November / December 2023

Columns compiled by your class correspondents

1940s

1948

Even though many folks weren’t able to attend the Class of ’48 Reunion in June 2023, Martha Clark Mapes, MS ’49, reports that “a great time” was had by all who did. We were thrilled to catch up with her after the event. She shared that class members mainly gathered at the Statler, where the class has spent a great deal of time over the years. One major highlight of the weekend was being greeted by Cornell President Martha Pollack: “The moment when you are in a big group and are welcomed by the president of Cornell has always been special. We’ve had a wonderful relationship through the years with the president. So, in a way, we’re spoiled.”

The Class of ’48 is now supporting Cornell’s AguaClara project, an engineering initiative focused on designing equipment and technology that can improve drinking water quality in the Southern Hemisphere. “It’s a new way for a class like ours to help undergraduates. That’s a new relationship for us that I’m enthusiastic about, and I think other people are too. We’re still interested in hearing about what’s the leading edge now as far as research.” Martha says her late husband, Barth ’49, was active in the Cornell animal science community, and she knows the industry is undergoing “a huge metamorphosis” due to changes in the livestock industry. Martha and other class members are very interested in climate change: “I think we’re all crossing our fingers about the future,” she admits, “and we worry. Because here it is, 2023, and they keep talking about how by 2050 we’re supposed to have it all worked out. And it looks to me like we have a lot to do.”

The moment when you are in a big group and are welcomed by the president of Cornell has always been special.

Martha Clark Mapes ’48, MS ’49

Martha was thrilled to report that her former classmate, Sylvia Kilbourne Hosie, MNS ’49, was in attendance at Reunion with her daughter. “The fact that we’re both 97 and still hanging in there and still coming to campus—that’s unusual,” says Martha, who was also accompanied by her daughter at Reunion. A resident of the Kendal retirement community in Ithaca, Martha says two of our classmates also live there. “We’re all very active,” she notes. “We keep wanting to reach out and be part of Cornell life.”

Martha reflected on past Class of ’48 Reunions and the role World War II played in her classmates’ enthusiasm to reconnect after college: “We were a war class. We came to Cornell in 1944; at that time, we had a different point of view,” she recalls. “Our campus was full of Navy personnel. Life was utterly different. That’s why we got so excited when the war was over. Everybody came back and pitched in, and we had huge Reunions. We always had huge participation. We had a lot of people, so we had a great time. If I went through the list, many people would still remember our officers. People in Ithaca would remember people who were active.”

Reunion was a breath of fresh air for those who attended, especially our Class of ’48 members who bring a broad range of interests and perspectives: “We were a class that seemed to be into everything. It’s fun to be into everything, and I think our class kind of portrayed how to do that.” ❖ Ray Tuttle (email Ray) | Alumni Directory.

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1949

Greetings, Class of ’49. Please take a moment to let us know how you’re planning to spend the holidays—or even better, email me a copy of your holiday letter! ❖ Class of 1949 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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1950s

1950

In our September/October column I reported a bit about classmate Ken Dehm, age 104, and asked readers to report any known living classmate older than Ken. I did not hear from any contenders for the title, but I was delighted to hear from almost-96-year-old Allan Mitchell from Seneca Falls, NY.

On the Hill, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, played JV basketball and varsity soccer, and was a wearer of the C. After graduation he joined his father, Class of 1912, on the family fruit farm. After a year he was recalled from WWII service to serve in the Korean conflict. Allan has five children, Robert, Barbara, Patricia, and Cornell grads George ’73 and James ’76.

Retired after 55 years of farming, Allan and his wife have visited Australia and Alaska with several cruises in between. He continues his 72 years in the Masons, 47 years in the Lions Club, and 80 years of service in his church. Allan reported that he is in good health, without aches and pains, and is shooting to be a centenarian.

And now for a story about a unique geographic and historic event: For grades 1–4, with 12 other pupils, I attended a rural one-room school. We had only a few books, mostly on history and geography, all of which I avidly read cover to cover. At age 12, I had a liberating experience, which involved a Christmas gift of a red and white Schwinn bicycle. I could then pedal two miles to the village library, where I read every new issue of National Geographic and took home books on history and geography.

After graduation Allan Mitchell ’50 joined his father, Class of 1912, on the family fruit farm.

These engendered in me a strong drive to travel the world, which subsequently and fortuitously I was able to do. In these travels in 33 countries on five continents I crossed the Equator eight times, the Prime Meridian 10 times, and the International Date Line eight times. Which brings up the following—a fascinating story that should interest those of you that have had world travel experiences. The story involves the geographic intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line located out in the center of the huge Pacific Ocean.

Just before midnight on December 31, 1899, the small passenger steamer, the SS Warrimoo, was quietly skimming through the waters of the mid-Pacific on its way from Vancouver, BC, Canada, to Sydney, Australia. From star sightings the navigator had just worked out the ship’s position, which was a mere half degree east of the International Date Line and a half degree north of the Equator.

Intrigued by the ship’s unusual position he reported it to the first mate, and they decided to tell the captain, who had not yet retired for the night. Captain Phillips was prankish enough to take advantage of an opportunity to achieve the navigational freak of a lifetime. The three went to the bridge to adjust the ship’s direction and speed so as to stop the ship as it met the intersection of the equator and International Date Line. That extremely unusual event resulted in these most unusual and historic consequences: the bow of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere and in the middle of summer; the stern of the ship was in the Northern Hemisphere and in the middle of winter; the date for the aft part of the ship was December 31, 1899; and the date for the fore part of the ship was January 1, 1900. All at the same time the ship was in two different days, two different seasons, two different months, two different years, and two different centuries! One wonders if that unique event was ever repeated for a ship on December 31, 2000. ❖ Paul Joslin (email Paul) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory.

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1951

“I am still involved in the California Condor Archives at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History,” writes Jan Armstrong Hamber. “I admit the COVID closedown of the museum, local stores, and restaurants did affect my work, as I’ve had to work from home these past three years.”

“My main jobs have involved editing several books that have come in online about the condor. One of the books is titled Jan and the Condors; this was a surprise from a woman who lives in a small town in the middle of British Columbia, Canada. I’ve been working with her for the past year on her book, which is meant to encourage young girls to enter natural history fieldwork.

“She just finished the book, which consists of a large ink drawing of me at work in the field with several sentences of explanation along the top of each of the 27 pages. Now she is looking for a publisher. If she finds one and the book is printed, I’ll be sure to send it to the Cornell Library. Happy trails to everyone.” ❖ Class of 1951 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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1952

Suzanne Joyce Seeley writes of her enjoyment in painting. Janet Nein Knight’s daughter, Catherine, writes, “My mother died on October 14, 2020, in our home in Helena, MT. She was 91 years old. Mom loved her work with mothers and babies.” Condolences for your loss.

Carol Singer Greenhaus, writing from Rye, NY, finds great satisfaction “knowing that my family hasn’t a lemon in the bunch, as my father, Alexander Singer 1922, said of his!” She also enjoys being alive and able to enjoy Zumba and yoga and a “zillion little things—and I always end up reading. My three daughters gave me six grandchildren and the six grands gave me (so far) nine great-grands.” A favorite memory of Cornell is the McGraw Tower concerts—“unique, relaxing, beautiful.”

Barron Biederman writes from Palm Beach, FL, “I am reading history as it continues to evolve. After all these years, I still remember with great fondness the classes, seminars, and tutorials I enjoyed with splendid historians—Professors Carl Stephenson, Frederick Marcham, PhD 1926, and Fritz Stern. I copped the undergraduate history prize and considered making history a career. I didn’t—instead, I went on to a successful career in advertising—but the disciplines they taught were applicable and useful and have enriched my life immeasurably.”

After all these years, I still remember with great fondness the classes, seminars, and tutorials I enjoyed with splendid historians.

Barron Biederman ’52

Ina Perlstein Loewenberg, writing from Hamden, CT, says: “After 53 years in Iowa City, IA, I moved to a senior residence in Connecticut, nearer to family, and am enjoying the stimulation of activities and companionship. And I am closer to where I ‘originated’ in New York!” Patricia Dexter Clark reports, “I use a walker and a vehicle to get around in this senior living establishment in Concord, MA, Newbury Court. I am lucky to have a daughter and son nearby. I had a great time at Cornell for four years in every way.”

Evelyn Hoffmann Huffman writes from Kansas City, MO: “Aside from my greatest satisfaction, leaving the dentist’s office, I like a good mystery novel, or even a comic novel.” Her favorite Cornell memories were the “wonderful parties—sometimes elegant, sometimes wild, sometimes themed. My favorite: the ‘suppressed desires’ party. And they had parties for all 24 hours on occasion.” Judith Winter Burger, living in New York City, enjoys the cultural activities, museums, symphony, and ballet, and new and old friends.

Susan Olswang Strumer writes from Ridgefield, CT. She had built two Green Man Gardens in the summer last year and is now focusing on creating a hat-designing charitable trust to raise funds for charity. Her husband, Josef, was a Cornell engineering graduate and she states that he was Martin Ginsburg ’53’s roommate at Pi Lambda Phi, where as steward he planned many fun events. ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 (email Tom) | Alumni Directory.

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1953

Mort Bunis, JD ’55, and his wife, Anita (Brown), GR ’53–54, recently moved from North Caldwell, NJ, to the independent living facility of a continuing care retirement community known as MorseLife, located in West Palm Beach. “The move puts us closer to our daughter Vicki Bunis Rosenthal ’81, who resides in nearby Palm Beach Gardens,” he says. “It’s a new adventure for us!”

Mort reports that the 70th Reunion was fun—but bittersweet. “Only 10 classmates returned and, contrary to most demographics, none of them were women. The only female at our dinner table was Anita. I also enjoyed a special delight. Although all three of my children were Cornellians, none of their class Reunion cycles (’79, ’81, and ’84) ever coincided with the ’53 Reunion years. This year, my son, Lawrence ’79 volunteered to do all the driving to Ithaca, and it was wonderful to have him with us. I spent two nights with him at the extravaganza of the Arts Quad tents, meeting Cornellians of all different stripes and persuasions. Some preferred the heavy metal rock tent, others the jazz milieu—and many preferred the excitement of conversation and song at the most popular tent of all: the one where the beer was being dispensed! They seemed impressed to see the number on my Reunion button and to see that I could still drink beer and carry on a conversation, almost simultaneously. Cornelliana Night at Bailey Hall was still the event that plucked at the heartstrings, with the singing of the ‘Evening Song,’ its music and its lyrics bringing back other wonderful memories of friendships and events that have sometimes faded from our thoughts. Perhaps the most telling part of all of the class arrangements was that, finally, after so many Reunions and Homecomings, I was able to get a room at the Statler with a campus view.”

Ruth Burns Cowan, senior research fellow for the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies in NYC, reports that the COVID pandemic caused the cancellation of most showings of her documentary film, Tribal Justice. However, it is easily available from Amazon. “Our concept of justice is punishment, but the native American concept of justice is rehabilitation,” she explains. “Because those in our justice system acknowledge that the system is seriously flawed—and even broken—chief justices across the country have shown the film with their colleagues to consider how they might modify our system using what they learn from the film.”

Finally, after so many Reunions and Homecomings, I was able to get a room at the Statler with a campus view.

Mort Bunis ’53, JD ’55

Irene Selmer Griffith, BA ’52, shares one of her favorite memories: “Enjoying the beautiful music and the scenery at the concerts on Libe Slope.” These days, she shares the songs with grands and great-grands since Owen ’50, PhD ’58, her husband of 70 years, passed away three years ago. “I try to keep up with the news and science and understand new hopes for local peace in a clean, well-fed world.”

Regina “Genie” Mandelbaum Deutsch has moved to a long-term care facility in the Milwaukee area. She and her husband, Stanley, an industrial engineer who died five years ago, lived in five states: Iowa, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. Genie received a BS degree from Cornell and a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse and worked for several area agencies on aging plus the Illinois legislature’s Republican Appropriations Committee as a registered Democrat. Her growing family includes five children, 18 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

For Douglas McIlroy, a graduate of the five-year engineering physics program, the 70th Reunion was the third he has attended, and he noticed some changes. “It was nice to stay in the Statler and dine privately with classmates, most of whom had interesting life stories. People made sure that I, as the oldest of old-timers at the engineering physics breakfast and the Computing and Information Science (CIS) reception, met the department heads, deans, and president. At CIS I also got to see faculty whom I’ve known since the 1970s. The Quad is somewhat more naturalistic than in our day, with lots of shade at the north end and taller, less pampered varieties of grass. The science cluster (physics, chemistry, materials) squeezes more than twice as much building into the same area that it occupied back when. Atriums (I visited three) have become a cliche of college architecture. I found the renovated Franklin Hall (now Tjaden Hall), where my father had an office, to be claustrophobic, perhaps because I’ve become used to modern-scale elbow room, which atriums have taken to a new max.”

Roberta “Bobbie” Pesner Becker sends a warm “hi!” to Dottie Clark Free. She recalls some long-ago fun: “Dottie taught me how to play bridge, college-style. She’s a lovely person!” ❖ Caroline Mulford Owens (email Caroline) | Jack Brophy (email Jack) | Bob Neff, JD ’56 (email Bob) | John Nixon (email John) | Alumni Directory.

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1954

Our 70th Reunion is approaching quickly. We hope very much that many of us will be on hand. At Reunion 2023, the Class of 1953, celebrating their 70th, had 10 classmates with a total (including guests and caregivers) of 20; the Class of 1948 managed to have four classmates with a total of nine guests attending. Sadly, many of us are unable to get to Ithaca, even with the superb care and support Cornell offers us in the Statler and around the campus. This year I realized I could watch the livestream of Cornelliana Night at Bailey. Not quite as good as being there, but wonderful nonetheless. I recommend it to all who will be at home.

Perhaps you wonder how to find Cornell contacts from long ago. We no longer display email addresses in Class Notes because of complaints of spam. However, there is a good way to locate them. Just click here on the Alumni Directory to connect with classmates and friends. To access the directory, you will need a Cornell NetID. If you don’t know your NetID, visit the IT Service Desk web page for help or call (607) 255-5500.

Thanks to all of you who responded to class president Chick Trayford, MBA ’60’s letter to classmates in the spring. Bill Pinchbeck wrote from Vermont. He enjoys cycling and playing clarinet, sax, and oboe with groups. He continues his college love of swimming, now at his summer cottage in Connecticut, and fondly recalls “swimming at Ithaca’s many swimming holes” and also hiking up Libe Slope to classes. His advice to undergrads: “Enjoy your time and study.”

These next three folks are some of our faithful correspondents. David Bernanke walks two miles daily along the Potomac River and visits with other walkers. He likes to read “about our times, i.e., the history of the 20th century, and then discuss it at meetings with others of like interests.” Favorite Cornell memories are the beauty of the Quad and his great teachers. His advice to students: “Be open to all new ideas, including those you don’t agree with or understand.” And his positive outlook: “The longer I live, the better I like it and the more I find there is to learn.”

To my surprise, while cruising on the Great Lakes recently, a fellow passenger turned out to be from the Class of 1952 and a sorority sister.

Ruth Carpenter Bailey ’54

Bill Webber, MD ’60, lives in Tucson so he can enjoy the outdoors more of the year than many of us. He also rides his bike three days a week, maintains their solar house, enjoys desert gardening, and indulges in “eclectic reading.” He sent a sketch of himself relearning the trumpet via an online course. He’s also relearning French. That warm climate must be conducive to lots of energy. In retirement Bill has traveled to Hawaii, the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Canyon, Seattle, and New York. He sings bass in the Desert Voices community chorus and helps with Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona. Maybe his second marriage to his high school sweetheart contributes to this happy and busy lifestyle! His favorite memory of Cornell: being art editor of the Cornell Widow (humor magazine) in 1953. Bill’s advice to students: “Stay focused and work your butt off. It’ll be worth it.” Ever the medical doctor, Bill closes with this: “I’m mastering the language of medications—Metamucil, glucosamine, benazepril, fluticasone, dorzolamide, famotidine, esomeprazole, sotrovimab, doxazosin, ibuprofen, and don’t forget Tylenol.”

Sondra Dreier Kozinn’s count of great-grandchildren has reached 33. We can imagine her full-time job is knowing names and birthdays.

My mother often said Cornell is a lifelong experience. I was reminded of that recently while cruising on the Great Lakes. To my surprise, a fellow passenger turned out to be from the Class of 1952 and a sorority sister. Judy Calhoun Schurman ’52 and I knew some of the same people and enjoyed reminiscing about life on the Hill. She told wonderful stories about her grandfather-in-law, Jacob Gould Schurman, who was president of Cornell from 1892 to 1920. He certainly had great vision and helped Cornell develop in significant ways. I encourage you to look up his many contributions to the institution Cornell became. Like many of us, after “retirement,” he continued “to do the greatest good!” We never know where we’ll find fellow Cornellians! ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey (email Ruth) |Bill Waters, MBA ’55 (email Bill) | Class website | Alumni Directory.

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1955

Peter Romeo retired as a senior partner from a prominent local architecture and engineering firm at age 62 and again as a sole practitioner at ages 70 and 80. Now, his favorite hobbies are reading and coin collecting. Peter has fond memories of the camaraderie at Sigma Pi and the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. “Hopefully, as I do every year in a summer month, I will take a trip to Ithaca to visit the Pi house and White Hall and recall a bit of history.” Over the summer, his children planned a birthday bash for him (as he turned “the magic age of 90,” he calls it) at a local town park lodge. Attendees included six sons, one daughter, three spouses, and 14 grandchildren. We hope you’ll write again soon and let us know how it went!

Rima Kleiman Sharron enjoys “waking up, coffee, duplicate bridge, caring for plants (mostly succulents), cooking, crossword puzzles, caring for two wonderful cats (and trying to figure out cat behavior), and enjoying visits from children, grandchildren, and my great-grandson.” When asked about her favorite memory of Cornell, Rima responded, “It’s hard to choose only one! I remember when Ralph Vaughan Williams spent time at Cornell in 1954. Some members of the a cappella chorus sat at his feet, a small group of women, and we sang some of his compositions, including ‘John Dory.’ It was awesome—a very special Cornell gift.”

We heard from a relative of Lee Gackenbach, who reports that Lee has had dementia for the past three years but is otherwise healthy and well. Dick Shriver writes, “I started a print and online magazine all about the Connecticut River watershed when I was 85. Today it’s beginning to look like it wasn’t a profoundly stupid idea.” You can view his publication here.

I started a print and online magazine all about the Connecticut River watershed when I was 85.

Dick Shriver ’55

Hans “Wolfi” Duerr is happily “healthy and alive,” doing daily exercise class, playing bridge, reading, and spending time with great-grandkids. He fondly recalls classes with Clint Rossiter ’39 and house parties with his fraternity brothers. Bill Lockwood, BME ’57, writes, “It is sad when you reach our age that so many of your boyhood and college friends have passed away. I miss them.” These days, Bill enjoys traveling, boating, golf, and being with his family of five kids, 15 grandkids, and four great-grandkids. On the Hill, Bill loved fraternity life and being on the ski team. “Not to say it was all play and no work,” he notes. “I did get satisfaction studying to be an engineer.”

Tom Rooney has been reading and playing tennis and bridge. He fondly recalls playing football on the Hill and the camaraderie from that—plus meeting his wife, Myrna (Lacy) ’57. Golf continues to be a favored pastime for Winthrop Cody, who remembers winning a major crew race at Cornell.

Charlotte Bialo Picot gets great satisfaction these days from swimming, playing bridge, and getting together with family and friends. “I serve on the board of directors of my seven-building co-op as VP and chair of admissions. I am also a member of a women’s club and a tennis club.” Charlotte has four grandchildren, all college graduates, all gainfully employed and living in their own apartments. She fondly recalls singing in Cornell’s a cappella chorus and singing in a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Patience.” ❖ Class of 1955 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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1956

As you have likely heard, our class lost a giant in October. Chuck Feeney, founding chairman of The Atlantic Philanthropies and Cornell’s most generous donor, died in San Francisco at 92. Chuck, who quietly devoted his fortune to worldwide causes for decades, invested nearly $1 billion in Cornell through the foundation since 1982. The late President Frank H.T. Rhodes referred to him as the University’s “third founder”—behind only Ezra Cornell and Cornell’s first president, Andrew Dickson White, in the magnitude of his influence and impact.

Jim Quest sent this eulogy: “My classmate, Chuck Feeney, Irish as you could ever be, was a defined mensch. According to Leo Rosten, a mensch is ‘someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character.’ The key to being ‘a real mensch’ is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, and a sense of what is right, responsible, and decorous.’ The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual’s qualities.

“I was one of the frat boys to get sandwiches from ‘the sandwich man,’ as he was known, in the wee hours of the morning from his delivery car. I was a fellow Hotelie and ’56 classmate. His bio can be found in many places and is well cataloged. This is not my purpose. My purpose is to mourn him. Because there never have been enough Chuck Feeneys in the world, nor will there ever be.

“One landmark I do want to make note of: Chuck was the driving force, in 1981, for our 25th Reunion, where the Class of ’56 was first to fully integrate Reunion with fundraising. It was a strategy we picked up from noting the success of Harvard and Princeton and their history of tapping into the 25th Reunion emotion to produce greater alumni giving—heretofore not ‘compatible’ with the University. We raised the average 25th Reunion giving from $250,000 to over $2 million. Chuck pushed us and made it happen (in those days he was still an ‘anonymous’ donor). And we set a standard that all other classes have striven to better since then, many successfully.

“If the Class of ’56 needs to help pay for Chuck’s burial, we will all know why. He proclaimed often and loudly that, after giving away his billions of dollars, and taking care of his family, his last check should bounce. We won’t let it.”

John Long shares that it was refreshing to read the entry from Ann Phillips Drechsel ’57 in the January/February Class Notes. “Although she was a year behind me, we both attended Albion High School at the same time until her parents relocated to the Bath, NY, area. After I married an Ithaca native, an employee in the agricultural economics department at Cornell who I met while a student in graduate school in that department, we began life together in our home on the farm here in Albion, NY, where we have remained for the past 61 years. Life couldn’t have been better for us, as I farmed while we raised our two sons in that setting—with my wife tending to the household needs and taking care of many of the business details of operating the farm. Now we enjoy going to lunch together and attending senior citizen events. During my spare time, I prepare tidbits of agricultural history in our area for a local author who has managed to get a copy of one of her books onto a shelf in Mann Library.”

I prepare tidbits of agricultural history in our area for a local author who has managed to get a copy of one of her books onto a shelf in Mann Library.

John Long ’56

Grace Goldsmith Wahba shares that her fifth great-grandchild arrived in April 2023. She writes, “I received an honorary doctor of science degree from the Ohio State University in May 2022.” Herschel Loomis shares the sad news that his wife, our classmate Shirley (Dean), died on January 2 of this year. We wish you well, Herschel.

Russell Wagner is still being “somewhat active” in his community and staying busy maintaining a house in Mississippi and a cottage in Canada. Russell has one daughter in the Rochester, NY, area and another in Virginia. He fondly recalls meeting and hanging out with Pat (Adams) ’57 on the Hill and having 62 years with her.

Nancy Kohler Dean has been battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for the past three-plus years. She shares that her greatest satisfaction comes from her family, including three children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandsons. Her favorite memory of Cornell? “The responsibilities I had as vice president of the women’s student government association and getting to know people.”

Nancy Marx Thorpe shares that it’s of great importance to her to have satisfying relationships with family and friends. During the summer, she plays golf two times per week with friends; during the winter she cross-country skis. Nancy has been traveling lately, both to see old Cornell friends and with family to Mexico.

Ginny Seelig Lenz has been volunteering as a tour docent at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s second home. She’s also coordinating the book club at her local library. Ginny enjoys watching the active lives of her two daughters, five grandkids, and five great-grandkids.

“I am able to continue to practice medicine and care for my patients,” writes Allen Unger. He remembers taking a literature course with Vladimir Nabokov. “Those lessons lasted a lifetime—and were much more interesting than organic chemistry.”

Muriel Taylor Pense has been living in a retirement community at Kirkland Village and has enjoyed spending some time there with two other Cornellians, Cidney Brandon Spillman and Betty Card Lynham ’63. Muriel writes, “My favorite memory of Cornell is Alan’s proposal of marriage during the spring semester of our senior year, because it led to 64 years of a beautiful, happy marriage.” ❖ Class of 1956 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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1957

Downsizing, downsizing, downsizing! Many of us have made significant moves or are contemplating that. Word from Martha Ballard Lacy details not one, but two moves. After her husband, our classmate Dick, died on December 30, 2020, she tried to manage their home in Jamesville, NY. A little over a year and a half later, she woke up one morning with the decision to move and to sell. She put her name into several senior communities. In September 2022, she moved to the Manor in Skaneateles. But, when a call came in April 2023 from a place in Manlius, she packed up and quickly moved again.

Now Martha reports she feels like she has “come home.” She quickly settled in the Limestone Gardens Apartments, meeting new friends there and at local churches. She is involved in Bible study, book study, and worship. She is also enjoying keeping fit at the Manlius Senior Center and walking two miles every day, plus looking forward to cross-country skiing when winter brings those famous inches of snow to Central New York. Her special memories of Cornell include walking on campus, Cornell United Religious Work, and Willard Straight committee meetings. She treasures the lifelong friendships she maintains with her Delta Gamma sorority sisters.

Mark Levy left the Albany Capital Region 16 years ago, when he retired from his ophthalmology practice. He and wife Nancy moved first to Rye Brook for six years, then to Florida for 10 years. A couple of years ago, they decided to return to Westchester County to be nearer to family. They now live at the Club at Briarcliff Manor and have found two other Cornellians living there. Mark finds this a delightful place to live and enjoys many of the activities offered.

