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50th Reunion Alumnae giving

50th Reunion at Bryn Mawr: Celebrating Friendship, Memories, and Giving Back

As the anticipation builds for our 50th reunion at Bryn Mawr, I can’t help but feel a rush of excitement thinking about the cherished moments we’ll share with old friends and the new connections we’ll forge with classmates we may not have known well during our time on campus.There’s something truly magical about these reunions – from sharing stories in the dorm room affectionately known as “the smoker” to enjoying dinners under the canopies on Merion Green, every moment is filled with laughter, camaraderie, and nostalgia.

Giving Back

But, beyond the joy of reminiscing, our reunion also presents a unique opportunity to give back to our alma mater. While Cynthia and Mae are busy planning, the Class Gift Committee (myself, Gale Rutan, Verneda Lights and Mae O’Brien) have been working hard to organize the fundraising campaign. As you probably know, in mid-March, ten of our classmates issued a Challenge to the rest of us to raise $139,000 ($1,000 for every year of the College’s existence) to match an equal amount that they have set aside.

We also launched a dedicated website for the Challenge, where you can make your donation and track our progress as we work towards our fundraising goal. It’s a chance for each of us to show our support for Bryn Mawr and leave a lasting legacy for future generations of students. So, let’s mark our calendars, spread the word, and come together to make our 50th reunion an unforgettable celebration of friendship, memories, and the enduring spirit of Bryn Mawr.

New Fundraising Website

Last week, we were given a new link to the website we launched March 18, where the Challenge is taking place. You will want to visit it regularly, not just to donate, but also to watch the total increase as we inch toward our goal. If the hyperlink doesn’t work for you, just copy and paste the full URL into your browser:
https://www.givecampus.com/schools/BrynMawrCollege/reunion-2024/pages/1974

Why are we sharing this new link? Well, the one we shared previously turned out to require a lot of fussing by Bryn Mawr staff to get things posted. This new one makes it much easier for staff, meaning we get donors’ names and the revised total each time someone participates posted much faster. All donors are listed on the site, but you have to scroll down to the bottom to see them. The list of Most Recent Donors keeps changing as new people contribute, but everyone else is there if you click the blue “View All Donors” button.

EXCEPT, we must note one HUGE omission from that list: the group who issued the Challenge in the first place! That is, the ten classmates who collectively set aside $139,000 and urged the rest of us to match that amount.

How did this happen? A miscommunication when we set up the site. We are working to remedy the situation. Meanwhile, let’s take this opportunity to list them here.

MANY THANKS to (in alphabetical order):

Cynthia Perry Barth

Alida Evans

Rhea Graham

Joyce Hansen

Claire Ross

Joanna Rom

Lyn Befarah Schoenfeld

Karen Talmadge

and two others who want to remain Anonymous.

The Challengers will soon be listed on the website to which the link is posted above when the very busy Bryn Mawr staff (who build and maintain these websites for all Reunion classes who desire them), are able to get in there and post them.

I can’t wait to see you all on campus!

Warm regards,

Carrie

PS: You may have noticed the wonderful art we are sharing here and in our Facebook posts, as well as the thank you emails that donors get. It’s all done by Verneda (Rikki) Lights, who has generously donated her artistic skills and other time and energy to this fundraising effort. Special thanks to Rikki!


Categories
50th Reunion Alumnae

We Need to Hear From You!

Hello there BMC ’74 classmates! We trust this post finds you well. We’re thrilled to share the latest about our upcoming 50th Reunion, happening from May 31 to June 2. You may have caught wind of it through Joanna Rom’s letter, (also available on our Facebook page).

Exciting news: we’re putting together a Class Reunion Booklet, and Rikki Lights will be crafting the cover, just like she did for our 45th celebration. Here’s your chance to chronicle your journey in the 50th Reunion booklet! We want you to share your stories, memories, and more for a timeless celebration!

