Clark Whelton 鈥�59
Say Your Prayers and Take Your Chances 鈥� City Journal
Clark Whelton 鈥�59 compared his recollections of the 1957鈥�58 global influenza pandemic 鈥� which he experienced at 乐播传媒 firsthand 鈥� to what鈥檚 transpiring now.
鈥淭oday, I look back and wonder if an oblivious America faced the 1957 plague with a kind of clueless folly,鈥� writes Whelton, a former speechwriter for New York City mayors Edward Koch and Rudolph Giuliani.
鈥淲hy weren鈥檛 we more active in fighting this contagion? Could stricter quarantine procedures have reduced the rate of infection and lowered the death toll? In short, why weren鈥檛 we more afraid?鈥�
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- 鈥溾�� City Journal, March 13, 2020
Jenna Armstrong 鈥�15
Duke medical student Jenna Armstrong named Gates-Cambridge scholar 鈥� Duke Today
Duke University announced that Jenna Armstrong, 乐播传媒 鈥�15, won a Gates-Cambridge Scholarship, a prestigious award that funds the full cost of a degree at Cambridge University.
Starting in October 2020, Armstrong will earn a doctorate in physiology, development, and neuroscience. She plans to study 鈥渉uman metabolic resilience in older individuals through the lens of mitochondrial function and malleability,鈥� according to Duke 鈥� in other words, she鈥檒l study aging, and how to ease its effects, at the cellular level.
Armstrong majored in biological chemistry and mathematics at 乐播传媒 and was a rower all four years.
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- 鈥�,鈥� Duke Today, Feb. 17, 2020
Mike Nelson 鈥�06
Nelson eager to be another kid鈥檚 lighthouse 鈥� The Wanderer
Southeastern Massachusetts鈥� The Wanderer reported that Mike Nelson 鈥�06 was appointed superintendent of the Old Rochester Regional School District. When he takes the job on June 30, he will be the youngest superintendent in the state.
Nelson, who studied politics at 乐播传媒, always knew he wanted to work in public education, he told reporter Mick Colageo. He has served as director of student services and assistant superintendent in the same school district.
鈥淚 really thought about 鈥榃hy am I applying for this position?鈥欌�� said Nelson, who is currently developing remote learning opportunities for the students who are staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his interview for the post, 鈥淚 shared comments about the analogy that educators can be lighthouses for children.
鈥淚 thought about how fortunate I was not only to have one lighthouse but many different lighthouses who were educators throughout my life. And I said, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 the reason why I believe I ended up interviewing for this position,鈥� because in some ways it helps me come full circle in terms of what people gave to me.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� The Wanderer, March 12, 2020
Katie Dobkowski
Parasitic sushi worms have quietly been on the rise, study says 鈥� New York Post
Hannah Frishberg of The New York Post covered a new study, co-authored by Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Katie Dobkowski, which found that the number of parasitic worms humans can ingest by eating raw or undercooked seafood is on the rise.
Dobkowski worked on the paper, which studied the prevalence of Anisakis, or 鈥渉erring worm,鈥� as a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences at the University of Washington.
While herring worms 鈥� which also infect other species 鈥� pose more of a danger for marine mammals, the parasites can cause symptoms of food poisoning for humans who eat contaminated sushi.
People up and down the supply chain do their best to remove the worms before they make it to a diner鈥檚 plate, but the researchers recommend that, to be extra sure their roll doesn鈥檛 contain a little something extra, sushi lovers should inspect every bite for worms before chowing down.
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- 鈥�,鈥� New York Post, March 20, 2020
Rakey Drammeh 鈥�14
鈥楽quash gave me the tools to pick and choose my way to exist in the world at large,鈥� says StreetSquash graduate Rakey 鈥� Squash Mad
Squash news site Squash Mad editor Alan Thatcher covered a dinner celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Squash and Education Alliance, a network that combines squash, academics, and college preparation for underresourced communities.
