The Westonian Magazine The Westonian The Trinity Reporter The Trinity The Trinity Reporter FALL 2020 HISTORIC SHIFT AMID COVID-19 College endures and adapts through twists, turns of pandemic FALL 2020 FALL SPRING 2014 CONTENTS FEATURES 12 Historic shift amid COVID-19 College endures and adapts through twists, turns of pandemic 18 Learning it while living it COVID-19 woven into course content 22 Fighting on the front lines Health care workers with Trinity ties stand tall 26 Through their eyes 2020 graduates share thoughts on time at Trinity, COVID-19 30 Lessons from history Looking at the past for keys to the future 36 Giving from the heart Trinity community steps up amid health crisis ON THE COVER Griffin Paterson ’20 said that when he took the cover photo, looking through the Long Walk’s Fuller Arch at Northam Towers, he was imagining a parallel universe without COVID-19, one where he would walk through the archway, step on the Luther-Roosevelt stone, and graduate with his friends and classmates. “In that moment, though, all that was left was a shadow—my shadow—of what was supposed to be,” said Paterson, who earned a B.A. in political science with a minor in Hispanic studies. “COVID-19 had cast a shadow all over the world, and in it consumed my final moments as a college student. All I had left of my time at Trinity was memories, shadows of the past.” For more from Paterson and some of his classmates, please see page 26. To read an overview of Trinity’s response to the pandemic, please see page 12. PHOTO: GRIFFIN PATERSON ’20 DEPARTMENTS 02 ALONG THE WALK 06 AROUND HARTFORD 10 TRINITY TREASURE 11 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 39 CLASS NOTES 72 IN MEMORY 78 ALUMNI EVENTS 80 ENDNOTE THE TRINITY REPORTER Vol. 51, No. 1, Fall 2020 Published by the Office of Communications, Trinity College, Hartford, CT 06106. Postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut, and additional mailing offices. The Trinity Reporter is mailed to alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Trinity College without charge. All publication rights reserved, and contents may be reproduced or reprinted only by written permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the editor or contributors and do not reflect the official position of Trinity College. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Trinity Reporter, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106 The editor welcomes your questions and comments: Sonya Adams, Office of Communications, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106; [email protected]; or 860-297-2143. www.trincoll.edu ON THIS PAGE Trinity College Post Office Assistant Dennis Llewellyn readies mail for delivery. Llewellyn was among the essential staff members remaining on campus during the spring after the college moved to remote instruction. PHOTO: NICK CAITO / Fall 2014 / 1 ALONG THE WALK News from the Trinity community PHOTO: (LEFT) ’20 JYLES ROMER (LEFT) PHOTO: A call for racial justice As protests against racism and police brutal- ity filled the streets in this country and in loca- tions across the globe, and as the @blackattrin Instagram account invited first-person perspectives from Trinity, the college continued to stand firm in its commitment to racial justice. In a July 1 letter to the community, President Joanne Berger-Sweeney shared principles that guide her leadership, including an understanding that “higher education has the power to transform individuals and to transform society,” that “sys- temic change demands a willingness to dismiss with a ‘business as usual’ mentality,” and that “being intentionally anti-racist must be embedded in everything we do.” In response to demands from Trinity’s Umoja Coalition—an organization of several Black student groups at Trinity (see below for a complete list)—as well as groups of alumni and friends of the college, Berger-Sweeney also laid out a plan for 10 initial commitments of actions to be taken as soon as practicable. These actions include requiring anti-racist, unconscious bias, and equity education for all campus members, Umoja Coalition trustees, and key volunteers; increasing diversity organizations: among faculty; and developing an anti-racist sum- Athletes of Color Coalition mit and supporting other anti-racist programming to (ACC) improve the campus climate beginning in the fall. Trinity College’s Main Quad was the site Caribbean Students’ On July 2, Trinity’s Board of Trustees followed Berger-Sweeney’s in June 2020 of the Reflect, Resist, Release Vigil in solidarity with Black Association (CSA) letter with a pledge to take several initial steps as well, including Lives Matter. Left: Signs adorned with Imani Black Student Union immediately identifying more Black candidates for membership on the names of victims of police brutality the board, especially focusing on Black women; looking for more dot the quad. Top, above: Attendees— (BSU) socially distancing and wearing board