Newcomb Magazine 2021

INSIDE

Bridging the Gender Equity Gap in Science & Technology

From the DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

As this difficult semester of Hurricane Ida and COVID variants winds to a close, I write with the news that I am stepping down as director of the Newcomb Institute on June 30th, 2022. I am fortunate that my position gave me the opportunity to get to know so many of you. I am so grateful for your friendship and your support of the Institute.

Since 2010, we have faced many challenges: working to regain the confidence of alumnae following the merger of Newcomb and Tulane Colleges that resulted in bitter lawsuits, deconstructing the Dean’s House while designing a magnificent new space, and creating a new mission and vision following an investigation by the Office of Civil Rights for allegedly discriminating against men.

Together we built a single team unified behind a shared vision that included faculty qualified to contribute directly to the University’s teaching mission. We built the Newcomb Scholars Program to be, in the words of President Fitts, “the jewel in the University’s crown.” We developed outstanding applied learning programs to integrate research, teaching, and community engagement in women’s legislative leadership, reproductive justice, gender equity in technology, and most recently, sexuality and gender-based violence. Just this year, we launched a certificate program in gender-based violence.

Newcomb Institute has strengthened existing programs ranging from student groups that served hundreds—such as Women in Science—to those that transformed the college experience of a few—such as poetry workshops or opportunities to work in a feminist archive. We kept Newcomb traditions alive, from Under the Oaks to Newcomb Senate. We provided financial and logistical support to hundreds of faculty fellows and undergraduates and put on programs that enriched the intellectual life of the campus and community.

Especially rewarding to me were our programs to ensure that our students had meaningful applied feminist learning opportunities at the local, national, and international levels: our sex education program in Kenya, our innovative program to allow women in the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women to earn credit toward a Tulane degree, and our nationally recognized efforts to end sexual violence on campus. I am proud of the work we have done to support women faculty at Tulane and to enact policies to combat sexual harassment. I am also proud of my ongoing contributions as a scholar and a teacher.

After several years of commuting, I look forward to living with my husband in Florida. I am still considering how my lifelong commitment to gender equality will manifest itself next, but it will likely include continuing to work on rape, advocating for and educating women in prison, and working to secure a diverse and representative judiciary. As of now, my plan is to take a year’s sabbatical and then continue with the political science department as a full-time faculty member. The provost intends to begin a search for a new director in January.

Thank you for working side-by-side with me as I poured my heart and soul into educating undergraduates to achieve gender equity and leading Newcomb in its evolution into a thriving 21st century institution.

Sincerely,

Newcomb College Endowed Chair Professor of Political Science Executive Director, Newcomb Institute of Tulane University

“Thank you for working sideby-side with me as I poured my heart and soul into educating undergraduates to achieve gender equity and leading Newcomb in its evolution into a thriving 21st century institution.”

Executive Director

Sally J. Kenney

Managing Editor

Lauren Gaines (LA ’20)

Graphic Designer

Rebecca Gipson

Contributors

Julie Henriquez Aldana

Camille Boechler (LA *21)

Beth Chauvin

Jacquelyne Thoni Howard

Geneva Longlois-Marney

Lucien Mensah (SSE ’21, LA *22)

Andi Richardson (NC ’99)

Gabe Christian-Solá

Sue Strachan (NC ’86)

Lauren Wethers (LA ’15, *16)

Laura Wolford

Photography

Cheryl Gerber

Jacquelyne Thoni Howard

NEWCOMB is published by Newcomb Institute of Tulane University.

Address all inquiries to Newcomb Magazine

Newcomb Institute | Tulane University

The Commons, Suite 301 | 43 Newcomb Place New Orleans, LA 70118 | Phone: 1-800-504-5565

NEWCOMB is an annual production of the Newcomb Alumnae Association and the Newcomb Institute. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 issue has been published in an exclusively digital format. To print a PDF version, click here.

The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute (Newcomb Institute) is an interdisciplinary, academic center of Tulane University.

We shape the future by educating students to achieve gender equity.

Our mission is to develop leaders, discover solutions to intractable gender problems of our time, and provide opportunities for students to experience synergies between curricula, research, and community engagement through close collaboration with faculty. We build ambition and confidence by connecting students with faculty, alumnae, donors, and women leaders outside of the classroom, giving them exemplars who inspire, share strategies, and foster community.

We overcome obstacles by searching to discover solutions to the most intractable gender problems of our time.

We empower women by creating synergy between teaching, research, and community engagement as a research university.

We facilitate undergraduates in conducting research with faculty. We produce, document, preserve, and share knowledge about women, gender, and feminism in the Gulf South.

We honor the legacy of H. Sophie Newcomb by mobilizing the 30,000 graduates of Newcomb College and others who support gender equity to support undergraduates.

We develop leaders by fostering intellectual and activist communities

Features

Paying it Forward: Millibeth Currie on creating opportunities in STEM for youth

Alumna Millibeth Currie (NC ’89), program director of Women in Charge: Engineering Women's Lives, explains how opportunities to engage in STEM activities outside of the classroom can impact students’ futures.

The Technology and Digital Humanities Lab at Newcomb Institute

Dr. Jacquelyne Thoni Howard and program alumnae share the role the Technology and Digital Humanities Lab has played in launching successful careers for participants.

NASA Engineer Meghan Bush on the Importance of Community in Leadership Development

Alumna Meghan Bush (SSE ’20, *21) reflects on how gender-focused STEM communities during her undergraduate career helped shape her future.

Dr. Elizabeth C. Bellino on service and global health impacts 18

Alumna Elizabeth C. Bellino, MD, MPH & TM (NC ’98, PHTM *00) reflects on how her education prepared her to provide public health services abroad.

In the Classroom: Creating space for gender representation in STEM

Senior Liandra Niyah (SSE ’22) is working to create empowering spaces inside STEM classrooms.

Gender Representation and Collective Technological Solutions

Senior Piper Stevens (SSE ’22) discusses the need for gender representation when developing solutions for the greater good.

From left to right and top to bottom: Maya Angele Pelichet, Siyang Hu, Kila Moore, Adelaide Jasica, and Rebecca Roth from the Technology and Digital Humanities Lab at Newcomb Institute that supports gender equity initiatives in technology by building caring technology-focused communities for undergraduates.

On the cover: The cover features a mural from the 2019 Grace Hopper Celebration. The mural depicts women science, math, and technology pioneers Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, and Anita Borg, and was created for the conference by the team at Google.

Photo credit: Jacquelyne Thoni Howard, Ph.D.

A Message from the Newcomb Alumnae Association President

My dearest fellow alumnae,

It is amazing that my two years as President of the NAA are coming to an end. Serving you in this role during a once-in-one-hundred-year pandemic has been monumental. After a single meeting together in The Commons in January 2020, the NAA board pivoted to conduct business and program remotely for the next 22 months.

COVID elasticity of time (that eerie sensation of week-long days morphing into months without end) often made us feel as if we were slogging through mud, especially during the early months when there was, literally, no end in sight.

Take it from me, though, this is the exact type of scenario where Newcomb women thrive.

The dedicated board of directors, twenty-five individuals who encountered identical pandemicdriven challenges as you, worked hard to keep you in focus as our North star. Though many student-facing programs were put on hold due to the pandemic and later by, Hurricane Ida, we seized upon the opportunity to strengthen alumnae bonds by continuing and deepening other programs.

NAA book clubs looked different, with meetings hosted via Zoom. We innovated and launched our inaugural “New Orleans and Beyond” club, in addition to city-based meetings. The NAA continued financial support of Newcomb Institute students engaged in experiential learning. Alumnae awards were presented during the fall after the cancellation of Under the

Newcomb Alumnae offer support to students following Hurricane Ida

By Beth Chauvin

In the days following Hurricane Ida, nearly 1,200 Tulane students evacuated to Houston, where they were temporarily housed at the Hyatt Hotel as they made arrangements to return home while our uptown campus was being repaired. The short notice evacuation, compounded by the shock of experiencing such a powerful storm, meant that students were unprepared to be gone from their residences for so long. Luckily, Houston Tulane Alumni Association officer Heather Yanak (NC ’97) was present to lead the charge to support them. Heather secured the hotel’s hospitality suite to host the team of Newcomb and Tulane volunteers that organized and distributed donated supplies from the local community in Houston. The volunteers included our own Newcomb Alumnae Association President-Elect, Helene Sheena (NC ’87), along with her husband, Ronnie (A&S ’85, M *90), and their daughter, Brittney Sheena (SSE ’18). Thanks to generous alumni, students had opportunities to go to an Astros baseball game, art museums, and even take in some concerts during their time

Oaks two years in a row. Though the pandemic challenged our momentum, we kept moving.

