During the course of the past few months a number of ’96s have written in to express their thoughts on a number of events back in Hanover. Despite being so many years removed from our time on campus, many of the institutions that defined our collective experience called many of us “home” (or at least had us thinking of “home” quite significantly). Several members of our class were excited to attend the College’s 45th annual Native American Powwow in mid-May. Mere days later came news of the passing of William “Bill” Cook, professor of English and one of the class’ most beloved faculty members. And, then came news that Everything But Anchovies (EBAs) was closing its doors after 38 years in business.

But it was one of our classmates who has become an institution in Hanover in his own right and for whom recent weeks have represented a major milestone. It was 22 years ago that Joshua Marks and his bagpipes lead our procession into Commencement, becoming the College’s official commencement bagpiper and becoming a seminal part of the graduation experience. Just as he did for our class all those years ago (and every class since), this past June he ushered the class of 2017 into its era of alumni-hood.

In speaking with Dartmouth News, Josh remarked that, “I have been honored to play at all of them. The time has really gone fast. But Dartmouth seems to be admitting younger and younger students as I get older. With much love and respect for the class of 2017, I’m sure I am going at look at them and think, you are all in nursery school. How is it possible that you are receiving a bachelor’s degree from the college I went to? Shouldn’t you be accompanied by an adult?”

Away from Hanover, several other classmates are making their names known in the arts as well. Tyler Stableford recently had two of his images awarded as winning entries in the 2017 Graphis Photography Annual. Graphis is one of the country’s most prestigious photography competitions, receiving approximately 4,000 submissions from around the world each year. Tyler is not only a celebrated photographer but also a successful film director, having recently premiered a screening of his short film The Calling at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. He has become well known for “crafting bold visual stories” for TV commercial, print and branded content campaigns. He is one of Canon’s prestigious “Explorers of Light,” and Men’s Journal named him one of seven of the “World’s Greatest Adventure Photographers.” Check out some of his amazing images at tylerstableford.com or social media sites of the same name.

Also making great strides in her respective field is Helen Burnham. She recently curated “Matisse in the Studio” at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The exhibit allows visitors the opportunity to view 34 paintings, 26 drawings, 11 bronzes, seven cutouts and three prints by Henri Matisse, along with 39 objects from his studio. It gives the viewer access to the artist’s studio as well as specific insight into his process of artistic creation through themes and objects he used as inspiration. Helen, who is curator of prints and drawings at the MFA, has also co-edited a book compiling a series of essays authored by respected art historians and featuring photographs of many of the principle objects incorporated into the exhibit and paired with the paintings where they appear.

Jay Kaveeshwar commented that the exhibit was “a stunning show,” having recently seen it while in Boston for a short trip.

—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org