First-person essays by alumni that are posted at PAW Online often resonate with other alums. Recent examples are Claire Hurley ’82’s call for a Princeton course on caregiving and Aida del Valle ’73’s memoir of the minority experience in the early days of coeducation, both posted April 16.
“From admission-office memories as your class considered, applied, and blessed us with your presence, I applaud your memoir,” commented former admission director JOHN OSANDER ’57 of del Valle’s essay.
ELLEN PORTER HONNET ’73, who grew up overseas as a foreign-service “diplobrat,” wrote: “Being a transfer into the Class of 1973, I felt the same desire to be part of and learn from my classmates — to connect and understand them. … I will always be grateful to those who took the time to get to know me.”
Writing about Hurley’s essay, TOM HOSTER ’72 said that caring for aging parents “needs to be covered in the course that Claire suggests; it can be as consuming as raising kids.”
RAJIV MEHTA ’82 endorsed “a course on personal science — learning both what is known about self-care and family caregiving, but also learning how to learn more for oneself.”