Stories

Jan. 24, 2020

At Vassar’s sixth annual Sophomore Career Connections, held on the weekend of January 17, 248 sophomores gained invaluable insights from 103 alumnae/i and parents who spent the weekend helping them envision their futures. The event was co-hosted by the Career Development Office and the Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development.

Dec. 18, 2019

The Vassar community witnessed some remarkable events and achievements in 2019. Here are some of the highlights:

Dec. 13, 2019

Vassar alumna Diana Pearson ’78 has donated more than 80 manuscripts and other material from her late husband’s rare book and manuscript collection to Special Collections at Thompson Library. Some students in a medieval history class spent an hour viewing one of the manuscripts, and more students and scholars will benefit from the generous donation in the future.

Dec. 9, 2019

Nearly 150 students, administrators, faculty, staff and alumnae/i submitted photographs from all over the globe for Vassar’s 15^th annual International Photo Contest.

Dec. 4, 2019

More than 300 students and 130 alumnae/i gathered on the campus November 16 for Major Palooza, a day-long event in which Vassar grads shared information and advice on how they had parlayed their liberal arts education into rewarding careers.

Nov. 18, 2019

Alumnae/i, students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered for the Larry H. Mamiya Memorial Conference Celebrating 50 Years of Africana Studies at Vassar College in early November. Several alumnae who participated in the three-day occupation of Main Building in 1969, widely credited for helping to secure support for the college’s new Black Studies program, were in attendance.

Nov. 5, 2019

The AAVC presented its annual Spirit of Vassar Award to dance educator Russell Baker ’91 and its Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award to Robert K. Brigham, Vassar’s Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations, at an October 18 awards dinner.

Oct. 16, 2019

Sherrilyn Ifill ’84 and astronomy professor Debra Elmegreen are among the newest inductees to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Sep. 25, 2019

An exhibition featuring the work of Joseph Christian Leyendecker, a noted 20th century illustrator who produced ads for the company that made Arrow shirts, has triggered a confluence of Vassar connections at Reynolda House Museum of American Art in North Carolina.  Allison Slaby ’93 is the exhibition curator. Senior Writer Lance Ringel will present his play about the famed “Arrow Collar Man.” And Suzanne Shapiro ’04, fashion historian for the company that produced the Arrow brand, will deliver a lecture.

Sep. 11, 2019

During Convocation, the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College presented the award for Distinguished Achievement to renowned architect and historic preservation champion Phyllis Bronfman Lambert ’48 and the Young Alumnae/i Achievement Award to five members of the technology startup eevo—Jacob Adelgren ’15, Alejandro Dinsmore ’15, Matthew Griffiths ’17, Casey Hancock ’16, and Harris Gordon ’15.

Jul. 30, 2019

In conjunction with a New York-based social impact investment firm, the family and friends of educator Dan Mindich ’87, who died in 2014, will donate $2.25 million to Vassar, contingent on $1.25 million in matching funds, to help the college continue to provide training and mentoring for Vassar students planning to become teachers.

Jul. 17, 2019

The fusion of art and nature was the theme of a daylong event on June 29 at Kew Gardens in London, hosted by Vassar’s Office of Regional and International Programs and attended by more than 90 alumnae/i. The gathering was organized in conjunction with the exhibition, Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on Nature, and featured a talk by Leslie Jackson Chihuly ’83.

Jul. 9, 2019

Composer and sound designer Fitz Patton ’88 has earned many awards, but called the night he won the 2019 Tony award for best sound design for the critically acclaimed production of Choir Boy “possibly the greatest night” of his life.

Jul. 5, 2019

Vassar was well represented at New York City’s World Pride Parade on June 30, while two longtime gay rights activists, Eric Marcus ’80 and Ann Northrop ’70, took part in an alternative march on the same day that was organized to protest what they called the over-commercialization of the main event.

Jun. 18, 2019

About 35 alumnae/i and family members took part in a program on Jewish and Muslim Student Life during Reunion June 7.

Jun. 18, 2019

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has bestowed two top honors on Vassar’s Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development. OAAD was cited for its overall performance in fundraising and for its annual Sophomore Career Connections program.

Jun. 8, 2019

Gerry Laybourne ’69, P’93, a Vassar trustee and former President of the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College, received the AAVC’s Outstanding Service to Vassar College Award for her exceptional contributions to Vassar.

Jun. 8, 2019

Reunion 2019 was full of many highlights, including a record-setting class gift of $16.3 million from the class of 1969, six class attendance records, and absolutely gorgeous weather.

May. 26, 2019

CNN host and criminal justice advocate Van Jones delivered the Commencement address on May 26 at Vassar’s 155^th graduation ceremony.

May. 24, 2019

Savannah Smith ’19, Nicholas Gedigk ’19 and five recent alums will teach or do research in a total of six countries on three continents as recipients of 2019 Fulbright Scholarships.