Life before Amherst
Deckrow, whose mother and father are from Japan and the United States, respectively, was born in Tokyo, Japan. But growing up in Kent, Wash., just outside Seattle, Andre had little interest in his Japanese heritage. He attended the local public school-Thomas Jefferson High-and joined the school's debate team and the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). Early in high school he put his debate skills to work by successfully battling the local school board's decision to ban "controversial" books included in the IB curriculum. The experience was Andre's first foray into politics, and it sparked a burgeoning interest in the young man.
College politician
After graduating as valedictorian, Deckrow left the Pacific Northwest for Western Mass. Early on in his Amherst career, Andre's interest in politics manifested itself in several ways. In the fall of his first year at the College, Andre ran a successful campaign for a spot on the student senate-the Amherst Association of Students (AAS). That semester the Kent-native also investigated the world of politics in the classroom. He took his first Asian Languages and Civilizations course, Modern Japan, in which he learned about the formation of the Japanese nation-state and how it affected the thoughts of its citizens. For Andre, the course developed an interest in his country of birth that would eventually play a large role in his intellectual life.
Near the end of his first year at the College, Deckrow was elected as the chair of the AAS' Judiciary Committee (JC). And although his study of the subject was going well, Deckrow soon found himself frustrated by his first-hand experiences with student politics. That summer Andre interned for the Democratic senator from Washington's sixth district, Norm Dicks. Living in Washington D.C. for the summer, Andre learned about the inner workings of the Federal Government, and by comparison the AAS became tiring and frustrating to him.
Deckrow continued as JC chair through his sophomore spring hoping to effect change. "I concluded the only way I could make my voice heard was through my resignation," he wrote in "Five ways the AAS can restore itself," an op-ed piece in the Feb. 4, 2004 issue of The Student. Upon officially informing the AAS of his decision to step down, Deckrow justified his decision on the senate floor. "The AAS has proven time and time again that it refuses to listen to the student body," he said. "It is quite impotent and also incompetent, and it's not the type of organization I want to associate myself with." Obviously, his harsh words were not well received by senate members. But in the two years since Deckrow resigned the AAS has enacted many of the exact changes suggested. For example, just this spring the senate opened student seats on faculty and trustee committees (formally filled only by senators) to at large students.
Rising Sun
After leaving the AAS, Deckrow had a surplus of free time. As a result, he was able to more fully investigate his curricular and extracurricular interests.
Academically, Andre began to combine his love for politics with his growing interest in Japan. As a sophomore he started taking Japanese language classes in order to aid his history research. That summer he continued his Japanese studies through a program at Middlebury College. The intense program lasted nine weeks, during which Andre could only speak Japanese. "The time at Middlebury was very intense, but it cemented my interest in Japanese history and culture and I made some good friends along the way," he said.
The time at Middlebury also influenced his plans for the future. "Many of the people I met at Middlebury were graduate students. Talking to them and learning about their experiences gave me a better understanding of graduate school," Andre said. "Their stories made me realize that I didn't want to jump into grad. school right after college."
Life at the Middlebury Japanese Program was not all hard work, however. Deckrow also took advantage of Middlebury's on-campus Ralph Myhre Golf Course and its low student fees. The relaxed, scenic environment served as a much-needed counterweight to the constant pressure of the language program.
Sports
Deckrow came back to Amherst for his junior year, but he didn't leave his enthusiasm for athletics in the Green Mountain State. Back at the College, Andre captained several IM teams, including a championship-winning basketball team. He worked at varsity hockey games for three years; and in the winter of his junior year, Deckrow covered the men's team for The Student. As the team's beat writer, Andre spent several hours each week meeting with members of the team. These interactions were another learning experience for Deckrow. "Although I didn't play intercollegiate sports, working closely with the hockey team allowed me to gain a broader appreciation of Amherst and what makes it special for each of us," he said.
His acute ability to understand the perspectives of others is a trait that Deckrow's friends and professors respect, and it pervades his personal and academic pursuits. "Andre has an extreme sensitivity to many aspects of people's lives," said Professor of Asian Languages and Civilizations Wako Tawa. "With his gifts of talent and personality, I know he will make differences in many people's lives and to this world."
Making a difference now
While Tawa's words may well prove prescient, Deckrow has already shown a penchant for helping others. He joined an off-campus chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters three years ago. In that time Andre has been very actively involved in his "little brother's" life-he goes to the boy's athletic contests, and takes him to movies and cultural events in the Five College area.
Back on campus, Andre has used his position on the Friends of the Library Committee to leave a lasting mark on the College. He worked closely with Ben Baum '03 and Head of Archives and Special Collections Daria D'Arienzo to revive an old Amherst tradition. Andre to stepped in and shepherded the program of providing canes to members of the graduating class that [members of the class of 2003] had started, as part of the work of the Student Activities Committee of the Friends of the Amherst College Library," said D'Arienzo. "This was a reworking of an old class tradition that provided a tangible connection to the College. Andre helped design the logo and select the canes for the class of 2004."
Last fall Deckrow continued his interest in the traditions of the College, by organizing an Orientation event called Traditions and History of Amherst College. The event, which teaches first-year students about the past of their new school, was so popular that it is now an annual part of first-year Orientation.
An offer he could refuse
Deckrow's academic pursuits at the College culminated in his senior thesis. "Andre harnessed theoretical material on nationalism to frame his senior thesis, a massive research project focusing on the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games," said Visiting Professor of History David Brandengerger. "These Olympic Games were a major opportunity for the Japanese to refashion their sense of national identity after the Second World War, and Deckrow is among the first historians to examine the games in this light."
Much of the research for Andre's thesis was accomplished during the summer before his senior year thanks to a grant from the College. He spent the entire summer on campus, and the opportunity sparked an unexpected interest that dramatically altered Deckrow's plans for the future.
Andre took on the responsibility of tending the College's Japanese garden for the summer to earn some extra money. As he worked under the New England summer sun, Andre wanted to know more about the constant gardening he was doing. In his quest to know more, Deckrow read several gardening books and visited the Japanese garden in Portland, Ore., one of the best in the U.S. The result of his research was an application for a Watson Fellowship-the Watson awards grants to college graduates for one year of travel and independent study. Like his classmates Sarang Gopalakrishnan and Denise Twum, Andre was accepted.
Deckrow also translated his interest in Japanese history into a Fulbright Scholarship acceptance, but he rejected the offer in favor of the Watson. "I decided that the opportunity to study in Japan could represent itself again, but I might never again have the opportunity to travel the world," he said.
Regardless of his motivation, this fact alone says much about Andre's accomplishments. "How many young people in the world can say, 'No,' to a Fulbright Scholarship?" asked Tawa. "That is how much Andre has achieved here at Amherst."
The Watson and beyond
According to the strict rules of the Watson Fellowship, Andre must leave the country in August. In the fall of 2007, Deckrow will return from his Watson and back to reality. "If I end up going to graduate school, I think the year off from intense academic work will be a big help," he said. But before leaving American soil, Deckrow will make the cross-country drive back to Kent, stopping to see the many friends he has made over the last four years along the way.
As expected, Andre has impressed his friends just as much as his professors. His former roommate, Nicholas Soltman '06, recognizes that Andre's talents are far-reaching. "He simply knows a lot about everything-sports, politics, history, literature, pop culture," he said. "If Fellowship winners are supposed to represent America and Amherst College, I couldn't imagine a better representative than Andre."