Mills Quarterly, Fall 2023

Fall

2023

Mills Quarterly

Help preserve the Mills legacy

As a new generation of students traverse the Oakland campus, you can help ensure that key elements of Mills’ historical impact not only remain—but thrive.

Your gift to the endowed Mills Legacy Scholarship Fund will support campus-based women and gender nonbinary students—in keeping with the traditional Mills admissions policy well into the College’s future as part of Northeastern Join other donors committed to helping maintain and reinforce the campus’s identity as a place where marginalized voices are lifted up through higher education.

FALL 2023

10 Summer in the Emerald Isle by Dani Collins ’24

Photos from a once-in-a-lifetime experience studying abroad in Ireland.

12 Telling Stories: The Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project by Moya Stone, MFA ’03

A look back at the efforts to record authentic, first-hand accounts of Mills history.

16 Selling Your {Authentic} Self by Jessica Lipsky

In an era of influencers, three Mills alums who’ve turned their quirks and interests into solid careers talk about the longevity of making things personal.

20 What I Did Over Spring Break by Susan Ito, MFA ’94

An excerpt from the upcoming memoir by the assistant adjunct professor of English.

36 The Best Sounding Boards: A Friendship Forged at Mills by Sharon Clifford Cresswell ’65 and Suzy Laufer Roth ’65

These two self-described BFFs talk about what kept them together after graduation.

On the cover : As part of Northeastern’s Dialogues of Civilization program, Dani Collins ’24—the Quarterly ’s student intern (and accomplished photographer)—went to Ireland for a month this past summer. Here, her friend Julie Ana Williams ’23 surveys the awe-inspiring scenery. See more photos on page 10.

Volume CXIII, Number 1 (USPS 349-900)

Fall 2023

Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Nikole Hilgeman Adams

Managing Editor

Allison Rost

Design and Art Direction

Nancy Siller Wilson

Editorial Assistant

Danielle Collins ’24

Contributors

Sharon Clifford Cresswell ’65

Ariel Gore ’94

Suzy Laufer Roth ’65

Jessica Lipsky

Moya Stone, MFA ’03

Kieran Turan ’90

The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College at Northeastern University, 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 at Northeastern University, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Copyright ©2023, Mills College at Northeastern University

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

Email: mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu

Phone: 510.430.3312

Share your thoughts

Letters to the Editor

I was amused to read Jim Graham’s article about “The Long (and Short) History of the Senior Paint Wall.” Senior Paint Night was still a tradition when I attended Mills. When I first visited the campus as a prospective student, the bridges were painted dark green. Green eventually became my class color. Every year, the seniors managed to sneak out of their dorms, without the juniors stopping them, to paint the “legal” places, such as the bridges, with their class color. My senior year began, and I looked forward to painting the campus green. Something happened in my dorm; the juniors discovered the night that we planned to sneak out to paint the campus and ran up and down the hallways, trying to keep us from leaving the dorm. Finally, the head residents told us to go out and paint. I looked forward to “beautifying” the campus with dark, emerald green paint. However, the color was a pale, sickly green. I felt crazy painting in the wee small hours of the morning. I have not used a paintbrush beyond art classes since that late night long ago.

–Elizabeth McDearmon Werner ’66, Clearwater, Florida

My dear friend Betsy Frederick ’61 recently died (see page 34), and I have to tell you about a tradition we shared: Mills Olney Hall Reunion (MOHR). There were nine of us 1961 Olney girls who began this yearly tradition that lasted until the pandemic: Betsy, me, Donna Riback, Connie Gilbert, Carolyn Jensen Monday, Marcia McElvain, Mary Linda Doerfler Luhring, Terry Foskett Camacho, and Stuart Johnson Sliter.

At our 30th Reunion in 1991, we had such a wonderful time seeing each other that we decided to get together each year. Betsy was the first of our group to volunteer to host us in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the fall Balloon Fiesta. What an incredible experience that was. We were standing in awe amid all the balloons. Other cities we visited together in non-Reunion years included Calgary; Bakersfield; Boulder, Colorado; Chicago; Monterey; Seattle; Key West; Juneau,

Alaska; and Portland in both Maine and Oregon! Of course, in 1996, 2001 (two Reunions because of 9/11), 2006, 2011, and 2016, we were at Mills for Reunion and visited San Francisco and Oakland.

Our adventures go way back; on July 19, 1963, Mary Linda was set to marry Alan Luhring in the Mills Chapel by Wetmore Gate. Marcia was to be maid of honor, and Terry and I were helping with the reception to be held at Reinhardt Alumnae House. When Mary Linda arrived on July 19, she found firetrucks putting out a fire! Dr. Hedley and others rescued items from the Chapel, and the venue was moved to his home where he did marry the Luhrings, who just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. It was a memorable day, to say the least.

I write with gratitude for the wonderful four years MOHR experienced at Mills. It was a special time, and we remained very close all these years. There are now only four of us left, but we’re still keeping tabs on each other.

–Ann Gordon Bigler ’61, Bakersfield

Correction

In the summer 2023 article “The View from Here,” we misspelled the last name of alumna Tiffany Rose Naputi Lacsado ’02. We apologize for the error!

In Memoriam

Over the past several years, we at the Quarterly have been endeavoring to publish new-to-us freelancers with a variety of creative visions. One of those recent collaborators was Jennyann Cathern, who created the detailed illustrations that went with “The Gregarious Ghosts of Mills” in our fall 2022 issue. Sadly, we learned while working on the current issue that Jennyann succumbed to leukemia on July 30 at the age of 43. Though our interactions with her comprised just a brief moment in time, we found her to be a supremely kind individual and an excellent artist who was keenly interested in getting every detail right. We are heartbroken for her family, her friends, and the beautiful works she surely would have continued to create.

letters for length and clarity.

A Report on the Quarterly Reader Survey

Happy fall, and welcome to a new academic year on the Mills campus! Even though Quarterly staff have been out of school for several decades, we still feel a sense of anticipation every time September rolls around.

And with your input, we’re approaching a new era for the Quarterly as well. Our thanks to the approximately 150 of you who shared your opinion of the magazine via the reader survey that appeared in our spring issue. Some of you really love us, and some of you… don’t. But we will endeavor to appeal to as many members of the Mills community as we can as we keep moving forward.

In the tradition of reader surveys of old, below are some statistics and selected quotes that we received. We are taking your answers to heart as we embark on a refresh of the Quarterly that we hope to unveil one year from now: with the fall 2024 edition.

We need the Quarterly to build community and keep community.

T here is very little I read in the Quarterly. None of the stories seem relevant to me.

I think the Q does a great job featuring current students, faculty, and recent graduates, who reflect the more modern Mills and how the racial balance is shifting on campus.

To be honest, I haven’t read much of the Quarterly over the last year because I’ve been grieving the merger and trying to distance myself from Mills as I work through all of that. But after attending an in-person event and the virtual forum, I again feel connected to the campus.

I’d love to read more from alums—not so much what they’re up to, but about their work, creative or otherwise.

To be honest, I usually don’t read much unless it really pulls at me, which is rarely. I think I’d like to if our class were represented, but we are not involved and haven’t had a secretary for years.

Keep up that representation!

I cannot agree with some of the content published in the Quarterly, but I read and see varying opinions.

The Quarterly is boring.

Love the Quarterly. I’m interested in how Mills and Northeastern knit themselves together. I hope the Quarterly remains a print mag and doesn’t go entirely digital. I think you guys are great, but please don’t change your name. Many of us are still struggling with the “Northeastern” thing, and if the name changes too soon, it will feel like there is nothing for us anymore. (I also love how old school it feels to cut a survey out and mail it!)

A quick response to those last two comments: The magazine will absolutely continue as a print publication, and we have no plans to change our name!

We will publish more comments online at quarterly .mills.edu, and always remember that you can get in touch with us with your feedback at any time by emailing mills.quarterly@northeastern.edu.

Mills Matters

New academic year now underway

There are four different groups of students on the Mills campus this fall. They are:

First-Year Four-Year Students

This cohort of approximately 520 is the first group to enroll on Northeastern’s Oakland campus with the option to stay throughout their entire undergraduate careers. Since the programs unique to Mills College at Northeastern are still under construction (more info to come later this academic year), these students are choosing one of 14 majors across four primary subject areas that are already available through other colleges in the Northeastern network: computer science, business administration, health sciences, and biology, along with related combined majors. These first-years are also required to participate in a comprehensive track of events and lectures known as an Experiential Trek, which will revolve around the theme of experiential entrepreneurship (see below).

Global Scholars

Previously known as NU Bound and NUin, Global Scholars is a Northeastern program that sends yet-to-enroll students to locations around the world before they start their first years of college in Boston next fall. This fall’s nearly 320 Global Scholars in Oakland will be replaced by a different group in the spring who are currently spending their first semesters in London or Boston. As with last year’s NU Bound and NUin cohorts, these students will be immersed in the local community and Bay Area. (And much work has been done over the summer to align the academic experiences between the United States and the UK, where grading is just one major area that differs.)

This year’s Global Scholars must also participate in experiential entrepreneurship programming.

New Graduate Students

Similar to first-year four-year students, these newly enrolled scholars—about 120 in total—are specializing in studies that were already part of Northeastern’s offerings pre-merger. These master’s of science programs include information systems, business management, analytics, biotechnology, game design, bioinformatics, and tracks in computer science and information systems that are specifically engineered for students whose bachelor’s degrees aren’t necessarily in STEM fields or other similarly non-technical backgrounds.

While experiential entrepreneurship activities are open to these students, they are not required to participate.

“Experiential entrepreneurship” drives first-year curriculum

Each site in Northeastern’s global network boasts its own programmatic theme, and at least for the 2023–24 academic year, the Mills campus will be characterized by the tenets of “experiential entrepreneurship.”

According to academic officials, the theme extends beyond the business world. “It’s a set of skills, knowledge, and motivations that we want students to take away from the experience,” said Associate Dean Christie Chung at a faculty/staff meeting in May. “This is really a mindset that’s an innovative and creative way to solve problems in society.”

