Throughout his time at 乐播传媒, biochemistry major Sebenele Lukhele 鈥�26 of Manzini, Eswatini, has been a researcher. But he鈥檚 also been a dancer. And a club volleyball player. And a track and field athlete. And a tutor, and a tour guide, and a member of student government. To sum it up, he was able to be 鈥渨hatever I wanted to be.鈥�

As he will explain when he delivers the Senior Address at Commencement, Lukhele believes this was possible because of the environment that 乐播传媒 cultivates 鈥� one that encourages exploration and discourages judgement. It is an environment that follows through on the college鈥檚 promise to be defined by inclusivity, community, and support, coupled with academic rigor. 

This promise, outlined in the 乐播传媒 mission statement and emphasized by Admission representatives, resonated so deeply with Lukhele that he enrolled at 乐播传媒 having never visited campus. He had a feeling he would love the place 鈥� and he was right.

乐播传媒鈥� belief in 鈥渢he transformative power of our differences鈥� is not just about helping students thrive on campus, Lukhele will explain, but also teaching them to be unabatedly curious members of a global society. 

Alexandra DeMarco of 乐播传媒 Communications and Marketing spoke recently with Lukhele. The following is a condensed and edited version of their conversation.

Students who are interested in delivering the Senior Address submit a speech and are selected by a committee. Why did you want to give the Senior Address?

As an international student and a person of color, I came to 乐播传媒 because it promised a community, a place where I can be myself without needing to assimilate or be someone different. I wanted to present a speech on Commencement as a way to show my gratitude for 乐播传媒 giving me that space to explore. I’ve grown so much as a person, and I feel like the community here has been supportive of me in many ways, and I’ve also contributed my support in different ways.

What is the theme of your speech?

Difference and diversity. I have perspectives, or lived experiences, that are very different from my colleagues here. We all have traits that make us different. My speech is highlighting that those differences are our strengths rather than our weaknesses because those are the things that bring us together as a community, if we celebrate them and appreciate them.

At 乐播传媒, I feel like I was able to be whatever I wanted to be and express myself in whatever way I wanted without needing to be someone different. The speech does try to address a very complex issue of diversity and differences amongst people and how you can approach being a global community that accepts or appreciates each other 鈥� coexistence, in a sense.

Could you share an example of a time where you felt like differences were really being celebrated at 乐播传媒?

Dancing in the 2026 Cultural Showcase, 鈥淗ere to Stay: Rhythms that Raised Us.鈥� I prepared a piece with one of my friends, Mohamed Al-jabry 鈥�28 from Shinyanga, Tanzania, and we wanted to showcase an African style of dancing. We didn’t feel that we had to do something that was going to be 鈥渁ccepted鈥� by the community, but we felt like we could do something to express ourselves as we are. The crowd was very, very excited. 

People here at 乐播传媒 take anything as long as it’s good and it’s full of energy. No one is looking like, 鈥淥h, this is not something that I’m used to, so I’m going to criticize or judge.鈥� People accept or appreciate those kinds of expressions. That was a very heartwarming moment, and those very small moments are the things that accumulate to make this community what it is. 

I’ve experienced a lot of these moments where people will sit down and listen to you when you have something to say. It also gives you the responsibility to listen to others because when people appreciate and accept you like that, you have a natural instinct to be appreciative of others. 

In my major, biochemistry, professors are able to build a space for differences as things that don’t really affect the way you are viewed in the major. The differences themselves are something that makes it even more interesting, in a sense, because it allows for different perspectives that push research forward. 

You have completed a lot of research during your time at 乐播传媒, both on campus and during an internship in the summer of 2025 at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. How has research shaped your career plans?

It actually has shaped my career so much because I came here as a pre-med student from a typical African household. When I was young, I was talented in the sciences. With that came a lot of pressure to become a doctor, and that propelled me toward a medical career. I wanted to come to liberal arts school because I wanted to really discover myself and make sure that I’m in a career that gives me purpose.

Being a biochemistry major gave me a very different perspective into what I can do with my passion for science. As time went on, I felt like I would have a greater impact being a researcher. I felt like that would be, at least for me, an approach to science that serves a greater community.

I really like the fact that 乐播传媒 changed my perspective on what my career could be and provided me with options that I didn’t know existed. There were people who were also able to talk to me through that 鈥� the Center for Purposeful Work, advisors, research supervisors. 

You did a senior thesis project. What was it about and how did you choose your subject?

I’m very curious about the impact of changes in cells at the molecular level and how those things drive how cells behave and how everything ends up working in the body of a person. This kind of research, even though it sounds very abstract and not very applicable to the real world, drives a lot of the efforts that end up being very impactful to society itself because they end up making new treatments for very threatening diseases. 

I was very interested in the overarching topic of the research, which was manipulation of sphingolipid metabolism in cells by common cold coronaviruses. That basically is analyzing how viruses affect the structure of a cell, specifically the membrane of the cell. My experience involved a lot of method development, which was very different from the research experiences that I’ve had before. My advisor, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scotty Farley, was also there to support me. Other students were doing similar projects, and we were able to talk about different things and discuss how our data is working and help each other through the process.

What on-campus support have you found as you鈥檝e balanced your various interests 鈥� biochemistry, dance, global engagement?

乐播传媒 is very academically rigorous, and, at the same time, there’s a lot of effort by the institution to support students to make sure that they are succeeding both as people and also as students. I have really explored that and took advantage of those support systems. 

The relationships that professors build with students at 乐播传媒 was something that was very substantial to me in balancing things. I also used to be on the track and field team, and I appreciated Curtis Johnson, head coach of men’s and women’s track and field, so much. He’s a very great guy who goes beyond viewing students just as athletes and is concerned about what is going on in your academic life and your personal life, if you so wish to talk about that. 

I want to give a shout out to James Reese, who was the dean of international students and is now the associate dean of students. People say he’s the 鈥渇ather of international students鈥� because he’s supportive in many different ways. 

Also, being part of student government and working with Campus Life on many things, like organizing TEDx乐播传媒 last fall, opened a window where I could know a lot of the support systems that existed 鈥� from major advisors to student advisors and the deans who are waiting for you to talk to them about anything that you need.

How have those experiences and campus activities helped you build community, especially a diverse and inclusive one, at 乐播传媒? 

TEDx乐播传媒 started off with a conversation in Commons with my friends about how diverse communities can be truly diverse and what kinds of things are never talked about that make communities less practically diverse than they should be. You can have statistics, but what we want really with diversity is people to interact and be part of an active community 鈥� talk to each other and collaborate, which is what the 乐播传媒 mission statement is all about. 

Our motivation was to bring the topic of diversity to a place where a lot of people can interact with it and not at a professional level, but at a very lowkey, chill level. We called Tedx乐播传媒 鈥淯nasked Questions,鈥� which basically speaks to the questions that we never ask as communities and the things that we don’t really talk about that would have a great impact in making us a strong community.

I wanted a team full of leaders who think in diverse perspectives and see things that I didn’t see myself. Something I learned being part of leadership roles is that you don’t know everything. Being able to see who can help you in different ways is a great skill. 

I was involved in the Africana Club this past semester, as a community liaison on the executive board. I was not just making a community for myself but also building a community for a lot of people and showcasing my identity as an African person. This allowed me to meet new people that I never thought I would interact with on campus. I was able to have conversations with people and have discussions, which were eye-opening in different ways.

I participated in club volleyball, and that was a way to meet new people through a very different platform, and enjoy the sport.

