Macalester College (MC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

In the 135 years since its founding, Macalester has come a long way from its Scottish roots. Affectionately nicknamed “Mac,” Macalester seeks to educate thoughtful and responsible global citizens by integrating the traditional values of an academically excellent small liberal arts college with an emphasis on internationalism and civic engagement.

Convincing Mac students of the importance of internationalism and civic engagement is simple—a visit to campus makes this instantly clear. Outside of Old Main and Carnegie Hall, you will see students continuing classroom discussions about international economics with their professors. At the Campus Center, you will likely overhear students arguing about emerging U.S. policies in English and many other languages. On the sidewalk leading from the DeWitt Wallace Library to the Olin-Rice science complex, you will see colorful messages chalked by students about social/political rallies and student organization meetings. In the student newspaper, The Mac Weekly, you will read convincing but conflicting columns expressing opinions about proposed Macalester administrative decisions. At the Civic Engagement Center, you might hear stories of a Mac student inspiring an immigrant child to take her studies seriously so that she might one day attend the college of her mentor. If you stay up past midnight, you might find a group of first-year Genetics students in “The Link” between the Library and Old Main working feverishly to finish a lab report for the next morning. However, Macalester is not just a constant barrage of academic and sociopolitical engagement. In fact, you are just as likely to hear students outside of Old Main discussing the outcome of last night’s soccer game (Mac won by a landslide, of course). Outside of the Campus center, you might hear Jordanian and African students planning a trip to the nearby Mall of America. Chalked messages around campus might advertise the coming Trads and Sirens concert, where students line up outside of the concert hall hoping to get a seat at the popular a cappella show. Or, you might be lucky enough to catch the biannual Mock Weekly, where Mac Weekly writers parody their normally serious journalism.

In the Civic Engagement Center, you might hear a student bragging about this year’s massive yield at the community garden where they volunteer. And, if you visit the campus center just before midnight, you will find chatting students ordering chicken strips and smoothies during a late-night study break.

Late one Saturday morning, a few weeks after arriving at Macalester, I awoke to the distant sound of song. It wasn’t long before I realized that the song was Mac’s fight song ‘Scotland the Brave’ played on our official instrument, the bagpipe. At the time, I knew the song only as a tune, but soon I was ‘loudly and proudly calling Scotland the brave’ with my fellow Fighting Scots at any and every opportunity. I still regret not taking advantage of the free bagpipe lessons that Mac offers to any interested student so that I might have been able to make Macalester proud with my own piped rendition of ‘Scotland the Brave.’

Because of its small size and location in a large city, Mac successfully combines the intimacy of a top-tier small liberal arts college with the excitement, engagement, and opportunities of a large metropolitan environment in a way that few other top liberal arts colleges can. Admittedly, Macalester’s brand of liberal arts education is not for everyone. However, if you like the sound of a college where academics, internationalism, and civic engagement collide in the everyday life of students, then Macalester just might be the place for you.

Macalester College is an academically distinguished small liberal arts college located in a friendly yet interesting neighborhood in St. Paul, one of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The combination of urban location, academic excellence, internationalism, and civic engagement make Mac unique among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Macalester’s ideal environment, outstanding facilities and professors, and exceptional and engaged students create a vibrant milieu where the lines of classwork, community service, research, and play often blur. Although the resources and opportunities available at Mac would make any college great, it is the student body that makes Macalester truly exceptional.

Mac students (and alumni) recognize the value of immersion in a traditional small liberal arts setting. They are deeply concerned with the affairs of their college, nation, and world, and they are committed to stewarding their college, countries, and continents, into a more promising tomorrow. Who knows that such a great college exists in the middle of St. Paul, Minnesota? Lots of people know, including other liberal arts college students and professors, as well as admissions officers at top medical, law, and graduate schools who enthusiastically admit so many Mac graduates. The thousands of alumni who are leaders in academia, government, medicine, law, business, and nonprofit organizations in every major city worldwide know, too. Undoubtedly, a Mac education is the ultimate preparation for success in graduate studies and any number of careers. But more importantly, Mac is an environment of life-altering enlightenment, life-changing experiences, and lifelong friendships.

