Carlos Fonseca ’30

Staff Writer

Maya Kajikawa ‘27 is a neuroscience major and Japanese minor whose research examines HIV’s effects on brain health. Through her research, she developed a passion for combining laboratory work with a career in medicine. I had the pleasure of speaking with her about her research, how it has shaped her plans and her advice for students interested in scientific research.

Kajikawa’s introduction to research came through Trinity’s Interdisciplinary Science Program, which allowed her to begin working in a biology laboratory during the spring of her first year. Her current research focuses on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, known as HAND. Kajikawa explained that although HIV is commonly associated with its effects on the immune system, her research examines how it affects the brain and cognitive function. She emphasized that neurological health remains an important concern for people living with HIV, including those receiving treatment for the virus.

Her research experiences have also expanded her career interests. Kajikawa plans to pursue medical school and is considering an MD–PhD program, which would allow her to combine patient care with research.

Kajikawa had not initially planned to study HIV specifically. Instead, her interests in aging and neurological disorders drew her toward research involving the brain. She was particularly interested in preclinical work, which uses models such as cells and animals to investigate biological processes before potential approaches are studied in people.

Beyond her work on HIV, Kajikawa explained that one of the most surprising aspects of research has been its collaborative nature. Throughout her research experiences, she found professors, students and other researchers willing to answer questions and offer guidance. “I’ve been mentored by everyone in my lab,” she said.

For students who feel intimidated by STEM, Kajikawa emphasized the support that is present within a laboratory. She explained that finding a lab where she felt comfortable with the people around her made a demanding workload a positive experience. “The work is difficult, and sometimes very tiring, but I also was excited to go,” she said.

Kajikawa also explained that experiments often do not work or produce results that differ from what a researcher expected. However, those challenges make successful moments especially fulfilling. “When something goes right, it’s the most rewarding thing ever,” she said. 

Although structured summer research programs offer valuable opportunities, Kajikawa explained that their competitive application processes are not the only way to get involved. For underclassmen interested in research, Kajikawa encourages reaching out directly to professors and laboratories. She suggested looking for opportunities near where students plan to spend the summer, even if they do not already have a connection to the institution.

Contacting professors directly can also lead to mentorship and experience. “Email them, email them, email them,” Kajikawa emphasized. “More professors respond than you expect.” 

After speaking with Kajikawa, what stood out most to me was how research had broadened her plans for the future. An opportunity she pursued during her freshman year has helped shape her career goals beyond Trinity; for underclassmen on a similar path, her advice offers a good place to start: find a professor whose work interests you and reach out. As Kajikawa’s experience shows, you do not need to know exactly where an opportunity will take you before pursuing it.

Sajja Ranjit ‘29

Executive Features Editor

In an increasingly polarized political climate, with the Trump administration continuing to reshape higher education through federal funding cuts and efforts to influence campus policies, questions surrounding the independence of academic institutions have taken on renewed urgency.

Against this backdrop, Professor of Political Science Isaac A. Kamola’s work examining the relationships between political power, economic interests and higher education has taken on renewed significance. “Political forces and economic forces are deeply intertwined with each other,” Kamola told the Tripod. This connection, which first drew him to the topic of political economy as an undergraduate student at Whitman College, continues to shape his scholarship and work at Trinity.

Kamola first encountered political economy in a course that examined the work of Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Studying the two thinkers side by side gave him a framework for understanding the political and economic debates beyond the classroom into everyday life. “That class more than just about any other really helped me explain the world,” Kamola said. “I could read the newspaper. I could see the political debates that were taking place and understand the different kinds of arguments that were being made.”  The experience continues to shape his approach to teaching political economy, a subject he plans to teach again in the spring. 

Political economy, as Kamola describes it, challenges the idea that markets and politics operate independently of one another. Instead, it emphasizes that the two are closely connected: political institutions create the rules and conditions that shape how markets operate, while economic relationships influence how political institutions distribute resources and exercise power. “There is nothing like a kind of a naturally existing market that free floats kind of out there in the world,” Kamola said. Instead, he argues, markets are shaped by political decisions and institutions, just political systems are influenced by economic relationships. 

This understanding also intersects with Kamola’s research into higher education, particularly how academic institutions and the knowledge they produce are shaped by broader political and economic forces. That interest extends to his role as director of the American Association of University Professors’ Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom where he works to defend the principle that teaching and research should be guided by scholarly inquiry rather than political pressure.

“Academic freedom is not the claim that professors can say whatever they want without consequences,” Kamola said. Instead, he explained that academic freedom depends on the ability of faculty members to make decisions about research, curriculum and hiring processes according to scholarly expertise and professional standards rather than outside political or economic interests. “Academic freedom comes from the premise that teaching and research can’t serve the common good if it’s not directed by the facility themselves.” Kamola said. “For example, if I am a climate scientist and British Petroleum is paying for my research and is telling me what I can and can’t say, then I’m no longer serving the interest of knowledge, of my discipline, of my field, my students. I’m instead serving British Petroleum.”

Kamola expressed concern that these principles are increasingly threatened by political efforts to influence higher education. He pointed to actions by the Trump administration and state governments, particularly in Florida and Texas, as examples of growing political pressure on academic institutions. Through the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom, Kamola works to address these challenges by raising public awareness, developing resources for faculty, conducting research and building partnerships with organizations committed to protecting academic independence. The center is currently working with its second cohort of 12 fellows from institutions across the country. Its initiatives also include webinars, public presentations and a podcast aimed at broadening conversations about academic freedom.  

For Kamola, these concerns extend beyond faculty members to the student whose educational experiences depend on the ability to engage freely with challenging ideas. He described conversations with peers in states such as Florida and Texas who have begun censoring their own teaching out of fear of political retaliation. “The ability to have academic freedom, and to express ideas really in the classroom without fear of retaliation, is essential for the learning conditions of students,” Kamola said. 

