Board Members

Describe Mac in three words.

Inclusive. Engaging. Transformative.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Try everything. Be open to possibility. Step outside your comfort zone as often as you can. Engage in deep conversations with people different from you and really listen as they share their passions and beliefs with you. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from each and every one. Recognize the privilege of being part of the Macalester community. Be vulnerable. Have FUN!

What  gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

After many years, degrees and careers, I have found my soul purpose. Using relaxation and visualization to decrease anxiety and prepare clients for surgery is incredibly rewarding work. I feel an instant connection with my clients as they open up to me about their worries and I know that our work together enhances their healing on so many levels. As I watch clients shift out of fear and anxiety to a place of calm where they are partners in their own healing, I know that this is the work that I was always meant to do. 

How have you utilized the alumni network as an alum?

From finding an apartment to rent, to grabbing drinks in DC, to seeking career advice and support, to building new connections, the Macalester alumni network has never let me down. It works! It’s been awesome.

What is your favorite Mac memory? 

Too many to choose from. But celebrating festivals from home, Holi: the Indian “festival of colors” on the lawns or Diwali with catered Indian food and over 150 people was always an amazing time

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student? 

Try to study abroad if you can, do an internship during the semester, take some fun classes, spend a summer (or two, or three) in the Twin Cities, get some ice cream from Grand Ole Creamery, and go for the Diwali dinners!

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

Tough one. Professor Amy Damon in Economics is definitely one of them. Loved her energy, enthusiasm, and econometrics! Learned both quantitative and qualitative life skills in her classes.

Who is your favorite professor/lecturer and why?
A huge part of my life at Macalester was my involvement with the Department of Multicultural Life (DML). Almost all of my best memories are in the Cultural House, which is both a living space and a community space. I lived there for two years, and worked there, as an event planner, for three years. My favorite event that we planned was an interactive art gallery about students’ experiences with heterosexism, that included a wall-sized mural that anyone could add to. I’m still close friends with many of my DML co-workers.

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

My favorite professors were Juliana Hu-Pegues, in American Studies, who taught me that students are producers of knowledge, not just consumers of knowledge; SooJin Pate, in American Studies, who taught me the importance of self-love in fighting for justice; and Katie Phillips, in History, who was the first Native woman professor I ever had and served on my honors thesis committee.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student? What was the most beneficial thing you experienced you had while at MAC? How do you use this in your current role?

I encourage all students to get off campus and engage with the Twin Cities community in a meaningful way. One of the things I treasured so much about American Studies was that the professors really emphasized “taking theory into practice.” Almost all of my classes in American Studies engaged with the Twin Cities in some way or another – from going to shows at local theaters to helping with research projects for community organizations. My engagement with the Twin Cities communities had a huge impact on my college experience and career goals and made the Twin Cities feel like home.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

Going down to the Mississippi River during all four seasons, but especially in the winter. There is something beautiful going down Summit Ave, passing all the mansions and the University of St. Thomas, and taking a seat at the bench near the World War monument, and hearing nothing but the crunch of ice, the whistle of wind blowing through the leafless trees, and the occasional passing of a car. Make sure you are bundled up, though.

What advice would you share with current students?

Whenever you are in doubt as to whether you belong somewhere, run for something, or need to take up space, remember what my First Year Course professor, Adrienne Christiansen, told our class: “Why not you?” Do not take your existence lightly, for, relative to the average person, Macalester students and alumni are among the most brilliant and kind people on this Earth. And it’s that combination, brilliant and kind, that is needed now more than ever, so do it, why not you?

Share what you are doing now.

I am an independent research consultant and policy advisor for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). I am currently working on a report for the California State Legislature and the Secretary of the CA Labor and Workforce Agency regarding a number of fatalities in the waste industry, predominantly among Latino, undocumented workers, and the links to environmental degradation throughout the state. In my free time, I serve on the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council Board and the Chicanx Latinx Alumni Association for UC Berkeley, and I canvass for local issues and candidates in Los Angeles, my hometown and current base of operations.

