Mills Quarterly fall 2007

R a c y a l u m n a D e n i s e M c C l u g g a g e ’4 7



meet the new museum director

Mills Quarterly Fall 2007 Alumnae Magazine

Lighting the Way Arts Faculty at the Leading Edge C at h e r i n e Wag n e r R o s c o e M i t c h e ll Molissa Fenle y ’75

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20 12

22

40

Mills Quarterly

contents

Fall 2007 4

Leadership Perspectives

Mills College President Janet L. Holmgren and AAMC President Anita Aragon Bowers ’63 share views on the College–alumnae partnership.

12 Bright Ideas: Arts Faculty Make a Tradition of Innovation Mills College has long been at the forefront of creative artistic expression.

Meet three faculty members who are carrying this tradition into the 21st century.

20 A New Era for the Mills College Art Museum by Barbara Goodson Jessica Hough, the museum’s new director, shares her ideas on the place of art in education and the future of the museum.

22 Life in the Fast Lane by Moya Stone From her career as a journalist to her exploits as a race car driver, Denise McCluggage ’47 has made a life’s work of busting stereotypes.

40 Visual Music by Jessica Hilberman Raymond Boynton’s Concert Hall murals have seen better days— but careful restoration is returning them to their former glory.

d epa r tment s

2

Letters to the Editor

6

Calendar

6

Mills Matters

24 Bookshelf 26 Class Notes 35 In Memoriam

on the cover: Catherine Wagner’s photo series A Narrative History of the Light Bulb draws inspiration from an everyday object; her teaching has provided inspiration to Mills art students for three decades. (Cover photo: “Untitled I,” 2006. From the series A Narrative History of the Light Bulb by Catherine Wagner.)

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

1

Volume XCVI Number 2 (USPS 349-900) Fall 2007 President Janet L. Holmgren Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement Ramon S. Torrecilha Vice President for Development Virginia V. Rivera Director of Development and Alumnae Communications Dawn Cunningham ’85 Interim Managing Editor Linda Schmidt (Sherrie Raynor ’05 until August 31)

photos

and

history

professor

Bert

Gordon’s article about the eucalyptus trees at Mills (“Eucalyptus at Mills,” summer 2007). I had a fellow feeling for those Australian trees, being at first homesick, having come to Mills myself from a faraway land. I wrote in 1944:

Eucalyptus Trees II

Contributing Writers Barbara Goodson, Glen Helfand, Jessica Hilberman ’03, Jo Kaufman, Jackie Kennedy ’09, Moya Stone, MFA ’03, Pamela Wilson

Standing in tall thin rows

Bookshelf Editor David Harrison Horton, MFA ’01

And then I remember that they

Editorial Assistance Alison Lazareck ’08

And neither do I.

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 © 2007, Mills College.

Fall foliage photography by Philip Channing

I e n j oy e d s o m u c h Bruce Cook’s

There is a certain indescribable beauty

Special Thanks To Anita Aragon Bowers ’63 Jane Cudlip King ’42

Address correspondence to Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312 M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Standing tall

Design and Art Direction Nancy Siller Wilson

Class Notes Writers Alice London Bishop ’58, Julia Bourland Chambers ’93, Laura Compton ’93, Barbara Bennion Friedlich ’49, Sally Mayock Hartley ’48, Marian Hirsch ’75, Cathy Chew Smith ’84, Judith Rathbone, MFA ’05

2

Letters to the Editor

About eucalyptus trees against the sky With a blue haze always about them Watching the clouds go by.

There is a certain indefinable sadness About eucalyptus trees against the sky Do not really belong here

I’m sad they have had to go, and feel a little guilty—since I believe a forebear of mine was one of those responsible for bringing them to California!

—Dorothy Britton Bouchier ’46 Kanagawa-ken, Japan

The more things change…

I wa s m y s t i f i e d b y Chana Bloch’s

I wor k ed i n the admission s

observations of Mills (“The Times They

office for three years after graduating,

Are a-Changing,” spring 2007). My years

so I have personal knowledge of Mills

at the college were more than a decade

from 1960 to 1967. Dr. Bloch’s state-

earlier, and my impression was different.

ment that “diversity” had not “entered

Although multiracial student bodies

our vocabularies” is not true of either

were still to be achieved nationally, it is a

the attitude or practice at Mills prior to

fact that historically Mills had pioneered

her arrival. As a member of the admis-

in diversity, especially recruiting in the

sions staff, I participated every year in a

Far East. By the time I arrived, my peers

NAACP college access project and went

included Asian and black students.

to high schools to speak with students

While the Jewish presence was not

who were not in any respect “WASPy.” It

high in numbers, there was some sense

was an express part of my mandate to

of identity. Classics professor Miriam

recruit students who would not have

Goldeen gave an immensely popular Old

fallen within that definition. One of the

Testament course (as it was called then).

barriers we encountered in the ’60s was

A brilliant, scrappy scholar, her dynamic

that many women of color would be, as

classes were jammed, despite her terri-

I was, the first women in their family to

fying habit of calling students by name,

attend college.

law-school style. On Friday afternoons,

As a Mills student, I volunteered at

a hardy group of students and faculty,

the Napa State Hospital and at Oak

led by Professor Goldeen, met in the

Knoll Naval Hospital, where the first of

Chapel to chant some blessings and

the Vietnam casualties were returning.

read and discuss the weekly Torah por-

I know those volunteer programs had

tion. Despite underage drinking laws,

been established before I arrived and

Chaplain Hedley graciously allowed us

that I was far from the only student par-

to store our Manischewitz in the chapel

ticipating.

cabinet!

It would be a pity if someone used

Women’s lib and the feminist move-

the article as an accurate portrayal of a

ment in general were yet to take off. But

group of women Dr. Bloch did not know,

the Mills experience was one of empow-

did not research, and did not describe.

erment. It was assumed that no goals were impossible to achieve with com-

What’s Your Opinion?

Talk back to the Mills Quarterly.

Email your letters to quarterly@mills.edu or send them to the Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Tell us how to do it better through alumnae surveys. The College is planning a new survey project to find out how we can better serve and communicate with alumnae. To make sure that you are part of the survey population, send us your email address using the class notes form on the inside back cover or email a message with “Survey Me” in the subject line and your full name, previous name (if applicable), and class year in the body to alumnae-relations@mills.edu.

—Jane Molnar McCormmach ’64 Mercer Island, Washington

mitment, talent, and hard work—a kind of inherent feminism in the best sense, inculcated by both faculty and administration.

—Cheryl Stern Seltzer ’59 New York, New York

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3

Leadership Perspectives Greetings

from

Reinhardt

full advantage of AAMC membership by using College facilities such as the

Alumnae House!

I am pleased to report that represen-

library, pool, and fitness center as well as

tatives from the Alumnae Association of

resources such as email for life and the

Mills College (AAMC) and the College

career network. We also want to ensure

worked hard through the summer and

that alumnae at a distance remain con-

fall to facilitate changes brought about

nected to the College through revital-

by the July 1, 2007, Memorandum of

ized branch and regional programs. Our

Agreement.

Susan

vibrant AAMC travel program offers

Brown Penrod ’71 and I met regularly

opportunities to rekindle College friend-

with Executive Vice President for Institu-

ships in unique locations.

Alumna

Trustee

tional Advancement Ramon Torrecilha,

I am writing this message as we con-

Vice President for Development Virginia

clude the exciting events of our 2007

Rivera, and Interim Director of Alumnae

Reunion and the dedication of our new

Relations

to

Natural Sciences Building. Our AAMC

develop procedures and programs that

staff and alumnae volunteers operated

will ensure even stronger connections

in partnership with the College to make

between alumnae and the College.

this Reunion one of the best ever. The

Sheryl

Bizé-Boutté

’73

We encourage local alumnae to par-

winter Quarterly will cover Reunion

ticipate in campus events and take

events, including our first ever Alumnae

A Message from AAMC President Anita Aragon Bowers ’63

Association Awards given to Deborah Santana ’97 for distinguished achievement and to Jane Cudlip King ’42 and Thomasina Woida ’80 for their work as outstanding volunteers. For the success of our awards program, I thank all

Contact the AAMC Contact the AAMC to share your thoughts with alumnae representatives on the Mills College Board of Trustees (marked with an asterisk below), attend Board of Governors meetings, get an AAMC membership card, learn about travel programs, or purchase alumnae merchandise.

Alumnae Association of Mills College P.O. Box 9998, Oakland, CA 94613 Phone: 510.430.2110 Email: aamc@mills.edu Website: www.mills.edu/alumnae Officers of the Board of Governors President: Anita Aragon Bowers ’63* AnitaAragonBowers@alumnae.mills.edu Vice President: Linda Jaquez-Fissori ’92 Vice President: Diana Birtwistle Odermatt ’60 Treasurer: Kathleen Janes ’69 Alumnae Trustees Susan Brown Penrod ’71* Gayle Rothrock ’68* Sharon K. Tatai ’80*

alumnae who submitted nomination Faculty Member Vivian Fumiko Chin ’89 Board Members Michelle Balovich ’03 Micheline A. Beam ’72 Marie Bowman ’78 Lynda Campfield ’00, MA ’02 Beverly Curwen ’71 Rina Faletti ’81 Cynthia Guevara ’04 Nangee Warner Morrison ’63 Karlin Sorenson ’92 Rita Stuckey ’01 Alice Zakian ’73

letters as well as those who served on the awards committee appointed by the AAMC Board of Governors.

As President Janet L. Holmgren writes in her letter on the next page, nearly 60 percent of Mills College Trustees are alumnae, and, soon, more of us will provide guidance to the College through our service on campus committees. We will have the opportunity of sharing our unique perspectives as we help shape decisions in many aspects of the life of the College.

Members of your Alumnae Association

Student Governor Jax Vogel ’08

Board of Governors are committed to

For a list of AAMC regional governors, please visit www.mills.edu/ alumnae/board_of_governors.php

organization that serves as a liaison

strengthening the AAMC as a vital between alumnae and the College. I share President Holmgren’s desire that the AAMC continue “to be the College’s most influential institutional partner.”

Warmest regards, Anita Aragon Bowers ’63 President, AAMC

4

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

A Message from Mills College President Janet L. Holmgren Welcome to the first issue of the Quarterly published by Mills College, an issue that marks the start of a new era of alumnae engagement at the College.

Throughout the campus community, there is a great deal of excitement about

Contact Mills College

the opportunity to build stronger, more

Contact the Mills College Alumnae Relations Office to get information on alumnae events and resources such as the career network and email for life; update your address, phone, and email information so that your classmates and the College can contact you; and get help finding classmates.

direct connections with our alumnae— an opportunity brought about by the revised Memorandum of Agreement between Mills and the AAMC announced in July. We are setting up and seeking out ways of giving alumnae a greater voice in the leadership of the College, of tapping alumnae expertise to enhance the outstanding educational experience we provide to women, and of making Mills a lifelong learning and networking resource for alumnae.

One of the first steps we have taken is to establish an Alumnae Relations Office

ing the voices of our graduates in the life

to organize programs on campus and

of the College.

across the country that will give alum-

As this new era begins, Mills has

nae more opportunities to connect with

never been stronger—and our success

each other and with the College. In the

owes much to our graduates. Alumnae

coming year, you will hear about more

admissions representatives have helped

events like the December 12 celebra-

us build the largest student body ever

tion in New York of the dance career

and attract bright and diverse students

of Molissa Fenley ’75 (page 19) and

(page 6). Gifts from alumnae (page 28)

the February 14 presentation in San

have enabled us to provide generous

Francisco by Eleanor Sims ’64 on an

scholarships to 89 percent of our under-

intriguing Persian manuscript (page 6).

graduates and to raise our endowment

We are also inviting alumnae to sit in on

to $230 million, placing ours in the top

the course to be taught by Amina Mama,

third of college and university endow-

Barbara Lee Distinguished Chair in

ments nationwide. The health of the

Women’s Leadership, during the spring

institution permits us to maintain an

semester (page 7).

outstanding faculty dedicated to provid-

In October, when AAMC President

ing women with an education designed

Anita Aragon Bowers ’63 became a

to foster skills for leadership. Our aca-

member of the Mills Board of Trustees,

demic excellence is well recognized by

we raised the number of AAMC repre-

such media as The Chronicle of Higher

sentatives on the board from three (the

Education, Princeton Review, and U.S.

three Alumnae Trustees listed on the

News and World Report (page 7).

