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Fall 2020

SERVING JUSTICE ATTORNEY CATHLEEN PRICE ’92 FIGHTS RACISM IN THE DEEP SOUTH

THE AGE REMEMBERING A HISTORIC ERA AT WKCR Columbia Today A lifelong journey begins when each Columbian first steps onto College Walk. Through the Core Competencies of My Columbia College Journey, students balance classwork with communication skills and grades with leadership experiences, cultivating the confidence and habits of mind needed to thrive.

Civic and Individual Responsibility • Community Engagement and Inclusion Critical Thinking • Creativity and Innovation • Global Awareness Information and Technological Literacy • Knowledge • Oral Communication Quantitative Literacy • Research • Teamwork and Collaboration Wellness and Resilience • Written Communication

Share a lesson learned from your own Journey to help pave the way for our newest Columbians. COLLEGE.COLUMBIA.EDU/JOURNEY/YOURS Contents Columbia College CCT Today

VOLUME 48 NUMBER 1 FALL 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexis Boncy SOA’11

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lisa Palladino 12 24 30 DEPUTY EDITOR Jill C. Shomer

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Anne-Ryan Sirju JRN’09

FORUM EDITOR features Rose Kernochan BC’82 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Alex Sachare ’71 12 ’85 ART DIRECTOR Your Core Stories Eson Chan Generations of alumni celebrate the works, Published three times a year by Columbia College instructors and experiences that shaped them. for alumni, students, faculty, parents and friends.

By the Editors of CCT CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING OFFICER Bernice Tsai ’96 24 ADDRESS Columbia College Today The Legacy of Injustice Columbia Alumni Center 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530, 4th Fl. For Cathleen Price ’92 and the , NY 10025 Equal Justice Initiative, confronting the past PHONE 212-851-7852 is essential to righting its wrongs today. EMAIL By Jamie Katz ’72, BUS’80 [email protected] WEB college.columbia.edu/cct

30 ISSN 0572-7820

Opinions expressed are Radio Days those of the authors and do not reflect ofcial positions The dawn of WKCR’s Jazz Age, described by of Columbia College or . the mavericks who made it happen. © 2020 Columbia College Today By Alexis Boncy SOA’11 All rights reserved.

Cover: Illustrations by James Gulliver Hancock Contents departments alumninews

3 Message from Dean James J. Valentini 41 A Postcard from the Past The pandemic has rewritten the rules of college life. 42 Message from CCAA President Ted Schweitzer ’91, LAW’94 4 Learning to See Plus a conversation with Columbia College Women president Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard ’93. 6 Around the Quads Fall semester update, an addition to Lit Hum, 44 Lions a major gift to Columbia Chemistry and more. Brad Hutton ’92; Anthony “Ace” Patterson ’11; Nicole LaPointe Jameson ’16 10 Roar, Lion, Roar Ten great moments in Lions . 48 Bookshelf Bricks & Brownstone: The New York Row House 38 Columbia Forum: Horse Crazy: by Patrick W. Ciccone ’03, GSAPP’08 The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal 50 Class Notes Journalist Sarah Maslin Nir ’08, JRN’10 Just Married! investigates the lives of “horse people.” 84 Obituaries William F. Haddad ’54, JRN’54; Robert L. Gnaizda ’57 CCT 88 Caption This! Now on CCT Online The cartoon caption contests continue.

PRINT EXTRAS • Thank you to our FY20 CCT donors • New from Anthony “Ace” Patterson ’11 • Photo excerpt from Bricks & Brownstone

Like Columbia College Alumni .com/alumnicc

View Columbia College alumni photos 03 instagram.com/alumniofcolumbiacollege

Follow @Columbia_CCAA ’ ARIEL SCHRAG

Join the Columbia College alumni network “I think Roar-ee’s just trying to find college.columbia.edu/alumni/linkedin his Ni(etzs)che at Columbia!”

The winner of our fourth and final Core Centennial cartoon caption college.columbia.edu/cct contest is Charles J. Huang ’24! Thank you for all your submissions. MATTHEW SEPTIMUS MATTHEW

Message from the Dean The Path to Lives of Significance

write this message from the den of my home in New , weeks before the start of the academic year, with many uncer- tainties facing all of us at the College. I have been spending a Ilot of time in this room, which I never thought would serve as my dean’s ofce, but here I am, and yes, it does. I am fortunate to be healthy, to be together with at least part of my family and to have this place to work from. Many others are not so fortunate. Te efects of this pandemic have been devastating. My sympathy goes out to those for whom the cost has been high. Our campus appears to me most often now as the virtual back- ground during a call. My morning and evening transits along College Walk — to and from Hall, with frequent stops to chat with students or faculty — have been replaced by 12 steps on a staircase and nine paces through the living room, stopping to pet our aging, adorable dog. Tese are strange and sobering times. Te scale of today’s crises, Our Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative for Civil and Political Rights the way they have permeated every aspect of our lives, the continuing will expand its programming to increase opportunities for our uncertainties and the unresolved problems weigh on everyone. entire community to learn, listen and participate in the repair of Te pandemic has rewritten the rules of college life, not just at fawed systems, the reassertion of individual responsibilities and Columbia College but also at almost every school in the country. It the recognition of opportunities to take action. Te new Global has certainly been difcult to plan for a year in which the majority Columbia Collaboratory will move forward from its summer pilot of our students cannot be on campus, and a year during which the phase to engage even more students in the projects of societal traditional activities that join us as a community must yield to the renewal made imperative by the pandemic, creating opportunities imperatives of . What we once took for granted now for our undergraduates to connect with global experts — virtually feels precious — seeing students lounging on Low Steps or throw- but no less efectively — while tackling issues of worldwide reso- ing frisbees on South Lawn; sharing the beauty of tree-lined College nance and importance. I feel encouraged that the Columbia Col- Walk with students, faculty and visitors; taking in the elegance of the lege experience will continue to ofer our students a to lives of windows of Butler illuminated at night. signifcance, despite the constraints within which we must operate. But as daunting as this year may be, we can embrace it as an Tere will be few chances to bring alumni together for a while, opportunity to display our ability to respond to any challenge while but our commitment to staying in touch with you remains undi- remaining focused on our objectives. We are always looking for new minished. Your engagement, support and afection for the College ways of doing things, ways that we never would have thought to look will be crucial to bolstering our eforts to navigate this historic for were it not for the disruption of the normal. It is most certainly year. Current students, managing through an academic experience a time when the discipline of Beginner’s Mind will show its value. marked by engagement at a distance, can be uplifted by a strong As some of you know, the centennial celebration of the Core Cur- alumni presence in their lives. New graduates, still gaining their riculum was cut short due to the sudden dissolution of our campus footing, will beneft from the mentorship and guidance of those lives in March. I’m pleased to share that we’ll continue our focus on who have passed through that transition already. And of course, your the Centennial into its 101st year, as Literature and Con- classmates and friends will be comforted to hear from and connect temporary Civilization, in particular, employ the works of the Core with you through Class Notes, emails or programs you can all join. to investigate social justice and individual rights and responsibilities. A conscious efort to engage one another and maintain our College Te incoming class has just fnished reading the frst six books of community matters more now that we will see each other less. ’s Iliad, in tandem with ’s 2014 lyrical poem Stay safe, and be well. Citizen: An American Lyric, a newer text that focuses on race, visibility and violence in modern America. Tese frst-years and all others tak- ing a Core class this year will continue the project of critically con- sidering how society functions and refects the values of its citizens, James J. Valentini a deliberate and refective experience needed now as much as ever. Dean

Fall 2020 CCT 3 4 CCT Fall 2020 Fall 2020 CCT 5 Around Quadsthe

Columbia Goes Remote 14 for Fall 2020 DAVID DINI SIPA’ All undergraduate courses will be taught virtually for the fall 2020 semester, according to updates from President Lee C. Bollinger and Dean James J. Valentini on August 14. Approximately 40 percent of Valentini underscored the point in his message: “Te isolation all graduate courses will be taught partially online or in person. of the 14-day quarantine and severe restrictions on campus life Te advancement of the COVID-19 virus in more than 33 create conditions that we feel would be difcult for most students states and territories resulted in the decision to drastically scale to thrive in.” back the number of students living on campus; residential-style While Bollinger said he is optimistic, he acknowledged that the accommodations are now limited to only Columbia College and Columbia community will be living with uncertainty for some time. SEAS undergraduates who must be present on campus due to “We should think of the fall term as part of a phased return. We need personal or academic circumstances. to establish a sense of confdence among us, turn to our experts in New York State protocols would require all students from high- public health for guidance, calibrate our sense of risk based on best risk states and communities to quarantine for 14 days once they evidence, think in terms of the common good, and talk — again and arrive on campus. “While I am supportive of the measures again. … As many of our rhythms of intellectual life are disrupted, New York State has imposed,” Bollinger wrote, “and while I have no we must make sure we are experimenting and learning from the vast doubt that we could ensure a safe quarantine period from a public array of teaching opportunities we will be exploring.” health standpoint, two weeks is a long time to endure isolation, espe- Undergraduate housing options for the spring term will con- cially for students who will be leaving home for the frst time.” tinue to be evaluated.

Rankine’s Citizen that you experience and that happen really eforts to address challenges in areas like fast,” Rankine told Te New Yorker. “Tey cancer and climate, while supporting the Added to Lit Hum go by at lightning speed, and you begin to gifted faculty and students who make that distrust that they even happened, and yet work possible.” First-year Literature Humanities students you know that you feel bad somehow.” “I have known Ge and Ning ever since had a new reading assignment this they came to Columbia chemistry as summer: Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An graduate students,” Dean James J. American Lyric. Landmark Gift for Valentini said. “Tey have always expres- Te 2014 work, a fnalist for the sed to me a deep bond with Columbia National Book Award, is a meditation Columbia Chemistry and its great chemistry department. I about race in America. It was selected for am so pleased to have worked with them the Lit Hum syllabus in response to recent Columbia announced a $21.5 million gift in developing this remarkable gift to protests and conversations around racism from Ge Li GSAS’94 and Ning Zhao Columbia.” He added, “Tat gift will and police violence, providing a framework GSAS’95 to advance research and teach- support our faculty, graduate students and for a year where questions of racial injustice ing in chemistry at Columbia College and undergraduates, enabling the success of so will be front and center in the classroom. other University schools. many future Columbians.” “It is a vital work for our time, and a Te gift will provide an endowed Li and Zhao both earned their - vital work for Lit Hum, as it explores scholarship for College students concen- ates in organic chemistry at Columbia. through the medium of lyric poetry ques- trating in chemistry and will also support In 2000, Li founded WuXi AppTec, a tions of citizenship and community in a two endowed professorships, including provider of research, development and polarized world,” said Joanna Stalnaker, funding for a startup and an manufacturing services that enables the Paul Brooke Program Chair for Lit- endowed fellowship for graduate students. companies in the pharmaceutical and erature Humanities. “We are deeply grateful to our gradu- biotech industries worldwide, where Li Citizen includes the use of visual art, ates Dr. Ge Li and Dr. Ning Zhao, who is chair and CEO. Zhao is a member of slogans, commentary, quotations from know frsthand the importance of invest- the board, senior VP and global head of artists and critics, flm scripts and more. ing in fundamental scientifc discovery,” human resources at WuXi AppTec, and “I started working on Citizen as a way of President Lee C. Bollinger said. “Teir president of the Ge Li & Ning Zhao talking about invisible racism — moments generosity will allow us to expand our Family Foundation.

6 CCT Fall 2020 FacultyLounge

look at single molecules. “I had access to these wonderful instruments that at the time existed in only fve or six labs in the world,” he says. Gonzalez became one of a small number of people who could build and use these microscopes; that ability is what brought him to Columbia. “My future colleagues appreciated that I was doing this cutting-edge, molecular-level biochemistry that belonged in a chemistry department,” Gonzalez says. He started as an assistant professor and launched the Gonzalez Lab at Columbia in 2006. In addition to his research, Gonzalez takes his role as an educator very seri- ously. “I had such fantastic mentors, people who had an incredible infuence on my education and my research,” he says. “I was given the room to grow and learn, and I LIMARYS CARABALLO LIMARYS was always pointed in the right direction. I strive to do the same for my own students.” Students need opportunities as well as mentorship, and increasing the diversity Ruben Gonzalez of STEM is also important to Gonzalez. As a frst-generation Cuban-American By Jill C. Shomer who grew in an immigrant household and community, he says he struggled with issues he is now trying to address, such as rofessor of Chemistry Ruben are currently developing projects related an overreliance on standardized test scores Gonzalez was developing his to coronavirus and COVID-19. for admission to academic programs and lectures for his frst semester “Te lab has a life of its own,” Gonzalez advanced courses. “I didn’t do as well as I teaching Frontiers of Sci- says. “In pre-pandemic times, there was thought I needed to on my GRE, and I ence when the COVID-19 a social component to our lab work — fgured I was sunk,” he admits. Nonetheless, Ppandemic hit. His original plans for a unit researchers would analyze data or work on some of the admissions committees saw called “Molecules and Life” were shelved; manuscripts together, or sometimes just past his test score. “So now I feel like it’s my his debut Core experience this fall will hang out discussing the latest results over responsibility to point out that the GRE now focus on the coronavirus. “I’m teach- cofee. Tat’s gone. Now we work in shifts, is not the only metric, that we shouldn’t ing the molecular basis of how the virus and you can only be there if you’re actively exclude students like me. All of my work infects cells, how the disease progresses working on an experiment. Masks, gloves is grounded in an awareness of systematic and how one develops a vaccine or a drug and eye protection the whole time. We ways we take exclusionary positions — as a — all from the chemist’s point of view,” have to be really efcient and safe.” faculty, as a department, as an institution — he says. “I think everyone is really excited.” Gonzalez fell in love with science as and what we can do to address that. Te enthusiasm is not surprising a teenager in Miami, after a particularly “George Floyd’s murder and everything coming from Gonzalez, who says that great high school teacher introduced that’s happened since then has just ampli- chemistry is his “heart and brain.” He him to chemistry. “She taught chemistry fed that,” he continues. “I really do feel like teaches general and honors-level chem- through the eyes of a biologist,” Gonzalez we have a moment right now, and it feels dif- istry to frst-years, but his primary focus says. “It was really impactful. It’s informed ferent this time. Tere’s an opportunity to do is biophysical chemistry and the study of all the science I’ve done since then.” something transformative. For years it’s felt biomolecular structure and function; as He caught the research bug at Florida like we’ve been chipping away at one little the founder and principal investigator of International University, and put of his thing at a time. Now I feel like we can roll Te Gonzalez Laboratory, he works with graduation so he could spend another in the trucks and do something signifcant.” undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral year working in a lab. His mentor there Gonzalez lives in Riverdale with his research scientists from diferent disci- encouraged him to go to graduate school, wife and two children; he enjoys cycling, plines — chemists, biologists, physicists and he got his Ph.D. in biophysical chem- running, and camping with his family. and computer scientists — conducting istry from UC Berkeley in 2000. He also likes to cook, and grows his own biomedical research into the molecular While doing his post-doc at Stanford, vegetables in their small backyard. He mechanisms of gene expression, antibiotic Gonzalez got involved in a new area of especially loves cooking Cuban food, he activity and resistance, and cancer. Tey study that used advanced microscopes to says. “I’m true to my roots!”

Fall 2020 CCT 7 Hall of Fame

The Abstract Sculptor Who Melded East and West

By Thomas Vinciguerra ’85, JRN’86, GSAS’90

have looked upon every said critic Robert Hughes in 1980, “the new job as another pre-eminent American sculptor.” opportunity to break Born in Los Angeles to a Japanese new ground,” said pro- father and an American mother, Noguchi lifc abstract sculptor apprenticed as a teenager with Gutzon “IIsamu Noguchi CC 1926. In his 84 years, Borglum, the creator of Mount Rushmore. Noguchi broke new ground aplenty. Fus- Borglum told him that he would never be ing time-honored Asian aesthetics with an artist, but Noguchi’s mother disagreed, Western modernism, he created a plethora advising: “Be your own god and your of striking specimens — everything from own star.” At the College he enrolled as a mammoth monoliths to tabletop conversa- premed but only lasted a year and a half. tion starters. His public works, embracing His mind was elsewhere; his chemistry standalone pieces and entire sculpture and biology notebook, said his mother, gardens alike, dot the globe. Noguchi fash- was flled with “nothing but sketches of

ioned memorials, minimalist stage sets and vagaries — fshes, rabbits, nude ladies, etc. / ARS MUSEUM, NEW YORK AND GARDEN NOGUCHI FOUNDATION © THE ISAMU even smart postwar home decor. He was, Not one word of any science.” In spring Foot Tree (1928) 1924 a visit to Onorio Ruotolo, director of the Leonardo da Vinci Art School on East 10th Street, paid of; Noguchi became nationality and double upbringing, where his studio assistant, and his frst exhibi- was my home?” he wondered. “Where my tion, of 22 plasters and terra-cottas, came afections? Where my identity? Japan or just three months after they met. Ruotolo America, both — or the world?” Noguchi proclaimed him a “new .” ultimately determined that “For one with In 1927, Noguchi won a Guggenheim a background like myself the question of Fellowship. “It is my desire,” he told the identity is very uncertain. It’s only in art administrators, “to view nature through that it was ever possible for me to fnd any nature’s eyes, and to ignore man as an identity at all.” object for special veneration.” Tis he did His output, he said, resulted from the in under the legendary Constantin “process of listening.” Always, his goal was Brancusi. “He showed me how to square a to form and convey a relationship with block out of limestone,” Noguchi recalled his raw materials, tapping and releas- dryly. Soon, Noguchi was fashioning clay, ing the natural forces that he felt within brass, wood, plastic and especially stone them. Indeed, Noguchi often thought of of all sorts into puzzling, fercely asym- his creations as living things, asking to metrical pieces, replete with unexpected be fully awakened. “When I face natural twists, angles, cuts, holes and nodules. He stones, they start talking to me,” he said. branded the results with such names as “Once I hear their voices, I give them just Globular; Foot Tree; and Noodle. a bit of a hand.” Noguchi’s East-West duality informed Noguchi, wrote his biographer Hayden his life and his work. Tough American by Herrera, preferred “certain shapes — birth, he spent a decade of his childhood columns, twisting pylons, pyramids and in Japan, returning home in 1918; dur- triangles, interlocking elements, cubes, cir-

WALTER REISER / © THE FOUNDATION AND GARDENing MUSEUM, NEW YORK / ARS WWII, he voluntarily spent several cles, spheres, and emerging earth forms.” Noguchi, circa 1970, fused Asian aesthetics months in a Japanese-American intern- He expressed these forms with everything with Western modernism in a career spanning ment camp in Arizona to better under- from soft marble to hard granite, from six decades. stand his own nature. “With my double organic balsa to inorganic aluminum. In

8 CCT Fall 2020 Around Quadsthe , MUSIC DIVISION LIBRARY Ballet set for Appalachian Spring (1944)

1978, reviewing the traveling exhibition clashed. “More than once,” Graham said, Noguchi’s Imaginary Landscapes, future “I had to order him of the stage.”) -winning art critic Allan Noguchi easily catered both to formi- Temko ’47 wrote that Noguchi’s output dable institutions and ordinary people. sprang from his “several distinct selves, all For the former, he realized the eclectic Red Cube (1968) exquisitely refned.” Billy Rose Art Garden for ’s Like most great artists, Noguchi was Israel Museum and nine exuberantly determined and single-minded. “When spouting stainless-steel fountains for that comes from the inner bark of I’m with the stone,” he said, “there is not Expo ’70 in Osaka. In he the mulberry tree, they emit a milky glow one second when I’m not working.” But fashioned the 24-ft.-tall Red Cube at the that, Noguchi suggested, ofers “a magical he readily collaborated with choreogra- Marine Midland Bank and the urgently unfolding away from the material world.” phers like George Balanchine and Merce rendered nine-ton bas-relief plaque News, Some time before he died on Decem- Cunningham. For Martha Graham he above the entrance to the Associated Press ber 30, 1988, Noguchi had announced, “I designed 20 ballet sets, including for Building in . Literally have come to no conclusions, no begin- Appalachian Spring (1944), with Pulitzer close to home, Noguchi won widespread nings, no endings.” Ten again, such Prize-winning music supplied by Aaron praise for his instantly recognizable three- uncertainty defned his oeuvre. Sculpture, Copland. “Te works he created for my cornered glass-topped cofee table and the Noguchi said, “is the art which can only ballets brought to me a new vision, a new living-room lamps known as akari, the be appreciated in the raw, relative to world of space,” said Graham. (Admit- Japanese word for “light.” Constructed of man’s motion, to time’s passage, and to its tedly, the two strong wills sometimes bamboo ribbing and washi, the handmade constantly changing situation.”

FromtheArchives The Living-Learning Center Brings Students Together

id you know that the only all-class residence hall at Columbia opened 20 years ago? Te Living-Learning Center comprises Hartley and D Wallach Halls; students from all undergraduate class years can live together in a community focused on building connections through events and on-campus involvement. In the Fall 2000 issue, CCT covered the opening of the dorm, which was a new concept for the College at the time. Ten-Dean Austin E. Quigley was quoted about its importance: “Rather than being brought together for one event, the same people come back again and again and contacts and relationships get built on a deeper level.” Find the story: bit.ly/2EQED2m. RUDD SCOTT

Fall 2020 CCT 9 ROAR, LION, ROAR

10 Great Moments in Lions Football D

By Alex Sachare ’71

THIS FALL marks the 150th anniversary of Columbia football, but in the COVID-19 era there are no fall sports being played in the . To fill the void, we thought it would be fun to wake the echoes and provide a list of the 10 greatest moments from the Lions gridiron. They are listed chronologically; we hope they stir some enjoyable memories.

What’s your favorite Lions football moment? Let us know at [email protected].

Alex Sachare ’71 is a former Spectator sports editor and CCT editor-in-chief; his favorite Lions football moment came on October 2, 1971, when Columbia snapped a 20-game losing streak to Princeton by B E beating the Tigers 22–20. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. NOVEMBER 5, 1870 OCTOBER 15, 1915 JANUARY 1, 1934 DECEMBER 12, 1938 NOVEMBER 25, 1947

Columbia plays its frst Columbia beats St. Columbia defeats Quarterback Sid Columbia ends Army’s game of intercollegiate Lawrence 57–0 in its Stanford 7–0 in Luckman ’39 is the 32-game winning streak football and becomes frst game following the Rose Bowl on a frst player selected by beating the Cadets only the third school a nine-year hiatus. 17-yard touchdown overall in the NFL 21–20 at Baker Field in in the country to play Football competition run by Al Barabas , by the Chicago what is considered one the sport. Te Lions had been discontinued CC 1936. Te play Bears. He goes on to of the biggest upsets in lose at Rutgers 6–3 after the 1905 season, was called KF-79: play 12 seasons for . in the frst interstate when some deemed Quarterback Clif the Bears, leading Trailing 20–6 going into game ever played; the it too violent and Montgomery CC 1934 them to four NFL the fourth quarter, the three previous games inappropriate for fakes a handof to Ed Championships, Lions climb back into had been between college students. Te Brominski CC 1935 winning NFL MVP the game on a 28-yard Princeton and Rutgers. Lions would celebrate going to the right, and honors and earning touchdown pass from the sport’s return by when the Stanford a place in the Pro Gene Rossides ’49, A winning all fve of their defense pursues in Football Hall of Fame. LAW’52 to Bill Swiacki games, which were that direction, he gives BUS’48 then win it played on South Field, the ball to Barabas, C on a 2-yard run by the team’s home until who sweeps around Lou Kusserow ’49 that Baker Field opened for left end to score. It was set up by another competition in 1923. marks the only Bowl Rossides-Swiacki Game appearance completion and Ventan for Columbia. Yablonski TC’48’s point after conversion.

10 CCT Fall 2020 / MANNY WARMAN ATHLETICS COLUMBIA A. Stuyvesant Fish CC 1871, D. An aerial view of the F. Legendary coach H. Spectator’s back page captain of the 1870 team. South Field gridiron, was inducted from November 8, 1971, circa late 1910s-early 1920s. into the National Football highlighting Paul Kaliades ’73’s B. The KF-79 in action at Hall of Fame in 1960. 34-yard field goal. the 1934 Rose Bowl. E. Bill Swiacki TC’48 makes a catch at the 1947 game G. Team captain Bill Campbell I. Josh Wainwright ’21 is C. ’39, who that broke Army’s 32-game ’62, TC’64 celebrates the win hoisted by teammates after went pro for 12 years, winning streak. over Penn in 1961 in the Lions’s his 24-yard TD pass secured at Baker Field in 1938. only Ivy League Championship. a Homecoming 2017 victory.

MORE ON LIONS FOOTBALL Learn more about the first 150 years of Columbia football at exhibitions.library.columbia.edu/ exhibits/show/roar-lion-roar, and keep an eye on gocolumbialions.com for Athletics’s own retrospective, to come later this fall. LAUGHLIN C

G I COLUMBIA ATHLETICS / MIKE M ATHLETICS COLUMBIA 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. NOVEMBER 24, 1956 NOVEMBER 18, 1961 NOVEMBER 6, 1971 OCTOBER 8, 1988 OCTOBER 14, 2017 Columbia beats Penn Lou Little coaches Te Lions dominate Columbia knocks of Te Lions end a record 34–31 in overtime his fnal game for the Penn in all phases of previously unbeaten 44-game losing streak as Anders Hill ’18 Lions, an 18–12 victory the game to post a Dartmouth 31–29 on by rallying to beat hits Josh Wainwright over Rutgers. Little, 37–6 victory and win a 34-yard feld goal by Princeton 16–13, the ’21 with the winning who was inducted into their only Ivy League Paul Kaliades ’73 with frst win at the new 24-yard touchdown the National Football championship despite 54 seconds left to play. Lawrence A. Wien pass, prompting many Foundation Hall of the absence of their Dartmouth entered Stadium at Baker Field. in the Homecoming Fame in 1960, holds team captain and the game undefeated Columbia fell behind crowd of 13,081 to the Columbia coaching inspirational leader, Bill in 15 games over two 10–0, cut the margin to storm onto the feld in records for most Campbell ’62, TC’64, seasons. Columbia goes 10–9 at halftime and celebration. Te Lions victories, 110; most who was out due to on to post a 6–3 record, then, after a Princeton rally from a 21-point seasons, 27; and most injury. Five players — its frst winning mark feld goal, scores the fourth-quarter defcit to games, 236. Bob Asack ’62, Lee since 1962. winning touchdown snap a 15-Homecoming Black ’62, Tony on a 2-yard run by game losing streak. Day ’63, Tom Solomon Johnson ’91 in F After starting the season Haggerty ’62 and the fnal fve minutes. 6–0 under Ivy League Russ Warren ’62 — Coach of the Year receive All-Ivy , the Lions League honors as fnish the campaign Columbia goes 8–2 overall and 5–2 6–1 in Ivy play and in Ivy play. 6–3 overall.

H Fall 2020 CCT 11 he measure of the Core Curriculum resides not only in the number of years it has existed, but also in the generations of students it has every alum would have a Core influenced. And as the Core sails story to tell. Over the past year, into its 101st year, that influence as part of the College’s Core shows no signs of abating — Centennial celebration, we’ve it remains one of the defining asked about your favorite works, experiences of a Columbia thinkers, artists and writers; College education and unites which professors had an impact; the entire College community. what you learned; and which For that reason, we knew that part of the Core experience you enjoyed most. Here’s a sampling of your responses; share your story at [email protected]. — The Editors [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] The Core is a century old, and I am getting Learning is a painful close! The sum of my Core experience only experience sometimes. became apparent to me after graduation and Unhinging your interior the realization that, year after year, without diminution to this day, the Core had become and allowing in new ideas the foundation for a life of honesty, integrity, and new thoughts, and new curiosity and an appreciation of the values perspectives from other upon which a virtuous life may be built. That students, is not an easy or “virtuous life” became, and remains, the primary goal toward which I strive in the small comfortable experience. ways that present themselves day to day. The single institution to

— John Weaver ’49 which I’m most indebted is Columbia College. I’ve drawn from what I learned [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] there my entire life. I came to Columbia with a background in math — ’78 and physics. The Core opened my eyes, mind and heart to a lifetime of fullness and inspiration.

— Dr. Larry Harte ’53 [ CORE WRITER ]

Herodotus: His work is dirty,

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ] [ FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR ] mythical, action-packed.

So much of one’s experience I remember the first — Sara Cherkerzian ’94 is based on the ability of the thing Elliot Gilbert, our professor to communicate, Lit Hum instructor, said and to facilitate and elevate at the beginning of the course: “Only a very discussions, creating thin piece of asphalt or [ WHAT I LEARNED ] magic in the classroom and cement separates us bringing home the Core. I from the jungle.” I’ve There is no substitute for enjoyed so many teachers kept it in mind through being an educated citizen, — adjunct, graduate, full everything and have, professors — who were able I hope, managed to and the Core prepares you to do this consistently. increase its thickness. to be just that.

— Dehua “Wah” Chen ’92 — Harry Levy ’65 — Brian Krisberg ’81, LAW’84 [ CORE WORK ] Genesis: Analyzing what is perhaps the most influential text in the for its literary value was fascinating to me.

— Jacob Kim-Sherman ’23

[ WHAT I LEARNED ] [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] [ CORE WORK ]

Lit Hum and CC My first museum visit was Symposium: It offers a lens into opened my eyes thanks to Art Humanities; to civilization as a it changed my major from some of the most forward and conversation, how to art history. progressive discussion around authors wrote in response to their — Laurence Berger ’69, gender, sexuality and love in the SIPA’70, BUS’71 predecessors and Core, especially from someone how my classmates and I fit into that as far back as . It inspired conversation. [ WHAT I LEARNED ] The Core taught me to look for other early queer me to read, to Great and constructive discussions in the Core and my listen and to see. ideas can come from anybody at any time. other literary endeavors. — Dr. Jonathan Rosand ’88, PS’94 — Alan Freeman ’93 — Salvatore G. Volpe ’19, GSAS’21

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ] Often my wife will ask me a question when doing a crossword puzzle, reading a book or needing some fact. Often the answer comes to me out of the Core. She says, “HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?” I smile.

— Gregory Tarsy ’65

14 CCT Fall 2020 [ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

I was presented with two options among the Ivy League schools to which I was admitted. One was to efectively choose my own curriculum and, other than satisfying major requirements, I could choose any class I liked. The other, at the College, was to have the first two years of my education chosen for me. I wisely decided that a 200-year-old college telling me what a good college education was would be a better choice than an 18-year-old kid (moi) guessing what a good college education might be. I have never regretted it.

— Mark Olsen Morris ’82

[ CORE WORK ] Lysistrata: It made me fall in love with [ CORE ARTIST ] theater and the power of women on stage. I appreciated studying Picasso’s work because it reflected an intentional deviation from — Siobhan Gilbert ’09 tradition and the very rules that we learned had served as the foundation for art forms for several centuries. Only with a strong [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] understanding of those rules could he have Lit Hum is the great masterfully broken them, and created an unifier for College exciting way to express himself and connect alumni not only because with others. He was particularly striking to of the conclusions that me because his journey embodies what the we arrived at through Core could be for CC students, as well: As the texts, but also by we continue to engage with old texts/works the act of searching for through this shared experience, we develop answers in the words. pillars of critical thinking.

— Anna Couturier ’10 — Kavya Tewari ’20

Fall 2020 CCT 15 [ CORE WORK ]

Song of Solomon: the way in which [ FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR ] Toni Morrison uses One Lit Hum exchange with Professor Larry language to both Lapidus stands emblematic: I raised my hand to tell her story and respond to a classmate’s comments and prefaced subvert traditional my remarks by saying “I was thinking ... ” when power structures is he interjected, “Good, Mr. Halpern, good.” just ... too good.

— Mitch Halpern ’78 — Jane ’22

[ CORE WORK ] [ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

Crime and Punishment. It was a life- I did not like the Core when I was going through it, but once changing book that made me reflect in the workforce, I realized what an advantage it was. It gave on the ideas of , guilt, human me a broad perspective that allowed me to relate to strangers existence and our inner condition. and colleagues. It made it easier to find common ground.

— Johnna Wu ’12 — Michael Sin ’05

16 CCT Fall 2020 [ CORE WORK ] [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] The Prince. I was so absorbed in it that I read it in one sitting. There are many I was amazed by how much of a book written in the 1500s could be applicable to politics today. fine where

— Andrew West ’13 students read , Shakespeare, Dante and Morrison. What [ CORE WRITER ] distinguishes the , for his great storytelling Core is the academic abilities and sage observations of human nature. I remember the “Wheel of Life”: “hothouse” that comes Sometimes you are on the rise, or at the from contemporaneous ; sometimes at the bottom. But the academic study of wheel keeps turning. these fundamental — Michael O’Connor ’69 works with one’s peers.

— John Vincenti ’90

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

Before Columbia I did not have much appreciation of art and certainly not of art history. However, after taking the Core class as a freshman, my interest grew; I ended up majoring in biology and became a physician, but I also ended up with a minor in art history. Throughout the years I had visited a few art museums here and there, and three years ago my wife and I finally visited Italy. Among our stops were the Vatican collection in Rome and the Ufzi Gallery in Florence. It all came flooding back to me as I could see in real life what I had only seen in books and prints all those years ago. It was awe-inspiring, to say the least, and I am forever grateful for the foundation I received from the Core.

— Robert Werner ’77

Fall 2020 CCT 17 [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] [ WHAT I LEARNED ] After a term of Music phrases! De facto, ad infinitum, Humanities, I convinced my a priori, a posteriori. parents to buy an annual subscription to the New — Wanda Marie Holland Greene ’89, TC’91 York Philharmonic. We had it for about 45 years. [ WHAT I LEARNED ] — Beril Lapson ’64, SEAS’73, BUS’77 Truth may not be a singularity.

— Harrison Zhang ’22 [ CORE WORK ]

The Oresteia: The compelling drama and conflict between the characters felt so modern — thrilling as a new Columbia student.

— Hope Silberstein ’14

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

Some of us thought at the time that the Core’s purpose was to equip us for cocktail conversation. We were wrong.

— Steve Conway ’93

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ] The Core exposed me to a lifetime’s worth of enjoyment of the classics, A classmate and I were both commuters. After some stimulating discussions in the Core courses, we would continue our intense philosophy and art. It provided “” near our homes, often well into the early morning hours. a nibble of what has turned out to We were sometimes greeted from a raised window with be a veritable banquet. “Go home already!”

— Dr. Ilan Hartstein ’81 — Gordon Silverman ’55, SEAS’57

18 CCT Fall 2020 [ CORE THINKER ] [ FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR ]

Thucydides, because among other things, he illustrated how fragile Freshman CC: Arthur democracies are — how the fortunes of a society are shaped by good Danto GSAS’53, hand in and bad leaders, and how important it is for citizens to be on guard the air, flicking ashes from against demagogues and thus work to become acquainted with the his cigarette, eyes looking to prevailing economic and social issues of the day, to vote intelligently. the clouds as he groped for I believe History of the Peloponnesian War is the most relevant and engaging of all the books we studied in Lit Hum and should always just the right words to glean remain on the syllabus. I have read it five times since graduation, once the kernel of wisdom from (partially) in Greek. It is truly a kteima eis aei, a possession for ever. Plato or Bentham.

— Paul Schwarzbaum ’84 — Dr. William Greenfield ’66

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ] [ CORE WORK ]

The Core made me switch Plato’s The Republic was the first book I read at majors. I started out as a Columbia College in 1975; I realize how relevant it science scholar and biology still is today. I recently checked out the insights of major on the premedical this philosopher, who was born in 427 B.C. Plato was track, but a wonderful disillusioned with his democratic government and wrote experience in Literature about behaviors ideal for people “to whom you would Humanities set me on a entrust your state.” From the yellowed page 280 of my diferent course. There, I 1974 Penguin Books edition, Plato wrote: “Good memory, gained a wonderful mentor readiness to learn, breadth of vision and grace, and be a in a professor who not friend of truth, justice, courage and self-control.” only cemented my love for literature, but also believed — Dr. Jefrey B. Freedman ’79 that my education and intellectual development in a field wildly diferent from [ CORE CLASS ] [ CORE WRITER ] my own were nevertheless valuable and worthwhile. Contemporary Woolf: Now, I’m doing my Ph.D. Civilization: I loved in English literature at She taught reading the Bible as Harvard, continuing my me to appreciate studies in Anglo-Saxon a piece of literature literature, manuscript rather than as a the small studies and philology. piece of religion. moments in life.

— Emily Sun ’19 — John Rodin ’97 — Jonathan Young ’17

Fall 2020 CCT 19 [ CORE WORK ] [ SOMETHING I LEARNED ]

The Odyssey: Despite the fact that it was You have to ask the right questions “written” more than 2,000 years ago, human in order to get the right answers. nature remains the same — we are brave but also cowardly, adventurous but also — Henry Berumen ’81 homebodies, and above all else, we value the bonds with family and friends closest to us.

— Genevieve Thornton ’02, BUS’09 [ FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR ]

I was lucky enough to be assigned to Professor CC 1927, [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] GSAS 1932’s section for CC. His Even though I excelled erudition and courtesy to his students at writing in high school, so impressed the class that several of I could not master us referred to him as “The Prophet.” “Logic & Rhetoric.” After a few weeks we decided that

— Jessica Craig ’94 this did not do him justice. The more suitable name would be “God.”

