Wellesley Book Club, Nov 29

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be November 29, 2009 at 2:30 PM at the home of Polly Williams, 622 Woodburn Road, Raleigh, NC 27605, 919-833-3805.

The book we will be discussing is March of Folly, by Barbara Tuchman.

Wellesley Book Club, Aug 23

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be Sunday, August 23, 2009, at the home of Polly Williams.

The book we will discuss is Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout.

Wellesley Book Club, July 12

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be July 12, 2:30 PM, at the home of Meg Calcagni. The book we will discuss is Speaking for Myself: My Life from Liverpool to Downing Street, by Cherie Blair.

After that July meeting, the next book we will discuss is Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout.

The Wake County Library has copies of both of these books.

Wellesley Book Club, May 31

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be May 31, 2009 at 2:30 PM at the home of Emily Cato. The book we will be discussing is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingslover. I will try to have refreshments from local vendors.

After that meeting, our next book will be Speaking for Myself: My Life from Liverpool to Downing Street, by Cherie Blair.

Newly Admitted Students Celebration

From MaryAnne and Amy:

Thank you so much for attending Friday night's celebration for newly admitted students to Wellesley. It was a wonderful chance to share memories, give advice, and meet other Wellesley women (and their adorable toddlers).

I am attaching photos of the party. A special thank you to Camille Berry for organizing, Amy Farley and Ann Waldon for bringing food, and Amante's for the discount on the pizza.

Again, thank you for coming.

My best,

MaryAnne and Amy

"The Transformation of Teaching and Learning in the Life Sciences"

From MaryAnne Gucciardi:

Dear Wellesley Alums,

We have been invited by the Harvard Club to attend this lecture on science education innovation. It should be fantastic. The details are below and feel free to contact Bob Whyte with any questions. His email is bob@bobwhyte.com.

My best,

MaryAnne

From Bob Whyte:

Greetings from the Harvard Club of the Research Triangle,

As Program Chair of the local Harvard alumni club, I would like to invite you and your members to our next event, which is a dinner meeting on April 23rd, featuring Professor Robert Lue as our guest speaker. He comes highly recommended from the folks in Cambridge so it should be a goodie.

Bob Whyte

Professor Robert Lue
Life Sciences innovator at Harvard

"The Transformation of Teaching and Learning
in the Life Sciences"

Thursday, April 23, 6-9 PM

Each year our club collaborates with the Harvard Alumni Association in selecting an outstanding Harvard faculty member to speak to our club. This year, we are highly honored to host Professor Robert Lue who has revolutionized the way life sciences are taught and learned at Harvard. His presentation (including creative visual effects) will be of broad interest to all alums in our area, with a special appeal to educators.

Robert Lue is Director of Life Sciences Education and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University , where he has received several teaching awards from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Division of Continuing Education. Rob was also the Dean of the Harvard Summer School of Arts and Sciences.

As Chair of the FAS's Life Sciences Education Committee, he led in the creation of a new introductory Life Sciences curriculum, which now serves as an integrated foundation for department course offerings in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Biological Anthropology. As part of this broad revision, Rob let an initiative to make innovative computing and visualization an integral part of the curriculum as it evolves.

Rob received his Ph.D. in biology from Harvard and has taught undergraduate courses there since 1988. He has developed award-winning educational multimedia on several topics including Understanding HIV and AIDS (1999), Biochemistry: Interactive Learning (2000), and The Inner Life of the Cell (2006). Rob also has a longstanding interest in pre-college education and consequently founded and directs a Harvard life sciences outreach program that now serves over fifty high schools across Massachusetts, New Hampshire , and Rhode Island. As the recently appointed faculty director of the Harvard-Allston Education Portal, Rob also oversees the integration of undergraduate education with community outreach on Harvards new Allston campus.

The title of Professor Lue's talk is "The Transformation of Teaching and Learning in the Life Sciences." Given what Rob has done to invigorate Life Science teaching at Harvard, and the focus of his talk on April 23, the club is making a special effort to invite high school science teachers, and students to this program.

Schedule:

6:00-7:00 pm, Networking with cash bar

7:00 pm, Dinner

7:30-9:00 pm, Professor Lue will speak and take questions

Registration:

The cost for the dinner and speaker program is: $25 for each Harvard Club member, $25 for a member's first guest and $35 for each additional guest or nonmember.