About a year ago, Tulane hired its first Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Anneliese Singh (NC ’91). How proud we are of our fellow alumna! In 2021, the NAA board established the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) committee with her support. Dr. Singh facilitated a racial healing workshop for us, a key part of our January 2021 meeting. I invited members of the Director’s Advisory Council (DAC) to join us for what evolved into an emotional bonding experience.

With this work done, the ED&I committee was formally established. Over fifty alumnae expressed interest in three slots reserved for non-board alums. The committee soon presented a town hall with Dr. Singh, which complemented the challenge of building its mission statement. In the fall, the ED&I committee hosted a viewing of The Veil, a documentary by Raven Ancar (LA ’22) about racism at Tulane. 2021 has been a busy year for the NAA.

I am grateful to past NAA presidents, Carter Flemming, Catherine Hagaman Edwards,

Meredith Beers, and Andrea Mahady Price, for their steadfast support. Each gracefully accepted my phone calls, responded to emails, and more, as we navigated an unprecedented journey to keep the NAA robust and significant. I appreciate each of you with all my heart.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me with your compliments and grievances. I am grateful for your friendship and support. I hope you feel I have served you well.

Be well and stay safe,

Students wait to board buses to Houston on Tulane University's Uptown Campus

in Houston. They also had several evening social events at the Hyatt, including one involving bubble tea and other treats. Newcomb Institute extends heartfelt gratitude to all the alumnae who offered their support to students during this challenging semester.

Lisa D. T. Rice (NC ’83, Parent ’15)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives at Newcomb Institute

By Julie Henriquez Aldana, Ph.D., Gabe Christian-Solá, and Andi Richardson (NC ’99)

In these decidedly difficult times, Tulane has mobilized to further its diversity and equity initiatives throughout the institution. At Newcomb Institute, we have strived to understand student needs and focus on organizational changes through our Newcomb Inclusivity and Diversity Excellence (NIDE) Committee.

The Ne wcomb Inclusivity and Diversity Excellence Committee began in 2016 as a collective of Newcomb staff and faculty looking to understand diversity, inclusion, and equity practices at the Institute. Since then, the committee’s goals have shifted according to the needs of our students. In our search for transparency, we created a standing feedback form for students to share their experiences with us. Thanks

to this survey, NIDE has utilized the responses to curate our initiatives.

As a result, we added three student members to NIDE, and created individual action plans for each staff member to support our goals.

As a committee, we focus on leading diversity education efforts for the Institute, including all-staff retreats and once-monthly team conversations around wide-ranging topics from the mental health of our students to equitable classroom practices; we are currently working on the Strategy for Tomorrow, a university-wide strategic planning process to guide our equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and anti-racism initiatives for the next five years.

In these heav y days of action, calls to justice, and re-examining our

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Scientific Trailblazers

By Camille E. Boechler (LA *21)

Lucille Godelfer (Class of 1924)

Lucille Amanda Godelfer (1903-2006) was born on February 2, 1903 to Estelle Genin and George Godelfer. Godelfer obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Newcomb College in 1924. She also attended Loyola University, Louisiana State University Medical School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In her career as a

medical technologist, Godelfer served on the Louisiana State Board of Health and as the Head of the Bureau of Laboratories.

The Lucille Godelfer papers (Collection NA-356) can be found in the Newcomb Archives and Vorhoff Collection Finding Aid

position within oppressive systems, we are moved more than ever towards action. In Emergent Strategy, adrienne marie brown states that in movement, “there is always enough time for the right work.” NIDE is here to do the right work and continually grow our commitment to equity and justice.

The Ne wcomb Alumnae Association (NAA) has also launched an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Committee as a standing committee of the board to further the association’s commitment to collective learning and liberation through anti-racist practices. Newcomb College was a transformative institution as the firstdegree granting coordinate women’s college in the United States and empowered women to be educated

Mary Rollins (Class of 1930)

Mary Rollins graduated from Newcomb College with the class of 1930. She was a chemist, and was involved in Study Club, a gathering of women who studied together and met several times a year in Gulfport, Mississippi. Rollins worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 19291938, specializing in the identification of papers and fabrics and their conformance to industry standards. She spent the remainder of her career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she became an international authority on using electron microscopy for textile research.

The Mar y Rollins papers (Collection NA-075) can be found in the Newcomb Archives and Vorhoff Collection Finding Aid.

May Hyman Lesser (Class of 1947)

May H. Lesser graduated from Newcomb College with honors in drawing. As an artist, she had the rare experience of being on the inside

and economically independent. The NAA continues to evolve as a forward-leaning institution to develop practices and programs to welcome and support all people regardless of race, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religious belief, socio-economic background, age, ability, body type, and national origin.

In June 2021, the ED&I committee hosted its inaugural event, a virtual town hall to discuss Tulane’s strategic vision and initiatives with Dr. Anneliese Singh (NC ’91), Tulane’s first Chief Diversity Officer. In October, the committee presented and moderated an interactive Q+A about The Veil, a documentary exploring W.E.B. DuBois' concept of "the veil" and the Black experience at Tulane, directed by Raven Ancar (LA ’22).

of medical centers at University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and Tulane University, as many in her family were physicians. Lesser spent the last three decades of her life “immersed in the field of medicine and creating a body of artwork chronicling the study and practice of medicine” (Newcomb Archives Digital Repository). Through her work, Lesser wove together the human side of medical education with the clinical environment of medicine.

The May Hyman Lesser papers (Collection NA-096) can be found in the Newcomb Archives and Vorhoff Collection Finding Aid. An oral history of Lesser can be found in the Newcomb Archives Digital Repository (NADR)

From left to right, Lucille Godelfer’s portrait as Secretary-Treasurer of Newcomb French Circle from the 1924 issue of Jambalaya, the official yearbook for Tulane University and Newcomb College. Mary Rollins as a chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (image credit: NIST). May H. Lesser’s senior graduation portrait from the 1947 issue of Jambalaya

Newcomb Welcomes Valeria Luiselli as the 2021 Zale-Kimmerling Writer-in-Residence

By Laura Wolford

While the Institute originally hoped to bring Valeria Luiselli, the 2021 Zale-Kimmerling Writer-in Residence, to campus, she wowed the Tulane community during a series of virtual events from March 2-9, 2021.

Luiselli was born in Mexico City and grew up in South Korea, South Africa and India. She is an acclaimed writer of both fiction and nonfiction, and her books include Sidewalks (Coffee House Press, 2014); Faces in the Crowd (Coffee House Press, 2014); The Story of My Teeth (Coffee House Press, 2015); Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions (Coffee House Press, 2017); and Lost Children Archive (Vintage, 2020). Because her work is so wide-ranging, Luiselli was able to engage in conversation with students and faculty during several class visits. Among her engagements were a visit to Professor Antonio Gómez’s Spanish literature course, “Forms of the Real in Recent Latin American Culture” and Professor Zachary Lazar’s creative writing course, “Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop.” She detailed her past collaborative art projects in art history Professor Adrian Anagnost's course on performance art, and she discussed immigration with students in Professor Casey Love’s political science course, “Politics of Immigration.” Finally, in a truly collaborative conversation, Luiselli met with archivists from the Tulane Archives and Special Collections and the Newcomb Archives about the role of the archives in her writing.

The highlight of Luiselli’s visit was a public reading and conversation with Tulane professor and author Yuri Herrera-Gutierrez from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. In an atmosphere akin to a conversation between friends, the

two discussed topics ranging from Luiselli’s work to her home and writing spaces. The Newcomb Alumnae Association hosted eight book club meetings across the country to discuss Luiselli’s book, Lost Children Archive, and because this year’s reading and interview were virtual, book club attendees from across the country were able to participate. Luiselli also participated in a book club discussion with Newcomb Institute staff.

While these vir tual visits were not entirely the same as having a

writer visit in person, they were more accessible to the Newcomb community at large, and Luiselli was the perfect writer to rise to the occasion. She is the recipient of a 2019 MacArthur Fellowship and the winner of two Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, The Carnegie Medal, an American Book Award. She has also been nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Kirkus Prize, and the Booker Prize. She has been a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree and the recipient of a Bearing Witness Fellowship

from the Art for Justice Fund. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Granta, and McSweeney’s, and has been translated into more than twenty languages.

Every student and faculty who interacted with Valeria Luiselli had positive feedback about the depth of their conversations and the joy and excitement of having meaningful literary conversations at a time of social disconnect and isolation.

