Parent & Family Newsletter

Many thanks to the following members of Hood’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC): Dan and Kathryn Forgas P'25, Jennifer Wallace P'25, Angie Almquist P'24, and John and Tricia Carnegis P'25. These parents and their students volunteered to speak at Enrollment Management's two "Accepted Students' Day” events. Prospective parents and students were invited to participate in an informal Q&A to learn more about life at Hood from the parent and student perspective. As first- and second-year parents, these PAC members provided some great insight about Hood experiences, and we thank them for sharing their time with us.

Dean of Students Ron Wiafe is asking the PAC and all Hood parents to join him in writing notes of encouragement to our students, wishing them good luck on their final exams. These notes will be printed, placed in envelopes, and distributed throughout the day on Tuesday, May 10, "Reading Day," in the Learning Commons. Besides crafting these messages, we invite you to come to campus on May 10 and help in person! Please contact Kellye Greenwald '86 at greenwald@hood.edu, if you would like to assist with this project.

There are many opportunities for involvement within Hood’s Parent Advisory Council. Whether your student is a first-year, sophomore, junior or rising senior, we welcome your efforts and energy; family is at the very heart of every Hood student’s success. To learn more about how you can meaningfully support the College, please visit our Parent Advisory Council page or email Kellye Greenwald ’86, director for alumni and constituent engagement, at greenwald@hood.edu.

If your student is returning to Hood in the fall, there are a few steps in the financial aid process you need to have started or completed. These steps include:

• Confirm that all required paperwork/forms/documents for the current (2021-22) academic year have been received by the financial aid office (call 301-696-3411 or email finaid@hood.edu for direction).
  
  
• Confirm that any balance due to Hood for the spring 2022 semester has been paid in full.
  
  
• File the 2022-23 FAFSA and indicate that Hood College should receive the results (Federal School Code 002076).
  
  
• If selected for federal verification, make sure that all requested documents are submitted to the Hood financial aid office.
  
  
• If a Maryland resident, be sure to respond to any requests from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) for forms or documents.

The Hood College men's basketball team made history in several facets over the course of the 2021-22 season. The Blazers earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Commonwealth Championship for the first time in program history. The win marks the College's first MAC Championship since joining the league in 2012-13. This was Hood's second appearance, as they received an at-large bid during the 2006-07 season.

Mason Wang's game-high 26 points in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game against Eastern on February 27 earned him the MAC Commonwealth Championship MVP title. Christopher Smalls added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and Trumaine Strickland scored 10 points off the bench in only eight minutes of playing time. The Blazers finished with a school record 346 3-point field goals on the season and 20 total wins, just short of the program record of 21.

Mason Wang became the Blazers' all-time leading scorer in a 78-61 victory against York on January 12. Wang drove for a tough layup to tie Cameron Cook's '14 record of 1,643 points with 13:30 to play. Later, Jack Fricka grabbed an offensive rebound and Hood swung the ball to Evan Wang, who found his twin brother open for a 3-pointer and the record. His 25 points on the evening extended his career total to 1,969.

Evan Wang scored his 1,000th point in a conference victory over Lebanon Valley College on January 5. Wang reached 1,000 with a 3-point field goal to end the first half and finished the game with 15 total points. He led the Blazers with eight rebounds and five assists on the night. Wang's career total 1,229 points rank fifth in program history.

On May 1, 2022, the athletics department will host its annual Senior Awards Banquet for seniors and their families to honor their earned success on and off the field.

The Kim Servedio Award is given in honor of a former women’s soccer player and honors student Kim Servedio, who tragically passed away in 1998. The award is given to a current male and female student-athlete who best embodies Kimmy’s characteristics of sincerity, selflessness and optimism.

The Dean’s Award is given to a current male and female student-athlete who has shown an unparalleled commitment to the student body through involvement in extracurricular activities and has demonstrated outstanding service to the Hood College athletic department.

The President’s Award is given to a current male and female student-athlete who has distinguished themselves throughout their Hood College careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.

The event will be held for senior student-athletes and their families, May 1, 7-9 p.m. in the Coblentz Dining Hall.

The Hoodies will be held on May 8, 2022, and will be open to all Hood student-athletes. Each team will recognize one coach’s award recipient and one MVP. There will be major award recipients who will be recognized as Athlete of the Year (men’s and women’s) and Rookie of the Year (men’s and women’s). The event will be held for all current student-athletes at 7:30 p.m. in the Hodson Auditorium.

