Why I Give

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Alumnae tell why they give to MHC:

Maya Aguilar 2005
I give to Mount Holyoke because it's a second home.
It's a place where I grew up - intellectually, emotionally, spiritually. It's a place I identify with, was changed by, feel nostalgic about, and will always belong to. It's a place I won't separate from. It's a place I know I can come back to, and years later, still feel a sense of "home."
I give to Mount Holyoke for all it's given me.

Mary-Alice R. Austin 1982
Why do I give to Mount Holyoke? That is a very good question. There are many reasons but here are a few thoughts. I remember how much at home I felt when I first stepped on the campus almost 30 years ago. I knew that Mount Holyoke was a wonderful place because my beloved Auntie Helen had graduated in the class of 1920 and from that first day, there was no question that I would have a life long connection to Mount Holyoke. Now I also have a treasure chest of memories of friends, professors, classes and enriching experiences of MHC. It is always a great joy to return to campus, especially for reunions.

Juliane Kruger Bailey 1964
It’s embarrassingly simple. I got a terrific education from some extraordinary faculty. Plus the young woman from the MHC Development Office who pursued me was so graciously persistent, I would have felt like a creep if I hadn’t!

Harriet Cone Baldwin 1988
I give to Mount Holyoke because it provides a supportive, encouraging and provocative (in the best sense of the word) environment for young women to become uncommon women—prepared to take whatever the world offers up and transform it for the better, from the personal level to the policy level. Mount Holyoke is a uniquely positive environment for young women to start finding their way in the world, to develop as people, not just as grade-point averages.

Edith Jonas Baumgartner 1987
I guess if I am honest, I gave a gift because of a guilty conscience (not having donated much before) and because it is the 20th anniversary of my graduation.

Donna E. Beardsworth 1978
Why do I give to Mount Holyoke? I owe everything to the foundation built there. It is clear and undeniable and I recognize it every day.

Carolyn Flury Bell 1980
I give to Mount Holyoke so that other young women may experience its transformative powers. I attended a first-rate public co-ed high school and got a great education, but did not develop the confidence to put forward my ideas or to lead until I attended Mount Holyoke. The company of women has become a major source of strength in my life.

Kimberly Berney 1996
Every year I make an effort to contribute to MHC. Since graduating, I may have missed one or two years, but am committed to continuing my support. Why? Because my education at MHC was funded through financial aid, when I look at what the expenses were and how much MHC contributed to my education, I knew that I wanted to give back to give others who needed the funding the same opportunity to receive a great education as I did.

It is plain and simple—I give because of what MHC gave me.

Maria Luisa Blasko FP 1997
In a nutshell, Mount Holyoke helped me become the woman I was always meant to be. As an FP, Mount Holyoke helped give me a second chance so that I could become a productive and unique member of society. I give what I can to MHC because the only way I was able to go there was by way of the endowment...and I hope to see other young women are given the same opportunity that I was.

Kathleen M. Bolen 1987
I give to Mount Holyoke so that other women can have the opportunity to be part of the MHC community and get a liberal arts and life education within such a beautiful, diverse, and nourishing environment. Mount Holyoke was a high point in my life both intellectually and for the strong friendships developed, despite having gone on for advanced degrees in larger and more specialized university settings (MA, PhD, MBA). I never would have had the experiences that I have had without the strong critical thinking training from Mount Holyoke, and I want this kind of opportunity to exist for others.

Women’s education is critical to the long-term viability of our world. Like many of my classmates, I owe an unquanitifiable debt to MHC.

Kelly Hardison Brooks 1997
My yearly gift to the College is really a continuation of my MHC experience. It keeps me connected to the legacy. Each year when I write the check, I think about one sunny spring afternoon of my sophomore year. I was sitting at my desk in Porter Hall studying. Someone knocked on my door and when I answered it, there were two women, probably in their 60s, standing on the other side of the door, smiling at me. They told me they had lived in my room, and asked could they please peek inside to see if it looked the way they remembered. At that moment, I realized I was part of a legacy.

Lena Brown 2000
I support Mount Holyoke because it taught me the manifest joys of feminist empowerment, shared purpose, and the glories of M&Cs and communal television watching. Equally, the faculty are the kick.

Ana Budin 2000
I give to Mount Holyoke first and foremost because I believe in giving to institutions and causes I care about. Several years have passed since I graduated, and I know now that it is my experience at Mount Holyoke which taught me just that. Mount Holyoke embodies service, diversity and social responsibility more than any other place I know. I wish to continue to be part of its mission.

