1996

By all accounts, our first Homecoming as alums was a huge success. Although I couldn't get away that weekend, I heard repeatedly from those who were there that it was like old times seeing familiar faces on the Green, hanging out at Murphy's, gazing at the huge bonfire, cheering on the team from the stands, dancing to the beats of the D.J. at Chi Gam...Special thanks to Shelley Arakawa, who was able to take the time away from her busy job in the admissions office to organize the young alumni tent. Hope everyone who made it up had a terrific time.

This year Dartmouth commemorates its 25th year of coeducation. Although we will read about the controversy surrounding the 1970s decision, as well as the upheaval it brought initially to the campus, we need to look no further than the women of our own class of 1996 to realize the extraordinary contributions women have brought, both to Dartmouth and beyond. Perhaps no one can top April Whitescarver's recent news not only does she love Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va., but she was also recently named one of the top candidates in her class of more than 200. With graduation only a few weeks away, she will soon accept her commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps with high honors. In addition, she writes laughingly, "I am also in great shape from running so much and carrying my M-16 around all day!" Congratulations!

Careers seem to be unfolding for many '96 women these days. Last August, I just learned, Tracy Canard represented Dartmouth at the 1996 Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship Conference in Chantilly, Va. One of only 25 students from around the country selected as a fellow at the conference, she has been awarded a generous scholarship to pursue graduate school in education. Best of luck!

Vanessa Santaga e-mailed recently, saying that she is really enjoying her job at MBA, an education consulting firm in New York City. She also talks regularly with Kim Sanderson, who serves as a media planner for Grey Advertising. Also in New York, Suzanne Leonard has accepted a position at Fitness magazine, a job that she says is both very interestingshe does a substantial amount of writing and editing and also has "lots of potential" for the future. In Boston, Heather McNemar is a job developer for the Jewish Vocational Service's Refugee Employment Program. She also lives in the city with fellow '96s Liz Rawson and Matt Bailey. Down in Washington, D.C., Amy Westpfahl says she loves her work at a Northern Virginia health care consulting firm, as well as her new apartment in northwest D.C. Out west, BeritCampion, Nora Stowell, and AlixBadenhausen are living and working in Aspen, Colo., where, they say, they "can't wait for ski season!"

For those women who chose the graduate school route right out of Dartmouth, life is busy, but manageable. LisaStudness is surviving her first year of law school at Vanderbilt, as are Betsy Miller and Miriam Cherry at Harvard. Elizabeth Manheim is taking classes in microbiology and molecular genetics at Rutgers University. At Syracuse, KristinaMarty is studying for her master's degree in public administration. She was also awarded a fellowship as a teaching assistant there. Neesha Ramchandani, having spent last summer on a fellowship doing laboratory research for the American Heart Association, is now pursuing a master's degree in medical science from Boston University. Chesley Homan has begun the first of many years of study toward her history Ph.D. at William & Mary, a course of study she finds duly challenging, but also "very interesting."

Any news? Both your classmates and I would love to hear from you, so drop me a line.

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