— Dr. Jerold Schwartz ’52 [ FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR ]

I had as an instructor for Lit Hum. The rigorous reading and interpretive thinking she expected was sobering; after a few months I began to appreciate what in-depth scholarship by a brilliant mind was about.

— Dr. Jack Singer ’64

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

I recall that tingling sense of excitement I felt the first day of Lit Hum as my professor chanted The Iliad’s opening line, “Sing Goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilles.”

— Benjamin Apfel ’18, LAW’21

20 CCT Fall 2020 [ WHAT I LEARNED ]

What a gift it is to read the works that inspired generations of art, literature and thought. Thirteen years after I read The Iliad, my parents and I traveled to Greece. Its history and culture [ CORE WRITER ] were brought to life by those years spent in Hamilton Hall. The pebbled foundation was Hannah Arendt: Her thought gave me once the citadel of Mycenae — can you imagine a framework to make meaning, and set what terror and power ran through those halls? upon a course of purpose, in my life. — Avanti Maluste ’08 — Adam Sief ’11

[ CORE WORK ]

[ WHAT I LEARNED ] The Federalist : The tension between I was brought up in a fairly the greater good and individual rights continues today. strict Christian church. The Core taught me that there are — Dr. David Borenstein ’69 philosophical ideas and principles that you can learn to live a good [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] life by, with plenty of room for From Gregorian chants to Bessie Smith — questioning and understanding. what a journey.

— Reginald H. Henderson III ’84 — Abe Greene ’99

Fall 2020 CCT 21 [ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

The Iliad: There [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] was so much I think that the Core made me more curious about philosophy. intricate and unique I had a Lit Hum professor who shouted, “Why do people think language that it was they actually have a purpose? Why can’t we simply exist?” easy to just get lost He was obviously being provocative and making a point. But in the wording. those questions stuck with me and made me think of my life

— Bryan Uceda-Alvarez ’23 diferently. Now that I’m in my 50s, I think I better understand what the hell they were getting at.

— Dr. David Kornguth ’87

[ CORE EXPERIENCE ]

In 1965, Professor Everard Upjohn assigned an Art [ CORE WORK ] Humanities paper to I could write a book about the Core and someday just compare and contrast might. Wallace Gray assigned The Brothers Karamazov the architectural style of to be read before Spring Break; I was so frustrated City Hall with that of the at its length that I decided to do no other work until Parthenon. One Wednesday I finished it. I spent two weeks doing nothing but, midday I took the subway and it shook me up so much that I wound up learning downtown to examine Russian, spending time in Russia and returning to Columbia for City Hall and noticed grad school in Russia stuf. I’ll a poster for the musical read it again in 20 years and Funny Girl at every stop. update this post. Books live Unable to suppress the and grow along with us. urge, I got off the train at Times Square, walked to — Eric Roston ’93, GSAS’98 the Winter Garden, bought an orchestra seat to the matinee for $9.50 and fell in love with Barbra Streisand’s . The next day I went to Korvettes and bought all of her albums for $1.97 each.

P.S.: I did eventually get to City Hall, and received an A on my paper!

— Alan “Buzz” Zucker ’68

22 CCT Fall 2020 [ WHAT I LEARNED ] Acknowledging the other side to an argument and active listening is crucial to understanding. But recognize it’s OK to disagree.

— Brian Sarfo ’17

[ CORE WORK ] Plato’s The Republic: Our Core discussions were very foundational in my learning process, [ CORE WORK ] and it was during Don Quixote, these discussions because it exposed that I discovered me to humor that and developed my transcends time. confidence in sharing — David Donner my thoughts. Chait ’07, BUS’13

— Noor Habboosh ’14 THE ARTIST AT WORK illustrator James Gulliver Hancock create this issue’s cover: [ CORE EXPERIENCE ] college.columbia.edu/cct/latest/feature-extra/coreillos.

The Core Curriculum is the soul of the University. It is the place where [ WHAT I LEARNED ] we concern ourselves not with what we know, but with who we are. It’s an invitation to look inward; The same things that affect me have the “deliverable” in the Core is a affected scholars, heroes, dreamers and clearer vision of yourself. people of the world for millennia. — Roosevelt Montás ’95, GSAS’04 — Christian Palomares ’22

Fall 2020 CCT 23 JÖRG MEYER athleen Price ’92 was a junior pre-law in the For Cathleen Price ’92 College heading home to Denver for the holidays, thumbing through an airline magazine while the and the Equal plane prepared for takeof. Her page-fipping abruptly stopped when she came across an article Justice Initiative, about a small nonproft legal clinic in Alabama that was defending inmates on death row. Te confronting the organization had been founded by a young lawyer named past is essential Bryan Stevenson, who believed that everyone was entitled to legal institutions to come to equal justice under the law, and that the measure of a society the Deep South and do this work,” to righting its is how it cares for its most vulnerable citizens. His legal work Stevenson says. “She helped build a delved deeply into the trauma visited on the region’s Black foundation on which much of our wrongs today families and communities for generations. Bringing those work over the last 15 years has been specifcs to light, he insisted, was a prerequisite for justice, able to grow and expand.” By Jamie Katz ’72, BUS’80 both in individual cases and for society writ large. Trough the years, EJI has pro- “Te article defnitely struck a chord with me,” Price vided representation to thousands remembers. She had studied the history of the Deep South of poor, incarcerated and condemned clients and mounted in class, including the injustices so many had faced, and important legal challenges to racial discrimination in the still faced. But Stevenson’s work also spoke to her on a criminal justice system. Stevenson himself has become a personal level. “My parents’ roots are in Mississippi and social justice icon. His bestselling memoir, Just Mercy: A Louisiana,” she says, “so I had learned about the lived expe- Story of Justice and Redemption, was recently adapted into rience of racism and injustice from my family history and a Hollywood docudrama starring Michael B. Jordan as the sense of identity, as well. What I was reading hit me with young Stevenson and Jamie Foxx as his wrongly convicted great immediacy and familiarity.” death-row client, Walter McMillian. She couldn’t have known it then, but Stevenson and his Asked to describe her longtime mentor and colleague, fedgling organization — which evolved into the nationally Price doesn’t mention charisma or star power, however. renowned, Montgomery, Ala.-based Equal Justice Initia- “Te frst word that comes to mind is humble,” she says. tive — would become the heart of her professional career. “And the second, which is more refective but no less Price did internships there as a student at Harvard meaningful to me, is rigor — the rigor of one’s work, and , and turned down ofers from - one’s commitment, the rigor in which you hold yourself law frms in New York to join EJI accountable.” She adds, warmly, “Knowing Bryan has been full-time in 1997. “Cathleen came one of my life’s blessings.” to Montgomery at a time when it Price left the full-time EJI staf in 2007, but has continued was not fashionable for people from to work closely with her colleagues there in a consulting role while maintaining a pri- vate practice in appellate law; teaching an under- graduate seminar at the LEGACY College on race, poverty and criminal justice; and assisting Stevenson in a clinical law program with Price. “Why did this person get at NYU, where he is a full professor. Asked what he would say about selected to be on death row? I mean, Price to someone who never met her, Stevenson is efusive: “I’d say that there are hundreds and hundreds of you’re going to be so blown away by this smart, talented, thoughtful, murders a year in a state, and yet only a creative person, who will engage you in conversation about anything handful are on death row? How did we and have a really informed and insightful perspective to share,” he says. get to this place?” “She’s incredibly dynamic and the kind of person that once you meet, Price wrestles with those questions you don’t forget.” every day as an advocate and teacher. “If you want to understand criminal ’s legal specialty is death penalty appeals, mostly stemming justice and therefore have a coherent Pfrom Southern states with long of capital punishment and comprehensive concept of reform,” meted out arbitrarily or unfairly, particularly if the defendant is poor, she says, “you do need to understand Black, falsely accused or inadequately represented. Appeals can go on why we do the things we do, why cer- for years, with soul-wrenching ups and downs. For a lawyer, this can tain crimes are traditionally overly be difcult, grinding work, requiring an unusual skill set. “You have punished while others are considered to be able to deal with death-row prisoners, Alabama prison guards, matters that you could be rehabilitated expert witnesses, federal judges, prosecutors,” says Robert Amdur, around. And that goes right back to associate director of Columbia’s Center for American Studies and an the construction of race in order to adjunct associate professor of political science, who has known Price justify slavery in what was otherwise for 30 years. “It takes a real talent and a real psychological acuity.” supposed to be a free country. Te way A chilling exhibit at the As with mass incarceration, the roots of death-row injustice run deep all of that continues to play out in our Equal Justice Initiative’s — back to the eras of enslavement, convict leasing and racial terror. criminal justice system is very raw.” The Legacy Museum: Capital punishment is “a stepchild of lynching,” Stevenson has said. From Enslavement to “Why do some states have the death penalty and not others?” ontgomery is a city that Mass Incarceration (left) asks EJI deputy director Randy Susskind, who has worked closely Mnonetheless thrums with the pas- and one section of The sion of America’s racial struggles, past National Memorial for and present. It was the frst capital of Peace and Justice, which the Confederate States; a statue of commemorates some Jeferson Davis still stands tall before 4,400 Black victims the imposing Alabama State Capitol of lynching between building, where Gov. George C. Wal- 1877 and 1950. lace gave his defant “segregation for-

ever” inaugural address in 1963, calling ⁄ HUMAN PICTURES INITIATIVE JUSTICE EQUAL COURTESY PHOTOS this place the “very heart of the great Anglo-Saxon Southland.” Yet Mont- gomery also cradled the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, the bus boycott, the Freedom Riders and the emergence of Martin Luther King Jr. Te last voting rights march from Selma in 1965 culminated in a mass rally at the State Capitol, electrifed by King’s oratory. Rep. John Lewis lay in state there after his funeral procession in late July. Price was involved in discussions and planning for the city’s newest landmark: Te National Memorial for Peace and Justice, conceived by EJI and dedicated in 2018 on a gentle hillside just a mile from the Capitol. Te stark monument commemorates some 4,400 Black victims of lynching between 1877 and 1950, sometimes in remote backwoods, sometimes in town squares with white families taking in the spectacle and collecting souvenirs. A smaller monument rec- ognizes those lynched since 1950, including Emmett Till, and a new pavilion opened this year in downtown Montgomery, commemorat- ing more than 2,000 victims of lynching between 1865 and 1877. Te main memorial is dominated by hundreds of oblong slabs that hang suspended from the ceiling, each one engraved with the victims’ names and the dates of lynching in a single county. Te symbolism is chilling, calling forth an echo of terror that does not feel safely past, even while respecting the signifcance of each indi- vidual life and acknowledging the trauma visited on their families and communities. It is a place of solemnity and refection, a space where visitors of all races are visibly moved.

26 CCT Fall 2020 “My father’s father was born a slave, so I’m only two EJI has engaged in an exhaustive research project documenting the atrocities, even to the point of collecting soil from known lynch- generations from slavery.” ing sites. “Tis is soil containing the blood and the sweat of the enslaved people, the tears of people who were lynched, the tears of people who experienced the indignity of segregation,” says Sade rice was born and raised in Denver, the youngest of three chil- Stevens, an EJI Justice Fellow from South Africa, pointing to hun- Pdren of Calvin and Naomi Price; both are now deceased. He was dreds of earth-flled jars collected from the sites. “So there really is a Korean War veteran and civil engineer who worked for the federal that tangible piece through which we can trace the history.” government; she was a registered nurse from a Louisiana family that Tat history and those emotions were close at hand for Price migrated before WWI to Chicago’s South Side, where the Prices when she attended the dedication ceremony in 2018. lived before moving to . “Both my parents were raised very “I couldn’t really talk. I think the clinical term is overwhelmed,” poor, but my mother was ‘city poor’ — she was a little better of.” she says. “My father’s father was born a slave, so I’m only two gener- Te family’s majority-white, Southeast Denver neighborhood ations from slavery. He grew up sharecropping in Mississippi, one of was a far cry from Chicago’s South Side. “It was a new suburb. Tere 20 children. Tey all got out. None of them were picking cotton as were large felds and a horse farm nearby,” Price says. She paints her adults. So I was feeling all the pain, thinking of all the experiences childhood in generally happy colors, despite some racial tensions that make you remove your life from the real hellhole for Black around the issue of school integration and busing. Hers was a musi- people that was the rural South in the 1940s and the ’50s.” cal household, where and Count Basie reigned; Almost in passing, Price mentions another connection. A mem- they remain favorites to this day. Price herself was “very bookish,” ber of her own family was lynched in Louise, Miss., in 1962. she says. “I used to read voraciously, is the positive term. But I think “My father’s frst cousin, Eddie Davis Jr. He was decapitated on it was actually defensively. I would sort of disappear into books. I the side of the road,” she says. “It was a trauma that was sort of was kind of lonely. Spent a lot of time at the library.” unspeakable within the family. I remember asking my father about All that reading helped propel her to the top rung of her class at it and he wouldn’t really talk about it.” Tomas Jeferson H.S., where she played volleyball and competed in

Fall 2020 CCT 27 28 CCT Fall 2020 track while working part-time as a babysitter, housekeeper and restau- rant hostess. Price also interned at the Denver district attorney’s ofce, where she witnessed two capital trials, her frst brush with death- penalty matters. She pushed herself hard in high school, she says. “I defnitely was raised in a home where you needed to have a plan.” Her plan was to attend a top-tier college in a major city, and she looked into options from coast to coast. “I got an admissions videotape from Penn with Donald Trump on the cover,” she recalls. But Columbia paid her way to a minority recruitment weekend on campus, and she was sold. “I think that I was genuinely educated at Columbia, and I’m grateful,” she says. “It’s a good place for oddballs,” she adds, not excluding herself from the category. “Tere was quite a bit of non- conformity, but it wasn’t actually pretentious conformist nonconfor- mity. It was kind of a place for people who felt really awkward at the high school Homecoming.” Price and Anthony Price especially appreciated her classes with historians Eric Ray Hinton, whom she Foner ’63, GSAS’69, Barbara Fields and Elizabeth Blackmar, and helped exonerate after with Marcellus Blount, in English. Law School professor Kend- 30 years in prison. all Tomas hired her as a research assistant; she credits him with sharpening her ability to think clearly. “I’m not sure I was that help- ful to him,” she says. “But I learned so much, and he was so patient with my mistakes.”

ot long after Price’s arrival at EJI in 1997, she was assigned to “You’re sort of walking N work an appellate case with Randy Susskind representing a condemned Alabama inmate named Willie McNair, who had been a road with a client. They convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1991. In 2004, a federal appeals court reviewed the case, heard evidence that had not don’t teach you how to been presented in state court and found that the death sentence was invalid. Tat ruling was later overturned. Ultimately, in 2009, do that in law school.” McNair was executed by lethal injection, witnessed by Susskind as Price stood outside the prison gates. “We won, lost, won, lost,” she says. “I think he should have won.” ofce with lawyers like that, you just very quickly learned what was Te McNair case was her baptism into many aspects of her life’s at stake. Tis wasn’t about your own career path or your own identity work. “I kind of learned how to be a lawyer with him,” Price says. “Not — it was always directly linked to the lives that you were serving. the technical part, not the substantive part. But you’re sort of walking a Tat is the culture that Cathleen embodied and passed down to all road with a client. Tey don’t teach you how to do that in law school.” the students like me who worked with her.” Price grew close to McNair and members of his family. At one Price’s life isn’t all about work, though that’s never too far away, it point, his aunt said to her, “I just want to thank you for holding on.” would seem. For one thing, she has a deep love of jazz, and keenly Te experience still gnaws at her. misses going out to New York’s great clubs, now shuttered because Tere are victories, too. Price was on one of the successive teams of the pandemic. Ten there is her pursuit of culinary serendipity. that gained freedom for Anthony Ray Hinton after 30 years in prison, “We’ve spent a lot of time ,” Stevenson says. “She is a most of them on death row, for a crime he did not commit. Today he serious, serious foodie. I mean, at levels that are not easily managed by is a successful author and public speaker who works in community many people. Even after a long day of investigation or spending a lot education for EJI, and a close friend of Price. His guest appearances of hours in a prison, she was always up for a small adventure if the best at her College seminar are a revelation for students, she says. biscuits, fried chicken and collard greens were the rewards for that.” Tis was no small thing, he believes. eaching and learning are close to the heart of Price’s work at “It’s great to have someone who was unafraid to explore all of the T EJI, too. One of her important roles there has been mentoring details of a cultural environment. We did some cases with really iso- younger staf members. lated poor Black families in the Deep South, and she was not only “Cathleen is a model for what it means to be an attorney doing comfortable, but also was respectful and curious about how to learn this work, in terms of the seriousness, and professionalism, and more from the people we served. She helped us appreciate that this gravity, and just the hard work that is work is not just our struggle,” he says, “it’s also our life.” LEFT: Signs of required,” says Charlotte Morrison, a Jim Crow, inside senior attorney from Montana and for- Former CCT editor Jamie Katz ’72, BUS’80 has held senior edito- The Legacy Museum. mer Rhodes Scholar who joined EJI in rial positions at People, Vibe and Latina magazines and contributes to 2001. “As a young student coming into an Smithsonian Magazine and other publications.

Fall 2020 CCT 29 R DIO By Alexis Boncy SOA’11 The dawn A S A of WKCR’s Jazz Age, D described by Y LONGTIME WKCR JAZZ MAN the mavericks ’73 pinpoints the radio station’s arrival as a jazz destination who made to the Charlie Parker Festival in August 1973. Schaap, winding up a hosting shift, put on Parker’s “Scrapple it happen from the Apple” and then left for his job at the Univer- sity’s ID ofce. He continued hearing the music in his head: “I go through Bird’s solo and then Miles Davis’s solo, and then Duke Jordan plays the piano solo. I come out the fre exit door on 114th Street, and I start to realize I actually hear the record

MILES DAVIS (1926–91): monumental trumpeter and composer whose seminal albums included Kind of Blue and Birth of the Cool; CHARLIE “BIRD” though his style PARKER (1920–55): continually evolved, a blazingly fast and he was known for virtuosic saxophonist his intimate, near who was a master vibrato-less tone of improvisation and father of the quick- tempoed bebop style

30 CCT Fall 2020 JAZZ MAN: Phil Schaap ’73 in the WKCR studio in 1991.

ON THE AIR: Sharif Abdus-Salaam ’74 (né Ed Michael) hosting his show in 1972. COURTESY SHARIF ABDUS-SALAAM ’74

again.” Up and down the street, windows were open and Bird’s song was in the air. “I said, ‘By God, we’ve got it.’” In the decades since, WKCR’s reputation has grown with fans and musicians alike; the latter especially JOHN ABBOTT appreciate the education it ofers. “What made KCR diferent was the substance of its programming,” says renowned trumpeter and jazz educator Wynton Mar- salis, adding that the musicians tuned in to learn. “You center for the industry. In the span of just four years, could always hear the music,” Marsalis says. from 1969 to 1973, they laid an enduring groundwork: But when Schaap frst debuted on KCR — 50 years jazz on the schedule every day of the week; 24-hour (or ago, on February 2, 1970 — he joined a station in tran- longer) music festivals and birthday sition. Musically, the oferings at 89.9 FM were eclec- broadcasts that went deep into tic but leaned into classical. It aired campus lectures, the oeuvre of a single artist; covered news, carried interviews with live sessions and interviews D.C. politicians. Te sports and news departments that added to and flled in the were particularly strong; KCR delivered the live play- gaps of jazz history (down to by-play for the team’s electric Ivy League minute details, thanks largely championship in , only to crackle the to Schaap). next month with reports from campus throughout the thundering student protests. Jazz, meanwhile, was disappearing from the popular landscape. A creative peak and audience surge in the mid- and early ’60s had given way to growing tastes for rock ’n’ roll (its decline was represented per- haps most acutely by the death of the legendary John JOHN COLTRANE Coltrane in 1967). Against that backdrop, WKCR’s (1926–67): student programmers began a deliberate embrace of the saxophonist and genre, inspired by its place in American culture as well composer whose style as the station’s literal place — adjacent to the historic jazz heart of , in a city that was itself an epi- changed radically from hard bop to later, more experimental works; landmark albums included Giant Steps and A Love Supreme DUKE JORDAN (1922–2006): pianist who helped build bebop, best known for playing with Charlie Parker’s 1947 quintet

Fall 2020 CCT 31 R DIO A DAYS

Indeed, the famously encyclopedic Schaap, along with the ebul- lenge of it and the difculty and the craft — all that it takes to be a lient Sharif Abdus-Salaam ’74 (né Ed Michael), have volunteered at creative musician and a working professional. So I grew up in that the station near continuously to this day. Tey and other contribu- world; there were always musicians around and I went to hear a lot tors from that seminal early ’70s period recently recalled what it was of things and was exposed to a lot of jazz. It seemed as natural as like working at the station during that ambitious, transformational the air we breathe. time. Tis is their story, in their own words. NESI: Jamie and I talked often about expanding the programming. We said we should be thinking of jazz — which, after all, is an A GROWING GROUP OF INSURGENTS American art form. We should give it the same credibility and exposure as we give to the Europeans. TOM NESI ’70, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, HOST “JAZZ ECHOES”: I didn’t realize before I came to Columbia that there was a professional FM radio KATZ: I thought it was important that Columbia have more of a station that I could simply join. It was just three blocks from my bond with the community it was adjacent to in Harlem, and the city dorm. I started of as the correspondent for the U.N. in general. I felt and continue to feel that jazz is a very important American achievement and a living piece of culture that should not JAMIE KATZ ’72, BUS’80, JAZZ DIRECTOR, HOST “JAZZ ’TIL MIDNIGHT”: Even be ignored. I had a bit of an evan- before I applied, I’d listen to WKCR. Tere was a wonderful Sun- gelistic bent. day night jazz show hosted by George Klabin ’68, “Jazz ’Til Mid- “ It was important night.” I would call in from time to time, ’cause he’d have a contest that Columbia NESI: Of all the jobs I’ve ever held or something; so I knew him a little by phone. When I got accepted, in my life, being program director I called him and he said, “Well, stop by the station and fnd me.” have more of a was certainly the most fun. I didn’t No sooner have I arrived practically, but he says, “I have to go to bond with the have a boss. I designed the entire ” — he was from there — “why don’t you take over my show?” radio programming. Tough, once It’s like, October of my freshman year. Back then there was a bit of community it somebody got their own show, I an apprenticeship; they put you on the AM station and you worked didn’t do much except give a help- your way up the minor leagues. But I didn’t have to do any of that. I was adjacent to ful nod here and there. just had this show all of a sudden. in Harlem.” KATZ: When I became jazz director NESI: I played jazz saxophone and clarinet for years, and I was brought [in fall 1969], I took it very seri- up in a family of jazz lovers. My uncle George — George Van Eps, ously. I thought, the only way we’re going to get more jazz on the not a blood uncle, but that’s what we called him — invented the air is if I recruit a bunch of really good people and we sort of food seven-string guitar. He was a famous jazz guitarist in the 1930s, the station. Tom created all these slots across the week. And that’s ’40s and ’50s. He used to come to our house at Tanksgiving and sit exactly what we did. around and play for the family. MCCOY TYNER KATZ: My father, , was a jazz pianist, composer and some- (1938–2020): a hugely times producer. He was my greatest teacher of jazz knowledge. It influential pianist was important to him that I understand the music — the chal- known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet as well as his long solo career

GEORGE VAN EPS (1913–98): swing and jazz guitarist who LESTER YOUNG invented the seven- (1909–59): tenor string guitar saxophonist with a DICK KATZ lyrical, relaxed style, (1924–2009): pianist, known as much for arranger and record his porkpie and producer; recognized hipster language as for his versatility and for his remarkable vast knowledge of jazz solos; Billie Holiday’s from stride-piano era favorite accompanist to 1960s modernism

32 CCT Fall 2020 Several key WKCR figures started at Columbia in fall 1969: Schaap, Abdus- cold. I put on McCoy Tyner at Newport, playing a tune by Dizzy Salaam, ’73 and GS’77, then a College student. They Gillespie called “Woody’n You.” And he immediately got the record. held multiple roles and hosted various shows throughout their tenure. SCHAAP: He put me through my paces. Ten he thought he tricked CARROLL, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, HOST “JAZZ PROJECTIONS”: Growing up me by playing Count Basie’s frst record, before he developed his in northwest , jazz on the radio was pretty much non- leaner style — but I aced that. existent. My introduction came mostly by way of references made by musicians I liked — I’d say, “Who’s this guy Coltrane?” I’d buy a record, KATZ: And another one and another one. Finally, I put on one that I check it out, one thing led to another. When I got to New York, I went thought might stump him. By a jazz guy named Benny Carter. He crazy going to the used record shops and loading up on vinyl. gives me the date of the recording; the name of the tune; the entire Most people’s point of entry to WKCR was as an engineer. You’d personnel — including, “and on piano is Richard Aaron Katz.” run the soundboard and do a station break every half-hour. I would Nobody knew my father’s full name, not even in the family; nobody do that sometimes for Jamie, then he introduced me to David Reit- called him Richard, it was just on his birth certifcate. Phil even said, man ’69, who had a show on Wednesdays. It was quite eclectic; he “Born in Baltimore on March 13, 1924, and in this solo he shows would play avant-garde jazz, as well as blues, and somewhat obscure the defnite infuence of Basie and Ellington and Wilson,” R&B. Tere were a group of us who had these diverse interests and and I’m of course foored. I said, “I think you’re qualifed.” were curious about how they crossed over each other. We began to grow this little group of potential insurgents. ABDUS-SALAAM, DIRECTOR OF THE JAZZ DEPARTMENT, HOST “JAZZ ’TIL MIDNIGHT”: When I got to Columbia, I wasn’t thinking about radio. SCHAAP, HOST “JAZZ ALTERNATIVES”: I had been raised by the jazz com- I played football. But after the fall semester, I wanted to fnd some- munity; the pioneers of jazz were still alive then, and I had known thing else to do. Something inside said, “Why don’t you go by the them from literally infancy. My father was a translator for the French radio station?” So I started coming in, and Jamie said, “Hey man, jazz scholars; my mother was a bohemian and a classically trained you ever thought about doing a jazz show?” I said, “No.” He said, pianist. Ten we moved to Hollis, — that was the bedroom “Well, think about it, because I’m going abroad in May.” I took over community of jazz. As a young child I knew Lester Young; he died “Jazz ’Til Midnight” on Sunday nights. when I was 8, but many others lived well into my adult life and indeed, I brought them all to KCR and did these interviews.

KATZ: I’m in my dorm room on the seventh foor of Furnald. I hear BENNY CARTER a knock at the door and there’s this tall, friendly guy. He said, “I’m (1907–2003): a Phil Schaap, I live upstairs and I understand you’re Renaissance man with the guy to talk to about jazz at KCR.” We get to a prolific career, he talking and he’s very personable and seems was a saxophonist, to have a great enthusiasm for jazz. I decide to give him a blindfold test; that’s where trumpeter, clarinetist, a musician sits down and I.D.s a record composer, arranger and bandleader; known for promoting the alto sax as a lead solo instrument in jazz and helping to develop the swing-era sound

DIZZY GILLESPIE (1917–93): trumpeter, bandleader and composer who was a seminal figure of COUNT BASIE bebop; his playing (1904–84): pianist, presence was bandleader and unmistakable as much composer; a towering for his great ballooning figure in big-band jazz, cheeks and the angle he was known for his of his trumpet as for eponymous orchestra his virtuosic technique that helped define the era of swing Fall 2020 CCT 33 SEIBERT, ENGINEER, HOST “JAZZ ALTERNATIVES”: I told the guy who “JIMI HENDRIX DOESN’T NEED US” answered the door at KCR, “I’ll do anything.” He said, “OK, I have a broom, you can sweep the foor.” Tat was fne with me. Once I SCHAAP: In the week preceding classes in September 1970, there was decide I want to do something, I’ll do whatever it takes. a meeting of the people of KCR. It became clear that we could create Te frst role I had was a two-hour shift on Sundays. something, on our own initiative, that would be broadcast to New Te frst hour was with Jim Carroll, who had an avant-garde jazz York City and the metropolitan region. To use a modern term that show, and my second hour was a calypso show with a guy called Ethan people didn’t really use in those days — this was an “opportunity.” 4. Tey couldn’t have been more diferent. Jim’s show was screeching saxophones and noise, as far as I was concerned. Every time I put ABDUS-SALAAM: A spot on the FM dial in New York was important. on a record, I’d turn it down to almost zero so I didn’t have to listen. Ethan’s show was playing all the hits from the islands, Jamaica, St. SEIBERT: I think there were 78 radio stations in the city at the time. Maarten or wherever. I’d been doing that for several months, and then one day I went to see a band of former jazz musicians playing what SCHAAP: We decided to pursue alternative programming — we were became known as fusion. I walked away transformed. Te next day, I going to present culture, primarily music, that had no commercial went to engineer Jim’s show, and the music made sense to me. Albert following; music that we thought needed to be heard. Ayler, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor — all of a sud- den I could hear the music for the frst time. CARROLL: We had the opportunity to fll in some big holes. KATZ: By 1970, we had a lot of people working on a lot of shows. ABDUS-SALAAM: We wanted to be the most non-college, college radio Once Phil and the next group took over, they never let go. station that existed. We had an AM and an FM station; the AM station was just for the dorms. So students who just wanted to play around, to play rock and stuf, could do it and have fun.

CARROLL: Tis was an opportunity to get some music out there that was emanating from communities that were not well served by New York broadcasting, the Black community in particular.

SCHAAP: Tere was an understanding of jazz’s importance, its con- nection to the African-American experience. Commercial radio had abandoned jazz. Somebody said, “Jimi Hendrix doesn’t need us. Duke Ellington and Ornette Coleman do.”

TEDDY WILSON (1912–86): swing- era pianist and arranger known for his sophisticated and elegant style

DUKE ELLINGTON (1899–1974): legendary pianist, bandleader and composer who ALBERT AYLER described his works (1936–70): as “American music” saxophonist and rather than jazz; he innovator of free jazz, wrote thousands his instrument’s of songs, including squeals, honks standards such as “It and yelps made for Don’t Mean a Thing (If some of the most It Ain’t Got That Swing)” confrontational sounds and “Mood Indigo” of 1960s avant-garde 34 CCT Fall 2020 R DIO A DAYS

SEIBERT: We needed to take a strong stance that jazz was the pre- SEIBERT: Te only other station in the marketplace that was playing eminent musical expression of its time, and that we needed to be jazz with any regularity was WRVR, up at , and the standard bearer for it. We had the loudest mouths in the place. I they only paid attention to the most mainstream musicians. think that’s what it came down to. We sort of took over. ABDUS-SALAAM: Because we were non-commercial, we didn’t have to SCHAAP: We did our frst marathon festival that fall, for Albert Ayler. worry about what sponsors might say — “We don’t like that music, One show for a couple of hours is easy to miss; but this would be or that’s too far out.” Tey basically left us alone. distinct, it was more time for people to fnd out about us. Who else could have done 24 hours on AN OPEN DOOR FOR THE AVANT-GARDE “ We had the Albert Ayler? Tere was no NPR; PBS was in its infancy. He’s not loudest mouths even going to get a mention — CARROLL: We had a signifcant renovation of Studio A, which in the place. “Albert Ayler died today” — on became the primary studio for recordings and live music broadcasts. 1010 WINS. Te marathon pro- With the improvement of the acoustics and a new mixing board, it We sort of gramming seemed a way of mak- became a very viable facility. ing a bigger splash. It also seemed took over.” more dignifed and reverent. [At SEIBERT: One night, David Reitman invited an actual group of jazz that time] there wasn’t a lot of rev- performers to play live on his show, and nobody wanted to engineer erence for this remarkable addition to the American experience, and it. I was like, “Oh, I’m in, I’ll do that.” Te booth couldn’t have been this African-American contribution to the American experience. more than 12 ft. by 12 ft. And we threw in a drummer, a vibraphon- ist, a trumpeter, a bassist and an alto saxophone. I was in heaven. CARROLL: In 1971, I was fortunate in being chosen program director. David at this point was a professional working for music maga- We went to a schedule with about 40 percent each of jazz and clas- zines, and he started inviting musicians regularly to perform. Tat sical. Te rest was a combination of folk, blues and country, and the encouraged other people to invite musicians to their shows. And, international music shows. very quickly, jazz musicians were foating in and out of the place.

ABDUS-SALAAM: As the jazz department ABDUS-SALAAM: Schaap was my go-to sound guy. I said, “Phil, I have grew, musicians began to realize this all these musicians coming up and we want to do a live broadcast.” would be a venue for people to hear Te band was Moudon Peace Excursion. their music. Te frst phone call I received was from a bassist, Reggie SCHAAP: I get there and they had 26 Workman. At the time he had just musicians! It was insane, there wasn’t come of from playing with Coltrane a room that could have held them at for a number of years. He called me the station, even without their instru- because he was working with some CECIL TAYLOR ments. I had to go into Furnald and other musicians, I think based in (1929–2018): , and he heard our jazz on classically trained the radio. He introduced himself and pianist and free jazz what he was all about, and said, “Man, pioneer; he was I’m so glad to hear you’re on the air.” known for his complex, boundary-pushing improvisations and fierce, percussive playing style

ORNETTE COLEMAN (1930–2015): alto saxophonist and composer who was the REGGIE WORKMAN principal founder of (b. 1937): versatile free jazz; his approach double bassist known liberated the music for his fluidity with both from conventional rules hard bop and avant- of harmony, tonality garde styles; recognized and structure for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers Fall 2020 CCT 35 R DIO A DAYS

start knocking on doors, asking if people had transistor radios with SCHAAP: Sharif and Vernon Gibbs ’74 interviewed Charles Mingus batteries, and could I borrow them? In the end I broke them into in 1972, that was a very momentous thing. three separate rooms and wired them all to go live on the air. I’m still proud of it. GIBBS, HOST “BLACK MUSIC HAPPENINGS”: In high school I’d started writing about music for Rock magazine and other underground SEIBERT: We were bringing all of these what I’ll loosely call either publications, going down to the Village and being part of that up-and-comers, or ignored musicians because they were avant- scene. On my show I would play the complete spectrum of Black garde musicians, more free jazz stylists than the mainstream. Tose music. I liked pretty straight-ahead jazz — I was more of a Herbie are the people who were eager for attention. Hancock fan, more of a Miles Davis fan. But I was aware of Min- gus’s importance. And he was married to the publisher of one of the CARROLL: Tey had found a lot of doors closed in their faces. Public- rock publications that I wrote for, so I was able to get him to agree ity at that point [was a challenge]. If you couldn’t get on the radio, to an interview. the options were live performance and getting your recordings into record stores. In New York you had little specialty shops down in ABDUS-SALAAM: Mingus had a reputation for being somewhat gruf. the Village, but if you walked into Sears, you weren’t going to fnd He wouldn’t take no mess. So here we are, these two young kids, a lot of cutting-edge jazz recordings. Te word got out that WKCR 18 or 19. He was a little late get- was a place your music could be heard, and where you would be ting to the station and when we “ The word treated respectfully by people who were really interested in what him down, he didn’t want to you were doing. be there. You could absolutely tell got out that he didn’t want to be bothered. We SEIBERT: Ten the musicians themselves started telling each other. So started asking questions and he WKCR was a when you called a musician and asked them to perform, they were gave one-word answers. After a place your like “OK, that’s home for me. Tat’s a place where I can belong and while we put some music on and they will take care of me on some level. Village Vanguard won’t give he said, “Wait a minute, is that me music could me a venue, Birdland won’t give me a venue, but these people will.” playing with Red Norvo?” I said, be heard.” “Yes, it is.” And he said, “Take that ABDUS-SALAAM: We did a lot of live shit of, because he never paid me!” broadcasts in the studio, and I Once again, I’m thinking about Mingus’s reputation — what am I learned a lot from conversations supposed to do? I took the needle of the record. Ten he looked with musicians. Tat’s one of at us and said, “Hey, you kids are alright.” And we did a two- or the reasons we did interviews, three-hour interview. We had a ball, he started so people could get frst- telling stories. We had a wonderful session. hand information. Tat’s how we tried to grow the GIBBS: I don’t remember him being con- knowledge of this music. tentious or a problem. He was polite, he answered questions directly. I remember him being a very well thought-out interview.

HERBIE HANCOCK (b. 1940): ground- breaking pianist and composer; a former member of the CHARLES MINGUS Miles Davis Quintet, (1922–79): bassist, he is recognized for composer and RED NORVO working in both the bandleader who (1908–99): bandleader electronic and acoustic elevated the bass to known as “Mr. Swing”; spheres of jazz the status of a solo and credited with bringing melodic instrument; mallet instruments stylistic eclectic and to jazz, including the hard bop pioneer xylophone, vibraphone known as much for the and marimba force of his personality as for his musicianship

36 CCT Fall 2020 ABDUS-SALAAM: Art Blakey, , Ornette Coleman — the ABDUS-SALAAM: Everyone was focused toward putting out some great list [of people we interviewed] goes on and on. Monster musicians. music on the airwaves; nobody was there for an ego trip, nobody was Miles Davis never made it to the station, but basically everyone else trying to become a radio personality. It was the right people in the who was on the scene then came through. right place at the right time, having the opportunity to do what we were able to do.

