Winter 2019 – Hollins Magazine

Of Donuts I Have Loved

admin — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 14:17:20 +0000

For Miranda Dennis ’08, Tinker Day was a delicious stop along the donut highway.

Krispy Kremes melt at the touch, are tender and loving, are used by my family to perform a wholeness we do not always feel. An aunt is in town. She arrives bearing bright pink lipstick for my mother and a flat iron, to make us less depressed, more stable, with tamer hair as the humidity reaches peak subtropics.��My mom says,��’m��gonna pick up some donuts. And she does, puts on a pot of coffee, Folgers, both bitter and flavorless. I want to shove every single donut in my mouth, every flavor, even the sticky jelly I am not sure I even like, to achieve the moment where the satisfaction melds with the body like water, holds steady this Saturday morning, in a city in Alabama where the women converge but do not cackle, do not coven. I show little resistance to my favorite sweet and sneak back to the box, guiltily, cutting a donut in half. I eat everything now by half, hoping to become whole.

At [Hollins], years later, classes are suspended for most of the day, usually after an autumn chill has swept clear the mountainside of snakes. Young women dress, to climb Tinker Mountain, in leotards and spandex, feather boas and glitter, perform skits mocking the administration, eat fried chicken, grow fat on cake. But before they do, Krispy Kremes are served alongside eggs, the kitchen staff having gotten up even earlier to cater to this tradition that cracks dawn and welcomes the sleepy brood. Before this, the students sense it coming, sometimes cruising around late nights before this day, searching out the Krispy Kreme truck’s 4 a.m. proximity to the campus. It’s important to be in the know. It’s important to signal this to one another, to herald the arrival of something important early; a prophet is only as good as her promptness. The donuts are the green light, and they say, “This morning the world is more magical than yesterday was or tomorrow will be. We promise you only that.” Though coffee served tastes like ash, as always, as expected. But for years we choke that down, always with the promise that if we can climb a mountain, fueled on sugar and youth, we can get through anything.

My friend Meghann, an illustrator based in Toronto, draws a pink donut inspired by me and sends it along with another print of hers I order. Later she asks for permission to sell prints of the donut, as if I were the creator. I am only the muse. If we live in a world where a donut still life, inspired by me, can generate income for my friends, then we live in a world better than the one I would have designed. We live in a world full of light. Imagine a hole so big your eye is visible on the other side, blinking with the speed and regularity with which you in particular blink. The person who faces you and the pastry framing your eye like a monocle must be delighted, or a type of dead if not. Holes within holes to let in light. “There is a crack in everything,” sayS Leonard Cohen. “That’s how the light gets in.” Your iris constricting to keep you safe, to allow you to see the broad range of colors the world has to offer. Lavender, a shocking pink, or the warm khaki of a good glaze.

I’ve had my life wrecked and made better by a sour-cream donut at Peter Pan Donuts in Greenpoint, Brooklyn’s Polish neighborhood, where if I tried I could probably find pączki, and believe me, I will try. I’ve subsisted off Entenmann’s donuts and live now close to its factory in Queens—my life a series of gas-station-donut moments, the comfort of junk. I think back to my sister buying me a donut before school, which is not the genesis of my love of them, but simply a continuation in the narrative. What is the narrative about any woman’s relationship with food? If you strip it of what gets projected onto a woman’s body, it’s simply joy. I earned this, I want to say, but I’ve nothing to earn. The joy is momentary, but it is there, unearned and unasked for, rising up like a balloon before it disappears. All I can say to this joy is thank you and goodbye. And so I do.

Miranda Dennis works in digital advertising in New York City and lives in Queens with a fat cat and a messy, well-loved bookshelf.

This is an excerpt from “Of Donuts I Have Loved,” first published in the online edition of��Granta��magazine: .

Books by Hollins Authors: Winter 2019

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:52:17 +0000

Be Smart Online (Rookie Get Ready to Code)
Marcie Flinchum Atkins M.A. 2005, M.F.A. 2012
Children’s Press, 2019

Build a Website (Rookie Get Ready to Code)
Children’s Press, 2019

Design a Game (Rookie Get Ready to Code)
Children’s Press, 2019

Think Like a Computer (Rookie Get Ready to Code)
Children’s Press, 2019

Blood Harmony
Lana White Austin 1993
Iris Press, 2018

Winter Cottage
Mary Beth Burton 1983
(as Mary Ellen Taylor)
Montlake Romance, 2018

Somerset
Dan Donaghy M.A. 1994
NYQ Books, 2018

�� Somerset, Donaghy has composed a page-turning, lyrical collection that provides a tragicomic reminiscence of Philadelphia. Donaghy is a master storyteller, and each poem provides a candid and at times touching snapshot of neighborhoods and families who fight and love at all cost …”

—Jose B. Gonzalez, award-winning author of the poetry collections Toys Made of Rock and When Love Was Reels

Kentucky’s Joseph C.S. Blackburn Soldier, Statesman and a Friend of All
Elizabeth Rouse Fielder 1974
Acclaim Press Inc., 2018

Not Hearing the Wood Thrush: poems
Margaret Ferguson Gibson 1966
Louisiana State University Press, 2018

Snowflake Dreams: A Mountain Tale
Kristen Johnson Halverson 1990
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018

Mac, The Butterfly Horse
Self-published, 2018��

The Tale of Genevieve: A Dolphin’s Lullaby to the Sea
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018

The Tale of Willhanna: A Horse’s Magical Birthday
Self-published, 2018

The Tale of Masha: A Cat’s Magical Meatball
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

The Tale of Noel: The Holiday Horse Angel
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017

Darkness in Light
Jessica M. Kirkpatrick 2015
Draft2Digital, 2018

Leaving 1203: Emptying a Home, Filling a Heart
Marietta McCarty 1969
The Philosophy Shop, 2018

Everglades Entrepreneur; Barron Collier, Roaring Twenties Tycoon
Marya Goldman Repko 1964
ECity Publishing, 2018

Lingering Echoes, (Ghosts of Ordinary Objects)
Angie Smibert M.A.L.S. 1991
Boyds Mill Press, 2019

Cycles of the Night Sky (Nature Cycles)
Childs World Inc., 2019

Inside Computers
Core Library, 2019

Monument
Natasha Trethewey M.A. 1991
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018

“Trethewey bears witness to daily urgencies of black existence, capturing in her lines the poignant music of hope and persistence. The pleasure of rediscovering a career’s worth of Trethewey’s exquisite and best-known work alongside her newest and most heart-wrenchingly personal is immense …”

—Tracy K. Smith, O Magazine

Sighted Stones
Sarah Mead Wyman M.A. 1992
Finishing Line Press, 2018

Across the Great Lake
Lee Zacharias M.A. 1973
University of Wisconsin Press, 2018

Comments from the Alumnae Survey

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:51:22 +0000

We’ve captured several responses and comments regarding the survey questions.

Question: When you were a student at Hollins, did you think about what your work/life balance would be after graduation?

