1. education
2. alumni and reunions

scene
Autumn 2008
News and views for the Colgate community
A New Scene
Sabotage
Behind the Sticker Price
Serving the People
scene
Autumn 2008
24 A New Scene
26 Sabotage
High costs at the gas pump got you down? Filmmaker Sandy Cioffi ’84 has a story to tell about the true price
of oil.
30 Behind the Sticker Price
Why does college cost so much, and what is Colgate doing to manage the issue?
36 Serving the People
An inside look at charity in the world’s most populous
nation, in the wake of the devastating Sichuan earthquake.
3
Message from President Rebecca S. Chopp
4
Letters
6
14
16
20
22
Work & Play
40
The Big Picture
42
Stay Connected
43
Class News
54 Alumni Clubs & Groups
69 Marriages & Unions
69 Births & Adoptions
70 In Memoriam
72
Salmagundi
DEPARTMENTS
?
page 13
Life of the Mind
Arts & Culture
Go ’gate
New, Noted & Quoted
On the cover: Student Government Association member Zeehan Rauf ’11
and residence life staffer Pornchompoo “Pooh” Suwanrut ’11 participate
in a team exercise on day one of the Robert A. Fox ’59 Leadership Institute.
News and views for the Colgate community
1
scene team
Contributors
Volume XXXVIII Number 1
The Scene is published by Colgate
University four times a year — in autumn,
winter, spring, and summer. The Scene
is circulated without charge to alumni,
parents, friends, and students.
Dick Anderson (“Behind
the Sticker Price,” pg.
30) is publications
editor at Occidental
College in Los Angeles.
He has written frequently about the
politics of education
and fundraising during
the past 17 years,
with earlier stints at
Washington and Lee
University and Claremont McKenna College, and authored an
unproduced screenplay,
Blood Endowment.
The work of illustrator
James Yang (“Behind
the Sticker Price,”
pg. 30) has appeared
in Time, Newsweek,
Sports Illustrated,
and Forbes, as well as
some of the nation’s
most prestigious trade
publications, including
Communication Arts
Design Annual, Communications Arts
Illustration Annual,
Print Magazine, Graphis, and the Society of
Publication Designers
Annual.
8
scene online
Listen
Colgate Conversations: www.colgate.edu/podcasts
More than 30 podcasts are available, including
English professor George Hudson talking about
off-campus study programs he leads and his work
as a Swiss Alps guide for the Smithsonian.
Watch
Video Features: www.colgate.edu/video
See how move-in day went for first-year students
this year, and learn about the Robert A. Fox ’59
Leadership Institute in two of our latest videos.
Get connected
Online Community: www.colgatealumni.org
Your class page has the latest news and an RSS feed
highlighting classmates who are mentioned in the
media. Log on and learn about your class!
Carolyn Hsu (“Serving
the People,” pg. 36),
associate professor
of sociology, spent
last spring in China on
Spencer Foundation
and Colgate Faculty Research Council grants,
researching grassroots
NGOs and charities,
including those that
help build and refurbish
crumbling school structures in rural areas.
One of the perks of her
sabbatical was that she
got to ride a camel in
the Gobi Desert.
Look
Photo Galleries: www.colgate.edu/photos
Images from around campus include the welcomeback barbecue held at the ALANA Cultural Center
and the Greek Life Summit held this past summer.
Talk
Blogs
Students writing about their off-campus study
experiences on the Global Colgate blog would love
to hear from you. Go to http://colgate.blogs.com/
globalcolgate and post a comment.
Contributing writers and designers:
Director of Web Content
Timothy O’Keeffe
Art Director
Karen Luciani
Designer
Jennifer Kirsteins
Director of Athletic Communications
Robert Cornell
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Barbara Brooks
Senior Advancement Writer
Mark Walden
Manager of Media Communications
Anthony Adornato
Contact:
[email protected]
315-228-7417
www.colgate.edu/scene
new clubs and teams, being challenged by and challenging our faculty, making friends, and settling into
their new “home” — a home they now share with 30,000 Colgate alumni.
The striking beauty of our campus and the power of connecting with
other Colgate people both contribute to the deep and enduring sense of
pride and love our alumni have for this place. Particularly at a time when
society is more mobile and global than ever before, the idea of campus as
home is a powerful metaphor for our 21st-century community.
Consider the friendships that are formed here and develop over
decades, whether they are between students, or with members of the
faculty. Think of those “Colgate moments” on the street, when you are
wearing your Colgate T-shirt or cap and you get stopped to share a few
minutes talking about living in Stillman, traveling with Professor Tony
Aveni, or climbing Cardiac Hill on a snowy February morning. There is a
bond that ties Colgate people together, a sense of investment in a university founded nearly 200 years ago that is built upon, year by year, by its
students, faculty, and alumni.
As we consider Colgate’s great momentum and its path into the
future, it is important that we consider our priorities in terms of how we
can achieve them together. This is a time of great opportunity — and
significant challenge — for higher education. Demographics are changing. College costs are rising. The global economy is in flux, and the call for
visionary, ethical leaders is unmistakable. Colgate needs to keep creating
leaders who can help address these challenges.
The difference between leading and following, building on our
momentum or falling back, has everything to do with how we come
together as a community, actively engaging in the work of shaping
Colgate’s future — and that of generations of students to come. The first
step on this path is open, productive dialogue.
This past summer, we partnered with the Gallup organization in a
survey effort to assess the current state of alumni engagement — from
the kinds of involvement they are interested in, to the ways in which
they feel the university could do better. Many of you responded with
your feedback, and for that, we thank you. As the data are being analyzed,
two key themes are emerging: Colgate alumni are fiercely proud, deeply
loyal people who want to help the university succeed; however, as part of
their involvement, they want the university to do a better job of talking
with — not just talking to — them about the challenges and issues that
the university faces, and how we are addressing those issues. This is a
point of agreement. It is clear that stronger, more meaningful dialogue
and involvement between alumni and Colgate are essential to our future.
Through conversations we will pursue based on the Gallup project,
events across the nation, and other efforts — including this new format
for the Scene — we are shifting the ways in which we talk with each
other and with our alumni. This shift is meant to open the door to the
active engagement of greater numbers of alumni. This sense of collaboration and shared purpose is, in many ways, in the Colgate DNA.
This campus was founded by people with a pioneering spirit who
were determined to build something much bigger than themselves. As
I look out to the future, I see no better way to think about the work that
lies ahead.
In this first issue of the new Scene, we begin a new conversation by
addressing an issue that is very much on the minds of the whole Colgate
community — college costs. (See the feature article “Behind the Sticker
Price” on page 30.) This is perhaps the most critical conversation right
now because it directly impacts our current and future students and their
families. We are determined to enhance our financial aid resources to
keep Colgate affordable for our students, but this is an issue, particularly
in hard financial times, that we must all understand if we are to work
together to find new solutions. In the coming year, through our publications and events, this will be a main topic of discussion and opportunity
for dialogue.
I look forward to continuing the conversation.
President Rebecca Chopp chats with members of Greekletter organizations at the Greek Life Summit, a gathering
of students and alumni to discuss the past, evaluate the
present, and envision the future for Colgate’s fraternities
and sororities.
If you’re moving... Please clip the address label and send with
your new address to: Alumni Records Clerk, Colgate University,
13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346-1398.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the university,
the publishers, or the editors.
Notice of Non-Discrimination: Colgate University does not
discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, citizenship status, sex, pregnancy, religion,
creed, physical or mental disability (including AIDS), age, marital
status, sexual orientation, status as a disabled veteran of the
Vietnam era, or any other category protected under applicable
law. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the university’s non-discrimination policies:
Marilyn Rugg, University Harassment Officer, 13 Oak Drive,
Hamilton, NY 13346; 315-228-7288.
Cert no. SW-COC-002556
scene: Autumn 2008
the members of the Class of 2012 began making their mark, joining
Printed and mailed from Lane Press
in South Burlington, Vt.
10%
2
As fall arrived,
Andrew Daddio
Film and video artist
Sandy Cioffi ’84 (“Sabotage,” pg. 26) has produced and/or directed
several films including
the critically acclaimed
Crocodile Tears, Terminal 187, and Just Us.
A professor at Seattle
Central Community College, she has also used
video as a documentation and verification
tool for human rights
organizations, including providing video
evidence during the
1998 marching season
in Northern Ireland.
Vice President for Public Relations
and Communications
Charles Melichar
Managing Editor
Rebecca Costello
Associate Editor
Aleta Mayne
Director of Publications
Gerald Gall
Coordinator of Photographic Services
Andrew Daddio
Production Assistant
Kathy Bridge
Message from President Rebecca S. Chopp
News and views for the Colgate community
3
Letters
July 2008
The Colgate Scene
The Scene welcomes letters. We reserve the right to
decide whether a letter is acceptable for publication
and to edit for accuracy, clarity, and length. Letters
deemed potentially libelous or that malign a person
or group will not be published. Letters should not
exceed 250 words. You can reach us by mail, or e-mail
[email protected]. Please include your
full name, class year if applicable, address, phone
number, and/or e-mail address.
A seamless 50th Reunion
general. He was a truly deep intellectual, interested in viewing life from
multiple perspectives — that type of
influence is going to stick with me for
the rest of my life.
I know I can speak for my classmates who
returned for our 50th Reunion (pg.
8-9, July 2008 Scene), and probably for
all the other reunion returnees, when
I say that the great planning work
done by Colgate staff and alumni class
representatives yielded an event that
equalled or exceeded pretty much any
that we have experienced over these
many years.
It was “seamless” in each and every
event and — as President Chopp stated, referring to the movie Groundhog
Day, at the Presidents’ Club breakfast
regarding the way this year went for
Colgate — “I wish we could do this
over and over.”
Congratulations to all!
Jeff Seely ’08
Mansfield, Texas
Changes are gratifying
Arthur Rashap ’58
Munnsville, N.Y.
Remembering Howard Jones
I was saddened to read of the passing
of Howard Jones ’39 (Deaths, July
2008 Scene). In the spring of 1953, as
I was finishing my bachelor’s degree
at SUNY Oswego, I was informed by
my English studies mentor about the
Graduate Preceptorial program at
Colgate. My mentor had heard about
it from a friend he had made when
they were finishing their doctorates at
Syracuse University. That friend was
Howard Jones. I applied for the program and was accepted as a graduate
preceptor and to the MA program.
from Professors Berlind, Kistler, Lawson, Rockwell, and Speirs. Thus, with
my MA, I was prepared to go on to a
PhD in English at Syracuse and a very
long academic career.
I corresponded from time to time
with Jones when he went north to run
the Northfield and Mount Herman
Schools, and then we lost touch. Fortunately, I was able to keep
up with his careers and life through
decades of issues of the Colgate Scene.
Like many whose lives he touched
and influenced, I’ll never forget
Howard Jones.
Sanford Sternlicht MA’55
Professor of English,
Syracuse University
Mansfield: exemplary teacher,
deep thinker
Howard Jones ’39
I believe Jones, on the recommendation of my mentor, helped in the
acceptance. The preceptorial offices
were in the old administration building, the edifice that once housed the
Colgate Academy, and Jones had his
office in the building, too. He was
always very friendly and supportive of
the preceptors, and consequently very
popular. We had many conversations.
The program offered me some
teaching experience, and I received
excellent class and thesis instruction
4
scene: Autumn 2008
from the time women were admitted
to Colgate. It just goes to prove that
any person — man or woman — can
develop the necessary skill set to care
for a child if he or she is committed.
Compared to caring for my 2and 1-year-olds, going to work is a
vacation for me: I get to have adult
conversations, work on a computer,
and actually apply logic as leverage!
And though I am not stubble-faced
(like Dan), I, too, play sports, love beer,
take out the trash, cut the lawn, etc.
Antiquated gender roles have been
redefined, and I find the change
healthy. Nobody appreciates the feeling of being boxed in.
Not only was Vic Mansfield (Deaths,
July 2008 Scene) a great teacher, but
he was also very human inside and
outside the classroom. In his class on
Jungian psychology and physics, one
could see that he was thinking deeply
about the material as we talked; one
time the class was respectfully silent
for over a minute as he was ruminating. Not until a classmate held up a
pen and let it drop on his desk was the
silence broken and we returned to the
discussion.
He invited the physics majors out
to his home in the country to meet his
family and to cross-country ski and savor hot chocolate and cinnamon toast.
He became passionately excited when
I made strides in physical thinking
and then asked thought-provoking
questions to which he had no intention of providing the answers, leaving
me confused, but more importantly,
intrigued.
I have been gratified at the changes at
Colgate concerning visibility and the
increased ability of LGBTQ students
to be themselves (Around the College,
July 2008 Scene). This is such a change
from what we suffered at Colgate in
the early ’60s. It was impossible for
me to even disclose my inner feelings
to myself and I would surely have lost
my scholarship if my “tendencies” had
been known.
The good side was that I was able
to experience life on both sides, as I
married and had three children before,
at age 40, I met the man of my life
who also had three children, and was
able to be comfortable with myself.
Warren and I have been together for
26 years and have nine grandchildren
between us.
It is because of these changes that
Warren and I went back to my first
reunion this year. I urge all alumni,
particularly gay and lesbian alumni, to
support these efforts at Colgate.
E. Jeremy Hutton ’63
Harpers Ferry, W.V.
The Dalai Lama’s Colgate visit
Vic Mansfield
He was even willing to dive off
tables into the arms of students waiting below in order to demonstrate a
principle of general relativity.
Now that I am a physics professor
myself, I truly appreciate the depth of
Vic’s commitment to his students. I
am grateful to have been one of them.
Nancy “Therm” Burnham ’80
Worcester, Mass.
Vic Mansfield was my physics adviser.
We shared several one-on-one discussions in his office, and I will always
be grateful for the advice and encouragement he gave me. Even though I
often went in with a physics question,
within minutes we’d be talking about
Buddhism, spirituality, and life in
It was a true pilgrimage for me to travel
to Colgate to see His Holiness, the
Dalai Lama (July 2008 Scene). My own
studies, 36 years ago, in Buddhism,
came streaming back to me, and my
own faith as a Christian and as an
Episcopal priest were strengthened.
I was also able to meet two Tibetan
Buddhist monks from the monastery
in Ithaca as we gathered back in the
parking area on Whitnall Field. They
knew the monk who has been teaching my son at Hobart College to create
a Buddhist sand mandala, which I saw
later in the week prior to its reverent
destruction. How much we Westerners could grow if we lived out even
some of the Buddhist belief that all
things are impermanent!
Rev. James Kellaway ’72
Vernon Rockville, Conn.
P.S. I hope one of my four brothers
who went to Colgate read Dan’s
article, too!
Lyle Tolli ’10
Maria Langan Archer ’88
Southampton, N.Y.
Another devout runner
I read with interest your article about
Lyle Tolli’s “opportunity to give glory
to God” in his track career at Colgate
(Sports, May 2008).
This quote almost leapt off the
page when I read it; this was exactly
the same athletic religious philosophy
of another fine track runner by the
name of Eric Liddell. He was made
“re-famous” for this generation by
the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, which
portrayed the events surrounding his
winning the 400 meter race at the
1924 Paris Olympics, particularly his
refusal to run in the 100 meter race
because it was on Sunday, the Lord’s
Day.
After this, he returned to China as
a missionary from 1925 to 1945. He
became a prisoner of the invading
Japanese and died of a brain tumor
five months before his internment
camp was liberated.
I wish Lyle a great career at Colgate
(he is already well on his way), and he
certainly has the right attitude about
his gift, as did Eric Liddell.
hiroshima jkt art 23.5mm
It was America’s bomb
19/11/07
8:46 am
Page 1 (1,1)
Andrew J. Rotter is Charles A. Dana
Professor of History at Colgate University.
He specializes in US diplomatic history,
recent U.S. history, and the Vietnam War,
and has written extensively on US-Asian
relations during the twentieth century,
including the books The Path to Vietnam and
Comrades at Odds: India and the United States.
Jacket photograph: © 2000 TopFoto.co.uk
Bart Newell ’66
Track 1963–1966
Women’s work
Hats off to Dan Carsen ’93! My husband
and I enjoyed reading his article
“Reevaluating ‘Women’s Work’” in the
May edition. What a refreshing piece
to read in the Scene less than 40 years
Even the most casual visitor to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial may perceive
the poignancy of death — the shattered eyeglasses, the sintered pocket
watch, the mutilated school lunchbox, disintegrated almost beyond
recognition. Indeed, the profoundly
personal character of these artifacts
and the haunting notion of personal
responsibility were powerful enough
to derail the Enola Gay Exhibit in
1994, convene a
Congressional ad
hiroshima
hoc committee,
and precipitate
the resignationin-disgust of the
Smithsonian director. The United
1 was the
States
first country to
incinerate the civilian population of
a large city using a nuclear bomb.
It was also the second to do so. And
it was the last. More succinctly, it is
the only country to have ever done
so (twice) and thus bears a unique
moral onus. Arguing otherwise would
require a leap of imagination and in
Hiroshima: the World’s Bomb (May
2008 Scene) that is exactly what Professor Rotter seems to attempt.
Here’s an analogous anecdote.
On Dec. 29, 1890, at Wounded Knee,
S.D., more than 300 sick and starving
Native American civilians, mostly
The American decision to drop an atomic bomb on the
Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 was one
of the most controversial events of the twentieth
century. Yet, as this new history shows, the first atom
bomb was not just an American invention.The race to
create and deploy the atom bomb was international,
and the consequences of that race are carried by the
whole world to this day.
T H E
W O R L D ’ S
B O M B
‘Smart,useful, and beautifully written . . . [Rotter] shows in how
many ways this truly was the world’s bomb.’
Laura Hein, Northwestern University, and author of Living with the Bomb
‘Engaging and exceptionally skilful . . . By any standard, a
terrific book.’
J. Samuel Walker, author of Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the
Use of Atomic Bombs against Japan
‘A profound look at one of mankind’s most significant (and
tragic) events . . .’
Thomas W. Zeiler, University of Colorado, and author of Unconditional
Defeat: Japan, America, and the End of World War II
A N D R E W
www.oup.com
£16.99 RRP $29.95
5
USA
J .
R OT T E R
Dan Carsen ’93 with daughter Lucine Sophia
women, children, and the aged, met
their deaths in a cold, dark mass grave,
gunned down by a new mechanical
weapon. The Gatling gun, invented
by the American Dr. Richard J. Gatling
in 1861, offered vast improvements in
operational efficiency over the mitrailleuse, its Flemish/French prototype
of a decade earlier. It went on to play
a major role in the U.S. annihilation
of more than a half-million Filipino
civilians alone during the years of
1899–1902 preceding the Philippine
conquest and occupation. Historians have variously argued that the
outcome of General Custer’s battle
at Little Bighorn (1876) would have
been different had he had a Gatling
in tow. And, conversely, that if the Native American enemy had somehow
acquired a Gatling gun, they wouldn’t
have hesitated to use it against their
nemesis, the U.S. Cavalry. The latter
conjecture is undoubtedly true.
Despite its international pedigree,
the Gatling gun throttled at Wounded
Knee or Luzon was not a “world gun,”
it was an American one. Nor did
“world bombs” drop over Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, only American ones.
Moral accountability presumes choice
of action.
The US decision to drop an atomic
bomb on the Japanese city of
Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 remains
one of the most controversial events
of the twentieth century. However,
the controversy over the rights and
wrongs of dropping the bomb has
tended to obscure a number of
fundamental and sobering truths
about the development of this
fearsome weapon.
The principle of killing thousands of enemy
civilians from the air was already well
established by 1945 and had been practised
on numerous occasions by both sides
during the Second World War. Moreover,
the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was
conceived and built by an international
community of scientists, not just by the
Americans. Other nations (including Japan
and Germany) were also developing atomic
bombs in the first half of the 1940s, albeit
haphazardly. Indeed, it is difficult to
imagine any combatant nation foregoing the
use of the bomb during the war had it been
able to obtain one. The international team
of scientists organized by the Americans
just got there first.
As this new history shows, the bomb
dropped by a US pilot that hot August
morning in 1945 was in many ways the
world’s offspring, in both a technological
and a moral sense. The race to create and
deploy the atom bomb was international,
and the consequences of that race are
carried by the whole world to this day.
Gary Moler ’73
Shiga, Japan
News and views for the Colgate community
5
work & play
G
Campus scrapbook
A
B
A
Sweet ride down College Street
B
Students sign up for free T-shirts and the opportunity to
become an ambassador student worker at the ALANA
Cultural Center kickoff barbecue.
C
“The Freshmaker” turned mess maker. A physics club experiment in front of the Ho Science Center demonstrates how
dropping Mentos into Diet Coke causes a soda geyser.
D
Back to school. Hitting the books at the Coop.
E
Professor Ellen Kraly takes a water break while climbing
Mt. Rainier to raise money for breast cancer research. Photo
by Jim Kraly. Sales from a special jewelry line crafted by Lisa
Oristian have contributed to Kraly’s cause. (See the full story
on page 10.)
F
C
F
6
That’s a soaker. Balloon toss offers some cool relief at
Konosioni field day.
G
Where’s the elevator? Volunteers help first-year students
haul their belongings up several flights of stairs on move-in
day.
Photos by Andrew Daddio unless otherwise noted
scene: Autumn 2008
D
E
News and views for the Colgate community
7
Global explorers
Even the windowsills
were full at Founders’
Day Convocation in
Memorial Chapel on
Aug. 31.
Colgate’s newest graduates, and a few
current students, are covering the
globe supported by major fellowships
and scholarships — from researching
such subjects as the mass migration
of Jews from the Muslim lands of the
Middle East, to teaching English to
young students in Asia.
Paul J. Schupf ’58 Fellowship,
for two years of study at St. Anne’s
College of the University of Oxford:
Ruben Leavitt ’08 will read for a
Master of Philosophy in Politics: Political Theory. His primary area of study
will be in the political philosophies
of war in both modern and historical
perspectives.
Thomas J. Watson Fellowship,
for a year of independent exploration
outside the United States: Gemina
Garland-Lewis ’08 will study the
differences in the cultural valuing of
whales within pro- and anti-whaling
nations, traveling to The Azores, South
Africa, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, and
Norway. Cecilia Sibony ’08 will visit
Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan,
Turkey, and Bahrain to examine the
migration of Jews from their homes in
the Middle East and compare Muslim
perspectives on the sociopolitical
circumstances of each country before
and during the migration, in order
to obtain a more complete picture
of the factors affecting decisions to
emigrate.
U.S. Student Fulbright Program
scholarships: Jillian Ferris ’08 (English teaching assistantship, Taiwan);
Caryn Fields ’08 (English teaching
assistantship, Thailand); Julia Gooding ’08 (study/research, China); and
Colin Twomey ’08 (study/research,
Belgium).
Goldwater Scholarship: Caraline
Higgins ’09, supporting her pursuit of
graduate degrees in the field of infectious diseases.
Beinecke Scholarship: Nathaniel
Del Prete ’09, supporting his pursuit
of a doctorate in the classics.
9,415 Students who applied
23.9% Acceptance rate
738 Enrolled
3.74 Average GPA
1 Holds a computer software patent
15 Traveled to New Orleans to help with
8
scene: Autumn 2008
Back on campus
Brain drain warrior
Hurricane Katrina relief
60 Student government presidents
45 Participated in Model United Nations
2 Published authors
36 International students, from 16 countries
84 Have studied or volunteered abroad
2 Professional actors
22% Multicultural students
1 Oregon State Debate Championship winner
1 Created a program that collected 350 pairs
Chopp honored as pivotal figure
in higher education
of shoes for Ghanaian youth
President Rebecca S. Chopp has
been awarded the 2008 Professional
Achievement Citation from her alma
mater, the University of Chicago. The
alumni citation honored her for being
a “pivotal figure in the field of higher
education and a renowned scholar of
religion and culture.” In receiving the
award, she said her experience at the
University of Chicago had a profound
impact on her career.
“Open-ended questioning, crossdisciplinary exploration, and delight
in the sheer love of thinking were
all avenues of joy that I gained,”
said Chopp, who earned her doctorate from the University of Chicago
Divinity School in 1983 and began her
professional career as an assistant
professor of theology at the school.
“The university opened a world to me
that I did not know existed, but it was
a world to which I quickly and happily
learned to belong.”
In recent years Chopp’s research
and publication have focused on
changing structures and cultures of
higher education, the role of liberal arts in democratic society, and
supporting faculty in teaching and
research. She has written numerous books and articles in the areas of
women’s studies, Christian theology,
and the role of religion in American
public life.
Andrew Daddio
Colgate’s Board of Trustees welcomes
new members Nancy C. Crown P’10,
Dr. Ramón A. Garcia ’77, and Stephen
R. Howe Jr. ’83. They join a board
composed of 31 alumni, 3 parents, and
the university president. Alumni are
encouraged to submit nominations
for board membership by sending
names and accompanying rationale
for the submission to Kim Waldron,
Secretary of the College, Colgate
University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton,
NY 13346.
Andrew Daddio
work & play
New trustees
Go figure –
Class of 2012
Tim Mansfield, assistant dean of students and director of Greek life, leads a forum with
students and alumni at the Greek Life Summit.
Strengthening Greek life
Colgate’s Greek-letter organizations
are partnering with the university to
find ways to strengthen the system
on campus.
A Greek Life Summit was held in
July to evaluate the health of the system and develop a stronger plan for
sustainability. Five student representatives from each of the 10 fraternities
and sororities on campus collaborated
with staff members, local advisers,
and alumni representatives. In all,
more than 70 people contributed to
the dialogue that was framed by a nationally recognized deliberation model
called Fraternal Futures.
Participants engaged in different
ways of framing complex issues,
examining problems, and developing
action plans through large open
forums and moderated group
dialogues. Topics included greater
outreach in the Colgate community,
effective outlets to communicate with
the administration, and the adoption
of a more fitting code of rights and
responsibilities.
Tim Mansfield, assistant dean of
students and director of Greek life,
said his goal was for students to “take
specific actions in this system — how
they recruit, how they hold each
other accountable — and get at ways
that take ownership of their fraternal
experience.”
Charlie Stack ’04, Beta Theta Pi,
agreed with Mansfield about ownership leading to responsibility and action. “That’s why everyone was there
— they wanted an ownership stake.
It may not be necessary to physically
own the houses for students to retain
the same sense of ownership over the
system,” said Stack. “I think there is a
solution where the school gets what it
wants and it’s the same thing that the
students want and the alums want —
it all should revolve around giving students a better education both socially
and academically, and a large part of
that is letting them manage their own
lives and living situations, to whatever
extent is possible,” Stack said.
“Students need to know that their
action — or inaction — will ultimately
shape their fraternal future,” said
Mansfield, “and we don’t want to lose
the momentum of this valuable summit.”
An executive summary of the reports that emerged from the summit
was distributed to the student Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity
Council, to facilitate the discussions
that are continuing this fall.
— Brittany Messenger ’10, Kappa
Kappa Gamma
Amethyst Initiative to foster
dialogue about drinking age
President Chopp is among more than
100 college and university presidents
nationwide who have signed the Amethyst Initiative, a call for a national
discussion on the issue of alcohol use
and abuse on college campuses. The
initiative is led by John McCardell,
president emeritus of Middlebury College and founder of Choose Responsibility.
The group’s statement reflects the
belief that the 21-year-old drinking
age is not working, that its unintended consequences are posing increasing risks to young people, and that
Upstate New York is battling “brain
drain,” and Kevin
McAvey ’05 has
taken up a sword.
In June, he met
with members of
Colgate’s Upstate
Institute to discuss the nonprofit
he is launching,
whose mission
is to attract and retain graduating
students in the region.
McAvey, a Cornell graduate student,
said although he left the area after
graduation, his “heart stayed in upstate
New York.”
Plans for the nonprofit — named
the Upstate Foundation — include an
online job database to strengthen the
connection between local companies
and universities, fellowships for top
students who accept positions with
upstate New York companies, and
assistance in coordinating policy initiatives.
As an Upstate Institute Fellow with
the Chenango County United Way in
2003, McAvey learned the inner workings of a nonprofit agency, and fell in
love with the sense of community.
“I realized how many selling points
it is time for a serious debate among
elected representatives about whether
current public policies are in line with
current realities.
“This is not an endorsement of
lowering the drinking age to 18, but
rather a statement that this discussion
needs to be open and inclusive if it is to
be productive,” said Chopp. “The health
and safety of our students is our highest priority, and we owe it to them and
their families to encourage open and
ongoing dialogue around this important issue.”
Colgate’s policies on alcohol and
drugs, as stated in the student handbook, are strictly enforced. This year,
the Office of the Dean of the College
is increasing its efforts to educate students about alcohol, stress, and other
factors that lead to binge drinking;
as well, Colgate’s Wellness Initiative
helps students learn stress reduction,
nutrition, and the facts about alcohol
consumption.
this area has to offer: the low cost of
living, great schools, beautiful surroundings, and plenty of leadership
opportunities for young professionals.”
Also back
Jesse Berman ’04, Tim Chrzan ’76,
Bruce Clayton ’89, Ian Dennis ’04,
Ainslie Ellis ’00, Michael Fish ’05,
Jess Gregory ’05, Gene Krebs ’66,
Alex Lane ’00, Paul Lobo ’89, Charlie
Stack ’04, and Bob Tyburski ’74 were
among the alumni who participated in
the Greek Life Summit with students.
Robert Fox ’59 gave the keynote
address at Colgate’s Leadership
Institute, which now bears his name.
The most important characteristic
of a good leader, he told students, is
the ability to deal with a variety of
people.
Sidney Jones ’05 gave a career
services talk about her experience
teaching English on a Fulbright
Fellowship at Bilkent University in
Ankara, Turkey.
Charles Hall ’65, professor of
environmental and forest biology at
SUNY Syracuse, discussed “Energy
Return on Investment and Our Economic Future” in a Center for Ethics
and World Societies lecture.
New position focuses on
diversity
Keenan Grenell, PhD, has been appointed the university’s first vice
president and
dean of diversity. His role is to
serve as a partner
with students,
faculty, and staff
from all cultural
backgrounds, and
to lead Colgate’s
shared conversation about
diversity and inclusivity as important
components of academic excellence
and a thriving campus community.
Building on the work that has
been set in motion through the university’s Diversity Initiative, Grenell
serves as chief diversity officer, provides counsel on faculty recruitment
and retention strategies, supports
student life efforts, and takes a leading
News and views for the Colgate community
9
New head of HR
Pamela Prescod-Caesar has been
named associate vice president for
human resources.
Prior to her recent
completion of an
MBA, PrescodCaesar served as
associate director
in the University
Administration
Human Resources
Office at Harvard
University. Previously, she was vice
president of human resources at
Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries
in Boston, after working for 12 years in
human resources for various organizations including Boston University
Medical Center.
Campus and community support
climb for breast cancer research
Geography professor Ellen Kraly’s
hiking boots have logged many miles
uphill. After borrowing them from
the Outdoor Education Program in
summer 2004 to climb Washington
State’s Mount Baker, she couldn’t let
them go. Her emotional attachment
to the boots was rooted in her journey,
not just to the summit of Baker, but
also as a breast cancer survivor who
climbed the mountain to raise money
for breast cancer research. She pur-
chased the boots, and four years later
tackled a larger Cascade mountain,
Mount Rainier, for the same cause.
Kraly and her son Jim, who accompanied her on the Mount Baker climb,
scaled the mountain with a group led
by Alpine Ascent International this
past August.
As Kraly prepared for the threeday climb, the Colgate and Hamilton
communities rallied behind her to
assist with everything from fundraising to securing her equipment.
Campus groups such as the Breast
Cancer Awareness Coalition and the
geography department used creative
ways to help Kraly exceed her $10,000
donation goal for the Fred Hutchison
Cancer Research Center, which organized the climb.
The Outdoor Education Program
held a raffle at the Banff Film Festival
in Hamilton to raise money and had
Kraly talk about her climb to a packed
theater before a screening. They also
lent her equipment and director Abby
Rowe checked her gear to make sure it
was up to snuff.
Women’s basketball gave their support by having Kraly as a guest coach
during their breast cancer awareness promotion and announcing her
Mount Rainier effort during the game.
“A large portion of what we raised
came from the Colgate community,”
Kraly said. “They supported me in
incredible ways.”
Even President Chopp — who had
accompanied Kraly on her 2004 climb
— kept her company almost every
morning as she trained on the old ski
hill.
Local jewelry maker Lisa Oristian
and Evergreen Gallery owner Laurie
Tomberlin Shoemaker teamed up to
Views from the hill
What issues were students
thinking about in this fall’s
election?
“The economy — class stratification, lack
of jobs, increasing prices. The war in Iraq —
should it end? The environment — I want to
see someone look past the Green Façade,
the idea that being ‘green’ is fashionable, and
actually make an effort to reduce, reuse, and
recycle. Come on, people; it’s not that hard!”
–Angelica America ’10, women’s studies
major
“Foreign policy is extremely important because of
how our international
perception has shifted in
the past eight years.”
–Evan Kramer ’09, Spanish
and psychology major
“Health care. Everything
is getting more expensive
and the Baby Boomer
generation is getting into
their senior years, which
means about 78 million
people will soon need
long-term care.”
–Curry Knox ’09, English (creative writing)
major, sociology & anthropology minor
“My main concerns are the legalization of gay
marriage, the real estate and oil markets, the
decline in the standard of public education,
the increase in cost of living and higher education, and the need for a better health care
system, including prescription drugs.”
–Annette Goldmacher ’10, German major
Andrew Daddio
Activities Day on the
Quad informed students
about various extracurricular activities and
volunteer opportunities
through such groups as
the Southern Madison
County Volunteer
Ambulance Corps. For
many students, the activities they choose will
shape their experience
at Colgate.
10
scene: Autumn 2008
sponsor Kraly’s climb. Oristian crafted
a special jewelry line — engraved
with breast cancer awareness ribbons — that is sold at the gallery. The
majority of the jewelry proceeds were
donated to Kraly’s cause; Oristian only
kept enough to cover the cost of materials. Shoemaker also did not take any
commission from the necklace sales.
“It’s important to us because we’re
women and we want to support each
other,” said Shoemaker.
“I don’t think there are very many
women who don’t know someone
who has had breast cancer,” added
Oristian, whose mother had the
disease. “It’s a really important cause
and I’m so impressed with her for
doing that kind of climbing.” Oristian
made a unique necklace — a silver
and gold bead engraved with ribbons
— that Kraly wore to the summit, to
be auctioned off later for an additional
donation.
Another meaningful item brought
to the top was a string of Himalayan
prayer flags with the names of people
the climbers were honoring. The
Kralys dedicated their climb to Irene
Kraly (the aunt of Ellen’s husband,
Professor Scott Kraly), who died of
breast cancer.
CU Press turns a new page
The Colgate University Press has
dusted itself off and published its
first book in 14 years. Released this
summer, Crafting
Fiction, Poetry,
& Memoir: Talks
from the Colgate
Writers’ Conference is a collection
of essays by a
diverse group of
authors who are
passionate about
teaching the art of writing.
Edited by conference director
Matthew Leone, the book includes an
essay by Professor Peter Balakian on
poetry writing, as well as an essay on
writing creative nonfiction by Professor Jennifer Brice, who is associate
director of the press. It is dedicated
to the late professor of English Fred
Busch and his wife, Judy.
The book represents a new direction for the press, which was organized in 1965 by the late Professor
Robert Blackmore ’41 and his wife,
Lucia. The Blackmores were devoted to
publishing works by the Powys family,
who were prominent in Great Britain
in the early 20th century.
“We’re going to re-launch the press
by publishing some different kinds
of work,” explained Susan Cerasano,
the new director of the press and the
Edgar W.B. Fairchild Professor of literature. “It seems an auspicious moment
to re-envision some new and exciting
directions for the press to take. We
hope to capitalize on two of Colgate’s
traditional strengths: regional studies
and creative writing.”
Having received funding from the
university to run a pilot project for
three years, the press will publish one
to two volumes per year, Cerasano
estimates.
Currently in the works is a revised
edition of the Hamilton Walk Book,
featuring well-known trails, as well as
lesser- known canoe paths and walks
to waterfalls in the region. John Demler ’08 and Carly Gelfond ’06 have contributed to some of the revised walk
descriptions and maps, and English
professor George Hudson — who has
had professional hiking experience in
several countries — is the lead author
on the book, which is scheduled to
come off press in the spring of 2010.
“Dinner and a Good Book”
This fall, sophomores are indulging
in gastronomic and literary delights,
digesting books they read over the
summer in discussions with professors through the “Dinner and a Good
Book” program. Students who participate are reimbursed up to $10 toward
the cost of each book. On this year’s
reading list:
-In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez
-The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial, Susan Eaton
-Literacy With an Attitude, Patrick Finn
-Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture, Ariel Levy
-Blue Light, Walter Mosley
-The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan
-Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity, Stephen Toulmin
Get to know: Jean Brooks
Timothy D. Sofranko
work & play
role in the campuswide commitment
to advancing Colgate’s ability to prepare graduates for the diverse, global
environment in which they will live
and work. An accomplished leader in
higher education, Grenell previously
served as associate provost for diversity at Marquette University and led
diversity efforts at Auburn University.
Cashier, Frank Dining Hall, Sodexo Food
Service
• Has worked at Colgate for 30 years
• Estimated number of times she’s checked students in at Frank Dining Hall since it opened
in 1984: 2,918,400
• Other dining halls where she’s worked: Bryan Dining Hall (before it was The Edge) and the
Student Union (which was the main dining hall when she started in 1977)
• Received a Maroon Citation from the Alumni Corporation this year
• What she loves about Colgate: “The kids”
• Previous job: worked at Tefft’s Variety store in Earlville, N.Y.
• First job: waitress at Sautter’s Diner in Morrisville, N.Y.
• Family: Has been married for 49 years, with 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 greatgrandsons
• Favorite pastimes: craft work, crocheting, working in the garden, and visiting her children
in Charlotte, N.C., and Roanoke, Va.
• On meeting the Dalai Lama during his visit on campus: “I was refilling Mr. Ho’s [Robert H.N.
Ho ’56] water glass and he asked, ‘Have you been introduced yet, Jean?’ Then he took the
water pitcher out of my hand, set it on the table, took me over, and said, ‘Your Holiness,
I would like you to meet a good friend of mine, whom I see every time I visit Colgate.’ The
Dalai Lama took my hand and he laid his cheek on it, and I thought, I’ve got to get away
from here before I start crying. I was speechless, believe it or not.”
• If she could have lunch with anyone, who would it be? “My hand was kissed by the Dalai
Lama. Who else is left?”
News and views for the Colgate community
11
work & play
Passion for the Climb
A Patriot’s
Travelogue
Jim Carrier ’84 has a patriotic fervor
that goes back to age 5, when he
planted the American flag on the
dining room table and made everyone
recite the Pledge of Allegiance before
dinner. The Greenwich, Conn., resident leads the Veterans Appreciation
Council, raising money and awareness
for the families of those wounded or
killed in action, for which the Department of the Navy gave him the
Superior Public Service Award (the
second-highest civilian award) in
May. What follows is an adapted
version of his report of a tour with
the U.S. Army in Iraq, sponsored by
Greenwich Magazine.
Jim Carrier ’84 (right)
with his escort, Army
Specialist Dogman
12
scene: Autumn 2008
Leaving the comforts of my routine
as a partner in a Manhattan money
management firm, I took off for Iraq
in December 2007. Feeling driven to
gather my own observations of the
job our servicemen and women were
doing, I had applied to the U.S. Army
for clearance. My father-in-law, a
former diplomat, said, “You will have a
unique opportunity to take in all of the
sights, smells, and sounds of history.”
He was right.
I took a commercial flight to Kuwait City, then flew to the Combined
Press Information Center (CPIC) in
Baghdad. Being the only American
there and the new guy on the block,
I listened attentively while a string
of European reporters chatted. They
had just completed private interviews
with General David Petraeus, commander of the Multi-National Force.
Two days later, I traveled northwest in a Blackhawk helicopter over
sprawling meadows and small farms
and landed in what looked like a goat
pasture. My host, Major Randy Baucom, said, “We’ve brought you out to
one of our Coalition Outposts [COPs]
so you can see where the rubber
meets the road.” The mission of the
COPs scattered in and around Iraq is
not only military, but also diplomatic:
We act as ambassadors, befriending villagers and teaching them that
we’re there to help push al Qaeda out
of their homes. It’s all part of the plan
to develop trust and confidence one
village at a time.
Our destination was a COP located
near Al Raood, home of the U.S. Army
2nd Battalion — 5th Regiment, 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. I was
particularly taken by the senior NCO,
First Sergeant Erik Marquez, a takecharge guy who shared with me every
nook and cranny of his COP. He had
managed the construction six months
prior, when tensions were so high that
villagers would not leave their homes.
Four short months later, there was
trade in the streets, children playing
outdoors, and farmers tending their
crops and animals.
We headed to Al Raood, to a
negotiation with the village elder who
was the sheik of the local Sunni tribe.
In their society, village elders know all,
including in which houses the al Qaeda
are holed up. My hosts pointed out
75 small markets open for free trade
and neighborhoods being policed
by organizations called Concerned
Local Citizens — Iraqis who work with
the American military and provide
intelligence from local people who
want to rid their neighborhoods of al
Qaeda. One little boy peered into the
rear window of my Humvee, patted
his heart, and with a smile flashed
me a thumbs-up sign — a “Thank you,”
perhaps for the soccer ball he had just
received from our troops.
I stood alongside company commander Captain Brian Bassett and his
fellow soldiers while they communicated with the sheik. The objective
was to secure the sheik’s handshake
on encouraging his fellow villagers to
resist the threats of al Qaeda, who
were pushing the natives from their
homes. In exchange, the sheik would
ask the Americans to rebuild the
school that al Qaeda had bombed and
burned. I was an eyewitness to the
skilled acts of diplomacy conducted
by these gracious troops.
In a turn of fate, an American flag
I had brought from home played an
important role in my trip. Thinking it
could be briefly run up a pole at the
COP, I told my hosts I had brought it. I
learned that the military does not fly
our colors in Iraq because the United
States is not an occupying force;
however, when the soldiers decided
to use my flag as a backdrop in a reenlistment commitment by Sergeant
Alen Alexander, an eight-year army
veteran from Brooklyn, N.Y., my heart
nearly busted out of my chest.
As our time together was nearing an end, Marquez reached over to
his right shoulder and swiftly peeled
away from its Velcro backing his unit
patch featuring the iron horse of the
1st Cavalry Division. He said, “Thank
you for coming out to visit me and my
fellow warriors. I have worn this patch
for the last 14 months on this combat
deployment, and I want you to have it.”
I was speechless.
Looking back on my arrival in the
CPIC, I thought of the Swiss journalist who pulled me aside and asked,
“May I offer you a bit of a heads-up
before you go out there? I don’t want
to offend you, but if you’d like to hear
the real story, I am happy to tell you.”
I said, “Sure. Any orientation would
be great.” But I was thinking, “Uh-oh,
this guy is going to tell me how fouled
up the Americans are.” But putting his
arm around my shoulder, he went on:
“The Americans have actually turned
the page in Iraq in terms of security,
and I am impressed by the brilliance of
your General Petraeus.”
It’s a story I thought the American
people and our troops deserve to hear.
I was honored as a common man to be
able to thank so many of our uncommon heroes and shake their hands.
ring that bell
On Friday the 13th back in June,
President Rebecca Chopp, flanked by 13 Colgate alumni and friends, rang the morning bell at the New York Stock
Exchange. That special celebration of Colgate Day* — a relatively new university tradition — got us wondering
about older traditions around a bell closer to home. Generations of alumni fondly recall Memorial Chapel’s bell
tower as a campus focal point, but (almost) always viewed from terra firma. Here’s an inside, up-in-the-rafters
look at the treasured campus landmark.
SPECS
• Crafted by the Meneely Bell Co. of Troy, N.Y.
• Presumed installer was Eddie Kehn, a bell rigger for 50-plus years
• Cast in bronze
• Installed October 12, 1917
• 46” diameter
• 2,005 lbs.
• Rung by a rope in the booth at the back of the chapel balcony
BELL RINGERS
• The chapel custodian typically rings the bell for official events.
• Students pull the rope for religious services.
• Tradition holds that those who ring the bell write their names upon the wall.
• According to protocol, the bell should be rung “at a slow and respectful pace.”
8
Read more essays from our
Passion for the Climb series, or see
how you can submit your own essay, at
www.colgate.edu/scene/pfcessays
OTHER COLGATE BELL MISCELLANY
• Five-Minute Rule: “It used to be custom
that, if a professor did not reach his
classroom within five minutes after
ringing the bell, the class was entitled
to take a ‘run.’” — William H. Crawshaw,
Class of 1887, from his book,
My Colgate Years, 1937.
• 33 Colgate alumni have the last
name Bell.
Page 13 is the showplace for Colgate tradition,
For official Colgate events, the chapel bell is always rung 13 times.
2008–2009 CALENDAR:
August 31, 2008 Founders’ Day Convocation April 28, 2009
Awards Convocation May 16, 2009
Baccalaureate Service (day before Commencement) May 16, 2009 Torchlight Procession (Commencement Eve) May 29, 2009
Reunion Awards Ceremony/Torchlight Procession 13
history, and school spirit. What are you interested
in learning about? The Scene wants to know.
Write to us at [email protected].
* Colgate Day is celebrated by many around the world every Friday the 13th
scene: Autumn 2008
While his students were on summer
vacation, Patrick O’Neil, a social studies teacher from Charlotte, N.C., spent
time in “summer school” at Colgate.
O’Neil and two dozen other K-12
teachers from as far away as California received a history lesson of their
own as they attended the Institute on
Abolitionism and the Underground
Right: Hugh Humphreys,
a local scholar of the
abolitionist movement
in upstate New York,
evoked the memory of
the famous 1850 Cazenovia Fugitive Slave
Law Convention at a
gathering at conference organizer Graham
Hodges’s antebellum
home.
Above: A metal
slave collar, on display
at the National Abolitionist Hall of Fame in
Peterboro, N.Y.
Syllabus
FSEM 134 Nanotechnology
MWF, 10:20-11:10, Lathrop 303
Rick Geier, Associate Professor of
Chemistry
Course description: Imagine repairing
your body without surgery, driving a
car that does not need gas, wearing
clothes that never get dirty, and
taking an elevator to the moon. Such
is the hope and the hype of nanotechnology. In this first-year seminar,
scientific and sensationalist visions
of nanotechnology will be critically
examined through a combination of
readings, lectures, discussions, and
hands-on activities. We will attempt
to forge an appreciation for the
nanoscale, an understanding of the
excitement and the challenges, and
an awareness of the societal and
ethical implications of emerging
technologies.
On the reading list:
–Nanoethics (F. Allhoff, P. Lin, J. Moor, J. Weckert)
–Stories of the Invisible (Philip Ball)
–Engines of Creation (K.E. Drexler)
–Nano (J.R. Marlow)
Key assignments/activities: Two
laboratory projects, an oral report,
and a fictional essay on an implication
of technology.
Andrew Daddio
Andrew Daddio
life of the mind
14
Teachers explore rich history of
abolitionism in upstate N.Y.
Reaccreditation
Railroad in Upstate New York.
The three-week seminar was
funded by the National Endowment
for the Humanities’ “We the People”
project, and supported by Colgate’s
Upstate Institute.
“Our goal is for teachers to bring
back what they learn here to help
jump-start their students’ knowledge,” said Graham Hodges, director
of the teachers’ institute and professor of history and Africana and Latin
American studies at Colgate.
For O’Neil, the experience gave him
new ideas that will help enhance his
lesson plans.
“If I can develop new ways to get
my students talking and revved up
about this important part of American history, it makes a difference,”
said O’Neil.
During sessions held on campus,
the teachers learned from 16 leading
scholars, writers, photographers, and
singers from across the country.
Colgate was a perfect setting for
the institute, added Hodges, who
led several of the lectures about the
history of slavery, because of upstate
New York’s rich heritage as one of the
most important centers of abolitionist activity and home to key figures
including Frederick Douglass, John
Brown, and Harriet Tubman. The
group also visited sites of interest
such as the Harriet Tubman House in
Auburn and the National Abolitionist
Hall of Fame in nearby Peterboro.
Jessica Clarke, a history teacher
at Camden (N.Y.) High School, said
the outings would help determine
what will make the best day trips for
her own students, “allowing them to
become more aware of the history in
our backyard.”
The professor says: Visiting the
Wright Brothers Memorial in Kitty
Hawk, N.C., I was struck by the advances in aviation — in particular, the social
and societal implications of such technology — that have taken place since
the first flight in 1903. This led me to
think about present-day technologies
that are in their infancy. Creating this
course was a natural for me, as nanotechnology can involve a great deal of
chemistry.
Undergraduate courses on the
subject of nanotechnology are quite
popular, but most involve advanced
treatments of the subject; mine is
aimed at non-science majors.
The university has been reaccredited
by the Middle States Commission.
Regular accreditation is part of the
tradition of voluntary self-regulation
designed to ensure the continuing
quality of American independent
colleges and universities. The Middle
States Association of Colleges and
Schools oversees Colgate’s accreditation.
Professors Constance Harsh (English), Joe Amato (physics and astronomy), and Adam Burnett (geography/
associate dean of the faculty) organized an 18-month-long self-study
that focused on the curriculum, but
also addressed wide-ranging questions regarding virtually all aspects of
Colgate’s operations.
Elaine Hansen, president of Bates
College, led the evaluation team, who
visited the campus for three days in
early March. The commission officially
acted on June 26, 2008, “to reaffirm
accreditation and to commend the
institution for progress to date and for
the quality of the self-study process.”
Of some 50 institutions considered
for reaccreditation in the most recent
cycle, Colgate was among only 15 accredited without conditions and who
were commended, an affirmation of
the high quality of the Colgate undergraduate experience.
Recent findings from Upstate
Institute-funded research
In the 1920s, when the Ku Klux Klan
held key gatherings in New York State,
its local members sometimes — curiously — didn’t show up. Prior to
widely publicized events, such as the
1925 Fourth of July parade in Elmira
or an October 1927 parade in Corning, not only did black men succeed
in convincing local officials to insist
the marchers leave their hoods off,
but black women sometimes went to
the wives of local Klan members with
an ultimatum: “we know who you
are and what your husbands are doing; if they march, we’ll boycott your
businesses and tell of your prejudice
throughout the state.”
These courageous examples
were uncovered by history professor
Charles “Pete” Banner Haley in his
research into black family, social, and
community networks within upstate
New York from 1890–2000.
A record of global atmospheric
changes and tree health has been
found in a breakfast condiment. In
chemical analyses of maple syrup
produced over the last 35 years, geochemist William Peck and his student
researchers found increased amounts
of the isotopic form of carbon that is
released through burning fossil fuels.
That buildup is evidence of the atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide
that causes the greenhouse effect and
resulting climate warmup.
Peck also unwittingly discovered
implications for the food industry: the
buildup of these carbon isotopes in
the syrup also masks its quality, making it easier for manufacturers to get
away with “cutting” syrup with fillers
such as high-fructose corn syrup
without getting caught.
Evidence of stress on sugar maple
trees is also shown by the carbon
isotope data. The larger implications
for carbon dioxide buildup and global
warming are potentially important:
New York’s $8 million sugar maple industry, the third-largest in the United
States, could begin dissolving and
flowing northward as the optimum
range for sugar maples shifts.
Each morning at 8:00, several Hamilton widows dial the phone to check
on each other’s well-being; they also
have keys to each other’s homes. That
support network is just one example
of how assistance for senior citizens
is handled differently in a small community like Hamilton compared to the
state’s capital. Whereas in Albany help
comes more often from the government and large nonprofit institutions,
in Hamilton it is friends, families, and
neighbors who usually provide assistance, found sociology and women’s
studies professor Meika Loe.
By 2025, while the overall populations surrounding Hamilton and
Albany are expected to expand by
roughly 3 percent (since 2000), the
number of citizens 65 and older will
have expanded by 35 percent. Loe’s
longitudinal research project aims
to answer the questions of how local
institutions will adapt to serve a dramatically larger elder population, and
at the same time, how individuals will
work to ensure that their communities are serving the elderly’s needs.
Syracuse, New York’s briny springs
produced salt for nearly 150 years before they were shut down in 1926. But
the Salt City didn’t exhaust its natural
resource. According to geography
professor William Meyer, politics had
more to do with the industry’s demise.
Salt sales contributed as much as
20 percent of tax revenues for the
state in the early 1800s; but when the
federal tariff charged on imported salt
was cut in half by Congress in 1830,
New York had to reduce its prices to
remain competitive. When the tariff
later disappeared, New York’s salt
springs reservation simply couldn’t
compete with other, cheaper sources
like rock salt. Even so, the reservation
remained open into the early 20th
century because its operation provided nearly 50 politically appointed
jobs — the most important package of
patronage appointments available in
upstate New York, said Meyer.
There is a significant gap in knowledge about the biological diversity of
the region around Colgate, and biology professors Tim McCay and Frank
Frey have set out to fill it, by creating a natural history museum of the
Chenango Valley.
Having discovered thousands
of biological specimens scattered
throughout campus — some dating to the mid-19th century
and stored in unassuming
shoeboxes — they began
enlisting students’
help to sort and
catalogue them
and then
scour the
region to
collect known
missing specimens. Not only will the
museum support teaching on campus;
they also plan to digitize the entire
collection, making it accessible to
anyone through the web to educate
the world about the biodiversity of
the region.
Live and learn
Ayanna Williams ’08 was one of 12 students who spent three weeks in a remote
Ugandan jungle as part of an interdisciplinary extended study course that involved
research on rare mountain gorillas. The
group worked with community leaders in
the village of Buhoma and park officials at
the adjacent Bwindi Impenetrable National
Forest. There is growing concern that the
park’s habituated mountain gorillas are
becoming more susceptible to disease as
contact with humans grows. The Colgate
team helped determine if this is the case
and, if so, how diseases are being transmitted. Here, Williams reflects upon the
experience:
“Each week, the groups would rotate and
perform a different type of research: biology, geography/GIS, or community health
surveys. We made some great improvements and huge discoveries.
“The process of performing public
health research is never as clean and
pretty as it seems when you read about
it in journals and books. The constant
reevaluation of goals and procedures has
made me excited about pursuing my own
research in the future.
“The coolest thing that we did was
tracking the Mubare group: one silverback
gorilla, an infant the size of a 3-year-old
child, a few adolescents, and several adult
females. We got the chance to see all of
them at once as they were feeding under
a tree. Several of the adolescents were
swinging around in trees, and the silverback was guarding the group. To see the
very creatures that we had been researching was a powerful moment.
“I grew as a scholar, and learned my
physical limits, how I work in a group,
and how I react when I hit a roadblock. I
couldn’t have asked for a better capstone
experience for the four years I’ve had at
Colgate.”
News and views for the Colgate community
15
An outdoor public
screening at the
Flaherty Film Seminar
And the Tony goes to . . .
16
scene: Autumn 2008
Todd Rosenthal ’89 won a Tony Award
for his set design for the Broadway
hit August: Osage County. The show
also won several other Tony Awards,
including best play, as well as the
Pulitzer Prize for drama. The New York
Times called August “the most exciting new American play Broadway
has seen in years.” Rosenthal’s design
competed with the likes of The 39
Steps (Peter McKintosh), Les Liaisons
Dangereuses (Scott Pask), and Macbeth
(Anthony Ward). Rosenthal holds an
MFA from Yale School of Drama in
New Haven, Conn. A design professor at Northwestern University in
Evanston, Ill., he originally moved to
Chicago to work with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where August
premiered in summer 2007.
Rosenthal, a native of Longmeadow, Mass., told The Republican
newspaper that he viewed the set he
created as a central character in the
play, which is a dark comedy about a
dysfunctional family in Oklahoma.
“It’s immovable, an indelible image
. . . people move out, but the house
never changes,” he said. He added that
the set suggests a child’s dollhouse
combining a juxtaposition of the
“gothic and the whimsical.”
Preview
Li Hua, Pursuit of Light, c. 1937–1948 Woodcut,
6" x 6", Gift of Professor and Mrs. Theodore Herman
Colgate celebrates “A Year of Chinese Art,”
a series of exhibitions, lectures, and events,
generously supported by Robert H.N. Ho ’56
in honor of Ted Herman, professor of geography, emeritus. The series is sponsored by the
Picker Art Gallery, Institute for Creative and
Performing Arts, and Department of Art and
Art History.
Events include two exhibitions:
Dec. 2, 2008–April 26, 2009
Picker Art Gallery
Woodcuts in Modern China, 1937–2008:
Towards a Universal Pictorial Language
Fête de la Musique
When the 2008 Chenango Summer
MusicFest celebrated Fête de la Musique — the French festival tradition
marking the summer solstice — in
June, several Colgate student and
alumni musicians were part of the
inner workings of a truly international
chamber music festival. The four-day
event hosted a range of professional
performers from strings, organ, harp,
and harpsichord to a Haitian Konpa
band. San Francisco-based harpsichordist Jonathan Rhodes Lee ’00 was
one of the featured artists.
“The experience was unbelievable
and well-rounded,” said violist Laura
James ’11 of her involvement as an
intern for the director, music professor
Laura Klugherz, and her experience
performing as a Chenango Player.
“So much goes into planning and
executing a successful festival,” said
Open mic
Andrew Daddio
Ewing and Chung attended thanks
to a grant from NITLE, a nonprofit
initiative dedicated to promoting
liberal education, and Hughes worked
as an intern.
Chung was particularly struck
by Silvia Schedelbauer, a GermanJapanese filmmaker whose work deals
with intercultural issues, feminism,
internationalism, and identity politics.
“Her work based on her intercultural background was extremely
interesting; this feeling of belonging
to different worlds and at the same
time not belonging in either,” explained Chung.
Ewing said she felt privileged to
see a film by Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi and became inspired
with ideas for her own videos. “I’ve
been learning a lot about world situations and human migration,” she said,
“and this has been a great exposure to
really politically charged material.”
Hughes, who works as the 35 mm
projectionist for Colgate’s Friday
Night Film Series, noted how much he
learned from the open, and sometimes-heated, discussions that followed screenings and from working
with the seminar projectionist.
Chung said the seminar, held in
June, broadened her thinking about
documentary filmmaking. “What I’ve
gotten to see has completely changed
what I thought the genre was,” said
Chung. “There are so many styles and
variations. It’s extremely refreshing.”