Photo of Valeria Luiselli, Photo Credit: Diego Berruecos/Gatopardo

Intersectionality and Public Policy: 2021 Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium

By Laura Wolford

On February 5th, Newcomb Institute hosted the 2021 Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium. This day-long symposium provided an opportunity for the three Newcomb Institute postdoctoral fellows to engage with distinguished scholars in their field around their work. The research conducted by the postdoctoral fellows centered on the importance of intersectionality in shaping discussions of law, governance, civil rights, and everyday movements.

The symposium's culminating event was a keynote lecture by

Dr. Khiara M. Bridges, professor of law at UC Berkeley School of Law, titled “Imagining an Ethnography of the Reproductive Lives of ClassPrivileged People of Color: Race, Class, Gender, and Prenatal Care.” National Science Foundationfunded postdoctoral fellow Dr. Annie McGlynn-Wright discussed her paper, “Inspecting the Expecting: How Race, Pregnancy, and Poverty Shaped the WIC Program,” with Dr. Andrea Freeman, Professor of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and keynote speaker Dr.

Khiara M. Bridges.

Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Tiffany Gonzalez discussed her paper, “Chicanas and Political Leadership,” with Dr. Maria Cotera, Associate Professor in the Mexican American and Latino Studies Department at the University of Texas, and Dr. Max Krochmal, A.M. Pate, Jr., Associate Professor of History and at Texas Christian University.

Lastly, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Jess Issacharoff discussed her paper, “Domestic Terror: Assata Shakur and the Birth of Rikers Women’s Facility” with journalist and author Victoria

Law and Michelle Jones, activist and doctoral student in the American Studies program at New York University.

McGlynn-Wright reflected on the timeliness of this year’s event explaining, “The symposium was an excellent opportunity to engage in pressing conversations about race, gender, and the law with preeminent scholars in the field and with colleagues from Tulane and beyond.”

Dr. Khiara M. Bridges, professor of law at UC Berkeley School of Law was keynote lecturer at the 2021 Newcomb Institute Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium

Noteworthy at NEWCOMB

Fridays at Newcomb: Katherine Johnson and Alyssa Lederer

By Lauren Wethers (LA ’15, *16)

In less challenging years, it is common to see a line of students every Friday waiting to hear from Newcomb’s speaker of the week in between classes. Fridays at Newcomb, a weekly lunch lecture series featuring speakers from across disciplines, offers both a meal and an interesting topic delivered by either a Tulane professor, visiting faculty member, or a local New Orleans leader.

Like so many other campus traditions, this one has had to look different over the past year and a half. Rather than gathering in person, audience members joined a

Zoom webinar from the comfort of their homes. The topics, however, remained just as engaging.

One standout event was the 2021 Custard Lecture, funded by Marla Custard (NC ’91), featuring Tulane professors, Drs. Katherine Johnson and Alyssa Lederer. Dr. Johnson earned a dual degree PhD in Sociology and Demography from Pennsylvania State University, while Dr. Lederer received her PhD in Health Behavior from the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health. Their talk, entitled “Can a curricular intervention reduce sexual violence among

college students? A multi-method evaluation of Tulane’s GESS 1900: Sex, Power, and Culture” discussed the results of their collaborative study. Together they evaluated the impact of an entry-level gender and sexuality studies course on students’ beliefs and attitudes regarding sexual assault, as well as how likely they were to actively engage in issues surrounding sexual assault when the opportunity arose. The study found that the course led students to have significantly lower heteronormative attitudes and beliefs and a greater awareness of campus resources related to

sexual violence.

The talk provided the opportunity to not only showcase the work of two outstanding Tulane professors, but students as well. Several students participating in the Newcomb Reproductive Rights & Reproductive Health Internship program have contributed to the work of Johnson and Lederer, assisting with developing and refining the survey administered to students.

Introducing Current, Newcomb’s newest Residential Learning Community

By Gabe Christian-Solá

Girls, women, and other gender minorities are systematically tracked away from science and math throughout their education, limiting their training and options to go into these fields as adults. Women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. According to the American Association of University Women, the gender gaps are particularly high in some of the fastest-growing and highest-paid jobs of the future, like computer science and engineering.

Current Residential Community (RLC) was developed to bring together first-year students who identify as women and other gender minorities to build and engage in academic, intellectual, STEMfocused communities at Tulane, in New Orleans, and beyond. Drawing on the legacy of Newcomb College, our goal is to provide a place for first-year women to cultivate their interest in STEM fields–to energize their current–as they forge meaningful connections with one another and with faculty, staff, and alumnae through STEM-and genderfocused programming, research, and development opportunities.

Now in its second year, Current

students have had an opportunity to bond and share time with one another, have received leadership development, gone on a retreat, and hosted virtual dinners with faculty in the School of Science and Engineering. Students in the RLC can take advantage of Newcomb Institute’s membership in Public Leadership Education Network and attend a fully-funded STEM policy seminar in the spring.

Students also have an opportunity to take a class together during their first semester on campus. The Current TIDES course offers a glimpse into the myriad of possibilities offered in STEM and the challenges facing women in these fields. Taught by Dr. Jacquelyne

Thoni Howard, the FemTech course examines the role that gender plays in shaping technology design. It explores the role that technology specifically plays in women’s lives and the role that product design plays in shaping discourse around women’s relationship with technology. Because most students share the same first-year STEM curriculum, Newcomb Institute also offers academic support to those RLC students that request it.

We are deeply excited to continue to provide our students in Current with the networks they need to succeed in STEM fields and close the gender gap by building the language and knowledge to make that possible.

Paying it Forward: Millibeth Currie on creating opportunities in STEM for youth

By Lauren Gaines (LA ’20)

Angelou once said, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” Alumna Millibeth Currie (NC ’89) is using her education and experience as a woman in STEM to inspire and empower the next generation of female scientists through her work as the Program Director of Women in Charge: Engineering Women's Lives.

Women in Charge, or WIC, as it is affectionately known by students involved, is an empowerment program that seeks to increase the number of female students interested in STEM-based courses and careers. Currie and her colleagues across the region utilize a problem-solving mindset as a catalyst to help girls realize they can engineer the life that they want to have.

“We teach them that they are truly in charge of their choices and their choices will lead to their future lives,” remarked Currie.

Women in Charge began as an idea jotted down in Currie’s planner after a group of her female students came to her about concerns in the classroom. The girls felt they were being overlooked and that boys were getting more help and guidance. Currie quickly discovered that the students were remaining silent and feared asking questions, and this was the piece of the puzzle she needed.

“I realized that by being quiet and more passive in the classroom during the early adolescent years, this may have been the reason for the lower math and science test scores our female students had at the time compared to male students. I knew I was onto something, and I had to solve this issue,” said Currie.

As a result, Women in Charge: Engineering Women’s Lives was created. Since its inception, WIC has been dedicated to helping female students understand the connection between the real world and what they are learning in the classroom. Currie attributes the success of Women in Charge to the shared vision of her fellow alumnae, colleagues and community leaders who believe in real-world outreach and help make WIC’s most impactful programming happen.

Currie, a firm believer that equity comes from opportunity, hopes to create as many opportunities as possible for female students to explore and achieve success in all fields.

“By removing the mystery, you remove the fear, and they begin to redefine possibilities and their future,” said Currie. “We speak to them and show them specific paths that will lead to leadership and success.”

Alumna Millibeth Currie (NC ’89) and her students during an outdoor activity for Women in Charge: Engineering Women's Lives

The Technology & Digital Humanities Lab at Newcomb Institute: A Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Technology Space

By Jacquelyne Thoni Howard, Ph.D.

Since 2007, Newcomb Institute has supported undergraduates in gaining access to technology applications and building their technical expertise through its student programs and lab spaces. Since then, the technologies and professional practices used in technical fields such as computer science, digital media, digital humanities, digital design, and technology studies have evolved significantly. As the use of technology applications has become mainstream, questions have surfaced regarding how many of these work practices and algorithms have entrenched gender discrimination and racial bias, illuminating the lack of diversity and support that women and other marginalized groups face within these fields.

In response to our students’ growing need to stay current with new technologies and receive tangible work experience, Newcomb Institute has expanded its student program offerings. The Technology and Digital Humanities Lab supports gender equity initiatives in technology by building caring technology-focused communities for undergraduates. Keeping in mind that all fields are now technology fields, the Lab makes technology work and digital research more accessible and relevant for technical and non-technical majors through interdisciplinary collaboration with peers, faculty, and community partners. These programs encourage students to consider how their work connects with social and humanities-based research questions and affects their communities. The Lab continuously strives to build a supportive community where all students regardless of their background can contribute important perspectives while working on technical teams and building relationships with faculty and community members.