“I thought about it slightly more than never! But I always just assumed I would have kids and have a full-time career.” Class of 1998

“I didn’t use that term, but I distinctly remember, while at Hollins, that I couldn’t spend all my time studying and neglect my friendships if I still wanted them to be my friends after graduation.” Class of 2009

“I thought my work life would consume about 40-50 percent of my time and my personal life the rest. I thought it would be easy to keep them separate, but it is not. Work life is all consuming and I find little time/energy for my personal life.” Class of 2006

“I thought about it often in imagining my future work life. My mother was a ‘stay-at-home’ mom, but she also did a large amount of volunteer work in the community, so her time was filled with commitments, and yet she was flexible so we could travel as a family. I saw how she was in charge of her own time rather than being accountable to an employer. For me, that was true “work/life balance” and a goal I aspired to. Of course, that required one full-time worker in the family or independent wealth. I believe that my era (mid ’80s) was the last group of young women where there was a certain percentage who expected to marry and NOT work after graduation. There was much debate about being supported by your husband versus being an independent woman. I wanted to work but never felt the need to give hours and hours to a job because my life outside the job was equally or MORE important to me .” Class of 1984

“I’ve always used this phrase ‘margin time’ that my high school history teacher taught to us. If life is writing a paper, you have to find space in the margins for yourself.” Class of 2013

“I only knew that I wanted both a demanding career and a family without thinking about how that would play out in reality.” Class of 2000

“It never occurred to me when I was in college (or younger) that there would be an imbalance. It never occurred to me when I was working too much that that was not exactly what I was supposed to be doing. It was not until someone started singing this tune about 7-8 years ago that I began to even contemplate the concept.” Class of 1992

“It resembled my mother’s life. That was the only frame of reference I had at the time.” Class of 1987

Question: Is the reality of your work/life balance now different from how you thought it would be when you were a Hollins student?

“I have less to balance than I thought I would because I don’t have children or a husband.” Class of 2003

“More complex than I thought; it takes organization and skill that are hard to learn.” Class of 1997

“I didn’t think about how much ‘work’ was not actually being employed. It’s also cooking and cleaning and organizing. Some might say that that is all part of life, but I disagree. Just because that household work is in my home and is not for money does not mean it’s any less work and throws off my work-life balance.” Class of 2013

“I’m a single mother now, and that was not anything I had considered before it was becoming a reality.” Class of 2000

“Never imagined I’d quit work and stay home with kids.” Class of 1998

“It is much harder than I expected and my career has taken a back seat at times. Also, my husband is now a ‘stay at home dad.”’ which works well for us but is unusual, still.” Class of 1984

“I think I always knew that it would be hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance but I don’t think I appreciated how hard that would be. I always knew I wanted to be married, but I don’t think I ever thought about how my schooling and career path would impact my significant other. In other words, when you’re in college, you’re often tied to no one so the world is your oyster. You can travel when and where you want, go to school for as little or as long as you want, make as little or as much as you want, work as much or as little as you want, etc. But once you have another person in your life be that a significant other and/or children, those decisions are no longer just about what you want; it’s about balancing what you want with what your significant other wants (keeping in mind they may have their own careers/wants/dreams) and what’s best for your children. As a college student, I think I theoretically understood that, but you just can’t appreciate the implications of that until you live it.” Class of 2006

“We can be contacted (personally or professionally) anytime of the day or night via various platforms such as email, apps, etc.” Class of 1998

“While I didn’t think about it per se in college, I always envisioned a different life than what is happening now.” Class of 1990

“I always knew I would work. I hoped to have children and a family but wasn’t ready for the gritty details of getting everyone dentists’ appointments, the bathrooms cleaned and health insurance availability. It is harder.” Class of 1985

“Much harder to balance being a working mom with career aspirations, raise two kids, be a good wife and give back to my local community. I never thought I would have to say ‘no.’” Class of 2004

“I left the workforce to become a full-time mom after a terrible child care experience. It’s too difficult to do it all – all at the same time.” Class of 1990

“I have been surprised at how much I feel the need to balance work with family life but also vice versa. My work is important to my mental well-being as much as my family is. That said, there is no balance. There are peaks and valleys.” Class of 1990

�� college I thought of work as separate from home life, and in my early jobs out of college it was. But I transitioned into the nonprofit sector and love what I do for work, so it feels less like work and more of an extension of my life.” Class of 2006

“I did stay home with my children for many years. In college I didn’t think about how to balance life once I went back to work. It didn’t occur to me I would need to also balance special time with my husband, extended family, and friends. My mother made this look easy!” Class of 1989

“I underestimated my need to be successful, yes somewhat for myself, but more importantly as a competition; at Hollins my competitive outlets shifted from extra-curricular to work. This was good for my career, not for balance. I married in late 20’s and didn’t have my son until early 30’s. And I had to make changes.” – Class of 1992

�� college, I fantasized working all the time would be like what I saw in Sandra Bullock movies, fun. It’s not. I’m finally on the executive track and I’m questioning it because I have no life.” Class of 2008

“I think it is better. A lot richer than I’d imagined. You just never know where your choices might take you.” – Class of 1991

“It did not occur to me back then how important being at home for my kids would be to me.” Class of 1990

“I had misconceived notions about work/life balance and salary expectations, as well as the difficulty of finding employment. Much of my expectations were based on my parents’ careers. I graduated during the financial crisis of 2008, which affected my job search greatly. I think my generation differs from previous generations in that technology has changed the concept of 9-5 work days and true paid time off. Many employees are now expected to be available at all hours. A benefit of technological advances, though, is that there is the option to work remotely, which is helpful to those with children.” Class of 2008

“I’ve opted for a low stress job, but I still can’t do it all. The house never feels clean enough, making dinners every night, helping the kids with school work. It’s still a lot but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” – Class of 1997

“My children are now grown college graduates, but I will answer for the years when they were at home: I expected greater flexibility and understanding from other women in the educational/academic world, especially those in leadership. There is almost none.” – Class of 1980

“I am working full time, plus have a part-time job, in order to advance my career, which is a second career started once my children were older. I never considered that at this age I would be planning for new horizons while keeping my partner happy with my availability.” – Class of 1987

“I didn’t realize how all-consuming children would be, and it is something that I have to work at all the time. Healthy marriage and children don’t come out of a vacuum. They take work.” Class of 1991

”When I was still in college, I never thought about work/life balance and didn’t really know the phrase existed. And even during the ten years after graduation, I never really thought about it. When I started working for Random House, the phrase began to be used, but I had an amazing boss who cared a lot about it so I always felt there was a good balance. Later, after he left the company and I got a new boss, I realized that a good work/life balance only exists when the boss believes in it.” Class of 1991

Question: Is balancing work and life a challenge for you? How do you find balance?

“Yes, I want to do my best and excel at work, and I often work late or come in early voluntarily to do so. My job also demands occasional evening and weekend work that can be physically draining (events). More and more I feel the responsibility to respond to texts or calls from my manager or other coworkers at night or on the weekends. I balance this by sharing responsibilities with my husband; trying to set expectations about sacred personal time when I cannot be reached; and using all vacation days offered me.” Class of 2002

“It is a financial challenge more than anything else. There is never enough money being made to create the quality of life that gives balance. If more money is made, work is primary. If less money is made, life is hard.” – Class of 2003

“I still see work-life balance as a privilege. There are many people who simply do not have that luxury because they’re just working to feed themselves (and others). For myself, my greatest struggle is in allowing myself to do the things that I enjoy and not feel guilt over it. Therapy helps, intention helps, a Google calendar helps; but, I’m still working on it. It’s a work in progress.” – Class of 2011

“My colleagues understand that I value my time outside of work and they respect that boundary.” Class of MALS 2014

“Being a single mother, it is nearly impossible to ‘balance’ family, a career, friendships/social efforts, and my own personal well-being. Often, some things I do very well, while others take the back seat, and those are ever-shifting. I do my best to care for myself first, then the rest comes from there.” – Class of 2000

“I’ve made a choice to stay home. Considering returning to work and the balance is at forefront of my consideration.” Class of 1992

“I balance it by being ok at a lot of things. Not super mom or super employee, but pretty great at both.” – Class of 2006

“When I first worked, I let work run my life. I learned in the first 10 years that it does not benefit you to do that. What’s the point of work if you can’t enjoy your life?” – Class of 1988

