As we celebrate our graduating seniors, wishing each of them the very best in what is ahead, we are highlighting some 乐播传媒 students who are already turning the page to their exciting next chapters. Read ahead to learn about 14 乐播传媒ies with a range of experiences awaiting them.

Tomas Alberola

Miami, Fla.

Economics major

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

After 乐播传媒, I’m heading to New York City, where I will be continuing to grow a small business in the skincare space with a friend of mine. We are focused on treating skin damage from solar, environmental, and chemical radiation. At the same time, I’m starting a master’s degree in global sport, with a focus on international football, at NYU. Soccer has been my longest passion, so getting to study the business side of it, such as how agencies work, how clubs and brands build commercial value, and how the global game actually runs, will be an unreal opportunity for me.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you ?

It took me a while to fully appreciate how much help I was getting along the way, and now it makes complete sense to me. I can’t wait until I’m further along in my career and I’m the one on the other end of conversations, sitting down with a current 乐播传媒 student, sharing whatever insight I’ve picked up, opening a door for them the way people opened doors for me. The 乐播传媒 network was really amazing throughout my time here. 

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

Definitely exploring Maine! Honestly, Maine wasn’t what drew me in to 乐播传媒, but once I got here, I understood why it pulls so many people to want to come to 乐播传媒. I had never been to the state before, and four years later some of my favorite memories are exploring the islands off the coast, the beaches, the wildlife, and getting to live through four real seasons.

John Campana

Plymouth, Mich.

Religious studies major, Spanish minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I will be attending Harvard Divinity School this upcoming fall in the Master of Theological Studies program. There, I will be studying the religions of South Asia and the interactions between religion and empire for the next two years. 

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

The most obvious answer for me has to be my Short Term abroad experience in Ladakh, India, led by my advisor, Associate Professor of Religious Studies Alison Melnick, and Assistant Director for Learning Strategies at the Student Academic Support Center Eric Dyer, when I was able to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism as well as ethnographic research. Alison and Eric taught me how to act appropriately as a guest in another’s culture and the importance of relying on my peers for support, whether it was academic or emotional while we were on the other side of the world.聽

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

Upon my arrival at 乐播传媒, I specifically told myself that I did not want to join a singing group because of some negative experiences in high school, but after going to the a cappella concert at the amphitheater during orientation, I decided to audition and see what happened. I ended up joining the 乐播传媒 College Deansmen (somewhat reluctantly at first, I must admit), and as each year has passed here, I have come to thank my past self profusely for taking a chance and auditioning for the group.

Gail Curtis

Rockport, Maine

English, creative writing major, rhetoric, film, and screen studies minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒?

I鈥檒l be spending the summer at home in Maine before leaving in August for my Peace Corps assignment. For the next two years, I鈥檒l be teaching English at a university in Mexico, where I鈥檒l lead classes, assist students with career preparation, and help organize local projects within my community. After that, I hope to continue my education and pursue an MFA in creative writing.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

The most significant mentorship I have received during my time at 乐播传媒 has come from my major and thesis advisor, Senior Lecturer in English Jessica Anthony. Writing is such a personal and intimate process, and over the past year, she has guided me with incredible skill, kindness, and generosity through the experience of writing a novel for my thesis.

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

Honestly, my favorite activity at 乐播传媒 is just spending time with my friends. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing 鈥� we could just be sitting in Commons or on a porch somewhere or laying on Garcelon or dancing in the Gray Cage 鈥� but I’m always happiest whenever I’m with my friends! Also, I didn’t anticipate when I arrived at 乐播传媒 how passionate I would be about Tea Club. I was a coffee drinker before I came to 乐播传媒, but now I only drink tea.

Yuleibi De Los Santos

The Bronx, New York

Neuroscience major, chemistry minor 

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

After 乐播传媒, I will be attending Tufts University School of Medicine in Fall 2026, where I will pursue a master鈥檚 degree in biomedical sciences. I am excited for this next chapter because it will allow me to continue growing academically and personally while preparing for a future career in healthcare and medicine.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

When I arrived at 乐播传媒 in 2022, I carried fear with me of my accent, fear of making mistakes, and fear of not belonging. Senior Director of Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance Shonna Humphrey constantly reminded me that I deserved to be here and that I was here for a reason. Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Geneva Laurita showed me the importance of being not only a good professor, but also someone who leads with empathy and kindness toward students. Assistant Director of Learning Strategies Eric Dyer always encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, reminded me of my potential, and made me feel seen and supported during moments when I doubted myself the most.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you?