One of Mark’s activities at Cornell was being a member of Octagon, a theater club. The acting bug never left him. When he was still living in the Albany area, he performed in the Schenectady Light Opera Company. Once he moved closer to New York City, he took acting classes and voice lessons. He became a baritone in the University Glee Club of NYC, which performs around the world. Even now, he performs Gilbert & Sullivan solos for the on-site Glee Club. His sense of humor is intact—he says he is satisfied that he still has “all my marbles.” He easily demonstrates this by not only being the trivia champion but successfully defending his title.

Martha Ballard Lacy ’57 is looking forward to cross-country skiing when winter brings those famous inches of snow to Central New York.

Paul Tregurtha may now live in Florida, but his heart seems pulled, over and over again, to Cornell. He and wife Lee (Anderson) ’59 proudly share 65 years of marriage. Carrying on the Cornell tradition, their four children and 11 of their 14 grandchildren are Cornell grads. Paul is enjoying watching his grandchildren enter the real world and learning from them in their many good discussions. Paul added a Harvard MBA to his Cornell BME, later using both to benefit companies involved with marine transportation. He has been the co-owner of several companies including Moran Transportation Company, which operates 95 tugboats all around the U.S. and Mexico.

If you Google Paul’s name, you come up with M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, the flagship of the Interlake Steamship Company. It is the longest vessel operating on the Great Lakes. When Paul became the co-owner and vice chairman of the company in 1991, the ship was rechristened in his honor. It had been launched in 1981 and is considered the “Queen of the Lakes.” In fact, the ship was the subject of a television program on the Discovery Channel Canada’s series “Mighty Ships.”

In his retirement, Paul remains as chairman of one of his companies with no day-to-day responsibilities, as his and his co-owner’s next generation have taken over. He adds that he is now “giving advice and not caring if anyone listens.” Sounds appropriate for the stage of life where he and Lee are. As a historical note, Paul served on Cornell’s Board of Trustees in the ’80s and ’90s and rose to become vice chairman of the board.

We remember Rachel Leah Lawrence using her middle name, Leah, on campus. Right after our graduation, she and Eleanor Blau headed for San Francisco to search for jobs in journalism. Leah had always been interested in politics, even as she majored in Asian studies. She found a job in the library of the San Francisco Chronicle. A marriage, three children, and a divorce later, Leah began working for the Associated Press. She found this career enjoyable, as much of what she wrote was used in radio broadcasts. One transfer sent her to Iowa, where she experienced the caucuses firsthand. Another transfer brought her back to the East Coast to Trenton, NJ.

Now living in Teaneck, NJ, Leah too faces the downsizing dilemma; by the time this column is online, she will be trying out an assisted living facility. Her main focus is on handling her collection of many treasured books. Her daughters have encouraged the move, as Leah no longer drives. Healthwise, she is a rare pancreatic cancer survivor. With fatigue as her only symptom, her physician discovered the cancer. With surgery and chemo, she has been cancer free for the last two years. She continues her optimistic outlook. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman (email Connie) | Alumni Directory.

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1958

As you know from our last column, Barbara Avery, MA ’59, is our new class co-correspondent, replacing Janet Arps Jarvie after Jan’s many years on the job, with our thanks. Barbara is also the class secretary, elected at our Reunion class meeting and as reported in Barbara’s minutes, now on file for any to view in the September/October Class Notes.

We are sorry to report the loss of another prominent classmate: Jerry Mandell, MD ’62, good friend of Dick Kay and the husband of Judy (Rensin) ’61. Jerry, Phi Beta Kappa, was well known for his work on infectious diseases and received worldwide honors during his long career for his research, its results, and the teaching of many physicians following his path. He was a founding editor, along with Gordon Douglas and John Bennett, of the world’s leading infectious disease book, Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases (now in its ninth edition). Jerry will be greatly missed by his many professional colleagues in that vital arena of research and also by his many Cornell friends. We send the class’s sympathies to Judy and all three Cornell children and family.

Louesa Merrill Gillespie is building a new home as part of her downsizing in Maine while also keeping busy in her nonprofit local works. She made it to Reunion, riding over with Ray ’57 and Audrey Wildner Sears, who still reside in their Grantham, NH, home near Dartmouth. Louesa says she gets most satisfaction these days from “my small gathering of friends, the support of my family, and the kindness of my community.” Richard Stormont writes that he is recovering from emphysema and lung cancer, still living in the Atlanta, GA, area and investing in his Stormont Hospitality Group and Cornell’s Johnson School of Finance. His favorite memory of his time on the Hill, actually more on the Inlet, is with the Cornell crew team.

Myron Stacks and his wife, Barbara, reside in Essex, CT, where Myron “remains a very active downhill skier, a long-distance bicycle rider, and totally engaged in the Essex Land Trust, cutting and maintaining trails in our woodland preserves.” Ken Pollard reports similar outdoor activities on his farm woodlot, improving that area with the help of New York City’s Department of Environmental Conservation in his hometown of Cayuga. Ken lost his wife of 67 years last March. Leslie Taylor visited northern Chile to see the big telescopes there and also the Chilean aerospace museum as part of his ongoing travels from home base in Bethesda, MD. He spent time in Australia, visiting friends, and at home he continues as docent for the National Air and Space Museum.

Jack Kelly ’58 has written about his wife, Ingrid, in a recently published book entitled A Great American Love Story.

Jack Kelly got to Reunion and said there that he was having a great time. He recalls his days as an undergrad, saying: “I loved it all and think fondly of the many friends and good times—a great education in so many ways.” Jack greatly misses his wife, Ingrid, whom he lost in 2020; he has written about her in a recently published book entitled A Great American Love Story. He keeps active in managing accounts with his two sons in his Kelly Group with JP Morgan in NYC.

Don Frisch, MS ’63, also attended Reunion from his and Janet’s home in Newtown Square, PA, at White Horse Village, where classmate Dick Eales and spouse Nancy (Hoeft) ’60 also reside; happily, they too made it to Reunion and reported having had a great time. Avid birders, the Ealeses must have visited Sapsucker Woods during that time, along with joining the class on our visit through the ever-growing Botanic Gardens. Don continues investment advising for a couple of clients and, while thinking of his four years at Cornell, says he most remembers all four years of lacrosse, along with classmate Bob Hoffman, with whom he reminisced during Reunion.

Frank “Roger” Wiley remembers his years competing on the fencing team (saber) and his good times at Phi Sigma Kappa. Roger writes from Westminster, CA: “I serve on my church facilities committee, help feed the hungry, and enjoy my neighbors, along with golf, walking, experimenting with cooking, and keeping in touch with my friends.”

Barbara Avery covered the class forum extensively in her column last time, along with the numbers who attended Reunion—60 classmates and 110 total—and listed our leaders and officers for the next five years. We can now report that your class treasury footed a bill close to $48K to cover all Reunion charges, leaving $32K for future spending in good ways for Cornell and the class. From all comments that have come in, everyone had a great time, and we look forward to our 70th. Class president Meyer Gross writes that he is considering the feasibility of occasional Zoom meetings among the officers to discuss matters of interest and importance to the class, so some of us will keep in touch as time moves on. For now, cheers to all, with wishes for happy holidays and a great New Year.

We’ve just gotten the word that the hard copy of Cornell news, called Cornellians Digest, will not be issued after this first trial year. Some of us are sorry to learn that the written copy is too expensive to produce for the limited number of subscribers. So, henceforth, tune in to Class Notes online only. ❖ Dick Haggard (email Dick) | Barbara Avery, MA ’59 (email Barbara) | Alumni Directory.

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1959

“When we were undergraduates, there were approximately 6,000 men and 2,000 women at Cornell. Now there are 8,000 men and 8,000 women,” notes our class Reunion chair, Jerry Schultz. Concurrent with these increases have been increases in the number of people attending Reunions. But no class has come close to ’59ers when Reunions come ’round. Our class held the 25th Reunion attendance record for 32 years before it was surpassed by the Class of ’91. We’re the only class to ever hold the 25th and 50th Reunion records concurrently. And we continue to hold the 50th and 60th Reunion records. “I’m looking forward to our adding the 65th Reunion record next June,” says Jerry. “We’re lining up some great class events, and of course the University will do its usual bang-up job in presenting talks, concerts, open houses, sports competitions, etc. You will all be receiving a refrigerator magnet with the dates of our Reunion—June 6–9—as a helpful reminder for you to be there.”

Looking to make some end-of-year contributions? Don’t overlook the Class of 1959 Scholarship Fund, which can be found here.

Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey continue to enchant audiences with “Puff, the Magic Dragon” and other hits as they carry on the traditions of the folk music group they formed with Mary Travers in 1961. Performances this past summer included evenings in Waterville, ME, and Old Saybrook, CT, the latter expanded to three shows due to ticket demands. Prior to an appearance in Arizona earlier in the year, Peter spoke with Phoenix New Times reporter Timothy Rawles about his career and the power of songs. Noted Rawles, “It was at Cornell that he discovered the healing powers of an organic chorus, where large amounts of people sing at the same time, and it was then that he knew folk music was a transformational force that belonged in the mainstream to bring about peace and happiness.” Peter’s recent solo performances have included appearances at the University of Michigan and the 45th annual Spirit of the Woods Folk Festival in Brethren, MI. Also going strong is Peter’s nonprofit organization, Operation Respect, founded in 1999 and dedicated to transforming schools, camps, and other youth-serving organizations into safer, more respectful, bully-free environments for children and youth. (For more on Peter, including his music and art, check out his website.)

Peter Yarrow ’59 and Noel Paul Stookey continue to enchant audiences with ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon’ and other hits.

“The COVID years”: that period when people hunkered in their homes, wore masks when going outdoors became unavoidable, compensated for the fear of public activities with couch-potato TV binges. “Looking back after three years, what have I lost and what have I gained?” asks Paula Millenthal Cantor. “My husband, daughter, son, son-in-law, and I have all had COVID twice, but we’re here to tell of it, and even more grateful for one another, if that’s possible. Two of our grandchildren have had beautiful weddings and have since become parents, making my husband, Bill, and me, to our joy and amazement, great-grandparents.

“Being homebound during the pandemic afforded me more time to take pleasure in home and garden. There were connections with old friends and extended family, some for the first time in years. Ties with close friends seemed to become even stronger. My project of sorting out playbills and exhibit notes from the past made me realize how privileged I have been to see the greats of theater, dance, and music, and the works of world-famous artists. I can be content with that. Same goes for all the great trips we’ve taken and adventures we’ve gone on.

“Though my leadership days are behind me, I continue to be actively involved in Jewish community. I paint, garden, cook, read, exercise, and have more projects waiting to be done than I will ever get around to. I guess what I’m saying is that, while I feel that the pandemic has aged me more quickly than I might have done otherwise, depriving me of social interaction and stimulation for too long, it made me come to terms with the changes that were on their way, regardless. I don’t expect my life to go back to ‘the way it was.’ I’m just grateful for the way it is, and I look forward to the way it will be.”

With best wishes to all for the coming year. Hope you are looking forward to attending our 65th! ❖ Jenny Tesar (email Jenny) | Alumni Directory.

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1960s

1960

Thomas Manley (Norwich, NY) writes about what he enjoys most these days: “sharing life with my super wife, Donna, in our retirement farmhouse that was built in 1982 on hills facing south.” For work, he says, “I drive my X320 John Deere, do simple chores at age 87, and have been running a bluebird trail on our south slope.” The Manleys have three sons: Joseph, an engineer at Borg Warner; Patrick, an executive at DHS in D.C.; and Brian, who works in Syracuse.

Much sadder news came from Judith Eyles Male (Lunenburg, MA), who reported that her husband, John ’58, died in September 2022. “I now find most satisfaction from the love and support of my family through these months of adjustment after John’s death and our wonderful 62 years of marriage. I have also been celebrating with my seven grandchildren as they continue to graduate from college in recent years. Happily, my favorite memory from Cornell is meeting John during my sophomore year.” We also received sad news from Gail Krantz Glickman (Sarasota, FL), who wrote that “unfortunately, one month before our 60th wedding anniversary, my husband, Cy, passed away from congenital heart failure, which he had been struggling with for a long time. I now try to keep up my spirits with numerous activities, which include playing tennis three or four times a week and attending dance classes. Although I’m now retired, I also write articles to submit to local publications.” Looking back at her past, Gail says, “I was blessed to have the opportunity to study at Cornell. When I walked across the beautiful campus, I reflected on my good fortune to be there.”

Still a resident in Jamaica Plain, MA, Johanna “Toddy” Dwyer has also been on the move. She reports: “I took a great trip to Panama and went on to Buenos Aires, where I boarded a ship, which I took all the way around South America to Fort Lauderdale. Prior to that came a wonderful three weeks with friends from Washington, DC, to Sicily. I topped it off with a trip to Singapore. I’m still working some at the NIH, but it gives me an excuse to go to D.C., where I have season tickets for Shakespeare and the National Symphony.” Also quite satisfied with life, Sue Wood Brewer and her husband, Donald ’59 (Chapel Hill, NC), enjoy seeing their two sons become involved and very caring parents, rather different from their younger selves. Sue reports that they have seven grandchildren, ranging in age from 26 to 2 years old. “None live nearby,” she says, “but we try to keep up with all of them at their varied stages of life. We have lived in a continuing care residential community for over 10 years and are glad we moved here; we live independently, but it’s good to know there are welcoming places here on the campus, should we need them.”

I’m still working some at the NIH, but it gives me an excuse to go to D.C., where I have season tickets for Shakespeare and the National Symphony.

Johanna “Toddy” Dwyer ’60

James Verna reports from New York City, “I have just retired from the practice of dentistry and am enjoying my free time. I play tennis and ski; I also spent two months in Italy with family there. What brings me the most satisfaction these days is time spent with my daughter, Christine ’86, and my grandchildren, all of whom are now in college. My favorite memory from Cornell? All the friendships that I made there.” Another classmate now enjoying retirement is Robert Clark, who spent many years as a tax attorney in Las Vegas, NV. Robert says he is grateful for “family joys—four children, 13 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.” His favorite memories from Cornell are “the wonderful lectures and being on the freshman crew team—a long way from my home state of Utah!”

In a note from Carol Treman des Cognets (Tucson, AZ), she says she is satisfied thus far by “being upright and more or less mobile. I love reading news of classmates, although we have lost so many, but a recent visit to Tucson from Leonard and Patty Johnson was great fun. The intervening years just melted away while they were here. I still return to Melbourne for four to five months every year; Bill Clendenin ’61, BChemE ’63, and I went there in 1975 and it made me realize that much of my life was there.” In Portsmouth, NH, Kay Oppenheimer notes that, despite aging, she gets great satisfaction from time with her family and her pet animals, including dogs and horses. “I’m also enjoying being a snowbird in Aiken, SC, and valuing friends old and new.” Her favorite Cornell memory involves Professor Andrew Hacker and his enduring sensibility about American politics. She also loved his seminars.

Carl Volckmann reports from Park City, UT, that he and his wife, Linda, are generally in good health and happy to be with their seven grandchildren and attending their sporting events. They are also enjoying friends and family members in Park City and Stuart, FL, but have suffered sufficient vision loss that they can no longer drive—“depressing and inconvenient!” says Carl. His favorite memories from Cornell are: “making lifelong friends in Sigma Chi, in my lightweight crew, and in my engineering class. After growing up in New York City, I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I got to Cornell.” Ray Skaddan wrote from Warminster, PA, that he and his spouse, Lynda, spent the month of October 2022 almost entirely in Paris. Next they were in Mexico for five weeks in January and February, then made a trip to Florida, and then went to California in March. Whew! Ray even found time along the way to visit Boston and Brookline, MA. “We have very much enjoyed travel as long as we are able, and are loving all family gatherings, especially with our newest family member, a great-granddaughter.” ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.

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1961

Three weeks after submitting this column, my wife, Susan, and I, Doug Fuss, will move to Atlanta and into an independent living community near our daughter. After 26 years in Savannah, this has proven to be a massive undertaking, more than anticipated.

But so much for personal musings. Most of you have followed some of the dynamics in our ’61 alumni class organization. We welcome Sue Rand Lewis and Doug Uhler as our new co-presidents. They have graciously agreed to serve through the current term expiring in 2026. I’m sure they can count on our support as we proceed with our activities. Sadly, their new responsibilities reflect the unfortunate attrition of some of our class officers. Carol Gittlin Franklin and David Kessler, both long-term class officers, and our previous co-presidents Dick Tatlow and Jim Moore, LLB ’64, all passed away somewhat unexpectedly in the last year.

Marilyn Slutzky Zucker wrote a lengthy note updating the comings and goings of several classmates. “I was lucky enough to spend a great afternoon in January in Palm Desert, CA, with a few pals from our class. Anne Lasher Mihalisin, Marian Pearlman Nease, Marjorie Seybold, Ellie Harder Johnson, and me. It was like old home week, immediately recognizing one another, even the few of us we hadn’t seen in, what, 60 years. Eek! Went to the zoo, had a meal, took photos, and hung out, completely enjoying the experience and marveling at the affection we shared.”

I was lucky enough to spend a great afternoon in January in Palm Desert, CA, with a few pals from our class.

Marilyn Slutzky Zucker ’61

Marilyn continued, “Me? I’m still reading, writing, and traveling. I’ve been staying in Venice, Italy, for a few weeks each spring and have been back also to Lisbon, where I taught several years ago. I first went to Portugal in 1998 on a teaching Fulbright to Aveiro, a city in the west of the country. Since then, I’ve been back many times, staying with friends in Lisbon, connecting with colleagues in the Virginia Woolf Society, and teaching a course at the University of Lisbon in personal narrative. At the time, writing about oneself was rather new to the Portuguese students, while in the U.S., even a cereal box asks, ‘Tell us your story!’ Turned out they had much to say about their own lives and that of their families and their culture. It was a most unusual and fulfilling project. Finally, my dear friend Micki Bertenthal Kuhs has moved to East Hampton, a mere hour and a half away—that is, without summer traffic. It’s a joy to have her sorta nearby.”

Charles Hecht, LLB ’63, writes from Manhattan, “I’ve eliminated trial work and am focusing on corporate work and helping new enterprises. With my significant other, Leslie Toepfer, we’re doing things including travel, opera, philharmonic, seeing our children and grandchildren, bicycling, and reading.”

May Lee Ling writes from Laguna Woods, CA, that she is retired and enjoying time spent with family, friends, and classmates. A grandson was married last year and a granddaughter this spring. A new update from Jim Baden, MD ’65, still residing on Hilton Head Island, SC: Although retired from his practice, Jim works with Volunteers in Medicine as a physician. His special interest is singing in the Barbershop Harmony Society. And a favorite Cornell memory is the fantastic 1960 men’s Glee Club trip to Russia.

Please keep your news flowing to us. ❖ Doug Fuss (email Doug) | Susan Williams Stevens (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

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1962

More news from John Curtis, BCE ’64, MS ’65: “After enjoying a short trip to Quebec City for our 60th anniversary, Janie and I traveled to India in December as representatives of our Rotary district in the Dallas Metro area to observe several gifts made to hospitals from our local clubs. First though, we experienced the Taj Mahal and the several forts and well-known structures in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Our group then flew south to Cochin, where we visited three hospitals that had received dialysis machines, ambulances, blankets, and publishing equipment, all to better serve their communities. Our trip was completed with a ride into the mountainous area of Kerala State to visit the tea plantations and the herb gardens that have made the region world famous. More journeys are in the planning stage.”

“As part of my volunteer activities in retirement,” writes Mike Miller, “I am chairing a charitable foundation endowment fund and continuing my 50-year tenure on the Allentown (PA) Economic Development Authority. Recently, I also found myself presenting talks (telling jokes) to three different groups on the history and nature of Jewish humor. Here’s a sample: The Yeshiva rowing team was competing against all the Ivy League teams with eight-men shells and a coxswain, but they were coming in last in every race. They decided to send out two spies, Joshua and Caleb, to spy on Harvard to see what they might be doing wrong. So the spies went to the Charles River, hid behind a bush, and watched the Harvard rowing team. The spies came back to Yeshiva and gave their report. The Harvard team had eight men rowing with the coxswain yelling out the cadence: ‘Stroke, stroke, stroke.’ We have the coxswain rowing and the eight men yelling out the cadence.”

From Bob and Barbara Garson Stern comes the following: “Well, having never submitted any news before, there’s a lot to enter. We have three daughters and seven grandkids. We lived in Nassau County, NY, for about three months after graduating our joint fifth years (I in electrical engineering and Barbara in history/government). Moved to Suffolk County, Long Island, in 1963 and lived in Smithtown/Hauppauge for 11 years, with me changing jobs several times, gaining experience in electronic warfare (EW) and Barbara in teaching, then relocated to Potomac, MD, from 1974 until today. I jumped around even more times from EW to airline communications, and finally to satellite communications for the past 30 years or so, having worked for 18 companies over the years. Barbara taught private school, then went into headhunting for several years. She then got her accounting degree and became a financial wizard, ending up as CFO/VP of a small company doing work for the National Institutes of Health and drug companies for her last 20 years. Our daughters are married and gainfully employed, and all our grandkids are now out of high school and college. We both retired at the end of 2012 and have been happily enjoying life in suburban Maryland and at our Bethany Beach, DE, beach house since then. Latest plans are to relocate nearby to an Erickson Senior Living facility in North Bethesda, MD, in two years.”

Longtime rower Victor Ericson ’62 has built a 16-foot lapstrake canoe and a teardrop camper, using kits from Chesapeake Light Craft!

Victor Ericson has sent along lots of news. He and his wife, Connie, are residents of Indianola, WA, where they enjoy hiking and cross-country skiing in the North Cascades with their daughter and her family. The president of his 137-member homeowner association, Vic is also a park steward of the 800-acre county preserve. This longtime rower—one of his favorite Cornell memories is rowing on three national championship crews (1959, ’60, and ’61)—has, over the past four years, built a 16-foot lapstrake canoe and a teardrop camper, using kits from Chesapeake Light Craft!

Mary Van Vleck, now retired, has been deeply involved in the development of a cohousing community in Charlotte, VT, for the past 18 years, where she funded the construction of two houses. “I stayed there through the pandemic,” she writes, “then moved nine miles away to an elegant retirement community,” where she no longer needs to shovel snow or mow the grass! She writes of her enjoyment of making things in the woodshop: “I made a small bookcase and smaller projects.” She has also joined “a group studying ‘green burials’ and related issues—the next inevitable adventure for us all!”

Poet Jack Foley (who is “not retired from anything”) continues to do “what I’ve done throughout my life: write.” He presents his poetry on his Berkeley, CA, radio show on Tuesdays at 2 p.m., KPFA-FM. His recent books include The Light of Evening: A Brief Life of Jack Foley (Academica Press), A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads (Academica Press), Bridget und andere Gedichte/Bridget and Other Poems (a selection of his work edited and translated by German poet Andreas Weiland), and Creative Death: an octogenarian’s wordshop (Igneus Press).

Thank you to all who sent personal news. Alas, this Cornellians column has a word limit, which means that entries are used in order of receipt and are edited to fit this space; the overflow will appear in our next Cornellians column. I urge you to check out our class website, which does not have a word limit and which often also includes photos you have sent along with your news. Your submissions in their entirety (and those photos) are already posted there. ❖ Judy Prenske Rich (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.

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1963

“Greetings fellow classmates from your class president, Paula Trested Laholt, and your newly elected officers. A wonderful 60th Reunion was had on campus this past June. Our class was assigned a new residence hall in the North Campus area, which was our headquarters and the center of class activities and many meals. About 100 classmates and guests attended the festivities including a BBQ gathering, breakfast buffets, wine and beer receptions, and plenty of snacks. This left time for the many University-sponsored and college-specific events that can fill our schedule. The pièce de résistance of the four-day weekend was our Saturday night dinner at the Statler along with introductions of key people, thank yous, gifts, entertainment, and the election of new officers. We would love to have you share your experience with classmates. Please send your comments to our class correspondent listed at the end of this column and keep the news coming all year.”

I received more news from classmate Bob Carson after writing about him in the May/June Class Notes: “After 40 years of teaching at Whitman College, I retired in 2015, so am now Phillips Professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, Emeritus. I continue to teach part time at Walla Walla Community College. A few years ago, I finished climbing all major Cascade volcanoes. I still love the mountains of the eastern U.S., and in 2021 finished climbing the New England 4,000 Footers. In 2018 I finished my third book on the natural history of this area; its title is The Blues. Last year I completed my 550-page memoir, called simply Adventure. Of course, my wonderful years at Cornell are included. Clare and I, happily married for 53 years, have three sons and four grandchildren.”

Sheila Potter Bodner lives in Long Branch, NJ, and is in real estate sales for Compass Inc. Dick and Kathleen Thackaberry, DVM ’65, enjoy being out on the water since they live in Stratford, CT. They enjoy visiting grandchildren but not so much dealing with health issues. Dick’s favorite memories at Cornell were working and the Veterinary College.

Jack Hentel enjoys life in Poughkeepsie, NY. He has three children and eight grandchildren. Jack writes, “I am a retired radiologist and am enjoying wonderful family and friends. My son Keith Hentel ’91, MD ’98, graduated from Cornell and Cornell Medical School and is a very successful radiologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. My granddaughter Abby Hentel ’22, MHA ’23, received her master’s degree from Cornell this year. My favorite memory was meeting my wonderful wife, Jean (Margolis) ’64, at Cornell.”

Kathleen Illencsik Lilley lives in Ithaca. She writes, “I am managing my two sabbatical houses and walking outside a mile each day with walking partners. I retired from my psychotherapy practice four years ago after 32 years in private practice. I enjoy hanging out with my four grandchildren. Son Jake was named one of Boston’s 20 top architects. Pacifica Radio celebrated the 20th anniversary of daughter Sasha’s public affairs program ‘Against the Grain.’ My 11-year-old granddaughter Sophie won second prize in the State of Massachusetts gymnastics meet in the 9- to 15-year-old category. I loved singing in musicals, especially Kiss Me Kate in Bailey Hall, where I sang a few solo lines many years ago!”

