Interview with Marnita Eaddie (Class of 1990) by Marina Henke

Marnita Eaddie ('90) reminisces about her time at Bowdoin, particularly the transition of moving from her predominantly black hometown of East Cleveland to Brunswick, Maine. She shares how variations in wealth between students showed during her time at Bowdoin, but also how students from a variety of backgrounds managed to come together. She recounts confronting racism on the predominantly white campus, and how she navigated being one of less than fifteen black students in her incoming class. She additionally describes her own commitment to academics during her four years at the College, and how she managed to balance a superb academic record along with holding various part-time jobs during all of her semesters. Eaddie brings up the impact of various tragedies on campus, including the death of student Pamela Herbert (‘90) in the Pan Am Flight 103 terrorist attack. Finally, she explores how her later work in the military contrasted and aligned with her Bowdoin experience.