Some students were also temporarily suspended as other colleges respond with disciplinary action to protests On the morning of 3 May, the Swarthmore borough police department disbanded a four-day pro-Palestinian encampment on Swarthmore College’s campus and arrested nine activists “With rising concerns about safety and security on campus, a continued and growing presence of individuals unaffiliated with the college, warnings from outside law enforcement agencies and no signs that protestors were willing to engage in conversation that would bring the encampment to an end,” Smith said, “I felt we had no choice but to seek outside assistance from local law enforcement.” Read moreAround 7.30am on 3 May, Q, a Temple University student who is using a pseudonym out of fear of legal repercussions, was outside his tent at a Swarthmore College pro-Palestinian encampment in Pennsylvania when he said that he received a call from Swarthmore College students They told him that they had seen dozens of police cars approaching the campus entrance in the distance and that a sweep of the encampment was imminent Q started filming the sweep on his phone as about 40 officers swarmed the campus As nine students stood with their arms linked together he watched law enforcement grab the activists and pin them to the ground A member of the Philadelphia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Q said that he had been informed of the encampment through the chapter’s network and helped organize the protest. During the few days the encampment existed, Q said that activists hosted reading circles and taught each other political education: “It was crazy to see how admin was responding by threatening repeatedly.” Read moreIn a 1 May statement to the campus community Smith said that the protesters had vandalized campus property “Should they continue to fail to disperse and violate the college’s policies and the law,” Smith said “we will have no choice but to escalate our response as we consider all actions to bring the encampment to an end.” The interim suspension bans students from campus and they must complete a student-conduct process before being allowed to return or access the school’s resources and services It is up to the discretion of a student’s faculty members whether they can continue their work remotely “Due process exists in legal proceedings,” Giardinelli said a Swarthmore College student who is using a pseudonym out of fear of retaliation said that he took a break from the demonstration to shower in his dorm room when he received an email from the college’s dean of student conduct The email stated that he was now on interim suspension meaning that he was ineligible from taking classes and being involved in college social activities or sports He had three hours to pack up his belongings and vacate the campus moving into a friend’s apartment in Philadelphia kind of shocked and then quite angry,” Spade said “because the school was suspending students for protesting.” SJP had used social media to encourage activists outside of the college to join the encampment and they ignored repeated requests to vacate Trotter Lawn that they were violating several policies in the student code of conduct Students were instructed to disband the encampment and leave Trotter Lawn and repeatedly warned that failure to do so would lead to interim suspensions.” Swarthmore College is one of 60 schools under investigation for what the Trump administration considers antisemitic harassment on campus his future at Swarthmore College remains in limbo as he awaits the results of an investigation He’s concerned that the disciplinary action could jeopardize funding for research projects that he’s working on at the school the ability for him to study abroad in the future or even him being allowed to return to the campus in the fall Spade said that reflecting on the destroyed higher-education institutions in Palestine helps put his interim suspension into perspective “Any repression we face here is completely minuscule compared to what we’re actually fighting for,” Spade said This article was amended on 3 May 2025 to correct an inaccurately referenced 2024 Yale encampment Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardSwarthmore pro-Palestinian encampment disbanded; 9 people arrested For Swarthmore students consequences could involve interim suspension and even expulsion a school representative told the protesters Nine people — including one student — were arrested early Saturday morning on the campus of Swarthmore College as police disbanded a recently formed pro-Palestinian encampment warning the Swarthmore chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine to peacefully end the encampment they had set up on Wednesday or face consequences On a video posted on Instagram by Swarthmore SJP Ives tells protesters with covered faces that the inability to identify whether they are Swarthmore students poses a community risk After stressing the school had issued multiple disbandment orders, she warns the crowd that staying can lead to a citation for trespassing or an arrest. For Swarthmore students, consequences could involve interim suspension and worse, she says. “Failing to [leave] will lead to arrest and being placed in interim suspension, that jeopardizes your standing at the college, your ability to return in the fall and you may face expulsion,” Ives says in the video. As police officers walked around her, she told protesters that they will be restrained “for [their] safety and the safety of the officers involved.” Swarthmore Borough Police Chief Raymond Stufflet then gave students 10 minutes to vacate. A second video shows more than 30 police officers entering the encampment, right before 8 a.m. Officers can be seen throwing lawn chairs and pulling down tents and signs, as a small circle of masked protesters sat on the ground, their arms interlocked. At one point, the video shows four officers pulling a protester from the circle and laying the person down on their stomach. Three officers pinned the protester’s arms to the sides, as another officer held their ankles down. They then carried the encampment member away in a horizontal position. Another protester was lying on the ground, surrounded by 11 officers, when one officer put a knee on their back. Another protester yelled “Get the [expletive] off him,” while the crowd chanted, “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” In total nine protesters were arrested, according to a Swarthmore SJP Instagram post. In a statement issued later, Swarthmore College said: ”Many, if not all, of the protestors — both students and nonstudents — were fully masked and tried to remain unidentifiable." Neither the police department nor Swarthmore SJP had responded to requests for comment from The Inquirer at the time of publication. Before the arrests, Ives warned protesters that participants who fail to provide identification documents at the police station may face additional charges and be held overnight. Swarthmore officials told The Inquirer that just one of the arrested is currently a student and that all nine taken into custody are facing misdemeanor trespassing charges. The student will be placed on immediate interim suspension and will not be allowed on campus until the completion of a student conduct process. Last year, Swarthmore became the last standing college protest encampment in the Philadelphia region. Participants ultimately voluntarily ended the encampment. Just after noon Wednesday, Swarthmore students set up an enclosure of signs and tents on Trotter Lawn to protest the ongoing war in Gaza, what they contend is the college’s unwillingness to commit to divesting from entities profiting off the war, and what they say is the college’s lukewarm support for students who are vulnerable to the Trump administration’s aggressive deportations, revoked student visas, and sudden abductions. According to the school statement, the new encampment “drew the attention of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, who urged [Swarthmore College] to bring the encampment to an end as quickly as possible.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Swarthmore SJP (@swarthmoresjp) Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at an encampment at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore saying the protest had drawn scrutiny by federal officials Police arrested nine people on Saturday, including one of the private liberal arts school’s students and a former student, Swarthmore President Val Smith said in a statement Match Recap: Women's Tennis | 5/4/2025 7:00:00 PM Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. 14 Gettysburg (36-5) 0 What: Centennial Conference (CC) softball tournament semifinal When: Saturday THE SKINNY STORY Swarthmore scored a pair of unearned runs in the third inning for the game’s only offense 14 Gettysburg 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2025 Centennial Conference tournament N.J./Verona) had one of the three hits on the day for the Bullets FOR THE FOES • Emily Bertrand had two hits for the Garnet including a two-run single for the game’s only runs We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy Demonstrators occupy a makeshift protest camp at Swarthmore College on April 24 As college campuses enter commencement season the final weeks of the academic year have become a flashpoint for pro-Palestinian protests — and have occurred around the anniversary of several 2024 encampments 15 students have been arrested at demonstrations on campuses from California to New Jersey in scenes that underscore the mounting tensions between student activists university administrators and federal authorities under pressure to respond At Swarthmore College, an elite liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, police dismantled a four-day pro-Palestinian encampment early Saturday morning, arresting nine individuals — including one current and one former student. The remaining seven, according to Swarthmore President Valerie Smith were “not members of the college community.” The encampment, which began Wednesday, included masked individuals who refused to identify themselves, a violation of campus policy. By Thursday, the college said it had discovered that the protesters had vandalized campus property they used to build the encampment “We tried talking with the protestors,” Smith wrote in a campus-wide message “but they refused to engage in any substantive conversation about ending the encampment.” The protest was organized by the suspended chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and included calls for Swarthmore to divest from Cisco Systems which activists allege has ties to Israeli surveillance efforts the FBI had contacted the school and urged it to shut down the encampment — a rare move that signals just how closely federal officials are monitoring campus activism The arrests at Swarthmore were not isolated leader of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University whose attempted deportation was the first of many this spring was organized by the school’s suspended chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine The university’s administration defended its response, noting in a statement that “our greatest responsibility as leaders of this university is to keep our students safe The third campus with arrests related to the Israel-Hamas war was Rutgers University in New Jersey where three students and one unaffiliated individual were detained on April 29 during a protest outside a Hillel-hosted roundtable event featuring Rep A Jewish Democrat and outspoken supporter of Israel Gottheimer is currently running in the Democratic primary for New Jersey governor The protest escalated when a 25-year-old who is not affiliated with the university breached the protest line and resisted arrest, allegedly assaulting an officer in the process. He now faces multiple charges including aggravated assault and inciting a riot At Dartmouth College in New Hampshire on Thursday, around 65 people attended a candlelight vigil at the same spot where a year earlier police had arrested 89 people who had set up a pro-Palestinian encampment the college negotiated with student organizers and no arrests were made The burst of activity comes at a moment of maximum visibility for student activism — and maximum risk for universities long a symbol of academic unity and celebration has become a target for protest in recent years and colleges are now bracing