My position at Amherst is Catholic Religious Advisor, and I serve both as a spiritual resource to the Catholic community and as a member of the ecumenical and inter-religious team at the Cadigan Center. I advise the Newman Club, offer counseling and spiritual direction, plan programs, coordinate the Catholic liturgical life, participate in interfaith services such as Baccalaureate and the event commemorating the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and serve on committees, such as MLK and the Schwemm Lecture Committee. The Religious Advisors are available to all students and I like all that I do at Amherst including the happy task of accompanying the students on their annual picnic at Puffer’s Pond this week.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Hollywood and attended Hollywood Professional School for a year when I was four! I grew up in North Hollywood, California where I attended St. Charles Grammar School and then Corvallis Girls’ High School in Studio City, CA.
What was your childhood like?
I loved regular outings to Catalina Island where I was enthralled by the taffy pull machine at the local candy store. Visits to Lake Arrowhead, Yosemite and Palm Desert gave me a love of nature. I swam a lot, winning a blue ribbon for the backstroke. Going to my Grandparents’ home for family gatherings on Sundays and festive occasions was a special treat. I was obedient and successful at school and far livelier at home.
How did you end up in Amherst?
I was full-time Chaplain to the College at Smith when I received an unexpected phone call from Amherst asking me to apply for a new part-time position. Newman Club President Kathleen Knag ’98 had gone to President Tom Gerety, who was in the midst of a successful capital campaign. She asked for financial support for a Catholic Religious Advisor. He allocated funds — and voila! Here I am. The Newman Club President when I arrived in 1999 was Bridget Miller. She said, “I hope you stay here a long time. Amherst would be a good place to grow old!”
What is your family like? Do you have any pets?
My extended family lives in the west in California, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta, and also in the Czech Republic. For many years here I had a beautiful black cat named Mosie and by hook and by crook she was even admitted to the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton!
What is your favorite place in the world?
The redwoods in Big Sur, CA.
You also spend a lot of time at Smith. What are some of the differences you’ve noticed between the two colleges?
I thoroughly enjoy working with the students at both Amherst and Smith. The two schools have their own spirit and élan. You’ll have to experience this for yourself, for it is far beyond words.
What is your favorite thing about Amherst College?
True humility and loving-kindness are at the core of the spiritual life and I love the way the Amherst students combine these virtues with their own brilliance. Related to this, I also savor the good spirit that exists within the entire campus community.
Who is one person you would love to meet and why?
I would have loved to meet Max Jacob, on whom I wrote my doctoral dissertation. He discovered Picasso at the Spaniard’s first art exhibit in Paris in 1901 and went on to become a Cubist poet and mystic. When asked about the spiritual life he said, “I don’t have its definition but I know its reality: the spiritual life is a matter of making the soul live.”
What is your favorite hobby or activity?
I enjoy traveling and this summer went to France and then to the Galapagos Islands where I swam with the sea lions and turtles and was stunned by the stark beauty of the volcanic islands and the diligence of the naturalists in protecting the animal population and environment. This gave me hope for our planet, knowing that it can be done. In France I followed the traces of Max Jacob in Paris, St. Benoît-sur-Loire and the Catalan town of Céret.
What is your favorite book?
The Bible!
How many years have you worked at Amherst?
Ten.
What positions did you hold before Amherst?
While working at Amherst, I am in my 22nd year at Smith where I teach religion and am Catholic Chaplain. Prior to that I was Student Affairs Officer at International House at UC Berkeley and in Cal’s Career Planning and Placement Center, and before that Associate Director of Residential Life and Assistant Dean of Women at the University of Southern California.
What is your favorite memory of your time at Amherst?
I served as Coordinator of Religious Life at Amherst when we inaugurated the Cadigan Center. I relished hearing, along with celebratory crowds of students, staff and faculty, such great speakers as Elie Weisel, Prof. Jamal Elias, and Sr. Helen Prejean.
Do you still keep in touch with a lot
of the students you have met?
Yes I do. Long-term friendships with alums who have pursued so many different paths and who live all over the globe are a great reward of my work.