I was also an officer with student government鈥檚 Funding and Activities Board. That perspective made me appreciate the efforts and resources that are put into making sure that clubs thrive, there is equity being achieved, and every club has the chance to express their interest and identities in campus life. 

乐播传媒 students are very intentional people who care about the things that they do, who care about the work that they do. They don’t just do it for the sake of doing it. That’s something that I’ve really, really appreciated about the people here. 

That’s built by the community that exists at 乐播传媒 鈥� the support and the size of the community and the way the place is structured. We have one dining hall, for example, and that allows people to interact and be part of a community every day. That creates a space where people get more and more comfortable to step out of their comfort zone and become the most purposeful and genuine, happy versions of what they could be. 

What are your post-graduate plans?

I’m going to be a research associate at the UMass Chan Medical School in a lab that researches autoimmunity. There are two 乐播传媒 alumni (Olivia Dekker 鈥�24 and Aurora Beaumont 鈥�24) that also work there. They were really excited to see me come into the interview, and I had a lot of 乐播传媒ie conversations with them. 

I’m very excited about that both at the professional level 鈥�  it’s going to give me a chance to explore my research career even more and refine topics I really want to get into 鈥� and also being able to embody the characteristics that 乐播传媒 has built in me and taking that in the world out there. That’s my next chapter.

The Rev. Rob Benson will join 乐播传媒 as the college鈥檚 multifaith chaplain, effective Aug. 3, the college announced today. Benson currently serves as the lead pastor at Bar Harbor Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Bar Harbor, Maine.聽

鈥淚 am delighted to welcome the Rev. Rob Benson to the 乐播传媒 community, and look forward to seeing how he will bring his deep experience in inclusive ministry and spiritual leadership to his work with our Multifaith Chaplaincy,鈥� said 乐播传媒 President Garry W. Jenkins. 鈥淩ob seems to intuitively understand what makes 乐播传媒, 乐播传媒 鈥� our tight-knit community, our commitment to responsible stewardship of the greater world, and our immensely thoughtful, engaged, and talented students.鈥�

As the leader of the Multifaith Chaplaincy 鈥� a campus hub for spiritual discovery, community building, and compassionate support 鈥� Benson, who uses he/him pronouns, looks forward to welcoming all 乐播传媒 community members, whether it be to explore spiritual traditions and identities, build community, or interrogate the meaning of purposeful work.

鈥淔rom the moment I stepped on campus I could sense 乐播传媒’ friendly, inclusive vibe, the deep engagement, and the passion for connecting academic learning with the world’s pressing needs,鈥� Benson said. 鈥溊植ゴ解�� aspiration to be 鈥榓 college for the coming times鈥� echoes the legacies of the politically engaged faiths of William Stringfellow and Peter Gomes, among many others, which seems crucial for times like these.鈥� 

Benson brings nearly 30 years of experience in ministry and chaplaincy to the role. He began his career in hospital chaplaincy, where he developed a multifaith foundational approach to ministry.

In his role at Bar Harbor, Benson co-founded the Mount Desert Island Racial Equity Working Group and the MDI Backpack Program, which serve to foster racial justice and address food security among students on the island. He also finalized the church鈥檚 adoption of an 鈥渙pen and affirming covenant,鈥� a commitment to welcome and affirm congregants of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Additionally, he volunteers as chaplain with the Bar Harbor Fire Department. 

鈥淎t 乐播传媒 it feels like I can be open 鈥� with myself and with others 鈥� and not have to apologize for wanting to foster equity and pursue justice,鈥� Benson said. 鈥溊植ゴ� feels like a great 鈥榝it.鈥欌�� 

A graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., Benson is intimately familiar with and embraces the small liberal arts environment that 乐播传媒 offers. He previously served as an adjunct professor and spiritual counselor for students across faith traditions at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor and worked as a middle and high school teacher and swim coach.

鈥淚 cherish students鈥� honesty and enthusiasm. Life matters, and we don’t have time to waste on superficiality or irrelevance,鈥� Benson said. 鈥淨uestions of who we are, what to do and say, how to live together, how to cultivate hope and joy, how to tend the earth 鈥� questions of meaning, purpose, justice, and belonging 鈥� aren’t just abstract concepts, but pressing, real-life pursuits. I’m inspired by students鈥� willingness to try new things, challenge outdated systems, and forge together a better world for all.鈥�

Benson previously spent 12 years as an outer island pastor with the Maine Seacoast Mission, serving five remote island communities with pastoral care, interfaith worship opportunities, and multi-generational programming. 

Before moving to Maine in 2002, he served as a program and communications associate for the Faith and Politics Institute in Washington, D.C., and a hospice chaplain for Hospice Care of the District of Columbia and Hospice of Northern Virginia. He holds a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and he completed his clinical pastoral training at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Georgetown University Medical Center.

Benson succeeds the Rev. Dr. Raymond Clothier, who has served as interim multifaith chaplain since the departure of the Rev. Dr. Brittany Longsdorf in December 2024.

鈥淚’m excited to meet students, faculty, and staff, to share the joys and challenges of life, and to explore practices that deepen peace and nurture hope and right action,鈥� Benson said. 鈥淎nd I’m anxiously anticipating the Puddle Jump next winter.鈥�

Short Term, a 乐播传媒 鈥渕inimester鈥� of three-and-a-half weeks during which students take only one course, is here. Course offerings run the gamut, touching on everything from pop culture, to business to test preparation, and give students the opportunity to deeply engage with a single topic.

During Short Term (which starts May 4 and ends May 27) students get the chance to extend their learning beyond what they usually find on campus. Through 乐播传媒鈥� practitioner-taught courses, which invite professionals across disciplines to share their work and career pathways with students as visiting instructors, students explore subjects outside of the core liberal arts curriculum. During off-campus Short Term courses, students conduct fieldwork, research, and culture in places like Arizona, Zambia, Hungary, Poland, Italy and more.

Below, explore 10 of the 100-plus Short Term courses offered this spring.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Brecia Despard is teaching 鈥淏iological Skills: Field Ecology,鈥� a course specifically designed for students interested in pursuing internships and careers in the biological sciences. This course will introduce ecological principles and research methods across major coastal marine biomes, and help students develop field skills specifically geared toward these kinds of ecosystems. Additionally, students will learn how to analyze and create visualizations using data they collect in the programming language R.

Professor of French and Francophone Studies Mary T. Rice-DeFosse will teach students about the representation of French culinary traditions in her course 鈥淐ooking Up French Culture.鈥� By observing how French food is prepared and eaten in film and literature, students will come to understand how the French identity has changed in the modern era. Plus, students will get the opportunity to prepare and serve dishes of their own creation.

With her course 鈥淔eminist Political Theory (Taylor鈥檚 Version),鈥� Assistant Professor of Politics Lucy Britt will merge pop culture with political theory. The course examines Taylor Swift, the moment鈥檚 most popular female musical artist, and her larger-than-life persona and cultural impact in terms of how they interact with or expand upon feminist theory. Covering everything from celebrity politics to intersectionality and queer counter-readings to norms of motherhood, this course dives beyond online discourse to offer students vocabulary and knowledge for discussing 鈥淢iss Americana鈥� and pop culture feminism more broadly. Students will end the course with their very own 鈥� or, as Swift would say, 鈥淭aylor鈥檚 Version鈥� 鈥� research product comprising original data collection.

