Arches in Mary Woolley Hall on the 敁珗辦畦 Campus in South Hadley, MA

Alums Leading the Way

敁珗辦畦 alums have been opening doors, breaking barriers and launching into the world as leaders since the founding of the College. Our graduates are leading the way in the boardroom and in the classroom, in the lab and in public service, in the field and on the runway. Every day alums are lifting up others, calling out injustices and advocating for change.

Our alum network, by the numbers

#9

Best alum network

In the 2023 Best 388 Colleges, the Princeton Review ranked 敁珗辦畦 #9 among private colleges for Best Alumni Networks.

39,000+

Global alum network

Our network of alums around the world share their time, insight and connections these of course being code words for power. Alums of womens colleges arguably constitute the most influential professional-womens networks on the globe.

2000

Keeping 敁珗辦畦s global community vibrant and engaged is dependent on the efforts of thousands of alums, parents and friends of the College who volunteer their time, talent, and resources.

Launching Leadership

In celebration of the achievements of our alums and to highlight the many ways 敁珗辦畦 prepares its graduates to lead in the world, Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum held a series of conversations with a diverse group of graduates. These alums exemplify an intellectually adventurous 敁珗辦畦 education in action.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum (right) and Caitlin Lambert 09

敁珗辦畦 alum Caitlin Lambert 09 is working to free children from prison while also advocating for juvenile justice reform in Somaliland.

Monica Landry '90 and Farah Khan '98

Two 敁珗辦畦 alums and members of its Board of Trustees met with Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum to discuss finance careers, changing plans and leaps of faith at the latest Launching Leadership conversation on April 11.

Beverly Daniel Tatum and Tahmima Anam 97

At a Launching Leadership event on 敁珗辦畦s campus, alum and award-winning author Tahmima Anam 97 discussed anthropology, intense connections and the perils of writing satire.

Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum with Charisse Pickron 08 and Kira Banks 00

敁珗辦畦 alums Kira Banks 00 and Charisse Pickron 08 are researching races and racisms impact on young children. During a recent visit to campus, they spoke about transformational faculty, stepping into who you are and being true to yourself.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum and Addison Beaux 99 during their Launching Leadership discussion

The final Launching Leadership conversation for 2022 was with Addison Beaux 99, the founder and CEO of Beaux & Arrow. The wide-ranging conversation touched on student activism, gender affirmations and self-love.

Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum speaking with Suzan-Lori Parks 85 and Debra Martin Chase 77 on stage following a performance of Topdog/Underdog

Love, work and the importance of connection were the overarching themes of a Launching Leadership discussion with 敁珗辦畦 alums Suzan-Lori Parks 85 and Debra Martin Chase 77 after an electrifying performance of Parks play Topdog/Underdog.

Aimee Eubanks Davis (right) and Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum (left)

Aim矇e Eubanks Davis 95 discussed following her passion, being authentically bold and finding your own superpower.

(l-r) Interim President Beverly Daniel Tatum, Mona Sutphen 89 and Natasha Mohanty 03

Mona Sutphen 89 and Natasha Mohanty 03 discussed the importance of embracing a nonlinear path to success, why leadership can be lonely and the importance of a support system.

Tara Roberts 91 and Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum

Tara Roberts 91 is the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year and the inaugural Launching Leadership interviewee at 敁珗辦畦.

Lessons in leadership

敁珗辦畦 alums are leading in varied and nuanced ways and using their spheres of influence for good through professional achievements, volunteer experiences, advocacy work, special passions/projects, and more. We want our community to hear these important stories.

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Alums in the News

Demonstrating leadership

敁珗辦畦 student and alum leaders gathered in Chapin Auditorium in celebration of the many contributions made to the community throughout the year.

As the Public Theater prepares to stage Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks newest play, the New York Times caught up with the 敁珗辦畦 alum to talk about her overall body of work and how she got to where she is today.

As the keynote speaker for the tenth annual Trailblazers of Color Leadership Conference at 敁珗辦畦, Shabazz discussed enlarging peoples capacity for care.

How will you make your mark?

敁珗辦畦 alums have always blazed trails and challenged the status quo. Scientists. CEOs. Politicians. Entrepreneurs. Pulitzer-Prize winners. Oscar winners. And everything in between.

Addison Beaux

Addison Beaux

Class of 1999

Affirming my gender really gave me confidence to trust myself, Beaux said. I believe when we love ourselves, it makes it a lot easier to love and understand other people, and how we treat others is a reflection of what goes on in our own inner world.

