Mills QuarterlySummer 2014

c r e w c e l e b r a t e S a c e n t u r y w h a t a r e y o u d o i n g w i t h y o u r l i f e ?

Body • Mind • Spirit Sports at Mills

sharing the story of the annual fundUpkeep of Mills’

135-acre campus with 64 buildings and over 2,000 eucalyptus trees

Last fall’s entering class included: • 142 students who are fluent in a language other than English, including Burmese, Laotian, Danish, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, and Cantonese

• 26 students who served on the student council at their previous school and nearly 100 who held a leadership position within a club or organization

• a published author, an Emmy-nominated actress, and a student who is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest webcast

72% of Mills classes have fewer than 20 students At other schools:• UC Berkeley – 63%• Stanford – 69%• Smith College – 68%• Wellesley College – 73%

Furniture, repairs, maintenance, and services in residence halls housing

650 students at a cost of about $800,000 each year

Sustainability initiatives, such as a boiler upgrade that resulted in a 24% decrease in the campus’s natural gas consumption

72%

The annual fund provides funding for faculty, staff, and academic support, ensuring that Mills students benefit from highly engaged teaching and learning.

The annual fund also supports the following areas:

16% of Mills undergraduates are resumers (age 25 or older)

Student–faculty ratio at Mills – 10:1

Annual fund gifts support financial aid for talented students who come to Mills from many different backgrounds.

3.64 GPA in high school of fall 2013 first-year students

=

First-generation college students (first in their families to attend college)Campus’s natural

gas consumption

Students of color

National average: 16%

National average among liberal arts colleges – 12:1

National average: 32%

30%50%

Every gift you make to the annual fund becomes part of the Mills story. Every gift plays a role in providing remarkable students with a life-changing educational experience.

16%

Mills

UC Berkeley

StanfordSmith

Wellesley

7%

1%4%

2%

24%

At other schools:

Give to the Mills College Annual Fund by visiting alumnae.mills.edu/give, calling 510.430.2366, or returning the enclosed envelope.

051307 Mills_AnnualFund_Ad#4_final.indd 1 5/27/14 12:16 PM

3 Restructuringforlong-termsuccessThe Mills community faces difficult decisions in order to arrive at a balanced budget that ensures financial stability while meeting the needs of 21st-century students.

8 AfterMills,manypathsby Dawn Cunningham ’85As this year’s graduates received their diplomas, many must have been considering what careers they might pursue in the years to come. A recent alumnae/i survey shows that their options are varied and sometimes unexpected. Plus: Bent Twigs.

12 Thesportinglifeby Caitlin Graveson Mitchell, MA ’13 Participating in athletics helps students find a sense of belonging, increase their focus in the classroom, and develop skills that serve them well after graduation.

16 Pullingtogetherby Vanessa Marlin ’08 One hundred years ago, Mills crew became one of the first women’s competitive rowing teams in the country. Since then, rowers have worked together to sustain old traditions and earn new triumphs.

36 TheStoriesWeShare:SwimmingthroughthewavesFor Ellen Krosney Shockro ’64, achieving success in both athletics and academics is a matter of possibility and persistence.

Departments

2 LetterstotheEditor

4 MillsMatters

22 ClassNotes

33 InMemoriam

8 12 16 Mills Quarterly

contents Summer 2014

On the cover: The Mills cross country team comes together in a moment of joyful camaraderie. Photo by Kurt Loeffler.

2  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly2  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly2  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

The spring Quarterly article “Feeding the Artist,” by Jessica Langlois, MFA ’10, was thrilling. I’ve always believed that very few talented artists and writers actually know enough about good business prac-tices to sustain their art. Professor Nancy Thornborrow’s idea to use the business resources of the College for the benefit of emerging artists, writers, and musicians was brilliant. And the experience of Kiala Givehand, MFA ’10, in establishing her own publishing organization was a per-fect way to show the value of the course for generations to come. I was so inspired by the article that I sent a check to Mills this morning. Once again, I’m so proud of Mills!

— Reed Isbell-Hobbs ’62 McLean, Virginia

I read the article on Mills College’s course, The Business of Being an Artist, in the spring 2014 issue with great interest. As a professional artist and college teacher, I was acutely aware that my students were often highly talented yet totally unfamil-iar with how to make a living from their creative work.

When I taught at the Kansas City Art Institute (1968–86), the administration resisted adding a professional practices course, so several of us took the initiative to teach a series of workshops in the eve-nings and on weekends. When I arrived at Montana State University as director of the School of Art in 1986, I developed an elective course, Careers in Art, that is now required of all students in the BFA

curriculum. I began the course with the writing of a resume and artist statement, then did sessions on how to photograph and market one’s work, and worked up to writing grants, applying to graduate school, and how to file a Schedule C with the IRS. I brought in successful artists who shared their experiences of running their studios as a profitable business. Not infrequently, I run into former students who tell me they still have all the hand-outs from the class and how it helped them in their careers.

Kudos to Mills for giving its students an opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills from professional artists and writers so they, in turn, can also be successful.

—Willem Volkersz, MFA ’67 Professor Emeritus,

Montana State University Bozeman, Montana

The letter in the spring issue of the Quarterly from Ellen Myers Taves ’48 really shocked me. I don’t know how she could say, “…the education was poor.” I was in the class of 1950 and found the education stimulating, life changing for the better, and leaving me with the knowledge that knowing how to search for information was a very important asset. (Too true today when I am not com-puter friendly!) It is hard to imagine what classes Ellen took that left her dissatis-fied, but certainly they must have been different than those I took.

—Marjorie Nath Ettlinger ’50 Highland Park, Illinois

Have an opinion or comment? Send it to Mills Quarterly, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613 or quarterly@mills.edu. Letters may be edited for clarity or length.

LetterstotheEditorVolume CII Number 4 Summer 2014

PresidentAlecia A. DeCoudreaux

VicePresidentforInstitutionalAdvancementTanya Hauck

ManagingEditorLinda Schmidt

DesignandArtDirectionNancy Siller Wilson

ContributingWriters

Vanessa Marlin ’08 Caitlin Graveson Mitchell, MA ’13

EditorialAssistanceMaggie Slover ’14 Russell Schoch

The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California, and at additional mailing office(s). Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Copyright © 2014, Mills College

Address correspondence to the Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Letters to the editor may be edited for clarity or length.

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312

Printed on recycled paper containing 10 percent post-consumer waste.

(Please use outline)

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 3

Restructuring for long-term success

As we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating students, I am mind-ful of the generations of students who have studied at this wonderful college and gone out to make their marks on the world. I am also mindful of our need to preserve and enhance the College so that future generations of students will have the benefit of a Mills education.

For several years in the recent past, Mills operated with a budget deficit that was compounded when the markets col-lapsed in 2008. We have taken measur-able steps to manage this deficit, including making substantial budget cuts in 2011. We ended fiscal year 2013 last June with a balanced budget, thanks to the collec-tive efforts of the campus community and generous gifts, including bequests, from alumnae and other donors.

This year, however, we again face a substantial deficit, and that deficit gap is projected to increase in fiscal year 2015 and beyond unless we restructure our operations and implement decisive and permanent cost-reducing measures. To create the Mills that generations of stu-dents in the 21st century will need and want, it is imperative that we balance the budget once and for all. We will then be able to fund initiatives that are critical for the health and growth of the College, as articulated in the College’s strategic plan (see www.mills.edu/strategicplan). For example, we aim to make greater invest-ments in integrating technology with the curriculum and in career services, which are essential to attract and retain students—and prepare them for success throughout their lives.

The deficit Mills faces reflects two long-term challenges:

• Mills continues to be tuition-dependent for the majority of our revenue, and enrollment growth has been both gradual and volatile. Although our fall 2013 enrollment of 1,608 students was the largest in Mills’ history, enroll-ment declined in the spring due to lower-than-expected retention of stu-dents. As a result, we are lagging behind our projections for enrollment revenue, and we expect this situation to continue next year.

• In keeping with best financial prac-tices, we are drawing less income from our endowment; we aim to cap endow-ment payouts at no more than 5 per-cent (down from as high as 7 percent) within two years. To continue to draw as much from the endowment as in the past would jeopardize the long-term financial stability of the College.

To address the impact of these factors and balance the budget, we must reduce costs in fiscal year 2015, which begins on July 1, by at least $5.5 million (our budget was $84.6 million in fiscal year 2014). I have asked my cabinet to explore a reorganization that will enable Mills to educate students in the most effective manner possible and to evolve into the 21st-century institution envisioned in our strategic plan. This will likely mean difficult decisions in regard to staffing, and may even result in closing some aca-demic programs. Any changes to the cur-riculum will be informed by enrollment data and faculty program reviews and will be approved by faculty vote.

