Mills Quarterly, Fall 2025

Beyond Profit: How Darcelle Lahr is Training the Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs by

Tasmiha Khan and Shaikh Rahman

21 The Business of Giving Back by Rachel Leibrock, MFA ’04

 CAMPUS PHOTO: The start of a new academic year brings the campus back to life, which is perhaps more noticeable at F.W. Olin Library than anywhere else. Photos by Ruby Wallau for Northeastern University.

ON THE COVER: As a concept, entrepreneurship often means—ahem—swimming upstream or going against the current. But as Mills alums and Oakland staffers show in this issue, entrepreneurship can apply to a broad range of callings and passions. Illustration by Memed Özaslan.

26 Entrepreneurship for Everyone by Danna Lorch

DEPARTMENTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / 2 OPENING MESSAGE / 3 ON THE OVAL / 4 OVER THE WIRES / 10

A SLICE OF QUARTERLY HISTORY / 11 Winter 1996

AAMC NEWS & NOTES / 30 FROM THE ARCHIVES / 33 Early Computer Science

CLASS NOTES / 34

ALUM PROFILE / 37 Chantrelle Edwards ’20

MEDIA LAB / 38

THROWBACK / 40 Mills College Art Museum

CATCHING UP WITH... / 41 The Catalinas 1963 IN MEMORIAM / 43 SALON / 48

An excerpt from The Campaign by Evette Davis ’90

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

As a newly elected member of the AAMC’s Nominating Committee (NomCom), I’m concerned that the Board of Governors (BOG) chose the new president itself, contrary to the recommendation of last year’s NomCom. This committee is the only part of the AAMC that is elected by the members, and its job is to choose new leaders for the AAMC.

According to the NomCom’s report and a BOG member's follow-up letter, the NomCom recommended an applicant for president who later withdrew, and did not recommend the remaining applicant, but instead recommended appointing an interim president.

I understand that the bylaws say the BOG can create new ways to choose governors, but the new way seems to be “we choose our own president,” which is specifically barred. Members are supposed to have a role.

This has been incredibly uncomfortable to watch, especially when a governor shouted down the NomCom representative during the annual meeting and turned off her mic. It was insulting and humiliating. Every other committee was given bountiful time to speak.

My confidence in the BOG is shaken, and I am left wondering if there is any point to having a NomCom next year.

–Lisa Kremer ’90, Fircrest, Washington

Share your thoughts

I eagerly anticipate each edition of the Quarterly. When it’s released, I can’t help but notice it on the large brown table in Mills Hall and take a copy to my office on the second floor. If only I had discovered Mills during my college search, I would have truly thrived in this environment. Unfortunately, private universities felt out of reach.

As I embark on my second academic year as a staff member, I want to express my gratitude to the numerous Mills alumnae with whom I’ve had the privilege of conversing. Your experiences inspire me deeply. I share a profound connection with Mills. And to the legacy seniors of 2025— though belated—my heartfelt congratulations! No matter where your journey leads you, remember that I’m here as a resource for all things financial aid.

–Roslyn Short, associate director of customer service in Student Financial Services for Northeastern’s Oakland campus

Correction

In the “Throwback” section in the spring 2025 issue, we used the wrong family name for Barbara Christy Wagner ’59. Our apologies to Barbara for the slip, and for any confusion!

Submit your letter to the editor via email to mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu, online at quarterly.mills.edu, or by mail at: Mills Quarterly, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. The Quarterly reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

MILLS QUARTERLY

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT

Nikole Hilgeman Adams

MANAGING EDITOR

Allison Rost

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION

Nancy Siller Wilson

CONTRIBUTORS

Evette Davis ’90

Tasmiha Khan

Rachel Leibrock, MFA ’04

Danna Lorch

Angélica Navarro ’22

Shaikh Rahman

Jill Robi

Moya Stone, MFA ’03

Kieran Turan ’90

Ruby Wallau

The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College at Northeastern University, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California, and at additional mailing office(s).

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Oakland University Advancement, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Copyright ©2025, Mills College at Northeastern University

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

Email: mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu

Phone: 510.430.3312

AS WE GET UNDERWAY for the 2025–26 academic year here on the Oakland campus, the start of my second year on the job, we find ourselves in an interesting moment. As we all know, these are challenging times in higher ed, yet this campus is flourishing. I am so proud of all the hard work over the last year from our talented, dedicated staff and faculty.

In terms of full-time first-year students, this campus has grown almost 100% between last fall and now. That cohort had numbered around 400 over the last few years, but we also hosted Global Scholars, which were pre-matriculated students who put in a semester of study in London and a semester in Oakland before enrolling as sophomores on the Boston campus. That program has evolved to a different model, so in fall 2025, we welcomed around 750 fully enrolled first-year students, a small but committed population. Upon their arrival, we have immediately started to make a case to them to continue studying in this gorgeous space beyond this academic year; if 20% decide to stay in Oakland, that would be enough to completely change the trajectory of the campus.

This would build on momentum started by the first cohort of Semester In students Northeastern is hosting in Oakland starting this fall: 12 second- and third-year students in business-related majors. Even though there are only a few of them, they will make a big difference in re-establishing this campus as a four-year destination. We’re also expecting to bring even more upper-class students to campus through the Semester In program this spring.

To ensure that this campus will be a robust environment that supports all four levels of undergraduate learning and graduate programs, we are working hard to set a culture that’s grounded in academics and that connects students to the various innovative industries that call the Bay Area home. There are three strategies:

• Immersive Industry Integration: Students who study on the Oakland campus will have unparalleled access to industry beginning in their first year.

• Professional Skills Development: The campus is supporting the development of core competencies in teamwork and communication, with opportunities for students to practice what they’ve learned through our industry partners.

• Cohort-Based Learning: Future networks take hold immediately as students make new discoveries together, which research has shown provides more benefits rather than learning on their own.

One exciting development occurred recently when the campus received a $1-million grant from the Kapor Foundation to work with community partners and the City of Oakland to support the revitalization of the Town. We are working in partnership on AI upskilling, social venture creation, and workforce development just for starters. To be frank, I believe that the Oakland campus is the crown jewel of Northeastern’s offerings, and I expect Oakland to be the destination of choice for Northeastern applicants. As Mills alums, you undoubtedly know that this isn’t just possible, but inevitable!

By the time you’re reading this, I will have already spoken more about these plans with those of you attending Reunion this year, at the campus leadership forum. As I’ve told members of the faculty and staff in Oakland, there are certainly challenges ahead of us, but if we’re committed to the same vision and pledge to be flexible, that’s going to make the road a little bit smoother. We’re facing questions about housing. We’re facing questions about infrastructure. It’s going to be a heavy lift, but I’m excited to be part of the process.

From the dean of Northeastern Oakland

Daniel Sachs

ON THE OVAL

Children’s School to close in 2026

On June 20, Beth Kochly, dean of Mills College at Northeastern, announced over email to parents, faculty, and staff that the 2025–26 school year would be the last for the Mills College Children’s School. The laboratory school, which was founded in 1926, offered handson learning for both its teachers and students for nearly a century.

“We are providing more than a full year of notice so that teachers and families can plan accordingly,” Kochly wrote in the email. Parents also received resources to help transition their children to other local schools post-closure.

After the Northeastern merger was finalized in 2022, the Children’s School (as well as education programs in general) stayed with Mills as it became the 10th college under the Northeastern umbrella. It provided programming for children from toddler age up through fifth grade, and at the time of the announcement, had approximately 60 students enrolled.

In general, education programs for Mills at Northeastern continue to be revived after a post-merger pause due to changes in accreditation.

They include master’s degrees in early childhood education and educational leadership, as well as single- and multiple-subject teaching credentials. Northeastern in Boston also provides graduate-level degrees and certificates in several education-related fields.

“We are appreciative to the staff and faculty of the Mills College Children’s School for their dedication

and commitment to their students and their families, which has helped the Children’s School proudly serve its mission and the community,” Kochly wrote in the announcement email. “We will continue to maintain the highest standards of excellence and provide a supportive learning environment for the MCCS children through the end of the 2025–26 academic year.”

Improved roofs and infrastructure among summer projects

Before every new academic year comes a busy summer of construction and renovation, and 2025 was no different. This year’s projects included:

• The creation of an enclosed structure for trash, recycling, and compost (as required by the health department) in the parking lot behind the Tea Shop and near Founders Commons, which is also receiving additional kitchen renovations

• More accessible parking and movement around the Oval

• Roofing upgrades at Warren Olney and Orchard Meadow

• Additional sewer and waterline upgrades around campus, as part of a multi-year effort

• Continuous improvements in several studios at the Aron Art Center

• Upgrades to CPM to better support future co-ops in the health sciences

News in brief

 Thanks to a $10-million-grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the City of Oakland will continue the second and third phases of the LAMMPS Project, or Laurel Access to Mills, Maxwell Park, and Seminary. Those stages concentrate on the Seminary Avenue side of campus, which city officials say will receive upgrades to the streetscape and a shared-use path shielded from the roadway. The first phase of LAMMPS brought better bike lanes and signage to the area outside Richards Gate on MacArthur Boulevard.

 For the third summer, the Oakland campus hosted local high-school students for the Community to Community Summer Youth Employment Program. The 30 teens

spent three days a week working for departments such as partnerships and the Mills College Children’s School. They then took Thursdays and Fridays as time to learn skills such as writing college essays and resumes and how to interview, and they received an introduction to AI tools. The ceremony marking the program’s completion was held on July 18 .

 Students taking Assistant Teaching Professor Connie Phong’s biology project lab class in Oakland this summer had the chance to contribute to her research on how the adaptations animals make in freezing water are affected by changes in climate. Northeastern Global News reported that her summer charges studied the microbes from the guts

of sea spiders and tried to clone bacterial genes. Phong said she hopes to showcase the work at an upcoming meeting in Oslo of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.

 R. Benjamin Knapp is the new dean of the College of Arts, Media, and Design, assuming his position on August 22. He comes to Northeastern from Virginia Tech, where he founded the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology, which he also led as its executive director for 14 years. Knapp earned his master’s and doctoral degrees at Stanford, which is where he co-invented BioMuse, a system that translates bioelectric signals into musical notes, and he led the SIEMPRE project, or Social Interaction Entertainment using Music Performance.

Joint trip to historic Black California town

Associate Teaching Professor Ashley Adams has made it her life’s work to study historic Black towns in the United States—she herself is a descendent of the founders of Nicodemus, Kansas, which is one such place founded to provide its residents with self-determination.

In recent years, her scholarship has included the town of Allensworth, California, which was founded by Colonel Allen Allensworth in Tulare County, northwest of Bakersfield, in 1908. And in honor of Juneteenth this year, she led a group of Mills alums and guests on a daytrip to the historic site.

On June 14, 20 participants met in the early morning hours at the Amtrak station in Oakland’s Jack London Square to board a train to the Central Valley, and on the way, riders got to hear from Adams about Allensworth’s origins. Upon arrival, they were able to tour the site for themselves and participate in Juneteenth celebrations, including a picnic and a performance of R&B classics by singer Shawn Raiford.

The excursion was jointly organized by the Alumnae of Color Committee, the Black Reparations Project (which is part of Mills College at Northeastern), and the Office of Alumnae Relations.

Exploring the intersection of health and art

Ona June afternoon in the Aron Art Center, these high school students are spending their summers not lounging by the pool or squirreled away with video games, but presenting artistic projects they created to demonstrate various public health crises.

One student shared a painting laden with symbols of the struggles veterans face after leaving the service: homelessness, addiction, PTSD. Another compiled a slide show illustrating the issues that lead to gang violence, and a third produced bright copies of American currency to distribute to their classmates in a hands-on demonstration of income inequality.

The work is all part of a larger summer set-up, the Accelerate Pre-College Programs, which take place on three Northeastern campuses: Boston, London, and Oakland. In 2025, Oakland hosted

NEW DONATIONS EXPAND MILLS

INFLUENCE

Oakland University Advancement thanks the following donors for their gifts of $50,000 and above that were received between January 1 and June 30:

• Mike Baller and Christine Brigagliano, for their support of Trailblazers (formerly known as Summer Academic Workshop), a program for first-generation college students that operates through the Mills Institute.

• Richard and Elaine Barrett, for expanding their philanthropy beyond the Jill Barrett Undergraduate Research Program to the College of Science and the Proteus Ocean Group. The two institutions are collaborating to construct underwater facilities to study the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans.

• The estate of Josephine “Jo” Jackson Malti ’62, for continuing its underwriting of the Josephine Malti Endowed Scholarship.

• The estate of Beatrice Nold, MA ’48, for its generous gift to the Dean’s Fund for Mills’ Greatest Need, which bolsters a variety of activities and initiatives for Mills College at Northeastern.