— Adriana Brodyn ’08
Written in blue crayon, this short
equation — scribbled by an attendee
of the 54th Robert Flaherty Film
Seminar — joined other drawings
and notes on the walls of an informal
lounge set up in Clifford Gallery.
The seminar attracted artists
and scholars from around the world,
and this year
three film
and media
studies
minors, Allison Ewing
’08, Jina Chung ’08, and Adam Hughes
’10, had the opportunity to take part
in the prestigious event (named for
the famed American documentary
filmmaker).
“It was totally engrossing,” said
Ewing. “With so many artists and
scholars present, you were always ‘on.’
Everyone is focused on learning about
and experiencing the art.”
Under the theme, “The Age of
Migration,” seminar-goers explored
the personal and cultural by-products
of migration, conflict, and information
technology, and the film movements
that have emerged as a result. Each
screening was followed by a discussion.
The screenings were presented in
a unique way, Ewing commented.
“We didn’t know what we were
sitting down to watch until it was
playing on the screen.” Withholding
information about a film until after
it had been screened, she explained,
served to thwart any preconceptions
or prejudgments the audience might
have had.
Andrew Daddio
arts & culture
art = surprising + inevitable.
Featured artist Penelope Knuth coaches a chamber group during a Chenango Summer
MusicFest master class at Hamilton Whole Foods.
James. “Working as interns, performing, and discussing our pieces really
prepare us for the real world of professional music. It’s not enough to just be
a great musician. You have to know
how to plan and organize events and
how to assist other artists.”
Intern and Chenango Player John
Biatowas ’04, who is completing a
master’s in violin performance at the
Todd Rosenthal’s Tony Award–winning set design for August: Osage County
University of Connecticut, agreed that
the dual role of being a performing
artist coupled with organizing and executing the event made the internship
unique. Violist Rachel Solomon ’09
also served as an intern and Chenango Player.
In the weeks preceding the
MusicFest, the Chenango Players
performed around the community to
Alyssa Mayo ’08, Gutenberg Galaxy
Senior Studio Project
Front-page–worthy photojournalistic
images I have come across generally
depict extreme situations of violence and
conflict. They are powerful on their own;
however, our repeated interaction with
them detracts from our appreciation of
the content.
I attempt to interrupt the sensationalism of such images by using them to create
the pattern of wallpaper, the antithesis
of the sensational. A wallpaper pattern is
a collection of images that is expected,
repetitive, and harmless to the point of
invisibility. Thus the pattern in which I have
arranged these images points to their ultimate shortcoming and my interest in this
work: they have become sterilized by their
ubiquity. Our concern for them is ephemeral at most.
Jan. 19–March 5, 2009
Clifford Gallery
Reading Space: The Art of Xu Bing
A printmaker and installation artist, Xu Bing’s
work fuses traditional Chinese woodblock
printing with a contemporary sensibility.
8
For a complete schedule, as well as
information on other arts events, visit
www.colgate.edu/arts
News and views for the Colgate community
17
18
scene: Autumn 2008
Get to know: Adrian Giurgea
Andrew Daddio
Andrew Daddio
land, Tennessee Williams, and Lincoln
Kirstein,” said Underhill, who tries to
“recreate the look of male privilege
and glamour of that period. They also
afford me the unique opportunity to
validate my aging female body in an
exhilarating act of masquerade.
“‘No-man’s land’ is defined as
an area of unowned, unclaimed, or
uninhabited land; or, in war, an area
in a theater of operations not
controlled by either side,” she said
in explanation of her series title. “I
propose gender as such a field, open
to question and contention, owned
absolutely by no one.”
Director of the University Theater
English professor Jennifer
Brice listens to an audience
member’s comment during
her craft talk on happiness
in memoir writing at the
Colgate Writers’ Conference.
by Colgate that has invested more
than $11 million into properties in
the downtown historic district, with
the goal of contributing to a healthy
cultural and business climate in
Hamilton.
– Director, actor, dramaturgist since 1980; came to Colgate in 2005
– PhD in theater, UCLA; BA, MFA, Academy of Theatre and Film,
Bucharest, Romania; twice named a Fulbright Scholar
– Has taught at the Academy of Theatre and Film (Romania), Ben Gurion
University (Israel), Universita Sapienza (Italy), University of Utah,
Hamilton College, University of California-LA and Berkeley, Pomona
College, and California State University-Long Beach
On theater directing as his life’s work: When I was young, I dreamt about being a poet; some
important literary magazines in my native Romania even published me. But when I was 15 or
16, I discovered theater. I went to the national conservatory, starting initially in dramaturgy
and later on directing. I was running away from Soviet rule and from a professional destiny
that forces you to work by yourself. The act of making something with other people is what
inspires and excites me. It’s like building a church, or a house, or a palace and then stepping
aside and saying, “This is what we did together.”
As a director, your vision can be translated into something poetic. In a way, the creative
act is the closest the male animal could come to giving birth. My profession is to be an interpreter of the text, to translate the text on stage, to give it life but not to take anything away
from the truth created by the genius of the playwright.
Colgate Writers’ Conference
“Happiness is harder to write than
pain. For the writer of personal narrative, happiness is a problem both
at the level of art and craft. For some
reason, happiness is inimical to history and memory as well, perhaps,
to imagination,” said Jennifer Brice
during her craft talk on happiness in
memoir writing at the 2008 Colgate
Writers’ Conference. The associate
professor of English and author of the
memoir Unlearning to Fly served as a
member of the conference staff, which
also included Colgate’s Peter Balakian,
the Donald M. and Constance H. Professor in the humanities and professor
of English, as well as PEN/Hemingway
award winners Justin Cronin and Jennifer Haigh, and Pulitzer Prize finalist
Bruce Smith, among others.
Several Colgate alumni over the
years have attended the conference,
where writers of poetry, fiction, and
memoir from around the country
spend a week on campus talking
about the writing life and honing
their craft in workshops with the
senior staff. One recent attendee,
English major Jasmine Bailey ’05, has
published her poetry in such journals
as Adirondack Review, Spectrum Magazine, and Portland Review.
Photographer Linn
Underhill (below, right)
plays the part of Tennessee
Williams in a re-staging of a
George Platt Lynes portrait
of the writer and his lover,
part of her “No Man’s Land”
series.
On teaching theater: The Greek festivals that gave us the great tragedies and comedies
were community events, opportunities to come together and explore politics, wars, famines,
moments of elation or tragedy. Theater is done by communities for each other; therefore,
it is given from generation to generation. Theater is also a craft, and not unlike people who
teach each other to work in wood or stone or metal, it is imparted through the guild.
It is your duty to share with the students everything that you have. I am not very different from a tailor. It doesn’t matter who comes to me. I need to respect the cutting and the
measuring, but the fabric is my client’s fabric. If they bring cashmere, or a sack, I will still cut
it to measure a suit. Sometimes the results are miraculous, and sometimes one changes a
life. You see people blossoming.
What he came to do at Colgate, and how it’s going: One of the reasons I came, and why I was
hired, was to make theater as relevant as any other discipline. Among peer colleges, Colgate
was slow to offer a concentration in theater and has yet to consider dance as an academic
discipline. The people who were here before me blazed a path that needed to be continued,
and the transition to a competitive and up-to-date program in terms of faculty, facilities,
and curriculum is what I’m in charge of achieving.
In three years, we have done quite well. To grow the program, we put it upon ourselves
to teach a greater number of intro-level courses. We started doing an intro class as a
first-year seminar, with wonderful results. It attracts better students, not those who think
— wrongly — that theater is an easy, fun class. It is fun, but it is also enormously demanding.
We now have more than 20 senior majors and minors.
Family: Our daughter Una is 10. My wife Simona — a wonderful teacher and actor and
director ­— teaches here in the theater program. It is an opportunity for both of us to bring in
the work that is the passion of our lives, theater.
Exploring ‘No Man’s Land’
Art professor Linn Underhill’s blackand-white portraits, based on the
work of the well-known 1930s and
Linn Underhill
The “Thistle Seeds”
Suzuki Violin School
students display their
budding talents on the
Hamilton Village Green
at the Chenango Summer MusicFest.
At a time when many small-town
movie houses have gone dark, the
Hamilton Movie Theater — once on
the brink of closing — is thriving more
than ever.
The theater remains a fixture of
Hamilton in an era of mega-multiplexes and Netflix, according to The
Post-Standard. The Syracuse news-
’40s fashion and celebrity photographer George Platt Lynes, recently
appeared in Self and Others, an exhibition at Brown University’s David
Winton Bell Gallery.
Some of the images in Underhill’s
“No Man’s Land” series of portraits
and self-portraits in “DRAB” (dressed
as a boy) directly mimic Lynes, who
made elegant portraits of his friends
and lovers.
“These included many of the
heroes of my youth: artists and writers like E.M. Forster, T.S. Eliot, Henri
Cartier-Bresson, Isamu Noguchi,
Christopher Isherwood, Aaron Cop-
Andrew Daddio
Hamilton Movie Theater’s
small-town charm
paper highlighted the revival of the
decades-old mainstay, which provides
diverse programming, including midnight films, matinees for area children,
live opera broadcasts, and a book-andmovie club.
“We do all this stuff because we’re
a community theater, and that’s the
history of this place,” theater manager Chuck Fox ’70 said. “It’s been a
community resource for 100 and some
years.”
And the theater still maintains its
original charm. David McCabe, a Colgate professor and film buff, told the
paper that “it’s the most welcoming
establishment in our village for young
children.”
The theater building is owned by
the Hamilton Initiative, a for-profit
limited liability company formed
Andrew Daddio
arts & culture
drum up publicity. During the event,
the interns assisted the featured artists with everything from setting up
stages to turning pages during performances, and attended master classes
given by the featured musicians.
The players also performed in various venues around town, showcasing
classical chamber pieces by Mozart as
well as newer works.
“My favorite piece was an arrangement of a tango by Pietzola,
‘Introduction and Death of an Angel,’”
noted Biatowas. “I found it refreshing
to practice playing something more
free and open.” Biatowas added that
he appreciated the opportunity to
hear instruments and music that he
doesn’t usually get to hear.
James noted the open and playful
atmosphere. “It was amazing to get
to know the musicians,” she said. “All
of them were extremely friendly and
interested in the students and the
community, and we got to connect
with the musicians as fellow artists.
The MusicFest really fostered a connection among the entire community.” — Adriana Brodyn ’08
Outside interests: The other day I overheard someone asking another person about their
hobbies and I realized that what I do is so intense and time consuming and profound that
every second of my life, I do one thing. Everything is, goes into, or is transformed into
theater. Perhaps I’m one of the lucky.
News and views for the Colgate community
19
Odds and ends
Colgate athletic director Dave Roach
was elected second vice-president
of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics for the
2008–2009 year.
Seven Oaks Golf Course played
host in July to the U.S. Senior Open
qualifying round.
Matt Lalli ’08 and Brandon Corp
’09 earned All-American honors from
the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Both were named
to the third team, the first time any
Colgate player has earned a place on
the top three teams since the 1947
season. A few days later, Lalli was selected by the San Francisco Dragons in
the second round of the Major League
Lacrosse draft, while teammate Chris
Eck ’08 was chosen by the Boston
Cannons in the fourth round.
Women’s hockey player Sam Hunt
’09 was invited to participate in the
Canadian National Women’s Under-22
Summer Selection Camp. She was
one of 15 returning players from the
2007–2008 squad. The camp took
place in August at York University
in Toronto. Peter Minchella ’08 was
named to the National Association
of Basketball Coaches Honor Roll,
recognizing collegiate basketball
student-athletes who excelled in academics. He graduated with a degree
in molecular biology. Bryan Pape ’08
and Andrew Hatzenbuhler ’08 became
the first Colgate oarsmen to row for
the United States in international
competition when they competed at
the World Championships in Brandenburg, Germany.
Lifting for life
Jamie Herrmann ’09
breaks away from
two Marist defenders
during Colgate’s 1-0
overtime win over the
Red Foxes at the Puma
Raider Invitational.
In August, Colgate football players
plied their strength and endurance to
help charities fight a rare disease. At
the “Lift for Life” fundraiser, nearly
35 players competed against each
other in lifting and skills competitions.
The charity event in Sanford Field
House was featured in the ObserverDispatch (Utica) and on Syracuse’s
93Q morning show.
“This is a fun way to rally around
those who are battling rare diseases,”
said linebacker Greg Hadley ’10.
“Lift for Life” is sponsored by Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit organization
founded by former Penn State player
Scott Shirley after his father died of
kidney cancer. University chapters are
operated by student-athletes who are
dedicated to raising awareness about
rare diseases. Colgate’s fundraiser sup-
Andrew Daddio
Alumni make sports hall of fame
20
scene: Autumn 2008
Former Colgate athletes Ralph Antone
’58 and Carl Boykin ’83 were inducted
into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of
Fame this year. Nicknamed “The Train”
in high school, Antone graduated from
Utica’s Thomas R. Proctor Senior High
School, where he was a four-sport
athlete and stood out on the football
field, in 1954. At Colgate, he was a
three-year football letterman and a
two-time captain, playing against
Syracuse legend Jim Brown in football
and lacrosse and against Illinois’s Ray
Nitschke, who became a Pro Football
Hall of Fame linebacker. Antone lettered in lacrosse his last two years,
becoming an honorable mention
Ask Raider
Who are you, and what do you do?
As the Colgate mascot, my job is to help
get the crowd going at sporting events,
represent Colgate athletics at community
events like the Fourth of July parade, and
really embody the spirit and fun that come
along with the Colgate fan experience.
What’s up with your hat and
boots?
I’m an outdoorsman of sorts, and my threecornered hat and boots reflect the history
of the Leatherstocking Region of upstate
New York.
Who “wears” you?
My lips are sealed. Seriously. They’re sewn
shut.
What’s been your proudest
moment so far?
I received the “Rookie Spirit Award” at
Cheer Team and Mascot Camp.
Do you have any special talents?
I can ice skate and dance.
Do you have a mascot
“arch enemy”?
The UMass Minuteman and I have had a
few showdowns, but I don’t see it elevating
to the level of the Stanford-Cal brouhaha.
It’s all in good fun.
All-American defenseman as a senior,
and also played baseball for two years.
Now semi-retired, Antone worked in
the petroleum industry.
A standout football and track and
field competitor, first at Utica Free
Academy and then at Colgate, Boykin
was a diminutive 5-foot-7, 149 pounds.
But with a fierce determination and
drive, he became a second-team
Central Oneida League All-Star in 1978
and three-year starter and honorable mention All-American safety
at Colgate. He won two state hurdle
championships in high school and
several more at Colgate; his 55-meter
high hurdle mark of 7.50 seconds, set
in 1982, is still a Raider record. Today,
Boykin is special deputy New York attorney general for guns and gangs.
Promotions and new hires
Jason Lefevre ’02 and Brad Dexter ’96
were elevated on the men’s hockey
staff. Lefevre moved into the second
assistant position, while Dexter slid
into the first assistant position with
the departure of Andrew Dickson,
who accepted a scouting position
with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the
National Hockey League.
John Gilger was named assistant
director of athletic communications.
He comes to Colgate from Hartwick
College. Jamie Mitchell was appointed
athletic administrative intern for
2008–2009 after serving as marketing and promotions intern for the
Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Tony Regitano, former Onondaga
Community College head coach,
was named assistant softball coach.
Leslie Cowen was named assistant
athletic trainer and will work with
women’s soccer, women’s basketball,
and men’s and women’s tennis. Matt
Tyler is the new men’s and women’s
assistant tennis coach; he was a
tennis professional at the Ken Caryl
Ranch in Colorado. Jeremy Golden
was appointed assistant strength and
conditioning coach after working for
the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA
in 2007. Bryan Pape ’08 was named
assistant coach of men’s rowing. Jennifer Brown, a new assistant women’s
basketball coach, just graduated from
James Madison University. Russell
Peterson is the new women’s track
and field and cross country coach. He
is a former standout track performer
at the University of Iowa.
Nathan Davis was appointed assistant men’s basketball coach after five
seasons at Bucknell. Carly McNaughton ’06, a new assistant coach with
the women’s ice hockey program,
played four years with the Raiders and
served as captain in her final season.
Amy Krakauer and Russell Hunt have
been named assistant swimming and
diving coaches. Krakauer comes from
Columbia University, while Hunt had
been coaching at Ohio Northern.
Get to know: Erik Ronning ’97
Andrew Daddio
ported the Histiocytosis Association
of America. Histiocytosis is a blood
disease that typically affects children
under the age of 10.
A 23-19 win against Coastal Carolina
in early September projected head
football coach Dick Biddle — in his
13th season — into the Raiders record
books. Biddle’s 96th victory made
him the winningest coach in school
history, moving him ahead of the
legendary Andy Kerr, Colgate’s football
coach from 1929 to 1946.
Before the season began, he talked
about breaking Kerr’s record.
“It means a lot to me; not personally, but for the program and the
school,” Biddle told the Post-Standard
(Syracuse). “In 13 years I’ve had a lot
of great players and assistant coaches
who were a part of that. I take pride
in it.”
John W. Beyer Head Men’s Soccer Coach
– Hometown: Simsbury, Conn.
– Colgate student years: History major, varsity soccer (defender), Sigma Chi, Career Center peer adviser
– Honors: Howard N. Hartman Coach of the Year Award, 2008; named
a top U.S. assistant coach by College Soccer News, 2002, 2004
Name a few key things that are important to you as a coach.
One part of my philosophy is that the players must be the owners of the team, not renters.
To instill a sense of ownership, you must first identify the core of the team — the leaders
who will serve as role models on the field and in the classroom for our younger players. They
set their own goals and ambitions. Maybe it’s winning the Patriot League championship,
or an NCAA tournament, or maybe beyond that. Then we identify how we are going to get
there, develop a plan, and put it into action.
Being an alum, I can illustrate my passion for Colgate soccer, which partially provides the
motivation my players need to succeed. They must understand that playing for the name on
the front of their shirt is more important than the name on the back.
8
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Ticket office: 315-228-7600.
How did leaving your job as assistant coach at Colgate to coach at Northwestern
University before returning to become head coach in 2005 impact you?
To be honest, I left kicking and screaming. I had an offer to be their assistant coach. I was
leaning toward staying and was talking to Dick Biddle [Colgate’s football coach] about it
at dinner at the Colgate Inn. Dick doesn’t say a whole lot, but finally he got fed up and said,
“Erik, if you ever want to come back here, you’ve gotta leave.” That advice, from a person I
respect tremendously, encouraged me to make that all-important move. I wouldn’t be here
today if I hadn’t gone to Northwestern. I wouldn’t have been prepared enough.
Chelsea Hoffman ’11 receives a steadying hand on her rope from instructor Robby ReChord
at the Outdoor Education Program’s first-ever Backyard Adventures tree climbing class.
Coming off a big year, and carrying a top 40 recruiting class, how high are your
expectations for this season?
I will always set the bar higher each year. But I consider the season a series of seasons, and
it is irresponsible to get ahead of yourself. From a player standpoint, we are as “soccer talented,” and as athletic, as we’ve ever been. We have the best team chemistry we’ve ever had.
We certainly have the potential to contend for a Patriot League Championship again, and
to compete in the NCAA tournament. A benefit is that we have been there before; however,
now we have a target on our backs. We’re looking forward to the challenge.
What will we read about in future
‘Ask Raider’ columns?
I’ll be sharing athletics trivia of all kinds.
Do you have a Colgate sports trivia topic
suggestion or question for Raider? Send
an e-mail to [email protected] and
put Ask Raider in the subject line.
Do you have any outside involvements?
I’m working on a master’s in athletic administration at SUNY Cortland. I also run summer
soccer camps at Colgate and Northwestern, and I am co-director of the UCSB Elite camp in
Pottstown, Pa.
Anything new and exciting in your life?
I’m getting married to Amber Plesniarski, who’s from Hamilton and a 2000 Binghamton
graduate. Mayfred and Judy Plesniarski, who used to own John’s Shoe Shop in Hamilton, are
her grandparents. The wedding is December 20, in Cooperstown, and the Colgate faculty
band Dangerboy is going to play.
Andrew Daddio
go ’gate
Biddle breaks Kerr record
Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy exercising and golfing. I like to grill. One special recipe is my super burger. I don’t
want to divulge the secret. All I’ll say is, the cheese is on the inside.
News and views for the Colgate community
21
new, noted ,
& quoted
In the media
Books & music
Information is provided by publishers,
authors, and artists.
Up for Renewal: What Magazines
Taught Me About Love, Sex, and
Starting Over
Cathy Alter ’87
(Atria) Up for Renewal is
Cathy Alter’s truelife story of living
by the advice of
magazines for one
full year. She consulted the sages at
Elle, Marie Claire,
O, Self, and others
for advice on everything from getting rid of underarm jiggle to how to
have a meaningful relationship with
her mother. She would learn how to
throw fabulous parties, command her
coworkers with a firm shake of her
pen, and (of course) “Find His Seven
Secret Pleasure Triggers!” That was
the idea, anyway. But the true story is
Alter’s surprising inner transformation as she chronicles the course of her
magazine year while she deals with
many of the difficulties of life — a
rotten job, a dear friend with a serious
illness, and her own fears of rejection
and loneliness. Ultimately, she comes
to realize that anything can change a
life that’s ready for it — even hers, and
even Cosmo.
The Thirteen American
Arguments: Enduring Debates
That Define and Inspire Our
Country
Howard Fineman ’70
(Random House)
Mixing scenes
and figures from
the campaign
trail with forays
into 400 years of
American history,
Howard Fineman
asserts that every
debate, from our
nation’s founding to the present day,
is rooted in one of 13 arguments that
defy resolution. It is the very process
of never-ending argument, Fineman
explains, that defines us, inspires us,
and keeps us free. While making the
case for nurturing the real American
dialogue, Fineman captures the
essential issues that have always
compelled healthy and heated debate.
22
scene: Autumn 2008
The “Thirteen American Arguments”
run the gamut, from issues of individual identity to our country’s role in
the world. Whether it’s the environment, international trade, interpreting law, Congress vs. the president,
or reformers vs. elites, these are the
issues that galvanized the Founding
Fathers and should still inspire our
leaders, thinkers, and citizens. “Argument is strength, not weakness,” says
Fineman. “As long as we argue, there
is hope, and as long as there is hope,
we will argue.” The Thirteen American
Arguments was listed on the New York
Times and Washington Post best seller
lists.
Wormburner: A Hero’s Welcome
Songs by Steve Henry ’93
(DIVE Records)
Based in New York
City, Wormburner
is an indie rock
quintet fronted
by songwriter/
singer/guitarist
Steve “Hank” Henry. This 12-song LP
blends rootsy, lyrical powerpop with
punk and New Wave influences. AntiMusic.com gave the album four stars,
calling it “astounding … Henry sounds
like other vocalists that are neither
from his genre nor his time … the stories combined with the scenery make
Wormburner new and, to this point,
unmatched.” New York Press noted the
band’s reputation as one of the most
bombastic live acts in the northeast,
saying “a Wormburner show has
much in common with amphetaminefueled soul revivals, if such a thing
ever existed. It’s refreshing to find a
band like Wormburner who so clearly
believes in the power of the classic
pop song to lift a room full of people
clear off its foundation.” 1952
Felton McLellan Johnston ’61
(Lulu.com)
Felton Johnston’s
historical fiction
takes place in the
election year 1952.
Veteran lawyerlobbyist Richard
Passmore is recruited by a Mississippi senator to
derail a primary election challenge by
upstart Congressman Jimmy Biddle.
Richard, a low-key but skillful operator, maneuvers to better understand
Jimmy and to discover evidence that
may scuttle his campaign. Richard’s
efforts take him to the halls of Congress, the dinner tables of influential
Washingtonians, and the Mississippi
battleground, where he observes the
contestants’ contrasting campaigns as
well as the local social and racial caste
system. Told against the background
of a year of national election upheaval,
this is a tale about politics, history,
deception, and change.
world superpower, says Phillips. “Bad
money” refers to a new phenomenon
in wayward megafinance — the
emergence of a U.S. economy that is
globally dependent and dominated
by hubris-driven financial services.
Phillips explains that the U.S. dollar
has been turned into bad money as
it has weakened and become vulnerable to the world’s other currencies. In
all these ways, he says, “bad” finance
has failed the American people and
pointed U.S. capitalism toward a
global crisis.
Ready for the Defense
Mike Langan ’91
(WhoooDoo Mysteries/Treble Heart
Books)
The protagonist
in Mike Langan’s
new legal thriller
is Hank Fisher, a
first-year criminal
defense lawyer
who is caught up
in a sinister plot of
political intrigue,
courtroom antics, and a roller-coaster
romance. Acting more like Sherlock
Holmes than Oliver Wendell Holmes
in the courtroom, Hank exonerates
clients by catching the real bad guys.
Before Hank and his boss can rescue
their new client, a U.S. senator, from
the jaws of an apparent IRS investigation, a hit-and-run attack rips their
law firm apart, putting one person in
a hearse and another in a coma. To
find the killer, Hank must defend the
senator by himself in a criminal investigation that is spiraling out of control.
Bad Money
Kevin Phillips ’61
(Penguin Group USA)
In Bad Money,
Kevin Phillips
describes the consequences of misguided economic
policies, mounting
debt, a collapsing
housing market,
threatened oil
resources, and the end of American
domination of world markets. He
asserts that America’s current challenges (and failures) run striking
parallels to the decline of previous
leading world economic powers —
especially the Dutch and British.
Global overreach, worn-out politics,
excessive debt, and exhausted energy
regimes are all chilling signals that
the United States is crumbling as the
Friends of Liberty: A Tale of
Three Patriots, Two Revolutions,
and the Betrayal that Divided a
Nation
Graham Russell Gao Hodges
(coauthored with Gary Nash)
(Basic Books)
Friends of Liberty
tells the story of
three men whose
lives were braided
together by issues
of liberty and race
that fueled revolutions across two
continents. The
friendship between Thomas Jefferson
and Thaddeus Kosciuszko — a Polish
patriot and hero of the American
Revolution — is the heart of the book,
Colgate bestsellers
at the Colgate Bookstore
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crafting Fiction, Poetry, & Memoir
Edited by Matt Leone (director, Colgate Writers’ Conference)
In An Instant
Bob ’83 and Lee ’82 Woodruff
Unlearning to Fly
Jennifer Brice (English)
People and the Sky
Tony Aveni (astronomy and anthropology
and Native American studies)
Tibetan Buddhism and Modern Physics
Vic Mansfield (physics and astronomy, emeritus – deceased)
The Comeback Season
Jennifer Smith ’03
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Kim Edwards ’81
Early Art
Matt Hotham ’03
Napoleon
Steven Englund ’67
Taxi!
Graham Russell Gao Hodges (history and Africana & Latin American studies)
particularly their shared dreams for
the global expansion of human freedom. Agrippa Hull, a freeborn black
New Englander who volunteered to
join the Continental Army, served
Kosciuszko as an army orderly and
helped shape his views on slavery. The
crux of the story is Jefferson’s failure
to uphold his promise to Kosciuszko
to free slaves. Jefferson died without
fulfilling that promise to his friend —
and to a fledgling nation founded on
the principle of liberty and justice for
all. Author Graham Russell Gao Hodges is the George Dorland Langdon Jr.
Professor of history and Africana and
Latin American studies.
The Case of the Hidden Dentures
Owen Magruder
(William E. Edmonston Jr.)
(AuthorHouse)
This is the second
novel in the
mystery series
written under the
pen name Owen
Magruder by William Edmonston,
professor of psychology emeritus.
While assisting
his son with house renovations in the
city of New Boston, John Braemhor, a
retired Scottish policeman, finds a set
of dentures in a wall behind a medicine cabinet. That discovery and the
disappearance of the previous owner
of the house lead him down a path
of intrigue and mystery that involves
secret codes, murder, smuggling, and
attempted assassinations, all cloaked
in deeply troubling psychological relationships. Braemhor attacks the mysteries with his deductive powers and
tenacity, breaking the codes, solving
the murders, thwarting the smuggling
operation, and resolving the underlying psychological dynamics.
Also of Note:
Re-Centering Culture and Knowledge
in Conflict Resolution Practice (Syracuse University Press) is a collection of
essays by scholars and practitioners
of conflict resolution who explore the
role of culture, race, and oppression
in resolving disputes. Phillip Richards,
professor of English, contributed an
essay and served as coeditor of the
book with Sandra Bowland ’77, among
others.
“The housing market has hit a sloppy bottom.”
— David Michonski ’73, a real estate executive, in an interview on CNBC’s
Closing Bell
“You need to cook up a deal with the gods.”
— Tony Aveni, astronomy and anthropology professor, in an Associated Press article about the historical significance of May Day for farmers
“I had some wonderful professors; they weren’t proselytizing at all. My experience with them was life changing.”
— Reverend Martha Swords-Horrell ’77, to the Syracuse Eagle Newspapers as she described how her time at Colgate inspired her to become a pastor
“Wherever we go, I’m always impressed by how devoted and
loyal Packer fans are. But I knew that long before I got to
Green Bay.”
— Mark Murphy ’77, the new CEO of the Green Bay Packers, talking about the upcoming season
“If the rest of the world is moving on, and we’re standing
still, that’s not a good thing for us.”
— Gary Trauner ’80, who at press time was a candidate for U.S. Congress from Wyoming, addressing concerns about the nation’s energy woes and the environment
“… it is unlikely that campaign giving has suddenly become
a common pursuit of working-class families.”
— Jay Mandle, W. Bradford Wiley Professor of economics, in a Washington Post op-ed on small donors
“You need to be able to put on a backpack, be in huge down-
pours, and keep your chin up and be incredibly flexible.”
— Catherine Cardelús, assistant professor of biology, in an American Association for the Advancement of Science podcast on what it’s like doing research in a tropical forest
“Alumni are not just heavy users — they’re heavy engagers.”
— Charlie Melichar, VP for public relations and communications, in a New York Times article about the ways in which alumni use print and electronic media to communicate with the university and each other
“I will have to do a lot of things on my own that are a little
scary, like getting my hair cut or ordering food when I
really don’t know what I’m ordering, but I think that makes
you a more interesting person.”
— Jillian Ferris ’08 in a Union-Sun & Journal (Lockport, NY) Q&A as she prepared to move to Taiwan for 11 months with limited knowledge of
the language
News and views for the Colgate community
23
scene
Clearly, something different has arrived
in your mailbox. Here’s your guide to the
new and improved Colgate Scene.
Having worked at Colgate for more than 12 years,
I’ve been continually impressed by the strong interest and feelings the community has for the Scene.
While many feelings are of loyalty and fondness and
connection, individual opinions vary — because, like
the members of a family, Colgate people are not all
the same. They have different backgrounds, tastes,
sensibilities, and interests. At the end of the day, the
common thread — the family home — is Colgate.
In many ways, the Scene is both a window, and a
mirror, into the family home. It gives all our readers
— the entire community of alumni, parents, faculty,
staff, and students — a look at what’s happening on
campus. It also reflects the experiences and views
of Colgate people out in the greater world. And, like
a family and its home, Colgate is also continually
changing. Sometimes in small ways, sometimes in
much larger ones.
Over the last several years, it became clear that
the Scene was no longer serving the interests of the
family as best it could, nor did it adequately reflect
the people and place. It was time to rebuild the
frame, replace the glass, reglaze the panes. In
the process, we set out to learn what our
readers valued about the Scene, and what
else they would like to see in it, so that we
could build on what was important and successful, and make it even more useful to them
in the long run.
In the end, I guess you could say we took out
the window and replaced it with a door — one
with many of the same architectural elements,
but with bigger, clearer panes to see through, a
spiffy paint job, and a whole new level of functionality.
This article will share some of the ins and outs
of our renovation process, as well as what you can
expect to see in the new Scene, but I also encourage
you to check out the rest of the pages in this issue
and see for yourself. And let us know what you think!
Welcome home.
— Rebecca Costello, Managing Editor
Contact us at [email protected] or
315-228-7417.
24
scene: Autumn 2008
A brief history
Redesigning the Scene was a thoughtful, serious
undertaking.
Our overarching concern was to evolve the Scene
so that it would better reflect the qualities that make
Colgate a special place. We sought out a partner who
could share unbiased observations of what we could
do better, and lend expertise in reimagining the
Scene. We found that partner in Sametz Blackstone
Associates in Boston, a communications firm that
has helped prestigious organizations such as Harvard
University, MIT Sloan School of Management, the
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and
the Boston Symphony Orchestra make stronger
September 2007
The Colgate Scene
Brown bag
We also examined how the Scene fit in and
functioned in relationship to the rest of Colgate’s increasingly diverse “ecosystem” of print publications,
e-mail newsletters, and web tools that serve the interests and needs of alumni and our other audiences.
And we are always keeping tabs on other alumni
magazines — a great way to learn best practices and
brainstorm new ideas.
Our redesign philosophy was about capturing the
unique qualities of Colgate and its people, through
both content and presentation:
Colgate’s traditions and the beautiful place
The strength of the community
Colgate’s power and ability in many dimensions, from academics, athletics, and arts, to leader-
ship, service, and public engagement
The fun, fellowship, and energy of being at
Colgate
That intangible but ever-present Colgate spirit
We also set specific goals, including incorporating
a broader range of voices and perspectives, greater
variety in types and lengths of articles, more
substantive and active connections for
alumni, both with the university, and with
each other, and becoming more environmentally responsible.
And, we knew one thing for sure. The
Scene should not be just another generic
alumni magazine, but something uniquely
Colgate.
A note on frequency and class notes
Clockwise from
left: May 1958,
September 2007,
April 1969
connections with their constitutents through magazines and other publications.
We talked to many of you, our readers. We held
focus groups and conducted surveys to determine
what alumni thought of the Scene’s overall format,
readability, and editorial approach, and what elements were most valuable to them. We asked about
the topics readers are most interested in, and what
stories in past issues really made an impression.
Live and learn
Talking points
In order to accomplish these ambitious goals,
it was necessary from both a resource and a
planning standpoint to shift from a bimonthly
to a quarterly publishing schedule. For many, the
robust class news columns are the first thing to
read in a new issue, so we thought long and hard
about the impact a shift in frequency would have,
and how we should address it, to not only maintain
that strong communication link among alumni, but
also to add new opportunities for connections.
First, we made sure the page count will accommodate the same amount of class notes in four
issues that normally appears in six. We also have created a more direct relationship between the Scene in
print and Colgate’s e-resources such as the ’GateLine
e-mail newsletter and www.colgatealumni.org.
To help keep the news timely, each issue’s class
news columns — which now appear on your class
page at www.colgatealumni.org — will be posted
online two weeks before your class editor’s next
deadline.
Here are just some of the elements you’ll find in this
and future issues of the Scene:
departments
A NEW
Syllabus
Work & Play: images and news about
campus and student life, interesting
facts and figures, updates on Hamilton and the Chenango Valley region,
and a variety of viewpoints and
personal expressions. Minidepartments such as Brown bag,
Talking points, and Back on campus
will give readers a window into the
stunning variety of visitors to campus
and what they came to talk about.
Life of the Mind: what’s happening
in faculty and student research and
scholarship, and other academic news.
Mini-departments such as Syllabus
and Live and learn will share a peek
at what’s happening in — and out
of — the classroom today. We’ll pose
questions or problems about issues or
topics, and faculty and alumni with
expertise in those fields will respond
in Perspectives.
Arts & Culture: news and images from the arts,
featuring both on-campus happenings as well as
alumni accomplishments. Open mic will spotlight
the creative endeavors of students, and you’ll get
a Preview of some of the vibrant programming to
come to campus each semester.
Go ’gate: spotlights, news, and more in the arena of
sports and recreation, plus interesting mini-features
such as the Ask Raider athletics trivia column.
New, Noted & Quoted: recent publications and
music releases by alumni and faculty, spotlights on
Colgate people mentioned in the news media, and
other notable notes.
Salmagundi: in homage to the definition of this
Native American word — and the name of Colgate’s
yearbook — comes a mixture of fun and surprising
content, from quizzes and puzzles to guess-thephoto contests and alumni reminiscences.
Road taken
Preview
Perspectives
Passion for the Climb
Page 13
How could we ignore the tradition behind the number 13? No matter what’s going on in the preceding
and subsequent pages, Page 13 will be the place
for Colgate tradition, history, and spirit. Let us know
what you might like to see or read about!
People
Many, many readers told us that it’s the people who
make Colgate so special, and that they wanted to
read about more of them. In addition to feature
profiles, a variety of new spotlights will share the
fascinating stories and experiences of alumni and
other members of our community.
Throughout the Scene, you’ll find many profile
conversations with students, faculty, staff, and
alumni called Get to know. For instance, in this issue,
you’ll find “Get to knows” on a well-known dining
services staff member, the director of University
Theater, an Alumni Council member, a coach, a
trustee, and a student.
In Road taken, alumni will share the unique
paths they’ve followed, from their Colgate majors
and activities, to grad school, to career changes, to
what they’re doing today.
Perspectives
A hallmark of the university setting is discourse: the
chance to share a variety of viewpoints and observations. In each issue, you’ll read a Message from
President Rebecca S. Chopp. We encourage Letters
reacting to what you’ve read in the Scene. Through
personal essays, alumni, faculty, students, and staff
members share things of importance to them,
whether it’s their chosen profession, an academic
interest, a hobby, or something from their personal
lives, in Passion for the Climb. We’ll get people-onthe-street thoughts on a variety of topics in Views
from the hill.
to the back cover, to The Big Picture, you will find
familiar — and new — vistas of campus. The color
palette will change with the seasons.
Share
Alumni will also share their knowledge, expertise,
experiences, and fun in future issues, from Colgate
memories and impressions in Rewind and My
picture of Colgate to snapshots of sightings of other
folks in Colgate gear in Colgate seen. Have suggestions on how to spend a weekend (where to stay,
best restaurants, coolest sightseeing spots, etc.) in
the city or town where you live? Send us a note for
Maroon’d. We’re also looking for alumni experts to
share their Tips on a variety of topics, from fitness to
investing.
Get connected
Several sections of the new Scene are meant to connect you to Colgate, and to each other.
Stay Connected will share alumni affairs news
and information about special offerings like opportunities to travel with faculty, and updates from the
Alumni Council.
Alumni Clubs and Groups will feature alumni
clubs, events, and activities.
Go online
There will be many new links between print and
online content, as well as web-exclusive material,
on the Scene website (www.colgate.edu/scene),
Colgate’s alumni online community (www.colgate
alumni.org), and Colgate’s website (www.colgate.
edu), from video stories and news headlines to blogs
and message boards.
Campus color
The beauty of Colgate’s campus provides us with a
visual gallery, and our wide format allows us to exhibit large images. From the table of contents page,
Colgate seen
Alumni Clubs and Groups
Open mic
Ask Raider
Get to know
Maroon’d
Back on campus
Rewind
My picture of Colgate
Views from the hill
News and views for the Colgate community
25
Sabotage
As companies burn off natural gas
during oil production, the flares
produce significant greenhouse-gas
emissions (and millions of dollars
go up in smoke). Many who live in
the midst of Nigeria’s oil-producing
communities complain of chronic
health and environmental problems
associated with the gas flares. The
acid rain caused by this flaring has
contributed significantly to the
virtual extinction of most fish populations in the area. Nigeria is Africa’s
top crude oil-exporting nation, and
yet the people who live in the delta
are among the poorest in Africa.
I really thought it was typical harassment, no big
deal. But then the junior officer ordered me and my
film crew to get out of the boat, a step in the Nigerian military checkpoint routine we’d never experienced before. As we climbed up a rusted chain to an
imposing concrete jetty, residents were pulling up
and dropping off cases of bottled water as “gifts” —
aka the toll to pass by without incident on the river.
The soldiers sell it to nearby village residents — a
creative way of requiring bribes without exchanging
cash.
We were in the Niger Delta of Nigeria to continue
filming for Sweet Crude, a documentary chronicling
the devastating effects of oil production in the region
— specifically, the systematic theft of vast oil riches
from under the feet of a population now living in abject poverty and environmental decimation. On the
day we were ordered out of the boat, we were traveling to a village called Egbema, to film a woman who
can no longer fish in waters that had fed her family
for more than 70 years. Ironically, this area is one
of the few that has experienced relatively little of
the environmental damage that oil production has
caused in most of the delta. Until recently, the area
had been spared by the luck of the draw — this part
of the river had just not been dredged yet. But now,
the bunkering — in which oil stolen from cracked
pipes is placed on renegade tankers — has overtaken
this corridor of the river. Massive oil spills are an ev-
26
scene: Autumn 2008
eryday occurrence. It’s commonly known that the JTF
(Joint Task Force – Nigerian military) are complicit
in the bunkering; the huge tankers must clear their
official checkpoints both coming and going.
I’ll never know why the JTF stopped us. We were
clearly a ragtag group of Americans — hardly an
upscale boat of oil company executives or anyone of
means or “importance.” Were they actually looking
for us? We didn’t have our cameras out of their bags
at the time. But to the JTF, any Americans knowing
details of the abuses in the delta are a danger, particularly if they’re savvy to the Nigerian military’s
involvement in bunkering, kidnapping, and gardenvariety crime. The military blames all illicit activity
on the militants — MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) — and the United States
seems to buy that line. Any official statements
regarding the situation in the Niger Delta are riddled
with concern about the “criminal” militancy, some
even suggesting that they are terrorists. And the
United States supports the Nigerian military against
this increasing insurgency with hardware and military intelligence. This militancy does have criminal
elements, but it is also a political resistance movement. I have found no official State Department expression of concern for the root causes of the unrest.
For two-and-a-half years, I’ve been chronicling
the protracted struggle for justice for the Niger Delta
as it shifts toward a more urgent conflict. As the oil
companies’ extraction methods continue to ravage
the environment and the Nigerian government con-
tinues to “divert” funds dedicated for development,
the Nigerian military has deployed troops to occupy
the villages and contain the resistance. This situation
has drawn paltry media attention. Since the nonviolent Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed for criticizing the government’s oil policy in
1995, the only stories about the delta you’ll find in
mainstream media involve MEND kidnapping oil
workers. (Unfortunately, the militants’ shift from
political demands to violent tactics worked in terms
of getting them some coverage.)
But in all of our time here, the military has only
ever stopped us to give us a hard time, and it had
never taken more than a bit of cheeky dialogue and a
playful refusal to pay (we followed the lead of our Nigerian friends) before we were on our way. Because
the Nigerian government is pretty friendly with the
United States, it seemed logical enough that we’d
work in the region without serious incident.
This time, the situation escalated quickly. First
we were told that we were being held at the checkpoint for our own safety — maybe they thought
we were being kidnapped? (This is hard to believe;
they never asked if any of us were concerned about
the Nigerian man accompanying us, and we gave
off no “I am so relieved that you just saved me from
being kidnapped!” vibes.) After the safety excuse
expired, we were told we could only continue to
travel on the river with a paid military escort, which
no responsible filmmaker would ever do — it would
place the villagers in jeopardy, and we’d be in greater
danger for being seen with the JTF. Every hurdle
the checkpoint officers presented for holding us in
custody was overcome: passports, visas, etc. But each
time we overcame a hurdle it was replaced by a new
pretend reason for holding us. It was chilling.
While the crew and I were placed in the commanding officer’s quarters — where, in a bizarre
twist, a TV played soft-core porn — officers and security personnel outside determined our fate. I tried
to negotiate our way out of the situation, loudly and
upfront, while my production coordinator, Tammi
Sims, quietly sent text messages to our contact in
the United States, Leslye Wood, to let her know we
might have a problem.
A basic principle in any military situation is this:
the orders soldiers have given you hold until their superior officers pass along new orders. So, if you’re allowed to talk to each other, eat, reach in your bag, or
use your phone, you do it like crazy before the game
changes. My crew was amazing: calm, smart, and
brave. In the few hours we had to do it, we destroyed
DVDs, smart cards, tapes, notes, and a camera — in
short, everything that could get us convicted of “espionage” (a bogus charge used against others who
have tried to record the suffering of the people in
that region for decades) and anything that could be
used against the people who had worked with us in
Nigeria. Destroying our work was the right thing to
do, but devastating nonetheless. It represented more
than two years of work and was crucial to finishing
the film.
Members of MEND, the Movement
for the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta, the controversial group called
thugs or terrorists by some, an
armed wing of the political resistance by others
Ryan Hauck
By Sandy Cioffi ’84
Kendra E. Thornbury
What I wanted was closing footage
for my documentary about oil production
in the Niger Delta. What I got was a week
in a Nigerian military prison.
News and views for the Colgate community
27
It is a heady concept to be seized at gunpoint, and
it’s compounded when you feel responsible for the
Nigerians who have trusted you — the ones in your
notes and on your footage. Unfortunately, I knew
that the State Security Services (SSS) were renowned
for fabricating evidence, abusing Nigerian journalists, and detaining people indefinitely without
charges. As we were being driven from one military
base to another, I was seated next to the SSS commander. He was on the phone with his boss when
I overheard the words “arrest number” and “charge
is sabotage.”
Oh my god.
We still had our cell phones, so I called Tammi,
who was in another car, to tell her what I had heard.
I had to call rather than furtively send a text because
my polarized prescription sunglasses rendered the
screen illegible, but without them I was virtually
blind. But it was time to tell our U.S.-based team to
need, but we will be forever grateful for having had.
justice. Even one hour held against your will when
We spent the next week detained by the SSS in
you’re innocent is a terrible burden, let alone the
Abuja, Nigeria, never charged or officially arrested.
years many have faced.
We weren’t physically harmed, just uncomfortable
We were picked up by the military on a river in
and very scared. Our quarters could have been worse,
Nigeria for reasons I’ll never fully know. Once they
but hardly matched the “hotel-like” environment
Googled the film title and my name, we were held
described to our families by the State Department,
because the old guard military in Nigeria does not
though they never saw our rooms. I was held in a
want this story told. They were open about this. Had
room with a flea-ridden mattress, with no air condiI been filming only militants in masks with guns —
tioner or fan in a 100-degree environment (a condian image that supports the narrative the Nigerian
tion that changed after 14 lawmakers stepped up for
government wants disseminated — I believe my
us). I had sporadic access to food and water. The lack
crew and I would have walked. The truth is that
of water was the hardest part. I am struck by and a
people living in this region have been ripped off and
little embarrassed at how quickly I felt weak and a bit
left for dead for half a century. It’s a pressing political
broken in there.
issue and requires long-term preventive diplomacy,
At one point, after sleeping for two hours, I was
not more AFRICOM troops from the Pentagon. OK,
woken for interrogation. I was questioned four times
not as sexy as approaches go, but it’s what has a
total — once for six hours. A constant feature of intershot at averting another African travesty. Ironically,
rogation is fear of what might come if I failed to give
the only footage the SSS confiscated from us was the
them what they wanted,
“peaceful solutions” footage — the “hope” footage,
although I never knew
intended to round out the film with a vision for a
what that actually was.
just Niger Delta past peak oil.
I tried to think of some
It was only because 14 U.S. lawmakers led by
of the questions as really
Maria Cantwell and countless others in the commubad moments from filmnity advocated courageously that we were released
fest audience Q&As, just
as quickly as we were. As we flew out of the country,
to keep my sanity — it
I read that the price of oil had reached an all-time
helped. Had it not been
high. Yet I knew that for the first time in my life, I
for the constant lowhad paid the true price of oil. For one week, my crew
grade terror that they
and I had been denied our freedom and every other
would switch tactics to
basic right so that those in power could control that
violence, I would have
natural resource with impunity. Here at home, we
found some of it interhave abdicated all moral authority to do the same.
esting. Now, I can only remember how horrible my
Hopefully, those U.S. lawmakers who signed a letter
own fear smells. It haunts me to think about people
on our behalf will use this tiny moment of attention
who do jobs where they smell other peoples’ fear evto address the real issues about oil — not just the
ery day. What I can tell you is that intimidation yields
price of gas — for a start, and push for third-party
bad information. I could not remember basic details
international mediation in the Niger Delta. If they do
that I had no reason to try to hide.
this, our detention was ultimately worth it. If they
I used to make that point about torture in political
do not, it was just awful.
arguments with friends.
Many things that were
A Niger Delta villager named Janet prepares containers of gasoline to sell on the black maronce philosophical are
ket. With other income options such as fishing wiped out by the environmentally devastatnow physical. A meming oil-production industry, many of the region’s residents resort to this dangerous activity
ber of my family said,
to feed their families.
“What kind of a country
detains someone
without charges, who
cannot see a lawyer,
whom they know is not
a real security threat —
just to send a message,
just to intimidate them,
what kind of country?”
Sadly, the answer is the
United States, Nigeria,
and countless others.
Illegal detention is a
blight on our collective
soul and has to end
immediately. And if
anyone being detained
is a real criminal, let’s
hear the evidence and
bring him or her to
Q&A
What are the roots of your interest in social justice?
I was doing a paper for Professor Hunt Terrell in
my freshman year. I had to go into the stacks and
read the Congressional Record about choices made
in 1954 regarding Guatemala. Reading that openly,
on the floor of Congress, a decision was made to
overthrow a government because of our relationship
with the United Fruit Company, my 18-year-old eyes
popped out of my head. I had the feeling that somehow, if people could see the consequences to the life
of a person in Guatemala, they wouldn’t allow this
to happen. I started to go to every lecture I could — I
heard a Salvadoran torture victim speak on campus.
I got involved in political activism, through Bunche
House and in Syracuse.
At one point, after sleeping for two
hours, I was woken for interrogation.
Why did you choose documentary as your mode
of activisim?
Ultimately, art outlives politics. Sitting in the dark
with popcorn and with people around you letting themselves be washed over with the emotion
of why something matters — that’s what makes
change. I became devoted to the idea that witnessing, and then retelling that story to other people,
was my role in all of it.
once for six hours.
get serious help. So, I looked right at the SSS commander and dialed. His knowing smile as I spoke
is one of the eerie images I can’t shake. In the other
car, Tammi turned to Cliff and said, “How do you
spell sabotage?” Even under stress, she is an impeccable texter.
They drove the five of us (four filmmakers and
our Nigerian guide and friend Joel Bisina) from Warri
to Abuja — a dangerous eight-and-a-half hour drive
in trucks with six armed soldiers per vehicle. It was
hard to decide if I wanted the drive to end or hoped
it would continue forever, because I had no idea what
awaited us. I was haunted by thoughts of every prison or torture movie I had ever seen. Damn Midnight
Express, Papillion, and Death and the Maiden.
We asked if we could listen to music on our iPods
(to help with our nerves and burn out the batteries
since we had video clips on them we did not want
the SSS to find). Huddled in the back, three of us
shared one set of headphones while Tammi played
DJ. I have never been so happy to hear the Dixie
Chicks in my life. Along with Natalie Maines’s “Truth
No. 2” — “you don’t like the sound of the truth coming from my mouth” — came the Pretenders’ “Revolution,” a long-standing rock favorite for iconoclasts
born into the wrong era: “Bring on the revolution, I
wanna die for something.” Truth be told, these were
the defiant tunes, and easier to remember now, but
Tammi started by spinning slow, comforting songs,
including an old spiritual hymn featuring harmonies
from my closest friend. It literally made that harrowing ride bearable. It’s an iMix that no one wants to
28
scene: Autumn 2008
Sandy Cioffi
I was questioned four times total —
Your first experience in filmmaking was at
Colgate. What was the most important thing that
you learned from that?
I took Filmmaking with John Knecht, and if I’m not
mistaken, it was the first time he’d offered it. Joe
Berlinger ’83 [the documentary filmmaker] was in
that class as well.
In the same semester, I was taking American Intellectual History with Kit Hinsley, and The History
of Science. So here I am studying mass movements
and resistance, storytelling and filmmaking, and
reading Stephen Jay Gould and ideas of punctuated
equilibrium. It all came together. There I was with
my little Super 8 camera and hot glue splicer trying
to make this experimental film to represent the idea
of punctuated equilibrium versus evolution. It’s all
so undergraduate-heady and intellectually arrogant
when I look back at it, but it was so stunning.
To have been given a camera at the same time
that I was having such an explosion of ideas was the
perfect thing to create someone who, for the rest of
their life, would always stop and consider the content of the message first, and then decide which tool
of communication to use.
No matter how much the tools of communication move and shift under your feet, you are still in
charge of the story. That message is more potent
than ever, because after all, what we learned in
filmmaking class, from the technical perspective,
is yesterday’s news. But that doesn’t mean that the
Documentary filmmaker Sandy Cioffi ’84
class is archaic or unimportant. If I’m using a piece of
editing software that John Knecht could never have
anticipated, it doesn’t change the fact that he taught
me what a good part in the story is to cut. It doesn’t
matter what I use to make the cut. What matters is
that I was taught basic editing and storytelling.
Why did you choose to tell the story about oil in
the Niger Delta?
Originally I was just a camera for hire. I was in
Northern Ireland to document the behavior of the
RUC [Royal Ulster Constabulary] during the Good
Friday Peace Agreement, and a local organization
that was going to Nigeria got my name. So my first
trip there, I was filming a nonprofit organization
building a library. As
luck would have it, I
happened to be in this
village in the delta
that has been really
impacted from the consequences of oil when
the young student
resistance organization decided to switch
to militancy — when
MEND was being formed. I knew that I was looking
at what would be in two to three years a huge story.
Not only were there no cameras, there were
no news agencies; there wasn’t even anyone who
seemed to know this place existed. The consequences were about to come home, and no one was watching. It just seemed like one of those moments that is
ripe for an independent camera to get in there fast.
What is the one thing the everyday person in
America needs to know about this issue?
What they can understand immediately is that
what’s happening in places like this is no longer far
away. The most concrete and obvious way they’ll
know the difference is the price of gas. But I would
ask people to go beyond the price of gas and understand the true price of oil. Even if we became green
enough tomorrow to stop needing petrol, we are responsible for having decimated places like the Niger
Delta for 50 years. What are we going to do about it?
Here’s the upside. As dire as it can seem, it’s really
fixable. Whereas other countries don’t, Nigeria has
the resources, if only the political shift occurs. So if
my story gets out there, Sweet Crude can be part of
a coming wave of people knowing that the Niger
Delta is one of probably 100 villages around the
world that are impacted by 50 years of oil production, and we have to be a part of how those places
turn around. You can’t just start driving electric cars
and say, “Sorry about all that.”
What’s your next project?
I intend to use this film as an activist tool toward
preventative diplomacy for this issue. For example,
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has promised me that when the movie is done they are going
to do a screening.
When I’m done with that, I want to make a film
about the craftsmanship of wine, bread, and cheese,
all made by women. One is a group of sisters who
…we are responsible for having
decimated places like the Niger
Delta for 50 years.
How are you working around the footage that you
lost while you were detained?
I can’t go back in the country. We hope to be able
to raise money so that some of the people whom
I had either already interviewed or was supposed
to interview can be flown to New York and interview them there. Some, I am interviewing on a USB
camera, capturing the Yahoo Chat, and putting it in
the movie.
won their winery from their father in a bet, one is a
nun in an abbey who makes cheese, one is a breadmaker in Oregon. It would be a sort of painterly,
beautiful, experimental documentary. After all this
danger and guns, I think it might be time to go to
Italy and follow some women making wine.
What kind of a car do you drive?
This is funny, but it’s true; at the start of the movie
I owned this beautiful 1967 Mercury Monterey convertible, off-white with a white top. And it got about
six miles to the gallon. I looked in the mirror and
thought ‘the enemy is you.’ So I sold it and I put it in
the movie. Now I have an old beater ’96 Saab and it
gets about 26 mpg.
What’s the last thing you watched?
I just rewatched The Thin Blue Line to get a little Errol
Morris. I’m trying to sort out how to do some aspects
of my story that I don’t have footage for, and that’s
basically what he does the whole time. I have to keep
reminding myself not to be intimidated by having
pieces of footage missing.
News and views for the Colgate community
29
What is the cost of intellectual sustainability? Put another
way, why does a Colgate education cost so much — and what
is the return on investment for our students?
Behind the
Sticker Price
A look at what’s driving the price of a college education today, and how the
university is managing the issue By Dick Anderson
W
hen Zachary Fellman was looking at colleges, “he had some very definite ideas about the
type of educational institution he wanted to go to,”
recalled his mom, Teri. A native of Los Angeles, Zach
looked to the East for a small liberal arts setting —
remote location or otherwise — ideally at a school
where he could play lacrosse. When decision time
came, he got a handful of acceptance letters from
schools on both coasts, including “scholarship offers
from every school except Colgate,” Teri said.
After visiting the campus with his parents, what
cinched Zach’s decision was his acceptance letter.
“It was absolutely phenomenal,” said Teri, a practicing attorney (husband Mark is a professional
photographer). “I got the impression that they really
understood him.”
A senior this fall, Zach is majoring in peace and
conflict studies with a minor in Middle Eastern
and Islamic civilization studies and studied for a
semester abroad in Israel last spring. “That was an
amazing opportunity,” said Teri. “He’s been intellectually stimulated by several of his professors —
and that’s the key to everything.”
The cost of tuition, room, board, and the student
activities fee at Colgate for 2008–2009 is $49,170.
“We had an inkling that it was going to be bad, but
we never expected it would be that expensive,” said
Teri. “But Zach’s our only child — he’s it — so we
were able to afford him a lot of opportunities.”
As parents of a “full-pay” student (a term that is
something of a misnomer, but we’ll get to that later),
the Fellmans have plenty of company. Of the 2,750
students returning to Colgate this fall, approximately
60 percent of them are doing so without financial
aid. For those parents, if current trends continue,
the four-year cost of a Colgate education will total
somewhere in the neighborhood of $210,000.
The situation is hardly unique to Colgate. As
the cost of higher education continues to outstrip
cost-of-living increases (Colgate’s tuition went up
5 percent last year), the question of how colleges and
universities manage their finances — from tuition
to financial aid to their endowments — has drawn
the scrutiny of even the Senate Finance Committee. In January, the bipartisan committee asked the
nation’s 136 colleges and universities with endowments of $500 million or more — including Colgate
— to share information about endowment, fees, and
financial aid.
“This is the most controversial issue in higher
education,” said President Rebecca Chopp. “The issues
of what we can do to manage costs and to increase
resources, while providing value to students and
connecting to our alumni, are the key priorities that
I and the Board of Trustees — all of whom are alumni
or parents — work on continuously.”
“It is very costly to try to provide the ambitious
and enlightening experience that we’re trying to
provide to our students,” added David Hale ’84, vice
president for finance and administration. “From
managing utilities to buying insurance and certain
goods and services, we should employ best practices
in order to manage costs.”
