SUMMER 2013 | SUMMER IN THE CITY | COMMENCEMENT 2013 summer 2013 C1 SECTION TITLE WINTER 2013 wellesley magazine Commencement 2013 Cheese Whizzes On May 31, the 135th commencement By Louisa Kasdon ’72 8 exercises took place in the Academic Quad 20 Every day, they say cheese. It’s their passion at Wellesley. As temperatures soared into and their livelihood. Meet the growing circle the 90s, the green class of 2013 refused to of Wellesley alums centering their professional wilt, fanning themselves with programs and and personal lives on cheese, whether they’re enjoying their (long) moment in the sun. cheesemakers, cheesemongers, cheese educators, or cheese activists. CONTENTS 1 Departments 2 From the Editor 3 Letters to the Editor 4 From the President 5 Window on Wellesley 18 Shelf Life 39 WCAA 42 Reunion Album Summer in the City 43 Class Notes By Karen Grigsby Bates ’73, Eliza Borné ’09, 30 Alice Bradley ’91, Paula Butturini ’73, 73 In Memoriam—Barbara Brenzel Kate McCahill ’06, and Amy Yee ’96 1941–2013 Hot town, summer in the city. Six alumnae writers share their stories of the heat and grit 73 In Memoriam—Edward Stettner —and joy and beauty—of urban living during 1940–2013 the fairest season. 80 Endnote—The Purple Umbrella Augusta Thomson ’11 Cover photography and goat photograph by Karl Schatz WELLESLEYY MAGAZINE ONLINE www.wellesley.edu/alumnae/wellesleymagazine/online WELLESLEYY MAGAZINE ON TWITTER @Wellesleymag 2 FROM THE EDITOR SUMMER 2013 wellesley magazine From the Editor AS I WRITE THIS COLUMN MID-MAY, it is clear we have reached the Incipit Vita Editor Alice M. Hummer Nova phase of the academic year. We see it all around us—in the rhododendron bursting into bloom, in the commencement robes worn for the fi nal day of Associate Editors Lisa Scanlon ’99 seniors’ classes, and in the spate of retirement parties across campus. Here Jennifer McFarland Flint begins new life. Design A colleague who is phasing into retirement a couple days a week just popped into the offifice Hecht/Horton Partners, Arlington, Mass. after one of his fi rst free days. “It was a little odd having no schedule,” he said. “Should I eat Principal Photographer lunch now, I wondered?” But he clearly had big plans for golf and face time with a grandbaby Richard Howard in the not-too-distant future. Student Assistant A senior who has worked all year at the Alumnae Association’s front desk turned up last Sidrah Baloch ’14 Friday, beaming. “As of 40 minutes ago, I’m finished!” she said, and then told me about her Wellesley (USPS 673-900). Published fall, tentative plans for the next few months—as far as she could see down the road. Her words winter, spring, and summer by the Wellesley transported me back nearly 30 years, to my own collegiate fi nish line. It was as vivid as yesterday: College Alumnae Association. Editorial and that triumphant-yet-terrifying feeling of “I did it! But seriously, now I have to leave this place??” Business Office: Alumnae Association, Wellesley College, 106 Central St., Wellesley, Venturing forth—whether one is in one’s 20s or 60s—requires a little gumption. I’m sure our MA 02481-8203. Phone 781-283-2342. Fax graduating seniors have moments of that same wobbly feeling I had decades ago, but many are 781-283-3638. Periodicals postage paid at also remarkably self-aware, which will go a long way in preparing them for the new worlds they Boston, Mass., and other mailing offices. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Wellesley are about to take on. magazine, Wellesley College, 106 Central I’ve spoken recently with a number of seniors about what they consider the most enduring St., Wellesley, MA 02481-8203. lesson of their time at Wellesley. I wish I had set out from college with some of their insights. Wellesley Policy: For example, from Gabrielle Linnell ’13, a medieval and Renaissance studies major: One of the objectives of Wellesley, in the I learned there are only 24 hours in the day. Not one more, not one less: it’s non-negotiable. best College tradition, is to present inter- esting, thought-provoking material, even When I learned that, it became easier to say no to things that weren’t important and made though it may be controversial. Publication it more meaningful to say yes to opportunities, activities, and people that were—the people of material does not necessarily indicate being the most important of all. endorsement of the author’s viewpoint by the magazine, the Alumnae Association, or Prioritize and just say no: We all need to do it, whatever our life path. And then there’s Rachel Wellesley College. Insoft ’13, a math major: Wellesley magazine reserves the right to edit The most important lesson I learned at