KAPAK2 14/10/04 11:10 Page 1 1/ED. LETTER 14/10/04 11:05 Page 1

ABOUT THE RC QUARTERLY

h, the joys of spring! Having finally packed away our woolen sweaters and boots after a bitter winter, we thought we would do a little spring welcoming of our own. In this issue's Who's Who on Campus, we feature the impressive school gardens, and the dedicated staff who created a greenhouse just to maintain it. Did you know there are green parrots living in trees near the Plateau? Or that the Maze was originally a labyrinth created by a Sultan's jeweler? Neither did we. Read on!

This issue also features a detailed profile of RC alumni in the Turkish diplomatic corps, past and present, that pays homage to the foreign policy contributions of several early pioneers (p. 34). Coincidentally, the profile came as the RC Model United Nations team held a three-day forum for 14 Istanbul schools to discuss -€3- policy issues affecting youth today (p. 13). As headmaster Livy -0- Merchant remarked at the opening assembly, "There is a particu¬ lar importance for Turkish youth to study international relations. This is a time when many students are interested only in their own future and welfare. But this is also a time when the future of this country is bound up with the future of the world political and economic systems. Turkey desperately needs young people who will give time or even their whole career to helping Turkey in this regard... If this conference inspires even five of you to enter into this field, it will be a wonderful contribution to the future of Turkey."

We look forward to hearing more about these budding diplomats in future years. Last, but not least, we are delighted to report that many of you have been writing in to share your news. We love hearing about what you are doing in your corner of the world. The Alumni News section is the backbone of this maga¬ zine, and our community. So keep on writing!

Happy reading.

The RCQ Team 8/RC NEWS 14/10/04 11:16 Page 1

RC NEWS TURKISH DIRECTOR ESİN HOYİ RETIRES

fter 11 years, Turkish have succeeded in transform­ Director Esin Hoyi prepares ing student perceptions of the Ato bid RC a fond farewell, "Türk Müdür". retiring from her position at the end of this school year in June. RC Headmaster Livingston "One should know when to Merchant said of his col­ stop," she says, laughing. league: "Esin Hanım has become a friend. She helped Hoyi says a main focus of her me understand the very time at RC has been to improve complicated relationship communication at all levels, and between a foreign school and to encourage students to speak the Ministry of Education. She about their problems. Drawing guided me through very rough on her educational background waters in this regard. And I know ment of love, respect and com­ slow her down. Her hobbies in sociology and psychology, she I gave her tremendous panionship which is fostered at include knitting, gardening, worked to change student per­ headaches along the way. I RC," she said. "My happiest embroidery, ceramics and ceptions of the "Turk Mûdûr" would not have been able to times have been when teaching art. She is thinking of pursu¬ from that of a distant, removed handle a number of delicate classes, because I thrive on con­ ing art in her retirement. position into one more involved issues without her, and I will tact with students". We wish her the best of with students. For instance, she miss her tremendously". luck. transformed the student disci¬ She says she decided to retire pline committee into a board to Hoyi believes an RC education "while the going is still good". A The new Turkish Director is discuss general issues related to produces well-rounded individu¬ recent staff survey showed her Güler Erdur, who will be the school, rather than a vehicle als who are mature, good at popularity at an all time high, joining Robert College from for punishing the students. Hoyi analytical thinking, respectful of so she decided it was time to Izmir American School where believes that there is always a traditions and proud of their stop while her performance was she serves as Turkish 8 solution, as long as an environ¬ identity while able to question at its best in order to be Director. Erdur takes up her ment for constructive dialogue is it at the same time. "All these remembered this way. post at the end of this created. She feels her efforts virtues emerge in an environ- But retirement is not likely to summer.

CURTAINS UP FOR NEW THEATER FESTIVAL!

obert College is home to one of the best equipped theaters in Robert College drama students opened the debut festival with Toros Istanbul, and not just at a high school level. Although the school Canavan, a play by Aziz Nesin, which was well-received. Overall, as Rhas a long and lively stage tradition, this year, College students an event, TIFES received great reviews. We look forward to its took their passion one step further: they invited other schools to join second year. in. Thus was born TIFES, an annual theater festival featuring plays from 12 different Istanbul schools.

Spearheading the event, held between May 4- 10 at Suna Kıraç Hall, was theater director Serdar Akgün and a group of seven Lise students. "Schools such as Galatasaray organize similar festivals even though their theater is a third the size of ours," he said. "RC is fortunate enough to have a spacious stage that is a pleasure to act on. So we decid¬ ed, why not hold our own festival?".

Akgün originally thought of running the festival as a competition, but decided a competitive mood would ruin the friendly atmosphere among theater loving stu¬ dents and teachers. In the end, the festi¬ val was open to all schools which applied to take part. Guest school "St. Michel" performing "Lüküs Hayat" at RC. 8/RC NEWS 14/10/04 11:16 Page 2

FAMOUS ALUMNI VISIT CAMPUS TO TALK ARTS, ISTANBUL

enowned actor Haldun Dormen RC 49 paid his alma mater a visit in March for a packed Q & A session with College stu­ Rdents, organized by Lise students Aysen Nergis and Tugba Colak and librarian Ayse Yuksel. Dormen met with an enthusiastic reception - the library overflowed with students eager to quiz him about his career, his life and the stage.

Dormen discussed the pros and cons of acting on stage compared to acting for TV. He pointed out the irony that despite being among the most respected theater personalities the country has produced, it took a role in a TV sitcom for him to become an overnight celebrity. Despite his newfound TV fame, "the stage will always be my greatest passion", he said.

When students asked why and how he had chosen theater, he spoke early days by the variety of extra-curricular activities on offer. He of his great love of acting. After obtaining his degree in drama at remembered getting involved in almost everything, not surprising, Yale, he returned to Turkey, despite having been offered work in given Dormen's boundless energy and enthusiasm. When the session New York. "I was motivated by idealism," he said. "I wanted to be ended, student fans mobbed Dormen, asking for autographs.. a part of advancing the theater scene in this country". Asked about his days as an RC student, he recalled being overwhelmed in the Another campus event saw actress Göksel Kortay ACG 55 and jour­ nalist Nevval Sevindi meet students to discuss living in Istanbul. The event, organized by Dean of Students Diana Noonan, was the first in a series of high school seminars held by the Istanbul Municipality to enhance urban awareness. The seminar began with a general pres¬ entation on post-1950 migration from villages to the cities, and the changing cultural dynamics that has created.

"Even though I have been to many cities around the world and lived in the US for six years, I always missed Istanbul," said Kortay. Of the changing urban dynamics, she said "To be an Istanbulite is more about how you live in this city, rather than whether you were born here". But she added, "We do not treat Istanbul in the way it deserves. We are damaging this city". Her advice for students was to wander around the city as much as possible and discover its treasures. "Everybody should try to learn as much as possible about the city they live in," she said, ending her talk with the famous Göksel Kortay & Newal Sevindi speak about being an Istanbulite. lines by poet Orhan Veli Kanık.

A TRADITION LIVES ON - Fine Arts Festival 2003

nce again, on May 25th, Student Council sought to make biggest festival in istanbul, other Robert College played host FAF a real fine arts event instead schools also began organising their Oto thousands of students of being mainly music oriented. own festivals competing with FAF from all over Istanbul for the 21st and this led to a decrease in the Fine Arts Festival, a traditional Until this year, participants were number of participants." music and arts festival organized mostly amateur musical bands from by the Student Council which lasts different Istanbul schools. This As part of their new strategy, all day and transforms the Maze year, the Student Council decided this year popular rock bands into a huge concert stage. to include professional bands to Bulutsuzluk Özlemi and Mor ve boost attendance rates. SC presi¬ Ötesi were among groups taking Apart from dozens of concerts, dent Mustafa Ergul explains this the stage. A second piece of always a highlight, this year's FAF decision: "Participation was at its good news was that the enterpris¬ also featured photography and art highest four years ago, with 2500 ing Student Council also managed exhibitions, dance and theater per­ guests, but it has since been to make Akbank this year's FAF formances. This time around, the falling. Although FAF is still the sponsor. 8/RC NEWS 14/10/04 11:16 Page 3

RC NEWS STUDENTS COMPETE IN 2nd ART COMPETITION Annual Art Competition in Memory of Demirkan Asetey RC 76

arble Hall was recently awash with ceremony in April when Asetey's father Halis color and various multimedia installa­ Asetey delivered an emotional speech. Mtions as it played host to artwork Interest in the competition was high and submitted by Lise students as part of the this year's jury, Maria Sezer, Nancy Atakan, second annual art competition held in honor Can Gbknil ACG 66 -all former RC art teach¬ of the late Demirkan Asetey RC 76, an art ers and artists- and RC 76 graduates Dilek lover and keen amateur painter. Bagdatlioglu and Suhan Seckin, were impressed by the quality of some of the This year's theme was "Change" and the works submitted. The competition is organ¬ winners were chosen by a jury of artists and ised by the Art Department and Alumni & art experts based on the originality of their Development Office and sponsored by work, and their interpretation of this Asetey's classmates with the aim of encour¬ theme. Some tears were shed at the award aging budding artists.

The grand winner for the "Best of Show" award went to Bora Fer L12, who received $250 for his "Creation of". Fer also shared first prize in the 3D category with Emine Gökçek L11 for her piece "Ayşe Kadın". Both received $100. The runner up was Zeynep Basmacı L9 with her piece "Hands? Dog?", and she received $50.

In photography, Veysel Umman L11 won first prize plus $100 for his pho­ tograph "Left Rotting". In digital imaging, a new category this year, Efe Murat Balıkçıoğlu L9 was awarded first prize for "Chain'ge" and received $100. In this category, runners up were Şükrü Yemenicioğlu L11 "Laokoon is Free" and Bengi Kurtcebe L3 "Growing Wings".

On May 25, the newly elected RC Alumni Association board hosted a luncheon for the administration and Feyyaz Berker. Present that day were, seated from L to R: Hakan Eren RC 87, Zümrüt Alp Yalman RC 89, Ümran Üngün ACG 70, Director of Business and Finance, Maria Orhon, Dean of Studies, Esin Hoyi, Turkish Director, with Zümrüt's daughter Ela, Meltem Öksüm with daughter Lara and Doğan Öksüm RC 88, Association President. Standing from L to R: Gülgun Canlı ACG 68, Christa Merchant, Livingston Merchant, Headmaster, Leyla Aktay RC 72, Alumni & Development Office Director, Feyyaz Berker RC Eng 46, RC Trustee and Hisar Eğitim Vakfı Chairman of the Board, Tunç Yıldırım RC 88, Association Treasurer, Ferdin Hoyi RC 58, Association Vice-president, Zeynep Sohtorik RC 72 and Kerem Görken RC 88. 8/RC NEWS 14/10/04 11:16 Page 4

RC NEWS

RC STUDENT REPRESENTS TURKEY IN INTERNATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OLYMPICS

Robert College education question things around me into a International Philosophy Olympics encourages independent more systematic interrogation of held in Argentina between May Athinking. We now have a the world," he said. 7- 9. budding world philosopher to prove it - Lise 12 student Mete Under her encouragement, his The IPO is attended by 72 stu• Tuzcu won fifth place in the interest grew, until eventually he dents from 36 countries. Robert International Philosophy Olympics was nominated to attend the College students have represent• held in Argentina in May for an Turkish National Philosophy ed Turkey on several occasions. essay he wrote on Freud. Olympics, in which participating Indeed, the first Turkish student students must choose one of to become world philosophy Tuzcu's adventures of the mind three philosophical quotes to dis• champion was Ceren Arkman RC began when he took philosophy cuss in an essay. Tuzcu came sec¬ 96 in 1996. The success of classes with RC teacher Gülsen ond with an essay on political College students in the competi¬ Öz, an experience which he says philosopher Hannah Arendt's tion prompted the IPO to invite changed the way he sees the debate on public space versus teacher Gülsen Öz to the world. "With Ms. Öz's help, I was private space, earning the right Olympics held in Tokyo last year able to convert my desire to to represent Turkey at the 10th as a guest.

AN AUTHOR IS BORN: RC student publishes book

any of us have not-so-fond memories more competitive as increasing numbers of Indeed, the book was found so good, it was of sitting a nationwide exam to students take part and it still requires a incorporated into the reading list for the Menroll at Robert College. In recent marathon like period of preparation. Education Theory course at Bosphorus years, the testing system has become even University. RC Lise 2 student Eren Yanik has published a book, Sinavci, in which he describes this A promising talent, Yanik is currently work• experience. Originally intended as a term ing on his second book, a sequel to Sinavci project for his Turkish class, the book is an which describes the preparation period for autobiography covering his primary school the national university exams. years and the buildup to the entrance exam. But the book is about more than just his own experiences, it is also a humorous take on the collective madness that is the national school entrance exam.

With a good eye for detail, Yanik criticizes the education system, at one point making an analogy between horse races and exams; students, the horses, parents, the jockeys. He also comments on how unequal exam success can be as it is largely dependent on access to resources. Yanik's pleasant, slight• ly cheeky style makes the 71-page book an easy read as well as a fascinating opportu¬ nity to see the world through the eyes of a teenager today.

RC Animal Collection Reopens

he Robert College Animal Collection is as old as Robert College itself, and you are visit during Homecoming on Sunday, now open! This year's Lise 12 all invited to pay a visit. Drop by any time November 16, 2003. The collection is in the TIndependent Research in Biology and explore the collection. Even if you stay attic of Feyyaz Berker Hall. Take the stairs students cleaned, organized, and labeled for only 5 minutes, you are most or the elevator all the way to the top. the remains of a collection which is almost welcome. You may want to pay a special We hope to see you there! 8/RC NEWS 14/10/04 11:16 Page 5

RC STUDENTS UNITE 14 SCHOOLS FOR ISTANBUL YOUTH FORUM

Young men in pinstripe suits and ties speak quietly into state-of-the-art YMotorola mobiles. At the entrance to Marble Hall, smartly dressed young women greet arriving guests, issuing name tags and health and 133rd for education, he pointed ushering them to their places. Robert out. Likewise, in their closing speeches, College students pulled off the first ever Cem Duna and Nuri Colakoglu RA 62 spoke Istanbul Youth Forum with typical flair, about Turkey's future priorities, including bringing together 200 students from 14 local the European Union and Cyprus. schools for a three-day working conference Conference supervisor and MUN advisor with the smooth sophistication of profes¬ Alper Sahin, from the RC Counseling sionals. The forum brought together local Department, lauded MUN members for their luminaries and students in working meetings efforts in organizing the conference and designed to make students' voices heard on ensuring its success. "I dealt only with policy issues which affect them and to administrative issues, the rest was handled expose them to expert opinions on those by the kids. They were responsible, hard subjects. working and focused on problem-solving." he said. The Student Council provided The RC Model United Nations club launched Top left: Participants from 14 schools financial support for the conference. the first-ever Youth Forum to coincide with in the Maze. European Day on May 9. The club is no Top right: Tınaz Titiz giving the opening stranger to politics or policy-making, having speech. successfully represented Turkey at the Above: Cool coordinators; Kerim Zağra L11, European Youth Parliament for many years. Ege Duruk L12, Ercan Aksu L11. The idea of organizing a local forum mod¬ eled on E.Y.P. came to MUN president Ege Duruk L3 last year. Despite slow bureaucra­ many issues such as the European Union, cy, the event was finalized in just two the environment, education and youth. months, coordinated by 10 bright MUN Speakers attending forum committees members, led by Duruk and assistant coordi¬ included Filiz Meriçli, Barbaros Demirtaş, nators Ahmet Kerim Zagra L11 and Ercan Kemal Kirişçi, Eser Karakaş, Erkut Yücaoğlu Aksu L11. Through the forum, RC was able RC ENG 69, inci Delemen RC 73 and Nergiz to connect many Istanbul schools. In the Yazgan ACG 67. future, MUN members hope to expand the forum to include schools from across Turkey. In his address, ibrahim Betil RA64, founder of the Turkish Education Volunteers The conference opened with a speech by Foundation (TEGV) focused on national Tinaz Titiz focusing on 'asking the right budget allocations. Whereas Turkey is the questions to get the right answers'. Topics 14th biggest national spender in the world discussed at the sub-committees covered for the military and arms, it places 50th for 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 1

GRADUATES IN THE NEWS

BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, NEW A PHOTOGRAPHER'S NEW YORK BOOK TELLS OF LIVING WITH LOVE AFFAIR SCHIZOPHRENIA enowned photographer and film­ maker Sedat Pakay RA 64 has been talented scriptwriter, insightful Rshooting his adopted hometown Turkish cinema critic and an since he first arrived in Greenwich Village Aarchitect by profession, Ayşe during the tumultous Sixties at the tender fiasa ACG 60 recently published age of 21. The best of his work a visual Delilik Ülkesinden Notlar, (Notes diary of 36 years spent in the world's from the Land of Insanity) a finely most exciting metropolis— has been col­ crafted book in which she recounts lected in a new book of color and black & her 18 year struggle with schizo¬ white photos, New York 1966-2002. phrenia. On one level a deeply per¬ sonal account, on a philosophical Pakay's relationship with New York as a Ayşe Şasa ACG 60 level, Şasa's book blurs the bound¬ photographer unfolds with this book, as aries between personal and societal his lens transforms the drama of urban life into painting like scenes. suffering, suggesting that westernization has created a lost socie­ He chooses a minimalist sense of framing which bears traces of the ty, alienated from its rich Islamic nast. architectural approach of classical American photography, preferring to let his subjects speak for themselves. The book includes many street Şasa was 30 when she was hit by her first bouts of schizophrenia. shots which show the city's changing landscape, including in the turbu¬ Her book brings together diary entries, essays and interviews lent aftermath of September 11. Alongside these urban pictures, the touching upon those years, taking its readers through the irra­ collection also includes portraits of luminaries such as Andy Warhol, tional illusions of a schizophrenic mind, but also asking larger Saul Steinberg and Erol Akyavas who have lived in New York. than life questions about ways to be. "From Sylvia Plath to Muhiddin Ibn Arabi", a letter she wrote during the early stages Pakay's passion for photography developed in his years at RC where he of her illness would forecast years of introspective struggle in and his friends established the very first photography club which con¬ which she would try to reconcile the Western education she sisted of a dark room in Theodorus Hall, at Hisar Campus. In 1964, he received with Islamic philosophy, and its understanding of the shot the photos for Stamboul Sketches, a book by John Freely, before absolute. Inspired by the works of Islamic thinker Muhiddin Ibn attending Yale, where he earned his masters of fine arts. Arabi, in Islamic philosophy, Şasa would find a world view which would give her inner peace. At Yale, inspired by the New Wave, he decided to make films. His interviews with his professor Walker Evans, a famous photographer, The daughter of a wealthy, modern istanbul family, in inter­ resulted in a short film, Walker Evans: His Time, His Presence, His views, Şasa speaks of the loneliness she felt as a child growing Silence. In the 1970s he made a documentary about writer James up with foreign tutors, her days filled with lessons of Western Baldwin's life in Istanbul, From Another Place. Pakay later started languages and the arts. Her success as a student in ACG, she Hudson Filmworks to produce cultural documentaries and television recounts, brought her yet more loneliness. By the time she specials, several of which have aired on PBS. graduated from high school, her family had rejected her for her peculiar ways, but she had grown into a well-rounded intellec¬ Pakay's latest book was released parallel to an exhibition in Istanbul tual, well-versed in different languages, the teachings of Marx at Yapi Kredi Gallery in March. His work also appears in the collections and European cinema. of the Museum of Modern Arts, the Smithsonian Museum and the Getty Museum and was also the subject of a 30 year retrospective at She embarked on a career as a screenwriter in Yeşilçam (Turkey's Istanbul's Museum of Turkish-Islamic Arts in 1995. Hollywood), but life was not easy here either. Ostracized for her American high school background, Şasa was not well-liked. But she was driven to write -she would write for ten hours at a time incessantly. Son Kuşlar, Ah Güzel İstan­ bul, Utanç and Gramofon Avrat are the scenarios which she wrote in the heyday of Turkish cinema, mixing with intellec¬ tuals like Cevat Çapan, Vedat Türkali, Memduh Ün and Metin Erksan.

