Submit Class Notes by November 28th

The time has come again to submit class notes! Send a quick update (it doesn't have to be more than a sentence or two or three) to 2006notes@alum.wellesley.edu. To be included in notes in the Winter 2011 edition of the alumnae magazine, submit your notes by Sunday, November 28th.

Profile of the Current Purple Class

The Alumnae Association created a short profile of the Class of 2014 (also a purple class), the largest class ever enrolled at Wellesley. (And it also does that intimidating "Here's who your classmates are..." thing- remember that from your acceptance letter?)

The profile also discusses the housing crunch faced at Wellesley this year, which has been a challenge for the students and the school.

Check it out here.

Quidditch Comes To Wellesley

via Wellesley Townsman, read the full article here:

At first, it was kind of hard to master the peculiarities of the sport they said. "It’s hard to run with the brooms but you get used to it," Merrill said.

And then, there were the injuries. “It’s a very physically dangerous sport,” said Cat Zhwang, a junior. “Brooms end up in your face and people accidentally grab you.”

From 2006 Nominating Chair, Kelly Sheridan

Class of 2006!

There are just a few short months until our reunion and we are still looking to fill the class officer positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Please visit the website below for complete descriptions of these positions.
http://www.wellesley.edu/Alum/Volunteer/Docs/Class_execboardpositions.pdf

Class officers provide an important service to Wellesley College and to our class. We are looking for individuals who can keep our class engaged and connected. Please contact me at Kelly.A.Sheridan@gmail.com if you have any questions about the positions or the nomination process. I will be accepting nominations until November 1, 2010.

Best wishes,

Kelly Sheridan

Nominating Chair

Book: Food Heroes

Food Heroes: 16 Culinary Artisans Preserving Tradition

by Georgia Pellegrini '03 | 240 pp. Abrams. $24.95.

A shoutout to '03, and an alumna some of you may know -- Georgia Pellegrini -- which profiles sixteen foodies around the world.

Here's an excerpt from her blog that describes the book:

The pace of rural life in the south of France was an exercise in extreme patience for someone who had the current of New York City coursing through her veins. I lived in a run-down house crowded with frogs and cobwebs set back into a deep field along the Rhône river. I slept under a tablecloth I took from the restaurant and woke to the sulfur smell of the marsh every morning, a particular Camargue charm that I never did get used to. My head spun with French words, the French language a thousand little dots in my head, which connected at random moments, while rolling out pasta dough or pulling heads off sardines.

As I worked in all of these restaurants I found that I was much more interested in the people who came to the kitchens to drop off their goods, than I was peeling and deseeding grapes with a paper clip. I often befriended these people and when I had a free day, would visit them at their olive oil vineyards, or in their farm that housed 160 varieties of figs, or in the woods where they foraged.

The blog also has a ton of recipes from her food travels and links to buy the book. Ale cuisine!

Wellesley Connections Strengthening Women's Education in Afghanistan

You may have seen this on the Wellesley homepage, but I encourage you to listen to this radio interview on WBUR from early August with a member of the Class of 2010, Parnian Nazary, and the mother of Paula Loyd, an alum who was working in Afghanistan when she was killed by the Taliban.

The inspiring piece discusses the many benefits of educating women, as well as Wellesley's role in empowering young women.

You can listen to the piece here:

http://www.hereandnow.org/2010/08/rundown-89/

Design by Emily Saunders '06 Featured in NYC

Emily Saunders '06 has a design on display in New York until September 3rd. Emily and her classmate from Parsons The New School for Design were selected to be part of Sidewalk/Catwalk public art display in New York this summer. Sidewalk/Catwalk brought together 32 major fashion designers to decorate a Ralph Pucci mannequin with one of their designs.

Emily's design is featured on Broadway between 40th and 41st streets until September 3rd, so stop by and check it out. You can also see some of Emily's designs and work on her blog: http://www.ishouldcoco.tumblr.com/.

Submitting class notes

The time has come again to submit class notes! Send a quick update (it doesn't have to be more than a sentence or two or three) to 2006notes@alum.welllesley.edu. To be included in notes in the Fall 2010 edition of the alumnae magazine, submit your notes by August 28th.