He also emphasized the importance of student activism, pointing to Trinity’s history of organizing around issues from the apartheid in the 1980s to racial justice and more recent demonstrations concerning the genocide in Gaza. For Kamola, college campuses provide students with opportunities not only to engage in academic inquiry, but also to develop the necessary skills to participate in life and advocate for change. “The students already know what needs to be done, and I would just say keep doing it.” Kamola said. 

This emphasis on student engagement also informs his efforts to expand opportunities for studying political economy at Trinity. Through a developing political economy research lab, Kamola hopes to bring together students and faculty from different academic disciplines to examine the relationships between political institutions and economic systems. “Political economy is a very interdisciplinary field,” Kamola explained, noting that scholars in economics, American studies and political science approach similar questions from different perspectives. 

Rather than confining the study of political economy to individual departments, the lab aims to have collaboration among students and faculty across different academic backgrounds. “The idea is to bring together scholars and faculty and students from lots of different majors and disciplines to ask these questions,” Kamola said. 

Still in its first year, the lab remains in the early stages of development, with Kamola emphasizing the importance of incorporating student and faculty input in shaping its direction. The subjects he is open to exploring are between Trinity and the surrounding Hartford community, particularly how regional economic dynamics influence local institutions. 

Ultimately, Kamola hopes his work will encourage students to recognize that political and economic structures are shaped by decisions that can be challenged and changed. “The existence of billionaires, for example, is a policy choice,” Kamola said. “If those policies were to change, then the economic structure would also change.” By understanding the relationships between political and economic power, he hopes students will develop not only the tools to critically examine the world around them, but also the ability to identify where they can make the greatest impact.

Carlos Fonseca ’30

Staff Writer

From studying bees on an island in Panama to painting landscapes and leading Trinity’s Caribbean Students Association (CSA), Yasmin Barnes ’27 has spent her college years pursuing interests that often take her beyond the classroom. A biology major with a passion for ecology and art, Barnes has embraced opportunities that have shaped both her academic interests and personal life. I had the pleasure of speaking with her about her research, experiences abroad, involvement at Trinity and her advice for younger students.

Barnes’ fascination with nature began during her childhood in Texas, where she often found herself observing insects and other wildlife. Her family’s Panamanian roots also exposed her to environments that encouraged her curiosity about the natural world. “I would watch [the insects] and then I would think to myself, what’s going on in their worlds?” she recalled. “I think I never lost that.”

At Trinity, Barnes has pursued this curiosity through research with Professor Benjamin Toscano, whom she began working with during her freshman year. Her research examines how predators influence aquatic ecosystems, particularly how predatory stoneflies affect smaller insects and algae growth. Barnes explained that her work involved constructing experimental equipment, placing it in streams and observing how organisms responded to the presence of predators. Her team’s findings suggested that the presence of predators could affect the behavior of smaller organisms and the growth of algae, with these effects persisting over time.

Her interest in ecology also took her to Panama, where she conducted research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute under Dr. William Wcislo. Working on an island in the Panama Canal, Barnes studied bee metabolism and how social interactions might affect energy expenditure. Using specialized equipment, she measured the bees’ oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production to better understand their behavior. The opportunity came after Barnes reached out directly to a researcher, something she encourages other students interested in research to try.

But Barnes’ curiosity isn’t limited to scientific research. During her junior year study abroad programs in Cambodia and Panama, she became increasingly interested in the relationship between people and their environments. These experiences also strengthened her appreciation for art, which she sees as another way to connect with the natural world. Barnes enjoys painting landscapes, particularly those that remind her of places she has visited. She also practices insect photography. Recently, she created a photography display featuring insects and plants from the native garden outside Trinity’s Life Sciences Center, hoping to encourage students to appreciate the wildlife around them. “I think art is a language to reach people beyond words,” she explained. When she isn’t painting or photographing nature, Barnes also enjoys psychological horror films, particularly “Hereditary.”

Another important part of Barnes’ Trinity experience has been her involvement in CSA, where she currently serves as president. She first joined the organization during her freshman year after a teaching assistant encouraged her to attend. As a student with Panamanian roots, she quickly found a sense of belonging within the group. “I really just fell in love with the group because it felt like home away from home,” she recalled. Barnes described CSA as an important part of her college experience, highlighting the friendships and leadership skills she has developed through the organization. As president, she hopes to maintain that welcoming environment for other students while celebrating Caribbean culture and strengthening the organization’s connection to the broader Hartford community.

Looking ahead, Barnes hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology, focusing on native pollinators and sustainable food systems. She is also applying for international fellowships that would allow her to work with nongovernmental organizations before graduate school. Her experiences abroad have encouraged her to consider how scientific research can address environmental challenges while benefiting the communities affected by them. “I want to really make a systemic change and help people as much as I can,” she explained.

Reflecting on her time at Trinity, Barnes emphasized that some of her most meaningful experiences have come from unexpected friendships and opportunities. She recalled forming close relationships with students from countries such as Pakistan and Mongolia, people she might never have met otherwise. These connections, alongside her research and involvement on campus, have helped her find a sense of belonging at Trinity.

For underclassmen, Barnes encourages students to reach out to professors and take advantage of opportunities outside their comfort zones. She believes some of the most meaningful college experiences come from trying something new: “Do the random things, because those are the things you remember.”

Alex Gervais ’28

Managing Editor

Last year, at the end of an interview with the Tripod, Joe Barber remarked, “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a dream job. I just feel like I’ve been really lucky to be in this one.” For those of us in the Trinity community, it feels that we’ve been lucky to have crossed paths with Barber’s 30 years of service to the college and the community. 

