News

Bowdoin College Celebrates 219th Commencement

Graduating seniors, most of whom started at Bowdoin during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, were joined by friends and family as the College conferred 475 bachelor of arts degrees on the Class of 2024. The 219th Commencement was held on the steps of the Walker Art Building on the morning of Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Keeping Evan in the Spotlight

Friends, Faculty, Experts Discuss Ongoing Detainment of Evan Gershkovich ‘14

Classmates of Evan Gershkovich ’14 join a faculty member and a colleague to talk about the detained journalist, who has now clocked up more than fourteen months behind bars in Moscow, facing unsubstantiated espionage charges.
A Celebration of Polar Bears!

Reunion Weekend 2024 in Pictures

Amid stunning weather and against the backdrop of a campus that never looked more beautiful, Reunion Weekend was, by all accounts, a huge success. Polar Bears from “the four and nine years” celebrated their milestones while catching up at the lobster bakes and other meals; talks, including a conversation around Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich ’14’s ongoing detainment in Russia and how AI is used across the curriculum; multicultural alumni receptions for the Association of Bowdoin Latinx Alumni (ABLA), Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association (BCBAA), and Bowdoin Asian Alumni Association, also known as RepresentAsian; and other gatherings.
The Humanities

The High Value of Low-Tech Classes

What does it mean in today’s world to put aside your iPads, phones, and laptops and enter a classroom to just talk and listen, especially about books, essays, or other texts you and your classmates are reading?
Challenge Yourself

Author Monica Guzman ’05 Urges Graduating Students to “Stay Sharp”

As she receives an honorary degree from Wheaton College, Guzman stresses the importance of talking to people with whom you disagree. Curious conversations keep the mind sharp, said the author and journalist in her commencement address.
Senior Leadership

Jim Hoppe Named Senior Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs

Bowdoin has appointed Jim Hoppe the College’s next senior vice president and dean for student affairs. “His impressive track record of advocating for students and providing resources in the areas of inclusion, community building, and discourse, and his dedication to the field of student mental health and well-being, align so well with our culture, values, and mission, and I am delighted to welcome him to Bowdoin," said President Safa Zaki
Applied Mathematics

Journal Highlights Math Research by Professor and Student

The journal Physical Review Research in its April issue tagged a paper by Associate Professor of Mathematics Chris Chong and Evelyn Wallace ’22 as an "editor's suggestion" and featured it on its homepage.
Uplifting Communities

Presidential Fellow Paulina Morales ’24 Tackles Subject Close to Her Heart

Government major Morales explores the issue of US immigration policy as she completes a yearlong Washington, DC-based fellowship dedicated to the study of government and public service.
Ticked Off

Counting on Justice for Evan Gershkovich ’14

The plight of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich ’14 is never far from the thoughts of many on campus, and it’s now front and center for those who pass through Smith Union.
Honorand Presentations

2024 Honorary Degree Recipients Share Wisdom They’ve Learned along their Journeys

Bowdoin bestowed three honorary degrees at its 219th Commencement exercises and as is the College’s tradition, students, their families, and members of the community were invited to honorand presentations the day before.
The End Before the Beginning

Baccalaureate Ceremony Marks Official Conclusion of Academic Year

Baccalaureate was held Friday, May 24, 2024, in Sidney J. Watson Arena, to celebrate the completion of the academic year. The College’s 219th Commencement was held Saturday, May 25.
Welcoming Ceremony

54 Graduating Seniors—and One Extraordinary Alumnus—are Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa

The fifty-four soon-to-be-graduates—plus Bill De La Rosa ’16—joined the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors society in a formal ceremony on May 24, the day before Commencement.
Combining Majors

Drawing on Environmental Studies Experience, Senior Teams Up with Hispanic Studies Professor to Produce Academic Article—in Spanish!

Environmental studies and Hispanic studies double major Katie Draeger '24 combines both disciplines as she collaborates with Associate Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Carolyn Wolfenzon Niego to write a Spanish language article for an academic journal.
Bowdoin in the News

Bowdoin’s Brennan and Perkinson on the Humanities, Practical Application of Invaluable Tools in “Inside Higher Ed”

The value and benefits of a liberal arts education steeped in the humanities has worthy champions in Kristin Brennan, executive director of Bowdoin’s Office of Career Exploration and Development (CXD), and Stephen Perkinson, professor of art history.
A Place to Sit and Reflect

New Campus Bench Honors President Clayton Rose

A circular outdoor bench was installed on campus recently in honor of Bowdoin’s fifteenth president, Clayton Rose, who stepped down last year. The item is a gift from faculty in recognition of Rose’s excellent stewardship in leading the College through the COVID-19 pandemic.