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The Pre-Made PodcastAuthor: Matthew C Collins
After Amherst is a podcast that features stories of Amherst College graduates. Together, we reflect on our lives since we last collided on campus, the impact a liberal arts education has made on our lives, college memories, and our hopes and ambitions for the road ahead. After Amherst is an independent alumni project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Amherst College. Language: en-us Genres: Arts, Performing Arts, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Geoff Swift Shows Why Intimate, Place‑Based Education Still Matters
Tuesday, 1 September, 2026
Geoff Swift — California‑born, New England‑made, and now the vice president for finance and administration, as well as treasurer at Bates College — reflects on a life shaped by small institutions and the enduring value of the liberal arts. He traces his path from Amherst as an econ major to economic consulting, Harvard Business School, and ultimately a two‑decade career in higher education, where he now spends every day advocating for the kind of intimate, residential learning that shaped him back in the day. He talks candidly about the business realities of higher ed, the rising anxiety around ROI considerations, and why he believes the core experience at places like Amherst and Bates, including small classes, close faculty relationships, and rigorous thinking, is more essential than ever.
