Mills Quarterly, Summer 2021

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Mills Quarterly Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021

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CONTENTS

18

Summer 2021

12 CARmencement 2021 (and 2020!)

Coverage of the unique Commencement celebrations conjured up for the classes affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

16 Echoes Across the Ages by Lila Goehring ’21 Multigenerational friendships among Millsies are so common that a recent graduate already carries several with her as she departs the College.

18 From Mills to the Bench by Shelley Moench-Kelly As women in the judiciary undergo new scrutiny across the country, three alumna judges recall the trajectory of their careers.

32 The Magic Beans of Mills by Carol Holzman Wolf ’80 One student’s summer spent writing and caregiving in Faculty Village still reverberates more than 40 years later.

Departments 1

Letters to the Editor

4

President’s Message

8

Mills Matters

22 AAMC News 24 Class Notes 28 In Memoriam

On the cover: Two CARmencements gave recent graduates the chance to return to campus to finally wrap up what had been strange endings to their Mills experiences.

Class of 2021 cruised through on the afternoon of May 15 after a virtual Commencement ceremony held in the morning, and on May 22, members of the Class of 2020 got to participate in the rites they missed out on last year: wearing their regalia, posing for photos on campus, and saying goodbye to their classmates in person. Turn to page 12 for more images. Photo by Allison Rost.

Letters to the Editor I am the class secretary for the Class of

pendent leader, social activist, and suc-

1970, and like other Mills alums, our

cessful in her endeavors. She is also loving,

class is saddened by the announce-

humble, and a great daughter and woman.

ment that Mills will transition into a

–Gilbert R. Almanzan, P ’92 Rosemead, California

new entity, but responses have varied.

Some say that Mills’ financial situation and enrollment decline gave President

My choice to attend Mills in 1999 was

Hillman no choice. Others say that col-

both a radical departure from my life as

leges like Mills have gone too far out on

I understood it and an open door to a

a limb with extremely high financial aid.

future I never imagined. At Mills, I could

Others find the criticisms of President

imagine myself in a world that had no

Hillman and their confrontational tone

restrictions on my potential.

unwarranted and destructive.

I am aghast at the decision to sell this

So, as usual, we have a lot of different

powerful place without a transparent pro-

opinions. In general, most of us still sup-

cess or even an open conversation. Mills is

port the more broadly inclusive Mills as it

where I learned to build consensus, craft

has become over the years, but we don’t

unshakeable coalitions, and put first the

have a solution for its problems. I, for one,

voices of those most impacted by deci-

support President Hillman’s leadership

sions I was able to influence. I am stunned

and believe she has done all she could

that the place that taught me all of this

to save Mills. I may have stood with the

seems unable to do the same.

“Better Dead than Coed” 1990 rebels and

To the Mills College Board of Trustees

the Black Student Union demonstrators

and President Beth Hillman: The time

in President Wert’s office in 1969, but I do

has come for you to resign. You were

not believe it is time to go to the barri-

entrusted for years with our full faith

cades now, nor is it time for recrimination.

and support to manage and maintain this

–Kathleen Dalton ’70 Lexington, Massachusetts

incredibly special place, but it seems that

My letter is simple: be transparent and tell us the truth. We’re grown-ups. The Quarterly has remained rosy while the building is allegedly on fire.

–Kimberlee Garfinkle MacVicar ’95 Alameda, California

our belief was misplaced. We cannot let Mills become absorbed when its student body so clearly represents the future— even if our current leadership doesn’t know how to honor and support that.

–Darcy Totten ’03 Sacramento Change is coming, like it or not. Change

Volume CX, Number 4 (USPS 349-900) Summer 2021 President Elizabeth L. Hillman Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement Nikole Hilgeman Adams Managing Editor Allison Rost Design and Art Direction Nancy Siller Wilson Editorial Assistant Lila Goehring ’21 Contributors Shelley Moench-Kelly Kate Robinson Beckwith, MFA ’13 Carol Holzman Wolf ’80 Editorial Advisory Committee Angela Bacca, MBA ’12 Sheryl Bizé-Boutté ’73 Melissa Bender Henley ’99 Mira Mason-Reader ’15 Mari Matoba ’03 Livi Perez ’14, MA ’17 Mason Stockstill, MFA ’09

and maintaining its mission and princi-

Mills is the place for people like me.

ples for the benefit of both UC and Mills.

It teaches the most vulnerable people in

Mills’ legacy as a women’s liberal arts

the room to become leaders. Who else

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.

would do that?

Copyright © 2021, Mills College

I, the father of a Mills alumna, support

isn’t always such a bad thing. We can

the creation of a UC Mills union as an

use this moment to fight for the kind of

independent model under the UC system

school that Mills could be. Or we could

and to remain a degree-granting college

cling to a ruined past that is over.

college that serves diverse and marginalized students will serve new students

It’s also one of the only places in the

well with its strong academia and spe-

entire country where women can work

cialized programs. UC Mills is a great

full time or take care of children and go

idea and a win-win situation for both

to school, in an academic environment

schools.

that supports their outside commitments

My daughter’s choice to attend Mills College helped her become a strong inde-

Address correspondence to Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312

and responsibilities.

This moment needs us to be leaders.

SUMMER 2021

1

We need to dig in our heels and demand

raphers, actors, artists, politicians, civil ser-

with Christian Marouby. When he real-

change, now, while there is still a pos-

vants, scientists, lawyers, doctors, authors,

ized that there were 30 of us, he said that

sibility we might save something of the

CEOs, professors, engineers, teachers,

he would teach an extra section so we

school I know we all love.

and community and global activists. We

could all get the attention we deserved.

champion the disenfranchised, and we

On my first day of classes, I learned that

are energized.

my education was important.

–Ariadne Wolf, MFA ’19 Alamo, California

–Katherine Mahood ’93 Northern California

When my eldest child was in sixth grade, she came home from school to tell me they’d researched colleges. She’d found

I initially reacted to the March 17

the perfect place—music, art, and educa-

announcement about Mills closing in the

tion: all of her passions. I asked where,

same way I would react to the news of any

nearly falling down when she said,

impending death: with profound sadness.

“Mills College!”

My sadness turned to outrage, however,

I have some eucalyptus leaves and acorns from Mills that I draw upon for strength when I need the energy of my mother Mills. It was to her I returned to contemplate whether I wanted to get married. My wedding was inspired by the Mills Boat Dance. My daughter’s first overnight trip was to Mills to accompany me to an

Rose did enroll at Mills, with a gener-

when I sat in on President Hillman’s town

ous four-year faculty scholarship, and

hall on April 6. Her performance that

despite the deep challenges of COVID

evening, as well as that of a few trustees,

and remote learning, she’s having a

produced such a mishmash of vague,

beautiful and transformative experience.

obfuscating, and often condescending

Like all of the Class of 2024 I know, she

statements about the College’s straits that

was initially horrified to learn of the

I came to realize something: That for all

As we all come to terms with the immi-

plans to turn the College into an unde-

of Mills’ problems, its greatest one may be

nent changes at Mills—whatever they

fined, non-degree granting institute, and

the utter incoherence of its leadership.

may be—may I offer a perspective I

then unsure about the news of a potential partnership with Northeastern.

At the very least, they’ve mishandled the public relations of this crisis. What

AAR training. We stayed in Olney, just like I used to. I continue to dream that she will, along with others, for generations still.

–Priya Kanuga ’93 Santa Clara, California

haven’t heard voiced (in addition to the undeniable data points)?

For both of us, Mills has its huge gifts

else have they mishandled? They talk

Clearly, Mills is at a point of no return

and real challenges. We are people with

about falling enrollment. Could a delib-

financially. The college we loved won’t

disabilities, and Mills offered us the

erately underfinanced, admissions office

continue as it has. For decades, board

small classes and inclusive professors we

have something to do with that? What

members and presidents have struggled

needed, but it also failed on administra-

else have they, and recent prior admin-

with how to solve this. Current negotia-

tive and structural levels. In my day and

istrations, mishandled in terms of other

tions have been as transparent as these

now, Mills doesn’t support the very stu-

aspects of the College’s finances?

changes will allow. Kudos to them all for their Herculean efforts!

dents it claims to value: Black, Latinx,

As for the proposed merger with

Indigenous, first-generation, LGBTQIA+,

Northeastern University, I don’t believe

More importantly, the educational world

and resuming students. If we are to save

that route promises any meaningful

has changed, and young women may not

Mills, we need to save it as a place that

future for Mills or its stakeholders, cam-

feel the need for the extensive nurturing

actually supports and nurtures the stu-

pus, and legacy given who the College’s

environment Mills has provided in the

dents it attracts.

negotiators are.

past. This is a good sign! Work towards equality is not done, but enough parity has

–Larissa Brown Shapiro ‘95, P ’24 Santa Cruz, California

–Marion Osmun ’76 Irvington, New York

President Hillman and the Board of

Like many of you, I participated in a pro-

Trustees’ unilateral decisions about the

spective student overnight. I was unable

future of Mills College are outrageous

to attend the scheduled dates, so Mills

and must be reversed. This is a call to

made it possible for me to do it sooner. I

action for every Mills College alumna to

had the opportunity to hear a Holocaust

I was so pleased to read the announce-

join the students, faculty, and staff who

survivor speak, tour the art gallery, hike

ment that Mills has the opportunity to

have been using our collective intellec-

to Founders. Upon returning to my school,

become Mills College at Northeastern

tual and financial power to keep Mills

for the first time, I spoke up in a class of

University and continue to confer under-

College as it is.

more than 200 students. In a few hours at

graduate and graduate degrees. What an

Mills, I learned my voice mattered.

extraordinary way to put the question

We are parents raising children during a pandemic, musicians, dancers, choreog2

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Fast forward to fall 1990 and French 4

been achieved for women to compete well and significantly both at school and in the workplace. I’m glad I have lived to see it.

–Brandie Brandt Gallagher ’68 Clayton, California

of Mills’ survival to rest, and for the

College to continue to provide an excep-

to teach them our legacy and how to be

veiled in legalese. “Severance” was not

tional education to its students.

allies to empowered women and gen-

the first thing on their minds, which

Given the substantial issues that have

derqueer people. I am still going to hold

was unique. If this is the way to transi-

plagued Mills over the years, I have no

our leaders accountable in these talks

tion most of our faculty to Mills College

doubt that charting a viable course has

to make sure our faculty and staff espe-

at Northeastern University, count me in.

been difficult, at best. That said, I’m quite

cially are considered, as they have been

certain that President Hillman and her

hanging on despite all of the turmoil.

leadership team have examined all the possibilities and worked with Mills constituents and the Board of Trustees to develop a plan based on what’s best for students, faculty, and staff going forward.

I know that change is hard and the decisions necessary to ensure a future for Mills are not easy to make. I have every confidence that the board and President Hillman have engaged thoughtfully in the important work of finding the best path to continue the legacy of Mills College and position it to continue its work toward women’s leadership, and social, gender and racial justice.

-President Emerita Alecia A. DeCoudreaux East Falmouth, Massachusetts

–Sunshine Anderson (they/them) ’20, Morona, Wisconsin I know there are conflicting feelings about Mills possibly entering into an alliance with Northeastern University, but here’s a faculty perspective: I got to meet the Northeastern team during its visit to Mills, and this experience was much different than other collaborations we’ve explored.

The team included senior leadership, such as the president and provost. Some things genuinely surprised me, including the level of excitement, curiosity, and respect they showed toward our campus and everyone they met during the visit.