President Walsh On 'Letting Go'

Inside Higher Ed features an article by our very own President Walsh titled "Letting Go." In it, she writes about her transition out of her role as Wellesley's president and how she's perfectly fine with "living my way into a transition in which I no longer know what to do."

It's a beautifully-written piece, perfect as many of us continue to head into and out of grad school, start families, switch jobs etc. A reminder that it's OK to allow ourselves the "luxury of having a mind that is baffled."

Campaigning for Clooney

Some '07 alums have started a Facebook group to get George Clooney to visit ill and much-loved professor Ann Velenchik. Ann is receiving treatment for leukemia at Brigham and Women's Hosptial in Boston.

From the group:

"Ann is a professor of economics at Wellesley College, mentor of hundreds of students, mother of 2 lovely young children (age 9 and 13), wife to a wonderfully supportive husband, stand-up comedian, and most recently, blogger of her experiences during treatment for APML. Humor and enthusiasm for life has stood Ann well during much of her chemotherapy, and has also been uplifting for her family, friends, and students.

We have written to Mr. Clooney to tell him that he is, singularly, Ann's favorite celebrity, and to request that he visit during her recovery. Mr. Clooney would not only be inspiring to a courageous woman fighting cancer, but also to her wide network of supporters."

The group has 800+ members so far. It worked for Betty White, so why not?

Classmate Spotlight: Jessica Desvarieux

Jessica Desvarieux is living in a world very different from the one we all knew at Wellesley. Since the devastating earthquake in January, Jessica Desvarieux has been living in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, covering the devastating aftermath and recovery in the small nation for TIME Magazine. At the time of the earthquake, Jessica was living in the US, working as an on-air reporter for the Regional News Network, a cable network in her home state of New York. She has a rich background as a reporter, having graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism with a Masters in Broadcast Journalsim. She then moved to Egypt where she worked as a freelance reporter for the Associated Press, before moving back to New York.

When the devastating Earthquake hit Haiti in January, Jessica was eager to head down to her mother country to cover the tragedy that affected not only her family, but touched nearly every family in Haiti. Soon after the earthquake, Jessica made her way to Haiti, by way of the Dominican Republic and has been covering the rebuilding and recovery of the country since then, while also taking a bit of time outside of work to give back to the devastated communities around her. Jessica agreed to answer a few questions for the newsletter. You can also read some of Jessica’s stories from TIME magazine here and here.

How did you end up covering and living in Haiti?
When the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, I was getting ready to go on-air for the nightly cable show I used to report for in the New York area. "Breaking news: Earthquake Hits Haiti" read the caption on the news program. The first thought that came to mind was my 78-year-old grandmother who lives in Haiti. Using the family call tree, I just started dialing all of my close relatives to see if they knew anything more about my grandmother and the situation in Haiti. A couple days passed and information was trickling in back to the U.S. We were finally able to locate my grandmother who was indeed safe, but the pictures coming from Haiti revealed that she was quite fortunate. Each night I would watch images of bodies being picked up by backhoes and dropped in dumpsters, mothers crying and caring lifeless children, and miraculous rescues. These images haunted me not only because of their severity but I knew I should be there. I wanted to contribute to telling the story which would be a major turning point in Haiti's history. After a couple days of making arrangements, I packed, booked a flight to Dominican Republic since commercial flights were suspended, and headed to Haiti.

Were you or your family touched personally by the earthquake?
There were no deaths in my immediate family, but I lost my 27-year-old cousin Regine. She was an American citizen and decided to move back to Haiti because she loved the country. My family had constant faith that she would survive. There was so much confusion and misinformation coming out of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake, and at times we heard she was alive. She texted her sister when she was underneath the rubble, but rescue workers were unable to reach her. Regine's death exemplifies how Haiti's lack of infrastructure caused so much unnecessary loss of life - 300,000 by the Haitian government's count. But her life represents a possibility for a better Haiti - the return of the Haitian diaspora to improve the country.