Visiting Assistant Professor of History Frances Bell will be teaching 鈥淟ewiston: A History of a Place,鈥� a course that combines in-class learning and site visits to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Lewiston 鈥� the beloved home of 乐播传媒 College 鈥� and its rich history. Through in-class learning, field trips, and creative projects, students will gain a holistic understanding of how the spatial history of Lewiston has changed from the times of Indigenous settlement to the post-industrial period. 

In 鈥淢aine鈥檚 Marine Resources,鈥� Assistant Professor of Economics Amanda Lindsay will be teaching students about the health and management of marine resources in Maine. On day trips along the Maine coast, students will be able to see firsthand the challenges marine management systems face. This course is aimed at students who are interested in natural resource economics, a field that Lindsay specializes in.

While 乐播传媒 ceramics students usually use a gas reduction kiln to fire their clay projects, this Short Term, Lecturer in Art and Visual Culture Susan Dewsnap is teaching 鈥淧it Firing Ceramics: Contemporary Approaches to an Ancient Process of Firing Ceramic Objects.鈥� Pit firing is an ancient approach to firing ceramic objects that uses an actual fire pit to transform raw clay pots into finished work. In this course, students will use organic materials that they gather to decorate their work and see how firing in a pit results in surprising outcomes. 

Faculty members and alumni from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College are coming to 乐播传媒 this Short Term to teach 鈥淧racticum in Business Consulting: 乐播传媒-Tuck Business Consulting Essentials鈥� 鈥� a course that teaches foundational business skills through a client-focused project management framework. Students will learn through a case study that simulates real-world business challenges and gain confidence in decision-making processes. This is the second year that 乐播传媒 has offered a business course led by Tuck alumni and faculty as part of its Short Term practitioner-taught courses. Peter Friedman 鈥�92, P 鈥�24, P 鈥�26, who earned an MBA from Tuck in 2003, and is a 乐播传媒 trustee, will serve as practitioner-in-residence for this course, with additional Tuck-associated instructors Aram Donigian, Amy Florentino, Patroklos Karantinos, and Conwell Worthington III.

鈥淧racticum in Mediation and Restorative Practices鈥� is a practitioner-taught course that functions as a conflict resolution skills workshop. Through techniques used by restorative justice practitioners such as circle facilitation and restorative language and problem-solving approaches to resolving disputes used by meditators, students will acquire tools to improve communication and facilitate cooperation and collaboration. Practitioners-in-residence for this course are Margaret Micolichek, Jamar Williams, Karen Groat, and Leah Boyd.

鈥淧racticum in Public Health鈥� is a practitioner-taught course taught by Leah Elsmore 鈥�12, a senior healthcare consultant with consultancy firm North Highland, that teaches students how to apply qualitative methods to public health challenges in a mix of traditional and experiential academic settings. In the classroom, students will learn about public health foundations and various qualitative research techniques. In the community, students will have a chance to apply what they learned in the classroom, working to solve a concrete health challenge in Lewiston. 

For juniors and seniors planning to attend law school, the course 鈥淪hort Term 2026 LSAT Prep鈥� is an opportunity to get ready for a crucial part of the application process. Ben Paris, who holds a JD and has for 30 years worked in test prep and education design, will lead the three-week practitioner-taught course. This course is made possible by a generous 乐播传媒 donor, meaning there is no cost to 乐播传媒 students.

Reporting by Charlotte Comrack 鈥�27 of Washington, D.C., and Ramona McNish 鈥�28 of Palo Alto, Calif.

Victoria (Tori) Neason Wallace has been appointed vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid at 乐播传媒 College, effective July 1.

Neason Wallace brings with her more than a decade of leadership in undergraduate admission work and expertise in strategic enrollment planning, recruitment, and student engagement. She joins 乐播传媒 from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, where she currently serves as executive director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and previously served as deputy dean of admissions. 

鈥淚 am thrilled to welcome Tori Neason Wallace to 乐播传媒 as our next vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid,鈥� said 乐播传媒 President Garry W. Jenkins. 鈥淭his is a critically important position for any college, and Tori has a breadth and depth of experience that 鈥� along with a deep commitment to the liberal arts, talent for strategic thinking, and innate collegiality 鈥� will make her an outstanding asset to the enrollment endeavor at 乐播传媒.鈥�

At Colby, Neason Wallace has played a key role in advancing enrollment strategy through cross-departmental initiatives, data-informed analysis, and special projects spanning admissions, financial aid, student outcomes, athletics recruitment, and advancement. Her work includes strengthening global high school counselor engagement, evaluating and improving strategic enrollment programs and partnerships, leading exploration of artificial intelligence tools for enrollment operations, and securing grant funding to support access-oriented initiatives. 

鈥淎n innovative and ambitious leader, Tori skillfully navigates the complex work of building a class with care, balancing a data-informed approach with the needs of prospective students, their families, and the college. She will also serve as a passionate ambassador for 乐播传媒 as we continue to advance our commitments to academic excellence and access. I look forward to having Tori as a part of our senior leadership team, where we will all benefit from her dedication to our students and to 乐播传媒’s distinctive mission,鈥滼enkins added. 

Neason Wallace joined Colby in 2020 as associate director of admissions and has held various roles in the admissions office, including senior advisor to the vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid. Neason Wallace鈥檚 work has also extended across the college through collaboration with Colby senior leadership on advancement opportunities, human resources projects, and pivotal graduate school partnership relationships.

As she prepares to lead the 乐播传媒 offices of admission and student financial services, Neason Wallace looks forward to continuing her work as a champion for liberal arts education, recruiting and supporting the next generation of 乐播传媒 students.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly excited to join 乐播传媒 and believe deeply in the transformative liberal arts education it provides,鈥� Neason Wallace said. 鈥淭here is a powerful story to tell about the phenomenal resources, opportunities, outcomes, and impact that a 乐播传媒 education provides. Alongside the exceptional admissions and financial aid teams, I hope to share that story in meaningful ways with students and counselors, broadening the college鈥檚 reach and helping talented students from across the globe see themselves at 乐播传媒.鈥� 

Prior to her time at Colby, Neason Wallace worked for six years in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at her undergraduate alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, first as assistant director of admissions, then as senior assistant director for student volunteers. Across her time at both Colby and Wash U, Neason Wallace has worked closely with students, managing student employees and developing innovative and engaging campus visit experiences. She understands the kind of student who will thrive at a small liberal arts institution. Through her work in the NESCAC and with colleagues at other top-tier national colleges and universities, Neason Wallace has developed a vast network that will inform and bolster her work at 乐播传媒, while also expanding 乐播传媒鈥� presence in new and emerging markets. 

鈥淓nrollment is a collaborative endeavor for the entire campus,鈥� Neason Wallace said. 鈥淚n my interactions with the 乐播传媒 community so far, I鈥檝e been struck by how talented, curious, and grounded each individual is. I know we鈥檒l be able to do good work together, and I look forward to leading that effort.鈥� 

Neason Wallace holds a master of education degree from Harvard University and a bachelor of arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Jenkins expressed gratitude for the successful work of the campus search committee, co-chaired by Kristen Lainsbury, vice president for communications and marketing, and Robert Strong, director of national fellowships. WittKieffer, a leading executive search firm, assisted with the search. 

Neason Wallace succeeds Leigh Weisenburger, who led the admission and student financial services teams at 乐播传媒 from 2012 to 2025 before transitioning to the role of vice president for institutional affairs and secretary of the board of trustees, also at 乐播传媒. Mark Hatch 鈥�87, vice president for enrollment emeritus at Colorado College, has served as the division鈥檚 interim enrollment leader during the 2025-26 academic year. 