Many cost drivers are things that institutions
don’t have a lot of control over, said Steven M. Bloom,
an assistant director with the American Council on
Education in Washington, D.C. Not only are many
drivers structural in nature, he said, “It’s a very laborintensive industry. If you try to enhance productivity, you have the potential to negatively impact
quality. The issue’s not going away anytime soon.”
In examining this complex issue, we might ask
the philosophical question: What is the cost of intellectual sustainability? Put another way, why does
a Colgate education cost so much — and what is
the return on investment for our students? And
what is Colgate doing to balance competitiveness
and affordability?
A word on price and wealth
The price of tuition is a tricky thing to enumerate.
And regardless of his or her financial situation, every
student receives a discount to the actual price of a
Colgate education, which in 2008–2009 is $53,570.
“Whatever the costs are, tuition doesn’t pay it
all,” said Kevin Rask, a Wake Forest University professor who studies the economics of education (and
formerly a Colgate faculty member). “You’re still
not even covering your annual costs.” Ultimately, he
said, a college has to weigh any number of factors —
including the old standby of “supply and demand”
— when administrators decide where they’re
going to set a price. This year, Colgate is essentially
underwriting the cost of each full-pay student with
$4,400 and each aided student (on average) with
$34,000. [For more, see sidebar, “So why can’t you
just make tuition cheaper?”]
The health and wealth of an institution rests on
its endowment, and in Colgate’s case, the relatively
Illustrations by James Yang
30
scene: Autumn 2008
News and views for the Colgate community
31
“We are investing in a student’s education in the same way
we did twenty years ago; however, we are offering more, and
it costs more.” DAVID HALE, financial vice president
Higher education has changed
The relatively small size of Colgate’s endowment is the most
significant factor affecting not just operating budget, but
also tuition pricing and what the institution is able to offer in
terms of programs, services, and support.
small size of its endowment is the most significant
factor affecting not just operating budget, but also
tuition pricing and what the institution is able to
offer in terms of programs, services, and support
such as financial aid for its students. Income for this
year’s operating budget of $147,320,539 comes from
a variety of sources. Total student charges provide
approximately 63 percent. The Annual Fund is the
university’s third-largest annual revenue source, providing 7 percent. A multitude of smaller sources yield
another 7 percent, while the rest — approximately 23
percent — is spent from the endowment.
As of June 30, Colgate’s endowment had a market
value of approximately $705 million, having achieved
an average annual investment return of 11.3 percent
over the last five years.
32
scene: Autumn 2008
“There is pressure on spending endowments,”
admitted Hale, who noted that Colgate budgets
approximately 5 percent of its endowment toward
current operations annually. “Our spending and
investment policies are geared toward the long term,
so that future generations can also benefit from
the endowment.”
The rub, he said, is when one looks at a key figure
in the endowment equation: how much per student
a college has to spend. Compared to its peers, at
$255,974, Colgate’s endowment-per-student rate
falls significantly short, which presents a major challenge in being able to afford to offer a comparable
level of services and support to the very best
colleges and universities in the country against
whom Colgate competes, but who are wealthier.
When Hale started his senior year at Colgate 25
years ago, he was a geology major with a minor in
history — and the cost of a Colgate education was
$11,400, plus another $900 for books, supplies, and
the like. “My professors in geology were superb —
I learned a great deal from them in terms of how to
study and how to think. But by the time I got to my
senior year, I was a little more interested in business.
So I left geology, which was probably good for both
me and science,” he added with a laugh.
Hale went on to New York University’s Stern
School of Business, spent a few years working for
Paramount and Sony pictures in Los Angeles, and
returned to Colgate in 1993, working in the development office for three years before joining the finance
division. From the vantage point of an alumnusturned-administrator, “I would say that we are doing
so much more than what was offered twenty-five
years ago — and what was offered then was terrific,”
said Hale. “It’s a much more intimate experience,
with smaller class sizes, more professors, far more
expansive student life programs, and more ambitious study-abroad programs.”
“The delivery of a quality education is more complex than it was in the 1970s or 1980s,” added Chopp.
“Knowledge has become far more interdisciplinary
and driven through technology. Today, we teach sciences with equipment and machines and programs
that nobody could have dreamed of twenty years
ago. A library, to give another example, must now
accommodate technology in addition to providing
space for books and studying.”
Knowledge has become a more global pursuit
as well, with study-abroad programs more of a
necessity than a luxury today. Nearly 63 percent
of all Colgate undergraduates study abroad under
the supervision of full-time faculty (a number that
jumps up to 70 percent with the inclusion of such
domestic off-campus initiatives as Colgate’s National
Institutes of Health program in Washington, D.C.).
“It’s a wonderful way to expand the global knowledge of the faculty,” Chopp said. “Faculty members
come back to campus and bring their knowledge to
the rest of the students.”
Such experiences can be life-changing, but spending three weeks in a remote Ugandan jungle carries
a price tag. Colgate spends about $2.5 million per
year on study-abroad and off-campus programming,
or roughly 5.5 percent of the university’s $47 million
instruction budget.
As seen in the accompanying pie chart illustration, although costs have increased significantly
over the past 20 years, how the university allocates
its resources on an annual basis has not changed.
“Essentially,” said Hale, “we are investing in a
student’s education in the same way we did twenty
years ago; however, we are offering more, and it
costs more.”
The human equation
To illustrate Colgate’s profound effect on its students, Lyle Roelofs, provost and dean of the faculty,
paraphrased remarks made by Jerry Balmuth, Harry
Emerson Fosdick Professor of philosophy and religion, to a recent 50-year reunion class. “A Colgate
education seeks to impart and awaken a fresh
sensitivity to otherwise unnoticed aspects of nature
and of the human world,” Balmuth noted. “Colgate
sets and frames the original agenda around which a
student’s sense of self and self-esteem can subsequently develop. It critically processes and forms
both personal and social persona. By its teaching,
it inspires respect for learning and the beginning
exploration of the initially unsuspected range of
knowledge and relationships that give worth and
dignity to our lives, as learning does to human life
more generally.”
The transformational nature of a Colgate education begins with the connection between undergraduates and professors — and the university’s
10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio is key to nurturing
those personal relationships. Of Colgate’s $147.3
million operating budget for 2008–2009, the largest
expenditure is compensation, at $82.4 million.
“We are a heavily personnel-dominated institution,” said Chopp.
“At top-rate liberal arts colleges and universities,
faculty are the most highly educated people in your
workforce,” said Rask, who taught economics at
Colgate for 16 years before leaving for Wake Forest
last year. “And at a place like Colgate, they demand
good researchers who are also good teachers — and
that is a smaller subset of PhD professionals.”
Further complicating the education equation
is the fact that a third of Colgate’s faculty are 55 or
older, creating a bit of distortion toward the high
end of the wage scale. While Colgate can’t match the
compensation levels that these great minds could
command in the commercial sector, the university
does face some pressure to offer competitive salaries
in trying to hire and maintain faculty who might
otherwise be attracted to a more urban setting. “You
So, why can’t you just make
tuition cheaper?
David Hale ’84, financial vice president, explains
Given Colgate’s significant “wealth gap” relative to
peer institutions, we rely more heavily on revenue
from student charges than the schools with whom we
compete for students and faculty. As a result, a price
cut would have a significantly greater impact on
Colgate’s operations than our peer institutions.
As for expenditure control, we must always be scrutinizing opportunities to achieve cost savings and create
efficiencies; however, Colgate’s two largest expense
lines are financial aid and compensation. Our singlemost important strategic priority is to make Colgate
more accessible by increasing the number of financial
aid packages we can offer to admitted students.
A reduction to this $35 million expense is not under
consideration. As for compensation, Colgate works
hard to provide “market” salaries to faculty and staff,
and, in order to compete effectively with our wealthier
peers, we employ smaller levels of faculty and staff
(on a per-student basis) than they do. Lowering costs
in the area of compensation would have a direct and
immediate impact on the quality of the educational and
extracurricular experiences provided to our students.
Were we to reduce the size of the faculty, class size
would increase, and students would lose essential
opportunities for close interaction with their professors. When new academic offerings — such as the new
systems biology program under development — come
online, we of course will not eliminate an existing
department or major.
In the wake of strong investment returns and
incredibly generous contributions to the endowment,
Colgate has aggressively increased the annual amount
of endowment support provided to the operating budget; however, the endowment is the university’s primary
financial asset, and endowment spending decisions
must balance current needs with a commitment to
preserve (and hopefully enhance) its value for future
generations of Colgate students. Spending down the
endowment beyond levels necessary to maintain intergenerational equity (Colgate has averaged a spending
rate of 4.8 percent of the underlying endowment
market value over the past five years) in order to
reduce prices could risk the long-term viability of our
great 189-year-old school.
News and views for the Colgate community
33
“A Colgate education seeks to impart and
awaken a fresh sensitivity to otherwise unnoticed aspects
of nature and of the human world.” JERRY BALMUTH, Harry Emerson Fosdick Professor of philosophy and religion
than $10 million annually on athletics, funding 25
intercollegiate athletic teams including football and
hockey. Given the university’s location, travel costs
are one inevitably expensive line item.
“We also have to invest in facilities that support
wellness and other forms of physical activity
for the whole campus community,” added
Roelofs. “This also amounts to major capital and
operating expenses.”
On a related note, outside regulations are another driver of costs. As a charter member of the eightschool Patriot League — which leads the NCAA in
Division I graduation rates among student-athletes
— Colgate is held to the same rigorous regulatory
environment as larger institutions. “We love our
athletics, but the NCAA and the league we’re in
both produce regulations at an alarming rate,” said
Chopp. A Patriot League Team Green Committee,
for instance, was recently formed to focus on
environmental protection and promotion through
athletics. Beyond athletics, in response to the
Americans with Disabilities Act, fire safety regulations, asbestos abatement, and the like, Colgate has
invested significant resources to make the campus
safer, more accessible, and healthier.
Keeping Colgate accessible
could hire a graduate student from Syracuse for
$2,500 to teach a course, but we don’t go that way,”
said Roelofs.
Inflation, information, and investments
In the current economic environment, the hard costs
— some obvious, some not so — of providing the
kind of Colgate education that students and parents
have come to expect are going up at an even faster
rate than a 5 percent tuition hike begins to cover.
Since arriving at Colgate in 2006 after 21 years at
Vassar College, Art Punsoni has noted many similarities between the two schools — with one notable
exception. “The climate here is somewhat colder,” he
said. On a typical winter morning, “You wake up here
and see a few inches of snow.”
Considering that Punsoni’s job as director of
purchasing means wrestling with the rising costs
34
scene: Autumn 2008
of everything from paper to fuel oil, that distinction
is significant.
“The cost of keeping an older campus such as
Colgate’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer is a daunting one,” he said — particularly when
the cost of fuel oil a year ago was somewhere in the
neighborhood of $65 per barrel, and reached a high
of $147 per barrel in midsummer. The rising cost of
fuel then spills over many line items, from athletics
travel to airfares for study-abroad programs to the
cost of transporting food and other necessities to
campus. “Making sure that our students get support
will always be our priority.”
The environmentally friendly wood-fired boiler,
installed during the energy crisis in the early 1980s,
provides more than 75 percent of Colgate’s heat and
domestic hot water needs and saves the university about a million gallons of oil a year — a cost
savings likely to exceed $1 million in 2008–2009.
Colgate is looking to expand its use of biomass with
the first large planting of willow (10 acres) which,
within five to eight years, will produce a significant amount of the wood needed to produce the
campus’s own energy. And, more broadly, Punsoni
and his team are constantly working to negotiate
multiyear agreements with suppliers and vendors.
Another inevitable expenditure, the university’s
employee health care bill, exceeds more than $5 million each year, and has been growing more than 15
percent annually. In recent years, Colgate has taken
steps such as tightening up the benefits plan and
asking employees to take on higher copay levels.
Information resources and technology constitute
a particularly visible, if predictable, example of a
rapidly increasing expenditure.
“Every piece of equipment we buy for ITS [Information Technology Services] has a lifespan of four
to six years,” said Roelofs. Add to that double-digit
inflation in the costs of books and scholarly periodicals, and you have a budget challenge that may be
impossible to sustain indefinitely.
“In our effort to provide a research-capable
library, our librarians are continuing to work to get
those costs under control,” Roelofs said, by working
in consortiums and with publishers of journals to
discuss new models for information delivery.
Construction inflation, meanwhile, had been
climbing steadily at less than 3 percent annually
until a spike in inflation in building materials drove
up costs more recently by close to 10 percent. That
adds up quickly when you’re building a $58 million
facility like the Robert H.N. Ho Science Center, which
opened last fall, or completing a $60 million expansion and renovation of the Case Library and Geyer
Center for Information Technology (completed in
January 2007).
“A classroom where a philosophy seminar is
going to happen doesn’t have to be that expensive,”
Roelofs said. “But you can’t offer a quality educational experience without offering state-of-the-art
science labs and excellent scholarly resources.”
In athletics, Colgate is one of only two “top 25”
national liberal arts colleges that compete at the
Division I level. “It’s a long-standing tradition,” Hale
noted — and a commitment that the university
takes seriously. Accordingly, Colgate spends more
Growing up in Hamilton, All-State soccer and ice
hockey standout Simon Jarcho ’08 got to know the
Colgate faculty and coaching staff pretty well over
the years. And, while his older brothers were eager
to get away from the small college community
where they had spent most of their lives, Simon
embraced Colgate’s offer of an Alumni Memorial
Scholarship — which is awarded each year to Colgate’s top 200 admitted students — and even took
a job with the Office of Admission as a tour guide.
“His friends joked about him being the mayor of the
village,” said dad Harry, a social studies teacher at
Hamilton Central School, where Simon graduated
as valedictorian in 2004.
Simon spent a semester in London as a junior
with the economics study group, went back to
Colgate will award $35.3 million in financial
aid in the 2008–2009 academic year, an increase
of $9.8 million (or 38.4 percent) since 2003–2004
and $17 million more (93.7 percent) than a decade
ago. The average institutional grant award for all
financial aid recipients in 2007–2008 was $29,452,
and this year saw a slight uptick in the number
of families needing financial aid.
Thanks to gifts to the university, Colgate is working to provide more than 50 additional financial
aid packages to deserving students. Yet remaining
“need aware” — which means having to turn away
highly qualified applicants for whom Colgate cannot offer financial aid — is the best the university
can do in providing access, and in fact is its singlemost significant cost-containing measure.
“We work with the admission office so that we’re
supporting their efforts to build the best possible
class we can admit,” explains Hugh Bradford, associate vice president for budget and financial aid.
“We had a trial year a few years ago of admitting
students need blind, but it’s something we couldn’t
sustain in the long run.”
To close the gap with its academic peers, both
now and in the long run, growing the endowment
is key. “We’re very committed to expanding our
endowment for our students,” said Chopp, who
noted that Colgate’s Passion for the Climb campaign
is “very much a campaign for endowment.” Of the
In recent years, nearly all first-tier colleges and
universities have seen a surge in applications due to
what Rask calls a “demographic bulge” in high school
The rising cost of fuel then spills over many line items, from
athletics travel to airfares for study-abroad programs to the
cost of transporting food and other necessities to campus.
“Making sure that our students get support will always be our
priority.” ART PUNSONI, director of purchasing
$400 million campaign, $163.5 million is earmarked
for general endowment and the Annual Fund (while
another $87.5 million is for financial aid and access,
which would bring additional relief to parents).
What price education?
Oxford to work this summer, and had a job waiting
for him with the Princeton Economics Group when
he returned to the United States this fall. According
to Harry, Colgate would have been out of reach were
it not for financial aid.
study of college graduates’ salary potential ranked
Colgate second among liberal arts colleges in midcareer median salaries, as well as fifth (and the first
non-Ivy school) among universities whose highestpaid 10 percent of alumni take home the biggest
salaries regardless of how long they have been out
of school.
Among prospective students, Colgate remains a
top destination, with more than 9,400 applicants
last year — the largest and most diverse pool ever.
“Certainly the sticker shock makes you think about
the cost of tuition,” said another full-pay parent,
Carolyn Byrd of Atlanta, whose son is a sophomore
at Colgate this year. “Its value will be determined
over the long run.” (The youngest of four, Anthony
Reynold Baldwin Jr. broke from family tradition —
his older brothers and his father all went to Morehouse College — when he opted for Colgate.)
While salary certainly isn’t the only way to
determine the value of an education, it is one objective measure of success after graduation. “There’s
evidence that graduates of more exclusive, more
selective universities do earn more,” said Rask. Studies show people from selective schools or private
universities enjoy greater salary growth over the
course of their careers than those who attend public
schools or nonselective schools. A recent PayScale
seniors — a number that will top out in 2009. In the
near future, colleges will find themselves competing
for a smaller pool of academically qualified students
whose families can afford to pay full tuition. For a
school like Colgate — which competes in the marketplace “more on specific qualities than on price,”
as Bradford put it — outstanding instructors, small
class sizes, and great facilities may not come cheap,
but they don’t go unnoticed.
“Our Colgate parents are deeply appreciative of
the connections that their children develop,”
Chopp said. “And alumni connections provide years
of friendships as well as important business
and professional connections that last a lifetime.”
Hale agreed: “Being part of a high-achieving,
broad alumni community is absolutely wonderful
and invaluable. I think what we are delivering for
our students is incredible,” he said. “At $50,000, it
better be.”
News and views for the Colgate community
35
I was sitting in my apartment in central Beijing with
my husband, Christopher Henke, when the building
began to sway. Chris was convinced that it was an
earthquake, and hurried us outside. But I wasn’t sure
until the web reports came trickling in half an hour
later — an earthquake in Sichuan province, near
Chengdu. Chengdu? I gasped. Chengdu is almost
profiled people who lied to their families and
hopped on airplanes to Sichuan, knowing their
parents or spouses would never countenance them
going into such a dangerous region. A businessman
told me about his friend, also an entrepreneur, who
packed suitcases of supplies and money and left
her business to work in the devastated region for
two weeks. The people I knew in Beijing donated to
the government and the
state-run Chinese Red Cross,
but they also gave money
to acquaintances who
happened to own trucks
that could be filled with
necessities and driven out
to a village where someone
had a personal connection.
Nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) that
had served other regions turned their focus on
Sichuan and sent their people there to see what
could be done. Planes and hotels empty of tourists
and business travelers were refilled with volunteers.
Both CNN and
the New York Times
described the
public outpouring
as unprecedented
and potentially
transformative, even
“defiant”: Chinese
individuals were
so moved by the
earthquake that
they were shaking
off state control and
taking matters into
their own hands.
The Chinese and Western media profiled
people who lied to their families and hopped
on airplanes to Sichuan, knowing their parents
or spouses would never countenance them
going into such a dangerous region.
1,000 miles away from Beijing, as far as Kansas
is from Hamilton. How could an earthquake in
Chengdu shake buildings in Beijing?
Of course we all know the answer now: a huge
earthquake, 7.9 on the Richter scale. One that caused
a devastating amount of damage: nearly 70,000
people dead, 375,000 injured, and 5 million people
homeless. Yet this enormous tragedy, broadcasted
all over the world via television and Internet,
also inspired an enormous response. Hundreds
of millions of dollars in cash and materials,
accompanied by volunteers, poured in from
international sources. But there was another
source of donations and volunteers: China itself.
By May 20, domestic donations had topped
$500 million, according to the New York Times.
Thousands of Chinese volunteers flowed into the
devastated region, individually and as members
of organizations. The Chinese and Western media
Western journalists
and scholars
pondered: Could this
be a turning point
for Chinese society?
Could this be the
moment when
China’s apathetic
urban middle class
becomes aware of,
and begins to take
ownership of, rural
social problems?
Although the
impact of the earthquake cannot be
underestimated, in
fact all of those transformations had been
emerging well before
May 12. I know this
because that’s why
I was in China: to
A Chinese volunteer salvages photos left
by Sichuan earthquake victims as mementos
amongst the debris in Beichuan County.
study the rise of charities, NGOs, and volunteerism
in the People’s Republic of China, an investigation I
have been conducting for four years.
Indeed, the past decade has witnessed an
explosion of NGOs in China. On the other hand, the
rise of NGOs and volunteerism is unprecedented,
so it’s reasonable that people have been caught
by surprise. In fact, had you asked me or other
experts in our field in the 1980s if we’d predict the
appearance of grassroots or foreign NGOs in China
we would have said, “No way.” But it is important to
clarify exactly what is new and what is not, and to
understand how Chinese society is changing. A very short history of charity in China
There is actually a long and rich tradition of
voluntary and compassionate giving to the poor
and needy in China. But while the Western concept
of charity values giving to strangers, the Chinese
framework idealizes giving to kin. Institutionalized
giving in imperial China (prior to 1911) was
dominated by clan-based lineage organizations,
Carolyn Hsu
On the afternoon of May 12, 2008,
A worker with Hua-Dan, whose motto is “Unfolding creative potential through theater,” conducts an activity with children at
New Citizens School, a private K-12 school serving the migrant population outside of Beijing.
After the 1949 Communist Revolution, lineage
organizations were eradicated. The Communist
party-state was the only “family” people would
need from now on, according to the new regime,
which proceeded to set up a redistributive economy
to take care of everyone’s needs. However, in times
of disaster, the paternalistic regime would call on
the “popular masses” to support its work through
donation drives. During the aftermath of the horrific
1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed approximately 250,000 people, ordinary Chinese people
reached into their wallets to contribute to the rescue
and rebuilding efforts. Citizens have been called
on to donate in response to floods and droughts
and, most recently, the freak blizzards that wreaked
By Carolyn Hsu
In China’s rapidly transforming society, its
citizens find a new spirit — and mode — of charity
Getty Images
which cared for widows and orphans and
supervised education (only for boys — but that’s
another paper!). Clan-based charity had a broad
understanding of family: lineage organizations not
only kept elaborate records of kin to make sure even
the remotest relative wouldn’t be left out, but also
sometimes provided for people who were not on
the rolls but did have the right surname. The idea
was that everyone would be covered by kin-based
charity. In this realm, religious or private charities
were moot.
Of course, some people fell through the cracks
of this system. In these cases, the state would act
as “family,” and the government built orphanages
and poorhouses. The state would also step in during
times of major disasters and in very bad times often
urged (even compelled) wealthy citizens to help (for
example, by donating resources or even setting up
food kitchens in times of famine).
havoc in China’s usually temperate southeast over
the Chinese New Year holiday this year.
In other words, there’s nothing particularly
shocking or unusual about the donations that
poured in after the Sichuan earthquake — except in
terms of scale. This disaster was more devastating
than anything China has experienced since the
Tangshan earthquake. The reach of television
and the Internet meant that people could see and
hear and feel the horror of the situation more
fully than in the past. People in China also have
greater financial capacity today. In 1976, citizens
contributed the equivalent of pennies and dimes.
In May, the members of the new middle class could
give thousands of dollars, and the wealthy could
contribute hundreds of thousands, even millions. charity
scene: Autumn 2008
State-sponsored charity may not be anything
new in China, but independent volunteerism and
NGOs certainly are. Even 20 years ago, NGOs were
essentially nonexistent in China. In recent years,
however, hundreds and maybe thousands have
been founded, focusing primarily on the areas of
environmental protection, poverty alleviation, and
education. The Chinese state, caught off guard,
had to write up regulations governing these new
entities, which went into effect in 2004.
This transformation has been fueled, in large
part, by the idealism and energy of young people.
In the early 1990s, when I taught at a Chinese
Even 20 years ago, NGOs were essentially nonexistent in China.
Serving the People
36
The new generation:
volunteerism and NGOs
university, college students had never heard of
NGOs, or volunteering, or internships. But this year,
a professor at Beijing University told me that all of
her students talk about volunteering and discuss
the possibility of finding jobs in the nonprofit
sector. And they don’t just talk — even before they
graduate, they begin volunteering. At the offices of
Golden Key, a charity that serves blind and visually
impaired children, a constant stream of student
volunteers types and translates documents. The
founder of Hua-Dan, an NGO that conducts theater
workshops for Beijing’s migrant children, told me,
“The one thing we don’t lack is volunteers.” In fact,
Hua-Dan has more volunteers than it needs. And
this year, Project Hope, an organization that rebuilds
and serves schools in poor rural regions, started a
volunteer
News and views for the Colgate community
37
The Beilin Hope Primary School in Heilongjiang province
is supported by China Youth Development Foundation’s
Project Hope, which rebuilds and serves schools in poor
rural regions.
volunteer teaching program similar to Teach for
America. China’s best college students lined up
to apply.
Chinese young people not only join existing
organizations; they also start their own. In fact, many
of them are suspicious of existing bureaucracies
and prefer to rely on their own efforts; for example,
student organizations volunteer at orphanages
and retirement homes. An online group of Chinese
backpackers set up the “1kg Project” — backpackers
heading toward impoverished areas would add 1kg
of supplies, such as school supplies, food, or books,
to give to local residents. According to Ning Zhang
at the University of Pittsburgh, the 1kg Project is
maintained by volunteers scattered all over China.
This desire to do something helpful, but to work
38
scene: Autumn 2008
outside of the state and existing bureaucracies, also
motivated the individuals who founded the Chinese
grassroots NGOs I studied. It also inspired the
thousands of individuals who poured into Sichuan
to volunteer for earthquake relief, some of whom
will no doubt organize themselves into
future NGOs.
One of the purposes of
my research was to examine
why this spirit of individual
volunteerism is so strong
in China today, especially
among the young, middle
class urbanites. The first
factor is the shrinking of the
Chinese state. In the United
States, we tend to view
the Chinese state as powerful and intrusive, but it
plays a much smaller role in Chinese society than
it did 30 or even 20 years ago. Before the market
reforms of 1978, the Chinese state essentially ran the
whole economy — all the factories, all the stores,
all the service agencies. Because the party-state
bureaucracy ran everything, it had a monopoly on
all of the higher-paying jobs. The Chinese who came
of age in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and most of the ’80s all
sought party-state jobs, whether they desired power
“You can think about what interests you, not just what is
going to bring in a paycheck.”
or wealth or to make a difference in society. Since
the reforms, the Chinese state has been transforming itself from a paternalistic caretaker into more of
an economic manager. Beginning in the late 1980s
Volunteers collect clothes for Sichuan earthquake survivors at the Jiuzhou Stadium in Mianyang.
Getty Images
Carolyn Hsu
and 1990s, the best and the brightest no longer
wanted to work for the state; instead, they sought to
start their own businesses in the emerging private
sector, both because that’s where the money was
and because a series of corruption scandals and the
Tiananmen Square massacre tainted the appeal of
the government.
Today’s young people were born after the
economic reforms, and they were children
during the Tiananmen protests. They have never
experienced the all-embracing socialist state.
Working for the government is “just one of 300
occupations,” as one young man told me, and not a
particularly appealing one. A government job is seen
as comfortable, but not particularly challenging; it’s
for those who value security over ambition.
Andrew Daddio
Golden Key
Founded in 1985, Golden Key Research Center of Education
for the Visually Impaired helps visually impaired children
receive educational and vocational training and counseling
in poor and remote areas of China.
For those who want to make a difference in society,
a job in the government is no longer the obvious
choice, or even a reasonable one.
And many of them do want to make a difference.
The college students I taught in the China of the
1990s were individualistic and apolitical. Their
idea of a good job was one with a good paycheck.
Today’s college students are the children of China’s
economic boom. Although few would be wealthy
by U.S. standards, a substantial portion are from the
new urban middle class and grew up with more
wealth than any previous generation in China.
Because of the “One-Child Policy,” they are almost
all only children, which magnifies their privileges.
For them, money is not the be-all and end-all that
it was for those in times past because they have
never truly experienced the lack of it, and, given
China’s continuously growing economy, they do not
expect to experience it in the future. Li, a volunteer
who was doing a one-year stint in China’s western
desert, explained to me, “Nobody has to be incredibly
worried about getting a job anymore. You know that
you can get a decent one. So that means people can
think about other things. You can think about what
interests you, not just what is going to bring in
a paycheck.”
Li, and others like him, are seeking new
experiences, personal development, and to do
something meaningful in the world. Brimming with
self-confidence, they believe they have something
to offer. Song, a volunteer at a rural school in the far
northeast, told me, “We give our students the wings
to fly… We inspire them to study hard at school.
They’ll give the next generation wings, too.”
Carolyn Hsu shares more of her new
research on the rise of NGOs and charities in
China in “Rehabilitating Charity in China,” which
appears this fall in the Journal of Civil Society.
An associate professor of sociology, she has
published articles on Chinese business practices
and entrepreneurship, and on political corruption.
In her book, Creating Market Socialism: How
Ordinary People are Shaping Class and Status in
China, Hsu explores the central role of ordinary
people — rather than state or market elites —
in creating new institutions for determining
status in China. By analyzing
shared stories about status
and class, jobs and careers,
and aspirations and hopes
of people from all walks of
life, Hsu reveals the logic
underlying the country’s
emerging stratification
system.
Hsu holds a BA from Yale
University and MA and PhD
degrees from the University of
California at San Diego and has
previously taught at Williams
College. A member of the
Colgate faculty since 2000,
she says one of her favorite
courses to teach is the senior
capstone seminar in sociology
and anthropology, in which
students do their own original
research.
The logos (top to bottom) of three nonprofit organizations
that Hsu researched: Golden Key, Hua-Dan, and the China
Youth Development Foundation (sponsor of Project Hope)
News and views for the Colgate community
39
40
scene: Autumn 2008
News and views for the Colgate community
41
Alumni bulletin board
Questions? Contact the alumni office
at 315-228-7433 or alumni@mail.
colgate.edu
Alumni Council notes
– Alumni Council Nominations Committee chair
– Career adviser, internship sponsor, Real World,
Presidents’ Club Membership Committee,
Maroon Citation
– Managing Director, BMO Capital Markets,
Healthcare Group
What do you find most satisfying about your work?
I love the combination of science and business. Drug companies
looking to raise capital present their research and their business
case, and I help the promising ones raise the money. I have to
understand the science enough to explain it to investors.
Why did you decide to serve on the Alumni Council?
When they asked me, my children were 1 and 3, so it was not an
automatic decision, but I was honored. I’d first gotten involved with
Colgate when I was working for Chase and volunteered with my
colleague John Nozell [’81] to do recruiting on campus. I later joined
the Presidents’ Club Membership Committee. My term was coming
to an end, so it seemed like an obvious next step. I didn’t know how
much fun it would be!
What issues are most important to you as a council member?
Colgate has a strong alumni network. We want to enhance that,
while making better connections with current students. It’s all
about communication. Also, the call to volunteer frequently goes
out to the same set of people. I think there are more people who
have the inclination, if they only knew what the opportunities were.
Volunteering can be as simple as donating your airline miles, or
having a student shadow you for a day.
How do you approach the process of selecting new members?
We encourage nominations, and we have tried hard to explain what
we are looking for, which by definition needs to be broad enough
that it’s inclusive. We look for people from diverse backgrounds
who are demographically representative of the alumni body.
Consistent financial support of Colgate is another element, but it’s
relative to your means. Above all, we are looking for involvement
with Colgate, because that’s the best proxy for demonstrating they
are going to take the job seriously.
Tell us about your family
My husband, Con, works for a freight-forwarding and logistics firm.
Kate is 7, active, athletic. Timothy is 5, and I found out two nights
ago that he can read; he was keeping it secret!
You just got a free hour. How would you use it?
I might take one of the kids out solo, for what I call ‘alone time.’
42
scene: Autumn 2008
- New nominations schedule Beginning this year, the Nominations Committee has shifted the schedule for
making final nomination decisions on
Alumni Council candidates. The slate
is now chosen at the fall Alumni Council meeting in Hamilton, and will be
published — along with the method by
which other nominations can be made
by petition — in the winter edition of
the Scene. These changes were made
to adapt to the Scene’s new publishing schedule, ensuring that election
information will be available in print
as well as on the web.
- New members The council welcomed
Paul Bradley ’67, Jay Brennan ’81,
Bruce Clayton ’89, Terry Donahue
Egler ’77, Juan Flores ’80, Linda Havlin
’72, John Hoagland ’78, Scott Hoekman ’98, Peter Rakov ’54, and Chris
Wolyniak ’01.
- On our plate Following our strategic planning process, the council will
focus this coming year on expanding
communications with alumni, connecting more effectively with volunteers,
developing action-oriented committee agendas, and developing a
matrix to evaluate its success — while
increasing our visibility. Stay tuned
for more information!
Live and/or work in
more than one location?
Contact the alumni office to receive
club mailings for multiple cities.
Travel with Colgate faculty
For more information, contact Lorie
Riedl at [email protected] or
315-228-6789.
May 11–31, 2009:
Athens, Greece
Join classics professors Robert
Garland and Naomi Rood and the students in their extended study course
Individual Identity and the Material
Culture of the Ancient Greek City for
one, two, or three weeks, visiting major sites in Athens, Olympia, Mycenae,
and Delphi. No background knowledge
is expected, although preference will
be given to alumni who took classes in
the department.
June 5–12, 2009:
Rocky Mountains
and Colorado Plateau
With geology professor Bruce Selleck
’71, you’ll examine the rocks, structures, and landforms that document
the geological history of the region,
and how geological history has led
to accumulation of economically
Navi’Gate: Colgatealumni.org
Don’t miss campus updates, class
news, e-mail–only event notices, or
the ’GateLine e-newsletter: update
your e-mail address and other contact
information. Set your preferences
and customize your personal page
with RSS feeds, widgets, images, and
more! Share your thoughts on message boards. The online community
has many ways for you to connect with
fellow alumni. Log in today!
important materials. This eight-day
trip will depart from and return to
Denver, Colo., and will include stops
at national parks and monuments in
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
class news
stay connected
Get to know: Christine Cronin Gallagher ’83
Should anyone up through the Class of 1934
have news to share, please contact Aleta Mayne:
315-228-6669; [email protected].
19 2 9
We are sad to report that William M Pump, the ’29
class editor for the past 14 years, passed away at
the age of 100 on Aug 17 with his family by his
side in Traverse City, MI. He came to Colgate on
an athletic scholarship for track and specialized
in the high jump, triple jump, and pole vault —
for which he qualified for the Olympic finals in
1932. He was inducted into the Colgate Athletic
Hall of Honor in 1990. Bill dedicated his career
to teaching phys ed and coaching. See In Memoriam for a complete obit.
19 30
Named in honor of the late Cornelius ‘Laddie’
Milmoe, Maximus Laddie McCarrick was born
July 18 to Mike McCarrick ’81 and his wife, Dana
Agmon. In addition to being Mike’s favorite
uncle, Cornelius served as a class editor and
received Maroon Citation and Distinguished
Alumnus awards.
19 33
It was announced that next year Joseph Hill
will be posthumously inducted into the sports
Hall of Fame at Lebanon High School (PA), from
which he graduated in 1927. Hill was a football
player in high school who continued playing at
Colgate and then coached at Wesley University.
He passed away in 2000.
19 35
George Carmichael
Apt A
127 Park Shores Cir
Vero Beach, FL 32963-3883
George: [email protected]
19 36
Alumni news and deadlines
Class news: Class editors will be
submitting their columns on Jan. 9,
April 10, July 10, and Oct. 9, 2009.
Please keep these deadlines in mind
when sending information to your
correspondents, and understand that
your news may take a while to appear
in print.
Marriage and birth listings — please
mail to the Scene, attn: Births/
Marriages, 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, N.Y.
13346; fax 315-228-7699; or e-mail
[email protected].
For address changes, or to report
the death of a Colgate graduate,
please notify alumni records. If possible, please identify surviving kin
and an address for condolences to
be sent. If a newspaper obituary
is available, we would appreciate
receiving a copy: 315-228-7453 (tel.);
315-228-7699 (fax); alumnirecords@
mail.colgate.edu.
Elizabeth Gallagher-Saward
Apartment 513
505 N. Lakeshore Dr
Chicago, IL 60611
Hello! I’m Elizabeth Saward, Ernest’s widow
and your new class correspondent. I volunteered
when I saw a blank in the last Scene, when indeed there are 8 survivors. I’ll start with a Saward
item: In May I attended the U of Rochester
medical school’s commencement and presented
the annual Saward award for excellence. On the
other end of the country — Portland, OR — the
annual Saward lecture was held, given by Dr
Alvin Poussaint, a Harvard psychiatrist, who emphasized that minorities still lag in health care
and the need to know about the disparities.
I await your notices.
Elizabeth: 312-527-1492
19 37
Gerald A Vernon
23 Lighthouse Way
Darien, CT 06820-5612
This is the saga for the search of the whereabouts of Dr Paul White! I talked to Ed Hornung
in mid-June, who knew that Paul had moved but
I did not get his number. I then called King Davis
in July, who had talked to Paul but I did not come
away with Paul’s number. I spoke to Ed again and
now he had all the info! Paul lives in Toms River,
NJ, and moved only a short distance in the same
town. I called him and he is very happy in his
new digs. Gets breakfast and dinner but makes
his lunch in a small kitchen in his apt. Getting
back to Ed at his gentleman’s farm in Middleville,
NJ, his land is now being tilled in corn. The sign
of the times!
King is in Mount Pleasant, SC. We all know he
had an implant in his head so that he could hear.
I was totally amazed when I called him because
as soon as he could identify my voice, we had a
great conversation.
Jim Sprague in Miami (Cmdr Sprague, to use
his title when he was in the navy) was up to his
usual off-the-beaten-track story! It seems that
a dissident Burmese citizen was writing a book
critical of the banking business in Burma but one
doesn’t do that there. He then came to the US
seeking help, and Jim, who had lived in Burma
when he was in the navy but did not speak Burmese, nevertheless was able to make sure that
the English grammar and spelling in the book
were correct.
I had a lengthy chat with Herb Gladstone in
Oswego, OR, where he was a prof, now emeritus.
His sabbaticals in Europe enabled him to enjoy
such events as Wimbledon tennis. He is more
or less housebound now, but TV until the wee
hours and membership in an oral history club,
where he is intensely involved, take up much of
his time. It doesn’t seem like he has lost any of
his marbles!
Mary and Jerry Vernon took an 11-day cruise
in the Caribbean in March. It was roundtrip from
NY, which made it possible!
Jerry: 203-655-4592; [email protected]
1 938
Don Foley
1050 Mariposa Ave
Berkeley, CA 94707-2444
Paul Fager and I had a reminiscing phone
conversation. He and Juliette are still living
in Wellesley Hills, MA. After Colgate he went
to U of MI Law School, was a trial lawyer, and
then stayed with Liberty Mutual for most of his
working life. After retirement he was a securities
arbitrator in the greater Boston area. His two
brothers and son William ’69 went to Colgate.
I also talked with William Butler, who lives
in a retirement center in Venice, FL, with his
wife, Elsie, having sold their home 2 years ago.
Bill went to b-school after Colgate, followed by
a career in sales, retiring in 1979. He remained
active in skiing and other sports until a few years
ago. He’s had hip replacements and said he now
uses a cane.
In an e-mail exchange, Dan Miller said he has
had to give up competitive tennis. As reported
in an earlier column, he won 34 “Gold Ball” natl
championship awards and has been inducted
into the USTA Midwest Section Hall of Fame. He
felt this was a nice “cap” to his very rewarding
and enjoyable sr competitive experience.
John Merrick and wife Eloise continue to live
in their home in Weatherford, TX, without any
significant problems. They participate in exercise
programs and John plays golf occasionally. Their
daughters are helpful. Their 6 grandchildren are
scattered, with a new great-grandson in Dallas.
The Foleys had a delightful July 4 weekend
visit from their great-granddaughter Kaitlyn,
accompanied by her parents who drove up from
Santa Ana. This refreshed our memories of how
wonderfully active a 2-year-old can be.
Don: 510-525-6983; [email protected]
1 939
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16003 Falcon Ridge Dr
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Sun City West, AZ 85375-6689
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and writes skits for teenagers and enjoys his chilfelis,
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majored
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a PhD at Catholic
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has limited mobility but not enthusiasm. Frank
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so we
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Gus: 623-546-9487;
[email protected]
mi suscipit fermentum.
1 94 0
Lorem
ipsum dolor sit amet, consectFred Tedeschi
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adipiscing
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PO Box 321
elit
sit amet
massa. Morbi elemenGreenport,
NY 11944
tum purus non tortor. In urna justo,
Paul White wrote that he is recovering from a
dapibus
sit amet, mollis eget, dictum
broken hip, ergo no skiing for 2 years: time flies,
et,
ligula.
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Paul. Keep us posted.
scelerisque
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luctus
Tom Williams
(fellow Colgate
in DC classmate
lacus,
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reported
wife
Alice
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help
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ac the
justo.
of the medical profession and prayer). We all
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follow that prescription, Tom. He also reported
vel,
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lacus.
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of his
granddaughter.
Tom
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brother Cras
Norman
in Utica and
then expects
see Carl
Overstrom
a visit to
magna
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Colgate. Keep in touch, Tom.
Nullam
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fermentum urna.
ber. Mort reported heart failure attacks and uses
oxygen most of the time. Best wishes, Mort, and
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up your cruising
as myvelit.
wife and
I do.
Members
Class
of 1940, please
keep in
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corper.
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ultricies
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PO Boxrhoncus,
579
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Damariscotta, ME 04543-0579
dapibus,
quam magna porttitor
nisi,
id sollicitudin nulla nisl a nisi.
If you are reading this, you are still alive. You
Maecenas
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comsometimes look
backelit,
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the chapter of
modo
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you’ve
done, whom
you’ve
known,
where you’ve
been. In
your
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today, I
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hope that you are still finding life to be an advenmetus,
sodales ac, iaculis non, sagittis
ture demanding your skills of appreciation and
sit
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participation. Your world still needs the real you!
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graciously
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sodales.
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obituary from
the LA Times
announcing
the
death ofQuisque
her husband,
Roy Turney.
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splendid person and an enthusiastic athlete playfermentum
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ing on the soccer, baseball, and hockey teams at
neque.
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Colgate as well as many pro-am golf tourneys all
amet
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euismod. career in investhis life. He had
a distinguished
1 94 1
ment banking that spanned almost 60 years.
He was a naval aviator in the Pacific in WWII at
Pearl Harbor, Midway, and the Marshall Islands.
Roy and Hope were married 63 years and had
2 sons and a daughter, 5 grandchildren, and a
great-grandchild. Roy’s obit stated, “His peers,
as well as his competitors, respected him for his
business acumen, his personality, and most of all
News and views for the Colgate community
43
“Several swimmers at Perth wanted to know what ‘Colgate’ was. They knew of Nike, Speedo, and Tyr, but
Colgate was a new one. Perhaps I’ve started a new brand.” — Jim Elder ’65
his integrity and zest for life.” Colgate is proud of
him, too! He served Colgate on the Alumni Corp
Bd ’62–64 and received a Maroon Citation ’61.
Elmer Nelson delighted me with a long call
from Florence, NC. He grew up in Hyde Park, NY,
where, after Colgate and 3 years in the air force,
he established an insurance company, becoming
owner and pres for 35 years. Retiring in 1982,
he and wife Hannah traveled the US in a motor
home, then spent 8 winters in AZ and summers
in the Adirondacks, followed by Europe and the
world. Now they are happily at home in NC or
visiting 2 sons, grandsons, and great-grandchildren. He is “feeling good.”
We have just received notice of the death of
Bob Schutt in Springfield, VA. Bob was a lt cmdr
in the navy in WWII. He was one of our navy
heroes.
Ted: 207-563-8369; [email protected]
1942
Robert C. Smith
Apt. 329
3804 Brandon Avenue
Roanoke, VA 24018-7004
We are scattered among 19 states and Australia,
with NY and FL having the most. We would
appreciate you sharing a comment with your
classmates.
Carl Bolten reported that he is still upright
and breathing and would welcome contact at his
e-mail address, which I can pass along.
Claire E Nichols, widow of Robert E Nichols,
passed away last Sept.
In the fall of our 1st year, I, along with some
of you, was a “pool rat.” I still am; water aerobics
at the Y almost every day. What are you doing,
physically or mentally, these days?
Bob: 540-776-2329; [email protected]
1943
Joseph W. DeBragga
51 Wavecrest Dr
Islip, NY 11751-4015
Profound thanks to Frank Lawatsch, who wrote
our class notes describing the events of our 65th
Reunion in the last issue. Classmates who were
not on campus and wished they had been were
glad for those who did attend.
Good news from Emmett Costich, who
recently had a cataract removed from his eye and
now he doesn’t need glasses except for reading.
Emmett is still surprised when he glances into a
mirror and sees no glasses.
Jack Sinn is a happy camper. He and Joan
downsized from their Brielle, NJ, residence and
have relocated in Pt Pleasant, NJ.
Jean and Jim Gallo have also moved and are
now living in Litchfield Park, AZ.
From Bend, OR, Bob Martin sent his best to all
and reported he is resisting old age ailments as
best he can.
Jack Sullivan recalled that when he returned
to Colgate early autumn of ’45 he was invited
by Tom Falconer ’45 and Bud Doggett ’44 to
room at the DKE house. This gesture of fraternal
ecumenicalism — Jack was Phi Gam; Tom and
Bud, DKE — was abruptly terminated by ‘Eppie’
Barnes ’22 because the DKE house was officially
closed at the time.
44
scene: Autumn 2008
194 4
Ellsworth Johnson
1309 Meadow Ridge
Redding, CT 06896-3224
A letter from Lee Markley at Fleet Landing,
Atlantic Beach, FL, indicated he expected to be in
a new patio home about July 1. Meantime he and
Irene were roughing it in a 675 sq ft apt. Has met
fellow alums Jack Berle and Harlow Voller ’45 at
Fleet Landing. Lee is contemplating organizing a
Colgate Club in Jacksonville with help from the
alumni office. Despite the distance, Lee plans to
be at our 65th in ’09.
Clem Furey, class pres, returned to Cape Cod
after 3 months in Naples. All is well and he plans
to be in Hamilton for our mini–class reunion and
the Dartmouth football game in Sept. Clem reported that George Tift, after 20 years in Naples,
has moved to an assisted-living situation in
Huntsville, AL, and is doing quite well and happy
to be near family there. George’s wife died about
2 years ago.
Sue and I took a trip to RI in late June. Stopped
at Essex, CT, and had a delightful lunch with
Shauvy and Hank Towers, both optimistic and
upbeat. The 4 of us are looking forward to our
mini-reunion. There are at least 12-14 of us planning on Sept 19–21: Fri and Sat night class dinners (golf club and Colgate Inn), the Dartmouth
football game, and renewing old friendships.
Call Jim Denton, chair, and the Wendt Inn for
reservations, which Jim has already arranged.
Jim and Millie are well. He has mailed special
mini-reunion notices to NE classmates and is
expecting 14 or more back to campus.
Unhappy note: John H Posselius, DKE, passed
away May 20, Grosse Pointe, MI.
Ellsworth: 203-544-8168; 1200 (fax)
194 5
Bob Husselrath
Apt 1217
18755 West Bernardo Dr
San Diego, CA 92127-3013
How do you like the new Scene? Really classy, eh?
There will still be plenty of space for class news,
so don’t be bashful.
I would like to use e-mail as much as possible,
so please send me your e-mail address. I know I
have many of them, but not all. There have been
changes in providers and some new. If you don’t
use e-mail, I will continue to communicate with
you by snail mail.
Jack Miller sent a note about his East Hall
roommate, Rog Provost, who passed last Feb.
They were together Dec 7, listening to the radio
in the student union. Jack said Rog married his
HS sweetheart, Fran.
Also heard from Ned Bilhuber’s daughter, Pam
Blair. Thirty-nine years ago Ned founded the Milton School, a nonprofit, nonsectarian secondary
school to help children with learning disabilities.
Robert A Henry, MD, died May 26 in Rockford,
IL. Bob was a staff sgt in the army medical corps,
returned for his AB, and then earned his MD at
Rochester. He later specialized in psychiatry and
then hospital administration. He was CEO of the
SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford. Bob’s
wife Lou was with him. Bob’s daughter Susan
graduated from Colgate ’76.
Paul D Chesnutt died June 16 in Overland
Park, KS. Chesty served 2 years as a combat in-
fantry in the Pacific ending in Japan. Jacqueline
was with him as he passed peacefully. See In
Memoriam for a complete obit.
Yours truly has given up tennis after falling
on his head, requiring 14 stitches in the scalp.
Decided “enough was enough.” Meanwhile, a
note arrived from Chuck Wittig saying he’s playing 6–8 times a week. Now, is that fair? Chuck
keeps in touch with Perry Thompson. Said he’s
handling his chemo and radiation very well
(bladder cancer).
May and Herb Beadle wrote: “We’re back
home in Massena, NY, for the summer. Left Lake
Havasu middle of May — 112°. Good winter. We’re
still fine, good health so far. Miss Colgate. Have
3 teenagers going to Colgate this fall. They are
friends’ children. We’re saying hello to the Class
of ’45. Hope everybody is still kicking.”
Please note my new e-mail address.
Bob: 858-395-3213; [email protected]
1 9 46
Don Schaefer
45 Lydecker St
Englewood, NJ 07631-3008
Phil Ingle called to say he had just attended a
mini-reunion. Phil and Phyllis had dinner with
Diana and Buzz Schwenck and Marion and Frank
Tuma at Montauk Lake on the end of LI. The
Ingles have 2 children living on LI and 1 in Boston.
They take a ferry from Montauk to New London,
CT — a great shortcut.
In Nov, Bob Orth took a hot-air balloon trip
across Kenya and Tanzania. Seeing the wilds
of Africa from the air was fantastic. This April
he was fishing in AK when he suffered a heart
attack. He made it back for open heart surgery.
As he put it, he’s above grass and feeling much
better. He hopes to go to his salmon lodge in
Labrador this summer.
I was saddened to learn of the passing of
William Lunn. Bill was a Phi Delt and lived in St
Petersburg, FL.
Walter Welch died in June, as did H Preston
Smith. Our sympathy goes out to his widow
Carolyn (they had been married for 52 years) and
to Margie Beck Welch and Virginia Lunn.
Blair Vedder told me he bought a farm some
years ago as a getaway spot. It has suddenly
become profitable with the increased prices on
corn and soy beans. Theater was one of his hobbies. He acted in HS with Charlton Heston and at
Colgate had the lead in Arsenic and Old Lace. Prof
Russ Speirs led the theater group. Most of the
faculty (including Dean Kallgren) appeared on
stage at Schine’s Theater with their faces painted
white to represent all the victims of those murderous old aunts. Those were the days. Blair left
me with this quip: There is nothing wrong with
old age except it comes at the wrong time of life.
Stay well.
Don: 201-568-0309;
[email protected]
1 9 47
Jack Scollay
Apt. 315
95 Elizabeth St
Delaware, OH 43015-4312
Rec’d a note from Rev Loren House about the
benefits of living with his daughter, Claudia Rox.
It just so happens that the Brockton, MA, pro
baseball team’s nickname is the Rox. A relationship between the Rox and the Roxes has developed over the years, culminating in the Rox (the
team) helping Loren celebrate his birthday on
July 14. He threw out the first ball, was applauded
by the fans and his family, and took time to drop
me a note to let all his classmates enjoy the moment. So, what’s in a name?
Jack: 740-362-4035; [email protected]
19 4 8
George F Greene Jr
36096 N Newbridge Ct
Gurnee, IL 60031-4511
Great 4th of July! The Gomar, complete with 4
grandkids (Gina, Mathew, Carter, and Alicia), son
George III, and daughter Barbara and her husband, Paul Piestch, took in the Admiral’s pig roast
at Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the
biggest fireworks display I have ever seen. As the
kids say: “Awesome.” The base was open to the
public for the first time in years and more than
20,000 folks took part, plus the 40,000 on base.
The Navy League was instrumental in setting up
the festivities. We also did 2 local parades. Keeps
the ole fella’ hoppin’. Spending the day with
these fine young people is a day well spent.
Reading the last Scene, I class hopped and saw
many familiar names. I decided to contact some
from the past. I’ll let you know the results.
Received a notice from the alumni office that
George E. Orteig V-48 died at age 80 on April
29, 2002, in East Salem, NY, leaving his widow,
Elisabeth. I have no other information on George,
except I remember him.
No other grist for the Gomar’s mill. Keep in
touch. I hate silence!
George: 847-856-0704
19 4 9
David S. Davies
109 Barker Street
Wellington, OH 44090-1132
Memory can be a discomforting thing. An
obituary of William K. Kerr ’39 in the July Scene
did not mention that he was a son of Andy
Kerr, the football wizard who coached Colgate
football from 1931 to 1946 and was in his last
Colgate year when we were in our 1st. Andy Kerr
won the admiration of football fanatics for his
innovations, including the “razzle-dazzle” that
he added to “Pop” Warner’s double wing-back
formation; missed being asked to take Colgate to
the Rose Bowl in 1933 after his 1932 team scored
264 points to none for opponents (thereby winning the sobriquet of being “unbeaten, untied,
unscored upon, and uninvited”); was a charter
member of the Football Hall of Fame; and had
Colgate’s football stadium named after him. We
played for Andy, or cheered, bid him good-bye,
and ever after could tell our grandchildren that
we had known the “canny Scot.”
Word of Bill Eckhof’s death reminds all who
attended our 50th Reunion in 1999 of the exceptional job Bill did editing the bio submissions of
classmates for the reunion roster. His good work
was in tune with a lifetime of contributions to
the community, beginning with being editor of
the Colgate Maroon, and going on to newspaper
reporting, public information work on behalf of
NY Gov Nelson Rockefeller, and similar work in
the fed gvt in Washington, DC. Bill had sparks
coming out of his ears whether he was smoking
a cigarette or proposing a solution to an editorial problem. He was a valued colleague at the
Maroon, letting no issue go to press until he was
satisfied that it was the best that could be done.
Another classmate who has given extraordinary service to the commonwealth is Charles
‘Chuck’ Lanigan of Slingerlands, NY, and Venice,
FL. Chuck’s Colgate roots are as deep as those of
the oldest trees on campus, which were planted
by his grandfather, Denise Gilmartin, with his
brother, Lant — both immigrants from Ireland.
They began as grounds-keeping laborers, and
Denise became supervisor of the powerhouse.
Working under the guidance of James M. Taylor,
the brothers constructed Taylor Lake, but the tree
planting was done on their own time, including the originals on the Willow Path. Chuck’s
mother was born on campus in 1894 in the
small stone house that sits halfway up the road
that runs past the old gym. Chuck married his
wife, Barbara, before his sr year at Colgate and
they lived in “Passion Flats.” They then moved
to Rome, NY, where Chuck sold display ads for
the Rome Sentinel before becoming secretary of
the Rome Chamber of Commerce. When Rome
adopted a strong-mayor charter, Chuck was the
1st mayor elected. He then was elected as Oneida
County’s 1st county exec and became a valuable
ally of Gov Rockefeller, who in 1966 asked Chuck
to run for the State Controller — an office firmly
in the hands of a Democrat — and Chuck lost, as
expected. But his sacrifice was valued by Rockefeller and Chuck was made a member of the
governor’s personal advisory group, and in time
was appointed the 1st director of NY’s office of
planning coordination. His value to the state Republican org was evident and Chuck was named
chairman of the NY Republican State Committee.
Needing to think about college tuitions for their
3 daughters and 2 sons, Chuck moved the family
to NYC and started a job with Met Life, which
lasted 14 years. But public service still beckoned.
Rockefeller appointed Chuck to the board of the
NY Thruway Authority, where he eventually
became the Authority’s treasurer, presiding over
the financing of the $3 billion highway construction. Gov Hugh Carey, a Democrat, reappointed
Chuck to the Authority’s bd, where he served for
16 years, until 1986. Chuck’s younger brother is
Dr John ’50 and son is Charles Jr ’72. Whatever
else he’s achieved, Chuck says he can brag about
being the only known Irish-Catholic, red-state
political party chairman, navy veteran, and tattooed teetotaler who has never had a drink!
Edward Janos wrote from Needham, MA,
that he and Eloise are working for “a new day
when we can love and trust our president.” Ed
won immortality in the Colgate student pubs
office when he reported asking Josephine Young
Case, wife of the pres, how often the Hamilton
Fortnightly Club met. Of course the journalist
geniuses all acted as though we knew, but most
learned only when Ed said what she’d told him.
Ed said that the one thing he does fast these
days is spotting new stuff growing on him and
hustling to a doc to find out what kind of cutting
or cauterizing is required for the new thing. As
a member of the Alumni Council, he has been
asked to write articles for Colgate student pubs,
and has found that his suggestion that a draft
is needed to get young people concerned about
the direction of the country has not won much
student support, at Colgate or at other colleges
he’s visited. However, he believes that the lethargy he found has been overcome by student
involvement in this year’s presidential primary
season and hopes their concern will carry on
into Nov. Ed and Eloise sold their health care
business (mostly medical hosiery) last Aug and
Ed has continued “as an overpaid and overweight
strategy consultant. Eloise and I have always
enjoyed each other, and I do relish more time
with her and to do more reading and relaxing
both here and in FL. Our oldest daughter bought
an apt next door to us in FL and she makes a very
good neighbor with many grandchildren (5, 2
of whom are Colgate grads) visits.” Ed reported
that Paul Perry ’50 and his wife Betsy are close
friends. He also said that John ‘Fuzzy’ McColl,
his Colgate roommate, used to visit often but
recently was not in good enough health to travel,
staying home in CT with Roberta, his wife of 52
years. (Since Ed wrote, Fuzzy has died, in June.
Son is John R III ’82. Fuzzy was ATO, basketball,
boxing, Dean’s List, psychology and outing clubs,
and class gift committee ’96–’08. He was a B-17
pilot in WWII and after graduation worked for
Shell Oil and then in his own AC and heating
business, while Roberta had a successful real
estate career. Ed spoke of Fuzzy’s subtle sense of
humor and great sense of family responsibility.)
Ed concluded his report by saying that he felt he
had spent his best contributing years in the Civil
Rights Movement and now is looking for something that is both “worthwhile and fun.” Friends
know that wherever Ed is, there will be fun, and
commitment. Speaking of commitment, he and
Eloise celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary
in July.
By the time you read this, class pres Phil
Sanford will have completed a 3-month trip
from SC and will have visited with Bob Howard,
Robin Jaycox ’53, Fred Dunlap ’50 and wife Marilyn, Tom Dockrell, Jack Cashin and wife Helen,
daughter Liz ’84, and a lot of others in about 10
states. Phil sent along a letter from a recent grad
in which she expresses thanks for the assistance
given to her from the Class of 1949 Memorial
Endowment Scholarship. She wrote, “I will carry
everything I’ve learned here at Colgate with me
for the rest of my life… With the assistance that
this scholarship has given me I have been able to
transform from a nervous freshman to an (still
nervous!) enlightened senior.”
