COA Volume 5 I Number 2 Fall 2009 JNDO THIS is FOR SUPERFIX The College of the Atlantic Magazine COA Mission: Letter from the Editor College of the Atlantic enriches the liberal arts tradition through a distinctive educational philoso- Back in September I visited Annabel Linquist '00 in phy-human ecology. A human her Manhattan studio at the fringe of the old ware- house district in Chelsea. It was one of those late ecological perspective integrates knowledge from all academic dis- summer days when it is hard to tell the difference ciplines and from personal experi- between mugginess and grimy rain, but Annabel's ence to investigate-and ultimately studio was light and white, with high ceilings that Photo by Bill Carpenter. improve-the relationships between comfortably accommodated her large paintings. As human beings and our social and we stood surrounded by images of dark green rain- natural communities. The human bow-like arches, hot air balloons and diving masks-human attempts to explore ecological perspective guides all the heights and depths of life-Annabel cocked her head and said, "I had my aspects of education, research, ac- heart broken..." I wanted to reach out to this young woman, dwarfed by her tivism, and interactions among the artwork, by the very painting that is now on the cover of this magazine, but she college's students, faculty, staff, and was still talking. "I realized he had touched some essential part of me, something trustees. The College of the Atlantic I needed to understand." Annabel was not speaking of protecting herself or bury- community encourages, prepares, ing her sorrow-no. With amazing courage and clarity, she was talking about and expects students to gain exper- sending those diving bells deep within herself to examine the wounds, knowing tise, breadth, values, and practical that with enough attention she would learn what this relationship and its lesions experience necessary to achieve had to teach her, and could use that knowledge to transform herself-and in the individual fulfillment and to help process create objects of wonder and mystery. solve problems that challenge com- A few weeks later, I talked with Emily Troutman '01. She had recently been in the munities everywhere. Democratic Republic of the Congo, among people who have endured a decade of civil war. Upon returning to her home state of Maryland, she found that dear friends had lost their baby and had their house robbed-on the very same night. "I needed to find a way to transform my anger," she said to me. And so she began writing and thinking, and came to the concept for a video that won her a "Citizen Cover: Ambassador" role at the United Nations (page 60). (Anchor) Undo Disaster by Annabel Underlying this issue of COA are numerous efforts at transformation, large and Linquist '00, 36" X 60," silkscreen, small, personal and public. The focus is on food systems, on how we produce latex, china marker, graphite and and distribute and obtain and alter the very subsistence of our lives. If ever there oil stick on canvas, 2010. (See full were an area needing transformation, it would be this one. And our alumni-Nell story on pages 19-21.) Newman '87 among them-already have begun. Through Nell's work, the sacred tents of our supermarket chains, not to mention the coffee urns of the McDon- Back Cover: ald's franchises in New England, have now found space for organic foods. Skip by Meryl Mekeel '09, 36" X It is a cloudy fall night as I sit at my desk in Turrets wondering what it is that al- 34," digital photograph, 2009. lows our students to move into the world with eyes so wide open that they see not only what is, but what could be. As I stare out the window, pondering the H.G."Skip" Brack was question, the wind shifts, the clouds break up and the full moon rides high in the photographed by Mekeel in his sky, rippling its reflection in the tide below. Hulls Cove Tool Barn as part of her senior project, Environmental Is it the ever-changing beauty of this coastal spot in Maine? Is it our students, who Portrait Photography. arrive already engaged and curious? Or is it the education offered at College of the Atlantic? I imagine it is some sort of synergy of the above-these bright minds active in a place of nature, where the fundamentals of existence are spread out around them. Here, within the beauty and tragedy that is life, these creative, thoughtful students are encouraged to develop the tools they will need to move out into the world, and trained to hone their own clarity, courage and concern so that they can push beyond the expected, personally and professionally, and Mixed Sources PRINTED WITH transform their lives and those around them. Product group from -managed 30% CERTIFIED forests, controlled sources and recycled wood or fiber WIND FSC www.fsc.org Cert no. SW-COC-002129 © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council POWER Printed on recycled paper with Damn Gold gold vegetable-based inks on equipment Donna Gold using 100% wind-generated power. Editor, COA features COA The College of the Atlantic Magazine Volume 5 Number 2 Fall 2009 Letter from the President 2 COA Beat Articles 3 EDITOR Donna Gold EDITORIAL GUIDANCE Heather Albert-Knopp'99 Notes from a Watson Journey 4 Richard Borden Mackenzie Delta Oliver Bruce '10 By Brett Ciccotelli '09 Dianne Clendaniel Jennifer Hughes Marine Mammal Conference 6 Danielle Meier '08 Matt Shaw '11 Waterbird Society: Seabird Habitats 7 Rebecca Hope Woods on Great Duck Island EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Bill Carpenter ALUMNI CONSULTANTS Lessons from White Earth Jill Barlow-Kelley 10 Dianne Clendaniel By Johannah Berstein '83 DESIGN Rebecca Hope Woods In Search of the Amazing Mr. Forbush 13 PRINTING JS McCarthy Printers By Sean Todd, Steven K. Katona Chair in Marine Sciences Augusta, Maine Oral History: Pam Parvin '93 16 COA ADMINISTRATION Poetry 18 David Hales Andrew Griffiths By Jenny George '02 President Administrative Dean Sarah Baker Kenneth Hill Psychic Alchemist: Selections from the Holy Map Series 19 Dean of Admission Academic Dean By Annabal Linquist '00 Lynn Boulger Sarah Luke Dean of Development Associate Dean of Student Life Fiction: Almost Like Flying 22 Ken Cline Sean Todd Prologue: The Boy Named Davy, Utica, New York: 1943-46 Associate Dean Associate Dean for Faculty for Advanced Studies By Marni Berger '09 BOARD OF TRUSTEES William G. Foulke, Jr. Leslie C. Brewer Chairman Treasurer Feed the World Elizabeth D. Hodder Ronald E. Beard Co-Vice Chair Secretary Sustainable Farming and Food Systems at COA 25 Casey Mallinckrodt and Around the World Co-Vice Chair by Heather Albert-Knopp '99 *** Edward McC. Blair Phyllis Anina Moriarty Digging In: A photo essay of four alumni-owned Maine farms 26 Life Trustee Philip S.J. Moriarty by Matt Mclnnis '09 T. A. Cox William V.P. Newlin Amy Yeager Geier Life Trustee Organics for the Masses: Nell Newman '87 30 James M. Gower Elizabeth Nitze Life Trustee Helen Porter Planting Peace, Bringing it Home 32 George B.E. Hambleton Cathy L. Ramsdell '78 Samuel M. Hamill, Jr. Trustee Emeritus Technology's Trojan Horse 35 Life Trustee lan Illuminato '06 researches nanoparticles in our foods Charles E. Hewett John Reeves Life Trustee Sherry F. Huber Beech Hill Farm Remembers a Decade 36 Trustee Emeritus Hamilton Robinson, Jr. Henry L.P. Schmelzer by Eliza Worrick, COA intern John N. Kelly Life Trustee Henry D. Sharpe, Jr. Philip B. Kunhardt III '77 Life Trustee James A. Lewicki Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. Susan Storey Lyman Life Trustee Life Trustee William N. Thorndike Suzanne Folds McCullagh Class, Faculty and Community Notes 37 Cody van Heerden Sarah A. McDaniel '93 John Wilmerding In Memoriam 43 Jay McNally '84 Trustee Emeritus Donor Profile: Environmentalist Horace "Hoddy" Hildreth, Jr. 44 COA is published twice each year for the College of the Atlantic community. Please send ideas, letters and Annual Report FY 2008-2009 45 submissions (we are always looking for short stories, COA Awards poetry and especially revisits to human ecology es- 58 says) to: Q&A with Emily Troutman '01 60 COA Magazine College of the Atlantic Human Ecology Essay Revisited 61 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 A Human Ecologist's Journey www.coa.edu By Cory Whitney '03 Letter from the President In September, COA convened Food for Thought, Time for Action, a major interna- tional conference on the sustainability of food systems around the world. In October, COA students and faculty were omnipresent at the international Society for Marine Mammalogy conference, with twenty peer-reviewed presentations. In December, COA will send a fully accredited delegation of two faculty members and fifteen stu- dents to participate in the Copenhagen negotiations on climate change. This winter, our largest contingent ever will participate in our term-long concentrated course of study in the Yucatan peninsula. And, on October 23, one of our alumni, Emily Trout- man '01, was introduced to the General Assembly of the United Nations as one of five UN Citizen Ambassadors. David Hales. Photo by David Camburn. Our "home" campus is on an island off the coast of Maine, but more than ever, our "classroom" is the world. That doesn't mean that our world doesn't include our immediate vicinity. Our work with the Bar Harbor Chamber of Com- merce is literally changing the way energy is used on the island. Through our connection with the social entrepreneurship enterprise, Ashoka U, we will be working even more with the Mount Desert Island community to make this corner of Maine as sustainable as possible. Our Geographic Information Systems laboratory remains the reference system for all the governments on the island, and was at the core of the work of Acadia National Park and the National Park Service in ad- dressing the wasteful light pollution that threatens to steal the beauty of the night sky from our children. In the process of balancing our budget in difficult economic times, we still contributed more than $23 million to the economy of Hancock County, funds that ultimately assist a state struggling with the loss of jobs. It goes without saying that the experiences inherent in a College of the Atlantic education transform the lives of our stu- dents, preparing them for responsible roles in a changing and challenging world. We are also influencing the world in the broadest sense. We do not have a climate problem, a water problem, a biodiversity problem, a human rights problem. We have a prob- lem. The challenges that we face are based in the way we humans have organized ourselves to occupy, manipulate and exploit our habitat and our planet. As I have said before, I believe that by the end of this century, we will live in a world that is sustainable, peaceful and just, or we will live in a world that is unstable, violent and insecure. To move with purpose and intention to a more sustainable future, we must understand the relationships among humans and the systems we have cre- ated, as well as understand the nature of change in those systems. We must strategically project the implications of what we learn and develop the skills and wisdom to make effective choices among practical alternatives. This is the study and practice of human ecology and this is the mission of College of the Atlantic. Progressive educational institutions-exemplified by College of the Atlantic-will be the crucible in which both individual and societal responses to this challenge are shaped. In this issue of COA, you'll be introduced in a very personal way to many of the items I mentioned above, to other ac- tions we're taking and to the people who are leading them. Keep following their stories at our newly redesigned website: www.coa.edu. Sr David Hales, COA President 2 COA COA is a Changemaker Campus And we're not the only ones saying it! By Samantha Haskell '10 and Donna Gold College of the At- Through directed conversations about regional issues, re- lantic has been sources and long-term visions, the group decided upon named a "change- three goals: maker campus" by Ashoka, the Better coordinating COA's many applied sustainabil- Among those looking into the three-year plan- ning for COA as a Changemaker Campus world's largest net- ity classes are, from left to right, Samantha Haskell '10, work of social en- Ashoka U staff member Neela Rajendra, Kate Solidifying avenues of connection between the COA trepreneurs, whose Christian '10 and Joslyn Richardson '12. campus and the MDI community Photo by Bob Karetsky of Ashoka U. founder, Bill Dray- ton, was called "the Spreading Social Economic and Environmental De- godfather of the social entrepreneur movement" by The velopment (or SEED) to other colleges New York Times. This global nonprofit fostering social, environmental and economic change recently launched Noah Hodgetts '10 is the COA project manager. He'll be Ashoka U to work with five college campuses a year- working with Jay Friedlander, the Sharpe-McNally Chair in including COA. Green and Socially Responsible Business, and Kate Macko, In October, some thirty students, faculty, staff and local Sustainable Business Program administrator, to promote community members spent a weekend brainstorming what intermediate goals, such as looking into how COA teaches COA and Ashoka could focus on during their three-year sustainability, inventorying applied learning opportunities collaboration to make both Mount Desert Island and COA on MDI, increasing food systems education on campus more sustainable socially, economically, and environmen- and undertaking community agriculture education and tally. By Sunday, Ashoka's project coordinator Lennon support projects. Flowers could hardly contain her delight in the college. Ashoka U is in its second year of working with colleges "The fundamental principles shared by many of today's and universities. This year's other partner schools are Bab- leading social entrepreneurs-humility, empathy, creativ- son College, University of Colorado at Boulder, The New ity, and a commitment to a brighter future-are built into School and Tulane University. These schools will also con- the College of the Atlantic lifestyle, appearing in everything nect with last year's partner universities: Cornell, George from the campus cafeteria to the dorm waste facilities, and Mason, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Maryland. especially in the people who call COA home," she said. According to Lennon, despite COA being the smallest "COA students arrive inspired-they are ready to act in a school Ashoka U has worked with, it had the largest plan- way that is revolutionary, intentioned and impactful." ning meeting of any of the ten schools, and the only one attended by people from the local community. New Carbon Offsets Purchased Rajakaruna Returns COA funding a truck stop And COA plans three more electrification program faculty hires College of the Atlantic has been NetZero for carbon emis- In 2008, concern over the troubled economy caused COA sions since 2007. What emissions we can't reduce or to suspend three of five faculty searches. This fall, a higher- avoid, we offset. This year, COA offsets support truck stop than-expected bottom line has encouraged the college to electrification through Carbonfund.org, providing electric- reopen two of the three suspended searches. ity to drivers at truck stops to eliminate engine idling. Nishanta Rajakaruna '94, or Nishi, who five years ago Long-haul truck drivers must take a ten-hour rest period took the late Craig Greene's position as faculty member in for every eleven hours on the road. Typically, drivers idle botany-and in 2008 left for a stronger research position- their trucks during those hours; the engines heat or cool has realized his heart is with COA and its students. He the cab and power appliances and electronics. But idling has decided to return and will officially begin in the fall of produces carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. 2010. COA is also searching for an anthropologist, the Al- By providing electric outlets for truckers to plug in, the lan Stone Chair in Visual Arts and the Chair in Sustainable earth is spared the emissions from about a gallon of diesel Food Systems. an hour. COA 3 Mackenzie Delta Notes from a Watson Journey By Brett Ciccotelli '09 Brett Ciccotelli calls his Watson journey, Change Along the Banks: Explorations in River Deltas and Coastal Wetlands. He is currently in Italy, and plans to continue his pursuit of rivers and their people in Mexico, Bangladesh and Egypt. We will hear from our other two Watson Fellows, Nick Jenei '09 and Michael Keller '09, in the spring issue of COA. The endless sunshine of seventy Arctic summers and the harsh winds of seventy Arctic winters have darkened and wrin- kled her face and grayed her long dark hair. Seventy years of happiness and hardships are etched into her skin. Yet for her age, her five-foot frame is incredibly agile, her arms still strong, and her hands quick with a knife. On the eastern shore of the Mackenzie Delta, Alice is at home. On a good day her husband John and friends bring six or more large fish to her table every three hours-from early morning until midnight. And with skill acquired from her ancestors, and honed on countless white and coney fish, she cleans and prepares each one for drying. She hangs the fillets on bare wooden beams in the smokehouse, or outside to dry under the unending light of twenty-four hour days. While she works, Alice laughs easily, smiles often, and talks fondly about the times when dozens of families would come to this spot in the summer to amass dry fish stores for the long winter. Today many of the fish Alice smokes are sold in town, a reality that troubles her. She worries that too few people still have the desire to fish in the bush, or even know how to do it. She remembers the long marches through the snow with dog teams from her childhood-marches where both man and dog were fueled by fish dried during the short Arctic summer. But, she says, times change and these fillets are worth twenty dollars a piece in town, so she chases away any jays, ravens, or weasels that get too close to the drying fish. When enough fish have been smoked, the weather turns foul, or Alice is ready to return for the weekend's bingo tourna- ment in town, John packs up the fish, rifles and dogs and helps Alice into the boat. The forty-kilometer trip back to Inuvik, in the Northwest Territories, takes nearly two hours-during which time the boat passes a handful of other bush camps. The camps are built from old school buses, logs, scrapwood, storage trailers, or Hudson Bay Company trading posts. Like many of the twenty-five thousand lakes in the Mackenzie Delta, these camps are perched on banks nearly three meters above the surface of the muddy river. The beaches are covered in large tracks from errant grizzly bears and wolves. Ducks, geese, swans, eagles, loons, gulls, cranes and mosquitoes continually fly overhead. The delta is Canada's largest, and the second largest delta in the Arctic. It has been growing along the southern coast of the Arctic Ocean since the retreat of the last continental glacier nearly ten thousand years ago. Its muddy depths are made from the deposition of the eroding Rocky Mountains and the soils of northern Canada. The delta is still growing; thick mud and sediments create and wash away new banks every day. Hidden beneath this mud are natural gas deposits and mammoth tusks. Since the river rises drastically in spring and fall, there are almost no permanent docks along the banks. In- stead, many of the boats in town are tied to one an- other in nautical knots that end with one boat lashed to a small branch driven lightly into the mud. When Alice's boat arrives, its berth is no different. After dock- ing, they locate someone with a driver's license and a few minutes to spare and soon Alice, John, and the week's bounty of fish are loaded into their truck and on their way home. Unlike the log cabin and canvas tents of the bush, their home in town is a prefabricated aluminum apartment joined to dozens of others and raised on stilts above the permanently frozen soil. The city of Inuvik sits on the eastern edge of the ex- Looking west over the delta. The East Channel of the Mackenzie Riv- er is visible in the bottom left corner. The haze over the delta is from pansive Mackenzie Delta. It was built in the 1950s large fires in the nearby Yukon Territory. All photos taken by Brett Ciccotelli '09. when the only other major settlement in the region 4 COA was constantly threatened with flooding. Its construction was also fueled by the need for a permanent settlement to act as a gateway to the Arctic's rich mineral and petrol resources and a physical mark of Canadian sovereignty above the Arctic Circle. When not in camp eating fresh fish and cari- bou, much of Alice and John's food, like most in Inuvik, comes frozen, canned, processed, overripe, over-priced and from far to the south, symptoms of the communities' remote- ness and of the cultural assimilation policies of the not-so-distant past: policies that forced southern culture, religion and behavior on the northern aboriginals. Today there are move- ments afoot to help the residents of Inuvik en- joy a fresh and healthier diet. Nearly ten years On one of the many lakes scattered in the delta on a trip for drinking water. ago, an indoor community garden opened in the town's old hockey rink. It provides plots for citizens to take advantage of endless summer days to grow their own produce. Meanwhile nonprofit groups advocate for healthy northern diets through outreach and education. Alice's relationship to her drinking water is also different in town. In the bush John obtains fresh drinking water directly from nearby lakes; in town it must pass from the tap through a water filter to remove some of the abundant heavy metals that come north with other industrial air pollutants. The proximity of the town's waste water treatment, labeled on maps as the "sewage lagoon," reinforces the need for personal water treatment. Inuvik is also troubled by an overabundance of youth gangs that roam the town's few streets-streets that, at least in sum- mer, are home to a few dozen friendly homeless residents struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. And yet, Inuvik is still a community with incredible pride and generosity. It sits in a region familiar with change and challenges-defined by sea- sonal, rather than daily sunsets and sunrises, blistering winters and blinding summers, abundance and scarcity. With glob- al climate change and new pressures for its mineral and fuel resources, the town and delta have an uncertain future. The millions of migrating waterfowl, hundreds of fish species, scores of marine mammals, moose, wolves, bears, caribou herds and uncountable insects that depend on the delta need to be recognized as resources more valuable than the gas and oil locked beneath it; and the thousands of northern people and their communities around the delta and Arctic coast need to be recognized and respected as more than tools for national sovereignty. Alice hard at work preparing fillets and hanging them to dry. COA 5 Extraordinary COA Presence at Marine Mammal Conference At the 2009 Biennial Conference on the Biology of Ma- Dominique Walk '09 used GIS to map whale entangle- rine Mammals in October-the quintessential professional ment risks as a way of finding a holistic approach to the gathering on marine mammals worldwide with 2,500 at- management of whales and fisheries, mapping both lob- tendees-twenty presentations came from COA (ten from ster gear positions and concurrent sightings of whales. research conducted at the Edward McC. Blair Mount Des- ert Rock Research Station). While it might be typical for a So who are these devoted researchers? Brooks, Scurci, Be- large-sized institution to contribute five or ten abstracts, audette, Walk, Howes and Colby Moore, MPhil '09 are COA's level of scientific productivity by faculty, alumni, the senior authors who did their work while at COA. Eliza- staff and students is downright extraordinary. beth Morrell '12, Solomon Spigel '12 and Jacqueline Bort, MPhil '11 are contributing authors to other papers. Sherri Even more exceptional is that eight of these presentations Eldridge, a Hancock County special student, received hon- come from current students or recent graduates-and six orable mention in the "most innovative study" award for are senior authors-two as first-year students! examining connections between whale and elephant sen- sory perception, based on her final project for Todd's 2008 With hours spent underwater and traveling great distances, Marine Mammals and Sound class. whales are a hard study. Thanks, however, to photographic identifications in Allied Whale's North Atlantic Humpback Also presenting were faculty researchers Sean Todd and Whale Catalog, it's possible to follow individual whales Chris Petersen, faculty member in biology; Allied Whale year after year. As the whales mate and calve, researchers researchers Judy Allen and Rosemary Seton; and many can study entire families, piecing together social structure, alumni: Jessica Damon '99, Dan DenDanto '91, Julianne habits and travels, thereby aiding conservation. Kearney '06, Christine Mahaffey, MPhil '06, Robin Sewall '06, Toby Stephenson '98, Peter Stevick '81, Greg Stone Three COA student papers focused on migrations: '82 and Courtney Vashro '99. Additionally, Steve Katona, former COA president and Allied Whale founder, was sin- While most humpbacks that breed in the West Indies gled out as an early force behind international collabora- migrate to the North Atlantic to feed, some go to Ice- tion, and Allen, now COA registrar, and Stevick '81 were land. Or do they? As a first-year student, Virginia Brooks mentioned as outstanding organizers and researchers. Also '12 looked into the migrations of humpbacks feeding off present were members of Todd's Marine Mammals class. Iceland to see if they're more likely to breed in the Cape Verde Islands or the West Indies. Todd reported that many of his colleagues commented on how progressive COA was in sending students to a profes- Adrianna Beaudette '11 looked into why whales stop off sional conference. One esteemed scientist was heard to in Bermuda, midway in their migration from the Gulf of say something along the lines of, "How come it's always Maine to the West Indies. COA that comes up with these great ideas?" Kathryn Scurci '11 studied the whales of Labrador using the photographic catalog. She found thirty-seven indi- vidual whales that had been consistently seen in Labra- 25 dor-indicating that these whales tend to be quite loyal to their feeding grounds. Two other papers involved senior project investigations into whale entanglements with fishing gear, generating strong interest at the conference from federal and state managers, according to Sean Todd, Director of Allied Whale and the Steven K. Katona Chair in Marine Sciences: While most research focuses on deadly entanglements, Laura Howes '09 studied photographic evidence of en- tanglement scars on living whales in the Gulf of Maine and Greenland (with a much smaller lobster fishery), to see how frequently they may be caught in fishing gear. Over forty College of the Atlantic students, alumni, staff and Concludes Howes, "humpback whales may be becom- faculty attended the 18th Biennial Conference of the Biology of ing entangled in gear far more than is considered sustain- Marine Mammals in Quebec City in October 2009. A portion of able." that group is photographed here. Photo by Paula Olson. 6 COA It's Getting Crowded in Here! Density, nesting and other investigations into seabird habitats on Great Duck Island Each summer, with guidance from John Anderson, the Wil- liam H. Drury, Jr. Chair in Evolution, Ecology and Natural History, a group of students head about a dozen miles over the Atlantic Ocean to Great Duck Island. For six weeks they live in an old light keeper's house, now the Alice Eno Research Station, with the hills of Mount Desert Island as a distant backdrop. Each student develops a research top- ic, a thesis, and a strategy to prove the thesis. Frequently, the work is strong enough to be accepted by the annual Waterbird Society Meetings. This year, Anderson and four students will be presenting at the meetings; two of them, Anna Perry '10, a Goldwater Scholar, and Gregory Smith '10, received travel awards to attend. Studying the nesting habits of burrowing seabirds can be frustrating. Frequently, the burrows seem occupied-but are not, threatening to skew research statistics. Anna Perry Herring and black-backed gulls with their chicks on Great Duck '10 studied the spatial distribution of occupied Leach's Island. Photo by John Rivers. storm petrel burrows on Great Duck, the largest petrel colony in the eastern United States. By listening for call The high density of nests and the fidelity with which responses, using infrared video and other techniques, she these seabirds return to the same area over their long lives determined which burrows were occupied-and found that makes them optimum carriers of parasites. Gregory Smith just because one burrow was being used, it didn't mean its '10 researched the parasitic impact on herring and great neighbor was. Yet location might be a reasonable predic- black-backed gull nestlings. He found that the chicks in the tor, because the highest burrow occupancy rates occurred vegetated areas were more likely to have mites than those along the forest edge. With this work, Perry was able to nesting on rocks. While he couldn't make a clear connec- enhance the protocols used by future census takers. tion between mite infestation and survival, he did find that the ten-day survival rate of chicks raised on the rocks was Renee McManus '12 looked into the nesting density of higher than those raised in the vegetation. black guillemots to see whether density impacts behavior. She thought density would breed relaxation. By observing Anderson's paper, co-authored with Reese, questions the the nests daily, alternating between high and low density accepted history of bird populations in the Gulf of Maine. areas, she found that while density made a significant dif- Most conservationists assume, they write, that "prior to ference, her thesis got it wrong. Much like in human cit- intensive hunting and egging by the descendants of Euro- ies, the higher the density, the more the birds fought over pean colonists in the nineteenth century, the region sup- territory. ported an extensive and highly diverse avifauna." To re- store this diversity, conservationists have focused on gull Aspen Reese ('12) examined the nesting habits of herring control. Yet Anderson and Reese are finding that other gulls. Like the great black-backed gulls, herring gulls con- predators-bald eagles and American mink-are devas- centrate their nests in vegetated meadows and shoreline tating seabird colonies. They suggest that, rather than be- granite jumbles, with nearly two-thirds preferring rocks. ing the vast productive seabird paradise depicted in some Wondering why, she looked into three possible variables: discussions, significant portions of the Gulf of Maine may the survival rate of chicks, territoriality, and the presence have been relatively free of any breeding seabirds prior of great black-backed gulls. She found that the chicks nest- to European intervention, and the densely populated is- ing on the rocks had a much higher rate of survival, and lands that had been exploited by the millinery trade were that the presence of black-backed gulls didn't seem to mat- the unforeseen product of predator control and land-use ter. By going over records from the past decade, she also practices by settlers. The two conclude that a deeper look found that gulls do prefer boulders, possibly for the protec- into the historical record might indicate a more complex tion they offer from bald eagles and other predators. conservation management strategy. COA 7 IT'S VERY HARD TO Up! Nearly every month, College of the Atlantic receives a new national accolade. Yes, we're being noticed for our deep concern with sustainability, but our unique academic approach gets plenty of attention, as you can see. JULY Academics: Princeton Review's Best 371 Colleges: #3 in nation for "Most Politically Active Students" #11 in nation for "Class Discussions Encouraged" Only about 15 percent of four-year colleges in the United States and two Canadian colleges have been chosen for the 2010 volume. COA is also noted for its strong financial aid, great food and lack of competitive athletics-though it might be one of the few schools in the nation where students frequently finish out the day with a game of cricket. The narrative offers these additional comments: "Students eagerly sing the praises of their professors: 'an eclectic and brilliant group of people' who are 'extremely accessible." Sustainability: Princeton Review's Best 371 Colleges: One of only nine colleges on the Green Honor Roll for the second year in a row. Sierra Magazine: #5 in nation on its list of "Cool Schools." They write: "At Maine's College of the Atlantic conserving energy is simply an unobtrusive part of campus life." AUGUST Academics: US News and World Reports: #3 in nation for global diversity #6 in nation for small classes The National Survey of Student Engagement, or NSSE: Again, COA stands with the top 10 percent of the 643 participating colleges and universities (among them Bennington, Bryn Mawr, Evergreen, Northeastern, Pepperdine, Simon's Rock and Tufts). This survey is considered to be the most comprehensive assessment of effective practices in higher education. Ashoka, the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs, chooses COA as one of five "changemaker campuses," this in its second year of working with colleges and universities. OCTOBER Academics: The New England Board of Higher Education awards COA its Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Excellence, praising COA's major in human ecology. "This approach challenges traditional attitudes and practices and encourages students to think and act comprehensively on a daily basis," writes Michael Thomas, president and CEO of NEBHE. Sustainability: Sustainable Endowments Institute releases its College Sustainability Report Card, giving COA its highest designation: Overall College Sustainability Leader, one of twenty-six in the US and Canada. COA is the only college in Maine to achieve this status. 