Information Summary

Ranks 2nd in Minnesota and 40th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	97.6
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$68,627
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	33 / 1500
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	11 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	96% / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	2,174

Academics

Curricular Requirements

Academic life at Mac can be at once overwhelming, exhilarating, and exhausting. Macalester is first and foremost an intensely academic environment, even outside of the classroom and laboratory. Showing a deep commitment to the liberal arts, Macalester requires students to undertake rigorous coursework in a variety of fields. Macalester’s graduation requirements result in a curriculum that represents the best of the liberal arts; both breadth and depth of study are reflected in every student’s coursework. The first requirement that entering Mac students encounter is the first-year course. The first-year course serves as a home base for the entering student. First-year courses are offered in every conceivable area of study, from “Big Bang Physics” to “Legal and Political Advocacy.” Many first-year courses are residential, meaning that the sixteen students in the course live together on the same dorm floor. In this way, the courses help foster friendships and provide instant study groups. The first-year course professor also acts as a student’s academic advisor until a major is declared in the sophomore year.

Other unique requirements are the domestic and international diversity requirements. These requirements can be fulfilled by designated courses in a variety of departments, such as “Jazz and the American Experience” and “Medical Anthropology.” Macalester was one of the first schools to institute diversity requirements, and they continue to blend in with Mac’s emphases of internationalism and multiculturalism. Although Mac has many curricular requirements, and holds rigorous major requirements, many opportunities exist for students to broaden their education with elective courses. Whereas most students welcome the opportunity to expand their academic horizons, there are always a number of students who complain about certain “unnecessary” requirements. Invariably, they are the ones who, at graduation, express only regret about choosing to take another chemistry course rather than a Shakespeare seminar.

Choosing classes each semester was always a difficult task. With so many interesting classes to choose from, it constantly seemed like there were at least three times too few spots in my schedule. However, at the end of the process, I always felt that the mix of classes suited my needs perfectly.

In short, it is the diversity and rigor of Macalester coursework that transforms high potential into great minds. However, both students and faculty are never completely satisfied with the college program. Because of this, requirements at Macalester are constantly evolving as students and faculty continue to improve the educational experience.

Classroom Experiences and Professors

The level of teaching at Macalester is outstanding. Mentorship relationships formed between students and professors are commonplace at Mac and are a critical part of the Macalester experience. Small classes at Mac mean that professors and students know each other well. Even classes that are normally taught lecture style, such as developmental biology, are enhanced by the inevitable discussion that results in classes smaller than ten or fifteen students. Professors at Macalester are deeply committed to undergraduate education, and it shows. Although all Macalester faculty members are accomplished scholars and scientists, their primary commitment is teaching undergraduates. This is the real distinction between a Macalester education and the education one might receive at a large institution. Professors motivate their students to achieve inside and outside of the classroom, and they truly care about the well-being of students.

Individualized Research

Mac’s academic environment consistently fosters creative, critical thought and research among its students, as evidenced by the large number of Mac students who produce independent projects with their professors. The opportunities and funding for student research are tremendous and available to any qualified student. Nearly ninety students at Mac are awarded research grants each summer. As expected, Mac students produce, and often publish, works in classical liberal arts fields such as Literature, Religious Studies, and Classics. Possibly less expected, however, is Macalester’s strength in the social, physical, and biological sciences, stemming from a strong teaching and research faculty and resulting in excellent student research. Also, the state-of-the-art research facilities are a plus. Because of Mac’s excellent science professors and small class sizes, students are taught more than just facts—Mac students are taught how to be scientists, in that they are encouraged to be both critical and creative. Opportunities for individualized interdisciplinary research at Macalester are also exceptional.

My senior year at Mac I created an interdisciplinary honors project that encompassed my studies in classics and political science. I looked at the influence of ancient religion and gender on modern war, not exactly your everyday subject matter. My professors at Mac, from both disciplines, wholeheartedly supported my research. They were always available to me for questions, advice, and creative criticism. They truly cared about my project and me. Having met professors from other schools and visited other college classrooms, I believe that the opportunity to pursue this kind of creative research with kind and encouraging faculty is rare at most schools. At Mac though, it is just part of our everyday experience.

