The Carleton College Voice aims to tell “the Carleton story of now,” and 2024’s three issues did exactly that, connecting alumni with news on campus, the issues the College and its faculty wrestle with, and the work its graduates are doing to make an impact in their communities. Some were synched with trending news — the advent of artificial intelligence and the academic considerations around it at Carleton, one alum’s successful effort to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Minnesota, the challenge faced by alumni journalists working at outlets like NPR and Politico in covering a contentious election in times of historic public distrust of the media — while others updated readers on the lives of classmates: a retired bank executive reflecting on the all-Black student dance group she founded 50 years ago, the president of a tribal college speaking on the challenges and successes at his new school, a popular Hmong memoirist looking into TRIO, the program for low-income and first-generation students that helped her thrive at Carleton two decades ago. These issues aim to capture Carleton’s animating spirit and the values so many of its graduates share even years after leaving Northfield.

The CASE judges described the Voice as “one of our favorites”:

The design was excellent and the graphic elements stood out. We felt these pieces “really broke away from the public relations machine” and told stories that were bold, fun, and in some cases truly brave, and even sometimes risky — but oh so important. The writing was sharp, excellent, and often laugh-out-loud funny. A good read rendered beautifully.

Hundreds of friends and family members attended in order to applaud the latest Carleton graduates, with cheers from the crowd echoing across campus after each diploma was presented.

Michelle Mattson, professor of German and provost and vice president for academic affairs, read the names of the students as President Alison Byerly awarded the diplomas — and a handshake — to every member of the Class of 2025 in attendance.

An honorary doctoral degree was conferred during the ceremony to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson, who also gave the Commencement address.

Wilkerson’s address was impassioned and inspiring. She spoke of Carleton’s history of being at the forefront of change, and encouraged the Class of 2025 to use their experience to better the world.

“We have the power to act with honor and stand up when we see wrongdoing and injustice, anywhere in the world, both here and abroad,” she said. “To stand up and advocate on behalf of people who are oppressed and under attack. To extend help and benefit of the doubt to those who are marginalized and those who have been historically denied, as has this College, not just for those in need, but for the collective well-being of all of us.”

Wilkerson reflected on the Great Migration, a period of American history that she has researched extensively, as an example of the power people have when they work together.

“The people of the Great Migration had to seek political asylum within the borders of their own country. They were proxies for someone in almost all of our families who had to have done what they did just for us to be here in this moment, on this soil, at this time,” she said. “They couldn’t have seen the magnitude of their private decisions and had no grand title for it. Because they were right in the middle of it, they could not have seen how one person added to another, multiplied by millions, could be a liberation movement all its own. We each have the power to make history. You have the power to make history. If enough people are principled and purposed, and do the same thing at the same thing at the same time, they can change a region — they can change the world.”

“In a few minutes, you’ll walk across the stage to your future, celebrating in the same spot where you began in 2021,” Wilkerson said in the conclusion of her address. “As you all know, underneath this grass and soil on which we stand are the geothermal wells that generate renewable energy from deep within the earth to help warm and cool and sustain this campus. At this moment of celebration, those wells of life are sloshing deep beneath us. You started your journey right here in this verdant clearing, atop this underground source of energy, and are the only class in Carleton history to begin and to conclude your time on this campus in this sacred spot. You, the Class of 2025, were not meant to skim the surface; you are meant to go deep and reach far. Now you must carry that power and spread your life to the rest of the world.”

Wilkerson followed graduation reflections from Julia Dunn ’25, political science and international relations major with an Africana studies minor, and Annanya Sinha ’25, double major in psychology and gender, women’s, and sexuality studies.

Dunn focused her speech on unexpected journeys, speaking from her perspective as an international student from Portmore, Jamaica who knew very little about Carleton or the College’s Midwest landscape before she arrived on campus.

“The beauty of unexpected journeys is that in this life, we don’t have to travel them alone,” Dunn said. “There is always something new to discover, something different to learn, someone new to meet. As I’m sure you’ve all heard numerous times, Carls help Carls, and the community support that we provide one another makes all the difference as we embrace the uncertain… I hope that as we step beyond the Carleton bubble we’ve cultivated and enter the world, you will also think about the moments where a helping hand or kind gesture made this journey easier.”

Sinha followed Dunn and emphasized during their speech — which they titled, “A Love Letter to My Professors” — how Carleton courses have challenged their ego, pride, and existing knowledge, with talented professors teaching them the most valuable skill of all: how to think critically.

“It is not comfortable learning about the hard parts of history, or about a group of people or a theory that may not align with your existing ideological, moral, or religious framework. I didn’t like it at first… [but] I realized that my learning, and our learning, does not have to be comfortable,” Sinha said. “I want to leave you with what incredible professors at Carleton have instilled in me: Choose a narrative that isn’t about prioritizing your comfort. Shift your perspective — your way of thinking. And I say this because I know, as Carls, we will listen and engage. We will use our voice with nuance to respond to inflammatory rhetoric. We will be precise with the terminology we use. We’re trained for it. To think better… I hope you never stop learning.”

Dunn and Sinha’s focus on taking with them important life lessons from their time at Carleton is a theme of Commencement every year, as graduation marks a beginning as well as an end for each member of the Class of 2025. The newly-recognized alumni will soon head off to graduate schools, fellowships, and professional positions across the country and the globe, representing Carleton excellence everywhere they go.

President Byerly relayed in her welcoming remarks that although she doesn’t like to play favorites among class years, she does have a special bond with the Class of 2025, as she also began at Carleton in the fall of 2021.

“I have vivid memories of meeting many of you during move-in and orientation, when you and your families arrived, wearing masks, looking a bit nervous, but clearly eager to meet new people and learn about a place many of you were seeing for the very first time,” Byerly said. “I, too, was looking for clues about what Carleton would be like, and those early conversations with many of you were my first indicators of how much I would love Carleton students.”

Byerly emphasized how important it was to celebrate the diversity and breadth of the Class of 2025, as well as the entire Carleton student body, and all their different interests, talents, skills, backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs.

“Much of the current rhetoric about diversity asserts that when a college recruits students from historically underrepresented groups, it is offering them some unusual benefit,” Byerly said. “On the contrary, when we are successful in creating a diverse student body, we are offering an enormous benefit to all students, by creating the opportunity for everyone to learn alongside peers whose experiences may be very different from their own. At the same time, the primary reason for admitting any student to Carleton College is to give them the opportunity that they have earned to receive an outstanding liberal arts education.”

That outstanding education, Byerly added, as well as the irreplaceable faculty and student research that is such an integral part of it, cannot be taken for granted.