“I recently stopped working in order to focus on my family. Balance has been better achieved. I am glad to be free to the myth of ‘having it all.’” – Class of 2004

“I am careful about what I sign up for. That said, the more involved I am, the less time I spend with my family. Dinner is always tricky with busy teenage daughters. Everyone has a different schedule. Uber has been a lifesaver!” – Class of1990

“There is such a delicate balance. Time is the most precious commodity we have. Giving of myself to my family, my clients, my friends and my community are all important to me. It doesn’t take much to tip the scales on one end or the other. I forget to intentionally carve out time for myself.” – Class of 1980

“Still an ingrained competitive strive for perfectionism, but I have stepped down from high level roles to spend time with my son and that has been worth every second!” – Class of 1992

“I don’t know that I ever balance it. I’ve heard the analogy of work/life being like a see saw, sometimes I go through periods where I focus on one side more but as long as I come back down and make time for the other, I feel balanced overall.” Class of 2006

“It is hard for me to say no, but that’s the only way I don’t over-commit. My motto is work hard and play harder. I also have set specific boundaries for work commitments and volunteer commitments. It is really hard to see my friends.” – Class of 2004

“Over the years, the mental and emotional toll of keeping track of many balls in the air was more punishing than I ever thought it would be. Add an ill parent to raising children, and a woman can nearly lose her career. Oh yes, some leave is now tolerated, but after such an interruption, one is not considered as seriously as before by colleagues or leadership.” – Class of 1980

“I feel like I am doing rather well. I have learned to have patience with myself and let go of perfection.” – Class of 2004

“I work from home one day a week to save on childcare costs. Getting work done with a one-year-old is challenging, and more often than not, I play with my son during the day and do work during his naps and after he goes to bed. The rest of the week, though, I think we have a pretty good balance; I’m able to leave early enough to pick up my son from daycare before 5 p.m. and my family is able to spend our dinnertime and evenings together.” – Class of 2010

Question:�� Is balance a goal? Why or why not?

“No, Live life to the fullest. Work more, play more, travel more than others. It’s all about energy and focus.” – Class of 1984

“Balance is definitely a goal for me now. I have given up on finding work that I love enough to make my life; instead I am focusing on making my family, mental health, and personal growth priorities.” – Class of 2005

“Definitely. If only to stop feeling so resentful.” – Class of 2013

“It’s a goal, but so is understanding that there are times in life circumstances make it impossible.” – Class of 1991

“Balance to the point of happiness, not perfection.” – Class of 2006

“The term ‘balance’ is thrown around quite a bit. I would rather look at it as comfortable with your life. Some people love working a great deal, others need the gym once a day. Some love the chaos of home life. You just have to work towards knowing yourself enough to know what works best for you.” – Class of 1986

“Yes. And I am happy with my current choices, imperfect as they are.” – no class year given

“No. I view work as a part of my life, not as a competitor in my life.” – Class of 1981

“I don’t think balance is the right word. It’s more about flexibility and being honest with what you need to be doing when.” – Class of 2000

“I’m not really sure what balance is. I think feeling like I’m reasonably doing the best I can and figuring out which systems need to be put in place to make that happen, is the real goal.” – Class of 2005

Question: What would you tell your 20-year-old-self now about work and life balance?

“Set expectations and norms from the start about your boundaries. Be firm but reasonable.” – Class of 2002

“Just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you should do something alone. Seek help. Build your village. Allow others to support you and love you. Lean on the people you trust. Learn your boundaries and establish them. GO TO THERAPY. You deserve to be seen and wholly recognized, and you deserve to live a life that’s joyful. Take care of yourself because, in caring for yourself, you care for others.” – Class of 2011

“Work harder and smarter. Worry less. Know you are strong enough to handle life. Always find the silver linings in unwanted news or events. In the early days of your career, it is very important to work long, hard hours. I was a wife at 22, president of a company at 32, mother at 33. Now, at 56, I run three companies, travel, entertain, garden, cook. Most of all, I delegate.” – Class of 1984

“There is no one solution. You will find that life is made of seasons, some where work is focus, others where family is focus and some in between. Just roll with it and do not burn bridges, you never know who you will end up working for or with. And find other women, allies, peers and mentors, and when someone gives you an opportunity, pay it forward.”” – Class of 1997

“Learn what you need and how to ask for it.” – Class of 2013

“Making a plan is great but being resilient when the plan doesn’t work is even more important. Give yourself multiple plan options and take a breath in between when/if one doesn’t work. Develop an adaptive self-care routine and take time to reflect on what matters to you right now and the things that will be important to you in the future as you continue to develop your career.” – Class of 2013

“Think about what it will mean to you down the road. If you choose to have children and work, think about what you may miss with your children. On the flip side, choosing not to work may also affect who you are as a person. And if you want to go back to work once children are older, you need to think about a career that would allow or encourage that. Think about how to involve yourself in your kids activities and maybe that is fulfilling enough or at least gives you some experience to fall back on when re-entering the workforce.” – Class of 1994

“Work and recognition are great, but one does need to balance it with non-work or life experiences too. Work-eat-sleep is not a good pattern. I have been there and done that and would prefer to have more non-work friends and fun times.” – Class of 1982

“I would tell my younger self about self-care and how essential it is to have a healthy and meaningful life. I would also tell my younger self that it’s okay to let some things go. At least in the museum world, most things can wait until the next day or week or month. It’s not life and death.” – Class of 2006

“There is not a one size fits all in any of this. Some people are miserable staying home and miss work, some are miserable not staying home, others MUST (for financial reasons) work and others are able to make a choice. Follow your gut and heart. Some people love working 70 hours a week, others are fine with 10. The only thing that really matters is what works best for you and your situation.” – Class of 1986

“Balance is very important, but it is very difficult. If you aren’t healthy, you can’t take care of others – either mentally or physically. I honestly don’t know how to do it all – all at the same time – well. Being an excellent mother, employee, wife, and contributing member of the community is challenging. What’s frustrating is that my husband never thinks about these things. I think I would tell my 20-year-old self to choose a great partner as a husband, find a great caregiver to help raise your child, and remember to take care of yourself. It takes a village, so make sure to find it!” – Class of 1990

“Don’t underestimate the importance of working for a business with core values that align with your own, as that where the definition of balance will stem from.” – Class of 2005

“Keep perspective on what is possible. Take more risks, don’t be afraid to move into a new direction of work if it brings you more happiness and better work hours.” – Class of 1988

“Never sacrifice your personal needs or your priorities for work. “Work to live”, but never engage in a work culture that expects you to “live to work.” – Class of 2002

“I would tell myself to find work which is meaningful and to work throughout whether it is full time or part time or volunteer. Children are young for such a short time. They grow up and fly off. My work not only provides income but also makes my life more meaningful, with more purpose and direction. I have too many friends who were blindsided by divorce or death of a spouse who never worked and now must fend for themselves. I also have friends who, once their children were gone, have found themselves at a loss for what to do. My mother at 83 is still working and it keeps her young because she loves what she does.” – Class of 1980

“If there is a voice in your head that for example says I should probably do my laundry right now, do the laundry. Don’t listen to voice that tells you to do it tomorrow unless something more important came up. Do it today and leave tomorrow for you.” – Class of 2015

“Balance is not a fixed state, and it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It (like ambition) changes shape as your life changes. I think it is important to be self-aware — know your strengths, be conscious of your priorities, and continue to advocate for what works best for you. It is also important, if you are going to marry and have a family, to have a partner who is supportive.” – no class given

“Go for it. You probably will anyway and it’s going to be a great ride. Trust In yourself. You got this.” – Class of 1985

“You will reinvent yourself countless times throughout your life, so don’t get overly stressed about work or life or the balance.” – Class of 1992

Alumnae Profiles – Winter 2019

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:50:58 +0000

Engaged with the world

Sarah Ellerman ’98

The Trump administration invited Sarah Ellerman ’98 and about 30 of her colleagues to the Rose Garden on October 1 of last year to join the president as he announced that negotiations had successfully concluded for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—aka, the new NAFTA.