The Technology and Digital Humanities Lab at Newcomb Institute, managed by Dr. Jacquelyne Thoni Howard, houses four student programs and two student groups.

• The Digital Research Interns collaborate on an agile scrum team, modeled after the product development workflows across several technology fields. The student-led team works concurrently on a range of digital research projects for Tulane faculty, Newcomb Institute staff, and New Orleans community partners. Working on a scrum team helps students build a digital portfolio of authentic projects in a low-stakes work environment, develop relationships with students and mentors while working collaboratively, and learn skills such as digital media design, data analysis, computing, mapping, and digital archiving.

• The Information Technology Interns support the technology operations and infrastructure of Newcomb Institute. These students develop technical projects such as web and graphic design, and provide classroom and A/V support. This internship program will use an agile scrum model starting in the Spring of 2022 to encourage collaboration and mutual support among students.

• Grace Hopper Grantees attend the Grace Hopper Celebration each year, where they network with technology industry professionals, attend panels about gender equity in technology, and interview for jobs.

• The Gender and Technology Grantee receives a stipend to design and develop a technical project related to a gender topic. Newcomb Institute sponsors these grantees as they apply to the Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory (HASTAC) Scholar program.

• The Equity in Technology (formerly Women in Technology) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) student groups collaborate among peers to network with local STEM leaders, host workshops, and provide academic support.

These experiences provide students with mentorship from faculty and concrete work and networking experiences that supplement their academic work. These programs have impacted the outlook and careers of several Newcomb Alumnae working in various sectors.

Technology Zine

By Emily O’Connell (SSE ’22, LA ’22) Product Developer, Digital Research Internship Program

The Newcomb Technology zine is a yearly publication comprising the work conducted by feminist-minded technologists who make up Newcomb Institute's Technology and Digital Humanities Lab. These cohorts include the Digital Research Interns, the Information Technology Interns, the Grace Hopper Celebration grantees, the Gender and Tech grantees, and student groups. The zine examines the intersections of gender and technology. Interns share posters detailing their collaborative projects with project owners such as Tulane faculty, Newcomb Institute staff, and members of the Greater New Orleans community. Interns also develop interest articles exploring a unique facet of technology through a feminist-minded approach. Grace Hopper Celebration grantees reflect on their experience attending the various educational sessions and networking events at the conference. Additionally, the zine also provides a digital environment for the Gender and Tech grantee to publish a summary of their research project and findings. This synthesis of perspectives and experiences represents the multidisciplinary efforts of the tech cohorts and provides a space for reflection, discourse, and exchange regarding tech and gender issues.

Featured Alumnae

Rebecca Roth (SSE ’17)

Bachelor of Science, Applied Computing Systems and Technology

Job Title: Cybersecurity Operations Engineer, Dell Technologies

During my junior year, I was extremely fortunate to have been sponsored by Women in Technology (predecessor to Equity in Technology) and the Newcomb Institute to attend the Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Computing. By the end of the conference, I received a summer internship offer at Dell. I would not be where I am today without their confidence, support, and sponsorship. I believe that gender equity initiatives must disaggregate their data and take a more discerning look to identify underrepresentation. Not only do I expect a more serious focus on increasing the percentage for women in technical roles and leadership, but also for underrepresented women often measured only with respect to overall workforce diversity.

Rebecca Roth (SSE ’17)

Maya Angele Pelichet (SSE ’18)

Siyang Hu (SSE ’19)

Adelaide Jasica (SSE ’20, PH ’20)

Kila Moore (LA ’21)

Maya Angele Pelichet (SSE ’18)

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science and Applied Computing Systems and Technology, minor in Studio Art.

Job Title: UX Designer at Microsoft

I very recently started working on a new team that works on a product called Microsoft Viva Connections. Viva Connections is a platform that helps inform, motivate, and engage employees. Before Viva Connections, I worked on Azure, Microsoft’s cloud platform, for two years. Outside of work, I cohost a podcast, The Designers Toolkit, to help those who are interested in becoming UX designers learn how to succeed in the industry. Newcomb Institute was extremely influential in impacting my values, helping me achieve my career goals, and progressing quickly in my career. Women in Technology (predecessor to Equity in Technology) taught me many things such as how to be a leader and how to mentor others, which are invaluable soft skills that I use daily. Being involved in Women in Technology also exposed me to opportunities such as the NI Collat Media internship. This internship allowed me to develop real work for my portfolio that I was able to use in interviews to get my first job out of college. In fact, I got my first job at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computer conference, which I was only able to attend because I received a scholarship I applied for through Newcomb. All in all, I attribute much of my early career success to Women in Technology and the many opportunities Newcomb Institute provided me.

Siyang Hu (SSE ’19)

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science

Job Title: Senior Data Scientist at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

Since graduating from Tulane, I’ve been a data scientist focusing on using machine learning and deep learning to solve problems in the Natural Language Processing domain. When clients come to me with needs or asks, I always start with understanding their business problems, and then I translate them into technical tasks. I was involved in the Newcomb Institute’s Digital Research program, where I explored my interests and capabilities in technology. As the project manager, I, along with my team, delivered various technology solutions to the clients, who are faculty and staff at Tulane. In addition, I was exposed to agile methodology that was widely used in software companies.

Adelaide Jasica (SSE ’20, PHTM ’20)

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science and Public Health

Job Title: Business Data Analyst at Discover Financial Services

My role combines software projects and product management and helps define the processes with which my development team takes in requests, conducts our work, and handles releases of new functionality. This role brings together my technical background, communication skills, and management aspirations. Newcomb Institute’s technology programming provided leadership and technical opportunities, which gave me the confidence to join the technology/software industry and to find a role that fits my values and interests. Newcomb’s programming mirrors the gender equity movement in the tech space by getting people in the door and supporting their growth in a safe-to-fail environment. Currently, I see the [gender equity in technology] movement pushing for intersectional equity across director and executive level positions as well.

Kila Moore (LA ’21)

Bachelor of Arts, International Relations

Job Title: Development Assistant at Son of a Saint

As the Development Assistant at Son of a Saint, I maintain an organized development operation, build new relationships and funding sources, and strengthen current relationships with donors, potential donors, and sponsors. Whether it is project management, database creation, research, or content development, my work with Newcomb prepared me to work within an environment that integrates social change and technological innovation. Gender equity in tech is more important now than ever. As we continue to learn and change the world around us, we will need initiatives like the Digital Research Internship to bridge the gap between the ever-advancing technological space and the ongoing journey towards an equitable future. I am immeasurably appreciative of Dr. Howard and the rest of my team for such an amazing experience.

Congratulations! Class

Congratulations! Class of 2021

NASA Engineer Meghan Bush on the Importance of Community in Leadership Development

By Lauren Gaines (LA ’20)

Thephrase “To infinity and beyond!” comes to mind as one learns of the incredible work alumna Meghan Bush (SSE ’20, *21) is doing as one of the newest research electrical engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. A member of the storied Photovoltaics and Electrochemical Systems Branch, she tests and develops the solar array systems that power satellites, rovers, and lunar and Martian habitats. Bush spends her days on a diverse team characterizing solar arrays in simulated space environments, coordinating high-altitude solar cell tests aboard old spy planes or weather balloons, and working with commercial partners to develop the next generation of power systems for future NASA missions.

“ NASA has worked and continues to work hard on cultivating a truly diverse environment in every facet of their workforce,” explains Bush. “This, paired with their mission to educate and inspire future generations of space explorers, makes for an outreach-oriented organization that I am very proud to be a part of.”

Bef ore devoting her energy to the intricacies of space exploration, Bush received her Bachelor of Science in engineering physics with a concentration in mechanical engineering, as well as her Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering degrees from Tulane. A fond memory of her undergraduate years is her experience with Tulane’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE), a Newcombsponsored student organization.

“ I served as treasurer my sophomore year and then as president my junior and senior year,” recalled Bush. “Getting to lead fun programming, professional development events, STEM outreach, and more was a major highlight of my undergraduate career and built up my confidence as an engineer and a leader.”

W hen it comes to leadership, Bush believes representation plays a critical role in instilling confidence in young women and girls by putting in front of them women who are accomplishing the very same goals to which they aspire. She also stressed that this newfound confidence could take many forms.

“ This could mean speaking up in class, pursuing their niche and nerdy interests, or being unapologetically enthusiastic about what they want to do—confidence in themselves is the goal,” expressed Bush. “Growing up with powerful women role models in STEM means young girls won’t ever have to doubt their place in these fields.”