Initially coming to Hartford as a member of AmeriCorps, a chance encounter on campus landed him a job as a graduate assistant in the Community Service Office. Since then, Barber has left a true mark on campus, defined both by discrete efforts like the Bantam Bus Pass and the Coop, but also by the impacts made on individuals. The Tripod feels that Barber’s legacy is best honored by hearing directly from the very people he left a mark on at Trinity. Printed below are submissions from alumni and community members about the impact he made on them. A special thank you to Coach John Michael Mason ’12 M’14 and Lilliana Poley ’21 M’23 for bringing together the people that made this article possible. 

“Joe and I began work at Trinity close to the same time. Throughout, Joe has been a friend, confidant, and someone I could rely on for a listening ear, a good laugh, and a helping hand. We share a deep commitment to the students and our work, as well as longevity at Trinity. Can’t imagine the last decades without Joe around!”

Laura Lockwood M’95, Director of WGRAC

“Joe was a constant in my Trinity experience. We got to know each other my freshman year and I will always be grateful for his encouragement. He gave me many opportunities to explore my interest in graphic design and I wouldn’t be where I am today in my career without his support! I was also immensely honored by his endorsement for Phi Beta Kappa. Thank you, Joe!”

Diana Rose Smith ‘19

“Working with Joe has been inspiring. His dedication to Trinity College, community service, and civic engagement has been remarkable and deserves celebration. It has been an honor having you as a colleague for the past five years. Thank you, Joe, for 30 years of service to Trinity, its students, staff, faculty, and the Hartford community.”

Liliana Polley ’21 M’23, Executive Director, Center for Hartford Engagement and Research (CHER)

“Joe helped greenlight a mentoring program that started at MD Fox Elementary and then moved to the Kennelly School. Joe was always there to problem solve and support wide-eyed students.” 

Jake Prosnit ’12

“One of the largest impacts Joe has had on my life is in my confidence in myself. As a student director for Trinity Film Festival, I always looked to Joe’s expertise with planning events and working with a team of students. His advice was always helpful, and he always encouraged me to believe in myself and believe that I was capable of success. His dedication to our event, and most importantly, his students, is apparent in every single one of his actions. Joe has been and continues to be an amazing mentor to so many students, and I count myself lucky that I was fortunate enough to spend so much time working alongside him. I don’t think I would be the person I am today without his confidence in me! Thank you Joe, congratulations on 30 years at Trinity!”

Cecelia Morello ’24

“I will always remember fondly the impact Joe made on my Trinity College student experience through his dedication to community service and involvement in the Trinity Film Festival. It was incredible to be able to witness such dedication, hard work and community building which made it possible to be able to put on community events such as the Trinity Film Festival. I will always look back fondly on these memories and they have touched me deeply as well as given me skills I use daily.”

Shirin Dadina ’24

“Joe has been my noon-time running partner for 26 years, and my partner as liaisons to the cross country and running teams.  I have loved learning all the ins and outs of Do It Day, Ditch the Dumpster and the Thanksgiving Food Drive. Joe is someone who cares about doing good.”

Tim Curran, Vernon K. Krieble Professor of Chemistry

“Joe made such an impact on my life. His office was always a welcoming space with open arms when you needed it most.”

Brooke Agro ’22

“Joe was the most down-to-earth person I knew at Trinity. Oftentimes, it felt easy to get trapped inside the campus bubble, but he was one of the few who reminded me there was a world and community outside it that mattered. One of my fondest memories was during my senior year working on the Trinity Film Festival. It was a particularly stressful year because I was also juggling two theses, but in that community service office, I always felt supported and challenged in the best ways. A lot of the details are a blur, but I clearly remember leaving that office every time believing my ideas were worth building, and that I had people behind me willing to put in the work. What I admired most about Joe is his commitment to service over recognition. He was instrumental in so many things I was part of at Trinity, yet he rarely paused to take the credit he deserved. That kind of leadership and humility is what I try to emulate even now. Joe shows up every day and works to make students’ ideas real. He makes students feel like we matter and have something worthwhile to contribute.”

Bettina Gonzalez ’16

“In addition to the countless hours (above and beyond what 30 years could represent) of work and energy Joe has dedicated to the Trinity community, he is also incredibly fun. He would attend the “coffeehouses” (open mic nights) thrown by The Fred during my time as a student – occasionally gracing us with his unique and spirited renditions of 1980s and ‘90s Billboard hits. The fair and kind way with which he guided the student leadership and residents of The Fred has stayed with me and shapes how I approach being an educator. When I returned to Trinity as a member of the faculty, Joe was one of the first people to greet me with open arms, always stopping to say ‘hi’ and catch up when our paths crossed on campus. He remains one of my favorite people and parts of Trinity. He and the work he does encapsulate what Trinity should always be striving to represent: a tireless commitment to being of service to the community on but especially beyond campus, uplifting students and helping them identify how they and their talents benefit our social good and celebrating being one’s own person and true self.” 

Teri Incampo ’12

“Joe treats everyone like an adult, and being given that level of respect in my first few years at Trinity helped me grow into a stronger leader. Being trusted relatively early on to run a weekly volunteer org. meant a lot to me, and it taught me that supporting community doesn’t just mean grand gestures, but showing up on a consistent basis to help others can make a meaningful difference.”

Dillard Taylor ’12

“As an international student, accommodations when school was not in session was always a struggle. Not only figuring out where to live, but also where to store stuff and how to transport them etc. Outside of the International Center, I am glad Joe was one of the people within the college I could count on to help me through my final process of leaving Hartford. I may be misremembering this, but I believe he offered space within his own place, asked around his peers for any availability and he ultimately helped move my things from my Crescent Street to a temporary location I had secured by then. As a former TFF team member, I was already aware of his generosity towards the Trinity community and those around him, but this specific experience left a lasting impression on me. It demonstrated Joe’s immense heart even beyond the campus, and will remain one of my fondest memories about Trinity and its people.”

