The good Cornellians can do: Gary Shaye ’69

Gary Shaye '69 recalls reading National Geographic magazines as a young boy and being especially intrigued by photos of Nepal. After studying hotel administration at Cornell, he spent two years in Peru with the Peace Corps, followed by a year volunteering in Nepal. Gary then returned to the U.S. to pursue a graduate degree at the School for International Training (SIT) in Vermont.

One of the SIT faculty, Charlie MacCormack, accepted a position at Save the Children and invited Gary to join his team. Gary accepted, and the two men worked together on behalf of Save the Children for the next 50 years.

Gary has served in the Dominican Republic, Nepal, Bolivia, and Haiti, and on short-term assignments coordinating hurricane responses in Puerto Rico and Florida.

“Haiti was a big challenge and a complex environment in which to work,” Gary says. “The problems people faced included the earthquake, hurricanes, and a government in Haiti that did not have sufficient resources or staff. But there were areas of success,” he points out. “I visited our cholera clinics often, where I saw people who would not have survived without these clinics.”

Gary is still active involved with Save the Children, working with long-time supporters and helping to orient new staff members.

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