I started competitive swimming again at age 78, 56 years after swimming in Teagle Hall!

Robert Pendergrass ’63, ME ’70, MBA ’71

Marion Travalini Rodd writes from Ventura, CA. “I play flute in the Ventura County Concert Band. I spend time stitching. Just finished a cross-stitched baby blanket for my great-grand-nephew. My daughter Allison Rodd Ceppi ’92 is in marketing at Universal Studios. My daughter Amy is a geriatric oncologist at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. I have one grandson who is at the University of Michigan and a granddaughter at Haverford. My favorite memories at Cornell include membership in Delta Delta Delta and the Cornell University Concert Band.”

Robert Pendergrass, ME ’70, MBA ’71, and wife Beatriz live in Naples, FL. Robert writes, “I started competitive swimming again at age 78, 56 years after swimming in Teagle Hall! I cannot find any of my teammates still competing. If you are, please let me know.”

Brock Willett lives in Highlands Ranch, CO. He fully retired in 2020 as a psychiatrist. He plays golf but stopped skiing this year. He has two grown children and three grandchildren.

Susan Silverstein Sandler lives in New York City. “My son, Ted (PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Computer Science), completed 11 years with Amazon and is now with a startup. My grandson competes in Russian math. I volunteer as a registered dietitian nutritionist for a supermarket in a low-income area. Previously I was writing a ‘recipe of the week’ for an online publication that was e-blasted to customers and a distribution network of community organizations with a 10% discount on all vegetables in the recipe upon presentation of it to a cashier.”

Warren Icke ’62 and I took a wonderful trip to Europe in May to celebrate our 60th anniversary, which happened in August. We spent three days in Looe, Cornwall, in England with friends. Then we spent three days in Prague, Czech Republic, before boarding our Viking cruise on the Danube. We visited Regensburg and Passau, Germany, as well as Vienna and Budapest. We then flew back to Boston to stay with family and then attended the Class of 1963 60th Reunion.

Keep sending news via the website or email me. ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke (email Nancy) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory.

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1964

Happy autumn! Fall is in the air, so while tending to fallen leaves and other hints of a changing season, be sure to make your plans for our 60th Reunion next June. Meantime, here’s more classmate news.

We begin with Douglas Berg, who writes, “My wife, Dange Kersulyte, and I retired at the end of 2012 after what was for me nearly 36 years as a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis. We then moved to Encinitas, a wonderful California beach town north of San Diego. We now divide our time between Encinitas; the fantastic Anza-Borrego Desert, some two to three hours’ drive to the east (during cooler months); and, for one to two months in the summer, in and near Dange’s historic hometown of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania and site last July of an important NATO summit. Our daughter Alisa is two years into a three-year residency in veterinary internal medicine at the University of Florida. We are all in pretty good health and so life seems very good. We feel fortunate. I hope to return to Cornell next year to meet with many old and new friends at our 60th Reunion.”

Another recent retiree is Bill Lacy, who lives in Davis, CA, with wife Laura (Robinson) ’65. He writes, “I officially retired from UC Davis two years ago after 22 years (also five years at Cornell in the late 1990s) but will be attending four professional meetings this year and supporting a number of graduate students to attend. If you suffer from insomnia, I have a possible cure: I just published perhaps my last article, ‘Local food systems, citizen and public science, empowered communities, and democracy: hopes deserving to live.’”

Joan Kather Henry, last here a year and a half ago, writes, “My husband, Bill ’60, BCE ’63, died last fall and I have decided to stay in our house in Castle Pines, CO, where we moved almost two years ago to be near our son. Our daughter has recently joined us in this area. I’m finding it a delight having kids living nearby and seeing grandchildren when they come to visit their parents. Also not far away is classmate Mary Deitrich Capra, and we have enjoyed getting together several times a year. After not traveling overseas for three years during COVID, I was finally able to spend three weeks in Spain in May visiting Spanish friends (who I met while teaching there years ago) and seeing some of my favorite places in Northern Spain. The trip has whetted my appetite for more traveling!”

Bill Ramsey, last here in March 2021, is now a fully retired orthopedic surgeon since March 2022. He remains active near his home with wife Barbara in Truckee, CA, with the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, designing and building large local railroad models. Bill otherwise enjoys golf and hiking mountain trails. Last year, he also recently enjoyed Hawaii, saw a Masters golf tourney, fished in Montana, and visited Scandinavia. Of this far-flung routine, he notes, “Time for a break!” He and Barbara also enjoy grandchildren, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Denver.

I am learning to play the harpsichord, in the footsteps of beloved advisor Thomas Eisner, who bought one imported from Germany while we were at Cornell.

Sonia Kosow Guterman ’64, MS ’67

Joan Nathanson Tosici, last here in January ’22, still lives in Ocean Township, NJ, and has been retired after 37 years teaching in NYC public schools. Joan is very active in Cornell-associated activities, noting, “I join in every year for Cornell Cares Day and try to attend every activity involving the Monmouth-Ocean Cornell Club.” She otherwise notes, “The Rolling Meadows community I live in offers lots of activities I participate in, including needlework, book club, bocce, a garden club, aquacise, canasta, and a monthly dining out group.”

Helen Schwartz writes, “My World War II thriller, Thieves of Paris, was published two years ago. My latest event was as a Scholar in Residence at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley in Phoenix, AZ.” Quite some way from her home in Chevy Chase, MD, Helen “also completed a ‘bucket list’ trip to the Grand Canyon.”

Sonia Kosow Guterman, MS ’67 (Belmont, MA), last here 18 months ago, writes, “I am now a member of a science advisory board of a small Boston company, SPF, that makes chromatography equipment for high-value proteins, and I teach a regular weekly class—we call it a book club. In my spare time, I am learning to play the harpsichord, in the footsteps of beloved advisor Thomas Eisner, who bought one imported from Germany while we were at Cornell. He was a pioneer not only in insect-plant interaction, but in harpsichord culture. So I finally got myself a nice Flemish model built from a Zuckermann kit.”

Ed Gurowitz writes, “I am semi-retired, meaning I’m working mostly from home and fewer hours, but I’m still a management consultant specializing in talent development and mentoring younger consultants. It’s been a rough year: my wife, Emy, broke her femur a year ago and just as she was almost back to normal, she needed a knee replacement; at the same time I needed back surgery, so we’re both recovering. Our daughter Amy, PhD ’99, and our younger daughter, Katie, have been a huge help. I think of Cornell and hope to go to our 60th Reunion next year, but living in the West makes that trip kind of a big deal, so I guess we’ll see.”

Lastly, some brief news from Reverend Kathy Peterson and Carol Britton MacCorkle. Kathy and husband David live in Lemont, IL, where she is an ordained United Methodist minister and has been a “local pastor for almost 50 years.” She still enjoys music and sports and spends time gardening and with children and grandchildren. She and David recently traveled to Scottsdale, AZ. For her part, Carol is retired from real estate and still lives in Santa Barbara, CA. Carol’s recent trips were to extreme global opposites: New Zealand and Iceland. Her granddaughter is a Cornellian.

That’s it for now. On behalf of our class officers, we hope to see you at our 60th Reunion on Cornell’s campus in early June 2024. I especially wish to thank all of you who heeded my plea for news by responding with a wealth of news forms. Please keep ’em coming! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website, or our class Facebook page. ❖ Bev Johns Lamont (email Bev) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory.

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1965

Raphael Nevins (Albuquerque, NM) recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Europe. He revisited Nice, where he had spent time in 1963 with other Cornellians. Raphael and his wife, Lorna, just completed a second-story addition to their Albuquerque home, and he adds: “If any classmates might wish to attend the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October, please contact me.”

Peter Trozze (Cascais, Portugal) relates: “I retired on May 31, 2022, and on June 1, 2022, Lucinda and I moved to Cascais, Portugal, permanently. We recently celebrated our first year here and have been spending our time exploring Portugal and the rest of Europe, as well as making frequent trips to London to visit our daughter.”

Please keep in mind that our 60th Reunion class gift involves support for the development of a well-being program under the auspices of the Skorton Center. This is a significant development for the promotion of mental health throughout the Cornell community. Our class gift Reunion committee, under the leadership of Jeff Kass, has been busy in collaboration with Julie Edwards, director of the Skorton Center; a pilot project is already underway and some of our classmates have contributed financially. The program is training and engaging coaches who are experienced, sensitive members of the Cornell community, and not themselves professional psychologists. We believe that in their “layperson” role, the coaches will prove to be a great support for Cornell students and staff. You will hear more about this class gift project in the coming months from class officials, and we look forward to broad support from our classmates.

Please keep the news coming to us. Remember that people love to hear about your doings, via our column. ❖ Stephen Appell (email Stephen) | Joan Hens Johnson (email Joan) | Alumni Directory.

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1966

Hope that the high heat and heavy rain are elements (get it?) of the past, as the weather gets cooler.

Douglas Evans wrote from Joppatowne, MD. He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and an airline pilot for Northwest Airlines (which was bought by Delta) before he retired in September 2001. His work highlight was three years in Oahu, HI. He married Helen (Fetherolf) ’65 in 1968. Now that he’s retired, Douglas enjoys biking, hiking, RVing, and sky diving. He and Helen had two children and now have four grandchildren. He wrote that in his extended family of 10, they all get along well and all live within a 10-minute walk from his home.

Laurie Krasny Brown sent in a short note, sharing that she continues her concentration in fine art, with paper as the primary material. She is a board member of a regional art museum and is still authoring picture books, most recently one entitled Democracy for Dinosaurs: A Guide for Young Citizens (2020). Laurie’s new interest is studying French. In October 2022, she lived and worked in Arles, France, as the artist in residence. She and her husband also traveled in March to Mexico City.

Stephanie Lane Rakofsky wrote from Coral Gables, FL, that she has retired from paid work but is still doing pro bono social work. She also volunteered for Charlie Crist in the last governor’s race. Her family activities include the fact that she has two older grandchildren who have graduated from high school, a third granddaughter who has celebrated her sweet 16, and a new granddaughter who is about 7 months old.

Christie Grigsby Murata lives in Denver, CO, where she says she does lots of “at-home” art projects—and she adds that she’s “using the term ‘art’ loosely!” She is spending more time with her family and shares that she went to Los Angeles to visit her son and his wonderful family. She also writes that she is part of the cheering section for her granddaughters’ various sports.

Patti Talbot Ota wrote from Tucson, AZ, that she is still enjoying all kinds of sports and her eight animals! She was a professor at the University of Arizona in the management information systems department.

Ted Sprinkle, DVM ’69, lives in Naples, FL, and wrote that he is “currently serving as CEO of Encore Vet Group, a consolidator of veterinary practices in the U.S. east of the Rockies.” He has ventured away from retirement and has not slowed down but would like to. He is still involved in Thoroughbred racing. Ted and wife Cindy and their children have traveled to Spain and Italy. He relocated to Florida from Connecticut three years ago and loves the new environment and the blue skies.

Tom Allen, who lives in Arlington, MA, wrote that he is “well and truly retired. I lead bicycle rides for my town’s community education program. My wife, Carole (Newman) ’67, is a retired pediatrician and active in politics and medical and health policy. “I am married to the same wonderful woman I met on campus!” He also mentioned that his bike rides go for distances of 25 to 35 miles, and they go to Martha’s Vineyard every summer.

In October 2022, Laurie Krasny Brown ’66 lived and worked in Arles, France, as the artist in residence.

Our class co-president, John Monroe, PhD ’70, lives in Cupertino, CA. I met John because we were both in the Big Red Marching Band. John was and is a serious trombone player. He wrote, “A bucket list item for me has been to experience a British-style brass band competition. With that in mind, I joined the San Francisco Brass Band when it was founded in 2020. In April 2023, we won the second section championship at the North American Brass Band Association competition in Huntsville, AL. In addition, a sextet from the band won second place in the solo and ensemble competition. I played trombone in both groups. Bucket list item checked off! The music was challenging and fun to play. After the brass band adventure, I went off to Italy with four friends and played a couple of concerts in Staffolo (Le Marche), Italy, and nearby Petriolo. Got to back up an Italian tenor singing ‘O Sole Mio.’ A complete hoot.”

Jeff Collins has been retired for five years and says he’s loving it. “I’m actively involved in a number of organizations focused on voter rights, environmental protection, women’s reproductive rights, gun control, etc.” He and his wife of 43 years, Rose Mills, traveled a lot last year and this year, after their trips in 2020 and 2021 had to be canceled due to COVID. They have been to Portugal and Italy and plan to attend the annual wildflower festival in Crested Butte, CO, after which they will travel to California to visit friends and then have a one-month trip to England. Jeff added, “Just celebrated my 43rd anniversary with Rose and regularly see my brother Ken Collins ’62.”

Maurice Cerulli (Rockville Centre, NY) is still working and enjoying it. He is now working halftime as a preceptor for fellows in gastroenterology at Northwell Long Island Jewish and North Shore University hospitals. Maurice wrote that he and his wife still like to travel, and they enjoy their cellar of Bordeaux, California, and Italian wines. In 2022, they went to Piedmont, Milan, and Tuscany, and this year they are going to Milan, Tuscany, and Rome.

We got a very short item from Robert Schubert, who lives in Orinda, CA. He wrote that he is a “senior partner at a class action law firm, working part time.” He also says he enjoys no-limit poker in casinos and has three fairly new grandchildren.

Andrew Berger, JD ’69, wrote, “My wife, Emily (Boykoff) ’68, and I are still living in our creaky old brownstone in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn with our two not-so-well-behaved dogs. Emily retired from the U.S. Attorney’s Office a few years ago and is active in a few political campaigns. Our son Evan and his wife live close by. I will never retire. Still practicing law in Manhattan and about to start my eighth year as an adjunct professor at Cornell Law teaching a seminar in the fall on copyright litigation. Hard to imagine I began my relationship with Cornell more than 60 years ago. Still stay in touch with and often see my senior-year roommates Ron Berenbeim and Dick Cutler. Best to all.”

Now, a note from Alice Katz Berglas and Mary Jansen Everett: “Between gatherings for turkey with stuffing and the champagne toasts of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ come the many versions of traditions that fill November and December. A season of family and friendships and classmates near and far. Our wish to all: good health, new joys, happy adventures—and time to relish each.” ❖ Pete Salinger, MBA ’68 (email Pete) | Susan Rockford Bittker (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

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1967

Carole Newman Allen recalls a favorite memory at Cornell: “Being waylaid by Tom ’66, ME ’67 (my future husband of 56+ years) while exiting Dante class junior year; couldn’t have predicted at the time where it would lead!” A past president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, Carole looks for opportunities to influence health policy. She enjoys gardening—“specifically shrubs and perennials at our two houses, one in Arlington, MA, and the other on Martha’s Vineyard, MA; seeing our 15-year-old grandson thriving; and the return this summer of our younger son and family from Nepal after three years in the Foreign Service.”

Joan Solomon Weiss (Jericho, NY) continues to enjoy “taking photographs and displaying them in juried exhibits across the country.” She’s also “establishing and strengthening new friendships and increasing fitness.” From her time at Cornell, she recalls “excellence in academics and singing Cornell songs in a group setting.”

Max and Laurie Frank Krotman (Port Washington, NY) spend much of their time in Seattle visiting son Adam ’05, daughter-in-law Seema, and grandchildren Saiya, 5, and Kavan, 3. “We can still get down on the floor to play with them and get back up. Max is still merging accounting firms and playing tennis and bridge; Laurie just had her first bat mitzvah, takes lots of courses, and currently moderates a course on the history of Ukraine. As Leonard Cohen says in his documentary, we are standing on the ‘foothills of old age’—but we are still standing!”

Richard Marks, MBA ’68 (Boynton Beach, FL) writes: “Carol and I spent February touring Patagonia and the Antarctic. Lots of penguins, icebergs, and the fabulous Iguazu Falls. I’ve played a couple of rounds of golf with former roommate David Gertler, ME ’68. I’m still the president of the local Cornell Club. In April I was joined by classmates Marsha Beirach Eisen, Richard Tunick, and Richard Bailyn, MD ’71, at a presentation for Colleen Barry, the inaugural dean of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.”

Judith Edelstein Kelman (New York, NY) reports that she’s enjoyed “directing the Visible Ink writing program, which I founded for patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. More than 3,000 cancer patients have enrolled, and the program celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2020. A stellar cast of Broadway actors, dancers, and singers volunteered to perform select pieces written by MSK patients.”

Judy adds: “Grandkids are growing up—ours range from 10 to 23. Cornellians include son Matthew ’93, JD ’97, and granddaughter Caroline ’25. We’ve taken all nine of our grandchildren on special trips. The youngest chose to visit NYC. In December we took him to four Broadway shows and The Nutcracker in five days.” Favorite Cornell memory: “The glory of the glorious campus—despite frigid winter temps and crazy sprints between classes—the stunning views, unforgettable professors, and terrific friends all kept me energized and inspired.”

Frank Sprtel (Whitefish Bay, WI) enjoys “doing some consulting and bird watching with wife Mary and four grandchildren. I also like to play golf on good days. We have some medical issues but are working our way through them.” Favorite memories: “Studying economics and zoology and playing football.”

Carole Newman Allen ’67 recalls a favorite memory at Cornell: ‘Being waylaid by Tom ’66, ME ’67 (my future husband of 56+ years) while exiting Dante class junior year.’

John Eisenhart (Oregon, OH) volunteers at a science center, a senior center, and metro parks. He’s also on the Y board and is a Kiwanis Club officer. He makes trips to Alaska to tour and for fishing. His Cornell memory: “Great weather—ha. Walking up the Hill to class, and hockey—NCAA champs.”

William Andy Kirmse (Austin, TX) enjoys and engages with his “family and friends, golf, the fitness center, hunting, and overseas travel.” His favorite memories of Cornell are fraternity life and scholastic excellence.

Steven Lazare (Lafayette, CA) likes “spending time with friends and watching the Warriors win. I’m concluding work as a personal financial consultant this year.” He notes that his wife, Linda, died in 2022. Favorite Cornell memory: “Playing sports with my fraternity brothers.”

Eric Augusta (Manhattan Beach, CA) summarizes “50+ years of news since graduation! Best times at Cornell: beautiful fall days; Cascadilla Gorge; DTD fraternity friends and parties; singing in the Cornell Glee Club during our 1966 three-month Asia/world tour. Worst time at Cornell: I received the dreaded letter—‘Uncle Sam Wants You …’—so delayed grad school, got into Navy OCS, and became an officer for three years.

“I served aboard the destroyer USS Bigelow (DD-942), and when discharged as lieutenant in 1971, I began Wharton’s MBA program. I was a financial analyst with Ford in Dearborn, then at Xerox’s Computer Services Division in Los Angeles. A good decision: that’s where I met my wife, Janine. We married in 1988; son Ken and daughter Christine are at the E&Y and PwC accounting firms in L.A.

“After five years as CFO at Century Computer Marketing in Marina Del Rey, three mergers, and a bankruptcy, I became an independent Excel consultant. I’m certified to program in Visual Basic for Applications, and I wrote a book, Navigating the Road to Excellence, and taught at UCLA and at corporations.

“I’m now semi-retired. Janine retired as CFO for hi-tech startups. I do occasional consulting, manage real estate, and ride my BMW R1200RT motorcycle. My Cornell experience set the stage for the success I enjoyed in my life. I’m sure most others in our class would agree that a Cornell education is a huge advantage for success in the ‘game of life!’” ❖ Richard Hoffman (email Richard) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory.

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1968

As we move from fall to winter, we have lots of news from our classmates. David Silverstein, JD ’73, continues his IP legal practice. He and his wife, Leslie (Roth) ’73, now live in Mashpee, MA, after moving from Andover, MA. They are both on the board of the Cornell Club of Cape Cod. They also have a second home near Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski resorts and take great pride in having raised two sons with Cornell degrees, Scott ’08 and Brett, MMH ’14, who are avid skiers like their parents. Now the third generation is on skis as well!

Susan Zodikoff Berke moved from Princeton, NJ, to Walnut Creek, CA, in 2022 to be near her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons. She is enjoying her new West Coast life, finding it easy to make new friends as she continues her oil painting passion after a career as a residential interior designer. Felicia Nimue Ackerman continues to teach at Brown University, where she is a professor of philosophy, specializing in bioethics, philosophy in literature, and moral psychology. She is also on the executive board of the Providence, RI, NAACP branch. Her poetry has recently been published in the Boston Globe, the New York Daily News, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and various online literary magazines. She would like to hear from her Cornell classmate friends.

Ira Shepard, JD ’71, writes that he is now living in Jupiter, FL, with his wife, Susan, and is still practicing law from his firm’s offices in Washington, DC, and New York City. He fondly recalls his nightly Ivy Room breaks! Fredrick Scholl, PhD ’76, recently moved from Clinton, CT, to Madison, CT. Among his many academic achievements, he founded and continues to teach at the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program at Quinnipiac University, where he developed 30 new online courses covering all aspects of contemporary cyber defense. He recalls all the great hockey games he attended during the Cornell hockey glory years when we were on the Hill. Ronni Gordon Bergman is retired. She and her husband, Richard, live in Beverly Hills, CA. She enjoys reading, painting, traveling, and spending time at their desert home in Rancho Mirage, CA. She and Richard have two children and five grandkids!

Chris Hoeber ’68, MS ’70, has authored an impressive 58 articles on cycling for the Los Altos Town Crier over a five-year period!

Chris Hoeber, MS ’70, and his wife, Mary, have been living in California since he graduated from Cornell. Recently, he has been working almost full time for the latest incarnation of his old company, Space Systems Loral (SSL). SSL is now part of Maxar, which Chris notes owns the largest commercial Earth-imaging company as well as the largest commercial space infrastructure company. Chris is also an avid cyclist and founder of a cycling club. With his current work responsibilities, he misses not being able to spend more time riding his bike! He has authored an impressive 58 articles on cycling for the Los Altos Town Crier over a five-year period! His last column was published this past January. Chris and Mary have been planning a move to a retirement community in Medford, OR, after living in the same house in Los Altos, CA, for more than 43 years.

I look forward to receiving news and updates from all of you. Please email me with anything you’d like to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 (email Steve) | Alumni Directory.

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1969

“Tag—I’m it!” Nancy Jenkins Krablin’s turn to be class correspondent! This column was submitted August 15, and you will read it as early holiday cards arrive! I started writing en route home from Ithaca and Reunion 2023. Larry and I were definitely enjoying a Reunion high! Ezra’s (paraphrased) quotes “to do the greatest good” and “to provide instruction to any person in any study” have become an even greater presence at Cornell than in our time. The student body, academic programs, off-campus opportunities, and living units reflect the founder’s objectives. If you were unable to enjoy our 50th, pencil in June 6–9, 2024. Help make our 55th a record-breaking event! Campus has continued to evolve.

Now for news from classmates. Dennis Groves writes from White Plains, NY, that his son had been working for the U.S. embassy in Moscow for 10 years and “managed to escape.” As a retired MD, Dennis recalls “great profs” Ulric Neisser and Andrew Hacker. Dennis also enjoys teaching sailing, gardening, and his family. From St. Petersburg, FL, Ronald Frers works three days a week as an integrative therapist doing clinical sports massage and craniosacral therapy. Ronald is enjoying life and his eight grandchildren, with fond memories of having lived in the beef cattle barns his junior year, which he describes as an “enlightening experience!”

Robert Weisberg remains active with his research group and graduate students as a distinguished professor emeritus in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida. Robert states that he learned responsibility, how to work, and also how to enjoy life while at Cornell. He was elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and enjoys sailing, skiing, writing, traveling, and his grandchildren! From Hewitt, TX, John Sulpizio reports that he spent two years rebuilding and remodeling a house across the street from his kids. He enjoys living near and mentoring his 12 healthy and growing grandchildren! John fondly recalls the beautiful campus, academic challenge, and great friendships from the micro-community of his fraternity.

Ronald Frers ’69 has fond memories of having lived in the beef cattle barns his junior year.

Stanley Davis greets us from Sanbornville, NH. Eleven years ago, he launched Standish Executive Search, an executive recruitment firm that he continues to sustain while enjoying happiness and success with his family. (This does seem to be a theme we share here in Downingtown!) Stanley, as many of us in all walks of life, now fully appreciates the exceptional education he received at Cornell, his from ILR. Kenneth LaPensee is writing novels, networking, learning German, playing violin/viola, working part time consulting for pharmaceutical or health insurance firms, and working as a third-party political worker in Hampton, NJ. (Ken must have discovered the elusive 26-hour day …) Oh, some traveling too: Hawaii, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean. Best Cornell memory: “Philosophy in 1965!”

Bill Shaw, JD/MPA ’73, is partially retired from law, active in a new municipal park on Cayuga Lake, and doing some traveling. He is also training for a triathlon, riding an ’05 Triumph Bonneville, hunting, fishing, and working on a tree farm. Bill has fond memories of DU, great faculty at Cornell, and local leadership with the Ithaca Youth Council. From Winston Salem, NC, Richard “Doc” Erali enjoys gardening, some travel, and barbershop singing in retirement. Oh, yes—and grandchildren! Hearing the Big Red Band on study breaks from Mann is Richard’s cited memory. You should see what fun the band men and women have now! Come to Reunion! If you play, bring your instrument and join both our class and the band in making music.

If you are reading the Class Notes in the electronic Cornellians right now, please take a moment to send us an online news form. We only get to read about the interesting lives of our classmates when they send in news, so please submit yours!

