Letters

Clear Writing
In “Anti-Essentialism in Black Thought” (Fall 2018), Andrew Smith Domzal ’18 identifies and clearly expresses what he is going to write about. Somewhere (Marlboro?) he has learned to write a good sentence; to write a good sentence is the beginning of thinking clearly. I like the tone and measure of his prose. I look forward to reading his Plan.

I enjoyed my two-day visit to Marlboro in the mid 1980s, when my son Stephen was a prospective student. I attended two classes, wandered the lovely, rustic campus on muddy paths, and spoke to students and staff, occasionally catching sight of Stephen, who stayed clear of me. I stayed on campus in a ramshackle building that also housed a day school for little children. I ate, with everyone, in the former barn that also served as auditorium and theater. It was a wonderful stay.
—Charles Perrone P’89

Book Shelf
Thanks for the coverage of my book All That Once Was You in Potash Hill (Fall 2018). Just got my copy. BTW, it’s really an improvement! Gorgeous magazine.
—Thomas Griffin ’86

Remembering Markus
Markus Brakhan ’86 (pictured left with me), who passed away last summer (Potash Hill, Fall 2018), was a bright and vibrant part of the Marlboro community from 1982 to 1986 and wrote his Plan of Concentration on Kant and the “virtuous man.” He was a true original, whose soul deeply touched and impacted those close to him.
—Kip Morgan ’86

Marlboro Love
I am thankful daily for my time spent at Marlboro. I had the freedom to explore and define questions and commitments that have lasted for decades; I had a community that held me accountable, intellectually and personally. I began to learn what it means to be a thoughtful citizen. Thanks, Marlboro! Onward together.
—Mark Genszler ’95

Marlboro is a magical place. As I experienced it, every individual was honored for being the unique person they are. They were coaxed into doing their best and growing so much, so positively, throughout. This environment creates a community where you can and want to make a difference.
—Christina Crosby ’89

Policy in Action
For a politics student, Marlboro is like an enormous playground, where you can test things out—Meg Mott in particular is a professor who encourages you to take what you’re learning in the classroom and test it out on her colleagues, which is funny. She was really good at encouraging us to take theories and then formulate a policy change, go to the appropriate committee, and persuade those people that it was the right policy.

And I think that for me those skills were invaluable: being able to go into a room and speak to whoever was on that committee, and being able to handle that there is a time limit on what you have to say and that you have to consider what everyone thinks. There is someone in the room who vehemently disagrees with you, and you’re going to have to persuade them because you all live on campus together. That’s a really good microcosm of what my day-to-day office life is like.
— Alexia Boggs ’13, aerospace lawyer

Excerpted from the young alumni panel at Home Days 2018. See the whole panel.

Photo of Alexia and Sean Pyles ’13, also part of the alumni panel, by Kelly Fletcher