Reunion 2024 Schedule

Stop by for registration, schedules of class activities, messages, information on the Amherst area and light refreshments. Telephone: (413) 542–2065.

Alumni House, 75 Churchill Street

Explore the home where Amherst's greatest poet penned her near 1800 poems. A knowledgeable tour guide shares Dickinson's journey as a poet and the daily life that was a wellspring of inspiration. Advance sign-up is required for all participants, including guests of alumni. Advance sign-up will begin on May 1. Space is limited to 12 participants.

Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street

Stop by for registration, schedules of class activities, messages, information on the Amherst area and light refreshments. Telephone: (413) 542–2065.

Alumni House, 75 Churchill Street

Tour the former U.S. Strategic Air Command (Northeast Command) nuclear communications bunker and learn of its history, led by Aaron Hayden, the College’s Capital Projects Manager and the unofficial authority on the history of the Bunker. The Bunker has served as the Amherst College Book Depository since its purchase by the College in 1992. Each tour is limited to 30 people. Please sign up in advance online or by phone at 413-542-2313. If space is available, you may sign up on-site at the Alumni House Reception Center (75 Churchill Street). Please note: You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the Bunker.

Amherst Bunker, 100 Military Drive, off Route 116 in the Holyoke Range

Lecture by Olufemi O. Vaughan, Alfred Sargent Lee '41 and Mary Farley Ames Lee Professor of Black Studies; Chair of Black Studies

Location and details to be announced

Join Fred Venne, museum educator and Student Docents, for a walk through the Beneski Museum of Natural History, which houses outstanding collections and exhibits that include vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology, minerals and other geologic specimens collected locally and from around the world since 1825. Particularly noteworthy is the world-famous dinosaur track collection. Bring your cameras. 

Beneski Museum of Natural History

In an episode of the 1970s series entitled “Negative Reaction,” Lieutenant Columbo enters a camera shop for a brief lesson about printing photographs from negatives. “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” the life-long learner tells the clerk, “You learn something every day!” In her lecture, Amelie Hastie, Nancy and Douglas D. Abbey '71 Professor of English in Film and Media Studies, will discuss what led her to write Columbo: Make Me a Perfect Murder and how, she argues, the series taught her about film and television. Her talk will develop the premise of her book through an attention to the details of Columbo itself and the research methods Professor Hastie employed while writing her volume. Seeing television as an intertextual system, she considers the series through the plentitude of the medium and the complex mode of viewing that it demands. She will also explore how the interpretive methods she applied to her study of the series can both serve as an introduction to the discipline of Film and Media Studies and illustrate her own work in the field as a scholar and a teacher.

Stirn Auditorium

Lecture by Michael Cohen, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Location and details to be announced

With a knowledgeable guide, explore the home of the poet's brother and sister-in-law, Austin and Susan Dickinson. The lives of the Dickinson families at the Homestead and The Evergreens were closely linked, both in their daily conduct and in the private lives that unfolded in the houses. These connections had a profound impact on Emily Dickinson’s poetry and, later, on the posthumous publication of her verse and the preservation of her legacy. Advance sign-up is required for all participants, including guests of alumni. Advance sign-up will begin on May 1. Space is limited to 10 participants.

Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street

Stop by for registration, schedules of class activities, messages, information on the Amherst area and light refreshments. Telephone: (413) 542–2065.

Alumni House, 75 Churchill Street

Join Jane and Robert Keiter Family Executive Director Jane Wald for a walking exploration of the newly re-opened Evergreens, home to Austin and Susan Dickinson. The Evergreens reopened in March 2024 after major preservation and stabilization efforts. The Italianate house and the family there were part of the poet's daily life and inspiration, and today the house remains a fly in the amber—virtually untouched since the family's last redecorating campaign in the 1890s. Advance sign-up is required for all participants, including guests of alumni. Advance sign-up will begin on May 1. Space is limited to 10 participants per tour.

Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street

Locations and details to be announced

Please join us for a talk by Maria Timina on the second part of the Amherst College Russian Center exhibition: Art in Doubt: A Critical Examination of the Thomas P. Whitney '37 Collection. This is an exhibition about suspected fakes and possible forgeries, about works that cause us to doubt history, experts and art itself. It is about doubt as an essential part of art attribution, while it is also about how knowledge can transform skepticism into assurance.