What advice would you share with current students?

Embrace new experiences during or just after college, because it gets tougher as you gain more personal responsibilities like family, work, and mortgage.  Stay open to the world of ideas, to others’ views, and to people different than yourself.

How has the Macalester community shaped your life after graduation? Of the various schools I have attended (high school, college, law school, masters, PhD), Macalester has represented the most cohesive education family which I continue to feel closely connected to.  I have met and engaged with Mac grads around the world, a tribute to the sense of international service that is a core value at Macalester.

What is one experience at Macalester that still stays with you? 

Meeting international students at Mac and then participating in two study abroad programs in succession in my junior year (in UK and France) literally opened my mind to a world of possibilities, eventually drawing me to a diplomatic career (lived in 15 countries, visited 83).

Describe Mac in three words.

Challenging. Inspiring. Fulfilling.

What is your favorite Mac Memory?

First impressions are lasting impressions: I was sitting in Dr Patricia Kane’s living room a few blocks off campus with a group of other first year students for a book discussion as one of the events of Orientation Week. We were intently reprising what we had gleaned from the assigned books, “Another Country” by James Baldwin and “The Other America” by Michael Harrington. Looking around the room, it suddenly clicked – “we’re not in high school anymore!”

I knew I was in the right place. We were sharing an evening of seriousness and levity at a level way above the immature high jinks of high school. When we got back to the dorm, our conversations continued with others who had different takes on the subjects. Looking back years later, we benefited from many such shared experiences on campus and elsewhere that brought us together to embrace Mac’s core values and develop competencies that are essential regardless of the careers we pursued and life paths each of us had taken.

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

Dr. Hildegard Johnson, founder and chair of the Geography Department, was an inspiring teacher with an amazing intellect, a quick wit, and encyclopedic knowledge. She instilled in us a way of looking at the world, inquisitive and analytical, yet recognizing when the time had arrived for action. She pioneered field trips as an integral part of a holistic learning experience in addition to brilliant classroom presentations and engaging small group and one-on-one discussions which often centered around social issues and humankind’s effects on our planet. 

How have you utilized the alumni network as an alum?

Early on, I benefited from conversations with alumni from the 1940s and 1950s who shared their perspectives on adapting to the world of work while upholding Mac’s core values.

Over the years, I’ve also enjoyed meeting up with alumni as I traveled to other cities including engaging conversations over dinner and impromptu photography expeditions in scenic areas.

MacConnect and other Alumni Engagement pages on the Macalester website have been and continue to be valuable resources.

Paying it forward, I’ve enjoyed facilitating local and regional Mac alumni events, participating in cultural awareness seminars, helping the Athletics Department staff and other alumni recruit scholar athletes from Texas, meeting with students and alumni online and in-person as a Career Helper, and contributing to strategic planning listening sessions.

Connecting and engaging with others from many class years across the decades motivates me to do even more to help expand/promote these opportunities for members of the Macalester Community.

What are you doing now?

I retired in 2023 after leading the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for over a decade. Since then I’ve been helping Ukraine, pro bono, with a focus on city planning and metropolitan cooperation.  Lot of Zoom calls and travel to Ukraine once a year.  I’m finishing a book that offers the American metropolitan planning model as one practical idea for Ukraine’s recovery and EU future.

How has the Macalester community shaped your life after graduation? 

I think grad school carried my career for the first ten years, then Macalester really kicked in for me after that: Mac’s critical-thinking, anthropology-lensing, existentialism-practicing, globalist-thinking vibe.

Who was your favorite professor and why? 

Chuck Green, who taught Administrative Behavior — my favorite class at Mac. (Totally geekin’ out!) His focus on asking good questions. I’ve leaned on that a lot.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

Easy! It was the first time I met my amazing spouse, Anna Plumb ’05. It was love at first sight (for me at least), and a moment that has shaped the last 20+ years of my life for the better.

Who was your favorite professor and why?