“Our nation and our world are in desperate need of citizens and leaders who can listen deeply to other voices, distinguish information from misinformation, connect complex ideas across disparate fields, grapple with nuance and ambiguity, cultivate understanding through creativity and art, and demonstrate leadership through their own ability to express, to inform, and to persuade,” Byerly said. “To those who would deny or undermine the importance of research to our nation and to the world, your experience at Carleton offers a compelling rebuttal. You know the difference between ideas that have been rigorously tested and debated, and ideas that are hastily promulgated and accepted without question. You understand the need to invest time, effort, and resources into finding long term solutions to problems, rather than settling for a popular or expedient approach. You recognize that respecting and collaborating with others will always lead to better outcomes than imposing a singular perspective. For this, you have your education to thank. And for your future contributions as citizens and leaders, the world will have both you, and your liberal arts education, to thank.”

After this year’s Commencement drew to a close with the valedictory from College Chaplain Schuyler Vogel ’07 and a rousing chorus of “Carleton, Our Alma Mater,” the members of the Class of 2025 filed out of their seats to congregate with their families, professors, friends, and others on the Bald Spot, happy to spend one last afternoon lounging with a picnic lunch before leaving campus for the first time as Carleton alumni.

The 2025 Commencement ceremony was live streamed and recorded. The full video will be posted on the Commencement website.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager and Rachel Everett ’18 is the internal communications manager for Carleton College.

Vogel applied for this grant when he noticed a lack of concrete support for students exploring religious leadership positions professionally, despite Carleton “having a really great history of producing clergy and other religious professionals.” 

“It seemed like there was a really big need,” said Vogel. “It felt important to find ways of supporting students both financially and through networking and [community-building] experiences.”

The current structures in place for future religious leaders at Carleton were “lacking intentionality,” Vogel added, which is needed to equip students to “enter discernment” and “explore what religious leadership looks like” as well as “engage more deeply with people in their religious traditions and practices.”

Through the NetVUE grant, Carleton students of varying levels of certainty can find community and support. Vogel hopes to assist students “who know they’re at least interested in the possibility of entering religious leadership professionally, asking questions about what this looks like long-term, and give them the resources to explore that.” 

By opening up this grant to all kinds of students, Vogel aims to offer the unique opportunity of experience without an extensive, often life-long commitment. 

This support will come in a variety of modes, from “working alongside a local community that’s of their tradition or practice” to attending conferences to “spiritual discernment experiences.” Going beyond the experience offered through the CA position, where religious events are exclusively held on campus and mostly student-led or led by one of Carleton’s associate chaplains, the grant allows students to engage with religion outside of the Carleton bubble while being financed by the Office of the Chaplain.

“We had a really strong application that was grounded in past success — that we know how to do this and do it well — while also showing a clear need and ability to go beyond what we’ve done,” Vogel said. 

This work is a mixture of engaging students in their own traditions while also facilitating a “cohort model” where recipients of the grant funding will meet bi-monthly to learn from one another across traditions. 

“Engaging with other people’s journeys creates an important aspect of outward-facing experience,” said Vogel. 

With this funding, a cohort of eight rising juniors and seniors spanning a variety of faith traditions will be equipped with the resources they need to explore futures in religious leadership. Many of the students involved in the Religious Leadership Fellows Program are current CAs, but are seeking something more. Working independently and together, these students will have the freedom to explore career paths in a way never before possible at Carleton.

CUT dominated their bracket to become the D-I Men’s College Champions for the first time since 2017 (fifth title in program history), with a 15–12 win over Colorado. Syzygy fought their way to an impressive silver medal in the D-I women’s division, following their close match against the UBC Thunderbirds. Eclipse landed 11th in a competitive D-III women’s field, and CHOP not only tied for third place in the D-III men’s division, they won the Team Spirit Award (a first for the program)!

Carleton was the only school to have teams in all four categories at the 2025 USA Ultimate National College Championships, which were held in Burlington, Washington. Eclipse and CHOP competed on May 17–19, and Syzygy and CUT competed on May 23–26.

Make sure to follow CUT, Syzygy, CHOP, and Eclipse on Instagram to stay up-to-date on all things D-I and D-III Ultimate at Carleton.

2025 marks Russ’s 50th year at Carleton. Originally arriving on campus under a Funds for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) Grant, Russ knew early on that he’d found something special. 

“I didn’t think I would ever leave really. Right when I started, I thought this is going to be what I want to do for as long as I continue working,” Russ recalled, right thumb tracing circles against his other fingers, as if turning over a fond memory. “Yeah, I said this is ideal. This is an ideal position for me.”

Before coming to Carleton, Russ worked for the United Farm Workers’ Union during the Grape Boycott in Montreal, Canada, and served as a Peace Corps math teacher in Moshi, Tanzania. Prior to that, he was a math major with a physics minor at St. Olaf. He started college thinking he’d become a ceramics engineer, but as he kept taking math classes, Russ got hooked on logic. 

Explaining why he chose math over physics, Russ said, “I backed into it because I was curious to know where the formulas in physics came from and how we derived those formulas.”

This pursuit of deep understanding is also what Russ hopes to instill in students. 

“The reward I get, you know, is when somebody realizes how to do that problem,” he said. “That person walks away smiling, saying, ‘Oh, now I can do another problem just like that.’” 

This, he emphasized, is what he loves about tutoring: “It’s the feeling that you’ve helped somebody. Every time you work with someone, it’s a different experience.”

Scattered around the lab are puzzles and curious objects that Russ has collected from garage sales over the years. He laughed when asked about them, saying he likes to challenge students. Russ loves his job not just because it lets him do math, but also because it lets him share math with others. In his patient voice, he reflected: “It’s more about the person. Yeah. It’s all about the person.”

Russ is not only the soul of the Math Skills Center; he’s also a legend in the physical education, athletics, and recreation (PEAR) department. Since 1989, besides teaching bright-eyed students how to integrate, he’s also been instructing aerobics. 

“I cannot keep up with him,” is what 20-year-olds have been telling each other for decades after an evening of doing step aerobics with Russ. His aerobics classes have even been used in official College marketing materials — just check out a series of four promo videos he did when Carleton adopted the OneCard 14 years ago! Going Places with the OneCard, Get Your OneCard, Control Your Schillers, and Russ Returns: Dining Dollars vs. Schillers were obviously smash hits on YouTube.

When asked if he sees a connection between this sport and math, Russ just laughed and shook his head. 

“With math, I’m getting intellectual stimulation, and then during my aerobics class, I’m getting physical activity,” he said. 

If Russ likes math for its logic, he likes aerobics for its synchrony. 

“It’s like dancing!” Russ exclaimed. “I’m getting the best of both worlds here, you know.”

