"I think there are a lot more issues that join us together than might separate us [men and women at the Reunion]," she said.

"People are all facing simliar issues with children, careers. Many people have had profound experiences in the last 25 years," added Cronin, who closed the actual discussions to the press.

"The main thing for me was that when I looked around, I saw myself [at this event]," said Suzanne B. Kulik '72. "I don't have the same affinity with the men."

Kulik summarized the discussions Tuesday night, which began with a "brief introduction of each other and what we'd done. [We talked about] what Radcliffe had and hadn't done for us."

"We went on to talk about much broader issues of what we faced with old age and workplace issues, the flexibility we've shown as women. Most of us have had a couple of careers, and we hope that will stand us in good stead as we have a couple more," she said.

"At the beginning of our freshman year, Polly Bunting [then-president of Radcliffe] spoke," she added. "What I remember was that she said that our aspiration should be to have fulfilling part-time jobs."

Kulik said she ridiculed that sentiment long afterwards. These days, she says half-jokingly, "that would be great."

Most of all, alumnae are trying to figure out how Harvard fits into their identities.

Like many others, Rachel V. Tompkins '72 attended the reunion in hopes of finding old friends. "I sort of thought I'd see people again and then you realize after 25 years if you don't come [to a reunion] you won't."

And like others, Tompkins found her reunion brought more feelings to the surface than she had expected. "I didn't identify with Radcliffe," she said. "I identified with Harvard--not even that much. Mostly with Dunster, if any place at all."