The Dartmouth Now team has been busy this year sharing news with our readers. Dartmouth’s news has also caught the attention of reporters and media outlets around the globe. As the year drew to a close, the Dartmouth Now team took a look at the more than 850 stories we published in 2013 and selected 12 of our favorite headlines.
We hope you will enjoy this retrospective, presented below in chronological order. To keep up with the news in 2014, subscribe to email updates from Dartmouth Now.
1. The Dartmouth Aires’ Clark Moore ’13 Chooses to Run With ‘Glee’
Clark Moore ’13, with his signature hairstyle and much-admired tenor voice, caught the attention of many Americans during the Dartmouth Aires’ 2011 run to the finals of NBC’s a cappella singing competition, The Sing-Off. He also captured the attention of the casting director of one of the most popular shows on television, Glee, and this past January, Moore made his debut on the Emmy Award-winning musical series.
2. Confronting Mercury Contamination in the Environment
Research by the Dartmouth-led Coastal and Marine Mercury Ecosystem Research Collaborative (C-MERC) and the Dartmouth Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program is playing a critical role in informing the public and policymakers about the global problem of mercury contamination in marine fish. The Washington Post featured a study co-authored by Celia Chen, a research professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and the leader of C-MERC, that looked at the levels of mercury in killifish.
3. Orozco Murals One of 13 New National Historic Landmarks
The Orozco mural cycle, one of Dartmouth’s greatest treasures, was designated a national historic landmark this past spring. The Epic of American Civilization, completed by José Clemente Orozco in 1934, was one of 13 new landmarks announced March 11, 2013, by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. Orozco conceived the murals—located in Baker-Berry Library—as a representation of a North American continent characterized by the duality of indigenous and European historical experiences.
4. Celebrating 40 Years of Remarkable Achievements
In April, hundreds of alumni, faculty, and students commemorated the 40th anniversary of coeducation at Dartmouth. Highlights included memorable talks from actor and comedian Rachel Dratch ’88 and WNBA President Laurel Richie ’81 about their formative experiences at Dartmouth, and a panel discussion with four of the College’s MacArthur Fellows. The Native American Studies Program also celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a number of events. In September, Dartmouth hosted a distinguished group of academic and tribal scholars and elders for a symposium on the “Collaborative Research in the Study of Native American Cultures.”
5. Two Dartmouth Professors Awarded Guggenheim Fellowships
Two Dartmouth professors were awarded Guggenheim Fellowships this year. Susannah Heschel, the Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies in Dartmouth’s Department of Religion, and Cleopatra Mathis, the Frederick Sessions Beebe ’35 Professor of the Art of Writing in the Department of English, were among 175 scholars in the United States and Canada awarded the 2013 fellowships.
6. Dartmouth-Led High-Risk Drinking Collaborative Notes Progress
Two years after Dartmouth led a collaborative effort of 32 colleges and universities to reduce the harms associated with high-risk drinking, the number of its students treated for extreme alcohol intoxication was reduced by more than half. The first group of schools to participate in the collaborative—known as the National College Health Improvement Program (NCHIP)—met in Boston for a two-day summit in June. “As we gather in Boston with our peers from across the country, we remain committed to making significant, measurable inroads into the widespread and persistent problem of high-risk drinking on college campuses,” said President Phil Hanlon ’77. “This is a dangerous practice among college students and I am pleased that Dartmouth will continue to lead the effort to keep students safe.”
7. ‘U.S. News’: Dartmouth Again No. 1 for Teaching, Top 10 Overall
For the fifth year in a row, Dartmouth earned the top spot for “Strong Commitment to Teaching” and remains in the top 10 among national universities in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2014″ ranking. “The rankings confirm what we know to be a genuine strength for Dartmouth—our faculty’s commitment to educating future leaders across all disciplines who are able to have a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges,” said President Phil Hanlon ’77.
8. Phil Hanlon Inaugurated as Dartmouth’s 18th President
On September 20, Dartmouth’s Wentworth Bowl was passed to Phil Hanlon ’77, officially marking the Inauguration of the College’s 18th President. Under a clear sky, President Hanlon outlined his vision for the future, announcing the start of a Society of Fellows program and the founding of the Innovation Center and New Venture Incubator at Dartmouth. “We are poised to make the largest-ever investment in Dartmouth’s academic enterprise over the next decade,” Hanlon said.
9. President Hanlon Outlines His Vision for Dartmouth
In November, during his first major address to the faculty, President Phil Hanlon ’77 outlined his vision for Dartmouth’s next decade and previewed his priorities, including increasing the size of the faculty, offering more opportunity for experiential education, expanding Thayer School of Engineering, adding offerings at the Tuck School of Business, and considering creation of a free-standing graduate school.
10. Dartmouth’s Vicki May Named N.H. Professor of the Year
Associate Professor of Engineering Vicki May was named the 2013 New Hampshire Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. CASE and the Carnegie Foundation give the award annually to undergraduate teachers “who excel in teaching and positively influence the lives and careers of students.”
11. D’Agostino ’14 Wins 2013 Cross Country National Championship
On November 23, Abbey D’Agostino won the 2013 NCAA Cross Country National Championship, becoming the first Ivy League runner to win the event. In 2013, D’Agostino won four NCAA individual championships—in the 5,000 and 3,000 meters (indoor), the 5,000 meters (outdoor), and cross country. She now holds five national titles, the most ever by an Ivy League student-athlete in any sport dating back to 1883.
12. Two Dartmouth Seniors Named Rhodes Scholars
Jonathan Pedde ’14 and Joseph Singh ’14 were named two of Canada’s 11 Rhodes Scholars for 2013. The 74th and 75th Dartmouth Rhodes Scholars will begin their graduate work at the University of Oxford next year. The prize is considered the most prestigious academic award available to college graduates. “This honor is a reflection of their hard work and accomplishments and also of their intellect and commitment to learning at the highest level,” said Kristin O’Rourke, assistant dean for scholarship advising at Dartmouth.