Şasa has also written a book of essays on her Yeşilçam experiences (Yeşilçam Günlüğü) and co-authored a book of critical essays on the interaction between life, dreams and cinema. 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 2

GRADUATES IN THE NEWS JEWELLERY CHANNEL YOUR ANGER DESIGNER'S CONSTRUCTIVELY, SAYS NEW TOP EXEC KOZLU COLLECTION

oad rage, air rage, and rt can imitate nature. And says Çakır, who grew up among now, 'office' rage. Fight perhaps occasionally sur¬ women with a passion for gar¬ RClub was no joke. It seems Apass it. Case in point, A dening. Both her grandmother we are all angry, all the time. Short History of My Life in and mother were avid gardeners Even in an age of global rage, Plants, the latest collection by and encouraged Çakır to develop however, Turks may rightfully be jewellery designer Emine Nur an appreciation for nature. angrier than most. Years of Çakır ACG 67, exhibited at political scandals, corruption Istanbul's Nelli Art Gallery in She started to study literature at and fraud have taken their toll April which charts the artist's university but soon began pursu¬ on the national psyche. And encounters over the years with ing her passion for jewellery pocketbook. The country has flowers, plants and flora of all making more seriously. She yet to recover from its worst type. Çakır's delicate work man¬ signed on as an apprentice with post-1945 recession triggered by ages to make silver breathe. established jewellery makers an overnight devaluation two Plump wisteria petals are trans¬ Urart, working in all their years ago which saw the value of the lira slashed in half, and formed into silver earrings, the departments to better under¬ was rooted in years of economic mismanagement and pork- first spring crocuses inspire fine¬ stand the business. She then barrelling. ly cut brooches, while geraniums launched her solo career after in bloom are moulded into rings. Even top executives are publicly airing their anger. "I am inde¬ scribably angry because the waste and mismanagement of the "Nature is my greatest teacher," last 10 years in particular have wiped away my generation's says Çakır. "I think it could be a last, most productive years," says Cem Kozlu RA 65, presi¬ teacher to anyone who chooses dent in charge of the Coca Cola Company's division for 48 to look." She has spent her life countries in Central Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. The observing, and her eye for detail normally mild-mannered executive tackles this anger in his is evident in the fine quality of 22 fifth book, Öfkeden Çözüme (From Anger to Solutions). her work. All her pieces come with a story - a quotation, notes While he might "share your pain", Kozlu urges readers to from Çakır's travels across channel their rage constructively. The veteran businessman Turkey and Europe, a childhood draws on a number of success stories from other developing memory. Whimsical items, like a countries to suggest creative solutions to avoid a repeat of necklace inspired by a bunch of past mistakes and pave the way for spring carrots, are joined by moving with her husband to the future generations. other, more serious ones, like Alanya in 1980. Her work has richly textured petunia brooches since been shown at numerous Currently based in Vienna, Kozlu may inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's galleries in Turkey and Europe. have more time to work on solution floral paintings. Dozens of other This was her 21st exhibition. building now. In April, he quit his plants and flowers have been position as Chairman of the Board of molded into brooches, neck¬ RC graduates will be particularly Turkish Airlines after 15 years with laces, rings and more. intrigued by pieces inspired by the national carrier during which he Cakir's time on campus, the was instrumental in establishing the Lively and outgoing, Çakır's clumps of purple wisteria associ­ company as one of Europe's leading close affinity with nature began ated with the arrival of spring, airlines. at a young age. "My family was and the ivy that surrounds Gould very influential in my work," Hall.

"GEÇMİŞ OLSUN!" Poet Müldür Recovering From Brain Hemorrhage

rolific poet Lale Müldür RC 75 is recovering Fırtına (Distant Storm/1988), Voyacır 2 (Voyager from a brain hemorrhage suffered in December 2/1990 -- co-authored with Ahmet Güntan), Seriler Pwhich saw her hospitalized for several weeks. Kitabı (Book of Series/1991), Kuzey Defterleri Her publishers Yapı Kredi Yayıncılık told the RCQ that (Northern Note-Books/1992), Divanü Lûgat-it Türk Müldür was at home, and had begun writing again. (1988). Müldür's major poetry collections include Uzak We wish her a speedy recovery. 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 3

PHYSICIST WINS $100,000 TOP SCIENCE AWARD

hysicist Ayşe Erzan ACG 68 cal reactions, protein molecules, turbulent media or earthquakes. won the prestigious L'Oreal - PUNESCO Women in Science In an experiment on glass formation by long polymeric chains, award this year for her groundbreak­ Erzan and her collaborators demonstrated that this process is ing work in condensed matter mathematically very similar to the spread of forest fires, or epi­ physics. The $100,000 award is given demic diseases. They found that it can be quantitatively described annually in Paris to honour five lead­ by "percolation", the sudden formation of paths that completely ing women scientists. Erzan, a span a random network of clusters, once a threshold concentration physics professor at Istanbul is crossed. Technical University, said she would donate the prize money to her uni¬ Erzan has most recently been investigating mathematical models versity, to be used for student of genetic evolution. She likens her efforts at solving complex Ayşe Erzan ACG 68 research. problems to "building a castle in the air," but says that teaching remains her greatest passion. Erzan was selected from among some 100 contenders for her con¬ tributions particularly incorporating the use of fractal geometry in physics. For most of us, the term geometry evokes lines, circles and squares. Looking at the messier real world around us - blood, clouds, bumps of broccoli - we rarely think of geometry. Yet fractal geometry, a revolutionary concept introduced by mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot in the 1970s, is a way to explain natural world phenomena like these. While traditional Euclidean patterns appear simpler as they are magnified, with fractals, like snowflakes or bumps of broccoli, the closer you come, the more detail you see.

Erzan and her colleagues were able to deduce, from the rules gov¬ erning the growth of such patterns at the microscopic level, its properties at all scales. The common thread that unites her work is her preoccupation with how interactions between simple con¬ stituents at close range translate themselves to behaviour on large scales over a long time. These systems might be sand piles, chemi-

LARGER THAN LIFE THEATER STAR BRINGS EVENTFUL LIFE TO PRINT

the first woman to ever stage a Broadway debut as Rosa Devrim's previous book was A play in Turkey. The list is end­ Gonzales in Tennessee Williams' Turkish Tapestry: the Shakirs of less. Fortunately, her eventful Summer and Smoke. In the mid Istanbul (Quartet Books), pub­ life has finally made it to print. 1950s she returned to Turkey lished as Harika Çılgınlar-Şakir Her autobiography, fiirin, was where she became a leading Paşa Ailesi (Doğan Kitap) in published by Dogan Kitap in actress and was one of the coun¬ Turkish. "My friends kept saying, March, quickly becoming a top try's first female directors. She for God's sake, now write about seller. later acted in many theaters in your own life," she says of the the US, and taught at several book which took her five years "The love of theater which leading US universities. In 1989, to write. And what a life it is. would give direction to my life after an absence of twenty began at the American College years, Devrim returned to Turkey for Girls," Devrim writes. She to portray Sarah Bernhardt in recalls her stage debut in a Memoir, to much critical Turkish play called insanlar Niye acclaim. Today, she lives in the Şirin Devrim ACG 46 Yazar written by Altemur Kilic US with her husband, Robert RC 44. "Everyone was in it," she Trainer who is a member of the ctress and playwright Şirin says. The cast included Ahmet RC Board of Trustees. Devrim ACG 46 appears to isvan RA 44, Mehmet isvan RA Ahave done it all. Born to 46, and even Bulent Ecevit RC 44 As might be expected, her book artist Fahrünnisa Zeyd and nov­ who would meet his wife Rahsan is a fascinating read, taking the elist izzet Melih Devrim, later Aral ACG 44 while on the set. reader through Devrim's turbu¬ stepdaughter to King Faisal's lent life- the glamour of brother, a Yale graduate, a tem- Devrim's first professional Europe's jet set, the heady pestous lover who married four appearance was in 1950 at the bohemian atmosphere of New times, a high society girl who Court Theater in Wisconsin as York and travels through the once played table tennis with Bella Manningham in Gas Light. Middle East, including visits with Cary Grant, a talented actress, In 1953, she made her off Jordanian royalty. 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 4

GRADUATES IN THE NEWS

KİLİ PUBLISHES ENGLISH VERSION TWO BOOKS FROM 'Underground' OF ATATÜRK BOOK AUTHOR TORUNOĞLU

una Kili ACG 46 recently published uthor Sibel Torunoğlu RC 80, herald­ her 26th book, The Atatürk ed by Turkish literary circles as "a SRevolution: A Paradigm of Agenuine underground voice", has Modernization (iş Bankası Yayınları), a occasion for a double celebration. Her 502-page tome out last month. In the searing and deeply personal account of book Kili, a political science professor living with schizophrenia, Tımarhane at Bosphorus University, discusses in Günlüğüm (Stüdyo imge Yayınları), recently detail the paradigm of modernization went into a second reprint. The reprint as introduced and implemented by the also coincided with the publishing of her founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa third book, Travesti Pinokyo (Stüdyo imge Kemal Atatürk. She analyzes the Yayınları), a novel. Atatürk paradigm as an alternative to the capitalist and Marxist paradigms, In Tımarhane Günlüğüm, the Istanbul University English Literature while at the same time focusing upon the objectives of his modern¬ graduate describes many years spent in treatment at various mental ization program and the problems encountered implementing it. hospitals. She calls her illness a way of rebelling against the world. "A schizophrenic is a brave person, removed from utilitarianism and Spanning 84 years, the book includes an analysis of the interplay of greed; a poet, an artist, someone who observes the details of light political forces in Turkey with a discussion of the roles of Islam, and shadow. A connection between the living and the inanimate," secularism and the military in contemporary Turkish politics. Kili she says. Torunoğlu, who began suffering from the illness as a child offers her perspective on issues such as Turkey's European Union but nonetheless managed to complete both RC and university, says membership bid, Cyprus and globalization, all from the vantage she has come to think of it as giving her access to another dimension point of Atatürk and his modernization program. in consciousness.

To accompany the English edition, Kili has also updated and revised Torunoğlu also recently published her third book Travesti Pinokyo the original Turkish Atatürk Devrimi: Bir Çağdaşlaşma Modeli for (Stüdyo imge Yayınları), a story about a heterosexual couple who its 8th reprint, out soon from iş Bankası Yayınları. discover that their son is a transvestite. "How will this heterosexual For both editions, iş Bankası has introduced an easy-to-order deliv¬ couple deal with their transvestite son?" she ery system for people living abroad. For more information, contact asks. "I wanted to see how such a person [email protected]. would affect our lives." Torunoğlu feels that upper class Turks rarely come into contact After studying at ACG, Kili went on to receive with transvestites because of the way they her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in political are economically marginalized in Turkish soci¬ science from Bryn Mawr College. She has since ety, often resorting to prostitution to make a been a visiting professor and lecturer at some living. But she is quick to point out her book 40 universities outside Turkey, including doesn't deal with the social aspects of cross- California-Berkeley, Sorbonne, Oxford and gender issues. "The book is a lyrical, epic, Beijing. She is the author of 26 books and over postmodern novel. I don't really deal with one hundred articles. the social dimension of things."

BANKER AKIŞIK TO HEAD PETROL OFİSİ BOARD

eteran banker Vural Akisik Chairman of the Board at Dışbank industrial groups, in 1976. He was RA 64 was appointed and a member of the Doğan general manager of Interbank, VChairman of the Board of Holding board. then a part of Çukurova, from Petrol Ofisi (POAS), Turkey's 1984-1988, before founding the largest petroleum distributor and Akışık received a B.A. and M.A. in investment bank Turk Merchant service stations operator, in economics from Robert College Bank with Bankers Trust, Türkiye February. and the Middle East Technical iş Bankası and Dışbank and serving University (ODTU), before earning as its chairman. Akisik, 61, returned to his private his Ph.D. in mathematical statis¬ sector roots last year after spend¬ tics from the University of Akışık's appointment means two ing a year leading the Public California at Berkeley. After work¬ RC grads are now at the helm of Banking Executive Board, a high¬ ing as an econometrics instructor Petrol Ofisi. In his new position, profile autonomous body with a at Berkeley and ODTU for seven he joins Ertuğrul Tuncer RC Yuk mandate to restructure ailing years, he joined Çukurova 63, who has been POAS general Vural Akışık RA 64 state-owned banks. He is also Holding, one of Turkeys largest manager since July 2000. 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 5

GRADUATES IN THE NEWS REPORTING THE FRONTLINE - RC Grads Cover War on Iraq

n Ankara, Sedat Ergin RC 75 On the anti-war front, in veteran political correspon¬ Istanbul, Ömer Madra RA 64, Ident for the mass circulation founder and chief commen­ daily Hürriyet - which argued tator of Açık Radyo, an inde­ Turkey should have become pendent non-profit radio sta­ more involved in the war- was tion, was vocal. His popular a firsthand observer of tense daily morning news program negotiations between the US combined comment from and Turkey that began last July. world papers with intelligent Talks ended in a diplomatic analysis. On the radio's web­ fiasco in March when site (www.aciksite.com) Washington's demands to Madra also writes a daily col­ deploy thousands of troops umn Kainatın Tefrikası were rejected in a surprise (Chronicling the Universe) vote by Ankara lawmakers. In which encapsulates his his daily columns, Ergin, who informed, activist take on was in close contact with events both local and global, Turkish leaders, as well as visit¬ often making connections ing American VIPs, offered an between the two. unparalleled close look behind the scenes of Ankara's corridors Similarly, in his weekly of power as the world's power¬ columns, popular Radikal brokers came and went. writer Yıldırım Türker RC 75 analyzed the week's In New York, Sabah correspon¬ developments in context, dent Aslı Aydıntaşbaş RC 89 using his trademark kept her finger on the pulse of powerful prose to deliver a city deeply divided over the resounding critiques. Bush administration's policies in the Middle East, moving to Baghdad after the war to cover post-war developments.

FORMER MP PUBLISHES ANKARA MEMOIRS

hat really goes on time, took on the high profile columnist ismet Berkan lauded behind the scenes in task of trying to uncover and Kocaoglu, saying "it is the Wthe Ankara parliament? remedy human rights abuses in excitement felt by MPs like The newly published Sözüm Turkey. It was in Kocaoglu's Emre Kocaoglu, that allows Meclisten İçeri (iyiadam tenure, two years ago, that the them to actually make a differ¬ Yayıncılık) by Emre Kocaoğlu commission famously uncovered ence." RA 62, an MP for the torture equipment in a raid on Motherland Party (ANAP) an Istanbul police station. between 1999-2002, is full of fascinating insight, describing This is just one of the interest¬ the complicated world of ing incidents described in the Turkish politics through the eyes book, which also reveals a great of a self-described "novice". deal about the strange workings of Turkish politics - the strict The book benefits tremendously hierarchy, the devious methods from Kocaoğlu's position as a MPs have developed to avoid very active lawmaker, most work, and more. Throughout, notably as deputy head of the Kocaoglu's enthusiasm and pas¬ Parliament Human Rights sion for his work is infectious. Emre Kocaoglu RA 62 Commission which, during his In a review, Radikal chief 21/graduates 14/10/04 11:23 Page 6

GRADUATES IN THE NEWS YOUTHFUL PRESIDENT TAKES BEŞİKTAŞ EAGLES TO CENTENARY SUCCESS

fter an eight-year hiatus, Bilgili. "It's a huge honor, as well Beşiktaş trounced rival as a lot of fun". Yet nothing in AGalatasaray to clinch its Bilgili's background suggests he tenth Turkish football league would one day run a football championship, all the more sym¬ club. As a student at Robert bolic as it coincides with the College, he was on the volleyball football club's centenary cele¬ team and played tennis, and brations. The man behind this confesses to "not much interest success is Serdar Bilgili RC 81, in football". After studying busi¬ the youngest president in Turkish ness in the US, he returned to football history at 40. Under his Turkey via a brief stint in Vienna leadership, Besiktaş this year in 1984 to join the family busi­ the strongest financial base, and agement of a sports club does became Turkish league champion ness, which he expanded. He least debt," says Bilgili. He is differ from the management and also made it to the fourth currently owns companies in the building a professional manage¬ of a company because of the round in the European Cup for textile, construction and tourism ment board and steering board emotional and social factors the first time in it's the history industries. to accelerate the decision mak¬ at play - the fans. "No matter of the club. And his success is ing process. In the last two how institutionalized a sports not just on the field. An astute His involvement with Beşiktaş years, he also increased adver¬ club gets, you can not run a businessman, Bilgili transformed began in 1992, at the age of 29, tising and sponsorship revenues. club exactly the same way the club's organizational struc¬ when he joined the BJK manage¬ Beşiktaş was also the first sports you run a company. There are ture, introduced ISO business rial board on the advice of club to achieve ISO 9001: 2000 social factors. Today BJK is standards and began trading Abdullah Acar, then vice-presi¬ status, proof of Bilgili's system¬ the largest publicly traded Beşiktaş shares on the Istanbul dent of Fenerbahçe. Acar told atic organization. "Beşiktaş is club. This means 15 million stock exchange. him that Beşiktaş needed people run much like any of the other partners have a say in every­ like him. At 37, Bilgili was elect¬ top 500 big companies in thing. Your approach can't be "Beşiktaş is my love," says ed president on the heels of Turkey," says Bilgili. "The day I just commercial." Süleyman Seba's 16 year reign. leave, the new incoming man¬ agement won't have any difficul¬ When he manages to find "I would say that Beşiktaş is ty taking over because we are time from his grueling sched¬ today Turkey's best managed totally institutionalized". ule, Bilgili is also an avid pho¬ club. Among the big clubs, it has But Bilgili points out that man- tographer, an interest which began in his years at RC as a member of the photography club. He was also the photog­ raphy editor of the 1981 year­ book, which includes some of his black and white photo¬ graphs. His photography teacher and yearbook advisor at the time, Aydin Ungan, remembers him not only as a succesful photographer but as a "has evlat" (loosely trans­ lated as "true son"). He has held four photography exhibi¬ tions, two in the U.S and two in Turkey. These days, his favorite subject is his 5 year old daughter Lal. He would like, someday, to shoot the world of football, but says it would be complicated now. "Perhaps one day when I quit my position as president," he says, laughing. 32/ONES TO WATCH 14/10/04 11:27 Page 1

