Who Is Reed?
Graduating bold, clear thinkers since 1915.
Who is Reed? If you’ve received this booklet, Reed is you. We’d like to introduce you to a few recent graduates—and a few more-established alumni—to provide you with a deeper sense of Reed’s strength in graduating people of vision. Reed will connect you to your future.
Reed taught me the value of friendships, social networks, and seeking help when you need it. ’21
ANESU NDORO Anthropology
HOMETOWN Chegutu, Zimbabwe THESIS “Family Matters: Black Conservatives and Political Belonging in the Republican Party” WHAT IT’S ABOUT My thesis examines how Black conservatives navigate belonging and status within the Republican Party, and how this is tied to their views on Black family-making practices within the United States. I investigate how these views interact with Blackness, predominant sociopolitical ideologies about belonging, and conservative political participation. CONCEPT THAT BLEW MY MIND Hands down: semiotics, which tries to explain how humans make meaning of the world they live in—from the sounds we produce to indicate words, the physical gestures we make to express emotions, and the political symbols we use such as fl ags and national anthems. I first learned of semiotics in a linguistic anthropology class, and I’m still trying to figure out what it’s all about! COOL STUFF I DID Being a housing adviser gave me an opportunity to help fellow Reedies in a direct and impactful way. I also started a Mbira Music Club where I taught a few Reedies how to play Zimbabwe’s mbira instrument. HOW REED CHANGED ME Reed taught me the value of friendships, social networks, and seeking help when you need it. I learned to be more curious and to ask questions when I don’t know something, rather than make assumptions.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Anesu Ndoro is a humanities teacher at USAP Community School in Zimbabwe, where he works to make traditional African music accessible to low-income students.
I learned so much about who I am as a leader.
’21
EVA LICHT
Biology-Theatre
HOMETOWN Colorado Springs, Colorado THESIS “Rehearsing Reality: An Investigation into Split Discs, Cell Migration, and the Power of Forum Theatre” WHAT IT’S ABOUT Can theatre help facilitate science learning or participation? I explore how using forum theatre, a theatrical form that uses audience participation for problem solving, can support science research and accessibility. My biology research explores a new method for investigating the protein SPECC1L’s impact on cell migration and craniofacial disorder development. INFLUENTIAL CLASS In my class on European drama, Professor Pancho Savery [English] trusted the students to lead conferences and to keep the conversation moving forward. Reading a play a week and discussing it in depth was really helpful for developing my understanding of the plays and their similarities. I made sure to take a class with him every semester. ABILITY DEVELOPED AT REED I directed three productions at Reed, which taught me so much about who I am as a leader. Leading a team of students in a rehearsal really helped grow my confidence, communication, and leadership skills. HOW REED CHANGED ME Reed helped me to take risks and pursue what I love.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Eva Licht is a member of Faultline Ensemble, a New England theatre company focused on combining performance and public health education.
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REED BY THE NUMBERS:
Best classroom experience —The Princeton Review 2024 (voted top three for the last five years)
NOTEWORTHY Six months after graduation, 69 percent of Reed graduates are employed, 19 percent are in graduate school, and 2 percent are volunteers with the Peace Corps or another service program.
The classes I took have shaped the way I think. ’21
ANDREY MARSAVIN
Environmental Studies-Chemistry
HOMETOWN Los Angeles, California, and Moscow, Russia THESIS “Oxidized Nitrogen in Wildfire Smoke at Mt. Bachelor Observatory” WHAT IT’S ABOUT Wildfires emit various air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx). During the 2020 wildfire season, we measured NOx and ozone at Mt. Bachelor Observatory, an atmospheric research station in Central Oregon. I then made modifications to our NOx instrument so that we could measure the sum of all oxidized nitrogen compounds (NOy). We deployed the new NOy instrument at Mt. Bachelor this spring to sample smoke from upcoming wildfire seasons. COOL STUFF I DID My first year, I started going on trips with the Reed Outing Club, and I joined the club’s leadership team as a sophomore. We led hiking and backpacking trips throughout the Pacific Northwest, going to places like Olympic National Park, Mt. St. Helens, Owyhee Canyonlands, and the North Cascades. I was also a teaching assistant in organic chemistry, earned my Wilderness First Responder certification, and learned how to operate an atmospheric chamber. ABILITY DEVELOPED AT REED I learned how to thrive in a research environment, especially when the work is collaborative. HOW REED CHANGED ME Being at Reed meant being surrounded by people who were great at the kinds of things I wanted to be great at. The classes I took have shaped the way I think and have helped me home in on what kinds of things I’d like to pursue after Reed.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Andrey Marsavin is a graduate research assistant and weather station observer in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University.
