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J Farrington had clear priorities when looking for colleges: a welcoming campus, close faculty relationships and a psychology program where they could imagine being known.

“I toured a couple of bigger schools, but I didn’t really feel at home [at any of them],” they said.

Mount Holyoke stood out immediately. The campus exuded warmth, and conversations with admissions ambassadors brought the College’s culture into focus. Before arriving on campus, Farrington attended a gathering of Mount Holyoke alums in the Boston area. They were struck by this early glimpse of the camaraderie and encouragement of the alum network.

“I was wowed,” they said. “This was an alum network unlike anything that I’d seen anywhere else.”

On campus, that connection became central to Farrington’s experience. As a psychology major with a minor in gender studies, coursework and mentorship shaped their early academic direction. A first-year seminar, Sexuality and Society, taught by Corey Flanders, associate professor of psychology and education, proved formative.

“I was interested in psych but unsure what I wanted to do with it. That class helped me understand what good sex education can look like and how it can be made accessible,” they said.

Flanders became a mentor to Farrington and is now a thesis advisor to them. Farrington’s thesis examines trans and non-monogamous experiences of interpersonal care and social support. The thesis is based on qualitative interviews and reflects what Farrington values most about Mount Holyoke’s emphasis on undergraduate research.

“I’ve been able to work closely with Professor Flanders. I have all the support that I need to take on a really gargantuan project. That kind of support is something I might not have gotten at a larger school,” they said.

Farrington also receives support outside the classroom. At Sophomore Institute, which helps second-year students explore career paths, Farrington saw Mount Holyoke’s powerhouse alum network in action. They acted as a mentor for a queer identity group at Sophomore Institute, where they connected with an alum, who later became their first interviewee for their thesis and offered feedback on Farrington’s research questions and interview approach. When Farrington traveled to Maryland for a graduate school interview, the same alum connected them with a local Mount Holyoke graduate who offered them a place to stay.

“I lost my wallet and had really crazy transit issues,” Farrington recalled, laughing. “But they were incredibly generous hosts. They really took care of me.”

Farrington found community in other activities. They have been a member of the a cappella group since their first year at the College.

“Rehearsal is always the thing that I can count on,” they said. “If I ever feel like I’m spending too much time in the library, I’m like, ‘OK, I have rehearsal. I’m being a person.’”

As graduation approaches, Farrington is preparing for the next step: graduate study in therapy-related fields. Having served in Boston as an expert consultant for sex education programs for deaf students, they applied to social work and marriage and family therapy programs, with the goal of pursuing relationship and sex therapy with a focus on disabled communities.

The Jones Career Development Center played a key role in Farrington’s preparation. They worked closely with Caedyn Busche ’17 and Briana Chace ’17, who guided Farrington on graduate school applications, fellowships and the often-awkward process of writing about oneself.

“Learning how to tell a story about yourself is really challenging,” they said. “But that’s been a really important skill. They provided excellent advice — and calmed me down.”

Farrington credits Mount Holyoke’s culture of mentorship, research and community with helping them clarify their academic focus and future goals — and with making the College’s promise of lifelong connection real. Some of their younger sibling’s friends have enrolled at Mount Holyoke, and Farrington is paying it forward.

“Now I’m the one texting them, saying, ‘I’m here if you ever need anything.’ And that’s been really nice,” they said.