We’re devoting this page to you, the class of 1971! What inspires you? What causes are you passionate about? Have you learned a new skill, perhaps skydiving? Let your classmates know what you are doing and perhaps you will find others with similar aspirations. Send your photos and story to Connie Herrick Weiss
Karen Rosenblum Lawrence
Class note and/or photo caption
I attended—and loved attending—Smith in 1968 and 1969 for my freshman and sophomore years (living in Hopkins A), then was among a number of Smithies who transferred to Yale in the first year of coeducation there. I graduated from Yale in 1971. Both of my college experiences were superb, I am considered an alumna of both colleges, class of ‘71, and I am still in touch with close friends from both schools. I returned to Smith for one reunion—our 35th!
I haven’t written a class note in a long time, if ever, and thought I’d do so now on the cusp of our 55th.
I married Peter Lawrence (class of ’69 Dartmouth), whom I met while at Smith, 55 years ago–right after my graduation–and we have been married ever since. We have two boys, now men, Andy and Jeff, a daughter-in-law named Jessica, who grew up in Hong Kong, and a grandson named Jake, who is six. Peter has been a very busy vascular surgeon, conducting research, teaching, and operating, and recently stepped down from being division chief at UCLA, where he is still working half-time. I’ve had a wonderful career in English literature and, increasingly, in administration, with an academic focus on 20th century British and Irish lit, particularly James Joyce–first at the University of Utah, then the University of California, Irvine (dean) then as president of Sarah Lawrence College from 2007-2017. After leaving Sarah Lawrence, I was asked to look at a position as president of The Huntington (Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens) in San Marino, CA., and have spent the last seven years in this (unexpected) role at a cultural institution that I feel fortunate to help lead, with a community that Peter and I deeply enjoy. Andy lives in L.A. and is Senior VP of International at a California-based company called Vuori, and Jeff is a tenured professor of English, who teaches American and Latin American Lit at Rutgers. Our East/West lives have been fulfilling. Wishing everyone in the class of ’71 the best.
In attendance at the awards presentation: Emily Williams Moore, Sheryl King, Kathy Stall, Jan Fullgraff Golann, Kiki Smith, Susan McCone, Betsy Gardiner Johnson, Jane Laskey