Bush f ound Newcomb Institute to be an important hub for community, storytelling, and reciprocal support during her time as a Tulane student, and this emphasis on celebrating and supporting students in all disciplines is what Bush says makes Newcomb special.

“ Newcomb helps the women in its community by providing a space to interact, learn from one another, and develop deep connections and friendships,” explains Bush. “Sometimes this looks like providing funding for young engineers to attend an engineering conference and network with professionals in their fields. Other times, it looks like supporting a Bob Ross painting night for some stressed out undergrads. Regardless, Newcomb’s tireless support of its STEM community is invaluable and appreciated.”

Dr. Elizabeth C. Bellino on service and global health impacts

By Sue Strachan (NC ’86)

Theday after an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude devastated Haiti in 2010, pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth C. Bellino (NC ’98, PHTM *00) was there, working with the United Nations medical field team, helping set up the pediatric medical tent. Among her other duties was initiating a first needs assessment project to determine the resources for pediatric health services for Project Medishare and the University of Miami.

After Bellino earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, she received her M.D. from St. George’s University School of Medicine and completed her residency in pediatrics at Tulane University School of Medicine. She then received a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University.

An introduction to global health concerns came when she completed a two-year Piper Fellowship in International Medicine with a focus on global health, including clinical and educational experience in Rwanda and Uganda, where she spent another year working on a project. Bellino has also been on the ground in Kenya and the Bahamas, dealing with health issues and advising on disaster relief.

Much of what she does in a country “is communicating with Ministry of Health and private aid organizations to get them on the same page.”

Though breaking through the red tape is necessary, it is not her passion. “It is developing hospitals and clinics, at least the pediatric portion,” she said, “helping train medical students and residents in low-resource areas and getting people to be more aware of pediatrics and women’s health.”

It is a path that started in college, when her spark was lit in an anthropology class taught by Professor John Verano of which “Bones, Bodies and Disease: Evidence of Disease and Abnormality in Early Man,” by Calvin Wells was part of the curriculum. “I remember thinking, ‘This is really interesting and [I] would like to pursue this further’,” said Bellino. During this time, this native of Alexandria, Virginia, also got a sense of community and belonging. “To someone between the ages of 18 and 20, the experiences at college were preparing me for the future,” she said.

Because Bellino has not forgotten these moments, she contributed her time on the Newcomb Alumnae Association for six years and is currently on the Newcomb Director’s Advisory Council. In 2013, she was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumna award by the NAA.

“Being on the board is important to me, in that it connects and keeps me engaged in Newcomb,” she said. “In different parts of my career, I have appreciated different strengths that Newcomb provided me along the way, whether it was in Haiti, Uganda, Bahamas or here in New Orleans.”

Bellino says it is important for her to continue to stay engaged, as well as engage current and new students in Newcomb programs, adding that being on boards helps facilitate new thoughts and ideas, strengthening current projects involving the university.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a pause on some of her international duties, Bellino is working as an emergency room physician at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, which allows her the flexibility to spend time with her husband, also a doctor, and her two children.

The flexibility also allows her to still participate in global relief efforts, including Americares, which she just joined. A global nonprofit, the organization’s focus–health and development that responds to individuals affected by poverty, disaster, or crisis–dovetails with what Bellino does.

Among the biggest challenges Bellino faces with relief work is “how to create the bridge from immediate disaster relief to sustainable health care,” adding it is “the biggest global health issue in addition to COVID-19.”

And she is working hard to make those connections happen.

In the Classroom: Creating space for gender representation in STEM

By Lauren Gaines (LA ’20)

Asthe struggle for gender equity and representation in the world of science continues, students are taking steps in the classroom every day to ensure there will be curious and engaged young scientists following in their footsteps to create a brighter future. Newcomb Scholar Liandra Niyah (SSE ’22) recalls how the support she received from her peers while pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering made her feel secure in her decision.

“Before Tulane, I was one of the few females and women in my engineering and computer science classes and dealt with lots of sexism from my peers,” remarked Niyah. “STEM, especially engineering, is based on community and groups, so now being surrounded by amazing and intelligent women after my experiences in middle and high school, I feel better about my choices and will to continue in this field.”

Understanding firsthand the transformative power of being told by peers, teachers, and community members that you are capable of being successful in STEM, Niyah uses her experiences to inform the work she does with young students in the New Orleans community through organizations like the Center for K-12 STEM Education, Girls in STEM at Tulane (GIST), and Boys at Tulane in STEM (BATS).

“I found my love for STEM at an early age thanks to the opportunities provided by my schools and family, so to work on getting kids engaged and interested in STEM, especially those from underrepresented groups, is quite fulfilling,” explains Niyah.

While she thinks fondly of her experiences as a female STEM student, Niyah also acknowledges that the field has a long way to go in terms of gender representation and equitable outcomes.

“Although Tulane and Tulane’s STEM majors are heavily female, the field itself is still being directed by men for men,” explains Niyah. “For example, there is not much research on the anatomy, mechanical properties, and medical devices for the female reproductive system. Without people pushing research forward, the devices that happen to be developed and put on the market may not address the real problem and may cause more harm.”

Seeing the clear gender disparities and gaps that exist in her field is what led Niyah to become involved in Newcomb programming as a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) organization and Tulane’s SWE section.

“Newcomb, with their mission, have provided opportunities for women in STEM to develop a community and do great things in their majors,” recounts Niyah. “SWE has given me additional support and opportunities to attend national conferences, get job offers, and connect with graduate schools to continue my path in engineering.”

Niyah is also a member of the 2022 cohort of Newcomb Scholars, and she credits the program with helping her develop her passion for conducting interdisciplinary and intersectional research, as well as utilizing her own identities in her engineering projects.

“Being a Newcomb Scholar has helped me to develop these skills and become more confident and comfortable in who I am,” said Niyah. “Although I don’t have a dream job, my goals are to provide health care equipment and procedures that are more accessible, especially for Indigenous peoples, those in rural areas, and those with disabilities.”

Looking to the future, Niyah hopes to remain an advocate and source of support for other young women hoping to pursue careers in STEM.

“It is very common and easy for women to leave STEM during their time in college, so I’m thankful to have found support here,” remarked Niyah. “However, other women are not as fortunate as me, which is why I still present and advocate about the lack of women in STEM.”

In addition to the involvements mentioned, Liandra Niyah also serves as a co-founder of NOSTRA, an upcoming Newcomb publication that provides a platform for the voices of women, nonbinary, and marginalized students in the Newcomb Scholars program. She is also the Outreach Coordinator for the Tulane Society of Women Engineers section and works with Tulane’s Native American Affinity Group (NAAF) enacting positive changes for the Indigenous community at the university.

Gender Representation & Collective Technological Solutions

By Lauren Gaines (LA ’20)

At this unprecedented moment in history, the importance of problem-solving and innovation with community and collective good in mind is not lost on Piper Stevens, a senior studying chemical engineering with a minor in math.

“The discoveries happening in science and technology right now will impact the entire population,” remarked Stevens. “The people conducting research in environmental technology, gene engineering, artificial intelligence, and so many more areas of interest will shape how these technologies alter our global landscape.”

For Stevens, the discovery and implementation of novel technologies and the fight for gender representation and equity in the sciences are movements that must be closely aligned with one another for either to be successful.

“Personally, I have worked on teams composed entirely of male coworkers, and I have felt apprehension when speaking up and sharing ideas in such environments,” recounted Stevens. “It has been researched and proven that diversity cultivates innovation. This is something I agree with both objectively, reading the research, and from my own personal experiences.”

Stevens’ experiences as an undergraduate range from learning about the biological and chemical pathways that help our bodies keep us alive in the chemical engineering course “Applied Biochemistry” with Dr. W.T. Godbey, to conducting National Science Foundation-funded research assessing contamination levels of recycled sand for Glass Half Full NOLA, a local nonprofit founded by Tulane alumni that turns recycled glass from the community into sand for coastal restoration. Her understanding of the need for diverse teams in the fields of science and technology also led Stevens to participate in Newcomb Institute’s Digital Research Internship program for three years under the tutelage of Dr. Jacquelyne Howard, administrative assistant professor of technology and women’s history.

“The most effective tool for me to feel comfortable in STEM as a woman has been engagement in a community of others facing similar experiences,” explained Stevens. “It was great to work to develop digital tools for Tulane faculty and on things like my resume, interview skills, and LinkedIn with my teammates. Ultimately, I really feel like the experience has helped me as I prepare to graduate and move into the professional world.”

