Hi everyone! Can you believe we’re coming up on our 15th reunion?! It feels like just yesterday we were freezing in the graduation tent waiting to receive our diplomas! So, let’s start off our 15th year with some good news!

First, a few new babies! Naomi Levine Levinthal writes that she and her husband Eli welcomed their third child, Vivienne Ella Levinthal, on September 16. Vivienne joins her big brother Joseph and big sister Ava.

Erica Buckley Wrightson and her husband Jim also welcomed a new little girl! Alaina Claire Wrightson was born on November 10. Alaina was also welcomed by her big siblings, Aidan, Ainsley, and Lexi.

JJ Bell-Godfrey has some exciting news, too!  After spending the last year as the Assistant Controller at Mattress Warehouse, she was promoted to Controller in November!   She’s responsible for the company’s financial statements, general ledger, cost accounting, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and tax compliance – which is a pretty big job given how big the company is!

I think that’s it for this round – don’t forget to join the Hood College Class of 2003 group on Facebook, and even more importantly, don’t forget to put Reunion Weekend 2017 on your calendars!  Hope to see lots of you there!

Hello, classmates!  Lots of exciting things this time, so let’s get started!

Erin Smith Babitts has a new job!  In December 2016, she began working as a Licensed Master Social Worker for the New York State Office of Mental Health in New York City!

Erica Buckley Wrightson writes that she, her husband Jim, and their kids Aidan (9 and a half), Ainsley (7 and a half), and Lexi (4) recently moved back to Maryland.  She’s also happy to report that she is expecting baby #4 this fall!

And speaking of babies – there have been quite a few who joined us recently!  Lauren Guerieri McCrea and her husband Jessop welcomed their third child, Owen Eric, on May 10, 2017.  Owen joins big brother Henry and big sister Anna.

Elizabeth Stacks Millhouse and her husband Scott welcomed their son Chase Asher Millhouse on September 9, 2016.

And, my husband Matt and I welcomed our daughter Abigail Therese on February 9, 2017!  She already has a dink and has made her first visit to Hood (including meeting President Chapdelaine!), so she’s all ready to join the class of 2039.

I think that’s about it – keep the news coming!  You can email me at macdonaldleahg@gmail.com or visit our Hood College Class of 2003 group on Facebook.

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of 2003!

First off – a few new homes! Erica Smith writes that she purchased a single family home in Beltsville, MD recently.

Also, Erin Dooley has moved to a new home as well. Her new address is 12 Elm Ave, Rockledge, PA 19046.

And, a few pieces of exciting professional news as well! First, JJ Bell-Godfrey writes that she was recently promoted to Assistant Controller for Mattress Warehouse. She’s also planning on sitting for her CPA certification in the spring, at which time she’ll become the sole Controller there.

Also, Rebecca Morse writes that she has a new role as the Director of Research Training, Institutional Review Board Chair, and Associate Professor at the Institutes for the Psychological Sciences. She has two thanatology publications coming out in the near future: Morse, R.S., Hoch, T.A., Freeman, T.R. (2016). Grief and Developmental Disabilities. In Harris, D. L., & Bordere, T. Promoting social justice in loss and grief. Amityville, NY: Routledge. and McCord, J., Morse, R. (in press). Seasons of Love: Measuring a Child’s Life after Suicide. In Cox, G. & Stevenson, R. (Eds) Children, Adolescents and Death: Questions and Answer. Baywood Press.

Keep the exciting news coming, everyone! You can email me, update your information through the Hood Alumni site, or find us on Facebook!

Hi everyone!

We’ve got a few fun updates this season, so let’s get started!

Erica Smith writes that she recently got her National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) certification in teacher training! She’s currently the Assistant Director of the Justice and Legal Thought in Law and Society Program at the University of Maryland. Erica was also recently inducted into the Disco America Hall of Fame in June.

Next, some exciting wedding news! Lisa Forrester Meyer married Kevin Meyer on June 16, 2016, in Dry Ridge, KY.

And some good news from Taryn Chubb – she was granted tenure and promoted to Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at East Central University in Ada, OK! Taryn has been at ECU since 2010; her responsibilities also include being the director of ECU’s Pogue Gallery of Art.

That’s about it for us this season! As always, we have a Facebook group called Hood College Class of 2003, so come find us there!

Leah Giambarresi MacDonald ’03, M.S.’10, C’05
240-409-7439
lhg1@hood.edu

Hi everyone! 2003 doesn’t have too much news to report this time, but what we do have is pretty exciting! First of all, Mary Northrup Smerk, M.S.’07 wrote that her children’s clothing business, Lovin’ Ewe, is booming! It was voted Best Children’s Boutique according to Fort Worth, Texas magazine’s readers. You can see her items at lovineweboutique.com–I’ve ordered a few things for various babies (some Hood babies included, of course!) and her stuff is fantastic! Stephanie Bulka Smith and her husband Kevin Smith ’05 bought a house in Rockville last year. She’s excited to re-enter civilian life, too, after finishing her Naval career in October 2014. She’s currently working as a family medicine physician with a medical practice in Frederick. I’m full of news about myself as well! Matthew MacDonald and I were married in September 2014. The wedding was at the Hood chapel and we got some wonderful pictures on campus, as well as some curious looks from students. We currently live in Leesburg, Va., although I still work in Frederick. Speaking of work, I was also promoted in January 2015–an exciting few months for me! That’s it for this season–everyone, keep those updates coming! Also, I started a Facebook group for us, called Hood College Class of 2003, so come join in there if you haven’t yet!

