Macalester News

How Free is Free?

Teacher-Scholar Tom Varberg

Over his 25 years here, Professor Varberg has transformed what was an empty room into one of Macalester's most successful research laboratories.

Global Citizenship Awards 2018

Three graduating seniors are recognized for their commitments to service and civic engagement at home and abroad.

Making “Organic Metals”

Fernando Marquez's chemistry research seeks to replace toxic metals in electronics.

Singing in DC

The Macalester Choir spent their spring break in the Washington, DC area performing American choral music.

Seeking Treatment for a Progressive Lung Disease

Supported by the Academic Health Sciences Summer Research Program, Aidan Tirpack researched a progressive and fatal lung-scarring disease.

Acting out Ancestry

In Professor Cláudia Tatinge Nascimento's Acting II course, students hone their research, writing, and performance skills while acting out the immigration stories of their own relatives.

At the Summit: Studying Away in the Alps

Makaya Kekoa Resner '19 shares her reflections about the first few weeks of studying abroad in Geneva, Switzerland.

Fish, Crocodiles, and Dinosaurs

Max Deckman '19 went to Montana to collect microfossils--but that wasn't all he found.

Rad Roommates

Paired as first-year roommates at Macalester, these duos have lived together ever since.

Week 12 Spring 2018

A few highlights of events on campus during the last couple of weeks;

Ping-Pong to Astronomy

There are more than 120 student organizations on Macalester’s campus, with an offering for nearly every interest, ranging from traditional groups like the Mac Weekly to a physics and astronomy club.

Singing in DC

The Macalester Choir spent their spring break in the Washington, DC area performing American choral music.

Day in the Life Of Gao

Hour by hour, Gao Thor '18 takes her through her day at Macalester.

Week 6 Spring 2018

A few highlights of some events that happened during the last couple of weeks before spring break.

Field Trip to Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary

Students visited the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary.

Founders Day Gala

The gala was held last Friday evening in the Campus Center.

Pushball 2018

Every year students celebrate Founders Day with a friendly game of Pushball on Macalester’s Old Main Lawn.

Startup Guru

Longtime Silicon Valley business developer Roya Ansari ’83 is working hard, having fun, and giving back to Macalester.

The Poetry Promoter

Dylan Garity '12 shares how he turned an English major into a career in the arts with Button Poetry.

Comic Timing

With late-night comedy ratings soaring, Ariel Dumas ’05 has found the perfect time to succeed in show business.

Storyteller

Native American journalist Brian Bull ’91 reports on the stories others might miss.

MacNest Interns Test Their Wings at Startups

It's a win-win when students and startups work together, sharing skills and experience as part of MacNest.

MacConnect in Washington, D.C.

Students network with alumni in Washington, D.C.

The Infinite Variety of Internships

College in a first-rate city means endless opportunities for meaningful internships.

Mac Networker

Astronomy Prodigies

Making “Organic Metals”

Fernando Marquez's chemistry research seeks to replace toxic metals in electronics.

Seeking Treatment for a Progressive Lung Disease

Supported by the Academic Health Sciences Summer Research Program, Aidan Tirpack researched a progressive and fatal lung-scarring disease.

Long-term Research into Immune Response

Rohit Kamath is part of a long-term immunology project in Professor Devavani Chatterjea's lab. His summer research was supported by a Professor Jan Serie Research Fellowship.

Fish, Crocodiles, and Dinosaurs

Max Deckman '19 went to Montana to collect microfossils--but that wasn't all he found.

International Investigative Journalist

Celia Heudebourg '18 shares the highlights of her student journalism career––from the Mac Weekly to the New York Times.

Seeking a Better LED

In the Professor James Heyman's lab, Dona Pantova researched a new material for LEDs for tech firm Lightwave Photonics.

Inspired by Research

As an HHMI Young Researcher, Melissa Kingue '20 learned her way around two labs--developmental biology and immunology.

The Infinite Variety of Internships

College in a first-rate city means endless opportunities for meaningful internships.

Live It: Women Farmers in India

For her Live It Fund project, Preeta Raghunathan ’19 combined her passions for agriculture and entrepreneurship.

Far From Home

For the Chang sisters, Macalester was an exciting but challenging mid-century respite from the political upheavals of their native China.

Startup Guru

Longtime Silicon Valley business developer Roya Ansari ’83 is working hard, having fun, and giving back to Macalester.

Solving Sustainability

From solar gardens to electric cars, Macalester alums are working on energy solutions for a more sustainable future.

The Poetry Promoter

Dylan Garity '12 shares how he turned an English major into a career in the arts with Button Poetry.

