Sweet celebrations

Grad and potential member of the class of 2038

A sunny sky and starry stage greeted the Class of 2017 at Commencement. Oprah Winfrey, Ann Tisch, and Wes Moore shared advice, college officers welcomed the new alumni, and grads and families basked in success. See photos and wrapups here, as well as a highlights reel here.

There's also video of faculty speaker Mark Youndt and class president Madison Plummer planning their big speeches; a few reflections on four years of "living so close to my best friends," "relationships with professors," "the sweet smell of Saratoga Springs," and more; and a rundown of the jobs already landed by the new grads.

Guggenheim grantees

Hurst ’97 and H arrison ’91 honored

Skidmore anthropology professor >Heather Hurst '97 won a Guggenheim Fellowship for her recreations of ancient Maya murals. Her scholarship and art entails everything from analyzing the chemistry of the Mayan artists' pigments to matching their lines and brush strokes.

Laura Somer Harrison, No Such Luck (2012)

Another Guggenheim winner this year was animator Laura Somer Harrison '91. An English and French major with MFAs in painting and film, she often addresses social outcasts and subcultures; recent work includes the prize-winning Lingerie Show and Little Red Giant, the Monster That I Was. [read more]

Also In This Issue

Class Notes

A fresh batch of alumni news, from travels to jobs to new babies, can be viewed now on the Class Notes site.

Bridge-building

A performance and research course brought dance students together with clients of the Saratoga Bridges agency for citizens with developmental disabilities.

Academic junctions

Academic Festival's 115-odd presentations of student work ranged from "hard" science, to projects blending into the social sciences and humanities, to art-blended topics, to "pure" art.

Ujima fashion show

Reflecting themes of perseverance and triumph, his year's Ujima fashion show was titled "If this melanin could speak..." [video and photo gallery]

Businesswomen

The Women in Business club used its annual conference to empower women students through engagement and discussion with impressive Skidmore alumnae. [video and podcast]

Healthy cooking 101

Armed with vegetables and grains, chef Marti Wolfson '02 joined students in the d-hall test kitchen as part of "Principles of Nutrition," taught by her former professor Paul Arciero in health and exercise sciences.

Science and music

Neuroscience professor Dominique Vuvan has earned Grammy Museum funding for her research into the brain's processing of music and lyrics-a central factor in music therapy for a range of neurological disorders.

Summer arts

Summer at Skidmore features a wide range of internationally renowned artists in residence on campus. Upcoming in the Stewart's Signature Series are The Trojan Women by the Suzuki Company of Toga, Japan, June 2–3 and Stephen Petronio Dance Company on June 15. Tickets can be ordered online or at 518-580-5321.

T’breds update

Women's tennis won awards from Rookie of the Year to Coach of the Year, while the men broke new ground with a three-time Player of the Year. Women's lacrosse produced its first two-time All-American, and two basketball All-Americans talk here about Thoroughbred life.

Regional events

NYC: Join the Pride march (co-sponsored by Diversity and Inclusion Committee) June 25; Happy hour on the Frying Pan June 27

Cape Cod: Reception with Phil and Marie Glotzbach, July 20

Unlock $150,000

An alumnus has promised $150,000 to Skidmore if 1,500 other donors make any gift by May 31. To help buck the national trend of decreased participation in college giving and make a major difference for students, give today at skidmore.edu/makeagift or call 800-584-0115.

Notable

Recent accomplishments by alumni from the classes of '15, '13, '11, '03, '96, 95, '92, '81, '66, and '59, including this work by Kate Klima Wilson '95.

In memoriam

As a service to classmates, here is a listing of deceased alumni and their online obituaries that Skidmore has recently learned of.

Sweet celebrations

Hurst ’97 and Harrison ’91 honored

Hurst ’97 and H arrison ’91 honored