During the event, Rakey Drammeh 鈥�14 gave a 鈥渟how-stopping speech鈥� about her experience with the affiliated program StreetSquash. An environmental studies major, she was captain of the women鈥檚 squash team at 乐播传媒 and is now a software developer at Citibank.
鈥淪EA introduced me to a world that I never imagined knowing or being part of,鈥� Drammeh said in her speech. 鈥淏ut more than that, it gave me the tools to pick and choose my way to exist in that world at large.鈥�
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- 鈥溾赌�,鈥� Squash Mad, Jan. 26, 2020
乐播传媒 College
乐播传媒 College breaks record for Fulbright award winners 鈥� Sun Journal
The Lewiston Sun Journal shared the college鈥檚 February announcement of a historic year for the college鈥檚 Fulbright Student Award program.
With 24 young alumni receiving Fulbright-sponsored awards for teaching and research worldwide in 2019鈥�20, 乐播传媒 is the No. 1 producer of Fulbright Student awards among U.S. liberal arts colleges. The college鈥檚 two dozen awards are the most ever going to a U.S. liberal arts college.
(Subsequent to this article, in March, the U.S. State Department due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.)
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- 鈥�,鈥� Sun Journal, Feb. 10, 2020
Clifton Daggett Gray
Insight: When Clarence Darrow came to Maine 鈥� Portland Press Herald
For the Portland Press Herald, U.S. District Court Senior Judge D. Brock Hornby wrote about a curious episode for 乐播传媒, Maine, and legal history: the time 乐播传媒 President Clifton Daggett Gray, after boasting that college debaters could best legendary attorney and orator Clarence Darrow, had to put his money where his mouth was.
In 1927, Darrow, known as the fierce defense lawyer who litigated the 鈥淪copes monkey trial,鈥� came to Maine to debate Gray on the question, 鈥淲hat and why is man?鈥� The debate would be a friendly clash of worldviews: Gray, who held a doctorate from the University of Chicago, was an ordained Baptist minister; Darrow was thoroughly agnostic.
The two debated first in Boston and again two days later in Portland. Of the Boston contest, The New York Times wrote, 鈥淚f the scholarly shield of Dr. Gray shone with a higher polish, the ironic lance of Mr. Darrow smote with a sharper point.鈥�
And the Press Herald, on the debate in Portland: 鈥淭he contest of wit and logic rested at the conclusion without decision.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� Portland Press Herald, Feb. 9, 2020
William Worthy 鈥�42
William Worthy 鈥� a radical, intrepid journalist and activist 鈥� Amsterdam News
Herb Boyd of Amsterdam News profiled William Worthy 鈥�42, a journalist and activist whose dedication to his work led him to flout U.S. travel restrictions during the Cold War.
Defying a U.S. ban on travel to China, Worthy made a reporting trip there in the late 1950s, after which the State Department declined to renew his passport. He later traveled to Cuba without a passport, was convicted for returning to the United States without one, and had the conviction overturned. His trip to Cuba was the subject of 鈥淭he Ballad of William Worthy鈥� by folksinger Phil Ochs.
Boyd praised Worthy鈥檚 courage and ability to stand up against injustice no matter who perpetuated it, whether on the political right or left. 鈥淲orthy not only courageously lifted his voice for the oppressed, he did it no matter where he ventured 鈥� China, Cuba, Russia, or the four corners of the world,鈥� he wrote.
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- 鈥�,鈥� Amsterdam News, Feb. 6, 2020
Francesco Duina
Flyover 2020: What does patriotism mean? 鈥� MPR
Professor of Sociology Francesco Duina joined Berkeley sociologist Arlie Hochschild and Kerri Miller of Minnesota Public Radio for a discussion about what patriotism means and how it will affect voters鈥� decisions in the next presidential election. 
Duina鈥檚 2017 book, Broke and Patriotic, explores why the poorest Americans are the most patriotic. The radio discussion turned to a meaty question: whether patriotism requires an uncritical, love-it-or-leave-it attitude, or if a self-defined patriot can still be critical of U.S. policies.