Senior Honors Thesis

All majors require a senior capstone experience and many students choose to undertake a senior honors thesis. The senior honors thesis represents at least one full year of individualized research under the tutelage of one or more chosen thesis advisors. Many honors theses are the result of multiple years of research, especially in the laboratory sciences. The honor’s thesis process culminates in public defense of the thesis to a committee of at least three faculty members. A completed thesis is bound and stored in the school library for use by future students.

Off-campus Study

The huge number of businesses, hospitals, and law and government offices centered in the Twin Cities provides students with endless opportunities for internships during the summer and academic year. Some typical sites for off-campus internships include 3M, Piper Jaffray, Merrill Lynch, the State House, and numerous hospitals and law firms. Over 300 students complete an internship through the internship program every year; some even receive academic credit for their work. Internships completed for academic credit range from apprentice papermaker (Art) and naturalist (Environmental Studies) to investment analyst (Economics) and architectural computer imaging intern (Computer Science).

Study Abroad

Furthermore, two out of three Macalester students study abroad during their undergraduate career. The range of study abroad opportunities available to students at Mac is so vast that choosing just one can often feel overwhelming. However, the International Center at Mac is well equipped to match students with a study abroad program where they can fulfill their pre-med requirements, sharpen their German, and volunteer at a hospital in Hamburg. Over 300 students study abroad each year in nearly 50 countries, from Argentina to Vietnam. These students return from their journeys eager to share the unique perspective they gained through both service and cultural immersion. Study abroad is considered by Mac to be a critical component of educating global citizens.

Steering Committees

Students at Macalester are never shy about expressing their opinions on any and every possible subject, especially administrative decisions of the college. Fortunately, these opinions don’t fall on deaf ears. Many students have the opportunity to serve on faculty selection, admissions, and curricular renewal committees (to name a few). Student involvement on decision-making bodies demonstrates that the school values the opinions of its students. Many students will tell you that they not only sat on these committees, but that they also influenced the course of action the committees took. Experiences like these are invaluable to students who will stay in academia and those who will go into the job market.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

As one of the top small liberal arts colleges in the nation, admission to Macalester is highly competitive. Dramatic increases in numbers of applications received, without concurrent increases in size of the student body, over the past decade have led to greater selectivity with each passing year. However, because Macalester’s name recognition is not as widespread as many coastal schools with which it competes for students, applicants to Macalester are highly self-selected. Many applicants learn about Macalester because of the exceptional academic reputation that it holds within academic communities. Typical applicants to Macalester have put a great deal of thought and research into which colleges best suit their academic and cocurricular needs. The result of all of these factors is that, although admission to Macalester is academically competitive, the percentage of applicants who are admitted to Macalester remains high relative to the Ivy League.

Requirements

Macalester’s application process is designed to give admissions officers at the college a view not only of the achievements of the applicant, but also of the passions, potential, and future goals of the applicant. For this reason, personal statements and the recommendations of teachers and counselors, along with the academic choices and accomplishments of the applicant, form the basis for selection of a student body. Because of the small size of the school, the admissions committee at Mac has the luxury of being able to review all applications completely and thoroughly. The statement that there are no formulas for admission or cutoffs is really true in the case of Macalester admissions. However, as one of the most academically competitive liberal arts colleges in the nation, outstanding academic and cocurricular performance in high school is certainly a prerequisite for admission; this necessity for academic excellence is reflected in the achievements of the entering class each fall. In particular, it is expected that applicants have taken full advantage of the academic and extracurricular opportunities afforded to them at their high school.

Macalester accepts either the Macalester-specific or the common application. However, students submitting a common application must also submit a supplement provided by Macalester. Either the SAT or ACT is required for admission, and SAT Subject Tests are recommended. Interviews for admission also are advised. An excellent interview can separate one applicant from a sea of otherwise academically similar applicants. One-on-one interviews are offered on campus from April through January. Off campus interviews are offered on selected dates in many U.S. cities and internationally.

Financial Aid

The most referenced motto of Macalester admissions and financial aid is “excellence and access.” Essentially, this means that the administration is committed to making a Macalester education accessible to all academically distinguished students. The bottom line is that if you are admitted to Macalester, the school will make sure that you can afford to attend, without draining your life savings or drowning in student loans. The cost of a Macalester education is subsidized by more than 16,000 dollars per student through the endowment; thus, even though tuition, room, and board totals $47,000 per year, Macalester actually spends approximately $63,000 per student, per year. Approximately sixty-five percent of students receive some form of need-based financial aid, totaling more than thirtyseven million dollars a year (seventy-five percent of which is in the form of grants or scholarships). A financial aid package usually consists of a combination of grants, workstudy, and loans. Work-study jobs can often be one of the highlights of a Mac education.