Public Health Hero

As a Johns Hopkins- and Yale-educated future surgeon, Cheryl Zogg '11 has always been a high achiever. Now she's on the Forbes 30 Under 30 as well.

Danai Gurira ’01 Is Leading Armies in ‘Black Panther’

Alumna Danai Gurira '01 has been traversing the press circuit to discuss her role as Okoye in Marvel Studio's Black Panther.

Mac Sweethearts

Six decades’ worth of couples share how they fell in love at 1600 Grand—and what they’ve learned since.

Perspective on Pluto

Richard Binzel ’80 helped send a spacecraft to Pluto—and the discoveries amazed him.

Change Agents

Alumni illustrate why Mac is a top-ranked school for students who plan to transform the world.

Volunteering in Buenos Aires

Isabela Escalona and Emmet Hollingshead enriched their study abroad experience by volunteering.

Spring 2018 IGC Photo Contest Winners

The four winners of this year's contest are shown here.

At the Summit: Studying Away in the Alps

Makaya Kekoa Resner '19 shares her reflections about the first few weeks of studying abroad in Geneva, Switzerland.

Softball Team Tours South Africa

The softball team spent two weeks in South Africa in January.

Postcards from Seoul

Rachel Wong '19 learned far more than coursework required during her semester in Seoul.

Food, Agriculture, and Female Farmers in Burkina Faso

Julia Morgan ’18, Millie Varley ’18, and geography professor Bill Moseley researched food security and diet diversity in Burkina Faso.

Institute for Global Citizenship Photo Contest Highlights

Study Away Family Connections

Two Mac students chose study away countries where they had family cultural associations.

Refugee Responders

Two students involved in refugee work while abroad have brought their activism home.

Solving Sustainability

From solar gardens to electric cars, Macalester alums are working on energy solutions for a more sustainable future.

Global Citizenship Awards 2018

Three graduating seniors are recognized for their commitments to service and civic engagement at home and abroad.

Youth Climate Trailblazers

Akilah Sanders-Reed ’16 and Margaret Breen ’20 are using the courts to address the proposed Line 3 pipeline.

Volunteering in Buenos Aires

Isabela Escalona and Emmet Hollingshead enriched their study abroad experience by volunteering.

Giving High School Students a Voice

Through spoken word poetry, Kiante Miles '20 teaches high schoolers the power of storytelling.

MacNest Interns Test Their Wings at Startups

It's a win-win when students and startups work together, sharing skills and experience as part of MacNest.

Food, Agriculture, and Female Farmers in Burkina Faso

Julia Morgan ’18, Millie Varley ’18, and geography professor Bill Moseley researched food security and diet diversity in Burkina Faso.

Global Math Innovator

In October, at Clinton Global Initiative University, Cuauhtemoc Cruz Herrera ’19 presents his innovation to help Mexican math students excel.

Activism Inside and Outside the Classroom

Ayaan Natala ’18 bridges academics and activism.

Brad Belbas, Academic Information Associate for Social Sciences, Receives the Staff Outstanding Service Award

In celebration of the ways your work has shaped Macalester’s classrooms and supported departments, faculty members, and students across campus, we are proud to offer you the 2018 Staff Outstanding Service Award.

Anthropology Professor Olga González Receives Jack and Marty Rossmann Excellence in Teaching Award

The award recognizes “a faculty member who has been identified by colleagues and students as exemplifying the teaching goals of Macalester College.”

Spanish & Portuguese Professor Galo F. González Receives Thomas Jefferson Award

The award was established in 1961 by the Robert Earll McConnell Foundation to honor faculty members who exemplify the principles and ideals of Thomas Jefferson.

Macalester Theatre and Dance Department presents its 2018 Spring Dance Concert, Perennial, April 27 and 28

All performances will take place in the Frey Theatre at St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Ave, St Paul, Minn. 55105.

The Macalester College Theatre and Dance Department presents Dirk (and others still with us)

There are only two performances, Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24, both at 7:30 p.m. Performance is off campus at: Dreamland Arts LLC, 677 Hamline Ave. No., St. Paul, Minn.

Fred Swaniker, Founder of African Leadership University, to speak at Macalester Commencement

Commencement will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at the college.

Macalester Professor Discovers Parasites Plagued Dinosaur-Dominated Ecosystems

Fossils collected from the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana provided a rare opportunity to track parasite infestation.

The Inaugural Lecture of Sarah West as the G. Theodore Mitau Professor of Economics

An award-winning teacher, West has supervised many prize-winning honors theses and has co-authored publications with Macalester undergraduates.

Macalester College Among Peace Corps’ 2018 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges & Universities

Since 1961, 381 alumni from Macalester have traveled abroad to serve as volunteers.