Alumnae Relations Office Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland, CA 94613 Phone: 510.430.2112 Email: alumnae-relations@mills.edu Website: www.mills.edu/alumnae Mills Quarterly Phone: 510.430.3312 Email: quarterly@mills.edu classnotes@mills.edu Mills College Annual Fund Phone: 510.430.2366 Email: mcaf@mills.edu Website: www.mills.edu/giving Get Mills Email for Life Website: https://alumnae.mills.edu

previously

published

this

magazine

to celebrate the achievements of Mills alumnae, students, faculty, and others in the College family. With alumnae involvement—contributions of stories, letters, class notes, and other news—the College will continue this tradition. The Mills community is tremendously talented, innovative, and diverse. Whatever

preceding page) to four. Today, nearly

As an independent organization with

60 percent of our 42 Trustees are Mills

its own endowment, the AAMC contin-

graduates. In addition, in consultation

ues to be the College’s most influential

with the AAMC, Mills is preparing to

institutional partner. We have received

Sincerely,

welcome more alumnae to serve on key

much assistance with this issue of the

Janet L. Holmgren

campus committees, further strengthen-

Quarterly from the association, which

President

the field in which our bright ideas shine, we have much to learn from each other.

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

5

Philip Channing

t Enrollmen climbs the charts The biggest, the brightest, the most diverse: Mills’ student body this fall inspires superlatives. Enrollment has reached an all-time record: 1,454, including 948 undergraduate women and 506 graduate students (of whom 81 percent are women). The campus’ residence halls are completely full, housing 590 students.

Mills received more than 1,500 applications for 2007

Calendar of Events For more news of upcoming events open to Mills alumnae and friends, visit www.mills.edu.

Mills Honors Molissa Fenley Wednesday, December 12, 7:30 pm, Joyce Theater, New York City Part of a week-long celebration of the dance career of Molissa Fenley ’75. For more information, see page 19 or contact Barbara Goodson at 510.430.2242 or bgoodson@mills.edu.

undergraduate admission, the greatest number ever, and this semester welcomed 330 new undergraduates. The 185 first-year students are particularly noteworthy for their academic achievements as well as their diversity. They have the highest grade-point average (3.61) of any entering class in 13 years, speak 26 languages, and range in age from 17 to 60.

More than 30 percent are the first in their families to attend college, and 49 percent are women of color or multi-ethnic.

Concert: Helmut Lachenmann Saturday, January 26, 2008, 8:00 pm, Lisser Hall Jean Macduff Vaux Composer-in-Residence. 510.430.2296 Art Exhibition: We Interrupt Your Program January 16 to March 16, 2008, Mills College Art Museum The work of 14 women artists working in video and other media on war, violence, power, technology, gender, and the natural environment. 510.430.2164

The 237 new graduate students include the first nine to enroll in the new Master of Public Policy Program.

To support this talented student body, Mills is providing greater amounts of financial aid than ever—a total of $16.8 million from the College’s resources—to 89 percent of under-

Contemporary Writers Series: Wanda Coleman Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 5:30 pm, Mills Hall Living Room The unofficial poet laureate of Los Angeles. 510.430.3130

graduates and 75 percent of graduate students. The average undergraduate financial aid award is $31,008.

The Windsor Castle Shahnama of 1648: An Illustrated Persian Manuscript Thursday, February 14, 2008, 7:00 pm, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco Eleanor Sims ’64, formerly of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, discusses a treasured Islamic manuscript from the collection of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. RSVP to 510.430.2373.

Philip Channing

Contemporary Writers Series: Peter Ho Davies Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 5:30 pm, Mills Hall Living Room One of Granta’s 20 Best Young British Novelists in 2003.

510.430.3130

President Holmgren (in gray jacket) welcomes new students at a Reinhardt Alumnae House tea.

6

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

Save these dates: Reunion 2008: September 18–21 Reunion 2009: October 1–4

Mills Matters

New faces join the faculty We are proud to announce

his PhD at the University of

Currently chair in gender

the addition of several out-

Virginia, where he designed

studies and director of the

standing new faculty mem-

and taught a seminar on the

African Gender Institute at

bers who continue the Mills

science of illusion.

the University of Cape Town,

College tradition of excellence

Margaret L. Hunter, assis-

South Africa, Mama earned

tant professor of sociology,

her PhD at the University of

specializes in the sociology

London. She has taught social

in tenure-track faculty posi-

of gender, contemporary

studies and gender studies in

tions, bringing the number

racial attitudes, comparative

European and international

of full-time faculty to 94 (of

racial and ethnic relations,

institutions. Her research

whom 61 percent are women

women of color in the United

projects address women in

and 26 percent are people of

States, and the sociology of

government and politics in a

color). Christie Chung, assis-

knowledge. She studied at the

variety of African contexts as

tant professor of psychology,

University of Wisconsin at

well as militarism, women’s

is a graduate of the University

Madison and completed her

organizations and move-

of Toronto and Claremont

doctorate at UCLA.

ments, race, and subjectivity.

in research and teaching.

Three new faces join Mills

Graduate University. She

Mills welcomes two faculty

In spring 2008, Mama will

studies memory in old age,

members to distinguished

co-teach a course entitled

cognitive changes associated

professorships. Renowned

Real Policy, Real Politics with

with Parkinson’s disease,

jazz composer, improviser,

Congresswoman Barbara

changes in emotional memory

and teacher Roscoe Mitchell

Lee ’73 on seven consecutive

throughout the lifespan, and

holds the Darius Milhaud

Saturdays beginning January

statistical memory modeling.

Chair in Composition

26. A limited number of seats

for 2007–10. For more on

will be held for alumnae who

Mitchell, see page 16.

wish to attend. For informa-

Assistant professor of psychology Cedar Riener has conducted extensive research

Amina Mama will be the

Christie Chung

tion about reserving a place

on vision and perception.

first to hold the Barbara

in the course, contact Delaine

He earned his undergradu-

Lee Distinguished Chair

Eastin at deastin@mills.edu.

ate degree at Harvard and

in Women’s Leadership.

Margaret Hunter

Mills receives top marks in college reviews As enrollment climbs,

that is “all about the empow-

category of “Great Schools,

social mobility, research,

Mills continues to place

erment of women, innovative

Great Prices,” which recog-

and service. The Washington

high in national rankings

thought, independence, and

nizes institutions with a high

Monthly gives colleges like

of American colleges and

activism” with a “rigorous

academic quality relative to

Mills kudos for making strong

universities, reflecting the

and challenging” curriculum.

the net cost of attendance

tangible contributions to the

academic excellence of

Mills undergraduates are said

for a typical student receiv-

public interest.

students and faculty. Three

to receive “plenty of support

ing financial aid. U.S. News

publications issued in August

and guidance from the fac-

and World Report rankings

Chronicle of Higher Education

gave Mills top marks.

ulty to aid in each student’s

are based on assessments by

named Mills a leading

individual success.”

administrators of peer institu-

producer of U.S. Fulbright

tions, graduation and reten-

Fellowship recipients for the

For the third year in a row, Mills College has been

In America’s Best Colleges

Finally, in October, The

named one of the Best 366

for 2008, published by U.S.

tion rates, faculty resources,

second year in a row, with

Colleges and one of the 123

News and World Report, Mills

student selectivity, financial

three alumnae winning

Best Western Colleges by the

ranks sixth among western

resources, and alumni giving.

awards in 2007–08. Watch for

Princeton Review, a recogni-

institutions that offer a full

The Washington Monthly’s

news of these alumnae in the

tion given to only 15 percent

range of undergraduate and

alternative evaluation system

of four-year colleges. The Best

master’s degree programs.

ranked Mills 49th out of 201

366 Colleges 2008 character-

In the same report, Mills

liberal arts colleges nation-

izes Mills as an institution

ranks sixth in the West in the

wide based on the areas of

next issue of the Quarterly.

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7

In the swim

Scholarship endowments boosted by $1.35 million

Philip Channing

Three generous recent gifts are helping the College accomplish its goal of providing access to a Mills education for as many qualified women as possible.

Less than a decade after being

The team has met equal

team includes an athlete

resurrected, the Mills College

success in the water,

who taught herself to swim

swimming and diving team

attending the NAIA

from a book as well as a Mills

stands

nationals in each of the last

record-holder in eight events.

tall

with

National

Above all, Virtue makes the

Association of Intercollegiate

three years. Last February,

Athletics

200-yard freestyle relay

team fun: he has each swim-

plenty of laughter, and out-

members Alexi Ueltzen ’07,

mer pick an animal name

standing academic achieve-

Jessica Embree ’07, Helene

(don’t be surprised if you

ment.

Kelly-Isham, and Sachiko

hear swimmers calling out

Hakuta captured an 18th

“Golden Mantle Squirrel” or

point average, the Mills team

place finish with a time

“Wild Ass” around the pool).

has been recognized as a

of 1:53.28.

And the team participates in

(NAIA)

qualifiers,

With an overall 3.31 grade

2006–07 NAIA scholar team—

Virtue is quick to say that

the annual Swim-a-Mile to

one of only nine teams in the

the credit for his team’s suc-

fight breast cancer, a Bay Area

nation to be so honored.

cess lies with the athletes,

event held at Mills that raised

who range from the superstar

over $300,000 in October.

“This outstanding national

All of these achievements

honor reflects the academic

to the athlete who is just

and athletic dedication of

learning to blow bubbles. “I

are worthy in Virtue’s book.

our student athletes,” says

try to focus on individual

“Everyone can have differ-

Neil Virtue, head swimming

successes,” he says. “Yes, we

ent goals, and all of these

coach. “While studying and

have a group that qualifies for

goals are valid,” he says. “You

working, our team members

nationals, but we also have

might remember going to

spend 12 to 15 hours per week

people who might not get

the national meet, but you’ll

at the pool, 24 weeks a year.

there and whose accomplish-

also remember the hard

This says a ton about what

ments we still want to cel-

practices and the friend-

kind of women they are.”

ebrate.” This year’s 12-woman

ships that were made.”

8

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

In July, the Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC) transferred assets of $254,546 to the College to establish the Alumnae Association of Mills College Donna Hunt Endowed Scholarship Fund. The seed monies for the fund were given to the AAMC by Donna Hunt, who served on the staff of the College for 23 years and was its first director of financial aid, when she passed away in 1979. In September, the Vera M. Long Foundation pledged $1 million to endow the Vera M. Long Scholarship Fund for Women in Science to honor the memory of Vera Long ’35, a former College Trustee. This scholarship program recognizes undergraduate women who show potential for leadership and who have an expressed interest in the study of—or have declared majors in—the physical sciences. The board of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to increase the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship Fund at Mills College. The foundation has provided financial aid for more than 40 undergraduate women at Mills since 1983.

To support scholarships at Mills College, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

Mills Matters Food for thought: Delaine Eastin, at podium, introduces Alice Waters at “100 Leaders: the Mills Forum on Student Achievement, Children’s Health, and School Lunch.”

Women in finance share strategies for success “Are women treated differently? Are women heard around the board table?”

Kate Mitchell, the opening speaker at Mills’ inaugural Linda Pitts Custard Women in Business Conference on September

Catherine Smith

28 and managing director of Scale Venture Partners, said she doesn’t usually speak about the challenges she faces as a woman. But at this gathering of 125 women—including more than 50 Mills alumnae and students—she admitted, “Yes, it is different for us, but women can be heard. Expect to be treated differently, get over it, and then become effective.”

Organized by Mills’ Graduate School of Business and

Dynamic educational leader heads new program

co-sponsored by the Financial Women’s Association of San

To encourage students’ interest in social justice, civic leader-

strategies for success in the finance field and provided a

ship, and equality—and their sense of personal responsibility—

forum for networking. Evelyn Dilsaver, former president and

Mills has launched the Center for Civic Engagement and Women’s

CEO of Charles Schwab Investment Management, gave the

Leadership (CCEWL), a new program that coordinates the activi-

closing address.

ties of the Women’s Leadership Institute, the Institute for Civic Leadership, and the College’s service learning initiatives.