During this summer’s first academic session, Professor of English and former Mills Institute Executive Director Nicole Guidotti-Hernández led a Dialogue of Civilization trip to Mexico City. The program, focusing on gender and migration, satisfied the requirements for two courses: Gender, Social Justice, and Transnational Activism; and Medical Anthropology. Three legacy Mills students embarked on the voyage, which included outings to Tepoztlán and Merída as well as sessions with faculty members from Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social and Instituto Mora.

teens for programs in Experiential Entrepreneurship, Game Design in Extended Reality, and—this one— Building Healthier Communities Through the Arts. The latter was the result of a partnership between three legacy Mills professors: Assistant Teaching Professor in Business & Social Sciences Ashley Adams, Associate Professor of Art Yulia Pinkusevich, and Associate Clinical Professor of Health Sciences Catrina Jaime. In partnership with Samantha Garbers, director of the undergraduate program for Bouvé College of Health Sciences, the trio began working on piecing together their offering a year in advance.

“[Garbers] was the one who encouraged me to develop a pre-college program in Oakland because she was

interested in my use of graphic novels in my previous Intro to Public Health course at Mills,” Jaime said. “Sam’s support really opened the door of opportunity for me to this interdisciplinary work with Ashley and Yulia. We came together as colleagues and friends with shared values about keeping the Mills legacy alive on this campus and how art, policy, and health are key to building agency and change in our communities.”

The two-week session, from June 9 to 20, involved about a dozen students from across the U.S. (including two TAs) and a blend of in-classroom work and discussions, including guest lectures from ethnic studies scholar Kerby Lynch and Professor Emerita of English and Ethnic Studies Ajuan Mance, with outings around Oakland.

Those included the “Love Letter to Oakland” mural in Temescal with artist David Burke and the Oakland Museum of California with artist Tarika Lewis, who was also the first woman to join the Black Panthers.

In addition, program participants learned all sorts of artistic techniques in the studio, from zines and collage to risograph. “I was initially nervous at how shy they were at the start, and some opened up more than others,” Jaime said. “By the end, I was surprised and moved that all of them truly took everything we did from the two weeks and developed deeply profound and personal final art projects. They really surprised me in how they were able to take very complex topics and beautifully convey their thoughts and learning.”

A busy summer for the Mills Institute

New research fellows

Research Justice at the Intersections has announced its newest cohort of scholars for the 2025–26 academic year. They include:

Noor Ali, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Education within Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies, who’s researching Muslim American experiences with political activism in education.

April Fernandes, an associate professor of sociology at North Carolina State University, who’s researching the consequences of incarceration for people with traumatic brain injuries.

Miki Hong, PMC ’95, an assistant adjunct professor of health sciences on the Oakland campus, who’s continuing her study of municipal regulations around tobacco and their effects on health equity.

Brianna Keefe-Oates, an independent scholar who’s researching changes in abortion access and how they affect health outcomes.

Isabel Tahir ’12, MPP ’13, an attorney who’s studying how the climate crisis affects identity and culture as lands become uninhabitable.

Mona Tajali, a lecturer in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Stanford, who’s researching political participation among women in Muslim countries.

Jaci Urbani, an associate professor in early childhood education at Mills at Northeastern, who’s researching the use of diverse children’s literature in elementary school classrooms.

Stathis Yeros, an assistant professor of architecture at the University of New Mexico, who’s studying queer landscapes in the American South.

These scholars will meet biweekly with each other to share their progress and give support, and they will present their work at a symposium in spring 2026. They also have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 grant.

Mills Institute Day

The inaugural Mills Institute Day will take place on Thursday, November 6. A full day of activities will take place in support of the academic year’s research theme, “Solidarities,” including an open house at the Institute’s Mills Hall offices, research presentations, a program panel, and a networking reception. All are invited for the start of an annual tradition! For more information, visit millsinstitute.northeastern .edu/events/institute-day.

Degree-completion program

The Mills Institute has developed a new pathway for former Mills students and California residents to complete their bachelor’s degrees with a 50% tuition scholarship. The Bachelor’s Degree Completion program is available online for fall 2025 and spring 2026, with optional on-campus experiences in Oakland, for eight bachelor of science degrees: advanced manufacturing, analytics, digital communication and media, finance and accounting management, information technology, management, project management, and psychology. For more information on applying for spring 2026, visit millsinstitute .northeastern.edu/bachelors-degreecompletion.

Program manager joins Institute

Quinn Prado Diaz has joined the Mills Institute as the new program manager, specializing in Trailblazers (formerly Summer Academic Workshop), Russell Women in Science Scholars Program, and Hellman Experiential Science Program. They most recently worked as an advisor for the Educational Opportunity Program and coordinator for summer bridge programs at Sonoma State, their undergraduate alma mater. Diaz also earned a master’s degree in student affairs at Iowa State and worked in the Mills admission office from 2019 to 2022.

CALENDAR

Mills College Art Museum

100 Years of Creative Visions 

Through April 26, 2026

The centennial of the Mills College Art Museum is commemorated with this expansive exhibition with selections from throughout the permanent collection—with an emphasis on works that exemplify the strength of creative communities and the bonds between artists themselves.

Curator Tour  October 25, 1:00 p.m.

Join Stephanie Hanor, MCAM director and exhibition curator, for a personal tour of 100 Years of Creative Visions

MCAM is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with late hours on Wednesday until 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Mills College at Northeastern University

Writing Creatively in the Age of AI  November 4, 12:00 p.m.

Novelist and tech journalist Vauhini Vara, who wrote the 2021 essay “Ghosts” about her sister’s death with the help of AI tools, is the guest speaker in this virtual event, which is part of the Mills College Endowed Professor Performance Series: Creative Writing Now. Her recent book is Searches, which she will read from at this event before conversing with Professor of English Stephanie Young.

Visit bit.ly/millscollegenow to register.

Though “No Times for Jivin’ (Containment Series)” by John Wilfred Outterbridge is part of the Mills College Art Museum’s permanent collection, it will not be part of 100 Years of Creative Visions—because it’s on loan to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Along with “Hermetic Image” by Wally Hedrick, the mixed media piece is appearing in the exhibition Sixties Surreal through January 19, 2026.

East Bay Holiday Tea  December 6

The Dean’s Office of Mills College joins with the Office of Alumnae Relations to present the annual holiday tea with special guest Beth Kochly, dean of Mills College at Northeastern. Enjoy seasonal tidings while chatting with leadership to learn more about the College’s upcoming plans.

This event will be held at Reinhardt Alumnae House. Visit alums.mills.northeastern.edu for more information.

Press mentions and honors for Mills alums and Oakland professors

Lori Bellilove ’84 partnered with the New York Public Library on a hybrid presentation about the life and career of the dancer Anna Duncan, a protégé of Isadora Duncan, whose eponymous company counts Belilove as its artistic director. The talk took place on May 28.

KJZZ, the NPR station in Phoenix, featured Professor of English Nicole Guidotti-Hernández on The Show, which aired on June 12. She spoke with host Mark Brodie about the term “machismo” and its evolution over the last century. Listen or read the conversation at tinyurl.com/ nicole-guidotti-hernandez.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Mario Hernández made an appearance on the podcast East Bay Yesterday in February, speaking about the history of the Oakland neighborhood Jingletown in an interview recorded at

the California Cotton Mills building. Listen to the episode at tinyurl.com/ mario-hernandez.

A professor of music technology and composition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Julie Herndon, MA ’15, was profiled for both her teaching and her own work on KCBX, the NPR station for California’s Central Coast. The feature, which came out on May 30, can be found at tinyurl.com/julie-herndon.

Rrose, the pseudonym of Seth Horvitz, MFA ’11 , participated in a Q&A with Kaput magazine. In the piece, which went online on June 21, they spoke about their work, which “bridges club music and avant-garde composition methods.” Read the article at tinyurl.com/seth-horvitz-2025.

On June 18, author Carol Jameson, MFA ’89, participated in Tangled Threads: Family, Romance & Self in Fiction at Book Society in Berkeley. She appeared in conversation with fellow writer Nana Brew-Hammond.

Dorianne Laux ’89 read her poem “Evening” in honor of

The San Francisco Business Times named Carrie Maultsby-Lute, MBA ’11 , as one of the most influential women in Bay Area business for 2025. Maultsby-Lute, who is head of partnerships for Northeastern in Oakland, was honored with her fellow recipients at a gala event in May. Read the Times’ piece on her at tinyurl.com/carrie-maultsby-lute.

National Poetry Month on the independent radio program Living on Earth on April 25. Listen at tinyurl.com/dorianne-laux.

The website Smarthistory: The Center for Public History featured a fresh analysis of “Resident Alien,” a painting by Professor Emerita of Art Hung Liu, on July 9. Read the article (by art historian Letha Ch’ien) at tinyurl.com/hung-liu-2025.

In July, SF Gate reported that Jane the Bakery, the famed chain owned and operated by Amanda Michael ’92 , would open its seventh location on the ground level of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in August.

Brooklyn’s 2025 Vision Festival opened on June 2 with a celebration of Professor Emeritus of Music Roscoe Mitchell. He received a lifetime achievement award at an event that included projections of his visual art and performances by the Roscoe Mitchell Quartet and Mitchell himself.

WNYC aired the work of electronic musician Michelle Moeller, MFA ’20, on May 28. The recordings, originally published on Moeller’s website, were done in her home studio and in Littlefield Concert Hall. Listen at tinyurl.com/michelle-moeller.

The art of the late Elizabeth Murray, MA ’64, and the inspiration she provided to modern-day artist Emily Furr were the topics of a July story in Whitehot Magazine Read “A delirious New York” at tinyurl.com/elizabeth-murray.

The Sonoma County Gazette published an appreciation of musician and composer Pete Rugolo, MA ’41 , who grew up in Santa Rosa and died in 2011, on June 9. Read the piece at tinyurl.com/pete-rugolo.

RUBY WALLAU

PAUL SCHULMAN ’s public policy students access most federal agencies, the records of congressional committees, and the White House library through Netscape and FedWorld programs.

A student who wants a copy of a worksheet for financial aid opens her Netscape program and clicks on a button on the Home Page, then prints the document on her hall’s printer.

A high school senior in New York “surfs the net” one night and discovers the Mills College homepage. Perhaps she then clicks on “Admission” to find out how to apply.

The college directory lists cryptic lowercase words by half the entries: boba by Professor Robert Anderson, chuck by Professor Charles Lutz, janeth by President Jan Holmgren. No explanation needed or given; everyone knows an e-mail address when she sees one.

What’s happening here? Mills College has entered the information superhighway and is traveling in the fast lane. Well, mostly in the fast lane. Traffic jams, flat tires, and road fatigue do occur.

The Computer Evolution

How has the computer evolution changed Mills? You wouldn’t recognize the place.

In the 1950s, the late Helen Pillans, professor of mathematics, introduced computers to the Mills curriculum. Cumbersome punch card stacks and trips to Stanford University’s host computer were hallmarks of the era. In 1960, the College offered one course in computer science. Fourteen years later, we became the first women’s college to offer a major in computer science.

On the administrative side of the fence, during the presidency of Barbara White (1976-1980), Mills converted its paper-and-pencil administrative system to one that was computer-based. The first system, named “Hypatia,” after a fifth-century woman mathematician, was later replaced by a more complex system called “AIMS,” which is itself being replaced by an even more complex system called “BANNER.” Meanwhile, the personal computer began to make its way onto faculty desks and into student dorms. By the middle of the ’80s, most faculty members had personal computers, and most students used computer wordprocessing programs to create papers and class projects.

In 1991, the College began to build its vehicle for riding the info superhighway. Within four years, 6,500 pairs of copper cable and 156 strands of fiber optic cable had been laid on campus. New wiring brought the “net” to Mills, and two network routers serve 370 desk-top computers and 23 workstations on campus. Mills spent $1.5 million on this project.

Today, 16 academic and administrative buildings, including Olin Library and Mills Hall, have full access to the network.

Traffic Jams & Flat Tires

Traveling on the superhighway, however, sometimes feels like being in the slow lane behind a 30-foot motor home. Problems definitely exist.

A quick note:

We usually copyedit reprinted articles from archival issues to fit the Quarterly’s modernday style. This time, we left intact the 1996 styles for website and email (among others) as another dip into the time capsule. Read the full story at (of course) quarterly.mills.edu

Some problems are simply annoyances. Incompatibility of equipment is one of them. The College administration uses IBM or IBM-clone hardware. Faculty and students use Macintosh. Licensing is another. Programs are not available in infinite quantities. A popular program called “Chem Draw,” which electronically creates chemical structures, is available on only five of the 11 computers in CPM’s computer lab. The College must pay for each program installed on each computer.

Other problems are more extensive. Most have to do with money. Electronic equipment can become obsolete within a year of purchase. A 1995 report to the Board of Trustees points out that “Just keeping our current technology in place will cost us $416,000 per year. Yet at present we have no budget for replacement of equipment.”