As director of services and investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Ellerman spent more than a year hammering out details of the pending free-trade agreement with Mexican and Canadian counterparts.

Ellerman, who majored in international studies at Hollins, specializes in trade issues that impact financial services businesses, such as banks, insurance companies, and electronic payment services. �� the USMCA, I was the colead negotiator for the financial services chapter, which sets the rules in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. to make sure that [companies from those countries] can all have market access in each other’s markets,” she explains.

The three countries struck the agreement much more quickly than a typical trade agreement, according to Ellerman, who points out that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was negotiated over seven years. “It was a priority for the administration that we get it done fast, which we did,” Ellerman says.

Before taking her current position, Ellerman spent more than a decade working at the U.S. Department of Commerce, including a three-year stint in China, where she managed the Import Administration’s Beijing office. In 2013, Ellerman was selected to serve as a Brookings Institution Legis Congressional Fellow, which resulted in an 18-month assignment in Senator Sherrod Brown’s office researching and developing legislative options on trade.

Even though work on NAFTA 2.0 is complete, Ellerman probably won’t get much time to put her feet up. “We recently notified Congress that we intend to start trade agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Japan,” she says. “Then we have a lot of bilateral issues with other countries where they aren’t always abiding by existing trade agreements.”

In October, Ellerman was prepping for work trips to Vietnam and London. On average, she travels internationally about once a month, an aspect of her position she adores. “I don’t have a regional limitation on my portfolio, so I kind of cover the world,” she says.

If given the choice, Ellerman would always travel to another country rather than meet with the nation’s representatives in the United States. “You learn a lot more when you’re on the ground,” she says. “You have a better sense of the issues. Plus, I love to try new food.”

—Beth JoJack ’98

Restoring Dignity

Nessa Ryan ’‘07

Nessa Ryan became passionate about women’s health issues as a Hollins student—so much so that she traveled to Ghana during J-Term of her junior year to study women and HIV awareness.

Ryan went on to earn two master’s degrees: one in public health from Emory University and another in comparative effectiveness research at New York University’s School of Medicine.

Even so, Ryan — like most individuals in the developed world— had never heard of obstetric fistulas. That changed when she went to work as a research coordinator in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the NYU’s School of Medicine in 2012. There she met physician Dr. Joonhee Park, who’d encountered many women who suffer from the injury during a medical mission trip to Liberia.

Obstetric fistulas, Ryan learned from Park, occur when a baby’s head puts pressure on a spot in the mother’s birth canal during extremely prolonged labor. This can cause a hole to form between the bladder and birth canal, which results in the woman leaking urine for the rest of her life, if she’s not lucky enough to receive medical assistance. (Only about two percent of women suffering from the injury ever get access to surgical repair, according to Ryan.)

Industrialized nations have all but eliminated obstetric fistulas due to the availability of Caesarean sections. Poor women with limited resources are the ones who suffer. “The leaking is terrible but it’s really the stigma that’s the burden,” explains Ryan, who double majored in studio art and biology at Hollins, while also completing the Batten Leadership Institute program.

During her time in Liberia, Park had the idea of creating an insertable device that could manage the injury until surgery was an option or if surgery failed. She partnered with Joanna Pozen, a lawyer and public health professor, and Ryan to create a founding team they called Restore Health. The device, made of silicone and resembling a menstrual cup, is called the Restore Cup.

In 2015, the trio won $25,000 in seed money from the�� 2015 Entrepreneurs Challenge sponsored by NYU Stern’s W. R. Berkley Innovation Labs. They used the money to perform a small trial of the device among women with obstetric fistulas in Ghana the following year. Those participants experienced a 65 percent reduction in urine leakage, with some women experiencing a 99 percent reduction.

Those results were so encouraging that Ryan, who is working on a Ph.D. at New York University’s NYU’s College of Global Public Health, decided to continue research on obstetric fistulas for her dissertation. She traveled to Ghana this last summer to perform qualitative in-depth interviews with 32 women who suffer from the injury.

After finishing her degree, Ryan hopes to continue researching global women’s health and to work in academia. “I’m interested in understanding and addressing the challenges of accessing health care that women and girls experience in the developing world,” she says.

Restore Health plans to do another, larger trial of the Restore Cup in Uganda in 2019.

—Beth JoJack ’98

It Takes a Community

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By President Pareena Lawrence

The entire Hollins community plays an important role in helping our students and alumnae/i lead lives of consequence.��

Hollins University’s success is deeply and permanently intertwined with the accomplishments of our students and our alumnae/i. The transformative nature of our educational experience is clearly reflected by the enthusiastic support that our alumnae/i have provided throughout the history of Hollins, from generous financial support to providing career opportunities for current students and graduates.�� Through this lens, Hollins commenced its strategic planning process that will guide us over the next five years. Ensuring that the Hollins experience will thrive and evolve through changing times is this plan’s highest priority. This goal is one that can be achieved only if we help our students realize their full potential by designing and building lives of consequence.

What do we mean by living a life of consequence? In describing the purpose of our curriculum and cocurricular programs, our mission statement defines it as leading “lives of active learning, fulfilling work, personal growth, achievement, and service to society.”

Reinforcing our commitment to producing successful, well-rounded students with the knowledge, skills, experience, and relationships to prosper in their personal and professional lives is how we will propel our mission forward, build upon our reputation, grow our ranks of passionate alumnae/i, and bring a broader range of students into the Hollins community. Our new strategic plan is the foundation for this investment in our future, one that will:

Grow undergraduate and graduate enrollment
Improve first-year retention and graduation rates
Strengthen our overall student experience
Create a unique educational and professional experience with exceptional learning outcomes sought by prospective students and touted by our graduates

In this issue of Hollins magazine, you’ll meet some of our students and alumnae/i who are fully immersed in building a life of consequence. Entrepreneur Elizabeth Jose ’12 has courageously and ingeniously introduced a sustainable development project in India that is improving the lives of local farmers and their families. Jackie Whitt ’03 and Megan Hennessey-Croy ’07 are providing senior military officials with crucial training in foreign policy, international relations, and national security and defense. Doug Jackson M.F.A. ’06 is delivering strategic and technical help to communities, striving to revitalize their local economies and downtown districts. And students in Professor Kathleen Nolan’s Gothic Art class are creating a digital exhibit that will help expose a valuable medieval document to a wider scholarly community.

These students and alumnae/i come from all walks of life and are engaged in a wide range of initiatives, but they all embrace challenges, overcome obstacles, and share a profound understanding that a life of consequence does not happen overnight; it is constructed brick by brick and lived day by day.

With a holistic approach that touches upon every aspect of the student experience, we will continue to educate undergraduate women and graduate students who cherish their time at Hollins and value public citizenship, integrity, concern for others, diversity, and social justice. Every member of the Hollins community has a role in this process and an important contribution to make, whether they are students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumnae/i, or other constituents.

I look forward to joining you in this essential work and discovering the many ways in which our strategic vision can be realized and move us forward as a community.

You can read President Lawrence’s tweets @PresLawrence.

Editor’s Note: Winter 2019 Issue

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On the heels of an exciting year in admission (see In the Loop, which details the makeup of the class of 2022), President Lawrence, with help from the rest of the campus community, is creating a new five-year strategic plan to “ensure that the Hollins experience will thrive and evolve through changing times.” Read more in “It Takes a Community.”