A major touchstone of the theme is a set of off-site days scheduled in October when students will visit with organizations that align with their interests; as of press time, those organizations range from global companies to local nonprofits, including Kaiser Permanente, Checkerspot, and Kapor Capital. Those

visits, known as Experiential Treks, are being organized by three areas:

• Technology, Creativity, and Ethics (directed by Professor of Music James Fei)

• Health and Well-Being (directed by Professor of Psychology Liz Bachen)

• Sustainability and Food Security (directed by Mills Community Farm Manager Julia Dashe)

The theme of “experiential entrepreneurship”—and its three subdivisions—will also be visible in other areas of campus. First-year four-year students have been grouped into residential communities according to their subject areas.

Looking for transcripts?

There are also plans to bring speakers to campus to address related topics, and every Global Scholar must take a foundational course that aligns with their subject area—helping them adapt to the world of higher education. (Those courses include Sex, Gender, and Popular Culture; Introduction to Languages and Literature; and Music in Everyday Life.) Additional co-curricular activities will include a maker fair and studentled entrepreneurship clubs. Though the academic year started with a great deal of programming already on the schedule, officials emphasized that students will still have opportunities to drive supplemental projects as desired.

Mills alums seeking documentation of academic work completed prior to June 30, 2022, can obtain those records through the National Student Clearinghouse at tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/select.

Leadership change for Mills Institute

Continuing Mills Students

This group of about 100—which comprises mostly juniors and seniors but does include some graduate students as well—is the last set of students who enrolled at an independent Mills College. Those who are rooming on campus have been grouped together in apartment housing to help maintain affinity among this special cohort. The majors and degrees that this set of students is completing do not necessarily fall into the same categories as those being undertaken by new arrivals on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Nevertheless, they are also welcome to take part in experiential entrepreneurship programs.

New head of entrepreneurship comes to campus

Overseeing entrepreneurship-related student initiatives is Shea Tate-Di Donna, who took on the newly created (and Oakland-based) position of head of entrepreneurship this past summer. A graduate of Dickinson College—where she majored in English and psychology— and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Tate-Di Donna has an extensive background in business creation and venture capital.

Her career in startups is extensive: She founded and served as CEO of Zana, a video platform that was acquired by Startups.com in 2015, and she was part of the founding team and senior vice president at True Ventures, which provided funding to companies such as WordPress, Goodreads, and Fitbit. Tate-Di Donna's list of initiatives includes programs that provided education and support to aspiring

Christie Chung, associate dean for research, scholarship, and partnerships and a psychology professor at Mills since 2007, has been appointed to the role of interim executive director of the Mills Institute. Nicole GuidottiHernández, the Institute’s inaugural director, has transitioned to a teaching role as an English professor.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead the Mills Institute and to bring Mills’ amazing legacy of women’s leadership, gender and racial justice, and student success to new heights,” said Chung in the announcement of her appointment. “I look forward to connecting with many of you at upcoming events!” She is scheduled to speak about the Institute at Reunion.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead the Mills Institute and to bring Mills’ amazing legacy of women’s leadership, gender and racial justice, and student success to new heights.”

Chung earned her undergraduate degree (with honors) as a psychology specialist at the University of Toronto, followed by her master’s and PhD in applied cognitive psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Before coming to Mills, she held research and faculty appointments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California State University system. Chung also directs the Mills Cognition Laboratory, studying memory and aging.

In addition to her academic and research roles, she is special advisor on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for Mills College at Northeastern, a position she held prior to the merger. More information on updated DEI plans for the Mills campus is anticipated over the next few months.

She takes over as interim Mills Institute director at a pivotal moment, but one with gathering momentum: A generous bequest from the estate of Emily Bourne Grigsby ’44 has established the Mills institute Endowed Fund, which will support the Institute in perpetuity.

venture managers from a variety of backgrounds, and those that examined women’s access to capital resources.

This is not Tate-Di Donna's first foray into the higher-ed space; while

Zana was in its early stages, she taught a course called Design Your Startup at Stanford University’s d.school, and she co-authored the book The Venture Fund Blueprint in 2022.

Campus improvements continue over summer

A summer of campus work is in the books, which included the following projects:

• Improvements in residence halls, including converting Reinhardt Hall back into housing with additional beds in the C wing and new paint and carpet, and putting Mary Morse back online with fresh flooring, a new roof, Internet connectivity, upgraded wiring, a new boiler, and security infrastructure for the 112 students who will bunk there. (It is anticipated that there will be about 850 students living on campus this fall, with more anticipated in the spring semester with the second cohort of Global Scholars students coming in from London. That will be the largest number of residential students in 30 years.)

• Wiring upgrades and new furniture in the apartments and townhouses.

• Restoration of the portico at the Music Building.

• Classroom upgrades across campus, particularly in CPM, and tech improvements in GSB, NSB, and Vera Long. In the arts complex, new seats and a state-of-the-art lighting system have been installed in Danforth Lecture Hall, and one bank of studios has been converted into extended reality/virtual reality lab space. New “hoteling” offices have been established in Vera Long and Mills Hall.

• Major construction at Rothwell Center to add upgrades and a new service station to the Tea Shop, and for modernization of the Mail & Copy Center.

• Additional adjustments to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, including the installation of an automatic door at the Art Museum that also preserves the historic wooden doors that date from the building’s construction.

staff! If you don’t already follow our account, join us for news about the alum community’s professional moves (many of the work-related announcements you see in Class Notes are posted there first) and the newest publications and appearances of Mills faculty members.

You can also find the Quarterly on Twitter and Instagram; our handles are @MillsQuarterly for both. We post links there to the latest edition online well before the print magazine lands in your mailbox.

Contributions come in for various projects

Mills College at Northeastern University gratefully acknowledges the following members of the community for their gifts, grants, and pledges of $50,000 or more, received between January 1 and June 30.

• The estate of Suzanne Adams ’48, which directed a bequest to the Class of 1948 Endowed Scholarship and the Class of 1948 Undergraduate Research Endowment, which will ease the financial burden for students on the Mills campus and provide them with opportunities to delve deeper into their studies.

• The Stupski Foundation, which granted support to the Black Reparations Project, a recently formed group on the Mills campus that aims to serve as a repository for institutions looking into the possibilities of reparations to descendants of American chattel slavery and its aftermath. (Read more in the spring 2023 issue of the Quarterly.)

• The PG&E Corporation Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation for their gifts to the Upward Bound Gift Fund and Educational Talent Search Program, two Millsbased summer programs that offer local students support as they pursue higher education.

Walter departs Oakland for Atlanta

News of a late retirement among legacy Mills faculty made the rounds in June, as former Visiting Professor of Biology Helen Walter announced her departure from Mills. She has taken a position as assistant professor of biological sciences at Clark Atlanta University, where she will also support diversity initiatives for BIPOC students.

(Walter will continue to consult for Mills College at Northeastern, hence her emerita status.)

She first came to Mills in 2005, and at her farewell reception at Reinhardt Alumnae House on June 29, Interim Dean Beth Kochly and others teared up as they lauded Walter’s long list of accomplishments since her arrival. In addition to teaching a variety of courses in the biology department, from Genetics to Tropical Marine Conservation, she:

• Began the Learning Resources Center (which later became the Center for Academic Excellence) in 2007, and that same year, became director of the Hellman Summer Science & Math Program and landed Mills’s first grant from the National Science Foundation.

• Served as the director of the pre-nursing certificate program from 2017–22 and as director of the iPad Initiative from 2019–22.

• Created the First-Year Scholars program, and held a special appointment in the Dean’s Office to run special academic initiatives, including trainings for first-year faculty, additional courses for first-year students, and pop-up classes.

The yearly visit of a brush-clearing herd of goats is always a popular sight for those staff members who remain on campus over the summer. And this year, after this past winter’s impressive rainfall, there was a lot of work for them to do. Sustainability Manager Andrew Gonzales, whose office is located in Kapiolani Cottage, had a front-line view of the flock making progress on one of the campus’s many hillsides in July.

Calendar

Mills College Art Museum

The museum is open 11:00 am–4:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday and until 7:30 pm Wednesday. Admission is free. Visit mcam. mills.edu for more information.

Art+Process+Ideas: Liat Berdugo, Heesoo Kwon, Ranu Mukherjee ■ September 19 to December 3

An exhibition of new work by the museum’s artists-in-residence. These artists share approaches to artmaking that engage innovative uses of technology and performance to explore issues including migration, personal and political power, and the environment from feminist perspectives. Their work also speaks directly to both global and hyper-local developments in AI and Extended Reality.

A+P+I Artist Talk

Leymusoom Voyage ■ October 21

Heesoo Kwon takes spectators on a voyage across her artistic collaborators and communities, complete with Korean drumming; a conversation between Kwon, poet and organizer Kazumi Chin, and artist-publisher Vivian Sming; and sound performances from Breno Aragon and Julie Moon, MFA ’14, MA ’15. 2:00 pm, Mills College Art Museum.

Campus open to alumnae and visitors

In addition to the Mills College Art Museum and performances/lectures, campus is open for alums and members of the community just as it was pre-pandemic. Some activities, such as use of the library and athletic facilities, require an alumnae card, which is available through the AAMC. Call 510.430.2110 or email info@aamc-mills .org to obtain one.

The times given below are accurate as of press time; it’s highly recommended that you check the given websites for the most up-to-date information.

Haas Pavilion/Trefethen Aquatic Center/Meyer Tennis Courts: The Fitness Center in Haas is generally open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm on weekdays and 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on weekends. Group fitness classes are also available. The pool is open for lap swimming on weekday mornings until 1:00 pm and for lap/recreational swimming on Sundays from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm; water aerobics classes are available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Stand-Up Paddleboard yoga takes place on Wednesday. Tennis courts are available to reserve after paying a fee and obtaining a key. Visit millsatnucampussportsandrec.sites.northeastern.edu for more info on all facilities.

Pine Tree Fitness Trail: Walking and hiking on campus is available every day from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm, weather permitting.

F.W. Olin Library: Check out books and use the library’s resources Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 12:00 am; Friday from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm; and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am. Visit library.mills.edu for further info.

Dining: The Tea Shop, Founders Commons, and Café Suzie are all open during the school year, though hours vary by day and location. Visit dineoncampus.com/ dining for schedules and menus.

“dance and sob” (2023) by Ranu Mukherjee

위한 의식 A Ritual for Metamorphosis” (2019) by Heesoo Kwon

Campus kudos

Associate Adjunct Professor of Communications Keli Dailey co-hosted the LitCamp Presents: Unreliable Narrators session at the Bay Area Book Festival on Sunday, May 7.