It’s a three-way tie between Karen Saxe (mathematics), Tom Halverson (mathematics), and my advisor Tonnis ter Veldhuis (physics). They each revealed astonishing beauty through their teaching and were incredibly supportive.

What is one experience at Macalester that still stays with you?

Freeman Dyson came to campus and gave a talk–a series of parables emphasizing the importance of humility when applying science and technology to social problems. Later that morning, I was walking across the quad as Professor Saxe was escorting a group of students and faculty with Professor Dyson. She flagged me down and asked me if I’d like to have lunch with them. Of course I accepted, and the meal turned out to be one of those unplanned pivotal moments in life. A short time later, I switched majors from Political Science to Physics and never looked back.

Describe Mac in three words.

Lively, collaborative, quirky.

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

Sears Eldredge was by far my favorite and became an important mentor to me and we kept in touch until he passed away about a year ago. He was a tough instructor, but I think his attention to detail, his own curiosity and search for excellence is what mattered most. He always encouraged me to explore ideas and to put disparate concepts together to find something new.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Take interesting classes (there are no shortage of those at Mac) even if they don’t match your major. Find a passion that takes you places you never realized you could go. Lean in to the challenging stuff.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

Be able to stimulate curiosity in others, making a difference in a child’s life, and creating a pathway for the next future.

Describe Mac in three words.

Community, Connections, and Growth.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

During my time at Macalester, I made many lifelong friends who have become my chosen family, supporting me through various stages and aspects of my life. I am deeply grateful for these enduring friendships, as they have shaped who I am today.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Embrace Discomfort: At Macalester, one of the most valuable experiences is engaging with people who look, talk, and think differently from you. Dive into midnight conversations and discussions where you might not be the smartest person in the room. Enroll in a class outside your comfort zone. Try new things and take risks. Make your time at Macalester meaningful by seeking out challenges, being open to correction, and acknowledging the limits of your knowledge. Be open to expanding your horizons

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

My passions for equity, the arts, and education drive my current work. My motivation is rooted in creativity, purpose, and intention. It fuels my efforts to build a global community and give back to the world. This commitment inspires me to grow into a better version of myself and brings me immense joy.

Describe Mac in 3 words.

Diverse. Unique. Inspiring.

What was your favorite Macalester Memory?

I have so many amazing memories from my first year that it’s hard to choose just one, but one of my favorites was when we had two snow days in February. My friends and I claimed the English Lounge in Old Main for the whole first snow day and it was so much fun to hang out and do homework in such a cozy space with the snow outside. We also had a campus-wide snowball fight that day, and it was so much fun! 

Who was/is your favorite professor/lecturer and why?  

This is super hard to answer, because every single professor that I’ve had and interacted with at Mac is incredible. But if I had to choose just one professor, I think I’d have to go with Paul Dosh, in the political science department. I took Comparative Politics with him in the spring of 2023 and it was a super interesting and unique class. The way that Paul sets up and leads the class is super engaging and I learned so much.  

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?  

I would tell an incoming student to be open to doing and trying new things. For me, I definitely came to Mac with some expectations about how things were going to go, and most of those things didn’t happen the way I expected them to. But honestly, things worked out better than I could have imagined them, and I’m truly so happy here today. So, just be willing to go with the flow, try new things, and let things happen as they’re meant to.  

Describe Mac in three words.

Life changing experience.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

The Mac community has kept me motivated and given me joy though working with students at events like Macathon.  At times I just walk the campus to remain sane in a troubled world.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

I spent my junior year studying at the University of Bristol in the UK with a close friend. There wasn’t a program then– Dr. Boyd Shafer helped me arrange this. We traveled through much of Europe that year as well.  Travel and exposure to different cultures provides prospective and challenges many of your assumptions even more directly than a classroom experience.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

I just started a new company—Education Impact Advisors—along with 4 other partners last year.  Its mission is to improve outcomes in K-12 education.  This mission is motivating to me and I love the people I work with.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Be present during these years both mentally and physically. The 4 years go by fast and it’s an experience you’ll never be able to recreate.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

My motivation is to help others and I do that by using finance to help build financial equity, financial literacy, and generational wealth.