Calling attention to a Newsweek article titled
“80 is the New 50,” Ross Robinson suggests that
our 60th Reunion next year be called the “Resurrected 30th.”
Dick Reininger wrote from Seattle that the
30’ snow in the mtns never got into the city but
that the winter was long. He said he’s fine, but
his wife Phyllis has had 2 hip surgeries and so
has one of their 4 sons. He and Phyllis also have
a daughter. Dick asks that classmates going
through Seattle on the way to AK give him a
call: “I’d love to see you.” He reported that Chuck
Wood was in a hospital in Boca Raton and would
also like to hear from classmates.
A further report on Chuck comes from his
wife, Leah (Skidmore ’49). She reported that
Chuck nearly choked to death on beefsteak,
Heimlich failed, he rode unconscious in an
ambulance to the hospital, spent 10 days in ICU,
10 more in a hospital, and then transferred to
Acts Community Medical Center “where his nice
baritone is down to a whisper, but his spirit and
sense of humor are good.”
The wife of Albert W ‘Pete’ Moore Jr, Violet,
reported that Pete died in Sebring, FL, on June 22,
just a week before their 13th anniversary. Pete
was the son of Albert W Moore ’17 and a nephew
of Robert W Moore ’13, was a member of Phi
Kappa Psi, and majored in history. He played basketball and hockey, and was 83 years old when
he died. Violet reported that Pete had not been
well for the last year “but never complained,
even though going through some rough times.
He was one of a kind, and is greatly missed.”
Norman Longfellow Smith, recognized as one
the smartest guys in the class, died at age 83
of congestive heart failure on Memorial Day in
Middleburg, VA. A member of Lambda Chi Alpha,
Norm majored in poli sci and was magna cum
laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Maroon Key, DC Study
Group, Austen Colgate Scholar, Deans List, rifle
club, debate society, and outing club. Norm gave
Get to know: Alisandra Denton ’10
Major/Minor: Molecular Biology, Environmental Studies
Activities: Varsity track team, capoeira, Game’s Afoot
Hometown: Hood River, Oregon
How did you spend your summer?
I had an internship in Mainz, Germany, through the RISE Program, sponsored by the German
Academic Exchange Service. I’ve been taking German language classes and I learned about
it from my professor, Claire Baldwin.
The research I worked on had to do with photovoltaics. I worked with plant pigments and
proteins. My work included pipetting, centrifuging, measuring fluorescence, absorbance,
and CD spectra, and often working in relatively dark conditions to protect said pigments.
My favorite part was definitely the extraction of pigments from the plants.
How is Germany different from Colgate?
Well, a university education is free. Students’ ages ranged unpredictably. My work group
regularly went to lunch together; hanging out with coworkers is common… And then there
are the soccer games — crazy. Awesome. The mood of the country swings over the sake of a
few goals. I’ve been very impressed by the European spirit.
What challenges did you face?
Getting through the first week, when everyone’s question to my attempts to speak German
was, ‘do you speak English?’ Developing experiments by myself. Struggling to find ways to
connect with German people that go deeper than cheering for their soccer team and working beside them. And if there is anything harder to understand than rapid-fire German, it’s
rapid-fire German about the details of research.
What do you think you gained from this experience?
I learned about the science, improved my capoeira by joining the club at my host university,
saw a different way to live, learned how to live on my own, learned what people think about
America. Apparently, we are stereotyped for liking rap music and thinking soccer is lame. I
burst my ‘American bubble.’
What is your pet peeve?
Bottled water
If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Chlorophyll
What’s the first thing you notice about people?
What language they’re speaking! But at times when this is predictable, the way they carry
themselves.
What one word best describes you?
Curious
Favorite website?
Newgrounds.com
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
Reading minds . . . only to facilitate communication across language barriers, of course.
Kidding: see ‘one word that best describes me.’
— Adriana Brodyn ’08
News and views for the Colgate community
45
Sarah Treffinger Latson ’99
Bill Powers ’73 (center), chief executive officer of Bonnie Brae, a residential treatment center
for adolescent boys, reviews paperwork with a 16-year-old ambassador and two child-care
counselors before heading to New York City to deliver food, clothes, and personal hygiene items
to the homeless.
Giving what you get
Six years ago, when Bill Powers ’73 took over as chief executive officer of Bonnie Brae, a New
Jersey residential treatment center for adolescent boys, he set out to instill one of his guiding
principles: It’s not enough just to take care of yourself.
Today, volunteering is a way of life for the orphaned, neglected, abused, and abandoned boys
of Bonnie Brae. At any given time, 10 to 12 “ambassadors” represent the center out in the world.
They help various groups, including Bridges Outreach Inc., a nonprofit organization that delivers
food, clothing, and toiletries each week to homeless people in New York and New Jersey.
“Of all of our community service projects, the Bridges work is, by far, the most powerful,”
Powers said recently, after accompanying five ambassadors, two counselors, and Arthur Brown,
director of operations for Bridges, on a Friday night run into New York City.
The group made three stops in lower Manhattan, where they divvied up socks and underwear,
poured lemonade, and handed out bag lunches to people who live on city streets or in shelters.
The ambassadors, several of whom know what it’s like to go hungry, followed a two-lunches-perperson rule, but made a point of giving any extras to the children in each crowd.
At the first stop in Battery Park, about 40 people came looking for help. There, 18-year-old
Chris, who had been homeless for three months before moving to Bonnie Brae, doled out soup.
In the process, he did what he could to brighten the day of one little boy. “I tried to give him all
noodles,” he said, smiling.
Chris, who dreams of college and a career as a writer, later admitted it was hard for him to see
so many people struggling.
“I didn’t want to walk away,” he said.
Neither, it seemed, did 16-year-old Homer, who once lived in a shelter.
“You can always go through stuff and you can always bounce back, but you should always
remember what you went through,” he said. “Why not give help that I have gotten?”
That’s exactly the point, said Powers, whose passion for volunteering stems from his days at
Colgate.
“We’re trying to get our guys to change their self-image and identity,” Powers said, noting that
boys typically go through an average of seven to 10 out-of-home placements before they arrive
at Bonnie Brae “defeated.”
“We have to first convince them that they have something to offer,” Powers said, “and then
that they have a moral obligation to give back.”
— Sarah Treffinger Latson ’99
37 years of service in the U.S. Army and the CIA,
rising from army private to exec dir of a task
force to modernize and reform mgmt procedures
within the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. Norm
served as a rifle platoon guide in Europe, marching from Normandy to the Elbe River. He was
awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and other
decorations. He was directly commissioned a 2nd
lt in the Korean War and retired as a reserve col
in ’80. His primary later work in the CIA was in
counterintelligence. Earlier, he had chaired an
intelligence community committee monitoring
missile activity outside the Soviet Union. In that
46
scene: Autumn 2008
capacity he set in motion actions that informed
Pres Kennedy that there was a Cuban missile
threat. Norm’s great-grandfather founded the
Rock Island Railroad in the 1840s, and he was a
5th generation grandson of Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow. He is survived by his wife of 22 years,
Caroline Smith. He was buried with full military
honors at the Arlington Natl Cemetery on August 19.
Marion Syrett Kester, widow of Stewart R.
Kester, tells of his long and successful career in
banking and real estate development. Stew died
at a hospital in Deerfield Beach, FL, on May 26
after a struggle with myelodisplastic syndrome,
a form of blood cancer. He was a Sigma Nu and
served on the Alumni Corp Bd. He built condos in
Popano Beach and was director and chairman of
the bd of FL East Banks. He also built town houses in Big Sky, MT, and was founder, director, and
chairman of the bd of Big Sky Western Bank. He
was a partner in Kester Brothers Realty. Marion
and Stew, who were married for 57 years, have
4 children, all of whom live nearby in FL. “He
was an outstanding person,” Marion said, “the
recipient of many awards in Broward County and
at the state level, and a strong supporter of our
Presbyterian church in Lighthouse Point.”
Jack Wythes and Bunn Rhea ’50 reported that
their Beta friend J. William ‘Bill’ Midkiff died
Nov 26, 2007, in Hershey, PA. Jack had kept up
with Bill and his wife, Patricia, over the years
and followed Bill’s declining memory capacity, a
condition that Patricia worked hard to help him
handle with only limited success.
And speaking of a memory problem, I must
confess that I have completely lost a conversation with a classmate (whom I’ll call “Classy”).
Soon after I began collecting these class notes,
Classy called me and we had a wonderful
conversation. I hardly had to ask a question.
Classy unrolled his life’s story and I scribbled and
scrambled to keep up. I thought to myself, lordy,
if everyone in the class is this forthcoming, we’re
going to be the darndest bunch of Scene-stealers
since Jock Sutherland took the U of Pittsburgh
to the 1933 Rose Bowl. The only trouble is that I
can’t find the notes, and I can’t remember who
called me. So, Classy, call me if you read this, and
give me another chance. And classmates, please
do the same. There are old friends out there who
want to know how you’re doing. And I’ll remember to try to tell them. Promise.
David: 440-647-5306; [email protected]
1950
Bunn Rhea
383 Clearbrook Dr
Avon Lake, OH 44012-3117
Dear classmates: How about this new format?
The talented editors promised “something
uniquely Colgate,” and they have done that very
nicely. Well done.
We heard from Steve Clug in May in Jupiter,
FL, reporting that he’s still well; that’s very important. He plays tennis regularly but finds that he
is not as fast as he used to be. He also fishes offshore, not too successfully lately because fishing
there has dropped off considerably. He said he is
still in touch with Jerry Shively and asked about
Bob Milgrim who, when we last heard, lives up in
the mtns of Sapphire, NC.
You will recall that Steve had an outstanding
career: Columbia Law, started with Paramount
Films in 1954, managed MGM Cinemas in the Caribbean, VP of MGM intl sales 1979–1982, joined
MPEAA as a VP hq’d in Singapore and covered
the Far East and Australia. He retired in 1992 as a
sr VP.
Joe Reiners retired from phys ed teaching
in 1987. After Colgate, Joe received his master’s in education from the U of Rochester. He
taught phys ed for 35 years in public and private
schools. For 22 years, he owned and operated the
Adirondack Swim and Trip Camp. He lost his 1st
wife, Alice Ann, to cancer in 1989 after 38 years.
In 1993, he married Lori, a teacher in the school
where Alice Ann had been the nurse. They spend
a month in FL plus some time at their place in
the Adirondacks, where they run a cabin rental
business. These days Joe is recovering from a
double bypass and mitral valve repair. Travel
plans include a trip to the Galapagos Islands
with brother Chuck in Jan.
Jennings H Marburger — known as ‘Hammer’
— lives in Tucson with wife Ginger. He said “life
is full” with their 13 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, and their families who live as far west as
OR and as far south as FL. They have been able
to visit all of the families and also travel to AK,
Europe, Australia, and NZ during their 20 years
of marriage, blessed with good health and much
happiness.
In 2000, he received one of the biggest honors
of his life: He was inducted into the Butler Area,
PA, Sports Hall of Fame. At Colgate, Hammer
played football on Coach Andy Kerr’s last team
and baseball under ‘Eppie’ Barnes ’22. He taught
social studies and coached football and baseball
from 1950–53, then spent 35 years in the insurance business with First Travelers, then Pan Am
Life until 1988.
Bill Mayer had a fine PR career with GM,
Pontiac Motor Division, and Chevrolet; and right
after Colgate he was a lecturer at FL Intl U. He
e-mailed saying he can’t believe that he had
recently celebrated his 80th bday. Welcome to
Club 80, Bill. His family came in from both coasts,
and they threw him a big bash, including a “This
is your life” video presentation. “More importantly,” he said, “I observed 10 years as a Hospice
volunteer.” Helping terminal patients has apparently turned out to be one of the more important
and satisfying parts of those 80 years for Bill. He
highly recommends it as “an old geezer’s retirement activity … and it keeps you out of mischief.”
On July 19, ME and I joined the Colgate Club
of Cleveland group at the Blossom Music Ctr
to meet the 14 impressive (as usual) Colgate
students interning in Cleveland for the Summer
on the Cuyahoga prog, the 10-week civic development initiative sponsored by 7 participating
schools, including Colgate and, for the 1st time, a
couple of kids from Harvard. Entertainment was
provided by the Cleveland Orchestra.
We said good-bye to C Byron ‘Bud’ Lear, who
died May 22 in Hackensack, NJ. On campus, he
was an ATO and very much into soccer and
hockey and overseeing successful concerts by
world-famous artists in the chapel. He worked
briefly for Columbia Artists Mgmt in NYC, CBS,
and NBC, then spent 31 years in sales with Minnesota Mng and Mfg. Bud was a fellow Culver,
MA, grad; I’ll really miss him.
We also lost Ted Cann, who died June 26 in
Pensacola following a long battle with MDS. He
was a Phi Delt, majored in psychology, and was
active in track and lax. And Art Saunders’ DU
friends and others will remember his many
years of dedication in caring for Dale, his wife,
in helping her rehabilitation from Alzheimer’s.
Sadly, we must report that Dale passed away July
30, 2007.
Football is now under way. Any plans to make
it to a Raider game this fall? If so, tell us later
what you did or what plans you have, and with
whom. There are plenty of concerned, interested,
or maybe just plain nosey classmates who would
like to read about you.
One more time: If you received a dbl postcard
from me, please fill it out with your news and
send it back. It’s postage-paid, guys! Many thanks
to the contributors this time. Go, ’Gate!
Bunn: 440-933-4137; [email protected]
19 51
Nels MacCallum
1915 Clark Rd
Rochester, NY 14625-1830
Class pres Tom Walbridge opens the column
from Naples: “It was great fun serving on the Colgate Alumni Bd for the past 4 years. If any of you
have the opportunity to serve, you should do it,
as it will prove a most worthwhile time of your
life. We finally moved into a retirement community called the Mornings in Naples. It’s right next
to our golf club, so it’s very convenient to our
activities. It is hard to admit that we’ve moved
into a ‘retirement home,’ but we really love it.”
(Just call it your “close-to-activities home,” Tom.)
“We still spend about 5 months in our cabin in
northern MI. Tom DeLessio ’51 and I run the Colgate Club of Naples and we would like to invite
any of you down here if you’re in the area. Ellen
and Don Stichter came down for a weekend and
we were already talking about our 60th Reunion.
Please make note of that, Nels MacCallum, as
we’re counting on you to be a key part of that big
event!” (If I can, I’ll be there to help, Tom!) “Here’s
to the great Class of ’51!”
Forrest Clapp wrote from Midlothian, VA: “I
caught pneumonia while on vacation in Williamsburg in late May. I’ve recovered and am
back to playing bad golf.” (The only kinds of golf I
ever played.) “I keep busy with reading, watching
the Red Sox, and volunteer activities. I always enjoy your column.” (Our column will keep going if
you and the other guys keep sending your notes.)
“Best regards to you and classmates.”
Dave Conrad updated from Bloomfield, NJ:
“Lyn and I are just back from a 2-week cruise
from Moscow to St Petersburg. No cold war, no
communism, just friendliness. I’m 3 years retired
from 50 years as a lawyer, and am into writing
music and musical plays in the good old Masque
& Triangle tradition.” (Sounds like talented fun.)
“Have 3 children, 4 great grandchildren (no
hyphen). Best to all.”
Old friend and fraternity brother Gene
Cremins included an “update” in a personal letter
from Saddle River, NJ: “I’m trying to find out
what the world is all about, and I am fortunate
to have a wife, children, and grandchildren who
already feel the same way I do at my advanced
age.” (Careful with that, Gene, you’re talking
about all of us classmates!) “Ann is doing fine
healthwise, after the ‘usual’ age ailments, including, like Audrey, knee replacement; my health
is good as well and I play tennis regularly. We
spend lots of time with our grandchildren and
try to keep in close touch with all their wanderings and activities. We feel lucky to be able to
live a quiet, interesting, and rewarding life. I’m
still doing sales consulting work with one of my
corp clients. It’s exciting to be around 250 sales
people, sales mgrs, and technical people. This p/t
activity keeps the blood and adrenaline running!
I believe that in my later years I have been able
to enjoy rewards of a good liberal arts education
— our core courses were like beacons to me to
open my mind to developments in the sciences,
arts, economics, and world affairs. After many
years of working, bringing up a family, serving
the community, etc, it’s great to find out now
what the heck all those Colgate courses really
meant. Perhaps we should have started college
at 40 rather than 17. Best to you and Audrey and
classmates!”
A good part of Gene’s letter was devoted to
Ernie Vandeweghe ’49 and Gene’s regard for him.
We all know Ernie. He was 2 years ahead of us at
Colgate, a 4-year consensus All-America basketball player, he was strongly pursued by the NBA’s
NY Knicks, who wanted him strongly enough
that they offered him a lucrative contract that
provided he would play away games in which
he could get back to NYC, by train, in time for
med school classes, labs, etc, the next morning;
that meant in essence, except for school breaks
or the year-end playoffs, he would only play in
the “eastern cities” — Boston, Baltimore, Philly,
DC — and miss the “western cities” — Chicago,
St Louis, Indianapolis, and MN (no CA teams,
etc at that time). Gene is convinced, and a lot of
people would agree, that Ernie would have been
an annual NBA All-Star if he had concentrated
his full attention on basketball. He recounted the
last time he saw Ernie. Gene was stationed in the
army CIC school in Baltimore. The Knicks were
coming to Baltimore (Oct ’52) and Gene contacted Ernie, who then got some tickets to him.
In the game, Ernie scored 18 points and played
his usual fine all-around game. After the game,
Gene and friends got together for a beer with
Ernie, who then left to catch a train to NYC so
he’d make his 8 am Columbia med school class.
In his day with Gene, Ernie went to his class, did
his labs, then caught a 3 pm train to Baltimore,
had a snack, got ready for an 8 pm game, played
well, met a college teammate and friends for a
beer, and got a late train back to NYC, got some
sleep, and made his 8 am class.
Rich Heath left-handed a note from Jamestown, RI: “My daughter Susan and I played the
natl grass-court 80 and over father/daughter
championship at Longwood Cricket Club in
Boston last year. We came in 4th, missing a
bronze ball by losing our 3rd set tie breaker. Later
we went to Jupiter to play in the natl clay-court
80 and over championship. We lost in the 1st
round of the regular tourney but we got to the
finals of the consolation tourney and again lost
in the 3rd set tie breaker. We’re going to try again
this year. In May I visited Doris and Jim Johnson
at their golf club in Vero Beach. We had a great
time. Jim has become a golf nut and Doris lets
him do his thing quite a few times a week. Tried
to get together with Nancy and Dick Marshall at
their winter place in Naples, but we weren’t able
to get our times worked out. We are at Amelia
Island Plantation in the winter: 4 golf courses
and 24 tennis courts — a nice place to stop when
you are going south or north in FL. Stop and see
us. Best to Audrey and you and all ’51ers.” PS: In
an earlier phone call Rich told me his granddaughter had been playing with the Jr Olympic
soccer team and she has received a scholarship to
the U of NC — a fine athletic family!
Charles Tillinghast must have been going
through his old files and mementos because
he wrote this bit of nostalgia from Tucson: “I
ran across the enclosed newspaper account” (a
yellowed, frayed original clipping) “of a raid by
Syracuse students on the Colgate band at the
railroad station in Syracuse. It was either 1947 or
1948. I saw nothing in the newspaper account
revealing the year except that Truman was president.” (I believe it was our jr year, 1949, when
the band was returning after the NW game.) “I
was one of the students caught by the Syracuse
‘mobsters’ and had my hair shaved into an ‘s,’
itself taken off before I went home for Christmas.
I played the sousaphone and my recollection is
that I was carrying the damn thing when I was
caught, a recollection I’m almost sure must be
wrong. Best wishes to you and classmates.” I
remember some fun episodes, which preceded
this kidnapping event (which I think, although it
sounds somewhat funny today, put a cloud and
damper on that Colgate-Syracuse week in following years). One in particular stands out: with
all the WWII vets in our 1st-year class and upper
classes, some Colgate airmen rented a plane and
dropped surrender leaflets over the Syracuse
Piety Hill Campus. Syracuse also had airmen,
and I was there when 2 planes swooped low and
tried to drop orange dye into Taylor Lake — they
weren’t successful (hope their aim was better in
combat), missed the lake, and hit Whitnall Field.
Later, some Syracuse students sneaked through
our student security patrols and placed dye in
the lake. Our swans and ducks swam around
with orange bottoms for a long time… If any of
you have fond tales of Colgate-Syracuse week
shenanigans, drop me a line.
In June, while visiting our daughter and family on the RI coast (timing it to see our grandson
ballplayers, 12 and 14, play some baseball games),
we were able to get together with Pat and Austin
Murphy, who live in the same town (Westerly).
The 1st time we met them for a 2 1/2 hour fun
talk breakfast. The next day we were tied up for
lunch, by coincidence at a lovely restaurant near
the Murphys’ home. After lunch, Pat nicely came
and led us back to their lovely place for another
fun session. As Murph puts it: “The 1st one to stop
talking lost her/his place.” When Austin retired
in 1995, they moved to his father’s home area (RI)
and bought a house they expanded wonderfully to anticipate/accommodate their future
life — current roster: 8 children and spouses and
20 grandchildren. Being on the ocean, there are
many family visits during the summer and other
times (during which Pat and Austin can retreat,
when necessary, to the grandparents’ apt within
the house). They could almost accommodate a
small Colgate dorm complement (which it will
virtually do when the clan comes to celebrate
their 50th anniversary in Aug). We thought we
might see Prudie and Rich Heath during our visit
but our timing wasn’t good. They didn’t get back
from FL until our last days there and then we had
conflicts with the boys’ games (the boys’ teams
lost all 4 games we saw in June, but they did well
individually. They both made the All-Star teams
in their league and those All-Star teams — and
the boys especially — are doing well in state
double-elimination tourneys).
Hope you are enjoying a fine autumn. Stay
well and active. See you in the next issue — or
sooner, in Hamilton or somewhere…
1 952
Jackson T King
476 Grace Tr
Orange, CT 06477-2619
In June Phil Ching and Keith Mountain attended
their 60th Reunion of the Class of ’48 at Punahou
School in Honolulu, HI. The reunion events
included a hike on the Pali, cocktail party, dinner,
picnic, golf tournament, and luau. Keith had to
travel close to 6,000 mi to attend the reunion;
Phil had to travel just 5 1/2 miles from his home
in Honolulu.
Chuck Carrier reported that our class raised
$123,858 for the ’08 Annual Fund Drive, with 73
percent participation. Chuck gives his personal
thanks to all who contributed. He gives special
thanks to Dick Merrill for the work that he did to
reach this amount.
Dick Merrill has done a terrific job for Colgate.
He spends a lot of time urging classmates to
contribute and spends additional time in dealing
effectively with non-money issues. We and the
university are thankful for having such a hardworking and effective alumnus in our corner.
John ‘Jerry’ W Cance Jr died on June 18 in
Portola Valley, CA. Contact me if you would like
the address to send condolences to his widow,
Norma Shores Cance. His son, Stephen J Cance,
graduated from Colgate in 1988. Jerry was a
member of Phi Gamma Delta, the psychology
club, student government, ROTC, and the Wilder
Society. At Maumee OH HS he was the favorite
pass receiver of Dick Kazmeier, who later became
a Princeton All-American halfback and the Heisman Trophy winner in 1951.
Freeman Day passed away on July 26. He had
undergone serious throat surgery on July 11 and
was unable to speak for several days afterward.
His daughter, Lisa Smith, said “the surgery was
far more extensive and intense than the doctors
thought it would be.” See In Memoriam for a
complete obit.
Dick Leonard became the chairperson of
Colfertil USA, Inc, a new bio-fertilizer business in
Columbia. In acquiring an essential component
at little or no cost, which will be custom formulated for its diverse customer base, the company
will solve environmental problems for paper
and sugar mills in Colombia. These mills create
large on-site sludge ponds of toxic material that
give off methane gas and other pollutants. The
companies are under increasing governmental
pressure to clean up their waste by-products.
Colfertil is purchasing a propriety process to
convert this material into a high-value organic
fertilizer. Furthering its cost-effective manufacturing strategy, Colfertil will also build a mixing
plant in a nearby free trade zone. The fertilizer
business in Colombia is growing at a steady,
noncyclical rate, based on a strong agricultural
sector, the main components of which are coffee,
sugar, bananas, cut flowers, and cattle.
Howard Colwell has been selected and has
agreed to be our next class president. He is succeeding Dick Beattie, who died last fall. Howard
did a super job as the chairman of our 55th
Reunion. His Colgate heritage goes back to his
uncle Howard Colwell ’10 and dad Robert ’25. His
brother is Dick ’55; and his cousins were Spencer
’41 (an avid fan of Colgate hockey and Colgate
women’s sports) and Bradford ’45. Spencer’s
son William ’73 has had 2 of his children attend
Colgate: Hamilton ’01 and Caitlin ’05. Also,
Bradford’s daughters are Jane ’74 and Mary ’76.
And 2 of Howard’s children are alumni: daughter
Mary ’81 and son Chris ’83. In short, Howard says
it’s really true that “Colgate is in my blood.” I am
certain that Howard will be an outstanding class
president.
We are sad to report Herb Dietzel’s wife,
Eileen, passed away on June 7. She was a special,
caring, upbeat person. She was also a big Colgate
fan. She and Herb have 3 children, all of whom
graduated from Colgate: Christine D. Laud ’82,
Cindy Dietzel ’84, and Jeff Dietzel ’88.
I would certainly appreciate hearing from you
by phone, mail, or e-mail.
Jack: 203-795-9111; [email protected]
1 953
Lou Wilcox
20727 Cove Rd
Bivalve, MD 21814-2004
“I am enclosing 2 tickets to the 1st night of my
new play; bring a friend … if you have one.” —
George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill. “Cannot possibly attend 1st night; will attend 2nd, if
there is one.” — Winston Churchill’s response to
George Bernard Shaw.
I was reminded of these quotes when I
received notice of the redesign of the Scene and
the change from a 6 times a year publication to 4
times a year. Please do not take Churchill’s comment as a forecast. The actuality is far from that.
The new Scene has many changes, all to the good.
The staff encourages you to give them feedback
on the 1st new issue. Or, if you have comments,
send them to me and I will pass them on. Yes,
Colgate continues to grow and change to build a
better future, which includes all of us.
Cy Henry wrote, “My wife Grace and I live in a
life-care facility, Kimball Farms, located in Lenox,
MA, the summer home of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra in Tanglewood. Had lunch this week
with Mo England, which we often do. Lucky to
have friends close by to talk about Colgate, etc.
My son, daughter, and grandchildren all live in
Pittsfield, which is great. Just returned from 3
days’ trout fishing in Roscoe, NY, a yearly trip
with 3 others. My fishing is a passion that takes
News and views for the Colgate community
47
1 954
Peter W Rakov
159 Edgewood Ave
Hurley, NY 12443-5406
Heard from Dick Robbins, I think (editor’s note:
when you are kind enough to feed the hopper
with the reply card, please be sure to add your
last name). Marcia and he are in Mequon, WI.
Dick was planning on attending the Princeton
game Oct 11 in Hamilton, so maybe you saw him
there.
From LBJ land came a note from Nosnibor, ie,
Jim Robinson. Doubts he will make it to our 55th:
“Won’t fly, can’t drive that far, walking or biking
1955
issues and they want to give Dick some moral
support. Dick has been their “Maitre’D,” setting
up quarterly lunches over the years. These
lunches usually include (besides Pete, Tom, and
Dick) Bill Beyea and any others they can get
ahold of; Jim Perry and Don Kates ’52 are still
sorely missed. The Betas and others of course intend to have a football weekend in Hamilton this
fall. At this time there are some plans to visit LI
over Labor Day and see Colgate’s season opener.
Bet that was fun!
Currently, we are expecting a visit for 5 days
or so from Tim Gomez. He has been in Argentina
for the winter months and is visiting Sarasota
so we can do some fishing in the gulf. Looking
forward to lots of fun!
There are still lots of you out there who can
write about your comings and goings and visits
with classmates, etc. Send me stuff from your
summer adventures!
Bruce: 941-926-3244; [email protected]
Bruce Burke
4661 Sweetmeadow Cir
Sarasota, FL 34238-4334
1956
are available only to those 70-odds who live in a
different universe.”
Ruth and Dave Peterson’s granddaughter
Stephanie enters CU in Sept, daughter of John ’82
and Robyn Peterson Brown ’83. Stephanie selected Colgate over Dartmouth! Dave will be among
us May 28–31 next year at our 55th. Dave lives in
Vero Beach, where Peggy and Wally Nelson spent
their winter. They summered at Crystal Lake,
MI, near Traverse City. He’s had “some contact
recently with Colgate’s poli sci prof Robert Kraynak, who runs the Ctr for Freedom and Western
Civilization. He may be the only conservative
prof at Colgate, given the skew of most eastern
college profs. He has published some interesting
pieces, which make for very good reading.” This
is a quiz: when is our 55th? (See above ref.)
Peter: 845-340-0659; [email protected]
Greetings, classmates! Some of you good guys
responded to my e-mail inquiries, so we have
something to report. For example, Ron Ziegler
reported that he is still doing some rehab after
having a total knee replacement in Dec. He is
negotiating the terrain with the aid of a cane,
but hopes that will soon be over. Congrats, Ron,
I am still using my cane after a year since my
knee surgery. At press time, the Zieglers were
off to France, from Paris to the Loire valley at the
beginning of July. Hope they had a great time…
Bet they did, for they planned to return via
the Queen Mary at the end of July. In Aug, they
planned to continue their wanderlust by a trip to
Iceland on the way to Copenhagen to board the
Seabourne Pride for a 12-day cruise to Norway. He
reported that he has been in contact with Dick
Johnson, who is doing well and is still teaching
classes in NJ. Thanks for the news, Ron! Enjoy the
summer and all your wonderful travels.
We received notice that Gerald Jacobowitz
has been recognized with the award for lifetime
achievement from the Orange Cty Bar Assoc. He
was presented the award by his daughter Marcia
A Jacobowitz-Paz, Esq, this May, at the annual
meeting of the assoc. The award pays tribute to
a distinguished atty who devotes his time and
energies to the service of community and the
profession. Congrats, Gerald! We are proud of
you!
Art DuBois wrote that he would be attending a send-off party for the incoming 1st-years
from the Chicago area. He also reported that he
planned to attend the Dartmouth game in Sept
and participate in the Alumni Council meeting.
Art is pleased to serve on the Alumni Council
and sees it as a great learning experience. He is
also impressed with the quality of the Colgate
student body nowadays. He is keeping busy in
the meantime, working on his fly casting and
improving his golf swing. Good to hear from you,
Art!
Pete Foster wrote that he stays in touch with
Tom Vincent ’53. They plan to take a trip to visit
Dick Johnson in Ocean Twp, NJ, soon because
Dick’s wife, Nancy, has been having some health
Jerry Rhodes
101 Magerton Ct
Cary, NC 27511-7303
First of all, Fran Angeline wants to get something off his chest. His wife Pat was re-reading
our 50th Reunion yearbook for which Fran, once
again, offers kudos to Ron Schaupp and the gang
for their great job. Pat read Fran’s bio and said,
“All the details are correct but you didn’t say all
those things, did you?” It seems the athletics dept
where Fran was a coach put together a detailed
bio and sent it out to anyone who asked for it.
That was what was sent to Colgate and it got
changed to an “autobio.” Fran said the write-up
sounds like he’s a big “I am” and he most definitely is not! He’s been concerned over this for a
while and wanted to set the record straight. He
was recognized as an extremely successful coach
and deserved the many honors he got, but he’s
not one to talk about it. Fran said his real autobio
is that he’s enjoying retirement and does some
radio and TV commentating for football games.
“I have a great family with 6 grandchildren. Life
is good. I’m a lucky guy.” Thanks for your letter,
Fran, and it was good talking with you, too. I
doubt that anybody who knows you felt that you
were, or are, a “Big I Am,” and I hope this helps to
get rid of that “pebble in your shoe!”
Ben Patt (editor emeritus of the Banter) wrote
to say that my recent column really opened up
a new can of worms for him! He said that “Jim
Berrall’s viscous [sic] written slurs regarding my
grammar were quite abusive to say the least.
Doesn’t he realize that as we begin to resemble
our pets after a number of years, we also begin
talking like most of our grandkids, all of whom
always start their respective sentences: ‘Me
and so-and-so want to go out to … etc?’ (Hence,
I’m now doing the same, except for effect, of
course!)” Anyway, Ben picked up the phone and
called his former “art dir of the late and great
Banter of this matter, and he burst into sobbing
tears of joy upon hearing from me after a 52-year
absence.” (Ben said he didn’t give Jim his real
name because he would have hung up, so he
used mine!) Ben said that Jim is doing great,
“Through [the] geography dept, Sam Torrey ’09 contacted me regarding summer employment opportunities
[at the OR Dept of Transportation]… He enjoyed the experience of working as part of interdisciplinary teams
of transportation professionals in solving problems that impact peoples’ lives.”— Richard Beck ’71
48
scene: Autumn 2008
sculpting these days in his home not far from
Lancaster, PA, where Ben and his wife were married half a century ago. Jim claims he’ll be back
for our big 75th as long as he can get a private
room at the Colgate Inn! I hope you guys don’t
wait for our 75th, but rather plan to come to our
55th in 3 years.
Bruce Holran wrote to tell me that former
Colgate instructor and administrator Howard
Jones ’39 died in his sleep on June 8. He was 91. A
memorial service was to be held at Colgate during Homecoming Weekend.
Gene Soechtig wrote that on his flight back
from HI, who but Al Franken was seated just 3
rows behind him. He saw a guy with curly hair
and horn-rimmed glasses get up, in the fashion
of all of old “gomers” and immediately recognized him. On the way back to his seat he looked
over at Patty, smiled, and said, “Hi, how are ya’?”
Gene wonders, “How come her and not me?!” He
guessed he realized that Gene’s a conservative!
Since returning they’ve spent most of the time
working in the garden and getting the spring
flowers planted. He doesn’t know how Patty ever
managed it alone when he was working. It’s a
big job. Gene hopes to get in some fly-fishing in
CO, but with gas prices as they are, they probably
won’t be doing as much driving.
Frank Proietti wrote that son John ’96 has
resigned his commission and will be starting
an MBA prog at Columbia this fall. He and Sue
welcome the decision.
George Economou reported that his visit
to Israel was splendid in all respects and their
numerous visits with Vida and Bob Bleiweiss
and their son, Rabbi Menashe Bleiweiss, and his
family were truly memorable. Bob is producing
a film there, for which he also wrote the screenplay, The Pomegranate Pendant, which George
expects will find an internatl market. His and
wife Rochelle’s poetry readings went very well
and his lectures provoked some excellent discussions. George said he can’t wait to return.
George Caldwell said that it was so hot and
humid the day he wrote that he had little energy
to reply! Besides, he said, the next day he was to
interview his oil delivery rep about upgrading
his furnace to reduce usage from astronomical
to just average, thereby delaying exchanging
gold bars for the black gold on future deliveries.
George said that might be news for the next
issue!
Gordie Miller wrote that he had opened his
summer camp, Moosilauke, recently. It was the
104th year and, traditionally, he had the task
of chaperoning about 50 boys via bus from the
NYC area to NH. He said it’s always a learning
experience. Lots of questions including, “Were
you there in 1904?!” He also had a nice experience facilitating a planning retreat for Colgate’s
advancement, alumni affairs, and communications groups in early June in Cooperstown. His
main takeaway was that Colgate has some terrific people designing the university’s future! The
topic of the retreat was “Alumni Engagement,”
and he’d welcome input from the class, which he
would pass along to the various groups.
Pete Warren wrote that on May 10, 11 ’Gaters
visited our friend Mike Morog ’55 in Ithaca. Mike
continues to deal with some health issues since
his retirement a few years ago. Included were
’56ers Tom Engle, Fran Angeline, Tom Krumweide,
Frank Proietti, Bill Pritchard, Eddie Vantine, Tom
Robertson, Don Rith, and Pete. John Williams ’55
and Bob Deming ’57 were also there. Pete said,
“We were privileged to be with our genuine
friend for that afternoon. And renewal of the
spirit that is Colgate provided us a meaningful
mini-reunion.” Thanks, Pete. I’m sure it meant a
lot to Mike as well and we will continue to keep
him in our thoughts and prayers.
Art Steneri concluded the column: “We are
well into a beautiful summer here in Hamilton.
The village is very quiet with students off for
the summer; however, the campus is active with
various sports and music camps. We returned a
few days ago from a week at the Colgate Camp in
Saranac Lake. It is a well-kept secret and a beautiful place. Had an interesting week listening to
Harry Thumser ’54 lecture me about all the ills of
the world. He even called me a liberal posing as
a conservative. Boy, did that hurt! He was there
with wife Helen and 3 daughters (Carolyn ’83,
Elaine ’87, and Betty).
“I am still active in community progs as well
as Colgate and Phi Delt progs. Bernie gets a little
short with me at times because I do not give
enough time to do the ‘Honey-Do list’ — you
know, honey, do this and honey do that!
“I do hope some of you alums who are nearby
will attend a few home games this fall. It is
always an exciting time at the tailgate and the
football has been great. Ralph Mancini frequently
comes from Albany with his wife. I know a lot
of you are close by (<150 mi), so come on down.
That’s it for now; best to you all.”
Jerry: 919-363-1980; [email protected]
19 57
Ev Smethurst
6 Son Bon
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-8601
Another great day in SoCal. The natives will get
upset this week; it will be hot. We will all have
to go to the beach. The heat will not match a hot
day in mid-Manhattan. That is hot! Your editor
has recovered from surgery to both shoulders.
I am swimming laps most days — very few
laps — very slow. I did go to a couple of masters
meets recently. I am competitive, but my competitors are in their 70s. But life is good. My kids
gave me tickets to the US Open Tennis in NYC in
late Aug. I noticed that the 1st Colgate football
game is Aug 30 at SUNY Stony Brook, so I hope
to attend.
Received an e-mail from Dave Van Sickle (I
think it is a 1st for you to send me a message).
Dave wrote, “I’m alive and well in Portland, OR. I
am a retired physician in internal medicine and
I retired after serving 20 years in the US Army
Reserves. I’m very active in church work and I
do some volunteer work at a local hospital at 72.
I don’t swim, but I do run 2 miles twice weekly.
Sorry I didn’t make it to the last reunion: maybe
the next one.”
In my last report, I announced the sad news of
the death of Bob Morell. Since I sent that report, I
received a phone call from Bob’s widow, Beth. We
had a nice talk, sad but full of nostalgia. It turns
out that we both had a history in Bronxville, NY.
Beth sent a nice note about her great life with
Bob. Here is some of it: “Bob passed away on
April 29. He fought a brave 17-month battle with
a cancerous brain tumor after undergoing surgery, conventional treatments in Atlanta, and every other week clinical trial treatments at Duke
U. He leaves his wife, 4 children, 10 grandchildren, other family members, and many friends,
including several Sigma Nu brothers who have
been dear and faithful friends over the years. Bob
and I were ‘HS sweethearts’ long enough before
marriage that I attended many party weekends
at Colgate. On my 18th bday in Dec my parents
and I traveled to Hamilton to celebrate with Bob,
and to listen and dance to Louis Armstrong in
person. Wonder how many remember that wonderful night!” What a great memory! I vaguely
remember seeing Louis Armstrong — must have
been the same night.
Finally, a great e-mail from Ellis Rowland. “I
thought our classmates would be interested in
a very nice note I received from the 1st recipient
of the Class of ’57 Endowed Scholarship. She
just completed her 1st year at Colgate and plans
to major in econ and Spanish. She has been
quite active this past year, being part of 2 dance
groups, a member of LASO (Latin American
Students Org), a jazz DJ at WRCU Radio, and
an admission overnight host for prospective
students. She’s from the Bronx, and although
she feels the winters in Hamilton can be tough,
she’s been able to make her time at Colgate both
enjoyable and memorable.
“Doug Wilson dropped by our home this
spring with his brother John. They were in
Hamilton for a luncheon regarding the scholarship in memory of their father, Bill Wilson ’20.
Doug looked great and told me he was going to
give the presentation he gave last year at our
50th Reunion at this year’s reunion. Suzee and I
celebrated our 50th anniversary this weekend in
Hamilton with our children and grandchildren.
The celebration will continue with the family in
Aug with a week at Fenwick Island, DE, where
we rented a house on the ocean. It should be
interesting with 5 grandchildren, aged 5–10, all
under one roof.”
Great news, thanks to my classmates. Note
to Mikkel Kroll, born on Feb 27. Send the e-mail
again. My computer had a stroke and I lost it. We
have to stick together.”
Ev: 949-495-4862; [email protected]
19 58
Arthur W. Rashap
4341 Trestle Lake Road
Munnsville, NY 13409
Hi, all. I am as anxious as you are (well, that’s
pushing the envelope a bit) to see the new
format and the stories and reports that the new
Scene is featuring. The goals are ambitious: to
be a central point of engagement for alumni; to
be more visually attractive; to employ a creative,
flexible, and engaging editorial vision and point
of view; to relate to the Colgate websites more
effectively; and to take into account the broad
variety of communications materials readers
receive from Colgate. I am sure comments and
suggestions will be most welcome as the issues
progress.
I hope that the good will, interconnections,
visits back to the campus, and the Reunion Yearbook will engender some better communication
from y’all with this correspondent. I’d like to particularly encourage those of you who have had
children at Colgate to pass on the news about
them and perhaps some reactions to how you
have experienced their Colgate. The times ahead
are crucial ones for institutions like Colgate
and it is important in my opinion that we stay
informed and react by more than just making
financial contributions. We are part of a group of
elders that will be dramatically increasing with
many effects on society in general and on the
future of our youth in particular. Our wisdom
and experience need to be incorporated into the
framework of the education of Colgate students.
Feedback on this is solicited. The class website
might be a most valuable way to share ideas and
comments.
Speaking of sharing ideas and memories, and
staying in touch, I was copied by Hank Chapin
(who lives in HI) with a post-reunion exchange
that Hank had with Gene Manning, Tim Sanford,
Andy Crider, Wayne Baker, Ed Safford, et al that
started with some stuff about bus rides, football
games, and who visited whom and where. Hank
indicated that: “I’m going to continue this chain
of e-mails because it is becoming a short story
in itself — a new genre: the multiple-author
epistolary e-mail short story! Even down to the
heading details. Just for fun, look at what time
Gene’s e-mail rolled into me because of the time
differential between the mainland and HI: 4:44
am. I love being in touch with all you guys, and I
hope it continues, even down to having another
reunion soon, somewhere.” Ed Safford chimed
in: “As for memory, I remember our friendship
began one night high on the hill when Clem
Henshaw sent our Core 1 class up beyond the
observatory to sort out the mysteries in the sky.
As for the hill now, I had to hunt for what was
left of it and found at least a part as we circled
down past the old library. Clearly it ain’t what it
used to be, but I still think it is the hill that makes
the campus the most beautiful one I know, anywhere.”
How about using the class page on the alumni
website for continuing dialogue? Go to www.
colgatealumni.org to get registered and started.
Tad Brown crossed the Big Pond to come to the
reunion and has shared some of the things that
go on in his life in La Belle, France: “My wife and
I are helping our daughter’s family find a place
to live near us in France because her husband
is being relocated to Paris hq after 2 years in
Larchmont. The grandchildren spent last week
with us, having come over expressly to be tested
in English! Suma cum laude! They will be starting at the Lycee Internatl in St Germain en Laye,
which is near us. Immediately upon our return
from the US, we went to Saarbrucken, Germany,
to collect our dog that my son was sitting for us.
We took a side trip to the city of Metz, which is
most pleasant and beautiful. My instrumental
music season has closed, so I am refocusing
on getting my garden back in shape, and I am
continuing to learn to play my Turkish ney! It
is difficult, but I am pleased with my progress.
Maybe I am ready for a little YouTube with this!
I have been corresponding with Konne Perlman
and Alden Welch since our Saturday evening
meal together at the same table!”
Chris Warren played a key role in the big July
4 celebration in Hamilton, selecting a bunch of
songs about baseball and providing accompaniment to them. Chris has been the organist
for many years in the Methodist Church in
Hamilton. By the way, this is, by far, the biggest
event in Hamilton. I estimate 5,000 plus people
show up for a parade, lots of booths, and all kinds
of food and related events. And, within hours of
the event, the village looks as clean as a hound’s
tooth. Perhaps a lesson here for the Colgate
students and staff around parties and weekend
nights.
Dick Cheshire and yours truly have been
working with Dean Charlotte Johnson’s staff
in their efforts to build a stronger leadership
program. Pres Chopp has been extolling the
leadership aspects of students and it is clear to
us that this is an important path for Colgate to
follow in its efforts to become the foremost liberal arts college in America. Dick has developed
a key program based on his Leadership from the
Heart book: he gave a key presentation on this at
reunion. I have been working on the side of key
ways for students to access self-knowledge and
find their vision and mission for life using the
empowerment training I do. We hope that the
great value that alumni — like our fellow classmates — can contribute to leadership education
and experience will be recognized.
A final word about Paul Schupf, with whom
I am privileged to share fascinating breakfasts
with every couple of weeks. Paul received some
well-deserved recognition from Pres Chopp at
reunion. He continues to be the most knowledgeable analyst of art whom I have ever encountered. He has inspired my current research into
My picture of Colgate
Andrew Daddio
me to nice trout streams in the West and Canada.
My golf is not very good these days. When I can’t
break 90, I will fish full time! Our gang is called
the ‘Dilly Boys.’ I see Bud Rose whenever. He lives
over in Albany. Bud was my college roomie and
we used to get together long ago when we were
in the navy at the same time.”
Speaking of roommates, Ted von Glahn wrote
from FL: “Cathy and I are both in pretty good
shape. I had surgery for a hernia about 2 months
ago. Cathy is being checked for an irregular
heart beat, but she seems to be doing well. FL
is treating us fine. Playing golf 3 times a week
(not well, but playing!). We get north usually
around Christmas and visit our older daughter in Andover, MA, and younger daughter in
Lewisburg, PA. Lots of fun and grandchildren.
Our son Ted lives in Palmetto, FL, which is about
25 miles away, so we get to see him quite a bit.
Sounds like you had a nice 55th, even though ’53
attendance was light.”
Since we had to pass a test or course in golf to
graduate from Colgate, Cy and Ted attest to the
fact that many of us still play golf. And, as I sat
doing this column, the local newspaper arrived.
Stopped to see if there was anything of use in
the paper, and there it was heading up the sports
section: “Menace on the Loose!” What were they
talking about? Golf Carts! A study at the U of AL
Birmingham reported some 1,000 Americans are
hurt on golf carts every month. Part of the 1,000
is people who use them in places other than the
golf course. Males aged 10-19 and people over 80
had the highest injury rates. Whew! That leaves
our class out since most of us have not reached
80 yet. Only half of the injuries occur in sports
venues such as golf courses. The UAB study said
we need education and safety standards for golf
carts, which are largely unregulated. Among
other things, they also recommend the use of
helmets and seat belts and better golf course
design to reduce steep hills, sharp curves, and
other hazards. Now, can’t you see future courses:
all flat with no side hill lies, no bunkers, no elevated tees, not to mention that you will have to
take that helmet on and off constantly! And, you
know the old saying, Click it or Ticket. Pray tell,
what is this world coming to: more bureaucratic
regulation…
Sure hope your summer has gone well. See
you in the next issue in winter 2009. If bored,
please do drop me a note and let me know what
you’ve been doing.
Lou: 410-873-2944; [email protected]
Location, location, location. When we look
back at our time in the Chenango Valley, we
recall going to class, mingling on the quad, and
scooping at the Coop. But more often than not,
it is a special moment or place that meant the
most. Whether taking in the aurora borealis on
the old golf course, hiking the trails on the ski
hill, stealing out to Chittenango Falls on a full
moon, or getting caught in Professor Balmuth’s
direct gaze; these are the moments etched into
our souls. In this special section of the Scene,
classmates across the ages will share Colgate
locations that were hallmarks of their time on
campus. Perhaps it will bring us all back to campus for a moment without having to undertake
the mileage.
I am pleased to share one of my favorites
where I and numerous other luminaries (and I
do use that term loosely) spent many an evening pondering the meaning of the Coop muffin.
It was the roof of the Dana Arts Center. On a
clear night, if you were to take the climb up the
back steps and stand facing the plate glass
window on the roof, you could catch a clear
reflection of the Colgate chapel that stood
directly behind you.
— Kathy Dillon Marcotte ’91
Share your own favorite verbal “picture” of
Colgate: [email protected]
News and views for the Colgate community
49
1 959
Paul W Beardslee
Tunnel Mt B&B
Rt 1 Box 59-1
Elkins, WV 26241-9711
Do you remember the bursar at our alma mater?
Do you even know what a bursar is?! Well,
here’s the scoop! Back in Aug 1955 Gary Reitzas
received a communiqué from said Colgate
bursar. (Actually, the invoice — a copy of which
I hold as this is being penned — was sent to
Gary’s dad, of course!) Thanks to Gary for saving
such things, we now have precise data on our
educational expenses for our entire 1st-year fall
term: Sept to Jan 1955–56! Can you believe, or can
you remember — a whopping total of $829.50,
which covered tuition, room, board, and fees. The
tuition alone was $425 per semester! As Gary
stated in his note, that amount today might
just cover 2 bottles of Harry Mariani’s Brunello
Di Montalcino! So, although it took a while, we
now have our puzzler answered and I am herein
asking Gary’s permission to bring this copy to
our 50th for our archives! Thanks, Gary! Here’s
hoping all is well in Fael River! What else might
you have saved?!
A day or 2 after our last deadline we got a call
from Dick McShane telling us that he is newly
engaged! Dick went on to tell me about his
activities, which help justify this engaged status.
This past winter Dick competed in the Colonial
States Swimming Championships in Princeton
(age group 71–75), leaving his competition, as he
said, “in the dust” (it doesn’t sound right to say
water!). Dick won at least 2 golds and several
silvers, having done similarly in the NYS Empire
Games prior. We trust Dick will be in the Chenango next May to elaborate — on swimming and
engagements! By the by, the McShanes thrive
on competition: Dick’s son and his wife are #2 in
the nation in tandem biking, and a 10-year-old
grandson is a champ in the 12 and under group.
Way to go, McShanes; put some water on that
dust!
A nice note arrived in late May from “The
Old Nast” — Bob Nastanovich — telling us of
something I did not see in the news: “In the final
lax game of the regular season, Colgate defeated
Syracuse — a win over the highest ranked team
in any sport in history!” Syracuse at the time
was ranked #2 — but went on to win the natl
championship. Bob wants the ’Gate team to see
in print that we “old timers” really appreciate
their accomplishment — finally some kind of
payback for our getting stomped by Jimmy
Brown and the #1 ’Cuse football team in the nation 50 years ago! Bob, what would you think of
inviting this 2008 team to our tent next year, for
a toast of thanks, etc?! Of course, such requires
your attendance as well! Thanks, Bob, for keeping
us current and for the additional kind words. I’ll
do a toast to you in that same tent!
We’ve had several communiqués from “old
50
scene: Autumn 2008
roomie” Bill ‘Scoop’ Seibert in recent weeks. First
and foremost, Scoop has persisted and has now a
firm commitment from your scribe to visit Scoop
and Joyce in their new Charlottesville digs in
Aug. We also plan to see Nan and Dave Bowman,
so I guess I will have to carry my “reporter’s”
equipment! We do have assurances that both
parties plan to be in Hamilton next May. Scoop
also mentioned that they recently returned from
a great trip to Israel and Jordan. Accompanying
them were Carol and Bill Williams, so we should
get some details from the West Coast in our next
Christmas card. Scoop mentioned having dinner
with his old preceptor from our 1st-year days,
Bob Bleiweiss. So, if our old compatriot from the
Class of ’56 needs news, send a note to Israel,
Jerry (Jerry Rhodes ’56)!
Speaking of travel, Anne and I did our 8th
Elderhostel bike trip in late May and early June,
this time from Vienna to Budapest! The pedaling
mileage was less than previous years but the
learning experience was, again, 1st rate.
Also traveling was Chuck Berky. He and Dolores went to Tuscany, the highlight of which was
Castello Banfi, the Mariani family creation. Chuck
lauds the entire operation and places same on
a “must-see” list. OK, Harry, should we schedule
future reunions in Italy?
Lastly, for this round, and as we await puzzler
results and new quiz items from Jim Madura, we
have plaudits and congrats to extend to one of
our own — Perry Opin. Earlier this year Perry received the highest award given by the American
Assoc of Orthodontists, the 2008 James E Brophy
Distinguished Service Award. This annual award
goes to the person who has made significant
contributions to the orthodontic specialty in addition to other devoted services. And speaking of
devotion, Perry is in his 42nd year of orthodontic
practice. Over the years Perry has received numerous awards, has lectured all over the world,
and holds a key position at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Perry and Susan reside in Orange, CT, and
when not “in our face,” boating, fishing, antique
auto restoration, and grandchildren fill the rest of
Perry’s days! Way to go, Perry! Do you ever plan
to retire?! Irrespective of your answer, do try to
take some time off for a sojourn in the Chenango
next May. A photo of Perry receiving his award is
on our class page at colgatealumni.org.
Before signing off, we have a brief hello to
pass along from Fred Brunner ’58, who was in
our region while we were biking Hungary, but
left a note to say “hi.” I, in turn, send his regards
to his mates of ’58. Contact Fred in Cinci.
Be well, mates. Keep writing, calling, or digitizing and, by all means, get that last weekend
in May 2009 on your agenda. Come to the
Chenango. See Gary’s note from the bursar!!
Cheers to all. Happy fall and football.
Paul: 304-636-1684; [email protected]
1960
Stephen Greenbaum
4242 Stansbury Ave, PH6
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-4265
Mike Wolk received the Distinguished Service
Award at the 12th Annual Heart of the Hamptons
Gala June 21. Mike is past pres of the American C
of Cardiology and founder of the Michael Wolk
Heart Fndn, Inc. (And he can swim, too.)
Howie Goldberg wrote: “I am busily practicing
medical and surgical dermatology as well as
doing many cosmetic procedures in Swampscott,
MA, a suburban town 10 miles north of Boston.
I have been happily married to Betsy for the
past 18 years. My 1st wife was killed in an auto
accident in 1986. I have 2 daughters, Betsy has a
son, and we are a well-blended family. My older
daughter has blessed us with 2 granddaughters,
7 and 4, and my younger daughter had identical
twin boys on June 27. They are very cute.”
Leonard Popowitz is on board. He wrote: “My
1st update in 48 years! I’m a retired orthopedic
surgeon who enjoyed practicing in Haverhill,
MA, 50 miles north of Boston. It was an enjoyable
and rewarding practice for 37 years. I’m married
and have 3 sons who graduated from Brown,
Dartmouth, and, of course, Colgate (graduated
on my 25th Reunion year). I have 3 grandchildren. My oldest son, Stuart ’85, and I are looking
forward to my 50th and his 25th in June 2010!
Unfortunately, I have not kept in contact with
my classmates, but am eager to correct that and
see them at our 50th. My twin brother Marty
was killed in a plane crash 14 years ago and a
scholarship fund was created in his memory at
our alma mater.”
Dave Eldon wrote: “We do some business with
Gene Murphy’s envelope company. I came across
an old article about a great hockey game he
played as a Colgate defenseman. I sent it to him
and got a phone call back, and we discussed each
play from 50 years before. What a memory — for
a defenseman.”
Guy Baker wrote: “My wife and I are in the
final stages of planning a move from Knoxville,
TN, to the Atlanta area next year. All our sons
and daughters-in-law and grandchildren live in
GA and we will enjoy living closer. I’m retiring at
the end of this year after a 46-year career in the
insurance industry.”
Beth Van Lenten kindly sent a reply to a
double postcard telling of her husband, Lee
Van Lenten, who died Sept 11, 2007, after a brief
illness. He was survived by 2 children, 2 granddaughters, plus twin grandchildren, a boy a
girl, born a few months after his death. As Beth
stated, “He knew they were on the way.”
Justus Doenecke wrote: “Since retirement 3
years ago from New College of FL, I have been
working on a book tracing US involvement
in WWI from 1914–17. I’ve said what I want to
about FDR [in other books] and need a whole
new research area. Yet I still manage to relax a
bit with biking, sailing, and an occasional trip to
such places as HI, the Low Countries, Berlin, and
the Baltic. Also am involved in campus ministry
progs.”
Peter Berrall wrote: “I am currently teaching
at a juvenile detention ctr in GA. As a by-product
of this hellish experience, I am writing a book
titled Flexin’ in Hell. In prison jargon, ‘flexin’’
means lying. Every day brings new material, and
I am hale, hearty, and fit, and nobody has dared
to try to kill me yet!”
On this encouraging note, I once again offer
a plea for your updates. You know, I know where
you live.
Steve: 818-999-2777; 788-2557 (fax);
[email protected]
1961
John Kirkman
805 Hickory Ridge Road
Aiken, SC 29803-7353
I sense that these columns are getting routine
for you folks. They sure are for me: surgeries,
fatalities, some golf get-togethers, retirements,
relocations, grandchildren, etc. Enuf! We need to
spice this thing up a bit without breaking any
Colgate traditions. Did something funny happen
to you? I’m all ears! Thank you in advance for
sharing.
I notice that one of our classmates is on the
bd of directors of “A Better Colgate.” Do you know
who that is? Have you contacted him with your
thoughts?
I also note that this year’s recipient of our ’61
scholarship prepares and mails handwritten
sincere and nice thank you notes. What a joy to
know that handwriting is still possible and even
legible.
Then, there was the exciting 1st paragraph
of the ’65 column in the May Scene written by
their class scribe, Garner Simmons, who admits
that he had a “misspent youth” connected in
some way to betting the ponies. You have a lot of
company, Garner, and it’s still a passion with me.
