Archives: Alumni

July 11, 2008

Historic alumni keep turning up

Three men who graduated from Amherst College in the 1880s and 1890s were the subject of some writing in recent weeks.

The Springfield Republican, for example, yesterday reviewed a biography of Charles Swan Walker (Class of 1885, according to the Biographical Record). According to the article, Walker was “the only person ever to earn a doctorate of philosophy from Amherst College.”

But perhaps the strangest twist in Walker’s life occurred while he was a professor of mental science and chaplain at the Massachusetts Agriculture College, which was commonly known as Mass Aggie and later became the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. One day while giving a sermon at the school’s chapel, a student named Harlan Fisk Stone led a rush out of the chapel, Fatherley said during a recent interview. Walker tried to stop the students, but Stone hit Walker and successfully led the students out of the chapel.

Walker succeeded in having Stone expelled from the college, Fatherley said. Stone then went on to Amherst College, where he befriended Calvin Coolidge. The connection eventually led to Stone becoming chief justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

This is the first I’d read of Stone 1894 having spent time at Mass Aggie, but clearly meeting Coolidge 1895 was an important point in Stone’s life—and apparently it was Walker who precipitated that meeting, however indirectly.

Coolidge himself was the subject of a retrospective in the Rutland Herald last week written by Cyndy Bittinger, executive director of the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation. On the occasion of Coolidge’s 136th birthday (he was born July 4, 1872), Bittinger writes,

His mother gave birth to him in a simple dwelling attached to the store his father ran for the local farmers. Not many U.S. presidents come from such humble dwellings. …in this top-heavy, powerful, executive-run government, we expect only those who have come from well-connected, wealthy parents to run the gauntlet and succeed. You need a leg up, an advantage, a genealogy that places you among the elite. That is why the Coolidge story should resonate just as Obama’s now has become a best-seller on the New York Times book list.

Parker Morse '96 at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2008

Alice Swanson '07

Sad news today as we learned of the death of Alice Swanson of the Class of 2007, killed when she was hit by a garbage truck while riding her bicycle to work in Washington, D.C. yesterday.

Swanson, of Northborough, Massachusetts, was working at the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), a nonprofit organization that promotes educational programs around the world.

In an article in The Boston Globe, John M. Guilfoil writes that “[Swanson’s] co-workers and résumé paint a picture of a bright, young woman who loved international affairs and travel.”

The Washington Post covered the story as well, with this to say about Swanson’s work after Amherst:

Swanson had an internship in Washington last year at the Middle East Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. She graduated from Amherst College with a degree in Middle East history, according to the institute’s Web site. The site says she studied Arabic at the institute.

She remained in the city after that and began work in January as a program associate at the International Research and Exchanges Board […]

The organization released a statement saying: “The loss comes as a terrible shock to all of us here. She was a well loved employee and friend to all who knew her.”

Swanson is remembered on the websites of IREX and The Middle East Institute.

We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends, and would appreciate hearing any memories or thoughts from those who knew her.

Update 11 July: The Washington Area Bicyclist Association placed a ghost bike for Swanson near the site of her death. Catherine Pfaffenroth ‘01 shared some photos of the memorial.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:50 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

June 25, 2008

ESPN interviews Ken Catanella '97, "NBA Stat Geek"

ESPN.com’s Henry Abbott interviews Ken Catanella ‘97 for the TrueHoop blog as the NBA draft approaches. Catanella, a described “stat geek,” is the Coordinator of Statistical Analysis for the New Jersey Nets, and has some unique qualifications:

Catanella has two things that a lot of similar experts do not: the knowledge of basketball that comes with having played as a professional, and hands-on experience doing rigorous multivariate analysis on Wall Street. Following graduation from Amherst College in 1997, Catanella analyzed arena finance for professional teams, and valued publicly traded companies.

At Amherst he was both a player and later an assistant coach, and then played professionally for the German Bundesliga’s Cologne 99ers, where he also later served as the German team’s Assistant GM.

While earning his MBA at Duke in 2004 and 2005, Catanella assisted the men’s basketball teams, developing analytical tools and systems for Coach Krzyzewski’s staff. At the same time, Catanella interned for the 76ers’ front office.

The interview gives a sense of the mind-boggling array of statistics Catanella keeps track of and analyzes as the team sorts out potential draft picks:

[Q:] Do I sense that you are not even looking at the same sets of numbers for every prospect?

[A:]It depends on the position. And it can get very detailed.

We chart, essentially, every game that every draft prospect has played on video, and we track just about every category you can imagine.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 17, 2008

Connecting a Florida school's Amherst heritage

A recent article in Florida’s The Walton Sun described the placing of a historical marker for Knox Hill Academy, in DeFuniak Springs. Knox Hill Academy, which educated students from primary school through the first year of college, opened in 1848 and operated through at least the 1950s (a closing date is not given in the article.

According to the school district,

Knox Hill Academy was founded in 1849 by John Newton (1814 - 1893). Newton was born near Pittsburgh, Pa., and educated at Amherst College.

However, a quick look at the Biographical Record reveals no John Newton, and indeed, no Newtons at all early enough to have founded a school in 1849. The story is more than plausible—the country is liberally seeded with schools founded by early College graduates irradienting the terra—but seems to be missing a link. Can anyone shed some light on Mr. Newton and his educational history?

Parker Morse '96 at 10:34 AM | Comments (3)

June 08, 2008

Ken Heebner '62, "America's Hottest Investor"

The current issue of Fortune magazine features mutual fund manager Ken Heebner ‘62, whom they call, simply, “the best mutual fund manager around.”

In the article, titled “America’s hottest investor,” Jon Birger lays out the reasons Heebner and his company have enjoyed unparalleled success in recent years.