At 乐播传媒, student researchers are empowered to ask and answer big questions across numerous fields of study. They tackle everything from human biology and marine ecology, to literature reviews of legal movements and the politics of memory, to media analysis of film, literature, and television.

On April 10, more than 200 of these student researchers presented their work to the 乐播传媒 community and their family and friends during the annual Mount David Summit in Pettengill Hall. 

鈥淢ount David is not just a harbinger of spring and the nearing conclusion of the winter semester, though it is those things,鈥� 乐播传媒 President Garry W. Jenkins said during the day鈥檚 opening remarks. 鈥淚t’s also a chance for our community to come together to celebrate the academic heart of our mission. And it’s an extraordinary opportunity for 乐播传媒 students to show off their research, their brilliant and insightful analysis, and their dazzling creativity.鈥�

In between attending student-led talks and panels, attendees weaved through rows of posters on display in Pettengill鈥檚 Perry Atrium. The room was buzzing with questions, and students were eager to answer, discussing their research methods, their main takeaways, and why they were motivated to pursue their projects.

Most of the student researchers were presenting their senior thesis work, representing the culmination of their 乐播传媒 academic careers. Mount David Summit is a day to celebrate student achievement and the people who supported the students along the way, said Joanne Roberts, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

鈥淚t takes a village to bring an idea from its first spark through its final expression, and we owe a huge thank you to everyone involved, from our committed faculty, to our stellar academic staff, and our invaluable research librarians,鈥� Roberts said.

Learn more about a few of the 200-plus student projects from across disciplines:

STEM

Biology major Zoe Ash 鈥�26 of New York City presented a poster on bottle-nose dolphins鈥� social behavior as it corresponds to how often they do or don鈥檛 follow boats. She conducted research while studying abroad in Croatia, where a day in the lab looked like spending hours on a boat sailing over the Adriatic Sea, snapping photos of dolphins.

鈥淢y favorite discovery from this project was that we see higher social associations in dolphins that follow boats less frequently than we do in dolphins that follow boats more frequently or not at all. 鈥� It tells you that discreet communities are forming,鈥� Ash said.

Also presenting a poster was Enathe Muhawenimana 鈥�26 of Rusizi, Rwanda, a double major in biology and French and Francophone studies, whose project investigated why skin infections are often more severe in patients with diabetes. Her research determined that high glucose level in a diabetic patient was correlated with a higher severity of skin infection. She hopes that her work could be used to advance antibiotic or other therapeutic treatment for diabetes patients.

鈥淟earning about this is so rewarding to me, but it can help people out there as well,鈥� Muhawenimana said.

During an afternoon presentation by members of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships’ Community-Engaged Research Fellowship Program, seven students shared their senior thesis projects. Mathematics major Hope Stafford 鈥�26 of Mountain View, Calif., shared her research on flooding patterns in Providence, R.I. Using a community flood-reporting app called MyCoast, Stafford discovered that floods were likely caused not only by rainfall but also by infrastructure varying across the city.

鈥淭he reason I was using this [app] is to emphasize community voice,鈥� Stafford said. 鈥淲e really want to focus on floods that community members are pointing out.鈥�

During that same panel, neuroscience major Ariya Tayal 鈥�26 of Pittsburgh, Penn., shared her research on how women who are experiencing homelessness access reproductive health resources, a project inspired by Tayal鈥檚 experience working as an emergency room technician and noticing that many women she had met through volunteering in the Lewiston-Auburn community were coming to the ER to access primary care.

鈥淭hat’s such a sad thing to see in our healthcare system,鈥� Tayal said. 鈥淧eople should not be finding out if they鈥檙e pregnant or not at the ER. That’s not appropriate.鈥� 

For her research, Tayal interviewed 19 local women experiencing homelessness and distributed disposable cameras among them for a research method called photovoice, during which participants document their lived experiences and narratives by taking photographs.

In a panel on STEM research, James Hillers 鈥�26 of De Witt, N.Y., presented his research, entitled 鈥淎gent-Based Modeling of Sponge and Algae Endosymbioses.鈥� Looking closely at the relationship between sponge and algae, Hillers used simulations to determine that even though these two symbionts are 鈥渃omparatively unfit,鈥� they thrive together. 

鈥淚 really like making the visualizations,鈥� Hillers said. 鈥淲henever you’re doing computational work, you produce a lot of data, and it’s kind of a pain to do individual visualization. So getting to create robust scripts that can take a ton of data and visualize it into super nice experimental stuff is super fun.鈥�

In the same panel, Gemma DeCarolis 鈥�26 of Santa Monica, Calif., presented research drawn from her summer internship at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla. The 2024 hurricane season resulted in significant vegetation loss, and DeCarolis studied the impact on sea turtle nesting.

鈥淚 was able to take nesting data, disorientation data, and aerial imagery from Sarasota County GIS,鈥� DeCarolis said. 鈥淎fter I’d done all of this quantification and worked with the data, I did statistical analysis in R, using generalized linear models and beta regressions.鈥� She hopes to continue parts of this research as she moves forward with her studies. 

Social Sciences

Economics major Willa Laski 鈥�26 of Bellevue, Idaho, presented a poster on her senior thesis research investigating the relationship between the reintroduction of the gray wolf to the western U.S. and the livestock ranching industry in that region. Laski鈥檚 research found that lethal control of wolf populations did not have a statistically significant effect on livestock depredation 鈥� meaning that controlling wolf populations with lethal measures did not meaningfully impact, positively or negatively, livestock populations.

During a panel called 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Law Got To Do With It?鈥� three senior politics students shared thesis research that explored the law and legal questions. Their presentations covered centuries of U.S. court precedent and legal writing 鈥� from research by Matthew Peeler of New York City exploring intricacies of legal language dating as far back as the 1700s, to research by Sammy Freeman of Dallas exploring how religious exercise arguments from a Jewish standpoint could be used to advocate for abortion access, to a literature review by Reese Hillman of Wayne, Penn., investigating division in the conservative legal movement during President Donald J. Trump鈥檚 second term in office.

鈥淢y thesis comes out of my desire to make sense of some of Donald Trump’s more puzzling legal actions this year,鈥� Hillman said. 

And as psychology major and community-engaged research fellow Katie Heumann 鈥�26 of Ann Arbor, Mich., shared during the Harward Center鈥檚 presentation, civic engagement can begin long before adulthood. Heumann researched how students experience civic engagement in elementary school classrooms in Lewiston through collective participation and norms like classroom jobs, development of individual agency, and socialization.

鈥淎 lot of these classrooms really fostered pro- social behaviors,鈥� Heumann said. 鈥淭hese were things like respect and kindness, but more importantly, inclusivity. Being a friend to all, celebrating one another, being inclusive, being friends to boys and girls were some of the key things that students talked about.

Arts and Humanities

Lining the walls of Perry Atrium, on the edge of the bustling crowds at the poster presentation, were more than 50 photos from the Barlow Off-Campus Study Photography exhibition featuring countries like Nepal, Chile, Hungary, France, Japan, China, and the Netherlands. 

Some students, like religious studies major Shay Campolongo 鈥�26 of Midlothian, Va., found ways to incorporate visual art into their thesis projects on other subjects. For her thesis research on how people understand and memorialize the United States鈥� Japanese-American internment camps during World War II, with particular attention to memorialization of Buddhists in the camps, Campolongo invited 乐播传媒 faculty, staff, and students to two listening sessions prior to Mount David Summit where she presented her research, led discussions, and invited attendees to fold paper cranes. These cranes, made in every color of the rainbow and with intricate patterns, lined her poster during Mount David Summit.

