Penny Gill
In naming Mount Holyoke as a beneficiary of her retirement plan to establish a scholarship fund for international students, Professor Emeritus of Politics Penny Gill is proud to affirm the College’s commitment to fostering a global, diverse community.
“I walked through the Gates and thought, ‘If I could be here, my whole life will change.’”
Generations of Mount Holyoke alums share this sentiment. But for faculty member Penny Gill, that life-changing moment didn’t happen as a student — it happened during her job interview.
In 1971, Penny was teaching European politics at a large Midwestern state university. She found herself struggling to connect with her students in 200-seat lecture halls beset with broken technology. Meanwhile, a thousand miles east, the Pioneer Valley was ablaze with what Penny called “an explosion of feminist scholarship and creativity.” She wanted to be part of it.
Penny was hired and went on to spend more than four decades at Mount Holyoke, eventually serving as Dean of the College and retiring in 2015 as Mary Lyon Professor of Humanities.
In Mount Holyoke’s small classrooms, Penny met young women “who were so present, so hungry,” she recalled. “After a couple of classes, I dumped my lectures in comparative politics. I asked them, ‘Do you think we can discuss ideas instead?’ We had to learn how to do that together. It was just thrilling!”
Penny helped students understand their roles in a complex world, and they, in turn, gave her the gifts of deep friendship and a closer connection with the world. The global perspectives they brought to Penny’s classroom made for enriching discussions. While Mount Holyoke already boasted a long tradition of welcoming international students — prompted initially, Penny noted, by relationships forged by the missionaries Mary Lyon trained in the seminary’s earliest days — their numbers increased during Penny’s tenure at the College. As different regions of the world experienced global conflict and change, their brightest daughters made their way to Mount Holyoke. “The universe,” Penny realized, “was bringing the world to me.” She is proud that there are now students and alums from every corner of the globe.
In this collegial environment, Penny quickly connected with faculty who shared her openness to inquiry and change. She fondly remembers being mentored by President David Truman, working closely with Presidents Elizabeth “Liz” Topham Kennan and Joanne V. Creighton, having regular lunches with Dean of Faculty Donal O’Shea and collaborating with colleagues to develop unique courses, such as the beloved first-year seminar, Paths and Presences in the West.
Now retired, Penny nurtures her Mount Holyoke friendships from her home in northern Wisconsin. Her curiosity about other cultures has led her to write two books (with a third in development) on cultivating Tibetan wisdom teachings within the self to reframe one’s understanding of the world. She also writes a blog on this topic.
In gratitude for all that Mount Holyoke gave her, professionally and personally, Penny named the College as a beneficiary of her retirement account. Her gift will create the Penny Gill Scholarship Fund for International Students.
“While there are many things I would be thrilled to fund at Mount Holyoke,” Penny said, “I feel it’s critical to affirm and support Mount Holyoke’s commitment to fostering a global, diverse community” — a fitting way to honor the College that gave her, and so many, the world.
Gifts to support financial aid for international students today in Penny Gill’s honor can be made through The Mount Holyoke Fund. Under the “I would like my gift to support” dropdown, select “Scholarship Aid for International Students.” To learn how you may include the Penny Gill Scholarship Fund for International Students in your estate plans, contact Alison LaRosa, assistant director of gift planning, via email or at 413-538-2754.