Williams Economics Major Named Global Citizen Finalist

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Will Turett, an economics major of Williams College and native resident of Irvington, N.Y., has been honored as a finalist for the IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year Award. 

The IES Abroad Global Citizen of the Year Award is the first student-focused study abroad award of its kind, recognizing six U.S college students who studied with IES Abroad in 2017, positively impacted their communities through academic, philanthropic, or personal efforts while abroad, learned from their cross-cultural experience, and continued to better their communities, at home and abroad.

Through internships abroad with the European Environmental Bureau and European Forum Alpbach, Turett invested his translation and research skills and was able to partake in once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to share knowledge globally. 

One winner from Grinnell College, Yesenia Ayala, and four other finalists - from Loyola University of Chicago, University of California-Berkeley, Villanova University and Yale University - join Turell as the next generation of global leaders as part of the 2017 Global Citizen of the Year Award. 

IES Abroad is a not-for-profit organization providing access to 140 study abroad and internship programs in 34 cities around the world. IES Abroad received inspiring submissions from its students across more than 30 different U.S. colleges, such as Williams College, University of California- Berkeley, and Yale University, to name a few.

As part of their applications, student winners shared a range of meaningful contributions and anecdotes, such as working with students from low-income communities in Santiago, translating documents to support the work of an environmental bureau in Vienna, volunteering with a nutritional health organization in Buenos Aires, and bringing attention to the individual stories of women in Spain and Morocco.

As the winner of the Global Citizen of the Year Award, Ayala will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and the five finalists will each receive a $200 cash prize.


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Friday Front Porch Feature: An Energy-Efficient New Build

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Are you looking for a sophisticated home with low utility bills?

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 15 Orchard Lane.

This three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath, contemporary farmhouse was built in 2025 and is 1,704 square feet on less than an acre. The house features an attached and insulated two-car garage. 

The interior boasts hardwood floors, electric fireplace and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The primary bedroom and en suite are located on the first floor, and two bedrooms, a full bath and bonus space on the second floor. 

The home is electric and energy efficient with heating and cooling technology from the latest Energy Star-rated heat pump technology.

Down in the waterproofed full basement, there is a dehumidifier and a battery-backed sump pump. It has a generously sized covered side porch. 

It is on the market for $829,500.

We spoke with Paul Harsch III with Harsch Associates, which has the listing.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market? 

This home stands out from anything else on the market now or that has been available in recent memory because it is brand new. Save for a portion of the foundation and some first-floor framing, it is completely new and much expanded from the original house. Unless one is building from scratch, to find a brand-new home is virtually impossible as there is no spec building and hasn't been any for many years. 

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Crisp, clean, all new, bright, and spacious with the cathedral ceiling in the living room space yet compact and efficient. 

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history? 

The sellers had designed this as their forever retirement home but family matters dictated they remain in Texas thus they are reluctantly giving up their dream home here.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for? 

The buyer for this home wants a quiet location yet very convenient to the center of things. They want ground-floor living with spare bedrooms on the second floor for guests or office space. They want a modest-sized yard not requiring a lot of expense or care to maintain but providing a pleasant hot-weather retreat in the shade of mature trees. This buyer wants an efficient low-maintenance home not requiring any attention or work on the exterior other than perhaps the occasional power washing of the siding to show the crisp white lifetime siding. They want a totally dry basement with a warranty to back that up, and they want a spacious two-car garage to protect themselves and their vehicles from the weather or summer heat.

Are there any recent renovations or standout design features? 

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