Happy new year, NorCal alums! We’re now sending a quarterly newsletter, which will include information about the Club’s regularly scheduled offerings and onetime events, as well as photos from recent events. We may also send occasional email blasts to promote our ad hoc events. Make sure you’re following us on Instagram and Facebook to get the latest updates. You can also check out the events calendar on our website at any time. If you have any questions about Club communications and emails, please check our FAQ before reaching out.
Upcoming Event Highlights: Join us for Lunar New Year Watercolor for Adults at the home of Katie W. ’05 in Oakland on Feb 1, 2025 4:00 PM PST and Mary Lyon Tea at Malaya Tea Room in Alameda on Mar 1, 2025 11:00 AM PST. Ticket capacity is limited for both events, so register here or scroll down to the “Upcoming Events” section for more details!
Did you miss our “Will the Court Come to Order?” event with Barbara Creed? You can now watch the recording (video starts at 0:50)! We can’t guarantee this link will last forever, so be sure to check it out soon.
Recent Events
Ice Skating x Cookie Exchange, December 2024.
May C. ’21, Eleanor C. ’78, Susan T. ’98, Leah H. ’08, and Mary E. ’61 (not pictured) had a great time skating and munching on sweet treats at the Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square. We know a couple of you were bummed to have missed this and we’re planning to do a similar event next winter — keep an eye out for that when December rolls around again!
P.S. Eleanor has been hard at work with the Alum Association, and NorCal alums are getting a special opportunity to participate early in the inaugural Red Envelope Challenge! For every alum or student who shares a message on the Lunar New Year celebration Kudoboard by February 12, a generous anonymous alum will give $8 (a symbolic red envelope) towards international student scholarship aid via The Mount Holyoke Fund. The 188th person to post will unlock a final jackpot to make the total gift $1,888, an auspicious number. Visit the Kudoboard to learn more about Lunar New Year and share a greeting now to contribute to this amazing effort.
Book Club @ Asian Art Museum, January 2025.
Bridget L. ’02, Karen H. ’77, Hannah F. ’03, Sandy D. ’63, and Adrianne W. ’21 met in SF to discuss The Vegetarian by Han Kang. The MHC NorCal Book Club will return to its regularly scheduled virtual meetings on Feb 26, 2025 for A. H. Kim’s Relative Strangers, a “timely spin on Sense and Sensibility about two half-Korean sisters, their ex-hippie mother, multiple messy love affairs and one explosive secret that could ruin everything.” (Source)
P.S. Check out this interview by Hannah in the fall 2024 issue of the Alumnae Quarterly!
Upcoming Events
Lunar New Year Watercolor for Adults
The MHC NorCal Club invites you to usher in the Year of the Wood Snake by honoring your intuition and creativity. Join us to engage your artistic side and experience watercolors in a casual, beginner-friendly environment with fellow alums. Come with an appetite to be present in art-making and be inspired to start an auspicious new lunar year. Adrianne W. ’21 has curated a selection of supplies from Jetpens, a women-owned small business based in San Jose, to help you get started on (or continue) your watercolor journey.
Arrive at the home of Katie W. ’05 in Oakland (address provided upon RSVP) at 4:00 PM on Saturday, February 1. After introductions, we’ll select our supplies and watch a few videos to get acquainted with water brush and watercolor techniques. Then it’s time to paint, using illustrations printed on artist-quality paper from Pepin Artist’s Coloring Book! We will wrap up our masterpieces at 6:00 PM.
Ticket capacity is extremely limited, so register now to secure your spot and supplies. Visit mhcnorcalclub.org/lny25 to learn more and save $5 with an early bird ticket! A few flexible tickets (pay what you can) are also available.
When: Feb 1, 2025 4:00 PM PST
Where: Oakland (RSVP for address)
Contact: Adrianne Wu ’21
MHC Pen Club Cookbook Social
Bring one of your favorite cookbooks to talk about over light refreshments at the home of Alyssa Danigelis ’01 in Sunnyvale. We’ll share what we love about the cookbooks, our go-to recipes, and culinary adventures. All ability levels are welcome.
When: Feb 8, 2025 2:00 PM PST
Where: Sunnyvale (RSVP via email for address)
Contact: MHC Club/ Peninsula
Note: As this is a Peninsula Club event, please reach out to them with any questions!
MHC NorCal Club’s Mary Lyon Tea
Celebrate Mary Lyon’s Birthday with an Afternoon Tea! Join us at Malaya Tea Room, a woman-owned small business in Alameda, as we celebrate the life and legacy of our founder, a pioneering figure in women’s education. Enjoy a delightful afternoon filled with a curated selection of teas, assorted finger sandwiches, scones, and sweet pastries and desserts.