8 COA THE ROCK COA WILL REBUILD College of the Atlantic's Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station on Mount Desert Rock sits twenty-five miles out to sea, making it the point of land farthest east in the nation. It has been a key scientific station for COA and Allied Whale researchers, as well as for numerous scientists seeking to understand offshore life within the Gulf of Maine. In August 2008, the boathouse was rebuilt. One year later, on August 23, 2009, storm surges from Hurricane Bill swept onto the island, destroying the boathouse and the ground floor of a nearby shed containing a workshop and classroom. The six-foot surge also pushed through the keeper's house, though that damage is not structural. Fortunately, all scientists and students had been evacuated and the seventy-foot lighthouse, with its four-feet-thick walls, still stands. COA is now raising funds for reconstruction. Before and After Top row left to right: View of research station before Hur- ricane Bill and two images showing the "bite" the hurricane took out of the generator shed, which may have protected the light keeper's house. Bottom row left to right: Boathouse before Bill and afterward. A crew composed of scientists deeply con- nected to Allied Whale went out to survey the damage and clean what they could. Here they are in what had been the boathouse: Toby Ste- phenson '98, Courtney Vashro '99, Dan DenDanto '91, Scott Swann '86, MPhil '95, faculty member Sean Todd, Yoko Bowen '10 and Peter Stevick '81. Photos courtesy of Allied Whale. COA HOSTS SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS CONFERENCE STAY TUNED FOR 2010 CONFERENCE More than 180 COA community members, farmers, fishermen and other practitioners from as close as Bar Harbor and as far away as Germany, Mexico, Venezuela and Alaska converged in early October for the college's first Food for Thought, Time for Action conference, funded by the Partridge Foundation. With the aim of envisioning more sustainable food, farm- ing and fisheries for the twenty-first century, speakers and discussions covered a range of topics including local to inter- national policy, current Maine issues, community-based food marketing and distribution, sustainable nutrition, and food sovereignty. Keynote speakers Raj Patel (author of Stuffed and Starved) and Marion Nestle (NYU professor and author of Food Politics and What to Eat) gave provocative lectures that painted a dynamic and alternately troubling and hopeful pic- ture of the current food system, from food industry nutrition labeling to the World Bank's structural adjustment policies. COA's transatlantic partners from the University of Kassel in Germany and the Organic Research Centre in the United Kingdom shared invaluable perspectives from overseas, and Maine Farmland Trust curated a Food for Thought, Time for Action art exhibit in COA's Ethel H. Blum Gallery. Participants also attended hands-on workshops including sampling heir- loom apple varieties at Beech Hill Farm, exploring year-round growing at Four Season Farm owned by former trustee Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch, and learning meat prepara- tion techniques with chef Cassady Pappas from Havana, one of the restaurants owned by Michael Boland '94. Presenters and participants left the conference with new connections, Abe Noe-Hays '00 (center, tan jacket) offers his workshop, Com- post: What goes around, comes around. Behind him are Stacie ideas for action in different arenas, and visions of more sus- Brimmage '08, Christiaan Van Heerden '09, Leland Moore '10, tainable and democratic food systems. A second conference sustainability consultant Craig Ten Broeck and Juan Olmedo '12. is being planned for 2010. ~ Heather Albert-Knopp '99 Photo copyright Noreen Hogan '91. COA 9 Lessons from White Earth By Johannah Bernstein '83 Seen from a helicopter hovering above, one can im- ual climate change alarm in the ears of thousands of mediately understand why the Inuit refer to Green- climate scientists around the world. land as Kalaallit Nunaat, or White Earth. On Green- land's west coast, two hundred and fifty kilometers Unfortunately, the Greenland ice sheet is not on the north of the Arctic Circle, the Ilulissat Glacier seems agenda of the United Nations Framework Convention untouched and indeed untouchable by humans. But on Climate Change. And since the signing of the Kyoto the map-and one's eyes-tells only half the story. Protocol, carbon emissions have actually accelerated The two-million-year-old Greenland icecap, more from 1.3 percent per year in the 1990s, to a staggering than two kilometers thick and covering 80 percent of 3.3 percent per year from 2000 to 2006. the island, is melting at a dangerous pace. The visuals are stunning. The fifty-six kilometer Ilulissat Icefjord, This trajectory has propelled humanity into the worst- a United Nations World Heritage Site, is filled with case scenario envisioned by the Nobel prize-winning enormous craggy bergs, some towering over one Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. For many hundred meters high. Occasional pools of emerald- key parameters (global mean surface temperature, sea- blue water are a reminder that the floating ice pack level rise, ocean and ice sheet dynamics), the climate abounds with marine resources that live in a complex system has moved beyond patterns of natural variabil- but delicate food web. ity. Many of the world's leading atmospheric scientists now caution that key impacts of global warming, such The landscape has an as sea level rise and eerily primordial, al- loss of summer Arctic most prehistoric feel- I ponder what the Kyoto Protocol sea ice, are happening ing. As the helicopter much sooner and more would have looked like had it been descends, I feel like I severely than scientists have landed directly drafted by a group of Inuit elders. had estimated only a from the moon to the few years ago. sea floor. It might have been the bitter cold, but many of us aboard are moved Since we are nowhere near properly positioned to to tears. And yet the reality is so paradoxical. transition to a global, carbon-free energy path, there is a significant possibility that many of these trends Ilulissat-like portions of the North and South poles- will accelerate, leading to an increasing risk of abrupt is among the most precarious of climate hot spots on or irreversible climatic shifts. Yet current climate ne- the planet, warming at nearly twice the global average gotiations are being carried out on the basis of out- rate. In these regions, the effects of exponentially ris- dated climate science. The key challenge is to ensure ing greenhouse gas emissions are concentrated in out- that the ever-widening gulf between science and poli- sized proportions, like the icebergs that thunder daily tics is bridged decisively. Weaker targets for the year from the Ilulissat Glacier through the Icefjord on their 2020 increase the risk of crossing irreversible tipping way to Disko Bay. The noise itself serves as a contin- points. This will make the task of meeting 2050 targets not only impossible, but ultimately a moot exercise in reckless number crunching. During our boat trip to the old coastal village Oqaat- sut in western Greenland, I learn that the Inuit of the region believe that their cosmos was ruled by no one; and that they do not believe in the concept of domin- ion over nature. They believe that the earth is alive and that humans are connected with the earth's sys- tem in a harmonious relationship, one that must be continually renewed and revered, as anirniq-spirit and soul-is present in all beings, both sentient and non-sentient. This underpins their solemn moral duty to respect all life forms. Yet now, for the first time "That sea water tasted absolutely alive and sweet, like the best in their social history, the Inuit's cosmos is ruled by oyster you can imagine," notes the photographer. those-white men-whose profligate excesses have 10 COA resulted in dangerous interference with the global cli- close to answering the question of whether we humans mate system and with the ecosystem upon which the are alone in the universe, but are moving so very far Inuit livelihood depends. from being able to sustain the conditions necessary for actually keeping our species alive. Frozen ice is the lifeblood of the Inuit. They have dem- onstrated a remarkable ability to live in harmony with a We need a new collective mindset, a deep and radical hostile physical environment. But the increasingly un- change of soul and heart, and perhaps a new mental reliable ice conditions are affecting the Inuit's capacity map; one that repositions humanity in a different rela- to hunt for food and to sustain their traditional liveli- tionship with the greater earth community, and which hoods. recognises that in the midst of this magnificent diversity of life forms, there is common destiny. I ponder what the Kyoto Protocol would have looked like had it been drafted by a group of Inuit elders. Just as we need to elevate the new climate science, so Johannah Bernstein is an international environmental too must we draw deep from the ancient wisdom of lawyer with law degrees from Oxford University and the Inuit. But this requires a radically different form of the Osgoode Hall Law School in Canada. She advises political leadership, one that is based on an ability and governments, international organizations, NGOs and willingness to balance competing interests in a way that the private sector on global respects planetary boundaries and which bridges new sustainability issues. science with ancient wisdom. Instead, the international community is only negotiating that which is politically All images on these pages are of Disko Bay in Greenland, viable as opposed to what nature requires and what by photographer Rick Amado new science informs. Meanwhile the Greenland ice (r.l.amado@gmail.com). Of the sheet may collapse within a century. photo with Johannah Bernstein left, he writes, "Did Johannah tell Forging a new climate deal grounded in the most au- you we ate the 'ice baby?' Wa- ter thousands of years old, what thoritative science and principles of equity will require a trip. It was excellent: straight, deeper modes of cooperation and new forms of innova- clean and uncomplicated. A bit tion and ingenuity. How ironic that we have come so 'dry' even. Jo and I also went for a swim, OK a dip." COA 11 Copenhagen's COA Delegation UNFCCC meetings include official COA delegation + one official delegate When the decisive United Nations Framework Con- vention on Climate Change opens in Copenhagen this December, COA will be there-with its own delega- tion. Attending will be at least fifteen students-from Finland, New Zealand, Peru, St. Lucia and the United States-along with faculty members Ken Cline (en- vironmental law) and Doreen Stabinsky (international relations). The group will be doing what they can to energize youth participation and learn about interna- tional negotiations. The commitment period for the current UN treaty on climate change, commonly known as the Kyoto Proto- col, is ending. It is likely that the agreement signed in Copenhagen will guide climate change action made The delegation, in part. Top from left: Lindsay Britton '11, Richard Van by nations around the world for the coming decade- Kampen '12, Lauren Nutter '10, Emily Postman '12, Taj Schottland '10, Noah Hodgetts '10, Geena Berry '10. Bottom: Juan Soriano '10, Annick which is why the COA students find it essential to be Bickson '12, Neil Oculi '11, Oliver Bruce '10, Brooke Welty '11, Samuli present. The COA group may well be the most pre- Sinisalo '12, faculty member Ken Cline. Photo by Donna Gold. pared of all youths attending the convention. They've been studying the issues since January, alerting each other daily to articles and position papers. This fall, they are each taking two classes directly related to the convention: The Road to Copenhagen which they designed with Stabinsky, and Cline's Advanced International Environmental Law. This commitment is a trend: COA students have been at every one of the past five climate change meetings. While most of the students will be part of a massive global youth network, Neil Oculi '11 of St. Lucia (more on page 32) will be one of the lobbied. He will be a voting participant as a member of his nation's official delegation. What motivates them? "I spent my summers visiting my grandmother in the high- "It does no good to sit on the sidelines and hope that the lands of the Huaylas Valley. The Andes have some of the United States' position on climate change is a good one. most beautiful snowcapped mountains in South America. I plan on reminding those in power that their decisions But every time I visit, I witness the consequences of en- will have long and irreversible effects on generations to come." vironmental degradation. Not only are the glaciers melt- Taj Schottland '10, Putney, Vermont ing but also the fruits from my grandma's orchard are not the same because an abnormal proliferation of mosquitoes This is one of the most monumental global environmental is damaging crops and forcing farmers to use pesticides. meetings to date. As an activist, I must bear witness to and The frogs that once fed on the mosquitoes disappeared a learn from the event. Besides, the decision-makers need to few years ago; their extinction has been attributed to the understand that we, as students, need a strong treaty. We shortening of hibernation periods as a result of a rise in are among the ones who will inherit this world from those temperature." making decisions and we would like to have a say at this Juan Soriano '10, Lima, Peru pivotal meeting." Brooke Welty '11, Portland, Maine "The environment is one of the most demanding challeng- es my generation will face. That is why the presence of "Our generation must be given a voice, because the deci- sions we make today will shape tomorrow's world. I can't youth in the conference is so crucial; it is our generation imagine placing my energy elsewhere this December." and the ones after us who face the consequences of deci- Lauren Nutter '10, Uxbridge, Massachusetts sions made now. Youth have to step up to the challenge, show that we care and push the agenda of sustainable de- "I am going so I will be able to say to my grandkids that I velopment." put up a front and was there." Samuli Sinisalo '12, Tampere, Finland Oliver Bruce '10, Rotorua, New Zealand 12 COA In Search of the Amazing Mr. Forbush By Sean Todd, Steven K. Katona Chair in Marine Sciences Sometime back in the 1970s, I saw a film called The Amaz- back to the landing site. We ing Mr. Forbush, starring a young John Hurt and Hayley move from flag to flag, staying Mills. The hero, a flamboyant and lackadaisical graduate close, leaving no stragglers, student, reluctantly travels to Antarctica at the behest of mindful of the fur seals. his graduate advisor to census penguins. In this portrayal of Isolated Human Battling Against the Elements, Hurt goes We are not actually in any slowly mad and eventually believes himself King of the danger. I have a compass, Sean Todd uses a sextant Rookery, addressing his flock daily and even declaring war GPS and radio connected to measure the size of a upon the predatory Skuas. I knew there and then, at the to my colleagues who are tabular iceberg, over six miles long. Photo by Chris Srigley. tender age of ten, in front of my black and white television, never farther away than half All other photos by Sean Todd. that Antarctica was where I needed to go, a place with a mile or so. Our clothing, which I identified. far evolved from the days of Ernest Shackleton or Otto Nordenskjöld, keeps us basically warm but the abundant Fast forward thirty-five years or so. I stand in a stark, mono- layers hinder rapid movement. At the landing site is all chromatic environment, my visibility varying from five to the survival gear we could need. There is even a nearby fifty feet within the space of seconds. I am on Half Moon research station somewhere through that blizzard melee. Island, in Antarctica. It is the middle of the Austral sum- Morale is high. Antarctica is throwing herself at us, though mer. A blizzard has arisen with almost no warning and perhaps at only a tenth of the force she could use during instantaneous fury. The wind, now a sustained forty knots, the polar winter, and we persist. blows snow with such force that each flake feels like a nail driven into my cheeks. Around me, two-hundred-pound We make it back to the landing site to find the calm seas Antarctic fur seals tuck down for the storm, their mournful whipped into an aggressive, soaking chop. After all the howls sounding like ghosts within the violent noise of the passengers are safely on our mother ship, the MV Minerva, gale. Soon, the blanketing snow makes it difficult to tell I launch myself into the Zodiac, waves crashing violently the recumbent seals from rocks. Behind me, a blue whale over her stern. We bounce and toss our way back to the jawbone over twenty feet long is draped casually over the larger vessel. The captain has turned the ship to offer some landscape, a remnant of leviathans the size of which we lee from the storm; even so, the waves at the gantry are haven't seen on this planet for a century-the direct result six to eight feet high, which means our landing platform of decades of whaling. Ahead, at ten-yard intervals, is a oscillates between four feet above and four feet below us slow, undulating line of flags that I have set to help me and every five seconds or so. One by one we jump to safety. the dozen suffering ecotourists I am leading find our way Two of us remain in the Zodiac to prevent it from flipping Clockwise from left: A pair of gentoo penguin chicks in Paradise Bay, a chinstrap penguin, an Adelie penguin and a king penguin. COA 13 the driving force was the profit motive. With me aboard, the ship has gained more than a biologist; it also has a hu- man ecologist. Only within human ecology can one fully appreciate the tension of landscape, natural history, hu- man history, politics, governance, resource exploitation, human spirit, and sheer audacity that resides in Antarctica; manipulatively, I use my opportunities as a lecturer aboard Minerva to stress that lesson to my captive audience! Shortly after the storm I sit on a beach on South Georgia, a sub-Antarctic island where the great whales were slaugh- tered by the hundred thousands back in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Across the bay lies the aban- doned community of Grytviken, probably the largest whal- Once the whales were rendered down, whalers would leave the bones on the beach. Because there is no significant bacterial ac- ing station on South Georgia. These stations that thrived in tivity due to the cold, these bones have lasted over ninety years. the 1920s are now ghost towns. Indeed, they feel haunt- ed. By one interpretation, whalers were mass murderers, slaughtering stocks to the point of extinction. In another view, they are heroes, pitting themselves against the ulti- mate challenge of elements and leviathan. It is difficult for me to resolve these two views. Within twenty feet of me lies a huddled trio of massive southern elephant seals, each maybe ten feet long. Ahead is a small group of king penguins. They appear unaware of me, or at least unconcerned by my presence. The biologist in me marvels that I can be in such close proximity to these animals, so much in their environment. Half a day later I go to St. Andrews Bay, one of the largest king penguin colonies in the world; later I sit in my Zodiac breathing in The ecological equivalent of a Serengeti lion, this eleven-foot the foul halitosis of a ten-foot leopard seal, an animal quite leopard seal scans the water for such easy prey as a penguin. capable of taking my own life, but for now much more in- terested in the penguin he is inhaling for lunch. The sights, sounds and stenches of these moments are overwhelming, in the wind as it is hoisted to the deck. By the time I reach the experiences stirring. As a biologist I am at a loss to the bridge the winds have escalated to hurricane force, and explain my inspiration. As a human ecologist, I am better yet there is the congratulatory air of a team that has pulled equipped to understand that connection. off a difficult landing. Exhausted and relieved, I return to my cabin to marvel at how a human ecologist came to be To study Antarctica effectively one has to turn to human here. ecology. Nowhere is one's ecological footprint so appar- ent. The governance of Antarctica is a marvelous experi- This is my third season in Antarctica, a luxury afforded ment that has lasted over fifty years-an entire continent by my sabbatical. I am part of an expedition team aboard essentially run by committee. Environmental concerns, an ecotourism vessel. For the cost of a couple of lectures not economical, are prime considerations. The politics be- and Zodiac driving skills, I have free board and passage to tween the countries that are members of the committee are study the southern humpback whales that come here to fascinating, convoluted and sometimes downright sinister. feed every summer. It is here that you see the definitive and observable effects There is a density of life here, despite the hostility of the of climate change-even in the eight years that I have been environment to human physiology. This density attracted visiting this place, I see evidence of glacial retreat. Finally, the first whalers and sealers to come south, and now justi- there is the paradox of life (both human and "other") in fies my presence here. By photographing and identifying such a harsh climate. I am only here in the relatively mild individual humpback whales, I can contribute to the pro- summer, and yet there have been times when I have been cess of assessing the recovering population after a hundred challenged close to my own limits. I would describe those years of whaling. Arguably, it was the drive to exploit these moments as extremely rewarding-even, perhaps, fun. populations as resources that motivated countries to spon- One can only marvel at the persistence of human spirit sor the explorers of the so-called heroic age. There was in the story of Antarctica; that self-sacrificing, undaunted some nationalistic pride too, but there's little doubt that drive of the early explorers. What inspired Capt. Lawrence Oates to sacrifice himself to a storm so his starved team- 14 COA Above: The king penguin colony at St. Andrews. Below right: Photo-identifying Southern Ocean humpback whales (inset: A humpback whale calf spy-hops to investigate the author's boat. Even thought this is only the calf's first year of life, its snout is already heavily parasitized.). mates could eat his food? How did Shackleton get his To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite; entire stranded team back safely? What happens to one's To forgive wrongs darker than death or night; mind when one is stuck in the middle of a frozen ocean To defy Power, which seems omnipotent; with no hope of rescue? The story of Antarctic exploration To love, and bear; to hope till Hope creates is a testament to everything that is good-and in the case of exploitation, bad-about being human. If it is within us as From its own wreck the thing it contemplates; a species to answer these personal challenges, then surely Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent; we can muster the courage and will to save the world in This, like thy glory, Titan, is to be crisis today. Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free; I was originally attracted to Antarctica by the juxtaposition This is alone Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory. of brutal environment and persistence of life. Nowhere have I seen such stark beauty and stunning landscape. One quickly exhausts oneself of superlatives. Part of Ant- arctica's draw is its fantastic and prolific fauna. Yet also I find myself inspired to write about Antarctica entirely out- side the realm of science. As I move further away from my discipline-based training, I move closer towards the com- fort of human ecology. Within that framework, I choose to end this account not with science, but a verse from Percy Bysshe Shelley's Prometheus Unbound, used by Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams in his account of Scott's doomed expe- dition to the South Pole, Sinfonia Antarctica. In no better way can one place the human into Antarctica. COA 15 Oral History Pam Parvin '93 Pam Parvin, now a counselor in Bar Harbor, was the heart and soul of Take-A- Break for twenty years. She is often thought of as COA's first cook, but actually she was the third, coming on when six weeks into the second year, cook #2 quit. Pam was twenty-three at the time, a single mother with a young child. And while at first she worked with fellow cook Jerry Smith, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner between them (and sharing child care as well), when he moved on after three years, she was on her own. Eventually, she began taking classes at COA, graduating after thirteen years. A portion of our talk follows. Photo by Donna Gold. Donna Gold: So, COA was vegetarian at the time, was that were free to come into the kitchen to talk or get some- what you were asked to do? thing: "I wasn't here at lunchtime, can I make myself a sandwich?" I provided a pretty warm and friendly atmo- Pam Parvin: I was a vegetarian and so it was Frances Moore sphere, so people were in and out all the time. Lappé and Diet for a Small Planet and all that. Everybody was pretty interested in being low on the food chain. I'm DG: Did you talk to the students about their classes? pretty sure it was an All College Meeting decision. I can't imagine getting away with making any kind of a unilateral PP: Yes. I ended up doing a lot of informal advising before decision at COA. there was an advising system. I think I'm a good nurturer and people would come in and be unsure about things DG: Did you try to be organic? and need somebody to talk to, just the way they would talk to other people at school. COA was very open to talk- PP: That was not so big a deal then. We did have a kitchen ing about these things because it wasn't cemented: people garden at the college, way, way before there was a Beech were really searching. You were supposed to be self-di- Hill Farm. I remember starting to hire work-study students rected and when you have to be self-directed you flounder and figuring out what to plant. The gardens at school were a little. That's a good thing because you learn a lot. So, organic, but you couldn't buy all-organic food. people did a lot of talking to each other and other people, trying to get some bearings. DG: Where did you have to go to get your food? think we all felt responsible for each other. And people PP: We did a lot of sourcing ourselves. We would go buy got to know each other pretty well, because All College frozen blueberries from somebody. We would go buy hon- Meeting could take all day-or half a day, anyway. Were ey from somebody. Then we started the food co-op. For a we going to have recycled toilet paper or not? Those things time, Jerry and I-and this got traded off-would drive to went on for years. And they had to be reinvented because Boston and go to Chelsea market and buy food. We were they were a part of the education. There could be a new young and we thought that was a fun thing to do-driving crop of students who felt that something had to be different, through downtown Boston in a twenty-foot truck. and we would talk about it all over again. That was part of people's growing up, to have a voice and an opinion. DG: And was the food always homemade? DG: You were on personnel committee, right? PP: It was my style. My mother was a fabulous cook. I learned to cook when I was a little, tiny kid. And I was PP: I was. I co-chaired it for a while. I loved being on it-it into whole wheat and honey and whatever. We made our was the hardest thing I think I ever did in my whole life- own yogurt and our own bread and we made pancakes having to gather everybody's opinion and having to talk to and there would be muffins and stuff all day. You could people about their shortcomings. And lots of decisions that have as much as you wanted. Dinner was family style. were made in personnel were tough. DG: Early students remember that so fondly. Bringing the DG: Do you think the committee system is worth the en- big pots to the table and everybody just digging in. Did ergy it takes? you sit with them? PP: I do. I really do. I was on admission committee; I was PP: Yes, usually. And kids would come in and say, "Can I on the compensation committee. I didn't have a BA yet, make myself hot chocolate?" or "Can I have tea?" or "Can but that didn't matter to people. COA was more or less I sit in here?" There were a lot of people feeling like they egalitarian. If you were good at something people recog- 16 COA nized that and you got a lot of credit for it. They thought DG: Tell me about cooking after the fire- I was a good mentor. I helped start the advising system, which I loved. For ten years, from like '81 to '91, I got this PP: We were doing Take-A-Break out of Turrets' teeny- little, tiny stipend to be advising coordinator. weeny kitchen. It was outrageous. We still baked bread- one of my work-study students was a great bread baker- Whatever you were willing to volunteer to do, people and we made soup: one big pot of soup every day. And would say, "OK, you can do that." So, you could get a we baked muffins if we could. We had one little, teeny re- tremendous amount of experience because people trusted frigerator and we did a lot of shopping in what was Don's you and if you were willing to fledge or flap your wings, Shop 'n' Save at that point. There was no room for too people would say, "OK, we'll support you while you do many big orders. But it was fun because we'd serve in the that." You couldn't ask for a better place to kind of grow beautiful Turrets room. up. I felt very grateful. DG: And everybody would eat around the table? DG: It does seem like committees are part of the educa- tion-learning how to think about systems. PP: Or take something with them or whatever. Wander around. One of the things we used to have to do was go PP: I think so. Look how successful COA grads are, how with a great dish bin and wander all over campus looking they learn to think. I'm really impressed by what people for our silverware and bowls and things. Although they do. It's not so much the knowledge they learned, but the probably still do that now. system thinking, the thinking outside the box, how to work with other people. That's huge. COA people really have DG: Absolutely! Were you working at the time of the fire? to learn to work with each other. To take people's ideas PP: No, we had the summers off. I lost all my recipes in the in and figure out how to move forward with that. That's huge in life. fire. People lost everything. People lost research, people lost books, people lost a lot in their lives. But it was pretty DG: When did you start attending classes for credit? amazing how people rallied. It's like, OK, we're having school in September, how are we going to do this? People PP: The first one was fall 1980. It took me to 1993 to finish really pitched together, and those are the kind of things, my degree. But I did it. I got a lot of support. When I had I'm going to tear up you know, when Dick Davis died my personnel reviews, people were like, "Go, go, go. Do when your community is devastated when those kinds it, do it, do it!" I got my master's degree in 1996. of things happen to the community-and they happen in everybody's family and everybody's community-you pull DG: Thirteen years for your BA and three for your master's! together. You need each other. Had you had any college before? DG: Those were difficult times, and yet COA survived. PP: I had three semesters of college at Bard my mother Which is amazing, because it was such a fledgling was sick and ended up dying and I dropped out of college school- because I had no financial support. PP: Yes. So strong in some ways, fragile in others. We had tremendous trustees over time. And I think that all the con- tributors have known that somehow it was really special even if it was floundering sometimes. DG: Tell me about the leftovers. Was that your idea to serve leftovers at a reduced price? Or was it just natural? PP: Pretty natural. And it gave people more than one thing to eat. Then we could be cooking ahead for the next day. Otherwise, how would you ever know how much to make? What would you do with leftovers? People were happy for a lesser-priced meal. It made total sense to me. DG: COA has been noted for its really good food- PP: I know! I was the first to be on the list! 1992: #2 in the country. That was my fifteen minutes of fame. I thought it Students serve themselves soup at Take-A-Break's temporary quarters in what is now Turrets' George Putnam Seminar Room. was pretty funny because here we are, this teeny-weeny Photo courtesy of College of the Atlantic Archives and Special Collections. school. But it's nice to have that as a legacy. COA 17 Poetry Vision Ears Last night, in the deeper hours, I found myself The pig is already dead. watched over by the large, single eye of a COW It hangs from the ankle, which hung above my bed, its veins slumped as light rich and elaborate as a chandelier. through a heavy curtain. The eye's seeing graced me in violet. Draped onto the slab. I felt visited. I felt seen into the very stations One ear folded like a lily of my bones-the kind of seeing which has under the ample head, no purpose beyond its own canny radiance. pressed nearly in half, The eye was grand and shocking and not silent origami. altogether unwelcome. It tinged my sleep The other ear, with a quality of vividness, like dreaming large as a trumpet flower, under a wakeful star, or a jellyfish turned open as if to receive streaming through night's wavy suspension. the sound of some distant thing Between breaths, the bed's feathers rustled approaching- noiselessly. Outside, other windows a train through fall fields, in other houses glowed with their own living dreams an insect in forgotten rafters droning its thin scarves of sound. The one ear bent shut, weighted under the pig's last greatness. The other, supple horn, listens outward, catches that final echo of birth, squeal of the gate hinge, first bells of tomorrow. Jenny George '02 received an MFA from the lowa Writers' Workshop in 2004. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she helps run the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation, a Buddhist-based foundation that supports the integration of social justice work and con- templative practice. This fall she was a Rona Jaffe Fellow at the Vermont Studio Center, and spent a month there as a resident writer. 18 COA G DIVING BELL RE PTONIT Diving Bell by Annabel Linquist '00, 60" X 72." silkscreen, latex, china marker. graphite, oil stick on canvas, 2010. UPER PSYCHIC ALCHEMIST Selections from the Holy Map series Annabel Linquist '00 COA I 19 ANC Ho LUCKY GOOD IN' G BE E SUPER FO In many ways, Annabel Linquist (better known at COA as Anna Linquist) had no choice but to become an artist. People would talk to her about their lives and she would respond with symbols and words-images that still come to her and that she still can't turn off. "I'm really, really intuitive." she says. Now, in addition to her own work, she paints what she calls psychic portraits-commissions that become guideposts for people's lives, composed of layers of paint, symbols and words built through Linquist's intuition. The layering sometimes buries the images, or maybe only part of a word shows through. This approach-along with her integrity, passion and delight in life-has brought Linquist extraordinary recognition. In July, Jessica Latham of Vanity Fair wrote about her in her blog. In August, Linquist was written up in Elle under "Chic Week." Then there's the music she creates. And the installations-such as a magical, protective fort. Keep following her at www.iloveannabel.com. 20 COA GO ORIGINA, OMG. "I had my heart broken and I realized that people with whom we share the deepest connections can become mirrors through which we can find the portal between our outer worlds and our inner worlds-that when we're most raw and vulnerable we can tap into those places that we want to emerge. These people are creating a feedback loop-they're opening up a trapdoor to see parts of our insides that we haven't been aware of. That's why I like the idea of the diving bell being the central character. And it doesn't have to be the devastation of a breakup. Every regular relationship has some kind of emotional trauma programmed in and everyone has their own stories that take them inside themselves because the human condition is not a balanced system." Annabel Linquist '00 Previous page: Superfix Anchor by Annabel Linquist '00, 24" X 18." silkscreen, latex, china marker, graphite, oil stick on canvas. This page, clockwise from top left: Holographic Ram (Random Access Memory), 30" X 40," silkscreen, latex, china marker, graphite, oil stick on canvas; Holy Magic, 60" X 72," silkscreen, latex, china marker, graphite, oil stick on canvas; photo of Linquist in her studio by Erin Kornfeld for Elle magazine, courtesy of Annabel Linquist. COA I 21 Almost Like Flying Prologue: The Boy Named Davy, Utica, New York: 1943-46 By Marni Berger '09 "Sometimes," Davy Cohen mouthed each syllable to the ing them; his best friend Jules usually arrived exactly two living room ceiling, lying on his back, his eyes squinted minutes after The Shadow ended so they could discuss and teary. "Sometimes the color of my eyes is black." the events of the show together-this allowed his pupils Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? the ra- very little time to shrink. He already knew he could get a dio tinned forth, interrupting his thoughts. dollar from each boy. He knew their weakness because it Although he already knew, Davy, who took most things was his weakness: love for all things weird. literally, pondered the answer to this mechanical ques- But today, only half-way through The Shadow, Davy's tion. He rested his hands behind his head and attempted will weakened and his doubts began to spread with the to peel his eyes so far back that he could imagine his shadows in the room. He knew the pupil experiment oversized lashes tangling with the hairs from his eye- would never really work, that he could never make his brows. He focused to increase the intervals between each irises that black. There could never be enough shadows, blink as he absorbed the evil cackles of The Shadow, his even in Utica. And he could never have enough strength favorite radio show. to leave his eyelids apart for longer than fifty-two sec- In the late winter after school, the home on Utica's onds, not only because of the tears, but also because he Bleecker Street grew dark before dinnertime, so that real was afraid mosquitoes might descend upon them, even shadows threw themselves across the furniture, exciting in winter. And so he would try to throw the thoughts of Davy's imagination. He preferred to stretch his eyes wider black irises from his mind to brace himself against pos- than normal while lying in the dark to improve his night sible disappointment. Directly above the radio, a light vision. During the first few minutes of each session, he switch popped into appearance. Should he turn it on? But could see almost nothing, but eventually objects would still pop into appearance as if by magic: usually first was the Krejci flicked on the light. "Turn off the radio." The old old menorah on the top of the bookshelf, probably be- man pulled his seven-year-old son onto the sofa by his cause it glinted gold; then to the right of the menorah armpits. "It is time for lessons. Do you know what your stood a picture of his parents, Krejci and Bene, curled last name means?" together professionally within a copper frame. Davy stared at his father like a stranger, rubbing the hairs Today he saw the frame first. Then his father's home sew- of his eyebrows although he knew they were probably ing machine, a forgotten coffee mug, a pen, old note- straight. The abruptness of the moment had made him books, prayer books, a copy of Frankenstein, the ceiling awkward. When he felt his eyebrows, a few hairs fell out, fan with its five blades-not four!-as his mother pre- which made him feel strangely lonely. His father worked ferred, etc. He pulled his eyelids together as he reached so hard at the tailor shop that they met only during din- a maximum interval of fifty-two seconds. When he sat nertime. Today he was home early. "No, Krejci," Davy upright and a tear spilled onto his wrist, he knew it wasn't responded. Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of because he was sad. He knew about tear ducts and biol- men? The cackle ran through the boy's mind with an ex- ogy: how tears don't make sadness, sadness makes tears. citing thrill; despite the awkwardness, he grinned. The The neighbor boys didn't know this. Davy was a gifted Shadow knows. student. Still he couldn't help but feel a little crazy when "Davy. Call me Daddy." The old man pulled a mug to he watched the wet drop disappear behind the pores in his lips and squinted. Davy tilted his head into his fa- his skin. He decided to remove the pen from the shelf and ther's neck and inhaled the smell of coffee. The old man practice writing. He understood that distraction would be thumped the mug onto the glass table over a cardboard useful for this project and The Shadow wasn't enough. coaster and continued his speech. "Cohen means priest. He wanted, although he half-believed it impossible, to Our family is of the priests of Levi." achieve his goal today. He wrote on several pieces of pa- per as the tears spilled down the edges of his arms, prac- Davy had learned this definition from Hebrew school, ticing his cursive, his print; he made periods into spirals. but now recognized today to be the day that his father "Davy rules the world. Davy Cohen. Daaaaavy." would to teach him what it truly meant. Usually after The Shadow he would run to the bathroom "We are the chosen ones." mirror to see how large his pupils had expanded. His goal The Shadow knows. His pupils were surely the normal was for them to increase to the size of his irises, so that he size by now. His mind would not focus. The radio show could tell the neighbor boys that sometimes the color of hadn't even ended. Who knows? his eyes was black. He could prove it to them by show- 22 COA "David." neighbor boys, especially Jules whose calls from the front "Chosen whats?" door were often suppressed by Bene: "People." "Julesy, Davy's practicing. Why don't you practice, Jule- sy? Never mind. Now go. Be a good boy." Sometimes "By who?" she would give him a slice of cantaloupe. In the follow- "By God." ing days, Davy began to fear that Jules came only for the "For what?" cantaloupe. "For love." For several nights, to relieve the fear of the cracking friend- ship and the anxiety of missing boyhood adventures, "Oh." Davy yawned, not out of nonchalance, but out of a Davy escaped through the window as he had in the past strange fear of his father that inspired clumsiness in all his to climb a tree with Julesy and the boys, ride down the hill body parts, including his mouth. He watched the steam inside a tire, scale the bottom of the water tower, or taste ripple from the coffee mug. the stem of a pipe that Jules had found behind the syna- Krejci took the yawn as a sign of nonchalance. He pressed gogue. At first the thrill of adventure overrode the guilt of harder. "You must practice for two hours each day after deceit, but soon the guilt of deceit overrode the thrill of school. Be a good adventure and eventually Jules became replaced as best boy." The old man friend by Krejci; matched dry lips and the old night to dry paper with visits faded into a kiss and passed a single window his old prayer apology in which a book to his young yo-yo was thrown son. "You read down toward Jules English. Now read with a note at- Hebrew." tached: "sorry" scrawled on one "Yes, Krejci." side and "Jules "It is God who rules the world" brought me to printed carefully America." Kre- on the other. jci closed his eyes Day after day, fa- for an extended ther and son knelt blink, soaking in head to head, star- the loneliness of ing at the same a father whose book, at the same child does not un- page, lips moving derstand him. He around the same sighed and sweet- "fire" detail from "earth/air/fire/water" by George Benington '82 and Diane Wiencke, consonants, trou- ened his tone. "I pigment inkjet prints, oil, encaustic, mixed media book, 2009. bling out the same will teach you. possible vowels, Coffee?" both wearing homemade yarmulkes. Some days they Davy closed his teeth around a fingernail. "No." touched each other's hands to keep from touching the "You are tired. Don't bite your fingers. Drink." pages in their excitement, in case the oil from their skin would scar God's significance. This kind of consideration Davy pressed the ceramic lip to his mouth, tasted the bit- was usually reserved for the Torah, but Krejci considered ter liquid, and flinched. his prayer book just as sacred. Sometimes, under the "Kiss it." pretense of protecting the book, they held hands, which made Krejci's heart swell. The little boy would push the "Okay." Davy wiped the dribble of coffee from his lips old man's veins while stumbling in prayer, imagining a before inhaling the smell of crinkled paper and aged control over the flow of his father's blood, curious about leather. He placed the book to his mouth. the tiny balloons that symbolized the old man's existence: "We begin." God's balloons. God's chosen balloons. And so it happened that at the age of seven, Davy Co- After the first three weeks of lessons, their intimacy in- hen, who took most things literally, began Hebrew les- creased when the two took to never speaking anything to sons with his overworked father. The first few weeks his each other but Hebrew. Since the little boy knew only a mind traveled to The Shadow, the size of his pupils, the few prayers, their code grew even more codified, some- COA 23 thing even Bene could not understand: the blessing over and into the rabbi's office. The two old men stared at each wine came to mean, "Let's study now;" the blessing over other as tears spilled from Davy's down-tilted head. bread meant, "Let's take a bathroom break," and the first few lines of the joyful song, Ein Keloheinu 117785 7'N came "Look at him," Krejci accused the rabbi. "Are you his fa- to mean, "I love you, Krejci;" Adon Olam objy 7178 meant, ther?" "I love you, too." By together recognizing God as their "But tears don't always come from sadness," Davy pro- Lord-Krejci for the second time and Davy for the first- tested. they seemed to recognize God as each other. Their first languages differed, the father's Hungarian and the lucky "What are these?" screeched Krejci, oblivious to Davy's son's English, and so their previous detachment toward comment and attempting to pull the tears as evidence each other's lives seemed now obviously excused by a from the child's face. third language's inability to reach a first language. How The rabbi stared, horrified. "Krejci, I thought the boy could a Hungarian-rooted man understand an American came by your permission." boy? But their second languages matched: the gift that God had chosen for the chosen ones. Krejci moved his gaze to Davy, wisps of hair rising in Over the next few years, Krejci began to revert to long distress from the edges of his yarmulke. "Davy, I am your hours at the tailor shop, trusting in Davy's religious zeal father." and patriarchal love. "Yes, Daddy." At the age of seven, Davy had memorized The Lord's On the ride home Krejci said, "Davy, you are an emo- Prayer in Hebrew, and recited it often. He also memo- tional boy. We must help you with that." rized many of the Psalms, his favorite being Number 29: "Attribute to the Lord all glory and power." At this age, Davy's prescription for obsessive thoughts by Dr. Mar- Davy's signature outfit consisted of a tallis, yarmulke, shall, the boy's lifelong physician, was three laps around jeans and brown sneakers. Bleecker Street, four if the thoughts did not ease from At eight, he maintained the previous outfit, but had three. The boy had too much energy. On the day of Davy's graduated to black slacks and shiny dress shoes that Kre- prescription, Dr. Marshall comforted Krejci and Bene: jci had proudly created for him from an old pair of his "Not to worry," he smiled. "It's his age, you know." own shoes. It was at this age that Davy's favorite lyrical It was on this day, after Dr. Marshall took his hat and coat prayer from the previous year, Ein Keloheinu 117785 7'N was replaced with his repetitive and sober recitation of to leave, pressing a cigarette between his lips to relieve Kol Nidre 777 so, a prayer recited in the synagogue at the his own distress as soon as the screen door slammed, that beginning of the evening service on Yom Kippur 715'S father and son communicated something clearly other or, the Day of Atonement. It is written in Aramaic, not than Hebrew. Davy looked up at his father and timidly Hebrew and so that is how Davy intoned it. At the age asked him for two things: the first was a request to change of nine, Davy refused to leave the house without Krejci's his name and the second was to become something other old prayer book and never walked home from school than a Jew. without first visiting the synagogue to consult with the rabbi. Was he a good Jew? Was he devout? Most impor- Old Krejci pressed his fingers to his eyebrows and sighed. tantly: Was he orthodox? Of course his parents were, but "What do you want?" still The rabbi would respond with a smile, but would "I want to become the fastest runner in the state of New add another task that would, as Davy saw it, bring him York." further along in his quest to become the most chosen of the chosen ones. At ten, Davy began to miss school. He could be found Marni Berger grew up in Oxford, Ohio and attended the sitting on a hard bench, unblinkingly staring at the locked wonderful McGuffey Foundation School where, in sec- doors that protected the Torah, tears falling onto his ond grade, she became obsessed with writing. For her wrists. Childishly, he supposed that if he kept his eyes open long enough, God would pop into appearance like college years, she studied poetry, fiction and nonfiction the images in the dark room during those late afternoons at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina listening to The Shadow. and College of the Atlantic. She now lives in New York When Krejci was interrupted from precious hours of City and is working on an MFA in nonfiction writing at work at the tailor shop by Davy's annoyed school princi- Columbia University's School of the Arts. Berger began pal, only to find the boy crying in the synagogue, he im- her multi-generational novel Almost Like Flying in Bill mediately broke their language pact. He grabbed Davy's Carpenter's Starting Your Novel class and and completed wrist, yanked him from the bench. "David," he whined. it in subsequent tutorials, as well as in a residency with Together they marched from the sacred room of worship Karen Waldron. 24 COA FEED THE WORLD Sustainable Farming and Food Systems at COA and Around the World By Heather Albert-Knopp '99, Food Systems Administrator It's ten years now since I graduated from COA. During that time I've had the good fortune to work in the dy- namic and expansive field of farming and food systems. I've organized campaigns against genetic engineering in agriculture, started a regional farm-to-school program, labored on farms and worked with food pantries. Everywhere this work takes me, I find human ecologists. In the world of food systems, COA folks are plowing a long, deep furrow: we run farms, farm stands and farmers' markets; we develop innovative compost systems; we work to ensure that all people have access to wholesome food; we preserve working farmland and working waterfronts; we lobby and create policy; we organize fishermen and farmers; we teach kids about where food comes from; we are researchers; we develop innovative food businesses; we help new farmers hit the ground running; we shine a light on holistic nutrition; we are restaurateurs and run inspiring food service programs; we build local and international collaborations. But what is a food system? To wrap your head around the concept and why it might be a natural fit for human ecologists, first imagine yourself standing in a farm field-maybe it's a field of grass-fed beef in Vermont, or salad greens in California, wheat in North Dakota, corn in lowa, or a small milpa on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. (Or perhaps you're standing on a coffee plantation, a groundfish boat off the Maine coast, in a dairy barn, or even a confinement hog operation-wow, we get our food from so many sources!) Take a step back from that field or barn or boat, and try to imagine the markets, processes, policies, ecological systems, cultural and social forces that help to determine not only what is grown there, but ultimately where that food goes. Who works this land, how did she* come to be here and is she able to support herself as a farmer? What prices will she get for her crops this year, how are those prices determined, and will they begin to bring her out of debt? Is the wheat ground into flour at the mill down the road and baked into a loaf at the local bak- ery, or is it exported to Egypt or Japan? Will the corn be hand made into tortillas, or transformed into the corn syrup that is helping to fuel our national obesity epidemic, or will it feed COWS in a confined animal feeding operation and return to the atmosphere in the form of methane gas, contributing to global climate change? And how did all that food get from wherever it came from, across skies, seas and land, to end up in the grocery store and ultimately on your dinner plate? How much of our current food system is sustainable? More important, what would it take for it all to be sustain- able? This is not just a question of whether organic farms yield as much per acre as conventional farms (they can, and do); it is also a question of whether food distribution systems can be made to benefit all, regardless of income; whether small-scale growers can regain access to land and a viable market share; whether local, na- tional and global policies can support the little guys. And perhaps the question we should be asking of ourselves as citizens and of people in positions of power is: How can we afford not to have sustainable farms and food systems? We're addicted to cheap food-at what cost to our health, our communities and our future? This edition of COA highlights some of the many COA alumni and students who are growing a more sustainable food system from the ground up. Here's to a bountiful harvest! Sustainable Food Systems Administrator Heather Albert-Knopp '99 is helping COA launch its Sustainable Agri- culture and Food Systems program. She organized the first annual Food for Thought, Time for Action conference and is assisting with the burgeoning Trans-Atlantic Partnership with the Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm in the United Kingdom and the University of Kassel's Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences in Germany. *Given our choice of pronouns, we are using "she" because women produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food in most developing countries. Photo by Matt Mclnnis '09. DIGGING IN A photo essay of four alumni-owned Maine farms By Matt Mclnnis '09 CARDING BROOK FARM Location: Brooklin, Maine Owners: Jennifer Schroth '84 and Jonathan Ellsworth '87 Years operating this farm: 19 Production: Mixed vegetables and salad greens, with a farm-based farm stand and greens sold to regional restaurants. Acres in vegetables: 3 Biggest struggle: The work is never done! There is always more to do and a better way to do it and more money is always Jennifer Schroth, sons Walker and Nolan and John Ellsworth with their dog Poppy. needed. Above: John Ellsworth. Inset: Walker Ellsworth. Greatest joy: Being on the coast of Maine, working outside. Success: Keeping our land in the family for fifty years and three generations. Do you see your work in a global perspective? Definitely. We stumbled upon farming in the 1980s, when it was not a cool thing to do; everyone was into business. Then farmer's markets got to be hot and people got into food and farm- ing meant something to other people as well. People wanted to come here-that was one reason we started the farm stand. We've had a lot of school kids come; [COA anthropologist] Elmer Beal brings a class here every year. Kids don't get a chance to go to farms, even Maine kids. 26 COA THIRTY ACRE FARM Location: Whitefield, Maine Owner: Jane (Herndon) Frost '06 Years operating this farm: 5 Production: A little bit of everything. We bought land that was mostly wooded, so we started out doing a lot of pigs-or- ganic pork; pigs will root out the rocks and twigs; and goats-to chew down the vegetation. We sell mixed vegetables and fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchee, ginger carrots, and ruby kraut with red cabbage. Acres in vegetables: 3 Biggest struggle: It's always changing. Right now, having the infrastructure. We're lacking buildings and machinery and trying to pay for everything we need has been a big struggle. Greatest Joy: I just love having the two-year-old go out and help, having our family right there, seeing everything growing and making every- thing look good. Successes: Fermented foods. We can never seem to make enough to keep up with orders. Do you see this work in a global perspective? Originally, yes, but now it's so intense, | just try to focus on what needs to be done, day by day. Right: Jane and Simon Frost stand in a cabbage patch with sons Otis (with fiddle) and Will and their dog Isi. Below, Jane and Will watch their pigs nurse. COA I 27 MANDALA FARM Location: Gouldsboro, Maine Owners: Eugenio Bertin '97 and Sarah Faull '98 Years in farming: 10; 8 on Mandala Farm Production: Vegetables, flowers, berries, meat birds, laying hens, goats, one dairy COW, beef cattle, pork. Acres in vegetables: 3.5 Why farming? I was heading toward land planning or law; Sarah was doing research at Harvard. We came to Maine to work at H.O.M.E. Co-op for two weeks and stayed two years. We thought it was our responsibility to effect change; being at H.O.M.E. changed our perspective. We wanted to begin with stewardship of the land. Biggest struggle: The weather. Economics. Greatest joys: Nurturing and tending to the animals, seeing things grow-that magic and wonder. And seeing how people grow when they're exposed to what we do. Is farming a mission? If it were, we'd have given up by now. It's our life's work to try to improve the soil and provide food for the local community, to be available to our neighbor for a dozen eggs or a scoop of manure. Left: Genio Bertin and Sarah Faull. Below: Farmhand Saras Yerlig 'll picks heirloom tomatoes. 28 COA STONESET FARM Location: Brooklin, Maine Owner: Clara (Poland) Rutenbeck '01 Years operating this farm: 10 Production: Organic wild blueberries. We harvested and sold 12,000 pounds of blueberries this year and Above: Nathan and Clara Rutenbeck with daughters Margaret and Eleanor in grew veggies for ourselves and the market. In the front of their barn. Top: Farmhands sort and package blueberries. past we've raised all sorts of animals and vegetables; while we're working ourselves back up to that, we're taking a step back to catch our breath and analyze what has and hasn't been working. Acres: 30 in blueberries, half-acre in vegetables Why farming: I've always wanted to be a farmer. Mostly, I'm too stubborn to work a regular job. Biggest struggle: Money. Charging what the food is worth and balancing that with the belief that good food should be a human right. Greatest joys: My family. Feeding people. Taking care of a piece of land that will be in our family in perpetuity-being part of this landscape. Do you see this work in a global perspective? I see farming in a global perspective. | have great hope that the good work small farmers do will soon be recognized around the world. Matt Mclnnis '09 is an independent photographer freelancing for The New York Times. For more images and contact information, visit www.MattMclnnis.com. COA | 29 ORGANICSFORTHEMASSES by gh 4 the bug # Aphy 1.,111 B B Alaha 0 A Worms, Germs and Sperms: Celebrating Our Shared Past and Common Future Commencement speech from Steven K. Katona, former COA president, June 6, 2009 Thank you every- The odds of finding a perfectly matched donor are about one, and my special one in one hundred thousand-some five thousand times thanks to the class of worse than the twenty-to-one odds against the worst horse 2009 for inviting me in today's Belmont Stakes winning the race, but about two to speak. I hope you hundred times better than for winning the Maine state lot- know how deeply tery. Of the six million people listed in the national regis- Susie and I appreci- try of bone marrow and stem cell donors, twenty-two were ate your invitation. perfect matches for me, but twenty-one couldn't be found or couldn't donate. The remaining person, a 59-year-old I'm thrilled to be woman, agreed to be a donor. here today, to see the college thriving and to help celebrate the class of 2009. Transplants are highly choreographed. On my end, follow- ing four days of chemotherapy to kill the stem cells that I have a wonderful story to tell, and hope I do it as well as made my blood and immune system, at 7 pm on January it deserves and as well as the degree candidates told their 30, 2008, a courier brought to my room at Brigham and stories during the presentation of senior projects yesterday. Women's Hospital a plastic bag filled with what looked like Maverick cells raspberry sorbet. By hour's end, my donor's cheerfully-col- ored stem cells had flowed by catheter into me, and my life Five months after I retired from the college in 2006, I was as a chimera had begun. I can't begin to thank all the people diagnosed with leukemia. A genetic mutation in one of my who helped Susie and me through the subsequent months immune system's B-cells had ruined its control system, al- of masks and gloves, avoidance of germs, dirt, sun, plants, lowing it to reproduce endlessly and populate my immune animals and public places. But all has worked out happily. I system with white blood cells that didn't do their jobs as feel great and am probably cured, though I'll be on medica- well as normal cells and also were more liable to future mu- tions for a long time to suppress my new immune system tations. What was I to think of these maverick cells? I didn't from attacking the rest of me as 'nonself.' hate them. How could I? They were genetically identical to the rest of me, except for one mutation. But they weren't Only after a year passes does the hospital facilitate commu- lovable either, since their selfishness threatened an early nication between donor and donee, and only if both parties end to my days. So they had to go, and chemotherapy here want to make contact. We did. My donor told me that she at Mt. Desert Island Hospital during the first half of 2007 gave a blood sample fifteen years ago during a donor drive appeared to accomplish that. for a member of her synagogue who was ill, but she wasn't a Nevertheless, my physicians at Dana Farber Cancer Institute match. Fourteen years later, the registry called her on my be- in Boston thought that any cells missed by the chemother- Left: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia; apy would cause further trouble in several years and they Below: Healthy white blood cells seen under a suggested that the only chance for real cure was a stem cell microscope, photo by Bob J. Galindo. transplant, a procedure itself not without risk. Susie and I elected to roll those dice, and the search began for a perfect donor-someone whose seven key genes of the major histo- compatability complex were identical to mine. Those genes make proteins displayed on the surfaces of all your cells that identify them as part of 'self.' T-cells of the immune system will attack and kill any cells whose surfaces display 'nonself' proteins, so the better the match, the higher the likelihood that the donee won't reject the transplant and the lower the likelihood that T-cells produced by the donor's stem cells will attack the donee. half, and a good thing, too, as she was very near the 60-year larize things age limit for donors. So during the four days while my stem like mass and cells were being killed, she received daily shots to stimulate energy, wave her stem cell production, and then gave blood from which and particle, stem cells were harvested in a continuous flow process dur- human and ing two four-hour sessions. She reported no pain besides a non-human, mild rib ache caused by bone marrow stimulation from the mind and shots. On May 13, 2009 Susie and I travelled to New York body, self to meet her and attend services at her synagogue, where and non-self, the rabbi introduced me to the congregation, acknowledged each and oth- my donor's contribution to keeping me alive, and quoted Purkinje neurons: These cells are some of the largest neurons in the human brain. In humans, er, good and from the Talmud that he who saves a single life saves the Purkinje cells are affected in a variety of bad, male and diseases ranging from toxic exposure (alcohol, entire world. President Obama quoted from the Koran dur- lithium), to autoimmune diseases and to genetic female, black ing his speech in Cairo on Wednesday, that whoever saves mutations (spinocerebellar ataxias, autism) and and white, neurodegenerative diseases that are not thought a person it is as if he has saved all mankind. I don't think I'm to have a known genetic basis (cerebellar type strong and worth the accounting given in either scripture, but I'm glad of multiple system atrophy, sporadic ataxias). weak, and so Image courtesy of Annie Cavanagh, Wellcome to be saved anyway. Images. on. In fact, few things are Capping all was the revelation that my donor's name is Su- entirely one or the other, and having some of both is a pretty san Rose Newman. My wife, with whom I've shared the good place to be. past forty-five years, is Susan. My mother was Rose. And my donor has made me a new man. I thank her for all she did. I want to focus on the 'self-nonself' continuum that we re- Her gift enabled me to be here today and helped inspire fer to more commonly as 'each' and 'other.' Those words- this talk. 