乐播传媒

Presented by John Howard 鈥�86, Vice President of the Alumni Council, at the Alumni Awards Ceremony during Reunion Weekend, Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Derek D. Anderson, Class of 1985, has created a powerful testament to the impact of a liberal arts education and the enduring value of diverse perspectives. In 2020, after eight years of meticulous research and writing, Derek published Improbable Voices: A History of the World Since 1450 Seen From 26 Unusual Perspectives. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book brings world history to life through the stories of largely forgotten individuals鈥攆rom doctors and suffragettes to generals and musicians鈥攚hose lives illuminate major global developments across centuries and continents.

The book鈥檚 creation connected dozens of librarians, historians, and archivists across the world, celebrating the essential roles these disciplines play in preserving and interpreting human history. It also pays homage to the influence of his 乐播传媒 mentors, whose guidance inspired his passion for inquiry, storytelling, and thoughtful scholarship. Through his work as library director, archivist, and history teacher, at Marin Academy, Derek is inspiring the next generation of life-long learners.

In recognition of his thoughtful scholarship and the global, humanistic spirit of his work, the Alumni Council is proud to award Derek D. Anderson 鈥�85 the 2025 Sesquicentennial Prize.

In December 2024, Alisa Amador 鈥�18 was awarded the Sesquicentennial Prize by Stephanie Dumont, the Associate Director of Alumni Engagement, during a 乐播传媒 in NYC event featuring a concert with Alisa.

Alisa Amador, Class of 2018, is a bilingual musician who pursued her independent music career after graduation from 乐播传媒. In 2022, she won the National Public Radio Tiny Desk Concert with her song “Milonga accidental鈥� a powerful ode to her experiences navigating multiple identities, cultures, and languages. Alisa鈥檚 stirring Tiny Desk performance captivated audiences and industry leaders alike, with contest judge Bob Boilen praising her 鈥減owerful voice鈥� and how her 鈥渢ender performance commands attention and fosters connection.鈥�

Over the summer of 2022, Alisa headlined NPR Music鈥檚 Tiny Desk Contest on the Road, embarking on a celebrated national tour that further showcased her dynamic artistry. She continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her genre-blending sound and poignant lyrical reflections.

The 乐播传媒 College Alumni Association is pleased to recognize Alisa Amador, Class of 2018, with the Sesquicentennial Prize for her success as an artist of international acclaim.

In 2022, the Sesquicentennial Prize was presented to Jeffrey K. Tulis ’72 by Jennifer Crawford ’01, President of the Alumni Council, during the President’s Address at Reunion Weekend. 

Jeffrey Tulis, since its publication in 1987, your book The Rhetorical Presidency has been an influential text both in and out of the scholarly realm. Scholars have called it 鈥渙ne of the two or three most important and perceptive works written by a political scientist during the twentieth century.鈥� With four volumes of critical essays devoted to this book, and several graduate-level dissertations turned into published works, The Rhetorical Presidency remains a staple in political science academia.

The Rhetorical Presidency has also made its way into the national public conversation, with features in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and more. According to Allen Sumrall 鈥�16, who nominated you for this award, 鈥淧rize-winning journalists and commentators on all sides of the political spectrum, including George Will and Joan Didion, have relied on the book in their own writing. It is truly extraordinary for a book in political science to achieve as much broad recognition and sustained discussion in political culture and popular commentary.鈥�

Dr. Charles 鈥淐huck鈥� Perou, you are well known for your research in the field of precision medicine and for your groundbreaking research in the characterization of the diversity of human tumors. In the lab, you and your colleagues determined that breast cancer was 鈥渘ot just one disease, but multiple distinct subtypes based on gene expression patterns. This seminal finding, published in Nature in 2000, has proven to be valuable both in the lab and in the clinic.鈥� In fact, the clinical value of your work has had a profound impact on the treatment of patients with breast cancer worldwide

A world-renowned expert in genomics, and currently the May Goldman Shaw Distinguished Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, your honors include the American Association for Cancer Research Outstanding Investigator Award, the Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Basic Research from Susan G. Komen, and the Association of American Cancer Institute鈥檚 Distinguished Scientist Award. You and your colleagues are now working to incorporate other molecular characteristics of cells and their surrounding environment in order to understand how tumors work and respond to drugs.