Most of your classmates who are planning our 55th Reunion, June 6–9, 2024, did not even know each other in 1965–69! The 313 classmates at our 50th, who returned to “10 square miles surrounded by reality” in 2019, may recall that ours was the last Reunion before COVID disrupted the world. For Reunion 2024, please come—either alone or together with a group of “reunion friends” who choose to experience the campus where some realities are suspended and others are very present. Plan now to enjoy magnificent Ithaca, the thought-provoking programs, and the inevitable nostalgia—and find your Reunion friends! Please reflect, reach out to any you remember, and encourage them to join YOU in Ithaca for our 55th! Perhaps your special skills as a project manager, artist, or data specialist would add to our team. Fair warning: Larry and I volunteered in ’79 and continue to enjoy being part of the team. Please take the time to respond to planning communications and come to Reunion 2024! ❖ Nancy Jenkins Krablin (email Nancy) | Alumni Directory.

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1970s

1970

I find it amazing that this is my 18th column since becoming class correspondent for our class. Column #1 was finished in late September 2020. How things have changed since!

In a previous column, I spoke of finding “treasures” of my undergrad days in boxes from family moving. There are many things about Cornell, but one sheet caught my eye and generated a short project. The sheet was labeled “Basic Engineering 103, Fall Term 1966, Lecture Seating Assignment.” Yes, we all had specific seats, so the professor would know who we were, and whether we were there! The project was to see if this list of 80 classmates would in some way confirm the old story of engineering graduating only one-third of those who matriculated in it.

Having some limited access to class records, I could see if classmates graduated, and from what school. Interestingly, in this group, 46 individuals (52.5%) graduated in engineering, many with additional Cornell degrees. An additional nine individuals graduated from Arts & Sciences, CALS, or ILR, meaning that nearly 69% graduated from Cornell—leaving 25 individuals (31%) who did not. So, in this very limited sample, over half of us stuck with becoming engineers and succeeded. So much for the one-third story!

Programs today are different, with better support and broader, more effective teaching methods and majors, along with better-prepared incoming students, such that much larger percentages remain and succeed in engineering. As the song goes “ … but, oh, to be 20 and back at Cornell …” And, since this is an alumni column, it would be interesting to know how many classmates remained in engineering as a career, and how many moved on to other areas, as I eventually did.

The other significant recent experience was Reunion 2023. Look in the September/October Class Notes for a column on the Continuous Reunion Club, co-written by me and my friend Connie Santagato Hosterman ’57. And be aware that our next class Reunion, our 55th, is now less than two years away! As there was no actual 50th, this could be the big one!

Richard Roberts (West Winfield, NY) writes briefly, as many of you have, about finding satisfaction in traveling now that he is retired and enjoying time with grandchildren. His favorite memories of his time at Cornell are around friendships built.

Patrick Kelly (Ottawa, ON) continues to find satisfaction in volunteering through the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and a group called Wreaths Across Canada, which places Christmas wreaths on the graves of the Canadian fallen. Patrick continues to work as a counselor for Health Canada as a member of the Psychosocial Emergency Response Team. He celebrated his 81st birthday in January and celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary in Abruzzo, Italy, the ancestral home of his Italian grandparents. His favorite memory of his time at Cornell is about working at Elba Pizzeria in Collegetown.

In 2020, my son and I visited the Republic of Benin and were officially recognized, in an elaborate ceremony, by the King in Allada, Benin.

Robert Jackson ’70, PhD ’81

William Highland (Ithaca, NY) enjoys spending time with his wife, Phyllis (William & Mary ’71), along with friends, including classmate Art Colas. As with many of us, time is spent reading, traveling, and serving on nonprofit boards. William notes that they attended their first Cornell’s Adult University event at Mohonk Mountain House. Of note is their established friendship with a young Ukrainian couple from Lviv, who arrived in early December. Part of the effort was to help them adjust, and also to find an inexpensive apartment. His favorite memories of times at Cornell are around the philosophy bull sessions with dorm-mates that went far into the night, skiing at Greek Peak, seminars with professors Richard Polenberg and Werner Dannhauser, and classes with Prof. Walter Burns, all for obvious reasons.

Byron Diggs (Cambridge, MA) continues to practice part time as a physician. Allan Reich (Glencoe, IL) simply states that his favorite memory of his time at Cornell was meeting his future wife, Lynne (Roth) ’71.

Kurt Gerhard Krammer (Concord, MA) continues his satisfying work part time in an Alzheimer’s clinic. He notes that he has also traveled to France, Austria, and Namibia, in Southern Africa. His favorite memory of his time at Cornell is stated in a rhyme: “I loved every day during my four-year stay.”

Arthur Litowitz (New Smyrna Beach, FL) has a significant list of what brings him the most satisfaction: grandkids, music, travel, reading, friends, golf, beach swimming, wine-tasting, family get-togethers, photography, hiking/walking, National Geographic, NPR, and PNB. (Whew!) Along with all this, there is estate planning, writing poetry, and intergenerational interests shared with millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z. Arthur’s favorite memories of time at Cornell include Cornell United Religious Work and involvement in bringing to a peaceful end the Straight takeover, along with Woodstock weekend.

Murem Sakas Sharpe (Savannah, GA) has additional news from the last time she was in the column. She was recently appointed to a six-year term as a board member in the consumer advocate role on the Chatham County (GA) Board of Health. She notes that this is the fifth largest county out of the 159 in Georgia, with a population of over 304,000. Interestingly, as a government major, this is the first time she has been a government official!

Robert Jackson, PhD ’81 (College Park, MD) begins by noting that he and his wife, Fatimah Linda (Collier) ’72, PhD ’81, have been married for 51 years and have six accomplished children (!). Robert says, “I recently retired as the professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). I had been a professor at UMD for 30 years and the department chair for the last seven years before retirement. During my academic career, as an international nutritionist, I got to travel and work in many countries, including countries in Africa. After a successful academic and administrative career, I began to search my ancestry and lo and behold I found out, through DNA testing, that my African ancestors came from the West African country of Benin. In 2020 my son and I visited the Republic of Benin and were officially recognized, in an elaborate ceremony, by the King in Allada, Benin, and made princes. In July 2020, the King and his council of royals gave me a Fon name and the title ‘High Dignitary Prince.’ While a student at Cornell, I never realized that I was a descendant of the Allada and Dahomey royal kingdoms! ‘Wakanda Forever’ now has a new meaning for me!”

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s online news form. ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 (email John) | Alumni Directory.

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1971

This past spring was the season for several reunions of classmates. Phi Epsilon Pi held a mini-reunion for brothers from the classes of 1968–72 on April 22. 45 men attended the event at the Cornell Club–NYC, including eight of our classmates: Mark Katz, Ken Marks, Joe Petrone, David Robinson, Ken Werker, Jay Goodwin, Gary Koslow, DVM ’74, and Joe Milano. Some of the Phi Eps married women from the Class of ’71, so a group of women attended the cocktail reception at the beginning of the evening before going out for a “girls” dinner. The wives were Linda Germaine-Miller, Sandi Taylor Eisenstein, Arlene Rosenfeld Schenker, and Gilda Klein Linden. Elaine Chasen Garrod ’70, Beth Shapiro Stroul, and Laurie Eisenstein Gottlieb ’72 also joined the girls’ dinner. Despite a cold rainy evening, it was a wonderful time to see old friends, reminisce, and share stories about days at Cornell.

In March, John Henrehan, BS ’76, attended a reunion for WVBR, the commercial radio station that is owned, operated, and managed by Cornell students who comprise the nonprofit Cornell Media Guild. And on April 28, Marcia Flicker and other “Sunnies” gathered for the Cornell Daily Sun’s annual reception meeting of alumni and current staff (who journey from Ithaca) at the Cornell Club in NYC. Both WVBR and the Sun have been unparalleled training grounds for students who have entered the fields of broadcasting and journalism.

On May 19, the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City was opened to the public for their annual “Open Sessions” event, which permitted visits to classrooms, featured student presentations of new business ventures, and awarded monetary grants to the winners of the judged competition. The Class of 1971 hosted a gathering for classmates following the event in the Panorama Room of the Graduate Hotel, adjacent to the Tech campus, where we were treated to a spectacular view of Manhattan from the 18th floor while enjoying drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and conversations with former and new friends. Attendees, in addition to Dale Cohen, who organized the class gathering, included Joey Kolodrub Burtaine, Martha Coultrap, Gilda Klein Linden and her husband, Jeff Krawitz, Michael Licitra, Richard Quaranto, MBA ’72, and his wife, Doreen, and Richard Warshauer and his guest Steve Ludsin ’70. Nancy Slachta Fabrikant and her husband, Steve, attended the Tech presentations but missed our gathering to visit with friends they ran into while on Roosevelt Island.

Success begets success, and as I write this column the class council, once again spearheaded by Dale Cohen, is planning another Class of ’71 gathering in conjunction with a weekend conference (October 27–29) honoring the work of beloved Professor Walter LaFeber, to be hosted on the Cornell Tech campus. Though the conference will be over by the time you read this, plans were for it to kick off with a Friday reception and a viewing of LaFeber’s final lecture. On Saturday, six panels assessed the impact of LaFeber’s most important scholarly books. On Sunday, there were two roundtables, one composed of U.S. policymakers and the second, leaders of the corporate, legal, and financial worlds who discussed the impact of LaFeber’s teachings on their careers. Hats off to historians Richard Immerman (professor emeritus, Temple University) and Bob Hannigan (professor, Suffolk University), who together with a posse of other LaFeber disciples, including classmate Andrew Tisch, have been involved in the planning and execution of this important event.

We were treated to a spectacular view of Manhattan from the 18th floor while enjoying drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and conversations with former and new friends.

Cara Nash Iason ’71

Living in Ohio post-retirement, William Russo is involved in STEM and music volunteer activities as well as spending time with his and wife JoDee (Anderson) ’75’s five children and five grandchildren. William’s favorite memories of Cornell involve marching in the Big Red Band, which introduced him to new friends and places that he would not have experienced without it. 2022 was a big year for Harry LeVine III—he left academia in June (retiring from the faculty at the University of Kentucky) and then celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Melissa, the following November.

Other classmates have eschewed retirement and continue to actively participate in their careers. Molly Mead lives in Northampton, MA, and continues to teach courses at Amherst College, consult full time, enjoy long walks in the woods, and spend time with her adult children. A short distance away from Molly, Thomas Nally calls Brookline, MA, home. Since 1989, Tom has served as senior advisor of A Better City and its predecessor organization, the Artery Business Committee, where he mentors less senior staff and coordinates all infrastructure planning efforts for the organization, including work on the Urban Ring, the Central/Artery Tunnel, and Metropolitan Highway System projects. Prior to his tenure at A Better City, Tom managed design excellence initiatives and served as deputy director of the Corrections Special Unit for the Massachusetts Division of Capital Planning and Operations. He has also consulted on projects across the region, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Southwest Corridor Project. Tom has served on the Brookline Economic Development Advisory Board since 1995 and is currently president of the Greater Point Neighborhood Association. He is a registered architect and after receiving his Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell he received his Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture and Master of City Planning degrees from MIT.

Meanwhile, up in Ithaca, our old stomping ground, R. Kevin Lacey, a professor of Middle Eastern and Ancient Mediterranean studies at SUNY Binghamton, is busy with various translating projects (Arabic to English). Kevin recently published a book on an Arabic poet and freethinker and has submitted for publication an anthology of Arabic to English translations. When he is not working, Kevin and his wife, Gladys Varona, are busy with landscaping and house renovation projects. And out in Long Beach, CA, when he is not enjoying traveling (most recently to Portugal), physician Jeff Punim continues to practice endocrinology three days a week.

Lastly, we received the somber news that Donna Vlasak-Lidsky died on May 13, 2023, of pancreatic cancer. After Cornell, where she majored in design and environmental analysis, Donna received a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan. Donna worked as a transportation planner for several municipal planning agencies, the consulting firm HDR, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Agency, and the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences, where she retired as a senior program officer in December 2015. In her youth, Donna participated in Sokols (a Czechoslovakian-sponsored gymnastics organization) and was an avid skier. After working, raising her two children, and volunteering for the Special Olympics in the D.C. area, Donna and her husband, Mike, had retired and relocated to North Carolina, where she continued to be actively involved with Cornell. We will miss you, Donna.

Stay in touch—we love to hear from you. ❖ Cara Nash Iason (email Cara) | Elisabeth Kaplan Boas (email Elisabeth) | Alumni Directory.

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1972

Greetings to and from the Class of 1972! My name is Frank Dawson, and this is my first class column for Cornellians. I was born in Harlem, NYC, and my family moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan when I was 3 years old. I have been living happily in Los Angeles, CA, for more than 40 years, but I will always regard the Lower East Side as my home. My wife, Brenda, is from San Francisco (my favorite city in California), and I have a son, a daughter, and two wonderful grandchildren, ages 4 and 6.

When I attended Cornell as an undergraduate student from 1968–72, turbulent protests and mindful gatherings outside the classroom were as impactful as what was achieved in the classroom. While participating in the 1969 Willard Straight Hall occupation, I discovered my career goal when the WVBR station signal was switched to a remote transmitter, and leadership could no longer voice the group’s intentions firsthand. The next year, I secured a shift at WVBR, cementing my career ambition.

After completing an MS degree in television and radio at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, I returned to Ithaca to launch the late-night radio program “Nightsounds” with my Cornell ’72 classmate Stan Reaves, BA ’74. Stan wrote the proposal to President Dale Corson that secured two positions to develop, launch, and operate that late-night, four-hour music and news entity. It would last more than 11 years, until the station was sold. After that, I knew that L.A. had to be my next destination, and the work I love has held me a willing hostage in this city ever since.

When I attended Cornell, turbulent protests and mindful gatherings outside the classroom were as impactful as what was achieved in the classroom.

Frank Dawson ’72

Peter Katona (Los Angeles, CA) and his wife, Dorothy, are enjoying family time, especially with their grandkids, and I can certainly relate to that! Peter also devotes time to consulting, developing building projects, and following various sports. Taking time to explore the broad outdoor opportunities that California has to offer, he and his family split time between homes in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. One of the most impactful memories Peter recalls regarding his Cornell experience is the opportunity to be on his own.

Now in their sixth and seventh years of retirement, Thomas Giordano, ME ’73 (Scarsdale, NY) and his wife, Gail (Fiteni) ’73, are certainly not slowing down. They especially devote time to community organizations and travel, travel, travel. Their most recent trip was to Egypt and Jordan, and by the time you read this column they will have covered the Iberian Coast, North Africa, and its ancient cities. The couple have a son and two grandchildren who live in Helsinki, Finland, and—surprise, surprise—Tom and Gail visit frequently.

Howard Schub, BA ’71 (Atlanta, GA) is a great example of the possible rewards that could be gained through service at Cornell. Howard first met his wife, Susan (Brachfeld) ’73, when he served as a freshman orientation counselor. After a full-time career as a pediatric neurologist, he now works part time for a nonprofit child and family center in Atlanta. Howard and Susan have two sons: Eric, who lives in New York City, and Michael in Atlanta. Today they enjoy travel and spending as much time as possible with both families.

Eric “Rick” Norman (Oakland, CA) and his wife, Angela (Ithaca College ’72), celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 19 with a renewal of their vows with a party at the Faculty Club at UC Berkeley. Among their 60 family members and friends were Jim Durham and Bob Currie, who were Rick’s dormmates freshman year in Sperry Hall. ❖ Frank Dawson (email Frank) | Alex Barna (email Alex) | Wes Schulz, ME ’73 (email Wes) | Susan Farber Straus (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

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1973

Our 50th Reunion still lingers in my memory. I’ll agree with fellow correspondent Dave Ross that the campus footprint has expanded remarkably since we arrived in 1969. It’s no surprise that a world-class university would need to create the room to grow, and no one would miss the U-Halls. We did stay in the dorms, so the Hill was there to invite our bones to walk up it. No tray sliding, though, as the weather was cooperative. I also discovered that after 40 years of being a class correspondent, most people knew my name and appreciated my work, a pleasant surprise.

I enjoyed seeing old friends and attending the many lectures and events, though I’ll admit that tent parties are out of my league now. My husband, Dave, and I arrived on Friday for the dinner and guided wine tasting. A hospitality professor provided each of us with a flight of white wines from the Cayuga region. I can’t say I remember them exactly, except that they made the night enjoyable. We sat with Richard and Jackie Preziose Bower, MS ’75, and had a most delightful evening catching up on our lives.

A highlight of the weekend was re-watching the Agents of Change documentary. It was just as compelling the second time, and the panelists, moderated by Renee Alexander ’74, added depth to the events in the movie. I also met Denise Meridith for the first time. I bought her book, Thoughts While Chillin’: Autobiography of a Black Public Servant. I recommend it as a look at life before, during, and after Cornell, when things were changing but much remained the same. It was a delightful and heartfelt read.

I also discovered that after 40 years of being a class correspondent, most people at Reunion knew my name and appreciated my work, a pleasant surprise.

Phyllis Haight Grummon ’73

Sadly, Danielle Lombardo Trostorff, one of our Reunion co-chairs, died shortly before it began. We very much appreciated the work she and Debbie Greene Rothman did to make our weekend at Cornell one of the best. The well-appointed break room and nightly ice cream socials kept us in touch throughout. The Friday night dinner and reception were at the RGB tent, outside its namesake building, where fields once lay by Helen Newman Hall. Tyler Nordgren, PhD ’97, an astronomer, was our guest speaker. It was a chance to sit down with friends and meet fellow alums you never knew on campus. Of course, name badges are essential, since we’ve aged. As my husband and I like to say, we all have the same syndrome: OLD.

I said hello to fellow Donlon Hall 2C friend Julie Hailparn Ginns. I also heard from a former Donlon roommate when I sent a Reunion postcard reminder. Linda Foxworthy lives near Boston, where she has been a nurse practitioner in community health centers for 40 years. Now a Spanish speaker, she has done volunteer work in Guatemala for over 22 years. She and her husband have two sons and two granddaughters.

Not everyone stayed in the dorms, so dinners were a time to sit with old friends. The Saturday night dinner was held at the Botanic Gardens. Carlyn Buckler, associate professor in the hemp program, was there. Who knew such a thing existed? We managed to assemble for the class picture, over 260 of us! I ate with friends Ellen Rosenthal, also from Michigan, Susan Coan, from Massachusetts, Wendy Jennis, from the D.C. area, Judy Goldman Nuñez, from New Mexico, Ed Schechter, MBA ’74, from Connecticut, and Ellen’s and Ed’s spouses. I also ran into old classmates Chris Hunt, BS ’79, and Rod Welch. Of course, it’s always nice to see my fellow class officers in person, and to say thank you to my fellow correspondents.

Be sure to keep us up to date on your life. ❖ Phyllis Haight Grummon (email Phyllis) | Pam Meyers (email Pam) | Dave Ross (email Dave) | Alumni Directory.

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1974

By the time you read this, Charles Shapiro will likely be on the high seas with his wife on a 112-day cruise around Africa and Asia. When they return home to Omaha, NE, there are grandchildren to enjoy, and Charles reports that he delights in bringing a smile to their faces. He also says he is using his “agronomic skills working in the Tri-Faith Garden, which grows vegetables for four food pantries in Omaha.” Please send in some highlights from your voyage, Charles!

I am going to take a wild guess and say that Raymond Kase Jr. really enjoys snow and the great outdoors as he alternates living in Eden, UT, and Anchorage, AK. Of course, it could just be that he has sons living in both places! He recently welcomed a fifth grandchild, Persephone, and gets the most satisfaction these days from holding his grandchildren. I’m very curious to know the names of your other grandchildren, with the latest addition suggesting at least one of your family has a love of Greek mythology.

Vincent Coggiola III and his partner, Karen Flanigan, are living in Warrington, PA, where Vincent is a notary with PA Auto Tags and Notary. He finds enjoyment working with customers performing title transfers and automobile registrations, traveling with Karen, and spending time with their two grandchildren. He is thinking of retiring within the next four years and has fond memories of campus life and learning at Cornell. Robert Hoff reports that his favorite memories of his time at Cornell are those of the beautiful campus, his fraternity, Delta Chi, and “the many social and sport activities there.” Robert and his partner, Elaine, live in Paw Paw, MI, and are enjoying grandchildren and their lakeside home. He writes, “This year we are demolishing our lakeside home and rebuilding it to modern energy efficient standards. Our son and family relocated to a mini-farm near us and both work from home. Our oldest son just changed jobs, moving from the Boston area to San Antonio.” In retirement, Robert and Elaine are involved in church leadership, gardening, boating, and extensive travel internationally and by RV domestically.

There is also news from Regenia Hicks, who lives in Missouri City, TX, and retired in summer 2022 from her work with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department. She then started a business, Hicks Strategic Consulting LLC, and has been traveling and enjoying quality time with family (especially with 5-year-old kindergarten-bound granddaughter Ezri Grace) and friends. Some of her favorite memories from her time at Cornell include living in Dickson Hall, Johnny’s, meeting her first husband, graduation from the College of Human Ecology, and making lifelong friends. And parties!

The highlight of our family trip to Europe was the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg.

Donna DeGarmo Willis ’74

Donna DeGarmo Willis writes from Pompey, NY, “I have been retired for eight years now, and spend summers biking and winters cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. I volunteer with our local historical society and food pantry. How did I ever find time to work 40-plus hours per week?” She’s also a traveler, it would seem, and goes on to say, “My daughter, my sister, and I did a family trip to Europe this spring. We visited Munich, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. But the highlight was the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg.”

Not yet retired but making plans to do so this year is John Patrick Knuff. He lives with his partner, Paula Marks, in New York City and leads his company’s talent acquisition department. Pat’s favorite memories of his time at Cornell are of the many evenings sitting in the den at the Delta Upsilon fraternity, just talking with his DU brothers. Another classmate who has not yet retired is Kendall Minter, JD ’76. He is living in Stone Mountain, GA, and practicing law, “specializing in the fields of entertainment, media, and intellectual property.” He’s getting the most satisfaction these days from his family, including celebrating the recent birth of his third granddaughter, Sierra Grace. His favorite Cornell memories are of his time at the Willard Straight Hall desk, announcing for WVBR-FM and WTKO, and making lifelong friends there.

Congratulations to classmate Michael MacNeil of Miles City, MT. He is the 2023 recipient of the Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award from the American Society of Animal Science. My quick internet search of Miles City, MT, revealed that it was once the location of the largest horse market in the world according to their Chamber of Commerce. Here’s hoping Michael will write in about how he and partner Betty found their way to Montana and some background on his award-winning work.

I’ll close out with a very fun little video link sent to us by Perry Jacobs. Do you recall the TV show “To Tell the Truth”? Did you ever spend an evening out at the Boxcar “disco” and bar in Ithaca? Even if you never visited the Boxcar, this is such a fun video featuring Thomas “Gary” Morfit from the Class of ’67 that I’m sharing it in hopes that you will enjoy it as much as Jim Schoonmaker and I did. See the video here!

Whatever news you choose to share, please know it is always much appreciated. ❖ Molly Miller Ettenger (email Molly) | Jim Schoonmaker (email Jim) | Alumni Directory.

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1975

The mailbag opens with news from Janet Rivkin Zuckerman. Janet and husband Joseph ’74 reside in New Rochelle, NY. She is a psychologist, with her interest in the field having been nurtured in HumEc.

Bill Martin is now retired. He and his wife, Nancy, moved to Pittsford, NY, in 2017. In 2022 he sold the house in Kinderhook and purchased an early 1800s farmette in Ontario, NY. Bill tells us the farm was purchased by W.M. Middleton in 1813 and shortly thereafter he built the house and barns. Much of the house is framed with American chestnut timbers and boards probably from the property. They were pit sawn or hand hewn.

The project does not sound like “retirement.” Bill continues, “The first few months were spent updating electrical and sewer and refreshing the kitchen, dining room, living room, and servants’ quarters. The dining room paper is hand painted or silkscreened. A former caretaker has informed us it was last refreshed in the 1960s. We fully moved in December of 2022. Our next projects include selling the house in Bushnell’s Basin, refreshing the den, and working on the bathrooms. Then I plan to tackle the 1800s barns and fences.”

In their spare time, Bill and Nancy frequently assist in caring for their two granddaughters (ages 10 and 8) and are “Reading Buddies” in the local school. He is a corporate officer for a charity in the Capital District. Together they volunteer for Camp Joy Inc., a residential camp that serves adults with developmental challenges.

Cornell Daily Sun reporter and fellow ILRie F.X. Flinn gives us an update. For over a decade, he has been representing his Vermont town on the governing board of ECFiber, a special-purpose telecommunications district created in response to the failure of the private market to bring cable or fiber broadband to its rural towns. On June 27, ECFiber officially “lit” the last segment of the 23-town network in White River Junction.

Flinn, chair since 2020, reports, “ECFiber has 8,000 customers and its network comprises about 1,700 miles of fiber-to-the-premises internet service available to more than 24,000 homes and businesses. The organization started by building to unserved areas and was mostly done before the pandemic hit, having only areas with good cable service to build out and compete against. As a government that operates an unregulated business in a competitive environment, ECFiber finds itself grappling with institutional and organizational issues constantly. There is no question in my mind that my ILR degree has helped me in this role.” Flinn and his wife, Linda Labriola, live in Quechee, VT. And a small footnote: Francis, as we called him then, and I went to the same grammar school in Huntington, NY—St. Hugh of Lincoln. Are there other classmates out there that can also boast such a long connection?

Joe ’75 and Barbara Shumaker Levitt ’75 celebrated their 70th birthdays with two big trips: to Hawaii (to see the sun!) and to Amsterdam (to see the tulips).

