Photo by Richard Howard
 

Dear Wellesley College Alumnae:

President Paula Johnson has stated that one of the goals for her presidency is to create a culture of “inclusive excellence” for all Wellesley students. Inspired by this and by the classes of ’67 and ’77, who made discussion of race a key part of their reunion last summer, the WCAA is asking: “What does inclusive excellence look like for Wellesley alumnae?” In other words, what can we do as an association to better connect alumnae who may not feel that Wellesley is a touchstone of their lives?

Prior to Alumnae Leadership Council in October, the WCAA Board and staff hosted a conversation about diversity and inclusion with alumnae leaders from around the world. We examined ways to enhance current programming and improve our communications to connect alumnae who may not have felt compelled to be really engaged with Wellesley. Led by Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Robbin Chapman, our conversation was honest, insightful, and productive.

Since that meeting, the group has reconvened for a conference call and created a small leadership team composed of alumnae, students, and staff, called the Inclusion and Diversity Engaging Alumnae (IDEA) Working Group. Their charge is to identify ways to stimulate engagement among un- or under-engaged alumnae, thus better fulfilling WCAA’s mission by increasing broad-based alumnae engagement with Wellesley.

Laura Daignault Gates ’72, former WCAA board president and now chair of the Board of Trustees, is fond of saying, “At other schools, they go to college for four years, but at Wellesley, it’s for life.” Our job at the Alumnae Association is to ensure that the work we do convinces you, as alumnae, to be a part of Wellesley’s famous network; that, although we all see the world through different prisms and face different circumstances and life stages, Wellesley continues to provide a common bond.

Georgia Murphy Johnson ’75, president