Mills must find answers to the questions these situations raise. Treasurer Mike Rothman agrees. He says, “The technology connection will be the issue that separates the truly successful small liberal arts college from those that recede over the next 20 years. Our response will make us or break us.”

Despite the problems, then, Mills College is on the highway and moving into the fast lane.

Beyond Profit:

How

Darcelle Lahr is Training the Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs

BY TASMIHA KHAN AND SHAIKH RAHMAN

In a business world that seems to reward competition over cooperation, success is often measured in quarterly profits, not community impact. For marginalized communities, this model doesn’t just fall short; it reinforces exclusion.

ather than asking how people can adapt to systems built to keep them out, Professor of Practice, Business & Social Sciences Darcelle Lahr, MA ’17, EDD ’18, is asking a different question: What if we built systems rooted in equity and designed for collective thriving, something she calls “transformative social innovation”?

Lahr holds the John and Martha Davidson Endowed Professorship at Mills College at Northeastern University, and she is advancing this methodology as both an academic framework and a tool for structural change. Her approach builds “countersystems”: community-centered enterprise collaborations that transfer wealth, power, and possibility to those long pushed to the margins.

Through her work with formerly incarcerated women, her research on regenerative economic models, and her design of equity-first curricula, Lahr aims to reshape what business education can and should do. Her vision is clear: social entrepreneurship can become a tool for reparative justice, helping communities heal from systemic exclusion and build lasting economic power.

A Sense of Corporate Disconnection

Armed with a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford and the ambitious expectation that her generation would change the world for the better, Lahr first entered the workforce in the 1980s, ready to make an impact in the energy sector.

Instead, she found herself becoming what she’d never imagined: a well-compensated cog in a corporate machine that felt increasingly soulless and lacking purpose. Despite quickly rising through the ranks at a major power company to eventually become vice president of its Southeast Asia region, she says that something fundamental was missing.

“I enjoyed the engineering aspect of it but found myself feeling very separated from the community that we were supposed to be delivering energy to,” Lahr reflects. “I was a very underrepresented voice among those I was working with, and I found that my perspective was not consistent with others’ because my lived experience was different from theirs.”

Lahr in Southeast Asia, using her mechanical engineering degree in her second job out of Stanford (left); Lahr’s parents, L.C. and Lillie Cox (right).

Use your gifts to serve others.

She says she was grateful for the credibility and recognition that a Stanford education brought, along with the financial security of executive-level compensation. However, she felt her technical skills were wasted serving a system that kept her disconnected from the communities her work was supposed to benefit.

The turning point came when Lahr decided to pursue an MBA, despite widespread discouragement from colleagues. “I realized that most people who were advising me not to get an MBA actually had MBAs,” she notes wryly. The executive MBA program at what’s now Cal State East Bay proved to be transformative: “I finally had an opportunity to have some academic theory applied to what I was learning hands-on. I could name patterns. I could see how it all fit together.”

Personal tragedy deepened this evolution. When Lahr’s mother died in 2000, their final conversations provided guidance that continues to shape her work today. “Before my mom died, she encouraged me to carry myself with warm dignity,” Lahr recalls. “The values that I carry are earning the trust of those that we’re serving and leading with deep compassion, and developing strong, intentional, caring relationships with everyone that we come into contact with.”

The loss was devastating, but her mother’s final message

was clear: Use your gifts to serve others.

The Counter-Systems Revelation

That lesson stayed with her. Armed with new academic tools and a renewed sense of purpose, Lahr moved from corporate leadership to launching her own strategic management business, Integral Consulting Group. She hoped to offer the kind of strategic guidance that could make a tangible difference for communities too often left out of traditional systems. For a decade, she provided high-level advisory services to scaling organizations; but troubling patterns emerged.

“I was very concerned about the mission-driven organizations that didn’t have the kind of support that they needed— many of which were falling through the cracks, only for the reason that they didn’t quite have the guidance that they needed,” she explains.

Traditional business-support systems, however wellintentioned, were structurally designed to serve those who already had access to capital and networks. The communities that most needed strategic guidance remained effectively locked out.

“I just kept thinking someone needed to do something about that. And so I did,” she says.

That recognition led her to found L.C. and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope in 2012, named

Lahr with her Haven of Hope team, including three Mills alums (above), in the lead-up to the opening of the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center (right), which held a ribbon-cutting with Mayor Daniel Lurie earlier this year.

after her parents and dedicated to serving traditionally underserved communities. The organization represented her first systematic attempt to build “counter-systems.”

The nonprofit initially focused on providing business consulting to social entrepreneurs and mission-driven organizations but gradually tailored its focus to formerly incarcerated Black women; a population facing what Lahr describes as “the intersectionality of race, gender, poverty, and incarceration.” Traditional reentry programs, she realized, asked these women to succeed within the same systems that had marginalized them in the first place.

L.C. and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope’s newest program is the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center, a space for gathering and resources for the disabled community.

When Lahr joined the Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy in 2012 as a faculty member in the MBA program, her transition to academia represented the natural evolution of this work. In addition, she also relaunched the Lokey School’s Center for Socially Responsible Business as the Center for Transformative Action, which connected students and alums with ventures in the local Oakland community.

“Now, I have hope!”

For her, these were ways to scale counter-systems thinking beyond individual interventions to systematic change. “I have found through my teaching at Mills that I have a gift for sharing knowledge, particularly with those who feel disempowered or unlearned,” Lahr reflects. This experience would prove foundational to her teaching philosophy.

Transformative Social Innovation in Action

Lahr’s approach to academic research reflects her belief that scholarship should directly serve, and be informed by, those it is learning from. Her doctoral dissertation developed what she calls “employment hope,” a framework she would later apply in both her nonprofit work and her classroom at Mills.

Through her nonprofit work with L.C. and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope, Lahr has been able to test and refine this framework in real-world conditions, creating an incubator for approaches she then brings into her teaching. The evidence of its effectiveness comes from witnessing reallife transformations. One powerful example that Lahr recalls is that of a formerly incarcerated woman standing before her congregation, transformed from someone who was illiterate and had been “bitter, frightened, lonely, unloving and unloved” to proclaiming with dignity and conviction: “Now, I have hope!”

“In contrast to how we often envision traditional entrepreneurship, I see social entrepreneurship as the vehicle through which individuals and communities can build hope,” she explains. “Through their ventures, social entrepreneurs can gain a sense of agency and motivation while also cultivating a restorative environment for others.”

While teaching at Mills, Lahr enrolled at the School of Education for her doctorate. Her dissertation, “Piercing the Cycle of Recidivism,” systematically examined how social entrepreneurship education could support the behavioral change processes necessary for successful community reentry. This research laid the

foundation for what Lahr would later term “regenerative cycles,” business models wherein women returning from incarceration create enterprises that eventually employ others in similar situations. As these social ventures grow, they become “new transitional employment vehicles” that provide not just jobs, but healing environments designed around dignity and mutual support.

While still developing, this model envisions scenarios wherein women launch ventures that would eventually hire other program participants, creating both economic opportunity and peer support networks.

This mirrors Lahr’s broader

vision of collaborative networks where communityowned businesses support each other along entire supply chains, building what she calls “multi-stakeholder industry alliances” that keep wealth circulating within historically disinvested communities.

Teaching Philosophy & Curriculum Innovation

When Lahr would walk into her social entrepreneurship class at Mills, she wouldn’t begin with business plans or market analysis. Instead, she’d ask students to examine their deepest values and identify the communities they feel called to serve—an approach that reflects her fundamental reimagining of entrepreneurship education,

Social entrepreneurship allows us to focus our intentions on supporting the community while we are building a sustainable business

Alongside traditional case studies featuring Fortune 500 extraction models, Lahr introduced students to cooperative economics and solidaritybased business systems. Her assignments required students to analyze how enterprises can anchor capital within communities while generating sustainable profit.

Lahr speaking at an event held by the Black Reparations Project, a program of Mills College at Northeastern (above), and Lahr speaking with KTVU about the groundbreaking ceremony for the Women’s Social Entrepreneurship Center, a program of the L.C. and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope (right).

moving beyond profit-driven models toward what she calls “passionate purpose-driven enterprise.”

“One of the things that I began to help folks understand when I was leading our discussions in entrepreneurship is that social entrepreneurship allows us to focus our intentions on supporting the community while we are building a sustainable business,” Lahr explains. “This enables traditionally underserved communities to generate wealth as they assist the community around them to do the same.”

This philosophy permeates every course she teaches. In her strategic management capstone for the MBA program, students didn’t just develop competitive strategies; they explored how businesses can become vehicles for community healing and economic justice. While they mastered product–market fit, Lahr challenged them to achieve product–community fit: ensuring that their business models become forces for community healing rather than extraction.

In her social impact consulting course, students worked directly with mission-driven organizations facing barriers to growth, providing seasoned business guidance to social entrepreneurs who often lack access to high-level strategic support. This real-world application ensures that academic learning immediately serves community needs while imparting to students that business expertise can serve both profitability and justice. She applied her “employment hope” framework by asking students to first identify specific needs their ventures will address within underserved communities, ensuring both product-market fit and genuine community benefit. They then developed strategic pathways for how their businesses will uplift these communities, whether through hiring formerly incarcerated individuals, partnering with community-owned enterprises, or finding other ways to keep wealth circulating locally. Throughout this process, Lahr helps students build the personal agency and confidence necessary to believe they can create meaningful change, transforming

individual ambition into collective empowerment. Since the Northeastern merger, Lahr has mainly been teaching the course Current Issues in Cities & Suburbs through the College of Social Sciences & Humanities—but she has also helped develop two courses for Mills at Northeastern that have been approved and added to the catalog. For one of them—Transformative Justice Through Computer Technology—she taught a section in Oakland in fall 2024 and collaborated with a professor from the Khoury College of Computer Sciences to teach it in Boston. She still teaches social entrepreneurship at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and through her nonprofit.

But her vision extends even further: Through her research, testimony, and educational methodology, Lahr is developing a deliberate, sustained, and highly coordinated approach capable of interrupting cycles of exclusion that have persisted for generations. Her students become carriers of this methodology, multiplying impact

exponentially as they launch enterprises, shape policy, and educate others.

In particular, she’s ensuring that the counter-systems approach doesn’t depend on individual heroes, but rather becomes embedded in how future generations think about business, justice, and community building. Returning to her mother’s wisdom, Lahr reflects: “The greatest way to show our appreciation for the gifts we’ve received is to share them with others.” With her framework now grounded in both classroom practice and real-world application, Lahr’s model has begun gaining national attention.

National Recognition & Policy Impact

Lahr’s recent testimony for Maryland’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission outlined a comprehensive framework for addressing systemic racism through economic innovation. Her proposal centers on creating collaborative networks among Black-owned small businesses and social entrepreneurs that provide comprehensive support while building wealth within historically disinvested communities.

“For decades, various political regimes have engaged in efforts to dismantle racial discrimination in U.S. labor markets, education systems, criminal justice systems, healthcare systems, housing markets, credit markets, and more,” she testified.

“Yet none of these efforts have been sufficient, most

have been abandoned over time, and many have been socially destructive.”

Her alternative approach instead focuses on creating entirely new economic systems grounded in equity rather than attempting to reform discriminatory institutions. This approach would be funded through “philanthropic reparative justice wealth transfer,” establishing sustainable infrastructure for community-controlled economic development.

The testimony demonstrates how Lahr’s individual work connects to broader movements for economic justice and reparations. Her countersystems approach provides a practical methodology for what many advocates have long envisioned: economic models that build community power rather than extracting wealth from marginalized populations.

Through research, practice, and policy advocacy, Lahr has created what she describes as “a novel solution that frees historically marginalized populations from being trapped within the discriminatory social practices on which the entire U.S. societal structure is founded.” The woman who found her voice exemplifies this liberation, but Lahr’s vision extends far beyond individual transformation to systematic change that ensures such stories become not the exception, but the expectation in a just society. 6

These holders of Mills MBAs use their degrees to advance nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations

The Business of Giving Back

Idalin Bobé, MBA ’13, knew she could make a real difference in the world of technology—one with an impact on people’s well-being, not just a company’s financial bottom line.

“I wanted to commit myself to changing the lives of people in poor communities by bringing digital literacy to the communities that needed it the most,” she says.

Bobé also didn’t want to take a traditional career path. As a woman, she says, she often felt timid in a male-dominated field: “When you’re trying to break into tech, you’re surrounded by men all the time.”

Over the years, Bobé’s efforts to lead tech’s transformation have taken her as far as South India for a computer lab project and kept her close to home in the Bay Area to work on Black Girls Code, a nonprofit organization that focuses on giving girls of color computer programming skills to foster a career in tech. She’s also founded a tech nonprofit that serves working class youth and activists.

Her route to such ventures started when she came across a table for Mills College at a business fair. There, she was impressed to discover the school had launched the first all-women computer science program in 1974, establishing its place as a significant institution for women in STEM.