Simple gestures led me to believe

The day the College announced a pos-

that this partnership could actually

sible deal with Northeastern University,

work. President Aoun took an inter-

a large part of me was relieved. While I

est in everyone he saw on campus, and

am so thankful I chose Mills and met

he asked very good questions on what

the incredible people who make it what

makes Mills different, as well as the

it is, I witnessed a very quick and steep

hopes people have for this partnership.

decline in the quality of services and

He also had a genuine interest in our

academic offerings. Working in different

pain points. The visit was a delightful,

departments at Mills opened my eyes to

unintimidating experience in which the

many of the deep-rooted issues facing

team was thoroughly dedicated to iden-

us—all coming back to money. Frankly,

tifying common ground for a potential

by the end of my time at Mills (pandemic

partnership. They were not trying to

aside), I couldn’t recommend it to friends

show off how great Northeastern is or

who were looking into schools.

what it takes to gain a seat at their table;

If Northeastern University can main-

they were trying to learn what’s excellent

tain the campus, provide continued

about Mills. They wanted to know what

employment for faculty and staff, and

directions we were excited to explore.

bring the quality of student life up to an

During the pandemic, Northeastern

experience that is worth recommending

kept their staff and faculty, even if it had

again, then let’s try it! Mills was once a

to reassign job responsibilities or find

seminary that underwent a monumental

other roles within their extensive net-

transition to a college, and now it is sim-

work. The fact that the provost said that

ply time for another transition.

he hopes for a smooth way to transition

Introducing cisgender men at the

faculty to new roles [within a potential

undergraduate level is a huge adjust-

partnership with Mills] disarmed me—

ment, but we as alums have the power

I expected a more conservative answer

Now, potential pitfalls. An obvious one is a culture fit: Northeastern is a research university, bigger, more selective, and, yes, coed. The ethos of the two institutions may appear different, but we discovered many common goals: the desire to participate in positive social change, a strong focus on student experience, and respect for what faculty and staff bring to the table. There’s a lot of respect for the experiential learning components of our curriculum and our deliberate efforts to establish connections with the Oakland community.

The team also came across as genuinely wanting to help Mills stay true to its character while becoming a part of the Northeastern family. Yes, there was an elephant in the room—the issue of allgender admissions—and they acknowledged that it would be a big change. They did not try to trivialize it, but showed understanding of the need to preserve the Mills legacy in imaginative ways.

The experience uplifted me. It gave me renewed hope in a smooth organizational transition that will allow current students to graduate, preserve Mills employees’ dignity, and show respect for our alumnae/i community. I realize that this transition will be a lot of work, but I am sticking around to see it through.

As a favorite colleague said, “I’m enjoying thinking about what the future will look like, both short- and long-term—the difference between March 17 and June 17 is palpable.”

It will be a long couple of years, and it will take all of us to make it work—but I am hopeful.

I send my love to all who deeply care about the future of Mills, even if we disagree on the best way to ensure it.

–Dean of the Lokey School of Business and Public Policy Kate Karniouchina Saratoga, California

SUMMER 2021

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A Message from the President of Mills College

By Elizabeth L. Hillman

E

very commencement season is

festivities were far from celebra-

cause for celebration, but 2021

tory. At that time, Mills College

brought more relief, excitement,

was teetering as we reckoned

and novelty to the 133rd Mills College

with the immediate and poten-

Commencement than most of us have

tially challenging impact of the

ever witnessed. We held our first virtual

College’s

commencement, complete with a bril-

instability on our students, fac-

liant speech by Alicia Garza, Honorary

ulty, staff, and entire commu-

Doctorate of Letters ’21, and personal

nity. I recognize the emotional

touches for the indomitable graduates

toll that this reckoning created

who earned degrees in the midst of the

for our many devoted alumnae

pandemic that took hold of the world

and for so many others across

during their final, critical terms of study.

the Mills College community.

long-term

financial

These Mills College graduates war-

To our great relief and excite-

rant special recognition for their abil-

ment, however, it also catalyzed

ity to adapt, persist, and thrive, and I’m

and created new opportunities

grateful to the many staff and faculty

for innovation and collabora-

leaders whose stamina and creativity

tion with potential institutional

enabled Mills to plan and execute events

partners.

to celebrate their extraordinary accom-

In June, I shared with our

plishments. For the first time, Mills held

community that Mills would

a “CARmencement” to allow graduates

pursue a new alliance with Northeastern

and women’s education. Our alliance

and their families to celebrate in person

University

announcement

with Northeastern will enable Mills to

with masks and distancing. Also, for the

reprinted in this issue of the Mills

support its current students through

first time, two classes of graduates—the

Quarterly. As we work through the

their degree programs, bring those stu-

Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020—

many details and essential nuances of

dents new opportunities, and reimagine

joined us together on two separate days

what we expect will be a historic alli-

graduate and undergraduate programs

with their families and friends to cheer

ance, I am thrilled to report that the

in ways that engage the deep expertise

and take photos at their favorite spots

congruence between our institutions’

and pedagogical excellence of Mills fac-

across the Mills campus.

with

an

missions and the synergies that emerged

ulty and staff. It will also allow Mills

Comparatively, the months imme-

from Mills’ very first conversations with

alumnae to become part of a global com-

diately prior to May’s Commencement

Northeastern have allowed us to make

munity of impact, to continue their role

great progress. As I described in a July

on campus and in student life, and to

message to the community, this poten-

know that Mills College will be a degree-

tial alliance will bring many benefits to

granting institution for generations still.

This issue of the Mills Quarterly continues our tradition of offering the AAMC two pages of this College publication to communicate directly with readers and alumnae. Mills College continues to provide services to the AAMC consistent with the College’s and the AAMC’s 2017 Memorandum of Collaboration and Agreement, which was entered into to keep the interests of students at the heart of our work, strengthen the alumnae-College relationship, and meet the challenges posed by rapid changes in higher education.

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Mills’ students, faculty, staff, and alum-

This summer, we also have wel-

nae, including our ability to sustain

comed another accomplished alumna

Mills’ mission by serving current and

trustee, designated by the AAMC, to

future students on campus.

the Mills College Board of Trustees: The

Together, Northeastern and Mills will

Honorable Jacki Brown of the Orange

bring Northeastern’s unmatched excel-

County Superior Court, who is included

lence in global, experiential education

in this issue’s story about alumna judges

to Mills’ unparalleled commitment to

on page 18. We look forward to working

access, women’s leadership, and gender

with Judge Brown and all of our dedi-

and racial justice. In order to do so, a re-

cated trustees, alumnae, faculty, staff,

envisioned Mills College at Northeastern

students, and community members as

University will open its doors to under-

we link the storied past of Mills with the

graduates of all genders while sustain-

promise of a new future for Mills College

ing Mills’ dedication to gender equity

at Northeastern University.

On June 17, President Elizabeth L. Hillman sent the following announcement to the Mills community. For the most up-to-date information, visit mills.edu/announcement. More information to follow in the fall issue.

Centennial Common on Northeastern’s Boston campus features one of several pieces of public art.

Northeastern University, at a glance

Mills College and Northeastern University pursue alliance I am excited to share that today, Mills will begin formal discussions to combine with Northeastern University, a private, nonprofit, Boston-based research university with a global presence. Our goal is to combine our two institutions so that, together, we can expand Mills’ core strengths, including advancing student access, women’s leadership, equity, and social justice. This new alliance would allow for continued conferral of degrees on the Mills campus with the Mills

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential learning.

The university’s largest campus is in Boston, and it maintains regional campuses across the US, Canada, and the UK.

Centers and Institutes Burnes Family Center for Social Change and Innovation Center for Inclusive Computing Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project Coastal Sustainability Institute Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy Global Resilience Institute Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems Institute for Experiential Artificial Intelligence Institute for Experiential Robotics Institute of Health Equity and Social Justice Institute on Race and Justice Network Science Institute

Experiential Learning

name as part of those degrees, enhanced support for Mills’ current students, faculty, and staff, and the future development of new educational programs.

Due to mounting financial challenges, on March 17 we announced that Mills would stop accepting first-year stu-

10,854

148

dents after fall 2021 and would most likely confer its final

Co-op placements in 2020–2021

Countries where Northeastern has placed students since 2006

Northeastern University, continued

degrees in 2023, pending further consideration and action by the Board. The Board has authorized negotiations with Northeastern University because its leaders understand and support the vital contributions Mills offers, and because we share a vision of what

Equity and Access Programs

education can and must be in the coming decades. The missions

LOWELL INSTITUTE SCHOOL

of Mills and Northeastern are aligned through our shared com-

1,200 learners seeking a bachelor’s in STEM $750K yearly in scholarships 39% underrepresented minority students 55% women

mitment to access, social justice, and urban engagement. thoughts with us on the proposed alliance: “Together with our col-

A2M COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT

educational and lifelong success is in perfect congruence with Mills

68% underrepresented populations 77% women Up to $10K per year in tuition support 93% retention rate

Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun shared his leagues at Mills, we are seeking to create something truly unique in higher education. Northeastern’s history and enduring focus on inclusion and empowering people from all backgrounds to realize and its ideals. Not only are our missions aligned, but by combining our signature strengths, we can create new and distinctive opportunities that extend and enhance our collective priorities.”

As part of an anticipated alliance, Mills and Northeastern expect to realize the following outcomes, subject to continuing

TORCH SCHOLARS PROGRAM

discussions and development of a finalized agreement:

108 graduates since 2011 86% graduation rate

• Mills would become Mills College at Northeastern University.

FOUNDATION YEAR COLLEGE PREP

100 Boston-area high school graduates per year 75% underrepresented populations ALIGN COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM

Though Mills would not be an independent, standalone institution, undergraduate and graduate degrees would be offered through a Mills College at Northeastern University. Mills would become gender inclusive at the undergraduate level.

Current Mills students will be able to complete their degrees at Mills or at Mills College at Northeastern University, depend-

Expanding the pipeline of women in computing

ing on a student’s degree path and timing of the alliance. Prior

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES

the possible option to transfer to Northeastern at no additional

Women Who Empower Center for Inclusive Computing Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative

to finalization of the alliance, Mills students would also have cost, based on individual degree paths, or to transfer to other universities with which Mills has negotiated transfer agreements. More information is expected to be available this fall regarding specific pathways.

• Scholarship and financial aid commitments that Mills has made to current Mills College students would be honored at Mills College at Northeastern University.

• Subject to the results of collaborative efforts on academic program development that will be part of formal discussions, a significant

Urban Engagement ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

$500M invested in developing Boston’s Columbus Avenue Corridor

$65M awarded in university supplier contracts to underrepresented Boston businesses

$37.8M went to women- and minorityowned firms

COMMUNITY SERVICE

$8M in service to community nonprofit organizations through 280,000 volunteer service hours

number of Mills faculty and staff would be offered opportunities for continued employment either on the Mills campus at Northeastern University or at other Northeastern University campuses where their skills and experience would be aligned.

• Northeastern understands the importance of Mills receiving financial support to cover its operating expenses and to enable Mills to offer compensation increases for staff and faculty members.

• Northeastern would extend its tuition remission program, which covers tuition for employees and their eligible dependents who are admitted to Northeastern degree programs, to Mills employees.

• In addition to Mills College at Northeastern University, Northeastern would support the launch of a Mills Institute as a hub for research and advocacy to advance women’s leadership,

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Northeastern University’s Arboretum provides a living museum on campus devoted to the planting and stewardship of plants.

educational access, social justice, and other causes embedded in the Mills mission and legacy.

• Mills College alumnae could continue to participate in Mills College reunions and maintain access to the College’s Reinhardt Alumnae House on the Mills campus. They would be eligible to participate in an array of Northeastern alumni programs, such as reduced cost access to educational programs across Northeastern’s global network.

Academics UNDERGRADUATE

270 majors 171 combined majors 84 plus-one accelerated master’s programs 4,646 degrees conferred, 2020-2021 (estimated) GRADUATE

The recent outpouring of support for the mission of Mills College

288 professional doctorate, master’s, and certificate

has been essential in developing the details of this new oppor-

programs (in-class, online, and hybrid formats)

tunity. Should Mills and Northeastern reach an agreement to

35 research doctoral programs

realize the potential of this alliance, it will be a result of the passionate place the College holds in the hearts of our faculty, staff, students, and alumnae. Their stories and testimonies about lives that were changed by experiences at Mills are a legacy that can be sustained through a Mills College at Northeastern University.