ONES TO WATCH NEW GENERATION TAKES FAMILY WINE COMPANY TO GLOBAL ACCLAIM

n 1989, Doluca wines owner gained international recogni­ Ahmet Kutman RA 63 and his tion, receiving prestigious Iclassmate Güven Nil had a awards in competitions like the dream. Investing in 80 hectares Vinalies Internationales. of land in Gelibolu, they plant­ ed four of the so-called noble Kutman took up position as wine grapes - Cabarnet Doluca marketing director in Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay 1998, a year before the first of and Sauvignon Blanc- for the the Sarafin products - first time in Turkey. They hoped Chardonnay and Sauvignon to create top quality wines Blanc- were launched. Her first which would finally put Turkey priority was to restructure the on the global wine map. The company to institutionalize cor­ project was called Sarafin. porate notions of marketing, product and channel develop­ Today, their vision has ment and sustain Doluca's investments in land and wine city life," she says. But family become a reality. Powered leading market position. She making. roots run deep. Eventually her by the marketing drive of redirected the focus from passion for the wine business in the family's youngest quantity to quality, emphasiz­ Kutman may be responsible for which she'd grown up overtook member, Sibel Kutman ing the variety of high qual­ the sales and marketing of the her interest in dance. She RC 92, Sarafin has ity products available to 25 brands under Doluca, but she decided to move to Istanbul, become both a house­ consumers of different also manages to find time to and make her love of dance a hold name in Turkey tastes. Kutman now says dance - a career she pursued in lifelong hobby. and a growing interna­ keeping the company up New York for several years. tional success. Kutman to date with sectoral After graduating from RC, she She says she never looked back. 32 joined the company in developments is an ongo¬ studied contemporary dance at Across the world, she points 1998 as marketing ing priority. The long Wesleyan University, and then out, the wine business is run director and a member term objective, she worked as a dancer in New York with the passion and dedication of the board. Under emphasizes, is to make with well-known groups such as of individual families. Kutman her leadership, both Turkish wine sought after Leslie Partridge and Dancers hopes her personal contribution Sarafin and Doluca in the global market, and and the Avila/Weeks Company. will be to make wine a product brands from Fume this requires constant "The experience gave new for all to enjoy, and to encour¬ Blanc to Moskado and meaning to my ideas of free¬ age a wider appreciation in Chardonnay have Award winning Sarafin wine. dom, survival, competition and Turkey for this taste.

WRITER-DIRECTOR BRINGS FRESH TOUCH TO ISTANBUL THEATER SCENE

resh to Istanbul from New York's alternative theater scene, eye on a screen on stage. writer, director and performer Yeşim Özsoy Gülan RC 90 House- A Cacophonic Play, F made her hometown debut this spring with two imaginative Gülan's second play to be plays showcasing both her scriptwriting talent, as well as an imagi¬ staged in the same month, native approach to incorporating alternative media and venues in surprised viewers by inviting performance. them into an apartment, instead of a theater. Sitting side by side with the play's perform¬ Gülan's one woman play The Year 2084, staged in istanbul's popu­ ers, viewers witness the trials and tribulations of the four charac¬ lar night spots Babylon and Roxy in March, presents a world loosely ters - finely acted by Sanem Öge, Sedat Kalkavan, Alev Cınbarcı based on George Orwell's 1984 through the monologues of eight and Ceyda Aşar- who cannot bring themselves to share the building women and men who live in 2084. The world is sharply divided into they inhabit. In House, the group ...ve Diğer Şeyler Topluluğu four isolated states: EuropeEurope, AsiaAsia, Oceania and the established by Gülan, manages to break down the space between Other World. Gülan's vision of a future wrought with conflict is the actors and the audience, drawing viewers into a cacophonic enhanced by multimedia projections - the computer simulated nightmare revolving around the anger, jealousy and rapaciousness graphics of a human body projected onto the wall and a blinking of four characters. 32/ONES TO WATCH 14/10/04 11:27 Page 2

Gulan's interest in performance began when she enrolled with Ultimately, her dream project is to create a multi-purpose space for Sahika Tekand's Studio Players as a sociology major at Bosphorus performance and contemporary arts in Istanbul. University. After graduation, she continued to work with the Studio Players, while also writing and performing her own texts. Deciding to pursue a master's degree in theater, Gulan attended Sarah Lawrence College in New York and then transferred to Northwestern University to focus on performance studies. All the time, she continued staging one woman performances in New York, Chicago and Istanbul, eventu¬ ally running her own theater company in New York for two years.

During this short but prolific time span Gulan married multimedia artist Genco Gulan, and became pregnant with Sinan Can, now three years old. Pregnancy did not slow her down - she became known as 'the crazy pregnant Turkish director' among her actors. Soon after September 11, the Gulan family returned to Istanbul, to collaborate on the restaging of various projects like "play a la turca", and 2084 which debuted in New York, and to produce new ones like House- A Cacophonic Play.

Gulan intends to keep working on her own productions and hopes the next step will be to take her group to international festivals.

YOUNG TURKS ONLINE-BRIDGING LONDON, NEW YORK AND ISTANBUL

or many RC graduates who track what's happening in a way to write, something he end up living abroad, life Turkey. Likewise, for those in has wanted to do since child¬ F-gurbet- is often about try¬ Turkey, its a way to hear about hood. "Esintiler allows me to ing to find a balance between life in New York, London or share this passion on a daily creating a new home and want¬ Moscow," he said. Esintiler has basis with other people," he ing to stay in touch with the about 350 members, most of said. "I am as proud of being old. Esintiler began in 1994 as whom are young professionals the editor of Esintiler as I am of an ongoing e-mail correspon¬ working in business, finance and being a director at Deutsche dence between Ozan Tarman the media. Members write Bank," he adds, laughing. RC 90 and several of his about anything which interests nine years into a book, making friends, exchanges about the them -this is most often politics There are no plans to turn the group's archives available to trials and tribulations of living or sports, but also includes Esintiler into a business. In everyone. "We've been through abroad, as well as the latest food, films and technology. On a time, Tarman hopes to generate so much together," he says. football news from home. At typical Esintiler day, messages enough interest to turn the site "Global economic crises, 9/11, the time, Tarman, a Harvard range from Nicole Kidman gossip into a magazine. He also elections, World Cups." Here's graduate, was living in New to comments on Paul Wolfowitz dreams of compiling the past to another nine years. York, working in international to jibes about the sorry state of banking. the Istanbul stock exchange.

Slowly, the group expanded. At In April, www.esintiler.com first, it was made up mainly of went online and was featured young Turks -the average on several TV programs. It now Esintiler member is 31 years receives about 5,000 hits a day. old- living abroad. Later, as "It is a place where we can Internet access in Turkey speak about our lives," says became widely available, Tarman. Esintiler became a bridge between people living in Turkey Although many Esintiler contrib• and Turks abroad. Four years utors are RC graduates, "it has ago the group opened a Yahoo never been an RC microcosm" account, making Esintiler pub¬ says Tarman, who moved to lic. "It created a virtual fami• Istanbul in 1999 and has been a ly," says Tarman. "For people director at Deutsche Bank for living abroad, it's a way to two years. For him, Esintiler is 38/RCreaches out 14/10/04 11:35 Page 1

RC REACHES OUT FILM BUFF MAKES DREAM COME TRUE: The Mithat Alam Film Center

"I wanted to combine the two Center is an editing room which It was partly this interest that loves of my life, two things that serves as a studio for students led Alam to get moving on his have made me happiest," says taking film courses. dream. His first idea was to Mithat Alam RA 64 RC 68. "My start a master's program in school, where I spent the most In 1998, when Oya Başak ACG 55, film at the university. When Under Başak's initiative, a build¬ pleasant 13 years of my life, and head of the Department of that proved unfeasible, Alam, ing was allocated for the new my passion for cinema." Western Languages and Başak and Dilek Doltaş ACG 65 film center - the site once used Literature at BU asked Alam to began researching what sort as a construction hut for today's hus was born the Mithat teach an elective course in cine¬ of facilities universities Rectorate, a building which Alam Film Center in 1999, ma, they both knew that his pas¬ abroad without film depart¬ many graduates associate with Ta unit within Boğaziçi sionate interest in cinema, dat¬ ments were offering their "Sakallı Manda", a nickname for University which provides stu¬ ing back to his teenage years, students. dents with resources for critical, would be put to good use. He creative and scholarly activities was past 50 at the time, and a Soon enough, they had worked related to film studies. Perhaps successful businessman. "Yet," on various models for a film one of the best-equipped film he recalls, "business was not for center, and by December centers in Istanbul, the Center me really, and I never felt quite 1999, Alam had signed a con¬ offers BU students a state-of- fulfilled with my line of work." ditional donation agreement the-art cinema which seats 61, a By the end of the first semester, for a $400,000 endowment to computerized reference library he had acquired a student fan create a film center on cam¬ on Turkish and world cinema, an club, many staying after class to pus. "I don't have children", archive which boasts an impres¬ chat about cinema, going over to he says today, "and by age sive 2,800 films, and a TV room. his apartment to watch and dis¬ fifty, I had made enough to The latest addition to the cuss films, and asking for more. donate to a good cause." 38/RCreaches out 14/10/04 11:35 Page 2 —

Mr. Summers who taught music were backed with discussions and lived there. held with directors, film critics and actors, both from Turkey Once the site was decided upon and abroad. For those who however, more problems missed the events, volunteer ensued. The building was a students diligently transcribed ruinous heap, and it would take all the material into a book loads for repairs. The film cen­ which the Center then printed. ter of Alam's dreams required extensive rebuilding, but the Alam is also proud that the uni¬ university's allocated budget for versity's film certificate pro¬ construction was nowhere near gram, formally under the what was needed. After 10 days Department of Western thought, Alam signed a new Languages and Literature, contract with the university, already has five graduates. all volunteers working with In just two and a half years, the underwriting all expenses for "This," says Alam, "is a healthy Alam in the Center's first year. Mithat Alam Film Center has the construction work. In three number as the program has only Two years on, they still consult managed to recreate the thriving months' time, the Center was been available for one year, and him for business decisions. atmosphere of yesteryear's built from scratch and ready to because of a lack of teachers, Sinematek. It welcomes support be opened, once again confirm¬ not all courses can be offered The Center is always busy creat­ from graduates, corporations and ing the truth behind a saying every semester." ing new projects. This year, it other cinephiles. Many of the popular among Alam's friends: launched a screenwriting com¬ scheduled programs, projects "Mithat thinks today, and does One of the most notable aspects petition, giving the four winners and technical facilities to be yesterday." of the Center is the active role material support to shoot their upgraded, require more than the students play in running it. short films. An oral history proj¬ Center's existing endowment. The Center took off immediate¬ Predominantly staffed by volun¬ ect beginning this year is geared ly after opening in December teer students, the Center is towards creating a visual memo¬ For more information please 2000. Its 2001 activities consist¬ much more than just a place of ry of those people who have contact Berrin Okutan Uzan, ed of impressive retrospectives resource, it also motivates stu¬ made great contributions to head of administration for directors like Atıf Yılmaz dents to channel their love of Turkish cinema. Also this year, at the Center. and Akira Kurosawa designed to cinema into something more. the Center hopes to start inten¬ lure cinema lovers towards films For instance, the creators of sive but informal summer work¬ [email protected] they would otherwise have a the well-respected independent shops on film directing, screen- [email protected] hard time finding. Screenings Altyazı cinema magazine were writing and acting. 38/RCreaches out 14/10/04 11:35 Page 3 —

RC REACHES OUT AÇIK RADYO GAINS SUPPORT THROUGH AÇIK SİTE

n any given day, tune in to Açık Radyo 94.9 FM, OIstanbul's leading inde­ pendent radio station, and you are as likely to hear little known jazz standards as Bach, a discussion on wine grapes or the latest indie rock, a debate on the economy, or Greek folk songs. Britney Spears aside, there is something for everyone on this station. (Radio policy is "to keep a strict distance to chart-oriented, mass-produced commercial styles").

Every day on Açık Radyo (mean¬ ing Open Radio) begins with the man who started it all. Ömer Madra RA 64 has been hosting the drivetime Açık Gazete (Open Newspaper), a roundup of daily news delivered in his intelligent and witty style, every morning since the radio first went on air in 1996. Apart from scanning most of the dailies in Turkey, Madra pro¬ vides listeners with extensive ers, artists, publishers, KARAMERCAN RC ENG 73, Halis versally; acts as an "informa¬ international press coverage, bankers, professors, engineers, KOMİLİ RA 65, Ömer MADRA RA tion center" for all NGOs and throwing in analysis from com¬ lawyers, advertising execu¬ 64, Güven NİL RA 63, Ataman grass roots organizations; lays mentators the likes of Robert tives), who in 1996 founded ONAR RA 62, Ahmet ULUĞ RC great emphasis on cultural Fisk and Noam Chomsky for Açık Radyo, becoming equal 83, Mehmet ULUĞ RC 78, Reha matters and broadcasts wide¬ good measure. He is also direc¬ shareholders. Many of the UZ RA 64, Nergis YAZGAN ACG ly on multi-cultural and tor of the radio, and his energy founders include RC graduates: 67, Cem YEGÜL RC 78, Erkut cross-cultural issues. and enthusiasm - even after Suay AKSOY RC YÜK 72, Leyla YÜCAOĞLU RC ENG 69. Their seven tough years- are infec¬ AKTAY RC 72, Selim ALGUADIS shared goal was to create a In its seven years on air, tious. RA 63, Şahin ALPAY RA 63, non-profit, independent radio more than 550 volunteer pro¬ Mehmet BETİL RA 60, Esat EDİN station which would embrace grammers have donated their The 58 year-old is one of the 92 RC 78, Refik ERZAN RC YÜK 73, "all the sounds, colors and time and energy to the sta¬ individuals, professionals from Hilmi GÜVENAL RC 80, Burhan vibrations of the universe" tion, creating a unique com¬ a wide variety of fields (writ- KARAÇAM RA 68, Erdal while working at the same time bination of music, news, and to promote greater debate in personality. In addition to Turkey on issues like human regular programming, it has rights, the environment and aired specials on Bach (3 democracy. years and ongoing), Mahler, Stravinsky (52 hours), Münir Açık Radyo is democratic in its Nureddin Selçuk, 100 years of structure, working methods, recorded Turkish music, The and programs in general. It Beatles (120 hours), Bob stands for peace and justice Dylan (52 hours), Duke and promotes the protection of Ellington, Jacques Brel and human rights and freedoms uni- 38/RCreaches out 14/10/04 11:35 Page 4 —

involved with a project spon¬ PROGRAM HOSTS sored by the European Açık Site- A permanent online Commission on "World Music on SUAY AKSOY RC YÜK 72 the Internet". resource helps support the station LEYLA AKTAY RC 72 The station has chalked up the In March last year friends and programmers of Açık Radyo cre­ ŞAHİN ALPAY RA63 accolades, winning 18 awards ated - and have since been providing content to - a separate İBRAHİM BETİL RA64 for excellence from various and independent website, Açık Site, intended to better serve media organizations in Turkey. the community. (www.aciksite.com). "The website is a ver­ SEDA BİNBAŞGİL RC 83 Interestingly, the radio station bal, visual and virtual "reflection" of the universal sound of HİLMİ GÜVENAL RC 80 also emerged as a driving force the station itself," says Madra. It has become an impressive MELDA KESKİN RC 80 behind numerous community archive of more than 4.000 articles, special reports, cartoons, projects. It was the main organ­ photographs, and illustrations concerning key global issues. JAK KOHEN RA 70 izer of the International ÖMER MADRA RA 64 Istanbul Music Festivities in Sustaining the station financially is an ongoing challenge in a 1997 and 1998, each attended country where funds for cultural projects are almost nonexist¬ GÜVEN NİL RA63 by approximately 10.000 music ent, and corporate sponsors scarce. "Although Açık Radyo was SEVİN OKYAY ACG 63 lovers. It has co-sponsored able to survive both the first two years and the huge and international photography exhi¬ HULUSİ ÖZOKLAV RC 72 ongoing economic crisis of 2001, it is a well known fact that bitions. Perhaps most impor¬ it is always very difficult to sustain independent media which FARUK PEKİN RC ENG 69 tantly, after the devastating rely solely on their own rather meager resources," says OSMAN TÜMAY RC 72 earthquake of 1999, it trans¬ Madra. Açık Site, which is a major sponsor for Açık Radyo, is formed itself into a "two-way one way to encourage individuals to contribute to the station. AHMET ULUĞ RC 83 transmitter" and acted as a Private individuals can pledge their support by subscribing to MEHMET ULUĞ RC 78 clearinghouse of information for the website. people in Istanbul and those in REHA UZ RA 64 the disaster areas. It is still the The fact that the station has thrived so far is a testament to CEM YEGÜL RC 78 only medium which broadcasts the strength of its unique programming, as well as the sup¬ programs on earthquake readi¬ port of individuals who believe that sustaining an independ¬ ness. ent channel like Açık Radyo is vital to the advancement of (www.acikradyo.com.tr/ardim democracy in Turkey. Açık Radyo is about to embark on a or www.altinsatirlar.org.tr) fundraising campaign next fall, inviting everybody -and this goes without saying for RC graduates- to take part. In the So perhaps it is not surprising meanwhile, one of the ways to support this truly independent that, in time, Açık Radyo and original radio station is through the Açık Site website. For became much more than just a more information, visit www.aciksite.com. radio station. It evolved into a community. An AC Nielsen survey two years ago found that Açık Radyo has a core daily listener- ship of 60,000 people; bi-daily: 80,000; weekly: 120,000. Almost half a million listeners between the ages of 15-64 tune in to Açık Radio in any given month. It is a distinct favorite among the city's intellectuals. Filmgoers at the Istanbul Film Festival and jazz lovers at the Istanbul Jazz Festival ranked Açık Radyo their favorite radio station. Among classical music lovers attending Açık Radyo also has ears abroad the Istanbul Classical Music - it exchanges programs with Festival, it came in a close sec¬ several European radio stations ond behind state run classical and is one of 5 European radios music channel TRT FM. 42/around theworld 14/10/04 11:28 Page 1

RC AROUND THE WORLD

Two years ago, Gulin Akoz RC 87 quit her PhD studies in Mechanical Engineering, gave up her job as a teaching assistant at Bosphorus University, abandoned the city she grew up in, her family and friends, to make a longtime dream come true. Armed only with a backpack, the 31- year-old embarked on the adventure of a lifetime, a trip around the world that would last 15 months and cover 34 countries on four continents. "I had had my share of the standard life my parents and society expected of me. But the time had come that I couldn't be stuck in one place any longer," she recalls. En route, Akoz would endure a traffic accident in Patagonia, being stranded in the Sudan for a week, having a gun pulled on her in Kenya, tough weather conditions and more.