Bobé then realized that a Master of Business Administration (MBA) could guide her along her self-appointed path. Better yet, an MBA from a nontraditional program would help reinforce and strengthen her principles.

“I thought, ‘What would it feel like to go to a school that’s focused on women and women’s voices?” Bobé remembers.

Not Business as Usual

When the Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy first opened in 2001, it may have seemed a bit out of place—it didn’t necessarily provide an obvious complement to the College’s liberal arts focus. But in the nearly quartercentury since, however, scores of students like Bobé have sought out Mills as an alternative to the more traditional MBA route and used those degrees to right historic wrongs.

Idalin Bobé, MBA ’13

Bobé applied and was accepted to Mills, which—at the time—offered multiple degrees of study, including a dual-track Master of Public Policy and Master of Business Administration, and touted its mission as one that educates “ethical and socially responsible organizational leaders” with a focus on strategic perspective, business knowledge, and leadership skills that make a positive impact on society and the environment.

Over the years, graduates have used that education and their leadership skills to work in diverse fields, including technology, mortgage, banking and finance, and various nonprofits with a social justice or racial equality bent.

Like Bobé, Vanita Lee-Tatum, MBA ’13, also wanted to push her work outside of the business world’s traditional boundaries. As an undergraduate at Chico State, she’d majored in multicultural and gender studies, but after college, she entered the mortgage industry. She’d always had a knack for business, Lee-Tatum says, and enjoyed helping clients reach their goals.

Over time, however, she knew she also wanted to combine business with a commitment to social impact. It wasn’t an easy goal, its challenges compounded by race. As a Black woman trying to climb the ranks in her career, Lee-Tatum says, she was often the only young woman of color in the room.

“I often felt a sense of disconnect with leadership,” she explains. “When it was my time to

lead, I wanted to make sure that I was aware of the diverse experiences of other people. When I talk about leadership’s perspective of being compassionate, it’s just that human connection.”

Lee-Tatum’s current work and long-term goals center around creating more equitable access to financial resources. After more than a decade in traditional banking, she broke off and launched a consulting business, where she focused on working with women of color entrepreneurs and other underserved communities. “My undergraduate work in feminist theory and women’s studies had a tremendous impact on my commitment to empower women,” she says. This background led to her current role at a mission-aligned social impact lending institution that specializes in working with nonprofits, labor unions, and advocacy groups with an emphasis on corporate social responsibility as well as fostering financial success for LGBTQIA+ minority-owned groups.

Lee-Tatum used her MBA from Mills to help shape her core values. The College seemed like an obvious choice when it came time to return to school: As a kid growing up in Oakland, she’d first come to the Mills campus via its Upward Bound summer program, which gives students college credit and the experience of living on campus.

“My intention was to advance my education and skills to position myself for leadership roles in the finance sector,” Lee-Tatum says. “When I looked into the MBA program, I knew it was a perfect fit with that intersection of women and business and empowerment.”

Lee-Tatum says she also appreciated the chance to focus and gain a deeper understanding of the “numbers side of business” with challenging courses on accounting, capital markets, and economics. She also developed a satisfying set of practical objectives and goals, particularly in courses on entrepreneurship and women in leadership, as well as a clear mission.

“I fell into a sense of purpose and joy and enjoyment. I learned a lot about leading with compassion,” she says. “I was able to benefit from finding that pathway to unlock some of the talents and interests I already had within myself.”

Lee-Tatum also credits Mills with instilling in her a philosophy of banking focused on purpose and impact.

“It’s centered around this idea that financial success isn’t just profit. It’s about purpose,” she says.

Vanita Lee-Tatum, MBA ’13

“I Wanted to Be of Service”

After graduating from Mills with her bachelor’s degree in psychology, Charlene Harrison ’96, MBA ’08, spent more than a decade trying to grow her career in the software customer service field but often felt unsatisfied.

“I was taking jobs that challenged me, but they frustrated me, and I couldn’t figure out what the frustration was about,” Harrison says.

The answer came, in part, from her childhood. That’s when her mother had worked in the nonprofit sector, including at the Native American Health Center in Oakland. That route appealed to Harrison’s sense of helping others.

“I wanted to be of service, I just didn’t know how to get there,” she says.

Harrison eventually decided to pursue an MBA, but she wanted a program that eschewed the typical hustle and grind culture over care for others. Once she did, she remembered the bespoke nature of her alma mater’s approach and realized it would be the ideal fit.

“I loved the smallness of Mills, and I felt like I’d found my voice there,” she says. “Mills gave me that, and it taught me how to use it in a way that was effective.”

During the application process, Harrison— who is part of the Pomo, Paiute and Navajo nations—reached out to the chief executive officer of the Native American Health Center. He didn’t just come through with a recommendation but also offered her a part-time job: Harrison was able to align her work and studies, tailoring class assignments around her interests. She then stayed on full-time after graduation, eventually working as the center’s site director. Later, Harrison directed her experience into a chief executive role at United American Indian Involvement in Los Angeles.

Earlier this year, she relocated to Northern California, where she’s chief operating officer at Main Street Youth & Family Services in Stockton, a community-based program that empowers youth and builds families through a variety of programs, including foster care and adoption. Now, after decades in the workforce, Harrison says her work has united with her philosophical outlook.

“I am not at the space in my life where I’m trying to climb any ladders. I’m not interested in that,” she says. “What’s important is finding an environment where I know that I’m able to

contribute… and where I know I can come in and institute some change.”

Like the others, Naima McQueen, MBA ’18, wanted her studies to serve as a tool for meaningful change. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke, she’d worked in numerous fields, including education. Often, though, her growth felt hindered.

“There are not a lot of Black women in business spaces, and I was tired of being pigeonholed into spaces that I had outgrown because I worked in education,” she says. “I’m managing the books, I’m looking at revenue streams, and I’m also managing our marketing, but I’m getting none of the credit.”

McQueen’s experiences drove her decision to pivot into nonprofits. She’s worked in various roles for the Oakland office of the Alliance for Community Development of the San Francisco Bay Area, a collaborative nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to capital for underrepresented entrepreneurs. Later, McQueen progressed from the role of interim director of programs to executive director over a four-year period. During that time, she also worked on various consulting projects specializing in racial and social equity research, strategy, and implementation through Mills’ Center for Transformative Action, the Mills Business Alumnae Consulting Group, The Justice Collective, and Venture with Purpose.

Charlene Harrison ’96, MBA ’08

“I took what I understood about people and systems and non-traditional approaches, and I was able to do some really incredible work,” she says.

McQueen credits Mills for her ongoing accomplishments in impact-oriented work.

There, she took courses that explored her interests, including those that focused on grant writing and social impact counseling. As part of her studies, she was also one of two recipients of the JPMorgan Chase’s inaugural Ascend 2020 Fellowship, a program that places grad students in institutions that focus on small business finance. Overall, she says, her time at Mills served to complement and enhance her existing knowledge.

“I was able to take the skillset I had come in with, which was in supplemental education and financial literacy, and apply that to what would become my career around non-traditional small business finance,” McQueen says. “It gave me the space to catalyze what is now my career.”

In 2023, McQueen joined Runway as its director of education and training. The Oakland firm’s work focuses on dismantling systemic barriers and reimagining financial policies and practices to fund businesses in the Black community. The work centered her interest in reparative finance and capital for historically disadvantaged communities where, in addition to other inequitable practices, lenders have historically set up barriers to obtaining a mortgage

or similar loan. In her work, McQueen says she and her colleagues take a “trauma-informed approach” to funding businesses within a system that is inherently broken.

“It’s the practice of understanding that these systems have been extracted from their design, and so to engage in something like reparative finance is the acknowledgement, the understanding, and really the undertaking of financial systems that repair the harm that has been caused,” McQueen says. “It’s capital that really centers around money stories, understanding money, trauma, and the ways in which all of that influences the decisions we make about money every day, whether it’s your personal money or organizational money.”

Without Mills, McQueen says now, she wouldn’t have been able to see the possibilities in her work.

“Mills helped me see that story and connect the dots,” she says.

A Bridge Across Worlds

As a former championship soccer player at UC San Diego, Joanne da Luz, MBA ’13, says she is always extremely goal-oriented—a trait that now guides her professional work. She’d worked in academics for nearly 15 years as a teacher and director at a Bay Area charter school when she and a partner launched My Yute Soccer, an Oakland-based grassroots organization designed to provide free soccer camps for children ages 7 to 12, as well as a teen mentor program.

Along the way, da Luz decided to expand her business expertise with an MBA. After extensive research, she chose Mills because she liked the idea of attending a school that focused on women in leadership in an environment that emphasized community over impersonal rigidity.

The College also offered a bridge between the corporate world, academia, and nonprofits. In addition to the soccer camp, da Luz wanted to expand her work in a more commercial environment. Mills, she says, introduced her to the world of Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

“This idea that people, profit, and the planet can all be equally valued in a business was inspiring to me,” da Luz says. “It was clear that I don’t have to sacrifice one thing or another in

Naima McQueen, MBA ’18

my work and that all the satisfaction I had as an educator could be replicated.”

Mills, da Luz says, helped her realized she could have a social impact in any business environment: “Everywhere I go, that’s what I look for: I look for job opportunities where either the company is already valuing those things or where I can join and focus on that.”

In 2024, she joined IBM as an implementation manager, bringing skills-building education to nonprofit organizations all over the world. Providing access to tech products that aid in learning is an important factor that da Luz takes into consideration for any role. She recently landed her dream job as senior product manager at Discovery Education.

And finally, like the other alums mentioned in this story, Bobé—the MBA alum who wanted to bring business acumen to her work in tech—says her experience at Mills allowed her to realize her goals to their fullest potential. “You have the beauty of a traditional MBA program where you’re also learning humancentered design,” she says.

Before Mills, Bobé says she’d been struck with an idea about providing laptops to a community in need. During her first semester in the MBA program, she and a partner pitched the idea through a business class at a San Franciscobased tech initiative. The duo made it to the final round, and though the concept didn’t win, an observer in the crowd was interested. That connection sent Bobé and her partner to South India where they built a computer lab, with some students traveling as many as three hours to utilize it. It was the kind of demanding but rewarding experience that can’t be taught in a classroom, Bobé says.

“We learned so much about how to adjust and implement ideas when you’re rolling them out to the community,” she says.

For Bobé, who also received a master’s in interdisciplinary computer science while at Mills, the education she received was a critical antidote to the status quo because it emphasized not just skills and critical thinking, but the impact of their work beyond the business world.

“We had amazing professors that just challenged us in so many ways and discussed ethics: What’s the impact to the world, to society, what are we doing?” she says. “And of course, being in California, you become more environmentally conscious because you’re immersed in such a

beautiful landscape. You realize everything is intersectional.”

After South India, Bobé started working with Black Girls Code, making the nonprofit a focus of her graduate work with an emphasis on community organization and outreach. The goal was to convince investors and parents alike to buy into a such a program even though the online world was often a hostile place for young girls. By the time she graduated the program, she’d raised $100,000 for the organization.

“We were intentional in building trust with parents, reassuring them that their daughters would be safe,” Bobé says.

Over time, her work has expanded. In addition to consulting work, she founded TechActivist.Org, a nonprofit that provides technical training and political education to youth and activists. She’s also hosted a summit on artificial intelligence, organized a workshop for Black professors, twice been invited to the White House during President Barack Obama’s administration, and met with Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) to discuss tech policy.

“Mills grounded me in a lot of ways—not just in creating an organization that matters, but in backing it up with business operation skills that matter as well,” she says. “I get to work on tech projects, but I also get to bring my MBA to social justice movement spaces.” 6

Joanne da Luz, MBA ’13

Entrepreneurship for Everyone

Students and the community build wide-ranging skills on Northeastern’s Oakland campus

Starting with its founding in 1852, Mills fearlessly rode the biggest creative waves of its times. That legacy continues today at the new campus for Northeastern University in Oakland, where students are jumping into new ways of thinking that can only happen with the one-of-a-kind location and ethos.

“Mills College was always a place that nurtured curiosity, sought to understand how its students fit in the world, and wanted to make sure they were supported in that journey,” said Daniel Sachs, dean of Northeastern’s Oakland campus. “Now, understanding the entrepreneurial mindset and

its importance in today’s world has become part of carrying on that legacy along with expanding its reach through Northeastern’s global network.”

Cultivating the tenets of an entrepreneurial mindset—things like problem-solving, teamwork, the ability to coherently explain an idea, and a desire to try something new—has grown increasingly more important across all levels of education over the past decade.

By the time Gen Z students are navigating their higher education journeys, many have already dabbled in launching their own business ideas, whether as social media influencers

WORDS BY DANNA LORCH /

or managing their own side hustles through thrifting sites, Etsy, or the dozens of other avenues that their generation grew up with.

