Letter from the president

By Sylvia Torti

Dialogue is one of those words we use often, but rarely pause to examine. At College of the Atlantic, dialogue is not a formal exercise or a carefully staged exchange. It is a lived practice—sometimes generous, sometimes uncomfortable, always essential. It asks us to listen closely, to speak with care, and to remain open to being changed by what we hear.

This magazine explores dialogue in its many forms, and it feels fitting that the cover features the hand-carved bowls of Danielle Rose Byrd ’05. Danielle’s work invites attention and touch. Each bowl bears the marks of the hand that shaped it and the tree that once stood. They are vessels, but also conversations, between material and maker, tradition and imagination, use and meaning. They remind us that dialogue can be quiet and physical, as well as spoken.

Many of the stories in this issue reflect dialogue as an active force in the world. We celebrate 25 years of Davis United World College Scholars at COA. These students arrive from across the globe, shaped by different histories and perspectives, and contribute deeply to our learning community. Their presence has enriched classrooms, campus life, and the Mount Desert Island community. In their post-college lives, they continue the dialogue between COA and place long after graduation.

In a wide-ranging conversation, faculty and staff from across disciplines reflect together on the current moment, including its uncertainty, its urgency, and the responsibilities of higher education within it. In a different register, professor Sarah Hall’s recent work in Washington, DC focuses on how complex institutions communicate across agencies and with communities on the ground, where clarity and listening can have real consequences.

This year has also brought moments of loss and transition for our community. We remember and honor the lives of Hank Schmelzer, Scott Swann, and Steve Wessler, whose commitments to justice, learning, and community continue to shape this place. We celebrate the remarkable legacies of legacies of John Anderson, Suzanne Morse, and Linda Fuller upon their retirements, with deep gratitude for the decades of care and leadership they have given to COA.

At its best, dialogue is not about winning an argument or having the last word. It is about staying present to one another, to difficult questions, and to the work of building a more thoughtful and humane world. That work has always been at the heart of College of the Atlantic, and it continues today, one conversation at a time.

Sylvia Torti
President