Nirina Randrianarisoa ’21

“I have known Joe for over 20 years, and he is truly one of the most compassionate human beings I’ve ever met. As a first-year student, I was introduced to Joe and his office early on. At a time when I was still figuring out where I belonged on campus, Joe provided a safe and welcoming space for me to explore, find community and begin discovering the kind of impact I wanted to make.”

Haben Abraham ’10

For 30 years, the Office of Community Service has been a magnet for idealistic, ambitious students who care about making the world a better place – and that’s a direct reflection of Joe Barber. No matter what club, religious or multicultural organization, athletic team, or Greek society someone may be a part of – there’s a place for everyone in that Mather basement office. Joe has truly created a space where everyone belongs, no one’s afraid of hard work, and you’re guaranteed to make friends and make a difference in your community. As Joe’s grad assistant for three years, I not only learned tactical professional skills like how to stretch a budget and plan large-scale events such as Do It Day and Relay for Life, but also how to rally people and lead with empathy, trust, and authenticity. Joe profoundly shaped my approach to leadership and I’m forever thankful for all he taught me. 

Sarah Hoyle ’05 M’07

Among the many positive memories I have with Joe, the summer of 2011 stands out as one of my favorites. I worked in the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement with Joe to plan and execute Trinity’s Do It Day. Joe empowered me to coordinate the event and create an opportunity for Trinity students to connect with the Hartford community. I always knew I could rely on Joe for an honest perspective, and it was clear to me that he genuinely cared about making a positive impact—not only for Trinity students, but for the Hartford community as a whole. Working with Joe helped me learn so much about the community I was living in that I would not have known otherwise. The lessons I learned while coordinating Do It Day have stayed with me and continue to influence me throughout my career. I will always appreciate Joe’s commitment to service and the support he provides to students throughout their experience at Trinity. I’ll continue to seek Joe out whenever I visit Hartford or Trinity. No matter how much time has passed, we’re always able to pick up right where we left off. Congratulations, Joe! I’m grateful for your friendship. 

Michael Schlesinger ’12

Sajja Ranjit ‘29

Executive Features Editor

During his graduate research at Princeton University, Clayton P. Byers and his colleagues were trying to develop a sensor that could measure temperature in fluid flows. Then, the experiment started producing unexpected results. “We’re sitting there and thinking, ‘I’ve broken everything. Something’s not right,’” Byers said.

At first, the team thought the sensor was malfunctioning. But his advisor suggested another possibility: maybe the sensor was measuring something they had not expected. He was right. The sensor was measuring velocity instead of temperature. That discovery led to new research, publications and Tendo Technologies, a startup company. More importantly, it became one example of how following an unexpected result can lead somewhere new.

Now the Donald L. McLagan Associate Professor of Engineering at Trinity, Byers has gone from studying mechanical engineering at Washington State University to managing multimillion-dollar projects in the Air Force, earning his Ph.D. at Princeton and eventually becoming a professor. His career has taken plenty of unexpected turns. And according to Byers, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Long before he was studying fluid dynamics, Byers was a kid who liked math, science and building things with Legos. “I knew I wanted to do engineering, not because I knew what engineering was, but because I thought engineering was cool,” Byers said. At the same time, he dreamed of being a pilot, inspired by his grandfather who flew in Alaska in the 1940s. “I grew up hearing stories of him doing these crazy things and near death experiences and it’s like oh, that’s so cool,” Byers told the Tripod. 

For Byers, engineering and flying eventually came together in what seemed like a straightforward plan: go to college, become a pilot and join the Air Force. But once he got to Washington State University and began participating in Air Force ROTC, that plan started to change. Byers realized that while he enjoyed flying, he did not want it to be his career. Instead, he began thinking about what would come next. An advisor introduced him to the idea of graduate school, and Byers realized that he enjoyed learning and helping other people learn more than he had expected.

That realization eventually led him away from the military and toward research. Before getting there, though, the Air Force gave him something he still relies on today: experience leading people and managing complex projects. “I credit it one hundred percent to most of my success as an adult,” Byers said regarding his time in the Air Force.

At a young age, Byers found himself responsible for people decades older than him as well as multimillion-dollar projects. “You’ve got to build confidence, you’ve got to build speaking skills, you’ve got to build diplomatic skills,” Byers said. After four years in the Air Force, Byers went to Princeton for graduate school. It was there that an experiment that appeared to be going wrong turned into one of the most unexpected developments of his career.

At Trinity, Byers teaches courses ranging from Introduction to Computer Programming to Thermodynamics. His research focuses on fluid dynamics and turbulence, including projects inspired by biological systems. One recent project examines the fluid flow associated with heart valves. For Byers, projects like this demonstrate how engineering can intersect with fields that may initially seem unrelated. “It all comes together through engineering, trying to understand how it is that our understanding of math and science and physics allows us to manipulate the world around us. But to use that to make the world better,” Byers said. That perspective also shapes the way Byers approaches teaching. In the classroom, he has learned that even the best-planned lessons can unfold in unexpected ways. Sometimes he thinks a lesson has gone perfectly, only to look around and realize students are not following. Other times, a student will ask an unexpected question that sends the conversation in a completely different direction. For Byers, those moments are part of what makes teaching exciting. “No lecture is ever going to be the same,” he said. “You’re never 100% prepared for all the types of questions that would come out.”

