities looked like they might have taken place at a county fair; in the 1970s, the day included a presentation on energy conservation. As the decades passed, the hard labor dwindled and ultimately the event itself sank into obscurity.

Last November, more than 80 alumnae, students, and staff resurrected the tradition with a two-hour work session followed by a barbeque lunch.

Longtime School of Education faculty member Kay Gilliland ’50 was the driving force behind the event, organized in partnership with the East Bay Mills Branch (formerly the Oakland–Berkeley Branch of the AAMC).

Another Heyday Playday is scheduled for April 6. To get involved in this or other campus volunteer opportunities, contact Alumnae Relations at alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123.

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

Alumna Trustee Ballot Nominee statements are printed on page 20.

Please indicate your choice for 2013–16 alumna trustee below:

 Melissa Stevenson Dile ’91  Christina Hannan ’91  Judith James ’74

Ballots must be received at Reinhardt Alumnae House by 5:00 pm Friday, May 10, 2013

IMPORTANT: • Please mail ballot in a private envelope to the Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC). Pre-addressed Mills College Annual Fund envelopes are supplied for donations only.

• Only ballots cut from the Quarterly will be counted. The ballot is printed on the inside back cover of the Quarterly.

No ballot will be accepted without the mailing label on the reverse side.

In order to maintain voter confidentiality, the association’s mail opener will verify that the mailing labels are authentic and then ink out voter names before passing ballots on to the Nominating Committee chair for final count.

Mail your ballot to:

Chair, Nominating Committee AAMC Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86 Oakland, CA 94613

• No faxed ballots or call-in or email votes are valid.

Upon request, the AAMC will send a spring Quarterly to replace the one from which you have cut this ballot. Call 510.430.2110 or email aamc@mills.edu.

Alumnae tr avel 2013 China: The Yangtze River Discover the secrets of China’s mystique and its timeless treasures, from Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City to the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an and Buddhist cliff carvings in Dazu. Explore world-class cities and famous landmarks, including the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, and the Three Gorges region as you travel by land and water.

September 10–23, 2013

Villages & Vineyards of the Mosel, Rhine & Main Rivers cruise The Mosel River is perhaps the most beautiful river in Germany, winding between steep, vine-laden banks.

The mighty Rhine offers charming towns and the legendary Lorelei Rock. The Main River flows past storybook villages and pristine countryside. Enjoy them all on this seven-night cruise aboard the 146-passenger MS Amadeus Brilliant.

October 14–22, 2013

Treasures of East Africa featuring Tanzania & Kenya Your wilderness dream becomes reality on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Spot zebra grazing across grass-filled plains, cheetahs stalking their prey, or lions stretching lazily in the sun as you explore the spectacular national parks of Tanzania and Kenya in custom 4x4 safari vehicles with expert guides. Excursion limited to 28 travelers.

October 19–November 12, 2013 See the AAMC travel website at aamc.mills.edu for additional full itineraries on these and other upcoming trips.

For reservations or additional information, call the Alumnae Association of Mills College at 510.430.2110 or email aamc@mills.edu.

Alumna trustee election inside See candidates on page 20, ballot on inside back cover

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)

You’re the winner

when you tell Mills what you’ve accomplished since graduation Next month, Mills will ask all alumnae to complete an online survey about their careers, advanced education, and other experiences after college.

Taking part in this survey will help: • Build a strong alumnae network to support students and alumnae as they advance in their professions; • Prove the value of a Mills education to accrediting agencies and college guide publishers like The Princeton Review; • Gain national recognition for the College’s excellence—and enhance the respect and recognition your own Mills degree commands.

Just 15 minutes of your time can make a big difference. If you do not already receive email from Mills, please share your email address with us so we can send you the survey. Call 510.430.2123 or email alumnae-relations@mills.edu.