Stein was born and raised in Rockport, Me., the third of four children. Being the daughter of neurologist and Amherst alum, Rob ’74 and Sarah Stein (Smith ’76), Laura became intrigued by the close relationships her father built with his patients and the pleasure that both he and his patients received when he treated them. After growing up in a big family and closely watching her father’s interactions with his patients, Stein naturally grew into a person who was destined to use her intellectual, emotional and social capabilities to help others.
Her genuinely warm, considerate and optimistic nature makes everyone around her feel comfortable, understood and wanted—no matter their mental abilities. “Laura approaches all of her interests and pursuits with admirable dedication, focus, and hard work. Because she has tirelessly strived to achieve her goals, she has attained much success throughout her life in both academics and athletics,” says close friend and fellow graduating senior, Jennifer Murphy ’08. “More importantly, Laura values her commitments and relationships with others; her dependable, spirited, and kind personality has been a source of much happiness to her family and friends whose lives she has touched.”
American Studies with a “Mission and Purpose”
Upon arriving at Amherst, Stein knew she wanted to attend a school where she could devote significant time to her schoolwork, tennis and community service. Being that her father and older sister, Rebecca ’05, both attended Amherst, Stein decided to give the College a serious look during her college decision-making process. After investigating the school a bit more, Stein was persuaded by the College’s small class size and open curriculum. Stein said, “I knew I wanted to go to a good academic school, where I could play tennis and have a balanced life between academics and athletics, and also have time to do things in the school community. Because of the open curriculum, small class-sizes and close relationships with professors, Amherst has provided me with a well-rounded college experience.”
With this open-minded mentality, Stein took courses in seven different disciplines her first-year at Amherst. When it was time to declare her major at the end of sophomore year, Stein decided on American studies because she liked “its interdisciplinary nature.” Courses like The American Dream with Professor of History Martha Sandweiss and others taught by Professor of Sociology Jan Dizard sparked Stein’s interest. “Professors Sandweiss and Dizard have really helped and challenged me as a writer and student,” said Stein. “In addition, both have taken an interest in me as a person and have supported me in many of my endeavors: such as tennis, my thesis, etc. Their support has meant so much to me and I will remember it always.”
Dizard and Sandweiss’ support stems from the many impressive qualities that Stein demonstrated in their classes. “Laura Stein has been a student in two of my courses: American Studies 68 [Violence in America] and Pick Colloquium 8 [Conservation of Biology]. She is a splendid student—eager, conscientious, and very bright. In each of the courses she wrote an ambitious research paper. Her paper in AS 68 became the basis of her American studies honors thesis and it was how I learned of her long engagement working with the mentally retarded,” says Dizard. “To say I was impressed is a huge understatement. Laura has resolved to commit her many talents, including her talent as a tennis player, to improving our understanding of mental retardation and to helping them out of the shadows of misunderstanding and shame. Laura is an exemplary student and engaged citizen.”
Because of her background in American studies and experience with the developmentally disabled, Stein was able to write her senior thesis entitled, “Understanding Mental Retardation in America Through the Closing of the Belchertown State School.” Stein performed a case study on the Belchertown State School, a school for the mentally handicapped that deteriorated into miserable conditions due to lack of funding by the government. In 1992, after the government allocated money to the school and conditions were livable, the school was shut down. Stein’s goal was to determine, based on the problems and successes of the Belchertown School, whether or not the community-based model or the institutional model of living was better for the developmentally disabled.
Stein worked with an advisor from Amherst, Professor of History Francis Couvares and an advisor from UMass, Adjunct Lecturer for Department of Mental Retardation Bill Zimmer. “Laura’s intellectual and emotional engagement with the issue of disability, and society’s response to it, was inspiring,” admired Zimmer. “She is extremely thoughtful and reflective, and combines warmth and a sense of humor with a keen and disciplined intellect. She was truly a pleasure to work with!”
Sandweiss added, “Few students I’ve taught have had such a clear sense of mission and purpose. Laura’s American studies thesis about the controversies surrounding the closing of the Belchertown State School was a model of clear, narrative writing, but her own passion for the subject shone through at every turn.” Stein’s thesis has been recommended for magna cum laude honors and received the George Rivers Taylor Prize which is awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the American studies department, shows the most promise for creative and scholarly work in American studies.
A Selfless Team Leader
Stein’s uncontainable zeal has also transpired onto the tennis court. Since Stein was five, she has had a natural affinity for the sport and has played ever since, gracing Amherst with her immense talent and unparallel leadership abilities. During Laura’s time on the Amherst Women’s Tennis Team, she has helped the squad win multiple matches against rival, Williams College, and four NESCAC championships at various positions. Three out of her four years, the team reached the round of 16 or farther of the NCAA Tournament, as AWT finished ranked #2 in the country after losing in the finals.
