Mead Art Museum at Amherst College receives $1 million grant for endowment

AMHERST - Three and a half years into a program designed to get faculty and students more engaged in using its collection, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create a long-term endowment for the program. The grant requires the college to raise a matching $1 million over the next three years before the money can be spent. But Mead director Elizabeth Barker said the school has committed to raising $1.5 million overall and is confident the goal can be met.

• Click here for Mead Art Museum

Amherst College dormitory renamed for Lipton family, major benefactor

AMHERST - An unrestricted gift to Amherst College is prompting the renaming of a 94-year-old dormitory in honor of the benefactors during this year's commencement weekend. In a ceremony May 18, Hamilton House at 32 College St. will be renamed Lipton House to recognize the multigenerational donation recently made by members of the Lipton family.

Grinspoon Foundation honors Valley college students who mean business

It didn't take Parker Holcomb very long to find opportunity hiding behind the challenges of college life. In 2008, while still a freshman at Amherst College, Holcomb founded a packing and shipping company that takes some of the stress out of moving day for students and parents alike. All College Storage was so successful its founder soon decided to tackle another traditional bugbear in crowded dorm settings, and a take-away laundry service soon followed in 2009.

• Related story: Who are winning entrepreneurs

• Click here for Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation