Stripped of the fame and glory of movie stars or big-shot directors, documentary filmmakers often stand far from the spotlight and let their subjects speak instead. In “First Position,” the debut documentary feature by Bess Kargman ’04, the greatest voices come not from words but from body language.
A retired Naval Reserve officer, an expert on nuclear arms and the Department of State’s Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs, there is no doubt that Bonnie D. Jenkins has played — and continues to play — a significant role in maintaining the security of our nation. However, her path to her current role was one of exploration and excitement, well-suited for her well-rounded and fearless nature — and her appetite for new experiences has not ceased yet.
An Energetic Childhood
If you have ever flipped through the channels and found yourself watching MTV’s show “Celebrity Rehab” or a “Teen Mom Reunion” then you have laid your eyes on Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of these reality television shows. Dr. Pinsky, or Dr. Drew, is a member of the Amherst College Class of 1980, the first co-ed graduating class.
Whisked away from her usual routine to cover the reporting of Hurricane Sandy, one might have expected Betsy McKay ’83 to be flustered rather than composed and ready to tackle the issue. But McKay, the Atlanta bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, is no stranger to excitement. As a foreign correspondent in Russia for the WSJ, McKay won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage and analysis of the Russian financial crisis of 1998. Although McKay currently works in a slightly less volatile environment, she remains focused on her demanding and often eventful job.
Many of us recall a steady diet of comics as part of our childhood, be it “Calvin and Hobbes,” Marvel heroes, “Asterix” or “Tintin.” Whether or not we had a habit of stealing the funny pages, many of us may not be aware that the artist behind one of America’s most widespread and beloved newspaper strips, “FoxTrot,” is Amherst’s own William “Bill” Amend III, class of 1984.
First Drafts
Bolstered by stingy defense and a relentless, high-tempo style on offense, the men’s soccer team captured its second consecutive NESCAC championship last weekend, beating Williams 2-0 in the final to secure the trophy.
“Winning a NESCAC title against Williams is something that every Amherst soccer player dreams of doing,” co-captain James Mooney ’13E said.
The undefeated Jeffs (15-0-2, 8-0-2 NESCAC) earned back-to-back league titles for the first time in school history. Amherst has now won three of the past five NESCAC championships.
By the time the NBA season rolls around every October, I’ve had way too much time to tout all the potential it represents. Fortunately, winning basketball games is a moving target, so there are surprises when rubber finally does meet road for NBA teams. For example, high-profile teams that sputter out of the gate (hello, Lakers!) are derided as being talented only on paper — which is to say that the expectations fueled by previous performance fail to materialize in the new season. So how do we make sense of that gap between performance and expectations?