To sign up, please send your check (payable to the Harvard Club of the Research Triangle) to Bob Whyte, 103 Cameron Glen Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Please provide the name of each attendee, your phone number, and any dietary restrictions with your check. Mailed reservations must be received by April 20.

Online registration: If you prefer to reserve your seat(s) on line, please click here (there will be a small service charge added to the price of each reservation; orders may be canceled for twelve hours after being submitted - otherwise the ticket is nonrefundable except for emergencies). Online reservations may be placed as late as April 21, but seating is limited so don't wait too long.

Questions? Contact bob@bobwhyte.com

Location:

Radisson Hotel, 150 Park Drive , RTP.

Directions:

Heading East on I-40, take exit 280 (Davis Drive) and at top of exit ramp, go straight across Davis Drive onto Park Drive. Follow Park Drive a short distance until you come to a stop sign and then veer to the right up a hill. The hotel will be on your right.

Heading West on I-40, take Exit 280, but take a left at the top of the ramp onto Davis Drive, then take first right onto Park Drive.

Wellesley Book Club, April 26

From Emily Cato (919-787-8092):

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be April 26 at 2:30 PM at the home of Nancy Gordon. The book we will be discussing is The Painted Drum, by Louise Erdrich.

Here is a Google Map of the location of Nancy's home.

We have also picked out our next two books:

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingslover
  
  and
  
  
• Speaking for Myself: My Life from Liverpool to Downing Street, by Cherie Blair.

Open and new Board positions

Open Board Positions: Secretary and Treasurer

We need your help! If you are looking to get involved in the Wellesley club, please consider volunteering to be secretary or treasurer. We have a great, welcoming and energetic board. The responsibilities of each position are listed below. If you are interested, please email MaryAnne Gucciardi at mgucc@yahoo.com.

Secretary

• Handles and maintains records of club correspondence;
  
• Maintains official records of meetings;
  
• Informs officers of deadlines for reports, mailing, and future correspondence;
  
• Coordinates mailing of notices/newsletters to area alumnae;
  
• Maintains a roster of officers and other board members with current address and telephone and e-mail information;
  
• Informs the Alumnae Office of plans and activities by forwarding copies of all newsletters and special reports.
• Attend occasional meetings with other Wellesley Club officers

Treasurer

• Collect, deposit, and track (currently in a simple Excel spreadsheet) Club dues, event fees, and contributions. Payments to the Club are made by check or through online PayPal account.
  
• Balance the Club checking account.
  
• Send dues and contribution receipts needed for tax purposes. These are usually sent as a form letter email although a few members still need receipts sent by regular mail.
  
• Write checks to cover the costs of Club events, newsletter, etc.
  
• Maintain records of income and expense by category in order to complete the Annual Financial Report (due June 30) and a new tax return form (well formatted by the College Alumnae office and due Nov 15)
  
• Attend occasional meetings with other Wellesley Club officers

New Board Positions

We are also looking to expand the Board by creating (or bolstering) the following positions. Please let us know if you are interested in any of these:

• Membership
  
• Club Journalist/Historian
  
• Program committee (to help plan events)
  
• Regional Representatives (to create smaller regional communities)
  
• Admissions Team (to maintain Wellesley's presence at college fairs)

Wellesley Book Club, Mar 8

From Emily Cato '68:

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be March 8, 2009 at 2:30 PM at the home of Polly Williams in Raleigh. The book we will be discussing is The Gathering, by Anne Enright.

We welcome all old and new members to this group. We are very laid back, uncompetitive, and unpretentious, but lively and thoughtful in our discussion of the book as well as other timely topics. At each meeting, we pick the next book to read (almost always a female author) and where and when we will meet and have light refreshments.

At our meeting yesterday, someone (probably Polly or Betty) left her copy of The Tenderness of Wolves on the end table. It had a Quail Ridge Books bookmark in it but no name. I will bring it to the next meeting unless the owner wants it sooner.

Wellesley Book Club, Jan 25

From Emily Cato '68:

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be at 2:30 PM, January 25, 2009, at the home of Emily Cato '68. The book we will discuss is The Tenderness of Wolves, by Stef Penney.