'each' and 'other'-contain a tension that both nourishes and confounds nearly every aspect of our lives. Indeed the Our enchantment with opposites meaning of human ecology is embedded in those two words Four years ago at your convocation, on September 7, 2005, and their implicit relationships. I welcomed the class of 2009 with a talk about the rhythms of our lives, finishing with the thought that our human lives Ancient cooperation are part of a giant chorus sung by countless singers, a huge, We're here thanks to an ancient and strikingly creative pulsing, polyrhythmic symphony connecting everything- resolution of the 'each-other' problem. Sometime between the electromagnetic vibrations of atoms and photons, the two billion and three and a half billion years ago a large, precession of Earth's axis, the slosh of tides and pounding of primitive bacterial cell engulfed a smaller type of bacteria storm waves, the swoosh of charged particles down earth's as food. Or perhaps the smaller species had invaded the magnetic lines of force, the dance of the northern lights, larger one as a parasite. Maybe that predation or parasit- the ponderous movements of crustal plates, the advance ism had been going on for millions of years, but on this and retreat of glaciers and the more delicate rhythms of life: occasion the smaller cell stayed alive inside the larger one, the calls of frogs and crickets, the flash rates of fireflies, the probably because it happened to perform a useful function, spawning of corals, the transoceanic calls of blue whales, such as metabolizing a waste product or generating oxy- the awful and wonderful noise of our own cultures and gen, reproducing in synchrony with its host. Over time the the hope that by coming to know ourselves and some of our two coevolved, became increasingly mutually dependent fellow choristers better we could improve the quality of our and eventually could not live apart. They had shed their lines in this Earthsong. 'each-other' distinction, gaining increased success by living Today, I'll try to complete that talk, first highlighting a major together as one organism, though both retained their own obstacle frustrating that hope and then suggesting a better DNA and continued to reproduce in synchrony. way to get where we need to go. It probably took a series of colonizations by different bac- The obstacle stems from our enchantment with opposites. teria to make the complex nucleated cells that form every Maybe our bilateral symmetry is to blame, defining left and plant, animal and fungus that has ever lived, including us. right, front and back, but leaving us mainly adjectives to de- The ancient colonizers are still with us as organelles inside scribe things in between. Whatever the reason, we like to po- all our cells: mitochondria that provide chemical power for all cell processes; chloroplasts that use sunlight to make the car- bohydrates that power nearly all the food webs in the biosphere and also produce the oxygen we breathe; centrioles, which form the filamentous skeletons of cells and the spindle that transports chromo- somes during cell division, thereby driving sexual recombination and genome diversity. In any case, our earliest single- celled common ancestors, dumb as they were, quickly learned the advantages that come with taking care of both 'each and other.' That ancient cooperation underlies ev- erything we see today. English wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) Now, billions of years later, we are still constantly engaged in each- sues in one of the one hundred and forty or so autoimmune other decisions at every level, starting from conception diseases that have been described. where each sperm competed against others to fertilize the egg. Yet under some conditions sperm seem to cooperate The three trillion cells of our nervous system are also busy physiologically or behaviorally to increase the efficiency of with 'each-other' decisions. Bathed at every moment with fertilization or out-compete rival males. For example, sperms information from every sense, our neurons compete and ne- of the promiscuous European wood mouse hook together in gotiate about what to notice and store, what associations little trains of five to one hundred sperms that swim faster to attach, what feelings or memories to inhibit and what to than a single sperm could, probably to outrace sperms of ri- retrieve. Each helps form detailed tableaux of information, val males. Once conception occurs, the lucky sperm imme- such that a sound, a breath of wind, a scent, or the taste of diately begins cooperating with the egg, first by shedding its a petite madeleine dunked in tea might suddenly recreate tail, which contains all its mitochondria, thereby ceding de- a whole scene-or not. If certain neuronal pathways grow scent of all the embryo's mitochondria to the maternal line. dominant, obsession, compulsion, tics or other deviations Once the sperm's head penetrates the egg's nucleus, the from harmonious nervous integration may ensue. 'each-other' distinction between the two gametes dissolves; Other neurons effectively blur the their separate sets of chromosomes and the genes they carry distinction between each and other become part of an organized, collaborative, self-regulating in a remarkable way. Mirror neu- genome, in our case a web of perhaps thirty thousand genes rons are nerves that fire not only and a large, but still unknown number of control regions. when we move, but also when we But 'each-other' battles can still occur at the genetic level, observe other people performing a for example if a mutation destroys a gene's control region movement. By mimicking the ner- allowing that cell line to grow at the expense of other cells vous activity ongoing in others, mir- and the body as a whole, as happened in me. We call that ror neurons apparently help us imi- condition 'cancer.' 'Each-other' mistakes at this level cause tate, learn and perfect the observed about two hundred different types of cancer in humans. Pyramidal neurons actions. Mirror neurons probably forming a network Cellular decisionmaking in the brain. Image also stimulate the empathy we feel courtesy of Dr. when we see people or animals in Jonathan Clarke, At a slightly larger scale, the B-cells and T-cells of our im- Wellcome Images. distress, essentially recreating their mune system ceaselessly patrol our tissues to destroy any vi- emotional state within us. Other rus, microbe or chemical recognized as 'other.' But immune social facilitation that apparently does not involve mirror cells make mistakes, too, sometimes attacking our own tis- neurons may also merge feelings of each and other. The contagiousness of yawning and the tired feeling that accom- als who cooperated over other less-cooperative groups. The panies it is a familiar example. idea went nowhere until the 1970s and '80s when studies of social insects, especially ants and bees, as well as theo- The 'each-other' story gets even more interesting when or- retical advances in game theory, led the way to showing ganisms interact. Commencement seemed like a good time how important cooperation is throughout the animal, fun- to discuss this thanks to the similarity between the words gal, plant and microbial kingdoms, and also began to reveal 'commencement' and 'commensal.' Both share the Latin some of its genetic, physiologic and behavioral bases. We root com- 'together,' but our ceremony derives from L. CO- learned that cooperation-whether unconsciously mediated minitiare 'to initiate,' and was originally for initiating priests; by chemical communication or consciously nurtured-un- whereas commensal, which literally means 'eating at the derlies countless interactions that enable life as we know same table,' derives from the Latin word for table, mensa. it to exist. Mutualism between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and Commencements legumes powers have so far only many of our food included our spe- crops-peas, cies, but com- beans, peanuts, mensalism typi- lentils, carob and cally involves two many others- or more species, as well as plants for example bar- crucial to ecosys- nacles that grow tem function, en- on whales, remo- hancing soil fer- ras that hitchhike tility at the same on sharks and eat time. We've been particles dropped amazed to learn from the sharks' that 90 percent of meals, or clown- all plants obtain fish like Nemo their mineral nu- gaining protection trients from sym- by living among biotic relation- a sea anemone's ships with soil venomous tenta- fungi. Ninety per- cles. In commen- Nurse shark with remora close to gills in Palau. Photo by David Burdick, courtesy of cent also depend sal relationships NOAA's Coral Kingdom Collection. on the insects and one organism mammals that benefits and the have coevolved other is neither significantly benefitted nor harmed. You to pollinate them. Bacteria living in the intestines of earth- might think of it as tolerance or even ecological welfare. worms digest cellulose in the fragments of dead plants that Evolutionary symbiosis the worms ingest, nourishing themselves, the worms and the soil that receives their rich castings. In the ocean, tropi- Over time, many relationships that likely began as commen- cal coral reefs-our planet's most biodiverse ecosystems- sal-or possibly predatory or parasitic-have evolved to be- would not exist without nourishment from their endosym- come more mutually beneficial. Our growing awareness of biotic algae. that trend sheds refreshing light on the 'each-other' relation- ship, which Western society has usually interpreted as com- So cooperation is key, and life slowly works toward achiev- petitive. Thus competition between individuals was Dar- ing it. Given time, even pathogens evolve to be less harmful win's mechanism for evolution through natural selection- to their hosts, working their way toward more commensal the survival of the fittest. Even though Darwin included fas- or even mutually beneficial relationships. The communities cinating examples of coevolution, the competitive paradigm of bacteria, fungi and ciliate protozoans that digest cellulose remained essentially unchallenged until some scientists in in the rumens or intestines of cows, horses and every other the 1950s and '60s began to ask whether evolution might animal that eats shoots and leaves likely made that journey, also work at the group level by favoring groups of individu- as did the bacteria that produce Vitamin K in our intestines. The process is at work in me, too, as my new immune system ticated ways to favor self over others. We and our primate and the rest of my tissues get over their 'each-other' hang- relatives are astonishingly good at cheating and concealing ups and hopefully learn to play together as nicely as our our deceptions even from ourselves. We are also skilled at ancient bacterial ancestors did several billion years ago. detecting and remembering cheating in others-you might even say too skilled, as we nurse grudges, prejudices, slights When individuals interact, attention to both 'each' and and offenses so long that we encumber many generations in 'other' can also accelerate the evolution of intelligence and antipathies and even blood feuds. consciousness. Any animal smart enough to recognize the individuals it frequently encounters, and to remember how So for us as for all mammals, genetic relatedness and reci- they behave, has the potential to evolve mutualistic behav- procity are the two factors that have always been central ior based on reciprocal altruism-even when no genetic to social organization, and both have fostered 'eaches' and relationship exists. Encouragement of mutually beneficial 'others' of varying scale: nuclear family, extended family, (and perhaps physically enjoyable) acts enabled cleaning matriarchy, patriarchy and tribe for kinship; gender, cohort, symbioses to evolve between different species of fish, or be- school, community, race, religion, class, caste and dozens tween birds and turtles, iguanas, land tortoises, crocodiles of others for reciprocity. Both organize our personal behav- and some mammals. Cleaners glean parasites from their ior and that of our societies in powerful ways, involving us clients; and clients presumably recognize and shun clean- in numerous webs of mutual obligation and expectation, ers who cheat by eating scales, tearing off skin or drinking binding us together in some cases, while separating us in blood. Reciprocal altruism occurs in mammals, too, espe- others. cially in bats, cetaceans, and primates. Who would have predicted that male vampire bats would be exemplars of Kinships But a third factor offers nearly unlimited power to create and extend meaningful relationships between people of all kinds. In 1968, beautiful color photos of Earth taken from space united people everywhere by showing our shared home in its entirety for the first time. Those photos and Rachel Car- son's writings gave birth to the environmental movement, and we've spent the following four decades studying our planet in ever greater detail. We still don't know how many species live on earth-estimates range from five million to one hundred million-but since only two million have been described scientifically so far, it's no surprise that new dis- Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) coveries abound wherever we look closely: new species, genera, families and sometimes higher orders of life; com- kindness, regurgitating blood to feed nearby, genetically un- plex communities of organisms living their entire lives hun- related males, with good expectation that another day those dreds of feet up in the canopy of redwood trees or thousands males will feed them when they are hungry? Whales, dol- of feet under the sea where metallic, sulfurous brines spurt phins and primates not only demonstrate such direct reci- from Earth's mantle into the ocean. We find organisms so procity, but also indirect reciprocity, in which helpful acts bizarre that they might have sprung from pages written by are repaid not just by the direct recipient, but also by oth- Frank Herbert or William Kotzwinkle: luminescent vampire ers. Frequent repetition of such behaviors strengthens the squids, sea squirts webs of reciprocity that bind these societies together to the that trap fish, more point that pilot whales, white-sided dolphins, sperm whales than six hundred and others routinely put themselves in harm's way to assist plants that attract schoolmates in difficulty, including genetically unrelated in- and trap prey, gi- dividuals. Reciprocity is so strong in these species that they ant tube worms often extend help across species lines, including to humans with no mouth, di- in distress. gestive system or Of course the continuing dichotomy between 'each' and anus whose bright 'other' also ensures that the mental development supporting red hemoglobin- Adult Riftia pachyptila tube worms in situ. reciprocity has a darker side, stimulating increasingly sophis- filled plumes ab- Image courtesy of Monika Bright. sorb hydrogen sulfide so that the billions of bacteria packed As we begin to understand how some of our fellow species in their tissues can gain energy by oxidizing it to crystals tick, not just physiologically and ecologically, but also how of elemental sulfur while releasing carbon compounds to they sense the world, what emotions they have, and what nourish the worms. their intellectual life might be, we find still more commonal- ity. We find that feelings such as excitement, anticipation, But despite such enormous diversity, we've discovered the fear, pain, joy, guilt and something that looks a lot like love remarkable genetic kinship we share not just with chimpan- appear to be more widespread in the animal kingdom than zees, our closest relatives with whom we share some 98 we previously wished to admit. We don't yet know how percent of our genes, but with all of this remarkable life. It many of our fellow species have enough brainpower and is startling. Half of the meta- leisure to think in abstract terms about the world and their bolic enzymes found in the place in it-though we're pretty sure some do-but we cer- bacterium E. coli are present tainly do it more frequently and deeply than any of our fel- in all living organisms includ- low travelers, and with surprising results, too. ing us. The genes that regu- late patterns of body develop- Travelers drifting in time ment and segmentation are Coming from a naive past that was largely ethnocentric, an- identical in fruit flies, mice thropocentric and terracentric, we've invented ever-more and people, and probably de- sophisticated instruments for looking outward. It has been scended unchanged from our humbling. Go count all the sand grains on all the beaches common ancestors in Precam- in our world (about 7.5 X 10E17 [quintillion]) and when you brian seas 590 million years E. coli bacteria get through, the number of stars in the known universe will ago or more. still be a hundred times larger. Think of it, one hundred What's more, our relatives have a lot of practical things to stars for every grain of sand. And who knows how many teach us if we listen and look carefully. We've learned from planets circle them, and how many possibilities there are for bats how to echolocate; from barnacles and mussels how to life of some kind to have evolved. One can only marvel at make better glues for surgery, dentistry and industry; from the scope and grandeur of this celestial play and the likely cockleburs how to make Velcro; from desert beetles how insignificance of our role. Still, it's the only role we get, so to collect water from fog more efficiently; from sharks how even if we are merely travelers drifting in time on a droplet to make swimsuits that win Olympic medals; from hump- from the most recent cosmic sneeze, and even if we never back whale flippers how to build more efficient blades for contact any of the other intelligent life forms that must exist wind turbines, and that's just the short list. I can attest to the somewhere out there, we still want to play our role well and practical benefits of biodiversity as the two immunosuppres- get a good review for our performance, and that will require sant medicines keeping me in good health both come from clearer understanding of our part, a lot more rehearsal time soil organisms, Tacrolimus from the bacterium Streptomy- and far-seeing direction. ces tsukubaensis, isolated by Japanese scientists from soil in Even if you never felt their country, Rapamune from the bacterium Streptomyces particularly close to hygroscopicus, found in soil on one of the most isolated an E. coli, fruit fly or islands in the world, Rapa Nui (Easter Island). mouse, new insights Nature is learning a bit from watching us, too. YouTube is show how closely each of us is related replete with dogs and cats that skateboard, dogs that surf, cats that take care of crows, chimps and gorillas that sign, to every other human parrots that talk, elephants that paint, a hippo who tries to alive. If the single ori- save an impala from a crocodile and dolphins who blow gin theory is correct, and play with bubble rings. What might have been the role and genetic evidence of such innovations in our own evolution and where might strongly supports Normal male 46,XY human karyotype. Photo courtesy of Wessex Reg. Genet- these novelties lead given enough space, time and relaxation it, all human mito- ics Centre, Wellcome Images. chondria descend from the everyday demands of survival? We don't know, but in general all species deserve the time and space to achieve from a single female, a Mitochondrial Eve, who lived about their own biological potential just as we have. 160,000 years ago; and all men inherited our Y chromo- somes from a Y-chromosomal Adam who lived about sixty thousand years ago. Our human ancestors all lived in Africa developed a most astonishing range of skills and achieve- until approximately seventy thousand years ago, when about ments, pushing the envelope of what it means to be human. one hundred and fifty people are thought to have migrated We've learned to fly, visit the moon and nearby planets, from what is now Ethiopia, across the mouth of the Red Sea map the universe and see traces of its beginning, manipu- and onto the Arabian Peninsula. From there they gradually late individual photons and atoms, convert matter to energy spread to populate the rest of the world. Think of it, the through nuclear fission, share information and ideas instant- entire human population outside of Africa may originally ly around the world, compute at blinding speed, help the have descended from one small, restless group of African blind to see, repair and transplant genes and organs, map wanderers, who must have been fairly closely related ge- genomes, and even create primitive life itself. This too is the netically and culturally. About three thousand generations short list. have passed since then, and most of the human variety that we see today must have evolved during that time. Repairing Earth Those three thousand generations haven't always been a And now it is time to put skills like these to use in smooth trip. Volcanoes, ice ages, droughts, plagues, lions, crocodiles and a thousand other extrinsic challenges, pests the largest and most-far and annoyances challenged us, but altogether we've had reaching human project the chance to grow up in a garden that is beautiful, prolific ever intentionally under- and for the most part hospitable. taken: repairing Earth. It is time to put the garden Our journey has brought out the worst and best in us. Thanks back together again. It to advances in technology, health and food production, the won't be mitochondrial human population has increased very quickly during recent Eve's or Y-chromosomal centuries and is now on the way to seven billion. Our world- Adam's garden, for it will wide activities and effects are so pervasive that the fate of lack the giant ground nearly all species, domestic or wild, now depends on us. sloth, the moas (ten spe- The Great Auk (Alca impennis) In essence, we've brought nearly every species from a state cies of flightless birds en- of wildness to commensalism-feeding at our table through demic to New Zealand, one of which weighed more than our tolerance for them or whatever habitats we leave for five hundred pounds), the dodo, Stellar's sea cow, the great them. But lately we've begun to feel the resulting ecological auk, the passenger pigeon, Tasmanian wolf, Yangtze River pushback and to realize its seriousness and extent: land-use dolphin and other species of animals and plants whose ex- changes and deforestation at a planetary scale, destruction tinction at our hands cannot be reversed. But the sooner we of natural habitats, rivers that don't carry water anymore, cli- start, the more complete the garden will be. mate change, ocean acidification, increasing sea level, mas- sive extinction of species, reduction of ecosystem services The project will require multi-generational dedication, pa- tience and a sense of collaboration with all our human and and the deterioration of human health as pathogens and parasites co-adapted with their wild hosts suddenly spread non-human partners, for they will also have lots of work to to a brand new host-us-causing zoonotic diseases such do. Among other things we will: as AIDS, West Nile virus, Dengue fever, Ebola and many other hemorrhagic fevers. As a result of all this, we have Reduce the human population down to perhaps three become the major source of our own morbidity and mortal- billion people over the coming five to ten generations ity, either directly by killing each other through fighting and by benign and voluntary means, through education, wars or indirectly by failing to curb mortality attributable empowerment of women and an appropriate system to poverty and ignorance, for example infant and maternal of incentives/disincentives and alternatives to personal mortality, water-borne illness and malaria. Paraphrasing the reproduction. That number is one-half billion less than Talking Heads, "You may ask yourself, well how did we existed in 1968 when we first saw Earth from space and get here?" How could we leave such a trail of carnage and when Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb. destruction in our wake? It was easy. We only did it to oth- ers. Reduce our individual and societal impacts on the en- On the other hand, as advances allowed some of us to de- vironment by learning to use resources equitably and vote more time to study, play and experimentation, we've sustainably-or not at all. Replace climate- and habitat-destructive methods of of jewels sparkled like stars power generation with renewable energy from the sun, in the heavens, each jewel wind, waves, geothermal and other sustainable sourc- catching and reflecting the es. reflections of all the others- and the reflections of those reflections-merging each Retreat from areas that are not needed by our decreas- and other, past and present, ing population, thereby releasing large areas to nature. here and there. Areas of land and sea restored to wildness will repay our debt to the natural communities so fundamental to Indra's net surely extends to our own evolution and will guarantee a robust future for Earth, where all living things the ecosystem services on which we all depend. Bronze statue of Indra, Vedic are its jewels, endlessly re- god of weather and war, and king of the Gods. Photo from flecting and echoing the Of course in the near-term we must also succeed with re- New World Encyclopedia. shared history of all life and forms of health care, education, financial oversight, inter- all people, not only those national debt, arms control and environmental regulation, alive today, but all who have gone before, because they but failure to achieve the longer-term goals will overwhelm still live in us-in our genes, cells, emotions, memories and these gains with unthinkable consequences. cultures. On the other hand, if we and generations to come focus In that spirit, let congratulations shine on the class of 2009, steadfastly on rebuilding the garden, we will eliminate pov- from your many boosters here in the tent and those cheer- erty, grow healthy people and communities, and eliminate ing from afar, and also from countless long-dead ancestors war and all the waste it entails, as there will be much more of all kinds. Those ancestors could not have known that to share and much less to fight about. their efforts would ultimately produce you. Most weren't Competition, self defense and even aggression will always put together in ways that enable such a concept-or any have their roles, but in the end, our individual and collec- concept-but you, and all of us, are nonetheless in their tive success will depend on how well we share, whether it debt, because though you worked hard for a quarter-century be space for nature, individual opportunity, information, en- to get to this milestone, they've been working for you for ergy, water, or stem cells. And the key to sharing is cultivat- several billion years. There is no better way to honor their ing the sense of relationship and common purpose. We've contributions and our shared past than by creating a better routinely highlighted the differences that create cultural and common future. Your work toward that goal already spar- biological diversity, but now we must also celebrate the in- kles through Indra's net. terdependency and close relationships between all people Dr. Steven K. Katona was one of and all life on earth. Honoring those relationships is the the four founding faculty members only path to a beneficial future. of College of the Atlantic, and the founder of Allied Whale. In 1993, Long ago in Vedic times, Indra ruled the gods. From his he became COA's fourth president, court in the clouds above Mt. Meru, he defended gods and serving until his retirement in 2006. men against the forces of evil, commanded thunder and He is now a Senior Adjunct Scientist storms and brought water to the earth. Atop his court, a at the New England Aquarium and a marvelous net stretched to infinity in all directions. At each consultant on ocean health, climate intersection of the net lay a brilliant jewel, and the infinity change and the marine environment. College of the Atlantic life changing. world changing. 105 EDEN STREET BAR HARBOR, ME 04609 WWW.COA.EDU a local diner from five or six until nine a.m. At the end beans. She buys her strawberries from the first unionized of the term, we went to the Smithsonian for a month-it strawberry grower in California. But when she was looking was an incredible opportunity. We did more as undergrads to create organic Fig Newmans, she ran up against a quirk of than other schools did-and never used pickled cats." New- the organic trade. It was the mid-1990s, and she was unable man barely takes a breath as she explains that most college to find organic figs. Then she looked among conventional classes dissect pre-killed animals such as frogs, fetal pigs figs and found someone growing acres of them organically. and cats. COA wouldn't do that-and still doesn't. Instead, Acres-but because no one was interested in organic figs, Newman and her classmates dissected roadkill, beached they were sold as conventional fruits. marine mammals and gulls. Because there weren't always texts available for these animals, students learned by explor- Could organics feed the world? Yes, insists Newman, "or- ing, sometimes writing their own dissection manuals. ganic farms can produce the same amount as conventional farms-but how would you know for sure until you test it?" It was her fascination with birds-and the frustrations of What she'd like to see is "equal funding over equal time for conserving them-that drove Newman to Newman's Own organic techniques." So much money is put into chemicals Organics. At the time, she had been working as fundraiser and herbicides, she says, and hardly any funding goes into for the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group. The rap- organic concepts such as crop rotation and buffer zones. At tors she was helping to protect- the very least, more research would bald eagles and peregrine falcons- help people trust organic methods had become endangered from the more. Newman herself has a staff chemicals used by industrial agricul- person focused on food safety is- ture, particularly the pesticide DDT. sues, such as E. coli runoff from cat- As Newman struggled to raise funds tle. That, she notes, "is a reflection of for the organization, she watched how cattle are farmed. Cattle raised her father seemingly rake money on grass have acidic stomachs. They into his Newman's Own Founda- don't get the E. coli bacteria," and tion, simply by selling his line of so their manure isn't harmful to veg- foods. Aha, she thought, Why not etables. try something similar? Similar, but organic. Within a dozen years of grocery stores finding shelf space for New- There was her father to contend man's Own Organics, organic foods with, however. According to the have driven a wedge into the mar- Newman's Own Organics legend, ketplace. Today, even rural Maine organic did not always equal deli- supermarkets carry their own or- cious in the Newman household. It ganic line, something unthinkable meant heavy, whole grain muffins when Newman was shopping those and bland nut loaves-Woodward's stores as a COA student. "I'm glad attempt to keep the family healthy. to have been a part of that change," Just raising the concept of an organ- she says. "What I wanted was for ic food line to her father required a organic food to be more for the bit of creativity. masses, supporting an environmental concept and a form of agriculture, without asking people to change their whole And so, like a good COA graduate, Newman focused on perspective and the kinds of food they ate." the doing rather than the telling. She volunteered to make a Thanksgiving dinner, not mentioning that it was going to be Her business hunch has paid off. Royalties from Newman's entirely organic. The plan worked. Newman and her busi- Own Organics go to the Newman's Own Foundation, ness partner, childhood friend Peter Meehan, were granted which to date has donated more than $265 million dollars a year's worth of seed money-to be repaid. This was 1993, to educational and charitable organizations worldwide (of just six years after Newman finished COA. which COA, gratefully, has been one). They decided to further WOO her father with his favorite Newman was in Maine just recently. She came to Portland snack food, making an organic, white flour pretzel. "There to visit a McDonald's restaurant. Yes, McDonald's. New- was no way in hell my dad was going to eat a whole grain man's concept of organics for the masses has been accepted flour pretzel," says Newman. Today, Newman's Own pro- by some six hundred New England and northern New York duces thirteen kinds of pretzels, from twisted to straight, golden-arch franchises, which now carry Newman's Own white flour to whole grain. There are also chocolates that Organics coffee. Fair Trade at McDonald's: If that's not or- are not only organic but made with shade-grown cacao ganics for all, what is? COA 31 PLANTING PEACE, BRINGING IT HOME Neil Oculi '11, Zimmerman Cardona '11 and Andrew Louw '11 create an ambitious Davis Project for Peace: reforestation, community involvement, student leadership, media attention Cardona, who hails from Belize, Louw of South Africa and Oculi wonder how to frame the tree-planting re- quest. One official has already told them, "Farmers have caused the problem of reforestation," so it's the farmers who will need to resolve it. But Stephen Best, a farmer and chair of the Mabouya Valley Fair-Trade Farmer's Association, warned them that it wouldn't be easy to persuade farmers to plant trees-even though meeting a twenty-foot forested setback from the riverbank is a requirement for the fair trade certification most farmers work under. Next to tourism, bananas are the largest contributor to St. Lucia's gross national product. But the Lucian planta- tions are tiny compared to those in other nations that market to Chiquita, Dole and other large food produc- ers. With the entire island the size of just one banana Neil Oculi and Zimmerman Cardona '11 plant the first tree. plantation in Ecuador, fair trade offers a means of get- All photos courtesy of the Propagating Peace project. ting beyond economies of scale; yet Lucians are con- cerned about the restrictions, such as maintaining yields June 17 dawns oddly cold and rainy for three COA third- if they reduce fertilizer use. Meanwhile, rich valley topsoil year students who are in St. Lucia, a Caribbean Island washes into the river during flash floods, pig waste upriver just south of Martinique. Neil Oculi (whom you first read pollutes the wash water downriver, fertilizer contamina- about in the Copenhagen article on page 12), Zimmerman tion decreases the biodiversity of river and coastal eco- Cardona and Andrew Louw think about staying in, but systems-including coral reefs-and invasive plants, pests they have a schedule to keep-not to mention promises: and diseases threaten economic productivity and public to themselves, to the Kathryn W. Davis Projects for Peace health. and to various supporters in St. Lucia, Oculi's home. The three are recipients of a $10,000 grant from Projects for And so, a bit wet, the trio meets with a group of farmers; Peace to plant a thousand trees along the banks of one of Neil Oculi does the talking: the island's many rivers to prevent soil run-off in a heavily used agricultural area in the Fond D'Or watershed. Neil: [Smiling] The reason we're here is to work with you. We need to figure out ways to prevent you from losing The trio, all United World College graduates and COA Da- soil. We know that every time there is heavy rain the river vis Scholars, want to be certain their project, Propagating bank keeps eroding. Peace, won't just make a difference for the ten weeks of their grant; and they don't just want to plant the thousand Farmer Joseph: That is true-I am losing my land every trees, or even the additional 2,500 they obtain thanks to day. Look over there- the strength of their outreach. They want to plant firm roots Neil: Yeah, I know. For this reason we will work with you in St. Lucian society to be sure that the work will be car- to stabilize the river bank, we will also work with students ried on by those who live in the region. So the group has and plant trees. planned numerous meetings with the farmers and youth who will be caring for the trees. Farmer Joseph: What tree you planting? Oculi was born and raised in the Mabouya River Valley of Neil: Well we have to plant the best trees to do the job. eastern St. Lucia, where the project is centered. It's a region Farmer Joseph: What trees you planting? that once belonged to a large agricultural corporation but is now divided into small banana-growing farms support- Neil: We will be planting both tree crops and mahogany. ing some thirteen communities and about 7,500 people. As they ready themselves for the meeting on this rainy day, Farmer Joseph: I want mangoes. Breadfruit. Oranges. Not mahogany. 