Professor of Music James Fei performed the saxophone at Anthony Braxton Theater Improvisations, a set organized by Experiments in Opera that took place at Brooklyn’s Brick Theater on Friday, June 16. Braxton himself was a music professor at Mills from 1985 to 1990. Fei also contributed—along with Professor of Music William Winant, MFA ’82—to the album LACE, which was recently released by former music professor Zeena Parkins.

Luther Brusie Marchant

Endowed Professor of Education Clifford Lee was the co-author of the piece “Centering educators of color in teacher preparation,” which appeared in the journal Kappan in May. Along with collaborator Jalene Tamerat, Lee wrote about his own experience as a teacher of color and the need to support BIPOC educators who themselves embody the diverse background of American students.

Professor of Music Nalini Ghuman was one of four scholars who participated in “We Have to Reimagine: Centering Women/Gender/Sexuality in Music Studies,” a keynote lecture at the 88th Meeting of the American Musicological Society last November in New Orleans. She also received the François Lesure Award from the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres in September 2022 for her review of “Kaikhosru Sorabji’s Letters to Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock),” which appeared in the October-December 2021 issue of the journal Fontes artis musicae. Associate Adjunct Professor of Ethnic Studies Susan Ito, MFA ’94, participated in “Craft and the Creative Life,” a workshop held by the festival Litquake at San Francisco’s American Bookbinders Museum on Saturday, June 10.

The Lead by Learning team consisting of Director of Program Innovation and Visibility Nina Portugal, Director of Program Malia TayabasKim, Senior Director of Program Sarah Sugarman, and Chief Design Officer

Jennifer Ahn—presented two sessions at the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Conference in Denver on April 1 and 2. In addition, Ahn, who is now serving as Lead by Learning’s interim executive director, made an appearance on the Street Data Pod this summer.

Adjunct Professor of English Kim Magowan had a prolific summer, with the publication of eight pieces in various literary journals. They included three stories—“Some Theories,” “Making a Case,” and “Stew”—in the spring/ summer 2023 issue of Frigg; the micro-story “Tennis Elbow” in Fractured on June 7; the story “Pie Chart” in Compressed: Journal of the Creative Arts on June 26; the flash-fiction piece “Burying the Body” in jmww on June 28; “The Physics of Motion” in New World Writing Quarterly on July 8; and “Poison Apples” in Bending Genres on August 8.

Aurelia Henry Reinhardt Endowed Professor in American Literature and Professor of the Practice Victor Talmadge played the role of Pastor Marius in Weathervane Productions’ rendition of the Athol Fugard play The Road to Mecca, which was on stage at Z Below in San Francisco from June 4-30. Works by Professor of Studio Art Catherine Wagner are on display at the San Francisco gallery 500 Capp Street as part of an examination of Bay Area conceptual art for the opening of its new Paule Anglim Archive Room.

Clifford Lee

Keli Dailey

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

Summer in the Emerald Isle

A photo essay from the Quarterly’s student intern.

Images and text

by Dani Collins ’24

This past summer, I participated in one of Northeastern’s study-abroad sessions, known as Dialogues of Civilization; specifically, Art Explorations in Ireland. While there, my group—about 20 of us, including three other continuing Mills students—focused on creating art within the vast landscape and what the area provided for us not only as artists, but as individuals. During my month-long stay, I was able to explore the rolling green hills of the Irish countryside, hike cliffs and ruined castles, and visit the bustling cities of Galway and Dublin. My time there was nothing but serene—the quiet landscape created a space for me to make art in a way like never before, but also to think more deeply about myself and those around me. I will forever be grateful for this incredible opportunity, and I hope I can return to Ireland in the future.

Telling Stories:

The Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project

By Moya Stone, MFA ’03

With voices full and mighty for generations still.

–“The Fires of Wisdom,” Mills College hymn

Storytelling is a time-honored tradition that builds community. As Mills College alums, we each hold onto our own memories; when we share them, we connect and strengthen our bond. This is something that the women behind the Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project have long understood.

The Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project was a volunteer-driven endeavor that started in the 1990s, took more than 10 years to complete, and resulted in approximately 23 recorded and transcribed interviews with alumnae who graduated from Mills between 1913 and 1944. It was a lot of work and “a labor of love,” says Suzette Lalime Davidson ’94, one of the project’s co-founders.

The late Willa Baum, MA ’50, director of UC Berkeley’s Regional Oral History Office from 1989 to 2001, once defined oral history as follows: “The tape recording of reminiscences about which the narrator can speak from firsthand knowledge. Through pre-planned interviews, the information is captured in question-and-answer form by oral history interviewers.”

Though the original project did come to a stopping point, there is now renewed interest in picking

it back up again to document the recollections of more recent alumnae in the years to come.

THE SPARK

Long before the project started, Davidson entertained the idea of conducting an oral history just to learn more about her family, who “told good stories,” she says. She started working on her interviewing skills while a student at the University of Maine and improving on them when she transferred to San Francisco State. Finally, after arriving at Mills in the early 1990s, she followed the suggestion of Professor of American History Marianne Sheldon to speak with the AAMC about recording oral histories with alumnae. That’s where Davidson joined forces with Penny Peak ’82, who—as a member of the Board of Governors (BOG)—had already launched the project with Katie Brown Sanborn ’83.

It turned out to be a perfect pairing. Along with an interest in history, Peak brought to the table an extensive knowledge of conducting oral histories after working on one with Oakland dancer Ruth Beckford for the San Francisco Performing Arts Museum. “The training I had,” Peak explains, “allowed me to ask smart questions and relate information to historical events.”

As Davidson and Peak discussed the possibilities, the purpose of the project became clear. As stated in the project’s information letter, it was “to capture the history and traditions of Mills through stories of the College’s older alumnae.” Ultimately, the plan was to make the oral histories available in F.W. Olin Library.

The co-founders got to work creating an instruction manual and holding training workshops for volunteer interviewers, building on their own knowledge and experience, and relying on the many books written on the subject. The Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project, named after the College hymn, officially launched in September 1993.

THE FLAMES

Interviewers were recruited through flyers circulated around campus. Volunteers soon started signing up, and a committee was formed. Davidson and Peak say that over the course of the project, they and their compatriots worked with close to 30 volunteers, including mostly alumnae—but students as well—and one staff member (who would be this writer, then a library specialist in acquisitions). The co-founders were impressed with the interest and dedication of the

volunteers. “It was a great group of women to work with,” Peak says.

Volunteer Cecille Caterson, MA ’90, was also on the BOG and specifically recalls taking the interview training workshop, where the main emphasis was that the interviewer should be the facilitator in the exchange, not the focus: “The most important thing to remember is that you are not having dinner or tea.” Caterson says that interviewing definitely requires skills that take practice, but they’re worth the effort as she uses what she learned to this day as a volunteer for other organizations.

The AAMC was a sponsor of the project and helped compile a list of potential interviewees, called “narrators,” and starting in 1993—and for several years after—many of the interviews were conducted at Reunion. “We made every effort to locate and interview alumnae of color and those with diverse economic and cultural backgrounds,” Davidson says. The questions posed to each narrator were along the same lines: Why did you choose Mills? What was

If you are interested in getting involved with a new oral history project, please contact millsfiresofwisdom@gmail.com.

the campus like at that time? What were some of the challenges you faced as a student?

Stories were gathered that delved into the rich and varied backgrounds of alumnae such as the late Ida Shimanouchi ’38, who was among the first narrators. According to Davidson, though the Japanese American Shimanouchi graduated before World War II, former President Aurelia Henry Reinhardt—who was known for aiding many people affected by the war “for as long as she could,” Davidson says—helped keep Shimanouchi out of the internment camps.

Typical memories included gathering in the Student Union every December to hear Reinhardt reading A Christmas Carol; sitting around the pool talking to members of the Budapest String Quartet while they were on a US tour; and the early morning initiation of new students at The Oval, which involved buckets of water and rattling chains. Constance Ong (a.k.a. Jade Snow Wong) ’42 spoke a lot about Reinhardt, who was a presence in many of the stories. “We were struck by what a huge influence she had, and she was beloved, even though many were intimidated by her,” Davidson says.

Narrators discussed the Depression years at Mills and campus traditions, as well as personal experiences. Caterson remembers a lot of talk about taking the ferry and the train to San Francisco to attend tea dances at the St. Francis Hotel. Some of the narrators laughingly admitted to visiting a nearby roadhouse.

The committee wanted to make available both the original interviews on tape and written versions to read. After a few years, when all the interviews were completed, the next step was to transcribe the tapes. “That was a real bear,” Caterson says. Transcribing at that time was a laborious process of listening to cassette tapes, which were often poor quality, and typing up the narratives. It took a long time to get it all done, and by then, volunteers had been pulled away by other commitments. Since the interviews were not ready to hand over to the library, everything was packed into boxes, and Davidson was charged with housing them.

THE OAKLAND LIVING HISTORY PROGRAM

Among the oral histories in F.W. Olin Library are recorded interviews of not just Mills alums and faculty, but voices beyond the front gate reaching out into the Oakland community.

In the early aughts, Nancy MacKay—former librarian in the Olin Library and author of a series of instruction books on oral history— was a key player in the Oakland Living History Program, a project funded by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. According to the project’s mission statement, the objective was “to collect interviews that collectively paint a picture of the social history of neighborhoods and the diverse communities that comprise Oakland.”

Andy Workman, who at the time taught history at Mills, oversaw the grant and, with MacKay, helped develop a program to teach diversity through oral history. The pair established a class in which students learned oral history methods and, as part of the class requirements, were responsible for compiling one oral history with a member of the

Oakland community. Additionally, MacKay and Workman, along with other oral history professionals, designed a one-day workshop and opened it up to anyone who was interested, including Mills staff and Oakland community members.

The project also welcomed into the collection oral histories conducted by other community organizations in addition to the Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project, such as the Oakland Chinatown Oral History Project and In Our Own Words: The Negro Spirituals Heritage Keepers, as well as oral histories conducted by Mills students for their senior theses or other class projects. Many of the total collection of 74 oral histories now in the library’s collection are also available in the Oakland History Center of the Oakland Public Library’s main branch. MacKay says this project represents “about the most satisfying part of my professional life.”