More than 3 months since the earthquake, how has Haiti changed? Is progress being made in rebuilding?
Progress is minimal and happening slowly in Haiti. Haitians have returned to a certain level of normalcy: merchants selling goods on the side of the road and many children are back in school. But there are still piles of rubble and debris all over the city and small projects of rubble removal have only begun to scratch the surface. The international community hasn’t responded to Haiti’s reconstruction with the same level of urgency as the rescue operations. Hurricane season is imminent and we are currently in the rainy season. With more than one million people homeless, there is no doubt that shelter should be a major priority. Aid comes down in trickles in Haiti, but when it rains it pours.

What has been the biggest struggle in covering the stories and news coverage out of Haiti?
As part of the nature of news, Haiti has migrated from the front pages of newspapers to a sporadic news story. The drama and the initial shock and awe of the earthquake have faded so it’s a challenge to continue to make the story interesting and relevant to an American audience. But with that said, there were a number of post-earthquake stories about the missionaries who were charged with kidnapping 33 Haitian children. Because it involved Americans, it was instantaneously popular. I struggled with the immense amount of media attention given to this one story. Staking out the courthouse for half a day just to get a snapshot of the missionaries being escorted by Haitian police made me wonder about all of the untold stories of the millions who were homeless, hungry and right outside the courthouse gate. Finally, it’s a challenge understanding and conveying the scope of the disaster. Port-au-Prince is extremely centralized and media attention has largely focused on the capital. But there are cities outside the capital like Leogone with 80% of its buildings completely destroyed.

What do you do outside of work to make time for yourself?
Time for myself often comes second, but I try to keep working on projects that keep me fulfilled. I am in the process of establishing an education program called Adopt-a-School. Adopt-a-School was founded on the principle that education systems can be interconnected to form global communities. Schools in the United States can choose a school to adopt in order to form a bond as a brother or sister school. Donating supplies and having teachers and students volunteer their time can solidify this bond. Often times after a natural disaster, there is an outpouring of support and many people want to see their funds go directly to the people. I thought this program would be a great way to do just that. Also, I try to go the beach on occasion and get out of Port-au-Prince as much as possible to really see the true natural beauty of Haiti.

What, in your opinion have been the most effective organizations in Haiti since the earthquake?
Partners in Health does a lot of great work outside of Port-au-Prince. ADRA ( Adventist Development and Relief Agency), one of the first organizations putting up temporary shelters. KOFAVIV – Haitian run organization composed of female rape victims with the mission to help raped women receive medical and psychological attention. Even though their office is a pile of rubble now, they are still operating under a tent. They go from tent city to tent city since insecurity is a reality for many women including themselves. This organization is completely grassroots run by Haitian female volunteers.

And the winners are...

Congratulations to our new reunion leaders!

Reunion Chair: Katie Landise
Record Book Chair: Sandya Das
Nominating Chair: Kelly Sheridan

[Check your inbox for more class updates in our Spring newsletter, including a Q&A with Jessica Desvarieux '06, a freelance journalist who moved to Haiti after the earthquake.]

Purple Strikes Again

Four years later...purple is BACK. I dare say 2010 did our color justice.

Click here to see the rest of 2010's purple decorations.
[photos by Wellesley staff member Doug Chudzik]

It's the Little Things That Count

I was recently back on the Wellesley campus for the first time in a few years. Not too much has changed since we left four years ago, but a few things have. Alumnae Hall has been renovated and re-named Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall, and the Beebe and Caz dining halls have been closed. It was nostalgic to think that small things like that will keep changing over the years, but the core of the campus will stay the same as we go back for reunions for many years to come.

There was one spot on campus, though, that hasn't changed and it brought a huge smile to my face when I saw it and realized it was still there:

Class Nominations: Reunion, Record Book and Nominating Chair

Please check back in a few days to find out who your Reunion Chair, Record Book Chair and Nominating Chair will be.