My chemistry classes and labs, along with my biology courses, gave me a strong scientific foundation and taught me how to think critically, manage challenges, and work through complex problems. Beyond academics, 乐播传媒 taught me the importance of asking for help when I need it and understanding that I do not have to face challenges alone.

Mary DeWitt

Litchfield, Maine

Double major in American studies and gender and sexuality studies

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒?

I will be a student at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

I took a practitioner-taught short term in 2024 which was taught by Vice President of News at CNN Elizabeth Hartfield 鈥�08, who really helped me hone my journalism skills and develop the confidence to apply to grad school. She also wrote my letter of recommendation!

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you? 

Through both of my majors I got to develop skills I will continue to use in the field of journalism. I was able to take an abroad program which was a journalism course with a 10-day simulation aspect that really inspired me to follow a path that I had been passionate about since I was a kid!

James Hillers

De Witt, N.Y.

Biology major, digital and computational studies minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I am going to work at Harvard Medical School as a research technician in Alice and Rodman W. Moorhead III Professor of Neurobiology Bernardo Sabatini’s lab. My time will be spent doing research on the integration rules between the motor cortex and the brainstem motor nuclei.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

I have worked as a peer mentor for both first-generation college students and younger STEM students. It gave me an opportunity to give back to the 乐播传媒 community so much of the knowledge that it gave me and bring my lived experience outside of 乐播传媒 into the campus as well.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you for this next chapter? 

Working with and receiving mentorship from faculty like Wagener Family Professor of Equity and Inclusion in STEM April Horton and Colony Family Professor of Digital and Computational Studies Barry Lawson early on was key in getting me thinking about my future early and allowing me access to my first couple research experiences. This was facilitated by the STEM Scholars program and Bobcat First programming.

McKayla Kendall

Bangor, Maine

Biochemistry and French and Francophone Studies double major

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I will be heading to medical school at the Tufts University School of Medicine’s Maine Track program. I’ll be heading to Boston in the fall for my first year of medical school and then will be in Portland at Maine Medical Center for the three years following. 

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

I experienced mentoring from the relationships that I formed with professors at 乐播传媒, particularly Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Sommer, Lecturer in Biology Levi Adams, and Associate Professor of Biology Larissa Williams. On the flip side, I was able to spend the last year or so working as a teaching assistant for the biology department and a peer advisor within the Center for Purposeful Work.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you for this next chapter? 

I truly believe that the liberal arts experience at 乐播传媒 played a large role in preparing me for the next steps. I had the ability to explore courses of all varieties, ending up with majors in biochemistry and French and Francophone studies. I was able to study abroad in Senegal during the fall of my junior year and complete a public health-related program and internship, which provided the foundation for my senior thesis.

Aleisha Martinez Sandoval

Mexico City

Biochemistry and politics major

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I am headed to Harvard Medical School to work as a research technician at Boston Children’s Hospital. I will be working at the Agarwal Lab, conducting research on rare mitochondrial diseases and helping lead a clinical trial with a newly-approved FDA approved drug.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

One of the most meaningful mentoring experiences I had at 乐播传媒 College was through the STEM Scholars program. They helped me navigate everything from adjusting to rigorous STEM coursework to thinking about internships, research opportunities, and long-term career goals. What I appreciated most was that the mentorship never felt transactional; mentors genuinely cared about our growth and well-being both inside and outside the classroom.

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

I loved being part of 乐播传媒 EMS. It gave me an incredible sense of community and taught me how important it is to stay calm, support others, and work as part of a team. Another experience I鈥檓 especially proud of was starting and growing the menstrual product drive on campus. What began as a small initiative turned into something much bigger, and it showed me how much impact students can have when they care deeply about an issue and are willing to advocate for change.

Matthew Peeler

New York City

Politics major, math minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

After 乐播传媒, I am heading to Yale Law School to study constitutional law, with a focus on the Second Amendment. 

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

As a first-year student, I took 鈥淐onstitutional Law I鈥� with Professor of Politics Stephen Engel. Every day after class, I stayed back to talk with him about various legal topics. While these conversations were initially somewhat short, over the semester, Engel and I began having longer and longer conversations, to the point that we inevitably ended each class in his office. Engel became easily one of the most important figures in my college experience, introducing me to various opportunities, most notably the Truman Scholarship.

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

My favorite activity at 乐播传媒 was being part of the Deansmen. Before college, I never sang a cappella, but I was in such awe after my first-year Puddle Concert that I immediately signed up to audition. I made some of my closest friends over the past four years through the Deansmen and I will miss them all dearly.

