Here’s a flip version of the fall 2022 issue of 乐播传媒 Magazine, which went in the mail last month.

The cover story and photograph, by Mary Pols and Phyllis Graber Jensen, respectively, of 乐播传媒 Communications, features best-selling children鈥檚 book author and illustrator Matt Tavares 鈥�97, who is taking a creative leap with his forthcoming book, Hoops. Using the graphic novel format for the first time, Tavares tells a story inspired by the true tale of a girls basketball team in mid-1970s Indiana.

If you’re an alum and seeing this issue makes you say, “Hey, I didn’t get my copy,” you can update your mailing address 鈥� or any contact information.

You can also submit a 乐播传媒 Magazine class note and/or photo for the spring 2023 issue.

Nov. 11, 2021, marks not only Veterans Day, but also the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Va. 

Every year, the Veterans Day National Committee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs holds a nationwide poster contest and decides what image will be displayed across the U.S. in honor of the people who have served in the United States military.

This year, the theme was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and an award-winning illustration by Matt Tavares 鈥�97 was .

Tavares lives in Ogunquit, Maine, grew up in Winchester, Mass., and majored in studio art at 乐播传媒. His senior thesis project, a children’s picture book about baseball, later became Tavares鈥� first book, Zachary鈥檚 Ball. Published in 2000 by Candlewick Press, it won the Massachusetts Book Award in 2000 and .

鈥淚 feel like doing my senior thesis at 乐播传媒 was kind of this dress rehearsal for doing what I do now,鈥� Tavares said. 鈥淚 got to go through this whole process and make a whole book. I鈥檓 still doing it almost 25 years later.鈥�

Tavares鈥� winning illustration depicts a single soldier marching in front of the tomb, paying homage to both the anonymity and the dignity of the monument. Tavares created the image and others for Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which was written by Colby alumnus Jeff Gottesfeld.

Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was published in 2021 by Tavares’ longtime publisher, Candlewick Press. He and Candlewick have for several years supported the organization United Through Reading to help connect military families who are separated 鈥� by deployment or military assignment 鈥� through the shared experience of reading together.

In addition to this honor, Tavares’ artwork was selected for the exhibit, which showcases original art from the year鈥檚 best children鈥檚 books as determined by a jury of top illustrators, art directors, and editors. 

Knowing his illustration will be seen in Veterans Day celebrations across the nation is a 鈥渉uge honor鈥� for Tavares. The illustration is intended for children, but the simplicity of the image echoes the solemnity of the idea of an 鈥渦nknown soldier鈥� being commemorated.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e talking about soldiers who were killed in wars, and I guess it鈥檚 a little complicated to explain how there are unknown soldiers,鈥� Tavares said. 鈥淸Gottesfeld] tells the story from the point of view of the first unknown soldier, so it鈥檚 very powerful and poignant, and told in a personal way.鈥�

Tavares wanted to show a more private moment with the tomb guard than usually seen, depicting the soldier at sunrise, alone, walking the ceremonial 21 steps.

鈥淓very time they do a changing of the guards, the place is packed, and they have an audience. But they鈥檙e also there at 2 in the morning, and at 5:30 in the morning, a lot of times they鈥檙e there by themselves,鈥� Tavares said.

This year also marks that the public is allowed to walk on the plaza of the tomb and lay flowers in front of the tomb, in a two-day special event, meaning that people will be able to approach the tomb, something previously only allowed to the sentinels of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, 鈥淭he Old Guard.鈥�

鈥淲hen I was working on the book, I got to spend some time with the tomb guards, and I remember I tried to take their names down so I could acknowledge their names in the book,鈥� Tavares said.

鈥淭hey were all very hesitant to even tell me their names, and I was struck by that. They鈥檙e so dedicated to what they鈥檙e doing, focusing on the tomb.

“So I kind of like the idea that there鈥檚 this poster that I made, that a lot of people are going to be seeing 鈥� but my name鈥檚 not on it, and a lot of people won鈥檛 know that I made it. I hope that goes with the theme of what the tomb guards do.鈥�

Krista Aronson

乐播传媒 College program encourages diverse picture books for children 鈥� Sun Journal

Steve Collins of the Lewiston Sun Journal spoke with Professor of Psychology Krista Aronson, the creator of the Diverse BookFinder.

Now in its third year, DBF鈥檚 online database and physical picture-book collection makes diverse children鈥檚 books more accessible, Aronson told Collins. Since its launch, the physical collection has grown, and the DBF has helped dozens of libraries analyze diversity in their own collections.

Associate Professor of Psychology Krista Aronson reads in Ladd Library with her daughter Hope in 2017. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Aronson also spoke with Meghan Mangrum of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, who wrote about teachers in the Tennessee city who are trying to diversify their own book collections.