Carl Luecke generously included wife June
when he relocated to Skidway Island in Savannah, GA. His community, called The Landing, is
evidently heavily populated with Colgate alums,
most notably Frank Speno ’56 of DU reconstruction fame and Sam Everitt. He even bought
his home there from a female whose husband
was a ’Gate alum. Street names at The Landing
sound very upscale, eg, Sundew Lane, White
Tail Drive, etc. Every year when Carl makes calls
for the alumni fund, he faithfully reports on
his contact list. Here’s the result. Peter Neisel is
constructively busy at the Veterans Hospital and
works with (mentors) more than 35 teenagers for
the org called CASA. He is also on the board of a
local bank. He and his wife enjoy traveling and
are scheduled to take a train tour through the
Canadian Rockies in the not too distant future.
Tom Mather and spouse are enjoying retirement
in TX, where their sons and grandchildren also
reside, but they travel to FL regularly to visit
other relatives. Frank Morris and his wife will
be celebrating their 50th soon; a wonderful
achievement in these free and easy days. Having
met Frank’s wife at a reunion some years ago,
somehow I (the editor) am not surprised. Frank
keeps busy with various orgs, including AARP,
which keeps him traveling from DC to CA. Ken
Norum is in the process of retiring and moving
to Tulsa, OK, to be near the grandchildren. Don
Collester continues his work in the courtroom,
but also hosts a theater review radio show and
prepares theater reviews for a newspaper.
As I was about to close down this column
I considered calling Bob Jones to get some
poop on Colgate’s inner workings and issues or
possibly Ray Boushie to publish some news on
modern medicine and the annual fund drive.
They were saved by Bill Weatherwax, who used
an envelope that was so old he had to use tape
to seal it. Here he is, word for word: “I note in
your last class newsletter that you had a positive
experience with Dean Griffith. He was indeed a
fine man. Without his help, I would never have
graduated. Following your lead, ‘wait ’til 50th,’
I am trying to keep up Colgate’s reputation
as chair of the Suncoast Alumni Club here in
Sarasota. The group made me their leader when
we moved here 10 years ago — and there are no
term limits! I reside in a community called The
Meadows. Some other residents are: Dick Archer,
Ollie Kollevoll, and Jack Stone — all Class of ’45.
I’ve also played a lot of golf with Bob Stemmerman ’58.” Thanks, Bill. I cannot imagine you
playing “a lot of golf.” Ha! And, you should really
tackle opponents more your own age or younger.
That’s it, folks! And, in the future there will be
2 less columns per year, so the news, if any, will
be older and possibly more exciting. It’s not that
hard to reach me.
John: 570-727-3361
19 6 2
Stuart Angert
179 Greenaway Road
Amherst, NY 14226-4165
We received a great update from Carol and Art
Kinsman: “It seems like just yesterday that we
were out in the farmlands hunting the mighty
woodchuck. Where has the time gone? Some of
us married the beautiful girls who came to party
with us. Remember the tons of sand on the floor
of Theta Chi Beach Party? We had our careers,
our children (5), and now our grandchildren (12),
and if we are still lucky, our bride of many years
is still with us. Carol and I came back for the 10th
and 20th — but we have not been to Hamilton
since. We are only in touch with a few of our
classmates and they only at Christmas; although
we did get out to see Eileen and Bob Wyckoff
in Lompoc, CA, some years back, and then Doc
Stanley some 30 years ago. On our fall trip, Carol
and I made Cinci a priority and spent several
delightful days with Barb and Doug Perry. As you
may remember, we were roomies at Mrs Rice’s
for 3 years, but had not seen each other since he
was at Fort Dix in the ’60s. He went on to get his
master’s at NW and had a long and rewarding
career with P&G in that town. Now they proudly
showed us their city — the whole 9 yards —
and it sure does have a lot to offer when put up
against our Little River, SC, community where we
now live. Barb had a delicious dinner waiting for
us when we arrived and we spent the evening
surrounded by CU memorabilia, good drink, and
conversation. It was as if we got together every
week … just good fun. A picture-book visit, which
left us wondering why it took us so long. So what
do you hear from Dave Allen, Tom Quinn, Bert
Rappole, Don Rice, and Bob Decker? Last time we
had dinner with them was long ago.”
We have had no communication from these
members of our 1962 family. It would be great if
they were to update us on the last 46 years. At
the risk of becoming maudlin, it is an acknowledged fact that time is a finite commodity. I have
always felt as if 100 years is not enough. To gain
a true perspective on history, we need a lifespan
of 200 years. The fact that there are more yesterdays than there are tomorrows gives reason for
pause — and for us to keep in touch with those
who helped shape our lives, and who are dear to
us, because life is so ephemeral. The only Colgate
friend with whom we have shared the continuity
of friendship and love is Carl Langbert ’63 and
his wife Barbara, although even we drifted apart
from 1965–87 while we were each building careers and rearing kids. The names that you mention are just memories, and I have had neither
contact nor communication with any of these
classmates. I look at the name on my Theta Chi
paddle and realize that some are gone, but most
have disengaged. While I “beg” every month for
more input from our class for our column, there
are few who participate. OK, I’m done!
Ted Vaill, who lives in a world to which I
aspire in my next life wrote, “My girlfriend Joan
Yang (note the progression: the last time he
referred to Joan as a “friend”) and I will be doing
a home exchange to Geneva and the Swiss Alps
this coming July. Last year we did home exchanges to Austria, Prague, and Bali. Before that, I will
be going to Buffalo to see Joan, and we will be
going to my 50th HS Reunion in Chatham, NJ.
I have been active in MoveOn.org for the past
year, and in the Barack Obama campaign. I had a
MoveOn function at my house, and who should
show up but Al MacHardy and wife Rose. Al was
in the air force flying various aircraft for 6 years
after Colgate, and then was a pilot for TWA and
other airlines for many years. He now works for
the FAA in Los Angeles. He and his wife enjoy
sailing in the Pacific off LA.”
On the home front, we just celebrated our
50th HS Reunion: 22 of the 40 graduates who still
remain from our class at Nichols School, along
with their spouses, returned to campus. Nichols
only became coed in the mid-’70s, so all were
male alumni and their wives. We had 3 full days
of celebration and reminiscing. What immediately struck me was the fact that, although we were
grayer, balder, and heavier, the faces, the energy,
and the personalities of 1958 were apparent, and
still intact. Joyce, my bride of 41 years, who, for
the last 16 years headed the annual fund at Nichols School and was deeply involved in 3 capital
campaigns, was an integral part of the planning
of the weekend. Joyce announced her retirement
from Nichols to coincide with our 50th. Prior to
reunion, Joyce was honored for her positive impact on Nichols, and for the significant number
of dollars raised under her leadership. In June,
we lost our 94-year-old mother who was actively
involved in the community for 93 years. We will
miss her forever. Keep those cards and letters
coming!
Stuart: 716-913-7772;
[email protected]
19 63
Carl G Langbert
Princeton Manor
46 Edgemere Dr
Kendall Park, NJ 08824-7000
For years I have had a subscription to Field &
Stream and have always enjoyed reading Dave
Petzal’s column. I recently received a letter from
Dave (who, at the time of this writing, is in
Africa), telling me that after 36 years at the mag
he would be retiring on July 25.
Interestingly, Field & Stream’s managing editor is Jean McKenna ’89. According to Dave, she is
a rock and they are lucky to have her.
Thanks for the correspondence, David, and
much enjoyment in your retirement. I was very
happy to hear that David will remain on the
masthead as a contributing editor, and I’m sure
he will still write his thought-provoking and
interesting articles.
It was enjoyable to see the July issue of the
Scene, in which there were pictures of John Cushman at graduation receiving his honorary degree
and George Haggarty at reunion receiving the
Brian Little Award: 2 very deserving classmates.
Hope everyone had a great summer. Please
keep in touch.
Carl: 732-422-0556 (H); 247-0630 (O); 545-1934
(fax); [email protected]
19 64
Richard J Johnson
22 Goose Point Ln
Box 1825
Duxbury, MA 02331-5120
Good job by the Celtics. I’d forgotten how entertaining basketball could be. And a great season
for the Colgate lax team, beating Syracuse for the
2nd straight year, and doing it just a few games
before Syracuse won the NCAA championship.
I feel that particular win might really make
Colgate the mythical natl champ … at least by my
convoluted thinking.
Harry Taylor ’66 has been running for
Congress in the state of NC. I’m sure all of you
remember Harry as one of the really good guys,
even if he was not lucky enough to be in our
class. It takes commitment, time, and the help
of others to run for Congress, and while Harry
is working long and hard hours, I know that he
would appreciate any additional help he can
get. Good luck, Harry. We hope that you are successful, and we will definitely vote for you if we
move to NC.
Sheila and Paul LeFevre and son Ben were
discovered dining at Mamma Mia’s restaurant
in Kingston, MA, by Deni and me recently. Paul
Peter Frey, University of Georgia
the nature and source of creativity. That has led
me to the leading edge of scientific work being
done in quantum physics, particularly the whole
aspect of the info field and the root of consciousness that makes up the quantum vacuum. I’d
be happy to open dialogue on this with anyone
interested.
One final commercial: if you have or can take
a photo of alumni sporting Colgate gear (or of
yourselves or family members) in an interesting locale, please do send that (high-resolution
digital photos are preferred) to Aleta Mayne at
[email protected], including the names
and class years of who is pictured.
Arthur: 315-495-2708; [email protected]
Marine microbiologist and mentor
“I don’t take anybody in my lab who looks like they won’t love science,” jokes Mary Ann Moran ’77,
distinguished research professor in the department of marine sciences at the University of Georgia, Athens. Moran recently received the inaugural American Society for Microbiology (ASM) D.C.
White Research and Mentoring Award. The award was given to Moran not only for her successes in marine microbial biology, but also
for her ability to inspire and stimulate the young scientists she works with, from high school to
postdoctoral students. “My philosophy is that science is hard work, so it should be fun — so I try to
be enthusiastic about all the projects going on in the lab, whether they’re going really well or not,”
Moran explained. “Sometimes science is almost like banging your head against the wall when it’s
not working, and you need somebody — a cheerleader, in a sense — to let you know that it happens
to everyone and it’s hard, but it’s worth it in the end if you stick with it.”
According to the ASM, Moran is “a world leader in the study of microbial and photochemical
transformations of several types of organic substances that accumulate over long periods of
time in aquatic ecosystems.” Boiled down, she uses innovative techniques to research the role of
marine bacteria in the production of climate-relevant gases.
In the summertime, Moran teaches marine microbiology to local high school students in AP biology, taking them to the coast to culture their own organisms and do research. For Moran, seeing
the transformation in these young minds is one of the highlights of her job. “I like watching them
go to a whole new level in their understanding,” she said. “To see them transition — which every one
of them does, every summer — it’s fun to see and I get the most enjoyment out of that.”
— Aleta Mayne
News and views for the Colgate community
51
Get to know: Trustee Todd Brown ’71
– Joined Colgate’s Board of Trustees in 2002
– Board committees: chair, student affairs; vice chair, budget;
member of executive, nominating, and trustee development
– Vice chairman of ShoreBank Corporation, the nation’s largest
community development and environmental bank holding company
What do you get out of your experiences as a trustee?
I most enjoy the opportunity to work with a great group of trustees as well as President
Chopp and her staff. We all come from different backgrounds and perspectives, but as
Colgate alumni and parents, we share the common goal of making Colgate the best liberal
arts university in the nation.
What do you bring to the table as a trustee?
My combination of business management, higher education, and other board experience
gives me a somewhat unique lens on the issues we face as a board. I also bring an important
perspective on what it is like being a minority at Colgate. Diversity is a key part of our strategy and something I care about deeply.
What is the key issue impacting higher education?
Making Colgate affordable to a broad range of highly qualified students. We face an increasingly difficult balance between our need to make the investments in our programs and
infrastructure to remain competitive with our peer institutions, while simultaneously looking to increase aid to attract the mostly highly talented students. This is one of the reasons
why building our endowment is so critical to our long-term success.
What was your biggest Colgate moment?
Probably the sit-in in 1968. I will never forget walking up the hill to the administration building as one of 36 African American students on campus following the demonstration in front
of the Student Union. The experience showed me that a few dedicated people could use
peaceful dissent to help change the world. Ironically, our motto today at ShoreBank is “Let’s
Change the World.”
Who were your most influential professors?
Jerry Balmuth [philosophy] helped me develop my appreciation for rigorous analytical
thought in a way that has served as a benchmark for me over the years. The dialogue Arnie
Sio [sociology and anthropology] set up provided me a great opportunity to develop my own
sense of values and priorities on the issues of race and class.
As a Colgate student, you brought some big acts to campus — which was the most
interesting?
We brought Sly and the Family Stone, Chicago, and The Doors, but my senior year Kool and
the Gang was one of the hottest acts in the country, and they were to be my last concert.
They got lost on their way to campus and after sending out our opening act twice, I had to
cancel the show and offer refunds. The group finally showed up at around 11:30 p.m. and
played at the Coop for a few hundred dollars.
52
scene: Autumn 2008
was guarded in his comments but did admit to
spending 7 months of the year in the sunnier
climes of the Caribbean. Paul said that things
were going well, and he looked to have ordered
a potpourri of excellent Italian dishes, so clearly
his appetite is very healthy. Obviously relaxing in
the sun seems to agree with the LeFevres.
Recently I spoke with Dr Edward C ‘Biff’ Jones
about a few alumni issues. Biff was on Nantucket
for a few weeks mellowing out with the beautiful people. He said that with the little “Bifflets”
busy with sports and other activities, he and
Mary can’t spend as much time on the island
as they would like, but that all in all, things are
quite good. Biff also has confirmed that Gary
Ripple will be acting as 1964 chair of Reunion
2009. As hard as it might be to realize, this is our
45th, so believe it, and make your plans early,
so that we can have a tremendous turnout. I’m
sure Rip will make sure that you are there, with
possible financial penalties being meted out to
all those in absentia.
Toby Wesson has moved to CT — well, I should
say Galen Associates moved there and Toby has
increased his commute a bit. Toby still finds time
to go to the odd “White Marlin” tourney, so it’s
not all work and no play. Toby does get up early
though, whether he’s heading out to sea to look
for fish or heading up the road to hunt for private
equity investments. He’s also traveling, having
been to Tibet and China last year, and to Egypt
this year. Toby may be heading to Nantucket
later in the summer, and may see his old roomie
‘Biff’ if all goes well. Biff said that when he last
went fishing with Toby he was lurching all over
the cabin of the boat as it sped out to the fishing grounds, while Toby sat calmly on a couch
almost as if he was in his living room at home,
obviously at peace with life. In 1964 this image of
Toby might have recalled Buddha sitting peacefully while all around him excitement raged, but
this sleeker, more streamlined Toby now more
closely resembles a marathoner or a lanky wide
receiver. It must have been the carbo loading at
the Fiji frat lodge that bulked him up to interior
lineman–size. Betsy obviously didn’t learn to
cook from our beloved Red Van Slyke. Way to go,
Toby.
Jim Yanni e-mailed Kurt Brown 4 photos of
himself, Tanis and Rocky Willard ’65, and Jim Citrano. Kurt promptly forwarded them to his many
contacts around the world. Next stop for the
photos — YouTube. Jimmy Y also said he would
be seeing Bob Negley ’65 in San Antonio in the
near future. Other active amusing e-mailers
include Biff Atwater, Dan Baird, Bob Meehan ’65,
Norm Platt, John Weingart, and Doug Stay ’67.
Speaking of Kurt Brown, his father, George
A Brown, was honored at the Cortland State
Alumni House Recognition Banquet on June
7. Coach Brown was a legendary coach and a
pioneer in NNY scholastic athletics. After public
school retirement in 1973 he returned to his alma
mater, Cortland, and started the ice hockey prog.
His daughter Barbara was the 1st mgr. A room
was dedicated as the George Brown Room in the
newly renovated alumni mansion. Several hundred distinguished guests, including Barbara and
husband Eban, and Kurt, attended the dedication.
Beautiful building, Kurt, and Barbara looks like
your daughter in the photo.
Gene Clark’s comments last issue got Steve
Steele thinking about how serving guys in the
food line at the old Student Union led to some
lifelong friendships. Great point, Steve. Steve
passed along that the Vintage Thirteen group
(1960–1970) was getting together Sept 4–7 in
Lake George at the home of Paul Bradley ’67;
2 years ago they sang at the Hyde Museum
in Glens Falls and made a CD. This year they
planned to sing at the Saratoga Historical Soc on
Sept 6 for alumni and local fans. Our classmates
John Weingart, Biff Jones, Steve Steele, Priit Juho
Vesilind (assuming he has returned from the
East Coast Estonian Song/Dance Tour), and Blake
‘WBS’ Smith are starting and starring for the
Thirteen alumni. Pete Halstead, the usual starter
at left bass, will not be in the lineup this year.
Others songsters include Tom Behr ’62, Pete Behr
’62, Dock Murdock ’62, Dan Adams ’62, Beau Clark
’62, George Haggarty ’63, Ed Hines ’63, Geoff
Egginton ’63, Bruce Hutchins ’63, Dick Webb ’63,
Pete Wilkinson ’63, John Dolven ’65, Tom O’Hare
’66, Ed Dietrich ’66, Bud Eisberg ’65, and the
aforementioned Paul Bradley. Sounds like a great
weekend, Steve, and we hope that the weather in
beautiful Lake George was perfect for you.
Remember Reunion 2009, and make your
plans early to attend that great weekend. Be
good to your fellow man and have a great summer.
Dick: 800-829-9199 x5148;
[email protected]
19 6 5
Garner Simmons
22126 Providencia St
Woodland Hills, CA 91364-4133
News from Perth Down Under: Congrats to Jim
Elder, who won the 100 freestyle for the 60–65
age group at the World Masters Swimming
Champs, posting a 1:02.84 (.05 seconds off the
world mark). Regarding the Colgate cap he’d
worn (given to him by varsity coach Steve Jungbluth at the spring dedication of Colgate’s Mark
Randall Chair), Jim wrote: “Told Ray Williams that
I winced when I thought of how Randall would
have reacted to seeing one of his bald, male
swimmers in public wearing a ‘girlie suit and
a shower cap’ (even if it had Colgate written on
it). Several swimmers at Perth wanted to know
what ‘Colgate’ was. They knew of Nike, Speedo,
and Tyr, but Colgate was a new one. Perhaps I’ve
started a new brand.”
Spent a wonderful evening with Wynn and Ev
Egginton and his brother Geoff ’63 and his wife
Susan. A VP and architect for HNTB, Geoff (who
is overseeing the revamping of LAX’s Bradley
Intern’l Terminal) and Ev were getting together
for the 4th of July in LA and asked Sheila and I
to join them for dinner. This spring Ev visited
Paul Krusa in Phoenix, where the Krusas have
a summer home. Bud Eisberg joined them and
the 3 caught a couple of games in Cactus League
spring training. Ev continues to co-chair NAFSA
with Riall Nolan. As for Riall, I rec’d a hilarious
e-mail describing his Peace Corps experiences re:
jungle 2-step and a semi-annual parasite exam
(unprintable but worth asking Riall to repeat).
Phil Karli wrote that son Brian continues to
fly for Cox Ent of Atlanta and along with raising
Phil’s 4 grandsons has still found time to write a
novel. Talk about dedication.
Got a great photo from Lee Woltman of Rocky
Willard, Jim Yanni ’64, and Jim Citrano ’64, who
got together this spring.
Had a note from Peter Nichols: “Rewriting
the screenplay I’ve been working on called
Cloudwalker, but the process is slowed by
increased activity in my consulting business
(which I’m unsuccessfully attempting to phase
out) and family obligations. I’m off to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival featuring Peter Rowan.
Hoping to reconnect; I was wondering if you had
his e-mail, phone, or semaphore?” Trying to help,
I suggested he try Sugar Hill Records (assuming
they’ve paid their phone bill).
Exchanged e-mails with Ken Kramer, who
wrote: “Except for being a bit older, things are
pretty much the same. I will remain an active
partner with Shearman & Sterling for the
next 2+ yrs. Spending more time on nonprofit
activities including board pres of ESS, a large soc
services agency that provides foster care to 500
kids as well as group homes for teens, programs
for Head Start, after school, med clinics, therapeutic nurseries, homes for dev disabled adults,
and a prison ministry. Also sit on various boards
including Music for Life, which I started with
young conductor George Mathew (we met when
he was a grad student living in International
House). He’s the Bob Geldof of classical music,
presenting concerts featuring orchestras made
up of volunteers from the world’s symphonies to
raise both consciousness and money for pressing
social problems: 2 concerts to date at Carnegie
Hall. Last was called “Requiem for Darfur” and
involved a performance of Verdi’s “Requiem.”
Planning next concert Jan 12 also at Carnegie:
Mahler’s 3rd for kids with AIDS in Africa. Family
is great; oldest daughter and husband (both lawyers) live in nearby Brooklyn Hts with our grandkids. Son Nick is a jr at Amherst. Our youngest,
Evelyn, followed her brother to St. Paul’s where
she will captain the squash team next yr. Susan
still teaches medieval history at Sarah Lawrence.
We spent July in Paris celebrating her 50th. All
goes back to Colgate. Kicked out of English for
flunking Keats & Tennyson (prof was killing
poetry for me, so I did the mature thing and
stopped going to class). Became a French major,
which ironically led me to working for ONI
after Navy OCS and living in France twice, not
to mention French clients who have provided
numerous trips and more than a few great
meals and bottles of wine. Finally, regarding Jeff
Klein’s recent passing, I did not know him well at
Colgate, but our paths did cross now an again in
NYC. Given his many accomplishments including
the Bd of the Collegiate Sch, it’s sad to know he’s
no longer among us.”
Spoke to Ken Roffe, whose son Peter planned
to be married Sept 13 in San Diego. Meanwhile,
son Luke just graduated from Ithaca C in business, and with his dad’s blessing, heads into
the creative side of advertising. Still in touch
with Mary and Doug Quelch, Ken and Val were
planning to make it back to Sue and Jim Himoff’s
for our 3rd off-year reunion on Labor Day. Speaking of Point o’ Pines, Randi and Peter Desnoes’
daughter Blaise spent a wonderful summer there
while her sister Brigitte made to the qtr finals
of the USTA Tennis National 12s. Having been
accepted to Groton, Blaise began this fall.
Had a great call from Tom Tobey ’66, who’s
been helping Harry Taylor ’66 defeat the incumbent and get elected to Congress from NC.
Among Harry’s supporters are Maria and Peter
Kellner, who were back on Nantucket for the
summer where they were looking forward to
a visit from Susan and Ken Kramer before returning to London.
Bill Barich wrote: “It’s a nice night in Dublin.
Bob McCord was here for a few days on his way
back from Istanbul (his Peace Corps digs) and
Paris, and that resulted in a very good time plus
a bonus for the publicans. New book’s done and
in the works. Called A Pint of Plain after Flann
O’Brien’s poem ‘The Workman’s Friend.’ Should
be out in March if the publisher’s not lying.
Imelda’s painting and has a 2-person show in
Kildare in August. Both lads, like yours, are young
men now and struggling with all that suggests.
The one who’s got 2 degrees with honors doesn’t
want to be an academic, and the younger, when
he meets girls, goes to the deepest possible level
of discussion immediately, and so finds them all,
however beautiful, trivial. Sounds familiar.” Ah
yes, those party weekends when the world was
young…
Tracked down Hugh Foster, who now lives
“Brian Drier ’86 now works by day as a tenured assistant professor of English at a Japanese university in
the Niigata Prefecture and by night as a jazz singer in Tokyo and Yokohama.” — Michele Radin ’86
with his wife Ceseli in the Bay area. After
Colgate, he earned his MBA at Stanford. Reagan
appointed him to InterAm Dev Bank and later
served on the BoD of the World Bank. Spent yrs
with Wells Fargo heading ops in Asia, Mexico,
China, and Australia. Active in many philanthropic causes, he’s served on the SF Zoo Bd and
supported the ballet. Along the way he found
time to write a biography of Robert Ruark who
lived and wrote about big-game hunting in
Africa.
Finally connected with Ray Conaway, who
went to Duquesne Law after graduation, then
joined a Pitt law firm for 17 yrs before striking off
to form his own partnership as a litigator. Close
to retirement, he occasionally helps wife Toni
take on issues of social justice. They have 2 kids
and 5 grandkids. Go skiing in CO in winter and
golf in the Bahamas. An avid platform tennis
player, he’s been a member of a local league for
30 yrs. Looking to reconnect with Frank Pommersheim and other old friends. Spoke to Chet Kitchings, who recently retired from soft drink biz, a
family-owned franchise for 70 yrs. He remains
active in a local hospital in Essex, CT, as well as
enjoying a 36’ powerboat and a little golf. He and
Suzanne have 3 grown kids. Called George Orsi,
who’s now retired from teaching middle school
science 1st in NJ and then St. Petersburg, FL,
where he and Eileen have spent the past 20 yrs.
Two kids both now grown. Enjoys fishing and occasional Caribbean cruise. Saw Lewis Knapp who
stopped by a few yrs back.
Spoke with Dave Ruiter, who’s spent a
lifetime in communications and now lives in
Freehold, NJ. Began in printing, then formed ad
agency with his dad for 20 yrs before becoming dir of communications at Lawrenceville Sch,
5 miles S of Princeton. On faculty was Eugene
Adams’ son Jim, who taught English. Having had
Adams for P&R along with Jerry Balmuth, he and
Jim became friends. Retiring from Lawrenceville,
Dave also served as dir of mkting for Patton
Construct. An avid sailor (he won the Colgate
regatta on Lake Moraine for Kendrick our sr yr),
retirement means a new career as master capt
licensed thru Coast Guard delivering sailboats
(up to 100 tons). Most indelible memory: studying art and music during Jan Plan in NYC under
Eric Ryan and David Sellin. Recalled seeing Pete
Michel shortly after graduation but not since.
Married for 39 yrs, he and Nancy have 2 grown
daughters.
Finally heard from Tom Yerg, who’s just
returned from CO, where son Alex is prepping
for deployment to Iraq as army 2nd lt. Tom spent
1967-70 in Bolivia with Peace Corps working
in TB control. Returned to US as health rep to
PA’s Region VI, which led to an opportunity to
continue his education at UNC. While completing an MPH in ’73, he met and married his wife
Diane (honeymooning in ND and Canada). Went
to work as biostatistician and tech editor for
regional off of World Health Org, where he has
worked for 30 yrs becoming gen secty and pres
of 21 locals of the Pan-Am Health Org. After a
2-yr stint in Caribbean, returned to DC so that
Diane could pursue her career at NIH. In addition
to their son, their daughter’s a CPA with Ernst &
Young. Currently reading Don Quixote in Spanish and reconnecting with old friends from his
Bolivian PC days. Still remembers studying to all
hours with Dick Winnie, breaking only to shoot
trashcan “baskets.” Still in touch with Dick Groccia and Rick Mancke.
Opened Westlake mag (July) to find a profile
of Peter Vogel and his company GKV Capital
Mgt Co, including a photo of Peter at work. Pete
and his friend Millie Sullivan joined Joan and
Lee Woodward as well as Pat and Bob Improta
at our house for dinner in mid-July. Lee’s hip
surgery’s a major success, and Bob now sports a
distinguished goatee he grew when they were
vacationing in Africa. Back at our 25th Reunion in
’90 the 4 of us realized we lived a few miles from
each other. After 25 yrs and 2,500 miles from
Colgate, that coincidence has developed into a
lasting friendship.
Finally, it is my sad duty to report that Joe
Nicolette, who was provost at Oneonta St Teachers C until his retirement, has passed away in
Tempe, AZ. Anyone wishing to remember him
should contact the Scene.
It is with some regret that I must move on.
Having done this column for 13 yrs (78 consecutive issues/100K+ words), it’s been my privilege
to reconnect with so many old friends. Of the
323 men in our class, 309 have appeared here
(51 more than 13 times). Most mentions: Lee
Woltman (58), who yr after yr has arguably done
more than anyone else for Colgate and the Class
of ’65. As I once learned from Jonathan Kistler,
timing is everything. And so this seems the
perfect time to allow someone else to place his
imprint on the class news. A truly rewarding
experience. Anyone interested should contact
associate editor Aleta Mayne at amayne@mail.
colgate.edu or 315-228-6669. As for me, you’ve all
got my e-mail address. Drop me a line. I promise
a prompt reply. So, ’til our paths cross again, may
the wind be at your back, a smile on your lips,
and your glass always half full.
Garner: 818-713-1353; 1392(fax); [email protected]
1 966
Robert Malley
322 Shore Rd
Westerly, RI 02891-3904
In early June I received an e-mail from Toby
Griggs, who wrote to say that wife Nancy passed
away May 22. She had suffered from breast cancer. Toby said, “I was lucky to be able to sell my
business in Feb and have the freedom and time
to take care of her throughout this ordeal. Now
she is at peace and I am grateful for that.” Toby,
please accept our sincerest sympathies, and best
wishes to you and your family for the future.
To follow up on my last column, Harry Taylor
was successful in his primary attempt to obtain
the Democratic nomination for the US House of
Reps, 9th District, NC, and as I write, he is now
campaigning against the 7- term Republican
incumbent for the Nov election. I received a
call from Ted Sattler, who has been following
Harry’s campaign efforts. Ted said that he has
been speaking with Del DeWindt and that Del
and he are planning to go to Charlotte on Election Day eve to be with Harry. I subsequently
spoke with Harry, who brought me up to date on
his campaign and fundraising efforts.
Ted also told me that during Memorial Day
weekend ’07 he and his family were on Martha’s
Vineyard and met the late John Painter’s sister
and her son and daughter (John’s nephew and
niece). Ted spoke with them about John during
his Colgate days and subsequently gave her a
copy of The Boys from Colgate, the Vietnam War
documentary that Lou Buttino and Bob Aberlin
produced. Although John’s body has never been
recovered (but its location is known), his name is
included on a memorial in the local cemetery for
all of the men and women of Martha’s Vineyard
who died in the war. John’s sister said that the
memorial overlooks the beach where John surfed
as a youngster. She would love to hear from
other Colgate people who knew John so that her
children would be able to know more about who
their uncle was. If any of you want to send your
recollections and stories about John to his sister,
kindly contact me and I will give you Ted’s e-mail
address.
Right before Memorial Day weekend this year
I received an e-mail from Pete Stackhouse: “I just
received my May copy of the Scene and it provided me with incentive to send some info. I hope
that others will also write because I (and I assume we all) look forward to hearing about guys
we remember, but often have not seen for nearly
40 years. This has been a very eventful year for
my family. It started in early Jan with the birth of
2 more grandchildren (2 days apart). The parents,
oldest son Chad and our 2nd oldest daughter,
Caroline, both live near us in Alexandria, VA, so
Carol and I are regular babysitters. Then in April
our oldest daughter, Claire, got married at the
Homestead Resort in the mtns of SW VA. It was
planned as an outdoor wedding and it worked
out marvelously, even though advance weather
forecasts were ominous. Colgate was represented
at the wedding by my college roommate Don
Wilmot, and to the relief of his wife Marty and
me, Don did not embarrass himself in any of the
wedding/sporting/dancing activities. Don had
been skiing with me and some of my children
in VT in Feb and there he did embarrass himself
(picture him holding his skis and sliding down a
slope on his backside after accusing us of leading
him to a black diamond slope).
“May was graduation month for us. Claire
received her PhD from GWU, our daughter Liddy
graduated from college, our SIL Nick received
his master’s, and Graham graduated from MOPS
preschool. Next year it is onto kindergarten for
Graham and 2009 will also bring 3 more graduations (I hope) — Mary Tyler from HS, Jed from
elementary school, and Anne Colby from grad
school. It’s terrific to see tuition bills disappearing, but there are still plenty to go.
“My work life has remained rather constant.
I left my N VA law firm about 5 years ago and
opened up a solo practice doing the same type of
business representation and business litigation
that I had done for many years. The volume
of my work has decreased by about 25% and I
would like it to stay that way since it offers plenty of flexibility for other activities, the priority of
which now often supersedes my work schedule.
As for my other activities, I was caught up in
golf for several years but that has been partly replaced by my new ‘p/t job’ of being a HS football
official. Our association covers the northern 3rd
of the state and more than 100 HS. That means
at least 1 varsity and a couple of JV or 1st-year
games each week. It’s time consuming but I have
really enjoyed it, and occasionally my 13-year-old
son, Jed, works as part of the ‘chain crew.’ I have
also just begun a new sport that, so far, is painful,
but enjoyable. I am now one of 8 rowers in a shell
that races for the Natl Capital Rowing Club. My
oldest daughter ‘coxed’ for the UVA men’s crew
and later for the Capital Rowing Club, where she
met her husband. She has now gotten me, Jed,
and Mary Tyler, my HS-aged daughter, involved.
Believe me, rowing is not as easy as it looks.
Fortunately, I am in one of the intermediate level
shells, where there are a couple of other guys in
their 50s. Not surprisingly, Carol and I do very
little traveling alone and will probably never
see much of the world. Although we are going
News and views for the Colgate community
53
Alumni Clubs and Groups
Notes
On June 5, for $13 per person, alumni in the Milwaukee area were
treated to a night of drinks and hors d’oeuvres with Mark Murphy
’77, president and CEO of the Green Bay Packers. Murphy talked
about his past experiences including playing in the NFL, working
as a trial lawyer for the Department of Justice, and serving as
athletic director at Colgate and then Northwestern University.
Colgate Day, June 13, was celebrated by the clubs of Saratoga,
San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
In June, alumnae in seven cities participated in the Women’s
Advisory Committee Book Club Tour, gathering for dinner and
a discussion of Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Professor
Margaret Maurer led the four discussions in the East Coast cities,
while Professor Jennifer Brice traveled to San Francisco, Chicago,
and Cleveland.
On June 28, the Club of Portland held its annual wine tour. Aboard
a chartered bus, 30 alumni and friends visited three wineries for
tastings and lunch.
The Club of Los Angeles attended the annual Countrywide
Classic at UCLA featuring tennis greats Andy Roddick, Mardy
Fish, and John McEnroe, in August. Alumni enjoyed a reception
with food from Wolfgang Puck before a second-round match.
Boston alumni, parents, and students enjoyed a summer of
Red Sox baseball. With 110 tickets purchased for each of
three games, Colgate had a presence at Fenway Park this
season.
Club presidents
We welcome as new alumni club presidents: R. Matthew Price
’01 and Nancy Bessen Hulsey ’88, Club of St. Louis ([email protected]); Joanna E. Allegretti ’05 ([email protected]), Julia M. Gilbert ’05 ([email protected]),
and Robert F. Gelbach ’03 ([email protected]), Club of New
York City; and Kenneth I. Roffe ’65 (roffe@roffeandgreen.
com), Club of Fairfield County, Conn. A special thanks to outgoing club leaders: Fred J. MeylandSmith ’68 and John Morrison ’65, Club of St. Louis; Philip
(Fritz) Franz ’04, Club of New York City; Erin K. Bradshaw ’99,
Club of Fairfield County; and Whitney A. Meredith ’06, Club of
Charlotte.
A Colgate farewell to Shea Stadium
On July 23, more than 160 Colgate
alumni, friends, and guests attended the Mets vs. Phillies game
at the soon-to-be demolished Shea
Stadium. The festivities kicked off
with a barbecue in left field. Colgate
Thirteen alumni then opened the
game by singing the national anthem.
In addition to scoreboard recognition,
alumni made a statement with their
Raider Nation T-shirts as they formed
a mob of maroon in the bleachers. The
evening was capped by a Mets victory,
which tied them with the Phillies for
first place in the National League
East. Overall, the event was a home
run by organizers Gene Barnosky ’75
and Lindsay Crocker Brink ’00, who
are officers of the Colgate Club of
Long Island.
Dinner for Thirteen Alumni joined Kashif Ahmed ’08 in June at
the Gotham Bar and Grill for a unique dining experience, in an
Alumni of Color Corporation and Colgate Club of New York City
event. Ahmed, who hopes to pursue a career in culinology (a blend
of the culinary arts and food sciences), planned the dinner based
on his knowledge of food and the country’s finest restaurants.
He chose Gotham Bar & Grill for the diversity and innovativeness
of its flavor combinations. Ahmed also coordinated the menu,
worked with a sommelier on the wine pairing, and talked to the
group about the flavors they were experiencing as they ate. The
three-course meal included such delicacies as yellowfin tuna tartare, New Zealand pink snapper, and passion fruit mousse cake.
54
scene: Autumn 2008
to weddings in IO, NC, and WI this summer, it is
very difficult to be away for more than a weekend and have confidence that the house will be
standing and all of the children still alive when
we return. Still, from a ‘big picture perspective,’
the turmoil of a large family is usually worth it.
“In closing, I heard that John Paske has been
elected to the Colgate Athletic Hall of Honor. That
is terrific and well deserved. I can think of several
other ’66ers who should also be considered,
including my roomie, Don Wilmot, whose hockey
and lax careers are hard to beat. Take Care.” Wow,
what a full life Carol and you have, Pete. Congrats
to you both on your family successes.
I saw that Mel Southard’s son Eric was married in June. He is a trader at a hedge fund in
NYC and Mel’s new DIL finished her 1st year at
law school. Congrats to you and your wife, Mel.
According to the announcement, Mel is now the
chair of the sports practice group at Herzfeld &
Rubin, a NYC law firm, following stints as VP and
genl counsel for the Yankees and as a commissioner, and then chair, of the NYS Athletic Commission.
Finally, as you know from the July Scene,
the publication schedule (now quarterly) and
format have changed. The editors are starting a
new “mini-dept” to be called “Colgate Seen,” and
they would like alumni to submit photos of (a)
themselves wearing their favorite Colgate garb
(hats, shirts, etc) in an interesting locale, and (b)
other alumni whom they meet wearing Colgate
gear. High-resolution (300 dpi JPG) digital photos
are preferred and should be sent to Aleta Mayne,
assoc editor, at [email protected]; hard
copies can also be sent to Aleta at: Communications, Colgate U, 13 Oak Dr, Hamilton, NY 13346.
When sending photos in either format, be sure to
include the names and class years of the people
pictured.
That’s it from here in mid-July. I’m going to
Wilmington, NC, to visit my mother and I’m hoping to meet up with Lou Buttino while I’m down
there. Keep your news coming!
Bob: 401-322-0908; 322-7411 (fax);
[email protected]
19 67
Edward A Ryan
69 Portland Rd
Summit, NJ 07901-3011
I received a nice letter from Bob McEwen, who
wrote: “CB Blackshear sent very interesting pictures of the earth at night, taken from the space
shuttle. The density of the lights of China and India was surprising. I got a really nice letter from
Gerry Commerford ’68, who is dean of students
at Bucknell. Gerry goes back to Colgate as often as
he can, sometimes to play poker with Mike Martin ’69 and Doug Magill (who was very impressed
with the success of last year’s men’s lax team in
the NCAA tourney). The Oakland Raiders have a
lot of followers out here; it would be fun to have
a ‘Raider Nation’ bumper sticker, but in Colgate
colors. That would confound the black and silver
crowd!” Bob was hoping to contact Rick Weidman
and is also looking to re-establish contact with
Tom Clynes, Gordy Wolff, and Bob Mink.
A few days before I received Bob’s letter, I was
flipping channels and C-Span was replaying a
hearing of Senate subcommittee on veterans’
issues, and lo and behold, Rick Weidman was one
of the key guys testifying. Rick is the exec dir for
Policy and Govt Affairs for the Vietnam Veterans
of America, and is doing a fabulous job for veterans. I also heard from Rich Drucker: “Visited
Colgate 2 summers ago after my brother Mike
’61 passed away. Played that round at Seven Oaks
that we never got in together. Some big changes
at Colgate after 40 years, and then again, some
things stay the same. Regards to my old roommate, Larry Goldman.”
Lloyd Jones sent news of the passing of his
90-year-old father and our great friend, Howard
Langworthy Jones ’39, on June 7 at his home in
Hamilton. At Colgate, Howard was a member
of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and was the pres of
his class. He earned 10 varsity letters playing
football, hockey, and lax. He was Colgate’s 1st ice
hockey All-American, and in 1940 was named
to the US Olympic team. Howard joined the air
force during WWII, where he served as a pilot in
the European Theater of Operations. After the
war, he resumed his education at Syracuse and
received his PhD in psychology. Dr Jones returned
to Colgate to teach child psychology. His affiliation with Colgate was a lifelong enjoyment and
a matter of family pride, as his great-great-greatgrandfather, Amos Kingsley, was one of Colgate’s
founders. In addition to teaching, Howard
also served on the Bd of Trustees and as VP for
many years. Colgate awarded him an honorary
doctorate and an award for distinguished alumni
service. He was the 1st Colgate hockey player to
receive the Silver Puck Award. An acknowledged
leader among administrators of independent
schools and colleges, he served as trustee, dir,
and consultant for many orgs including ABC,
Elderhostel, Cushing Academy, the Peddie School,
Colgate, Northfield Mount Hermon, the College
of the Virgin Islands, and the Ford Fndn. Our
thoughts and prayers are with Lloyd and his
family.
Pres Joe Doolittle sent this report: “John
Tracy, Paul Bradley, and I represented the class
at a Colgate Fri the 13th party in June at a pub in
Saratoga. A high-energy alumni group attended.
Realizing that we Colgate alums could celebrate
the 13th of any month, whether or not it was on
a Fri, Tracy and I shook the trees and planned
a date for lunch in Albany on Aug 13, hoping
to attract a few other folks. [At press time,] our
Colgate Vintage ’60s Thirteen were planning to
gather at Paul Bradley’s house on Lake George,
Sept 4–7. We expect a good turnout from ’67, including Dave Phillips, Keith Fagan, Rich Gehret,
and Renne Blanchard. We also have an alumni
gig planned for Sept 6 at the Saratoga Arts Ctr,
Congress Park, Saratoga Springs, to benefit the
historical assoc. Afterglow planned for lunch at
one of my favorite Irish Pubs, the Parting Glass.
Will do a report.” Thanks, Joe; please keep these
reports coming. The Alumni Council, under the
able leadership of current pres Ron Joyce ’73, has
been continuing outreach efforts to encourage
addl outings where local alums can gather, and
it’s great to see that your area is active and taking advantage of these opportunities. Speaking
of matters Irish, Cathy and I are off to the west
side of the Old Sod for a 2-week vacation with
a group of friends. We’ll be visiting Galway,
Connemara, Aran Isles, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle,
Killarney, Rings of Kerry, Cork, and a few castles,
including Ashford, Blarney, and Bunratty, as well
as local pubs for “a few beers and a sing-song.”
Sounds like a great trip designed by Doolittle!
Please send news of your recent trips and/or suggestions for a group trip.
Hank Evans sent a note saying that he spent
his last day at his firm, AF Johnson Millwork and
Midwest Kitchens, where he worked for 17 years.
Hank wrote: “Ann and I are selling everything,
buying a 43’ trawler, and going cruising for as
long as our health holds out. That has been our
dream for 40 years of marriage and we are going
to chase the dream.” Hank plans to meet “along
the waterway” with sailors Jeannie and Terry
Persily. They hope to dock together in Delray
Beach, FL, in March and on Lake Erie next sum-
mer during the annual Lake Erie Intl Regatta.
Per Terry, “the LEIR is a sailboat race from Port
Stanley, Ontario, to Ashtabula, OH. It is 55 miles
across and has been raced each year since 1965.
My 1st race was in 1971. An old Canadian friend
once said about some of the newer sailors racing,
‘It’s good to attract some new guys, but they still
think it’s about the race.’ Actually it’s about seeing old friends from a sister club across our little
sweet water pond in a foreign country.” Terry
sometimes sees Phil Marshall when he cruises
into ports near Buffalo.
John Gillick has co-authored Aviation Law:
Cases, Laws and Related Sources with profs Paul B
Larsen of the Georgetown U Law Ctr and Joseph
C Sweeney of the Fordham U Law Center. John is
an adjunct prof at Georgetown, teaching a course
in air law. The book introduces law students to all
major areas of air law, from economic and safety
regulations to financing and labor relations.
Would welcome news from our many authors.
Our very own “Frank Sinatra,” Chris Clifford,
is reportedly doing better after a rocky 1st month
following his tractor accident. As this is written,
Chris was looking forward to getting a walking
cast at the end of July.
Guys, please keep these updates coming. And
be sure to check out the new and improved website for Colgate alums, including our own class
page.
Ed: 908-277-4128; [email protected]
19 68
Peter M. O’Neill
10 Nassau St
Princeton, NJ 08542
“Boy, did I have a great time. We need to get
this group together more than once every 5
years.” This quote from Jay Benedict was sent
to various friends after the 40th Reunion and
reflects the good feeling shared by everyone at
reunion. Jay further commented that during his
4-hour drive back to the airport, he spent the
entire time thinking about the weekend and
what transpired since he 1st set foot on campus
44 years ago.
Vaughn Carney also wrote to say that the 40th
was a great success and that “it is very special
to reconnect with friends who knew me when I
was young.” Speaking of Vaughan, Scott Henderson, in a recent e-mail, asked if any classmates
read Vaughn’s book, Straw Man. The book centers
on 1st-year law students at Harvard, and those
familiar with the Cambridge scene will remember many of the haunts discussed in the book.
Jack Battaglia is a creative web copywriter
and content developer with a tech firm based in
Houston that allows people to try software for
free in virtual machines. While Jack acknowledges this is an inherently risky venture, he is
optimistic that this leading-edge company will
become a commercial success.
Bob Locke wrote after the reunion, giving
all his classmates kudos for showing up, and
commented on how rich in content all of his
discussions with fellow classmates were.
Alan Frumin enclosed photos of the reunion
and extended his appreciation to all classmates
for everything they did to make it a success.
Steve Naclerio has recently changed law
firms in Miami and can be reached at Richman
Greer. He changed firms in order to continue to
expand his practice.
This weekend will find your class editor at
Colgate along with fellow classmate and jr year
roommate Cal Trevenen as our families merge
with the wedding of Cal’s daughter Britt ’00 and
our son Michael ’00. The wedding takes place at
Memorial Chapel and the reception is at Merrill
House. I anticipate that there will be photos
available for our class page.
Once again, thanks to all who showed for the
40th, and I look forward to hearing from all of
you as we continue to expand the Class of 1968’s
presence in the Scene.
Peter: 609-924-0700; [email protected]
1 969
C James Milmoe
1700 Verrazzano Pl
Wilmington, NC 28405-4040
[Classmates who have indicated an interest in
attending the reunion will be marked with an
asterisk*.]
Art Clark,* Woody Swain,* and the rest of Art’s
committee continue to do a great job on our 40th
Reunion. By now you know the theme of the
weekend is “Time to Set All Stories Straight.” (As
if you all were not already getting straight stories from these class notes.) As part of the prog,
Bud Hedinger* has been preparing audio e-mails
for Art to send out. Bud lured Walter Cronkite
out of retirement to explain the impact of the
Class of ’69 on the progress of civilization, and
got Howard Cosell to come back from the grave
to interview film producer Tony SantaCroce*
and Dave Knauer.* The audios are very funny, but
they are hardly setting any stories straight.
Art’s planning is complete and now we enter
the execution phase. His recruiters are hard at
work contacting classmates, and as of early July,
there are 178 “likely” attendees for the weekend.
That’s about 44% of our class, so we only need
102 more classmates to have 280 attendees and
reach Art’s ambitious goal of 69% participation.
Our highest previous class reunion attendance
was 84 (for our 25th) and our lowest was 21 (for
our 15th), so the goal seems daunting. However,
166 of us have attended at least one reunion, so
we need only 120 1st-timers, and Art already has
more than a few of those in the “likely” category.
Here is a challenge: Art has already offered 1
classmate a free dinner if his guess on attendance is closer than Art’s. Since Art is certainly
going to lose a dinner, I would like to invite all
attendees to submit their guess on attendance,
with the closest getting the dinner from Art. I
am also planning to put together an over/under
pool on attendance, so everybody will have a
chance to win something in addition to having a
wonderful weekend. Contest rules to follow.
Chair Art is planning a “reunion dry run” at a
football game this fall. Details will be forthcoming through other media because by the time
you read this, the dry run probably will have
occurred. Woody is at work on a commemorative video for our reunion dinner. It will focus
on our great Colgate profs. Please contribute by
e-mailing Woody any digital photos of Colgate
profs taken during the 1965–69 period, so they
can be included in the video. You can also mail
hardcopies of photos to Woody. Contact me for
Woody’s e-mail address. Also, if you have a favorite memory or story about a prof, send Woody
a few sentences on that. In that vein, and as a
heads up to friends of David Stern and teaching
at Colgate, I am working with the administration, select classmates, and chair Clark for our
class to do something to remember Prof Stern,
and recognize our great teachers. Finally, we may
be able to create a digital archive of Maroon and
Scene publications of interest to our class to be
distributed at the reunion. We will be having so
much fun that magnanimous Art has invited any
Class of ’68 alumni who were disappointed with
their own 40th Reunion to come to ours next
May.
The likely attendees are a great bunch. I had
a conversation in May with SantaCroce about
his career in Hollywood, including his work
(with Barnet Kellman*) on the TV show Monk,
the lean months last fall and winter during
the writers’ strike, and his interview with the
physicist Edward Teller, “Father of the H-Bomb”
on nuclear weapons, nuclear energy, plutonium.
The interview was for a documentary Tony was
working on a number of years ago. To set the
story straight, Tony and I do not agree with Teller
that H-bombs are a good thing. Tony’s son is attending LaSalle U in Philly.
Sam King* wrote Art, commending him on
his fine organizing work. Don Kinsella* will take
time off from his important work defending
non-Colgate criminals to join a foursome at
Seven Oaks over reunion weekend. Travelers Dick
Johnson,* recently back from escorting Annapolis grads on a trip to view Swiss navy installations, and Mike Martin,* recently back from his
umpteenth trip to visit the golfing and distilling
installations in Ireland, will travel to Hamilton
next May to view educational installations. To
set the story straight, Switzerland is connected,
via the Rhine, to the port of Rotterdam, has a
merchant marine, and operates a small fleet of
armed ships that patrol the Swiss lakes. Another
traveler and likely attendee, Dave Knauer*, spent
June in MT for his granddaughter’s christening
and a family reunion. Fisherman Dave is happy
to be back on Cape Cod. Dave introduced me to
old friends of his who live in Breckenridge, CO,
where we were spending the early summer.
Here is something I dreamed of writing my
entire journalistic career: I walked into a popular
café in Aspen at the height of the summer season and a celebrity at one of the tables jumped
up, gave me a hug and a kiss, and said, “Jim
Milmoe*, how wonderful to see you here. Please
join us.” This actually happened to me in June.
To set the story straight, the celebrity was not
Julia Roberts. It was celebrity journalist Howard
Fineman ’70, in town with wife Amy, sharing
the stage with former Pres Clinton at a highpowered “Ideas Fest” sponsored by the Aspen
Institute. Howard promised to sign my copy of
his well-reviewed new book, The Thirteen American Arguments. Thirteen … just a coincidence or
is this a DaVinci code–like sign to induce Colgate
alumni to buy the book?
Moira Gillick ’04 wrote that in June she was
wearing a Colgate T-shirt unloading her car at
her new DC apt when a strange man approached
her and said he went to Colgate and introduced
himself as John Griggs.* She asked if he knew
me and he set the story straight by admitting
that he was my 1st-year roommate. John, who
was also at Columbia Law when I was there, now
has his own law firm in Reston, VA, specializing
in energy regulation, civil litigation, commercial
real estate, and natural resources law. Moira’s
parents, Pat and John Gillick ’67, put me up at
their Arlington, VA, home in June when I was in
town working on a documentary for Lou Buttino
’66.
Congrats to Barrett Katz on becoming CEO
of Danube Pharma. Barrett got his MD with
honors from the Case Western Reserve U School
of Medicine and has been an ophthalmologist for
more than 25 years. He has experience in clinical
trials and medical strategy, drug development,
and regulatory issues. Prior to joining Danube,
he served as exec VP and chief medical officer of
Fovea Pharmaceuticals SA in Paris. Before that he
was VP for medical affairs and medical strategy
at Eyetech Pharma. He also served as prof of ophthalmology, neurology, and neurosurgery, and
as the chair of the Dept of Ophthalmology at the
GWU School of Medicine in DC. He is the author
of several hundred publications and the recipient
of more than 2 dozen major research grants. He
News and views for the Colgate community
55
currently serves as clinical prof of ophthalmology at NYU School of Medicine as well as at the
Weill Medical C of Cornell.
In other career news, Steve Naclerio ’68,
Miami atty, recently retired as genl counsel of
Bacardi, has moved to the Richman Greer law
firm, which should permit him to expand his
practice beyond the field of rum law.
Jim: 910-262-3512; [email protected]
1 97 0
George Murphy Jr
1510 Ocean Ave
Mantoloking, NJ 08738-1516
R Michael Smith wrote: “I live in Ellicott City,
MD, with Barbara, my wife of 27 years, and am
a partner in the Baltimore law firm Gordon,
Feinblatt. My daughter Elizabeth (known to me
as Betsy) ’07 is living with us temporarily while
she decides on grad or law school or pursuing
a job in which she can use her double major in
Spanish and Latin American studies. My sons,
Teddy, 19, and Jim, 17, are away attending schools.
My wife and I have been going on ‘double dates’
with Jim Smith and wife Valerie. Dinners and DC
United soccer games have been the primary fare.
Jim and I 1st got to know each other in 1968 as
members of the London History Study Group. We
renewed our friendship when Jim accepted an
endowed chair at Georgetown U. We have been
going to Colgate events in DC, such as meeting
with groups of students who are visiting the
Capitol and going to Howie Fineman’s book signing at the Natl Press Club. We have also returned
to campus for hockey games, Real World, and the
last reunion, which Alan Anderson helped organize with us. I continue to be involved in work
in Afghanistan, which now includes representing detainees incarcerated without hearings at
Guantanamo and serving on the advisory board
of the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women,
an org that has brought more than 40 young
women from Afghanistan to the US to study
at colleges. I remain hopeful that Colgate will
participate in that prog.”
Tom ‘Yogi’ Bara ’71 stopped at my house to let
me know that although he is retired from the FBI,
he is providing security services, private investigations, and executive protection with Tom Bara
& Associates, working out of Lavallette, NJ.
We have received word that 40 attys from
the Nixon Peabody LLP law firm have been
recognized as top lawyers in 11 practice areas,
including Scott Turner practicing in the area of
environmental law. Chambers and Partners, publishers of guides to law firms, has ranked Scott
and his internatl law firm, Nixon Peabody, highly
in the 2008 edition of Chambers USA: America’s
Leading Lawyers for Business.
That’s it for now. Drop us an update by e-mail.
It only takes a few minutes to get back in touch.
Murph: 732-892-0217; 7806 (fax); gfmdmw@aol.
com
1 97 1
Richard C Beck
4290 SE Augusta Loop
Gresham, OR 97080-8435
This column is the 1st to be published along the
lines of the Scene’s newly redesigned format and
schedule. The biggest change for class columns
56
scene: Autumn 2008
is that they will now appear quarterly vs every
other month. We will see how it impacts the
flow of class news! So without further ado, here
we go.
Jackson D Hamilton e-mailed me just before
the July 4 holiday, noting that several milestones
were occurring in his family. Residing in Arden,
NC, he recently completed his term as chair of
the NC Bar Assoc Tax Section. It proved to be an
interesting and rewarding experience involving
a lot of pro bono activity conducted by the bar.
Jack practices law with the firm of Roberts &
Stevens PA in nearby Ashville. Eldest son Jake
is starting his sr residency in radiology at the
TX Med Ctr in Houston and he just received a
fellowship for the following year at the same
place in neuro and spinal interventional radiology. Youngest son Will recently earned his PhD
in neuropsychology and he is starting a postdoc
fellowship at the NW Region Trauma Ctr for
the VA in Salt Lake City working mostly with
veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Wife Laurie
continues her career as a clinical psychologist.
Jack noted that he still enjoys the “linguistic
jujitsu” of sparring with the IRS and the US Dept
of Revenue. However, he finds time to enjoy the
fullness of the summer season that comes to
the Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mtns that surround Asheville.
Susan and Roger Smith reside on a 230-acre
farm outside Newport, PA. For 21 years he coowned Longacre Expeditions, offering teens
growth opportunities through travel. Roger
enjoyed the lifestyle and the satisfaction in
knowing that he made the world a better place, 1
child at a time. However, when the opportunity
arose to sell the business in 2006, he and his
partner did so to a trio of 30-somethings. After
spending a year transitioning with the new
owners, he jumped at the opportunity to become
the exec dir of the Perry Cty Council of the Arts.
Roger loves his new job working locally and creating new relationships in his community with
some interesting and creative people. The arts
council was bequeathed a 5,000 sq ft house to be
turned into a venue for exhibitions and recitals.
The gift came with numerous pieces of art and
a sizeable endowment. Roger spends most of his
time dealing with construction issues: planning
the new facility’s future; fundraising; dreaming
up new arts-related projects; and advocating for
local artists and the arts. This past spring he also
taught a 300-level course in entrepreneurship at
Elizabethtown C.
On a personal note, Roger and Sue have been
married 37 years. She operates her own summer
program, Longacre Leadership, on their farm.
Sons Matt and Alex have left the nest, the former
living in Boston and the latter residing in SF.
New daughter Courtney has been living with
the Smiths for more than 4 years and is a jr at
Newport HS. Four years ago the Smiths bought a
house in Brewster, on Cape Cod, which they rent
out during the summer.
Mike Stein is well into the “2nd season” as a
tax consultant/preparer dealing with extended
tax compliance issues. When not working on
other peoples’ financial problems, he is the field
event coach at the Collegiate School where the
team won the Ivy Prep League, as well as the
NYS Assoc Independent Schools’ Championships,
for the 5th year running (which coincidentally
coincides with his tenure at Collegiate). Mike also
coaches a league and state prep champion, as
well as league and state prep shot finalists in the
discus and javelin. All of Mike’s throwers will be
returning next year, so prospects for continued
success look good.
You may recall that Dr John W Simon is a prof
and chair of the dept of ophthalmology at the
Albany Medical C. He also holds a secondary
appointment as prof of pediatrics. He proudly
wrote that his son Joseph, a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic, celebrated the
inauguration of a water project that he designed
and built with local residents in a remote village. The bishop and state gov were present as
200 camposaros celebrated the replacement of
their 100-year task of carrying water from wells
to homes with direct water service to individual homes. John noted that despite his busy
schedule, he and wife Susan manage to travel
throughout the world including Greece, Turkey,
Croatia/Bosnia, China, and St Martin. Normally
Debbie and Peter C Brown ’63 accompany them.
Peter is deputy commission for admin, NYS Office of Mental Health in Albany. Both couples are
considering new adventures to central Asia and
western Brazil.