Fifty years is a long time, but whenever Russ talks about math or tutoring, his blue eyes still light up, sharp with enthusiasm. 

“I love what I do,” he said. “You know, it gives me fulfillment. It gives me satisfaction.” 

Smiling as always, Russ says there are three things he thinks every Carl should know: “Learn math. Come to the Math Skills Center. Everyone can do it.”

With 506 total volunteers over the decades, Carleton currently has seven alumni serving in six countries around the world: Cambodia, Kenya, Kosovo, Morocco, Namibia, and Paraguay.

Over the last six decades, more than 240,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 144 countries around the world. Through service, the Peace Corps equips its alumni with adaptive leadership, intercultural competence, and problem-solving skills that are highly valued by employers across federal, state, and local governments; nonprofits; and the private sector.

“Colleges and universities from across the nation are providing us their talented alumni to serve in countries around the globe,” said Peace Corps CEO Allison Greene. “These top-ranked schools understand the transformative power of public service and human connection. The Peace Corps builds invaluable intercultural communication skills, a broadened worldview, and adaptive leadership qualities needed in the American workforce today.” 

Peace Corps volunteers serve in six programmatic sectors: education, health, environment, agriculture, youth development, and community economic development. These service opportunities allow them to apply their unique skills — and learn new ones — while supporting community-led development around the world. Additionally, the Peace Corps offers unique career advantages, providing volunteers with global perspectives and skills highly valued in an interconnected society.

The Peace Corps invites U.S. Americans from all backgrounds who embody the spirit of service and a commitment to cross-cultural understanding to apply for Peace Corps service. The next application deadline is July 1, 2025. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online and take the first step toward a transformative experience contributing to world peace and friendship. Visit peacecorps.gov/bold to learn more about Peace Corps volunteer service and how to connect with communities in over 60 countries to help build a better world.

About the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps sends passionate and talented American volunteers abroad to collaborate with community members on projects that advance both American and local priorities. Volunteers build relationships, model democratic values, and make a lasting impact in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. The Peace Corps equips volunteers with valuable leadership, management, and language skills that make them assets to the U.S. workforce and strengthen America’s economic competitiveness at home and abroad. Since 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 144 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

Faculty Curricular Planning Committee Grants

• Sarah Anthony (French and Francophone studies) and Vera Coleman (Spanish): to support the development of a training program for language TAs in French and Spanish, with the goal of improving student learning and promoting inclusion in French and Spanish language courses.
• Lin Deng and Shaohua Guo (Asian languages and literatures): to develop online placement testing and update language learning tools for beginning and intermediate Chinese language courses.
• Steven Drew (chemistry): to develop a laboratory course on the chemistry of renewable energy.
• Jade Hoyer ’07 and Conor McGrann (art and art history) and Rachel Horness (chemistry): to support the project, “The Chemistry of Lithography: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Printmaking Art.”
• Jake Morton (classics) and Caroline Turnage-Butterbaugh (mathematics and statistics): to design the interdisciplinary course, Mathematics and the Ancient Mediterranean World.
• Anna Rafferty (computer science): to support collaborative work with computer science faculty on reenvisioning peer instruction in introductory computer science.
• Kaz Skubi ’11 and Chris Calderone (chemistry): to support collaborative work on designing a greener organic chemistry teaching lab.
• Christina Farhart (political science and international relations) and Ethan Struby (economics): to support the development of a new interdisciplinary course on political and economic beliefs.

Ethical Inquiry Grants

• Chielo Eze (Africana studies): to design a new syllabus as part of ongoing revision of the Africana studies program curriculum.
• Chumie Juni (religion): to develop the new course, Religion and Food.

Created in 2020, the Paglia Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship is made possible by Carleton alum Cathy James Paglia ’74 and her husband, Louis Paglia.

Introducing the Class of 2025 Paglia Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellows:

Aiden Lesneski ’25

Lesneski, a chemistry major with a biochemistry minor who has also served as a grader and teaching assistant at Carleton, will join the E. James Petersson group at the University of Pennsylvania. Under Petersson’s mentorship, Lesneski will study neurodegenerative processes associated with several diseases and potential enzyme-based therapeutic interventions. Lesneski’s previous summer experience at the University of Utah School of Medicine, along with his Carleton coursework, excited his interest in research and developed his confidence; two years at the University of Pennsylvania as a Paglia Fellow will prepare him well for entry into a top PhD program in chemistry.

“As a Paglia Fellow in the Petersson Lab at Penn, I’ll be in a collaborative research environment that will provide me with invaluable opportunities for networking and mentorship from scientists across disciplines — from chemistry and biophysics to radiology and surgery. I’ll gain hands-on experience in bioorganic and chemical biology techniques I’ve learned about in the classroom, but most importantly, I’ll participate in research that aims to directly improve the lives of humans.”

Audrey Parrott ’25

Parrott, a chemistry major who has also served as a tutor and the health officer for Carleton’s D-I Syzygy Ultimate team, will join the Filippo Mancia group at Columbia University. Under Mancia’s mentorship, Parrott will study the role of membrane proteins in drug resistance, with particular reference to antimalarials. Parrott’s previous research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, and work with chemistry professor Deborah Gross at Carleton, have prepared her to enter Mancia’s dynamic group, where she will gain deeper exposure to the entire research process. Two years at Columbia University as a Paglia Fellow will enable Parrott to understand which subfield of biochemistry interests her and gain admission to a top PhD program.

“I am super excited to learn and apply more biochemical lab techniques to real-world problems. I am also eager to take advantage of all of the opportunities the Columbia and New York City scientific communities have to offer, such as seminars and conferences.”

Elias Tannira ’25

Tannira, a double major in physics and mathematics, will join the Luis M.A. Bettencourt group at the University of Chicago. Bettencourt’s specialization in ecology and evolution makes his group the ideal place for Tannira to explore his interest in applying techniques from his two majors to biological and social phenomena. At Carleton, Tannira has engaged in research with physics professors Marty Baylor and Arjendu Pattanayak, alongside his role as a teaching assistant in mathematics. A three-week research experience in Bettencourt’s group during Winter Break 2024 introduced Tannira to the variety of topics available to him for more extensive engagement as a Paglia Fellow. Two years at the University of Chicago will help him clarify his disciplinary direction and gain admission to a top PhD program in his field of choice. 

“Due to the theoretical nature of my research, I will spend a lot of time learning theories in biophysics and theoretical ecology that synthesize and build on the courses I took during my time at Carleton. I’m excited to conduct the necessary readings to build up this knowledge and put it to use by working on unanswered questions. I am also looking forward to attending seminars and lectures on current research and working amongst dedicated and passionate investigators.”

