Goddard College Blog

Welcome Dr. Danita Berg, MFA in Creative Writing Program Director

Welcome home, Dr. Danita Berg. Danita will assume the position of MFAW program director starting on May 3, 2021. She holds both an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of South Florida. She brings an extensive background in college-level teaching, administration, and leadership, with… Continue reading Welcome Dr. Danita Berg, MFA in Creative Writing Program Director

The Passionate Voice of Bobi Céspedes, Goddard alum

Bobi Céspedes is an Afro-Cuban singer and international recording artist. She is also a graduate of Goddard’s BA in Education in Seattle in 2009. The bilingual education program was a good fit for the composer, band leader and educator. Bobi Céspedes was interviewed by Renée Almatierra for Goddard College in May 2021. They discussed her… Continue reading The Passionate Voice of Bobi Céspedes, Goddard alum

Spotlight: Chad Amos Self, MFA in Interdisciplinary Art

Chad Amos Self, is a Goddard student in the MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program. He is a sculpture artist living in Rhode Island and is the Vice President of Hera Gallery, an art gallery who’s mission statement includes a dedication “to gender equity and feminist discourse to challenge perceptions and inspire social change.” Chad was… Continue reading Spotlight: Chad Amos Self, MFA in Interdisciplinary Art

Q&A with author Matthew Quick

In 2018 Matthew Quick (MFAW ’07) was interviewed by Dustin Byerly (BA RUP ’01) for Clockworks magazine. Recently, I spoke with Matthew Quick (MFAW ’07) about his journey from high school teacher to award-winning author and the role Goddard played in his development as an author. Matthew Quick is the New York Times bestselling author… Continue reading Q&A with author Matthew Quick

Goddard Leads Trend Thanks to Long-Established Pedagogy

I recently read an article in the Chronicle of Higher education titled When One-on-One Learning Can’t be Side by Side. In the article, the author expounds upon the creative way that one faculty member created engagement when the pandemic forced her college to move to remote learning. The article talked about how the students present… Continue reading Goddard Leads Trend Thanks to Long-Established Pedagogy

Spotlight: Suli Holum, MFA in Creative Writing

Suli Holum was playing the role of Emilia in a production of Othello at the Lantern Theatre in Philadelphia when the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns began. After just two preview performances, the entire crew packed up and the curtain fell. The show never officially opened, and Suli was suddenly left wondering what to do when her… Continue reading Spotlight: Suli Holum, MFA in Creative Writing

Secondary School in Kenya Inspired by Goddard

Originally founded in 2005 by Andrea (Andy) Leebron-Clay (MFAW ’02, MA SBC ’09) and Jim Clay (MA SBC ’09), the Clay International Secondary School is a free, co-educational, rural high school serving the region of Makueni County in Kenya. The school offers a free education to its students, operating under a cooperative model, where the… Continue reading Secondary School in Kenya Inspired by Goddard

Spotlight: Caroline Catlin, MFA in Creative Writing

One year before she became an MFA student at Goddard College, Caroline Catlin had her writing published in The New York Times. For many writers, this would be a capstone achievement. But for Catlin, it was the foundation of her Goddard learning journey. In the article, titled What I Learned Photographing Death, she wrote about… Continue reading Spotlight: Caroline Catlin, MFA in Creative Writing

Mike Alvarez’s Goddard Journey- The Paradox of Suicide & Creativity

Two-time Goddard graduate Mike Alvarez (IMA ’10, MFAW ’13) was awarded the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. The fellowship honors and supports young New Americans – immigrants and children of immigrants—to use their graduate training in this country to make distinctive contributions to American life. Mike will receive up to $90,000… Continue reading Mike Alvarez’s Goddard Journey- The Paradox of Suicide & Creativity

MAYDAY 1971 RAW: 50th Anniversary Celebration

50 Years Ago…. In the Winter of 1971, nineteen year old Jay Craven (MA GGP ‘78) visited Goddard’s historic campus in Plainfield, VT. One of several stops of his tour of college campuses throughout the country, Craven sought to raise awareness about Vietnamese opposition to the Vietnam war. As part of a delegation of college… Continue reading MAYDAY 1971 RAW: 50th Anniversary Celebration