This collaboration will enable the extraordinary legacy of Mills College to thrive within the global networked campuses of Northeastern University, an innovative and growing university. It will sustain Mills’ educational mission as a college within Northeastern University, ensure the Mills campus continues to be a place of inspiration and learning, and expand Mills’ impact into the future. I look forward to realizing this opportunity in collaboration with the Mills community, and I deeply appreciate the support of everyone whose hard work has helped to make it possible. I will continue to keep the Mills community informed as discussions with Northeastern pro-

Custom learning programs with employer partners

DEGREES CONFERRED, 2020–2021 (estimated)

6,329 master’s 206 professional doctorates 245 Ph.D.s Undergraduate Admissions 75,243 applications 20.5% acceptance rate 97% freshman retention, fall 2019 18% of enrolled freshmen are Pell-eligible $310M in financial-aid grants

ceed and more information becomes available.

SUMMER 2021

7

Mills Matters Provost’s office announces two new arrivals After a spring with several departures,

higher education, Hardaway has also

vative teaching and professional devel-

the Office of the Provost is finding revi-

worked in administration at institu-

opment among the faculty, as well as

talization with the hire of two accom-

tions such as Hebrew Union College,

antiracism initiatives. She has worked

plished professionals.

Trinity College, and Fairleigh Dickinson

on similar initiatives in the past; most

University.

recently, she brought together a group

First is Patricia Hardaway, who is joining the College as interim provost.

Her arrival also marks a structural

of humanities and science faculty with

Hardaway has a deep background in

change within the provost’s office. The

Student Life staff members to par-

higher education, especially regard-

position previously included both the

ticipate in Stanford’s Life Design Lab’s

ing equity and inclusion. She was

provost and dean of faculty roles, but

Studio for Universities in 2019, which

previously president and provost of

starting in the 2021-22 school year, the

brought career readiness and resilience

Wilberforce University in Ohio, the

two will be separate. Hardaway will begin

tools into classrooms and the First Year

oldest private historically Black univer-

work on defining and filling the new

Experience.

sity in the United States, which is also

dean of faculty position over the summer.

Bishop, the Alice Andrews Quigley

her undergraduate alma mater. After

In addition, Associate Professor of

Chair in Women’s Studies, has been

earning an MPW from the University

History and of Women’s, Gender, and

a member of the Mills faculty since

of Pittsburgh and her law degree at the

Sexuality Studies Judith Bishop will join

2005 and the recipient of multiple

Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law,

the provost’s office as the director of

awards, including the Trefethen Faculty

she cofounded a labor and employment

the Center for Faculty Excellence. This

Award for Outstanding Teaching and

law firm in New York. In the sphere of

new position involves supporting inno-

Curricular Innovation.

Getting back to normal for fall 2021

permanent online institution, so back

After two and a half semesters of

will require proof of vaccination or

to the classroom we go. (Anyone who

distance learning (give or take), the

documentation of exemptions for medi-

can’t yet make that shift is coordinating

College will largely be returning to

cal or religious reasons for employees

with Student Access & Support Services.)

standard operations for the 2021-22

and including philosophical reasons

However, that doesn’t mean that every-

school year. On May 10, the Provost’s

for students. Martin said that inter-

thing is going back to exactly the way it

Office alerted undergraduate students

national students will be able to return

was before the pandemic; Martin says the

that they will revert back to a mostly

to campus with proof of any COVID-19

College learned a lot about how to make

in-person learning environment, with

shot that’s been approved by the World

events more accessible. For instance, last

exemptions available for those with

Health Organization even if it’s not yet

year’s orientation utilized an online course

medical or religious/philosophical rea-

approved in the United States, such as

that many new students revisited through-

sons that preclude them from vaccina-

the AstraZeneca vaccine. Those who are

out the year—an unexpected upside.

tion. Graduate programs will mostly do

not vaccinated for any reason may still

the same, though instructors did find

have to wear masks on campus.

Campus: As of June 15, the official reopening date in California, the Mills campus is available for alumnae and the

that certain online and hybrid modali-

Residence halls: Only students who

ties promoted student engagement and

have been vaccinated will be allowed to

surrounding community to walk and

will incorporate some of those elements

live in on-campus housing. With virus

enjoy. However, due to the recent depar-

into classwork going forward.

variants still circulating, previous isola-

ture of the aquatics director, the pool will

tion protocols will remain in place—

likely not reopen until August. As with

like? We checked in with Chicora

though Martin said only one student

other sectors, the College hopes to use

Martin, dean of students, about yet

tested positive for COVID, near the end

more of its open-air and outdoor spaces

another school year unlike any other:

of the year, and immediately self-

for gatherings.

What will this new semester look

Vaccination: As referenced above, students, faculty, and staff must com-

reported and quarantined themselves.

Learning environments: While

Activities: With the help of robust protocols and testing requirements, athletics

plete an immunization process to attend

many students thrived during remote

and the performing arts are expected to

classes and report to work. That process

learning, Mills is not accredited as a

make a full comeback in 2021-22.

8

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Four retirements cap odd academic year For the second year in a row, the annual

community is the best thing that’s ever

Retiring Faculty Reception went online,

happened to me.”

giving departing professors the chance

Walkup, the other honoree at the

to interact with family and friends from

reception, is another giant in the Mills

around the world as they celebrated

arts program. She has nurtured the

illustrious careers at Mills.

College’s renowned Book Art Program

On May 6, Associate Professor of

since 1978. Like Murphy, whose son

Dance Ann Murphy and Lovelace

was present to celebrate his mother,

Family Endowed Chair in Book Art

Walkup’s children were in attendance:

Kathleen Walkup joined an apprecia-

“They all had their babyhoods on cam-

tive crowd on Zoom to look back on

pus!” she said. “They put up with me

their years at the College. Departing

on a merciless schedule, helped me feed

Faculty Leadership. Her scholarly work

Associate Provost for Teaching,

the strikers in 1990, and camped with

focuses on Middle English and medi-

Learning, and Faculty Affairs

me on the Oval when we were fighting

eval England, and at Mills, she taught

Sheila Lloyd presided over the

apartheid in South Africa.”

courses on Shakespeare, science fiction,

reception, offering grateful words

Professor of Book Art Julie Chen, a

Sheila Lloyd

and queerness in premodern literature.

Konrad, who joined Mills in 2003,

to each new retiree, and colleagues

former student of Walkup’s and the new

of each shared stories in their honor.

program head for Book Art, listed her

most recently published “Engaging

“I had no idea that dancers were

mentor’s many accomplishments—first

Women in Coding: An Interdisciplinary

interested in Nietzsche before you,” said

noting that “the patron saint of the

Approach” in February 2020 as part of

Associate Professor of Philosophy Jay

Mills Book Art Program” had secured

Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical

Gupta of Murphy, who joined the Mills

the largest cohort of MFA students

Symposium on Computer Science

faculty in 2007 touting a long career as

in program history just prior to her

Education. In 2020, she was also named

a dance writer and critic, including as

departure. While at Mills, Walkup

to the Letts-Villard Professorship of

the editor of Dance Magazine and the

also taught at Stanford, City College

Natural Sciences. Her courses covered all

founder of several others. Appropriately,

of San Francisco, California College of

manner of computer science topics, from

Murphy earned her MFA in creative

the Arts, Camberwell College of Art in

operating systems to web programming.

nonfiction from UC Riverside in 2011.

London, and the University of Georgia’s

At Mills, she made inclusion the key of the dance department, according to

study-abroad program in Cortona, Italy.

Murphy herself spoke to Walkup’s

Hosting this reception was one of the last duties undertaken by Associate Provost Lloyd, who started a new

her colleagues—for instance, staging

legacy in recalling a visit to F.W. Olin

position as associate vice president

performances with dancers in wheel-

Library to view a book art exhibit:

of academic affairs at the University of

chairs. Murphy organized and curated

“I was stunned by the complexity of the

Houston-Downtown on June 1. Lloyd

dozens of vibrant dance events across

array of the work. She said that book art

had served in her role at Mills since 2018

the Bay Area and on the Mills campus,

is performative, and I saw it in the case,”

and spearheaded a number of projects,

and she elevated the College’s profile

she said. “Her vision is fully formed—

including the College’s re-accreditation

in dance: “Mills MFAs are highly cov-

she has the beginning, the middle,

process and the founding of the Center

eted teachers because of her efforts in

the end.”

for Faculty Excellence. She was also instrumental in the sudden shift to

the program,” said Professor of Music

Also retiring at the end of the 2020-

David Bernstein. Current and former

21 school year are Professor of English

virtual learning last spring, leading the

dance faculty—including Sheldon Smith,

Diane Cady and Associate Professor of

Digital Learning Team and rolling out

Molissa Fenley, and Linda K. Johnson—

Computer Science Almudena Konrad,

Canvas, a new learning management

all toasted her accomplishments.

who did not attend the reception.

system. Lloyd was one of the leads of the

“I shouldn’t have been at Mills. I

Cady started at Mills in 2006, and

“We Are the Voices” project, funded by

had a journalistic career, and I didn’t

since 2018, she has held the Frederick

the Mellon Foundation, which will con-

want a break from embodied knowing,”

A. Rice Professorship. Two years ago,

tinue under faculty leads Ajuan Mance,

Murphy said. “Being invited into this

she was named the MACK Awardee for

Kirsten Saxton, and Stephanie Young.

SUMMER 2021

9

Virtual summit reveals pandemic research The great minds of the Mills faculty kept

connected these findings to the sta-

disparities, including those in admin-

firing on every synapse while sheltering

tistic that teachers stay in the field an

istering Payroll Protection Plan (PPP)

in place during the pandemic. In addi-

average of five years, leading her to

funds, were especially destructive to

tion to teaching over Zoom, professors

the conclusion that universal child-

Black businesses. Lahr held listen-

continued working on their research—

care and preschool are a necessity, as

ing sessions with Oakland entrepre-

and some took on new queries prompted

well as basic funding.

neurs to evaluate outcomes from the

by the unprecedented moment in history. To mark the one-year anniversary of the initial shutdowns, four Mills faculty members shared their research findings over Zoom in a COVID-19 Research Summit.

• Associate Professor of Education Jaci Urbani took a look at early childhood special education during the pandemic by interviewing 10 teachers across the Bay Area with the assistance of student Samantha WatsonAlvarado. For many of the families those educators work with, spring 2020 brought with it a confluence of stressors, which transferred some

• Associate Professor of Business Carol Theokary examined how commercial services and systems adapted their practices by mining data from Yelp and comparing various factors among businesses that survived.

She reported creative approaches to retaining customers, such as virtual wine tours, and found that businesses that were considered more affordable, with “do-it-yourself” options, and with higher Yelp ratings were more likely to survive. Theokary also confirmed that outside services such as Grubhub were unsustainable for many businesses.

• Professor of Business Practice

pandemic, finding—for example—that restaurants that were able to partner with larger organizations such as the World Central Kitchen were able to weather the uncertainty. There were also elements of the #BuyBlack Campaign that drove sales, like a Blackout Day on July 7, 2020.

• Professor of Business and Dean of the Lokey School of Business and Public Policy Kate Karniouchina also studied PPP loans; specifically, how they widened existing social inequities. She noted that class-action lawsuits had been filed against banks for how they dispensed PPP loans,

needs onto those teachers and forced

Darcelle Lahr focused her work on

which were supposedly concentrated

them into more of a social worker

BIPOC businesses and the inherent

in high-density areas. In her research,

role: They were helping arrange food

disadvantages they had already

she noted that many of the banks

banks, packing up and delivering

faced before the pandemic, such as

facilitating those loans were regional,

basic goods, coordinating donations,

a trust gap in local communities

and she pulled a variety of factors

and providing tech support. Urbani

and lack of access to capital. Wealth

within ZIP codes into her calculations.

Mills College Art Museum The following exhibition is free to view but requires timed ticketing.

Visit mcam.mills.edu to make a reservation.

2020 MFA Exhibition ■ June 26–August 1 Last year’s MFA graduates will finally get to show off the work that culminated their time in the Mills studio arts program. This exhibition features Cristine Blanco, Genevieve Rae Busby, Lucciana Caselli, H. Esmé Park, Crystal Gwyn, Megan Hinton, Emma Logan, Yétundé Olagbaju, Emily Villarma, and Hannah Youngblood.