Here’s the lowdown: we’d love to hear from you for the Booklet. No strict rules apply! Share updates on your career, family happenings, volunteer efforts, or those unforgettable travel stories. Whether it’s life journeys, transitions, successes, challenges, or future hopes—your stories are what make our journey unique.

Whether or not you make it to the Reunion, your contribution is invaluable. And here’s a new twist—We invite you to share some memories about those professors who left a lasting impression on your life! Send those memories in a separate document.

We’re keeping it simple—Word doc, Times New Roman 12, one-inch margins, and double space between paragraphs. Bold your name at the top (add your email if you wish). Email it to Joyce Hansen at jmh7952@gmail.com by April 18. If you have photos (up to three), send them as JPEGs.

A quick reminder: our Class blog is alive and well. Check it out at HTTPS://bmc74.com/blog, and if you’re up to showcasing your writing super-powers, drop Rikki a line at: info@bmc74.com.

Looking forward to the Reunion—it’s going to be fantastic!

Warmest regards,

Joyce (Motylewski) Hansen

&

Verneda (“Rikki”) Lights

Categories
Alumnae giving

This Giving Tuesday, We Celebrate Bryn Mawr

#GivingTuesday is our chance to give back to Bryn Mawr.

#GivingTuesday is important, because it gives us a time to stop and give thanks for all the people, events, educators, and institutions that made us who we are. We give thanks for people and things we love, as well as the people and things that cause us to change, adapt, and grow under difficult circumstances. Growth that occurs in response to challenges confers strength. Growth in response to challenges makes us adaptable. Adaptability makes us durable. For these reasons I give thanks for my Bryn Mawr education.

Bryn Mawr Helps Students “Learn How to Learn”

Following our graduation (1974), I read my diploma, and was bewildered, wondering what it meant. Deciding to get an answer to my question, I walked up to “Mary Pat” McPherson, held up my diploma, and asked: “What does this mean?” She smiled and responded wisely, “It means that you have learned how to learn.” Looking back over my life and in sharing life-stories with classmates, I understand how that statement perfectly describes Bryn Mawr’s gift to her students. Bryn Mawr’s rigorous curriculum teaches analytical skills that yield powerful tools for creative problem-solving. Life in the latter half of the 20th Century and in the dawning decades of the 21st Century, was/ are filled with challenges that make or break lives. A Bryn Mawr education makes successful navigation of life’s challenges more likely, because the skill of learning how to learn is evergreen. Knowing how to learn is a lifelong lifesaver.

A Woman’s Place Is Everywhere

This is when I first understood the positive influence Bryn Mawr has in our lives:  After graduation, I started first year classes at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, (now, Perelman School of Medicine). Following class lectures, there was usually a mass exit and entry into the locker area. Once, I remember looking back over my shoulder. I caught a glimpse of some of my female classmates walking submissively (looking down), behind a group of male students. They were supposed to be walking together, but the women in the group walked behind the men. I was horrified and mystified, wondering what would make a woman choose to walk behind men with her head bowed down. Looking back on that small incident, I see how Bryn Mawr helped me develop a strong, positive, internal dialogue that reaffirms (again and again), that my place as a woman (yes, and as a black woman, too), is wherever I want to be. I don’t have to walk behind anybody. I can lead. My place isn’t “over there,” My “place” is everywhere!

Importance of Giving Back

To tell the truth, it took me years (okay, decades), to stop being an alumna Scrooge. Why? Because I was angry about all the ways I thought the College had fallen short. Then, I changed my mind, and decided to start giving back because of all the things Bryn Mawr does right. A main example of why I changed my mind can be summed up in two words: Hurricane Matthew.

