Interview with Noma Petroff by Marina Henke

Noma Petroff shares her time working at Bowdoin, as secretary of the Senior Center (1975-1979), secretary of Afro-American Studies (1979-1985), secretary Women’s Studies (1990), and academic coordinator of Theater and Dance (1991-2016). She discusses her path to Bowdoin, and specifically her path to working in Russworm, coming from working at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and even leaving Bowdoin for several years to work on a Pennsylvanian farm. She recounts how she tried to serve as an ally to students of color on campus. Petroff describes the dynamic environment of Russworm during the early eighties, including the work she put into starting the center’s library. She shares stories from various work-study students who worked with her, including two students who fell in love after separately working under her. Petroff describes the transformations to the African American Studies department over her many years at the college, including highlights of working under both Randy Stakeman and Lynn Bolles.