At �ֲ���ý Reunion in June, the Alumni Association gathered to present the annual Alumni Council Awards, recognizing the exceptional career and service achievements of five alumni.

“It is truly inspiring to witness the transformative power of our alumni as they engage in informed civic action and lead in diverse fields,” said Leah Elsmore ’12, president of the Alumni Association for the 2025-26 academic year. “This year’s recipients reflect the ardor and devotion — Amore ac Studio — that define the �ֲ���ý experience, serving as a powerful reminder of the potential within our entire alumni network.”

Peter R. Basiliere ’76 received the Alumni Community Service Award in recognition of his leadership and civic service in Milford, N.H., where he was elected town moderator and school district moderator. After retiring from a career as a leader in additive manufacturing, Basiliere, an active Rotarian, began serving as a volunteer with the American Red Cross. Since then he has joined disaster relief teams in California, Vermont, the Carolinas, and, most recently, Guam, where he oversaw the Red Cross’ food operations after a super typhoon hit the island. Basiliere’s commitment to service and strengthening communities around the country reflects �ֲ���ý’ ideals of purposeful work and responsible stewardship of the wider world.

Scientist Noah E. Petro ’01 earned the Alumni Professional Recognition Award in recognition of his career and leadership at NASA, where he has worked since 2007. Since 2017, he has been the lab chief of NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry lab, which conducts research on Mercury, Venus, Earth, and their satellites. He is the project scientist for Artemis III, the 2027 mission that will bring astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time since 1972. Petro’s work at NASA, both highly scientific and serving the general public, exemplifies �ֲ���ý’ mission of combining intellectual rigor with public good.

Physician Christopher B. Lanoue ’99, P’26 earned the Bruce Stangle ’70, P’96, GP’26 Award for Distinguished Service to the �ֲ���ý Community in recognition of his commitment to supporting �ֲ���ý students and alumni through their medical school journeys. An emergency medicine specialist with MaineHealth, Lanoue has worked closely with the Center for Purposeful Work, mentoring �ֲ���ýies pursuing medical careers, and done so with “generosity, warmth, and openness.” His leadership and service, emblematic of �ֲ���ý’ values, has touched countless people as they themselves prepare for a career of serving others through medicine.

Rachel Ebersole ’17 was presented with the Distinguished Young Alumni Award in recognition of her career as a museum educator and her leadership within the alumni community. Ebersole is the manager of teen programs at The New York Historical museum and library, where she also oversees a digital learning lab and makerspace. Ebersole is a dedicated leader within the New York �ֲ���ý Network, fostering alumni community and hosting events. Her volunteer service to the college is an inspiring example of the transformative power of the young alumni network.

Erica Seifert Plunkett ’86 earned the Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award, which recognizes alumni who have given exceptional service to the college. Plunkett served as class co-president while at �ֲ���ý and, since graduating, as an Alumni Council member, a dedicated class agent, and a committee leader. Plunkett has also led an accomplished career in research; she spent more than 25 years at the Wellesley Centers for Women supporting research projects studying mental health literacy and mental health in adolescents. She is now a project manager at Brown University’s Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, working on projects related to adolescent depression prevention.

The Office of College Advancement also presented Kathryn (Kali) M. Brown ’21, Craig E. Comins ’81, and Meg W. Curran ’11 with �ֲ���ý’ Best Awards, which recognize dedicated volunteers who have expressed a passion and commitment for advancing the mission of the college.

“Our alumni continue to do incredible work in their communities and professions, and honoring this year’s award recipients is a privilege,” said Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement Sarah Cameron. “Every year, these awards remind us of the strength and reach of the �ֲ���ý network, and we look forward to seeing who our community nominates next.”

Want to nominate someone for a 2027 award? Nominating forms are available now. 

Mohammed M. Obaid Shwani ’24 has been a world traveler and an award winner since he was a teenager. In 2016, he first came to the United States after being named an Iraqi Young Leader through a State Department program, then traveled to Bosnia to attend United World College on a scholarship before landing in Maine for college.

As a first-year student at �ֲ���ý, he won the Dana Award, the highest honor bestowed on a student in their first year. He majored in politics, minored in philosophy, and graduated summa cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After time in England and a return to Iraq, he’ll soon embark on another journey with a fresh accolade, heading to Beijing as a Schwarzman Scholar.

This month Shwani was named one of 150 Schwarzman Scholars, representing 40 countries and 83 universities from around the world, who will attend a one-year, fully-funded master’s degree program in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University. Selected from a pool of over 5,800 candidates worldwide, Shwani is a part of the most competitive cohort to date. 