We aim to make many of these bud-get-reduction decisions by June 30, but some restructuring ideas will evolve over several months through discussions with

faculty and staff to ensure that we are maximizing efficiencies and synergies. I will be sharing news of our decisions with Mills alumnae and friends via email.*

While we work to reduce the deficit, we will also seek to increase revenue streams (see more about a land leasing option on page 6). Tuition will remain our chief revenue source, so we are continuing to invest in strategies to enhance student recruitment and retention, including attracting more international students. One thing we will not change, however, is our steadfast commitment to keeping Mills a women’s college at the undergrad-uate level.

Mills, like many higher education insti-tutions across the country, must revise its business model in order to survive and thrive. Our community has the knowl-edge to plan for the future; we need the volition to make hard decisions and the willingness to do things differently. We also need the support of our alumnae and friends: volunteers to help our stu-dents find their career paths, for example, and donors to support our annual fund and student scholarships. When all these things happen, we can move forward to assure Mills’ success in the future.

*If you would like to receive emails from me but do not already receive news from Mills via email, please call 510.430.2123 or email alumnae-relations@mills.edu to share your email address.

A Message from the President of Mills College

By Alecia A. DeCoudreaux

Mills MattersAs this academic year draws to a close, several long-time faculty and staff are leaving Mills to enjoy retirement or other pursuits.

After more than a half century of teaching, Professor of Anthropology Robert Anderson is moving on. At Mills since 1960, Anderson received three degrees in anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. He later earned a doctor of chiropractic at Life Chiropractic College and an MD from the University of Ciudad Juarez, and has published dozens of journal articles and other writings, often focus-ing on alternative and traditional medi-cine in a number of cultures. He has held several administrative and editorial appointments with the Southwestern Anthropological Association, the American Back Society, and the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Vicki LaBoskey, professor of educa-tion at Mills since 1988, earned her PhD at Stanford University, worked with the Stanford Teacher Education Program, and has significant elemen-tary level classroom experience—all of which inform her extensive research and writing on teacher self-study, reflective inquiry, and techniques for counteract-ing racism and encouraging social justice in teaching. She has served as president of the California Council on Teacher Education and, in 2001, was honored with the Trefethen Faculty Award for excellence in teaching and scholarship.

Associate Professor of Biology Susan Spiller headed a bioengineering team at Mills that developed a red fluores-cent tag in a blue-green bacterium that enhances microscopic imaging in living cells and enables researchers to monitor infection mechanisms as they happen. A faculty member at Mills since 1988,

Fond farewells to faculty and staff

Correction: The photo of the introduction of the Shirley Chisholm postage stamp in the last issue of the Quarterly inadver-tently identified Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, third from right, as Senator Barbara Boxer. We apologize for the error.

Spiller completed her doctorate at UC Berkeley and has held a research grant from the National Science Foundation to pursue her work; she will continue her research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Two staff members who have influ-enced hundreds of students throughout their tenures have also retired. Kennedy Golden, most recently the associate dean of students and international student advisor, has held many roles in her 45 years of service with Mills.

Carol Berendsen, director of aquat-ics and physical education coordinator, was hired to help oversee construction of the Trefethen Aquatic Center 16 years ago and to re-establish the Mills College swim team. Under her leadership, the Mills pool served the needs of students and the community alike. Berendsen also served as president of the Bay Area Pool Operator’s Association and

was certified at the highest level of the American Red Cross to teach and certify water safety instructors; she gave critical input into training materials used across the country.

Clockwisefromtopleft: KennedyGolden,CarolBerendsen,VickiLaBoskey,SusanSpiller

4  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

On view at the Mills College Art Museum

BinhDanh,Military Foliage #2,2010,Chlorophyllprintandresin,Museumpurchase,SusanL.MillsFund

CrossSection:RecentAcquisitionsJuly 16–August 31

Recently acquired pieces in dialogue with artwork from MCAM’s permanent collection celebrates the diversity of the museum’s holdings in a wide range of media. This collection of very different artworks and artists draws together multiple themes and ideas and features new acquisitions of work by Carrie Mae Weems, Judy Chicago, Mika Rottenberg, Sylvia Sleigh, Kathryn Spence, Binh Danh, Pae White, Allison Smith, Nathan Oliveira, and Joanne Leonard, among others.

For more information, see mcam.mills.edu or contact 510.430.2164 or museum@mills.edu. The museum is open 11:00 am–4:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 am–7:30 pm Wednesday, and is closed Monday. Admission is free.

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 5

Beginning this fall, both a major and minor in theater studies will again be available to Mills College students. The program results from a partnership with San Francisco’s esteemed American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) that allows students to learn the best of theory and practice and have access to world-class theater professionals.

“This innovative theater major with A.C.T. combines the artistic discipline and training of an intense studio program and the intellectual rigor and scholarly breadth of a first-class liberal arts college,” said Kimberley L. Phillips, Mills provost and dean of the faculty.

“Students will participate in interdisci-plinary collaborations with various Mills departments, experience the professional atmosphere of A.C.T., a Tony Award-winning regional theater, and engage in San Francisco’s vibrant artistic and diverse cultural community,” she added. “This is an ideal program for the student

who desires both an academic and experiential the-ater education.”

The new theater major combines dance and theater studies courses taught on campus with classes taken at the A.C.T. stu-dios in downtown San Francisco; the San Francisco requirements can be fulfilled on a full-time or part-time basis. The curriculum will expand from seminars to practicum classes and will include interdisciplinary collaborations and per-formance opportunities.

“We are tremendously excited about expanding the cohort of young-adult acting talent under our roof and look forward to the energy, vitality, and cre-ativity that these undergraduates will bring to our artistic community,” said

The return of dramatic arts

Conservatory Director Melissa Smith.A.C.T. is internationally known for its

groundbreaking classical and contem-porary productions. It is also recognized as an outstanding educational institu-tion and was rated as one of the top 10 drama schools in the country in a recent poll of 60 top casting directors and agents by The Hollywood Reporter. Notable alumni include Annette Bening, Benjamin Bratt, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Anna Deavere Smith, and Denzel Washington.

A.C.T.’srecentproductionofNapoli!byEduardoDeFilippo

Judith James ’74, of Strasburg, Virginia, has been elected alumna trustee for the 2014–17 term beginning July 1. In this role she will be a mem-ber of the Board of Governors of the Alumnae Association of Mills College and also act as a alumna representative on the Mills College Board of Trustees. James, shown at left, holds a BA in cultural anthropology/sociology from Mills, an MA in education from Holy Names University, and a doctorate in organization and leadership in higher education administration from the University of San Francisco. She has been a leader

in several community and educational organizations and on the Mills College Alumnae of Color committee. “The AAMC of the future must be fully synchronized with the College ...to ensure the ongoing support and achievement of Mills’ mis-sion, governance, and, in particular, each of the six strategic imperatives identified for 2013–2018,” says James.

Lalita Tademy has also been named to the Mills College Board. Tademy found success in the corporate world as a vice president at a Fortune 500 high technol-ogy company in Silicon Valley before launching her literary career with the novel Cane River, based on the lives of four generations of colored Creole slave women in Louisiana. Cane River was Oprah Winfrey’s summer book pick in 2001 and was followed in 2007 by Red River, a historical novel inspired by events that happened during Reconstruction after the Civil War.

Two women join College Trustees

vice president of operations, says, “At the moment, the task force is only investi-gating the feasibility of the project. We are discussing the possibilities for the site with the developer, but we have not committed to the project. If the project comes to fruition, it would have a long timeline for completion.”

Jadushlever points out that the project would provide a new source of rev-enue for Mills. The College’s 2013–18 Strategic Plan identifies the develop-ment of underutilized land as a potential means of generating revenue that would help to secure the College’s long-term financial stability. The plan also calls for building a more vibrant campus and strategic partnerships with the city of Oakland; the real estate development

Mills College is evaluating the possibil-ity of leasing five acres of land on the periphery of campus for commercial development, including retail and office space and housing. The College was approached by a developer interested in the site, located on Seminary Avenue near Highway 580.

A Real Estate Development Task Force, composed of current and former trustees and a pro bono real estate expert, has been convened to evaluate whether the project meets the needs of the Mills com-munity and its neighbors. As part of this evaluation process, College representa-tives are meeting with city leaders, local merchants, neighborhood associations, and the campus community.

Renée Jadushlever, chief of staff and

College considers leasing underutilized campus site for commercial use

project could advance both of these goals.In a statement released to alumnae through

the (e)ucalyptus email newsletter in April, President DeCoudreaux wrote, “Our initial anal-ysis of the project points to many advantages: Mills would retain ownership of the land while receiving regular income from its use. Because the proposed site is at the edge of campus and would be accessed from Seminary Avenue, it can be developed without compromising the beauty and serenity for which our landscape is known. Our students would gain more options for shopping and possibly employment in the neighborhood. The new shops would foster a greater sense of place as more residents are drawn to the area. In short, this project appears to fulfill many of the Mills community’s desires and addresses several of the College’s strategic imperatives.”

