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Fall Events
Save
the Date: Fall Full Council meeting
The
fall meeting of the Full Council for Women of Boston
College will take place on October 28 and 29 in New
York City. The event will commence with dinner on the
evening of October 28. Council Members will meet the
following day at the Waldorf Astoria. For more information,
contact Caroline O'Brien at caroline.obrien.2@bc.edu.
Save
the Date: Continuing the Journey - New York City
The
Council will offer its Continuing the Journey program
to New York City alumnae for the first time this November
16–and not a moment too soon, say event co-chairs
Pat Bonan '79 and Marie Oates '85.
Continuing
the Journey events provide advice and inspiration to
alumnae looking to restart their careers after leaving
the workforce for personal reasons or to focus on family.
At the New York City event, Pat and Marie say they also
expect to host many alumnae who have been laid off and
want to return to work.
"The
timing for this is just right," says Marie. "The
economic crisis has caused many women to seek new work
opportunities, and the job market today is tough. It's
really a privilege to offer this service to our fellow
alumnae. We have been able to assemble a terrific group
of women to provide feedback and practical advice."
Eliza
Shanley, managing partner of Women@Work and a national
expert on women in the workplace, will open the event
with a plenary session entitled "How to Communicate
Your Brand." Participants will then take part in resume
and interviewing workshops, facilitated by highly accomplished
Council Members.
"This
will be a very hands-on event, focused on the how-to's.
Participants will learn skills they can use right away,"
says Pat. "That combined with the invaluable networking
opportunity makes this a very important program. We're
thrilled to be offering this program now." To register
for this event, please click
here.
Novel Program Targets Recent Graduates
The
Council invited young Boston-area alumnae to take part
in a special Beginning the Journey program on Wednesday,
October 7, in the Murray Room of the Yawkey Athletics
Club. This first-of-its-kind event in the Boston area
addressed the unique challenges of alumnae who graduated
from BC between two and 10 years ago.
In
recent months, Kathleen Power '72, who oversaw plans
for the event, reached out to a number of young alumnae
to learn about the issues that concern them most.
"They
consistently voiced two main concerns," says Kathleen.
"Balancing work and family and advancing their
careers in the weakened economy."
At
the October 7 event, several Council Members shared
tactical tips culled from their own experiences–both
navigating uncertain economic times and balancing life
and work. A networking session that followed gave attendees
opportunities to develop networking skills and start
building relationships with potential mentors and colleagues.
Museum
Event Features Civil War-Era Drawings
On
September 15, a special CWBC museum event brought Council
Members and Associate Members, alumni, and friends back
to campus to explore the largest private collection
of Civil War era drawings, which have never been exhibited.
First Hand: Civil War Era Drawings from the Becker Collection,
including landmark drawings by some of the era's most
notable artist-reporters, presents an untapped historical
resource that sheds new light on the nation's conflicted
past. A reception followed the viewing.
 Beginning
the Journey on Campus
Boston
College junior and senior women picked up some professional
pointers and strategies at the September 30 Beginning
the Journey: Leadership Skills and Career Advice event
held at the Yawkey Athletics Center. Council Members
hailing from the business, education, media, and health
care sectors facilitated discussions and offered their
expertise on networking strategies to find internships
and career opportunities. Facilitators and students
then had a chance to talk and network informally at
a dinner reception.
 Go
Eagles
CWBC
cheered the Eagles on to a double victory on September
13, as BC's women's soccer defeated Long Beach State
4-0, and women's field hockey trounced Monmouth 7-1.
Record numbers of Council Members, Associate Members,
alumni, and friends came back to Newton Campus athletic
fields to root for the teams. They also enjoyed a post-game
meet and greet session, during which fans had the chance
to congratulate players face to face. The CWBC and the
Boston College Athletics Department jointly hosted the
event.
Council
Member News
Kudos
to these Council Members whose inspiring work has recently
captured the media spotlight:
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Benaree
Pratt Wiley Hon '09 was recently honored
at the YWCA Boston 15th annual Academy of Women
Achievers luncheon for her significant business
accomplishments, charitable contributions, and commitment
to the YWCA.
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Congratulations
to Mary-Jane Flaherty NC '75
and Paula Ebben '89, who have
been elected to the Alumni Board.
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Congratulations
to Cathy Brienza NC '71 who was
recently appointed as a member of the Board of Trustees
of Boston College. |
| Margot
Morrell '74 gave a keynote address at the
Boston Partners in Education's 2009-2010 Big Cheese
Reads Kick-Off Event. She examined leadership lessons
from the artic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton,
as described in her bestselling book, Shackleton's
Way. |
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New
Members
The
Council sends a very warm welcome to its newest members,
Krisann Miller '90, a registered nurse,
Catherine Curtin Dyroff '82, director
of community affairs at Bingham McCutchen LLP, and Gina
Bonacci Clark '76, owner of G.B. Clark, Inc.
Thank
you for joining our efforts to advance Boston College
women in all aspects.
Member
Profile:
Q & A with Alison Mitchell McKee, Esq.
A former partner with Hunton & Williams in Norfolk,
Virginia, Alison McKee recently joined the Virginia
Beach office of Kaufman & Canoles, P.C. Alison's
practice focuses on corporate and business law. She
and her husband Brac live in Virginia Beach and have
four children, ages 8 through 22.
What
attracted you to the field of law?
In first grade, my best friend's father was a trusts
and estates lawyer in NYC who represented extremely
wealthy clients. He had a world map covered with multi-colored
push pins marking all of the places to which he had
traveled for his clients. I saw that map, decided I
wanted to be a lawyer, and never looked back!
What
person inspires you most–personally or professionally
or both?
Father Bill Neenan has been a great mentor to me since
the day I met him over 25 years ago when he arrived
at BC to serve as dean of the College of A&S. His
gentle manner, extraordinary warmth and good humor,
remarkable memory, and his emphasis on the importance
of gratitude in one's life have left their mark on me.
What do you like to do when you aren't at
the office?
Watch my children participate in athletic events (especially
lacrosse) and walk with my husband on Virginia Beach's
oceanfront.
How
have you managed to stay so involved with the Council
given your distance from BC?
E-mails and conference calls are the
key to staying involved year-round, but the Council
has given me a reason to get back to campus at least
once a year. I have enjoyed connecting with a very accomplished
group of alumnae, and I love having contact with BC
students–especially since my two daughters wouldn't
head north for college. I'll have two more chances with
my boys!
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