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“I always knew I wanted to work with kids and this just solidified it,” said Bess Pelton, ’17 (left), an English major with an elementary education concentration from Bloomfield Hills. Education, it seems, can come from all directions and perhaps that was never more in evidence than at the 10th annual Showcase Learning Fair on May 26, hosted by Albion College’s Education Department and Fritz Shurmur Center for Teacher Development.

The first game was Read Between the Wines. The new game is Brew Ha Ha! And the third game, currently in the midst of some serious research and development, is called Whiskey Business. And they are all part of an online startup, Uncorked Games. Sense a theme? Audra Quinn (left), ’03, laughs. She knows how it looks. But the Royal Oak native isn’t as interested in alcohol and the consumption thereof as she is camaraderie and fun and, yes, perhaps making a few bucks.

In the current supercharged red vs. blue political climate, color Albion College students a calm shade of purple. At least that’s according to Collegestats.org, which analyzed 2.4 million tweets originating on or near college campuses across the country to determine Republican and Democratic leanings. Albion ranked No. 2 in tweets using Democrat keywords and No. 9 using Republican keywords, prompting the site to conclude that “Albion College can easily boast the most diverse set of politically engaged students on social media.”

The first year is over and the six members of Albion College’s inaugural Build Albion Fellows group is a lot smarter – about many different things. “What surprised me was the workload,” said Khaliah Roberts, ’19, who is majoring in women’s and gender studies.”Nothing is given to you,  said Cortazia Wilson, ’19, also looking toward a major in sociology. “Everything is offered to you but nothing is given to you. Sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good.”

“This hotel is an important step, but only the first step in the new Albion,” declared Albion City Manager Sheryl Mitchell, warmly greeting the crowd of at least 200 people at the May 12 ceremonial groundbreaking for a Courtyard Marriott hotel on Superior Street. Set to open in the fall of 2017, the hotel is a centerpiece of downtown revitalization efforts that will benefit both the community and the College.

For the second straight year, Albion will host the Big Read, a nationwide project that aims to bring communities together through shared reading experiences. The effort was made possible by an $11,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which was announced May 11. Through private donations and in-kind efforts, the total financial support comes to $40,000, according to Jess Roberts, associate professor of English at Albion College and director of Albion’s Big Read.

Sarah Goldman (left), who joins the Albion admission team May 16, will be based in the city’s northwest suburbs and lead the College’s regional recruiting operation in the country’s third-largest metro area. She has done similar work for two other liberal arts colleges over the last six years “She has experience and success doing what we need to do,” says Vice President for Enrollment Steve Klein. “She is a formidable competitor.”

A glorious spring day provided the perfect backdrop as Albion celebrated Commencement for the 260 members of its Class of 2016. “For four years, we led organizations; we made the connection with the community stronger; we challenged our ways of thinking,” said senior speaker Candace Cullens, ’16, (left). “We learned many hard lessons through late-night studying, countless meetings and early morning practices. And now it’s time to apply those lessons learned, Class of 2016. It’s not going to be easy, but it will be great.”

Vicki Baker, associate professor of economics and management at Albion College, along with professors in Arizona and Pennsylvania, are researching the needs and concerns of a subset of professors who, according to Baker, “don’t get a lot of attention.” Their work has been bolstered by a $50,000 grant from the New York-based Henry Luce Foundation that will engage 20 mid-career professors in a yearlong study and result in a new book on the subject in 2017.

Eight members of Albion College’s entering Class of 2020 who attended Albion Public Schools will receive four years of tuition, room and board in exchange for work and service in the community that will become increasingly tied to their career interests. “We have big dreams for our town and we have big dreams for our college,” President Mauri Ditzler said to the group during the April 26 announcement event. “And you’re going to be a part of that.”