I learned to connect knowledge and concepts across different disciplines. ’21
GENYUAN HU Neuroscience
HOMETOWN Chongqing, China THESIS “Change in GFAP Expression as a Consequence of the Disconnection between Zebrafish Retina and Optic Tectum” WHAT IT’S ABOUT The significance of visual input and synaptic innervation from the retina to the optic tectum of zebrafish. While both Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and radial glial cells are closely related to the development and regeneration of the zebrafish visual system, I looked for potential Wnt ligands that are involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and I monitored the activities of radial glial cells in the optic tectum through GFAP expression. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT Learning what happens to the brains of zebrafish when they cannot see. INFLUENTIAL CLASS In Architectonic Structures with Professor Gerri Ondrizek [art], I learned to be crafty with different materials. CONCEPT THAT BLEW MY MIND The concept of “phylotypic stage” in developmental biology describes an embryonic stage where different vertebrates look very similar to one another. When I looked at a chick embryo in my developmental biology class, I thought it was a baby snake! COOL STUFF I DID Made sculptures from scratch and worked in the art studio. HOW REED CHANGED ME I learned to connect knowledge and concepts across different disciplines.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Genyuan Hu graduated from Princeton with a master’s degree in architecture and is one of the co-founders of MoVA (Museum of Visual Arts), a completely digital museum accessible through augmented and virtual reality.
NOTEWORTHY While Reedies typically travel farther to attend college than their peers at any other US college, some choose to remain in Portland after graduation. They hold positions at institutions like Oregon Health & Science University, Intel, and Nike, and they run their own companies, like tech start-ups Puppet Labs, Switchboard, and Airship.
I’ve learned to be a better listener, friend, and person.
’22
MONIQUE QUEEN Psychology
HOMETOWN Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia THESIS “Showing Up and Showing Out: Predictors of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Protest Endorsement and Protest Action Type in Portland, OR” WHAT IT’S ABOUT Looking at 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations in Portland, my research questions which attitudes, social (environmental) factors, and protest behaviors predict endorsement of or participation in protest. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT How Portlanders show up regarding BLM protests— physically and in other ways—and what attitudes and behaviors predict this. CONCEPT THAT BLEW MY MIND Rest as resistance! Accessing dream spaces to dismantle oppressive systems and using rest to step into our full humanity. COOL STUFF I DID Hosting on- and off-campus events through my roles in the Multicultural Resource Center and bungee jumping and skydiving through Gray Fund! HOW REED CHANGED ME I am a better listener, friend, and person, and a more involved community member.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Monique Queen is a youth essentials coordinator at REAP, a Portland-based multicultural leadership program that partners with local schools.
People I’ve met here have taught me generosity, curiosity, and grace. ’21
BEN READ
Comparative Literature
HOMETOWN Spokane, Washington IN HIGH SCHOOL I did speech and debate, was an AP student, a huge reader, and worse than my younger brother at pickup basketball. INFLUENTIAL CLASS The Poem Visualized with Professor Jae Choi [English] was an incredible creative writing class focused on the ways that poetry lives off the page. We danced and made T-shirts and wrote gibberish. A lot of our plans were cut short by the pandemic, but I’m so grateful for that class and the way Jae’s teaching changed my writing. COOL STUFF I DID I worked as a writer and editor for student publications (the Grail, the Quest, and the Creative Review); as an assistant to Professor Samiya Bashir and the creative writing faculty for Poetry Salon and the Visiting Writers Series; and as a Sexual Health, Advocacy, and Relationship Education (SHARE) advocate. I was also a writing tutor and a library assistant. ABILITY DEVELOPED AT REED I learned how to dance! I took classes in Argentine tango with Alex Krebs ’99 for all of my PE credits, and I loved being part of the Portland tango community. AWARDS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS I received the Winter International Travel Fellowship for a research project in Spain on Federico García Lorca and the role of duende in his poetry and fl amenco dance traditions. HOW REED CHANGED ME For the better. I like to think that the people I’ve met here have taught me generosity, curiosity, and grace.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Ben Read is a digital content assistant at Columbia University’s Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, which is one of the largest architectural libraries in the world.