This issue contains two stories about graduates who are not only thriving themselves, but helping others thrive, too. Doug Jackson M.F.A. ’06, profiled by Martha Park M.F.A. ’15 (”Building Creative Communities”), remained in Roanoke after earning his Hollins degree and is finding ingenious ways to connect readers and writers.

Jacqueline Whitt ’03 and Megan Hennessey-Croy ’07 are two of the 21 female faculty members at the U.S. Army War College—where, Whitt says, it’s her job “to scramble [students’] brains up, explode their heads a little bit, make them think in really different ways, and really challenge them.” Beth JoJack ’98 tells the story in “Training Senior Officers for Difficult Jobs and Hard Decisions.”

So much to do, so little time. How are alumnae finding balance in their busy lives? Sarah Achenbach ’88 sent out a survey and consulted an expert. Read her fascinating account in “Striking a Balance: What It Really Means to Have It All.”

Elizabeth Jose ’12 seems to be a one-woman example of how use the information gained in one career to inform the next. In “From Mangoes to Blockchain,” Jeff Hodges M.A.L.S. ’11 chronicles Jose’s many post-Hollins adventures, ranging from organic gardening to launching a global technology company.

When students aren’t in class or their residence halls, chances are they’re in Moody, where they’re eating, attending a workshop, listening to a band, doing crafts, or socializing. Take a look at “The Many Moods of Moody.”

Miranda Dennis ’08 has the last word—on donuts. In her paean to the fried and sugared treats (“Of Donuts I Have Loved”), of course she includes the Tinker Day breakfast special: Krispy Kremes.

Jean Holzinger M.A.L.S. ’11
Guest Editor

Alumnae Connections

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Tinker Day goes global

On campus, students headed up the mountain after fueling up on donuts and coffee, but they weren’t the only ones celebrating. Alumnae from cities around the country and around the world gathered to commemorate Hollins’ favorite tradition.

Boston

Charleston

Dallas

Denver

Hampton Roads

Jacksonville

London

Drawing inspiration from one another

Leadership summit brings alumnae to campus

Former Hollins swimmers connected during the summit: Danielle “Dani” Raymond ’18, Jennifer “Jen” Wallace ’92, Margaret “Meg” O’Brien ’15, and Pamela “Punky” Brick ’93.

The third Boyce Lineberger Ansley ’68 Leadership Summit kicked off a late-September weekend of connecting and collaborating. Alumnae across six decades came together to connect, learn from each other, and share ways to serve and lead in their communities and at Hollins.

The summit was named in memory of Boyce Lineberger Ansley, a recipient of Hollins’ Distinguished Service Award. Ansley was a committed volunteer on behalf of Hollins and also in her hometown of Atlanta. Weaving together both leadership and volunteering, the theme of the September summit was “Designing a Life of Consequence.”

Participants enjoyed a state of the university��address from President Lawrence, an inspiring keynote address from Debbie Meade, a member of the Board of Trustees, and an afternoon of sessions designed to help them continue to build a life of consequence.

Attendees enjoying one of the afternoon workshops.

Attendees��called the day energizing, inclusive, and inspiring, noting that the best part was meeting and connecting with other alumnae.

Focus on Philanthropy

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Donor Spotlight

Vesta Lee Gordon: Inspiring classmates to support the “Class of 1964 House”

When Vesta Lee Gordon ’64 read about the new student apartment village, her response was to help make the village become a reality. Noting that having all students living on campus without the separation of Williamson Road, she immediately made a significant philanthropic commitment to a house, one she hopes will be called the “Class of 1964 House.” In making the gift, she challenges her classmates to join her in funding a house to honor, in her words, “a great class.” In her self-deprecating way, she noted she is not known for thinking or speaking much, but she hopes to inspire others to support a project to honor her class and to give students the opportunity to partake fully in campus life.

Gordon graduated from Hollins with a degree in history, followed by a library degree, and began working with rare books and manuscripts.��After many years of holding academic library positions in Virginia, Florida, and Georgia, she returned to her childhood home in Charlottesville and began an antiquarian book business called the Book Broker. Along with selling books, she has conducted appraisals of gifts to institutions and other freelance research. As she said in her letter to her class on the occasion of their 50th reunion, “It’s hard to believe I am in my 28th year as a book dealer, appraiser, and researcher. This is the best of all worlds, as I work with a variety of interesting items, meet interesting and usually pleasant people, and get paid for it. … I appraised Thomas Jefferson’s library at Monticello for insurance; priced the papers of Tom Robbins, author of Even Cowgirls get the Blues, which made me blue after pawing through 12 totally unsorted boxes; authenticated a first edition of the King James Version of the Bible; and fell into exhaustion as I worked through 132 boxes of the papers of Julian Bond. In addition, I appraised an 800-volume collection, dating from 1726 to 2006, of Little Red Riding Hood stories and a 1,400-volume library of pop-up books.”

Gordon enjoys listening to music, reading, gardening, and travel, and she cares about the future of Hollins and about providing students a wonderful new place to live in the apartment village.

Update on student apartment village

Construction set to begin

In an exciting and historic moment for Hollins, the Board of Trustees has approved breaking ground on construction of Phase I of the new student apartment village. To prepare for the new village, the homes along Faculty Row were removed this past summer and fall in order to undertake site work and infrastructure improvements. This initial groundwork allows Hollins to move forward with Phase I construction in the next few weeks.��

This is our first new residential housing in 50 years, and the four houses that are part of Phase I will be available for residential students starting in fall 2019.��

The construction reflects eight years of planning, design, and a focused fundraising effort over the past year and a half to launch this initiative. It will offer a modern, attractive, centrally located residential space fostering greater vibrancy and connectivity on our campus.��

In addition, the village will build new kinships and engagement on campus. Our powerful sense of community is one of the many ways in which Hollins is such an amazing place to live and learn, and the new village will enhance this strength.��

The student apartments on Williamson Road will close in late July following the conclusion of our graduate programs’ summer term. In the meantime, discussions are underway with Roanoke County, local landowners, and consultants about potential future development along the Williamson Road corridor leading to campus. Opportunities may include new retail establishments, restaurants, rental apartments, townhouses, and other services that will benefit our students and employees as well as those who live and work in the North Roanoke County area.��

We are grateful to the many donors who embraced the concept and the goals of the new village and enthusiastically supported the first phase of this important project. With the generous help of like-minded alumnae/i and friends of Hollins, we look forward to bringing Phase II of the student apartment village to fruition. For information about the apartment village and how you can help build the remaining six houses, please contact Suzy Mink ’74 at��minks@��Ĵ�ý.edu.

This article has been updated from the print version to reflect the current status of the student apartment village.

Last November, nearly 100 leadership donors and members of the 1842 Society and Miss Matty’s Circle joined President Lawrence and trustees for a weekend in Nashville. Special thanks to Wyeth Outlan Burgess ’80, former trustee Caroline Arnold Davis ’60, Lucy Davis Haynes ’84, Angela Howard ’86, and trustee Tracy Roberts Frist M.A. ’03, M.F.A. ’14 for serving on the planning committee and orchestrating a wonderful weekend. Gifts from the 1842 Society represent a large portion of total gifts from alumnae through the Hollins Fund. The 2019 weekend will take place in New York City.

Shown left to right: Clark Hooper Baruch ’68, Anne Hipp Habeck ’68, Laura Burks Logan ’68, and Zelime Gillespie Matthews ’68.

Hollins Fund challenge

Goal: To increase participation

In December, an anonymous donor challenged Hollins alumnae, students, parents, and friends to boost participation in giving to the Hollins Fund. Supporters have the opportunity to acquire $100,000 for the Hollins Fund by increasing alumnae participation from 24 to 30 percent—or by reaching a total of 3,500 donors to the fund. An additional $100,000 can be earned if the number of donors giving $1,000 or more increases to 700.

