Chicago: Connection Chair Marilee Roberg ’73 has been very busy planning summer events. Jeff Jabco, director of grounds and coordinator of horticulture for the Scott Arboretum, will join the Connection on the weekend of July 19 and 20 for a visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Watch your mail for an invitation.

Also in the planning stages is a Chicago River architectural tour, an evening at Ravinia, and an afternoon at the Oriental Institute. Please contact Marilee at mroberg@ameritech.net or (847) 853-1208 if you are interested in participating in a Chicago Connection book group.

London: Lucy Rickman Baruch ’42 hosted Alumni Weekend British style with a trip to Swarthmoor Hall in the Lake District from June 6 to 8, when we were celebrating Alumni Weekend stateside. The London Connection is gearing up for some fall activities. If you would like to suggest an event, contact Connection Chair Abby Honeywell ’85 at abby.honeywell@btinternet.com.

Metro DC/Baltimore: Sue Willis Ruff ’60 reports that Richard Johnson ’59, the Lucia, Ruth, and Elizabeth MacGregor Professor of English Literature at Mount Holyoke College, is compiling a reading list for the book group and is willing to provide discussion questions and give lecture(s). If you are interested in joining this very active, successful book group, contact sueruff@aol.com.

New York: We are delighted to welcome Jodi Furr ’97 and Lisa Ginsburg ’97 as New York Connection co-chairs. After many years of service, Sanda Balaban ’94 and Deborah Branker Harrod ’89 recently retired from this post, although Sanda still remains active in the New York book group. We thank them both for their service to the College and look forward to working with Jodi and Lisa. If you want to reach Jodi or Lisa with Connection ideas, or if you are willing to help, e-mail jodifurr@hotmail.com or lisaginsburg@juno.com.

Philadelphia: This very active Connection toured the Degas exhibit at The Philadelphia Art Museum in May. More than 45 alumni and their guests enjoyed the exhibit.

Pittsburgh: This Connection toured The Mattress Factory, a contemporary art museum, in April. Third Thursday luncheons continue at the HYP Club. Kindly R.S.V.P. to Connection Chair Barbara Sieck Taylor ’75 at b.taylor43@verizon.net, or call (412) 243-8307 if you can attend.

Seattle: After 10 years of service to the Seattle Connection, Deborah Read ’87 is retiring. As a last hurrah, Deb arranged for an event by Patrick Awuah ’89, who started the first liberal arts college in Ghana. It was a multifaceted event with Ghanaian food, artifacts, art, and music as well as a slide presentation. We thank Deb for this event and for all the events she has arranged over the past 10 years.

Deb is in the process of passing the baton to a new Seattle Connection chair who will be announced shortly.

What About My City?
You can start a new Connection in your city or host a one-time get-together. Call Patricia Maloney, assistant director of alumni relations, at (610) 328-8404, or e-mail pmalone1@swarthmore.edu for more information.

Alumni Council Update

The spring meeting of Alumni Council (AC) began with dinner and a panel presentation of students and alumni involved in this year’s Extern Program. Moderated by National Extern Coordinators Nanine Meiklejohn ’68 and Cynthia Graae ’62, the panel included Blair Cochran ’03, Megan Speare ’05, David Bamberger ’62 (sponsor), and Sharon Seyfarth Garner ’89 (host).

Council members heard from Lisa Lee ’81, director of alumni relations, and Alumni Managers Kenn Wynn ’74 and Cynthia Graae ’62. Kenn reported on the Board of Managers’ reception of the Task Group Report on Consensual Decision Making. Cynthia provided an update on other activities of the Board, including the capital campaign and budgetary challenges caused by current economic conditions.

President Alfred H. Bloom gave an upbeat report on the current challenges faced by the College and actions being taken to meet them. Topics included the status of admissions, meeting the challenges of the campaign in the current economic climate, the living wage initiative, the affirmative action lawsuit before the Supreme Court, proposed curriculum changes, faculty retirements, and the selection of Adam Hertz as the College’s new athletics director.

Carol Finneburgh Lorber ’63, a member of the AC Scholarship Committee, reported that members have pledged a total in excess of $60,000 for the scholarship and that the College has selected Catherine Danh ’04 as its first recipient.

Truitt then provided an update on other council initiatives. These included efforts to expand opportunities for alumni to participate in activities sponsored by council; the first implementation of recognition for service contributions in the fall 2002 Report of Gifts; and additional efforts toward reconciliation. These efforts include the completion of the Task Group Report on Consensual Decision Making, support of the initiative to strengthen the Athletics Program, and outreach to alumni still estranged from the College after the decision on athletics. At the conclusion of the plenary session, Susan Rico Connolly ’78 and Tom Francis, associate director of the Career Services Office, made a special presentation to Cynthia Graae ’62 for completing her dedicated service as national extern coordinator.

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning were spent in working group meetings. In addition, there were meetings of ad hoc groups working on a communications plan for council, exploring ways to enhance events and management of Connections and considering ways to further enhance the efforts of extern coordinators. On Saturday evening, council members participated in a career networking dinner with students, council members, and other alumni from the Philadelphia area.

At the final plenary session, council received reports from each of the working groups on their outcomes and recommendations. Truitt reported actions taken by the executive committee during the weekend. A summary of each of these reports can be found on the Web at http://www.swarthmore.edu/alumni/images/ spring_2002_council_update.pdf. Also available on the Web at http://www.swarthmore.edu/alumni/alumni_council.html is the current version of the annual work plan of Alumni Council for 2002–2003, which indicates the status of all initiatives of council for this year.

—Rich Truitt ’66
President, Alumni Association

Nominations Sought

Alumni are encouraged to nominate candidates for honorary degrees awarded at Commencement. Please submit background information, including your own reasons for choosing this individual, by Friday, Oct. 3, to the Honorary Degree Committee, Vice President’s Office, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore PA 19081-1390, or e-mail Vice President Maurice Eldridge ’61 at meldrid1@swarthmore.edu. All nominations will be kept confidential; please do not inform the nominee. The committee will forward its recommendations to the faculty in mid-November.

Criteria used by the Honorary Degree Committee include the following:

• Distinction, leadership, or originality in a significant field of human endeavor
• Someone in the ascent or at the peak of distinction, with preference to the less honored over those who have received multiple degrees
• Ability to serve as a role model for graduating seniors, speaking to them on a major occasion in their lives
• Preference (but not a requirement) for individuals who have an existing affiliation with or some connection to Swarthmore.

The committee seeks to balance choices over the years from a variety of categories such as careers, gender, academic discipline, race, ethnicity, and public service.  

Listservs Improved

Many alumni enjoy staying in touch on Internet listservs set up for their class, local Connection, or special-interest group. In an effort to improve the performance of the College listservs, we have converted to a new system called Mailman. The system has features such as archiving messages and password-protected access to lists and information. If you are not signed up for a listserv that you wish to be on, visit http://alumni-office.swarthmore.edu/mailman/listinfo.

Associate Director of Career Services Tom Francis and Alumni Council Member Susan Rico Connolly ’78 congratulate Cynthia Graae ’62 (in photo above right) for her stewardship of the Externship Program, which has grown considerably under her watch. Cynthia will be succeeded by Nanine Meiklejohn ’68. If you wish to offer a student an externship during winter break or can house a student, please contact extern@swarthmore.edu.