Wellesley
Celebrates Its 128th Commencement
Under
an enormous tent on Severance Green that provided
shelter from the sun but not the early
summer heat, global public health activist Ophelia
Dahl addressed the 544 graduating seniors, their families
and friends at Wellesley College’s 128th Commencement
Exercises. Dahl is a founding trustee and the executive
director of Partners In Health (PIH), an international
organization that brings the benefits of modern medical
science to some of the most impoverished areas of the
world. PIH and its co-founder, Dr. Paul Farmer, were
the subject of the bestseller, Mountains Beyond
Mountains, by Tracy Kidder.
In
her traditional "Charge to the Class," President
Diana Chapman Walsh, a member of the Class of 1966,
told the seniors that she looked forward to seeing
them at Reunion in the years ahead. "Wherever
you go, I hope you will carry the memory of this place
where everything you did mattered—because it
always does," said Walsh. "I hope you will
apply your critical thinking to all your pursuits,
together with your commitment to collaborating and
valuing differences. You will be forgiving, gentle,
and compassionate towards yourselves and one another—I
ardently hope—knowing that you don’t need
to do it all in the first five years, or even the first
20."
For more on Commencement 2006, including links to
all speeches and the Pinanski Prize winners, go to
http://www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Commencement/index.html.
Carolyn
Shaw Bell, Long-Time Professor and Mentor to Wellesley
Women, Dies
Carolyn Shaw Bell, long-time Wellesley
College professor of economics and a mentor to hundreds
of Wellesley women, died May 13 at her home in Arlington,
Virginia. Bell was an internationally known economist
whose research focused on human capital, income distribution,
and the quality of economic data. A consummate teacher,
she is credited by many with building Wellesley's economics
department to its position as one of the strongest
undergraduate economics departments in the country.
She was a tireless promoter of women's achievements
in general and in economics in particular.
The
Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, and The
New York Times all printed obituaries, including quotations
from several of Bell's former students. A memorial
service will be held in the fall.
An
obituary can be read online at www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Releases/2006/052206.html
"Purple
Prankster" Seniors Decorate Campus to Celebrate
End of Classes
In keeping with a Wellesley
tradition, members of the class of 2006 celebrated
the last day
of classes in May by decorating the campus with a plethora
of purple. The Science Center and many of its inanimate "inhabitants" were
festooned with purple attire of all sorts while, in
a nod to national politics, a red elephant and a blue
donkey were "married" and became purple in
a mock wedding ceremony (complete with a cake and confetti)
in the Pendleton Atrium.
Samples
of the seniors' handiwork can be seen online at www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/purpleday.html.
As
Fiscal Year Nears End, Push for Alumnae Participation
Is Strong
Alumnae across the decades and around
the world continue to support Wellesley this year with
their unrestricted gifts to Annual Giving. Collectively,
unrestricted gifts of all sizes help Wellesley to meet
vital institutional needs year in and year out.
Alumnae
participation in Annual Giving is an important demonstration
of confidence in Wellesley's mission.
The push is on to meet this year's alumnae participation
goal of 54 percent by June 30. If you have not yet
joined the thousands of Wellesley alumnae who have
made a gift to Annual Giving this year, you can make
a gift by credit card, via the College's secure server,
at www.wellesley.edu/Resources/gift/index.html or
by calling toll-free at 800-358-3543.
Move Over Yahoo! Wellesley Alumnae Discussions
Are Now Online
Looking
for parenting advice? Seeking to connect with others
who share your hobby, profession
or passion? Hoping to find a vacation rental in the
Poconos? Alumnae looking for new ways to connect with
each other need look no further than their computers.
The Alumnae Association's Online Community now offers
a range of online discussions. Sign in to the online
community at www.wellesley.edu/Alum,
click on "Discussions" and
begin browsing for topics that interest you. There's
a discussion for each class and geographic area, too.
Recently added groups include Wellesley writers, apartments,
and memorabilia.
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