The $200,000 can be earned only if these challenges are met. Participation is what counts, so every gift made to the Hollins Fund by June 30, 2019, matters.

The Hollins Fund has a direct impact on current students because it provides scholarship assistance toward an exceptional education. To make your gift, visit www.��Ĵ�ý.edu/giving.

In the Loop: Winter 2019

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Class of 2022

World Class

The class of 2022 boasts a range of accomplishments and unprecedented diversity

This year’s first-year class is special for many reasons. There are at least six Girl Scouts, two high school class presidents, and three captains of athletic teams. One member of the class was a principal dancer with Nashville’s Centennial Youth Ballet, another produced a film that was accepted at the SXSW Film Festival, and a third hiked the entire Virginia portion of the Appalachian Trail. A former Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen is also a first-year student, and one of her classmates completed a summer enrichment program with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Even more remarkable is the class of 2022’s racial and ethnic diversity. Approximately 40 percent of its members are students of color and/or are of Hispanic/Latinx descent. The class features 20 international students, the most in memory for an incoming class. They hail from Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Taiwan.

��creasing the diversity in our student population enhances the campus culture in positive ways,” notes Jeri Suarez, associate dean of Cultural and Community Engagement (CCE), which works to��cultivate a diverse and inclusive community at Hollins. “Our new students of color and international students are making their voices heard and they are providing leadership in student government, athletics, and the performing arts as well as in CCE programs and events. Their perspective has added depth to the discussions in our Face2Face diversity leadership series, and our cultural events have been enriched.”

Hollins furthered its commitment to international students and to campus-wide globalization this fall when it joined the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship initiative. As part of the program, which includes nearly 60 colleges and universities from across the country, the university pledges to create scholarships for international students to study in the U.S.

“The #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship at Hollins recognizes promising international students with a vision for enhancing intercultural understanding,” says Ashley Browning M.A.L.S. ’13, Hollins’ vice president for enrollment management.

Two first-year students will receive an annual, renewable scholarship of $15,000 beginning in the fall 2019 semester. This scholarship is open to all academic majors and fields of study and is applied to tuition costs.

To qualify, students must be first-year international applicants to Hollins. They are required to hold citizenship in a country outside the U.S. and not also possess U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. And they should demonstrate interest and personal initiative in activities involving intercultural learning and exchange.

Photo credit: Sharon Meador

Jodie Kantor on the power of journalism

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist helped spark the #metoo movement

Distinguished Speaker Kantor brought an important message to campus last fall: that journalism can be used for the public good. The investigative reporter and bestselling author helped expose Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual abuse allegations. Kantor and fellow reporter Megan Twohey broke the Weinstein story in October 2017 in The New York Times, and their work has played a significant role in shifting attitudes and spurring new laws, policies, and standards of accountability around the glove.

Photo credit: Sharon Meador

Go green. Stay gold.

Student interns drive sports social media

Sophomores Brie Faircloth and Charlie Vollmers, social media interns in the athletics office

As interns with the athletics program, sophomores Brie Faircloth and Charlie Vollmers are charged with using social media to increase audience enthusiasm and participation. Faircloth is in charge of the app SuperFanU, used by the athletics office, which announces game times and scores and, through points accrual, earns rewards for fans. Faircloth’s efforts during the first two months of fall semester increased the number of SuperFanU users by more than 100.

Vollmers’ focus is on Instagram, Twitter, and a new Facebook page, launched last fall. “There’s a lot of back and forth,” she said about the work she and Faircloth are doing. “We push each other’s efforts.”

For example, when they found that their audience prefers videos over photos, they created a stop-motion video promoting upcoming volleyball and soccer games, which they pushed on various platforms. “Analytics on Twitter showed us that the number-one interest is dogs,” says Vollmers, so she and Faircloth planned a “bring your dog to the game” day for a late-October soccer game.

Sports fans and players themselves (both are on the volleyball team), they enjoy promoting Hollins athletics. Although neither has declared a major yet, they lean toward business. “I was intrigued by the opportunity to learn more about marketing and sports marketing,” says Vollmers of her internship. “I don’t know if I want to go into sports marketing, but it is something I would definitely consider.”

The Hollins version of SuperFanU is free in the app store.
More about Hollins athletics:
Twitter: @HollinsSports
Instagram: ��Ĵ�ýsports

Photo credit: Sharon Meador

Students spend weeks researching book of hours

Class creates digital exhibit on one of the library’s most valuable documents

From 1926 until her death in 1941, Lucy Winton McVitty served as a member of the Hollins Board of Trustees. Two years after her death, her husband, industrialist Samuel Herbert McVitty, honored her memory by donating to the library an extensive collection of manuscripts and rare books.

One of the treasures contained in the collection dates back to the late 15^th century: a handmade French volume of prayer called a “book of hours.” Intended for use by laypeople of the day, books of hours were produced throughout the medieval period. In addition to devotional text, the books featured not just illustrations but “some of the greatest paintings and drawings of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance,” according to Wendy A. Stein of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The paintings were intended to foster reflection and devotion.”

Seventy-five years after its presentation to Hollins, the gift of what has been dubbed the “McVitty Hours” continues to resonate. Last fall, students in the Gothic Art seminar taught by Professor of Art Kathleen Nolan conducted original research on the book’s images, or “miniatures,” and created detailed catalogue entries for Wyndham Robertson Library’s Digital Exhibits website.

“It’s unusual for an institution of our size to own a manuscript of this caliber, and while students here have worked with this book before, I wanted the students in this particular seminar to develop a visible record of their research and enhance the online presence of this gorgeous manuscript,” Nolan explains.

“We want students to engage with the material and think about how new approaches to research can create new meaning for them and for the wider scholarly community with whom they are sharing their work,” says Taylor Kenkel, technical services and metadata librarian at Hollins. “This effort is usually teamwork-driven, with each person contributing a bit of their own expertise to create something that wouldn’t be possible if we were each going at it alone.”

Clara Souvignier ’20, an art history major, says, “I never thought I’d have the opportunity to come into such a close encounter with a manuscript like this that isn’t behind glass in a museum. It’s a prize that we have something this old and this worthwhile. The trust that Professor Nolan and the library placed in us means a lot.”

IMPACT grants promote faculty research

Funds for new or ongoing projects

Made possible by generous alumnae support, IMPACT grants provide funds for professors’ research and creative work. In their application for the grant, faculty members must explain the impact of their projects in the following ways: contribution to the discipline, expected outcome, effect on the institution, and recent record of scholarly or creative achievement.

Selected by the university’s Faculty Development and Student Research Committee, the 2018 IMPACT grant recipients represent the breadth and scope of the liberal arts. Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Morgan Wilson spent a week during the summer of 2018 investigating the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria on two invertebrate organisms that affect coral reef ecosystems in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, he partnered this summer with Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Elizabeth Gleim ’06 and Ciera Morris ’19 on research into tick populations in Southwest Virginia.

Gleim and Madison Simms ’20 also worked together last summer to study the infestation dynamics of the emerald ash borer, which has killed millions of ash trees in the U.S.

Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Renee Godard was also in St. John to study how a critically endangered species, Acropora palmate, responded to the same storms. This summer, she worked with Elaine Metz ’19 to examine if proximity to seagrass meadows can improve coral viability and health on the island.