One of the best things about having a job on campus is how many great work-study opportunities exist. During my time at Macalester, I was able to act as a teaching assistant for four different classes in my major, and was offered other opportunities to act as an assistant outside my major. These experiences deepened my understanding of the subject matter, my relationships with professors, and strengthened my drive to continue my studies in pursuit of a professorship where I can teach undergraduates.

Scholarships

Macalester offers only a few merit-based scholarships, amounting to less than ten percent of the cost of attending Mac. Although almost all students who are admitted to Mac would receive large merit scholarships from many other institutions, students choose Mac because they recognize the value of an excellent education that suits their particular needs. Money not spent on merit-based scholarships can be used to provide excellent faculty and facilities. Furthermore, forgoing most merit-based aid allows more money to be put into need-based financial aid, thus encouraging socioeconomic diversity on campus. Indeed, Mac is one of the most socioeconomically diverse top-tier liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Students and parents must fill out both FAFSA, and the more detailed College Scholarship Service (CSS) financial aid profile. Tax returns for both the applicant and applicant’s parents also must be submitted. The Financial Aid Office then calculates an amount that the family can comfortably afford. Macalester figures out how to fill the gap between what the family can afford and the total cost using grants, loans, and work-study. Surprisingly, because of Mac’s commitment to generous financial aid, the out-of-pocket cost of a Macalester education to many students can be less than that of a public university that does not have comparable financial resources and commitment to financial aid.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Students

Location, Location, Location

Mac’s leafy fifty-three acre campus in residential St. Paul looks like the traditional college campus. Campus buildings frame three large, grassy quads, where you are just as likely to see students reading Sartre as playing Ultimate Frisbee. Mac invests heavily in building and updating academic and residential structures, including a new Athletic and Wellness Center that opened in 2008 and the Institute for Global Citizenship in 2009. Although this investment results in outstanding academic and nonacademic facilities, it is the world outside of campus that highlights the many advantages of Mac’s location. At Mac’s front door, Summit and Grand Avenues provide pleasant scenery for outdoor activities and more restaurants and shops than any student could possibly need. The many restaurants that line Grand Avenue range from dirt cheap to quite expensive. Literally feet from the campus, students can always be found studying at Dunn Brothers or Coffee News. You also might see someone grabbing a kebab at Shish, a Mediterranean grill. Occasionally, you will find students at the more expensive restaurants on a date or out for a nice evening with friends. Summit Avenue boasts incredible Victorian mansions, the best walking/jogging/biking route to the Mississippi River, and a view of the Minneapolis skyline. The greater Twin Cities, with a metro population of almost three million, provide students with endless volunteer, internship, and additional social opportunities.

Macalester’s Community Service Office was an invaluable resource for me as an undergraduate. Whether I wanted a one-time event or a weekly volunteering opportunity, a staff member was always available with opportunities to compliment my academic program and interests in child psychology. I took advantage of several one-time events in addition to volunteering on a weekly basis at an afterschool reading program for at-risk students, a residential treatment program for children with emotional and behavioral problems, and an experimental afterschool program to reduce weight stigmatization among fifth and sixth grade students.

Student Groups

Although the richness of the Twin Cities offers students both rewarding and fun activities, Macalester’s own campus life offers many opportunities for students. More than 100 student organizations exist at Mac ranging from a cappella singing groups to the chemistry club. In tune with Mac’s international emphasis, some of the most popular student organizations are Macalester International Organization (MIO) and Model United Nations. Notably, both organizations are open to domestic and international students. The men’s and women’s a cappella groups The Traditions (Trads for short) and The Sirens belt a cappella renditions of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” Ben Folds Five’s “Kate” and some satirical originals. Groups such as the Macalester African Music Ensemble enjoy widespread recognition throughout the Twin Cities. Many students write, edit, or take photographs for the student newspaper The Mac Weekly. Mac also has a very active student government (MCSG) in which many students participate. MCSG, among other things, provides funds to form new groups, as evidenced by the recent forming of the coed a cappella group “Scotch Tape.”

