Dear ARCS MWC Members,

We hope you’ve all been staying warm and safe in spite of all this winter snow! Even though the weather was chilly, fifteen members gathered for a fun Membership Council Mixology get-together. Many thanks to Hilary Sparrell and Karen Magley for organizing our January Mixology event, and to Jane for hosting. Please continue to invite your friends and colleagues to join us—we have an exciting and engaging spring calendar ahead.

It’s not too late to join us for the annual ARCS Loves You Coffee on Feb 6. We hope you’ll stop by to write “love notes” of appreciation to our wonderful members that we haven’t seen in a while. Note the new time and location due to continued snowy conditions on neighborhood streets: 10-11:30 am, Dolley Madison Library, Conference Room.

Please mark your calendars for Sun, Mar 8, for our Winter Membership Meeting and Luncheon. We are delighted to feature Mary Kennedy’s husband, Retired Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, who will speak about his recently published memoir.

As a reminder, the nominating process is ongoing. We hope you will consider stepping into a chapter leadership role. The strength and success of our chapter depend on dedicated leaders like you—and as many of you know, the more you give of your time and talents, the more rewarding the experience becomes.

Our first university visit will take place on Mar 18 at the University of Virginia, followed by Johns Hopkins University on Mar 25, the University of Maryland on Apr 1, Georgetown University on Apr 16, and George Washington University on April 23. These visits highlight our scholars and our mission and are wonderful opportunities to invite prospective donors and members. Please plan to carpool.

As another highlight of the year, we are thrilled to honor ARCS MWC member and President and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness, The Honorable Deborah Wince Smith, as our 2026 Eagle Awardee at the Eagle Award Ceremony on May 1 at the Army and Navy Club. 

Sending our warmest Valentine’s Day wishes,

~ Julie Hohl and Jane Riddle, ARCS-MWC Co-Presidents