Duina said many Americans鈥� ideas of patriotism combine contribution to the nation, whether through military or another type of service, with a sense of hope for the future.
鈥淭hose are essential elements of American patriotism,鈥� he said during the discussion, an entry in Miller鈥檚 call-in 鈥淔lyover鈥� program. But 鈥渟ome people feel that the ability to live up to the notion of giving back with hope is vanishing because of a confluence of various long-term racial trends, economic trends, political trends.鈥�
鈥淪ome people feel that you can be patriotic 鈥� but you鈥檙e up against insurmountable challenges.鈥�
Listen to the interview:
- 鈥溾�� MPR, Feb. 5, 2020听
Nathan Tefft
New study suggests raising taxes on e-cigarettes could encourage traditional smoking 鈥� Forbes
Kelly Phillips Erb of Forbes reported on a new study, co-authored by Associate Professor of Economics Nathan Tefft and funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, that found raising taxes on e-cigarettes can lead to a corresponding rise in consumption of traditional tobacco products.
That鈥檚 a problem 鈥� when it comes to so-called sin taxes, which prices are raised in a bid to discourage bad behavior, you don鈥檛 want people to swap one behavior for another.
鈥淏ecause smoking is known to have substantial negative health impacts,鈥� Tefft said in an interview with 乐播传媒News, 鈥減olicymakers should be aware of this potential tradeoff when contemplating e-cigarette control policies.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� Forbes, Feb. 10, 2020
Cameron Hamilton 鈥�12
Lessons from 鈥楲ove Is Blind鈥� for socially distanced daters 鈥� NPR
Cameron Hamilton 鈥�12 and wife Lauren Speed 鈥� who met on the breakout Netflix hit Love is Blind 鈥� spoke with NPR鈥檚 Michel Martin about their unique perspective on social distancing.
The premise of Love is Blind is that contestants date without ever seeing each other鈥檚 faces, at least until they become engaged. Fan favorites Hamilton and Speed have been married for more than a year.
The pair spoke with Martin about their own relationship and how to date at a distance 鈥� but some of Hamilton鈥檚 advice can apply to relationships more broadly, romantic or not.
鈥淚 think the power of communication is key here and truly listening to what the other person has to say,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean, it’s easy to hear them, but to really focus in and take a beat and try to process what they’re saying and respond to that.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� NPR, March 22, 2020
See also:
- 鈥�,鈥� Bangor Daily News, Feb. 26, 2020
Jessica Anthony ’96
Political satire Enter the Aardvark is wonderfully weird 鈥� Time
For Time, Annabel Gutterman reviewed Enter the Aardvark, a new novel by Jessica Anthony ’96, a lecturer in English at 乐播传媒.
The novel starts with Alexander Paine Wilson, a young Republican politician, receiving a taxidermied aardvark on his doorstep. The story follows the politician as well as two friends in 19th-century England, all of whom have to hide the fact that they are gay.
鈥淭丑辞耻驳丑 Enter the Aardvark is certainly satire, Anthony鈥檚 depiction of Wilson鈥檚 repressed sexuality cuts beneath the surface,鈥� Gutterman wrote.
鈥淗er dissection of Wilson鈥檚 political beliefs, particularly his anti-abortion stance, isn鈥檛 just sharp commentary on polarization, identity, and power in the U.S. It鈥檚 also a poignant examination of what happens when we deny ourselves the ability to love and be loved.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� Time, March 18, 2020
Amy Bradfield Douglass
Questions loom over the future of police lineups 鈥� Phys.org
Australia’s Flinders University announced that a review of studies on eyewitness identification in criminal cases resulted in revised and new recommendations for setting up identifications, in the hope of avoiding false or faulty evidence.
Professor of Psychology Amy Bradfield Douglass was part of the team that modified four existing recommendations and created five more, including recording lineups on video and having police put in writing the reasons behind suspecting someone of a crime.
