In Uncertain Times, Radcliffe Celebrates Anniversary

Though the women's college that gave it birth has now merged with Harvard, the Radcliffe Mentor Program celebrated its 15th year anniversary yesterday evening.

The program pairs undergraduate women with Radcliffe College alumnae to explore career choices and discuss professional issues.

About 40 people, including mentors, mentees, program committee members and friends of Radcliffe, gathered in the Cronkhite Graduate Center living room to celebrate the program's success and honor its founders Dr. Cynthia A. Piltch '74 and Phillipa Bovet, formerly a dean of Radcliffe College.

Piltch said she first conceived of a mentoring program when she found herself in need of support and direction after her graduation from Radcliffe.

"Kids were so hungry to talk to people who were out there doing things rather than just academics," she said.

Piltch said she proposed the idea for such a mentorship program to Harvard in the mid 1980's, but was told "Harvard students don't need support."

But when Piltch took the idea to Radcliffe College, she said Bovet greeted it enthusiastically.

Bovet said last night she was grateful for Piltch's determination to start the program.

"It's a program I've been tremendously inspired by," she said.

The mentor and undergraduate pairs attending the event said they have found the mentor program effective.

Irene B. Janis '03 has been paired with mentor Katharyn S. Hok '90, a pre-school teacher, for the past year. The relationship works, they said, in part because of their similar interests in education. But Janis said she was grateful for being able to talk to Hok about "many different things" and having that connection with a Radcliffe graduate, not just for the career advice Hok provides.

Ruth K. O'Meara-Costello '02 said even though she is not sure she is going to be a poet like her mentor, Wendy M. Mnookin '68, she has still been grateful for the support.

"[It's] nice to be able to discuss my interest in English with her," O'Meara-Costello said.

Steering committee member Norma G. Markson '54 said the mentors sometimes learn as much as their students.

"The mentoring goes both ways. I've learned so much from the women being mentored as the mentors themselves. We have a brilliant group of women here."

With Radcliffe College's October 1 merger with Harvard, the future of the mentorship program remains uncertain.

This year, the program has proceeded normally--from a kick-off luncheon at the beginning of the year for mentor-undergraduate pairs to trips and speaker-luncheons.

But program organizers have been discussing long-term planning over the course of the year.

The mentor program's autonomy from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study may be key to its future.

Many formerly single sex Radcliffe programs have had to open up participation to both men and women--or disband entirely--as the Institute moves to comply with Harvard's policies about gender discrimination.

But the independent Radcliffe College Alumnae Association (RCAA) runs the mentor program, and though the Institute funds RCAA, it is not technically involved in the mentor program's administration.

"The future's looking good," said Catherine I. Malmberg '00, the undergraduate representative for the Radcliffe Mentor Program.

Malmberg also said Harvard recognizes that the program serves as an effective way for Radcliffe alumnae to stay involved with undergraduates.

"Harvard supports the mentor program," she said.

The event also featured guest speakers Dr. Deborah Sichel and Jeanne Watson Driscoll, who recently co-authored a book on women's moods.

Towards the end of the celebration, Piltch and program committee members lit the candles of a cake and sang "Happy Birthday to us."

Piltch said she hoped the Radcliffe Mentor Program would celebrate many birthdays in the future.