Joe and Barbara Shumaker Levitt celebrated their 70th birthdays with two big trips: to Hawaii in January (to see the sun!) and to Amsterdam in April (to see the tulips). In Hawaii they visited three islands (seeing Pearl Harbor on Oahu), had a terrific whale-watching trip off the coast of Maui, and saw the scenic Waimea Canyon on Kau’ai. In Amsterdam, they admired the fabulous Keukenhof gardens (80 acres of tulips and more!) and the special Vermeer exhibit at the world-renowned Rijksmuseum. Going forward, the couple plan to stay closer to home at their vacation home just south of Bethany Beach, DE. True romantics—their favorite time at Cornell was meeting each other in freshman Russian literature class!

Harry Solomon shares his recollections of freshman year at Cornell. He writes, “I had a job at the Straight setting up Wednesday evening events, including international folk dancing in Memorial Hall. (You may recall that folk dancing was quite a thing on campuses back in the ’60s and ’70s.) Since I had to wait until the event was over to reset the furniture in the room, I joined in the dancing—and got hooked as a regular. By senior year I was also leading the Israeli dance session on Thursday night in Anabel Taylor. Fast forward to March 2020—I was on the team running the Evanston, IL, weekly international folk dance session, and the pandemic arrived. No more folk dance in person, but we cleared out the furniture from our living room, and within a week pivoted to running sessions on Zoom from our new ‘dance hall.’

“Then a funny thing happened,” Harry continues. “Folk dance groups around the country also moved to Zoom, and people started attending sessions that were impossible to attend when you had to go to a location in person. It actually created quite a cohesive international dance community that kept us sane during the lockdowns, and that persists even as we resume dancing in person. Our Evanston group now ‘broadcasts’ twice monthly on Zoom, and we typically have 30 people dancing in person, and twice as many joining virtually (from as far away as Bangkok).” He poses a question to us: “Now as we contemplate our 50th Reunion, is anyone interested in planning an evening of folk dancing? To be honest, I don’t enjoy the music in the tents on the Quad and would much prefer an evening of international, contra, and Israeli dancing. Folk dancing might be the perfect alternative!”

Curt DeGreff writes from Pinecrest, FL. After nearly seven years at the Parkinson’s Foundation, he retired as CFO at the end of December, working through several mergers and rapid growth with a great team. “While the search for the cure for the disease continues, there have been great strides in research, care, and education,” he notes. After 41 years in the corporate world since graduating from Cornell, he often comes back to what we learned in our classes. And Harold Bierman’s advice that ‘the one with numbers always wins’ proved to be so true (and helpful)!”

I had the great fortune to visit Susie Corner Rosen and her husband, Rob, last March in Charleston, SC. She, Kimberly Gordon ’74, Myrna Bank Gardner, and Anne Kelley Anderson recently traveled together to Europe, catching up on children, grandchildren, jobs, and more.

Visit our class website and our Facebook page. ❖ Karen DeMarco Boroff (email Karen) | Deb Gellman, MBA ’82 (email Deb) | Mitch Frank (email Mitch) | Joan Pease (email Joan) | Alumni Directory.

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1976

Michele Landis Morisy and husband Randy Soileau were married this past February. Her children, Michael Morisy ’07 and Kathryn Morisy ’11, and their spouses were there, as were Randy’s children. Michele has gone from no grandkids to four, with two more on the way this year! They feel very fortunate to spend time with each of them.

Michele and Randy also enjoy many events through the Cornell clubs in Washington and Maryland. Randy had retired last year after 26 years in the U.S. Air Force and then a 21-year career mostly at the Pentagon. He worried he’d be bored! Ha! Michele’s dragon boat team, a breast cancer support group, has recently added a mixed team that Randy has raced with—winning gold and silver medals in a D.C. race this spring!

This spring, 20 of Michele’s Tri-Delta friends from the mid-’70s gathered in Annapolis for a reunion—a tradition started in 1999 in Newport by Mary Caso Miller and Donna Fulkerson LaVallee ’77. Life is grand, she reports.

Your class correspondents, Pat and I, look forward to hearing from you, so please send in any news you would like to share with classmates! ❖ Lisa Diamant (email Lisa) | Pat Relf Hanavan (email Pat) | Alumni Directory.

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1977

Gary Buerman lives in Newark, NY (I did not know that there was a Newark in New York!), and reports that he gets the most satisfaction these days from woodworking and working on old cars. During retirement he is walking trails in the Finger Lakes, dog training, and volunteering at the Trail of Hope in Lyons, NY. His favorite memory of Cornell was walking up Stewart Avenue every fall when classes resumed and he would see his friends again; he lived in Cayuga Lodge, Ezra Cornell’s carriage house.

Lori Auster lives in Scarsdale. Her spouse is Ross Cooper. She finds most satisfaction these days working as a dentist and fabricating jewelry. Everything is great with her family, and she really enjoyed being at Cornell. She continues to be engaged with and support Cornell.

Mara Johnson lives in Hustle, VA, and gets the most satisfaction spending time with her mother and relatives. In retirement, she spends her time in physical therapy and gardening. Her cousins’ children are having children. Her mom and aunts are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. She fondly remembers walks and scenery at Cornell, because they were so peaceful. She reports that her son left this earth in 2021. Please accept our deepest condolences, Mara.

Bruce Schafer, MBA ’79, gets the most satisfaction from helping others and getting personal tasks done. He is currently in year seven of “unemployment” after 12 years at Morgan Stanley operations and 23 years at ADP before that. His girls have been working diligently for more than five years at Comcast and JB&B. On a personal level, Bruce and his wife, Donna, have devoted time to neighbors, a cooking club, the Deutscher Club, and church. His favorite memory of Cornell is meeting students from other cities, states, and countries, and he has stayed in contact with many of these folks over the decades.

Please keep all of your news and views coming in via the online news form. ❖ Howie Eisen (email Howie) | Mary Flynn (email Mary) | Alumni Directory.

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1978

Greetings, all! My mailbox was chock full of ’78 news. Thanks to all who sent updates to share. Travel was a major theme this round.

Jay Carol Wilson and husband John Kuschner ’77 did a through hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2022, taking time off to attend their oldest daughter’s wedding and a family reunion. Greg Wickham is working part time and serving as president of his condominium association in Treasure Isle, FL. He and wife Lisa took a 10-day Caribbean cruise earlier in the year.

Another busy traveler is Larry Skoczylas, who went to Bosnia/Herzegovina, Portugal, and Texas last year. Larry is an oral/maxillofacial surgery consultant for Delta Dental in Michigan and can choose the number of hours he wants to work. Jody Katz is also traveling in between settling into a downsized apartment and teaching water aerobics. Nina Silfen and daughter Sarah went to Portugal in April and to Southern Italy in July.

Walt Donzila, ME ’81, is enjoying “being out of the daily corporate pressure cooker!” He and wife Marilyn run an interior design business in Glastonbury, CT. Their recent projects include restoring historic home interiors. He also serves as a “fractional executive,” helping startups and early-stage companies build sales and marketing operations. Walt’s favorite Cornell memory was the fraternity and sorority parties and the friends he met, many of whom he keeps in contact with.

Nancy Kilmer DuBois ’78 is training her three golden retrievers for various dog sports such as dock diving, agility, and scent work.

Jeff Holker is running a software business for a large German company. In his free time, he’s focusing on his photography skills (his pun, not mine), breadth of experiences, and business relationships to narrow the economic and social gaps between Blacks and Caucasians in Minnesota. He’s also active in hiking, climbing, and pickleball. He recently reunited with a long-lost fraternity brother he hadn’t heard from in years. One of Jeff’s fondest memories was his tutorial with Carl Sagan that opened his eyes to worlds beyond our galaxy.

Nancy Kilmer DuBois is spending lots of time with six grandchildren under the age of 3. Her other pursuit is training her three golden retrievers for various dog sports such as conformation, obedience, rally, Fast CAT (not sure my two felines would approve of this pursuit), dock diving, agility, and scent work. Manette Mallon Scheininger, MS ’80, has returned to art in her retirement. She works in mixed media, beading, and needlepoint. One advantage of the pandemic for Manette was that it brought her family close, which has been continued through Sunday dinners.

Debbie Friedman is retired and spending her time writing and being an activist in Western Massachusetts. She has two books coming out in the next year: Immigrants, a short story collection to be published by Creators Press, and a poetry collection to be published in 2024 by Querencia Press. You may have heard Debbie play the “Alma Mater” or the “Jennie McGraw Rag” on your way across campus back in the day, as she was a chimesmaster for all three years at Cornell. Also in the arts file, Jeanne Arnold Schwetje is back on stage at the North Fork (Long Island) Community Theatre. She’s in a play called Crisis at Christie’s Café. Polly Kreisman took advantage of the writers and actors strikes to write a screenplay called Drama Queens with two collaborators.

Pat Reilly is keeping busy in retirement by babysitting her two grandchildren and doing tax preparation with AARP. She attended the post-Reunion Baker Tower reunion at Melinda Dower’s house, along with Rivki Beer, Linda Bruckner, and Athena Jamesson, JD ’88.

That’s all the news I have for this issue. Ilene will be handling the next two columns. Happy holidays! ❖ Cindy Fuller, PhD ’92 (email Cindy) | Ilene Shub Lefland (email Ilene) | Alumni Directory.

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1979

Our Cornell Reunion in 2019 seems like a distant memory because so much has happened since then. Like so many of us, I (Linda Moses) can’t wait to visit campus for our 45th Reunion (June 6–9, 2024), schmooze with classmates, and experience the glory of the Finger Lakes. Our Reunion co-chairs, Larry Stone and Cindy Green, have been working hard to make this another memorable get-together. Our headquarters and dorm housing will be in Hu Shih Hall, one of the new first-year dorms on North Campus that opened in fall 2022. As plans develop, we’ll let you know about them via social media as well as our class website. Expect to receive registration information in late March or early April. If you’ve been to past Reunions, you know how much fun they are—and if you haven’t, it’s never too late to attend your first Reunion. Bring your classmates, family, and friends and let’s celebrate!

Ken Rubin reminisced that, during his first week on campus in 1975, he met four young men who, to this day, remain his best friends. Over the years, careers, families, and thousands of miles have separated the group and made visits all too infrequent, with two residing in California, one in Florida (Ken), one in Massachusetts, and one in Connecticut. But when the pandemic hit and work morphed from in-person to Zoom, they decided it was time to use technology to reconnect. For more than three years, the five of them (Brett Cohen, Dave Halberstadter, Wayne Meichner, Bruce Rogoff, and Ken) have had a standing weekly Zoom call where they share stories from their days at Cornell and catch up on family events, sports, and politics—and generally act as if they are still in college. Though they spend an hour together, one member of the group generally joins late or leaves early—no real surprise, as he was the one who frequently slept through classes, only attending the important ones, mostly at exam time! Ken was looking forward to an in-person gathering of the group and their wives in California in October.

Cynthia Kubas ’78 hosted Paul Varga’s retirement party in Neptune, NJ, on February 18, 2023. The event was well-attended by Cornellians, including seven of Paul’s Psi U brothers (Don Lee ’77, BS ’83, George Licht, Bruce Coren ’78, Mike Lynch ’78, Glen Dempsey ’75, Mike Donahue, and Fred Dreibholz ’77), plus Dan Leonard from Delta Upsilon, as well as hometown friends from Bayonne, NJ. A great time was had by all! Paul worked in industrial sales for most of his career.

Mike Curran recently finished writing his first book, a historical novel called Metis: The Life and Times of Charles de Langlade. Mike tells Langlade’s life through a series of interviews with a young reporter from the New York Evening Post. Langlade was a unique character—part French and part Odawa, and he served in the French Marines, fighting against the British in the French and Indian War. When the French lost, the British retained his services for the next 25 years as a key liaison with native tribes throughout Canada and the Midwest. He fought with the British against the colonies in the Revolution. His expertise and connections were so important that the new American government retained him in a similar capacity for almost 20 years. This remarkable, mostly unknown man is often referred to as the “Father of Wisconsin.” If anyone is interested in the book, Mike would be delighted to hear your comments (positive or negative).

Ken Rubin ’79 reminisced that, during his first week on campus in 1975, he met four young men who, to this day, remain his best friends.

Another author is Diane Zahler who lives in New York’s Dutchess County. She published two new children’s novels in 2022 and 2023: Goblin Market, a fantasy based on Christina Rossetti’s poem (Holiday House), and Wild Bird, a historical novel set during the Black Death. These days Diane says she gets the most satisfaction traveling and writing. She recently took trips long delayed by COVID: to Italy and to Botswana and South Africa to celebrate her husband’s retirement.

Judah Kraushaar, MBA ’80, and his wife, Michele, live nearby in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, where he feels most fulfilled raising beef cattle on their family farm. Judah is an active board member for Scenic Hudson, where he focuses on revitalizing cities along the Hudson River. Judah and Michele are enjoying their wonderful grandkids, aged newborn to 3.

Laura Grinberg Bennett lives on Long Island and reports that she too gets a lot of satisfaction from her family, kids, and grandchildren. She continues to work as a pediatrician.

Doug Deane wrote from California that he enjoys building and restoring motorcycles. He is about to start restoring his 1981 Honda CBX 1000 that he bought new to celebrate passing his professional engineering licensing exam in that same year. Doug retired from his full-time position as CEO of DSD Business Systems, but he is still board chair, which keeps him entertained for a week every month. Sadly, his wife, Dana, passed away in 2015. But his cat Sammy, who Dana dearly loved, is still going strong. His favorite memory of Cornell is Professor Al George. In collaboration with Alumni Affairs and Development, last year Doug established a scholarship fund in George’s honor.

Dennis Conway gets gratification from vacations in California and elsewhere. He teaches video production and other classes at Valdosta State University in Georgia and also edits the Journal of Media Education, sponsored by the Broadcast Education Association. Dennis’s favorite Cornell memories are sitting in Uris Library gazing at Cayuga Lake and attending the musical concerts.

Please share your Reunion plans, travels, work, and other personal and family news for our class column. Submit your news via the Share Your News form, the online news form, or emails sent directly to any of your class correspondents: ❖ Linda Moses (email Linda) | Danna Levy (email Danna) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea (email Cynthia) | Alumni Directory.

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1980s

1980

This column was written during the early fall season of new beginnings, a new semester, and the Jewish New Year celebration, with the process of reflection, introspection, and renewed commitments. This column will be read during the end of the fall semester as the Hanukkah and Christmas holiday season approaches. The class sponsored a block of seats for the annual Thanksgiving hockey game—this year it’s Red Hot Hockey, with Cornell playing Boston University on November 25 at MSG—and the popular pregame party.

Congratulations to the class for raising $7,416,227 in donations for the Cornell “to do the greatest good” campaign (the fourth-highest total in class history). Please continue to stay in touch as the class develops programs and events to celebrate the upcoming 45th Reunion in 2025.

The Class of 1980 has embarked on a new project to digitize the remaining issues of the Cornell Daily Sun from our undergraduate years. The issues posted online will provide a terrific resource for background research on events from 1976–80 for Reunion planning and other class programming. The class needs to raise the funds to pay for the digitization costs, with Olin Library staff managing the project, and we welcome your donations of any amount.

Classmates and trustees Beth Anderson and Mary Armstrong Meduski presented at the Annual Fund breakfast during Trustee-Council Annual Meeting (TCAM) on October 21 and Margaret McFadden Carney, university architect, led tours of Atkinson Hall and presented Trustee-Council life members with an update on creating architectural designs for new campus buildings and incorporating historical structures.

Esther Elkin Mildner and her husband, Mark, celebrated the joyous wedding of their daughter Alana Mildner ’10 to Joshua Smolow at the Beth El Synagogue Center located in New Rochelle on September 3. This beautiful and exuberant celebration was well attended by Cornell alumni including the bride’s sister, Erica Mildner ’15, Leona Barsky, MS ’81, Margery Salshutz Brauner, Martha Francis Fischer, Nancy Schlicht Hall, Robin Rosenberg ’81, Linda Ripps Feder, Janet Goldin Rubin ’79, Stacey Levine Silverman ’74, Mary Farrell, Candace Crocker Warren, and Lisa Privett-Wood.

Will Dickerson ’80, PhD ’92, completed his 30th year as an English teacher at the Szent László Gimnázium located in Budapest.

Will Dickerson, PhD ’92, shared that he completed his 30th year as an English teacher at the Szent László Gimnázium located in Budapest in June. Wipf & Stock recently published his book, titled The Fingerprint of God, and Will is currently writing his second book. He enjoys teaching, interacting with the teens, and exploring new places, particularly the thermal springs in Hungary. Will expressed gratitude for his Cornell education and professors including James John, Brian Tierney, Winthrop Weatherbee, John Najemy, and James O’Donnell.

Cornell Hillel celebrated the annual Tanner Prize event at the Bowery Hotel in Manhattan on June 13 and honored the prize recipients Herbert Neuman ’53 and Elena Neuman Lefkowitz ’88 for their contributions to and support of the Cornell Jewish student community and Cornell Hillel. Brian Levey and Leona Barsky serve on the Cornell Hillel Board of Trustees and attended the Tanner Prize event. Brian has been serving as a key member of the building committee and Leona has served as a trustee for over 12 years and currently serves as co-chair, campus climate committee, focusing on addressing and eradicating antisemitism and bias on campus. Cornell Hillel initiated the public campaign to fund the new Hillel building for the Cornell community located on University Avenue in West Campus during TCAM and provided tours of the building site.

Leona created the Jason Barsky Radin ’16 Memorial Program to honor and remember her son and his commitments and legacy with Cornell Hillel. The Jason Radin ’16 Jewish Peoplehood Learning Fellowship debuted this spring as a joint opportunity for Cornell students and Israel Hillel students to learn together through digital platforms and connect through meaningful and dynamic interactions to stimulate reflective dialogue; spark the essentially Jewish sense of caring about each other, the Jewish people, and Israel; deepen personal commitments to belonging to the unique global Jewish community; and assist with developing the students’ personal Jewish narrative and identity. Leona shared that she is grateful to her son Jeffrey Radin ’19 and her family and Cornell friends for supporting these initiatives to continue Jason’s commitments to the Jewish people and Israel and his legacy as a student leader.

The class celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of our classmates who have experienced transformative changes and opportunities during the 43 years since graduation. The columnists welcome you to share your achievements, family celebrations, and next steps as you transition to a new stage in your life and celebrate your newfound freedoms.

Please continue to share your news since our column is a terrific way to connect with Cornell friends and memories. ❖ Leona Barsky, MS ’81 (email Leona) | Dik Saalfeld (email Dik) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 (email Chas) | David Durfee (email David) | Alumni Directory.

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1981

Life is so incredibly busy I am not sure which way to go. My two children, Ella and Brayden, are both in high school—albeit two different high schools—in Boca Raton. Fortunately, Ella drives herself to school and Brayden takes the bus right outside my community. We are busy with college applications and more for Ella! And Brayden has gotten used to his new school. I was lucky enough over the past few months to get to see a few Cornellians during my travels, including Karen Levine Whitman in Swampscott, MA, during my annual trek to Marblehead, MA. We took a fabulous power walk and chatted over coffee! In New York, I went to dinner and the theater with Susan Levitt and had breakfast with Howie Borkan and happy hour with Janet Ellison Pearsall! Everyone is doing well, which I’m happy to say!

Also, in the NYC/New Jersey area, Rhea Floersheimer Kaston took a brief foray into law and then returned to human resources. She has been with Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) for more than 20 years in increasingly responsible roles. BNED operates on-campus bookstores at hundreds of colleges and universities in the U.S. Rhea has been married for 30 years and her two sons both graduated from college in 2021, one from Monmouth University (digital animation) and one from Hofstra University (television production/business).

Upstate, Ross Getman tells us that he met his wife at Cornell and they married at Sage Chapel. (I also went to the wedding of our fellow classmate Celia Rodee, who got married at Sage soon after we graduated!) Ross spends most of his free time on Klein Island, near Syracuse, where there’s a blue heron rookery with 50 nests and a pair of eagles.

Craig McGlynn earned a master’s in landscape architecture at Harvard and has been a practicing landscape architect ever since. He worked a few years in Philadelphia, then moved back to Cambridge and worked a few years in Boston. In 1991 he made the big journey west and lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area for about 25 years. In 2016 he moved to Portland, OR, with his partner (Wannee Lertkornkitja) and in 2019—late in life—they had their first child, a little girl named Montana. She is now the focus and the joy of their lives. The professional accomplishments that he is most proud of are the built projects that hopefully have contributed in some small way to make the world a better or more beautiful place: the Bryant Park restoration in New York City, horse farms in the bluegrass regions of Kentucky, the national Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and graduate student housing at Stanford University. He is continuing with new projects in Northern California and Oregon. His five years spent at Cornell and in Ithaca were truly formative and the place where he found his life’s passion and vocation; he is eternally grateful for that.

Ross Getman ’81 spends most of his free time on Klein Island, near Syracuse, where there’s a blue heron rookery with 50 nests and a pair of eagles.

For their 40th wedding anniversary, Renee Miller-Mizia and John celebrated by attending son J. Colin’s hooding and PhD ceremonies at Tufts University (organic chemistry), followed the next weekend by daughter Alyse Mizia ’09’s hooding and MS ceremonies at Cornell (nutrition, her second master’s degree). All this was followed by Colin announcing his engagement. So much to celebrate!

Lisa Freeman, MS ’86, DVM ’86, was recently elected a trustee of the board of directors for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo in Illinois. Since 2018, Lisa has been the president at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb. She first joined the faculty in 2010, serving as vice president for research and graduate studies and a professor of biology. During her time at NIU, Lisa has been committed to making the campus an environment where students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds feel welcome and included. She has worked to support all aspects of the university’s mission, emphasizing NIU’s enduring commitment to promoting the social mobility of its students, producing high-impact scholarship opportunities, and engaging with the DeKalb region.

Lisa has been widely recognized for her professional contributions and the impact on the communities she has lived and worked in. Her honors include being named Outstanding Veterinarian of the Year by the Association for Women Veterinarians, acknowledged by local businesses as a Castle Bank Community Leader, and invited to join the influential leaders of the Chicago Network.

Lisa previously spent time at Kansas State University, serving in various leadership and faculty roles, including associate dean for research and graduate programs for the College of Veterinary Medicine. During her academic career, Lisa has also published research focusing on the role of ion channels in the development of diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcers and ovarian cancer, as well as on strategies for encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. Her research has been funded by agencies like the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.

Red Hot Hockey is back—Cornell vs. BU at Madison Square Garden on November 25! Our class will have a block of tickets together, as we have most every year since the tradition of a Thanksgiving weekend men’s hockey game in NYC began. Come join us! Please let us know how you are doing. We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Betsy Silverfine (email Betsy) | Alumni Directory.

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1982

News is thin again. We had a few contributions, and I will mine a few from our class’s online Reunion memory book. Thank you to all who have posted a contribution to it—lots of good stuff there!

Andrew Glassman was the lead attorney on an award-winning deal: Connecticut law firm Pullman & Comley has won a prestigious International M&A Award for its role in Kansas City-based Enjet Aero’s acquisition of Newington-based Integral Industries Inc. The award, which is presented by the M&A Advisor, is in the Industrials Deal of the Year (under $100M) category. Andy is the current co-chair of Pullman’s business organizations and finance practice.

“I’m thrilled that Andy and his team have received this well-deserved honor,” says the chair of the firm. “He understands that every deal he’s a part of is a monumental moment for not only the owners of the business, but for their employees as well. Andy handles his M&A work with painstaking attention to detail and respect for everyone involved. Awards and recognition have never been a motivation for him, which is part of the reason why they keep piling up.” This honor is just the latest for Andy in his distinguished career at Pullman. He was recognized in this year’s Chambers USA, a leading business guide to the legal profession, in the Corporate/M&A category. Andy was also named Hartford “Lawyer of the Year” by the Best Lawyers in America in the area of M&A law in 2022 and 2023. And the Connecticut Cannabis Chamber of Commerce named Andy, who is also chair of Pullman’s cannabis, CBD, and hemp practice, the 2022 Attorney of the Year.

Chris Hanson reports, “I’m semiretired, living and recreating in Bozeman, MT, these days. Dave Block came out from Florida and visited for a week—went to Yellowstone, turned him into a popsicle on top of Beartooth Highway (10,947 feet), did some fly fishing, and even caught some (fish, not flies!). The sun in the winter makes up for the cold days, and the skiing is great.”

I never would have gotten through my freshman year, much less the rest of my writing-oriented life, were it not for the walk-in writing clinic in the basement of Goldwin Smith Hall.

Mark Jacobs ’82

It seems that, between visits to Saratoga Race Course to bet on the ponies, Terry Kilmer Oosterom and her sweetie, as per Facebook, appeared to be trying to catch every concert at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center this past season, from the Philadelphia Orchestra to Guns N’ Roses. What an awesome summer in my old backyard!

When you visit our memory book, after you check out your friends and dorm-mates, visit the adjacent Mark Jacobs and Marc Jacoby pages. To do them justice you need to see the entire page, so I will just give a few excerpts from each. From Marc Jacoby of New York City, re: what advice would he give his younger self or future Cornellians: “study small engine repair and digital file management.” He also says that he got a BA in Frisbee and that the thing that influenced him the most or changed the course of his life and career at Cornell was, “Clever Hans Bakery products on Sunday morning.” His favorite places/events: “Ithaca Festival, Grassroots Festival, Zobo at Nite Court, buzzing in the Plantations [now the Botanic Gardens], and swimming at bizmans lunch [Businessman’s Lunch Falls].”

Mark Jacobs lives most of the time in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He says, “The experiences that form the highlights of my life were largely shared with my partner of 42 years, Yoo-Mi Lee ’81. The exploits I have selected for mention [on his memory page] are as much a product of her creativity and élan as mine.” Among many fascinating observations, Mark says, “We had astonishingly excellent, plentiful, diverse live music in the Middle-of-F@#%ing-Nowhere, NY. I learned as much about art at the Patti Smith concert at Bailey Hall as any event I’ve ever witnessed.” He provides a little-known fact about a Cornell service. “I never would have gotten through my freshman year, much less the rest of my writing-oriented life, were it not for the walk-in writing clinic in the basement of Goldwin Smith Hall. It is unlikely you ever visited; in all my hours there, I never saw another undergraduate seeking help. The grad students who worked there surely stumbled on the easiest work-study gig in the whole university; but when asked to help, they did wonders for me.”

