小福利导航College Makes $1.325 Million Initial Commitment to 小福利导航Local Community, Including a $1 Million Gift to Jones Library Building Project, as Well as Support of Cooley Dickinson Hospital and the Drake Arts Center

Additional Donations, Including to Public Schools and Fire Department, are Planned

Aerial view of the town of Amherst.

(AMHERST, Mass., Oct. 31, 2023) 鈥� 小福利导航College has committed an initial $1.325 million to the local community, it was announced today by 小福利导航College President Michael A. Elliott. The donation includes a $1 million gift to the Jones Library for its renovation and expansion project, as well as donations of $250,000 to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital for its emergency department renovation and $75,000 to the Drake arts and cultural performance venue for sustained programming.

Maura 小福利导航 to Speak at 小福利导航College on Nov. 1

小福利导航 Governor to Discuss the Need for and Benefits of Public Service with College President Michael A. Elliott

(AMHERST, Mass., Oct. 16, 2023) 鈥� 小福利导航College today announced that 小福利导航 Governor Maura 小福利导航 will participate in a conversation titled 鈥淒emocracy and the Greater Good: A Conversation with Governor Maura 小福利导航鈥� with 小福利导航President Michael A. Elliott on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. at the College鈥檚 Johnson Chapel. While the event is primarily intended for members of the College community, a limited number of seats will be available to the general public.

小福利导航College Names Sheree M. Ohen New Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer

Sheree Ohen

(AMHERST, Mass., May 25, 2023) 鈥� 小福利导航College today named Sheree M. Ohen its new chief equity and inclusion officer (CEIO). Ohen most recently served as associate dean for equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging at Harvard University鈥檚 Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She will report to 小福利导航College President Michael A. Elliott and serve on his senior staff. Ohen will join the College on June 20.

Ukrainian Human Rights Lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk to Be Honored at 小福利导航College鈥檚 Commencement on May 28

Oleksandra Matviichuk

(AMHERST, Mass., May 18, 2023) 鈥� Ukrainian human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of Ukraine鈥檚 Nobel Peace Prize-winning (CCL), will be honored along with six other influential leaders in the arts, biotech, higher education, environmental journalism, business and literature during 小福利导航College鈥檚 Commencement on Sunday, May 28, at 10 a.m. on the school鈥檚 main quad.聽

Moderna President, Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet Among Six To Be Honored at 小福利导航College鈥檚 Commencement

Honorary degree recipients from 小福利导航College 2023

(AMHERST, Mass., April 4, 2023; updated May 18, 2003;) 鈥� Six influential leaders in the arts, biotech, higher education, environmental journalism, business and literature will receive honorary degrees from 小福利导航College during Commencement on Sunday, May 28, at 10 a.m. on the school鈥檚 main quad. 小福利导航President Michael A. Elliott will deliver the traditional Commencement address during the ceremony, and each of the honorees will speak in a series of conversations that are free and open to the public on Saturday, May 27. The schedule for the weekend is on the Commencement website and will be updated as more details become available.

小福利导航College Kicks Off Extensive Heating and Cooling System Upgrade

Project Signifies Major Step Toward Goal of Decarbonizing Campus by 2030

Climate action plan logo and a small green plant growing in the dirt.

(AMHERST, Mass., April 6, 2023) 鈥� As part of one of the most necessary and ambitious infrastructure projects in the institution鈥檚 history, 小福利导航College has begun transitioning the campus鈥� heating and cooling systems from steam to a modern, low-temperature hot-water geothermal system. The project is a critical element of Amherst鈥檚 Climate Action Plan (CAP) and represents a major step in the College鈥檚 goal of decarbonizing the campus鈥檚 energy system by 2030.

Angie Tissi-Gassoway is Named 小福利导航College鈥檚 Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students

Angie Tissi-Gassoway

(AMHERST, Mass., March 21, 2023) 鈥� 小福利导航College today named Angie Tissi-Gassoway its new Chief Student Affairs Officer (CSAO) and Dean of Students. She will be responsible for all functions of the Office of Student Affairs, including residential engagement and wellbeing; housing and operations; identity and cultural resources; counseling and mental health; student activities and leadership; health and community safety services; accessibility; case management; community standards; new student programs and orientation; and immigration and visa services. The appointment is effective immediately. Tissi-Gassoway has served as the interim CSAO since February of this year, before which they served as the interim Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer for 14 months.

