Bowdoin College: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

Bowdoin College, a liberal arts institution nestled on the Maine coast, boasts a distinguished history of producing influential alumni across diverse fields. From literary giants to political leaders and innovators, Bowdoin's graduates have left indelible marks on society. This article explores the college's enduring legacy, its commitment to a well-rounded education, and some of its most notable alumni.

A Foundation of Academic Excellence

Bowdoin College's traditional academic vision emphasizes a well-rounded education. The college shapes its current academic vision by requiring new students to take a writing seminar and at least one full-credit course in each of five subjects:

Mathematical, computational, or statistical reasoning
Inquiry in the natural sciences
Difference, power, and inequity
International perspectives
Visual and performing arts

Sophomores can choose their majors from a wide variety of over 30 subjects, ranging from traditional fields such as history, physics, and English to modern focuses such as Digital and Computational Studies. Bowdoin encourages academic exploration so that students have the time to take courses outside their main areas of study. This freedom is enhanced by small classes that facilitate thoughtful discussion, with a notable student-faculty ratio of 9 to 1. That ideal class size, according to students, has resulted in one of the college's greatest strengths: excellent and dedicated professors who can provide personalized attention.

Bowdoin provides special pricing for Apple and Dell products. Faculty, staff and students are eligible for the discounted pricing. Bowdoin also provides Microsoft Office 365 software for faculty, staff and students under a Microsoft Campus Agreement.

A Strong Sense of Community

The Bowdoin community is known for its camaraderie. "Bowdoin's student body is small enough that walking on campus means saying 'hi' to a lot of familiar faces." The "Bowdoin hello," a longstanding tradition by which students greet each other enthusiastically on campus, represents the sense of unity and friendliness often observed. "One thing I love about Bowdoin, and that drew me to the school in my college search, was the supportive and collaborative atmosphere." This community spirit is reflected in students' support for school athletics, which has a strong presence on campus. Varsity football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey games are routinely filled with groups of Bowdoin "Polar Bears" excitedly cheering in support of their teams.

Read also: Explore Politics at Bowdoin

Students also suggest that their peers "care very strongly about forming community and bridging connections." Many describe their classmates as academically competitive in general, yet extremely supportive. "I appreciate the community here, as people want others to succeed with them and are more than willing to offer help to get you where you want to be." The helpfulness of fellow students is frequently cited as a significant factor in the school's academic success.

Notable Alumni

Bowdoin College has produced a remarkable array of alumni who have achieved prominence in various fields. Here are some notable examples:

Politics and Government

Franklin Pierce (1824): The 14th President of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857.
Stephen A. Douglas: An American politician and lawyer from Illinois, a senator, and one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party to run for president in the 1860 presidential election.
William Cohen: A Republican who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives (1973-1979) and Senate (1979-1997), and as Secretary of Defense (1997-2001) under Democratic President Bill Clinton.
George J. Mitchell: An American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. He served as a United States senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995, and as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995.
Melville Fuller: An American politician, attorney, and jurist who served as the eighth chief justice of the United States from 1888 until his death in 1910.
Ralph Owen Brewster: An American politician from Maine who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate from 1941 to 1952.
Justin Pearson: An American activist and politician. He is a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing the 86th district, covering parts of the city of Memphis.
Oliver Otis Howard: A career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War.

Literature and Journalism

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1825): An American novelist and short story writer, known for works focusing on history, morality, and religion.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: An American poet and educator whose original works include the poems "Paul Revere's Ride," "The Song of Hiawatha," and "Evangeline."
Anthony Doerr: An American author of novels and short stories, who gained widespread recognition for his 2014 novel All the Light We Cannot See, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Douglas Kennedy: An American novelist known for international bestsellers The Big Picture, The Pursuit of Happiness, Leaving the World and The Moment.
Evan Gershkovich: An American journalist and reporter at The Wall Street Journal covering Russia.
Katie Benner: An American reporter for The New York Times covering the United States Department of Justice.

Business and Entrepreneurship

Reed Hastings: An American businessman who is the chief executive officer of Netflix.
Kenneth Chenault: An American businessman who served as chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of American Express from 2001 to 2018.
Eugenio Lopez III: A Filipino-American businessman who was the CEO, chairman and chairman emeritus of ABS-CBN Corporation, the largest entertainment and media conglomerate in the Philippines.
Harry Oakes: A British gold mine owner, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.

Arts and Entertainment

Paul Adelstein: An American actor known for his roles in Prison Break, Private Practice, and Scandal.
Burt Kwouk: A British actor best known for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films.
Brad Anderson: An American film director, producer and writer. A director of thriller and horror films and television projects, he is best known for directing The Machinist (2004), starring Christian Bale, psychological horror film Session 9 (2001) and The Call (2013), starring Halle Berry.
Hari Kondabolu: An American stand-up comedian and writer. His comedy covers subjects such as race, inequity, and Indian stereotypes.
Albert Dekker: An American actor and politician known for his roles in Dr. Cyclops, The Killers (1946), Kiss Me Deadly, and The Wild Bunch.

