An engaging dialogue about pursuing a career in STEM as a Black-identifying person with Vassar’s leading STEM faculty and alums. Attend in person or virtually.

Kitamura’s most recent novel is Intimacies—one of The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2021 and one of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2021.

Join visiting artists and members of our campus and local communities for a conversation about Indigenous arts, land acknowledgments, and more. 

Hailed as a ‘personable polymath’ in the London Times, Bill Barclay ’03 is a director, composer, writer, and producer. He joins us to discuss his work Le Chevalier, a full-length play detailing Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ true friendships with Mozart and Marie Antoinette, and his unknown contribution to the abolishment of slavery.

Welcome to Indian Country is an evening-length celebration of Native culture through music and storytelling. A world-class, five-piece musical ensemble is joined by storyteller and Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest. Together they weave new compositions and songs with witty, wise, and poignant poetry and satire to honor the elders and ancestors.

Audio

Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre performs works selected from the current repertory by faculty, students, and guest choreographers, including a special appearance by the Heidi Latsky Dance Company. Tickets are free but must be reserved.

From Requiem to Solace: Artwork Inspired by the Ashokan Reservoir. Artist Kate McGloughlin will speak about how the devastation endured by her ancestors during the creation of the Ashokan Reservoir influences and inspires her work. Sponsored by Late Night at the Loeb and the Consortium on Forced Migration, Displacement, and Education.

Aki Sasamoto works in sculpture, performance, video, and more. In her installation/performance works, Sasamoto moves and talks inside the careful arrangements of sculpturally altered objects, activating bizarre emotions behind daily life.

Featuring performances and speeches by students, alums, faculty, administrators, and local community members—as well as food and stations highlighting mental health, artifacts, African cuisine recipes, and books written by Black authors. Attend in person or virtually.

A gathering to celebrate the first day of Black History Month, sponsored by the Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center and hosted by leaders of the African Students’ Union (ASU), Black Students’ Union (BSU), and Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA).

Campus community only, please.

A Library exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the publication of Jean Toomer’s novel Cane. Curated by students in ENGL 319 during the fall 2022 semester. 

Ross—a nationally recognized expert on racism and racial justice, women’s rights, and human rights who teaches at Smith College—will discuss how we must fight oppression and injustice by weaving our collective strengths together and using our differences as a platform for molding a positive future built on justice and love.

​​Digital scores can change in real time during a performance, allowing for exciting and spontaneous interaction and improvisation. This workshop will explore this emerging performance practice using the software Indra, culminating in a conducted group improvisation. Participants should bring an instrument and a Mac laptop. A student-only event. Registration required.

Honoring the founders of MODfest, we celebrate the “meanings and measures” of modern musical works: Richard Wilson’s Avuncularities (2022) for solo trombone and Perplexities (2022) for oboe and English horn, violin, viola, and cello; and Serenity (2021) for solo piano by Jonathan Chenette.

This is an in-person event that will also be streamed live

Sketching Loss and Remembrance: An Art Workshop. Work alongside Kate McGloughlin in creating your own original work using India ink. Art supplies provided free of charge. Please email creativearts@vassar.edu to reserve a spot, space is limited. 

Vassar College’s Muslim Students Association (MSA) presents excerpts from the new play Wedding Scraps by Arshia Iqbal ’23, a senior thesis project that serves as a funny peek into the world of diasporic Desi kids and their collective efforts to find home.

The Palmer Gallery exhibit Imploding Meaning: Tale-less Tales About Absolutely Nothing and Everything In Between features the work of M. Pettee Olsen, Michael Oatman, Rosanne Walsh, and Monica Church—all of whom will be speaking at this event. 

Join us in kicking off this year’s festival with exciting exhibitions in three different gallery spaces on campus. Enjoy refreshments in the Loeb and Palmer Galleries to celebrate the wide range of visual art offerings for MODfest 2023. 

An exhibit of artwork by Kate McGloughlin depicts the beauty and sorrow inherent in the Ashokan Reservoir. Kate’s family lost both land and community to reservoir construction. There will also be an artist talk in the second week of the festival during Late Night at the Loeb. This exhibit is sponsored by the Consortium on Forced Migration, Displacement, and Education.

The Palmer Gallery exhibit Imploding Meaning: Tale-less Tales About Absolutely Nothing and Everything In Between features the work of M. Pettee Olsen, Michael Oatman, Rosanne Walsh, and Monica Church.