Internationalism and Multiculturalism

Macalester has one of the highest percentages of international students of any college in the nation; twelve percent of the student body hails from overseas (seventeen percent if you count dual citizens). Mac is also the first college in the country to fly the flag of the United Nations and is the alma mater of recent Secretary-General of the U.N. and Nobel Peace Laureate, Kofi Annan. The large number of international students at Mac provides a unique and diverse perspective that pervades the academic and social lives of students in all disciplines.

The International Center at Mac is often the starting point of international activities on campus. However, it does much more than help international students acclimate to American life and arrange study abroad programs. It also reaches out to the global community by organizing programs such as the Macalester International Roundtable where top research scholars and Mac students and professors gather for a week of discussion and debate on an internationally relevant topic.

The Lealtad-Suzuki Center in the Department of Multicultural Life and a Dean of Multicultural Life provide international multicultural programming. Recently, a Dean for the Study of Race and Ethnicity to head the new American Studies was selected: the Comparative Racial Formations Department also was initiated. Although the center for multiculturalism plays a large role in making Mac an inviting place for students of color, it also focuses on welcoming any group of students that is traditionally underrepresented, such as students of varied religions, gender identities, cultural backgrounds, and their allies.

Housing and Dining Options

Like many liberal arts colleges, first- and second-year students are required to live in Mac’s dormitories to enrich the community experience among students. Dormitories are constantly being renovated by the college. On-campus housing is coveted by upperclassmen, who are not guaranteed spots. Housing for upperclassmen is offered on a lottery basis; approximately half of upperclassmen live in college-owned dorms, houses, and apartments.

Fortunately, for students who do not get a high draw in the lottery, the Mac- Groveland neighborhood that surrounds the college offers many affordable rental properties within a few blocks of campus. The college also offers many specialty housing options. At the veggie co-op students cook their own vegan/vegetarian food. Hebrew House residents, who make up diverse faiths, immerse themselves in Jewish traditions, make kosher food, and host Shabbat services. Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish houses also are offered as places where students can live and dine with native speakers and be immersed in a foreign language.

Students who live on campus eat in Café Mac in the Campus Center, where the dining options are palatable and abundant. Cuisine choices are split into the four corners of the compass, North (Smorgasbord and Mediterranean), East (Asian), South (Latin American and Subcontinental), and West (Burgers, Chicken, and Fries). Also included are fruit and cereal at all meals and a salad bar, fresh soup, and wood oven-baked pizza at lunch and dinner. From made-to-order omelets, French toast, and fresh strawberries in the morning, black olive and mushroom pizza and a fruit salad at lunch, to chicken curry, broccoli, and wontons for dinner, the culinary options really are endless. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available at every meal. Visitors to Café Mac are always impressed by the choices and quality of food served, and many students who live off-campus choose to eat at Café Mac during the day. Furthermore, many students and faculty get individually priced meals, coffee, smoothies, snacks, and desserts at the Grillé outside of the cafeteria.

Leisure Activities

Because there are no fraternities or sororities at Macalester, student get-togethers often consist of small- to medium-sized gatherings in dorm rooms or small- to large-sized gatherings off-campus. Although Mac students work hard, and there are always a substantial number of students who are studying on Friday and Saturday nights, Mac students also know how to relax and have a good time. Options for relaxation on the weekend vary from watching movies with a few friends at a Mac Cinema showing to attending a campus-wide event to a gathering with a group off-campus. First-year students quickly realize which types of activities suit them best and attend accordingly. Various student organizations host dances, concerts, and other cultural events during the week and weekend. Students also venture into the Twin Cities for entertainment. Many students visit museums, such as the Walker, attend concerts at First Ave, sporting events at the Metrodome, and plays at the Ordway. Some students explore the bar and club scenes of Minneapolis and St. Paul, ending up at noticeable places such as the Groveland Tap, W. A. Frost, the C.C. Club, or Bryant Lake Bowl. Either way, if one wants to escape the walls of the college, there are many different activities to be found.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Division III athletics at Mac are an important part of student life, of particular note are men’s and women’s soccer, cross-country, and men’s basketball; each of which has featured All-American players and consistently compete in the postseason. Many club teams, such as men’s and women’s Rugby and Ultimate Frisbee are also popular among students. Although Mac values its students’ athletic abilities, academics come first. Coaches are aware of the values of the school and the fact that students have chosen Mac for its excellent academic opportunities. They push their players hard to improve on the field, track, and court while maintaining excellence in the classroom. The consistent presence of “M Club” members (a club of Mac alumni who were scholar-athletes) at a variety of sporting events creates a sense of athletic history that benefits scholar athletes in business and in life.

