Ruckman has made his presence known in many different areas, having designed an interdisciplinary major in political ethics and statecraft, served as Student Government Organization (SGO) president, created the Tsrema Quartet and most recently won a Fulbright Scholarship. Ruckman's presence on campus is extensive and in many different areas.
"When I came to Amherst, I got the impression that [the College] really cared about academic life and music," Ruckman said. "I got the impression that the school fostered achievement in a non-competitive environment."
Music maker
Ruckman came to Amherst knowing he would continue pursuing his lifelong commitment to music. He played in string quartets with his siblings and friends, competing at the regional and national level. All of Ruckman's siblings have since gone on to major in music, and some are hoping to play professionally.
In his first year at Amherst, Ruckman helped found a string quartet called Tsrema, a name that has caused much puzzlement and speculation on campus. "Everybody thinks it's named after a European composer, but it's not," he said. When the group was deciding on a name, Ruckman noticed an Amherst sweatshirt and suggested Tsrema. He thought that keeping the "h" in would make it too easy for people to realize that Tsrema is Amherst spelled backwards.
Ruckman has also played in the orchestra for the past four years under the direction of Director of Instrumental Music Lanfranco Marcelletti. "Steve has been, in the last four years, one of the [pillars] of orchestra and chamber music in our college. When he got here in the school, I sensed already this great commitment to music, and a clear, intense musical past," said Marcelletti. "His dedication is beyond imagination and his playing is just so honest and beautiful. He is kind, patient, humble and a hard worker. He has a natural charisma."
Over the course of four years, Marcelletti had the opportunity to develop a close friendship with Ruckman. Said Marcelletti, "We became friends, and he has been a great one to me. I could write a thousand words for him, but first of all, I would like to say [to him] thank you and love you!"
Theoretical musings
Ruckman did not come to Amherst to study political science; he thought he would double major in music and biology. But Ruckman abandoned biology when he realized there was a physics requirement. He discovered his passion for political science in one of his first political science courses at Amherst, which he described as "Machiavellian."
"The professor said that 'if you think you can be moral in politics, leave,'" said Ruckman. "That got me thinking ... Then I heard there was a course I really must take."
The course was Political Science 23: "Political Obligations," taught by Professor of Political Science Hadley Arkes. Ruckman says that the class changed the course of his studies at Amherst.
"I've always been interested in political science in a cursory way, but the courses I took in political science really got to me," he said.
Ruckman's interdisciplinary major, Political Ethics and Statesmanship, which explored many of the issues posed in Political Obligations through courses in philosophy, psychology and political science, allowed Ruckman to concentrate on his passion, "the study of how political life and ethical life intersect."
Ruckman's thesis, titled "Changing Understandings of Public and Private Morality: Putting Political Morality in Context," incorporated comparisons of six political philosophers, five psychologists and two presidents, Grover Cleveland and Bill Clinton, both of whom became involved in sex scandals.
"It was a very ambitious project that I think was motivated by Steve's passion and anxiety about what's happened to the modern presidency," said Professor of Political Science Uday Mehta, who teaches political theory and served as Ruckman's thesis advisor. "I think Steve's strongest suit is his passion, his commitment for public life. I don't know many students who care as much as he does about the state of our public culture. I hope he goes into public life."
From theory to practice
Ruckman had no intention of putting his political knowledge into practice until friends suggested that he run for junior class president. Before winning that race, he had never even been to a student senate meeting.
"I made a very busy year for myself as junior class president," Ruckman said. In his first semester in office, a number of sexual assaults were reported at UMass, so Ruckman organized a forum to spread awareness on campus. When the physical plant told students that they could no longer keep halogen lamps in their rooms, he organized a fluorescent light sale in the Campus Center. He also organized a catered "premiere night" for the junior class at the Academy of Music.
But Ruckman quickly learned that the class presidency did not allow him to tackle many of the issues he cared about. "The class president is more of a social office than a political office, and that's not really my forte," he said.
Ruckman ran for the SGO presidency on a platform of empowering students without a voice and won by a landslide. As president, he helped move the College to online elections, encouraged discussions about social class and academic diversity, worked on meal plan alternatives and ordered a new fleet of vans for student volunteering. According to Ruckman, these were "issues that students had complained about for years and the SGO had never been able to get their foot in the door."
"Steve was as good a president as I could ever imagine being lucky enough to have. He was not only dedicated to his work, but never lost an ounce of his interest in it over the course of a tough year," said Michelle Oliveros-Larsen '02, who served as SGO vice president during Ruckman's term as president. "He came up with so many ideas for things that we could do as a senate, that most people would never think or never want to take upon themselves."
Oliveros-Larsen was most impressed by Ruckman's leadership and commitment. "He led the way-he set the example. He challenged each and every one of his colleagues but respected them and himself at all times … I have a lot to live up to thanks to Steve, and I look forward to the challenge," added Oliveros-Larsen, who will serve as SGO president next year.
Summer lovin'
Ruckman's passion for politics at the College has taken him to Washington, D.C. during his summers and Interterms. The summer after the Lewinsky scandal had settled down, Ruckman was an intern in the West Wing of the White House, reading over material and editing speeches. "You're right there in the middle of it," Ruckman said of the experience. "I would love to be a speechwriter. I would never want to be in the president's place, but, of course, I never said I wanted to be the president of [the student body], and here I am."
Before rubbing shoulders with President Clinton's top advisors, Ruckman worked for Senator Barbara Ann Mikulski and Representative Steny Hoyer, both Democrats from his home state of Maryland. Last summer, he and Brookings Institute Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr. researched how religion and public life intersect.
In January of 2000 Ruckman went out on the campaign trail with presidential hopeful Bill Bradley. Ruckman often found himself going to bed at two in the morning and then waking up four hours later to continue putting out the message. When Ruckman speaks about Bill Bradley as an intellectual and as a public servant, it is clear that he has a deep sense of respect and admiration for him.
Ruckman chaired Amherst College Students for Bill Bradley, and he speaks of the former senator with reverence. "He's a white man from a privileged background, like myself, who is deeply committed to racial unity," Ruckman said.
That's what it's going to boil down to for Steve Ruckman, in the end-decisions about how to balance lofty ideals and pragmatic politics. He's spent four years thinking about it and a year writing a thesis about it. He'll spend another year wrestling with the same problems as a Fulbright Scholar in England, at either the London School of Economics and Politics or at the University of Edinburgh.
Whether Ruckman's name will grace the political talk shows or the Senate registry remains to be seen. Maybe he'll return to Amherst as an admissions Green Dean in two years-something he is considering-or even as a faculty member. Or maybe he'll find himself in a more permanent position in the West Wing.
As a graduating senior, Ruckman is constantly reflecting on his past four years here. He's pleased with the work he has done here as SGO president, the breadth and depth of his education and the level of musical proficiency he has attained. Though he said the following words in reference to his orchestra experiences, he could just as easily have been speaking about the College itself: "We've played a large repertoire of music, and we've gotten to perform at a high level."