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One of the most difficult challenges of a print medium is in trying to convey a sense of being somewhere specific and in the past—the sights, smells, sounds, and kinetic energies intermingling between and around people in that moment. Everything about a three-dimensional, unpredictable, interactive experience must be transformed into words and photos on a two-dimensional page.

How can words and photos capture what moved dozens and dozens of people sitting in the duPont Chapel pews to shed tears during the inauguration celebration for President Hinton? Can you read the speech excerpts, can you see a photo of soprano Helena Brown ’12 singing, and truly feel, through your ears and down to your bones, the gravity of those spoken words or the power of her voice?

In light of that, let me be the first to acknowledge that very little in this summer issue of Hollins magazine beats being there. Because how could it? Our goal, therefore, must be to provide the next best thing. Perhaps, generations from now, we’ll learn that print – even today, a quarter of the way through this 21st century – helped us experience an event far more compellingly than YouTube or TikTok ever could.

A significant portion of this issue is about the glorious experience of being in community together for special moments, something that has been far too limited in the last two plus years. In addition to the inauguration, we celebrated two commencements, and we witnessed perhaps the largest collection of different class years of alumnae/i in Hollins history at Reunion Weekend.

In addition, we showcase some of our brilliant alumnae. “Women In Law” offers an interview with three distinguished law professors, Jane Aiken ’77, Keeshea Turner Roberts ’96, and Courtney Chenette ’09, as they discuss the contemporary news and challenges of the current legal environment in America. You can also meet Michelle Watt ’93, director at Vascular Perfusion Solutions, which has become a life-changing internship experience for an increasing number of Hollins students.

Finally, you can celebrate the achievements and highlights from our campus. Our “In the Loop” section offers you a great assortment of news and concludes with a fond farewell to six retiring faculty members. We also spotlight the great community collaboration happening between Hollins and Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke for events like the recent Overnight Sensations.