People & Profiles
Northwestern Alumni Association President and trustee Larry Irving ’76 shares why he is focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and discusses the importance of listening to alumni and students.
After Parker Levinson ’18 graduated from Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with degrees in environmental science and African studies, her job search took her down a less traditional path: a field research gig studying primates and leatherback sea turtles in a jungle on an island off the coast of Equatorial Guinea, in central Africa. Almost two years later, Levinson is preparing for her third field season in Antartica, studying penguins and seals.
In 2014 Ben Weprin ’10 MBA launched Graduate Hotels, a hotel collection providing affordable lodging in college towns for families, alumni, prospective students and other visitors. Weprin conceived the Graduate Hotels project while he was a student at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Cloris Leachman ’48, ’14 H died at her home in Encinitas, Cali., on Jan. 27 at age 94.
Historian Jim Bendat ’71 has attended four of the last five presidential inaugurations and been part of media coverage of the event since 2000. The former Los Angeles County public defender is the author of "Democracy's Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President, 1789-2013." We asked Bendat to share some of his favorite inauguration anecdotes and to reflect on how this year’s event will be unlike any other in our history.
John Rogers doesn’t just lead the field of stretchable bioelectronics — he founded it. He has invented a mind-boggling number of devices, pushing boundaries to extreme limits and creating electronics that are impossibly thin, flexible, stretchy and smart — blurring the distinction between body and device.
After a number of parts in “big-swing comedies,” Kathryn Hahn ’95 moved to more substantial roles that cemented her place as a sought-after star. It’s clear now that she’s in love with her work: the deep dives into character, the exploration and messiness each role brings, the dedication to her fellow actors — and the creative magic that results.
Historian Lina Britto reflects on how growing up in Colombia and working as a journalist inspire her understanding of how the present reframes the past. An associate professor, she teaches courses that examine Latin American and Caribbean history with a focus on the drug trade and the war on drugs, the impact of music on nation building, and Cold War terror.
The Northwestern Alumni Association’s career programs moved to an all-virtual format after the pandemic began. Amid increasing uncertainty in the job market and high unemployment rates, the NAA offers a range of virtual learning and mentorship programs for alumni at all stages of their careers, whether they are looking for their first job, making a change or seeking professional development.
Alex Willis used his lifelong hobby of baking to keep him busy during quarantine last spring. Willis rekindled his passion for food creation after graduation, which led to an appearance on the fifth season of The Great American Baking Show.