Locally, the Portland Colgate Club held its
annual wine tour this past June. We visited 4
Yamhill County wineries located in Dundee and
Dayton, OR. Participants included Sara Baird ’02
and date Bryan, organizer Dan Belica ’75 and wife
Mercedes, Molly Bartlett, Jenni and Aaron Besen
’80, Bert Berney ’75 and date Andrea, Carter and
Judy Case, Tim Brister ’98 and date Heather, Bob
and Karen Heltman Ferina ’87, Ginny Haines ’72,
Lauren Movre ’02, Sarah Sennott ’02, and yours
truly with wife Brenda.
Currently working on dual majors in geography and Spanish, Sam Torrey ’09 wanted to
apply his academic training to the real world.
Working through Colgate’s geography dept,
Sam contacted me in April regarding summer
employment opportunities in his hometown of
Portland. As luck would have it, a temp environmental position in the Portland Region 1 Office of
the OR Dept of Transportation became available.
I shot Sam’s resume up to a colleague in Region
1. Sam was interviewed over the phone by the
region’s environmental manager and was hired
as an hourly employee beginning May 15.
In catching up with Sam over the summer,
he enjoyed the experience immensely. Applying
his training in GIS and geographical analysis, he
produced documents classifying hwy projects according to the Federal Hwy’s Natl Environmental
Policy Act system. On more complex projects he
developed environmental baseline reports that
require more extensive environmental analysis.
Sam felt that his education at Colgate taught him
how to collect info, analyze it, and synthesize it
into a meaningful product. At ODOT he applied
his skills to real-world transportation projects.
Sam noted that his summer job was diverse,
requiring both office time and fieldwork. He
enjoyed the experience of working as part of
interdisciplinary teams of transportation professionals in solving problems that impact peoples’
lives. Sam’s manager could not say enough good
things about him: energetic, self-motivated,
creative, quick to pick up on things, and a good
researcher. Sam’s final day was Aug 15 as he prepared to return to campus for his sr year. Sam’s
major profs are Peter J Klepeis ’94, geography,
and Fernando Plata, Spanish. Until next time…
Richard: 503-512-8085 (H); 986-3375 (W); [email protected]
197 2
David M Brockway
201 Lincoln Rd
Horseheads, NY 14845-2267
I heard from Rick Lewis after a European venture. He and Marcia went to Amsterdam for 2
days and continued on a 12-day cruise to Baltic
and Scandinavian countries, with a highlight of a
2-day stay in St Petersburg. Rick said the trip was
excellent, St Pete being the expected highlight.
He was a bit disappointed in Helsinki, but said
that Copenhagen and Talinn were pleasant
surprises.
Former Eaton Hall resident and Colgate
hockey team member Dave Rohlfing recently
wrote. He has a son at Cornell whom he visits
often. While visiting in Feb, Dave attended both
ends of the Colgate-Cornell hockey weekend at
Lynah Rink, which, he wrote, “looks pretty much
the same as it did when we went there to play
when I was on the team 1970–71.” (Much) more
recently, he and his wife went on a mission to
Haiti and spent time in the Central Plateau, the
Ile Gonave, and Port-au-Prince.
Empty-nester Ron Rubano told me he became
a grandfather twice over last year. His younger
daughter Stephanie had a boy in March, and
daughter Tara had a girl in Dec. Tara, husband,
and daughter lived with Ron and his wife in
Trumbull, CT, for about 10 months, July through
April. Ron jokes that he’s changed the locks and
gotten an unlisted number, and that life begins
when the kids leave home and the dog dies! I
vaguely remember those early morning hours
with infants and wonder how we got through
it. Ron, a Phi Psi, also reminisced a bit about Bill
Click, whose passing I had mentioned in the July
Scene. Ron’s recollection is that Bill had lived at
some point on the 3rd floor and recalls that he
might have been off-campus sr year with Peter
Lodge, Bill Howison, and others. Speaking of Phi
Psis, Ron has heard rumors of another reunion
this fall.
Carlin and Jim Capalino spent a very relaxing
week at Elk Lake at an Adirondack great camp.
Sounds wonderful, Jim. I also was pleasantly
surprised to have received an e-mail from
Melanie Fischer ’08, an Elmiran I had urged 4+
years ago to attend Colgate. Not surprisingly, she
described an absolutely wonderful experience
while at Colgate, which included a full array of
extracurricular activities, a major in history, and
her jr year spent at U of St Andrews in a dorm
overlooking the 18th green! Melanie currently
resides in northern VA.
Finally, I managed to catch up with another
former Eatonite, Howard Golden, via the web’s
“Plaxo.” Howard is a VP at Brock Financial Insurance Services, Inc in SF.
Guess that’s a wrap. We could always use
more updates from people.
David: 607-739-0267 (H); 737-2901 (O); 737-2961
(fax); [email protected]
197 3
Tom Halley
2 Walnut Hill Dr
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603-4716
914-473-3541; [email protected]
The Class of ’73 outdid itself at the reunion. We
want to thank Peter Stassa for all his work in
preparing the reunion video. Other classes will
be hard pressed to meet his standards.
Bill Barnaskas wrote that he was planning
to be back in the Chenango for the weekend of
Sept 13, and the Phi Psi tri-annual reunion being
planned by Tom Bara ’71. Bill said that Tom prepared an aggressive agenda involving golf, a pep
rally at J&B’s, the football game, and some sort
of triathlon on Sun. He and others were waiting
further clarification about the triathlon before
committing to it, so that entering in it did not
result in them actually being “committed.” He
hoped to see his former roommates Bob Griffith
and Curt Novak.
Jim Chase has agreed to show Bill and others
around DC on their next trip there. There are
other classmates in the DC area such as Howe
Schiffman and Don Shea who might also be
available.
On a personal note, this is my last column for
the Scene. I leave it in fine hands. It has been my
pleasure to act as a conduit for our info for the
past many years. However, at this time, I believe
it is time to take a break. The Colgate that I knew
many years ago is not the Colgate of today.
Thank you to all.
Please send your news and updates to our
new class editor, Marc Gettis.
Marc: 43 Summit Ave, Gillette, NJ 07933;
908-580-1414, 580-1946(f);
[email protected]
1974
Gregg McAllister
21 Ross St
Batavia, NY 14020-2307
You will be reading this in the fall, but it is the
height of summer as I write. I’m thinking of the
mtns, so I would like everyone who has spent
time at Colgate’s property on Saranac Lake to
send me an e-mail with some memories. I know
you are out there… Classmates like Chip Simon.
Who else?
Ellen Hochberg Driesen has followed an interesting career path that started with teaching
in the NYC schools and as an adjunct at CUNY.
Through her union activism, she became a United Federation of Teachers district rep a couple
of years ago. She represents and advocates for
District 20, which is south Brooklyn, where she
and her husband live. They have 2 daughters.
One is beginning her master’s in education and
the other is a sr chemistry major in college.
Send us your news, and have a great fall!
Gregg: 585-345-6154 (O); 343-9796 (H);
[email protected]
197 5
Carolyn Swift
2022 Columbia Rd NW, #514
Washington, DC 20009-1316
Greetings to one and all! Hope everyone had a
great summer. Don’t forget to call or e-mail me
to let me know any news for the column. It will
now be a little longer between columns, but the
class news section will continue to be a major
part under the new format, so please keep the
news and info coming!
Greg Scott sent a message from him and son
Geoff ’03: “Thank you for your kind words about
our brother and son, Steven, in your May column.
The loss for the entire Scott family is devastating.
However, the love and support given to us by our
Colgate family has been a true source of strength
for us during these very difficult times. The
fact that so many of our Colgate friends joined
us to say good-bye to Steven, many traveling
long distances upon short notice, is a gift that
Geoff and I will always cherish. The institution
that is Colgate remains great because of people
who care about each other.” Classmates who
attended included Kathy and Jack Bray; Wayne
Chesley; Bob and Robin Goldin Como; Betty and
Frank Delaurentis; Larry Marsh; Ingrid and Jim
Merrifield; and Gary Yirinec. Attendees from
other classes included Jon Desmond ’02; James
McLoughlin ’02; Pete Daunis ’01; Jim Detmer
Jr ’02, Drew McWilliams ’02; Jenna Silverman
’02; Jon Anderson ’03; Lee Copeland ’01; Alden
McNally ’02; Dana Debarr ’02; Ali Brettschneider
’02; Jill Spielberg ’02; Brendan Sandel ’02; Ian
Franke ’02; Mike Torpey ’02; Oscar Bate ’03; Greg
Sattler ’02; Jason Drimer ’03; Tom Wade ’05; and
Lindsey Smith ’09.
I was sad to get word that Dr Carl Rottersman
passed away on May 9. I’m hoping to have more
extensive info by the next issue.
Also, I heard from Curtis Raynor, who is living
in Santa Monica and gave a brief update. Look for
more next issue.
I was glad to hear from Bryan Powers, who is
keeping the faith. Bryan said he stays in touch
with Jim Bona, who’s a Hamilton village elected
trustee, and says he is confident that Hamilton
is a better place for having Jim in the mix. (Hear!
Hear!) John Regan and Bryan also trade e-mails
concerning important Internet jokes and, Bryan
said, “I am a better man for it.” He also hears
from Paul Defilippo and Rich and Jane Tilton
’76 Guralnick. They get together for laughs and
drinks at the White Horse Tavern every Dec, and
in the meantime, “we all try to do the best we
can.” Bryan reported that he is in the middle of a
2nd career and wondering about a 3rd. He holds
a 1,600 ton Inland Master’s license and work
as 1st officer (mate) on the Bridgeport and Port
Jeff ferry. The boats are about 300’ long. He also
ensures compliance with the company’s security
requirements as mandated by the Coast Guard
(good to have an atty doing that!) and is a Coast
Guard certified instructor for radar and licensing
for captains of lower tonnage. He added, “I’m
looking forward to growing up. Aren’t we all.”
Me, I’m not so sure…
Until the next issue, enjoy and take care…
Carolyn: 202-483-0809 (H); 752-7169 (O); 752-6158
(fax); [email protected]
1976
Valerie Avedon Gardiner
40 St Andrews Rd
Severna Park, MD 21146-1439
A change of Scene(ry) will take some getting
used to, so hang in there and be assured your
news will get out there swimmingly in this new
format! Your editor has had a rough year of computer crashes and family and friend crises but it
is still so nice to have the Colgate column to keep
me firmly focused on “the write stuff.” By the
time this makes it to print, I hope to have made
several trips around the country to visit with ’76
pals, so the next issue should include that dirt
(if it’s printable!). This time around, there were
several other terrific reunions to share: Rob Collum ’75 traveled from FL to “Joisey” to visit with
long-time friends Rob and Gay Gordon Byrne.
The occasion? FL Rob’s son’s band was playing at
Kenny’s Castaway on Bleeker in the city and Dad
didn’t miss the chance to get a Colgate group
together to enjoy them. Gathering to wash away
32 years of time was an amazing experience for
the fellow KDRs who were also joined by Jane
McGrady Coviello and Portia Thorburn Richardson (see pics on our class page at colgatealumni.
org). Thanks for the compliments about keeping
us all in touch. It is truly my honor — and my
pleasure and it works both ways. The feel-good
stuff makes this class editor feel good, too. Much
needed, lately. Speaking of that, a big hug to
Bruce Smith ’77 and he knows why!
At this year’s official reunion back in Ham-
Anders Krusberg/Startraks
“I attended the Women’s Advisory Committee Alumnae Book Group in DC with Prof Maurer. The book was
good [Suite Francaise], the crowd better (provided perspective on the first 30 years of women at Colgate), and
the combination of the two made the discussion fantastic.” — Moira Gillick ’04
Bob Woodruff ’83 was awarded a George Foster Peabody Award, one of the highest honors in
broadcast journalism, at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria on June 16. He was recognized for
his series of reports, “Wounds of War — The Long Road Home for Our Nation’s Veterans,” which
addressed the struggles of veterans dealing with severe war injuries and stress. The ABC News
correspondent himself suffered from a traumatic brain injury that was inflicted while he was
reporting in Iraq in 2006. In addition to the Peabody Award, Woodruff’s overseas reporting has
also been recognized with an Alfred I. duPont Award. He is pictured above receiving the Peabody
with the award-winning team of ABC News producers.
ilton, the boys of DKE (yes, still boys at heart
anyway) shared a great day of Al Forslund and
Al Fenton Memorial Golf (again, see a pic on our
class page). Doug Kelly sent the great photo (but
interestingly, he shared no scores) including
Larry Hay, Bill Johnson ’73, Dan Shakespeare
’75, John Hoff, Kevin Kwiatkowski ’78, George
Briskie, Dave Desmond ’73, Neil Abbott ’75, Jon
Proctor, Chris Funkhouser and his son Jeremy,
and Dan Desmond ’75. Speaking of Dan, Martha
Horstkotte Desmond ’78 wrote that the daring
duo are keeping their FL home but have moved to
S Dartmouth, MA, and are opening up their new
Harley-Davidson dealership any minute. All you
closet bikers, give me a call for the details. With
the price of gas, we should all be biking it… Or,
sailing, like Cathy Powell, who left her life as a
legal aid atty and is living with her partner Jim
aboard a beautiful 37’er cruising the Greek Isles,
Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.
This report came from a green-with-envy Joanne
Spigner. We both agreed Cathy has the right
idea.
One legal beagle sticking with it, Simeon
Baum shared news from the NYS Bar Assoc: “The
NY State Bar, in recognition of the pervasive
reach of the variety of dispute resolution
processes, has created a section on Dispute Resolution.” Said ’76er Baum, “I am pleased to serve
as its 1st chair.” Way to go, Simeon. From the
article’s photo, you have not aged a bit, you devil.
As for aging, this just in from Midge Loposzko
in Houston: she, Verne Shortell, Cyndy Bouton,
and Lorie Dunne did enjoy a fun dinner that may
have included lots of fine, aged wine but not a
speck of aging was noticed among the 4 stillbeautiful attendees. They actually closed down
the restaurant and were literally asked to leave
as the lights were being turned off and floors
swept… That’s the spirit, girls!
Keep the spirit of ’76 going, and keep me in
your news loops when you do.
Valerie: 410-987-8808; [email protected]
1 97 7
Carl P Barone
176 Reilly Rd
LaGrangeville, NY 12540-9530
Another “1st timer” has come to the rescue. Carlos Del Valle Cruz wrote that since graduation,
he has never submitted to the column but has
never missed an issue and has enjoyed reading
about our class over the years. Carlos is a prof at
the Hostos School of Law in Puerto Rico, living in
Mayaguez. Although he recently served as the
dean of the law school, he is now mainly writing,
teaching, playing chess, and sailing. He recently
returned from Bolivia, where he examined
constitutional arrangements between centralists
and autonomists in the midst of a tense environment. Carlos misses many friends, including
Henry Finkelstein, Scott Hornafius ’78, Doug
Broeker ’76, Bob Appelgate, Lisa Vogel, Ricardo
Rodriguez ’76, and Dorcas Traverzo. He stays in
touch with Doreen Carroll ’76, who resides in
Spain, and Lisa Vogel, who is at NYU.
Rev Martha ‘Marti’ Swords-Horrell was profiled in the Syracuse Eagle Newspapers because
she recently became the pastor of the United
Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Celebrating her
25th year of ordination, Marti told the newspaper
that she fell in love with theology during her 1st
year at Colgate. She said that she “enjoys being
part of a bigger plan, along with her congregation and the community, to help better the lives
of others.” Marti and her husband Dana, also a
United Methodist pastor in Jordan and Camillus, have a son who is a jr at Cornell as well as
a daughter who recently graduated from high
school and is taking a gap year to do missionary
work in Nicaragua.
Looking forward to a beautiful autumn and
hearing from some of you … a few kind souls …
anyone!
Carl: 845-227-1854; [email protected]
News and views for the Colgate community
57
Alumnus’s Star Rises with Daytime Emmy
It pays to coach Little League. For Kevin Briody ’85 (above, left), it led to a Daytime Emmy Award.
While coaching his son Cavan’s Triple-A baseball team in Ridgefield, Conn., Briody, a folk
singer-songwriter, had made the acquaintance of another player’s dad, who also happened to be
a songwriter. In fact, he was Paul Glass, music supervisor for ABC’s One Life to Live.
So when Glass (right) was looking for someone to write a song for one of the show’s storylines, he turned to Briody.
“Paul called and said, ‘I need a song for a mother-daughter moment, as the daughter is getting
ready for the prom,’” said Briody. “It’s just one of those close moments between a mother and a
daughter. So I wrote this song called ‘Little Starr’ — with two Rs, and the reason for that is ‘Starr’
is the name of the daughter character. The song kind of found me from there.”
The song, which was recorded and sung on the show by Starr’s mother, Blair (played by Kassie
DePaiva), received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song.
And in a final unique twist, Briody actually tied for the Emmy with Glass, who also received it
for one of his own songs, “Chemistry.” The awards ceremony was held at Lincoln Center in New
York on June 13.
Briody — who serves as Connecticut’s State Troubadour — opened for Sophie B. Hawkins at
the Ridgefield Playhouse last year. And this past summer, he wrote and performed a song for a
Ridgefield, Conn., home building project that he volunteered for, which was modeled after the
national TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Briody said his own recording of “Little Starr” might find its way onto his next (5th) studio CD.
In the meantime, you can listen to it at www.colgate.edu/scene/briody, and check out DePaiva’s
recording of the song on YouTube.
— Rebecca Costello
58
197 8
1979
Linda Pattillo
291 King’s Highway
Kennebunkport, ME 04046-7275
Kimi de Murga
227 E 66th St, #1A
New York, NY 10021-6413
The news from the Class of 1978 continues to
flow in after our huge party in Hamilton in May.
To keep it fresh, all the latest is posted in our
class blog, which you can view at: colgate78.
blogspot.com. The ’78 blog is now featuring the
infamous “notebook” passed around at our class
dinner. Enough said.
One brief (self-serving) news flash: The documentary that I filmed and directed — The Diaries
— aired on the Discovery Health Channel in Oct
for Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Diaries
is the sometimes humorous, always inspiring
story of a young mom with breast cancer featuring her video diaries. The young mom happens
to be my youngest sister-in-law, a local TV news
reporter diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38.
The story, by the way, has a happy ending.
Send news and feel free to post comments on
the colgate78 blog.
Linda: 207-967-1350; [email protected]
Claudia Kuhnlein Eaton left Verizon after nearly
28 years and spent a year at home figuring
out her next career move. After dabbling with
physical therapy, painting with watercolors,
and a stint on a women’s ice hockey team, she
has started a new career in education. She is
thoroughly enjoying being a sub for grades
pre-K through 12. In addition, she has embarked
on a career as an Outward Bound facilitator on
Thompson Island in Boston. Claudia said that
it is fun to take a boat to the island and play
outdoors providing a day of experiential learning
to people who have worked together in offices or
more traditional venues. On the family front, her
4 older stepchildren and a nephew they raised
are all off in the workforce, leaving her and husband Bob to focus on daughters Sarah, at the U of
GA, and Abby, a jr in HS.
While his sons were playing in a hockey tourney, Mark Herr had the opportunity to stay with
scene: Autumn 2008
Pete Cohn in S Walpole, MA. Mark reported that
Pete’s family is doing great: a daughter at NW;
one at NYU, where she is classmates with the son
of Blake Michaels ’80; a son who is considering
Colgate; and a daughter who’s a jr in HS.
Although Mark’s day job is at Merrill Lynch in
corp and public affairs, attached to the Office
of General Counsel, doing crisis mgmt, his real
job is chauffeuring his children to rinks and lax
fields across N America. His daughter Sarah is a
1st-year at Williams this fall and will be playing
for their women’s hockey team. His youngest
daughter, Cheeky, is at Choate, where she will
play hockey after a summer at the U15 natl team
camp.
Amy Stevens lives in Manhattan, and is a
retail analyst in the fashion industry. Her son Ruben Leavitt ’08 is now attending Oxford getting
his master’s. Son Josh attends the U of Chicago,
and youngest son, Ethan, is in 9th grade. Amy enjoyed attending the Dalai Lama’s talk on campus
in April and highly recommends the WAC annual
book club with Prof Margaret Maurer.
It seems incredible, but our 30th is just around
the corner. Start thinking about how you are
going to make it to Hamilton the 1st weekend in
June 2009!
Kimi: 212-517-6776; [email protected]
1980
David H Alvord
424 Washington Ave
Oneida, NY 13421-1906
Your editor attended HS graduation parties for a
niece and a cousin this year. There are a number
of reasons I wouldn’t want to be a teenager these
days, but I still admit to a slight case of envy.
Bill Reading is now single and working in
Charlotte as a career consultant for managers
and executives. He has 1 daughter in college and
another in grad school.
In May Pete Taggart was named to the bd of
trustees of New Eyes for the Needy, hq’d in Short
Hills, NJ.
In June Gary Trauner took part in the “Dunk
a Democrat” event at the annual Jackalope Days
fest in Douglas, WY.
I hope there’s lots of news for the new Scene
quarterly publishing schedule.
David: 315-363-2117; [email protected]
1981
Nancy Horwitz
77 Islington Rd
Auburndale, MA 02466-1009
It’s been a while since our last column because
news reporting has been sporadic. I hope you’ve
all had terrific summers and I invite you to send
me a quick e-mail to let me know what you’ve
been up to. Congrats to Dave Tank for having
been recognized by Best Lawyers in America
2007 and Chambers USA 2008 in Commercial
Litigation. He is a shareholder of the Davis Brown
Law Firm in Des Moines, IO, practicing in the
business division. Dave is one of the few trial
lawyers in IO who consistently litigates patent
cases and has an active practice in that area.
Over the last several years, he has concentrated
in the areas of complex business litigation, product liability defense (pharmaceutical products
in particular), and cases involving patents and
other intellectual property matters.
I ran into (literally) Alison King Haley ’84
while attending the graduation of my nephew
Evan (son of Sandy Allison ’79 and Jim Horwitz
’79) from the Foote School in June. Small world
— her nephew (son of Susan King Shaw ’81) was
also graduating from Foote. Sue and I caught up
on old times from West Hall 1st year up through
present. She and her husband live in Woodbridge, CT. Both are practicing attys. Sue sported
a pair of Colgate flip-flops to the graduation
party, showing great pride in our alma mater.
Mike McCarrick and wife Dana Agmon became parents for the 2nd time on July 18. Maximus Laddie McCarrick was named in honor of
Cornelius ‘Laddie’ Milmoe ’30, who was Mike’s
favorite uncle and steered Mike toward Colgate.
One of the saddest activities a class editor
takes on is the job of sharing news of the passing of classmates, which I’ve had to do several
times since taking over as class editor. This is
another one of those times. On August 3, Bob
Post died in a tragic boating accident near
his vacation home in Bay Head, NJ. Bob had
been a lifelong resident of Essex Fells, NJ. The
local paper reported that approximately 1,000
mourners filled the church for Bob’s memorial
service on Aug 9. Bruce Knecht ’80 spoke at the
service, calling Bob an exuberant storyteller and
outdoorsman. Other friends remembered him as
an outgoing man and occasional prankster who
often made people laugh out loud. Bob had been
involved in several Colgate activities including:
KDR, swimming, alumni admissions, class gift
committee ’93–’09, and Colgate Today Program
’05. Following completion of an MBA from the
Tuck Sch of Business at Dartmouth, Bob’s career
was spent on Wall Street, where he was most
recently sr VP of Mizuho Corp Bank, USA. Bob
leaves behind his wife Bonnie and his sons
Robert Jr (19) and John (12). Our thoughts go out
to his family.
Please drop me a note to share any news
(big or small) about you or any of your Colgate
friends/colleagues so we can include it in a
future issue. Have a glorious fall!
Nancy: 617-558-9781;
[email protected]
19 82
Margie Jiampietro Palladino
37 Boulder Rd
Wellesley, MA 02481-1502
Welcome to the new and improved Scene. There
are fewer columns (4/yr), but we are still allotted the same amount of space. So please keep
the news coming.
There’s lots of news this month. Here’s my
best attempt of weaving it together. Rande
Hoppe wrote: “Chris Paine ’83 worked his magic,
convincing Tony DeAngelis and me to join him
for his 25th. Having not seen either of them for a
long time and having had such a good time last
year, I jumped at the chance. Tony, wife Caren,
and their daughters are in Boise, ID, where he
and Caren are occupational therapists. Once I
told Lois Dilivio and Jane Scarpantoni of my
plans, they were also game for a Colgate visit.
Lois recently married her Hamilton sweetheart,
Fred Snyder, and they took the opportunity of
our Hoboken-Hamilton road trip to visit his
mom, who owns and operates Risky Business
in town (nee Jack & Rosemary’s). Jane is living
in the Catskills, still working on her music and
making some art. Needless to say, we all had
a great time catching up with each other and
some pals from other classes like Joe Berlinger
’83 and Laura Hilgers ’85.” Rande has put a few
movies on YouTube (so has Martha Keavney).
Lois appears in some, Paul Balderes does
voiceover in one, and Rande helped Chris Paine
make one. Pop the popcorn and enjoy.
Speaking of risky business, Bob Spohr wrote
that he is in the military and “in the thick of
things” in Afghanistan. “It’s hard to believe
sometimes how different and poor this area is.
Living among people who have nothing, you
learn to appreciate what you have back home.”
He is interested in helping the Afghan people. “If
people really want to donate to people in need,
here is a perfect place for it. There are many
organizations that send things to the Afghan
people; if you know anybody who wants to
make a difference, tell them to send (literally)
anything here.” Bob plans to return home in
2009.
Speaking of home, Gregg Finn lives in Pleasantville, NY (yes, just like the movie), a commuting suburb to NYC. He is married to Ellen
Speroni ’85, and has a daughter (14) and son (12).
He has his own business wholesaling jewelry
and diamonds in NYC. He still manages to play a
lot of tennis and squash, but not as much as the
good old days. He sees Steve Brainerd in Denver
on his semi-frequent business trips there. Steve
is doing well, still married to Betsy Boyce and
has 3 kids, one of whom is about to start college.
He hears from John Grady also, who is doing
well and living in Philadelphia with his wife
Ellen and 3 kids.
Gregg also stays in touch with Brian Collins,
who was appointed president of Intrawest, a
developer and operator of destination resorts. Its
primary specialty is ski resorts, and its properties include Whistler-Blackcomb, home of the
2010 winter Olympics. Brian and his family are
excited about their move from Weston, CT, to
Vancouver and are looking forward to exploring
the northwest.
In April, Brian saw Chris Burns, who relocated temporarily to Dallas, where they took in
a Texas Rangers game. Brian also runs into: Jon
Tiktinsky and family, usually at their favorite
local diner; Elissa Cohen Halpern (2 lovely
teenage daughters; living in Chicago); Jennifer
Cook (owns a great coffee, food, and gift shop in
Katonah, NY, and has a couple of teenage boys);
and Kenny Miller (his family runs a summer
camp attended by Brian’s boys). Brian also sees
his old lax buddies including Richie Enright and
Brian Kopp ’85 at the annual alumni game in the
fall. “The lax team is a lot better now than when
we played but we still give them a go in the
alumni game.”
Speaking of partnerships, Butch Cullen joined
Kaye Scholer’s Corporate and Finance Dept as a
partner in its NYC office. Butch concentrates his
practice in securities and corporate finance with
an emphasis on commercial mortgage back
securities and structured finance.
Proud partner Leroy Smalls informs us that
his spouse Maria Rios Smalls, a foreign language
teacher, was honored by her state senator as the
outstanding teacher from Central Islip Sr HS in
celebration of Nat’l Teachers’ Day. Maria’s “constant commitment to her students, fellow staff,
and administration has made her a positive role
model to others, bringing her the respect of all
who meet her.”
Congratulations also to Bob Dunlap, whose
stepdaughter was accepted as a Harvard Fellow
and is doing her internship at Children’s Hospital in Boston this fall.
Children’s Hospital is where Kathy Lazorick
Jenkins is a pediatric cardiologist. I had dinner
with Kathy and Dean Corbae and his daughter
during Dean’s recent visit to Boston. Dean, a
professor of economics at U of Texas, was in
town for a conference at MIT and on a college
tour with his daughter.
That’s it for now. Thanks for all the news.
Perhaps the new format will encourage some
first-time submissions. It would be great to hear
from you.
Margie: 781-235-9386; [email protected]
19 83
Gwen Tutun Campbell
22 Old Hill Road
Westport, CT 06880
After 25 news-packed years as our class columnist, Susan Safford Copelas has decided to focus
her energies on other pursuits. I am very excited
to be taking over. Reunion reminded me just how
much I treasured my 4 years at Colgate and the
friendships I made. I have lived in Westport, CT,
for the past 17 years with my husband Jack and
3 children — Aly, 17, Hilary, 15, and Matthew, 13.
We will be sending Aly off to college in the fall,
and I enjoyed comparing notes with the many
classmates in the same position! I often run into
other Colgate alumni in the Westport area, such
as Bob Foster, Ted and Susie Scull ’85 Aldrich,
and Mark and Elizabeth Basbaugh ’84 Steffen.
Some reunion news still trickling in. Larry
Littlefield wrote: “I write economic and real
estate research reports for Reis Inc and have lived
in the Windsor Terrace section of Brooklyn since
finishing grad school in 1986. I haven’t moved
more than 2 blocks that entire time. I write state
and local policy articles in an unofficial capacity
for a blog run by a journalist, one that is unaffiliated with the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, where
my wife Jeanmarie Davis ’85 works. Some of
them concern city planning issues since I have a
degree in the field and worked for public agencies for many years. And we have 2 kids in HS.”
On another front, several members of the
Great Britain Study Group got together at the
urging and enthusiasm of Sue Adams, who lives
outside Hartford with husband John and 2 children and recently became genl counsel for the
CIGNA subsidiary that provides wellness products. In attendance were Mary Hill, Eric Settle,
Scott and Gigi Volgenau Bruce, Christie Brooks
King, Amy Messinger Reilly, Pam Koumantzelis
Flower, and myself. It was a lot of fun to look at
old photos of the trip and reminisce. Pam is loving life in CA with her husband and 3 children.
Amy works for Reader’s Digest and is the proud
mom of 5 lovely girls. Her oldest, Julia, is starting
Colgate in the fall.
A small but dedicated group of classmates
(Sue Adams, Amy Vullo MacMillan, Gigi, Christie
Dittrick, Annika Paulsson Holtan, and Sandy
Pomeroy Goehring) got together for a lively discussion of The Radiant Way with Deborah Knuth.
Dwight Heiman told Sue he had just run his 1st
marathon (Boston) a few months earlier.
I had a wonderful day in NY with Robyn
Peterson Brown recently. She and John ’82 have 3
children — Stephanie, Cassie, and Karl. Stephanie
will be continuing the Peterson and Brown family tradition when she starts Colgate this fall. The
Browns live in Mendham, NJ.
John Hooper, a partner at Reed Smith LLP, has
just become a board member of Legal Services
NYC, the largest org that exclusively provides free
civil legal services to low-income persons in NYC.
He looks forward to using his legal expertise in
helping the board.
Kelly McMasters, MD, PhD, has been appointed to the bd of directors at Provectus Pharmaceuticals, a development-stage oncology and
dermatology biopharmaceutical company. Kelly,
who is the Sam and Lolita Weakley Professor of
Surgical Oncology at the U of Louisville in KY, is
a preeminent authority on melanoma. He holds
several honors, including the Physician of the
Year award from the KY Chapter of the American
Cancer Society.
I am happy to close my 1st column with some
breaking news: Keith Drill will soon be joining
the married ranks! Some of you may have met
Alexandra at reunion. She was the only female
brave enough to stay at Theta Chi that weekend.
Brothers in residence included: Ty Dickinson,
Scott Brown, Tim Medlock, Bob Gorab, Andy Russell, Doug Sachs, Bob Woodruff, Jeffrey Addison,
Tony Gray, Mark DeRevere, Charlie Hurdman,
Kwok Eng ’82 (honorary ’83), Bob Hummel ’80 (a
1st-year RA), and Keith. Also attending but not
staying at the house were Andy Lewkowicz and
Mike Spohn. Alexandra’s ability to actually enjoy
this arrangement must have been the proof
Keith required that she was the one for him.
They planned to marry this Oct! Congrats!
I hope to hear from all of you with any news
large and small.
Gwen: 203-226-2608; [email protected]
1 984
Diane Munzer Fisher
4356 Stilson Cir
Norcross, GA 30092-1648
I am happy to be able to write a column filled
with celebrations of accomplishments. Lynn
Koenig Trojahn has been recognized as one
of NM Business Weekly’s Women Who Mean
Business, an award honoring 20 of NM’s most
influential and hard-working women. As VP of
advancement at ACCION NM, she leads annual
and capital campaign efforts to raise funds for
operating expenses and capital projects. Since
her tenure at ACCION in March 2005, more than
$5.2 million has been generated for endowment
and operating progs and more than $4.75 million
in lending capital to forward the exceptional
micro-lending work of ACCION throughout 155
communities in NM. Lynn is also chair for the
United Way Loaned exec recruitment and training prog; chair of the advisory board for the Ctr
for Nonprofit Excellence; on the exec committee
of the JumpStart Coalition; a member of the rgnl
bd of Natl Jewish Hospital in Denver; and is a
faculty member for the UNM Anderson School
of Mgmt Nonprofit Mgmt Cert course. Lynn
has also been named as one of the 100 Power
Brokers (2006 and 2007), Forty Under 40, and Up
& Comers in NM in the NM Business Weekly. Her
nomination for the awards noted that, “The quality of life of thousands of New Mexicans is better
thanks to the efforts of Lynn Trojahn.” Lynn has
been married for 19 years to Craig Trojahn. Their
daughter Rachel is 17 and an extraordinary fundraiser herself, having raised more than $20,000
for financial aid at her school, Bosque School.
Also in the fundraising field is Ann Aikens,
who is asst dir of institutional giving at the Dartmouth Med School/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med
Ctr.
Rich Parsons found me online though
LinkedIn. He is the COO for Rodgers Consulting, one of the leading land-use planning and
civil engineering firms in the DC area and one
of the early pioneers in “New Urbanist,” or
mixed-use, transit-oriented community design.
Although this is now the latest and greatest in
terms of green-oriented, smart-growth urban
design trends, his firm has been specializing
in creating these types of livable communities
since the early 1980s. Like many of us, Rich and
wife Christine spend a great deal of their time
supporting their accomplished children. Michael
and Rachel are both nationally competitive ice
dancers, and their youngest, Katie, is emerging
as a fine freestyle skater, soccer player, and cellist
(quite a combination!). Michael, 12, recently came
back from his 2nd trip to US Jr Natls, where he
and his partner finished 11th in the country in
intermediate ice dance. Rachel, 10, and her new
partner are also emerging as highly competitive
juvenile level ice dancers. Michael and Rachel
both train very hard and are at the ice rink for a
few hours almost every day with their Russian
coaches. They both kicked off their competitive
seasons this weekend at the Cherry Blossom Invitational in Alexandria, VA. Michael and partner
took home the gold medal in intermediate, and
Rachel and partner took the gold in juvenile. According to Rich, “In typical fashion, we spent the
weekend running from the soccer field, to the ice
rink, to an orchestra concert featuring a beautiful
cello solo by Katie, who is 8, and a violin solo
by Rachel. We keep repeating the busy parents’
mantra: sleep is for wimps!”
I know all too well what it’s like to have
busy and talented children. My daughters both
competed in the Internatl Problem Solving
Competition this summer. The Future Problem
Solving Prog Internatl (FPSPI) engages students
in creative problem solving. Founded by creativity pioneer Dr E Paul Torrance, FPSPI stimulates
critical and creative thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future.
Michelle, 11, came in 2nd as an individual in the
Jr Division. Allison’s team had a respectable
showing in the top 3rd of the competitors in the
Middle Division. Allison, 13, also earned state
honors in the 1st robotics competition and the
GA State Media Fest. Michelle’s Continental
Math League Team placed 1st in the state, 1st in
the region, and 7th nationally.
While we’re on the topic of talented children,
Suzi Weintraub Vanrhagen sent her eldest,
Rebecca, off to Cornell this fall. Jon and Alyse
Schechet Ticker took their son Sam to Colgate
this summer as a prospective student. Ellen
Rosen Keller, whose daughter is fully engaged
in the college search process, took advantage
of the college search workshop offered by the
Colgate admissions office. For anyone new to
the admissions process, Colgate offers a great
series of workshops designed to help parents
and their nearly college-aged teenagers navigate
this challenging time. It’s only for the children
or grandchildren of alumni, so once again,
Colgate gives back to its alumni. Also attending
were Tracy Zerin Maitlin and her son Adam.
Tracy is working on the Reunion Committee
and looking forward to seeing everyone in June.
Penny Kirkwood LaCroix was also there with her
daughter Catherine. I suspect that many more
of our classmates will be showing off Colgate to
their college-bound kids in the years to come and
perhaps we’ll see Colgate through new eyes. As
we approach our 25th Reunion, please share with
me and the class your accomplishments and
those of your family.
Diane: 770-209-9341 (h);
[email protected]
1 985
Michael Yardley
18806 North 95th St
Scottsdale, AZ 85255-5562
I’m guessing that very few of us will ever get to
hear our name spoken at the end of this magical
phrase: “and the Emmy goes to…” But now we all
know someone who has. That’s right, folks, our
own class crooner, Kevin Briody, pulled it off and
walked away with one of those cool gold statues
at the recent Emmy Awards ceremony (see page
61), winning for his song “My Little Starr” in
the best original song category from ABC’s One
Life To Live. And so it seems that all those years
of hard work, sacrifice, and shameless selfNews and views for the Colgate community
59
is into horseback riding and soccer. She reads
nothing but horse books, has toy horses all over
the house, and is a very lovely, sweet, and sensitive girl, though a tiger on the soccer field. Mary
Grace is my tough cookie who is just finishing
up kindergarten and is a lover of SpongeBob. She
could watch SpongeBob TV shows all day long if
we let her. My wife is juggling being mom and
being a chief marketing officer for a start-up tech
company in the GPS space. I have been working
for AG Edwards for the last 6 years as a financial
adviser. We were recently acquired by Wachovia
Securities.” Ryland also offered help to anyone
in need of those types of services, which might
come in handy as we inch ever closer to our
“golden years.”
My fraternity brother Paul Aguggia also
checked in via e-mail to bring us up to speed
on his world. He merged his boutique law firm,
Muldoon Murphy & Aguggia, into Kilpatrick
Stockton, a natl law firm with offices throughout the country. Paul is “very excited about the
merger as all MMA people came over to KS. I will
head the financial institutions team at KS and
work on mergers/acquisitions, capital raises, and
corp matters. It is a big move and the timing and
fit were right after having said ‘no’ to many other
firms over the years.” He also mentioned “a great
few days” spent with Chris Gavigan ’84, Dave
Slade, Doug Merchant, Bob York, Andy Brummer,
Brian Kopp, and Scott McClelland at the Slade
family lake house in SC. Paul claims that “everyone is well and it was a blast.”
And, finally, more good news about our class
novelist Philip Beard. I received word that his recent novel, Dear Zoe, is being used in classrooms
across the country. A blurb from the publisher
provides more background: “Dear Zoe [is] a novel
that reveals 9/11 as a day like any other: a day
of private, personal loss. Philip Beard’s critically
acclaimed debut is 15-year-old Tess DeNunzio’s
letter to her sister Zoe, lost to a hit-and-run driver
in Pittsburgh on a day when it seemed that nothing mattered but the tragedies playing out in NY
and DC. Hailed as ‘a remarkable study of grief,
adolescence, and healing,’ it is a book that both
you and your students will remember forever.”
Congrats, Phil!
That’s it for now. My thanks to all those who
took the time to send e-mails with news. Please
keep it coming.
Michael: 480-301-4459;
[email protected]
198 6
Michele Radin
681 Indian Ridge Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92211-7485
For this month’s “connect with your classmates
campaign,” I chose to focus on some ’86ers we all
remember fondly — the Swinging ’Gates and the
Colgate Thirteen. This selection was spurred by
a recent New York Times article about university a cappella groups that found some alumni
were embarrassed by and even hid their “goofy”
musical pasts. As the NYT failed to interview
the best singing groups, I decided to don my jr
reporter’s cap and investigate whether the bonds
of Thirteen/’Gates membership circa 1982–86
persisted 20+ years later. Anything to help the
university administration in its study of alumni
engagement…
The first thing I learned about our a cappella
groups was that the Colgate Thirteen apparently operate under some sort of singer’s cone
of silence (or they lack the commitment of their
female counterparts?), so we will rely on the
’Gates to redeem the value of Colgate extracurriculars. The next revelation was the amount of
work these women undertook to keep us entertained (no, a cappella singing is not just karaoke
minus the tinny recorded accompaniment).
According to Helen Salzhauer, they dedicated
at least 5 hours a week to formal practice, plus
traveled every other weekend to perform. That’s
in addition to the school work, sports, sororities,
jobs, and other activities and obligations of the
diverse members (good practice for the 4 temple
board committees, 2 book groups, PTA, gardening,
3 daughters, 1 husband, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 1 bird that
Helen now juggles). Similar to Greek organizations, study groups, and other demanding or
engaging extracurriculars, the shared efforts and
experiences helped forge a strong bond within
the ’Gates — the unexpected benefit was that
being a ’Gate also created a sense of belonging
within the larger Colgate community. No more
theater nerds vs jocks — at Colgate, anyone could
be a ’Gate, and being a ’Gate was cool.
If ’Gates represent the Colgate goal of
inclusiveness on campus, what about the goal
of engagement for alumni? Are our favorite
crooners still proud, still friends, still singing?
According to Helen, the ’Gates continue their
occasional get-togethers, particularly at holidays
— and, yes, they still sing together. She has
even passed the music gene on to bass-playing
daughters Evelyn (14) and Rachel (12). (Maybe
you can get the youngest, Brianna [8], interested
in the tuba, Helen?) On a totally unrelated note,
Helen is looking for “PG,” “cost-effective” ways
to celebrate her impending 20th wedding anniversary (congrats!), so send in your anniversary
stories — maybe a free a cappella concert for the
most romantic idea?
Angela Borreggine dismissed those NYT a
cappella alumni who reject their student singing
identities: “Not only am I not embarrassed about
having been a Swinging ’Gate, I still brag about
it all the time.” A lawyer living in Brooklyn, Angela still sings regularly in a church choir (mostly
a cappella) and in a large chorus in Manhattan
(just performed Verdi Requiem in Carnegie
Hall with 215 singers!). Not only did the ’Gates
provide lasting friendships, but also membership
continues to expand Angela’s social life today;
she became fast friends with former Thirteeners
who have kids at her son’s school. “So, being a
Swinging ’Gate continues to bring joy into my
life in wonderful and unexpected ways.”
Yumi Iwama emphasized the strength of the
ties: “The Swinging ’Gates has given me lifelong
friends in Helen, Angela, and Melissa [Michaud]. I
met my best friend, Ann LeSchander ’87, through
the ’Gates and we reminisce about the crazy
stories from our years in the group. We still laugh
as if it all happened yesterday. I’m proud to be
among such amazing women.” Performance is
no longer an extracurricular for Yumi; she and
husband Brian Mulligan, parents to 5-year-old
“The Great Class of ’93 [was] the last tent still going on Whitnall long after every other tent shut off the
lights. The 4’ x 4’ ‘dance floor’ forced everyone to get to know each other better than they ever wanted while
gyrating to the timeless melodies.” — Dan Rhynhart ’93
60
scene: Autumn 2008
twins Kieran and Clara, are both actors in Los
Angeles (set your TIVO to catch the next rerun of
the remade Swiss Family Robinson to see our Yumi
costar opposite Jane Seymour).
This month I also learned that someone out
there is reading the column — I have e-mails! I
received not 1 but 2 notes from Brian Drier (What
kind of x-rated address do you have to fail my
spam control, Brian?). Like any good Colgate
alumnus, Brian encourages his fellow ’86ers to
visit him — if you happen to find yourself on the
coast of Japan. As befits the product of a Colgate
liberal arts education, Brian’s path from rural NY
to rural Japan has been anything but direct. From
self-designed “human liberation: theory and
praxis” major (lots of job prospects there, Brian?),
to law student at SUNY/Buffalo, to Long Island legal aid attorney, to Japanese HS exchange teacher
(where the career lightbulb flashed), to Columbia
grad student, then back to Japan just in time for
9/11 to seal his decision. Whew! Brian now works
by day as a tenured assistant professor of English
at a Japanese university in the Niigata Prefecture
and by night as a jazz singer in Tokyo and Yokohama. Digging his roots deep in Japan, he and his
Japanese wife are now building a house. So, stop
by anytime for “the best rice and sake in Japan.”
News a little closer to home comes from
newlywed Pam Elkow in Redding, CT. That’s right,
another ’86er has proven love is still out there for
us 40-somethings. To her new household, Pam
brings daughter Hannah and a law career — she
is partner in the environmental practice group
for the Stamford office and member of the managing committee of Robinson & Cole — while
new husband Dan Barrett (Wesleyan ’86) brings
his daughter Madeline and a professorship at
Western CT State U. Thanks for fitting the Scene
into that ridiculously overburdened (but typically
Colgate-ish) schedule, Pam! She still finds time
to maintain at least 1 Colgate connection by
exchanging regular e-mails with Tracy Amabile
Kotheimer, who, with husband Joe and son
Aidan, recently welcomed #2 son Liam to their
Atlanta home.
Despite my reminders that it is not just the
landmarks but rather the news of “ordinary
life” that makes this column, when you reach a
landmark in your life, let us celebrate with you!
So, cake and ice cream go to Eric Kirschner for his
appointment as principal with the Claro Group,
a financial and mgmt consulting firm. Eric works
out of Claro’s Washington, DC, office.
Another ’86er deserving a tip of the virtual
champagne glass is Nels Wangensteen, recently
appointed principal and portfolio manager at
asset mgmt firm Integre Advisors. Nels followed
a model route to success in the finance world:
armed with his Colgate degree and an MBA from
NYU’s Stern School of Business, he worked his
way from VP at the Industrial Bank of Japan,
to portfolio manager at Ingalls & Snyder, then
onto his penultimate position as managing
director and portfolio manager at Neuberger
Berman. That his new boss describes him as a
“top-class investor” is no surprise to those of us
who remember Nels as a top-class partier (after
all, fraternity social director George W did pretty
well for himself…).
My final item arrived from a non-Colgate
source. I received a lovely note from John Manotti,
husband of Lisa Eiseman Manotti, hoping to
surprise his wife with a Scene item. It seems
that while the rest of us were tethered to a desk,
taxiing around children, and washing the dishes,
the laundry, and/or the dog, the Manottis and
a group of lucky friends were on a 9-day Alpine
ski adventure from Chamonix to Zermatt “so
fabulous we are planning a return trip in 2010.”
Aside from making every male ’86er look bad in
the romantic gesture arena, John’s note issues a
particular challenge to Charlie Hamilton that he
“could be the first human to mtn bike the Haute
Route — wanna try, Charlie?”
We have a new Scene format — send in
Colgate regalia photos along with your summer
vacation stories. And remember, if anyone wants
to track down your Colgate circle, I will do the
legwork to create a Scene mini-reunion. Keep
connecting. Thanks for sharing.
Michele: 706-641-6357; [email protected]
19 87
Adam Weiss
Greetings, everyone! If you recall in the last
column, Maggie O’Connor Behrens announced
she was ready to hand over the reins as class
editor. She received so many responses that it
came down to a lottery, and my number came
up! Maggie was kind enough to mention me in
practically every column, so I owe her. I’ll do my
best to live up to her high literary standards, but
keep in mind that I was a math-econ major.
I was saddened to hear that earlier this summer, 2 of our classmates, Cynthia Frazier Bogart
and Carol S. Messing, passed away. My deepest
sympathies go out to their families and friends.
Feel free to send me any memories you have of
them for the next column.
Enjoy the fall, and send me your news!
Adam: [email protected]
19 88
Jack Kearney
Sarah Bowen Shea
2508 NE 24th Ave
Portland, OR 97212-4830
Greetings from Portland. Jack is very busy
with a 25-unit condo listing in Portland. In case
anyone has been living under a rock for the last
year, condos have become increasingly hard to
finance, so Jack’s job will require a little more
creativity. As they say in his former profession,
creative financing leads to creative litigation.
Sarah is getting closer to the release date on her
breast-feeding log (early 2009) and continues
writing for Runner’s World and other publications. She and fellow marathon mom Dimity
McDowell Davis ’94 have been promoted to RW
contributing editors, in part for their efforts with
a feature story on training for a marathon (they
also just re-upped their blog and are pitching
a book deal). Sarah now rows with Elizabeth
Eames ’01, who was an intern for Sarah at lucy.
com during the summer of 2000. Phoebe is now
in 1st grade and enjoying her arts-focus school.
John and Daphne started preschool a few weeks
ago, so everyone is busy. On to the news.
Stephanie Abrutyn, VP and senior counsel,
litigation, at Home Box Office, Inc, was selected
by Jewish Women International as a 2008 Women to Watch award recipient for her exceptional
work in media law. She will be honored at a gala
luncheon and awards ceremony in December.
Stephanie is also chair of the bd of directors of
the Media Law Resource Center Institute, a nonprofit that sponsors First Amendment education
and research nationwide.
Change in Scene(ry): The Scene is now quarterly. For those of you who aren’t into higher
math, it’s 4 issues per year, tracking the seasons.
For Monty Python fans, 3 shall be the number
of months between issues — no more, no less.
What does this mean to any of us? It affords you
2 fewer times a year to blow off writing, calling,
e-mailing, etc.
Sorry, but there is little news. The aforementioned blowing off has brought us to a standstill.
Ted Glenn recently pointed me to the website of
Frank Ruscica ’90 (e-mail me for the link), where
Frank provides a variety of mildly amusing
anecdotes. Other than that, we have some lovely
reunion photos available on the Colgate website
with more to come.
That’s all for now. Until next time, go, ’gate.
Jack and Sarah: 503-288-7874; kearndog1@yahoo.
com; [email protected]
19 89
Brent Goldstein
13709 Lakewood Ct
Rockville, MD 20850-3649
Twentieth Reunion. Block out the dates, make
babysitting arrangements with the in-laws, and
make your travel plans. It’s less than 8 months
away. No excuses. Carver and Craigger, maybe
we’ll find some Thurs night company on Whitnall Field this time around.
The last column was a bit of downer, so let’s
liven up the place. How about we start with
sunny So Cal. Zoe Friedman lives in Venice, CA,
with husband, Steve Peckingham (BU ’92), son
Gibson, 4, and their 160 lb English mastiff. Zoe
works at Comedy Central as VP of orig programming. In that role, she develops shows and
oversees series for the network. Zoe said she feels
grateful to laugh as much as she does in her job.
In Oct, Zoe, Ann Barrett, Robin Greenstein, and
Karen Kelly Wilbur hooked up in Napa to celebrate their 40ths with a weekend of good times
and good excess. Zoe also stays in touch with
Adam Friedman, Heather Hollis, Vance Wilber,
Vin DeCrescenzo, and Andrew Allen.
Eileen Porter checked in with overdue news
of her Sept ’06 marriage to Russ Smith on a
beautiful Berkshire, MA, Indian summer evening
in the garden of the Wheatleigh, a tiny hotel
housed in a Florentine style palazzo built in 1893.
Sorry for the run-on sentence. The wedding was
a 3-day affair with a “Gilded Age” style celebration at their “cottage” in the country! In attendance were Diane Romley-Powis, Bernadette
O’Leary Walsh, and Kathleen Genova, along with
their husbands. Eileen and Russ honeymooned
for 3 weeks in the Seychelles and Morocco before
returning to their home in Manhattan (currently
the W Village). To keep the fun going after the
wedding, in May ’07 Eileen left her in-house
counsel position with Merrill Lynch Priv Equity
to take a p/t business position with the group.
With the extra free time that her new position
affords, Eileen has managed to meet up with
Diane and Bernadette several times. Both are
working p/t and living with their husbands and
children (2 kids each) in Greenwich, CT (Diane),
and Pelham, NY (Bernadette).
Carl Wistreich is the proud new owner of L&B
Truck Services Inc, a 30-year-old truck and parts
sales and service company with 55 employees
and locations in VT and MA. Carl lives in Walpole,
NH, with wife Amy and daughters Brooke, 11,
Becca, 10, and Stephanie, 6.
Finally, a self-described long-lost classmate,
Bruce Silverstein, sent me the following succinct e-mail: “Life is good. Living in NYC, where I
opened a photo gallery in ’01. It has been a wild
ride!”
Please note that the Scene will now come out
quarterly (spring, winter, summer, and fall). I
hated being told that my responsibilities were
being cut by 1/3, but I’ve since gotten over it. I’m
such a team player.
Brent: 240-838-6170; [email protected]
Rob Bennett
promotion have finally paid off for Kevin. Now
that he’s famous, I hope he doesn’t forget about
us, the ones who were there for him back in the
day, back before he found his inner voice. If I
remember correctly, his long road to fortune and
fame began with an ill-fitting gig selling group
insurance, driving from one soulless corp office
complex to another in suburban NJ, a starched
Brooks Brothers collar chafing his neck, choking
back the magical lyrics that would one day fill
the hearts of hundreds of devoted fans. What a
long, strange trip it’s been, indeed. But no one
deserves it more than Kevin, so please join me in
congratulating him on this significant achievement. Way to go, Kev. Keep up the good work.
I also heard from John Fountain, who passed
along lots of news following a visit to campus in
May to attend a retirement party for Matt Leone
(the diving coach at Colgate since our 1st year).
Matt is teaching in the English dept as well as
doing other things for the university. According
to John, “our class was represented with myself
and Greg Lisciandro. Greg and wife Stephanie
live in San Antonio, where they are both vets.
They have 3 children — Noah, 12, Hannah, 10, and
Sarah, 6. Greg still had the moves on the diving
board and put many of the younger alums to
shame. Carol Huggins Chirico ’84 was also there
with her husband and 2 boys. Carol is an atty in
the Boston area and doing very well. I am still
with the Suffolk Cty Police Dept (more than 19
years), currently assigned to the crime scene section (I see dead people). Basically I am a cop with
a camera. I work nights, so I can surf and kiteboard every day. In fact I started a kiteboarding
school on LI and have been incredibly busy with
it. My plan is to retire in about 3 years and teach
kiteboarding during the summer on LI, and teach
in Costa Rica during the winter. We built a house
there overlooking Lake Arenal, awesome wind
during our winter, and we have beautiful views
of the active Arenal Volcano as well as the lake.
My son Gregory starts 10th grade next year, and
my daughter Michelle is going to be a 1st-year at
Marist C on academic and swimming scholarships (she received All-American swimming
honors and finished 18th in her class). My wife
Donna is a systems analyst with Financial Medical Systems. If anyone is in the LI area and wants
to learn the awesome sport of kiteboarding, look
me up. You will not be disappointed.” John closed
his note with some good advice, prompted by the
many things he witnesses in his job: “Spend time
with your kids, leave work early and get to their
events, and take your spouse out to dinner and
spend quality time with them.” Well said.
Ryland Hanstad also checked in, passing
along an update on his life. He is still living in
Holliston, MA, “a lovely, quaint New England
town, with my wife Anne-Louise and 3 daughters — Virginia, 12, Haley, 9, and Mary Grace, 6.
I am blessed with 3 beautiful daughters who
are all very good and busy with school, friends,
and activities. Virginia is a competitive gymnast
who is disciplined, big-hearted, works hard at
everything she does, and very mature for her age.
She recently finished 9th for her age and level in
the MA Gymnastics Champs. Sometimes I worry
about the amount of time this sport takes at a
competitive level. Maybe I should have pressed
harder to make her a tennis star like me! Haley
After prison, transformation
Adam Friedman ’89 is a realist. He knows that not every one of the approximately 300 exinmates who come to the Exodus Transitional Community will change, successfully re-enter
society, and stay out of prison. In fact, studies show that two-thirds of released inmates will
be re-arrested within three years. For Friedman, there’s a lot of room for improvement in that
statistic, and that’s what Exodus is all about.
As the deputy director of Exodus, a nonprofit in East Harlem, N.Y., Friedman helps ex-inmates
set goals, find jobs, and create a stable life, if they want one. The organization, which was the
subject of Hard Road Home, a documentary that aired on PBS last winter, provides substance
abuse and anger management programs as well as employment assistance, and more recently
focuses on documenting statistics about the outcomes of their clients.
“What’s great about Exodus is we’re an experimental re-entry agency,” Friedman said. “We’re
on the front lines testing new things. Our goal is to create an effective re-entry model that can be
replicated nationwide.”
In the United States, where one in 100 adults are incarcerated, it is a model that fulfills a
crucial need. “There are ripples of misery with each person who goes back to prison,” Friedman
said. “Caring about people who have done some awful things is important for a society.”
Friedman admits that even for himself, prisons weren’t something that he spent too much
time thinking about early on. After graduating from Colgate with a math degree, he first worked
as an actuary, then spent years as a successful advertising copywriter. If you’d told him then that
he would be running Exodus now, he would have laughed. “It didn’t come close to occurring to me,”
he said. “I changed.”
Friedman can’t pinpoint the exact time when prisons simply became something he saw as important. “I think the concept of loving your enemy is the way to change the world most profoundly,” Friedman said. “For a true change in our culture, prison is a place to start. In a prison, you have
a lot of control over people’s lives, which you can use for good or ill.” One of his first experiences
was volunteering as a meditation teacher in Manhattan prisons from 1999 to 2006. He joined
Exodus in 2005.
Friedman’s work today is far from the actuarial and advertising worlds. Most of his coworkers are ex-inmates. Even so, Exodus “is not a scary place,” he said. “What I’m scared of is that
employment retention data won’t get put in the database, not that someone is going to hit me
over the head with a brick.”
His job has mostly provided the opportunity to make the difference he had hoped for. He
splits his time between fundraising and program development, but he also works one on one
with clients, which gives him the chance to see their transformation back into everyday society
firsthand. “One guy, a big gangster who did 25 years, came over to our house for Seder,” he said.
“My son invited him to his fourth birthday party. Change is definitely possible.”
That’s the message of Exodus for which Friedman works so hard. “It doesn’t mean people will
change,” he cautioned. “But the fact that someone did horrific stuff doesn’t mean they can’t.”
