8:00am - 9:30pm |
Smith House Reception Center Open Stop by for registration, schedules of class activities, messages, information on the Amherst area and light refreshments. Telephone: (413) 542–2065. Reception Center will close at 9:30 p.m. Smith House, 22 Hitchcock Road (across from Orr Rink) |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Amherst in Transition (1968–1972) During the summer of 1968, the incoming Class of 1972 was asked to read the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and Malcolm X. Kim Townsend G’11, Class of 1959 Professor of English, Emeritus, delivered a freshman orientation lecture on the books in Johnson Chapel. Horace Porter ’72, P’07, Professor of American Studies, Emeritus, at The University of Iowa, was one of the incoming African American students in the audience. Townsend and Porter will start with the orientation event and focus on Amherst College and related matters, including Vietnam, Black studies, Presidents Plimpton and Ward, the two moratoria and the protests at Westover Air Reserve Base. Presented by the Class of 1972. Buckley Recital Hall, Arms Music Center |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Not Just Another Conversation About Race: Where Do We Go from Here? This panel invites the audience to engage with open hearts and open minds. The conversation should start with an acknowledgment that each of us has a singular lived experience and, equally, each of us has unconscious biases. We will bring together alumni from diverse professions to begin designing a framework of common interests and collective tools so that each of us may advance positive change. Panelists include Lisa Chang ’82, P’13, J.D.; Amherst College Trustee Kimberlyn Leary ’82, Ph.D.; Lateef Mtima ’82, J.D.; and Paul Simmons ’82, M.D. The moderator for the panel is Karin Immergut ’82, U.S. District Court Judge. Presented by the Class of 1982. Johnson Chapel |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Morning Hikes Join the Class of 2017 for a nostalgic adventure featuring the best views the College has to offer. Presented by the Class of 2017. Meet outside the entrance to Wieland Hall |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Learning to Live with Viruses: The Pandemic of Our Generation Join experts from the Class of 1962 for a presentation on the COVID-19 pandemic. Ed Goetzl ’62, P’89,’92, M.D., will open with an overview of the pandemic. Gerry Fink ’62, H’82, P’84, Ph.D., will present on SARS-CoV-2, a formidable foe, and Steve Hauschka ’62, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Washington, will report on COVID vaccine biochemistry and immunology. A general discussion and Q&A with additional panelists Larry Beck ’62, P’92,’07, M.D., and Irwin Buchwald ’62, M.D., will follow. Presented by the Class of 1962. Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Family Fun with the Eric Carle Museum Come join the Eric Carle Museum for a fun, virtually facilitated event for children and parents, complete with an interactive project. This event is suitable for children ages 4 and up. All necessary materials will be provided. Presented by the Class of 2007. Kirkpatrick Lecture Hall (A011), Science Center |
9:00 - 10:00am |
The College Admissions Process in Today’s World Join Alison (Ali) Segal ’97, former Admissions Officer, College Counselor and Director of College Access at Evanston Scholars, and current Therapist-in-Training at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, for a casual conversation to help parents prepare to navigate the college admissions process and understand how the landscape has changed over time. What is different now versus when we applied? What differentiates an applicant? How can parents minimize stress in the process for themselves and their children? What are the implications of colleges moving away from testing? Bring your questions! Presented by the Class of 1997. Stirn Auditorium |
9:00 - 10:00am |
Daniel Webster and The Birth of American Nationalism: A conversation with Joel Richard Paul ’77 and Jan Saragoni ’77, P’03 Joel Richard Paul ’77, author of the forthcoming book, INDIVISIBLE: Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism, will discuss the competing ideas of what it meant to be an American in the Jacksonian era and how the populist-racist idea of American identity was ultimately displaced by the constitutional nationalism popularized by Massachusetts senator Daniel Webster. Paul argues that Webster’s ideas shaped Lincoln’s thinking and triumphed in the Civil War. Paul, a professor of constitutional law, is also the author of WITHOUT PRECEDENT: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times and UNLIKELY ALLIES: How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution. Jan Saragoni ’77, P’03 is a Boston-based public relations and issues management consultant. Presented by the Class of 1977. Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall |
10:15 - 11:15am |
5th Reunion Kickball Game Come play one of the old playground favorites with the 5th Reunion classes. Presented by the Classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017. Hitchcock Field |
10:15 - 11:15am |
A Long, Crazy Journey from Amherst to Happiness Scott Hunter ’67 reflects on his journey to Southeast Asia as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, life beneath 16 hemlock poles surrounded by canvas in a conical shape with a fire pit in the center when he returned to the U.S., a drug addiction that led to homelessness, and then a very happy life in recovery as an ultrarunner, memoirist and landscaper. Presented by the Class of 1967. Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall |
10:15 - 11:15am |
Class of 1987 Lecture: How Psychedelics Are Rapidly Revolutionizing the Fields of Psychology and Mental Health You dabbled at Amherst, your kids are micro-dosing, you’re tempted to invest—it’s high time to learn what’s really going on with psychedelics. Join two world-renowned and pioneering neuroscientists, Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of psychedelic research at UCSF, and Dr. Jerrold Rosenbaum, head of Harvard’s newly minted Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics, as we explore groundbreaking developments in the use of psilocybin and other psychotropic agents in treating depression, PTSD, addiction and other mental health ailments, as well as facilitating personal growth and healthy relationships. Turn on, tune in and drop by! Presented by the Class of 1987. Buckley Recital Hall, Arms Music Center |
10:15 - 11:15am |
The Challenges of Aging: What Do Life Stories and Evidence Tell Us About Healthy, Meaningful Aging? The program will be introduced by Catherine A. Sanderson, Ph.D., Poler Family Professor of Psychology, Chair of the Department of Psychology and author of The Positive Shift, a book about how mindset influences happiness, health and longevity. Life stories and commentary will be presented by David McK. Lawrence ’62, H’94, P’91,’01, M.D., M.P.H., former Dean of the School of Medicine at the Keck Graduate Institute and former CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals; William Leland ’62, M.Ed., former Associate Dean of Students, Stanford, and current Board Chair of Santa Cruz Community Health Centers; and Philip Lilienthal ’62, P’95, Founder of Global Camps Africa, Peace Corps volunteer and staff, private practice attorney and owner/director of a Maine summer camp. Presented by the Class of 1962. Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center |
10:15 - 11:15am |
Ending Homelessness in America: What’s It Going to Take? Many Americans view homelessness as an intractable problem that only ever seems to get worse. Yet, 14 U.S. communities have now ended homelessness for target populations using a heavily data-driven, housing-focused methodology developed by the nonprofit Community Solutions. Join Jake Maguire ’07, Senior Advisor to Community Solutions President Rosanne Haggerty ’82, H’03, to discuss the organization’s Built for Zero approach, which recently won the MacArthur Foundation’s global competition for a single $100 million grant to scale its proven solution to ending homelessness. Presented by the Class of 2007. Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall |
10:15 - 11:15am |
Parenting at Multiple Ages Two Class of 1992 experts on parenting, education and child behavior discuss the challenges inherent in parenting children at different stages of their—and our—lives. Presented by Kate Dimond Fitzgerald ’92, M.D., Ruane Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University / New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Keith Millner ’92, Director of Children’s Learning Institute Programs and Founding Director of the CLI Solutions Group. Presented by the Class of 1992. Kirby Memorial Theater |
10:15 - 11:15am |
Ed Popielarczyk: Comedy and Magic Join us for an entertaining and fun magic show with the amazing Ed Popielarczyk, a professional magician, balloon sculptor, flea circus ringmaster and storyteller. Ed will keep kids enthralled and adults smiling during this comedy magic show with lots of audience participation. Main Quadrangle |
10:15 - 11:15am |
Reunion Soccer Game The Amherst men’s and women’s soccer teams will sponsor a game between odd- and even-class soccer alumni. Bring your soccer things (shirt, shorts, socks, cleats and shin guards), RSVP to Coach Alex Ortega (aortega@amherst.edu) so we have a headcount and spread the word to your classmates and teammates! Gooding Turf Field |
11:30am - 1:30pm |
Balloon Sculpting with Ed Popielarczyk Hats, animals, airplanes, cartoon characters, flowers, motorcycles—Ed can sculpt hundreds of things with balloons! Stop by until 1:30 p.m. and make a request! Main Quadrangle |
11:30am - 12:30pm |
A Conversation with #19 and #20 and the Annual Meeting of the Society of the Alumni and the Alumni Council A conversation between Biddy Martin, the 19th president of Amherst College, and Michael A. Elliott '92, whose tenure as the 20th president of the College will commence on August 1. Additional seating and a livestream will be available in Buckley Recital Hall, Arms Music Center. Johnson Chapel |
12:00 - 1:30pm |
Annual Reunion Luncheon Join us for a complimentary luncheon under the tent on the Valentine Quad. Look for your classmates under the decade signs! Valentine Quad |
1:45 - 2:45pm |
Michael Wald’s Comedy Magic Michael Wald is a showman of the first order. With a tip of the hat to vaudeville, slapstick and “one-liner” comedy, his magic is engaging and seeks out every opportunity for a joke or a quick improvisation with an audience member called up to assist. These assistants end up holding the trump cards and afford Michael the chance for more comedy as he celebrates the consequences of his own personal foibles. Main Quadrangle |
1:45 - 3:45pm |
Amherst Asian Alumni Reception
Join the Amherst Asian Alumni Network (AAAN) to celebrate Asian alumni across all years and the advancement of Asian / Pacific / American Studies at the College. Food and drinks will be provided. All are welcome. To RSVP, please register by emailing amherst.asian.alumni@gmail.com.