REKINDLING THE EMBERS

Over the years, Davidson says the project has taken on a life of its own and expanded in unexpected ways. In 1996, the AAMC asked the committee to stage a dramatic reading at Reunion. Six or so volunteers gathered in the Student Union and read for an audience of alums quotes and excerpts from the narratives while a slide show of Mills photos ran behind them. “An important part of the presentation,” Caterson says, “was that we all dressed in vintage clothing.” Among the readers was Jane Cudlip King ’42, who, according to Davidson, did a convincing impression of Reinhardt “with all her elocutionary skills.” These readings continued at every Reunion for several years.

Something else that developed beyond the project was an annual tea. Inspired by the narrators’ stories of having tea, the committee began a tradition of inviting volunteers to tea every December, first at the St. Francis Hotel and later at other locations, as a thank-you gesture. Now nearly 30 years later, a small number of the original group of volunteers keep up that tradition and still gather for tea, although— since the pandemic—they bring their own teacups and meet on Zoom, usually donning vintage hats.

The tapes did eventually find their way into a spot where they became accessible to others. After so much time and effort, it was a happy turn of events when the transcripts finally landed in the library. In 2006, Davidson met with Nancy MacKay, then a librarian at F.W. Olin Library and one of the individuals in charge of the newly developed Oakland Living History Program (see previous page). MacKay agreed to take the Fires of Wisdom Oral

History Project through the finish line. She oversaw the transfer of the narratives from cassette tapes to CDs (the technology of the time); organized all the necessary paperwork; and catalogued each oral history into the library collection. Though some of the interviews could not be added due to incomplete paperwork (including an interview with the oldest alumna who participated, Maude Ross Sardam ’13), there are now 13 Fires of Wisdom Oral Histories on the shelves in the Olin Library, with some individual interviews that included more than one alumna.

Since the transition of Mills College to Mills College at Northeastern University, there’s been an increased interest among alumnae in campus history. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Mills Club invited Davidson to give a presentation about the Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project, and AAMC Operations Manager Lila Goehring ’21—along with other alums—is looking into making the current collection of oral histories available online. There is also interest in rekindling the Fires of Wisdom Project, starting with alumnae of the 1950s. Because, as Goehring says, “It’s a way of holding on to the history we have.” ◑

▲ The Fires of Wisdom Committee in 1996 and 2011. Left photo, left to right: Suzette Lalime Davidson ’94; Betsy McCall ’88; Beth Woolbright ’85; Cecille Caterson, MA ’90; Erika Young ’94; and Penny Peak ’82. Right photo, left to right: Moya Stone, MFA ’03; Young; McCall; Woolbright; Jane Cudlip King ’42; Caterson; Kathleen McCrea ’81; Davidson.

SELLING YOUR SELF

What did these Mills alums do with unique life experiences? They shared their expertise with others, creating small businesses based on their own personalities.

By Jessica Lipsky; Illustrations by Ariel Gore ’94

Ariel Gore ’94 says she was a bit of a misfit during her undergrad years. A journalism student and teen mom who often brought her toddler to class, Gore was interested in writing about parenting but received little positive feedback from the feminist magazines she pitched.

Discouraged but not downtrodden, Gore remembers thinking: “Everybody in this climate kind of thinks I’m a loser. So how do I sort of turn that around and make that my power?”

With the encouragement of journalism professor Sarah Pollock, Gore began publishing Hip Mama (hipmamazine.com). The zine and literary journal was designed as a forum for single, queer, urban, and feminist mothers and included reader submissions. What started as her senior project in 1993 ran for more than 20 years.

“The thinking was: ‘OK, this is a magazine for people like me.’ But by the second issue, the readers were not those things, necessarily,” Gore says. “If you tell the truth about your life, it… just attracts other people who want to tell the truth about their own lives.”

Hip Mama became Gore’s brand, and it also launched a writing career based on her identities and interests. She has since written 10 books of fiction and nonfiction, including Hexing the Patriarchy and F*ck Happiness, as well as coloring books and tarot. Gore’s unique perspective and experiences also led her to teaching writing workshops and acting as a writing coach. She has built a career off of embracing her identity, and encouraging others to do the same.

Gore continues: “I wouldn’t say I ever had a large, overflowing of confidence, but [my professors] really encouraged me: This is who you are. This is how you write. You’re not going to fool anyone if you try to be more like the mainstream. Just go full weird.”

Gore is one of a handful of Mills graduates who have created careers by centering their own experience. Some have used their personalities to build businesses helping like minds; others honed in on long-standing interests to find their niches. While their careers are certainly not linear, these graduates share common experiences and challenges that come with being an independent business owner. Below, they offer advice and insight for anyone looking to build a brand in the lifestyle space.

Selling Your “Weakness”

While American society may celebrate individuality, small business owners and independent thinkers often face myriad challenges in carving out career paths. Gore recalls how Professor Pollock encouraged her to trade on her youth and perceived weaknesses—Gore’s experiences as a young, queer mother were more valuable than she would have thought.

“[She told me that] the things that make you unlike the other people in this group are actually cool,” Gore remembers. “If you’re a writer, you’re not supposed to be an insider. You’re not supposed to be like everybody else; you’re supposed to write from your unique perspectives.”

“It’s really challenging because I hate brands, and I have a brand. I think [my brand is] take back your story, liberate yourself from capitalism, and publish like a superstar.”

–Ariel Gore

Top: Ariel Gore ’94. Middle: Thea Orozco ’03.

Bottom: Joui Turandot ’04.

The unique perspective of Thea Orozco ’03 also influenced her business. An author and coach, her work centers on helping introverts—a personality type she identifies with—in the workplace and in their personal lives. “I can’t say I intentionally set out to be an expert in introversion,” Orozco says. “Part of my personality is that I just want to help people.”

In the aughts, Orozco was doing social media work for her family’s yarn store when she began participating in conversations online about introversion. She developed a Facebook page for fellow introverts, which eventually grew to 10,000 likes. “Ten years ago, there were really only a handful of us talking about introversion, so it felt like radical work at that time,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘OK, well how can I help my followers even more? What can I do to turn this into a business?’”

Orozco turned it into a brand and coaching business. Part of her work assists introverts in overcoming blocks and boundaries, and Orozco has added workplace coaching to her offerings. Her book, The Introvert's Guide to the Workplace, was published in April 2020.

“Our personality differences and our social differences also come up in the workplace,” she notes, adding that she once offered a course on selling for introverts. “Everyone’s different and has unique strengths and nobody is better than someone else. We should honor extroverts and we should honor introverts as well.”

Making “Branding” Work

Orozco began her business with two parallel brands and social media pages: Introverts Everywhere and Introvertology. Orozco’s brands were inclusive, uplifting, and affirming of introverts’ strengths. While she is currently restructuring her brand (which is now focused on Introvertology), Orozco explained the importance of developing an identity.

“When you’re building your brand, when you’re building your following, people need to know who you are and what you represent. Brand is very important, particularly for people who are selling lifestyle ambassadorship,” she notes. “Sometimes people buy something just based on someone’s personality and they want to support them. But it really depends on what you’re trying to sell and who your audience is.”

Gore’s experience follows suit. “It’s really challenging because I hate brands, and I have a brand. I think [my brand is] take back your story, liberate yourself from capitalism, and publish like a superstar,” she says. “I’ve kind of gotten to the point now where a lot of people know me, so it’s a little easier to get referrals.”

Image consultant and coach Joui Turandot ’04 also built her brand, JTM Consulting, on breaking rules. “I’m not a good office job person. So I figured out pretty quickly I kind of need to do my own thing,” she said. Turandot initially used her degree in visual communications to develop her own art-as-fashion line, but after finding frustration in the typical 9-to-5 routine, she pivoted to using her experience to help others build their visual brands via clothing, public persona development, leadership coaching, and more.

Turandot is in the process of writing a book about her JTM method, but she says that what truly differentiates her brand is

the holistic experience she creates with her clients. “I’m very interested in it being a healing process. For most people, there’s actually some kind of trauma that’s associated with their image,” she says. “I’m an artist. I’m like, ‘You are a canvas. So what are you painting on your canvas?’”

Turandot considers herself a rebel and a pioneer—someone who has influence in their community—but she takes issue with the broad label of “influencer.” By creating a business of helping others develop their visual and brand identity, Turandot has grown her impact while also affecting real change in people’s lives.

The Pull of Authenticity

One of Gore’s greatest successes came from a stubborn commitment to vision: “I was just angry at something else being rejected. The person who rejected it was, like, ‘You need to do something more mainstream.’ And I was, like, ‘I’m going to do the least workable, least mainstream thing you’ve ever seen!’”

Her memoiristic, magic-infused novel We Were Witches was released in 2017 when “people were really interested in calling out the patriarchy,” Gore recalls. “That book ended up doing extremely well, to my great surprise.”

Gore’s vision continues to draw like minds. “I want to work with people who want to work with me,” she says. “It’s not that I need them to read my work; I want people coming to me with questions that I am uniquely qualified to answer.”

“A lot of my introverted clients felt like they had to be extroverted on social media. They had to be someone they weren’t and that never worked out. If you’re the same as everybody else on social media, then you’ll blend in and it’ll be harder to get an audience.”

–Thea Orozco

Orozco encourages authenticity on social media as well, adding that there is space for everybody and every presentation if they’re sincere.

“A lot of my introverted clients felt like they had to be extroverted on social media. They had to be someone they weren’t and that never worked out,” she said. “If you’re the same as everybody else on social media, then you’ll blend in and it’ll be harder to get an audience. When I’m buying something from an independent seller or coach, I gravitate to the people who are being their authentic self.”

Gore says Millennial and Gen Z writers are owning this embrace of self and the importance of their own narrative: “My personal experience is not just an anecdote to lead you into the article. It’s kind of the thing that makes reading more accessible: It’s personal.”

Embracing your authentic self is crucial to the sales process— whether it’s selling your expertise or a product. Orozco says she was challenged by “the ability to sell myself and the acceptance that I have a decent amount of knowledge. As women, we often don’t see ourselves as leaders.”

Orozco once offered a course on “kind sales” techniques for introverts, who she noticed didn’t want to sell themselves because it felt pushy or socially draining. Her course approached the sales conversation in a collaborative way.

“There was a need around introverted business owners who were struggling a bit with sales. Not only were they not getting enough sales to turn their business into a full-time job, but also I felt like they were depriving people of their expertise,” she said.

