Renée D. McKinney joined the Board of Governors this summer and was appointed by University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel to serve until 2023. She is a 1991 University of Michigan graduate (A.B.History) and a 1995 graduate (MILS with a concentration in Archives and Records Management).
Our Community In the Fall of 2020
Patty Mullaney, Director of Alumnae Relations & Traditions
The quiet of the main hallway is what comes to mind when I’m asked what Martha Cook has been like fall term. Clusters of residents conversing on the benches, or studying in the Gold Room were missing as we followed guidelines to not gather indoors. I wondered how the students were coping, and began to realize they were adapting to this unfamiliar reality.
Community Center Staffers Serve as First Line of Security for MCB
Catherine Walsh Davis BA’ 70, MM ’76
Many Cookies remember Martha Cook’s front desk as the place to pick up the Michigan Daily in the morning, mail just after noon, and phone messages when returning to the Building from class or after dinner. Time, not to mention COVID-19, has changed the desk’s functions. The Daily is now non-subscription and available in the hall, mailboxes are in the basement rec room, and the switchboard and message board are long gone. The location itself is no longer referred to as the front desk but since 2015, as the Community Center (CC).
Life on Campus During the Spanish Flu of 1918
Deb Day Jansen BS ’75, MS ’77
Colleges and universities have relied on quarantines and other public health guidance to survive pandemics. The Spanish Flu of 1918 and Covid-19 in 2020 are no exception. The public health plans for both pandemics in the state of Michigan, city of Ann Arbor, and on the University of Michigan campus have many similarities. Both pandemics required wearing masks and closing public entertainment and schools. The University in both pandemics considered cancelling classes.
MCAA Brings Halloween Treats to Martha Cook Resident
"Trick or Treat!” There were no tricks, just well-deserved treats for our MCB residents.
On Halloween, students took a study break to enjoy a pile of treats. While room-to-room “trick or treating” couldn’t happen, the Martha Cook Alumnae Association preserved the tradition when they provided ribbon-bundled treats. And of course, they were served on a silver tray!
The MCAA Board of Directors
The MCAA Board of Directors is made up of volunteer alumnae who are actively involved in serving the Association and the Building through their efforts.
Board members meet at the Martha Cook Building once a month, for eight months a year. Currently, the board meets virtually at 1 pm on 2nd Sundays.
You can reach MCAA board president, PJ Petitpren at [email protected].