CCEWL seeks to give students first-hand knowledge of the

Francisco, the Women in Business Conference focused on

Linda Pitts Custard ’60, in whose honor the conference was endowed by her father, L. Frank Pitts, launched the conference by acknowledging the foundation Mills gave her

structure and mechanics of constitutional government and

for a career in business: “Mills was for me a dynamic and

democratic institutions, and to increase the number and

transformative experience. I got that sense that you can do

variety of internships available. It is hoped that the majority

anything, that you can create your own success.”

of Mills students will be able to participate in at least one substantive community service experience with local schools and organizations. These “learning in practice” opportunities will be coordinated with graduate and undergraduate academic departments.

The effort is headed by Delaine Eastin, senior advisor to President Holmgren and distinguished visiting professor of educational leadership. “We plan to work closely with the Oakland schools, the city, and other civic and nonprofit organizations to set up internships and tutoring opportunities,” says Eastin. “We are all working together to get students engaged.

I believe engaging in service helps students find their voice.”

Eastin came to Mills in 2004. From 1995 to 2003, she served two terms as California state superintendent of public instruction, the first—and, to date, only—woman elected to the office.

Peg Skorpinski

During that time, she reduced class size and implemented a statewide system of standards, assessments, and accountability.

Eastin also served four terms in the State Assembly.

Since arriving at Mills, Eastin has taught classes in education and public policy, and, earlier this year, she sponsored a healthy school lunch conference featuring Berkeley restaurateur and sustainable local food advocate Alice Waters. Eastin is excited about taking on CCEWL and has high hopes for

Making change: Conference speaker Kate Mitchell, Graduate School of Business Dean Nancy Thornborrow, and conference namesake Linda Pitts Custard ’60.

involving students in civic leadership. “We need more women in government,” she says. “When women hold government positions, things change.”

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9

Write a 21st-century Constitution

By Jackie Kennedy ’09 If you could write a 21st-century U.S. Constitution, how would

21st Century Constitution Initiative Entry Guidelines

you do it? In honor of the 220-year anniversary of the ratifica-

alumnae—to rewrite the Constitution to be more inclusive of

Any individual, team, class, or organization affiliated with Mills College is eligible to participate in the 21st Century Constitution Initiative. Your submission may take one of the following forms, each of which represents a separate category in the competition:

all people.

• articles in the form of the current U.S. Constitution

tion of the U.S. Constitution, the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) at Mills College announced its 21st Century Constitution Initiative, a contest for Mills community members—including

The initiative is the brainchild of Daphne Muse, director

• narrative poem

of WLI, and WLI Roundtable Fellows Melissa McDonough

• essay

and Courtney Donnell, both juniors. Muse explains that

• interpretive dance (submitted on DVD)

while many groups of people in the United States continue to

• song (submitted on CD)

struggle for equal rights under the law, “there’s been a lot of movement in other countries in rethinking their own constitutions and moving forward in new directions.” She cites the constitutions of Venezuela and post-apartheid South Africa as examples.

McDonough and Donnell were inspired to help Muse launch the project when they learned that two alumnae—Beate Sirota Gordon ’43 and Eleanor Hadley ’38—helped develop a constitution for Japan at the end of World War II. Hadley contributed the economics section, while Gordon wrote the family, equity, and gender policies. Article 14 of that constitution states, “All of

• play (submitted on DVD) Entries are due on March 3, 2008. A panel of Mills faculty, staff, and alumnae will select one finalist and one winner in each category, as well as a grand prize winner. The winners will be announced on March 31; the grand prize winner’s printed submission may be published in the Mills Quarterly and on the Mills website.

Email submissions to dmuse@mills.edu or mail them to: Women’s Leadership Institute, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. For more information, call WLI at 510.430.3196.

the people are equal under the law. There shall be no discrimination in political, economic, or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status, or family origin.”

“We thought ‘No way! A Mills alumna did that? Why don’t

“The initiative is about educating and supporting women,

we write our own constitution?’” says McDonough. The idea

and growing them as future leaders,” said Muse. “Women write

gained steam when Donnell found Thomas Jefferson’s state-

memos, poems, essays, novels, and papers on public policy. I

ment: “Let us provide in our constitution for its revision at

want them to gain experience in writing primary and foun-

stated periods…. It is for the peace and good of mankind that a

dational documents, including a constitution. It’s a perfect

solemn opportunity of doing this every 19 or 20 years should

partnership with work being done at Mills in public policy and

be provided by the constitution, so that it may be handed on

a real example of democracy in action, or what democracy is

with periodical repairs from generation to generation.”

supposed to be about.”

President Holmgren’s leadership recognized at the national level College President Janet L. Holmgren continues to represent

its potential for large-scale adverse health, social, economic,

Mills and the agenda for women and higher education on the

and ecological effects.” The presidents and chancellors agreed

national scene. In August, she was elected to the Princeton

to develop a comprehensive action plan for their campuses

University Board of Trustees to serve a four-year term. Before

to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible. Holmgren

she became Mills’ 11th president, Holmgren served as vice

commented, “This initiative will provide a nationwide model

provost at Princeton, where she was one of the university’s

for addressing critical environmental challenges from global

highest-ranking female administrators between 1988 and 1991

warming.”

and where she earned her MA and PhD in linguistics.

In June, President Holmgren signed a national Climate

In October, President Holmgren was invited by Ann Lewis, senior advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, to

Commitment with more than 300 presidents and chancellors of

sit on a panel, “Making History: Electing the Future Woman

U.S. colleges and universities who are “deeply concerned about

President,” moderated by Lewis at the National Women’s

the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and

Finance Council Summit in Washington, DC.

10

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

Dana Davis

Mills Matters

Dean of students delivers transformative learning experience

By Jessica Hilberman ’03 Even Dr. Joi Lewis’ answering

where her research focused

diverse community that so

says. “I have to believe that

machine is upbeat. “Have an

on black women’s roles in

many are striving for, but our

we want to be connected to

awesome day,” she encour-

higher education transforma-

challenge is figuring out how

each other as human beings

ages, right before the beep.

tion in South Africa and the

to live and thrive with such

even when we can’t show it.”

United States. Earlier, she had

multiplicity. Now the fun and

dents, Lewis heads the

been the first dean of multi-

work really can begin. We

person who’s still getting her

Division of Student Life and

cultural life at Macalester

may want to stand at the edge

bearings. Though she spent

is the primary advocate for

College in Saint Paul,

and simply put our toe in the

a sabbatical in South Africa,

all Mills students. Her goal

Minnesota, where she helped

water, but the intersections of

Lewis has lived most of her

is to “provide Mills students

increase the population of

all of our multiple identities

life in the Midwest, near her

with a transformative student

students of color and raise

call for us to dive right in.”

family. While she admits

learning experience.” Her

the retention rate from 65 to

positive outlook and experi-

97 percent.

As the new dean of stu-

ence will help her meet that

Lewis has taken the plunge.

She has worked fast for a

that it’s hard to be away from

Though she has only been

her young niece, the twinge

on campus since mid-August,

of homesickness brings her

challenging task. A higher

is one of the things that drew

she has dedicated herself to

closer to the student experi-

education administrator for

her to the College, but it’s also

determining how she can help

ence. And for Joi Lewis, that

more than 15 years, Lewis

one of the hurdles. “I really

build community on campus.

experience is paramount. Says

completed her EdD in higher

believe that Mills is a model

“I come with the expectation

Lewis, “I love my work with

education management at the

for higher education for the

that everyone I meet wants to

students—it is one of the rea-

University of Pennsylvania,

21st century. We have the

be my close personal ally,” she

sons I get up in the morning.”

Lewis says Mills’ diversity

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

11

Arts faculty make a tradition of innovation If you’ve ever taken a class in studio art, music, or dance at Mills, you know what it means to be part of a creative laboratory. It means your teachers gain worldwide attention for pushing the boundaries of their art forms while encouraging students like you to try out new techniques, to cross disciplinary boundaries, and to explore new ways of seeing the world. Your classmates take inspiration from each other and the faculty— and give it back. In this playground for the intellect and imagination, you are part of substantial breakthroughs in concept and style.

12

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

Music, previously the San Francisco Tape

taught by Martha Graham. Strong and

features three of the 16 full-time fac-

Music Center (see sidebar on page 17).

lasting connections across the depart-

ulty whose work defines Mills as one

As recounted in Oakland Magazine’s

ments of dance and music were forged

of the nation’s preeminent creative

recent feature, “The Evolution Starts

on the Mills campus. Composers John

institutions: artist Catherine Wagner,

Now: Mills College Pushes the Limits of

Cage and Lou Harrison, for example,

composer Roscoe Mitchell, and chore-

Contemporary Sound” (October 2007),

worked as accompanists for Mills dance

ographer Molissa Fenley ’75. These art-

Mills’ music faculty has nurtured such

classes and recitals.

ists, like their colleagues at Mills, are

outstanding talents as jazz legend Dave

Mills’ continued vitality in the arts—

pursuing new projects that engage the

Brubeck, Hon. MFA ’46; Grammy Award

and its ability to attract and retain tal-

mind as well as the senses.

recipient Steve Reich, MA ’63; and cult

ented faculty and students—depends on

folk music star Joanna Newsom ’06.

the quality and availability of perfor-

Mills’ reputation for incubating cutting-edge art in an interdisciplinary,

When Marian van Tuyl founded the

mance and exhibition spaces, studios,

liberal arts setting has been built by gen-

Department of Dance in 1938, Mills was

and classrooms. But many of the spaces

erations of faculty over the course of the

one of only two institutions of higher

that helped establish Mills’ reputation

past century. In the 1940s, visual art-

learning in the United States to provide

in the past century need renovation or

ists Fernand Leger, a major figure in the

a degree in the subject, and in 1941, it

expansion to keep up with the activity

development of Cubism, and Bauhaus

offered the nation’s first degree in mod-

within. Mills has made it a top priority

school professor Lásló Moholy-Nagy

ern dance. The College has hosted resi-

to invest in improvements to these facili-

taught Mills summer session courses.

dencies by such luminaries as Merce

ties. The Concert Hall and west wing

The Mills College Ceramics Guild, which

Cunningham, who had previously stud-

classrooms in the 1928 Music Building

became an important experimental base

ied at Mills, and a summer session course

designed by Walter Ratcliffe are cur-

for artists like Peter Voulkos and Robert

rently undergoing major renovation, to

Arneson, was founded in 1940. Since

be completed in August 2008. Planning

then, notable instructors have included

is underway for improvements to the Art

Antonio Prieto and Ron Nagle.

Museum, designed by Ratcliffe in 1925. composer

Mills is seeking funding for all its arts

Darius Milhaud joined the Mills faculty

facility initiatives and welcomes the

and established the College’s status as

support of alumnae and friends. To dis-

a world leader in experimental music, a

cuss ways you can help, contact Barbara

reputation strengthened in 1967 with the

Goodson, associate director of major

founding of the Center for Contemporary

gifts, by phone at 510.430.2242 or by

In

1940,

French-Jewish

email at bgoodson@mills.edu.

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

13

“Utopia” 2006 by Catherine Wagner from A Narrative History of the Light Bulb. A lambda print of this image was donated

by Trustees Roselyne Chroman Swig and Maryellen Cattani Herringer to the Mills College Art Museum in May 2007.

In the following pages, the Quarterly

Catherine Wagner:

Illuminating Culture

T

By Glen Helfand

“I’m really interested in how

he light bulb is a ubiquitous,

culture works, how it moves and is formed.

everyday object. Its commonness, however, obscures the fact that the light

I’ve examined all these things—

bulb is a technical innovation that has become an indispensable fixture of mod-

home, science, Disneyland—

ern life and that this mundane thing is a symbol of ideas—of the spark that ignites

and I’m always looking at

adventurous and innovative thinking.

Light bulbs help us to see; rarely, how-

the major building blocks of how we live.”

ever, are they viewed as objects of artistic contemplation themselves.

