While I was on sabbatical for the 2015-16 academic year, I observed my Bowdoin College students engage in the #blacklivesmatter movement and respond to ignorant and insensitive instances of cultural appropriation that rend the fabric of our small community.

One of my hopes is that this podcast can offer administration, faculty, staff and students insights into the lives and experiences of individual Bowdoin students and foster empathy when and where it is needed.  I also hope that students who feel isolated, different, etc. see that they are not alone. 

Finally, I think that the podcast offers a response to small-minded criticisms of a liberal arts education.  It might even be a helpful tool for students considering Bowdoin or another small liberal arts environment.

I love talking with and developing close relationships with students.  This podcast feels like a way I can contribute positively to the repair our community needs while offering something that transcends immediate circumstances.

Doris Santoro is Associate Professor of Education at Bowdoin College.

Photo of Bowdoin College available free from the New York Public Library's Digital Collection. All other photos courtesy of the students.