NOTEWORTHY The oscilloscope, the compact disc, Wikipedia, flood-tolerant rice, sociolinguistics, Zoloft, and the Gordon Wrench were all developed by Reed graduates.
Reed helped guide me to what I would like to do in this life and where I want to be. ’23
EVANGELINE NAÑEZ Sociology
HOMETOWN Albuquerque, New Mexico THESIS “‘That’s Your Auntie’: An Analysis of Southwest Pueblo Indian Family-Making after Attending Indian Boarding School” WHAT IT’S ABOUT My thesis examines the contemporary relationship of American Indian boarding schools and Pueblo Indian alumni family making within Southwest Pueblo communities. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT How do historical and modern American Indian boarding schools impact the lives of Southwest Pueblo Indian people, and how do these impacts look throughout generations? INFLUENTIAL CLASS In Obsidian Rocks with Prof. Alejandra Roche Recinos [anthropology], I got to learn to knap obsidian. We learned the properties of obsidian, its significance in America’s Indigenous communities, and how to create lithic drawings of the rock. I got to keep the objects I made by shaping the obsidian, which include a spear point and several arrowheads. COOL STUFF I DID I was involved with the Multicultural Resource Center, SEEDS, the Office of Institutional Diversity, and Reed College Special Collections and Archives. I also went to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, brought writer Tommy Orange to campus, and helped throw Bey Ball and create a community altar for Día de Los Muertos.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Evangeline Nañez plans to pursue an advanced degree in education.
I now understand that to lead is to listen to others. ’19
SHELBY WILLIAMS Economics
HOMETOWN New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana THESIS “The Hair I Swear By: An Economic Analysis of How Los Angeles Black Beauty Firms Affect the Communities They Inhabit” WHAT IT’S ABOUT I looked at the social and economic impact of Black beauty firms on communities by gauging the firms’ contributions. I analyzed crime, housing, and population data in order to understand how these businesses affect different communities as well as create lasting impact on economic structures. CONCEPT THAT BLEW MY MIND The mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell. COOL STUFF I DID Multicultural Resource Center, Gray Fund, Pre-Law Club, Model United Nations, Peer Mentor Program, Orientation, and much more. HOW REED CHANGED ME Reed gave me the opportunity to do more academically and creatively. The fact that I actually understand higher-level concepts, wrote a thesis, improved my classical singing—and sang before Doja Cat—is amazing! I have been able to create my own path and come to understand that to lead is to listen to others.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Shelby Williams is a consultant and data analyst at the prestigious Deloitte, where she uses her background in economics, data, and finance to improve client performance and general outcomes.
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REED BY THE NUMBERS:
Professors get high marks —The Princeton Review 2024 (voted top three for the last five years)
NOTEWORTHY In a typical year, more than 40,000 job opportunities, internships, and fellowships are posted on our online career platform by alumni, employers, and institutions across the country and world.
Reed encouraged me to be more patient with my own learning process. ’22
NGUY Ễ N NG Ọ C Y Ế N NHI
International and Comparative Policy Studies
HOMETOWN Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Portland, Oregon THESIS “The Impact of States’ Policy Choices on College Completion Rates in the United States” WHAT IT’S ABOUT College enrollment rates are high in the United States, yet many students do not finish their degree. My thesis explored the impact of states’ appropriations, citizens’ disposable income, and K–12 expenditures on college completion rates in the U.S. from 2001 to 2014. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT Inequitable access to higher education starts early. Like, really early. INFLUENTIAL CLASS Professor Victoria Fortuna [dance] taught me that I need to listen to how my body “thinks”—that even though I don’t consider myself a dancer, I’m dancing every day. I relied on methods from my dance ethnography class to write a political science thesis, which is the beauty of a Reed education. FINANCIAL AID I was able to go to college because of Reed’s generous financial aid package. I could not believe my eyes when I got the email. I am determined to pay it forward because I had folks who believed in me. HOW REED CHANGED ME I have become a better thinker, speaker, and writer. English is my second language, so sometimes I need to say things multiple times. Reed encouraged me to be more patient and comfortable with my own learning process.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Nguyễn Ngọc Yến Nhi is a policy analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit think tank that researches and analyzes economic policy.