Izzi Sander

Needham, Mass.

Earth and climate sciences major

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

Following graduation, I am pursuing a Master of Science in City Planning at Boston University. I was also selected by MassDOT to be the transit planning coordinator co-op for the rest of 2026. There, I am updating the statewide visual database of transit routes (public and private) across Massachusetts.

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

One club I didn’t expect to join when starting at 乐播传媒 was WRBC. However, I am extremely grateful I discovered it and broadcast for five semesters. From early morning Monday 8 a.m. shows, to late night 1 a.m. shows, to my personal favorite time slot Thursday from 7-8 p.m., every minute on air was a blast. I looked forward to making my playlist for each show every week.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you? 

The skills I learned at 乐播传媒 are very transferable to all aspects of life. Academically, I will be prepared for the rigorous coursework for my master’s program, in writing and analysis. For work, I will be performing computer programs, data synthesis, and analytical research that STEM at 乐播传媒 has prepared me well for.

Evan Skufca

Niskayuna, N.Y.

Biochemistry major, music minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

Following 乐播传媒 I will be working in a post-baccalaureate research program at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Here I will spend two years conducting research on brown fat tissue as a metabolic regulator and potential target for therapeutic treatments of metabolic disease.

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

I really enjoyed competing as a cross-country/track athlete and performing at many on and off campus events as a musician through the 乐播传媒 Musicians鈥� Union. Music especially has become a much larger part of my life than I ever could have expected thanks to the friends and mentors I found at 乐播传媒 who encouraged me to keep learning and performing.

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

During my last semester I was able to conduct an independent study with Associate Professor of Music Hiroya Miura. Despite not being a music major, I completed a semester-long creative project with the support of Miura. This was an experience way beyond what I imagined I could complete at 乐播传媒, and would not have been possible without the encouragement of Miura, his belief in my independent and creative abilities, and the support of the rest of the music department at 乐播传媒.

Olivia Smith

Lafayette, Ind.

Philosophy major, Russian minor

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I will be working in Almaty, Kazakhstan, as the assistant resident director for the Russian Overseas Flagship program, a federal government initiative that provides immersive overseas language study for undergraduate students from major US universities. 

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

During my first few weeks here, I decided to walk on to the rowing team. It was a real challenge to learn the lingo, wake up for 5 a.m. practices, and actually just learn how to row, but I deeply enjoyed the opportunity to be a novice in a place where hard work was expected from both the most and least experienced. Led by Head Coach Peter Steenstra, the 乐播传媒 rowing program is all about 鈥渕aking good people better,鈥� and I cannot overstate the positive impact that the program has had on me.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you? 

I started studying Russian in my sophomore year at 乐播传媒, and during my time here I reached the professional level of fluency necessary to work in Kazakhstan with Russian as my primary language. Visiting Lecturer in Russian Cheryl Stephenson pushed me not only to learn the language thoroughly, but also to take advantage of the opportunities that my Russian studies made available to me. In my first week of studying Russian, when I still didn’t know how to pronounce most letters of the Cyrillic alphabet, the idea of studying abroad in an immersive program in Kazakhstan came up. At the time, this sounded like a crazy idea, but with Cheryl’s encouragement, I jumped on it and spent the fall of my junior year in Almaty. Doing so would ultimately lead me to accepting a job offer there after graduation. 

Aidan Stark-Chessa

Falmouth, Maine

Philosophy major, rhetoric, film, and screen studies minor 

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

After 乐播传媒, I will be living in Portland and working on the business I started while at 乐播传媒, Weeping Willow Co. The business is a non-alcoholic cocktail company. We are currently in stores and restaurants around southern Maine. 

Can you share an example of mentoring that you experienced at 乐播传媒?

I think what stands out to me most is my time in my second year, when I pitched my business to Bobcat Ventures. I received help and support from many people at the Center for Purposeful Work and from the easily accessible alumni network. After I won, I reached out and was able to access support moving forward.

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you? 

乐播传媒 is a place where each student is given time and space to be creative and supported in doing so. I was pleased to have my academic interests align with my extracurricular ones. This, in turn, allowed the two to work in tandem and give me balance, and gave me the opportunity to enrich my whole life. Living sustainably, in every sense of the word, is very important to me, and 乐播传媒 allowed me to meet this end. 

Lucy Whitelam

Reading, Mass.

Earth and climate sciences and dance double major

Where are you headed for your next chapter after 乐播传媒? 