Andria Van Buskirk 2000
I have a great deal of gratitude in my heart for what Mount Holyoke did for me. I was just a poor kid from the Midwest who knew it was going to be hard to find a good college that would accept me because of the financial aid I was going to need. But I did some research and I found MHC. MHC accepted me for me, without looking at my finances. That was a rare blessing.

I could write for a long time about how much I appreciate a lot of things that MHC did for me, giving me opportunities no other top-rated college would have, given my financial circumstances. And, as a result, I have always known that whenever I have the financial means, I will give back to Mount Holyoke.

Vivian Chakarian 1983
What compels me to support Mount Holyoke is not only the wonderful education I received but also my amazing choral experience and the musical world it opened up for me.

In all, Mount Holyoke’s choral department, ably led and inspired by Catharine Melhorn, played an important role in making music and singing an integral part of my life today, and I am forever grateful.

Deanna Staub Elman 1989
Why do I support MHC–this college has a unique way of teaching women not only the beauty and power of being a woman, but the skills to excel in the "real world." It is amazing how the common everyday expectations MHC had of its students, translate into the powerful skills needed in the business world. MHC's schooling was beyond the memorize text book and contents–which seems to be the norm at many colleges. The expectation was that you would think outside the box, question what seemed to be accepted, and learn to multi-task like you could never believe was possible. All these tools/skills are invaluable in the business world. As a Vice President in a non-for-profit substance abuse agency, I'm responsible for supervising seven different departments. The lessons (skills) I learned at MHC make my job so much easier and has helped me to accomplish what others believe is impossible. I could go on and on but yes I do believe MHC has helped me to become an "uncommon woman."

Betsy L. Fahlman 1973
The world remains a stunningly challenging and unequal place, and going to a women's college gave me the strength and the intellectual tools to engage everything I have encountered since. As a student, I was able to burrow deeply into what fascinated me, and I focused myself on art history (my major), Italian, and working in the greenhouse. Long hours in the library stretched my brain and inspired ambition. It was great to be around so many smart women. I had wonderful professors who encouraged me, while setting a high bar of achievement. In short, I want other women to have that same liberating opportunity. So, that is why I give.

Camille M. Gagliardi 1990
I gave to MHC as a Christmas gift to my sister, Marcia Brennan '88. Since both of us are alums, it was a way to support an institution for which we had a shared passion. The foundation MHC gave me has proved invaluable and I want to make certain it is available to the next generation.

Anne Gittins 1994
After finishing up a very successful Florida season with my self-made photography business, I decided it was time to start giving back to the wonderful college that was my springboard into the world. Thanks, in large part to MHC, I found no reason to doubt that I could compete with the best equine photographers in the country, even at the age of 24. MHC had given me the confidence to believe in myself and the skills to make my business happen, and if my small donation can help another young woman experience the community of my alma mater, it’s money well spent!

Joy Hopkins 2000
I give to Mount Holyoke, because Mount Holyoke gave to me. My sophomore year my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and it became evident soon thereafter that I would have to be the primary caretaker for my then 10-year old brother. The faculty and administration at MHC went out of their way to accommodate and made it possible for me to finish school not only on time, but with minimal student loans. I understood then, but especially now, how lucky I was to be at Mount Holyoke during that incredibly challenging time.

Mary Button Hopkins 1981
I support Mount Holyoke in an attempt to give back for the wonderful scholarship I received in order to attend. The moment I arrived on campus, my life changed, and the years I spent there continue to enrich me today. I attribute much of the quality of my life now (not just financial, by any means) to the very fortunate opportunity I had to attend Mount Holyoke.

Christine Horansky 2004
When I was a first-year at Mount Holyoke in 2001, I met an awesome alumna, Carin Zinter 1995, who has been like my big sister ever since. The moment she heard I went to Mount Holyoke, she immediately took me in. Over the past few years, she has given me a job, advice on school and life after graduation, recommendations, career advice, and tons of encouragement and support. Most importantly, she instilled in me that strong Mount Holyoke bond that exists among generations of women, all connected by the same passion and dedication. As a student, I chose to take on roles like Orientation leader, upper class academic advisor, and team captain, so I could help support a younger generation, like Carin did for me. Now that I’m a young alumna, I hope I can always give back financially as well as continue supporting the Mount Holyoke community. For me, it’s the strong tradition of “passing on” what Mount Holyoke and its legacy have already given.

