Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin

May 2013

In her final column for the Bulletin, President Jane McAuliffe reflects on the College’s legacy, goals, and prospects for the future. She writes, “We are stewards of an extraordinary dream, an educational experiment in excellence that has transformed so many lives and promises to do the same for so many more to come.” Several of the stories in this issue testify to how Mawrters continue to live this “dream” out in the world by changing lives and making a difference on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Take, for example, cultural anthropologist Robin Reineke ’04, who identifies the bodies of migrants who died crossing the treacherous U.S.-Mexico border. Courses she took as an anthropology major helped inspire her groundbreaking—and heartbreaking—work on the front lines of the immigration debate. Or consider Jennifer L. Ho ’87, who is drawing on her major—in philosophy—as she fights homelessness as HUD’s new senior advisor for housing and services. Mawrters aren’t waiting until they’ve graduated to have an impact either, whether they’re inspiring novels or investigating crime scenes. Sometimes the world comes to Bryn Mawr, which is increasingly being recognized as an important voice in global women’s advancement. This summer, 50 emerging leaders from post-conflict countries will come to campus to participate in the Women in Public Service Institute. They, too, will partake in the “extraordinary dream,” gaining tools to promote peacebuilding and development around the globe. How has Bryn Mawr transformed you? We invite you to share your stories.

–Priya Ratneshwar, Editor

On the Cover:

Cultural anthropologist Robin Reineke ’04 works with Arizona’s Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office to identify some of the hundreds of migrants who have perished throughout the past decade in the Sonoran Desert bordering Mexico. Photo by John Stobbe.