Swarthmore Class of 1973

Hey, Classmates: Our fellow alum, Ken Klothen, is guiding an art-focused trip to Costa Rica next January, and he's asked me to issue a special invitation to you all to join him (at a discounted rate for reservations made by July 15). It's the fifth art-focused tour that Ken has led in partnership with the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Vermont, and it's gotten rave reviews from previous travelers. "It would be a special pleasure to welcome fellow Swatties to the country with which my family has had a special relationship for 40 years," Ken wrote. "Our little groups have been full of the kind of lively, curious, friendly folks that typify Swarthmore grads - but it’s time to get the real thing!" Learn details about the trip at this link:

ARTravel: Art, Craft, and Nature in Costa Rica | Brattleboro Museum & Art Center ARTravel Costa Rica 2026 participants will explore the vibrant contemporary art, craft, and culinary scenes of Costa Rica’s capital city and then head into the countryside to sample the natural wonders of the Pacific coast and the cloud forests of the central highlands. This trip is an opportunity...

For a trip down memory lane, I recommend you watch "1971" on Apple TV. It's a history of the music of that particular year, which was intertwined with social history. The break-in of the FBI office in Media, PA and the FBI's spying on Swarthmore is mentioned in Episode 2.

Watch 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything - Apple TV+ In a tumultuous era, 1971 was a year of musical innovation and rebirth fueled by the political and cultural upheaval of the time. Stars reached new he…

But we don’t care about rankings, right?

Swarthmore College lands in top-five on U.S. New best colleges list Swarthmore College, located roughly 20 miles outside of Philadelphia in southeast Pennsylvania, is ranked third on U.S. News Best Colleges list.

Sad news: Chris Edley died earlier this month of complications from surgery. Although he entered Swarthmore with the Class of '74, his brilliant mind and strong work ethic enabled him to graduate with us a year early. Those of you who attended our 50th reunion last May will remember his wise remarks about the state of the world. Sending supportive thoughts to his wife, Maria Echaveste, and their three adult children. Read about his many accomplishments at https://tinyurl.com/ycx66s73

Bill Ehrhart provides an interesting perspective on the value of diversity on college campuses. I think we can all agree that having Bill as a classmate enriched our college experience!

College Admissions: Foul & Fair My experience after years of teaching has left me with very little faith in standardized test scores or paper qualifications for college admission.

Sad news: our classmate Francine Mason died June 12 in Boulder CO. Read her obituary to inspire yourself to live every day to its fullest.

Obituary of Francene Mason - Boulder Colorado | OBITUARe.com Boulder Colorado | Sep 30, 1951 - Jun 12, 2023 : Fran was born on September 30, 1951 in Philadelphia. She was the oldest of four girls, and gained a bonus sister from Fr...