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Emily Zas, Executive Editor for Features

Emily Zas ’25 is an English and history major from Brooklyn, N.Y. She is the executive editor for features. She previously served as a section editor for the features section and staff writer for the news section.

Email: [email protected]

All content by Emily Zas
This histogram shows the distribution of responses for the percentage of the student body that they know. The median respondent knew about 22 percent of their peers. The chart has a right skew — some outlier respondents knew over 70 percent of students on their survey. (Haley Zimmerman/The Williams Record)

Phantom 500? More like Phantom 1,641.

Record survey sheds light on social connectedness across class year, major division, athletic status, semesters spent studying away
Luke Chinman, Emily Zas, and Haley Zimmerman • April 17, 2024
If you’re a student, it’s likely you heard about the Phantom 500 early in your time at the College. This week, the Record surveyed the entire student body to test the theory.
One for the books: Milne Public Library celebrates 150th anniversary

One for the books: Milne Public Library celebrates 150th anniversary

Emily Zas and Phoebe Pallesen • March 13, 2024

On March 9, 1874, it was 23 degrees below zero in Williamstown — but the cold did not deter Town residents from attending that year’s Town Meeting, where they voted to establish a public library....

Images Cinema rolls out the red carpet for sold-out fundraising event

Images Cinema rolls out the red carpet for sold-out fundraising event

Palvasha Khan and Emily Zas • March 13, 2024
The local community gathered at Images Cinema to attend the Red Carpet Party and watch the 96th Academy Awards live.
The Record reported 100 years ago on a professor’s remarks defending the character of his students. (Photo courtesy of The Williams Record.)

This Week in Williams History: Professor defends the modern student, College changes academic schedule, students hold forum on bias incidents

Emily Zas • March 6, 2024
“This Week in Williams History” is a column that looks back at memorable moments in the College’s past through articles in the Record. This week in history, a professor defended modern students, the College changed its schedule, and students held a forum on bias incidents. 
Crowning a ‘lucky young lady’: The bygone tradition of Winter Carnival Queens

Crowning a ‘lucky young lady’: The bygone tradition of Winter Carnival Queens

Phoebe Pallesen and Emily Zas • February 21, 2024
The annual Winter Carnival weekend is packed full of traditions that go back nearly a century. One, however, has been out of fashion for the last 50 years: the crowning of a “Winter Carnival Queen.”
Shane Stackpole/The Williams Record

Actresses Laura Linney, Jessica Hecht discuss arts careers, education at student film screening

Hannah Marx and Emily Zas • February 21, 2024
On Sunday, Feb. 18, actresses Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht spoke to a packed Paresky Auditorium about their careers, the importance of the arts to a liberal arts education, and the changing landscape of creative fields. The event culminated Hecht’s Winter Study filmmaking course, featuring a screening of six student-produced short films
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!
Rolling down memory lane: The College’s hidden bowling alley

Rolling down memory lane: The College’s hidden bowling alley

Emily Zas • February 7, 2024
Students might not be aware of the hidden feature in the basement of the Faculty House: a two-lane bowling alley, home to the Faculty Club Bowling League.
‘Dead’ or alive? Students on and off campus reflect on Dead Week

‘Dead’ or alive? Students on and off campus reflect on Dead Week

Emily Zas and Phoebe Pallesen • February 7, 2024
“Dead Week” — the four-day classless lull between the end of Winter Study and the start of spring classes — is neither “dead” nor a week. Dozens of students flock to popular cities like Montreal and New York City to escape the empty interlude. But what about those who venture elsewhere, or stay put on campus?
Actress Jessica Hecht helps student filmmakers shoot scenes for their final Winter Study short film projects. (Emily Zas/The Williams Record)

Actress Jessica Hecht brings Hollywood to Williamstown through Winter Study course

Emily Zas • January 24, 2024
This weekend was the culmination of four weeks in which students in the Winter Study course "A Filmmaker's Workshop" produced short films, led by their experienced course instructor: actress Jessica Hecht.
Deborah Brothers has designed costumes for over 85 shows. (Emily Zas/The Williams Record)

Deborah Brothers retires after 38 years as theatre department costume designer

Emily Zas • May 10, 2023
Over the years, Deborah Brothers has designed costumes for over 85 productions, both at the College and for other theatres in the Berkshires.
Over 100 attended DU’s welcome reception for the Csanádis. (Photo courtesy of Beata Csanádi.)

How Williams fraternity brothers ‘adopted’ a family of refugees — and plan to reunite with them 66 years later

Emily Zas • May 3, 2023
At the height of the Hungarian Revolution in November 1956, Steve Bullock ’57 pitched an idea to his Delta Upsilon (DU) fraternity brothers: to “adopt” a family of Hungarian refugees. Three months and a series of miracles later, a Hungarian family of four moved into the DU fraternity house in Williamstown. 
Yahoo! deemed the College “most wired” due to OIT and WSO’s work to meet internet needs. (Photo courtesy of The Williams Record.)

