Small Campus, Global Impact a Major Update to the Log, Which Re-Opened for Homecoming, Includes Vastly Improved Energy Efficiency, a New Bar and an Upgraded Kitchen
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MAGAZINE l FALL 2015 MAGAZINE l FALL 2015 also: How the College is Teaching It Forward l Kicking off Williams’ $650M Campaign l What Alumni in the Performing Arts Learned at the ’62 Center l Improving Communication Williams SUSTAINABLE WILLIAMS small campus, global impact a major update to the log, which re-opened for Homecoming, includes vastly improved energy efficiency, a new bar and an upgraded kitchen. Yet there are many touches, like these boards marked with past students’ names, to ensure the Log still feels like home. Read about the remodel at http://bit.ly/1hTSvra. PHOTO BY DEREK GALVIN ’18 WILLIAMS MAGAZINE FALL 2015 Volume No. 110, Issue No. 1 8 Editor Amy T. Lovett Assistant Editor Francesca B. Shanks Student Assistants Natalie DiNenno ’18, Luke Higgins ’18, Sarah Stone ’18, Esther Turay ’18 Design & Production Oberlander Group 36 Editorial Offices: P.O. Box 676, Williamstown, MA, 01267-0676, tel: 413.597.4278, fax: 413.597.4158, email: [email protected], web: magazine. williams.edu 11 Address Changes/Updates: Bio Records, 75 Park St., Williamstown, MA 01267-2114, tel: 413.597.4399, fax: 413.597.4178, email: [email protected], web: http://alumni.williams.edu/updatemyprofile Williams Magazine (USPS No. 684-580) is published in November, January, March, May, July and September and distributed free of charge by Williams College. Opinions expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of Williams College or of the Society of Alumni. 26 All photography copyright © Williams College, unless noted. Periodical postage paid at Williamstown, MA 01267 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Williams Magazine, 75 Park St., Williamstown, MA 01267-2114 WILLIAMS COLLEGE Board of Trustees Adam F. Falk, President Michael R. Eisenson ’77, Chairman of the Board Keli Gail, Secretary to the Board Elizabeth A. Andersen ’87 • Barbara A. Austell ’75 • Timothy A. Barrows ’79 • Brian D. Carpenter ’86 • Valerie A. DiFebo ’84 • William C. Foote ’73 • O. Andreas Halvorsen ’86 • Jeffrey S. Harleston ’82 • Yvonne Hao ’95 • Stephen Harty ’73 • Joey Shaista Horn ’87 • Caron Garcia Martinez ’81 • Clarence Otis Jr. ’77 • Richard R. Pickard ’75 • Kate L. Queeney ’92 • Liz Robinson ’90 • Robert G. Scott ’68 • Sarah Mollman Underhill ’80 • Martha Williamson ’77 • Gregory H. Woods ’91 • Leila H. Jere ’91, President, Society of Alumni, attends meetings by invitation of the Trustees On the cover Illustration by Leandro Castelao facebook.com/williamscollege twitter.com/williamscollege youtube.com/williamscollege instagram.com/williamscollege Williams 39 20 34 22 12 features departments 12 Sustainable Williams One small college’s role in addressing climate change. 6 Report President Adam Falk on taking the long view. 2 0 A Weekend for Williams 7 Comment The Oct. 3 campus launch of Teach It Forward: Readers respond to our coverage of Williams women, The Campaign For Williams was a festive affair. the Class of 1966 Environmental Center and more… 8 Notice 2 2 Teaching It Forward A look at Convocation, our new college cost calculator, President Adam Falk and a panel of faculty Eph volunteers, faculty science lunches and more… members discuss what makes Williams Williams as part of the campaign kickoff celebration. 32 Study Art in the Object Lab, giving voice to Syrian refugees, better communication and more… 2 6 Act II Young alumni in the performing arts share what 38 Muse they learned on the stages and in the spaces of Michael F. Curtin ’86 on DC Central Kitchen. Williams the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance. REPORT Taking the Long View That Williams has been around since 1793 college’s response to climate change. We and will flourish for hundreds of years yet must lead by example and use our most PHOTO BY MARK MCCARTY puts everything we do today in important powerful weapon against such a formidable perspective. When we make a decision challenge—the education we provide about the college, we always have to take our students—to create alumni who are the long view. inspired and prepared to take on this That basic fact was driven home to me urgent, global crisis. by two major announcements earlier this We’ve set new, ambitious goals for fall: the public launch of the Teach It reducing greenhouse gas emissions (35 per- Forward campaign and our response to cent below 1990 levels by 2020, and carbon the global crisis of climate change. Each neutrality soon after that), for purchase of speaks to the sustainability of Williams. regionally sourced renewable electricity and The extraordinary generosity of alumni for investments that conserve energy in our and parents has nourished Williams for local communities. We’re pursuing Living two centuries. Knowing we