The James-Paglia family has a long history of supporting Carleton initiatives, including construction of Carleton’s integrated science facility, Evelyn M. Anderson Hall. Cathy, Louis, and the Robert and Ardis James Foundation established a $20 million matching fund to make the project possible.

The 10 fellows in this second-ever leadership cohort were selected from 14 of ACM’s partner colleges for their demonstrated leadership capabilities, commitment to diversity and inclusive equity, and the potential for a transformative impact at their institution. Each fellow will lead a set of responsibilities as outlined by their college’s senior leadership, in addition to participating in leadership development workshops and convenings with their cohort.

At Carleton, Brückmann’s ultimate goals for her leadership projects include strengthening the humanities, expanding collaborative work among interdisciplinary programs that study various facets of intersectionality, and supporting Carleton’s Community Plan for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. 

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial aspects of knowledge production and of social discourse; it will thus be one of my central goals to enhance the visibility of these interdisciplinary programs and their expertise,” Brückmann said. “Closely connected is a second project that aims at further improving the retention and recruitment of historically underrepresented faculty and fostering a sense of community.”

She will work directly with Carleton faculty — “especially faculty who contribute so importantly to our interdisciplinary programs that study racialization, ethnicity, and intersectionality,” Brückmann said — along with the Office of the Provost, including associate provost Yansi Pérez; the Division of Inclusion, Equity, and Community; and various campus affinity groups at Carleton.

Brückmann is most looking forward to working with colleagues across multiple departments, programs, and divisions, as well as conversations with other leadership fellows and opportunities to directly engage with important topics.

“Especially during a time in which ‘DEI’ has become remarkably controversial,” Brückmann said, “I am delighted to take more responsibility for topics that are not only of importance to me but to academia — and society writ large — more broadly.”

As an ACM Academic Leadership Fellow, Brückmann will enter into dialogue with other emerging leaders not only at ACM and its member schools, but also the Associated Colleges of the South and the New York Six. She is excited about the work that the ACM fellowship will allow her to do. 

“I am honored to be part of this fellowship, and I am very appreciative to have the time, space, and support to really delve into these projects,” Brückmann said.

Carleton is the only college in the country sending four teams to the competition; the College also garnered that rare distinction in 2024 and 2021.

See the full list of this year’s qualifiers from USA Ultimate, and follow CUT, Syzygy, CHOP, and Eclipse on Instagram to stay up-to-date on all things D-I and D-III Ultimate at Carleton.

Byerly spoke with The Chronicle of Higher Education about this decision, citing strength in numbers and the responsibility she felt to be visible here.

The Star Tribune also covered this news with a piece titled, “Five Minnesota college presidents sign letter opposing Trump’s interference in higher education.”

PHIUS (Passive House Institute, U.S.) is the leading passive building certification program in North America. The organization certifies housing projects that use design to minimize energy use. Requirements include airtightness, window comfort, and moisture and thermal designs that increase energy efficiency while reducing costs.

Carleton’s certified buildings are the five Lilac Hill townhouses, Neil House, and the Multicultural Center. The buildings are designed to use 69 percent less energy annually than similar buildings built to meet current energy code standards.

The energy efficient design includes exterior walls that are over a foot thick to minimize air infiltration and leakage. The Lilac Hill buildings also have 600 solar panels, which generate enough electricity to reach net zero by offsetting the annual energy usage of the buildings.

“This achievement confirms that the student housing buildings were built to the high standards set by PHIUS CORE certification, ensuring superior performance and quality construction,” Carleton partner Terra Construction wrote in a post about the project on Facebook.

The certified buildings were constructed during Phase I of the College’s Student Life and Housing Plan. Phases II through IV of the plan include construction of a new space for Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) and renovations of existing houses. The plan aims to create more equitable and community-focused residential and learning spaces. 

A major goal of Carleton’s Sustainable Futures framework is to reduce emissions by implementing sustainable operations. The passive housing certifications testify to the progress underway to reach that goal and increase energy efficiency across campus.

By means of this brief, the Presidents’ Alliance supports the AAUP’s motion for a preliminary injunction to safeguard academic freedom and halt large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of students and faculty engaged in constitutionally–protected activities. The brief was drafted by Selendy Gay PLLC.

The amicus brief underscores how recent efforts targeting international students and other noncitizen campus members have created a climate of fear and uncertainty on U.S. campuses, chilling the free exchange of ideas and isolating international students and scholars. Left unchecked, this environment will deter international students  from choosing U.S. colleges and universities, undermining the interests of both the nation and its academic communities. The brief further argues that U.S. students will lose out on global perspectives and enriched learning experiences, while institutions themselves will suffer declining enrollment, the loss of talented students and scholars, and diminished academic collaboration and discovery. On a broader scale, the policy is positioned to harm the U.S. economy, stifle innovation, and intensify “brain drain” as top talent looks elsewhere for educational and research opportunities—ultimately jeopardizing the global competitiveness and leadership of American higher education.

Read the full announcement and amicus brief from the Presidents’ Alliance.

Now extensively remodeled with new appliances and an expanded kitchen, Dacie’s is still upholding its traditional legacy thanks to dedicated house residents and members of the Dacie Moses House Committee. Skye Sparks ’25 and Elida Coronado ’25, the current house residents, have been baking in the Dacie Moses House since their freshman year. They fondly remember making dinner in the old kitchen every weekend, appreciating the homey environment that offered a welcoming and safe spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of campus life. 

“We both love giving and providing for people. It seemed very natural for us to step into this role,” said Sparks. “Our primary objective is to maintain the warmth of this old house. We still want the homey feeling that we felt when we first entered.”

“We want to uphold the legacy of Dacie Moses by fostering the sense of warmness of a grandmother’s house,” Coronado added. “We want to make sure that the history of the house is still present, even though it’s a [partially] new space.”

Louise Oviedo ’28, a student worker at Dacie’s, applied for the position after hearing many stories about the cookie house while applying to Carleton. Oviedo’s role as a student worker consists of maintaining the house, cleaning dishes, baking, and helping out during weekly Sunday brunches. 

“Seeing everyone eat and enjoy the space is a privilege,” said Oviedo, who enjoys providing for the Carleton community through baking.

Jeff Pipes ’83, a Dacie’s committee member, believes that the importance of the Dacie Moses House for the Carleton community lies in its ability to serve as an “open place for people to come without judgement.” Pipes explained how Dacie Moses stood for hospitality and radical inclusion, and it is the committee’s hope to continue that legacy.

“The Dacie Moses House is unique, there’s nothing else like it,” said Pipes.

Tim Vick, chair of the Dacie’s committee, reflected on the unique space that is the Dacie Moses House, describing it as a center for “hospitality, kindness, generosity, and openness to all people.”