This Week in Williams History: Record founded, Town fears loss of fraternity tax revenue, College praised for internet resources

Emily Zas • April 26, 2023
This week in history, the Record began publishing, the College considered purchasing fraternity houses, and the College was deemed “most wired.”
The Cawamayday Cups, which have the engraved names of previous winners, are stored in the OCL. (Emily Zas/The Williams Record)

Last in the housing lottery, first in OCL’s heart: The history of the Cawamayday Award

Emily Zas and Luke Chinman • April 19, 2023
In 2003, four students established the "Cawamayday Cup" — an award given to the group of students assigned the last pick number in the housing lottery. Though the prize has been discontinued in recent years, previous recipients remember it fondly.
Inside the ‘Art Mafia’ with John R. Lane ’66

Inside the ‘Art Mafia’ with John R. Lane ’66

Quinn Casey and Emily Zas • April 19, 2023
Although John R. Lane ’66 majored in American Studies while at the College, his successful career as an Art director would not have been possible without taking classes with professors S. Lane Faison ’29 and Whitney Stoddard ’35.
This week in Williams history: End of Latin requirement, higher drinking age threatens Log, College Council defines minority representative position

This week in Williams history: End of Latin requirement, higher drinking age threatens Log, College Council defines minority representative position

Emily Zas • March 8, 2023

“This Week in Williams History” is a column dedicated to looking back at memorable moments in the College’s past through articles in the Record. This week in history, the College abolished its...

‘The social event of the century’: Mutual Aid hosts fundraising gala

‘The social event of the century’: Mutual Aid hosts fundraising gala

Emily Zas and Haley Zimmerman • March 1, 2023
On Feb. 24, students gathered at Agard House for live jazz, a silent auction, and dancing. The fundraising gala hosted by Williams Mutual Aid received over 150 donations and auction bids, raising over $1,500 to be redistributed to members of the College community.
Which water fountains on campus have filled the most water bottles?

Which water fountains on campus have filled the most water bottles?

Luke Chinman, Emily Zas, and Haley Zimmerman • February 22, 2023
The Record surveyed the on-campus water bottle fillers that display the number of bottles filled and ranked the most and least used by their counts as of Feb. 21.
I can hear the (cow)bells: An in-depth look at the Colleges marriage statistics

I can hear the (cow)bells: An in-depth look at the College’s marriage statistics

Emily Zas • February 15, 2023
This Valentine's Day, students at the College might be wondering how likely they are to marry a fellow Eph. The Record compiled statistics on alum marriages at the College and nationally.
Lines, vouchers, and textbooks: The history of the book grant

Lines, vouchers, and textbooks: The history of the book grant

Luke Chinman and Emily Zas • February 8, 2023
While some students today pay full price for their textbooks, many others receive a book grant from the College that covers the full cost of all necessary course materials. The Record reports on the history of the book grant — from the 1914 Memorial Library, to a book voucher system, and then a final shift to the grant system as it exists today.
Earl A. Powell III reflects on his time studying art history at the College. (Photo courtesy of Earl A. Powell III.)

Inside the “Art Mafia” with Earl A. Powell III ’66

Quinn Casey and Emily Zas • February 8, 2023
Before Earl A. Powell III ’66 served as director of the National Gallery of Art, he studied art history and European history at the College under three professors who mentored members of the Williams “Art Mafia” to success.
‘The best class I’ve ever taken at Williams’: Students explore new hobbies through Free University

‘The best class I’ve ever taken at Williams’: Students explore new hobbies through Free University

Emily Zas • January 25, 2023
This Winter Study, students taught and attended a record 66 Free University courses — an 18 percent increase from the 56 courses offered last year and nearly double the 34 courses offered during Winter Study in 2020. Whether they were crocheting sweaters, tasting cheeses, or pursuing any of the other unique course options, students at the College embraced many new hobbies this January.
O’Connell has served as a public member of the council since 2014. (Photo courtesy of Anne Joseph OConnell.)

Anne Joseph O’Connell ’92 appointed to Biden’s administrative conference

Emily Zas • November 9, 2022
Anne Joseph O'Connell was appointed to President Joe Biden’s Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) on Oct. 14. In this role, she will offer advice to executive-branch and congressional officials to improve the administrative processes of federal agencies under Biden’s White House.
Global studies program to launch Global Scholars Initiative

Global studies program to launch Global Scholars Initiative

Julia Goldberg and Emily Zas • November 2, 2022
The global studies program will kickstart the Global Scholars Initiative this spring, encouraging a small cohort of students to develop greater international awareness by studying global issues and traveling together.
The Sustainable Living Community is based in Garfield House on South St. (Annie Lu/The Williams Record)

Sustainability TAPSI house launches campus-wide compost project

Ella Marx and Emily Zas • October 19, 2022
The Sustainable Living Community (SLC) will provide metal compost bins to upperclass dorm kitchens across campus this semester. The move, which was announced in a Daily Message, is a response to the College’s removal of compost bins in residential areas for this academic year. The SLC said it hopes to expand the project to first-year dorms and co-ops.
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