Harnessing those interests and soft skills to help build a foundation for students to advance after college, no matter their next steps, became a priority for the Oakland campus in an organic way.

“We’ve broadly defined entrepreneurship as finding creative solutions for real-world problems and challenges. A lot of these students have lived experiences that can inform the types of problems that they want to solve in the world,” said Chung Xiong, who until just recently served as assistant director of entrepreneurship. “That’s also entrepreneurship, whether or not they see themselves as entrepreneurs, because it encourages them to build or create something from their own experience.”

Student-led collaborations and conversations

As an entrepreneur themself, Xiong’s focus on providing experiential and entrepreneurial opportunities for students comes naturally. First as a member of his family’s Hmong band, then a professional dancer managing his own auditions and gigs, and now a budding DJ, Xiong has been building their own brand since childhood.

On the Oakland campus, Xiong collaborates with multiple departments to offer programming and connect students with opportunities— from student-run clubs to an annual speaker series—that allow them to explore the roles entrepreneurship could play in their futures.

The most popular programming, according to Xiong, is the speaker series. The monthly “fireside chats” allow students to hear from and engage informally with founders and professionals who work across

BY RUBY WALLAU & LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM

“We’ve broadly defined entrepreneurship as finding creative solutions for real-world problems and challenges. A lot of these students have lived experiences that can inform the types of problems that they want to solve in the world.” –Chung Xiong

different sectors in entrepreneurial capacities. The speakers share their journeys, including their failures, and provide advice to students as they begin their own journeys. Recent events featured Edreece Arghandiwal, co-founder and chief marketing officer of The Oakland Roots soccer club, and Jasmine Crowe-Houston, founder and CEO of Goodr, a certified B-corporation that collects businesses’ edible food waste and redistributes it to local non-profits for consumption.

Sara Dassanyake ’28 recently finished her first year on the Oakland campus, where she kick-started her own entrepreneurial journey.

Dassanyake planned to major in computer science and design, particularly feeling a draw towards user experience (UX) design. As co-executive director of PawHacks, the student-led group that organizes the annual campus hackathon, she had also built an intricate web of relationships with other students—many of whom wanted to become entrepreneurs as well.

Xiong saw that as an opportunity to give her a new role that combined her strengths, hiring Dassanyake as a design assistant in their office to support marketing efforts, build the brand, and to better appeal to their audience: students. Before leaving to continue studying at the Boston campus, she dropped by Xiong’s office to say goodbye.

They still remember: “She asked for a hug and shared how thankful she was for my help throughout the year, then told me that because of the experience she was pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship.”

“I initially wanted to stay clear of anything related to business or entrepreneurship at the time. I found it intimidating and assumed I’d never be interested in any aspect of it,” Dassanyake added. “Working with Chung and the other student employees in Experiential Entrepreneurship completely changed my view on the field.” In September 2024, she moderated a fireside chat with Nina Reyes, then the vice president of the Alameda-based biotech firm Checkerspot: “It was equally the most terrifying and rewarding experience during my first few weeks of college.” Dassanyake later volunteered to moderate the chat with Arghandiwal and Crowe-Houston.

Getting Outside the classroom

Because of the location of Oakland’s campus, students have just as many opportunities to see entrepreneurship in action in the real world as they do in the classroom.

“The Bay Area has this unique combination of innovation, cuttingedge technology, and the financial infrastructure to support the change

PHOTOS

that inevitably comes with all that kind of activity,” Sachs said. “There just aren’t a lot of places in the world where it exists with the kind of intensity as in the Bay Area.” That combination of those factors creates a setting ripe for experiential learning. Oakland students can take courses like Associate Teaching Professor Aleks Gollu’s course, Innovation, which “offers students an opportunity to obtain the fundamental insight needed to understand the innovation process and to become a player in it,” then to see how themes

from the class play out in real life during visits to local companies, co-ops, and internships.

Trek Days, day-long site visits to a local company in partnership with the Education Innovation team, allow students to learn about business models from Tesla and Salesforce, to the Oakland Museum of California and impactful small businesses. After a tour of the office, a panel of company leaders discuss their roles at the company and their own journeys, plus answer student questions.

Carrie Maultsby-Lute, MBA ’11, is

Above: The first Trek Day on October 18, 2023, included this visit to the clean room at Onto Innovations in Milpitas.

Left: Attendees at the AI for Small Businesses Clinic this past March.

Right: A bit of post-trip work for students after the 2024 Treks.

the director of partnerships, working across departments and campuses to spearhead the community relationships that lead to experiential learning opportunities like Trek Days, internships, and co-ops that provide hands-on, applied learning experiences.

“What we’re really aiming for is creating an entrepreneurial mindset: one that enables someone to create their own new ventures, or go be an amazing employee who is creative and acts like an ‘intrapreneur’ for their company,” Maultsby-Lute said. “Fostering those mindsets,

even of internal entrepreneurship, is extremely important, and something that Silicon Valley and the Bay Area really honor.”

She says she’s constantly looking for ways to both expand and deepen community relationships in an effort to provide students as many examples and resources as possible. Her background as a Mills graduate and an employee in the tech field—and eight years as faculty at the school— positions her to understand the value of these kinds of experiences from all angles.

In fall 2024, Maultsby-Lute and her team—in partnership with Nikki Lowy, director of city and community outreach in Oakland—piloted a new program: workshops on artificial intelligence for small businesses. The programming helped demystify AI for local entrepreneurs and provided them with practical skills for scaling their business.

Maultsby-Lute and her team expanded the effort in 2025 with their AI for Small Businesses Clinic, which directly connected students with small business owners in the community to help them learn more about AI and how they can utilize it in their

day-to-day operations. A group of 10 students were trained for five weeks, then paired with a business owner for a day-long workshop.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive from both sides: The entrepreneurs walked away with working knowledge of AI and ideas for ways to improve their operations, while students spent one-on-one time with entrepreneurs who passed along their knowledge and advice. “It was such a beautiful, full-circle moment of gratitude from both sides,” Maultsby-Lute said. “Rooting these experiences in the community reinforces our effort to help students see the value in not just creating something that has revenue attached to it, but something that impacts the world in a positive way.”

Next up, the teams expanded the AI training program they designed to support the City of Oakland department where students and government employees were able to lay out some of their largest challenges—such as 911 response times, pothole control, and garbage collection—and “dream up solutions using technology to address these social challenges,” Maultsby-Lute said.

Beyond the startup

Entrepreneurship isn’t just for students with big dreams of becoming founders of the latest tech craze. On the Oakland campus, it’s also about giving each student an entrepreneurial mindset whether they want to become a visual artist who markets their work, non-for-profit leaders, or lawyers with their own small-town firms—or anything else that piques their passion.

“When I think about entrepreneurship on this campus, I think about an innovative, creative culture we build that’s not about startups. It’s not about novelty for novelty’s sake,” Sachs said. “Instead, it’s about building an experience through our faculty and staff that encourages students to think creatively, to dig into problem-solving, to work collaboratively across disciplines and solve the problems of the world.”

For example, sophomore Bonisha Maitra, who is majoring in computer science and design and minoring in business strategy, leveraged her own academic background and personal health story to launch a health tech initiative that focuses on inclusive innovation. PCOS Connect supports women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through community, education, and expert-backed resources.

Sachs also knows what it takes to build something with his own hands; he spent 20 years as an entrepreneur before transitioning to higher education. Now one year into his tenure as dean in Oakland, he said he took on the new role because it “resonated with my own life experience, and was an amazing opportunity to honor the legacy of Mills College and balance it with this new institution to create something special.”

“I believe that the role of higher ed in its best iteration is to prepare students to be tomorrow’s problem solvers,” Sachs said. 6

AAMC

News & Notes

A MESSAGE FROM THE AAMC PRESIDENT

When I arrived at Mills College as an undergraduate, I stepped into an environment unlike any I had ever known—a place of grace, creativity, and possibility. I remember the natural beauty, the personal engagement in every classroom, and the sense that we were being invited not just to learn, but to grow and become.

For one critical moment, before stepping fully into the world, Mills offered us a glimpse of something rare: a more idealistic world, one envisioned largely by women. It was a cloister in the best sense—protective, but dynamically alive. It nurtured intellectual growth while allowing students to create, stumble, and understand. It gave us space to imagine what leadership, learning, and community could look like when rooted in care and creativity.

In my senior year, when the Strike of 1990 galvanized students to rise against a decision to dismantle what made Mills singular, I saw that conviction turn into action. Students blockaded buildings and reclaimed space. And we showed the world what it means when students believe transformation is possible. That moment—both personal and collective—helped shape my life.

I came to Mills as a first-generation college student and first-generation American, the child of a working single mother. I didn’t have a roadmap, just a deep desire to understand. Mills opened the door to a world of integrated inquiry, where science met art, intellect met ethics, and social responsibility wasn’t an extracurricular—it was essential.

Mills gave me a lens for living, a way to see the world that made room for complexity, contradiction, and curiosity. Before I knew what the liberal arts truly meant, I was living them: asking questions without simple answers, pursuing meaning across disciplines, and wondering how my story fit into the wider arc of justice and change.

My career has taken me across sectors—art direction and animation to military service. What ties them together is the Mills experience: a liberal arts foundation that

encouraged exploration, resilience, and meaningful work. It prepared us to think across disciplines, follow curiosity, and adapt with purpose. In a world where roles and industries are constantly shifting, that kind of education isn’t just relevant—it’s transformative.

I stepped into this role not just to preserve what Mills has been and what the AAMC has supported since 1879, but to help shape what its legacy can become.

In August, I had the honor of leading our Board of Governors through a two-day retreat that marked a turning point. Together, we unanimously adopted a new mission and vision for the AAMC: one that reflects our shared values and charts a bold course forward. It was the result of months of listening, research, and courageous conversation. And it signals that we are ready to lead with clarity, purpose, and unity.

I’m proud of our board—new and returning members alike—for their dedication and insight. They are not just stewards of our past; they are architects of our future. Together, we are building the foundation for a focused, professional, mission-driven nonprofit.

We will honor what was—and dare to imagine what can be. And we will invite alumnae across generations and disciplines to co-create this next chapter with us.

Before the merger, I often heard that Mills needed to change, to be more like the world. But I still believe the world needs to be more like Mills—a place where intellect meets empathy and creativity is celebrated. At its core, leadership is rooted in ethics and inclusion.

That ideal won’t die. It is deeply needed—and we are committed to carrying it forward.

As we build a nonprofit rooted in Mills’ values, we welcome collaboration and partnership with all who share our vision for a more just and inspired world.

Warmly,

Kieran Turan President, AAMC

AAMC Board Unites

Around New Mission at 2025 Leadership Retreat

In August, the AAMC Board of Governors gathered for a pivotal two-day leadership retreat that marked a turning point in our organization’s evolution. Held with a spirit of honesty and clarity, the retreat was not only a time to reflect on our shared purpose—it was a moment to act.

The most significant outcome was a unanimous vote to adopt a new mission and vision for the AAMC:

▶Mission: “The Alumnae Association of Mills College preserves and advances Mills’ 170-year legacy of transformative women’s education by creating innovative programs, fostering intergenerational and multidisciplinary connections, and championing the liberal arts approach of integrative thinking, creativity, and social justice that empowers women and diverse leaders to change the world.“

▶Vision: The AAMC will stand as a resilient, independent nonprofit that preserves and advances Mills College’s spirit of transformative education, ethical leadership, and creative expression to empower women and diverse leaders to shape a more just and inspired world.

After the post-merger years of navigating change and uncertainty, the board came together to affirm a shared direction—one that honors Mills’ 170-year legacy while boldly stepping into the future. The newly adopted mission and vision statements are the result of months of strategic planning work, member surveys, and deep board engagement. They reflect the voices of more than 850 alumnae of the 2024 alumnae survey, the insights of past and present board members, and the enduring values that define Mills: transformative education, creativity, social justice, and women’s leadership.

This unanimous vote was a powerful show of unity and resolve. It signals that the AAMC is ready to move forward with purpose, clarity, and renewed energy.

We left the retreat aligned, energized, and ready to lead. And we invite every alum to join us in this next chapter— because the legacy of Mills lives on in all of us, and together, we are its future.

New Voices, Shared Vision

The AAMC welcomes these dedicated board members whose diverse expertise and deep Mills connections will help guide our evolution. Each brings unique professional experience and a shared commitment to strengthening our foundation while advancing our mission. Meet the new leaders helping shape our strategic direction:

Clockwise from top left: Kieran Turan, Adrienne Bahlke Jardetzky, Darcelle Lahr, Nzinga Woods, Christina Rodriguez, Rachel Reyes, Sheila Coleman Hopkins, Njoube Dugas.

Help Shape Our Future

We’re building something meaningful together. If you’re interested in volunteering with the AAMC in the coming year, please email your name and areas of interest to vp@aamc-mills.org.

We’re particularly looking for volunteers skilled in office management and operations. We’ll be in touch when we’re ready to launch new initiatives.

