We just received this update from Kassandra Jolley, Vice President for College Relations.
The weeks after Commencement are always a time of reflection, and particularly so after an academic year unlike any other. In spite of the challenges we faced, this year emphasized something fundamental about Mount Holyoke College: Whether together in South Hadley or scattered across the globe, nothing matters more to our faculty and staff than the success of each and every student.
With innovation, flexibility, and patience, we worked diligently to recruit and enroll the class of 2025 and ensured that a Mount Holyoke education remained attainable and affordable at a time when many of our students needed this reassurance the most.
We are grateful for scholarship support from Mount Holyoke alums and friends, without whom none of this would be possible. Endowed scholarship funds support exceptional students from all backgrounds, each with a unique vision and passion for making positive change in the world. Last year, 73% of degree-seeking students received aid from the College, a total of more than $53 million, giving them the ability not only to succeed, but to thrive.
During the 2020–2021 academic year, the Elaine Sturges ’77 Memorial Scholarship Fund supported students like Makayla Howe ’23. Makayla, a first-generation student from Phoenix, Arizona, grew up with her mother, an administrator at a local hospital. A proud member of the National Honor Society, Makayla excelled in her academic work and was captain of her high school soccer team. Outside of school, she found inspiration observing and interacting with doctors and nurses at her mother’s hospital, sparking in her a deep curiosity about medicine and the healing arts.
The strong sense of community Makayla found during high school proved pivotal in her college search. When Makayla first arrived on the Mount Holyoke campus for Admitted Students’ Day 2019, she was surprised at how quickly she felt comfortable. The atmosphere was welcoming and energizing. Her conversations with students further solidified the sense that this was where she wanted to spend the next four years.
Makayla’s first semester was a whirlwind of activity and connection. She was selected to attend a special pre-Orientation STEM program called Science Launch, which gave her the opportunity to meet professors and students with interests aligned with hers. She took courses in developmental psychology and biology, worked in the Dining Commons, and participated in the First-Year Leadership Living and Learning Community on campus — a residential cohort designed to develop leadership skills and help students become involved in campus life.
Just as Makayla was finding her stride, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she returned to Phoenix to finish the semester. She says she is grateful for the creativity that Mount Holyoke faculty members embraced as they transitioned from hands-on lab experiences to virtual courses. Makayla recently declared a biology major, and she intends to pursue a psychology minor. Although she missed being on campus with her friends and professors last year, Makayla has maintained connections over Zoom and social media, providing her with a much-needed sense of togetherness.
While back in Phoenix, Makayla took a job cutting women’s hair at a local salon to help support her household. Her conversations with more senior women in particular helped her see that regardless of what stage of life we are in, “people just want to be the best version of themselves.” With these new insights, Makayla plans to attend graduate school to study occupational therapy, a path that draws on her dual interests in biology and psychology.
This summer, Makayla is interning in the biology department at Harvard University. Her team will be performing DNA sequencing and researching phenotype differences among ants to better understand how DNA changes their morphology. The internship is remote, and Makayla remains confident she can make the most of the experience because her time at Mount Holyoke has taught her how to adapt to new circumstances.
Makayla is deeply grateful for the scholarship support she has received. “Words can’t even explain how truly blessed I feel to be given these opportunities,” she says. “More than anything, I just hope that I can get to a place financially where I can support students like myself in the future.”
Makayla’s is one of the countless stories of students whose ambitions are achievable because of the support of Mount Holyoke alums and friends. Thank you.
Shown below is the financial report for the Elaine Sturges ’77 Memorial Scholarship Fund.