Reed taught me to create space for the things I feel are worth doing. ’20
STEVEN GARCIA Art-Biology
HOMETOWN Beaumont, Texas THESIS “In Consideration of Ethical Grounds” WHAT IT’S ABOUT I collected soil samples from around the Portland metro area and analyzed their biological, chemical, and physical properties to determine how soil health differs across the city. I produced a series of maps with ArcGIS to overlay urbanization and social economic gradients over soil data to demonstrate what areas of the city and socioeconomic groups have greater access to healthy soil. My thesis aims to offer new methods of scientific data representation in an attempt to spark curiosity from the general population about ecological health in the age of the Anthropocene. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT Utilizing art as a tool to communicate scientific findings and uncover ecological inequities to mobilize community stewardship of the land we inhabit. COOL STUFF I DID I participated in the Peer Mentor Program, both as a mentee and mentor; learned ballet and welding (plus a ton of other cool stuff); worked in the Reed College Herbarium; took some amazing camping trips to places like the Olympic Peninsula; and conducted independent research on Mount Adams. CHALLENGES I FACED Transitioning from a school with giant classes to Reed’s conference style was difficult for me, but it has also changed my entire way of learning for the better. HOW REED CHANGED ME I have learned to view the world through a critical lens and to celebrate the ways I am different. Most importantly, Reed taught me to create space for the things I feel are worth doing.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Steven Garcia is pursuing a graduate degree in landscape architecture at the University of Oregon.
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REED BY THE NUMBERS:
Great financial aid —The Princeton Review 2024 (voted in the top 15 for the last four years)
Reed taught me that I love intellectual discourse.
’20
ZESEAN MOIZ ALI Chemistry
HOMETOWN Happy Valley, Oregon THESIS “Attempts to Identify, Extract, and Purify Biologically Active Compounds in Lion’s Mane” WHAT IT’S ABOUT Lion’s mane, a mushroom prevalent in East Asia, has been shown to have amazing health benefits relating to the brain, including the ability to treat Alzheimer’s. We’re growing mushrooms and trying to extract the active compounds. Plants have medicinal qualities, and it’s our job to explore them. INFLUENTIAL PROFESSOR Professor Kambiz GhaneaBassiri [religion] showed me that I love the study of religion, a field I was not particularly interested in before. Exploring political and racial issues through the lens of religion is fascinating. INFLUENTIAL BOOK The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois. COOL STUFF I DID I wrote an academic paper for a journal about infusing social justice into chemistry classes, worked as an admission office tour guide, undertook internships in New York City and Washington, DC, and worked as a tutor. I was also a member of Honor Council, captain of the basketball team, and president of the American Chemical Society chapter. HOW REED CHANGED ME Reed taught me that I love intellectual discourse. I love ideas, I love reading and writing, but I hate debating. It’s just not constructive. FINANCIAL AID I would not have been able to attend without it. I’m graduating debt-free. Not a lot of people can say that.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW Zesean Moiz Ali graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a master’s degree in politics, ethics, & religion and is now a case researcher and writer at Harvard Business School.
I learned a lot of math, but more importantly I learned what I am capable of.
’23
OLIVIA MCGOUGH Mathematics
HOMETOWN Corvallis, Oregon THESIS “Persistent Homology and Applications to Graph Data” WHAT IT’S ABOUT My thesis covers the mathematical theory needed to understand persistent homology and reviews published applications of persistent homology to different data sets. I also run my own data analysis on publicly available U.S. migration data. WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT What happens if I glue some triangles together? CONCEPT THAT BLEW MY MIND There are infinities of different sizes?! COOL STUFF I DID I’ve been a tutor and course assistant in the math department for three years, which has been a fun job and a good opportunity for me to give back to a department that has educated, mentored, and uplifted me during my time at Reed. CHALLENGES FACED I was pretty intimidated by how smart some of my peers were when I first came to Reed, especially in my math classes. I spent a lot of time freshman year in math dropin tutoring and in my professors’ office hours, which was a game changer for me.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW Olivia McGough is pursuing a PhD in statistics at the University of Washington.
