Cornell Alumni Magazine
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c1-c4CAMma11 2/10/11 2:46 PM Page c1 March | April 2011 $6.00 Corne Alumni Magazine Class Conflict Randi Weingarten ’80 and Michelle Rhee ’92 debate school reform (separately) cornellalumnimagazine.com c1-c4CAMma11 2/10/11 2:46 PM Page c2 001-001CAMma11toc 2/16/11 12:33 PM Page 1 March / April 2011 Volume 113 Number 5 In This Issue Corne Alumni Magazine 2 From David Skorton CALC-ulations 4 The Big Picture Water under the bridge 6 Correspondence Moosewood memories 8 Letter from Ithaca A master of economical language 10 From the Hill Tucson alums recovering 14 Sports Women icers rule 16 Authors Alone at last 44 30 Summer Programs and Sports Camps 36 Wines of the Finger Lakes Ravines 2008 Dry Riesling 50 Classifieds & Cornellians in Business 51 Alma Matters 54 Class Notes 93 Alumni Deaths 22 96 96 Cornelliana 38 Pop Quiz It’s a classic BILL STERNBERG ’78 Currents They’re the two strong-willed women at the heart of the nation’s debate on school reform. Michelle Rhee ’92 is the former chancellor of the D.C. school system, whose 18 Bow, Wow! embattled term was marked by bitter controversy over firings and a brusque manage- A vet’s best friend ment style. Randi Weingarten ’80, head of the American Federation of Teachers, is Walking-Around Money known as a fierce advocate for her union—some say to a fault, with substandard edu- Designing fancy footwear cators kept in the classroom to the detriment of students. The two sat down with CAM All Abuzz to talk about the education debate. Separately. The hive of democracy 44 Mass Appeal Voting with Their Pocketbooks BETH SAULNIER A novel tax protest Moving Pictures Janet Zweig ’71 is among the nation’s busiest public artists. With commissions from Rob Fried ’81 makes sweet shorts New York City to Washington State, Zweig creates works that use language, technol- Go Climb a Tree ogy, and a variety of materials to offer a novel look at spaces and communities. “I try A (high) branch of Outdoor Ed to get not so much a sense of the place, but of the people—a sense of who the Future Shock audience will be for a particular work,” she says. “I often don’t give people what they All agog over ESP pictured, but I try to give them what they want.” Plus | Back in Time Huey Lewis’s latest Visit CAM Online Cover photographs: Randi Weingarten by Kathy Faithful Fan cornellalumnimagazine.com Anderson, The Times Picayune; Michelle Rhee, Corbis Athletics honors Mike Abrams Cornell Alumni Magazine (ISSN 1548-8810; USPS 006-902) is published six times a year, in January, March, May, July, September, and November, by the Cornell Alumni Association, 401 East State Street, Suite 301, Ithaca, NY 14850. Subscriptions cost $30 a year. Periodical postage paid at Ithaca, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cornell Alumni Magazine, c/o Public Affairs Records, 130 East Seneca St., Suite 400, Ithaca, NY 14850-4353. March | April 2011 1 002-003CAMma11skorton 2/10/11 2:48 PM Page 2 From David Skorton CALC 2011: Better Than Ever ear Cornellians, We have just returned from the second annual Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC), a Dtruly motivating, uplifting, and fun meeting of some 800 alumni held this year in Washington, D.C. David spent a few days in our nation’s capital before CALC, meeting, among others, recently elected members of Congress who are Cornell alumni. When Robin arrived, we were introduced to class officers, Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN) volunteers, and others who are making Cornell and our world a better place. It was a joyful and energiz- ing experience. What was once a training event designed for alumni class officers has evolved into a much more inclusive gathering, with volunteers from the broad sweep of organizations that contribute so much to Cornell. There were introductory sections—the “100- level courses”—on the basics of volunteer leadership, and a more advanced session—a “200-level course”— on strategies for alumni organizations (with no inte- grals or derivatives in sight!). Some activities were all- ROBERT BARKER / UP alumni events, offering Cornell-specific information or featuring faculty and alumni who shared expertise that partici- assistant professor of communication at Cornell. pants could use in their volunteer activities and other facets of Nine University trustees attended, including five members of their lives. Other sessions were organized specifically for people the Trustee Task Force on Volunteer Leadership, which had met who volunteer with admissions, reunions, classes, clubs, affinity the day before CALC with a group of volunteer leaders to solicit groups, the Cornell Hotel Society, Greek life, and PCCW. We ideas on how to create more rewarding “career paths” for Cor- found CALC to be a terrific opportunity for alumni, faculty, and nell volunteers, active succession plans for