Read Addison's story

Charisse Pickron 08

Charisse Pickron

Class of 2008

Assistant professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Director of the Child Brain and Perception Lab, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Read Charisse's story

Tahmima Anam 97

Tahmima Anam

Class of 1997

Award-winning novelist

Read Tahmima's story

Kira Banks 00

Kira Banks

Class of 2000

Psychology professor, St. Louis University and Co-founder of St. Louis Universitys Institute for Healing Justice and Equity

Read Kira's story

Monica Landry 90

Monica Landry

Class of 1990

Senior advisor for Farallon

Read Monica's story

Farah Khan 98

Farah Khan

Class of 1998

Managing Partner at L Catterton

Read Farah's story

Caitlin Lambert 09 in front of a pink flowering bush on the 敁珗辦畦 campus.

Caitlin Lambert

Class of 2009

Executive director and co-founder of the Childrens Legal Defense Center

Read Caitlin's story

Alison Rogers Cofe 12

Alison Rogers Cove

Class of 2012

Founder of USEFULL

Read Alisons story

Aim矇e Eubanks Davis

Aim矇e Eubanks Davis

Class of 1995

Founder of Braven

Read Aim矇es story

Debra Martin Chase

Debra Martin Chase

Class of 1977

Tony Award-winning producer

Read Debra's story

Umama Zillur

Umama Zillur

Class of 2018

Co-founder and leader of Kotha, an organization dedicated to ending the culture of gender-based violence in Bangladesh

Read Umamas story

Kaneka Turner 16

Kaneka Turner

Class of 2016

Founder of educational consulting company ReImage

Read Kanekas story

Veronika Kivenson

Veronika Kivenson

Class of 2013

Postdoctoral fellow at Oregon State University and recipient of the Tory Burch Fellowship from the Innovative Genomics Institute

Read Veronika's story

Gabi Gregg

Gabi Gregg

Class of 2008

Fashion blogger and designer and advocate for the representation of plus-size Black women in fashion spaces

Read Gabi's story

Chlo矇 Zhao

Chlo矇 Zhao

Class of 2005

The first woman of color to win an Academy Award for best director

Read Chlo矇s story

Natasha Mohanty 03

Natasha Mohanty

Class of 2003

Head of engineering for checkout experiences at Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform

Read Natashas story

Rumbi Bwerinofa-Petrozzello

Rumbi Bwerinofa-Petrozzello

Class of 1994

The first woman of color to serve as president of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants

Read Rumbi's story

Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Class of 1993

Entrepreneur and founder of Care.com

Read Sheila's story

Tara Roberts 91

Tara Roberts

Class of 1991

2022 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year

Read Tara's story

Mona Sutphen 89

Mona Sutphen

Class of 1989

Partner and Head of Investment Strategies, The Vistria Group

Read Mona's story

Deborah Harkness photo by Scarlett Freund

Deborah Harkness, Ph.D.

Class of 1986

Best-selling fiction author, TV producer and professor of history

Read Deborah's story

Suzan-Lori Parks

Suzan-Lori Parks

Class of 1985

First Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Read Suzan-Lori's story

Holly Metcalf 81

Holly Metcalf

Class of 1981

Top crew coach and champion in expanding access to the sport of rowing

Read Holly's story

Susan Kare

Susan Kare

Class of 1975

Pioneer of pixel art and graphical computer interface

Read Susan's story

Wendy Wasserstein

Wendy Wasserstein

Class of 1971

Tony-winning playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner

Read Wendy's story

Barbara Smith, class of 1969

Barbara Smith

Class of 1969

Co-founder of the Combahee River Collective and co-author of the Combahee River Collective Statement

Read Barbara's story

Janet Litster Rideout

Janet Litster Rideout

Class of 1961

Organic chemist and patent holder of AZT

Read Janet's story

Nita Lowey 59

Nita Lowey

Class of 1959

U.S. Representative and the first woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee

Read Nita's story

Jean Sammet, class of 1948

Jean Sammet

Class of 1948

Co-developer of the computer programming language COBOL

Read Jean's story

Ella Grasso

Ella Grasso

Class of 1940

First woman elected U.S. state governor in her own right

Read Ella's story

Virginia Apgar

Virginia Apgar

Class of 1929

Inventor of the Apgar Score for newborns

Read Virginia's story

Frances Perkins, class of 1902

Frances Perkins

Class of 1902

First woman Cabinet member, U.S. Secretary of Labor and creator of Social Security

Read Frances' story

Emily Dickinson

Class of 1849

One of the greatest and most original poets of all time

Read Emily's story