The first leg of her trip began on a cold winter day in July in South Africa. Her travel com• panions were an American (Jody), a Canadian (Jeff) and an Australian (Sally) and a truck named Max which drove them through the east coast of Africa to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and back home. Then came Scandinavia, Europe and London. A flight over the Atlantic took her to Brazil and a car accident in Patagonia back to Buenos Aires. On the last leg of her adventure, Akoz crossed the Pacific to visit New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Japan.

Below is an excerpt from the diary Akoz kept during her overland journey through Africa.

Even though South Africa and Egypt are on the AFRICA continent, the real Africa lies in between. Below are some things I remember about On the road, when everything and Africa on first thought. Here we go: everybody around you changes so rapidly, I sometimes wonder who is going to stay? - Seeing Victoria falls from both Zambia and What is permanent? Zimbabwe. Three rainbows at the same time, one almost a complete circle. The answer: NOTHING! Nothing stays but memories... - Eating sadza, a dumpling made from ground I live for the 'moments', to collect corn which is a Zimbabwean specialty. A boy I 'memories'. met took me to a bus on the street and made me eat it the traditional way: Using my hands. 42/around theworld 14/10/04 11:28 Page 2

- Being smuggled out of Malawi

We found out at the border that I had needed a visa which I didn't have. What to do? I had to get in somehow. After pleading for 10-15 minutes the man gave me a paper and told me to go to some station. The funny thing is you had to go in to the country first to get a A waterfall in Ethiopia. visa! And what if you didn't get it? The man made me read and sign a form which said that ing a normal car. I mean there's the gas -Spice tour in Zanzibar, the baskets the chil• otherwise, I was to be deported in two days. pedal, the brakes and the clutch, then dren wove us in five minutes, Zanzibar coke Well, we were going to leave the country in there's the gear-shift, and that's all there is two days anyway. So Jeff didn't bother driving to driving, right? Well, right... but this partic¬ Have you ever tried climbing a coconut tree all that way and they just smuggled me out of ular Land Rover is a bit shaky. with a rope tied to your feet? Believe me, the country pretending we were four instead it's not easy. The little children climb up like of five. But I guess what happened that day had monkeys and when they ask you to try, you nothing to do with our truck! The funny thing just end up hugging the tree! It is a bummer - Going into a Chinese restaurant in Tanzania is that I was thinking what a great story it to struggle so hard and not be able to move and listening to French music would be for the newspaper I was writing to an inch. So to cheer you up, they weave you if I got into an accident. As we all know, baskets, bracelets, ties, watches, hats from - The bus ride from Arusha to Nairobi they love sensation. coconut leaves. And when they offer you Zanzibar coke, don't be depressed thinking Jody and I were the only white people on As these thoughts were running through my coca-cola got here too, it is delicious the bus. I lack the talent to describe the mind, this man who probably meant to cross coconut juice. bus- the 45 degree inclined red satin seats, the street just froze in the middle of the the ramshackle radio playing lively music road with a bewildered look on his face. He - Sharing the pastry I bought with three little which filled the sweaty air, and of course the had not seen me coming since he had not boys in the lobby of the hotel people, all of whom could be the subject of cared to look first. Now trying to decide a story on their own. Take my word for it whether he should go forward or back, he I don't know why but people in Gonder had and experience it for yourself! It will be one moved in the direction I steered the wheel! I the habit of walking you to your hotel and it is of the most remarkable days in your life. spun the wheel around and he turned the so much more fulfilling when you have some¬ way I was headed. I was sure I would hit one to share your food with. - The cheetah kill in Masai Mara him...or the hay pile. Luckily I succeeded in missing both. I felt bad and relieved at the - Being asked to go to the police station for Somehow, I knew that we were going to see same time. Bad because of the graveness of the first time in my life something good that day. See, I'm lucky. the incident, relieved nothing happened. Actually I would have thought I would feel There is fighting in south of the Sudan and you bad, seeing the poor gazelle struggle. But I A couple hours later on, Jeff is in the driver's aren't allowed to go there anyway. You have to guess that's nature! Sally and Mike saw a lion seat. Almost the same scenario goes flashing register in every city and carry a travel per¬ mate. I was jealous at first but they said it by, this time the hero being an old woman! mit. Sudanese people are mostly very nice and was rare to see a kill and the mating had Guess it's not us but rather the Ethiopian's friendly, but there are always exceptions to lasted only five seconds! belief that roads are built as pedestrian the rule. One day, I was stopped by this man walkways. on the street because I had taken a picture of - Breaking down, being stuck in mud, being stuck in sand, having to get the sand ladders down, being splattered with mud, being soaked in water from head to foot

All these things that would make me feel frustrated if I were at home are fun here. Maybe that's what travelling is all about. The art of being able to laugh at life's difficul¬ ties... yes, I like this... here's my definition of travel... the art of turning trouble into comedy!

- Quote from Jeff: "We could have killed two people today if we had tried harder."

That was our first day in Ethiopia. And my first time driving a Land Rover. I hadn't thought it would be any different from driv- 42/around theworld 14/10/04 11:28 Page 3

might be a ritual I did not yet know of. Sudan is safe but I didn't want men to see me alone in the middle of the night. I got up and started walking back home. Went into a different street each time to avoid the crowd, but turn a corner and there they were! In the end, I found out that they were men of the village trying to trace me! The whole town had gotten out to search for me a mosque! He wanted to take my film, but because there were hyenas in the area! And couldn't, because my camera was digital. I they had tracked where I took off my shoes, showed him the picture and asked what was where I sat, where I lay down. It was embar• wrong with it. He didn't speak any English. rassing. But sort of funny in a way - here He kept trying to snatch the camera out of they were looking for me and I was trying to my hand and I was hanging onto it. He then avoid them! It never occurred to me that I found a soldier, but the soldier didn't speak could be the object of their search. English either. So then they found someone who spoke English and he said to me "He - Have you ever been afraid of your hand? was fat. Her plumpness was a sign that she suspects you, I suspect you." I wonder what had food to eat and was healthy. he suspected? That I was a spy? "What's We had henna done on our hands in Sudan. wrong with taking a picture of a mosque?" I Married women can get henna on their feet - and of course above all: Viktor, Awad, Mithat asked again. Couldn't get any answer. They too, singles, on their hands only. They told in Wadi Halfa, Grace in Ethiopia, the Greek- said I had to go to the police station. Of us that red henna meant that you wanted to Sudanese boy Ducas who said "I'm just a dot in course I wasn't going to go! Why should I?! get married. Of course, they told us after it a sentence", Mefaret at Hotel Shady, Abdullah Finally I deleted the pictures and walked was too late! That night, at dinner, I sudden¬ in Syria and friends with no names... all the away. I couldn't argue with stupid people! ly jerked my hand away.... there was a dark, smiles on faces I won't remember... We had a small problem the last day, too. I ugly bug on my hand. guess everywhere there are officials who Africa is a great continent. I liked most that have a complex, who like to feel they are - Washing with a bucket of water the difference in your skin color does not gen¬ important. Well, as they say in Africa, erate hatred and hostility. On the contrary, it Hakuna Matata! - Thinking to myself "it's good to know you is a means of friendship and welcome. won't be cold when you go out" Wherever you go, it is pretty obvious you are - Missing Meroe and being stuck in Wadi a foreigner and everybody you pass on the Halfa, Sudan for about a week waiting for - The difficulties in crosscultural communica¬ street greets you with a smile and waves. The the cargo ferry tion only exception would probably be South Africa, but, given their tragic history, can you Even though there was nothing to do, those Jody and Sally went to the supermercato, blame them? 6 days are probably going to be the most the largest open market in Africa, looking for memorable days of this trip. t-shirts. They went into a shop. The man I realized on this trip that while before I was looked at Jody and said "Okay for you" He more interested in countries, places to see, - Going out for a walk with hyenas looked at Sally and said "No, you are fat". history, nature and stuff like that, now I'm They went into another shop. The man said more interested in people. Beyond all those I had read a book called "The Impossible "Yes for her, but no for you. You are fat". wonderful buildings and history, there is a Journey" about a man and a woman crossing When the same thing happened a third time, human mind and a human heart. Even if I the Sahara from west to east on camelback Sally started to get irritated. These people hadn't seen any sights in Ethiopia, it still in 13 months. After reading such a book, I were insulting her all the time! And then she would have been worth the trip just to play wanted to feel the endlessness of the desert, realized that they were in Ethiopia: a coun• ball with children on the street, the ball the vastness of the sky and grandeur of the try where there was famine. So it was actu¬ made from ragged clothing wrapped around rocks which looked invincible. Soooo, I went ally a compliment for them to say that she a plastic bag. out for a walk at night. The people and rhythm of life is different I was lying and night-dreaming when in the from ours. Just being there, you learn the distance I saw about 25-30 men walking true meaning of "Hakuna Matata". You get slowly in front of a car. I wondered if this used to hearing it everywhere. Nothing in life was some strange tradition or something like is so serious as long is it's not a matter of life the Klu-Klux-Klan? Life has a certain routine and death or no permanent injuries are done. in Wadi Halfa. You get up 7ish, have tea with milk and some biscuits, at 11 you have "Haraka haraka haina baraka." breakfast, 4 o'clock lunch, 6 pm tea (nor• mal), weddings are at 9 and they end at 11 Life has a slow pace here. No hurries no pm which means time for dinner! And at worries in Africa. This continent has a lot midnight the lights go out! So I thought this to teach us. 45/in the city 14/10/04 11:31 Page 1

RC IN THE CITY: VENUES WE RUN PAVING THE WAY: An Istanbul Contemporary Art Space Thrives

stanbul may not have its own Guggenheim, fairly risk averse cultural climate in Turkey,". Kortun has no plans -for the time being- to but in the past decade, a vibrant contem­ Proje4L began at almost the same time as a expand Platform. Instead, as director his Iporary art scene has been slowly blossom­ joint project between Kortun and Can Elgiz, immediate goal is to consolidate the center's ing. This mini renaissance is taking place in no its founder and financier. "I feel both blessed activities to create a more integrated institu­ small part thanks to the unflagging efforts of and privileged to work with intelligent people tion where the lectures, residency program, curator and art historian Vasıf Kortun RC 78, and institutions", says Kortun, comparing the archive and the exhibitions feed off each who created both Proje4L, a contemporary recent years to tougher times during a previ­ other. "We have in two years reached our spa¬ art museum in Levent, and Platform Garanti, ous sojourn in Turkey between 1988-1993. tial limits, and in that sense we are not plan¬ a contemporary art center in Beyoğlu, two ning to expand any further. We now want to years ago. The aim, he says, "is to make Platform, located in the heart of Beyoğlu, on consolidate and set an example of institution¬ Istanbul, in our little ways, a more liveable Istiklal Caddesi, is a multipurpose space al model, if you excuse my arrogance, inter¬ place, a place with specific qualities, to help devoted to contemporary art which offers nationally." make it into the city that it deserves to be". both educational and exhibition facilities. The Both institutions are world class - in fact, ground floor of the tastefully restored build¬ Platform's core activities are largely funded Platform was recently selected one of the 10 ing is a pristine gallery, which plays host to by Garanti Bank, but it also relies on dona¬ best contemporary art institutions in Europe rotating exhibitions featuring both local and tions from international institutions and indi¬ that makes the most of its location. international artists. In May, for instance, the viduals to carry out innovative projects like a gallery opened an exhibition, Shadows and residency program under which emerging Kortun returned to Istanbul from New York in Ghosts, curated by Lewis Johnson and featur­ international artists are invited to Istanbul 1997, where he had spent four years and was ing nine contemporary Turkish artists. where they lead workshops and create site founding director of the Museum of Curatorial specific work. Studies at Bard College. "I longed for On the floors above, Platform is also a place Istanbul, my parents, the apartment at Hisar of resource, featuring a library of 3,500 titles, For more information, contact with a view of the Bosphorus and of course magazines, videos and more. Art professionals Vasıf Kortun at: the prospect of my daughter growing up with and talent scouts visiting Istanbul come Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center her grandparents in an extended family situa¬ straight to the center to consult Kortun who 276 istiklal Cad., 80050 Beyoglu tion was attractive," he said. keeps on file full and up-to-date portfolios of Istanbul - Turkey more than 90 contemporary Turkish artists, Work: 90 212 293 2361 He was asked by the Ottoman Bank to give a ranging from well-known names like Kutluğ Fax: 90 212 293 3071 presentation on the possibility of starting up a Ataman to emerging talent. e-mail: [email protected] contemporary art institution. After a year of talks, in 2001 the bank decided to fund A cornerstone of the Platform ethos is its Gallery hours: Platform. After the merger of Garanti Bank emphasis on discussion and interaction, Weds-Thurs 13:00-20:00 with the Ottoman Bank later that year, the hence the name. Each month features talks Fri-Sat 13:00-22:00 center passed over to the former. "I still think by international names on the cutting edge in retrospect that it was a remarkable feat of contemporary art, including world Archives open daily except Sunday and both for Osmanlı to start it and Garanti Bank renowned curators like Hou Hanru and Monday, 13:00-18:00 to uphold and develop this institution in the Charles Esche. 49/ALUMNI NEWS 14/10/04 11:33 Page 1

ALUMNI NEWS

ELİ BENAZRA RC 43 To : RC ENG 48 Graduates Mr. Benazra wrote to From : Joseph Shabi say how much he Dear Friends, enjoyed A group of RC48 graduates of the Engineering School are toying with the idea of reading having a sort of Reunion/Homecoming on the 60th Anniversary of joining the about Şiar College i.e. in the year 2004. The general consensus is to make it coincide with Yalçın, in the Commencement Day, which used to be in June. However we intend the gath­ the Fall ering to take place in our good old Campus in Bebek. 2002 issue We are liaising with Boğaziçi Alumni Society for full details. of the RCQ, Best Regards, his "buddy" Joseph Shabi and some­ times rival [email protected] whom he had not seen since graduation! He left Istanbul during WWII to study medicine in the USA and graduated from Educational Foundation) in which he was a NEJLA YARKUT SOLU ACG 49 Northwestern University, Chicago and went founding member and on the first board of on with psychiatric specialty training. He directors; Hisar Eğitim Vakfı (Hisar has been in private practice and also Educational Foundation) of which he was a enjoyed being on the faculty of the Loyola founding member and carried out the duties University Medical Center in Illinois, helping of general secretary and chairman of the residents with their psychiatric training. board as well as being active in the creation Benazra maintains a relationship with other of Bizim Tepe, the RC alumni club; Boğaziçi RC alumni in the Chicago area and other University Alumni Foundation of which he parts of the USA, including Acar Bill RC 42 was a founding member; Economic and and Kaya incikaya RC 43. Another classmate History Foundation of which he was also a of his, Sami Haas, now living in Israel, founding member, TÜSİAD ; YASED and asked him if he was still trying to prepare Istanbul Municipality Theaters, where he was for the Olympics (one of his college a member of the repertoire committee. dreams!). Benazra replied that he runs at 8 e-mail: [email protected] Nejla Solu in the center with her am six days a week as he dashes from the husband of 53 years Hami Kılıç Aslan parking lot to his office to be on time for JOE FARHİ RC 47 Solu, and surrounded by their sons patient appointments. After work, he adds, Mr. Farhi retired from accounting and audit¬ Yıldırım and Cem, daughters-in-law he tries to spend some time swimming in ing from the American International Group. and 8 grand-children. The Solu family the neighborhood pool as he fantasizes that He had been in the finance world since his lives in Madison, New Jersey. he is swimming from Rumeli Hisar, across postgraduate degree. In his retirement days the Bosphorus. he is traveling extensively, visiting his RC Tel: 001 630 571 8118 friends in Canada, USA and Europe. He is also GEORGE J. BESİ RC 51 a member of several clubs and includes the The father of three daughters, George Besi ALİ H. NEYZİ RC 46 gym and swimming in his activities. He lives and works in Athens, Greece where he Prolific writer Ali Neyzi wrote to the RCQ enjoys giving private lessons in French and owns and runs The Besi Group, Shipping from Antalya where he says he is in ''volun­ Spanish, does translations and occasionally Agency, Shipping, Trading and Transport tary exile''. An insurance executive by pro¬ interprets. Company. fession, he has retired from the active work Mr. Farhi's busy life also includes his two e-mail: [email protected] force but continues to hold positions on vari¬ grandsons, Michael and Mathew with whom ous boards. His insurance background he enjoys a good game of basketball! ESİN EDEN ACG 54 includes top level management positions at e-mail: [email protected] After graduation, Esin Eden worked as a Türkiye Genel Sigorta A.O., Tam Sigorta A.fi, secretary and acted in the first amateur Tam Hayat Sigorta A.Ş., Halk Sigorta T.A.Ş., NİSSİM ESKENAZİ RC ENG 48 theater "Cep Tiyatrosu". As a Fullbright Halk Yaşam A.Ş., Halk Reasürans A.Ş., Mr. Eskenazi, who lives in Illinois, retired as scholar she got her M.A. in Speech and Karacan Holding, La Suis Umum Sigorta A.fi., President of Eskenazi, Farrel & Fodor, PC Drama from Kansas University. She became isviçre Sigorta A.Ş. and isviçre Hayat Sigorta. Structural Engineers in Chicago. He is a a professional actress in 1961 at Oraloğlu He has also been an active participant of founder and past president of Structural Theater, then worked in Dormen and various foundations, associations and trustee Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) and a Poyrazoğlu theaters. Presently, she is act¬ boards, one of them being the Robert life member of both SEAOI and American ing with the Istanbul Municipality Theater. College Board of Trustees of which he contin¬ Society of Civil Engineers as well as being the Esin Eden has translated The Hite Report, ues to be a Trustee Emeritus. Other institu¬ father of two sons, Marc and Paul and two Brain-Sex, and a few plays. Wrote a cook­ tions which have benefited from his vast daughters Anita and Beth. ery book, Salonika - A Family Cookbook expertise are: Türk Eğitim Vakfı (Turkish e-mail: [email protected] published in English in Greece and 49/ALUMNI NEWS 14/10/04 11:33 Page 2

