Dear students,

Happy Latine/Latinx Heritage Month! (It starts on Sunday)! Our month-long festivities will begin with a kickoff celebration on Monday, Sept. 16, at 7 pm in the Great Room in Blanchard featuring a very special keynote address by author Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez! Throughout the month, there will be many exciting events to look forward to, including Homecoming at the Ortega, Noche Latina, and more.

We want to thank everyone who helped make Nightfest bigger and brighter than ever. It was amazing to see so many of you at the event, and we deeply appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in bringing this vibrant celebration of our community to life. (Photos in header and footer)

Wonderful to see so many of you at the election debate watch party on campus hosted by the Office of Student Involvement and College Dems. (Photo in header!) There are more election-related resources available on our Election 2024 webpage!

As we enter election season, the 2024-2025 Common Read, “I Never Thought of It That Way,” has phenomenal tools for exercising your curiosity skills and reaching across knowledge gaps to connect to people (make use of the Library Guide, too!) – it is also a great resource for engaging in difficult conversations with folks who may think differently than you.

The first Interfaith Lunch of the semester, hosted by the Office of Community and Belonging, took place yesterday. If you didn’t know, these lunches provide a warm and inclusive space for learning, discussion, and community-building, all while sharing a delicious meal. All are welcome!

Earlier this week, the first Interfaith LLC gathering of the year brought together students from diverse faith and spiritual backgrounds. This event continues the community-building work that started when the Interfaith LLC was launched in 2017. (Photo in header)

Mountain Day, one of Mount Holyoke’s oldest traditions, is just around the corner! Make sure you read the details page to understand when it starts (7 am when the bells ring out!) and ends (4 pm) along with how to get to and from the mountain and how to prepare (bring water!). When do you think it will take place this year? Don’t forget to share your prediction using the Guess Mountain Day form.

A big shoutout to the Office of Student Involvement for organizing the Involvement Fair on Sunday and to the many student organizations who participated, showcasing their passions and creating opportunities for others to connect. (P.S. I loved seeing you all at the fair! Don't forget to email me at dean-students@mtholyoke.edu if you would like to have breakfast with your org as part of Meals with Marcella!) I hope all who attended the fair found a student organization that resonates with their interests! (Photos in header)

Looking for other ways to meet people and get involved on campus?

• Community and Belonging’s homecoming events at the Cultural Centers and Elliot House invite students, faculty, staff, and alums to come together in affinity spaces and celebrate MHC’s vibrant cultural and religious traditions. All who identify with the affinity of these centers are encouraged and warmly invited to attend! Thanks to all who joined in community at the Zowie Banteah Cultural Center Homecoming last night!
• Sign up for the Be Well Be Together program! (Learn more in the Be Well section)
• Looking to get involved in campus leadership? The Class Boards of 2028 and 2026 are looking for members. Visit the All Campus Elections webpage to learn more.
• Interested in advising about how to get involved at MHC? Learn more and apply for the Engage MHC Co-Curricular Credential Program! (Learn more about the program below!)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Marcella

Marcella Runell

Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Students

Be Well

Be Well Be Together is here to offer students a welcoming space to meet new people and make new friends! Through Be Well Be Together, students can build connections, play games, make crafts, have meals together, and participate in many other weekly group activities. Sign up for Be Well Be Together and join in on the fun! The window to sign up ends Sept. 20. Students who sign up will receive information about their Be Well Be Together group on the weekend of the 20th. We hope to see you this semester!
 

Mindful Walk: On Tuesdays, starting Sept. 17, join the Outing Club and Be Well for a walk to enjoy the beautiful campus and connect with nature. Meet in front of Kendall at 4:30 pm for a mindful and relaxed 20-minute walk on the path around Upper Lake. Everyone will share a positive intention before the walk. The first half of the walk will be silent, then conversation will be welcome. This will be followed by a group sharing. This walk is a guided outdoor activity to encourage mindfulness with no inclines, plenty of shade, and easy terrain. Please bring water and wear comfy shoes.

Wellness Wednesdays with Emily J: Join Emily, our Be Well intern, for a creative and fun wellness pop-up activity on the second floor of Blanchard from noon to 3 pm!

Vision Board Workshop: Join Emily J on Wed, Sept. 18, from 4:30-5:15 pm on the second floor of Blanchard. This workshop offers an empowering and imaginative goal-setting session where participants will create a vision board. The first part of the workshop consists of guided meditation, reflection and journaling. There will be a variety of magazines to choose from for collage making.

Announcements & Updates

Preparing for Mountain Day 2024

• While we're not sure when Mountain Day will happen, we want you to be prepared! You'll receive an email from President Holley at 7 am on the day of the event indicating that it's Mountain Day. Check out the Mountain Day details page to find all of the need-to-know information, from shuttles to ice cream to the hike and more!
   

Intergroup Dialogue on Race and Racism

• Would you like to make more connections on campus, gain key skills in communicating across difference, and explore the topic of Race and Racism? Join us October 5-6 for our weekend Intergroup Dialogue course, CUSP 215-RR, “Exploring Race and Racism in the United States and at Mount Holyoke College. Learn more and apply HERE
  (the Intergroup Dialogue is available for non-credit or 1 academic credit)

Get involved with Engage MHC 

• Interested in advising about how to get involved at MHC? Sign up for the Engage MHC Co-Curricular Credential Program! Open to all students, but sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply!
• Those who participate in the program get to make connections with other students; learn about, participate in, and track their involvement on-campus; and at the end receive a co-curricular credential, recognition at the Leadership and Service Awards, and more! Applications are due Sunday, Sept. 22!
   

Run to be a Hall Senator

• Hall Senators represent their residence hall in Senate, bringing concerns, ideas, and more on how to improve the student experience. Applications are open now.

