Ebola Response Manager, Museum Head and Best-Selling Author Among Six to Be Honored at Commencement — Amherst will award
honorary degrees on May 22 to novelist Chris Bohjalian '82, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace President William Burns, CDC Ebola response manager Inger Damon '84, astronomer and astrophysicist Sandra Faber, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Director Kirk Johnson '82 and sociologist and educator Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot.
President Martin Interviews Students Bringing Musicals Back to Amherst — In the decades since its Broadway debut, the Stephen Sondheim musical
Into the Woods has been performed countless times worldwide. But at Amherst, students are about to present it not just for entertainment but also to spur discussions about the meaning of community. President Biddy Martin
interviewed three people behind the production.
Professors Win Prestigious Fellowships — Four faculty members have been
honored with grants to further their research. Lawrence Douglas (LJST) and Katharine Sims (economics) are among the nation's 33 new Andrew Carnegie Fellows. Amity Gaige (English) has been named a Guggenheim Fellow, and Lisa Brooks (English and American studies) was recently awarded a Whiting Public Engagement Fellowship.
Actor, Playwright Tells People's Stories — In Buckley Recital Hall,
Anna Deavere Smith transformed herself into people she's interviewed. "I don't believe that I can know what anybody is thinking," she told the Amherst audience. "All I can do is try to sing the song they're singing."
95-Year-Old Alumnus Flies Again — He studied mathematics, law and business during his long career, but for Bob Ellis '43, one passion he never thought he'd experience again was flying. Then, this month, the 95-year-old former U.S. Navy airman found himself
once again in the cockpit.
Old Dining Hall Menus Reveal Potato as Sole Vegetable — Among many other projects included in Frost Library's
celebration of student research was Sylvia Hickman '16's presentation on menus from the former Hitchcock Dining Hall: "Mostly meat and potatoes," she said. "Also, you'll notice in the 'extras' that you could buy off the main menu was a list of vegetables. It is six different ways to prepare potatoes."
Calling All Writers — Have you, or an Amherst friend or classmate, recently published a book? Make sure to
add it to our Amherst Reads catalog, which includes nearly 1,600 books by alumni and faculty members. What about blogging? Interested in
writing for the College's guest blog Well Mixed? Have an active site to
submit to the blogroll? Let us know!
Alumni - Please Cast Your Vote in the 2016 Alumni Trustee Election — This year's candidates are Michael G. Kauffman '85, Ji Yeun Lee '88 and Paul M. Smith '76. Cast your
vote online by noon on May 16!
