Students who received leadership awards were Danica Loucks ’13, Daniel Ertis ’13, Alex Tougas ’14, RaiNesha Miller ’13, Dani Chediak ’13 and Linda Kinstler ’13. The three seniors speaking at commencement will be Miller, Hannah Glover ’13 and Daisy Alioto ’13.
Portraits of Bowdoin Leaders
Danica Loucks, who received the Andrew Allison Haldane Cup, dedicated much of her time over the past four years to the Bowdoin Outing Club. Besides the many hiking, backpacking and service trips she led, she also led orientation trips in the late summer for incoming first-years, which are the first experiences students have at Bowdoin. Last year, Loucks also launched a new archery program for the outing club. In 2011, she was Bowdoin Student Employee of the year, an award that recognized her commitment to the Dining Services and for her efforts to improve dining at Bowdoin. Loucks was also a writing assistant for The Writing Project at Bowdoin’s Center for Learning and Teaching, volunteered for Bowdoin Book Buddies at Coffin Elementary, and worked with Taste for Change to recruit student volunteers and put together dinners for local and international non-profit organizations.
Daniel Ertis was described at the luncheon, where he was presented with the Lucien Howe Prize, as “the consummate student scholar.” In 2012 and 2013, Ertis was a Sarah and James Bowdoin Scholar, and he earned a 4.0 GPA his sophomore and junior years. As head proctor for Residential Life, Ertis supervised seven residential advisors. Twice this past year, he led panels on introversion to help students and administrators better understand how introverts see the world and Bowdoin’s classrooms, dining halls and programs. Next year, Ertis will travel to Greece to teach English on a Fulbright Fellowship. He is also a member of the Writing Project and a member of the Peucinian Society.
Alex Tougas, who was given the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cup, has contributed to the greening of the College campus, an increasingly important task. Last year, he helped found a new student club, the Bowdoin Green Athletes, to help bring a higher standard of sustainability to Bowdoin’s sports teams. Last year, Tougas was a residential advisor for upper-class students, and this past year was a first-year proctor. His other achievements include being the 2014 Class Council President, a Sarah and James Bowdoin Scholar, a member of the swimming team and an employee in Bowdoin’s Sustainability Office.
RaiNesha Miller, who received the Michael Francis Micciche III Memorial Award, was a QuestBridge Scholar, Mellon Mays Fellow, and Sarah and James Bowdoin Scholar. She was selected to the Judicial Board in her first year and has been a Baldwin Center academic mentor since her sophomore year. She co-starred in two theater productions, including the Vagina Monologues. Next year, she will teach English in Indonesia on a Fulbright grant. During her junior semester abroad, Miller studied in South Africa, where she took two religion courses on Islam that inspired her to live abroad and expand her knowledge of the Islamic faith.
Dani Chediak, one of the two winners of the President’s Award this year, served as president of the Bowdoin Student Government, in which she oversaw the chartering and management of 110 clubs and managed a budget in excess of $700,000. She is also currently a director of the Senior Class Gift Campaign and one of four head class agents. In this position she oversees other class agents and communications from the College to the class regarding major events, including class reunions. As vice president for Student Affairs and chair for the Student Organization Oversight Committee, Chediak planned two successful Student Activities Fairs with over 100 organizations present.
Linda Kinstler, who also received the President’s Award, was a writing assistant with the Writing Project, a student member of the Admissions and Financial Aid Trustee committee, a house proctor her sophomore year and a residential advisor her junior year. She received the Paul Andrew Walker Prize for her role as editor-in-chief of The Orient, and is just one of eight students from around the world selected for a Google Journalism Fellowship. The Fellowship is designed to train its fellows in “data-driven journalism, online free expression and rethinking the business of journalism.” Another example of Kinstler’s contributions to the College through her journalism was her Orient coverage of the History of Women at Bowdoin archival project.
Commencement Speakers
RaiNesha Miller received the Goodwin Commencement Prize, and will give a speech titled, “Rising from Fear: The Unyielding Power of Self-Belief.”
Hannah Glover, recipient of the Class of 1868 Prize, will give a speech called, “Annals of the Bowdoin World.”
Daisy Alioto received the DeAlva Stanwood Alexander First Prize, and will deliver a speech at Baccalaureate titled, “A Tent in Manhattan.”
