Leah Yonemoto-Weston ’24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</h1> <article> <h1>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ’24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:56:42 +0000</p> <span>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ’24 Named NYC Urban Fellow</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-14T14:56:42-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 14:56">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 14:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Leah Yonemoto-Weston ’24, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies">comparative American studies </a>major while at 91ֱ��, has been selected for the NYC Urban Fellows Program, a highly selective, nine-month public service fellowship that places recent graduates in full-time roles within New York City government agencies. She answered these questions about her fellowship:</p><p><strong>Describe what you will be doing as an NYC Urban Fellow.</strong><br>I’ll work in a New York government agency, helping develop and implement public programs and policies that address urban challenges. I’ll also participate in a series of seminars designed to deepen my understanding of how cities function. Through this combination of hands-on work and structured learning, I hope to gain insight into how local government operates and how policy decisions impact communities on the ground.</p><p><strong>What made you want to apply?</strong><br>I was drawn to this fellowship because it offers a unique opportunity to work directly within the policy systems that shape communities. Over the past several years, I’ve worked in client-facing roles focused on housing justice and eviction prevention, where I’ve seen firsthand how policy decisions impact individuals and families. That experience motivated me to apply those on-the-ground insights to broader, systems-level change. I hope to deepen my understanding of city-level policymaking while building the skills needed to contribute to more equitable and effective communities.</p><p><strong>How does this align with your career goals?</strong><br>It aligns closely with my goal of working on urban issues at the local level, particularly in housing justice and community development. I’m interested in bridging direct service and policy to advance more equitable systems, and I believe the NYC Urban Fellows Program will help me build the skills and knowledge to do so. It will also serve as strong preparation for future graduate study in urban planning, social work, and/or public policy.</p><p><strong>How does this fellowship build on your previous studies and activities at 91ֱ��?</strong><br>It builds on my comparative American studies work at 91ֱ��, where I explored how community, policy, and social justice intersect. Courses such as Latinx Oral Histories, where I interviewed Latinx veterans in partnership with the Lorain Historical Society, as well as Asian American History, and Medical Anthropology taught me to analyze identity, power, and community in nuanced ways, skills I will bring to the Urban Fellows Program.</p><p>The fellowship will also allow me to build on the teamwork and justice-oriented skills I developed through 91ֱ��’s extracurriculars. In OSCA’s Third World Co-op, I learned how to organize a community and build support networks. My work on the Resource Conservation Team taught me how to collaborate creatively and engage with local stakeholders, and my work at the Sexual Information Center emphasized public health, mutual aid, and managing complex budgets.</p><p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� shape or influence you as an academic, thinker, and person?</strong><br>My classes were really interdisciplinary, and I learned how to approach questions from multiple angles rather than staying in one lane. 91ֱ��’s culture of collaboration also stayed with me. Through group projects, research partnerships, and extracurriculars, there was a real expectation that you would contribute to something larger than yourself. That environment helped build my academic instincts and fostered a genuine sense of responsibility to engage thoughtfully with communities and consider the broader impact of my work.</p><p><strong>What’s the best advice you received while you were at 91ֱ��?</strong><br>Wendy Kozol, my former advisor and CAST faculty member, told me during my first year that the most important thing in both school and the working world is finding your own reason to return to the work, even when it gets hard. You have to find motivation from within, rather than from outside pressure. In any meaningful work, you need to know what keeps you grounded, engaged, aligned with your values, and excited!</p><hr><p><a href="/fellowships" target="_blank"><em>Connect with Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about opportunities for 91ֱ�� students.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Boulder, Colorado, native will work on urban policy issues during a nine-month fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-14T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4065">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Leah Yonemoto-Weston</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Announces 2026 Commencement Honorees</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:12:17 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Announces 2026 Commencement Honorees</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-14T11:12:17-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 11:12">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 11:12</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> 91ֱ�� will recognize six leaders in public service, scholarship, the arts, and community at its 2026 <a href="/events/oberlin-college-commencement">commencement ceremony on May 23</a>.</p><p><a href="/news/oberlin-names-cecilia-conrad-2026-commencement-speaker"><strong>Cecilia A. Conrad</strong></a><strong>,</strong> an economist, philanthropic leader, and founding CEO of Lever for Change, will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree <a href="/news/oberlin-names-cecilia-conrad-2026-commencement-speaker">before delivering the keynote address to 91ֱ��’s Class of 2026</a>. As a former managing director of the MacArthur Foundation, she led the MacArthur Fellows Program—popularly known as the “Genius Grant"— focused on identifying and elevating some of the most creative minds of our time.</p><p>91ֱ�� will also present honorary degrees to alumna <strong>Chloe E. Bird ’86</strong>, a leading sociologist in women’s health, who will receive an honorary doctor of science; internationally acclaimed soprano <strong>Christine Goerke</strong>, who will receive an honorary doctor of music; and <strong>Carla D. Hayden</strong>, former Librarian of Congress, who will receive an honorary doctor of humanities.</p><p>Two others will be recognized for their exceptional service: <strong>Rosa Gadsden</strong> will receive the Award for Distinguished Service to the Community for her years-long impact in 91ֱ�� and Lorain County, and <strong>Leah Modigliani ’86</strong>, a pioneering finance leader and longtime supporter of 91ֱ��, will receive the Alumni Medal, the highest honor awarded by the 91ֱ�� Alumni Association.</p><p>This year's honorees are:</p><p><strong>Chloe E. Bird ’86, PhD, Honorary Doctor of Science</strong></p><div class="align-left"> </div> <p><strong>Chloe Bird</strong> is a sociologist whose work has shaped national conversations on women’s health. She is director of the Center for Women’s Health, Sex Differences, and Population Health at Tufts Medical Center, as well as the Sara Murray Jordan Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and a senior sociologist at RAND. Her research has reshaped how scholars and policymakers understand the structural forces that influence health, with a particular focus on women’s health and health equity.