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Piper Stevens is also a member of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Theta Tau, Tulane’s professional engineering fraternity, and Tau Beta Pi, the honors engineering society. She is a DJ on a weekly radio show with WTUL, Tulane’s community-run radio station, and she teaches swim lessons with Swim4Success, an organization that provides free swim instruction for economically disadvantaged families in the New Orleans community.

Student VOICES, Student ACTION

By Lucien Mensah (SSE ’21, LA *22)

Working at the intersection of humanities and technology is something that I’ve always strived to do, and this has been something I was able to achieve through Newcomb Institute’s Tech Lab.

I began working with Newcomb as a senior on the Digital Research Internship team. This internship was an experience that was particularly awesome for me and was specifically intriguing even during the interview process, where there were a variety of ways that we could talk about ourselves and express our interest in the team. As I became a team lead during my second semester and a Product Developer this year, I’ve been able to have many experiences where I got to display my technical knowledge with tangible products, learn a variety of technologies, have powerful discussions about race and

gender in tech, and think critically about the impact of the work that we do.

One of the ways I was able to talk about race and gender in tech was through my zine article from last year, where I was able to discuss an issue that I am passionate about: linguistic underrepresentation in technology. Natural Language Processing (NLP) is taking the tech world by storm, as everyone wants to create chatbots or somehow get computers to understand language. Where we are and how far we’ve come is amazing. My issue, however, is with the lack of focus on people and languages left out of this innovation. Languages rich in written history are often the languages with the most developed NLP innovation. On the other hand, for languages based on

oraliture such as proverbs, legends, traditional songs, and more, there is a bias to not work as much with these languages, as spoken speech is a more difficult task than working with written texts. Additionally, innovations hardly ever account for signed languages that also require a video component. Most software is developed in English in the first place, which gives us another problem of this bias.

Bias in and of itself is a more significant problem within the fields of Data Science and Machine Learning, and constantly thinking of ethics within this field has also been a prominent discussion, as human rights problems become more mainstream discussion. I bring this all up because Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous people remain the most marginalized in technology, meaning

our languages are also marginalized. When you begin to look at the intersections of gender, ability, race, class, you begin to see who is left out of the dialogues and how replications of offline, societal inequities are perpetuated through technology. I end my article by asking those of you reading this question: What are you doing to stay aware of these inequities and make space in Newcomb and beyond for those who are not included?

Lucien Mensah is a graduate student at Tulane University pursuing his Master of Computational Linguistics degree. He is also a graduate assistant for Digital Humanities at Newcomb Institute and the Office of Gender and Sexual Diversity at Tulane.

In Memoriam

By Maya Schioppo

Louise Belle Prosser

1924-2021

Louise Belle Prosser was born in Alexandria, LA to Frank Harris Peterman and Julia O’Shee Peterman. She attended St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame University and graduated from Newcomb College with a degree in English. Prosser also received her Master of Library Science from Louisiana State University (LSU). She served as school librarian at St. James Episcopal Day School for 25 years and was later elected president of the Newcomb Alumnae Association. In 1944, she married Dr. Charles Prosser to whom she was happily married for 60 years until his death in 2005. They had 8 children, 20 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren. Prosser’s special interests beyond her family and friends included being a member of Our Lady of Mercy Church

choir, the Baton Rouge Music Club, volunteering for St. Vincent de Paul, Friends of the LSU Library, LSU Readers and Writers, and Inner Wheel of the Downtown Rotary Club. She was active in the Junior League and was voted Sustainer of the Year.

Monica Fried

1941-2021

Monica Fried was born in Panama City, Panama to Dr. George Yates and Audrey Derienbecker. She graduated from Newcomb College with her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and received a master's degree in counseling from Tulane University. After graduation, Fried worked for the College of Arts and Sciences and Tulane Medical School. She married her husband, Gabe, in 1971, and they were married 49 years. In Dallas, TX, Fried worked for Parkland Hospital as a social

worker and had an administrative position at the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. She worked for and held board positions in the League of Women Voters, the Dallas Women's Foundation, Women's Issues Network (WIN), the Dallas Opera Board, and The Summit. Fried was especially active in fighting against domestic violence, for reproductive choice, and promoting women for boards, commissions, and civic awards.

Alice Rose “Pi” George

1944-2020

Alice Rose “Pi” George was raised in Silver Creek and Monticello, Virginia. She studied art and English literature at Newcomb College and the University of London. After completing her studies, she moved to New York City, where she remained for 55 years. George worked as a photography editor for

a variety of publications, including Time Magazine, GEO, Fortune, and as a consultant for The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, U.S. News and World Report, and many others. A large part of her career was spent as an independent art and photography buyer and curator for private collectors and as author/editor of photography books. George authored, edited, or consulted on more than 30 books of photography, including co-editing Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs, a collection of photographs of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and the response of the people of New York. Her career was primarily focused on art and photography, but George’s love was poetry. She was an accomplished poet, having published two collections of poems—“Ceiling of the World” and “Two Eyes”.

The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute remembers all of our alumnae who have passed away over the last year.

Photos from left to right: Louise Belle Prosser, Monica Fried, and Alice Rose “Pi” George

NEWCOMB Donor Honor Roll

We appreciate the financial support of alumnae, parents, and friends. We proudly announce the donors to Newcomb Institute, including those that have made gifts to the Newcomb Alumnae Association, during the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Thank you for your support. The Newcomb monies benefit today’s Newcomb Institute programs, just as they benefited students who attended Newcomb College. Funds functioning as endowment and true endowments support the Newcomb Institute. Those amounts are now valued at approximately $56 million and generate $2.4 million for programs each year. The Newcomb Foundation Board ensures that the Newcomb Institute spends that money wisely. Named endowments support a variety of other activities, including lecture series, research grants, and the Newcomb Archives.