Mark agrees with Marc on the gorges: “I loved the gorges. The most romantic place on campus was the small gorge above Beebe Lake in a snowstorm at night. I braved a storm to cross the lake on cross-country skis—which was always a bit of a struggle—and entered a magically sheltered place of hanging ice and gently falling flakes, dramatically illuminated by the partial glow of a streetlamp from the road above.” Mark sums up his post-Hill years thusly: “I have tried to lead a life of service and activism. I delight in small projects that aim to foster kindness, generosity, and community.” Both Mark and Marc have many other fascinating insights, observations, and cool photos on their pages. After viewing theirs, add yours to the book so we can all enjoy them! ❖ Mark Fernau (email Mark) | Nina Kondo (email Nina) | Doug Skalka (email Doug) | Alumni Directory.

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1983

Wonderful to hear from Michael Kantor, who is executive producer of the “American Masters” series on PBS. He writes, “I enjoy visiting Cornell with Scott Ferguson ’82 to meet with students and screen programs in the theater in Willard Straight Hall!” A favorite Cornell memory: “Watching it snow on the Arts Quad and getting a comfy chair at the A.D. White Reading Room in Uris Library.”

It was lovely to meet Theresa Baccoli Harte at Reunion. She shares news from Rochester, NY, where she is clinical nutrition manager of the Human Milk and Formula Lab at the Golisano Children’s Hospital. These days, Theresa enjoys spending time with family and friends. A favorite Big Red memory: “Eating popcorn on study breaks with my Bryant Avenue apartment-mates—comradery and shared misery!”

“Another ‘Tousey Fest’ is in the books,” writes George Tousey, who for more than 20 years has run the fabulous Deli Belly’s specialty sandwich, soup, chili, and breakfast shop in Frisco, CO, with his wife, Lisa, and sons, Garrett and Geordie. In June, George and Lisa welcomed more than 20 ATOs to Frisco for a weekend of fun and friendship. George kept the crew busy—boating, fly fishing, golfing, hiking, eating great food, and, of course, playing euchre. In addition to George and members from other years, Class of ’83 attendees included: Pat Burke, Dick Cornell, Pete Dalldorf, Dave Davis, Neil Donovan, Steve Fitzpatrick, Stewart Glickman, Mark Harbold, Bill Johnson, and John Weir, MBA ’84. Upstarts “Old Man Weir” and “Dr. Pete” surprised many except themselves and emerged victorious at the annual Saturday night euchre tourney. “We’ll change that next year!” assures George.

Big shout out to fellow U-Hall 3 “Masters of Disaster” who made it back for the 40th Reunion: John “Calti” Caltabiano, Kurt Lozaw, Tom Owens, ME ’84, MBA ’01, and Tom Zacharopoulus. During Friday evening dinner, Calti surprised folks with fabulous photos of our freshman fun, including the wonderful labeled picture of the whole crew, 50+ of us in the Dustbowl. If you would like a copy, please email me. On a somber note, our thoughts are with the family and friends of fellow MOD, Nick Ktenas, who sadly passed away during COVID.

Deborah Moss lives in Pittsburgh, where she practices pediatrics, consults at a health insurance company on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program, and advocates for child health issues. She enjoys writing and mentoring young adults. “I’ve just joined the board of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and can’t be more excited!” Deborah and her spouse, Keith Somers, enjoy adventures, hiking, and spending time with their two adult children, one in Madison and one in Philadelphia. Fun fact: Deborah placed out of physical education by ringing the Chimes of Cornell’s famous clocktower!

David Weil sends updates from Brandeis University. “I am professor and former dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and plan to remain an active researcher for a long time to come!” David served as the administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in the Obama Administration and remains active in labor and work policy at all levels of government. A favorite Cornell memory is taking classes from Professor Nick Salvatore. “I wrote my senior thesis for Nick and the experience led me to a career in academics. Nick was a tremendous mentor and influence on me.” Congratulations to David on his “soon-to-be grandparent” status!

Every two years or so, I return to Central America to donate goods and build homes and a hospital. I receive much more than I give.

Heidi Merckens Chadbourne ’83

Heidi Merckens Chadbourne writes, “I am a consumer protection inspector of food stores, manufacturers, and warehouses, in fields like weights and measures, feed, seed, and fertilizer. In 1992, Rotary International Exchange selected me to go to the Dominican Republic for a month with five other young professionals. Since then, every two years or so, I’ve returned to Central America to donate goods and build homes and a hospital. In February this year, I worked with Safe Passage in Guatemala City. I receive much more than I give.” Heidi recalls rowing freshman year. “I almost flunked out but learned time management. I made good friends—still strong today.”

Jim Carlquist is in Fairhope, AL, working remotely for a small company in Austin. “I’m still doing engineering after 40 years. My youngest daughter, Megan, graduated from University of Arizona in December 2022. I always remember the Hot Truck for the best late-night food anywhere!”

Marilee Temple Harris, MAT ’85, resides in Maine. “I am teaching sixth grade, pastoring a church, and running a nonprofit for low-income housing. My youngest graduated from St. Lawrence University—the last one to graduate from college!” Marilee loves seeing her daughters excel in what they do. She recalls walking from North Campus to the Ag Quad in three feet of snow, grateful she had L.L. Bean boots to keep her feet warm and dry. “I enjoyed that I was at a college where we enjoyed the outdoors, and it wasn’t in the city.”

Josh Gully writes from Summit, NJ, where he resides with his spouse, Robin. “My family, my work, and wonderful friends bring me the most satisfaction these days. Our daughter, Liz, got married in the fall of last year. I joined a boutique wealth management firm called NewEdge Wealth.” Josh fondly remembers his time on the Cornell lacrosse team. “Coach Richie Moran, who passed away in April last year, was and is so very special!”

Amy Siegle LaGambino from Webster, NY, shares exciting news. “In October 2022, I became a high school teacher for the first time! I teach digital and visual communication to juniors and seniors. I was a communication major at CALS.”

Thomas Leach wants classmates to know that he and his spouse, Clara Cantu-Leach, are living in Sedona, AZ. ❖ Stewart Glickman (email Stewart) | Nancy Korn Freeman (email Nancy) | Alyssa Bickler (email Alyssa) | Tom Helf (email Tom) | Jon Felice (email Jon) | Alumni Directory.

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1984

We have some exciting news in this column. Allow me, your class correspondent, José Nieves, to kick us off. My wife, Kelly, and I and are thrilled to announce the birth of our granddaughter Gianna “Gigi” Alejandra in July 2023! She is truly a beautiful, precious, and healthy bundle of joy! You can tell that I am a completely unbiased “abuelo” (grandfather), right? Yes, we’ll be stopping by the Cornell Store next June during Reunion weekend to get her some Cornell swag. Oh, and is it ever too early to start teaching a child the words to the Cornell “Alma Mater”?

Cheri Hoffman Yanuck shares that she and her husband, Sam ’82, just moved into a lovely house on a lake in the middle of nowhere. Cheri has been working remotely for three years, and she will likely continue to do so. She is working part time in a private psychiatric practice, specializing in trauma. Her daughter is in graduate school studying social justice education, and her son is in medical school. Cheri says that she loves watching the herons, otters, and geese in their backyard. She also likes to sing and swim, and she can’t wait to invite friends to visit out on the lake. Cheri fondly remembers listening to the Chimes play when she was at Cornell, especially the “Alma Mater.” She also recalls spending time with friends during the summers in Ithaca.

Peter Mavroudakis wrote to say that he is now retired and enjoying snowbirding between Florida and Pennsylvania with his wife, Wendy (Schwier). Their daughter, Jennifer ’21, is a PhD candidate at Boston University. Their son, Matthew, graduated in 2023 from the University of Tampa, and he received a second lieutenant commission in the U.S. Army.

Dennis Mitchell, BA ’86, shares the news that he became the interim provost at Columbia University in July 2023. His oldest daughter, Danielle ’26, is entering another year at Cornell’s School of Architecture, Art, and Planning. Dennis says that coming to campus as a father 40 years after his own Cornell experience has been incredibly satisfying for him. Two of his three daughters are now enrolled in college, with Angelique at Barnard College. He and his wife, Bridgette, are indeed very proud parents! Dennis says, “Without a doubt, joining the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity was one of my most rewarding experiences at Cornell. I remain close with my fraternity brothers to this day.”

Saul Gitlin is now working from home on a brand-new deck, which he built the first year of the pandemic, next to a pool. He is the executive director of Mount Sinai International, which is the international clinical consultant arm of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. He directs all their system projects in Asia and China. His son, Guy, is building a career in the cannabis industry. His daughter, Cali, is a food consultant after getting her BSA in nutrition and entrepreneurship at the University of Texas, Austin. Saul’s favorite memory of Cornell is spending his freshman year in Mary Donlon—such great friendships and camaraderie!

Cheri Hoffman Yanuck ’84 and her husband, Sam ’82, just moved into a lovely house on a lake in the middle of nowhere.

Tom Post shares that he attended the Dead & Company concert with daughter Katie Post Wagner ’09. They were joined by many fellow Cornellians and their children, including Andy McGaan ’83, JD ’86, Scott Fowkes ’85, Greg DeStefano ’85, Harish Bhandari ’83, BA ’85, and Joey Damiani ’81. It’s always a great time when Cornellians and their families get together!

Keith Freidenberg is building his business, which provides infrastructure for medical practices to operate clinical trials. He is a full-time gastroenterologist and CEO of the Clinical Trials Network. He received an MBA specializing in the business of medicine in 2020. His favorite Cornell memory is the Libe Slope Tanning Society—the Slope is at the perfect angle for a perfect tan.

Lisa Almedina McQuade shares that her work and her two corgis, Rubi and Lilly, are what brings her the most satisfaction these days. She is a full-time assistant professor at Lone Star College in University Park, where she teaches health and wellness courses, including yoga and community and personal health. She finished her doctorate in kinesiology in 2021. Her middle daughter was married in 2020, and her youngest will marry in October 2023. Her husband, Darren, is still working, but he could retire. She fondly remembers the gardens at Cornell. Between classes, they gave her peace—just walking from class to class, enjoying moments in nature.

Chris Thompson enjoys spending time with his daughters and making more memories with them. Chris has a 7-year-old daughter and two other daughters who are engaged to be married in the next nine months. He works full time for Infovista as a software development quality assurance manager. Chris’s favorite Cornell memory is working on lab homework assignments with his Phi Kappa Psi brothers. Directing the Phi Psi 500 was also an unforgettable event for him.

Catherine Scarlett writes to say that family, mentoring, and giving back by volunteering brings her the most satisfaction these days. She is still an ILRie and she loves reading. Catherine changed from full-time chief human resources officer and chief of staff at NBT Bank to part-time special advisor and liaison to the board of directors. She is also figuring out what she would like to do with her new-found free time. She fondly remembers the beauty of the Cornell campus and the surrounding Ithaca area.

Stay tuned for the next installment of our trek toward Reunion 2024 in less than a year! Please don’t hesitate to write to your correspondent. ❖ José Nieves (email José) | Alumni Directory.

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1985

Hello, fellow 1985ers! Well, this is the year we turn 60. A milestone. We are 38 years out of school. (Sorry to throw so many big numbers at you.) Many of us have children that have graduated college or are married, and you may even have grandchildren at this point. It amazes me how fast time flies!

Jim Rowe writes in from Nottingham, PA, that he and wife Bettie are into organic gardening and horseback riding. He is an emergency veterinarian. Jim says he had a great time at a U-Hall freshman reunion last summer and misses the Ithaca gorges. (Me, too!)

Amy Smith Linton lives in Ruskin, FL, with her husband, Jeff. She states, “I’m finally getting that novel published—doing it the new-fashioned way, by myself.” She is writing, racing sailboats, and working at rehabilitating an old farm in northern New York. Amy remembers fondly the hikes to and from class either with classmates or solo, just “savoring the success of having gotten to Cornell and making it work.”

Louis Kunz and wife Patti are working out day-to-day life on their farm, while he is also a project engineering manager for Fluor Nuclear Power Group. His favorite memories from Cornell are “the life experience from freshman year in dorms, fraternity life, and incredible professors who connected lessons to the real world.”

Ted Alexander retired from Preservation North Carolina, serving as its western regional director after 18 years, and is now devoting his time “further to my service in the North Carolina Senate, where I am still supporting the cause of historic preservation.”

Sam Kamel writes that he’s “definitely not retired!” He is working with several growth companies and serving on boards. He enjoys time with family and friends, and biking, running, and swimming. He has boys in high school who are into swimming, doing Boy Scouts, and growing up too fast!

Jenifer Steig-Strugger writes in from New Jersey that she is enjoying time with friends and family, playing tennis, skiing, exercising, and working. She has been working in the real estate business for over 30 years. Her stepdaughter, Sara Strugger, married Joshua Siegel; Sara’s mother, Melissa Jacobs ’84, stepfather Alan Baren ’84, father (Jenifer’s husband) William, and Jenifer all walked her down the aisle! Jenifer’s daughter Abby is attending the University of Rochester.

I’m finally getting that novel published—doing it the new-fashioned way, by myself.

Amy Smith Linton ’85

Ellen Baum Rabinowitz is living in Rhode Island, where she and her husband explore walking paths by the ocean and around the entire state. She truly loves the smell and breeze of the ocean. Ellen misses everyone, especially on the first day of freshman year and the last day of senior year with everyone smiling! Jim Adelson wrote in that he is traveling a lot these days.

Margaret Frey, MS ’89, is still working as a professor in the College of Human Ecology and teaching courses in fashion sustainability. Doug Masters was looking forward to returning to Barton Hall with son Adam ’20 to see the Dead & Company show!

Harry Chiam writes that he is a commercial analyst in healthcare with a side gig in sustainability. His son Christopher got married earlier this year. They had two weddings, as they are from two different churches! He is learning sustainability at Cambridge and Harvard so he can do his part to reduce greenhouse gases so that “together we have a world that our children and grandchildren can live in.” (Something we all need to do, I think!) A great memory for him is filling a wagon with hay with his friend Jonathan Adams and they traversed the length of the Ag Quad during the CALS festival. He also remembers Victory Club!

Kathleen Dillon Carroll, MBA ’86, is still running her marketing consulting firm, the Branding Clinic, helping companies with consumer insights and developing brand positioning. Her son, Dillon ’20, and his best friend, Mark Kreynovich ’20, BS ’19, who was born on the same day as Dillon in Kharkiv, Ukraine, have started a crowd fundraising campaign called Mission for Ukraine. When Putin invaded Ukraine, the two young men felt this was a call to action. They started the campaign with the intention to go help for one week and raise $5K for humanitarian efforts; when they landed in Vienna, they had already raised $20K. They live full time in Kyiv now and have raised and deployed over $600,000 in aid, including medicine, first-aid kits, food, shelter, and so much more. Many Cornellians have supported them. You can learn more at their website.

Kathleen’s younger son, Peyton, took a gap year to join them. She states, “While my husband, Randy, and I are proud of them, we wish for the end to this war and the calming of conflicts brewing in the world. It truly feels very different and more dangerous than the 1980s when we were at Cornell and the decade after starting our lives post-college.”

Thank you all for your information and for sharing your post-Cornell lives with us. I am still working in food and beverage as the director of dining in a senior living community in Alpharetta, GA. I love it! I have met a number of Cornellians, and we have many similar memories of the gorges, fraternity and sorority parties, times shared with friends, and lessons learned from amazing professors. Stay well and hopefully we will be able to get together for our 40th (OMG) Reunion in 2025! ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett (email Joyce) | Alumni Directory.

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1986

Charlie Brown may have sung that happiness is two kinds of (Cornell Dairy) ice cream, but for me, happiness is receiving an abundance of updates from the Class of 1986. Without further delay, let us hear from our colleagues and friends.

Jeff Dunlap, one of my all-time favorite redheads, shared from his home in Ohio that he remains very busy in his law practice. After 34 years, he is finding mentorship of young attorneys to be extremely rewarding. Jeff works in labor law at Ulmer & Berne, defending companies in wrongful termination and discrimination cases. Jeff runs the practice’s litigation department and serves on the firm’s management committee. Jeff and his wife are enjoying having their two daughters living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan; it is a great excuse for them to visit NYC.

Daniel Jones, MD ’90, is taking advantage of living the life in Saratoga Springs along with his wife, Stephanie (Brickner) ’88. During the week, Daniel is a professor and chair of the Department of Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and on the weekends he is hanging out at the local fishing holes.

Another physician in our ranks, Howard Boey, is an otolaryngologist in Portsmouth, NH. When not helping his patients hear and breathe better, he is enjoying time with his wife and children, exercising, gardening, and drinking tea. Howard’s son, Adam ’18, followed his father’s path, having the same major and living in the same apartment that Howard did. Adam is now an engineer with the U.S. Air Force. Howard’s daughter is studying medicine.

At the time of this writing, Eric Suss recently returned from Cornell Commencement 2023, where his daughter, Nina ’23, graduated summa cum laude from the Department of Chemistry. She will be studying for her PhD at Berkeley.

Adam Boey ’18 followed his father’s path, having the same major and living in the same apartment that Howard Boey ’86 did.

Lorraine Miano and her husband, David Fike, live in Maryland. Lorraine is making good use of her ILR education in her new role as learning and organizational development consultant. Lorraine is another proud parent of a Cornell graduate; her daughter, Deandra Fike ’18, also studied ILR. Son Graham recently completed his education at Virginia Tech.

Rounding out our cadre of delighted Cornell parents is Jeffrey Cowan, who wrote that he is still partying on cloud nine after his identical twin sons, Jason and Matthew, were admitted to the College of Arts & Sciences’ Class of 2027. Jeff expects that there will be regular visits to campus over the next four years now that he is an empty nester. (Anyone with connections to hockey tickets at Lynah Rink can contact Jeffrey.) He continues to practice employment and business litigation in Los Angeles and is focusing on doing more jury trials. In 2022, Jeffrey won a “long cause,” a three-plus-week jury trial, in Los Angeles by defeating a $20 million trade secret and unfair competition claim. Jeffrey had been hired after medical issues sidelined his client’s original lawyer a year earlier.

Southern New Jersey gastroenterologist Dordaneh Maleki appreciates the simpler things in life—namely “peace.”

Chris Georgaroudakis, BFA ’88, reports that he and his wife, Penelope, are busy raising their two children. Chris notes that his children are currently in the Ithaca school system and “have hopes and dreams of being successful Cornellians someday.”

I am perspiring as I think about Sun Lakes, AZ, resident Mariangela Nicolosi Noyes; Google says it is currently 106 degrees Fahrenheit in Sun Lakes as I write this column. While she is a recent retiree (from MetLife), Mariangela is keeping quite busy and loving her flexible schedule. She is working a variety of part-time positions, including with a nonprofit that helps families adopt special needs children from around the world. She also continues to write and present at state insurance continuing education programs and is a substitute teacher. I am exhausted thinking about all she is doing. Having not been back to Ithaca since graduation, Mariangela hopes to join us for our 40th Reunion. With any luck, her recent connection with the local Cornell Club will help her achieve her goal. Mariangela would love to hear from anyone in the Phoenix area.

So, dear classmates, if you want to make me and my fellow class correspondents happy, put pen to paper or hit that keyboard and send us an update regarding the happenings in your life. ❖ Toby Goldsmith (email Toby) | Lori Spydell Wagner (email Lori) | Michael Wagner (email Michael) | Ellen Nordberg (email Ellen) | Alumni Directory.

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1987

Thomas Riford serves as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Maryland. In that role, Tom manages the Maryland Office of Tourism, the Maryland Film Office, and the Maryland State Arts Council, and also oversees the marketing and communications efforts for the Maryland Department of Commerce.

In his free time, Tom volunteers for several nonprofits including the Maryland International Film Festival, which he founded 12 years ago. Tom’s son is a captain in the U.S. Army and a medevac helicopter pilot. Tom fondly remembers his days playing football for Cornell and working at the radio station.

Carol Dittenhofer DeNysschen is the dean of the School of Professions at SUNY Buffalo State. Her favorite memories of Cornell are the outdoors and the hills on and surrounding campus.

James Sturz’s second novel, Underjungle, was published by the Unnamed Press on August 1. According to Jim, “Underjungle is a tale of love, loss, family, and war—set entirely underwater. So War and Peace but 3,000 feet deeper, considerably shorter, and maybe a little funnier too.” The underwater world is a natural place for Jim to set a novel given that he has covered the ocean as a journalist for many major U.S. publications and is a dive master, free diver, and ice diver.

On August 8, classmates Marnie Dreifuss Gelfman, Whitney Weinstein Goodman, Leslie Kalick Wolfe, and Sharon Raider, as well as Marcy Epstein ’88 and Karen Lim ’93, MBA ’02, attended a launch event for Jim’s book at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. Jim discussed Underjungle and signed copies of it. Classmates Bart Schachter, who was visiting from San Francisco, and Caroline Friedman Levy also attended the event.

When he is not working as a senior healthcare strategist for Vanguard, Craig Standen is playing rhythm guitar for the band Disco Perfect. The band met in 2018 at the School of Rock Main Line in the Philadelphia suburbs. Despite its name, the band does not play disco music. Rather, according to Craig, they play “classic rock from the 1970s and beyond,” including hits from REM, the Stones, Radiohead, Blondie, Matchbox Twenty, Alanis Morissette, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and more.

Please do not hesitate to submit an online news form or write to either of your class correspondents. While we happily share news of new jobs, promotions, and books being published, your news does not have to be of that nature in order for it to appear in the class column. ❖ Liz Brown, JD ’90 (email Liz) | Whitney Weinstein Goodman (email Whitney) | Alumni Directory.

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1988

Howdy, Class of ’88! Lynn Berni here, writing from Salt Lake City to bring you my last column. Debbie Kaplan Gershenson, Aliza Stein Angelchik, and I are signing off as class correspondents, and Pamela Darer Anderson will take it from here. Thanks, Pam!

Let’s get started with our “Share Your News” mailbag. Now that Loren Gerlach is retired, backpacking is his life. After retiring at the end of 2021, he spent summer 2022 backpacking through Peru and Bolivia, last winter immersing himself in every corner of his favorite country in the world (Laos), and this summer backpacking in Africa for three-plus months. He writes, “One day in July, I got to spend four hours with mountain gorillas deep in the Ugandan jungle, which is every bit as magical as advertised.” For anyone interested in visiting Laos, Loren created a website to address the lack of updated practical info for tourists.

Motivated by insufficient access to psychiatrists, Ty Bristol took a leave from academic general pediatrics in 2020–22 to complete a psychiatry fellowship. Ty is now using all his “experiences and skills as a psychiatrist, pediatrician, clinician educator, and physician leader to improve behavioral health services for my community by providing care, and collaborating with key stakeholders to enhance the knowledge, skills, and systems of the people and organizations that impact the lives of those we serve.” When Ty isn’t improving the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents, he’s “enjoying the moments” with family and life in general. His favorite Cornell memory? “Visiting the Cornell Plantations,” now called the Botanic Gardens. “Before I knew what mindfulness meant, I was practicing it in this serene place on our campus. I am better for having those moments of quiet reflection.”

Ethan Brecher got in touch to let us know how proud he is of his daughters. Anna ’21 started at Cornell Law School this fall (she’ll graduate in ’26), and Ethan’s older daughter, Sarah, is a healthcare consultant living her best life in NYC. As a career milestone, this summer marked the 11th anniversary of his law firm.

I got to spend four hours with mountain gorillas deep in the Ugandan jungle, which is every bit as magical as advertised.

Loren Gerlach ’88

Lastly, Charles Snee sent this newsy email update after seeing all the great pictures from the 35th Reunion on social media: “I’ve not attended a Reunion since our 10th in 1998, when I came on board as treasurer for our class. I had to relinquish that job in early 2006, when I was notified that I would be deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; I served nine months as a public affairs officer at Kandahar Airfield in southwest Afghanistan and returned home in May 2007. I retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve in May 2012, following 21 years of combined active and reserve service.

“Since that time, I have continued my work on the editorial staff of Linn’s Stamp News, the world’s largest weekly news magazine for stamp collectors. Having been a collector for most of my 57 years, working for Linn’s is, in the words of a former colleague, like getting paid to eat ice cream. Next year will mark my 25th year with Amos Media, the parent company of Linn’s.

“My wife, Lynne, and I celebrated 31 years of marriage in February and are the blessed parents of three daughters: Katelyn, 26, who will this fall begin her fifth year as a seventh-grade English language arts teacher; Charlotte, 23, who lives in Chicago with three other fellow theater arts majors and is actively pursuing leads to become a voice actor; and Margaret, 19, who just wrapped up her first year at Miami University in Oxford, OH (about 90 minutes from our home in Troy, OH), and is working as a summer camp counselor at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton, about 20 minutes south of us. Both Katelyn and Charlotte graduated from Miami (classes of 2015 and 2022, respectively), so we will soon have a trio of Miami alumnae in the family. And last, but certainly not least, Katelyn got engaged in early July to her boyfriend of five years. Cheers!”

Please get in touch and let us know how you’re doing. Big news, small news, we want to hear it all. Share your updates online. Thanks! ❖ Lynn Berni (email Lynn) | Pamela Darer Anderson (email Pam) | Alumni Directory.

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1989

Hi classmates, family, and friends of the Class of ’89! I’m writing to you from a slightly different perspective this time: my lovely new home office in Montpelier, VT. Last May I moved from Burlington, where I’d lived for 30 years, back to my hometown about 40 miles away. It’s smaller (this smallest-in-the-nation state capital, that is, as well as my downsized empty-nester house) and the downtown area was sadly devastated by flooding in July, but the community spirit is terrific, and it feels good to be home.