Spend some time with Heebner, and it becomes clear why. His brain is wired differently. His ideas come faster, his focus is more intense, and his ability to sift through massive quantities of information and zero in on what matters is downright spooky. Pity the Salieris of the investing world who have to compete with this guy.

Heebner was featured in Fortune in 2006, as well, in an article we noted here at the time.

Thanks to Matt again for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 25, 2008

Congratulations to the Class of 2008!

… and best wishes for the future!

Oh, and think about blogging for us! It is a fun way to stay connected to the College and help keep other alumni and memebers of our community informed of all the various happenings surrounding the Fairest College and its alumni.

Drop us a line at amerst@gmail.com to get involved.

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 07:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 21, 2008

Sabrina watch: New York City

Parker has covered the recent heist of Sabrina by a daring group of ’08s here and here.

Some of my classmates now living in New York City reported a Sabrina appearance in that city on Tuesday evening. Could someone send us a report and some photos? Leave a comment or contact us at amerst@gmail.com or dnardo@gmail.com … no questions asked!

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 02:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 10, 2008

2007-2008 admissions cycle breaks records

Taking a quick break from the excitement over Sabrina’s liberation from the Bunker, I wanted to post a quick item on this year’s record breaking admissions cycle.

The alternative title to this post could be “Why Brian, Parker and Dave are lucky to have been born in the ’70s” since it is clear we would have faced an even tougher challenge getting into Amherst had we been competing with the ever improving quality of recent applicant pools.

Katie Guthrie ‘11 of the Amherst Student filed a report that covered the key angles.

The headline statistics? The overall acceptance rate for the class of 2012 is a paltry 14.2%, while the regular decision acceptance rate was even lower: 12.5%. The average SAT is now over 1440. This year’s incoming class also contains more students of color and more international students.

While the growing population of 18yr old college applicants is certainly a factor in the increase in applications (many colleges are enjoying record applications), certainly credit must be given to the initiatives at the College and the leading position it has taken to regarding access to a top-quality college education.

The article also notes some other important factors. Namely, the College deliberately cut back on the number of students accepted this year, after last year’s surprisingly high yield.

It will be interesting to see how the pool fluctuates during the summer. College officials have anticipated that the lack early decision application options at Harvard and Princeton mean that the College has likely accepted students who will also be admitted to those institutions. That’s encouraging news for anxious waitlist members. Congratulations to all the new members of the Class of 2012!

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 02:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

May 06, 2008

Douglas C. Wilson '62, 1940-2008

Doug Wilson ‘62 passed away on May 5. For those of us lucky enough to have met Doug during our time at the College, this is particularly sad news. A wonderful person, an ardent supporter of Amherst and invaluable College historian: Doug was each of these things and much more. The College news release is here.

Parker reports that the Daily Hampshire Gazette has also posted a long obituary. Unfortunately, even online access to the obits there requires a paid subscription.

Certainly, there will be an outpouring of remembrances of Doug over the next few weeks. We welcome our readers to share their reflections here in the comments. All of us here offer our condolences to Doug’s family and friends.

UPDATE 5/7: The College has set up a website (password required) where members of the Amherst community can share memories about Doug. For those who are unable to view the page, here are two quick excerpts which convey the impact Doug had on our community:

“Doug was the kind of person we too often take for granted, and one whose absence will be sorely felt.” —Steve Vladeck ‘01

“He was a gentle, very smart, and loyal man. Our world is less rich with his passing.” —Professor Ron Rosbottom

UPDATE 5/9: The Globe’s obituary for Wilson is up, highlighting his time with the College, as well as the oft-mentioned fact that he was the first reporter to break the story of Nixon’s resignation in 1974, while reporting for the Providence Journal.

UPDATE 5/15: Wednesday’s Providence Journal, the paper Wilson worked for when he broke the Nixon story, published a laudatory column about Wilson’s newspaper days, “Almost famous for a day”.

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 12:54 PM | Comments (4)

April 10, 2008

Powell '95 is back (not that she ever left)

We’ll start with the note in Variety (from last October) that Nora Ephron would direct and Meryl Streep play Julia Child in Julie & Julia, a film based on the book by Julie Powell ‘95, which won the first “Blooker Prize” back in 2006.

From there, progress to the article by Michael Cieply in yesterday’s New York Times noting Julie & Julia’s production as part of the “next generation of chick flicks.” The article, “Wary Hollywood Plans More Chick Flicks (Hoping to Lure the Guys)”, calls the film:

…a complex exercise, … based on both the life of the cooking enthusiast Julia Child and the 2005 book of the same title by Julie Powell, who, stuck in place as an office temp as she approached 30, spent a year whipping up every recipe in Ms. Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

In fact, [the film is] rooted in a phenomenon — widely styled “chick lit” — that has swept the publishing world in the last decade. The books are written for, and mostly by, professional women in their 20s. The covers are often bright and fluffy, with amusing illustrations. And narrative is often rooted in the first person singular.

And, to top off the tour, Julie’s own reaction to the NYT piece, which, along with some pointed criticisms of both the label “chick lit” and the accompanying condescending tone, takes issue with the Times’ characterization of Child:

COOKING ENTHUSIAST?!!! Pardon my french, but what the F——?!

Parker Morse '96 at 08:51 PM | Comments (0)

February 14, 2008

$100 million was a little high

Not long ago, we passed along a story that the College had captured $100 million from the sale of oceanfront property in California.

The Boston Globe has done its own reporting and found that the sale generated only $58 million.

But that’s not bad considering the property was listed on the College’s books at a paltry $1.5 million!

Read the whole story, and learn the identity of the donor of the property, here.

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 03:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 07, 2008

Parrish '99 asks, Donald Judd or Cheap Furniture?