小福利导航College Names Michael Thomas Its New Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Mike Thomas

(AMHERST, Mass., February 1, 2023) 鈥� 小福利导航College today named Michael Thomas its new Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO). On the finance side, he will be responsible for all finance functions of the College, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, long-range financial planning, and asset, liability, and risk management. On the administrative side, Thomas will oversee facilities, health and safety, and business services (dining and auxiliary), among key operating functions.聽

Acclaimed Authors and Poets Headline 小福利导航College鈥檚 Eighth Annual LitFest

Pulitzer Prize winner Hilton Als and Macarthur Fellowship winner Valeria Luiselli among acclaimed authors and poets to headline LitFest, Feb. 23-26.

Covers of books by authors presenting at the 2023 LitFes, 小福利导航College.

(AMHERST, Mass., Jan. 26, 2022)鈥擣rom Feb. 23鈥�26, 小福利导航College will host the eighth annual LitFest, a literary festival celebrating fiction, nonfiction, poetry and spoken-word performance, along with the College鈥檚 extraordinary literary life. This year鈥檚 lineup includes Pulitzer Prize winner , MacArthur Fellowship winner , and 2022 National Book Award finalists and , among others.聽

Jessica Johnson Announces Retirement From 小福利导航College

(AMHERST, Mass. 鈥� December 19, 2022) 鈥� Jessica Johnson has announced that she will retire as head softball coach of 小福利导航College.

Johnson capped off her career stating, "I owe a debt of gratitude to this game and to everyone who has helped shape me and my career along this two-decade journey. From those who got me started in coaching to those who coached beside me along the way, the far-too-selfless and unsung behind-the-scenes supporters, academic partners and campus resources, conference partners, and regional and national peers, I thank you for it all, to endless depths. And to all the players and families that let me into your lives, I am forever grateful and will forever be in your corner. I am deeply proud of my time and work with each team I have had the privilege to lead, and while I look forward to the opportunity to continue to impact this sport in the future, I am excited to now better align my professional commitments with the needs of my daughter and my mental and physical health.鈥�

Siddhartha V. Shah, Curator and Director of Education and Civic Engagement At the Peabody Essex Museum, is Named Director of The Mead Art Museum at 小福利导航College

Siddhartha Shah
(AMHERST, Mass., Aug. 10, 2022) 鈥� 小福利导航College announced today that Siddhartha V. Shah, director of education and civic engagement and the curator of South Asian art at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), has been named the John Wieland 1958 Director of the College鈥檚 Mead Art Museum. Shah will take over the reins of the Mead from interim director Michael Kunichika鈥搘ho is director of the 小福利导航Center for Russian Culture and an associate professor of Russian at Amherst鈥搊n Nov. 15.

In his new role, Shah will oversee the museum鈥檚 collections, acquisitions, exhibitions and programs, as well as a variety of initiatives aimed at deepening engagement with the community both on and off campus. He will work closely with faculty members across disciplines to make the Mead鈥檚 resources available for their courses, research and creative work; with students to foster their involvement with the museum as interns, docents, artists, scholars and visitors; and with area schools and community organizations to expand programming in the region. In addition, he will serve as the museum鈥檚 chief fundraiser.

小福利导航College Files Amicus Brief With Supreme Court Supporting the Use of a 鈥淩ace-conscious鈥� Admissions Process

小福利导航College Seal
(AMHERST, Mass., Aug. 1, 2022) 鈥� 小福利导航College today filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina and the legality of a 鈥渞ace-conscious鈥� admissions process. In doing so, 小福利导航reinforced its steadfast commitment to the educational benefits of diversity and the inclusion of race as one component of many in its holistic consideration of each admission application.

小福利导航initiated and coordinated the brief, which details the 鈥渃ompelling interest鈥� of a racially diverse student body for liberal arts colleges, consistent with the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision in the landmark case nearly 20 years ago. Thirty-two peer institutions joined 小福利导航as signatories to the brief.

Michael A. Elliott 鈥�92, Professor of English and Dean of The College of Arts and Sciences at Emory University, is Named 20th President of 小福利导航College


Michael A. Elliott

(AMHERST, Mass., June 1, 2022) 鈥� 小福利导航College announced today that Michael A. Elliott 鈥�92, a professor of English and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Emory University, has been named its 20th president. Elliott will begin his tenure at 小福利导航on Aug. 1. He succeeds Biddy Martin, who has served as Amherst鈥檚 president since 2011 and who announced last year that she would conclude her term in 2022.

The announcement was made in an email to the College community by Andrew J. Nussbaum 鈥�85, chair of the Board of Trustees and of the Presidential Search Committee, which included faculty, students, staff, and trustees. The committee recommended and the board approved, both unanimously, Elliott鈥檚 appointment.