Here on a woodsy hill on the edge of town, I’ve been enjoying the visiting hummingbirds as well as identifying other visiting birds with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s excellent free app, Merlin. Have you tried it yet? At a family reunion in Stevens Point, WI, this past summer, not only were my Midwest cousins avid users of Merlin, the app also helped confirm my dad’s amazing identification, by sound, of a rare yellow-billed cuckoo in the nature preserve there. Speaking of Cornell and birds, the webcams are a really fun way to connect with the feathery aspect of what’s happening on our beautiful campus—and get a lively break in your workday. Check them out if you have a chance.

On to what’s happening with our classmates! A few folks filled out the Share Your News forms—a great way to connect, as the prompts are right there to share what everyone wants to know, like your favorite Cornell memory. Beth Peterson let us know that her favorite Cornell memory is “RISLEY!” and that lately she’s been “chilling with my dad, Roland Peterson ’53.” Wow, congrats to him on 70 years of being a Big Red alum!

Jeffrey Spector wrote from Bethesda, MD: He recently marked 17 years working at Sodexo, where he’s an employment lawyer. And he celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary in September 2022 with a trip to Italy.

Brian McNamara sent in a thoughtful news form from his home in Frisco, TX. Listen to his response to the “favorite Cornell memory” prompt: “The inspirational walks across campus. There was not a day when I would not feel privileged to be part of the community.” Love that! Thanks for sharing, Brian, and for continuing the community connection with us. For work, Brian explains that he’s a career coach, assisting people who want to own a business, through his own business, the Entrepreneur’s Source. Lately he’s been getting satisfaction from being an empty-nester and researching retirement homes. He reports that his 24-year-old daughter is happily living in Chicago and is very successful as an IT recruiter.

Another convenient way to keep in touch with our class is to fill out the online news form. Donna Gitter did so last summer (yes, we have a little lag time), so I trust that her then-rising students are now well into their semesters. I’ve always loved saying “rising” with its rosy anticipation of things to come—I guess some of us could say we’re rising retirees now, eh? But Donna’s still busy, as she writes, “I have been enjoying teaching a generation of business law students during the last two decades, both at Fordham University and Baruch College, where I earned tenure. I have finally reached the age where I am old enough to be the parent of my students. Maybe that happened a while ago, but it only occurred to me recently now that my older son, Gabriel, is a rising junior at Bowdoin College. My younger son, Eli, is a rising senior at Hunter College High School.” It sounds like both work and leisure time are bringing Donna satisfaction these days, as she reports that she and her husband enjoy spending time in Vermont in the summer, hiking and swimming. And she’s also “involved in efforts to decolonize the business school curriculum and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in business education.”

We purchased a mountain home in North Georgia, where I can walk out my door and fly-fish anytime.

Zack Kollias ’89

We received career news about another classmate who’s at the Bar too: Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti LLP announced that Scott Coffina has joined the firm in the Philadelphia office as a partner in the government enforcement, compliance, and white-collar litigation; qui tam and False Claims Act; and Title IX practice groups. Scott’s past career accomplishments were noted in the announcement and are synopsized here: “In private practice, Mr. Coffina has led and/or conducted numerous internal investigations and defended individuals, corporations, and colleges and universities in a wide variety of high stakes matters. He focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, False Claims Act matters, compliance, political-legal controversies, healthcare fraud, higher education, and general crisis management. Mr. Coffina most recently spent five years as Burlington County prosecutor, having previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, senior deputy chief counsel to Governor Chris Christie, associate counsel to President George W. Bush, and staff assistant to President Ronald Reagan.”

Excellent career news too from Stacey Lowery Bretz, PhD ’94. She wrote last summer to tell us, “I will be leaving Miami University after 18 years to become the dean of the Getty College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio Northern University in Ada, OH.” I can’t include everything from the press release here (read it yourself!), but it noted that Stacey is a first-generation college graduate who has received numerous teaching awards, including Miami University’s highest faculty distinction award, the Benjamin Harrison Medallion, and has mentored scores of students who now teach chemistry at the high school and college levels.

Here’s an update from Zack Kollias, with warm invitations to connect, or at least to think of him while you’re driving! “Margaret and I are still living in the Atlanta area, but it’s been a crazy two to three years since the restructuring at Wendy’s eliminated my position. Both boys finished college. Tommy works for Orlando City Soccer Club as a partnership manager, and Kris is an architect at Cooper Cary. We purchased a mountain home in North Georgia, where I can walk out my door and fly-fish anytime. And … I most recently started a new position as the president of Applegreen’s U.S. Travel Plaza business. If anyone is traveling on the New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania toll roads, my company is keeping you refreshed on your journey. Hope to see many of you traveling during the summer. I have maintained my Georgia home but also have an apartment in Montvale, NJ, near our headquarters. I’m around during the week and happy to catch up with anyone living in the area.”

Jonathan Weinstein made good on connecting with fellow Cornellians recently—and got a good workout at the same time: “I recently biked 27 miles on the Dutchess Rail Trail with Ken Szydlow ’88 and Howard Greenstein ’88, then met up with Scott Winikow ’90 for lunch. We all had a great day and reminisced about our time on the Hill. The ride was in preparation for the NYC Five Boro Bike Tour, which I completed in May with my son Matthew. Next up (hopefully) is the October Marine Corps Marathon in the Washington, DC, area.”

I’m going to have Jonathan sign off this column, as his words capture what we’re all thinking, right? He says, “I’m looking forward to joining the crew again at our Reunion next year! (Is it really our 35th?!) Karaoke, anyone?” Indeed, save the date as you’re looking at next year’s calendar, June 6–9, 2024. Thanks to those of you who shared your news. We’d love to hear from more classmates! ❖ Anne Czaplinski Treadwell (email Anne) | Lauren Kidder McGarry (email Lauren) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon (email Stephanie) | Kris Borovicka Gerig (email Kris) | Alumni Directory.

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1990s

1990

Season’s greetings, classmates! Christmas came in June for Cornell Club of Japan board members, Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) Japan volunteers, and me when Toshi Matsuo ’94, BS ’93, ME ’94, generously donated 100 tickets for the final pre-opening day of the new Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo–The Making of Harry Potter, the largest indoor Harry Potter attraction in the world.

A longtime veteran of Warner Bros. Japan, Toshi is the VP of studio tour development and visitor experience operations, and the park opening was the culmination of a giant five-year project. The Cornell gathering at the new theme park was Toshi’s magical way of thanking his fellow Cornell volunteers for their time and efforts for our beloved alma mater. At the event, I finally met Paul Daniel, MBA ’90, a Facebook connection since April 2014. Everyone was excited to meet Paul’s son, pro tennis player Taro, a huge Harry Potter fan. Later in June, Paul also caught up with his former roommate in NYC, Keizo Tsutsui, a graduate of Keio High School, which in August won its first Japanese national high school baseball championship since 1916.

Congratulations to David Owens’s New York Grays, who won the 16U at the Commodore Classic baseball tournament hosted by Vanderbilt University. Former New York Gray and MLB star Harrison Bader gave the team a virtual pep talk prior to their championship game. Another classmate in the metro New York area is Alan Flyer. He and his wife own three Mathnasium Learning Centers on Long Island. Their youngest child is a senior at Princeton. Alan regularly attends the NCAA hockey Frozen Four with his Delta Tau Delta brothers Jeff Benensohn, Sonny Sonnenstein, MBA ’91, Eric Paley, Scott Rice, MS ’91, and Bill Davidson, ME ’92.

Kevin DiCerbo celebrated his son Kieran’s high school graduation with a trip to Japan. A giant typhoon made their travel from Tokyo to Osaka a 14-hour challenge, but we managed to catch up for fireworks in Ikeda, the city in Osaka where Cup O’Noodles were invented. Many moons ago, Kevin and I used to play softball with the Cornell Club of Los Angeles. At the time, he was a ride engineer, building Jurassic Park at Universal Studios Hollywood. In a strange coincidence, I currently help Universal Studios Japan ride engineers from Orlando find housing for their Japan work assignments. Kevin told me that his Sigma Nu brother Tom Cooney is retired from the Department of State and unintentionally helped ILR alum Lee Miller find a career as an international academic tutor and college counselor to children of diplomats. Lee began as virtual tutor to Tom’s children, and word of mouth has helped grow his clientele list over the years. Lee is currently living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Joining the list of expat classmates is Cecile Bouchardeau Weiland. She and her family are moving to Paris for a year to be closer to her mother, sister, and relatives. Cecile hopes to put her TV production experience from the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics to good use and help with the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. I e-introduced Cecile to Cornell Club of France president Curt Bartosik ’89, a longtime Paris resident. Bonne chance, Cecile!

Janice Chen ’90 of Raytheon Technologies was recognized with a career service award by the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers.

Best wishes to David Cohen in his bid to be re-elected to the San Jose City Council. Whenever I feel pessimistic about the news coming from the U.S., I instantly feel better after reading one of David’s e-newsletters about the events and initiatives he plans for his constituents. His office recently funded a dumpster day event for the Penitencia Neighborhood Association to help strengthen community ties by organizing a litter pick-up. Hats off to David for doing the greatest good in Northern California!

Former class president Kevin McManus was an executive challenger for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night fundraiser. He is currently the chief people officer at Syndax Pharmaceuticals.

Janice Chen of Raytheon Technologies was recognized with a career service award by the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. In August, Janice was a panelist at the Women in Missile Defense luncheon hosted by Raytheon and the Women’s Business Council of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce. Janice is associate director of U.S. Requirements and Capabilities for Land & Air Defense Systems. When I told Janice that I help defense contractors from Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman with housing needs in Iwakuni, she warmly commented, “I know that the team at LM and NG appreciate your assistance. Thank you for doing all you do. I love how all of us are making a difference, one person at a time.”

Speaking of which, class fund representatives Karen Mitchell and Matt Rubins shared some highlights of the greatest good that the Class of 1990 did for Cornell in 2023: $2,308,443 was raised by 539 classmates who made a donation to Cornell, including 336 to the annual funds. 263 classmates have given for five-plus years consecutively. As a whole, the University saw $55 million in annual fund donations and surpassed the $4 billion mark for Cornell’s “to do the greatest good” campaign.

Lastly, if you are looking for a fun and easy way to get involved, please become an alumni admissions ambassador for CAAAN. Help Cornell make the admissions process a little more personal by spending time speaking with applicants about your Cornell student and alumni experience. Applicant meetings can take place virtually or in person, so sign up for the global committee and help speak to a high school student in the far-off reaches of the globe, or meet with a local student at your neighborhood coffee shop.

In closing, Nancy, Allan, and I wish you and yours a very happy and healthy 2024 and we look forward to sharing your updates with classmates in the New Year. ❖ Rose Tanasugarn (email Rose) | Nancy Solomon Weiss (email Nancy) | Allan Rousselle (email Allan) | Alumni Directory.

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1991

Greetings from Ithaca! As I write this in mid-August, we are enjoying the last few days of relative “calm” before students return to campus next week. The campus is beautiful, as it always is whenever parents are coming to town (!!), and native Ithacans are readying themselves for driver confusion regarding single-lane-bridge etiquette. I look forward to campus being abuzz with excited and energetic students!

I’m pleased to share some updates from classmates below.

Agnna Varinia Guzman, BS ’94, writes from her new home in Denver, CO. “I am counsel for one of the largest law firms in the world—Ogletree Deakins. I am an attorney member of the immigration practice group, responsible for small- and medium-size clients across various industries.” Varinia writes that she is enjoying exploring the Denver area, including adventures to Boulder, Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, and Red Rocks. She has fond memories from Cornell of dancing with friends and a strong sense of community among diverse students.

Brad Bosart sent in an update from Orchard Lake, MI, where he is a managing director/financial advisor with Bosart Wealth Management Group of RBC Wealth Management. He loves his work and hopes that “retirement is a long way off.” He is proud to announce that son Brent recently joined the practice as a financial advisor, and his daughter, a senior at Denison University, has plans to attend law school. Brad is a Sigma Nu brother and relishes the “amazing number of lifelong friendships that were established while attending Cornell.”

Jerry Liu ’91, ME ’92, recently visited Cornell for the first time in more than a decade. ‘Loved the food at Morrison and Souvlaki House—brought back memories!’

Chris Reynolds sent in a quick greeting from Cold Spring Harbor, NY. Chris is a venture partner with RCV Frontline, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage food and beverage brands. He has fond memories of time on the Arts Quad, cheering at Schoellkopf Field, crossing the Suspension Bridge, and hours spent at the Chi Psi Lodge.

Jerry Liu, ME ’92, recently visited Cornell from Cupertino, CA, with his teenage daughters, Sarah and Liz, for the first time in more than a decade. “The place has changed in some ways, but it’s still the same in others,” he writes. “Loved the food at Morrison and Souvlaki House—brought back memories!” Jerry recently took a new role at Hewlett Packard as senior director of software engineering. He was also reelected to a second term on the board of education for Cupertino Union School District.

Just down the California coast, attorney Kimberley Best Robidoux sends an update from San Diego. She is the managing partner of the San Diego office of WR Immigration, assisting employers with the employment eligibility verification process and hiring talented foreign nationals. And from Salt Lake City, UT, Kim Schleman Selzman writes that she is working as a medical director for patient safety. She and her husband, Craig, have a son, Zachary, who will be a freshman at Cal Poly studying physics this fall, and a daughter, Sofia, who is in her junior year of high school. Kim has fond memories of the wines class and 2 a.m. food truck visits while on the Hill.

Thanks to those of you who sent in updates for this month. If you haven’t been in touch in a while, we encourage you to reach out and let us know what you’ve been up to! You can send in information using the online news form if that is easiest. Or you can also contact any one of your class correspondents directly: ❖ Susie Curtis Schneider (email Susie) | Ruby Wang Pizzini (email Ruby) | Wendy Milks Coburn (email Wendy) | Joe Marraccino (email Joe) | Evelyn Achuck Yue (email Evelyn) | Alumni Directory.

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1992

Hey Class of 1992! Send us all your news—we want to hear from you! Katherine Amos writes that she has relocated to Princeton, NJ.

Big congratulations to Adam Leibovich, who was named dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. His tenure began on July 1. A prolific scholar and award-winning teacher, Adam received his undergraduate degree in physics from Cornell in 1992 and his doctorate in theoretical physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1997. From 1997–2000 he was a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, and from 2000­–02 he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). While at Fermilab, he was a visiting postdoctoral fellow at both MIT and CMU.

In 2003, Adam joined the faculty of Pitt’s Department of Physics and Astronomy as an assistant professor; he became the department chair in 2015 and associate dean in 2017, before becoming dean last summer. He has also been director of the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute, a collaborative interdisciplinary organization that advances research, education, and training in quantum science and engineering.

As for my family, our oldest just graduated from Vanderbilt University and finds herself with an unexpected gap year as the consulting business slows down. We are looking forward to having her back in the nest before she moves to Boston to start “real life.” Our youngest heads off to Cornell as a first-year student in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. Looking forward to the trips back to Cornell! Come visit us if you’re in the D.C. area! ❖ Sarah Ballow Clauss (email Sarah) | Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson (email Wilma Ann) | Jean Kintisch (email Jean) | Alumni Directory.

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1993

Greetings, classmates! Hopefully this finds you healthy, peaceful, and festive! As I write these Notes, I am grateful to be basking in the last phase of a beautiful Ithaca summer, kicking back with a seasonal Horseheads Peach Ale—cheers to all! I highly recommend (re-)visiting Ithaca, to enjoy what’s new and reminisce, and to add something positive to the economy and the environment of this special, vibrant oasis of our shared history.

Thank you to all who sent us news and musings. We welcome and appreciate all contributions to our ’93 community space. We recently heard from Haider Zaidi, ME ’95, who shared that his favorite memory of Cornell is “the moment my taxi dropped me off on my first day at Clara Dickson Hall. I was totally taken in by the beauty of the campus, and the warm welcome that stayed on for the next five and a half years.” These days, Haider is a managing director at JPMorgan Chase on the artificial intelligence solutions side, and finds happiness from “family, travel, photography, and sports.”

Classmate Tatiana Rosak Birkelund, MBA ’98, is loving the “happy bustle of every day.” Tatiana is the head of buying for beauty and jewelry at Neiman Marcus. She is grateful for the “many adventures” she has with this role, as well as for her family, including husband Craig, and daughters Eve, 13, and Cecilia, 11. At our 30th Reunion, Tatiana enjoyed seeing her Donlon dormmates, as her time as a freshman there was “a transformative time and we were all thrown in it together. Loved that common room!”

Monica Quock Chan lives in Honolulu, HI, where she loves spending time raising her elementary student, Josias, middle schooler Kenton, and high schooler Esther, as well as doing freelance writing, photography, and volunteering on school boards and with her church. Monica has recently taken two “amazing and impactful” trips: to Antarctica, which was “remote and awe-inspiring,” and to the Andean foothills of Ecuador, where she and her family were able to serve on a medical/dental mission. Monica’s favorite memory of Cornell was “meeting and spending time with my caring, talented, and hard-working classmates!” She added, “I also enjoyed snapping photos of the fall foliage around Beebe Lake and listening to the Cornell Chimes while gazing over Cayuga’s waters.”

At our 30th Reunion, Tatiana Rosak Birkelund ’93, MBA ’98, enjoyed seeing her Donlon dormmates. ‘Loved that common room!’

Henry Most, who is living in California with his wife, Shari Spakes, shared that his work, relationships, partner, and travel bring him the most satisfaction these days. Henry is a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business, focusing on experiential learning around leadership and interpersonal skills; he is also an executive coach and facilitator.

Michael Dougherty is “very grateful for a wonderful family and a job that I love!” He is the elected district attorney for the 20th Judicial District of Colorado (Boulder County). He also teaches at the University of Colorado Law School and in his spare time enjoys trail running. Michael feels “extremely fortunate” to have lived in the transfer center in Donlon, and he has many great friends and memories from that time.

We were also happy to hear from Pankaj Talwar, who lives in San Francisco with his wife, Jyoti, and daughters Anika, 14, and Karina, 11. Pankaj is working in the consumer-packaged goods industry as part of a private equity firm, leading one of their beauty care companies.

Erik Thompson is grateful for being able to spend time with his daughter during her last year of high school. He enjoys working as a financial planner “in two very different locations: one in the city, one in the country.” His favorite memory of Cornell is all of the “wonderful people,” and adds that “walking everywhere is something I look back at fondly—but I’m sure I hated it at the time!”

Laurie Appel Barkman is an ILR grad and “business transition sherpa.” She has published a book for entrepreneurs and business owners titled The Business Transition Handbook: How to Avoid Succession Pitfalls and Create Valuable Exit Options. Laurie is the former CEO of a $100 million revenue company that sold to a Fortune 50. She is also host of the award-winning podcast Succession Stories.

Happy 2024 to all! Please keep sending us your updates and join us digitally within Cornellians and as part of our class Facebook group. Take care and please share. ❖ Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 (email Melissa) | Mia Blackler (email Mia) | Theresa Flores (email Theresa) | Alumni Directory.

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1994

It’s always fun in the heat of the summer to write this column! I know that our 30th Reunion is just around the corner—my husband, Michael Marchant, and I had a great time at the 25th Reunion and hope to make it back to Ithaca this June! Make sure to join our class Facebook group (Cornell University Class of 1994) to make sure you have all the latest information.

Someone who is already thinking ahead to June is Jerome Chang, ME ’95, who writes, “I’m looking forward to our 30th Reunion next year! Our class was so fortunate to have our last Reunion just before the pandemic hit. What I did miss at the 25th were so many minority classmates who didn’t attend, particularly fellow Asians whom I met through the Cornell Chinese Students Association and related orgs (and parties!). Where are you? Come join me! What would you like to see at the Reunion to motivate you to participate?”

Earlier this summer, George Bullis sent in this update: “I was recently voted onto the board of Cornell Pride, the new name for the former Cornell University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association. I look forward to helping to fulfill the organization’s goals and engaging fellow LGBTQ+ alumni, especially on the West Coast, where I reside in the Palm Springs area.” Professionally, after 15 years in public school administration, George returned to the high school English classroom a few years ago and started his 30th year as a California educator this past August. He’s looking forward to an early retirement in the next few years so he can start new adventures personally and professionally.

I was recently voted onto the board of Cornell Pride, the new name for the former Cornell University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association.

George Bullis ’94

Sung Woo was thrilled to share news about his new book and invited classmates to reach out to request a copy. He writes, “My second mystery novel was recently published! This is a second in a series that features Korean American private detective Siobhan O’Brien (I know, the name doesn’t fit; it’s a long story!).” The book title is Deep Roots, published by Agora/Polis Books. “After solving her first case, private eye Siobhan O’Brien is hired by Phillip Ahn, an octogenarian billionaire with his own personal island in the Pacific Northwest. Ahn, a genius in artificial intelligence, swears that Duke, his youngest child and only son, is an impostor. Is Ahn crazy, or is Duke really someone else? As Siobhan attempts to arrive at the truth, her biggest challenge will be dealing with Ahn’s family, who all live under the same gilded roof: his current wife, his two ex-wives, and their awful, privileged children. What is the real reason that Siobhan was brought to this isolated estate?” More info can be found on Sung’s website.

Lastly, Sean Alexander, MBA ’01, wrote in from Hong Kong, where he works in equity sales. He writes that he spends free time “sailing from Iceland to Norway and racing outrigger canoes.” He also shared a memory of when he used to work the beverage room at Hotel Ezra Cornell!

Keep sending in those updates! You can send news to any of your correspondents via email, Facebook, or the online news form. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season! ❖ Jennifer Rabin Marchant (email Jennifer) | Dika Lam (email Dika) | Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik (email Dineen) | Alumni Directory.

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1995

Just a few gifts of class news this holiday season. First up is Rachel Cohen Casanova, senior managing director and tri-state lead, total workplace, for Cushman & Wakefield in New York, who had the privilege of participating in the bell ringing at the New York Stock Exchange for the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Green Building Council on June 8. Writes Rachel, “There were 13 of us on the podium—three of whom are Cornell alumnae!” The other two were Anyeley Dzegede Hallova ’98, current chair of USGBC, and Lisa Shpritz ’94, whose role at Bank of America facilitated the opportunity.

Next, we received word that classmate Erik Bjerke, a Merrill Lynch Private Wealth Management wealth advisor, was recently named to the 2023 Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors” list. Erik is a senior partner at Merrill’s Global Corporate & Institutional Advisory Services (GCIAS) and has been named to the Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors list every year from 2021–23. He lives in Atlanta, GA, with his wife and four children. Erik is actively involved in the community and volunteers with Purposity, Andee’s Army, Buckhead Church, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and has helped found two startup operating charities.

Last but not least, what would a class column be these days without news of more legacies on the Hill? Juliette Sorhagen Fershtman shared that her daughter Siena ’27 is a Cornell freshman and hopes “our California girl adjusts OK to Ithaca weather!” Would love to hear an update on that, Juliette!

In the meantime, warmest wishes for the holidays and stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French (email Alison) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory.

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1996

In April of this year, Daena Funahashi, PhD ’11, published a book called Untimely Sacrifices: Work and Death in Finland through Cornell University Press (CUP). “While an academic book,” she notes, “its take on stress, welfare, and labor might be of interest to the general public.”

According to CUP, “Untimely Sacrifices questions why individuals may give their time and energy to the collective against their own self-interest. Turning to Finland, where public health officials named occupational burnout as a ‘new hazard’ of the new economy, Daena asks: What moves people to work to the point of pathological stress? By pitting anthropological takes on sacrifice next to the clinical discourses on pressure, work, and coping, she offers ways to rethink what drives stress.” ❖ Janine Abrams Rethy (email Janine) | Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul (email Marjorie) | Catherine Oh Bonita (email Catherine) | Alumni Directory.

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1997

Samara Friedman writes, “Despite years of indoctrination, our son, Zachary, decided not to join the Cornell Class of ’27. Three of husband Dan Turinsky’s Acacia fraternity brothers got to move their kids into Cornell to start off their freshman year this summer. Instead, we moved ours across the pond, where he is now a ‘fresher’ at the University of Oxford, studying history. We still have hope with our daughter, Alexa, for the Class of ’30! Dan and I have no other significant news to report. We recently celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary and are just generally having difficulty understanding how it is possible that we are only three years away from being empty nesters.”

Please take a moment to send us an online news form to let your classmates know how you’re doing! ❖ Sarah Deardorff Carter (email Sarah) | Erica Broennle Nelson (email Erica) | Alumni Directory.

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1998

Growing up in New York, I have always appreciated the change in seasons during the year. I have fond memories of the summer sunshine on my face, the brisk autumn air, fluffy snowflakes falling in slow motion, and hearing the robins chirp as spring blooms start to awaken. As a freshman living in Balch Hall, I used to look out my window every morning to see what the weather was like and how my fellow Cornellians dressed for the day as they walked toward the archway to campus. Most days in the fall semester of 1994, I saw students dressed for all four seasons! Do you have a little, silly memory from your first semester at Cornell? Share it with your fellow Class of 1998 members!

Writing this article in August and knowing that you will read it in November, I was reminded of how the changing seasons mark the passage of time. Here is what some of us have been up to! Cristina Martinez is a senior partner, multicultural director at EssenceMediacom, a multichannel brand marketing and media strategy agency. When she is not in the office, Cristina enjoys gardening, going to summer concerts like the Cure, and raising her daughter, Reyla, 4, who also enjoys music and martial arts. Luis Ormaechea also saw the Cure play at Madison Square Garden this summer. Luis and his wife, Darcy (Jones) ’99, attended our 25th Reunion and met up with old friends. They live in Rochester, NY, and have two children.

