Alumni Colloquium Schedule

November 15-16, 2019

Schedule

Friday, November 15

8:30 A.M. - 1 P.M.

Check In
Pick up your packet with a name tag, schedule, speaker biographies, list of open classes and meal tickets. There is street parking available in front of the building.
Smith House, 22 Hitchcock Street

9 A.M. - 2 P.M.

Visit Open Classes
A list of open classes will be available online in the beginning of November and will also be provided in registration packets.
Various locations

11 A.M. - 12:30 p.m.

Bunker Tour (Optional)
If you have never had a chance to tour the former U.S. Strategic Air Command’s (Northeast Command) nuclear communications bunker and learn of its history, come a little early and take advantage of a tour 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. The tour is limited to 30 people, so be sure to check note when you register for Alumni Colloquium, if you wish to attend. Stairs are part of the tour, so please plan accordingly. Please note: If you are coming to Alumni Colloquium without a car, we have 11 seats available in a van that will lead attendees in their cars to the Bunker. Most will need to provide their own transportation to and from the Bunker (or car pool with a friend). For those who would like to follow the van, we will meet at the Alumni House (75 Churchill Street) at 10:30 a.m. and drive over together. If you know where you are headed, you are welcome to meet the group at the Bunker for 11 a.m.
Amherst Bunker, 100 Military Drive, off Route 116 in the Holyoke Range

NOON - 2 P.M.

Lunch (as you are free)
Meal tickets provided in registration packets.
Valentine Dining Hall

1:30 - 4 P.M.

Check In
Pick up your packet with a name tag, schedule, speaker biographies, list of open classes and meal tickets.
Lobby, Converse Hall

2 P.M.

Living On Campus
Mike Kelly, Head of Archives and Special Collections will lead a session that examines what the College’s archival material can tell us about the history of where and how students have lived on campus. Dr. Michael Robbins ’55 will start the conversation with a reflection on his campus experience titled, "Then and Now: A retrospective appraisal of post-WWII Amherst College."
Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

3:15 P.M.

Amherst Poets
Poets and poetry have long been associated with the history of Amherst College. This presentation by David Sofield, Samuel Williston Professor of English, Emeritus, will explore these connections, specific poets and poetic work, and how they have enriched the Amherst learning experience and community.
Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

4:15 P.M.

Break
Refreshments available
Lobby, Converse Hall

4:45 P.M.

The Singing College
Amherst continues to be known as The Singing College. The Amherst College Choral Society links generations of singers through their longstanding musical traditions. This program provides an opportunity to learn some of the stories behind traditional College songs, and of course, to hear the songs themselves performed by Amherst Choral Society singers. With  Arianne Abela, Director of the Choral Music Program and Lecturer in Music and Gilbert (Gil) Wermeling ’19, Graduate Associate in Music.
Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall

5:30 P.M.

Reception
Lobby, Converse Hall

6:45 P.M.

Dinner and Program
After dinner, Patricia O’Hara, Amanda and Lisa Cross Professor of Chemistry, will share a brief history of the early years of women on the Amherst faculty and her own experience coming to Amherst.
Lewis-Sebring Dining Commons, Valentine Hall

8:15 P.M.

Viewing of JFK: The Last Speech (Optional)
In an era of political tension when the value of a liberal arts education is questioned, a message from 1963 has particular resonance. Twenty-seven days before he was assassinated, President Kennedy came to Amherst College to honor the poet Robert Frost in a speech called “the most majestic” of Kennedy’s career. He spoke of the relationship of poetry to power and of a view shared with Frost that power must be exercised, but wisely—tempered by a moral restraint inspired by the arts and a liberal arts education. And, he spoke of the obligation of those “given a running start in life” to serve the public interest. JFK: The Last Speech communicates the impact of this message through the stories of Amherst alumni and students and reflections by prominent scholars and political observers. Produced by an award winning filmmaker, the production and distribution of this film has been a labor of love from many members of the Class of 1964. Learn more about the film and projects related to the film at jfkthelastspeech.org.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

Saturday, November 16

7:30 - 9 A.M.

Breakfast
Meal tickets are provided in registration packets.
Valentine Dining Hall

9:15 A.M.

Coeducation
The discussion about admitting women to Amherst College began in 1871, but it took more than one hundred years to resolve the question. This session will include a conversation with Wendy Mantel ’76 and Kitty Shirley ’80 from the first graduating classes of women, sharing their experience in those early days of coeducation, and how that experience influenced their careers after graduation. Catherine Ciepiela ’83, Howard M. and Martha P. Mitchell Professor of Russian, will facilitate the discussion.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

10:30 A.M.

The Common: A Modern Sense of Amherst
How the College’s internationally known, award-winning literary magazine launches students’ and authors’ careers and embodies Amherst’s terras irradient spirit through literature. The Common will soon be celebrating its tenth anniversary! Jennifer Acker ’00 is founder and editor in chief of The Common, and author of the debut novel The Limits of the World. Copies of Jennifer’s novel will be available for purchase and signing after the talk.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

11:45 A.M.

Lunch
No tickets required
Lewis-Sebring Dining Commons, Valentine Hall

1 P.M.

Protest Across Generations
Amherst students have a history of engagement with their college and with national movements for change. This session will explore some moments of protest in Amherst history in a discussion led by Norah Oteri ’18, who, as a student, completed research in our Archives and Special Collections on two different decades of protest 1965–1975 and 2005–2015 (see the report). Norah will also share her experience at the Amherst Uprising in 2015 and Tom Fels ’67 will share his experience organizing in the ’60s at Amherst.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

2:10 P.M.

Performing Arts on Campus: Connecting 1969 and 2019
Tony Award nominee Barry Keating ’69, will share the unique story of The Dream Engine. The musical was written by Jim Steinman ’69, H’13, a member of the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, as his senior independent study project. Steinman’s later work includes the Grammy Award-winning Bat Out of Hell albums, and international chart-topping singles like Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.”

The Dream Engine was produced at Amherst College in 1969. Honoring Jim and their experience as students, the class held an anniversary concert 50 years later at their reunion this May. Keating directed the revival and reprised his role as “The Historian.” He will share his experience as a student in the production, and reflect on returning to that body of work 50 years later, as an alum and professional. Read more about the revival project.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

3:15 P.M.

Closing Conversation
An opportunity for attendees to respond to facilitated reflection questions, and synthesize learning from the weekend.
Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall

Tour Opportunities While On Campus

Literary Amherst Tour

From Johnson Chapel to the Robert Frost’s statue to Emily Dickinson’s home, take a walking tour of our scenic campus to discover Amherst’s rich literary tradition. Take the tour.

Explore the new Science Center

Self-guided tours of the new Science Center are available. Find a map with a tour and information about the building in the main lobby.