Feature Stories

A Williams Life

Williams College groundkeeper Jimmy Menard wears a black face mask and stands in front of the football field.

On January 22, 2021, longtime groundskeeper Jimmy Menard retired after 36 years with Williams. If you ever watched a soccer game, attended an alumni event or sat through commencement, chances are, Menard was working behind the scenes. Among other duties with athletics, he maintained natural grass and artificial turf… Continue reading »

Unlocking the Story of Step

A group of men and women perform a step routine on stage.

By Regina Velázquez   Maxine Lyle ’00 had been leading a group of dancers in rehearsals when the studio owner asked if they could “step softer.” Bewildered, Lyle thought to herself, “The last thing you should ever ask a Step dancer to do is step softer!” In what seemed to… Continue reading »

Welcome Assistance

A keyboard has a key for

By Julia Munemo   Bilingual and multi-lingual members of the Williams community are helping to support people immigrating to the U.S. by providing free translations of documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, school transcripts and diplomas, and financial statements. The service, which members of the Williams Translation Project (WTP)… Continue reading »

Understanding West Nile Virus

A graphic depiction of the West Nile Virus.

By Julia Munemo   Assistant Professor of Chemistry Bob Rawle recently published a paper that corrects some misunderstandings about how the West Nile Virus operates and creates a pathway for further research that could lead to the development of an anti-viral drug in the future. Chemistry majors Olivia Graceffa ’22… Continue reading »

Hands-on Learning

By Regina Velázquez   When the pandemic closed Williams’ campus in the spring of 2020, Allie Campbell ’21 started tutoring elementary and middle school students remotely from her hometown in New Hampshire. She returned to Williams in the fall, eager to connect with young students in a practical, hands-on way. Continue reading »

At the Helm of Himal Southasian

A map of India includes an ad for Southasian Himal magazine.

By Julia Munemo   Originally from Nepal, Shubhanga Pandey ’17 studied astrophysics at Williams and stayed up to date on happenings from home by reading Himal Southasian magazine. The 30-year-old print and online publication was known as the South Asian New Yorker, featuring longform pieces on politics that Pandey says… Continue reading »

Finding Her Yes

A blond woman kneels on the floor to sew adjustments into a blue dress that a model is wearing.

By Regina Velázquez   Some people want to follow a blueprint for their lives, planning each careful step along the way. Meanwhile, Allison Achauer ’93, tailor to the stars, says she prefers to fly by the seat of her well-made pants. When she signed up for a course in costume… Continue reading »

Blurring the Boundaries

Blue ocean waters are seen swirling around rocks on the coast.

The Global Ocean, taught this semester by the five faculty members who constitute the Williams-Mystic program, is among several new courses introducing Williams students to the interdisciplinarity of the sea. Continue reading »

Veteran Commitment

A composite image shows four student veterans posing for photos in different locations on Williams College campus.

Over the summer, Williams hosted the Warrior-Scholar Project, an immersive, intensive, academic boot camp for active duty service members and veterans around the country seeking to attend college. The 15 or so participants studied the American ideal of democracy, federalism and public service, among other topics, guided by several Williams… Continue reading »