In our book discussion yesterday, the topic of poorhouses came up. Apropos to that discussion is an article in today's N&O (12-15-08), bottom of p. 1A, "Churchyard has hundred of graves..." which also quotes our own Polly Williams. The article states, "County poorhouses, including a working farm in Wake's case, reflected a centuries-old tradition of providing work for poor people who could handle it and housing for those too old or ill to serve." The tradition of poorhouses came from England.

RPWF Breast Cancer Panel

Lisa Carey '84 recently participated in the Raleigh Professional Women's Forum Breast Cancer Panel.

The compelling panel presentation focused on the latest in breast cancer. We learned about novel cancer therapies and research and discovered innovations in regarding constructive surgery, the role of exercise and nutrition. The panel featured Dr. Carey as the first speaker.

Lisa is Associate Professor in the UNC School of Medicine and Medical Director of the UNC Breast Center. Dr. Carey was recently named to the Johns Hopkins Society.

CWS Workshop: Fostering Community

Fostering Community by Communicating across Generations: A workshop led by Folly Patterson, Associate Director of Alumnae Career Programs at Wellesley's Center for Work and Service.

What are the generations saying to each other, and how are they saying it? What's working, what isn't, and who gets to make the rules? What kind of future communities are we creating with all this "cross talk"? Is the digital divide widening the generation gap? How do we interpret messages when communication styles don't synch up? And when communication values clash, who's right?

These are some of the core issues that zinged around a lively workshop circle -- or hovered at the verge -- on October 26 in Chapel Hill. Folly Patterson '85, Associate Director of Alumnae Career Programs at Wellesley's Center for Work and Service, led "Fostering Community by Communicating Across Generations." Participants explored the challenges of different communication styles and trends that are emerging within and between the generations--and how all of this impacts the future of community building. Questions abounded, and answers proved tantalizingly elusive.

Eleven women from four distinct generations joined in this new life-skills workshop at the home of Wellesley Piedmont Club co-president MaryAnne Gucciardi. They included three pre-college daughters of three different participating alumnae, who gave clear voice to the Millennial Generation (born between 1980 and 2000). Their input wasn't merely enriching, it added an essential dimension for holding an authentic conversation on the subject.

Workshop handouts included short profiles of the four generations currently active in the workforce, communication tips for bridging generational gaps, "Guidelines for Understanding Generational Attitudes About Work and Worklife," and a list of other diverse resources for further inquiry. Participants also took a brief survey to self-identify vis-a-vis the four cohort groups: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers and Millennials. Two hours was barely long enough to scratch the surface of this hot, sometimes prickly topic, and time didn't permit any of the experiential exercises that had been prepared for the session.

In view of this, workshop coordinator Laura Nigro has volunteered to facilitate a sequel for the original participants and any newcomers who wish to jump in. The original session was also audio-recorded for subsequent podcasting; please check the WNCP website soon for developments on both. Meanwhile, Laura welcomes your related questions, requests, ideas, and other feedback (ljnigro@hotmail.com).

New Alumnae Admissions Representatives

From MaryAnne Gucciardi '84:

Amy Farley and I are delighted to announce that Camille Berry '91 and Navjeet Sidhu-Malik '82 have volunteered to be Alumnae Admissions Co-Representatives.

I am thrilled and grateful that they have taken on this important role. They have their first two volunteers, Jaime Danehey '00 who recently moved here from Chicago and is keen to share Chicago's strategies with us.

Our second volunteer is Maureen Atkins '96, who is a first year Duke MBA student, recently relocated from the Bay Area. Maureen has years of experience in alumni relations and fundraising, most recently at Stanford.

With Tara Brannon '96 as Book Award Chair, we are off and running. If you are interested in volunteering, please e-mail us at WCPiedmont@alum.wellesley.edu.

Pay annual membership dues with PayPal

We are now set up for you to pay your annual membership dues with PayPal!

Annual membership dues are $20. We also accept contributions for the Wellesley Book Award and general contributions to the Wellesley in the NC Piedmont Alumnae Club.

For a one-time payment with PayPal, click on the "Donate" button below. Please make sure that your name and address are correct and sent with your PayPal payment so that we can link payments with members.

We also offer the option to automatically pay your dues annually with PayPal. To sign up for that, click on the "Subscribe" button below.

If you prefer to pay by check, please make the check payable to WNCP (Wellesley North Carolina Piedmont). Include your name, address, phone, and e-mail. Mail the check to Ann Waldon's address, which can be obtained from the Wellesley directory or by e-mailing us at WellesleyNCPiedmont@gmail.com. Since this blog is open to the general public, we are unable to post her address here. Thank you!