Stein’s tenacity on the court has enabled her to win tough matches that have helped the team when it needed it the most. “Laura would do anything for the good of the tennis team, anything,” said Head Coach Jackie Bagwell. “Last year it meant grinding out wins at six singles and three doubles, this year it is sitting out of the singles line-up so that one of our talented freshmen can play in the top six. No one could be more supportive of their teammates than Laura, even when they beat her out of her singles position.”
Still, Laura’s skills on the tennis court are not all she brings to the team. As a natural-born leader, Laura was co-captain of the team during the 07-08 school year and helped foster a strong bond between each of the players, despite a uniquely large team this year. Bagwell considers herself privileged to have been able to work with such a dedicated, hardworking and organized person these past four years. “I call Laura ‘Steinburner’ after George Steinbrenner, not because she is a controversial figure but because in a lot of ways she is the head of our (tennis) organization, I am really just a figure head,” said Bagwell. “It is Laura and Jen Murphy who truly run the show around here. If people really need to know something or want something done they ask Steinburner, the little general, not me.” In addition to her skills and leadership, Stein has impressed others with her sportsmanship and as a result, won the Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship award last year.
Stein has provided the team with a tremendous amount of motivation, fun, and work ethic; she is a model senior captain for the rest of her teammates. However, from Stein has gained a lot as well from tennis. “The team has been a defining part of my four years at Amherst,” said Stein. “I’ve made such a connection with all of my teammates that will extend far beyond college because nothing compares to working together for the same goals and being apart of such a strong tradition of hard work and excellence.”
Tennis for Fun and Beyond
During Stein’s sophomore year of high school, she decided to use her talents in tennis for another cause — helping those with developmental disabilities. At first, Laura and her brother, Peter ’09, formed a weekly tennis clinic for developmentally disabled adults in the local Maine area called Tennis for Fun. After the program became popular, the siblings instituted another clinic for 25 school-age kids in the local school district. After a while, the Steins noticed that the players would come to practice wearing medals from the Special Olympics. Laura would hear their stories about how much they enjoyed competing in the games and took the initiative to start a Special Olympics tennis program. Stein spoke to the director of the Special Olympics in Maine and petitioned for tennis to become an official sport in the games. Peter and Laura started holding introductory clinics at the summer games and when it gained a substantial following, they held the first competition, entitled The Tennis For Fun Invitational.
Since then, Stein and her brother have become co-chairs of the Special Olympics Maine Tennis Committee. During her sophomore year at college, after she learned that Valentine employed developmentally disabled workers, Laura introduced TFF to Amherst. Stein felt it was important to “form relationships with people are apart of the community but not really integrated with the students in any real way. It was a big goal to have these individuals form relationships with people who aren’t disabled.” For three years, Laura, Peter and Jen Murphy have been teaching weekly tennis clinics to workers from Valentine by working with the support service agencies, Riverside Agency and Community Enterprises, which help the developmentally disabled with job placement and provide them with job coaches. “Teaching the developmentally disabled has provided me with a perspective on life that puts my own problems and successes into a whole new context, making me appreciate challenge and the kind of dedication it takes to overcome certain challenges,” said Stein.
Stein has given the developmentally disabled of Amherst a tremendous outlet to connect with those of the community that they are often separated from. Her efforts and genuine compassion have not gone unnoticed by the campus community and the rest of the world. For her efforts she has won numerous awards for her dedication to the developmentally disabled, including the Charles Hamilton Houston Fellowship, which is awarded to a graduating senior who best personifies a commitment to realizing his or her human ideals, the Association of Amherst Students Community Engagement Leadership Award, Kraft Foods 100 Calorie Packs ‘Celebrating 100 Extraordinary Women’ contest and more.
Stein will be travel the globe next year before she heads to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City in the fall of 2009, where she will continue to pursue her love for helping others through medicine. Her unselfishness, clear vision and desire to make the world a better place will leave an indelible mark on all who have known her at Amherst and those who meet her in the future. “[Laura] is an academic all-star, the heart and soul of the women’s tennis team, and most notably, an active community volunteer,” said friend Benjy Merewitz ’08. “Laura cannot help but give her all and try her best in everything she does — and it shows.” Added friend Judd Olanoff ’08, “The Amherst College motto is Terras Irradient: Let Them Give Light to the World. For the few years I have known Laura, I have watched her give light to her friends and teammates, to the Amherst community, and to the neediest among us. I have no doubt that outside the confines of Amherst she will continue to be an exemplary standard bearer for Amherst’s motto. Her character would not tolerate anything less.”