A member of the pre-law board reflects on women of color in law event

Graphic by Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 via Canva

BY JO ELLIOTT ’28

FEATURES EDITOR

On Sunday, March 8, International Women’s Day was celebrated at Mount Holyoke College by the panel event, “Leading with Perspectives: The Future of Women of Color in Law.” The panel was joined by guest speakers Siqi Zhao ’17, Ashanta Evans Blackwell ’95 and Rhynette Northcross Hurd ’71. The panelists discussed “their career journeys, the challenges and opportunities they have encountered, or advice on navigating uncertainty in the current political or legal landscape.”

Abby Paull ’28, the social media coordinator of the pre-law board, was “encouraged to go to the event, to show our support for the alums.” 

“I thought it was really interesting, [and] I liked the accessibility of it being on Zoom, a lot of times we have our pre-law panels in a conference room, and by this being on Zoom it made it more accessible, for me and a lot of other students to join and learn [new] perspectives.” When asked about the content of the event Paull stated, “I thought their insights on imposter syndrome were the most interesting because we already got into this school so we’re already so much above the curve … but one of them told us we have to take a second to appreciate how far you’ve come.”

When speaking about the alums, Paull said, “They talked about how law can be a gateway to many things, especially working in public policy. That matters a lot to me as someone who wants to potentially go to D.C. post-grad. I think the crucial part is knowing your worth, all of the alums have gone through struggles of their own, and them being confident enough to share that with us and turn that into a positive message meant a lot to me.”

Speaking on what it means for alums to be a part of these events, Paull stated “It gives alums a chance to connect back to their school. We are already a heavily alum based college, and by allowing them to give their perspectives it allows us to learn more about the legal field and understand what it’s like to be a woman in the legal field.”

“I think it’s really important especially with what's happening with all the silencing that's been [going on] in the Trump administration. If I was an alum I would want to be asked to come back. The alum-student relationship is very crucial to our networking, and being able to talk about law and some of the downsides of it, I know one of the panelists talked about her experience being a judge and how she has threats against her and she has to have an officer follow her around the court house, and everything that goes into that. Especially in this trying political climate, we need that connection, we need organization.”

From the alums she was “able to gain insight on what’s happening in the legal field, and if we want to reconsider, perhaps modifying our plans. A lot of them talked about taking time between law school and undergraduate to reassess what you want.”

“Imposter syndrome came up a lot, and they all reaffirmed that you’re here for a reason, you’re already one step there, and Mount Holyoke gets you that foot in the door in the legal field.”

Angelina Godinez ’28 contributed fact-checking.

Editor’s note: Abby Paull ’28 is a staff writer for Mount Holyoke News.

MHC After Dark bingo held

Photo by Jo Elliot ’28

Students congregate in the Great Room to all play bingo during a Mount Holyoke After Dark event.

By Jo Elliott ‘28

Staff Writer

Almost every Friday evening, the Great Room is home to MHC After Dark’s substance-free events. The events rotate in themes and events, Oct. 3’s event being bingo. MHC After Dark’s programming offers students the opportunity to participate in late night events without the use of substances, offering community and fun to those who don’t consume substances.

The series of events runs every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Both the Office of Student Involvement and BeWell host these events. Some of their past nights include Just Dance parties and craft nights. Most MHC After Dark programs are held in the Great Room at Blanchard Hall.

Mia Gonzales Jackson ‘26 attended the bingo night on, and noted that, “I am a big fan of bingo events on campus! The event I attended was hosted by the Division of Student Life and part of the MHC After Dark programming. Personally, I enjoy playing bingo because it is simple and fun.”

Another attendee who spoke highly of the event, Maddie Stith ‘26, said, “I like events like these because I feel like it forces me to not stay in my dorm for the whole day, and it allows me to connect with people that I don't get to see often because it's a mutual enjoyment for such activities and allows me to spend time with groups of people that I know.”

Both attendees highlighted the importance of having these drug-free events on campus with Jackson saying, “I think offering this program supports Mount Holyoke's campus-wide drug-free policy and offers a different position on what an enjoyable college experience contains. For those who do not follow the crowd, it is a reminder that we are not left out or denied opportunities to have fun.”

Similarly, Stith stated, “I feel like it gives time and an open space for people who are not really into [drinking or consuming other substances] or people who literally cannot due to whatever medical reasons because that's also a thing.”

Substance-free events on college campuses can help ensure students who don’t use drugs or alcohol feel isolated from other students. Especially when it comes to the pressure of being in close proximity to substances, which often feature prominently at student-hosted parties.

“The college experience provides a context where experimentation with alcohol and other substances is facilitated by new freedoms, ample free time, reduced supervision, transitions to new social contexts, and a culture of partying,” Pennsylvania State University researchers state. “Studies suggest that students who spend more time in naturally-occurring alcohol-free activities including academics, volunteering, and campus activities (excluding fraternity and sorority activities) report less alcohol use.”

Stith touted the social benefits of going to events like these for herself: “It's also a really nice thing to be able to do so you don't have to worry about feeling excluded or left out or like you're not fitting in with the environment.”

Madeleine Diesl ’28 contributed fact-checking.