 What was the most beneficial thing you experienced you had while at Mac?

Meeting my lifelong friends and being exposed to new cultures, places, and people I would’ve never met outside of Mac.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

I am constantly inspired by the community of Macalester, the camaraderie that is built among alumni and I always know I have a home there.

Describe Mac in three words. 

Community, Inclusivity, Creativity.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

Every Sunday, my friends and I would cook international dishes for our weekly meal prep, turning our apartment kitchens into global cafes. We’d share food and stories as we prepped for the week ahead. It was one of the ways we built community through culture, conversation, and a lot of laughter.

What other advice or thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Be courageous. Be curious. Be yourself. Macalester is a place where it’s okay not to have all the answers — just be open to the journey.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

Serving on student search committees at Mac sparked my interest in hiring and organizational dynamics. That early exposure led me to pursue a career in human resources and now in executive search consulting for mission-driven nonprofits. I’m passionate about helping organizations find leaders who reflect their values and can drive real impact.

Describe Mac in three words. 

Inspiring, Diverse Community.

Did you study away or travel outside your home country while you were at Mac? What do you think that you have carried with you from your Mac days while you traveled the world?

I had an opportunity to study in South Africa in 2000 as a junior at Macalester.  Just 6 years post-apartheid, the wounds were still fresh and the HIV/AIDS pandemic was creating a new crisis, with an estimated 40% of the population testing positive for HIV.  I had the opportunity to engage with CEOs of multinational corporations, government officials, non-profit leaders and several community members and listen to Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Tutu and other inspiring leaders address the nation. The lessons that I learned from that experience and during my time at Macalester have made me a better leader today – listen more than I talk, be curious, always keep learning and don’t assume that I already know the answer.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

My advice to incoming students is to try new things and be open to new experiences.  If you do, you’ll have an amazing opportunity to learn as much outside of the classroom as you do in your courses.  If you ask questions and share your perspective, every experience is an opportunity to learn and to teach others.

Describe Mac in three words.

Transformational, progressive, family

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Dip your toe into all areas of the college: try to take a class in every building (including the Leonard Center). Build relationships with your professors and the staff. These will be some of the most challenging years of your life, but also the ones you will look back at most fondly. Revel in the ease of access you have to a utopia where your living space, friends, lovers, meals, work, academics, resources, gym, and hobbies are all contained in a couple city blocks; it is a rare and precious environment hard to find outside of a college campus. You will gain a strong critical eye for institutions, including Mac – the administration knows and is willing to listen to you more than pretty much any other institution you will come up against. The Mac Bubble exists, leaving it is important but can be jarring, however inside is still the “real world” too. Macalester is the most supportive place you can experiment and fail, it is okay to allow yourself to do so to figure out better who you are [becoming].

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

It is so challenging to choose one, but Joan Ostrove of the Psychology department was my advisor from my very first to my very last day at Macalester and left an indelible mark on how I view the world and myself. In my First Year Course, Minding the Body, Joan gave me the frameworks to understand disability as an identity and better process all the parts of myself that no one had given me any idea how to understand before that. Her commitment to intersectional, critical identity studies that integrate queer, feminist, disability, and critical race scholarships changed my life. I ended up working with her on multiple independent study projects including my senior project on establishing a Disability Studies Concentration at Macalester that students and faculty after my graduation have continued to pursue. I am so lucky to have been able to keep in touch after graduating and was blessed to have Joan officiate at my wedding (in front of Old Main) to my fellow Macalester ’16 alumna, Emma Swanson. 

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

Much to my dismay, most of my ideas and dreams about how my life was going to go post-graduation have not panned out – the Macalester community has allowed all these twists and turns to be manageable and for me to find contentment outside of 21-year-old me’s “life plan.” The faculty and staff I’ve kept in touch with have been more than happy to chat, guide me to resources, and introduce me to other members of the alumni and Macalester community (current students, new faculty & staff). I have grown to realize that my occupation doesn’t need to bring all fulfillment to my life, so I choose to volunteer with Macalester! This brings me so much gratification that I can participate in a supportive community that I get to both give to and take from. I would be remiss not to mention that many of my friends, acquaintances, neighbors, coworkers, and now family, are made up of Macalester alumni that I get to interact with every day and truly make my life what it is.  

