Press Record

This week on Press Record, we delve into the Hopkins Memorial Forest, which hosted the annual Maple Fest this past weekend. We talk to professors, students, and local community members about how they use the forest and think about what it means to us.

This week, Press Record continues our exploration of housing by talking to two professors about how they make a home in Williamstown. One, Justin Crowe '03, went to Williams as a student and now lives here full time. The other, Coby Chasman-Beck, commutes to Williams every week from Brooklyn, NY.

With the housing lottery closing Thursday, Press Record decided to focus on stories about dorms and homes on campus. We interviewed international students and investigated the barriers to feeling comfortable away from their home countries. We talked to upperclassmen roommates, some of who became friends and others who chose to live together. We talked with students who live off campus, investigating the mixed blessing of freedom. What makes a house a home? What barriers do international students face? How do roommates factor in? Tune in to hear about this, and more, on this week's episode of Press Record. 

This week, Press Record explores the romantic landscape of the Williams campus for Valentine's Day. You'll hear from students and community members about their experiences with love, dating, and hookup culture. What creates the unique culture of love at Williams, and how do we navigate it?

This week's episode of Press Record investigates the spaces on campus that gradually reopened during a somewhat unusual Winter Study. In dorms, intramural sports, and dining halls, students express a range of attitudes about socializing in closed spaces.

In this episode of Press Record, we’re bringing you three stories on gratitude, mindfulness, and finding space to relax amid the stressors of college life during a pandemic. First, you’ll hear from the chaplains, who framed the college experience as a journey to find meaning. Then you’ll hear from Bernie Rhie, an English professor who teaches a legendary class on Zen Buddhism, and a student who practices mindfulness. Finally, we created a portrait of Lee’s Snack Bar, a space where students eat, study and hang out.

On this season's premiere episode, the podcast team interviewed students, a therapist from Integrative Wellbeing Services, members of Peer Health, and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's Mental Health Co-Chairs. The guests point to aspects of Williams' work-oriented culture as exacerbating the lasting impact of the pandemic on mental health. 

As graduation nears, Press Record spoke with seniors Surabhi Iyer, Rebecca Tauber, and Sam Wolf about life on campus this semester, and what the job search was like during the pandemic.

Instead of a spring break, Williams students get three health days interspersed throughout the semester. Press Record spoke with students across campus and, for many, health days have not helped much with burnout.

In light of an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, Press Record spoke with three Asian students about their experiences with race at Williams.

Last week, the College sent acceptances to around 1,000 students across the world. In a special episode of Press Record, we talk with one student about what it’s like to navigate the college application process and life at Williams as an undocumented immigrant.

In this week's episode, we meet with women in STEM and hear about their respective journeys in a male-dominated field. Also on this week's episode, students look back on March 11, 2020– the day of President Mandel's announcement that most students would have to leave campus for the rest of the spring semester in light of the pandemic.

For Black History Month, Tyler Smith spoke to two Black first-years, one who lives in an affinity pod and one who doesn't. They reflected on adjusting to Williams during the pandemic. And Jacob Posner spoke to Williams Student Union representatives Gwyn Chilcoat '24, Manny Copeland '23, and Yunjin Park '23 about their work addressing Williams' history, particularly the legacy of the Haystack Monument.

Press Record presents two stories of the return to campus: one shows how traveling to and from the College is radically different for international students, and the other offers comfort to those who lost hope during a quarantined Valentine’s Day.

This week, we talk with students and faculty about their thoughts before and after the presidential election, and hear about the results of an election survey sent to the student body.

This week, podcast staff member Sonia Prasad talks with Margaux Kristjansson,  Postdoctoral Fellow in Native American and Indigenous Studies, about Indigenous People's Day last week. We also hear student reactions to the College's decision about the spring calendar.

This week, we interview Niku Darafshi about getting students registered to vote, Irene Loewenson about uncovering secret frats and hear students' reactions to the recent presidential debate.

This week, community leaders talk about what Hispanic Heritage Month and the Williams community means to them.

This week, first-years talk about what it's like to start college during COVID-19. Then, we hear from Record reporters about conservative group Turning Point USA's visit to campus. 

One the first episode of Press Record this academic year, we hear about students' experiences in quarantine, and have conversations with first-years and seniors about their first first days and last first days starting Williams in a pandemic.