Maria has stepped down as treasurer to take over the Library Project full-time. She had been the driving force behind our new partnership with the Library and has done so much to see this project succeed, including storing thousands of cards in her office and garage. We all owe her our thanks! She has proven herself a superwoman since she first approached the Library to find out where her beloved stationery had gone. Susan Wood '94 has replaced Maria as treasurer.
This project will provide the Club with much needed funding: half of all proceeds go to the Club, with the Library receiving the other half. WeÕll be able to expand the number and kind of events we hold, as well as increase our contributions to the Alumnae Regional Scholars Program and the Hope Wearn Troxell Memorial Fund. So far, it has been a raging success. WeÕve already received and filled over 150 orders!
As a new service, you can order custom printed or personalized cards for the holidays or other special occasions. Each card costs $2.00, which includes both the card and the imprinting. A minimum order of 50 cards is required, for a minimum charge of $100.00. If you desire a personal touch on your cards, you may send us a handwritten message, signature, or both, which can be scanned in and imprinted on the card of your choice, at the same price of $2.00 per card. Custom printing orders can be filled within a week. Please contact Maria for a finished sample. Imprinted cards are a great way for businesses to thank clients and customers or wish them "happy holidays".
If you wish to provide additional support to the card endeavor, and you own a retail business, we would be delighted if you featured a selection of our inventory in your store. Because of our non-profit status, we will not be able to sell you these cards on consignment. Instead, you would have to donate the space in your store. We could provide your business with a donation receipt for tax purposes. If you can help, please contact Maria for more details.
| Did you know... we are the only active Club in District IX, which includes Califoria, Hawaii, and Western Nevada? |
A 1970 letter from an alumnae describes Hope Wearn Troxell as a very active alumnae volunteer. "She has meant something special to so many of us, in such diverse ways. Her relationship with the students has been singularly creative-one student put it well saying that Mrs. T. had a wonderful way of communicating her faith in us, so that we had that faith in ourselves."
Deborah Regan was active in the Bryn Mawr Club with Hope. When Deborah and her family moved to the Pacific Palidades, Hope found out somehow, and they found a picnic waiting for them on the doorstep of their new home when they arrived that first day.
This is just one example of how the Bryn Mawr club of Southern California in the middle '60s to '70s was a great bunch of women. "We had lots of fun and energy!" Deborah remembers. "Hope was the driving force behind the Bryn Mawr Club during those years." The Club members interviewed potential students, worked with other Seven Sisters clubs and associated men's colleges, went to high school college nights, held learned meetingsÑmany of the things that the Club is doing now.
Deborah remembers that Hope also was very sensible about life and ambition. "She helped many of us to be patient with raising children and finding the right time to work. She felt that it was better to work while children were young and to be at home from middle school onwards to help the children with all the pressures to be grown-up-too-soon. She was horrified when her girls wanted nylons and lipstick in sixth grade and worked to give them more than those artificial things during their youth."
The Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California continues to honor Hope Wearn Troxell by fundraising to keep this scholarship alive and growing. Your donation to the club does just this.
"My favorite Bryn Mawr characteristic is how much the environment lends itself to education, both inside and outside the classroom. I have also met the most amazing women, not only are they intelligent, do they love books, have diverse interests and backgrounds, but most suprisingly, they love to talk about life."
When asked whether she misses her home in Southern California, she says, "I miss many wonderful qualities of California. I long for sun, ocean breeze, and icees during the fall and winter. It was more than the superficial comforts of home that I missed, I became homesick only when I thought about my family." She sums up her first year at Bryn Mawr, "Although going to school at Bryn Mawr was hard at times, both academically and emotionally, I enjoyed a wonderful and enlightening year."
Meera received the Alumnae Regional Scholarship for her project: an SAT preparation course for inner-city high school students. The program, which will take place in the summer of 2000, will run 6-8 weeks and focus on preparation for the SAT. In addition, a college prep component is planned. Meera will work with students to refine their personal statements for college applications, help them learn about registering for the SAT, and advise them about when to start writing to colleges, among other activities. The students will spend some time practicing filling out a University of California application and financial aid form. Students will be chosen through an application and interview process which will permit Meera to learn about the kind of work the students are capable of as well as allow her to choose motivated and hard-working students. The program will take place at the Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. Castilleja hosts a number of summer programs for girls. Since its year-long school is all-girls, Meera has decided to keep her program single-sex; this will suit both the Castilleja and Bryn Mawr educational philosophies.
This past summer, Meera worked at Castilleja teaching a math and science program to fourth grade girls. She reports it was a whirlwind summer with many rewarding aspects and challenges. It was exhausting, but she wouldn't have spent her summer any other way. (In fact, she is finding it hard to be the student again after having been the teacher!)
Meera looks forward to working on this program, gathering ideas about how to structure the program, planning the curriculum, interviewing students, and interacting with the east Palo Alto school district. Meera faces many challenges in beginning this program and seeks suggestions and questions from our readers. You can contact her via e-mail.
We hope to have Meera visit Southern California next fall to present a summary of her work to the Club.
| Did you know... You can receive timely reminders about Club events via e-mail? To register for this service, contact Amy Hughes '95 |
One such project is Habitat for Humanity in Pacoima. Habitat has planned to build in Pacoima but at the time of this newsletterÕs printing, a firm date for beginning the project had not been set. It could start in November, December or January. As soon as the starting date becomes clear, I would call those people who are interested, and we could set a date for the Bryn Mawr alumnae team to build houses. If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering, please call me. I look forward to meeting more Bryn Mawr alumnae through community service events!
Susan Wood '94