In an online quiz highlighted in today’s issue of the Very Short List, painter Graydon Parrish ‘99 and Mikhail Simkin ask the age-old question, does a particular photo depict “exquisite furniture, created by the famous minimalist sculptor Donald Judd,” or “ordinary cheap furniture”? Not knowing anything about Donald Judd but knowing a lot about cheap furniture, I somehow managed to ace the quiz; take it yourself and see how you do.

Brian Meacham '97 at 02:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 23, 2008

Lt. Joshua W. Gross '98, 1977-2008

Lt. Joshua Gross ‘98 was killed in a helicopter crash during a Navy training exercise a week ago today.

An article from the Binghamton (NY) Press & Sun Bulletin appears here. An excerpt:

Navy Lt. Joshua Walter “Max” Gross, a 30-year-old native of Johnson City and graduate of its high school, who was one of three crew members who died Wednesday evening in a fog-shrouded crash of an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter, was described Sunday by his brother as a person who was always smiling and definitely knew how to have fun.

Ironically, Gross had never expressed a desire to be a helicopter pilot before entering the service, said Benjamin Gross.

“He did love to take risks by doing things others might think risky, like sky diving,” said Benjamin Gross, also a JC [Johnson City (NY) High School] graduate. “He just got the most out of life.”

Josh also spent several years after graduation as a ski instructor in Colorado before joining the Navy.

The funeral service is at 6:00 p.m. EST this evening near Binghamton, NY. The address is below the fold.

Josh was energetic, good natured and easily one of the nicest people that I got to know at Amherst. All of us here offer our condolences to Josh’s family and friends.

UPDATE (1/24): Sue McWilliams ‘98 and Juli Sciaraffa ‘98 e-mailed the class today to inform us that Josh’s family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Amherst in Josh’s memory. Here is the link where you can do that.

The funeral service will take place at the Barber Memorial Home Inc. 428 Main Street Johnson City, NY 607.797.5722

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 04:05 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 13, 2008

Palevsky '07 would rather be fishing

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review today profiled the post-Amherst track of Hilary Palevsky ‘07, a geology major currently in the United Kingdom. Palevsky, studying the Atlantic cod fishery on a Watson fellowship, has done research in Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland since the summer. The Tribune Review quotes Palevsky:

“Even if all I do is go out on boats and get cold and wet and covered in jellyfish slime,” she wrote on her blog, “it will be a good year.”

Palevsky’s fellowship blog is at codfishery.blogspot.com.

Parker Morse '96 at 01:23 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2007

Thomas P. Whitney '37, 1917-2007

The New York Times today ran an obituary for Thomas P. Whitney ‘37, who died on December 2. He was 90.

Whitney was best known in America as a translator of Solzhenitsyn, having translated smuggled copies of the dissident writer’s The First Circle and The Gulag Archipelago into English for Harper & Row. He was a history major at the College, then got a Masters in Russian history from Columbia in 1940. After a stint in the Office of Strategic Services, the wartime OSS which launched so many interesting post-war careers, Whitney was a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, and then worked for the A.P. in Moscow until 1953, covering the final years of Stalin’s regime in the Soviet Union.

Whitney’s continuing connection with the College merits an entire paragraph in the NYT obituary:

In 1991, Mr. Whitney endowed the Amherst Center for Russian Culture, to which he donated his vast library of Russian books, periodicals and other printed matter. (His collection includes manuscripts and correspondence by some of the most eminent literary figures to emerge from the Soviet Union, among them Ilya Ehrenburg, Vladimir Nabokov and Marina Tsvetayeva.) In 2001, he gave the college more than 400 pieces of late-19th- and 20th-century Russian art, including works by Alexander Rodchenko, Natalia Goncharova, Léon Bakst and Marc Chagall.

Today, the Center enjoys a space on the second floor of Webster Hall, at the east end of that building, in a spacious room overlooking the Holyoke Range (the same view as from the War Memorial.) Among many other holdings, it includes the original manuscripts of The First Circle which Whitney used in his translation. It’s a striking example of one alumnus of the College who saw his connection with Amherst as extending beyond four years of schooling, and brought back his own experiences and findings to add to what Amherst has to share.

The Times obit also offers an anecdote of Whitney’s association with Solzhenitsyn which references one of Whitney’s retirement pastimes, raising thoroughbred horses in Connecticut.

During the years Mr. Whitney was translating Mr. Solzhenitsyn, the two were never able to meet. They finally had the opportunity during the 18 years Mr. Solzhenitsyn lived in Vermont before he returned to Russia in 1994. On one occasion, Mr. Whitney took Mr. Solzhenitsyn to Saratoga Racetrack.

“He likes to be a very private person, and he was afraid he might be recognized,” Mr. Whitney told Thoroughbred Times in 1991.

Fortunately, Mr. Whitney added, “The only person who recognized him was a Skidmore professor.”

(I should add, in the interest of full disclosure, that the ACRC was one of the many things that motivated me to choose Amherst, shortly after its donation, and I created its original website in 1995. Another one of my reasons was the same view of the Holyoke range now visible from Webster.)

Parker Morse '96 at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)

December 10, 2007

Happy Birthday Dickinson and Dewey

Two figures with Amherst connections share a birthday today, the poet Emily Dickinson, born December 10, 1830, and Melvil Dewey, the creator of the first book classification system, born December 10, 1851.

Dickinson, whose grandfather helped found the College and whose father and brother served as its treasurer, was born in Amherst and spent the majority of her life there, at the Dickinson Homestead, now overseen by the College as the Emily Dickinson Museum.

Dewey, a member of the class of 1874, devised his classification scheme while working in the College’s library as an undergraduate. He developed the system further while serving as Acting Librarian at Amherst after graduating, and went on to help found Library Journal and the American Library Association. More information on Dewey and Amherst can be found in a back issue of the College’s library newsletter.

