News

National and regional news organizations regularly interview Hamilton faculty, staff, alumni, and students for their expertise and perspectives on current events, and to feature programs and activities on campus. March’s news topics included coverage of the lunar eclipse, the war with Iran, and alumni creative endeavors, among others.

Travis Talmadge ’09 has a hot idea — bringing sauna and bathhouse culture, which has long existed in Scandinavia and Japan, to America. He co-founded Bathhouse, “a home for people to look, feel, and perform their very best.”

Chef and chocolatier Stephen Durfee, director of curriculum at Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco, and a 1985 graduate of Hamilton College, will deliver Hamilton’s 2026 Commencement address and receive an honorary degree on Sunday, May 24, at 10:30 a.m., in the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. A class of 518 students is expected to receive bachelor’s degrees during the Commencement ceremony.

Victor Maldonado ’86 has no plans to retire from practicing immigration law anytime soon. In fact, he’s pushing himself harder than ever. Last summer, Maldonado swam the English Channel, a course considered the “Mt. Everest of Open Water Swimming” — and he’s not stopping there.

To get a better sense of the work of Career Community alumni volunteers, Hamilton Magazine recently asked a few of them to share their insights on what it’s been like working with today’s students, what it takes to be successful in today’s workplace, and what students can do to best prepare for their futures. Here’s a snapshot of that conversation, edited for length.

Hank Morgan ’25 has taken his all-American college basketball skills to the G League. The 6’5” forward is currently playing with the Maine Celtics, an affiliate of the Boston Celtics.

As a research hydrogeologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Michelle Walvoord ’93 is forging new frontiers in studying the impact of changes and instability on groundwater.

Omar Reid ’80 gets around. As a school psychologist and president of the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, he has visited schools across the state and worked with children for 40 years.

Why does Hamilton have a big pot of money and only spend such a small percentage? Who decides how funds are invested? How have recent federal tax and policy changes affected the College’s financial picture? Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Karen Leach shares an Endowment 101 primer.

The first test broadcast nearly wiped out the station’s total budget. The original broadcast range was only a few dormitory rooms and fraternity houses. The station survived fire, war, and COVID-19. And in 2026, WHCL-FM celebrates the 85th anniversary of broadcasting on campus.