NOTEWORTHY Reed ranks #4 in the nation for the percentage of graduates who go on to earn doctorates across all disciplines (National Science Foundation and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data).
Top employers of Reed graduates Apple City of Portland Columbia University Google Harvard University Intel Kaiser Permanente Microsoft National Institutes of Health Nike Oregon Health & Science University
Portland Public Schools Portland State University Reed College Stanford University State of Oregon United States Department of State University of California, Berkeley University of California, San Francisco University of Chicago University of Washington
Achievement after Reed. Quantified. THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE Where do Reed students go 6+ months after graduation?
69%
Employed
19%
Graduate School
2%
Volunteer Programs
FELLOWSHIPS & AWARDS Reed has produced more Rhodes Scholars than all but one liberal arts college in the US.
3
MacArthur Fellows
118
Fulbright Students
32
Rhodes Scholars
73
Thomas J. Watson Fellows
194
National Science Foundation Fellows
ALUMNI CAREER PATHS
21%
Science/ Engineering
9%
Computer Science/ Mathematics
17 %
Business
7%
Communications
12%
Education
4%
Health Care
ALUMNI PhD PRODUCTION Reed produces more graduates who earn PhDs per capita than all but three other institutions of higher education.
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All Disciplines
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3
Humanities and Arts
#
2
Social Sciences
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5
Science and Math
Source: National Science Foundation and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, 2009–18.
Please note: Because we have not included all categories of response, percentages do not add up to 100.
Shaping ideas & inspiring action ’09
KENDALL TAGGART Anthropology National reporter
SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, BLOOMBERG NEWS SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
After Reed, Kendall Taggart knocked on doors until she got a job at the Center for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco. “Maybe it’s the Reedie in me,” she says, “but I knew I wanted to be the kind of journalist who was into researching and digging into documents and data.” She worked at Buzzfeed for seven years, where she specialized in stories that required heavy use of datasets. Taggart is now at Bloomberg News, where she serves as a senior investigative reporter. She received the George Polk Award for Health Reporting in 2023.
WHY REED I liked that Reedies had a genuine curiosity for everything interesting. No matter the hour of the day, you could have this rigorous intellectual conversation with anyone and everyone; there was never a time when you couldn’t dork out. CHILDHOOD CAREER ASPIRATIONS Maybe a spy. I liked Harriet the Spy and was always writing in notebooks. I remember sitting in my friend’s tree house, diligently noting everything the neighbors were doing. WHY JOURNALISM I got a hunch during my sophomore year at Reed, when my idea of a perfect Friday night was sitting in the bathtub and listening to On the Media on NPR. And then on Sunday waking up and devouring the New York Times before doing anything else. Whenever I got to do both those things, I considered my weekend a success. BEST PART OF MY JOB It’s pretty unusual to get paid to do something that’s genuinely interesting and also makes democracy work better.
Moving culture forward ’08
ANGIE WANG Linguistics Artist
ILLUSTRATOR AND CARTOONIST LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
After graduating from Reed, Angie Wang decided to try making a living as an artist. One of her first jobs was an assignment for the New Yorker, and she also spent several years as a prop designer for the Emmynominated TV show Steven Universe. She is now a professional illustrator and cartoonist, a part-time faculty member at the Roski School of Art and Design, and one of the four co-founders of the annual Comic Arts Los Angeles festival. Her clients include the New York Times, Penguin, GQ, NPR, the Atlantic, the New Republic, Nylon Magazine, Mashable, Variety, the Criterion Collective, Matter, Buzzfeed, McDonald’s, American Express, O, the Oprah Magazine, Wired Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Ms. Magazine, Bitch Media, Koyama Press, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Nobrow, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
WHY CONVENTIONS That’s how you network. I just cofounded a one-day festival for independent comics called Comic Arts Los Angeles. I’m really interested in encouraging the idea that the making of art is for everybody. COOLEST THING TO HAPPEN TO ME AT A CONVENTION At LA Zine Fest, I was at a table drawing a picture of a woman with really tall hair, and this guy came up and asked me, “Can I buy this from you?” And I said he could just have it, but he said he should give me something in trade. So he started drawing Marge Simpson, and it was just a weird, random thing. I was like, “Who is this drawing me Simpsons fan art?” Then he signed it at the bottom: Matt Groening.