Over the years, his students have also reinforced something he considers essential: curiosity. “The best interactions come about because somebody’s curious,” Byers said. “If you can be curious, you will always be excited about what’s around you.” That curiosity is something Byers recognizes in his own career. Looking back, few of the major plans he made actually happened exactly as he expected. “Every big plan I made at every stage of my life never panned out,” Byers said.

For Byers, however, that has not meant those plans failed. Instead, unexpected changes have opened doors he would not have found otherwise. His advice to students is to remain open to those possibilities. “No plan ever goes perfectly,” Byers said. “If you allow yourself to say, ‘Okay, let’s see what goes on here,’ opportunities that come about may end up in the right path for you.”

For a professor whose research focuses on finding patterns within turbulence, Byers’ own career has followed a similarly unpredictable path. But for him, the uncertainty is not necessarily something to avoid. Sometimes it is where the interesting things begin.

Sajja Ranjit ‘29

Executive Features Editor

Associate Professor of Public Policy & Law Shane A. Gleason knows a thing or two about mentoring. His latest students, however, have four legs, whiskers and a tendency towards chaos. 

At Trinity, Gleason is known not only for his work as a public policy and law professor, but also for his involvement in the newfound Cat Club, where students have the opportunity to volunteer with animals and help cats in the Hartford community, some taking on the role of ‘cat cuddlers.’ It’s an unlikely pairing at first glance, but for Gleason, both reflect the same philosophy: create opportunities for others to grow, then let them take it from there. 

Professor Gleason received the Law & Courts Section Mentoring Award from the American Political Science Association. The award, typically given to professors at PhD granting institutions, celebrates Gleason’s longstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. The nomination, signed by a group of 36 professors, former professors, former students and mentees, highlighted several aspects of his mentorship including student research, career guidance, individualized mentorship and long term relationships.   

For Gleason, the real mentorship lies in the seemingly mundane day to day moments. “A lot of the work that goes into mentoring is often unseen,” Gleason told the Tripod. “It’s the office hour meetings, it’s writing comments on a paper, it’s guiding someone through that law school or PhD application process”. That approach to mentorship is rooted in Gleason’s own experiences as a first generation college student. When he first arrived at college, he was unfamiliar with the many unspoken rules of academia: “On my first day of school, I didn’t know what to call my professors. I didn’t know if it was ‘doctor’ or ‘professor.’ I had no idea; nobody told me any of this and when I applied to grad school, I was flying blind.” Those experiences shaped what he sees now as one of the most important parts of mentorship: “Meeting the student where they are.”

During the interview, Gleason sat on one of the couches in his office rather than behind his desk, a choice that reflects the approach he takes with his students. “That’s part of the reason we sit on this side [on the couches] rather than me behind the desk because that feels too stiff and formal,” he said. That level of intentionality carries into Gleason’s individualized approach to mentorship. Rather than approaching mentorship as a one-size-fits-all process, he works with students according to their individual goals and concerns. Although this approach is time-intensive, Gleason finds the work rewarding.

“Especially with Ph.D. program mentoring, it’s incredibly intensive. I really only work with one person at a time because it takes so much time, but I make it a point to include students in the things that they would do in professional settings, like co-authoring articles,” Gleason said. “And working with students takes way more time than it would take for me to write the paper myself, but the process is very rewarding and it’s gratifying to see the cascade down into the next generation of professors.”

One example of that approach is Aidan González, whom Gleason met while teaching at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. González took Gleason’s judicial politics and research methods courses, and the two began talking between classes. Gleason encouraged González to consider graduate school, but said he wanted to be candid about what an academic career actually looked like. “We had this talk about grad school, and I told him, ‘Here are all the things that are rough about academia. My nieces and nephews double in size practically every time we see them, and that’s really hard. But here are all the things I like about academia. Does that sound good to you?’” Gleason explained. “That conversation deters most people, but he decided to stick with it, and we started working on a project together.”

Gleason introduced González to members of his professional network. During the COVID-19 pandemic, González presented his research at a virtual conference. Afterwards, several colleagues had reached out to Gleason to tell them how impressed they were with González, who was a college senior at the time. “I remember sitting there watching him present and the little private chat box on Zoom and my text messages were blowing up with people on the panel saying “wait, this kid is a college senior? This kid is good.” Gleason said the experience reinforced what he hoped students would gain from being included in professional spaces: the confidence to see themselves as capable contributors.

González eventually attended graduate school and is now a professor at the University of Central Missouri. The relationship with Gleason has continued beyond graduation, with Gonzalez regularly calling to update Gleason on his career. “He calls me regularly and tells me what’s going on,” Gleason said. “And I’m just really proud of him.”

That impact came into focus for Gleason again at a New England Political Science Association conference in April. As he walked through the hotel listening to González and another student talk to each other, he realized that both students he had mentored were now in academia themselves. Gleason was quick to emphasize that the students had done the work themselves. His role, he said, was to help point them in the right direction. “I remember walking down the hallway and thinking, ‘Both of them are here. Both of them are in academia.’ It was just really humbling,” Gleason said. “And they’re the ones who did the work, but it’s really cool to be part of their journey and to help them get to that point.”

At Trinity, Gleason hopes students leave his mentorship with more than academic skills. He wants them to develop confidence, research and writing skills, and the ability to navigate their own careers. His advice to students is simple: “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now.” That philosophy extends beyond the classroom and into Cat Club, where Gleason intentionally gives students room to shape the organization themselves. He even stays out of the GroupMe, allowing students to decide how they want to build the club and support cats in the Hartford community.

Whether he is mentoring a student through graduate school or giving students the space to build a community around cats, Gleason’s approach remains the same: create opportunities, provide guidance and let students take it from there.