I will be attending the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, to pursue an MSc in geology. I am specifically studying igneous petrology and volcanology, and will be using geochemical techniques, fieldwork, and modeling. Additionally, I will be working as a field/ teaching assistant for Frontiers Abroad, a geology abroad program that I attended my junior year. 

What were some favorite 乐播传媒 experiences?

I came into college with no intention of dancing, let alone pursuing the major! However, after I took one class my freshman winter, I was hooked. The faculty and the students have formed such a beautiful community, and I was exposed to a thoughtful and collaborative type of dance education that made me excited to come into the studio and learn. 

How did your time at 乐播传媒 prepare you? 

The thoughtfulness and commitment of the professors and students has created an environment that makes me so grateful to be learning, and I can’t wait to continue to build on my education. Additionally, all of my time in the EACS department, from field trips to time in the lab to my rigorous thesis process, has made me feel very prepared to jump into this next step.

Mohammed M. Obaid Shwani 鈥�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 乐播传媒, 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鈥檒l 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 first National Model United Nations association. At 乐播传媒, Shwani was curious about global systems and approached this work from an interdisciplinary perspective. His work at 乐播传媒 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. 鈥溊植ゴ� didn鈥檛 give me a single narrative,鈥� he notes. 鈥淚t gave me the tools to deconstruct them and form my own conclusions.鈥� 

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

鈥淔or years, my country and I have oriented ourselves around 鈥榳hat will the U.S. do, and how does its system work?鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淏ut 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鈥檚 future leaders must understand and have connections with all sides to be able to navigate the country鈥檚 relationships in this new multipolar world.鈥�

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.

鈥淥ur eleventh cohort is a truly impressive group that fills me with optimism,鈥� says Stephen A. Schwarzman, founding trustee of Schwarzman Scholars, 鈥淚 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.鈥�

As Shwani prepares for Beijing, he looks forward to reuniting with Scarlett Wang 鈥�23, who now lives in Beijing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been years since we were on campus together,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he idea that a 乐播传媒 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 乐播传媒 are a permanent foundation.鈥�

Mark Thomson 鈥�03 and Peter Mertz 鈥�03 once shared a dorm room. Now, as leaders at biopharmaceutical companies Sanofi and Biogen, they share an industry in Cambridge, Mass. Their offices are separated by mere blocks in what is often called 鈥渢he most innovative square mile on the planet.鈥�

The two had a chance to share their career journeys and reconnect with their alma mater during 乐播传媒鈥� Center for Purposeful Work鈥檚 inaugural biotechnology and pharmaceutical roadshow in October. Over a whirlwind two days during fall break, Purposeful Work brought 14 乐播传媒 sophomores and juniors around Boston to network with alumni in the biopharmaceutical industry and tour five companies: Biogen, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, and Kymera Therapeutics.

Lea Staedtler, the associate director of STEM and pre-healthcare advising with Purposeful Work, arranged the roadshow to help expose STEM-focused students to the numerous career possibilities in biopharmaceuticals. 

鈥淚t’s good to know that there’s so many opportunities out there, and there’s so many things you can do with your degree, even though some of them might be unexpected,鈥� said Nisan Ozmert 鈥�27, a biochemistry major from Nicosia, Cyprus, who attended the roadshow.

Staedtler 鈥渄id not hear a single 鈥榥o鈥欌�� as she reached out to alumni across Boston鈥檚 biopharmaceutical industry to see if they would be interested in being part of  the students鈥� trip.

鈥淭he students seem so motivated and interested to learn more about ways in which they can start their own careers,鈥� Thomson, who is a vice president in global immunology at Sanofi, said. 鈥淚f there are aspects of my career that can be helpful in that, I鈥檓 thrilled.鈥�

Alumni also offered key financial support for the roadshow, with a gift from 乐播传媒 trustee Jeremy Chase 鈥�91 and Christine Chase 鈥�92 funding the majority of the trip and Max Dawson 鈥�98, the chief operating officer at DermBiont Inc., providing lunch for students and alumni on the second day of the roadshow. 

鈥淚 see tremendous value in the Center for Purposeful Work offering experiences that expose 乐播传媒 students to the wide variety of careers existing in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and healthcare fields,鈥� Jeremy Chase said. 鈥淚 have spent most of my career investing in healthcare companies, and I am eager to support students as they explore similar career paths.鈥�

鈥淭he students seem so motivated and interested to learn more about ways in which they can start their own careers. If there are aspects of my career that can be helpful in that, I鈥檓 thrilled.鈥�

Mark Thomson 鈥�03, vice president in global immunology at Sanofi

At each stop on the roadshow, enthusiasm ran high as 乐播传媒 alumni and their colleagues educated students about the industry and showed them around striking state-of-the-art facilities. At Takeda, for example, panels of shimmering glass hung suspended from a vast skylight and refracted natural light as they snaked past 12 floors of offices, laboratories, conference rooms, and lounges boasting expansive skyline views. From the inside of a glass elevator creeping upward, students got a first-class view of it all.