Those who want to develop a distinct visual brand don’t need to follow rules, Turandot notes: “People who have amazing style are breaking all the rules—almost always because they know themselves so well.”

Embracing the Hustle

The biggest challenges a lifestyle expert faces are those of any freelancer or small business owner: constantly generating income.

Building a brand and a business is “not for everyone,” Turandot says. “A lot of people wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of being the one to bring home all of the bacon.”

Independent writers—and not just those whose work is based on personal experience—face those same stressors. “Don’t think that any writer on the planet is waking up in anything but mild panic,” Gore says with a laugh of acceptance.

“This kind of low-level yet survivable anxiety causes you to be able to observe in the way that you need to observe to be a writer. And that causes you to put yourself out there

in these perhaps wacky fits and starts,” she adds.

There is no way around the hustle, these experts concur. Notes Turandot: “There is no silver bullet. It’s literally blood, sweat, and tears; lots of trial and error. I think things started to come into place for me after a couple of years, because you just go and do the time.”

Turandot noted that having a support system to cheer you on is extremely important when building your brand.

“Surround yourself with people who really feel invested in you and hold you to that. It can be a pretty lonely road,” she says.

Generally, the longer you work at your business the easier it will become. Gore, who is now in her 50s, says she sells herself a lot less these days. She is established and can count on enough people signing up for her workshops to allow for a lifestyle that suits her needs.

“As you get older, different things get easier. Some people think you’re old, so you’re not relevant. But that’s not the main feeling. The main feeling is you’re old, so you know things! You’re established,” she says.

Different Definitions of Success

All of the women interviewed for this piece consider themselves successful, though each has a different metric for what that means. Gore considers herself successful because she manifested an early college dream of earning “$36,000 a year, writing only and only working half-time.

“It’s almost like a giant dream to make a living as a writer, but in some ways, it’s also like a small dream,” she adds. “I don’t need to be on Oprah; I just need to write my little weird books.”

Turandot’s success is defined in part by not having to find clients all the time thanks to a steady stream of recommendations. The other part of her success is what her consulting business has allowed her to envision personally.

“My dream is not only to help people with their image; I have my own private dreams,” she said, noting that her work has “empowered me to do other stuff that’s really, deeply meaningful.”

Orozco’s consulting business is not profitable at the moment, but she takes great satisfaction from her work and the ways she helps her clients. “When I have a really great coaching session, and there are just so many breakthroughs, I wouldn’t want to trade it for anything.” ◑

“People who have amazing style are breaking all the rules— almost always because they know themselves so well.”

–Joui Turandot

What I Did Over Spring Break

BY SUSAN ITO, MFA ’94

The following is adapted from I Would Meet You Anywhere: A Memoir, the upcoming book by Assistant Adjunct Professor of English Susan Ito, MFA ’94, which is used by permission of Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press.

Iworked at a deli on the edge of downtown Ithaca where my boss was a bony, narrow-faced man named Gunter. The bell would clang when customers walked through the front door. Gunter gestured toward me. “Pretty, isn’t she? Why don’t you ask her to make you a sandwich?”

One of the regulars was Henry, a short, dark-haired grad student at Cornell. He had bright black eyes and an insistent voice.

“What are you studying?” he asked me. “Do you have a boyfriend?” I did, and I said so.

Henry came in almost every day. Although he was getting a master’s in music, he was obsessed with UFOs. I yawned as he told me about the clustered areas where aliens were certain to have come close.

“So,” he said, “you must be obsessed with something. What is it?”

I blurted it out: “Finding my mother.” I told him about stealing my hospital records. I had her name now, which I couldn’t stop scribbling and whispering to myself. Yumiko Noguchi. But the phone number from the medical file had long been disconnected. His eyes glistened. “What now?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He leaned on the deli counter and took notes as I talked until my mouth ran dry. I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed to share this. My boyfriend had limited patience for my birth family obsession. The rawness of my need made him uncomfortable.

Henry didn’t judge; he fanned my need with his questions, with his snapping eyes. “Tell me more.” I told him everything until it was time to close, and I crunched the door shut against the snow piled up on the sidewalk.

The next day, I brought my folder: the tiny notes from the adoption agency, the copies of blackened hospital microfiche, the adoption papers, my altered birth certificate with my adoptive parents’ names.

I didn’t want to spend my spring break at home. Even though my parents supported my search, I was still nervous about seeing them in person.

I called my high school friend Gina. We hadn’t seen each other since graduation when we’d headed hundreds of miles apart for college. We were both only children, uncommon back then. Gina’s parents had separated when she was a baby, and she’d never known her father. We wondered together who and where our invisible parents might be.

Gina had fallen in love in college and was one of my first friends to get married. She urged me to visit over spring break. It was snowing where they lived, too, but she made it sound fun.

“Come see us, Susanito!” She always said my name in one unbroken rush. “We’ll go cross-country skiing through the zoo.”

I called the travel agent and booked a flight.

The next day, Henry arrived before my shift. While I fumbled with keys and turned on lights, he was waving a fan of index cards in front of my face.

“Look, Mika. I did it!”

“Don’t call me that. Please. It’s not my name. Not anymore.” For a while, it had fascinated me, then scared me. It was like Mika Noguchi was a ghost, an invisible parallel life.

“But it’s a beautiful name. It fits you. Now—look what I found.” He held up cards filled with rows of phone numbers, coded by state. There were four final numbers, circled in red.

“What’s this?” I squinted at the marks.

“These are all the people in the Midwest, publicly listed in phone directories, with your mother’s maiden name. I went through them at the Cornell library.” He beamed.

I sat down. “Where are they?”

The city where Gina lived was the same place where the final Noguchi was listed. My housemates had fled for spring break. I could hear the creaking of ice along Cayuga Lake, frozen branches scratching the roof above my head.

There was one last scribbled phone number. Three had been dead ends: either disconnected, or they’d never heard of my birth mother. I picked up the phone and dragged it into my room, the cord twisting under the door like an umbilicus.

“Gina, I need your help.”

“What is it, Susanito? I’m so excited to see you. You’re still coming, aren’t you?”

“I’m definitely coming.” My suitcase was already packed with winter clothes. “But listen.” I told her about Henry, the list of phone numbers. I told her the last number had her same area code.

“Please, Gina. Would you call her for me? It’s a local call for you. It won’t cost anything. I just… I’m so nervous, I can’t do it.”

“Sure you can, Susanito.”

“But I can’t.” I started crying like a child. It was the final call, and dialing those last numbers would mean either I’d found my birth family, or my trail would be cold again. The beginning, or the end.

Gina finally took mercy on me. “OK, Susie. I’ll give it a try.” She sighed. “Give me the number.”

I hugged the phone as I waited for her to call back. I cradled it against my chest, underneath a thick layer of blankets. It rang so loudly the jangling erupted against my guts. “Hello! Gina?”

“Susie.” Her voice was low and tender. “That number I called. It was Yumiko’s brother.”

“Oh my god.” I almost dropped the phone.

“She lives here, Susanito. He gave me her married name, her address, her phone. He gave me everything.”

“I don’t believe it.” I grabbed the plane ticket from my desk. I would be there in three days. “Gina. One more favor.”

She laughed. “You want me to call her. Why can’t you do it?”

I sat up in my bed. “I’m afraid I’ll die. I’ll have a heart attack. I feel like I’m having one right now. Please, Gina, call her and make sure she’s the right person.”

A long sigh. “All right, Susie. I’ll do it. Because I love you like a sister.”

I started crying again. “I love you too.”

The next wait was longer. I sat in front of the hearth with a box of matches and lit little blazes on the grate, glittering roses of fire that lasted no more than a few seconds. I struck match after match until the phone rang again.

“Susie. I think I need a drink after that.”

“What! What happened?”

“Well. It’s definitely her.” Her voice had a low, somber tone.

“Oh Jesus.”

“I’m going to tell you everything. Just listen.”

“I’m listening.” I grabbed my notebook and pen, ready to write.

“She answered right away.”

“Uh-huh. Then what?”

“I asked if she was Yumiko Noguchi. She said yes. I said I was calling for a friend. Then she got quiet. I said, my friend’s name used to be Mika Noguchi. I told her your birth date. Then I asked, ‘Do you know who I’m talking about?’ And she said yes.”

“She said YES? Just like that?” My face was fever hot. I pressed my cold fingers to my cheeks, and they burned. “Then what?”

“She said she couldn’t talk. She said she had family around.” Family?

“Did you tell her I was coming this week?”

“Yeah. I told her.” Gina’s voice was far off, so small sounding.

“Do you think she’ll want to see me?”

“I don’t know, Susie. She sounded ticked off.”

“She was upset?” I’ve upset my mother.

“Well, I think it shocked her. The whole thing.” That was me, the whole thing. Of course. I was the one waiting for this moment for years, and I felt as if I’d been electrocuted.

“So then?”

“She said she’d call me back another time. I gave her my number, and then she hung up. That was it.”

I was breathless, panting. “Oh my god, Gina. You talked to my mother.”

I drove four hours to my parents in New Jersey. It was after midnight when I pulled into the U-shaped driveway. The less time there the better, to pretend that my life wasn’t about to blow apart. The light in their bedroom was glowing yellow, and I knew they were waiting up for me.

I unlocked the front door. My father appeared, in his striped bathrobe and rubber zori. “Hey, Sus!” He was happy to see me, smiling with all his teeth, moving back and forth from foot to foot. “Welcome home! I wish you didn’t have to go so fast.”

I hauled my suitcase up the steps. “It’s late,” I said. Tears were tight in my throat.

“Mommy’s in the ofuro,” he said, gesturing toward the bathroom. I could hear her splashing behind the door.

She emerged a few minutes later, all creamed up, her hair studded in bobbypinned curls. I kissed her warm cheek and yawned. “It’s late,” I said.

I went into my childhood room and shut the door. Posters of the Eagles and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on the walls. I promised myself I would explain everything when I got back.

The next morning, my father climbed the steps from the basement. I suddenly wanted to climb back into my little bed, but instead, I flung my suitcases into the trunk of his car, and we drove to the airport.

He parked the car and walked me to the gate, even though I had told him to just drop me off. “It’s OK, Sus,” he said. “I just want to spend time with you.”

“OK.”

“You have a good time. I’m going to stand here till you take off.”