Helping to build a clean energy future ’97
ALI NOURI
Biology Leader in science, engineering, and policy
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON, DC
Political turmoil in Iran in the 1980s compelled Ali Nouri’s family to immigrate to Oregon when he was 11. He never considered a career in policy, and he went on to major in biology at Reed and earn a doctorate in molecular biology at Princeton. He found his calling in public policy later in life, working for the United Nations before moving to Washington, DC, as a senatorial science adviser, then legislative director. Before being appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration, Ali served as president of the Federation of American Scientists.
MY REED EXPERIENCE I liked the analytical aspects of science—designing and working on experiments in a lab, the joy of discovery. More than anything else, Reed encouraged me to ask questions and not accept anything at face value. FROM BIOLOGY TO POLICY When I was working on my doctorate at Princeton, I would attend lectures on economics, political science, that sort of thing. I was discovering a bigger world around me—a process that really started at Reed. WHY LIBERAL ARTS I’m a big believer in a liberal arts education because it gives you tools you can apply to just about any career. Reed was terrific in that way and really taught me to be open to new things. I developed a strong sense of curiosity and learned what it was like to get out of your comfort zone. I never would have predicted it at the time, but I’m doing what I’m doing because of Reed.
Creating & influencing markets ’96
LUKE KANIES Chemistry CEO
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRPERSON, PUPPET LABS PORTLAND, OREGON Luke Kanies is the quintessential liberal arts graduate; he’s open-minded, adaptable, skeptical, and an unrelenting problem solver. These are also the essential skills of an entrepreneur. Kanies majored in chemistry and, in less than ten years, went on to start Puppet, a technology company that helps administrators automate large computer networks. Puppet is now a world leader in IT automation—the software is used by more than 40,000 organizations, and the company boasts 500 employees.
WHY REED When I was looking at colleges, I eliminated all schools with fraternities, sororities, or organized sports. Then I looked for the best school that was as far away as possible from Tennessee. While looking at Reed, I learned about the Guerrilla Theatre of the Absurd and about how when Dan Quayle came to town to speak they ingested red, white, and blue mashed potatoes and vomited them up. I thought, that’s the school for me. WHY EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED PLAYING POOL I like to say I minored in pool at Reed. There’s a strong correlation between programming and what it takes to succeed at pool in terms of focus and practice and not necessarily playing to win but playing to figure out how to win. BEST THING ABOUT MY JOB I’ve built a machine out of great people who are doing good and interesting and, you know, pseudo-important work.
Making room for everyone ’10
EMILY CORSO Religion Entrepreneur
IOS SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND FORMER OWNER OF BOLD & BADASS FITNESS PORTLAND, OREGON Emily Corso arrived at Reed as a self-described “goth nerd” with ambitions of being a librarian. Six months after graduating with a religion degree, she was stepping into a cage to do combat as a mixed martial arts fighter, later dubbing herself the “Mantis Shrimp” after a notoriously vicious crustacean. She credits her time at Reed for teaching her to be tough, whether that involved writing her senior thesis or pummeling an opponent in the ring. After Reed, she launched her own company: Bold & Badass Fitness, a powerlifting gym focused on body positivity. She has since transitioned into working as an IOS software engineer, but she hasn’t given up her love of fitness. As a freelance app developer, Emily has released an app called Barbell Math that helps users calculate the exact amount of weight to add to their barbells.
WHY REED Coming out of a small rural town (Sitka, Alaska), I had purple hair and piercings and felt pretty misunderstood. I wanted to go where people cared about stuff, whatever it was, and where you could be into Shakespeare and System of a Down. Reed was my top choice. HOW A PE CLASS AT REED CHANGED ME I was never very athletic. In my first year at Reed I took a self-defense class for PE credit. At first it was a way to blow off steam and be something more than a brain in a jar. It wound up being a transformative experience that led to my first career in MMA and fitness. SUCCESS AT REED AND BEYOND I knew I would test myself at Reed—I learned you have to be mentally and physically tough to survive a challenging experience.
NOTEWORTHY Reed’s alumni database lists 888 alumni with job titles of founder, CEO, owner, or president.
