Grads

Michael Beahan (MALS’97), the current MALS Alumni Association president, is now in his sec- ond year as president of the White River Indie Festival (WRIF) board of directors. WRIF is an educational and nonprofit organization dedicat- ed to engaging the public in the social, political, economic and environmental issues of our time through film and visual media. It will hold its an- nual four-day festival on April 24-27 in the event rooms of the Coolidge Hotel, the Main Street Museum and the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. In addition to a slate of independent documentary and narrative films, WRIF will be hosting the inaugural Tell-It- in #Transmedia Film Competition at this year’s festival. This international competition is being sponsored by Google and invites media creators to combine two or more digital platforms to tell a story. The festival will also include a local film- maker’s screening and celebration and film slam. More details are available on the WRIF website ( www.wrif.org ).

WRIF is now in its 11th year. Mike became involved when he was working at Dartmouth as director of the Jones Media Center. (He retired in 2010.) He had attended the festival, knew some of the organizers and felt that he could help spread the word to students and others in the Dartmouth community. Now, as president of the all-volunteer board, he is responsible for creating the structure, helping to raise money and ing the motivation to make the festival happen. In addition to the festival, WRIF sponsors special film nights to encourage and support local film- makers by showing their films and also provides workshops on filmmaking. Mike’s plans for the future include the hope of using Northern Stage’s new 240-seat theater and possibly expanding beyond the once-a-year festival.

Last year Seven Days newspaper, “Vermont’s Independent Voice,” called WRIF “the most icon- oclastic film festival in Vermont.” Mike writes, “I liked that and think it is just the kind of event and organization that White River Junction needs to help propel its cultural and economic revival. I like being part of that!”

This year the graduate studies department will hold its investiture ceremony at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, in the Bema. Prizes and awards for students receiving graduate degrees will be announced. A reception on the Baker Library lawn will follow. This will replace the annual MALS champagne reception that is usually held on Sunday, the day of Commencement.

MALS alumni please save the date! The annual meeting and luncheon will be held on Thursday, July 16.

175 Greensboro Road, Hanover, NH 03755; (603)-643-3789; m.jane.welsh.gr@ dartmouth.edu