32 COA Neil: I see. But if we want to hold up the soil, we have to use mahogany too. Farmer Joseph: OK, OK, OK. But I want more tree crops. Everyone will have to plant trees, man. I think it is a good idea and everyone will do it. Farmer Joseph's wife: You can only speak for yourself; you know how difficult some of these farmers are. "She was right," Oculi says later. "Our message had nothing to do with fair trade certification or even environmental degradation. We had to explain to the farmers that they are losing land which results in a loss of yields." Mahogany, while a good soil stabilizer, is not a farm crop. If the farmers are going to take the time to plant and care for trees, they want them Crouched on the top of a riverbank eroded during a flash flood, Andrew Louw to bear harvestable fruits like mango, wax apple '11 wonders how many tons of soil are washed to the ocean. or avocado-but these trees are more expen- These facilitators, who receive expenses and a small sti- sive. The COA students suggest a compromise: for every pend, are given a week's training in food security, bio- four fruit trees, they'll supply one forest tree. That idea is diversity loss, environmental degradation, the impact of well received. these issues on their communities-and what they can do In late June, a family emergency takes Louw back to South locally to counter these global forces. Cardona offers an- Africa, leaving Cardona and Oculi, both graduates of the other slogan: "If we think local and act locally, we may Simon Bolivar agricultural UWC in Venezuela, with the have a chance of fixing the global issues." day-to-day work. Through email and Skype, the three Meanwhile the three add notes to their blog, Propagating continue to meet. Louw drafts reports, adding input to Peace: the workshops and the blog. The others begin their quest for youth leaders to carry on the project after the students July 5 leave. Going through the valley to find our facilitators was like a breath of fresh air. The very diverse communities provide By early July, the St. Lucia Social Development Fund has such a great classroom for both Zimm and I to learn: for stepped in as a partner, thanks in part to a proposal Louw me, catching up with old friends and using past experi- drafts. Another organization offers funding for the group's ence as my workbook. A lot of my learning is derived outreach efforts, allowing Cardona and Oculi to expand from explaining to Zimm as we cruise around the valley. their student group to thirty-five, with seven youth facili- It feels good to be home. I love the valley. It seems that I tators spread throughout the Mabouya Valley. "It is the am almost at a stage of self actualization for a brief mo- ripple effect of education that can change behavior in a ment. society," says Cardona. But then I quickly get back to the reality that there is a lot more work to be done. So as we arrive home I tell Zimm, MABOUYA VALLEY Oye Zimm, action points, man. At about six p.m. we take FAIRTRADE FARMERS a walk down the road to Dernière Rivière with our little notebooks to continue planning. FAIRTRADE Grand Ravine Tributary riverbank restoration More partners step in. The Ministry of Forestry decides to give the group its trees, freeing up money to purchase fruit trees at four dollars a piece. Then the Ministry of Agricul- and demonstration project ture reduces the price to $1.50: More trees, more river- bank protection, greater community outreach. On July 11, the first four hundred trees come in and are distributed for planting among the farmers of the Grand Ravine River. Oculi and Cardona plant the first tree-an exciting moment after all their hard work. But Oculi is cau- COA 33 tious: "The process of propagating peace requires partnerships among many stakeholders. Ownership of the project by the farmers and the rest of the community is vital to the success of the project." Over the next seven weeks, more trees are added, more farmers engaged. Oculi and Cardona appear on television and in the newspapers. The leverag- ing of Katherine W. Davis' original $10,000 grant has multiplied the capacity far beyond the group's expectations. As they get ready to leave St. Lucia, Cardona writes: The river is being stabilized, farmers are engaging and embracing the proj- ect, the youth are happy to have participated. We purchased five hundred more trees so that farmers can continue planting trees after we leave. A lot Proud planter. was achieved, but I can still see that more continuous work has to be done. The survival of the trees is important, and success can only be achieved in the long run. It is a race that has to be contin- ued to preserve soil, protect water resources and ensure the economic and social health of people in the valley. Our project is not simply an environmental initiative: it is an endeavor in holistic implementation of applied human ecol- ogy. The project's impact will be felt long after we're gone: creating jobs, ensuring food security, improving education- all leading to happier, healthier communities in the valley. To read more about Propagating Peace, visit http://propagatingpeace.wordpress.com, the project blog from which this article is drawn. ~ DG RECENT ALUMNI GLOBAL FOOD WORK In her introductory essay to this section, Heather Albert-Knopp '99 writes that everywhere she goes in the world of food systems, she finds COA in- volvement. This is true both locally and globally. On this page and the next are recent alumni already applying their human ecological degrees to the wider world. Ashlesha Khadse '08 is working in India for La Via Campesina. This organi- zation is a large international grassroots movement of peasants, small- and medium-sized producers, landless people, rural women, indigenous people, rural youth and agricultural workers who are involved in creating a peasant and family farm based alternative food and agriculture model that respects Ashlesha Khadse '08 kneels in the front row with a yellow shirt. Surrounding her are politi- cultural, ecological and social diversity. Writes Khadse, "My work here is cal leaders and staff from La Via Campesina at to provide technical support to the grassroots movements in India, Nepal, a meeting in Selingue, Mali. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka that are already working to change the model of ag- riculture and development. They get together to make the political decisions and then I work with them to make sure that their plans are being carried out." For his senior project, Bonface Omudi '09 interviewed members of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA, to try to understand what elements of that organization could be applied in his homeland of western Kenya "to assist farmers in organizing themselves and making food production as equally successful there" as in Maine. Industrial agriculture, he writes, has "continuously undermined the poten- tial for agricultural self-sufficiency, especially the comparative advantage for food production in western Kenya." A graduate of the Simon Bolivar United World College of Venezuela where he studied agricultural sci- ence, Omudi is pictured here working with a group of beekeepers in the Mexican town of Temax, Yucatan. These beekeepers, all women, are pro- moting apiculture as a technique of sustainable agriculture. Bonface Omudi '09, left, stands with some of the beekeepers with whom he worked. 34 COA TECHNOLOGY'S TROJAN HORSE lan Illuminato '06 researches nanoparticles in our foods Nanoparticles are beyond small. If you were a nanoparticle And the use of nanoparticles is not limited to food products. and happened to try to snuggle up to a red blood cell, that According to the Woodrow Wilson International Center cell would be seven miles long. At least that's what lan II- for Scholars nanotechnology inventory database, there are luminato '06 says, and he might know. As a health and en- more than a thousand products on the market, employing vironment campaigner at Friends of the Earth, his days are different types of nanoparticles, including common house- spent researching nanotechnology. hold products such as refrigerators, water filters, make-up and toys impregnated with antimicrobial nanosilver. Since Despite their size-one-10,000th the diameter of a human what goes into our food and household products also goes hair-nanoparticles are extremely powerful. In foods, they into the environment, these potent antibacterial nanomate- can enhance flavor and color, or serve as potent nutritional rials could disrupt the functioning of beneficial bacteria in additives. A chocolate nutritional drink mix created for tod- our bodies and beyond. Illuminato worries that they can in- dlers, for instance, uses a nano additive to make the iron advertently cause the development of more virulent harm- more available to small bodies. Nanoparticles are adver- ful bacteria. tised as having the potential to reduce fat, carbohydrates and calories and increase fiber, protein and vitamins-turn- In researching the presence of nanoparticles in food, II- ing junk foods into veritable health options. luminato found that at least one hundred food products- possibly as many as six hundred-contain nanoparticles. By In this brave new world of food processing, there's no tell- next year, researchers estimate that sales of nano foods will ing what such particles can't do, at least according to their be worth almost six billion dollars. Currently, the United promoters. In agriculture, nanoparticles in soil additives can States does not regulate nanotechnology and manufacturers make fertilizers more potent and alter pesticides to respond are still not required to identify nanoparticle ingredients on to specific conditions or targets. In packaging, antibodies at- product labels, conduct nano-specific safety tests, or submit tached to fluorescent nanoparticles can detect chemicals or their products for approval prior to sale. food-borne pathogens, or coat surfaces with antimicrobial and antifungal properties. The issue has not been lost on the Obama administration. In September, thanks to a legal petition submitted by Friends At a time when every public doorway is adorned with hand of the Earth and the International Center for Technology sanitizers, when obesity has become rampant, couldn't this Assessment, the Environmental Protection Agency agreed be a good thing? to look into the possible health and environmental risks of some nanomaterials, realizing that we still know too little Ah, but how much do we know? That's the question Illumi- about whether such particles may persist and accumulate in nato asks. Nanoparticles can also be more chemically reac- tive and bioactive than other particles. Their very small size unusual and potentially harmful ways. allows nanoparticles increased access to our bodies, so they For more information about lan's nanotechnology cam- are more likely than larger particles to enter cells, tissues paign, visit http://www.foe.org/healthy-people/nanotech- and organs and may present great toxicity risks for human nology-campaign. health and the environment. Because the immune system also operates at the nanoscale, these particles might also compromise our immune system response, Illuminato says. During his internship with Greenpeace Italy, lan Illuminato '06 helped lead a movement against genetically engineered crops in Europe. His se- nior project, "Liberated Activism: Emerging New Directions," focused on less traditional means of activism, such as eco-art and radical performance. He also has worked for Greenpeace International and the United Nations Environmental Program in Italy and currently works closely with the Cam- paign for Safe Cosmetics. His published reports include "Nano and Biocid- al Silver: Extreme Germ Killers Present a Growing Threat to Public Health," "Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture: Out of the Laboratory and On To Our Plates" and "Human Ecology and Childhood: An Adult Connec- tion." His writing has appeared in the Journal of Nanoparticle Research Frier and the European Journal of Oncology and he has been quoted in numer- ous media outlets including The New York Times, Scientific American, lan Illuminato '06. BusinessWeek and Reuters. Photo by Nick Berning of Friends of the Earth. COA 35 COA CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF FARMING By Eliza Worrick, COA intern In the spring of 1999, alumni Barbarina Heyerdahl '88 and The importance of buying local can't be stressed enough, Aaron Heyerdahl '87 moved to Vermont, selling to COA says Albert-Knopp (see page 25). "Local foods are often the farm that had formed Barbarina's senior project. During fresher and better tasting, and we can use our dollars to the decade since, Beech Hill Farm has been shaped into directly support farmers and keep money circulating in the a place where COA students pursue academic endeavors, local community." and the college, the island's public schools, local residents, visitors-and even some users of the island's food pan- Working with the United Kingdom's Organic Research tries-obtain organic food. With the installation of a wind Centre-Elm Farm and the University of Kassel's Faculty of turbine by the Practicum in Residential Windpower class Organic Agricultural Sciences in Germany as part of COA's last spring, the farm is also something of a showcase for new Trans-Atlantic Partnership in Sustainable Food Systems, alternative energy. the three institutions hope to strengthen education and un- derstanding of global food systems. From local to global Sharing the harvest Thanks to a grant that supported Alyson Harris '09 in build- ing a greenhouse for her senior project, the farm is expand- Local food is celebrated-but costly. The farm's Share the ing its greens and cold-hardy produce. Paired with the pur- Harvest program extends high-quality, organic produce to chase of a walk-in cooler on campus, the college can now those struggling to make ends meet. Coordinated by Healthy serve farm produce into November and as early as March. Acadia and COA, and supported by the Bingham Program, "In terms of financial sustainability, that could be a big Share the Harvest offers vouchers to twenty income-eligible help," says farm manager Alyssa Mack, who started at the individuals each growing season. These work like gift cer- farm last February. tificates, encouraging folks to come to the farm where they can see firsthand where their food is grown. (Donations to Beech Hill Farm has also built strong relationships with the the program can be made payable to Beech Hill Farm, with local public school system. When Heather Albert-Knopp '99 Share the Harvest in the memo line and mailed to COA). served as the farm-to-school coordinator for Healthy Acadia, she helped to connect Beech Hill with local schools. This Eliza Worrick, a communications student at Clark Univer- continuing connection was featured on The Martha Stewart sity in Worcester, Massachusetts, interned last summer in Show last January. COA's public relations department. COA's wind turbine, product of Practicum in Wind Energy class from last spring, can be seen through a field of flowers at Beech Hill Farm. Photo by Eliza Worrick. 36 COA CLASS NOTES 1975 ful, while at the same time my daughter old New Zealand peace activists. Film graduated from high school and is start- rights to her book, A Bonfire in My In August, Bar- ing at Green Mountain College. Most Mouth, were bought by an American bara Dole Acos- importantly, I continue to dance, play producer. She is active in local politics ta ('75) was on and meditate as much as possible." and serves on the board of trustees of Mount Desert Is- a local high school, the board of the land and offered COA a New Eng- 1988 Coconut Free Press Trust, and as a di- rector of the Awaawaroa Bay Eco-Vil- land premiere of Kim (Robertson) lage. She says, "My greatest joy still is Guazapa: Yesterday's Enemies, a film Chater illus- to walk on our local palm beach with about the change in El Salvador, where trated A World my children and my Swedish vallhund a member of the revolutionary party, Without Ice, No- and give thanks that we live in such a the Farabundo Martí National Libera- bel Peace Prize beautiful part of the world. Kia ora!" tion Front, or FMLN, is now president. winner Henry Acosta's husband, Francisco Acosta, Pollock's latest book, introduced by Al a native of Guazapa, which suffered 1991 Gore. The book is published by Pen- heavy bombings during the civil war guin Group. Louise Tremblay and Neil Anderson against the FMLN, is featured in the welcomed Karl Embden Anderson- film. Their children helped with trans- lations. 1989 Tremblay, born on February 25. They soon hope to have him accompanying Valerie Giles had a gallery showing them on their North Carolina country 1977 this fall of drawings at Danese on West bike rambles. Wherever he treks, Karl 24th Street in New York City. carries a bit of Maine because his mid- Hugh MacArthur re- dle name is that of the pond where his turned to campus in June to celebrate 1990 family has a cottage. Louise has started a new job at the art center in Carrboro, the graduation of his This June, Peter Moon North Carolina, coordinating programs daughter Maggie Mac- returned to campus to for children and families. She would Arthur-McKay '09. celebrate the graduation enjoy hearing from COA types who of stepdaughter Lauren are visiting or wishing to perform in 1985 Broomall '09. the area. "I dropped out of the nine-to-five work Susi Newborn is currently working as In July, Josh Winer was awarded a Mas- world five years ago to figure out how Climate Change Campaign coordinator sachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fel- to live in a different way. Still working in New Zealand with Oxfam. This past lowship. Examples of his photographic on it!" writes Peter Heller. "This has year she produced and directed Kit & work and current projects are available been a very busy year as my non-profit Maynie: Tea, Scones & Nuclear Dis- at www.joshwiner.com. On August consulting and film producing busi- armament (www.kitandmaynie.com), 6, he and Dawn Lamendola ('92) had nesses have grown a bit more success- a documentary about two ninety-year- their first child, Griffin Maxwell Winer. Weighing in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces Alumni Resources: www.coa.edu/alumni and 21 inches long, Griffin is happy, healthy and growing like a weed! Alumni Association Career Services 1992 Update Your Info Career Information Mark Tully has joined a Playback Search for Events Searchable Database Theatre troupe in Providence, Rhode Island. Playback Theatre is a global Find Local Alumni Graduate School Info network of troupes that use improvi- sational forms to "play back" stories Get Involved Job Search Skills told from the audience, depicting the Volunteer Relocation Guidance salient psychic and emotional content of the tales. It is employed to help se- Contact Dianne Clendaniel Contact Jill Barlow-Kelley at niors, immigrants, prisoners, youth at 207-288-2944, ext. 268 or 207-288-2944, ext. 236 or and the general public explore deeply dclendaniel@coa.edu jbk@coa.edu personal and social dynamics. Mark thanks all of his human ecologist peers COA 37 for the many years of tolerating, affirm- Inspired riage, we could be another thorn in its ing, insisting, threatening and pleading by Alumni side. And there's nothing we love more with him to Just join a damn theater than that. Except each other." troupe already! Franklin Jacoby '12 2000 1993 Interested in the limitations of science Chelsea Mooser completed her PhD Dan Farrenkopf and in biological chemistry at the Univer- Eamonn Hutton '05 Studies biology, philosophy sity of California Los Angeles. She is of nature and Wittgenstein returned to campus researching breast cancer and recently last spring to install Spent the summer wrote for The Women's International a memorial to Jesse cataloguing nesting Perspective, www.thewip.net: "Weigh- Tucker '95 in the patterns of gulls on Great ing the Risks and Benefits of Hormone Duck Island Turrets Seaside Garden. The planting Replacement Therapy." beds of the garden were designed and Writing tutor reconstructed by Hutton as his senior Currently conducting an 2001 project; the concrete garden fountain independent study on the was refinished by Lunaform, the com- history of the philosophy of In October, Ben Macko married Kate pany Farrenkopf cofounded with Phid science Caivano, daughter of Helen '80 and Lawless. Jesse, a landscape architect, Wrote a profile of COA for former faculty member Roc Caivano. died in a car accident in 2006. He had Sierra Magazine A week later, Kate started at COA as worked on the garden and especially Franklin says that COA alumnae Sustainable Business Program adminis- the fountain area as a student. Margaret Youngs '96, Alana trator (see page 3). Beard '03 and Marjo Whittlesey Sarah (Cole) McDaniel is happy to an- '05 were all instrumental in his Leah Stetson nounce the opening of her solo law decision to apply to COA. '01, MPhil '06 practice, Maine Land Law, LLC, PA Our alumni are our best resource recently bought in Gorham, Maine. She'd love to hear for identifying prospective stu- her first home in from other COA alumni lawyers who dents. Raymond, Maine, have taken a similar path. If you have surrounded by Who are you inspiring? Let me legal questions about land you own in know. ponds and lakes. Maine (boundary disputes, rights-of- In addition to her way, permitting issues, etc.) she en- Sarah Haughn, Office of continued work Admission, 207-288-2944, courages you to contact her at Sarah. in wetland science and policy with the ext. 330, shaughn@coa.edu McDaniel@MaineLandLaw.com nonprofit organization, Association of State Wetland Managers, Leah volun- teers with local land trusts and is con- 1994 ern California. It is part of a longer collection called The Cowgirl Letters, structing a vernal pool mapping study Nishanta Rajakaruna, former and in- a series of letters between Calamity for the Town of Windham. In early coming faculty member in botany at Jane and Annie Oakley. It is available June she taught fourth graders how to COA, currently assistant professor at from Proem Press's website, proem- build eco-friendly fairy houses at Black San Jose State University in the De- Brook Preserve in Windham. She writes press.com/publications.htm. A second partment of Biological Sciences, is first book, Living Must Bury, is the winner "strange wetlands" for the ASWM blog, author with R.S. Boyd, on "Advances of the 2010 Motherwell Prize, and is www.aswm.org/wordpress. in serpentine geoecology: A retrospec- forthcoming from Fence Books. Josie tive" published this year in Northeast- On September 4, in is currently a Wallis Annenberg Fellow ern Naturalist 16 (5): 1-7. For a second the presence of fam- at USC and at work on her disserta- publication see Tanner Harris '06. ily and friends, Jor- tion, "Toward a Queer Narratology of dan Posamentier and Trauma." Josie and her partner Jennifer Maria Skorobogatov 1999 got hitched this year-about four hours '03 tied the knot in after it became illegal in California. She Calamity, a po- Lafayette, California. writes: "We still feel enormous resis- etry chapbook tance to an institution founded on in- written by Josie equality, one that awards privileges to 2002 Sigler was pub- some while denying rights to the most lished by Proem "Things are as crazy and hectic as ever, vulnerable members of our communi- Press and Uni- but proceeding forward nonetheless," ties. But we figured that since the state versity of South- writes Nicole D'Avis. "I was promoted was no longer sponsoring our mar- 38 COA CLASS NOTES in July to program director at a youth boring COW dairy. Growing fungi inside Anti-nationalist, Anti-militarist, Femi- development non-profit in Boston, So- cheese has become an obsession! nist Mobilization in Serbia." The pre- ciedad Latina, where I've been work- sentation was part of a panel on Civil ing for the past six years (and hosted In late February, Allison Rogers Furbish Society, Social Movements and Politics Tom Rush '07 as an in- and husband, Shawn, expect their first of Discontent. Conference participants tern a few years back- child. "We're very excited and a little included CEU graduates and current more COA interns are terrified, but looking forward to bring- students, and scholars from other uni- always welcome). This ing a new little human ecologist into versities in North America and Europe. February, Mark Ander- the world in 2010!" she says. Mean- son and I were married while, Allison continues managing me- dia relations and traveling around the 2008 in Oaxaca, Mexico. Thanks to COA for start- country for King Arthur Flour in Nor- Chris Aaront is serving as a coastal re- ing my appreciation of Mexico! Now wich, Vermont, and writing for the lo- source management Peace Corps vol- we're trying our best to buy a house cal Upper Valley Life magazine. unteer in the Philippines. around Roslindale, Boston. Guests are Nathaniel Keller re- always welcome; hopefully by the time On June 7 Sarah Helene Barrett and turned to campus this prints we'll be living in our new Jose Juan Perez Orozco '09 were mar- this June to celebrate home!" ried in COA's Beatrix Farrand Gardens the graduation of by faculty member in biology Suzanne Large-scale, ocean-inspired installation his brother Michael Morse, Jose's academic advisor (who sculptures are the latest art world niche Keller '09. Like Nat, Michael went threatened that there would be no of Blakeney Sanford. from graduation to a year abroad on a wedding without a senior project!). The Her three Southern Watson Fellowship. Nat is in his sec- two are now heading to Gainesville, California shows this ond year at University of Maryland Florida where Jose past summer consisted School of Law. has taken a posi- of pieces created using tion as an Organic epoxy resin, fiberglass, 2006 Certification Coor- and rebar. You can see dinator at Florida more of her work at Tanner Harris is first author on an ar- Certified Organic www.blakeneysanford.com ticle he published with Nishanta Ra- Growers, a non- jakaruna '94, "Adiantum viridimon- profit that helps certify small organic tanum, Aspidotis densa, Minuartia 2003 farmers throughout the region. Sarah marcescens, and Symphyotrichum writes that she will continue to study Erin Enberg came back Rhiannon: Additional Serpentine En- and work in alternative healing and ed- to campus to celebrate demics from Eastern North America" ucation as she and Jose "work together the graduation of sister in Northeastern Naturalist 16 (5): 111- to build strong, healthy communities." Kelly Enberg '09. 