Stories

Nov. 16, 2017

Zoologist Alan Tousignant ’84 imparts the importance of conservation to high school students

Nov. 16, 2017

Pete Malinowski ’06, Executive Director of the Billion Oyster Project, is reinvigorating the aquatic life in New York City’s waterways by reintroducing a keystone species—the oyster—into the East River and beyond, and he’s doing so with the help of students from the New York Harbor School.

Aug. 10, 2017

For Kelly Edwards ’85, Vice President of Talent Development and Programming at HBO, Goal One is to broaden the diversity in a variety of film and television roles—from executives to directors to writers.

Jul. 6, 2017

The world is waking up to the contributions of Grace Murray Hopper ’28, computer pioneer, Navy rear admiral, and former Vassar assistant professor. Read about Hopper and how she continues to influence young women in computer science.

Jul. 5, 2017

In the spring of 2017, more than 500 Vassar alumnae/i visited the stunning Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in DC for a panel discussion and after-hours tour. Chief Curator Jacquelyn Serwer P’05, and Public Affairs Specialist Fleur Paysour ’72 take us inside the wildly popular new museum.

Jun. 15, 2017

Generations of Vassar alumnae/i gathered for Reunion 2017 on June 9–11, reconnecting with old friends and meeting alumnae/i and students across the decades. More than 1,800 alumnae/i and guests attended.

Apr. 21, 2017

Vassar alums in metropolitan areas from coast to coast are involved in burgeoning urban squash programs that help youngsters achieve in academics as well as squash.

Apr. 10, 2017

Vassar recently recognized the important role athletics plays in the social and intellectual development of many of its students by launching the Brewers Fund, a new initiative to support student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

Apr. 10, 2017

A Texas rancher who never left the house without donning her white gloves, Frances Rosenthal Kallison ’29 left an indelible mark. Her philanthropy, commitment to community, and accomplishments were so impressive that she was recently inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Apr. 6, 2017

Meet President-Elect Elizabeth Howe Bradley, who talks about why she was drawn to Vassar—our bright and inquisitive students and our commitment to diversity rank high on her list—and how she became a global leader in public health.

Apr. 5, 2017

While visiting a jail for his work at the Transitions Clinic Network at the Yale School of Medicine, Scott Greenberg ’11 first became aware of the problems with the bail system in America. He teamed up with four classmates to create the Connecticut Bail Fund, which provides bail to accused individuals and helps them navigate access to medical, legal, and social service agencies.

Feb. 2, 2017

Acclaimed poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, class of 1917, came to represent the modern, liberated woman of the Jazz Age, free of the restrictions of the past. A special Vassar exhibition honoring the 100th anniversary of Millay’s graduation and the 125th anniversary of her birth offers intimate glimpses into her life. Edna St. Vincent Millay: Treasures From Steepletop is on view through June 11 in the Thompson Memorial Library and the Art Library.

Jan. 6, 2017

Vassar alumna Ellen Silbergeld ’67 did some of the first research on the effects of lead poisoning, and Vassar alumnus Saul Kerpelman ’76 led the legal battle against landlords in Baltimore who continued to ignore the dangers of lead paint for decades, despite the scientific evidence.

Nov. 16, 2016

On March 14, Director of Urban Studies and Associate Professor of English Tyrone Simpson boarded a train with 10 of his Vassar students. Technically speaking, it was spring break, but instead of making a beeline to sunny beach destinations, students in URBS 303 Advanced Debates in Urban Studies were heading west for nine days in chilly Detroit.

Nov. 9, 2016

Seven years ago, Gwen Schantz ’03 and Anastasia Cole Plakias ’05 began their journey to become farmers in New York City. Now Brooklyn Grange has 2.5 acres of rooftop farms, complete with greenhouses, beehives, chicken coops … and stunning views of Manhattan.

Nov. 1, 2016

Vassar's new science facility, the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, supports collaborations between the sciences by bringing the college’s various science departments and programs into closer physical proximity with shared access to state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities.

Nov. 1, 2016

This spring, four artists and lecturers—including the world's first officially recognized cyborg—explored the breakdown of boundaries between humans and machines...and art and science.

Feb. 1, 2016

What started out as a hobby for Alan Paris '81 evolved into a 10,000+ collection of news photographs chronicling major events of the 20th century.

Feb. 1, 2016

All-American status is bestowed on a tiny fraction of college athletes, and this year three All-Americans are from Vassar: Julia Cunningham ’17, Matthew Knigge ’18 and Taylor Vann ’16.

Feb. 1, 2016

For Vassar’s Jill Schneiderman, Professor of Earth Science, traveling to Iceland had long been a dream. “As a geologist, I’m drawn to any place where the earth is growing, melting, moving,” she says. Iceland, which straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, fits the bill. Volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, and hot springs abound, making the land a living laboratory for geology.