Jay DeFeo: A Legacy at Mills College ■ July 14 This Zoom event brings together previous Jay DeFeo MFA Prize winners to discuss DeFeo’s impact with Mills College Art Museum Executive Director Stephanie Hanor. Register at tinyurl.com/jay-defeo-july-14. 12:00 pm.

Genevieve Rae Busby, Uncaught–Tossed Up 10

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 The Mills Music Department was celebrated in an April article on Bandcamp that compiled recordings from a wide variety of Mills professors (past and present) and alumnae/i.

Professor of Psychology Elizabeth Bachen spoke with the website WalletHub about addressing the effects of pandemic-related stress for a story on March 29 about the most and least

Susan Stryker

Wendi Williams

stressed states in the US in 2021.

Assistant Adjunct Professor of Race,

Cassandra James ’22 has been

Assistant Director of Athletics and

Gender & Sexuality Studies Natalee

named a finalist in the national

Head Swimming Coach Neil Virtue

Kēhaulani Bauer participated in an

Truman Scholarship competition. If

co-signed an open letter from the

event with the Commonwealth Club

selected, James plans to enroll in the

NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam group that

on February 26 regarding the ongoing

accelerated Master of Public Policy

condemned recent anti-transgender

work of creating antiracist classrooms.

program at Mills.

legislation across the US and expressed

Professor of Book Art Julie Chen

Professor of Ethnic Studies and

support for transgender college athletes.

presented the solo show Julie Chen:

English Ajuan Mance headlined the

Dean of the School of Education

True to Life at the National Museum

online workshop “Comics Journaling:

Wendi Williams participated in West

of Women in the Arts in Washington,

Cartooning My Self”, hosted by San

Contra Costa Unified School District’s

DC through February 12. She also

Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum, on

Black History Month by speaking

participated in the PBS documentary

May 2.

about her career in a virtual event

The Bookmakers.

Akilah Shahid ’22 was featured in

on February 16. She was also a panel-

a story in the Los Angeles Times on

ist on the KPFA radio program “Black

Albers ’21, and Professor of Book Art

April 14 about the effects of DDT on

Women’s Liberatory Leadership” on

Kathleen Walkup spoke to the website

generations of women. Shadid’s grand-

March 7, spoke with The Oaklandside

Hyperallergic for an article on the artis-

mother battled cancer three times,

about reopening schools in the Oakland

tic legacy of Mills in the wake of the

and Shahid is part of a study examining

Unified School District, and was named

transition announcement. Walkup also

the causative factors.

to the board of Girls Leadership, a

Ely Daley ’21, Mara Thwaites-

guided the students in her Freedom of

Professor of English and Dean of

national organization that provides

the Presses class to present their final

Graduate Studies Juliana Spahr

projects in an April 22 online event

wrote an article titled “Our Claude

hosted by the San Francisco Center for

McKay” for the March 2021 issue of

Wagner was commissioned by the

the Book.

The Publication of the Modern Language

de Young Museum to curate an exhi-

Association (PMLA). She is also

bition from the permanent collection

Carol George was the co-author of

currently a Humanities Center Fellow

to celebrate the museum’s reopening.

a study published in Psychology

at Stanford University.

She also spoke with de Young staff in

Professor Emerita of Psychology

workshops for K-12 girls.

Professor of Studio Art Catherine

Barbara Lee Distinguished Chair

a virtual gathering on March 24 that

attachment demonstrated by 145

in Women’s Leadership Susan Stryker

revisited events from throughout the

babies who split time between two

served as a consulting producer on

museum’s history.

parents’ households.

The Lady and the Dale, an HBO lim-

Today about disorganized or anxious

Associate Professor of Education

ited series documenting the life of Liz

Dana Wright co-edited the vol-

spoke in the webinar “The Role of

Carmichael, a trans woman who ran

ume Engaging Youth in Critical Arts

Academia as We Age,” which was pre-

the 20th Century Motor Car Company

Pedagogies and Creative Research for

sented by the Amazing Care Network

in the ‘70s. Stryker spoke to Time maga-

Social Justice, which was released on

on February 12.

zine about Carmichael in February.

March 31 by Routledge.

President Elizabeth L. Hillman

SUMMER 2021

11

Commencement, from a distance With the sounds of honking, cheering, and Indigenous drumming

2

wafting across campus, the Mills College Class of 2021 celebrated an entirely new kind of Commencement (or CARmencement?) on Saturday, May 15.

Following a virtual ceremony in the morning—the first in the College’s history—that celebrated 377 undergraduate and graduate students, Richards Gate opened for the first time in more than a year to those beyond campus residents and essential staff. Members of the Class of 2021 could pack as many family and friends into one car as they liked, and after everyone inside completed COVID paperwork, they toured campus on a set route decorated with signs and cheering faculty, staff, and alumnae.

On the heels of the CDC announcement just days before that fully vaccinated individuals didn’t need masks, the previously set rule that only the graduate could leave the vehicle was relaxed, allowing for small gatherings and photos at Meadow and at Mills Hall to snap pictures.

In addition to the departing students, the day was also an emotional one for Provost Chinyere Oparah, who left the College at the end of the academic year for the University of

LUAN S TR AUSS

campus hotspots. Socially distanced lines quickly grew on the

San Francisco. Before joining up with President Elizabeth L. Hillman to pose for photos with new alumnae/i, she delivered the “Charge to Graduates” at the conclusion of the virtual ceremony, an honor usually reserved for the president.

“The success we celebrate today is not just that you completed all your coursework and earned your Mills degree— though that is a huge accomplishment—we are also celebrating your resiliency, your strength, and your ability to overcome adversity,” she said. “In the last year, you did lab work wearing PPE, you conducted sheltered-in-place research, and you navigated Zoom classes—with and without bad hair days. You, the Class of 2021, have proved to be unstoppable.”

The virtual ceremony also included remarks from student speaker Jessica Greely ’21 as well as Alicia Garza, co-creator of Black Lives Matter, who was initially scheduled to deliver the Commencement address in 2020.

1

12

3

4  1  2

Crowds lined up for photos on the Meadow.

Nadia Bourdoud ’21 and a happy family member pose by her entry on the Senior Wall outside the Tea Shop.

 3

Members of the Commencement Steering Committee decorated signs and placed them around the parade route to greet and cheer graduates.

 4

Chalyna Lazo, MPP ’21, poses for a photo with Provost Chinyere Oparah and President Elizabeth L. Hillman outside Mills Hall.

 5

Professors Helen Walter, Ana Mostafavi, and Jenn Smith cheer for graduating students driving their way through campus

by Cowell Building.

 6

Lynne Huntting ’61 shows off her alumna pride in red, the color for her class as well as the Class of 2021.

 7

Indigenous drummers provided powerful accompaniment to the day’s joyful proceedings near Lisser Hall.

7

5

JA MIELLIN K EL SE Y

6

13

JA MIELLIN K EL SE Y

2 1

A long-delayed celebration 3

14

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

4

 1

Volunteers enthusiastically cheered on Class of 2020 graduates as they made their way to the Oval.

 2

Angelica Edwards, MBA ’20, decked out for the CARmencement celebration.

 3

El Campanil provided gorgeous scenery as 2020 alumnae/i posed for photos.

 4

Family members were welcome guests on campus, as this dad brought his daughter along to commemorate the moment.

 5

Brenda Miles ’20 (third from left) and Rebecca Galicia ’20 (second from right) rest for a moment with their families.

 6

The AAMC provided a cheering section outside the Student Union, with President Viji Nakka-Cammauf, MA ’82; Michelle Balovich ’03; and Lynda Campfield ’00, SES ’01, MA ’02.

 7

Cynthia Jackson ’88, special assistant to the provost and manager of academic operations, helped many an attendee with their regalia.

 8

Three happy members of the Class of 2020 posing for their families outside Mills Hall. From left: Josephine Vander Klay ’20, Tia Crawley ’20, and Maggie Lindenthal-Cox ’20.

JA MIELLIN K EL SE Y

5 Finally, the following Saturday (May 22), the Class of 2020 was able to come onto the Mills campus for the first time since their final year at the College was interrupted and their Commencement delayed by the pandemic.

The original plan, to hold an in-person ceremony in conjunction with the Class of 2021, was similarly disrupted as the COVID case rates did not decline enough in Alameda County in sufficient time. But dozens of these recent alums still streamed onto campus for their own CARmencement under brilliant skies, posing for photos and receiving their diploma covers (after the documents themselves had already been mailed out!) with a feeling of relief and closure, as they could finally tie up the loose ends of a most unfortunate year.

6

8

7

SUMMER 2021

15

The Quarterly’s student assistant reflects on the multigenerational relationships she’s forged and encountered at Mills in her final piece before graduating.

M

ILLS FRIENDSHIPS ARE A SPECIAL KIND OF MAGIC,

friends as young as five and as old as 85. Before I got to Mills,

one that is not dependent on age. I have found my home at Mills

part of me even worried about fitting in with others my age.

through students and alumnae who are twice or even three

But my experiences here have transcended anything I ever

times my age. An alumna from the Class of 2012 recently told

thought of as “right.” My tight connections with older students

me that for the rest of my life, I’ll know a Mills person when I

and alumnae ensure that as I emerge into the real world, I’ll be

meet them. They’ll be the one in the room with a strong voice

surrounded by those who understand my story.

and a mind for justice. After four years, the College’s motto finally rings true: no matter the years between us, or our place

Finding My Crew

in life, Mills people will always have a home with each other.

At this year’s Commencement, keynote speaker Alicia Garza—

For me, multigenerational friendships are nothing new after

activist and co-founder of the national Black Lives Matter

growing up in a large, extended musical community with

movement—encouraged us graduates to strive for justice in

friends all across the country and the world. I’ve always had

numbers. “You’ve met the people with whom you share passions and values. Hold them close, and grow your crew,” she

ALLI NOVAK

said. “We are going to need each other.” We’ve taken her words to heart, especially while grappling with change within Mills.

Mills has gifted me a crew of my own. They fell right into my life a few months ago when the Mills transition was announced, and I suddenly found myself digitally surrounded by others who believed in the power of Mills and were living proof of it.

It wasn’t long before we were on Zoom at all hours, long into the night and with Mills on our minds first thing in the morning. As of press time, the meetings are still frequent and alive with passion. I’ll be lucky if I ever work with a team as powerful—leaderful, as one member described it—again in my whole life. I could not be prouder to work every day among students and alumnae who won’t give up. They’re the faces I see every day and the voices I will hear for the rest of my life if I ever doubt myself.

Connection has been tried over this past year of isolation— and in some cases, extreme closeness. We have all had to stay at home and stay apart out of love, to keep each other alive. I have heard time and time again that college kids have it the worst—those whose lives are just beginning, who are dying to find our places in the world and have been forced to sit still.

Still, I have tried to see the bright side even when it’s cloudy.

Yes, I wasn’t able to experience my senior year on campus or have a full in-person Commencement, but the pieces that have fallen out of place this year may have landed just right. Yes, the future of Mills College could break all of our hearts. But in a

16

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

bittersweet way, I have been gifted with a poignant and mean-

Despite the strong voice gifted to me by Mills and my friend-

ingful Mills experience. I am leaving the College at a moment

ship with Lila, I wasn’t sure I had done college right as I neared

when decades of alumnae are rising up to speak about what it

my final year. I didn’t think I would walk away from Mills with

means to them.

a friend in my class, but wondered deep down if I still could.

My daily connection with these alumnae have shown me a

And then COVID happened, and suddenly Mills became scat-

perspective that may have not have come until years later—in

tered, with hardly any students on campus and classes reduced

a room full of men when I’d innately know how to stand my

to Brady Bunch-esque Zoom quilts. At first, it was draining—and

ground, or in a group of activists where I’d feel at home—when

the time in real life, with chances to get to know my classmates

I’d have my Mills experience put into focus. I get it right now.

on walks to the Tea Shop and in the library, had seemingly dis-

“Mills is the place where we learned to be,” an alumna from the

appeared. It was just the beginning of all there was to mourn.

Class of 2011 once said.