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Annemin Yemek Defteri - Selanik, ERSİN SÜEREN RC 59 Organization of the U.N. in Rome, and, in MUnich, Brüksel, istanbul (Oğlak Completed his 1977, the World Bank in Washington, where Yayınları). military service in he spent 20 years as a Senior Agricultural Esin Eden has two sons. Ali Hikmet Yavuz is the Turkish Navy Economist until his retirement. a copywriter with an advertising company as a diver and He also became a professional photogra­ who recently won the Behçet Necatigil deck officer. pher and has often been exhibited in the Poetry Prize for his book Şeytan Between 1962¬ USA and in Istanbul and is a member of an Uçurtması. Her other son Ömer Emre 1986 he owned art gallery in Bethesda, Maryland. He has Yavuz works at Mimar Sinan University- two rescue and visited more than eighty countries and has Sculpture Department and was one of the harbor construc¬ extensively photographed Turkey, Brazil, artists who created the sculptures at the tion vessels and France, Morocco, Rajasthan, Nepal, Bhutan, State Cemetery in Ankara. worked on the Egypt, Western Europe, Canada, West She has also appeared in a few TV com­ whole coast of Africa and the USA. He has won prizes from mercials as well as many TV serials and a Turkey and the Photographic Society of America for his few films such as Karılar Koğuşu, İz, La Northern Cyprus as a professional diver, multi-media slide shows. Two of his shows, Reve D'Esther for French TV 5, and harbor construction, underwater pipeline Hallalabad Blues in Denmark. contractor, salvage operator and captain. He occupied administrative positions, as a KINCAL NAZLI VEZNEDAROĞLU board member in the Turkish Chamber of ACG 57 Shipping between 1983-1992 and between Wrote to the RCQ from Naples, Florida 1987-1992 was an elected council member where she and her husband are enjoying too. Served as the representative of the retirement and spending time with their auxiliary vessels of Turkey and expert arbi¬ four grandchildren. With a master's degree trator in the Turkish courts. in clinical social work from Smith College, Since 1993, Süeren has been working as a she worked for 27 years with the family ''Blue Voyage'' Super Charter Captain on therapy units of mental health clinics. the Mediterranean during the summers. From 1997 onwards, he has been spending Since she says she doesn't use or want e¬ The Bosphorus and Beyond, and Spiritual the winter months in Port Washington, New mail, those wishing to get in touch can Crossroads of Anatolia are being readied York. write to: P.O. Box 110688, Naples, Florida for print as an illustrated narration. The 34108. He also continues to place first in interna¬ Assembly of Turkish American Associations tional swimming marathons in the master's has presented him with its Outstanding DOĞAN TÜRKER RC 58 category and is an amateur historian, inter¬ Achievement in Culture and Art Award. Author/ researcher Doğan Türker would ested in Anatolian and Mediterranean mar¬ Maurice and his wife, Lina, née Perahya, of like to announce the launch of his new itime history. Istanbul, live in Chevy Chase, Maryland. web site at www.skyrootuni.com which [email protected] They have two daughters, Camille, an M.D. contains interesting parts from his ongoing specialized in family practice, and Elsa, an research in the subject of "The Universal M.S. in Social Work, and a granddaughter Mother Tongue". and a grandson from each. Türker lives and works in Ankara and is E-mail: [email protected] the father of two daughters, Kına Yarpınar and Pelin Türker. FORTUNEE KAYRA-STUART e-mail: [email protected] ACG 61 Professional Experience: Research on lan­ TUNCEL FENMAN RC 58 guage acquisition for English, Turkish and Received a certificate of proficiency in Hebrew at Stanford University, Stanford, English from the University of Michigan, CA. Co-founder of the Berkeley Center for English Language Institute in 1962 and a Child Study and Psychotherapy; Chief certificate of teaching from the English Psychologist, Child Development Center, Department of Teachers Training Institute Children's Hospital, Oakland, CA, USA at Çapa/Istanbul in 1965. Fenman was "I have a Ph.D. in Psychology. Currently, I employed at the foreign trade departments have a busy private practice in Berkeley, of two major firms in Istanbul for about CA, involved in psychotherapy with adults, 20 years and is now working as a technical children as well as doing custody evalua¬ translator for MIKEN, which is the first tions for family court. I have a couple of firm in Turkey publishing two industrial clients from Turkey who prefer to speak periodicals related with the packaging Turkish in therapy." industry. MAURICE ASSEO, RC ENG 59 "I do oil painting, which I had started at The father of two sons and a daughter, Obtained a post-graduate degree in devel­ ACG as a student. We have two daughters, Fenman enjoys photography, fishing, cook¬ opment planning from Grenoble, France. ages 28 and 22 and we do backpacking in ing and playing bridge. He worked for a French firm before joining the high mountains in California. My hus¬ Office tel: 216 495 94 80 in 1973 the Food and Agriculture band and I have introduced many people to 49/ALUMNI NEWS 14/10/04 11:33 Page 3

backpacking. I enjoyed reading the Alumni tude he has acquired living in Marmaris. He News, I would love to hear or see anybody is calling out to everyone to get in touch from ACG '61 visiting the San Francisco Bay with him if they are interested in learning Area. Anybody who wants information on more about it. psychology in the USA is also welcome to Office tel: 252-412 2555 contact me." Address: 791 Taft, Albany, CA 94706, USA ALİ HAYDAR ÜSTAY RC ENG 63 Home tel: 510 526-9145 Office: 510 526¬ The owner of Üstay Construction, he is the 9506 father of Osman, Murat and Yasemin and e.mail: [email protected] has many interests, including nature and undergraduate degree from Linfield College Berkeley Center for Child Study and hunting, fishing, skin diving, tennis and the and a Masters in Social Work from Portland Psychotherapy, 2550 Ninth Street, #115 search for reality through cosmology, quan¬ State University. I have been a volunteer Berkeley, CA 94710 tum mechanics, philosophy and nature. counselor for many years at a Family Office tel: 212 346 01 12 Counseling Center and just recently joined EMİNE YAZICIOĞLU GEDİK ACG 62 the staff at Lane Community College as part "The traditional "Yazma" and "Oya" have YUSUF YERMEN RA 65 of their faculty. My husband, chairman of been used as headgears for so long. Now it After graduating from RA, he attended uni¬ the board and CEO of a commercial bank, is time that they decorate our homes, our versity in Aix-en-Provence, France where he and I enjoy traveling, playing bridge, and dining tables and our wardrobes," says earned a BS in economics in 1970. Upon cooking. We own an apartment in Ulus, Gedik, who makes table clothes, cushions, completion of his military service in Turkey Istanbul and love to spend time there with small lavender bags, beach dresses and he went to Italy and has been living and family and friends." beach pants ("as you know now- pareos are working in Genoa since then. Presently he is Emel Mehlum can be contacted at OUT!") combining colorful beads and special the director/partner of Ferrobulk SRL. an [email protected] "oya" with "yazma". international ship broking company and has "They make great gifts for loved ones and two children, Vanessa, age 26 and Barbara, ROBERT ELVIN RA 66, RC 70 for ourselves. You may contact me or come age 23. Elvin lives in Toronto, Canada and works as and visit my showroom to see samples, who e-mail: [email protected] marketing director at Brenntag Canada Inc. knows maybe you may become an "OYA" He has two daughters , ages 25 and 23. He addict just like me!! HASAN DOĞAR RA 69 would love to hear from friends. Please note that I give a 10% discount on Doğar has served 26 years as an MD and is e-mail [email protected] cash payments for RC graduates!" an Assoc. Professor in internal medicine and Tel: 542- 477 0766 cardiology. After working for more than a SEMRA ÖZÜMERZİFON ACG 70 Work: 216- 418 1272 decade each at Istanbul University and The mother of two boys, aged 25 and 28, Home: 216- 347 5049 International Hospital of Istanbul he has Semra Özümerzifon wrote to us from Home address: Hüseyin Bey Sok. Kervan Apt. now moved to Levent Cerrahi in Levent, Geneva. 5/3 A Blok Moda - Kadiköy - Istanbul Istanbul to operate a heart center where all "Since graduation I have been painting con¬ Showroom address: Mühürdar Cad. Uras Apt. kinds of non-invasive heart tests are avail¬ stantly. In Istanbul I had attended late No.83 Kadiköy Istanbul able. Necdet Kalay's workshop. Settling in Geneva e-mail: [email protected] in 1980, I attended Fine Arts Academy for MEHVEŞ AREL-GEYER ACG 63 Office tel: 212-324 0150 four years while practicing engraving at Runs the hotel St. Gotthard in Basel, Güngör iblikçi's atelier. I have been exhibit¬ Switzerland. She has two daughters and two EMEL HEKİMOĞLU MEHLUM ACG 69 ing regularly since the late seventies in vari¬ grandsons. Her older daughter Natalie ous countries and have been participating in Birimcim is also in the hotel business, hav¬ International Art Fairs. The latest of these ing graduated from Ecole Hoteliere de was Europ'Art, a major international event Lausanne. Her younger daughter Selinda held in conjunction with the Geneva Book Geyer finished Agnes Scott College after Fair, which took place in Geneva from 30 majoring in music. She is also an all- April to 4 May 2003. Recently, the Ministry American title tennis player. of Foreign Affairs acquired two of my large paintings. They are now decorating the resi¬ ÖMER ERÜL RC YÜK 63 dence of the Turkish Ambassador to the After retiring from his various management World Trade Organization. I have also positions in insurance, Erül moved to appeared in the 2003 Edition of "Who's Who Marmaris in 1998. He says he ''tried to in International Art" appreciate nature, to learn to be patient (www.whoswhoart.com). and more tolerant towards any moving and Johan and Emel Mehlum at a fish living creature.'' restaurant in Istanbul In Istanbul I work with Cumali Gallery in Last year, deciding to work again, he start¬ Teşvikiye, at Şakayık Sokak No. 45. Over the ed a franchise of Remax last few years I held several exhibitions International/Remax Turkey in Marmaris Writes from Eugene, Oregon where she lives there and some of my paintings are in the dealing in real estate. He believes it is fun with her husband Johan, a Norwegian- Gallery's permanent collection. Those inter¬ when you approach business with the atti- American, and their cat Pasha. "I have an ested can visit my web site: 49/ALUMNI NEWS 14/10/04 11:33 Page 4

ALUMNI NEWS

www.semra.com where more detailed infor­ FİGEN KUŞÇUOĞLU DEMİRAĞLI to work in probably a multi-national compa­ mation on my work and a cross section of RC 76 ny as a marketing executive. Her husband my paintings can be viewed. Mustafa is the general coordinator of REKA Address: 10 Bd de la Tour , 1205 Geneva, group. Seval's favorite interests continue to Switzerland be traveling and gastronomy. Phone: +41 22 320 08 63 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: semra@semra .com, [email protected]

EMRE AYKAR RC ENG 70 Married to Sara Koral and father to a daugh­ ter Burcu, Aykar has been Chairman of the Board of Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. since January 2003. He is also a member of the board of the Turkish Contractor's Association, the Chairman of DEIK (Slovenian Turkish Since about a year, Figen Kuşçuoğlu Business Council), member of the Demirbağlı has been working at Syngenta International Association for Housing Tarım as Assistant to Country Head. Sciences, Miami, Union Inter.of Public Syngenta is an agri-business which ranks Transport., Brussels, New York Academy of number 1 in the world in crop protection. It Science and the Istanbul Science Foundation was formed 2 years ago through the merger as well as being a member of Klassis Golf of Swiss Novartis and British Zeneca agro- Club and Galatasaray Sports Club. chemicals. The global HQ is in Basel, e-mail: [email protected] Switzerland. ÖZLEM ÇAMLI RC 82 Office tel: 216 321 9000 Not-so-recent news: Married to Mehmet Çamlı is a licensed clinical child psycholo¬ Demirağlı, a lawyer by profession, and a gist. In September 2000 she opened a com¬ ŞELALE BİRGEN ACG 71 lecturer at izmir's Dokuz Eylül and Ege prehensive childcare center offering main¬ With a degree from Boğaziçi University in Universities on Labor Law, Intellectual stream and therapeutic childcare as well as English Language and Literature, and an Property Law, Construction Law, and History psychological services to children and fami¬ M.A. in Adult Education, Birgen has been an of Civilizations. Apart from lectures, he's lies. The Rainbow Center for Children and instructor at Boğaziçi University since 1979. working hard writing his book on History of Families in Connecticut keeps her very busy She is also the mother of a 12-year-old Civilizations. but she says it has been very rewarding. daughter. Daughter Derya (born 1983) is a junior in Also, she says her two year old son Deniz e-mail: [email protected] Computer Engineering, University of has been a joy to raise and he is already Galatasaray. She's a graduate of St. Joseph bilingual. AVRAM MİZRAHİ RC 74 Izmir, and an actress at the Drama Club. Office tel: 001 860 529 5229 Mizrahi lives and works in Israel where he is Home tel: 232 - 336 83 51 an attending senior pediatrician in the Office: 232 - 435 80 54 SELİM TEZEL RC 83 Pediatric Department of Wolfsohn Medical e-mail: [email protected] Selim wrote to the RCQ to let us know that Center. He is affiliated with Tel Aviv Univer¬ one of the images generated on the com¬ sity, Sackler Medical Faculty. He has a pri¬ VAROL S. TOGAY RC 78 puter with his Master's Project software vate practice in Modiin, which is a city locat¬ Is a cardiologist in private practice living "Traveling Salesman's Sketchpad" (TSSP 1.0) ed between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Married and working in California. was a finalist at Manifest 2003, a juried dig¬ to Monik, who is a puppet theater artist, [email protected] ital visual arts festival (as part of the their children are Maya, Keren and Tom. Boston Cyberarts Festival). The opening e-mail: [email protected] SEVAL UMUT SUBAŞI RC 80 reception was on April 10th at the Copley Received her B.A. in Business Administration Society of Art's gallery in Boston and the and M.A. in Marketing from Istanbul exhibition lasted until May 10. University. Worked at Toprak Kağıt A.fi. for The gallery on line is: four years as a product manager then www.copleysociety.org/manifest The Turkish Sign moved to S.C Johnson Wax A.fi. and worked Selim's work can be viewed at: Language web site, there as a Category Product Manager for six www.cs.brown.edu/people/stezel/webPage which we referred to years. In 1995, Seval Subaşı established her Design/thesis.html in the "RC Reaches Out" own travel agency ''Tour Sava''. Tourism You can reach Selim Tezel, who also taught had always been one of her hobbies and she Math at RC between 1991-1998, at section of our last issue tried to combine it with her professional [email protected] is now online. life. It was great fun for her until the birth You can visit the site at of Pırıl when she had to transfer her compa¬ PINAR BONCUK DAYANIKLI RC 83 ny to another group at the end of 2000. Has been in Turkey for nearly 7 years after http://turkishsignlanguage.ku.edu.tr She has taken a break from professional life completing degrees in pediatrics after 25 years and is now planning to return (Mass General Hospital, Boston) and 49/ALUMNI NEWS 14/10/04 11:33 Page 5

2001, named Eren. incredible career so far. GIVE A SCHOLARSHIP IN Mobile: 0532.2139397 I'm also enjoying living in the US very much. YOUR NAME Work: 0212.2135800 /x:114 I have been able to do many interesting things in my spare time: I visit different If you wish to provide a financially DENİZ RAZON RC 89 countries, learn Flamenco guitar, French and Spanish, and play all kinds of sports needy yet very deserving student Engaged to be married in a July 2003 cere¬ mony in Istanbul, Deniz who is a senior (mainly tennis, swimming and running). I with an RC education starting this product manager at Abbott Laboratories am really excited about these activities and fall, please contact Çiğdem sent the RCQ her most recent news. accomplishments, and look forward to doing Yazıcıoğlu at the Alumni & Graduated in 1993 from Mount Holyoke much more." Development Office. A scholarship College in International Relations and is the co-scribe for the '93s news column. While in your name, or in memory of BARIfi KARADOGAN RC 90 working in New York, she served on the someone you designate, will be the board of RCAAA (Robert College Alumni turning point in a young person's Association of America). Graduated from life, especially since he/she may the University of Michigan MBA program, not be able to attend Robert Marketing and Strategy in 1997. In 1997, joined Abbott Laboratories' College otherwise.Your gift can be Management Development Program, which tax deductible. is a rotational program in marketing. Call: 212 263 42 39, 212 359 22 22, Currently marketing cardiovascular medica¬ or write to tions in the pharmaceutical industry. Phone: (847) 938 7571 [email protected]. Fax: (847) 938 6860

neonatology (UCSF, San Francisco). Was SANEM ALKAN RC 90 Has been working in Silicon Valley for the appointed Director of Pediatrics at "I graduated from RC in 1990 and moved to past three years for a venture capital com¬ American Hospital in Istanbul. the US. I attended the University of Texas pany named U.S. Venture Partners. His wife Also co-director of neonatal intensive at Austin for my BBA in Finance and then Susana, is the design director of Wired care unit, providing care for babies born moved to New York for Marsh, Inc., which is magazine and she is based in San Francisco. between 500 - 1500 grams. the world's largest risk management con¬ Their twin daughters Sofia and Lara are At this unit, which is one of the leading sulting firm. I received my MBA in Finance three years old and were recently joined ones in Turkey, the survival rate for a from NYU in 1999 and joined Goldman by a brother, Sinan, born in March 2003. 1000-gram baby is close to Sachs. I worked in the firm's private wealth 90%! In addition to caring for the many management team and focused on investors ÖZHUN OLGAR RC 95 babies in her responsibility, Dr. Dayanıklı in the Mountain region (Colorado) of the US. After RC, studied finance and management also has two daughters of her own, Beril, During the summer of 2001, I decided to at the University of Denver. He is the age 6.5 and Ela, age 3.5. join a firm in NY that invests in hedge funds current distributor for Rossignol, Dunlop e-mail: [email protected] (these are similar to mutual funds, but can and Nellpryde in Turkey. Özhun says as of use more leverage and short selling to make today, his company Olgarlar Spor ESER SELCAN AYDOSLU RC 85 money when stocks are losing value). I am Malzemeleri is the market leader in Profession: Marketing Manager at Merck, working at Whitney & Co, which manages $5 extreme sports and skiing, tennis, windsurf¬ Sharp & Dohme (American Pharmaceutical billion in private equity and hedge funds. ing. He is also the owner of 8 branches co.). Aydoslu has been working at Merck I am head of marketing, and manage rela¬ of Sport Point Extreme shops. since graduating from the University of tions with clients of the firm's $700 million As of March 8, 2003 he opened the first Nottingham. First in London for 2.5 years, hedge fund business (which include major Sergio Tacchini shop in Akmerkez, Istanbul in istanbul since then. endowments, funds that invest in hedge and signed a master-franchising contract They had a baby boy on December 10, funds and private investors). It has been an with Sergio Tachini S.P.A. for the distribu¬ tion rights of the brand in Turkey. Olgar plans to open 10 more stores in the next 4 years.

