Mary Elena Fillback (Widger)

FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

Whit Stoddard, Lane Faison, and William Pierson left indelible impressions on my life. Art and history were brought to life in their classrooms, whether in a lecture hall or a small seminar. I also had the privilege of a seminar with Andrew Ritchie when he was a Sterling Clark Professor for one year. I am so grateful to have had such a rich and amazing academic experience.

WILLIAMS CLUBS / ACTIVITIES

Resident Advisor – senior year

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

Environmental protection, especially conservation efforts on Martha’s Vineyard Writing and literacy—Writers and Books in Rochester, N.Y

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

Spring of sophomore year at Smith College, I met with my advisor for Art History. When he predicted that I would not return to Smith for senior year after my junior year exchange, I told him that of course I would be back. His prediction turned out to be accurate. I came to Williams along with my dorm mate from Smith, Sharon Hanley, not knowing what to expect. Sharon and I were roommates at Doughty House and assigned to Bascom House for dining. I felt welcomed by the Bascom House crew, and the house became a social anchor during my time at Williams.

The Art History Department exceeded all expectations. The trio of Faison, Stoddard, and Pierson is without equal. I will always remember my drive with Stoddard for a class trip to the Cloisters. And then there was the amazing January term in NYC with Faison. Senior year Sharon and I extended our exchange experience by becoming resident dorm advisors to the first freshmen class of women at Williams. Not long after arriving at Williams, I met Stan, who had been a bit reluctant to embrace coeducation. Fast forward two years . . . we left after graduation in his gold hearse and have been together happily ever since.

After graduating as an art history major, I went on to get degrees in art therapy and then library science, subsequently working in a photography museum, a historical society, and eventually a school setting. Rochester, N.Y., has been home for most of these years, but now Stan and I escape back to Massachusetts whenever we can, to Martha’s Vineyard, where we enjoy being together with our two children, their spouses, and two grandchildren.

Looking back 50 years ago when writing the college application essay, I feel sure I addressed the tumultuous political, social, and cultural issues of the 1960s. Writing this today, I am disheartened to feel that we have not made the societal progress that my younger self envisioned. I hope that the generation graduating from Williams now, as well as my children and grandchildren, will experience a future embodying the dreams I had 50 years ago for gender and racial equality, civility among people and nations, a clean environment, boldly addressing climate change as well as a respect for academics and creative thinking.