When the State Department selected him as a Young Iraqi Leader, they saw a determined student from Kirkuk who grew up amid terrorism and instability, and who, at just 16, founded Iraq’s first National Model United Nations association. At �ֲ���ý, Shwani was curious about global systems and approached this work from an interdisciplinary perspective. His work at �ֲ���ý was followed with a year in England studying law at the University of Oxford. These experiences, he says, helped him learn to critically analyze power, history, and governance. “�ֲ���ý didn’t give me a single narrative,” he notes. “It gave me the tools to deconstruct them and form my own conclusions.” 

Shwani returned to Iraqi Kurdistan after �ֲ���ý and has been leading global partnerships at the Kurdistan Foundation, tasked with attracting investment, collaboration, and strategic alliances to the region.

“For years, my country and I have oriented ourselves around ‘what will the U.S. do, and how does its system work?’” he says. “But my country is now actively engaging with another great power whose system we do not understand. We have strong economic ties with China, but almost no insight into its strategic culture, its governance model, or its long-term vision. Kurdistan and Iraq’s future leaders must understand and have connections with all sides to be able to navigate the country’s relationships in this new multipolar world.”

This need for understanding led him to the Schwarzman Scholars program, a scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century and designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders.

“Our eleventh cohort is a truly impressive group that fills me with optimism,” says Stephen A. Schwarzman, founding trustee of Schwarzman Scholars, “I am hopeful that their interest in China and global affairs, coupled with their leadership potential, will create opportunities for collaboration and dialogue at Schwarzman College and beyond.”

As Shwani prepares for Beijing, he looks forward to reuniting with Scarlett Wang ’23, who now lives in Beijing. “It’s been years since we were on campus together,” he says. “The idea that a �ֲ���ý friend will be part of my first community in China makes this huge transition feel more like a homecoming. It reminds me that no matter where I go, the network and relationships from �ֲ���ý are a permanent foundation.”

On June 7 during Reunion Weekend, the �ֲ���ý College Alumni Association honored six alumni for their outstanding contributions to the college and the wider world.

The awards were presented during the Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association, held in Merrill Gymnasium following the Alumni Parade, which was moved indoors due to rain.

Presenting the awards were John Howard ’86, vice president of the Alumni Association, joined by �ֲ���ý President Garry W. Jenkins.

The Annual Gathering also featured Jenkins’ Presidential Address, in which he thanked the Reunion alumni for the many and powerful ways they have stepped up to support �ֲ���ý. “Your dedication is nothing short of astonishing,” he said.

“We are so grateful for alumni support,” he added. “It makes an enormous difference. We stand on the shoulders of others. Giving back ensures future students enjoy the same transformative education that once changed your life.”

Alumni Professional Recognition Award: Dean Bragonier ’95

Bragonier was recognized for his work as founder of NoticeAbility, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students with dyslexia identify their unique strengths and build self-esteem. His work has had a significant positive impact on students with dyslexia around the world, exemplifying �ֲ���ý values.

His award citation noted: “Dean’s mission is deeply personal. As a student with dyslexia, he has shared that his passion for learning wasn’t ignited until he came to �ֲ���ý—where his differences were embraced and his potential recognized. Through his leadership at NoticeAbility, Dean is now bringing that same ethos of understanding, support, and empowerment to students, families, and educators around the world.”

Bruce Stangle ’70 Award for Distinguished Service to the �ֲ���ý Community: Ann Clark Tucker ’78

Tucker was recognized for her extraordinary and long-standing volunteer leadership across the college, including with Advancement, Admission, and the Center for Purposeful Work, offering ongoing mentorship to �ֲ���ý students and sharing advice from her career as a communications executive.

Her award citation noted: “During Short Term 2024, Ann returned to campus as a Practitioner-in-Residence with the Center for Purposeful Work, where she designed and taught a month-long course centered on the values of service and civic responsibility. She continues to mentor those students today, helping them prepare for lives of impact beyond �ֲ���ý.”

Sesquicentennial Prize: Derek Anderson ’85 

Anderson was recognized for his significant publishing achievement, Improbable Voices: A History of the World Since 1450 Seen From 26 Unusual Perspectives.

This book explores the history of the world through the voices of 26 people whose stories have long gone unheard, celebrating diverse perspectives and highlighting the value of liberal arts. Anderson has made his life and career as a high school history teacher, librarian, and world traveler.

His award citation noted: “The book’s creation connected dozens of librarians, historians, and archivists around the world, celebrating the essential roles these disciplines play in preserving and interpreting human history. It also pays homage to the influence of his �ֲ���ý mentors, whose guidance inspired his passion for inquiry, storytelling, and thoughtful scholarship.”

Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Nick Beati ’20

Beati was recognized for his volunteer service to �ֲ���ý and mentoring �ֲ���ý students. As a director with Savills North America, based in Boston, Beati has welcomed and mentored �ֲ���ý interns through the Center for Purposeful Work.

His award citation noted: “Not only has he created professional opportunities for �ֲ���ý students, but he has also provided thoughtful mentorship and guidance to help them navigate life after college. Nick’s willingness to go above and beyond — whether by opening doors for students exploring professional options, hosting events, or simply being a reliable and thoughtful presence — has made him a standout among young alumni.”

Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award: Geraldine M. FitzGerald ’75

FitzGerald, a �ֲ���ý trustee emerita, was honored for decades of distinguished and extensive service to �ֲ���ý, including serving as co-chair of the $336 million �ֲ���ý Campaign. She has served as president of the Alumni Association, remains an active Purposeful Work and Cheney Society volunteer, and co-chaired 1975’s Reunion Gift effort.

Her award citation noted: “Few alumni have served �ֲ���ý with as much devotion, vision, and warmth. Geri’s thoughtfulness, grace, and preparation have left an indelible mark during this Reunion year. She has crafted individualized outreach, personally thanked every classmate, and successfully inspired major giving, always leading with kindness and conviction. Her leadership has brought her classmates closer to each other and to �ֲ���ý “

Alumni Community Service Award: Robin Waterman ’85

Waterman, who was unable to attend the awards presentation at Reunion, was recognized for a career working with underserved communities worldwide.

For more than two decades, she developed community-based programs for low-income, culturally and linguistically diverse families in the greater Denver metro area, including 14 years as founding executive director of the Aurora Community Connection, fostering parent involvement, community leadership, and self-sufficiency.

Her award citation noted: “Her efforts continue to bridge systemic gaps in health and education access, embodying �ֲ���ý’ core values of civic responsibility and ethical leadership. Whether supporting immigrant youth through the Village Exchange Center’s college access programs in Aurora or living in solidarity with homeless immigrants in Houston, Robin’s service is wholehearted and unwavering.”

Six �ֲ���ý alumni were recognized for their contributions to �ֲ���ý and the wider world — in fields and endeavors including emergency medicine, applied psychology, and financial services — during the Annual Gathering of the �ֲ���ý College Alumni Association on June 8 during Reunion.

“We are incredibly proud to honor these outstanding alumni for their distinct accomplishments and important work for �ֲ���ý and beyond,” said Kevin Moore ’93, president of the �ֲ���ý Alumni Association. “Their commitment to service, excellence, and social responsibility embodies the spirit of �ֲ���ý, and we are grateful for their continued dedication to the �ֲ���ý community.”

During the gathering, President Garry W. Jenkins offered the traditional Presidential Address, his first as president, to the Reunion alumni, who gathered in Merrill Gymnasium following the 110th Alumni Parade.

“Thank you for being here and listening,” he said in his conclusion. “Thanks for your warm welcome into the �ֲ���ý community. And thanks for your engagement, your generosity, and your loyal support of �ֲ���ý.”

Alumni Community Service Award: Michael Schlechter ’99

Schlechter received the Alumni Community Service Award for his steadfast and nearly lifelong volunteer commitment to the field of emergency medical services, currently as volunteer chief of the Weston (Conn.) Volunteer EMS; his countless hours of dedicated service has safeguarded the well-being of others, saved lives, enhanced public safety, and inspired his home community of Weston.

Alumni Professional Recognition Award: Robin Hodgskin ’76

Hodgskin received the Alumni Professional Recognition Award for her remarkable success as a senior vice president in the financial-services industry, including an influential role in guiding ultra-high-net-worth families towards impactful philanthropy, and her unwavering dedication to community service and social responsibility through extensive involvement in organizations like Safe Passage and the Maine Women’s Fund.

Alumni Professional Recognition Award: David Wilcox ’74

David Wilcox ’74 received the Alumni Professional Recognition Award for his distinguished 45-year career in medicine, his academic contributions at institutions like Brown University Medical School and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, his leadership in leading medical organizations, and his unwavering commitment to advancing healthcare, patient-centered care, and mentoring future generations, reflecting the service and community engagement ideals of �ֲ���ý.

Bruce Stangle ’70 Award for Distinguished Service: Ira Waldman ’73

Waldman ’73 received the Bruce Stangle ’70 Award for Distinguished Service for his extraordinary dedication and engagement as a �ֲ���ý alumnus, providing valuable expertise to many �ֲ���ý programs and initiative, including impactful advocacy for �ֲ���ý Athletics and skillful efforts as a Reunion volunteer, Alumni Council member, �ֲ���ý Admission representative, and leader of the John Jenkins Scholarship Committee.