Kate Horowitz 2005
I give for three (very corny) reasons: the past, the present, and the future.
Attending Mount Holyoke was the best decision I ever made. I grew into myself as an adult, as a woman, and as a human being. The community provided so much strength and support that I felt free to develop as I needed to. In and out of class, Mount Holyoke provided the best education I could have had. I am thankful for all Mount Holyoke gave me.
In my life now, Mount Holyoke continues to affect me. The skills, knowledge, and confidence I gained have gotten me to where I am today.
I have a job that I love in a creative field, and when my plans and dreams stretch out ahead of me, I am not afraid to voice them or believe in them. I give because Mount Holyoke brought me to where I am right now.
And if my donation can help one more student get a scholarship, then I am happy to give. I represent Mount Holyoke to the outside world as the haven it was for me, and I know that my donations help to keep Mount Holyoke the way it was when I was there, and allow more women to share the Mount Holyoke experience.
Corny? Totally. Sincere? Absolutely.

Judy Berberian Ichkhanian 1986
My reasons for donating every year, even when things are a little tight, even when I really, really wish that I could donate so much more, are simple. I am honored to be an alum of MHC, and as an alum I have an obligation to continue to deserve that honor.

I tend to wax a little too poetic on the subject. For me, Mount Holyoke embodies the best of what this world has to offer and what I believe that we as human beings should stand for. Intellectual curiosity, personal responsibility, pursuit of wisdom, appreciation of beauty and tranquility, the appreciation of other cultures, values, traditions and choices, and the desire to live ethical lives - but most of all the right and ability to question and decide each of us individually what constitutes all these things for ourselves. Mount Holyoke has always been, and I hope always will be, an institution with a long and honorable tradition and at the same time it stands and has always stood as a force for change. Frankly, I give because I want these values, this ability to be both the past and the future, to continue. I trust that even when I might drop the sword that there will be other women behind me ready to pick it up, just as I hope that in my little way I have upon occasion picked it up for those that have come before me.

I think that as women living in a world where half of us are enslaved by an inability to question, and therefore an inability to effectuate positive change, we owe it to other young women of the new generations to provide whatever foundation we can upon which they can learn to question and grow. While MHC only graduates a handful of women each year in comparison with the whole, I cannot help but think that each woman with a voice and a desire and a self-belief can potentially save the world. A very tall order, perhaps - but that potential is why I give. Maybe this wasn't such a simple answer after all!

Anna Husson Isozaki 1990
It was just recently that I finally understood one of the most important things Mount Holyoke gave me. Of course, I knew all along that MHC gave me an excellent education, caring advising, writing skills, and the confidence to speak out, thanks to our teachers’ commitment to us and to getting launched in the world.

But it was 2004 that finally brought home to me the meaning and importance of Mount Holyoke’s emphasis on encouraging our “critical thinking” skills.

There’s a difference between critical thinking and cynicism. Cynicism seems invariable to be bound together with apathy. That is the difference I find between my Mount Holyoke friends and others who were educated at larger or less caring institutions. My MHC alumnae friends ask, “What’s going on here?” and with that knowledge, fight the good fight more effectively, even when it seems on the surface to be a losing one. Whereas the cynics rarely pick up the shovel, or pen. The Mount Holyoke community and Mount Holyoke graduates share a commitment to analysis, knowledge, and ACTION; to putting our hearts and souls toward the “good”, even when knowing that our efforts may not show certain, tangible fruits. I believe our souls are the better for it, and even when we cannot see a struggle won, eventually the world is a better by our endeavors as well.

Jennifer Jackson 2003
I give to Mount Holyoke because I see the positive developments of my education everyday. Whether it is the confidence and assuredness by which I speak and write or the long lasting friends that I continue to have today, Mount Holyoke has provided me with an immeasurable wealth. It excites me to think that through my contribution to the Annual Fund I am giving another young woman the opportunity to develop and shine like I have done.

Rosemarie Johnson 1960
I feel my life began at Holyoke, having led a pretty sheltered life at home. I felt I was a book of blank pages before I arrived. Beyond preparing me for medical school, Holyoke opened my eyes and mind in so many areas of the arts and humanities that are enjoyment and consolation every day of my life. And then there are the friends, some of whom are my best confidantes to this day. I even started reading the New York Time there!

My thanks is boundless.

Catherine Kowal 1977
My experience at MHC was great! My self-confidence blossomed. My appreciation for beauty in the environment as well as in my friends made very day at Mount Holyoke special. I love the friends that I made and feel a closeness that hasn’t happened with other acquaintances. The future for women’s education lies in colleges such as MHC and I’m happy to support my college.

Mary Ellen Mullen 1973
I give to Mt. Holyoke because it’s a Socially Responsible Investment, a pure play for women’s equity and employment.

