I love the pomp and circumstance of graduation ceremonies. This year, for the first time in a long time, our attendance was not required at any offspring’s graduation ceremony.
Dear fraternity and sorority graduates – this is not the end of the membership journey. It is the beginning of your life as an alumna or alumnus. Seize the opportunity to be a part of the alum life of your organization. If there is an alum club/chapter where you’ll be heading, join it. Give to your organization’s foundation. I know you’re probably strapped for cash and don’t have much. Give up the cost of two grand venti coffees and send it to your organization’s foundation. Give at least $15 this year, $20 next year. Get in the habit of giving.
Work for your organization. It can be as simple as being on the lookout for potential new members. Speak of the good things your organization does. Keep current – read the magazine, visit the web-site, sign up for e-mails and tweets. Volunteer to work with a chapter, or put your name in the hat for committee work. Every national/international officer once was in the same place you find yourself today.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy life ahead. And remember when you speak of your membership in a fraternity or sorority, say “I am an ABC” not “I was an ABC.”
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The Laurel Parade is an important part of Mount Holyoke’s College graduation/welcome to alumnae life weekend. The Laurel Parade takes place the day before graduation. It is when the graduating class is welcomed into the Alumnae Association, by the anniversary classes celebrating reunions. Each class – first year, sophomore, junior, and senior – has a class color, either red, blue, green, or yellow. For the parade, each class is dressed in white. Each class has a uniform item in the class color – hats, scarves, boas, flowers, umbrellas, etc. to set the class apart from other classes. The graduating class marches last and carries a laurel chain. The parade ends at the gravestone of Mary Lyon in the middle of campus. The graduating class encircles the grave singing Bread and Roses.
This year’s parade was filmed from a flying camera by Miranda Gontz, Class of 2016. It’s at http://goo.gl/n3GMEh. It’s a very short film and captures only the graduates walking with the laurel chain. It ends at Mary Lyon’s gravestone.
Two Mount Holyoke College alumnae with a favorite professor. Their class color is yellow.
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Wednesday’s post was about the loss of our dog, Tigger. The house was so quiet and we were missing having a furry creature around. Yesterday, we brought a new dog home. She’s yet to be named, but she’s a cute little bitty thing, a Pomeranian/terrier mix who needed a good home. Something tells me she just won the lottery.
Our new dog, yet unnamed.