Post-renovation, the Dacie’s community is looking forward to carrying on Dacie Moses’ legacy in a new age. Dacie Moses brunches are held on Sundays throughout every academic term, and all are welcome!

Learn more about the house and its history on the Dacie Moses website.

Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1994, as Chicago bureau chief of The New York Times, making her the first African American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in journalism. She is also a winner of the National Humanities Medal, the recipient of which is determined annually by the President of the United States in consultation with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Wilkerson won the medal in 2015 for “championing the stories of an unsung history” in her deeply researched telling of the Great Migration, one of the biggest underreported stories of the twentieth century and one of the largest migrations in American history.

“At a time when higher education and many of our most cherished values are being questioned, it seems especially fitting to have the opportunity to recognize the work of a writer who so beautifully exemplifies the power and impact of thoughtful research and excellent writing in helping us to make sense of our history, culture, and challenges,” Carleton President Alison Byerly said.

Wilkerson will also be awarded an honorary degree during the ceremony in recognition of her groundbreaking work in journalism and history. With its honorary degrees, Carleton seeks to honor those who have achieved eminence in their own profession or who have rendered distinguished service to society.

A native of Washington, D.C., Wilkerson is also a daughter of the Great Migration. She devoted 15 years and interviewed more than 1,200 people to tell the story of the six million people, among them her parents, who defected from the Jim Crow South. She has become a leading figure in narrative nonfiction, an interpreter of the human condition, and an impassioned voice for demonstrating “how history can help us understand ourselves, our country, and our current era of upheaval.”

Wilkerson’s debut work, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Heartland Prize for Nonfiction, the Anisfield-Wolf Award for Nonfiction, the Lynton History Prize from Harvard University and Columbia University, and the Stephen Ambrose Oral History Prize; it was also shortlisted for both the Pen-Galbraith Literary Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her 2020 book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, links the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany and explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. The venerable U.K. bookseller, Waterstones, called it an “expansive, lyrical and stirring account of the unspoken system of divisions that govern our world.”

Carleton’s 2025 Commencement ceremony will be live streamed and archived so family and friends of graduates can share in the experience wherever they are in the world. For further information about Commencement, including disability accommodations, contact Noel Ponder at (507) 222-4309 or nponder@carleton.edu.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

The innovative classification, developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education (ACE), provides a comprehensive framework for assessing institutional efforts across curriculum, research, operations, community engagement, and workforce development, with an emphasis on preparing students for careers in sustainability fields. The Carnegie Foundation defines sustainability in higher education as a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that integrates environmental stewardship, resilience and adaptation, and societal well-being.

“With the recent launch of our new Sustainable Futures framework, Carleton is in a good position to participate in this innovative pilot program,” President Alison Byerly said. “We look forward to working with the Carnegie Foundation and ACE to pilot a classification system that will allow schools to better assess their progress in deepening their own sustainability efforts.”

The pilot program includes 21 institutions from across the United States and Puerto Rico, representing a wide variety of institutional types, including Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI), community colleges, rural campuses, research universities, and liberal arts colleges. These institutions will help refine the classification’s criteria and indicators of sustainability, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for institutions of all types and sizes.

Participating institutions will engage in a rigorous self-assessment process to showcase achievements, set strategic goals for continuous improvement, and share best practices within the higher education sector. Insights from the pilot will inform the development of the official Sustainability Elective Classification, slated for launch in early 2026.

“This pilot program marks an important step forward in recognizing the essential role higher education plays in advancing sustainability,” said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. “The participating institutions are leading the way in addressing the global challenges of our time.”

“ACE is proud to partner with the Carnegie Foundation on this critical initiative,” said Ted Mitchell, president of ACE. “The Sustainability Elective Classification will help colleges and universities demonstrate their leadership and innovation in advancing sustainability across all aspects of their missions.” 

The Sustainability Elective Classification joins a distinguished suite of Carnegie Elective Classifications, including Community Engagement and Leadership for Public Purpose. This initiative highlights higher education’s transformative role in addressing societal challenges and creating sustainable futures.

For more information about Carleton’s involvement in the pilot program, visit the Carnegie Elective Classifications website.

About Carleton College

Consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts institutions, Carleton is a private college of about 2,000 students located in Northfield, Minnesota, just 45 minutes south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Nationally recognized as the nation’s top college for undergraduate teaching, Carleton is known for its academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and sense of humor. Carleton offers 33 majors and 40 minors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. Learn more about Carleton on the College website.

About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in education, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF, the GRE, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.

About the American Council on Education (ACE)

ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member institutions, ACE drives solutions for today’s challenges, advances public policy, and shapes the higher education sector to serve a diverse student population. Learn more acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) @ACEducation.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

Seven Carls received Fulbright awards for 2024, with five coming from the Class of 2024 and one each coming from the Classes of 2022 and 2023. This amount of Fulbright awardees places Carleton among the top fifteen institutions in the Baccalaureate Colleges classification for the 2024–25 academic year.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this recognition every year, though it is especially significant this year as it marks two decades for Carleton in this top spot,” President Alison Byerly said. “The fact that so many of our students and alumni continue to receive these prestigious awards is a testament to their skills, dedication, and international curiosity, as well as to the breadth and depth of a Carleton liberal arts education.”

The Fulbright Program is among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world, and offers upcoming college graduates and recent alumni the opportunity to participate in advanced research, international graduate study, and teaching at primary and secondary schools in more than 160 countries worldwide. Approximately 2,000 students are awarded Fulbrights each year.

While in their host countries, Fulbright students spend a year living and learning “on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.” The factors considered in selecting Fulbright grantees include the quality and feasibility of their proposal, academic record, personal qualifications, language preparation, and an eagerness to promote mutual understanding among nations through active engagement with a host community.

“Carleton’s liberal arts education — which encourages students to make connections across a range of fields, engage with the world through curricular and co-curricular activities, and reflect on their position and role as global citizens — makes the Fulbright Program both an especially appealing opportunity for Carls and one to which they are well-suited,” Director of Student Fellowships Marynel Ryan Van Zee said. “Our consistent appearance in the top-producers list recognizes the valuable skills and perspectives our students offer to the world.”

The Fulbright Program is administered at Carleton through the Office of Student Fellowships.

About the Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program was established over 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with additional support coming from foreign partner governments, non-governmental organizations, private organizations, corporate partnerships, individual donors, and host institutions.

Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 people from all backgrounds — recent university graduates, teachers, scientists and researchers, artists, and more — have participated in the Fulbright Program and returned to their home countries with an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a new network of colleagues and friends.

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world, and have included 44 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 90 Pulitzer Prize winners, 82 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.

