What’s the Big Idea?
If you had infinite time, money, and resources, what big idea would you implement? How might it make a difference?
Issues
Editor’s Note
Emersonians are teeming with passion and ideas. This magazine is a window into just some of that creativity.
Emersonians Are Better Together
Emerson has long valued civic activism through protest, and we respect our students’ right to raise their voices to support their beliefs and aspirations.
A Critical Moment to Come Together
This year’s Commencement and Alumni Weekend served as poignant reminders of the strength and resilience of the Emerson community.
Recently Published Works by Emersonians
“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
– Madeleine L’Engle
Pat Bartevian ’44: A Boylston Street Legacy
Bartevian operates the antique shop her father opened in 1910.
AI as a Personal Assistant
Veronica Belmont’s Big Idea: A personal LLM based and trained on your own personal information, history, and interests.
20 Questions with De-nin Lee
De-nin Lee is an art historian specializing in the history of art in China. She has taught at Emerson since 2012.
Outfitted for Success
As assistant director of career access and equity, Drew Genova, MA ’22, helps students find career pathways and possibilities.
A Mindset Shift
Heather Watkins’s Big Idea: Change people’s mindsets to think beyond themselves and consider the needs of people living with disabilities.
An Easier Way to Discover Books
John Rodzvilla’s Big Idea: “The Gut” (Grand Unified Theory), where every book ever published could be found and linked with every other book.
Changing Standards
Jae Williams’s Big Idea: Eliminate standardized testing in school to boost students’ confidence and encourage them to define themselves beyond a one-size-fits-all rubric.
Radically Changing Our Schools
Linda Nathan’s Big Idea: Rethink how we teach students and radically restructure how time is used in school and what curriculum is offered and prioritized.
Communicating Climate Change Through Public Art
John Craig Freeman’s Big Idea: A public art installation with an augmented reality piece to make the public aware of the devastating effects of climate change on our local environment, and show how our actions today could help reverse the course we’re on.
A Platform for Ideas and Opinions
Spencer Kimball’s Big Idea: Create a transparent, trusted worldwide opinion network to address the globe’s biggest challenges.