for possible disruptions during graduation ceremonies the final weeks of the school year represent the last chance to make their voices heard before summer break Benyamin Cohen is a senior writer at the Forward and host of our morning briefing, Forwarding the News. He is the author of two books, My Jesus Year and The Einstein Effect. [email protected]@benyamincohenbenyamin_cohen I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward American Jews need independent news they can trust At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S rising antisemitism and polarized discourse This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association Nine protestors were arrested during an anti-Israel demonstration at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania yesterday (Saturday) One current student and one former student were among those arrested The other seven were not students or faculty Swarthmore President Valerie Smith said the school was pressured by the FBI to act in response to the protest “The promotion of the protest on social media drew the attention of law enforcement agencies who urged us to bring the encampment to an end as quickly as possible,” Smith said in a statement Protest organizers' move to bring non-students onto campus for the protest caused concern of the protestors — both students and non-students — were fully masked and tried to remain unidentifiable." The Swarthmore Students for Justice in Palestine chapter posted a video on its Instagram page showing Vice President of Student Affairs Stephanie Ives approaching protesters “This encampment and the actions you’ve been involved in put this community at risk we do not know whom amongst you is a student and who’s not.” Police began arresting protestors after they refused orders to leave the campus Nine students and non-students were arrested by law enforcement at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania on Saturday after they disobeyed orders… Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) occupy a section of Swarthmore College on April 30-May 3 (Protesters’ faces were obfuscated by SJP Nine students and non-students were arrested by law enforcement at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania on Saturday after they disobeyed orders to clear a pro-Hamas encampment which illegally occupied the institution’s Trotter Lawn section of campus Naming the encampment the “Hossam Shabat Liberated Zone,” SJP called on its supporters to “escalate” and establish a “site of colonial resistence” [sic] from which to demand divestment from companies holding economic ties to Israel No sooner had SJP done so than Swarthmore president Val Smith denounced the group for uttering “abhorrent statements celebrating violence and promoting hate” and directed school staff to begin removing lawn furniture SJP had moved to Trotter Lawn to support its occupation of it the Smith College Police Department formally alerted SJP that its members will be trespassed from the area distributing a notice which cited Pennsylvania law as cause for the arrest of the participating demonstrators Developments slowed to a creep over the next three days as Smith refrained from ordering arresting the students to provide them a chance to voluntarily comply with an ultimatum to leave Trotter Lawn by 11p m on Friday after which time they would be detained and charged with a crime faculty and provost Kathleen Howard launched their own diplomatic effort promising students “less severe” disciplinary sanctions in exchange for their abandoning the protest before the ultimatum expired Some SJP members repelled their offers even setting up the following morning’s confrontation with law enforcement officers drawn from eight local departments responded to Swarthmore College’s plea for assistance with restoring order at 7:45 am on Saturday two of whom are students who were given interim suspensions Seven of their classmates received a similar punishment before the demonstration was finally quelled Accusations of police misconduct abounded after the police action but none that can “We tried talking with the protesters, but they refused to engage in any substantive conversation about ending the encampment,” Smith said in a statement issued after the encampment ended “SJP continued to use social media to urge individuals from beyond Swarthmore to come to campus In addition to placing the community at risk the promotion of the protest on social media drew the attention of law enforcement agencies who urged us to bring the encampment to an end as quickly as possible.” “Some believe we acted too quickly and too forcefully; others will feel just as strongly that we waited too long to intervene These divergent views reflect the complexity of a situation in which every path forward was fraught I carry the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of our entire community and I acted with that interest in mind.” SJP issued a volley of statements reviling America “Swarthmore enlisted a fascist brigade to secure a property financed by the commodification of violence,” the group said “This is the logical conclusion of decades of actively financing and profiting off of apartheid The ‘comfort’ that we receive from our scholarships is funded by investments that actively destroy the world around it.” would prevent their being admitted to prestigious higher education institutions in the first place Swarthmore was the recipient of $2.8 million in federal grants in fiscal year 2024 which amounts to “slightly more than 1 percent of its $234 million in revenue for the year.” Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardSwarthmore hands out trespassing notices to pro-Palestinian encampment members and threatens arrestsPresident Valerie Smith wrote a letter strongly condemning the protest encampment Swarthmore College president Valerie Smith has condemned a pro-Palestinian encampment on the school’s campus in a letter to the college community encouraging the group to reconsider its approach “I urge these protesters to pursue a less divisive approach to expressing their views — one that aligns with not just the College’s policies and care that all in our community deserve,” Smith wrote in the Thursday letter the college’s Department of Public Safety had issued trespassing notices to members of the encampment and the Swarthmore chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine group earlier the same day threatening the possibility of citations or arrests “I unequivocally condemn their actions,” Smith wrote in the letter Students began setting up tents and signs in an enclosure on Trotter Lawn on Wednesday afternoon in protest of the ongoing war in Gaza Swarthmore’s investment in entities profiting from it and of what they said is the college’s weak protections for students vulnerable to the Trump administration’s deportation campaign They specifically demanded that Swarthmore divest from Cisco which powers some IT systems on campus and holds contracts with the Israeli government » READ MORE: Swarthmore students renewed their pro-Palestinian protests with a fresh encampment and specific demands she said that the protesters used Swarthmore property to construct the encampment and vandalized it with incendiary graffiti Swarthmore staff members forcibly took back items from the encampment that they identified as Swarthmore property have urged the college to end the encampment as soon as possible Encampment members did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday Smith said she was concerned that the encampment was made up of not just Swarthmore students but also with people unaffiliated with Swarthmore While the Swarthmore SJP chapter called for support from allies outside of the college on social media it is unclear how many people currently staying at the encampment are from outside the Swarthmore community Swarthmore began issuing interim suspensions to “several” students who they were able to identify and who refused to leave the encampment blocking their ability to access campus resources or attend Swarthmore events It is unclear how many students have received interim suspensions “Should they continue to fail to disperse and violate the College’s policies and the law we will have no choice but to escalate our response as we consider all actions to bring the encampment to an end,” Smith said It is unclear how long the members of the current encampment intend to stay on Trotter Lawn Game Recap: Baseball | 5/3/2025 4:30:00 PM | Ernie Larossa - Director of Athletic Communications Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Campus leaders say they found vandalism ‘celebrating violence and promoting hate’ Police arrested nine pro-Palestinian protesters at Swarthmore College and charged them with trespassing over the weekend after they allegedly ignored repeated warnings to leave Leaders of the private, Pennsylvania institution also reported vandalism during the protesters’ encampment on the college lawn Meanwhile, Swarthmore Students for Justice in Palestine, a suspended student organization that led the protest, accused police of brutality in a post Sunday on Instagram Delaware County police … destroyed the encampment and brutalized members of the encampment and kneeling on them,” the group wrote in the Instagram post A video accompanying the post showed one protester calling police “pigs.” In another clip How many kids did you kill today?” and “We will not stop Jihadist encampment at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania was torn apart by police on Saturday and the illegal protest shut down Protesters refused to leave, so they were arrested and physically carried out by police. pic.twitter.com/QxDRfYnCwa — Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) May 4, 2025 Of the nine arrested, one was a student and another was a former student, CBS News reports: Those who were arrested now face misdemeanor trespassing charges [Swarthmore President Valerie] Smith said the two people affiliated with Swarthmore will be put on interim suspension and not allowed on campus until the student conduct process is over I hope it can also serve as an inflection point — a chance to return to the principles that have long defined our community,” Smith wrote in part following the arrests “We can choose to engage across our differences with openness and curiosity to challenge one another’s assumptions with both conviction and respect and foster a more resilient and inclusive future.” … Several of the protesters were fully masked and refused to identify themselves to college staff members violating multiple college policies and posing a safety risk students are prohibited from failing to provide accurate identification when asked by school officials or using tents on campus lawns to form an encampment The policy violations do not relate to the content that the protesters were speaking of Swarthmore officials asked the protesters to disband or they could be placed on interim suspension college officials discovered parts of the campus property had been vandalized In a campus message Smith said the protesters were repeatedly warned about possible arrests and expulsions if they did not leave by 1 a.m and on Thursday staff members recovered College property that protestors had taken to erect a barricade around their tents,” Smith wrote we discovered that some of the property had been vandalized the Big Chair was covered with graffiti containing abhorrent statements celebrating violence and promoting hate and I unequivocally condemned them,” she wrote Smith said seven student protesters received interim suspensions Anti-Israel protesters conducted a similar demonstration at Swarthmore last spring, ending their encampment in late May after nearly a month, The College Fix reported at the time The 2024 protest prompted the college to change the location of its commencement ceremony – the first time it had done so in its 160 year history MORE: Swarthmore College anti-Israel protesters complain about ‘bullhorn’ assault charges IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: Masked protesters sit in a pro-Palestinian encampment on the lawn of Swarthmore College Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We rely on contributions from you, our viewers and listeners to do our work. If you visit us daily or weekly or even just once a month, now is a great time to make your monthly contribution. students at Swarthmore College set up a new protest encampment naming the site the “Hossam Shabat Liberated Zone,” in honor of the 23-year-old Palestinian journalist killed by Israel in Gaza in March Students are demanding Swarthmore “divest from Israeli occupation and declare itself a sanctuary campus.” Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardSwarthmore students renewed their pro-Palestinian protests with a fresh encampment and specific demandsThe protesters demand that Swarthmore divest specifically from Cisco for its ties to the Israeli government Nearly a year after members of Swarthmore College’s pro-Palestinian encampment voluntarily ended the last standing college protest encampment in the Philadelphia region a new group of students has set up another encampment to continue and evolve their cause Swarthmore students set up an enclosure of signs and tents on Trotter Lawn to protest the ongoing war in Gaza what they contend is the college’s unwillingness to commit to divesting from entities profiting off the war and what they say is the college’s lukewarm support for students who are vulnerable to the Trump administration’s aggressive deportations most wearing medical face masks and keffiyehs spent the afternoon between chanting their support for and solidarity with Palestinians buoyed by a drum line and megaphones and the occasional dig at Swarthmore administration and in quieter peer-led political education classes » READ MORE: Swarthmore College’s pro-Palestinian encampment disbands after 4 weeks and stalled negotiations In a letter handed out to the encampment members Wednesday stated that the students were in violation of Swarthmore’s code of conduct for camping on college property without permission Ives also said she was concerned about students collaborating with non-Swarthmore organizations on the protest “This current protest strategy will not result in dialogue with the College about your demands,” she wrote Swarthmore College president Val Smith echoed Ives’ concern about “non-community members” joining in the protest saying in a statement that it has resulted in “unknown and unrecognizable people coming to campus.” “These actions put many of the most vulnerable members of our community at serious risk,” Smith said “In an abundance of caution and for the safety of the community we restricted vehicle access to campus and urged people to avoid the area.” Other demands call for specific ways for the college to materially back students at risk for deportation “We want divestment from Cisco because this is a tech company that is used to surveil Palestinians,” said Ash an encampment spokesperson who declined to give their last name out of privacy concerns but it is the start of a bigger campaign to entirely divest,” said Jamal another encampment spokesperson who also declined to give his last name out of privacy concerns about Swarthmore’s other investments in companies that may be profiting from the war “Gaza is still and will always be our main focus but … our premise is to look out for people that are vulnerable and that are experiencing state violence and we see that as very clearly connected,” Jamal said about their demands to more strongly protect students from deportation » READ MORE: What is divestment? And why do students want it? But the danger they may face has not dimmed their resolve very firmly grounded in knowing what‘s happening and what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people,” he said The college suspended SJP on campus afterward It was unclear how long the encampment protesters planned to remain on Trotter Lawn Ives’ Wednesday letter demanded that the students disperse by 4 p.m. but the students continued to chant and remain in place well past the deadline and were still on Trotter Lawn as of Thursday afternoon Smith said that students were told verbally and in writing to leave Trotter Lawn and that the school is working to issue interim suspensions to students who stayed at the encampment after receiving the warning “We are considering all options to bring this event to a peaceful end,” Smith said Staff writer Susan Snyder contributed to this article Springtime is here, and so is another pro-Palestinian encampment at a local college Per The Phoenix Swarthmore College’s independent student newspaper “Swarthmore’s Students for Justice in Palestine” chapter and its supporters “erected an encampment on Trotter Lawn dubbed the ‘Hossam Shabat Liberated Zone,’ after a university student and journalist from Gaza killed in an airstrike.” Much like last spring, protesters called for the school to divest “from all companies that profit from the Zionist entity’s occupation of historic Palestine,” according to The Phoenix they also demanded that Swarthmore cut ties with specific companies The encampment began on April 30 and continued overnight despite an email from Vice President of Student Affairs Stephanie Ives informing protesters that their occupation of Trotter Lawn violated the school’s Code of Conduct “Encampments on and occupation of any College facilities spaces or grounds is prohibited,” the letter stated Swarthmore altered its code to prohibit encampments on college facilities spaces or grounds and to allow the school to issue interim suspensions to protesters Ives had her email printed and distributed to protesters around 2:15 p.m It warned students that they faced possible interim suspension if they didn’t leave the lawn by 4 p.m An interim suspension “includes the loss of academic privileges and the loss of access to all campus services,” per The Phoenix The vice president of student affairs had another email printed and distributed around 5 p.m “We have heard your demands and do not intend to meet them,” it stated The letter further explained that the college’s goals are to bring the encampment to a peaceful conclusion while issuing interim suspensions to those who refuse to comply and website in this browser for the next time I comment letters of admission were sent to 965 prospective members of Swarthmore’s Class of 2029 Here is the admitted class by the numbers: Twenty-seven percent of the admitted students are among the first generation in their family to attend college and international community-based organizations such as A Better Chance (ABC) Sixty-three percent of the admitted students attend public or charter schools Of the admitted students attending high schools reporting class rank I have the honor of being among the first to meet our exceptional applicants and future Swatties I am humbled by reading their stories and letters of recommendation we begin to understand what these inspiring and tenacious students can accomplish here at Swarthmore,” says Jim Bock '90 vice president and dean of admissions.  the admitted Class of 2029 is full of the qualities we look for in our community — most notably their enthusiasm for learning and intellectual curiosity combined with their civic engagement and creative problem-solving Our whole team in Admissions is eager to welcome them along with transfer students whose applications we will read this spring.” The admitted students represent six continents New York is the most highly represented home state of members in the newly admitted class Rounding out the top 19 with double-digit admits citizens represent 55 countries in the admitted class and 111 students carry dual citizenship with the U.S Engineering is the most popular intended major among the admitted students Swarthmore expects to yield a first-year class of about 425 students Swarthmore Admissions and the entire community look forward to welcoming the incoming class to our campus for Swatstruck this spring and celebrating their arrival in the fall The Communications Office invites all members of the Swarthmore community to share videos, photos, and story ideas for the College's website. Have you seen an alum in the news? Please let us know by writing news@swarthmore.edu Sign up to receive the Philadelphia Baseball Review Newsletter your guide for all things baseball in the City of Brotherly Love The latest news and information from the world's most respected news source BBC World Service delivers up-to-the-minute news Students say they were surprised by the “unprecedented” penalties dealt out by the college following protests in 2023 and 2024 Hundreds marched through Center City on Thursday calling for a permanent ceasefire and demanding local divestment from Israel One plan calls for the deportation of noncitizens who attended pro-Palestinian protests while another says federal money won't be used on the “indoctrination” of children School officials say no sanctions have been implemented against the students as their appeals process is underway They say the school will continue to support students through the process telling WHYY that the suspended student did not receive any information about support if they are suspended and was told they will have to leave campus immediately if the suspension was upheld a constitutional law professor at the University of Pennsylvania said that assault “usually requires putting someone in fear of an imminent unlawful touching” and “just speaking through a bullhorn doesn’t fit that,” but that the school can redefine it for their own purposes He called that a “common tactic” to curtail speech “That’s what they’re doing here,” Roosevelt said “They’re saying this isn’t about the content of the speech They say it’s because it fits into the category of assault though it’s not obvious to me how it does fit into the category of assault.” Swarthmore updated its code of conduct for students following the ’23-’24 school year but school officials say the rules included in the previous version of the handbook were applied WHYY News received copies of both the old and new codes for comparison Sections related to protest and free expression all appear to have been changed the new code specifically prohibits “encampments” and “bullhorns” and prohibits “demonstrations and other forms of protests” from being held in classrooms The code also added “The College places great value on freedom of expression.” “It is absurd that they’re changed to what they are because at this point there is so much ambiguity in the code that they can effectively claim to support free speech while not supporting free speech or rather by selecting which free speech that they give permission to,” MacVeagh said Swarthmore officials say the student handbook is “updated routinely every year” and that the students were “first notified of the alleged charges in May 2024 well before the handbook was updated and the current administration took office.” “The sole purpose of this day is to recognize the longstanding contributions historically socially of Palestinians,” said Jude Husein The new code does make a number of changes that appear to be regular updates including the deletion of a section on COVID and an update to the harassment section to include “doxing” and bullying through social media Even though the charges were issued months before President Donald Trump won the election, some of the students believe that Swarthmore is capitulating to a forceful Trump administration that is investigating the school — among many others — for “antisemitism,” which the White House sees the protests as being part of “The stated values of the college are secondary to whatever political pressure they may be under at the moment,” MacVeagh said “Which is to say that they’re not very important at all.” who said that the time honored American tradition of college protest is under assault “I think this is a very troubling time for free speech and I think that the government is showing hostility towards free speech,” he said “And I think that private institutions like universities are reacting to that because they’re subject to governmental pressure There are supposed to be limits on the kinds of conditions they can put on private institutions but it doesn’t look as though the current administration cares very much about those limits.” The college administration contends that it’s still a safe place to practice free expression “These incidents represent only a fraction of the dozens of protests and other activities that took place during that time period since the start of the war in the Middle East,” they said in the statement the overwhelming number of students who participated in the vast majority of protest-related activities did so freely and without incident underscoring Swarthmore’s support for individuals’ rights to express their views and engage in peaceful protest and