Obituary: Marilyn Valentine France

Marilyn Valentine France, 72, passed away November 27, 2010. She was born in Natchez, MS on October 29, 1938. She was a 1960  graduate of Mississippi State College for Women, a sustaining member of Le Bonheur Club, a member of Independent Presbyterian Church and Bible Study Fellowship. She was a homemaker, loving wife, mother, and grandmother. 

The visitation will be 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday, November 29, at Memorial Park Funeral Home. The funeral will be 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 30, also at Memorial Park. The family requests that any memorials be sent to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital.  Click here to offer condolences.  

Mississippi's First Alumnae Association offers its condolences to the family and friends of Mrs. France.

MUW’s December Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony Set For Dec. 3

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Mississippi University for Women will hold its eighth annual December Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. in Rent Auditorium, Whitfield Hall. A reception will be held in the lobby of Whitfield immediately following the ceremony.

Graduates who participate will receive a certificate of participation. Diplomas will be mailed to the students after grades are final.

Participants who wish to do so will have the opportunity to thank those who were particularly helpful during their college years. Those students will be limited to one minute at the microphone.

Mary Jo Kirkpatrick, chair of the Associate in Science Nursing (ASN) program at MUW, will be the keynote speaker. A faculty member at MUW since 1976, she was chosen to receive the 2010 Kossen Faculty Excellence Award at the May commencement exercises.

Mississippi's First Alumnae Associations welcomes these graduates to the Long Blue Line and reminds them that they are entitled to a complimentary one year membership in the Association.  

(story compliments of MUW Office of Public Affairs)

Rest in Peace

Mary Marguerite Hart Thomas, MUW class of 1960,  passed away at King's Daughters Hospital in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on Friday, November 26, after battling cancer.  Mississippi's First Alumnae Association offers its condolences to her family and friends.

Friday Favorites: Chasing Superwoman

We've all heard about "Superwoman" who holds an exciting, important and lucrative job while being well-known (in a good way) at her kids' (that's plural by the way) school, active in her church and while having a terrific home life; never having to sacrifice one thing for another.    I don't know about you, but I've never met her.  However, Susan DiMickele, the author of Chasing Superwoman: A Working Mom's Adventures in Life and Faith may be close.

This book is a humorous reflection on what it means to be a mom today; particularly a mom with a demanding job.  She talks about the conflict between her two personalities--Lady Lawyer and Devoted Mommy.  We hear her stories about teaching Sunday School, and about the trip to Disney World, the highlight of which, for one daughter, was a day spent at the hotel pool.  She tells us about how God speaks to her despite how busy she is.

Those who are working moms will related to her daycare dilemmas and all moms will cheer for her when she managed to get her children what they needed at school.  While not criticizing those moms who have chosen to stay home with their kids, or those who have less-demanding jobs, DiMickele makes the point that it is possible, though difficult, to have a job like hers (trial attorney) while doing a good job raising children.

I'd like to thank the B&/B Media Group for sending me a review copy of this book.

Grade:  B+
This review was originally published on This That and the Other Thing.

Friday Favorites is an opportunity for MUW alums to share reviews, formal or informal, of books, movies, plays, concerts or other forms of entertainment.  Please send your reviews to MFAeAblog@gmail.com

Why Are You Thankful You Were a W Student?

I got a wonderful education at the W. I was taught by excellent teachers, made life-long friends, and learned to be an independent thinker. I was taught to learn and keep learning at the W. The women and men graduates I have met have proved that I was not the only one that learned this. I'm proud to tell people where I was educated.     Beth Wheeler Dean, Class of 1974

I am most thankful for the outstanding education, priceless memories, leadership opportunities, and wonderfully loving friendships that have lasted over the years.     Anghaarad Teague Dees 1995.

Why are YOU thankful you are or were a W student?

MUW Holiday Memories

When you think of Christmas at The W, what comes to mind?  Did you open 25 packages, all of which contained some version of  your social club animal?  Did you win the door decorating contest?  Did you sing in a Christmas concert, decorate a huge tree, or attend a fabulous Christmas program at a local church?  Did you celebrate the New Year after returning to campus, or did you and your friends meet somewhere to do so?  I'd love to do a post showing how W students through the ages have celebrated.  I'd love for YOU to participate.  Please complete the survey  .  If you have photos please scan/email them to mfaeablog@gmail.com so they can illustrate the post.  Thank you.

Have You Missed Your MFAeA Fix Lately?

I love reading all about all kinds of things about all kinds of alums, but I'm running out of things about which to write, and am asking for help.