鈥淛apanese-American internment is a piece of history that is often forgotten, but especially the Buddhist lens, and the way that it was not only racially but religiously motivated,鈥� Campolongo said.

Catalina Passino 鈥�26 of Leesburg, Va., a community-engaged research fellow who presented during the Harward Center鈥檚 panel, connected her psychology thesis research to visual art, inspired by her experience taking ceramics classes at 乐播传媒.

鈥淚 was just amazed about how clay affected me and the restorative effects that I felt personally,鈥� Passino said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥楳an, we should study this beyond just me.鈥欌��

Passino organized an eight-week clay workshop for children in the Lewiston-Auburn immigrant and refugee community and observed how the children experienced mindfulness, resilience, belonging, and emotional regulation throughout the workshop. For their final project, Passino asked the children to create a clay pot that represented each of them, resulting in a collection of unique pieces that Passino displayed in Olin Arts Center. 

Connor Gerraughty 鈥�26 of Hartsdale, N.Y., presented work on synoptic surveillance in The Truman Show, a project which emerged after a patient process of selecting just the right film and finding just the right lens through which to read the film. Though he certainly learned about Foucault and film along the way, his biggest takeaway was about the writing process. 鈥淭here is no perfect, is what I realized,鈥� Gerraughty said. 鈥淚t’s basically just improving and improving. You could work on it forever and you could still make it better.鈥� 

In response, his advisor, Professor of Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies Stephanie Kelley-Romano said, 鈥淚’m so heartened to hear that it wasn’t going to be perfect and you’re okay with that. I love it. My job here is done.鈥�

Sun Journal, Mainebiz highlight new fitness and well-being center

The Lewiston to construct a new $45-million fitness facility, the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center. A $10 million donation from 乐播传媒 alumni Jon W. 鈥�90 and Jocelyn Stoddard Brayshaw 鈥�88, P鈥�25 brought the project within $4 million of its $31 million fundraising goal, the Sun Journal reported. 

, sharing that the college is set to break ground on the project on May 1. The 8,500-square-foot facility will include upgrades to preexisting facilities, new locker rooms and coaches鈥� offices, and a yoga and Pilates studio, among other infrastructure supporting fitness and well-being. 

High-Profile announces news of Bonney Science Center’s architectural Honor award

The Boston Society for Architecture recognized the Bonney Science Center and its designer, Boston-based architecture firm Payette during the society鈥檚 annual award gala, . 

Payette鈥檚 design for Bonney earned an Honor award, the highest category of design award bestowed by the BSA, for Built Design, Educational Facilities. Bonney鈥檚 construction, completed in 2021, marked a significant advancement in 乐播传媒鈥� scientific facilities. The center is home to cutting-edge teaching and research spaces for chemistry, biology, and neuroscience, in addition to classrooms and study spaces.

The BSA bestowed a total of 31 design awards to structures in and around Boston to 鈥渃ollectively recognize the power of the built environment to empower communities, promote change, and build a more sustainable and equitable Boston,鈥� High-Profile wrote. the news.

Alabama Public Radio features Anelise Hanson Shrout in its St. Patrick鈥檚 Day coverage

Alabama鈥檚 WBHM, a public radio station, highlighted Associate Professor of Digital and Computational Studies Anelise Hanson Shrout鈥檚 research about unlikely philanthropists during the Great Famine in Ireland in the mid-19th century. Reporter Andrew Gelderman, who hosts Alabama鈥檚 All Things Considered, asked Shrout about a group of enslaved people from Lowndesboro, Alabama, whose story she included in her 2024 book .

This group raised money for the starving Irish, after their enslaver, Morgan Smith, asked them in the spring of 1847 to sacrifice for the Irish.

鈥淗e doesn’t suggest that they give money,鈥� Shrout told Gelderman. 鈥淗e suggests that they give up one meal a day to aid the starving Irish. These enslaved people go away and confer with one another and they come back and they say, 鈥楴o, we’re not gonna give up one meal a day, but what we will do is give you this $50 that we have.鈥欌��

To learn more about why this act of generosity was so remarkable, listen , which aired on March 17. 

Carolina Gonz谩lez Valencia premieres her film How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps to accolades at the True/False Film Fest

Carolina Gonz谩lez Valencia, associate professor of art and visual culture, premiered her film How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps at the in Columbia, Missouri, earlier this month to glowing reviews and mentions in multiple publications. The film is about her mother Beatriz, a Latin American domestic worker who has long resided in the U.S. and was the family鈥檚 sole breadwinner when Gonz谩lez Valencia was growing up. Gonz谩lez Valencia recently told 乐播传媒 News that her goal was to create a narrative that fully captured her mother鈥檚 experience 鈥� as a domestic worker in the U.S., but also as a full and complex person.

At the True/False festival, which was celebrating its 23rd year, reviewers lauded her efforts, with publications such as naming How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps one of the five best films at the festival and The Criterion Collection鈥檚 The Daily for receiving the 2026 True Life Fund selection for her directorial debut. 

recommended the documentary (which includes fantastical elements) as one of 鈥渇our world premieres (and one North American) that are worth checking out, whether you鈥檙e on the ground at this epicenter for non-fiction fanatics or are just keeping your eyes peeled for these films鈥� future festival stops.鈥� Their mini review: 

鈥淐arolina Gonz谩lez Valencia鈥檚 debut feature feels particularly potent amid our current political climate. Confronting the prospect of being separated from her mother Beatriz, a Latin American domestic worker who has long resided in the U.S. and is the family鈥檚 sole breadwinner, Valencia copes by creating a work of fiction that鈥檚 rooted in truth. Elements of docu-fiction, dance and quotidian routines culminate in a story that is as personal for Valencia as it is her and Beatriz鈥檚 overarching community. The result is an attempt to disrupt preconceived notions about labor, immigration, and belonging by way of sparking creative joy. 鈥�

In a thoughtful, , The Maneater said Gonz谩lez Valencia鈥檚 鈥渂lending and blurring of reality leaves the audience questioning their interpretation of the film and of the people they overlook in their own lives.鈥� Meanwhile St. Louis magazine, which described the whole festival as long feeling like 鈥渁 homecoming for hip Missourians,鈥� about immigration. Reviewer Max Havey said, 鈥淭he magic of this film is the way it consciously removes and applies layers of artifice along the way to tell Beatriz鈥檚 story.鈥�

Mara Tieken discusses school closures in The Maine Monitor, Bangor Daily News

Professor of Education Mara Tieken spoke to The Maine Monitor about school closures in Maine, offering context for a . 

Enrollment in Maine鈥檚 public schools has dropped 6.6 percent over the past decade, the Monitor reported, leading to school closures or consolidation and leaving a host of empty school buildings across the state, particularly in rural areas. Declining enrollment, likely a result of Maine鈥檚 aging population, and financial challenges are the primary reasons why schools close, Tieken said. 

鈥淭here are less young families, less young children,鈥� she said.

Schools in smaller communities, with smaller tax bases, may be driven to closure when they can鈥檛 afford to fund school improvements, Tieken explained. At the same time, as a school鈥檚 enrollment drops, the state will decrease funding for the school per Maine鈥檚 cost-per-pupil formula. 