If you are interested in serving on the reunion committee, please send an e-mail to wellesley2006@gmail.com (with your name, phone # and position of interest). The reunion committee will be appointed by the Reunion Chair. Committee positions include: Treasurer, Residence Hall Chair, Program Chair, Social Hour/Alcohol Chair, Saturday Dinner Chair, Sunday Picnic Chair, Insignia Chair, Parade Marshal.

Get Involved as an Alumnae Volunteer

We've got a few volunteer positions around reunion that will be announced over the next week (check back here for more details soon!)

In the meantime, if you're interested in volunteering as an alumnae, there are a few different ways to get involved. Many volunteer opportunities are available with your local alumnae club. To get in touch with your local club, you can find the contact information here:
http://www.wellesley.edu/Alum/Clubs/index.html

If you'd like to get involved as a volunteer with the Class of 2006, just email us at wellesley2006@gmail.com and we're happy to help from there!

Looking for more? Check out the alumnae association's website on ways to volunteer as an alumnae:
http://www.wellesley.edu/Alum/Volunteer/index.html

The French Toast Blog

Check out classmate Dani Friedland's food blog "French Toast: The Proust Is In the Pudding." Her latest recipe entry, "The Best Brownies I've Ever Made," was was inspired by an old post on Wellesley's "Foodies" conference. I shared Freeman Hall with Dani celebrated many birthdays with what we affectionately named "DaniCake" (aka the best chocolate cake anybody's ever made). Believe me, the woman can cook. Other recipes on the blog include "Bisque, Quick" and "Fabulous, Slightly Weird Ice Cream"

Dani also just graduated from Northwestern's journalism school -- good food and good prose, what else could a Wellesley woman want?

Organize a Mini Reunion

A quick note on mini-reunions from our Vice President, Jerilyn Libby:

Mini Reunions
Class of 2006 mini reunions are a great chance to reconnect with friends and classmates. In the past, reunions have been organized in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. If you are interested in planning a reunion in one of these cities or in another location, please contact Jerilyn Libby, jerilynm [at] gmail.com

Suggestions and Tips for Mini Reunions:

· A mini reunion is as simple as three or more alums getting together; if you and your friends have had such an event recently, let us know and share pictures if available!

· San Francisco area alums recently held a mini reunion after the Wellesley Club of Northern California Holiday Tea. It’s a great idea to hold mini reunion after a local Wellesley Club event to boost attendance.

· Dining Events: Organize a social hour or dinner at a restaurant, or perhaps plan a tea, potluck, barbecue, brunch, or wine tasting.

· Cultural Events: Take a museum, garden, or architectural tour, or attend a musical or theatrical performance.

Snowpocalypse 2010

Snowpocalypse 2010: The view from Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Photo courtesy Sophie Kim '06
[Have a photo or update? E-mail it to us at Wellesley2006@gmail.com]

What Suits Her Fancy How Kerry Wagner ’06 put $1000 to good use

When Kerry Wagner ’06, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, won $1000 from her company she found a simple way ease the stress of job interviews for some Wellesley students.

Kerry was one of 15 employees honored as a role model and leader in diversity among the bank's North and South American locations. The award came with $1000 to be donated to the organization of her choice. Through Wellesley’s Center for Work and Service, she expanded the center’s Suit Lending Program, which lets students borrow suits for job interviews.

“I think that the suit loan program helps to level the playing field and assure that each student can pursue any professional opportunity she wishes,” Kerry said. The donation has already made an impact – the closet now has 20 suits that are constantly being loaned out. There’s still a need for additional sizes, though -- especially petite ones. Kerry worked with two major clothing companies to get the suits at a discount price, but she says the CWS is looking for additional clothing connections and discounts.

President Kim Bottomly wrote in a note that she feels the suit project strengthens the CWS’s commitment to “providing our student body with the resources they need to translate their liberal arts education into action in the world."

Kerry is encouraging younger alumnae to donate because even a small donation can make a tangible difference for Wellesley students and “the opportunities they are able to confidently pursue.” If you’re interested in helping the Suit Lending Program, you can direct a gift through Wellesley’s Office for Resources or contact Irma Tryon (itryon@wellesley.edu) with any connections to retailers.