When Michael Elliott attended Amherst College, he never imagined he’d one day become its president. But now that he has the job, he brings a perspective that the office hasn’t seen since the last time an Amherst graduate held that office (in 1983). Like animals that can detect light in the infrared spectrum, President Elliott’s student and alumni experience enables him to see things others may miss. As Amherst Reunion 2024 approaches, I thought, who better to talk about coming back to campus and how to make the most out of the brief time we’ll have?

In this interview, which I recorded live with about 25 of my classmates attending virtually, you’ll learn:

• What a day-in-the-life as Amherst College president is like
• The aspects of Amherst that have changed the most, as well as those that haven’t changed much over the last 30 years
• Amherst’s “secret sauce”…
• …And how much I apparently miss that dining hall staple, the chicken puck
• Why building a strong community at Amherst is one of President Elliott’s top priorities – and how alumni can help
• Recommendations on how to get the most out of coming back to campus, including options for families with children
• His answers to alumni attendee questions, including how he thinks about attracting and nurturing diverse talent through Amherst and beyond, and how campus life amid the war in Gaza fares in comparison to colleges and universities that have made headlines

If you’d like to learn more about President Elliott or get in touch, email him at president@amherst.edu, follow him on Instagram (@amherst_president), or watch his interview series, Between 2 Mammoths.