Remembering Friends

The college lost a beloved librarian, colleague, and mentor with the unexpected death of Science Librarian Meg Spencer Sept. 24, 2015.

Meg was dedicated, energetic, and passionate in her role of helping students, maintaining and developing a vital collection of resources, and creating a welcoming atmosphere in Cornell Science Library. She also encouraged future librarians through the student internship program on campus and as a mentor to young professionals with the Spectrum Scholar Mentor Program conducted by the American Library Association.

As a member of the college community, Meg was well known and instantly recognizable by her short white hair. She recommended books to many and shared the copies of new releases given to her by publishers. Meg also encouraged the pleasure of reading in formal ways through the annual college summer reading list, the “So what are you reading?” meetings, and the Aydelotte Foundation-sponsored book groups.

Many of us knew Meg as a dear friend—one who made collage Valentine’s Day cards, cooked lemon chicken soup for sick friends, remembered birthdays with cards and special gifts, baked Uncle Vic’s sugar cookies, weeded our gardens and raked the leaves, gave us a laugh with her unique sense of humor, and cared deeply about us and our families. We were lucky to call her our friend.

Hundreds of people—family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, students—attended Meg’s memorial service in Lang Concert Hall Oct. 7 and many donated children’s books in her memory. The library is collecting books that the Spencer family is giving to two organizations: Reach Out and Read and Reading is Fundamental. Donations in Meg’s memory are also welcome to the Swarthmore College Student Library Internship Program (please contact the Development Office) and to the Helen Kate Furness Library in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.

—Terry Heinrichs, Cornell Library and Pam Harris, McCabe Library

President Smith Remembers Anthony Chiarenza ’18: 

We continue to mourn the tragic loss of Anthony Chiarenza ’18, who died Oct. 3, 2015. At a deeply moving Collection in the Friends Meeting House the following week, many came to seek and to offer support to one another. From the heartfelt memories, poems, and reflections of those who knew and loved him emerged the image of an extraordinary young man of exceptional generosity, warmth, kindness, good humor and enthusiasm. He brought great joy into the lives of his many friends and acquaintances. If you had the good fortune to know Anthony, you already know he was a remarkable young man. For those who may not, please allow me to share what I have come to know about him. 

A New York native, Anthony was a 2014 graduate of Townsend Harris High School, a public magnet high school for the humanities in Flushing, N.Y. There, he excelled in Spanish and wrote poetry for The Phoenix, the school’s award-winning, student-produced magazine. 

Perhaps The Phoenix connection played a part in fostering his love of Swarthmore. After accepting his offer of admission, he became an enthusiastic presence on the Class of 2018’s admitted student Facebook page, encouraging other members to enroll and building excitement around everyone’s pending arrival. 

Once his first year began, Anthony’s proclivity to forge lasting connections continued to grow. This is clear among that year’s “Willets Crew,” of which he was a proud member. And in class and lab, his professors remember a gifted, hard working student with a quietly cheerful disposition. 

Anthony had a passion for the sciences and intended to major in biochemistry. Last summer, through the NSF’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program, he worked as a chemistry research assistant at Stony Brook University’s Johnson Lab. There, he helped the lab team build and optimize its tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer for its laser spectroscopy experiments. 

Anthony’s enthusiasm for his studies lived happily alongside his penchant for fun. Whether in a study session that gave way to karaoke, board game nights in Kohlberg, or in any number of small, memorable moments, he could always be counted on for making his friends feel cared about and happy. And his ever-present smile was always sincere. 
This semester, he joined others in helping to revive the Queer Straight Alliance on campus. It was important to him that an open group existed on campus in which all members of the community could feel welcome and work together. 

Anthony was a humble, deeply cherished member of this community who brought light and warmth to everyone he knew. His ability and willingness to love profoundly and fully, as one friend remarked last night, “transformed friends into family.” His spirit will continue to inspire us all. His loss is immeasurable. 

—Valerie Smith, President