The Student Sums it Up: Wednesday, May 11, 2022

In 1821, Amherst College was founded with the mission to educate “indigent [poor] young men of piety and talents for the Christian ministry.” In the past 200 years, how has this mission been delivered, and how has it evolved? Managing news editors Caelen McQuilkin and Sonia Chajet-Wides pose us this question, and, in a two-part investigative series entitled “Accessing Amherst,” they deliver us an answer. It's a worthy achievement that Amherst is the second-most-diverse LAC in the nation, according to Niche. But the fact that, as of 2017, 60% of the student body comes from the wealthiest 20%, and 21% comes from the wealthiest 1% throws into question Amherst’s claim to diversity. What work has been done to diversify Amherst, and how have these efforts fallen short? Today, Caelen and Sonia will bring us the story.