BERİL TARI RC 99 Beril wanted to share the news of the birth of a nephew, Isak Tari in November 2002. Isak is also the grandson of Odet Tari (Odeta Anavi when in school) ACG '64, RC'68. Odet Tarı can be reached at Tel: 212 265 3711 Beril is at Columbia University 5694 Lerner Hall, New York, NY 10027-8357

54/OBITUARIES 14/10/04 11:34 Page 1

OBITUARIES ALUMNI

TEYFİK YALIM RC ENG 45 masterful control of problems in modern M. ÜNER EKE RC ENG 52 Died on April 24, 2003. philosophy, but also an intimate familiarity Died on February 27, 2003. He is survived by with Freud, a thinker whose ideas have his wife inci Erke, his children Atıf-Ebru, Işıl, ELENI BESI ACG 49 informed if not revolutionized the foremost and idil Erke, and his grand-daughter Ece Died at the age of 74 in Greece on March 28, intellectual preoccupations of the last cen­ Erke. 2003. Her brother George Besi RC 51 sur­ tury. After writing Freud and Human vives her. Nature, Freud and the Mind, and Freud, ALİ PASİNER RC 59 Insight and Change, Dilman went on to Died of heart failure DARIO TARANTO RC ENG 49 investigate the moral significance of the at the age of 64 on Died in January 2002 in Portugal. His wife work of key European writers such as April 21, 2003. America de Abreu Taranto survives him. Dostoyevsky, Marcel Proust and Rainer Maria Advertising execu¬ von Rilke. These works express the depths of tive Pasiner was well İLHAM DİLMAN RC 50 his humane concern with the plight of mod¬ known for his love of One of the gentlest ern individuals in a turbulent moral world, the sea and of fish¬ and kindest of men, and the manner in which this is reflected in ing. Also an author died in Istanbul on the great literature of our times. He had of books and essays January 17, 2003. worked with John Wisdom at Cambridge, on the subject of He was Professor and it is a measure of his loyalty to his fish and the seas, Emeritus of teacher that he organized a major confer¬ Pasiner's published books are Amatör Philosophy at the ence at Trinity College, Cambridge, on the Balıkçının Cep Kitabı (1984), Balık Üzerine University of Wales, work of Wisdom and published its proceed¬ (1992), Balık ve Olta (1997) and İki Boğaz'ın Swansea where he ings under the title Philosophy and Life: Suları (2001). Also the editor of about 15 had taught with Essays on John Wisdom. other books, Pasiner's latest book brief interruptions since 1961. He was work­ ilham was a person of angelic disposition. He Türkiye'nin Balıkları: Büyük Mavinin Sessiz ing at his family home in Kalamış, coura¬ was unfailingly kind and attentive to people Sahipleri is scheduled to be published by geously against the clock, on his last book around him. He was passionate not only Yapı Kredi Yayınları in the following weeks. when he knew that his time was limited. He about philosophy and literature, but also His wife and two children survive him. leaves behind his wife Anne, and his mother about music. An endearing aspect of ilham is Emel Dilman, a renowned poet in the French that he became greatly interested in the ERCAN ARIKLI RC 59 Argentinean Tango and the major instrument language, and his many friends. Ercan Ankh, a of its expression, the Bandoneon, quite late ilham was part of a close knit group of doyenne of Turkish in life. Even though this is a complicated friends at RC who have kept in close touch magazine publish¬ instrument to play, ilham became adept at it with each other over the last half century. ing and general and delighted his friends with his joyous per¬ ilham's father, who had wanted his son to coordinator of the formances. He was also an accomplished study chemical engineering, was greatly sur¬ Vatan magazines sailor and loved sailing around the Marmara prised when ilham selected as unpractical a group, died in a islands with Anne on his yacht Chingacook, subject as philosophy for his vocation. ilham tragic traffic acci¬ built originally by the renowned master was educated at Cambridge University about dent in Istanbul on builder Harun Bey for an Egyptian prince. the same time as Nur Yalman RC 50, ibrahim June 3, 2003. Arıklı Chingacook, in the famous novel by James Öngüt RC 50, Cevat Çapan RC 53, Selahaddin was 63 years old Fenimore Cooper, is the last of the Bayazıt, Karaca Taşkent and the late Tosun and had recently Mohicans. ilham Dilman, however, is not the Moran, all of whom had remained much launched a brand new weekly news maga¬ last of an exceptionally well educated gen¬ attached to him. His father would have been zine. proud of his son's striking career. eration of young Turks who are more cre¬ Arıklı was a leading Turkish media personali¬ ilham Dilman's contributions to modern phi¬ ative in universal intellectual terms than ty. He was instrumental in the birth of many losophy are impressive by any standard. He what many Europeans imagine at this time. magazines, most notably as the founder of was remarkably prolific. His 19 books and As the European Union and the former presi­ the Nokta and Aktüel weekly news maga¬ more than 70 articles are likely to keep dent of France, M. Giscard d'Estaing, ques¬ zines. In the many interviews he gave, he many graduate students busy for a long tion whether Turkey belongs to the West or always said his main goal was to produce time. The Chair of Philosophy at Swansea the East, the luminous career of ilham magazines that "clashed with the system." that he occupied is one of the most presti¬ Dilman indicates that there are unsuspected After Robert College, Arıklı went on to gious of Chairs since it was originally occu¬ depths in the great tradition of humanities, Lausanne University where he studied pied by Wittgenstein when he first came to literature, music and philosophy in Turkey Political Science. His first journalism experi¬ England from his native Vienna. We are told which can only enrich our universal heritage. ence was when he and his classmate from that the University at Swansea had lowered ilham Dilman's creative life was a gift to all RC, ismail Cem, published the newspaper the flags at half mast when the news of of us. Robert College, which contributed ABC. In an interview he gave in April this ilham's passing reached them. profoundly to his personal and intellectual year, Arıklı said, "Until Robert College, I Dilman's major contributions concern the formation early in his career, is proud to didn't have a clear cut idea in my head. exposition of the moral significance of the have had him among its ranks. Then I began to work on the College's week¬ work of Freud. This work entailed not only a Submitted by, Nur Yalman RC 50 ly magazine, Echo. I realized it seemed 54/OBITUARIES 14/10/04 11:34 Page 2

pointless to study journalism since that was audiophile and he loved mystery novels and what I knew I would be doing in the future traveling in Europe and showing his family FACULTY & FRIENDS anyway, so I studied political science." and friends around Istanbul and Turkey." Known for his colorful and charismatic per­ ALFRED OGDEN sonality, Ankli was an energetic and prolific SERVET SEZGİN YILMAZ Former Chairman of the RC Board of journalist. After ABC, which came out in ACG 61 ex Trustees, Alfred Ogden died at the age of 1966, he went into encyclopedia publishing, Died in December 93 in New York City on Friday, March 21st, followed by the founding of Gelişim ve 2002. She enjoyed 2003, after a short illness. Süreli Yayınları in 1974. Nokta, Kadınca and her life as a moth¬ Mr. Ogden was elected to the Robert Erkekçe were the magazines he published er and grandmoth¬ College Board of Trustees in 1952 and during that time. A short period at Söz er while also giv¬ served as its Chairman from 1955 to 1963. newspaper was followed by his partnership ing private English In 1974, he stepped down from the Board and managerial position in Bir Numaralı and French les¬ and became a Trustee Emeritus and Yayıncılık, an empire of many magazines sons. Translating Member of the Corporation. including Aktüel, Penthouse, Cosmopolitan, articles was one During his tenure as Chairman, the Harper's Bazaar and Esquire among others. of the wonderful practice was initiated of asking alumni His most recent project was the recently contributions she and friends of the College resident in launched weekly news magazine Haftalık. made to the Istanbul to serve on the Board of Trustees, He is survived by his brothers Tuncer Arıklı YORET and the Robert College Yüksek was and Gündüz Arıklı RC 58 as well as his Foundation. She is survived by her daughter established in 1958. That same year niece Eda Arıklı RC 84, and nephews Murat Prof. Füsun Ülengin, Dean of the Robert College and the American College and Can Arıklı. Department of Industrial Engineering at for Girls were merged into one corporation Istanbul Technical University and her grand¬ registered with the Board of Regents BERENT ENÇ RC ENG 60 daughter idil, a student at Üsküdar of the State of New York. Mr. Ogden Died in Wisconsin on January 8, 2003 and is American College. and his firm handled the legal require¬ survived by his wife Jennifer Jones, two ments in New York when the Bebek cam¬ stepchildren and his daughter Defne. MEHMET SELÇUK KUTMAN pus and the Robert College Yüksek were Following are excerpts from his obituary RC ENG 67 turned over to the Turkish Government to become Boğaziçi University in 1971. published in a Madison, Wisconsin newspa¬ Passed away in March 2003. per. Mr. Ogden graduated Cum Laude from Phillips Academy in 1928, received his "Berent had retired a year ago from a dis¬ NURAY BÜYÜKERK ŞENGİL B.A. from Yale in 1932, and his LLB from tinguished career in the Department of ACG 68 RC ENG 72 Harvard Law School in 1935. He was Philosophy of the University of Wisconsin- Passed away in February 2003. a Partner with Alexander & Green, Madison; for more than 30 years he was at Counselors at Law, then moved his office the center of philosophical life and commu¬ NAHİT YÜCEL RC 75 to Wickes, Riddell, Bloomer, Jacobi, nity in the University, serving twice as chair Born in Kahramanmaraş in 1956, Nahit Yücel & McGuire as Counsel to the firm where of the department. studied at RC with honors, was a he continued to serve as legal counsel He was educated at Robert College, where Fulbright student and completed ODTÜ Civil to Robert College. In 1980, he became he was an actor and director of some Engineering in 1980. He had a brief stint as Of Counsel to the firm of Reboul, celebrity with the respected Robert College the manager of a construction site in MacMurray, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol. Players. He then briefly attended Princeton Istanbul before spending 1983-1990 in His son, Alfred T. Ogden II, and several University, studying electrical engineering Kahramanmaraş as a government engineer. grandchildren survive him. and then Oxford University, where his inter¬ A successful career continued with an est in philosophy was conceived. import and construction material production Berent's first field of specialization was the business between 1990-1996. The next four TURGUT ERON philosophy of science and he brought the years saw him in Laleli, in the textile pro¬ Passed away on March 18, 2003. convictions of scientific naturalism (and duction and export market. Mr. Eron was among the founding members vestige of engineer's mentality) to his later In 1985 he got married to Dr. Handan Yücel of the RC Parents Association. His son work in the theory of knowledge, mind and and they had two children, Yiğit born in Murat Eron RC 74 wrote to say that RC action. His published papers made solid 1986 and Umay, born in 1988. It was in had always occupied a very special place contributions to the progress of each of September 2001 that Nahit was diagnosed in his father's memories as he regarded these fields, and to the understanding of with lung cancer. A one year of struggle RC as a model for outstanding education. the philosophy of David Hume. His influence against his illness was over on September Contributions in the memory of Turgut on the philosophical work of his closest col¬ 23, 2002 when he died. Eron can be made to Robert College. leagues was profound. Nahit is remembered for his pioneering For more information you may e-mail He was a superb and widely loved teacher. work in Turkish classical music while at RC, [email protected] or tel: 212 359 2289 He greeted his students' efforts with an art¬ as well as his penning of short stories which in Turkey or e-mail [email protected], ful combination of generous interpretation led to several prizes. Calm and patient, he tel: 212 843 5550 in New York. and firm criticism. Oxford University Press carried the characteristics of a real gentle¬ will publish his book The Way We Act later man and these will set an example to his Murat Eron can be reached at this year. children who survive him, Yiğit who is at the [email protected] German High School and Umay who is at St. He was a deeply devoted lover of music and Pulcherie, the French high school. drama, a serious bridge player and an Tel: 001 631 262 8950 54/OBITUARIES 14/10/04 11:34 Page 3

are also seeking more information about But each has a story and we turn to you for A News Item any others who served at the Colleges and assistance in learning more. Any informa¬ and a Request are thought to be buried elsewhere in tion on the whereabouts of these former Istanbul (or in Turkey). The historical record members of the "family" (both Turkish and goes back to 1850 and the first wife of foreign) will be greatly appreciated. By John Chalfant, Cyrus Hamlin, but it remains incomplete as You may communicate directly with the Former RC Headmaster to names, dates of service (and positions) Alumni Office and if you have a particularly at the Colleges, dates of death, and burial scholarly interest in this quest and could 1971-77 sites. For example, some died during epi¬ volunteer your time and services, we would demics and may have gone to mass graves. welcome your participation. This is to inform you that, some graduates and staff have prepared a memorial plaque to be placed in the Protestant IN MEMORIAM - RC + ACG "Family" Cemetery at Ferikby dedicated to the memory of those ''RC/ACG family'' mem¬ Known to Rest in Feriköy, ISTANBUL - R.I.P. bers known to be buried there. The intent is to acknowledge their contri¬ ALLEN, William d. 1952 HOFFMAN, Verda d. 1962 bution to the two institutions (now one) ANDERSON, Abigail d. 1919 KREIDER, Ethel d. 1989 and to remind present and future genera¬ ASHOVER, Dorothy d. 1988 KREIDER, Herman d. 1967 tions that if they enjoy a somewhat 'bet­ AVERY, Robert d. 1979 LANDES, Margaret d. 1932 ter view'', it comes from their ''standing AZARIAN, Vahram d. 1995 LANE, Herbert d. 1976 on the shoulders'' of others. Because a BARNUM, Harry d. 1939 LANE, Sophie d. 1976 sense of continuity is vital to any school BARNUM, Helen d. 1914 LONG, Nellie d. 1879 that is proud of its past and confident of DURFEE, Charles d. 1895 MANNING, George d. 1914 its future, this project furthers that pur¬ FONGER, Lee d. 1971 MANNING, Alice d. 1947 pose. FUCHS, Traugott d. 1997 ORMISTON, Susan d. 1918 The plaque bears the names of 39 individ¬ GRADIN, Pavel d. 1966 ORMISTON, William d. 1918 uals resting there, most of them foreign GARWOOD, Ann d. 1987 PARRISH, Daniel d. 1996 born who came from many lands to further GARWOOD, David d. 1975 POST, Caroline d. 1934 education in Turkey. This plaque will be GREENWOOD, Keith d. 1971 SCOTT, Eveline d. 1977 the focal point for the occasional ceremo¬ GROSVENOR, Harriet d. 1890 SCOTT, Harold d. 1958 ny honoring them and their contribution. HAMLIN, Harriet d. 1857 SUMNER-Boyd, Hilary d. 1976 The RC Alumni Association will own it, as it HAMLIN, Henrietta d. 1850 WALKER, Winifred d. 1921 were, and you will be informed as things HAMLIN, Mary d. 1852 WASHBURN, Henry d. 1865 " progress. HAMLIN, Susan d. 1859 WILLIAMS, Maynard d. 1963 In addition to this project, however, we HAYMAN, Fred d. 1951

56 LOUIS JAQUINET hillside above the bowl, previously an erod­ was once again snapped up by the ICRC. He Students of Robert College in the 1940's, ed, treeless hillside. As a sportsman and avid became their representative in Turkey, 50's and 60's have many reasons to remem¬ lover of the outdoors, he participated in responsible for escorting ships carrying food ber with affection and respect Professor many events and could always be seen on through floating minefields for people living Louis Jaquinet, who died near his childhood field days, with his great friend Alexander on the Greek Aegean Islands occupied by the home in Aubonne, Switzerland in November Nadolsky, coaching and judging the events. German army." 2002. ACG alumni may remember his first wife, ina "On several occasions in the 1970's," Hocke M.Jaquinet first joined the college French Tesar, who taught there for many years and added, "the ICRC called upon Louis' insight, department in 1939 and continued to be a will certainly remember the present Mrs. his skill to judge people and solve sticky sit­ mainstay of that department until his depar¬ Jaquinet, nee Eleanor Romig, who taught at uations. His sense of mediation and concilia­ ture in 1970. During those years, countless ACG in the 1950s and returned to be Dean of tion worked wonders in Jordan, Vietnam, students came under his tutelage and profit¬ the College from 1963 to 1966. Cyprus, the UN and Egypt." ed from his enthusiasm for French language Louis Jaquinet devoted much of his life to "To all those who knew him, Louis Jaquinet and literature, as well as absorbing along the International Committee of the Red will always be remembered for his good the way his understanding of humanity. Cross, as the following excerpts from a trib¬ humor, energy and boundless enthusiasm for M. Jaquinet ute given as part of a memorial service in life." was also Aubonne in November 2002, indicate. These involved with remarks were made by Jean -Pierre Hocke, PROF. DR. NECDET ERASLAN many non- who was a colleague in the ICRC and went Former professor of mechanical engineering academic on to become High Commissioner for at Robert College between 1957-1963, aspects of Refugees at the United Nations. died at the age of 91 on March 3, 2003 in college life. "Looking back over Louis Jaquinet's rich and Istanbul. Following five years working with As a member generous life, one cannot fail to notice the the Turkish government as an engineer, he of the Tree main thread that runs throughout: his com¬ taught at Istanbul Technical University, Committee, mitment to the victims of armed conflicts. Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul he was per¬ This sense of duty was put into practice over University Faculty of Science, Robert sonally more than forty years working for the College and Louisiana State University. responsible International Committee of the Red Cross. His children Prof. Dr. Arsev Eraslan, for much of At the beginning of the 1940s, although he Nüket Yasa, his grandchildren Ayla Olson, the "green­ had only just arrived in Istanbul to take up Suzan Eraslan and his wife Fahire Eraslan, ing" of the the post of teacher at Robert College, he survive him. 46/onceuponatime 14/10/04 11:30 Page 1

ONCE UPON A TIME J. Grady Hobson An interview with the legendary math teacher who taught at RC for 20 years

The name Grady Hobson evokes a charismatic figure in the minds of generations of former RC students. Hobson, who taught Math at both campuses for a total of 20 years between 1952-60, 1962-68 and 1971-77, and also served as Housemaster at Theodorus Hall and Hamlin Hall in the 50's is among the most remarkable teachers RC has been fortunate to have. A former student, Omer Egecioglu '72 who has kept in touch with Grady Hobson over the years interviewed him for the RCQ in May 2003.

