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“Late Friday night, July 27, television programs were interrupted by the very sad news that Civil Rights giant John Lewis had died following a battle with cancer,” Dick writes. “My generation was introduced to John Lewis through his bravery and we followed his political career as a congressman from Atlanta, Ga. As a professor, one of my joys is telling his story to my history students.”

Robert Richmond began his higher education at Albion more than a half-century ago, and those two years in the south center of Michigan left an impact on him that continued his entire life. Although he didn’t receive a degree from Albion, he has left a remarkable legacy on the institution through a bequest that amounts to one of the largest gifts in the College’s history.

In the midst of a transformative time unlike any other for Albion College and its home community of Albion, Michigan, Dr. Mathew B. Johnson officially took his place as the College’s 17th president on July 1. “There are many challenges we face as a new academic year begins,” President Johnson says, “but together—with the College community and the community of Albion—it will be a year full of promise and excitement.”

Led by 1977 alumnus James Wilson, M.D. Ph.D., a renowned medical scientist, Albion College has launched an ambitious Comprehensive Public Health Initiative that will advance community conversation and understanding of the social, political, economic and public health dimensions of the coronavirus pandemic and is beginning work with students, staff, faculty and community members to address the ongoing toll of COVID-19.

Albion College President-Elect Mathew Johnson has announced the Albion College Athletic Department will bring back men’s wrestling after a more than 40-year absence as well as add women’s wrestling and esports. All three are expected to begin competition for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Dr. Ron Mourad, who has taught in Albion College’s Religious Studies Department since 2001, has been named interim provost effective July 1. “I like thinking about new programs and how they attract new and different types of students,” he said. “We want to enliven a student’s imagination.”

Dr. Mathew Johnson writes: “As an institution that educates beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Albion College is celebrating the June 18, 2020 Supreme Court ruling that allows DACA to continue providing a path for more than 700,000 Dreamers to study, work, contribute to their communities and live meaningful lives in the country many of whom know as the only home they’ve ever known.”

Dr. Mathew Johnson, who begins his Albion presidency on July 1, shares a message with the Albion College community following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this week that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people from discrimination in their employment.

Albion College’s Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine aims to be part of finding a way forward during, and after, the coronavirus pandemic. One way is by offering public health options to pre-med students in the form of internships that offer real-world experience—like at Howard Brown Health in Chicago, where Lucretia Woods, ’21 (left), and Camari Jones, ’23, are serving as recently trained contact tracers in their hometown.

Two seven-week modules will be offered in which students may take up to two in-person courses in each module, plus new summer and intersession learning opportunities. The semester will end by Thanksgiving.