President Alecia DeCoudreaux hosted a dinner on the Mills campus in May for all local college presidents in honor of Janet Napolitano, who became president of the University of California in September 2013, and new UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks. Dirks is the father of Sandhya Dirks ’10, who wrote the article about Mills public radio classes for the spring 2012 issue of the Quarterly.

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S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 7

Campus kudos A selection of recent achievements by faculty, staff, and students

Two faculty members in the Mills Music Department have been honored with 2014 Doris Duke Artist Awards in recognition of “exceptional creativ-ity, ongoing self-challenge, and the continuing potential to make signifi-cant contributions.” The first is Roscoe Mitchell, Darius Milhaud Professor of Music, an icon of contemporary music and avant-garde jazz. A found-ing member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, Mitchell is respected as both a composer and performer, frequently utilizing such unorthodox devices as spontaneous col-lective improvisation, toy instruments, and non-musical noise. His forthcom-ing CD features his colleagues from the Mills Music Department, James Fei and William Winant.

Also receiving a Doris Duke Award is Distinguished Visiting Artist Zeena Parkins, a pioneer of contemporary harp practice and performance. She has built one-of-a-kind electric harps and extended the language of the acoustic harp with unusual playing techniques, preparations, and layers of electronic processing. She has received numerous commissions; her most recent record-ing is Trouble in Paradise, with Ikue Mori. Each recipient of a Doris Duke Artist Award receives an unrestricted, multi-year cash grant of $225,000, plus as much as $25,000 more for audience development and another $25,000 for personal reserves or creative exploration.

Achy Obejas, distinguished visiting writer in the English Department, has been named a Woodrow Wilson Fellow for 2014–2016. The Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program brings artists, diplomats, journalists, business leaders, and other nonacademic professionals

to campuses across the United States for substantive dialogue with students and faculty members to create better understanding and new connections between the academic and nonacademic worlds. Obejas was also nominated for a Pushcart Prize for her poem, “Genesis.” Obejas and Megan Bayles are co-editors of Immigrant Voices: Twenty-First Century Stories, an anthology of immigrant fic-tion, published in March by the Great Books Foundation.

President Alecia DeCoudreaux was honored as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business for 2014 by the San Francisco Business Times in the publication’s May 2 special issue.

Assistant Professor of Art History Meryl Bailey is one of a select group of 21 faculty members nationwide chosen by the Council of Independent Colleges to participate in a special week-long seminar on Teaching Pre-Modern European Art in Context. Participants will have special access to objects held by the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art in Chicago, which is hosting the event.

Priya Shimpi, assistant professor of education, has been named to the National Science Foundation College of Reviewers and to the international fellowship selection panel of the American Association of University Women. She recently made a presenta-tion at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and, with a Mills undergradu-ate author and others, published the paper “Creation of a western-based early childhood English-language program in China” in the Journal of Research in Childhood Education.

Fromtop:RoscoeMitchell,ZeenaParkins,

AchyObejas,MerylBailey

8  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly8  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

By Dawn Cunningham ’85 Data analysis by Mike Pasqua Photos by Steve Babuljak

After Mills, many paths

Commencement speaker Daljit Bains ’99 asked of this year’s graduates. On Saturday, May 17, 591 undergraduates and graduate students became Mills alumnae/i. For most of them, Commencement signaled the start of a new path in life or a new phase in their careers.

During her speech, Bains shared reflections on her own career path. Immediately after graduating from Mills, she gained a valuable insight while working a temporary job reviewing resumes for an executive search firm. “I realized, from real life examples, that there are many different paths to get to where you’d like to be,” she said. Building on her background as a biology major, she launched her professional career at Genentech, where she managed drug production, then went on to oversee regulatory compliance at Johnson & Johnson.

“A few years after being on my path in the biotech and pharma world, I could sense something was missing for me on a soul level,” said Bains. “I remembered that my path did not have to be linear.”

She left biotech to start her own fair-trade business, Kaur Textiles, specializing in textiles, housewares, and accessories from India. “I had a desire to make an impact in rural communi-ties in India, especially in the lives of women.”

In 2010, Bains became chief compliance officer for the Peace Corps. “For me this was an especially telling moment, because what seemed like disparate pieces at the time—biotech and social

“What now? What do you do next?”

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 9

entrepreneurship—were coming together for me in a way I couldn’t have imagined when I started my path,” she said.

“Pay attention to the things that make you feel alive, and move in that direc-tion,” Bains advised.

Viae diversaeMany Mills graduates share Bains’s success in carving a non-linear path after college. Last year, the College conducted an online survey to learn more about the paths that graduates have taken. Responses were received from 2,860 alumnae/i: 2,338 who studied at Mills for their undergraduate degrees and 522 who attended as graduate students.

One of the trends that this survey made evident is that Mills alumnae/i pur-sue an impressive diversity of career paths, and many of these paths defy cat-egorization. The single occupational category that the greatest number (187) of survey respondents selected to describe their work was “other”; the next most popular category was “education, other,” selected by 87 respondents. More than 100 specific occupations were represented, including ranchers and writers, anthropologists and venture capitalists, choreographers and clergy.

Undergraduate alumnae, in particular, are almost as likely to pursue a path that leads far from their major as to find professional employment in their field of study. While 54 percent are employed in a related field, there are former arts students working in medicine, English majors in finance, natural science stu-dents in journalism, and social science majors in technology. The situation is rather different for graduate alumnae/i, many of whom have chosen advanced study to further an already established career. Among these respondents, 83 percent are employed in a field related to their area of study at Mills.

“Pay attention to the things that make you feel alive, and move in that direction.”

–Daljit Bains ’99

10  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly10  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Such career flexibility is one of the advantages of a liberal arts education: a broad base of knowledge equips alumnae to adapt to changing opportunities in the job market and to continue to assimilate new ideas throughout their lives. Bains recalled, “The conversations I had with friends at the dinner table at Founders Hall—where I learned about feminist theory, art history, musi-cians, and writers—all gave me an education beyond what I had signed up for. Being at a small, liberal arts college gave me easy access to events and people beyond what I was studying in Dr. Spiller’s bio classes…. Mills let me fully explore my curiosity because I had access to so much on a small campus.”

A love of learningDespite the diversity of career paths, there are certain broad fields that have proven especially attractive to Mills alumnae/i of all generations. Education—including occupations such as elementary school teacher, college professor, librarian, and coach—is the most popular field for both undergraduate and graduate alumnae/i who have graduated since 1970. For pre-1970 graduates, larger percentages are retired or working in business.

Among undergraduate respondents of all majors, 18 percent work in edu-cation. It is the most common field of employment for majors in education, letters, and natural science; among fine arts majors, it is equal in popularity to the fine and performing arts field; and among social science majors, education is almost as common a field as business.

The second most common area of employment for all generations of under-graduate alumnae since 1970 is business (with 11 percent of respondents), followed by communications, nonprofit, and medical/biotechnology occupa-tions—each with 5 to 6 percent of respondents.

Among graduate alumnae/i, 39 percent work in education. This reflects the large number of graduates over the decades from the College’s esteemed School of Education. But among English graduate alumnae/i, education is also the top field, with 37 percent of respondents, followed by communications and writing-related occupations, with 26 percent. Among fine arts graduates, almost as many are employed in education as in the fine and performing arts (28 percent and 32 percent of respondents, respectively).

Unsurprisingly, science graduate alumnae/i, including those from the com-puter science and pre-med programs, are most likely to work in a technology or medical/biotech field. Social science graduate alumnae/i, including those with MBAs and MPPs, are most likely to work in business (34 percent) or finance (31 percent); 10 percent work in public service.

Overall for graduate alumnae/i, the three most common career fields after education are the fine and performing arts, communications-related occupa-tions, and business.

No matter what path an alumna walks after Mills—whether it’s a straight shot from her major or whether it takes many twists and turns—the love of learning she shares with her classmates will surely stay with her throughout her life. An additional trait that all graduates should cultivate, Bains said in her address, is the desire to “walk the earth”:

“Walking the earth is anything that takes you outside of your normal. When you begin to walk the earth, you will begin to see yourself as a part of the larger world. This takes you outside of your comfort zone… it challenges you and subsequently helps you to grow…. Walking the earth is about having curiosity…. For me, walking the earth helped me re-imagine the world and my place in it.” ◆

Other 23% Education 18% Business 11% Communications 6% Retired 6% Nonprofit 5% Medical/Biotech 5% Finance 4% Fine/Performing Arts 3% Technology 3% Government/Public Service 3% Social Services 3% Homemaker 3% Legal, Self-Employed, Hospitality, 8% Agriculture, Grad Student, Unemployed, Volunteer (2% or less each)

Undergraduate alumnae in various occupational fields

Education 39%Other 14% Fine/Performing Arts 10% Communications 8% Business 7% Technology 4% Finance 3% Medical/Biotech 3% Nonprofit, Social Services, 12% Government/Public Service, Legal, Hospitality, Homemaker, Volunteer, Unemployed (2% or less each)

