CONGRATULATIONS TO HOOD RING RECIPIENTS: Junior class members received their Hood rings Saturday, Feb. 24 at the annual Ring Dinner. Parents, families, friends and alums were on hand to celebrate with the members of the Class of 2008 and to congratulate them on reaching a special Hood milestone.

Alums continue to ensure that all juniors have the opportunity for a Hood ring. Through generous donations from alumnae and alumni, 14 juniors received partial or full ring scholarships. Not only have alums donated toward the Ring Scholarship, but some have donated their rings back to the College to be given to a deserving junior. This year, six recipients received a Legacy Ring donated by alums Katharine A. Work '45, Laura Eaton Butler '47, Elizabeth Geiser '47, Kay Spear Miller Feldman '52, Barbara Arthur Pretzsch '62 and Vicki Shull Oxenham '74.

KUDOS TO OUR ALUMNAE FOR KEEPING THE HOOD SPIRIT ALIVE IN ALASKA! Beginning with Hood's Centennial in 1993, the Alaska Chapter has held an annual Alaska Potlatch Dinner on or near the eve of the start of the Iditarod Race in Anchorage. At the most recent event, hosted by LaVonne Blattenberger Vogt '69, Alaska alums were joined by Betsy Seele Gotta '69, who was visiting from New Jersey. Pictured: (front row) Jill Stanley '69, Meredith Howard Parham '67, Dianne Beebe Barske '66; (back row) Betsy Seele Gotta '69 and LaVonne Blattenberger Vogt '69.

REUNION 2007 IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER: Don’t miss the chance to reconnect and reunite with classmates at Reunion Weekend, June 1-3. The College has many events planned, including Alumnae and Alumni College sessions, all-class dinners, campus tours, the Alumnae and Alumni Luncheon and the Strawberry Breakfast. As a reminder, you can make your reunion gift by calling (301) 696-3700 or by clicking here. Remember that corporate gifts made through your own business or your employer’s matching gift program count toward your class’ gift total. 

DO YOU OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS? If you own a business, please consider participating in the following program: Constellation Energy has issued a matching challenge for Hood to encourage Annual Funds support from businesses, corporations and foundations. The challenge grant of $20,000 will be awarded contingent upon Hood raising $40,000 in new and increased gifts; as of this week, we are halfway to reaching our goal! For more information on the challenge or the Businesses for Hood program, contact the office of institutional advancement at (301) 696-3700 or click here.

OFFICER CANDIDATES FOR ALUM EXECUTIVE BOARD: The nominations committee has presented a slate of candidates for the offices of first vice president and secretary-treasurer of the Alumnae and Alumni of Hood College. The candidate for first vice president is Carol Deck Montoya '94 of Alexandria, Va. The candidate for secretary-treasurer is Jacki Resop Amato '95 of Baltimore. In accordance with the bylaws of A.A.H.C., if no additional nominations are received by 14 days prior to the annual meeting of the association, these candidates will be considered by consent. The annual meeting will be held June 2 during Reunion Weekend. For more information, contact the office of alumnae and alumni programs at (301) 696-3900 or (800) 707-5280, option 2.

CALL FOR REUNION VOLUNTEERS: Don't miss the fun of Reunion 2007. We are looking for alumnae and alumni volunteers to assist with the reunion activities Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2. We need volunteers to drive the golf carts, to assist at registration and in the hospitality room, and much more. A variety of shifts are available. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Linda Hoffman, associate director of alumnae and alumni programs, by phone at (301) 696-3900 or by e-mail at hoffmanl@hood.edu.

HOOD HELPS THE BIG SWEEP: Two Hood College organizations will lead a team participating in this year's sixth annual Big Sweep community event Saturday, April 21. The Hood College Choir and the Hood College Chamber Singers will head Hood's Big Sweep team in picking up litter from Frederick County roads, parks and waterways. The Big Sweep is Frederick's county-wide service event that raises money for local nonprofit organizations. The goal for Hood's Big Sweep team this year is to raise $5,000. For more information about this event, please contact Brittany Wilson, Volunteer Frederick coordinator for Hood College, by phone at (443) 783-2425 or e-mail at blw2@hood.edu.

To R.S.V.P. or for information on upcoming events, e-mail us at alumoffice@hood.edu, or call (800) 707-5280, option 2, or (301) 696-3900.

FABULOUS WOMEN PANEL: Thursday, March 22, 1 p.m., Whitaker Campus Commons. Whitaker Campus Commons. Come celebrate Women's History Month by learning from the experiences and advice of Hood alums. In this panel presentation, Trina Clickner '79, owner, Palmtop Publishing; Amy Stevens '88, marketing and promotion director, KROQ Radio; and Adrianne Wells '04, vice president of operations for Buzz Marketing Group, will talk about their career pathways and offer suggestions for women who are following in their footsteps.