For your efforts to produce the next level of cancer breakthroughs, and improve patient care in the process, the Alumni Association is pleased to present you with the 2021 Sesquicentennial Prize.

In 2022, the Sesquicentennial Prize was presented to Amy Bass ’92 by Jennifer Crawford ’01, President of the Alumni Council, during the President’s Address at Reunion Weekend.

Amy Bass 鈥�92 is a professor and journalist whose fourth book One Goal about the transformation of Lewiston, Maine told through the lens of its high school soccer team鈥檚 quest for a state championship, has won national acclaim from the likes of Sports Illustrated, NPR, the Today Show, and The Wall Street Journal. Named a 鈥淏est Book鈥� of 2018 by both the Boston Globe and Library Journal, Netflix has optioned it for a film adaptation.    

In this book, Emmy-award-winning writer Bass draws on vast knowledge and research, from her familiarity with Lewiston and the changes brought about by the influx of Somali refugees to her Ph.D. in history with an emphasis on sports, race, and culture, to tell a very American and very Maine story. According to her sister Elissa Bass (Class of 鈥�85), Amy was able to tell this particular story because of her commitment and ability 鈥渢o embed herself in Lewiston鈥檚 Somali community, Lewiston鈥檚 schools, Lewiston鈥檚 community groups.鈥�  

Mike McGraw, the Lewiston soccer coach at the heart of One Goal, once described Bass as a 鈥渂ulldog for detail,鈥� saying that her obvious investment in the players is what allowed her to tell the story that she did: 鈥淸It] didn鈥檛 take long before [the] kids accepted her,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t had nothing to do with the game. She really liked those kids. That鈥檚 how she got into their heads. They knew she cared about them.鈥�

Since One Goal鈥檚 publication in 2018, Bass has continued to advocate for the community at the heart of it, talking with universities, book groups, libraries, and other organizations across the country, from the Key West Literary Seminar to the Maine AHPERD Conference. During a 鈥渧ery difficult political moment,鈥� Bass 鈥渉as stayed close with the people in its pages, supported the community, and fought hard to make sure that America understands how lucky it is to have such a diverse community.“

In 2019, the award was presented to Emily S. Buchanan 鈥�89 by Jen Crawford 鈥�01, vice president of the Alumni Association, during Reunion Weekend.

Emily Buchanan, one of America鈥檚 premiere landscape artists, credits her grandmother, Eloise Gardner, for introducing her to painting as a child. After growing up in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, she did her formal training at Lyme Academy, the National Academy of Art, the Art Student鈥檚 League, and with the Boston atelier of Paul Ingbretson. Complementing that training has been her willingness to work hard, which she attributes to her 乐播传媒 education. In an interview for 乐播传媒, she remarked: 鈥渕y greatest asset as a painter is that I鈥檝e worked hard and consistently at it over the years. If I hadn鈥檛 had the experience at 乐播传媒, I鈥檓 not sure that I would have had the maturity to pursue my art as I have.鈥�

Emily is best known for her plein-air paintings, a style dating back to the 19th century and reminiscent of the American Hudson River Schools and one of her favorite artists, John Singer Sargent. She paints mostly outdoors and has traveled all over the world to capture beautiful vistas of lakes, rivers, mountains, and beaches. As one art critic writes about her work: 鈥淪he is one of those rare breeds of artists who truly speak in a visual language taken directly from life.鈥�  Painting outdoors and in the moment allows her to 鈥渃apture the nuances of color and light that present themselves.鈥�

For many years, Emily has been involved with a U.S. Department of State initiative called the Art in Embassies program, which places artwork in embassies around the world. It was through this connection that she was commissioned to paint the White House annual Christmas card in 2014 for the Obama family. She and her family were invited to the White House Christmas Party and traveled from their home in Connecticut to Washington to view the painting and enjoy the festivities.