鈥淲e live right now in segregated societies, and we think of school or work as places where we come in contact with people who are different from ourselves,鈥� Aronson said. 鈥淭hat’s going to be increasingly common, and we need to prepare our children to be successful in those environments.”

Read the stories:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� Sun Journal, Dec. 12, 2019聽
• 鈥�,鈥� Chatanooga Times Free Press, Nov. 23, 2019聽

Matt Tavares 鈥�97

Children鈥檚 book about Santa鈥檚 reindeer lands 乐播传媒 grad on bestseller list 鈥� Multiple outlets

Portland Press Herald reporter Ray Routhier interviewed Matt Tavares 鈥�97, a noted children鈥檚 book author and illustrator whose latest picture book, Dasher, made The New York Times bestseller list, as well as numerous online lists of holiday-themed children鈥檚 books.

Dasher, Matt Tavares鈥� latest children鈥檚 book, is his first to hit The New York Times bestseller list. (Courtesy of Matt Tavares)

Tavares wrote and illustrated his first picture book for his senior thesis at 乐播传媒, under Robert Feintuch. Dasher, his 20th book and the first to make the bestseller list, is a kind of origin story for Santa鈥檚 reindeer.

Tavares lives with his family in Ogunquit, Maine, where, as he told Routhier, the beautiful Maine winters are inspiring.

鈥淚 do a lot of my writing during the winter,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 find winter in Maine is a good time to clear your mind and really focus on your story.鈥�

Read the stories:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� Sun Journal, Nov. 28, 2019
• 鈥�,鈥� Portland Press Herald, Dec. 15, 2019聽
• 鈥�,鈥� Today, Nov. 21, 2019聽
• 鈥�,鈥� The Washington Post, Dec. 2, 2019

Francesco Duina

Why are poor Americans more patriotic than their wealthier counterparts? 鈥� The Guardian

Writing for The Guardian, Professor of Sociology Francesco Duina pointed out that the poorest Americans are the ones who love their country the most. One hundred percent of the lowest-income Americans are proud of their country 鈥� more than Americans with higher incomes, and certainly more than citizens of other nations love their countries.

Most of the financially disadvantaged people that Francesco Duina interviewed for Broke and Patriotic, he says, “take ownership of their life histories.” They don’t blame the system. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

Duina is the author of the book Broke and Patriotic: Why Poor Americans Love Their Country. By interviewing residents of Montana and Alabama, Duina learned that some of those with the lowest incomes saw the United States as a place of dignity, abundance, and freedom.

鈥淎s long as they remain deeply patriotic, America鈥檚 poor won鈥檛 rise up,鈥� Duina wrote. 鈥淚ndeed, they鈥檒l continue to fill the ranks of the military, strive and sacrifice to help America assert itself in the world, and even feed into and support the slogans and successes of the country鈥檚 political leaders.鈥�

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�鈥� The Guardian, Nov. 20, 2019聽

Katherine Frank 鈥�94

New chancellor named for UW鈥揝tout 鈥� Wisconsin Public Radio

Rich Kramer of Wisconsin Public Radio interviewed Katherine Frank 鈥�94, who will be the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin鈥揝tout, the state鈥檚 polytechnic university. She will take the post in March.

Katherine Frank 鈥�94 is the new chancellor of the University of Wisconsin鈥揝tout. (UW-Stout Communications)

Frank studied English at 乐播传媒 and holds a doctorate in English from the University of Washington. She has held a range of administrative positions, most recently as vice president of academic innovation and professor of English at Central Washington University.

Frank told 乐播传媒News that Professor of English Steven Dillon and Professor Emerita of English Carole Anne Taylor, who died in 2015, were instrumental during her time at 乐播传媒. 鈥淭hey are/were remarkable scholars, teachers, and mentors, and I feel very lucky to have worked with them and many others in the English department at 乐播传媒.鈥�

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� Wisconsin Public Radio, Nov. 26, 2019

Amy Bass 鈥�92

Mike McGraw has been 鈥榚veryone鈥檚 father figure, brother, friend and mentor鈥� 鈥� Sun Journal

When Mike McGraw announced his retirement, historian and author Amy Bass 鈥�92 wrote a heartfelt tribute to the longtime Lewiston High School boys soccer coach.

Bass is the author of One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together, which chronicles how the soccer team, largely made up of African immigrants and reflecting the changing demographics of Lewiston, won its first state championship in decades in 2015.

Amy Bass 鈥�92 (right) poses with Mike McGraw (center) and Kim Wettlaufer 鈥�80 during a reception at the Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services offices in Lewiston during her visit to the city and 乐播传媒 to promote her book One Goal in March 2018. (H. Jay Burns/乐播传媒 College)

Bass got to know McGraw, the rest of the coaching staff, and current and former players deeply. Quoting many of those players, she wrote that Lewiston was better for McGraw鈥檚 leadership.