Carlos Fonseca ‘30

Contributing Writer

Last year, Trinity welcomed Professor Rachel Keeffe to the Biology Department. An evolutionary biologist with a lifelong fascination for reptiles and amphibians, Keeffe brings a unique combination of research, teaching and, most noticeably, animals to campus. 

Keeffe’s interest in animals began when she was only six years old. “I remember seeing a frog for the first time and I was in love,” Keeffe told the Tripod. “I loved it immediately, and I needed to know everything about them.” As a child, Keeffe initially thought that a career working with animals meant becoming a veterinarian. Eventually, however, she discovered herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. “The minute I knew that was a job, I knew that needed to be my job,” Keeffe said. 

Keeffe went on to study biology at UMass Amherst, where her time as an undergraduate introduced her to the world of scientific research. She later earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Florida, where she studied the functional morphology and biomechanics of frogs, before completing a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at Mount Holyoke College. 

Now at Trinity, Keeffe works as an evolutionary biologist, using comparative anatomy to explore the diversity of animals and understand why different anatomical structures have evolved. “Mostly it just involves studying why things are shaped the way they are and how that relates to how they work,” she explained. Her current work includes research on the reproductive anatomy of snakes and lizards. Keeffe explained that although scientists have long documented differences in male reproductive anatomy, researchers historically paid less attention to why these differences existed and how they related to female anatomy. “It’s really hard to understand why the genitalia of one sex looks a certain way … without looking at the other,” she said. 

Her research has also involved CT scanning specimens and producing enlarged 3D-printed models to better understand how anatomical structures function. It is the unanswered questions surrounding these structures that continue to drive her research. “This fascinates me as someone who is interested in biomechanics,” Keeffe said. “And so, this keeps me up at night.” 

That enthusiasm carries directly into Keeffe’s teaching at Trinity. As one of the professors teaching BIOL-182, Trinity’s introductory biology course, she teaches students about animals and tries to bring different live species into class whenever possible. “Each class I try to bring in a different species of live animal,” Keeffe said, “because I know that that’s what drew me into the field.” 

I was able to meet one of those animals during our conversation: a vinegaroon, an arachnid related to scorpions. Keeffe explained that exposing students to animals they may never have encountered before is more than just making class interesting. She hopes one of those encounters might ignite a passion similar to the one she experienced when she first saw a frog as a child. “If it makes someone learn that they actually love arachnids, then that would be awesome,” she said. “Because I don’t have enough time in my life to also study vinegaroons, but maybe one of you would be excited enough to go and pursue that.” 

That invitation extends beyond the students in her classes. Keeffe encourages anyone interested in her work, or simply curious about the animals she keeps, to come by and talk. “If the door is open, then I’m happy to show you some of the creatures,” she said. For Keeffe, providing these opportunities is important. “I think it’s important for people to have that opportunity because it was so important for me as a kid,” she said. 

Keeffe explained that when she was younger, she did not realize just how many different careers could grow out of an interest in animals and biology. 

“If I could talk to myself when I was your age, I would say there’s so many different things to do, so just ask questions and learn,” Keeffe said. 

Since joining Trinity, Professor Keeffe has brought her research experience and enthusiasm for biology into both the department and the classroom. After speaking with her, what stood out most to me was how much of the curiosity she had as a child still carries into her work today. The fascination that started with a frog now shapes both her research and the way she teaches. 

So, whether you are a biology student, an aspiring scientist or simply someone who wants to meet a snake, lizard or vinegaroon, consider stopping by Professor Keeffe’s office. If the door is open, you may get the chance to meet a few of her creatures and have an amazing conversation along the way.

Clayton Palumbo ’29

Executive News Editor

When Jeff Devanney ’93 was named Head Football Coach at Trinity College before the 2006 season, he inherited the nation’s longest continuous winning streak — thirty-one straight victories dating back to October of 2002. And then, during the second game of Devanney’s tenure, they lost. They lost on the road to Williams in landslide fashion, 41 to 16. To put how shocking this loss was into perspective, in 2005, just one season before, the Bantams allowed only 36 points all year. This was a loss that shook the world of NESCAC Football, The Tufts Daily called it “an impossible blowout of the league’s near untouchable goliath.” While it may have been easy for this loss to shake the confidence of the program or derail Devanney’s first year in charge, in reality it seems a blank slate may be just what the Bantams needed. Without the pressure of the nearly-unattainable record hanging over him, Devanney put the Williams loss in the rearview mirror and finished the season with six straight wins, allowing only three total points in the process. Ever since, that sort of dominance has remained the standard for Trinity Football.

Now, Jeff Devanney enters his 21st season at the helm as one of the most decorated college football coaches anywhere in the country. Devanney can tout eight NESCAC Championships, five NESCAC Coach of the Year Awards, a pair of Gridiron Club Division II/III New England Coach of the Year Awards, the program’s all-time record for best winning percentage and a place on ESPN’s list of the 150 Greatest Coaches in College Football History. With the success he’s had and accolades he’s earned, it may be easy for one to become complacent, but instead Devanney is showing up for the 2026 season with the same motivation and his eyes on a new prize: the national playoffs.

In April of 2025, the NESCAC Presidents voted to approve a proposal that would allow NESCAC football teams to participate in the NCAA Division III Championship effective starting this fall. With the national stage lying ahead, Devanney says the program is excited for the new challenge, “It’s just so interesting because for 20 years, I do all these team meetings and we have all these team goals, and they’ve always been the same, and now we have to add something. Now it’s not enough just to win the NESCAC championship, but we want to get in the playoffs or win a game in the playoffs. So it’s super exciting for everyone who’s involved in the program.” He added that the new opportunity isn’t just exciting for the current players, but also for alumni. “You can look at our TAG [Trinity Athletic Giving] Week last year and we like, tripled what we usually raise. And I think a lot of that is because of the excitement of the chance to be on the national stage. You know, we’ve watched our basketball programs and our hockey programs, the women’s lacrosse program and our rowing programs all do very well in that world. Now the football team could have the same experience.”