Through his IMPACT grant, Professor of Political Science Ed Lynch analyzed the United States’ response to the Arab Spring, while another grant supported Associate Professor of International Studies Jon Bohland with an extended book project linking research on collective memory along the historical Great Wagon��Road (Philadelphia to Augusta, Ga.) and in Israel and Palestine. Bohland and his collaborator are examining issues of counter-memory and how marginalized communities challenge dominant versions of history through a number of strategies and techniques.

Associate Professor of Art Jennifer Printz used her grant for a project called De Rerum Natura.

Striking a Balance: What It Really Means to Have It All

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What does it mean to lead a balanced life, or in the words of one alumna, to “be in control of the chaos”? Sarah Achenbach ’88 has been asking herself that question since graduation—and for this article surveyed alumnae, too.

When Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief financial officer, and writer Nell Scovell published Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead in 2013, I know exactly where I was.

Maybe not exactly where, but I know exactly what I was doing.

I was juggling several competing work deadlines, arguing with Son #1 to do his homework, planning a Cub Scout meeting, answering work emails, paying the pizza delivery guy, and picking dirt clods off the floor from Son #2’s soccer cleats. Mostly, I was wondering if the laundry in the washing machine from two days earlier was too mildewed to throw in the dryer.

Embracing my female empowerment and leaning in? Yeah, right. I just wanted to lie down.

My work/life struggle—muddled on a great day and mayhem most days—is not what I expected when I graduated from Hollins in 1988. My thoughts then were solely on my career. Soon after graduating, though, the joy and challenges of my nonwork life elbowed their way to the center of my days, where they’ve remained ever since.

This past October, I returned to Hollins to participate in C3: Career Connection Conference, the annual career preparation symposium for Hollins students. I had been asked to be part of a four-person panel called “Chasing the Unicorn: Work/Life Harmony.” My panelists and I had lots to say on the topic and chuckled over the choice of the word harmony. Our lives are rewarding, but none of us described our work/life balance as harmonious.

I left C3 impressed with the students I’d met and how much more together they were than I was at their age. But I also left with a few questions.

By the time I graduated, the word supermom, which entered the lexicon in 1974, was a full-blown expectation. When I had my first child at age 30, I bought what my generation was told: We could “have it all.”

Have we? Do younger generations feel this expectation? Are there new pressures to juggle it all seamlessly? And just how are we to strike a balance when our phones provide 24/7 access to us (for work and family) and the constant comparison to other seemingly perfect lives on social media?

I needed answers and the kind of wisdom that can only come from HollinsSourcing (my word).

First, the Hollins Alumnae Relations office conducted an email survey of alumnae from the classes of 1980 to 2016. An impressive 379 people responded with passionate, candid comments on work, family, hopes, regrets, joys, and more. For the survey, we purposely didn’t define work as paid work outside the home or family to mean being a wife and mother. What constitutes work and family are as varied as the paths Hollins graduates take.

What did the survey reveal? Not surprisingly, most of us did not think about this issue at Hollins. Fifty-three percent never thought about it, while 33 percent did sometimes. Now the question is rarely far from our thoughts: 75 percent think about it often; 21 percent, sometimes; and a blissful four percent, never. Another nonshocker: Nearly everyone who answered the question about balance being a goal said “yes.”

Both the recently graduated and retired expressed frustration at trying to find a healthy balance. Mercury Hipp ’15 admitted, “There is no balance. I work constantly out of financial necessity and the nature of my job. I am physically, cognitively, and emotionally exhausted.” Ellen George Smith ’80 was just as candid: “When I worked full time I did a poor job with balance. Now I am retired and doing a lot of volunteer work but doing a better job at balance—but maybe still tipped toward working.”

Many spoke of their career having more weight on the scale, whether out of financial need, work demands, or pressure from society, themselves, or technology. Ane Turner Johnson ’98 explained that, while her younger self was excited about the prospect of work defining her life, “now that it does, I am less enthusiastic because I often feel that life lacks depth as a result.”

Numerous women spoke of the paradox that wherever you are, you feel you should be somewhere else. Courtney Hamill ’05 said her life is in “a constant state of triage between family needs and career needs.” Lauren ClemenceCasula ’04 agreed: “I don’t even have children and am often forced to choose between my career, my social life, my husband, my dogs, or my health. Just seems like there’s never enough time or energy to devote to all of it at once.”

Susan Emack Alison ’86��got the message early that life beyond Hollins might not be what she thought it would be: “At graduation, news anchor Ann Compton ’69 said ‘Women can’t have it all.’ That sounded like blasphemy to us empowered, eager go-getters. …She explained that something has to give, that there are sacrifices to make when you balance a career with other life choices, such as marriage, children, and volunteerism. Over the last three decades, I’ve found her take to be true.”

I needed an expert to help me wade through the challenges to find some clarity. Jill Weber, Ph.D., president and founder of the Center for Thriving, Inc., has devoted her professional life to helping others lead more balanced and centered lives. A former communication studies professor at Hollins—she’s currently the university’s special advisor for student well-being and teaches an undergraduate course on the topic—Weber explains that because of technological changes, “work seeps into after-work hours,” which means that “we need to move from human doing to human being.” It’s a top-down change, she says, starting with management creating clear lines and workers setting boundaries—that they will not answer emails after 7 p.m., for example.

Weber

To Weber, equilibrium is important, although she knows that this is different for each person. “Workaholic is not a term of endearment,” she explains. “We have to identify priorities that matter to us and build our life around those.”

To do that, Weber asks her clients or students who they are, what their purpose is, and where they want to spend their time. Then she leads them in defining what an authentic, meaningful life looks like, identifying what she calls “thriving ideals”—three words that become the compass.

Then it’s about scheduling. Everyone, even the person working several jobs and raising kids (from the survey results, that’s plenty of us), has five minutes each day to work toward their identified goals. After speaking with Weber, for example, I now carry a journal to write essay ideas, rather than scrolling through Facebook while waiting at my son’s drum lessons. The bonus: a steady stream of ideas for my personal writing aspirations and fewer cat videos.

Weber is a big fan of Brené Brown, noted shame researcher, who identifies 12 shame triggers for women (among them, body, career, parenting, and aging) and one for men (weakness). “I operate on no shame, no blame, no guilt, no judgment,” Weber says. “Putting yourself as a priority moves you toward a goal and gives you hope. I see so many people walking around without anchors, and as a result, they are absorbing other people’s anchors.”

Again, she returns to societal expectations. “Women have been brought up to always be somebody’s something instead of being themselves,” Weber explains. “Our core value is helping others, but we need to give ourselves permission to do what we need to do to live an authentic life.”

Social media adds to the impression that people are not good enough, Weber explains. “I look at the ‘should,’ ‘supposed to’ and ‘have to’ statements that silence what we want to do. Social media amplifies these messages.” She notes that social media sites also offer a diversity of views and perspectives, but the trick is to curate the deluge purposefully and positively. “I encourage people to add to their feed content that is uplifting and unfollow what they don’t want to see,” she explains, noting that Facebook can include healthy communities around challenging issues, including the Hollins Life Support Facebook Group, which gives members a place to get support and advice.

I go back to the 86 percent of survey respondents who admitted that finding balance in their post-Hollins life was something they either never (53 percent) or sometimes (33 percent) thought about during college. Not anymore. To date, Weber’s popular well-being elective at Hollins has had an impact on the lives, post-college plans, and happiness of more than 100 students. Undergraduates farther north are just as interested in the subject. A year ago, 1,200 Yale University students flooded the registration for the elective Psychology and the Good Life, the most popular class in Yale’s history. In a New York Times article, the course’s founder and teacher, psychology professor Laurie Santos, reasoned that students were so interested because, as high schoolers, they had “adopted harmful habits…of deprioritizing their happiness to gain admission to [college],” of “numbing their emotions” to focus on the next step, whether it was school or career aspirations.