Website changes

From Michelle Cheuk '00 (webmistress):

Hi Wellesley alums!

I'm revising the website so that all event information will be on the blog only rather than both the website and the blog. This is to reduce redundancy as well as to accommodate my increased time constraints. Also, I will no longer be listing local events for the same reason.

If you or anybody you know is interested in helping me with the website and blog, let me know! The e-mail is WellesleyNCPiedmont@gmail.com. Thanks.

Wellesley Book Club, Dec 14

From Emily Cato '68:

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be December 14, at 2:30 PM at the home of Faye Sinclair.

The book we will be discussing is Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. It is a fictionalization of the life of the woman who wrecked the first marriage of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Powerpoint for Joyce lecture

The Powerpoint presentation for Joe Joyce's lecture is available for download.

Democracy training

From Dana Jennings:

"The International Women’s Democracy Center is sponsoring a free training. The workshop will be held November 21 – 22 at Duke University. The content is how to successfully run for office, how to deal with media, how to raise money. As of today they still have 7 slots available. Please pass this information along to any women between 18 and 35 who you believe might be interested."

E-mail wellesleync@gmail.com for the application.

The Club's Admissions Program

On Monday Oct 20, Wellesley Club members involved with Admissions and the Book awards met with Heather Ayers, Director of Admissions at Wellesley College. We are honored that Heather took time from her very busy fall schedule to join us and help us understand the admissions and recruiting process and our important role in NC.

We identified several action items which will include:

1. Continuing our book award program with alums and high schools that have an established relationship, but not actively expanding this.
   
2. Our need to identify potential applicants through community networking.
   
3. Participation in high yield college fairs: NC School of Math and Science, Governor's School and others next fall
   
4. Planning Spring event centering around admissions/students with other women's colleges/Seven Sisters schools as a way to engage potential high school students.
   
5. Coordination of optional interviews for applicants in this area.

Thanks to all who attended this very informative and important planning session. We also invite anyone who is interested in working with us on this important Wellesley function, please feel free to contact us.

National Book Award finalist

From Jaime Danehey '00:

Today Prof. Frank Bidart was announced as a National Book Award finalist for poetry.

The book is called "Watching the Spring Festival: Poems."

Boston Globe article on Wellesley

A current Wellesley senior wrote an article on her experience attending a women's college. Thank you, Maureen Atkins '96, for forwarding this to us!

Volunteer with CarolinaHAHA

The Carolina Health And Humor Association is a volunteer group that that brings education and compassionate humor to hospitals, businesses, and the community.

There are also other events such as seminars, meetings, and workshops.

If you are interested in volunteering, visit CarolinaHAHA.org.

Photo from past Wellesley lunch

This photo is from a Wellesley lunch at the Carolina Cafe in Chapel Hill about two years ago.

This is where I (Michelle Cheuk '00) met MaryAnne Gucciardi '84, and she recruited me to be the webmaster for the club!

We Need Your Podcasting Help...

...to record our workshop Sunday afternoon, October 26, at MaryAnne Gucciardi's home in Chapel Hill. Folly Patterson, Associate Director of Alumnae Career Programs at the Center for Work and Service, will facilitate "Fostering Community by Communicating Across Generations." Participants will explore the challenges of different communication styles and trends within and between the generations, and how all of this impacts the future of community building. We want to make a podcast of this new workshop in order to share it with others through our club, the CWS and Wellesley in general.

If you have podcasting experience, or access to digital recording equipment/software, please contact Laura J. Nigro at ljnigro@hotmail.com.

A word from our Book Award Chair

Tara Brannon '96:

It is with great enthusiasm that I have recently accepted the post as Book Award Chair. The Wellesley Book Award is a wonderful way to share a piece of the Wellesley experience with bright young women who otherwise may not know about or be considering Wellesley. I know that this was the case with me. When I received the Wellesley book award as a junior living in South Carolina, Wellesley was little more than a women’s college that got a lot of snow.

