Mills College WeeklyThere is a new addition to the endless collection of organizers and calendars offered to Mills students, this one adorned with familiar faces.
In an effort to raise money to become a chapter in a co-ed law fraternity, the newly formed Pre-law Club has produced a calendar featuring photos of Mills women.
The calendar, small in size and bound in blue or black paper, sells for $5. Each month features black and white photos of single or group portraits of Mills students.
Although playful and artistic, the calendar’s pictures are more subdued than originally intended.
“It was designed to be a pin-up calendar featuring Mills women,” said Pre-law president and sophomore, Erika Rickard.
Since the club wanted to use the Mills name and planned on marketing to trustees and alums, Rickard said they had to tone down the images.
Sports bras replaced what was originally intended as a topless shot.
Apparently, this strategy worked; 35 calendars were immediately sold to alumna.
The Pre-law Club was formed last spring, and hopes to become a legal resource center, said Rickard. For now, they meet weekly in the Rothwell building and focus on fundraising.
The club hopes to raise about $13,000 through calendar sales, in order to fund membership in Phi Alpha Delta, the largest international law fraternity in the world.
Founded in 1902, the fraternity is composed of more than 200,000 pre-law students, law students, legal educators, attorneys, judges, and government officials.
It boasts distinguished members such as presidents Taft, Truman, and Clinton.
In 1970, Phi Alpha Delta became the first law fraternity to admit women.
“It reminds me of the stonecutters club on ‘The Simpsons’,” said Rickard. “I’m pretty sure they have a secret handshake.”
The benefits of joining the fraternity range from networking opportunities to meeting the entire Supreme Court. Workshops are also offered to help with LSAT exams.
According to Rickard, while law classes are not required for law school, the LSAT and application process is difficult to maneuver without help. In addi-
tion, she said that women headed for law school need all the advantage they can get.”The goal is to bust into the old boys network and make it about empowering women,” she said.
To raise the money quickly, the Pre-law Club decided to sponsor the calendar project. Submissions and photo sessions were set up last spring, available to anyone interested. Sophomore Kasey P. Lindsay, who also designed and bound the calendar, took the pictures.
“I tried to choose interesting locations on campus and places with interesting light,” said Lindsay. “I also tried to highlight the subjects’ interests.”
Those who have seen the result seem pleased.
“I think the finished calendar looks great,” said senior Christie Fulcher, who is shown performing a bike trick. “It’s classy, professional and shows Mills women at their best.”
“[She] had to jump off the campanile about 10 times, as we were trying to get the perfect shot,” said Lindsay.
Sophomore Nicole Johnson said she likes that it seems inspired by the “I am Mills” motto. “It shows daily life at Mills,” she said.
“A lot of the pictures captured [each] person’s personality,” said sophomore Riana Shaw, who is shown on the August page in a close-up with her 3-year-old daughter. However, she said that one drawback of the calendar is a limited representation of resumers. “We have a lot of older women at Mills,” she said.
Due to trouble with submissions and deadlines, the pool was somewhat limited. Rickard said that next year she hopes to feature a more eclectic mix of people and go back to the originally planned racy photos.
Those interested should look for the calendars at the Mills Tea Shop or contact the Pre-law Club at pad@mills.edu.