Catherine Wagner is an artist whose interests lead her to focus on just such overlooked but necessary objects and ideas. In a recent series of elegant color

intellectual rigor. With photographic

ing development in Santa Monica, and a

photos, A Narrative History of the Light

projects including American Classroom

prestigious two-year artist-in-residency

Bulb, she depicted the subject with a

(1988), Home and Other Stories (1993),

fellowship at the California Academy

formal elegance from which layers of

Art

Matter

of Sciences in San Francisco, whose new

meaning emanate. “The light bulb is

(1997), and Cross Sections (2001)—which

“green” building in Golden Gate Park will

a metaphor for how ideas are gener-

are included in the collections of New

open in late 2008. These afford Wagner

ated, but they’re also formally interest-

York’s Museum of Modern Art, the

the opportunity to rigorously engage

ing objects,” the Mills professor of art

Whitney Museum of American Art,

with cultural themes such as justice,

explains. The series emerged from a two-

SFMOMA, and the Victoria and Albert

the use of public space, and scientific

year residency at the Baltimore Museum

Museum, London—she has looked deeply

thought while expanding her own artis-

of Industry, which houses a collec-

and artfully at infrastructures that are

tic practice. None of the resulting art is

tion of some 50,000 vintage and recent

often taken for granted. In addition to

likely to be photographic in the tradi-

bulbs—a collection Wagner explored in

the light bulbs, she has created elegantly

tional sense. Wagner’s proposals involve

depth, pulling fascinating examples of

composed pictures of such things as con-

revealing aspects of architecture and

the evolving form. The pictures allude

struction sites, museum display hard-

installing outdoor magnifying lenses or

to artistic lineage, shifting technology

ware, and sub-zero laboratory freezers

configurations of security mirrors.

(the light bulb, as we know it, may soon

filled with DNA samples.

&

Science:

Investigating

“It’s sculpture, but it comes from my

be obsolete), and global warming. The

These interests make her an ideal can-

ideas about framing sites within the

series is but one example of how Wagner

didate for work in collaboration with

social and physical contexts,” she says.

has expressed her continuing interest

research facilities, archives, universi-

Research is an integral part of her meth-

in making art that explores the founda-

ties, and institutions, and she has been

odology. “What I am most interested in

tions of contemporary culture.

awarded numerous esteemed fellow-

is the element of process, which can pro-

“I’m really interested in how culture

ships, awards, grants, public commis-

vide a platform for discovery,” she says.

works, how it moves and is formed,” she

sions, and residencies. The scale and

Recently, she has been looking at LAPD

says. “I’ve examined all these things—

dimension of these endeavors continue

photo files and sound recordings of

home,

to grow in importance, public visibility,

notable “voices of justice” that have been

and artistic intent.

converted with a tool called the spectro-

science,

Disneyland—and

I’m

always looking at the major building

She has three such projects currently

graph into a visual graphic similar to a

During her formidable and constantly

in the proposal stage: works for a major

charted heart rate, which may become a

evolving artistic career, Wagner has pur-

new Los Angeles Police Department

primary feature of an exterior mural for

sued this inquiry with a keen eye and

(LAPD) building, a public/private hous-

the police department building.

blocks of how we live.”

14

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

Going Public Mills faculty and alumnae in the studio arts work in an incredible array of formats—from painting to electronic media, from sculpture and ceramics to fiber and book arts.

Their work can be seen in galleries and museums all over the world.

But great works are also found as centerpieces of grand public spaces, shaping the way people interact with their environment.

Smart art: Catherine Wagner in her San Francisco studio with her dog Bishonen; her print “Right Brain, Left Brain” (2000) hangs behind her.

William Mercer McLeod

Besides Catherine Wagner, who is currently engaged in three public commissions, two other Mills professors of studio art have gained national attention for their public installations.

Working with cutting-edge technolo-

something Wagner knows much about,

gies and nontraditional tools is noth-

as she’s been a key figure in the Mills

ing new for Wagner. In 2001, she was

College Studio Art Department since 1977.

named one of Time magazine’s Fine

“Those pictures are documents, but

Arts Innovators of the Year, an honor

they are also conceptual meditations on

that speaks to the expansiveness of her

these sites of knowledge,” she explains.

vision, which challenges the confines of

“The classroom is an arena that reminds

the photographic medium. For the Cross

me why I became an artist,” she contin-

Sections show that year at the San Jose

ues. “The conversation that takes place

Museum of Art, she exhibited velvety

there is an exciting complement to my

black and white images created with

own studio practice in the way that it

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and

provides a sense of community. I like the

a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

interaction with the students and get-

She employed various digital devices to

ting them to think of greater culture.” In

produce the images, including the daz-

symbolic terms, it’s a lot like watching

zling “Pomegranate Wall,” a 40- by 8-foot

those light bulbs go on.

curved arc displaying a backlit transparency of interior views of a piece of fruit.

While there’s an almost celestial qual-

Glen Helfand is a freelance writer, curator, and educator. His work appears

ity to that glowing wall, Wagner’s use of

regularly in Artforum and other publi-

a simple object to address complex ideas

cations and exhibition catalogs. He also

goes back 20 years to her American

teaches contemporary art in Mills’ Studio

Classroom, a series that includes a photo-

Art Program and, in 2006, organized

graph of apples used in a sixth grade biol-

the exhibition Particulate Matter for the

ogy experiment. The photo points to

Mills College Art Museum.

Anna Valentina Murch has created a dozen public artworks around the country. Last year she was commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places to create Water Scores, a series of wave ramps and benches surrounding the entry plaza of the Carnival Center for Performing Arts in Miami. And thousands of harried travelers may have experienced a moment of calm watching Skydance, her light sculpture at the Denver Airport that evokes the Colorado sky by projecting soft-colored light and swirling cloud formations onto the fabric of the ceiling.

A little closer to campus, Hung Liu recently installed a painted glass mural of red-crowned cranes in flight at the Oakland Airport. Going Away, Coming Home was inspired by a 12th-century Chinese scroll painting.

“These 80 birds are blessing our journey,” Liu told the Oakland Tribune when the piece was unveiled. “It’s not a day-to-day kind of chicken,” she laughed.

“It’s a heavenly bird.”

Liu’s Oakland installation and Murch’s Water Scores were selected

by Americans for the Arts for inclusion in its 2007 Year in Review CD, which features 40 “innovative and exciting examples of American public art.”

experimentation as a pedagogical tool— Fa l l 2 0 0 7

15

Roscoe Mitchell:

Exploring the Unknown

By Linda Schmidt and Barbara Goodson Photos by Dana Davis those willing to lend an ear will be

studied with the first clarinetist of the

drawn along on Mitchell’s daring acous-

Heidelberg Symphony and played with

tic adventures.

other enlisted musicians, like saxophone

Born in Chicago in 1940, the environment of his youth was ideal for stimulat-

A

innovator Albert Ayler, who went on to make their careers in the jazz world.

ing a young ear. “Music was all around

Shortly after returning to the States in

me when I was growing up,” Mitchell

1961, Mitchell joined up with other like-

says. “I listened to the music my mother

minded musicians in the Chicago area

and father were listening to. My older

to explore contemporary alternatives

brother, Norman, played lots of differ-

to conventional jazz improvisation and

ent records. We went to theaters that

composition. In 1965, this group formed

featured not only movies but also live

the Association for the Advancement of

performances by musicians like Count

Creative Musicians (AACM), a collective

hor n wails, r attles shak e,

Basie’s big band, Duke Ellington’s big

whose members have been recognized

and whistles toot. Unidentified objects

band, Charlie Parker, and Ella Fitzgerald.”

among the most important jazz innova-

creak and clang and crash. You’re lis-

He learned saxophone and clarinet as

tors of the ’60s and ’70s.

tening to Roscoe Mitchell’s “The Little

a teenager and continued his musical

Over the years, Mitchell has appeared

Suite,” a 1966 recording that challenges

education after joining the army in the

with AACM members in a variety of con-

the listener to re-examine concepts of

1950s. While stationed in Germany, he

figurations, seeing the change in per-

sound, music, and melody.

“The Little Suite” allows a variety of nontraditional noisemakers—what have become known as “little instruments”— to interject themselves into the more familiar jazz instrumentation. The title track of the album on which it appears, Sound, forces silence to be considered as an integral presence in the composition. These pieces, and the works found on nearly 90 albums released over the past 40 years, demonstrate Mitchell’s pioneering approach to jazz composition and improvisation. His 2007 release, Composition / Improvisation Nos. 1, 2, & 3, was recorded by Mitchell and 13 other musicians at a symposium for improvised music in Munich, curated by the Munich Kulturreferat and the musicology department of Ludwig Maximillian University. It’s not easy listening, but 16

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

Take note: Roscoe Mitchell’s “scored improvisations” guide and focus students learning the art of improvisation.

sonnel as an opportunity. “I’ve always

He is adamant, however, that good

improvisation for a longer period of time

thought: You do music with who’s there.

improvisation requires a great deal of

and to develop skills of concentration,”

And that’s not a bad thing—because

study and practice. “I’m a firm believer

he says. “But it’s a constant study, for me

it stretches the mind and helps you to

that to be a good improviser, you need to

too.”

think of different orchestrations and dif-

study composition,” he says. The inter-

Yet the deliberate act of composing a

ferent things that you can use,” he says.

action between the two is essential, and

piece can be as filled with discovery and

Whether performing in a quartet,

each technique strengthens the other.

surprise as a free improvisation session,

ensemble, with a partner, or on his own,

“For instance, I may play something as

Mitchell explains. “One of the things I’ve

Mitchell’s creative leadership is always

an improvisation and, later on, decide to

learned from improvisation is that every

apparent. His many honors include the

write that down as a completely notated

day and every minute is different, so if

International Jazz Critics Poll, Down

composition.”

you block that off then you’re not open

Beat magazine’s Talent Deserving Wider

Similarly, Mitchell says, written mate-

to what’s happening with that instant.

Recognition and Record of the Year

rials can serve as a reference for expan-

So a lot of times I won’t even know what

(for Nonaah), and the NAACP’s Image

sion and improvisation—a sort of map

I want to write. Sometimes it will be in

Award. He has been recognized by the

for the journey—a method that will

my head, and I’ll sit down and write it

National Association of Jazz Educators

benefit the students he works with over

out, and eventually it will start to reveal

and has received numerous composi-

the three years of his appointment at

itself.”

tion and performance grants from the

Mills. “A lot of beginning improvisa-

“You never know what you’re going

National Endowment for the Arts, as well

tion students make the same mistakes.

to hear out there,” he continues. “The

as the John Cage Award for Music from

I’ve tried to devise different methods of

thing I find most exciting is to explore

the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

scored improvisation that address some

and study music. Music is kind of like

But Mitchell has perhaps made his

of these problems, allowing the inexperi-

a mystery, and that’s what excites me

greatest impact in the realm of impro-

enced improviser to function within the

about it.”

visation, and he is incredibly versatile: In addition to his main horns, he plays flute, piccolo, oboe, baritone and bass saxophones, piano, and numerous percussion instruments. This variety is essential in his approach. “It’s the study of sound in general,” he explains. “That’s why I play instruments that are highregister and low-register—it gives me a

“One of the things

I’ve learned from improvisation is that every day and

every minute is different.”

better understanding of how the whole music works. But I don’t see instruments in any particular role, especially in an improvisation. Any instrument can be the lead, and any note can be the root.”

This open-minded philosophy has now brought Mitchell to Mills College as the Darius Milhaud Chair of Composition.

“We are honored to have a creative artist on our faculty who not only once performed with John Coltrane but also initiated

revolutionary

changes

in

improvisation, composition, and performance of his own,” says David Bernstein, head of the Music Department. “Mills has an incredible musical legacy. Roscoe Mitchell’s

appointment

demonstrates

that we continue to play a leading role at the forefront of contemporary music.”

Mitchell is equally pleased. “I was drawn to Mills because—well, just look at the faculty,” he says. “A lot of people here are improvisers, and this is one of my main interests in music.”

40 Years of the center for contemporary music The Center for Contemporary Music (CCM), housed in Mills’ Music Department, is celebrating its 40th birthday this year. CCM’s roots lie in the San Francisco Tape Music Center, founded in 1961. The Tape Music Center moved to the Mills campus in 1966–67 under the directorship of Pauline Oliveros, who has since returned to the College to serve variously as visiting professor and composer-in-residence.

From its inception, CCM has been at the forefront of experimental practice, presenting groundbreaking works by such internationally renowned composers as Oliveros, Morton Subotnick, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and others. Robert Ashley, director of CCM from 1969 through 1981, created a new genre of opera that included video, electronic music, and improvisation. Co-director David Behrman, along with Ashley and others, helped change the aesthetic of electronic music from playing back music recorded on tape to live performance.