</p><p>Bird’s work, which examines how social policies, institutional priorities, and access to care shape health outcomes, is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and Women’s Health Access Matters. Her influential book, <em>Gender and Health: The Effects of Constrained Choice and Social Policies</em>, offers a groundbreaking framework linking social and biological factors to show how families, workplaces, communities, and public policies affect opportunities to live healthy lives.</p><p>A dedicated 91ֱ�� alumna, Bird has remained deeply engaged with the college, generously sharing her time and expertise through public lectures and conversations with students. Her work connects closely with 91ֱ��’s global health and sociology programs and reflects the college’s belief that one person can change the world.</p><p>She holds both her master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has played a key role in shaping national research agendas. She served on a National Academies of Sciences committee reviewing NIH funding for women’s health research and as a senior advisor in the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, helping guide efforts to address longstanding gaps in scientific knowledge and care.</p><p>A Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Health Behavior, Bird received the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Career Award in 2021. Throughout her career, she has worked not only to advance research but to translate evidence into institutional and policy change to improve health for women and men alike.</p><hr><p><strong>Christine Goerke, Honorary Doctor of Music</strong></p><div class="align-left"> </div> <p>An internationally acclaimed dramatic soprano, <strong>Christine Goerke</strong> has built an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades on the world’s leading opera and concert stages. Known for her powerful, expressive voice and commanding stage presence, she has appeared with many of the most respected opera houses and orchestras, collaborating with conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Robert Shaw, Christian Thielemann, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir Mark Elder, Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and Semyon Bychkov.</p><p>A frequent presence at the Metropolitan Opera, Goerke has also performed at the Bayreuth Festspiele, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Paris Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, and Houston Grand Opera, among others. Her repertoire reflects a rare artistic evolution, from early work in Baroque and classical repertoire to the great dramatic roles of Wagner, Strauss, and Puccini.</p><p>In addition to her celebrated performing career, Goerke is a passionate educator and mentor. She has worked extensively with emerging artists through masterclasses and residencies at leading institutions, including the 91ֱ�� Conservatory of Music, where faculty still point to her masterclass as one of the most impactful in recent years. She has also taught at the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, the Eastman School of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and has mentored young artists through programs such as Glimmerglass Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Washington National Opera, and the Aspen Music Festival. Her work with the Schmidt Foundation further reflects her dedication to supporting the next generation of singers through both artistic guidance and financial support.</p><p>From 2021 to 2024, Goerke served as associate artistic director of Detroit Opera, where she played a key role in reimagining the company’s Resident Artist Program. She continues to expand her artistic leadership through new initiatives, including the launch of Detroit’s Classic Opera Series at Music Hall. In fall 2026, she will join the faculty of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.</p><hr><p><strong>Carla D. Hayden, PhD, Honorary Doctor of Humanities</strong></p><div class="align-left"> </div> <p>A pioneering librarian and visionary leader, <strong>Carla Hayden</strong> served as the 14th Librarian of Congress from 2016 to 2025. Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was the first woman, the first Black person, and the first professional librarian to hold the position. During her tenure, she transformed the Library of Congress into a more open and accessible institution, expanding public engagement and dramatically increasing access to its vast collections through digitization. Although appointed to a 10-year term, she was fired from her position by President Donald Trump on May 8, 2025, in an email. </p><p>Two months later, Hayden was appointed a senior fellow at the Mellon Foundation, where she continues her commitment to expanding access to knowledge and cultural resources. Respected for her integrity, humility, and grace, she has consistently focused her work on advancing equity, strengthening communities, and ensuring that knowledge remains accessible to all.</p><p>Prior to her role as Librarian of Congress, Hayden had built a distinguished career focusing on the power of libraries to strengthen communities. She served as executive director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore for more than two decades, where her leadership established the library as a vital civic institution. During moments of crisis, including the unrest following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015, she made the courageous decision to keep branches open, reinforcing the library’s role as a safe and trusted community space. Earlier in her career, she was an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Science and held leadership roles at the Chicago Public Library.</p><p>Hayden earned her bachelor’s degree at Roosevelt University and her master’s and doctoral degrees in library science at the University of Chicago. A national leader in the profession, she served as president of the American Library Association, where she championed “equity of access” and spoke out in defense of intellectual freedom and user privacy. Her advocacy and leadership have made her a role model for generations of librarians, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, and she has long supported efforts to diversify the field.</p><hr><p><strong>Rosa Gadsden, Award for Distinguished Service to the Community</strong></p><div class="align-left"> </div> <p>A dedicated community leader and lifelong resident of 91ֱ��, <strong>Rosa Gadsden</strong> has made a lasting impact through her service, leadership, and commitment to supporting others. A graduate of 91ֱ�� High School and former member of the 91ֱ�� School Board, she has long been engaged in strengthening the local community.</p><p>For nearly a decade, Gadsden has worked at 91ֱ�� Community Services, moving from her early role as a gardener in the People’s Garden to her current position as volunteer and outreach coordinator. In this role, she oversees the organization’s food pantry, trains and supports volunteers, and helps lead initiatives that serve hundreds of Lorain County residents each year. In the past fiscal year alone, she coordinated more than 200 volunteers who contributed thousands of hours of service.</p><p>Gadsden also plays a central role in organizing community events, including the annual Juneteenth cookout and the Jaqui Willis Back-to-School supply drive, helping ensure that essential resources and moments of connection are accessible to everyone. This work provides meaningful opportunities for 91ֱ�� College students to engage with the broader community while addressing critical needs.