Brian Meacham '97 at 06:45 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

November 19, 2007

Macharia '01 campaigns for Kenyan parliament

We’ve mentioned alumni campaigning for national office here in the USA, and also Uhuru Kenyatta ‘85’s Kenyan presidential run (since called off), but we’ve been remiss in not noting that Edwin Macharia ‘01 is running for Parliament in Kenya. Macharia, a director for the Clinton Foundation, is running for the Kieni Constituency seat against incumbent Chris Murungaru, a major figure in a scandal which embroiled Kenya’s ruling party in early 2006.

Macharia was interviewed on the BBC’s Network Africa program on Friday, November 16, and has been drawing international attention to his campaign, partly due to his youth, but also for his relatively impressive resume. He was featured in an article in the East Standard earlier this month, and in a French political blog.

Macharia’s campaign has focused on grass-roots change in his district, including a February soccer tournament centered on improving the unemployment problems of young men in Kieni by passing the tournament’s prize money not directly to the winning teams, but to “income generating activities” for the players. Macharia has also mobilized his own connections and the resources of his campaign to address the public health issue of jiggers, insect infestations which often plague families in Kieni.

Kenyan election law allows foreign donations to Kenyan campaigns, so Macharia has been using his Amherst and New York connections as well as fund-raising inside Kenya. Visit his campaign website to learn more.

Parker Morse '96 at 10:37 AM | Comments (1)

November 18, 2007

Three Amherst runners and a bear

This image may only make sense to alumni who have run against Williams’ cross-country and track teams, but as promised, a photo from Saturday’s Nationals in Northfield, Minnesota. From left to right, Anne McNamara ‘04, John Stanton-Geddes ‘04, and Laurel Kilgour ‘03. The bear has an Amherst “A” sewn to the back of its head, if I recall correctly.

More photos, perhaps including a trophy, to come.

Parker Morse '96 at 09:09 PM

November 13, 2007

Maynard 1838 remembered as school turns 110

The Knoxville News Sentinel ran a column today on the 110th year of Maynard Elementary School, “Knoxville’s oldest black school that still stands on its original site.” The school was named for Horace Maynard, a native of Westboro, Massachusetts and an 1838 graduate of the College.

He was a professor at the University of Tennessee from 1839-1844. He read law, was admitted to the bar in 1844 and began his practice in Knoxville. He was elected to Congress several times between 1857 and 1873.

Maynard unsuccessfully ran for governor of Tennessee in 1874. He was minister to Turkey from 1875 to 1880, and was appointed postmaster general in the cabinet of President Rutherford B. Hayes and served from 1880 to 1881. He died in Knoxville May 3, 1882, and is buried in Old Gray Cemetery.

Five years later, as the school named for Maynard was dedicated, “Mayor Samuel Heiskell praised Maynard as a devoted friend and advocate of the education of the people.” A school named for Mayor Heiskell had been dedicated just six days earlier.

Parker Morse '96 at 08:58 AM

November 07, 2007

Jauss '80 new Orioles bench coach

Dave Jauss ‘80, former member of the Boston Red Sox organization for 10 years and college, minor league, and Venezuelan Winter League coach, has been named the bench coach of the Baltimore Orioles. Jauss had followed former Sox manager Grady Little to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, but with the departure of Little and the arrival of Joe Torre, Jauss has made his move.

Jauss is one of a number of prominent alumni involved in professional baseball, and follows the illustrious Harry Dalton ‘50 in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:06 AM | TrackBack

October 29, 2007

Hilgartner '82 teaching mind and body in Alabama

The Montgomery (AL) Advertiser today profiles Jim Hilgartner ‘82, a professor at Huntingdon College. Hilgartner gave a presentation on self-defense on Saturday, not normally a part of most English department curricula.

[Hilgartner] demonstrated not only his narrative skills Saturday morning at Huntingdon College where he teaches English and creative writing, he also showed a group of women how to disarm an assailant with a quick body twist and a flick of the wrist.

Hilgartner got started in his martial arts pursuit watching the “Kung Fu” TV series with David Carradine, but followed his interest into the same careful and thorough study he applied to literature. He sees them as parts of the same whole, and appreciates Huntingdon’s support of its athletic program:

“Our administrators understand there is a body attached to a mind,” he said. “Students learn that the skills they use in athletics can also apply to their academic pursuits.”

One assumes he would have found some areas of agreement with “Doc” Hitchcock.

Parker Morse '96 at 10:08 AM | Comments (1)

October 18, 2007

Lane '85 on digital privacy

Frederick Lane ‘85, writer and internet privacy expert, is the subject of a Lancaster Intelligencer Journal article after he delivered a lecture at Elizabethtown College titled “Lost in MySpace: Personal Privacy and Safety in a Wired World.”

Lane has written numerous books on the subject, including The Naked Employee: How Technology Is Compromising Workplace Privacy, and has appeared on “The Daily Show,” “Good Morning America,” and “The Today Show.”

Lane warned students to “have no reasonable expectations of privacy” when posting personal thoughts or information on the Internet.

Lane told the audience to be careful when creating Web pages on social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook because information posted there eventually will be found on somebody else’s computer.

“If you put it out there it will spread,” Lane said. “In many cases, courts will be less likely to defend your rights because you give (information) away so easily.”

Lane ended with this aphorism: “Google thyself. Be brand aware.” Wise words, indeed.

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:24 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 09, 2007

What's in a name?

University of California, Berkeley School of Law, one of the top-ranked law schools in the country, is also commonly known as “Boalt Hall,” or “Boalt.” (The gift that made the law building possible in 1911 mandated that it be named “The Boalt Memorial Hall of Law.”)

Unfortunately, these multiple names have created an apparent identity crisis for the powers that be at Boalt. The school has hired a San Francisco consulting firm to advise it on the selection of a new name to give it better “brand recognition.”