August also marks the start of the school year for some, with high school orientations and college dorm move-ins. Sending Big Red hugs to Robin Biderman ’97, who dropped off her son, Jason ’27, on Cornell Move-In Day. My summer consisted of three things: camp for both boys, where my younger son was a camper and my older son was a counselor; travel baseball games in Westchester, Rockland, and Dutchess counties; and summer assignments. My son, Evan, is starting high school at Fordham Preparatory School, and my niece Alexa Parulan ’20 is starting the last year of her Cornell MBA program at the Johnson School. Congrats and good luck to all! Enjoy all the seasons of your life!

Share what’s new with you by emailing me or filling out the online news form. Can’t wait to hear from you! ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano (email Uthica). Alumni Directory.

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1999

Ora Szekely, associate professor of political science at Clark University, has recently published Syria Divided: Patterns of Violence in a Complex Civil War (Columbia University Press). In the book, she draws on sources including in-depth interviews, conflict data, and propaganda distributed through social media to examine how competing narratives have shaped the course of the civil war in Syria—which has claimed more than 600,000 lives and displaced over half of the country’s population since 2011.

Samantha Muhlrad writes, “I am the chief of hand surgery and fellowship program director at Stony Brook Medicine. I have had the pleasure of working with several Cornell undergraduates as shadows, and I work alongside many Cornell alumni including the chairman of orthopedic surgery, James Penna ’92.” ❖ Class of 1999 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2000s

2000

I hope all is well. The summer activities have come to a close, and I’m getting back into the routine of teaching school. What are you up to this season? You can share with your fellow alumni through the online news form or directly to me: ❖ Denise Williams (email Denise). Alumni Directory.

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2001

By the time you read this, I’m hoping to have crossed paths with some of you at Homecoming—check our Cornell 2001 social media accounts for photos!—followed by clinking glasses to toast our alma mater with multiple generations at Zinck’s Night (in Delhi, in my case). Fingers crossed that you’ve had the chance to do likewise; if not, you could catch up at the Red Hot Hockey game (Cornell vs. Boston) at Madison Square Garden on November 25. Or, at the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) in Baltimore, February 23–25. Or else on any other day, almost anywhere in the world, right? (But especially at our 25th Reunion: June 4–7, 2026. Save the date!)

Our class affinity chair, Tara Benedict, needs no reminding to seize—or create!—an opportunity to hang out with fellow Cornellians. As director-at-large for the Cornell Club of Boston, she helped put together the second annual field trip to the Gilmore Cranberry Company, owned and operated by Alison Gilmore Carr. “Alison and her mom, Sue, love showing off the bogs and introducing people to cranberry farming, a cherished New England tradition going back generations,” she writes. “Even though their farm is located an hour south of Boston and the visits have taken place on Saturday mornings, Cornellians flock to sign up. Last year and again this year, all the spots were filled within an hour or two of advertising the event!” To learn more about this family farm, check out this Forbes story.

Our class co-correspondent James Gutow has also gotten plenty of Cornellian quality time this year, including a summer hiking/biking trip to Sundance Utah with Ari Fontecchio ’02, Sean King ’02, Guy Furman ’02, Sven Jensen ’02, and Mike DiCintio ’00, followed by the Metallica concert at MetLife Stadium with fellow Long Islander Jeff Ciccone, an anesthesiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “We actually didn’t really know each other at Cornell (but had friends in common), but we met in Manhasset through our kids and other friends. He has three boys, and their ages overlap with my two boys,” James writes.

Have a career milestone to share? In Charlotte, NC, Adrienne Martinez, MBA ’08, has continued advancing at Bank of America, starting a new role at COO for Enterprise Cloud Platforms earlier this year. And remember Hotelie Gretchen Van Dyke McCarthy? She’s now chief supply chain officer at Target Corp., out of Minneapolis. According to her profile, she joined the company in 2004 and has led teams in Canada and India and served as a sponsor of the Supply Chain Diversity Action Council.

Congrats to author Olufunke Grace Bankole ’01, whose prose piece ‘Serrated’ was published in the summer 2023 issue of Ploughshares.

Someone who could have used a Cornell Hotelie in his corner recently? Our class co-president Michael Hanson, MPA ’02, who got stuck with some highly problematic accommodations at the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea, a crowded, overheated gathering of 43,000 teens and adult leaders. Even four years in the Big Red Marching Band in all sorts of conditions couldn’t have prepared Mike for what turned into a fairly extreme experience. “The site having been an ocean bed just a few years ago was the key decision point; heat and organization issues exacerbated it,” he writes.

Fortunately, his wife, Susan Mueller Hanson, ME ’02, and their kids spent that week in much better conditions in Switzerland, celebrating the 100th anniversary for Kandersteg International Scout Centre. Fellow band alum Peggy Imboden Salsbury, MS ’05, and her four Scouting kids “experienced 100-degree heat hiking in New Mexico in July, but that was expected, and we were prepared for it.” Meanwhile, my own second-class Scout came back from the BSA Far East Council’s summer camp in Nepal with a bad case of the Southern Hemisphere flu … but hey, the leeches had left him alone!

And lastly, congrats to author Olufunke Grace Bankole, whose prose piece “Serrated” was published in the summer 2023 issue of Ploughshares, guest-edited by Tom Perrotta. According to her bio, “Olufunke Grace Bankole is a first-generation Nigerian American. After graduating from Harvard Law School and completing a Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowship, she left law to write. Her fiction has appeared in Glimmer Train, AGNI, Michigan Quarterly Review, New Letters, the Antioch Review, Stand Magazine, and elsewhere. She won the Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers and the Bread Loaf-Rona Jaffe Scholarship in Fiction. Olufunke has received several writing honors and grants, including an Oregon Literary Fellowship and a Pushcart Special Mention.”

Got news? Want to share a memory or get back in touch with classmates? Interested in proposing an event or helping out with our 25th Reunion planning? Please let us know by posting to our Cornell Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group or sending an email to your friendly class correspondents. And, as always, visit our class website for more information and volunteer opportunities. ❖ Nicole Neroulias Gupte (email Nicole) | James Gutow (email James) | Alumni Directory.

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2002

Dan Moren’s latest book, All Souls Lost (October 2023), is a combination of urban fantasy and supernatural mystery. According to the book’s blurb, “The unlikely hero of All Souls Lost is Mike Lucifer, a so-called spiritual consultant (read: paranormal detective) with a deeply hidden heart of gold. After a botched case resulted in the death of his partner, Lucifer fled his hometown of Boston, opting for a life of luxury and booze—but mostly booze—on the sandy beaches of Hawaii. Now, two years later, he’s back in the office and on the town, investigating what looks like a routine demon possession. But when Mike uncovers a scandal at a tech company that dabbles in the dark arts, what he thought was a cut-and-dried case turns out to be frightfully more.”

Let us know what’s new with you! ❖ Class of 2002 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2003

We have news! Melody Jiang Tang was invited to be a panel speaker at the 2023 American Institute of Architects (AIA) conference after being awarded the 2022 AIA National Young Architects Award. Melody expressed her appreciation “for the incredible foundation provided by my Cornell design education, and the opportunities it has afforded me to build my career.” Melody adds, “Sadly, the conference happens to coincide with the 2023 Reunion, so I will miss the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni!” Congratulations, Melody, on this accomplishment. We look forward to catching up with you at our 25th Reunion!

We also heard from Traci Parker, who recently co-authored The New Civil Rights Movement Reader. The book is described as “the most diverse, most inclusive, and most comprehensive resource available for teaching and learning about the civil rights movement.” Traci is an associate professor of Afro-American studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Congratulations, Traci, on this publication!

Raquel Look also published a book this year, her debut novel: Quest for Kimchi. “The story follows Rachel See, a Cornell grad and New York-based lawyer, running from heartache after her fiancé abruptly breaks things off. She decides to move abroad to Ireland. It’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Eat Pray Love—with a side of kimchi that accompanies each adventure.” Raquel spent time in Ireland, Greece, and Italy—“all places that inspired different adventures in the novel.” She lives in Palm Beach now, after relocating from New York City. She writes, “I am one of the leaders within Deloitte’s blockchain and digital assets group, advising financial institutions/fintechs on viable opportunities.” Congratulations, Raquel, on publishing your first novel and the recent move!

We would love to feature you in future columns. Let us know what you’re up to! ❖ Candace Lee Chow, PhD ’14 (email Candace) | Jon Schoenberg, ME ’03, PhD ’11 (email Jon) | Alumni Directory.

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2004

How are you planning to spend the holidays, Class of ’04? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the start of winter by hunkering down at home? Whatever your plans, please write to me or submit an online news form to let your classmates know how you’re doing! ❖ Jessi Petrosino (email Jessi) | Alumni Directory.

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2005

Jenn Shloming Menezes and her husband (Class of 2004) recently climbed to the top of the clocktower with their two children (5 and 7). This was their first time ever climbing to the top!

Jessica Rosenthal Chod enjoyed visiting Ithaca this past spring for a small informal reunion with several Class of 2005 classmates. It was amazing to see how much of the campus had changed—and what has stayed the same.

We love sharing with classmates and the Cornell community all the amazing things the Class of 2005 is doing. Please keep your news and notes coming by filling out the form at the “Submit Your News!” button below, or by reaching out directly to either of us. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod (email Jessica) | Hilary Johnson King (email Hilary) | Alumni Directory.

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2006

Greetings, Class of ’06. Please take a moment to send us an online news form! No matter what you’re up to these days, we’d love to hear from you. ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 (email Kirk) | Alumni Directory.

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2007

Happy holidays, Class of 2007! Another year gone; much more fun ahead. Thanks, once again, for allowing me to be part of your journeys, and I look forward to hearing more from you in 2024. Wishing everyone joy, laughter, and happiness in the New Year.

This past year brought Tekla Israelson a happy wedding to her husband, Ryan Iker. After a cross-country adventure (in a school bus!), Tekla and Ryan settled down in Hillsboro, OR. They celebrated their marriage with an intimate party with friends and family. Congrats, Tekla!

As for me, I had an opportunity to visit with some of my Cornell friends this past summer. First, I had a great visit with Miriam Gross ’06 while she was participating in a one-week class in New York. I also visited Chris Legro ’06 on a family trip to Portland, ME. It’s always great to catch up with my Cornell friends—especially when they live far away!

Looking forward to sharing more exciting stories with everyone! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf (email Samantha) | Alumni Directory.

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2008

Sonia Borker writes, “Hi everyone. I started back at Cornell for the EMBA/MHS program and will hopefully be graduating in 2025. The campus has completely changed. I invite you to visit!”

Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Libby Boymel (email Libby) | Alumni Directory.

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2009

Jordan Richards writes, “In January, I took office and began serving as the Judge of Probate for Litchfield Hills Probate Court in Connecticut.” Congratulations!

Please take a moment to send us an online news form or write to me directly. How are you planning to spend the holidays? What’s new in your world? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Jason Georges (email Jason) | Alumni Directory.

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2010s

2010

Rebekah Falcone is a stay-at-home mom and gets great satisfaction these days from “serving Jesus, my family, and my community. We love to make meals for those recovering from loss, illness, or family changes. We greatly enjoy hosting in our home. I loved sharing meals with my dorm floormates at Cornell each Friday. We called them ‘Fourth Floor Food Fridays.’ We cooked and ate together once a week. Such a gift of friendship.”

Marc Hem Lee spends his afternoons watching the ducks swim the waterways of the Emerald Necklace—a 1,100-acre chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, MA. Marc is a psychiatry resident and physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and a clinical teaching fellow in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. ❖ Michelle Sun (email Michelle) | Alumni Directory.

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2011

How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Class of 2011 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2012

Congratulations to several classmates who were inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame this year. They include Tracy Eisser, women’s rowing; Cam Simaz, wrestling; and Chris Wroblewski, men’s basketball. Please send your news to: ❖ Peggy Ramin (email Peggy) | Alumni Directory.

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2013

Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s get right to the news. On September 30, 2023, several of our classmates were inducted into the Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame. This is the largest class of inductees since 1998 due to the break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulations to Steve Bosak (wrestling), Kyle Dake (wrestling), Laura Fortino (ice hockey), Melissa Hewitt (track & field), Victoria Imbesi (track & field), Katie Kellner (track & field/cross country), Rob Pannell (lacrosse), Lauriane Rougeau (ice hockey), and JC Tretter (football). More about each of their individual accomplishments can be found here.

Pickard Chilton, a global architecture studio, announced the promotion of Andrew Gorzkowski to senior associate earlier this year. Andrew joined Pickard Chilton after graduation. He is a project designer for 887 West Peachtree in midtown Atlanta, GA, which will be one of the tallest office towers to rise in the area in the last decade. Andrew’s other projects include the design of a 2+U LEED Platinum office tower in Seattle, WA; the open-air, low-rise retail development Remscheid Designer Outlet Centre in Germany; and mixed-use developments in Florida and Tokyo.

Berri Organics, founded by Jerome Tse, announced a partnership this year with the Jimmy Fund to raise funds to support pediatric cancer treatment and research at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As a student at Cornell, Jerome was diagnosed with cancer. He was treated and cured at Dana-Farber. During his battle, he created his own drinks to source clean electrolytes and minerals when he realized that most commercial brands were filled with artificial ingredients and sugars. Jerome founded Berri Organics in 2015, which makes organic, plant-based electrolyte drinks. The mission of the company is not only to improve the way we hydrate ourselves, but also to help bring us closer to a world without pediatric cancer. Through its partnership with the Jimmy Fund, for every bottle of Berri Lyte and Berri Fit sold online and in participating stores, the company will donate 2% of the proceeds to Dana-Farber. You can find Berri Organics online and at Whole Foods, Sprouts, CVS, Stop & Shop, and many more places.

On September 30, 2023, several of our classmates were inducted into the Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Rachael Schuman ’13

Andrew Boryga’s debut novel, Victim, will be published on March 12, 2024, through Doubleday Books. Victim is a literary fiction satire that centers on a Puerto Rican writer from the Bronx who manipulates his stories by playing the victim, bending the truth until it finally breaks. It is a sendup of virtue signaling and tear-jerking trauma plots that asks what real diversity looks like and how far some of us are willing to go to make our stories hit the right notes. Andrew won the Undergraduate Artist of the Year award while at Cornell and credits faculty members Helena María Viramontes and Ernesto Quiñonez for their influence on his creative writing style.

Jessica Gardenhire moved across the country from San Francisco to Atlanta after being accepted into the State of Georgia’s American Institute of Architecture Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program. She is looking forward to networking in her new home, learning with local peers and state leadership, and contributing to the profession as she grows locally.

Paul Maier is living in Dublin, Ireland, with his wife, Andrea Clausen, sighthound Sadie, and their new son, Frederik, born on May 10, 2023. Paul is a barrister specializing in labor and employment issues. If anyone is in the Dublin area, he would love a visitor.

As always, if you have news to share, please fill out an online news form or email me at: ❖ Rachael Schuman (email Rachael) | Alumni Directory.

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2014

Greetings, Class of ’14. Please take a moment to send us an online news form—or even better, send me a copy of your holiday letter! ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young (email Samantha) | Alumni Directory.

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2015

If you have any news to share, please reach out to your class correspondents! How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! ❖ Caroline Flax (email Caroline) | Mateo Acebedo (email Mateo) | Alumni Directory.

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2016

Hello, Class of ’16! This is your space to share your news—big or small—with your fellow Big Red alumni. Did you travel anywhere new this year? Have you started a new job? Adopted any new pets? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 2016 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2017

“2023 has been a big year!” writes Karen Osborn Carhart. “I graduated with my MBA from the University of Rochester in May, and recently got married! We eloped in the Adirondack Mountains in June and had a large party with friends and family on July 8, including three generations of Cornellians.” Congratulations, Karen!

Please take a moment to send us your news! What have you been up to lately? ❖ Class of 2017 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2018

Hey 2018ers! This month, we have the exciting update that our class raised $408,515 for our Reunion-year gift to Cornell! This is a new class best for dollars raised, and encompasses donations from 334 Class of ’18 alumni (including nine Tower Club members).

Thank you to everyone who donated, and let’s look forward to breaking some more records when we return to Ithaca for our 10th Reunion in 2028.

If you have any news about what you’ve been up to post-Reunion, we’d love to hear it—send it over to me: ❖ Stephanie Yan (email Stephanie) | Alumni Directory.

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2019

How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Class of 2019 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2020s

2020

If you have any news to share, please take a moment to write to us! Have you begun a new job, moved somewhere new, adopted a new pet, or picked up a hobby? Let us know! ❖ Class of 2020 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2021

“Hello, my fellow Cornellians!” writes Amaris Henderson Richardson. “If you were heavily involved in the performing and media arts circle on campus or were a Meinig Scholar from 2017–21, you may have known me as Amaris Henderson. These days, my stage name is simply Amaris, and I’m happy to share that my debut single, ‘Lemon, Lime & Bitters,’ is officially out and available across music streaming/digital platforms. It was produced by multi-platinum and Grammy-nominated producer Alfredo Gonzalez, who is best known for his work on Khalid’s breakout single ‘Location.’ Check it out on Spotify here.”

Manan Modi launched a new book, The Startup Product Manager: A Guide to Becoming a Product Manager and Startup Builder. “This book serves to empower the next generation of product managers, business builders, and startup entrepreneurs. It will give you the toolkit to succeed in building startups and early-stage ventures.” Manan is a product builder, early-stage operator, investor, and writer. He has worked closely with CEOs and founders to solve high-priority problems for customers as well as led efforts on revenue-generating products and strategic opportunities for companies.

Grady Owens writes, “In October 2023, I began full-time PhD work at Oxford University as a candidate in the history department, following a successful master’s in war history at Oxford—for which my dissertation, Collegiate Martiality, received the best-in-cohort distinction.”

Antonio Saporito and Vy Nguyen both successfully finished the Inline Skate Marathon in Berlin on September 23, 2023. Other friends in the Class of 2021, including Nancy Liang, Cecilia Thieberger, Emily Hurwitz, and Sarah Rim, also went to Berlin to support! ❖ Class of 2021 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2022–23

This is your space to share your news—big or small—with your fellow Big Red alumni. Did you travel anywhere new this year? Have you started a new job? Adopted any new pets? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 2022–23 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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Grad

Agriculture & Life Sciences

Gene Helfman, PhD ’79, shares news from his Lopez Island, WA, home: “After 30 years on the ecology faculty at the University of Georgia, I retired and transformed from an academic to a novelist. My first novel, Beyond the Human Realm—about a killer whale released from captivity and the people and whales who help him gain acceptance into orca society—won two national awards in 2022. I’ve just published my second, Fins: A Novel of Relentless Satire. It’s a shark-friendly spoof on the sharksploitation horror genre about sharks who have had their fins cut off and try to get them back. It’s my answer to Jaws and Sharknado (the sharks are sick and tired and they’re not going to take it anymore). Don’t you think sharks should have rights, too?”

Donna Esposito, PhD ’00, wrote in with an exciting update: “I graduated in 2000 with a PhD in genetics, studying chloroplast gene expression at the Boyce Thompson Institute. After postdoctoral research at the New York State Department of Health and a dozen years running a genetic testing laboratory for Charles River Laboratories in Troy, NY, I made a career change in 2014. Since then, I have been a writer and World War II history researcher. I published my first novel, Flying Time, in 2016, and have just published my second novel, Ivy Linden and the Treasure of Skull Island. Set in 1938, it’s the first book of a series about the adventures of intrepid Cornell ethnobotany professor Ivy Linden. While my heroine is fictional, I put my research skills to use adding details of life at Cornell and in Ithaca during that time period, as well as people she could have known from their time at Cornell, like Ethel Zoe Bailey (daughter of Liberty Hyde Bailey), Barbara McClintock 1923, PhD 1927, and Pearl S. Buck, MA 1925. I’m currently working on Professor Linden’s next adventure.”

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Arts & Sciences

Matt Dallos, MA ’20, recently penned In the Adirondacks: Dispatches from the Largest Park in the Lower 48. Published by Fordham University Press, the 240-page book takes readers on an “immersive journey into the past, present, and future of a region many consider the Northeast’s wilderness backyard,” according to the description. Through a combination of anecdotal observations and extensive document research, Matt uncovers a slew of stories and unique locations throughout the expansive Adirondack State Park, including “a moose named Harold, a hot dog mogul’s rustic mansion, an ecological restoration on an alpine summit, a hermit who demanded a helicopter ride, and a millionaire who dressed up as a Native American to rob a stagecoach.”

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Engineering

Karen Bandeen-Roche, MS ’88, PhD ’90, received the Distinguished Alumni award from the Department of Statistics and Data Science at its annual celebration in September 2023 at the Statler. For the event—which featured talks from a full roster of industry-leading professionals—Karen delivered the keynote address, titled “Statistical measurement of frailty, resilience, and—ultimately—thriving.” She has become a leading biostatistician in the field of aging with a focus on frailty and resilience, with 30 years and nearly 300 peer-reviewed papers published in her career. “It means a great deal,” Karen said of the Distinguished Alumni award in a recent Cornell Bowers CIS news story. “I love Cornell so much and think so highly of my experience and the professors there­—particularly David Ruppert ’70, Bruce Turnbull, PhD ’71, and Robert Bechhofer.”

Howard Singer, MS ’77, PhD ’79, writes that a book he co-authored, titled Key Changes: The Ten Times Technology Transformed the Music Industry, was published by Oxford University Press in September 2023. “It explores each of the formats that carried music to millions—from the earliest days of the phonograph to today’s era of streaming and artificial intelligence and provides lessons that can be applied to disruptions in other industries,” he says. An adjunct professor of music industry data analysis at NYU, Howard previously served for 15 years in various executive leadership roles for Warner Music Group.

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Johnson Graduate School of Management

Carolina Hernandez, MBA ’20, an epidemiologist, is the founder and CEO of Colorchain, a Colombia-based international startup that seeks to revolutionize the medical apparel industry. Colorchain—powered by an 80% female manufacturing team—believes that wearing clothes that lack functionality, comfort, or adequate protection against external pathogens can negatively impact healthcare workers’ performance. With experience in a range of environments, from war zones to large corporations, Carolina has become a respected industry voice on the risks that low-quality medical gear present to healthcare professionals. She also notes that custom scrubs can allow physicians to express their personalities in the workplace, which encourages celebration of diversity in the medical field. Carolina was named one of Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 20 entrepreneurial leaders and executives in Latin America in 2023. In the past, she has mentored at the University of Southern California and for Volunteers of America.

Jonathan Pong, MBA ’11, wrote in with some professional news: “In June, I was named CFO and treasurer (effective January 1, 2024) of Realty Income, an S&P 500 real estate company with an enterprise value of approximately $60 billion. The company has been public since 1994 under ticker symbol ‘O’ and is based in San Diego, CA.” Jonathan currently serves as Realty Income’s senior vice president of corporate finance.

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Law School

Marc Lifset, JD ’78, was one of 10 people to be inducted into the Recreational Vehicle/Manufactured Housing (RV/MH) Hall of Fame in 2023. Marc, an Albany-based attorney with the McGlinchey Stafford firm, was honored with other inductees in August 2023 in a special ceremony at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, IN. According to a prepared statement, Marc has been an advocate and trusted advisor to the manufactured housing industry for 40 years. He’s represented manufacturers, lenders, retailers, community owners, and more—and his work has been instrumental in shaping regulations around today’s manufactured housing market. Since 2007, Marc has consistently landed on The Best Lawyers in America lists in the financial services regulation and litigation categories. In his leisure time, he supports dozens of charities, including his favorite: Labs-4-Rescue, a volunteer-run organization that finds homes for rescued or displaced Labrador retrievers.

Dilan Thampapillai, LLM ’04, was recently appointed dean and head of school at the University of Wollongong School of Law in Australia. A native of Wollongong, Dilan’s parents both also worked for the university in the 1980s. Before starting there in September 2023, Dilan—who holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne—worked for the University of New South Wales Business School, first as the director of education at the Centre for Social Impact and most recently as associate dean of postgraduate programs. “Returning to my hometown and continuing the strong connection that this esteemed institution has with the Illawarra community is a tremendous privilege,” he said in a press release. “I look forward to fostering academic excellence and equipping our students with the necessary skills to become future leaders in the legal profession.”

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Veterinary Medicine

Cindy Meyer, DVM ’88, writes: “Life changes. We moved to Delaware to be closer to the sunshine in my life, Penelope and William. I retired after selling my practice and am enjoying being a grandma, traveling, and (as of this week) boating.”

Thomas Nytch, DVM ’58, writes from his home in Owego, NY: “I am officially retired from veterinary medicine, having not renewed my license—well, not quite fully retired. I still serve on my County Board of Health, where I have learned the pretense of a veterinary outlook is helpful and appreciated in these days of new diseases and animal vectors, such as ticks, mosquitoes, bats, etc.” Thomas also notes that wife Carolyn (King) ’58 “is still active with her interests in feeding the poor, as well as continuing to meet weekly with her ever-decreasing circle of very long-term religious studies friends.”

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Weill Cornell Medicine

Wendy Lau, MD ’09, aims to help alleviate burnout in fellow medical professionals with the release of her new book, Inner Practice of Medicine. As an ordained Zen priest and longtime emergency medical doctor, Wendy says the book “evolved out of my own experiences as a physician reconciling my love of medicine with my experience with burnout. It contains real-life examples, practical exercises, and contemplative prompts that continue to support me.” Published in August 2023, Inner Practice provides readers with evidence-based research and simple methods to instill resilience and integrity in “morally injured” medical professionals. While burnout can lead many healthcare workers to quit practicing medicine, Wendy notes, she hopes her book “will bring new perspectives around physician wellness and help the conversation around burnout evolve into more empowering narratives.”

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Top image: Photo by Jason Koski / Cornell University

Published November 1, 2023