And then, thanks to distance learning, along came Erica

This group of activists has expanded my extended family

MacKinnon ’21. Twenty years after leaving the College, she had

and has showcased not only what Mills people are capable

returned to Mills to finish her degree while attending remotely

of, but that a Mills education is a lifelong commitment to our

from Detroit. Neither of us were sure how well the spirit of Mills

College and to justice. They’ve spoken aloud what was always

would translate over the ether of the online, and to this day,

true—that my voice matters, that my ideas are powerful, and

Erica has no proof that I’m more than a head and shoulders.

that I am more than capable. But they’ve also taken care of

But I remember our beginning clearly: We met in a Zoom class,

me: they’ve showered me with care packages and made sure

and our friendship burst to life like at summer camp: easy, all

I was well-fed with my favorite takeout dinners during finals.

at once, I-feel-like-I’ve-known-you-forever style. We sent direct

They’ve become the family that I can’t wait to meet in real life.

messages on Zoom like kids passing notes, and I watched her

I will never forget their relentless love and the ways it kept me

smile at my words in real time, 2,100 miles away.

afloat when the world was falling apart.

Decades Apart with Una Destinatio

Because life is best done out of order, Erica has become the college friend I’ve always needed. We made up for the lost time as private Zoom chats turned into texts, and soon we were talk-

While walking through Sage Hall during my second year, my

ing on the phone for hours as if we were in the Mills Hall living

own name caught my eye outside an office. The staff mem-

room or tucked into the library. Now, we spend hours each day

ber inside it—Lila Abdul-Rahim ’80—confirmed that her name

working alongside members of the Mills community who love

was pronounced like mine (a.k.a., correctly), and it wasn’t long

this school as much as we do, who would all like to imagine its

before we were regularly emailing and meeting in the Tea Shop

continuation long into the future.

for lunch. I had never met anyone with my name, and have only come to love it even more since coming to love my friend Lila.

Though I forget the years that sit between us, my friendships with Erica and countless alumnae make visible a perspective

It was clear from the beginning that she was a soulmate of

I would not have gotten until long after my time here. During

sorts, and not just because we both existed in this world with a

Reunion 2019, I hosted a dorm reception for the Class of 1969

shared name. Our conversation topics quickly descended into

as part of my job with the Office of Institutional Advancement,

the deeply existential, and still do to this day: we talk about

and I will always remember one alumna approaching me as

trees, the shakiness that accompanies mortality, and the under-

she wrote a letter to the current residents of Orchard Meadow.

standable stubbornness that occurs as we age, to name a few.

“Would it be strange to tell them that they’ll dream about this

We talk about Mills: what has changed since 1980, what has

place for the rest of their lives?” she asked.

stayed the same, and the unwavering love we share for this

Mills belongs to all of us. It’s the place where we learned to

place that brought me across the country and brought her back

be, where we found our voices, and—if we were lucky—where

after four decades. But Lila advises me in practical ways: How

we found our soulmates. Because of Mills, I now have a sec-

should I find my first job? What are the sacrifices worth mak-

ond extended family. They say the buildings at Mills are full of

ing in a shared housing situation? What color of this Madewell

ghosts, but rather than scary, I like to think they are the ghosts

jacket should I pick? She’s a mentor only because she’s seen it

of 17 decades of great love. “You all have always been with me,”

all. Otherwise, the 40 years between us mean nothing as we sit

I told another alumna and new extended family member after

across the table from one another and shop for produce at the

Commencement. Her response? “And always will be.” 

Mills Farm Stand each Tuesday.

SUMMER 2021

17

From Mills to the Bench Three alumnae carry their Mills experiences into judiciary careers that have continued long after most have settled into retirement.

Words by Shelley Moench-Kelly ◊ Illustrations by Michael Wertz OR AN INSTITUTION WITHOUT A TRADITIONAL LAW SCHOOL,

increased dramatically. There are fewer glass ceil-

Mills College has produced a number of distinguished alumnae

ings,” she says. “It is also wonderful that we have

who have pursued careers in the legal world. Several of them have worked long and hard enough to be appointed or elected to the judicial bench.

the bench in California.”

It took a few decades, though, for women to smash all the way through the widening fissures.

Their journeys all started with a Mills education, and the far-reaching influence of that opportunity, camaraderie, and freedom of expression has colored their personal and professional lives ever since. We recently caught up with three of

Barbara Zúñiga ’67 was appointed to the bench in 1985 after working for the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office—and thanks to encouragement from several judges and prosecutors who mentored her in her role as a court liaison officer

those alumnae and took a deep dive into their experiences

before she attended law school. “There were very

navigating minefields of a male-centric arena and the perspec-

few women on either the municipal or superior

tives that women bring to the bench. They’ve also witnessed the changing landscape for women judges—including a meteoric rise to the highest courts in the land.

Some Cracks in the Ceiling

18

a large cross section of the population sitting on

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

courts,” she says, adding that the lobbying efforts of organizations such as the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) and California Women Lawyers were instrumental in getting more women appointed to the bench in California. Zúñiga later served as president of the former organization,

Glass ceilings are always at the forefront of any

and she echoes Shapiro’s observation, saying

dialogue over women in the workforce. Anita Rae

there is “greater overall diversity in terms of race,

Lavine Shapiro ’61 graduated with her law degree

ethnicity, sexual identity/expression, and disabil-

from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 and

ity. We are better judges because of it.”

remembers women lawyers facing a lot of dis-

Jacki Brown ’74 explains that her class at Mills

crimination in the 1960s. One of her first jobs

was one of the “big, strong feminist groups,”

in the legal field was working as a senior judicial

with many joining the National Organization for

attorney for the California Courts of Appeal in

Women (NOW). “We were definitely taking on

Los Angeles. “I remember one job interview with

the role of breaking ground and being proud of

a major law firm in Los Angeles where the inter-

it,” she says. “Our lives were open and [we were]

viewer wondered out loud why his law school

capable of basically doing everything.” She adds

didn’t send him candidates as qualified as I was,”

that since graduating from law school in 1977

she says. “But, of course, I was not offered a posi-

and beginning her practice, she has seen vast

tion working as an attorney at his law firm.”

improvements. “Women now make up half of the

Despite antiquated restrictions, Shapiro says

legal community, due to a public push for women

that in the 56 years since she passed the bar,

to be appointed to the bench, to be represented

women have advanced dramatically in the field.

in corporate environments, and to hold leadership

“The opportunities for women in the law have

roles,” she says.

However, Brown has experienced discriminatory behavior from both sexes, as the patriarchy spares no one: “A few women were like ‘queen bees’ and disparaged any woman attorney who they felt competed against them,” she says. “I was unhappy with the male behavior because they seemed to think they could act arrogant and ‘superior’ to me simply because I was female.

For instance, on more than one occasion, I was told they wanted to speak with a ‘real’ attorney and not some paralegal.” Another time, she was ordered by another prosecutor to babysit three children waiting in the hallway while their father was testifying in court. “We had aides to assist witnesses, but this man enjoyed ordering me—the only female attorney in the office—to do ‘girl’ jobs for him,” she says.

The Shifting Sands of Progress The 19 years before the millennium were remarkable in many ways, including women’s appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first to serve, with a nearly 25-year tenure; since then, four more women have been appointed.

And while all of them faced challenges as trailblazers, none have been under such intense public scrutiny as Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amy Coney Barrett. They are the most studied, and—as some claim—the most politicized women justices in history.

Shapiro recalls Ginsburg—or, The Notorious R.B.G., in pop-culture parlance—as a “very bright, hardworking, good person,” she says. “She and Antonin Scalia were good friends, even though

The Hon. Anita Rae Lavine Shapiro ’61 has been an arbitrator and mediator since she retired from her position as a Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner in 1997 to be a private judge. She was a senior judicial attorney for the California Court of Appeal in Los Angeles and San Bernardino for 12 years before she was appointed to the bench.

they were on opposite sides.” Shapiro doesn’t see Ginsburg as a political symbol, but rather “a sym-

But what of Justice Ginsburg’s successor, Amy

bol of an outstanding judge, justice, and person.

Coney Barrett? Is she a political pawn, or an

She happened to be liberal, but there are also con-

accomplished professional with a bright future

servative political symbols who are outstanding

ahead? The proverbial jury is still out, mostly

judges and people.”

because of the short time Barrett has held the

Brown counters that Ginsburg “was a very effective political symbol, because her image

post (at press time, about nine months). Our judges have considered her qualifications.

was—in a very real sense—impregnable,” she

“What she has done in her short life really has

says. “Even if she had never been elevated to the

been quite impressive. She is extremely well spo-

Supreme Court, she had to work twice as hard

ken and well-focused. Her legal analysis is excel-

to get halfway closer to it, and she did it beauti-

lent,” Brown says. “But we don’t have that much

fully her whole life.” She goes on to explain that

directly from her because she’s only been a justice

Ginsburg just did her job with laser focus and

for a relatively short period of time. As is true with

without fanfare: “From my perspective, she was

anyone appointed to such an illustrious bench,

just an incredibly intelligent, profound thinker,

we will not know exactly how the different com-

and one who was incredibly fair.”

ponents of her personality will play out.” Shapiro SUMMER 2021

19

criticism of this particular woman is an attack on all women and all mothers, regardless of how Barrett’s actions stand to impact other women and other mothers,” wrote author Emma Gray.

Brown says that, in her estimation, one could easily describe a male candidate as being a good husband and father, the implication being that he will be as consistent in professional life as he is in private. “As far as I can tell, that should be the only reason why a woman candidate should be described as a good mother and wife,” she concludes. Brown adds that “if the sole and honest reason for criticizing [Barrett] is that she’s a young woman, then taking that position is antifeminist. If the reason is that she is going to be unable to do the job in a neutral, non-political fashion, it’s not anti-feminist.”

Shapiro adds that Barrett’s role as a mother is not a “qualifying factor” for a judicial position, and notes that it’s “good to have members of the judiciary with varying backgrounds and experiences. However, intelligence, legal and judicial experience, and lack of bias are far more important than motherhood or lack thereof.”

Yin and Yang The issue of juggling professional and personal roles is one that been a concern for our judges.

Shapiro explains that when she was first appointed to the bench, her kids were 16, 13, and 9: “I don’t Judge Barbara Zúñiga ’67 retired as a judge on the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. She became the first woman of color (Zúñiga is Mexican American) to sit on the bench there when she was elected in 1994. In 1985, she was appointed to a judgeship at the Walnut Creek-Danville Municipal Court, and has been a prosecutor and a probation officer in Contra Costa County.

20

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

concurs that Barrett is still an unknown, but she

think it had any effect on my work life because I

adds that people must have hope that those who

had been working full time for the Court of Appeal

are put on the SCOTUS are “good, honest judges.”

for the previous 12 years, so we had worked out

What has distinguished Barrett thus far from

balancing work and home.”

other women SCOTUS justices is her role as a

When Brown adopted her son in 1999, she was

mother raising school-aged children during her

working at the Court of Appeal for Presiding Justice

time on the bench—she has seven children, the

David Sills. “He was very supportive of my need to

youngest of which is eight years old. (The other

be with my infant and then toddler son, and pro-

mothers on the Supreme Court, Sandra Day

vided me with flexible hours to do so,” she says.

O’Connor and Ginsburg, had children ranging

However, her son was eight years old when she

in ages from 19 to 38 when appointed.) During

was appointed to the bench. “That position had no

Barrett’s confirmation hearings, some of her sup-

flexibility and I had to pay to have plenty of pri-

porters (and Barrett herself) used that as a rea-

vate help once I started that job,” she says. “But I

son she was qualified for the bench; NBC News

can honestly say I have no regrets as to my choice

reporter Sahil Kapur quoted Senator Chuck

of careers and would recommend it to any young

Grassley (R-Iowa) as saying, “As a mother of seven,

woman who has very thick skin and plenty of

Judge Barrett clearly understands the importance

energy to expend.”

of health care.” One of the many articles published

Brown has presided over a wide variety of cases,

around Barrett’s confirmation was a Huffington

from juvenile delinquency and estates to felony

Post piece that critiqued the supposition that her

criminal cases. While she notes there have been

motherhood put her above reproach: “It has been

instances where she has been pigeonholed by

repeatedly implied by Barrett’s supporters that

other judges, she also asserts that it’s been great

“The role of women judges is not to feminize the courts, but to humanize them.”

–Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland

to work with other women. “We do seem more at ease with embracing and tolerating differences, though we can make the same mistakes as men would in the same environment,” she says. “I’ve found that women work with one another better because we’re either not so defensive, or we embrace a concept of work that by its very nature involves toleration and concern for others.” Brown adds that women judges tend to present a more serious demeanor in public, but are more open to interacting with a greater variety of people. “I’m very proud to say that because it enhances the bench,” she says.

Shapiro concurs. “I was volunteering for a day in a San Bernardino juvenile court before I became a commissioner. All the professionals in one of the proceedings were women, and it was a great feeling,” she says. Zúñiga—who in her career has presided over civil cases including sexual harassment and medical malpractice, as well as criminal cases such as murder—recalls a comment from Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, at an NAWJ conference more than 30 years ago. It has resonated with her ever since: “The role of women judges is not to feminize the courts, but to humanize them.”

The Evergreen Influence of Mills College Our judges have all excelled in their professional careers, and continue to reap the benefits of their training and experience to this day. They unanimously agree that the College was the foundation

would probably not be able to have a curriculum

upon which their careers were built.

tailored to your needs.”

Zúñiga recalls her time at Mills with great fond-

Brown asserts that Mills instilled in her that

ness because of the depth of her education and the

you can’t just memorize facts and regurgitate

confidence she gained. “Mills [was] an environ-

them. “You had to be able to hone your skills of

ment where you knew you would be heard. It also

communication to either present [to] or persuade

exposed me to women from different countries

other people. And if you couldn’t do that—because

and cultures. Mills was called ‘Vassar of the West’

it requires critical thinking as well as analysis

and gave me a wonderful education,” she says.

and then communication—the professors hadn’t

Shapiro counts herself as lucky for receiving

done their jobs,” she says. “We all view Mills as

a liberal arts education that gave her the foun-

our true home because it made us the people we

dation to accomplish her goals. “I was able to do

are today. It made me want to be a lawyer. It made

things that I probably wouldn’t have been able

me confident that I could be one. There’s no way I

to do if I’d gone to a large university,” she says. “I

would have ever even applied to go to law school,

could double major and graduate in three years

much less graduate from it, but for Mills.” 

Judge Jacki Brown ’74 is a judge for the Superior Court of Orange County, California, a position that former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to in 2008. She has worked in private practice and as a district attorney for both the Marin County and San Mateo County District Attorney’s offices.

without any problems. In a large university, you SUMMER 2021

21

AAMC NEWS & NOTES A Message from the AAMC President Last year at this time, we were still new to navigating the world-

Please join me in congratulating our newly elected alumna

wide pandemic that has resulted in so many losses, both per-

trustee, Judge Jacki Brown ’74, who will serve on the AAMC

sonal and collective. This spring, the unexpected announcement

Board of Governors and the College’s Board of Trustees begin-

by the College that it will most likely confer its final degrees

ning July 1. On the same day, two new governors will join the

in 2023 has deepened the sense of loss for many alumnae. Yet

AAMC Board: Linda Goodrich ’82, professor emerita of dance at

alumnae are coming together in our common love of Mills to

Sacramento State University, and climate activist Alice Hewitt

sustain it for succeeding generations. Visit aamc-mills.org to

’15. We welcome Debra Connick ’85 and Cherlene Sprague

learn how alumnae are using legal and other means to press

Wright ’92 for second terms on the AAMC board as we bid

for transparency and shared governance in decisions about the

goodbye to governors completing terms: Kristen Oliver ’17, MPP

College’s future.

’18; Miki Hong, PMC ’95; and alumna trustee Tara Singh ’05,

Amidst these challenging times, AAMC members helped cel-

MBA ‘07. I am very grateful for their vital service on our board.

ebrate the resilient Class of 2021. Because

They will be missed at board meetings,

of continuing restrictions on campus

but are committed to remaining actively

access, only a few alumnae could be on

engaged in AAMC committees.

hand to cheer graduates during the drive-

The future is uncertain for Mills

through CARmencement celebration on

College, but I have hope that we can sur-

May 15. While we could not host our Pearl

vive. Adversity does not have to be the

M Dinner for seniors, AAMC governors

end for a company or a college. In 1997,

and members of our Alumnae Student

when Apple was faced with bankruptcy,

Relations Committee recorded a con-

Steve Jobs returned to lead the firm he

gratulatory video message for the class.

co-founded. He partnered with a rival,

We were also able to distribute snack

Microsoft, which invested $150 million in

bags to students on campus during finals

Apple. This partnership revived the com-

week, as we usually do, and alumnae col-

pany and led to remarkable new inven-

laborated with the Associated Students of

tions: first the iPod, then the iPhone. Two

Mills College to send care packages to stu-

key lessons can be applied to our current

dents at their homes around the country.

situation at Mills: Learn to accept help

The Alumnae of Color Committee

when you need it, regardless of where it

(AOCC) hosted a virtual Phenomenal

comes from, and look beyond the ways

Women of Color event in April. The com-

you have been doing things to change

mittee presented the Phenomenal Woman

and grow. Alumnae have come forward

of Color award to Yvonne Daniel, MA ’75;

to pledge funds and have offered to help

Seniors of Color awards to Tsion McYates

the College address deficits, enrollment,

and Dylyn Turner-Keener; and the inau-

and retention in new and innovative ways.

gural “Roots and Wings” award to Abigail

The College needs to make changes and

Major-Murphy. The event also memori-

be open to new programs to equip stu-

alized Peggy Woodruff ’58 and Sharon

dents for success. We hope Mills trustees

Robinson ’14, MPP ’15, and paid tribute to

will have the vision and passion to see a

former Associate Provost Maggie Hunter,

path forward working with the alumnae

who left Mills in February, and Provost

community.

Chinyere Oparah, who will leave this

I wish you a restful summer and, wherever you are, be well and stay connected

summer.

to the AAMC. Above: Viji Nakka-Cammauf Below: Yvette Stingily-Williams ’85 and Estrellita Hudson Redus ’65 present Yvonne Daniel, MA ’75, with the Phenomenal Woman of Color award.

22

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Gratefully, Viji Nakka-Cammauf, MA ’82 AAMC President

The AAMC is moving!

Virtually, that is.

SEE OUR NEW HOME AT AAMC-MILLS.ORG Visit us there to: • Get the latest news about the AAMC! • Read about how alumnae have been organizing to ensure Mills remains a degree-granting, undergraduate, liberal arts college.

• Share your contact information with us! (Please note that information you have already shared with the college may not be available to us for AAMC mailings and emails.)

• Learn how you can help strengthen the AAMC as an independent association by participating in our For Generations Still fundraising campaign.

• Make gifts directly to the AAMC. In addition, we look forward to connecting with you in person during Reunion 2021!

Please come to the AAMC Update on campus at 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 25; or join our virtual update at 4:00 PM. Visit alumnae.mills.edu/reunion for more details and information.

FOR GENERATIONS STILL

Alumnae Association of Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86, Oakland, CA 94613 510.430.2110 • aamc@mills.edu The activities of the AAMC, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, are funded by the association’s endowment.

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College alumnae community.

To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills. edu.

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of the Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College Alumnae Community, alumnae.mills.edu. To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills.edu.

In Memoriam Notices of deaths received before April 9 To submit listings, please contact alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123 Maty Smith ’39, December 6, 2019, in Folsom, California. She is survived by two daughters.

Shirley Nyman Papé ’44, March 2021, in Portland, Oregon. While her late husband was serving in World War II, Shirley earned her theater degree at the University of Washington, later starring in a local children’s show and interviewing luminaries for a local TV station. In retirement, she established a family foundation. She is survived by three children, 14 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren.

Lillian Yung Ching ’45, September 13, 2015, in Honolulu. She served as the head librarian at Punahou School for nearly 10 years. She is survived by four children, including Jennifer Ching ’79.

Isabelle Hagopian Arabian ’45, October 8, 2020, in Palo Alto, California. She served on the Board of Governors of the Alumnae Association of Mills College, and was a long-time agent and secretary for the Class of 1945. She is survived by three sons.

Beth Larson O’Donohoe ’46, December 14, 2020, in New Hampton, Iowa. During World War II, Beth headed student efforts to prep supplies to go overseas. While raising her family in the Midwest, she taught her two sons to love the theater and volunteered extensively for healthcare and education organizations. She is survived by her sons; three granddaughters, including Jennifer O’Donohoe, PMC ’02; and six great-grandchildren.

Paula Merrix Sporck ’46, March 30, in Los Gatos, California. After Mills, she earned an MA at Radcliffe in Boston, where she met her late

Diana O’Hehir A longtime professor at Mills and the former Aurelia Reinhardt Chair in American Literature, Diana O’Hehir died in San Francisco on January 19.

Though O’Hehir attended UC Berkeley, she did not graduate, instead leaving to work as a labor organizer and activist in Washington, DC. There, she met her first (and third!) husband, Mel Fiske. After their first split, she returned to California and married Irish scholar Brendan O’Hehir. She began teaching at Mills in 1961, despite not holding an undergraduate degree, and eventually finished her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins in 1970.

Thus began her career as a writer. Her first collection of poetry won the Nevins Award in 1975, and her first novel, I Wish This War Were Over, was nominated for a Pulitzer in 1984. In all, she wrote at least nine poetry collections and five novels.

At Mills, her creative writing seminars and courses on Paris during the 1920s were wildly popular. One of her sons, Andrew O’Hehir, spent time in her classroom as a teenager.

“For a young man on the verge of adulthood, that offered immensely valuable lessons in the importance of women’s equality and the values of feminism, which added a richness and understanding to my life I might never have gained otherwise,” he said.

She is survived by two sons and three grandchildren.

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

husband, Christian. The family settled in Santa Clara in 1971, and after retirement, Paula and Christian loved to travel. She was also a dedicated Mills volunteer for many years, serving as class secretary and class agent for more than two decades. She is survived by three sons and four grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Liz” Hickinbotham Rea ’47, February 21, in Stockton, California. Friends of Dave Brubeck, MA ’51, Liz and late husband David were founding donors of the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific. The couple also loved to fly on their own Cessna, and Liz enjoyed golfing and creating gourmet meals for her family. She is survived by two sons; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and cousin Bonnie Wilkinson Brown ’68.

Edith Jones O’Donnell ’48, November 14, 2020, in Dallas, Texas. After Mills, Edith graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she met husband Peter. The two formed a foundation early in their marriage, and their giving helped transform the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas into a top-tier research hospital. She is survived by Peter and three daughters.

Elisabeth Carr McCarthy ’49, in Oakland. Elisabeth was a French major at Mills. She is survived by cousins Peggy Kiely Harris ’64 and Kathryn Kiely Felix ’71.

Marie Friedman Oberholtz, TCRED ’50, January 3, in Sherwood, Washington. Marie obtained her teaching credential at Mills and taught for 18 years before retiring to Hawaii. She endured much heartbreak— outliving two husbands, and losing her only child to cancer at 49—but she cherished the time she had with the “three great loves” of her life.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, and six great-grandchildren.

Marcia “Marcie” Moorehead Fast ’50, January 31, in Orcutt, California.

As a leap-year baby, Marcie was 23-3/4 years old at the time of her death. She attended Mills with her late twin sister, Martha Moorehead Harding ’50, where they both studied music. Marcie continued singing throughout her life in traveling and church choirs, and she worked as a classroom aide in special education. She is survived by six children, 10 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Ann Burling Scott ’51, March 15, 2020, in San Francisco. Ann met her late husband, Lloyd, on a blind date while she was at Mills and he was studying at Cal. The couple dedicated themselves to the teaching profession. She is survived by three children and three grandchildren.

Rosalyn “Roz” Chen Koo ’51, January 30, in San Mateo, California. Roz worked as the CFO of an architectural firm, but her true passion was service. She helped establish the San Mateo chapter of Self Help for the Elderly and co-founded the 1990 Institute, which is dedicated to fair treatment of Asian Americans and strong ties between the US and China. She is survived by two daughters and one grandchild.