</p><p>Known for her warmth, leadership, deep knowledge of community resources, and for bringing people together, Gadsden is also active with the Mount Zion Church choir. Through her tireless efforts and genuine care for others, she has enriched the lives of countless individuals and exemplifies the spirit of service that defines 91ֱ��.</p><hr><p><strong>Leah Modigliani ’86, Alumni Medal</strong></p><p><strong>Leah Modigliani</strong> graduated from 91ֱ�� with high honors in economics. When her daughter later enrolled, she became the fifth generation in their maternal line to graduate from the college, reflecting a deep and enduring family connection to 91ֱ��.</p><p>Modigliani earned an MBA at Harvard Business School and went on to a distinguished career in finance. At Morgan Stanley, she co-developed the M2 measure of risk-adjusted return, which is now an industry standard included in Chartered Financial Analyst materials, journals, and textbooks. She also developed a global stock risk-rating system for the firm. Over the course of her career, she has served as a portfolio strategist, research analyst, portfolio manager, and executive director, advising mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds, foundations, and endowments on asset allocation, portfolio construction, and investment strategy.</p><p>She has been featured in outlets including <em>The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Money Magazine</em>, and CNN, and she has served as a co-host on CNBC. She has also held positions at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, Neuberger Berman, and Bridgewater Associates.</p><p>A dedicated and longtime supporter of the college, Modigliani served for 24 years on the 91ֱ�� College Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees (as an external member), including six years as co-chair. During her tenure, the college’s endowment more than doubled to over $1 billion while supporting substantial annual withdrawals for the operating budget.</p><p>A former co-op member, Modigliani later served as an advisor to OSCA student leadership. Committed to social justice, she is a pro bono consultant to numerous nonprofits, president of the board of Youth Communication, and an advisor to NYU’s Hidden Legacies Project: "Slavery, Race, and Contemporary Institutions in the United States." She lives with her family in New York City.</p><p>The Alumni Medal is the highest honor awarded by the 91ֱ�� Alumni Association, recognizing individuals who exemplify outstanding, sustained, or unique service to 91ֱ�� College.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">College and conservatory celebrate six leaders whose work reflects 91ֱ��’s commitment to creativity, equity, and community.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-14T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3152">Commencement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Names Cecilia Conrad 2026 Commencement Speaker</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:38:25 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Names Cecilia Conrad 2026 Commencement Speaker</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-14T15:38:25-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 15:38">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 15:38</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Cecilia A. Conrad</strong>, PhD, a philanthropy leader who has helped reimagine how transformative ideas are funded and founding CEO of Lever for Change, a nonprofit that connects donors with impactful, under-recognized organizations, will deliver the keynote address for 91ֱ��’s <a href="/events/oberlin-college-commencement">commencement ceremony honoring the Class of 2026</a> on Monday, May 25, in Tappan Square. She will also receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree, <a href="/news/oberlin-announces-2026-commencement-honorees">alongside five other honorary degree and award recipients</a>.</p><p>Conrad is the former managing director of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, where she led the MacArthur Fellows Program—popularly known as the “Genius Grant”—contributing to one of the nation’s most prestigious recognitions of creative achievement. </p><p>Genius Grant recipients can’t apply but must be nominated. One of Conrad’s most important jobs was selecting those choosing the annual crop of grantees—individuals whose work shows exceptional creativity and promise for important future advances. Through her leadership of the fellowship program, she played a central role in identifying and elevating some of the most creative minds of our time. </p><p>Her dedication to recognizing pioneering intellects aligns perfectly with 91ֱ��'s institutional mission. 91ֱ�� has long nurtured the kind of original thought the MacArthur Foundation celebrates: 15 of its alumni have earned MacArthur Fellowships—more than any other liberal arts college in the nation, including three since 2022: writer and educator <a href="https://Kiese Laymon">Kiese Laymon ’98</a>, composer and pianist <a href="/news/courtney-bryan-04-wins-prestigious-macarthur-fellowship">Courtney Bryan ’04</a>, and historian <a href="/news/historian-jennifer-l-morgan-86-wins-macarthur-fellowship">Jennifer L. Morgan ’86</a>.</p><p>Conrad has created a global legacy in philanthropy, helping direct transformative funding where it matters most. Under her leadership, Lever for Change has influenced over $2.5 billion in grants and provided support to more than 500 organizations worldwide.</p><p>A key example of her reputation and reach was detailed in a profile of Conrad in <em>Time</em> magazine’s first-ever list of the 100 most influential people in philanthropy in 2025: Yield Giving founder MacKenzie Scott sought Conrad out when she wanted to give $250 million to 250 charities serving low-income households and people facing discrimination. Conrad’s Lever for Change identified so many deserving groups that Scott doubled her initial pledge, ultimately awarding $640 million in grants to 361 organizations. Lever is also vetting hundreds more charities to help Melinda French Gates allocate $250 million toward improving women’s health.</p><p>Conrad founded Lever for Change in 2019 to dismantle barriers in philanthropy, noting, “There are donors who want to fund creative, effective organizations and creative, effective organizations who need funding but they have trouble finding each other.” This model, which uses open-call competitions to reverse the typical invitation-only system, gives, as <em>Time</em> noted, “little-known nonprofits a shot at significant funding.” Adds Conrad, “We exist to help donors discover new ideas, new potential."</p><p>91ֱ�� College Board of Trustees member Lillie Edwards ’75, who nominated Conrad, praised her lasting achievements. “Her leadership in big philanthropy has powerfully demonstrated that one person can indeed change the world,” Edwards wrote. “Her success exemplifies the extraordinary ways intellectual creativity and agility, combined with social consciousness, can transform the lives of individuals and communities."</p><p>A Stanford-trained economics professor, Conrad also co-led the team that created MacArthur’s 100&Change competition, which periodically awards a single $100 million grant to help solve a critical problem. The competition, which began in 2017, has funded initiatives including early childhood education for refugee children displaced by conflict, securing legal access to reproductive healthcare for women in marginalized communities in the U.S. South, and deploying data-driven methods to end homelessness in American cities.