In fall 2021, we had more than 25 students apply for the Alumni Executive Board (AEB)’s Hood Legacy Ring and Scholarship Program. This year, the AEB Ring Committee decided to open the program to seniors. The Committee received so many worthy applicants, making their decision process much harder than anticipated. We could not be more Hood Proud of the following students who showed incredible merit, Hood spirit and understanding of this beloved tradition:

Hood Legacy Ring Recipients

• Victoria Aghamalian '22, Sally Schrecengost Convery '80
  
• Elizabeth Jenkins '22, Johanna Lane Nathanson '99
  
• Hiba Usmani '22, Christine M. Wheeler '01
  
• Hannah Armstrong '23, Amy White Morgan '77
  
• Baylor Baxley '23, Sandra L. Lawson '87
  
• Sarah Sardina '23, Lianne Cameron Fenn '78
  
• Hailey Williams '23, Bethany Rahn Foundas '96
  

Hood Ring Scholarship Recipients

• Rylan Lutz '22
  
• Catherine Neves '23
  
• Sarah Buckley '23
  
• Carolyn Narvarez '23
  
• Russell Odor '23
  

These students will receive their rings at the annual Hood Ring Ceremony on Saturday, April 30. For more information regarding this celebration, please contact Rev. Beth O’Malley at omalley@hood.edu or Kellye Greenwald ’86 at greenwald@hood.edu.

Information regarding the 2023 Hood Legacy Ring and Scholarship Program application and award process will be available in October 2022. Please encourage your rising junior or senior to apply for their opportunity to be a Hood Ring Scholar.

Our Hood Happy Hours continue to draw bigger and bigger audiences! Great discussions followed our most recent HHH with guest presenter Dr. Sherita Henry, assistant professor and director of our public health program. If you were unable to join the presentation, the recording can be found here. If you’d like to learn more about this innovative undergraduate program, please contact Dr. Henry at henrys@hood.edu.

Our next Hood Happy Hour is Thursday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m., and we’re proud to have alumna Caylee Winpigler ’21, Alumni Executive Board member and former Chair of the Board Scholar, join us to talk about her “life after Hood.” Watch your email for more information!

Commencement is just around the corner, and alumni, parents and friends can send congratulations and best wishes to all our graduates with a yard sign.

For a contribution of $50 to the Hood Fund, you can send a personalized message to members of the Class of 2022 that will be displayed on a yard sign on the Quad. How exciting it will be for the graduates to see your message as they complete this stage of their education.

Wish students well, share words of encouragement, offer advice, or simply let them know you are proud of their accomplishments. Signs will be available for the students to take with them following the ceremony.

Make your gift of $50 to the Hood Fund at www.hood.edu/makeagift, and enter your sign message in the notes field. Orders must be received by May 16, 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact Kayla Knott '17, assistant director of annual giving, at knott@hood.edu or 301-696-3919.

If you’ve looked at the Commencement 2022 schedule of events, you know there are quite a few events to help you celebrate the big day. One of the less familiar events is the Baccalaureate ceremony on the Friday afternoon before graduation.

Not to be confused with “The Bachelorette,” a television series about women who interview potential dates, the Baccalaureate service is a treasured tradition for Hood College, a ceremony that celebrates the spirit of learning and the experiences and relationships enjoyed by the graduating class.

Baccalaureate has its roots in the medieval European custom of presenting candidates for the degree of Bachelor (bacca) with “laurels“ (think accolades or honors). The service is believed to have originated at Oxford University in 15th Century England when each graduating student was required to deliver a sermon in Latin as part of his academic requirements (there were no female students in those days)!

While the original Baccalaureate ceremony came out of the Christian tradition, Hood College celebrates with a multi-faith service recognizing the rich variety of religious and spiritual traditions represented on our campus. And our ceremony isn’t stuffy or boring as members of the senior class present music, readings, photos and memories from their first days on campus through to their final year, all in the spirit of fun.

Graduates, families and friends, we invite you to kick off Commencement weekend by attending the Baccalaureate service. Mark your calendars now for 4 p.m., Friday, May 20 and join us at Coffman Chapel!

You're invited to hear from Hood College students about their exciting research, artistic endeavors, and study abroad experiences during the annual SPIRE Symposium, Tues., April 12, 9:45 a.m.-2 p.m. All activities will take place in the Beneficial-Hodson Library and Learning Commons. Your attendance will show your support for your Hood student and for all our other hard-working undergraduates. Presentations will run continuously during the event; enjoy one or multiple sessions. We hope to see you there!

10-11:15 a.m. - Concurrent Sessions

11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. - Concurrent Sessions

1-2 p.m. - Poster Presentations

For more information, contact Dr. Michelle Gricus at gricus@hood.edu.

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, in the Hodson Auditorium of Rosenstock Hall, three honor societies - Alpha Lambda Delta, the Hood College Ionic Society, and Mortar Board - hosted a combined induction ceremony for their newest members.

These honor societies recognize students who have successfully combined the rigors of leadership, scholarship and service. Over the course of their time at Hood, students who apply for and are selected for membership in one or more of these organizations are afforded additional opportunities to hone their leadership skills and serve their community. The applicatoin/selection process takes place during the spring semester for Alpha Lambda Delta (first-year students), Ionic Society (sophomores), and Mortar Board (juniors).

Photos of the event can be viewed here.

Email: communityandinclusivity@hood.edu
Website: https://www.hood.edu/
Phone: 301-696-3573