Constance “Jean” Leeman Dowling ’51, November 5, 2020, in Eastsound, Washington. Jean was a mainstay employee at Camp Nor’wester on Lopez Island for years. She settled on nearby Orcas Island in 1983, enjoying her garden and entertaining her family with summers spent fishing and sailing. She is survived by her companion, Tommy; three children; two grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

Susan “Sue” Tromp Whalen ’51, MA ’53, February 24, in Petaluma, California. She obtained a master’s in chemistry before attending medical school at McGill University in Montreal. She is survived by her husband, William; four children; granddaughter Mary Whalen ’05; and grand-niece Calli Storrs ’19.

Phyllis Merrick Purdum ’52, March 14, in Friday Harbor, Washington.

She majored in botany at Mills, bolstering a lifelong love of science.

After attending Stanford for graduate school, she worked as a medical technologist in Seattle until retirement. Phyllis was also a woman of faith, attending daughter Beth’s Lutheran Church in the San Juans after moving nearby in her 80s. She is survived by four children.

Ann Noble Brown ’52, April 7, in Oklahoma City. After her father’s death during her sophomore year at Mills, she returned home and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. Ann was a housewife who loved taking her family camping across the Western US and Canada, and she served on numerous museum and foundation boards. She is survived by her husband, David; three children; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Jane Westfall, MA ’52, January 24, in Manhattan, Kansas. After receiving her master’s in zoology at Mills and her PhD at UC Berkeley, she became an assistant professor at Kansas State University. She was promoted to a full professorship in 1976, the first woman to do so in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Jane is survived by a sister, two nephews, and a niece.

Patricia Welch DuRuz Schanzenbach ’53, December 29, 2020, in Camano Island, Washington. Music was Patricia’s life, from performing with the Seattle philharmonic and symphony to teaching music for more than 30 years. She is survived by her husband, Walter; seven children, including Bridget DeRuz ’79 and Catherine DeRuz Kaslan ’85; 15 grandchildren, including Camille Kaslan ’14; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Janet Dinsmore Miller ’54, February 27, in Omaha, Nebraska. After Mills, she graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Among the many organizations she patronized were the Lincoln County Federation of Republican Women, the North Platte Community Concert Association, and the Great Plains Medical Center Foundation. She is survived by two daughters; three grandchildren; and cousin Janet Lorenz ’75.

Mary Jane Frost Koch ’54, January 20, in Brea, California. She was a past president of the American Association of University Women and served as a class secretary. She is survived by two children and sister Judith Frost Stark ’57.

Jane Haas Gillenwaters ’54, August 5, 2017, in Carlsbad, California.

Jane’s was a political life, starting with Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential campaign through the election of good friend Ronald Reagan to the White House. She and husband Ed shuttled between California and Washington, DC in service to the First Couple. Jane is survived by Ed, three children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Roma Montgomery Porter ’54, March 27, in Lawton, Oklahoma. She followed her late sister, Zelda Montgomery Davis ’53, to Mills, later graduating from the University of Oklahoma. Settling with her family in Lawton, Roma was a prolific volunteer, a teacher, and the co-manager (with Zelda) of her father’s banks in Lawton and at Fort Sill.

She is survived by two children, four grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild.

Antonia “Toni” Dickinson MacDonald ’55, February 14, in Port Angeles, Washington. Toni studied music at Mills and the University of Washington after returning to her hometown of Seattle. She and late former husband Brent moved their family all around the western US, returning to Washington to enjoy the opera, knitting, and playing cards in their later years. She is survived by three children, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Carol Tucker Trelease ’65 Carol’s daughters, Sarah Tuchler McElvaney and Ada Tuchler Portman, submit these memories of their mother with the assistance of Cynthia Lee Beeman ’66.

Carol Tucker Trelease died on December 9, 2020, of causes unrelated to COVID–19. She was known for her happy disposition, kindness to others, her unwavering drive to fight for social justice and reproductive rights—and polite honesty.

Born in 1943, she grew up in Northern California. The first in her family to attend college, she graduated in 1965 from Mills with a B.A. in Spanish, Phi Beta Kappa, and a Fulbright Scholarship.

Passionate about helping people help themselves, Carol was the CEO of Planned Parenthood Rio Grande (PPNM) for more than 20 years, ensuring women could plan their families and control their destinies. Carol guided PPNM through sustained growth in services offered and the number of clinics opened statewide, emphasizing education. She enabled PPNM to purchase a permanent property for the agency’s offices and establish its first endowment fund. Of her detractors, she told Carrie Seidman of the Albuquerque Journal, “These are not liberal or conservative issues… What I would like to see is a coming together of people who care about children.”

Later in life, Carol became executive director of the Nirvana Manana Institute, a foundation awarding grants to support a sustainable population. According to the founder, Carol became “the true heartbeat.” Highly respected as an effective fundraiser and lobbyist at the New Mexico and Washington, DC legislatures, friends called her a “legend,” remarking on her effective leadership style. She cared about others and gave so much to so many.

Lynn Campbell Spielman ’56, October 20, 2012, in Woodside, California.

One of her favorite organizations was the Woodside Garden Club, and she was always in her element tending to her own garden. Her love of travel saw her working at a good friend’s travel agency, planning trips for herself and others. She is survived by her husband, Jeremy; a daughter; and a grandson.

Marilyn “Mary” Wiedman Carlisle Pinsoneault ’57, January 6, in Navarre, Florida. She and her family moved around the US, eventually settling in Florida in 2010. Mary used the Spanish she learned as a young woman in Venezuela to volunteer at Good Samaritan Clinic and the local Catholic church. She is survived by four children, three grandchildren, four step-granddaughters, and a great-granddaughter.

Claire Stevens Conner ’57, February 9, in Vacaville, California. One of the greatest satisfactions in her life was tutoring math for more than 45 years—hearing from her former students was such a pleasure. She had the same enthusiasm for her family, supporting them in their political aspirations and all manner of pursuits. Claire is survived by three children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Sheila Knipscheer Johnson ’58, March 26, in Cardiff, California. She earned her Ph.D. in anthropology at UC Berkeley, later teaching political science at Cal and UCSD. Her late husband, Chalmers, was also a professor, and the two worked together to run the Japan Policy Research Institute in San Diego and publish three books. In the end, she wrote her own obituary, signing off with several lines from her favorite poet, W.H. Auden.

SUMMER 2021

29

Gifts in Memory of Received December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021

Mary Jane “MJ” Frost Koch ’54 by Bernice Koplin

Bernhard Abramowitsch by Barbara-Sue White ’64, MA ’67

Charles Larsen by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61

Lois Boycott Allbright ’89 by Cecille Caterson, MA ’90

Margaret Lee, P ’65, P ’71 by Annette Chan-Norris ’65

Ralph Elliott Bartera by Diana Bartera ’88

Carol Lennox ’61 by Adrienne Bahlke Jardetzky ’80, Lydia Mann ’83

Timanna Bennett ’02 by Emily MacDonald ’03

Margot Lewis by Carrie Gotkowitz ’83

Marilyn Frye Bettendorf, P ’75 by her daughter, Marilyn “Lyn” Barrett ’75

Margo Lion ’66 by Abigale Ryan Hensley ’66, Mills College Club of New York

Fritz and Erica “Rita” Weber Brevet ’51, P ’76 by their daughter, Erica Brevet-Stott ’76

Ofelia Lujan, P ’03 by her daughter, Elizabeth Gomez ’03

Jacquelyn Braxton Bryson ’68 by Evany Zirul ’68 Marian Cobb Carlson ’42 by her cousin, Deborah “Debby” Campbell Dittman ’68 Willa Wolcott Condon, MA ’32, P ’69 by her daughter, Ann Condon Barbour ’69, P ’13 Sterling Loftin Dorman ’47 by her daughter, Anne Dorman Jessica Feller ’09 by Naomi Janowitz Nadine Dolnick Gelman ’52 by her husband, Charles Gelman Steven Givant by Daniella Smith ’14 Laura Gobbi by Kathleen “Kathy” Miller Janes ’69, Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 Denyse Gross ’72 by her husband, Kenneth Morrison Robert Hale by his wife, Mary Schratter Hale ’82 Josephine Webber Jepsen ’39, P ’65 by her daughter, Margaret Jepsen Bowles, MA ’65 Neeta Karki, P ’11, mother of Emma Karki ’11, by Kristen Skjonsby ’11 Donaldina “Donnie” Cameron Klingen ’63 by Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63

Margaret Lyon ’35 by Emily Klion ’80, MA ’85, P ’11 Leah Hardcastle MacNeil, MA ’51, P ’75 by Kathleen “Kathy” Miller Janes ’69, Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 Maryann Mangold ’61 by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61 Barbara Forsch Masur, P ’67 by her daughter, Nancy Masur ’67 Boitumelo “Tumi” McCallum ’08 by Dennis Coll Marcia McElvain ’61 by Ann Gordon Bigler ’61, Mary Doerfler Luhring ’61 Katherine “Kate” McGinity, MA ’13 by her cousin, Claire Adams; Susan Anthony; Robert Bones; Judy Buchenot; Head-Royce School; Kathleen Ray; Meredith Webster Diane McIntyre by Elizabeth “Liz” Kelley Quigg, MA ’89 Christina Miller ’71 by her sister, Kathleen “Kathy” Miller Janes ’69 Barbara Forster Mitchell ’63 by Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 Elaine Moss ’61, TCRED ’62 by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61 Doris Mount, MA ’40, P ’64, P ’66, P ’71, by her daughter, Barbara-Sue White ’64, MA ’67 Sharon Graham Niederhaus ’63 by Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 Georgine Dunlop O’Connor ’81 by her sister, Deborah Dunlop Hayashi

Ann Stern Kloman ’56 by her husband, Henry “Felix” Kloman

Donna Pastrouich Hardy, MA ’58, February 5, in Santa Rosa, California.

With master’s degrees in psychology and counseling, Donna co-developed Angela Center and served as its clinical director and psychotherapist until retiring at age 84. She also wrote and published two books, and was an early board member for Sonoma County YMCA. She is survived by two children and three grandchildren.

Barbara Tobey Childs ’58, February 21, in Lakeland, Florida. After Mills, she was a flight attendant for American Airlines and served on the planning commission in Chico, California. Barbara was proud of her 57 years of sobriety and dedicated herself to helping others through Alcoholics Anonymous. She is survived by four children, 13 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.

Nancy Aiazzi Wright Judkins ’60, February 19, in Carlin, Nevada. After blending families with former husband Bob Wright, the couple owned and operated the Nevada Club in Carlin, where there was always blackjack and good conversation. Nancy was also a top-tier seamstress, and she loved animals—once raising a cow she named “Steero Agnew.” She is survived by two children and seven grandchildren.

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Charleen “Cheri” Renshaw Relyea ’60, December 23, 2020, in Mount Vernon, Washington. Cheri left Mills after one year to marry, later finishing up at Western Washington University with a BA and an MA. She taught elementary school until 2000, and she continued with her own education by joining a local ukulele group. She is survived by her husband, Stanley; five children; 14 grandchildren; and one greatgrandchild.

Marcia McElvain ’61, January 11, in Seattle. After Mills, she earned her master’s at the University of Washington and taught in local public schools. She is survived by her partner, Margaret.

Lauretta Battle Davis ’62, January 24, 2019, in Pacifica, California. She finished her degree at San Francisco State, later working as a lab scientist for many years.

Clare Creighton Howell ’62, July 6, 2019, in Brunswick, Maine. Clare’s life revolved around books. She worked in DC politics before becoming a buyer for Saville Books in Georgetown. After relocating to Maine, she opened her own bookshop, Old Books, and her first customer there eventually became her husband. They ran the store together for 30 years.

She is survived by two sisters, her stepdaughter, and many cousins.

