The Miscellany News

Summer, besides being a quick respite from academic annihilation, is a season with an extensive amount of hustle and bustle. This hustle and bustle, specifically singling out the attention or achievements of Vassar’s alumnae/i, go unreported without a trusty, well-distributed campus publication. With The Miscellany News back with the same spunk it had in 1866, it seems only right to provide the essential service of honoring some former students who came before. 

Beowulf Boritt

This year’s 76th Tony Awards saw Beowulf Boritt ’93 take home the win for Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Boritt’s work on “New York, New York”—based on the ’70s film directed by Martin Scorsese—debuted on March 24, 2023, at St. James Theater on Broadway. While production closed last month, you can still catch the show on its upcoming national tour, commencing in January 2025. 

Sherrilyn Ifill

The world of legal academia recently received exciting news with renowned civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill ’84, former President and Director-Counsel of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund, joining the faculty of Howard Law School as the inaugural Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights. “As the Vernon Jordan Chair, Ifill will launch a multi-disciplinary center focused on promoting the vision and values articulated in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution as the central source of America’s post-Civil War identity,” according to a statement from the Howard Newsroom Staff.

Hope Davis

Director Wes Anderson’s addition to the summer box office, “Asteroid City,” featured Class of 1986’s Hope Davis in one of Anderson’s traditionally large ensemble casts, alongside Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks and Tilda Swinton, among others. The film, which was released in the United States on June 16, follows the events of a ’50s Junior Stargazer convention. Davis also appeared in the popular HBO television series “Succession,” playing her character Sandy Furness for the last time as the show premiered its series finale on May 28, 2023.

Jean Tatlock

Seen through her intimate relationship with J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster “Oppenheimer,” Jean Tatlock ’35 and her sorrowful story captured viewers’ attention around the world. Tatlock, in addition to attending Vassar, was a graduate of Stanford Medical School, where she studied to become a psychiatrist. She was also a journalist for the Western Worker, a periodical of the Communist Party on the West Coast.

Philip Jefferson

May of this year saw the nomination of Philip Jefferson ’83—a current member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors—to serve as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve, second-in-command to current Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed, which featured prominently in the news this past year due to the rising prices of goods, seeks to continue lowering inflation to its target rate of two percent, down from nine percent last year, according to AP News. Jefferson, if confirmed to the role of Vice Chair, will have an even larger influence on the health and success of the American economy. His current term on the Board, regardless of his elevation, will expire on Jan. 31, 2036.

AC Dumlao

New York City’s annual Pride March—which attracts millions of people to the city on the last Sunday of June—was led by the Class of 2013’s AC Dumlao, who served as one of five Grand Marshalls for the celebration. Dumlao, who serves on the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College Board of Directors, received this prestigious honor for their work as an LGBTQIA+ activist. He serves as the Chief of Staff at Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization known for its work on increasing inclusivity in sports. 

Noah Baumbach

The “Barbie” movie, the reigning box office success of the summer, was co-written by Class of ’91’s Noah Baumbach, alongside longtime collaborator and partner Greta Gerwig, who directed the film. Baumbach was notably absent from the premiere of “Barbie,” with Gerwig attributing his absence to his passionate support for “the fight of the Writers Guild of America.” His past work includes 2009’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” 2019’s “Marriage Story” and 2013’s “Frances Ha.”