Amherst Center for Russian Culture, Room 202, Webster Hall

Amherst owns and runs a working farm, Book & Plow Farm. It grows all manner of produce and supplies Valentine Dining Hall. And the produce is local: the farm is just a 15-minute walk from campus. There we’ll meet Assistant Farm Manager Kaylee Brow for a tour of the Core Site and a (kid-friendly) farm activity, from 9 to 11 a.m. We’ll go rain or shine, but cancel for thunder and lightning. Maps to the farm will be available at the Alumni House Reception Center, and parking is available for people who prefer to drive. You are also welcome to visit the farm at any point during the weekend to enjoy the view!

Book & Plow Farm Greenhouse on Tuttle Hill, 425 South East Street, Amherst

Siddhartha V. Shah, John Wieland 1958 Director of the Mead Art Museum, joined Amherst College in 2022 with training as a gallery director, dealer, curator and director of an education department at a leading art museum. This range of experience in various facets of the art ecosystem, paired with his personal journey across different disciplines, countries and cultures has given him a unique perspective on the current crisis that art museums around the world are facing today, as well as insights into what an art museum can be to a college campus, town and region. Siddhartha will discuss how his transcultural upbringing shaped his relationship to art, the role that museums play as both a resource and a respite to those they serve, and his goal to make the Mead an essential bridge between Amherst College and its local and global communities.

Stirn Auditorium

Join Jane and Robert Keiter Family Executive Director Jane Wald for a walking exploration of the newly re-opened Evergreens, home to Austin and Susan Dickinson. The Evergreens reopened in March 2024 after major preservation and stabilization efforts. The Italianate house and the family there were part of the poet's daily life and inspiration, and today the house remains a fly in the amber—virtually untouched since the family's last redecorating campaign in the 1890s. Advance sign-up is required for all participants, including guests of alumni. Advance sign-up will begin on May 1. Space is limited to 10 participants per tour.

Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street

Join Fred Venne, museum educator and Student Docents, for a walk through the Beneski Museum of Natural History, which houses outstanding collections and exhibits that include vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology, minerals and other geologic specimens collected locally and from around the world since 1825. Particularly noteworthy is the world-famous dinosaur track collection. Bring your cameras.

Beneski Museum of Natural History

We will discuss important principles and challenges educational institutions face in promoting expressive freedom, disciplined non-partisanship and intellectual diversity. Participants include John Gulla ’79, Executive Director, Edward E. Ford Foundation, former Head of School, The Blake School; Michael Gorra ’79, Mary Augusta Jordan Professor of English, Smith College. Moderated by James Brigagliano ’79, Retired Partner, Sidley Austin. Presented by the Class of 1979.

Stirn Auditorium

Locations and details to be announced

This session will take a look at Amherst’s sustainability efforts and path forward. The College recently relaunched an Office of Sustainability to help infuse sustainability across its curriculum, co-curriculum and operations. Concurrently, it has begun a massive effort to decarbonize the campus’ energy system, transitioning from a fossil fuel-based steam distribution system to a new low-temperature hot water system that will be paired with a geothermal well field and run on renewable electricity. Join Wes Dripps '92, the Director for Sustainability, to learn more about these exciting new initiatives.

Lipton Lecture Hall (E110), Science Center

Amherst graduates make their way in the world in a wide variety of traditional and nontraditional ways. Herewith a spotlight on four graduates who have defined their own unique pathways. Featuring David Blistein ’74, documentary scriptwriter (homelessness, mental health, Thoreau); Mike Kahn '74, P'03, moderator, attorney and author of the Rachel Gold mystery novels; Harvey Rosenfield '74, H'10, consumer advocate and political activist; and Bill Watts ’74, Christian ministry, on stage and off. Presented by the Class of 1974.

Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

The Wellbeing Makerspace is a new space where students can explore their creativity, connect, and de-stress. Located on the first floor of Keefe Campus Center, the Wellbeing Makerspace is an initiative of Student Affairs and is managed by Residential Engagement & Wellbeing. Participants can use a variety of art and craft supplies to experiment with various mediums and projects, learn from and collaborate with peers, and access healthy outlets to manage stress and adversity. Alumni and guests are invited to stop into the Wellbeing Makerspace to explore the various materials, health and wellbeing resources, and learn more about how this space helps students to center their wellbeing through creative expression and exploration. Open hours end at 5 p.m.