He kissed my forehead. A mass of tears was waiting, pushing at the back of my nose. After I made my way into the cabin, they burst out. I wanted to turn back, to move against the traffic of passengers. I wanted to call out, Daddy, please don’t let me leave. I wanted him to elbow his way through the crowd, pick me up like a little girl, and take me home.

I didn’t know if it was possible to meet the woman who had made me and to come back the same person.

When I arrived at the airport, Gina greeted me, waving a slip of paper. While I had been suspended in the sky, she’d received a phone call. The paper bore Gina’s excited scribble: Holiday Inn—noon—room under the name Noguchi!!!!

“She called me back this morning. She said she wants to meet you, Susie!” She was married, with a different name, and I carried the name of my adoptive parents. But for a few hours we would meet in an anonymous room reserved under that old name we’d both shed.

Gina gave me a bus schedule and a map with the hotel circled. I arrived an hour early and saw an old stone church up the block. It seemed to promise calm and safety, and without thinking, I walked to the entrance and pushed open the thick wooden doors. I crept into the cavernous sanctuary and huddled in one of the back pews, trembling. It’d been years since I’d attended church, and this place was so different from our Japanese church in New York. But I was on the brink of literally meeting my maker. Waiting these final moments in a church felt somehow fitting.

A young man approached the pew. “Welcome,” he said. I nodded. He lowered himself next to me on the worn velvet cushion. “Is there anything you need right now?” he whispered.

I shook my head, and then my eyes welled with tears.

He waited, breathing steadily.

Finally, I stuttered the story out. I’m meeting my mother. I’ve never met my mother.

He listened gravely. “I’ll pray with you,” he offered.

“Yes. Please.” I squeezed my eyes shut and listened to his low, soothing voice. He asked the Lord to bring me courage and calm and an open heart. When he was finished, we both said, “Amen.” The diffuse sun glowed through the stained-glass windows, blurring into rainbows through my frightened tears. ◑

Ito is holding events in the Bay Area, Seattle, and online to celebrate the release of I Would Meet You Anywhere throughout the month of November. Visit thesusanito.com/ events for more information.

Previous page: Ito with her parents, Masaji and Kikuko Ito. This page: Both of Ito’s children are Bent Twigs, attending Mills after Ito earned her MFA in 1994. Left: Ito with Mollie Roark ’14. Right: Ito with Emma Roark, TCRED ’22.

A Message from the AAMC President and Board of Governors

Hello friends and fellow alums, I write this report as we conclude the AAMC’s momentous 2022–23 term and embark on a positive new 2023–24 term. The Annual Meeting on June 24 was a first in many ways: the first to be held on Zoom, the first elections for vacant governor positions, and the first time that election results were posted within minutes of the votes. It was a landmark meeting that, despite many unknowns, proceeded on track with all in attendance being able to vote, hear officers’ reports, and pose questions in the chat as needed. Still, the Board of Governors is researching improvements for next year’s Annual Meeting: namely, bylaws modifications allowing voting to be conducted over a longer time period, considering plurality votes for all seats, and offering more candidate information prior to the meeting. We will start planning next year’s Annual Meeting before the end of this year with frequent updates to our membership. Please email info@aamc-mills.org with your suggestions.

An Orientation and Leadership Retreat was held for new and returning governors on August 19 at Reinhardt Alumnae House (RAH) to set individual and collective goals and expectations for the coming term. Newly elected for the 2023–26 term are Vice President Pierre Loving ’77 and Governors Cynthia Mahood Levin ’95, Kristen Carver ’65, Nan Roche ’75, as well as returning Governor Catherine Ladnier ’70 and 2023–24 term Governors Julia Almanzan ’92 and María D. Domínguez ’08, who were welcomed and lauded for their dedication to the AAMC. Together, these dynamic leaders are working together to plan for a strong and meaningful 2023–24 term.

Engaging alums and offering programs that promote education and the continuation of the legacy of Mills College are in the works and a major focus of the AAMC. The ad-hoc Historical Preservation Committee, formed in spring 2023, is spearheading a multi-year effort to place El Campanil on the National Historic Registry. Organizers are looking for alum historians and those who wish to honor this historic building to join; please email info@ aamc-mills.org with “Historical Preservation Committee” in the subject line.

Another exciting effort in the formative stage is working with the music faculty to provide funding to digitize the entire Mills College

Center for Contemporary Music (CCM) collection. Currently 270 recordings have been transferred from reel-to-reel tape and other media to CDs, presently available at F. W. Olin Library, but many more signature performances are not yet digitized.

An AAMC fundraising effort for these two projects is being explored. Please contact us if you would like to learn more or be involved.

More familiar endeavors are also on the AAMC schedule. The AAMC is heavily involved in the upcoming Reunion from October 5–8, where three outstanding alumnae will be honored, and RAH will be open for gatherings and events. The Fires of Wisdom Oral History Project is being revisited, and a presentation is scheduled during Reunion, as is an Alumnae of Color Committee reception.

The Bylaws and Governance Committees continue to move forward with proposed revisions to bring our bylaws into compliance with current California 501(c)3 nonprofit directives. A few items currently in the bylaws that would better serve as day-totoday AAMC policies will be separated out and become policies. By doing so, the bylaws will be able to stand the test of time, while policies will have more flexibility to be updated to reflect realities now and in the future. This process will be documented throughout the year, with a revised bylaws approval vote by the members tentatively scheduled for spring 2024.

Our major forms of communication for the 2023–24 term will be through the AAMC website at aamc-mills.org or by phone at 510.430.2110. A monthly emailed AAMC newsletter, and announcements in the bi-monthly (e)ucalyptus newsletter and the Quarterly, are all avenues to keep in touch. Please do so!

The goal for this year is to prosper and move forward on the path that will be determined by you, our members. And, as always, to support and serve Mills College alums and their endeavors. Please stay involved and engaged. We’re counting on you!

Many thanks,

Debby Dittman ’68, AAMC President

Empowered Steps Towards AAMC’s Future

Guided by leader and facilitator Glodean Champion ’06, the AAMC Board of Governors embarked on a transformative journey during our August 19 leadership retreat and orientation, seeking a path toward greater collaboration and a brighter future for the organization.

This retreat was not just an orientation meeting; it was a call to action for our board, a promise of progress to our members, and a testament to the resilience of the AAMC. Glodean encouraged a forwardthinking, collaborative approach, and as she led us through often thought-provoking exercises, we realized our common love and dedication to Mills—that we were all serving out of a desire to champion and save the legacy and unique value of Mills College for future generations.

As Glodean noted, “Every member of the board is a proud Mills College alum. You are collectively driven to keep the Mills community strong. While your individual legacy may vary, it will manifest as a result of your collective efforts. Always remember, you are stronger together!”

During the retreat, we were able to share and recommit to our mission, values, and vision for the AAMC Board of Governors, while thinking creatively about the path ahead. Here are some of the collective insights and commitments we made as a board going forward:

Our Mission as a Board: Collaborative Excellence

Our mission is to uphold our fiduciary responsibilities and foster community by providing educational, social, artistic, and life-enriching opportunities for our members that continue lifelong learning. Through it all, we are committed to acting in the best interest of the members we represent.

Our Vision as a Board: Crafting an Indelible Legacy

Together, we shape a legacy of effective governance, leaving an indelible mark on the success and prosperity of those we

“A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong.” –Luke Easter

serve. As stewards of the AAMC mission, we pledge to work harmoniously, fostering an environment where each voice and perspective is heard and valued.

Building on Our Strengths: The Path Forward

The retreat acknowledged that past challenges arose out of the handling of the merger, which led to feelings of betrayal and eroding trust among members. But this is now part of the past, and the future needs our focus.

During the retreat, board members generated a diverse range of proposals, each with the possibility to propel the AAMC forward into a future where our community is not only preserved but flourishes.

These ideas spanned a range from local to global, fundamental to idealistic; from the creation of a comprehensive written history of the AAMC, soliciting discount benefits to provide to alum members, to the development of an online peer-based women’s educational program, poised to empower and uplift future generations of Mills alumnae.

The vision for the possible creation of

a “college within a college,” educational events, and symposia—possibly led by former Mills College professors—spoke to a desire for an enduring legacy of our educational institution. Moreover, initiatives like the historic preservation of buildings like El Campanil would be enduring tributes to the campus that forged our community.

Our Goals for the AAMC Board: Navigating the Future

In the dynamic landscape of this coming year, the AAMC will set about to define its new mission and bylaws, providing a strong foundation for future endeavors.

This is the beginning of a new chapter for the AAMC Board, and the leadership retreat and orientation was an inspiring event. Board members came out of it with a greater commitment to working together, while recognizing that clarity comes when we look at the bigger picture. We will be following up with focused sessions this fall to build on the work we began. Together, we will continue to write the story of Mills’ enduring legacy through the future of the AAMC.

Quarterly.

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

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

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

In Memoriam

Notices of deaths received before July 6

To submit listings, please contact mills.alumnae.relations@ northeastern.edu or 510.430.2123

Nancy Harbert Ellsworth ’45, May 1, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. She was an accomplished violinist her entire life, starting at the age of 4 and continuing through tours across California and studies with Darius Milhaud at Mills. While performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony in 1950, she met late husband Mark and moved to Washington, DC. There, she continued making music with organizations such as the Kennedy Center Orchestra, where she was concertmaster, and the Washington Opera. Nancy also wrote two books and loved to cook and bake. She is survived by four children, 10 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Barker Doyle ’46, May 6, in Los Gatos, California. Betsy graduated from Mills after first enrolling at the University of Arizona and Stanford. She then went to work as a secretary at UCSF, and she met her late husband, John, in San Francisco as well. They married in 1950 and had five children, moving to Sacramento, Seattle, and Tacoma for short periods before returning to the Bay Area. Betsy was a devoted Catholic who collected friends wherever she went and was known for her lively sense of humor. She is survived by four children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Polly Bloom Scheuch ’47, August 10, 2022, in Portola Valley, California. She and late husband Don lived in Portola Valley for more than 50 years, and they loved taking their family on regular camping trips. She is survived by three children and nine grandchildren.

Mary “Bea” Harris Craig ’47, June 13, in Anderson, California. Bea majored in history at Mills and also studied biology at Cal State Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband, Frank, and four children.