Today, CCM is directed by Maggi Payne, a composer, interdisciplinary artist, and recording engineer, and Chris Brown, an instrument builder, pianist, and composer. John Bischoff, pioneer of live computer music, serves as studio director. Works by all three were performed at October 2007 concerts at Mills and at Los Angeles’ REDCAT Theater that celebrated CCM’s role in shaping electronic music over the past 40 years.

David Bernstein, head of the Music Department, has written The San Francisco Tape Music Center: 1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde, due from University of California Press in July 2008.

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

17

Molissa Fenley:

By Barbara Goodson

S

o you’d li k e to become A

world-famous choreographer? First, make sure you start dance lessons at an early age so you are well prepared to audition for dance school. Do your very best in school so you can get into the right company as a member of the corps. Dance your heart out for several years, learning all you can from the choreographers you work with. Then, perhaps, when you’ve started creating your own works, you will break into the big time. That’s how to do it… unless you’re Molissa Fenley ’75, now a renowned choreographer and part-time associate professor of dance at Mills College.

Thirty-two years ago, fresh out of

Wild Discipline

dance, Fenley exploded all conventions by bursting onto the New York dance scene with none of the standard credits to her name. “I literally got on a bus the afternoon of graduation and moved to New York,” says Fenley. “I had the confidence from having gone to Mills that it was possible.” In 1977, she formed her company, Molissa Fenley and Dancers.

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Mills College with a bachelor’s degree in

Since then, Fenley has created more than 60 works and performed both solo and ensemble pieces in major dance fes-

choreography, for the ensemble piece

Fenley’s upbringing served, in a way, as

tivals around the world. She has accepted

Cenotaph in 1985 and for the 1988 solo

a substitute teacher for what has become

commissions from Deutsche Oper Ballet

work State of Darkness.

her distinctive style of dance. Freed from

of Berlin, Australian Dance Theater, the

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and raised

the constraints of childhood training in

Ohio Ballet, the Pacific Northwest Ballet,

for a few years in upstate New York,

ballet and with her early exposure to

and famed dancer Peter Boal. She has

Fenley spent most of her childhood in

flamenco and African dance, she draws

also created dances on commission from

Nigeria, as her father was working for

easily from the vocabulary of movement

her alma mater: In 1998, she choreo-

the newly created United States Agency

present in a variety of dance traditions,

graphed La Muse Ménagère, with music

for International Development. For her

using dancers’ bodies to define angles

by Darius Milhaud, and this spring she

junior and senior years in high school,

and explore space. She cites Asian sculp-

choreographed Castor and Pollux, with

she attended boarding school in Spain

ture, Cycladic art, Egyptian hieroglyph-

music by Harry Partch. She has received

before coming to Mills College. “I was

ics, and Yoruban dance as influences on

funding from numerous sources includ-

petrified of coming to the United States,”

her vision. “Fenley’s style recalls dances

ing the Foundation for Contemporary

she says, so the atmosphere of a small

of Hawaii, India, or Thailand in which

Arts, the Greenwich Collection Ltd., and

women’s college that offered a major in

each hand, foot, and finger movement

the National Endowment for the Arts.

dance—and the proximity of her sister

has specific meaning. The precision

She has received two New York Dance

in Santa Cruz—made Mills a welcoming

and artistry can captivate you whether

and Performance Awards (“Bessies”) in

choice.

you know the fine points or not,” critic

18

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

Celebrating 30 Years of Dance On December 11–16, 2007, the Joyce Theater in New York will present a week-long 30th-anniversary celebration of Molissa Fenley and Dancers.

Fenley and her company will perform the New York premiere of Dreaming Awake with music by Philip Glass and the world premiere of Calculus and Politics, a dance for three women, three men, six stuffed swans, and a skipping rope, set to music by Harry Partch.

Mills Honors Molissa Fenley December 12, 7:30 pm Joyce Theater, New York City In conjunction with the Joyce Theater festivities, Mills College alumnae and friends are invited to attend a dance performance and reception in New York City in honor of Molissa Fenley. For more information, contact Barbara Goodson at 510.430.2242 or bgoodson@mills.edu.

Paula Court

Sharon McDaniel wrote in the Palm Beach Post in January 2001.

The precision of Fenley’s work is often termed “cerebral” or “intellectual,” but she also displays an unrelenting physicality. She trains both at the gym and the dance studio, merging cardiovascular endurance with the strength

“It’s good to be in conversation about how to make dance, why to make dance, what dance means in a culture that is constantly shifting.”

and flexibility demanded of dancing her choreography. Jennifer Dunning of the

extensively to scores by John Cage and

in residence in Italy as a winner of a

New York Times termed Fenley “a spare,

Lou Harrison, and performed to music

2007–08 American Academy of Rome

astringent sprite” and San Francisco

by Laurie Anderson, Anthony Davis,

Prize. The prize has no category for

Ulrich

Pauline Oliveros, and Talking Heads—

dance, so Fenley applied in design, using

said, “She uses every muscle in her

partnerships that often germinated in

the 13th-century Cosmati mosaics as a

grueling, elegant choreography.… Yet the

the creative network at Mills College.

jumping-off point. These mosaics are

Examiner

reviewer

Allan

body remains so beautifully balanced

Perhaps it was, in part, this drive to

designed using equilateral triangles and

through its central axis that the risk-

stay in touch with new ideas that led

nested structures; Fenley’s application

taking nature of the choreography is off-

Fenley back to Mills College as a teacher

outlined her desire to devise a dance

set by a certain poise, even serenity.”

in 1999. Her continued friendship with

exploring different aspects of movement

Risk is also present in Fenley’s adven-

faculty at Mills and the opportunity to

in the same way the mosaics bring out

turous collaborations. Her performances

work with students also aided her deci-

different aspects of geometry.

may take place with musicians on stage,

sion to return to Oakland, where she is

While in Rome, Fenley will draw on

or in silence. She might incorporate

usually in residence each spring semes-

the resources of the region and the skills

unusual components such as text by

ter. “It’s interesting to be in a repartee

of fellow awardees in a wide range of dis-

Eric Bogosian, video by Keith Haring,

with someone who’s just starting out,”

ciplines. The prospect of being a part of

sculpture by Kiki Smith, or costumes

she says. “It’s good to be in conversation

this vibrant intellectual community is

by Merrill Wagner that tether danc-

about how to make dance, why to make

tantalizing, she says. “I’ve not worked

ers to the wall. She has developed close

dance, what dance means in a culture

with an architect before, I haven’t sat

creative ties with composers Philip

that is constantly shifting.”

down to dinner with an archaeologist. I

Glass and Somei Satoh, choreographed

Fenley will be spending spring 2008

just find that a fascinating thing.”

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

19

a new era for the Mills

By Barbara Goodson Jessica Hough, the new director of the Mills College Art Museum, is known for her outstanding interpretive vision in creating exhibitions of contemporary American and international art. She brings particular expertise in working with emerging and midcareer artists to develop innovative projects and successful exhibitions of their work.

“Ms. Hough is an excellent addition to the Mills community. She likes to show work that is challenging, that questions the meaning and purpose of art, and that pushes edgy ideas,” says Mary-Ann Milford, provost and dean of the faculty (and formerly dean of fine arts). “She is also aware that balance is needed in a museum setting and enjoys doing shows that are approachable to students, children, and the wider community.”

Hough received her undergraduate degree in art history from Occidental College in Los Angeles and her master’s in curatorial studies from Bard College in New York’s Hudson Valley. For nine and a half years, she was a staff member at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut, starting as an intern and working her way up to the position of curatorial director. During that time, she was part of the team responsible for rebuilding the Aldrich Museum—experience that will serve her well as she plays a leading role in planning for the future of the Mills College Art Museum. We interviewed Hough at the start of the fall semester.

What led you to a career in art?

What drew you to Mills College?

I have had a pretty straight trajectory,

Mills offers a wonderful opportunity to

unlike most people. I grew up going to

direct a museum that’s heading in a really

museums in Philadelphia. I had two

interesting direction and to build on a

full years of art history in high school;

great foundation. And I loved the idea of

a wonderful teacher took us on field

being part of a small liberal arts college

trips to New York—to galleries and to the

community. This year, I’m enjoying life on

Museum of Modern Art—so I had this

campus, in Faculty Village, with my hus-

amazing, rich art experience as a kid.

band and four-year-old daughter.

In college, despite my mother’s begging me to do something practical, I ended up majoring in art history.

The museum plays a very important role

How did that evolve into curating?

for MFA students and for undergraduate

I wrote my undergraduate thesis on

art majors and art history majors. It’s cru-

Manuel Ocampo, an artist who was liv-

cial to students who are studying studio

ing

time.

art or art history to understand the way

I got to spend time with him in his stu-

art institutions work. I’ll be teaching the

dio, at his home, and at the gallery where

museum studies course and hopefully

his work was shown. It was a great expe-

acting as a mentor—providing guidance

rience. After graduating I curated exhi-

and making con-nections for students.

in

Los

Angeles

at

the

Dana Davis

bitions at Occidental; my first show was

20

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

How does the museum enrich arts education at Mills?

But I also believe the museum experi-

reviewed in Art Week, which was very

ence

exciting and very encouraging.

the board. Understanding the visual art

is

part

of

education

across

Then I applied and was admitted to

world is part of being a rigorous thinker

the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard

and exercising your imagination. By visit-

College. This was a new idea: a two-year

ing exhibitions, students learn visual lit-

degree to train people who wanted to

eracy. So the museum is important for

become contemporary curators.

every student on campus.

s College

Art Museum

Bruce Cook

The first show curated by Jessica Hough at the Mills College Art Museum, Don’t Let the Boys Win, closing December 9, features three internationally recognized women artists. Lara Schnitger created Private Dancer (right) for this exhibition of work with a playful and empowered female perspective.

The museum’s spring semester show, We Interrupt Your Program, will include video and new media works by 14 women.

For more information, see page 6 or go to www.mills.edu/campus_life/art_museum.

What’s the most distinctive aspect of our program?

There aren’t too many colleges of this size that actually have a bona fide museum with a collection on campus.

Students have an incredible opportunity to have a hands-on experience at the museum, such as talking to the director or with artists or being able to handle an object in our collection. I think when students leave here, they’ll find that’s

What do you like most about directing an art museum?

What can the Mills College Art Museum bring to the Bay Area art mix?

hard to replicate.

I love the issues that come with running an institution. I like thinking about mar-

The Bay Area is a very exciting place

How does Mills’ commitment to women’s education influence your activities at the museum?

keting and attendance and traffic flow

right now for visual arts—and espe-

and issues around wall text and whether

cially contemporary art—with important

or not to do a brochure or a catalog and

institutions that operate in the broader

I’ve decided to focus primarily on show-

putting together combinations of exhi-

international art community, such as

ing female artists over the next year.

bitions.

the Berkeley Art Museum, the Wattis

Most major museums show more art-

Institute, SFMOMA, and Yerba Buena

there are many reasons to focus on

What are your short- and longterm goals for the museum?

women—not just for Mills, but for the

First, raising attendance and raising the

unique to the Bay Area, and how it has

community as a whole.

public profile of the museum. Another

an opportunity to play an even larger

But there are broader questions that

goal is to steer the museum toward a

role in the national and international art

I’m thinking about, too. How does the

potential renovation and expansion.

scene. Because of the museum’s situa-

fact that Mills is dedicated to educating

This includes considering the future of

tion in a liberal arts college—and a wom-

women impact what we collect? Are there

the museum programmatically and how

en’s college in particular—it’s differently

other ways that we can serve students

that affects what kind of physical facility

positioned than those other institutions.

and serve female artists? These are really

we should have. There’s already a lot of

And so that context should inform what

important questions for me to address.

momentum and enthusiasm about that.

it does and how it moves ahead.

work by men than by women, so I feel

Center for the Arts. I’m beginning to see how Mills can contribute something

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

21

LIFE

fast lane Photo courtesy Tom Burnside

By Moya Stone, MFA ’03

in the

a bold statement near Denise McCluggage’s senior photo

was frowned upon—and I was called to task for organizing and

in the 1947 yearbook proclaims, “We predict Denny to be the

advertising a jazz concert.” The concert included Dave Brubeck,

first woman President, Olympic ski champion, or the mother

then a graduate student at Mills.

of ten children.” Denny has not disappointed. A racecar driver,

McCluggage participated in academic life with equal relish.

sports reporter, and columnist for AutoWeek magazine, in 2001

Mills didn’t offer a degree in journalism, the career she had

she also became the first journalist (and only the second woman)

already chosen for herself, so she forged her own way, under-

inductee into the Automotive Hall of Fame. Her remarkable life

taking a combined major of philosophy, economics, and politics.

and accomplishments have set an extraordinary example of a

This broad education proved to be an advantage in her journal-

woman who knows no roadblocks.

ism career: “The main thing you need in life is curiosity,” she

One of three girls, McCluggage grew up in Topeka, Kansas,

says, “and Mills fed curiosity.”

with a lawyer father who encouraged his daughters in all their

After graduating, McCluggage became one of the few women

endeavors. “I was lucky. Dad’s attitude was that we could do

on the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle, pestering the editors

anything,” she says. “I got my driver’s license at 13.”

until they finally hired her. “The editor in chief at the time said

Just three years later, McCluggage came to Mills. An avid

there should only be one woman reporter,” she recalls. “They

skier, she founded the College ski club. “It was during the war,

already had one, so they hid me.” She worked as an associate

so we didn’t get to travel much, and ski trips were few and far

editor of the Sunday magazine, covering music, books, and the

between,” she recalls. Some of McCluggage’s other extracurric-

arts, and she initiated a jazz column written by Ralph Gleason,

ular activities raised a few eyebrows among the school’s admin-

which became widely syndicated.

istrators: “We used to play football on Toyon Meadow—that 22

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

McCluggage didn’t know it at the time, but her life was about

to take a radical detour. At a local imported car dealership, she found something she just had to have: an MG-TC, the twodoor British roadster that turned post-war America on to sports cars.