Lawmakers in the Maine State Legislature are currently debating whether to create a $5 million fund that would help towns turn vacant school buildings into housing. the story.

Women in Academia Report publicizes 乐播传媒 faculty tenure among women professors

Among the seven 乐播传媒 faculty members who earned tenure and promotion to associate professor this spring, five were women, the . (There were nine total promotions announced at 乐播传媒 this semester.)

They include Yunkyoung (Yun) L. Garrison, associate professor of psychology; Lisa R. Gilson, associate professor of politics; Seulgie Claire Lim, associate professor of politics; Zhenzhen Lu, associate professor of Chinese; and Sarah B. Lynch, associate professor of classical and medieval studies and history. Their expertise includes everything from psychological well-being among people of color to literature in imperial China to education in medieval France.

Kennebec Journal covers career-best basketball performance for Mya Hicks 鈥�27

Women鈥檚 basketball player Mya Hicks 鈥�27 of Ann Arbor, Mich., gave a career-best performance during a game against Smith College on March 7, the . Hicks scored 19 points and hit five 3-pointers, leading 乐播传媒 to an 18-point comeback and victory in overtime 鈥� and securing the team鈥檚 spot in the NCAA Division III tournament鈥檚 Sweet 16, the Journal reported.

Hicks, who the Journal calls a 鈥渦tility-type player,鈥� only took the game-tying shot, which was drawn up for another player, because she ran the play wrong. With a split-second decision, Hicks stepped up to the challenge.

鈥淢y role is very specific on this team, and I do that role with pride,鈥� Hicks told the Journal. 鈥淚n that moment, I knew my teammates had all the confidence in me. I had all the confidence in that moment.鈥� 

Head Coach Alison Montgomery, who describes Hicks as 鈥渧ery strong,鈥� was not at all surprised by her fantastic performance.

鈥淚鈥檓 like, 鈥榊eah, of course she did that,鈥� 鈥� just knowing how capable she is,鈥� Montgomery told the Journal.

Theri Pickens鈥� poetry collection recommended in The Seattle Times

In advance of April鈥檚 poetry month, The Seattle Times ran a recommendation from the Seattle Public Library of four poetry collections, including Charles A. Dana Professor of English and Africana Ther铆 Pickens鈥� debut collection of poetry, What Had Happened Was, published by Duke University Press in March 2025. 

Pickens, librarian writes, 鈥渟eamlessly explores personal narrative, Black American life, systemic injustices, pop culture, history and chronic disability.鈥�

See . 

Michael Rocque comments on a controversial bad neighbors case in the Bangor Daily News

Michael Rocque comments on a controversial bad neighbors case in the Bangor Daily News

News stories about some high profile poisonings of trees by homeowners in posh Maine locations who apparently wanted better views have captivated national readers. The New York Times reported on incidents in Camden and in Rockport in recent years and the fallout 鈥� along with fines 鈥� continues. The Bangor Daily News , who studies criminology, about the poisoning in Camden, where a 鈥淢issouri couple paid more than $1.8 million in fines, settlements, and cleanup costs after they poisoned a neighbor鈥檚 trees and contaminated the town鈥檚 only public beach in the process.鈥�

Rocque told the BDN, 鈥淚t was a bit of a stunning example of somebody who鈥檚 just like, 鈥楾he rules don鈥檛 apply to me.鈥欌�� Neighborliness and sharing natural resources are values widely shared in Maine, Rocque said. Seeing people act in ways that violate those norms is 鈥渁 shock to the senses.鈥�

reports on Valerie Smith 鈥�75 retiring as Swarthmore College president

Valerie Smith 鈥�75 is retiring as president of Swarthmore College at the conclusion of the 2026鈥�2027 academic year, .

Smith has held the role since 2015, when she became the college鈥檚 first Black president. She also serves as Swarthmore鈥檚 inaugural Roy J. and Linda G. Shanker Presidential Chair.

鈥淪erving as Swarthmore鈥檚 15th president has been one of the great privileges of my life,鈥� said Smith in a statement to the Swarthmore community. 鈥淪warthmore is defined by the students whose curiosity and conviction inspire us all; the faculty whose teaching and scholarship expand the boundaries of knowledge; by the staff members whose dedication sustains our shared work; and by alumni, families, and friends.鈥�

Prior to joining Swarthmore, Smith was dean of the college and the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Literature at Princeton University, and a faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Vermont Daily Chronicle on Hannah Sessions 鈥�99 launching a Vermont Senate campaign

Hannah Sessions 鈥�99 is running for a seat in the Vermont Senate representing Addison County, the .

鈥淚 am running because my life experience has taught me not only to work hard but also to ask questions and listen, three skills that will help me represent you in Montpelier,鈥� Sessions said in her campaign announcement on social media. 鈥淚 want to build pragmatic coalitions to help improve the lives of current and future Vermonters.鈥�

A Democrat and native of Addison County, Sessions now owns and operates goat dairy farm Blue Ledge with her husband. If elected, Sessions would be the first full-time farmer in the Vermont Senate, the Chronicle reported.

Sessions, who is also a painter, studied studio art and political science at 乐播传媒 before moving home to Vermont, where her family ties date back generations. Her father William Sessions is a federal court judge in Vermont.

乐播传媒 is embarking on a $45 million project to update two key athletic facilities and construct a new fitness and well-being center to serve the full campus community. With a major gift of $10 million from a couple who met at 乐播传媒, Jon W. Brayshaw 鈥�90, P鈥�25 and Jocelyn Stoddard Brayshaw 鈥�88, P鈥�25, the college is a vital step closer to that construction, and has a name for the new facility: the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center. 

鈥淭hanks to the wonderful generosity of Jon and Jocelyn Brayshaw, our goal of a new center to support our students as they pursue their personal health and fitness goals is within reach,鈥� President Garry W. Jenkins said in a joint announcement with Vice President for Student Affairs Rosanna Ferro. 鈥淭his facility will be transformative in strengthening 乐播传媒鈥� commitment to overall student well-being.鈥�

While today marks the public announcement of the new facility, fundraising for the project has been underway for over 18 months and support has come from more than 50 leadership donors. With the Brayshaws鈥� gift, 乐播传媒 is within $4 million of its fundraising goal of $31 million. The college is investing alongside its donors to renovate and update infrastructure in the beloved Alumni Gymnasium and the Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building, underscoring the importance of fitness and well-being to the entire 乐播传媒 community. 

鈥淲e have a holistic approach to engaging students around well-being and this new facility will allow us to elevate and celebrate that,鈥� Ferro said.  

The Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center will double the amount of fitness space available to the campus community. Designed by internationally acclaimed Sasaki Associates Inc., the same architectural firm that gave Commons its distinctive look and created the vision for Alumni Walk, the new Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center will bridge Alumni Gym and Gray Athletic Building. With its striking windows and expansive architecture, it will open up onto a dynamic and vibrant Ladd Library Quad in the heart of campus.

The Stoddard name is a tribute to Jocelyn鈥檚 parents, Donald and Judith Stoddard, who both died in 2021. 

鈥淔or us, this gift is deeply personal,鈥� Jon Brayshaw said. 鈥淒on and Judy taught us that true well-being comes from intentional living 鈥� nourishing the body, staying active, caring for one鈥檚 inner life, and making choices that honor long鈥憈erm health. Seeing their names associated with a space dedicated to fitness and holistic wellness feels like a natural extension of how they lived and what they valued most.鈥�

This virtual fly-through of the future Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center shows new and enhanced locker rooms, athletic facilities, office space, and more. (Rendering courtesy of Sasaki Associates Inc.)