TELLING THE STORY OF JAZZ GIBBS: We were happy to be in our situation, happy to help the musicians. And we were happy to be part of the story of keeping CARROLL: Tere was a great deal of collaboration, that was one of jazz as, and recognizing it as, a form of classical music. Tat was our the wonderful things. We’d throw ideas around; occasionally you’d angle, and KCR helped us — everyone who played the music and get into a somewhat heated argument over something. It was very loved the music that they played — to tell that story. educational, as well as damn interesting. SCHAAP: On July 4, 1971, one of the listeners to the Louis Arm- SEIBERT: I never went to class. To this day I have not graduated — I strong birthday broadcast was Louis Armstrong. His neighbor majored in WKCR. Selma Heraldo told me. He was bringing his stereo on a dolly out to the garden of his house in Queens. And she said, “You don’t have to do all that, just put a radio up on the garden wall. Tey’re playing your music around the clock.” He turned us on and there we were.

Interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity. Ben Ratlif ’90 and Jim Gardner ’70 (né James Goldman) also contributed to this story.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1901–71): trumpeter, composer and vocalist, aka “Satchmo,” who THEIR FAVORITE THINGS popularized scat WKCR music men share the and was pivotal to jazz tunes they love: establishing the college.columbia.edu/cct/ concept of improvised latest/feature-extra/WKCR. solos in jazz

MAX ROACH ART BLAKEY (1924–2007): (1919–90): drummer composer and a leading and bandleader whose drummer of the bebop thunderous style era; he rewrote the helped define hard bop; rules of drumming, co-founder of the Jazz shifting the emphasis Messengers, an ever- for keeping the pulse changing ensemble from the bass drum to that introduced many the ride cymbal rising stars of jazz Fall 2020 CCT 37 Columbia Forum

Riding High Journalist Sarah Maslin Nir ’08, JRN’10 investigates the lives of “horse people”

You probably recognize Sarah Maslin Nir ’08, JRN’10’s nightlife columnist, “Nocturnalist.” In that role, Nir name from her byline in Te New York Times, where attended more than 200 parties, including one she has earned a reputation as a prodigious writer. Week stint where she covered 25 in fve days. She then Originally a freelancer on the beauty beat, she powered became a staf reporter and began her best-known work: her way into the Times by barraging the paper with “Unvarnished,” a 13-month investigation of worker query after query; she eventually became its exuberant exploitation in New York City’s nail salons. Te series made her a Pulitzer fnalist in 2016. Now Nir has published an ambitious and highly personal debut, Horse Crazy: Te Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal (Simon & Schuster, $28). Nir is a committed equestrian, and her memoir makes clear how much the sport has shaped her. Te book won advance praise from celebs and writers like Alec Baldwin and Susan Orlean, and was singled out as one of USA Today’s “20 Summer Books You Won’t Want to Miss.” Horse Crazy is both self-exploration and survey, at once an odyssey through Nir’s own horse-obsessed life and a reporter’s look at the sometimes-zany world of horse fanatics. Te child of a Holocaust survivor turned prominent psychiatrist, Yehuda Nir, and his psycholo- gist wife, Bonnie Maslin, Nir had the toniest of Upper East Side childhoods. She attended a blue-chip school (Brearley) and summered in the Hamptons. But her cushy lifestyle wasn’t always a comfortable ft — Nir was all fdgety ; to her older parents, immersed in high-profle careers, this was defnitely a problem. Tey decided to solve Nir’s restlessness with horses. She writes: “Putting me on a moving horse would be the secret to getting me to sit still. ... On a horse, I could be as hyper as I itched to be but unable to skitter out of sight. ... Tey had no idea what their clever plan would ERIN O’LEARY set in motion.”

38 CCT Fall 2020 As Nir and her parents found out, horses are challeng- ing beasts to love and ride: Pain is part of the deal. Nir’s story of her frst bold cantering atop a towering horse is also the story of her frst fall, an accident that narrowly missed being fatal. She learns to control the animals — and excel at equestrianship; Nir trains at the prestigious Claremont Riding Academy, works in tack shops and competes in shows as a teenager. At 17, just six weeks after breaking three vertebrae in her back (and being told she could no longer ride), she is back in the saddle at the Hampton Classic, clearing jumps and fnishing second in her 60-person event. “To fall of is to ride,” she writes, and adds: “Perpetual pain is part of my life.” A reader can’t help but feel that her childhood rides were an early education in daring — preparation for the courageous journalism that has become her trademark. Chapter 1 As well as providing what her psychiatrist father might have approvingly called a sense of mastery, riding “We’re horse people!” my dad said roundly one after- also gave Nir the emotional sustenance she needed as a noon when I was about seven years old. Back then, he child. In the moving chapter “Benediction,” she admits smoked cigars, truly committing to the antique Vien- that she became closer to horses because she couldn’t nese vision of the crusty -shrouded psychiatrist. I liked it, because he would give me the thin paper be close to her three much-older brothers. “In the barn, rings from around them, and I would put them on I was grateful to be in the company of creatures who, my fngers as he pufed and pretend I was betrothed unlike my family, had nowhere else to be but by my to some Cuban-loving knight. I sat at his feet. My side,” she writes. thirteen-year-old brother, David, squawked his clari- Nir understands that many riders feel as deeply about net somewhere in the distant confnes of our country house. “Tey’ve been in our family for generations!” horses as she does, and part of her book revolves around My ears pricked. Even at that age I understood and her fellow fans and the horses that have captivated loathed that my entrée into the sport was as an out- them. She visits a crowded competition in Leesport, sider. Everything about me was, a way of being in the Pa.; details the wild-pony colony on Assateague Island, world inculcated into me by family lore, by the narra- tives that tethered and constricted like sinews running Md.; and, most movingly, sidetracks into a little-known taut through my life. part of American history, via the Museum of the Black Externally, I appeared every bit part of the life my Cowboy. Nir makes the point that horses are a key part parents had devised for me, but that never occurred to of our country’s ongoing story — “furls of an Ameri- me for the long years of my youth. I felt like an inter- can fag in equid form, imbued with our narratives of loper, a spy, in my elite private school, Brearley, where it seemed I was the only one out of the 656 girls who national identity. Tey carry on their backs the tales we brought kosher lunch meat on feld trips and asked in tell ourselves about who we are.” the cafeteria if the soup contained pork. I felt like an What’s next for the adventurous Nir? After a rotation outsider even as my address was 1050 Park Avenue for the Times in , writing about terrorism in because my mother was born out of wedlock, illegiti- mate issue of an illicit rendezvous of an Irish nurse and Benin, she is hoping to work as a foreign correspondent, a Jewish doctor. She was abandoned by them, given up something she tells CCT she was “born to do.” And for adoption to my grandpa and grandma. Grandpa does she dream of owning a stable flled with horses? David and Grandma Frieda, the ofspring of immi- Her answer is mischievous: “I have a fantasy of breeding grant Russian Jews, found themselves the instant par- a polka-dot horse and competing among all the glossy ents of a green-eyed, faxen-haired babe. Her narrative of abandonment, of being a stranger in a strange land, fancy horses in the Hamptons one day,” Nir writes. “Its interlaced with my own. name will be ‘Outrageous!’” But mostly it was because even in my plush life, it — Rose Kernochan BC’82 felt like we were still in hiding, so crisply is trauma

Fall 2020 CCT 39 Columbia Forum

transmitted through generations. My father’s early experience of represents in my society. It is the sport of kings and Kennedys, a being concealed in plain sight from the Nazis somehow felt to me pursuit dripping with elitism and Americana. As the progeny of that it continued on Park Avenue. I hoped our lavish address was immigrants, of people who did not belong to this land, I was claim- the ultimate armor. Who could rip us from our lives again when we ing rights to the leisure of the Other. “Ralph Lauren was born a presided over the turret of the castle of the world? Jewish boychick from named Ralphie Lifshitz!” my dad Sometimes I woke up nights in my room in the back of the would tell anyone who would listen, and indeed it is true. Ralph kitchen, worried the Gestapo — a word I had so often overheard understood my need to take cover, to escape the shtetl, or Jewish while playing with plastic horses under the dining room table that to ghetto, for the safety of the ubermensch, to camoufage in their me it just meant boogeyman — had come. Other times I was afraid cashmere and . to explain to the blonde and barretted competitors in the short- So when Dad casually tossed out the fact that our family were stirrup, or kiddie, arena that I had been absent from a competition horse people that summer day, my heart leaped. Dad had a string of because it fell on Yom Kippur. I had muddled in my baby mind that catchwords and phrases he used ad infnitum, both in conversation their Aryan phenotype meant they were actual Nazis. Tere is a joke and in his practice where he treated both Upper East Side in my family that you can’t have a meal fnish without someone men- and Jews from my city’s own shtetls: Crown Heights, Borough tioning : sometimes when no one has brought it up yet Park, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Because he was a polyglot, he and dessert is scraped clean, someone will yell “Holocaust!” and we was sought after by the city’s ultraorthodox, the Hasidic Jews who will laugh and push out our chairs and leave the table. live in those insular enclaves where is the vernacular, to Looking back, it’s not very funny. treat them in the languages they spoke. He saw them largely for I felt like an outsider because my dad was old and didn’t know free, palming the poorest of them subway fare to fee their ghettos the rules of baseball. He was emphatically a foreigner. When he of Brooklyn for his ofce down the street from our apartment at moved to America, he arrived at his frst Fourth of July party 903 Park Avenue. Under their head-coverings, fur shtreimels for the dressed in a tuxedo because he had assumed that the celebration of men and sheitels, wigs worn for modesty to hide women’s own hair, the birth of the nation was an occasion that called for . was strife — just like any other New Yorker. Often it was under- And where American dads watched baseball, my father’s spectator scored and exacerbated by the repression demanded by extreme sport was opera. religious observance. Second only to his love of Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, For them, Dad ofered his favorite diagnoses-by-catchphrase. and Georges Bizet was his love of bragging about how little he One was “A sense of mastery.” What we were all looking for, Dad paid for a seat to hear opera. He’d go solo to most said, was the feeling that we achieve only by mastering something, weeknights in New York’s winter. Tere, he’d hang out by the danc- and he exhorted his patients and me to take full command of our ing fountain at the center of the plaza and try to spot the love- lives. Tose endemically human feelings of being lost, rudderless, lorn — those who’d been stood up by opera dates and had a ticket unmoored, Dad believed, are the result of not giving oneself per- to sell. He would approach them only minutes before the curtain mission to seek out mastery. Fully living was not just making one’s rose. Te seller would suggest $100; my father would hold up a place in the world, he said, but mastering it. crumpled $20. A few moments later, Dad would usually be snug “Belonging and not belonging” was another favorite — a (and smug) in the front-row velvet by the time the orchestra raised paradox that he believed was the root of so many of his patients’ their quivering bows. sufering. For the largely impoverished Hasids, belonging and not My father’s favorite aria is from Verdi’s Aida: “Ritorna Vincitor.” belonging was the struggle of remaining pious anachronisms in Return of the victor. Dad viewed his successful life as a magnifcent a modernizing society. In his own daughter, belonging and not victory lap, but I viewed it as tenuous. Te success my parents had belonging was inescapable as well. It was why my mother had torn both amassed, despite their brutal beginnings, was not truly ours, I up the wiring on the grandiose toe buzzer beneath the dining room felt. It all seemed contingent, ephemeral, and liable to vanish. Just table in the Park Avenue apartment. She was in the apartment but like my father’s bourgeoisie life had when the Nazis invaded and not of it, her actions insisted. murdered my grandpa. Just like my mother’s biological parents had I experienced it as an essential tremor of unworthiness, an elec- themselves vanished. How could I possibly belong to my family’s tric current that pulsed one word like neon behind my eyes: outsider. new life? I think about why I chose horses to devote my life to, and I think From the book HORSE CRAZY: Te Story of a Woman and a of the soft muzzles and limpid eyes and thrumming heartbeats that World in Love with an Animal by Sarah Maslin Nir. Copyright © so draw me to these animals. But trained by my Freudian father, I 2020 by Sarah Maslin Nir. Reprinted by permission of Simon & can’t help but think harder and unpack all of what equestrian sport Schuster, Inc.

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A POSTCARD Contents FROM THE PAST 42 CCAA Message Take a stroll back in time with this vintage illustration 44 Lions Brad Hutton ’92, Anthony “Ace” Patterson ’11, of campus from 1915. As part of West , Nicole LaPointe Jameson ’16 College Walk was still an active route for vehicles (it was rezoned as a pedestrian walkway in 1953), 48 Bookshelf Bricks & Brownstone: The New York Row House, and Dodge Hall and were not yet by Patrick W. Ciccone ’03, GSAPP’08 built. The Superintendent’s House, a remnant of the campus’s former life as the Bloomingdale 50 Class Notes Insane Asylum (before Columbia moved to Just Married! Morningside Heights in 1897) is visible in front of 84 Obituaries Lewisohn. The house was torn down in 1922 to William F. Haddad ’54, JRN’54; Robert L. Gnaizda ’57 make way for Dodge. 88 Caption This! UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES, RARE BOOK & MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Take your best shot at captioning this illo by R.J. Matson ’85.

Fall 2020 CCT 41 Message from the CCAA President 94 , LAW’ 91 Creating Community as

a Light in Dark Times TED SCHWEITZER ’ COURTESY

By Ted Schweitzer ’91, LAW’94

o quote the popular band R.E.M., “It’s the end of the world role, I aim to tap into ongoing technological advances, like better digi- as we know it and I feel fne”! tal venues for remote programming, as well as the diverse talents and T But do I feel fne? And if not, what can I do? perspectives of our alumni, to strengthen the College community. More importantly, what can we do together, as Columbia Col- While many of us continue to hunker down in semi-isolation, lege alumni? College lasts only four years, but on average we are we try to grapple with questions of injustice in any way we can. We alums for more than 60. take advantage of new forms of gathering online and the benefts I embrace my new role as president of the Columbia College of not commuting, which frees up time. Some of us are sufer- Alumni Association. As this is my frst column in CCT, let me ing loss. Uprooted from our regular routines, we reevaluate what’s introduce myself. I graduated with the great Class of 1991. I blame important, as time itself presents diferently. Did Labor Day just one too many good times with my classmates for my decision to happen, or was it Memorial Day? Imagine being a frst-year who stay another three years on campus at the Law School. I have been jumped from virtual high school graduation to virtual Convoca- on the CCAA Board of Directors for more than 10 years, focusing tion, Orientation and classes! on alumni engagement and fundraising. In conclusion, I think back to Lit Hum, one of our shared aca- In times of turmoil we all feel a renewed urgency to promote demic experiences. I could quote the lofty Tucydides, Heraclitus the ideals of fairness, opportunity and freedom of expression that or Boccaccio, but instead I turn to the grittier French existential- underpin the University’s mission. ist Albert Camus. His words on solidarity from his timely novel, As you know, the College ofers one of the most inclusive under- Te Plague, strike a chord: “No longer were there individual desti- graduate experiences in one of the most diverse cities in the world. nies; only a collective destiny, made of plague and emotions shared Last year 50 percent of Columbia undergraduates received need- by all.” Today we too inhabit a time of upheaval and pronounced based fnancial aid, at a total of $174 million. Eighteen percent of interconnectedness. We continue to see the College as a source of Columbia students are the frst generation in their families to go light in what is now a darkened world. I can’t think of a better time to college and more than 50 percent of Columbia students self- for the CCAA community to reengage more fully and give back. identify as persons of color. As alumni, we can contribute to their And while we do, let’s not stop roaring! and all students’ experiences through greater engagement with stu- dent life and mentoring. Te pandemic has shifted our mindset to a more community- centric one. Each of us is more aware of the greater good, even through the simple gesture of wearing a mask. You can see it daily on sidewalks P.S. I welcome your feedback: [email protected]. Please around the world, and defnitely here in New York City. In my CCAA stay safe.

A CCAA Conversation with Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard ’93

Tell us a little about yourself, both growing up and now. I n June, I sat down with Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard ’93, an enter- understand you had connections to Columbia early on. Itainment attorney for ViacomCBS (BET Networks) who often uses her platform to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. I grew up just 10 blocks from Columbia, in the Manhattanville Khadijah is also an active leader with the CCAA and president of Housing Projects. I spent a lot of time on campus with my mom, Columbia College Women; her enthusiasm for CC always inspires who would bring my siblings and me — there were six of us — to sit me. Given the race and social justice issues that currently com- on South Lawn and take in a college setting, and then later in high mand our attention, I invited her to have a conversation about school at the Double Discovery Center. Today I lead a bicoastal team these ideas through the perspective of New York City, the College of attorneys and legal professionals who are charged with acquir- and the Core. ing and protecting the for ViacomCBS. I am

42 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews grateful for the experience I had as a Columbia student because it pre- pared me for a world in which I would have to negotiate a number of Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard ’93 identities that were ascribed to me as I climbed the ladder to success. How did the Core Curriculum prepare you to think critically about race and identity? I had professors who allowed and sometimes encouraged me to explore ideas from Black authors in the context of Core assign- ments. For example, I juxtaposed Plato’s Republic against Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas of justice and character of the city-state in his fght for civil rights. Trough the Core I sought to understand the history and expe- riences of people whose journeys difered from my own, both when studying the texts and in real life with my classmates. It was through the Core that I developed my listening and debating skills. I learned that many of the issues that Black activists raised were not unlike the issues that were raised in the texts written by 93 white males that we were studying. Te rights that Greek philoso- phers espoused are the same rights that we continue to fght for DRINKARD ’ - as Black people in this country. I also understood that many civil rights leaders were well versed in the texts that we read, so if I was going to be a critical thinker and ofer something constructive in the realm of race and identity, I too needed to understand the Core. Columbia has frequently convened with thought leaders around issues of race and justice — for example, through SHARIF KHADIJAH COURTESY the Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative for Civil and Political Rights, which has the motto “living the Core and advancing justice.” every academy and industry; we have to name it when we see it and In this climate of tense racial relations, do you see any pitfalls be more intentional in order to fght against maintaining the status we must avoid as a community that welcomes all voices? quo. As graduates of this great institution, we all have a responsi- In order for us to “live the Core,” it has to be representative of our bility to fght for a more equitable and just society. We should be diverse experiences because we cannot live that which we cannot doing it on campus, as we share our wisdom and experiences with see. So, while we aspire to advance justice through our scholarship, current students. And we should be doing it in the larger society actions and , there have to be respectful rules of engage- by making the changes we know need to be made if we are going ment, which entail the civility we are all entitled to when exchang- to collectively win. ing ideas. I encourage us to lead and speak with empathy. I am a ferce advocate of free speech, but with the freedom to speak is For alumni who wish to do more in this arena through the the burden of responsibility for what that speech will do to and CCAA, what do you recommend? for others. Civil debate can be encouraged through exemplifying Alumni should reach out to the CCAA ([email protected]) the best ideals of civil discourse; by showing students, faculty and to learn how they can become part of the anti-racism work that we alumni that we can work together for the greater good of human- are committed to doing. We all have an important role to play as ity despite our diferences. alumni, and one of the key areas is as mentors through the Odyssey Mentoring Program. Imagine if all of our almost 52,000 alumni How can alumni engage in making a society that’s more used their infuence and power to help students chart their course; just, and more equitable? there would be nothing that we could not accomplish together. I believe that it is our duty as alumni leaders to have the difcult Although we are still in the midst of a pandemic, there are a num- conversations in our circles. As president of CCW, I led a board ber of virtual events that we can participate in with students and discussion right after the death of George Floyd so that we could fellow alumni like book clubs, panels, “lunch and learns,” and wel- all express how we were feeling. I did not want to shy away from come events for new students. this difcult and painful conversation. I wanted to lean into it and have my fellow board members understand how painful it was for Speaking of mentoring, can you share any advice you would me to watch a Black man be murdered in such a cavalier way. And give your two daughters as they navigate growing up in I asked everyone who participated in the discussion to care for one these times? another as we all struggle to understand what this social construct I want them to know that this is a journey and that there will be of race has done to our human family. pivots and pitfalls along the way — but that is often where we fnd I also wanted us to acknowledge that there are subtle forms of the greatest lessons and opportunities. Failure is the precursor to bias that are at work in our everyday lives. Systemic racism exists in any true success.

Fall 2020 CCT 43 lions

LILLIAN HUTTON Keeping New Yorkers Safe in a Crisis

By Anne-Ryan Sirju JRN’09

s deputy commissioner of the New York State Ofce of put in long nights and weekends working on research and messag- Public Health, Brad Hutton ’92 has seen a lot during ing. He notes that the Wadsworth Center, New York State’s world- his 26-year career. From Superstorm Sandy to measles, renowned public health lab, developed its own antibody test and A vaping to H1N1, Hutton’s department has developed diagnostic tests early in the outbreak, while the Ofce of Public strategies to contain and treat public health threats and keep resi- Health’s contact tracing initiative worked to identify and contain dents safe and informed. As coronavirus spread across New York new clusters of COVID-19 across the state. in March and April, the state faced its biggest health crisis in a For Hutton, the response has been a testament to the importance century, but Hutton and his team were ready to fght: “I feel like of trusting in the scientifc community. “We’re guided by science,” I’ve prepared my entire career for this moment,” he says. he says. “As each day and week elapsed and we learned new things In the early days of the outbreak, when much about the virus about this virus — how it was transmitted and what we know about remained unknown, Hutton and his staf, who are based in Albany, immunity — we continued to make policy decisions based on the

44 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

science. And that’s how we always are, whether it was Zika or Ebola. frst year, and the student body carrying the goalposts down Broad- It’s not new for us in public health to have an emerging pathogen; way in celebration.) He was on the pre-med track, but when he this one just happens to be afecting the entire world.” didn’t get into medical school, he researched other options and fell Hutton notes that New York State poses unique public health in love with the feld of public health. Hutton earned an M.P.H. challenges, as it is home to the densely populated New York City, from SUNY Albany in 1994, and started work at the New York extremely rural upstate communities and everything in between. State Ofce of Public Health. He initially worked in cancer con- “We can’t use a cookie-cutter approach,” he says. “We’re always trol, investigating clusters of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, having to fully understand the impacted by a public then moved to researching infectious diseases. He has been in his health problem and develop an appropriate intervention or solu- role as deputy commissioner for four years. “One of the great things tion.” With that in mind, Hutton’s ofce is currently focusing on about the job is the variety,” he says. “I have not had a dull day.” preventing the state from reverting to where it was in the early days Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ofce of Public Health of the pandemic, when New York City and Westchester County had several major wins under Hutton’s leadership. In June 2019, were the epicenter of the outbreak. His team is creating travel after a statewide measles outbreak was traced to clusters of non- advisories and quarantine guidelines for people coming into New vaccinated students, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill that York from other states, and building contingency plans for school ended religious exemptions for vaccines. Concerned about the reopenings to ensure the risk of outbreaks is reduced. Hutton’s efects of vaping and its target demographic of younger users, the team is also preparing deployment plans to implement large-scale Ofce of Public Health also pushed for a ban of favored vaping vaccinations as soon as a viable one becomes available. products. Signed into law by Cuomo in April, the ban took efect Hutton acknowledges that “pandemic fatigue” is a major concern on July 1. “New York State is incredibly progressive when it comes as the outbreak continues. “Mask use, good hand hygiene, staying to public health,” Hutton says. “It’s a dream state to work in.” home when you’re sick, social distancing — these are really simple Hutton notes that while his team prepares for vaccine deploy- things. When we see mass gatherings and parties, even in some ment, Americans should focus on self-care and stress reduction, parts of New York State, it is upsetting.” and adhere to safety recommendations like mask-wearing and Hutton had a passion for health from a young age, and was social distancing. “Tere are local, state and federal health depart- recruited by Columbia to play football as an ofensive lineman. (He ments that prepare for this,” he says. “Tere’s a lot of expertise to fondly recalls the team breaking its 44-game losing streak in his rely upon — listen to and heed the advice of that expertise.”

Anthony “Ace” Patterson ’11 Makes Music on His Own Terms

By Nathalie Alonso ’08

n February, just weeks before coronavirus shut down the country, Patterson describes his music as “uplifting,” while pointing out rap artist Anthony “Ace” Patterson ’11 released an EP that was, that “it’s defnitely not bubblegum; it’s real-life stuf. coincidentally, titled Working From Home. Te collection, which “I understand what it means to come from nothing and have to Ispeaks to Patterson’s experience juggling corporate and musical overcome adversity,” he adds. “It’s a consistent theme in my music.” careers — he also has a full-time job with YouTube — surpassed Patterson attributes his love of music to his mother, a Jamaican one million streams on Spotify. immigrant who would have him and his siblings perform songs by In late June, the nationwide protests in support of the Black Boyz II Men, and Michael Jackson. He cites Lives Matter movement inspired Patterson to release Work- hip-hop legends Snoop Dogg, DMX, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris and ing From Home Extended — fve songs that explore themes of Young Jeezy among his musical infuences. survival amidst a global pandemic, racial injustice and social “Tere’s a lot regarding cadence, rhyme schemes, confdence and unrest. He donated the proceeds from pre-sales to Faith in Action’s authentic storytelling that I took away from them,” says Patterson. Live Free campaign, which works to prevent gun violence and As a College senior, Patterson opened for Snoop Dog at Bac- mass incarceration. chanal’s Spring Concert. Te Columbia University Society of Hip- Patterson began writing lyrics when he was a middle-school stu- Hop, which Patterson co-founded in 2009 with Mpho Brown ’12 dent in Bridgeport, Conn., where, at one point in his childhood, he and Jon Tanners ’11, beat seven other musical acts to land the cov- lived in a shelter. In 2016, he founded his own music label, Light eted gig. Armor Music. Tree years later, under the alias Call Me Ace, he “I never felt like I couldn’t perform in front of 26,000 people, but released his frst album, Airplane Mode. It debuted at number 3 on knowing that I did, it’s like, ‘Cool, I know I can do that,’” says Patterson. the iTunes Top 40 US Hip-Hop Album Chart and at number 50 By the time he took the stage on Low Plaza, however, Patterson on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Sales Chart. was at a crossroads. He found himself at odds with the themes of

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hip-hop, which he notes often include drug use and chasing money and women. “I didn’t want to rap anymore,” Patterson says. “I didn’t necessarily like or connect to the things I was rapping about.” After graduation, Patterson quit music for about four years. He was pursuing an M.B.A. at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Busi- ness when a childhood friend convinced him to pick up a micro- phone again. In his fnal semester, he and a classmate recorded a parody song dedicated to the school, titled “YOHO (You Only Haas Once),” that was well received by his fellow students. “Tat’s what made me say, ‘Oh wow, CCT Print Extras maybe there is a unique lane for me in Watch the music video for the music business,’” says Patterson. “Still Dark Tho,” from Working Patterson lives with his wife in the From Home Extended: San Francisco Bay Area, where he pre- college.columbia.edu/cct. viously worked at Facebook and is now a global program manager with YouTube’s creative and development team. In that role, he designs and oversees initiatives that help cre- ators and artists scale and monetize their work. All the while, he’s constantly looking to use the knowledge he’s gained in the corpo- rate world to broaden his own audience. “Te way I see it, I’m just getting started,” he says.

Nathalie Alonso ’08, from Queens, is a freelance writer and an editorial producer for LasMayores.com, Major League Baseball’s ofcial RENÉE LOPEZ Spanish-language website.

This CEO Gives “Evil” a Good Name

By Rebecca Beyer

n 2019, global revenue in esports — the catch-all name for League of Legends lineup from developer Riot Games, outbidding an industry built around competitive video gaming — topped traditional sports owners and media conglomerates, and reportedly $1 billion, with more than 440 million people tuning in to events paying more than $30 million for the privilege. Istreamed live around the world. Tat’s a bigger audience than pro LaPointe Jameson counts the successful bid among her proudest football and rugby combined, and growing fast thanks to fans look- accomplishments at Evil Geniuses. About eight million people log ing for alternatives in the COVID-curtailed world of traditional in daily to League of Legends; Evil Geniuses fnished third out of live sports. 10 teams in the spring 2020 playofs. In May of that year, Nicole LaPointe Jameson ’16 became the LaPointe Jameson has never waited long to make her mark. frst African-American woman to lead a major esports organization, She received a job ofer from the investment frm PEAK6 during taking over as CEO of Evil Geniuses. She had her work cut out for the summer of her junior year at the College. Once on board, she her: Founded in 1999, the company — essentially a group of play- helped turn around companies in felds ranging from online dating CCT ers and teams who compete in diferent video games under the Evil to insurance before setting her sights on Evil Geniuses as a “dia- Geniuses moniker — was considered “storied, but fading” accord- mond in the rough.” She was hoping for a seat on the organization’s ing to , which named LaPointe Jameson to its “30 Under 30 board. Instead, after months of due diligence preceding PEAK6’s - Games 2020” list. LaPointe Jameson, whose background was in purchase, she was named CEO. She was 25. of distressed assets, knew she had to make a major “A lot of my frst two months was listening,” she says. move, fast. She set her sights on felding a team for the massively She also worked such long hours that she kept a sleeping bag at GET TO KNOW popular League of Legends game — a multi-player fctional arena in the ofce. which “champions” with unique abilities battle other players — both “Tere was a solid six to seven months where I did nothing but “THE LATEST” to diversify Evil Geniuses’s fan base and expand revenue potential. work,” she says, laughing. “It was the furthest thing from being She gave herself two years to accomplish the goal; she only easy and enjoyable. If I didn’t love where I thought we could be, I needed four months. Last fall, Evil Geniuses landed a spot in the wouldn’t have done it.”

46 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

At the College, LaPointe Jameson was drawn to numbers, study- ing statistics, quantitative research and applied data mining. She chose Columbia in part because of the Core Curriculum; one of her favorite classes was a Core course in the ethnography of Caribbean and Afro-Latin music with Professor Chris Washburne GSAS’99. For her fnal project, she gathered empirical data on the impact of prison music programs. “It was so memorable,” she says. “I appreciated that I was given the freedom to take the course in my own direction.” She’s taken Evil Geniuses in her own direction, too. Since she arrived, LaPointe Jameson has rebuilt the Seattle- Watch the music video for based organization from a group of less than 20 men into a team “Still Dark Tho,” from Working of nearly 80 people, including a new ofce in Los Angeles that From Home Extended: opened in late 2019 (two other Columbians have leadership roles: college.columbia.edu/cct. Brian Millman BUS’14 is director of corporate partnerships and Saira Mueller JRN’15 is director of marketing). Te esports industry has recently had to confront accusations of sexism and discrimination; LaPointe Jameson has increased eforts to recruit more diverse players and staf. Evil Geniuses already had Ricki “HelloKittyRicki” Ortiz, a transgender Street Fighter player; in March, LaPointe Jameson signed Dominique “SonicFox” McLean, the highest-earning fghting game community player of all time, who identifes as non-binary. She also instituted a culture of support that includes parental leave and a player wellness program, and in June, Evil Geniuses launched the podcast LiveProud to discuss social issues (the frst episode was devoted to Black Lives Matter). “We make the market we want to exist in,” LaPointe Jameson says. “People know that if you are the best of the best, you will have a home at Evil Geniuses, regardless of your race, creed or religion.” As a young Black woman in a male-dominated feld, LaPointe Jameson knows what it’s like to be overlooked. “I’ve continually put myself in spaces where I’m not the expected individual,” she says. “At the end of the day, I try to surround myself with people who know it’s about the work output: Do you win?”

RIOT GAMES RIOT Rebecca Beyer is a freelance writer and editor in Boston.

ORIGINAL CCT STORIES ALUMNI ONLINE VOICES college.columbia.edu/cct UPDATED GET TO KNOW WEEKLY “THE LATEST”

Fall 2020 CCT 47 bookshelf

A Renovated “Brownstone Bible”

By Jill C. Shomer

hen you think of a beautiful New York City neighbor- Lockwood died in 2012. “Charles wanted the book to live on, and , do you picture a leafy street studded with brown- was generous enough to allow me to take over and shape it as I saw stones? Featured in countless flms, shelter magazines ft,” Ciccone says. W and real estate pages, row houses in communities such As a preservationist, Ciccone was excited to take on the massive as Harlem, the , , Park Slope and project. “My interest in architecture has been how buildings come Bed-Stuy have been admired for almost two centuries. together to form cityscapes, and row houses are a great example If you can’t stroll these streets yourself, a sumptuous volume of that,” he says. “I think that ‘average’ buildings — brownstones, makes for a lovely escapist fantasy. Te third edition of Bricks & apartment buildings, tenements — form cities in a way that ‘great’ Brownstone: Te New York Row House (Rizzoli, $85), known to buildings often don’t.” its legion of fans as “Te Brownstone Bible,” has recently been Bricks & Brownstone needed to evolve, because the brownstones updated by Patrick W. Ciccone ’03, GSAPP’08, a historic preser- themselves have. In the 19th century, brownstones housed single vationist and real estate development advisor. families; when they fell out of favor for high-rise apartment build- Ciccone had big to fll: Te seminal frst edition, published ings, they were easily divided up into apartments. But in the past few in 1972 by architectural historian Charles Lockwood when he was decades, the pendulum has swung again in the other direction, with just 24, helped to renew interest in the 19th-century row houses many brownstones housing higher-income single families. “In being that now defne the landscape in historic New York City neighbor- so simple, row houses have proven to be very adaptable,” Ciccone says. hoods. Rizzoli published an expanded edition in 2003. Ciccone, A major change from the earlier editions is the photography. along with preservationist Jonathan D. Taylor GSAPP’13 and Te 2003 edition included some new color photos as an insert; photographer Dylan Chandler, has modernized the latest edition after Ciccone started working with photographer Chandler, they with revised text, reconfgured chapters and specially commis- realized they had to re-shoot everything. “I scouted most of the sioned color photography and design. locations on my bike over a couple of years, in historic districts in Ciccone met Lockwood in 2006 dur- and Brooklyn,” he says. “Ten I let Dylan loose with ing his frst semester at the Architecture notes and addresses.” Getting shots of houses without cars in front School, when Lockwood was looking to was a signifcant challenge, with only a narrow window of time that hire a student with editing experience. Chandler could shoot them — especially the wide shots — suc- Ciccone had majored in comparative lit- cessfully. “In a way, the whole book is an essay about compliance erature at the College, but had always been with alternate-side parking,” Ciccone laughs. interested in architecture (he is a native of “I want readers to be forced to see the city only as houses — Charlottesville, Va., known for its Jeferso- without other types of buildings, so slightly abstracted,” he says. “I nian buildings). “When I came to Colum- want people to be shocked by how beautiful and amazingly diverse bia, I had an AIA [American Institute of row house streetscapes are.” Architects] Guide to New York City and I But for Ciccone, the main challenge would bike around all over the city to look of Bricks & Brownstone was creat- CCT Print Extras at buildings and neighborhoods,” he says. ing something that would both honor Check out a selection of In 2008, Ciccone and Lockwood made Lockwood’s memory and satisfy loyal Bricks & Brownstone’s plans to work together on a fans of the earlier editions. “Te book stunning photos at of Bricks & Brownstone, but the recession hit and the plans were has such a giant reputation that it was college.columbia.edu/cct. shelved. Ciccone worked for a year on Lockwood and his brother almost frightening,” he says. John Lockwood’s book Te Siege of Washington: Te Untold Story “In some ways, this has been like the ultimate preservation proj- of the Twelve Days Tat Shook the Union (2011), then reconsid- ect,” Ciccone muses. “You have an existing classic with great bones, ered the Bricks & Brownstone update. But by that time Lockwood but it’s in need of work and revamping. It’s really a work of historic was too ill to proceed, and he passed the to his colleague. preservation in book form.”