Tent behind Alumni Gymnasium |
1:45 - 2:45pm |
The U.S. Government's Efforts to Degrade Russia’s Ability to Wage War in Ukraine This presentation features an armchair conversation with Matt Axelrod ’92, the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Toby Wolf ’92, a career foreign service officer at the U.S. Department of State with previous diplomatic assignments to Russia. The conversation will focus on the U.S. government's response to Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine. Presented by the Class of 1992. Stirn Auditorium |
1:45 - 2:45pm |
Mobilizing Power for a More Perfect Union: Lessons of Amherst Activists Then and Now The Class of 1972 lived four tumultuous years in American political history. The war and draft, racial reckonings, mass protests, political assassinations, seminal elections—each and all of us were marked uniquely and in life-changing ways. Speakers will discuss how their Amherst experiences informed their approaches to mobilizing and using power for political and social change—then and now. Panelists include Tom Davis ’71, H’09, seven-term former GOP member of Congress from Virginia (1995–2008), partner in the law firm Holland & Knight and past head of the Board of Visitors of George Mason University; Jean Fugett ’72, P’11, Super Bowl X starter, NFL activist, union rep, attorney and businessman; Sandy Rosenberg ’72, current 40-year Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates and adjunct law professor; and Rick Swartz ’72, P’11, human rights litigator, architect of strange-bedfellow reform alliances on complex domestic and global challenges, and activist entrepreneur. Presented by the Classes of 1971 and 1972. Johnson Chapel |
1:45 - 2:45pm |
Education Today: Where Do We Go from Here? Our education system faced serious challenges even before 2020, and COVID has forced us to rethink “the way things have been done” and truly grapple with the inequities in our education system—as well as explore opportunities. Come join a group of practitioners in a variety of contexts to discuss the current state of education and where we go from here. Panelists include Rebecca Binder ’02, Lisa Friscia ’02, Nicole Lopez ’02, Annie Reinish ’02 and Jess Wall ’12. Presented by the Classes of 2002 and 2012. Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center |
1:45 - 2:45pm |
Amherst Alumni Reflections: Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion Popularized by Renee Bracey Sherman, the phrase “Everyone loves someone who had an abortion” centers love in the fight for bodily autonomy. For Nicole Bishop ’12, Anna Castro ’12 and Amanda Villarreal ’12, the fight for bodily autonomy has been driven by love of community, innovation and the future. The Class of 2012 invites you to join this conversation and share how the fight for bodily autonomy has impacted you. Above all, we ask you to remember that… everyone loves someone who had an abortion. Presented by the Class of 2012. Kirby Memorial Theater |
2:00 - 4:00pm |
Amherst Reunion Crew Row If you peered between the trees along the riverbank and were startled to see a rowing shell gliding across the face of the water, the urge to jump into the boat would be difficult to extinguish. How satisfying would it be to lean on the rudder again and holler at individuals who are not your children, or press your weight against the foot-stretcher to leverage the shell forward? The experience would fill the hollowness that has ensued since the last time you sat in a boat. Please join us for an afternoon on the river at our annual Reunion gathering at the boathouse. Coach Bill Stekl will also give an update on the progress and success of the students on the Amherst College rowing team, who move boats faster than any of us. Amherst College Boathouse (Sportsman’s Marina, Route 9 at Coolidge Bridge) |
3:00 - 4:00pm |
The Current State of Content Production Several members of the Class of 1992 who have crafted careers in creative content production discuss their past and current projects and where the industry may be headed in the very near future. Panelists include Gregg Greenberg ’92, Writer/Producer, Friends and Romans, and Jeanne Herring ’92, Clearance Producer, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Moderated by Josh Mora ’92, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships at Full Sail University and Founder of Do Easy Productions. Presented by the Class of 1992. Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center |
