Alumnae Lives

Alumnae Memorials
Fall 2023
Tributes to Wellesley alumnae by family and friendsMore
Jeanne Olson Darlington M.A. ’72
Fall 2023
Jeanne Olson Darlington M.A. ’72, former instructor in science laboratory in the chemistry department, died on July 27 at the age of 99.More
A photo of an antique sedan.
Fall 2023
At her 50th reunion, an alumna remembers what it was like to be part of the largest cohort of Black students ever admitted to Wellesley.More
An Observatory Luminary
Summer 2023
In some ways, Faith Vilas ’73 was born with the drive to explore what’s above the Earth. Her grandfather was an early aviator in the 1900s, and her dad and aunt both flew planes, too…More
A Legal Trailblazer’s Journey
Summer 2023
Judge Vanessa Ruiz ’72 grew up around the law. Her father was a litigator, and she remembers listening intently at their home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when he talked about the cases he was…More
2023 Alumnae Achievement Awards
Wellesley’s highest honor is given annually to graduates of distinction who through their achievements have brought honor to themselves and to the College. This year’s recipients are Vanessa Ruiz ’72, Faith Vilas ’73, and Cecilia…More
Kemi poses in her kitchen with her younger daughter and the Ukrainian couple her family sponsored.
Summer 2023
Last fall, Karen “Kemi” Kemirembe ’12. Kemi, her husband, Troy Carl, and their toddler daughter welcomed a Ukrainian family of three into their home through a U.S. government program, Uniting for Ukraine.More
An official portrait of Kayle Stevens '99 shows her in uniform and has an American flag in the background.
Summer 2023
Should the U.S. Senate confirm the nomination of Kayle Stevens ’99 later this year, she would not only become the first Wellesley woman to be a Brigadier General in the Air Force, but she and her father would be the first Black father-daughter duo to hold that ranking.More
A photo portrait of Nicole Sasson '84
Summer 2023
As chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Veteran Affairs-New York Harbor Healthcare System, physiatrist Nicole Sasson ’84 was instrumental in helping test and fine-tune a next-generation robotic arm.More
An illustration shows a figure running across a field through the rain toward a warmly lit cottage.
Summer 2023
In September 2022, Monica Byrne ’03 gave most of her possessions away and put the rest in storage. “The pandemic had erased my life,” she writes, “and I had to start over.”More