Education & Nonprofit

Amanda Berman ’13 is the curatorial assistant for the Department of Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the J. Paul Getty Museum. She graduated from Hamilton with a history major and French minor and received her M.A. in museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program for Museum Studies in 2018. Her museum interests include 18th-century furniture, historic preservation and architectural history, and issues of accessibility and inclusion in curatorial practice. Check out her Instagram Reels series, “Furniture Facts with Amanda,” on Getty’s Instagram (@gettymuseum). She also has a background in college career development, working in the career development offices at Cornell University and Hartwick College. Her interests include setting student learning outcomes and coaching students on professional correspondence.

Ben Ligas currently serves as associate director of major giving at Boston College. Ben has nearly a decade of fundraising experience and has successfully closed a number of six-figure philanthropic commitments. He graduated magna cum laude from Hamilton College in 2014 with honors in both of his majors, government and Russian studies. He received his M.B.A. from Boston College in 2020. He lives in Boston with his wife, Grace, and their two rabbits, Wyatt and Bea.

Kiana Sosa, born and raised in Lawrence, Mass., is an educator, artist, and social impact enthusiast. After graduating as salutatorian from the Performing and Fine Arts High School in Lawrence, she went on to attend Hamilton College as a full-tuition Leadership Scholar with the Posse Foundation. At Hamilton, Kiana majored in Africana studies and minored in theatre. Her senior year, Kiana performed with Professor Mark Cryer in the production of The Mountaintop, which they later performed at the 2015 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Kiana was also one of two recipients of the William J. Bristol Fellowship in 2015 and one of four Dean's Graduate Scholars at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University in 2016. Through her work in education and non-profit, Kiana has helped immigrants, refugees, and college students resume or start their career paths in the technology sector. Now, Kiana is a faculty member for the Entrepreneurial Leadership Degree Program at the African Leadership University in Mauritius. When she isn't teaching or career coaching, you will find Kiana dancing, singing, and acting in independent films.

Sindy Liu '18 graduated from Hamilton College with a degree in sociology. She has worked under Teach for America (TFA) as a campus campaign coordinator and now works for Classical Charter Schools in the Bronx, N.Y. as a special education teacher and scholar services team manager.

Kevin Alexander graduated from Hamilton College in 2013 with a degree in Sociology. He has worked for On Point for College as a College and Career Access Advisor. He also worked for the United Way of the Valley and Greater Utica Area Inc as a Coordinator of their Anti-Poverty Initiative. Currently, he is an Opportunity Programs Counselor and Tutorial Coordinator at Utica College.

Before moving to Middlebury in 2017, Walter Stugis '76, lived in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, where he volunteered for the Midnight Run (providing help and community with NY’s homeless poor); was an elected Village Trustee; Fire Department Captain; church Elder and Deacon; and roadie supporting his wife Cristine’s fine art career. Professionally, Walter was the Chief Strategist for INPEx (Institute for Nonprofit Excellence), designing programs for large companies to partner with charity networks to improve both partners’ bottom line results (earn more money; help more lives). Call it harnessing the capitalist engine for good. He grew up in Rochester, NY and earned degrees from the NYU Stern Graduate School of Business, and Hamilton College (he’s the guy in a Hamilton sweatshirt at Middlebury vs. Hamilton soccer games).

Mark Aldrich is a Class of 1981 graduate who double-majored in history studies and Spanish studies. Mark is also an executive Director for Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and an associate professor of Spanish at Dickinson College.

Jade Alvillar is a Class of 2018 graduate who double-majored in French studies and religious studies. While at Hamilton, she was a member of women’s ice hockey and women’s rugby, as well as a member of the Debate Society and French Club. Jade was also an English teacher through the Teaching Assistantship Program in France.

Rachel Alatalo graduated in 2018 and is currently in her Fulbright fellowship in Argentina.

Gerald Cozine ’90 describes his story of going from a classroom teacher to a school principal, and the impact he has made along the way.