Despite a wet weekend—the first rainy reunion weekend in about 14 years—947 alumni from 37 states and eight countries, including Canada, England, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, and the U.S., were on campus June 9-11. Attendees ranged from the Class of '29 to the Class of '06. With more than 500 additional guests and family members, the campus was almost as full as it is during the school year. Dining Services served 4,580 meals at special dinners and in the dining halls, including 759 lobsters Saturday at noon. Eight-hundred-twelve alums relived their Colby experience in the residence halls and brought along 84 babies, toddlers, and youngsters who participated in the child-care program.
See photos from the weekend.
Colby's 185th Commencement was about as good as they get—temperatures in the mid-70s, light breezes, bright sun. Francis Chapuredima '06 got the sweep—class speaker AND Condon medal winner—and he struck a perfect balance of wit and wisdom with both humor and heartfelt feeling. Newsweek columnist Anna Quindlen told students, "be not afraid," and urged them to resist conformity. As 465 bachelors degrees were awarded the only delay was minor—when James Bennett '06 was unable to get up the steps because of a broken ankle, President Bro Adams had to descend from the platform, himself hobbled by recent knee surgery. The entire event is online—videos, transcripts, and photos—at www.colby.edu/commencement.
Recent grads can keep in touch with their classmates, find alums in their new neighborhoods, and job network online using the alumni directory. If you're looking for housing or a roommate, the alumni bulletin boards may be a good place to start. If you've never registered, visit the alumni directory to get started. You'll need your seven-digit number from your Colby magazine mailing label, or you can e-mail us at bluelight@colby.edu to request that number. If you've registered and can't remember your login information drop us an e-mail at the same address.
Donors and administrators lined up on May 26 with hardhats and bright silver spades for the ceremonial groundbreaking for Pulver Pavilion. The pavilion project will add 8,000 square feet and will renovate 14,000 more in Cotter Union. "At the end of the day, that's why we're all here: it's for the students," said trustee David Pulver '63 at a lunch honoring him, his wife, Carol, and daughter, Stephanie Pulver '93, for spearheading and supporting the project. View photos from the event or read more about the addition and see an artist's rendering.
Colby is the alma mater of three banking legends, said an article in the May 12 Euroweek. "This august centre of learning produced none other than Robert Diamond ['73] of Barclays Capital, Steve Cummings ['77] of Wachovia Securities and the late, great, Edson Mitchell ['75] of Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank." E-mail ootb@colby.edu if you'd like a copy of the full story.
Congratulations to three faculty members who will hold named chairs beginning September 2. President Bro Adams announced that Ariel Armony will be the Audrey Wade Hittinger Katz and Sheldon Toby Katz Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of Government, Fernando Gouvea will hold the Carter Professorship in Mathematics, and Hanna Roisman (classics) will be the inaugural holder of the Bartlett Professorship.
Colby had 39 athletes named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Spring All-Academic Team in track and field, crew, lacrosse, baseball, and softball. See the full list. Seventeen students were named All Americans in 2005-06 including two who were All Americans in more than one season—Jason Foster '06 (indoor track and outdoor track) and Jess Minty '06 (indoor track and cross country). See the complete list.
The April 2006 issue of On-Campus Hospitality magazine had a full-page feature titled "Vegetarian, Vegan Foods Boost Student Satisfaction at Colby." It begins, "Dining services at Colby College, Waterville, Maine, has long been considered among the best in the nation," and in the article, which features a photo of Foss dining hall, Director of Dining Services Varun Avasthi estimates that 20 percent of Colby students are vegetarians.