Graduate alumnae in various occupational fields

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 11

A Bent Twig is a Mills student or alumna whose family tree includes another Mills alumna. 1 Bridget Shaw with her grandmother Carol Shaw Treffinger ’54,

mother, Marian Murphy-Shaw ’83, and aunt Linda Treffinger ’83

2 Thea Anderson and her sister Madeleine Anderson ’11, MA ’12

3 Nolan Jones, MA ’12, and his brother Nathan Jones, MFA ’10

4 Elizabeth Anne Judge with her mother, Suzanne Good ’66, and her godmother, Vicki Lindblade ’66

5 Camille Kaslan with her mother, Cat Du Ruz Kaslan ’85, grandmother Patricia Welch Schanzenbach ’53, and aunt Bridget Du Ruz ’79

6 Alheli Cuenca with her sister, Dalia Cuenca ’11

7 Sheila Cassani and her aunt, Sara Beckner Northwood ’80

8 Daisha Yasmine Mshaka with her sister, Thembisa M. Mshaka ’92

9 Meghan Hinsch and her aunt, Rachael Meny ’92

10 Mollie Ito Roark and her mother, Susan Ito, MFA ’94

11 Samantha Curran with her cousin, Amy Curran ’07

12 Loreli Mann and her mother, Linden Steele ’03, MA ’05

13 Laura Vollmer with her mother, Helen Adams Vollmer ’74, and her father, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry John Vollmer

14 Laura Nineham Williams with her mother, Charlotte Nineham Barry-Williams ’77

15 Alexandra Sheffield and her sister, Meg Huff ’05

ph otos by t er e sa tam

Bent twigs ’14

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12  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

sportingThe

lifeBy Caitlin Graveson Mitchell, MA ’13 Photos by Kurt Loeffler

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 13

Strolling through campus, you may see students sporting a t-shirt that boldly declares “Mills College Football: Still Undefeated!” It’s a tongue-in-cheek procla-

mation, but athletics nonetheless is a vital part of the college experience for many Mills students. The confidence and cama-raderie they find while wearing the blue and yellow results not only in a record of wins and losses, but also enhances their aca-demic performance, builds emotional maturity and resilience, and develops an array of other skills that will help them well beyond graduation.

Mills athletics “places highest priority on development of the whole student-athlete,” says Themy Adachi, assistant dean of student life and director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation. The department maintains six varsity teams—swim-ming, tennis, soccer, cross country, volleyball, and rowing—that compete within Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Unlike the NCAA’s big-name, big-money Division I sports, which offer students scholarships in exchange for athletic performance, Division III programs are built on a different phi-losophy. While still providing high-quality intercollegiate com-petition, Division III offers no sports scholarships, has shorter playing seasons, and emphasizes the importance of academics and full participation in campus life.

“This is very much aligned with our institutional values at Mills,” says Adachi. “The emphasis is on being a student first; it is about educating the whole person. Our student-athletes are leaders throughout the campus,” she adds, noting that many Mills student-athletes serve as resident advisors, student sena-tors, class council members, admissions ambassadors, and edi-tors or writers for The Campanil.

UC Santa Cruz is the only other Division III program in Northern California, so that over the course of the regular season, the Cyclones often match up against more competi-tive teams at Division II colleges or smaller programs under the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. End-of-the-season tournaments are played against other similarly skilled Division III teams in the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC), which includes Agnes Scott College, Wesleyan, and several other all-women’s schools. The GSAC affiliation also gives Mills the potential to compete in the NCAA Division III National Championships.

“This conference championship lets us com-pete against other schools that share our phi-losophy,” says Head Tennis Coach Loke Davis ’09. “It’s a real goal to look forward to at the end of the semester.”

Maribell Garcia ’14, a four-year student-athlete and senior class president, traveled with the volleyball team to the GSAC champi-

onships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, last November. “We were playing teams that are similar to our own skill level,” she says. “The competition was better; rallies lasted longer. It felt good to play with a little fight and to feel like we really earned our wins.”

That competitive edge also extends to making a solid showing in the classroom. When Katie Young ’12 was a mem-ber of the Mills swim team in 2011, the Cyclones recorded the highest grade point average (GPA) in the country among NCAA Division III women’s swimming programs. “That was something we were proud of,” Young recalls. “There was positive peer pres-sure to keep our grades up.”

Such success is due, in part, to the efforts of Head Swim Coach Neil Virtue, who meets with each student regularly to check on her progress in the pool and in the classroom. If a student is struggling, he helps her develop an academic plan. During Virtue’s 12-year tenure at Mills, the swim team has been recog-nized every semester by the College Swim Coaches Association of America for earning a 3.30 GPA or higher.

Young had opted out of swimming during her first year at Mills. An environmental studies major with a music minor, she was concerned that she wouldn’t have time for music lessons, homework, and swim practice.

“I’m happy that I got over that,” she laughs. “Swimming actu-ally increased my ability to do academics in the long run.” She rejoined swimming in her sophomore year, and explains that early morning practices meant getting homework done on time the night before. “I realized that I was more productive when playing a sport,” she says. “It adds structure to your life.”

The value placed on academics is not unique to the swim team. Student-athletes in all sports find support for their schoolwork even at the gym. When teams travel, coaches set aside manda-tory study time. Coaches connect struggling students with aca-demic resources, and follow up to make sure student-athletes are improving. Last year, varsity students earned a combined 3.28 GPA.

Mills student-athletes become their best on the field, in the classroom, and in life

14  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Volleyball player Maribell Garcia found that the team had regularly scheduled study sessions, sometimes even replacing on-the-court practice with study hall. “Playing sports has helped with time management,” adds Garcia, a first-generation college student. “When I am playing, I find myself procrastinating a lot less than I do during the off season.”

The stress relief of athletic participation also contributes to mental focus, says Ledah Casburn ’03, a swimmer who double majored in math and computer science. Casburn saw her time at the pool as a chance to burn off energy and re-focus on school. “It was meditative,” she says. “We had to get up early and get in the pool. It gave me an awesome calm.”

For many student-athletes, joining a varsity team is about much more than athletic competition. Loke Davis, who played volleyball and tennis as a Mills student, says that being part of the athletics community made her transition to college easier.

“It was huge to come in and automatically have a group of sophomores, juniors, seniors, and staff who were committed to me because I was on the team,” Davis recalls. “Having that sup-port system right off the bat really helped.”

Now serving as the tennis coach, Davis maintains a supportive environment for her student-athletes. “I was nervous to be on a college campus,” says junior Alice Hewitt, “but Loke was so calm and positive. She was a big factor in why I chose Mills.”

For Mara Harwood, a first-year biopsychology major from Washington, joining the swim team was a quick way for her to find a community. “I was really afraid that I wouldn’t be able to make friends at Mills, but I knew that by joining a sports team I would have a place where I could fit in right away,” she says. After practices, the team gathers in a hot tub at Trefethen Aquatic Center to relax and catch up. “Those are my favorite times—just hanging out after a really grueling practice.”

Volleyball player and swimmer Megan Miller ’05 points out how individuality was encouraged when she was a student-athlete. “Someone’s odd trait or unique characteristic was something that was championed,” she says, adding that the environment provided space for her to grow into herself. “I was able to figure out who I am,” Miller explains. “I was rewarded and encouraged to be me.”

“The emphasis is on being a student first; it is about educating the whole person.”—Themy Adachi, Director of Athletics,

Physical Education and Recreation

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 15

develop on the court can translate to their pursuits in school and in their professional lives.”

Megan Miller says the leadership, problem solving, conflict resolution, and team-building skills she learned as a student-athlete are integral to her success both as a volleyball coach and in her career as a consultant. “I use all of those things on a daily basis,” Miller says.

Similarly, Katie Young uses the lessons she learned as a rower and swimmer in her job as a biologist. Her experience as a stu-dent-athlete prepared her for the physically challenging task of working in the field, she says, and her ability to maintain a posi-tive attitude even under strenuous conditions has served her well in a variety of situations.

“We had some grumpy people at swim practice so early in the morning,” Young laughs. “I learned how much your attitude affects the group, and this made me commit to being a positive influence.

“And I learned to push myself to my limit,” she adds. “Sports puts you in uncomfortable positions, but that is how you grow and learn.” ◆

Time spent together in practice, competition, and travel often leads to lifelong friendships, and this sense of closeness and support may well contrib-ute to the high graduation rate of student-athletes. Social isolation is often cited as a major factor in students’ decision to leave school; a 2011 study by Stanford University’s School of Education found a 10 to 15 percent increase in retention rates among stu-dents who received mentoring and coaching.

At Mills, 83 percent of student-athletes in the enter-ing class of 2009 persisted to graduation; they were retained at a rate several percentage points higher than their classmates. Nationwide, Division III athlet-ics programs have an average graduation rate 7 per-cent above that of the general student body.

Participating in athletics at Mills also helps develop a sense of being part of the community beyond campus. With their unbounded energy and confident attitude, Mills student-athletes are a formi-dable force in community service.

