Reunion 2018 Reunion

Friday, May 25, 2018

Join Jeremiah Mead ’68, P’09, a retired high school Latin teacher, for a casual lecture on the Roman author Phaedrus, who wrote fables in Latin, in verse—some hand-me-downs from Aesop, some his own. Topics include the little we know about him; political and social commentary in the fables; Phaedrus’ sense of his own importance and resentment of his critics; and his outlook late in life. Presented by the Class of 1968.

Friday, May 25, 2018

1) The first presentation explains the process called “hardening of the arteries,” graphically portraying the mechanism, emphasizing the central role of cholesterol. The history of medical inhibitors of cholesterol is chronicled. The research that led to the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is then explained and visually portrayed, but… there will be more, and that’s what’s exciting! 2) Aging is the disease with which we are all ultimately afflicted. The question is not “if”, but when. This presentation explores the usual suspects—genetics, geography, diet, activity. It then explains how these are only observations that have led to little more than speculations. Experiments in modern molecular biology and physiology are redefining aging. They now show us tantalizing research that writers of science fiction would envy. Presented by the Class of 1968.

un/bodying/s : A New Cantata About the Quabbin Reservoir

Friday, May 25, 2018

Composer Greg Brown ’98 will speak about his new cantata—un/bodying/s—which addresses ideas of displaced peoples, particularly those of the former Swift River Valley, now the Quabbin Reservoir (not far from Amherst). The composer will present photographs, maps, historical background and audio clips from his recently released CD of the work with Philadelphia choir, The Crossing. Presented by the Class of 1998.

Friday, May 25, 2018

What does a life of religious service look like in an era where faith and reflection seem set against outrage and outbursts (not to mention middle-aged lives of overarching logistical insanity)? Rabbi Brenner Glickman ’93, who serves a thriving congregation in Sarasota, Fla., and The Rev. Megan Carr Holding ’93, the Episcopal Spiritual Advisor at Northeastern University in Boston, will share the stories of how (or if) they found God at Amherst and eventually landed in the clergy. (Megan is a reformed lawyer; Brenner is a Reform Jew.) Like many of the people they serve, you too may long for more spiritual connection in your life but may not participate in traditional worship communities as much as your parents did. Or perhaps the mere idea of God is off-putting. But all comers are welcome as we discuss where we fit in on faith and how to find what we’re searching for. Presented by the Class of 1993.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

During the 1980s, Amherst College was a tumultuous place. There was a strong anti-apartheid movement, as well as numerous other struggles and protests hoping to make Amherst more racially and ethnically diverse and more accepting of women, gay and transgender students, faculty and scholarship. This discussion will examine how cultural and political movements influenced the current activism of several members of the Class of 1988. Panelists include Barbara Brousal-Glaser ’88, a performer, music teacher and City Councilor in Newton, Mass.; Julie Galdieri ’88, speechwriter, speech coach, performer and founder of Loquent, Inc.; Stanley B. Lemons ’88, author of Expanding College Opportunity and Speaker, Trainer and President of TheSecretToWriting.com; Charles Myers ’88, Chairman and Co-Founder of Signum Global Advisors; Nathan Newman ’88, professor, political research consultant, dad of two kids, J.D. and Ph.D.; and Erica Stracher Fields ’88, STEM education research and evaluation associate, poet/rapper/blogger. Moderated by Flora Stamatiades ’88, union organizer and negotiator, Yale School of Drama ’94 graduate, cat lover, Pilates fanatic and Bikram yogi. Presented by the Class of 1988.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Traditional retirement is no longer affordable or desirable for an increasing number of baby boomers. Inadequate retirement savings, ongoing responsibilities to aging parents and adult children, plus a need to stay engaged with work and life, are prompting more and more people to try to extend their careers past 65, with, in many cases, no plan to retire at all. But the economy is pushing back, with antiquated policies, unfounded beliefs and ageism erecting obstacles and discouraging older workers from staying in the workforce. With support from the four baby boomer classes at this year’s Reunion, John Tarnoff ’73, a former entertainment industry exec who reinvented his own career, will discuss the takeaways from his 2017 author, Boomer Reinvention: How to Create Your Dream Job Over 50, and engage with fellow boomer alumni who have successfully made their own transitions to second-act careers: Tom Cliff ’68, Bill Woolverton ’73, P’17,’12, David Whitman ’78 and Danny Bernstein ’83. Presented by the Classes of 1968, 1973, 1978 and 1983.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Over 20 years ago, Anita Hill brought into the limelight the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace. In recent years, Amherst and other colleges and universities have also found themselves dealing with scrutiny over how they treat sexual assault on campus. With the chain of prominent men across a number of industries stepping down due to harassment and assault scandals, has anything really changed in the decades since Anita Hill? What needs to happen so that in another 20 years, this panel will not be needed? We are honored to have moderating the panel Jodi Kantor, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter who helped break the Harvey Weinstein story that led to the global rallying cry of #MeToo. Ms. Kantor is the spouse of Ron Lieber ’93. Join in this important conversation with panelists Nichelle Carr ’98, a member of the Board of Directors of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and a former NBCUniversal executive; Monica Snyder ’08, a management-side employment attorney with an expertise in issues involving sexual harassment; and Dana Bolger ’14E, co-founder of Know Your IX, which educates students about their Title IX right to an education free from sexual violence. Presented by the Classes of 1993, 1998, 2008 and 2013.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Did you leave Amherst knowing you wanted to go onto a professional track, like being a lawyer or doctor? That’s great! If NOT, this panel is for YOU! Join Ashley Finigan ’08 as she moderates a panel of alumni who will share their experiences in transitioning into careers such as education, design and academia. Panelists include Katherine Abrikian ’08, Camila de Vedia-Helm ’08, Chris Gillyard ’08, Paola Ligonde ’08 and Lucy Sheehan ’08. Presented by the Class of 2008.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