Kieran Turan ’90, President Kieran leads the AAMC with a vision to build a resilient nonprofit that champions Mills’ legacy of ethical leadership and creative expression. A communications graduate and seasoned designer, he modernized operations, expanded fundraising, and launched the largest alumnae survey to date. His focus is strategic clarity, campus presence, and intergenerational connection to ensure Mills’ transformative values endure.

Adrienne Bahlke Jardetzky ’80, Vice President: Adrienne, a retired engineering executive and longtime AAMC volunteer, brings deep institutional knowledge and strategic insight. A Bent Twig and computer science alum, she advocates for preserving campus landmarks, securing alumnae spaces, and strengthening organizational independence. Her leadership supports mission clarity, alumnae engagement, and sustainable growth rooted in Mills’ legacy.

Njoube Dugas ’16, MBA ’17, Treasurer: Njoube, an economics major and MBA alum, brings nonprofit leadership and strategic planning expertise to the treasurer role. Their work spans operations, youth advocacy, and community organizing. Njoube envisions a sustainable, inclusive AAMC that deepens alumnae connections, supports social justice, and reflects Mills’ values of equity, resilience, and empowerment.

Darcelle Lahr, MA ’17, EDD ’18: Darcelle, a legacy Mills professor and nonprofit founder, blends academic leadership with community impact. She’s led DEI initiatives, chaired faculty committees, and founded organizations supporting vulnerable

Continued on next page

AAMC Alumnae Dance Fund— Still Growing!

Three months ago, we launched the AAMC Alumnae Dance Fund to support alumnae dancers, choreographers, historians, and videographers in their professional endeavors around the globe. The response has been encouraging, and we’re continuing to build this vital fund.

The Dance Fund supports our alums in dance performances, new and revised choreography, and historical publications about the Mills College dance program and its graduates, as well as Mills alums who promote dance through visual contributions to the art form.

With arts funding facing ongoing challenges, this fund represents our commitment to standing with Mills alumnae who are actively pursuing careers in dance.

Help us reach our goal: Donate to the AAMC Alumnae Dance Fund today and be part of sustaining the creative legacy of Mills.

Donate directly at bit.ly/aamc-dance, or by scanning the QR code. Help Mills College dancers keep their artistry alive!

communities. Her vision for the AAMC centers on rebuilding a unified alumnae purpose through inclusive engagement and strategic collaboration rooted in Mills’ transformative spirit.

Nzinga Woods, MFA ’11: Nzinga, a dance alum, brings creative project management and event-planning expertise to the board. She aims to foster inclusivity and innovation while honoring Mills’ legacy. Passionate about intergenerational connection, Nzinga is committed to helping the AAMC evolve through meaningful gatherings and accessible programming.

Sheila Coleman Hopkins ’10: Sheila, an educator and arts advocate, brings two decades of experience in curriculum design and community engagement. Inspired by Mills mentors, she seeks to connect alumnae artists and educators through mentorship, career panels, and leadership initiatives. Sheila’s goal is to strengthen the AAMC’s impact and inclusivity.

Rachel Reyes ’13: Rachel, an organizer and operations professional, brings coalition-building, event coordination, and tech expertise to the board. She chose Mills for its unapologetic diversity and now advocates for preserving its legacy. Rachel envisions mentorship programs, inclusive events, and stronger alumnae representation, working tirelessly to support the AAMC’s mission.

Christina Rodriguez, EDD ’25: Christina, an educator and the founder of Latinas with Masters, brings storytelling, research, and community-building skills to the board. A proud Mills EDD graduate, she aims to document Mills’ history, strengthen mentorship, and expand digital outreach. Christina’s work honors her heritage and Mills’ values of equity and empowerment.

TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE: AAMC TRAVEL 2026

Explore the world, deepen alum connections, and support AAMC’s mission— all in one unforgettable journey.

Our 2026 travel lineup invites you to experience culture, history, and natural beauty. Whether you’re sipping wine in Apulia, wandering through Andalusian courtyards, or marveling at the wildlife of Southern Africa, every trip helps sustain AAMC’s work and builds lasting community.

Upcoming trips include:

APULIA-UNDISCOVERED ITALY: September 2–10, 2026

SPAIN-ANDALUCÍA IN A PARADOR: September 24–October 2, 2026

JOURNEY TO SOUTHERN AFRICA: October 4–19, 2026

More trips will be added—watch the AAMC newsletter and visit our website for updates. Traveling with AAMC is the most joyful way to give back.

This photo, taken on December 1, 1977, shows the computer science program at Mills in its toddler years. (Mills became the first women’s college to offer such a field of study in the 1974–75 school year.) While we know the date and the location of this image—the CPM building—we do not know the identity of these students examining a motherboard. Any ideas? Let us know at mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu.

NEW YORK

The Mills College Club of New York has had a busy few months, starting with a March tour of an exhibit on the Revolutionary War at the Bush-Holley House, home of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Historical Society. In May, they met up with Mills Institute Executive Director Christie Chung on the Upper East Side, and the first half of 2025 was capped off with a tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on June 16. ▲

OREGON

As You Like It was the offering on hand in Ashland at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, as Mills alums enjoyed a day-long excursion complete with a walking tour, lunch, and an evening show on May 10.

NEW ENGLAND

Julie Meghan McDonald, MBA ’12, and Kathleen Dalton ’70 have revived the New England Mills Club, and they kicked off this new era with a lunch co-hosted by the Office of Alumnae Relations on Sunday, May 18, at Shalimar India in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

BACKYARD BBQ

Saturday, July 12 was the day of a new tradition: Mills alums came together with the Office of Alumnae Relations— as well as a few Northeastern grads— for an outdoor gathering in the backyard at Reinhardt Alumnae House. Attendees celebrated the season with a barbecue lunch and lawn games, appropriate for what ended up as one of the hottest days of summer on campus!

TEA IN THE TOWN

By Jill Robi

Chantrelle Edwards ’20 is the founder and owner of the Bay Area’s Hella Tea. Located in Oakland, the tea company prioritizes loose-leaf artisanal tea blends with pun names that celebrate hip-hop culture and artists. (I Got Chai On It, HumpTEA Hump, Steep Curry, and NipsTEA Hussle are just some of the blends available.) Their most popular blend is inspired by Bay Area rap legend and entrepreneur Earl “E-40” Stevens: E-4 Tea, an Earl Grey blend that can be enjoyed hot or cold.

From China to Africa to the coast of California, Hella Tea’s leaves and herbs are sourced from various distributors from around the world. Hella Tea’s stated mission is to “offer an international tea experience accessible to an overlooked and underserved

demographic while raising awareness around its health benefits.”

“I discovered my love for tea at a very young age while spending quality time with my mom,” Edwards said. “I realized that tea was a source of comfort and an escape from all of the challenges that impacted my life growing up in East Oakland. Hella Tea was my way of offering others an invitation to our unique approach to the world of tea with a unique Bay Area twist.”

Edwards began her tea business before attending Mills. “However,” she said, “enrolling in a social entrepreneurship course with Dr. Lahr provided me with valuable insights that deepened my understanding of business and its purpose beyond profits.”

Upon launch, funding and technical assistant challenges stunted getting operations off the ground. “Most grants that we applied for were tailored for businesses that already operated in brick-and-mortar spaces and not for online retail entrepreneurs.” Still, Edwards pushed on, refusing to use unreliable sources or cut corners. The company’s teas are sourced from ethical farmers globally, so there are no pesticides or harmful chemicals in the growing or harvesting process. In order to reduce its carbon footprint, Hella Tea sources herbs near the Bay Area when available. “We realize that we have to be kind to the planet from which we receive this beautiful gift of tea,” Edwards said. Hella Tea also invites customers

to taste test products in order to ensure that customer experience is consistent across the board.

“The inspiration for new blends and flavors happens organically,” Edwards explained. “We are always trying to find ways to tell and preserve the history and cultural influence of the Bay Area by reminding people of our contributions in music, government, and other expressions to the world.”

By finding common ground with customers, Edwards and Hella have built a loyal community rooted in connections to culture and history of the Bay Area. “Specifically, its influence in hip-hop and the recording industry,” she says. “We channel that out of the independent spirit that is synonymous with folks from the Bay.”

In order to keep up in a competitive market, Hella Tea has forged relationships with other businesses in the field with the understanding the market is large enough for all to grow while being true to their brands. According to Business Insider, the tea business has seen an increase in the last few years, elevating an additional $4 billion from 2024 to this year. In the near future, the plan for Hella Tea is to expand the operation to a storefront cafe and event space. “My vision,” Edwards said, “has always been to host a place where people can gather and enjoy tea, grab a bite, and listen to music while enjoying the company of other folks who enjoy tea as much as we do.”

MEDIA LAB

New releases, publications, and performances by Mills alums and professors

Beth Anderson, MFA ’73, MA ’74, has had a busy few years: “Indigo Swale,” for saxophone/ bassoon and piano, premiered in 2024, and “October Swale,” for string orchestra and saxophone, did the same on March 27. Both were first performed by Javier Ovieda (with the Classical Sax Project Orchestra on the latter) in New York City. The pianist Amy Wurtz debuted Anderson’s “Waiting” solo work in New York on April 19 and later performed the piece three times in Chicago. Anderson’s compositions have also been on television: “Eight,” a solo piece for soprano, on June 7; and “Moment,” a clarinet solo, on January 25.

Calibrate Radical Grit Primer: Personal Growth Workbook for Teens & Young Adults is a new release by Aven Ascher Moran ’07. The work is the first in a series that includes multiple daily self-care reminders delivered via mobile, and it combines pop culture with coaching on life skills for now and in the future.

A graduate of the Mills School of Education, Will Benham-Baker, MA ’15, co-authored the article “Giving Students Choice and Voice with Graphic Novels,” which was published in the May 2025 issue of California English. He is a high-school teacher in Walnut Creek.

Ben Bernstein, MA ‘95, wrote a new one-act opera that premiered at St. Clement’s Community Hall in Berkeley on July 18. Never Mind starred Shawnette Sulker as a Black soprano anticipating her debut of Handel’s “Messiah,” taking place solely in the character’s dressing room.

Pieces by Freddy Chandra, MFA ’04, who also served as an adjunct professor of art through 2017, were part of the Paul Thiebaud Gallery exhibition Where Things Begin: 10 American Artists of the Asian Diaspora, which ran through June 7.

On May 9, the Austin American-Statesman published a piece by Keli Dailey, assistant adjunct professor of communication studies, on how there’s no better time for comedy, and on June 10, the San Antonio Express-News ran her essay on the presidential nickname TACO.

In the new book Mother of Methadone, Melody Glenn, MFA ’22 , contrasts her own experience as an emergency physician and addiction specialist with the career of Marie Nyswander, who first endorsed the use of methadone to treat opioid withdraw and promoted a more humane approach to such patients.

Sarah Hirneisen, MFA ’11 , and her craft-inspired sculptures were part of the art installation Take Care, which ran at the ICOSA Collective in Austin, Texas, from August 15 to September 13. Hirneisen’s work and that of her fellow exhibitor, Tammie Rubin, examined the labor behind acts of caretaking.

“No. 5 Fly by Trim” is a 3-D installation by Emily Hoyt-Weber, MFA ’11, which was on display at Abel Contemporary Gallery in Stoughton, Wisconsin, from June 6 until July 20.

With the editorial assistance of Dawn Cunningham ’85, Mei Kwong ’70 has self-published Once Upon a Memory: A Daughter’s Tribute to Jean & YH Kwong. The title recalls how Kwong’s parents handled massive shifts in China and throughout Asia at large to become successful entrepreneurs—and provide a solid foundation for their daughter.

Cynthia Lubow ’83 has independently published her first novel, Dying of Curiosity A mystery set in Berkeley, the book is LGBTQIA+ friendly and revolves around a main character who, like Lubow, has a career as a psychologist.

“My Inner Rest,” a live performance in Littlefield Concert Hall by Briana Marela Lizarraga, MFA ’20, is captured on the avant-garde artist’s second album. Listen to the piece at tinyurl.com/briana-marela-2025.

Professor of French and Francophone Studies Brinda Mehta authored the book The Wounds of War and Conflict in Contemporary Arab Women’s Writing from North Africa and the Middle East, which was released by Oxford University Press on September 15.

In 2025, Xo Nguyen, MFA ’12 , released two albums of electronic music in Vietnam: Hanoi Waltz and The Field of Heritage: City Life, which both lean on experiences of Nguyen’s homeland. Listen to them at linktr.ee/xinhxo.

A new mural by Yulia Pinkusevich, associate professor of studio art, was unveiled in the East Bay city of El Sobrante on June 14. “We Are All in This Together” illustrates the local watershed and was completed in conjunction with the nonprofit Triangle Works.