Distinguished Young Alumni Award: Alexandria Onuoha ’20

Alexandria Onuoha ’20 received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award for her exceptional dedication to �ֲ���ý and remarkable early-career achievements as a doctoral candidate in applied developmental psychology, including publishing peer-reviewed articles, presenting on critical societal issues, and advocating for social change through psychology, all while actively engaging with broader audiences to amplify her voice and drive informed civic action.

Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award: Jennifer Bouchard ’99.

Bouchard received the Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award for her exceptional dedication and impactful roles as a �ֲ���ý volunteer, demonstrated through her leadership on the Alumni Council and �ֲ���ý Fund Executive Committee; her active work to support �ֲ���ý Admission recruiting, career advising, and event coordination; and her tireless service as a liaison between alumni, students, and the college community.

During the Annual Gathering of the �ֲ���ý College Alumni Association, held on June 10 during Reunion, five alumni received association awards for their contributions to �ֲ���ý and to the wider world.

Also during the gathering, �ֲ���ý announced the retirement of football jersey No. 56, worn by the late Howard Vandersea ’63, one of �ֲ���ý’ greatest athletes who made major contributions to collegiate football as a coach and advocate.

Awards went to:

• Dr. Douglas Evans ’78 was awarded the Benjamin E. Mays Medal, the college’s highest alumni award, for his contributions to cancer research.
• Nate Walton ’08 received the Stangle Award for Distinguished Service to the �ֲ���ý Community for offering mentorship and real-world experience to �ֲ���ý student interns through the �ֲ���ý Center for Purposeful Work.
• Jeffrey Roy ’83 was awarded the Alumni Professional Recognition Award for his public service as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
• Ainsley Jamieson ’18 was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumni Award for exceptional volunteer work for �ֲ���ý, including service on the Class of 2018’s Reunion Gift and Social committees.
• Lisa Romeo ’88 was awarded the Helen A. Papaioanou Distinguished Alumni Service Award for her decades of service to �ֲ���ý, including serving as president of the Alumni Association and the College Key. 

Dr. Douglas Evans ’78: Benjamin E. Mays Medal

An excerpt from the citation for Evans’ award, which honors the alumna or alumnus who has performed distinguished service to the worldwide community and been deemed a �ֲ���ý graduate of outstanding accomplishment:

Doug Evans has devoted his professional career to the research and treatment of pancreatic cancer and inherited endocrine syndromes, saving and extending the lives of many throughout his three decades in medicine. The nominations we received on Doug’s behalf honored both his service to medicine — specializing in one of the most difficult areas of practice — and his dedication as a surgeon, teacher, mentor and life-long friend.

Nate Walton ’08: Stangle Award for Distinguished Service to the �ֲ���ý Community

An excerpt from the citation for Walton’s award, which honors �ֲ���ý leaders who have helped �ֲ���ý people become better professionals in their careers or in their volunteer work:

For the past seven years, Nate Walton has provided mentorship and real world experience to students through his government relations consulting firm, Sachem Strategies. During the pandemic, Nate stepped up as a core partner for the Center for Purposeful Work, strategizing with �ֲ���ý staff on how to best support students in a virtual world. In 2020, he hosted four virtual internships for students and recent graduates to ensure that they could land on their feet with experiences that helped to support their next purposeful endeavor.

Jeff Roy ’83: Alumni Professional Recognition Award

An excerpt from the citation for Roy’s award, which honors outstanding professional success and achievement in any field or endeavor:

Since 2013, Jeff Roy has been part of a legislative team that has worked on innumerable issues, including health care financing, where he supported patient access to a wider array of medications, and higher education, where he drafted and passed legislation relative to sexual violence on higher education campuses and legislation increasing transparency and financial reporting requirements for higher education institutions.

Ainsley Jamieson ’18: Distinguished Young Alumni Award

An excerpt from the citation for Jamieson’s award, which honors exceptional volunteer service to �ֲ���ý and career distinction within 15 years of graduation:

Connectivity and generosity are at the heart of Ainsley Jamieson’s commitment to �ֲ���ý and to her class. She is a tireless promoter, making sure that fellow alumni are updated on all things �ֲ���ý from athletics to academics and beyond. Ainsley’s work as the scheduler and operations director for Rep. Jared Golden, Class of 2011, deepens her connection to Maine, and exemplifies the value she puts on work that makes a difference for others.