One sports car led to the next and it wasn’t long before McCluggage was racing. “I liked driving fast, and I had a knack for driving on dirt tracks,” she says. “Racing was simply a normal thing to do if you liked to control powerful forces at speed, whether on skis, in a sailboat, or in a car. It felt good.” So good, in fact, that McCluggage went on to race in many of the great auto races and rallies of her day, such as Sebring, the Nurburgring, and Monte Carlo.

The world of racing was no more welcoming to women than journalism had been, but McCluggage’s outgoing personality and varied interests led to friendships with great characters, from fellow racers like Stirling Moss, Phil Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Carroll Shelby to an array of A-list celebrities such as Miles Davis and Steve McQueen.

In the early 1950s, she moved to New York and married actor Michael Conrad. But the expectations surrounding the traditional wifely role were an uncomfortable fit. She recounts one incident when Conrad—at 6’5” and with a booming, thunderous voice—forbade her from fixing their broken-down car, despite her ability, and insisted on calling in the local (male) mechanic.

but wouldn’t allow social norms to sidetrack her—she simply

“I had hoped his obsession with what was properly masculine

invented another route. McCluggage found her stories by roam-

and what was properly feminine would be tempered with time,”

ing among sports attendees, listening in on conversations, and

she wrote of her husband in her book, By Brooks Too Broad for

catching the athletes in hotel lobbies for interviews. She believes

Leaping (Fulcorte Press, 1994). “At first I enjoyed the challenge

these unconventional methods were actually a bonus, allowing

of playing chameleon and turning myself into whatever color

her to gather more interesting material.

necessary, but soon my energies were depleted beyond rejuvenation. And so it ended.” They divorced after 11 months.

Her journalism career continued with the New York Herald

Meanwhile, in 1956, the incoming sports editor at the Tribune pledged to remove McCluggage from the sports section and return her to the women’s page.

Tribune, where she was assigned women’s features. But after sub-

“I don’t go backwards,” McCluggage told him. She quit the

mitting an article about skiing, she was invited to move to the

paper and took over the racing publication Competition Press,

sports section—an unimaginable challenge to the status quo.

for which she had already been moonlighting as a writer. She

“To them I was a woman, not a reporter,” says McCluggage.

She was often kept out of the press box at sporting events

ran Competition Press for a year before selling it (many sales later it became AutoWeek).

McCluggage has a unique vantage point to evaluate the challenges women face as they make their way in the world and to recognize the tools that ensure women’s success. She strongly believes in the value of all-women’s education at Mills. “Men dominate the external environment, and women need to have the world to themselves for a while.”

Now 80 years old and one of Mills’ Golden Girls, McCluggage is still on the move writing for AutoWeek and her local paper as well as attending new car introductions and other automotive events. She hasn’t raced since the end of the 1960s, but her collection of trophies still resides in the kitchen of her Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. “I hope people will think I got them for cooking,” she says, “and will be more receptive to what I feed them.”

Ready, set, go! Denise McCluggage after the first heat of the 1956 “Ladies Race” in Nassau, the Bahamas (left). McCluggage today (top right) and with her signature polka-dot helmet (above).

Moya Stone, MFA ’03, is a freelance writer who has worked for the Contra Costa Times, Orinda News, Daily Candy, and Glamour magazine.

Fa l l 2 0 0 7

23

Bookshelf Defending Violet Jennifer Louise Jefferson ’82 Five Star Publishing, 2006 www.gale.com/fivestar

The Ultimate Golf Journal

Defending Violet is packaged as a crime thriller—its plot revolves around a murder and the main character’s unhealthy obses-

Lisa Bach ’90 Chronicle Books, 2007 www.chroniclebooks.com

sion with developing a defense for the impending trial—but look

Lisa Bach hits the sweet spot with The

deeper and you’ll find a tenderly written tragedy set around the

Ultimate Golf Journal. A golfer since

details of a murder mystery.

age nine, Bach says that “most golfers

This case just “tumbled… into my life,” says Ginger Rae Reddy,

play more than they practice, but all

the gritty, slightly disillusioned, and certainly cynical narrator

golf professionals are clear about the fact that it’s essential to

who sets the stage in the first line of the novel. On the last day

practice more than you play.” While the book includes plenty

of winter, as Ginger Rae worries over her income, she answers

of room for playing, there is a strong focus on improving one’s

the call that would take her “for a ride to places [she] did not

game through practice, with useful tools to achieve that end.

want to go.” Violet Rosado was calling from jail. Ginger Rae had

Designed as a kind of golf training log meets golf instruction

already won a restraining order against Violet’s ex-boyfriend

book, Bach’s book will be accessible and interesting to players

and father of her child. Now Violet had been arrested for abus-

of all levels. The book includes logs for practice, games, lessons,

ing her 10-month-old infant, who lay in a coma. “I only take very

and even expenses, as well as a place to attach score cards.

minor criminal cases… the occasional misdemeanor… nothing

The Ultimate Golf Journal also provides plenty of helpful back-

that will deal the client more than 364 days in the county jail,”

ground and information: there is a section on golf etiquette, an

reflects Ginger Rae. “Baby in the hospital didn’t sound minor.”

extensive glossary of terms, a brief history of the game, tips for

But Ginger Rae, a recovering alcoholic, hardly has the will

effective driving and putting routines, descriptions of 15 dif-

to fight the storms coming her way, storms that could cause

ferent golf games, and instructions on how to determine your

trouble to her health and to her relationships with those she

handicap. While the book is immensely practical, it also includes

loves. She takes Violet’s case and tragedy unfolds as the mystery

fun features like a place to keep track of favorite “19th holes,”

unveils and justice ensues.

the term given to the bar at a golf course or country club.

In sharp descriptions of a gritty town trying to survive both

Whether Bach’s readers are aces, duffers, sandbaggers,

post-industrial and post-gentrification depression, of Ginger

scratches, or hacks, The Ultimate Golf Journal is an excellent

Rae’s modest office and home and the people who occupy them,

tool to help improve their game. Bach says she’s spent almost 30

of all Ginger Rae observes, the reader will find more than super-

years trying to hit a hole-in-one; perhaps, with this book, she

ficial attempts at increasing the page count. The author’s fine

has finally achieved that goal.

descriptions of this world and the people in it expose not only what Ginger Rae sees and what she likes, but also reveal her own inner workings.

This is not purely genre fiction, though it adheres to the themes well enough to satisfy most crime novel junkies.

Jefferson’s observations are poetic and insightful, giving enough weight to her story to carry the suspense and details of the criminal case as well as the humanity of her characters and the world through which they fight—win or lose—to make their way.

—Cleavon Smith, MFA ’02

24

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

—Laura Joyce Davis, MFA ’06

The Secret Language of Sleep: A Couple’s Guide to the Thirty-Nine Positions

Further Reading

Evany Thomas ’92 and Amelia Bauer McSweeney’s Irregulars, 2006 store.mcsweeneys.net

editors in recent months. Although constraints of time

Evany Thomas and Amelia Bauer’s The Secret Language of Sleep is an extended play on both couple self-help books and the myriad sexual position reference books that have become multi-million dollar niches for mass-market publishers.

The text categorizes couples into four types of sleepers: Sun, Wind, Sea, and Wood. These new-agey names frame introductions to each section that explain the similarities shared by

Reflecting the wide-ranging interests and expertise of Mills alumnae and faculty, the following books and DVDs have come to the attention of the Quarterly’s and space do not allow full reviews of these offerings in this issue, we are pleased to share news of their publication with the Mills community.

Ethics of Emerging Technologies: Scientific Facts and Moral Challenges Thomas F. Budinger and Miriam D. Budinger ’59 Wiley, 2006

Motivating Moves for People with Parkinson’s: Janet Hamburg’s Seated Exercise Program (DVD) Janet Hamburg, MFA ’76

members of each group: “The focus of any Wind pose is the

Parkinson’s Foundation, 2004

way the couple’s elements dovetail together.” Thomas doesn’t miss a beat in her use of the scientifically definitive tone used

Together Again: A Creative Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living

in serious research, and she also shows a keen ability to veer

Sharon Graham Niederhaus ’63 and John L. Graham

into the truly humorous, often within the same sentence: “The

M. Evans & Co., 2007

one unifying aspect of all Sun pose couples is that they always sleep facing the same side of the bed, their bodies aligned front to back, lined up like Girl Scouts eagerly waiting for a chance to donate blood or apply a cold compress to a burn victim.” She has mastered the psych-pop speak of best-selling self-help books: “But as Fireman’s Carry couples know, it can also take courage to agree to a third date after a lifetime running from commitment, or (in the case of Bird in Handers) to try again after long, loving relationships go sour.”

Each of the 39 positions is accompanied by a full-page Amelia

Touring the Sierra Nevada Cheryl Angelina Koehler, MFA ’86 University of Nevada Press, 2007

Rituals of Memory in Contemporary Arab Women’s Writing Brinda Mehta, Professor of French and Francophone Studies, Mills College Syracuse University Press, 2007

Eleanor

Bauer illustration, which provides much more than the graphics

Carole Silva ’54

required for a tongue-in-cheek parody of sexual position books.

Vantage Press, 2007

Bauer’s line drawings manage to portray the security and happiness of the couples practicing these sleeping positions. An added, and obviously intentional, element of the illustrations is Bauer’s unwillingness to define coupledom solely in terms of

The Transformation Juliana Spahr, Associate Professor of English, Mills College Atelos, 2007

same way as the other illustrations, making a visual argument

Homelands: Women’s Journeys Across Race, Place, and Time

that they are no different than other couples. It’s subtle but very

Patricia Justine Tumang, MFA ’06, and

powerful.

Jenesha de Rivera, MFA ’07 (eds.)

heterosexuality. Gay and lesbian couples are represented in the

Like other books in the McSweeney’s catalogue, The Secret Language of Sleep is well-crafted textually, physically, and aesthetically; this is a beautiful, hard-bound book object. If you can’t wait to find out more, Evany Thomas has a website where you can discover your own sleeping position: www.evany.com/

Seal Press, 2006

World Voyagers Amy P. Wood ’90, Philip J. Shelton, and Stewart P. Wood Book Orchard Press, 2007

sleeptest.

—David Harrison Horton, MFA ’01 Fa l l 2 0 0 7

25

alumnae tr avel

Dear Alumna Traveler, The AAMC travel committee offers an enticing list of excursions to various corners of the world, presenting an interesting spectrum of destinations and experiences with an emphasis on culture, art, and history.