First Floor, Keefe Campus Center

Drop in to learn more about the Multicultural Resource Center, Queer Resource Center, Women’s & Gender Center, Center for International Student Engagement, Class & Access Resource Center and Center for Religious & Spiritual Life and connect with some of the OICR staff. Drop-in session ends at 4 p.m.

Atrium, Keefe Campus Center

At Amherst, sustainability is a core value. The campus is home to many sustainable features that foster academic experiences, have earned national and regional recognition, reduce our campus footprint, and support and inspire the campus community. From buildings and grounds to academics to campus wellbeing, we aspire to integrate sustainability into every part of campus life. Join Wes Dripps ’92, the Director of Sustainability, for a guided walking tour of the college’s sustainability features, programs and plans.

Meet in Living Room (Main Lobby), Science Center

Tour the former U.S. Strategic Air Command (Northeast Command) nuclear communications bunker and learn of its history, led by Aaron Hayden, the College’s Capital Projects Manager and the unofficial authority on the history of the Bunker. The Bunker has served as the Amherst College Book Depository since its purchase by the College in 1992. Each tour is limited to 30 people. Please sign up in advance online or by phone at 413-542-2313. If space is available, you may sign up on-site at the Alumni House Reception Center (75 Churchill Street). Please note: You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the Bunker.

Amherst Bunker, 100 Military Drive, off Route 116 in the Holyoke Range

Come and join us for an LGBTQ+ alumni reception. 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!

Queer Resource Center, Keefe Campus Center

Over the past several seasons, nearly half of all NBA teams have had a head coach and/or general manager who played Division III college basketball. How did so many former small-college athletes reach such prominent positions? Join Ben Kaplan '09, author of Pipeline to the Pros: How D3, Small-College Nobodies Rose to Rule the NBA, as he shares stories and data behind the networks and macro trends that lifted D3 athletes (including a handful of Amherst alums) into basketball's most influential jobs. Presented by the Class of 2009.

Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

Join three members of the Class of 1989 who have devoted their careers to higher education and have witnessed great changes in the value placed on the liberal arts in a college education. They will lead an interactive discussion about the role of the liberal arts in the 21st century and the call for universities to align their degree programs with specialized workforce preparation. What are opportunities to integrate liberal arts into professional programs? How might a liberal arts education begin to look different given the various pressures facing colleges and universities? What are places of advocacy for the liberal arts? How can we more effectively articulate and champion the value of the liberal arts in today's divided society? There will be opportunities for you to share your own reflections on how your Amherst liberal arts education has prepared you professionally and how you might advocate for the importance of sustaining strong liberal arts learning in a wide variety of institutions and degree programs. Featuring Emily Todd ’89, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, Eastern Connecticut State University; Francesca B. Purcell ’89, Faculty Co-Chair, Higher Education Concentration, Faculty Co-Chair, Online Master's in Education, Senior Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Karin Chang ’89, Associate Director, Associate Research Professor, Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri - Kansas City. Presented by the Class of 1989.

Stirn Auditorium

Join President Michael A. Elliott and others from the College for conversation and celebration. All are welcome. Reception ends at 6:30 p.m.

Living Room, Science Center

Stop by for registration, schedules of class activities, messages, information on the Amherst area and light refreshments. Telephone: (413) 542–2065.

Alumni House, 75 Churchill Street

Take in the surroundings as Lia Raz ’09, who works as an agriculture conservationist in the Pioneer Valley, leads a nature walk down the Norwottuck Rail Trail. She'll bring some dichotomous keys for plant identification and will throw in some natural history facts as we make our leisurely way. The valley around us has an incredibly rich history (volcanoes! dinosaurs! glaciers!) that has resulted in a fascinating and unique landscape. We’ll touch on all of it. Please bring appropriate footwear and water! We will be walking about 1.5 miles. Presented by the Class of 2009.

