Reunion 2015

May 29 – 31, 2015

Celebrating all classes ending in 5 or 0, and the class of 2013.

Thank you, alumnae, for a fantastic Hollins weekend!

More than 450 alumnae and friends came home to Hollins for Reunion 2015, held May 29-31.

Distinguished Alumnae Awards	Class Giving Awards
Volunteer Awards	Special Events

Photos

Photo Gallery – view and download your favorites

Photos on Facebook – tag yourself and your friends

Watch

Video highlights of the Parade of Classes

Video of the Baylies Brewster ’57 memorial service

Video of Dot Sowerby ’55 finishing the Race to Reunion 5K

 

Reunion Award Winners

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNAE AWARDS

for broad and inspiring personal or career achievements, volunteer service, or contributions to society

Mary K. Ralph Gaillard ’60: In 1981, she was the first tenured woman professor in the physics department at the University of California at Berkeley,and is now professor emeritus after a distinguished teaching career. Mary worked for CERN and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. In 1973, she predicted the mass of the charmed quark before the particle was discovered, with Ben W. Lee. It was a ground-breaking discovery, and the breakthrough began the search for the Higgs boson, which has been called “the God particle.” A Singularly Unfeminine Profession: One Woman’s Journey in Physics, will be published this summer, chronicling Mary’s career from the inception of the “Standard Model” of physics, to her work that continues today, pushing beyond the boundaries of the “Standard Model.”

Ann Hopkins ’65: In 1978 Ann joined Price Waterhouse, and within five years she had brought the firm more business than any other candidate for partnership. Ann was the only woman among the 88 candidates. Shockingly, she did not make partner – not for poor performance but for acting “macho” and not in a “womanly” fashion. So, Ann sued Price Waterhouse – and won. Her case went to the Supreme Court and is considered a landmark ruling in employment discrimination. In her book, So Ordered: Making Partner the Hard Way, Ann writes: “I believe that Hollins, as a woman’s college, played an important role in my development… I learned how to depend on myself and on the analytical integrity of an answer…before I was taught to depend on or defer to members of the opposite sex or their point of view.” Her successful career and tenacity to fight what was essentially a “bad business decision” has changed the status of women in the workplace.

Wendy Larsen ’65Wendy was named to the prestigious list of The Best Lawyers in America for 2015. She came to Hollins with the class of 1965 but graduated in just three years as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. An attorney with Gray Robinson, her 30 plus year career has included land use planning services to more than 30 states and Puerto Rico. She has written numerous articles and legislation for more than 75 sets of land development regulations for communities as small as Barrington Hills, Illinois, and as large as Phoenix, San Antonio, and New Orleans. Soon after Wendy’s graduation from Hollins, she and her family made a gift to Hollins. In 1968 those funds established the Martin Luther King Scholarship at Hollins, which continues to this day.

Claire Sanders Swift ’85: A prominent national media consultant, Claire runs her own boutique firm as senior media strategist. Swift Global Media represents a range of high profile clients and nonprofits. A two-time Emmy Award winner, Claire is a voting member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and an active member of the American News Women’s Club, where she served as president from 2012 to 2014. She is also a great promoter for Hollins, having hosted an alumnae event at the American News Women’s Club, serving as chair of the DC area alumnae chapter, working with admission to recruit students, and participating in C3.

Kathryn McKellar ’05 (Distinguished Young Alumna): Kathryn is a rising opera star and accomplished artist in classical and music theatre. After graduating summa cum laude from Hollins, she earned her master’s of music degree from the Boston Conservatory, where she was a member of The Opera Studio. Whether in operatic, recital, or concert repertoire, her “radiant voice” and stage presence has garnered rave reviews in numerous recitals and performing arts projects across the United States and in Europe. Kathryn is on the artist roster of the Boston Lyric Opera, co-director of Opera on Tap Boston, and a member of Gamut, a vocal quartet championing the largely neglected genre of vocal chamber music.

The Rath Award

for extraordinary participation in the life of Hollins

Suzanne Smith Whitmore ’60 (in absentia)

• Suzanne joined the Board of Trustees in 2002 as a representative of the Alumnae Association, and served as chair of the Board from 2010 to 2012. She has been a class fund chair for the class of 1960, and a fantastic reunion gift chair for her 40th, 45th, AND 50th reunions. She has worked behind the scenes for many 1842 Society events and hosted alumnae events in DC and New York. She has sponsored January Term internships and referred students to Hollins. One of Suzanne’s greatest contributions may be her devotion to maintaining the beauty of the historic Hollins campus and landscaping.

HOLLINS AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE (HAVE)

for excellence in volunteering for Hollins

Sabrina Rose-Smith ’00: Sabrina has served as a Reunion Chair, Reunion Gift Chair, and class fund chair for the great class of 2000. She hosted a Tinker Day party for area alumnae in DC. She has called prospective students and represented Hollins at multiple college fairs. She has shared her professional expertise with students at C3. She’s housed Hollins students during their January Term internships. Sabrina has also been a phenomenal member of the Alumnae Board. She always thinks strategically and cheerfully about ways she can help Hollins become even better. And, she was the FIRST person to register for Reunion 2015!

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

For superior athletic accomplishments at Hollins; sportsmanship, character, and leadership

Heather Hazlett Hedien ’95, fencing: She was a member of the fencing team from 1991 through 1995. In 1995 she was captain of the varsity foil team and led the team to Hollins’ first Virginia Collegiate State Championship title for varsity foil. She also placed second in the varsity individual foil event at the championship. In 1994-95, Heather received the All-Conference Academic Award. After graduation, she continued to fence and compete in USFA sponsored events through the Columbus Division. She won the Columbus Open in 2000 and 2003. She also won the Kentucky  Division Bourbon Open in 2001. Heather was named Great Lake Section Grand Champion in both 2002 and 2003.

OUTSTANDING ADMISSION AMBASSADOR

for sustained commitment to the alumnae admission volunteer effort

Norm Ash ’00: An enthusiastic volunteer, Norm has demonstrated a sustained interest in supporting the Office of  Admission through attendance at prospective student parties in northern Virginia for many years as well as continually seeking new opportunities to engage her fellow alumnae in the admission effort. Norm has accepted the challenge of sharing Hollins with other young women. Since graduating she has referred over 30 prospective students of which seven have chosen to attend Hollins. Norm is an educator and she has very effectively used her platform to share the wonderful opportunities at Hollins with her students. If you are an educator please follow Norm’s lead and share the names of prospective students with us so we can share the Hollins experience with them also.

Honor Class Remarks

50th Reunion Remarks by Anna Logan Lawson ’65, MA ’70

25th Reunion Remarks by Burton Upchurch Ward ’90

REUNION CLASS GIVING AWARDS

During a reunion year, alumnae commemorate their devotion by giving back — often with an increased gift amount. Reunion is also a time when classes focus their fund raising efforts to increase participation. The following classes are in the lead, as of reunion weekend – make your gift by June 30 to help your class win!

TINKER MOUNTAIN AWARD

For the class with the largest total gift to the Hollins Fund.
Class of 1965 with $404,025

CATHERINE ORGILL WEST ’51 AWARD

For the class with the highest participation in giving to Hollins Fund.
Class of 1965 with 57%

HOLLINS ROCK AWARD

For the class among the ten most recent classes with the highest Hollins Fund participation.
Class of 2013 with 36%

Reunion Weekend Highlights

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