This afternoon, Professor of History Patrick Rael and Geoffrey Canada Associate Professor of Africana Studies and History Brian Purnell will kick off a four part discussion series inspired by the New York Times Magazine’s “The 1619 Project.” The series, sponsored by the history department, was inspired by the social and political movements that swept across the United States after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers in May.
President Clayton Rose announced preliminary plans to reschedule commencement exercises in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in an email to the Class of 2020 on Thursday morning. Rose stated that, in addition to a virtual gathering on May 23, current seniors will be invited back to the College in May 2021 to walk across the steps of the Walker Art Building.
On a chilly Saturday morning last weekend, three Polar Bears earned their bid to Nationals at the New England DIII Cross Country Championships. Caroline Shipley ’20 finished the women’s 6K in seventh place with a time of 21:38.5, with Delaney Bullock ’22 close behind her in 13th.
On Thursday evening, students packed David Saul Smith Union to hear Patrick Dempsey H’13, former star of the hit ABC show “Grey’s Anatomy,” deliver the annual No Hate November keynote address. Dempsey sat down with Marcus Williams ’21, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) chair of diversity and inclusion, to discuss their experiences with dyslexia.
Last November, the College announced a policy to increase the number of veterans that apply and are admitted to each graduating class. Ten veterans in total submitted applications this year, and two were accepted as transfer students.
At a glance, Maurice Butler ’74 and Amir Parker ’19 have much in common. It was a passion for the sport that drew both athletes to walk onto the College’s football program. But the team Butler encountered, with just one African American player, was another world compared to Parker’s experience 40 years later.
On a humid August night in 1970, Maurice “Moe” Butler ’74 dropped his trunk at the steps of Smith Union as he headed to dinner. A day early for first-year orientation, Butler could not access his dorm and, with $20 left in his pocket, looked for a patch of floor to spend the night.
The Merciless Debate Society, an unofficial discussion group based in Coles Tower, is dedicated to President Clayton Rose’s often-mentioned principle of “intellectual fearlessness.” The students of this group hope to “mercilessly” confront and debate topics that they believe are often ignored on campus.
As the postseason approaches, the women’s hockey team is facing a lot of pressure to keep its season alive. With a losing record for the season, the Polar Bears (3-16-1, NESCAC 2-10) need to defeat both Connecticut College (9-8-2, NESCAC 5-5-2) and Trinity (8-9-3, NESCAC 5-4-3) in the next two weeks to be able to compete in the NESCAC Championships.
In the last decade, more out transgender and non-binary students have chosen to participate in college athletics across the country. In the last five years, Bowdoin has supported at least three athletes during their transitions and as they navigated joining new teams.
Although Bowdoin announced a new initiative to enroll military veterans last week, the strategy the College will employ to integrate these non-traditional students into campus life once they are admitted, remains to be seen. With the absence of a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Bowdoin, this is a surprising development for the College.
Few people have a life story more interesting or unexpected than Bowdoin Equipment Manager Chap Nelson’s—or “Chappy” as he’s commonly known. From dreams of playing major league baseball in Florida, to becoming Colby’s assistant baseball coach while still a college student himself to his current freelance work as a professional scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, there is only one thing as big as Chappy’s personality: his network of friends.
A liberal arts education is tailored to fit each student’s unique interests and career path, but as Jake Stenquist ’19 realized, there was neither a major nor minor at Bowdoin that would fully prepare him for his experience in the Marines’ Officer Candidate School (OCS).
Nestled in a corner of the Watson Arena parking lot and enclosed by a high fence, it is easy to overlook the tennis courts and discount the level of athletic ability and competition unfolding there. But the women’s tennis team, honored last season by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for academic and athletic excellence, looks forward to representing Bowdoin as it continues its fall season and prepares for the spring.
For the women’s soccer team, the 2018 season has begun with intense training, learning and excitement for the future.
After five games, the team stands at 2-2-1 (1-2-0 NESCAC). It started the season off with a draw against Babson College (3-3-1), followed by a 1-0 loss to Amherst (4-1-0), a 4-0 win against Bates (2-3-0), a 2-0 loss against Wesleyan (4-2-0) and a 7-0 win against the University of Maine Farmington (0-7-0).
SAILING TO VICTORY
Last weekend the sailing team battled fierce currents and bad weather as they competed in regattas in three different states. A four-person crew, consisting of Alden Grimes ’21, Rowan Byrne ’21, Kelsey Slack ’21 and Matt Safford ’20, won the Harman Trophy at the Penobscot Bay Open hosted by Maine Maritime Academy.