48 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

Tale of an Unlikely Pediatrician American poverty and social welfare sor of American history and culture A Planet of 3 Billion: Mapping by Dr. Paul Winick ’59. Winick programs (ABC-CLIO, $65). at the , Humanity’s Long History of describes his ambivalent struggle reveals that the Academy Award- Ecological Destruction and through medical school and the ulti- Inside the Empire: The True nominated Morros, a major fgure in Finding Our Way to a Resilient mate joy and success he found as a Power Behind the New York the 1930s and ’40s, also worked for Future: A Global Citizen’s Guide pediatrician (AuthorHouse, $20.99). Yankees by Bob Klapisch ’79 and Russian intelligence (Abrams, $27). to Saving the Planet by Christopher Paul Solotarof. Te authors take Tucker ’94. Tucker makes the case Between the Lines: My Stories a deep dive into the Yankees’s Beyond Contempt: How Liber- that Earth’s carrying capacity is as a Conductor and Tennis clubhouse, dugout and front ofce als Can Communicate Across limited to three billion humans, Umpire by Stanley Sperber ’63. (Houghton Mifin Harcourt, $28). the Great Divide by Erica Etelson and that cataclysm awaits if we Sperber combined his passions ’89. Te author provides detailed don’t pay down our “ecological debt” for classical music and tennis into Between Lakes by Jefrey instructions and examples that (Atlas Observatory Press, $29.99). an unusual dual career (Indepen- Harrison ’80. Following the death explain how to communicate dently published, $11.99). of his father, Harrison, the author respectfully, passionately and Ms. Marvel’s America: No of six books of poetry, explores the efectively with people who Normal edited by Hussein Rashid Complex Systems in : spaces between the living and the have difering political views ’96 and Jessica Baldanzi. A group A Hedgehog’s Tale of Complexity dead, and the ways that time can (New Society Publishers, $18.99). of scholars discuss the signifcance in Clinical Practice, Research, shape lives and alter relationships of Kamala Khan, the frst Muslim Education, and Management by (Four Way Books, $16.95). The Spinster Diaries: A Novel superhero, known as Ms. Marvel Dr. David Aron ’71. How knowledge by Gina Fattore ’90. In this chick-lit (University Press of Mississippi, $30). of complex systems in clinical medi- George Harrison on George Har- satire, an anxious, self-described cine can help physicians and health rison: Interviews and Encounters spinster fnds inspiration from an Threat of Dissent: A History care providers (Springer, $59.99). edited by Ashley Kahn ’83. Tough 18th-century novelist and diarist of Ideological Exclusion and known as “the quiet Beatle,” this (Prospect Park Books, $16). Deportation in the Poverty and Welfare in America: anthology of Harrison’s words and by Julia Rose Kraut ’03. Kraut, a Examining the Facts by David ideas suggests he was the most American Harvest: God, Country, lawyer and historian, provides a Wagner ’72. Wagner’s book aims to thoughtful and outspoken of the Fab and Farming in the Heartland comprehensive overview of the clarify some of the most conten- Four (Chicago Review Press, $30). by Marie Mutsuki Mockett ’92. intersection of immigration law and tious and misunderstood aspects of Mockett accompanies a group of the First Amendment (Harvard City at the Edge of Forever: Los evangelical Christian wheat harvest- University Press, $35). Angeles Reimagined by Peter Lunen- ers through the Nebraska panhandle feld ’84. How Los Angeles began the and contemplates the politics of Modernism on the Nile: Art in SUBMIT YOUR 20th century as a dusty frontier town food and the culture of the Great Egypt between the Islamic and BOOK TO CCT and transformed into a supercity with Plains (Graywolf Press, $28). the Contemporary by Alex Diga unparalleled cultural, economic and Seggerman ’05. Te author analyzes Alums! Have you written The Golden Prison a book in the last year? technological reach (Viking, $28). by Paul the modernist that Tell us about it! Alexander Sangillo ’93. In this legal arose in Cairo and Alexandria Hollywood Double Agent: The mystery, an eager young attorney from the late 19th century through college.columbia.edu/cct/ True Story of Boris Morros, Film discovers that his new boss may be the 1960s (University of North submit_bookshelf Producer Turned Cold War Spy involved in a murderous scheme Carolina Press, $34.95). by Jonathan Gill ’86. Gill, a profes- (Red Sky Presents, $14.95). — Jill C. Shomer

Fall 2020 CCT 49 classnotes

SCOTT RUDD

Thinking of a time Please send us an email at cct@ I am more proud of the work they do 1940s columbia.edu. Stay safe, and be well. than of the titles they bear. when we can “Last summer, on my 89th Columbia College Today birthday, I published a lengthy study be together on [email protected] 1951 of Franz L. Neumann, the political campus again. theorist who’d been my principal Wishing the members of the classes Columbia College Today Columbia teacher in graduate from the 1940s, and your loved ones, [email protected] school; this year, I am publishing good health during these uncertain a collection of translations dealing times. If you would like to share David Kettler GSAS’60 writes: with the theme ‘frst letters from news in the Winter 2020–21 issue, “I write two weeks after my 90th exile,’ fnishing a group project I please send us an email at cct@ birthday, which we had to celebrate initiated some years ago. columbia.edu. with no more than a Zoom presence “As I assess my strengths and of our three daughters. Hannah has a weaknesses at this point of my Ph.D. in industrial economics and is life, I surmise that these are my 1950 a director of vaccine fnancing; Kath- last academic studies. It has been erine has an M.S. in social work and a rewarding journeyman career. Columbia College Today a J.D. and is director of legal investi- Columbia be thanked. And my wife, [email protected] gations at Intel; and Ruth Finkel- Janet, above all.” stein, my oldest, has an Sc.D. and is Classmates would enjoy hearing No news for this issue. Classmates executive director at CUNY Hunter’s from you, too. Please send us an would enjoy hearing from you! Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging. email at [email protected]. We wish

50 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews you good health during these chal- my life has been a little quieter. lenging times. Crossword puzzles and 1,000-piece COLUMBIA SCHOOL DESIGNATIONS puzzles have replaced Bridge, picking up meals at the dining facilities has BC 1952 replaced Pickleball, and going for car BUS Pharmaceutical Sciences rides has replaced attending concerts CP DM College of Dental Medicine Columbia College Today and movies. Our life care community GS School of General Studies [email protected] of 2,500 has been generally spared GSAPP Graduate School of Architecture, the coronavirus, with only seven posi- Planning and Preservation Bob Reiss got in touch: “I was a tives since March (as of early July). GSAS Graduate School of Arts and Sciences starter on the 1950–51 basketball We are indeed fortunate. HN Institute of Human Nutrition team, which is in the Columbia “Our lecture series and concerts JRN Graduate School of Journalism University Athletics Hall of Fame; are presented on either our own JTS Jewish Theological Seminary am a past president of the Varsity TV channels or on Zoom. We miss LAW C Club; am the recipient of the traveling and in particular seeing our LS Library Service 1971 Athletics alumni award; have seven children and 13 grandchildren, NRS School of Nursing been a guest speaker at the Business but fortunately have weekly Zooms, PH Mailman School of Public Health School for 24 straight years; and am which bring us a great picture of PS College of Physicians and Surgeons a founder of 16 companies. them all. We got started a little late SEAS The Fu Foundation School of Engineering “I’m working on a marketing test on kids but have three of the seven and Applied Science that revolves around giving away lining up for retirement. Who would SIPA School of International and Public Afairs thousands of digital copies of my book have believed in June 1952 that we SOA School of the Arts Bootstrapping 101: Tips to Build Your would be in our 90s and have chil- SPS School of Professional Studies Business with Limited Cash and Free dren retiring? We were blessed with SW School of Social Work Outside Help. It is for anyone who good health and an excellent educa- TC Teachers College can beneft from it, entrepreneurs or tion at Columbia that prods me to UTS Union Theological Seminary wannabes. Here is a link to a piece continue exploring the history of the by a professional reviewer, someone United States and white racism. I whom I think read the book carefully: wish all continued good health.” bootstrapping101.com/professional- Please send CCT your news, too! previous alerts, you are still waiting a $25 million proposed civil settle- review-of-bootstrapping-101. Classmates would enjoy hearing for the Summer 2020 issue of CCT ment between Harvey Weinstein, “To download a free copy, go from you. Please send us an email at to reach your mailbox, listen up: his former flm company, and dozens to bootstrapping101.com/author. [email protected]. Be well. Tat issue, because of COVID-19 of women who have accused him of Te lower part of the page has a budget cuts, was digital only, so sexual harassment and abuse. picture of the book and a sentence here is what you do: Type “college. “In a scathing 18-minute phone in red: “Download a complementary 1953 columbia.edu/cct/issue/summer20/ hearing,” the paper continued, copy of Bootstrapping 101.” Click article/class-notes” in your search “Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the either the picture of the book or Columbia College Today bar, and then type “1954” in the open Southern District of New York the red words and you will be taken [email protected] box, and voila! you’re in. Email me at picked apart the class-action law to a page that asks for your email brecherservices@.com if you have at the heart of the deal, sug- address, to which we will quickly In case you missed it, the Summer any questions. gesting it was misconceived.” He send the download. Easy. Te people 2020 issue of CCT was online-only. So-o-o-o-o-o, welcome back suggested that the women might you are directing to this book and Type “college.columbia.edu/cct/ Class of Destiny and let us all pursue individual cases, discussed who read it will thank you. issue/summer20/article/class-notes” begin to plod forward to our 70th how much their allegations varied in “Here is a link to an article on in your search bar, and then type anniversary reunion, which might be severity, and questioned whether the me in the “1953” in the open box, and you will held on the moon if not some more group met the defnition of a legal Alumni Bulletin: bootstrapping101. see an update from Larry Harte. mundane place here on Mother class. By the end of the call Judge com/trivial-matter.” Please be well and take a moment Earth. A lot will depend on the wit, Alvin denied a motion for prelimi- We also heard from Carl Meier to send your news to us via email at whims and wisdom of our Reunion nary approval of the agreement, in PS’56: “As you can all imagine, with [email protected]. Committee, so please start to volun- essence scuttling it. COVID-19 added to my age of 89, teer now. Any ideas? True, those of Gentlemen, stay tuned. Tere is us left will all be over 90. So? much more here that we will try 1954 “Weinstein Judge Blocks a to bring up to date in the Winter Class Notes are submitted by Payout, Calls $12 Million in Legal 2020–21 issue; or, even better, don’t alumni and edited by volunteer Bernd Brecher Fees ‘Obnoxious’” broadcasted the wait; try googling on your own. class correspondents and the [email protected] staf of CCT prior to publication. headline over the second lead above Breaking News: As this column Opinions expressed are those the page 1 fold of Te New York went to press, Judge Alvin did it of individual alumni and do not Tis year started so innocently. Obvi- Times on July 15. Our class’s judge, again with a top of the page 1 fold, reflect the opinions of CCT, ously, I knew nothing. So this will be Hon. Alvin K. Hellerstein LAW’56 second lead headline in the Times: its class correspondents, the College or the University. By remembered as the Year of Coronavi- of the Southern District of New “Cohen Is Target of Retaliation, A submitting to Class Notes, you rus, while we hope that 2021 will be York, once again ruled in his inimi- Judge Rules.” From the article: “‘ ... acknowledge that the text is eli- able to stay clear of that moniker. table way in a singular case that had I make the fnding that the purpose gible to appear in print as well as Now, an info alert to all ’54 attracted wide attention. “Express- of transferring Mr. Cohen from fur- on CCT Online and in archives. classmates, particularly those even ing deep skepticism,” the Times lough and home confnement to jail less techie than I. If, despite several reported, “a federal judge ... upended is retaliatory, the judge, Alvin K.

Fall 2020 CCT 51 Class Notes

Hellerstein of Federal District “there was a typically poignant and experiences as a student were very COVID-19 in Coos County, up Court in Manhattan, said in court. humorous commentary from Saul dear to him.” Our condolences to his against the Canadian border, and we And it’s retaliatory because of his Turteltaub LAW’57 re: ‘being old,’ widow, Edna, their two sons and a felt safer there than we might have desire to exercise his First Amend- and refecting on Saul’s words, led large extended family. in D.C., and cooler. We swam in ment rights to publish a book and me to express my thoughts in the Seymour Hertz LAW’56 Forest Lake, took in live music con- to discuss anything about the book following poem,” which Ed sent died on May 24, 2020. He was a certs outdoors, read books, pursued or anything else he wants on social me before learning of Saul’s death corporate partner at the law frm email correspondence, participated media and with others.’” earlier this year: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & in Zoom discussions of books, Te Times went on to say that Garrison until his retirement and of mowed the grass, and had several “Judge Hellerstein’s decision was WE’RE STILL HERE counsel to the frm at the time of his visits from our daughter, Emily, who a remarkable rebuke of prison and (Class of Destiny) death. Sincerest condolences to his lives in Concord, N.H., and her probation ofcials and, by extension, widow, Elaine, and family. daughter, Ada (16), the oldest of our the Trump administration.” I read a moving rhyme … [Editor’s note: See “Obituaries” fve grandchildren.” Much more to come that you will about the passing of our time for more.] Sounds like a tough quarantine and have read about before this issue of “He was a mentor and friend a great survival technique, Edward! CCT is published. To’ summoning a tear to many in our class,” writes Larry He also reports that he speaks Bob Weber SEAS’55, SEAS’56 It shouted we’re still here Kobrin LAW’57 about Professor frequently with Brian Tansey, writes, “When my wife of 56 years Henry Graf GSAS’49, who died on who lives in the Twin Towers died in 2017, rather than down- With aging there’s dealing April 7, 2020, at Greenwich Hospital retirement community in his size from a large home, I invited a For the days we’re stealing at 98 of COVID-19 complications. native Cincinnati. Ed says Brian daughter and two smartphones with “He was the last of the professors I continues to take an active interest grandchildren attached to move in. I A blessing that’s been granted remembered from College. He was in Democratic politics in Ohio can report that the ‘generation gap’ is Not to be taken for granted wonderful and alert the last time we and nationally, and that Brian is in real. But good to have family around saw him at a class function.” regular contact with his daughter, during the pandemic isolation. Te Still thinking of you all … Several classmates alerted me Eira, who is on the faculty of the eforts of the cultural arts community Most especially, in the fall. to Professor Graf ’s passing, and University of Cincinnati Libraries. to open its archives of operas, concerts, I share here a short bio from the From me, Bernd Brecher dance and theater is much appreci- After learning of Saul’s passing, Ed history department: “A distin- JRN’55, our granddaughter Saman- ated and has made the isolation from wanted to share with classmates his guished scholar of United States tha Savitch — an incoming fourth- friends and family bearable.” deep sadness amid reminders about history, particularly the history year at Tomas Jeferson Medical Bob hopes it is not too long Saul’s gratitude for their early friend- of the presidency, he received his School — has had a paper for which until he will be able to visit other ship as Saul’s career began to bloom. Ph.D. from our department in she was lead writer recently pub- daughters and family in Paris and Tanks Ed, for sharing your 1949 and continued on the faculty lished on esophageal cancer and Nogent-sur-Vernisson but says, “Yay, thoughts and for your heartfelt verses. until his retirement in 1992. He minorities’ surgery survival rates. Skype and FaceTime.” He had been William F. Haddad JRN’54 died won the Award She has a way yet to go to catch up working in the kitchen at the Kings- on April 30, 2020 at 91. A classmate and Society of Columbia Gradu- with Henry Buchwald, but we’re ton Senior Center on the Meals reported that he had earned two ates Great Teacher Award, and was still proud of her. on Wheels program before the Columbia degrees in June 1954, granted an honorary from Miserable Moms, a hilarious coronavirus put it on hold, but keeps one from Columbia College and Columbia in 2005. Newer faculty picture book for adults about the involved in local library, environ- one from the Journalism School. will recognize him as the benefac- trauma of booting your kids out of mental and historical organizations Bill had registered at both schools tor behind the fourth-foor faculty the nest on their way to college, is with trustee meetings using Zoom. and simultaneously completed all lounge in Fayerweather.” [Editor’s not yet available for sale but can “Last year among these ’54 requirements for both degrees. But note: See “Around the Quads”/“In be previewed on social media. Te Class Notes,” writes Ed Yeaker, Columbia’s administration had not Memoriam,” Summer 2020.] narrative is uncensored and the noticed until his name appeared Book Beat: Our class’s photogra- illustrations are delicious. Oh, did I on two lists of graduates-to-be. pher and storyteller extraordinaire, mention the author, Sharon Brecher, Tey then told Bill, “No, you can’t Ted Spiegel, has two new e-books is my favorite DIL? She did work do that.” Bill retorted that he had to ofer, Access: A Photojournalist’s for Disney once. violated no Columbia regulation or Search for Storytelling Photos and Tanks for getting this far in our by-law and stuck by his guns. He Renaissance Florence: An Invitation, ’54 Class Notes. Once again there prevailed. (Columbia later amended for Marist College, both a joy to will not be a test, but if you think you its rules prospectively.) read, look at and learn from. deserve a lollipop just let me know. His widow Susan informed us Henry Buchwald PS’57, physi- It’s been a tough year in many ways Stay in that Ronald F. Thompson passed cian, surgeon and inventor extraor- for us all, more so for classmates Touch away on January 21, 2020. Ron had dinaire, reports that his latest book, through no choice of their own who graduated from Surgical Renaissance in the Heartland: are living alone in lockdown. Let us know if you have a and spent most of his legal career in A Memoir of the Wangensteen Era, We all hope there are ways each of new postal or email address, various positions at United Tech- has been published. It has already us can help others to better cope until a new phone number or nologies. Our sincerest condolences received excellent reviews in the these “troubles” are behind us. Help- to Susan and the family. Twin Cities. ing others helps ourselves, so I repeat even a new name: Vito R. Vincenti LAW’57 died “My wife, Ann Louise, and I here my admonition in this column college.columbia.edu/ on July 21, 2020. His son John fed the Washington, D.C., heat to do good and help cure the world. alumni/connect. ’90 writes, “He was to the end an for our rustic ‘camp’ in northern Be well, do well, do good, be good, avid reader, a lifelong learner, and New Hampshire,” writes Edward write, call, email, don’t forget each a supporter of the College. His Cowan, where “there has been little other. Luv to all, Bernd. Excelsior!

52 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

during the pandemic and hoping to Teitelbaum and Art Tepper, whom working with the State Department. 1955 retire later this year from an ortho- you can be sure can be relied upon He says, “None of this would have pedic surgery practice. to “critique his singing.” occurred had I not attended Colum- Taylor Thompson Gerald Sherwin SEAS’57, Larry Cohn writes, “I have bia College. I married fve days [email protected] BUS’70 reports from Kingston, moved to a very active (when life after graduation, and have remained N.Y., where he is chairman emeritus returns to normal) 55-plus commu- married for 63 years.” Ken Swimm Te last several months have been of Millrock Technology. His son, nity. Te golf course opened recently, SEAS’57 writes, focused on the COVID-19 virus. Taylor Jr., is president and is with many restrictions. Looking “I can’t help but remember the Columbia was locked down, and working with a few pharmaceuti- forward to the 65th.” golden days of the Class of ’56 and there are no winter sports coming up, cal companies in developing a Grover Wald writes, “Tese days what’s transpired since then. I was Neil Klein, such as football practice or basketball “freeze-drying system to process I pursue a daily routine of stretching reminiscing with my practice. Tere are also no alumni THE vaccine” as soon as they fnish and light weight exercises, an hour’s best friend since kindergarten, as he events, so we can’t see familiar faces developing it ... you can’t wait until walk, reading a combination of relax- was rapidly failing. After remember- like Jack Freeman and Dick Kuhn, the last minute to complete the ing and stimulating books, watching ing frst dates, friends, football (we and there were no class dinners whole process! Fortunately, some great lectures on DVD from the were the managers), subsequent jobs, with regulars like Berish Strauch, researchers think ahead.” Great Courses and never-ending marriages and families, we came Fred Strassburger Allen Hyman, Marvin Winell and SEAS’57 is work on a vintage tugboat model.” to the following conclusion: 1) We Sheldon Wolf. We hope to get back retired from designing and building I heard from Ed Smith, in Cam- hadn’t changed; 2) Te younger to normal soon. process plants all over the world, and bridge, Mass., who retired as chair of generation was going to hell; and Stay tuned for make-up reunion lives in Stratford, Conn. He is look- the radiology department at UMass 3) We had lived in the best of times. news shortly. ing forward to the Columbia-Yale Medical School, then went back to OK, we hadn’t lost some of the Tere hasn’t been much activity, games at the Stadium in work part-time for another 10 years. smart-alec Bronx background.” Mike Spett as the school was under lockdown. New Haven with Mel Holson ’46. He is in contact with Burt Sultan, is hunkering down Marty Mayer Classes will remain online for the fall LAW’59 and his Elliott Urdang and Herb Klein. in Florida, thinking back to the semester, but we hope winter sports wife, Susan, are hunkering down Dan Link is still in Florida, as of February luncheon in Boynton will restart. in Florida. He writes that after this writing. He says he is waiting Beach where 15 of us (plus guests) We heard from Jim Amlicke publishing four books of poetry, until the “coast is clear to return to gathered for what he describes as from Redondo Beach, Calif. three of them original social com- New York.” the “best ever.” Murray Watnick, Everyone wear a mask. Stay mentary limericks (the most recent John Censor is staying home. who recently Frank safe. Be careful. Be prepared. Love is Limerica Te Beautiful), “I have Te News-Press of Southwest had a “nice chat” with Thomas to all. Everywhere! drawn upon my 25 years of experi- Florida reports: “When Lee Seidler LAW’63, has retired from ence as a commercial lease auditor was a student at Columbia, he clinical radiology and has completed representing tenants only to author remembers walking around campus work with the World Health Orga- 1956 an esoteric manual addressing plain and seeing buildings named after nization as a temporary advisor. His language conceptual misunderstand- fgures in the . work is on the internet at “Radiology Robert Siroty ings in landlord-prepared com- ‘I never imagined that I would walk for the People: A Basic Radiological [email protected] mercial leases. It should be out in around and see a Seidler Hall. ... System for Health Care in Develop- a couple of months and will be of Nor did my father.’ Academic Build- ing Nations.” You can read it by No luncheons to report, no pictures. beneft to corporate leasing execu- ing 7 — the building that houses going online to bit.ly/3f9SDk4. Alan Broadwin But a lot of news. To start, Margo tives and attorneys with no commer- the College of Arts and Sciences at SEAS’57 sent and I are celebrating our 61st wed- cial construction background. Te Florida Gulf Coast University, was me a copy of a photo of Te Lyceum ding anniversary as we hunker down title is Traversing the Commercial renamed Seidler Hall ... in exchange Society (retired members) of Te in Somerset, N.J. Lease Minefeld.” for a fnancial gift that Lee (80), New York Academy of Sciences fea- Buz Paaswell Ralph Kaslick. I will accept ideas for favors for SEAS’57 is his wife, Gene, and Lee’s daughter, turing volunteer VP Henry Bamberger our reunion. Suggestions so far are remotely teaching one class daily Laurie, made to FGCU.” and his wife, 1) an autographed copy of a book on policy. He is also watching old Jack Katz still practices psychia- Sheila, celebrated their 61st wedding by an alumnus who will speak at Yankee games on TV, and “they try, with a mask on. He is hoping anniversary. Henry continues to sit reunion; 2) a picture frame with the always win.” to play tennis soon, and is looking on the ethics committees of the two Ron Kapon ’56 logo; 3) a souvenir walking stick recently fnished his forward to the 65th. Utica, N.Y., hospitals and Hamilton with the ’56 logo; 4) a face mask last Zoom wine class, and will forgo Jay Martin has watched 54 College. He shares, “For fun, I am a with the ’56 logo. the fall semester as classes on wine operas on the Metropolitan Opera docent at the Utica Zoo.” I had a call from Dick Spann do not “lend themselves to Zoom.” nightly stream, in addition to the Got a great note and picture from Frank SEAS’57, in Lancaster, Calif. After He reports that when the weather is 300 he has watched in person. He my med school roommate Neuberger, a career with Solid Rocketry, Dick nice, “I sit on the bench across the has retired from teaching after 64 in Maryland, of his went to law school at Marymount street from my apartment, and read years at Yale, UC Irvine, Moscow great-granddaughter. University. Eventually he became a for an hour or so.” State University, USC, the UC I am sad to report the death of Art Salzfass Theodore Lindauer. municipal court judge, then a justice reports that he Irvine School of Medicine Depart- Ted was a of the California Superior Court. and his wife, Janie, “are living in ment of Psychiatry & Human Harvard-trained child psychiatrist He broke his arm in January, and a wonderful retirement commu- Behavior, Claremont McKenna who specialized in treating troubled was still recuperating in May. nity outside San Francisco.” He is College and the University of teens, helping them into productive Hope it is healed by reunion in learning to play the ukulele with a Hawai’i. Jay maintains a private psy- adult lives. June 2021. 114-member ukulele band is and is choanalytic practice. He has written If you did not get the blast email in Howard Sturtz reports that looking for tips, ideas and fun songs 31 books, and is writing another, Te April, please let me know your current he is “alive and well” in Walnut from classmates. Art is in touch with Psychologies of Political Exile. Jay has email address, and let the Alumni Alan Press, Morty Jafe, Danny Creek, Calif., sheltered in place also testifed before Congress while Ofce know as well (college.columbia.

Fall 2020 CCT 53 Class Notes edu/cct/update_contact_info). You partly mitigated for my wife, Joan, We were notifed by Bernard Ken Schefel for passing along don’t want to miss the details of our and me by the hours spent on Zoom Goldstein of another death: “Nor- the following information: “Wally 65th reunion in June 2021! and FaceTime with family and man Herzberg died suddenly on contracted COVID-19 in a nursing friends. Te “cocktail hours” with March 29, 2020. He earned a doctor- home while awaiting elective surgery classmates and their spouses were ate in mathematics from MIT in 1965 for a vision problem. He responded 1957 especially helpful in minimizing and was employed by the Institute for well to treatment and was about to feelings of isolation. Defense Analyses in Princeton from be released back to the nursing home Herman Levy Now for class news: A special 1968 until his retirement in 2000. In when he died suddenly (probably [email protected] Bob Levine, shout-out to who addition to his professional skills, he of a heart attack). Divorced without published his sixth (!) nonfction book was a good friend.” children, he left no family, just some I hope you all had a pleasant and in May. Te Uninformed Voter deals Bernard adds that Norman is sur- close friends. He spent his career in Harry safe summer. We heard from with the sorry state of politics in the vived by his wife, Barbara; brother, college teaching (including stints at Siegmund, who noted that Te United States. After beginning with a Edward; and sister, Susan. Our Wesleyan and Vanderbilt) and in New Yorker recently republished an well-referenced review of how we got condolences for their loss. Democratic Presidential administra- article by Charlayne Hunter-Gault, where we are today, Bob ofers sugges- [Editor’s note: See “Obituaries.”] tions (including, I believe, both Carter originally published on December tions for what can be done to improve As far as intercollegiate sports are and Clinton), and at the time of his 30, 1967, “Columbia’s Overdue citizens’ awareness and responsibilities concerned, the Ivy League canceled passing, held some sort of adjunct Apology to .” Te in our electoral process. fall events but has not decided on position at SUNY Stony Brook. I article reported, “Seven months On the sad side, I was notifed winter and spring sports as of this wish I had better news to report.” Ira Carlin Mark Weiss after the death of the Black writer, by and on writing. Likewise, we are not sure our reports, “I have Larry Harris Professor James P. Shenton [’49, the passing of on May class luncheons will have resumed by had the unexpected pleasure in old GSAS’54] acknowledged at a 20, 2020. Ira had been in the Naval the time you read this column. If you age of having written two memorial ... [that there] lived a poet ROTC with Larry and maintained are interested in attending one of bestsellers, at ages 80 and 81, and down the street from Columbia, and a friendship with him through the the Tuesday sessions, please contact receiving an endorsement from the Columbia never took the time to years. After graduation from the Tom Ettinger for the latest news: President about the latest. Te books fnd out what he was about.” College, Larry served in the Navy [email protected]. are Dark Agenda: Te War to Destroy Harry commented, “I do not until 1962 and received a law degree Christian America and Blitz: Trump know why Te New Yorker is repub- from Georgetown. He spent most of Will Smash the Left and Win. Te lishing this now ... 99 years after his business career in the telecom- 1959 latter book is a detailed account of Langston Hughes sought to move munication sector. He became the seditious campaign by Demo- into . Jim Shenton is president of Metromedia, general Norman Gelfand crats to overthrow a duly elected mentioned; I took one seminar on counsel of Telegent and senior [email protected] President and sabotage their own historiography in which he was the counsel at the law frm of Squire country. It also attempts to provide lowest-ranked professor. He was Patton Boggs, and was subsequently I write these Class Notes with a an explanation of why Trump has very deferential to ’46, appointed to the board of directors heavy heart. Our country is experi- been able to prevail despite being GSAS’53. I forget the name of the of MCI, where he had begun his encing a crisis of epic proportions. the most vilifed and slandered middle-ranked professor. Jim made career in 1972 as an executive at More than 100,000 people have died human being in history. I’m used his mark as a storyteller with an the then-fedgling frm. Larry was a here in the United States in a cruel to the fact that people on the left emphasis on lower New York City longtime champion of Democratic pandemic that is taking more lives — so-called liberals — deal with in the frst half of the 20th century.” Party activities, and is remembered every day. Te pandemic obviously arguments they don’t like by sup- for “his big heart and keen sense of has had its impact on Columbia: pressing and/or ignoring them, but I humor.” He certainly will be missed. in-person classes were suspended; invite classmates to engage in a civil 1958 Condolences to Susie, his wife of Class Day, Commencement and exchange about this book and prove 58 years, and their two children and reunion were held virtually; CCT me wrong. I will print the exchanges Peter Cohn four grandchildren. decided not to publish a Summer on my webzine, frontpagemag.com. [email protected] Charles Goodstein Dr. died on 2020 print edition; and students You can reach me through Norman April 30, 2020, from complications were sent home, probably for the Gelfand at [email protected] As I write this column in early July, of COVID-19. Charles grew up in frst time since the Revolutionary — I don’t feel comfortable publish- New York City is reopening after Manhattan and attended Stuyves- War when CC ing my email given the leftist Lynch 100-plus days of restricted activities ant H.S. He graduated from the 1778 left to join Washington and mob that is out there — or through due to the devastating efects of School of the . Ten, as now, my Twitter feed, @horowitz39.” the COVID-19 pandemic. Tanks Medicine and served as a medical the government seems unable to J. Peter Rosenfeld writes, to the frm leadership of Gov. ofcer in the Air Force. His profes- efectively respond to the legitimate “My surviving frat bros — Dan Andrew Cuomo (whose daily news sional career was spent as an adult needs of the people to “life, liberty Ein, Marty Janis, Dave Peck and briefngs were must-watch TV) and child psychoanalyst in Tenafy, and the pursuit of happiness.” Frank Wilson — and I have had and the cooperation of millions of N.J., while on the clinical faculty at As I write this, I suspect many of wonderful Zoom reunions, the city and state residents with mask NYU School of Medicine as part of us are more or less confned to our second to take place later today wearing, physical distancing and the Psychoanalytic Association of homes, venturing out carefully and (Father’s Day). We plan to have a nonstop handwashing, we fnally New York. Charles enjoyed a variety infrequently, while relying on others serious discussion about how the fattened the curve, while the rest of of cultural and recreational activities, to procure for us the necessities of structure of our democracy gave rise the country outside the Northeast and was very much involved with his life. Tis is hardly how I hoped, or to the election of Trump. I taught is now experiencing the brunt of family. He was married for 58 years expected, to spend the remaining a spring class at Northwestern on the pandemic. Te social isolation to Dr. Carolyn Goodstein, and is also years of my life. the demographics, mechanisms and felt from many days of sheltering in survived by two children and two I am sorry to report the death detection of deception using many place (or its equivalent) were at least grandchildren. Condolences to all. of Wally Katz GSAS’61. I thank advanced new techniques involv-

54 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews ing functional magnetic resonance 2020, address to the Senate Plenary. America, with liberty and justice for ment about the big city and about imaging, , Following a Columbia College Stu- all. We Americans can and will have the academics. When I heard other oculomotor activity and Implicit dent Council resolution calling for a our diferences on issues and policies students from outside the New York Association Tests. student referendum on the Boycott, for our government to follow, but we area complain about the impersonal “My wife, Carmen, and I are Divestment, Sanction (BDS) move- must stand together to protect the coldness of New York, I could not mostly at home. We enjoy wine near ment, Bollinger cited a double stan- lives and liberties for all. relate to that, because I accepted the fountain on our rear patio. We dard and excessive campus hatred on I hope that I haven’t ofended New York on its own terms and was take nice long (masked) walks around these issues and its chilling efect on anyone with these comments. Since so grateful to have the opportunity our Glencoe, Ill., neighborhood, and Jewish students. He even referred to, I have been class correspondent I to be there and be surrounded and long drives up and down the Chicago and denied, charges by outsiders that have not edited or censored any of immersed in the thoughts of the lake shore. We go to the opera via Columbia is an ‘anti-Semitic institu- the submissions that I have received. great thinkers and doers of our cul- Met On Demand, and to the Berlin tion with systemic bigotry.’ [Editor’s note: CCT edits all Class ture. I was a physics major, looking Philharmonic also virtually. With a “My own experiences included Notes columns for appropriateness, for wisdom and truth, but regarded big-screen TV and fne speaker sys- witnessing a 35-minute 2018 speech context, clarity and style, as well as it as a part of natural philosophy tem, it’s really quite OK, though not by the Israeli ambassador to the UN confrms facts and alumni names and that ft right in with CC and the as nice as attending our (shuttered) systematically interrupted seven times class years.] I don’t think that I have humanities. Having been inspired Ravinia Festival (like Tanglewood) by groups of students from Colum- exercised the opportunity to express by my exposure to philosophy and that is fve minutes from the house.” bia Students for Justice in Palestine, myself, but I feel strongly that I this the arts, I got a scholarship to the During reunion last year (some- which has the open support of some time I want to communicate my School of how it seems more than a year ago), faculty. And views. If anyone feels that I have acted Law, where I fell in love with the we had two sessions called “Looking the public record includes numerous inappropriately they are welcome to law and knew almost immediately Back.” We heard recollections from a Israel-based anti-Semitic slurs by assume the role of class correspondent. that lawyering was what I was number of classmates. I will include Columbia professors — such as Israel designed to do. the remarks in Class Notes as I have having no right to exist and Israel as a “After law school, I repatriated room. Te following is from Sam key player in every evil act happening 1960 myself back to Alabama, this time Bahn: “I have had two careers. Te in the world. to Birmingham, where I had the frst was traditional business — B.A. “I have advocated Columbia’s Robert A. Machleder opportunity to practice antitrust law, in economics, M.B.A., Pricewater- immediate adoption of the widely [email protected] complex litigation and intellectual houseCoopers C.P.A., the business used International Holocaust property. I had a fulflling but chal- computer revolution, and consulting Remembrance Alliance anti- Te most extraordinarily stressful lenging career of nearly 50 years of at IBM and beyond. Semitism standard, which would put and heartrending circumstances very active practice, followed by a “My second career was triggered teeth in Bollinger’s historic address beset Thad Long as he left home full-time trusteeship and executor- during a fve-year professional stint and an end to such public faculty to begin his college education at ship for several years thereafter. I in Israel. In the course of the 1982 defamations of Israel (which it is Columbia with the Class of ’60. He have recently written my memoirs Lebanon War, I became aware hard to believe do not seep into the writes, “I was from a small town in — not sure exactly what is going to of major discrepancies between classrooms), as well as an end to the Alabama. My parents both passed happen next with them. anti-Israel American news reports anti-Semitic ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ away my senior year of high school. “I have had a great life, with a based on Arab sources in Beirut and and BDS campaigns at alma mater. I had no money, but I was awarded wonderful wife, Carolyn, two fne what I was hearing from colleagues “Te road to opposing Israel- a scholarship to Columbia covering children and four fne grandchildren. returning from the frontlines and based anti-Semitism at our beloved my tuition and room, and a job in I have taken two National Geographic was reading in the Israeli press. Columbia, and its chilling efect the Johnson Dining Hall, where I trips around the world and have Tomas Friedman’s From Beirut to on Jewish students, has been paved could work for my meals. After a traveled to all seven continents. I Jerusalem quietly admitted that jour- at the highest level by Bollinger very challenging summer, I got on have really enjoyed seeing frsthand nalists were being intimidated. Such himself, so there is every reason for the Greyhound bus with two small all the wonderful icons of civiliza- advocacy and double standards were it to be a part of our Class of 1959 suitcases and headed for New York. tion that I used to read and dream clearly antithetical to our Columbia and our individual legacies to alma Tere were delays, and I got there about. When I think back about the values, and anti-Semitic to . mater, as we continue to celebrate late. I was not even sure I would things that have made the greatest “Back in New York and watching our 60th reunion.” be received and get a place to stay contributions to my life, I have to this trend deepen, I embarked on this Classmates who would like that night. To save time, I asked the think of Columbia.” second career in 1988, founding a Sam’s original reunion comments bus driver if his route would take In response to my email to chapter of the media watch organiza- are welcome to get in touch; email us anywhere near Columbia and he classmates that mentioned my tion CAMERA, which I ran for three me at [email protected] to be said, yes, it would. I asked him if he proclivity to have Mozart, Haydn years. Ever since, I have been critically connected. would tell me when we got as close and Beethoven accompany me in my analyzing, writing, teaching and I hope that by the next time I as we could and if he would let me exercise-at-home workout routines, lecturing against unprofessional (anti- solicit contributions for our Class of the bus and point the way to the Elliott Kaback LS’68 wrote, “I share Semitic) anti-Israel media advocacy, Notes something resembling College. He agreed, and I started your devotion to Haydn, whose music drawing on our Core studies. normalcy will have returned to our of in the direction he had pointed, has enriched our lives, especially in “On a parallel front, I was also country and that progress has been walking in the dark. Fortunately, the the last few years. My wife, Patricia observing and monitoring how such made in redressing the ills that reception process was still in opera- Woodard, and I are both retired Israel-based anti-Semitism was infect our nation. Lincoln wrote that tion, I got my room key and my librarians and singers who have been seeping into universities, even our this nation cannot endure “half slave Columbia career was underway.” members of Riverside Choral Society beloved Columbia, a development and half free.” I do not believe that it Tad entered as a physics major, for the last 10 years, during which we that President Lee C. Bollinger con- can really endure as half Republi- but became enamored of his stud- have sung several of Haydn’s great frmed and forcefully condemned in can and half Democratic. It needs ies of the humanities: “Tere was Masses. Te virus deprived us of our his principled and historic March 6, to come together as one nation, culture shock, but there was excite- May concert of his ‘Creation’ Mass,

Fall 2020 CCT 55 Class Notes

and choruses from ‘Te Creation.’ “Quite serendipitously, I recently Cheri, and I have been together for more efcient and informative than We live in the house in Brooklyn came to be in touch with Vinnie 20 years, and I have fve kids. Tree the in-person conferences with their bought by my grandparents in 1925, Russo and George Camarinos, are in town, one is in Baltimore and multitude of parallel sessions and in an atmosphere of great peace. Our two of my best pals at Columbia one is on the West Coast. Grand- impossibility of seeing missed sessions. main frustration stems from being along with Frank Siracusa, Joel kids number eight. Despite the odd It is a great way for retired academics separated from our daughter and two Kanter, Lenny Binder, Dick barnacle or two accumulated over to keep up with what’s new, and at the delightful Franco-American grand- Nottingham and Anthony Barone. 80 years I have no major complaints same time avoiding COVID-19 travel children who live in Greensboro, Russo lives in , Cama- and keep on ticking.” and all the footprints and N.C. Tanks to Zoom, FaceTime and rinos in Florida — they are both Gary Hershdorfer sends a expenses associated with them. the like, we can keep in touch with well, and it was wonderful reminisc- brief note to wish all classmates Jack Samet began a one-year our circle of family and friends, but ing and laughing with them about well and to ofer his remembrance term on July 1 as president of Te the absence of singing great music the good old days on campus. of Terrence McNally and Brian PLATO Society of Los Angeles, with friends under a great conduc- “I’m in full agreement with you Dennehy: “Regarding Terrence (I a lifelong-learning society with tor (Patrick Gardner) is painful. I about the ‘Tree Musketeers’ of think he went by Terry?) and Brian, approximately 400 members. A remember my years in the Glee Club classical music: Ludwig, Franz and it was/is a shock. I remember them description of the PLATO Society (as it was then called) with pleasure. Wolfgang, although I’d tend to clearly. Brian was one of my frst can be found on Wikipedia, and In 2010, you might remember that group Brahms with them (Dumas’s Columbia acquaintances. I was its activities are described in more Glee Club alumni gave a concert at three musketeers were four guys always struck by the size of his head! detail on its website. Te “heart and reunion. I hope we survive this dark anyway). Sometimes when I drive When I met him he was sitting and soul” of the PLATO Society are its time and resume our musical activi- around listening to WQXR I have was wearing a (too small) beanie. peer-led discussion groups, known ties, which make life sweet.” trouble distinguishing between Aside from the , he didn’t appear as study discussion groups (SDGs). Paul Brief writes, “Trying to Mozart and his mentor, Haydn. to be a freshman. Terry had a wry Tey meet for two hours once a weather this COVID-19 onslaught “On the personal side I’ve sense of humor. And it fowed easily. week and have in-depth discussions of boredom, isolation, restaurant developed a bit of a second career: Looking back, who would have in seminar-style classes. In addition, deprivation and work restrictions: You might remember that a few guessed at their future public fame?” they hold monthly colloquia that Telemedicine doesn’t do much for years ago I had the good fortune to CCT’s Class Note word limit feature renowned speakers, member- you (or the patient) in orthopedics. publish my book Hootch 8: A Combat approaches and I have many more led lunchtime lectures, foreign travel, But, it’s better than nothing. Surgeon Remembers Vietnam. I have notes at hand — word arrived local cultural events, retreats and “Personally, two things about developed a lecture-slideshow based from Claudio Marzollo that try- numerous extracurricular activities coronavirus tick me of more than on the book and have traveled to ing to locate Tom Raup LAW’66 that complement their academic pro- anything else: 1) Te daily avalanche churches, synagogues, men’s clubs, produced an obituary. Tom died on grams. Te president’s welcome mes- of trite, lame, not-funny jokes and veteran groups and several colleges, August 30, 2016, and although he sage contains a description of how 2) Te inability to get a haircut: As including West Point, SUNY Mari- was a longstanding and outstanding Jack became involved in the society a Marine, anytime my hair length time College and SUNY Rockland trial court judge in Williamsport, during his wife’s terminal illness. exceeds 1.5 cm I feel I’m out of Community College. Te students Pa., we were unaware. Tom was an Herman Kane’s son, Dr. Jamie and very, very restless. in particular have been very recep- exceptional person. His memory Kane ’97, a specialist in medical “Sad about the deaths of tive, as Vietnam remains controver- deserves more than this passing weight loss and diabetes prevention Terrence McNally and Brian sial and polarizing. statement. We will continue in the at Northwell Hospital, was promoted Dennehy, great losses for CC’60. “I hope we New Yorkers continue to next issue. Stay safe and be well. to associate professor. Northwell is We also lost Frank Siracusa in weather this storm well, along with all afliated with Hofstra. Jamie played 2017. Frank was a well-respected our countrymen and countrywomen.” on the Columbia squash team, as high school science teacher, a Delighted to hear from Norbert 1961 high as number 2. Herman became a wonderful husband and father, and a Schachter, who succeeded in grandfather in August. sweet, kind, lovable man. overcoming a mild case of procras- Michael Hausig Mike Clark SEAS’62 turned 81 tination. He writes, “I am sending [email protected] and his philosophy now is, “I look you this somewhat overdue note forward to each coming day, and the that I have thought of sending on Ed Kaplan has been a resident of new things it will bring into my life!” and of for 40 or 50 years. Now, at Memphis since his birth in 1939, Chuck Gutowski BUS’63 80, having been retired two months and he and his wife, Phyllis, have fnished the English translation of ago by COVID-19, in reading your lived there since their marriage in a book to be published in October, paean to Hayden et al., I thought it 1968. In July, they moved to Salt des Eaux (Te Voice of ). was time to say hello and wish you Lake City for a variety of reasons, It is about the Canton of Valais in and our classmates well. As I write, I including but not limited to the fact Switzerland, where Chuck lives, and Contact CCT am listening to Bill Evans in a 1960s that their daughter, Natalie, her hus- how the water cycle through the recording playing Gershwin, namely band, Toby, and their 8.5-year-old centuries has shaped the Alpine val- Update your address, ‘I Loves You Porgy.’ My listening granddaughter, Eva, live there. Toby leys with , torrents and rivers email or phone; submit a choices are pretty evenly divided is the owner of Creative , a fowing down to the Rhône river and Class Note, new book, between classic/New Orleans jazz successful solar energy company, and Lac Léman. Te book contains some photo, obituary or Letter to and classical music, with an empha- Natalie teaches third grade at Te history, some and some quite sis on Beethoven. McGillis School. Ed and Phyllis are fantastic photos (which Chuck did the Editor; or send us an “Te years have been good, I have retired and this will be a new begin- not take!). Another book is planned email. Click “Contact Us” at practiced ophthalmology in Mont- ning for them. on the history of glaciers in the Alps. Gene Milone Bob Salman college.columbia.edu/cct. clair, N.J., for quite a while, and is enjoying the LAW’64’s political have mostly done it my way. Sort virtual attendance at activity continues, as he is serving of a pre-Jurassic style. My partner, conferences, which he believes is far his ffth consecutive term as a

56 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews member of the Demo- John Garman: “In 1918 we York Times linked to my is the knees of all who prey on cratic State Committee. As such, learned of the destruction a pan- book, which included Professor those at their mercy, which is all of he is actively involved in the Biden demic can cause, with 615,000 dead Graf ’s remembrance of his youth us. Tis moment, when those we campaign and the campaigns of Sen. in the USA! When we were warned in Inwood and his amazing wartime trusted with the stewardship of our (D-N.J.) and Rep. about COVID-19 in January, our translation of Ambassador Hiroshi nation take for themselves, calls for Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). His grand- leadership ignored it! Blamed others Ōshima’s telegraphed messages, our participation in reshaping the daughter Mackenzie, a high school for our lack of preparation! Claimed identifying where German forces America we love. Or we ourselves senior, was a volunteer summer credit for good results and blamed expected the D-Day landings. See will be enslaved losers.” intern for Pallone. His granddaugh- others for the bad. How will it oldnewyorkstories.com. Now, the Don Splansky: “We have been ter Taylor, who graduated from come out? Economic calamity has worst pandemic since 1918, the living through dark times, but as Maryland’s business school, started overtaken Americans who cannot worst economy since the Great Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Te her career in July as a manager for work from home. When the virus Depression, rioting in the streets, arc of the moral universe is long, but Target. His oldest granddaughter, has passed, will they have jobs? Will Trump President — what could be it bends toward justice.’ His words Sydney, obtained a master’s in their employers reopen their busi- wrong? I give credit for this state- seem more of a pious hope than nutritional science from St. Joseph’s nesses? Will they have customers? ment to Peter Lushing; we remain an established fact. I pray that our University, and his grandson, Jack, is Will we need ofce space when in regular communication.” classmates are safe and ‘hunkering starting his second year at Wharton. many work from home? [Editor’s note: See “Around the down,’ while, at the same time, are Te political campaigns are vastly “Te video of a police ofcer Quads”/”In Memoriam,” Summer working for the betterment of soci- diferent in this COVID-19 age. pressing his knee on the neck of 2020: college.columbia.edu/cct/ ety. Be strong and courageous.” Bob looks forward to our October a Black man should motivate our issue/summer20/article/memoriam- Pete Stevenson: “Racial outrage class lunch, which will probably be country to put its collective knee on henry-f-graf-gsas’49-professor- is a complete falsehood. Te violence held virtually, when he will racial profling and bigotry, which emeritus-history-presidential.] is the product of professional dis- his predictions for the 2020 election. seem so prevalent among police Phil Lebovitz: “My beloved rupters taking the Democrat party ofcers. But don’t get your hopes audiologist retired the day the Illinois note, ‘Never let a good crisis go to up. Hats of to protestors who governor moved the state to phase 3. waste,’ and putting it into practice. 1962 demonstrated peacefully. Durham, My 75-year-old, quick-handed Te economic disaster resulting N.C., had no violence. Tensions dentist stopped seeing patients. We from COVID-19 is terrible. It will John Freidin between demonstrators and police watched New Trier H.S.’s virtual live with us for a long time. Sadly, [email protected] in Greensboro, N.C., rose almost graduation by computer and saw our it was greatly exacerbated by the to a boiling point, when the police, grandson’s picture foat across the terrible error of shutting down the On June 2 I emailed all of you to two lines deep, all kneeled. Seeing screen as his name was called. We economy. Like sufering from a suggest that you write about “the this, the protestors kneeled. After celebrated my son’s 50th birthday gunshot in one foot and shooting triple crisis we are facing: COVID- four minutes, the protestors got up, with family seated outdoors at the oneself in the other for balance! 19; economic calamity; and racial out- shook hands with the police and required social distance. I organized Local government must take charge, rage.” Here, in alphabetical order of everyone left the street. And, fnally, an initiative for the Chicago Psycho- devise plans to permit people to earn respondent name, is what you wrote: the county sherif in Flint, Mich., analytic Institute faculty to provide a living while staying distanced and Neilson Abeel: “Portland, Ore., removed his police vest and joined eight sessions pro bono for front-line healthy. Lockdown ain’t it.” has been shuttered since March 14. the marching demonstrators.” personnel. We watched in horror as Frank Stoppenbach: “Current We go grocery shopping every three Chris Haakon: “Lots of Zoom 1968 seemed to replay — this time questioning of the lockdown in days — usually at ‘geezer hour.’ Tree calls. Still on six boards and busy with a leader who fans the fames. and suggests weeks ago we took a four-day trip to in the house. In March we had to Te rabbi my mother idolized for my skepticism (in Daily Freeman, the Summer Lake [Ore.] Wildlife reduce our two-week stay in Florida his eforts to mediate the sanitation April 3) may have been on target. Area and rented a house with two by a week. Tere were just 29 folks workers’ repression in Memphis One would think ofcials might friends. We plan to do it again on on the plane to Washington, D.C.” broke vividly into my thoughts.” ask questions before implementing June 11. If COVID-19 and the Roman Kernitsky: “As a Peter Lushing: “Worst rioting policy with such huge consequences. protests against racism unseat Trump, physician I feel that governors and since MLK 1968.” Te United States, with great it may have some redemption.” mayors have used politics as their Bob Meyers: “A ‘news diet’ every economic inequality, needs, but Paul Cooper: “Our country is guide in the lockdowns rather than few days and evening walks help me probably won’t get, dramatic shifts sufering from the anti-science, anti- listening to front-line doctors. Tese fnd calmness and equanimity.” in policy like those of the 1930s. A truth, anti-expertise, anti-government politicians have allowed abortion Jef Milstein: “To help us cope better deal for most people won’t views of Trump and his confreres. operations but have deemed cancer with the crises in public health, the prevent all racial injustice, but it Republican governors are intent surgeries as nonessential. Tis is economy and race relations, we can will reduce economic stresses that on not having people quarantine in unconscionable! Abortions are almost be inspired by the experiences of can trigger explosive responses. Our place, which is stimulating the virus’s never essential. Furthermore, if you our parents and grandparents. Tey country has many problems — a spread. For people our age, the good starve because you are unemployed endured social oppression, emigra- shame we aren’t putting the unem- economic news is that most of us due to the lockdown, how is that tion, the fu of 1918–20, WWI, the ployed (counted and uncounted, have chosen to retire. Te other good better than being infected with the and WWII. Many recent and long-term) to work news is that racists and their racist- COVID-19 virus? Tere has to be a lost relatives, friends, loved ones and solving them. My congressman in-chief are taking it on the chin. I better compromise than a lockdown.” livelihoods. Yet they nurtured us, — Antonio Delgado (D-N.Y.), a am an optimist: Trump and his band Peter Krulewitch: “Sadly, and gave us the opportunities we Black man in a largely white, very of incompetents and know-nothings Professor Henry Graf GSAS’49 have enjoyed for eight decades. Now rural district — concludes in an will be gone in January; a vaccine died of COVID-19. I was in touch it’s our turn.” op-ed that in times of anger our will enable us to return to our pre- with him until several months Charlie Morrow: “We are proud response must be love, put into COVID-19 lives; and the economy ago, and he was strong, alert and to stand up for science and research. action through protests, voting will gradually improve.” healthy. Te obituary in Te New Te knee on the neck of one man and the recognition, quoting the

Fall 2020 CCT 57 Class Notes

Roman-African playwright and I apologize to Bob Meyers and fnally, after months, recovered. But Associates [donors of $1,500 or more slave, Terence, that ‘nothing human readers of these notes for omit- it’s all not completely heavy — in the to the Columbia College Fund]. I is alien to me’.” ting from the Summer 2020 issue absence of any real sports, we still have been a mid-level federal ‘civil Anthony Valerio: “In my case, the following from Bob: “I want to have time to share our sports stories servant’ all my working career, yet I praying, chanting — arm-in-arm briefy note (vent?) to classmates, with our class experts. It’s a gas, and include Columbia College at that with my mates in solidarity for who seem to do a lot of interna- we hope you will join us. Simply donation level (in addition to other universal peace, political and social tional airplane travel, that perhaps email me, and I will invite you to the special gifts like for the gymnasium change, and, yes, hope and love.” they might consider their con- next one. We’ve decided to keep this and the Core Curriculum). I also Larry William: “After much siderable carbon footprint and its up, even after we are able to start our contribute to Columbia Athletics moaning and groaning, I am fol- long-term efects on the planet and in-person lunches. It’s a great way to and a Columbia religious outreach lowing the path of ’s hero: their grandkids. Consider the new see old friends for an hour or hour program, yet this represents only 10 ‘Candide serait un chef-d’œuvre attitude in Sweden called ‘Flygskam’ and a half every week. percent of my annual donations. I’m Abba Rubin incomplet si le philosophe, après or ‘Flight Shaming,’ which empha- writes, “My wife a proud and joyous member of the avoir ainsi étalé nos misères à nos sizes taking trains, or what I prefer and I now live in a delightful suburb Class of 1963.” Richard Tuerk yeux, ne nous ranimait pas par une ... fy less, stay put more and delve of Baltimore. We are doing well and writes, “We conclusion réconfortante. ... tout le deeper into things local.” are socially very active — but from recently moved to Plano, , and monde la connaît: il faut cultiver son a distance. We go for walks and talk were getting used to the city and jardin.’ And so, I grow tomatoes and to others also walking, but across the retirement apartments here. bake sourdough.” 1963 the street. My eldest, a son, comes But things didn’t turn out at all the Tanks to Jim Balquist for this to visit and we talk from our front way we expected. I feel especially appreciation of his lifelong friend, Paul Neshamkin door across the street to his car. My concerned about the many members Bob “The Duck” Dickstein, who [email protected] other son comes right into the house of our class that live in and around passed away on April 4: “Bob and to visit — both he and his wife New York City. I hope you are I played on the same Teaneck, N.J., Te COVID-19 pandemic has had and their kids, but they only come all doing well. I’ve reestablished high school soccer and wrestling a profound efect on our class. Some in via Skype. No one wants us to contact with one of my best friends Steven teams and co-captained an unde- very sad with sufering and death, get sick. Actually, we don’t want to while I was at Columbia, Shirk. feated District Champion 1957–58 but also some profoundly happy either. Our conversation now is, of I know the words are trite, wrestling team. We also wrestled at with successful recovery from this course, only about COVID-19. We but recently, they’ve taken on new Columbia and took pride in defeat- terrible disease. I hope all of you are worry about those in trouble, and are meaning: Be Safe! Take Care!” ing powerhouse Cornell for the Ivy staying safe and well. amazed at the heroic eforts of so Richard later sent more news: championship of 1960–61. Duck One of the unexpected happy many who help in so many ways.” “After spending 42 years in Com- John Gleason later coached the Columbia freshman outcomes of the coronavirus is writes, “We’re merce, Texas, my wife and I are now wrestling team, attended law school that it has brought our class closer all doing fne. My wife, Carol, and living in Plano. Te transition from and practiced law in New Jersey. together. I continue to hear from “He had two daughters and many of you, and because we have two granddaughters from his frst not been able to hold our monthly marriage and one stepson and two Class of ’63 lunches in person, I John Gleason ’63 and his wife read as much as they can: grand-stepsons from his second. His started holding them virtually on “I’m working on Euripides, to test whether I can widow, Janet, routinely participates Zoom. Te frst took place on our in the New Jersey women’s age scheduled lunch date in April, and still read ancient Greek.” group tennis tournaments. Bob was it was so successful, everyone asked her biggest fan. to keep it up on a weekly basis. “Bob was a ftness fanatic who And so we have. Every Tursday maintained his love for wrestling as at 12:30 EDT, about 20 of your I are socially distanced in our San a house in a relatively small town a high school referee and Columbia classmates gather online, gener- Francisco fat. We’ve been at home in Texas to a retirement apartment wrestling fan. Everyone who knew ally with a cold beverage in hand, for some two weeks, with me only in part of the Dallas/Fort Worth him loved his outgoing spirit. Tose to discuss the latest science about going out for an occasional exercise Metroplex went fairly smoothly who really knew him were careful COVID-19, the latest on BLM, and walk and Carol to work in our until the pandemic shut everything shaking his hand, because they the protests and the government’s backyard garden. We are very lucky down. Our governor decided to might get arm-dragged. reaction to them. It’s an interesting that one of our daughters, Sarah, reopen the economy much too early, “In retirement, Bob lived by the group, signing in from Seattle, Los lives right next to us and handles so now Texas is having terrible belief that he should give back to Angeles, San Francisco, Maryland, all our grocery shopping. Beyond surges of illness and death. society what it had generously given Florida, Texas, New York, Tel Aviv, that, we both read as much as we “Fortunately, at the time of this him and us. He spent almost half Cod and the Jersey Shore. We can. I’m working on Euripides, to writing, we, the other members of our his time helping others: speaking at always have lawyers on hand to give test whether I can still read ancient family, and our dogs are still well and meetings, visiting schools, prisons legal expertise, doctors to give the Greek. I’m very pleased to write a managing to get the food and other and rehabs, and functioning as a low-down on potential therapeutics sentence like the preceding, and for things we need. Our daughter is mentor and sponsor to many in need. and vaccines, and leaders from the that I owe Columbia thanks.” dean of students at Navarro College Martin Greenfield “Columbia wrestling created the scientifc community to give us the writes, “Still in Corsicana, Texas. Our son works Bob Dickstein Memorial Award in background on the efects of climate seeing patients as an endocrinologist for Apple in Dallas. In February, my Bob’s memory. It is given to the wres- change and other factors. in Nassau County. But at a much- book Rebirth in the Life and Works of tler who best embodies his joy for More importantly, we have been reduced number.” Beatrix Potter was published. Since Elliott Greher life, inspirational leadership, sports- sharing the latest news on one of our writes, “I am I’m not yet willing to go into post manship and loyalty to Columbia. Joe regulars, who was having an especially surprised that so few members of my ofces, I’ve been unable to send out Franzese ’22 is the frst recipient.” rough time with COVID-19, but has class are members of the as many copies as I would like. I hope

58 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

Texas will soon join the ranks of the December 10; the next two will be caring for children on six continents $5,000 to the keep the business places that are at least beginning to January 14 and February 11. In any in pediatric intensive care units. going during hard times. do a good job of handling problems case, we will meet virtually on Zoom “Getting my M.B.A. at Wharton In 1977, Fred published his book, involving the pandemic.” every Tursday at 12:30 p.m. EDT. led to me becoming CEO of Duke Information Mechanics. His brother Mike Brenner writes, “Serial Just email me at pauln@helpauthors. Hospital, and my recruitment as the Paul ’59, an emeritus professor at careers are no longer a rarity. After com for an invitation. senior VP of the NYSE company Rutgers, explains that the book a certain age, though, they need to In the meantime, please let us PerkinElmer, which, under the “developed a completely diferent way overlap. I’m now on my third and know what you are up to, how you’re name Celera, joined the National of thinking about physics” and con- fourth. Te frst was architecture, doing and what’s next. Stay safe! Institutes of Health in sequencing tains “many predictions about things engaging me 1963–73. Te second the human genome. In turn, this that may one day be observable.” was psychiatry, lasting until 2007. My led me to the brand-new feld (in Fred’s family reports that donations third is a mix of guide, wise uncle 1964 the 1990s) of biotechnology and in his memory may be made to the and shaman. For anyone curious to founding companies that went Columbia Department of Physics, about what that means, go to alive- Norman A. Olch public and that were responsible for the New Jewish Home in Manhattan with-intention.com. In my fourth [email protected] drugs to cure acute promyelocytic or a charity of your choice. career, for eight years now I’ve been leukemia as well as a series of other [Editor’s note: See “Obituaries.”] a writer and producer. In fall 2019, I began my Summer 2020 Class cardiac and pain products. Requiescat in pace. I published the totally outside-the- Notes column in April stating that I “My experiences at Columbia, box Evolution Diverted: How an have been in my Manhattan apart- particularly Contemporary Civiliza- Altered Genetic Origin is Leading Us ment for weeks, and that I do some tion, made me a lifetime student of 1965 to Self-Destruct. Tis is not the place legal work, read, nap and watch culture and art which, fortunately, led to pitch the book, other than to say movies, that the news is grim, but I to me to fully enjoying the invitations Leonard B. Pack that Trump and COVID-19 are hope society’s lot will have improved and visits to more than 80 countries [email protected] enhancing its relevance. If the title by the time the Summer 2020 CCT with my wife, as well as to educa- rouses your interest, the website is appears in July. tional adventures such as driving CCT forwarded to me a notifcation evolutiondiverted.com. You’ll fnd It is now July, and I remain in my the Pan Am Highway from Canada from Azriel Genack ’64 report- a video there of the NYC stage apartment doing some legal work, to , Chile. Each visit to an ing the frst COVID-19 casualty performance based on the book. I’m reading, napping and watching mov- exotic place required a reading about I’ve heard about in our class, now working on the screenplay for a ies. Te situation has improved in the history and the culture that I had distinguished philosopher Mark fctionalized feature flm. I’d love to New York City, but all sports arenas learned to enjoy at Columbia as part Steiner. Azi provided me with this hear from classmates.” and theaters are still closed, and res- of Contemporary Civilization. description of Mark and his work: David Orme-Johnson writes, taurants can provide only makeshift “It is a long trip from the South “Mark Steiner, professor emeri- “Here is a link to the new issue of outdoor dining. With the largest Bronx, which I could not have made tus of philosophy at the Hebrew Enjoy TM News about maintaining public school system in the country, without an education and a set of University, passed away on April 6 [, health in the coronavirus pandemic, the city is debating how to safely standards that I learned at Columbia.” 2020] from the COVID-19 virus, at which has my article on the research reopen in buildings and classrooms Dave Levin is back in the New 77. Mark entered Columbia in 1960 on the efects of transcendental not built for social distancing. York suburbs, after seven weeks in but, in 1963–64, he, along with Mel meditation on immunity (bit.ly/ Columbia has announced the fall Florida, with his wife, Linda. Barenholtz, took a year’s leave to 3kxR8jK). I try to explain why TM semester will begin in September I am saddened to report two deaths. study Talmud in Israel at the Kerem improves immunity, as well as health and will be entirely remote. Te Ivy Mark Steiner entered with CC’64 B’Yavneh Yeshivah. Mark made in general. I think that the rest and League has canceled all team sports and graduated with CC’65 (see the the most of his time at the College relaxation TM provides is highly for the fall semester. Te situation 1965 Class Notes and “Obituaries”). and was deeply engaged with fellow restorative because the diferent is dire in some parts of the country, Fred Kantor GSAS’73 entered students and faculty, especially with bodily systems become in better and the fear here in the Northeast is the CC’63 and graduated with us. A . He married communication with each other. For that the virus will return in the fall. I physicist and an inventor, Fred was a Rachel Freeman BC’65 while at example, EEG coherence increases can only repeat the hope that by the regular and lively presence at reunions, Columbia. Tey have fve children. and connectivity of deep-brain time this is published in September, Class Days and the monthly informal Mark graduated from the College structures improves, correlated with society’s lot will have improved. class lunch in Manhattan. summa cum laude. decreased stress. I think improved Mark Rogers (Mark Rosenberg For his doctoral thesis at Colum- “After graduation, he studied communication in the nervous at graduation) writes from Miami, bia, Fred invented a way to polish philosophy at Oxford as a Fulbright system, which regulates bodily Fla., “My unusual career as an the surfaces of an X-ray telescope. Fellow and received his doctorate in systems, allows all the homeostatic academic physician/M.B.A. entre- Tragically, the rocket carrying the philosophy from Princeton in 1972. self-healing mechanisms of the body preneur continues with the signing telescope he built crashed on takeof Mark joined the philosophy depart- to work more efectively, whatever of the for the sixth edition at Los Alamos, N.M. His patented ment at Columbia, where he taught the imbalance they are trying to of the eponymous Rogers’ Textbook design was replicated by Lockheed until he moved to the Hebrew Uni- normalize. It’s a theory. Enjoy the of Pediatric Intensive Care. It is my Martin for NASA, and one day versity in Jerusalem in 1977. He was article, and be well.” 13th book, including books in Japa- might yet circle the globe. Fred’s for many years the department chair, Once this is over and you’re nese, Spanish, Portuguese and so other patents included new ways to but often came back to Columbia back in NYC, you can reconnect on. With an endowed chair named make air conditioners, new ways to to teach during the summer. Until with your classmates at our regular for me at Johns Hopkins and an carry away sewage waste and new the week before his death, Mark was second Tursday class lunches at the from the University ways to help people with macular teaching a popular seminar on the Columbia Club (we will still gather of Ljubljana (Slovenia) where I did degeneration to read again. He was philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein. at the Princeton Club — once it a Fulbright, it has been a reward- always welcome at the Symposium In work published a year earlier, reopens). I’m a pessimist, but hoping ing academic career with dozens of restaurant on West 113th Street Mark explored imagination and we might be able to meet again by students all around the world now because he had lent the owner possibility in its historical role in the

Fall 2020 CCT 59 Class Notes

philosophy of mathematics of David challenge while an optimist makes immediate family. But his sons set ously I failed, so I went back to grad Hume and Moses Maimonides. every challenge into an opportunity.’ up a Facebook page, where dozens school and got a Ph.D. in clinical “Mark’s work on the philoso- As an inveterate optimist, I treated of people have posted remarks and psychology at City University in phy of science and mathematics is my solitary Seders as an opportunity hundreds of people have posted 1986. My dissertation was a study of enormously infuential. In his book, and enjoyed the experience — but comments: bit.ly/39TQ2K2. mothers’ and infants’ touching. After Te Applicability of Mathematics as which I hope will never be repeated. “I can be reached at mbarenh@ bouncing around for a bit in vari- a Philosophical Problem, published “Now, for the bad news. On April yahoo.com if anyone would like to ous clinics, I ended up in Newark, by Press, Mark 6, I received an email from my sister share memories of Mark. N.J., as supervising psychologist at argued that the process of the dis- Sherry Feintuch BC’69, of Jerusa- “I will close with an excerpt from Te Child Development Center of covery of the laws of nature shows lem, informing me that my friend a eulogy written by two of Mark’s Children’s Hospital of New Jersey. It that the universe is ‘user-friendly’ to Mark Steiner had passed away academic colleagues: ‘Mark possessed was a wonderful learning experience, human cognition.” that day from COVID-19. During a mind that was as versatile as it was and I met some wonderful people, Seeing his name, I followed my frst two years at the College, penetrating, as capacious as it was including my mentor, Leta Bagdon; up with Mel Barenholtz, who Mark and I, along with several other deep — together with a religiosity my wife, Cheryl Tompson (now provided a generous update on his College students, studied Talmud that was profound and authentic.’ deceased); and my stepson, Jason doings as well as further thoughts every weekday afternoon with Rabbi “Yehi Zichro Baruch — May his Wiggins, who is fnishing a doctor- about Mark. He writes, “I have good Emanuel Gettinger of the Young memory be a blessing.” ate in astrophysics at Notre Dame. news and bad news. Israel of the West Side. Inspired by [Editor’s note: See “Obituaries.”] After several years, things changed “First, the good news. As I our studies with Rabbi Gettinger, I got an anxious note from Dave and I became a school psychologist reported last year in a Class Note, Mark suggested that we take a year’s Sard ’69, who saw somewhere on the in Madison, N.J., with a private internet that a CC’65 classmate had practice. Along the way, I dabbled in died. Tat didn’t sound right to me. I psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. checked, and the classmate, channel- I became an Episcopalian, which Attorney Louis Locascio ’66 is of counsel to a firm in ing Mark Twain, confrmed that the seems to mean that I acknowledge Red Bank, N.J., and also has a monthly column, reports of his passing were greatly chiefy that there is something out exaggerated. But Dave followed there that is bigger than I. Now I “Court Watch,” in the New Jersey Law Journal. up with a great note: “I have now have a small private practice and I reached the age where one thinks of teach psychotherapy at Pace Univer- writing to one’s alumni magazines, sity in NYC. Also, I joined a chorus, so here goes: I entered Columbia Oratorio Singers, of Westfeld. my oldest grandchild, Yehuda Zev leave of absence in order to study in 1961, knowing virtually nothing When we are up and running again Barenholtz, married Leah Garten- Talmud in Israel. I readily agreed about it. Most people in my home- you are all invited. We were working haus in January 2019. Now, I am very to join Mark in this adventure, and town, St. Louis, Mo., had never on Haydn’s ‘Creation’ Mass when happy to report that Yehuda Zev we spent the 1963–64 school year heard of it. (In Missouri, ‘Columbia’ the virus struck.” and Leah had a baby boy, Yaakov, in studying at the Kerem B’Yavneh is the state university.) More from Dave in the next February 2020, making me a great- Yeshiva. In a Yeshiva, students “I had a very mixed experience issue, as we’ve run out of space. grandfather. It feels wonderful to be attend a daily lecture in Talmud at Columbia, but I was lucky to a great-grandfather when I am still and, for the rest of a 10-hour day have two smart, decent, helpful young enough and in good enough of study, they study in pairs. For roommates, and 1966 health to be able to go skiing with the entire school year, for about six Ken DeWoskin. Some big disap- my grandchildren during the winter hours each day, Mark and I studied pointments kicked of a period of Columbia College Today and hiking (while socially distanced) Talmud and Codes together. We had depression, and I was in and out [email protected] in the spring and summer. a great year and always cherished of school for four years, fnally “Tis year, I am happy to report the experience. fnishing in 1969. Te Louis Locascio writes: “I gradu- that my second-oldest grandchild, “Upon returning to the College, was hanging over all our heads. In ated from Seton Hall Law School, Yehuda Zev’s brother, Bezalel, married Mark resumed his study of philoso- the middle of all this I got married in Newark, N.J., and married my Rivky Swyaticki in November 2019. phy and graduated in 1965. As an and had a daughter, Kristen, who is high school sweetheart, Sue Anne. “Te past few months of ‘Corona undergraduate, he began a very close now an artist in San Francisco. My After 22 years as a board-certifed Time’ have been very strange for me, relationship with legendary Colum- grandson, Odin Sard-Tayer (16) is civil and criminal trial lawyer, I was as I am sure they have been for all of bia professor of philosophy Sidney an aspiring — and very profcient appointed by Gov. James Florio us. For example, in normal times, my Morgenbesser, a relationship that — guitarist. (My daughter married (D-N.J.) to the Superior Court of sons from Teaneck, N.J., and Boca lasted for more than 40 years, Charley Tayer SEAS’91, whose dad New Jersey, where I served for 17 Raton, Fla., along with their wives until Morgenbesser’s passing in is Jonathan Tayer ’68. None of us years, sitting in the civil, criminal and eight children, always came to 2004. During Morgenbesser’s fnal knew each other then.) Anyway, I’m and family divisions. After retiring my house for the Passover holiday. illness, Mark spent many hours getting lost in the details. Kristen 11 years ago, I became of counsel to Te highlights of the holiday are at his bedside trading jokes and and Charley are still together and Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio the two Passover Seders that, with discussing philosophy. they are the light of my life. Kristen’s in Red Bank, N.J., managed by my all the discussions, good food and “In normal times, hundreds of mom, Sarah, and I came to an ami- son Anthony and where I head group singing, usually wouldn’t end people would have attended Mark’s cable parting of the ways in 1990. up the mediation and arbitration until after 1 a.m. Tis year, I was funeral and he would have been “After I fnished at Columbia department. I also have a monthly ‘home alone’ for Passover. It was eloquently eulogized by his children (luckily for me, it doesn’t like to let column, ‘Court Watch,’ in the New very strange to contemplate making and by distinguished rabbis and go of people), I spent a few years Jersey Law Journal.” a Seder by myself, for myself but, as academic colleagues. Due to the trying to save the world as a teacher Daniel Gover shares his thoughts Winston Churchill said: ‘A pessimist pandemic, he had a private funeral and counselor, chiefy in Bed-Stuy on NYC during COVID-19: “A makes every opportunity into a attended only by the members of his and the Lower East Side. Obvi- friend of mine visiting from

60 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews went to a newsstand in Brooklyn aware of some of the great legal issues and runs research projects at MIT; and asked the gentleman there, ‘May 1968 of our time. It would be great at our the MIT Press is releasing his I please have a copy of Newsweek next reunion to have a panel on con- book Workforce Education, A New magazine?’ Te guy looked at her Arthur Spector stitutional issues. He could chair; I bet Roadmap this year. It takes a hard and said, ‘Skip the speeches, lady.’ [email protected] it would be raucous and enlightening. look at America’s broken workforce It was clear to him that she was By the way, Ken Tomecki, our education system and how to fx it, nuts. ‘Ah,’ I said. ‘It’s obvious that Greetings from Miami Beach famous dermatologist, was clear a key policy step in redressing U.S. you lacked the local parlance and upstate New York! I hope all with me to be careful with the sun economic inequality that COVID- required of a rushed world of members of the Class of 1968 are and, Ken, I am! I try to swim almost 19 has signifcantly worsened. He Frank Dann commuters. “Newsweek” would have staying well. every day. would be came to this policy interest by a been more than sufcient to make I heard from Bill Chin, who is on impressed, along with the many path that began with social history your purpose known.’ the Cape; he sounded engaged with swimmers in the class. courses from David Rothman, Eric Tony “Tis tale has always reminded me some research — always a good sign It was so good to hear from Foner ’63, GSAS’69 and James Kao George Ting, of the innate kindness and courtesy for us all. and friends for Shenton ’49, GSAS’54, and sum- Pete of true New Yorkers. Now during a I also heard from Arthur all these years. I also heard from mer experience in Project Double Janovsky, time of virus and plague, we become Kaufman LAW’71, who teaches who was checking to see Discovery, eforts to help ready poor once more aware of the fundamental at the Law School — his 20th year, if I was all right. His twin daugh- high school students for college. decency that is essential to life in how time fies (Tempus fugit). He ters are now of to college. Peter is I taught in Double Discovery, the big, compressed, cheek-by-jowl, sounds full of good cheer, and his behind some of us, but has the joy too; it sometimes seemed like apartment-dwelling city. sons are doing well. He is a happy now of hearing the good stories from the most productive thing I did “Another friend passing through grandfather and he and his wife, frst-years. Peter’s great interest in at Columbia. Learning to read is from Utah was once surprised by a Susan, sound like they too are sur- the Marching Band must have been a double-edged sword, however; New York cabbie who did not over- viving the lockdown. He has been heightened as the school decided I nearly funked out in our frst charge him for a ride from Idlewild swimming a good bit — I didn’t about football and the other sports. semester reading Te Sot-Weed Andy Airport into Manhattan. He tipped know that rowers could swim! I did have a fun call with Factor, Catch-22 and V during fnals Herz the cabbie generously and said, I hear from my neighbor in — always good cheer — and week, instead of catching up on all ‘Tank you very much, sir.’ Te cabbie Miami, Ira McCown, who seems heard a great story about his wres- the classes I’d skipped. gave him the old fsh eye and said, to be weathering the storm there. A tling career and his reporting on Bill A retired professor of English ‘What are you, a wiseguy?’ Truly, this bit of trivia: Ira and Arthur went to Campbell ’62, TC’64. Many whom living in western Massachusetts, was a driver who had long pickled Mann H.S. I have spoken to have told me of Eugene Hill ’70 has been married Paul and marinated himself in the salty Tom Sanford, Arthur and I did the impact Bill had on them. for a third of a century to Heidi de Bary brine of the urban metropolis. a Zoom a few weeks ago (do you is another in this category. Holder GSAS’85, who teaches “It must have been a New Yorker “do” a Zoom?). Tom, as usual, is full Paul and his wife, Stefana, sound drama. He is often in touch with who wrote the lines for the mobster of charm and grace and has a deep like they are weathering the crisis friends from Stuyvesant, Columbia and his moll in the movie Scarface, interest in Columbia. of the day, and I hope they visit me and Princeton. Essays from his pen the one from the 1930s with Paul I received a package from Ken again in Miami. on Elizabethan plays are regularly Rich Rosenblum Muni as the gangster. In one scene Tomecki out of the clear blue. He writes, “Te imposed on graduate students being Masahiko Muni gets all dolled up for the mis- is probably trying to compensate for news, of course, is that trained to produce more of the Taketomo, Jef Kurnit sus and asks her, ‘How do you like missing the 50th, but I expect to see and Abby same. Te current viral enclosure has my diamond stickpin, baby?’ ‘Ooh,’ him at the 55th and onward. Kurnit BC’68 and I are among the encouraged him to cultivate a beard she replies, ‘it’s verrry ostentatious.’ Tanks, Ken, for the gift! 25 Columbia alumni singers who of Whitmanic dimension. ‘Yeah,’ the mobster says with a Robert Brandt and I have talked appear on a recent Alumni Singers I encountered Elizabethan laugh, ‘I knew you’d like it!’ a lot recently; he is always a pleasure video. Tis arrangement of ‘Down English head-on during a long-ago “With such palaver as this, to chat with on public policy issues. in the Valley’ has been a mainstay at Jamaican honeymoon. A remark- how can one not love the inherent His two sons seem to be doing well; Columbia. Te all-male Glee Club able turn by the Folk Ballet drew a refnement of true New Yorkers? I one is of to Chicago. He is regularly performed this piece often when we spectator behind me to utter, “Ah, know I do. It’s my hometown and cooking for his wife; a good job for sang with that all-male group: go but it warrrrms the cuckles of me I’m sticking with it, especially when sure. Robert’s skiing continued this online to bit.ly/3gKToBR.” hearrrt” in the thickest brogue since times are tough. When times are past winter. I learned a little more I am hoping that we can have Finley Peter Dunne laid down his tough, the tough put on their masks about his life in Miami Beach (near a Class of 1968 event in Miami pen. Te speaker turned out to be a and go to work.” where I live) when he was a child, Beach; I was thinking about Art sable-skinned woman in bright-col- Tom Sanford Share your news with CCT and and his summering at Te Sagamore Basel. I know is up ored African fabrics — the Brogue, your classmates by sending us an email. on Lake George, where Seth for the idea. Caribbean English, Brooklynese Weinstein spent some time. Tey I hope you are all well, and I look and N’Orleanian preserved traces were probably 10 years of age but forward to hearing from you when of Elizabethan articulation at the 1967 didn’t meet until many years later, you can be in touch. margins of the empire. of course. A couple of classmates have Albert Zonana Our great public health expert, remarked that what they brought [email protected] Nigel Paneth, has been trying to 1969 away from Columbia most relevant contribute to the research on and to present circumstances were expe- Nathaniel Wander Class Notes for CC’67 will be back in fnding some solutions to the virus. riences of racism and police violence [email protected] Michael Jacoby Brown the Winter 2020–21 issue; until then, I don’t think he made it to Vermont from 1968. stay healthy and be well. Please take this summer. writes, “During the COVID-19 a moment to send me a note. Your Gordon Harriss and I have Greetings for fall, Class of 1969. pandemic, I am reminded how rac- Bill Bonvillian classmates want to hear from you. emailed, and he seems to be well LAW’74 teaches ism afects who is infected and who

Fall 2020 CCT 61 Class Notes dies, including many of those now protecting the most vulnerable are ments. Like Jim, to whom go my very I very involved in campus activi- incarcerated where the pandemic is huge. If masking should have turned best wishes and thanks, I am grateful ties — at least, not until I lucked out most ferocious.” out to be nonsense, the cost will to you for the work you do on Class with a high draft lottery number, Michael was arrested “by the have been the surrender of a little Notes. We had superb classmates, and decided I should help other NYPD in for sitting in autonomy (“Who is the governor to and I am never surprised when one of students who were not so fortunate. my American history lounge when tell me what to do?!”) and sartorial us — whether Dov Zakheim or Sam So in spring 1970 I became a draft the University did not want me elegance while incurring of a bit Estreicher, Jim Periconi or Michael counselor, a task I kept at for two there. Te frst people hit and the of physical discomfort, admittedly Stern, or Jef Rudman more years while I was a playwriting hardest were Black Harlem high exacerbated in hot or humid locales. — does something exceptional.” student at the School of the Arts. school students sitting in with us; QED: Te rational person masks up. My goal in writing the Class After getting an M.F.A and seeing their blood was all over the room. It turns out that James Casimir Notes is to let classmates hear about a few of my plays performed Of- When I spent several days in a NYC Wisniewski, whom I thought had other classmates and, I hope, share Of-, I became a freelance jail, all my jailmates were Black and been “lost to view,” died at 67 in some of the pride that I feel as a writer, writing magazine articles Brown men who could not make Pittsburgh on November 1, 2015. member of the Class of 1970. mainly about business and fnance bail or had been arrested for the I had searched for Jim ftfully on My friend Professor Michael (about which I knew very little); then crime of having dark skin. Tis was the internet over the years, but only Aeschliman GSAS’91 wrote me I became an assistant professor of not part of the ‘ofcial’ Columbia discovered his fate in late June, about the republication of his book, journalism (though I’d never taken a curriculum, but thank you, Colum- responding to a query by a friend, Te Restoration of Man: C.S. Lewis journalism course); and still later, at bia, for these experiences.” Dr. Christina Surawicz BC’69, who’d and the Continuing Case Against Sci- 40, indulged a mid-life crisis by going In a similar vein, Renee Chin- known him briefy. Tere’s more to entism: “Pardon me for not being in back to school to get a doctorate in quapin wrote: “Getting bashed by a say about “Te Wiz” in the next col- better touch, and probably too late economics. I was told by one school NYPD cop during the strike graphi- umn, but being reminded of ongoing to do anything about reunion: your that, given my lack of prerequisites (I cally taught me ‘law enforcement’s’ ties to Barnard classmates like Chris emails all went to my old Boston majored in philosophy at Columbia role in protecting the interests of the and to teachers like anthropology University account, which, here in with no econ courses), I had no more ‘Ruling Class.’ During COVID-19 professor Abraham Rosman, whose Tuscany and in retirement, I did not business applying for a doctoral I’ve been holed up but thrilled and April 13, 2020, death was memorial- until very recently check. If anything program in economics than for med identifying, thanks to my Columbia ized online by the department on July about me would still be of interest school. However, I was accepted into experience, with the BLM folks 3, segues neatly into Te Tings Tey it could be found on the Wikipedia the program at Washington Uni- fghting police brutality.” Carried question for Winter 2020–21 article on me that recently went up versity in St. Louis, where I studied What Nathaniel Wander column submissions. (due to an old admirer and friend in with Nobel laureate Douglass North. brought away of most current Question: What have you carried Geneva, and a great surprise to me). I received a Ph.D. in 1992 but didn’t relevance is a generalization from away from Columbia in terms of Te best recent news from me (other get an academic job until 1994, when Pascal’s Wager. Te 17th-century connections to Barnard, to class- than the well-being of my beloved I became the Clarence Efroymson physicist and theologian Blaise mates and to teachers? wife, surviving this coronavirus Chair/Professor of Economics at Pascal cast an argument for the wor- plague in northern Italy despite Butler University. After 25 years, ship of God as a bet for or against lung cancer and heart problems) is six books and dozens of articles (for eternal life. If (an essentially French 1970 the republication of my frst book general as well as scholarly audi- Catholic) God existed, Pascal in both English and French in an ences) published, 14 diferent courses posited, and one failed to believe or Leo G. Kailas updated edition, Te Restoration of taught, as well as lots of good college practice as ordained, one risked los- [email protected] Man, with a particularly welcome basketball games attended, I retired ing the promised resurrection, while review of the French edition in the as the Efroymson Professor, efective if one believed and practiced and We missed our 50th reunion but weekly magazine of the great Paris May 2019 — just in time to avoid God didn’t exist, only some minor that will now I hope be rescheduled newspaper Le Figaro. the COVID-19 disruption at Butler. worldly pleasures would be lost. for June 2021, so please tune in to “I still think about my beloved “On the personal side, I have been QED: Te rational person should notices you receive from the College. deceased classmate Holland Hen- married to a wonderful person and believe and act as if God existed. In the Summer 2020 Class Notes drix, whom you kindly allowed me to scholar for 36 years. We have two While one could argue the column, I published a note from Jim mention and praise in a Class Note. I sons — one of whom is a lawyer, the contents of Pascal’s theological Kunen about . David, was also pleasantly surprised at how other a writer (I don’t know where he wager — are the costs of acting on who is still active as a professor and well Columbia handled the memorial got that from). Tough both thought Catholic theology as small as he editor of Te Best American Poetry, service for my friend and beloved about going to Columbia, neither claimed? (does the phrase “Spanish responded to my column with a former Columbia teacher Edward W. applied. My younger son was hoping Inquisition” ring any kind of bell?) fattering “thank you” that was also Tayler. I knew him very well and still to play college baseball (which he did — the form is genius: Acting on an a tribute to our classmates. David think he was a secret Christian. In at ) and needed to alternative that costs little if false writes, “What a surprise, and what any case, on the side of the angels.” be recruited by the CU coach (which but returns great beneft if true is a pleasure to read the Class Notes Peter Grossman SOA’72 took he wasn’t), and my older son told me, preferable to acting skeptically on an in CCT. God bless Jim Kunen, a the opportunity of the canceled ‘It’s a lot harder to get into Columbia alternative that costs immensely if very talented writer who wrote about reunion to give us a complete report now than it was when you applied,’ so untrue. Like wearing face cover- Spring ’68 even as it was happening on what he has done professionally he never sent in an application. But ings when going out during the under the name Simon James, as I and in life: “In light of the anni- of course, he was right.” COVID-19 pandemic. If “masking recall; it became Te Strawberry State- versary, I thought I would write a Te Summer 2020 issue included theory” is correct — while highly ment: Notes of a College Revolution- little bit about my life for the past an obituary for Heyward Dotson, plausible it has yet to be formally ary. To be complimented by him is half-century, even though I doubt who was part of the great Columbia tested in a convincing manner — wonderful, and I feel like opening a very many of my classmates have basketball team with Jimmy McMil- the benefts of mask-wearing in lim- bottle of champagne — even more any memory of me. I was neither lan (also now deceased) that made iting the spread of the pandemic and so now that I’ve read your own com- one of the best students nor was us all proud. I regret his passing.

62 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

many, including symbolists, sur- ogy at the University of , Barr, was featured on the cover of 1971 realists, poetry and art. He was an Emily earned a Ph.D. at Columbia. Te New York Times Magazine section avid reader in all of the languages Subsequent to that they moved to on June 7. He was the subject of the Lewis Preschel he was fuent in, reading epic and Durham, N.C., where Nick opened feature article in that issue, “William [email protected] classic mythology. Ray managed to a geology consulting business. Barr’s State of Emergency,” by Mat- introduce psychedelic efects into He loved reading literature, with tathias Schwartz. Bill Christophersen TC’78 writes, his work, while demonstrating his particular interest in archeology and As humans over 70, all of our class “My fourth collection of poetry, interest in classic mythology. He antiques. His passions included jazz, must take care — social distancing, Where Truth Lies, was published in explored his African-American roots art and architecture. Nick became a PPE (masks), washing our hands reg- April. Its edge is urban; its mix of via his works and portraits. skilled woodworker and blacksmith. ularly, trying to not contact surfaces styles skews formal. It ends with a For 30 years Ray labored in his He volunteered with Habitat for that could be contaminated and so on. rendition of the Anglo-Saxon poem small studio apartment in Brooklyn Humanity and the Durham Public Be serious about preventative mea- Te Seafarer that received the 2016 tucked away like a monk. To para- Library. He also helped found the sures. We are a select group, the Class Translation Prize from the poetry phrase a quote from Ray’s obit in Te Lerner Jewish Community Day of 1971, and we are leaving our mark journal Rhino.” New York Times, he read and made School in Durham. From all I have on the world. Let’s try to continue to Bill is also spending his time pictures because when an artist stops read about Nick, he never forgot have a chance to do just that. locked down by reading epics such making art, he stops being an artist. the ideals his Columbia education as Derek Walcott’s Omeros. Ray was recognized for his art at instilled in him. James Holte On a sad note, Bill informs us that 64 with a personal show called Insiders communicates that 1972 Rafael “Ray” Leonardo Black died Art, held at Francis M. Naumann during the lockdown he has stayed Paul S. Appelbaum on March 15, 2020, from complica- gallery. It received a wonder- home or socially distanced. Recently [email protected] tions of COVID-19. Bill remembers ful review by Te New York Times’s art retired as professor emeritus of his arid sense of humor, as well as his critic. Tey had so much interest in English and flm studies at East unique artistic talent. He demon- Ray that a follow-up interview by the Carolina University, he notes that As I write this in early summer, we strated an early version of his art Times was arranged. His last appear- the position enabled him for many are in strange times on the Colum- when he illustrated the campus liter- ance in the Times was his obituary. years to read and watch bia campus. You probably know ary magazine Atman’s cover. Ray left Columbia a semester excellent movies while the state of that classes went virtual and most Ray was born in Aruba. He spoke short of graduating on time. He North Carolina paid him for it. He students went home in March. Te and read English, Dutch, French and never returned, as he kept busy with has written several books. Te last eerily empty campus has become Spanish. He showed unique talent his art and supporting his work was Imagining the End: Te Apoca- a place where young people and as a draftsman and artist as a child. with small jobs. He will be missed lypse in American Popular Culture. He families can enjoy some fresh air His parents encouraged his artistic by his College friends with whom did devote a section to pandemics; and some greenery while socially very intuitive. distancing. None of us know what When he retired, James, accom- the fall will bring. However, life goes panied by his wife, traveled by train on in Morningside Heights: People Recently retired James Holte ’71 traveled by train across across the nation. Tis recreated his socially distance while waiting to the nation, recreating his 1969 ’44-style 1969 Jack Kerouac ’44-style hitch- pick up their orders at Shake Shack, hiking trip, without the dangers of and the old West End is undergoing hitchhiking trip without the dangers of strangers. strangers. Although a long train trip yet another conversion, this time to should be put on hold for the fore- a game café. And life goes on for our seeable future, James suggests a long classmates as well. Amtrak ride as a great experience. Sherwin Borsuk writes that he Ray Stricker pursuits. He moved to New York in remained close, including John Tay- PS’78 says and his wife, Ruth, are “keeping a low Tej Harazika. 1965 and became involved in the cul- lor ’69, SOA’75 and COVID-19 has all of San Francisco profle at home and fnd ourselves ture of the Village and the new age Rev. is “hiding and hoping.” When school enjoying the slower pace of life social of rock ’n’ roll — visiting many of the using his quarantine time to check reopens and the kids and teach- distancing necessitates. I am happily small clubs, he saw musicians such in with his congregation members ers share rooms and breathe on retired since 2016. My radiology as Jimi Hendrix prior to their fame. while sheltering at home, out of each other, it is very worrisome. group has grown from 10 to 35 since Te self-trained draftsman’s unique respect to age and health. He also Ray’s daughter, Zoe, is fnishing then and I would not have enjoyed art forced his discovery by literary informs CCT that his good friend an M.F.A. at Bennington College going large and corporate. Nick Bogen culture of the village. GSAS’83, who gradu- and will, she hopes, get to see the “Ruth and I have three wonder- Ray developed his style of straight ated with CC’77, passed recently. beautiful Vermont fall foliage. His ful granddaughters — Rosalind, line, pencil art that earned him recog- Both Nick and Dan took time son, Avi, works for Schröedinger, Dorothea and Calla, ages 3.5 years, nition to the point of drawing illus- of after the intensity of emotions which develops drug design software 2.5 years and 8 weeks — and are trations for reviews in Crawdaddy, from the 1968 spring semester. Dan platforms for Big Pharma, so, it enjoying our grandparental dotage. an iconic village scene magazine. In expressed for both of them that they hopes soon, it can design one for Our last trip pre-COVID was to 1967 he illustrated the magazine’s identify with our class. a COVID-19 vaccine. Ray’s wife, Morocco, which was fascinating reviews of Te Beatles’s Sgt. Pepper’s Nick earned a doctorate in geol- Gina, retired from NASA. Ray and colorful. We learned a great Lonely Hearts Club Band and Jimi ogy from Columbia in 1983. He remains specialized in fghting deal about Moroccan history as well Hendrix’s Are You Experienced. grew up on the Long Island Sound, tick-borne diseases via telemedicine, as about two Jewish groups who His black and white, linear, developing a deep love of sailing and but he has raised his voice for more had lived there, those in the Atlas detailed and precise technique was nature from his youth. At Columbia, aggressive preventative measures Mountains and those from the so intricate that to fully appreci- Nick met his wife, against COVID-19. Spanish expulsion, and their difer- ate it, often the viewer needed a BC’78, GSAS’89, who was attend- Our class’s presently most- ing customs. Looking forward to William P. magnifying glass. His sources were ing Barnard. While he taught geol- renowned individual, travel again when reality allows.”

Fall 2020 CCT 63 Class Notes

Right here in the neighborhood is administration from the University of Let us know how you’ve been variety of classmates. Unfortunately, Jonathan Crary GSAS’87, who since Miami. In January 2019, Scott mar- coping with our current world. And it also gives details on a classmate 1989 has been teaching at Columbia, ried Lindsey, and the couple moved do stay safe. who passed away in April: Carl where he is the Pro- to Boston, where Lindsey is in her Yirka. As you will read, Carl had fessor of Modern Art and Teory. His fnal year of residency in ob/gyn at just retired from a 30-year career at twin boys, who grew up in Morning- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Cen- 1973 the Vermont Law School Library side Heights, attended the Columbia ter. Scott recently earned a second (most recently as its director). Te K–8 school. Jonathan teaches courses master’s (in business administration) Barry Etra timing of his death only makes it in areas of 19th-century art, media from and works for a [email protected] feel more tragic. studies, and issues in technology and boutique private wealth management An email came in with the visual culture. He writes, “My recent company. Says Wayne, “Red Sox fans Someday we will tell our grandkids intriguing subject line: “Once every book, 24/7: Late and the will envy the fact that he can see the about living through this time. Many 40 years … ”. It was from Paul Mon- Ends of Sleep, staked out some new feld at Fenway Park from the roof of of us are experiencing it with them. dor, who admitted to last updating us directions for my work; it’s been his apartment building. Both couples James Minter hopes that all around 1980. Seems like around that translated into 21 foreign languages hope to return in the near future to have stayed safe; he and his husband, time he was working in the family so far. Since the mid-1980s I’ve been live in Miami Beach. David, have been ensconced in their business and “trying to fnd myself.” a co-editor of Zone Books, which “Tese days my wife and I are Hudson Valley retreat since early Chance had it that a buddy took him I started with two fellow CU grad staying safe at home, while Florida, March. Lots of books, DVDs and for a ride in a small Cessna: “I fell in students, and it’s now an internation- and Miami in particular, have long walks are the order of the days, love with fying, so much so that I ally noted small press for philosophy, become hotspots for the COVID- and their “closets have never been left the family business and started art, social theory and history.” 19 pandemic. Because I’ve been cleaner.” Tey will mark 30 years down the aviation highway.” If you haven’t written in because retired for 22 years, we are used to together in September. After a few years at a commuter you’re sure you wrote recently, take spending both our days and nights As noted in Columbia magazine, airline, Paul was hired by Delta, and a lesson from Wayne Cypen: “I got together. Our two favorite vacations was presented the during the next 33 years he logged your email inviting me to contribute — cruising and Las Vegas — are, 2020 Vilcek Prize for Excellence in many miles fying all over the world. to CCT Class Notes, and I thought, not surprisingly, suspended for the Administration of Justice, an award “In the course of all this travel I met ‘I just did that not long ago.’ Imag- foreseeable future. Ironically, the virus that honors champions of immigrant a woman from Scotland who lured ine my surprise when I went back to has brought me closer to many high causes. He is the chief judge of the me there one summer day. I fell my last submission and saw it was school friends, as well as a number of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second for her and now consider Scotland almost 10 years ago! cousins, through regular Zoom con- Circuit, recognized for broadening my home for the past 12 years,” he “Some things haven’t changed. ferences. I continue to enjoy listening access to legal representation. shares. You might also fnd Paul at I’m still the chair of the Miami to books on my daily walks, and for Eugene Drucker, as mentioned his home in Highland Beach, Fla. He Alumni Representative Commit- the frst time, I’ve binge-watched in this column previously, is a found- retired in 2017 and says he is flling tee, now going on 40 consecutive Netfix and Amazon Prime shows. ing member of the Emerson String his days with golf, fy fshing, cycling years, and Columbia is even more “To all my Columbia classmates, Quartet; as well, his frst novel, Te and skiing. He says, “Some days it is popular — and even more selective. I wish you the best. Please be well Savior, was published in 2007. He hard to decide which to do frst!” I have actually interviewed a number and stay safe!” expects to fnish his second by next I’m sure there are many class- of applicants whose parents I had Finally, Ron Cohen PS’76 summer. Te Quartet’s recording mates actively involved in the interviewed. I take pride in the fact refects that these are “strange times of three Schumann quartets will COVID-19 crisis, but I’ll pass on that our region consistently ranks indeed. I can confrm that my be released in late October; their updates from two of our pandemic among the leaders in number of Carman roommates, Ed Reisner concert schedule has been canceled docs. Dr. Christopher Puca wrote interviews completed and percent- and Tom Shorten, are at least well until some indeterminate future, for from Tucson about what he called “a age of applicants interviewed when enough to read emails occasionally. obvious reasons. Eugene has been on beautiful day in the neighborhood.” compared to regions of our size (we I’m still active as a clinical profes- the faculty at SUNY Stony Brook He tells of standing in a parking had 404 applicants this year). I am sor of pediatrics/neonatology at since 2002. He has composed several lot examining an individual in his also on the Board of Directors and Stanford. One of my ‘hats’ is disaster works for voice and strings, as well. pickup for possible COVID-19. He chair of the investment committee preparedness, which is keeping me Tere you have it. Stay safe, be said it was made more challeng- of Miami Jewish Health Systems.” particularly busy on Zoom lately. smart, be well. Tis, too, shall pass. ing by the 106-degree Tucson sun, But Wayne does have changes When not in the NICU, I’m able being attired in a full hazmat suit, in the family. His older son, Jeremy, to social distance at our cabin with face mask, goggles and gloves, and graduated from medical school at internet in the Sierra mountains. 1974 the smoke from a nearby forest fre the top of his class (earning Alpha I’m guessing it’ll be a while before that gagged him and his colleagues. Omega Alpha honors), did an I’ll safely be able to board a plane, Fred Bremer (Tink of this when you hear some- internal medicine residency at Duke walk through JFK and revisit [email protected] one complain about being required and worked there for a year before Morningside Heights. My middle to wear a mask at !) accepting a hospitalist position at child, Emily, graduated from high Te pandemic has disrupted many Another classmate on the front UC Irvine, where his wife, Sanja, an school this past spring without any aspects of our lives. Tis included lines of battling the virus is Dr. ophthalmologist, is doing a two-year graduation, prom or goodbye, and the ability of our CCT staf to Larry Stam (who lives in Man- fellowship in oculoplastics. He says, is now waiting to fnd out if she’ll produce the print version of the hattan and is a nephrologist at “Jeremy and Sanja welcomed their actually be able to go to the UC Summer 2020 issue. But fear not NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn frst child — and our frst grandchild Santa Barbara campus she fell in — you can fnd it online at college. Methodist Hospital). He tells us — Jackson, in September 2018.” love with, or if it will turn out to be columbia.edu/cct/issue/summer20. that he has had to deal with the Wayne’s younger son, Scott, grad- a ‘correspondence course’ college. Just click on the Class Notes link, acute renal failure that aficts many uated from the University of Mary- “Best to all my fellow Columbians type “1974” in the box and you coronavirus patients. Larry also sits land and earned a master’s in sport — please wear a mask and stay safe!” will be able to read updates from a on the medical board at the hospital.

64 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

He added that he occasionally thing that will keep me tasked for its inception. Mel’s educational work ethic, an attitude of grati- bumps into Dr. Reggie Manning the foreseeable future.” background also includes the NYU tude for the fnancial assistance he PS’78, who is an orthopedist at A bonus item for those that have master’s in taxation program. Visit received from Columbia and a will- Methodist Hospital. made it to the end of this column. his CAfA profle: bit.ly/30VqFUk. ingness to help others. Jorge prac- For the past 30 years, Dr. David Walking by Tom’s Restaurant Jose “Cheo” Diaz has written ticed law for more than 30 years in DiJohn has been doing research on recently, I saw the latest item to be a short autobiography, From the criminal and immigration litigation, and treatment of pediatric infectious added to its traditional menu of Streets of New York City. Jose covers including in the Latino community, diseases, including infants and chil- greasy items (and, of course, cups of his career in Latin music radio, as during the present anti-immigrant dren with HIV/AIDS. He directed a “creamo”): a lobster roll. I had to go a baseball commentator, in a DA’s administration. He started Jorge pediatric AIDS clinic in New York, in to fnd the price of this delectable: ofce, as a judge and as an attorney Guttlein & Associates in 2007, and taught clinical pediatrics at the NYU $19.50. Seems like a good time to practicing in Boca Raton, Fla. His he mentored young attorneys. For Medical Center and was the director add a “caveat emptor”! book is about an individual raised us out-of-towners, no visit to New of pediatric infectious disease for the Tere you have it. Updates in the tough streets of Spanish York was complete without stopping Flushing Hospital Medical Center in from classmates battling infections Harlem who became successful, to visit Jorge, who managed to fnd New York. As best I can tell, David in various parts of the country, a and is available in Chinese, French, time to meet friends despite his moved to Nevada in 2014 to become grandchild joining our ranks and German, Spanish and English. Jose impossible schedule. Future visits an associate professor of pediatrics classmates following difering paths broadcasted his radio show “Te will never be the same.” at the Reno School of Medicine and to and in retirement. Take a moment Mambo Machine” on WKCR radio Phelps Hawkins and his wife, for the past three years has done the to pass on how you are spending at Columbia 1971–2001. Sandra, fed the humid and, in these same at the University of Nevada your waning years as a sexagenarian! Peter Garza-Zavaleta has days, somewhat crazy American School of Medicine. been living in Germany (Erlangen, South, for their second home in the I saw a Facebook post from Mark Bavaria — close to Nuremberg) Adirondacks. Pictures of them sail- Mogul (who lives in Port Washington, 1975 with his partner, Hendrik Reinke, ing make me drool! N.Y.) announcing the latest member for four years. Peter still has his Reminding me that he was the of the greater Class of ’74 family, as Randy Nichols place in Sitges, Spain, outside of original class correspondent in the Mark welcomed a third grandchild. [email protected] Barcelona. He loves to travel, and 1970s but had not contributed to I wonder how long it will be before does so as often as he can, mainly our Class Notes since, Eugene R. the number of grandchildren will First, an apology for not submitting in Europe, Mexico and the U.S. He Hurley III now has plenty to outnumber the number of classmates? Class Notes for the Summer 2020 is a business English and Spanish share. He was in the mood to do A press release came in saying issue! Miss ’Rona (aka coronavirus) language trainer for Siemens, but is so because he’s making a big life Les Bryan JRN’75 (who lives in is not the only thing that can play enjoying semi-retirement. Peter is a change — after a lifetime in the Derby, U.K.) has taken over as presi- whack-a-mole with an old guy’s body! member of the Neukirche Kantorei NYC metro area, he and his wife dent of the Rotary Club of Derby. It I am healthy again and enjoying life Choir in Erlangen, singing in moved to Bloomington, Ind., for his noted that due to COVID-19, Les in Baltimore with my two cats. concerts and loving it. He continues retirement years. will face the challenge of holding Melih “Mel” Dogan LAW’78 to paint; check out his work at After graduation, Gene was a club meetings and events online. was appointed in January as an petergarza.art. He enjoys riding his trade magazine editor, then entered From the West Coast came an arbitrator in art with the Court of bike, cooking and of course eating , graduating in update from Garrett Johnson (an Arbitration for Art, a joint initiative out! Recently Peter took a wine tast- 1982. During and after law school he entertainment lawyer who splits of the Netherlands Arbitration ing tour in La Rioja, spending time was a clerk for U.S. Magistrate John his time between Los Angeles and Institute and the Authentication in the area of San Sebastian, Caden in the Eastern District of Mount Vernon, N.Y.). Garrett com- in Art Organization. CAfA was where his family is from. New York. In 1983, Gene joined the ments on the occasional retirement founded to resolve disputes in Jorge “George” de Jesus Manhattan D.A.’s Ofce as an assis- announcements in this column: the wider art community through Guttlein SIPA’79, LAW’79 passed tant D.A., spending the next 35 years “Kudos to all those in the position mediation and arbitration. Mel has away on December 23, 2019. I asked there before retiring in the middle of and who have the inclination to more than 40 years of business arbi- his good friend Fernando Castro 2018, working in the Trial Division make that choice. I am fortunate to tration and litigation experience in to share a few words on his passing: and specializing in homicide cases have a vocation that is also an avoca- U.S. federal and state courts, as well “Jorge would have been 67 on the as well as sex trafcking rings. He tion, which I still very much enjoy.” as international forums, and he has 29th of December. He is survived by was appointed a senior trial counsel Garrett recently began a one-year represented numerous artists and his son, Juan Carlos; wife, Luisa; and in 1994, and says that the work was tenure as president of Te California collectors in contractual disputes grandchildren, Siboney Rose and always challenging and engaging. Copyright Conference, a 50-year- with galleries. He also has negoti- Joaquin Ronin Guttlein. Gregarious For the past few years, Gene’s old professional trade organization ated and provided representation for and generous, it was impossible not been creating a collection of walk- involving the practical and legal gallery-artist , art shipment to know him, as he was a security ing guides to Paris, , for cell aspects of copyright law, licensing and storage issues, art taxation and guard at various Columbia Col- phones. It involves a great deal of and publishing. He was also selected estate matters, art-related labor lege dormitories on a work-study historical research (and yes, visits to to be one of the legal counselors to claims and Art Fair agreements. program. Jorge had an unmistak- Paris and learning to read French). the estate of jazz legend Telonius Mel co-founded, with investors, the able laugh that was accepting of Gene married a Brooklyn Law Monk. Garrett clues us in to be on C24 Gallery in Chelsea, New York everyone and that cut through any School classmate, Margaret Schae- the lookout for an “undiscovered City. For the past nine years, it has pretensions. During his years at the fer, in 1982. Tey have two sons, gem” — a live performance by Monk showcased an international coterie College, rather than opting for more Bill and Peter. Bill (34) is a success- that is expected to be released this of painters, sculptors, installation spacious quarters, he remained in ful software engineer, and Peter (31) summer (Monk - Palo Alto). Garrett and video artists; has participated in 12 John Jay with classmates who is a successful patent agent, both says the estate has a “treasure trove more than 25 art fairs in the United remained friends/family for life. Te in the New York area. Gene and of Monk material being catalogued States and globally; and has hosted only son of a single mother, Jorge Margaret divorced in 2003. In 2004, for exploitation and I hope some- more than 35 artist exhibitions since approached his studies with a strong after meeting on Match.com, Gene

Fall 2020 CCT 65 Class Notes

married Ivy Millerand, and they Founded on the principles of charity, CC or Humanities requirements, I reminiscing and looking forward. remain happily married. unity and fraternity, the Knights still beneft from those educational Also, we compare the situation in Gene has lived in Manhattan, were established in 1882 by Father treasures in my own teaching.” Egypt to the United States, and the Long Island (where he grew up) Michael J. McGivney while an assis- For the rest of this column, I time just fies. and northern New Jersey (where tant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in want to share my personal refec- Dining: My cooking has been he’s been since 2004). Ivy is from New Haven, Conn. Its intent was to tions on isolation in an urban improving by leaps and bounds. I northern Jersey, though she has also bring fnancial aid and assistance to environment, and hope it will inspire am now making vegetarian chili lived in New Brunswick and briefy the sick, disabled and needy mem- ’76ers to share their thoughts for the with kidney beans and lentils and a in Denver. In NYC, they had a bers and their families. next column. number of other non-meat dishes. I great view of the Manhattan skyline Edwin Vega enjoyed Jose Family: Seeing everyone without am trying to lose weight, unsuc- and were planning on staying put. “Cheo” Diaz’s book (mentioned the usual kisses and hugs is difcult. cessfully, because either my cooking Ten came a visit to Gene’s sister earlier). Edwin teaches mathematics Since my three children are all is so good, or my cooking is totally and brother-in-law in Blooming- to high-risk high school students in relatively local, but also in urban compromising my previously deli- ton (they have lived there for four the Los Angeles area. environments, most meetings are cate sense of taste. I also have driven decades, since attending the Indiana By the way, Gene Hurley’s note with masks. I did experiment with a to West 110th and Amsterdam to University Jacobs School of Music). reminded me of how I became recent outdoor Mexican restaurant get V&T to go. It has to stay there Gene and Ivy met their vast array of your class correspondent. I had just gathering. Te evening was very post-pandemic or my heart will be friends and saw the many cultural moved to Louisiana, was uncom- enjoyable and almost normal. Unfor- broken! Plus, we still need a gather- oferings at the university, and they fortable being a Yankee in the tunately, events like bar mitzvahs and ing place for our Tursday or Friday also noticed the big improvements conservative deep south, was in the weddings have been canceled for the night 45th reunion meetup in June to the town since Gene was last process of getting a divorce and was most part or happen on Zoom, which 2021 (staying optimistic!). there in 2008, including dozens of in general not very happy with life. is not the same thing. But in true Hobbies and household ethnic restaurants, the many outdoor Ten Terry Mulry and Allan Bahrs ’76er fashion, I usually have a drink repairs: Tis is the most exciting recreational opportunities and the ’63, BUS’65 from the Alumni Ofce during any Zoom event. category. Piano-playing has become lack of trafc. Deciding they had contacted me and twisted my arm Alumni: Columbia has done a so much fun, as I endeavor for the nothing tying them to the NYC to take on the challenge of being really good job staying in touch, frst time in years to learn new clas- area, they made the move, and have class correspondent. I don’t know ofering interesting live events and sical music. I am working on new no second thoughts. what they were thinking, but doing making them available via stream- Debussy and Field nocturnes, and Reacting to an article in CCT, so forced me to reestablish ties to ing. Te Earth Institute in particular continuing with Beethoven, Bach, Albert Mrozik reminds us that New York and to you all. It’s been an has had some interesting scientifc/ Chopin, Gershwin and Schubert he was the frst openly gay judge amazing ride since! Go Lions! medical discussions of the pandemic. piano works that I know — plus appointed to a New Jersey municipal Zoom reunions with certain more. My audience of one (me) court, in 1993. activities and classmates have also thinks I play terrifcally. Tat’s my Ken Scherzer has submitted his 1976 been enjoyable. Plus, the usual story and I am sticking to it! fnal grades and retired. He looks telephone calls are important and Household repairs have been forward to having more time to do Ken Howitt meaningful. Please reach out to an adventure. I have a very capable research and spend time on things [email protected] me if you want to be included or handyman, Elvis (“Elvis is in the that he enjoys. Like many of us, Ken notifed about any Columbia alumni house!” is what I declare to my kids was excited about the reunion Zoom Here’s hoping all my classmates are activities. I can get you on the list when a repair project is underway). call, but disappointed when he (we) faring well in these trying times. I with the Alumni Ofce or email you My late wife’s Singer sewing machine didn’t receive connection details in usually send out a broadcast email when I am doing one. needed rebuilding, so we got some time to participate. to get updates, but with everyone Work: Since January 2019, I have gears and my mask-making (for Bob Schneider is now a in slow-motion mode, depend- worked about 80 hours a month as free) business is still steaming along. third-degree Knight of Columbus. ing on where you are, I relied on a bookkeeper for a technology frm. Let me know if you need masks. my contacts with the usual list of Since we have resources worldwide, Classmates will not pay anything, so suspects, and there is almost nothing the online video discussions were part I don’t get criticism or complaints. extraordinary to report. Everyone of our normal operations, so there was Te other major repair was my I talked to had mainly “not much no real adjustment once the shutdown gas dryer. More than 30 years ago, diferent” news, and the bad news is came. In general, we use Teams, but we bought a stackable White- usually not theirs to report. all of those programs are similar. Westinghouse washer/dryer set I received the following update Friends: Interestingly, when I that ended up separated under the from Tom Schwartz at Vanderbilt walk around Hoboken and recog- kitchen counter. Te washer has University about his latest book: nize a masked-up person, it is a been replaced three times, the dryer Send in “ and American terrifc encounter. I live very close to was still the original. In March, it Your News Power: A Political Biography was a Starbucks, and I think that people, started malfunctioning. So, Elvis published on August 25. Book just to get out, are buying more cof- and I removed the motor and Share what’s happening in promotion in the age of COVID- fee than ever. I am still trying to save started our tinkering. I was not eager your life with classmates. 19 means that I will be doing some money out of habit and make cofee to replace it at the beginning, since Click “Contact Us” at Zoom interviews, but I can’t do at home. who wanted a new dryer that came the traditional bookstore appear- Another great part of my week is with the coronavirus? Also, the size college.columbia.edu/cct, ances or signings. But I would be a regular Zoom call with a Barnard could not be matched and a new gas or send news to the address delighted to sign any Columbia classmate who has lived in Egypt dryer would have necessitated a total at the top of your column. classmate’s copy if they want to send with her husband for the last 15 kitchen remake. it along. I am in my 30th year at years. Every Friday at 7 a.m., we Elvis and I (the retired printer, Vanderbilt, and while we don’t have talk for more than 90 minutes — who did those repairs for 20 years)

