Alumni in Action-September 9, 2025
St. Lawrence graduates have a thirst for knowledge and are innovative problem-solvers. This periodic roundup features Laurentians who are in the spotlight for making a positive impact on their communities, companies, and the world.
Astrid Tvetenstrand ’10
Astrid Tvetenstrand ’10, the Polly Thayer Starr Curatorial Fellow in American Art at the Boston Athenaeum, recently curated an exhibit which was featured in the Beacon Hill Times.
The exhibition, titled “Exhibiting China,” opened to the public on August 11 and will be available to view until November 1. It revisits the Boston Athenaeum’s 1850 art exhibition, the first one held at 10 1/2 Beacon, just one year after the building opened. Among the 268 paintings featured in that show were five portraits by Chinese portrait artist Lamqua.
Thanks to generous loans from the museums that now own them, this installation reunites these portraits for the first time in 175 years alongside a curated selection of other works originally shown in the landmark 1850 exhibition, highlighting the artistic and cultural dialogues of the period.
Tvetenstrand studied English literature and art history at St. Lawrence and went on to earn her master’s in American Fine & Decorative Art from the Sotheby's Insitute of Art in New York, and a Ph.D. in American & New England Studies from Boston University.
Tucker McLain ’21
Tucker McLain ’21 was recently featured in the Iron Mountain Daily Times for winning a Fulbright Scholarship to study Estonia’s literary landscape.
McLain, who earned his master’s in creative writing at Northern Michigan University this May, was only the fifth person in the institution’s history to receive a Fulbright.
McLain studied anthropology while at St. Lawrence, which led to him developing an avid interest in the people and cultures of small countries.
Despite being ruled by foreign powers for centuries—including a German occupation during World War II—the Estonian people continued to strive for independence until they gained it from the Soviet Union in 1991.
“Through all of that,” McLain says, “they maintained their language, cultural celebrations, and spiritual views. I found the strength of the Estonian spirit both inspiring and fascinating.”
Bill Sapp ’87
Bill Sapp ’87 was recently featured in the Pickens County Progress for being named the new Executive Director of the Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia. In this role, Sapp will lead fundraising, community engagement, land conservation, and all other activities related to the trust’s mission.
Sapp, who grew up near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains, said the experience nurtured his love of nature. He studied economics at St. Lawrence University and went on to attend Harvard Law School. He has worked as an attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center and has held positions at the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. District Court in Savannah, and the Army Corp of Engineers.
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