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Hampshire College, Alma Mater to Many in the Arts, Closing Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, the Alma Mater of numerous individuals in the arts including Ken Burns, has announced that it is closing.

Hampshire College, Alma Mater to Many in the Arts, Is Closing

Among those who attended . . . were artists Math Bass, Every Ocean Hughes, and Christina Quarles, as well as writer Eula Biss, actress Lupita Nyong’o, and documentarian Ken Burns

The following appeared on BostonGlobe.com: Headline: Hampshire College closes the right way Date: Apr 16, 2026 The quirky Amherst school made sure its students wouldn’t be left in the lurch. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/15/opinion/hampshire-college-closure/?s_campaign=8315:varf

Thank you?

Boston Globe praises the way Hampshire College is departing the stage:

(ironically it was the Mount Ida fiasco that caused the College leadership to panic and nearly close in 2019--the unnecessary crisis that is largely responsible for this one)

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I was also really touched by this detailed heartfelt statement about Hampshire College closing from Town of Amherst, MA & Town Manager & alumnus Paul Bockelman. It was my great pleasure to work with him when I was an elected official. You see why

www.amherstma.gov/m/...

Jim Jordan is commenting on Eric Swalwell's sexual misconduct allegations. Jordan was assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State while team doctor Richard Strauss sexually abused at least 177 athletes. Multiple wrestlers testified under oath they told Jordan. He did nothing. He was never charged.

The City of Minneapolis, evicting 48 of the poorest families in its care, for a total of $30,144.

Students and families gather at Cap City and collect bags of litter.

Senbeb Cafe is an awesome vegan spot. Kids vouch for the fries and steak and cheese. I like the juices and tea.

Awesome to see Julie in her element! She gave us some neighborhood history and motivation to clean.

We gathered lots of trash along Eastern Avenue, Kansas, and by Lamond Rec!

We had great turnout for today’s #SpringCleanUpWeek cleanups at Capital City PCS + Eastern Avenue.

Updated totals:

1️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ volunteers (7️⃣6️⃣ students)
2️⃣1️⃣6️⃣ bags (1️⃣1️⃣5️⃣9️⃣ lbs!!!)
1️⃣1️⃣ schools/green spaces cleaned
1️⃣0️⃣ local businesses supported with 6️⃣8️⃣ patrons

We're so grateful to everyone participating!

BREAKING: We just won our antitrust trial against LiveNation and Ticketmaster.

Live Nation has raked in billions in profits from an illegal monopoly that coerces venues, restricts artists, and exploits fans.

This is a massive win in the fight for fairness for local venues, artists, and fans.

Happy Tax Day, New York. We’re taxing the rich.

BREAKING: Maryland is about to become the first state in the nation to ban the use of surveillance data and dynamic pricing at grocery stores.

The Maryland House has just passed the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act.

Governor Wes Moore plans to sign the bill.

So would this fall under "evangelizing within the ecosystem" or "maximizing the enterprise value of the collective"?

The price will continue to rise until demand matches supply. The only thing eliminating the gas tax does is make sure none of that final price goes to the government

Hampshire College is a unique and beautiful place, and the fact that it cannot survive in our society is a condemnation of society - not of Hampshire.

I am grieving my school but I'm also grieving for everything. I want to live in a world where schools like Hampshire thrive. And we really don't.

I was hoping that generational “passing of the torch” would save Hampshire College, but alas there wasn’t enough time.

Heartbroken over the closure of Hampshire College. I went in planning to avoid math and science and came out a plant ecologist thanks to Charlene D'Avanzo, John Reid, Ken Hoffman, and David Smith. My Div III lead to my Ph.D. research on alpine seedlings.

So hard and sad to hear. I’m a proud Hampshire College alumna (School of Cognitive Science F04). And @hampshirecollege.bsky.social profoundly shaped me. I wish its quirky grace and fiery iconoclasm on future generations, despite this loss. Non satis scire! (“To know is not enough”)

It's always sad when an institution closes, but this one is tragic because Hampshire provided a truly special model for education.

I was an undergrad at another of the Five Colleges (consortium in W Massachusetts) & benefited from Hampshire's specialness.

RIP Hampshire College
RIP Five Colleges

today is a sad day, with the news that Hampshire College -- founded as a modern-day utopian educational project with lofty ideals and its feet and pedagogical practice very much rooted in the real world, and animated by a rock-solid faith in student autonomy and freedom -- is closing its doors

As a Hampshire alum this hurts. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for Hampshire - the college gave me opportunities I never even dreamed of.
In a world that feels darker and more chaotic every year, Hampshire embodied a kind of radical optimism - it sucks to see that flicker out. 1/N

Hampshire Announced It’s Closing. Will Other Small Colleges Follow? A missed enrollment goal and accreditor order in recent months sent worrying signals. But the college’s troubles have been long in the making.

Hampshire College is the eighth private nonprofit college that I know of that is closing in 2026. The others:

Siena Heights
Fontbonne (announced well ahead of time)
Trinity Christian
Sterling
Martin
Providence Christian
Lourdes

Seven closed in 2025, but 17 closed in 2024. Likely not a spike.

Hampshire college served a very specific purpose extremely well: it taught me and my friends to trust each other and know that some institutions actually valued their mission more than their survival. As it faces the inevitability of its own end it actually seems more human than most other schools

Dear Mount Holyoke Community, Today, Hampshire College announced that it will cease operations and close as of Fall 2026. This is a difficult moment for the Hampshire community, and for all of us within the Five College Consortium. Hampshire has long been a distinctive and valued part of the consortium, known for its original approach to interdisciplinary, student-driven learning and for its many contributions to our shared academic community. I recognize that this news is especially close to home. Many members of our community have taught, worked or studied alongside colleagues and students as Hampshire. Some have personal connections as well. We extend our care and support to those in the MHC community directly affected during this transition. We are working closely with our partners in the Five Colleges to understand how best to support Hampshire students, faculty and staff in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, we are committed to the collaborative experience that defines the consortium and to supporting one another as a community. Sincerely, Danielle R. Holley

RIP Hampshire 😭 The Five College Consortium is no more.

Exactly. Hampshire College never really had the endowment cushion of older schools. With graduates like Ken Burns, Liev Schreiber, Lupita Nyong'o, and Jon Krakauer, I always thought they could raise some emergency funds. We produced some extraordinary talent: www.hampshire.edu/notable-alumni

Hampshire College was a real gem. I did not go there, but so many meetings, presentations, organizing etc were made possible by it being an awesome place. Sad to see it go.

Welp. I've closed down many a bar, but never a college.

Just lucky, I guess.


Hampshire College to close after years of financial struggles - masslive.com

www.masslive.com/edu...

Hampshire College to close after years of financial struggles Hampshire College will close after fall 2026 due to ongoing financial and enrollment struggles.

I’m absolutely heartbroken to learn that my alma mater is shutting down after nearly six decades. Hampshire College was one of the most innovative institutions in higher education.😢

I owe Hampshire College everything, nearly all of it good. It was a beautiful thing, and we're losing too many of those.

I went to Hampshire because my dad was a prof at Union College. I saw the frat life, the career prep. I was a weird kid. I wasn't going to make it at a place like that. Hampshire gave me a life. It made me a writer. It was often absurd! But it gave me hope, then & over the years, & now it's dead.

I'm a Hampshire College grad. I applied early decision. Hampshire and its professors made me who I am today. It forced me to write. Its flexibility to take courses outside of campus let me complete an undergraduate degree focused on Eastern Orthodoxy. Its approach to schooling shaped my thought.