66 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews started diagnosing the motor problem to move back to our home on one and that there was no Facebook and the freedom of markets, in and ultimately replaced the GE October 1, 2019. Just in time for fre that year — not one of us would the pursuit of fanciful models of starter switch, and the dryer is now evacuation orders two weeks later!” have predicted that the USA and human progress. Beyond that, my humming along like new. Te best However, “Since then, we have world be where it is today. Nor could corner of the world is adapting to part of this story is when I asked been enjoying our new home, now we have predicted that the very term survive the dangers of disease, in Elvis, “How long will this dryer last in furnished, landscaped and comfort- “Columbia” and what it stood for which setting I continue to work this kitchen?” His answer was, “Lon- able. Lynn and I both work at local — an alternative and proud claim to advance medical treatments to ger than you!” You got to love Elvis. hospitals” — Bill is a clinical social of patriotism and a synonym for alleviate mental illness, mild and I hope you enjoyed this column worker — “so we have something America itself — would be subject severe. Outrageously, much of that about my thoughts and adventures. I resembling a familiar routine. to historical and perhaps soon work must be done with am looking forward to some equally Hospital work can be stressful under existential questioning. And yet, in never granted FDA approval for pleasant refections from classmates the best of circumstances, and now the Core that we were soon diving the care of mental illness, and thus for the next issue. So, send in your the pandemic has raised the levels.” into as freshman (or “frst-years,” as never provided insurance coverage updates! Stay healthy, stay safe and Bill remarks that it is “so unsettling it is now correct to say) — which for that purpose; or with medicines keep smiling. to have an uncertain future” but recently celebrated 100 years — approved long ago, with the result of also that, obviously, “Our family has there was always a hint that nothing a virtual absence of recent academic survived trauma, and continued, and is promised to anyone, that there support comparing these treatments 1977 we will keep moving forward.” are no easy answers or even obvious to the current, often feeble ‘standard I heard from Walter Simson, questions, and that just when all of care,’ simply for lack of industry David Gorman who lives in Irvine, Calif., and is seems lost, often the worst is yet support, which is now virtually the [email protected] CEO of an international tech com- to come. Still, we were taught that only support of academic research pany. “I commuted weekly from New you can survive and then go on to in clinical psychopharmacology. As “Stay well, wash your hands and Jersey until my back just couldn’t take victory or understanding, or at least I gradually retire from direct patient don’t touch your face,” advises frst- it anymore, at which point my wife to write an insightful description of care, it is my intention to publish time respondent Michael Katzman and I moved to California. Tis is my what just happened and a theory on a textbook including the best PS’81, who gets to say this because ffth cross-country move for a CEO how to avoid it the next time. clinical fndings of the past to guide he is a professor at Penn State assignment and is probably the best So I can only say that the Class of current-day clinicians to the best College of Medicine, specializing in terms of, say, surf quality.” If this 1978, as with all those mid-second care of the many forms of mental in infectious diseases. Michael were not enough, Walter has other half of the 20th century Morn- illness, without regard to the latest recounts, “After medical school, aspirations: “My long-form writing ingside Heights classes, is made of commercial products on ofer.” where I met my wife, we moved to projects are on hold. (Turnarounds sterner stuf, and I doubt that 2020 I have had the good fortune to Cleveland and then to Hershey, Pa.” are bad for aspiring novelists. Too will get us down for long if at all. catch up with a number of ’78ers At the Penn State Health Milton S. many plot twists in real life.) I did One of our many class scientists, during sessions organized by fellow Hershey Medical Center, Michael maintain a weekly CEO column for J. Alexander “Alec” Bodkin (of Columbia scribe Ken Howitt ’76, as divides his time roughly equally Inc.com for a number of years, and McLean Hospital, an afliate of described here by the inimitable Tom among teaching, clinical work and I’ve recently taken out a notebook for Harvard Medical School) shares, “As Mariam: “Te one good thing to “directing our Antimicrobial Stew- some other ideas. Other than that, for the pandemic itself, this is a com- come out of the pandemic has been ardship Program, which I developed I’m being tutored in German. My pletely unanticipated chapter in the the opportunity to reunite, as a group, as my 25 years of basic research on language skills are not improving, history of human life. I appreciate the with many friends from Columbia. I retrovirus integrase enzymes was but German grammar is said to be intellectual help Columbia provided have enjoyed regular Zoom calls with winding down.” Michael and his good for warding of early dementia.” us to deal with this unanticipated the WKCR sports staf of the 1970s wife “raised three wonderful chil- In the Before Time, Walter adds, “I catastrophe. I hope that Columbia (including Matt Nemerson and Jef dren, who graduated from Wellesley saw Bill Gray a number of times in is able to refrain from ‘canceling’ the Klein) and also the Board of Gov- (and then P&S), Yale and Hopkins, New York and enjoyed those meet- expression of thinking that does not ernors of the Columbia University and who live in Idaho, the Philly ings. Geof Levitt ’76 (my Carman adhere to the views required by the Club of New York, which included area and San Francisco,” concluding, suitemate freshman year and my best far left. Princeton has plummeted a lot of 1978ers (Fred Rosenstein, “I hope the world will settle down man some time later) have gotten from its prior heights by eagerly Tom Bisdale, Don Simone and so we can visit them again.” We all together in New York, on Zoom and indulging the preposterous demands Ed Deitch). I also dug into my second that. Oh, and he mentions in Tokyo, not in that order.” of those who despise the eforts of Columbia roots during the pandemic that “it was great reconnecting with Greetings also from Michael past Americans. Columbia must not by ordering dinner from V&T, even John Santamaria, Leslie Cohen Haley, who has been writing songs in do the same. though I live in Westchester. We and Mark Ligorski at our 40th the last two or three years (more than “Te political oferings for have to make sure that V&T is not a reunion in 2017.” 100 as of when he wrote me), and has November are not that compelling, casualty of COVID-19. It has meant We last heard from Bill Dorsey started recording them, as well. but Joseph Biden is not terrify- a lot to all of us all these many years.” not long after that same reunion, ing, while Trump is a horror. But if I think Tom makes a great point when his house in northern Biden edges much further to satisfy about V&T, and I go there when my California (along with more than 1978 the demand of the far left, he too wife, Marian Chertow BC’77, and I 1,000 others) burned in the Tubbs may become a horror. What we visit the neighborhood. It would be Fire. “My wife, Lynn, and I were Matthew Nemerson should do then, I do not know. great if everyone went out of their fortunate to fnd a comfortable [email protected] “I read endlessly about the way to keep ordering during these home about seven miles away, after magnifcent eforts of Winston difcult times. a couple of months of jumping from I’m not sure where to start, except Churchill to save the West. I Back to the medical world with place to place. Two stressful years of to say that 46 years ago when we hope that our parents’ generations’ word from Dr. Bob Crochelt: “I dealing with insurance, architects showed up for Orientation — and sacrifces are not threatened by those retired from surgery in February. and builders led us to being able yes, I know that we didn’t have a real who reject intellectual freedom Looking for another thing to do,

Fall 2020 CCT 67 Class Notes

but the plague has made it a little Mintz Levin came to the rescue of more democratic and more normal Columbia notebook back in the day. difcult. Moving from Montana this column: “Working from home politics. Otherwise, I shudder to I decided that I should be prepared to California where my wife, Dr. has been challenging on several imagine. On the issue of BLM, I to take notes even though there Donna Smith, will fnish out her levels. Te work part is not really a believe I recognize the incredible would be no test; it was an experi- career. Ten, if we are both stay problem but staying in touch with scope of white privilege, more than ence of pure learning. healthy, who knows? my clients, friends and contacts, I ever knew. I hope the BIPOC I then told myself, “Why are you “One thing we learned for certain and doing networking and business population will be helped by our taking notes? Just enjoy the lecture.” at Columbia was how to read, which development, is difcult. It has also government due to the insistence of But I was so glad I had my notebook I fnd a great comfort these days. been hard seeing my grandchildren the population that every American and pen because, like a salmon, I “For November we will either at a distance and not being able to citizen should be treated equally, and was swimming upstream to where elect Biden and return somewhat hug them and roll on the grass with having a permanently poor, over- learning frst really entered my life, back to a rule of law, or elect ‘tRump’ them. My ‘night job,’ as an EMT on policed class living in areas deprived the halls of Columbia College. again and wind up living in a dic- my local volunteer ambulance, has of many services white people like Te Zoom lecture professor, Chris tatorship, ruled by executive orders also been challenging. Late March me assume we can get, is not only Washburne GSAS’99, was fantastic. enforced perhaps by force. and April are just a blur, trying to untenable but an afront to what He gave a beautiful history of the “Looking at the issues of the work from home and dealing with America should stand for.” racial divide that was New Orleans, BLM movement we also learned fve times our normal call volume on We are all fne here. My wife had including cartoons from the news- that we are all equal. Historically, the ambulance service was difcult. to and will again probably teach her paper at the turn of the last century, certain groups have clearly been left Te back seat of my car looks like Yale classes on Zoom, but she picked when a crowd of white “owners” it up quickly and once we installed refuse to listen to “slave music.” He a new fber-optic connection in our was clearly a master of the world of house it all went well. My daughter music, yet the metaphor that he saw Dave Campbell ’80, a highly lauded and board-certified in Shanghai, Joy, was the one we were in jazz touched me deeply. spine surgeon, was on television during the pandemic, worried about in February, and now As an orthopedic surgeon for 31 she worries about us. years, what I’ve learned to appreciate giving updates from Florida. And with that we conclude the in more than 15,000 operations is class column written (like all), from that my life in the operating room home, but which hopes to fnd you is also a lot like jazz. Te steps of a all safe at home and with healthy surgery from beginning to end do behind, especially POC and women. a PPE warehouse. Now our call families and with lives not too ter- not come with an owner’s manual We must lift these groups up to volume has settled down but it’s still ribly impacted by the current situ- like your car, a machine built by a assume their place in our society. We scary being out there. So far I have ation. I thought the scariest thing I human being. Rather, I work each must continue to protect the rights not been sick but who knows what would be writing about this year was day on a machine built by some- of women to choose when they to expect going forward?” starting to think about Medicare, thing else. Whether you believe in become pregnant and protect safe We also heard from Alfred Feliu but as often happens, reality got in God or not, it is a privilege to work and legal abortion. We must protect LAW’81, of New Rochelle, N.Y.: the way. Stay well and write soon. on this miraculous machine. Even if the rights of LGBTQ and anyone “Most of my work is as an arbitrator I am replacing the “other” knee on else who is ‘diferent.’ and mediator of employment and a patient for whom years ago I did “I am reading Against the Day, by commercial disputes, and in-person 1979 the contralateral side, in that same Tomas Pynchon. Long and chal- hearings and mediations were not person the artery, the nerve, the lenging enough to last a plague. A only the norm but also almost Robert Klapper ligament, the tendon, the muscle, few other things. Enjoying invariably how such proceedings [email protected] the bone, the cartilage will not be Review of Books; Paris Review; and were conducted. No longer. Like exactly like the other side. What I Lapham’s Quarterly. Te scientifc everyone else, my professional life, Today’s Columbia thought comes learned in this lecture was that my literature, especially the recorded for now at least, is almost all virtual. courtesy of the COVID-19 pan- world is actually also a world of jazz, sessions from UCSF, have been It is amazing how quickly things demic. I was intrigued by the ofer and I must be ready for the Miles fascinating, and I recommend them can change and how quickly we can to participate in a Columbia Alumni Davis (the artery) to change course to get a better understanding of what adapt. I’m glad Columbia gave us Association Zoom lecture, courtesy mid-concert (surgery) and play my is happening.” the historical perspective and the of the music department, titled instrument (scalpel) slightly difer- Bruce Fraser was succinct this value of truth and honest leadership. “Lessons From Jazz.” ently every time I play (work) in the time around: “If you want to know “Looking to November I am Te miracle of today’s technol- operating room. what I am doing, Zoom is now most concerned about voter sup- ogy makes our campus journey 45 Te professor closed his lecture required. At Columbia, viruses were pression and a commitment on the years ago seem truly prehistoric. by saying, “Each semester there are covered with Professor Bancroft part of our own government not to Te whole idea of a Columbia approximately 28 diferent classes for and King Lear. In November, interfere with our having a fair elec- professor associating the revolu- my students, and I tell my students to shouldn’t we let the most technically tion. Tis can only bode poorly for tion in music that was jazz, to the walk home a slightly diferent route astute win? To get a better sense of what is ahead.” science of microbiology and coping after each lecture.” He said, “You will COVID-19 I am reviewing micro- Joseph Schachner, from with a virus, immediately struck the be amazed at what you will fnd.” biology and organic chemistry.” Teledyne LeCroy in Sufern, N.Y., Columbia chord that lives within He then said, “All of my students And no 1978 Columbia class is is a column stalwart whom I thank me. I fnished a long day in surgery do this, and over the years have had complete without a few lawyers, and for his many contributions over the and could not wait to get home to the most incredible experiences we have one who also volunteers years. He writes, “Columbia gave us do something that I had not done that they tell me about; some met in the emergency ambulance world a belief in science and trust of scien- since I sat in 309 . their future spouses; some changed — which qualifes for hero status, tists. So, if Biden wins, who also has I took out a legal pad and a pen, careers because of what they saw on I think — so Jefrey Moerdler of this belief, then we are headed for just like I would have done with my that walk home.” It was special to

68 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews me when he said, “all my students,” He lectures nationally and has Emily Tamkin ’12 has written a Tanks for checking in, Ed! I because for a moment, I was so proud authored numerous publications, book, Te Infuence of Soros: Politics, buzzed around online and was able to be one of “his students,” too. articles and abstracts on spine sur- Power and the Struggle for Open to look at some of the comments Zoom, lion, zoom! gery and spine surgery issues. Society. She is also the U.S. editor of your students have posted about Additionally, Dave has served as NewStatesman. [Editor’s note: See what a wonderful teacher and source a consultant to the U.S. Department “Bookshelf,” Summer 2020.] of inspiration you have been. Really 1980 of Justice, the State of Florida Ofce During this period of COVID-19, heartwarming to read! of the Attorney General for spine to be honest, I did not expect any Folks, drop me an email so we Michael C. Brown surgery and is an expert medical updates from the class, as we are all can all hear about what you’re up to! [email protected] advisor to Florida’s Agency for dealing with this disease, and some It’s really easy. Doesn’t have to be Healthcare Administration Division have been impacted more than others. anything Earth shattering. Don’t stop, thinking about tomorrow, of Workers Compensation. He As for me, our adult children (three Don’t stop, it’ll soon be here, was for three years Jupiter Medical daughters) left their apartments It’ll be, better than before, Center’s director of spine surgery and decamped in our house outside 1983 Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone. and has staf privileges at the follow- Charlottesville, Va., for more than a ing Palm Beach County hospitals: month, which was probably the frst Roy Pomerantz Why not think about times to come, attending orthopedic spine surgeon time all three have lived at home in [email protected] And not about the things that at JMC and attending orthopedic more than a decade. For empty-nester you’ve done, spine surgeon at Jupiter Outpatient parents, it was a little weird but nice I am sad to report the passing of If your life was bad to you, Surgery Center. to have them around. We took turns Harlan Simon ’81. Harlan was Just think what tomorrow will do ... Troughout his career, Dave has cooking dinner, and I have to admit the drum major for the Columbia been consistently recognized for his the next generation is much better at University Marching Band. As the We all need to continue to think achievements, innovations and com- this task than ours (the range of food featured halftime show juggler for about what tomorrow will bring in mitment to the highest standards of they prepare and eat — wow). the Marching Band, Harlan was the current environment, and we medical profciency and ethics. Te Class of 1981 has an impor- one of the frst upperclassmen I have seen encouraging signs in New He is also committed to com- tant reunion coming up next June befriended. I will never forget his York City this fall. If we remain dili- munity service by volunteering his (our 40th). I encourage the class to tireless energy and tremendous gent, we will come of this pandemic expertise and time to local school consider attending, assuming the school spirit. CC’83 band members in a better place. athletic teams as team physician. world returns to normal. include Stephen Holtje, Frank One thing I fnd myself doing Good work Dave, covering the Capalbo, Seth Farber, Lawrence more of is watching morning televi- events occurring nationally and in Silverman, Jonathan Adams, Gil sion, and I was pleased to see Dave the Southeast. 1982 Aronow, Luke Hill, Mark Licht, Campbell giving us the updates I hope that you all remain safe Steven Greenfield and Rob Kahn. from Florida. Dave, a physician, is and in good health. Drop me a line. Andrew Weisman Steven Greenfield reminisces, board certifed by the American [email protected] “I overlapped for two years with Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, the Harlan, including his stint as drum American Board of Spine Surgery 1981 Greetings, gentlemen! Te summer is major. It was generally thought that and the National Board of Physi- now coming to a close, as we all close Harlan did not know the diference cians and Surgeons. His professional Kevin Fay in on seven months of home confne- between 3/4 and 4/4 tempo, which afliations include the ABOS, the [email protected] ment. I kinda feel like Paul Manafort, made him a Bad Drum Major. On North American Spine Society, the without the guilt issues .... the other hand, his long, lean body American College of Spine Surgery Tank you to Dan Tamkin for Checking in this period is was perfect for forming the letters and many others. letting us know that his daughter our extraordinarily accomplished of ‘gimme a C!’ etc., which, together classmate (and our class’s holder of with a certain natural charisma, the most degrees from Columbia, made him a Good Drum Major. His currently standing at fve!) Ed Har- legendary goofness (he once started ris GSAS’89, LAW’95. He writes, to scrawl ‘BAND SUCKS’ instead of “After retiring from practicing law ‘BAND RULES!’ on the inside of a in 2008, I returned to teaching and Ferris Booth Hall elevator) belied a joined my children at Te Kinkaid seriousness of purpose that led to a School in Houston, where I chair long and successful career in bank- the history and social sciences ing and fnance. department. I teach economics and “My indelible recollections of A.P. U.S. government classes, and Harlan include his blithely pitching many of my students have attended LP records out a Plimpton window Columbia, including my daugh- into the airshaft while ostensibly ter Brynn ’17. In response to the studying for a Music Humanities pandemic, I was pleased to create fnal. Also, though, I recall how easily a door-dash Columbia graduation he later engaged as an alum with cur- ceremony in Houston for my former rent band members, listening to their student, Grant Carmain ’20, who issues in dealing with a recalcitrant graduated magna cum laude with administration and dispensing advice PAM CARMAIN a degree in fnancial economics. and encouragement. Ten there was In May, Edward Harris ’82 hosted a socially distant Columbia graduation Congrats, Grant, and the Class of the memorable line uttered by his ceremony for Grant Carmain ’20 in Houston. 2020! Roar, Lion, Roar!” band friend Scott Plotkin ’81 fol-

Fall 2020 CCT 69 Class Notes lowing a particularly execrable home Jon Ross’s charitable organization. of sitting with several friends in and our 16th wedding anniversary football ‘victory’ against Lafayette, 6–0 Tat actually came about when we the back of one of Professor Selig’s in June. Last year he was promoted (two feld goals the only ofense in the renewed our friendship at the 35th classes, simultaneously doing the to associate professor of English and team’s lone win of the season), in my reunion. I played tennis in college Times’s crossword and listening to was granted tenure at Borough of sophomore year: ‘Hey, Harlan! Wanna and continue to be an avid player. I’m the great one opine on the fortunes Manhattan Community College. I get up a team and play winners?’ in touch with Martin Ottomanelli, of Don Quixote (‘Don Kwiksit,’ as continue to direct Indolent Books, “My condolences to his family.” Rob Dell Angelo and Steve Reich he would say) and Sancho Panza. a nonproft poetry press, and one of Henry Boehm shared, “I remem- LAW’86 — Steve and Rob are Oh, for simpler days ....” our authors, Dante Micheaux, won George Bogdan: ber Harlan walking around the lawyers and Martin is a banker. All “As of July 2, I the prestigious Four Quartets Prize, dining room at a Howard Johnson’s, three have kids, as do I — Liza (17) have been with the New York State awarded jointly by the Poetry Soci- introducing himself as Howard John- is at and Celia Department of Financial Services for ety of America and the T.S. Eliot son III, and solicitously asking diners (13) attends school in NYC. fve years. I am a senior attorney in the Foundation, for his book, Circus, if they were enjoying their meal.” “My fondest academic memory Ofce of General Counsel. We are all which we published in chapbook [Editor’s note: See “Obituaries.”] of Columbia was my frst-year Con- still in coronavirus lockdown. Some- form in 2018. I moderated and organized temporary Civilization class. It was how you can keep a regulatory agency “Tose are some of the highlights a Zoom meeting, “COVID at taught by a TA, functioning on a virtual basis, albeit of our adventurous life in Bed-Stuy, Columbia.” Senior Associate Dean GSAS’81. Te class really opened up not perfectly. I do miss my physical Brooklyn, where we grow magnolias for Columbia College Development new worlds to me, and Constantin ofce, and many of my co-workers. in the backyard of our turn-of-the- and Senior Director of Principal was incredibly engaging and encour- Our Albany ofces will partially century townhouse and where we also Gifts James McMenamin was aged every student in the seminar reopen frst. I hoped my NYC ofce care for three feral cats — a 12-year- the featured speaker. Participants to stretch the way we thought about would start reopening in July. old mom and her 10-year-old sons.” Tai Park, Barry Rash- Gerry Brandt: included the world. He is now a full professor “I didn’t get coronavirus. My “In addition to my kover, Jef Walker, Carl Faller, at the .” sedentary lifestyle has not been great freelance work as a C.P.A., I am a George Wilson, Nathaniel H. “[...] I’m wondering if there are for my cardiovascular condition, but pyrotechnician. Unfortunately, Inde- Christian III, Robert Harding ways to get the Columbia com- I hope that will improve, and soon pendence Day celebrations were for Davis Steven Coleman. and munity more involved and help the I can get to a barber and to outdoor the most part canceled this year. Last Carl Faller: “I was fortunate to organization grow to build houses restaurants, shop for things in real year I spent June and part of July attend the fnal men’s tennis match for even more families in areas physical stores, visit friends again, etc. in Saudi Arabia, where we fred 43 of 37-year coach Bid Goswami in impacted by natural disasters.” No family — I basically have lived displays in 41 days. Since we work at spring 2019 in the Round of 16 Chris Boyle: “I’m a partner in as a hermit for three months. Sure night it’s only 90 degrees. Fun stuf.” in the NCAA team tournament, BNS Real Estate, a New York City- wish I had a dog. I have only spoken Stay safe everyone, and I hope to which took place in Columbus, based real estate investment frm. on the phone with one CC alumnus, see you at Columbia sporting events Ohio, against Same company for the past 34 years, who is just as stir-crazy as I am, but I in the spring. in front of a packed home crowd. believe it or not! We own and oper- hope we will be saner soon. Columbia admirably competed that ate warehouses in Upper Manhattan “My only hobby is chess, and I day at the highest levels of collegiate and the Bronx. I am married with have been playing online quite a lot. 1984 tennis. Best wishes to his succes- three kids and live on . Alas, that has not greatly improved Dennis Klainberg sor, Howard Endelman ’87, and his My wife, Grace, is an attorney. Te my game. [email protected] players. It was a joy to watch and say kids: Sarah is a recent graduate of “Our governor made Juneteenth hello to folks. Lehigh, Erin attends Penn and Jack a holiday for us, and we owe him a “Spring 2019 found me attending is a senior at in Brooklyn. thank you. He will propose making it Columbia is providing Zoom my daughter’s college graduation I’ve been an avid sailor for 30 years, a bank holiday next year. I’d be curious classes this fall, canceling fall sports from Fordham. I’ll miss the opportu- and due to the recent world events to know if ’63, GSAS’69 and — most likely — curtailing or nities to visit Little Italy in the Bronx. requiring more time to be spent at knows anything about its history.” scratching extracurricular activities. Andrew Botti: Te winter months of 2019 and 2020 home, I’ve revived a long-dormant “I have been a It’s necessary, but regrettable, as the provided opportunities to watch my passion for woodworking, making practicing attorney for 30 years. interaction between upper- and twin sons, Robert and John, play furniture out of wood scavenged I’m with McLane Middleton in its underclassman in these activities cre- college basketball for Case Western from the forest around my home. So Woburn, Mass., ofce. I do business ates powerful, life-changing bonds. Reserve and Denison, respectively. something positive has happened in and employment litigation. I am also Being a frst-born child, I was (and “Personal time is spent cycling, the face of COVID-19, I guess. a member of the Board of Directors still am) most grateful for the infu- playing tennis and supporting the “I stay in contact with Andy of Associated Industries of Mass- ence of a number of “older brothers,” local organization Move to Prosper Gershon, Koco Eaton and Brent achusetts and Lazarus House. all Marching Band personnel, who with its mission of providing single- Giddens ’84. I see Andy regularly, My daughter, Madeleine, recently enriched my life at Columbia and head-of-household families with attending various Columbia sport- made the National Honor Society, whose friendships I still cherish, if living and educational choices in ing events. Koco is based in St. and my son, Paul, is a great math- only via Facebook communications. higher-opportunity neighborhoods. Petersburg, Fla., so I’ve seen him ematician and basketball player. I As a freshman, our band conduc- I look forward to visiting NYC and annually on my trips to Florida as have been married to Lesa Stra- tor was senior Harlan Simon ’81, the Columbia campus at an oppor- part of being a travel baseball dad. mondo, also an attorney, for 20 years. who died last June after a long bout tune time.” Brent is in California, but I see him I was recently featured in Massachu- with cancer. Superbly non-musical, John Bonomi: “Sorry to have pretty often, as his daughter recently setts Lawyers Weekly because of my lanky, intelligent, confdent, droll missed the Zoom meeting on fnished at NYU, and he has regular hobby of oil painting.” and very tall, I will always remember Michael Broder: COVID-19. I’m an attorney and business on the East Coast. “My hus- seeing him upon entering the partner at Deloitte, with a specialty “A Columbia thought/memory: band, award-winning poet Jason band room in Ferris Booth Hall in labor and employment law. I’m on With all the turmoil in the world Schneiderman, and I celebrated our for our frst rehearsal. Standing on the Board of Directors for MicroAid, today, I sure do long for the days 20th meeting anniversary in March a podium, towering over a sea of

70 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews musicians, just waving his hands And now, another edition of a degree in screenwriting and play- this fall. He is in touch with friends with great joy, and truly no idea “College Professor COVID Book writing. Post COVID-19, Dennis from 40 years ago, and remembers of a downbeat! Encouraging and Writing SMACKDOWN!” is dying to drop “leave the gun, take the excellence of the faculty — and enthusiastic about making the band Adam Van Doren, True Blue, the cannoli” from his repertoire. To not necessarily appreciating them a fun refuge, Harlan was nonethe- writes: “I am happy to report paraphrase another classic line in Te enough. His wife has noted that his less an exemplar of hard work and another generation of Van Dorens Godfather: “I’m sending ( Jacob) to, CC friends were more critical than dedication, managing to keep up an has graduated from Columbia. My uh, (Los Angeles) under the protec- her college classmates. internship at during his daughter Abbott ’20, an English tion of, uh, Don(s) Peter Lunen- Heather Paxton remains in senior year, and forging a successful major, and I shared many enjoyable feld, Adam Belanof and Michael the Kansas City suburbs (having career in fnance. It was no doubt connections to Columbia over the Ackerman) of (L.A.) ... to learn the lived in both the Missouri and because of his great leadership last four years, including visits to (entertainment) business.” Kansas cities). She transferred from skills and generosity of spirit that Te Hungarian Pastry Shop, sunset Wishing you all good health Swarthmore and graduated early. he was inducted into Columbia’s chats on Low Steps and a wallop- and sanity during these very chal- Heather has written several books oldest service-honor society, the ing of Penn 44–6 at Homecoming lenging times. on local history, done some charity Nacoms. Moreover, despite sufering last year. I continue to teach art work, earned a master’s and had these last few years, he still found at Yale, where this past semester I a brief foray into the law. Kudos the strength as a loyal friend and found myself, like so many others, 1985 again to her for her great work on alumnus to maintain ties with close in the throes of Zoom. Overall, my our class Facebook page (the Mark friends and classmates including class went OK, but it was quite a Jon White Zuckerberg one). Michael Ackerman and fellow challenge to teach painting over [email protected] Nick Monroe returns to campus Nacoms and the internet. Otherwise, I am using for swim team reunions. He lives in Roy Pomerantz ’83. He attended COVID-19 ‘time of ’ to work on a I hope you and your families remain Sonoma, Calif., with his wife and reunions, supported the Marching book (which will combine my writ- safe and well during these challeng- three kids. Te youngest graduated Band Alumni Board, and, in the ing and artwork) of historic sites/ ing times. In moments like this, our from high school this past spring last year, personally met with the landmarks of the American Revolu- 35-plus-years-long connections are and will enter the College either this College administration to advocate tion. I look forward to sharing more more important than ever. fall or next. Nick fondly remem- for reinstating the Marching Band. of its progress in coming issues.” While the pandemic postponed bered his CC experience, noting our on-campus reunion, 10 class- how the Core and museum visits mates joined a Zoom conference call opened up perspectives on many to catch up. Kudos to Mark Roth- things. He is involved with the real Gerry Brandt ’83, a freelance C.P.A., is also a man for facilitating the session and estate and hospitality industries. Paul Getzels pyrotechnician, but things were quiet this year as the creating so much dialogue — we has remained in went beyond our allotted time. Mark Manhattan his entire life (residing pandemic canceled many July 4th celebrations. asked the group, aside from provid- in various locales within one block ing updates about where they were of another on the Upper West Side). today, to name the most important He has been practicing matrimonial thing they learned from Columbia. law for 30 years and regularly per- Harlan leaves a beautiful and loving From Peter Lunenfeld: “Tis We were also asked to share what forms with the New York City Bar family behind, and I take the liberty COVID/Depression/Rebellion we are most looking forward to and Chorus (led by his wife, Katherine to wish them our class’s sympathy. spring, my wife, Susan, and I saw challenges we are facing now. Schneider BC’86), which has regu- Harlan Simon, RIP, g(tb)2. both our daughters graduate virtu- Several common themes: Many larly performed for many charitable Daniel Armstrong, founder of ally — Maud with a B.A. from the mentioned a medical challenge. events at many major NYC venues. Find A Tree, wishes everyone and Kyra ’16 with an Others discussed retirement issues. Steve Ohno was the coxswain best and is pleased to share his M.F.A. from CalArts. I taught my Almost everyone had clear memories for the heavyweight crew and clearly new video, “Te Power of a Dream.” entire quarter remotely at UCLA, of what they would have done dif- remembers rowing on the Harlem You can watch it by going online to and was amazed by the passion my ferently in College now (several of River (and trying not to fall in!). bit.ly/39DhvPY. students brought to our Zoom dis- us, myself included, said “have more Born in Japan, Steve is currently in Paul Foglino SEAS’85 is rocking cussions. I was also inspired by the fun”). Tere was discussion of the Los Angeles in the entertainment us once again! He writes, “After BLM protest marches that streamed recent protest marches and a request industry. He is married with two misspending my youth playing through our neighborhood. Dave for our Orientation facebook (not the college age-daughters, at UCLA country-rock music with my pal Filosa ’82 ran a crew alumni virtual one — the one you and UC Berkeley. Steve went to flm Tom Meltzer in the band 5 Chinese cocktail hour on Fridays, which was received at Orientation). school after the College and has Brothers (hear us on Spotify), I have the perfect way to wind down the Barry Ableman lives in New many great memories of his Morn- spent my middle age teaching math weeks in quarantine. In the realm Jersey, north of Princeton (having ingside Heights experience, includ- to the terrifc students of Te Brearley of the real, I have a new book, City lived in NYC after college), and ran ing bonds with lifelong friends, School in NYC. I’ve kept in touch at the Edge of Forever: Los Angeles into John Phelan not too long ago. core values gained and dealing with with music by writing songs for Ellen Reimagined. It’s the product of Barry was an urban studies major, struggles/challenges. He says he Foley and performing as a singer- more than a decade of work, and has worked for the State of New misses the intellectual stimulation (Spotify again). My wife, three decades of thinking about my Jersey for 15 years and has a daugh- from those days and commented Libby O’Connor BC’88, and I are adopted city.” ter at Brandeis. Barry said he wished that his College education allowed pleased and proud that our daughter Dennis Klainberg, proud father had done more of the reading. him to listen better, be calmer, hear Francesca SEAS’24 stated at Colum- of four SUNY college graduates, Thomas King has done fnancial people and take their voices into bia this fall. I have every expectation congratulates child number 4, Jacob programming in New York, New consideration. He ofered a great that she will prove to be a better Philip Klainberg, who graduated Jersey and . His daugh- coda: “Peace in spirit, love in heart, engineering student than I was.” from SUNY Purchase College with ter is applying for the Class of 2025 health in body.”

