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

Fiona Seibert, Staff Writer

Fiona Seibert ’24 is a prospective German and biology major with a concentration in molecular biology from Arcata, Calif. She is a staff writer for the news section.

Email: [email protected]

All content by Fiona Seibert
From one rural community to another: First-year students from small towns on coming to the College

From one rural community to another: First-year students from small towns on coming to the College

Fiona Seibert • February 15, 2023
Students from rural towns often expect Williamstown to feel familiar. Three first-years from rural towns spoke to the Record about the similarities — and differences — they've observed since arriving on campus.
Retiring faculty members offer words of advice

Retiring faculty members offer words of advice

Fiona Seibert • November 30, 2022
Ten faculty members will retire this year. The Record asked them to share wisdom with the College before they leave.
Seven professors retiring from the College this year

Seven professors retiring from the College this year

Fiona Seibert • February 16, 2022
The College has announced that seven faculty members are retiring during this academic year: Professors Ben Benedict, Jerry Caprio ’72, Helga Druxes, Laurie Heatherington, Paul Park, Duane Bailey, and Scott Wong.
College restores full dorm card access

College restores full dorm card access

Fiona Seibert • October 20, 2021
Student card access to all residential buildings was restored on Oct. 8. The College had originally revoked universal card access in the wake of students concerns about drink tampering, but administrators found that the access restrictions had not made a significant difference in party activity.
Amherst’s COVID regulations are among the strictest in the NESCAC. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

In Other Ivory Towers: Other colleges face outbreaks, stricter COVID rules

Fiona Seibert • September 22, 2021
As colleges nationwide reopen for the fall semester, some peer institutions have implemented public health restrictions notably stricter than the College’s COVID-19 rules. Others have had to change their policies in response to sharp upticks in student COVID cases.
The vaccine clinic entrance was located at the east door of the Towne Field House, which also serves as the site for the College’s COVID testing program. (Fiona Seibert/The Williams Record)

College holds COVID-19 vaccination clinic

Fiona Seibert • May 19, 2021
The College partnered with Northern Berkshire Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Berkshire Health Systems, and the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative to run an on-campus vaccination clinic on May 12, which came after the College was unable to offer vaccines on campus for the first few weeks after eligibility had opened to all adults in Massachusetts.
WOOLF leaders who are currently on campus have met in person several times in small groups to learn the skills necessary for the trips. (Photo courtesy of Vince McNelis.)

WOOLF to proceed as normal in fall 2021

Fiona Seibert • May 19, 2021
In fall 2021, all EphVentures orientation trips for first-years were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Orientation was held entirely remotely instead. In light of the College’s plans to relax COVID restrictions for the fall, Williams Outdoor Orientation for Living as First-Years (WOOLF), the most popular EphVenture program, is slated to occur as normal for the Class of 2025.
Sweet Brook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in April 2019, before its closure. (Photo courtesy of Gillian Jones/The Berkshire Eagle.)

State reaches settlement with Williamstown nursing home over allegations of resident mistreatment

Fiona Seibert, Sonia Prasad, and Katie Jung • May 5, 2021
The owners of the now-closed Sweet Brook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Williamstown reached a settlement last month of $110,000 with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts after repeated allegations of failure to care for residents.
Rosemary Kehoe ’24 works on her plot. (Photo courtesy of Justyn Friedler.)

Students, faculty, staff begin planting in College community garden

Fiona Seibert • April 21, 2021
In November of last year, the College began construction of the Williams College community garden, located on the field behind Poker Flats. Now, at the end of March, after five months, the construction process has finished, and students, staff, and faculty who signed up have been assigned plots to begin planting. 
Peter Miles ’24 (right) spends time with friends Andrew Nachamkin ’24 (left) and Frances Hayward ’24 (back) during a late-night study session. (Photo courtesy of Peter Miles.)

‘I was hesitant then, but now I’m not’: First-years reflect on approaching two months on campus

Fiona Seibert and Lindsay Wang • April 7, 2021
One month ago, the Record spoke with six formerly remote first-years about their fears, expectations, and hopes about stepping onto campus for the first time. Since then, they’ve adjusted to the rhythm of college life, embracing both the expected and the unexpected as they found how they fit into the College community. 
Rhiana Gunn-Wright, a climate activist, holds a lecture on the Green New Deal.

Matt Sheehy to leave College for Deerfield Academy

Fiona Seibert • April 7, 2021
Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration Matt Sheehy will leave the College to take the position of Chief Financial Officer at Deerfield Academy, a boarding school in Massachusetts, beginning Aug. 1, Vice President for Finance and Administration Fred Puddester announced in the March 31 Daily Messages. 
Governor Baker announces the vaccination timeline for Massachusetts residents. Photo courtesy of Joshua Qualls at the Governor’s Press Office.

All Massachusetts adults to be eligible for vaccine April 19

College works to become a vaccination site
Kiara Royer and Fiona Seibert • March 31, 2021
On March 17, Gov. Baker announced that all Massachusetts residents over the age of 16 will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on April 19. The College has not yet determined whether it will be able to serve as a vaccination site, but it is in discussion with local health services providers, President Mandel told the Record.
Some staff members and professors have received the COVID-19 vaccine already. (Hannah Stillman/The Williams Record)

K-12 educators, some professors and staff eligible for vaccines

Fiona Seibert • March 17, 2021
As of March 11, K-12 educators, K-12 school staff, and child care workers have become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in Massachusetts.
Lea Obermüller ’24 brought Milka chocolate bars, known for their purple cow mascot, from Germany to share with her pod on campus. (Photo courtesy of Lea Obermüller.)

‘I finally feel like a real student’: Formerly remote first-years come to campus

Fiona Seibert and Lindsay Wang • March 3, 2021
The Record spoke with six formerly remote first-years, who, despite coming from locations around the world, shared similar hopes and expectations for a spring semester that ends with a fuller sense of their connection to the College community.
Students returning to campus experienced a slightly different transition from that in the fall, including the ability to retrieve meals from the dining hall during in-room quarantine. (Sam Riley/The Williams Record)

Students returning to campus confront travel challenges, look forward to semester

Seven students test positive upon arrival
Annie Lu, Isabelle Zollinger, and Fiona Seibert • February 17, 2021
The College began welcoming students back to campus on Feb. 10 after a prolonged winter break. As of Feb. 16, 1,723 students are enrolled on campus for the spring semester. Seven students tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, and two more tested positive afterward. Twenty additional students, whose initial COVID tests were negative, have moved to quarantine housing because they came into close contact with students who tested positive.
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