Science and Exploration

Alfred Kinsey: An American sexologist, biologist, and professor of entomology and zoology who, in 1947, founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University, now known as the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction.
Robert Peary: An American explorer and officer in the United States Navy who made several expeditions to the Arctic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Activism

DeRay Mckesson: An American civil rights activist, podcaster, and former school administrator.
Joan Benoit Samuelson: An American marathon runner who was the first women's Olympic Games marathon champion, winning the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Diplomacy

Christopher R. Hill: An American diplomat who had served United States Ambassador to Serbia.

Other areas

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: An American college professor and politician from Maine who volunteered during the American Civil War to join the Union Army.
Ed Lee: An American politician and attorney who served as the 43rd Mayor of San Francisco from 2011 until his death in 2017.

Campus Life and Environment

Bowdoin's architecturally distinct New England campus stands out whether it is dotted with Maine's celebrated foliage in autumn or dusted with snow in winter. The natural surroundings are a great draw; some students have come to love the outdoors through the Bowdoin Outing Club (BOC), a student organization that hosts over 150 events each year. "I came here without ANY experience in the outdoors at all…but now I've done whitewater canoeing/rafting, mountain biking, skiing, backpacking, etc.!" First-year and second-year students are required to live on campus and most choose to stay until they graduate.

As there is no Greek life at Bowdoin, the many clubs and extracurricular activities, which include environmental advocacy, crafts, and the student newspaper, are central to life at the college. Other popular places on campus: Hubbard Hall Reading Room, Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum; Roux Center for the Environment; Studzinski Recital Hall; Hawthorne-Longfellow Library; Druckenmiller Hall; Thorne Dining Hall; Wish and Pickard Theaters; top of Coles Tower (for bird’s-eye view); Watson Arena, Farley Field House, Buck Center for Health and Fitness; Greason Pool; playing fields/trails; the Bowdoin Pines; the Bowdoin Quad. Other popular places off campus: Androscoggin River Bike Trail; Brunswick Landing Trails; Dog Bar Jim (coffee shop), Bohemian Coffee House; City of Bath; Big Top Deli; Bull Moose Music/Movies/Video Games; Cook's Lobster House Restaurant; Eveningstar Cinema; Gelato Fiasco; Little Dog Coffee Shop; Mere Point; Simpson’s Point; Merrymeeting Bay; Morse Mountain Conservation Area; Portland (Pizza) Pie Co.; Reid State Park; Thomas Point Beach; Town of Freeport; L.L. Bean; Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park.

Getting to and around Bowdoin

Portland International Jetport is less than 30 miles from campus. Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and other major rental car companies serve the airport. Enterprise serves the Brunswick area. Arrange for car or taxi service as early as possible. Concord Trailways provide bus service (with pick ups in Brunswick and on campus) to and from Portland and points beyond. Amtrak provides train service between Brunswick and Boston. Bowdoin also provides a shuttle service to local areas of interest and Portland. The Metro Breez bus service connects the communities of Brunswick, Freeport, Yarmouth and Portland with 13 daily round trips.

Read also: Academic Life at Bowdoin

From the south, take I-95 N. toward N.H./Maine, then merge onto I-295 N. via Exit 44 toward South Portland/Downtown Portland, take the US-1 exit at Exit 28 (Bath-Brunswick/Coastal Rte. 1) and follow Rte. 1/Pleasant St., following signs for Maine St. At the intersection with Maine St., turn right, then proceed straight (Bowdoin will be on the left), proceed straight past the Joshua L. Chamberlain statue then turn left onto College St., which takes you into the campus. From the north, take I-95 S. and then the US-1 exit at Exit 28 (Bath-Brunswick/Coastal Rte. 1) and proceed as above. and around the world. It offers a wide variety of guest accommodations, including inexpensive chain hotels, bed and breakfasts, upscale inns and major hotel chains. Local accommodations include OneSixtyFive, the Inn on Park Row (B&B); the Brunswick Hotel; The Federal (boutique hotel); the Comfort Inn; and the Fairfield Inn & Suites, among others. Nearby in Freeport (home of L.L. Bean) are the Harraseeket Inn, the Hilton Garden Inn, and an Econo Lodge.

Career Exploration and Development

Bowdoin has a Career Exploration and Development (CXD) office to support students as they “Explore, Experience, and Pursue” career opportunities around the world. The office is “helpful for students looking for internships, jobs, or advice.” Students are encouraged to engage with their career planning early on during the Explore portion of the model so they can examine their academic path and form strong partnerships with both CXD and peer advisors. Further career development takes place at the various employer events, workshops, and fairs that the office holds throughout the year, as well as during the two-week intensive Sophomore Bootcamp that takes place during winter break. Additionally, the Bowdoin Career Advisory Network (BCAN) of alumni and parents provides connections to internships and guidance, as well as funding for grants for students taking unpaid internships.

Read also: Intellectual Life at Bowdoin

tags: #bowdoin #college #notable #alumni