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- When I first met Biddy,
I knew she had what it takes
to be Amherst's next president.
- I knew she was a good listener.
- What I'll remember most about her is her warmth,
her commitment, and that Biddy Martin leads with her heart.
- And Biddy was just so caring
and receptive and honest
and forthcoming.
- She was witty,
and she would put you at ease.
- Biddy is an inspiration to everyone.
- She inspired change.
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- Wherever you look on this campus,
you can see Biddy's impact, in programming,
in architecture, in landscape,
even in the Adirondack chairs sitting on the lawns.
- The student body and the faculty have become far more diverse,
and our curriculum has become far more expansive.
- She's opened up campus dialogue
and made everyone feel that their views matter.
- She's transformed Amherst.
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- Biddy's greatest accomplishment
was to get faculty and students to think in new ways
about what it means to be part of a community.
- Her commitment to diversity and inclusion
is a model for other institutions.
- No matter what background you come from,
you will be able to find that community
in which you feel like you belong,
and through that,
feel like you belong in the Amherst community at large.
- At Amherst, we embrace students from every corner of the world,
from every demographic background,
and from the broadest possible experiences.
- And the diversity of the student body
brings a kind of liveliness to the classroom
that I think has increased over the years.
- We're all here to learn together.
- I think learning from different people and different cultures
is part of what makes Amherst so special.
- I think every student here is open and willing to collaborate.
- I've really grown into who I want to be.
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- Amherst's most prized asset is not our beautiful view
of the mountains, or our wonderful playing fields,
or our fabulous Science Center, but our faculty.
- The faculty at Amherst are rigorous and dedicated.
- Biddy's biggest accomplishment
is her efforts to diversify the faculty.
- She ensured that more voices and more perspectives
were represented on campus.
- It's helped me, as a student, feel at home in my classes.
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- There's never been as exciting a time
to be at this place as now.
- Every time I'm on campus,
I'm surprised by just how much joy you can find
in every corner of this college.
- Biddy is such a strong advocate for student experiences.
- She often wanted us to sing and dance and to have fun.
- From concerts to art exhibits,
it's these kinds of events that really make the campus so lively.
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- Biddy's commitment to athletics pushed us to new highs.
For the athletes, it's an opportunity for them
to develop a confidence that they'll then walk through life with.
- It's really exciting to be part of a team that's united and driven.
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- An institution like Amherst needs to take the lead in setting an example.
- Biddy truly believes that education at Amherst
should be within reach for all.
- I really, really appreciate Amherst's financial aid.
It really helped me be able to achieve any dream that I want.
- Amherst has become a warmer place,
a place which is unafraid to show that it cares.
- The College has committed to being more sustainable,
more focused on renewable energy.
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- I think Biddy has been great in dealing with crises at Amherst,
and there have been quite a few.
- Biddy successfully navigated us through this pandemic.
It did not stop us from having our students on campus.
It did not stop us from keeping our community safe
and healthy and engaged.
- The campus has come together under Biddy's leadership
under the most difficult circumstances,
and yet, I think we've become closer as a community.
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- I can't imagine Amherst without Biddy
because Biddy is Amherst.
- She's purple to the core.
- Purple to the core.
- Biddy, thank you for the care that you've shown.
- Thank you for all your years of service.
- Biddy, I've always admired you for your sense of humor.
- You brought love to the campus
and the gift that you'll leave behind is a legacy of love.
- I felt incredibly special when you followed me on Instagram.
- I know that you've given every shred of yourself
to Amherst over these last 11 years,
and I just want you to know how grateful we are.
We'll really miss you.
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- At Amherst, we have more than 20,000 alumni,
1,900 students, more than 250 members of our esteemed faculty,
and roughly 800 extraordinarily talented staff.
And Biddy, on behalf of all of them, we hug you,
we thank you, we will always be here for you
because you have always been here for Amherst.
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