There are many advantages to group travel: You gain access to special events and visits not available to individual travelers, avoid standing in line to enter exhibitions and galleries, and enjoy great savings. And the camaraderie of traveling with a group of alumnae and friends makes the experience even more rewarding.

It is with great pleasure that we present such a varied agenda of trips with value and substance. Don’t wait too long to register—plan your 2008 travel now!

For reservations or more information, please contact the Alumnae Association of Mills College: Tel: 510.430.2110 Fax: 510.430.1401 Email: aamc@mills.edu

Colonial Mexico January 26–February 2, 2008 Spend seven nights at the beautiful Hosteria Las Quintas Resort in centrally located Cuernavaca, with its lovely gardens and pleasant weather. Visit archaeological sites, private art collections, and the famous Anthropological Museum in Mexico City. All meals and excursions are included. 9 days, $1,895 plus air

Tahiti and French Polynesia February 3–11, 2008 Enjoy the incomparable beauty of these magical islands, with their astounding wildlife, relaxing beaches, and a history, culture, and mythology that has been represented in literature and musicals. All meals on the seven-night cruise aboard the Star Flyer Clipper. 9 days, $2,695 plus air

A Los Angeles Weekend February 16–18, 2008 Immerse yourself in culture! Visit the Walt Disney Music Center with optional concert, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels (the largest cathedral in the U.S.), a reception with a local alumna artist, the newly opened Getty Villa, and much more. 3 days, approx. $750

Costa Rica March 6–13, 2008 Explore all that Costa Rica has to offer: a jungle canopy tour, whitewater rafting, and the LaSelva Biological Station, which does rainforest research. Venture to Arenal Volcano, one of the world’s most active, and, finally, spend a few days relaxing at the Playa Tambot.

Visit www.globaladrenaline.com/mills/ email/2007/June. 8 days, $2,325 plus air 34

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

Dublin in an Irish Castle June 16–23, 2008 Live in a castle while exploring the history and culture of the capital area of Ireland, then see the beauty of the Irish countryside on a train journey to Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland. Great changes are occurring as Ireland adopts a prosperous, high-tech economy. All meals and excursions included. 9 days, $2,005 plus air

St. Petersburg and Moscow on Russian Waterways July 30–August 10, 2008 Cruise the Volga, Neva, and Svir rivers aboard the MS Repin, your “floating hotel” from St. Petersburg to Moscow.

Explore medieval villages and charming country homes of national heroes.

You will have a priority visit to the State Hermitage Museum, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Petrodvorets Palace, and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. In Moscow, you will visit the Kremlin, the Armory Museum, Red Square, and St. Basil’s Cathedral. 13 days, $2,495 plus air

Tulip Time in Holland April 19–27, 2008 This is the ideal time to enjoy the abundant flowers of the area and to learn about the complex engineering feat that has protected Holland from devastation by the sea. All meals and excursions while aboard the beautiful Avalon river boat. 9 days, $1,994 plus air

China: Traditional and Modern Art and Architecture May 12–25, 2008 Join Wah Cheng, Mills associate professor of history, who will lend insight into the people’s voice in modern China.

Beginning in Beijing, visit the new buildings for the 2008 Olympics as well as traditional historic monuments. Travel on to Longsheng, famous for its rice terraces on hills cultivated since the 13th-century Yuan dynasty. End your travel in exotic and modern Shanghai. 14 days, $4,990 plus air

September 21–23, 2008 Join us for a delightful 3-day postreunion tour of the wine country, with food, tastings, camaraderie, and fun!

Contact the Alumnae Association of Mills College for more information.

Georgia (on the Black Sea) September 30–October 13, 2008 This ancient region is bursting with stone churches and fortresses, cave monasteries dug out of the living rock by devout monks, some of the most savory dishes in the world, and fabulous local wineries. There will be great interaction with local people as we visit the studios of artists and craftsmen and prepare a meal in a Georgian home. Edna Mitchell, Mills professor emerita of education, will be study leader. 14 days, $4,795

In Memoriam Alumnae Dorothy Thomas Davie ’29, cousin of Marion Dirr Cooper ’33 / May 3, 2007 Kathleen Mullins ’35, sister of Georgina Mullins Allen ’37 (deceased) / May 24, 2007 Eleanor “Elly” McDonald Meyer ’36, mother of Nancy Meyer Neal ’70 / June 7, 2007 Elizabeth “Zib” Myers Parish ’36 / September 1, 2007 Kyoko Hoshiga Mukai ’37, MS ’39, mother of Margret Mukai ’75 / May 18, 2007 She was interned in Topaz, Utah, during World War II and later earned a degree in library science from Rutgers University.

She served as reference librarian in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

Elizabeth “Betty” Buxton Smith Stevenson ’38 / September 7, 2007 She was Queen of Osiris at the Memphis Cotton Carnival in 1936 and the Southern Women’s Tennis champion in 1937. She traveled extensively and was known as an exceptional amateur photographer.

Elinore Jean Faw Boulger ’39 / May 9, 2007 Nancy Newbury Hincks ’42, sister-in-law of Margaret Hincks Dyer ’43, aunt of Susanne Dyer ’73 / April 22, 2007 Sally Cheek Mee ’42 / May 7, 2007

Spouses/Family Margaret “Peggy” Holt Wurlitzer ’44 / September 9, 2007 Caroline Bacher Hakim ’46 / May 31, 2007 She spearheaded children’s music education programs and wrote children’s study books on the history of opera, composers, and musical history. Earlier in life, she had been a food consultant and publicist, writing cookbooks and supervising food photography.

Virginia Butterworth Buffum ’47 / August 18, 2006 June Brent Maddock ’47 / January 10, 2007 Trista Kline Conger ’48, motherin-law of Harriet Milnes ’78 / September 6, 2007 She served Mills College as a Trustee from 1977–1985 and, late in life, had become a successful playwright; her work The Stones Cry Out was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and a semi-finalist for the Geraldine R. Dodge New American Play Award. As a young woman, she had been an actress, appearing in The Tempest on Broadway for two weeks; in her college years she was active in national student activities and spent a summer with Eleanor Roosevelt at Campobello. She was a member of several playwrights’ groups and an associate at the Rocky Mountain Women’s Institute.

Barbara Brady Douglas ’48, sister of Mary “Pat” Brady Evans ’47, aunt of Barbara Evans Johnson ’77 / May 30, 2007 Among her many efforts on behalf of the Vashon Island community in Washington state, she was a founder of Allied Arts, helped establish the Island Health Center, worked with the PTA and other school committees, and was active in local political groups, including the League of Women Voters.

Orrin K. Airola, husband of Helen Drake Airola ’41, father of Kay-Daphne Airola ’74 / May 19, 2007 George Clifford, husband of Marilyn “Macduff” McClure Clifford ’48 / March 6, 2007 Morris Reed Grady, husband of Mary Phyllis Parker Grady ’46 / July 8, 2007 Lois B. Henley, mother of Cathy Henley-Erickson ’62 / October 23, 2006

Virginia Frick O’Brien ’49 / December 5, 2006 She worked as a teacher and draftsman and was an accomplished vocalist.

Charles Lane, father of Alice Lane Deane ’61, brother-in-law of Gertrude Guggenheim Levison ’24 (deceased) / July 9, 2007

Elizabeth Stalder Bippart ’50 / February 5, 2007

Philip Spielman, husband of Sheila Weibert Ballantyne ’58 (deceased) / April 24, 2007

Anna Belle McVicar Giomi, GR ’50, cousin of Marybel Batjer ’77 / May 7, 2007 She worked as a teacher and was a talented painter of Nevada landscapes. She toured the country speaking for Aglow, a transdenominational organization of Christian women.

Albert Walkoe, husband of Shirley Peavey Walkoe ’48 / April 5, 2007

Betty Nomura ’55 / April 14, 2007 She enjoyed her vocation as a kindergarten teacher’s aide and pursued many domestic hobbies.

Ellsworth Milburn, MA ’68 / May 3, 2007 A devoted teacher and noted composer, he was a founding faculty member of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

Ruth “Redi” Reddick Teague ’43, mother of Suzanne Teague Pidduck ’68 / June 22, 2007

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Boitumelo Arabella McCallum ’09, 1987-2007

The Mills community mourns the tragic loss of Boitumelo Arabella McCallum, a Mills undergraduate who was found dead at her mother’s New York City apartment on August 5, 2007.

Affectionately known as “Tumi” by friends and family, McCallum had completed her sophomore year and was living in New York for the summer. Her former boyfriend was arrested after confesing to the killing.

Born to a mixed-race family in South Africa, McCallum was a passionate advocate for social justice. Professor of Ethnic Studies Julia Sudbury said, “Tumi’s early experiences as a young girl growing up in South Africa during apartheid greatly shaped her life and her commitment to racial justice.”

At Mills, McCallum chose to major in political, legal, and economic analysis and enrolled in ethnic studies courses. While taking a class with Sudbury, McCallum began volunteering with Justice Now, an Oakland-based activist organization dedicated to ending violence against women and stopping their imprisonment. McCallum advocated for women in prison to ensure they received essential services such as medical care.

McCallum had moved with her family from South Africa— where her mother, Teboho Moja, was a prominent anti-apartheid activist—to New York in 1999. Moja, a professor of education at New York University, has served on international boards, such as UNESCO’s Institute for International Educational Planning, and on South Africa’s National Commission on Higher Education. McCallum’s father, Robert McCallum, is an adjunct professor of art education at NYU. Tumi McCallum is survived by her parents and two brothers.

Mills Remembers Tumi To honor Tumi McCallum’s life, Mills College held a candlelight procession through campus on August 16 as well as a remembrance ceremony on September 4 that brought together McCallum’s family, professors, and friends from Mills and New York City.

Mills has also established the Boitumelo “Tumi” McCallum Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will provide a scholarship in fall 2008 to an undergraduate majoring in ethnic studies or in political, legal, and economic analysis.

To make a contribution to the scholarship: • Call the Mills College Annual Fund at 510.430.2366.

• Contribute online at www.mills.edu/giving; be sure to designate your gift to “Mills College Annual Fund: Student Scholarships” and note that your gift is in memory of Tumi McCallum.

• Send a check payable to Mills College, with a note that your gift is in memory of Tumi McCallum, to: Office of Institutional Advancement, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

On behalf of her family, Mills College thanks donors for supporting students who will continue Tumi McCallum’s legacy of activism.

36

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

Elizabeth Murray, MFA ’64, 1940-2007

Elizabeth Murray was born in Chicago to a family of very modest means. Although her parents provided moral support, Murray found little encouragement for a woman of her economic standing to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. However, her talent was recognized early by a teacher who suggested Murray attend art school and who helped provide the means for her to do so. This path took her to the Art Institute of Chicago and later to Mills College.

Murray’s work, full of vivid colors, often appeared on shaped and constructed canvases, moving the art of painting into a three-dimensional realm. These pieces are filled with exuberance, but the underlying tensions also reveal her frustration with the world. Robert Storr, dean of the Yale School of Art who curated Murray’s 2005–06 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, says Murray’s work masked her anger.

“There’s a great deal of pain and a great deal of tragedy and a great deal of anger in her work,” he says. “So she expresses that anger and that pain in forms that seem kind of comfortable.

When you get close to them, you realize that they can bite.”

Murray helped re-invigorate the art of painting in the 1970s, a time when sculpture had become the dominant medium.

She also inspired a new generation of women artists. Kathy Halbreich, director of the Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis, says that Murray changed her life. “She gave a lot of women a sense of possibility.” In 1999, Murray was awarded a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant.

Murray died August 12, 2007, of complications from lung cancer at her home in upstate New York.

“She gave a lot of women a sense of possibility.”

—Kathy Halbreich, director of the Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis

Portrait of Elizabeth Murray, June 1999. Photo by Ellen Page Wilson / Courtesy PaceWildenstein, New York (top).

Morning is Breaking, 2006. Oil on canvas on wood.

9 feet, 2-1/2 inches by 10 feet, 1 inch by 2-1/2 inches. © Elizabeth Murray, courtesy PaceWildenstein, New York.

Photo by Ellen Labenski / Courtesy PaceWildenstein, New York (right).

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37

Mary Walker Mag ’35, ME ’37, 1911-2007 Born in Montana and raised in the East Bay, Mary Walker Mag devoted much of her life to women’s education and women’s issues around the globe. After completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in education at Mills College, Mary Walker worked at The Bishop’s School for Girls in La Jolla, then returned to Mills to serve as registrar and director of personnel.