鈥淕oing to three different companies in one day allowed me to see all the different types of cultures in each company and what you’d be looking for if you were going into a specific biotech company, what kind of pros and cons you’d consider,鈥� said Asha Abdisamad 鈥�27, a biochemistry major from Lewiston who is also an office assistant in Purposeful Work.

The core goal of the biopharmaceutical industry is to develop and get medicine to people who need it, but the means of doing so goes beyond scientific innovations, to incorporate law, communications, and business. Many biopharmaceutical professionals, including Peter Mertz, who is senior director of marketing on the lupus franchise at Biogen, work across these fields. Mertz was drawn to biopharmaceuticals because of both the opportunity to help patients and that  intersection between science and business, he told the students during a Q&A session led by Abdisamad.

鈥淪pending your time on this planet improving the quality of someone’s life, that鈥檚 worth your energy,鈥� Mertz said.

Later in the day, Thomson, his former roommate, gave a presentation at Sanofi that was designed to help the students see how a liberal arts education not only has parallels with what happens at biopharmaceutical companies but is a particularly good way to become equipped for success in the industry. A liberal arts education is an amalgamation of different disciplines, and so is the biopharmaceutical industry, with its blend of science, law, communications, and business. 

This diverse educational foundation equips students well for long term success in their careers, Thomson said. While recent graduates with liberal arts degrees may initially earn less than their peers who graduated with skill-focused degrees during the first decade of their careers, the trend reverses over time, with liberal arts graduates earning higher salaries and taking on more leadership roles later in their careers. Leaders with liberal arts degrees are often 鈥渢he people making the big decisions,鈥� Thomson said.

Tom Armet 鈥�01, the vice president of Global Insights, Analytics, and Commercial Excellence at Takeda, echoed Thomson鈥檚 belief in the power of the liberal arts. 鈥淭he entire liberal arts experience from 乐播传媒 was a wonderful foundation on which to build a career upon,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 find that young people today think every decision is going to make or break their whole life. Give yourself the room to explore and focus on developing skills and demonstrating skills. Good stuff will happen.鈥�

Mike Bonney 鈥�80, retired CEO of Cubist Pharmaceuticals

John Lacey 鈥�90, the lead of R&D corporate and science communications at Takeda, said he drew on his liberal arts foundation to transition from a journalist to an investor relations professional to his current role as a science and business communicator. 鈥淚鈥檝e used all my skills that I learned at 乐播传媒 鈥� how to write, how to communicate effectively,鈥� Lacey said.

In addition to preparing students for their careers by introducing them to a broad range of ideas, the people skills and teamwork emphasized in the 乐播传媒 liberal arts experience are also key to success, Mertz said.

鈥淵our success in your career is a balance of IQ 鈥� what you鈥檙e doing now 鈥� and EQ 鈥� the emotional skills,鈥� Mertz said.

For Wagener Family Professor of Equity and Inclusion in STEM April Horton, who joined the students on their two-day roadshow, interactions like these with alumni are invaluable. 

鈥淚 can say it in class, but it doesn’t stick in the same way as when you see the building and you see the people doing the work, and they’re telling you about their career trajectories,鈥� Horton said.

Horton leads 乐播传媒鈥� STEM scholars program, which provides mentoring, coursework, and community to a select cohort of students, including those traditionally underrepresented in science and mathematics. Eight of the students on the biopharmaceutical roadshow were STEM Scholars.

鈥淭he STEM Scholars program has been collaborating with Purposeful Work since day one, and to me, this is just an excellent manifestation of what we’re hoping to do, which is help our students understand all the opportunities that they have in this particular industry,鈥� Horton said.

The students got an up-close look at the scientific side of the industry during a laboratory visit at Kymera. Abdisamad, who plans to pursue a scientific career, was intrigued by the laboratory鈥檚 robot machinery and advanced centrifuge system.

鈥淚t was really, really nice,鈥� Abdisamad said. 鈥淏eing able to talk to scientists who are working in the lab and go to the lab was really helpful.鈥�

The roadshow also gave students insight into how they may pursue and utilize graduate education. Several alumni working in the biopharmaceutical companies earned MBAs after 乐播传媒, which they said greatly helped them in understanding the business side of their companies. 