Meet the newly promoted faculty members:

Sonja Anderson, assistant professor of religion

Professor Anderson arrived at Carleton in 2016 as a visiting professor and then began a tenure track position as assistant professor in 2017. She earned her BA in religious studies from University of California–Los Angeles, her MA in religious studies from University of Notre Dame, and her PhD in religious studies from Yale University. Prior to arriving at Carleton, she taught Greek at the Yale Divinity School and Yale College, and was a McDougall Teaching Fellow at the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning. Her teaching includes courses in early Christianity and ancient Judaism, as well as courses on medicine and healing, gender and the Catholic Church, mysticism and monasticism, and apocalyptic movements. Her classes center student discussion, and she builds an inclusive classroom through carefully designed pedagogy and lively conversation. Anderson studies early Christianity. Her book, Idol Talk: False Worship in the Early Christian World, will be published by Edinburgh University Press in 2025. Noting her facility with a wide array of languages, including Greek (both classical and Byzantine), Latin, Hebrew, and Syriac, external reviewers praise her ability to make connections between ancient and contemporary entanglements of religion and politics. She has served on Carleton’s College Council and on the Education and Curriculum Committee, and has shown great dedication to her work advising students. She has been a mentor for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and regularly attends TRIO events supporting first generation and low-income students.

Summer Forester, assistant professor of political science

Professor Forester joined the Carleton faculty in 2019. She earned her BS in hospitality and tourism management from the University of West Florida, her MA in government and justice studies from Appalachian State University, and her PhD in political science from Purdue University, where she studied security threats in the Middle East with a focus on women’s rights. Forester has taught an array of courses across the political science curriculum at Carleton, from an introductory course on international relations and world politics, to an advanced course on Middle East politics, to an upper-level seminar on global gender politics. She uses the everyday as a critical site of inquiry to examine how international security politics inform lived experience. She is intentional about creating educational spaces that reinforce Carleton’s mission of cultivating responsible global citizens. Forester’s research explores three complementary avenues of inquiry: feminist security studies and women’s movements in the Middle East and North Africa; tracking feminist mobilization through the creation of a database of domestic and transnational feminist activism; and whether and how state-based structures called gender equality machines (GEMs) function as vectors of democratic advancement in authoritarian contexts. She is at the forefront of research in this area and her next project focuses on GEMs in Jordan. Forester is an elected member of the Faculty Affairs Committee at Carleton and continues to serve as the political science department career advisor.

Andrea Mazzariello, assistant professor of music

Professor Mazzariello joined Carleton’s music department first as a visiting assistant professor from 2015 to 2018, and then as a tenure track assistant professor. He earned his BA in music and English, magna cum laude, from Williams College in 2000; his MM in composition from the University of Michigan in 2002; and his MFA in 2008 and PhD in 2011, both in composition, from Princeton University. Mazzariello teaches a wide range of courses at Carleton, including Electronic Music Composition, Computer Music and Sound, Materials of Music, Composition Studio, and Introduction to Music Technology, while also teaching private lessons in composition. His musical and pedagogical versatility are also evident in his comps advising, which oversees student projects in a range of musical forms. Mazzariello’s research and artistic work are in the fields of contemporary music, with a focus on percussion, minimalist aesthetics, live electronic sound, live video, popular music, and improvisation. He has been commissioned by leading contemporary music ensembles to compose numerous pieces for percussion, voice, electronics, organ, clarinet, and more, and regularly produces and performs in commercial recordings and albums, on keyboard, drum set, voice, and electronics. At Carleton, Mazzariello has served as chair of the Junior Faculty Affairs Committee, a member of the Academic Freedom Task Force, and is currently on College Council. In the music department, he oversees the music-related hardware and software for labs and classrooms, and has brought major composers, musicians, and ensembles to campus through his role as coordinator of the Light Lectureship.

Meredith McCoy, assistant professor of American studies and history

Professor McCoy joined Carleton’s faculty in 2019, teaching courses across history and American studies. She earned BAs in anthropology and music with a minor in Native American studies from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill in 2010. She then completed an MEd in teaching, learning and leading from Lipscomb University in 2011, while she taught in tuition-free, public charter schools in Nashville and Atlanta that were part of the KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) network. In addition to being a public school teacher, McCoy was an American Indian studies specialist and program instructor at Duke University as part of the John Hope Franklin Young Scholars Program (2014–2017), a policy assistant at the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (2015), and an instructor at Turtle Mountain Community College (2018) and Freedom University (2019). In 2019, she earned her PhD in American studies from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. In Carleton’s history department, McCoy teaches introductory and advanced courses in Indigenous histories. In American studies, she teaches courses about Indigenous research methods. In all her courses, she emphasizes a pedagogical practice that foregrounds care and aligns with the “4 R’s” of respect, responsibility, relationships, and redistribution. As an interdisciplinary scholar, McCoy’s research bridges history, American studies, Indigenous studies, and education studies. Her work narrates complex histories of education funding and policy that center Indigenous creativity and strategy, with much of it categorized as public scholarship. McCoy serves on the Carleton Arboretum Committee and the Indigenous Peoples Advisor Committee, while supporting Carleton’s Indigenous students as an informal mentor to the Indigenous Peoples Alliance.

Jacob Morton, assistant professor of classics

Professor Morton arrived at Carleton in 2018. He earned his BA in Latin from the University of Montana, his MA from the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Colorado, and his PhD from the Department of Ancient History at the University of Pennsylvania. Morton teaches a wide array of courses at Carleton, including Greek and Latin language courses, Greek and Roman history courses, and various thematic courses such as Experimental Archaeology and Experiential History. Morton conducts research in three distinct fields: ancient Greek religion, experimental archaeology, and Roman history. In an article published in the American Journal of Archaeology, he and his collaborators argue that the Linear B tablets describe items used in a ritual sacrifice, in contrast to previously held beliefs. Other work by Morton includes several articles published in the EXARC Journal, including one stemming from his Experimental Archaeology course at Carleton, and another where he recreates food dishes from over 2,000 years ago, which was widely praised. At Carleton, Morton has demonstrated a strong commitment to service at the College and beyond. He served as president of the Junior Faculty Affairs Committee and has worked closely with a number of junior faculty at the College in that role.

“Like many colleges and universities, Carleton piloted a test-optional admissions practice in 2020 due to challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Art Rodriguez ’96, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid. “Five years later, we now have years of data indicating that a test-optional approach makes Carleton more accessible to all populations of students without hampering our ability to determine whether an applicant is likely to succeed in their studies here.” 

