1794 Society News for June 2023

June 2023

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Clockwise from top left: Tim Brooks '67, Sophia Cornew '14, Michael Owens '73, P'15, Bob Whelan '83, Cliff Webster '72, Shoshana Sicks '04

Alumni Council Awards Honor Dedicated Volunteer Service

The Alumni Council has announced the 2023 recipients of awards recognizing exemplary service to the College.

Message Regarding the US Supreme Court Opinion Concerning Race-Conscious Admissions Policies

On the heels of the opinion handed down by the US Supreme Court on two cases concerning race-conscious admissions policies, President Clayton Rose sent a message to the Bowdoin community reiterating the College’s enduring commitment “to build and sustain a truly diverse community where everyone has the opportunity for an equitable experience and an enduring sense of belonging.”

Three Months after Evan Gershkovich’s Arrest, Support for Detained Journalist Remains Strong

As Evan Gershkovich '14 approaches his fourth month behind bars in Russia, the Wall Street Journal reporter, unfairly detained on spying charges, will hopefully draw strength from the continuing outpouring of support for him back home.

Uplifting Experience: The Move to Elevate Astronomy at Bowdoin

After sitting empty and idle for decades, the College's observatory is having a moment. Last week it was hoisted up and slowly—very slowly—rolled to its new location on Pickard Field. It's an important piece of a plan to revamp astronomy at Bowdoin.

Bowdoin's Growing Internship Program Lets Students Pursue Their Dreams in Any Field around the World

This summer, more than 200 students have received Bowdoin grants to work for social, environmental, and arts nonprofits, as well as many kinds of businesses, science labs, and public offices. These funds solve the widespread problem of unpaid internships, giving students—no matter their means—a chance to explore potential careers and gain workplace experience.

The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum Reopens with Three New Exhibitions

The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum officially reopened in the new and dramatic John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies, with three very cool inaugural exhibitions that will challenge your perceptions of the Arctic.

A Gift to Last a Lifetime: The Schiller Coastal Studies Center—an Origin Story

Decades before Bowdoin parents Philip Schiller P'17 and Kim Gassett-Schiller P'17 helped transform the Coastal Studies Center with their generosity into what it is today, another couple who were also Bowdoin parents—William “Haste” Thalheimer ’27, P'55 and his wife, Irma Thalheimer P'55—laid the foundation with the original gift of land to the College, setting in motion generations of learning and opportunity.

Women’s Rugby Names Laura Miller Second Head Coach in Program History

On Monday, the Department of Athletics named Laura Miller the new head coach of the women’s rugby team. Just the second head coach in program history, Miller will follow in the footsteps of MaryBeth Mathews, who retired last month following a distinguished three-decade run at the team's helm.

Spring Athletes Earn NESCAC Academic and Sportsmanship Honors

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) announced its 2023 spring All-Sportsmanship and All-Academic award recipients. The Polar Bears were well represented, with more than 150 athletes being honored for their accomplishments off the field this past semester.

Fall Schedules Rolling Out

As the fall season approaches, game schedules are continuously being updated at GoUBears.com. Visit the Composite Schedule page to see when the Polar Bears will return to action in September.

Northern Ireland Filmmakers Planning Documentary about Sen. George Mitchell ’54, H’83

Sen. Mitchell was back on the Bowdoin campus for the first time in six years recently, accompanied by a couple of Belfast filmmakers who are planning a feature-length documentary about the former US Senator and Northern Ireland peace negotiator.

Reese Appointed to Bowdoin’s New Ombuds Position

Jacqueline M. Reese has been named ombuds following a national search to fill this new position embodying a confidential, neutral, and impartial resource who will listen to faculty and staff concerns, foster communication, and assist in navigating appropriate resources in pursuit of equitable resolutions.

Inside Higher Ed Highlights Bowdoin Bootcamp

Inside Higher Ed shines its spotlight on Career Planning and Exploration's Sophomore Bootcamp experience, required of every sophomore, calling it an impactful and effective solution for providing students with job skills, career options, and “peace of mind.”

Brunswick Town Council Honors President Clayton Rose (Times Record/Portland Press Herald )

President-elect Safa Zaki Included in Compilation of New College Leadership (Boston Globe)

"This Institution Is a Treasure": Museum of Art's Mina Loy Exhibit among Those "Worthy of Your Appreciation" (Portland Press Herald)

Pete Seeger's Bowdoin Appearance the "Iconic Concert" of 1960 (MSN)

Megh Bindra '25: The Painful Aspect We're Ignoring about the Youth Mental Health Crisis (Portland Press Herald)

Barbara Held: Why Ghosting Isn't Necessarily the Sin It's Said to Be (Bangor Daily News )

Recognizing Inspiring Faculty and Staff and Outstanding Alumni Volunteers

The Alumni Council seeks nominations for the Alumni Service Award and Alumni Award for Faculty and Staff. Recipients will be selected at the Alumni Council's fall meeting and celebrated during Reunion Weekend 2024. Nominations are due by Friday, August 18.

Submit a nomination.

Electing Bowdoin’s Sixteenth President: Insights from the Presidential Search Committee

Earlier this month, during Reunion Weekend 2023, alumni who returned to campus had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion regarding the work of electing a new president of Bowdoin College with members of the presidential search committee including cochairs Sydney Asbury ’03 and Scott Perper ’78 and Eduardo Pazos Palma, with a Zoom appearance by President-elect Safa Zaki.

Watch the discussion.

Alumni Affinity Groups Reconnect at Reunion

Three of the College's alumni groups—Bowdoin Alumni RepresentASIAN (BAR), the Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association (BCBAA), and the Association of Bowdoin Latinx Alumni (ABLA)—gathered for planning meetings on June 3 and then met up for a larger multicultural reception during Reunion Weekend.

1794 Society Bowdoin News is published monthly by the Office of Communications and Public Affairs.

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