In 2016, Hurricane Matthew barreled down upon the state of SC. The governor gave orders for everyone in the Low Country to evacuate. I was nervous, because this was the first time our community had ever been required to evacuate in response to a storm threat. Also, this was my first year without my parents. My father died in 2013. I moved home to care for my mother, who was very strong physically and mentally. My father was a master chef, so I wanted to be able to cook for Mom in the manner to which she was accustomed. Not long after I moved home, Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Somehow we managed to make even chemo fun. I worked remotely while being a cheerleader and caregiver. Mom and I had many cherished, good moments. She died at home on a cold December morning in 2015. My brother Grady, my sister Bess, and I were at her bedside.

Help Came From an Unexpected Place: Bryn Mawr

After Mom died, I became the knowledge worker and caregiver for my brother Lennie, who had a stroke that rendered him mute and bed-bound. He was very well-cared for at a nursing home in Savannah, GA. I visited him weekly, and stayed with him whenever he was hospitalized, which was often. When Matthew hit, Lennie was evacuated to another facility in Macon. The logistics of his relocation was challenging. Needless to say, I had to steel myself against fear of the unknown. I packed my bags and prepared for my neighbor, his wife and brother, to pick me up. The plan was to travel west, but storm-tracking software showed the hurricane threat reaching deep into the Western US. Not having a place to go, I decided to search for hotels and Air BnBs online, as we traveled. It seemed nowhere was safe.

On the day of our departure, the sky was dark and rain had started to fall. I got a direct message via Facebook, from BMC classmate, Susan Goldstein. Susan asked if I was safe. She said that if we didn’t have a place to go, my traveling companions and I were welcome to stay at her home, in the northern part of SC.  I accepted her offer for help. She texted me her address. With the help of GPS software, we navigated our way safely through the storm, to Susan’s home. My three companions and I arrived to find a big pot of delicious (vegan) vegetable soup, home made bread, and wine. Susan was such a gracious host. We had a great time, although there was no lack of drama from the storm! The safety and serenity of her home is reflected in the art work below. “Ancestral Pillows, Pillars,” is a photo montage that I created based on the self-portrait I took while laying down on my comfy bed in Susan’s home. I used a vintage portrait of my mother, Jenniese Lights, and her sister, Wilhelmina German, to cover the pillow beneath my head. The artwork was included in the “Wild Cuts” exhibit at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, (2017). Susan’s generosity lives on in my art. Art, photography, and graphic design were things that I taught myself, because I learned how to learn. Thank you, Bryn Mawr!

The point of this story is to say that sometimes when you’re in trouble, help comes from unexpected places. For me, that unexpected place was Bryn Mawr. Never in my life would I have expected that any BMC classmate cared enough for my soul that they would extend a helping hand, despite the presence of danger all around. I was wrong. When telling my brother Grady (Haverford ’73), about my Hurricane Matthew  journey, he was amazed and said: “That BMC/ ‘Ford connection is strong!!!” He was right.

"Ancestral Pillows, Pillars," © 2016 Verneda Lights
“Ancestral Pillows, Pillars,” © 2016 Verneda Lights.

 

More Blessed to Give

Reflecting on Bryn Mawr this #GivingTuesday, I must say that there are many reasons why I give. Having a BMC classmate who cared enough to get me and three traveling companions out of harms’ way,  is a big reason to give. There’s no telling what could have happened to us if we did not have safe harbor during the worst part of the storm. Another reason I give is because it feels good. It feels good to know that giving to the College provides funds that make it possible for them to continue to offer the excellent education I received. Alumnae giving is a reflection of deep thought and high esteem that broadcasts our confidence in Bryn Mawr to the world at large. No, Bryn Mawr College is not perfect. No one and no institution is. But it is the place where I learned to learn. What I learned at Bryn Mawr helped me to acquire the skills I needed to be a caregiver. It helped me  to segue from medicine to visual art and photography. It is a place where others learned to value me, just as I  learned to value them. Please take time to give, now. Here is the link to give: https://www.brynmawr.edu/giving/how-give-what-give

Match for a Million

The Match for a Million is a new alumnae giving initiative. Beginning today, (December 1st), a generous donor will match all new and increased alumnae donations, up to $500,000.  The match period lasts as long as it takes to get to  the $500,00 mark. May we reach our goal, soon!

