The College Where Everyone Knows Your Name

About ten days ago, we traveled to Beloit, WI to Beloit College for my reunion. Here is the latest news from the college.

• The college has a new president.
• The new science building is finished and it is beautiful.
• The college and the city of Beloit are continuing to work together on projects that enhance the area. The latest project is turning the public library into a performing arts center.
• The college had to cut quite a few staff positions last year.
• Alums, if you have not heard from the college recently and would like to hear from the college again, consider contacting the alumni office. When the alumni office recently updated their database, my address was "updated" to the address that I lived at when I was a student at the college. No wonder why I never received any information about the reunion.
• Professor John Rosenwald is retiring.
• Dean Bill Flanagan is retiring.

Despite these changes, Beloit basically is still the same place that it has been for over one hundred and fifty years.

As a student attending the college, it sometimes felt too small. Now, looking back, I now see the small campus as a nurturing environment.

Benster spent a lot of time questioning us about the college. He was intrigued that he could go to a school like Beloit and do the things that we did over the course of four years. On Saturday, we were able to give him a taste of college life by touring the college radio station where Mr. D was a DJ, walking to the football stadium to watch the football game, showing Benster old issues of the student newspaper when Mr. D was the editor and sitting in a professor's office and talking about anything and everything.

Thanks Beloit for remaining a place where a chemistry major can add a poetry minor, where a professor invites you to his or her house for a meal and where fellow graduates want to hear your life story regardless of whether you are president of Sony Pictures or a stay at home mom.