February 2022
Bowdoin Launches Groundbreaking Digital Excellence Commitment

By providing Apple laptops, iPads, and Apple Pencils, the College inspires innovation and creates “digital equity” for every student regardless of family means, fully equipping them with the tools and opportunities to learn and lead in a digital world. Read about Bowdoin's College’s groundbreaking Digital Excellence Commitment (DExC). 
McKeen Visiting Fellow Arthur Brooks Returns to Bowdoin To Talk Faith, Leadership, and Political Change

Arthur C. Brooks, a public intellectual selected in 2019 to be Bowdoin's first Joseph McKeen Visiting Fellow, will be on campus March 2–4, engaging with students and community members in dialogues about happiness, meaning, faith, and politics.
Bowdoin Tops List for Fulbright Students

Bowdoin students received more Fulbright grants than any other baccalaureate institution last year. The prestigious award from the US government enables recently graduated seniors to spend a year overseas teaching English or pursuing high-level research.
Students Reflect on the Best Parts of Bootcamp

After a successful rollout of its career-education program for the entire sophomore class, Bowdoin's Career Exploration and Development (CXD) has had a chance to step back and evaluate its impact.
An Inside Look: CXD and Sophomore Bootcamp—Working to Help Students Find Meaningful Work
The Office of Family Giving and Engagement hosted a webinar showcasing the Sophomore Bootcamp and, more generally, the efforts of Career Exploration and Development (CXD). The panel, led by CXD Executive Director Kristin Brennan, included Bethany Walsh, CXD associate director of skill development and programming and advisor for technology, Sophomore Bootcamp networking volunteer John Vegas ’93, and Bootcamp team leaders Solomon Charnor Aborbie Jr. ’22 and Abby Raymond ’22.
Introducing the Recipients of Bowdoin's 2022 Common Good
and Alumni Council Awards
Sarah McMahon, Linda Nelson ’83, D. Ellen Shuman ’76, Kate Stern

As an academic year celebrating fifty years of women’s leadership at Bowdoin and beyond comes to a close, the College’s Alumni Council and the Board of Trustees announce awards to five recipients—all women—who exemplify the values these awards recognize.
Bowdoin Scholars Discuss Ukraine Crisis

A day after Russian forces launched their attack on Ukraine, faculty from the Russian, government, and history departments members gathered for a prearranged discussion with students on the crisis facing the Eastern European country and its implications.
Black History Month at Bowdoin:
Who Is a Protestor?

Images by sixty Black photographers line the walls of Smith Union in a special exhibit to answer the question "Who are the protesters in the streets seeking change in America?" curated by Shawn Batey. (pictured above).
Ladd House to Become Hub for Inclusion and Diversity

Ladd House will be turned into the headquarters for five College offices that serve and support student accessibility, belonging, inclusion, and diversity.
Trustees Elect New Chair, Award Tenure to Nine Faculty Members
Newly elected chair Scott Perper '78 (left). Promoted faculty members (from top left of grid) Aretha Aoki, Sean Barker, Matthew Botsch, Dana Byrd, Christopher Chong, Allison Cooper, Shenila Khoja-Moolji, Strother Roberts, Kana Takematsu;

The Bowdoin College Board of Trustees elected Scott Perper '78 its new chair and granted tenure to nine faculty members during meetings held virtually February 10–12, 2022.
Winter Championship Season Has Arrived 
 
Swimming and Diving 
The Bowdoin swimming and diving teams have qualified a school-record thirteen competitors for the NCAA Division III Championship scheduled for March 16–19 in Indianapolis. The Polar Bears qualified six men's swimmers, six women's swimmers, and a women's diver. The full list is here, along with their qualified events.
 
Indoor Track and Field
The Polar Bear track and field teams have enjoyed a phenomenal winter campaign that has seen numerous school records fall despite the eighteen-month break. Last weekend the women’s team finished fourth at the NCAA Regional at Colby, their best finish since 2012, while the men’s team also placed fourth at regionals at Middlebury in their best finish since 2016. The complete field for the NCAA Championship will be released next weekend, with the national meet to be held March 11–12 in Winston-Salem, NC.
 
