vol. 108 no. 2 spring 2012 contents 34 features 20 COVER A Sustainable Path
Kathy Loftus '86 brings know-how and passion to her work, lowering the carbon footprint of Whole Foods
and transforming the way retailers consume energy. BY MICHAEL BLANDING
26 Beyond Sports 40
WPI's new recreation center will open its doors in late summer, transforming the Quad and the
WPI experience. BY JOHN SHAW
34
Space and Distance For Vice Wing Commander Rory Welch '90, WPI paved
the way for a military career in space operations. BY KATE SILVER
40
An Artful Experiment Forty-two years ago, the faculty voted to make the humanities sine qua non for a WPI education, elevating the humanities into an integral part of
an engineering education. BY SHARRON KAHN LUTTRELL
48 48
Life Rhymes Jesse Parent '96 found his muse at WPI and hasn't stopped acting out as an improv master
and slam poetry champion. BY LETICIA PEREZ
Cover Illustration by CJ Burton; Photography by Kathleen Dooher