Beth Larson O’Donohoe ’46 by her granddaughter, Jennifer O’Donohoe ’02 Carolyn and Barbara Oscar by Phyllis Oscar, MFA ’17 Leanne Haney Rhodes ’62, P ’93 by her daughter, Alisha Rhodes ’93 Marion Ross ’44 by Rosalie Cuneo Amer ’62, P ’98 Diana Russell by James Graham, Susan Massotty ’70, Katherine Thomas ’88 George “Tom” Sallee by Bette Krause Spagel ’63, P ’79 Jon Sanborn, P ’83, father of Kathleen “Katie” Sanborn ’83, by Sharon Gray Taplin ’83 J. Roussel Sargent by Madelyn Marino ’77 Eleanor Marshall Schaefer ’29 by Nicole Bartow Patricia “Pat” Ellis Severn ’64 by Carolyn King Terry ’64 Anne Hummel Sherrill by Willa Berliner Anderson ’65, Cynthia McLaughlin ’74 Mary Lois Hudson Sweatt ’60, MA ’62 by her sister, Estrellita Hudson Redus ’65, MFA ’75 Sherry Teachnor ’69 by her husband, Michael McCrory Carol Tucker Trelease ’65 by Cynthia Beeman ’66, Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 Rita Weber by Roselyne Chroman Swig, P ’80 Susan “Sue” Tromp Whalen ’51, MA ’53 by Jeanne Thomas ’51 Peggy Woodruff ’58 by Estrellita Hudson Redus ’65, MFA ’75 Georgia Wright by Victoria Irons Walch ’72 Dorothy and Millard York, P ’71 by their daughter, Nancy York ’71 P=parent. For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

Barbara Goldblatt Becker ’63, March 16, in Corte Madera, California.

Before her children were born, Barbara worked at IBM in San Francisco and Honolulu. She was a dedicated volunteer in civic matters in Corte Madera, and with late husband Leo, she helped Russian Jewish immigrants leave the USSR and settle in the Bay Area. She is survived by two children, three grandchildren, and cousin Laurie Grossman Friedman ’66.

Martha Fenstermacher Grable ’64, March 11, in San Antonio, Texas.

She spent more than 40 years as a leader at Bible Study Fellowship in Silverdale, Washington. Martha’s late husband, Joe, died of COVID in 2020, but she held onto wonderful memories of family hikes, sailing trips, and cycle tours over the last year. She is survived by two sons, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and sister Nancy Fenstermacher ’72.

Cynthia “Cindy” Cole Cain ’68, December 30, 2020, in Austin, Texas.

Cindy spent her career working with children; first as a substitute teacher in urban Chicago schools, and later as a counselor and therapist. She was also an enthusiastic painter, dating back to the degree in art history she earned at Mills. She is survived by her husband, Joe; a daughter; a stepdaughter; and two grandchildren.

Birdie Pargoud Keal, MA ’81, January 10, 2019, in Rosharon, Texas.

Birdie earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and she put it to use in Louisiana and Oakland classrooms for 38 years. She was especially called to the education of Black children during the chaos of World War II. She later obtained her master’s in child life at Mills. She is survived by a daughter.

Mary Hill, MA ’90, December 26, 2020, in Newfane, Vermont. She was an accomplished pianist who came to Mills in her 40s for a master’s degree in music. After 15 years of living in the Bay Area, she opened a bookstore in Newfane and began living a bicoastal life. She is survived by her partner, Tom White; two daughters, including Molly Boyd Hill ’87; and two granddaughters.

Evelyn Simpson Dennis ’91, March 1, 2017, in Laytonville, California.

Evelyn enjoyed painting, ceramics, carving, and glass slumping. Her passion for art was rekindled at Mills while studying with Ron Nagle and Hung Lui. Also a gifted vocalist, Evelyn brought down the house headlining her 65th birthday cabaret show. She loved the beautiful country around her home and studio in Willits, which inspired much of her artwork in her later years.

Sandra “Sandy” Davidson ’98, December 11, 2020, in San Jose. Sandy had a vivacious personality, attending hundreds of rock concerts from the ’70s on—especially The Who. The arts were her calling, and she spent time promoting concerts, interviewing bands for publications, and serving on the board of the San Jose Stage Company. She is survived by her parents, two siblings, and six nieces and nephews.

Katie Rabon ’05, October 18, 2020, in New Orleans. She lived a life of creativity and grace. Among her many talents were sewing costumes and anything else that would take a needle and thread, and singing while playing acoustic guitar. Katie also found inspiration in the gardens and beaches of the Gulf Coast. She is survived by her father and two sisters.

Nina Wread ’11, November 19, 2020, in Arcata, California. Nina bravely battled breast cancer for several years. She is survived by her parents, a brother, and sister-in-law Jenny Sit Wread ’03.

Kehontas “KeKe” Rowe ’14, March 9, in Phoenix. At Mills, KeKe participated in crew, soccer, and track and field. She was also a Navy veteran, and she worked in cybersecurity and taught martial arts. She is survived by her mother, her grandfather, a sister, and two nephews.

Vanessa Dilworth ’17, March 25, in Berkeley. She earned a certificate in massage therapy at the National Holistic Institute and had hoped to return to Mills to finish her degree in English—Vanessa was an aspiring poet. She is survived by a grandmother, seven siblings, and 15 nieces and nephews.

Faculty and Staff Yvette Fallandy, former assistant professor of French literature, January 15, in Santa Rosa, California.

Margarethe Kulke, former professor of biology, January 24, in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Friends Lucy Campbell, former Associate Council member, January 22, in Berkeley.

SUMMER 2021

31

The Magic Beans of Mills

By Carol Holzman Wolf ’80 THIS TIME OF YEAR, when the green beans ripen

know if Libby ever forgave me for that.) I brought

in my garden, I always think of Libby Pope.

friends to her living room for bardic circles where

Elizabeth Pope taught English at Mills for 38 years, and had been head of the English

we read poetry to each other, so I hope the benefits of that summer were not all one-sided.

Department for many years when I entered in

The summer I lived with her, Libby’s helper

1976. I was thrilled to learn that she was the

had—at her command—planted some pole beans

Elizabeth Pope who had written two of my favor-

in her yard. Libby kept a close eye on those beans,

ite books. She was the first author I met in person.

and at last, when some of them were big enough,

Libby had taught English and Shakespeare to my

I was sent to pick them. I did not understand how

mother when she went to Mills in the early ’50s.

she could be so excited by a few beans. There

I took her Shakespeare class my second year.

were five. I knew about green beans—you dropped

Libby suffered from polio as a child, and by the

them out of the can and heated them up, and for a

time I met her, she had replaced her cane with a

little more zest, you could add a splash of vinegar.

walker. She had an assistant who did her shop-

Such excitement over five just-picked green beans

ping and driving. In the late spring, Libby took a

seemed, well, silly.

fall on a Friday afternoon and couldn’t get up. She

Libby insisted on splitting this bounty. She

lay there for five hours, facing the prospect that

oversaw the cooking, and had me add a little but-

she might not be found until her helper returned

ter and just a touch of nutmeg. And she gave me

on Monday. Fortunately, a neighbor in Faculty

two and a half green beans with my dinner.

Village came by and discovered her.

Everywhere I’ve lived, from the time I left

Because of that incident, she decided that

graduate school, I’ve grown a garden. I’ve begged

she wanted someone to live with her over the

median strips in apartment houses, the edge of

summer. I had a job in the graduate admissions

a driveway, or traded part of a shared lawn for

department and needed housing. Libby offered

some shared vegetables. I grew green beans every

me room and board, and in return, she had some-

time. Later I added tomatoes. Today I have lettuce,

one around just in case.

cucumbers, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, peas . . .

I wrote my first novel that summer, in longhand, at her dining table. We had discussions

and green beans. I picked the first handful yesterday, and I thought of Libby Pope.

about which book was her best. Libby won the

There is a lot of discussion these days about the

Newbury Honor for The Perilous Gard, which she

value of college. Why go to college, when it costs

Carol Holzman Wolf ’80

thought was her best. I loved both her books, but

so much? What are you going to get from it?

is a playwright, author,

I love her earlier novel, The Sherwood Ring, more.

The answer is: you don’t know. But college is a

filmmaker, and teacher.

The Revolutionary War setting, in upstate New

place where, in a short time, you are challenged to

Her play, The Thousandth

York, was new and exotic to me, since I’d read

open your mind and heart in so many ways that

Night, was performed in

many historical fiction and fantasy books set in

you emerge a different being. A greater being,

French as La Millième Nuit

Europe. I was moved by so many elements in that

with so much more potential to bring to the world.

at the Avignon Theatre

book, the old house, “Rest & Be Thankful,” the

Mills was a bounty to me in more ways than I

Festival in 2019. Her book

time travel, and the ghosts.

can enumerate. You do not know how your life

Playwriting: the Merciless

She told me stories of her childhood, and about

will change, and one way mine was changed was

Craft is No. 4 on the list of

living next door to Katharine Hepburn. I learned

that Libby gave me some green beans. She didn’t

BookAuthority’s 70 All Time

that I did not like sherry, and I learned that you

have to share. I wouldn’t have cared, then. But she

Best Books on Playwriting.”

do not freeze fresh fish before cooking it. (I don’t

was a teacher all her life, so perhaps she did.

32

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

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The Eucalyptus Suite

Bring the lovely Mills College campus into your home with one or all three items from our Eucalyptus Suite! The AAMC has artisancrafted eucalyptus-scented candles, gold and silver eucalyptus pins made from actual leaves picked on campus, and a beautiful brass ornament featuring a eucalyptus grove available in our online store. Acquire these or many other lovely Mills College mementos at aamcmerch.square.site. All proceeds benefit the AAMC unless otherwise noted. Please email us at aamc@mills.edu with any questions.

2021

AAMC Travel Programs Paris featuring the African American Experience September 4–12, 2021

Discover how African American culture shaped Paris on this seven-night trip to the City of Light. In the years following World War I, luminaries such as Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes, and Eugene Bullard felt accepted in Paris, thousands of miles from the States.

Trace this rich history on specially designed walking tours. Along the way, enjoy quintessential Parisian experiences from the city’s celebrated cuisine and local jazz clubs to a Seine River cruise. Watch a documentary about the African American influence in 1920s and 1930s Paris. Afterward, meet the filmmakers for a Q&A session. This small-group program, ideal for active travelers, features first-class accommodations and an extensive meal plan, including wine with dinner.

For more information about this or other trips on offer in our travel program, visit the Travel Program section of aamc.mills.edu or email aamc@mills.edu.

Mills Quarterly Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland, CA 94613-1301 510.430.3312 quarterly@mills.edu www.mills.edu

REUNION 2021 Alumnae are invited to campus:

Thursday, September 23, through Sunday, September 26!

The Office of Alumnae Relations is pleased to announce that we will welcome alumnae to gather in person this fall, as we honor the Golden Alumnae of 1970 and 1971 and those from class years ending in 0, 5, 1, or 6. We will also offer activities virtually, to be inclusive of alumnae off campus as well.

M

RESERVE YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS NOW

PICK UP A BOOK THIS SUMMER

Take advantage of special rates available until August 15 at the Executive Inn & Suites (below) or the adjacent Best Western Plus Bayside Hotel near Jack London Square— or get the full campus experience by staying in a residence hall. Visit alumnae.mills.edu/lodging2021 for rates and details.

On Thursday during Reunion, join first-year students for a faculty-led conversation about this year’s book-incommon, The Names of All the Flowers by Melissa Valentine, MFA ’13. In this memoir, Valentine reflects on growing up in a mixed-race family in 1990s Oakland with her brother, who ultimately falls victim to gun violence. It is both a personal account of the school-to-prison pipeline and a love letter to the brother Valentine adored.

2021

EU

R

REGISTRATION OPENS MID-JULY Visit alumnae.mills.edu/reunion2021 later this summer for the full schedule and to register

by September 10. Space on campus is limited, and registration will be first-come, first-served, but we will seek to prioritize alumnae in Reunioning classes. Brochures will be mailed to all alumnae from class years ending in 0, 5, 1, or 6.

E EG

Highlights include: • Convocation • Mills After Dark bingo ALUMNAE.MILLS.EDU/REUNION • Book Art Program presentation and Writers’ Salon • Updates from College Officers and from the AAMC • Storytelling Hour LS COLL L I SE • Class luncheon and AAMC awards ceremony PT. 23–2 6 • Tours of the Community Farm, Lisser Hall, and the Art Museum • Class dinners and photos

NION