But inside the book was a lovely letter from the alumna who sponsored the award. She had attended the same high school about 10 years earlier. Her letter shared what her years at Wellesley had meant to her, the reason this book was being given to me, and offered her personal contact information in case I had any questions. She did not live in the area anymore, so we exchanged little more than a thank you note or two. But to this day, I can tell you her name and how impressed I was, even at 16, by the passion she conveyed for this place called “Wellesley.”

Within a couple of weeks of receiving the book, I was contacted by another Wellesley alumna who introduced herself and congratulated me on my recent award. Like the book award sponsor, she extended her support and assistance to me. In the coming year, she would go on to take me to tea answer my questions and write a letter of recommendation for me.

The summer between my junior and senior year’s in high school took me to New England for a writing program. While there, I visited many schools that I was interested in, curious about or my parents thought I should see. Largely because of the interest Wellesley and, in particular, its alumnae had already shown in me, I ventured out of Boston for a look. I remember telling my mother after about five minutes on the campus, “This is where I belong.” And it was. For each of us, Wellesley is special and holds an important place in our hearts, minds and lives. I am forever grateful to the Wellesley Book Award for putting me on such a rewarding and enriching path!

If would like to help bring the Wellesley experience to a new generation of intelligent, dynamic young women, please contact me at ttbrannon@gmail.com or 919-449-6838.

We need volunteers to present awards at local high schools and to do follow up. You may sign up for either or both. Please consider participating as this truly is one of the best tools we have to help recruit the best and the brightest for Wellesley! Thank you for this opportunity and I look forward to working with each of you.

Alumnae Admissions Representative

The Alumnae Admissions Representative position is now open for someone interested in working closely with the College to coordinate admissions efforts in our area.

This position will include a training weekend at Wellesley (Oct 17-19) and would be ideal as a shared position by two people who would enjoy working together.

Please contact Amy Farley for more information.

Faculty Speaker Lunch

We are honored to have Professor Joseph P. Joyce, Professor of Economics, as our faculty speaker on November 9. His speech is entitled “Globalization: The Record of the Past and the Challenges of the Future.”

The lunch will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Carolina Inn, 211 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, 919-933-2001. Cost is $35. Cost for dues-paying members is $30.

RSVP to Jaime Danehey. Please let Jaime know if you require a vegetarian or other special meal.

Fostering Community by Communicating across Generations

On Sunday, October 26th, 3-5 p.m., Folly Patterson, Associate Director, Alumnae Career Programs, Center for Work and Service, returns to present, "Fostering Community by Communicating across Generations." Folly and local alumna, Laura Nigro ’85, are hard at work to make this an excellent program. Below is Folly's bio.

Meet at MaryAnne Gucciardi’s home in Chapel Hill. Cost is $20.

Please RSVP to Laura Nigro ’85. For directions, call MaryAnne or Amy Farley.

Folly Patterson's bio:

Folly Patterson ’85, was a women’s studies and psychology double major, with a concentration in black studies. After receiving her Master’s in Counseling and Psychological Services from Springfield College in 1988, she has been involved in education administration for the last 20 years, working as a student dean and overseeing areas such as residence life, student leadership, campus activities, and program development at Smith College, Scripps College, Cal Poly Pomona and Milton Academy. Currently she serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Work and Service at Wellesley managing the alumnae career programs.

Folly has also worked in the areas of community programming and volunteer management, and served two years as director of a university-based AmeriCorps program. In conjunction with her administrative positions, Folly has worked throughout her career as a training consultant in the fields of management skills, diversity issues, and health and wellness, and continues her commitment to AmeriCorps by facilitating supervisor’s training programs for AmeriCorps programs when she can.

Wellesley Book Club

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be on September 28 at the home of Marty McLean.

The book is After This, by Alice McDermott.

NC Center for Women in Public Service

We invite you to join us for a presentation from the North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service. The event is co-sponsored with Smith College and takes place on September 21, 3-5 p.m.

NCCWPS is the first non-partisan, statewide organization to address the need for women-specific recruitment, training, and mentoring to increase the number of women in appointed and elected office in North Carolina. Our featured speaker will be Dana Jennings, who has served as the CEO of the Center since January 2008.

We have invited Meredith, Peace, and Bennett College alums, as well as all the Seven Sister Alums. Cost is $15 to cover refreshments and room cost. Please RSVP to Tara Brannon or Bridey Maxwell.

Wellesley Book Club

The next meeting of the Wellesley Book Club will be July 20, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. at the home of Emily Cato '68 in Raleigh.