Traditions

Scottish Roots

Mascot: The Fighting Scot
Instrument: The Bagpipe
Fight Song: “Scotland the Brave”
Plaid: The Clan MacAlister Tartan
Student Nicknames: Scots, Fighting Scots

Alumni

Civic Engagement

Macalester, in its classes and social environment, instills in its students a feeling of responsibility to use their education and privilege to change the world for the better. Many recent graduates volunteer with AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or Green Corps en route to their chosen careers. In the long term, many Mac graduates enter service-oriented professions such as nonprofits and government. However, this sense of commitment to a better world manifests itself in the career and life choices of all graduates. For example, an alumnus who enters the field of law might do pro bono work for an NGO, or for refugees; or a surgeon might join Doctors Without Borders, or volunteer his or her services to victims of land mines.

When applying to graduate school, I was a little bit nervous about the outcome. However, once I had met my competitors during interviews, I realized that no one had the depth and breadth of preparation I had received at Mac.

Graduate and Professional Studies

AMacalester education also prepares students for successful entry into graduate and professional education. Many Mac alums who have attended and excelled in these areas strengthen Mac’s reputation at the best graduate and professional schools.

Macalester students attend the best graduate and professional schools, and they excel. There is no better preparation for graduate or professional study than the high-quality liberal arts education that one receives at Macalester. A Macalester education prepares students so well for graduate and professional study that top programs look for Macalester graduates during the selection process. Furthermore, a Macalester education instills excellent analytical and practical skills, as well as the creativity that is necessary to stand out in academia.

Career Paths

Macalester graduates follow many different paths after graduation. Mac graduates are leaders in academia, government, law, medicine, and business. A large number of graduates work for national and international nonprofit organizations and other nongovernmental organizations. Others stay in academia, enter government, and some enter the private sector.

However, no matter what path they take, Macalester students invariably initiate and execute change for the better. Furthermore, no matter how far removed from Mac one becomes in distance or in time, the excellent Career Development Center at Mac is a great resource for all things related to finding a job in the “real world,” including job listings, résumé preparation, interview skills, and alumni networking.

Global Networks

Alumni networking plays a powerful and positive role in the career paths of many Mac graduates. Mac students abound in major cities across the globe. The Macalester experience is so transforming, that alumni feel a lifelong bond. This leads to lasting business, academic, and personal relationships among Mac alums of different generations. Due to the international blend of students and international emphasis at Macalester, alumni connections are global. Because of the large number of international students at Macalester, and the penchant Mac grads have to pursue advanced degrees or careers abroad, you would be hard pressed to find a Macalester graduate who does not have friends in Africa, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America. Graduates will confirm that it is great to have a friend from Mac to visit while you are on business in Hong Kong, at a lecture in Stockholm, or working with Doctors Without Borders in Swaziland. As a graduate of Macalester, you will be continuously surprised with when and where you run into other Mac alums. A recent issue of the Mac alumni magazine includes letters from alumni reporting chance meetings of fellow Scots in Sweden, Iceland, New York, Oregon, and South Vietnam.

Prominent Grads

Kofi Annan, ’61, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Former Secretary-General of the United Nations
Walter Mondale, ’50, Former U.S. Vice-President, Senator and Ambassador to Japan
Tim O’Brien, ’68, National Book Award Recipient and Bestselling author of Several Novels on the Vietnam War, including The Things They Carried
DeWitt Wallace ’11, Founder of Reader’s Digest
Gary Hines ’74, Founder, Director, and Songwriter for the Emmy Award-winning group The Sounds of Blackness
Paul Light, ’75, Vice-President and Founding Director of Government Studies at The Brookings Institution
J.J. and Jeremy Allaire, ’91 and ’93, Co-founders Allaire Corporation (Merged with Macromedia)

Macalester College