</p><p>Prior to her work in philanthropy, Conrad had a distinguished academic career at Pomona College, where she held the Stedman Sumner Chair in Economics and is now Professor of Economics, Emerita. Conrad is widely respected in her field, having been named to the inaugural Time100 Philanthropy list in 2025, joining Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, and Dolly Parton; the <em>Forbes</em> 50 over 50 Impact List in 2024; and one of <em>Inside Philanthropy’s</em> 50 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy in 2023. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College and a PhD in economics from Stanford University.</p><p>The commencement address will be live streamed as part of commencement weekend festivities.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The founding CEO of Lever for Change and former MacArthur Foundation leader will address the graduating class on May 25.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-14T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/14/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3152">Commencement</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Eric Leal Named VP for Finance and Administration at 91ֱ��</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:12:20 +0000</p> <span>Eric Leal Named VP for Finance and Administration at 91ֱ��</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-09T09:12:20-04:00" title="Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 09:12">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 09:12</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Eric Leal, a finance professional with more than 20 years of experience in financial management and strategic leadership in higher education, health care, and government sectors, has been named Vice President for Finance and Administration at 91ֱ��. His appointment concludes a comprehensive national search.</p><p>Leal will begin on May 18.</p><p>The VP for Finance and Administration is a pivotal role that oversees 91ֱ��’s Finance and Investment offices, Facilities Operations and Planning, and the Center for Information Technology. The position is part of 91ֱ�� President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s Executive Leadership Team.</p><p>“Eric stood out for his strategic financial leadership and his ability to partner effectively across complex organizations, bringing people together to address challenges and advance institutional priorities,” says Ambar.</p><p>“He has a strong track record of aligning financial strategy with institutional goals, communicating complex issues clearly, and guiding organizations through periods of change with transparency and care. We’re very fortunate to have him at 91ֱ��.”</p><p>From 2019 to 2024, Leal served as Associate Dean for Budget and Administration at American University, where he was the chief financial and operating officer for the College of Arts and Sciences, overseeing 19 departments and more than 500 employees. During his tenure, he developed a budget strategy to address a 35 percent reduction in the operating budget during COVID while preserving jobs. </p><p>Most recently, Leal was Vice President for Administration and Finance/Treasurer at Delaware County Community College in suburban Philadelphia, where he led all administrative and business operations. He previously held senior administration and finance roles at Howard University and the University of California, Berkeley.</p><p>Before transitioning to higher ed, Leal was an interim Chief Financial Officer with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Chief Operating Officer for the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, and he spent 14 years in a range of administrative positions with the U.S. Air Force.</p><p>“I am honored and excited that President Ambar asked me to join her team,” says Leal. “I was impressed by the deep sense of community and commitment to 91ֱ�� among everyone I’ve met when visiting campus. I look forward to partnering with the Executive Leadership Team and people across campus to advance 91ֱ��’s mission in support of faculty, staff, and students.”</p><p>Leal is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers and the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Arizona.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Veteran finance professional has excelled in settings across higher education, health care, and government.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <p>srasmuss — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:32:54 +0000</p> <span>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-09T15:32:54-04:00" title="Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 15:32">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 15:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In Richard Goode’s mental directory of acoustically great places, Finney Chapel easily makes the list.</p><p>“ I think about places partly in terms of how the hall sounds,” he says. So when he finds venues with fabulous acoustics, “I remember them with great affection. The atmosphere was so perfect that when you played, you felt that everything mattered.”</p><p>The highly-respected American pianist, known for his interpretation of Mozart and Beethoven, has performed on the 91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series quite a few times. It’s been nine years since his last appearance in Finney. “I don’t remember what I played,” he says. “I just remember how good it felt.”</p><p>On Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m., Goode will return to Finney Chapel and the Artist Recital Series with his program <a href="/events/richard-goode-piano">“Fancies and Goodnights.”</a> He will pair that personally curated selection of short works with two sonatas by Mozart and Schubert.</p><p>The “Fancies and Goodnights” title comes from John Collier’s short story collection of the same name. Collier’s stories are funny, weird, and even a little cruel, so Goode found the name fitting for a group of off-the-beaten-path pieces. “I’m not terribly one for encores,” he says, “so there were these pieces that I couldn’t find a place for.”</p><p>Not to mention, the title just has a certain ring to it. “ Most of the pieces that we play and love are called sonata or symphony or impromptu or something like that, but poetic names are lovely.”</p><p>The nine pieces are presented in roughly chronological order and span five centuries, from Carlo Gesualdo in 1603 to Leoš Janáček in 1900. Goode says he felt “absolutely stunned” by Gesualdo’s “O vos omnes” from Sacred Cantiones for Five Voices, Book 1.</p><p>“ I’m simply playing the voices on the piano. I’m not arranging it in any way,” he explains. “I think it’s such a remarkable work that I’m just happy to be able to play it.”</p><p>For some pieces, he remembers exactly how he first heard them. A recording by Rachmaninoff introduced him to G. Sgambati’s transcription of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Eurydice — “one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.” And he once heard a recital by Glenn Gould that championed the music of William Byrd, leading Goode to discover Byrd’s My Ladye Nevells Booke.</p><p>Meanwhile, Georges Bizet’s Adagietto from L’Arlesienne (trans. L. Godowsky) is a memento of Goode’s years at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, where he first attended as a teenager and served as co-artistic director with Mitsuko Uchida for 14 years.</p><p>Although Goode has performed Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Legende, Op. 16, No. 1 in the past, he only recently grew to recognize Paderewski’s musicianship. “I had never really appreciated his music fully before,” he says. Legende “is a very sentimental piece, but really very beautiful.”