The book we will discuss is Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama.

Apologies for hiatus

Hello, it's Michelle Cheuk '00, the Webmistress. Sorry for the hiatus in website activity and updates. I gave birth to my first child in June, and I've had my hands full!

Here's a pic, and I hope to catch up and resume the Club updates! Thanks for understanding.

President Bottomly's inauguration

MaryAnne Gucciardi '84 attended President Kim Bottomly's inauguration at Wellesley. She shares her experiences and photos from the event:

"I am sending pictures of my recent trip to Wellesley for the installation of Kim Bottomly as Wellesley’s 13th president. It was a fantastic day, starting out with a multi-faith celebration in the newly renovated Chapel and Multi-Faith Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

(Click once to start the mini slideshow. Click twice to see the photos in a larger size.)


There were panel discussions after that – I went to one on investigations at Jewitt. Megan Urry spoke about astrophysics and then gave a brief who’s who of Wellesley women in astrophysics, which was impressive. Professor Paarlberg spoke about Africa and the food shortages.

Lunch was an unexpected highlight. I ran into many friends I hadn’t seen since I lived in Hong Kong including Anandi Pratap Ebsworth ’80, Elizabeth Atkins ’79, and Kim Maire ’80 (Emanuel) (assistant to the director of Slater). I was happily reunited with Pam Coravos ’81, a senior when I was a freshman in Pomeroy. She updated me on long-lost friends Heidi Hampson, Drusey Hensen, Sally Ballentine, Jill Bristow, and Anne Laros. I only wished I had run into Kristen Lewis, my big sister. Lunch was held in the Lulu. I had never been, and it is really nice.

The highlight was the inauguration. Deval Patrick and Alice Hanlon Peisch represented the State; Joanne Creighton spoke for the ‘sisters’; and Megan Urry spoke for scientists (we should make her an honorary sister). Susan Hockfield, President of MIT, and Laura Daignault Gates of the Alumnae Association also spoke. Lucia Nhamo was the student speaker – she did a great job, and Murray Wolf spoke on behalf of the union staff and had the audience laughing with a poem he wrote. Anne Hamilton spoke for the administrative staff and Richard French for the faculty. The choir performed beautifully, as always, and then they had the induction. The points of Kim’s inaugural address that spoke to me were her commitment to academic excellence and rigor and to the importance of the humanities and arts as key components of a liberal arts education.

It rained cats and dogs, and was terribly cold. But otherwise, the day fed my soul.

Take a look at the photos. A number of other '84s were also in attendance, including Laua Wood, Alice Yurke, and Cami Mason. My sister, Jeanne Emanuel, ’91, accompanied me."

Thanks, MaryAnne!

Please host an event!

Will you volunteer to host an event? We don't have any Club programs in the summer, so if anybody would be willing to host an event, that would be great!

Many members enjoyed our get-together in March. The commitment is minimal, and I'd be happy to help you with putting together something easy and low-key. Here are some ideas:

Getting together for lunch or dinner at a restaurant. Coffee at a café. Pastries at a local pastry shop. Wine and cheese. Bagels at Bruegger's. Drinks at a pub/bar.

Crafts. Hiking. Picnic. Going to a museum. Hosting a playgroup. Mallwalking. Fireworks for July 4th. Attending a local event.

Our Club is what you make of it. Please leave a comment below or e-mail me at wellesleync@gmail.com to help host a get-together!

May newsletter

The May newsletter has been sent, both electronic and print versions.

If you did not receive yours, click here to access it and to see how you can ensure that you receive future newsletters.

If you keep up with this blog, then there will be no new information in the newsletters. The newsletters are another communication piece to reach members who do not keep up with the blog.

New local events

The list of local events has been updated to include events throughout the summer. They are mostly comprised of lectures at UNC, events at Morehead planetarium (for both adults and families), and various festivals.

Most of these are around the Research Triangle area, as this was what I was able to find. If you have suggestions for events or resources that I can check for events in other areas of NC, please let me know! (Click on "comments" below.)

Cokie Roberts '64 in Raleigh

From Luci Bearon '72:

"I thought fellow alumnae would be interested to know about the upcoming visit of Cokie Roberts, Wellesley '64 to Raleigh. The basic info, taken from an NCSU announcement, is below.

