Members of the college community had the opportunity to see six new exhibits at the Mead Art Museum during a reception on Thursday, Sept. 8 celebrating the museum’s renovation. This is the first major renovation to the Mead under director David Little, who arrived at the museum in summer 2015. The last renovation of this scale took place six years ago.
After the state of Massachusetts issued a regional drought watch in early July, President Biddy Martin notified students, faculty and staff of the drought’s effects on the college in an email on Aug. 18, calling on the community to aid in the college’s water conservation efforts.
Acclaimed writer and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates gave a talk titled “Race in America” in LeFrak Gymnasium on Tuesday, Sept. 13. For an hour, Coates spoke on the history and his own experiences of being black in America, then spent another half hour answering questions from the audience.
The talk was open to the public, with seating preference given to members of the Amherst community, and the gymnasium was filled to capacity with nearby overflow locations streaming the talk.
On May 7, 2016, students gathered to arrange and light votive candles on the social quad — their individually small but collectively voluminous flames could be seen flickering in the wind by those dancing on the inward-facing windowsills of Crossett and Pond. This past spring, on the last Saturday before finals period — a few days after a keg found its way out of a window in Pond and a few days before the ultimate bulldozing of the social dorms — students organized a vigil to celebrate the space’s existence or destruction, or both.
Space. The Final Frontier. You know the rest. On Sept. 7, 2016, fans all across the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek”. Who would have guessed that a high concept science fiction television show with a focus on social commentary would have ever caught on? Infamous for its tumultuous production, the franchise that was saved by syndication has survived and even thrived, becoming ingrained in our popular culture and consciousness. However, today’s audience May find it difficult to grasp what makes “Star Trek” so important.
Here’s a list of some of the concerts in the area this month to help you transition out of the seemingly endless days of summer concert going. New shows are added regularly, so be sure to keep an eye on your favorite artists (the app “Bandsintown” is great) and venues in the area — we’re lucky to have some amazing venues right in Northampton. Happy listening!
Disclaimer: This is totally based off my taste in music, although I didn’t include the ABBA tribute band that is going to be in Northampton (I saw them in 2011).
Exactly one year ago, I found myself sitting on the sofa in the Multicultural Resource Center, sitting among other members of the Asian Students Association. I was unsettled by the natural discomfort of occupying a space filled with unfamiliar faces, yet struck by how comfortable I felt in a room with no one I knew.