</p><p>Franz Schubert’s Ungarische Melodie and two pieces by Jean-Philippe Rameau — The Assembly of the Birds and The Indiscreet One — add some warmth and levity to the proceedings. Eventually, the set comes to an end with Leoš Janáček’s aptly-titled “Dobrou Noc!” (Good Night!), from On an Overgrown Path.</p><p>Bookending the musical short stories sit two longer pieces — one of Goode’s favorite Mozart’s piano sonatas, the A Minor, K. 310, and Schubert Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D.960. The Schubert sonata is one of Goode’s signature pieces. At around 37 minutes long, it “ really requires such a long span of tension,” he says. Although “I don’t play the repeat, which I think asks maybe a little too much of the listener.”</p><p>Another thing Goode is known for is his love of books. As his bio mentions, he lives in New York City with his wife, Marcia, and their collection of some 5,000 volumes. But as to whether he’ll be visiting MindFair Books or any other bookstores during his visit to 91ֱ��, he says the jury is still out. “ I have bought too many books, so I try not to indulge myself.”</p><p>However, something he’s sure he will be doing is teaching a masterclass with conservatory piano students. “I learn a great deal by listening to people’s various approaches to pieces,” he says. “So I’m looking forward to that.”</p><p>Concert Details<br>Richard Goode, piano<br>7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>91ֱ��, OH 44074<br><br>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=20001">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.<br><br>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. <br><br>Learn more about the Arts at 91ֱ��.<br><br>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree at 91ֱ�� while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette,<em> and </em>Carnegie Hall.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The acclaimed pianist returns to the Artist Recital Series on April 29 with the charmingly curated “Fancies and Goodnights,” along with works by Mozart and Schubert.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Nuclear Policy, Combat Sports, and Rock and Roll: Lucas Daley ’26 Forges His Own Path</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:07:14 +0000</p> <span>Nuclear Policy, Combat Sports, and Rock and Roll: Lucas Daley ’26 Forges His Own Path</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-07T10:07:14-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 10:07">Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:07</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Depending on the day, <strong>Lucas Daley '26</strong> is a nuclear policy researcher, a student of Russian and Hindi, a guitarist in a band called Sloth, and a devotee of combat sports. The <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics">politics</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics">economics</a>, and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian">Russian</a> triple major has interned with the U.S. State and Defense departments, is completing an honors thesis on Russian nuclear energy diplomacy, and is the recipient of two major post-graduation honors.</p><p>What connects all these threads for Daley?</p><p>“That question gets at what drew me to 91ֱ�� in the first place: the ability to pursue different fields of study in depth, simultaneously,” Daley says. “At most schools you’d have to choose. To me, they’re deeply connected.”</p><p>Daley received a <a href="https://clscholarship.org/">Critical Language Scholarship</a>, which is a U.S. State Department program supporting intensive language study, and will study Hindi in Jaipur, India, this summer.</p><p>Then, in the fall, Daley will join the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as a <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/james-c-gaither-junior-fellows-program">James C. Gaither Junior Fellow</a>, working on the Return of Global Russia initiative at Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Center. Daley was one of 18 students selected nationwide. </p><p>Daley recently spoke about their approach to learning languages (an MMA gym plays a role), the value of diverse internship experiences, and much more.</p><p><em>This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.</em><br><br><strong>How did you find out about Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), and what made you want to apply?</strong></p><p>I first learned about CLS in the fall of my sophomore year. I was studying Russian, and I applied for Russian that year but wasn’t selected. That summer, I interned at a think tank in New Delhi, where it quickly became clear that communicating beyond the classroom—talking to rickshaw drivers and the guy selling mangoes next to my apartment—requires more than English. </p><p>I’d lived in India in first grade, so I had some background, but I could bargain for mangoes and not much more. Last fall, going into senior year, I applied again, this time for Hindi, and here we are.</p><p><strong>What will your summer in India look like?</strong></p><p>I’ll be in a language program with at least four hours of classes every morning, followed by practice with assigned conversation partners, while living with a Hindi-speaking host family. Essentially, it’s Hindi 24/7. </p><p><strong>What do you remember from living in India as a child?</strong></p><p>The relationships. For example, when I was back in India for the internship, I tracked down someone who had cared for my family when I was a child and spent time in her village. She still remembered all my favorite foods, and even named her daughter after my sister. </p><p><strong>How has your interest in languages evolved over the years?</strong></p><p>I learned Hindi as a kid but lost it quickly after returning to the U.S. I took Russian 101 my first semester at 91ֱ��, pretty much by accident. I needed a class to fill my schedule and it was at a convenient time. I figured I’d do one semester, but I really enjoyed it, so I kept going. Studying Russian taught me how to learn a language: what strategies are effective, what timelines are realistic and how you can pursue immersion in a non-immersive environment. </p><p>Studying abroad in Kazakhstan, I found the easiest way to avoid mistakes when learning a new language is to stay inside and not engage with the host community—but that's also the easiest way to avoid learning the language. Asking questions and following curiosity into niches within the host community—music, sports, the outdoors, whatever resonates—makes all the difference. </p><p>When I was in Kazakhstan, training with local boxers helped my Russian enormously and gave me friendships and a depth of understanding I wouldn’t have had otherwise.</p><p>At 91ֱ��, Senior Lecturer in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Maia Solovieva also taught me a lot about language learning beyond just Russian—the theory behind it, how to approach skill gaps and how to keep progressing past the intermediate plateau. </p><p><strong>You’ve had an impressive run of internships. What have they taught you? </strong></p><p>At the State Department, I focused on social media analysis in one Pakistani province. In India, the work was much more macro, on great power competition and strategic framing. The practical skills were different too: how to write for policy outlets, how to get published in newspapers. </p><p>At the Department of Defense last summer, the focus was strengthening relations with security partners in the Middle East. I interfaced directly with senior military leaders from across the region, hearing their perspectives on events in their own countries.