“Our teams understand the importance and sat-isfaction of giving back,” Adachi says. Throughout the year, teams may take part in service days, fund-raising events, charity drives, kids’ camps, and sports training clinics. The department is a five-time recipient of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators/Josten’s Community Service Awards.

In 2008, Mills student-athletes were recognized for the work they did to restore and refurbish Havenscourt Middle School in Oakland, where they painted the campus, organized and fur-nished the library, and started a garden. And every year, the swim team volunteers at the Swim-a-Mile fundraiser at the cam-pus pool to benefit the Women’s Cancer Resource Center. They host swim clinics to help participants prepare for the mile-long swim and pitch in on the day of the event.

These activities establish a sense of belonging within the cam-pus community and a habit of contributing for the greater good. Adachi notes that athletic pursuits provide an easy but effec-tive environment for student-athletes to develop an array of life skills that can further personal and professional goals.

“Athletics offers both challenge and support,” Adachi explains. “Team dynamics and time commitments stretch students socially, emotionally, and intellectually—and, as a result, they grow.”

Tennis coach Davis attributes much of her own personal growth to her sports experience. “I learned how to manage inter-personal relationships,” Davis says. “When you’re on a team, you have to interact and cooperate with that same group of people every day, whether you’re getting along or not. That is a skill that is certainly useful in life beyond the experience of the team.”

Today, Davis emphasizes personal growth in all areas for her student-athletes. “The lessons we learn on the court are meta-phors for how we can approach other things in our lives,” she says. “Tennis is all about confidence, and the confidence players

“I knew that by joining a sports team I would have a place where I could fit in right away.”

—Swimmer Mara Harwood ’17

The Mills crew centenary By Vanessa Marlin ’08

Pullingtogether

16  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

The pisTol’s smoke lingered over Lake Merritt seconds after start. It was spring 1915 and the first boat race in Mills College history. From the banks of the shore, the whale boats looked like water bugs as six starboard oars and six port oars flew on a single plane towards the water’s surface. “Splash, two, three, four, splash, two, three, four.…” The row-ers, in white duck middies and navy blue sailor collars, moved in perfect uni-son. The warm sun beamed down on the glistening, placid water. “Beautiful!” “Graceful!” “Effortless!” the spectators shouted.

The feeling, however, was anything but as the 12 rowers, coxswain, and pilot inched passed the women from Cal. This wasn’t one of those frilly rowing pageants you’d see on Lake Aliso. This wasn’t about scoring points on boat maneuvering, like all the other women’s rowing events. This was a real race—440 yards, to be exact. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, just before the start, seat one bound her heav-ily pleated wool skirt and bloomers with rope. It didn’t catch on anything and she was glad. In the middle of the boat, seat four blinked the sweat out of her stinging eyes. The cox could see her rowers grimac-ing in discomfort with every stroke but

she pushed them harder. Her voice was the only thing they attended to in those historic two minutes and 11 seconds.

Mills won.The coxswains from Mills and Cal per-

formed the customary handshake after the race. They smiled for the camera and then to each other with the understand-ing that these two teams had started something new. The Ladies of the Lake, as the Mills crew would affectionately be known, were part of the first women’s program west of the Mississippi. But little of that mattered to the Mills team. They proved that they could win. And they did it for each other.

MillsandCalcoxswainsdemonstrategoodsportswomanship.

1915the ladies of the lake

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 17

The day was finally here . Sleek, glistening, mahogany brown, the new shell was more beautiful than the team had imagined. No longer would they have to rely on borrowed equipment at the Lake Merritt Rowing Club. Their very own boat, the Daffodil, had arrived, her name emblazoned in gold.

The rowers, dressed in white shorts and navy blue T-shirts, lined up along port side for a picture. They were proud of their purchase—with the help of friends, relatives, faculty, and staff, the team had redeemed 1,200 Blue Chip stamp books to cover the cost of the eight-seat boat; Green Chip stamps paid for the oars.

Teammate Trish Roberts ’68 lifted a bottle of orange juice high in the air to christen the craft. Cheers erupted and a teammate was heard saying something under her breath about giving the St. Mary’s guys a run for their money.

Marina Simenstad ’68, MA ’11, felt like a rowing pioneer that day. Her coach, Ed Lickiss, had founded the National Women’s Rowing Association only a year

before. As director of the Lake Merritt Rowing Club, he was already coaching the St. Mary’s boys when he convinced Mills to give the women a chance to train with him. “[These girls] do not have to prove how big and strong they are, they listen and they catch on fast. I think they’re the best in the country,” Lickiss told the College. Mills crew grew from four members to 40 in Lickiss’s time.

And, they were winning. Crew was declared an officially organized sport at

ProudcrewmatesbringDaffodiltothewater.

CoachLickissinstructstheteaminthefinerpointsofrowing.

Mills in 1963 and, since then, the team had placed first in 12 out of 18 1,000-meter races—half the length of the men’s races. In 1964, they were undefeated in the eight-oar shell races. In 1965, Mills crew would go on to compete in Nationals in Philadelphia, rowing in a huge regatta of mixed club and college crews.

But winning wasn’t everything to Simenstad and her teammates. Pageant magazine described the relationship between Mills and St. Mary’s as “two parts flirtation to one part competition.” “Heaven help us if the girls ever win,” one of the young men told the reporter. The relationship was strong and congenial, Simenstad says. Many of the Mills gals and St. May’s guys would later marry, be in each other’s weddings, and remain life-long friends.

1966a boat of their own

MillsandCalcoxswainsdemonstrategoodsportswomanship.

mills crew had been on a losing streak all season. Blistered and sore, the rowers were discouraged. For the past eight months, they had been getting up at 5 am for brutal practices at Lake Merritt. Louise Sully, sophomore cox-swain and former dancer, would later tell the Montclarion newspaper: “You’re training every muscle in your body right down to your fingertips. It’s the most agonizing, torture-izing thing you can do to your body.” The entire season totalled just 40 minutes of competition, and they were running out of chances to win.

Coach Jennifer Hunsaker would pump their spirits after every disappointment. Hunsaker, a former Cal rower, had seen an opportunity to revive the waning crew program at Mills. She cobbled together a novice crew with no previous rowing experience. Every race was a “learning experience,” she told the team. “You’re getting faster!” And she meant it.

Turns out she was right. In the second to the last race of the year, at the North West Regionals in Seattle, the Novice 8 finally pulled off a win by six seconds. The triumph qualified them for Nationals, the nation’s premiere rowing competition and, for the first time in history, Lake Merritt was set to be the scene.

Coach Hunsaker reflected on the team’s seemingly unlikely win and made a note on her copy of the season’s regatta schedule: “The team spent too much time losing all season to make them cocky over one big win,” she wrote. “They are still very hungry, almost with a grudge to race some of the schools... especially Cal. Personally, I won’t call the results, but I think it would be well worth coming to see the race.”

Once the results were in, Yale, the top contender, won as predicted. But Mills beat Cal by a fraction of a second: 3:24.4 to 3:24.6.

MillscrewaftertakingsecondplaceinNationalsatLakeMerrittinMay1981.

18  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

1981the regatta comes to oakland

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 19

mills presidenT mary meTz gave a thumbs up to the sinewy campus facilities worker standing in the doorway of the new boathouse. Don Lehman, ably assisted by his co-worker Martin Butler and the whole of the Mills crew team, had donated his summer and weekends to lay shingles and pound nails to build the wooden shack that would house the precious boats. Now, he was secur-ing bunches of red balloons under coach Kathryn Noeller’s direction just moments before the boathouse dedication.

Varsity rower Heather Cox ’88 snapped a picture, reveling in the moment she and her teammates had worked and waited for. It felt good to move into a new home on the bucolic, albeit muddy, sanctuary of Briones Reservoir. The rolling golden hills

and quiet sunrises over mirrored water felt like paradise compared to the urban bustle of Lake Merritt or the Oakland Estuary. At last, Mills had its own little boathouse built out of love and a lively rowing community.

That year’s team, the self-proclaimed “Rowdy Rooters,” were easily identifi-able by their blue and gold face paint, pom-poms, and kazoos as they cheered for teammates and opposition at home events.

Now they cheered President Metz as she christened her namesake boat and took a playful swig from the champagne bottle. At her side was Dean Dorothy Keller, a quiet force, Cox says, and a devoted rowing advocate.

When Cox came to Mills, she didn’t know she was an athlete. She didn’t know she would be a part of something bigger than herself and belong to a community that shared sweat, tears, callused hands, and triumphs large and small. She espe-cially didn’t know she would build a new home for rowers that would stand for the next 20 years.

Crew Centennial Celebration at Reunion 2014

Saturday, September 20, 4:00-6:00 pm

For information, contact Vanessa Marlin, vanessa@bellandtrunk.com

LightweightrowerspracticeatBrionesReservoir.

