Across Oceans, Across Time: A History of International Students at Mount Holyoke College highlights the intrinsic role of international students, historically and presently, at Mount Holyoke College. From 1843 when the first international student enrolled at the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary — to 2025 when international students make up a significant fifth of the student body— this exhibit honors these students without whom Mount Holyoke would not be Mount Holyoke.
Through letters, photographs, and other rare archival materials, Across Oceans, Across Time showcases the depth and breadth of involvement from these students during their time at the College. From assisting in language programs, to creating new campus organizations, to leading efforts of global activism, these students reimagined and reshaped what Mount Holyoke could be while strengthening cross-national understanding and community.
In one set of cases, Across Oceans, Across Time chronicles the stories of the boundary-breaking students who were the first to represent their nations on campus. Another set of cases more broadly contrasts the time periods at Mount Holyoke before and after the Second World War, which radically shifted who was accessing higher education at American colleges and universities. A final set of cases recognizes the current key role of the International Student Organizing Committee in providing a space of support and connection for the international community — from its founding in 2013 to the present day at Mount Holyoke.
Click here to read reflections by Amelia Potter ‘26, one of the student curators, about working on this exhibit.
Credits
This exhibit was curated by Archives and Special Collections Student Archives Assistants Charlotte Blandino ‘27 and Mavis Xu ‘26, Lynk Interns Phoenix Nehls ‘27 and Amelia Potter ‘26, and International Student Organizing Committee members Sky Cho ‘25 and Anju Ito ‘28. With support from Deborah Richards, Head of Archives and Special Collections. Online adaptation by Tracey Kry ‘04, Digital Collections Archivist.
To learn more about the stories of international students at Mount Holyoke, please contact us at archives@mtholyoke.edu or 413-538-2013.