dissent.” EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been edited to clarify that only one student was suspended by the school and for clarity about how students would be disciplined under Swarthmore’s code of conduct that existed at the time of the protests It’s also been updated to correct references to Swarthmore as a college The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. Education stories from across the Keystone State including District Superintendent Steven Yanni have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by an external law firm the city school district and Esperanza College aims to address the shortage of health care workers The CCP announcement came after former president Donald General’s contract wasn’t renewed Carmen Munir Russell-Sluchansky is WHYY News' multiplatform reporter Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY A preliminary report will be ready within 30 days A crew at the site of a small plane crash in Copake The death toll rose to seven Saturday with officials reporting 22 others injured as cleanup continues at the site of the crash near Roosevelt Mall A private plane crashed in upstate New York over the weekend Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting that the aircraft “has an open door First responders arrived to an overturned single-engine plane Monday morning on Old Easton Road in Bucks County Cory Sharber is a general assignment reporter for WHYY News Spring at Swarthmore is the most vibrant time of year; as the weather brightens and the arboretum campus blooms into its full beauty Enjoy some highlights from spring traditions like the Crum Regatta Students in Visiting Assistant Professor Mariel Capanna's Painting I class sit under blooming cherry blossoms Chef April’s Famous Carrot Cake Cookie was the runaway winner in the first annual cookie voting challenge sponsored by the Get Out the Vote (GOTV) committee Lunch Hour Concert featuring (from left): Kaito Stohr Student entrepreneurs pitched their products to a panel of judges in the SwatTank finals The Crum Regatta is a long-held tradition at Swarthmore in which current students design crafts to race down a section of the Crum Creek Crum Regatta participants pose with Commodore Jim Bock '90 Student musicians competed in the Battle of the Bands held in Olde Club the McCabe Mile race features 18 laps (or 1 mile) around the basement stacks of the library The winner receives a roll of Scott toilet paper The Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program (S3P) is one of several College programs designed to support a diverse Swarthmore has been awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for the eighth year in a row. The HEED Award is the only national award honoring U.S colleges and universities for their outstanding commitments to diversity The award is granted by Insight Into Diversity magazine the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. Insight Into Diversity evaluates colleges and universities for their on-campus initiatives and hiring practices for faculty and staff The College’s DEI efforts have expanded with the hiring of its first Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion S. Brooke Vick The College’s emerging DEI priorities include: “Receiving the HEED award for the eighth year in a row is an impressive accomplishment that demonstrates the longevity and consistency of Swarthore's commitment to best practices that support a diverse and cultural norms that form the foundation of this work at Swarthmore are no accident rather they are part of an intentional effort to live into our mission And although it is our responsibility to always pay attention to and address those community goals of equity and belonging that we have yet to meet for every member of our community it is important to celebrate in moments like these We should enjoy celebrating the hard-won progress we've made and those students and faculty who have worked hard to bring these changes into fruition and let that recognition motivate us to energetically advance the work that lies ahead of us.” Swarthmore welcomes back renowned jazz musician and former Visiting Cornell Professor Hans Lüdemann to perform Collisione Mondiale: Songs from Inner and Outer Space  as part of the Cooper Series. Lüdemann’s group Atlantic 7 brings together musicians of different disciplines from all around the world who will be performing a concert in the Lang Concert Hall on March 1 at 8 PM He will also be holding a vocal and piano workshop on Wednesday and a drums and percussion workshop with balafon master Aly Keïta and drummer Christian Thomé on Friday Lüdemann will play a solo piano Lunch Hour Concert in Parrish Parlor at 12:30 PM on Monday Hans Lüdemann is a long-time friend of the Swarthmore community who has held visiting professorships twice before at the College he has put together a world premier concert exclusively created for Swarthmore His collaborations with musicians from different backgrounds has resulted in a unique blend of African and European influences in his work that pushes the boundaries of jazz and classical music The culmination of Lüdemann’s visit is the concert scheduled on March 1 It will feature Lüdemann performing alongside his band Atlantic 7 The group features American violinist Mark Feldman The ensemble also includes African balafon master Aly Keïta and Ukrainian singer Tamara Lukesheva — a mixed group specially put together for the occasion “A highlight of this concert is the incredibly wide range of musical traditions and influences that have shaped our performance,”  Lüdemann noted “These are all world class performers who have performed in many different countries and have brought their style of music to new heights.” The selection of works curated for Collisione Mondiale reflects this blend of ideas with pieces ranging from sections of an opera written by Lüdemann to rhythmic and percussive jazz performances “I see my music as being a reflection of the time,”Lüdemann said “It both captures the anxieties of difficulties we go through and the joys of experiences in the world not just traditional jazz.” The concert is about taking modern jazz to places that it has yet to go Lüdemann and his ensemble hope to bring students to a new “outer space.” Lüdemann’s creative and inclusive style of performance and composition is exemplified in his approach to incorporating different influences in his work and teaching classical influences from my background in European music improvisational components from jazz,” he mused Lüdemann reflected on how it felt to be back at Swarthmore “I love being in touch with the Swarthmore students,” he said “My memories of being here are very positive and I think it was a great time learning and teaching while I was here.” He noted the stimulating atmosphere that students cultivated during that time if not more than the students,” he laughed “and it’s made me want to come back and work with them again.” Lüdemann was on campus in October for class visits in preparation for this event “When I came it was so much fun to be in class and get into great discussions with these students,” he said “I will be greatly looking forward to next week since I will also be doing some class visits to the German class the most special part of these engagements is the remarkable dialogue he’s able to have with students Director of the Swarthmore College Jazz Ensemble invited him to join a Jazz Ensemble rehearsal Lüdemamn brought with him his original piece “Three Characters” “[‘Three Characters’] involves collective improvisation and collective interplay in the band,” Lüdemann said “It’s a little outside the standard big band jazz repertoire which I’m sure the students will find interesting to engage with.” Hans Lüdemann & Atlantic 7 premiere Collisione Mondiale: Songs from Inner and Outer Space March 1 at 8 PM in the Lang Music Concert Hall The event is free and open to the public.  A small Palestinian flag lays on the ground near a tent on Parrish Beach by Clothier Hall at Swarthmore College (Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) PHILADELPHIA — Nine people — including one student — were arrested early Saturday morning on the campus of Swarthmore College as police disbanded a recently formed pro-Palestinian encampment Vice President of Student Affairs Stephanie Ives entered Trotter Lawn warning the Swarthmore chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine to peacefully end the .. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Have the latest food and drink articles delivered to your inbox every Thursday Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates Sign up today to receive email newsletters of local daily obituaries Get the Register Star and Daily Mail E-edition delivered directly to your inbox Have the latest local news delivered every morning so you don't miss out on updates Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Be Well at Swarthmore supports holistic well-being for each individual with programs and collaborations across the College Be Well at Swarthmore recognizes wellness as a lifelong and multi-dimensional process that is personal and cultural There is no “one size fits all” approach to being well Through programming that supports the development of eight interrelated domains of well-being Be Well offers a positive and affirming perspective on wellness that recognizes our strengths and encourages us to invest in our collective resources Emotional well-being involves recognizing and constructively expressing your full range of emotions.  Physical well-being involves actively supporting your health through recognizing your body’s physical needs and abilities and sustainable choices to meet those needs Social well-being involves understanding yourself and others with empathy Cultural well-being involves developing an awareness of your own cultural background and identities alongside an appreciation and respect for other cultures Be Well at Swarthmore supports holistic well-being for each individual Spiritual well-being involves reflecting on life's meaning and purpose; it encourages us to feel at home in the universe with gratitude for what is good and the resilience to face and change what is not Financial well-being involves developing the skills and knowledge necessary for sound financial planning Environmental well-being involves developing a positive relationship with your natural and built environments from your local community to the planet as a whole Occupational well-being involves pursuing a fulfilling professional calling where you can use your unique skills to positively impact while maintaining a work-life balance To provide feedback or make recommendations Send an email to Be Well500 College AvenueSwarthmore The List GalleryLang Performing Arts Center500 College Ave.Swarthmore The List Gallery is pleased to present Donald E a solo exhibition of works by the noted artist This survey brings together photographs spanning nearly four decades that highlight Camp’s experimental printing processes and career-long commitment honoring the specific character of his subjects Curated by Associate Curator Tess Wei, Faces features a selection from Dust Shaped Hearts Camp’s ongoing series of large- and medium-scale photographic portraits made with casein and earth pigments New faces in this series will be on view to the public for the first time and demonstrate the artist's recent experiments with digital photographic negatives non-figurative work will also be on display Camp will lecture about his work on Thursday March 20 at 4:30 PM in the Lang Performing Arts Center Cinema List Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Sundays Gallery admission and events are free and open to the public Camp’s exhibition and an accompanying catalog were made possible by the List Gallery Donor’s Fund Pennsylvania and began his career as a photojournalist in 1972 Camp has been attuned to the dissemination of negative stereotypes published in the media particularly headshots and cartoon caricatures of Black men Inspired to combat the divisive images and other forms of bigoted discourse Camp left his career as a photojournalist to study at Tyler School of Art where he earned a BFA in 1987 and an MFA in 1989 Camp began his signature series, Dust Shaped Hearts such as Brother Who Taught Me to See – Mr reflect his initial focus on the importance of intimate portraits of Black men Such images honor significant figures in his life such as Woman Who Sees Form and Color – Ms Barbara Bullock and Woman Who Cooks – Chef Leah Chase Camp portrays women who have influenced his personal and creative life Camp developed his signature printing method by incorporating elements of an early 19th century process involving casein and earth pigments and scrubs the surfaces of his prints with these materials and builds his images through repeated light exposures The resulting images appear both emergent and weathered Camp intentionally creates unique images rather than photographic multiples in order to honor the distinct qualities or essence of his subjects Prior to pursuing his BFA and MFA at Tyler School of Art Camp worked as a photojournalist for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin and was a founding member of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (ABJ) Camp’s work has been exhibited at distinguished institutions in the Philadelphia region and the Philadelphia International Airport His works have also been exhibited at  the Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington and the University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor He is Professor Emeritus at Ursinus College where he was Artist-In-Residence for more than a decade He is the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards from distinguished organizations including the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Camp currently lives and works in Philadelphia President Valerie Smith shared the following message with the campus community on March 6 I write with the sad news that former vice president for finance and treasurer Suzanne Painter Welsh died peacefully on Friday and high standards served as a model for many who encountered her She is remembered for the deep knowledge and care that she dedicated to the College and its mission for more than 30 years.  