For Dalia Cape 鈥�27 of Mercer Island, Wash., a biology major who completed a summer internship with a 乐播传媒 alumnus at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, it was exciting to hear about the ways that her business experience may interact with her STEM interests.

鈥淗aving some exposure to the strategic thinking of a business school can absolutely be applied to my career in the future, even if it’s more in a science-y field,鈥� Cape said.

At the end of the first day, the students headed to restaurant Alden & Harlow for a dinner with 14 alumni, including Mike Bonney 鈥�80, who worked for over three decades in the biopharmaceutical industry, serving as the CEO of Cubist Pharmaceuticals prior to his retirement in 2014.

Bonney enjoys spending time with students and supporting them as they embark on their career journeys. After all, he began his biopharmaceuticals career as a store manager at Hannaford, a role he was connected with because the CEO of Hannaford was a 乐播传媒 alumnus.

鈥淎nyone who has had the good fortune to have the success I’ve had has had a hand up along the way multiple times,鈥� Bonney said. 鈥淭o me, this is just part of paying it forward to provide the benefit of my years of experience.鈥�

During his brief remarks before dinner, Bonney encouraged the students to not be afraid to try new things and to focus on gaining skills rather than securing specific job titles. He shared a bit about his winding career path, which he never anticipated would end in the biopharmaceutical industry, and the stops he made along the way, including a stint as a ski videographer at Sugarloaf Mountain.

鈥淚 find that young people today think every decision is going to make or break their whole life,鈥� Bonney said. 鈥淕ive yourself the room to explore and focus on developing skills and demonstrating skills. Good stuff will happen.鈥�

For Brinly Teeple 鈥�28 of Morrisville, Penn., who hasn鈥檛 declared her major yet, it was comforting to hear about how alumni found successful careers even when they were initially unsure what they wanted to pursue after 乐播传媒.

鈥淭hat was really reassuring 鈥� to hear that decisions that I’m making right now don’t necessarily lock me into a career for the rest of my life,鈥� Teeple said.

Several alumni emphasized the importance of curiosity, which allowed them to explore possibilities and forge unexpected paths, in finding career success.

鈥淭hey all were lifelong learners,鈥� said Shafin Jubayer 鈥�28, a biology major from Sirajganj, Bangladesh. 鈥淭hey really try to follow their passions, rather than following a traditional pathway.鈥� 

Over a family-style dinner, the students and alumni swapped stories about 乐播传媒 across the decades. Some things, like 乐播传媒 dining, have changed greatly in the past 20 years, they discovered. Others, like the difficulty of organic chemistry, have not.

鈥淚 appreciated being able to engage with alumni and get a sense of how 乐播传媒 set them on the trajectory that they’re on now,鈥� said Djibril Diaw 鈥�27, a biochemistry major from Mount Hernon, Mass. 鈥淚t’s helpful to have that roadmap to clarify how we can get to the point we want to get to.鈥�

In his retirement, Ralph Sylvester 鈥�50 of Auburn became a familiar and welcoming presence on the 乐播传媒 campus, having breakfast most days in the Den or in Commons with a circle of 乐播传媒 friends.

In November 2023, Sylvester died at the age of 99, but his positive presence will be felt at 乐播传媒 for many years to come, thanks to his bequest of $1.3 million to 乐播传媒.

Made through Sylvester鈥檚 will, the bequest creates two new permanently endowed funds that will leave a legacy of access, opportunity, and community at 乐播传媒. 

One endowment, the Ralph L. Sylvester 鈥�50 Fund for Financial Aid, will provide need-based scholarships for 乐播传媒 students, with preference for students from Androscoggin and Oxford counties. The second endowment, the Ralph L. Sylvester 鈥�50 Fund for Dining Services, will support professional development for the members of the college鈥檚 dining team.

鈥淩alph was for the underdog, and he was always our champion,鈥� said Christine Schwartz, associate vice president for dining, conferences, and campus events. 

Schwartz learned of Sylvester鈥檚 bequest this week while she was handling swiftly shifting details for Commencement weekend 鈥� rain was in the forecast. 

She teared up when hearing the news. True, the two hadn鈥檛 started out eye-to-eye: Sylvester didn鈥檛 mince words when offering feedback on goings-on at his alma mater, including her dining operation. 

鈥淟et鈥檚 just say that Ralph and I did not start out in a stellar way,鈥� Schwartz says. 鈥淏ut we became great friends, and I really took in his wisdom.鈥� During COVID, Schwartz and her team delivered meals to Sylvester at his home in Auburn.

