Media Coverage

Dominick Leskiw '21, an English and environmental studies double major, wrote and illustrated an article titled "Holding Fast, or Failing?" that was printed in Earth Island Journal about his experiences on a "600-mile road trip up the California coast from La Jolla to just north of Bolinas, tracking down abalone devotees from all walks of life." Leskiw took the trip with Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Ben Neal to trace the history of the marine snail and to chart recovery efforts. "Every long-vacant, ear-shaped abalone shell rings with an opalescent plea, begging us to listen to, and learn from, the plight of these shellfish," Leskiw writes at the end of his article. "Abalone will almost certainly fail to see any significant recovery without human intervention. What ends up happening to these sea snails will reveal our capacity to reinstate and nurture the ecological and cultural complexity of our world that we continue to destroy."  

In 2012 Herb Wilson, the Leslie Brainerd Arey Professor of Biosciences, Emeritus, wrote a blog post explaining how loons propel themselves, and that blog post, still relevant, was cited in a recent Carnegie Museum of Natural History Tumblr page. "When a loon is first diving from the surface, it breaks the surface by alternating strokes with the left and right leg," Wilson's post includes. "Once underwater, the legs beat synchronously."

Colby's 2020 Jan Plan in Salamanca was led by Dean Allbritton, associate professor of Spanish, and the experience was documented as a featured blog by Omprakash, an organization that provides a model, called EdGE, for ethical and educational global engagement. The blog post, "Language, Power, and Identity in Spain: Reflections from Colby College Students," translated Colby students' blog posts and synthesized the work that students did. "Building from the reflection and dialogue that took place within this pre-departure classroom, students created a series of ‘Historias’ (stories) during their month in Salamanca. These posts creatively illustrate a variety of perspectives that students encountered while staying with local families, taking part in activities inside the city, and exploring other historic sites in Spain," the post said. Colby's DavisConnects and Off-Campus Study Department use Omprakash EdGE for their study abroad students as part of the College's efforts at thinking about Colby's connection to 'the global' on a much more engaged level that doesn't repeat problematic assumptions about the world beyond the United States.  

The Public News Service article titled "Experts Weigh In: Why Did Biden Win Maine?" included thoughts by Sandy Maisel, the Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government, who thought it was Maine's switch from caucuses to primaries that made a difference. "We know in caucuses the most active, most concerned, most ideological people are who turn out to vote," he pointed out. "It should surprise nobody that a candidate like Sen. Sanders would do better in caucuses than he would do in primary states."

The New York Times visited Waterville to see how Colby's commitment to downtown is creating extraordinary progress in our community and is a model for how colleges and their cities are working together for prosperity.

Following the release of a poll conducted by Colby that shows a statistical dead heat in Maine's U.S. Senate race, several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, covered the news. These outlets include: The Hill Washington Examiner NBCBoston New England Cable News Maine Public Portland Press Herald Bangor Daily News Morning Sentinel Mother Jones Magazine The Week Magazine Salon

Caroline Wren '20, an environmental policy major and cinema studies minor, is quoted in a Lewiston Sun Journal article following her testimony at a recent Maine Legislature public hearing on a bill to help low-income Mainers test for arsenic in their well water. For her honors thesis with Gail Carlson, assistant professor of environmental studies, Wren interviewed people in the Blue Hill, Maine, area about their experiences with their drinking water, and she also provided test kits with a grant from the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment. Wren is currently doing data analysis and write-up about her results.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Gail Carlson penned a letter to the editor, "Mainers’ health vulnerable to climate change," that ran Feb. 5 in the Morning Sentinel. In it, Carlson notes how climate-related events such a rising heat index, increased rainfall amounts, more ticks and Lyme disease, and worsening air pollution affect Mainers, especially vulnerable populations. "Protecting the health of all Mainers requires us to take climate action, and the public is welcome to engage with the Maine Climate Council as it develops a climate plan for the state that will strengthen our economy and build healthy, resilient communities," Carlson writes.

A Portland Press Herald article heralds Colby and Waterville's partnership as "a better model" for helping cities get on solid economic footing. Herald reporter Greg Kesich's article "The View From Here: Do we have to be the next San Jose?" ponders how the recent announcement that Northeastern University will establish the Roux Institute in Portland will affect the city, perhaps by further driving up property values and driving out residents, phenomena happening in San Jose. "There might be a better model a little closer to home. That’s the city of Waterville," Kesich writes. “Colleges and universities have a privileged position in this country because we provide a public good,” President David A. Greene said in a phone interview. “We all have an obligation to contribute in multiple ways.”

Melody Larson '20, an environmental policy major, attended the Maine Climate Council Jan. 29 and wrote a letter to the Morning Sentinel about her experience. In "Maine doing right for climate," Larson recounts what she learned attending the Maine Climate Council and participating in Maine Youth Voices Day. "As a Mainer and Colby College student, it was a powerful experience to stand with fellow Maine youth as demands for the Maine Climate Council, including quicker climate action and a just framework for climate adaptation and mitigation, were presented," she wrote.