Wellesley alumnae possess a fierce pride and sense of purpose that drive both their deep engagement with the College and their desire to make a difference in the world. They are critical to the strength, vision, and future of Wellesley. We see this in many ways:
Alumnae comprise a remarkable 80% of the Wellesley College Board of Trustees.
Alumnae support of students is legendary, and they are dedicated to helping each new generation succeed. Whether students are trying to find a job or change the world, a community of changemakers is ready to lift them up every step of the way.
And across the classes, alumnae are Wellesley’s best global ambassadors—a who’s who of trailblazers across all fields. They are the proof and the power behind Wellesley’s radical founding idea: that educating women leads to progress for everyone.
Yet while alumnae are central to Wellesley’s mission, the College’s current governance structure acts more as a barrier than a conduit to their direct engagement. We want to integrate the Wellesley College Alumnae Association (WCAA) into the College in a way that will give alumnae greater representation within College leadership, deepen partnerships between them and the College, and create new opportunities for collaboration.
That is why the WCAA and the College support a merger that would allow the WCAA to join the College division that includes global engagement, a natural place to highlight the significant impact and global reach of the alumnae network. Both the WCAA board and the board of trustees have unanimously approved the move, and this spring alumnae will be asked to vote on the merger.
As the College prepares for its upcoming 150th anniversary and launches a new organization, the Wagner Centers for Wellesley in the World, the time is right for this important change.
To celebrate our sesquicentennial, starting in spring 2025 we will showcase the stories and accomplishments of our alumnae and highlight Wellesley’s impact as a community and an institution—a place that both educates women who make a difference and is a force for progress and change. We will also use the occasion to inspire action to alleviate ongoing challenges to women’s education and promote advancement and gender equity on a global scale.
The spirit and story of our alumnae have also influenced our refreshed verbal and visual brand identity, including the new College website we will launch this year. This significant update allows us to share our message in a way that reflects the tremendous diversity and impact of our alumnae—and bolsters Wellesley’s reputation as the preeminent women’s college in the world.
The impact of our alumnae will also take center stage this spring when we launch the Hillary Rodham Clinton Center for Citizenship, Leadership, and Democracy (HRCC) with an inaugural summit, “Renewing Democracy: Women Leading the Way.” Not only will the summit highlight the legacy of Clinton, class of ’69, it will bring alumnae civic leaders to campus to join with policymakers, scholars, and advocates—and the Wellesley community—for exploration and discussion.
Our alumnae are so much more than just a network of the world’s most powerful women. They—you!—are a force for progress and change in the lives of our students and in the world. You are a community of “firsts” who pave the way for and inspire the “nexts,” the generations of students who follow your lead. In deepening this most important of relationships, we are not only celebrating our alumnae, we are calling on your “proof and power” to elevate Wellesley’s mission and extend its impact. Together, we are unstoppable.