In recent years, the two friends often talked about how to create opportunity and advancement for the many members of the Dining Services team. 鈥淗ow do we move people along their career path? How do we, as a college, help our staff members realize that there are many opportunities to either continue on the path you鈥檙e on, or to open yourself up to wider opportunities?鈥�

Sylvester was born in Lewiston in 1924 and lived in Auburn for most of his life. Growing up, he was a newsboy for the local paper, graduating from Edward Little High School and entering 乐播传媒 in September 1942. He worked in a local mill to earn tuition money.

Then came World War II. Sylvester joined the U.S. Army in 1943, serving with the 295th Combat Engineers. He landed on Omaha Beach five days after D-Day, when the beach was still covered with the bodies of dead American soldiers, and later fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

After the war, he returned home to Auburn, and returned to 乐播传媒. War had taken a toll, and he left before graduating, but always remained connected to his alma mater.

He married Elaine Miller in 1949, and worked in local banks and in telecommunications, helping to deliver service to rural Maine. He was a lifelong supporter of public institutions in the Lewiston-Auburn community.

Active in veterans affairs, he supported Honor Flight, a nonprofit program that honors U.S. military veterans by flying them for free to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice.

After retiring, he and Elaine started a morning routine of having breakfast at the Den. That was where Peter Steenstra, head coach of 乐播传媒 rowing, met Sylvester. Steenstra liked to head to the Den for breakfast after the rowers鈥� early morning practice on the Androscoggin River. 

Sitting, eating, and talking with Sylvester and others became a morning ritual. 鈥淏eing able to chat with someone who had such a vast experience in the world helped me keep things in perspective,鈥� Steenstra said.

In recent years, Sylvester shifted to Commons, where he got to know 乐播传媒 rowers, who would greet the nonagenarian as they returned from the river after practice. 

In April 2023, the 乐播传媒 rowing team chose to honor Sylvester by naming its new shell Ralph Sylvester 鈥�50. During the christening ceremony in Perry Atrium, Steenstra presented an oar blade to Sylvester, a symbol of the great esteem the coach and rowers had for him. 

While having lunch with his teammates in Commons on Wednesday, 乐播传媒 rower Leo Sullivan 鈥�25 of Bloomfield, Conn., took in the news of Sylvester鈥檚 bequest. Sullivan was at the 2023 event, where he met and shook hands with Sylvester.

鈥淚t’s incredible that he was so invested in this community that he would pay it forward in that way,鈥� said Sullivan. 鈥淚t just speaks to what a major part of 乐播传媒 he was.鈥�

Barry Lawson is a 乐播传媒 computer science professor who chairs the Program in Digital and Computational Studies. He is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who plays mandolin, guitar, and upright bass.

The two endeavors harmonize, he says.

鈥淧laying with other people is rewarding because we’re performing but also listening and responding. It’s part of the communication,鈥� says Lawson, who is the Colony Family Professor of Digital and Computational Studies. 鈥淚 think that influences a lot of what I do in digital and computational studies as well.”

This culture of collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking is foundational to the 乐播传媒 DCS program 鈥� now the college鈥檚 37th academic major, thanks to a faculty vote on March 3. 

乐播传媒 created the DCS program in response to a rapidly-changing world. As access to technological knowledge becomes more easily available, humans are solving epic problems but often blazing trails of unintended consequences. Facial recognition technologies used to solve crimes, for example, have sent innocent people to jail after mistakenly identifying them as perpetrators, while social media apps meant to create connections and foster community have led to loneliness and mental health problems. 

鈥淥ne of the challenges for computer science as a field historically is that there has too often been a rush to produce products with too little consideration of the holistic impact on individuals, on society, and on the planet,鈥� Lawson says. 鈥淲e are seeing many of the effects of those choices now.鈥�

With courses linking digital studies to subjects like theater and neuroscience, DCS aims to prepare students to respond to rapid technological developments by teaching them both essential skills of computer science and how to critique technology through a lens of furthering social good.

鈥淥ne of the goals of DCS is for students to gain sufficient technical background across computational fields of study, while also thinking critically about, and evaluating the impacts of, the tools that we鈥檙e building, of the choices that we鈥檙e making, and of who is involved in making those choices,鈥� Lawson says.

The DCS program is highly interdisciplinary, with a focus on five core elements: computer science; data science, analysis, and visualization; critical digital studies; human-centered design; and community-engaged learning. 

