Countdown to Reunion: Catching Up With Yaminette Diaz Linhart

Yaminette Diaz Linhart

• What are you most proud about accomplishing since graduation?
Finished a dual degree Masters program with a kid and a law student for a husband!

• What's your favorite MHC memory?
Taking walks by lower lake in the pitch dark with my MHC peeps

• What do you miss most about MHC/the Valley?
The vibe!

• What are you looking forward to at reunion?
Being on campus again!

Let '06 alumnae know what you're up to! Email amy.cavanaugh@gmail.com with updates. See you in South Hadley!

Countdown to Reunion: Catching Up With Paige Ryland

 Paige Ryland, Florida

• What are you most proud about accomplishing since graduation?

That I've been passionate about all my post-grad adventures and have moved along at my own pace.

• What's your favorite MHC memory?

Two things: Meeting the FFL at MHC. Giving popsicles out in the library during finals to people who would dance for them.

• What do you miss most about MHC/the Valley?

I miss seeing so many wonderful faces everyday.

• What are you looking forward to at reunion?

Hugs and a personal, taste of the valley tour. I'm also pretty excited about taking a class or two.

• What’s the coolest thing you’ve done since graduation? 

My time in the Peace Corps will probably be the coolest thing I ever do. (The picture is of my first maize crop, the staple food in Malawi) 

• What's the best book you've read? 

Every book I read ends up being my favorite but I particularly enjoyed Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

• How many cities have you lived in? 

I have lived in 5 cities. (7 by the end of August)

• What dorm do you wish you could visit for brunch on Sunday?

While Prospect omelette bar has long been a favorite, I think Ill be indulging elsewhere as part of my personal, taste of the valley tour. Seriously, while planning our reunion trips, the FFL were most concerned with the food we would eat.

Let '06 alumnae know what you're up to! Email amy.cavanaugh@gmail.com with updates. See you in South Hadley! 

Countdown to Reunion: Catching Up With Damaris Santos-Palmer

Damaris Santos-Palmer Santa Cruz, CA

Damaris is a blogger and freelance writer, and also writes the beautiful blog Kitchen Corners. Of her blog, she says:

Kitchen Corners is about me, and about my family, and about you because you are the reason I write. It is you who I talk to about my life and it is from you that I get feedback and the energy to continue doing what I do.

Kitchen Corners is a silly name for a blog. It started out as Within the Corners of my Kitchen, but that was too long and I occasionally have the pleasure to leave my kitchen and travel, so that title had to go. Then the blog became Kitchen Corners, because it's short.

But I love Kitchen Corners, even with all it's imperfections and silly name.

I've been blogging since 2007. Kitchen Corners has changed from a recipe blog to a giveaway/product review/design/anything-I-can-think-of-blog. However, now I do giveaways on my Facebook page, and have fun random conversations on twitter, and share my food design obsession on my design blog. It's better this way, because now I can focus on what I really love to do which is have conversations about life and food with you.

• What are you most proud about accomplishing since graduation?
Having two kids

• What's your favorite MHC memory?
Big sister during freshmen year

• What do you miss most about MHC/the Valley?
Having intellectual conversations and silly conversations all within the same lunch hour with friends in Wilder

• What are you looking forward to at reunion? Seeing people I miss

Let '06 alumnae know what you're up to! Email amy.cavanaugh@gmail.com with updates. See you in South Hadley!

Peter Berek is Retiring - Share your memories!

This was passed on to us from an '03 alum. Since many of you probably took classes with Peter Berek, we want to make sure you have a chance to share your favorite memories!


Dear Mount Holyoke Alumna,

If you haven’t already heard, Professor Peter Berek is retiring this May! Over the last 20 years, Prof. Berek has been teaching English to Mount Holyoke students – you may recall him from English 200, the first-year seminar “Pasts and Presences,” or his Shakespeare class – and has served as dean of faculty and provost (1990-1998), as well as interim president of Mount Holyoke (1995). For many of us, Prof. Berek has also been an advisor, mentor and friend. Indeed, he’s a Mount Holyoke institution! (You can read more about Prof. Berek's many accomplishments here.)

In honor of his retirement on May 18th, we are soliciting your farewell thoughts and memories of Professor Berek to compile in a scrapbook that will be presented to him during his retirement ceremony on May 18th. Please consider contributing your memories of Prof. Berek or farewell message and send it to: peterberekmemories@gmail.com. Your submission may be any length (preferably no more than 1,000 words), and may include photos or drawings. Please email your submission by April 30.

If you have any questions, you can contact me at jessie.babcock@gmail.com. Thanks!

Jessie Babcock
MHC Class of 2003

Countdown to Reunion: Catching Up with Amanda Englund

Amanda Englund, Portland, Oregon

• What are you most proud about accomplishing since graduation?
Starting two small businesses and becoming a mother.

• What's your favorite MHC memory?
Sprawling out in the library during finals, sharing the crack-out sensations with my friends.

• What do you miss most about MHC/the Valley?
The green farm land, having access to 5 colleges worth of information and a free bus system.

• What are you looking forward to at reunion?
Showing off my beautiful son! And reconnecting with friends I haven't seen in so long!

• Coolest thing I've done: Traveled in Japan and Costa Rica, learned to prepare placenta medicine for mamas, became the editor for an awesome feminist parenting magazine and got married to my first and long lost love. My husband and I started a commercial kombucha brewery and are about to take over the Pacific Northwest! Oh! And I sang in a Reggae band for a little while too...

Let '06 alumnae know what you're up to! Email amy.cavanaugh@gmail.com with updates. See you in South Hadley!

Extending Deadline for Nominations

Good news! We're extending the deadline to submit nominations for the 2011-2016 Class Board Term until April 15th. Please send your nominations to mhc2006nominations@gmail.com.

Your Class of 2006 Nominating Committee,
Annie Brinkmann, Allison Doran, Blythe Keller & Paige Ryland

Sign up for reunion!

It's finally that time — sign up for reunion! Fill out this form and get it in by April 15. Just 46 days to go!