December at Mount Holyoke
![](/sites/default/files/styles/1170x780/public/news-images/MHC-gates-winter.png?h=e0d97e2f&itok=VVLywkpa)
December brought memories, honors, celebrations — and snow!
December brought memories, honors, celebrations — and snow!
![Sledding - Sophia Cote and Hannah Finn-Erb](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Sledding-Cote-FinnErb.jpeg?itok=sT8U3d1b)
First snow on the first
December kicked off with a foot of snow and seniors Sophia Cote and Hannah Finn-Erb took appropriate action.
![Debra Martin Chase ’77 stands in the New York Room of Mary Woolley Hall before screening “Harriet” for the Mount Holyoke College community.](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/news-images/Debra%2520Martin%2520Chase%252077.jpg?itok=l06JEFAm)
The campus premier of “Harriet”
Debra Martin Chase ’77 screened her latest movie for the College community. Chase, shown here before the event, also participated in a talk-back, led by Meredith Coleman Tobias, assistant professor of religion.
![Mihiliya Methsarani holding a squash medal](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Mihiliya-Methsarani-Squash.jpeg?itok=V27HFzGl)
Bringing home the bronze
Sophomore Mihiliya Methsarani, Sri Lanka’s top squash player and a member of the College team, competed at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal and helped lead her country to third place.
![Strawberries and Champagne in 2019](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Strawberries-Champagne-2019.jpeg?itok=fMIakIAI)
Strawberries and Champagne
The Alumnae Association hosted Strawberries and Champagne on the last day of classes to welcome December graduates as Mount Holyoke’s newest alumnae.
![Christopher Benfey](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/news-images/Christopher%2520Benfey%2520Full%2520Size%2520Final-4343.jpg?itok=y6wO5tJ9)
Christopher Benfey’s busy December
From reviewing the new Nancy Mitford biography and a book on Frank Lloyd Wright to having his own book on Rudyard Kipling cited as a notable book of 2019, Christopher Benfey, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of English, had a productive month.
![Jazebel Bermudez MAT student](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Jazebel-Bermudez-MAT.jpeg?itok=at1hMaad)
Grad student brings diversity to the local teaching workforce
Jazebel Bermudez is a teacher at Holyoke High School receiving support from the Paradigm Shift program to get her master’s in teaching from Mount Holyoke. Photo courtesy of the Daily Hampshire Gazette.
![Regina Carey - Beyond Mount Holyoke College's gates](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Regina-Carey.jpeg?itok=-LpF_zHm)
Beyond Mount Holyoke College’s gates?
A world of excitement, enrichment, adventure and meaningful connections and experiences. Off-campus expert Regina Carey, a sociology major graduating this spring, shared her recommendations.
![David W. Sanford](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Sanford-David.jpeg?itok=3Sf8MnWL)
David Sanford honored
The New York Times cited “Black Noise” by David W. Sanford, Elizabeth T. Kennan Professor of Music, as one of 2019’s top 25 recordings.
![Michael Ofori, center right, and Faith Conant, right, drum with students as part of the final drumming, dancing and singing performance of their classes.](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Michael-Ofori.jpeg?itok=Zzc9OpFP)
Joint performance
Two classes, one in West African performance and the other in West African dance-drumming, ended the semester with a final combined performance, complete with guest dancers Nani Agbeli and Koblavi Dogah, and world-famous talking drum musician Mohammed Alidu.
![Carolyn Brown ’73 with Professor William McFeely](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/McFeely-Brown-1973.jpeg?itok=iqkzexHt)
Alums remember Professor William McFeely
The late history professor and dean of faculty William McFeely was remembered by his former students, including Carolyn Brown ’73, who shared a treasured photo from her graduation.
![Vespers 2019 handbells](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2022-02/Vespers-2019-handbells.jpeg?itok=saJT54Fl)
Vespers 2019
December at Mount Holyoke means Vespers, the College’s glorious and festive celebration of the season. Watch the video that livestreamed on social media.