Alumni Oral Histories

Showing 1 - 10 of 36 Items

Interview with Maura Allen (Class of 2014) and Laurel Mast (2014) by Emma Kellogg

Date: 2019-05-31

Creator: Maura Allen

Laurel Mast

Access: Open access

Maura Allen (Class of 2014) and Laurel Mast (Class of 2014) describe the transition to Bowdoin and meeting each other on the rugby team. Mast talks about taking extra courses many semesters, participating in plays, and being an avid sports fan. Allen speaks about being a year-round athlete, a facilitator for V-Space, and living in Quinby House. The pair discuss their love for the state of Maine but acknowledge the unique challenges that come from being so far from their homes in Colorado and Oregon. Allen and Mast also reflect on the burgeoning discussions surrounding cultural appropriation and hookup culture on campus.


Interview with Richard Lustig (Class of 1974) by Meagan Doyle

Date: 2019-06-01

Creator: Richard Lustig

Access: Open access

Richard “Rich” Lustig (Class of 1974) shares how his childhood vacations in Maine led him to Bowdoin. He speaks about the serendipitous nature of making friends and the enjoyable times he spent playing music with friends. Reminiscing on a study-away experience at St. Andrews University in Scotland, which turned into an independent study on early music, Lustig speaks about how Bowdoin allowed him to pursue a wide and varied array of passions. He describes directing a play through Masque and Gown. He also describes how he ended up joining Alpha Delta Phi, despite a general distaste for fraternity life. Additionally, Lustig reflects on the drinking culture and the lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity at the College.


Interview with Frank Skornia (Class of 2004) by Meagan Doyle

Date: 2019-06-01

Creator: Frank Skornia

Access: Open access

Frank Skornia (Class of 2004) describes how he found his way to Bowdoin, including a Class of 1968 alumnus who mentored him. He discusses pre-Orientation trips and settling in to Hyde Hall. He reminisces about his deep involvement in the technical side of theater, including working for both the Theater department and Masque and Gown, and innovating ways of utilizing the new Wish Theater. Skornia speaks about taking advantage of the wide range of courses and the support of faculty advisors and mentors, and talks about his decision to spend a year abroad at the University of York. He discusses the increasing environmentalism and political tensions of the time, and the atmosphere and feelings on campus surrounding the September 11 Terrorist Attacks.


Interview with Michael Jeng (Class of 1989) by Emma Kellogg

Date: 2019-06-01

Creator: Michael Jeng

Access: Open access

Michael Jeng (Class of 1989) describes living in Winthrop Hall and building lifelong friendships with his roommates. He speaks about challenging himself to take classes outside of his Biology and Philosophy majors. He discusses various on-campus jobs, like selling ads for the Orient, and extracurricular activities such as playing squash and tennis. Jeng remembers organizing a 10k run for Bowdoin students against apartheid in support of divestment from South Africa and attending pro-choice rallies in Washington, D.C. He reminisces on volunteering for a variety of organizations, mentioning the Big Brother Little Brother Program. Jeng also reflects on learning more about himself while at Bowdoin, including exploring his sexuality, leading a balanced life, and interacting with people from all walks of life.


Interview with Edward Koch (Class of 1958) by Ben Bousquet

Date: 2018-06-01

Creator: Edward Koch

Access: Open access

Edward Koch (Class of 1958) discusses the story behind his admittance to Bowdoin, his adjustment from a Minnesota upbringing, and his favorite memories. He describes his involvement in the hockey team and Glee Club. He also describes his involvement with the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, recounting hazing stories from his time as a pledge. He speaks of his friendship and tennis rivalry with future-College president Roger Howell, Jr. Koch reflects upon his sociology major and finance career, and gives advice to current and future students about designating an area of study.


Interview with Paul Todd (Class of 1958) by Ben Bousquet

Date: 2018-06-02

Creator: Paul Todd

Access: Open access

In this interview, Paul Todd (Class of 1958) recounts how his upbringing in Brewer, Maine, contributed to his decision to enroll at Bowdoin, as well as the College’s influence on his interest and eventual career in physics. He discusses his experience with a 5-year Bowdoin/MIT program, comparing both schools, and identifies the adjustments he made in transitioning to each. Todd tells a hazing story from his time as an Alpha Delta Phi pledge and describes the various social events hosted by the fraternity. He speaks of interactions with close friend and classmate Roger Howell, Jr., as well as anecdotes about some of his favorite professors: William Root, Charles Livingston, and Roy LaCasce. He also touches upon other aspects of campus life, mentioning the Alpha Rho Upsilon fraternity, his time as a violinist with the Brunswick Choral Society, and his involvements with the track and debate teams.


Interview with Jenna Burton (Class of 1994) by Emma Kellogg

Date: 2019-05-31

Creator: Jenna Burton

Access: Open access

Jenna Burton (Class of 1994) describes the process of making friends through Hyde Hall and the sailing team. She also speaks about her experience being part of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and becoming its first female president. Burton reminisces about the hurdles and triumphs of starting the women’s rugby team and discusses the camaraderie and support she found within the team. Additionally, Burton talks about her on-campus job as a Resident Assistant, her Biology major, and reflects on working with Safe Space to critically examine the College’s sexual harassment policy. Finally, she touches on some of her favorite memories, like long brunches in Thorne Dining Hall and broom hockey on the quad.


Interview with Whitney Sanford (Class of 1983) by Ben Bousquet

Date: 2018-06-02

Creator: Whitney Sanford

Access: Open access

In this oral history, Whitney Sanford (Class of 1983) describes her decision to enroll at Bowdoin and her experience with the different aspects of the College’s social scene. She discusses the impact of the liberal arts on her eventual career as a professor at University of Florida and mentions her involvement in Bowdoin’s first women’s rugby team. Sanford also recounts her affiliation with the Theta Delta Chi fraternity, as well as her activity on the women’s field hockey team. She also discusses the impact of the opening of a campus pub on the College’s social structure.


Interview with Mariya Ilyas (Class of 2013) by Ben Bousquet

Date: 2018-06-02

Creator: Mariya Ilyas

Access: Open access

In this oral history, Mariya Ilyas (Class of 2013) discusses transitioning to Bowdoin and the effect her identity as a Pakistani Muslim woman had on her transition. She talks about her on-campus job, favorite professors, and most memorable classes. Ilyas also describes how her pre-orientation trip sparked a lasting interest in public service that manifested itself in a White House internship, Fulbright Scholarship, and career in diplomacy. She also speaks of her role in beginning the Muslim Student Association, and the support that the College provided. In addition, she recounts how her racial and cultural identities sometimes created instances of discomfort on campus.


Interview with Mara Gandal-Powers (Class of 2004) by Emma Kellogg

Date: 2019-06-01

Creator: Mara Gandal-Powers

Access: Open access

Mara Gandal-Powers (Class of 2004) discusses adjusting to life far from her home in Maryland and learning how to structure her time at College. She mentions trying out for the tennis team and how that impacted her first year. She reminisces about spending time with friends at nearby beaches, in Brunswick and Portland, and navigating the new Social House system as part of the first class without fraternities. Talking about her major in Women’s Studies, Gandal-Powers mentions her thesis, organizing Bowdoin’s involvement in the March for Women’s Lives, and her major’s impact on her career. Additionally, she reflects on campus’s atmosphere of activism at the time, specifically in reference to the 2000 Presidential Election and the September 11 Terrorist Attacks.