Julia Rosenstein ’79 has released the second part of her examination of a lesser-known creative: Last Bohemian: The Life and Times of Jonathan David Batchelor. Batchelor, who died in 2003, was a realist artist who enrolled at the California College of the Arts at 13.

Eight authors—including Susan Roth ’65, MA ’68; Sharon Clifford Cresswell ’65; and Anne Adams Athanassakis, MA ’70 —collaborated on the anthology No One Under 80 Need Apply, which was released by Leap Year Press earlier this year.

Professor of English Juliana Spahr’s book of poetry, Ars Poeticas, was published by Wesleyan University Press in February. The collection reflects on the role of poetry during troubling times, such as the climate crisis and rise of fascism.

Lauren Speeth ’81 has written Taking the Stairs & Liking It: Seven Steps to an Amazing Life, which was released through BookBaby in June. The title draws together lessons and inspiration from Speeth’s life to inspire readers to do more and go further.

The Fact or Fiction Show, created by Caitlin Trainor, MFA ’04, ran off-Broadway at Swing 46 in New York from April to July. The show tells rip-roaring stories through dance, and the production featured three Mills alums.

Zachary James Watkins, MFA ’06, performed the electric guitar and provided electronic effects during “animals & giraffes,” a multi-artist collaboration that took place at the Center for New Music in San Francisco on June 10.

Share your recent release with the readers of Mills Quarterly ! Send a press kit, including high-resolution images, to mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu

Mills College Art Museum

I was fortunate enough to work at the Mills College Art Museum for three years, only taking time off during my year abroad. I loved art and the atmosphere of a museum, but I never expected it to become such a quiet, lasting part of me. At the beginning, my job was just to sit at the reception desk and count visitors.

Though I would learn about installation and curation, counting visitors felt like being tasked to guard this gorgeous Julia Morgan building: drenched in skylight sun and the echo of quiet voices or the elegantly heeled steps of [former director] Katie Crum. It felt like a church.

The most exciting times were MFA shows: Students just a bit older than me had figured out they were artists and knew it so bravely that they declared it to the world. They were taking it seriously. Making art was a worthy enterprise, and they were worthy of making it. Mills was part of their journey of becoming artists, and because of my job, I got to witness it. Ever fascinated and inspired, I continued to put myself in the way of art until finally it became part of my own practice and a career. Like my memory of that gorgeous building, art never leaves you.

–Ambra Sultzbaugh Hubert ’00, Toronto

FOR NEXT TIME

Zippers/Zippees/orientation leaders/ orientation followers: What are your favorite memories of the folks who helped you acclimate to Mills (or vice versa)? Did you form lasting relationships? Let us know by sending an email to mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu, leaving a voice mail at 510.430.3187 (time limit is three minutes), or mailing a letter to: Mills Quarterly / 5000 MacArthur Blvd. / Oakland, CA 94613

Both Libby McDearmon Werner ’66 and Barbara Morrow Williams ’68 wrote in with their memories of participating in spring fashion shows in the galleries, sponsored by the Mills Mothers’ Club. Each iteration showcased a different theme and included garments from a specific store, and international students would wear traditional garb.

“In 1963, the theme was ‘Portraits in Spring,’ with fashions by Saks Fifth Avenue of San Francisco. In 1964, the theme was ‘Coutiere International,’ with fashions from Dinwiddie of Berkeley,” Werner recalled. Her mother, Lucy McDearmon, was publicity chair for the 1965 show, “Have Rainbow, Will Travel,” which included clothes by Joseph Magnum of Oakland and featured several men of the faculty. “These fashion shows provided an opportunity to enjoy fellowship, the fashions of the day, and entertainment,” she says.

Williams mentioned how keen she was to appear in the show when she arrived at auditions every year, after having already explored an interest in fashion in her hometown. But as someone who later became a sociologist, she also recognized the show’s inherent irony:

“It reminded me again of how ‘transitional’ the ’60s were for women— Betty Friedan’s book The Feminine Mystique, birth control, ethnic and women’s studies, feminist consciousness-raising groups. They all served to heighten the contradictions of societal roles for all women,” Williams said. “As a result, certain ‘female-centered’ traditions either fell away completely or evolved in different ways. Mills, along with other women’s colleges, often served as bridges for women to make those transitions from traditional to new ways of looking at their roles in society.”

BY MOYA STONE, MFA ’03

THE CATALINAS 1963

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Initially named the Mills College Swimming Club upon its founding in the 1940s, The Catalinas took on their new moniker by 1959. Started by physical-education instructor Lois Carrell, the club was an instant hit, at times with as many as 30 members, all of whom had to try out to make the team. In the fall, members practiced the basics–treading water and doing flips— and in the spring, they rehearsed the choreographed routines and prepared for the upcoming May performances. There were as many as 10 routines, including duets and solos. Each show was choreographed by club members—with guidance from an advisor from the PE staff—and featured costumes, a theme, and a title, such as 1960’s tropical jungle-inspired “Taboo.”

The Catalinas made the playbills themselves and sold tickets for their performances. By the end of the 1960s, the fad for synchronized swimming had faded and the Catalinas hung up their suits. Four alums share their memories with the Quarterly

Judy Horwedel Clark ’63 studied psychology and early childhood education at Mills. She taught kindergarten and first grade and then she continued her education in nursing and midwifery at the University of Arizona. She worked in these professions for many years while raising her three children.

Ruby Kanne Ek ’64 majored in math and enjoyed a career in computer programming, working first at Pacific Telephone and then at the trucking company Pacific Intermountain Express. Later, she married and raised three children.

Linda Dyer Millard ’65 majored in French and went on to become the development director for Earthwatch Institute and ARCS (Achievement Awards for College Scientists) Foundation. Her last job was as an education director for the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, and she has organized and led more than 30 safaris to East Africa.

Judy Karp ’66 was a chemistry major, and after Mills, she attended Stanford Medical School. She later moved to Baltimore where she completed her residency at Johns Hopkins University and began her decades-long career in medical research.

What inspired you to join the Catalinas?

“I loved swimming—although I failed my first tryout.” –Ek

“I love to swim and still do.” –Millard

“I had some experience in water ballet when I was a kid, and I thought it would be fun.” –Karp

“I had been competing for two or three years with The Riverside Aquettes in Riverside. I tried out for the Catalinas as soon as I got to Mills.” – Clark

What were some of the challenges of being on the team?

“Getting up early to practice.” –Ek

“Lack of time to actually enjoy being on the team.” –Karp “Teaching others the fundamentals.” –Clark

“Learning to hold my breath long enough to do some of our more difficult routines.” –Millard

What was a high point?

“The shows.” –Karp “Our performances.” –Millard

“My senior year I was president of the team, and I got to do a duet .”–Ek

“I loved it all.” –Clark

What lifelong lessons did you learn?

“ What I learned was how important it is to have teamwork.” –Karp “Teamwork.” –Ek

“Perseverance. Being able to work on something and have a positive outcome.”–Clark

“Swimming is absolutely the greatest way to stay in shape, especially as we age. For anyone getting over an injury, needing a workout or relaxation, or even a place to meditate: Find a pool!” –Millard

I love that for one hundred years the Mills College Art Museum has served as a student and artist focused space that engages audiences and communities in critical and creative thinking about the world we live in. We continue to prioritize the museum as an innovative center of creativity that offers unique and meaningful in-person and digital experiences.

—Museum Director Stephanie Hanor

When you donate to the Art Museum Gift Fund, you give life to pioneering exhibitions and lectures, artist commissions, and online access for all to enjoy. You also enable students to build skills in curation, preservation, publicity, and other museum practices that they can carry with them in their careers while boosting the museum’s impact on the Bay Area art scene.

Help drive the Mills College Art Museum’s mission forward. Make your gift today at bit.ly/artmuseum-gift.

Photograph: Magnolia Blossom, Tower of Jewels; Imogen Cunningham, 1925

IN MEMORIAM

This section includes notices of death received before July 11. Submit a listing on behalf of a member of the Mills community at mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu or 510.430.3312.

ALUMNAE

Janice Allison Hammond ’39 • January 18, 2022 • Pasadena, California She was a Bent Twig.

Alice Whisenand McClellan ’49 • January 25 • Arlington, Virginia She loved nature so deeply that she majored in botany at Mills. While working as a marine biologist at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Alice met her late husband, Hugh. Their family lived in Canada, Texas, and Virginia, where she served on the board at her church and volunteered as a poll worker. She and Hugh ventured to 48 countries, often bringing an element of service to their travels. She is survived by four children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her sister, Whiz Whisenand Smith ’44, died in 1998.

Helen Fihn Feldman ’50 • November 8, 2019 • Las Vegas She later earned a master’s degree in speech pathology from Columbia University, which she parlayed into a long career at UCLA and the former David Brotman Memorial Hospital. Helen was also a chanteuse, singing in New York night clubs. She spent the last 22 years of her

life in Las Vegas, where she was involved with causes such as the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada, StandWithUs, and the Jewish Nevada International Film Festival. She is survived by her husband, Bobby; seven children; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Janice “Jan” Church Mann ’53 • March 27 • Reno She majored in economics and sociology, and she served as vice president of the ASMC and as chair of the activities board. Jan’s cousin was the late Doris Oliver Everett ’50.

Carol Rummerfield Amrein ’53 • June 25, 2020 • Santa Rosa She earned her Mills degree in chemistry, and she was a homemaker. Carol is survived by her sister, Lois Rummerfield Hyman ’50.

Lynette MacIntyre Nisbet ’54 • May 14 • Madison, Wisconsin After Mills, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin. Upon her marriage to the late Tom, Lynette moved to New York while he attended Columbia and they started their family, but they eventually moved back to Madison. She was a homemaker who

took pride in teaching her three sons how to cook and sew, and she enjoyed gardening and Japanese flower arrangements so much that she attended an ikebana exhibition in Kyoto. She is survived by three sons, five grandchildren, and a step-grandchild.

Joan “Joanie” Welty Trefry ’54 • July 9, 2022 • Wenatchee, Washington She departed Mills upon her marriage to her hometown sweetheart, and they moved to Maine for his Air Force posting. After his enlistment ended, Joanie and her growing family moved back to Washington state, living in Ephrata and Spokane before eventually relocating to Wenatchee. She worked in several doctors’ offices, volunteered for Junior Chamber International, and loved murder mysteries and every episode of The Young and the Restless. She is survived by three children, four grandsons, and five great-grandchildren.

Jane Ponting Yale ’55 • June 16 • Denver She moved to Colorado upon her marriage in 1956, involving herself with local community organizations

Richard Wernick, MA ’57

Richard Wernick, who earned a graduate degree in music during a rich period in the department’s history and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for his compositions, died on April 25 at his home in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

He also retired as the Irving Fine Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania in 1996, having been recruited there in 1968 by the composer George Crumb.

In the wake of studies with Leonard Bernstein and his departure from Mills, Wernick began his career by composing dozens of scores for theater, film, and television, and he taught at the University of Chicago and served as music director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. But his greatest honors came after the move to Pennsylvania: Wernick’s “Visions of Terror and Wonder” won the Pulitzer in 1977; he was composer-in-residence at the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1980s; and he became the first repeat recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Friedheim Award with “String Quartet No. 4” in 1991.

Those are just a few of the many accolades he received in a prolific career in which he eventually wrote hundreds of musical scores and made appearances on more than a dozen records, according to The Philadelphia Enquirer Wernick is survived by his wife, Beatrice; two of his three sons; five granddaughters; and a great-granddaughter.

such as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoological Foundation, and the Denver Debutante Ball. There, Jane continued to enjoy playing tennis and bridge, and she took up golf as well. After her husband’s retirement, she became an independent travel agent and embarked on many voyages of her own. She is survived by her husband, Merrill; a daughter; two granddaughters; and a great-granddaughter.

Elsa Chapin Hackett ’56 • March 1, 2019 • Plant City, Florida She loved horses and competed with American Saddlebred show horses in Florida after relocating from New England. Elsa is survived by cousin Frances Bartholomay Anderson ’71.

Her late sister, Marietta Chapin Covell ’52, and stepsister, Mary Louise Riley Smith ’51, also attended Mills.

Amanda “Mandy” Leighton Klamt ’56 • September 26, 2024 • Orange, California Though partially blind in both eyes, she pushed through to earn a degree in child development and start an artistic practice she continued throughout her life. Mandy met her husband at Mills, and his career in aerospace led to prolific travel and short stints in the Marshall Islands, Germany, and Russia. In her later years, she earned a master’s degree in communicative disorders, and she worked on her own skills through Toastmasters, books on tape, and learning other languages. She is survived by Bob; two sons; and a sister.

Virginia “Ginny” Ward Graves ’57 • June 1 • Tucson

After Mills, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in art history. She founded—alongside architect husband Dean—the Center for Understanding the Build Environment in Kansas City, and as a result, Ginny was an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects and received an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She also wrote on her own and co-authored several books with her husband. She is survived by Dean; two daughters; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a brother.