Devanney is no stranger to the big stage either. After graduating from Trinity with a degree in history, he accepted a job as the Wide Receivers Coach at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, working with current New England Patriots Offensive Line Coach Doug Marrone. After one year with the Coast Guard, he took a job in the same role with the University of Albany, his first job in Division I, where he also earned a Masters Degree in Liberal Studies. Then, Marrone called again and informed him of a job opening as Defensive Assistant at Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), a chance to coach at a highly-competitive, D1 institution. At Georgia Tech, Devanney shared an office with former Houston Texans and current Boston College Head Coach Bill O’Brien, who Devanney called a great friend, mentioning O’Brien’s advice as one of the reasons he’s decided to stick in Hartford for so long. “He always says ‘You have it made coaching at Trinity. You have a great life.’ I’m like, dude, you make $5,000,000 a year. But he doesn’t have as great of a life. It’s a grind. Like, I coach my kids’ little league teams. You can’t do that if you’re a Division I coach. You’re on the road all the time. The season never ends.” After three seasons in Atlanta, he accepted an offer to be the Defensive Coordinator at a Division I school back home, Central Connecticut State in New Britain. Even though he had ascended to a coordinator position at a Division I School by the age of 30, Devanney described his time at CCSU as “not a great experience,” noting that players didn’t seem especially dedicated to their academics, and the school lacked a strong sense of community. So when an assistant job became available at his alma mater, Devanney applied for it, getting hired as a Defensive Line coach before being promoted to Defensive Coordinator. When then Head Coach Chuck Priore left Trinity to take the head job at Stony Brook, he personally recommended Devanney as his successor to Athletic Director Rick Hazelton, telling the Courant, “Jeff has all the qualities you want. He’s a true person who will do anything for Trinity.”

Ever since, Devanney has dedicated his life to Trinity Football, settling down in Newington with his wife Michele and their three children. Their oldest daughter, Shea, graduated from the college in 2025 and is currently a Graduate Student at Yale Divinity School. “Trinity is such a special place for me. I’ve had numerous opportunities to leave, and I don’t want to leave. I just love the community. I love that I was able to raise my three kids in one place, which is very rare for a college coach.” A creature of habit, you can find Devanney at Goldberg’s Bagels in West Hartford before every Saturday home game where he orders one sausage, egg and cheese and one Jalapeno Cheddar. He then drives to Jessee/Miller Field to open the press box himself before he meets with Parents and Alumni, one of his favorite parts of the week. “I love home games because I love the Trinity tailgating and the Trinity support.”

The Bantams opened their season on Saturday with a dominant 34-14 win over Colby, avenging the surprising upset loss they suffered in Week 1 of the 2025 season. When asked about last year’s loss to the Mules, Devanney mentioned that the players were particularly motivated, “Yeah, I haven’t had to say a lot because the players themselves are using the ‘revenge’ word a lot. I think all of us who were involved in that game were incredibly embarrassed by the way we performed.” Devanney was particularly embarrassed that the loss occurred with (then) first-year College President Dan Lugo in attendance, who formerly served as Vice President for College Advancement at Colby and has many personal connections to Colby’s administration and community (his son, Michael, is currently Colby Class of ‘27 Co-President).

In the year of President Lugo’s tenure, the relationship between the football program and the school’s administration has developed further than ever before. Devanney mentioned that Lugo has been involved in team meetings, speaking to the program on multiple occasions, as well as inviting the fall sports coaches and captains to his house for a welcome dinner with himself and his wife, TinaMarie. “I’m so impressed by him personally. (Our relationship with the administration) is so different than it used to be and it’s so much better than it used to be,” Devanney said. When Trinity got their revenge on Colby this past Saturday, President Lugo was again in attendance, roaming the sidelines, interacting with fans and alumni alike. When asked about his personal relationship with Devanney, Lugo told the Tripod, “I’m really proud to work with Coach Devanney, who has such an amazing track record of excellence, both in winning NESCAC Championships and also graduating student-athletes at a high rate who go on to do amazing things with their careers. Coach Devanney, as an alumnus, gives his all for Trinity. He truly bleeds Bantam Blue and I couldn’t be more excited to support him.”

Coach Devanney and the Bantams will travel to Lewiston, Maine to take on the Bates Bobcats this Saturday, September 26th, where they will look to open the season 2-0 on their quest for the national playoffs.

Sajja Ranjit ’29

Executive Features Editor

What does it take to put a price on a piece of art? For Caroline Wiffler ’26, that question became much more complicated this summer when she travelled to London to participate in Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s Global Art Markets Program. 

As a history major interested in art history, Wiffler stated that the opportunity was passed along to her from her advisor, and although she had a basic understanding of auctions, she was going into the program with no idea what to expect.

“I was sort of going into it blind for the most part.” Wiffler told the Tripod. “The valuation part of it all made sense, but it was very interesting to find out just how complex it can get.”

The Global Art Markets course combined classroom learning with experiences throughout London. Students learned about the different people and institutions that make up the art market, including dealers, collectors, museums and more. They also examined the complicated process of determining how much a piece of art is worth.

Rather than spending the entire program inside a classroom, students regularly visited museums, galleries and other art spaces throughout the city. “Every day we went out and saw different spaces like museums and exhibits,” Wiffler stated. “The [instructors] really encouraged us to get out of the classroom.”

Among the places she visited were the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the British museum, the Treasure House Art Fair and Sotheby’s auction house. One of her favorite experiences was visiting a special exhibition of Francisco de Zurbarán. “It was gorgeous. I thought it was amazing. As a part of the course we had to do exhibition reviews and that one [Zurbarán Exhibition] I was by far taken by” Wiffler said.

