From Boston to Beijing, Barnard alumnae stay connected to each other and the College through our network of more than 40 domestic regional clubs and 10 international clubs. In 2014 alone, alumnae gathered at over 100 events around the world. This year, many clubs framed events around the talent and expertise of Barnard women in each region, from alumnae artists and scholars to visiting Barnard staff. Club activities in Connecticut, Paris, and Portland, featured below, show how regional communities draw upon the wisdom of their club membership to create engaging events and bring their communities together. It is wonderful to know that the bold and brilliant spirit of Barnard women is alive far beyond our gates.
If you are interested in learning more about any of the Barnard clubs or regional events, visit alum.barnard.edu, call 212.854.2005, or e-mail alumnaerelations@barnard.edu. Barnard wants to connect with you, wherever you are, and we look forward to expanding these connections in your communities throughout the world.
Paris
The Barnard Club of Paris is an informal group numbering about 50 alumnae in and around the Paris area. The club’s book group meets every two months and is mostly, but not exclusively, devoted to discussions of books by Barnard authors. The club is always happy to welcome Barnard alumnae, faculty, or current undergraduates who are visiting Paris for short or long stays.
Club President Genevieve Acker ’61 shared reports of two recent club events that were especially memorable: “On December 4, 2014, we hosted the Very Reverend Lucinda Laird ’73, the first woman to be named as dean of the American Cathedral in Paris. (See her profile in the Winter 2015 issue.) Lucinda generously shared the very unconventional career path that led her to her present distinguished position. On February 11, 2015, the club’s meeting focused on exploring creative and artistic expression by some of our sisters in Paris: our hostess, Carole Dupeyron ’92, a painter, and vocalists Kay Bourgine ’79 and Millané Kang ’86. Gathered in Carole’s lovely home, we were treated to an overview of Carole’s paintings, collages, and photographs, followed by Kay’s and Millané’s renditions of songs written by both of them as well as some traditional melodies.”
Genevieve Acker ’61
Barnard Club of Paris, President
Portland
The Barnard Club of Portland, Ore., held two engaging events in March. About 10 alumnae plus a few guests attended a presentation by one of Barnard’s librarians, Jenna Freedman, who was in town for a conference. Jenna is the librarian for Barnard’s zine collection, and is also a personal librarian specializing in classics and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. She talked about Barnard’s collection of zines (self-published magazines) and the digital collections project (digitalcollections.barnard.edu), and updated the group on plans for the new library.
Jenna demonstrated the digital collections by searching for yearbook photos of alumnae at the event. Full copies of the Mortarboard (from as far back as 1894) and the Barnard Bulletin (going back to 1901) are online. Alumnae can request permission to download and use any of the photographs. Jenna also described the library’s zine collection, which is one of the largest academic ones in the country and among the few available on open stacks. The collection focuses on zines written by women (cis- and transgender) with an emphasis on those by women of color.
The Portland club has also been instrumental in establishing a sister school alumnae group with Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and Wellesley. The group recently held its second networking event, where 75 alumnae heard from representatives from three local nonprofit organizations that focus on women and girls. The group hopes to establish a volunteer project in which the alumnae from the five schools can participate.
Mich Nelson ’90
Barnard Club of Portland, President
Connecticut
On Sunday, January 18, 2015, the Barnard Club of Connecticut hosted Answering the Cry for Help, an event open to both Barnard alumnae and the public, at the Fairfield Public Library. This event focused on the issue of domestic violence and abuse—recognizing its signs and exploring ways to aid victims. The panel discussion was aimed at providing information and assistance to anyone in need of help. Panelists included Debra Greenwood, president and CEO of the Center for Family Justice; Uswah Khan ’99, attorney at Fairfield Family Law LLC; State Senator Tony Hwang of Fairfield; and Detective Kerry Dalling of the Fairfield police department. Selena Kuo-McCaul ’93, president of the Barnard Club of Connecticut, served as facilitator. Fairfield resident and State Representative Laura Devlin also attended to show her support for domestic violence prevention. The presentations by panelists, as well as the question-and-answer session, provided a valuable framework for the discussion of this relevant topic.
Selena Kuo-McCaul ’93
Barnard Club of Connecticut, President