Describe Mac in three words.

Community, diversity, and connection.

How have you utilized the alumni network as an alum?

The Mac alumni network is amazing, here in the Twin Cities, outside of the Twin Cities, or in the virtual world. They have become my friends and mentors. I am inspired to become a resource for other alumni just as they have been to me.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Friends and connections you make while at Mac are probably just as important, if not more, as your GPA.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

While at Mac, I learned the importance of community and giving back. I have made quite a few drastic changes in the industries I work in but I was always gravitating towards a career that centers around helping the communities that I am a part of. This led me to where I am today, Community Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

Describe Macalester in three words.

Diverse, Engaged, Transformative

What advice would you share with current students? 

Enjoy the college journey, explore the Twin Cities, and invest in relationships with faculty, staff and peers!

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

Dick Lesicko ’75, former Director of Forensics, was my favorite professor. Participating in mock trial under his tutelage for four years changed my life. He taught me invaluable skills applicable to any career, in any language or region: analyzing key material from a 200-page case problem, structuring arguments and connecting them with a larger theory, and presenting myself with grace and confidence. More importantly, being part of the Mac Forensics family means I have fellow Mac Scots around the world to rely on.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

The values of a liberal arts education from Mac. As an educator and manager, my mission is to promote these values. To quote our 16th president Brian Rosenberg: “the ability to step away from one’s own history and biases, at least for a moment, and see the world through the eyes of another whose history and biases are quite different … and the ability and willingness to listen with care and respect to the appropriately expressed opinions of those with whom one disagrees and to expression one’s own opinions with similar care and respect.” 

What advice or thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Be fearless, be critical, and be empathetic. Embrace the endless internationalism and multiculturalism that Macalester will offer you. Step out of your comfort zone and explore the unknown, but always maintain civility and empathy for everyone you encounter. Go Mac!

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

I am constantly inspired by the community of Macalester, the camaraderie that is built among alumni and I always know I have a home there.

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

1. Lin Aanonsen, PhD (Biology/Neuroscience) was and remains the most influential educator I have had in my lifetime.  She triggered a lifetime love of learning and curiosity for neuroscience that ultimately resulted in post-grad work (and meeting my spouse) in a U of MN research lab.  I spent countless hours in her lab working and studying; that was my “happy place” on campus.  Lin was humble and approachable.  She was generous with her time and resources.  As a mentor and advisor, she helped you recognize potential in yourself and put into place the next steps so you met that potential. 
2. Jan Serie, PhD (Biology/Immunology) was the professor that I worked the hardest for. She pushed me to learn immunology to a level of detail and comprehensive understanding that exceeded anything I was taught or expected to know later in medical school.  I am forever grateful to the high expectations and standards she set for her classes and students. 

Did you study away or travel outside your home country while you were at Mac? 

Yes; University of Lancaster in England during fall of senior year.  As a science major who was not fluent in a language other than English, study abroad is very difficult.  I was able to find this opportunity that included a Biochemistry class in order to meet my major requirements, keep me on track for graduation, and still study abroad. 

What do you think that you have carried with you from your Mac days while you traveled the world?

An ability to learn with and learn from a variety of people from different backgrounds.  In a study abroad program, you are tossed into a completely new group of peers, often only sharing the one common interest of choosing the same study abroad program.  I was fortunate to find a group of 5 others that were willing to explore and travel together, enriching our time abroad.  

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

Advocacy; helping families navigate care in very broken US health care and education systems to ensure children get what they need despite ever increasing barriers, complacency, and apathy.