AFAC — which includes faculty, staff, and students as members — utilized an analysis conducted by the Huron Consulting Group in making its recommendation. Among the study’s key findings:

• The Academic Rating, an official assessment done for every Carleton applicant by staff from the College’s Office of Admissions, was the strongest predictor of a student’s first-year GPA, showing that the College is capable of effectively assessing academic preparedness with or without test scores.
• Students who did not submit test scores to Carleton had the same or higher retention rates than those who did. 
• Non-white students, Pell-eligible students, and students from lower-income neighborhoods with lower educational attainment are much more likely to apply test-optional. 

“Carleton seeks to attract curious and engaged students who bring the widest possible range of backgrounds and experiences, and the decision to remain test-optional supports this important goal,” Carleton President Alison Byerly said. “We feel confident in our ability to admit students who are poised to thrive in this intellectually stimulating environment.” 

The results of Huron’s analysis were shared with the Carleton community last fall before faculty, staff, and students were invited to an open meeting in October 2024 to ask questions and provide feedback. When formulating their recommendation, AFAC considered Huron’s findings as well as any concerns raised at the open meeting, in addition to conversations with experts in the Office of Admissions and Student Financial Aid and members of the Enrollment and Admissions Committee of the Board of Trustees. The decision to implement a permanent test-optional policy was ultimately made by the President’s Cabinet. 

“Decisions like these are very institution-specific, and we believe this is the right decision for Carleton at this time,” Rodriguez said. “Our data shows that our admissions staff can make clear judgments about student aptitude based on our existing application review process. We’re glad to be in a position to confidently move our test-optional practice from a pilot to a policy — reducing uncertainty for students and families, and for high school counselors and our partners in community-based organizations.”

Under the new policy, students will not be required to submit test scores, but will continue to have the option to do so. Carleton’s test-optional policy will be evaluated periodically to ensure admissions staff remain confident in their ability to assess academic preparedness without test scores, and to consider whether the national landscape around testing has changed in a way that suggests the policy should be revisited. The College also will conduct ongoing research to determine potential impacts on graduation data, major selection, and engagement across other academic opportunities, such as research, off-campus study, and internships.

Six total colleges and universities were recognized for their leadership and innovative approaches to addressing climate challenges across five categories — Decarbonization, Justice, Community, Workforce, and Research — alongside a Special Award for Climate Resiliency in Action. Carleton received the Climate Luminary Honor for Decarbonization.

“Carleton has long been a leader in renewable energy and sustainability, significantly reducing campus carbon emissions through pioneering initiatives, including district geothermal energy and on-campus wind turbines,” the official recognition reads. “The College’s new Sustainable Futures Framework integrates education, action, and environmental justice, providing a replicable model for decarbonization that prepares students as climate leaders.”

The Climate Luminary Honors celebrates member institutions of Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Network that exemplify bold and effective climate solutions, partnerships, and equitable climate action on their campuses and surrounding communities. Honorees will be recognized in February at the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., where they will share their impactful projects with peers from across the higher education sector.

“Second Nature is excited to announce the recipients of our inaugural Climate Luminary Honors initiative. The range of institutions selected and the amazing projects they have developed reflect the diverse strengths of the higher education sector to create impactful climate solutions,” said Tim Carter, president of Second Nature. “We congratulate the award recipients on their exemplary efforts to accelerate climate action in the sector. Through initiatives such as Climate Luminary Honors, Second Nature recognizes that holistic solutions can be accomplished regardless of institution type, geography, or cultural context.”

Learn more about the other Climate Luminary Honors recipients:

Justice — Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia

• Emory University is addressing food justice and climate resilience through local, sustainable food sourcing. Partnering with The Conservation Fund, Emory supports diverse new farmers in rural Georgia, strengthening local food systems, reducing emissions, and promoting equitable economic growth.

Community — University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• The Appalachian Bridges to the Future project at the University of Pittsburgh brings together students, faculty, and community partners in Fayette County to advance sustainability, workforce development, and regional resilience, creating opportunities in underserved Appalachian communities.

Workforce — Central Community College in Hastings, Nebraska

• Central Community College is equipping students with skills to meet the growing demand for renewable energy careers. Through its energy technology program, the college trains future professionals to install, maintain, and repair wind and solar systems, fostering a sustainable workforce.

Research — University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• The University of Toronto’s Project Leap will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% by the end of 2027 through campus-wide sustainability solutions. Part of the university’s climate-positive plan, this innovative project combines research, action, and engagement to drive measurable climate progress.

Special Award for Climate Resiliency in Action — Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina

• Warren Wilson College’s Center for Working Lands is a model for climate resilience, blending research and practice in land management. The Center integrates microgrid technology and electric equipment to enhance resilience while educating the next generation of climate leaders.

For more information on the Climate Luminary Honors initiative, visit Second Nature’s website.

About Second Nature

Second Nature is committed to accelerating climate action in and through higher education. By mobilizing a diverse array of higher education institutions to act on bold climate commitments, Second Nature scales campus climate initiatives and creates innovative climate solutions. Learn more at secondnature.org.

About Carleton College

Consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts institutions, Carleton is a private college of about 2,000 students located in Northfield, Minnesota, just 45 minutes south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Nationally recognized as the nation’s top college for undergraduate teaching, Carleton is known for its academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and sense of humor. Carleton offers 33 majors and 40 minors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. Learn more about Carleton on the College website.

Chérif Keïta, William H. Laird Professor of French and the Liberal Arts, presented gifts on behalf of Carleton to Thembi Ndlovu, the principal of the historic Inanda Seminary, a girls’ high school near Durban, South Africa. The gifts consisted of a microscope and dozens of copies of A Zulu in New York, the new graphic novel authored by Keïta and Stephanie Cox, senior lecturer in French. The gifts were presented after a community screening of Keïta’s 2014 documentary, uKukhumbula uNokutela/Remembering Nokutela, which was covered in a piece published by Independent Online (IOL), one of South Africa’s leading news websites.

Inanda Seminary was founded by American missionaries in 1869, thus beginning the training of South Africa’s top female leadership; under Nelson Mandela, 20 percent of the women in parliament were graduates of this unique school. In 1881, a young woman from Northfield, Minnesota by the name of Ida Belle Wilcox (née Clary, an Oberlin graduate) taught at the school attended by then-nine-year-old Nokutela Mdima, the forgotten South African heroine whose story is unveiled in Keïta’s film.

Check out the full list.

The Weitz Fellowship provides one-year, full-time jobs for nine Carleton graduates at nine nonprofit organizations in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. Positions are paid, include benefits and funding for professional development, and provide cross-functional, professional experience in all aspects of a fellow’s organization. This is an unparalleled opportunity for any Carl interested in beginning a career in one or multiple of the program’s given categories: advocacy and education, arts and film, law and policy, and nonprofit management. The fellowships give Carleton graduates the tools to tackle complex problems with creativity and confidence and position them well for any future career path they may pursue.

