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The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

Ellie Davis, Features Section Editor

Ellie Davis is a prospective political science major and public health concentrator from Radnor, Penn. She is a section editor for the features section. She previously served as a staff writer for the features and arts sections.

Email: [email protected]

All content by Ellie Davis
Haley Zimmerman/The Williams Record

Encampment ends, Board of Trustees commits to two meetings with SJP, J4J

Ellie Davis and Haley Zimmerman May 18, 2024
On Monday afternoon, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jews for Justice (J4J) closed their encampment on Sawyer Quad after President of the College Maud S. Mandel and leaders of the Board of Trustees agreed to a meeting between members of SJP and J4J and at least 19 members of the Board of Trustees.
The Artist Otherwise Known As: Singer-songwriter Sean Bottomms ’24

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Singer-songwriter Sean Bottomms ’24

Ellie Davis April 23, 2024
Singer-songwriter Sean Bottomms ’24 discusses his musical influences and debut EP Silver, which will be released on April 28.
Photo courtesy of Zach Bishop.

One in Two Thousand: Zach Bishop ’26

Ellie Davis April 9, 2024
Each week, the Record (using a script in R) randomly selects a student at the College for our One in Two Thousand feature, excluding current Record board members. This week, Zach Bishop ’26 discussed French press coffee, Norwegian heavy metal, and using economics to compose music.
North Adams Regional Hospital is offering in-patient care for the first time in 10 years. (Photo courtesy of Berkshire Health Systems.)

North Adams Regional Hospital reopens inpatient care

Ellie Davis April 9, 2024
Students seeking medical care beyond the capacity of the College’s Thompson Health Center often travel to nearby providers. As of March 29, in addition to emergency room and outpatient services, the North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) at the Berkshire Medical Center is offering in-patient care for the first time in 10 years.
Ruth Ozeki is a distinguished visiting professor of English at the College. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Ozeki.)

Just visiting: Bestselling author Ruth Ozeki teaches advanced fiction at the College

Ellie Davis and Alina Ramirez March 12, 2024

In 2017, Aisha Abdrashitova ’22  – then a student at the Berkshire School – reached out to bestselling author and then-Professor of English at Smith College Ruth Ozeki asking what book she should...

(Photo courtesy of Catherine Farman-Farmaian.)

One in Two Thousand: Logan McClennen ’24

Ellie Davis March 12, 2024
Each week, the Record (using a script in R) randomly selects a student at the College for our One in Two Thousand feature, excluding current Record board members. This week, Logan McClennen ’24 discussed his early March Madness insights, the exciting end to his intramural (IM) basketball career, and being the subject of a song by his ex-girlfriend.
Haley Zimmerman/The Williams Record

College recycling system effective but hampered by poor student compliance, Record investigation finds

Ellie Davis March 6, 2024
To investigate the efficacy of the College’s recycling system, the Record spoke to the Zilkha Center, trailed the work of custodial staff, and surveyed students. While respondents said they care about recycling and believe that they are recycling their own waste effectively, they also reported confusion about the College’s recycling program and estimated that recycled waste produced by students is generally contaminated.
SFS — housed in Weston Hall — implemented the PEG in 2022. (Jane Su/The Williams Record)

Directing deposits: Students reflect on the Personal Expenses Grant

Ellie Davis and Rebecca Call February 28, 2024
Many students receiving financial aid at the College are accustomed to seeing $925 hit their bank accounts from “Williams College Direct Pay” at the start of each semester. But this money — known as the Personal Expenses Grant (PEG) — has only existed in its current form since 2022, when the College established its all-grant financial aid program.
Bark on the street: The animals of Spring Street establishments

Bark on the street: The animals of Spring Street establishments

Phoebe Pallesen, Emily Zas, and Ellie Davis February 14, 2024
The Record gets to know the nine pets that spend time in establishments on Spring Street. Woof!
WSO’s new Booktrak feature. (Nina Yankovic/The Williams Record)

Decoding Williams Students Online’s newest features

Ellie Davis February 7, 2024
Last Thursday, WSO Co-Presidents Ye Shu ’24 and Andrew Megalaa ’24 announced the launch of the first of many planned improvements to the site: a new platform, Booktrak, for students to resell and purchase their course books.
Teanna Bucci ’26 introduces CLiA’s new financial literacy platform. (Photo courtesy of Paula Consolini.)

