Great-Grandfather Inspires Professor’s Research

Kiara Vigil, assistant professor of American studies, followed her own family story to examine the roles of Native Americans in Hollywood, both on camera and off.

Charles Hamilton Houston, class of 1915, Civic Hero

A recent post on Medium celebrated the contributions of civil rights attorney Charles Hamilton Houston, class of 1915, a chief architect of the legal strategy behind Brown v. Board of Education.

Dean Rick López ’93 Shares Advice on NPR

As a first-year student at Amherst, Rick López ’93 found the prospect of attending office hours “terrifying,” but nevertheless forced himself to go. The reward? His adviser became a trusted mentor and then a colleague. López, now Amherst’s dean of new students, tells this story and offers advice on NPR’s Life Kit podcast.

Discerning Design with Katherine Chia ’88, P’22

In her career as an architect, this alumna shapes community spaces around the world—and many different places have shaped her. Read about Chia’s work, including the house her firm designed for a fellow alum, in Amherst magazine.

’83 Attorney Remembers 9/11

MSNBC devoted an episode of its podcast The Oath to an in-depth conversation with Rob Spencer ’83, former criminal chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, who led the prosecution of 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui.

Amherst in the Field with John Michael Higgins ’85

John Michael Higgins ’85 was a professional actor in high school when he learned about Amherst from an alumnus with whom he was working.