Vice President for College Advancement Eric Foush茅e P鈥�22, P鈥�26 expressed deep gratitude to the Brayshaw family. 鈥淭his gift puts us close to 90 percent of our goal to break ground on this exciting and much-needed project,鈥� Foush茅e said. 鈥淚 know the 乐播传媒 community will join me in thanking the Brayshaws for this resounding commitment to the college鈥檚 future.鈥�

鈥淎thletics was at the center of our 乐播传媒 experience,鈥� Jon Brayshaw said. It鈥檚 how the couple met: 鈥淲e were both part of a group of students that helped start the 乐播传媒 College Rowing Association.鈥� The association has since transitioned to varsity status at the college, fielding some of the most successful men’s and women’s rowing teams in the country.

Even at that time, Jon and Jocelyn were conscious that 乐播传媒鈥� interest and belief in fitness and well-being was bigger than what the physical campus could support.

鈥淎lthough most of our time was spent out on the water, we remember how challenging it was to find adequate facilities on campus for off-season or inclement weather workouts,鈥� Jon Brayshaw said. 鈥淲hen we learned that the college was interested in building a facility to expand fitness and wellness offerings and to also modernize and enhance Alumni Gym, we both saw a great opportunity to address this longstanding challenge for 乐播传媒 student-athletes and others who would benefit from greater access to state-of-the-art fitness facilities.鈥�

In addition to 乐播传媒鈥� 31 varsity teams, there are many club and intramural athletes on campus, as well as many fitness, strength training, yoga, and pilates enthusiasts. Some may be students pursuing wellness activities for the first time in their lives. An average of 450 students use the Davis Fitness Center in Underhill Arena daily. 鈥淲e鈥檝e maxed out that space,鈥� said Director of Capital Planning and Construction Chris Streifel. Factoring in faculty and staff, the number of 乐播传媒 community members using these facilities potentially tops 2,600. 鈥淲e鈥檙e more than ready for this additional facility,鈥� Streifel said.

The hope is for a spring groundbreaking on May 1. 鈥淎 gift like the Brayshaw family鈥檚 is truly a game-changer,鈥� Foush茅e said. 鈥淎t the same time, we know we have work to do to spread the word about the significance of this project and meet our critical fundraising goal.鈥� 

鈥淭his facility will be transformative in strengthening 乐播传媒鈥� commitment to overall student well-being.鈥�

President Garry W. Jenkins

The scope of the project is considerable, encompassing improvements to Alumni Gym (originally opened in 1928) such as necessary infrastructure upgrades and renovations to lounges and other vital spaces. The restoration and reopening of a viewing balcony in Alumni Gym will enhance the vibrant atmosphere of this much-loved athletic facility. A new practice basketball court will be added to Gray Cage.

The project will provide new and newly renovated locker rooms for 11 teams: baseball, men鈥檚 basketball, women鈥檚 basketball, field hockey, men鈥檚 alpine skiing, women鈥檚 alpine skiing, men鈥檚 Nordic skiing, women鈥檚 Nordic skiing, men鈥檚 soccer, softball, and volleyball. There will also be a new space for sports medicine.

The Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center will be home to new coaching offices and program spaces. The center will support students’ personal health, wellness, and fitness goals, allowing for improved workouts for all 鈥� from varsity and club athletes preparing for their next big competition to students integrating physical activity for balance in their lives. A breathtaking second-level studio for yoga and pilates will overlook Ladd Library Quad, and the facility will also be home to a number of spaces to support well-being.  

Director of Athletics Stacey Bunting said the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center represents the physical embodiment of what she鈥檚 seen of 乐播传媒 students鈥� passion for holistic well-being since she joined the college in July 2025.

鈥淭his facility will have a tremendous impact on the student-athlete experience, but its reach extends far beyond athletics,鈥� Bunting said. 鈥淭he Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center creates a modern, dedicated space where every student can define and prioritize their own well-being. That shared experience across the entire campus is what makes this project so powerful.鈥�

To learn more about the vision for the project, and to view architectural renderings and videos, visit these pages. Individuals interested in furthering momentum for the project through additional philanthropic support are encouraged to contact Vice President for College Advancement Eric Foush茅e P鈥�22, P鈥�26 or Director of Leadership Giving Seth Williams.

Eric Foush茅e | efoushee@bates.edu | 207-755-5985 

Seth Williams | swilliams2@bates.edu | 207-755-5988

乐播传媒 has been building momentum for the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center for 18 months. Here’s a glimpse at the energy that brought us to this announcement. (Video by Patrick Wine for 乐播传媒 College)

Carrie Cushman talks Museum of Art鈥檚 Marsden Hartley Legacy Project on Maine Public

Carrie Cushman, director of the 乐播传媒 Museum of Art, spoke about the museum鈥檚 current projects .

In conversation with Heather McDougall, manager of music and people at Maine Public Classical, Cushman, who joined the museum in August 2025, discussed the excitement of arriving at 乐播传媒. The museum is preparing to launch the Marsden Hartley Legacy Project, an online digital catalog of all known paintings and ephemera by modernist painter and Lewiston native Marsden Hartley, which has been in development since 2019.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really lucky that this is happening at 乐播传媒, and we will be the home of it and responsible for stewarding it into the future,鈥� Cushman told McDougall.

The 乐播传媒 Museum of Art was founded because of the Marsden Hartley Memorial Collection, Cushman explained, comprising over 400 paintings and ephemera by Hartley 鈥� by far the largest collection of Hartley鈥檚 work 鈥� which Hartley鈥檚 niece donated to the college in 1955. 

鈥淲e have people coming to the museum almost weekly requesting to see work from the collection, and many are artists who are looking for inspiration in this 20th century modernist who is finally getting his due,鈥� Cushman said.

Additionally, Cushman鈥檚 exhibition The Worlds of Ilse Bing was featured in a in the online magazine What Will You Remember?.

The exhibition is on view through May 24 at Wellesley College鈥檚 Davis Museum, where Cushman previously worked as the Linda Wyatt Gruber 鈥�66 Curatorial Fellow in Photography. Exploring Bing鈥檚 rise to prominence, coinciding with 35mm photography鈥檚 growing popularity, the exhibition 鈥渂rings her work into conversation with her creative influences and with those who she influenced in the worlds of modern art.鈥�

What Will You Remember? also included the 乐播传媒 Museum of Art鈥檚 exhibition Shellburne Thurber: Full Circle, co-curated by Thurber and 乐播传媒 assistant curator Samantha Sigmon, in its February roundup. On view through March 21, the exhibition demonstrates how Thurber鈥檚 photography has 鈥渧isualized interior work that is private, domestic, psychological, or insular.鈥�

Mara Tieken opines on rural schools, students in The Hechinger Report; Women Writers, Women鈥檚 Books

Though public school closures and consolidations are becoming increasingly common, they rarely serve their intended purpose of saving struggling school districts money, writes Professor of Education Mara Tieken in an .

For school districts with declining enrollment or decreasing state and federal funding, 鈥渟chool closures may seem logical,鈥� Tieken writes. 鈥淐lose schools, 鈥榬ight-size鈥� districts, save money. Problem solved.鈥�

However, she explains, school closures require additional transportation and renovation costs, often leading to districts saving little to no money, while students’ test scores and future college and employment outcomes decrease.