An asset to the community: CLiA introduces new financial literacy platform for students

Ellie Davis January 24, 2024
Last Tuesday, the Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) launched a new financial literacy platform for all students in collaboration with Kindros, a public benefit corporation with the goal of increasing access to personal finance education.
Eurydice centers around the female lead instead of the male protagonist of the original Greek tragedy. (Photo courtesy of Annie Morrison.)

Cap and Bells’ Eurydice explores loss, love, joy

Ellie Davis December 6, 2023
Cap & Bells to present its production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl on Friday at 5:00 p.m., Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in Goodrich Hall.
The proposed rail line will run from Boston to North Adams. (Photo courtesy of MassDOT).

Students, faculty continue advocating for Northern Tier Rail Expansion

Ellie Davis December 6, 2023
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is finalizing its report on the feasibility of the Northern Tier Rail Expansion Project, which would bring passenger rail service between Boston and Northwestern Massachusetts for the first time since 1956, with a likely terminus in North Adams, Mass. 
Cap & Bells presents student-written plays The Favour and Put the Fun in Funeral in Fall Play Festival

Cap & Bells presents student-written plays The Favour and Put the Fun in Funeral in Fall Play Festival

Shane Stackpole and Ellie Davis October 31, 2023
Students involved with the Fall Play Festival discuss the process of putting on The Favour and Put the Fun in Funeral.
How four WCFM DJs  found their radio shticks

How four WCFM DJs found their radio shticks

Ellie Davis October 17, 2023
WCFM student-DJs discuss establishing a musical niche for their radio shows.
Carrigan’s Cuts — which opened in early April — offers an array of haircuts to Town residents. (Ellie Davis/The Williams Record)

A cut above the rest: Carrigan’s Cuts opens for business on Spring Street

Ellie Davis May 17, 2023

Nick Carrigan’s mom usually cut his hair when he was a kid — but sometimes he could convince his father to take him to a real barber shop. They went to Man’s World Styling Salon in North Adams,...

Alum couple travels cross-country with ‘busload of books’

Alum couple travels cross-country with ‘busload of books’

Haley Zimmerman and Ellie Davis May 2, 2023
By the end of this school year, Swanson and Behr will have traveled to a school in all 50 states. At each stop, they will give out free books through a partnership with the nonprofit First Book and document it on their Instagram, YouTube channel, and website. 
Williams HR helps faculty spouses adapt to the Town job market. (Haley Zimmerman/The Williams Record)

Spouses of faculty struggle to find employment at the College

Ellie Davis April 25, 2023
In a location as remote as Williamstown, spouses of College faculty members can face limited employment opportunities. For spouses who are also academics, getting two tenure-track positions at the College can be difficult, forcing couples to make challenging decisions about their careers.
Members of the Williams Climbing Club enjoy the new Bouldering Barn in the Pond House garage. (Photo courtesy of Bradley Wakoff.)

WOC cuts ribbon for new bouldering barn

Innes Asher and Ellie Davis April 11, 2023
The newly constructed Bouldering Barn will be open six days a week, and it is large enough to host 10 climbers at a time.
‘The best trip’: Francis ‘Frenchie’ Fredette to retire after 16 years at the College

‘The best trip’: Francis ‘Frenchie’ Fredette to retire after 16 years at the College

Ellie Davis March 14, 2023
After 16 years working in dining halls at the College, Francis “Frenchie” Fredette, a prep and service attendant at Driscoll Dining Hall, plans to retire at the end of this academic year.
Inside the world of investment banking recruiting

Inside the world of investment banking recruiting

Haley Zimmerman and Ellie Davis December 7, 2022
The Record spoke to three students entering the world of IB to answer some key questions: Why do so many kids go into IB? What’s the process like? What is IB, anyway?
(Angela Gui/The Williams Record)

Yik Yakkers at the College post for upvotes and laughs

Ellie Davis and Edith Edwards-Mizel November 30, 2022
Yik Yak — an app where individuals can anonymously post to a five-mile radius — has gained traction at the College. Who are the people that choose to spend their time building their Yakarma — the arbitrary points doled out to frequent and successful Yik Yak users — and how have they crafted strategies to get the most upvotes? We spoke with three students to find out.
Jess Hu/The Williams Record

Incoming first-years find community through digital platforms before arrival to campus

Ellie Davis October 18, 2022
When incoming first-years are accepted to the College, many turn to social media to make contact with their future classmates. Particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students form robust social networks before ever setting foot on campus. And while some thrive on the availability of this online networking, others choose to avoid it altogether. 
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