Haley Ade

Laura Albert and Justin Albert

Maylen Aldana

Suzanne Alexander and Michael Alexander

Vanann Allen

Sabina Altman

Julie Alvarez and Timothy Kettering

Kathryn Anderson and Larry Anderson

Bethlehem Andrews

Elsa Angrist

Lory Arnold and Jacob Bryan

Susana Arnold

Ellen Arnovitz

Teresa Auch and Michael Auch

Kelly Aucoin

Joanne Babin and Edward Babin

Evelyn Baker*

Rebecca Baker

Françoise Le Gall and Jeffrey Balkind

Rachel Barbour

Brian Barcelo

Jennie Barker

Janis Barker and Lynn Barker

Georgia Barlow

Heather Barnes

Jessica Barnes-Nielsen

Chloe Barnett

Jeanne Barnett and Steven Barnett

Victoria Barry

Lynn Barton and David Barton

Diane Baum and John Baum

Emily Baum and Joshua Burke

Nina Baumgartner

Kathy Baxter and Johnny Baxter

Elaine Baylor

Elgin Baylor*

Abigail Bean

Ann Bean

Joanna Bean

Alison Bedell

Elizabeth Beller and Thomas Beller

Elizabeth Bellino and Peter Towns

Natalie Belyea

Joan Benjamin

Kellie Bentz

Shira Berman

Sondra Berman

Candy Berman and Stephen Berman

Jennifer Berne

Jessica Bertsch

Elizabeth Beskin and James Beskin

Lisette Betancourt

Christopher Binder

Sue Birnbaum

Bernadette Birzer

Sheelah Black and Leonard Black

Martha Blodgett

Ellen Blue

Rachel Blume

Robin Boch

Joan Bocina and John Cicerello

Lori Borg

Susan Borrelli

Margaretta Bourgeois and Lionel Bourgeois

Marie Bourgeois and Patrick O'Connor

Sharon Bourgeois and St Paul Bourgeois

Eleanore Boyse and Matthew Boyse

Lillian Breard

Denise Breaux and Trebor Breaux

Lindsay Brice

Barbara Bridges

Deborah Britt and Corbett Britt

Helen Brooks and R. Brooks

Julia Broussard and Daniel Thompson

Myra Brown and Laurence Arend

Katherine Brucker

Annika Bruno

Mary Bryan

Paula Buchanan

Elizabeth Bui and Jeffrey Martin

Thai Bui

Them Bui

Christie Buie-Smith and Anthony Smith

Jean Bulloch

Laurie Buntain

Barbara Burgess

Jessica Burt

Denise Butler

Nancy Cadwallader

Gisele Calderon

Pamela Carnot and Edward Carnot

Kelly Venable Carroll and Bryant

Carroll

Alicia Castilla and Mark Zelek

Jane Cease

Sherry Cesare

Phillippa Chadd

Mariya Chadovich

Aisha Champagne

Kelsey Chan-Chin

Bonnie Chapman and William Chapman

Charles Chauvin

Elizabeth Chauvin

Hamilton Chauvin

Judy Chauvin

Mary Chauvin

Yi Chen

Chun-Chih Chiu and I-Ping Chiu

Elizabeth Christenson and Edward Christenson

Annie Christoff and Michael Christoff

David Churchill

Patricia Churchill

Holly Clement and Stephen Clement

Gretchen Cloud and L. Cloud

Adele Cohen

Katherine Colley and Rob Colley

Anne Comarda

Susan Cook and Clayton Cook

Charlotte Cooksey

Elizabeth Cooperman and Robert Cooperman

Heather Corbett

Mariana Coudrain

Amber Countis and Andrew Countis

Kaye Courington

Alice Couvillon and Robert Couvillon

Sarah Covert and Seth Knudsen

Carolyn Cox and George Cox

Sally Cox and John Cox

Mary Cox

Marisa Crabtree and Errol Mayer

Annalisa Cravens

Lisa Cristal and Bruce Cybul

Alexandra Cudney

Lindsey Curewitz

Mildred Currie and William Basco

Ann Curtis and Elliot Curtis

Rebecca Curtis and Philip Curtis

Tyler Curtain and Jay D'Lugin

Jeri D'Lugin

Allison Dandry and Bobby Dandry

Clare Daniel

Jennifer Daniel and Sara Slaughter

Anne Daniell and Shawn Anglim

Andrea Daniels and Michael

Daniels

Barbara Danos and Robert Danos

Frank Daspit

Christy Davidson

Ina Davis and Richard Davis

Yvette Davis

Sarah Dawkins

Christine de Pagter

Hannah Dean

Jason Deere

Rebecca Delgado and Miguel

Delgado

Stacy DePizzo

Mary Dickson and Brooke Dickson

Christine Dobie and Robert Dobie

Emily Doliner

Kelly Donaghy

Joan Donovan and Robert Donovan

Annette Doskey

Clare Doyle

Luann Dozier

Lindsey DuBose

Gerald Duhon

Tasha Dunn

Marcella Durand and Richard

O'Russa

Amanda Dwight

Elizabeth Dwyer

Susan Dyer

Catherine Edwards and David Edwards

Annette Ehrhorn

Paula Eichenbrenner

Lauren Elkin and Matthew Jasie

Victoria Enright and Timothy Enright

Stacie Goeddel and Michael Etheridge

Merri Ex and Mitchell Ex

Jessica Fairchild

Sophia Falvey

Ann Farmer and Thomas Farmer

Siena Farrar and Gabriel Rodriguez

Martha Fazio and Steven Fazio

Laura Felt and Robert Felt

Marsha Firestone and Monroe Firestone

Briah Fischer

Debra Fischman

Jill Fisher and Geoffrey Fisher

Jennifer Fitting

Camille Fitzsimmons

Sydney Fleischer and Norman Camp

Carter Flemming and Michael Flemming

Regen Foley

Louise Foreman and Mark Foreman

Ann Owens and Robin Forman

Diane Frank

Dani Franke

Leslie Franklin and Steven Franklin

Laura Franks and James Franks

Gail Frasier

Misty Frederick

Kaley French

Gabriel Fried

Ellyn Frohberg

Xiaoyan Fu and Shengrong Yu

Allyson Funk and Brad Baker

Amanda Fuselier

Nancy Gajewski

Emily Galik

Gloria Gargiulo Pedrelli and Adriano Pedrelli

Emily Garner and Douglas Garner

Mary Garrard

Amy Gatzemeyer and Garrett Gatzmeyer

Leslie Geddes

Marianne Gelter and Andy Gelter

Alice George*

Dana Gerard and Quin Gerard

Mary Edith Germeau

Marsha Ghormley

Jodi Gill

Elizabeth Gilmartin and J.J. Gilmartin

Howard Ginsberg

Margaret Ginsberg and Steven Ginsberg

Carole Gloger

Diana Godwin and Richard

Godwin

Jacqueline Gold and Melvin Gold

Amy Goldberger

Doris Goldstein and Martin Goldstein

Donna Golub and Seth Golub

Tiffany Gonzalez

Sheila Gorey

Shelley Gorson and Alan Salpeter

Abbey Graf and Jason Graf

Emily Greenfield and Aaron Viles

Diane Greenspun

Julie Greenwald

Anne Grotjan

Maggie Grove

Nicolette Guillou

Hannah Hale

Amanda Hallauer and Todd Hallauer

Allyson Halperin

Stephen Hanchey

Grace Hanchrow and Jack Hanchrow

Amanda Hardy

Gwen Harley and George Harley

Karen Harmony and Thomas

Harmony

Jennifer Harms

Ann Harris

Nita Harris

Amy Harrison

Elizabeth Hartzog

Nan Heard and Paul Krogstad

Susan Hecht and Richard Hecht

Rosaria Heide and Rudolph Heide

Louise Henderson and Brian Henderson

Ingeborg Hendley

Jane Henning

Julie Henriquez Aldana and Mynor Aldana

Marian Herbert-Bruno

Margaret Herman

Sarah Herman

Terry Herman and Gary Herman

Vicki Herman and Mark Herman

Martha Higgins and Christopher Higgins

Rich Higgins

Gayle Hill and Robert Hill

Caroline Hinrichs

Renee Hodges and William Hodges

Christine Hoffman

Nancy Hoffman and Phillip Hoffman

Reva Holmes and Michael Holmes

Mary Lynn Hopps

Jacquelyne Howard and David Howard

Elizabeth Hubbard and Brad Hubbard

Patricia Hurley and Kim Hill

Francesca Hurst

Mary Lynn Hyde and Steven Rossi

Tanya Isaac

Phyliss Jaffe

Anita Jarrett

Sarah Jernigan

Jean Jew

Alistair Johnson and Mark Douce

Susanne Johnson

Terry Joiner

Emily Jones

Melinda Jones and Albert Jones

Sarah Jones

Amy Jortland

Cheryl Josephs-Zaccaro and Michael Zaccaro

Alix Joslyn

Jeremy Kanter

Ricki Kanter and Joel Kanter

Laura Kanter

Susan Kantrow and Byron Kantrow

Angela Keesee

Susan Keith and Samuel Keith

Esther Kelly and Francis Kelly

Rebecca Kelly

Sally Kenney and Norman Foster

Jeila Kershaw

Pamela Key

Susan Kilgore and David Kilgore

Anne Kincer and Reginald Kincer

Suzanne Kinney and David Kinney

Diane Kittower

Lucinda Kittrell and Scott Kittrell

Judy Klein

Samantha Klein and Mike Melrose

Mary Kock

Lynn Koff

Jennifer Kottler and Robert Kottler

Molli Kuenstner

Kirsten Kuhlmann

Mitzi Kuroda and Stephen Elledge

Barbara Kurshan

Katherine Kusner and Michael Kusner

Jacklyn Lane

Judi Lapinsohn

Andrea Lapsley and Robert Lapsley

Constance Larimer

Blaine Legum-Levenson

Elizabeth Lentz

Katie Lentz

Mary Ann Leo

Cindy Lerner

Lisa Lettau

Andrea Leverentz

Fergie Lewis and Patrick Lewis

Linda Lewis-Moors and Patrick

Lewis-Moors

Barbara Lief

Alyssa Liehr

Barbara Livingston and Milton

Livingston

Nia Lizanna

Joyce Lobrano and Francis Lobrano

Loretta Loftus

Leann Logsdon

Norma Lombard

Geneva Longlois-Marney and Christi Longlois