— Vicki L. Wilson
News and views for the Colgate community
61
1990
Julie O’Leary Muir
48 Barr Farm Rd
Bedford, NH 03110-5221
Road taken
Chris Case ’99
Curator, Bradford Washburn
American Mountaineering
Museum
I graduated with a degree in neuroscience.
I spent two years at the National Institute
of Mental Health (Bethesda, Md.) performing clinical eye-tracking research on
patients with schizophrenia.
Then, my girlfriend at that time was
diagnosed with leukemia. I took time off
to live with and care for her. Ultimately, we
ended up deciding to drive to Alaska from
Connecticut, where I’m from. We ended up
in Colorado, living in a tent for a week.
I next worked at the University of Colorado
Health Sciences Center performing immunohistochemical studies of monkey brain
tissue in a stem-cell treatment model of
Parkinson’s disease.
The short story is that slicing monkey
brains convinced me to pursue my love
of photography. I attended the master’s
program in journalism (with a concentration in documentary photography) at the
University of Texas in Austin.
Afterward, I moved back to Colorado and
worked as a freelance photographer.
Then, I became the creative director of
the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum. This involved a lot of
design and graphic work, photography,
video production, marketing, strategy, and
so on.
Today (8/4/08) is my first day as curator
of the museum — I’ve been promoted. Only
after having studied and worked in the
field of neuroscience could I have turned
out the way I have, with the philosophy I
have, and in the capacity that I now work.
62
scene: Autumn 2008
Well, my dear ’90 friends, I am forced again to
try a comb-over and conceal the major bald spot
that is a dearth of info about our classmates. I
do enjoy the creative writing exercise every few
months for this column, but manipulating your
info is much more fun. I challenge you to zip over
to your computer to send me 1 piece of info about
you and your life. Grammar and spelling will not
be graded. So what do you have to lose?
Lucky for me, our previous class editor
remembers how challenging it can be to face
a deadline with little info. Heidi Bulow Parsont
is a superhero. Lindsay Kate was born May 29,
joining brother Brandon, who Heidi noted, “is a
good-natured boy who is just starting to walk
and keeps us busy chasing him!” Obviously
nothing slows Heidi down because her employer,
McKinley Marketing Partners Inc, has appointed
her to VP of business development for the NE
region. Heidi, I’m tired just thinking about all of
your responsibilities.
Kyle Osborn should be an object lesson for
all of you. I quote, “I have been reading your
column for many months and vowing to write.
I finally got motivated.” That’s right, Kyle. Class,
please take note and follow his lead. He is, quite
obviously, brilliant. Back to Kyle. He is living in
Clifton Park, NY, which is north of Albany near
Saratoga Springs. He is a family physician and
has been married to the lovely Kelly since ’94.
They have 4 kids — Tommy, 11, Randy, 8, Sarah,
7, and Michelle, 5. Kyle wrote, “We are deep into
the kids’ sports — soccer, baseball, softball — and
we ski together all winter.” And rumor has it,
through Kyle, that “a bunch of the Theta Chis and
their families are getting together for a weekend
in W MD to celebrate everyone turning 40. I will
update you after that weekend.” I’m counting on
it, Kyle.
Finally, since there is no more submitted info
to stretch out, I will tell my own tale of 40th
celebrations: 40 and Fabulous Deirdre Ryan
and husband Warren hosted the greatest party
in honor of Deirdre’s milestone bday in June,
complete with an awesome band that covered
the decades of our lives thus far (’60s, ’70s, ’80s …
you get the picture). For each decade there were
great themed props, too — totally Deirdre. My
husband Gavin and I made the trip and toted
Chip Cushman ’89, abandoned by his gambling
wife, along with us. Other ’90 guests included a
glowing Christina Lyndrup Farrell and husband
Timmy, Shep ’89 and Jennifer Zachar Boone,
Tim ’89 and Laurie Broad Grenier, Alastair and
Jeanine Rossi Borthwick, Dr Kristin Smith with
husband Harry, Bill ’89 and Dana Lee Gould,
Eric and Nancy Epstein Schnure, and the ever
hilarious Jen Ingle and husband Cos. I have such
wonderfully incriminating photos of so many
Colgate guests. Who knew that Bill Gould in
a blond wig could be so freakishly beautiful?
Who would have guessed that so many of the
husbands, dressed in Village People garb, would
be so eerily similar to their famous counterparts?
Who would have predicted Shep would fall into
a tub and be lifted quickly out by the big paws of
my husband? Who knew that shiny fringe vests
would look good on everyone? I guess when one
turns 40, all caution is thrown to the wind.
But enough about all of you. Let’s talk about
me. I’m in the last 2 weeks of training before
my 2nd go at a triathlon. I’m excited, exhausted,
and have discovered that I am a very cheap date,
alcoholwise. In other news, I’m back to work this
fall — that’s right, I’m teaching 4th graders in
Manchester, NH, this school year. Yep. Shaping young minds. It’s completely terrifying, an
awesome responsibility, and I marvel that they
trust me to do so. Obviously they don’t read this
column with any regularity.
Well, classmates, I hope the comb-over wasn’t
too sparse, and that the bald, shiny head didn’t
show through too much. I invite you to shoot me
an e-mail at your leisure (preferably before my
next deadline), so you can save yourself and the
greater good from one more update on my circle
of friends. Come on, reach out. I’ll be waiting.
Julie: 603-488-5454; [email protected]
1991
Kathryn Dillon Marcotte
45 Ridgewood Lane
Wakefield, RI 02879
At first it was a little intimidating to take on the
class editor role, but I am starting to really enjoy
it. In my current position as mom extraordinaire,
aka indentured servant, I look forward to hearing
from our classmates and learning about all of the
amazing paths we have taken. Please take the
time to let us all know what you have been up to.
I was pleased to hear from Alida Anderson.
She is a 3rd-year asst prof of developmental
psych/special education at Widener U. She is
living just outside of Philly, after having finished
her PhD at the U of MD, College Park in special
education/human development. Now she is
doing research on bilingual language/literacy
development and literate language in preschoolage children with language impairments. She
also tied the knot with Lenny in 2006. If all that
were not enough, Alida and her husband have
an art gallery and have been showing at art fairs
in NYC and Santa Fe. Keep your eye out for them
or find them on the web. Their collections are
fabulous!
I found that Jamie and Liana Firestone ’97
Lane are living close by, having just moved out
of Boston and into what he terms the suburbs
in Wellesley. Jamie spends his days at William
Blair, the Chicago-based investment bank where
he has spent more than 8 years now. Where
does the time go? Jamie and Liana have 2 girls —
Taryn, 4, and Bryce, 1.5 — and as Jamie says, his
having daughters is the ultimate proof of karma.
He thinks his fraternity brothers would all agree.
Congrats are in order for Gus Coldebella. In
addition to keeping the world safe, he tied the
knot on April 26 in DC with Heather Ferguson
(Colby ’92). Unsurprisingly, there were a few
Colgate folks in the crowd, including Nancy and
Andrew Antrobus ’94, Mia and Andrew Busser,
Maria and Rob Fawcett, Stephanie and Bill
Gellman ’95, Sue and Jack Howland ’93, Marcia
and Derrick Irwin ’93, Ed Jasaitis ’93, Ned Keliher
’95, Alex and Meredith Angert ’94 Kenna, Travis
Leach ’94, Dave and Darcie Leach ’98 Loveless,
Paul Lobo ’89 and Kinga Krisko, Stephanie and
Jon Plexico, Peg and Price Roe ’93, Kevin Ross
’94, and Heather and Craig Shupenko ’96. Gus
said we should get the wedding skinny from
some of the attendees because the day blurs
when you are on center stage. Gus also had his
confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Gus for pres! That is, of course, a bipartisan plug.
Recently back from a research leave in Lugano,
the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, Chris
Zobel, wife Melody, and 5-year-old son Joey
touched base. Chris has been at VA Tech for
10 years now and was able to take the spring
semester off from teaching but is pleased to be
back home. He keeps in touch with Ron Schott,
who is teaching geology at Fort Hays State U
in KS. Ron is working on some great stuff with
technology and education.
I also heard from Bruce Ferguson, who moved
back home to Darien, CT, in 1997. Bruce and wife
Pam have 4 children: a girl and 3 boys, who are
9, 7, 3, and 2. We traded ski stories because they
ski as a family at Sunapee, NH. Bruce keeps in
touch with Stuart Foster ’92 and they were on
their way to a member/guest golf tourney. Bruce
has worked in software since 1993 but started
his own software business in 2003 that created
regulatory compliance software for insurance
companies. He has enjoyed the challenges along
the way. He also sees Scott Ackerman, who lives
in Rye, NY, several times a year. Their better
halves went to school together and are friends.
It seems that Scott organizes a golf trip each
spring, which lets the likes of Craig Dauer, Fran
Santangelo, Josh Weil, Dave Gould, Steve ‘Duts’
Simmons, Gary Opin, Ed Doodian ’92, and Rich
Harrington ’94 catch up. His telling me that life is
both good and busy is an understatement to say
the least.
Please keep the updates coming. Until next
time, enjoy!
Kathy: 401-783-3897; [email protected]
19 9 2
Crissy Singer Shropshire
66 Indian Hill Rd
Mt. Kisco, NY 10549-3827
This fall marks the 20-year anniversary of our arrival at Colgate as 1st-years. Little did I know then
that my placement in the Cutten Complex would
in large part shape my social circle for the next 4
years and beyond. And so I dedicate this column
to my fellow Brigham residents, some I have lost
touch with, some are still my best friends, but all
helped make for one awesome and memorable
introduction to collegiate life. For that I say
thanks to: Mishka Kohli Cira, Ana Bazan, Lucille
Rigor, Rutger-Jan Devink, Steve Burnett, Cub
Schuller, Rick Krichbaum ’91, Amy Forsythe,
Janine Yagielski, Trisha Humboldt Lewis, Laura
Trickett, Sharon Feeney, Michelle Fragola Hoffman, Brian ‘Piper’ Davis, JJ Dabney, and George
Delaney (with apologies to those I may have inadvertently left out — and, of course, my friends
from Read). Wherever you are, whatever you’re
doing, I hope it’s not what we did 1st-year fall.
Good news from Cat Hoffmann Osborne. On
March 26, Cat and her husband of 9 years, Alan,
welcomed their 3rd child, Henry Hayes. He joins
William, 7, and Grace, 2. The Osbornes live in NYC,
where Cat is happy to remain a stay-at-home
mom for a few more years.
Elizabeth Sherwood Krol, PG, is a mover and a
shaker. She was recently nominated and selected
as top performer at Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, where she is responsible for mgmt and
growth of their NE Due Diligence prog for commercial transactions supporting real estate, legal,
and financial service companies nationwide. She
was also nominated and selected for a 3-year
position on the steering committee (12-member
bd of directors) of New England Women in Real
Estate. And on the personal front, Elizabeth’s
family is thriving as well. Her husband Mike was
tenured and received early promotion to assoc
prof (geology) 2 years ago and is now the chair
of the earth sciences dept at Bridgewater State
C. Mike coaches their son’s soccer team. Michael
is 7 and just finished 1st grade. In addition to
playing soccer, he is learning Chinese and can
draw and reenact Homer’s Odyssey, so he’s ready
for genl education! Daughter Lily is a ballerina
and at 3 is certain that she can do anything that
her brother can, so they often find her swinging
a pirate sword with him, solving puzzles, or
reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear. All this activity
leaves little time for socializing outside of their
neighborhood in Acton, MA, but Cat, Vanessa
Ioppolo, and Elizabeth exchange a lot of e-mails
and a few phone calls when they can!
On one last personal note (because with
the exception of the 2 lovely ladies mentioned
above, no one else wants to write to me), this
Sept marked my 5-year anniversary as your
class editor. (Happy anniversary to me, happy
anniversary to me…) As of late, the column is
getting a mite thin. I vow to continue on as long
as my tenure is of service to the class. If this becomes too much of the “Crissy Show” (not to be
confused with Chrissy Snow), I may re-evaluate
my role here to see if someone else may be able
to infuse some new blood into the column. Let’s
just see what the upcoming months and the new
mag bring. Until then… Happy Anniversary, all!
Crissy: 914-864-1387; [email protected]
19 9 3
Kaori Nakamura DiChiara
61 Mustato Road
Katonah, NY 10536-3725
Well, I stopped banging my head against the
wall — the lease on my CRV lasted from Labor
Day to Memorial Day. Knowing that my car
would sell in seconds, the Honda people worked
a deal with me and I am now driving a Pilot
(again). So, I will do my part for the environment by carpooling more (which is inevitable at
this stage in my life) and trying to drive less …
and slower. For someone who’s had a lead foot
since getting her license (Joe Raymond has fond
memories of me 2-wheeling my Isuzu Trooper
back in the day), I am now driving like a grandma
around town and setting cruise control to 60
mph when on the interstate in order to save on
gas!
There is a variety of news to report on classmates — including info that left my brain during
late nights at reunion, so here goes: As mentioned in the previous issue, Scott Barger left
Japan and now resides in London. He continues
to work for a venture company called Sentient
Health that he helped start with Jim Kelly ’86 in
2002. They develop software called MedTrac that
manages and drives efficiencies into the medsurg supply chain of hospitals, distributors, and
manufacturers. Scott moved to London to support ongoing projects and business development
with one of their biggest customers, the NHSSC
and DHL. On a side note, I was one of the few
who saw Scott’s debut work as a videographer.
Sadly, he is taking a break from this pastime.
Andy Sweet, who also lives in London —
South Kensington (aka the American and French
ghetto) to be exact — e-mailed me details of his
family. His wife Alexis is a psychologist and they
are happily (and busily) raising their 2 children,
Madeleine, 3, and Nathaniel, 1. Although they
miss the US, they have been taking advantage
of being in easy distance to Europe, with lots
of weekend trips to France, Italy, etc. Originally
a Sun Valley native, Andy has also brought his
family to his hometown for vacations recently.
He keeps in touch with Matt Boland, whom
he reported as having moved from Austria to
Panama for the State Dept. Matt, shoot me an
e-mail — I would love to catch up with you!
A very loud congrats is due to Dr Corey Fenstemacher, who received her PhD on May 21. I
wanted to celebrate with her when I made a trip
into NYC earlier in the summer, but unfortunately, she was away. After 5 years of working on
her dissertation, I say she deserves to celebrate
this entire year! Hopefully we can coordinate a
group gathering and meet up before the end of
the summer.
Steve Cho e-mailed an update and provided
one of the few acceptable excuses for missing
reunion: he celebrated his 10th anniversary. He
and his wife have 2 boys (7 and 9) and have been
residing in Rye, NY, since 2000. The Cho family
lived in London prior to moving back to the US.
Steve has been with Goldman Sachs for 12 years,
working in currency trading.
Travis Reed rejoined the corporate world
as the genl mgr of N America for a software
company called Zeus Tech. He explained that
they manage the traffic that zips around the
Interweb. His offer to be a personal tour guide to
the Bay area was so gracious that Sally Burnett,
Kim Russo Rutenberg, Kat Griffin McCleland,
and I are seriously considering our roommate
reunion to take place in SF vs Portland, OR — as
long as he can handle us, we may be knocking
on his door!
Thanks to Facebook (FB), I recently reconnected with 2 friends whom I have not seen or
heard from for a very long time. Sarah Collum
Hatfield lives with husband Charlie on a small
farm in Lambertville, NJ. They have 2 Scottish
Highland cattle (1 is named Matilda), rescue
horses, dogs, barn cats, and “lots of wildlife.” My
question is, how big is this “small farm”?! If you
become her FB friend, you will see a picture of
Matilda! It was wonderful reconnecting with
Averill Williams Meismer, who is living in CO.
She and husband Matt are proud parents of
daughter Elisabeth, 16 months. Averill is an RN
at U of CO Hospital on the genl surgery floor,
so she sees Jon Schoen, MD, on a regular basis.
It wasn’t until after she read the Scene column
that mentioned Jon and his friends that she
realized that they went to college together!
Amy Satin Spinelli e-mailed me after her
move to Singapore. Her husband is doing some
work in Asia, so they decided to move the entire
clan out of NJ for the summer. Based on the
pictures I’ve seen, they all look pretty happy in
their new (temp?) home!
Dan Carsen, Scott Lisson, and Jason Woodworth have all moved to new homes as well.
Dan is still in Birmingham, AL, but the Carsens
now own a house with a backyard, which Dan
referred to as the “best feature,” since it has
minimized trips to the park to entertain daughter Lucine, 2. The Lisson family moved to Rocky
Mt, NC, at the end of May. After enjoying the
month of June off with his family — with full
pay courtesy of the US Navy (well-deserved!) —
Scott joined a urology group and started his new
job in July. After 3 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,
I learned — via a forwarded e-mail — that Jason
has taken a position with the US Marine Corps
in Germany. It sounded like he and wife Renee,
along with their 2 children, Jake and Lily (based
on the car seat reference in the e-mail, I’m
assuming they are both under the age of 7), traveled around the US before settling in Germany.
Scott and Jason — thank you for selflessly serving our country!
There are 3 baby births I couldn’t properly
announce in the last column because I did not
have enough info. Nina (OH Wesleyan ’94) and
Jeff Clarke are parents to Charlie, born May 7.
Elise (Ithaca ’96) and Eric Nagelberg became
parents to Elle in June. And, last but not least,
Wendy (Gettysburg ’93) and Steve Kuppenheimer welcomed 3rd son Paul in Feb, who joins
brothers Jack, 5, and Will, 3.
Lucky for me, I attended 2 very enjoyable
gatherings with Colgate friends earlier in the
summer. In late June, Crissy Singer Shropshire
’92, Carrie Webster Byrne ’92, and I got together
at Web’s place with kids in tow. It was just as
much fun for the moms as it was for the kids. We
swapped reunion stories and laughed … a lot. The
next play date is at my house, but it will be hard
to follow Web’s as she had a giant bouncy house,
a huge swing set, and an awesome babysitter
who did face painting. I’m going to need to be
creative! In mid-July, I met Dan Glusker, Artie
Roulac, and Eric Scuderi for cocktails in NYC.
Steve Kuppenheimer stopped by (the 1st bar we
attended) and had a drink with us before heading home to NJ. Needless to say, it was 6 hours
of fun. Thanks to Glusker’s wife Bethany, who
kindly researched our train schedules at 12:30
am, Dan and I miraculously made it to our trains
on time!
I will end the column by sharing with you an
e-mail I received from Dan Rhynhart. He wanted
to share his summary of the Class of ’93 15-year
Reunion weekend for the previous issue, but I
received his e-mail after the deadline. It made
me laugh out loud and I hope it does the same
for you. “After overcoming the shocking absence
of a DJ in our tent on Fri night, the Great Class of
’93 saved its strength for Sat night and absolutely
rocked out. We were the last tent still going on
Whitnall long after every other tent shut off
the lights and packed it in. The 5- and 10-year
Reunion classes quietly slunk back to their dorms
or dejectedly headed to NY Pizzeria while the
15-year class — traditionally the poorest attending reunion class — only got stronger as the
night grew longer; refusing to leave, feeling the
love, and lining up to bribe the DJ at 1:30 am to
keep the music going for another hour (although
15 minutes later he called it quits, apparently on
the assumption that we were so inebriated we
could not tell time). The 4’ x 4’ ‘dance floor,’ which
appeared to be a wooden pallet from Byrne Dairy
held together by duct tape, turned out to be a
stroke of genius by our alma mater, as it forced
everyone to get to know each other better than
they ever wanted while gyrating to the timeless
melodies of Rob Base and Sir Mix a Lot.”
Hope you had a wonderful summer, and I look
forward to hearing from you!
Kaori: 914-232-0549; [email protected]
1 994
Allison Good
#8
319 West 88th Street
New York, NY 10024-2271
Summer is in full swing as I write this and lots of
new voices have chimed in with great news. One
thing I have to tell you is, everyone you know is
on Facebook and we are all talking about you.
Seriously though, it’s such a fun and easy way to
keep in touch (and send in updates for the Scene).
There’s so much going on that even the Scene
has news; you now only have 4 opportunities
each year to update on the latest and greatest
in your life. Send me your updates on e-mail or
Facebook, and if you get really ambitious, give
me a call!
My anonymous Hollywood correspondent
wrote in with the fantastic news that Gillian Vig-
man married David Gibbs on June 22. Given that
anonymous was male, there was no color commentary on the day, but given the fact Gillian is
one of the most beautiful people we know inside
and out, let’s just say the day was gorgeous, the
bride stunning, the groom over the moon, the
party fun, and the cake delicious. Can we all
agree on that? In other Gillian news, she appears
in the latest Will Ferrell movie Stepbrothers, so be
sure to check it out.
Shannon Rohrer-Phillips wrote in with tons
of news. Most importantly (I kid), she joined Facebook (and the 21st century), so make her your
friend as soon as possible. Shannon, husband
Neil, and their 2 little boys — Reece, 3, and Blair, 4
months, spent the summer being beach bums at
their casita on Longboat Key, FL. Neil is the upper
school headmaster at a private school in Bethesda, MD, so they get long summer vacations after
running in the DC rat race during the school year.
Shannon is home with the kids and very active
on the Pediatric Advisory Board at Georgetown
Hospital, where she was a social worker. She is
also a La Leche League leader and continues to
celebrate female power, “the boob,” and obviously continues to be hilarious. There have been
some rumblings about a Colgate reunion in the
Windy City in fall 2008 coordinated by Caroline
Devlin and Shannon hopes to make it!
The most precious family ever just got a bit
bigger and even more adorable. Robyn Wilkinson
Linde, husband Steve, and daughter Ada welcomed the newest Linde, Owen Thomas, on
June 19 at 1:10 am. Everyone is settling in at
home in SF.
Christof Laputka is still living in NY, working
in finance. Last summer, after a mild “correction,”
his firm, Dillon Read, shut its doors, leaving him
with 6 months to do the Christof World Tour
before returning to NYC and back to the uplifting world of real estate finance. He still travels
to go paragliding and scuba diving in his spare
time. But what he’s really excited about is a new
sci-fi podcast he launched called “The Leviathan
Chronicles” based on a story he wrote. It features
40 actors, great special effects, and music in the
format of the radio dramas of the 1940s but with
a modern, edgy feel. A new episode is released
every 10 days, so go online and see what Christof
has been up to!
As no Scene update would be complete
without news of Jamie Foley, cue the Superman
intro “it’s a bird, it’s a plane…” No, it’s just Jamie
flying the friendly skies, seriously. Anyone in the
greater NJ/tri-state area be warned and heads
up, Jamie is taking flying lessons to obtain his
pilot’s license. Giddy up!
Allison: 212-875-0751; [email protected]
1 995
David A Schreiber
2456 North Surrey Ct
Chicago, IL 60614-2115
Happy autumn! By now you have likely noticed
a few changes to Colgate’s alumni publication.
While enjoying the newly redesigned Scene,
please note that while the class news section will
continue to anchor the publication, the magazine
will be published quarterly vs the current
bimonthly schedule. OK, that’s my public service
announcement for this column… So without
“Chuck’s [Charles Lanigan ’49] Colgate roots are as deep as those of the oldest trees on campus, which were
planted by his grandfather [and great-uncle] — both immigrants from Ireland.” — David Davies ’49
News and views for the Colgate community
63
further ado, here is the latest news on our fellow
classmates, which, first off, I guess is me.
I rarely take the opportunity to include news
about myself — seems too self-promotional —
but I do have some significant and celebratory
news to share for a change. I am very happy to
announce that Jennifer Armstrong and I were
engaged over Memorial Day weekend and are
planning an outdoor wedding next July on Chicago’s North Shore. Meanwhile, we will also be
closing on a new construction home in Chicago’s
Lincoln Park neighborhood, so stay tuned for a
new mailing address in the next column, specifically for those few of you who still practice the
lost art of letter writing. It’s been a very exciting
year for us with more fun to follow in 2009. We
will keep you posted.
Jen and I also made our annual trip to spend
July 4th weekend with Adam Graev and Stacy De
Garo and the Miller family (Tim Miller, wife Nadine, and beautiful daughter Charlotte, 7 months)
at Adam’s summer home in Southampton, NY.
The weather was unfortunately disastrous — not
one beach excursion over 4 full days — but, as
usual, we enjoyed an extended weekend of great
company and fun times.
Russell (UCLA) and Karen Bloch Morse
welcomed daughter Madelyn Rose into their
family on July 16. Karen deserves major kudos for
laboring 20+ hours without medication. She ultimately delivered an adorable baby girl with a full
head of beautiful brown hair. The happy couple
continues to live in Los Angeles, where Karen is
a screenwriter and Russell is an associate at Truman & Elliott, a land use and environmental law
firm.
Kevin Krasinski sent word that he wrapped
up an orthopedic sports medicine fellowship at
Duke, where he enjoyed a great year. He had the
opportunity to work as an asst team physician for the Duke men’s basketball and football
teams and commented that it was an amazing
experience having the opportunity to work with
Coach K and traveling across the country with
the teams to their games. Kevin and wife Lisa
Kehley Krasinski enjoyed life in NC, but moved
back to Boston in Aug with their 2 children —
Ryan, 4, and Hannah, 2 — where Kevin joins the
orthopedic surgery dept at St. Elizabeth’s Medical
Ctr, as well as the Boston College sports medicine
staff as one of their team physicians.
Lori and Tyler Smith welcomed daughter
Sidney Jane into their family on Feb 28. She joins
sister Harper. The Smith family is enjoying life
in Denver, where they see a lot of Julian ’93 and
Jenny Heltzel Farrior, who live in Boulder. Their
daughter Marley and Harper have become good
friends and have a great time playing with each
other.
Ian Mahaney sent word from Portland, OR,
where he runs Lucky Crow Gift Bags, a company
(which he purchased in 2007) that manufactures
and markets reusable cloth gift bags, and recently introduced a new line of wine bags made
from organic cotton. The company donates 1% of
all sales to an environmental org. In other news, Jenn Moore and fiancé Troy
Hermansky welcomed son Jude Dorgan into
their Sunderland, VT, family on Jan 13. Todd and
Amy Joyce Hughes welcomed son Jack William
into their family on April 5. Cherish and Fred
Schroeder welcomed daughter Keira Noelle into
their family on June 2. She joins brother Byron at
the family’s happy Portland, OR, home.
That’s a wrap. Congrats to all! Please take care
and stay well.
David: 773-281-8152;
[email protected]
64
scene: Autumn 2008
1996
Kelly Connolly
12701 Found Stone Road, #303
Germantown, MD 20876-6932
Hi, guys. OK, so I didn’t get a whole slew of summer vacation essays this time around, but as
I’m writing it’s only mid-July so I suspect (ahem,
anticipate) much more to come before the
next deadline. The next issue is winter, so start
spreadin’ the news — jog any of your memories?
— and you can be a part of it. (Enough cheesy
Sinatra references for one column?)
Amanda Peel Crowley and husband Todd welcomed baby Sam into the world on April 20. I’m
sure he inherited his mom’s tremendous smile!
Sam joins Will, 21 months. The happy family currently lives in Brooklyn. Rose Stanzione sent a very newsy e-mail.
Rose has been living and working in NYC since
graduation, and is currently mgr of legal recruiting at Debevoise & Plimpton. She sees several
Colgate alums there, including Allison Roarty ’92
and Matt Kaplan ’93. In even more exciting news,
Rose married Vincent Milano (Hartford ’97) last
year. Rose also attended Dr Sharmeela Kuperan’s
wedding to Dr Todd Templeman last summer
at Niagara on the Lake. Congrats to the happy
couples! Zed Adams wrote that he just completed his
PhD in philosophy at the U of Chicago and has
taken a job as a tenure-track prof at the New
School in Manhattan.
Dan and Lisha Chase Guadiano welcomed
a baby girl, Maya Emi, on April 18. Maya joins
brother, Noah, 2, and the happy family is busy
but enjoying themselves immensely.
OK, peeps, that’s it. Hope you all have a great
fall! If anyone made it to homecoming, be sure to
drop me a line with the latest.
Kelly: 240-686-1538; [email protected]
1997
Amy McKnight Fazen
330 Dartmouth Street
Boston, MA 02116
Hi, everyone. Happy fall! Plenty of news to
report…
Alicia Fishman Volovick wrote, “On April 16
my husband David and I welcomed our first,
Sophie Isabella. She weighed 7 lbs, 10 oz and is
doing wonderfully. Dave and I are thrilled (as
well as completely sleep deprived!).”
Thorne Perkin wrote, “I’m engaged to Tatiana
Papanicolaou (Harvard ’98) and will marry in
Oct! Beyond that big news, all goes very well in
busy NYC, where I’ve been since Colgate and still
see many fellow alums.”
Tara Shedlosky wrote, “my husband Todd
Williams ’96 and I just welcomed a new baby
boy, Oliver Stanley, to our family, joining Wyatt,
2, on May 11. This spring we visited Ryan ’96
and Catherine Wendell ’96 Hoffman and their
2 beautiful girls in Boston for a lively evening
of ball throwing and bike riding. We also were
able to squeeze in a visit with Brian and Carolyn
Lucia Plosky and had loads of fun playing with
their son Kyle and his awesome train set. We are
enjoying parenthood and all the toys we get to
play with, again.”
Autumn McKenzie wrote, “I am now Mrs
Jackson. I got married May 4 to Antonio Jackson
in the Duke Gardens of Durham, NC. Of course,
we had a wonderful time and the weather was
gorgeous. We celebrated with several alumni,
including Thandi Dowridge, Karen Granville, Tara
Lyons ’99, Jill Allen Murray ’98, and Courtney
and Matt Silberman. Tory Rodger Palecek was in
the bridal party and attended with new husband
Jon. We are living in the Windy City.”
Heather McClendon Sinclair wrote, “Skip ’98
and I welcomed our daughter, Grace Elizabeth,
to the world on June 11. We came home on June
13, Colgate Day, with Grace in her new Colgate
tee and hat! I am happy to have the summer off
from my position as the pastor of the 1st United
Methodist Church of Shelton, CT, as we attempt
to get into a schedule with Grace. Ten days
after Grace’s arrival, we were able to attend the
wedding of Amy Allocco and Brian Pennington
in Rye, NY. It was a beautiful day, ceremony, and
celebration. Amy and Brian are honeymooning
in India, then returning to their newly renovated
home in TN.”
Tara Perna Buggie wrote: “I (my parents, bro,
Bill, and Lulu went, too) was just up at Colgate
for the wedding of Brittany Trevenen ’00. She
married Michael O’Neill ’00, brother of Katie
O’Neill Burgener. Katie’s husband, Phil Burgener,
was also there. Both Brittany’s and Michael’s
fathers went to Colgate, so many alums were
in attendance. It was unbelievably hot but they
pulled it off without a hitch of any kind. It was
an absolutely gorgeous night under a tent on
campus. Katie and I agreed we’d never been to a
Colgate wedding held at the school — and it was
awesome. Brit made a gorgeous bride and it was
a beautiful ceremony in the chapel. Such a fun
reception — dancing, Brit (a former Swinging
’Gate) got up on stage and sang with an awesome band.”
Congrats to all. For all you married gals who
have changed your names, please be sure to
include your maiden name when writing in.
Thanks to all who sent in info — keep it coming!
Amy: [email protected]
1998
Carmella Alvaro
2517 S Walter Reed Drive, #A
Arlington, VA 22206-1212
It was great seeing everyone at reunion in May.
Lots of fun to get caught up, hear all the adventures, and see the babies after 10 years. I am not
going to give a play by play because I have a
bad memory brought on by too many visits to
the Jug and too many slices. But I will give out
2 awards. The first goes to Aaron Pattillo, who
traveled the farthest distance to attend reunion
— all the way from China. And 2nd, the Coolest
Mom Award goes to Abby Russin Barr, who had
baby Theo in tow all weekend and showed him
the finer points of Colgate nightlife, although I
think he was asleep for most of it. Thanks to all
who gave generously to Colgate and helped us
surpass our class-giving goals and continue to
be the biggest and best class that ever attended
Colgate.
Here goes: Noah Wintroub wrote, “On June 28,
Mark Hayes married Alicia Seiger (Duke ’96) in
Nantucket on a glorious afternoon. In attendance
were Chris Pingpank, Evan Mizrachy, Matt and
Allison Gleason Besch, and Carey (NW ’95) and
Noah Wintroub.”
Erin Schlag reported happy news: “Xavier
Estrada and I had our 1st child, Elena Beatriz, on
May 24. A wonderful birth, but poorly timed for
our 10-year reunion. We were sorry to miss it
(but somehow the birth of our daughter made
up for it). We are living in Swarthmore, PA, where
I work in the bio dept at the college and Xavier
commutes to Princeton, NJ, where he is working
for SES in a business leadership training prog.”
Emily Johnson-Newhouse sent an update: “Ed
(Williams ’93) and Betsy Doepke McDermott
celebrated the 4th of July watching their home-
made fireworks — identical twin girls Ann Lucile
and Jane Margaret were born on Fri, June 13 (yes,
that was natl Colgate Spirit Day!).”
Skip Sinclair reported “Heather McClendon
’97 and I missed reunion this year as we were
in the final countdown to the birth of our 1st
daughter, Grace Elizabeth. Grace arrived on June
11 and we’re learning new parent tricks each
day! I entered my 3rd year at Quinnipiac Law this
fall. We’re living in Shelton, CT, near Bridgeport.
I sing regularly with some other Thirteen alums
in Fairfield Cty (we’re still working on recruiting
Mike Bouteneff) and we sang the natl anthem
at Shea on July 23. I’m sure reunion was fun
and am looking forward to the stories from our
classmates.”
From Ben Mailloux: “My family and I relocated to Rochester, NY, in July. We will be here for
a year while I do an extra year of post-residency
fellowship in obstetrics to go along with my family practice training. I was sorry to not make it
to reunion this year, but I am now close enough
to visit ’Gate whenever the mood strikes. I have
already met up with Stacey Davis ’97 and I hope
to find more alums while I am here. If you are in
the area, drop me a line.”
Angela Chongris wrote: “I still live in NH,
working as an ER nurse at the Portsmouth Hospital. I still have Rosie, my black lab. There were lots
of inquiries about her at reunion. She has a new
little brother, 2, named Wally ‘the green monster’
go sox. Wally was one of the ever-present black
labs at reunion. At work I recently met Dr Robert
Helm ’85 and his young daughter Daisy (future
Colgater). Bob is a cardiothoracic surgeon at the
Portsmouth Hospital. We pass in the hallways
from time to time and exchange our recent
Colgate-related travels. While prepping for a
Red Sox game, I ran into Emily Wilkoff ’95 at
Boston Beer Works. It took us about 3 seconds
and 2 questions to figure out Colgate women’s
ice hockey was why and how we knew each
other. Cara Mastropietro Dowden, husband Bill
(UVM), and son Jackson have moved from GA to
NJ. Although they did not make it to reunion, it’s
great to have them a little closer to New England
again. Michael and Amy Zarych Elliott are still
down in the DC area with their 2 kids and they
didn’t show at reunion either! Michele Roulliard
Ballard is my hero: she came to reunion 6 or 7
months pregnant and we camped out at the
Lebanon reservoir. RoseMary ‘Peanut-Buttah’
Cortes was also at reunion. She is living in NYC
and enjoying life. Rosie, anytime you want a little
taste of laid-back country life, you just let me
know. We’ll get you off those city rooftops. Erik
‘Bird’ Newman and his wife live in the Concord,
NH, area along with Tim and Jaime Caryl-Klika
and Scott Bohan and his wife. There was a lot
of talk at reunion about getting a group of NH
grads together for a little Colgate gathering … I’m
working on it.”
Dr Samantha Jackson wrote, “I really enjoyed
reunion and seeing everyone again. I especially
enjoyed seeing the new boathouse and listening
to the talk by Bob Woodruff ’83, as well as returning to the Jug and Slices. The slices are still just as
good as they always were! All is well in Atlanta.
My husband and I have been here for almost a
year now. I am a pediatric doc and Adam works
as an atty for the EPA. We don’t have any children
yet, but hope to start a family soon. I recently got
back from Malawi, where I worked in a hospital
for a month. I also went to Rwanda and it was
very interesting to see the country 15 years after
the genocide. I hope to work in Africa when I
am done with my residency. Anyone else? Get in
touch!”
Nathan Stock reported, “I’ve been living in
Kabul for about 2 years now. I work for a US
nonprofit called Counterpart Internatl. We’re
implementing a project funded by the US
Agency for Internatl Development strengthening
Afghan civil society. It looks like I’ll be here until
the end of Sept, after which I hope to move back
to the States.”
Kate Mulligan Marshall wrote, “I wanted to
share that Ashley Godell and husband Tim Kowalcyk (Penn State ’99), who were married in April
2006, welcomed their 1st baby, Eric Barker, on
Nov 1, 2007. He is an adorable, happy, and healthy
little boy. Eric made his 1st trip up to Colgate for
reunion in May!”
From Abby Russin Barr, “The newest addition
to our family, Theo James, arrived April 23. He
was a whopping 9 lbs, 9 oz and 21.5” long and is
still growing like a weed. Big brother Jack, 3, absolutely loves Theo. We are completely enjoying
our 2 little boys. My husband Jimmy and I moved
from Albany back to my hometown of Dallas, PA,
at the end of May. As far as job news, I accepted
a position at the Wilkes-Barre VA hospital as a
clinical psychologist on their inpatient unit and
started in Aug. Jimmy graduated from law school
in May and will be working with a small law
firm in Wilkes-Barre, PA.”
Alissa Behrstock Shulkin reported, “I was
at reunion and spent time with Alexa Hatton,
Christine Malecka, and Mark ’97 and Rachel
Reiss Buckley. I was in SF a few weeks ago for
Alexa’s bachelorette party along with Tiffany
DeFrance and Maureen Boland. We had a great
time going to a spa and then dancing later that
night. While I was in CO over July 4, I got a quick
visit from Debbie Chase, who is working at the
Rocky Mtn School in Carbondale for a few weeks.
She teaches (and of course coaches tennis) at
Andover during the school year.”
Chandra Dow Anderson announced happy
news: “Just had a baby boy! Liam McRee, born
March 18. We had an exciting home birth with 2
incredible midwives, and McRee actually caught
our son as he was born. Liam literally came into
the world with a bang, as he was born during a
very intense 7” rainstorm event. He was 7 lbs and
20” long and absolutely perfect! Still working
from home for the Nature Conservancy, which is
an ideal situation considering our remote location and it enables me to be with Liam f/t.”
Jessie Jacquet Adams reported, “Simon ’99
and I welcomed our 2nd son, Oliver, on May 5.
He joined brother Peter, who turned 2 in May.
We live in Wilton, CT. We recently celebrated
the marriage of Thomas Milsom to Hannelore
Williams, along with Chris and Susannah Tripi
Torpey and Olivia Jacquet ’01.”
Dr Jeff Holmes was married to Ann Evans
(Xavier ’96) on Sept 22, 2007. He is an Air Care
Flight physician at U Cinci.
Bryan Carnahan went to reunion in May, saw
a bunch of people from several different years,
and had a lovely time. He also went skiing at
Termas de Chillan, Chile, in Aug. At the time
of writing this he did not know which Colgate
people he would see there.
Jason Cole has been named to the bd of
trustees of the Manchester Historic Assoc. Bd
members serve on a volunteer basis to help the
Manchester Historic Assoc achieve its goal of
preserving the rich history and tradition of Manchester, NH. Jason has been an associate with
Devine Millimet since 2006 and is concentrating his practice in corp, tax, transactional, and
nonprofit law.
Katja Liedtke wrote in her 1st ever update, “I
married Matthew Brinck (SF State ’97) on Sept
29, 2007, in Healdsburg, CA, at a beautiful villa
on top of a mtn. The rehearsal dinner was held
at the groom’s family’s house in Healdsburg. The
late-Sept wine-country wedding was gorgeous,
and well attended by guests from all over, including NH and NY on the East Coast, CA on the West
Coast, and several of my family members from
Australia even made the trip! Fellow Colgate
’98ers at the wedding were Meredith Boylan,
Jennifer Blanck, and Allison Boehm. Matt and I
live in SF, where I work in business/software consulting and Matt is a pilot for SkyWest Airlines.
In addition to getting married, in the past few
years I have traveled to some amazing places,
including a month in New Zealand and 10 days
on a boat in the Galapagos Islands. Matt and I
are hoping to go on some new adventures of
our own, once we can coordinate our schedules!
Other than that, we are very much enjoying married life in SF.”
Abigail Heald was one of 6 grad students to
receive the Princeton Graduate Alumni Teaching
Awards in recognition of their outstanding abilities as teachers. From the press release (yes, we
find those too … oh, the ways I stalk you people):
“One student said, ‘Abby teaches wisdom and
courage and patience.’ Using characteristic flair
and good humor, Heald, according to Prof Esther
Schor, ‘has already made a mark on students
from many majors.’” Congrats!
Wendi Green Aspes welcomed a little one: “I
wasn’t at reunion (so sad) because Adam and
I had a baby girl on June 3. Her name is Maya
Eleanor and she was 5 lbs, 6 oz and 19 1/2” long.
She was 5 weeks early (which was a bit of a
surprise) but everyone is healthy and doing well.
Her big brother Hudson is already teaching her
the ropes.”
Beth Sanderson, in my first ever Facebook
Scene submission, reported: “Zac Calvelli (UNC
’97) and I didn’t make it to reunion because we
got married 2 weeks later in Sonoma! It was a
gorgeous day in wine country. Our wedding
guests went wine tasting the day before on a
wine bus, then the wedding was at Madrona
Manor. A great weekend! We just got back from
our honeymoon in Fiji, which was amazing.
Check out Maravu Plantation Resort and Spa for
anyone planning a honeymoon or getaway to
Fiji! Zac works for Microsoft here in Silicon Valley.
I decided to go back for more training after my
derm fellowship and switched over to internal
medicine: 2 more years here at Stanford and I’ll
be done. We hope to make it out for the next
reunion!”
Yes, I have joined the world of Facebook and
there is no escaping me. I still prefer you send
updates to the gmail address below. Thanks for
all the updates and I hope you enjoy the new
snazzy Scene.
Carm: [email protected]
19 99
Samantha Kohn
Apartado 1187-1000
San Jose, Costa Rica
Hi, everyone! ’Tis the season as there were lots
of weddings as of late, a wonderful reason to
reunite Colgate friends! Please continue sending
updates!
Beth Bodnar wrote: “I was lucky enough to
have 2 weeks of mini-Colgate reunions at weddings. I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of Kate
Scholomiti to John McMillan in Saratoga Springs,
NY, on April 27. The wedding was absolutely
amazing. Melanie Rehder Silinski was also a
bridesmaid. We had a great time catching up
with other Colgate alums: Dana Ross ’00, Cathy
Bozek, and Ryan Watson ’98. The following
weekend I attended another Colgate wedding:
Lisa Previte ’00 to Matt Warren in Boston, where
I got to spend more time with Dana, as well as
Paige Springer Candee ’00 and Beth Rouleau
’00. Other than wedding after wedding, I finally
finished my PhD in clinical psych and have
[LD-Mt Rushmore.jpg]
From Facebook friend to fiancée
Shasheen Shah ’92 and Samantha McDermott ’94 marvel that they never knew each other while
at Colgate. It wasn’t until they were both living in Orange County, Calif. — only a half-mile apart
— that they met through Facebook a year ago and fell in love. The encounter couldn’t be more serendipitous for two people who view social networking as a pivotal tool in their professional lives.
“I’m a six-foot-tall East Indian guy and I drove an orange Volkswagen bus, so it wasn’t like I
was blending in with the scenery,” Shah joked about his time at Colgate. Meanwhile, McDermott
was working with a group to reinstate CUTV, so she was all over campus filming and could be
seen on the Red Raider shows in the Coop. “We had been covering so much ground for CUTV that I
thought I knew just about everybody,” she said.
Thirteen years later, McDermott stumbled upon Shah on Facebook as she was researching Colgate alumni through the Friend Finder and reached out to him. McDermott, who runs a
marketing communications and business development company, and Shah, who is a strategic
management consultant, initially met to discuss the synergies between their businesses. The
synergy they found with each other became immediately apparent, and three months later Shah
was proposing marriage on a private beach.
Now the pair are expanding their network and helping others do the same through the groups
“Colgate Connections” on LinkedIn and “I Met My Match on Facebook” on the site that brought
them together. “We were both really inspired by our own story and wanted to connect other
people,” McDermott explained.
Abby Schneider ’08 is one alumna who has benefited from Colgate Connections. McDermott
recently met with the fellow CUTV alumna to offer career advice and Schneider shared that she’s
had some great opportunities through the network.
To keep the conversation going, McDermott and Shah are gathering stories from alumni about
how a Colgate connection made a difference in their lives, and they plan to post them online.
“If one person gets a job, if one person finds a life mate, it’s a great thing, and that’s what I love
about these social networking sites,” said Shah.
And you can bet that the couple will also be posting pictures from their upcoming wedding on
June 13, 2009 — the date chosen in honor of Colgate. “We figured we have to complete the circle,”
McDermott said.
— Aleta Mayne
been working p/t while enjoying my 2-year-old
daughter, Ella.”
Katie Raisio Abstoss sent news about Erin
Chapman’s wedding in Philly. “The wedding took
place at the PA Academy of Fine Arts, a lovely
setting surrounded by famous paintings. And, of
course, a ton of Colgate people were there: Nick
Abstoss and I, Erin Palmisano Berry, Michele
Ryba, Jay ’00 and Vanessa Rath Menton, Kellyn
Smith, Sarah Larson, Roger and Kate Foster
Lengyel, Erin Matts, Devon Slauenwhite, Eric
and Jamie Spencer Freedman, and Laura Wright.
Lexie Bozzuto Greene was also able to come,
even though she has a very new baby! The drink
of choice was the Colgate — a champagne and
Chambord mix, maroon in color!”
Saya Teraoka shared more wedding news:
“Our very own Liz Kerr married Brett Portanova
(Gettysburg ’99) in Boston on March 15. In attendance were Dave Hansel (who officiated the
ceremony), Jackie Friedman, Julia Murphy, Julie
Foley, Kate Wells, Nick and Katie Raisio Abstoss,
Sean ’97 and Katie Bartlett Brebbia, Travers
Hommel, Valerie Shapiro, and myself. The bride
made us very proud and did not get off the dance
floor all night! In true Colgate style, the ’Gate
crew outlasted most of the Gettysburg crew
(despite being outnumbered 3 to 1) and partied
until the wee morning hours, even after a few
mishaps with hotel security. Needless to say, a
good time was had by all. Sadly missed was Deb
Goldstein Baum, who is a proud mommy of a
beautiful baby girl, Beatrice Kennedy, born on
March 4. In other late-breaking news, Travers
Hommel just graduated from U of Rochester bschool and is now working for Hasbro Toys in RI.
Also for you indie film lovers, Liz’s new husband’s
film, Larry (the actor), was picked up by IFF
Boston and is currently touring around the indie
film circuit.”
Tabber Benedict will soon be walking down
the aisle. He reported: “I asked Crystal Ingorvaia
News and views for the Colgate community
65
Adelaide Fives ’02 (right) and business partner Amy Abrams
Her way
Entrepreneur Adelaide Fives ’02 (known as Eveleigh Van Dusen in college) says the best lesson
she learned at Colgate was that if she couldn’t find something to meet her needs, she could create it herself. And she did. Fresh out of graduate school at Columbia University, armed with an
MEd in counseling psychology and an MA in organizational psychology, Fives knew she wanted to
continue the work she’d done in her internships helping women with their professional development. Not finding an existing organization that suited her goals, she teamed up with a colleague,
and they started their own consulting firm for women experiencing a career transition or crisis.
In working with an increasing number of female entrepreneurs, Fives and her partner started
to re-examine their own business. The result was the creation of Fives’s current business with
partner Amy Abrams, In Good Company Workplaces, which serves as a resource hub for female
entrepreneurs. The membership organization was formed as a solution for their clients who
needed an affordable, professional space to work in, and who craved a sense of community.
Described as a “loft-style office” in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, In Good Company
provides work and meeting space, networking opportunities, and consultation to female business
owners. Since opening in September 2007, it has grown from 39 to 165 members, who range
in age, industry, and experience. Five short months after opening its doors, the company was
featured in the New York Times business section as an innovative business, and the duo has since
appeared in multiple media outlets.
Fives and Abrams are now working on spreading their vision. They hope to expand to multiple
locations, so that other women will have the resources to build their dreams. In addition to aiding
New York women with their professional growth, Fives and Abrams are committed to helping
women worldwide through their support of nonprofit organizations, locally and globally. On a
local level, Fives said she is grateful to have a space to offer organizations like the Sadie Nash
Leadership Project, which was in need of a place to hold their leadership program for young
women. “It just makes sense that we chose for our business to support the development of
women and girls,” Fives said. “I’ve always looked at businesses being agents for social change.”
Five with Fives
Q: What advice do you have for people who want to start their own business?
A: Do your research; know why you’re starting it and what your goals are.
Q: What is the best way to keep a competitive edge?
A: I think that collaboration is a much more propelling force than competition.
Q: What was your best business decision?
A: Finding a partner who is really amazing and sticking with her. We invest a lot of time in our
relationship — it’s like a marriage.
Q: What do you do to recharge your batteries?
A: I read a lot of small business publications like Inc. or Fortune Small Business. It’s how I get my
most creative energy because it keeps me updated and thinking about things differently.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: Small Giants: Companies that Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham; it’s about
different business owners and the decisions they made to keep the integrity of their business
rather than just taking the fastest growing route. — Aleta Mayne
66
scene: Autumn 2008
(Cornell ’03) to marry me and she said yes! We
are getting married next May. Right now we are
celebrating our engagement and starting to plan
the wedding.”
Molly Stewart Polacek sent exciting news. She
and her husband Jerry recently bought a new
home in New Canaan, CT, which they moved into
with their 2 daughters, Katie, 3, and Kelly, 2. “We
are enjoying getting settled into our new town
and neighborhood and hope to connect with
some local ’99ers.”
And finally on the baby and career front, Dr
Jeremy Bock wrote: “My wife Joanna and I welcomed a daughter, Hannah Sophia (6 lbs, 3 oz), on
July 1. Both are doing very well. Joanna and I are
in our last year of residency in internal medicine
at U of MD Med Ctr. I will be starting my cardiology fellowship at MD at the end of this year.”
Thanks, everyone!
Samantha: 414-241-9738;
[email protected]
2000
Katey Tone
2140 Acklen Ave
Apt 13
Nashville, TN 37212-3518
I hope everyone’s favorite football and fantasy
football teams are doing well so far this season.
Soon after her return from Africa, Lesley Hall
Millhouser sent a note: “After 9 short months
traveling around southern Africa, my husband
and I reluctantly returned to the US last Oct. We
would have loved to stay longer (and definitely
plan on returning some day soon), but some
unforeseen family health issues drew us home.
Tiffany Alvarado was quite literally the 1st
person to welcome us back as we flew directly
to NY from Dar es Salaam for a wedding. We
suffered some serious culture shock transitioning from the African bush to Manhattan, but
Tiffany was an excellent hostess and did her best
to ease our discomfort with port and bagels (not
together!). Next we traveled to Baltimore and
hung out with Kate Hooks and met her newest
ward, Izzy the puppy, who smothered us with
love. Finally, we spent a couple nights in Boston,
where we were fortunate to catch up with
Suzanne DiPerna Pirker ’84 and see her adorable
baby girl. After relaxing a couple weeks in my
hometown of Chicago, we flew to Denver to see
if we would like to settle in CO. Ian Wilson and
Alta Forster graciously hosted us for a night, and
their enthusiasm for Denver convinced us we too
should give it a go. And it turns out that we liked
it so much that we just bought our 1st house near
City Park! Fellow Link buddy Devon Skerritt was
out this way for a conference a couple weeks ago,
and we enjoyed a few hours catching up. While
Devon is in excellent shape, having just successfully ran the Boston Marathon (congrats again,
Devo), I am better acclimated to the altitude, so
we equally struggled our way to the top of Red
Rocks amphitheater.”
Adam and Melanie Randall Sanborn welcomed a baby girl to their family on May 23. “She
weighed 4 lbs, 10 oz and was 17 3/4” long. After a
long battle with illness in addition to a high-risk
pregnancy we were blessed to welcome our
‘premature miracle.’ We are even more lucky that
we were able to take her home after only 1 night
in the NICU!”
Adam Robert was born on July 9 to Brian and
Jen Greer-Morrissey. He was a healthy 8 lbs, 1
oz and his parents couldn’t be more thrilled, but
they are very sleep deprived! Congrats, Sanborn
and Morrissey families!
Please keep sending your personal and professional updates for the class column. We love
hearing from you. Take care and be well.
Katey: 615-417-9727; [email protected]
2001
Jane Seney
17 Greenway Rd #4
New London, CT 06320-2940
The last time I saw Keith Tanski was in Chicago
several years ago for Mike Ungerer’s wedding.
A group of us, including Chris Wahlers and
Brendan Duffy, got to enjoy the city for a couple
days. Keith now lives in Chicago with his wife
Laura Arensdorf. Last Dec, they welcomed a baby
boy into their lives. His name is Connor Daniel. I
think he may be one of the 1st official members
of the Class of 2030.
The summer has brought me together with
some of my closest friends from Colgate. Sarah
Higgins came to visit me in CT between graduating from b-school at Columbia and escaping to
France for a nice, long, well-deserved holiday.
It was absolutely wonderful to see her. I also
recently got to reunite with Kristi Markytan
Chiarello and her husband Doug ’98 in Boston.
They shared some hysterical stories about their
son, who just turned 2. I am still laughing about
them!
There is one last update from Mindy Morgenstern, who wrote, “A lot has happened this
year. In Nov 2007 I got married to Greg Kline (’99
Bucknell) and we bought a townhouse in Fairfax,
VA. I am still working as an elementary teacher
and finished my master’s in 2004 from George
Mason U.”
Jane: [email protected]
2002
Rachel Deblinger
1428 Kelton Ave #305
Los Angeles, CA 90024-7826
Happy fall, everyone! I hope you all had wonderful summers and lots of sun. I didn’t get as many
summer updates as I was hoping for (because
I’m sure somewhere on the Cape there was a
large Colgate party or 2). But, feel free to send
them along at any time.
I spent the summer in Europe, traveling and
doing some research in Prague. Along the way,
I met up with 2 Colgate people (seriously, they
are everywhere!). I spent an afternoon with
Arnoldas Pranckevicius in Brussels, where he
lives. We went for lunch at the EU Parliament
bldg (because he works there) and he told me
all about the inner workings of the EU. It was
incredibly interesting and it was awesome to see
how enthusiastic Arnoldas is about his job. If you
are ever in Brussels and take the somewhat uninspired tour of the EU Parliament, I suggest you
get in touch with Arnoldas so he can clear things
up. Then, you might also get the chance to hear
people from all the countries in Europe communicating in English; it’s a pretty fascinating
experience. In Berlin, I met up with my 1st-year
roommate, Sarah Kulkofsky. Sarah and I got to
catch up over a long brunch in Prenzlauer Berg
and delicious coffee. Now that Sarah’s a full-on
professional academic, she had some helpful
words of wisdom for me. Thank you, Facebook,
for helping us make plans.
In other exciting summer adventures, Scott
Rosenthal rode his bike across the country from
June through Aug. He started in Vancouver,
BC, and rode back to the East Coast, finishing
in Boston around the middle of Aug. If you’re
interested in checking out his journey, e-mail me
for the link to his online journal. There are some
amazing pictures and I hope everything along
the way went well! Can’t wait to hear more.
In 1 final piece of news, congrats are in order
for Taryn Stone Bobko. She reported, “After 9
years of dating my long-distance boyfriend Jason
Bobko (UConn ’99) all through my years at Colgate, we were married on Blue Beard’s Beach in
St Thomas on Aug 26, 2007, in a beautiful sunset
ceremony with just our immediate families present. We then sent our families home the next
day but remained on the island for a week-long
honeymoon. A month later, on Sept 22, we had
a large, catered, DJ’d reception in our backyard
at our home in CT for all our family, friends, and
coworkers who couldn’t make it to St Thomas
with us.”
That’s it for this time. Please keep me posted
on your exciting adventures and news. With the
new quarterly Scene, I’ll need more info to make
up for the missing months. Hope everyone has
an exciting year ahead.
Rachel: [email protected]
2003
Melanie Kiechle
31 S. 6th Ave
Highland Park, NJ 08904-2811
It’s fall once again — it always comes too soon
— but I have some updates for you from sunnier
times and warmer temps, starting with Melinda
Schwoegler’s exciting spring, which included
moving to Vail with fiancé Brian White (Colby
’00) to finish her vet school requirements with
Tufts. On the way west, Melinda stayed with
Leah Haught in Rochester, where Leah is working
on her English PhD and keeping busy teaching
college courses. After Melinda’s graduation, she
and Brian went to the wedding of Kit VanderPloeg and Charlie Berger ’05 in Denver. Melinda,
Susan Roberts, and Stacy Pommer were bridesmaids and had a wonderful time helping Kit
and Charlie celebrate. Melinda also reported that
Carly Reed completed her 1st triathlon.
Now onto some more tidbits from reunion. To
get started, here’s the Supercrew’s super update:
“Supercrew stayed in a haunted mansion for a
classy but with an edge reunion weekend. Shannon Ollerhead is now a master. Lauren ‘Lolo’
Lichten has a great new job at Tufts Med Ctr and
an apt with a roof deck. Brooke Blicher just got
engaged to Gered Dunne, and is in her residency
at Tufts. Miranda Clark will be studying art in
Austria this summer. Nikki Cyr will be moving to
NYC this summer. Maraga Flynn recently found
out that she is related to Nikki and is getting
ready for her nuptials Labor Day. Becky Fertig
has ‘settled down’ in DC and continues to work
as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill. She is joined by Liz
Young, who just passed the VA bar and works at
a firm there. Hanna ‘Special’ Kinne is now a JD as
she studies for the NH bar and readies herself to
‘Live Free or Die’ as a public defender to the hoodlums of Littleton, NH.” As usual, the Supercrew is
keeping busy, and I’m sure a great reunion was
only the start of a fantastic summer for each of
them.
Also at reunion, I was finishing a conversation
with Prof Andy Rotter when Michael Heydt came
over and started relating some of his post-grad
adventures in the Dominican Republic with the
Peace Corps, where he spent time before going
on to a grad prog at Johns Hopkins. Dachia Taylor
recently started an MA prog at Philly Biblical U.