Q: Did you end up going to Beirut first? I was going to be a civil engineer. I did well, I was even on the honors list - but I was A: I did not know Beirut from Istanbul. They bored stiff. So I had to get out of it, and res¬ were just names. For the next couple of cue something of the two years that I had weeks, I stopped on the way from school already completed. What I could rescue was every day in the big library in downtown all those math credits. So I switched to math Portland, and really did some digging around education. to find out about them. Q: You said you were not terribly happy Q: Why did you pick Robert College? with your teaching job in Portland. What Q: Ómer E§ecio§lu, RC 72 did you think of the students in RC? A: J. Grady Hobson A: What happened was this: the publisher of National Geographic Magazine, was born and A: To come from a place where the students Santa Barbara, CA raised on the Robert College campus. His were not the least bit interested in educa¬ May 02, 2003 father was a professor at Robert College. So tion, to Robert College, it was a paradise! that over the years, National Geographic had Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities in an awful lot of articles about Turkey. There the world - WAS one of the most beautiful was one in the library from 1948 about cities in the world. So the place was fascinat¬ Q: You first went to RC in the 1950s. Istanbul. One full page picture, taken at the ing. Beautiful college on the hilltop. Great Tell me how that came about. top of the bowl, looking down over the fellow teachers, and these marvellous stu¬ Rumelihisar to the Bosphorus, and over on dents! They were the best the whole country A: It came about I was teaching my first the right hand side the buildings of Robert could provide - you know that. You were one year out of college in Portland, Oregon in College. I took one look at that and thought of them. It was not just brains however, it 1952 in a school that I hated. The district "that's where I'm going!" So that's how it all was also their personality which was so was lower middle class, going downhill fast. came about. appealing. There were thirty five kids in the classroom and I decided by mid-year that if I finished Q: For the benefit of the later generations Q: Did you travel a lot in Turkey? the year in one piece, I was not going to go of RC students, we are talking about the back there. I could not transfer to another Bebek Campus, where the Bosphorus A: I have been in every province in the coun¬ school in the system. The main office told University is now, right? try. me that there were no openings. I then called the teacher placement secretary in A: Yes, indeed. Oregon State University's School of Education, and she said "How would you Q: Did you visit other schools before com¬ like to go overseas?" The thought had ing to Istanbul? never crossed my mind until then. I told her that I would love to. She walked into my A: No. There was no need. It was that one classroom about a week later and said that photograph that did it. It was a spectacular there was an organization called the Near view of the Bosphorus, one of the most beau¬ East College Association, which is a grouping tiful waterways in the world. of all the American schools in the Middle East. They maintain this one office collec¬ Q: How did you become a math teacher? tively. They needed a mathematics teacher at the American University of Beirut, and at A: Well, because I was good in math. First I Robert College of Istanbul. Those were the thought I wanted to be an engineer. So that's choices. what I started in college in Corvallis, Oregon. I 46/onceuponatime 14/10/04 11:30 Page 2 —

Q: That's more than I can say for myself. up in the American universities. So I applied. Q: Everyone in RC knows you as Hobson, Let me get back to your first years in RC. They were terribly sorry, but they were only but you are Grady to some and Jim to oth• You were a housemaster were you not? giving them to teachers active in the US, and ers. Tell me about this. so unfortunately I would not qualify since I A: I was a housemaster from 1954 to 1957 in was teaching in Turkey. I decided to play this A: My father's first name was Grady. So that's Theodorus Hall of the academy. From 1957 to game the way they wanted to, and looked for what he was always called. It is the name of 1959, I was the housemaster in Hamlin Hall, a teaching job in the US from Turkey, without a county in South Georgia where his father the college dorm then. I then went back and an interview. This was a real stumbling block. was born. Grady and Grady Jr? It is not good lived in Theodorus hall for a year, but not as All kinds of places I wrote to said that they in the family to have a father and son have the housemaster. I was planning to go back to were terribly sorry, I sounded interesting but the same name. It's confusing. So they called the US in 1959. I had bought an awful lot of they had to talk to me in person. But I was me Jim, being James Grady. I did not mind it things over the years at the Bazaar, because not going to fly all the way from Turkey to then, I don't mind it now. But I hate James. that was our Saturday morning activity: We the US and back just for a personal inter¬ This has it's own complications. Outside of went to the Bazaar. Week after week after view. Finally I found one place that would Selma, my hometown in California, I am week after week. I ended up with all kinds of hire me without an interview, a city that was Grady. But in Selma around family I am still stuff. The problem was that the Turkish cus¬ growing so fast that only a third of the city Jim. toms would not clear it. I was trying to leave streets were paved. They could not build the country, but I could not take them out. I schools fast enough, and they were desparate Q: The Class of '72 was amused by your col• was told to get an export license, since I was for teachers, particularly math teachers. orful outfits, as reflected in the yearbook obviously going to sell them in the US! So I They would hire me without any personal (see next page). Any comments? applied for an export license. As the summer interview. They hired me. The city was was progressing, I was trying to get that Tucson, Arizona. A: I did not realize that they were. That must license. At a party, an official of the lise - by have been from my three years in Verde that time RC was a lise, and not orta - said Q: This was 1960? Valley School in Arizona before coming back that they could not find a replacement for to RC in 1971. Sedona, where Verde Valley me. He asked me if I would consider staying A: Yes. The summer of 1960. I stayed in School is, is a very colorful place. I probably for one more year. I told him that I would Tucson for one year. Being a math teacher picked those colorful clothes there. I still like consider it. He asked me what it would take inside the US, I now applied again to wearing colorful clothes. Recently, I went to to make me stay. I told him that I had Stanford, Oregon State, where I had been a the sixtieth anniversary of my high school worked on a missionary salary all those years, student for my undergraduate degree, graduation. I went in yellow: yellow slacks, and I would like my salary doubled. He told Arizona State University, and University of yellow shirt, yellow jacket. me that he could probably arrange that. Of Illinois. I was offered a fellowship in all of course that made me feel like a fool, having them except Arizona State. I went to Q: I remember you playing the worked all those years on a small salary. It Illinois simply because the reputation was Rachmaninov preludes for piano one after was the end of my contract, I already had a so good and I had already been to the the other in the early 70's. Have you ticket from Istanbul to California, so I wanted other schools. always been interested in music? to use it. Then if I was going to be teaching there again, they would have to bring me back. Additionally, a year later, I would like them to fly me back to California. Could this be arranged? He said he could probably arrange that, too. Everything I asked for, he said yes. Of course I told him that in that case I would love to stay for another year. This was the summer of 1959.

Q: Did you stay for more than a year?

A: Not at that time. In 1960, I went back to the US. I decided that I loved being a math teacher, but my masters degree was not in mathematics, it was in counseling. This turned out to be of great use running a dor¬ mitory, but in being a counselor, you are working in the negative side, and after a while it can get to you. But my main interest in life was to teach math. Around that time Sputnik happened. The American government panicked, thinking that the science program and the math program in the US schools was not good enough. The Russians had beat us to it. So the National Science Foundation offered fellowships to various programs set I 46/onceuponatime 14/10/04 11:30 Page 3 —

a program and gave a recital at the end of Q: Where do you make your home now? the year. We did this again the following year. I loved it more than anything I have ever A: I live in Selma, California, but I go to done on the piano solo. Tucson for about five months in November to avoid the fog in the San Joaquin valley. In the Q: You taught in NYC in the 80's. Which summer, Portland is an option. school in NY did you teach? Q: You were back in Istanbul as a tourist A: It is called the Trinity school. The oldest also, were you not? private school in the US. I went there after teaching two years in San Antonio during A: I have been back once, in 1989. The board 1977-1979. I taught at the Trinity school in of Trustees of Trinity school paid my way for New York City for twelve years, until my a summer vacation. I spent a month in retirement in 1991. That was also a lovely Turkey. It was also the RC 64 class' twenty teaching experience for me. Trinity school fifth reunion that year, and I was able to had some of the best brains that the city of attend. New York could provide. The school was founded by the Trinity Church at the end of Q: Any last thoughts? Wall Street. It was in fact founded in that church building. Like RC, it had great faculty, A: Istanbul was the best place I have ever fun people to work with. lived. It was the love of my life, and I wanted to live there till the end of my days. But it I knew I did not like NYC, from all the years has gotten bigger and bigger, and I am not of flying back and forth between Istanbul sure how good a city it is at present. On the and California. I'd stop in NY for three days, other hand, in the whole history of my family and race around going to movies, plays, and as far back as anyone knows on both sides, I concerts. And I would ask myself each time have already lived five years longer than any­ why in the world anyone would want to live body else. Istanbul or Selma, that's not bad. there. It was great for three days, but twelve months out of the year? They are out Q: And with all those smokes and martinis? of their minds. But through Neil Bull, who was then in Princeton working for a teacher A: They say that a martini a day is good for placement agency, I somehow ended up with you. I live by that. It is overdoing it that is no a Trinity School job for a single year. One good. But it is true that I should have quit year in NYC? I thought that would be fine. I smoking a long time ago. ended up staying there for 12 years until I retired in 1991. Q: Last question: why do you think that RC students were so impressed by your pres¬ A: I took piano lessons for a long time as a Q: So, there was a good reason why people ence there? child. Then I did not play for a long time, lived in NYC? since there seemed to be other social things A: I do not know. I am sure it had something more important when I was growing up. A: Right. Good reason indeed! I'd be there to do with teaching. I could stand up there in When I came out to RC in 1952, the rule was now if I had not retired. You need a reason¬ front of a class and look out at 35 faces and that the music teacher for the academy had able amount of money for fun and games on say to myself "you make my life." I was to be an organist. That was a requirement. that island, so retirement is not perfect for impressed with their presence, their energy, RC had the only pipe organ, not just in Turkey it. and good cheer. I wanted them to enjoy but in the whole of middle east. Not only did mathematics as much as I did. the music teacher had to be a good organist, Q: How many years total were you at RC? but he had to know the mechanics so that he could keep the organ in good mechanical A: 8 + 6 + 6 = 20 years over a 25 year period. Ömer Eğecioğlu RC 72, graduated from the order. And that was Claren Summer. He could Math Dept of ODTU and obtained his also play the piano. We played pieces for two Q: If you had to do it again, would you do doctorate from UCSD in Math/ Computer pianos. So I got interested in the piano again. the same things again? Sciences. He is a professor at University When I came back to RC in 1971, I remember of California, Computer Department, that there was the music building on the new A: Oh, yes. For someone coming out of a lit¬ in Santa Barbara. Married to pianist RC campus in Arnavutkby, and the music tle burgh of 3,000 people in the middle of Zeynep Üçbaşaran, they have a five year teacher was Jean Strommer, who had nowhere in California, I ended up living in all old daughter, Alisa. The family will spend majored in piano performance. She was in of these marvellous places, best of all the next year in Istanbul, as Ömer will be fact working on her PhD in piano perform¬ Istanbul. I loved every one of the places I a visiting professor at Sabancı University. ance. We got together the first year I was lived in my life, except maybe one: Urbana, back in 1971, and we played music for two IL. But the University was worth it. I was E-mail: [email protected] pianos. I found that this was something I never sorry that I went there. The education Web: http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~omer enjoyed more than solo playing. We prepared was great. 34/PROFILE 14/10/04 11:30 Page 1

PROFILE RC GRADUATES IN THE TURKISH DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

iplomacy was not on top of the list of desired pro­ Inspired by the zeal and nationalist fervor with which modern fessions for those who sent their children to Robert Turkey was founded in 1923, some RC graduates took on this tra¬ College in the early years. They were looking more dition in the early days of the Republic. That tradition continued to bring up better educated successors to their busi­ through the late 1970s, but by the 1980s interest in the diplo­ nesses, be it commerce or industry. Thus initially RC matic corps had decreased. Buoyed by the transition to a free Dhad just those two departments to equip young folk with the market economy, RC graduates went back to their original tracks necessary skills to carry on their family business, along with a and increasingly chose to go into business and finance, the new small section called "Humanities" for those who were keener on "in" sectors. And as more RC-ACG graduates began to be inter¬ liberal arts. ested in politics, we saw some of them rising to the ministerial posts and of course we had two RC educated prime ministers, Diplomacy was more of a restricted hunting ground for schools BUlent Ecevit RC 44 and Tansu Ciller ACG 63 along with the four like Galatasaray whose main mission was to educate and train Foreign Ministers. civil servants. So it was a great surprise to find out that Robert College graduates played a key role in developing the country's By highlighting the foreign policy achievements of several RC foreign ministry in the early years of the Republic and particular¬ graduates past and present, we hope to fuel interest in an often ly following WW II and that four RC and ACG graduates served as overlooked, but crucial field. In the interests of space we were Foreign Ministers in 1990s - Emre Gbnensay RC 57, Tansu Ciller able to focus only on early pioneers and present ambassadors, ACG 63, ismail Cem RC 59, §UkrU Sina GUrel RA 69 - when going although this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the College through the yearbooks of the Turkish Foreign Ministry. graduates in the Foreign Ministry at other levels.

ALİ HAYDAR GÖRK RC 26 ORHAN FİKRİ ERALP RC 33 Orhan Fikri Eralp was present in some key moments of Turkish foreign policy. He was Choosing a Eralp joined the diplomatic services after known for his serenity and quick wit - two diplomatic graduating from London University School of characteristics that helped him in his politi¬ career came Law in 1939. As one of the most prominent cal career both in the Turkish foreign min¬ quite naturally RC graduates to serve in the Ministry -at the istry and later at the UN. He was secretary to Haydar Gbrk very beginning of the World War II- he was to the Turkish delegation to the UN Charter since his family posted to Washington to serve as secretary Conference in San Francisco in 1945. had a long histo­ from 1942 to 1948 starting as the 3rd secre¬ Returning to Ankara and serving in various ry of being tary to rise to the First. departments from 1949 to 1951, he was active in Turkish government services. In the 26 years follow­ ing his graduation, he served in posts that ranged from charge d'affaires at Tokyo and Moscow to Turkish permanent representa­ tive at the UN.

Gbrk joined the diplomatic corps in 1929. One of the master planners of the modern¬ ization program that followed World War II, in 1951 he became Director-General of the Economic Department of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a representa­ tive to the Organization for European Economic Cooperation. He was First Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 1954 when he was appointed Secretary General to President Celal Bayar. In a period when so many RC graduates served in important posts in the US, he was the first to become Ambassador, serving in Washington between 1955 and 1957. He Orhan Eralp RC 33 at the speaker's right, interprets for President Celal Bayar before retired in 1961. the US Congress in 1954. Note Richard Nixon in the upper left hand corner. 34/PROFILE 14/10/04 11:30 Page 2

Eralp in Santa Monica, California in 1954 with Turgut Menemencioğlu RC 35 with John F. Kennedy in 1962. President Celal Bayar (left) and Donald Douglas (right).

advisor to the Turkish Delegation on the UN New York and have catastrophic results in the Middle East." Conciliation Commission for Palestine. In also represented He served as the Turkish ambassador in February 1953, he was present at the sign­ Turkey at vari­ Washington from 1962 to 67. Upon his ing of the Treaty of Friendship, a corner­ ous internation­ return to Ankara he became the Secretary stone in relations between Turkey, Greece al conferences General of CENTO from 1967 to 72, until he and Yugoslavia. He then was posted to including the UN was sent to London as Ambassador. He London as the No 2 (1952-53) where he got General retired in 1979. a PhD degree from the London University. Assembly, through 1960. Eralp accompanied Prime Minister Adnan He became the OSMAN DERİNSU RC 36 Menderes and Foreign Minister Köprülü in a first Turkish After RC Osman Derinsu finished Faculty of friendly visit to Paris to strengthen Turkish Ambassador to Political Sciences in Ankara and joined the French relations. In 1954, he accompanied China in 1972, Ministry in 1940 to be posted to the war President Celal Bayar in the visit to US and retired in 1976. torn Chinese capital Chunking in 1943. He where his level-headedness saved Bayar moved to New York in 1946 to serve in vari¬ from many embarrassing moments with the ous posts of the Turkish Consulate there American press. In 1955, he was part of a TURGUT MENEMENCİOĞLU before being posted to the Turkish embassy delegation which went to London to negoti¬ in Washington in 1947. He went back to ate the Cyprus problem. RC 35 New York a year later to the Turkish delega¬ Joining the Ministry at the beginning of tion at the UN. Returning to Ankara, his After spending four years in Ankara, he World War II and serving in the cabinet of next posting was to Vienna in 1951 as First became Turkey's first representative in the Secretary General, Turgut Secretary, a post he held in London as well Sweden with the rank of ambassador (1975¬ Menemencioğlu was posted to Bucharest in from 1953-1955 where he became Councilor. 59). Then he became the ambassador to 1945 to return to the Ministry in 1948. In He returned to Ankara in 1957 to leave for Belgrade (1959-1964) and he moved to serve 1950 he became the permanent Turkish rep­ Washington two years later (1958-61) to as Turkey's permanent representative at the resentative to the UN Office in Geneva. In hold various posts at the Turkish embassy UN (1964-69). 1952 he became Councilor of the Turkish including charge d'affairs. He first became Embassy in Washington. In 1955 he moved an ambassador to Caracas (1963) and moved Eralp became the top civil servant at the to New York to work with the Turkish to Oslo a year later where he served as Ministry by acquiring the post of General Delegation. After serving six years in this ambassador until 1969. He later carried the Secretary (1969-72) and served as perma­ post he became the Turkish Ambassador to title in Bucharest (1972-76) before retiring nent representative at NATO (1972-76), Canada. In 1960 he returned to New York as in 1980. ambassador to France (1976-78) and the Turkish permanent representative at the crowned his brilliant careers as the Turkish UN. When he became Ambassador to permanent representative at the UN in New Washington, Menemencioğlu brought a lot of MUSTAFA AKŞİN RC 53 York before retiring in 1980. He died in experience with him. He was present for Aksin joined the 1994. some key events during and after World Foreign Ministry War II. These included being a member of in 1955 after the Turkish delegation that went to Cairo in graduating from NURİ EREN RC 34 1943 with President İnönü for a key confer­ the Faculty of Nuri Eren was Turkey's first Ambassador to ence with Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Law in Ankara China. He began his working life as a jour¬ Churchill and visits to Germany in 1954. and was posted nalist. His career in government services to Washington began in 1938 when he worked as a foreign In a speech to the American Turkish Society in 1959. He trade expert in the Ministry of Commerce. in New York in 1960, Menemencioğlu said: moved to In 1943, he transferred to the Department "Any major imbalance in the world situation Moscow as First of Press and Information of the Prime has always directly affected our area. Turkey Secretary (1963) Ministry as counselor, after which he went cannot be indifferent or 'neutral' in her out¬ and returned to to London as press attaché. In 1949, Eren look on world events. A political or military Ankara in 1965. opened the Turkish Information Office in vacuum in Turkey's strategic position would Aksin was post- 34/PROFILE 14/10/04 11:30 Page 3