One of the most memorable experiences, however, came at Sotheby’s itself. Wiffler had the opportunity to observe an auction while it was taking place, giving her a firsthand look at the fast paced environment of the auction house. “I think that was my favorite thing,” she said. “It was almost like a performance.” She described watching employees take calls, communicating with clients and following the auction all with a smile on their faces. “It was like a horse race or something,” she said. 

The experience also changed the way Wiffler thought about how art is valued. An artist’s reputation, previous sales, provenance, collector interest and cultural contexts can all influence its value. “Reputation does sort of dictate the majority of how things go, but being in certain subsections definitely matters,” Wiffler said. “Old masters, for example, is before impressionism and there’s a limited number of paintings that are available from that period so they’re going to be expensive because there is so little supply.”

The course also introduced Wiffler to topics that she had not expected to encounter, including debates surrounding the repatriation of cultural objects. With the British Museum located directly across from the program’s school, discussions about the museum’s collections became an especially relevant part of the course.

For Wiffler, one of the most valuable parts of the experience was the opportunity to connect what she was learning in class with what she was seeing around her. Her previous history courses at Trinity helped provide a foundation for some of the material, but the program encouraged her to think differently about how she approaches learning: “The answer isn’t always going to be in your book,” she said. “It’s going to be in the process of seeking out answers.”

She hopes to bring that mindset back to Trinity, particularly by looking for connections between her coursework and experiences outside the classroom. The program has also encouraged her to think more seriously about possibilities within the art world, including the potential of pursuing museum studies in the future. 

Ultimately though, the summer was about more than exploring a possible career. For Wiffler, it was an opportunity to experience a new city, discover new interests, and learn outside of the traditional classroom. “I felt like the world was very much my oyster,” she said.

For students considering a similar opportunity, Wiffler strongly encourages them to take advantage of it. “I would absolutely encourage it,” she said, especially for students interested in art, art history, museums, or careers in the arts. “You’re learning a lot and you’re also having so much fun by doing things that are so new and fresh.”

Sajja Ranjit ’29

Executive Features Editor

For Carla Schmidt ’27, climate change has never been just an environmental issue. Her time at Trinity has helped her understand it as a challenge that not only requires scientific solutions, but people willing to advocate for change. “I was actually more of a natural science kid in high school,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, climate change, we need to do something about it.’”

But as she learned more, she began to realize that many scientific solutions to climate change already exist. The greater challenge, she found, is often putting those solutions into practice. That realization led her to double major in Political Science and International Studies where she could explore the political structures that can either enable or hinder climate action and broaden her perspective beyond the United States and Europe. 

“Climate change is very global,” Schmidt told the Tripod, emphasizing the importance of understanding how its impacts differ across the world. Her global perspective was shaped by experiences beyond Trinity’s campus. She studied abroad in Bhutan, Peru and on a sailboat in the Caribbean, using each experience as an opportunity to explore environmental issues from different perspectives. During each semester abroad, she also completed research projects focused on environmental impacts and policy. 

At Trinity, her interest in climate justice has also extended into organizing and community engagement. She became involved with the Trinity Environmental and Climate Justice Club (TEACJ) her first semester at Trinity, and eventually became its president. For her, the club’s emphasis on justice is particularly meaningful. “I really love that TEACJ is focusing on environmental justice, and not just sustainability,” she said. 

She sees environmental justice as inherently interconnected with broader questions of inequality, politics, and power. One of the club’s most meaningful events for her was a panel discussion last fall featuring Alycia Jenkins, Dr. Mark Mitchell, Tenaya Taylor and Sara McCoy, four Hartford advocates in the environmental justice space. With around 60 students in attendance, the event gave students the opportunity to hear directly from people working on environmental justice in their own community. “Sometimes it’s easy to think about Hartford as just this environmental justice community, and it’s really important to highlight that there are also so many brave people, and people who work really hard to do all the advocacy,” she said. 

Her commitment to environmental justice also led her to the Rachel Carson Council’s National Environmental Leadership Fellowship. Through the fellowship, she explored another part of climate advocacy that she finds especially important: communication. “I really care about making sure that academia doesn’t just stay in those circles, but that it’s accessible to everyone,” she said. During the fellowship’s institute in Washington DC, she met other fellows passionate about environmental justice, spoke with senators, and participated in workshops focused on communicating environmental issues in accessible ways.

Being surrounded by people who shared her commitment to justice also reminded her why collective action matters. “Organizing, it’s not a one person thing. It’s not something you can do by yourself,” she said. “It made me really happy and a little bit more hopeful.” That hope is important to her because she recognizes that climate advocacy can sometimes feel overwhelming. “We just have to keep going,” she said. “We cannot just step away from it.”

For her, that commitment is also connected to her understanding of privilege and responsibility. Climate change is already affecting people’s lives, and choosing not to act is itself a choice. Her time at Trinity has reinforced the idea that education should lead not only to critical thinking, but to action. “We talk a lot about how learning happens in the classroom, and how we are critical thinkers, and that’s great,” she said. “I think we also need to be critical actors.”

After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Masters degree in environmental policy and eventually work in policy strategy for an environmental NGO. Her internship with Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe further strengthened her interest in the role environmental policy can play in creating change. 

If she could give her first-year self one piece of advice, it would be simple: speak up. “Get out there and don’t be afraid to speak up,” she said. “Remembering that you have a voice and that you can raise it to evoke change.”

For a student who has spent her Trinity career learning how politics, communities and institutions shape environmental issues, that may be the most fitting lesson of all: understanding a problem is only the beginning. The next step is finding your voice and using it.