More than 220 members of the Simmons community gathered on campus June 5–7 to “reflect, reconnect, and reignite” at Simmons University’s 2026 Reunion, with a special celebration for the 50th Reunion Milestone Class of 1976.
On Saturday, the Alumnae/i Association Annual Meeting and Awards Breakfast began with a welcome from President Lynn Wooten, who had recently returned from a visit with Simmons alumnae/i in London.
“The strength of our alumnae/i community demonstrates the impact of Simmons around the world,” Wooten said.
Alumnae/i Association Executive Board (AAEB) President Priyal Goyal ’14 discussed how the AAEB has supported students and alumnae/i over the past year and how alumnae/i can get involved in future events, both at Simmons and in their own regions. Isa Trello ’26 (business and management) and Maya McCabe ’27 (biochemistry; dual degree 3+2 engineering program) shared their powerful Simmons experiences, from Trello’s involvement in the 2025 Simmons Leadership Conference to McCabe’s research in the Focused Ultrasound Lab, exhibiting proof of the transformative power of a Simmons education.
Alumnae/i Awards and Presentations
Alumnae/i Awards were also presented to individuals for their contributions to Simmons as well as professional achievements:
- Florence “Peggy” (Adelson) Saslow ’44, P’73, P’76 Alumnae/i Service Award: Sandra Lief Garrett ’67 and Elaine Zetes ’71
- The Community Service Award: Betty Boyle-Duke ’95
- Recent Alumnae/i Achievement Award: Sandy Fonseca-Lopes ’15 (who was unable to attend)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Enna Jimenez ’91 ’06EE HT
Breakout sessions after breakfast offered three options for attendees. Honorary Trustee Jane Buyers ’81 talked about her memoir, Eight Septembers: A Woman on Wall Street from 9/11 to Lehman (DartFrog Books, 2026). School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) Dean Sanda Erdelez gave a practical presentation, “Using Generative AI in Your Daily Life,” and Associate Professor of Biology John Young offered an overview of faculty-student research on the risks of “forever chemicals” in our environment.
In her “state of the university” address during the Presidential lunch, President Wooten encapsulated the rapidly changing higher education landscape, noting that only 30 women-focused higher education opportunities are still operating in the United States.
“Higher education has changed drastically over the last 125 years, but the need for bold, women-centered education has not,” Wooten said.
She highlighted the innovative approaches Simmons is taking, from the physical reconstruction of the One Simmons campus to building career cohorts to fostering community among students with similar interests, as well as the flexibility of the graduate programs Simmons offers, including accelerated degrees for undergraduate students.
Afternoon breakout sessions focused on affinity groups, including a dynamic “intergenerational dialogue” for the African American Alumnae/i Association, led by Richelle K. Smith ’21MSW and featuring panelists Bart Brown ’24, Cherlene Hollins ’09, and Cyrilene Eastmond ’76.
A discussion about the first-ever master’s degree for business and leadership in women’s sports featured Professor of Practice Justine Pouravelis, Director of Athletics & Recreation Erica Schuling ’13MS, ’18MEd, and Simmons athlete Lauren Krupnikoff ’27 (finance/sport management). An alumnae/i panel on how to use G.R.I.T. (Growth, Resilience, Instinct, and Tenacity) in career and life transitions featured panel moderator Kathy Simon ‘09 and panelists Amy Salinger ’88 and Vanessa Pettigrew ’06.
The weekend also featured a special 50th Reunion Milestone Class Dinner for the Class of 1976, as well as the “Decades Dinner” that honored all other attending alumnae/i.