her husband of 45 years; children Emily Gottenborg (Drew) and Joseph Welsh (Rachel); and 10 grandchildren A reception will follow on campus at Clothier Memorial Hall in Upper Tarble from noon to 3 p.m and in recognition of Sue’s passions for Swarthmore and Philadelphia the family welcomes donations to a charity of your choice in her honor I invite you to read more below about Sue and her many contributions to our community.  In Honor of Former Vice President Suzanne P Former vice president for finance and treasurer Suzanne P the Swarthmore community has lost one of its most trusted and dedicated stewards.  “Sue played a pivotal role in advancing the vitality and growth of the College,” says Chair of the Board of Managers Koof Kalkstein ’78 “She very ably managed the College’s finances she guided the College as it increased the resources devoted to infrastructure and financial aid and to curricular development as well as faculty compensation And those who had the privilege of working with Sue can attest to her personal warmth and commitment to the College.” “There are really no words to express the incredible respect and admiration I have for Sue,” says Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness Robin Shores who worked closely with Welsh for 11 years prior to her retirement ‘What would Sue do?’ The answer is usually something about having a good perspective “Sue also was one of the most personable and kindest people I encountered when I first came onto the Board,” says Emerita Manager Rhonda Resnick Cohen ’76 “No matter how serious a situation or how much work was on her plate she never appeared stressed and never lost her cool.” where she worked on the school newspaper and was valedictorian of her class She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with high honors from the University of Delaware with a B.A in accounting before earning an MBA with a concentration in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  Welsh spent six years in corporate finance and accounting including as a senior financial analyst for Du Pont Co. before coming to Swarthmore in 1983 after responding to a chance sighting of an ad for a part-time position added vice president for finance to her title and giving people I’ve ever known,” says Manager Tom Spock ’78 hired Welsh when he served as the College’s vice president for business and finance “We were just so lucky to have her as a leader Welsh steered the College through the Great Recession during which the College’s endowment experienced an almost 30 percent drop amid a global financial crisis the College still maintained its financial aid commitments and protected the endowment for the future.  Welsh rose to the position of vice president after responding to an ad for a part-time position and ultimately served the College for more than 30 years Sue kept all the plates spinning like a magician,” Spock says. How fitting that an award in her name is given biannually to an “outstanding” College staff member The Suzanne P. Welsh Award was established in 2011 and recognizes the essential role that all staff members play in the success of the College and in the lives of Swarthmore students.  “Sue was the consummate professional,” says Emerita Manager Jane Lang ’67 and responded thoughtfully to questions from the simplest to the most sophisticated To read the criteria for the award — integrity and excellence — is to appreciate the quintessential qualities that Sue brought to the table.”  Welsh also helped steward the William Penn Foundation and served on the Pension Managers Advisory Committee to the New York Stock Exchange Board of Directors she also served on the College’s Investment Committee and the board of the Foundation for Delaware County and chaired the investment committee and served on the board of the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and steady hand at Swarthmore,” says longtime Manager Salem Shuchman ’84 “She approached conversations with students and Board members equally with respect and patience She just contributed so much to our community.”  Amid escalating tensions on the campus of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania six students have been suspended without due process for setting up a pro-Palestinian encampment Swarthmore’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) said in a statement on Friday that the students were told to evacuate from campus “This is part of a disturbing trend of Swarthmore exploiting the vulnerabilities of student protesters on the basis of racialized discrimination,” it added The students on interim suspension are banned from attending college events or stepping foot on campus this is the first time the college has suspended students for protesting since at least the 1960s claimed in a statement on Thursday the suspended students had vandalized campus property “Should they continue to fail to disperse and violate the college’s policies and the law we will have no choice but to escalate our response as we consider all actions to bring the encampment to an end.” The suspended students had ignored repeated requests to vacate Trotter Lawn the remaining students and SJP members said that they plan to continue the protest at their encampment “These repudiations are inconsequential when we remember what we are here for: the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people who have been martyred and displaced yet continue to resist in the face of genocidal violence,” they said The college is one of scores of US higher education institutes that are under investigation by the Trump administration for budget cuts for pro-Palestine activism Despite the punitive measures applied by the Trump administration pro-Palestinian protesting students have set up fresh encampments at a number of US colleges and universities this spring in a revival of last year’s pro-Palestinian movement in opposition to the Israeli regime’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip Yale University witnessed a crackdown on hundreds of student protesters who set up an encampment leading to the dispersal of the protest within days and the arrest of 44 students some of whom now face disciplinary action from the university Tulane University has initiated disciplinary measures including potential suspension or expulsion against seven students who attended an off-campus protest in New Orleans a pro-Palestinian former Columbia University student and protest organizer facing deportation from the United States the Trump administration has been clamping down on students who show support and take part in pro-Palestinian protests Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses: www.presstv.co.uk Click the "share" button in the bottom bar the first few days at Swarthmore have been “a whirlwind of new faces and locations and emotions.” “I’m really enjoying this time in Orientation to build social connections before I get thrown into the academic part of college which I'm also enthusiastic about,” says Halajian an Emmy-award winning and Grammy-nominated member of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City “It's been so rewarding to find moments of connection with others over the smallest things like our potential future careers,” she adds “I hope the Swarthmore experience continues to be friendly and invigorating in addition to challenging and enriching.” which began its 156th year of instruction on Sept welcomed 427 first-year students and three exchange students to campus last week The students were selected from one of the most diverse applicant pools in the College’s history “I am excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to campus with great joy as the 2024 admissions cycle was one of the most transformative in recent years,” says Jim Bock ’90 “Between FAFSA delays and the Supreme Court’s decision on race-conscious admissions our team alongside the Financial Aid Office came up against new and often difficult challenges,” he adds and ingenuity of my colleagues to bring us to this point.” The first-years quickly got to know one another last week they took part in communal ice-breaker activities near the Dining Center before bidding farewell to loved ones Orientation activities included a community BBQ and the new students also were able to experience beloved Swarthmore traditions such as First Collection and the Scott Arboretum’s plant giveaway “Orientation is always an exciting time where the whole campus comes together to welcome in our new students,” says Rebecca Weintraub-Barth we were excited to also provide them journaling opportunities to actively engage with the materials shared during Orientation And there were plenty of other opportunities to have some fun and learn a lot about the place they now call home!” Among the first to meet the Class of 2028 were the student orientation leaders who gave their newest classmates high marks “The group was incredibly excited and willing to participate in activities and just so ready to meet their classmates that they will get to spend time with for the next four years,” says Caroline Hill ’27 “The small group I worked with was so loving and supportive and always down to laugh Members of the incoming class represent 43 states as well as the District of Columbia and Guam International students were among the first on campus. They began an earlier Orientation program in late August led by Jennifer Marks-Gold, assistant dean and director of International Student Programs, and leaders from the International Student Center Their excitement abounded across the five days of programming which included an “Engaging the Crum” session led by Betsy Bolton Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of English Literature “The Class of 2028 reciprocated our welcome with even more warmth and enthusiasm than we could have imagined and were so proactive in immersing themselves in Swat life,” says Andrea Cheah ’27 of Singapore who helped lead the International Student Orientation I’m reminded of why I keep coming back each year,” adds Panhavoan Reth ’25 a linguistics and languages major from Long Beach three-time International Orientation leader and former i20 International Student Club president Also getting an early jump were many of the College’s student-athletes Practices and training began in earnest in mid-August “We are excited to welcome this year's talented class,” says Brad Koch “Our Athletics faculty continue to do a remarkable job recruiting and finding student-athletes that are a great fit for the college and our community And our administration is ready to help our new and returning students meet their health and wellness goals!” The first members of the