1987building a boathouse

The mills novice four team crossed the finish line at Nationals fully spent. Every bit of energy had poured out over the course of 2,000 meters. The din of screaming spectators was muffled by the team’s pounding hearts. Race offi-cials, eschewing the traditional awards ceremony, shouted over the loudspeaker for the winning crew to row up to the podium to collect their medals. “We won! We won!” they shouted when they finally came-to, high-fiving each other with ach-ing, bandaged hands. The coxswain’s voice snapped them out of their celebra-tory mood. “Sit ready,” she commanded. “Row.”

They paddled their brand new shell towards the deck, basking in their tri-umph amid the cheers from crew teams around the country.

Elese Lebsack ’98 had been a swim-mer in high school, but it wasn’t until she pulled an oar that she learned what her body loves to do. When she got into a

boat with Emily Kelley Mason ’96, Mollie Lounibous ’97, Laura Buhl ’97, and Bobbye Roberts Schubert ’98, it proved to be a winning combination. They swept the competition by boat lengths at the West Coast Championships, and undertook intense training to prepare for Nationals. Coach Karen Smyte had them at Briones Reservoir for full days of training, punc-tuated by a meal and a nap.

“I couldn’t eat enough, I was burning so many calories,” Lebsack says. “I was in the best shape of my life. For three weeks my only job was rowing, eating, and sleeping.”

The team qualified for Nationals again when Lebsack was a senior—this time, led by a different coach, and competing in a different realm.

Coach Kevin Harris was hired by Mills in fall 1997 to take an already successful program to the next level. Harris was the country’s first African American to lead a varsity crew. “I want to model that crew

really is for everyone,” he said at the time. “As head coach, if I don’t break through the color barrier, who will?”

In addition, the National Collegiate Athletic Association—the leading orga-nizer of college athletic programs—had taken on crew as an emerging sport that year. The NCAA championship was between the fastest women’s college crews in the country. “There was pomp and circumstance,” says Lebsack. There was an inspirational speaker and a big banquet, and the races took place in a former Olympic rowing site.

This time Mills was up against more competitive and experienced rowers. They did not win that year, but the expe-rience helped Lebsack deepen her under-standing of what it meant to be an athlete. “Now my definition is broader,” she says. “Becoming an athlete at Mills helped me to discover my drive to win. My connec-tion to the team is part of that drive.”

1996

MillsFourtrainingforPacificCoastchampionships.Theywon!

20  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

competing at a higher level

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 21

2014connection and tradition

as i near Briones reservoir, I drive past a dozen rowers running in dark hoodies, the warmth of their breaths visible in the dim sunrise. I park and approach the boathouse, feeling a familiar chill in the air and flooded by the antici-pation and trepidation I remember from my days as a student rower eight years earlier. I expect to see the usual suspects: Shannon Van Meir ’07, my pair partner and best friend; Katie Jo Donnell Ramirez ’07, a farm girl from South Dakota—tough on the outside and solid on the inside; and Wendy Franklin-Willis ’93, my coach, who had a young daughter the same age as my own. In my senior year, Wendy surprised me with a German chocolate cake and the team sang “Happy Birthday”—even though I hadn’t told anyone it was my birthday.

But this morning I am greeted by coach Sara Nevin, who filled the pilot seat of Cal’s launch before she decided to take a turn at coaching—becoming the driving

force behind a group of women who bal-ance an early bedtime with the demands of college study, who sport blisters like a badge of honor, who take pride in the insanity of getting in a workout every day before breakfast, and who under-stand the commitment it takes to be on the crew team.

In addition to coaching a strong team this year, Sara is planning the 100-year anniversary of Mills crew. “Of all the sports,” says Mills Athletic Director Themy Adachi, “crew has the most con-nection and tradition.”

The statement rings true for Marina Simenstad, who rowed in the ’60s. Now a referee with the US Rowing Association, Marina remembers working the finish line at the Redwood Shores course a few years ago. There was a group of Mills women there, cheering for their team. “They had such incredible spirit,” she says.

As I watch the sunrise from Nevin’s

Vanessa Marlin was on the Mills crew team and is a member of the South End Rowing Club in San Francisco. Last summer she rowed 125 miles on the Canal du Midi in the south of France.

launch during practice that morning, it occurs to me that Mills crew is constantly changing. In the last decade the crew team has welcomed students of increasingly diverse ages, ethnicities, and lifestyles; the uniforms have changed; the drills and equipment have evolved; coaches and assistants have left their marks. But the tradition will always remain the same. The intensity of this experience strength-ens our bodies and minds, creates deep relationships, and teaches us that if we can endure this experience, we can do anything.

But more than that, it teaches us that Mills crew isn’t entirely about winning and individual achievements. It’s about doing your best for the greater good of the team and feeling safe and challenged in a strong community.

“It’s women for women,” says Adachi, “Honoring our past and connecting with our future.” ◆

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share

their news with classmates in the Mills College alumnae community. To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills.edu.

Class Notes do not appear in the

online edition of the Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their

news with classmates in the Mills

College Alumnae Community,

alumnae.mills.edu. To submit notes

for publication in the next available

Quarterly, send your update to

classnotes@mills.edu.

AlumnaeAnnaScottSloggett’28, January 2, 2013, in Lihui, Hawaii. Named a Living Treasure by the Kaua‘i Museum in 2002, she taught in Hawaii public schools for over 35 years and played golf well beyond her 100th birthday. She is survived by two children, a step-son, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

JanetBerryPruss’39, August 1, 2013, in Lodi, California. An avid gardener, she operated an insurance office in the 1950s and later helped with the Lodi Civic Association.

LeonoraHarrisBedolla’42, January 24, 2013, in Carpinteria, California.

JaneBonSwanton’42, June 23, in Casper, Wyoming. She had careers as a secretary and teacher, supported Girl Scouts and the Casper Service League, and was active in political service while her husband was a member of the Wyoming State Legislature. Survivors include four children and 11 grandchildren.

FrancesAustenLaTourette’43, December 16, in Reno, Nevada. An active volunteer in her community, she was partner in a successful real estate and insurance business. She is survived by two children and a grandchild.

NonaNiethammerMuller’44, February 9, in Denver. She pursued a career in journalism, was devoted to music and the theater, and served on the board of the Natrona County Public Library. She is survived by her daughters, Marilyn Muller ’74 and Lisa Haddox, and four grandchildren.

MargaretRosboroughGampell’45, MA’46, December 6, 2011, in Palo Alto, California.

PaulaPrattWalter’45, May 3, in Casper, Wyoming. She participated in running the family ranch and sodium sulphate company and was a 4-H leader for 25 years. She also wrote short stories, was an Avon representative, and showed Appaloosa horses. She is survived by two daughters and five grandchildren.

AnneGriffithsGates’46, December 27, in Woodinville, Washington. Survivors include her cousin, Lucile Pedler Griffiths ’46.

IolaWhitlockBrubeck,MA’47, March 12, in Wilton, Connecticut. She played an important role in the success of her late husband, the jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, serving as his manager, booker, and publicist, and collaborating as a lyricist and librettist. She is survived by five children and 10 grandchildren.

MaryJoRaatzMurray’47, December 16, in Honolulu. She worked with the Veterans Administration in the 1940s and spent 33 years as English teacher. She is survived by her daughter and two grandchildren.

ClaireWarnerLivesey’49, November 11, in Tucson, Arizona. She was a children’s librarian in Alameda, California, for 15 years and author of several children’s books, including Our Polliwogs and At the Butt End of a Rainbow and Other Irish Tales.

SusanMazeOliver’49, June 12, 2013, in Walnut Creek, California. She was active in the church where her husband was pastor and a member of the Raggedy Ann Auxiliary of Children’s Home Society.

InMemoriamNoticesofdeathreceivedbeforeMarch31,2014

Tosubmitlistings,pleasecontactalumnae-relations@mills.eduor510.430.2123

SylviaBarbourVrabec’49, March 8, in Estes Park, Colorado. A teacher at Faith Baptist School, she produced textbooks with the Foundation for American Christian Education. She served as president of the Palos Verdes Oceanographic Society and authored the forthcoming book, “Oceanography, A Holistic and Biblical View from the Principle Approach.” She is survived by her husband, Dale; a daughter; four grandchildren; and her sister, Helen Barbour Poindexter ’46.

JoanSchmidtPhillips’50, December 17, in Los Altos, California. As the wife of a naval pilot, she made friends throughout the world and joined the international tennis club in Bangkok. She volunteered at the Bargain Box in Palo Alto for 25 years. She is survived by her husband, George.

ElizabethJohnstonHanson’52, May 18, 2013, in Spokane, Washington. She was a regent and trustee for Gonzaga University and was a founding member of the Pets and People Program. She is survived by her husband, Fred; three children; and six grandchildren.

CarolBarkstromCarney’53, January 7, in Martinez, California. She launched her own business, The Lamp Studio in Lafayette, where she created custom lamps and shades. She went on to run an art gallery and frame shop as well as a mail order business which sold art restoration supplies. She served as the 1953 class secretary and is survived by two children and four grandchildren.

