Some 3,000 members of the Wellesley community and their guests cheered for Hillary Rodham Clinton ’69 in the Keohane Sports Center on Nov. 8 as reports from the polls began to come in, and wept at evening’s end when it became clear that the highest, hardest glass ceiling hadn’t been broken—yet.
Photo by Richard Howard
On election night 2016, some 3,000 people—alumnae, students, faculty, and staff—converged on the Keohane Sports Center to celebrate a historic night. A woman—a Wellesley woman!—was on the United States’ presidential ballot as a major-party candidate. Attendees came from as far as Australia and as close as Cazenove. They used souvenir wooden mallets to break up sugar “glass,” sang, hugged, and celebrated being together on the memorable night. They brought their daughters and sons, their friends, spouses, and babies. They cheered for Hillary Rodham Clinton ’69 as reports from the polls began to come in, and wept at evening’s end when it became clear that the highest, hardest glass ceiling hadn’t been broken—yet. Among the crowd was Alicia Alvarez Fitch ’88, who dressed as an early proponent of woman suffrage. She is pictured here with two attendees and her daughter Gwendolen, 6, who honored Secretary Clinton by wearing a pantsuit and pearls. For more photos of the evening, visit our online gallery.
Catherine O’Neill Grace