The gift of a Bryn Mawr education is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

Categories
Adam Schwartz Parenting

Raising Adam, the Artist

Photo of the author, Helen Golding and her son, Adam Schwartz, who is an artist.
Helen Golding and her son, Adam Schwartz, the artist.

 

In her article for the Spring 1995 Bryn Mawr Bulletin, Jane Taylor McDonnell, ’61, wrote about her experiences as the mother of an autistic son: “Because I had a child like Paul, I was forced to confront my deepest prejudices. Beneath all differences which might define human beings, there was one which for me was unquestioned, and that was intellect. Living all my life in an academic environment, I had never been forced to consider that intellect is not the same as merit, it is not the same as virtue. It is a gift of nature, as surely as any other. We don’t ask for our intelligence and we certainly can never do anything to deserve it.  It is a given, a gift.”

Adam’s Art Is a Gift of Nature

Those words echo in my head when I think about my Bryn Mawr experience – entering young adulthood in the company of many intellectually gifted women – and my subsequent experiences raising a child with an intellectual disability. (Incidentally, I am aware of two classmates who also have children on the autism spectrum, and, statistically, there are likely to be more.)

Once we understood that our son Adam was autistic (and not at the mildly affected end of the autism spectrum), we focused on finding schools and other activities that would give him the greatest chance of achieving independence and, most importantly, make him happy. This is particularly challenging when your autistic child has very limited language. We can ascertain his basic likes and dislikes, but any “big picture” thoughts he might have about his condition or his future remain mysterious. So, we just concentrate on giving him as much enjoyment as we can, while keeping him safe and healthy and ourselves safe and sane. It’s not as easy as it might sound.

Celeste, from "Babar the Elephant" as perceived by Artist, Adam Schwartz.
Celeste, (also a character from “Babar the Elephant” ), is on her way to join Cornelius at the Reunion garden party for BMC’s Class of ’74.

Adam’s “Rich Inner World”

It has been clear for many years that Adam has a rich inner world that revolves around Disney movies, other animated videos, and, yes, Barney and friends. Through memorization of the scripts from these videos (which, unlike normal speech, never vary), Adam has learned most of his language. Even when the actual words are a bit garbled, we can always figure out the source of his echoed language, because he positively nails the accents and inflection. Videos have also helped him to learn about basic emotions, which they illustrate using exaggerated facial expressions and tones of voice. In fact, within the immediate family, Disney phrases form a sort of running inside joke.  

Artist Adam Schwartz's vivid drawing of Cornelius, from "Babar the Elephant."
Cornelius, from the Disney adaptation of “Babar the Elephant,” is on his way to a garden party celebrating this year’s Reunion of his mother’s class (1974). The illustration is a remote-collaboration  between Adam, the artist, and his mother’s classmate, Verneda (Rikki) Lights.

Adam Has a Strong Connection to Every Character He Draws

Adam began drawing characters from his favorite videos at a young age, and even when the drawing was still quite crude, he had a knack for capturing the essence of each character. The drawings that I provided to Rikki Lights, our digital griot, are from a series of over a hundred drawings he produced in the fall of 2017; he cut out each figure and then took a photograph of it with his iPad. I sense that he feels a strong connection to every character he draws. Of course, only he truly knows what each character means to him or exactly what he is trying to capture in his drawing. I suppose that the same could be said about the relationship of any artist to his or her work of art. We can only guess about the artist’s intention and meaning from what we perceive as observers of that art.

The Evil Queen, from Adam Schwartz's "Disney Villains" series, is standing in front of her castle.
Adam Schwartz’s mother, Helen Golding notes that he has “a knack for capturing the essence of each character.” The essence of the Evil Queen’s character, (from Adam’s “Disney Villains” series), is richly illustrated here.