120 published by Humboldt Field Re- search Institute. Tim Fuller recently moved to Belfast, 2009 Maine to build membership and coor- Jessica Glynn gradu- "I've been monitoring water quality, dinate public affairs for Maine Farm- ated from City Uni- grant writing, filling out permit applica- land Trust, a statewide organization versity of New York tions, organizing and conducting sur- working to keep Maine's farms farm- School of Law on veys of local flora and fauna," writes ing. Tim is also working with Maine May 15; she took the Sarah Drerup. She is excited to have Farmland Trust's art gallery which cu- New York Bar Exam started her AmeriCorps position with rated the Food For Thought, Time for at the end of July. the Monday Creek Restoration Project Action exhibit in COA's Blum Gallery (Also in the photo- in New Straitsville, Ohio. "It's been a this fall. graph is Santiago Salinas '05.) great experience so far and I think it's going to be a great year!" 2004 2007 In April, Dustin Eirdosh moved off Virve Hirsmaki and Mount Desert Island and across the In June, Maria Lis Baiocchi presented Ben Smith ('07) a paper at the Fifth Central European country to southwestern Washing- have announced University Graduate Conference in So- ton State to be the creamery manager their engagement. cial Sciences. "My paper was based on at Willapa Hills, where he is making The two are plan- my master's thesis work; it was titled mold-ripened (blue) cheeses from a ning on a January 'The Activist Self: Collective Identity in flock of eighty dairy sheep and a neigh- wedding. (Class years in parentheses refer to alumni who did not graduate from COA.) COA 39 Have you seen COA's Our grants manager, new website? offer a joint field-oriented course next Tom Adelman, reports summer, based at COA. that COA recently re- Those who aren't able to come ceived a $10,000 grant to campus on a regular basis may Nancy Andrews and Dru Colbert vis- from the Quimby Family appreciate viewing many of the ited Clark Lawrence '92 at Galezza Foundation to support lectures and presentations made Castle in Bologna, Italy where he of- scholarships for the col- by students, faculty and guest fers reading retreats, with the hopes lege's high school introduction pro- speakers. of bringing future COA classes to this gram, Islands Through Time. COA and Thanks to Zach Soares '00, COA's magical place. They are looking to cre- other Maine colleges will be receiving site provides access to recorded ate a class in museum study, art his- a portion of a $20 million grant for lectures and events through Vim- tory and contemporary art. Nancy was work on sustainability that the Univer- eo, YouTube and iTunesU. Zach's also busy screening her new film, On talents as an sity of Maine Orono received from the a Phantom Limb, at the San Francisco audio and National Science Foundation's Experi- International Film Festival, Maine In- video editor mental Program to Stimulate Competi- ternational Film Festival (both in Wa- extend to tive Research, the EPSCoR program. the student terville and Bar Harbor), the 14 Karat COA is in its second year of funding video spot- Cabaret at the Evergreen House in Bal- from the Long Cove Foundation for a lights on the timore, Maryland and at COA. She has collaborative program between COA homepage of the new website. begun work on her next film, which and the Penobscot East Research Cen- has the working title The Eyes are Be- ter. Additionally, the first installment Go to www.coa.edu/videos hind the Ears. of a five-year grant from the Margaret to learn more. After learning about A. Cargill Foundation will be used to interconnections help send COA students to the United among biogeochemi- Nations Framework Convention on History, presented a paper on the His- cal cycles at the Eco- Climate Change in Copenhagen in De- tory of Natural History at the second logical Society of cember (see page 12). meeting of the Human Ecology Section America meetings Judy Allen, former director of informa- of the Ecological Society of America in August, Don Cass in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the tion services, is now COA's registrar. writes, "Did you know that it may have meetings, Jacqueline Gill '05, who is She took the position upon the retire- been a nickel deficiency which limited finishing her PhD in paleoecology at ment of former registrar David Bald- methane production and allowed oxy- the University of Wisconsin, Madison, win. Judy began working at COA in gen to build up on earth? That people 1978 as a research assistant to former presented a paper in the section on are trying to figure out if there will be paleoecology, debunking the idea that President Steve Katona, who was then enough nitrogen around to absorb our the Pleistocene extinctions were due director of Allied Whale. In 1988, she increasing CO2? That the nitrogen cycle to a comet strike and Yasmin Lucero became the first director of computer may respond to warmer temperatures? '99, who is doing post-doctoral work services at the college. The new direc- Or that as northern snows melt due to tor of information services is Pamela at NOAA/NMFS in Seattle, presented planetary warming, the ground may ac- on her work in fisheries. With John Mitchell, our longtime phone, network tually get colder?" He spent some time at those meetings were Rich Borden, and email guru. exploring Albuquerque with architect faculty member in psychology and the Sue Freed '80 and then headed to San- Allied Whale recently received the fol- Rachel Carson Chair in Human Ecol- ta Fe to catch up with Larry Clendenin, lowing grants: $15,500 from the Ces- ogy, Stephen Ressel, faculty mem- former COA admissions director, and tone Foundation for the marine mam- ber in biology and Don Cass, faculty his wife Casey. mal stranding program, and nearly member in chemistry. Rich and John $100,000 from the John H. Prescott were members of the founding group Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Sala- Marine Mammal Stranding and Health of ESA's Human Ecology Section at zar and Senator Susan Collins met at Grant Program for the maintenance and last year's annual meeting. Also, John the college's Straus Seminar Room, on enhancement of the Marine Mammal was elected to the Board of the Natu- the second floor of Turrets along with Stranding Response Program (MMSRP) ral History Network. While out west, the acting head of the National Park of Maine's Mid-Coast/Downeast re- John, Rich and Steve attended a three- Service and Maine conservation lead- gion. The grant helps COA run the na- day meeting of the Eco League col- ers working on creative ways to protect tionally recognized stranding response lege consortium in La Plata, Colorado the Maine Woods, including Ken Cline, program. with faculty representatives of all five Associate Dean for Faculty and faculty Eco League colleges (the others are member in public policy and envi- John Anderson, the William H. Drury Northland, Prescott, Alaska Pacific and ronmental law, Sherry Huber, COA Chair in Evolution, Ecology and Natural Green Mountain). Plans were made to trustee and Ted Koffman, former long- 40 COA FACULTY & COMMUNITY NOTES time staff member, now head of Maine cause the event is ephemeral, I plan to in getting COA into the Ashoka U pro- Audubon. Ken was invited because direct video and photographic docu- gram (see page 3). of his work with the Sierra Club and mentation that can become lasting Keeping Maine's Forests as Forests task works in their own right." This piece Carrie Graham, who served as the force. Writes Ken, "I chose the room explores themes of the human connec- interpreter at the George B. Dorr Mu- so that the Secretary could look out on tion to the sea. seum of Natural History last summer Frenchman Bay during the meeting and and is now acting facilities manager, see that Maine is a national treasure." John Cooper, faculty reports on the great success of the mu- member in music, was seum. "We kicked off the season with a guest artist at Univer- the opening of the Grierson exhibit on sity of Maine Farming- June 28, which included live music and ton and guest speaker wonderful stories about Stan Grierson at the Bagaduce Mu- told by his friends and family. Interim sic Youth Composer's director Scott Swann '86, MPhil '93 Competition Awards Ceremony, and and summer staff Addams Samuel '11 performed at the Bar Harbor Jazz Fes- and I have worked hard to enhance and From left to right in the photo are Alec tival in August. He also taught at the promote the museum with improve- Giffen, director of Maine State Forest Jazz Intensives Summer Camp held at ments to exhibits and signage, reorgani- Service, Alan Hutchinson of Forest COA in August. zation of the gift shop, new educational Society of Maine, Woolfe Tone of the programs and improved community Trust for Public Land, Karen Woodsum Following the successful erection of a visibility. With a bit of help from the wind turbine at Beech Hill Farm, Anna of the Maine Sierra Club, United States summer's bad weather, we had more Demeo, lecturer in physics and engi- Senator Susan Collins, Eleanor Kinney, than 3,300 visitors in July and August." neering, spoke about "Wind Power for president of the National Resources Your Home or Business" at the Green In addition to being a keynote presenter Council of Maine, Kenneth Salazar, & Lean Lecture Series in Southwest at the Society of Human Ecology con- Secretary of the Interior, Rosaire Pel- Harbor. ference in Manchester, England, last letier, liaison to Gov. John Baldacci of Maine, Ted Koffman, former Summer July, David Hales, COA president, was Dave Feldman, faculty member in a panelist at the President's Roundtable Programs director at COA, now head math and physics, served on the sci- at Greening Higher Education: Saving of Maine Audubon, Eric Stirling, owner entific committee of the International of West Branch Pond Camps, Sherry the Planet and Saving Money: A New Conference on Economic Science Huber of the Maine Tree Foundation England Leadership Forum sponsored with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents by the New England Board of Higher and COA trustee, and Ken Cline. 2009 (ESHIA/WEHIA 2009) in Beijing, Education in Boston last May. He also China in June. He co-organized the During her spring 2009 was a panelist on Providing Actionable weeklong Beijing Workshop on Fron- sabbatical, Dru Col- Foresight in an Age of Irreversible "Tip- bert, faculty member tiers in Complex Systems: Complex So- ping Points" at the Energy and Environ- cial Networks and Urban Dynamics in in art and design, com- ment Strategic Foresight Laboratory: July, sponsored by the Institute of Theo- pleted research and de- Turbulence and Systemic Vulnerabili- retical Physics of the Chinese Academy velopment on Flotsam, ties in Washington, D.C. last April. In of Sciences and the Santa Fe Institute, a performance instal- October he participated in a Water where he delivered a lecture titled "In- lation piece that pre- Planet Dialog sponsored by The As- troduction to Analysis of Complex Net- miered October 17. The piece includes pen Institute's Energy and Environment works: Challenges and Opportunities." sculptural objects and a shadow play. Program in partnership with Alexan- Feldman also wrote a review of the It is part of a series of site-specific per- dra Cousteau and Blue Legacy Inter- formance/installation events focused text Complex and Adaptive Dynamical national. David is now also a "Planet Systems: A Primer by Claudius Gros for on the landscape, history and folklore Panelist" for the Washington Post. He the July issue of Physics Today. of Mount Desert Island which began joins other national experts in an ongo- with Graupel, a visual opera on ice ing conversation about climate issues The Sustainable Business Program re- that premiered on frozen Somes Pond. on the paper's website: http://views. ceived an important endorsement this Her interest in these works, she writes, washingtonpost.com/climate-change/ summer, says Jay Friedlander, Sharpe- "is to create situations that respond to panelists/david_hales/ McNally Chair in Green and Socially the ephemeral passing of seasons, call Responsible Business: a Davis Founda- Dean of Student Life Sarah Luke and attention to the phenomenal, invoke tion grant of $144,000 over two years. former Coordinator of International a sense of mystery," and involve local Jay was also interviewed for an article Student Services Rae Barter have had community members at all stages. "Be- in Newsweek, and was instrumental their proposal approved to present at COA 41 the NAFSA Associa- cal interviewing method pioneered by Colorado had heavy rainfall in June-a tion of International Bärbel Inhelder, Jean Piaget and their record amount since sometime in the Educators bi-regional collaborators. The method, honoring 1880s. Much of the hiking was above conference in Spring- the individual and social construction 12,000 feet elevation where the air is field, Massachusetts of understanding through facilitated "thin." Craig, too is now thin, having this November. Their interactions between the learner and lost ten pounds! talk is titled "Aren't In- the phenomenon under study, was ap- ternational Students Already Studying plied as a teaching approach by Bon- International Human Abroad? Thoughts on Home Context nie's mentor, Eleanor Duckworth. Bon- nie also convened the second annual Ecology Conference in and Third Country Experiences" focus- ing on the benefits and challenges of meeting of the Critical Exploration in Manchester, UK international students studying abroad Teacher Education group at Harvard. Rich Borden served as cochair dur- while at colleges in the United States. This was followed by an end-of-grant Rae has moved on to a job as Interna- celebration in Portland with other ing this multi-organization conference members of the local school union's sponsored by the Society for Human tional Advisor at the University of Con- Ecology, the Commonwealth Human necticut and Kylee Allen now holds service-learning leadership team. As Ecology Council, the German Society her position at COA. evaluation consultant to Healthy Aca- for Human Ecology, the Scientific Com- dia in partnership with the Child and To inaugurate the college's Trans- mittee on Problems of the Environment Family Opportunities and Union River Atlantic Partnership, and other professional associations. Healthy Communities, Bonnie also Suzanne Morse, fac- The theme of the conference, held June presented the findings of a Food Stamp ulty member in biol- 29 through July 3, was Human Ecology (now Supplemental Nutrition Assis- ogy and the Elizabeth for an Urbanising World. tance Program) Nutrition Education Battles Newlin Chair project. This year's common theme is Rich gave a keynote address on "The in Botany, guided an "Grow Food Everywhere!"-at child- intense four-week Future of Human Ecology" and another care centers, in schools or in ornamen- presentation in the Human Ecology and course, Our Daily Bread: Following tal planters. Philosophy symposium on "Metaphors Grains through the Food System, in of change: the ecology of figurative collaboration with Roger Hitchings Davis Taylor, faculty member in eco- language." David Hales' keynote pre- and other staff at the Organic Research nomics, joined with sentation was titled "The Importance Centre, Elm Farm, United Kingdom. Sean Todd faculty mem- of Human Ecology Education." Among The first part of the course focused on ber in biology, Associ- the other COA participants were Jay wheat production and use in the UK, ate Dean for Advanced with comparisons to Germany and the Studies and the Steven Friedlander, who presented three talks and chaired a session. United States. The course included K. Katona Chair in Ma- seven students from COA and four rine Studies and Natalie In a special session on Applied Human students from the University of Kassel, Springuel '91, marine extension asso- Ecology, Rich, Ken Cline, Jay Fried- located in Witzenhausen, Germany. ciate of Maine Sea Grant, on a fifteen- lander and Samantha Haskell '10 of- With four to six hours of class work, day trip to Newfoundland and Labra- fered an hour-long historical overview field trips to local organic farms and dor, the culmination of the course This of the activities of COA's Center for research centers, ending with a one- Marvelous, Terrible Place: the Human Applied Human Ecology, or CAHE, week intensive on food quality assess- Ecology of Newfoundland. Students and how it is now moving in the direc- ment with Professor Angelika Ploeger studied the ecological, economic, so- tion of green and sustainable business: of Kassel, the group barely had time to cial and cultural implications of dra- "College-Community Collaboration as break bread. Says Suzanne, "the stu- matic changes in Newfoundland's fish- a Model for Applied Human Ecology." dents have had amazing endurance eries. Always emphasizing experiential in and outside of the classroom, and education, Davis joined the students in continue to cook and bake with great the traditional "swim with the 'bergs" enthusiasm and talent!" in the chilly waters of Labrador. Bonnie Tai, faculty member in educa- Taking a break from sustainability, tional studies, missed commencement Craig Ten Broeck, COA's sustainabil- for the first time in a decade to pres- ity consultant, thru-hiked the 483-mile ent at the annual meeting of the Jean Colorado Trail that runs through the Piaget Society in Park City, Utah as part Colorado Rocky Mountains from Den- The photo above shows lan Douglas, of a symposium on the development ver to Durango. That's thirty-eight days of the University of Manchester, a co- of the teaching-research methodology of almost endless mountain scenery. convener of the meeting, along with based on critical exploration, a clini- Water was never in short supply as Rich, Samantha, Ken and Jay. 42 COA In Memoriam Rashmi Sharad Shane Wyatt Davis ('93) Bhure '09 May 14, 1970-April 16, 2009 January 8, 1987- Photo by Jen Hughes. August 2009 Shane Davis was an unusually gifted writer who attended COA in the early nineties. I worked with Shane closely and Like many COA students, I remember being frequently astonished at the precocity of Rashmi Bhure arrived on his talent and his sheer personal intensity. I looked back campus with a vision for over my narrative evaluations and found these sentences: a better world, and was exploring paths to conceptualize and realize that world. Her professors praised her curiosity His poems find their way immediately into the darkest cor- and sincerity, her thoughtful comments and interactions in ner around and illuminate it with an extraordinary frank- class. Her friends were cheered by her smile, her warmth, ness and clarity, never forgetting the linguistic and musical her caring. I got to know Rashmi directly as a student when excitement that poetry must have. His work communicates she took my calculus class in her second year. She spent like a superconductor, without any loss in the transmission several terms in India, beginning with a residency she called between experience and artifact. "Approaches to Emotion in Ancient Indian and Western Rereading these narratives brings back the meetings I'd Psychology," seeking to understand and synthesize Eastern have with Shane. Though not a large person physically, his and Western approaches to emotion, the mind, and the intellectual presence would more than fill my tiny office self. This was a transformative experience that helped her of the time. We are made better teachers by students like make sense of her COA education. After interning with Shane, who place such demands on themselves that our various self-help and microfinance organizations, she com- own standards must be sharpened in response. We all saw pleted her senior project, "The Microfinance movement: more clearly in the light of his ferocious self-examination. Studies in India," and received her BA in July. Bill Carpenter Rashmi was a kind and gentle student who was acutely Faculty member in literature and creative writing aware that she straddled religious and cultural worlds. She patiently lived in this superposition: humble, curious and delicate. Rashmi had remarkable grace, not only in her Theodore Sizer physical comportment but in the way she strove to make a June 23, 1932-October 21, 2009 path through a world that for her was too often difficult and frightening. It is impossible to make sense of Rashmi's un- In the winter of 1970, when we were plotting, scheming, timely death. We cannot fully know the forces that breathe dreaming about what COA might be, we called on Ted life and love into an otherwise still earth. But we do know Sizer, the brilliant young man who was dean of Harvard's that it is right to dedicate our time on earth to nourish those Graduate School of Education and later formed the Coali- forces so that their light burns a little more brightly. tion of Essential Schools. Several of us would make visits to Ted in his office at Harvard, to get his reactions to our Dave Feldman plans for COA. Ted later joined the board of trustees. Faculty member in math and physics From the beginning we thought that each student at COA Marion Stocking should play an active role in shaping her/his program. And we also felt that students should be actively involved in the June 4, May 12, 2009 decision-making process affecting the directions the col- lege would take. But as we grew closer to actually opening Marion Stocking was a renowned professor of English at our doors to the initial class, I began to wonder if such Beloit College specializing in the Romantic Movement student involvement would work. Was it a naïve notion? with great expertise on Byron and Shelley. She was also a It certainly didn't reflect my own experiences at Harvard, longtime faculty associate and a great friend and supporter where I had been a student, and later Ted's associate dean. of COA. A Mainer at heart, she began her teaching career At one of our meetings I expressed some doubts. Ted Sizer at the University of Maine Orono, became a registered looked over at me and said, quite gently, "What's the mat- Maine guide and finally settled in Lamoine for her retire- ter Kaelber, are you losing your nerve?" That did it! And ment. She was the editor of the Beloit Poetry Journal for we didn't. its entire existence. Her exquisite judge of emergent talent supported the early careers of a good number of American Though several years my junior, Ted Sizer was/is one of poets. The loss makes me think of Yeats' lines in "To a my heroes. He had an abundance of good sense, integrity, Child Dancing in the Wind": the best labourer dead / compassion and humor. and all the sheaves to bind. Bill Carpenter Ed Kaelber Faculty member in literature and creative writing College of the Atlantic founding president COA 43 Photo courtesy of Horace Hildreth, Jr. Donor Profile: Environmentalist Horace "Hoddy" Hildreth, Jr. By Donna Gold Horace "Hoddy" Hildreth, Jr. is known in Maine for his cused Diversified Communications. Recently, with Hil- conservation leadership, his love of islands and his deep dreth remaining as board chair, the company has taken an interest in alternative sources of energy. What may not be interest in alternative energy. as well known is his connection to College of the Atlan- tic. Though he and his wife, the artist Alison "Wooly" Hil- The son of the late Gov. Horace Hildreth, Hoddy Hil- dreth, spend their summers on the island of Vinalhaven, dreth's service on boards looks like a comprehensive list of in Penobscot Bay, and live three hours from the college, regional environmental organizations: Conservation Law in Falmouth, Maine, Hildreth served on COA's board of Foundation, Davis Conservation Foundation, Maine Coast trustees for seven years. Heritage Trust, Maine Community Foundation, Maine That was between 1994 and 2001. But as is the case with Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Nature Conservancy's Maine so many COA trustees, stepping off the board did not mean chapter, not to mention his extensive board leadership of the Island Institute. stepping away from the college. This spring, when COA students-with the help of a couple of faculty members- While a lifelong love of Maine and its woods and oceans raised a wind turbine at Beech Hill Farm, Hildreth was set the stage for Hildreth's environmentalism, it was a first- one of the three donors (with former board chair and cur- rent trustee Sam Hamill, Jr. and social and environmental hand view of what can happen without regulation that investor William Osborn) who made it possible. brought him into environmental law before the field was even known. As a prominent Portland lawyer, he found A year before that, when COA hired Jay Friedlander as the himself lobbying in Augusta for Maine's paper companies. Sharpe-McNally Chair in Green and Socially Responsible "It got to be obvious that they were playing fast and loose Business, the college got a substantial boost from the Hil- with the environment-with the woods," Hildreth says. He dreth Family Fund. stopped lobbying on those issues and soon ran for a seat in the Maine State Senate. In just two short years, from "Ed Kaelber got me involved," says Hildreth. Though they didn't know each other, "he knew of me, and just called 1966-1968, he chaired the Natural Resources and the Leg- islative Research committees and wrote the first wetlands up and said he wanted to come see me." Not long after, Hildreth's name was added to COA's board of trustees. control law, the Site Location of Development law, and the Hildreth smiles at the impact of COA founding president legislation that-despite the flood of paper company lob- Kaelber's persuasiveness, but in many ways Kaelber just byists attempting to prevent it-in 1971 became the Land opened a door that the longtime environmentalist easily Use Regulatory Commission, or LURC, to oversee devel- walked through. opment in Maine's unorganized townships. "The concept of the college interested me a lot, it was cer- Hildreth's interest in wind power connects his environ- tainly unique," says Hildreth. "The education that was of- mentalism, love of islands and dedication to island com- fered struck me as being more imaginative and creative munities. To support affordable electricity costs on Vinal- than I was aware of being offered at other colleges-I really haven and North Haven, Diversified Communications liked COA's approach to food, to all the little things that helped fund the Fox Islands Wind Project. About a month are not generally part of an education in another kind of a after COA's turbine was raised at Beech Hill Farm, ground college. And at that time I was not aware of any other col- was broken for the first of three turbines on Vinalhaven. lege that had the same kind of attitude toward education Wielding a shovel along with Hildreth, Maine Gov. John and the environment-the atmosphere seemed different to Baldacci and a half dozen or so others was Maine Con- me than what you'd find in other small New England col- leges." gresswoman Chellie Pingree '77. Somehow, this shared ef- fort with a COA alumna, whose home lies just across the The timing was good, too. Hildreth had just stepped down Fox Island Thorofare from his beloved Vinalhaven, brings as president and chief executive officer of the media-fo- Hildreth's interests full circle. 44 COA COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 From the Administrative Dean Despite the global financial crisis, College of the Atlantic was able to achieve a balanced operating budget for the second year in a row. Considering the larger conditions of the world, COA currently is in a healthy fiscal state with many positive indicators for the coming year. As the economic crisis loomed last year, COA, like most of the nation's colleges and universities, began to make adjust- ments to both short- and longer-term financial plans. Our endowment did drop, although less precipitously than most. With the general sense of concern across the nation, we experienced a dramatic slowdown in our annual giving. While we were worried about the economic plight of many of our students and their families, few of them left school or sought additional financial aid; that concern is a lingering one as unemployment has continued to rise and can be expected to last for some time. In response to these issues, we engaged the college community in open discussions about the budget. With already tight budgets, we cut back discretionary spending even further. We suspended the search for three new faculty members, and we left open a few positions as vacancies arose. We realized that short-term measures were important, but that the effects of the economic slowdown would be felt for several years. Most importantly, we felt that we could not cut back on current programs and services. Unlike many other colleges, we did not have layoffs, furloughs, or cuts in programs, and we have filled one faculty position and are currently engaged in the searches for three other faculty members (see page 3). Because of the belt-tightening measures that we did adopt, we ended last fiscal year (FY09) with an operating surplus, as shown in the accompanying table. We also had sav- ings in the construction projects, as we completed the new student housing without dip- ping into its contingency. In planning the current fiscal year (FY10), we are anticipating another balanced budget, but only with allocations of the prior year surplus and keeping a portion of the construction savings as an operating contingency. Our overall fund balances remain healthy. Our net assets totaled $37 million on June 30, 2009, the end of last fiscal year. While our endowment had dropped from $17 million to $14 million with the stock market decline, it has recovered over $2 million in the fall Photo by Sarah Barrett '08. of 2009. Audited financial statements are available upon request. Calon & Giffits Andy Griffiths, Administrative Dean COA 45 Financial Summary (Rounded to the nearest $1,000) Operating Revenues FY 2008-2009 Actual FY 2009-2010 Budgeted Tuition and Fees 9,331,000 9,410,000 Less COA Student Financial Aid (3,307,000) (3,760,000) Less Davis Foundation Financial Aid (1,725,000) (1,890,000) Net Tuition After Financial Aid 4,299,000 3,760,000 Annual Fund Contributions 990,000 1,100,000 Endowment Allocation to Operations 700,000 875,000 Government Grants 414,000 391,000 Other Restricted Gifts and Grants 2,633,000 3,120,000 Student Housing and Dining 1,137,000 1,165,000 Summer Programs 466,000 380,000 Beech Hill Farm 217,000 200,000 Other 265,000 230,000 Less Contingencies n/a (250,000) Total Revenues 11,121,000 10,971,000 Operating Expenses Instruction and Student Activity 3,180,000 3,473,000 Student Housing and Dining 464,000 530,000 Summer Programs and Museum 468,000 360,000 General Administration 1,132,000 1,172,000 Payroll Taxes and Fringe Benefits 1,702,000 1,709,000 Development and Admissions 1,161,000 1,080,000 Buildings and Grounds 729,000 685,000 Interest 402,000 420,000 Grants, Research and Projects 964,000 1,200,000 Beech Hill Farm 212,000 205,000 Capital Activity 389,000 437,000 Total Expenditures 10,803,000 11,271,000 Net Operating Surplus Before Transfers (loss) 318,000 (300,000) Transfer from FY09 to FY10 (300,000) 300,000 Net Operating Surplus After Transfers (loss) 18,000 - Fund Balances (end of year) Actual Projected Unrestricted 1,212,000 1,212,000 Plant and Equipment 11,788,000 11,300,000 Endowment 14,292,000 16,000,000 Restricted Gifts Invested with the Endowment 2,968,000 3,200,000 Other Temporarily Restricted 6,638,000 6,000,000 Total Fund Balances 36,898,000 37,712,000 MAKE A DIFFERENCE. College of the Atlantic welcomes gifts of all kinds to support our work of educating students to make a difference throughout the world. Please consider including the college in your annual giving. Equally important, to ensure COA's future, consider becoming part of our planned giving program. Bequests, chari- table gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts and other similar programs help the college while also offering you income tax benefits. Visit www.coa.edu/support or call the development office at 207-288-5015. 46 COA ANNUAL REPORT From the Dean of Development Part of my job-the most meaningful part-requires me to bear witness to some remarkable moments in the lives of stu- dents and donors. This week, I had the poignant pleasure to give the "report" included below to a friend of the college. First, a little background. The author of the report is Gloria Kahamba, a second-year student from Tanzania. The "Sam" to whom her letter is addressed is Sam Hamill, Jr., a life trustee and a warm and deeply caring man. He started a scholarship to support a full COA education for one student from Africa's Great Lakes (that's Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya). He decided to do this for at least two reasons. The two I am aware of are: 1) He has long been inspired by the Davis United World College Scholarship Program that Shelby and Gale Davis created (davisuwcscholars.org); and 2) He is a close friend of Davis Scholar Patrick Uwihoreye '06, who walked out of Rwanda alone when he was thirteen, believing his entire village and family were killed in the ethnic fighting. Patrick helped Sam set up the scholarship, worked with schools in the region to identify potential recruits, helped develop the criteria for selection, personally read the applications and interviewed candidates. Gloria Kahamba was chosen. Glo- ria just finished her first year, and sent this letter to her benefactor. Hello Sam, It's my hope that you are fine. I am good and had a wonderful summer. I was at home for two months and was so happy to see my family and friends again. They were really excited to hear about my life and studies at COA, and were glad that my first year went well. So far, I have enjoyed COA and I don't regret being here. It's not easy to find a school with a commu- nity as caring and kind as that of COA. I am also happy that I gained more knowledge from the classes I have taken during my first year and have been able to maintain good grades throughout the year. I am planning to focus on science and health courses because I am interested in pursuing medicine as my future field of career. There are also classes in other areas of study that really interest me like piano which I took in the spring. It felt so good to know that I could also play a piano! I hope that I will work even harder in my second year and the years to come. I am so grateful for your generosity and the step that you took to provide a student from the Great Lakes of Africa with this scholarship. I pray that God may fill you with more kindness, happiness, and good health. I wish you a happy and wonderful fall. Thank you, Gloria. In the pages that follow you'll find our annual report, with giving for the year. You will read lists of names of individuals, corporations and foundations that have donated time and talent, made a planned gift, established endowment accounts, supported the annual fund. Behind every name is a story. That story is their relationship with COA. It's my joy and privilege to honor them all. And thank each and every one. We hold your story dear. Your story makes ours possible. Lym Danger Photo by Donna Gold. Lynn Boulger, Dean of Development COA 47 Annual Giving for fiscal year July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. With deep gratitude and appreciation we acknowledge the generosity of our alumni, trustees, staff, faculty and friends. THE CHAMPLAIN SOCIETY (TCS) Linda K. and John H. Carman Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lipkin PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE: $25,000+ Ms. Sally Crock Ms. Pamela Manice Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickey, Jr. Sarah A. McDaniel '93 Mr. Edward McC. Blair Drs. Elizabeth ten Grotenhuis and Mrs. John P. McGrath T. A. Cox Merton Flemings Mr. Charles E. Merrill, Jr. *Mrs. Philip Geyelin Jane and Philip H. Grantham, Sr./ Mr. and Mrs. A. Fenner Milton Mr. Samuel Hamill, Jr. Curtis Hall Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson E. Peters Rebecca and Steve Milliken Susan Dowling and Andrew Griffiths Mr. and Mrs. Richard Pierson Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Robinson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Growald/ Mrs. Eben W. Pyne Ms. Abby Rowe ('98)/Rowe Family Fndn Growald Community Fund Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell P. Rales/ Mr. and Mrs. George B. E. Hambleton The Mitchell P. Rales Family Foundation FOUNDER (TCS): $10,000-24,999 Lynn and Jeff Horowitz/ Mr. and Mrs. William M. Rudolf Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Bass Rosengarten-Horowitz Fund Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Shafer/ Estate of Amos and Alice Eno Ms. Sherry Huber Ayco Charitable Foundation Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Sonja Johanson '95 and Richard Gordet Mrs. Nina Strawbridge Barbara McLeod and David Hales Ms. Leslie Jones '91 Ms. Caren Sturges Mr. and Mrs. Horace Hildreth/Seal Bay Il Mr. and Mrs. Grant G. McCullagh Jack Ledbetter and Helen Tyson Fund of the Maine Community Fndn Laura Ellis and David Milliken Cody and Christiaan van Heerden '09 Mr. and Mrs. Melville Hodder Mr. and Mrs. G. Marshall Moriarty Rodman and Susan Ward Mrs. Marcia MacKinnon Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin R. Neilson/ Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wishcamper/ Maine Community Foundation The Cressida Fund Joe & Carol Wishcamper Fund of Maine Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Nitze Community Foundation Jennifer Reynolds and Jay McNally '84 Mrs. Patricia G. Norris Ms. Christine Witham Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Pierce Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Inc. James Dyke and Helen Porter Mr. and Mrs. John R. Robinson/ FRIENDS: $1-1,499 Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam The Widgeon Point Charitable Fndn Anonymous Elwood R. Quesada Educational Foundation Dr. Richard G. Rockefeller/ Mr. Christopher Aberle Mr. and Mrs. Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. The Philanthropic Collaborative Dr. and Mrs. Murray Abramsky Mr. William P. Stewart Peter and Lucy Bell Sellers Acadia Senior College Mrs. Donald B. Straus Mr. and Mrs. John P. Grace Shethar Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adelman Mr. and Mrs. William N. Thorndike, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop Short Barbara Clark and Charles Adler Mr. and Mrs. William Wister, Jr./ State Street Corporation AIG Matching Grants Program Margaret Dorrance Strawbridge Fndn The Swan Agency - Insurance Ms. Heather Albert-Knopp '99 Nick and Joan Thorndike Dr. and Mrs. Raymond Alie PATHFINDER (TCS): $5,000-9,999 Kathy Bonk and Marc S. Tucker Ms. Judith Allen Anonymous (five) Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Weg Carolyn Snell '06 and Victor Amarilla '05 Mrs. Charlotte Bordeaux Ms. Katherine Weinstock '81 Heather and Richard Ames Estate of Alida D. M. Camp The Winky Foundation Mrs. Diane Anderson Mr. William P. Carey John and Karen Anderson Mrs. Bernard Cough EXPLORER (TCS): $1,500-1,999 Mr. John K. Anderson Mr. and Mrs. David H. Fischer Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Mr. and Mrs. Schofield Andrews III Mr. and Mrs. William G. Foulke, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Blanchard III Kristofer and Genevieve Angle '00 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Habermann Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Ms. Jennifer L. Atkinson '03 Mr. and Mrs. John N. Kelly Mr. Charles Butt Atwater Kent Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Loring Mr. and Mrs. Louis W. Cabot Ms. Rosemarie Avenia '86 Mrs. Louis C. Madeira Susanna Porter and James Clark Wendy Knickerbocker and David Avery '84 Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman Ms. Lelania Prior Avila '92 Mr. and Mrs. Clement E. McGillicuddy/ Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket Ms. Jennifer Aylesworth '94 The Fiddlehead Fund Philip and Tina DeNormandie Mary Dohna '80 and Wells Bacon '80 Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken/ Mrs. F. Eugene Dixon Mr. Alan L. Baker/The Ellsworth American The Gerrish Milliken Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William Dohmen Sarah and David Baker Mr. Roger Milliken Mrs. George Dwight Tina and Bill Baker Mr. and Mrs. Philip S. J. Moriarty Mr. and Mrs. William C. Eacho III/ Bridgette Chace Kelly Ball Mr. and Mrs. William V. P. Newlin The Eacho Family Foundation Bar Harbor Lobster Bakes Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Eliot Paine/The Puffin *Mrs. Ellen H. Emery Bar Harbor Motel Fund of Maine Community Foundation Dianna and Ben Emory/Ocean Ledges Fund Bar Harbor Savings & Loan Mr. and Mrs. John P. Reeves of Maine Community Foundation Steven Barkan and Barbara Tennent Mr. David Rockefeller, Sr./ Mr. David Fogg Richard and Rosemary Barnhart David Rockefeller Fund, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Will Gardiner Mr. H. B. Beach Amy and Hartley Rogers/Rogers Family Fndn Dr. and Mrs. Philip Geier Allison Martin '88 and Elmer Beal, Jr. Julia Merck and Hans Utsch Patricia and Cyrus Hagge Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Beal, Sr. Mrs. Penelope Harris Drs. Wesley and Terrie Beamer DISCOVERER (TCS): $2,000-4,999 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hinckley Ms. Katie M. Bell Mr. and Mrs. William Bartovics Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Johnson III Mr. and Mrs. William E. Benjamin II/ Ron Beard and Sandi Read Susan Lerner and Steven Katona William E. II and Maura Benjamin Fund Joan S. Blaine Mr. Arthur J. Keller/Schwab Charitable Fund of Maine Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Leslie C. Brewer/ Ms. Joanne Kemmerer '02 Sean '08 and Heather '08 Berg ABL Fund of the Maine Community Fndn Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Kogod Jason Bernad, MD '94 Mr. Frederick Cabot/ Margi and Philip Kunhardt III '77 Ms. Lyn Berzinis Paul & Virginia Cabot Charitable Trust Mrs. Anthony Lapham Ms. Nancy Marshall Bickel * Those donors with asterisks have since passed on; () Donors with parenthesis around their years are alumni who are not COA graduates. 48 COA ANNUAL REPORT Mr. John O. Biderman '77 Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Dreier Ms. Grace Christina Grinager '07 Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Bird Mr. and Mrs. John Dreier Emma Rearick '08 and Jay Guarneri '06 Mr. Edward McC. Blair, Jr. Mrs. Mary Drury Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gumpert Hon. and Mrs. Robert O. Blake Jay and Mary Durost Ms. Elizabeth Gustavson '94 Mr. Jerry Bley ('78) Mr. Alden Eaton Therese Caffery and Laurence Guttmacher Ms. Edith Blomberg Mr. Joseph Edes '83 Ms. Elizabeth Gwinn '01 Sharon Teitelbaum & Jonathan Bockian Ms. Carol Emmons Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hailperin Ms. Sally Boisvert '04 Carol and Jackson Eno Barney and Christie Hallowell Dierdre Swords and Michael Boland '94 Joel and Arline Epstein Margaret Justice and William Hammer Mr. Dennis Bracale '88 Mr. Richard Epstein '84 Ms. M. Rebecca Hancock '97 Ms. Virginia Brennan Mrs. Bertha Erb Mr. and Mrs. Edson Harris Ms. Teisha Broetzman '88 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Erhart Mr. Tanner Brook Harris '06 Mr. and Mrs. Ordway P. Burden/ John and Therese Erianne Ms. Holly Hartley The Florence V. Burden Foundation Gordon Iver and Dorothy Ms. Sonja Hartmann '88 Charles and Barbara Burton Il Brewer Erikson Fund of the Greater Mr. and Mrs. Charles Harwood Becky '81 and Skip '83 Buyers-Basso Worcester Community Foundation Ann and John Hassett Mr. Henry Cabot III '97 Deb Evans '82 and Ron Schaaf Charlie and Nancy Hatfield Roc and Helen Caivano '80 Mrs. Lucretia Evans Larry and Patty Hayes Ms. Julie MacLeod Cameron '78 Tony and Sarah Everdell Ms. Lois Hayes '79 Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Morris Feibusch and Ann Hughey Atsuko Watabe '93 and Bruce Hazam '92 Ms. Frances Carlin Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Felton Ms. Katherine Hazard '76 Bill Carpenter and Donna Gold Sam and Elise Felton Michael Zwirko '01 and Erin Heacock '04 Barbara and Vinson Carter Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Fenton Ms. Mary Heffernon Suzanne Taylor and Don Cass Thomas and Carroll Fernald Eric ('74) and Kate Henry Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cawley Mr. Gabriel Finkelstein '07 Mr. Jim Herget Mr. Erin Chalmers '00 The First Katie J. Hester '98 Lucy Hull and E. Barton Chapin Ms. Cynthia Jordan Fisher '80 Dr. Josephine Todrank Heth '76 Mr. David Chiang John and Marie Fitzgerald Charles and Jackie Hewett Ms. Taj Chibnik '95 Rep. Elsie Flemings '07 Ingrid and Ken Hill Ms. Diana Choksey '05 Mr. and Mrs. William M.G. Fletcher Ms. Barbara Hilli Mrs. Katherine Kaufer Christoffel Ms. Hannah Fogg '99 Dr. Leonard Hirsh Ms. Cecily Clark Mrs. Margery Forbes Robert Thomson and Lucy Hodder Ms. Katherine Clark '91 Cherie and Chad Ford Ms. Margaret Hoffman '97 Ms. Kim Clark Ms. Arianne Fosdick '00 Tom and Eda Holl '05 Hannah S. Sistare and Timothy B. Clark Dr. and Mrs. Richard Fox Mr. and Mrs. David Hollenbeck Steve Redgate and Dianne Clendaniel Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fox Lisa '80 and Bob '79 Holley Jan Coates Mrs. Ruth Fraley Ms. Betsey Holtzmann Ms. Tammis Coffin '87 Ms. Jamie Frank '04 Homewood Benefits Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Cohen Mr. and Mrs. W. West Frazier IV Ms. Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley Ms. Barbara Cole Ms. Susan Freed '80 Dr. and Mrs. William Horner Pancho Cole '81 Ms. Glenon Friedmann '86 Ms. Kathryn Hough '95 Ms. Nancy Coleman Mr. David Furholmen Ms. Jean Howell Dr. Darron Collins '92 Galyn's Galley Ms. Jennifer Hughes Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Colson Ms. Carla Ganiel Ms. Jane Hultberg Dick Atlee and Sarah Corson Mr. and Mrs. Jon Geiger Ms. Kathryn Hunninen '03 Sean and Georgia Cosgrove Ms. Laurie Geiger Mr. and Mrs. Charles Huntington Ms. Judith Cox Ms. Helen Geils Ms. Evelyn Mae Hurwich '80 Jennifer '93 and Kevin '93 Crandall Steve and Katie George Mr. and Mrs. John Inch, Jr. Mr. Stefan Cushman Ms. Nadine Gerdts ('76) Ms. Susan B. Inches '79 Mrs. Rose Cutler Ms. Susan Getze Island Realty Ms. Patricia D'Angelo '92 Ms. Anne Giardina Mr. Orton Jackson, Jr. Mr. Adam Dau '01 Mr. Jackson Gillman '78 Mr. John Jacob '81 Jane and Stan Davis Ms. Lauren Gilson '88 Alison and Joplin James '84 Ms. Norah Davis Dr. and Mrs. Donald Glotzer Mr. William Janes Ms. E. Nicole D'Avis '02 Mrs. Hope Goddard Margaret and Peter Jeffery '84 Mrs. Edwin Deans Mr. and Mrs. Paul Golas Mr. Andres Jennings '08 Mr. John Deans '07 Gerda Paumgarten and Larry Goldfarb Ms. Catherine Johnson '74 Rose and Steve Demers '80 Mrs. Laura Arm Goldstein Ms. Laura Johnson Anthony and Milja DeMuro Mr. and Mrs. John Good Chris and Kitty Jones Holly Devaul '84 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goodman Ms. Constance Jordan Mrs. Joanne Devlin Bruce Mazlish and Neva Goodwin Jordan-Fernald Mr. Robert Dick Ms. Abigail Goodyear '81 Mr. and Mrs. H. Lee Judd Janet Redfield and Scott Dickerson '95 Ms. Elizabeth Gorer Ann Sewall and Edward Kaelber Whit and Closey Dickey Fund of the Nina '78 and Jonathan '78 Gormley Mr. and Mrs. William Kales New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Gossart Mr. and Mrs. David Kane Upper Valley Region Fr. James Gower Ms. Esther Karkal '83 George and Kelly Dickson, MPhil '97 Mr. and Mrs. John Gower Steve and Ali Kassels Angela DiPerri '01 Mr. P. Heeth Grantham '94 Bob and Ellie Kates Prof. and Mrs. Arthur Dole Graycote Inn Mr. Michael Kattner '95 Martha and Stephen Dolley Ms. Linda Gregory '89 Mr. John Kauffmann Margaret Donnellon Ms. Katherine Griffin '00 Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Keller Janet Anker and Charles Donnelly Ms. Mary Griffin '97 Jill and Bobby Kelley Mr. Millard Dority Mr. Joseph Grigas Mr. and Mrs. James Kellogg Wendy and Michael Downey Ms. Nikole Grimes '96 Kent-Lucas Foundation, Incorporated COA 49 David and Dawn Kersula Ms. Donna McFarland Ms. Pamela Parvin '93 Mr. Michael Kersula '09 Mr. J. R. McGregor Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Patrie Mr. David Kessner Ms. Lauren McKean '83 Mr. Robert Patterson, Jr. Carl Ketchum and Lorraine Stratis Ms. Lenorah McKee Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Paul Barbara and Steven Kiel *Mrs. Donald McLean Mr. Peter Pavicevic '07 Neil King and Diana King Mr. Clifton McPherson III '84 Tobin '95 and Valerie ('96) Peacock Ms. Tonia Kittelson Ms. Jeanne McPherson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pennington Bethany and Zack Klyver ('05) MDI YMCA Richard and Elizabeth Perez Ms. Aleda Koehn Robert J. and Jane H. Meade Shoshana Perry '83 Mr. and Mrs. Ted Koffman Marvin and Jean Messex Mr. Gordon Peters Ms. Anne Kozak Ms. Pamela Meyer Ms. Meghan Pew '99 Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kremin Mr. Jeffrey Miller '92 Susan Erickson and Bruce Phillips '78 Jeffrey A. Kugel, PhD, MD Mr. and Mrs. Keith Miller Mr. Chester Pierce Mrs. Philip Kunhardt, Jr. Sen. and Mrs. George Mitchell Edward and Frances Pinkham Mr. Ross La Haye Mr. Frank Mocejunas Thomas and Patricia Pinkham Ms. Jude Lamb '00 Mr. Peter Moon '90 Mr. Andrew Pixley '01 Dr. and Mrs. David Lebwohl Mr. and Mrs. David Moore Ms. Carole Plenty Kathryn Harmon '94 and Rob Ledo '91 Mrs. Lorraine Morong Shiva Polefka '01 Dr. and Mrs. Leung Lee Chase '00 and Sarah '02 Morrill Ms. Frances Pollitt '77 Ms. Alice Leeds '76 Diane Blum and Bud Motzkin Ms. Brianne Press Jordan '02 Ms. Caroline Leonard '01 Mr. Andrew Moulton '04 Ms. Susan Priest-Pierce '77 Ms. Alice Levey '81 Dr. Frank Moya Ms. Sheila Sonne Pulling Mr. Aaron Jonah Lewis '05 Mr. and Mrs. John Moyer Ms. Quintana Ramirez '03 Larry and Lois Libby Ms. Anne Mulholland Ms. Cathy Ramsdell '78 Jessie Greenbaum '89 Ms. Anna Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Rappaport and Philip Lichtenstein '92 Mr. Sean Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Rea Mr. James Lindenthal Dr. Victoria Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Reckseit Ms. Abigail Littlefield '83 Dave and Mary Nahs Doug and Anita Repp Dr. John Long, Jr. '86 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nathane, Jr. Mr. Andrew Rice Ms. Maria Vanegas Long '84 Rolando and Alexandra Negoita Stephen and Emmie Rick Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Longsworth Mr. John Newhall John and Carol Rivers Mr. and Mrs. William Lord Il Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nicholas III Dr. Jennifer Roberts '94 Reba and Wendell Luke, Jr. Mrs. A. Corkran Nimick Drs. Paul and Ann Rochmis Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Lukens Ms. Elizabeth Nixon '99 Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller, Jr. Ms. Mayo Lynam Merideth C. Norris, D.O. and Family Dr. and Mrs. Steven C. Rockefeller Machias Savings Bank Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins Null Ms. Sydney Roberts Rockefeller Mr. James MacLeod Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Nyhart Hilda and Thomas Roderick Meg and Miles Maiden '86 Ms. Hope Olmstead Ronald and Patricia Rogers Ms. Marion Layton Mann Hannah and Judd Olshan '92 Allison Rogers Furbish '04 Mr. and Mrs. George Marcus Mr. W. Kent Olson Eric '87 and Kelly Roos Rob Marshall '87 Mr. Benoni Outerbridge '84 Mr. W. David Rosenmiller '84 Mr. Erik Hilson Martin '98 Ms. Rosetta Packer Dr. and Mrs. Richard R. Rosenthal Steven Callahan and Kathleen Massimini '82 Carey Donovan and Arthur Paine Drs. Pamela Jensen and Stephen Ross Mrs. Anne Mazlish Ms. Kaitlin Palmer '08 Mr. and Mrs. Max Rothal Nothern Lights Society The Northern Lights Society celebrates the philanthropists who have offered planned gifts to COA. Though the most well-known planned gift is a bequest, others choose charitable gift annuities, remainder trusts, or gifts of real estate or other personal property. George Hambleton has made a planned gift through a life insurance policy. "I wish I could give even more to this wonderful organization which has given me SO much through partici- pation with its great board of trustees, enthusiastic and gifted faculty and staff, and inspiring students. An insurance policy gift to College of the Atlantic is a convenient way to give a little more than might otherwise be convenient," says George. Thank you to George and thanks to all the members of the Northern Lights Society! *Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Bahrt Vicki Evers *Mrs. Barbara Piel Mr. Edward McC. Blair *Sherry P. Geyelin Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Robinson, Jr. Mr. Robert Blum *Henry and Sunny Guthrie *Dr. Elizabeth Russell Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Barbara E. McLeod and David F. Hales *Mrs. Robert Ryle Leslie and Barbara Brewer George B.E. Hambleton *Mr. Charles Sawyer *Mrs. Frederic E. Camp Samuel Hamill, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. Ker Cleary '84 *Mr. and Mrs. John Howard Mrs. Shelby Cullom Davis Drs. Pamela Jensen and Stephen Ross *Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Smith Norah D. Davis Ann Sewall and Edward Kaelber *Mr. Donald Straus Fran Day John M. Kauffmann Stuart Dickey Summer llene F. Elowitch Sarah A. McDaniel '93 *Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Thomas *Mrs. Amos Eno *Mr. David McGiffert *Mr. Charles Tyson Gordon J. and Dorothy B. Erikson Mr. and Mrs. Philip S. J. Moriarty *Mr. and Mrs. James H. Wakelin III 50 COA ANNUAL REPORT Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rothstein Raymond and Laurie Williams For Colin Capers Ms. Elizabeth Rousek Ayers '95 Williams Family Foundation Ms. Mary Heffernon Mr. and Mrs. William Russell Ms. Nellie Wilson '04 Mr. and Mrs. William B. Russell Janey Winchell '82 For Sally Morong Chetwynd Ms. Kerri Sands '02 Dawn Lamendola ('92) and Josh Winer '91 Mrs. Lorraine Morong Mr. Daniel Sangeap '90 Mr. David Winship '77 For William G. Foulke, Jr. Dave and Mary Savidge Ms. Betsy Wisch '83 Dr. and Mrs. Philip Geier Ms. Margaret Scheid '85 Tom and Loretta Witt Ms. Judith Schenk '80 Sue Woehrlin '80 For Rowen Gorman '07 Cynthia Livingston and Henry Schmelzer Ms. Rebecca Hope Woods Mrs. Constance Weeks Ryder '97 and Amy '97 Scott Ms. Jingran Xiao ('86) Mr. and Mrs. Hans Seeberger Mr. Robert Young ('86) For George B.E. Hambleton Ms. Ellen Seh ('76) Mr. and Mrs. Louis Zawislak Mr. William Carey Tim and Frances Sellers Mrs. Jane Zirnkilton For Samuel M. Hamill, Jr. Roland and Dottie Seymour Lori Hunt and Mark Zuckerman Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wishcamper Ms. Kate Sheely '07 Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Shubert GIFTS IN MEMORIAM For Elizabeth Hodder Ms. Carol Silverman For Peter G. Barton Dr. and Mrs. Philip Geier Richard '88 and Lilea '90 Simis Ms. Patricia Barton Mr. Mark Simonds '81 For Russell Holway John and Fran Sims For Mary Cantwell Anonymous Mr. Chris Aaront '08 Katharine Homans and Patterson Sims For Steven K. Katona Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Smith For Rebecca Clark '96 John and Karen Anderson Mr. and Mrs. R. Charles Snyder See Scholarship Gifts Dr. and Mrs. Melville P. Cote Ms. Harriet Soares For Herbert M. Elliott Ms. Amanda Spector '08 George and Kelly Dickson, MPhil '97 Lynne and Mike Staggs '97 Wendy Rodger and Henry Elliott ('73) Mr. Millard Dority Bruce and Susan Stedman For Craig Greene Mr. and Mrs. David Fischer Andrea Perry '95 and Toby Stephenson '98 Allison Martin '88 and Elmer Beal Jonathan '78 and Nina '78 Gormley Ms. Leah C. Stetson, BA '01, MPhil '06 Patricia Honea-Fleming & Richard Borden Mr. and Mrs. George B. E. Hambleton Stewart Brecher Architects Dr. James Kellam '96 Charles and Jackie Hewett Ms. Marie Stivers Ms. Jean Hoekwater '80 *Ms. Marion Stocking For James Ripley Hooper Mrs. Michael Huber Ms. Dorie Stolley '88 Ms. Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley Jordan's Restaurant Carol and Sid Strickland For John A. Hultberg Ann Sewall and Edward G. Kaelber Susan Shaw and Cynthia Stroud Ms. Anne M. Kozak Shawn '00 and Sarah '05 Keeley Mrs. Kathryn Suminsby For Catherine Keras Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Ms. Joan Swann Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kremin Sarah A. McDaniel '93 Mr. Gilbert Sward Sweatt Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken For James J. Keras, Sr. Dr. Davis Taylor Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Michael ('93) and Mollie '92 Phemister Ms. Katrin Hyman Tchana '83 Susan Erickson and Bruce Phillips '78 For Alfred Spiller Kidwell Ms. Karla Tegzes Ms. Cathy L. Ramsdell '78 Mr. and Mrs. John Merrill Mr. Craig Ten Broeck Dr. Jennifer Rock '93 Mr. John Thorndike For Philip Levin Cynthia Livingston and Henry Schmelzer Mrs. Day Thorpe Ms. Isobel Bertman Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Sullivan Ms. Ellen Reid Thurman Mr. and Mrs. E. James Cole Elena Tuhy-Walters '90 and Carl Walters T. Michael Toole Ms. Marlene Dickinson Elena Tuhy-Walters '90 and Carl Walters Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Mayer For Pat Krevans Ms. Katharine Turok Mrs. Ruth Salinger Ms. Rachel Krevans Mr. Frank Twohill '80 For Dr. Edward J. Meade, Jr. For Stephen Milliken Patrick and Mary Ann Tynan Sarah Tyson '96 Robert J. and Jane H. Meade Mr. Orton Jackson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. David Vail For Donald B. Straus For Philip and Meredith Moriarty Ms. Katrina Van Dusen Allison Martin '88 and Elmer Beal, Jr. Dave and Mary Nahs Tony and Mandie Victor Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper Mr. John Viele ('77) Todd and Christa Little-Siebold For Helen L. Porter Abbe F. Vogels '01 T.F. Gregg Charitable Fund Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis Elizabeth and Tom Volkmann '90/ For Jeff Weisbruch For Hamilton Robinson, Jr. United Way of Central New Mexico Ms. Caroline Leonard '01 Ms. Nancy Marshall Bickel Mrs. Jeptha Wade Richard Hilliard and Karen Waldron For Fae Silverman GIFTS IN HONORARIUM Stacy Hankin and Ben Walters '81 For Foster Bartovics Ms. Carol Silverman Lee and Laurie Ward Mrs. Cecile Watson Ms. Marion Layton Mann MATCHING GIFTS Ms. Joan Weber For Edward McC. Blair AIG Matching Grants Program Mrs. Constance Weeks Mr. Edward McC. Blair, Jr. Charles Schwab Foundation Diane Metzger and Edward Weisberg Ms. Pamela G. Meyer Ms. Maria Weisenberg '81 Fidelity Foundation Ms. Jean McHugh Weiss '81 For Lynn Boulger & Tim Garrity Freeport-McMoRan Foundation Mary E. Welch Merideth C. Norris, D.O. and Family GE Foundation Bradford and Alice Wellman For Leslie C. Brewer Microsoft Matching Gifts Program Mr. and Mrs. Scott Weymouth Gordon Iver and Dorothy Brewer Erikson Milliken & Company Mr. and Mrs. Harold White III Fund of the Greater Worcester The Boeing Company Mr. Douglas Williams Community Foundation Verizon Foundation COA 51 GIFTS TO THORNDIKE LIBRARY Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Smith Mr. and Mrs. Horace Hildreth Ms. Patricia Barton Southern Maine Wetlands Conservancy Mr. and Mrs. Melville Hodder Mr. and Mrs. Harold G. Brack Mr. Edward P. Steenstra Ms. Anne Kozak The Camden Conference Dan Thomassen and Bonnie Tai Ms. Rachel Krevans Ms. Jane Hultberg Ms. Barbara Witham Mr. and Mrs. Edward Leisenring Carol '93 and Jacob '93 Null Todd and Christa Little-Siebold SCHOLARSHIP GIFTS Mr. Samuel Joseph Lord ('01) GIFTS TO GEORGE B. DORR MUSEUM Harold Alfond Foundation Machias Savings Bank OF NATURAL HISTORY Bangor Hydro-Electric Company Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Mrs. Bernard K. Cough Ms. Isobel Bertman Jennifer Reynolds and Jay McNally '84 Jonathan '78 and Nina '78 Gormley Mr. and Mrs. E. James Cole Mr. and Mrs. John Merrill Mr. and Mrs. John Guth Mr. and Mrs. Shelby M.C. Davis Mr. and Mrs. G. Marshall Moriarty James Dyke and Helen Porter Ms. Marlene Dickinson Suzanne Morse Fisher Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William V.P. Newlin GIFTS TO SUMMER FIELD STUDIES Edward G. Kaelber Scholarship Fund Lynn and Willy Osborn PROGRAM of the Maine Community Foundation Ms. Cathy Ramsdell '78 Bar Harbor Garden Club Mr. Nishad Jayasundara '05 Peter and Lucy Bell Sellers Mr. and Mrs. Peter Blanchard III The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust Mr. Michael Senk Ms. Trisha Cantwell-Keene Maine Space Grant Consortium Mr. Henry Steinberg '06 Douglas Michael and Kimberly Childs Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Mayer Mrs. Donald Straus Mr. and Mrs. Gary Churchill Mr. William B. McDowell '80 Ms. Nina Therkildsen '05 Ms. Alison Coluccio Ms. Meghan Piercy '91 U.S. Forest Service Ms. Angela Delvecchio '92 S&G Foundation Peter Wayne '83 Mr. and Mrs. Douglass Eberhardt Mrs. Ruth Salinger Daniel Bunker and Deborah Elman Alice Blum Yoakum Scholarship Fund of Campus Landscape Melisa Rowland and Scott Henggeler the Maine Community Foundation Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Peter Allen and Sarah Hodder Mr. Caleb Fuller Davis '02 James Hanscom and Erika Jeffers The Great Lakes of Africa Scholarship Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis Antony Detre and Yvette Kovats Mr. Samuel M. Hamill, Jr. Garden Club of Mount Desert Ms. Susan Flynn Maristany '82 Rebecca Clark '96 Memorial Helen Porter and James Dyke Ms. Eileen Rosen Miller Scholarship Fund Reel Pizza Steve and Donna Moore Bar Harbor Whale Watch Kathryn W. Davis Student Residence Village Suzanne Morse Mr. Kenneth Cline Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bass Nicole Theodosiou Napier and Mark Napier Ms. Sally Crock Ron Beard and Sandi Read Ms. Caroline Pryor Mr. and Mrs. Leslie C. Brewer Mr. David Rockefeller GRANTS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Joel Graber and Lindsay Shopland Community Based Fisheries Management Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Cushman Show Stoppers, Unlimited Long Cove Foundation, Inc. Margi and Philip Kunhardt III '77 Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Smith Zach '00 and Autumn '01 Soares Comprehensive Academic Management Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Charles Target and Lisa Stewart System (CAMS) Sarah A. McDaniel '93 Davis Educational Foundation Rebecca and Steve Milliken Ms. Kirsten Stockman '91 Dr. Walter Robinson Shirng-Wern Tsaih IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Mr. and Mrs. Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. Excellence (INBRE) GIFTS TO BEECH HILL FARM Mr. John Wilmerding National Center for Research Resources, NIH Mr. and Mrs. Mark Campbell Maine Sea Grant Program GIFTS TO THE SENIOR CLASS Douglas Legg and Nina M. Goldman Healthy Acadia Coalition University of Maine Sea Grant Program Ms. Ashley Adler '09 Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Lynn Boulger and Tim Garrity Research Fellowships Linzee Weld and Peter Milliken '76 Ms. Heather Candon '99 Maine Space Grant Consortium Rebecca and Steve Milliken Mr. Colin Capers '95 Suzanne Morse Restricted Grant Barbara and Vinson Carter The Partridge Foundation Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Mr. Brett Ciccotelli '09 Mr. Shamsher Virk '07 Steve Redgate and Dianne Clendaniel Supporting Early Success in College Mr. Kenneth Cline MELMAC Education Foundation GIFTS TO UNION RIVER WATERSHED Ms. Sarah Drerup '09 COALITION Trans-Atlantic Partnership for Sustainable Ms. Donna Gold Ms. Nancy Alexander Food Systems Ms. Toria Harr '09 Dr. & Mrs. Robert Beekman Partridge Foundation Ken and Ingrid Hill Mr. Kenneth Cline Ms. Jennifer Hughes Mr. Robert DeSimone GIFTS TO SPECIAL PROJECTS Ms. Sarah Jackson '09 Dr. Jane Disney Anonymous Mr. Peter Jenkins '09 Drs. Elizabeth ten Grotenhuis Barrick Gold Corporation Ms. Laura Johnson and Merton Flemings Ron Beard and Sandi Read Ms. Linda Mejia '09 Dr. and Mrs. John Furth California Native Plant Society Mr Samuel Miller-McDonald '09 Mr. Donald Gagner Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper Ms. Anna Murphy Ms. Carol Tweedie Korty T. A. Cox Ms. Laura Pohjola '09 Ms. Susan Leland James Deering Danielson Foundation Sean and Carolyn Todd Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Morse Mr. and Mrs. Shelby M.C. Davis Mr. Christiaan van Heerden '09 Jim and Suzanne Owen Wendy Rodger and Henry Elliott ('73) Mr. James Pendleton Mr. and Mrs. William Foulke, Jr. GIFTS TO THE ENDOWMENT Ms. Bonnie Preston Mr. Samuel Hamill, Jr. Acadia Lobster Bakes LLC Mr. William Rice Hancock County Fund of the Maine John and Karen Anderson Jane Rosinski and Gordon Russell Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Francis I. Blair 52 COA ANNUAL REPORT Allan Stone Chair in the Visual Arts Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Shawn '00 and Sarah '05 Keeley Carolyn Snell '06 and Victor Amarilla '05 Ms. Sarah Mathis Mr. John Kelly Mr. and Mrs. Graham Berwind, Jr. Ms. Elizabeth McRoy Todd Kitchens '06 Mr. Charles Butt Ms. Pamela G. Meyer Mr. R. Zackary Klyver ('05) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kogod Mr. Thomas J. Milton Noah Krell '01 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lipkin Ms. Nancy Ridenour Philip Kunhardt III '77 Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken Claire and Donald Riley Jeanne Lambert '06 Mrs. Allan Stone Mr. and Mrs. Dennis M. Robinson, Jr. Virginie Lavallee-Picard '07 Mr. and Mrs. John Sullivan, Jr. Ms. Abby Rowe ('98)/Rowe Family Fndn Jessie Greenbaum '89 Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Sewall and Phil Lichtenstein '92 Craig Greene Memorial Fund Ms. Donna Seymour Abigail Littlefield '83 Allison Martin '88 and Elmer Beal Andrew and Sylvia Shatz Benjamin Macko '01 Patricia Honea-Fleming & Richard Borden Erik Tryggestad and Angela Smith Miles Maiden '86 Doug Rose GIS Enhancement Fund Starline Dept. of Education Maine Cheese Makers Mr. and Mrs. Clayton D. Rose Mr. and Mrs. Richard Tolar Mr. Michael Martin-Zboray '95 U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA Sarah A. McDaniel '93 William Drury Memorial Research Fund Mr. William R. Warner William B. McDowell '80 Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Goelet Megan McOsker '90 Dr. Ellen Spain GIFTS IN KIND Greg Milne '91 President's Discretionary Benefit and Anonymous Edward Monat '88 Compensation Fund Aquatic Adventures Peter Moon '90 Anonymous Ron Beard and Sandi Read Dominic Muntanga '04 Ms. Maria Lis Baiocchi '07 Mr. Ashley Bryan Carol Null '93 Mr. Charles Fischer '07 Drs. Doreen Stabinsky and David Feldman Rachel O'Reilly ('98) Dr. James Kellam '96 Dr. and Mrs. Richard R. Fox Alexa Pezzano '00 Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fremont-Smith, Jr. Abbie Plaskov '03 Steven K. Katona Chair in Marine Studies Jay and Ursula Friedlander Jennifer Prediger '00 John and Karen Anderson *Mrs. Philip P. Geyelin Dr. Nishanta Rajakaruna '94 Dr. and Mrs. Melville P. Cote Katahdin Photogallery Chris Read '03 George and Kelly Dickson, MPhil '97 Susan Lerner and Steven Katona Mrs. Roxana Robinson Mr. Millard Dority Ms. Anne M. Kozak Dr. Jennifer Rock '93 Mr. and Mrs. David Fischer Reba and Wendell Luke, Jr. Santiago Salinas '05 Jonathan '78 and Nina '78 Gormley Mr. and Mrs. James Mahoney Ms. Kerri Sands '02 Mr. and Mrs. George B. E. Hambleton Amy and Michael Reisman Jennifer Schroth '84 Charles and Jackie Hewett James Senter '88 and Jonathan Ellsworth '87 Ms. Jean Hoekwater '80 Mr. Tom Zivkovich Mihaela Senek '05 Mrs. Michael Huber Kate Sheely '07 Jordan's Restaurant GIFTS OF TIME AND TALENT Mark Simonds '81 Ann Sewall and Edward G. Kaelber Mukhtar Amin '04 Carolyn Snell '06 Shawn '00 and Sarah '05 Keeley Glen Berkowitz '82 Natalie Springuel '91 Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Eugenio Bertin '97 and Sara Faull '97 St. Saviors Choir Sarah A. McDaniel '93 Yaniv Brandvain '04 Michael Staggs '96 Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken Ms. Pamela Bush Mr. William P. Stewart and Family Michael ('93) and Mollie '92 Phemister Tawanda Chabikwa '07 Treenen Sturman '02 Susan Erickson and Bruce Phillips '78 Taj Chibnik '95 Kate Tompkins '08 Ms. Cathy L. Ramsdell '78 Rohan '04 and April Mauro '04 Chitrakar Erik Torbeck '94 Dr. Jennifer Rock '93 Ms. Stephanie Clement Elena Tuhy-Walters '90 Cynthia Livingston and Henry Schmelzer Laura Cohn '88 Joanna Walls ('07) Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Sullivan Dr. Darron Collins '92 Marjolaine Whittlesey '05 Elena Tuhy-Walters '90 and Carl Walters Benjamin Cowie-Haskell '84 Holly Zak '94 Anne Czechanski '06 GIFTS TO ALLIED WHALE Mr. Bob DeForrest '94 SPECIAL THANKS TO Abercrombie & Kent, Inc. Angela Delvecchio '92 OUR ALUMNI DONORS Siobhan Agababian Jen DesMaisons '93 Mr. Chris Aaront '08 Steven Barkan and Barbara Tennent Cerissa Desrosiers '00 Ms. Ashley Adler '09 Ms. Jean D. Beckley Heather Dority '96 Ms. Heather Albert-Knopp '99 Ms. Marie Berlin Nikhit D'Sa '06 Carolyn Snell '06 and Victor Amarilla '05 Ms. Gail Brahier Edenbrook Motel Mukhtar Amin '04 Mr. Mark S. Brown Alex Fletcher '07 Kristofer and Genevieve Angle '00 Michele and Agnese Cestone Foundation Timothy Fuller '03 Ms. Jennifer Atkinson '03 Mr. Michael Demasi Mr. Jon Geiger Ms. Rosemarie Avenia '86 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Dew Matthew Gerald '83 Wendy Knickerbocker and David Avery '84 George Gerliczy and Katherine Donaldson Jackson Gillman '78 Ms. Lelania Prior Avila '92 Ms. Shantelle Dunlap Jessica Glynn '06 Ms. Jennifer Aylesworth '94 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Enstrom Elizabeth Gustavson '94 Mary Dohna '80 and Wells Bacon '80 Ms. Julie Feldman Kate Hassett '08 Ms. Maria Lis Baiocchi '07 Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Feldstein Ms. Susan Hersey Sean '08 and Heather '08 Berg Ms. Carla Ganiel Juan Hoffmaister '07 Mr. Glen Berkowitz '82 Mr. Walter H. Goodnow Margaret Hoffman '97 Jason Bernad, MD '94 Mr. and Mrs. Sean Hennessey Amy Hoffmaster '06 Eugenio Bertin '97 and Sara Faull '97 Ms. Deborah L. Jackson Noreen Hogan '91 Mr. John Biderman '77 Dylan and Mitch Kinsella Alden Mr. Charlie Jacobi Mr. Jerry Bley ('78) Ms. Carolyn Krippen Alexandra Karkruff '06 Ms. Sally Boisvert '04 Ms. Elizabeth C. Mackey Julianne Kearney '06 Michael Boland '94 COA 53 Mr. Dennis Bracale '88 Mr. Yaniv Brandvain '04 Why I Give Ms. Teisha Broetzman '88 Becky '81 and Skip '83 Buyers-Basso Mr. Henry Cabot III '97 I give to COA because my experiences and education Helen Caivano '80 at COA prepared me for the challenges of my work and Ms. Julie MacLeod Cameron '78 personal life. A COA education creates critical thinkers, Ms. Heather Candon '99 adaptable and accepting minds open to others' needs Mr. Colin Capers '95 and beliefs, the need to work with intensity and a sense Mr. Tawanda Chabikwa '07 of purpose, and a desire to make a contribution to the Mr. Erin Chalmers '00 world we live in. I give to COA because I am grateful Ms. Taj Chibnik '95 for the opportunities my education has given me and Rohan '04 and April Mauro '04 Chitrakar because I believe that all those who desire a COA edu- Ms. Diana Choksey '05 cation should be able to attend regardless of their fi- Mr. Brett Ciccotelli '09 nancial situation. Ms. Katherine Clark '91 Ms. Tammis Coffin '87 Margaret Hoffman '97 Laura Cohn '88 Director of Marketing and Visitor Services, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Pancho Cole '81 Boothbay, Maine Dr. Darron Collins '92 Benjamin Cowie-Haskell '84 Kevin '93 and Jennifer '93 Crandall Ms. Toria Harr '09 and Philip Lichtenstein '92 Anne Czechanski '06 Mr. Tanner Brook Harris '06 Ms. Abigail Littlefield '83 Ms. Patricia D'Angelo '92 Ms. Sonja Hartmann '88 Dr. John Long, Jr. '86 Mr. Adam Dau '01 Ms. Kate Hassett '08 Ms. Maria Vanegas Long '84 Mr. Caleb Fuller Davis '02 Ms. Lois Hayes '79 Mr. Samuel Joseph Lord ('01) Ms. E. Nicole D'Avis '02 Ms. Katherine Hazard '76 Benjamin Macko '01 Mr. John Deans '07 Michael Zwirko '01 and Erin Heacock '04 Miles Maiden '86 Mr. Bob DeForrest '94 Eric Henry ('74) Ms. Susan Flynn Maristany '82 Ms. Angela Delvecchio '92 Ms. Katie Hester '98 Rob Marshall '87 Rose and Steve Demers '80 Dr. Josephine Todrank Heth '76 Mr. Erik Hilson Martin '98 Jen DesMaisons '93 Ms. Jean Hoekwater '80 Mr. Michael Martin-Zboray '95 Cerissa Desrosiers '00 Juan Hoffmaister '07 Kathleen Massimini '82 Holly Devaul '84 Ms. Margaret Hoffman '97 Sarah A. McDaniel '93 Scott Dickerson '95 Ms. Amy Hoffmaster '06 Mr. William B. McDowell '80 George and Kelly Dickson, MPhil '97 Noreen Hogan '91 Ms. Lauren McKean '83 Angela DiPerri '01 Eda Holl '05 Jay McNally '84 Heather Dority '96 Lisa '80 and Bob '79 Holley Ms. Megan McOsker '90 Mary Dohna '80 and Wells Bacon '80 Ms. Kathryn Hough '95 Mr. Clifton McPherson III '84 Ms. Sarah Drerup '09 Ms. Kathryn Hunninen '03 Ms. Linda Mejia '09 Nikhit D'Sa '06 Ms. Evelyn Mae Hurwich '80 Mr. Jeffrey Miller '92 Mr. Joseph Edes '83 Ms. Susan B. Inches '79 Mr Samuel Miller-McDonald '09 Henry Elliott ('73) Ms. Sarah Jackson '09 Peter Milliken '76 Mr. Richard Epstein '84 Mr. John Jacob '81 Mr. Greg Milne '91 Ms. Julie Erb '83 Joplin James '84 