Wellesley is that it is perfectly OK not to be an and, when necessary, revise all material that expert on everything; admitting this in no way diminishes others’ perception of your it accepts for publication. Unsolicited photo- intelligence. It is important to ask questions, because how else will you discover new graphs will be published at the discretion of the editor. interesting things? KEEP WELLESLEY UP-TO-DATE! How many of us have the humility to admit, “I don’t know squat about that. Will you teach The Alumnae Office has a voice-mail box to me?” Another quality of thought useful when embarking onn be used by alumnae for updating contact a new venture. and other personal information. The number is 1-800-339-5233. You’ll fi nd this issue full of people launching forth—mostt obviously in the commencement coverage. But you’ll also You can also update your information online when you visit the Alumnae Association see it in our cover story, “Cheese Whizzes.” Which, by the website at www.wellesley.edu/Alum/. way, was one of the most fun stories we’ve edited in a long DIRECT LINE PHONE NUMBERS time—manchego? Baby goats? How can you miss? The College Switchboard 781-283-1000 article captures life on the wedge—alumnae who decided to Alumnae Office 781-283-2331 leave it all to follow their passion for “fermented milk,” as Magazine Office 781-283-2342 Admission Office 781-283-2270 one of them put it. Center for Work and Whether you’re setting sail this season for your fi rst job,, Service 781-283-2352 retirement, or the terra incognita of “I don’t know what I’m Resources Office 781-283-2217 going to do next,” your Wellesley lessons will serve you well INTERNET ADDRESS on the journey. Send us a postcard when you get there. www.wellesley.edu/Alum/ —Alice M. Hummer, editor wellesley magazine SUMMER 2013 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 3 Letters to the Editor THAT WELLESLEY NETWORK I am writing to follow up CONTRIBUTORS on “Exits and Entrances,” Wellesley welcomes short letters (a maximum KAREN GRIGSBY BATES ’73 length of 300 words) relating to articles or the article about career (“Dead and Gone to the items that have appeared in recent issues of the changing that ran in Movies,” p. 34) is a Los Angeles-based correspon- magazine. Send your remarks to the Editor, the spring ’13 maga- zine. Melissa Ludtke ’73 S dent for NPR News. Wellesley magazine, 106 Central St., Wellesley, neglected to mentioned MA 02481-8203, or email your comments to PR NEW N [email protected]. that my blog about navi- gating a job search at the age of 50 all started in ELIZA BORNÉ ’09 INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS 1980 in McAfee Hall. There I met and became (“Happiness Squared,” Thank you for devoting part of the spring ’13 p. 33) is an associate lifelong friends with Paula Demasi ’83, who was issue of Wellesley magazine to the topic of editor at Oxford American friends with AnnMarie Quintalgie McIlwain people of color at Wellesley College (“The Whole magazine. She lives in ’82. Thirty-three years later, when I was laid off Little Rock, Ark. Picture”). As a ’92 graduate, I’ll never forget from my job, Paula introduced me to AnnMarie, trying to complete final exams and projects founder and CEO of Careerfuel.net, a compre- while also engaging with other students about hensive source of information and inspiration for the grief, fear, and fury erupting in Los Angeles ALICE BRADLEY ’91 jobseekers. AnnMarie encouraged me to blog— in the wake of the Rodney King verdict. It was a (“In the Woods,” p. 38) is and published my blog, which led to all sorts diffifi cult time, but also one in which I got to know a coauthor of the book of connections and opportunities. She and her O Let’s Panic About Babies, T my fellow students more deeply than I had at any O staff also offered me support, ideas, and encour- published in 2011. She time up to then. lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., agement, and helped me navigate a very diffificult Additionally, I appreciate the attention given with her family. time and fi nd my voice. I could not have made it PH JETKAT to the contributions made by Dominick Duckett through without the McAfee connection and the (“From the Editor”). Too often, we neglect to wonderful support from Careerfuel! Wellesley PAULA BUTTURINI ’73 appreciate and celebrate the contributions made RAH! (“Pesto Manifesto,” p. 37) to Wellesley College by the talented and dedi- Deborah Brody Hamilton ’84 is an author and former cated nonteaching members of the community. foreign correspondent for Arlington, Va. Here, I especially wish to express my gratitude United Press International to the Wellesley College Police.