Leslie Fu Pang 1997
I give back to Mount Holyoke to say ‘Thank You’ for making me into the woman I am today. The holistic education nurtured at Mount Holyoke gave me the confidence to believe that I AM someone and that with belief you CAN achieve your goals. The experience at Mount Holyoke has made a mark on my life, both professionally and personally every day since graduation 10 years ago. I hope that this legacy will live on, so that more girls in like me will become the women that I have become today because of Mount Holyoke.

Helen Mar Parkin 1969
The reason I support Mount Holyoke is simple: I believe in women’s education.
My continued financial support of the college, however modest, is an expression of how much I appreciate the education I received, the confidence I gained to pursue my goals, the friendships I made, and the open mindedness and sense of equality that I learned.

Barbara Ann Paulding 1980
Although my contribution was small, I give to MHC because I couldn't have gone there without the scholarship MHC gave to me. After going to a high school where academic achievement was socially unacceptable, and where guys had the real clout, it was liberating to be validated and encouraged. The professors were magicians of learning, the place was beautiful, and differences were enriching. The degree I attained has continued to give to me, in terms of confidence and in the job market.

Patricia Barrett Perkins 1953
Although I transferred from Mount Holyoke after my sophmore year, I have attended my 45th and 50th reunions. These reunions have rekindled and reinforced my memories of the incredibly formative days I spent at MHC, and the wonderful women who it was my privilege to meet. My closest friends have remained three women I met in my freshman year. But I was also delighted to meet old acquaintances and realize how very special I felt these women were...I will always be grateful for the years I spent there, and am happy to contribute in any way I can to future generations having the same beautiful experience that I had.

Ann Lovering Ramírez 1962
I support Mount Holyoke because I am proud of what it stands for and of the women who go there. I have learned to believe in myself and in other women, especially the women I work with in Mexico where I live. I believe this faith was nourished by my years at the College.

Eleanor Irene Rounds 1998
I want as many women as possible to experience the education that I received at Mount Holyoke. I want as many women as possible to experience the life long friendships I gained while at Mount Holyoke. I want to continue the long-standing tradition of excellence and preserve it for future generations of women. It's hard to imagine being able to ever give back everything Mount Holyoke has given me, so the least I can do is give to the college every year.

Leslie Weissman Rubin 1988
The College continues to provide a high level of education to women. After 18 years, I am still proud of MHC and the caliber of education the College represents.

I see my money at work with constant renovation and upgrading of various educational labs and facilities from math/science to arts and language. This demonstrates a future commitment to higher education by maintaining a competitive educational edge.

I respect the fact that MHC remains an all women’s institution and believe in the value of providing women with this type of educational environment.

Improvements to the campus and social areas are making MHC a more productive and more socially active place to be.

Andrea F. Sheehan 1995
I support the College because MHC broadened my horizons, let me be myself, and gave me indelible friends whom I adore. I also became an archivist because of Martha Ackmann’s classes. She introduced me to feminism, archives, and women’s history and I will be forever grateful to her. I had the best four years at Mount Holyoke and am blessed that I received such a solid liberal arts education.

Abigail Tuckerman Slayton 1982
I support MHC because I was the second generation in my family to attend and hope that at least one of my daughters will be the third generation. My experience at MHC prepared me for graduate school at Harvard and to hold my own in the male controlled world of work. To my own surprise, I found myself, for a time, earning a living supporting women’s equity in education and employment, and I got tremendous fulfillment from that work. It was Mount Holyoke’s impact on my worldview that led to this almost inevitable career direction. I want other young women to have that influence, too.

Tiffany Chatham Smith 1987
I support Mount Holyoke so that girls can become women in an inspiring, nurturing, creative environment...just as I did!

Ada C. Szeto, Ph.D. 1985
My decision to contribute to the Mount Holyoke was based on gratitude and pride in Mount Holyoke and my personal acknowledgement of my career successes. It is thanks to the superb liberal arts education that I received during my four years as a biochemistry major and the exposure to many wonderful, high-achieving women that gave me strength to persevere on my complicated path of being a mother, research scientist, and professor. When I returned to Mount Holyoke for my 20th Reunion, I was astounded at the progress made in construction of the new "green" Kendade Science Complex. My hope for Mount Holyoke is to continue to provide a rich complex learning environment for the future generations of women who will assume leadership positions in every aspect of our society.

Mary Walker 1976
As a young college graduate, I donated to MHC out of a sense of duty. That sense of obligation carried me for a while.

Then I gave out of a sense of my own self-pride: I was making a decent income and wanting to outwardly share my accomplishments.

Now, I think my giving is more a sense of giving back to another generation of young women. It is a way of participating in a legacy that has true value to me.