Although I always thought of Boalt as a solid brand name akin to Tuck and Wharton— the common names of the business schools at Dartmouth and Penn—the law school alumni seem to be eager to ditch Boalt to have a formal name that incorporates the “UC Berkeley” brand.

By now you must be wondering, “What on earth does this have to do with Amherst?” Well, the law school’s namesake is none other than John Henry Boalt, Amherst Class of 1857.

(Hat Tip to Brian Leiter’s Law School Reports)

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 09:52 PM | TrackBack

September 25, 2007

Another Amherst GM

The Nashua, NH Telegraph is reporting that Neal Huntington ‘91 “could be named general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates” today. The Telegraph cites “printed reports out of Pittsburgh,” (perhaps like this MLB.com report) and hedges some in light of some mixed messages from the Pirates, so naturally the news will not be confirmed until a press conference later today (Tuesday). Update: Dave tells us the news is now official.

According to the Telegraph,

The Pirates fired Dave Littlefield earlier this month with the team suffering through its 15th straight losing season and sixth since Littlefield was hired in July 2001.

The 37-year-old Huntington, who has worked in the front office of the Montreal Expos and currently the Cleveland Indians, surfaced as the front runner for the job late last week.

Huntington, like Boston Red Sox director of player development Ben Cherington ‘96, got his start in baseball management working for former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette ‘80, in Huntington’s case while Duquette was GM of the Montreal Expos in the mid-90s.

Parker Morse '96 at 09:04 AM | Comments (2)

September 24, 2007

Rieckhoff '98 and Obama Girl

Paul Rieckhoff ‘98, in his capacity as director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, has joined forces with “Obama Girl” Amber Lee Ettinger to produce another internet video, this one called “I Like a Boy,” about being in love with a soldier stationed in Iraq. In a piece about the film on ABC News, Rieckhoff describes the distribution of the video:

“Some of first responses were from Iraq,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “It’s become viral. Everyone’s passing it on, forwarding through MySpace, through e-mail.”

Watch the video on CNN.com. Thanks to Tim for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 11:54 AM | TrackBack

September 09, 2007

Sabrina lands on Roosevelt Island?

Sabrina (or a compelling replica of the sculpture) has apparently found a home on Roosevelt Island, that tiny sliver of land smack in the middle of New York City’s East River.

The sculpture is located on the grounds of The Octagon, a landmark refurbished and converted into a condominium complex. The inquisitive Roosevelt Island resident that happened upon Sabrina has done the research on the sculpture’s history and connected all the Amherst dots back to Bruce Becker ‘80, the condominium developer, (and even linked to Brian’s post on Sabrina’s 2005 reunion appearance here) and notes the coincidence with Amherst’s own Octagon.

I am assuming that this Sabrina is indeed a replica, but please leave us a note in the comments if you can add to the story of Sabrina’s new home.

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 12:45 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

September 03, 2007

Writer Nalini Jones '93 receives praise for "What You Call Winter"

The September 2 edition of the Ridgefield Press includes an interesting and well-written profile of writer Nalini Jones ‘93. Jones wrote What You Call Winter, a collection of short stories just published by Knopf on August 17. According to the article, “each story in the collection is linked to Santa Clara, a fictional Catholic suburb of Mumbai, India, loosely based on Ms. Jones’s treks to visit family in India.”

The article notes that the collection has been warmly received:

Publisher’s Weekly described it as an “auspicious debut” and says Ms. Jones “displays impressive scope and depth of sympathy.” Elle says, “Jones turns phrases with a lyrical lilt that taps into our deepest feelings about family.” The San Francisco Chronicle wrote last week, “There is no doubt that Jones is a skilled writer, which is reflected in her handling of character as well as her prose.” John Casey, winner of the National Book Award, said, “I love this book.”

The article also provides a snapshot of Jones’ development as a writer, from working at a local newspaper in high school through her graduate studies at Columbia, her fellowship at the MacDowell Colony and her experiences teaching high school and college students.

There is also a brief mention of former Amherst writer-in-residence Caryl Phillips, for whom Jones worked as a research assistant while at Amherst.

Still, every time she chases an idea with words, Ms. Jones feels an aftershock of fiction author Caryl Phillips’ words: “Don’t bother writing unless you have something to say — writing is too hard to do well unless it’s born of great passion and urgency.”

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 04:24 PM | TrackBack

July 31, 2007

Ingolv Helland '96 in BP Portrait Award

“Winter Portrait,” by Ingolv Helland ‘96, is one of 60 portraits selected as finalists in the 2007 BP Portrait Award 2007. Thanks to Jessica for giving us the tip that Ingolv’s portrait was was selected as the image representing the competition on all promotional material. From the official site of Norway in the UK:

The painting selected for the BP Award Show at the National Portrait Gallery, was painted between November 2006 and February this year. The artist says the focus of the painting lies in the deconstruction of form and the attributes of the painterly expression. The tactile quality of the paint handling combined with strong sense of coloration reaches for the emotional core of visual phenomena. The directness in Ingolv’s approach to form is handsomely mirrored in the disarming gaze in the painting.

The painting has been chosen as the cover image for the exhibition’s promotional material. Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery, says: ‘It’s not an easy task, choosing one image that will represent the diversity of styles seen in the BP Portrait Award exhibition. We chose Inglov [sic] Helland’s ‘Winter portrait’ for our promotional materials – for the cover of our quarterly brochure and for the posters that will be seen across the city of London – as it really engages the viewer. The fixed, outward gaze of the sitter immediately captures your attention, while the painterly style suggests the high standard of work that will be included in the exhibition.’