Lisa Romeo ’88: Papaioanou Distinguished Alumni Service Award

The citation for Romeo’s award reads, in part:

In her steadfast commitment, Lisa Romeo has been a constant presence for �ֲ���ý long past her time as a student. Even when she is not formally volunteering, she gently encourages �ֲ���ýies of all backgrounds to come to events, to get involved at any level, to give when they can, and to foster connections with students and alumni. Her enthusiasm for �ֲ���ý is palpable and makes others want to jump in.

Howard Vandersea ’63: �ֲ���ý Football Jersey Retirement

Remarks, in part, by head football coach Matt Coyne about Vandersea, who died on Dec. 29, 2022, at age 81:

Howard Vandersea was an All-American in football, but considered being voted team captain by his peers as his greatest honor. Howie served our country in the military and had extended tryouts with both the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers before becoming a hugely impactful head coach and an ambassador for the game. The Maine chapter of the National Football Foundation bears his name. Howie was invaluable to me when I was hired to coach the Bobcats. He often participated in Zoom calls with the team and helped my transition immensely.

The June 6, 2023, �ֲ���ý Bobcast featured .

Somewhere tonight, someone — make that millions of someones — will wake up in desperate terror, reliving the horror of a traumatic event. The someones will range from combat veterans and abuse survivors to witnesses to mass-shootings and victims of natural disasters.

Right now, there’s nothing they can do except let the panic dissipate, like waiting out a summer thunderstorm. But in the near future, a remedy might be literally within reach, thanks to landmark memory research by Ed Meloni ’91.

Picture this: Sitting on the bedstand of that someone is a xenon-gas inhaler. The sufferer breathes deeply from the inhaler. And poof: Not only is the traumatic memory gone, but so is the associated and sometimes debilitating condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ed Meloni ’91 speaks to students in Professor of Neuroscience Nancy Koven’s course on embodied cognition during his mid-March visit as the College Key Distinguished Alumnus in Residence. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ���ý College)

In any given year, more than eight million Americans suffer from PTSD, which develops in some people who have experienced a traumatic personal event. Most people probably know something about PTSD through its depiction in popular culture, particularly war movies. Early on, in 1946, there was the post-World War II movie Best Years of Their Lives, then movies like Coming Home, Born on the Fourth of July, and The Hurt Locker, all of which portray PTSD sufferers.

The nightmares and flashbacks — two — feel very real. In one way, they are, and that’s the key to Meloni’s research on xenon gas as a potential treatment.

at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, where he works alongside , director of the hospital’s Behavioral Genetics Laboratory. During his visit to �ֲ���ý in March as the College Key’s Distinguished Alumnus in Residence, Meloni joined neuroscience classes, met with students, and delivered an evening lecture. He and I spoke for about an hour.

Researchers, Meloni explained, used to believe that “recalling a memory was like reading a file.” It was read, then put back. “We thought memories were immutable.” Meloni and other scientists have shown that’s not the case. “Our memories can be changed; new information can be integrated.”

(In fact, Meloni says, “our memories are probably not faithful representations of what really happened,” which has great implications for the reliability of crime eyewitnesses, a field of research by �ֲ���ý psychology professor Amy Douglass.)

This process of memory retrieval and updating is known as reconsolidation, and Meloni is an expert in the field. In 2014, he and colleagues at McLean showed that xenon gas can block the reconsolidation of fearful memories in lab rats, effectively eliminating the fear. The discovery garnered national attention for its promise to end PTSD suffering.

Now, the promise is getting close to reality.

PTSD can affect military service members who experience a traumatic event in combat. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Nadine Barclay)

For a discovery that could bear directly on human life, the route to finding it was “indirect,” Meloni says. “It was chance and serendipity.” (And, we would add, also some creative thinking on his part.)

As the story goes, a colleague of Meloni’s was presenting research data at a conference, where he learned that a medical gas company was interested in providing a device that would allow scientists to use xenon gas in their rat-model experiments on neurodegenerative diseases.

“You can’t just get a rat to put a mask on.”

The device was needed because “gases are hard to work with” in research that uses a rat model, Meloni explains. “There are a lot of intricacies with gas delivery. It’s not as simple as giving a drug. You can’t just get a rat to put a mask on.”

So the medical gas company funded a research apparatus at McLean, the first of its kind in the world, to test the effects of xenon gas on a rat model.

In terms of its general medical use, xenon is hardly new; though expensive, it’s considered a superior anesthetic and is used in diagnostic imaging. And in recent years, new research indicated that xenon could be “neuroprotective” in the brain, Meloni says, a general term meaning that it might protect nerve cells from the kind of damage found in neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injuries, such as concussion.