</p><p><strong>Your honors thesis is on Russian nuclear energy diplomacy in the Global South. How does it all connect: the thesis, India, Hindi, and where you see yourself heading?</strong></p><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:247px;"> </div> <p>The project grew out of research I started two summers ago in India. I co-authored a report and op-ed with Constantino Xavier, a senior fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress in New Delhi, that examined Russian and Indian cooperation in India’s “Neighbourhood First Policy.”</p><p>In that work, I came across the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh: a 2,400-megawatt facility being built by Russia with Indian assistance. This raised a question: Why did Bangladesh choose Russia over other countries with equal capabilities? As countries across the Global South expand their clean energy infrastructure, understanding why certain partnerships are chosen over others matters enormously for U.S. economic statecraft.</p><p><strong>You were named a James C. Gaither Junior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. What can you share about the work you’ll do there?</strong></p><p>I've been following Carnegie's work for years and relied heavily on the Russia and Eurasia program's reports for my honors thesis research on nuclear reactor exports. When applying to the Gaither Fellows program, I had a hard decision to make regarding which program to apply for, as my research interests span Russia, South Asia, and non-proliferation issues. Eventually, I settled on the Russia program, as I can connect my interest in other regions through analyzing Moscow's international engagement.</p><p><strong>Anything else you want people to know?</strong></p><p>I’m also a musician. I play lead guitar in a band at 91ֱ��—Sloth—and I’ve been doing combat sports my whole life. I want to study Indian classical string instruments and join an MMA gym. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The triple major in politics, economics, and Russian earned a Critical Language Scholarship and James C. Gaither Junior Fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-07T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/07/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Elizabeth Weinstein ’02</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian" hreflang="und">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Lucas Daley</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Reimagining the Voice: Nick Hallett ’97 on Art Without Boundaries</h1> <p>kviancou — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:20:30 +0000</p> <span>Reimagining the Voice: Nick Hallett ’97 on Art Without Boundaries</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-27T11:20:30-04:00" title="Friday, March 27, 2026 - 11:20">Fri, 03/27/2026 - 11:20</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When Nick Hallett ’97 reconstructs a piece of music, he’s not just reviving a score—he’s reimagining a living work.</p><p>In 2025, Hallett earned a master’s degree in music composition at Wesleyan, where he had the time and opportunity to dive more deeply into new work. His final project was a musicological thesis centered on reconstructing and performing "City Park" by the late cellist and composer Arthur Russell. </p><p>City Park hadn’t been heard in five decades until performances held in 2023 at Wesleyan and the New York City AIDS Memorial. Returning to academia allowed Hallett to reimagine the composition for a new generation. A longtime admirer of Russell’s work, Hallett sought out the composer’s instructions for the piece, along with archival recordings and the memories of those who had participated in the premiere. </p><p>“The score is a map,” Hallett said in a <em>New York Times</em> feature about the work, “one that is not intended to be followed literally but one that puts agency in the performer and allows them to make choices.” </p><p>Hallett’s artistic practice has always been integrative. Initially a vocal student in 91ֱ��’s Conservatory of Music, he later added a self-designed linguistics major in the college and graduated with a double degree. “Linguistics stimulated my sense of interdisciplinarity,” he says. “TIMARA was a place where I could figure out how to make the things I liked learning about, and I took classes in theater and dance as well.” </p><p>Hallett studied under Richard Miller in the conservatory. The storied voice professor “had such a strong impact on my formation as an artist, but not in the ways I imagine he intended,” Hallett says. He notes that Miller’s use of scientific listening tools are still part of Hallet’s teaching and artistic practice. “Much of what I’m working on right now goes back to what I absorbed during my time in his studio.” </p><p>By his final semester at 91ֱ��, Hallett had ventured into experimental work. He staged a guerrilla-style performance-composition recital in Fairchild Chapel titled “The Theater of Organized Sound.” In true Obie fashion, Hallett postered across campus to spread the word outside of official channels. The performance was off the record from any academic department yet drew a rapt crowd and was reviewed in <em>The 91ֱ�� Review</em>. </p><p>The success of that DIY recital gave Hallett the experience and confidence to stage his own interdisciplinary works, an approach that came in handy after moving to New York City shortly after graduating. “If Miller knew I was performing experimental vocal music within the conservatory at the same time, I would have been kicked out of his studio,” Hallett says. “But I was far from alone, and it was not hard to find faculty support to realize my ideas. The like-minded artists I identified as an 91ֱ�� student remain my close associates.” </p><p>In recent years, Hallett has created scores for works by choreographer Bill T. Jones and collaborated with artist Shana Moulton on multiple projects. He will make his debut as a solo artist in fall 2026 with an art exhibition of acousmatic <em>Voice Portraits</em> at New York’s Klaus Von Nichtssagend Gallery. The project draws on his longtime work as a voice teacher to artists and rock singers, as well as technologies he first encountered at 91ֱ��. </p><p>To create the portraits, Hallett leads participants through creative prompts similar to those used in a voice lesson, then transforms the recordings into multichannel sound sculptures that capture each subject’s vocal essence.</p><p>Hallett remains deeply connected to the network of artistic Obies in New York City who champion experimentation and mixed-media work. He teaches at Eugene Lang College at the New School and the School of Visual Arts and recently published his first academic article, “Transidiomatic Orality: Anthony Braxton's Journey through the Voice,” in the book <em>Anthony Braxton – 50+ Years of Creative Music</em>. And while he’s come a long way as an academic and artist since his time at 91ֱ��, the lessons of his double-degree education continue to influence his work. </p><p>“I was on a trajectory of being the musical collaborator to artists working in non-musical fields,” Hallett says. “I wouldn't be having my first solo art exhibit if I hadn’t gone back to school and put my thinking about voice into a new creative practice.” </p><hr><p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Double degree graduate draws on his musical and artistic background to create large-scale collaborative projects. </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-07T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/07/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Serena Zets ’22</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2357">Double Degree Program</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Nick Hallett ’97 performs "City Park" in New York.