class to arrive were the 16 participants of the Summer Scholars Program (S3P) who began a full academic-immersion experience at the end of July associate professor of physics and director of the S3P as this summer marked the return to a fully residential program after several years of hybrid programs following the start of the pandemic “It was exhilarating to work with the S3P Class of 2028 cohort as they began their Swarthmore journey,” Geller says “They brought thoughtfulness and energy and joy to their interactions with each other and with the S3P instructors and I'm thrilled to see them joining the Swarthmore community.” The College continued its outreach to diverse student populations and strengthened its partnerships with national and local community-based organizations during the recruitment cycle. In accordance with the aforementioned Supreme Court ruling Admissions decisions were made through race status-neutral policies and procedures Swarthmore’s holistic admissions process considers individuals’ lived experience and its student body represents people from all walks of life Fifty-two percent of this year’s enrolling domestic students are students of color 27% of this year’s class are the first generation in their family to attend college “I am proud that the work of building and fostering a diverse community at Swarthmore does not fall solely on the shoulders of Admissions but is the shared mission of our whole institution,” says Bock “And that’s what we will continue to do — lean into our mission.” The incoming students are “some of the most enthusiastic, caring, and bright ever to join our community,” Bock adds. They include a national debate champion, Kentucky’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate the Class of 2028 reflects Swarthmore’s zeal for interdisciplinary and wide-ranging study Among the most popular anticipated majors are engineering “I hope the Class of 2028 is looking forward to getting to know our community and embarking on this new stage of their intellectual journey,” says Krista Thomason “It's fun to watch as the first-years see Swarthmore with fresh eyes,” she adds “It helps those of us who have been here for a while to see it anew.” First Collection marks the official beginning of every student's Swarthmore journey and is unlike any other tradition at the College The List Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of recent mixed-media sculptures and a new site specific installation by Mami Kato The exhibition will take place January 23—February 23 Kato will give a gallery talk together with Director of the Swarthmore College Art Collection and List Gallery Curator Andrea Packard The opening reception will follow from 5:00–7:00 PM Gallery hours are: Tuesdays through Sundays The exhibition has been funded in part through the generous support of Joan Gordon Japan and grew up observing the work practices and growth cycles taking place in the rice fields near her home Observing organic forms and learning about broader scientific principles remains essential to her aesthetic She frequently uses materials that are connected to her heritage and daily life she creates composite forms that reflect malleability and dynamism in nature Kato's List Gallery exhibition features several of her large-scale sculptures which is five feet in diameter. To create these works and a smaller wall-mounted piece, Uro #2 [Foxtail] (2020), Kato creates structures using wood and linen and then covers them with bundles of Japanese rice straw and warm-brown textures animate her forms and emphasize their dynamism A site-specific installation in the rear room of the List Gallery explores some of the other aesthetic and expressive possibilities of jute fiber Rather than untwining and bundling the jute string into stalks or covering an underlying armature Kato explores the tensile properties of the fibers: stretching them into semi-transparent structures reconfiguring them in response to the surrounding architecture and allowing friction and gravity to guide her creative process Such investigations reflect her ongoing engagement with the principles of physics and Buddhist practices including observant mindfulness and the acceptance of change In contrast to the open-ended structure of her installation, Quarantine Houses (2024) conveys a personal and social narrative shortly after Philadelphia imposed a mandatory quarantine in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while commuting by bicycle to her studio in Northern Liberties she was impressed by the continuing vitality of spring plants blooming in small city plots; at the same time she also noticed how people isolating in their homes were less connected to nature and their lives seemed more fragile and obscured Kato began a sculptural form of journaling: She searched for and picked a small plant sprig during her daily commute then folded rice paper into the shape of a four-inch-long house that could preserve the plant. Quarantine Houses features more than 40 such houses placed side-by side on a ten-foot-wide she calls attention to their shadowy contents and poignancy.  Kato's exhibition explores the expressive possibilities of materials collected through other daily practices she created the undulating stem of Egg Flower (2017) by joining the convex portions of eggshells saved from her own kitchen The stem curves downward from the wall before bending up toward the viewer and forming a bloom created with concave shell fragments the edges form tessellations reminiscent of honeycombs. Other egg-formed pieces incorporate lace-like structures that evoke both biological forms and mathematical principles Some of Kato's most intimate works on exhibit She begins these nuanced works by sketching her subject she places transparent rice paper on top of her sketch she wets the rice paper and uses needles to gently loosen and rearrange the fibers until they echo the design of her underlying sketch She completes the works by brushing on delicate layers of gouache paint Whether working on an intimate scale using tiny needles or creating a towering sculpture not commercial production or self-promotion In his introduction to the catalog for Hurwitz/Kato Martin Puryear observed that Kato works in a near-meditative state of quiet solitude and she focuses on the act of making "Kato's name is not nearly as well-known as it deserves to be." Nearly five years later we hope to highlight the importance of her remarkable and wide-ranging practice She studied painting for three years at Musashino Arts University Tokyo before studying sculpture at Tokyo School of Art  (1982-1985) She also studied sculpture at the Philadelphia College of Art where she received a BFA in sculpture in 1987 after working and exhibiting for several years in Tokyo Kato has presented her work at numerous venues abroad including solo exhibitions at Ai Gallery and Shibuya Tokyu She has also exhibited internationally at Sarah Myerscough Gallery London and the Wutong Art Museum in Shanghai Her participation in major art fairs includes Design Miami (2022 and 2021) and Expo Chicago (2020) her recent exhibitions include Kato/Hurwitz Michael Hurwitz (2019). Her work was featured in PAD London 200 Years of Japanese Art, at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts in Kalamazoo MI (2023); and Panta Rhei: Everything Flows, at Ippodo Gallery NY (2023). Kato received a fellowship from the Center for Emerging Visual Artist (2011-2012) she is represented by Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia The newest recipients of the Eugene M. Lang Opportunity Scholarship (LOS) four Swarthmore sophomores will embark on an array of projects around the world collaborating with partners to effect change A signature program of the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility LOS supports innovative efforts of students working on issues of social concern in deep consultation with community members “We're thrilled to be working with the LOS Class of 2027," says Ben Berger executive director of the Lang Center and associate professor of political science "They aim to link their academics with action both locally and abroad and the Lang Center is here to support them every step of the way." “From removing lead in drinking water in Chester and supporting adolescents through narrative interventions in Philadelphia and from mentoring undocumented students on the path to higher education and  creating community among teachers in Britain and recent arrivals from Hong Kong,” he adds “our students will work with community partners in the US and abroad to design and sustain Lang Projects.” “This new cohort of Lang Scholars will dedicate years of their lives to communities with whom they are deeply connected, and work together to create lasting social impact," says Jennifer Magee implementation & assessment at the Lang Center “they will identify upstream causes and downstream effects of pressing societal problems and engage in systems thinking for social change I am honored and humbled to support these inspiring students through it all.” the students shed light on their upcoming projects as well as the opportunity presented to them as Lang Opportunity Scholars Through data collection and community education regarding lead contamination Crill's proposed project aims to fill existing gaps in data and knowledge helping promote community health in Chester Pa. “There is an unprecedented amount of funding to remove lead from drinking water and disconnects between funding and those who need it put everyone but especially environmental justice communities like Chester Conversations about community resilience in Chester emphasize empowering younger generations is especially detrimental to children’s development what it means to engage in community-oriented a learned responsibility I hope to carry throughout my future scientific career There is insufficient awareness about toxic contamination in Chester so I hope my project produces something tangibly impactful that helps community members advocate for themselves and take advantage of existing resources.” will consist of a series of Philly-area illness narrative workshops which will support adolescent patients in writing their stories in the wake of medical trauma These workshops could lead to the development of a curriculum to contribute to the growing conversation around the role of the humanities in health care. “Serious illnesses are transformational — oftentimes deeply destabilizing — life events which force a reconceptualization of our identities and place in the world around us narrative construction presents itself as an effective intervention with the potential to serve as a sense-making and empowering tool “As I celebrate the fifth anniversary of a stroke that I survived in early adolescence I am just so grateful for this opportunity to support other young people in the work of recovery I am eager to dive into this exploration of the role of storytelling in the health care setting and honored to be joining the incredible community of Lang Scholars Ennes' project aims to establish a mentorship program for undocumented high schoolers with the intention of helping them achieve higher education he seeks to create a peer-to-peer support network for individuals whose existence is deemed illegal by the government “Immigration has been a fervent topic in the United States for many years now and caught in the crossfire of this ideological war lie undocumented dreamers undocumented students face unfair challenges that limit their opportunities for social mobility “Becoming a Lang Opportunity Scholar means committing myself to building a more equitable and fair society for all My goal with this project is to offer a light of hope to a marginalized community whose future and value is unjustly dictated by their lack of a piece of paper.” Kwok’s intended project seeks to create space for constructive dialogue between local teachers and recent arrivals from Hong Kong and engage teachers as scholar-practitioners in the creation and curation of resources to support the continuing development of thoughtful and culturally sustaining pedagogical practices. “Since the launch of a bespoke visa program for Hong Kong British nationals (overseas) in 2021 has seen an unprecedented wave of immigration from Hong Kong schools across the country are welcoming increasing numbers of new immigrant students who face unique and varied socio-emotional and academic challenges within and beyond the classroom “Being a Lang