Emily is represented by galleries in New York, Connecticut, and Nantucket and has been commissioned by many notable people. A beautiful landscape of Costa Rica was purchased by the 乐播传媒 College Museum of Art and hangs prominently in the Lane Hall office of President Clayton Spencer. Emily Buchanan, The Alumni Association and 乐播传媒 College is proud to recognize your exceptional artistic talent and achievement with the 2019 Sesquicentennial Prize.

In 2018, the award was presented to Louis Weinstein ’68 by Lisa Romeo 鈥�88, president of the Alumni Association, during Reunion Weekend.

It is my great privilege to present this year鈥檚 Sesquicentennial Award to Louis Weinstein of the Class of 1968.

This award was established in 2005 in honor of the college鈥檚 150th anniversary and is conferred annually to an alumnus or alumna for a single outstanding academic, artistic, or in the case of this year鈥檚 recipient, scientific achievement.

Louis鈥檚 remarkable work resulting in the discovery of a severe form of preeclampsia has been cited as one of the 10 most important publications in the field of obstetrics in the 20th century. He was a young doctor serving his fellowship in 1979 when Louis experienced his first pre-natal maternal death of a patient 鈥� an experience that would alter the course of his career. His 21-year-old patient had died of an unrecognizable disease at 25 weeks gestation. Guided by the methods of scientific inquiry he learned at 乐播传媒, Louis sought to explore this often missed or misdiagnosed ailment. He spent the next two years studying similar cases and providing medical care to women exhibiting related symptoms.

This work resulted in the discovery of the HELLP syndrome in 1982, named by Louis for its symptoms of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets. HELLP is now recognized worldwide as one of the most serious complications of pregnancy, and Louis鈥檚 original publication of his findings has been cited over 6,000 times in medical literature.

His work has saved, and will continue to save, the lives of countless women. And while this particular achievement may be a highlight of Louis Weinstein鈥檚 career, we also acknowledge the many years of medical care he has provided to women all over the country. His lifelong commitment to helping others is a source of great pride for the 乐播传媒 community.

On behalf of the Alumni Association and the college, it is my honor to present Louis Weinstein with the 2018 Sesquicentennial Award.

In 2015, the award was presented to Lisa Genova 鈥�92 by Lisa Romeo 鈥�88, then-vice president of the Alumni Association, on Wednesday, September 30, at a Boston 乐播传媒 Business Network event.

It is my great privilege to present this year鈥檚 Sesquicentennial Award to Lisa Genova of the 乐播传媒 Class of 1992.

As you well know, this award, established in 2005 in honor of the college鈥檚 150th anniversary, is conferred in recognition of 鈥渁 single academic, artistic, or scientific achievement by an alumna or alumnus.鈥�

In the case of Lisa and her New York Times bestselling novel Still Alice, we recognize all three achievements: the academic, the artistic, and the scientific.

When Lisa wrote Still Alice, she had already achieved a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard and had watched her grandmother succumb to Alzheimer鈥檚. In true 乐播传媒 life-learner fashion, she questioned what her grandmother had experienced during the early stages of her battle with the disease. As a neuroscientist specializing in neurodegenerative diseases, she undertook Still Alice guided by compassion and scientific inquiry 鈥� the latter honed at 乐播传媒, where she conducted research with Professor John Kelsey for a thesis that received high honors.

Still Alice and the Academy Award-winning film it inspired have changed the global conversation about Alzheimer’s. Rarely has an author so compellingly woven fictional narrative and science to open hearts and minds about an urgent matter of public health and public policy.

Lisa, you are to be commended for having the courage and vision to bring Still Alice to life. Through your work, you bring honor to 乐播传媒 and life-changing insight to the world.

On behalf of the Alumni Association and the college, it is my honor present you with the 2015 Sesquicentennial Award.