The unique research device in place, Meloni was initially part of an unrelated study that yielded “a strong signal” that xenon was indeed neuroprotective. Specifically, xenon is an “NMDA receptor antagonist” that protects the brain from an insult, glutamate excitotoxicity.

That led Meloni to wonder: If xenon is an NMDA receptor antagonist, it should block learning and memory because that’s the outcome when animals are given drugs that block the NMDA receptor. “They don’t learn,” he says. “Or, they stop fearing something they learned.”

“I just wanted to test that,” Meloni says. And among myriad tests involving xenon, rats, and fear, three results proved pivotal. First, they found that giving xenon gas to rats prevented them from developing a certain fear, in this case the fear of a mild shock. “We blocked the learning of fear,” Meloni recalls.

“I was floored,” Meloni says. “That was the home run.”

At this point, Meloni’s expertise in memory reconsolidation kicked in. He thought, “What if the animals are already afraid? Can xenon block a memory that was already there?”

So Meloni decided to pair the administration of gas with the reactivation of a fearful memory (in this case, a mild shock) that the rats had learned by Pavlovian association. When the fear was reactivated, in this case by the sound of a tone previously paired with the shock, the rats were immediately exposed to xenon gas. Tested a few days later — even weeks later —  they did not show fear when the tone was presented.

“I was floored,” Meloni says. “That was the home run.”

Xenon gas fills a discharge tube shaped like the element’s atomic symbol. (Photograph by Pslawinski [CC BY-SA 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons)

Last summer, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office gave Meloni and fellow researcher Marc Kaufman a — essentially a patent approval — for using xenon gas to treat PTSD. The biotech firm Nobilis Therapeutics has licensed the patent and seeks to develop a hand-held medical device for self-administration of xenon.

The hand-held device “is absolutely critical,” Meloni says. “If a medical professional identifies that you might benefit from xenon therapy, you want to administer it as soon as the traumatic memory is reactivated, which happens “organically, out in the real world,” Meloni notes, in nightmares, flashbacks, or by exposure to cues that remind the patient of the traumatic event, much like when the tone is presented to the fear-conditioned rats. “That’s when we think you’re going to get the most therapeutic effect.”

Of course, FDA approval is still required. “Up until now, there’s been no FDA-approved way to administer xenon gas aside from an elaborate anesthesia machine” in a medical setting, Meloni explains. At the moment, Meloni and colleagues are awaiting the go-ahead from the FDA to begin clinical human trials at McLean.

John Kelsey “activated my brain,” Meloni says.

If Meloni has shown smart and creative thinking in his xenon research, it’s safe to say those abilities were cultivated by his �ֲ���ý professors. A student in the days before �ֲ���ý developed its neuroscience program, Meloni designed his own interdisciplinary major to combine interests in biology and psychology.

Meloni wanted to study the brain, and “psychology alone didn’t quite fit the bill because the brain is a biological organism. Everything of the mind is derived from the biology of the brain — our cognition, how we feel — so I went with biology of the brain plus psychology: biopsychology.”

On the bio side, mentors included Pam Baker ’69, now retired, and Lee Abrahamsen. On the psych side, it was John Kelsey. (Also retired, Kelsey was recently honored with the creation of a new endowed professorship in his name, the John E. Kelsey Professorship in Neuroscience.)

As a faculty mentor, John Kelsey “activated my brain,” says Ed Meloni ’91. Here, at the 2014 Mount David Summit, Kelsey hugs friend and colleague Kathy Low, professor of psychology. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/�ֲ���ý College)

Kelsey “activated my brain,” Meloni says. “He forced you to think constructively and creatively and to problem-solve, to figure it out.”

For Meloni, a common denominator among his professors was “friendliness. �ֲ���ý professors take the time to get to know you personally and make sure you’re absorbing the material. They’re teachers, plus something more.”

Those �ֲ���ý qualities are invoked a lot because they’re valuable.  “For an underclassman, that’s just so big. It’s so inspiring. It just resonates.”

The Alumni Community Service Award is given annually to an alumnus or alumna who has demonstrated distinguished leadership and commitment to serving the community in which they live or work.

The award recognizes the values of service and civic responsibility that are fundamental to a �ֲ���ý education.

This year the award was presented to Esther Rosenthal Mechler ’64 at the Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association on June 7, 2014, by President Clayton Spencer and Jennifer Lemkin Bouchard ’99, president of the Alumni Association.