Mr. Edward Monat '88 Deb Evans '82 Mr. Nishad Jayasundara '05 Mr. Peter Moon '90 Mr. Gabriel Finkelstein '07 Peter Jeffery '84 Chase '00 and Sarah '02 Morrill Mr. Charles Fischer '07 Mr. Peter Jenkins '09 Mr. Andrew Moulton '04 Ms. Cynthia Jordan Fisher '80 Mr. Andres Jennings '08 Dominic Muntanga '04 Rep. Elsie Flemings '07 Sonja Johanson '95 Ms. Elizabeth Nixon '99 Alex Fletcher '07 Ms. Catherine Johnson '74 Carol '93 and Jacob Null '93 Ms. Hannah Fogg '99 Ms. Leslie Jones '91 Hannah Olshan '92 Ms. Arianne Fosdick '00 Ms. Esther Karkal '83 Ms. Rachel O'Reilly ('98) Ms. Jamie Frank '04 Ms. Alexandra Karkruff '06 Mr. Benoni Outerbridge '84 Ms. Susan Freed '80 Mr. Michael Kattner '95 Ms. Kaitlin Palmer '08 Ms. Glenon Friedmann '86 Julianne Kearney '06 Ms. Pamela Parvin '93 Timothy Fuller '03 Shawn '00 and Sarah '05 Keeley Mr. Peter Pavicevic '07 Mr. Matthew Gerald '83 Dr. James Kellam '96 Tobin '95 and Valerie ('96) Peacock Ms. Nadine Gerdts ('76) Ms. Joanne Kemmerer '02 Shoshana Perry '83 Mr. Jackson Gillman '78 Mr. Michael Kersula '09 Ms. Meghan Pew '99 Ms. Lauren Gilson '88 Mr. Todd Kitchens '06 Ms. Alexa Pezzano '00 Jessica Glynn '06 Zack Klyver ('05) Michael ('93) and Mollie '92 Phemister Ms. Abigail Goodyear '81 Mr. Noah Krell '01 Bruce Phillips '78 Jonathan '78 and Nina '78 Gormley Margi and Philip Kunhardt III '77 Ms. Meghan Piercy '91 Mr. P. Heeth Grantham '94 Ms. Jude Lamb '00 Mr. Andrew Pixley '01 Ms. Linda Gregory '89 Jeanne Lambert '06 Ms. Abbie Plaskov '03 Ms. Katherine Griffin '00 Virginie Lavallee-Picard '07 Ms. Laura Pohjola '09 Ms. Mary Griffin '97 Kathryn Harmon '94 and Rob Ledo '91 Shiva Polefka '01 Ms. Nikole Grimes '96 Ms. Alice Leeds '76 Ms. Frances Pollitt '77 Ms. Grace Christina Grinager '07 Ms. Caroline Leonard '01 Ms. Jennifer Prediger '00 Emma Rearick '07 and Jay Guarneri '06 Ms. Alice Levey '81 Ms. Brianne Press Jordan '02 Ms. Elizabeth Gustavson '94 Mr. Aaron Jonah Lewis '05 Ms. Susan Priest-Pierce '77 Ms. Elizabeth Gwinn '01 Jessie Greenbaum '89 Dr. Nishanta Rajakaruna '94 Ms. M. Rebecca Hancock '97 54 COA ANNUAL REPORT Ms. Quintana Ramirez '03 Zach '00 and Autumn '01 Soares Peter Wayne '83 Ms. Cathy Ramsdell '78 Ms. Amanda Spector '08 Ms. Katherine Weinstock '81 Mr. Chris Read '03 Ms. Natalie Springuel '91 Ms. Maria Weisenberg '81 Dr. Jennifer Roberts '94 Michael Staggs '97 Ms. Jean McHugh Weiss '81 Dr. Jennifer Rock '93 Mr. Henry Steinberg '06 Marjolaine Whittlesey '05 Allison Rogers Furbish '04 Andrea Perry '95 and Toby Stephenson '98 Ms. Nellie Wilson '04 Eric Roos '87 Ms. Leah C. Stetson, BA '01, MPhil '06 Janey Winchell '82 Mr. W. David Rosenmiller '84 Ms. Kirsten Stockman '91 Josh Winer '91 Ms. Elizabeth Rousek Ayers '95 Ms. Dorie Stolley '88 Mr. David Winship '77 Ms. Abby Rowe ('98) Mr. Treenen Sturman '02 Ms. Betsy Wisch '83 Santiago Salinas '05 Ms. Katrin Hyman Tchana '83 Sue Woehrlin '80 Ms. Kerri Sands '02 Ms. Nina Therkildsen '05 Ms. Jingran Xiao ('86) Mr. Daniel Sangeap '90 Ms. Kate Tompkins '08 Ms. Margaret Scheid '85 Mr. Erik Torbeck '94 Mr. Robert Young ('86) Ms. Judith Schenk '80 Elena Tuhy-Walters '90 Holly Zak '94 Jennifer Schroth '84 Mr. Frank Twohill '80 and Jonathan Ellsworth '87 Sarah Tyson '96 OUR FRIENDS WHO PASSED AWAY SINCE Ryder '97 and Amy '97 Scott Christiaan van Heerden '09 JULY 1, 2008 Ms. Ellen Seh ('76) Mr. John Viele ('77) Mrs. Ellen H. Emery Ms. Mihaela Senek '05 Mr. Shamsher Virk '07 Mrs. Philip (Sherry) Geyelin James Senter '88 Abbe F. Vogels '01 Mr. Michael Huber Ms. Kate Sheely '07 Tom Volkmann '90 Mr. Philip Levin Richard '88 and Lilea '90 Simis Joanna Walls ('07) Mrs. Donald (Mona) McLean Mr. Mark Simonds '81 Ben Walters '81 Ms. Marion Stocking Year After Year Profile: Jeanne McPherson I was talking to Jeanne McPherson the other day. She has made a gift to COA year after year and I called to see why. I knew she was not a past parent, nor a graduate. She lives in mid-coast Maine, not exactly right around the corner. She does not come to lectures or gallery shows to see our amazing students' work. How did she come to be such a loyal supporter of COA? Here's the story she told me: "Years ago, you had an Elderhostel there. My room was on the third floor of The Turrets. While we were there, a great fire broke out on the campus. It is such a tribute to the people that make up COA, the care that they took making sure we were safe. Everyone went to such an extent to make US comfortable even though the place was on fire! I have never forgotten your kindness." The fire that burned the old Kaelber Hall happened twenty-six years ago. Today, Jeanne is eighty-eight years old! A graduate of Bucknell University, Jeanne's gift to US is particularly meaningful. She says, "My fifty dollars is not going to make a make a great deal of difference but I feel this is what I can do and I want to support you. COA is one of the places I feel deserves my support. I get a lot out of it!" She keeps tabs on the work that's made possible by her giving. "Whenever I get the magazine, I am so impressed! It's not just the writing. It tells you so much about the graduates and the undergraduates and the work you do." Thank you, Jeanne! And thanks to all of those listed below who year after year give to COA. Lynn Boulger, Dean of Development 25 Years or More! Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Ms. Catherine B. Johnson '74 Mr. and Mrs. John P. Reeves Mr. Edward McC. Blair Ann Sewall and Edward Kaelber Mr. David Rockefeller Mr. and Mrs. Leslie C. Brewer Mrs. Louis C. Madeira Peter and Lucy Bell Sellers *Mrs. Alida D. M. Camp Mr. Charles E. Merrill, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. *Mr. and Mrs. Amos Eno Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken Mrs. Lucretia W. Evans *Ms. Marion Stocking The First Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin R. Neilson Mrs. Donald B. Straus Mrs. Ruth B. Fraley Mr. and Mrs. William V. P. Newlin Ms. Joan H. Swann Mr. and Mrs. John M. Good Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Eliot Paine Ms. Katherine Weinstock '81 Fr. James Gower Mrs. Eben W. Pyne Mr. Douglas Williams COA 55 20-24 Years Mr. John Van Dewater Marvin and Jean Messex Mr. John E. Viele ('77) Mr. and Mrs. Keith Miller Mrs. Diane H. Anderson Mrs. Jeptha Wade Mr. Peter W. Moon '90 Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Bass Stacy Hankin and Ben Walters '81 Dr. Victoria T. Murphy Mr. H. B. Beach Bradford and Alice Wellman Mr. John H. Newhall Mr. and Mrs. Elmer L. Beal, Sr. Ms. Janey Winchell '82 Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Nyhart Mr. John O. Biderman '77 Mr. and Mrs. William Wister, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Lewis E. Patrie Hon. and Mrs. Robert O. Blake Mr. David J. Witham Mr. Robert W. Patterson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Peter P. Blanchard III Ms. Sue Woehrlin '80 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pennington Mr. Jerry Bley ('78) Mrs. Jane S. Zirnkilton Shoshana Perry '83 Charles and Barbara Burton II Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Pierce Roc and Helen Caivano '80 15-19 Years Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam Ms. Julie MacLeod Cameron '78 Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Rappaport Donna Gold and William Carpenter Dr. and Mrs. Murray Abramsky Dr. Richard G. Rockefeller Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Cohen Mr. John K. Anderson Dr. and Mrs. Steven C. Rockefeller Mr. and Mrs. Gerald E. Colson Atwater Kent Foundation, Incorporated Ronald and Patricia Rogers Dick Atlee and Sarah Corson Mary Dohna '80 and Wells '80 Bacon Mr. W. David Rosenmiller '84 Dr. and Mrs. Melville P. Cote Bar Harbor Motel Dr. Pamela Jensen and Dr. Stephen Ross Ms. Sally Crock Bar Harbor Savings & Loan Mr. and Mrs. Max Rothal Mr. and Mrs. Roderick H. Cushman Mr. and Mrs. Francis I. Blair Mr. Daniel Sangeap '90 Ms. Norah D. Davis Ms. Edith Blomberg Ms. Margaret Scheid '85 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickey, Jr. Ms. Pamela L. Bolton '79 Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Sharpe, Jr. Prof. and Mrs. Arthur A. Dole Mrs. Charlotte T. Bordeaux Mr. Mark E. Simonds '81 Carol and Jackson Eno Ms. Virginia Brennan Mrs. Allan Stone Mr. and Mrs. Gordon I. Erikson Becky '81 and Skip '83 Buyers-Basso Elena V. Tuhy-Walters '90 and Carl Walters Ms. Cynthia Jordan Fisher '80 Ms. Tammis Coffin '87 Rodman and Susan Ward Dr. and Mrs. Richard R. Fox Ms. Barbara C. Cole Mrs. Cecile Watson Mr. and Mrs. W. West Frazier, IV Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket Ms. Jean McHugh Weiss '81 Mr. Jackson Gillman '78 Mr. and Mrs. S. Whitney Dickey Mr. John Wilmerding Dr. and Mrs. Donald J. Glotzer Mrs. F. Eugene Dixon Ms. Betsy Wisch '83 Bruce Mazlish and Neva Goodwin Mrs. Mary Drury Ms. Jingran Xiao ('86) Jonathan '78 and Nina '78 Gormley *Mrs. Ellen H. Emery Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Growald Mrs. Bertha E. Erb Ms. Katherine W. Hazard '76 10-14 Years Mr. and Mrs. Charles Erhart Eric ('74)and Kate Henry Mr. and Mrs. William Foulke, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Raymond E. Alie Mr. and Mrs. Horace A. Hildreth, Jr. Ms. Susan E. Freed '80 Ms. Judith M. Allen Mr. and Mrs. Melville Hodder Galyn's Galley John and Karen Anderson Lisa '80 and Bob '79 Holley Ms. Laurie Geiger Bar Harbor Lobster Bakes Ms. Betsey Holtzmann *Mr. and Mrs. Philip Geyelin Richard and Rosemary Barnhart Mrs. Michael Huber Mrs. Hope Goddard Allison Martin '88 and Elmer Beal, Jr. Ms. Susan B. Inches '79 Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. Golas Ron Beard and Sandi Read Susan Lerner and Steven Katona Patricia and Cyrus Hagge Mr. Dennis R. Bracale '88 Mr. John M. Kauffmann Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hailperin Mr. and Mrs. Harold G. Brack Mr. and Mrs. John N. Kelly Mr. and Mrs. George B. E. Hambleton Ms. Teisha Broetzman '88 Neil King and Diana King Mr. Samuel M. Hamill, Jr. Ms. Frances S. Carlin Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Kogod Ms. Lois Hayes '79 Suzanne Taylor and Don Cass Ms. Anne M. Kozak Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hinckley Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Cawley Margi and Philip Kunhardt III '77 Mr. and Mrs. David M. Hollenbeck Mrs. Katherine Kaufer Christoffel Dr. Eugene A. Lesser '78 Ms. Sherry F. Huber Mrs. Bernard Cough Mrs. Marcia MacKinnon Mr. Peter Hunt Philip and Tina DeNormandie Mr. J. R. McGregor Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Huntington Mrs. Joanne R. Devlin Mrs. Donald McLean Alison and Joplin James '84 George and Kelly, MPhil '97 Dickson Mr. Roger Milliken Ms. Esther R. Karkal '83 Martha and Stephen Dolley Mr. and Mrs. G. Marshall Moriarty Bob and Ellie Kates Mrs. George Dwight Mrs. Lorraine B. Morong Mr. and Mrs. James M. Kellogg Dianna and Ben Emory Mrs. A. Corkran Nimick Carl Ketchum and Lorraine Stratis Ms. Julie A. Erb '83 Ms. Sandra Nowicki Ms. Alice J. Leeds '76 Ms. Deborah Evans '82 Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins Null Ms. Alice Levey '81 Thomas and Carroll Fernald Mr. Benoni Outerbridge '84 Mr. James R. Lindenthal Mr. and Mrs. William M.G. Fletcher Susan Erickson and Bruce Phillips '78 Dr. John H. Long, Jr. '86 Ms. Glenon Friedmann '86 Mona and Louis Rabineau Dr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Longsworth Mr. David Furholmen Ms. Cathy L. Ramsdell '78 Mr. and Mrs. William G. Lord Il Garden Club of Mount Desert Mr. and Mrs. Owen W. Roberts Miles '86 and Meg Maiden Steve and Katie George Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller, Jr. Maine Community Foundation Ms. Nadine Gerdts ('76) Hilda and Thomas Roderick Ms. Susan Flynn Maristany '82 Ms. Lauren N. Gilson '88 Ms. Ellen Seh ('76) Steven Callahan and Kathleen Massimini '82 Drs. Alan and Wendy Gladstone Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop A. Short Mrs. Anne A. Mazlish Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Goodman Ms. Dorie S. Stolley '88 Mr. William B. McDowell '80 Mr. Walter H. Goodnow Mrs. Kathryn Suminsby Jennifer Reynolds and Jay McNally '84 John Allgood and Abigal Goodyear '81 Mr. John L. Thorndike Ms. Jeanne McPherson Ms. Elizabeth K. Gorer 56 COA Jane and Philip H. Grantham, Sr. Richard Hilliard and Karen Waldron Mr. Millard Dority Ms. Linda Gregory '89 Dr. Peter Wayne '83 Wendy and Michael Downey Mr. and Mrs. John Guth Ms. Maria T. Weisenberg '81 Mr. and Mrs. William C. Eacho III Mr. and Mrs. John Michael Hancock Ms. Mary E. Welch The Eacho Family Foundation Mrs. Penelope Harris Raymond and Laurie Williams Mr. Alden Eaton Ms. Mary Heffernon Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wishcamper Mr. Joseph Edes '83 Dr. Josephine Todrank Heth '76 Tom and Loretta Witt Wendy Rodger and Henry Elliott ('73) Ms. Barbara Hilli Ms. Carol B. Emmons Dr. Leonard F. Hirsh 5-9 Years Mr. Richard H. Epstein '84 Ms. Evelyn Mae Hurwich '80 Sam and Elise Felton Mr. and Mrs. John J. Inch, Jr. Acadia Senior College Mr. and Mrs. David Fischer Mr. Orton P. Jackson, Jr. Ms. Heather M. Albert-Knopp '99 Mrs. Margery Forbes Mr. William Janes Mr. and Mrs. Schofield Andrews III Cherie and Chad Ford Ms. Leslie L. Jones '91 Wendy Knickerbocker and David Avery '84 Ms. Carla Ganiel Jordan-Fernald Ms. Lelania Prior Avila '92 Mr. and Mrs. Will Gardiner Mr. and Mrs. William R. Kales Ms. Jennifer L. Aylesworth '94 Mr. and Mrs. Jon Geiger Dr. James Kellam '96 Sarah and David Baker Mr. Matthew Gerald '83 Ms. Aleda Koehn Mr. Alan L. Baker / The Ellsworth American Ms. Susan Getze Mr. and Mrs. Ted Koffman Bar Harbor Garden Club Ms. Anne Giardina Dr. and Mrs. David Lebwohl Bar Harbor Whale Watch Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Goelet Kathryn Harmon '94 and Rob Ledo '91 Steven Barkan and Barbara Tennent Mrs. Laura Arm Goldstein The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust Drs. Wesley and Terrie Beamer Dr. and Mrs. Robert Gossart Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lipkin Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. Beekman Mr. and Mrs. John P. Gower Ms. Abigail Littlefield '83 Ms. Katie M. Bell Ms. Mary K. Griffin '97 Ms. Mayo Lynam Mr. and Mrs. William E. Benjamin Il Susan Dowling and Andrew Griffiths Mr. James MacLeod Mr. Glen A. Berkowitz '82 Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gumpert Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Ms. Marie Berlin Ms. Elizabeth Gwinn '01 Ms. Casey Mallinckrodt Ms. Lyn Berzinis Mr. and Mrs. Richard Habermann Rob Marshall '87 Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Bird Ms. M. Rebecca Hancock '97 Sarah '93 and Jon McDaniel Mrs. Joan S. Blaine Ms. Holly Hartley Ms. Donna McFarland Mr. Edward McC. Blair, Jr. Ms. Sonja Hartmann '88 Mr. and Mrs. Clement E. McGillicuddy Dierdre Swords and Michael Boland '94 Larry and Patty Hayes Mr. Clifton McPherson III '84 Patricia Honea-Fleming and Richard Borden Atsuko Watabe '93 and Bruce Hazam '92 Robert J. and Jane H. Meade Mr. Charles Butt Michael Zwirko '01 and Erin Heacock '04 Mr. Jeffrey Miller '92 Mr. and Mrs. Louis Cabot Healthy Acadia Coalition Linzee Weld and Peter Milliken '76 Mr. Henry B. Cabot III '97 Ms. Katie J. Hester '98 Mr. Frank Mocejunas Mr. Colin Capers '95 Charles and Jackie Hewett Dr. Frank Moya Mr. William P. Carey Ms. Jean Hoekwater '80 Mr. and Mrs. John R. Moyer Linda K. and John H. Carman Ms. Margaret A. Hoffman '97 Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Nicholas III Barbara and Vinson Carter Homewood Benefits Ms. Hope Olmstead Michele and Agnese Cestone Foundation Dr. and Mrs. William Horner Lynn and Willy Osborn Mr. Erin B. Chalmers '00 Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Horowitz Dr. and Mrs. Richard N. Pierson Mr. David Chiang Ms. Jen Hughes Ms. Frances L. Pollitt '77 Ms. Taj Chibnik '95 Ms. Jane Hultberg Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Rea Ms. Cecily G. Clark Mr. John P. Jacob '81 Drs. Paul and Ann Rochmis Ms. Katherine D. Clark '91 Peter '84 and Margaret Jeffery Ms. Sydney Roberts Rockefeller Susanna Porter and James Clark Ms. Laura Johnson Eric '87 and Kelly Roos Ms. Kim Clark Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Johnson III Mr. and Mrs. Clayton D. Rose Hannah S. Sistare and Timothy B. Clark Ms. Constance Jordan Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rothstein Steve Redgate and Dianne Clendaniel Jordan's Restaurant Roland and Dottie Seymour Mr. Kenneth Cline Mr. and Mrs. H. Lee Judd Dr. and Mrs. Dennis L. Shubert Ms. Jan Coates Mr. and Mrs. David H. Kane Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Smith Mr. Pancho Cole '81 Mr. Michael Kattner '95 Ms. Harriet H. Soares Dr. Darron Collins '92 Shawn '00 and Sarah '05 Keeley Mike '97 and Lynne Staggs The Combs Family Mr. Arthur J. Keller Mr. W. P. Stewart Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper Jill and Bobby Kelley Stewart Brecher Architects Ms. Judith Cox Ms. Joanne S. Kemmerer '02 Carol and Sid Strickland T.A. Cox Kent-Lucas Foundation, Incorporated Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Sullivan Kevin '93 and Jennifer '93 Crandall Barbara and Steven Kiel Swan Agency Insurance Mrs. Rose Cutler Bethany and Zack Klyver ('05) Dr. Davis Taylor Jane and Stan Davis Mrs. Philip Kunhardt, Jr. Ms. Katrin Hyman Tchana '83 Mr. and Mrs. Shelby M.C. Davis Mrs. Anthony Lapham Nick and Joan Thorndike Davis Educational Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Leung Lee Ms. Ellen Reid Thurman Steve '80 and Rose Demers Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Leisenring Mr. Frank Twohill '80 Mr. Robert DeSimone Jessie Greenbaum '89 Jack Ledbetter and Helen Tyson Ms. Holly Devaul '84 and Philip Lichtenstein '92 Ms. Katrina Van Dusen Janet Redfield and Scott Dickerson '95 Ms. Maria Vanegas Long '84 Mr. and Mrs. Christiaan '09 van Heerden Ms. Angela DiPerri '01 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Loring Tom and Elizabeth Volkmann '90 Mr. and Mrs. William Dohmen Mr.and Mrs. Lewis Lukens Janet Anker and Charles Donnelly COA 57 Machias Savings Bank Tobin '95 and Valerie Peacock ('96) Mr. and Mrs. John P. Grace Shethar Maine Space Grant Consortium Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson E. Peters Richard '88 and Lilea '90 Simis Ms. Pamela Manice Mr. and Mrs. Jay Pierrepont John and Fran Sims Mr. and Mrs. Grant G. McCullagh Thomas and Patricia Pinkham State Street Corporation Ms. Lauren McKean '83 Ms. Carole Plenty Bruce and Susan Stedman Ms. Lenorah McKee Shiva Polefka '01 Andrea Perry '95 and Toby Stephenson '98 Ms. Pamela G. Meyer James Dyke and Helen Porter Ms. Marie Stivers Laura Ellis and David Milliken Ms. Susan Priest-Pierce '77 Rebecca and Steve Milliken Mr. George Strawbridge, Jr. Ms. Sheila Sonne Pulling Mr. and Mrs. A. Fenner Milton Ms. Caren Sturges Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Reckseit Sen. and Mrs. George J. Mitchell Mr. Gilbert L. Sward Amb. and Mrs. Joseph Verner Reed Mr. and Mrs. David E. Moore Dan Thomassen and Bonnie Tai Mrs. Dora L. Richardson Mr. and Mrs. Philip S. J. Moriarty Mr. and Mrs. William Thorndike, Jr. John and Carol Rivers Mr. and Mrs. I. Wistar Morris III Sean and Carolyn Todd Suzanne Morse Dr. Jennifer Roberts '94 Ms. Anne M. Mulholland Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Robinson, Jr. Kathy Bonk and Marc Tucker Mr. and Mrs. John R. Robinson University of Maine Sea Grant Program Ms. Anna Murphy Dr. Walter Robinson US Department of Commerce Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Nathane, Jr. Dr. Jennifer Rock '93 Julia Merck and Hans Utsch Patricia G. Norris Carol '93 and Jacob Null '93 Ms. Allison E. Rogers Furbish '04 Mr. and Mrs. David Vail Judd and Hannah Olshan '92 Ms. Elizabeth Rousek Ayers '95 Ms. Joan Weber Mr. W. Kent Olson Mr. and Mrs. William M. Rudolf Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Weg Jim and Suzanne Owen Ms. Kerri Sands '02 Mr. and Mrs. Harold White III Ms. Pamela Parvin '93 David and Mary Savidge Dawn Lamendola ('92) and Josh Winer '91 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Paul Ms. Judith Schenk '80 Mr. David B. Winship '77 Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm E. Peabody Cynthia Livingston and Henry Schmelzer Mr. and Mrs. Louis Zawislak Awards Each May, College of the Atlantic chooses students to receive an array of awards and scholarships that honor dear friends and former faculty members. The 2009 awards are listed in alphabetical order according to the person for whom the honor is named. The Sidney and Hazel DeMott Bahrt Scholarship honors the legacy of long-time COA friends and supporters of environ- mental, educational and cultural organizations. The first Bahrt Scholar is Gabby Roos '13, who received a full, four-year scholarship to COA. The Rebecca Clark '96 Memorial Scholarship in Marine Sciences honors the memory of our alumna who was killed by the 2005 tusnami while conducting research on sea turtle conservation in Southeast Asia. This year's scholarship goes to Emily Argo '10 in recognition of her enthusiasm and scholarship in the marine sciences, and for her dedication to sea turtle conservation. The Richard Slaton Davis and Norah Deakin Davis Scholarship celebrates COA's first philoso- pher, Richard Slaton ("Dick") Davis who worked on the philosophical underpinnings of human ecology until his untimely death in 1982. This year's recipient is Franklin Jacoby '12, who has shown an unusual ability in philosophy and its application to other areas of human ecology. COA awards the John C. Dreier Scholarship, honoring our former trustee and diplomat, to juniors who have shown leadership in building community spirit between COA and our surrounding communities. This year's recipients, Le- land Moore '10 and Lauren Nutter '10 are energetic, en- gaged students who inspire others with their leadership in building community spirit on campus and in connecting Lauren Nutter '10. COA to the broader community. Photo by Rogier van Bakel. The Louisa R. Dreier Scholarship is given to a junior who shares Isa Dreier's talent and joy in the arts. Sinda Karklina '10 has ability in many areas, including drawing, video, animation, fabric arts, installation, writing and film, and has immersed herself in studies of art, exploring ideas as complex as gender and death with compassion and humor. Leland Moore '10. Photo by Donna Gold. 58 COA The W.H. Drury, Jr. Prize in Natural History honors the late ornithologist, naturalist and COA faculty member Bill Drury. It is awarded to students of field ecology, especially those who are able to incorporate the visual arts into their study of plants and animals. Andrew "Bik" Wheeler '09, a born naturalist and conservationist who cares deeply about the Maine coast and its fauna, is this year's recipient. The Craig Greene Memorial Scholarship is given to rising juniors or seniors who have excelled in botany and general biology, and who share our late faculty member's passion for the world of flora. This year's winner, Luka Negoita '11, is irrepressibly interested in plants, committed to plant conservation, and a great field botanist. The August Heckscher Scholarship is given to two juniors whose work focuses on public lands, government or the arts in honor of the late artist, author and public servant. This year, the scholar- ships were given to Noah Hodgetts '10 and Samantha Haskell '10, both of whom have devoted great effort to working with local communities on planning and zoning committees. Noah Hodgetts '10 The Daniel H. Kane Award honors our late founding faculty member in law. It is given to a graduating senior for outstand- ing work in conservation and conservation law. Iris Lowery '09, this year's recipient, did exceptional work in environmen- tal law and policy courses and shares Dan's deep commitment to conservation. The Edward G. Kaelber Scholarship for Maine Students of Outstanding Promise honors COA's first president by awarding an incoming freshman from Maine with a four-year scholar- ship. Fiona Hunter '11, the first recipient, continues to demonstrate a high level of achievement in academic and community work. The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust Scholarship is awarded to new COA students from New England towns with fewer than five thousand residents. This year's Lindsay Scholars are Ayla Yandow '13 from St. George, Vermont and Terra van de Sande '13 from Columbia, Maine. Ayla found- ed the environmental club at her high school and plans to pursue environmental studies. Terra worked on her high school's organic farm and led wilderness trips in Maine's north woods. She plans to study creative and environmental writing. The Eleanor Scott Mallinckrodt Prize was created by Casey Mallinckrodt to honor her mother, a landscape designer. It recognizes a student who excels in landscape architecture, and went Fiona Hunter '11. Photo by Tony Hollis. to Andrew Louw '11 who is passionate about landscape architecture and has the potential to become a talented designer. The Edward J. Meade, Jr. Educational Studies Award goes to students who demonstrate innovative teaching practices and make significant contributions to education on and off campus. It was given to Jasmine Smith '09 who has significant experience in teaching and leading activities outdoors and a deep commitment to meaningful learning in all settings. Sponsored by COA friend Charles Merrill, the annual Merrill Scholarship offers a student from the Czech Republic's Palacky University the opportunity to spend a year at COA. This year's Merrill Scholar is Lenka Šprtová, a second-year student in Palacky's Ecology and Environmental Protection program. The Maurine and Robert Rothschild Scholarship Award for graduate stu- dents honors our former board members. Graduate student Jack Rodolico, who is studying local marine conservation issues and environmental jour- nalism, received this award. The Alice Blum Yoakum Scholarship was established by our late trustee Robert Blum for students with plans to work for biodiversity and especial- ly for the preservation of underwater species in various parts of the world. It was awarded to Sasha Paris '10, who is committed to environmental stewardship and the preservation of marine biodiversity, and passionate about marine biology. Jasmine Smith '09. Photo by Rogier van Bakel. COA 59 Emily Troutman'01 The United Nations recently sponsored a contest in which it asked world citizens-youth in particular-to create a video answer to this question: "If you had the opportunity to speak to world leaders, what would you say?" The video created by Emily Troutman '01 offers this message: "Every day I want you to wake up and know that you work for 6.7 billion real people, one person at a time. People with children, and dreams, and stories." With that request, Troutman became one of five winners, the only one from the United States. She is now officially a UN Citizen Ambassador. Troutman holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota, but she feels her most useful work is the writing, photographs and videos she creates as a social documentarian. She currently has three videos on her website, each one focused on images of individual people. The first is the very popular President Obama Inauguration: Words for How We Feel Now. The second, Why Congo Matters, was created after a month-long visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The third is the UN video. These can be found on her blog: http://emilytroutman.blogspot.com How do you describe what you do? recognize that there's room for open space in an intellectual conversation-and for moving parts. Academically, I I'm still really figuring it out; I think of myself primarily studied text and photo with (former arts faculty member) as an artist, but also a writer and photographer-there's Doug Barkey and performance art with Nancy Andrews no really succinct way to describe this work-some call it and literature with Karen Waldron and Bill Carpenter. I journalism, but because of the creative component, artist worked on poetry and how to create an emotional message. feels right. There's such a need to not just be open-minded, but to take on open-mindedness as a useful tool of study; not to How did you create the United Nations video? be a relativist. I really thought a long time about what I wanted to say when I decided to respond to the question. I had just come What's your next step? back from the Congo. And that week, my friends had lost Over the next few years I will be working with the UN to their baby and their house had been robbed. I wanted to create more messages from people on the ground. I am transform my anger into something that was powerful and specifically interested in talking about the Millennium important. I found myself writing this letter about how Development Goals. This will be something that I revisit we can connect more with people, and with ourselves over time-one person at a time. as individuals, and acknowledge our own dreams and passions-and through that engage and transform. It was a personal message, not a policy statement. What do we do with what we know? Also, I had just had the experience of producing the video Why Congo Matters, and I had been looking at the photos I took there for a long time, looking into the eyes of the people. Did COA prepare you for this work? Having the idea that the answer can be a question-I really feel that I learned that at COA. There are so many intractable problems, and COA offers this gift of letting you Photos by Emily Troutman '01. 60 COA The Human Ecology Essay Corey Whitney '03. Photo by Anna Wissmann of IFOAM. A Human Ecologist's Journey Cory Whitney '03 I have always rectly work toward a more sustainable relationship between felt a deep con- people and nature. Between watches, I read to inform and nection with the feed my vision. Books by Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry woods and coast and Jared Diamond, among others, influenced me to return of Maine and be- to the land. And so I moved from San Francisco to France lieve it is among two years ago to work on a small organic seed-saving farm the most amaz- in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Having almost no knowl- ing places in the edge of French, I spent a lot of time in silence until I learned world, like a gi- to speak. ant Zen garden. I grew up as the Contemplating that small farm under this enforced silence oldest of five children in a family that has lived on the coast gave me insights into my ideal land-based life. Working in for at least eight generations, clinging doggedly to the tradi- the soil and greenhouses with the plants and animals that tions of rural New England. A born naturalist, I spent my produced my sustenance felt right. As I slowly picked up summers looking for critters under logs and rocks, in tidal French, I talked with the farmer and his family about the pools and seaweed. I learned to use a chainsaw and an axe challenges facing small farmers and the need for more sup- when I was young and helped manage a small woodlot for port. Small farmers around the world are losing their land as firewood to heat our home through the long winters. This more and more of our food is being produced in factory-like unique upbringing in the salt air, and the deciduous and ev- settings. ergreen forests of Maine's rocky coast, made me fall madly in love with nature. With the aim to change the course of things for small farm- ers, I took up a role with the International Federation of As I transitioned roughly into adulthood, I witnessed a lot Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) in Germany, sup- of development. Many of the coastal spaces where nature porting organic agriculture through capacity building and had been disappeared: fields and forests gave way to wid- advocacy. I am now beginning a master's course in Interna- ened roads and housing. Reading E.O. Wilson and Aldo tional Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Kassel in Leopold, I became explicitly aware of the failing relation- Witzenhausen, Germany. ship between the human-mediated and nonhuman-mediat- ed world. It became painfully clear to me that we need to My love affair is still strong with nature in general and partic- make a conscious effort as a whole earth community to heal ularly with Maine. I see this as a time of great consequence. this relationship. I transferred to College of the Atlantic in On that small seed-saving farm in southern France I experi- enced what a harmonious relationship between people and 2001 to study human ecology and get the tools necessary to help create a world where natural resources are fairly al- nature looks like. We can and should realize this as a global located and conserved. community, but we'll need to make some adjustments. I would like to participate in altering the paradigm under After graduating, I followed the footsteps of my forefathers which we live as a global human community; to extend the and spent a few years at sea. I worked with nonprofit or- moral community, as it were, to include other species, as it ganizations teaching marine sciences and adventure-based has so recently expanded to include most of us. I look for- outdoor education on the floating classrooms of traditional ward to watching this world transform to a world in which sailing vessels. I worked my way up "through the scuppers" humans truly share the planet with other species. from deckhand to captain and grew immensely from the Gesundheit. influence of excellent shipmates, hard work, long hours and the intensity of the programs. Living at sea on traditional sailing vessels satisfied my admittedly Luddite and anti-tech ideologies. My ecological footprint was sufficiently small Cory Whitney '03 works as an ambassador between COA and I could see that my enthusiasm for life was rubbing off and the University of Kassel as part of the college's Trans- on my students. And yet, I felt I needed to find a way to di- Atlantic Partnership (whitney.cory@gmail.com). COA 61 NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID College of the Atlantic AUGUSTA, ME PERMIT NO. 121 time changing world changing, 105 Eden Street Bar Harbor, ME 04609