Mamadou “Mr. Papis” Traore Brings the Goddard Model to West Africa

Goddard students seeking the path of rigorous, cultural inquiry hail from across the world. Mamadou Traore (BA EDU ’14), whose family and friends know him as “Papi,” embodies Goddard’s holistic approach to education. Originally from Senegal in West Africa, he traversed the globe to attend the Vermont campus where he earned his Bachelor of Arts… Continue reading Mamadou “Mr. Papis” Traore Brings the Goddard Model to West Africa

Remembering Stokely Carmichael

By Russell Neufeld, BA RUP ’69 In the Spring of 1967, Stokely Carmichael spoke at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont and at the University of Vermont in Burlington. At the time, Carmichael was the chairman of SNCC – The Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee. SNCC was a leading organization of the Civil Rights Movement and Carmichael… Continue reading Remembering Stokely Carmichael

Spotlight: Evan Simone Frazier, MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts

Evan Simone Frazier’s poise, charm and grace reflects her depth of experience when she speaks about her work as a graduate student in the MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program at Goddard. Graduate study has allowed her the space to interweave her interests in philosophy and psychology, Evan says, and the Interdisciplinary Arts MFA has given… Continue reading Spotlight: Evan Simone Frazier, MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts

Tim Pitkin’s Maple Sugar Time

In 1934, Goddard’s founding president Royce “Tim” Pitkin, prior to moving back to Vermont to help guide the Goddard Seminary to a Junior College, was serving as headmaster in the New London, New Hampshire public school system. In that year he published a book for young adults titled Maple Sugar Time that describes the entire… Continue reading Tim Pitkin’s Maple Sugar Time

Dr. Mayme Clayton, Renegade Librarian and Icon of Black History Preservation

Goddard College would like to formally recognize Dr. Mayme Clayton for her contribution to the field of preservation of Black History. We honor her legacy and commitment to the mission of her Library and Museum: “to collect, preserve, exhibit, and celebrate the unique history and cultural heritage of Americans of African descent.” “I am a… Continue reading Dr. Mayme Clayton, Renegade Librarian and Icon of Black History Preservation

Goddard Love Stories: Falling for Foucault

Having spent Spring 2000 studying sexuality, gender and identity at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, I was eager to return to Goddard in Fall and begin my senior year. I was full of new ideas for my senior study and looking to build on my research projects from the previous term. My faculty… Continue reading Goddard Love Stories: Falling for Foucault

Love and Ogres: an interview with alum Piers Anthony

This article is updated and adapted from an interview by Dustin Byerly (BA RUP ’01) that originally appeared in Clockworks magazine in 2015. Alumnus and award-winning fantasy author Piers Anthony (BA RUP ’56), has sold over 100 books, 21 of which were on the New York Times Bestseller List. While at Goddard from 1952-1956, he… Continue reading Love and Ogres: an interview with alum Piers Anthony

“The Day That You Bloom” a Commencement Address by Sherri L. Smith

Goddard MFAW Spring 2021 Commencement Speech by Sherri L. Smith (Transcript) Hi Everybody! Welcome to commencement. Okay, let’s just acknowledge it’s been a really weird week. And a really weird year, and the year’s only just begun. I spent some time last weekend thinking about what I was going to say today. And then Tuesday… Continue reading “The Day That You Bloom” a Commencement Address by Sherri L. Smith

Divested From Fossil Fuels, Goddard Invests in People and Planet

Adapted from a post originally published January 14th, 2015 Goddard College achieved the finalization of its divestment. In January 2015, the College moved its endowment funds out of fossil fuel investments and into fossil fuel free accounts at Trillium Asset Management in Boston. Goddard was the third college in Vermont to divest, joining both Sterling… Continue reading Divested From Fossil Fuels, Goddard Invests in People and Planet