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The "Network" |
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| Wellesley alumnae frequently return to campus to speak on panels and meet with current students. | |
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As a Wellesley student and alumna, you will gain access to an accomplished group of women with a strong connection to their College. Wellesley alumnae have pursued careers in medicine, business, politics, social service, broadcast journalism, law, diplomacy, research, education, and finance. The connection among Wellesley alumnae, known as the " W Network," is one of the most compelling benefits that a women's college can offer. Approximately 20,000 alumnae from all over the world are currently on the "W Network" at the Center for Work and Service. This extraordinary resource is available your entire life. These volunteers help students explore internships, graduate school, and job opportunities after Wellesley. They will also help you if you are relocating to a new city by anchoring you with a group of friends with similar interests or helping you find a place to live. This network of support will be with you for a lifetime. Wherever you decide to make your place, you're likely to encounter a Wellesley alumna who is willing to make introductions for you, write a letter of recommendation, or even mentor you. |
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| Notable Wellesley alumnae | |
| View a video clip of a Wellesley internship with an alumna in Boston. | |
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“During Wintersession I took a Management Basics course. Each day, Wellesley alumnae came and spoke about their careers and how they got from Wellesley to where they are now. It was inspiring to hear how they used the skills they learned in college to further develop their interests into successful careers. Our interaction with alumnae made me realize how strong the alumnae network is and how invested the alumnae are in helping out their peers and Wellesley students in any matter.” “Last summer I was fortunate to participate in the American Cities Internship Program in San Francisco at the Alameda County Child Care Planning Council. I was paired through this program with an alumna, Angela Garling '91, who served as my mentor and supervisor throughout the summer. I value my internship experience because I was able to draw so many different things from it, putting much of what I have learned here at Wellesley into a ‘real’ context.” “D.C. is like the intern capital in the summer, and the fields I was interested in were highly competitive. After a couple of rejections, I decided to turn up the search and email a couple of alums in D.C. I was able to secure an internship through the help of two alums (I'm telling you–the W network!). I worked at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. – an organization whose work I feel really passionate about. I was really excited to be there." |
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| Students enjoy a photography exhibit in Pendleton Atrium. |
| Future Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton '69 and Former Secretary of State Madeleine Korbel Albright '59 during their last visit together to Wellesley. |
| "My
dream of running the Boston Marathon and going through Wellesley as
the women of Wellesley cheered me on had arrived. I can't begin to
share the emotion with you. I just wanted to write and thank the entire
school for one more moment of inspiration, for another set of cheers,
for one more time that this institution has reminded me that anything
is possible, for the camaraderie of Wellesley, for the reminder that
dreams really do come true - and often in unexpected ways. I heard
your cheers and they carried me all the way to the finish line (at
3 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds). Many, many thanks." Jane '78 |
| Below, a group of alumnae talk about their careers and experiences as ALANA (African American, Latina/Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American) students at Wellesley. |
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Office
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Wellesley alumnae, such as Joan Wallace-Benjamin '75 (above, left), consultant, and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, frequently return to participate in academic, career, and networking events, such as the Ruhlman and Tanner Conferences (see below). |
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Ruhlman Conference |
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Tanner Conference |
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Center for Work and Service |
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Alumnae Achievement Awards |
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Ruhlman and Tanner Conferences For two days each year, classes are suspended so the College community can attend two on-campus student conferences – the Ruhlman Conference in the spring and the Tanner Conference in the fall. Students present their work through talks, exhibitions, performances and panel discussions. The Ruhlman Conference celebrates intellectual achievement, fosters collaboration among students and faculty across the disciplines, and enhances intellectual life at Wellesley. This conference is made possible through the generosity of alumna Barbara Peterson Ruhlman '57, who established a fund for interdisciplinary study and for this conference. The Tanner Conference celebrates experiential achievements, enabling students to explore, analyze, and share the learning that occurs through internships, service learning, study teaching, study abroad, and independent study and research conducted away from Wellesley. The generous funding of Wellesley College trustee Estelle "Nicki" Newman Tanner '57. Not only are these conferences funded by two committed and generous alumnae, but also these programs are well attended by many alumnae, thereby giving students further opportunity for networking and establishing relationships with mentors and women eager to help them in their career pursuits. |
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| "Wellesley is small, but it packs a punch. I haven't met an unfriendly alumna– they all want to be mentors!" |