Men’s and Women’s Squash
The men’s squash team earned its best-ever finish at the NESCAC Championship, taking second place, while the women’s team capped its season ranked sixteenth nationally as the squads both wrapped up successful campaigns. They were rewarded with a number of postseason honors, including two first-teamers and Coach of the Year for the men’s team and three All-NESCAC honorees for the women’s team. 
 
Nordic Skiing
The Polar Bear Nordic ski teams earned top-six finishes in all four events at the NCAA East Regional last weekend hosted by the University of New Hampshire. Bowdoin’s Elliot Ketchel capped a fantastic year by being named Second Team All-East in postseason awards announced following the conclusion of the competition. The full field for the NCAA Championship will be announced on Tuesday, March 1, with the championship scheduled for March 9–12 in Park City, Utah. 
 
Spring Sports
While the winter season comes to its conclusion, spring sports are just getting underway. The first full day of action is Saturday, March 5, with full schedules available at GoUBears.com.
BowdoinOne Day Yields Kindness and Support All Around

Three days after Valentine’s Day the love was flowing anew on February 17 for BowdoinOne Day, which also happened to be National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Read about the hundreds of messages of support and encouragement alumni, families, and friends left for students.
Next Leaders Fellowship Aims to Increase Number of BIPOC Professionals in Senior Roles in Higher Ed IT

Next Leaders Fellowship, of which Bowdoin is the lead sponsor, is building a framework to bring more Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) into the ranks of senior leadership within higher education information technology by recruiting participants into an intensive one-year mentorship program.
Kevin Chi '21: On the Front Lines of Vaccine Research

After landing an internship at the International Vaccine Institute in South Korea, the biochemistry major is now a full-time research assistant. His work includes helping in efforts to expand COVID-19 vaccine access in Africa.
Impact Investing and Philanthropy—an Intersectional Lens: Insights from Julie Johnson McVeigh ’97

As part of the yearlong celebration of Leaders in All Walks: Fifty Years of Women at Bowdoin, Nancy Milam, director of gift planning at the College, spoke with Julie Johnson McVeigh ’97, a financial advisor at Fresh Pond Capital, a division of Reynders McVeigh—not for investment advice but about women and money.
Museum of Art Acquires Frank Stewart Photograph of David Driskell H’89
David Driskell, 1978, (printed 2019), silver gelatin print by Frank Stewart. Museum Purchase, Gridley W. Tarbell II Fund,  Bowdoin College Museum of Art. © Frank Stewart (2022), Courtesy of Gallery Neptune and Brown, Washington, DC

A work by celebrated photographer Frank Stewart depicting artist, educator, and curator David C. Driskell H’89 was recently acquired by the Museum of Art, which also announced the establishment of a fund honoring Driskell that will support African American art exhibitions and programming. The fund was established with a gift from Julie McGee ’82 and supported by additional gifts from James A. Ellis ’82, Barbara E. Futter ’84, Mark Wethli, Bowdoin's A. LeRoy Greason Professor of Art, and an anonymous donor.
Episode 6: The Stories We Tell—about Ourselves, Each Other, and America

Visiting Professor of English Zahir Janmohamed explores, as a writer and from the standpoint of his experience in Congress and in humanitarian work, how storytelling and understanding the complex messiness of every person and of our history can combine to result in political and social change—but only when the will is there to make it happen.

What is...a Fun Mention on Jeopardy!

Around here, Polar Bears are always the answer—but recently they were also the correct response-in-the-form-of-a-question on Jeopardy! And speaking of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, read about its new home, the John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies, under construction now.
Reunion 2022

We look forward to welcoming back to campus friends and alumni from class years ending in two and seven, Old Guard, and the milestone fiftieth reunion classes (1970, 1971, and 1972). Registration opens Wednesday, April 6.


Virtual Alumni Career Talks: Arts and Technology

Join Bowdoin alumni speakers as they share their backgrounds and experiences in the technology and arts industries. Early career alumni—talk with peers and seasoned professionals in your industry, offer advice, and ask questions in breakout room discussions. 
Young Alumni Happy Hour Series April 2022
 
Our happy hour events in Portland, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Boston, and New York City have been rescheduled for April 2022, and we can’t wait to catch up with everyone this spring.
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