3:00 - 4:00pm |
Science Behind Superheroes In this show, discover the real science behind some of the most popular superhero powers! Children will explore the science of flight, how science can make things invisible and how Spiderman might walk up walls using fun, high-energy experiments. Presented by Mad Science of Western New England. Main Quadrangle |
3:00 - 4:00pm |
The Gender Revolution: A Facilitated Discussion Join Sam Guzzardi ’07, published author and licensed psychoanalyst working in New York City, for a group discussion of the incredible transformation of gender—including norms, roles, concepts and societal significance—over the last 15 years since the Class of 2007 graduated. No special expertise or experience with the topic is required. Sam has designed the session to ensure that everyone can participate safely and effectively as we discuss this timely and exciting topic. Presented by the Class of 2007. Friedmann Room, Keefe Campus Center |
3:00 - 4:00pm |
Navigating the Impact of COVID and State Violence in the Workplace Join the Class of 2012 for a discussion on the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, uprisings in defense of Black life and the increase of anti-Asian violence on different industries. Owanate Briggs ’12, Ph.D. student in the Health Outcomes division at the University of Texas at Austin; Mwanzaa Brown ’12, Architectural Designer at Perkins Eastman; and Elaine Teng ’12, Editor and Writer at ESPN, will shed light on how navigating the workplace, and how our work is perceived and received in the world, has changed dramatically since 2020. Presented by the Class of 2012. Kirby Memorial Theater |
3:00 - 4:00pm |
Outliving Ambition David Black ’67, P’99, and Ed Tivnan ’67 will discuss how age has affected our goals and ambitions—and what replaces them. Presented by the Class of 1967. Stirn Auditorium |
3:15 - 5:00pm |
Physics and Astronomy Alumni Reception All are welcome. Reception ends at 5 p.m. Eighmy Powerhouse Patio |
4:15 - 5:15pm |
Open Source and the Commons Why do tech companies large and small give away their most important software for free? Turns out they’ve been doing this for decades, and you’re reaping the benefits without even knowing it. Come learn from Loren Crary ’07, Director of Resource Development at the Python Software Foundation, and Adam Kaplan ’07, Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat, as they discuss the triumphs and tragedies of collaborating “the open-source way” and how their roles in software foundations support the communities that drive modern innovation. Presented by the Class of 2007. Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center |
4:15 - 5:15pm |
45+ Years of Women’s Sports at Amherst: A Conversation with Coach Michelle Morgan Michelle Morgan is retiring this month after 44 years coaching women at Amherst. Hear stories from the earliest days of coeducation to the present day from this remarkable educator. Coach Morgan will be in conversation with media executive Kathleen Murphy ’82. Presented by the Class of 1982. Johnson Chapel |
5:15 - 6:15pm |
Alumni in the Arts Reception All alumni working in or passionate about the arts are invited to connect with each other and Amherst College faculty and staff in the arts. This reception is supported by the Arts at Amherst Initiative; the Amherst College Departments of Art & the History of Art, English and Music; the Amherst Center for Russian Culture; the Mead Art Museum; the Loeb Center for Career Exploration and Planning; and The Common. Tent behind Alumni Gymnasium |
5:15 - 6:15pm |
LGBTQ+ Alumni Reception Come and join us for an LGBTQ+ alumni reception outside the Science Center. Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, this informal gathering will be a chance for LGBTQ+ alumni and their families to come together in community and celebration during Reunion weekend. Join us to share, celebrate and uplift the experiences of Amherst's queer and trans alumni. All are welcome! Schupf Terrace, Science Center |
9:00 - 10:00pm |
The Zumbyes’ Reunion Show The Zumbyes welcome all Zum-alums, Amherst alums, friends, fans and anyone else to Buckley Recital Hall to celebrate the 72nd year of the group with a free concert of new songs, classic songs and, of course, our beloved College songs. Buckley Recital Hall, Arms Music Center |