A Happy Young Adult

At age 25, Adam lives in a group home with four autistic peers and spends most of his weekdays in volunteer jobs in the community. He looks forward to his frequent weekends at home with his family, where he gets access to favorite meals and activities. He marches to his own drummer, and we measure his successes by a unique yardstick. He is, overall, a happy young adult. 

Drawing of Gaston, from "Beauty and the Beast" by Adam Schwartz. Setting by Verneda (Rikki) Lights
In his depiction of Gaston, from “Beauty and the Beast,” Adam shows some of what he understands about “the big picture,” like the difference between good and evil, tender and harsh.

 

-Helen Golding, (BMC ’74)

All character images © 2019 Adam Schwarz.  Artistic settings for characters, by Verneda (Rikki) Lights, E-graphX Omnimedia

 

Categories
Alumnae giving Func raising Uncategorized

My Life as a Beggar

Carrie M. Buchanan and Gale Rutan, (BMC '74)
Carrie Buchanan and Gale Rutan, at the breakfast table during the Volunteer Summit (BMC, 2018).

When I retired and moved near Bryn Mawr, I volunteered to help the college.  I figure that I got a good education at Bryn Mawr; it was time to give back.  So, I became one of the class collectors.  This being a “big year,“ (45th upcoming reunion), this task involved contacting former classmates and asking them to contribute towards our class gift.

At first, I was hesitant.  The phone calls were psychologically hard, and the conversation on my part was awkward.  I was not used to asking for money.  After all, we are Bryn Mawr women, independent and self-reliant.  Ask for money?  Ask for a handout?  Never!  That’s exactly what I felt like I was doing.  A classmate with a wonderfully wicked sense of humor called me one of the designated “class beggars.”  We laughed at that shared witticism, but really, when she said that, it broke the ice.  Yes, I am one of your designated class beggars.

A “Reunion Before a Reunion”

But I am learning.  In truth, I have come to enjoy these phone calls and to reconnect with classmates.  I have learned so much about the women who are my fellow classmates for whom I care deeply.  It is truly a reunion-before-a-reunion, a one-on-one conversation, and an excuse to reconnect with some fantastic women who comprise the BMC class of ‘74.

I have called about 15 women so far.  I hope to make more phone calls and to write more e-mails to reconnect with many of you prior to reunion.  I have learned to expect to spend some time talking to our fellow classmates should I reach you on the telephone.  When that happens, the years melt away.  It is not like asking for a donation for any other type of organization, because Bryn Mawr is so small that we usually know the person we are calling.  We have a shared value: supporting younger women in our feminist tradition, enabling them to become strong, decisive, and knowledgeable members of society.  I mention that tuition alone does not cover the cost of a Bryn Mawr education.

Fundraising Determines College Rankings!

I did not know until I volunteered to be a fundraiser that college rankings are partly based on the percentage of alumnae/i who donate to their school after graduation, no matter the amount of the donation.  I try to emphasize that in my contacts. (Some of the answers that I get are: “But that is so unfair!” Well, yes, it is, but that is the formula. I wish it were not so, but I do not have the power to change it.  So we just have to live with it [for now]).

Expect to spend time on these phone calls if you reach a classmate or a classmate returns your call. It is truly a mini-reunion. I have heard about the joys of grandparenthood, the sadness of losing a spouse. I have received and given solace.  I have heard what BMC alumns are doing around the country to raise funds for the college.  I hear about the activities of local Bryn Mawr alumnae clubs in cities around the country.  There are moments of shared humor, such as accepting the moniker of “class beggar.“  (“Well, if the shoe fits…”). I accept the challenge!  Thank you for sharing your impromptu news with me and for letting me into your lives.

It is a privilege to actually make these contacts.  It is a gift of time, both received and given.