Meet in the South Parking Lot (Behind the Tennis Courts)

Gather at the rugby pitch for a casual game of rugby touch. Open to all classes and guests, especially alumni of the men's and women's rugby teams. Wear athletic clothes and shoes; balls and cones provided. Longtime Amherst Rugby Coach Bob Hopley is expected to be in attendance. No need to sign up in advance, but Evan Wollen ’94 would appreciate an email to get a sense of who is coming: ehwollen@yahoo.com. Organized by Evan Wollen '94, Head Rugby Coach at The Claremont Colleges. Presented by the Class of 1994.

Hitchcock Field

Locations and details to be announced

The Amherst men’s and women’s soccer teams will sponsor a game between odd- and even-class soccer alumni. Bring your black shorts, cleats and shin guards; we’ll supply shirts and socks. RSVP to Coach Alex Ortega (aortega@amherst.edu) so we have a headcount and spread the word to your classmates and teammates! Plan to go right to Gooding Field to get your shirt and socks prior to the match!

Gooding Turf Field

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.

Friedmann Room, Keefe Campus Center

How do the Middle East’s smallest country and its most powerful non-state militia factor into U.S. interests and prospects for regional stability, particularly in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict? An examination of the dimensions that drive and constrain the postures of a uniquely diverse country's competing constituencies, including Hezbollah as a dominant Lebanese political party and as Iran's most effective regional proxy. Discussion will touch on regional dynamics and a consideration of perils and opportunities ahead. Featuring Win Dayton ’79, a retired career member of the Senior Foreign Service.  Among other assignments during a 32 year diplomatic career, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Lebanon, Principal Officer at the US Consulate General in Basra, Iraq, and Director of the State Department's Office for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Presented by the Class of 1979.

Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

Johnson Chapel

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 Quad

Join us for a complimentary luncheon under the tent on the Valentine Quad. Look for your classmates under the decade signs!

Valentine Quad

Locations and details to be announced

From Jeeps that flew to tanks that shouldn't; from a wave-powered boat that took forever to reach its destination to a jet-powered train that shook itself apart, an entertaining look at inventions that showcased an inventor's talent for building something nobody asked for. Importantly, none of these inventions are speculative; each one was built and worked more or less as planned except when it killed its inventor. This fun, 60-minute talk will be lavishly illustrated with photographs and film clips demonstrating that failure is not just entertaining, but has something important to teach us. Featuring John Geoghegan ’79. Presented by the Class of 1979.

Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

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)

Kick it Old School at the Alumni Reunion Kickball Game hosted by the Class of 2019! Join us for a fun-filled 2 hours of kickball, where you can show off your skills, reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Whether you were a kickball champion back in the day or just enjoy a good game, this event is for you! Don’t miss out on this chance to kick back, have fun and create new memories. See you on the field! Presented by the Class of 2019.

Hitchcock Field

The pandemic experience brought us out of our routines and social relationships, making us aware of our inner worlds and their fragility, our need for human connection, and our need for a sense of purpose. In the two years since a return to more normalcy, questions still remain about how to find purpose and meaning in life. Join Yutaka Tamura ’94, Executive Director of nXu, for a workshop to “Cultivate and (Re)Claim Your Purpose.” During this 90-minute interactive workshop, participants will engage in conversation, discussion, independent reflection, and collaborative activities that promote purpose development. Presented by the Class of 1994.

Friedmann Room, Keefe Campus Center

Come visit old friends and hear about what is going on in ACF. Drop by anytime between 3–4 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Hosted by Anthony Spina ’17, ACF Advisor and InterVarsity Affiliate.

Pemberton Lounge (formerly Chapin Lounge), Chapin Hall

Apocalypse is a Party for People Who Don't Like Parties, hosted by Planworld. Come and meet a diverse group of interesting people who all read the program and decided to sneak away for a few minutes. The conversation will be fueled by Black Sheep cake, among other delights. We will continue until everyone stops talking.

Second Floor Lounge, Nicholls Biondi Hall, Greenway Residence Halls

The Zumbyes welcome all Zum-alums, Amherst alums, friends, fans and anyone else to celebrate the 74th 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

Alumni House, 75 Churchill Street

Please join us for an ecumenical service to remember the lives of those alumni we have lost this year.

War Memorial, Memorial Hill