can count on Building certification for the Class of 1966 that support is essential to the continuity Environmental Center. We’re initiating a Adam Falk of our programs and to our ability to evolve process, led by students, faculty and staff and grow. Teach It Forward will give us on the Campus Environmental Action the opportunity, through annual giving Committee, to examine our own behaviors, Williams is and major gifts, to make new investments policies and procedures and suggest changes committed to in financial aid, faculty, science and critical to make them more sustainable. And student experiences beyond the classroom. we’re making investments in our academic sustainability At the same time, running the college year mission, with new faculty to be hired in after year relies primarily on return from our the science and policy of climate change. in all its many endowment, a corpus that reflects the past A campus-wide program, Confronting dimensions. contributions of generations of loyal Ephs. Climate Change, is planned for 2016-17. And it’s not just the financial resources These actions have both practical and of our alumni that sustain us; it’s also their symbolic significance. Symbolism is deep love for and multifaceted connections certainly important, because it can motivate to the college. That’s why Teach It Forward concrete action. We hope that many has equally important fundraising and other institutions of higher education will engagement goals. We aim to raise join us in taking similar steps. In fact, $650 million—far surpassing any previous we’ll be doing some of this work, such efforts the college has undertaken—and as purchasing renewable electricity, in to engage 85 percent of alumni in the collaboration with Amherst, Smith and campaign by inspiring them to give, attend other colleges in Massachusetts. Further, events, volunteer or join us through our these are actions by which we at Williams website and via social media. can take direct responsibility for addressing To contribute to Williams is to believe climate change, by using our resources and in the importance of our mission and our collective will. to know that our future is long and very Williams is committed to sustainability bright. To realize that future, it’s essential in all its many dimensions. In the next few that we make Williams a campus that will years, we’ll be taking on the challenge of nestle sustainably in our New England sustaining Williams for the many decades valley for centuries. This is the spirit to come. And that’s taking the long view. behind our announcement about the —Adam Falk, president 6l WILLIAMS MAGAZINE COMMENT WILLIAMS WOMEN While I applaud “Williams Women,” I refuse to that needed to be shipped from British Columbia. I With regard to “Williams accept the placement of a sexualized image of suspect that the carbon and chemical footprint pro- Women” (summer 2015), Madonna in the midst of their portraits as benign. duced by shipping the red cedar siding 3,000 miles I was there for the first Even if she was a client of Cheryl (Robinson) Joyner exceeded the minor environmental advantages of year of the 10 College ’85, is this appropriate? We are so used to the other design innovations including the utilization Exchange Program, over-sexualization of women in our culture that we of less toxic light sockets. As a society we seem 1969-70, when roughly don’t even see how absurd it is anymore. And this all too willing to measure our performance against 40 female students from women’s colleges is dangerous. When we are honoring the strengths a yardstick provided by others rather than taking a attended Williams. Years later, I met a young of women, their intelligence, their drive to succeed step back to see if there is an even better way. The woman who graduated from Williams in the late and their power to change and influence the world, FSC has been publicly criticized for favoring large 1990s. I mentioned I’d been with that first group. let their accomplishments stand and be praised. companies, which if true is counterintuitive and Her response: “When was that? 1945?” Ouch! —Allison Orsi ’93, Wantage, N.J. counterproductive. When we ignore local resources —Donna Psiaki Feldman ’72, Louisville, Colo. we put local businesses and skills at great risk. We GREENER THAN GREEN are usually more thoughtful and responsible when As one of the first seven women to graduate The project team for our actions are immediate and nearby, especially from Williams in 1971 (and proud mother of a the Class of 1966 when cutting trees. 2006 alumna), I was surprised to see no specific Environmental Center —Richard H. Remmer ’77, Oakdale, N.Y. acknowledgement of my class. We originally came admitted that it will as exchange students for a semester or year. We be nearly impossible UDDERLY EPH were highly visible on a men’s campus and not to get everything right I thoroughly enjoyed the exactly self-effacing.