WASHINGTON, D.C.,Wednesday, April 11, 12:30 p.m., brown bag lunch at Amgen, Inc., 555 13th St., NW, Suite 600 West, Washington, D.C. Please join area alums for an informal lunch get-together. The event is hosted by Jewel Smith '96. R.S.V.P. to Jewel Smith at (202) 585-9625 or jewels@amgen.com.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Sunday, April 15, 1- 4 p.m., potluck luncheon and business meeting at Ellerslie Farmhouse at Crosslands, 1660 East Street Rd., Kennett Square, PA. Please join area alums and welcome Hood College Provost Robert Funk for lunch and conversation. R.S.V.P. to Jane Olsen '76 at (610) 399-9843 or e-mail at jmghowe@aol.com by April 7.

Save The Date events are scheduled, and we will continue to keep you updated as plans become firm. If you have any questions about the upcoming events, e-mail us at alumoffice@hood.edu or call (800) 707-5280, option 2, or (301) 696-3900.

GRADUATE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Tuesday, April 10, 5-7 p.m., Whitaker Campus Commons. Find out how convenient and affordable a graduate degree from Hood can be. For additional information, contact Kathleen Bands at (301) 696-3600 or send an e-mail to bands@hood.edu.

CENTER FOR HUMANITIES COLLOQUIUM: A SPECIAL CULINARY EVENT: Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 p.m., Whitaker Campus Center. Al Spoler and Jerry Pellegrino, hosts of WYPR/WYPF 88.1 FM's "Radio Kitchen," will explore how American cooking has changed from the 1950s to today, with a specific focus on Maryland cuisine, in a lecture and culinary event entitled "Growing Up in the Kitchen: How America Learned to Cook." More details will follow.

BLAZER 5K RUN/WALK: Sunday, April 29, 9-11 a.m., beginning at Gambrill Gymnasium. This is a low-key race and walk, held entirely on Hood's campus, which will serve as a fund-raiser for Hood's track and field team. The public is encouraged to attend. For additional information, contact the athletics office at (301) 696-3499

HOOD COLLEGE CAREER SERVICES: Take advantage of free lifetime services. We can help you with your résumé, give you advice on your job search, talk to you about career options and much more. Contact us by phone at (301) 696-3583 or by e-mail at careers@hood.edu to schedule an appointment.

HOOD COLLEGE JOB FAIR 2007: Wednesday, March 28, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Whitaker Campus Commons. Numerous recruiters, who are actively seeking candidates and are ready to hire you for jobs and internships, will be on hand. Professional attire is requested. Bring your résumé and references and be prepared to meet potential employers. Your professionalism and polished appearance will pay off, so if you need help preparing, contact the career center today! For more information, click here.

WE NEED YOUR HELP: Recently the Hood College Career Center and Office of Service Learning switched to a new service provider for its online mentor program.  The new provider, Opportunities Network (OpNet), allows students and alums to interact with increased flexibility. Please update your account soon. Click here to update your information or to register for a new account. Thank you!

GAZING AT THE STARS: Hood is offering everyone the chance to get up close and personal with the stars. The Williams Observatory will be open free of charge from 8:30-9:30 p.m. each Wednesday through May 2 for the exclusive use of the observatory and portable telescopes. Ken Howard, lecturer in astronomy at Hood, will be available each evening to answer questions. For more information click here.

LIBERATION OF THE BLACK MIND WEEKEND 2007: Friday-Sunday, March 23-25. The weekend's activities will include programs on The Black Family, Reconstructing the African-American Image and Keeping the Faith. For more information, contact the office of student activities at (301) 696-3575 or visit here.

FACULTY RECITAL: Sunday, March 25, 3-4:30 p.m., Coffman Chapel. Wayne L. Wold, associate professor of music and College organist, will present his annual recital. For additional information, contact Noel Lester, professor of music and chair of the department of music, at nlester@hood.edu.

CENTER FOR HUMANITIES COLLOQUIUM: The 2007 Colloquium series, "Acquired Tastes: Food, Drink and Culture," will continue Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Hood's Marx Center with a lecture entitled "Sinfully Good: Feast, Fasts and Penance in Anglo-Saxon England." The lecture will be co-sponsored by Hood's department of English and the Classical Studies Program. Allen J. Frantzen, professor of English at Loyola University Chicago, will be the guest speaker. Click here for additional information about the series.

