Regis College - Mount Regis Yearbook (Weston, MA)

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Unification “Women’s work is always towards wholeness.” — May Sarton, Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing. September of 1985 witnessed the final return of the woman and the knowledge of that finality hung in the air with the chill of approaching winter. The reality that she was finishing something that she had started four years ago was disconcerting; however, her expectation of the challenge that lay ahead counteracted her fear. Her concentration constantly fluctuated between thoughts about her future and daily academic concerns. It was evident that she shared this instability with the other women in her class. The strain was visible in their faces. The late night discussions which had often seemed illusory were becoming more serious as dreams were driven to reality. The thrilling surge of expectation at first seemed powerful enough to carry her to graduation, but it was not. The perseverance and determination which had seen her through the first three years would have to resurge once again. She realized that the paralyzing fear of her youth was gradually subsiding; in its place grew an inspired optimism. As she sat before the tower in the bright October sunshine she remembered her first impressions of that symbol on the letterhead of her acceptance notice. That impression had changed continuously over the past four years, but the tower remained unchanged reflecting the continuity of the education for which it stood. Glancing at her fellow classwomen walking stiffly in their newly donned robes, she recalled the huddled mass of frightened faces four years before. This group no longer merely completed All photos, Jay Mastalerz one another out of fear and insecurity, but instead complemented one another as unique individuals. The independence that had developed in each of them served not to separate them but rather to unify them as a group of aware and well-educated women. The completeness they had achieved seemed ironic as they faced their last spring together. The woman reflected that again the recurrent cycle was at an end, but while the beginning of its next revolution held some fear, she faced it with courage for she knew that in a very real way, she was whole.

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• • • In The Beginning Robert Browning once wrote, “Burrow awhile and build, brood on the roots of things.” Each year on a bright, September day, softened by the last breath of summer, new freshwomen arrive at Regis College to begin a transitional or building phase in their lives. Each family car, heavy with the weight of a lifetime of paraphernalia, pulls up the long, tree-lined driveway and each new student is warmly greeted by the friendly, smiling faces of Regis upperclasswomen. Thus begins Orientation Weekend, one of the most special traditionsl at Regis College. Orientation at Regis is characterized by more than the endless lectures by faculty and administration members; it consists of more than acquainting new students with buildings and policies; it is highlighted by more than the nervous chattering of new roommates or the creative decorating of the walls of a generally utilitarian cubicle. Orientation provides a unique opportunity for new students to meet some very special old ones: the members of the Orientation Committee. Nancy McGowan, a member of the Class of 1986, and a member of the Orientation Committee for three years best describes her colleagues on the committee: “They are active and outgoing and have a positive outlook on life and on Regis.” Suzanne Young, a member of the Class of 1989, concurs, “I was so impressed that I can’t wait to join the committee next year. The Orientation Committee made me feel right at home. By the third day, I knew I had made the right choice in coming to Regis.” Nancy, however, recalls feeling lonely and isolated during her own Orientation. Part of the reason she applied for a position on the committee her sophomore year was to change that. “I wanted to reach out to the people who were forgotten,” says Nancy. The Orientation Committee has dedicated its seemingly endless energy supply to making the transition to college a smooth one for all new students. The sincerity and warmth of the members alleviates the feeling of fragmentation which hangs heavy on the spirits of the new students. From the moment they arrive on campus the members greet the new students with smiling faces and helping hands. Throughout Orientation Weekend the socials and informal discussions organized by the Committee also help to ease the transition. From the first greetings at the gate, to the smiling faces and helpful advice, to the initiation rite late in the night, the Orientation Committee assists new students in building toward the future. Through the tradition of Orientation, we are all able to capture the true meaning and spirit of Regis. O -Laura A. Kelly 12 McGowan and McLaughlin Movers Unlimited.