candidates among the Latinx and LGBTQAI+ community; Men of Color Alliance masks—listen to speakers. and forming a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee among its (MOCA) standing committees. Trustees also have committed new gifts total- Trinity African Students’ ing $400,000 to renovate Umoja House and to fund a number of new Association (TASA) initiatives of Trinity’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion aimed Trinity College Black at combating systemic racism at the college. Women’s Organization The letter from the board concluded: “This is a beginning. The (TCBWO) first step is to express support and embrace those in our commu- ↗ Trinity College Chapter nity who remind us that Black Lives Matter and that the work to To read the full letters from Berger- Sweeney and the Board of Trustees, as Temple of Hip Hop change begins with examination of ourselves and the institutions well as the Umoja Coalition’s list of and societies we inhabit. We commit ourselves to this journey, which demands, and to see a video of the is wholly consistent with the mission of Trinity College and all other institutions of higher campus vigil held in June, please visit commons.trincoll.edu/Reporter. learning that perceive themselves as a force for social good. Please join us in this effort.” Berger-Sweeney noted in her letter that she remains hopeful for real and lasting change. “The Trinity community has my personal commitment that I will not let go of these chal- lenges until we have changed for the better the experiences of people of color on our cam- Editor’s note: At press time, the college pus and improved racial justice and equity at this college. You can and should be part of the was working to respond to demands shared on @trinsurvivors, an Instagram solution. I ask you to fight with me with Bantam spirit and pride for what our institution can page dedicated to survivors of sexual PHOTO: (LEFT) ’20 JYLES ROMER (LEFT) PHOTO: and must be.” violence and their fight for justice. FALL 2020 3 ALONG THE WALK CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF The Trinity College community recently celebrated the A TRIBUTE “Today’s activities are in no way intended to 2020graduates of the Class of 2020 through two online events. replace a traditional Commencement ceremony, With their Commencement ceremony on campus post- but we couldn’t let today pass without marking the completion of the academic year and poned until spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating you, our graduating students,” Berger-Sweeney said at the start of “A Tribute members of this year’s graduating class were honored to the Graduating Students of the Class of with a virtual Baccalaureate program and a special trib- 2020” on Sunday, May 17, the original date of Commencement. The video included the conferral ute video, both of which they could view remotely with of degrees to candidates for bachelor of arts, their families from anywhere in the world. bachelor of science, and master of arts degrees, in addition to short videos submitted by graduating students who shared some of their favorite BACCALAUREATE memories of their time at Trinity. The virtual Baccalaureate 2020 program invited reflection, ACCOLADES In a lemonade toast to the class offered thanksgiving, and included wisdom, prayer, and Valedictorian that bookended the lemon squeezer music from many traditions—in addition to sweeping aerial Alexandra M. Sinson, tradition the graduates learned about views of campus and the familiar sounds of the Trinity Wisconsin, B.S. in at their Convocation ceremony four College Chapel’s pipe organ and carillon. The video was engineering and years ago, Berger-Sweeney said, environmental science shared online on Saturday, May 16, the 197th anniversary of “Please, raise your glasses and the college’s founding. Salutatorian join me in celebrating you and your accomplishments as official graduates The program featured guest speaker and honorary doc- Tarek Abdallah, Germany, B.S. in economics of Trinity College. Your liberal arts tor of divinity degree recipient the Most Reverend Michael education has prepared you for Bruce Curry, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Trustee Award for uncertainty and challenge. Today, Church. The Reverend Allison Read, college chaplain and Student Excellence you join the ranks of alumni of Trinity dean of spiritual and religious life, welcomed the Trinity Rahuljeet Chadha ’20 College. You will emerge out of this community to the unique virtual gathering before present- Hamna Tariq ’20 crisis stronger and embark on a new ing Curry—whom Read noted is perhaps most well-known Trustee Award for chapter in your lives, more resilient for presiding over the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Faculty Excellence and determined than ever.” Markle—to Trinity President Joanne Berger-Sweeney for the Professor of Physics and Secretary of the Faculty Mark Stater, honorary degree.