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Lyon's Pride 2026

Lyon's Pride 2026

By Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Friday, March 6, 2026 - Saturday, March 7, 2026

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MHC Lyon's Pride 2026 logo
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About this Event

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various spaces View map
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21 Park Street, South Hadley, MA

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Please join us for the fourth Lyon's Pride Conference!

What is the Lyon’s Pride LGBTQ+ Alum/Student Conference?

A gathering of alums and students engaged in a series of structured panels, caucus (aka identity/affinity-based spaces), meals, and fun social events that happens every 10 years!

This includes a Silent Art Auction, which will be open throughout the weekend. Art will be exhibited throughout Willits-Hallowell Conference Center.
Final bidding takes place on Saturday evening ending at 7:30 pm. Please be sure to place your bids before it closes.

Don’t forget our Conference Closing “Queer Dance Party Through The Decades” spotlighted below.

About Lyon's Pride: 
Lyon's Pride is the Queer Alumnae/Alumni (Alum) Group of Mount Holyoke College For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer alumnae/alumni, students, faculty and staff of Mount Holyoke College and their partners

Note: For folks participating in the conference on Friday and not staying on campus at Willits-Hallowell Conference Center and Hotel, we will be able to provide parking passes for you upon check-in to park in the parking lots adjacent to Willits. Otherwise, standard parking guidelines apply.

Register for the Conference >
 

Campus MapVisitor Parking

Access information and practices

Access Description for Willits-Hallowell Conference Center

  • Front Entrance (from parking lot)
    • No stairs, level with parking lot 
    • Motorized door 
  • Back Entrance (from campus/bridge side)
    • No stairs, level with path
    • Motorized door 
  • Lift
    • After entering through main entrance, lift is to the right next to stairs 
  • Restrooms
    • From main entrance, gendered restrooms up ramp to the left 
    • After going down the lift/stairs, gendered restrooms are there 
    • From back entrance, straight forward is a single user restroom
      • Can also enter through the Morrison Room

Access Description for Pratt Hall

  • Main Entrance 
    • Ramp to main entrance from sidewalk
    • Motorized doors 
  • Restrooms 
    • From main entrance, to the left, is an accessible women’s restroom

Access Description for Travel from Willits to Pratt

  • From the main entrance 
    • Exit door
    • Cross through parking lot to sidewalk
    • Go to the left and continue and take the first left turn onto Lower Lake Rd
    • Continue down Lower Lake Rd until you read Pratt 
  • From back entrance
    • Exit door 
    • Go to the left and take one of the bridges onto Lower Lake Rd 
    • Continue down Lower Lake Rd until you read Pratt 
Note: Lyon’s Lift (accessible transport) and MHC Fleet Vans (12-passenger) will be available starting at 8 pm at the Willits-Hallwell Conference Center to take conference participants to Pratt Hall for the Dancing Through The Decades Dance Party, and will be available from Pratt Hall to return for M&C’s in the Willits Living Room.
General Practices at the Lyon’s Pride Conference
  • Minimize scented products: To help keep our shared spaces accessible for those with fragrance sensitivities, we kindly ask attendees to minimize the use of scented products. 
  • Help minimize the spread of unwanted illness: the use of face masks are encourages especially in close quarters. Masks will be provided upon request at check-in.
  • Low-sensory Relaxation Space: Located in the Faculty Club Room on the first floor of WIllits-Hallwell Conference Center, relocated to the Warboeke Room in Pratt Hall during the Dance Party (Saturday, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.). This space will provide noise cancelling headphones, sound machines, as well as our Memory Wall, Time Capsule Project, Coloring/Drawing, and Puzzle. We ask that conference participants respect the space and keep access noise to a minimum to allow folks who may need a lower-stimulation space the chance to reground and recharge before returning to other conference activities. 
  • Microphones: Each conference breakout room is equipped with microphones. We will ask that all participants please use the microphone to ensure that all participants are able to fully participate in the lively and engagement discourse– whether as a part of a panel or caucus space. 

Other needs/requests: If there are any accessibility needs you did not communicate with us, please let us know as soon as possible, either in person at Check-in/Information Desk or by emailing J.T. Martin at jtmartin@mtholyoke.edu. 

Event Details

Event Type

Conferences & Symposia

Event Topic

Diversity & Inclusion Community

Event Audience

Students Alums

Tags

Lyons Pride 2026

Group

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Accommodation contact

J.T. Martin: jtmartin@mtholyoke.edu
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President Holley smiles at a podium, audience in foreground.