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Michael Azerrad</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-49608" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><strong>C Is For Collaboration </strong></p><p>Hallett has remained close to peers from 91ֱ��, including Zach Layton ’99, with whom he co-organizes the annual NYC <em>In C</em> performance of Terry Riley’s epic 1964 composition. What began as an 91ֱ�� rite of passage—Layton performed it in Randall Coleman's composition seminar, and Hallett remembers gathering in the conservatory courtyard to play In C with classmates—has endured as a New York City tradition.</p><p>“I’ve been lucky to have a supportive network of Obies who champion my energies across music and dance and visual art,” Hallett says. The 2025 performance featured an impressive list of Obies, including flutist Claire Chase ’01, violinist Erica Dicker ’01, trombonist Sam Kulik ’04, cellist Alex Waterman ’98, and composer Du Yun ’01.</p><hr><p><em>91ֱ��’s </em><a href="/arts-and-sciences/ba-bfa" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3b72b3d9-2465-48c8-9c21-0dd1037a3a87" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="BA+BFA in Integrated Arts"><em>BA+BFA in Integrated Arts program</em></a><em> combines the rigor of an arts school with the well-rounded, interdisciplinary education of a liberal arts college. Learn more about this five-year program that’s tailored to each student’s academic and artistic interests.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:57:34 +0000</p> <span>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:57:34-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 12:57">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:235px;"> </div> <p>When creating programs for concerts or recording projects, Associate Professor of Voice <a href="/katherine-jolly">Katherine Jolly</a> creates a blend of the familiar and the challenging. In addition to teaching, the soprano is dedicated to growing an audience for art song, an intimate, Western style of composition that places poetry and music on equal footing. “I’m trying to get back to a place where art song is a normal part of life, like it used to be, rather than this obtuse, fancy thing.” </p><p>It’s with this ear for poetry that Jolly released her new album, <a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6803"><em>No Ordinary Woman</em></a> (Navona Records/PARMA Recordings), in January with pianist Emily Yap Chua. This album, her first since her 2019 debut <em>Preach Sister, Preach</em>, features three song cycles that are intimate reflections on different sorts of love and on womanhood. </p><p>Two were commissioned and composed for Jolly: <em>Nikki’s Love Songs</em>, a song cycle with poetry by writer and civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni set to music by Dominic DiOrio, and <em>Love in Times of War</em>, which contains texts written and set by composer Carla Lucero. Rounding out the album is the 1997 song cycle <em>No Ordinary Woman</em> by former conservatory faculty member Gwyneth Walker, based on poems by the writer and teacher Lucille Clifton. This is the first label recording of this cycle.</p><p>“There's a lot of humor in the melodic treatments, and you can hear it in, for example, Giovanni’s ‘Good Omelet,’” Jolly says of the music on <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>. “You can also hear the humor in Walker’s ‘Homage to My Hair’ and in Lucero’s ‘Electric.’ If I'm going to present something that's a little more challenging for the audience, then there has to be at least one or two sets where people walk away singing something. My goal is to champion living composers and new works, so that we are welcoming current and future audiences to a space where we create beauty and light."</p><p>Jolly recorded the album over a joyful and intense three-day span in 91ֱ��’s Clonick Hall, with brief cat naps in between takes to stay sharp. Below, she discusses the album’s gestation and her passion for making art song accessible to all, reflecting current times and, in this case, women’s journeys. </p><p><strong>What sparked your interest in recording this album?</strong></p><p>I grew up in a highly musical and writer-conscious household. Nikki Giovanni’s book <em>Love Poems</em> came out when I was a junior in college. At the time, I thought, “Someday I want to have these set to a cycle for me.” This is really a long-term career goal and passion project for me. I have relationships with everyone involved in this album. I’m so grateful.</p><p><strong>Did you speak with Giovanni before she passed away in 2024?</strong></p><p>Yes, I reached out to Professor Giovanni in 2020 to ask for her permission to set some of her poetry. I came home one day to a handwritten card from her in the mail. I’m going to frame it; I’ve been an ardent reader and fan of hers for so long. My parents followed her work, long before I was born.</p><p>Nikki graciously affirmed that she would be honored to have some of the poems from her book, <em>Love Poems</em>, set by one of my best friends, Dominic DiOrio, and that she'd be honored if I would sing them. </p><p><strong>Which poems did you choose?</strong></p><p>This particular album is all about love. Nikki’s poetry celebrates different kinds of love—like aging love or playful love that's very sensual or even spicy. Dominic and I chose the poems that resonated with us. Everyone should have this book of poetry; there is something for everyone.</p><p><strong>Let’s talk about the second set, </strong><em><strong>No Ordinary Woman</strong></em><strong>. How did you settle on Lucille Clifton’s poetry?</strong></p><p>Soprano Kylie Kreucher ’23, a junior at the time, was accepted into the prestigious voice program at Music Academy of the West. So we were tasked with creating a program that had a meaningful theme. For Kylie, it was about female empowerment and unheard voices. So I looked for art songs across time periods that spoke to her and found Walker’s “Homage to My Hips.” It was perfect for the theme.</p><p>Then I began exploring the rest of the cycle and programmed it multiple times: on campus; with Cincinnati Song Initiative; and in guest recitals throughout the country. Women around my age or a little older waited post-recital to share about how this cycle, <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>, resonated with them. The final song in the set is really about aging gracefully. This cycle feels very much like how I want to see myself, and my students keep telling me, “Dr. J, I can just hear your laughter in these.”</p><p><strong>And the third set, </strong><em><strong>Love in Times of War?</strong></em></p><p>Carla Lucero has shaken things up in the opera world; she is a force and an incredible composer. This cycle grew out of conversations between us. A lot of what she's written is based on my personality. There are snappy sections and references to cats at the piano, and it grew into an interesting concept to think about falling in love with somebody that you didn't intend to fall in love with. Vocally and musically, it is very challenging, so I look forward to bringing it to audiences and staging it. It was designed to be operatic in scope, and we've talked about orchestrating it and making it a one-woman, one-act orchestral show. </p><p><strong>What’s next for you?</strong></p><p>I’m working on my next album already! I have had a really lovely operatic career; now, mostly I’m focused on recital and chamber works, singing with symphonies, and teaching. Not only am I still singing, I'm singing and creating. So many of my colleagues at 91ֱ�� are doing the same, juggling performing, recording, creating, and teaching. What a gift for our students and our community. What a gift for us.