Weber agrees: “We are at a point in society where we can create our lives more fully, where people want to lead their lives instead of just doing.” This is certainly at the heart of the lives Hollins women are striving to lead. It was in the questions students asked at C3 and in the responses from the surveys, especially in the answers of what advice Hollins alumnae would give their 20-something selves to live their best, more balanced life.

“Don’t try to be perfect at everything,” said Courtney Frankhouser Myers ’97. “That mentality will kill you.” Michelle Fellows Sayers ’07 added, “Don’t be afraid to say no. Make your own mental, emotional, and physical health a priority, and then it is much easier to balance everything else.”

Sarah Achenbach is a freelance writer living in Baltimore.

��

Find more comments from the alumnae survey at www.��Ĵ�ý.edu/magazine.

Michelle Sprint Smith ’83

Smith

For the past 35 years, Michelle Smith has loved her career in research and development. As the associate research and development director for DowDuPont’s Corteva Agriscience Agriculture division, she leads the North America Regional Field Service team in conducting new crop technologies. She’s also raised two children and has lived through several shifts in work/life balance.

I knew I wanted to work when I got married. Having kids really changed everything and what it would mean to me and what the consequences were. I didn’t want to travel for work but had to. I always wanted to be where I wasn’t. I learned to be present where I am. Life was a lot easier after that.

I slowed down my career progress when the kids were little. Now I am able to ramp back up. Parenting doesn’t end when your kids are 21, though. Our daughter has a disability and is independent but still needs support. My husband retired, so he does the heavy lifting. He’s always been understanding and ahead of his time [with household duties]. But that doesn’t mean I let myself off the hook. I fell for ‘doing it all.’

I absolutely believe that [work/life balance] is a woman’s issue. There are cultural and personal expectations that are different for men and women. It’s changing, though. I see more dual-career people than when I started. If there is a man who manages women, and his wife works outside the home, his perspective is different. I see millennials expecting better work life/balance. It’s healthy. There’s a man on my team who is taking several weeks’ paternity leave. You’d almost never see that before.

��

Shaye Strager ’95

Strager

Fashion stylist. TV personality. Branding expert. Wife. Mother. Road warrior. Shaye Strager wears a lot of hats and logs a lot of miles each month when she travels from her home in Atlanta to clients in New York City, Miami, and Washington, D.C.

The shift in recent years has become harder to balance, but the key is being in control of the chaos—and keeping ever present about what is most important. I make sure that nothing gets in the way of things that matter to our family. Knowing, too, that it will all get done when it’s supposed to—or that it won’t, and that’s okay – keeps things in perspective.

I make lists for everything: the house, groceries, clients, and goals, and one cohesive list every Monday of what must get done. I have a reality check on that list each Wednesday and Friday. Prioritizing deadlines and delegating are key.

There’s a great deal of power and fulfillment in saying “no.” My husband changed my ringtone to Meghan Trainor’s song “No.” It’s funny when it goes off but also very helpful to remind me to only do what I love—and what I can handle.

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Kismet Loftin-Bell ’03, M.A.L.S. ’04

Loftin-Bell

Taking juggling to an art form, Kismet Loftin-Bell, who has a law degree, founded Beyond the Box Consulting, is a Gallup-certified strengths coach, and serves as a political science professor and student life and engagement administrator at Forsyth Technical and Surry community colleges. She’s also a single parent who homeschools her teenage son.

We do a disservice when we tell women that they can be superwomen. I know that I don’t have to do all that I am doing. I ask myself if this is moving me in a direction I want to go. Young women need to know that if something is not working, you have the option of changing.

I’m an ideas person who can’t hold everything in my head, so I write it down. At Hollins I had a little pocket calendar, but now my Google calendar is my best friend. My son knows if he doesn’t upload his calendar to mine, it doesn’t exist in my world. I use the Any.do app to schedule my tasks and maximize my productivity.

Recently, I started taking a day of rest. It’s a day to stop and try my best not to do any work. And every day, my phone goes silent from 8:30 p.m. until 8 a.m. Only special people can get through during those hours. I have to create boundaries.

Caitlyn Lewis ’17

Part time is full time for Caitlyn Lewis, who dreams of a life in nonprofit management. She’s a part-time graduate assistant in Hollins’ Cultural and Community Engagement office, teaches physical education at the Gainsboro YMCA in Roanoke every weekday morning, is enrolled in the part-time, online Hollins M.A.L.S. program, and serves on the Girls Rock Roanoke board.

Lewis

As a dance major, I always assumed that I would juggle things. Performing and teaching weren’t going to pay 100 percent of the bills. [As an undergraduate], the Hollins way is to do everything and anything all at the same time. It’s a great way to learn, but it can be damaging to self-care. I had to learn to prioritize. When I want to be by myself, I put my phone on airplane mode. That’s as good as it gets right now.

Social media influences a lot of what I imagine I am supposed to be at my age [23]. It makes me idealize a certain image or thought that I may not want for myself. The frustrating part is that I know that it’s 100 percent curated. I stopped posting as much. I need and want to establish boundaries, but it’s been challenging.

I look at other generations and see the work involved. I don’t feel the pressure to have a perfect life. My generation has been able to see and hear about many different career paths. I hope my work will define me because of who I am: I work with women of color because I am one, and I work with LGBTQ issues because I exist in that space. My balancing act right now is allowing flexibility.

Winter 2019 – Hollins Magazine

Of Donuts I Have Loved

For Miranda Dennis ’08, Tinker Day was a delicious stop along the donut highway.

Books by Hollins Authors: Winter 2019

Comments from the Alumnae Survey

We’ve captured several responses and comments regarding the survey questions.

Question: When you were a student at Hollins, did you think about what your work/life balance would be after graduation?

Question: Is the reality of your work/life balance now different from how you thought it would be when you were a Hollins student?

Question: Is balancing work and life a challenge for you? How do you find balance?

Question:�� Is balance a goal? Why or why not?

Question: What would you tell your 20-year-old-self now about work and life balance?

Alumnae Profiles – Winter 2019

Engaged with the world

Restoring Dignity

It Takes a Community

The entire Hollins community plays an important role in helping our students and alumnae/i lead lives of consequence.����

Editor’s Note: Winter 2019 Issue

Alumnae Connections

Tinker Day goes global

On campus, students headed up the mountain after fueling up on donuts and coffee, but they weren’t the only ones celebrating. Alumnae from cities around the country and around the world gathered to commemorate Hollins’ favorite tradition.

Drawing inspiration from one another

Leadership summit brings alumnae to campus

Focus on Philanthropy

Donor Spotlight

Vesta Lee Gordon: Inspiring classmates to support the “Class of 1964 House”

Update on student apartment village

Construction set to begin

Hollins Fund challenge

Goal: To increase participation

In the Loop: Winter 2019

World Class

The class of 2022 boasts a range of accomplishments and unprecedented diversity

Jodie Kantor on the power of journalism

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist helped spark the #metoo movement

Go green. Stay gold.

Student interns drive sports social media

Students spend weeks researching book of hours

Class creates digital exhibit on one of the library’s most valuable documents

IMPACT grants promote faculty research

Funds for new or ongoing projects

Striking a Balance: What It Really Means to Have It All

What does it mean to lead a balanced life, or in the words of one alumna, to “be in control of the chaos”? Sarah Achenbach ’88 has been asking herself that question since graduation—and for this article surveyed alumnae, too.

Michelle Sprint Smith ’83

Shaye Strager ’95

Kismet Loftin-Bell ’03, M.A.L.S. ’04

Caitlyn Lewis ’17

The entire Hollins community plays an important role in helping our students and alumnae/i lead lives of consequence.��