College Hires 13 New Faculty Members From Hampshire

Twenty-six Hampshire College faculty members have taken positions at different institutions in the Pioneer Valley this academic year, with Amherst employing 13 of them. After Hampshire endured financial hardships that nearly forced it to close, the alternative education institution, founded in 1970, encouraged faculty to go on leave and take positions at other institutions while the administration determines a way to make its vision and founding mission financially sustainable. Hampshire annou

Fresh Faculty: Kristen Luschen

Kristen Luschen is the Lewis-Sebring visiting professor in educational studies. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She completed a doctorate in cultural foundations of education and a certificate of advanced study in women’s studies at Syracuse University. This will be her first semester teaching at Amherst after 19 years at Hampshire College. Q: Can you tell me about how you got to Amherst this semester? A: Amherst has a burgeonin

Progressive Policymaker Gives Talk, Makes Case for Green New Deal

On April 22, policymaker Rhiana Gunn-Wright gave a talk in Johnson Chapel on the Green New Deal, a sweeping proposal that aims to combat climate change and income inequality and is championed most notably by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York’s 14th congressional district. Gunn-Wright is the director of the progressive think tank New Consensus, and was a chief architect of the Green New Deal. Gunn-Wright, a Rhodes Scholar who graduated from Yale in 2011, was previously the policy directo

Thoughts on Theses: Alyssa Snyder

Alyssa Snyder ’19 is a sociology major. Her thesis explores first-generation, low-income students’ experiences attending college. Her thesis advisor is William R. Kenan Professor of American Studies and Sociology Leah Schmalzbauer. Q: What is your thesis about?A: It’s about hypermobility and how low-income first-gen students go from their parents not having gone to college, and low-income backgrounds, [to] how they experience coming to an elite college — that hyper-educational mobility trajecto

Class of 2023 Most Selective Ever

The college admitted 1,144 of 10,567 applicants into the class of 2023 on Friday, March 22. The record-setting number of applicants was a nine percent increase from last year, and the first time the college received more than 10,000 applications in one application cycle. This admissions cycle also saw a record-low acceptance rate. Last year, Amherst’s acceptance rate was 12.8 percent; this year’s acceptance rate dropped to 10.8 percent. While historic, the number is on par with trends at peer i

Students Explore Interfaith Relations at Retreat

Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) held its first-ever interfaith retreat, titled “Nourish,” from Friday, Feb. 15 to Saturday, Feb. 16. As part of a broad effort to engage students across all religious backgrounds, the retreat created a space for attendees to slow down and connect with themselves and each other. The retreat, which took place at the Nine Mountain Retreat Center in Plainfield, was attended by 17 students and five staff members representing multiple religions. The retreat was one

Professor Gives Talk on Colombian Politics and Peace

Monica Pachon, dean of political science and international relations at Del Rosario University in Colombia, visited Amherst to give a talk about peace agreements and the future of democracy in Colombia on Nov. 14 in Paino Lecture Hall. The event opened with a lecture by Pachon and concluded with a panel. Joining Pachon on the panel were Sebastian Bitar, Loewenstein Fellow and visiting associate professor of political science, and Javier Corrales, professor of political science. Both professors

New Space in Wieland Hall Dedicated to Asian Students

After months of student planning and activism, a new dedicated space for Asian students will launch this semester. The space, located in Wieland Hall, will have its grand opening later in November. The new site is intended to increase Asian students’ visibility on campus and provide a physical gathering location for the Asian Students Association (ASA), the South Asian Students association (SASA) and the Korean Students Association (KSA) to hold meetings. The location in Wieland was previously