A mosaic of interests
"Joe Rachiele is a poster child for liberal arts education," said Professor of Philosophy Alexander George. "He majored in physics but wrote a wonderful interdisciplinary thesis in political philosophy. He tutored some of his fellow students in physics and helped out others by taking to the stage in dramatic productions."
Awarded a Watson Fellowship for this coming year, Rachiele will travel around the world, studying the global diffusion of basketball. His itinerary includes traveling to New Zealand, Argentina and Puerto Rico. The fellowship offers college graduates a year of independent study and travel outside of the United States in order to gain a better and more intimate understanding of the world.
"I was ecstatic," reflected Rachielle about learning of his acceptance to the fellowship. "I mean, I'm basically a professional basketball player next year."
Raised by a single working mother, Rachiele found mentors on the basketball court. His interest in basketball is as deeply personal as it is academic. "When I envision my Watson year," Rachiele wrote in his application essay, "not only do I see myself exploring one of the most important global phenomena, i.e., cultural imperialism, but I also picture myself reflecting on one of my most intimate issues. Pick-up basketball fathered me. After studying communities of pick-up basketball, I will be equipped with a better idea of how I became the man that I am."
He further explained the significance of basketball as a cultural phenomenon: "The profound significance of sports to collectives throughout the world is undeniable. Nevertheless, academics have yet to treat the diffusion of basketball with the same seriousness as the players themselves treat the sport."
Professor of Political Science Sayres Rudy affirmed that Rachiele will bring many strengths to his Watson year. "He is profoundly anti-elitist, meaning he is one of those rare individuals who appreciates people with genuine respect and interest, and without exoticizing others or applauding himself for it," he said. "He is also profoundly anti-orthodox, meaning he cannot help deepening and exploring his humanist convictions without shutting out opposing or discomfiting views. Intellectually, Joe reminds me of the film director John Cassavetes, and that is the highest compliment I could pay someone," he said.
Robbin Williams '04, a close friend of Rachiele's, recalled Rachiele's own words. "'I have this conflicting tendency for procrastination and perfectionism. I may not always get things done by deadlines, but I get it done according to my standards. I get it done perfectly,'" quoted Williams. "That is a strength of his. Just focusing intently and completely on the task at hand."
Throughout his undergraduate years, Rachiele has proven his commitment to social change. During his sophomore year, he founded the Progressive Students' Alliance. The purpose of the organization is to advocate for social justice using various means such as letter-writing campaigns and protests. Williams praised Rachiele's leadership skills: "I remember attending the first few meetings of the Progressive Students' Alliance. ... I realized how capable he is as a leader and as a public speaker. I had admiration for him just for that," said Williams.
Rachiele was very involved in community service throughout his college years. During the summer before his junior year, he volunteered for Books for Boys, designing a literacy program for abused and abandoned boys living in a group home in New York. He also received Fellowships for Action that allowed him to work in economic development and human rights projects in Spain and Mexico.
In May of 2002, Rachiele earned the Amherst College Basset Physics Prize for Excellence. He earned High Distinction for his honors research project on John Rawls' concept of liberalism this past January.
Letting loose
Professor of Physics Kannan Jagannathan poked fun at Rachiele's Watson Fellowship plans. "Joe's great moment as a physics major came when he was pictured in the April 1 issue of The Student two years ago sporting the by-now-infamous physics team jacket," said Jagannathan. "He could have gone on from there to be a Tommy Hilfiger model, and indeed, I had heard rumors that agents were sought and the word contract was being bandied about. But for some reason (guilt?) his interests turned to moral and political philosophy. It is too trivial a step in logic to explain to your astute readers that his next natural move would be basketball as the symbol for the sphere of American cultural influence, nay, hegemony! ... We, in the physics department wish him well, and we hope that he will include in his research not only the morality and politics of basketball, but also its intricate kinematics and dynamics."
A talented break-dancer, Rachiele is also fun-loving. Andrew Doss '03 described Rachiele's personality as "intimidating [and] condescending. ... He's a blast. He gets very excited very easily. ... He has lots of energy. He's very sarcastic, but he's always trying to be pensive and smart."