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The legacy of Kirkland College at Hamilton includes a strong tradition of creativity, feminism and a penchant for the arts. Katherine Bickmore ’15 seems to embody that legacy. An aspiring artist, Bickmore is using this summer to further develop her artistic skills and examine the portrayal of women in art from the mid-19th century to present day. In her Emerson Foundation Project, “The Degeneration, Deterioration, and Decay of Society: A Critique of the Femme Fatale in Art,” she is creating a series of paintings that examine the depiction of women in art as dark and seductive beings.

Throughout the academic year, members of the Hamilton College Democrats keep themselves busy campaigning, organizing events and discussing current political issues at their bi-weekly meetings. This summer, many of them have channeled their energies into internships at a number of impressive political organizations and government agencies across the country. Three College Democrats in particular, Jeff Sobotko ’14, Fiona Wissell ’15, and Keara Fenzel ’14 have spent the summer gaining valuable professional skills and exploring their unique career interests first-hand.

Vulture funding, a term that refers to private entities investing in cheap, high-risk debt with the hopes of earning high returns when the debtor fails, can threaten the already vulnerable economies of poor countries.  As an example, Argentina has recently suffered losses due to vulture funding and is now recovering from the economic damage. This summer, Charles Allegar ’14 is interning with the Jubilee USA Network, an alliance of 75 U.S. organizations, 50 global partners and other members that challenge the actions of global financial authorities.

Adirondack Adventure (AA) and Outreach Adventure (OA), Hamilton’s pre-orientation programs for new students, welcomed  308 members of the Class of 2017 on Friday, Aug. 16. This year marks the largest AA/OA participation ever, with 64 percent of first-year students participating in OA and AA.

Mathematical logarithms and history might seem unrelated to one another, but this summer Turner Trapp ’15 is conducting interdisciplinary research into the role mathematical developments have in history. In his Emerson Foundation project, “The Discovery of Logarithms, Their Application to Ballistics, and Their Role in the Royal Navy’s Rise to Dominance in the Age of Sail,” he is working with Professor of History Kevin Grant to examine how the development of logarithms relates to England’s rise to naval dominance.

Working as a grant writer this summer, Candice McCardle ’15 is helping the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) raise funds to support the many services they offer.  From youth and senior services to day care programs, the CPC benefits the community in New York City’s Chinatown.

Andy Chen ’16, John McGuinnis ’16 and Zachary Pilson ’16 are applying the science behind a survivalist water-collecting technique to develop an alternative energy-generating device. With a Levitt Research Group Grant, the team is utilizing a method similar to solar stills to generate energy from falling condensation.

In speeches and debates, contemporary politicians often relate their values back to the principles of America’s founding fathers. However, how well they actually represent those ideals is disputable. In her Emerson Foundation project, “What Would Jefferson Do? The Jeffersonian Ideal and Modern Day Environmental Policy,” Claire Zurlo ’14 is examining how Thomas Jefferson’s political philosophy relates to today’s environmentalism.

Many Hamilton students consider themselves environmentally conscious and aware of the consequences of putting profits ahead of environmental conservation. Oil extraction, whether it is from shale deposits, sea floors or sands, can threaten natural habitats and introduce environmental pollutants. This summer, Nicholas Anastasi ‘15 is researching government transparency and rhetoric surrounding oil sand development in Alberta, Canada.

The New England Center for Children (NECC), a school for children diagnosed with autism, has a long-standing close relationship with Hamilton College.  NECC was founded by Hamilton alumnus, Vincent Strully Jr. ’69, who serves as chief executive officer. Each semester, students interested in education and psychology work and take courses there as part of Hamilton’s cooperative education program, managed by James L. Ferguson Professor of Psychology Jonathan Vaughan.  Rosmery Rodriguez ’15 is interning as a full-time teacher with the Center’s students this summer.