Winter Portrait © Ingolv Helland

Brian Meacham '97 at 08:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Richard Wilbur '42 on memories of World War II

The Springfield Republican tells the story of an interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning Richard Wilbur ‘42. In the interview, conducted by a local Springfield public TV affiliate for a World War II documentary, Wilbur talks about his time serving as a cryptographer with the Army’s 36th Infantry Division in Africa and Europe.

In those days he wrote about his service with a unit that endured heavy losses as it made its way through World War II. Death was a frequent topic then - whether directly as in “Tywater,” about a lariat-roping Texan killed in Italy on the beachhead at Anzio - or indirectly as in “First Snow in Alsace,” describing a moment of calm in a European village, the snow blanketing a shattered town while also a mile or two away filling the eyes “of soldiers dead a little while.”

“Once you find words for something, you don’t fear it as much as you had,” Wilbur said.

He would send his wartime poems to his wife, to an old friend from college or to one of his teachers at Amherst College, from which he had graduated in 1942. Wilbur enlisted in the Army that same year and served until 1945. Two years later he published “The Beautiful Changes,” his first volume of poetry, which included poems written in Europe.

The documentary will run in western Massachusetts in September, as a tie-in with Ken Burns’ upcoming seven-part documentary series, “The War.”

Brian Meacham '97 at 07:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 02, 2007

Fitzgerald '82 comments on commutation of Libby jail sentence

As you are all likely aware, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby had his jail sentence of 30 months commuted by President Bush today after the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals denied Libby’s appeal for bail. Libby will not serve jail time, but he must still pay a $250,000 fine. Also, Libby’s recent disbarment remains untouched.

Patrick Fitzgerald ‘82, the special prosecutor in the case, issued this response:

“We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.

“We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as “excessive.” The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.

“Although the President’s decision eliminates Mr. Libby’s sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process.”

While critics and supporters of the President’s decision to commute the sentence will surely continue to debate Fitzgerald’s investigation in the next few days—not surprisingly he has been criticized from the beginning by Libby supporters—Fitzgerald’s professionalism when speaking publicly about the case has been beyond reproach. This statement is another fine example of the standard of professionalism that the public should expect from a prosecutor.

Dave Nardolillo '98 at 09:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 23, 2007

Cullen Murphy '74: Are We Rome?

The Atlantic Monthly this week features an interview with former managing editor Cullen Murphy ‘74, author of a new book titled Are We Rome?, which “talks about the American empire’s parallels with the ancient republic and how we can learn from the caesars’ mistakes.”

America has come to occupy the same role that Rome occupied in its own world two millennia ago. Since the fall of communism, Americans have been trying to come to terms with this new role and haven’t really figured out how to do it. I’m not sure that any of our foreign policy elite, or Americans more generally, really has a firm idea of what we should be doing in the world. This question naturally takes you back to looking at former big dogs in the world and how they behaved.

Brian Meacham '97 at 02:08 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

May 25, 2007

Rob Brown '07 as Ernie Davis, Syracuse football star

A Syracuse Post-Standard article this week focuses on Rob Brown and his film role as running back Ernie Davis, the Syracuse University star who became the first African-American player to win the Heisman Trophy and led the Orangemen to the national championship in 1959, before dying of leukemia in 1963. The film, titled The Express, is due out in 2008.

“I feel like he’s an icon like Jackie Robinson,” said Brown. “It’s so sad people don’t know about him. Obviously, Jackie Robinson lived for a lot more years. There was more exposure. Ernie opened up a lot of the same doors for black athletes as Jackie did. It’s mind-boggling that people don’t know, but that’s why we’re doing a film.”

Thanks to Dave for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 27, 2007

Turow '70 on attorney firings

As the controversy over the firings of U.S. attorneys continues to grow, lawyer, author, and former U.S. attorney Scott Turow ‘70 offers his thoughts on the matter in an interview with the Madison Capital Times.

Because the course of events indicates that these U.S. attorneys were being replaced because of the way they handled particular cases without contravening established policy, is an extremely troubling thing for those of us who have been federal prosecutors. The thought that they would take people’s jobs because of whom they prosecute is deeply troubling.

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Profile of President Pfeiffer '69

The Asheville Citizen-Times offers a profile of Warren Wilson College president Sandy Pfeiffer ‘69. Pfeiffer was named to the post last July, which we noted at the time.

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Applegate '89 wins Pulitzer for Beecher bio

We missed this when it was announced a few weeks ago, but Debby Applegate ‘89 was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for her biography of Henry Ward Beecher, The Most Famous Man in America, which we covered when it was published last year. Our congratulations to Debby on her achievement.

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 07, 2007

Johnson '93, New York State Senator

Craig Johnson ‘93, whose candidacy we noted last month, has won the special election held Tuesday for the New York State 7th District Senate seat vacated by Michael A. L. Balboni, who left to join the Spitzer administration. Johnson, who is a Democrat, won the traditionally Republican district by winning 53 percent of the vote, over Maureen O’Connell, who tallied 46 percent.

From Johnson’s victory speech:

“For 100 years, this seat has been held by Republicans. Today we bid those years farewell and begin a new century. As Democrats, we are on our way to a new majority in the State Senate — a cause that was advanced tonight but that continues starting now. As Long Islanders, we are heading toward property tax reform; that will help our seniors and overburdened middle class. And as New Yorkers, we will help Eliot Spitzer finish the job of changing state government so it works for all of us, not just the well-connected few.”

Brian Meacham '97 at 02:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 01, 2007

President Plimpton and Professor Greene, in memoriam

Two Amherst graduates who returned to the school and had a major influence on the Amherst community have passed away. Former President Calvin Plimpton ‘39 passed away yesterday at his home in Westwood, Massachusetts, and history professor Theodore Greene ‘43 died earlier this month in Amherst.