Barbara Moller Lyons ’47, June 20, in San Francisco. After Mills, she earned her teaching credential at UC Berkeley, which she used to teach high-school English before shifting to public relations and speechwriting for organizations such as the San Francisco Junior Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Opera. Upon her marriage in 1957, she shifted to pursuing a career as a professional singer, performing on local television and at the Marines Memorial Theatre. Barbara also thrived in volunteer work, including for the AAMC. She is survived by two stepsons and five cousins.

Joan Lewis Danforth ’53

Marie “Patsy” Pettibone McKeown ’47, December 4, 2022, in Piedmont. In her senior yearbook, she was noted for her swimming abilities, creative spirit, and scientific knowledge. She is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

Joyce Vanier Hale ’47, June 19, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. After returning to her hometown of Salina, Kansas, she went to work for her father’s businesses—first in a flour mill, then on the cattle ranch. Joyce met her late husband, Joe, on a blind date, and their family grew to become an integral part of the neighborhood. In addition to raising cattle, she loved to play tennis, take photos, and travel around the world. Joyce and Joe were benefactors of education, providing funding for a library at Kansas State and a center for journalism at the Kansas City PBS station. She is survived by six children, 15 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Betty Jo Campbell Fletcher ’48, October 21, 2018, in Phoenix. She used the degree in early childhood education she received at Mills to teach preschool at Camelback Desert School in Scottsdale for 60 years. Betty Jo was also active at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral throughout her life, starting in the choir as a child and later returning as a Sunday school teacher and Altar Guild member. She is survived by a sister, two children, three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Jane Weaver Chalmers ’48, April 10, 2020, in Tow, Texas. She later graduated from University of Colorado-Boulder with a degree in political science. She is survived by two daughters.

Helen Feddersen ’48, MA ’51, June 5, in Needham, Massachusetts. She came to Mills from Idaho as a young married woman, earning her bachelor’s degree in English and an MA in short order. After her divorce, Helen moved to Massachusetts, where she taught language arts at the Arlington School in Belmont and earned an Ed.D. from Boston University. Post-doctorate, she turned toward teaching English as a second language, and she completed a memoir, Not All for Fun, that was published in 2011. Even in her retirement home, Helen taught poetry in a community group. She is survived by a sister, two daughters, and two granddaughters.

Beatrice Nold, MA ’48, April 25, in Concord. At Mills, she earned her master’s degree in English literature, but she later earned a second bachelor’s degree in library science from Cal and graduated from Columbia’s medical school. As a physician, Beatrice researched pregnancy outcomes on military bases and hepatitis in rural California communities, and she loved classical music.

Though she eventually graduated from Stanford, Joan Lewis Danforth felt such an affinity to Mills that her name now adorns buildings across campus and multiple scholarships. On June 12, she died in San Francisco. Her career in finance—as a portfolio manager at Dean Witter & Company and then as an investment officer at Citicorp-Citibank—provided the foundation for a life of philanthropy. Joan’s interests were wide-ranging; she was board president of Big Sisters, Inc., a board member at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital, foundation commissioner at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, and a trustee of San Francisco Performances. But her involvement at Mills spanned many decades—and even broke barriers. In 1992, Joan became the first woman (and alumna) to serve as chair of the Board of Trustees, and she received the Mills College Distinguished Service Award that same year. A $100,000 challenge grant she set during the 1987-88 school year helped to bring in nearly 700 new donors to the College. And, of course, “Danforth” on the Mills campus is synonymous with an apartment building on Prospect Hill, a lecture hall in the arts complex, and a named professorship that’s currently held by Professor of Art Yulia Pinkusevich.

Joan’s affection for Mills solidified before she ever enrolled at the College—she was a Bent Twig. Her mother, Miranda Sheldon Lewis, attended Mills during its Seminary days in the 1870s, and her aunt was an original member of the Ladies’ Visiting Committee. “Joan was devoted to Mills,” said former trustee Alex Moses ’65. “She also was very funny. As an only child, she knew that she could get away with pranks for which her friends would get in trouble. Lots of stories!”

Her surviving family—three step-children, three step-grandchildren, and one step-great-granddaughter—also remember her as a sportswoman who loved to hike, golf, ski, and play tennis; a world traveler who savored opportunities to learn about other cultures; and an advocate for women’s ongoing empowerment.

Lois Markus Arnold ’48, November 16, 2018, in Oakland. She was an East Bay native and homemaker who raised four children. Lois fully enjoyed her daily crossword puzzles, reading and discussing literature and film, and taking in live theatrical performances. She also loved to play bridge and mah jongg, and her family says that she was a fashion plate who was “impeccably attired, coiffed, and accessorized at all times.” She is survived by four children, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two siblings.

Cynthia “Cindy” Taves ’48, January 22, in Carmel. She spent her career as a medical technician, including a long stint at the University of California Medical Center, and she also served on the AAMC’s Board of Governors, as class secretary, and on her 50th Reunion committee. She is survived by sister Lynda Taves Ogren ’54 and niece Ann Porter Malveaux ’76.

Joanne Martin Ratcliffe ’49, November 6, 2020, in Carmel. She graduated from Mills with a fine arts degree, and her three children recall a trip to Europe fresh off a marital separation when they visited artistic gems that were nearly lost in World War II. Upon remarriage, Joanne converted her new husband’s garage into a sculpture studio, then after his passing, she threw herself into printmaking and donated her skills to causes she believed in. Her family notes that she died suddenly despite the hope she was starting to feel in the national landscape, “like blades of grass from cracks in the asphalt.” She is survived by three children, four stepchildren, and her grandchildren, including Oona Ratcliffe ’97.

Ann “Cathy” Colwell Menninger ’50, March 21, in Franconia, New Hampshire. After Mills, she graduated from Smith and married her former husband, Roy, who later joined the Army. They eventually settled in Topeka, Kansas, where she embarked on many service projects, including petitioning President Kennedy to ship surplus wheat to China to alleviate the famine there and hosting a Soviet ambassador in small-town Kansas to increase inter-cultural understanding. Cathy eventually returned to her New England roots after divorce, loving the solitude of her home in the woods. She is survived by four children, five grandchildren, and a brother.

Barbara Anderson ’53, November 14, 2019, in Antioch, California. She worked for what later became the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 26 years, starting as a personnel dosimetry technician and retiring as the curator of the Computation Department Museum. While there, among other events, Barbara helped found the Women’s Technical and Professional Symposium. She was also a passionate runner, and she loved horses starting at a young age. She is survived by two children and a grandson.

Gifts in Memory of

Received March 1, 2023 – May 31, 2023

Darl Bowers , P ’84 by Lisa Iden Monroe ’79

Sylvia Gerber Bruce ’58 by Harriet Isom ’58

Carol Conlee Caughey ’66, P ’95 by Gayle Rothrock ’68

Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63 by Michelle Balovich ’03, MBA ’18

June Holden Schneider ’43 by Kirsti Cripe Rauser ’74

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

Joanne Wright Evens ’53, December 31, 2022, in Granite Bay, California. She majored in education at Mills. Her husband, Peter, predeceased her.

Margaret “Peggy” Benedict Wemple ’55, June 5, in El Cerrito, California. She moved to the United States from Austria in the late 1930s. After Mills, Peggy went through training to become a radiology technician at Mount Zion, now part of UCSF. Her late husband, Dana, was a dentist, and she worked in his San Francisco office after raising three children, later working for her daughter and son-in-law’s firm Prodesse Property Group after Dana’s retirement. Peggy was a symphony and museum enthusiast, volunteering her time with related organizations later in life. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Janet Curry Mickens ’55, May 7, in Woodland Hills, California. After Mills, she graduated from USC. Her former husband, Glenn, was a pro baseball player, and she traveled with him and their children as he rose through the minor leagues to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers and abroad in Japan. Upon returning stateside, they divorced and she earned a master’s degree in special education, which she used to teach for more than 40 years. A great source of joy for her was the legacy trip she took to Ireland in 1996. She is survived by her companion, Paul Brooks; two children; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Margaret “Peggy” Ryan Sweeney ’55, June 28, in Glendora, California. After Mills, she graduated from what later became Marymount California University in Los Angeles, shortly thereafter marrying her late husband, Joseph. The two made their home and grew their family in the San Gabriel Valley, where Peggy delighted in volunteering for organizations such as Santa Teresita Hospital, Saint Rita’s Parish Council, and Sierra Madre Little League Baseball. She is survived by a brother, four children, 13 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Marcia Mozara Tavenner ’57, March 24, 2019, in Reno. She majored in English at Mills and later obtained her teaching credential at UC Davis. She is survived by three children.

Suzanne Saunders Donlon ’58, June 10, in San Francisco. She grew up in Mexico City after her family fled Belgium during World War II. As a result, Suzanne was thoroughly cosmopolitan, trilingual, and daringly open-minded. She raised her three children with her late husband, David, in San Francisco, where she volunteered for schools and the Junior League. Suzanne loved traversing the landscape of California on hikes and swims, and she doted on her extended friend groups. She is survived by two siblings, three daughters, and six grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Frederick ’61, May 21, in Santa Fe. After Mills, she earned a teaching credential at UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in English at the University of New Mexico. Over her varied career, Betsy taught at Berkeley High School and in Albuquerque Public Schools (APS); oversaw Internet installation throughout all of APS; and worked as a program manager with the NMHS Supercomputer Challenge. She also volunteered extensively with causes surrounding technology in education. She is survived by her husband, Bob; two children; two stepchildren; and three grandchildren.

Harriet “Nona” Hungate ’62 , March 26, in Oakland. After Mills, she graduated from UC Berkeley, later earning a Ph.D. in mathematics. Nona first worked for IBM before shifting to a teaching position at Chabot College, where she taught math and philosophy. She transformed the home she bought near Lake Merritt into a well-loved sanctuary she enjoyed with her cats, and she embarked on many adventures in locales such as Fiji, New Zealand, and Japan. She is survived by two brothers, three nieces, and four nephews.

Nancy Vermillion Smith ’62, February 11, 2022, in Sacramento. She later graduated from the University of Kansas, and she spent her career as a physical therapist in locations such as Novato Physical Therapy Center and Sutter North Home Help. She is survived by two sons.

Sally Krusen Riester ’64 , June 6, in San Antonio. She took her zoology degree to New York City where she worked in research at the Rockefeller Institute. Sally later earned a master’s degree in hospital administration from Trinity University and used it as an anesthesiology assistant at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio until retirement. She also loved the visual and performing arts, studying weaving at the Southwest School of Art and patronizing many local theaters and festivals, and she was an accomplished sailor. She is survived by two daughters and two grandchildren.