In the years following World War II, she worked with the Asia Foundation to establish educational and cultural activities along democratic lines and to increase women’s empowerment in the Asia-Pacific region. She opened the foundation’s Tokyo office in 1952, learning Japanese and teaching democratic principles to women’s organizations. She subsequently worked in Korea and Pakistan before moving to Afghanistan to start a health and physical education program for girls and their teachers.

In 1960, she married Eddie Mag and moved to Rome, Italy, where she became president of the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO), an organization promoting education, health, and human rights, particularly the rights of women and children. Six years later, Mary Mag established the FAWCO Foundation in order to collect and distribute funds in support of FAWCO’s charitable and educational projects.

Mag returned to the San Francisco Bay Area after her husband’s death in 1980. She lived in Rossmoor and Oakland and became a nationally ranked lawn bowling champion. She married another bowler, Leo Hasse, in 1988.

May Walker Mag passed away on August 21, 2007. She is mourned by five nieces and nephews.

Mary Walker Mag devoted much of her life to women’s education and women’s issues around the globe.

Gifts in Memory of (Received May 1–July 31, 2007) Emory Adams, by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41 Shirley Donovan Aggeler ’39, by Frances Dofflemyer Stillwell ’39 Orrin Airola, by Imogene Fluno Whipple ’43 Nancy Van Norman Baer ’66, wife of Alan Baer, by Alan Baer

Marguerithe Dietrich Baxter ’28, mother of Barbara Baxter Pawek,

by Barbara Baxter Pawek ’56

Barbara Bohannon Carleton ’50,

by Palo Alto Area Mills College Club

George Blackwell, by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41

George Clifford, by Ann Jones Cahill ’48, P ’76, Cynthia Taves ’48

Allison Brandt, mother of Corinne Brandt Gallagher, by Corinne Brandt Gallagher ’68

Sara Glasgow Cogan ’60, by Joy Glascock Harvey ’60

Sheila Weibert Ballantyne ’58, by Gloria Abramson Grossman ’58, April Ninomiya Hopkins, MFA ’03, Barbara Hunter ’57

Jane Richardson Brown ’30, by Elizabeth “Lid” Bryant Miles ’34

Robert Barron, father of Lucy Barron-Gitter, by Lucy BarronGitter ’82

Alfred Campbell, by Nancy Meyer Neal ’70

38

Alda Nye Byron ’88, by Isabelle Hagopian Arabian ’45

P=Parent M i l l s Q u a r t e r ly

Jane Johnson Craig ’41, by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41, Norma Godfrey Vermilion ’41 Evelyn “Peg” Deane ’41, by Mary Hart Clark ’42, Elaine Bowe Johnson ’62 Karen Ricci Dettling ’60, by Joy Glascock Harvey ’60

Barbara Brady Douglas ’48, by Carolyn Price Dyer ’53, MA ’55, Lesli and David Lockwood III, Marilyn Wilson Newland ’48 Gary Erickson, by Patricia Erickson ’79 Melle Ann Waddington Espey ’41,

by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41 Lillian Fabricant, mother of Jill Fabricant, by Jill Fabricant ’71 Joy Waltke Fisher ’55, by Diane Smith Janusch ’55 Bernard Garfinkel, husband of Judith Goldman Garfinkel,

by Judith Goldman Garfinkel ’51

For information about making a commemorative gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

William and Helen Gaw,

by Jane Farrell Gaw ’52 Claire Gede-Cundy,

by Mary Wetsel ’51 Karen Gee, by Virginia Ong Gee ’51 Della Gilmore, by Katherine Richards ’88 George and Alice Gordon, parents of Ann Gordon Bigler, by Ann Gordon Bigler ’61 Elaine Johnson Gutleben ’44, by Carol Nicolai Parker ’44 Eleanor Hadley ’38, by Marilyn Wilson Newland ’48, Gayle Rothrock ’68 Donna Stockbridge Haire ’55,

by Diane Smith Janusch ’55 Elizabeth “Betsy” Rulison Harrington ’40, by Helen B. Smith Francis Herrick, P ’54, father of Mariam Herrick Melendez ’54,

by Sally Mayock Hartley ’48 Nancy Newbury Hincks ’42,

by Margaret Hincks Dyer ’43, P ’73, Ann Colyer Rook ’42

Mary Abbot-Mead and Sedgwick Mead, MA ’92, parents of Sedgwick Mead Jr., by Catherine Perry and Sedgwick Mead Jr.

Gildee Abercrombie Vaughn ’68,

by Patricia Roberts Carleton ’68

Sally Cheek Mee ’42, by Jeanne Fontana Lower ’39

Imogene and Franklin Walker, by Katherine “Kit” Farrow Jorrens ’57

Eleanor “Elly” McDonald Meyer ’36, mother of Nancy Meyer Neal,

by Nancy Meyer Neal ’70

Albert Walkoe, by Ann Jones Cahill ’48, P ’76

Kathleen Mullins ’35, by Ivey Adell Ruiter Lambert ’38, MA ’46 Constance “Jade Snow” Wong Ong ’42, by Ann Colyer Rook ’42 Eddie Page, by Dr. Linda Jewel Page ’63, P ’96 Dorothy Jane McVeigh Raney ’45,

by Ellen Graue Ferris ’46, MA ’51, Mary Jean Rosenberry Ferris ’45, P ’74, Shirley Schweers Goers ’45, Michal and Frank Handy, Nancy May de L’Arbre ’46, Katharine Mulky Warne ’45 William Rogers, by Ann Jones Cahill ’48, P ’76 Ruth Collison Ross ’24, by Priscilla-Joy Everts ’40

Carla Eddy Hinrichsen ’41,

by Sharon Birchall Maurel ’77

Peter Sloss, by Jerome D. Oremland, MD

Evelyn Merrell Hinrichsen ’38, MA ’40, by Barbara M. Bundschu ’38

Christian Sporck, husband of Paula Merrix Sporck ’46,

by Sally Mayock Hartley ’48

Alan Hjellum, by Carol Thompson Sundberg ’48, P ’80 Virginia and Kenneth Holmgren, parents of President Janet L. Holmgren, by Sheryl Bizé Boutté ’73, Mills College Club of New York C. Rodgers Kines, by Diane Smith Janusch ’55 Louise Barkan Klein ’38,

by Barbara M. Bundschu ’38 Nancy Ladd, MA ’50, by Estate of Nancy Ladd ’50 Henry Leong, father of Cecil Leong, grandfather of Vivian Wai Man Leong ’80, Shirley Wai Kan Leong ’83, Dr. Esther Wai-Ming Leong ’86, by Cecil Leong, P ’80, ’83, ’86 Ruth Garvin Marquis ’41, by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41

Arla Wagers Wade ’39, by Frances Dofflemyer Stillwell ’39

Louie Mason Walther, MA ’35,

by Terry and Will Doepken Cynthia Weintraub Weber ’69,

by Kazuko Tsunematsu Tajima ’69, MFA ’71 Ann Beyer Wert, mother of Amy Wert Johnson ’79,

by Barbara M. Bundschu ’38 Lois Strittmatter White ’47,

by Elizabeth Alexander Smith ’47 Helen and Reynold Wik ’74, by Katherine “Kit” Farrow Jorrens ’57 Reynold Wik ’74, by Grace Dote ’63, Gwendolyn Jackson Foster ’67, Candace Pelissero ’68, Judith Salzer Warner ’63 Judith Winestine Wolf ’41,

by Phyllis Carman Marling ’41 Amelia Stenzel Wood ’28,

by Pauline Wood Bauer ’58 Janet Havely Woodson ’56,

by Barbara Baxter Pawek ’56

Meta “Kay” Anderson Stanley ’35, by Barbara M. Bundschu ’38 Ruth “Redi” Reddick Teague ’43,

by Aimee Wolff Minkin ’43 Catherine “Katie” Morgan Trefethen ’31, by Virginia Finn Blechman ’62, Gorden Class, Darrell Corti, John Crncich, Nancy and Jay Cutler, Ernest and Julio Gallo Winery, Evelyn D. Haas, Heitz Wine Cellars, Lorrain and Thomas Kongsgaard, Dana and Frances Leavitt, Marilyn and William Logan Jr., June Maus, Fraser and Helen Drake Muirhead ’58, Robert Biale Vineyards, Schramsberg, Slocum & Sons, Roselyne Swig, P ’80, David and Janille Whitehouse, Ann Witter Dr. and Mrs. Yukinori Tsunemastu, parents of Kazuko Tsunematsu Tajima, by Kazuko Tsunematsu Tajima ’69, MFA ’71

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39

Visual Music Restoring vibrancy to the Concert Hall murals

By Jessica Hilberman ’03

F

or more than 80 years, visitors to the Mills College

Japonisme style popular in the early 20th century. The painting

Concert Hall have been delighted by the colorful murals that

is characterized by bold colors and the lavish use of gold. The

grace the hall’s walls, ceiling, and organ screen. Inspired by

fresco Youth and Aspiration (above) depicts a man releasing the

the Northern California landscape, the murals were painted by

waters of life from the near the base of a tree.

renowned artist Raymond Sceptre Boynton, who drew on mythological, medieval, and 20th-century themes for his designs.

Boynton, a native of Iowa, taught at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) and UC Berkeley

Over time, the murals have become dirty and damaged.

Today, some of the aging pigment has detached from the walls; in some spots it has disappeared entirely. The once-shining gold paint is dull and in particular need of care.

and—during the Great Depression—painted one of the murals

As part of the extensive renovation of the Concert Hall cur-

in San Francisco’s Coit Tower. When Mills commissioned him

rently underway, these paintings are being restored to their orig-

to paint the murals for the College’s new Concert Hall in 1928,

inal vibrancy. They will be cleaned, and the paint re-adhered

Boynton wrote to then-president Aurelia Henry Reinhardt that

and filled in. In addition, some punctured panels in the color-

his vision was “to produce a scheme of decoration which would

fully patterned ceiling will be replaced. When the restoration

give free play to the imagination and, through color and rhythm

is complete, the resulting bright colors and gleaming gold will

and formality, heighten that mood in the listener.”

continue to give “free play to the imagination” of future Mills

Boynton used two different techniques to realize his creation. Some of the murals were painted directly onto the walls, while others were painted on plaster in a faux fresco

students, alumnae, and friends.

To contribute to the restoration of the Boynton murals, contact Barbara Goodson at 510.430.2242 or bgoodson@mills.edu.

style. The centerpiece, California Mother Lode (back cover), which appears on the organ screen above the stage, depicts

Jessica Hilberman ’03 is a writer and editor. She runs an

the Oakland landscape surrounding Mills in the international

Oakland community blog at www.oaklandgoods.com.

40

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

CHINA

Art and Beauty of the Middle Kingdom – OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSIONS –

Huang Mountains or the Yangzi River Cruise May 12–25, 2008

B

egin in the magnificent imperial capital of Beijing. Visit the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Tour the Houhai district by pedicab for a view of traditional life. Experience the magnificent Great Wall and wonder at the bold architecture and engineering of China’s current building boom, including the 2008 Olympic sites.

Fly to Dunhuang and spend a full day exploring the amazing Mogao Caves, one of the world’s great reposi­tories of religious art. From Dunhuang, fly to Xian to see the legendary terracotta warriors and other historic sites. In Guilin, view the sublime scenery of hillsides covered in ancient rice terraces and the spectacular karst limestone mountains along the Li River. Conclude your trip in Shanghai. Tour the famous Shanghai Museum and take an in-depth look at Shanghai’s emerging contemporary art scene through visits to museums and artists’ studios.

Dr. Wah Cheng, associate professor of history at Mills College, will accompany the trip. Trained primarily as a cultural and intellectual historian, Professor Cheng will help in understanding the current thinking of the Chinese people.

To receive a copy of the brochure, email aamc@mills.edu or phone 510.430.2110.

For questions about the trip, phone China Advocates at 888.333.2585.

Your cost, from Beijing, per person, based on double occupancy: $4,990 Single Supplement: $1,490

For a full list of upcoming AAMC travel opportunities, see page 34.

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The Quarterly reserves the right to edit notes in order to include news about as many alumnae as possible.

Remember this mural?

Read all about it on page 40.

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