PROFILE

ed to Bonn (1972). During his service at the Turkish foreign affairs, be it in negoti¬ KORKMAZ HAKTANIR Ministry (1975-77) he dealt with economic ations over the Iraq war, or delicate RA61 matters and the European Community. Aksin talks to reach a settlement in Cyprus. became Turkish Ambassador to Kenya in Here is a list of those still serving in Ambassador to Cairo 1977, later moving to Damascus, Syria in top posts at the Foreign Ministry: Born in 1943, he also graduated from the 1980. He returned to Ankara in 1983 as Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara Deputy Undersecretary and went abroad University. He worked at the NATO HQ, New again in 1986 as Turkish Ambassador to NAZIM BELGER RC 60 Delhi, Nicosia and the United Nations. In Belgrade. He was posted to Geneva in 1988 1991, he was appointed Ambassador to Iran, as Turkish Ambassador to the UN before Ambassador to Lithuania followed by Poland in 1994. In 1996 he retiring in 1993. Born in Çanakkale, 1939. Belger studied at returned to Ankara, and became an the University of Lausanne. He joined the Undersecretary the following year. In 2000 Foreign Ministry in 1967, serving in Paris, he became Ambassador to the UK and last NURVER NURES RC 53 Algeria, Sofia and Strasbourg. In 1990 he December, Ambassador to Cairo. He is mar¬ After RC Nurver Nureş graduated from was appointed Ambassador to Yemen, in ried, with two children. Columbia University (1957) and joined the 1994 to Venezuela and in 2000 to Lithuania. Ministry in 1959. He served in The Hague, He is married, with two children. Holland (1961-66), Amman, Jordan (1968¬ SENBİR TÜMAY RA61 71), OECD, Paris (1971-74), Washington DC Returned from Senegal (1975-78) before being appointed ERHAN ÖĞÜT RC 60 Ambassador to Kuwait in 1981. He served as Back from Canada Born in 1942, Istanbul. Tümay studied Law Ambassador to Tokyo (1983-87), London at Istanbul University. He joined the Foreign (1989-91) and Mexico City (1991-95) and Öğüt was born in Çankırı in 1941. After RC Ministry in 1967 and was posted to Brussels, was finally appointed as Secretary General he went to the Faculty of Political Sciences Damascus, Milan and Bonn. He was appoint¬ of the Black Sea Economic Organization in Ankara graduating in 1964 before joining ed ambassador to Senegal in 1996. In 2000 before retiring in 1997. the Ministry in 1964. He served in The he returned to Ankara and became a mem¬ Hague, Plovdiv and Copenhagen. He first ber of the review committee. He is married became the ambassador to Ethiopia (1990¬ and has one child. İSMET BİRSEL RC 53 95) and served in Ottawa with the same After RC Birsel went on to study Law and title (1998-2003). He is married to his col­ joined the diplomatic service in 1960. He league Ayşe Öğüt. MEHMET NURİ YILDIRIM was first posted to Brussels in 1961. He was the Consul General in Komotini (1968-71), RA 62 before being appointed to the Turkish dele¬ UĞUR ZİYAL RA61 Returned from Mongolia gation's Geneva Office at the UN (1971-74) and later, Rome (1976-78). He first became Foreign Ministry Born in 1943, Nazilli. A graduate of the an ambassador to Tehran (1983-86) and Undersecretary Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara then to The Hague (1986/1989). Upon University, he joined the Foreign Ministry in returning to Ankara he became the General Born in 1968. After having worked in the UN Geneva Director for Cultural Affairs which suited Istanbul, office, Bangkok, Tabrizi, Rome, Helsinki, him very well as he is a very talented 1944, he grad¬ Tehran and Berlin, he was appointed painter who held personal exhibitions in uated from Ambassador to Mongolia in 1999. He many of the capitals he served. His paint¬ the Faculty of returned to Ankara last year. He is married ings carry the traces of the far and wide he Political with two children. went to. He was promoted to the post of Sciences at Assistant Undersecretary (Cultural Affairs) Ankara AHMET BANGUOĞLU (1962-63) before going to Strasbourg as University. Turkish permanent representative to the He joined the RA 62 Council of Europe (1993-96) and Foreign Back from Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Budapest (1996-98). He Ministry in retired in 1999. 1965, serving Born in 1943, Istanbul. A graduate of the in Nicosia, Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara We know that several other RC Geneva and University, he completed his master's alumni served at the Foreign Ministry Washington degree in economics at Indiana University. for some time. Although we do not DC. Between 1983- 87 he was Consul Joining the Foreign Ministry in 1971, he have the full list, Ahmet Hamit General in Chicago. He was Ambassador to served in NATO, Burgos, Athens, Madrid Uzgören RC 40, Kerem Aymut Altan RC Syria from 1992 to 97. Returning to Ankara, and Vienna. In 1996 he became Ambassador 57, Hasan Tolon RA 63 and Akin Kocagil he became Deputy Undersecretary and then to Portugal, in 1999, to Saudi Arabia. RC 53 are those whose names we have Undersecretary in 2001. Ziyal plays a piv¬ Returning to Ankara in 2001, he became come across in the records. otal role in current Turkish foreign policy. head of US Relations. Banguoğlu led all He is a key figure in negotiations on critical negotiations with the US ahead of Today, a number of RC graduates con­ both Cyprus and Iraq. He is married, tne war on Iraq. He is married and has tinue to play an important role in and has one child. two children. 34/PROFILE 14/10/04 11:30 Page 4

AYDIN SAHiNBAS RA 62 ago where he serves as head of Multilateral and Canberra. He appointed Turkey's UN Office in Vienna Political Relations Dept in charge of human Ambassador to Vietnam in December. He is rights. He is married and has two children. married and has one child. Born in 1944, Ankara. A graduate of the Faculty Political Sciences at Ankara University, he joined the Foreign Ministry in AHMET DEMİRBAĞ RA 65 TOMUR BAYER RA 68 1967. After serving in The Hague, Cairo, London and Washington, he was appointed Ambassador to Yemen Ambassador to Sweden Ambassador to Slovakia in 1994. On his Born in 1945, Muradiye. A graduate the Born in 1949, Istanbul. He studied at return he became an assistant undersecre¬ Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara Faculty of Political Sciences from Ankara tary. In 2000 he was appointed as Turkey's University, he joined the Foreign Ministry in University before joining the Foreign representative to the UN Office in Vienna. 1973, serving at the NATO HQ, Kabul, Ministry in 1973. He served in Belgrade, He is married and has two children. Düsseldorf, The Hague and Jeddah before Kabul, Beijing and the UN Geneva. In 2000 being appointed Ambassador to Yemen in he was appointed Ambassador to Korea. Last 2000. He is married. December he was transferred to Sweden. ATAMAN YALGIN RA 64 He is married and has one child. Back from Cuba VEFAHAN OCAK RC 65 Born in 1942, Ambassador to Cuba BİLGE CANKOREL RC 69 Istanbul. A grad¬ Ambassador to the Ukraine uate the Faculty Born in 1946, Akçaabat. He studied at the of Political University of Maryland and joined the Born in 1946, Istanbul. A graduate of the Sciences at Foreign Ministry in 1975. He served in Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara Ankara Baghdad, London, Vienna and Karlsruhe. He University, he joined the foreign ministry in University, was deputy head of US relations before 1971, serving in Ottawa, Peking and the UN Yalgin joined being appointed Ambassador to Cuba last Geneva. In 1995 he was appointed the Foreign year. He is married and has one child. Ambassador to Afghanistan. He returned to Ministry in Ankara in 1997. In 2001, he was appointed 1971. He served Ambassador to Ukraine. He is married and in Karlsruhe, ÖMER ALTU Ğ RC 65 has two children. New Delhi, Ouroumiyeh, Ambassador to Estonia Athens and Geneva. Between 1984 and 1992 Born in 1947, İzmir. He studied Public he worked at the United Nations, before Administration at the Middle Eastern returning to the Foreign Ministry. In 1998 he Technical University before joining the was appointed Ambassador to Cuba. He Foreign Ministry in 1972. He served as rep¬ Sadly, two promising Turkish diplomats returned to Ankara last year. Yalgin is mar¬ resentative to the EU, and in Tehran, Rome killed in an attack by Armenian gun­ ried and has two children. and Cairo. He became Consul General in men in Los Angeles 1973, were also RC Düsseldorf and was appointed Ambassador DARYAL BATIBAY RA 64 to Estonia in 2001. He is married and has graduates. Back from China three children. Consul General Mehmet Baydar RC 42 Born in 1946, studied law at the Istanbul University Bursa. After MEHMET TASER RA 67 and the Political Sciences Faculty of studying Ambassador to Macedonia Political the University of Paris. After serving Science at Born in 1948, Salihli. A graduate the Faculty at NATO and in Washington, he was Ankara of Political Sciences at Ankara University, he assigned to Los Angeles in 1970. University, he joined the Foreign Ministry in 1973. He Baydar, who was 49 when killed, was completed his served in Oslo, Plovdiv, Cairo and married with two children. master's Washington and was Consul General in degree at Chicago. In 2001 he was appointed Princeton. Ambassador to Macedonia. He is married His Vice-Consul, Bahadır Demir RA 62 Joining the and has two children. joined the Foreign Ministry in 1967 foreign min¬ after studying at the Faculty of istry in 1969, Political Sciences at Ankara University. he served at YAHYA AKKURT RA 68 the headquarters of both of the UN and Los Angeles was his first posting NATO. He then became as charges d'affaires Ambassador to Vietnam abroad. Demir was 31 when he was at the Turkish embassies in Moscow and Born in 1949, Kilis. He studied at Faculty of shot down. Washington DC. In 1995 he was appointed Political Sciences at Ankara University Ambassador to Croatia, and then to Beijing before joining the Foreign Ministry in 1975. in 1998. He returned to Ankara two years He served in Mainz, Seoul, Dakar, Prague 16/who is who 14/10/04 11:12 Page 1

WHO'S WHO ON CAMPUS THE GROUNDS & GARDENS: A campus in full bloom

n a crowded city of 10 million spring has arrived when the pur• rare trees and shrubs. This inhabitants, where high-rises, ple wisteria outside Marble Hall estate had belonged to a distin• Itraffic congestion and pollu• blooms and daffodils and azaleas guished family for about a cen• tion reign, Robert College is an emerge. Late spring, the Plateau tury. Among other groups of oasis of natural beauty. The becomes a riotous garden of wild trees on the estate was a large school's 66 acres -approximately flowers. In the slow summer, the chestnut grove, farther on was a the size of 40 football stadiums- scent of roses wafts over the labyrinth of trees called 'the of forest, fields and flora that lawn. Come autumn, the garden Maze' planted in the form of a have been growing here for is a blaze of reds and gold, while Sultan's cipher around a circular more than 100 years are in winter, the bare branches are spot of green. Beyond was a unmatched by any other school covered by snow. plateau directly overlooking the in the city. Parents of many a Bosphorus and furnishing one of prospective student lagging in the finest views in Adjoining the new site were the motivation bring their offspring College Founders Constantinople". grounds and palace of Musurus here, knowing full well that it is Pasha, former ambassador of the impossible to walk away Bought Land for The property belonged to a fam¬ Sublime Porte in London. The unmoved by the experience. Taxi ily called Düz, who lived in Paris school began by renting this drivers unfamiliar with the $52,000 and were willing to sell for property for its Junior School. school, are invariably awed by around $52.000. After some The Musurus family were famous its sheer size, asking "What is In her memoirs, ACG founder delay in getting the certificate as courtiers and diplomats. At this place?". Mary Mills Patrick describes how of ownership legalized, in August the foot of the College hill at the original founders bought the 1908, resident College trustee Arnavutkby, facing the The gardens play a major role in Arnavutkby land that is the William W. Peet was able to Bosphorus, there stood for many the lives of the College commu¬ College today. "We heard of a have the documents signed by years a palatial home belonging nity. In between classes, after large property for sale at the authorities, and the precious to this family. In 1920, Paul school and even after gradua¬ Arnavutkby, on the European papers were placed in the vaults Musurus sold the palace and all tion, the grounds are a way to shore of the upper Bosphorus, of the American embassy for the grounds he owned in measure the passing of seasons extending from the heights, safekeeping. Construction on the Arnavutkby, except the little in the midst of urban life. down to the water's edge, with buildings began in May 1910 and chapel, to ACG, giving the school College students know that shady walks, and planted with ended in 1914. the boundaries it has today. 16/who is who 14/10/04 11:12 Page 2 —

The Gardens the gardeners. Key points such as the Maze, the Plateau and Today - gardens around the buildings are always well manicured and A Greenhouse the entrance to Gould Hall is always green. Four years ago, Flourishes Celal Soydogan, an expert agricultural engineer, was Today, the RC gardens are brought in to train the garden¬ tended by a dedicated staff of ers in systematic garden care four gardeners, who have and design for eight months. designed a complex green­ house system which allows Miraculously, the College also the school to meet 90 percent has in place a sophisticated of its floral needs. "Keeping greenhouse system which the garden well-kept is a prior­ means that the school largely ity because it helps keep grows its own flowers. morale up for the students Originally set up five years ago and the staff," says Ümran as a cost saving measure to cut Üngün ACG 70, director of back on the expensive pur¬ business and finance, whose chase of flowers, today the responsibilities include greenhouse next to the supervising the building and Deanery grows almost all the grounds department. school's annuals. Annuals are plants that grow from seeds or She has a personal interest in cuttings, bloom shortly after¬ landscape architecture and wards, set seed and eventually makes the final decisions on die, all in a single growing sea¬ garden care. Overall, the son. They provide a quick, grounds are maintained in line easy, and relatively inexpen¬ with a traditional pattern sive method of changing the Director of Business & Finance Ümran Üngün ACG 70 and chief gardener Rıfat Vural. which is handed down through garden with the turn of the

here are several versions telepathic gift as well as being Legend of the Maze T of the legend connected a skillful jeweler. Legend has it with the Maze, which has that this jeweler did indeed lost its original labyrinth fashion a ring like the one that appearance and is now used for had been haunting the Sultan outdoor performances and for so long. The splendid ring graduation exercises. pleased the Circassian girl and One of the more colorful ver- made her so happy that it sions is as follows: finally brought a smile to her The sultan had chosen as his lips. As his reward, the jeweler bride a young Circassian girl of was rowed up and down the singular beauty but proud, defi- Bosphorus in the royal boat to ant, and unhappy despite the select property on which to grandeur and the riches of the have a palace built for himself. Palace. One night, the Sultan The estate which the jeweler had a fantastic dream; he chose was many years later to dreamed of a beautifully fash- be purchased for the campus of ioned ring which he was con- the American College for Girls. vinced could make his bride In "The Maze", shrubs and happy if only he could find a trees were cleverly planted and jeweler who could visualize the trimmed to resemble the ring design. The Sultan had the best that the jeweler Duz had jewelers in the land summoned designed like the Sultan's to undertake the task of mak- cipher. ing this ring. Finally, when they had all failed, a certain jewel- Source: The Story of Robert er was summoned to the Palace College Old and New, who was reputed to have a By May Fincanci, Intermedia. 16/who is who 14/10/04 11:12 Page 3 —

WHO'S WHO ON CAMPUS

seasons. Rather than buying hundreds of new plants, the gardeners grow them in the greenhouse and cultivate them when the time is right.

The greenhouse is also home to plants unusual for istanbul's climate such as begonvillia, banana and lemon trees. members of the Istanbul Chrysanthemums are produced University Forest Faculty. The especially for school cere¬ forest consists mainly of chest¬ monies. Using soil extracted nut, maple, lime, cedar and from the forest, the greenhouse pine trees. manages to meet 90% of the College's flower and plant The forest is also home to needs. Extras are sold to faculty unusual seasonal guests: Green and staff for a reasonable price. parrots appear in the autumn, magpies and wagtails start to The gardeners are so creative hunt the ants on the Plateau in that they have even managed to spring and summertime. grow their own variety of pansy. Turtles are perpetual guests "Having dedicated and hard¬ and too slow to leave this fas¬ working gardeners is a big asset cinating environment anyway. for the school,"says Ungun. This summer, pay your alma mater a visit. Walk among the It's a Pigeon! No, trees, lie on the Plateau, admire the Bosphorus view. As It's a Parrot! you merge with the cycle of life and revel in pleasant Years ago, various varieties of memories of years past, trees at RC were recorded by tranquillity is guaranteed. 16/who is who 14/10/04 11:12 Page 4 —

WHO'S WHO ON CAMPUS

RC GARDENERS

The school's 66 acres are tended by a team of 4 gardeners. The flair of these diligent men is evi­ dent in details like the layout of multicolored pan- sies on the hill up to Marble Hall and the use of decorative wheels as original flower pot stands.

Rıfat Vural Veysel Kirlaroglu

Chief Gardener Rıfat Vural, 37, Another lawnmower fan is began working at RC in 1997. another Veysel who is responsi¬ "We are very lucky people," ble for the Plateau and sur¬ Vural says. "Working with the roundings. Veysel Kirlaroglu, earth so much does not allow 40, has been at RC for 18 one to get older or tense". He years. He started just after is fond of technological garden¬ completing his military service. ing equipment, because the He is the one who turned the land is too large for human Plateau from a stark ground labour alone. He describes how into its present state. The they use trees to fertilise the thorny wild plants were all soil. "We determine bare dry picked, making it possible to leaves and branches and mark sit and enjoy the view and them in the summer to be cut allowing beautiful wild flowers in autumn. After they are to flourish. Kirlaroglu has many trimmed, they go through a a story of students engaging in crumbling machine and are forbidden activities on the then spread around the Plateau, but "They are all offi¬ plants." Each season brings cial secrets," he says smiling. new challenges, according to Vural. Last winter, the garden¬ ers were responsible for shov¬ elling the snow off the roads and spreading salt to prevent freezing.

Fatih Topuz

Fatih Topuz, 43, has been working in the RC gardens for three years and hopes to con¬ tinue until retirement. He is particularly proud of the mag¬ nificent magnolia tree in front of the Blue House.

Veysel Aydın

Veysel Aydın, 38, is particularly interested in the care of young trees and plants. He is also a keen fan of riding the lawnmower.