What was the most beneficial thing you experienced you had while at Mac? The culture of civil discourse and curiosity instead of judgment.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

The relationships I formed with students and teachers while at Macalester have held me in good stead throughout the years. When I need real advice and real support, I go to my Mac friends. Some of my theater cohort formed a theater collective in Minneapolis post graduation that ran for 30 years. For early (and later) career advice and professional references, my former professors were there to assist. Crossing paths with other alums anywhere in the world is like finding long lost family – we share core values and a fundamental common experience that is singular. I take inspiration from their work, and strive always to do better to live up to our Macalester ideals. 

What is your favorite Mac memory?

Sophomore and Junior year, Sunday Night Italian Dinners on 4th Turck and in 37 Mac (turned vegan coop). To manage east coast homesickness, a friend from NYC and I would spend the afternoon making marinara sauce, pasta, garlic bread, and host a big Sunday night family dinner with friends. The best!

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why? 

David McCurdy, anthropology Professor emeritus, was hands-down one of the best teachers I had throughout my entire education. His position as a Macalester legend and a leader in the field is rightfully earned. Studying anthropology in the early 90s, we were introduced to concepts such and unconscious bias and cultural competence, under different names. When I went to graduate school in the early 2000s that was doing “new” and “cutting edge” work in these areas, I already had a leg up, due to my Macalester training.  

Did you study away or travel outside your home country while you were at MAC? What do you think that you have carried with you from your MAC days while you traveled the world?

I learned to be a traveler, not a tourist. I made it my business to study other languages, so I could participate, learn, and contribute, not just take up space and resources. 

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

1) Take advantage of the great liberal arts education available to you, and add a second major or minor unrelated to your primary major. 2) Pick a study away program sophomore year, because sophomore year can feel a bit rudderless, and double-majoring makes leaving campus junior and senior year more complicated. 3) Take those free bagpipe lessons! Literally everyone who doesn’t later regrets it!

Did you study away or travel outside your home country while you were at Mac? What do you think that you have carried with you from your MAC days while you traveled the world?
I joined Dorothy Dodge’s 1983 summer in the People’s Republic of China. It was reportedly the first undergraduate group allowed into China & set to study political economy in decades. Due to political pressures, we never did get to that curriculum as they had us in groups of 4 or less learning to speak and understand Chinese for 8 hours a day; a necessary precursor to our being allowed to learn about politics and economics, after all. In China that summer I gained the self confidence to take care of myself; not just with food and shelter, but also with learning to trust my analytic skills. Experiencing and observing the effects of “illogical” (to me) but politically motivated governmental policy made real for me how challenging life can be outside of the US and gave me appreciation for the things we took for granted in the US – in both good and unhelpful ways. I stayed on a few weeks after the rest of the group left and learned even more about the complexities of living in China in 1983. It was an astounding experience, the kind in the brochures. When I returned to Macalester for my senior year, I realized that I’d actually completed my degree requirements and so I graduated a term early. (I now regret missing that last semester of opportunities from Mac – but I didn’t know any better at the time.) My time in China continued to give me confidence that I could figure out whatever I needed and move on to forge a path for myself – so I did.

Who was your favorite professor/lecturer and why?

There were many! I will choose Emily Rosenburg because she most fully encapsulated all that I had hoped to get from Macalester! As a first gen student, I didn’t know it, but I was desperate for a role model. I can’t now recall how many classes I had with her, and I know that I didn’t do enough to engage with her directly, but the fact that she met each of us where we were, and for me, gave me a view of Latin America and US foreign affairs that I needed. It was unvarnished. It was difficult. And she delivered the material with unflinching strength that helped me see how I could be; a “just deal with the reality of life” attitude that has served me well!

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Engage with as much of Macalester as you can! Try all new things. Dare to “fail” – because it will open your eyes to so many more possibilities. Also, go to office hours from the start. Be honest about your challenges and question that which you feel confident in. Find out who you are and what makes you sustainably happy!

