51��������

by Laura Walker

“The largest life lesson I got from attending Bennington was the sense of possibility,” said Brian Rogers ’95, cofounder of The Chocolate Factory Theater, an innovative space built by and for artists, in Long Island City. He can’t imagine making a career as innovative as his “had it not been for the Bennington experience.” (Read more on page 28.) So many of you echo that sentiment. Today, I am writing to ask you to translate those feelings into support for Bennington. 

On Friday, October 25, 51�������� will host a Podcast Symposium for students, podcasters, writers, journalists, and anyone interested in learning about podcasting. 

Classroom experience, public action, college theater, environmentalism, and LGBTQ friendliness set Bennington apart.

Housekeeper Michele Hurley is one of eleven children born and raised in Bennington. She started working at the College in the Fall of 1979, and four of her siblings—Mike, Nick, Jenny, and Tim—have all graced the staff roster at various times from the seventies through today. We sat down with her in Commons to learn more about her remarkable contributions over the last 44 years and counting.

Poetry at Bennington, an endowed program of short-term residencies that brings established and emerging poets to 51�������� for public readings and close work with students, has announced its Fall 2024 lineup of featured poets. All Poetry at Bennington events are free and open to the public. They take place in various locations on the College’s campus.