organizations, and senior leadership to join forces in better understanding and meaningful organizations for Cornell. The task force, in this first advancing Cornell. Vice presidents Susan Murphy ’73, PhD ’94, year of its operation, will also be collecting data from academic Tommy Bruce, Charlie Phlegar, and Mary Opperman were deans and Cornell staff who work with volunteers to complete among those who participated in panels, usually with alumni, an operational plan for volunteer leadership no later than 2013. staff, or faculty. The attendees seemed to appreciate this mixing We believe this task force is a good and important idea. of perspectives and ideas. For both of us, though—as we suspect was true for many During the Saturday luncheon, Ithacan Jane Little Hardy ’53 other participants—the best thing about CALC (in addition to received the 2011 William “Bill” Vanneman ’31 Outstanding no calculus problem sets) was meeting and networking with Class Leader Award. Her acceptance speech was spellbinding. other Cornellians from so many classes, colleges, and alumni Although Bill could not attend, his great Cornell spirit was felt. organizations. We left with even greater confidence in the power In all, the CALC participants represented all seven under- of our individual and collective efforts to strengthen our Uni- graduate colleges and spanned class years from 1946 to 2014. versity. Now the job at hand is to harness all that energy, com- They came from thirty-three states, the District of Columbia, and mitment, and talent for not only continuing Cornell on its path Puerto Rico. Cynthia Kubas, Class of ’78, traveled the longest toward greater excellence in education, discovery, creativity, and distance, coming to Washington from Hawaii. Nearly all of Cor- service, but to solve some of the problems of our country and nell’s colleges and units participated, and sixty-three current stu- world—a job for which Cornellians are uniquely suited. dents were in attendance, along with twenty-five faculty mem- As always, your take on CALC and other alumni initiatives bers and alumni who served as presenters. is what counts. Please share your observations about the con- In addition, we had a large virtual audience for Saturday’s lunch- ference and Cornell in general. Onward! eon, as alumni around the country logged on to the Cornell Alumni — David Skorton ([email protected]) and Robin Association’s Facebook page. Live-streaming to Facebook was a Davisson ([email protected]) are Cornell’s first couple. timely innovation, since many of the participants had just heard a Davisson holds a dual faculty appointment as professor of cell presentation on “What’s Next with Social Media,” featuring Adam and developmental biology at Weill Cornell Medical College Hirsch ’04, chief operating officer of mashable.com; Laura Fitton and professor of molecular physiology at the College of Veteri- ’94, author of Twitter for Dummies; and Lee Humphreys ’99, an nary Medicine. 2 Cornell Alumni Magazine | cornellalumnimagazine.com 002-003CAMma11skorton 2/10/11 2:48 PM Page 3 004-005CAMma11bigpic 2/10/11 2:49 PM Page 4 The Big Picture Ice Age Biophysics postdoc Thibault Roland took this long-exposure digital photo of Beebe Dam in March 2010—shortly before the installation of suicide- prevention fences that now impede the view. A native of Dijon, France, Roland has been an avid amateur photographer for the past fifteen years. For more of his work, including landscapes, por- traits, travel photography, and abstract images, go to www.thibaultroland.com. 4 Cornell Alumni Magazine | cornellalumnimagazine.com 004-005CAMma11bigpic 2/10/11 2:49 PM Page 5 March | April 2011 5 006-007CAMma11corresp 2/10/11 2:50 PM Page 6 Correspondence Yum! Moosewood memories hit head and heart . not to mention stomach I slowly savored Beth Saulnier’s mouthwa- thought. That was close! A Zionist at tering repast, “Vegging In” (January/Feb- Brandeis? I broke out in a cold sweat. ruary 2011), about Kroch Library’s recent But then, just at the last moment . acquisition of the Moosewood Restaurant “He started the Moosewood Restau- archives. My introduction to Moosewood’s rant. He might be OK.” And I was so, culinary delights occurred during my first like, totally relieved! week at Cornell, in August 1975, when I John Elfmont ’60, MD was treated to dinner there by a graduate Redondo Beach, California student. Moosewood—and Collegetown’s long-since-gone Cabbagetown Cafe, also Ed. Note: And we’re so, like, glad to the genius of a Cornellian, Julie Jordan hear it. ’71—were my favorite Ithaca restaurants, enjoyed with fellow students and family The Moosewood feature also inspired who visited during my undergraduate some colorful reminiscences at the years. During subsequent Ithaca visits, I CAM Online website. A sample: have made a point to dine at Moosewood; while its ambiance has changed, its quality I was there! Mollie Katzen gave me a endures.