The last two weekends in May marked a special time at Mount Holyoke. As we celebrated the accomplishments of our senior class, we also welcomed more than 1,500 alumnae back to campus for Reunion. This year, classes ending in 4s and 9s, as well as the class of 2017, returned MoHome to usher in the class of 2019 as our newest alumnae and create new memories with old friends. Take a look at these fantastic highlight reels from the Alumnae Association for Reunion I and Reunion II. Were any of your favorite moments captured?

This morning, as part of Commencement weekend, graduating seniors and alumnae will sing “Bread and Roses” at the conclusion of the Laurel Parade — a ceremony in which the graduates, donned in white, process across campus linked by two 275-yard laurel chains to the grave of Mary Lyon. But did you know that both the song and the attire that are such integral parts of the tradition are tributes to the women labor activists and suffragists of the early 20th century?

As a senior, the start of the fall semester was also the start of the countdown to my last Mountain Day. Every year, the anticipation and conversation surrounding Mountain Day becomes a staple at every lunch and dinner table in the Dining Commons. One person wants Monday off so they don’t need to worry about homework that’s due, another doesn’t want it on Monday because they don’t want to miss a work shift. Each day is filled with excitement and nervous mornings as October approaches. For seniors the anticipation is bittersweet, as we realize that our “lasts” at Mount Holyoke are about to begin.

An essential part of the multifacted Mount Holyoke student experience includes a commitment  to wellness of mind, body, spirit and community. The new Be Well program at Mount Holyoke was developed in 2016 to encourage mental and physical health among students and help provide ways to reduce stress.

Last week, the Mount Holyoke community gathered together for the sixth annual Thank An Alum Days — an event that celebrates the tremendous impact that alumnae support makes on campus. 

Over the course of four days (including a rainy Pangy Day!), we received thank-you notes from approximately 550 students, faculty and staff who took time out of their busy end-of-year schedules to show their appreciation for the thousands of alumnae donors that give back to MHC.

Meet Lanie Richards ’21, who hails from Orange Park, Florida. Majoring in psychology and education, she was drawn to Mount Holyoke because of its academic rigor as well as it’s welcoming community. On campus, she’s also a research assistant in the Office of Advancement, a member of the MHC Rugby Football Club and an SGA Senator for the Rugby team.

Because no two college journeys are alike and academic success hinges upon personal wellbeing, Mount Holyoke provides professionals across campus — specializing in student programs, residential life, diversity and inclusion, religious and spiritual life, health, counseling and accessibility — who provide the resources, support and programs to help every student thrive on campus and beyond. This vibrant community of student scholars needs you.

In preparation for my first year at Mount Holyoke, I asked a lot of alums about their residential experience. Though many said that they had a mostly positive experience, some students mentioned that they wished their dorm halls felt like more of a community. I quickly realized that I would not enjoy living in a dorm where I felt as though I would not know my neighbors.

I was fortunate to arrive at Mount Holyoke just as the Shirley Chisholm Living-Learning Community (LLC) was beginning its second year on campus. The “Shirley” was created to provide a supportive space for students of African and Caribbean descent. As a black girl coming from Ghana, I was not sure I would be able to find a community well-suited for me. Even as I moved into the Shirley, I had my doubts about whether or not I would find my people.

Meet Emily Carle ’21, a religion major from Newington, Connecticut. Emily fell in love with Mount Holyoke’s academic offerings, vibrant spiritual life and endless opportunities for involvement within the campus community. In addition to the numerous clubs and organizations that she’s involved with on campus, Emily is also the youth director at Center Church in South Hadley and an intern for Cathedral in the Night, an outdoor Christian community in downtown Northampton. She also manages an instagram account featuring photos of Mount Holyoke (@picturesofmhc) and enjoys skiing, eating, watching the Patriots and researching her family genealogy.

Today, April 10, marks the 139th birthday anniversary of Frances Perkins, class of 1902. Long before women's liberation was a part of our vocabulary, Frances was a trailblazer for generations of women who would follow her. As the first female Cabinet member in the nation's history, this remarkable woman tussled with politicians, industrial management and labor leaders in her capacity as Secretary of Labor, fighting for the rights of working people everywhere.