A talk by Howie Wolf ’58, to be followed by a reading and discussion of some Frost poems by members of the Class of 1958 in which the relevance of his work to the main issues of our generation will be highlighted. We will also discuss the significance of Frost’s history as an Amherst teacher and poet who helped make Amherst one of America’s most distinguished literary colleges. Howie Wolf is the author of Home at the End of the Day: An American Family Drama in Three Acts; Far-Away Places (travel essays); Broadway Serenade (a novel); and the forthcoming Ends and Other Beginnings (short stories). Presented by the Class of 1958.

Saturday, May 25, 2018

Julie Kramer ’88 and Cindy McGean ’88 will read recent work. Julie is a resident of San Francisco, having moved there on a one-way ticket after graduating from Amherst. She became involved in the spoken-word scene in SF in the 1990s and was a featured poet at several venues in the city. After a hiatus, she began writing again in 2017. Her work is fairly emotions-based and tries to paint images with words, while being accessible to all readers. Cindy is an educator, writer and theater artist with a background in social services. After graduation, she almost ran away to join the circus, but she moved to Portland, Ore. instead. Her work spans a wide range of genres, including short stories in publications such as SQ Magazine, VoiceCatcher, Kaleidotrope and The Saturday Evening Post, as well as stage and radio scripts that pop up periodically around the country. The current political climate has had a potent impact on her life as a third grade teacher at a Title I school and poetry and performance have become her venues of choice for expressing and exploring that. Presented by the Class of 1988.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

“The problem of the 20th century,” said W.E.B. Dubois, “is the problem of the color line.” It remains a problem for the 21st century. From the nation’s founding, to the Civil War, to Reconstruction, to Jim Crow, to the civil rights era, to affirmative action, to calls for greater diversity and inclusion, to Black Lives Matter, to the racialization of immigration, America continues to struggle to reconcile its promises of equality with the persistent inequities between its white majority and its peoples of color. We are in another moment when questions of race and racial equality dominate national discussions. Ten years after the election of the nation’s first black president, today’s discussions on race seem so different from those during our time at Amherst. Is there still a national commitment to racial equality, or are we doomed forever to be a nation divided by race? Panelists include Julie Ajinkya ’03, Ph.D., Vice President of Applied Research, Institute for Higher Education Policy; Mark Beckwith ’73, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Newark; Travis J. Bristol ’03, Ph.D., Peter Paul Assistant Professor, Boston University, School of Education; Lonnie Isabel ’74E, Senior Lecturer, Columbia School of Journalism, and former Deputy Managing Editor, Newsday; and Stephen Keith ’73, M.D., MSPH, Chief Business Development and Medical Officer, Evanston Technology Partners. Moderated by George Johnson ’73, P’03, Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus, Elon University. Presented by the Classes of 1973 and 2003.