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

I continue to work with undergraduates at another liberal arts college and am motivated by helping them open up to the world. Current generations of students have found their own paths through the isolation and scramble to retool our collective teaching methods over the past 3 years. Many of these coping mechanisms are now proving to be counterproductive and they haven’t necessarily had the experience to realize it. I strive to have compassion for all of them and continue to work to guide them toward expanding their sense of self; encouraging them to explore their edges and open themselves to greater experiences. In particular, the apparent need to appear successful can seriously dampen a person’s curiosity and potential for fulfillment.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

My roommates and I pulling off the greatest surprise birthday party of all time senior year. We smuggled in a cover band—The Alfalfa Males—a keg, food and 40 of our buddies into our duplex on Dayton and Fry without tipping off the birthday boy (who lived with us) or the cops. A great time was had by all, and we nearly broke even by selling tickets!

Who was your favorite professor and why?

My advisor, David Lanegran. I was not what you would call a great student, but he saw (and to this day, continues to see) something in me. That belief and support, in addition to his urban geography class, which made me feel like the world was a classroom, will always resonate with me.

How has the Macalester community shaped your life after graduation?

One thing that is great about going to a school with a global vision is that its alumni spread out all over the world. It has been amazing to keep up with and meet Scots almost everywhere I go. In addition, the same qualities that drew me to Macalester—looking beyond campus walls to the world around us—live on in the alumni community.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

The day I met my spouse and life partner for the first time. It was on campus at the then Student Center. Magic. We both graduated from Macalester and have been together since that day for more than 50 years ago.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

In so many ways. I do recall that when I started my career at the World Bank, I was sought out and mentored by a Macalester College graduate who had risen to the senior managerial ranks of the Bank. Richard Johanson had attended and graduated from Macalester long before I did, but he was a part of a broader Macalester community living and working in the Washington D.C area. His coaching and mentoring helped me enormously in making my career and successfully navigating the large international bureaucracy of development finance. I have been forever grateful for his friendship and support. I learned the power of this Macalester ethos and have over my years, tried to replicate the same by reaching out, mentoring, offering internships and summer jobs to as many Macalester graduates as feasible who have sought careers in international development.

Describe Mac in three words.

Diversity. Development. Destiny.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation?

It helped me keep in touch with college friends.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

Meeting Betty Rudberg ’62, who became my wife for 55 years, and running on the track and cross-country teams.

Did you study away or travel outside your home country while you were at Mac? What do you think that you have carried with you from your MAC days while you traveled the world?

I bicycled through Europe after my sophomore year and started the Bicycle Chain 30 years later with my two sons (retail bike store at Lexington/Larpenteur in St. Paul).

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Get math and communication skills. These two skill sets will allow you to do anything.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

Have a passion for what you choose for vocation.

What is your favorite Mac memory?

All of the life long friends I made, the challenging learning environment, band, orchestra and the Hispanic Students Organization (HSO).

What advice would you share with current students?

You won’t believe how much time you have until you begin your career.  Take advantage of everything, be curious, ask questions, and enjoy every moment of your college experience.

Share what you are doing now.

My last full-time position was with URENCO Ltd where I was Vice President of Human Resources and Public Affairs.  Since that time, I’ve been a consultant for a local consultancy firm and through my own company, Ignacio Consulting.  In my non-working hours, I continue to play my flute and piccolo with several community based groups, volunteer at our local food pantry, garden, and play golf.

Describe Mac in three words.

Curious. Purposeful. Connected.

How has the Macalester community helped you since graduation? 

I made lifelong friends at Mac — especially through the international student and athletic communities. They’ve become my support system across continents. And the professors and peers I met there still set the bar for how I challenge ideas, stay curious, and think about service.

What advice or other thoughts would you share with an incoming student?

Your four years at Mac will be some of the most formative of your life. Make them count. Work hard, build friendships that last, explore — and push yourself to do the things that scare you a little.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

We’re in a moment where you can’t take stability for granted— democracies are being undermined, alliances tested, technologies weaponized. I’m driven by the possibility of creating change at the systems level to protect the values we hold dearest and re-build for greater resilience. At the same time, I’m excited by the new frontier of technology and where it might take us. I’d say I’m pretty passionate about that.