Hi everyone!  I hope you’re having a great 2014.  Let’s see what our classmates are up to!

Lauren Guerieri McCrea writes that her family had a new addition this year!  Lauren, Jessop, and Henry welcomed Anna Jane McCrea on June 17^th. 

Kaye Brown Hamilton and her husband Adam also welcomed a new daughter!  Lily Pearl Hamilton was born on March 31^st, weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz., and measuring 19 inches long.

It’s not all girls for us, though – a few baby boys too!  Tiffany Taylor Newmius and her family welcomed her son Jackson Grey at 12:34 pm on March 13.  Jackson weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21.5 inches long.

Laura Faris also welcomed a son this year!  His name is Carson Porter, and he was born February 28 at 4:02 am.  He weighed 6 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 inches long.

Next up – professional updates!  Emily Johnson Jones writes that she started a new job this summer.  She’ll be working as a Pupil Professional Worker for Frederick County Public Schools.  She’ll be moving between 8 different schools, and is very excited!

Kelli Jackson also has some exciting work news to report – she was selected as a 2014 Technology Rising Star by Career Communication Group’s Women of Color magazine.  The honor was based upon her accomplishments in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics community.

Atiya Smith sent an update as well.  During the past school year, she received recognition from the Association of Counselor Education & Supervision, a division of the American Counseling Association. She was selected to be an Emerging Leaders Fellow, a Presidential Fellow and was recognized during the national conference for her leadership and academic excellence. This fall, Atiya will serve as a doctoral intern at a college counseling center, will teach “Assessment & Appraisal in Counseling” to Master’s students and will co-present two programs at a regional conference focusing on supporting African American graduate students in counseling and graduate student wellness. Atiya wants to send thanks to Dr. Wanda Ruffin in Hood’s Psych Department for providing guidance and mentorship during her years as a psych student.

Lee Goetz writes that she is just made a big move!  On August 1^st, she headed to Luleå, Sweden to take a post-doctoral research position at the Luleå University of Technology.  She’ll be developing and modeling filtration systems using nanocellulose and nanochitin.  She’s very excited to be able to travel around Europe, something she’s always wanted to do. 

Also, we’ve had a few weddings!  JJ Bell-Godfrey married Jesi Bell-Godfrey on June 8^th at Independence Harbor in Assonet, MA, followed by a more local ceremony and reception on June 14^th in Middletown at Christ Reformed UCC.  There were plenty of Hoodlums at their ceremonies, too!  Sarah Gowen ’08 was a bridesmaid, Erick Wellner ’14 was their reader, and Rachel Collmus Ellick ’05 and Imani Pearson Jackson were also in attendance at the Maryland ceremony.

Taryn Chubb also got married!  Mary Northrup Smerk, Larry Smerk, and I (Leah Giambarresi) attended her wedding to Mark White on May 31 in her hometown of Parsons, KS.  The wedding was at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Parsons, which was the same church where her grandfather used to be the priest.  It was a wonderful day, even if we didn’t get to serenade her with The Nun Song as I had hoped.

On that note, I hope everyone had a great summer, and I look forward to hearing and reporting more exciting news in the coming months!  

Hi everyone!

I hope all is well with my fellow 2003-ers!  Not too much to report this time, but what we do have is super exciting, so here goes!

JJ Bell writes that she finished the Marine Corps Marathon this fall – her third time running this marathon, and her fourth marathon overall!  I was lucky enough to see her run past when I was spectating during the 2012 MCM, so it’s good to hear she did so well again this year without my moral support.  (Just kidding, JJ – congratulations on a great accomplishment!)

Next, a wedding!  Elizabeth Ide-Niemann got married to Captain Gregory Niemann on October 5th, 2013 in Siler City, NC.  Torrey Campbell ’04 was a bridesmaid, and Elizabeth’s little sis Amanda Reinken ’05 was in attendance as well.  Congratulations to the happy couple!

And speaking of happy couples – Taryn Chubb is now wearing her Hood ring on her right hand!  She and Dr. Mark White were engaged in October of 2013.  Last I talked to Taryn, she said their plan was to get married in 2014, most likely in the late spring/early summer, in her home state of Kansas.

And another engagement – mine!  Shortly after we bought a house in Leesburg, VA this summer, Matthew MacDonald and I (Leah Giambarresi) got engaged!  We plan to get married in September 2014 in the Frederick area.

I think that’s all we have for this round – everyone, keep those updates coming!