Class Note 1945. Summer term is underway. Volleyball nets, dogs, spike ball, outdoor classes, corn hole, and lounging students cover every surface on the Green on these warm summer days. Down on the river, Ledyard is not putting out just canoes and kayaks but even more paddle boards than the other two combined. The swim dock is a popular spot as well. As much as we love Hanover in the winter with all the outdoor activities that seem to define Dartmouth, the summer holds just as many attractions. Sophomore Summer has become a wonderful part of the Dartmouth experience. The new Center for Career Design is creating a buzz on campus these days. The College is making a multi-million-dollar investment in coaching and career support for students and alumni. The center is a hub for students exploring careers, making connections, and figuring out their next steps. The career design team helps students become aware of their options and enables them to act when they are ready. They offer “one-on-one career coaching, a myriad of events, alumni connections, career fairs, employment opportunities, resources, and tools to support every student throughout each phase of their unique career journey.” President Sian Beilock in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece highlighted the need for universities to focus on “postgraduate outcomes,” suggesting that on-campus roles should directly contribute to student employability. She views her leadership role as supporting student and faculty ideas and fostering an environment where practical experience is valued alongside intellectual development. She advocates for bridging academic rigor with practical, postgraduation career preparation. Dartmouth students will be hitting the job market more prepared to take on the challenges of entering a competitive and complex workforce, ideally knowing how to translate their student experiences—such as leading wilderness trips or working on set design at the Hop —into professional competencies. No news this month of any classmates but always eager to hear from you. Here’s to the 250th birthday of our country.
—Martha Johnson Beattie ’76, 6 North Balch St., Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 667-7611; mbeattie76@gmail.com