Barbara Bush, Compassion Personified

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Barbara Bush, the wife of George H. W. and mother of George W. and Jeb Bush, died last Tuesday, April 17, in her Houston home at the age of 92. As the outpouring of condolences and fond remembrance of her long life demonstrates, Barbara is beloved by an entire nation. While frequently referred to as the matriarch of the politically powerful Bush dynasty, she redefined the role of First Lady and became a celebrated figure of compassion, fortitude, and grace.

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Graduating from Politics

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The last few weeks of any senior’s time at Hamilton are rife with reflection. Through all the final papers and presentations, it is exciting to look forward to a postgraduate life but also nostalgic to consider how Hamilton has changed each of us. I know, through positively and negatively impactful experiences, that Hamilton has shaped me in innumerable ways. The Alexander Hamilton Institute and my connection to political controversy on campus through this publication have certainly helped define my political views and how I see myself participating in politics at all after graduation. One of the many things I am looking forward to upon graduating is leaving behind a political categorization game which is played by both students and faculty.

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“Americana a Roma”

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How do words find parallels in images? Where do art, architecture, history, and beauty intersect? Rome provides its own ethereal and persuasive response. Rome is the natural habitat of artisans, ancient works of civilization, Latinists, philosophers, saints, architectural edifices, political revolution, and Italian madness, creativity, and mirth. The folly of human life encounters the divine in this city. It is where ancient culture merges with contemporary life and becomes a harmonious chaos. Rome is the archetype, the original.


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Reflections on “College”

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As the end of another semester looms, students focus so intently on term projects and grades that they can forget the big picture—their four-year college educations—at a moment when it's important not to. What matters most, in the next few weeks and in general at Hamilton, is how hard you try (including how hard you think) and what you learn. Both should be preoccupations, even obsessions. Grades should not be, and they might turn out better, on the whole, if they aren't.

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A Dynamic Conversation Between Rices

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In last week’s “Common Ground” dialogue, Condoleezza Rice and Susan Rice disagreed on relations with Iran, but both said their parents instilled the need to be twice as good as everyone else in order to succeed. There was no comparison between the Common Ground event last fall, featuring Karl Rove and David Axelrod, and this one. The international affairs experts were not afraid to speak their minds, and that dynamic made their discussion interesting and engaging.

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The Forces Behind Mountaintop Removal Mining

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West Virginia. What comes to mind when thinking of this state? Coal, Confederate sympathizers, Trump supporters? Fair. West Virginia’s stereotypes make it, for many,  a place to avoid. In fact, before traveling there for my Alternative Spring Break trip, these stereotypes led me to form my own negative thoughts about the state. In my initial assessment of West Virginia, I failed to take a step back and think: why can’t this state break out of its negative stereotypes? After volunteering with the non-profit organization Coal River Mountain Watch, I began to realize how underlying forces in West Virginia ensure the state’s commitment to coal.

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