Welcome Back Class of 2009

September 1, 2007

Dear Juniors,

Welcome back to Mount Holyoke!  I hope that your summer experiences were fun and fulfilling.  I am excited about moving with you into your junior year and look forward to connecting with each one of you.

This is an exciting time in your college career and a year of many continued MHC traditions.  By now many of you have chosen a major, decided to study abroad, established career goals, have had opportunities to do summer research, have or are in the process of doing internships, have or are thinking about independent study options and/or thesis work, have decided to go on to graduate or professional school, or again are in the process of making those decisions.  To help with the many options available to you, the Alumnae Association, Career Development Center (CDC), McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives (CGI), Dean of Students Office, members of the faculty, your class board, and my office, are working to bring you a special Junior Banquet.  The banquet on October 28th is a great opportunity for the junior class to come together once more. To ensure that this event will meet your needs, as well as be eligible for the special gifts, please go to: www.alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/go/juniors and complete the survey by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19th.  This event and other dates to keep in mind are posted below.

Key Dates to Keep In Mind

*Classes Begin   Thurs. Sept. 6th

*Last day to add classes  Wed. Sept. 19th

*Last day to withdraw from a course without a “W” recorded   Wed. Sept. 26th

*Last day to declare un-graded option for Sophomores    Wed. Sept. 26th

*Mid-semester break  Sat-Tues Oct. 6-9th

*Friends and Family Weekend   Fri-Sun Oct. 19-21st

*Junior Class Banquet   Sun.  Oct 28th

*Academic Advising Period  Mon-Fri Nov. 5-9th

*Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” recorded  Thurs. Nov 15th

*Thanksgiving Recess  Wed-Sun Nov. 21-25th

*Last Day of Classes  Wed. Dec 12th

Please remember that Friends and Family Weekend will be a great opportunity for friends, family, your classmates, and the MHC community, to view the summer research and internship experiences of our talented students.

You can review your academic progress by going on-line to ISIS and access your degree audit and transcript.  Please remember to review both your degree audit and transcript to determine if everything is correct.  In reviewing your degree audit, make sure you have a plan for meeting the residency requirement.  This requirement states that a student must complete 64 credits over four semesters during your sophomore, junior, or senior years.  If there are any changes needed, please contact the registrar at registrar@mtholyoke.edu, and feel free to copy me on this correspondence. 

While the choices that you made, or are in the process of making, are very exciting; you may also find this time somewhat problematic.  You may be challenged by what you view as an ill-selected major, or an overwhelming course load, or a difficult exam schedule, or inadequate planning, or various other disturbing situations.  It is at times like this that it is important to realize that no one is here by accident and that your success is tied to Mount Holyoke Colleges’ success.  Remember to utilize your resources on campus by reaching out to your advisors, deans, professors and trusted others on campus.  Finally, make sure to develop a reasonable plan for motivation and relaxation.

There are a number of resources are available to help in your decision-making or the need for self-exploration and evaluation.  The faculty and department liaisons are excellent resources for helping you if you decide to change your major.  You can access the list of department liaisons from my webpage at: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/deans/11845.shtml. The CDC is a great resource for information about career paths, internships, fellowships, as well as professional and graduate schools.  Their address on-line is:  http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/cdc/index.shtml.  If you are thinking about learning opportunities abroad (during the summer or during J-term) or doing an international internship, the McCullough Center for Global Initiatives is available and the webpage can be viewed at:  http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/programs/global/. Some additional resources that may be helpful in navigating this semester include the members of the Speaking, Arguing, and Writing Program (SAW) (extension 3428), and John Body, Associate Dean for Learning Skills.  The staff at the SAW Center are glad to work with you on improving your writing and/or speaking skills. John Body offers academic counseling for students with learning disabilities at the Office for Learning Skills in Safford Hall at extension 2504.  Please be reminded that Counseling Services (extension 2037) is not just for students-in-crisis; but, can also provide support to any student undergoing the challenges involved with college life.  Additionally, the staff at Elliott House is a wonderful support resource that is available to you.

Because you can now see light at the end of the tunnel, please use this letter as a reminder of how far you have come and to gauge what you might have left to accomplish. This letter will also be available at my webpage mentioned above.  Embrace this year as a time for reflection, engagement, balance, and accomplishment.   Finally, as the Dean for the Class of 2009, I am anxious to work with you and can be found on the third floor of Mary Lyon (extension 2855).  Welcome Again Upper-Class Women and I look forward to being of assistance.

Sincerely,

B. Connie Allen, Ph.D.
Dean of Class of 2009
Chemistry Dept. Faculty