Reconnecting Has Benefits

I still have some hesitancy, some awkwardness, but the benefits of reconnecting with all of you outweigh my uneasiness.  Why should we need an excuse to reconnect with classmates?  The conversations are easy, even after 45 years!  And, they are a joy.  Life seems so busy that we procrastinate, saying that we can call so-and-so tomorrow.  But tomorrow comes and goes and the phone call is not made, and in fact it is never made.  One of my classmates lived in the same city as I did 30 years ago.  She invited me for Thanksgiving dinner, and I had the best of intentions to reciprocate, but life got busy.  Then we both lived in another city at the same time, but again life got busy.  But at least there were phone calls! 

Thank you, Class of ‘74, for supporting us, your class collectors, in making these contacts.  Thank you for answering your phones or calling back.  But most of all, thank you for your financial support for Bryn Mawr.

Making these phone calls has been a blessing.  It has been an enriching experience to reconnect with all of you, my fellow classmates.  I am glad I did it, and I would recommend to all my classmates to make a few phone calls.  It is an enriching experience.  It is time well spent in supporting each other as well as in supporting the next generation of women.

Anassa kata!

Your classmate,

Gale Rutan

(BMC ’74)

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Uncategorized

Bryn Mawr College, Class of 1974: Women of Today

According to Bryn Mawr College’s Admissions Office: “Bryn Mawr students are driven, courageous, confident, insightful, and enthusiastic. They are young women who are intellectually curious in the classroom and purposeful about what they do in the future.” This description is for the class of 2022. Even though I graduated from Bryn Mawr 45 years ago, I know that this description fits the members of my class as well.

Educational Excellence in the Midst of Change

The women of the class of 1974 arrived at Bryn Mawr at a time when our country was waking up to the need for equality and opportunities for women and minorities. Bryn Mawr’s classes of the 60s and 70s came to its campus during the “Women’s Liberation” and Civil Rights Movements. Through its rigorous courses, women in my class, like those before and after, acquired strong critical thinking skills and a life-long commitment to learning that facilitates adaptability in the midst of change. Today’s Bryn Mawr students are similarly challenged to confront the demands of education in the midst of turbulent times.

Educational Excellence Demands Sustainability

Preparing women scholars to lead with compassion, integrity, and excellence, requires funding in order to be sustainable. The women of the class of 1974 are dedicated alumnae who recognize this. That is why we challenge all our class members to offer gifts that will help Bryn Mawr meet the needs of 78% of its students in the class of 2022, who receive some form of financial aid. Because of Bryn Mawr’s dedication to excellence in education, we ask for your contributions. Your gift of any amount will facilitate the empowerment of women of today. There are three ways you can give:

  1. To donate electronically (via  credit card or Apple Pay), click on the “Give Today” button at the end of the video.
  2. For further convenience, you can make a gift over the phone. You can reach the Bryn Mawr Fund office at 610-526-5127.
  3. You can also give via a check. Please mail your check to:
The Bryn Mawr Fund
101 N. Merion Avenue
Helfarian
Bryn Mawr, PA
19010

Your gift of any amount will be much appreciated. Click here to give today!

-Verneda (“Rikki”) Lights

(Digital Griot, BMC ’74)

Categories
Uncategorized

Class Volunteers

Class Officers/ Volunteers

2019

Class President
Joanna Rom

Co-Reunion Managers
Cynthia Perry Barth – candgbarth@comcast.net
Mae O’Brien – maevellen@yahoo.com

Reunion Gift Committee
Carrie Mersereau Buchanan
Verneda (“Rikki”) Lights – vlights@e-graphx.com
Mae O’Brien – maevellen@yahoo.com
Gale Rutan – gale.rutan@verizon.net

Class Editors
Lyn Befarah
Pam Gilbert-Bugbee

Songmistress
Kris Kelly

Digital Griot: Verneda (“Rikki”) Lights

2008

Class President …………………………………..Miriam Fisher Schaefer ’74
Class Editor……………………………………….Lyn Befarah Schoenfeld ’74
Reunion Manager……………………………….Cynthia Perry Barth ’74
Reunion Manager……………………………….Mae E. O’Brien ’74