The review led one of the co-authors, Flinders鈥� Neil Brewer, to write a paper advocating for getting rid of traditional lineups altogether.
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- 鈥�,鈥� Phys.org, Feb. 25, 2020
Emily Kane
How to raise feminist boys 鈥� The Week
For The Week, Claire Gillespie wrote about her own, often-difficult, efforts to raise her two boys to accept and promote gender equality.
Gillespie wrote that she makes a wide variety of toys, colors, and opportunities available to her children; with her husband, tries to model equality 鈥� and worries that sexism and gender roles are so entrenched in the world around her that harmful patterns will prevail anyway.
Professor of Sociology Emily Kane had some words of wisdom for Gillespie. 鈥淲hen parents enforce gendered expectations, it is often out of fear their children (especially their sons) will be teased, ostracized, or otherwise excluded if they don’t fall into line with those expectations,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e can all help by avoiding judgment, and those small, everyday assumptions about what a kid will enjoy or be good at based on their gender.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� The Week, Feb. 27, 2020
Mary Wheelwright Mitchell, Class of 1869
The 鈥榰nconquerable鈥� Mary Wheelwright Mitchell 鈥� Sun Journal
Steve Collins of the Sun Journal profiled Mary Wheelwright Mitchell, 乐播传媒鈥� first female graduate, whose refusal to leave the college helped keep it true to its founding commitment to coeducation.
乐播传媒 was the first Northeastern college to admit women, and for that reason surrounding colleges looked down on it. This kind of pressure and others caused the first female 乐播传媒 students to withdraw without degrees. Mitchell was the first to stay the course.
乐播传媒 founder and president Oren Cheney secured Mitchell a scholarship from the state of Maine to help her through her studies. Reflecting both her independent spirit and, perhaps, how dramatically a college education鈥檚 price point has changed in the ensuing 150 years, Mitchell famously refused to take the help.
鈥淚 cannot take that, Mr. Cheney,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淕ive it to the brethren. I can take care of myself.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� Sun Journal, March 1, 2020
Matt Charest 鈥�20
After thousands of miles in the same pool, this Maine swimmer is moving on 鈥� 207, WCSH-TV
News Center Maine鈥檚 show 207 featured the uplifting story of Matt Charest 鈥�20 of Lewiston, Maine, whose entire swimming career has been based in 乐播传媒鈥� Tarbell pool.
Head swim coach Peter Casares started giving Charest private lessons when Charest was 8 years old, and when he was old enough, he started attending swim camps at Tarbell. When it came time to go to college, it was only natural for Charest to keep swimming, and to swim for 乐播传媒.
鈥淲hile no one keeps track of such things, it鈥檚 possible that in his 13 years of swimming in Lewiston he has spent more time in the college pool than any other human being,鈥� reporter Rob Caldwell pointed out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a home,鈥� Charest told the news program. 鈥淚 feel at home when I鈥檓 in the water.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� 207, March 5, 2020
Rebecca Herzig
Why women feel pressured to shave 鈥� CNN
Rebecca Herzig, professor of gender and sexuality studies, talked to CNN style reporter Marianna Cerini for an in-depth piece about how hairlessness in women came to be a beauty ideal in the United States, and how society鈥檚 views of body hair vary by time period and geography.
Herzig said that an early example of the United States鈥� current ideal of hairlessness is none other than Charles Darwin鈥檚 Descent of Man, which associates body hair with primitivity and regards hairlessness as 鈥渕ore evolved.鈥�
Now, American culture considers body hair, at least for women, 鈥渁bject,鈥� or worthy of disgust and shame. 鈥淚t’s worth noting that those are ideas about cleanliness, contingent social norms, rather than about actually removing 鈥榙irt,鈥欌�� Herzig told CNN. 鈥淢ost hair removal practices tend to introduce new opportunities for abrasion and infection.鈥�
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- 鈥�,鈥� CNN, March 3, 2020