Opening Remarks and LGBTQ+ Life at MHC Panel

Fri, Mar 6, 2026 4:30pm to 5:30pm

To kick-off our conference, President Danielle Holley will be joining us to welcome conference goers, along with other key MHC and Alum Association leadership. Key figures in LGBTQ+ campus life...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Smith Dining Room

Lectures & Presentations
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Student presents at a poster session.

Poster Presentation

Fri, Mar 6, 2026 5:30pm to 7:30pm

A selection of MHC student research posters will be presented in the Living Room for attendees to review.

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Living room

Lectures & Presentations
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People in discussion in a social setting.

Intergenerational Mixer

Fri, Mar 6, 2026 8:30pm to 9:30pm

All students and alum conference participants are welcomed to come socialize over treats, coffee, and tea!

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Smith Dining Room

Gatherings & Meetings
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Marcella Runnell speaks into a microphone, seated in a chair.

Opening Remarks

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 8:30am to 8:55am

Marcella Runnell, Vice President for Student Life, and Dean of Students will welcome conference goers and provide overview of the various funds that the Lyon’s Pride Alum group helps support.

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center

Gatherings & Meetings
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Audience listening in lecture style room.

AM Concurrent Sessions: Block 1

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 9am to 9:50am

Decades - Pre-1970 Panel - "Queer and gender non-conforming folks at Mount Holyoke before 1970" Executive Board Room Description: An introduction to a variety of alums and professors, from 1839 to...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Speakers sit panel style at a table in front of audience.

AM Concurrent Sessions: Block 2

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 10am to 10:50am

Decades - 1970s Panel Executive Board Room Description: Join a number of different alums reflecting on their “decade”-- What was LGBTQ+ Life like then, both on and off campus! 1970’s panel is...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Drag Ball at Mount Holyoke

AM Concurrent Sessions: Block 3

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 11am to 11:50am

Decades - 1980s Panel - Finding Ourselves and Finding Community at MHC and Beyond: The 1980s to Today Executive Board Room Description: Join a number of different alums reflecting on their...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Audience members sitting, listening to panel session.

PM Concurrent Sessions: Block 1

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 1pm to 1:50pm

Decades - 1990s Panel Executive Board Room Description: The 1990s stand as one of the most paradoxical and transformative decades for the LGBTQ+ community. It was a ten-year span defined by a...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Audience asks a question.

PM Concurrent Sessions: Block 2

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 2pm to 2:50pm

Decades - 2000s Panel - "Queer in the Early Aughts (2000-2009)" Executive Board Room Description: Join a number of different alums reflecting on their “decade”-- What was LGBTQ+ Life like then,...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Speakers sit panelist style at a table, smiling to audience.

PM Concurrent Sessions: Block 3

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 3pm to 3:50pm

Decades - 2010s Panel Executive Board Room Description: The 2010s was a decade of change - from Obama's "hope and change" campaign slogan to MHC's "never fear / change" marketing slogan. The 2010s...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Group of panelists sit at a table, one speaking in a microphone.

PM Concurrent Sessions: Block 4

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 4pm to 4:50pm

Decades - 2020s Panel Executive Board Room Description: Join a number of different alums reflecting on their “decade”-- What was LGBTQ+ Life like then, both on and off campus!Ace/ Aro/ Demi Caucus...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Various rooms

Lectures & Presentations
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Nice Shoes Acapella Group, Family and Friends 2022

Nice Shoes Concert

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 7:30pm to 8pm

As a transition to our evening of celebration, come enjoy a short concert from the incredible Nice Shoes! More about the ensemble: The Nice Shoes is an a cappella group committed to...

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Living Room

Concerts & Performances
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Cookies perched on glasses of milk with blue and white striped paper straws.

M&Cs

Sat, Mar 7, 2026 10pm

Come take part in that time honored MHC tradition, this time with your fellow LGBTQ+ alum and students, to help bring our time together to an end.

Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, Living Room

Gatherings & Meetings
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ACCESSIBILITY

For inquiries about the accessibility of this event or to request any accommodations, please contact the accommodation contact for the event. If one is not listed, please reach out to the hosting group. Please make accommodation requests no later than 72 hours in advance to give implementation time. However, in all situations, a good faith effort will be made to provide accommodations up until the time of the event.

See Who Is Interested

  • Elliot Ruggles
  • Catherine Dunford
  • Claire Swensen

3 people are interested in this event

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DISCLAIMER


All College community members should ensure their contact information is up to date in the emergency notification system. Guests who will be on campus can opt into this system for three days by texting “MHCGuestAlert” to 67283.

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