鈥淲hether on the soccer pitch, in a classroom, or at a local watering hole, that is who Mike McGraw is 鈥� someone who can talk to anyone from the moment he looks at them with his twinkling blue eyes,鈥� Bass wrote.

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�,鈥欌赌� Sun Journal, Dec. 3, 2019聽

Ben Cline 鈥�94

One year on Capitol Hill, Republican Rep. Ben Cline has been effective even while in the minority 鈥� The Roanoke Times

U.S. Rep. Ben Cline 鈥�94 was recently the subject of a lengthy profile in The Roanoke Times. A first-term Republican representing Virginia鈥檚 6th District, he鈥檚 aligned himself with the GOP and President Trump, while simultaneously reaching across the aisle, wrote reporter Amy Friedenberger.

U.S. Rep. Ben Cline 鈥�94. left, poses with Rep. Jared Golden 鈥�11 during a summer 2019 乐播传媒 Magazine聽photo shoot in Washington, D.C. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Cline succeeded longtime Rep. Bob Goodlatte 鈥�74, who retired in 2019.聽Now a member of the Judiciary Committee, Cline is part of important decision-making around issues like gun control and immigration 鈥� all overshadowed, of course, by the fall鈥檚 impeachment hearings.

On Dec. 13, Cline voted 鈥渘o鈥� on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, though the Judiciary Committee as a whole voted to send the articles to the full House for a vote.

Still, in one of the most partisan environments imaginable, Cline tries to work with Democrats. 鈥淵ou need to understand where the other person is coming from in their position and recognize that they come at it from a position of morality as well,鈥� Cline told Friedenberger.

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� The Roanoke Times, Nov. 30, 2019聽

Rebecca Herzig

When deadly X-rays were used for hair removal 鈥� OZY

At the turn of the 20th century, using X-ray treatments to remove body hair came into vogue, wrote Virat Markandeya of the digital magazine OZY. Doctors and scientists didn鈥檛 know how dangerous high doses of X-rays were, and deadly cancers later afflicted many women who had undergone the treatments.

Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies Rebecca Herzig works with a student in 2016. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

To explain the appeal of X-ray hair removal, Markandeya turned to Rebecca Herzig, a professor of gender and sexuality studies at 乐播传媒 and an expert on the politics of body hair.

Some women turned to X-rays because they 鈥渂ypassed the inescapable physicality of all other hair-removal technologies鈥� like shaving and waxing, Herzig wrote in a 1999 article in the journal Technology and Culture.

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� OZY, Nov. 26, 2019聽

乐播传媒 Museum of Art

Art exhibits 鈥楢bound鈥� on campus 鈥� Portland Press Herald

In the space of a week, the Portland Press Herald covered both of the 乐播传媒 Museum of Art鈥檚 current exhibitions, placing them at the forefront of a strong showing of art at Maine colleges.

乐播传媒 Museum of Art attendant Louise Ouillette and Tony Leavitt, a science teacher at Tripp Middle School, take a closer look at Vanessa German’s artwork. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Bob Keyes reviewed Vanessa German鈥檚 Miracles and Glory Abound, which explores the stories societies tell themselves and who gets left out of those stories. One piece reimagines Emanuel Leutze鈥檚 famous 1851 painting, 鈥淲ashington Crossing the Delaware.鈥�

鈥淕erman aims to add depth to those stories by fleshing them out and starting a conversation about public memory,鈥� Keyes wrote.

Elsewhere in the museum, Daniel Kany took a look at Stages for Being, an exhibition of photography by Ralph Eugene Meatyard, who took surreal photos featuring his family, and props like masks and dolls, in abandoned places.

Additionally, the museum collaborated with the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts on another photography exhibition, Jack Montgomery & Ralph Gibson: Appearances, at the University of Southern Maine.

Read the stories:聽聽

• 鈥�,鈥� Portland Press Herald, Dec. 2, 2019
• 鈥�,鈥欌赌� Portland Press Herald, Dec. 8, 2019
• 鈥�,鈥� Maine Arts Scene, Nov. 30, 2019聽

Commons

乐播传媒 College offers high-end cuisine to students and public 鈥� Sun Journal

Lindsay Tice of the Lewiston Sun Journal grabbed lunch at the 乐播传媒 dining hall, interviewing President Clayton Spencer, Assistant Vice President for Dining, Conferences and Campus Events Christine Schwartz, and several students about what makes a Commons lunch so good.

Commons, as seen from the second floor balcony. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Tice marveled at the cereal wall, the thinly cut French fries, and especially at the beef panang curry on offer, which, she said, made her a 鈥渃urry fan鈥� for the first time.