The event, open to the public, is at the McKimmon Center, and directions can be obtained at the NCSU website. Quail Ridge Books is on Wade Avenue in the Ridgewood Shopping Center in Raleigh, next to Whole Foods, 919-828-1588.
Cokie Roberts Special Reading
Friday, May 16, 2008, 7:00 P.M.
McKimmon Center, NCSU
'The Friends of the Library and Quail Ridge Books and Music present Cokie Roberts, award-winning correspondent, political commentator for NPR and ABC News, and author of the national best sellers We Are Our Mother's Daughters, Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation, and the new book Ladies of Liberty, featuring the stories of remarkable women who helped build our nation.

Tickets are $5 each, or attendees may receive one free ticket with the purchase of her new book from Quail Ridge Books and Music. Tickets are free to NC State students (available for pickup at the D. H. Hill Library Circulation Desk; please present campus ID).

The admission ticket also functions as a book-signing-line ticket: the earlier purchased, the earlier your place in line. Cokie Roberts will also personalize and sign her older books. Photography is allowed.'"

Thank you, Luci!

Ackland Art Museum photos

One of the Wellesley Education Expeditions, "Carolina Creativity: An Art Lover's Springtime Journey," made a stop at UNC's Ackland Art Museum on April 12. Our Wellesley Club joined travelers on this expedition for an informative session.


Christine Huber '69, Assistant Curator for Exhibitions; Carol Gillham '55, Assistant Curator for Collections; and Carolyn Wood '74, Assistant Director for Art and Education, introduced the group to Ackland's three newest pieces and led a private tour.

Thank you to Christine, Carol, and Carolyn for sharing their expertise. Thank you also to Jayne Lew and Cy Witt for inviting our Wellesley Club to join the event.

Local LGBT events

NC Pride Parade and Festival will be on September 27 this year. If you're interested in volunteering for a committee (e.g., Parade, Festival, Float Design, Stage, Cheerleaders, Night Festival), contact ncpridefest@aol.com.

To sign up for a mailing list of LGBT events in the Chapel Hill and surrounding areas:

(1) send a message to: local-events-request@listserv.unc.edu

(2) in the body of the message, type: subscribe

Triangle Restaurant Week

Local restaurants celebrate their cuisines for the first annual Triangle Restaurant Week, May 12-18. Participating restaurants are offering fixed price, three-course meals.

Please click on "comments" below to indicate interest in getting together with other alums at one of these restaurants.

April newsletter

The April newsletter was sent out on the 15th. If you did not receive your copy either by e-mail or mail, click here to:

• Find out how to receive the newsletter next month, and
  
• Get a copy of the last newsletter.

The next newsletter will be sent at the end of May.

Living Life with Intention, Purpose and Presence

Rebecca Merrill ’85 will lead a highly interactive and intimate conversation on the subject of creating a life redolent with purpose, meaning and positive intention, in every moment. Through the use of questions and a creative exercise, she will help participants understand what matters most to them and how to make their lives a reflection of that truth.

This workshop will be held on May 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m., in the Merrill Leadership Center, a beautifully renovated 100 year old building located in the heart of Durham near the American Tobacco Campus. You can visit Rebecca’s website at Merrill Leadership to get more information about her leadership coaching with senior executives.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to MaryAnne Gucciardi ’84. The cost is $20. Also, think about the one question that you wish to address during the session and send your question to MaryAnne.

Local events in North Carolina

Check out the new section on our website that lists local events in North Carolina that may be of interest to you.

Currently, these include a number of festivals, lectures, and films. I would like to add other kinds of events, so please send in your suggestions! Click on "comments" below.

Wine and appetizers get-together

Ten of us from a wide range of classes got together for wine and appetizers at Glasshalfull in Carrboro. We talked and learned about each other, as well as reminisced about Wellesley and how it's changed over the years. We had a great time making connections and meeting such amazing women!


Top row: Michelle Cheuk '00, Barbara Crane '70, Susan MacPhail '81, Abigail Panter '85, Yolanda Huang '03, Kate Supnik '05

Bottom row: Andrea Clementi '87, Emily (Rankin) Welch '99, Jaime Danehey '00, Nancy Dubois Deutsch '48

Coastal NC alumnae

Our Wellesley Club covers a large geographic area. While many of our events occur in the Triangle region, many of our alums live outside of this vicinity. If this applies to you and you would like to become more involved with the Club, let us know. For now, here is a note for alums in the Coastal area:

Do you live in the Coastal NC area? Are you interested in connecting with other Wellesley alums nearby? If so, please contact Judy Fellows Nelson ’60 of New Bern. To obtain her contact info, check your Wellesley directory or e-mail Michelle Cheuk '00 at wellesleync@gmail.com.