Sites for 2025 include the ACLU of Nebraska (new this year), Film Streams, I Be Black Girl (new this year), Joslyn Art Museum, Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest, Nebraska Civic Engagement Table, The Rose Theater (new this year), The Union for Contemporary Art, and Women’s Fund of Omaha. 

“The Weitz Fellowship offers a unique entry-level experience,” said Chad Ellsworth, associate director of the Career Center and one of the main organizers of the Weitz Fellows program. “Fellows not only gain practical job skills but also are able to make meaningful contributions to their organizations and the Omaha and Lincoln communities. What really stands out is the program’s strong support network, from the Weitz family to Jack [Becker ’86, the program’s liaison] to the cohort who live and work in close proximity to one another. In rotational-type roles in nonprofit organizations, fellows are exposed to various aspects of nonprofit work, allowing them to apply and develop their skills early in their careers, all of which takes place in two of the highest ranked cities for young professionals.”

The Weitz Fellows program launched in 2011 with just one Carleton graduate as a partnership with Joslyn Art Museum, where Jack Becker ’86 serves as executive director and CEO. Organized through the Weitz Family Foundation — which Barbara Weitz ’70 and Wally Weitz ’70 established in 1999 with their children Katie ’96, Roger ’99, and Drew ’02 — the fellowship program is one of many ways in which the Weitz family gives back to the Carleton community.

Since 2011, the fellowship has greatly expanded and made a significant impact in the Omaha and Lincoln communities, with 66 total fellows having joined 14 different organizations over the years. In 2023, managerial changes in the Weitz Family Foundation prompted the program to begin what they called the “Pause Year.” No fellows were accepted for the 2023–24 academic year while the program was intentionally redesigned in order to continue providing a great experience for Carleton graduates and supporting the great work being done in the nonprofit communities of Nebraska.

Now, in its relaunch, the program has implemented more formal connections between fellows, the Foundation, participating organizations, and supervisors; established an official alumni group to help support fellows working in Omaha and Lincoln in addition to serving as program advisors for future initiatives; and updated salary and benefits policies and financial support for Carls, including a new process for emergency funding. Organizations will also rotate once every three years, in order to provide a wide range of opportunities for everyone involved in the program.

Carleton hosted a celebration of the relaunch on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the Weitz Center for Creativity on campus. After approximately 24 faculty and staff members learned about the program in their own dedicated session, about 68 students attended an informational dinner catered by local restaurants Desi Diner and Tin Tea.

Special guests included Barbara Weitz, Katie Weitz, Jack Becker, and a number of Weitz Fellowship alumni, who spoke to the impact of the experience on their lives and careers. Spencer Wigmore ’11, an art history major who served as the first-ever fellow for Joslyn Art Museum, and Natalia Tu ’21, a sociology/anthropology major who was a fellow with the Women’s Fund of Omaha, were both featured speakers at the event. Other alumni in attendance included: Julia Olson ’13 (art history, Joslyn Art Museum); Avery Davis ’20 (studio art, Joslyn Art Museum); Erica Helgerud ’20 (English, Opera Omaha); Mika Takamori ’20 (studio art and history, Nebraska Appleseed); Bill Yang ’21 (biology and history, Nebraska Civic Engagement Table); and Clarissa Guzman ’22 (sociology/anthropology, Nebraska Appleseed).

To learn more about the Weitz Fellows program, the cohort experience, and the mission and work of this year’s organizations, register for the Weitz Fellowship information session with all nine participating organizations, to be held on January 23, 2025.

Carleton President Alison Byerly and St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer presented two checks of $85,000 — totaling $170,000 — to Mayor Rhonda Pownell and City Administrator Ben Martig.

“Carleton is proud to continue our two colleges’ longstanding tradition of support of the City of Northfield,” Carleton President Alison Byerly said. “Both Carleton and St. Olaf recognize how fortunate we are to be part of such a thriving and dynamic community, and this contribution reflects our commitment to its continued success.”

Northfield provides the nearly 5,000 college students who call it home for the academic year with restaurants, shopping, and emergency and professional services. Students enjoy local employment, internships, and volunteer opportunities within the community that expand their collegiate experience.

Carleton and St. Olaf are the two largest local employers in both Northfield and Rice County, employing more than 1,500 people combined. They are also two of the City’s top 10 property tax payers in addition to spending over $900,000 combined on municipal services such as sewer, water, waste removal, and more.

“Northfield is a vibrant community filled with passionate individuals who care deeply about the city they live in. For 150 years, the mutually beneficial partnership between St. Olaf, Carleton, and Northfield has fostered a gifted community in Southern Minnesota,” President Rundell Singer said. “We are grateful for these continuous relationships and the strength of our community. We are proud supporters of Northfield.”

The annual gift dates back to the 1920s, when Carleton and St. Olaf were among the first colleges in the United States to make such a gift. 

“Carleton and St. Olaf are two nationally recognized liberal arts colleges. They are integral to Northfield and bring many benefits to our community,” said Mayor Rhonda Pownell. “The colleges and the City are strong community partners, each working to enhance economic development, education, and cultural opportunities for the community. We’re grateful they are so involved and supportive of the entire Northfield community.”

The Northfield community benefits from the students, employees, and visitors Carleton and St. Olaf bring. The students, faculty, and staff are significant consumers and clients for local businesses, and provide countless volunteer hours for local schools and organizations. In the 2023-24 academic year, 73% of Carleton students engaged with volunteer programs, internships, work study, and nonprofits in the local community, according to data from the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE). In total, Carleton students contributed 51,594 hours to local communities that year through programs and projects supported by the CCCE. Last year, St. Olaf had 845 students participate in Academic Civic Engagement (ACE) courses, which encourage students to learn in a community context and apply their education within real-world situations.

Bon Appétit, which provides food and dining services for Carleton and St. Olaf, also spends more than $1 million in the community each year on local produce, meat, and dairy. St. Olaf contributed around $7,000 in community sponsorships for 2024, such as the Northfield Arts Guild, Northfield Shares, and Winter Walk. Carleton provides an additional $20,000 each year to the Northfield community in sponsorship funding and in-kind contributions, and the total value of annual Carleton purchases and contracts with Northfield area businesses equals $4.9 million.

Carleton and St. Olaf family members also either live in Northfield and are active in the community or visit Northfield regularly in order to attend festivities, competitions, recitals, concerts, award ceremonies, and commencements. These visitors and community members, as well as the thousands of prospective students and their families who visit each year, frequent local hotels, restaurants, and shops. Both colleges host a large amount of athletic, art, and musical offerings every year as well, which are almost always free and open to the public.