鈥淪o why does the 乐播传媒 dining hall win so many awards?鈥� she wrote. 鈥淧art of it is the sheer amount of choice. Part of it is the focus on sustainability. And part of it is that the food is really that good.鈥�

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�,鈥� Sun Journal, Nov. 24, 2019聽

Jeffrey Lynn 鈥�30

Remember Jeffrey Lynn? 鈥� ClassicMovieChat.com

The blog , which shares photos and stories from the Golden Age of Hollywood, posted about Jeffrey Lynn 鈥�30, an actor who made a name for himself in film during the 1940s.

Jeffrey Lynn 鈥�30 (right) sits with Grosvenor Robinson, professor of elocution at 乐播传媒, in 1941.

Lynn鈥檚 notable roles include My Love Came Back, opposite Olivia De Havilland, and A Letter to Three Wives, with Kirk Douglas and Jeanne Crain. He also famously screen-tested for the role of Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. (The part ultimately went to British actor Leslie Howard.)

鈥淭he blandly handsome actor was most often cast as a young husband, a young recruit, or an interesting boyfriend,鈥� wrote Joe Morella and Frank Segers.

Lynn also fought in World War II, for which he received a Bronze Star, and later worked as a film and theater producer.

Read the story:聽

• 鈥�鈥� ClassicMovieChat.com, Nov. 21, 2019聽

Whatever their occupations, 乐播传媒 alumni know their experiences since graduation constitute a knowledge resource that can benefit fellow alumni as well as today’s students. And they’re not stingy with that resource.

The accumulated wisdom of 乐播传媒 people out in the world is like an electrical charge buzzing through the extended 乐播传媒 community. In Boston and New York, for instance, 乐播传媒 Business Networking groups are holding get-togethers to meet, greet and most importantly, share ideas 鈥� with the inaugural New York event, on April 29, drawing more than 50 and featuring 乐播传媒 trustee and Catterton Partners co-founder Michael Chu ’80 as speaker.

The quarterly New York gatherings include an “open mike” for comments and questions about business issues, and a featured speaker outstanding in his or her field from the alumni body. The group borrowed the format from the Cornell Entrepreneurial Network 鈥� thanks to Robert Everett, the father of Catherine Everett ’05 and a Cornell University development officer, who described his institution’s model for a planning session in January.

Chu, a 乐播传媒 trustee, is co-founder and managing partner of , the leading private equity firm providing growth capital to the consumer industry, with more than $1 billion in equity capital under active management. He founded Catterton 10 years after graduating from 乐播传媒 with highest honors as a double major in psychology and economics.

Prior to Catterton, Chu held a variety of top positions with First Pacific Company, a Hong Kong-based investment and management company, which he joined in 1983. For his fellow 乐播传媒ies, he discussed the challenges and rewards of founding a company after a successful career in international finance and business 鈥� an auspicious topic to launch the series.

Meanwhile, a steady stream of alums return to campus to offer guidance to today’s students. “Investment bankers, physicians, CEOs, entrepreneurs, state and federal public servants, members of the military 鈥� all have freely given of their time and expertise to help 乐播传媒 students make good decisions, and in many cases, give them a practical leg up in a competitive job market,” says William C. Hiss ’66, vice president for external and alumni affairs.

“For the students, it’s sometimes quite a life-changing experience, as an alum gets a student started in a career with advice or help in the hiring process.”

Topics range from business issues to life planning to the arts and humanities. For instance, two members of the Class of 1997 working in the visual arts returned during the winter 鈥� Sarah Rogers, a Ph.D. candidate at M.I.T, came in February to discuss a modern-art movement in Iraq during the 1950s, and Matt Tavares, an author-illustrator of children’s books, gave a slide talk on his work in March.

In May, three anthropology majors who have parlayed their 乐播传媒 experience into community service offer a series of talks titled Turning Anthropology Into a Career. Sponsored by the anthropology department and presented in Pettengill G4, the series features:

Robin Waterman ’85, who spent four years working in rural literacy development in Mexico and El Salvador. Co-author of Now We Read, We See, Now We Speak (Lawrence Earlbaum Press, 2000), Waterman is working toward her Ph.D. at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. She’ll give her talk, Navigating Cultural Boundaries, at 4:15 p.m. Friday, May 2;

Laurie McDonnell ’90, cultural skills trainer for the Portland/Lewiston Refugee Collaborative, gives a talk titled My Journey From 乐播传媒 Back to Lewiston at 7 p.m., Monday, May 12;

Sarah Standiford ’97, who in 2002 worked with doctors in Uganda to create a network of reproductive health educators. Now a community organizer for and co-chair of the Maine Choice Coalition, she offers the talk Building Power: Using Principles of Anthropology to Effect Social Change at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.