The major will comprise 10 courses, including those that fulfill the core elements of the major and electives that span the interdisciplinary expertise in DCS, such as 鈥淭he Past, Present, and Possible Dystopian Future of Computing,鈥� 鈥淧ublic History in the Digital Age,鈥� and 鈥淗uman-Robot Interaction Design Workshop.鈥�

Funded by gifts totaling $19 million from several 乐播传媒 families, the college announced the formation of a DCS program in 2016; the minor was first offered in 2021. From then to now, the number of seniors with DCS minors has exploded from 15 to 42, making DCS 乐播传媒鈥� most popular minor among current students. 

The DCS program is like a flowering tree. It grew slowly, establishing a solid base, before it bloomed, each of its branching disciplines and their respective faculty experts playing a key role in the major’s raison d’锚tre.

“The overall mission as well as the specifics of the major have the fingerprints of those DCS faculty,” Lawson says, giving thanks to faculty members Anelise Hanson Shrout, Carrie Diaz Eaton, Andy Ricci, and Jason Castro.

Faculty also sought input from 乐播传媒 alumni working in DCS-adjacent jobs, who Lawson says expressed excitement for the new major and the hope that students will both gain technological skills and learn to think carefully about what technology is accomplishing and who is in charge of it. 

The new major meets the growing interests of both current and prospective students. Abdul Rafay 鈥�25 of Lahore, Pakistan, for example, added a DCS minor to learn computer science skills that he could apply to his natural science interests as a biochemistry major.

鈥淚t was only possible because of the flexibility that is very intentionally part of the DCS curriculum.” 

By his sophomore year, Rafay had discovered DCS鈥� wide-ranging applications. Using data skills gleaned from his “Computing for Insight” course, plus skills learned from a “Lab-Based Biological Inquiry” course 鈥� one that offers hands-on research experiences early in a student鈥檚 career 鈥� he was able to map genetically similar microalgae.

鈥淚t was only possible because of the flexibility that is very intentionally part of the DCS curriculum,鈥� Rafay says. 

Outside of his coursework, Rafay also uses his DCS skills in his campus work to support sustainability efforts. As part of the team of student EcoReps, he and fellow DCS minor Paige Bilich 鈥�26 of Massapequa, N.Y., wrote computer programs to automate the regular calculations of 乐播传媒鈥� carbon footprint, freeing up time for the EcoReps to pursue additional sustainability projects.

鈥淲e have more time, which we’ve been using to work on visualizing the data to make it more user friendly, to better understand and interpret 乐播传媒鈥� sustainability,” Rafay says.

Rafay plans to pursue a career in bioinformatics and says that his DCS coursework has affirmed his interest in working with data and research. 

Like Rafay, many incoming students enter 乐播传媒 with a desire to study technology broadly, says Leigh Weisenburger, the college鈥檚 vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid. 

鈥淎 DCS major will help us better attract those students who wish to have digital literacy as a part of their learning, yet still want to uphold the liberal arts foundation and principles when it comes to learning,鈥� Weisenburger says. 

DCS courses are often cross-listed with other areas of study 鈥� 鈥淚ntroduction to Digital Media鈥� is cross-listed as a theater offering, as one example. For students just starting out in college, such courses can help draw them into parts of the 乐播传媒 curriculum they hadn鈥檛 yet considered.

鈥淲hen we start talking about digital and computational studies, whether it be within art, whether it be within environmental studies, it just is so malleable, and it clicks for all students regardless of what they think their academic pursuits are going to be,鈥� Weisenburger says. 

To fulfill the college’s general-education writing requirement, DCS seniors will take a one-semester capstone course during which they will complete a community-engaged learning group project in collaboration with a community partner. The project will give students real-world experience in using their technical knowledge and community engagement skills to solve a problem.

In addition to teaching a curriculum designed to encourage critical and ethical interaction with technologies, DCS faculty also aim to improve the way that subjects like computer science are taught, with the consideration that the field has historically been dominated by white men.

鈥淭eaching computer science or data science the same way they have historically been taught leaves out some very important voices, and omits considerations that a variety of perspectives bring,鈥� Lawson says. 鈥淎s fields of study, there is still a lot of room to learn and grow in those regards, and we want DCS to be actively engaged.鈥�

At the end of their four years at 乐播传媒, DCS majors will know how to code, know how to critique technology, and understand the impacts of those interlocking practices 鈥� skills applicable to many potential career paths.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not at all an overstatement to say that practically every part of our society is touched or affected by computing in a meaningful way,鈥� Lawson says.