Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

Vanessa’s Cafe

696 E Colorado Blvd in Pasadena

(in the Arcade, directly across from El Portal)

Michael Thurston won a Sherrerd Prize for Distinguished Teaching in 2010.  He teaches courses on American literature, especially poetry, and on modern and contemporary British and Irish poetry.  At our meeting, he plans to use the recent film Midnight in Paris as a way into talking about the famous modernists and what they were really like, both in person and on the page, and then “glide into the fascination of what’s difficult, maybe via Gertrude Stein.”

Please RSVP to Anne at 818-957-7702 or anne_mcneill@yahoo.com

There is no charge for this event

Tickets are just $5, but you must buy them online starting Friday, 2/17. They sell out fast, so don’t dawdle!

More details here.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Link: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2125

Following the release of our January 2012 newsletter, two job leads came our way:

• From Blake Lamb ’99: The City of Los Angeles’s Planning Department is looking for an intern to work on a variety of projects and tasks, including coordination of regional transportation projects, updates to several of its general plan land use elements, such as updates to the Mobility and Housing Elements, drafting of a new Health Element, development of design overlay and specific plans, implementation of the bike plan and the review of new development projects. For more information, download this.
• Karin Thayer ’90 is looking for an intrepid Smithie to do brand and business development for her start-up social network for families called FertilityPlanit. View the job description here. Karin will be in Los Angeles between February 8 and 10 to network with entertainment and business professionals.

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President’s Note

Who’s had time to rest up from last month’s holidays? Certainly not the SCCLA Board. We’re already off and running with a surge of activities to keep you involved.

We’ve given Annemarie Griggs ’84 a leave of absence from newsletter duties to showcase her talents to day-job colleagues for the next six months in New Orleans. With this issue we wholeheartedly welcome Grace Ganssle ’96AC, Heather Jones ’94, and Kay Voravong ’02 to take her place. To help with communications, we gratefully welcome back to the Board Mandy Barton Clark ’95.

Having been energized by the insights of Dr. Andrew Zimbalist, we put our best feet (and mouths) forward at our highly successful Preview Party for Prospective Students. Anticipating another banner year of applicants from L.A., we’ve scheduled interview training sessions in four different areas – Westside, San Fernando Valley, Central and South Bay – before the end of January. Can’t make any of them, but willing to interview? Contact Noriko Ward ’88 or me.

Looking ahead to February, Smithies can revel in the “Kick-Ass Wit” of Molly Ivins ’66 at the Geffen and get to know each other better at the Social Tea in the historic home of Lore Hilburg’s ’73.

Then there’s March – with a Career Network event co-sponsored by our Alumnae Association – that will knock your socks (or whatever you wear) off.

We’ve been busy. Now it’s your turn. If you participate, you will be, too.
Vivian Forbes ’50
president@smithclubla.org

Upcoming Events

*February 1: “Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins” group theatre outing at the Geffen
*February 26: SCCLA Mid-Winter Tea in Lafayette Square
*March 24: Powering Up! Smith Women in Business
*April 22: Breast Cancer Workshop
*May 5: Cinco de Mayo Social Tea

Admissions Committee Update

In time for Reading Period in December 2011, 64 care packages were sent to the current students on campus. These packages let them know that the LA Club is thinking of them during final exams, and enclosed were some sweets and school supplies. Erin Sheehy ’88 kindly donated pens, pencils, highlighters, and erasers. Thank you’s from the undergrads to the Club have been coming in via email.

Your membership to the SCCLA allows us to send these care packages during exam period twice a year – thank you!

On January 8, 2012, 80 people filled Vivian Forbes’ living room for the annual College Preview Party for students interested in Smith. 23 prospective students from various high schools throughout Los Angeles: AGBU Manoogian Demirdjian, Burbank, Calabasas, Carson, Crossroads, Flintridge Prep, Foshay, Franklin, Gertz-Ressler, Hollywood, Marc & Eva Stern Math & Science, Palos Verdes, PV Peninsula, San Dimas, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Van Nuys, and Wildwood were in attendance.

Thank you to Catherine Aguilar ’15, Katherine Hart ’15, Chasity Honaker-Hwang ’15, Ariane Kelsey’15, Sam Liberman ’14, Elizabeth Wroth ’14, and Lauren Young ’12 for spending a precious Sunday afternoon home for the winter break to speak to the prospective students of their Smith experiences!

For the last three years, the number of applicants has broken the preceding years’ records. We are excited to see how many apply this year; and who will be accepted from Los Angeles – stay tuned!

Faculty Speaker Event – ANDREW ZIMBALIST, Ph.D.

