College Received More Than $30 Million in Donations from 2019-2020, Offsetting Pandemic Losses
Mount Holyoke College released its yearly report on philanthropy in an email update to community members on Dec. 2, 2020.
“As I reflect on the past year, I am uplifted by the generous outpouring of support from the generous alums and friends of Mount Holyoke College,” Vice President for College Relations Kassandra Jolley wrote in a letter to the community included in the report.
In addition to the usual donations and awards, the report detailed the “extraordinary” community support necessitated when Mount Holyoke shut down in March due to COVID-19. Between March and June, more than 600 students were supported by the Student Safety Net Fund which raised $346,000, according to the report. Support ranged from aid with housing, travel and storage to purchases of technology and other academic supplies.
Thanksgiving Break Looks Different for Mount Holyoke Students as COVID-19 Cases Rise
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging across the country, this year’s Thanksgiving was different for Mount Holyoke students, as most were already home or staying with friends. Many students celebrated with their households and decided not to have family visit or travel.
Fiona Milton ’22 was at home with her parents this year and celebrated the holiday with them. She was not able to see her sister or grandmother for the holiday because they live in other parts of the country.
“[It was] the first Thanksgiving without my older sister or my grandmother, but we had to do what was safest,” Milton said. “I couldn’t see anyone this year, so I just made people cards instead.”
Student Employment Updates
Mount Holyoke students received an update on student employment from the College on Sunday, Nov. 29. The email included information on winter break employment as well as guidelines for the spring semester.
The statement provided a reminder of general remote work policies for student workers. Under federal regulations, students who are living abroad are barred from working for the College. Students who have worked for the College previously and currently live in the U.S., as well as any student currently living in California and Massachusetts, can work remotely. There will be limited in-person work allowed for students living on campus.