Scholar is both a daunting responsibility and a door-opening opportunity which will provide me with unparalleled support in actively grounding my Swarthmore coursework in the context of topical issues at home I am incredibly grateful to all my professors and family members who have already been thinking critically with me about these connections I hope to explore ways to better the school experiences of Hong Kong immigrant students and families by contributing to the development of more thoughtful and culturally aware teaching practices among educators in and around my local area." nine Swarthmore faculty members begin tenure-track appointments three of whom previously served as visiting assistant professors and one faculty member embarks on a distinguished faculty appointment the College will welcome another faculty member to begin their tenure-track appointment Faculty members receiving tenure-track appointments: Biologist Marisa Egan specializes in microbiology and her research focuses on microbial interactions and their implications for human health and disease Egan is teaching Cellular and Molecular Biology Egan has been recognized with a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and an American Society of Microbiology Award she served as a Penn-Postdoctoral Opportunities in Research and Teaching Fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in cellular and microbiology from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine "I look forward to being part of the Biology Department mentoring and teaching students in both the classroom and the laboratory environments I am also eager to work together with the collaborative team of teachers and scientists here at Swarthmore to support the exceptional student-centered education and liberal arts curriculum." Youssef Ezzyat is a psychologist specializing in the mechanisms of memory and learning focusing on neural dynamics in the human brain His interdisciplinary background combines insights from engineering and neuroscience and informs his research on cognitive processes he is teaching a seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience Ezzyat was previously an assistant professor of psychology at Wesleyan University He served as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Swarthmore College from 2018 to 2020 and as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Ezzyat’s research has been published in publications such as the Journal of Neuroscience in psychology from New York University and his B.S.E in electrical engineering from Princeton University I look forward to teaching and research with our wonderful students and to building connections with colleagues across the community." Mitchell is a historian who focuses on the early modern Black Atlantic examining the social and political histories of embodiment she is teaching Healing in the Black Atlantic she will be teaching Black Atlantic History 1: Slavery and Revolutions and the first-year seminar History Mitchell previously served as a visiting scholar at The McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the History Department at Princeton University an American Council of Learned Societies Fellow and has two books currently in the works; Morbid Geographies: Enslavement and Embodiment in the Early Modern Atlantic World as well as Remedies and Relations: Medicine and MPhil in history from New York University and a B.A in history from the University of Pennsylvania "I am delighted and honored to join the Swarthmore College community I look forward to teaching Swarthmore’s brilliant and passionate students more about the vibrant history of Black life in the Americas and the digital humanities." Shaoyang Ning is a statistician whose research focuses on the development of statistical methods for integrative data analysis Ning’s research involves applying statistical methods to real-world problems with big data Examples of the applications of his work include tracking flu activities and predicting cancer-targeting drugs His work has been published in several journals including the Journal of the American Statistical Association and Annals of Applied Statistics Ning was an assistant professor of statistics at Williams College; a visiting scholar at the University of California Berkeley; a College Fellow in statistics at Harvard University; and a research assistant at Harvard at Peking University in his home city of Beijing “I’m thrilled to join the Swarthmore community I look forward to engaging with students in statistics classes and working with them on projects that integrate big data from various sources and resolutions to address real-life problems." Carolyn Raithel is a theoretical and computational astrophysicist Her research interests include neutron stars She is teaching Introductory Mechanics this fall Raithel held a joint postdoctoral fellowship at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science and the Princeton Gravity Initiative Bahcall Fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Arizona and her B.A Her research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Physical Review Letters and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society "I look forward to teaching and interacting with a wide range of students here and to building a vibrant computational astrophysics research program together." Faculty members who previously held visiting assistant professor roles receiving tenure-track appointments: John Bundschuh is a scholar of Japanese language focusing on the relationship between language and culture His research explores narrative structure and grammatical expression in early Japanese translations of Chinese Buddhist sutras he is teaching Writing Systems of East Asia in linguistics and Asian studies and his M.A in Japanese Linguistics from The Ohio State University Bundschuh recently had a chapter published in the Routledge Handbook of East Asian Translation called "Japanese Vernacular Glossing of Sinitic Buddhist Texts: 9th-Century Narrative Techniques and a Vivid Translation of a Parable of Self-Sacrifice.” He is currently working on a book project on the connection between grammatical tense and narrative structure in classical Japanese translations of Chinese Buddhist texts as well as working with Swarthmore research assistants on an ongoing project comparing those structures in Sanskrit and both modern and classical Japanese renditions of these texts "After teaching at Swarthmore for three years as a visiting professor it is an honor to have the opportunity to continue working with such wonderful students and colleagues I look forward to building more connections with the next generation of scholars of the languages Roseann Liu is a scholar and author whose research focuses on race, educational inequality, and social justice. This fall, Liu is teaching Urban Education as well as the Colleges’ first-ever Introduction to Asian American Studies course. The intro course, presented by the Tri-College Asian American Studies Program builds on the organizing work of alumni who led a student-run course in Fall 2018 “In the range of ways I work with students I aim to orient them to course content by helping them make personal connections disorient them by challenging their preconceived notions and reorient them by helping them create new frameworks for understanding." Liu was previously an assistant professor at Wesleyan University She first joined Swarthmore as a visiting assistant professor of educational studies and she says that she loves teaching at a place that cares about teaching Liu is the recipient of fellowships and grants from the National Academy of Education in early childhood and elementary education from New York University in education leadership and policy from Teachers College in anthropology and education from the University of Pennsylvania Liu was a policy and program evaluation researcher and a NYC public school teacher Her 2024 book Designed to Fail: Why Racial Equity in School Funding Is So Hard to Achieve exposes school funding inequities and is emblematic of her research in its commitments to equity and public engagement with a background in Africana studies and theatre arts His professional career in theater includes collaborations on and off Broadway as well as in regional theaters across the United States This semester Sandy will be teaching two sections of Acting One: Play Sandy joined Swarthmore for the 2023-24 academic year as a visiting assistant professor he was a visiting assistant professor of theater and dance at Amherst College and acting company member and director at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence He co-founded the Denizen Arts Project in 2016 focusing on African diaspora and LGBTQ+-informed performances in Africana studies with an emphasis in theatre arts from Brown University and completed his M.F.A at the Brown/Trinity Rep Graduate Programs in acting and directing His recent work includes Walk The (pink) Elephant a dance-theater ritual addressing the legacies of HIV/AIDS in Black and queer communities illuminated by my students and fellow educators in our shared and unending and sometimes contentious examination of what it means to cultivate courageous citizenship — whatever our field of endeavor — and what it means to be vigorous in our learning and creating to engage and even embrace one another right at the heart of our differences of background or interest or conviction That pursuit is simultaneously fervent and cooperative at Swarthmore in ways unlike anywhere else I’ve experienced and it’s especially true of my colleagues and students in the Department of Theater And that commitment we fulfill together here is not always comfortable but I find it profoundly exciting and enriching Faculty member receiving a distinguished faculty position: McGeever’s work has been published in several journals and Quest: Issues in Contemporary Jewish History.From the University of Glasgow McGeever received his MA in sociology and politics a post-graduate diploma in Russian language Faculty member receiving tenure-track appointment in January 2025: Sintana Vergara is an environmental engineer specializing in waste management specifically the climate implications of managing our waste in alternative ways Her research focuses on developing methods for composting and life cycle assessments to promote sustainable resource management Vergara has served as an associate professor of environmental resources and engineering at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt; worked with the World Bank’s Urban Development Unit to improve solid waste management practices in cities worldwide Vergara's work has been published in journals including Environmental Research Letters an MS in civil and environmental engineering in addition to a BS in biological and environmental engineering from Cornell University Lab Orchestra director Andrew Hauze ‘04 remarked “Peter and the Wolf was such an important part of my own childhood and so I'm particularly looking forward to everyone being able to see and hear the instruments live in the beauty of Lang Concert Hall." helped create a Peter and the Wolf coloring book earlier this year and children from all over Delaware and Montgomery Counties submitted colored pages which will be projected during the performance “It's such a fun piece with a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its catchy and fun melodies,” Kielor remarked The story features a large cast of characters—Peter and the hunters—each of whom is represented by a different instrument in the orchestra Kids will be able to identify which instruments represent which characters by the different colored shirts worn by each member of the orchestra “I loved working on such a theatrical piece this semester—I’m so excited for the kids that get to experience it for the first time!” commented principal second violinist Joey Driscoll ‘26 Swarthmore Music featured artists Jasper String Quartet have worked with the Lab Orchestra all semester on the piece and will perform alongside them “Working with the Jasper Quartet has been enriching and exciting—it has been a privilege to learn from and play alongside such experienced and insightful musicians!” Driscoll said Also on the program is Vivaldi’s Winter, conducted by Yixin Cui ‘25 and featuring violinist J Frievogel of the Jasper String Quartet as the soloist About his first conducting experience Cui said “This is the first time ever I’ve conducted an ensemble Vivaldi's Winter is a great challenge for me as a conducting beginner and I had a good time working with everyone in the Lab Orchestra.” “I’m so happy that we can host another family concert with the Lab Orchestra,” said Hauze The child-friendly performance will take place on December 7th at 11 a.m Whether seasoned concert-goers or totally new to classical music kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy the Lab Orchestra’s exciting performance.  