Mechler was joined by fellow award recipients William “Chick” Leahey ’52 (Papaioanou Award for Extraordinary Service), Christian Rogers ’04 and Katherine Papadonis Rogers ’04 (Distinguished Young Alumni Award), and, receiving �ֲ���ý’ Best awards, Elizabeth Metz McNab ’64 and Victoria Wyeth ’01.

Citation for Esther Rosenthal Mechler ’64

Many of us share our homes with dogs, cats and other family pets. But for every animal who finds its “forever home,” countless others are discarded at shelters and along roadsides throughout the country. For decades, millions of these unwanted cats and dogs were euthanized in shelters across the country.

Enter Esther Mechler. Esther has worked for decades to ensure that every animal is a wanted animal, and through her advocacy she has helped change the face of animal welfare programs around the world. Her deep sense of responsibility and compassion for animals has made her a leading advocate for low-cost spay and neuter programs, tackling the problem of animal overpopulation at its source.

Esther Rosenthal Mechler ’64, right, receives the Alumni Community Service Award from President Clayton Spencer at the Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association on June 7, 2014. (H. Lincoln Benedict ’09)

This passion has been a defining part of Esther’s life from an early age. When Esther was young, her father brought home a pair of kittens from work for her sister Marian. Marian grew up with these kittens and was devoted to them. Sadly, Marian died of cancer at a young age, but her love of animals inspired Esther to found Marian’s Dream, a foundation that provides philanthropic support to programs aimed at ending pet overpopulation.

That was in 1981. Since then Esther has founded or co-founded nine animal welfare programs. Most notable among them is Spay/USA, the nation’s first and largest spay and neuter database, which serves as a model for similar services throughout the country.

Her leadership of and knowledge in animal welfare organizing has taken Esther around the world as a consultant to hundreds of start-up spay and neuter programs.

For this work she received the inaugural Geraldine R. Dodge Humane Ethics in Action Award in 1995.

Esther retired from Spay/USA in 2008 but continues to serve as president of Marian’s Dream. She is also a member of the advisory board for SpayFIRST!, and organizes and speaks at various conferences each year.

In a recent editorial, Esther underscored the continuing problem of animal overpopulation, arguing against so-called “kill shelters,” but acknowledging that “like it or not, there are still not enough good homes for all of the cats and dogs born.” That leaves spay and neuter programs, which Esther says “have been working and need to continue.”

Indeed, they have been working: Thanks to Esther and her fellow advocates, the number of animals killed in U.S. shelters has gone from 12.5 million in 1990 to about 3 million today. With Esther around, we are confident those numbers will continue to shrink.

One of her classmates once described Esther’s warm smile and the joy she bring to others. Today we see that her smile shines just as bright as it did 50 years ago — perhaps even brighter.

Esther, you have dedicated a lifetime of service to the creatures so many of us cherish as companions. You have improved the quality of life for countless animals and their humans. For your passion and conviction, it is an honor to recognize you with the Alumni Community Service Award.

Established in 1987, the Distinguished Young Alumni Award is presented to a graduate of not more than 15 years for exceptional volunteer service to �ֲ���ý and distinction in his or her career.

This year the award was presented to Katherine Papadonis Rogers ’04 and Christian Rogers ’04 at the Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association on June 7, 2014, by President Clayton Spencer and Jennifer Lemkin Bouchard ’99, president of the Alumni Association.

The Rogerses were joined by fellow award recipients William “Chick” Leahey Jr. ’52 (Helen A. Papaioanou Award for Distinguished Service), Esther Rosenthal Mechler ’64 (Alumni Community Service Award) and, receiving �ֲ���ý’ Best awards, Elizabeth Metz McNab ’64 and Victoria Wyeth ’01.

Citation for Katherine Papadonis Rogers ’04 and Christian Rogers ’04

Anyone who knows them will tell you that Katie and Christian Rogers are motivated by a deep joy for �ֲ���ý and a desire to see our college thrive.

Indeed, they are fully invested in �ֲ���ý. Even as students, it was clear that they would go on to do great things for their class and for all members of the �ֲ���ý community. Katie served with enthusiasm on her Senior Gift Committee and as a �ֲ���ýStar, while Christian enjoyed working as a tour guide and is a member of the College Key.

Katherine Papadonis Rogers ’04, right, accepts the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from President Clayton Spencer at the Annual Gathering of the Alumni Association on June 7, 2014. Not shown is Christian Rogers ’04, who also received the award. (H. Lincoln Benedict ’09)

Today their shared passion for �ֲ���ý has made them a volunteer force to be reckoned with.

Indeed, they are go-to volunteers for all aspects of the college and exemplars for their fellow volunteers, who often look to Katie and Christian for guidance and inspiration.