Dining Services: Harvest Station changes

• To make you all aware, some light construction is scheduled for the Harvest Station through Sept. 19. During this time, cold items from Harvest will be relocated to the Wok CTO station. During this period, the CTO station will not offer its usual items. Additional menu items will be available on the left side of the Wok station, which will remain open until 3 pm instead of 2 pm. The Harvest station will continue to serve non-refrigerated items until Sept. 9. From Sept. 9 to Sept. 14, all non-refrigerated items will be moved to alternative locations.

Apply now - Lynk on the Road

• On Friday, Oct. 18, Weissman and Career Development Center will head to New York City to visit employer sites and alum, followed by a visit to the United Nations. These site visits offer a unique opportunity to gain insider knowledge about the industry directly from alums and other professionals within the organization. All class years and majors are eligible to apply! Please note that previous participants can apply. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, Sept. 27. After initial screenings by the CDC’s External Relations team and the Weissman Center, the strongest applicants will be selected and notified by Sept.30.

2024-2025 Common Read, “I Never Thought of It That Way”

• Mount Holyoke College’s 2024 Common Read is “I Never Thought of It That Way” by Mónica Guzmán. You’re strongly encouraged to check out a copy from LITS or a local library, snag a copy from The Odyssey Bookshop or a local bookstore, or download the audio version online! Then, make use of the LITS Common Read Guide with guided reading questions, more about the author, additional resources, and more! The author will join us on-campus Nov. 19!

Student Employment and Workday

• Are you a new student and interested in working on campus? Or, are you a returning student worker? Review the Workday training materials to help you apply for jobs, show you how to enter time, and update your payment elections. Still have questions? If you need help completing a task in Workday, please submit a help ticket. If you have questions relating to working on campus, please email student-employment@mtholyoke.edu.

Events & Experiences

Navigating the News During Election Season 2024

• This workshop offers prompts, tools, activities, and discussions aimed at understanding the bias in information sources and ourselves as we explore how to navigate the news and media landscape during the 2024 election season.

"I'm not the river Jhelum" (2022) Film Screening

• Film screening and discussion with director Prabhash Chandra on Monday, Sept. 30, from 5-7 pm in Gamble Auditorium. In following the life of its young protagonist Afeefa, the film traces her growing understanding of the forces at play in Kashmir, India.

Latine/Latinx Heritage Month kickoff featuring Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez

• It’s Latine/Latinx Month from September 15 to October 15, 2024. Join us for a kickoff celebration on Sept. 16 at 7 pm in the Great Room in Blanchard Hall. This will include a featured performance by Sangre del Sol and a very special keynote address by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez, author of “For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts” and the new text “Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us.” Rodríguez will be in dialogue with Dr. Kristian Contreras. All are welcome to attend.

Save the Date: Family and Friends Weekend 2024!

• Families, friends and loved ones are invited to join us this autumn for Family and Friends Weekend! From October 25-27, experience our campus's culture of academic excellence and vibrant cocurricular life. The weekend kicks off with the LEAP Symposium, a premier showcase of student summer work, curated by and for Mount Holyoke students. Stay tuned for the schedule of events! We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful campus!

Falkenberg Lecture: Artist talk with Harmonia Rosales

• The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum is hosting a conversation between artist Harmonia Rosales and Dr. Stephanie Sparling Willams, Curator of American Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, to celebrate 'The Harvest', a painting currently on view at MHCAM on Sept. 19 from 5:30-6:30 pm in Gamble Auditorium. Reception to follow. This program is made possible by the Patricia and Edward Falkenberg Lecture Fund, and is co-sponsored by the Art History, Art Studio, and Religion departments and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Resources & Reminders

College’s emergency response procedures

• Any emergency should be promptly reported to Public Safety and Service at 413-538-2304. For medical emergencies, call 911 or 1-911 from a campus phone. Please note that weather alerts are announced at the top of every page of the College website, with details on the campus alerts page. You can sign up for the Emergency Notification System here.

Care and support resources

• This site includes important phone numbers, support groups, and drop-in spaces, specific resources related to COVID support, and information about connecting with staff in the Division of Student Life. Mount Holyoke College urges community members to submit a Care and Support Report for observed behavior that warrants concern for the safety of the community and/or the safety of an individual.

• The Safety Net Fund program offers financial support for students who may have difficulty accessing living necessities, access to technology, and/or other needs to support successful academic learning. To apply, please fill out the Safety Net Fund form. Please note the form is being hosted in a different location using new software. The Book Advance form is also available!

Religious Accommodations Fall 2024

• If there is a religious holiday that will impact your attendance or other participation in classes, please submit a Religious Accommodations Form. Requests should be submitted preferably before the last day to add a course, which is , but I strongly encourage you to submit the form early. Policies and a link to the form can be found on the Religious Accommodations website.

Textbook Resources

• We have compiled a list of resources, tools, and suggestions to help you navigate the process of getting your textbooks for the fall. Take a moment to check out the Textbook Resources page to learn more!

PVTA Bus Service

• Ongoing PVTA Bus Service updates can be found on the bus page of the Five College website, and at pvta.com.

Mount Holyoke Shuttles and On-Campus Zipcards

• The College provides shuttle service for students to local places such as CVS pharmacy, Holyoke Mall, and Stop and Shop grocery store. For the full schedule and to sign-up review the Fleet Service webpage.
• Mount Holyoke has an affiliation with Zipcar to support student access to their self-service, on-demand car sharing in the area. To use Zipcars, simply register as a member, reserve a car online or by phone, use your Zipcard to enter the car, and drive away. When you’re done, return the car to the same location where you picked it up.