Both men were at Amherst during times of great change, and both played roles in Amherst’s transition to coeducation. Their obituaries in the Boston Globe describe Plimpton as being credited with “starting the process that led to the admission of women to the prestigious liberal arts school,” while Professor Greene was a “leading faculty advocate of transforming historically all-male Amherst into a coeducational institution. “

Plimpton graduated from Amherst in 1939, and returned in 1960 to lead Amherst as president for eleven years. Professor Greene, after graduating from the College in 1943, taught history from 1952 to 1989. Greene is quoted as coming to an understanding of Amherst by “spending twenty-seven years of my life at Amherst and by familiarity with the experience of two grandfathers, a father, a brother, four uncles, and four cousins, who together have known Amherst from 1878.”

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 25, 2007

New movie from Grant '84 Released this weekend

Susannah Grant ‘84, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind Erin Brockovich, In Her Shoes, Ever After, and numerous other films, makes her directorial debut with Catch and Release, opening this Friday. We first mentioned the film back in May of 2005.

We caught a preview of the film at an Amherst Alumni event in Santa Monica last night, and enjoyed both the film and Grant’s Q & A afterward. When asked about Amherst English classes, she mentioned professors Pritchard and Sofield, and lamented the fact that she named a character in In Her Shoes “Professor Sofield,” but his name was never mentioned in the film.

A random assortment of the reviews, many of them kind, that are popping up all over:

• Entertainment Weekly

• New City Chicago

• MovieWeb

• ScrippsNews

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 16, 2007

Richard Wilbur '46, "happy poet"

A Canada.com interview with Richard Wilbur ‘46 describes the varied and fruitful life of “one of today’s most celebrated poets and translators.” Wilbur lives on an 80-acre plot in Cummington, Mass, and has been busy recently, with new poems published, a translation of Pierre Corneille’s “The Theater of Illusion” coming out this year, and a contribution to an Iraq and Afghanistan war anthology.

[Wilbur] was interested in music and painting early on and, as a teenager, managed to get his first verse, about a nightingale, published in John Martin’s Magazine, which paid him $1. At Amherst College, he worked on the campus humour magazine and spent enough time around student leftists to get him kicked out of the Signal Corps at the start of the Second World War - he was classified as “Suspected of Disloyalty” - and transferred to front-line duty in the 36th Infantry.

Brian Meacham '97 at 10:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 12, 2007

Johnson '93 in special election

Craig Johnson ‘93, currently in his third term as Nassau County Legislator representing Port Jefferson, New York, has been nominated by Democrats to run for state Senate.

Johnson will be running in a special election February 6 to fill a state Senate seat vacated by Michael Balboni, who has left to become Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s chief of homeland security. Johnson’s opponent, Maureen O’Connell, is a former state assemblywoman and current clerk of Nassau County.

Jay Jacobs, chairman of the Nassau County Democrats, said Johnson comes to the table with a solid record and base of supporters.

“He knows how to campaign, voters are used to voting for him and he has an excellent record in the Legislature,” Jacobs said.

Thanks to Tim for the links.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:43 AM

December 31, 2006

Shelton '81 vs. State of Maine

Daniel Shelton ‘81 is, despite his Ware, Massachusetts address, making news in Maine. Shelton, who is a Yale Law grad and a specialty beer importer, is suing the state, which has banned three beers he imports, due to their labels.

The Lewiston Sun Journal bills Shelton as a “beer afficionado [sic]” and First Amendment “crusader,” for his argument that the state has no authority to regulate art, even when it’s on a beer label. Shelton and his company have fought similar rules in “about seven” states, and he hasn’t lost yet. According to Shelton, “It’s not really fighting, in most cases. Call it frank discussion. For example, when we approached the state of Washington with a problem, they said, ‘So glad you showed up! We know these regulations are daft but we couldn’t make any changes until someone complained.’”

The Shelton Brothers’ own blog offers a fuller explanation of their side of the story.

The full Sun Journal profile of Shelton includes several Sheltonian gems, such as his description of how he became an importer:

I was looking for some authentic lambic beers from the Cantillon brewery in Brussels after one of my brothers returned from there with beer for all of us to try. A woman in a shop said that she couldn’t get any; I told her that my brother knew the brewers and could possibly get some for her, and she replied that I would have to become a beer importer to do that. I literally said, “How hard could that be?!” The rest is long and ugly history.

Parker Morse '96 at 04:53 PM

December 28, 2006

Stiglitz '64 on intellectual Scrooging

In an article in the British Medical Journal titled “Scrooge and intellectual property rights,” Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz ‘64 argues against restrictive intellectual property laws that he says reduce access to generic medicines. Instead, Stiglitz argues for opening up intellectual property to generic drug manufacturers and creating a “medical prize fund” to help promote innovation in the hunt for cures to diseases.

Intellectual property differs from other property—restricting its use is inefficient as it costs nothing for another person to use it. Thomas Jefferson, America’s third president, put it more poetically than modern economists (who refer to “zero marginal costs” and “non-rivalrous consumption”) when he said that knowledge is like a candle, when one candle lights another it does not diminish from the light of the first. Using knowledge to help someone does not prevent that knowledge from helping others. Intellectual property rights, however, enable one person or company to have exclusive control of the use of a particular piece of knowledge, thereby creating monopoly power. Monopolies distort the economy. Restricting the use of medical knowledge not only affects economic efficiency, but also life itself.

Thanks to Rick for the link.

Brian Meacham '97 at 02:06 PM | TrackBack

December 05, 2006

Julia Cho '96, a "playwright of clear promise"

In a November 21, 2006 review of the play “Durango,” New York Times theater critic Christopher Isherwood praises the work of the author, Julia Cho ‘96.

Ms. Cho, a young playwright of clear promise, develops even the potentially hackneyed themes with a laconic, natural ease that earns respect and admiration. Nothing in “Durango” feels particularly new, but nothing in it feels contrived or dishonest, either.

