Sophia King, class of 2018 and a Bay Theater regular during her years here, directed Smith College’s spring production of Fun Home, the hit musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic novel. In creating the show, King and the cast and crew were allowed access to the Bechdel archive at Smith, which King describes as “a ridiculous treasure trove” for the incredible amount and quality of source material. 
As quoted on the Smith College website, King says, “‘I feel like a big part of ‘Fun Home’ is about how we look back and process trauma. What I’m trying to do with my direction is look at memories vs. reality. How do we know what we remember is true? How do we find the truth? And how do we process all of that into a story that makes sense to us?’”
King graduated from Smith in May 2022.
Some people are born to coach. Dorian Wiederholt-Kassar, class of 2019, helps young people—in particular, young men—to develop the mental and emotional habits that will help them to live purposefully and meaningfully. In May, he was a guest on the AmiSights entrepreneur podcast to discuss starting his business, personal development, and how he’s managing the learning curves.
It all started in 2017. Dorian was teaching martial arts and, as he gained confidence, felt called to help other teens and tweens recognize their internal strength. Doing so, he believes, will help us develop more people who don't need to exert power over others because they are operating from the power within. Dorian returned to the Bay Area from Colorado College for winter break in December 2021, and was feeling the pull to increase his commitment to this work. He ultimately decided to take a leave from his philosophy studies to commit to his business and self-development, including regular meditation and leadership coaching.
When asked what led to him making the decision to leave school and pursue this path, he says, “The decision made me.”
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