First of all, I'd love to have some guest posters.  Even if you don't want to commit  to regular blogging, we'd love to have you post about just about anything--a charity near and dear to your heart, a favorite MUW memory, your family, your MUW gang.  If you write about it, we want to read it; just personalize it a bit, telling us how it involves you, an MUW alum.  Send submissions to mfaeablog@gmail.com.

I'm going to try a regular guest post feature, if I can get submissions:  Friday Favorites.  I'm asking alums to submit book or movie reviews to our blog email (mfaeablog@gmail.com).  We'll continue Fur Baby Fridays on the first Friday of the month (as long as we have photos are we are running low, so please send in more) but on other Fridays, if we can get them we'll run reviews.  These reviews don't have to be anything major or formal--what did you read or see, did you like it and why or why not?  If you want to write more, great; if not, that's fine too.  If you want to send us one from your blog, that's ok too (and we'll give you a link back).

One feature we've tried to run regularly has been Photo of the Week.  Well, I'm clean out of photos and need more.  Please send photos of the campus, students, your college days or alums to mfaeablog@gmail.com and we'll run them.

We also do milestones:  graduations, weddings, births, promotions and unfortunately, deaths.  We'll run photos and as much info as you are comfortable sharing.

Finally, periodically I ask for people to answer a survey.  Please do.  Most of these are short, and the idea is that the responses will be combined into a post.  Much as I like posts that really allow me to get to know fellow alums, I know some folks are uncomfortable putting that much information on the web.  These short surveys allow us to get your input.

Photo of the Week

The Mississippi Optometric Association recently sponsored "Through the Looking Glass" which gave some MUW alums a chance to connect.  L-R: Emily Myers Garner, Soiree Event  Planning & PR (event planner),
Linda Ross Aldy, MOA Executive Director, and Lynne Bryson Curtis,  Curtis Optomerty. NOT PICTURED: Bess Toyoma, MOA Intern.

If you have photos of meet-ups with other alums, whether at an MUW function, a meeting of some non-W related group or just a bunch of friends, we'd love to run them.  Please send them to mfaeablog@gmail.com

Milestone: Jill Bethune Wood Becomes a Great-Grandmother

Congratulations to Jill Bethune Wood, MUW Class of 1965, who recently became a Great Grandmother.  Uriah Mykel  was born November 6, 2010.  Congratulations to Jill and her whole family.

If you are an MUW alumna or alumnus who is celebrating a milestone in your life--the birth of a child, grandchild, great grandchild etc., marriage, ordination, promotion, graduation, we'd love to celebrate with you.  Send us an announcement, with or without (preferably with) a photo and we'll share it with others.  We'll also join in mourning the loss of an alumna/alumnus.  Milestone announcements can be sent to mfaeablog@gmail.com.

Empty Pots

Approximately 1,500 ceramic bowls, many made by Mississippi University for Women students, faculty and staff, will be available for purchase at the Empty Bowls event scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the front lawn of the shops at Brickerton on Military Road.

A $10 donation provides soup prepared by Zachary’s, Huck’s, Station 7, Possum Town Tavern and Trinity Café and a handcrafted bowl of your choice to keep as a reminder that your donation helped to fill someone’s empty bowl. Additional donations are welcomed.

There also will be live music on the lawn. Families are encouraged to participate and spend the day.

“Last year’s event was a tremendous success. We made 500 bowls and nearly $6,000 was raised in under two hours,” said Alisa “Al” Holen, MUW assistant professor of art and ceramics. “Proceeds from the event went to Loaves and Fishes, who were able to occupy a new building and increase the amount of meals they served with the money they received.

“Our other benefactor was Global Connections who work tirelessly aiding in the efforts to help feed some of the world’s poorest people,” Holen added. “This year we have over twice as many bowls.”

Area alums are encouraged to stop by and support this event.  I told Al Holen that if they had any leftovers, to let me know and I'd see if out-of-town alums wanted any of these beautiful bowls.

Story compliments of MUW Public Affairs

Photos compliments of Al Holen

Fur Baby Friday

This month we are meeting "Dixie" Turner, the Fur Baby of Jan Turner, ('85, '86)  She is a purebred Australian Shepherd.  Dixie is 9 weeks old (as of August 13 when this was taken), and already weighs about 12 pounds.  Out of a litter of 5, Dixie was the ONLY little girl in the group.  She also happened to be the biggest, so her brothers never had a chance to bully this little gal around! :)  Dixie's hobbies include chasing her kitty siblings (apparently she finds the "hissing" noise to be most amusing), and running with her adopted "big" brother, Zeke.  She also enjoys chewing on everything she's NOT supposed to have: shoes, brushes, etc.  Oh, and naps are a big part of her day.  She loves snuggling with any member of her human family.