On January 7, 2012, a group of 50 Smith alumnae and their guests gathered at the Pacific Palisades home of Victoria Dean ’74 for a lively discussion with Smith faculty member Andrew Zimbalist. Dr. Zimbalist, noted sports economist and Robert A. Wood Professor of Economics at Smith, explained the participation of highly-paid athletes in labor disputes, the conditions that give rise to scandal in professional and college sports, and the true economic impact of sports stadiums on their communities, and then took questions from the group at the Club’s annual Faculty speaker event.

Thanks to Dr. Zimbalist, Victoria and Dorn Dean, and all volunteers who helped to make the event such a success.

Member Announcements

DIRECTORY UPDATE

The electronic and printed versions of the 2011-12 directory will be available in February. All dues- paying members will have access to the electronic version. Copies of printed versions are $8. Contact Colleen Rabin at cyrabin@sbcglobal.net to purchase printed directories.

CO-CHAIR FOR YOUNG MOTHERS’ GROUP NEEDED

Many L.A. Smithies have expressed interest in starting a club for Mothers with Young Children. Alaine Azcona ’96 has volunteered to chair this effort, but a co-chair is needed to get it going. If you’d like to volunteer to help get this group up and running, please contact Vivian Forbes by email or phone 818- 705-3813.

Your Smith degree opens a world of personal and professional connections, and we at the Alumnae Association of Smith College want to help you tap into them.

Join other alumnae from the Los Angeles area for “Powering Up,” a symposium for Smith women in business. During this daylong event, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in discussions with leading experts in the profession on a range of topics, from getting ahead in corporate America to ethics in business. Attend and you will:

• Connect and network with other Smith women who share your professional interests
• Learn about the latest trends and ideas shaping the business world
• Hear directly from Smith President Carol T. Christ on the exciting initiatives around global education, women’s leadership, and access to education currently underway on campus

Don’t miss this opportunity to share experiences and advice, build your contacts, and exchange ideas, business cards, and e-mail addresses.

Take advantage of the Smith network. It’s yours for life.

The link to register and other details are available after the jump:

Organized by the Alumnae Association of Smith College and the Smith College Club of Los Angeles, the program will include two panels, followed by lunch:

• “Success in Today’s Economy – Whether Your Corner Office Is in Your Home or in a Glass Tower”. Moderator: Wendy Webb, ’80, Managing Director, Tennenbaum Capital Partners.
• “The Digital World and the Marketplace – For Ideas and For Product”. Moderator: Judy Milestone, ’66, former Senior Vice President of CNN and instructor at UCLA and Antioch College, Los Angeles.

DETAILS

TIME: 9 AM – 2 PM (sign-in and coffee at 8:30)

PLACE: Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles 90024

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COST: $60 per alumna; $40 for recent alumnae (2011-2006); scholarship assistance available

RSVP: https://alumnae.smith.edu/regional/register_la.php

The fee includes the full program, refreshments, and lunch. Parking is free. The opportunity to provide sponsorships for others to attend is available on the registration form. For information about financial assistance, please contact Betsy Hopkins at bhopkins at smith.edu. Other questions about the event should be sent to AASCevents at smith.edu.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

• Jane Nagakawa ’81, a member of the Autry National Center Board, helped secure this facility for the event.
• Planning Committee: Lois Thompson ’66; Jennifer Beindorf ’91; Noriko Sato Ward ’88; Valerie Castro ’97; Sirinya Tritipeskul Matute ’04; Katherine Reuter ’69

Read on:

Hi there!

My name is Anne Kubitsky (Smith 2005) and I am writing to see if you might be interested in engaging your members in “The Look for the Good Project,” an ongoing community art project. Basically, I am asking people to reflect on something that makes them grateful, write/draw it on a postcard, and then send it to:

What I’m Grateful For
PO Box 602
Old Lyme, CT 06371

It’s really fun and so far — after just a short period of inviting people — I have received cards from all over the
United States (see lookforthegoodproject.org). Since these “glimmers of gladness” will be part of a traveling art exhibition making its debut this January at the Custom House Maritime Museum in New London, CT participants who send a postcard soon might be able to see their work hanging in a museum this January (I’ll post photos of the exhibition on the blog so that people can access it remotely too). Also, if you’d like to learn more about the project, please see my Kickstarter project:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/323465227/the-look-for-the-good-project

Here, you’ll learn about how a whale rescue off the coast of California inspired the whole project and how you can help bring The Look for the Good Project to life. I would be thrilled if you might consider sharing this with the alums in the area.

Anne Kubitsky
lookforthegoodproject.org

Wine, Dine and Be Merry And Celebrate the Holidays with the Smith College Club of Los Angeles at our annual

HOLIDAY SOIREE