The article features an audio slide show with narration by Cho, speaking about “Durango” and her previous work. The play, “about a Korean immigrant and his two sons squabbling, soul-baring and eventually healing, just a little, as they tool around the Southwest,” runs through December 10 at the Public Theater. Thanks to Min for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 11:29 AM | TrackBack

December 02, 2006

Russell '81E and Lamia '98 are All About Her

A multi-generational Amherst duo are teaming up for a new comedy according to a Variety report. Director David O. Russell ‘81E and screenwriter and actress Jenna Lamia ‘98, along with producer Jason Blum, are working on the project for New Line.

According to the report, the film, called All About Me, “revolves around a high school student in the drama department who wants to be famous — and will do just about anything to get there.” We look forward to seeing how these two generations of Amherst creatives work together. Thanks to Josh for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 01:56 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 20, 2006

Mid-November news update

A round-up of recent (and not-so-recent) news about Amherst alumni, this week:

• First, in movie news, Jeffrey Wright ‘87 stars in Casino Royale, which opened this weekend, and Larry Miller ‘75 and John Michael Higgins ‘85 star in For Your Consideration, the latest film from director Christopher Guest, which opened in select theaters.

• In a Springfield Republican article on Emily Dickinson, the lock of the poet’s hair held by the College’s Archives and Special Collections is at the center of the discussion.

• In science news, Jeffrey L. Osborn ‘74, professor of biological sciences and science outreach at the University of Kentucky, is principal investigator on a $2 million National Science Foundation grant just received by the University.

• Nancy Pick ‘83 and the College’s photographer Frank Ward have collaborated on a book published by the College this summer titled “Curious Footprints: Professor Hitchcock’s Dinosaur Tracks and Other Natural History Treasures at Amherst College.” Thanks to Jan for these two tips.

• Novelist Harlan Coben ‘84, in a recent New York Times editorial titled “Will Play for Food,” in which he urges parents and coaches around the country to help end what he calls “American Snack Tyranny.”

• In Wall Street Journal article that is behind their paywall, Wei Christianson ‘83 is named #30 of the Journal’s “50 Women to Watch: 2006.” According to the article, Wei was the first student from China to graduate from Amherst and is currently the CEO of Morgan Stanley’s China operations.

• Ken Heebner ‘62 is the subject of CNN profile titled “The mad genius of mutual funds.” The article calls Heebner “one of the all-time greats,” and describes the more than $6.6 billion he manages. Heebner ends the interview by saying, “The last full week I took off was probably in the 1980s, although I do take a Friday off here or there to go sailing. I don’t need a vacation to relax. The stock market relaxes me.” Thanks to Matt for these two tips.

• And finally, a nice little letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times; I never saw the photo that is the subject of the letter, but it’s sort of charming on its own.

Brian Meacham '97 at 12:10 PM | TrackBack

November 08, 2006

Freudenthal '73 wins re-election

Governor Dave Freudenthal ‘73 of Wyoming, whom we’ve mentioned previously, handily won re-election last night, capturing 70% of the votes and defeating challenger Ray Hunkins.

Freudenthal says he campaigned on reinvesting revenues from the state’s energy boom. And he says he’s governed by putting Wyoming first and not worrying about who gets the credit.

We’d love to hear about any other Amherst alums in local or national races last night; drop a line in the comments to let us know.

Brian Meacham '97 at 08:50 PM | TrackBack

November 06, 2006

Fitzgerald '82 grills first witness

Patrick Fitzgerald ‘82, special prosecutor in the “Scooter” Libby case, cross-examined his first witness last week, and, as the Washington Post reports, he “sliced up” the witness with a “Ginsu-like legal performance.” The witness, criminology and psychology professor Elizabeth F. Loftus, was defending her findings in regard to human memory and witness testimony.

There were several moments when Loftus was completely caught off guard by Fitzgerald, creating some very awkward silences in the courtroom.

We’ve been covering Fitzgerald and the case for the last year here, and we’re likely to see more stories coming up in the near future. Thanks to Dave for the tip.

Brian Meacham '97 at 03:38 PM | TrackBack

October 27, 2006

Hollywood update

In entertainment news, Jordan McDeere, the character played by Amanda Peet on NBC’s somewhat acclaimed and seemingly doomed high-gloss series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, apparently attended Amherst, and is seen going incognito in an Amherst sweatshirt in the season’s fifth episode. Thanks to Amy for the tip.

The Coen brothers’ new project, starring George Clooney, was announced this week as Burn After Reading, a somewhat less interesting version of the original title of the book, Burn Before Reading: Presidents, CIA Directors, and Secret Intelligence, by former CIA director Stansfield Turner, ex 1945.

And finally, Catch and Release, the directorial debut by Susannah Grant ‘84, played to audiences at the recent Austin Film Festival. The film, which we reported on here back in March of 2005, is due out in January of 2007 and garnered a mostly positive review from The Hollywood Reporter.

Brian Meacham '97 at 10:37 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

October 09, 2006

Phelps '55 is Nobel laureate

This morning in Stockholm, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics to Edmund Phelps ‘55.

An event of this magnitude has plenty of “real media” coverage, so we’re not going to try to distill everything here. Here are the sources we’ve been using to learn more about this honor for Phelps:

• The Amherst College press release includes quotes from Geoffrey R. Woglom, the Richard S. Volpert ‘56 Professor of Economics.
• The Columbia University press release notes that Phelps is Columbia’s fourth Nobel laureate in Economics. The third, of course, was also an Amherst alum: Joseph Stiglitz ‘64.
• Phelps’ Wikipedia entry is likely to be seeing some updates.
• The Nobel profile page carries only the bare words, “for his analysis of intertemporal tradeoffs in macroeco