What Reedies do Reed graduates contribute to meaningful change in the communities and industries they serve. Below are a handful of Reed alumni who make the world a better place. There are thousands more. ALUMNI IN ARTS & EXPRESSION
Dylan Rivera ’95 Public information officer PORTLAND BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION Mingus Mapps ’90 City council commissioner CITY OF PORTLAND Sharon Ranals ’76 City manager CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO Aaron Rhodes ’71 President FORUM FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM EUROPE
Thalia Wolff ’22 Education artist PORTLAND STAGE Joshua Lash ’18 Associate producer NPR Arianna Rebolini ’12 Writer and book critic FORMER EDITOR AT BUZZFEED BOOKS Adrian Chen ’09 Writer and blogger FORMER STAFF WRITER AT THE NEW YORKER AND GAWKER Dr. Laleh Khadivi ’98 Assistant professor, author, and documentary filmmaker UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO David E.K. Abramson ’91 Motion picture editor, director, and owner DEKAFILM DIVERSIFIED Eric Overmyer ’73 Writer, producer, and playwright WORK INCLUDES LAW & ORDER, THE WIRE, NEW AMSTERDAM, TREME, AND THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE
ALUMNI IN CITIZENSHIP & COMMUNITY LIVING Teline Trần ’20 Development coordinator MEKONG NYC Eleana Binder ’18 Policy manager GLIDE’S CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Alix Sanchez ’08 Senior manager MULTNOMAH COUNTY DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE COORDINATION OFFICE Adonia Lugo ’05 Equity research manager UCLA INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES Sara Wolfowitz ’01 Medical social worker MISSION HOSPICE
ALUMNI IN EDUCATION & HUMAN POTENTIAL Alyse Cronk ’20 Lead math teacher HARLEM VILLAGE ACADEMIES Olivia Johnson ’20 Senior Field Instructor SECOND NATURE WILDERNESS FAMILY THERAPY Tiffany Pearsall ’09 Founder, executive director, and lead teacher PLAY FRONTIER Cecilia Nguyen ’98 Senior exhibit developer OREGON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY Shannon Lee Dawdy ’88 Professor, historian, archeologist, anthropologist, and MacArthur Fellow UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Lisa Nakamura ’87 Gwendolyn Calvert Baker Collegiate Professor, Department of American Culture, and founding director, Digital Studies Institute UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN David B. Grusky ’80 Professor of sociology and director of the Center on Poverty and Inequality STANFORD UNIVERSITY Eduardo Ochoa ’73 President emeritus CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AT MONTEREY BAY; FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
ALUMNI IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP & BUSINESS STRATEGY Maryam Ahmad ’19 Senior specialist ADIDAS
Andrew Kyroudis ’19 Product designer FORD MOTOR COMPANY Tanya Short ’04 Co-founder and creative director KITFOX GAMES Kristin Virshbo ’98 President and CEO CASTLE ROCK CONSULTANTS Zeke Koch ’95 Vice president of management and creative operations YAHOO Frank Marquardt ’92 Head of content design ASANA Daniel Thomas ’89 Co-founder and CEO HAMMER & HAND, A NORTHWEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Liz Rogers ’86 User research program director IBM
ALUMNI IN FOOD & BEVERAGE Josh Tsang ’18 Associate scientist IMPOSSIBLE FOODS Olivia Maki ’10 Owner REDFIELD CIDER BAR & BOTTLE SHOP; FOUNDER AND OWNER OF OLMA CREATIVE AGENCY Michelle Lopez ’09 Creator HUMMINGBIRD HIGH, RECIPE DEVELOPMENT SITE FEATURED IN BON APPÉTIT AND VANITY FAIR John Saller ’03 Owner and brewer DISTRICT BREW YARDS Kurt Huffman ’93 Founder, director, and managing partner CHEFSTABLE LLC, A RESTAURANT GROUP INCLUDING PORTLAND ICONS LIKE LARDO, OX, OVEN AND SHAKER, AND ST. JACK Samuel Fromartz ’80 Editor-at-large FOOD & ENVIRONMENT REPORTING NETWORK Marc Halperin ’75 Chief culinary officer CENTER FOR CULINARY DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION Susan Sokol Blosser MAT ’67 Founder SOKOL BLOSSER WINERY; COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE, AND AUTHOR