Photos from wine tasting

Here are some pics from the wine tasting with Smith College Club a couple weekends ago, courtesy of Bridey Maxwell from Smith. She said:

We had a great time. His lecture was very interesting, and the day was a beautiful one for the Arboretum.

(Click on the photos to enlarge.)

Ackland Art Museum New Acquisitions Presentation and Gallery Tour

Join the Wellesley College Piedmont Club and Wellesley Education Expeditions on Saturday, April 12, 3-5 p.m. at the Ackland Art Museum at UNC Chapel Hill.

We’ll enjoy an informal presentation of three significant works of art acquired recently for the Museum's collection (and not yet on view) with experts Carolyn Wood '74, Assistant Director for Art and Education; Christine Huber '69, Assistant Curator for Exhibitions; and Carol Gillham '55, Assistant Curator for Collections, followed by a tour of the Ackland's newly-reinstalled galleries.

We will conclude with a private reception. Coffee, tea, punch, and light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by March 31 to Jayne Lew at jlew@wellesley.edu or 781-283-2389. We hope you can join us!

Wine and appetizers

Get together for drinks and delicious small-plate appetizers at the Glasshalfull wine bar in Carrboro on Wednesday, March 26, 6 p.m. This event is hosted by Michelle Cheuk '00. RSVP to wellesleync@gmail.com.

The address is 106 South Greensboro Street, Carrboro. Click here for directions.

Wine tasting with Smith College Club

The Smith College Club of the Triangle cordially invites the Wellesley College Club to a lecture and wine tasting:

"What Makes Good Wine? The Connection Between Wine and Geology"
by Larry Meinert Ph.D., Professor of Geology, Smith College

Sunday, March 2nd, 2-4pm

JC Raulston Arboretum
NC State University
Ruby C. McSwain Education Bldg.
4415 Beryl Rd., Raleigh NC

Six wines will be showcased along with light accompaniments. Smith Club member rate of $22 for Wellesley alumnae. RSVP by Wednesday, February 27, to wellesleync@gmail.com.

Carpool rides to the event from the Chapel Hill/Pittsboro area are available. Click here for directions to the Arboretum.

New Wellesley Club website

The new website for our Wellesley Club is live! Check it out by going to WellesleyNC.com.

The website has information about the Club as well as upcoming events, photos, obtaining a directory, and getting involved. We'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions. To do so, click on "comments" below.

We look forward to bringing you more events and connecting you with fellow alumnae!

Summer symposium on women writers

This year's Summer Symposium, “In Her Own Hand: Women Writers, Then and Now,” will take place June 2-6, at Wellesley College.

The Summer Symposium offers a unique opportunity for alumnae and guests to take advantage of Wellesley’s most treasured resources: its beautiful campus, its state-of-the-art facilities, and most of all, its faculty.

This year’s topic, “In Her Own Hand: Women Writers, Then and Now” will explore poems, essays, and novels written by women in the 19th through 21st centuries. Women writers from Jane Austen to Charlotte Brontë to Doris Lessing to M.F.K. Fisher have had to contend with the fact of “their sex”; does that fact matter to their work?

Symposium Faculty Chair Lisa Rodensky ’84, Assistant Professor of English, and other Wellesley faculty will consider the common questions these texts raise about female identity, morality, and artistic form. Guests who are unable to join us for the full program may consider coming for one, two or all three days.

If you would like to be a part of this exciting event, please contact Tricia Woodward at 781-283-2438 or specialprograms2@alum.wellesley.edu, or visit http://www.wellesley.edu/Alum/Events/Symposium/index.html.

Request for photos

Do you have photos of yourself and your life as a Wellesley alum? How about you getting together with other Wellesley alums? Or photos of the Wellesley campus? And photos of you back during your Wellesley days?

We would love to put them on our website! Our alums lead varied, dynamic lives, and it would be great for all of us to get to know one another.

Please contact Michelle Cheuk '00 at wellesleync@gmail.com.