This special event honors Mary Lyon, founder of Mount Holyoke College, by gathering in a setting perfect for conversation and reflection. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to toast to her legacy with a cup of tea in hand! The Malaya Tea Room offers a unique high tea experience that combines classic tea traditions with the bold, vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia. The menu features a nice selection of sandwiches, such as curry chicken, cucumber, turkey and fig, and smoked salmon, all paired with an array of sweet pastries. Guests can choose from a diverse range of teas, including black, green, and herbal varieties. On weekends, the experience is elevated with the addition of Malaysian Pulled Tea, adding an extra touch of authenticity to the service.
Cost: $60 (a select number of tickets will be available at half price for alums who would like to attend but find the full cost too high)
Dietary restrictions: Malaya offers vegetarian sandwiches, but doesn’t offer vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free options due to limited kitchen space. Visit malayatearoom.com for more information.
Ticket capacity is limited, so reserve your spot now to enjoy a truly special afternoon! Visit mhcnorcalclub.org/mary25 to learn more and register today.
When: Mar 1, 2025 11:00 AM PST
Where: Malaya Tea Room (Registration required)
Contact: Pauline Au ’87
Note: If you’d like to meet in a more casual setting, please join the MHC Pen Club for their Mary Lyon Tea in the South Bay. They will be meeting on Feb 22, 2025 at Boba Bliss, a women-owned business in Mountain View, to enjoy some bubble tea.
Berkeley Playhouse presents: Jesus Christ Superstar
Sydney Jacobs Allen ’18 is cast as Judas! (pictured on the left)
While this is not a Club-specific event, we encourage all musical theater enthusiasts to check out this powerhouse rock opera and support a fellow MHC alum. NorCal Club President, Katie Wynen ’05, will be attending on Mar 8, 2025, and you’re welcome to join her at that performance.
Where: Berkeley Playhouse
When: Feb 21, 2025 – Mar 30, 2025 (Show/Ticket Info)
Contact: Katie Wynen ’05
MHC NorCal Book Club
Join your fellow alums in reading, discussing, and learning about books by authors of color! We meet over Zoom on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM PT, and all alums from the NorCal and Peninsula Clubs are welcome. Visit our website to learn more, see the full list of book club picks, and register.
When: Feb 26, 2025; Mar 26, 2025; Apr 23, 2025
Where: Zoom (Register for link)
Contact: Hannah Fairbanks ’03
Are you interested in (co-)hosting an event with the MHC NorCal Club? Check out our website for more information about organizing an ad hoc or onetime event, which can be anything from a casual get-together to a more coordinated outing. We’re able to support event leads with logistics, so no prior event planning experience is required! We’ve also helped alums promote their NorCal-based art exhibits, book signings, and more; check our website for more details.
Save the Date
“May Day 1903: Winding the Maypole” via MHC’s Archives and Special Collections.
Pangy Day Admitted Students Social
Our take on the school’s springtime tradition, where we’ll celebrate admitted students and welcome them to the MHC community. (Maypole not included.)
All NorCal and Peninsula alums are invited to celebrate spring and show the newest Green Griffins (class of 2029) the strength and vibrancy of the MHC community. Recent alums are particularly encouraged to attend and share their experiences and advice.
When: late March or early April
Where: San Francisco (RSVP coming soon)
Contact: Adrianne Wu ’21
MHC NorCal Club Annual Meeting
A gathering of alums and students where we recap the past year in NorCal events, membership, and finances; hold board elections; and network with each other. Recent annual meetings have featured alum career panels and MHC-themed trivia.
When: mid-June
Where: San Francisco or East Bay (RSVP coming soon)
Contact: Mount Holyoke Club of Northern California
You made it to the end! Thanks for reading, we hope to see you at an upcoming event. 💙
Useful Links
- View our upcoming events → mhcnorcalclub.org/calendar/
- Connect with us on social media → mhcnorcalclub.org/social/
- Learn more about getting involved → mhcnorcalclub.org/volunteer/
- Donate or pay your dues → mhcnorcalclub.org/dues/
- Read about the Board and open positions → mhcnorcalclub.org/board/
- Find answers to frequently asked questions → mhcnorcalclub.org/faq/
The Club is unfortunately unable to edit our mailing list recipients, so if you’d like to unsubscribe from our emails, you’ll need to update your preferences in the Alum Directory. For your convenience, we have compiled step-by-step instructions. Please visit our FAQ to learn more about Club communications and emails, and keep in mind that this information is provided as a courtesy — we cannot provide assistance beyond what’s on our website.