PERGOLA SOCIETY: Beulah Munshower Sommer ’44: My “Hood connection” has always been very dear to my heart. I included Hood in my will in 1994 and since then, established a charitable remainder annuity trust. It feels good to give back and to see the impact Hood continues to have on preparing women and men for productive lives.

Kim Meek ’91: When I prepared my will five years after graduating from Hood, I automatically remembered Hood with a percentage of my estate. At the time, my friends thought it was a bit odd, but now they recognize that it is a simple way to make a lasting impact. I trust Hood to use my gifts wisely.

For those interested in learning more about the Pergola Society, click here for more information or contact Nancy Gillece ’81, director of major gifts, at gillece@hood.edu.

KUDOS: The Bonita Springs Community Foundation gave the 2006 Love of Bonita award to Jacke McCurdy ’55. Jacke has been instrumental in working with many of the charitable institutions in Bonita Springs, Fla. Congratulations, Jacke!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES! The Onica Prall Child Development Laboratory School will host a reception and open house Friday, March 31, at 4 p.m., in celebration of a successful 75th anniversary campaign that raised more than $85,000 for the laboratory school. Tours will also be available Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please join us and see "What a Difference a Year Makes!"

"THE MAGIC FLUTE" PERFORMANCE AT HOOD: Hood College will host a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s final opera masterpiece, “The Magic Flute,” Sunday, April 2, at 3 p.m. in Coffman Chapel. Click here for ticket prices and details.

STARGAZING AT HOOD: Hood's Williams Observatory will be open free of charge from 8:30-9:30 p.m. each Wednesday (unless the College is closed) through May 3, 2006. Ken Howard, lecturer in astronomy, will be available to answer questions and assist in providing views of celestial sites through telescopes. Click here for details.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS IN NCAA FIRST-ROUND: Randolph-Macon College, ranked seventh in the country, defeated the Blazers 83-57 in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship Friday, March 3. Click here for the complete story.

DID YOU KNOW THAT ALL HOOD STUDENTS RECEIVE "SILENT SCHOLARSHIPS?" Tuition does not cover the actual cost of a Hood education; the difference is made up in part by annual funds gifts from Hood’s alumnae, alumni, parents and friends. Answer the call during phonathon and make your annual funds gift or pledge or make your gift online by clicking here or by calling (800) 707-5280, option 4. Thank you.

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

CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla., Thursday, March 16, 2006, 11:30 a.m., luncheon, Sheraton Sand Key Resort. Please join area alums and welcome President Volpe, who will deliver greetings and share news of the College. Hostess: Sally Foss Banwart ’52. Luncheon is $25 per person.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Sunday, April 23, 2006, 1-4 p.m., potluck luncheon and business meeting at the home of Kathie Zale Myhre ’70, West Chester, Pa. Please join us in welcoming President Volpe, who will deliver greetings and share news of the College.

BALTIMORE, Md., Sunday, April 30, 2006, 4-6 p.m., Oak Crest Village, 8800 Walther Blvd. Please join us in welcoming President Volpe, who will deliver greetings and share news of the College.

ALUMNAE HOUSE, HOOD COLLEGE, Friday, April 28, 2006, 3-4:30 p.m. P. Buckley Moss, the nationally known artist who painted "Hood College Days" and established the P. Buckley Moss Award for Special Education at Hood, will sign prints of her Hood painting and sign already framed prints. Ten percent of the proceeds of the sale of the Hood print goes to support the scholarship fund.

Save The Date events are scheduled, and we will continue to keep you updated as plans become definite. 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.

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

YOU CAN BE A RESOURCE FOR HOOD STUDENTS AND FELLOW ALUMS: Lend your professional expertise and register for the Mentoring Network.  The Mentoring Network is a part of the College Center Network, which is the College’s primary employment, internship and networking resource. Click here to enroll.

AGING IN THE 21ST CENTURY: PRACTICE, PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS: Friday, March 17, 2006, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Whitaker Campus Commons. This conference, sponsored by the Hood College social work program and the Frederick County Department of Aging, will feature two sessions for social work practitioners who have little prior knowledge of issues related to aging, and two sessions for those who currently work with older adults. The cost is $35 for the conference; lunch and materials are included. To register and for more information, contact Joy Swanson Ernst, assistant professor of social work and director of the social work department, at ernst@hood.edu.

STUDENTS SHOWCASE ARTWORK IN EXHIBIT: A multi-media exhibition featuring artwork by Hood College students will be on display from Wednesday, March 22 to Sunday, April 23 in the Hodson Gallery in Hood College’s Tatem Arts Center. Click here for more information.

MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE: THE WOMAN FACTOR IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF GUJARAT, INDIA: Thursday, March 23, 2006, 12:45 p.m., Multicultural Suite, Whitaker Campus Center. Join us for a lecture presentation by Purnima Bhatt, professor of anthropology, history and interdisciplinary studies.

UNEARTHING THE SACRED: FINDING RELIGION IN NEAR EASTERN MOUNDS: Thursday, March 23, 2006, 7:30 p.m., Whitaker Campus Center. Sharon Steadman, director of the prehistoric project at Çadir Höyük in central Turkey, will discuss her current research on the human-made mounds dotting the landscape of the Near East. Click here for more information.

FACULTY RECITAL: Sunday, March 27, 2006, 3-5 p.m., Coffman Chapel. Please join us when Wayne L. Wold, Hood College organist, presents his annual recital.

HAUNTED BY GOD: THE LIFE OF DOROTHY DAY: Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 7 p.m., Avalon Performing Arts Studio, Tatem Arts Center. Join us for a performance by Lisa Wagner. The performance is a production of Still Point Theatre.

Have you moved? Changed jobs? Gotten married? Had kids? We want to know! Click here to update your information!

Want to tell your classmates what's new with you? Click here to share your news in the next issue of Hood magazine!

Inter(net)actions, March 14, 2006: 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.