Grads

I would like to remind all MALS graduate alumni of our two big summer events. The first is our annual commencement reception. We hold this gala champagne reception to honor new graduates of the MALS program. It is our chance to meet and share experiences with them as we celebrate their achievements. All MALS alumni and faculty are invited to attend the reception immediately after the Dartmouth Commencement program on Sunday, June 13. The celebration will be in the faculty lounge at the Hopkins Center. The second important MALS event is our annual luncheon and meeting on Wednesday, July 14, at noon in the Hanover Inn. A reservation is necessary. Please call the MALS office at (603) 646-3592. For the luncheon program our speaker will be MALS faculty member Richard Stamelman, who teaches in the cultural studies concentration. His talk is titled "Making Scents: Perfumes and the Stories They Tell." Following the luncheon all alumni are encouraged to stay for the annual meeting of the MALS alumni association board. One important issue that will be discussed is that of fundraising for MALS scholarships.

Teresa Lust (MALS '96) published her heart-warming memoir Pass the Polenta in 1998 (Steerforth Press). She had been a professional cook and intended to write a conventional cookbook. Her project quickly evolved into a celebration of gathering, preparing and sharing food. In a quote from her book, "Cooking is an expression of art and of love, of family and self of the soil and the senses." After receiving her MALS degree and finishing her book, Teresa had time to follow up her interest in learning Italian and began taking language courses. Last summer she traveled to Italy to immerse herself in an Italian program. She continues to write about food, and exploring Italy was an excellent opportunity to pursue her passion. Teresa lives in Hanover Center with her husband and two children. She is currently teaching an Italian class in the Rassias program and, of course, continues to cook and write about it with love and humor.

I am sorry to report that Michael Forman (MALS '03) died of scleroderma at age 57 in January. The Valley News published an extensive obituary on January 21. (My notes are taken from that account.) Michael spent most of his adult life in Brooklyn, New York. He and his family moved to the Upper Valley in 1999. Shortly thereafter he enrolled in the MALS program, and he received his degree in the creative writing concentration. His experience at Dartmouth was a profoundly transformative time for him. His earlier educational experiences were difficult because of his learning disabilities. At Dartmouth he learned to over-come these challenges and deeply cherished the friendships he developed with fellow students and faculty. Most of Michael's working life was spent as a journalist, primarily for financial publications. After graduating from Dartmouth he became a teacher of writing, philosophy and history at the Community College of Vermont and Keene State College. He was a gifted and compassionate teacher who inspired many of his students to push themselves beyond their expectations. He considered his short career as a teacher the most rewarding and important work of his life. In his last year Michael became a serious student of Tibetan Buddhism, and this brought him much peace during the difficult final phase of his illness.

175 Greensboro Road, Hanover, NH03755; (603) 643-3789; m.jane.welsh.advp8@alum.dartmouth.org