Vanessa Simpson was looking forward to a semirelaxing summer of no classes and completing
the move into her new apt. Also on her plate was
a ballroom dancing class and a trip to Niagara
Falls to end the summer. I hope everything went
according to plan! Ashwin Lall was looking
forward to defending his PhD in early July, and to
“Core courses were like beacons to open my mind to developments in the sciences, arts, economics, and
world affairs. It’s great to find out now what all those courses really meant. Perhaps we should have started
college at 40 rather than 17.”— Gene Cremins ’51
being the best man at Chris Hall’s July wedding.
Jessica Lapinsky graduated with a master’s in
info sci from SUNY Albany and now lives with
her very cute dog in Albany. She’s hoping to
apply that new degree to a job in archives and
special collections. Adam Weiss had just left the
Museum of Science in Boston after 5 years of
representing the museum on stage, TV, and podcast. Now he is starting work as an audio tour
producer, and he very well might be visiting your
city next. Lin Zeng graduated on June 3 with her
master’s in urban planning.
That’s it for reunion news, but I’ve heard
from a lot more of you since then. Chris Messa
has earned his MBA and a JD from Wake Forest
U, and more recently has been admitted to the
DE bar. Jodi Neufeld sent me an exciting e-mail
about her engagement to Oscar Gimeno, a mgmt
consultant from Barcelona, with whom she’s
been doing a lot of traveling — to his hometown
of Barcelona, as well as Brazil and Israel. Jodi
works as a f/t web designer for a Manhattanbased travel firm and is freelancing on the side. Jess Buchsbaum also has gotten engaged,
to John Chaintreuil. John’s a Cornell alum, but
we won’t hold it against him since the proposal
sounds pretty amazing — on the top of a mtn
during a hike in Malibu. Jess is still teaching HS
English in LA and enjoying her 3rd summer of a
grad prog at Middlebury. Sprague Hinman Von
Stroh is also in CA. She lives in SF and works in
fundraising at a private equity firm. As you can
tell from her new name, Sprague got married in
Dec ’07 to David Von Stroh in her hometown of
Vail. She said, “It was a winter wonderland wedding complete with a pre-wedding party on top
of Vail mtn!” There were lots of Colgate alums to
share in the festivities: Jennifer Smith, Jocelyn
Maron, Carrie Smalley, Rachel Seldin, Kate Ward,
Tiffany Sharples, Ian Karczewski, Kate McMahon,
Jay Birk, Brian Bevan, Slade Cogswell ’05, and
Eric Von Stroh ’95 were all in attendance.
Sprague also reported that she was looking
forward to a bachelorette party for Jocelyn in Oct,
and to celebrating Kate Ward’s recent engagement to Ben Etherton (UVM ’01).
I also heard from Tom McCune, who was getting ready for his Aug wedding to Kara Tate in
their hometown of Pittsburgh. And here’s news
of yet another engagement: Leeann Teager and
Ryan Logue are in the midst of planning the
perfect wedding in Cape Cod for Sept ’09, and I’m
sure we’ll be hearing great stories from that one.
The final updates this time are from Erin
Hodges, Mike Lawrence, and Anthony Manfredi.
Erin has been living and working in HR consulting in Manhattan since graduation. She’s currently working on her MBA at NYU and has just
gotten engaged to her Fordham classmate Doug
Naumann. She’s certainly keeping busy with all
the wedding planning, but also gets to talk regularly with Robyn Hanson and Berit Schneeweiss,
who has recently moved from Chicago to NYC.
Erin didn’t make it to reunion, but she heard all
about the fun from her 1st-year roommate Lacy
Cohen, who works right around the corner and
is a frequent lunch buddy. Mike said his news
is only “technically news,” but a move to SoCal
sounds pretty good to me! Of course, now that
he’s in such a great location, he’s spending all
of his time studying for the 4-part CPA exam,
and that’s why he couldn’t make it to reunion or
Jared Duncan’s wedding. But before long, Mike
will be done with tests and happy to travel all
over to visit, so I’m sure this period will pay off.
Anthony is also in Cali, sharing a pad with John
Woolard ’04 and Peter Kyte ’04 in Manhattan
Beach. Mark Iacone and Chris Rowland are just
a few miles away in Culver City and Marina del
Rey, so rest assured that these guys get together
and cause trouble frequently — especially now
that Justin Polk has moved to Santa Monica.
Anthony said that he and Mark are still trying to
recreate that 1st year in Stillman with a sleepover
that has bunk beds and the microfridge, but in
the meantime they settle for meeting up with
any of the old crew when they make it out West.
That’s how they got to have drinks with Melissa
Bernstein, who was in LA for work. Be sure to
look them up when you’re in town!
Melanie: 315-778-0497; [email protected]
20 0 4
Moira Gillick
Tottering Hall
2501 Calvert Street NW
No. 705
Washington, DC 20008
Hello, beautiful people. This column features a
little flavor internazionali.
France. In the same way that it is stupid to tell
a million people about your favorite secret place,
I feel like talking about this event is against
my best interest, but here goes. Last month I
attended the Women’s Advisory Committee
Alumnae Book Group here in DC with Prof
Maurer. The book was Suite Francaise by Irene
Nemirovsky and the restaurant Le Chat Noir as
arranged by Goldie Blumenstyk ’79. The book
was good (the setting is WWII France), the crowd
better (provided perspective on the 1st 30 years
of women at Colgate), and the combination of
the two made the discussion fantastic. I felt like I
was back in college; it was great!
England. Prof Maurer was spending the
month of July at the Folger Shakespeare Library
here in DC instructing teachers how to teach
Shakespeare. Five years ago (sr fall), I was sitting
in Prof Maurer’s Shakespeare class, next to Dave
Yellin, who is just starting law school at Georgetown. Writing in from the home of Shakespeare’s
Globe Theatre is Barbara Davis, who reported
on the London posse: “A bunch of us met up
for some margaritas (to remind us of home)
at a Mexican place in Notting Hill called Crazy
Homies. It was myself, Eliza Dabney, Paul Kelly,
James and Eve Share Banghart ’05, Kerry Nugent
’05, and Drew Miller ’05.”
Israel. Also starting at Georgetown this fall is
Seth Bidder, who wrote: “I’ve been working at
the embassy of Israel for the past year and half,
serving as an adviser to the Israeli ambassador
to the US on foreign policy and press-related
issues. I’ve been at the embassy through the 2nd
Lebanon War and the Annapolis Conf, so it’s been
an interesting time to serve Israel, to say the
least. Prime Minister Olmert has also visited DC 3
times during my time here, which has given me
the amazing opportunity to personally brief him
on various US press and policy-related issues. I
love DC, and I am happy to be staying here and
remaining involved with the Colgate DC Alumni
softball team next year! I’ll be getting my master’s at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service,
where I will be concentrating in internatl law
and internatl security policy. Staying here will
enable me to remain involved with the embassy,
which is a huge plus.”
Israel to India. Starting in Feb, Sobby Arora
and Brett Stuckel traveled for 5 months in and
around the Indian subcontinent. Peter VieheNaess was along for the 1st 2 weeks but had to
return to his job at Greenwich Assocs. A lucky
13,000 km of Indian Railways was followed by
a month of trekking in the Annapurna region
of the Himalayas. Brett remained in Nepal for
another 2 months to volunteer at a Kathmandu
school run by a friend of Julian Lines ’73. Sobby
continued to make up for 3 1/2 years of gainful
employment in Utica by heading to the beaches
of Thailand. Sobby has just started his MBA at
NYU.
India to China (Charleston/Nantucket). Taylor
Llewellyn quit his corp job and headed off to China to find factories to make his different clothing
and accessories products for the Tucker Blair
brand. The products are all 100% handmade and
involve no machine work in stitching process.
Tucker Blair has developed a retail presence in
places like Newport, Charleston, and Nantucket.
Taylor will be launching more products very
soon. If you know of a store that should carry
Tucker Blair, Taylor would love to hear about it!
And China to the ctr of the Colgate postgrad
world, NYC. Katy Pape wrote: “I am in my 3rd
year at Brooklyn Law, and this past summer
I worked as a summer assoc at Dechert LLP. I
recently saw Alison Cannata Hendele, who was
working at the atty genl’s office for the summer.
I also frequently see Becky Ackerman, who lives
in NYC. I saw Lindsay Manice in Newport, RI, who
is studying to become a vet. Mary Aufrecht was
working for the Nassau DA’s office this summer,
so we met up for dinner in NYC and she is also in
her 3rd year of law school.”
And from NYC back to College St (13346). The
girls from 15 College St (Rosie Bancroft, Lily
Dupont, Katie Konrad, Emily Wright Luckett,
Susannah Richardson, and Melanie Sloan) wrote
in en route to Emily’s temple sealing with her
husband, Jason, in the Mormon temple in San
Diego. She is living with her husband in Saratoga
Springs, UT. Lily lives in Portland, is engaged, and
is planning her wedding for summer 2009. Mel
Colgate seen
The spirit of alumni sporting their Colgate
gear is seen here, there, and everywhere
around the globe. Where was your latest
spotting? On a Machu Picchu trek? At a
mini-reunion in Pocatello? An election polling site in Houston? We’re collecting photos of Colgate sightings around the world.
Send them to [email protected].
News and views for the Colgate community
67
“We have precise data on our educational expenses for our entire 1st-year fall term: Sept to Jan 1955–56!
A whopping total of $829.50, which covered tuition, room, board, and fees.”— Paul Beardslee ’59
is working at Albany Med as a physician’s asst in
the cardiothoracic surgery dept. Katie is the dir of
outreach for the Princeton Review in Seattle and
has recently taken up golf. Sues is the mkting
mgr for First Giving in Boston, helping charities
raise money online. Rosie is living in Costa Mesa,
CA, and working with foster kids through a
national nonprofit. They’re all looking forward
to celebrating with Emily in San Diego. It will be
the 4th time since graduation that they’ve had a
mini-reunion, although Katie noted that it will
likely be a little more tame than their last 3…
And having taken you on a ride around this
world of ours, please vote early and often in this
country of ours. Happy electoral season! If you
would like to appear as a special correspondent
in this space as we count down to our 5-year
reunion, please drop me a line. In the meantime,
I look forward to either hearing from all of you,
and if not, hearing about you!
Moira: [email protected]
2005
Amy Griffin
490 2nd Avenue
Apt 8F
New York, NY 10016-9177
I was recently admiring the alumni mag of my
brother’s alma mater and thinking how legitimate it looked. It was a “real” mag like Time or
Highlights. Then I found out that Colgate, which
is always one step ahead of whatever suggestion
one might make, was planning a redesign of its
Scene. And here we are in the 1st issue! What an
exciting time for us all.
Well, this column is practically writing itself
these days. I’ve gotten so much news from our
class that they could replace me with a highly
trained monkey and you’d hardly notice a difference, although some people might be clued
in by the improvement in vocabulary. Actually,
one of these days they may just do away with us
Scene editors entirely: they’ll just use robots or
the Internet instead. Always keep that in mind so
that, in the future, you can cherish this column
as a quaint relic of the olden times.
To fully embody the spirit of change, I am
going to switch it up a bit and just list everyone’s
news, preceded by the name of the alum who
sent it in. After that there will be some bits that
I just freestyle, so you can stop reading once you
get there if you’re tired. Or you can just do what
I assume you do, which is to just scan for the
bolded names of people you know and forget the
rest.
Alana Perrone: “First, Linda Chernak got
her master’s in geological sciences from Brown
and is now continuing her PhD work; Abigail
Weisbrod, Katie Fuller Zvolanek, and Lacey
Singleton all graduated from law school; Celin
Wittman went back to school and got her BA in
nursing; and Katie Fedorka and Lisa SteketeeWeaver are finishing their 3rd year of med school.
Dana Schifman and Andy Colbert recently
got engaged and celebrated with an engagement party. Greg Barry, Dan Hendrick, Charles
Wright, Chris Russo, Hannah Kauffman, Lindsay
Stanislau, Celin Wittman, Linda Chernak, Diana
Zeledon, Carlene Mowl, and Erin Reilly were
all there to drink champagne and congratulate
them. Katie Fuller Zvolanek came to town recently and was surprised with a baby shower at
Lindsay’s house with Hannah, Celin, Abi, Diana,
Dana, and Lauren Parr. It was lots of fun, but we
68
scene: Autumn 2008
felt a little bad for making a pregnant woman
stay out at NYC bars till 3 am. I also recently met
up with Dahlia Shaaban, who I believe is working
in Iraq right now, and Will Shattuck, who just
returned from Thailand. And finally, I have just
gotten back from 27 months in the Peace Corps
in El Salvador and am now trying to figure out
what to do with myself and what the heck an
iPhone is.”
Sean Devlin: “Met up for dinner and drinks in
London with Drew Miller, Kerry Nugent, and Eve
Share (recently married to JB Banghart ’03) this
past weekend. Great little Colgate reunion across
the pond.”
Kevin Casey McAvey: “Both David Roman and
Mariana Martinez have landed great new jobs,
in finance (in Boston) and publishing (in Philly),
respectively. Kay Traester and Greg LaBanca are
busy preparing for their imminent wedding.
David Kirchblum spent the summer working at
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP in NYC
before finishing up his final year at BC Law.
Bridget Essley is working hard to get her PhD in
human nutrition at Cornell. Tim Pusack has just
finished his 1st year of his premier PhD program
in zoology at OR State, and will be spending
the summer studying reef life in the Bahamas.
Heather Keatley was recently promoted at the
Georgetown U Ctr for Infectious Diseases, and is
living it up in DC.”
Abigail Weisbrod: “Katie Fuller Zvolanek has
had a busy year! She wed Tyler Zvolanek last
Aug in a lovely ceremony in Columbus, OH. The
couple just purchased their 1st home there! Katie
has also just graduated from Capital Law School
in Columbus.”
Nancy Miller: “My Andrews 303 1st-year
suitemate, Megan Murphy, Delta Delta Delta,
married Colgate sweetheart Matt Lamb ’04, Phi
Delta Theta, on June 7 in Gainesville. Megan is
about to start her final year in vet school at the U
of FL and Matt is starting his 2nd year in dental
school at NYU. I was the maid-of-honor with
Natalie Heller as a bridesmaid. Among the Colgate guests making the trip to central FL: Sarah
Compter ’04, Curt ’03 and Emily Roper-Doten ’02,
and Doug Miller ’02. I live in Rochester, working
in commercial banking at M&T Bank.”
Natalie Heller: “I am starting my 4th year
working at Greens Farms Academy in Westport,
CT, in their communications/PR dept in addition
to coaching field hockey. Still trying to get one
of my players to play at Colgate! Headed up to
Rockport, ME, for a digital photography course
in my desire to pursue a career in photography
down the road. Just got together in NYC for a fun
evening with Courtney Collins, Sally Mazzocchi,
Kath Shelley, and Jacque DeMarco ’07.”
Brandy Bones, Katie Holbrook, Jen Polland,
Lauren McCauley, and Mia Mabanta: “We are
jointly announcing that we’ve recently attended
the wedding of our collective dreams. Mark
Renstchler ’04 and Lindsay Fleece were married
June 28 at Sugar Pine Point State Park beside Lake
Tahoe. The bride and groom made their entrance
via boat. With her brother Jesse acting as wedding officiant, the ceremony was reminiscent of
a group hug. There was scant a dry eye. The night
was complete with a Motown band, ice cream
sundae bar, celebrity sightings, bacon-wrapped
dates, and a basket of flip-flops for dancing comfort. Tables were named after places from which
Mark and/or Lindsay had known those seated.
Needless to say, there was a Birch, a Stillman, and
a Blue House. In proper Colgate fashion, the after
party continued until dawn (many of us feeling
the residuals of the event for days). People came
from near and far and all looked refreshingly
sharp in their dress clothes. Alumni in attendance were: Dan Askin, Alex Holmes, Ali Grabler,
Amanda Liberatore, Becky Kirsch, Brandy Bones,
Eve Share Banghart, Jen Polland, Kate Levine,
Kate Rufe, Katie Holbrook, Laura Colan, Lauren
McCauley, Loren Nosan, Matt DiChiara, Meryl
Salerno, Mia Mabanta, Ronny Ostrow, Ruthie
Kott, Wes Gordon, Justin Henry, Jon Heeter ’04,
Tyler Graham ’04, Nate Kanner ’04, and Ariel
Dvorkin ’04. Everyone’s doing fine and making
loads of money working as marine biologists.
We’re very happy for the Rentschler-Fleeces and
probably won’t have nearly as much fun until
they renew their vows. Mexico, baby!”
In addition, I have done my own sleuthing
(and by sleuthing I mean I am friends with these
people) to discover that Elizabeth McDermott
will be attending law school at Denver U this
fall. Biz is from CO Springs, so this is somewhat
of a return to the motherland for her. Also,
Katie O’Hare, Katie Finnegan, and Carroll Shaw
recently jetted around the world because they
all had the luxury of the summer off (Carroll is
a teacher and the Katies are going to b-school in
the fall). Stops on the trip were Greece, Turkey,
Dubai, and Australia.
Thanks for reading to the bottom. Go, ’gate.
Amy: [email protected]
2006
Bob Fenity
3307 O Street NW
Washington, DC 20007-2814
It’s been a busy summer in DC as campaign season moves into full swing. Due to a flight delay,
Amy Dudley and I had the pleasure of catching
up with Katie Powell on an extended layover in
DC. After completing her 1st year in law school,
Katie spent the summer with a prestigious
internship in the Boston DA’s office.
Amy spent the 4th of July holiday in CT with
Lindsey Dinatalli, Brice Chaney (who recently
moved from DC to NYC for grad school), and Liz
Roache. Amy moved this summer to another
neighborhood in DC and hosted a rocking housewarming party that was the talk of the town. Fellow Colgate folks in attendance included Diana
Wardell ’05, Peter Jacobson ’05, Drew Spievack
’05, and Chris Nulty ’09.
Another successful law student, Liz Roache,
spent the summer working for Legal Aid after
completing her 1st year at Washington and Lee. A
big congrats to Liz for making Law Review. I hit up
a baseball game with Liz on her DC visit and got
to hear about the adventures of her dog, Huxley.
Seems like a pretty cool dog.
Shannon O’Hara ’04 also stopped in DC for a
visit before heading to Scotland to begin studying at the U of Edinburgh. I joined Amanda Terkel
’04 for brunch with Shannon as we dove into
memories of crazy Colgate evenings.
A large party of Colgate ’06ers gathered to celebrate Kaylan Orkis’s bday in Brooklyn, including
Liz Pavle, Courtney Olsen, Leigh Cuttino, Molly
Cyphers, Katie Nadler, Fleur Keyes, Christin
Dirkes, Christy D’Agostini, Lyndsey Dinatalli,
and Liz Roache. Despite rain, BBQing did not stop
and apparently a large amount of cupcakes were
eaten.
Elizabeth O’Leary wrote, “Stef Telvi has
moved in with me in NYC as of June. With Karla
Yeh living here as well, it’s like having the Blue
House back. We just need Ariel Falconer and
Tisza Bell to make it complete! I was just in Paris,
where I ran the Paris Marathon for a group called
Team in Training. It’s an amazing charity group
that sponsors athletes who are willing to train
and raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society. Quinn Emmett ’05 is also doing the NY
Triathlon this summer with TNT and has raised
almost $15K. Pretty incredible. I had a great time
in KY for the 134th Derby with Karla, Jon Lebedoff, Justin McLeod, Alex Cohen, Holly Cowan,
and Johanna White. As I’m sure you can imagine,
it was ridiculous fun: great friends, gorgeous
weather, big hats, limos, wining and dining, a
day in the infield that would put SPW to shame,
many a mint julep … what more can you ask for?”
I’m making a big push for a lot more news
in the next column. What’s going on with you?
Send me your updates! I don’t want to have to
resort to reporting from the Facebook newsfeed.
Bob: 585-506-5981; [email protected]
2007
Allie Grimes
407 Riverview Rd
Swarthmore, PA 19081-1222
It’s the first post-college summer for the Class
of 2007, a fact that is somewhat alarming. Even
with May-August vacations a thing of the past,
we still managed to squeeze in some quality
fun time on the Colgate Harbor Cruise. Anne
Huntington, John Baclawski, Alex Gershel, and
Ben Smith were just a few of the alums in attendance. There was even a guest appearance by
one of my favorites from the Class of ’08, Lauren
Mendell.
Many thanks to Devin Schwarz ’05 for organizing the boat event and getting everyone “on
board.” Another special thanks to Teddy Schwarz,
for proving to be a true gentleman and giving
me his extra beer so that I could avoid the stampede around the bar (it was like the Jug all over
again … except on a rocking, swaying boat).
In the summer heat, the transition from the
stifling subway to my frigidly air-conditioned office is enough to make me catch a cold. However,
my morning commute was recently brightened
by the sight of Erin Grattan.
Also exciting is the fact that Sara Duffy has
recently joined the Colgate Club of New York,
moving here all the way from Houston, TX. Even
the adventurous traveler Hill Stoecklein recently
settled in NYC. This place has some kind of mag-
Info, please:
If you know of the whereabouts — home
address, phone, fax, or e-mail — of anyone on this list, please contact alumni
records: 315-228-7435; 228-7699
(fax); [email protected].
Thanks for your help!
W. Fowler Wilson ’45 W. Reynolds Bowers ’59 Margaret Z. Cowan MA’71
Charles T. Stoner ’74
Debra A. Dyason ’75
Jeanne Huber-Happy ’75 Carol Morgan ’81
Michele Alexandre ’96
Lyssette L. Cruz ’05
Michelle A. L. Tenorio ’05
netic attraction for Colgate alums.
So, I haven’t heard a peep via e-mail or Facebook from any ’07ers and I’m beginning to feel
way too NY centric, so please send me updates.
If, however, our current economic conditions
continue, I may be driven out of the Big Apple,
thereby becoming more geographically diverse
and sighting non-NYC alums. In the meantime,
please write to me!
Allie: [email protected]
2008
Sarah Greenswag
2124 Birchwood Lane
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Thank you for all the updates! Our class has been
very busy since graduation. I enjoyed my summer in Chicago. I got to visit with Trevor Marticke, who recently moved to the Midwest and
is living with Jon Freeberg and Brian Lombardo
(fellow lax players and Colgate grads) in Chicago’s River North area. Julie Resnik also moved
to Chicago and I spent some time with her at the
beginning of July when Steph Macomber, Julie
Geifman, and Kacy Reams were in town.
I would like to send my congrats to Mark
Dekanich and Elizabeth Smith ’07, who were
engaged this summer. Kari Gertz married her
longtime boyfriend Joe Jansen on June 7. Several
’08 classmates were there for the celebration,
including Becky Billmire, Paul Glineburg, Liz
Schultheis, Atit Amin, Xavier Lafont, Andrea
Berardi, Michelle Wiggins, Mila Adamova, and
Emily Cullings, who was also a bridesmaid! Likewise, Lindsey Thomas and Luke Champlin wed
on June 28 in Newburyport, MA. Betsy Collins,
Maria Concilio, and Marty Pinnes had readings
at the ceremony, and then joined the party with
Jen Leen, Alex Smith, Rob Sobelman, Dan Streim,
Mike Sheflin, and Ed LoPinto, who flew in all the
way from England for it! Lindsey and Luke will
be settling in the northern VA/DC area, where
Lindsey will be going to law school at George
Mason U and Luke will be going to Georgetown
to pursue a master’s in Russian and Eastern European studies. Congrats, Kari, Lindsey, and Luke!
Like Lindsey and Luke, many other classmates have gone on to grad school. Michael
Prinsell started at the U of Rochester, where he
is pursuing a PhD in chemistry. He is living with
Mark Pettit, who started med school at the U
of Rochester. Jeff Davenport and Avery Blank
began law school at Syracuse U and MD School
of Law, respectively. And then there are those of
us who cannot seem to get away from Colgate.
I, along with Lindsay Hoage ’07 and Helena
Fishbein, returned to home sweet Hamilton for
Colgate’s MAT prog. The 3 of us also participated
in a media literacy workshop in Ithaca. Helena
and Lindsay are living together off-campus,
while Dave Klemballa ’09 and I are reacquainting ourselves with the twin XL beds offered in
Newell apt complex.
In other news, many of our classmates have
traveled or are even moving abroad. Two members of Colgate’s men’s rowing team, Andrew
Hatzenbuhler and Bryan Pape, competed in the
under-23 World Championships for rowing in
Germany against 21 other countries. Adam Davis
also traveled this summer, starting in Israel, then
to Egypt, Vienna, and eventually Paris, where he
met up with Allison Kadden. He then continued
his travels in Croatia and Greece. Upon return
to the US, Adam is moving to Ft Lauderdale,
where he will live with his brother and open a
pawnshop called Goldnconnection. Ben Camper,
Dustin Gillanders, and Mike Werner spent some
time backpacking in Ireland following graduation. When Ben got back, he met up with Tyler
Burton, Jesse Winchester, Mark Dekanich, and
Justin Kowalkoski for the Terry Slater Memorial
Golf Tourney at Seven Oaks.
Julien Lederman and Christophe Lagrange
will be living together in London, where they are
both working. Jessica Theodore also relocated to
the UK, where she is living in Birmingham and
looking for a job. Katie Zarrella moved to Paris
and is “doing all things chic.” After spending the
summer in LA, Franny Iacuzzi headed to Florence,
where she will be teaching through the TEFL
program. She hopes to continue teaching in Italy
after the program ends.
Many of our classmates sent me updates
about big moves and jobs. Shannon Larabee
is working in Bethesda at the NIH/NCI as an
IRTA research fellow under Dr Terry Fry ’88 in
the pediatric oncology dept. Ari Hershey and
Kathryn Everett moved out to CO, where they
are working on Obama’s presidential campaign.
Otherwise, it seems Manhattan is the place to be.
Joelle Dinardi is working for a PR/marketing
firm in NYC. She has been spending time with
Sam Feldman, Margaret Morgan, Kelly Dolan,
Jacey Heldrich, Hayley Smith, Logan Greenberg,
Blake DeBoer, Dan Hittman, and Sam Obenhaus.
Also in NYC is Nicole Aniades, who started a job
at Publicis USA, an advertising agency, as an asst
account exec. Matt Lalli moved to NYC, where he
is working as an analyst for Mercer HR Consulting. During the weekends he travels to SF, where
he is playing professional lax for the SF Dragons.
Lee Waldman has a job with the NYSE and
moved into the city in Sept. Maggie Yolen is also
living in NYC, where she has an internship with
American Empirical Pictures and Show of Force, a
documentary production company. She’s hoping
the internship develops into a f/t job. Jon Byer is
working as a paralegal for Curtis, Mallet-Prevost,
Colt & Mosle, LLP in NYC. He hopes we are
“finding the real world somewhat enjoyable as
compared to Camp Colgate.” And in the case you
are not, don’t forget you can always come back to
Colgate with me. It’s not too late. Seriously. If you
are interested in Colgate’s MAT prog, contact Prof
Barbara Regenspan for further info.
I just got back from an amazing weekend
catching up with many Colgate classmates in
NY. I stayed with Julie Geifman, who is working
as a paralegal and living in the East Village. We
spent the entire weekend with almost all of our
best friends from Colgate, including Mara Kaufman, Erica Leffler, Courtney Dunlaevy, Victoria
Shepard, Jill Blinderman, and Dave Klemballa
’09. Vicky and Jill are living together only a few
blocks from Julie, and Courtney is living with her
sister on the Upper East Side. We dearly missed
Ali Whitehurst, who is living in SF and could not
make it out to NY this weekend. On Sat night we
celebrated Jill’s bday, where we caught up with
David Pollack, Richie Fleischman, Dylan O’Hearn,
Peter Lieberman, Ian Elliott, Nikki Shribman,
Rachel Marks, Taylor Daly, Kinnon McCall, Jess
Laufer, Michael Mulanaphy, Dan Glaser, Kimmie
Regler, Ricky Hayes, Lauren Sher, Lauren Levy,
Lauren Mendell, Magdalena Mango, Lauren
Mangione, Kyley Leroy, Brett Fleisher, Steph Tan,
Aana Maguire, Dima Tkachev, Eileen Kelly, Julia
Heymans, and Alyssa Mayo. I’m sure I am forgetting people and I’m sorry if I missed you! Some of
us also partook in the madness of Dark Knight’s
opening weekend to escape the 105° heat.
I hope you all enjoy the fall! Hopefully I’ll see
a lot of you back for Homecoming weekend. My
dad Richard Greenswag ’76 and several of his
classmates plan to hold down their usual corner
in the Jug that weekend and would love to share
their beer!
Please continue to send me updates via e-mail
or on Facebook.
Sarah: [email protected]
Marriages & Unions
(2008 unless otherwise noted)
Grant E. Koo ’93 and Shawn M. Doyle (Newbury),
June 1
Stephanie Scott ’94 and Charles F. Leichtweis,
March 1
Nicholas Goodman ’96 and Eugenie Niven, June
14
Robert S. Grossman ’96 and Kimberly M. Loeb,
July 5
Kelly Longfield ’96 and Adam Vos, June 28
Lindsay Whitman ’97 and Craig Urch (George
Washington ’91), October
Jesse Johnston ’98 and Abby Schwartz (Yale),
July 19
To Audrey Shimomura ’89 and Johannes Ernst:
Naomi Lucy Rose, Nov. 13, 2007, joining Taro and
Emma
To Kate Hollenbeck ’92 and Paul Forrester: Miles
Powell, April 16, joining William
To John ’92 and Robin Pratt ’92 Rathjens: Eliza
Grace, April 3, joining Anton
To Jeremy Robin ’92 and Allison: Hunter Liam,
March 6, joining Alec
To Thomas Comerford ’93 and Sally: Kaitlynn
May, Feb. 27
To James and Lorraine Martinez ’93 Ross: Ryan
Patrick, March 5, joining James M. Ross III
To William Paxton ’93 and Maisley: Rose Kelley
Sands, March 6, joining Elsie Mae Lewin
Jill Axelrod ’99 and Josh Linder (Syracuse), May
10
To Sean ’94 and Jennifer Buckley ’95 Clive: Eoin
Timothy, May 28, joining Emma, Maggie, Brigid,
and Seamus
Michael O’Neill ’00 and Brittany Trevenen ’00,
July 19
To Christoffer and Rachel Lutz ’94 Ellehuus:
Astrid Mathilde, Feb. 3
Michael Pinkoske ’00 and Tania Cunningham
(George Mason), June 14
To Henry and Virginia Seabring ’94 Watts: Twins
Alexandra Nash and Trevor Seabring, Jan. 24
Lisa Previte ’00 and Matt Warren (Univ. of WI),
May 3
To Mike ’95 and Laura Smyers ’95 Lane: Sara
Nicole, May 27
Ellen Thieleke ’00 and Paul Ella, May 3
To John and Sarah Loomis ’95 Cave: Samuel William, May 27, joining Benjamin
Kathleen Allen ’01 and Jason Kreuzer (Univ. of
VA ’95), June 21
Nate deKieffer ’01 and Amanda Novak (Marquette ’02), April 12
Nelson Erickson ’01 and Elizabeth Mowell ’01,
June 7
Allison Filc ’01 and Jason Tables (Univ. of FL ’00),
July 4
To Tom Nash ’95 and Janelle: Blake Elizabeth,
July 4
To Frederick Schroeder ’95 and Cherish: Keira
Noelle, June 2, joining Byron
To Todd ’96 and Amanda Peel ’96 Crowley: Sam,
April 20, joining Will
Elizabeth Stein ’01 and Brian Lancey, July 14
To Alexander and Suzanne Daly ’96 Kupriyanov:
Oscar Alexander, May 5
Damon Nicholas Waldron ’01 and Erin Claire
Moncrief, July 19
To Steven and Sarah Ponosuk ’96 Buxton: Meredith Reilly, March 23, 2007, joining Max
Melissa Cabral ’02 and Eli Mello (Middlebury),
May 8
To Chris ’97 and Laura LeClair ’98 Accettella:
Madeleine Kaye, March 20
Dana DeBarr ’02 and Matt Anderson (Gettysburg
’99), May 10
To Steven and Emanda Carton ’97 Lenet: Emerson
Reese, Jan. 24
Catherine Healy ’02 and Brian Byrne ’04, July 12
To Matt and Karen Jones ’97 Barr: Aliana Anne,
July 4
Christen Lewis ’02 and Johnny Mueller (Vanderbilt ’00), July 5
Taryn Stone ’02 and Jason Bobko (Univ. of CT
’99), Aug. 26, 2007
Amanda Brickell ’03 and Cory Conklin, June 14
Shannan K. Rahman ’03 and Ricardo J. Spicer
(Univ. of MI), April 12
Travis Wanner ’03 and Alicia Barmon, June 14
To Gregory and Joanna Najarian ’97 Garb: Sarina
Jean, May 3
To Edward and Betsy Doepke ’98 McDermott:
Ann Lucile and Jane Margaret, June 13
To Tim ’98 and Erin Johnson ’98 Girard: Olivia
Madison, May 27, joining Gavin and Brenna, and
Julia
Matt Cohen ’04 and Jennifer Brooks ’04, July 11
To Jesse ’98 and Jamie Rubino ’00 Moore: Wesley
John, May 25
E. Matthew Lamb ’04 and Megan Murphy ’05,
June 7
To Jimmy and Abby Russin ’98 Barr: Theo James,
April 23, joining Jack
Gregory LaBanca ’05 and Katharine Traester ’05,
July 12
To Michael ’98 and Kim Hebert ’98 Simone: Liam
Michael, May 16
Luke Champlin ’08 and Lindsey Thomas ’08,
June 28
To Edward ‘Skip’ ’98 and Heather McClendon ’97
Sinclair: Grace Elizabeth, June 11
Births & Adoptions
To Chris and Shaw Stover ’98 Ruder: Beckett
Christofer, March 25
(2008 unless otherwise noted)
To Mike McCarrick ’81 and Dana Agmon: Maximus Laddie, July 18
To Chris Cuomo ’86 and Karen Schlanger: Junot
Cuomo Schlanger, April 4
To Paul ’86 and Melissa Levin Turner: Hanna
Joe’lle, Jan. 24
To Patrick and Nicole Aloe ’99 Keane: Lillian,
April 11
To John and Lexie Bozzuto ’99 Greene: John W.
“Jay” III, March 18, joining Allie
To Ryan ’99 and Betsey Thomas ’00 Clements:
Scarlett Elizabeth, June 24
News and views for the Colgate community
69
To Scott Goldsmith ’99 and Amy: Olivia Paige,
April 24
To Jason and Suzanne Simmons ’99 House: Michaiah Grace, Nov. 12, 2007, joining Corah Faith
To Greg ’99 and Caroline Bing ’99 Wishart: Nolan
To Brian ’00 and Jennifer Greer ’00 Morrissey:
Adam Robert, July 9
To Adam and Melanie Randall ’00 Sanborn:
Audrey Christine, May 23
To Adam ’00 and Jenn Munroe ’00 Stone: Abigail,
April 23
To Conor ’00 and Elizabeth Brown ’01 Tracy: Annabel Elizabeth, Nov. 3, 2007, joining Seamus
To Peter and Amanda van Epps ’00 Fleischer: Eva
Alyse, July 10
To Jim and Casey Wait ’00 FitzGerald: William
James, April 18
To Brian and Maddy Bennett ’01 Remlinger: Lily,
April 25
To Brian Berger ’01 and Gina: Molly Josephine,
May 7
To Ivo Turkedjiev ’01 and Rumena: Diana, July 5,
joining Adrian
To Brad and Linda Persons ’03 D’Arco: Mia, Jan. 31
In Memoriam
The Scene runs deceased notices on all alumni,
current and former faculty members, honorary
degree recipients, and staff members and others
whom the editors determine would be well
known to alumni. The Scene welcomes letters
in tribute to those who have passed.
William M. Pump ’29, August 17, 2008. Lambda
Chi, Athletic Hall of Honor 1990, Class Editor
1994-2008, track, orchestra. BPE, Indiana University, 1933; MA, Columbia University, 1940.
He was a retired educator and coach, having
served as the director of physical education and
athletics at Washington High School in Princess
Anne, Md., for many years. He was predeceased
by his wife, Velma, a sister, and a brother. He is
survived by a daughter, a son, 5 grandchildren,
and 9 great-grandchildren.
Harry E. Dascomb ’38, February 18, 2008. Commons Club, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Mu Pi Delta, Heffron Scholarship, Saunders Scholarship, concert
band, marching band. US Army Medical Corps.
MD, University of Rochester, 1943. After completing his residency, he became assistant professor
of medicine at Louisiana State University, where
he taught until 1980 and was named professor
emeritus. He also had several hospital appointments, including medical director and assistant
dean of Charity Hospital. He then spent several
years as professor of medicine at the University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as associate director of the Wake County Area Health
Reasons to Give
Education Center before retirement. His research
was published in numerous articles and papers.
He is survived by his wife, Helen, 2 daughters, a
son, and grandchildren.
Gordon D. Estabrook ’38, August 3, 2008. Commons Club, marching band. US Air Force. MBA,
University of Massachusetts Amherst. After
graduation, he worked for American Can Co.,
Ford Motors, and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. In
1940, he joined the air force, where his contributions included engineering the solution to air
and ground communication for General Patten.
Upon retiring from 21 years of service, he began a
teaching career at Northampton High School. In
1965 he joined the faculty at Franklin Pierce College, beginning as a math and physics instructor
and later becoming assistant dean of the college
and then associate dean of academic affairs. He
later taught at Fitchburg State College, the Montachusett Employment Training Program, and
Mount Wachusett Community College before
retiring. He was predeceased by his wife, Alma.
He is survived by 2 daughters, 3 sons including
Gordon Jr. ’72, and daughter-in-law Lois ’74.
Cecil S. Semple ’39, June 15, 2008. Delta Kappa
Epsilon, Salmagundi, tennis, student government; Alumni Corporation Board 1967-2008,
Maroon Council 1972-2000, Board of Trustees
1969-1984. US Army Air Corps, WWII. He had an
active career in retail, joining R.H. Macy and Co.
after graduation as a member of its executive
training program, and became a buyer in the
furniture division and a division superintendent.
Other retail positions held were at Montgomery Ward, the Nachman Corp. as VP-sales, and
Rich’s Inc. as assistant to the president. In 1954
he joined the General Electric Co., where he
held several management positions and was
later appointed VP, a position he retired from in
1986. He is survived by a nephew and his wife, 4
great-nephews and their wives, cousin Snowdon
Herrick ’51, and many others.
Robert H. Gurney ’40, August 19, 2008. Theta
Chi, baseball, basketball, soccer. US Air Force,
1942-1945. He worked for Harper & Row Publishers in New York and Chicago as a sales representative for 38 years. He is survived by his wife of
65 years, Virginia, 2 sons and 2 daughters-in-law,
and a grandson.
Mircheva came to Colgate
from Bulgaria. She was
co-salutatorian of her class
and today is a vice president
at Goldman Sachs.
“I give to Colgate because I owe Colgate” – Mira Mircheva ’01
“I attended Colgate on a full need-based scholarship ... thanks
to contributions from alumni and other benefactors. I am
motivated to give because of the opportunity to make a
difference in the lives of talented and hard-working students
whose parents may not have the resources for a top-tier
education.”
Make a gift and share your reason for supporting Colgate
Online at www.colgatealumni.org/reasons_for_giving Or call 800-668-4428
70
scene: Autumn 2008
Osborne R. Soverel ’40, June 27, 2008. Delta
Kappa Epsilon, football. US Army, WWII. He
worked in sales at IBM before and after serving
in the war as a cryptographer. He is survived by
his wife of 57 years, Mary, a son, a daughter, and
6 grandchildren.
Frederick G. MacCollum ’41, June 11, 2008. US
Army Air Force, WWII. After the war he joined his
father’s business, the F.E. MacCollum Ford dealership. He later became the postmaster of Elbridge,
NY, and then became a rural carrier, retiring
in 1977. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, a
daughter and son-in-law, 5 grandchildren, and a
great-grandson.
Roy C. Turney ’41, June 25, 2008. Sigma Nu, baseball, hockey, soccer; Alumni Corporation Board
1962-1964. US Navy, WWII. His almost 60-year
investment banking career began at Blyth &
Co., which later became UBS. He was involved
in a variety of transactions, including private
placements, public offerings, and mergers and
acquisitions. He is survived by his wife of 63
years, Hope, 2 sons, a daughter, 5 grandchildren
including John ’05, and a great-granddaughter.
Theodore A. Wahl ’43, April 19, 2008. Commons
Club, Phi Beta Kappa, Washington, D.C., study
group, Austen Colgate Scholar, chorus, track. US
Army Air Corps, WWII. MA, Tufts University. A
foreign service officer, he joined the State Department in 1947. He served in consulates in Tsingtao
and Chungking and then in the embassy in Oslo.
For many years he served in the Middle East at
various posts. He worked in Near Eastern Affairs
from 1957-1960 and on the Arab-Israel affairs
desk from 1969-1971. From 1971-1974 he was posted to Manila. After retiring, he worked briefly as
a consultant for the Multinational Force and Observers before settling in Pennsylvania. He was
predeceased by his first and second wives. He is
survived by 2 sons, a daughter, 6 grandchildren,
4 stepchildren, and 2 stepgrandchildren.
George K. Hammond ’44, August 4, 2008. Lambda
Chi Alpha, Alpha Chi Sigma. Following graduation he joined Owens-Corning Fiberglas, where
he was involved with their insulation products
and went on to manage the underground tank
division. He was predeceased by his wife, Edna.
He is survived by 2 daughters and a son, as well
as their families.
John H. Posselius ’44, May 20, 2008. US Army
Air Corps, 1942-1944. Delta Kappa Epsilon. His
lengthy business career included being president
of Zepco Inc, Lok-Fast Corp, and European Motors Inc. He is survived by his wife, Priscilla, 3
daughters, 3 sons, 11 grandchildren, and 9 greatgrandchildren.
Paul D. Chesnutt ’45, June 16, 2008. Phi Gamma
Delta, Masque and Triangle, student government,
outing club. US Army, WWII, 1943-1946. He was
employed by McKesson & Robbins in Chicago for
2 years until he was transferred to Kansas City
in 1950. Joining Prudential as a life insurance
specialist in 1951, he worked there until his retirement in 1982. He was predeceased by 2 sons. He
is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, a daughter
and son-in-law, and a granddaughter.
Robert A. Henry ’45, May 26, 2008. Delta Phi Alpha. US Army, WWII. MD, University of Rochester,
1962. He practiced family medicine for 10 years
in Lansing, MI. Following psychiatric training, he
then became medical director of the psychiatric
unit at SwedishAmerican Hospital, where he later held the position of VP for medical affairs and
finally served as the president/CEO. After retiring
from the hospital in 1989, he spent 10 years as a
partner of the Visioneering Group, which he and
his wife had founded. He is survived by his wife,
Lou, daughter Susan Roberts ’76, 5 stepchildren,
and 7 grandchildren.
H. Preston Smith ’46, June 23, 2008. Sigma Nu,
track, football, student government, international relations club. US Navy. He was a general
agent for Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co. for
25 years in Denver, CO. With family and business
partners, he created a high-tech horse-breeding
program with Colorado State University, producing foals with Olympic potential. He then
combined his insurance knowledge and his love
of horses to create an agency with Lloyd’s of London and the American Horse Show Association
to insure horses, horse events, and riders. He was
predeceased by a son. He is survived by his wife
of 52 years, Carolyn, 3 daughters, 2 sons including
Gordon ’83, 8 grandchildren, and 2 brothers.
Walter E. Welch ’46, June 16, 2008. Phi Kappa Psi,
debate team, student government, international relations club, cheerleader. LLB, Syracuse
University. He and his father formed the law firm
Welch & Welch, where he remained partner until
his retirement in 1988. He is survived by his wife,
Margie, and children.
George E. Orteig ’48, April 29, 2002. Phi Gamma
Delta. US Navy, 1944-1945. He worked as a salesman for a number of years. He is survived by his
wife, Elizabeth, and a daughter.
Combat Infantry Badge. Early in his real estate
career he worked for the US government, and
he later became the president of Smith Timber
Industries. He is survived by his wife, Caroline,
and stepson Walter E. Sanders ’63.
Tedford J. Cann ’50, June 26, 2008. Phi Delta
Theta, Newman Club, track, lacrosse, outing club,
swimming. US Navy. A retired navy commander,
he was a 30-year veteran who began his career
with aviation training at Pensacola Naval Air
Station in 1952. He was a jet pilot and served on
several carriers, doing tours of duty worldwide.
After retiring from the navy in 1979, he became
a real estate broker on Pensacola Beach as well
as a technical writer for Sikorsky Aircraft. He
is survived by his wife, Lee, a daughter, a son, a
stepson, a brother, and 2 grandchildren.
Karl M. Schmidt ’48, August 3, 2008. Sigma Nu,
Phi Beta Kappa, Austen Colgate Scholar, Washington, DC, Study Group, international relations
club. US Coast Guard, WWII. MA, 1950, PhD, 1951,
Johns Hopkins University. He began teaching at
Union College before joining the faculty of the
Maxwell Graduate School at Syracuse University,
where he published numerous books and articles
during his tenure. From 1960 to 1962 he and his
family lived in Pakistan, where he was the senior
resident advisor at the Pakistan Administrative
Staff College. He was also a visiting professor
of political science at the University of Hawaii
and Colgate. In addition, he hosted numerous
educational radio and television programs in
Schenectady and Syracuse. He was predeceased
by his wife, Mary, his sister, and a grandson. He
is survived by 2 sons, a daughter, 7 grandchildren,
and 7 great-grandchildren.
C. Byron Lear Jr. ’50, May 22, 2008. Alpha Tau
Omega, Sigma Delta Psi, hockey, soccer. US Navy,
WWII; Victory Medal. He began his career in
television and film, working for NBC, CBS, and
Columbia Artists. He later worked in sales and
eventually retired from the 3M Company in
Paramus, NJ. He was predeceased by his wife of
43 years, Jeanne. He is survived by 2 sisters and
2 daughters.
Stewart R. Kester ’49, May 26, 2008. Sigma Nu.
US Army, 1946-1947. He was involved in many
fields and served as a founding member of the
Cypress Creek Presbyterian Church in Florida and
Big Sky Western Bank in Montana; as a director
and chairman of the board of Florida Coast Bank;
and as a partner in Kester Brothers Real Estate
Inc and West Fork Development. He received
numerous awards throughout his professional
life. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marion
Fay, 3 daughters, a son, 12 grandchildren, a greatgrandchild, and a cousin.
Elliott H. Peterson ’50, July 15, 2008. US Army
Air Corps, WWII; ETO ribbon, Air Medal, 3 battle
stars. His teaching career began in New York
State, where he also coached numerous sports
teams and served as a guidance counselor. In
1980 he and his wife followed their children
and grandchildren to Alaska, where he was a
substitute teacher in various Anchorage schools
and umpired with Alaska American Legion
Baseball. He is survived by his wife of 62 years,
Jean, 2 sons, a daughter, 7 grandchildren, and
8 great-grandchildren.
John R. McColl Jr. ’49, June 9, 2008. Alpha Tau
Omega, basketball, boxing, psychology club, outing club. US Army Air Corps, 1943-1945. He and
his business partner established McColl-Wade
Inc., an air conditioning and heating contracting
firm of which he was president for 35 years. He
also was co-founder and president of the New
Haven Nighthawks hockey team. He is survived
by his wife of 52 years, Roberta, 3 daughters, son
John R. III ’82, 6 grandchildren, and nieces and
nephews.
John W. Cance Jr. ’52, June 18, 2008. Phi Gamma
Delta, ROTC, Wilder Society, student government,
psychology club. US Air Force, Korean War. He
was employed by American Airlines for 30 years
and managed its offices in several major airports.
From 1984–1989 he served under the Chicago
mayor as commissioner in charge of operations
for O’Hare International and Midway Airports.
He is survived by his wife, Norma, 2 daughters,
2 sons including Stephen ’88, a brother, a sister,
and 8 grandchildren.
J. William Midkiff ’49, November 26, 2007. Beta
Theta Pi, Spanish club, baseball, soccer. US Army,
1943-1946. He was a claims adjuster and then an
office manager for NJ Manufacturers Indemnity
Insurance Co. before joining the Automobile
Mutual Insurance Co. of America and, finally,
the Zurich Insurance Co. He is survived by his
wife, Patricia, 2 sons, a daughter, 5 grandchildren,
brother Morris Jr. ’40, and nephew Morris III ’67.
Freeman Day Jr. ’52, July 26, 2008. Phi Gamma
Delta, Salmagundi, football, student government.
US Army, 1953-1955; ETO ribbon, Korean War
ribbon. His sales career began at U.S. Rubber Co.,
continued with Kawner Co., and then Center
Glass Co. He later started his own company,
Olympia Glass and Metal Inc., of which he was
president and CEO until retirement. He was
predeceased by his wife, Elisabeth, and brother
Richard ’53. He is survived by 3 daughters and
their families.
Albert W. Moore Jr. ’49, June 22, 2008. Phi Kappa
Psi, basketball, hockey. US Army, WWII. He
worked in the textile industry as a salesman,
manager, and finally VP and treasurer. He was
predeceased by his father, Albert Wheeler Moore
’17, uncle Robert Webber Moore Jr. ’13, and first
wife. He is survived by his wife, Violet, 2 sons, a
daughter, his sister, 6 grandchildren, and 2 greatgrandchildren.
Norman L. Smith ’49, May 26, 2008. Lambda Chi
Alpha, Sigma Delta Rho, Phi Beta Kappa, Austen
Colgate Scholar, Maroon Key, Washington, DC,
Study Group, Colgate Religious Association,
debate society, rifle team, outing club. US Army,
1943-1946; Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal,
Robert E. Rockwell ’52, August 1, 2008. Alpha Tau
Omega, international relations club. US Air Force,
Korean War. He was a stock broker before retiring in 1987. His wife, Lois, predeceased him. He is
survived by 2 sons, 3 daughters, 9 grandchildren,
and several nieces and nephews.
Thomas D. Pendell ’56, July 6, 2008. Lambda Chi,
chorus. US Army. DC, Palmer College of Chiropractic, 1966. He had a lengthy career as a selfemployed chiropractor. He was predeceased by
his brother. He is survived by a daughter, 2 sons
including Robert III ’91, and 2 grandchildren.
Edward M. Curtis ’57, July 14, 2008. Phi Gamma
Delta, student government, sailing club, swimming. US Marine Corps, major. A helicopter
pilot for four years in the Marines, his love of
flying continued with a 25-year career at Eastern
Airlines. His passion for swimming carried
throughout his life, and he represented Connecticut in the National Senior Olympic Games
for the past 20 years. He is survived by his wife,
Kay, 2 daughters, a son, 4 grandchildren, 2 sisters,
and numerous nieces and nephews.
John C. Francis Sr. ’59, June 18, 2008. His insurance career included working for Travelers Insurance Co. as a claims adjuster, Univac Division
of Sperry Rand Corp., and finally, as supervisor
of planning for Planners Life Savers Co. He is
survived by his wife, Patricia, 4 sons, and brother
Edward ’53.
William F. Bigelow II ’60, May 18, 2008. Alpha Phi
Omega, WRCU, Young Republicans, debate team,
international relations club, sailing club. US
Navy. His career included broadcasting work for
a radio station in Honolulu and then as a political editor and on-camera anchorman for the
Hawaii NBC affiliate. Later he worked in public
relations for Sheraton Hotels and eventually
began his own advertising and public relations
agency, Bill Bigelow Communications and Public
Relations. He also was the owner and producer
of Sounds of Aloha Productions. He is survived by
his wife, Nancy.
Anson A. Chong ’61, July 15, 2008. London Economics Study Group, Norwegian Study Group,
Young Democrats, international relations club,
economics club, marching band, pep band,
rifle team, outing club. US Army. MA, Columbia
University, 1963. He started as a portfolio analyst
before joining the Peace Corps to teach economics in Nigeria. He later served as a foreign service
officer in the U.S. State Department, and was
on active duty during the Arab-Israeli war, the
Biafra-Nigeria war, and the Vietnam War. Upon
returning to his home state of Hawaii, he served
as a senator’s aide. In 1972 he was elected to
the state House of Representatives, and then
won election to the state Senate in 1974. After
leaving politics, he lectured in economics and
political science at the University of Hawaii. He
also worked on the Model Cities federal urban
renewal program; as executive director of the
Economic Development Authority; and as copy
editor for the Nikkei Group, publisher of the Wall
Street Journal Asia. He is survived by his wife,
Ann, a brother, his stepfather, a niece, a nephew,
and numerous cousins including Kwong Lum ’51.
plished photographer, writer, and musician. He is
survived by his wife, Barbara Joy, 2 daughters, his
parents, and 2 stepchildren.
Sandra L. Franz ’76, March 21, 2008. BS, SUNY
Brockport; BS, MS, 1980, MS, 1982, University of
Massachusetts. She became a registered civil
engineer in California, and her career included
work in wastewater and water supply engineering, and most recently software development
for Paychex of Rochester, NY. She also served as
a volunteer at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa,
Israel, for 9 years. She is survived by her husband,
Bill, a son, a daughter, 4 brothers, and several
nieces and nephews.
Robert D. Post ’81, August 3, 2008. Kappa Delta
Rho, swimming, economics and business club.
MBA, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth,
1985. Following graduate school, he started his
investment banking career on Wall Street. He
spent 16 years at J.P. Morgan & Co., where he was
managing director, and he then became a senior
managing director at Bear, Stearns & Co. Most
recently he was senior VP of Mizuho Corporate
Bank, USA. He was predeceased by his brother.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie, 2 sons, his parents, 2 sisters including Susan Schlachtenhaufen
’86, brother-in-law J. Jeffrey Schlachtenhaufen
’87, and 11 nieces and nephews.
Cynthia F. Bogart ’87, June 13, 2008. MA, University of Vermont. She had taught at the Community
College of Vermont in Burlington for 12 years.
Most recently, she and her family lived in the Navajo nation in Arizona. She was predeceased by
her father. She is survived by her husband, Lyle, a
daughter, a son, her mother, and her brother.
Carol S. Messing ’87, June 5, 2008. Delta Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Kappa, CUTV, Adopt-a-Grandparent,
Newman Community. JD, University of Chicago,
1990. She was an attorney for the Department
of Commerce, working as a senior enforcement lawyer in the Office of General Counsel
for Enforcement and Litigation at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She
prosecuted many fisheries cases, suing to protect
scallops and halibut. She is survived by her husband of 12 years, Daniel, a son, her parents, her
grandmother, a sister, and a brother.
Carol D. Alton, August 12, 2008. She retired from
Colgate in 2005, having served the university for
16 years as administrative assistant in the Office
of Undergraduate Studies and previously in the
Department of Economics. Surviving are her
husband of 45 years, Bob, a daughter, a son and
daughter-in-law, and 2 grandchildren.
Henry J. Loos ’62, July 17, 2008. Phi Beta Kappa,
Konosioni, WRCU, debate club, student government. LLB, Harvard University, 1965. He was a
senior partner of Quarles and Brady, the law firm
to which he dedicated his career since 1965. He
is survived by his wife, Janet, a son, a daughter, 2
grandchildren, a sister, and nieces and nephews.
James B. Patterson ’70, July 20, 2008. Phi Delta
Theta, Newman Club, outing club. Following
graduation, he was partner of the motor racing
division of Renoir Racing. He later became VP of
Patterson Fuel Oil Company, Inc. He was predeceased by his father, Stephen J. ’31, and uncles
Thomas J. ’25 and H. Justin ’33. He is survived by
his wife, Lauren, brother Stephen J. III ’66, and
his mother.
Carl Rottersman ’75, May 9, 2008. Maroon-News,
Salmagundi. DDS, Emory University, 1980. He had
a lengthy career as a dentist and was an accomNews and views for the Colgate community
71
salmagundi
Rewind
Reflections of Colgate
through the generations
A
D
E
Today I opened a box of books and two that
sat next to each other were
A new posthumous volume of poetry by
Grace Paley
And a quartet of fiction by Cynthia Ozick, and
I realized that both of these writers came to
that class
I had with Fred Busch at Colgate.
Contemporary Authors, or something,
Where we read books by writers he knew and
They came to our class to teach for a couple
of weeks.
C
B
F
G
Match ’gate
Match the letter of the cupola photo
with the campus building it belongs to
(answer key below).
1. James C. Colgate Student Union
2. Persson Hall
3. McGregory Hall
4. West Hall
5. Olin Hall
6. Lawrence Hall
7. Memorial Chapel
Slices
A pictorial contest, in homage to the
nickname of New York Pizzeria, the
late-night Village of Hamilton hot
spot serving the Colgate community
for more than three decades — one
plain slice at a time.
Who are these men? Write a caption
for this photo, identifying each person
correctly. Send in your answer about
this “slice” of Colgate to scene@mail.
colgate.edu or attn: Colgate Scene,
13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, N.Y. 13346. Correct responses received by December
15, 2008, will be put into a drawing for
a Slices T-shirt.
There was a lot at Colgate that made me
uncomfortable.
But of course it was the most embarrassing
version of my young self
That made it so.
There were the jarring glimpses of excess:
The roommate with 20, or 25, identical crew
neck sweaters
In every color imaginable.
The boyfriend whose family’s refrigerator
had 20, or 25
Different bottles of salad dressing.
And the uncomfortable aspects of being in
the first group
Of freshmen women. Girls.
But the literary exposure has done me good.
Hearing a very young Nikki Giovanni read
poetry
Before she became a neighbor and the best
known poet in America
After the tragedy in Blacksburg.
Hearing the luminous Anne Sexton read
poetry
Before she killed herself.
Hearing Allen Ginsberg read in the chapel,
Coming up from Cherry Valley, where he lived
with his lover.
Studying women’s lit and Wallace Stevens
With Jane Pinchin.
But best of all was that class with Fred
Busch.
John Hawkes. Albert Murray.
Wonderful Red Grace Paley and Cynthia
Ozick.
And novels by Fred Busch himself.
Ann H. Fisher ’74
Director, Radford (Va.) Public Library
Do you have a reminiscence for Rewind?
Send your submission of short prose,
poetry, or a photograph with a description
to [email protected].
scene: Autumn 2008
Answer key: 1. e, 2. c, 3. d, 4. b, 5. a, 6. g, 7. f
72
All together now! Residence hall–mates
bond with a cheer during Konosioni Field
Day for first-year students.
News and views for the Colgate community
colgate
scene: News and views for the Colgate community
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