HOOD FACULTY MEMBER'S BOOK-SIGNING RESCHEDULED: Wednesday, April 11, 5:15-6:15 p.m., Whittaker Campus Center. Hoda Zaki, Ph.D., professor of political science, director of the African-American Studies Program and co-chair of the Honors Program, will hold a book-signing for her new book, "Civil Rights and Politics at Hampton Institute: The Legacy of Alonzo T. Moron." The book focuses on one of the preeminent private institutions of black higher education and how it came to play an important role in the struggle for full racial equality in the mid-20th century. The book-signing is sponsored by the history department and the African-American Studies and Honors programs. For additional information, contact Anne Derbes, professor of art and co-director of the Honors Program, by phone at (301) 696-3937 or by e-mail at derbes@hood.edu.

CERAMICS LECTURE: Friday, April 13, 7-9 p.m., Tatem Arts Center. A lecture by Jayne Shatz, Ph.D., will chronicle the history of Middle Eastern ceramics, beginning with the coiled pots of 700 A.D. Mesopotamia, up to the modern era. For additional information, or to check on other upcoming lectures, contact Joyce Michaud, assistant professor of art and director of the M.F.A. and graduate certificate in ceramic arts programs, at jmichaud@hood.edu.

JUDGE'S FORUM RESCHEDULED: Monday, April 16, 5 p.m., Rosenstock Hall Auditorium. Chief Judge Robert Bell will speak on legal issues in districting and redistricting. His talk is free and open to all members of the Hood community and the public. This event is sponsored by the departments of mathematics and history and political science and the African-American Studies Program. For more information, contact Kira Hamman at hamman@hood.edu.

ALUM SCHOLAR SPEAKS AT HOOD: Monday, April 16, Marx Center. Leslee Michelsen '97, a former art history major and Honors Program scholar, will conduct a seminar entitled "Figural Imagery in Early Islamic Central Asia." Michelsen has spent months working in Kabul, Afghanistan, as a consultant for the Turquoise Mountain Foundation to preserve Afghanistan's cultural heritage. This event is co-sponsored by the Honors Program and the department of art and archaeology. For more information, please contact Anne Derbes, professor of art and co-director of the Honors Program at Hood, at derbes@hood.edu.

MEN'S LACROSSE (0-8, 0-3 CAC): Hood suffered a pair of setbacks last week to Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponents. Ricardo Gomez scored his first collegiate goal Monday against Washington & Lee, while junior Jason Anderson picked up a pair of goals and an assist in a loss to Randolph-Macon College. Sam Hofmann turned away 22 shots against the Generals, marking the fifth time in his Blazer career that he has recorded at least 20 saves in a game. The Blazers traveled to Salisbury, Md., Monday, where they lost to the top-ranked team in NCAA Division III, the Salisbury University Sea Gulls. That tilt was the first of three consecutive Capital Athletic Conference road games for the Blazers this week.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE (0-2, 0-0 AWCC): Hood's contest against Rosemont College was postponed due to inclement weather. The Blazers' next game is slated for Friday against nonconference rival Shenandoah University at 4 p.m. at Thomas Athletic Field. Hood also hosts Wells College in its Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference opener Sunday at 11 a.m.

SOFTBALL (2-8, 0-0 AWCC): The Hood College softball team traveled to Savannah, Ga., for the Smash Hit Spring Break Tournament hosted by Savannah College of Art & Design. The Blazers took on Haverford College, which advanced to the 2006 NCAA Regionals; Swarthmore College, a squad that won more than 20 games last season; Mansfield University, a quality Division II team; and American Midwest Conference competitor Illinois-Springfield. Sophomore Sara Wastler batted .320 on the week and collected eight base hits while classmate Jessika Krietz belted Hood's first home run of the spring against Haverford. Hood was scheduled to journey to local rival McDaniel College Wednesday; however that contest has been canceled. Hood's next game is slated for Sunday when the Blazers host Wells College in the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference opener for both teams.

MEN'S & WOMEN'S TENNIS (MEN: 2-5, 0-0 CAC/WOMEN: 2-6, 0-0 AWCC): Both the men's and the women's squads look to get back on the winning track this week after a tough week in Hilton Head, S.C. The Blazers have a busy week ahead of them with five matches scheduled for the women's squad and three for the men. The women travel to Chambersburg, Pa., for their Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference opener against Wilson College Tuesday. The Blazer men and women will then head to Catholic University Thursday before returning home to host Lincoln University Saturday. The women's team also hosts Mary Washington Saturday afternoon. Hood wraps up the week at York College (Pa.) Sunday.

MEN'S & WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD (0-0): Saturday's York College (Pa.) Invitational was canceled due to inclement weather. The Blazers return to action Saturday at the Howard Community College Dragon Invitational in Columbia, Md.


To read all the Hood College Athletic news and events, please visit the athletics Web site.

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Inter(net)actions, March 20, 2007: This edition of Inter(net)actions is also available on the Hood College Web site. Click here to view Inter(net)actions on the Web.