ALUMNI IN GLOBALIZATION & DIPLOMACY Geoff Finger Thomas ’07 Foreign service officer, economic affairs US DEPARTMENT OF STATE Rujana Pavlic ’05 Political administrator for integrated political crisis response (IPCR) COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Matt Snyder ’04 Foreign service officer USDA Shimon Prohow ’02 Senior HIV strategic adviser UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) Adnan Hassan ’88 Chairman & CEO, founder, special advisor MECASA ADVISORS EUROPE; THE GLOBAL BANK FOR SMALL STATES; THE WORLD BANK
ALUMNI IN HEALTH CARE & THE CURE OF ILLNESS Riyaz Ditter ’22 Manufacturing associate TWIST BIOSCIENCE Alex John ’21 Microbiologist SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTICS Marcus Bamberger ’19 Informatics specialist WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Roger Perlmutter ’73 President and CEO EIKON THERAPEUTICS
ALUMNI IN INVESTING & FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Andrew Her ’22 Human capital management analyst GOLDMAN SACHS Alyssa Andrichik ’21 Social policy analyst ABT ASSOCIATES Jack Lu ’19 Partner NGC VENTURES; CO-FOUNDER OF BOUNCE FINANCE Lillian Karabaic ’13 Weekend Edition Host and Financial Reporter OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING Michael McGreevey ’03 Director CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY SERVICES
Tristan Wylde-LaRue ’19 Quality assurance automation engineer APPLE Ruth Linehan ’12 Software engineer MOMENTO Dan Toffey ’07 Head of Meta Culture Lab META Michael Richardson ’07 Head of product SAMSUNG ADS Chris Haulk ’05 Staff data scientist GOOGLE Larry Sanger ’91 Founder and executive director KNOWLEDGE STANDARDS FOUNDATION; CO-FOUNDER OF WIKIPEDIA Gina Turrigiano ’84 Neuroscientist and professor BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Jan Larsen ’00 Senior director MOODY’S ANALYTICS
ALUMNI IN SUSTAINABLE LIFE
Riti Samanta ’99 Head of systematic fixed income and currency strategy GMO
Andrea Bryant ’21 Restoration crew lead NATIVE PLANTSCAPES NW
Venky V. Ganesan ’96 Partner MENLO VENTURES
ON EARTH
Nick Weig ’20 Program coordinator NATIONAL PARK TRUST
Soofian Zuberi ’93 Head of global equity BANK OF AMERICA
Esther Forbyn ’16 General contractor, sustainable building ESTHER FORBYN LLC
Robert Smith ’89 Host and correspondent NPR’S PLANET MONEY
Will Susich ’15 Co-owner YACHATS FOREST FARM
Nadir Mumtaz ’01 CEO SEHAT
Konrad S. Alt ’81 Partner and co-founder KLAROS GROUP
Carey Doyle ’01 Urban hub manager COMMUNITY LAND SCOTLAND
Lisa Saldana ’94 Senior research scientist OREGON SOCIAL LEARNING CENTER
Joyce Ferris ’80 Founder and managing partner, CFO BLUE HILL PARTNERS; QUANTIFIED VENTURES
Aaron Jones ’96 Geospatial data scientist THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Sana Goldberg ’12 Author, founder, psychiatric nurse practitioner HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS; NIGHTINGALE MAGAZINE; CARMEL PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
Suzanne Cassel ’92 Physician scientist CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER Kevan Shokat ’86 Chemical biologist, professor, and vice-chair PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO; PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY; AND INVESTIGATOR WITH THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE
ALUMNI IN TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION Hannah Hellerstein ’21 Cloud support engineer AMAZON WEB SERVICES
Stephen C. Sillett ’89 Kenneth L. Fisher Chair in Redwood Forest Ecology HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY, AMERICAN BOTANIST SPECIALIZING IN TALL TREE SPECIES Jennifer Ferenstein ’88 Montana senior manager, Rocky Mountain Front outreach coordinator WILDERNESS SOCIETY
“Come prepared for an experience that will blow your mind—but in a way completely different from what you’d planned on.” —Michael Kincaid ’13, Mathematics-Economics PhD in economics at Harvard, Specialist/Data Scientist at Delta Air Lines
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