JeanGee-HingKwok’54, February 5, in New York City. A respected tai chi master, culinary enthusiast, and world traveler, she spent much of her time caring for her mother in San Francisco. Survivors include three stepchildren and six step-grandchildren

PaulaMargaretMorgan’57, January 22, in Trenton, New Jersey. She was a music librarian at Princeton University for more than 35 years and contributed 150 articles to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. She served in many roles at All Saints’ Episcopal Church and, in 2012, was admitted to the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross. Survivors include her sister and her longtime companion, Mary Ann Jensen.

Alison“Dee”NollerOwens’58, January 26, in Gig Harbor, Washington. A singer, pianist, and watercolorist, she loved her job in the book department at Liberty House. She volunteered as a mentor at Vaughn Elementary and with the Women’s League. Survivors include her husband, Jarvis; two children; and four grandchildren.

CecileBakerSmith,MA’60, November 30, in Irvington, New York. A dance instructor at Cornell University for several years, she is survived by her husband, Jesse, and a son.

RichardThorpeMclean,MFA’62, January 3, in Castro Valley, California. A professor of art at San Francisco State University for 30 years, his photorealistic works are included in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and many others. An avid jazz lover, he could often be found playing trumpet along with the radio in his art studio. He is survived by his wife, Darlene; two children; and three grandchildren.

SarahLeeBlanchardPaterson’63, September 17, 2011, in Montgomery, Ohio. She taught French and social studies. She is survived by her husband, Stuart, and three sons.

JoellFreddaHyman’65, February 7, in Longview, Washington. She worked in a mental health crisis center in Boulder, Colorado, and later established a private practice in Portland, where she was active with the Oregon Friends of C.G. Jung. She is survived by her parents and brother.

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 33

JillFritschiReese’66, January 15, in Piedmont, California. A creative and enthusiastic teacher for more than 30 years, she was a member and leader in numerous civic and charitable organizations and a gifted photographer. She is survived by her husband, Chuck; a daughter and a stepdaughter; and a granddaughter .

James“Santiago”BradleyBarnaby,MFA’73, January 26, in Wilsall, Montana. An associate professor of art at Montana State University, he experimented with new forms of ceramic glazes. He also was a highly adept guide in Mexico’s Copper Canyon area, learning many local dialects, promoting the work of native artists, and establishing schools in remote regions. Survivors include his former wife, Anne, and many friends and family.

LindaAnnePeterson’81, August 13, 2013, in Concord, California. She made a career as a senior systems manager at Pacific Bell and AT&T,

and loved horse racing, gardening, and the Rolling Stones. She is survived by her partner, Robert Pilcher, as well as her siblings, nieces, and nephews.

Carmela“Carmi”Landes’82, October 19, 2013, in New York City. She practiced internal medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center. She loved to travel, to sing, and to watch her children perform with the Metropolitan Opera and the Trinity Wall Street Youth Choir. Survivors include her husband, Robert O’Sullivan, and two children.

SpousesandFamilyHughBarton, husband of Sheila Grieve Barton ’54, November 20, in Monterey, California.

BruceKreiger, husband of Rosalind Falk Kreiger ’68, October 28, in Highland Beach, Florida.

P=parent; For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

34  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

ReceivedDecember1,2013–February28,2014

AnnisAiyar by Carol Anderson and Mike Hoffe, Pamela Carr ’84, Nicolas Coulet, Joseph Tami

PaulArmstrong, husband of Joan Armstrong ’51, by Sue Tromp Whalen ’51, MA ’53

JeanneAurel-Schneider’51 by Katie Ricklefs ’74

PhyllisColeBader’35 by Judith Cary Allen ’69

MarillynHarrisBaker’47,P’70, by her husband, Robert Baker

TimannaBennett’02 by Gail Hobbs ’04

MartinBergmann by Jerome Oremland

MarilynFryeBettendorfby her daughter, Marilyn “Lyn” Barrett ’75

CynthiaBlack’74 by Liesje Cattaneo ’74

LindaNelsonBranson’77 by her husband, James Branson

GladysBuford by her daughter, Margaret Wilkerson

CarolBarkstromCarney’53 by Kay Miller Browne ’53, P ’83, by Carol’s daughter, Cheryl Lekas, Barbara Berger Pratt ’53

MaryCopernoll,P’66, by her daughter, Roberta Copernoll Johnson ’70

ElizabethAbreuCravalho’60 by Betty Anne Mathewson Mahoney ’60

Evelyn“Peg”Deane’41by her sister, Margaret Deane

DorothyFullerElliott’42 by Jane Cudlip King ’42, P ’80

MarthaMillerEvans’63 by her husband, Jef Evans

JaniceWaddleForbes’60 by Ellen Locke Crumb ’59, P ’94

TimothyFrancisby his mother, Jamey Coopman Francis ’60

AnneGriffithsGates’46 by her cousin, Lucile Pedler Griffiths ’46, MA ’47, P ’75

GiftsinMemoryof KayFraserGilliland’50by Polly Ong Ingram ’50, Judith Kysh, Merlejean Terry

RhetaDattnerGoldberg’61 by her daughter, Rae Ann Goldberg ’73

DenyseGross’72 by her husband, Kenneth Morrison

JeanLoganHenderson’34 by her daughter, Judith Whitehead, MA ’97

WilliamandJacquelineHennigh by their daughter, Susan Hennigh ’72

MeenakshiJemboonath by Joseph Tami

MarionMeyerKaufmann’26, MA’33, by Sue Tromp Whalen ’51, MA ’53

MaryAnnChildersKinkead’63 by Susan Marks Craven ’63, Phoenix Feinbloom ’93, Sally Sugden Jesse ’72, MA ’78, Rhoda Krasner ’64, Kathleen McClintock McCormick, MFA ’85, Roger Sparks and Jasmin Ansar, John and Helen Vollmer ’74, P ’13

VirginiaThomasKlee’31,MA’34, by her niece, Lindy Thomas Barocchi ’68, P ’93

TedandCharlotteKlugman, by their daughter, Roberta Klugman ’74

BettyPeaseKrahmer’51 by Sue Tromp Whalen ’51

KatherineCurranKremer’26 by her son, Joseph Kremer

CarolLennox’61by Lydia Mann ’83

JoyceLeyland’47 by Mary Osborn

ClaireWarnerLivesey’49 by Yvonne Steele Byron ’50

MaryannMangold’61 by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61

EloiseRandlemanMcCain’57by her husband, Leonard McCain

DianeMcEntyreby Lydia Mann ’83, Liz Kelley Quigg, MA ’89

ElizabethMcKeon by her daughter, Laura McKeon Scholtz ’62

MaryJoRaatzMurray’47 by Betty Chu Wo ’46

ClydeMcAdams, partner of Berniece Fredrickson Francis ’54, January 22, in San Ramon, California.

DorothySimpsonMyers, mother of Brooke Myers Wickham ’74, December 18, in San Francisco.

A.DavidNeri, husband of Laura Collins Neri ’54, December 18, in San Francisco.

GeraldRoss, husband of Catherine Robinson Ross ’75, September 9, in Enderby, British Columbia.

RubbySherr, father of Frances Sherr ’71, July 8, 2013, in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

LelandSmith, father of Teresa Smith Milo ’83, December 17, in Palo Alto, California.

FacultyandStaffRobertAshley, co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music and faculty member in the Music Department from 1969 through 1981, March 3, in Manhattan. A prolific composer, writer, and performer—an experimentalist to the core—Ashley changed the face of opera, creating techno- logically sophisticated, multi- disciplinary, contemporary works that broadened the form in unconventional, even revolutionary, ways. His works incorporated nontraditional vocalizations, improvisation, and film or video projections to tell stories of ordinary characters. In April, three of his operas were included at the 2014 Whitney Museum Biennial. Ashley played a major role in establishing the Music Department’s reputation as a training ground for composers in the American experimentalist tradition and was instrumental in establishing the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills, building its recording, electronic music, and film studios, while encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration within and beyond music. Survivors include his wife, Mimi Johnson; a son; and a sister.

RobertA.Dhaemers, professor of art at Mills from 1957 to 1990, March 12, in Berkeley, California. He earned his MFA at the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1954 and became known as an “organic modernist” for his work in sculpture, jewelry, prints, and photography. An inventive artist and craftsman, his work was exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottowa, the Oakland Museum of California, and the De Young Museum in San Francisco, among others. He and his wife, Grace “Ty” Searing ’62, regularly summered in Montauk, New York. He is survived by a brother, a sister, and a nephew.

AidaHodges, secretary for the Upward Bound Program at Mills, November 20, in Oakland, California. In her work with Upward Bound from 1995 to 2005, she helped hundreds of students prepare for college and adult life. She was a mentor to many and an outstanding ambassador for the Upward Bound Program.

