Wellesley was the place where I learned to think deeply and write clearly, where I was taught by professors who cared about me and my progress, who engaged me in myriad ways, who were learned and fun at the same time. Some of my closest friendships were formed there, and it has continued ever so, especially since 1999, when I moved to France, where the alumnae club is simply outstanding in ways both personal and professional. It happened again when I moved temporarily to Chicago in 2014: three weeks after I arrived, off I went on a nature hike with a group of Chicago Wellesley Club members. The rest of my nine-month stay was easy, because so many alum took me under their wing. I'm going on Medicare next month, so I can say from decades of experience that the bonds of a Wellesley education grow wider and deeper with each passing year.