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">New album by 91ֱ�� associate professor of voice includes three song cycles about womanhood, femininity, and aging gracefully.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/katherine-jolly" hreflang="und">Katherine Jolly</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:55:50 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T09:55:50-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 09:55">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:55</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ��’s Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space is about to get a little…<em>stranger</em>. </p><p>Beginning April 23, 91ֱ�� Music Theater invites audiences to Hawkins, Indiana, circa 1983—a time when hair was bigger and unsupervised children were snatched by interdimensional creatures. The occasion is <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical"><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em></a>, an over-the-top take on the hit Netflix series in all its campy 1980s glory.</p><p>Created by Jonathan Hogue, the award-nominated musical follows Mike, Eleven, Lucas, and Dustin as they face dancing monsters, teenage drama, and a trip to the Upside Down—the name for Hawkins' dark alternate dimension—this time with plenty of laughs. Critics have called the show “screwy” and “non-stop fun,” praising its ability to capture the “glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.”</p><p>Directed by Assistant Professor of Music Theater <a href="/laura-welsh">Laura Welsh</a>, with musical direction by Sarah Nelson and choreography by second-year music theater major Valeria Flores, 91ֱ��’s production leans into the humor and heart of the original production. “I'm a huge sci-fi fan and a child of the ’80s," says Welsh, "and this production is designed to revisit highlights of the series and the decade that inspired it in a joyful and humorous way.”</p><p>That sense of play extends beyond the stage, and Welsh warns that viewers seated in the front rows should be ready to participate. “The first rows are our ‘audience interaction seats’—ticket buyers beware! If you sit there, you will hold props, give high-fives, wear costume pieces, and be incorporated as part of the set.” Viewers sitting further back can still expect a “fun romp through ’80s archetypes” without the expectation of being part of the show.</p><p>Behind the scenes, Welsh adds, students are enjoying the trial and error of comedy. “Comedy is fun, but it’s hard work. Jokes are like math equations—they have to be carefully balanced.” The collaborative process has been especially rewarding: “Our students bring in amazing ideas, and then we shape them together, moment by moment, scene by scene. We all laugh a lot along the way.”</p><hr><p><em><strong>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</strong></em><strong> runs April 23 through May 3, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. Welsh suggests arriving early for pre-show music bingo and prizes. </strong></p><hr><p><strong>CONTENT ADVISORY: </strong><em>Stranger Sings!</em> <em>The Parody Musical</em> contains mature themes and situations, including strong language, suggestive content, and gun violence (including gun shot sound effects). This production also uses strobe lighting, which may affect photosensitive viewers, and theatrical fog and haze throughout the performance.</p><p><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em> has no relation to Netflix.<br><br><strong>TICKET INFORMATION: </strong>General admission tickets at $15 ($10 for students and seniors), available <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical">online</a>, by phone (800-371-0178), or in person by visiting 91ֱ��'s Central Ticket Service (67 N. Main St., in the lobby of the Nord Performing Arts Complex) from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Award-nominated parody delivers "screwy...non-stop fun" revisiting the glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=476332">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-welsh" hreflang="und">Laura Welsh</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ��'s Marcel Mutsindashyaka to Address United Nations on International Day of Reflection</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:55:00 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ��'s Marcel Mutsindashyaka to Address United Nations on International Day of Reflection</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T09:55:00-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 09:55">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:55</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>More than three decades ago, Marcel Mutsindashyaka lost most of his family in the genocide that unfolded over 100 days in Rwanda. Today, he is sharing his story of grief, resilience, and remembrance with the world.</p><p>Mutsindashyaka, 91ֱ��'s Chief Information Officer, will address the United Nations as part of a commemorative ceremony marking the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The ceremony, taking place at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Tuesday, April 7, can be <a href="https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1e/k1eqtuet05">streamed live on U.N. Web TV beginning at 10 a.m.</a></p><p>The genocide began on April 7, 1994, and included the murder of more than one million people—most of them members of the Tutsi ethnic group, but also those of Hutu heritage and others who opposed the killing. “Entire families were brutally erased,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message marking the 32nd anniversary of what he called “one of the darkest chapters in human history.”</p><p>In 2003, the U.N. established the International Day of Reflection, and each year on April 7, it holds memorial events in New York and at U.N. offices around the world. </p><p>The 10 a.m. ceremony, held in the General Assembly Hall, will be led by Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming, an 91ֱ�� alumna from the Class of 1986. The program will include remarks from senior U.N. officials and international leaders, as well as short films, survivor testimony, a candle-lighting ceremony, and a musical tribute.</p><p>Mutsindashyaka will speak in his dual capacity as a genocide survivor and president of <a href="https://ibukausa.org/">Ibuka USA</a>, an organization dedicated to honoring the memory of victims, supporting survivors, and advocating for a world free from genocide.</p><p>“When I was 5 years old, I lost 27 members of my family, including my father and three of my siblings,” Mutsindashyaka says. “That experience has shaped who I am today and continues to influence how I see the world and how I serve with purpose, resilience, and a deep commitment to others.</p><p>“At the United Nations, I will be speaking on behalf of more than one million Tutsi who were killed during the genocide, as well as the hundreds of thousands of survivors whose lives were forever impacted and who continue to carry its legacy."</p><p>The annual observance serves as a reminder that the atrocities that took place in Rwanda are, in the words of Secretary-General Guterres, "never forgotten—and never repeated. Anywhere."</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Chief Information Officer survived genocide in his native Rwanda, plays a leading role in honoring the memory of victims.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> </main></body></html>