In her early days at Swarthmore, Sahiba Tandon ’25 did what many ambitious first-years do — she signed up for everything. Armed with a stack of flyers from the activities fair and lured by the promise of free food, she ambled into a session for the Petey Greene Program not knowing it would change the course of her life “When I joined the Petey Greene Program in Philadelphia I was driven by curiosity and a love for tutoring and learning “What I discovered working with the men at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Chester went beyond tutoring; I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined.” That sense of growth and purpose has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this fall, the Petey Greene Program honored Tandon with the inaugural James S. Farrin Volunteer Award and unwavering dedication to educational justice within carceral settings Founded on the belief that human connection and dignity are central to learning the Petey Greene Program places college students in tutoring roles inside jails and prisons across Pennsylvania. The program is named after Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene and civil rights activist who used his wit and popularity to spotlight structural inequality and systemic racism.  “Volunteering with the Petey Greene Program is more than an opportunity to give back,” says Colette Johnson the program’s executive director of business development and strategy. “It opens a door for the next generation of thought leaders setting them on a path towards creating greater justice in our criminal legal system.” a political sociology special major from Lansdale She began by tutoring individuals on probation and parole in Center City she was traveling multiple times a week — often before dawn — from Swarthmore or her Lansdale home to SCI Chester where she worked with incarcerated men preparing for their GED exams and college courses through Eastern University’s Prison Exchange Program bring so much dedication and resilience to their education,” Tandon says “They often teach me more than I could ever teach them.” she found particular joy with her students in sessions focused on memoir writing and religious philosophy we bridge gaps not only in knowledge but also in understanding,” Tandon says “These shared experiences fill each encounter with a kind of warmth and joy that’s hard to put into words.” She eventually stepped into the role of lead tutor at SCI Chester From picking up Swarthmore students at 7:30 a.m and helping first-time volunteers navigate the system she became a linchpin in the smooth operation of the tutoring site tutoring is a space where I’ll experience joy and learn something new Tandon says she was stunned when she learned she had been selected for the James S and life in spaces that desperately need all three,” she says “Tutoring has never felt like ‘work’ or something that needed recognition.”  The award ceremony was both surreal and celebratory and even a formerly incarcerated woman Tandon had interviewed for her senior thesis “full of hope and wonder for the future with these incredible people.”  The award was more than a personal honor for Tandon — it was a reflection of a journey deeply rooted in justice “Every hour I’ve spent as a volunteer with the Petey Greene Program has reminded me of the kind of world I want to help create — one where everyone has access to learning who will pursue a law degree focused on public defense and wrongful convictions Watch video of Tandon receiving the volunteer award. Swarthmore is excited to welcome back esteemed baritone and composer Roderick Williams along with internationally renowned pianist Julius Drake for a series of events supported by a grant from the William J The two will perform English language songs at a piano and a voice recital on Friday Williams will offer a vocal masterclass on Thursday February 6 at 1 PM while Drake will lead a chamber music masterclass on Saturday Roderick Williams’ name may be familiar to the Swarthmore community as he took the stage with the College Chorus and Orchestra last fall as the baritone soloist for Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs; Swarthmore’s Chorus also debuted Williams’ work Cats in Airpumps “It was a big dream of mine [to bring Williams to Swarthmore],” says Andrew Hauze Senior Lecturer and one of the organizers of the Cooper grant “It’s amazing that we were able to bring [Williams] for two separate visits with different emphases the first featured him as a composer and this time he’s featured as a solo singer and will give a masterclass.” Hauze is a longtime fan of Williams and emphasizes the clarity with which he sings: “[his singing] has such a beautiful sound but linked with this incredible sense of naturalness Williams is a prolific educator and music advocate making regular appearances on BBC Radio 3 as a performer and presenter He is well known for his diverse repertoire having made recordings of works from Vaughn Williams to Britten to Schubert with a particular inclination for English song “It was very fun to work with [Williams] last year,” says Lizzie Culp ‘26 “I’m excited to get feedback on my dramatic performance.” Culp will perform Mozart’s “Ach ich fühls” from Die Zauberflöte as part of Williams’ masterclass Olivia Scarozza ‘25 echoes Culp’s sentiments and is “excited to work with Mr Williams on an English text” due to his mastery of the genre and notes how inspired she feels by Williams’s stage presence Scarozza will sing If Music Be the Food of Love by Henry Purcell Williams’ masterclass will take place on Thursday February 6 at 1 PM in the Lang Concert Hall Williams will be joined on this visit by Julius Drake one of the world’s premier collaborative pianists and a colleague of Williams Drake’s series of recordings with baritone Gerald Finley for Hyperion Records includes “Songs by Samuel Barber,” “Schumann: Dichterliebe & other Heine Settings” and “Britten: Songs & Proverbs of William Blake.” These records have received widespread acclaim Hauze had the chance to see Drake and Finley perform live and was struck by the pianist's musicality: “His piano playing was filled with such color and drama it was not the kind of accompaniment where he sits back and gently supports the singer it was a full blown collaboration between two artists.” Drake is no stranger to musical education and advocacy being a Professor of Collaborative Piano at the Guildhall School of Music in London and curating an annual series of song recitals at London’s Middle Temple Hall Grace Chen ‘28 (piano) will take part in Drake’s masterclass alongside Salome Jin ‘25 (clarinet) working on Brahms’ Sonata for Clarinet and Piano No “I’ve been listening to and enjoying some of Drake’s recordings,” Chen says “I’m excited to learn from one of the best collaborative pianists and keep improving the way Salome and I play.” T Sallie ‘25 (cello) shares Chen’s thoughts “I’m looking forward to hearing a pianist’s perspective since as a string player I focus more on strings.” Sallie will perform the 1st movement of Saint-Saens Piano Trio No 2 in E minor with their group “Trio etc.” featuring Emma Gabriel ‘25 (violin) and Chung Sze Kwok ‘27 (piano) Drake’s masterclass will happen on Saturday February 8 at 1 PM in the Lang Concert Hall Williams and Drake’s voice and piano recital takes place on Friday All events are free and open to the public Roderick Williams and Swarthmore College Chorus A world premiere is in the works at Lang Concert Hall on Friday Esteemed baritone and composer Roderick Williams OBE will join the Swarthmore Chorus and Orchestra to debut a piece he’s written especially for the concert.  The visit is made possible by a grant from the William J Cooper Foundation and was organized by Andrew Hauze Chorus and Garnet Singers director; and Jeanette Honig Williams will hold a composition workshop on Thursday November 21 as part of the visit “I've been dreaming of bringing Roderick Williams to Swarthmore for years,” Hauze said “He's one of my musical heroes: I feel that he is one of the greatest singers of our era who is able to communicate the wide variety of music that he sings with incredible sincerity and beauty He is also a marvelous and versatile composer and a wonderful teacher and broadcaster about music.” from opera to Baroque to contemporary music and performs regularly with major orchestras and operas around the globe He’s worked extensively with the BBC presenting for radio and has multiple award-winning recordings to his name having performed at and composed for the coronation of King Charles III and taken the role of Composer in Association of the BBC Singers Williams will join the Chorus as baritone soloist for Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs Backed by members of the Swarthmore Orchestra Garnet Singers will perform a selection of shorter pieces on texts centering around the theme of “sky” during the program and a new octet of section leaders from Chorus will perform pieces by Henry Purcell and Caroline Shaw But what makes this concert especially unique is the world premiere of a piece written by Williams specifically for the Chorus: Cats in Airpumps “It has really been a thrill to work with Mr Williams on the commissioned piece, Cats in Airpumps he has been committed to writing something that will connect with singers in the Swat community while also challenging us and helping us to grow as an ensemble,” explains Chorus director Nathan Reiff. The piece started with emails between Williams and Reiff discussing themes Williams suggested Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin as a starting text for Cats in Airpumps because of its wordplay and local connection to Philadelphia Working virtually across the Atlantic Ocean with Swarthmore Williams sent sections of the piece to practice and refine until it was completed “Premiering a new piece is one of the most exciting things that we can do as performers and we're especially fortunate in this case that Mr Williams will be here for our final rehearsals and performance,” Reiff said “It's not often the case that we get to make music with the composer together in the same room one of the best parts of an experience like this is being able to hear from the composer directly about the musical choices they made when writing and how we can best bring the work to life off the page for the first time there's also an added responsibility to do our very best to realize this vision in the very first performance of a brand new piece of music!” The Chorus will do the first run-through of Cats in Airpumps with Williams physically in the room on Wednesday they have been sending recordings for him to review is looking forward to having Williams there Her favorite movement of the piece is at the end where the fast tempo slows down into a harmony she describes as soft She says working on a challenging piece has been very rewarding and across the diverse range of pieces performed during the concert everyone has been working tremendously hard Reiff said that Cats in Airpumps is a “brilliant and quirky piece that excellently captures the spirit of Franklin's words” and is “undoubtedly the most challenging piece that Chorus has performed” since he began at Swarthmore because the Vaughn Williams piece is a very serious and grand piece but Cats in Airpumps is an almost mischievous one.” Culp also highlighted the contrasts between the two larger works in Chorus’ program “[The Vaughan Williams is] a gorgeous piece,” she said “All the movements are really cool and have very different characters I'm really excited to hear what it sounds like putting it all together because we've been working on the choral parts in isolation Williams will return to Swarthmore in February 2025 for another performance - this time a recital with Julius Drake Williams and Drake will be giving masterclasses for student singers and pianists I've gained insight into both critical and hopeful perspectives on technology more nuanced vocabulary to articulate my own enthusiasm and unease for the future.”