Marilyn Cleaveland McConnell ’65, April 23, 2022, in Emeryville. A dedicated psychotherapist, Marilyn continued practicing up until the end of her life. She is survived by her husband, Mike, and two daughters.

Nettie Harper ’65, March 14, in Union, Washington. After Mills, she earned a master’s degree from Central Washington University, then taught English for many years at Kentwood High School in Kent, Washington. Nettie also directed several theatrical productions at Kentwood, including Bridagoon and Guys and Dolls. Upon retirement, she continued teaching English as a second language and loved tending to her English-style garden. Nettie was predeceased by her husband, Kelly Johns, and she is survived by three sisters, including Marian Harper Weldin ’62; and cousins Kristin Harper Bush ’78 and Kim Harper Brooks ’90.

Lynne Scott Drennan ’66, April 15, in Folsom, California. After Mills, she earned a master’s degree in history from San Jose State, and she wrote more than 50 romance novels—many of which nodded to her Scottish heritage—under the pen name of Amanda Scott. Lynne’s books earned her the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award (for the 1986 title Lord Abberley’s Nemesis) and the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award. She is survived by her husband, a son, and sister Kevin Scott Clevenger ’72.

Sandra “Sandy” Silk Gretter ’66, November 21, 2022, in Alexandria, Virginia. Her varied career took her from the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC, as a medical writer to the owner/director of Kiddie Corner Care Center in Greencastle, Indiana. She is survived by two daughters and four grandchildren.

William Smith, MFA ’66, April 28, in St. Paul, Minnesota. After serving in the Air Force, he first attended the University of Northern Iowa for an undergraduate degree in arts education before coming to Mills for his MFA. His career in teaching took him from the College of Saint Benedict to public schools throughout Minnesota. After retirement, William worked as a tour guide at the Minnesota State Capitol, a building he greatly admired. His family recalls his storytelling skills, his love for his family and his pets, and the sense of peace he always picked up near the water. He is survived by his wife, Diane; four children; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Linda Povey ’68, January 18, in Aptos, California. Her degree from Mills was in English, and she taught high-school English and continuing education in the Santa Cruz and Aptos school districts for more than 25 years. Linda was also enamored with photography, winning prizes for her shots, and with the music of Bob Dylan. She is survived by two sisters and three brothers.

Kathleen Sanders Brown, MFA ’68, May 16, 2018, in Waimea, Hawaii. She loved creating art. She is survived by two children, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Deborah Patten ’70, July 2, 2022, in Alberton, Montana. She is survived by her husband, Russell Brooks.

Teresa “Teri” Van Riper Corbet ’71, April 6, 2018, in Huntington Beach, California. She is survived by her husband, Clifford, and three children.

Linda Kay Neal Bates ’76, May 27, in Aptos, California. She received her Ph.D. in English at UC Davis and then stayed on to teach in the English Department, write an ESL textbook, and become director of the Campus Writing Program. After retirement, she and husband Bob moved to Santa Cruz County, where they spent many happy years. Linda was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, and she bravely faced the challenges it presented. She is survived by Bob, two children, and three grandchildren.

Patti Sheaff Gimber ’78, October 11, 2022, in Roseville, California. At Mills, she studied music, and she often played the piano and sang for her family. She is survived by two sons, two grandchildren, and three siblings.

Jaynet Lane Tagami ’87, May 29, in Salt Lake City. She raised her children before enrolling at Mills for her BA in communications, later coming up just two classes short of earning her MBA as well. Jaynet worked in administration for UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, the UC Berkeley Extension, the San Francisco Opera, and the Las Vegas Philharmonic/Nevada Symphony Orchestra, and as a docent for the Debbie Reynolds Museum. She was also a violinist who performed with several orchestras in the Bay Area and Las Vegas. She is survived by three children, including Elizabeth Tagami ’83; four grandchildren; and a brother.

Valerie Sherlock Flanagan ’88, June 23, in Hayesville, North Carolina. After Mills, she moved to South Africa to finish her degree at the University of Cape Town and to lend her talents to economic and business development. Valerie also worked for the United Nations there before returning to the United States to teach at Western Carolina University. She made her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, hiking on nearby trails, walking her dogs, visiting local wineries, and cooking. She is survived by a brother, two children, and two grandchildren.

Astrid Wenstrom Steele ’90, April 19, 2020, in Berkeley. She majored in studio art and made her living as an artist.

Edwin Cox, MA ’91, December 2020, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Marion Doylen Cox, MA ’91, January 31, 2022, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She and husband Edwin (see above) came to Mills after retirement to study art; Marion specifically enjoyed painting, ceramics, textiles, and drawing. Marion had spent her career teaching English literature and classics to high school students in Jefferson County, Colorado. She also earned a master’s degree in writing and literature from Saint John’s College. She is survived by a daughter, three stepchildren, and a brother.

Spouses and Family

Wellington Henderson, parent of Elena Henderson Keating ’92 and former Mills trustee, September 26, 2020, in San Francisco.

Elizabeth McCormick , parent of Maya Bulmer ’24, July 7, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Richard Mueller ; spouse of Rachel Sadler Mueller ’68, MA ’70; July 3, 2022; in Carmel.

Louis Nichols , spouse of Panny Putnam Nichols ’65, June 3, 2022, in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

Faculty and Staff

Michael Ort , former visiting professor of sociology, November 23, 2022, in Palm Desert, California.

The Best Sounding Boards: A Friendship Forged at Mills

By Sharon Clifford Cresswell ’65 and Suzy Laufer Roth ’65

Sixty-two years later, we are still best friends.

Sixty-two years ago, we—the then-known-as Sharon Clifford and Suzy Laufer—may have first met because we had a good friend in common. During our first year at Mills, Ann-Louise Bintliff lived across the hall from Sharon in Orchard Meadow Hall. We all became friends then, and the two of us decided to be roommates as sophomores. We continued as roommates until we left Mills in 1965.

Over the years since then, we remained in forever if not constant touch, with Sharon in California and Suzy in Washington, DC; Maryland; and New York. West to east, east to west.

But since the pandemic and continuing even now, we have been connecting much more frequently. This is an irrevocably forever friendship. We feel like we’re family not only with each other, but also with each other’s families: from our parents and siblings to our husbands and children, and to our grandchildren, too.

And as ever, we are very different people.

We are the most unlikely BFFs. We have very different ways of looking at just about everything: perspectives, goals, family settings, personalities.

Sharon is social, outgoing, and friendly. Suzy isn’t exactly introverted, but she is shy and quiet. Sharon grew up with a great sense of independence, even embarking on a solo trip to Japan in high school, while Suzy was barely allowed to cross the street without parental permission. Sharon grew up in a sporty, all-American business-minded family, while Suzy’s musician (American) mother and artist/designer (European) father ensured that the family home was full of music and fine arts.

But at Mills, we found so much in common. We both studied and loved our art classes, including Asian art history with Catherine Caldwell and European art with Alfred Neumeyer. We both tried tennis and enjoyed dance classes. One incredible highlight for Sharon—and an idiotic moment for Suzy—was when Darius Milhaud led the choir in a performance. Good-girl Sharon was able to participate, but Suzy—the lazy rebel—could not, due to perpetual choir-practice cutting. It was a hard lesson learned!

Over the years, we shared many beautiful times together. Suzy was a bridesmaid in Sharon’s 1965 wedding. We visited with each other’s families and regularly spoke on the phone. In the last 20 years, we’ve been to Italy together twice: the first, to research a book Suzy was writing on Guido d’Arezzo; and the second, to celebrate the book’s publication at a special concert for the occasion with Suzy’s family (including her one-year-old grandson) and Sharon, as well as her daughter, in attendance.

Suzy’s career as an author and illustrator of children’s books didn’t change during lockdown—she’s still doing what she started at Mills when she printed her first books with her own hands on the Eucalyptus Press.

But with the onset of the pandemic, when traveling was no longer permitted, Sharon’s engaging work in coordinating foreign exchange students in California schools was halted. This prompted her to retire.

However, Sharon still is working as an essential pre-editor for Suzy as usual: She checks the early versions of Suzy’s texts and/ or images, sharing her unedited responses.

So, when the pandemic hit, it brought into sharp focus what has really kept us together: We can say anything we want to say to each other, at any time of the day or night, without the fear of repercussion—just the knowledge that our comments will be met with attentive listening. That includes any subject, not just book editing. We are always safe from the other’s judgments, though it’s not that they are ever withheld—but they are never damning, always redeemable. We provide each other with encouragement, even if sometimes it’s encouragement to shut up about something. We speak on the phone nearly every day, and for both of us, it was this constant and deep alliance that helped us manage during that difficult time.

Even post-pandemic, we are continuing with our frequent conversations. And, amazingly, this is not the end of the story— despite us both pushing 80! We are looking forward to our own, long-planned, in-person 80th birthday reunion in New York this October—at the same time the rest of our class will hold a more official get-together at Mills. We’ve done a lot together, but one thing we can’t do is be in two places at once.

2024AAMC Travel

Bali, Singapore, Thailand & Angkor Wat

February 20–March 6, 2024

From the lovely shores of Bali to modern Singapore, exciting Bangkok to legendary Angkor, this incredible 12-night journey explores the variety of Southeast Asia’s histories, cultures, and cuisines! Thrill to Bali’s traditional culture, explore Singapore’s diverse neighborhoods, cruise along Bangkok’s legendary canals, and explore the jungle-clad temples of Angkor. Plus, meet welcoming locals and dig into savory regional dishes. Enjoy first-class accommodations, an extensive meal plan, and flights to Singapore, Bangkok, and Siem Reap.

Swiss Alps & the Italian Lakes

May 8–May 17, 2024

Embrace the wonders of Switzerland and Italy on this eight-night journey! Stay in chic St. Moritz and lakeside Stresa, immersing yourself in these celebrated destinations. Journey by train to Zuoz and wind through incredible scenery on the Bernina Express. Cruise to the Borromean Islands and explore romantic Bellagio and Como. Stand before da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” and prepare regional dishes at a family restaurant. This Alumni Campus Abroad program includes first-class accommodations and a generous meal plan.

For more information, including a full itinerary for these and other planned trips for 2024, please visit the AAMC travel program web page at aamc-mills.org/travel-programs.