Both have been dedicated to the work of their Reunion committees, where Katie helped the Class of 2004 achieve strong attendance here on campus and Christian, strong participation in this year’s �ֲ���ý Fund.

This dynamic duo is just as connected to current and prospective students as they are to their fellow alumni. Each volunteers with the Alumni in Admission program, and each provides career guidance through the �ֲ���ý Career Development Center — Katie as a recruiter at Google, and Christian as a vice president at Credit Suisse.

But nowhere are their contributions more apparent than in the work of the �ֲ���ý regional networks. Together Katie and Christian started the Bay Area �ֲ���ý Network in San Francisco, which is now one of the most active �ֲ���ý networks in the country. They have also been deeply involved in the New York �ֲ���ý Business Network.

Katie and Christian, your thoughtful approach to philanthropy and volunteerism at �ֲ���ý is an inspiration to your peers and a boon to the college community. Together and as individuals you embody the �ֲ���ý values of citizenship, community and integrity.

It is a distinct pleasure to recognize and celebrate two young alumni who have done so much for alma mater, and who will no doubt contribute much to a bright future for �ֲ���ý. For your service, I am happy to present to you the Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

The �ֲ���ý Fulbright recipients are: John Atchley, class of 2006, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Jill Jakimetz, class of 2005, of Veneta, Ore.; Timothy McCall, class of 2008, of Andover, Mass.; Ross Van Horn, class of 2008, of Highland Park, N.J.; and Rebecca Westlake, class of 2007, of Goldens Bridge, N.Y..

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently listed �ֲ���ý College among the educational institutions that produced high numbers of Fulbright grant recipients this year. �ֲ���ý appears in a list of top Fulbright producers in the Oct. 19 print edition of the Chronicle.

(Although five �ֲ���ý alumni received awards for 2009-10, the list credits the college with three recipients. According to a spokeswoman for the Institute for International Education, which administers the Fulbright program, the list supplied to the Chronicle was based on an information snapshot that did not include all recipients.)

Atchley, whose work as a Fulbright Fellow was in the same issue of the Chronicle, received a Fulbright-Jawaharlal Nehru Scholarship to study India’s Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) highway development project. The project is designed to connect India’s four largest cities, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, with more than 3,000 miles of four- and six-lane expressways.

Focusing on the portion of the highway project that stretches through Uttar Pradesh and Bitar, areas known for high levels of illiteracy and poor governance, Atchley is examining the project’s success in promoting inclusive economic development.

“Measuring the impact of the GQ project in these states presents an extreme test for the idea of inclusive growth that’s promoted by the government,” Atchley says. “I plan to examine the success of this stretch of the GQ in promoting inclusive, equitable growth, and recommend new policies that can enhance these nascent efforts.”

Atchley, who says that his semester abroad in Dharamsala, Tibet, while in his junior year of �ֲ���ý influenced his decision to study India, left a job as chief of staff for Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to undertake his Fulbright-Nehru project. The Fulbright-Nehru grants are distinctive in the Fulbright program because they receive matching funds from the Indian government.

Fulbright research fellowship recipients include Jakimetz, who is undertaking environmental studies research in the Netherlands and Ireland, and Van Horn, who is studying agro-energy in rural communities in Brazil.

Westlake embarked on an English Teaching Assistantship in Madrid, Spain. After graduation from �ֲ���ý, she completed a two-year placement with Teach for America, a nonprofit organization that recruits college graduates and places them in low-performing school districts. In Madrid, she works in a bilingual program with adolescent students.

“The Fulbright in Madrid allows me to gain a global perspective on urban education as well as a greater perspective on the problems that face the American public education system,” says Westlake.

McCall also received an English Teaching Assistantship, and is completing his Fulbright in Germany.

Fulbright recipients come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and from more than 250 U.S. institutions, representing a diverse cross-section of American higher education. About 1,250 U.S. Student Program grants are awarded each year.

— Becca Chacko ’10

Ralph Perry ’51 (right) received the 2007 Distinguished Alumni Service Award, named for Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 (left). Perry received the award in Pettengill’s Joan Holmes Perry ’51 Atrium — a space that honors Perry’s late wife — during Homecoming’s Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Perry was saluted for his philanthropy, for his “profound and passionate service to �ֲ���ý,” and for helping “others understand that �ֲ���ý is a very special place that needs strong support to preserve its future.”

Perry partnered his extensive philanthropy initially with Joan Perry, who died in 1994, and now with his second wife, Mary Louise Seldenfleur. It was Perry and Seldenfleur, in fact, who proposed using Perry Atrium to showcase high academic achievement, and in 2008 that showcase, the Mount David Summit, celebrates its seventh edition.