Nancy Tomerlin Roscoe ’58 • March 23 • San Anselmo, California

She and her late husband, Frederick, joined with another couple to purchase Tassajara Hot Springs in Monterey County, which they turned into what’s now known as the San Francisco Zen Center. Nancy enrolled in law school after her children were in school themselves, passing the bar in 1969 and practicing criminal law for more than 30 years at her San Francisco office, where her memorial service was held. She was also known as a legendary hostess for annual salmon parties at the family home in Marin County. She is survived by two children.

Rebecca Loehr ’60 • February 10 • Albuquerque

She majored in art history and worked in the law.

Gretchen Schade Tjossem ’60 • April 21 • Eden Prairie, Minnesota

She departed Mills to finish her degree in medical technology at Macalester College and be near her high-school sweetheart, Bob. Once Gretchen and her family settled in Crookston, Minnesota, she began performing in church choirs and community productions, and she led the local bridge club. After her children were grown, she became a lab technician at the local University of Minnesota campus, then found joy in retiring to rural life. She is survived by four children, 13 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.

Janis Reid Preston ’61 • April 19 • Ukiah

She was a homemaker for many years, raising her family with vegetables she grew in her own garden, while she also enriched herself with ballet lessons and learning to play the piano. When her children were grown, Janis started a career as a tax professional, growing a solid base of beloved clients. Outside of work, she enjoyed the culture of Ukiah— the symphony, local wineries, First Fridays—but also traveled extensively with her friends and cheered loudly for her favorite sports teams. She is survived by two sons, four stepdaughters, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a stepbrother.

Lynne Sanzenbacher ’62 • May 14 • Pompano Beach, Florida

After Mills, she went to New York and undertook a 35-year career in film and advertising; in particular, lending her talents to documentaries for Columbia Pictures and commercials for Procter & Gamble. Upon retirement, Lynne moved to Florida and volunteered on projects for organizations that included Jackson Memorial Hospital and the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce. She also started her own pearl business and enjoyed movies, Florida seafood, fashion, and a great party.

Susan “Sue” Candland Graham ’63 • May 11 • Mountain View, California She began working for Pacific Bell right after graduation and eventually retired from the company in 1992. At that point, Sue threw herself into home repairs and public service; she served two terms as a board member in the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District, and she was involved with her local chapter of the League of Women Voters at the highest levels. With one son’s family living in Italy, she and husband Kim traveled often, but they always came home to their beloved Mountain View. She is survived by Kim and two sons.

Judith Hessler Wickware Landau, MA ’63 • May 22 • Port Townsend, Washington She came to the Bay Area to study dance with Anna Halprin after graduating from Lake Erie College with her bachelor’s degree. Judith’s mother

encouraged her to enroll with the Mills dance program as a graduate student, and afterwards, Judith taught movement and dance therapy at a school for children with learning disabilities. Once she moved to Port Townsend, she helped build and take care of a family farm, and she practiced polarity massage. She is survived by her husband, Charles; three children; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Nancy Gigas Verling Dobson ’66 • April 8 • Bluff, Utah After a brief marriage and stint in Marin County, Nancy moved to Montana “with her piano and first Elkhound.” She created a rich life for herself there, working in catering and getting involved in food groups and the American Association of University Women. Nancy married her second husband, Ed, and they initially moved to Utah as seasonal rangers for the Bureau of Land Management. Once there permanently, Nancy became a docent at Edge of the Cedars Museum and began rescuing dogs. She is survived by Ed and a daughter.

Jane De Bord Cline ’69 • April 10 • Centralia, Kansas She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her time at Mills but persisted, later graduating from the University of Denver. At that point, Jane moved back to the Bay Area to take a banking job in San Francisco, where she met her late husband, Clifford. She was a member of P.E.O. International, Daughters of the Nile, and Order of the

Shirley Macaulay Mordine ’58

The founder of two Chicago-area dance companies and a distinguished performer in her own right, Shirley Macaulay Mordine ’58 died on May 5.

She was born in Oakland and came to Mills after graduating from Fremont High School and studying at the San Francisco Ballet School. Shirley particularly enjoyed her theater classes with Arch Lauterer, and while some of her contemporaries moved on to New York after graduation, she stayed in the Bay Area to teach and perform on a freelance basis. While listening to Dave Brubeck at an Oakland bar, she met her late husband, Glenn, and after they married, they moved to Chicago and started their family.

Her daughter, Ann, told the Chicago Tribune that Shirley “loved the [city’s] grittiness and tapped into that as a resource.” Indeed, her career bloomed in the Windy City: She started teaching at local high schools and Columbia College Chicago, where she soon chartered the institution’s first dance department, which she led for 30 years. At the same time, Shirley started The Dance Troupe, which operated for 50 years, later as the Mordine & Company Dance Theater.

Michael McStraw, who had been a managing director for Mordine & Company and is now executive director of the Chicago Dance History Project, said this to the Chicago Tribune: “It is impossible to fully measure the profound and lasting impact Shirley has had on the Chicago dance community.”

She is survived by her former husband and three children.

Eastern Star. She is survived by two daughters, five grandchildren, and two sisters.

Patricia Dyer Russell ’69 • April 1 • Chico, California She was a resumer who applied to Mills as a 34-yearold mother of three. After graduating with a degree in American civilization, Patricia earned a teaching credential at UC Berkeley and taught in Oakland Unified schools and at Berkeley High School. Her daughter, Lynne Bussey, said this about her mother: “Mills College set my mother on a path that few women walked in those days, and she—and our family—are forever grateful for her chance to do so.”

Fawn Leffler Valentine ’71

• May 11 • White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia After Mills, she finished her bachelor’s degree in 1990 at the former Concord College,

later receiving an MA at Hollins University. Fawn was a master weaver and fiber artist, not only teaching art to all ages but writing the book West Virginia Quilts and Quiltmakers and receiving an award for her efforts to preserve traditional crafts. She was well-loved in her adopted hometown of Alderson, managing the farmer’s market and leading the planning commission for more than a decade. She is survived by a sister, many friends, and Henry, her rescue cat.

Cassandra Blake Zarkades ’72 • November 20, 2024 • Bainbridge Island, Washington She later received a teaching credential from UC Berkeley and taught for 23 years in Seattle and Bainbridge Island. That was when she received a diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease, which she battled for 35 years until

her death, but her family says that “the disease may have altered her physical and mental abilities, it could never dim her radiant spirit.” She is survived by her husband, Nick; two children; and four grandchildren.

Janet “Jan” Wright ’73 • June 8 • Carlisle, Pennsylvania

After Mills, she graduated from Arizona State’s business school with a master’s degree in marketing management. Jan then started her career with the Marriott Corporation, and she also worked for an art gallery in Carmel by the Sea, a place she dearly loved. She is survived by her many friends from the third floor of Warren Olney.

Suzanne “Flora” Boyer ’82 • November 9, 2024 • Elko, Nevada

She first attended Occidental College and worked at Cal Tech before returning to higher ed to study at Mills. Flora had a variety of careers—working for NASA and the American Red Cross, operating her own resale clothing shop, and training as a peer counselor through the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Upon moving to Elko in 2002, she became a fixture in the community who was known for mentoring others, wearing unique jewelry, and her passion for politics and literature. She is survived by two siblings and two stepsiblings.

Theresa Roach Savage ’82 • June 23 • Emeryville

She moved from Los Angeles to Emeryville with her late husband, Robert, when she was accepted at Mills. Theresa studied for her degree in psychology while Robert worked

for PG&E, and after graduating, she started working for the federal government while he got involved in local politics. Together, they became Emeryville’s “power couple”— he was the city’s first Black mayor while she fought for a child development center and volunteered with the League of Women Voters. She is survived by a daughter, two grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Kay Kleinerman, EDD ’07 • April 7 • Houston Before coming to Mills for her doctorate in education, she led an illustrious career as a professional singer both locally and nationally, touring with Les Misérables in 1991. Kay’s career took her into music education, teaching and directing programs in schools across the Bay Area as well as founding her own studio. She also researched how singing could bolster leadership qualities in women and published her findings with the National Library of Medicine. She is survived by her husband, Michael Forcht; two sisters; and cousin Dyanna Loeb ’09.

Linda Clea King ’10, MFA ’12 • April 16 • Berkeley She came to California from her hometown in Ohio to partake in the local arts community, later enrolling at Mills and working as a longtime adjunct professor of English composition at Berkeley City College. To honor Linda’s legacy, her students and colleagues joined together for tributes in song, dance, poetry, and live music. She is survived by three siblings.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

Bernard Balas, parent of the late Laura Balas ’92 • March 24 • Wilmington, North Carolina

Vern Burrows, spouse of Janet Bottimore Burrows ’56 • June 16, 2025 • Yuba City, California

Geoffrey Clark, spouse of Martha Fuller Clark ’64 • January 8, 2023 • Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Consuelo Faust-Anderson, parent of Madeleine Anderson ’11, MA ’12, and the late Thea Faust Anderson ’14 • May 28 • San Francisco

James Gregory, Jr., parent of Leah Gregory ’03 • May 4 • Dallas

Frances Hitchcock, child of the late Robert Hitchcock, former treasurer and vice president • January 9 • Washington, DC

William Lamont, spouse of Mary Murchison Lamont ’74 • January 22, 2022 • Dallas

Gerald Mason, spouse of Mollie Anderson Mason ’74 • October 20, 2022 • Morro Bay, California

Henry Mayo, spouse of Diane Johnson Mayo ’56 • December 5, 2020 • Glen Ellen, California

Jon Papps, spouse of Debbie Collins Papps ’60 • December 20, 2020 • Salem, Massachusetts

Arnaldo Pomodoro

Though the renowned sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro taught at Mills for a relatively brief time in the College’s long history, his legacy lives on in his moveable bronze work “Disco,” which has entertained legions of students—particularly the youngest ones on campus—since its installation on Holmgren Meadow in 1987. In addition to his time on the faculty at Mills in the 1970s and ’80s, Pomodoro also taught at Stanford and UC Berkeley, and additional works can be found outside the Vatican Museums in Rome and at the United Nations in New York.

He died in Milan on June 23, one day before his 99th birthday.

Ruth Rippon, former student of Antonio Prieto • May 19, 2022 • Sacramento

Glenn Shrader, spouse of the late June Self Shrader ’59 • May 4 • Colorado Springs

FACULTY & STAFF

Patricia Kennison, former Children’s School teacher • December 22, 2024 • San Mateo

RUBY WALLAU FOR NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

PROSE BY EVETTE DAVIS ’90

THE MAN HOLDING THE SIGN with my name on it inside the arrival lounge at the Friedman Memorial Airport offered little more than a slight nod when I acknowledged him. Silent as the grave, he packed me into an enormous Suburban, its windows tinted the color of midnight, and set off toward the highway. Forty minutes later, our car pulled up in front of a handsome log–cabin–style lodge. I couldn’t help but notice the emerald green lake with its swimming beach and boat dock, or the enormous mountain peaks jutting into the sky in the distance. As I exited the car, I stepped onto a thin layer of frost covering the lawn, the frigid air causing my eyes to water. The driver walked ahead of me carrying my duffel bag.

I followed him through the doorway, scanning the room to better understand my surroundings. My host sat at a table inside the lodge’s dining room, a mug of something warm and steaming in her hands. Her aura was as bright and shiny as it had been the first time we met a few months earlier.

“Sorry for all the cloak-and-dagger stuff,” Diana said. “I thought we could speak more freely here.”

“Why here?” I asked.

“I’m a candidate for president of the United States. The press is camped outside my office and my home,” she said. “Being seen with a political consultant from San Francisco would start tongues wagging about my campaign drifting too far to the left before I’ve gotten things off the ground.”

“Why do you want me, anyway? You already have an amazing team of consultants with much higher profiles than mine.”

“I know about the Council,” she said. “Madeline told me you’re a witch.”

I wanted to tell her I was a brand-new witch, still learning to use my powers, but instead, I nodded for her to continue.

“I want to become the first female president of the United States,” she said, looking around to make sure the dining room was empty. “I’m going to need all the help I can get to make that happen. There are forces at work in this world that I don’t fully understand, Olivia, but I want access to them and protection. If I see this campaign through to the end, it will force me to face down demons, my own and others.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” I said, a bit sharper than I intended. “The forces you’re referring to are deadly, fight dirty, and have weapons at their disposal you can’t begin to imagine.”

Evette Davis is an author whose recent release, The Campaign from which the above passage is adapted—rounds out The Council Trilogy. The first two titles, The Others and The Gift, were released in 2024 and earlier this year, respectively.

Salon features artwork and creative writing by Mills alums and professors. Submit your work for consideration by reaching out to mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu

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“I see social entrepreneurship as the vehicle through which individuals and communities can build hope.”

–PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE DARCELLE LAHR, MA ’17, EDD ’18

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