Heide Abelli ’88

  • 1980s
A woman in a black dress stands in front of an exhibition showing comic-style art work.

During a recent trip I visited the American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted, CT to see the exhibit on Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Company. I had written passionately about that case in Professor Karl Case’s Law & Economics course at Wellesley in the fall of 1987. I was honored when he nominated my paper for the Natalie Bolton Award the following spring. The chilling cost-benefit analysis conducted by Ford, placing a monetary value on human life, has stayed with me for 38 years. It’s a powerful reminder of how deeply our Wellesley coursework can shape our thinking throughout our lives. After graduating, I built a long, rewarding career in business. I’ve seen firsthand how tort law and corporate negligence continue to affect people’s lives in real and lasting ways. That early exposure at Wellesley helped me recognize the ethical dimensions of business decisions. I'm so grateful for my Wellesley education.

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A portrait of a woman in a blue button-up shirt, turned to the side and looking toward the camera. She wears glasses, short, curly hair, and a purse slung across her shoulder.

Marjorie Sussman ’88

  • 1980s
People seating on couches and chairs around a low table full of beverages

Kendra Tanacea ’88

  • 1980s
A collage of four photos showing two women at various points in their lives and friendship, including one of them as college students.

Karen Body Brennan ’89

  • 1980s