All eyes were on the men’s soccer team (2-2-0) on Tuesday as it took the field in a non-conference game against Husson University (1-4-1) that ended in a 2-1 win for the Polar Bears. Over opening weekend, the team lost two games to Amherst (2-0-0) and St.
NEED SOME ASSISTANCE?
In a landslide victory, the men’s soccer team (1-0-0) defeated the University of New England (1-1-0) 4-0 on Tuesday in its first game of the season. Matty McColl ’19 set a new program record for assists in a single game, aiding all four Polar Bear goals.
Pinned to every wall and corkboard around campus is a recruitment poster for women’s rugby, seeking members of all body types and every athletic ability. In recent years, Bowdoin’s rugby program has expanded, welcoming first years to the team even before they step on campus.
Nearly six months ago, four Bowdoin women stood on the national championship podium after winning the indoor track distance medley relay, capping off an exceptional season for the Polar Bears. Many of the runners on the women’s indoor track and field team will also run cross country this fall, carrying last spring’s momentum onto the courses later this month.
The men’s tennis team is heading into the NESCAC Championship on the heels of the team’s most successful season in program history. To cap off the team’s success, all three seniors captains are graduating with their names on the Bowdoin men’s tennis record books for achievements in both doubles and singles play.
Ranked second in the nation going into weekend play, the men’s tennis team (12-1, NESCAC 3-1) suffered its first defeat of the season in a surprising 8-1 loss to No. 3 Middlebury (14-3, NESCAC 4-1) on Saturday, ending a 12-game win streak.
The women’s lacrosse team (9-3, NESCAC 4-3) is on a three-game winning streak after beating Bates, Wheaton and, most recently, Colby in an extremely tight 12-11 game on Wednesday.
The Polar Bears, who were not ranked at the beginning of the season, have had to quickly prove themselves among the NESCAC’s elite teams.
In a packed stadium in Rochester, Minn., the women’s basketball team (29-3, NESCAC 9-1) faced defending champion Amherst (33-0, NESCAC 10-0) in the NCAA Division III championship. While the first three quarters remained close, the Mammoths pulled away from the Polar Bears in the final quarter, winning 65-45.
For the first time in league history, the men’s hockey team has not made it to the first round of the NESCAC tournament. In a final grab for ranking points last weekend, the men’s hockey team was defeated by Tufts and Connecticut College, dropping the team to ninth in the NESCAC and effectively eliminating the Polar Bears from the tournament.
The women’s basketball team (21-1, NESCAC 7-1) is continuing its strong play and has now won over 20 games for its fourth year in a row after beating Middlebury 70-52 on Friday. This is the ninth time the Polar Bears have reached this plateau in the 10 years Head Coach Adrienne Shibles has been leading the program.
Just hours after celebrating the holidays with their families, Bowdoin’s basketball players were conditioning for NESCAC conference games in the tropics of Florida. Their hard work paid off as the team returned from break with two wins this past weekend, beating Colby 83-77 after losing to the Mules in a close non-conference game earlier this season, and beating Pine Manor 73-67.
The dance department’s annual December show allows students, both novice and advanced, to show off their skills in dance, choreography and staging. This year’s show, without the usual guest performances and more elaborate staging, put the spotlight on the department’s class projects.
Racing in the New England Regional on the fairway of a golf course last Saturday, men’s cross country captain Ben Torda ’18 placed seventh, qualifying for the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championship which will be held in Illinois.
In nice weather, some students choose to sit on the quad. Members of the Bowdoin Fencing Club, however, choose to duel on the Bowdoin College Museum of Art steps.
While the majority of practices are held in Sargent Gym, the team has been trying to garner more interest for the club by practicing publicly.
“What happened last October?” Tatana Kellner asked students gathered at the popup show for her printmaking installation “Please Exit, Doors are Closing” on Tuesday in the Edwards Center for Art and Dance. Answer: the 2016 presidential debates, a time during which Kellner was working and reflecting on questions surrounding immigration policy in America.
While most students enjoyed a well-deserved break from college life last weekend, Bowdoin’s cross country teams travelled to Boston to compete against fellow NESCAC and some Division I teams in the New England Invitational after placing first in both the Bowdoin Invitational I and II.
Consistency is easy to find at Bowdoin: in the chimes of the bells, the dinners served at 5 p.m. and parties every weekend. But for some children in the Brunswick area, a Bowdoin mentor’s presence each week is their only constant.
On Thursday, Hawthorne-Longfellow Library hosted the first in a series of humanities-focused faculty book launches.
Throughout the course of the year, six professors will introduce their newly published works, in a format intended to spark conversations.