Elizabeth Lopez

Sara Lytle

Lynn Maddox

Katye Magee

Carolyn Mahady

Amanda Mahnke

Anna Mahoney and Patrick Mahoney

S. Mahorner

Virginia Maietta

Sarah Mallonee

Denise Malone and Thomas

Malone

Julie Mandell and Robert Mandell

Diane Marcus

Sylvia Margolies and Lawrence Margolies

Meghan Marks

Helen Marsh

Deirdre Martel and Lawrence Martel

Suzanne Martin and Terry Martin

Mariana Martinez and Adam Martinez

Deborah Marx and Stephen Marx

Shirley Masinter

Molly McClure

Sonia McCormick

Mary McCoy and Stephen McCoy

Anne McCulloch and Edgar McCulloch

Judy McEnany and Michael McEnany

Ellen McGlinchey and Charles Monsted

Elizabeth McHugh and Patrick McHugh

Barbara McInturff

Carol McKegney

Jessica McKeown

Jean McKinley

Sandra McNamee and Douglas McNamee

Suzanne McShane

Claire McVadon and M. McVadon

Patricia Meadows and William Meadows

Melissa Mendoza and Charlotte Green

Suzanne Mercer and John Mercer

Katharine Ross-Merrell and James Merrell

Benaz Meyer

Kimiko Meyers and Charles Meyers

Nazan Meysami and Khashayar Delrooz

Elaine Miller and Aaron Stambler

Jennifer Mills

Priscilla Mims

Andrea Moffitt and Steven Moffitt

Arielle Molinet and William Peters

Ellen Monsees and Martin Monsees

Jane Montealegre and Alvaro

Montealegre

Kathryn Montgomery

Rebecca Moore and Nolan Moore

Jeff Morell

Debbie Mulvenna and Carlo Mulvenna

Lamar Murphy and William Murphy

Anfernee Murray

Jossy Nebenzahl

Alison Nelson and David Nelson

Elizabeth Nelson and David Kelley

Dori Lynn Neuwirth and Gary Gottzmann

Elaine Nguyen

Tina Nguyen

Katherine Nichols

Rylan Nielsen

Jane Nighbert

Lisa Norris

Colleen O'Donnell

Anneke Olson

Judith Olson and Leonard Olson

Joanne Omang and David Burnham

Statira Overstreet and W. Rich

Julie Palmer

Rachelle Parker and Nathan Parker

Sybil Patten

Ryan Pearce

Marilyn Pecsok

Amelia Pepper

Jeanie Perrilliat and Claiborne

Perrilliat

Clara Perry and Michael Schwartz

Jessalyn Peters

Thai Phan

D. Phillips

Susan Phillips

Paula Picker and Joel Picker

Uwe Pontius

Inell Potter

Paula Powers and Bernard Powers

Rebecca Powers

Andrea Price and Todd Price

Terryl Propper

Sharon Purcel and Morris Purcel

Julie Qiu

Ann Queen and Richard Shivar

Maureen Quinn

Sarah Quintano

Mary Radford and Robert Dana

Ruth Radin-Legum and Edward

Legum

Margie Ratliff

Annette Rau and Jack Rau

Chloe Raub and Daniel Shedd

Dana Ray

Donnia Rebello

Shirley Reddoch and Gregg

Petersen

Lynn Renaud and C. Renaud

Jill Reynolds

Katherine Rhodes and Claire Pires

Lisa Rice and Thomas Thompson

Andrea Richardson and Christopher Richardson

Donald Richardson

Catherine Richman

Gracibel Rickerfor

Jane Rippner and William Rippner

Ederlaida Ritter

Amanda Roberts and Sean Roberts

Shelley Roberts and Jeffrey

Roberts

Lynn Roberts and Eugene Roberts

Cathleen Roche and Francis Roche

Joey Rodriguez

Joan Rogers

Kathryn Roman and James Roman

Sonja Romanowski

Sarah Rose and Aaron Rose

Ruby Rothman

Erin Rusonis

Lindy Russell

Emily Ryan and W. Ryan

Kathryn Rydberg

Read Rydberg

Emma Saltzberg

Caroline Sampson

Ruth Sang

Aracelly Santana

Jane Sarosdy

Olive Sartor

Carolyn Saunders

Sallie Scanlan

Catherine Schaller and Vince Schaller

Lauren Lee Schewel and Abraham Schewel

Theresa Schieber and Ray Rybak

Janet Schinderman

Susan Schippert

Will Schippert

Ellen Schneidau and Marc Schneidau

Helen Schneidau

Jacqueline Schornstein

Rhonda Schornstein and Michael Schornstein

Sandra Schwarcz*

Alexa Schwartz

Jennifer Seibert and Nicholas Seibert

Karen Seltzer and Steven Seltzer

Martha Sessions and George Sessions

Carly Shaffer

Dorcas Domenico and George Shaffer

Susan Shafton

Kabir Shah

Bobbi Jo Shannon

Deborah Shapiro and Dan Shapiro

Pritika Sharma

Michelle Sharp and Jeremy Sharp

Maude Sharp

Ashley Sheed

Brittney Sheena

Michelle Sheena

Helene Sheena and Ronnie

Sheena

Carole Shlipak

Christina Le-Short and Aaron Short

Joan Shorter and Joseph Shorter

Louise Silverstein and Barry Silverstein

Dee Silverthorn and Andrew Silverthorn

Tracey Sirles

Cynthia Skaalen

Meredith Skowronski

Shaayna Slotkhin Elrod and Christian Elrod

Aidan Smith and Patrick Sullivan

Carol Smith

Karen Smith

Janis Smythe and Anthony Smythe

Luther Stacy

Carol Steed and Christian Steed

Ellen Stein

Jean Stein and Mark Stein

Judith Steinberg and Sylvan Steinberg

Carol Stivrins and Timothy Stivrins

Marilyn Storch and James Storch

Susan Strachan

Jenifer Kelly-Strauss and David Strauss

G. Stricklin and Stephen Nichols

Kathleen Sukenik and Greg Sukenik

Ruth Suzman and Andrew Suzman

Marleen Swerdlow

Robert Symon

Tammy Thaggert

Sarah Therriault and Russell Therriault

Patrice Thomas

Mary Sue Thompson*

Robert Thompson*

Kathleen Timmins

Alice Torrey and William Torrey

Caroline Towns

Hughes Towns

Kim Tran

Betsie Tremant

Monica Trepagnier and Richard Trepagnier

Vanessa Trice Peter

Thuyvi Amy Truong

Sandra Turkel and Richard Turkel

Andrea Turner

Christine Turner

Jennifer Turner

John Turner

Cainaz Vakharia and Mike Heaton

Laura Van de Planque and Michael

Van de Planque

Michelle Van Wyk

Christopher Vandenbrink

Evan VandenBrink

L. Janice VandenBrink and Randy VandenBrink

Marcia VanderVoort and Thomas

VanderVoort

Isabelle Varlan

Carol Vatz and Joel Rosch

Jenna Vercillo

Cheryl Verlander and Charles Bracht

D. Veta and Mary Dutton

Robbert Vorhoff

Lisa Wade

Deborah Wafer and Ralph Wafer

Joyce Walker and Gilbert Walker

Kathy Walker and Jeffrey Walker

M. Walker

Leigh Anne Wall

Marie Ward and Robert Ward

Teresa Warkentin and Jonathan

Warkentin

Susan Wedlan and Harold Rosen

Kathy Weil

Jocelyn Weinberg

Karen Weinberg and Daniel

Weinberg

Bernice Weinberger and Stanley

Weinberger

Sue Robin Weinhauer and Robert Weinhauer

Patricia Weiss

Martha Wells and Max Wells

Patricia Westerman

Lauren Wethers

Margaret Wheat-Carter

Mollie Whisler and William Whisler

Bridget Wicklander

Lotte Widerschein

Nancy Wiener

Phyllis Wilhelm and Joseph

Wilhelm

Sandra Wilkinson

Sandra Willen and Jon Willen

Bethany Williams

Gera Williams

Kelsey Williams

Lakia Williams

Zoe Williams and William Williams

Linda Wilson and Paul Wilson

Priscilla Wilson

Carol Wise

Judilyn Wise and Michael Wise

Rebecca Wissler and Nicholas

Wissler

Karen Witkin

Connie Wolfe

Laura Wolford

Tara Wolman and Steven Wolman

Marina Wright and Terry Wright

Heather Yanak and James Phelan

Lindy Zee

McKenzie Ziegler

Barbara Anne Zinker

CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

American Endowment Foundation

Atlanta Jewish Federation, Inc

Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund

Betancourt Stuttering Center

Blue Grass Community Foundation

Bracht-Verlander Family Foundation

Dallas Jewish Community Foundation

Deloitte Foundation

Delta Air Lines Foundation

Collins C. Diboll Private Foundation

Emerson Charitable Trust

ExxonMobil Foundation

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

Hampton Roads Community Foundation

IBM Corporation

IBM International Foundation

Jewish Endowment Foundation

Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Inc.

K.W. Parking, LLC

Kahn Education Foundation

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center, Inc.

Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc.

National Philanthropic Trust

Nebenzahl-Spitz Foundation

Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Salesforce.com, Inc.

Schwab Charitable Fund

The Greater New Orleans Foundation

U. S. Charitable Gift Trust

M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation

Newcomb Institute sponsors a variety of events on campus and in cities around the country. For a complete list of events, visit newcomb.tulane.edu.

Events