Tieken has extensively researched and written about rural schools and their students. On Feb. 5, she published a piece about the process of developing her latest book 鈥� Educated Out: How Rural Students Navigate Elite Colleges鈥擜nd What It Costs Them 鈥� in an .

While writing the book, which explores how students from rural places experience attending a small elite college, Tieken developed an approach to research characterized by slowly developing relationships with the students she was interviewing, she writes.

鈥淲e often think of research as a one-way process, a passing of 鈥榙ata鈥� from 鈥榮ubject鈥� to 鈥榬esearcher,鈥欌�� Tieken writes. 鈥淏ut that approach is neither ethical (in fact, it鈥檚 often quite exploitative) nor useful. So much more can be learned when the relationship is actually relational.鈥�

The 13 years that Tieken spent researching and writing the book taught her to be a more patient teacher, she says, with an expanded awareness of the struggles that her students from rural backgrounds may be facing. The book culminates with suggestions for how academic institutions can better support rural students.

鈥淎ll those recommendations that I make in the book鈥檚 final chapter?鈥� Tieken writes. 鈥淚 have to do them, too, and I feel obligated鈥攊n a really good way鈥攖o encourage others to do them, as well.鈥� 

Caylin Carbonell 鈥�12 gives public talk exploring daily life, labor dynamics in colonial New England

Caylin Carbonell 鈥�12, an assistant professor of history at Bowdoin College, gave a public lecture about labor dynamics in colonial New England households, .

The talk, entitled “Laboring Lives and Hidden Stories in Colonial New England,” was the second installment in a series of free online lectures hosted by the Lincoln County Historical Association, based in Wiscasset, Maine.

Carbonell shared insights on 鈥渢he daily lives inside colonial households as the country was beginning to take shape, with a focus on laborers, often a diverse group ranging from enslaved and indentured people to hired workers, including Indigenous, African, and European women and men.鈥�

She also discussed the challenges of uncovering the stories of 17th and 18th century laborers from incomplete or nonexistent records. Carbonell, who majored in history at 乐播传媒, is currently working on a book manuscript that closely explores daily life in colonial New England households.

Boston Globe, Sun Journal cover MLK Day at 乐播传媒

The held during 乐播传媒鈥� Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day,  鈥淔rom Silencing to Empowerment: Exploring Anger, Justice, and Post-traumatic Growth Among Refugee Women and Women of Color,鈥� led by Yun Garrison, assistant professor of psychology, and Fowsia Musse from Maine Community Integration.

During the workshop, Garrison and Musse presented a framework of healing from trauma that they developed by examining the experiences of refugee women. For Musse, herself a refugee from Somalia, and other Somalian refugees and immigrants living in Lewiston, the workshop was particularly topical, the Globe reports; Musse said that anxiety caused by the Trump administration鈥檚 immigration deportation agenda led her to reflect on past trauma from her immigration experience.

鈥淲hen something traumatic happens, how do we hold both anger and peace at the same time? Because sometimes they are pulling us in opposite directions,鈥� Garrison said. 鈥淢aybe love and healing can bridge this. I do not know, but that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 sitting with right now.鈥�

The Lewiston given by Myisha Cherry, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside.

Cherry’s address 鈥� 鈥淲hat Do We Do With All This Fear?鈥� 鈥� explored the day鈥檚 theme of 鈥淟ove, Anger and the Struggle for Justice鈥� by closely examining and interpreting MLK鈥檚 writings and words.

The Sun Journal quoted from President Garry W. Jenkins鈥� introductory remarks addressing the day鈥檚 theme, sharing his interpretation of how love and anger may intersect in the pursuit of justice.

鈥淚 would rather spend my days in a space of love rather than a space of anger,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 always get to make that choice. 鈥� In linking these two, we have to wrestle with how they exist together 鈥� both in tension and in harmony.鈥�

In sharing MLK鈥檚 thoughts about fear, Cherry explained that not all fear was negative; it can, in fact, be harnessed and transformed into a powerful force for change, the Sun Journal reported.

鈥淲e should be maestros as opposed to mere masters of our normal fears 鈥� and we should transition that normal fear into courage,鈥� Cherry said. 鈥淐ourage is just not doing something in spite of your fear, it鈥檚 taking your fear and matching it up with confidence 鈥� and engaging in action.鈥�

As the Sun Journal reported, Cherry linked this healthy fear to MLK鈥檚 nonviolent protests and actions, urging all in the audience to use their 鈥渘ormal鈥� fear to advance causes they care about.

鈥淲hat we should do with this fear is make something beautiful out of it,鈥� Cherry said. 鈥淭his is a time of fear for lots of us 鈥� Turning to King has been illuminating, and I find that fear doesn鈥檛 mean that we are weak, it doesn鈥檛 mean we鈥檝e given people the upper hand. It means that we鈥檙e sensitive to injustice. It means we value the people we鈥檙e fearful for and we value the principles that we are scared we are going to lose.鈥� 

Brian Shankar Adler featured in DownBeat magazine鈥檚 cover story

Brian Shankar Adler 鈥� percussionist and 乐播传媒 instructor of drum set, tabla, and other hand percussion 鈥� and Grammy-award winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom released their debut album once like a spark, in their February issue鈥檚 cover story, 鈥淢aking music in the moment.鈥� 

The magazine used the stage at Olin Concert Hall as the setting for a photo shoot with the two musicians, who have performed extensively in Lewiston and Portland, Maine as a duo.

鈥淲e played each other鈥檚 compositions, and the music came alive instantly,鈥� Adler told DownBeat. 鈥淥ver the years, we built up a hefty book of tunes and a musical language with which to communicate.鈥�

Without chorded or bass instruments, the brass-drum duo is a rare one, DownBeat reported. The combination makes for a unique, melodic sound, with roots in jazz, North Indian Hindustani, and Indonesian musical traditions.

鈥淭he way I see it, music is interconnected and has the power to communicate beyond borders,鈥� Adler told DownBeat. 鈥淟istening to and playing jazz, it鈥檚 evident that the music has roots beyond America and arms that extend to virtually every corner of the world. When approached with open ears, curiosity and a sense of respect for the traditions, the possibilities for exchange are really limitless.鈥�

Art New England reviews current exhibition at the 乐播传媒 Museum of Art

On Feb. 5, of 鈥淧recision and Expression: American Studio Ceramics from the E. John Bullard Collection,鈥� the current show at the 乐播传媒 Museum of Art, co-curated by Assistant Curator Samantha Sigmon and Lecturer in Art and Visual Culture Susan Dewsnap. 鈥�…Bullard sought diversity and individuality in his acquisitions,鈥� Little writes. 鈥淗e also embraced humor and joy: many of the pieces will prompt a smile.鈥� 

Calling it an 鈥渆ntertaining and enlightening exhibition,鈥� Little highlighted an 鈥渆xquisite vessel鈥� by Mark Bell, 鈥淪pherical Vase,鈥� ca. 2011, which he said 鈥渆xemplifies the Blue Hill, Maine, artist鈥檚 seamless style.鈥�

Little also explained the motivation behind Bullard鈥檚 generous gift to the museum. 鈥淭he collector鈥檚 longtime ties to Haystack and the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, inspired his gift, as did the college鈥檚 ceramics program led by Susan Dewsnap, who co-curated the exhibition and accompanying catalogue,鈥� Little writes. 鈥淏ullard envisions future students exploring and learning from these singular objects. That vision is already happening: interns at the 乐播传媒 Museum researched artists for the catalogue and labels.鈥