AnnaValentinaMurch, professor of studio art, March 26, in San Francisco. She received her BA at the University of Leicester and a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London, and then earned another graduate degree at the Architectural Association in London. She came to Mills in 1992 to teach sculpture, installation, and site-specific art, working closely with faculty in the Music Department to explore her interest in the sounds of water and wind. Murch also collaborated closely with her husband, the environmental artist Doug Hollis, and was working on six commissions with him when she died, including a work that will open this summer at San Francisco General Hospital. Additional lighting and water installations are in Europe, Oregon, Florida, and at the Civic Center in San Jose. A gifted artist and a committed teacher, she also partic-ipated in the work of the College by participating on several committees. She is survived by her husband, Doug Hollis, and her family in England.

Margaret“Peggy”Webb, professor of English, February 3, in Oakland, California. She received her Phd in English from UC Berkeley and finished her teaching career at Mills College in 1986. An activist, pacifist, and organic gardener, she is survived by three children and six grandchildren.

RobertAshley

P=parent; For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 35

VirginiaGertmenianNahigian’32 by her daughter, Susan Nahigian Miller, and by her son and daughter-in-law, Dee and Patricia Nahigian

EvelynOremland by her husband, Jerome Oremland

MarciaDixonOwen’63 by Fay Pfaelzer Abrams ’63, P ’92

RobbynPanitch’79 by Betsey Shack Goodwin ’76

NanSeniorRobinson’52 by the Mills College Club of New York

ValRussellby his daughter, Cris Russell ’71

AgnesRykken by Terry Hove ’76

EleanorMarshallSchaefer’29 by Nicole Bartow

AnneSherrillby Willa Berliner Anderson ’65

RodneySkjons by by his daughter, Kristen Skjonsby ’11

MelodyClarkeTeppola’64 by Colta Feller Ives ’64, Ellen Krosney Shockro ’64

Bethilda“Beth”OlsonVieira’59 by Sandra Ong ’59

JamesWanzer by his mother, Sue Ann Coopman Peterson ’55

NancyWarner,P’63, by Suellen Gilmont ’64

RobertandNancyWarner by their children, Nangee Warner Morrison ’63 and Robert Warner

HughWass by his brother and sister-in-law, Warren and Honor Wass

ChristinaWolfe by her daughter and son-in-law, Shannon Wolfe ’96 and Kayvaan Ghassemieh

MeredithCrossleyYoung’53 by La Quita Joy Dillingham Dudley ’53

MildredZitlauYoung’47 by Sally Mayock Hartley ’48

JohnYoung, husband of Sally Collins Young ’57, by Debbie Beck Rosenberg ’57

36  M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Swimming through the waves By Ellen Krosney Shockro ’64

As a girl growing up, I was encouraged to participate in sports—my father won three national championships and made the Olympic team back in the late 1920s—but not to compete too seriously. This com-bination gave me the confidence that I could do almost anything without need-ing to be “the best.”

When I came to Mills, I played tennis and taught swimming. Also at Mills, I discov-ered what would become my lifelong inter-est and profession. During my senior year, a

new professor had arrived—Dr. LeFevour—and I took all of his “exotic” history classes on Modern China, Modern Russia, and Modern India. In the 1950s, there was such a fear of communism that these courses had not been available. Deeply fascinated with this field of study, I set a goal of earn-ing a PhD in Chinese history.

Like so many others in my class of 1964, however, I married and got on with the life expected of me. But I stuck to my goal and earned my master’s degree at Columbia; eventually, I started my doctoral studies at Claremont Graduate School, with two young children in tow. My children’s swim coach also offered a program for parents. I joined up and, in the fall, started swimming with US Masters, the national adult swimming organization.

Soon enough, in 1979, I undertook my first ocean swim—and yes, I was ter-rified of things coming up from the deep. A year later, I was entering every race I could find, from San Diego to Santa Barbara. I was not especially fast, but I loved the rush of bounding through the waves, swimming as hard as possible, and finally sprinting up the beach to the finish line. (Even now, I continue to do up to 10 ocean swims each summer.)

Finishing the Ironman triathlon became my next goal—a 2.4-mile swim, followed by 112 miles biking, capped off with a 26.2-mile marathon run. I prac-ticed and prepared, and finally completed two Ironman races, in 1985 and 1986. Meanwhile, I finished my PhD, spoke at conferences, continued teaching, and ultimately landed my dream job, a ten-ured position in history and humanities

at Pasadena City College. I am still swimming with Masters—now

in the 70–74-year-old age group—and at this year’s national meet in Santa Clara, California, I won the 1,650-yard race. Pat Eide Fruin ’65 won the 1,000-yard event; she edged me out in the 500, and we finished one-two. What are the odds that two Mills graduates would finish back-to-back like that? Neither Pat nor I ever imagined we would win a national championship—even if it meant waiting until we were each 70! But both of us could imagine the possibility of winning, and we put in the effort to make it so. People think that it must take sheer ath-letic prowess to complete a triathlon or win a distance swimming race, but what is even more important is the willingness to set your sights on a goal and have the persistence to see it through.

I am a strong believer in single-sex college education for women for many reasons, but primary among them is that Mills instills in all of us the belief that we can do what we set our minds on, and can even rise above expectations to make a difference in our own lives and in the world. Much has changed for women in the 50 years since I was at Mills. But perhaps one thing remains the same: our lives are like an ocean race, and we each must fight the waves, even as they keep coming, and find our way to shore. ◆

We invite alumnae to write about their Mills experiences on campus or how Mills has shaped their lives for The Stories We Share. Visit alumnae.mills.edu/stories for more information or send your submis-sions to stories@mills.edu.

PatEideFruinandEllenKrosneyShockroattheUSMastersSwimmingnationalmeetinMay.

The Alumnae Association of Mills College is seeking candidates for the following alumna/us awards:

• The DistinguishedAchievementAwardfor distinction in professional field, arts, sciences, or public affairs;

• TheOutstandingVolunteerAward for extraordinary commitment and service in promoting the goals of the

AAMC and the College;

• The RecentGraduateAward for volunteer efforts that exemplify a spirit of caring and community to the AAMC

and the College. Alumnae/i within 15 years of graduation may be considered for this award.

Recognizethebestandbrightest!

Please send information about each nominee’s achievements and qualifications to:

Chair, AAMC Awards Program

c/o Mills College

5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86

Oakland, CA 94613

Email nominations may be sent to aamc@mills.edu.

Please include your name, phone number, address, and email address.

Candidates must be able to attend the award ceremony on Saturday, September 20.

For more information, call 510.430.2110 or email Jennifer King, AAMC vice president

and chair of the Alumnae Awards Committee, at zagrecki@aol.com.

Galapagos Islands ■ February 20–28, 2015

Eastern & Oriental Express: Bangkok to Bali ■ March 10–22, 2015

Undiscovered Italy: Apulia ■ April 28–May 6, 2015

Trans-Atlantic Cruise ■ May 4 – 16, 2015

China and the Yangtze River ■ May 18–June 1, 2015

Jewels of Antiquity: from Venice to Nice ■ May 19–June 4, 2015

Spain: Valencia and Barcelona ■ June 8–17, 2015

St. Petersburg ■ July 19–27, 2015

Canadian Rockies ■ July 23–29, 2015

China and the Yangtze River ■ September 2–16, 2015

Southwest Parks ■ September 25–October 5, 2015

See the AAMC travel website at aamc.mills.edu for full itineraries of these and other upcoming trips. For reservations or additional information, call the Alumnae Association of Mills College at 510.430.2110 or email aamc@mills.edu.

Nominationsmustbe

receivedbyFriday,July11

AlumnAe trAvel 2015

Venice

Bali

address service requested

periodicals postage paid at oakland, Ca, and at additional mailing office(s)

Mills Quarterlymills College 5000 macarthur blvd. oakland, Ca 94613-1301

510.430.3312 quarterly@mills.edu www.mills.edu

for more information:reunion hotline: 510.430.2123email: alumnae-relations@mills.eduWeb: alumnae.mills.edu/reunionBrochures with full schedules and registration information have been mailed to all alumnae from class years ending in 4 or 9; they are available to other alumnae by request.

Join the reunion Book groupuS Supreme Court associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor has published a memoir on her journey from a Bronx housing project to the highest court in the land. We invite reunion attendees to read Sotomayor’s My Beloved World—which all incoming students have been assigned—and engage in a faculty-led discussion on friday afternoon.

thursday, September 18, through Sunday, September 21

highlightS inClude:• Convocation on September 19• Updates from President DeCoudreaux, members of

her cabinet, and the alumnae association of mills College• Class luncheon and AAMC awards ceremony• Crew’s 100th anniversary celebration• Summer Academic Workshop’s 25th anniversary program• Annual concert honoring Darius Milhaud• Campus tours, open houses, and presentations• Class dinners and photos• A trip to San Francisco to view The Bay Lights installation• And much, much more! Visit alumnae.mills.edu/reunion

for the full schedule and periodic updates.

Reunion2014

honoring the golden alumnae of 1964 and alumnae from class years ending in 4 or 9All alumnae are invited!