BY SAEE CHITALE ’22
What is Title IX?
Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 that states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
BY MADELINE FITZGERALD ’21
The snipping of scissors and a pile of hair on a dorm room floor — this is the start of a Mount Holyoke tradition. It’s not one listed on the College’s Wikipedia page, nor is it mentioned on campus tours. And it is certainly not one that every student will participate in. But for many students, the MoHo Chop is as much a part of their Mount Holyoke experience as Mountain Day or M&Cs.
BY MADELINE FITZGERALD ’21
Any mention of the name Sonya Stephens is sure to stir up a heated conversation. In student Facebook groups, memes and jokes criticizing her presidency abound. And in real life, she had a sparsely attended inauguration, where the few audience members were predominantly guests from other colleges. While Stephens’ personal conduct plays a major role in this controversy, the College and indeed the nation at large is experiencing a cultural upheaval. Mount Holyoke has become a microcosm for major debates involving the diversity of race, politics and gender.
BY MADELINE FITZGERALD ’21
This is the first in a two-part series on Sonya Stephens, Mount Holyoke’s newly appointed 19th president.
Warm. Kind. Funny. Aloof. Deceptive. Racist. In her three-year tenure as acting president of Mount Holyoke, a myriad of descriptors have been thrown at Sonya Stephens. She is alternatively depicted as a kindhearted academic striving for diversity and a closed-off fundraiser known among students for her perceived insensitivity. The Board of Trustees appointed her to the presidency with “unanimous enthusiasm” but her inauguration was sparsely attended, with fewer than 50 students present.
BY LILY REAVIS ’21
Mount Holyoke’s first chess club meeting in 22 years took place on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Linh Nguyen ’21, Austen Borg ’20 and Annegail Moreland ’20 are co-founders of the new Mount Holyoke chess club (MHCC), which was created due to several students’ collective interest. The meeting, which took place in Blanchard Hall’s Great Room, focused on the goals and vision for the club.
BY LILY REAVIS ’21
Growing up in Miami, Florida, Emily Wolman ’22 experienced verbal and emotional bullying online and in-person. In response, she founded an anti-bullying initiative called Students That Offer Peace (STOP). The club grabbed the attention of students and faculty and eventually won Wolman the Posse Scholarship and the Princess Diana Award.
BY LILY REAVIS ‘21
Though some archive records claim that Convocation has taken place annually since 1837, there are no formal accounts of any such event until 1931. If there was a tradition before then, it was likely very different in style. The official establishment of Convocation in 1931 marked a turning point for Mount Holyoke College. Today, Mount Holyoke College’s Convocation is a loud, vibrant celebration of the school’s community, but it wasn’t always that way; the tradition was originally far more formal and focused on individual student awards.
BY MIA PENNEKAMP ’20
1. One day you will finally get an A from the professor who has never given you anything but Bs.
2. Don’t forget to keep up with your oldest friends. The ones who know you cold and ugly and like family. If you do forget, one of them will call you out for it on Easter in a coffee shop. She will sit across from you, wearing a leather jacket and a yellow scarf, and you’ll both tear up.
BY SABA FIAZUDDIN ’21
For members of the Mount Holyoke community, many of life’s most important moments happen on campus, from their first convocation to commencement, with years of beloved traditions in between. For some, this connection extends beyond their final walk through the amphitheater. In addition to more well-known events held in Abbey Chapel and the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, people can also use these venues for their weddings. Many Mount Holyoke graduates chose to do just that.
BY LINDSEY MCGINNIS ’18
Elle magazine described her as a key member of Hillary Clinton’s “Girl Squad.” To Fortune.com readers, she was “the wonk shaping Hillary Clinton’s plans for the country.” POLITICO named her one of the top 50 “thinkers, doers and visionaries” transforming American politics in 2016.
BY GRACE FITZGERALD ’20
This week, we set up senior Virginia* with first-year Vita* on a movie date in Clapp to watch “Romeo + Juliet.” Vita described herself as an open-minded person who is fascinated by the world. As a self-described hopeless romantic, Virginia wanted someone she could talk about the depths of her soul with. Vita, who wants to know a little about everything, seemed like a perfect fit! Mid-’90s Leonardo DiCaprio plus the Clapp sloth sounded like the recipe for romance to us. The two met in Clapp to begin their date, and here’s how it went…
BY SABA FIAZUDDIN ’21
Every year, the month of March is marked with anxiety for students awaiting admissions decisions from their top colleges. For many students, this time of year is a culmination of standardized tests, all-nighters spent finishing college essays and hours devoted to extracurricular activities. The experience, however, doesn’t just wear down students; it can also be stressful for admissions officers who must read hundreds of applications in a month and make decisions that will affect students for the next four years of their lives.
BY MADELINE FITZGERALD ’21
There is a predictable rhythm to starting college. Scan department store lists of dorm room essentials. Check Rate My Professor. Check the Facebook group. Check everything, then load the car and leave home. For Caroline Castonguay ’20, however, there was one more necessary task to complete. Castonguay, who has cystic fibrosis, a chronic and debilitating illness, needed to meet with AccessAbility services, the office that provides students with disability accommodations.
To baby Kelly:
In so many ways, you will be the same in four years. You will graduate as the same awkward dork that you have always been. You’ll still make questionable life choices, and sometimes you’ll have worse judgement than a five-year-old. As always, you’ll continue to obnoxiously laugh at your own jokes without shame, because you think you’re super funny. You will still love to dance like a fool at almost any party and you’ll forever be kind of a dweeb. You’re always going to be high-wired with a lot of energy, and you’re still going to be the kind of person who always tries to give more than they take. You’ll work hard at everything and have the heart of a true athlete.