Fall 2020 CCT 71 Class Notes

Jefrey Lautin is a public librar- our lifetimes was dawning. But his- Amy Lloyd (née Waxgiser). She is eering (fve of the ‘Seven Summits’) ian. He lived in Japan for a year after tory only presents itself in an orderly doing well; her two daughters are and lately have been working on a school, and wished that in addition way in hindsight. I’m pretty sure I grown, with one a teacher in Detroit quest to do the peaks in the seven to having us read Plato and Homer, learned that by the time I graduated. and the younger in a study abroad seas with a friend (that’s how I ended the College would also have pro- “In this day and age, I fnd myself program in Edinburgh who had up in Antarctica). I live in Concord vided practical help with employ- thinking back to a tuition hike that to return early to NYC due to the with my wife, Kelly, and kids (17, 19, ment and communications with occurred, I think, in our junior year. virus. All are safe.” 21) — Chad ’21 is the oldest.” Michael Caldwell others. He recalled some faculty not Some of us in Laurence Dickey’s Stay well and please write! ’s move to being sufciently realistic or sup- early modern European intellec- Nashville started out placidly but portive about making a living. tual history class asked him what quickly became anything but, as Other nationwide updates: Laura we should do about it. He was an 1986 he was faced with the city’s biggest Glick Meyer wrote from the West unreconstructed Berkeley radical. public health crisis since the Spanish Coast, “What a crazy year it’s been so Without hesitating he said, ‘Blow up Everett Weinberger Flu pandemic. He writes, “As I was far, with challenges and silver linings. I the administration building.’ I think [email protected] learning about the community, I always like to start with the good. My he was using hyperbole to tell us to attended a meeting of Metro Arts: three boys in college are all home with get of of our asses and do something. We all have pandemic stories. Jef Nashville Ofce of Arts & Culture. me now, as is my 83-year-old mom, Tat unprofound but highly motiva- Arle and Michael Caldwell, two I was an art history major at the here in Los Angeles. Tankfully, my tional lesson has stuck with me. accomplished doctors in our class, College and I have always been kids have adapted well to online learn- “I also think back to Stendhal’s will never forget theirs. I’m heart- interested in local arts. I had the ing, online communication with their Te Red and the Black, which I read ened that both of them ended their pleasure of catching up with former Will Cheek, friends and, together at home, they in some class or another as a sopho- updates with words of hope that we fencing teammate who are their own fraternity! Tis is bonus more. Stendhal says something will get through this and come out is a lawyer and commissioner on the mom time I have with them and I will like, ‘Maturing is trading the heroic the other side. Arts Board. Will’s weapon was foil cherish every minute! Te pandemic dreams of youth for the comfortable Jef writes, “Hi fellow pandemic- and mine was épée. has presented both opportunities mediocrity of middle age.’ I’m just ians: Just a quick note of adventure “After spending the last fve and challenges for my e-commerce out here, perched on the edge of the and tragedy. I was one of those years in the biotech industry, I had business, theultimategreenstore.com. West Coast, trying to hang on to people stuck on a boat coming from the opportunity to return to public Eco-friendly/organic products that are those heroic dreams.” the Antarctic near the end of March health when I was selected as the Mike Malik good for one’s health and good for the wrote from Iowa, and — we were coming back through director of health and chief medical planet, coupled with growth in e-com- sent me a gorgeous picture of the sun- the Drake Passage hoping to avoid a ofcer for the Metropolitan Board merce trends, make working exciting. rise: “Tings are good for me in the hurricane-like front and 30-ft. waves of Health of Nashville/David- Tere are times when physically going orchard. Life has not changed much when frst Ushuaia, and then all of son County. Nashville sufered a into the ofce is necessary. Too many due to the virus. It is pretty easy to be Argentina, closed its doors (ports). devastating tornado last March and people (not in my ofces but others naturally socially distant here. After an additional week at sea I began my position helping out in we share common areas with) are not “So, with little concern for my heading north, we luckily (through the Emergency Operations Center. wearing masks. As someone with an health, I have remained focused on some backdoor negotiating with Tis continued with Nashville’s frst autoimmune disease who is at higher building the orchard — the main embassies and consulates) managed COVID-19 case on March 8. My risk and desperately wants to keep infrastructure project this summer to disembark with police escorts in ofcial start date was March 9, and my business going, I say: Please wear was building a deer fence around the Montevideo, Uruguay. I few back one of my frst acts was to work with those masks, people! Love thy neigh- orchard to protect the 14,000 trees through Buenos Aires and Miami the mayor and our board of health bor, and hope everyone is well!” that I planted. It is 7,842 linear ft. to Boston, and then my wife put to essentially shut down the city. David Schellhase has been and it took me all summer to pound me in isolation for two more weeks “I am thinking of Columbia mostly lawyering, mostly in-house, the posts and hang the wire, and at home as our two boys, who were and all of our classmates and their mostly at tech companies, for 30 I am now, thankfully, working on now home from NYC college, were families and wishing them health and years. “I’m the general counsel at hanging the gates, which will be the past their quarantine. safety. My condolences to all who Slack Technologies, which went end of the project. “I’ve had to go into the hospital for have lost someone to this illness. Tis public last year. In addition to my “Te trees are going to have their emergent surgeries a few times. We is one of the most challenging times legal responsibilities, I also look frst harvest this fall and although it recently sufered the loss of my mother of our lives. I look forward, with all after the corporate development will be small, it is exciting to see the to COVID-19, as it ravaged her nurs- of you, to the day when we can all and privacy functions and also our apples developing. I’m growing cider ing home here in Concord, Mass. Be refect on this difcult chapter in our charitable arm, Slack for Good. apple varieties and will press them well — eventually, this will end.” history. Tat time will come. We will Immediately before Slack I was into juice and ferment them to make I asked Jef what he was doing eventually have a vaccine and we will the chief operating ofcer of a tiny hard cider. professionally and in his free time, be able to move on.” startup that was bought by Twitter. “It has been four years since the and was duly impressed. He says, “I Before that, plenty of other compa- trees were planted and I’m hoping am the vice chair of neurosurgery at nies that occasionally hit the news, that the economy will enable me to one of the Harvard hospitals in Bos- 1987 like Salesforce and Groupon. I love market and build a consumer base ton (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Sarah A. Kass the constant dynamic of changing for the cider next summer, as I’m Center), primarily sub-specialized in [email protected] technology and the pace of the work going to need some revenue soon. the feld of neuromodulation, where in and around tech companies. I live “Outside of working on the busi- I recently edited my third book; it in San Francisco with my wife. ness, things are good. I enjoy life on came out last January. In some spare In these very weird times, I posted “I was in Manhattan the day the farm and my two dogs have a time I have done a fair amount of on Facebook during the summer before the shelter-in-place started, great time chasing rabbits and deer travel over the years, giving talks looking for encouraging news. Deena Ackerman and it certainly did not feel as though out of the orchard while I’m work- nationally and internationally and answered the what might be the signature event of ing each day. I stay in touch with doing some high-altitude mountain- call. Not only did she send me a link

72 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews to a wonderful article in Te Wash- timelessness. Te presidency is in Roanoke, Va. Reading the various hour with Umberto Serrano, Brian ington Post about a man who asked “the litmus paper for testing the memorials to Patrick online, I was Domitrovic and Jef Berg. strangers to share positive stories nation’s aims and character,” as he struck by how literate, accomplished Trough Duchesne, I caught up (read it at wapo.st/3icu5J1), but it was quoted in his New York Times and universally liked he was. “Tose with Jef, who by day directs client also turns out that Deena partici- obituary. We’re now eight election who knew him best will remember services for CMIT Solutions of pated in his project! She shared with cycles since graduation, still applying him for the standard of excellence and Grand Central (an this person that during quarantine, that litmus test. [Editor’s note: See he brought to his work, his impres- IT-managed service provider) in the she successfully grew a tomato! Cool “Around the Quads”/“In Memo- sive and wide-ranging intellect, NYC area, and by night occasionally in its own right (says the woman in riam,” Summer 2020.] his exceptionally well-developed moonlights as a stand-up comedian. the apartment with no garden) but Grandparent alert: Mark Tim- sense of humor, and his unfagging His comedy touches on themes of even cooler that it became part of oney became only the second mem- kindness and acceptance of everyone the sandwich generation (yes, that’s this compilation! ber of our class (whom I’m aware who came his way,” according to us). You can fnd his set on YouTube: Tank you, Deena! of ) to experience this generational a tribute published in the Citizen youtu.be/-TwIo7FHtyM. So I put to all of you a challenge: shift in his personal life, thanks to Times of his native Asheville, N.C. Jef writes, “Yes, astoundingly, Please send me messages with one his daughter giving birth this year. Patrick lived a short, peripatetic after getting a B.A. in English new thing that YOU have done dur- “Our frst grandchild was born on life, in which he changed cities and and an M.F.A. in fction writing, ing quarantine. I will feature them January 22,” he writes. “His name is jobs often, but he seemed to leave I’ve spent my entire career in IT. all in future columns. Mateo Benjamin. He came bringing friends, admirers and a record of Fortunately, my job allows me to I also received a note from Garth joy. Otherwise all is well — living achievement wherever he went. He work from home, with, in normal Stein SOA’90: “My eldest, Caleb and working, working, working from wasn’t here long, but he touched the times, occasional jaunts into the (24), graduated from Berklee College home, home, home.” lives of others. city. I live in the northwest corner of Music last year to have his work as Mark, Philip “Shraga” Levy — of with my wife, Susie, a classical music recording engineer are there any others in our class who and our dogs, Hank and Zoe, and — evaporate due to the virus. My have joined, or are about to join, this 1989 since the beginning of the pandemic second son, Eamon (21), was study- exclusive grandparent club? Please — two of my three kids, Sarah (25) ing flm at FAMU in Prague and let me know. Emily Miles Terry and Ben (20). Our son Alex (24) was sent home because of the virus. Closer to my own end of the [email protected] lives in Bushwick and has remained And my youngest son, Dashiell (13), parenting spectrum, the only hunkered down there.” has watched his career in the Seattle classmate of ours (again, whom I hope my notes this season fnd Of his venture into stand-up Sounders FC development program I’m aware of ) with a child younger everyone well and safe. I feel very comedy, Jef writes, “It was mostly in fzzle due to — you guessed it! — the than my two: Salvatore Zoida. fortunate, and relieved, that those reaction to being a member of the virus. But the good news is, the frst “I attended Georgetown Law,” he I know personally have recovered ‘sandwich’ generation, where we still book of my series, Te writes. “I bounced around among from COVID-19 to date. have kids in college, but our parents Cloven, was published on July 28 law frms and startups, frst in Los I connected with Duchesne are slowly dying. I have not been able (theclovenproject.com). So there’s Angeles and then in San Francisco. Drew, who was the news editor at to pursue it since the fall due to our still some fun to be had out there.” Along the way, I wrote news scripts the Spectator, and he has gone on to current worldwide insanity. Instead, at NBC Bay Area News and got a a successful career media. Duch- I am spending a great deal of time number of my short stories pub- esne attended graduate school at trying to actually get ft — exercis- 1988 lished. I have a literary agent who Northwestern and then worked for ing every day, hiking, running, lifting has my debut novel at Macmillan, several years at the Star weights, swimming. In addition to Eric Fusfield HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster Tribune. In May, he took the helm getting my physical house in order, eric@fusfield.com and Penguin Random House. as president of Minnesota Public I am also trying to reinvigorate my “Five years ago, I became a father,” Radio during a turbulent time — mind. Tat is to say, I am thinking I write this during the summer Salvatore continues. “My daughter both the pandemic and the murder about writing. I guess you can’t move quarantine, still adjusting to days is a precocious child who has voiced of George Floyd, just miles from forward on all fronts simultaneously.” spent primarily in the house, during her frustration with me countless where Duchesne lives, had a huge Many of our classmates have been which time I heard that Professor more times than I have with her. She impact on his work and life, but involved with eforts on behalf of Henry Graf GSAS’49 passed away is enamored of the idea of attending Duchesne says, “I’m built for this and pandemic relief. Danielle Maged from complications due to COVID- Columbia in fall 2033.” as a long-standing member of the BUS’97 is chief growth ofcer for 19. Graf, who was 98, taught in Perfect. If my daughter Esther is Minneapolis-Saint Paul community Global Citizen, whose One World: Columbia’s history department for a junior when your daughter arrives I feel compelled to be part of the Together at Home, a global broadcast 45 years and established himself as on campus, she can show her around solution to some of our community’s to support frontline health care one of its legends before retiring and recommend which Lit Hum challenges.” Duchesne is hopeful and workers and the WHO, aired earlier three years after our graduation. One instructor to choose. optimistic and says that he “is very this year. My family has watched the of my lasting memories of senior My freshman- and sophomore- glad to be in my new role.” artistic and amazing performances year was taking his spring seminar year suitemate Patrick Cable died Duchesne is married to Angela many times — you can still send sup- on the U.S. presidency and staying of natural causes at 53 this spring. Davis, an Emmy-winning reporter port and see it at globalcitizen.org. after class with him each week Many of you might not remember and host of MPR News; together As COVID-19 raged in Mas- to discuss that year’s presidential Patrick; he transferred to another they have two children. Duchesne sachusetts earlier this year, David election as the campaign unfolded. school after sophomore year, but we speaks of his “deep afection for Odo, director of academic and For years afterward, I would watch stayed in touch for a few years past Columbia, both the education and public programs at the Harvard him take part in ABC’s cover- graduation. He went on to a success- the friendships.” He is still con- Art Museums, led brief breaks for age of presidential inaugurations, ful and varied career as a museum nected to Spectator as a member small groups of doctors from local where his insights ofered historical curator, most recently as chief cura- of the Board of Trustees, and he hospitals, examining diferent works context and a sense of the moment’s tor at the Taubman Museum of Art recently Zoomed for a digital happy from the museums’ collection to

Fall 2020 CCT 73 Class Notes help doctors briefy disengage from frm and is hoping her youngest has to undergrads at Penn’s Wharton at Wharton, and jobs at Pricewater- the pressures and stresses of their a good start to her frst year at Penn. School this fall. houseCoopers, and Merus work during the pandemic. Carol mentioned running into John Elyn, let us know what came of that! Capital (the Bay-area VC company John MacPhee is the CEO of Vincenti at the Faux Columbia Her youngest began high school he co-founded). Te JED Foundation, a nonproft Club in Manhattan, aka the Penn this fall. “Te numerous moving tributes that protects the emotional health Club. It seems that many Columbia Dan Max hasn’t left the Wash- to him are a testament to the lives for our nation’s teens and young alumni hang out there. John com- ington, D.C., area, but he did he touched and the many who loved adults. Te foundation ofers many mutes from northern New Jersey leave the Morrison & Foerster law him. He made friends so efortlessly resources for today’s youth, includ- to the city, where he practices law frm in late 2019 and joined King — always charming and charismatic, ing COVID-19 resource guides. with his brother. Tey also practiced and Spalding’s M&A and fnance he was the life of the party who Please write to tell me how you are. with their father, Vito ’54, LAW’56, practice group. Judy Bernstein would do anything to get a laugh, until his passing on July 21, 2020. has gone back to school to enroll and had an infectious passion for life John and his wife Robyn’s two sons in a social work program at SUNY and adventure. Whenever you had 1990 are both high schoolers, which kind Stony Brook. She has two seniors a dinner, activity, or trip with Peter, of blows his mind. Isaac-Daniel (one at Harvard, the other in high you were in for a real ride; it would Rachel Cowan Jacobs Astrachan feels the same way every school) and an eighth-grader. Julie always turn into a memorable experi- [email protected] time he remembers that his son is a Weber (née Schwartz) has been ence. Over the past 34 years, our very high school senior. in Needham, Mass., since summer close group of Columbia friends have It’s not what we were expecting, Mark Ambrosino splits his time 2019 after nine years in the D.C. had so many memorable experi- it’s not what we’re used to, but you among Long Island, Nashville, Los area. She left her job as ombuds- ences with Peter: trips to Europe know what? It was fun. Our ofcial Angeles and London. He started an man at Montgomery College in and Napa, skiing, concerts and many 30th reunion hasn’t happened independent in 2006, Rockville, Md., to take that position hours-long dinners that would end yet, but the Reunion Committee tours (if you recall, he spent half of at Brown. In her previous life, Julie in late-night karaoke in Koreatown organized a June 5 Zoomunion his Columbia years working as a was an employment lawyer. Her and 5 a.m. Korean food. Even during and TED-style talks on June 6 to drummer) and says nothing would three children attend Tufts, Grinnell the coronavirus pandemic, he focused hear from various alumni, including be possible without his beloved wife, and high school. on keeping us connected and set up three classmates — Julie Fish- Rozan. Liz Pascal lives in Bufalo Of course, we also talked about weekly Zoom calls so we could all man, Justin Abelow LAW’95 and is a tax lawyer. She has two friends who couldn’t make the Zoom. stay in touch while quarantining. and Gina Fattore. CC’90 had the daughters, one of whom graduated Adam Ginsburg SEAS’90 and Trough it all, he was the instigator largest representation by far among in May from Oberlin. Yong Liu Stephanie GS’90’s youngest child and the glue that held us together; the speakers, I’m proud to say. Julie joined the group from Charlotte, started at this everything we did was better, shinier discussed her career in the world of home for the last 10 years, after 20 fall. Tat makes three Gators (middle and more beautiful because of him. LGBTQ rights, Justin spoke about years in Los Angeles. Sherry and Gina talked about Pancer Wolf has worked in fnance how she became a writer and Hol- all these years and has lived in lywood showrunner. Boston for the past 25 with her Gwen Knitweis ’90 has been in Sacramento Well done, folks! husband, Doug Wolf ’88. Teir since 1991, is a hydropower engineer and is still Friday night’s afair was BYO- youngest is a frst-year at Columbia. refreshments, and Adel Aslani-Far Radhi Majmudar lives on Staten playing the saxophone. was enjoying his Scotch. Te orga- Island with his husband, Ifran Aziz. nizers put the 70 of us into breakout Teir children are both at Colum- rooms by freshman dorm or foors. bia — one a freshman, the other a Carman 7/8 won the trophy for junior. Judy Shampanier LAW’93 child is a junior and oldest graduated) “Beyond all of that, Peter was the biggest breakout room, with 14 works for a judge in Westchester and no Lions among the kids. Hilary the most generous, loving and loyal people. Wahoo! What follows are County, N.Y., has a son in 11th grade Nover Klein is a psychologist in the person. He was an active alum in the the notes I so diligently took from and daughter who is a frst-year at D.C. area and has been seeing a lot SEAS Entrepreneurship Program those very fun 30 minutes, as well as ... wait for it ... Columbia! Melissa of COVID-19–related anxiety and and mentored many. He would go what I learned from others when the Landau Steinman’s younger son is stress in her clients. out of his way to help anyone who group reunited and from an unof- a frst-year student at Wesleyan and I learned some bad news in July: needed it and would drop everything fcial follow-up Zoom on Sunday a her older son graduated from Brown Peter Hsing SEAS’90 died. Gloria to be with you when you called day handful of us joined. in May and just started a Ph.D. Pak LAW’95 submitted this refec- or night. He was kind and gentle, Gwen Knitweis sort of made it program at ... Columbia! tion: “Te Columbia community deeply sensitive to others and he to her frst reunion! She has been in Jon Edwards Zoomed in from lost one of its best this summer. On loved with his whole heart. He was California (now in Sacramento) since London. He works in the Bei- July 17, 2020, Peter passed away so incredibly proud of his kids and 1991, is a hydropower engineer and jing ofce of the London Stock unexpectedly from cardiac arrest, family and loved them beyond mea- is still playing the saxophone. Had Exchange, and three years ago his leaving behind his beloved children, sure. We all feel his loss profoundly reunion happened at Columbia, she wife and two children (now 14 and Brandon and Nicole; his parents, and will miss him each and every would have been there. Peter Spett 16) returned to London. Jon went to Fred and Fei Hsing; his brother, day. Rest in peace, our beloved friend LAW’93 is practicing law in Boca visit them in January and got “stuck” Andy Hsing; and a large commu- and brother. (Note: A fellowship at Raton, Fla., having moved there there because of the pandemic. Elyn nity of friends and family around Columbia in Peter’s honor is being 10 years ago from Manhattan. He Grossman Levine does inde- the world. We are all grieving his established, in case people are inter- missed our 25th reunion because of a pendent consulting and has lived loss immensely. Peter had so many ested in contributing. Details will be trial and was happy to catch up this in Philadelphia for the past three tight-knit groups of friends, from sent to the Columbia community.)” year. Carol Shahmoon LAW’92 years. As of June, she was planning high school at Loomis Chafee, On that sobering note, I wish lives on Long Island, has her own law to teach a communications class college at Columbia, business school everyone good health and hope we

74 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews can reunite as a large group soon. staying safe, and I thank them all for analyses, speaking to policymakers, behind, and to take bold steps on In the meantime, check out the their service.” reading new science and writing.” racial justice, from embracing univer- 195 classmates who made a page in CCT wishes good health and By late April, concerned about sal basic income (a dream of Martin the online Class Book (columbia. safety to the members of the Class burning out, he started to take Luther King Jr.) to reinvesting in brightcrowd.com/1990). If you of 1991! Please send us a note with Saturdays of, reconnecting with his Black communities with funds usu- didn’t, there’s still time to make one. your news. family, pulling back a bit and prepar- ally assigned to police departments.” It’s really, really easy. Also, please ing to transition to a new job at the Eric has also been serving as one send me any updates. School of Public of the two frst national co-chairs of 1992 Health. Ashish says that he remains former Vice President Joe Biden’s “strangely optimistic” despite the presidential campaign, crafting 1991 Olivier Knox long road ahead. policies relating to the Latino com- [email protected] “When this pandemic starts to munity, the climate crisis and eco- Columbia College Today draw to a close, I plan to take an nomic recovery, and leading Biden’s [email protected] Dear classmates, as I write this in extraordinary amount of time of. search for a running mate, “which mid-July, the country is being tested And sleep. And pick up a hobby,” he will be announced by the time these Joel Rubenstein writes: “As as never before in our lifetimes. adds. “I’m looking for ideas.” notes are published,” he notes. Eric planned, once our kids went of to And at least three of our peers have [Editor’s note: See CCT Online’s predicts the election will anoint “the college (UMass and Temple), we left been playing special roles. Dr. Ash- exclusive Q&A, “Pandemic Expert frst woman Vice President in the the United States and moved back to ish Jha directs Harvard’s Global Dr. Ashish K. Jha ’92: “We Will Get history of our republic.” Europe. We live in Malmö, Sweden, Health Institute and teaches global Trough Tis.”: college.columbia.edu/ Eric writes that our time at just across the bridge from Copen- health up at that same “School up in cct/issue/spring20/article/pandemic- Columbia has helped shape this hagen, where I am the president of a Boston.” I’ve been lucky to get him expert-dr-ashish-k-jha-92.] moment, “from political science Nordic-only OTC pharma company, on my radio show to take listener When I started to put this col- memories from Charles Hamilton, Niconovum AB. If anyone fnds questions on science and health — a umn together, I asked Carlton Long ’84 and Judith Russell themselves in or south- challenge given our rapidly changing SIPA’93 to share his unique perspec- GSAS’92 to activism alongside class- ern Sweden, please let me know.” understanding of SARS-CoV-2. I tive as mayor of Los Angeles. mates in Harlem and on campus. From John Evans: “My friend didn’t know Ashish well at Colum- “Greetings from L.A. Hope this “Trough all of this, I am blessed Michael Gitman was interviewed bia, but as a guest he’s been able to fnds everyone safe and healthy dur- with an incredible wife, Amy, and by NBC News on April 6, regarding explain science so well that even *I* ing the toughest collective year of our exceptional and resilient daugh- the surge in COVID-19 cases on understand it, and my worst grade at our lives,” Eric writes. ter, Maya (8), who continue to be Long Island. Michael was speaking Columbia was a “C” in “Dinosaurs “Tis year started as one of my support through these difcult in his role as medical director of and the History of Life.” great hope and promise — my last days. And a community of friends, North Shore Medical Center in Ashish writes, “By early March, our social weekend before COVID-19 classmates and colleagues, who give Manhasset, N.Y. North Shore is part entire team was focused solely on the hit was going to Palm Springs to me strength every day,” Eric says. of the Northwell health care system, pandemic, both here in the United celebrate the 50th (!) birthday of My friend and East Campus suit- New York’s largest. Specifcally, States and globally. We have provided Karl Cole-Frieman LAW’97 with emate Peter Hatch serves as New Michael was talking about his facil- essential data to the White House many classmates, including Wanda York City Mayor ’s ity’s preparedness. Tey had set up COVID-19 task force, to Congress Cole-Frieman BC’94; Imara Jones COVID-19 Public-Private Partner- three large blue and white tunnel- and to governors — data such as how ’94; George Kolombatovich ’93, ship Czar after being chief of staf shaped tents in a distant corner of much testing America needs, when LAW’98; Dae Levine BC’92; Jason to the deputy mayor for health and the facility’s parking lot, which had our hospitals might get overwhelmed Grifth; and Amy Schrader BC’92 human services and senior advisor about 60 beds ready and waiting for or how nursing homes are faring. at the former home of Frank Sina- to the mayor on street homelessness. COVID-19 patients. Te facility “On a personal note, this has tra,” Eric reports. “Ten the world In his new role, Peter oversees and had also converted an auditorium, been physically the hardest months changed and within weeks we were coordinates work with private sector conference room and every other of my life. Early on, as I started slammed by a triple challenge of the and philanthropic partners to aid the available space in the hospital to doing media hits and worked long biggest collective health threat, the city’s response to the pandemic. prepare for the infux of up to 500 hours, my wife and I agreed that deepest economic downturn and the In practice, Peter writes, COVID-19 patients. At the time I would work from my ofce in most urgent call for racial justice in this means eforts to “procure, of the interview, Long Island’s two Cambridge. Each morning, I would our lifetimes.” manufacture and raise donations of counties, Nassau and Sufolk, which leave the house around 5 a.m., drive Eric, who has a bit less than two critical PPE; feed health care and have about three million residents the empty roads from Newton to and a half years left in his second other essential workers; support combined, had more than 29,000 Harvard Square. I would spend the and fnal term as L.A. mayor, remote learning for public school COVID-19 cases, according to Gov. day in the ofce alone, usually until sees “our country and my city at a students and virtual summer Andrew Cuomo, and were continu- about 11 p.m. Weeks went by and crossroads, struggling to determine employment for NYC youth; ing to spike at that time. Te online I don’t think I saw a single person whether we will just ‘get through and provide cash assistance to article ended with Michael saying, outside of my family. I would stare this’ or take this year as a deep undocumented New Yorkers who ‘I think the way we’re going to be out the window occasionally and see moment to fundamentally reimagine can’t access federal, state or other successful is keep our staf healthy, no one in Harvard Square,” he says. and co-create a more just, healthier city fnancial relief programs.” keeping our staf safe and keeping But while he may not have seen and fairer future for everyone.” Did I mention that Peter got them focused on our patients. We anyone, we certainly have seen him! Eric has been speaking “almost COVID-19? Because Peter got are trying to save our community.’ “Since March 1, I have averaged nightly” to Los Angeles, and “build- COVID-19. “Quarantined for seven “I hope all of our fellow Colum- about 15 media interviews per day, ing short-term and long-reaching days (the ofcial guidance for essen- bians, like Michael, who are on the seven days a week,” Ashish calcu- ways to alleviate poverty in my city tial workers at the time) and only frontline or are essential workers lates. “My days were and are a mix and our country for everyone, includ- saw my wife, Hilary Hatch, and our in any capacity, are surviving and of media calls and appearances, data ing immigrants who have been left girls via FaceTime, which was the

Fall 2020 CCT 75 Class Notes

Paul Bollyky ’94 and Kathryn Hudacek ’94 caught up and reminisced. Paul Bollyky ’94 met up with Mason Kirby ’94 to surf.

worst of it, as I was lucky to have career change: After 26 years work- Fletcher, who “is happily married only a mild case,” he says. ing in advertising and marketing with an amazing son, and living 1996 As ever, this column only works as a graphic designer, Brian has in Seattle.” Ana S. Salper when you write in. Please share any moved back to New Jersey from San In other news, Paul Bollyky sent [email protected] and all personal and professional news. Francisco, his home of 22 years, to in a lovely note while sheltering in go to school for nursing. “I fgured place this spring: “All is well here. it was time to polish up the ol’ soul I’m an infectious disease physician Dear classmates, as I look back at 1993 after foisting loans and credit cards and researcher at Stanford. Tere my last Class Notes column, I cringe on people for Wells Fargo for the is a lot going on with COVID-19, at how naïve I was in thinking that Betsy Gomperz last 16 years,” Brian writes. “It’s a of course, including eforts around we would be on the other side of [email protected] two-year program plus pre-reqs. sample biobanking and clinical this pandemic by the fall. Tese have If I like it, I’ll continue on to be a research studies. However, if there is been long, challenging months, and Class Notes for CC’93 is taking a nurse practitioner, maybe special- a silver lining to the pandemic, it’s we have to continue to persevere in hiatus this issue and will be back izing in pediatrics.” Tus far, Brian’s been in reconnecting with lots of the coming months as well, adjust- in the Winter 2020–21 issue; until completed two semesters of pre-reqs friends, including from Columbia ing our lives as best as possible to then, stay healthy and be well. Please and is hoping to apply to a nursing days. It seems like everyone is reach- get through this pandemic. I did not take a moment to send me a note. program this fall. ing out and getting back in touch.” receive any notes to share for this Classmates want to hear from you! Brian also shared some fun Paul got together with both issue. I must say, though, in light of updates from classmates: “Before Kathryn Hudacek and Mason the current state of the world, and leaving SF, I was in Alamo Square Kirby over the past year. in support of the continuing battle 1994 with my French bulldog, Biggie. Tat’s it for this time. Drop a line for civil rights and racial justice, I do A couple showed up with a little when you can. Note my new email not think that this is an appropriate Leyla Kokmen Frenchie, so Biggie went over to address, at the top of this column. In moment to focus on each of us as [email protected] explore. I followed him because he the meantime, be well. individuals. Instead, I call for us to can be obnoxious. I was talking to come together as a community and Hello, everyone! I pride myself on one of the doggy’s dads, but kept to work as hard as we can in our hitting deadlines, so it truly pains looking at the other as I did. Finally 1995 respective lives to show our fellow me to have fat-out missed a couple I asked him, ‘Did you go to Colum- citizens respect, empathy and under- of columns, resulting in a lengthy bia?’ His reply: ‘Yes, Brian. How are Janet Lorin standing. And please — stay safe. delay in sharing some of your you?’ It was Karl Cluck, my dorm [email protected] “We can disagree and still love updates. My apologies! I’m afraid neighbor senior year. He had moved each other unless your disagreement the coronavirus has thrown life back to the United States from Asia I hope this fnds everyone and their is rooted in my oppression and denial into chaos this year, and with the after 14 years and had been in SF families safe and healthy. of my humanity and right to exist.” e-learning (not great), the working for one year.” Tanks to Lynette Pineda for — James Baldwin from home (at a card table in the Shortly after he returned to the her update. She works at Securian bedroom) and the general uncer- East Coast, Brian caught up with Asset Management, where she’s Annys Shin tainty (read: impending doom), well, while she was in NYC, managed the Northeast Commercial 1997 Class Notes paid the price. I’m sure and then he crashed her daughter Mortgage origination platform for Kerensa Harrell many of you have been feeling the Ida’s bat mitzvah in January in more than two years. She lives in [email protected] same stress. I hope you and yours Washington, D.C. Brian reports Westport, Conn., with her three kids Kevin have been staying safe and well dur- it was a blast; he ran into and three dogs. Dwarka ing these crazy times. there. Please keep the news coming, and Dear classmates, I hope that you Brian Greenspan sent in a Brian also writes that he is if you’ve never written in, this is a had a pleasant summer and that Phyllis terrifc note with news of a major in frequent contact with good time to drop me a note. you all have been staying in good

76 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews health throughout this frightening COVID-19 response, as well as theaters, the restaurants, Central New York, a $200,000 National pandemic. I recall my great-grand- helping with the COVID-19 Park, the Tilden mansion and the Institutes of Health grant to mother Telma, who was born in response for the state of Louisiana grand ballrooms of historic hotels psychologist Teresa Lopéz-Castro 1907 and lived until 1999, telling me and the city of New Orleans. like the Waldorf and Te Plaza, will enable her to delve into an all about how she had lived through As for me, Kerensa Harrell, where all the society balls took place. aspect of the epidemic — barriers the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic as while I up this column and I will end with a few lines from to treatment engagement for a pre-teen in rural Alabama. Our am constantly worried about the that haunting waltz. Nowadays individuals with opioid use disorder current pandemic seems quite remi- pandemic, it is mid-July and I am when I hear it and contemplate its who have post-traumatic stress niscent of that one, though I daresay carefully preparing for the fnal lyrics, I actually think of the love disorder. Her project is entitled: we should count ourselves luckier battle of a two-year-long war in I have for my child, and how long ‘Impact of PTSD and trauma that so many around which there have already been many I had to wait for her sweet arrival re-exposure on buprenorphine the world are working tirelessly to other ferce battles leading up to in my life, which sure felt like a maintenance treatment in syringe invent and mass-produce a vaccine this fnal one, which is to take place thousand years. exchange programs.’” for us as quickly as possible. in just a matter of days from now. Be well and stay safe! In February, David Scharf Tere is so much at stake, the most “I have died every day, waiting for you joined with several other Alumni important of which is my precious “Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved Representative Committee volun- 3-year-old child. Recently I took you for a thousand years 1999 teers in Los Angeles, where they a break from my battle prepara- “I’ll love you for a thousand more ... interviewed candidates for admis- tions, in order to give my mind a “... I will not let anything, take away Adrienne Carter sion to the College. ARC’s “Super brief respite, and sat down on my “What’s standing in front of me Jenna Johnson Saturday” events provide alumni Indonesian mamasan chair (a double “Every breath, every hour has come [email protected] with the opportunity to interview papasan chair) to watch the entire to this.” [email protected] multiple candidates in a single day. series of the Twilight movie saga, David shared a photo of himself none of which I had seen before Blessings to all, and please be No news this time, but best wishes with Nina Hong ’93, Justin Chow this year even though it came out a safe. I look forward to receiving for the continued health and safety SEAS’11 and ’92 that was decade ago. I completely resonated updates from everyone. of CC’99 and your loved ones. Let’s taken at Erik’s company Picturestart. with the motto of the fnal flm of In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen. stay connected! Send a note to either On the evening of March 24, I the saga, which was “gather the wit- of our email addresses. had just put my daughter to bed nesses.” And when I heard the saga’s and sat down to watch Te Rachel haunting waltz song, “A Tousand 1998 Maddow Show when suddenly I did Years,” it suddenly brought back 2000 a double-take at the name of the bittersweet memories of my former Sandie Angulo Chen doctor who was being interviewed. life in New York City, when I had [email protected] Prisca Bae It was PH’98, my choreography business and was [email protected] talking about the challenges that coaching couples on how to perform Hello Class of ’98. At the time New Orleans is facing amidst the their dance to their selected wedding of writing this column, we are in Classmates: While it’s sad we could pandemic and how there needs to song. Several couples had selected month fve of pandemic living. not see each other for reunion, I be a national focus on that city due that song. One day I would really Some of you have written us with am looking forward to seeing you to its having the highest growth rate love to show my daughter around updates about what you’re missing all next year (fngers crossed) if we right now in the world. Rebekah is New York City and point out all the and others with what you’re still can get past the pandemic. Hope the CEO of Health Care Services places I used to frequent during the doing. I hope that whatever your you have all been healthy and as for Louisiana State University and 20 years I lived there — the dance situation, you’re healthy, safe, and happy as can be in our new world has been helping out with LSU’s rehearsal studios, the tea parlors, the with family and loved ones. of sheltering in place, wearing face First, a big congratulations to masks and marching for racial jus- Adina Berrios Brooks, who was tice. Please send me your quarantine elected to the New Rochelle Board stories! And thanks so much to of Education in New Rochelle, N.Y., those who sent in notes! where she lives with her husband, Mike Showalter reports, “I’m Ross, and their daughters, Nola and the same — I’ve had the same ofce Clara. She was sworn in on July 7. and the same job for almost a decade Next, two sets of congratulations (truly bizarre). Jen Park, on the to Teresa Lopéz-Castro, who other hand, has had a pretty big year. wrote in our Class of 1998 Facebook While she’s been a visiting professor group that she had a second daugh- at Illinois Institute of Technology, ter, Alma Ines Gispert-López, in she’s also joined a great architec- April 2019. ture frm in Chicago, Brininstool + Teresa, who’s an assistant Lynch, as a partner. Shortly after she professor at City College of New joined that frm, it was named by York’s Colin Powell School for AIA Chicago as frm of the year and Civic and Global Leadership, also Jen was presented by AIA Chicago recently was funded by the National with the 2019 Dublin Family Young Institutes of Health to look at how Architect Award for being the best In February, Nina Hong ’93, Justin Chow SEAS’11, David Scharf ’97 and PTSD impacts treatment for opioid young architect in Chicago. (I think Erik Feig ’92 joined with several other Alumni Representative Committee use disorder. According to the press she’s excited about being both best volunteers in Los Angeles to interview high school candidates for Columbia. release: “At the City College of and young.)”

Fall 2020 CCT 77 Class Notes

Afiya Jordan LAW’05 is VP and fve years. My wife is a physician and intimate walks in and around our assistant general counsel in the Ofce we have three kids — a 7-year-old home due to social distancing. 2003 of the Secretary at JPMorgan Chase, boy and 5-year-old boy/girl twins. “During the past two months, my where she is responsible for corporate I recently wrote an article that was daughter Sadie (4), who is very social, Michael Novielli governance, transactions and signing published in Te Washington Post has made friends with a group of [email protected] authority for subsidiary entities. She about my struggles as a Black father nuns who live in a convent two blocks is also a leader with Te Leadership and still trying to fnd happiness and from our home. We didn’t know I hope that you are staying healthy Council on Legal Diversity, Black hope in this sometimes dark and them pre-pandemic but they’ve been and safe during these difcult times. Organization for Leadership Devel- tumultuous world. It is my second friendly to her every time we walk Despite the challenges that we are opment, Women on the Move and piece for them; my frst was in 2018 by. She’s made friends in particular facing throughout the world, our the Pro Bono Committee. when I wrote about miscarriages with Sister Maria Teotokus. We classmates continue to do interesting Karen Graves-Schefold earned from my perspective as a father.” chat with this sister a few times a and amazing things, and I’m happy a Psy.D. from Indiana University of You can check out the frst article week as we stroll by. Recently we had to share a few of those with you. Pennsylvania in 2009. She is a psy- at wapo.st/2FbMGqE and the a particularly long conversation with As always, we would love to hear chologist for the State of New York, second at wapo.st/33NcHXw. her and I happened to mention I was from you even if there isn’t anything where she runs a clinic for people Tanks, everyone! Send me updates! from Baltimore, and in a separate major to share in terms of your with developmental disabilities. She part of the conversation that I went careers or families. Feel free to drop lives in upstate New York with her to a girls’ school there for 12 years me a line with any book or Netfix husband and two children. 2001 while growing up. Hearing these two recommendations or to update us on Jasmine Dreame Wagner has comments, she said, ‘Did you go to any new hobbies you’ve picked up Jonathan Gordin been busy! She recently released a Bryn Mawr?’ When I replied yes with while spending more time at home. [email protected] record, Switchblade Moon (jasmine a very surprised look on my face, she On that note, Nadege Fleurimond dreamewagner.bandcamp.com), said ‘Do you know the Miola sisters? used the quarantine as an inspiration premiered the record and video at Hi all, it’s such a strange time right I studied at Columbia University with for her latest book, Taste of Solitude: A For the Rabbits and was profled in now. I continue to write this column them and they are part of my order.’ I Culinary Journal Book, which has more BOMB Magazine (bit.ly/2Y3J2G3). from my house in Los Angeles, was even more shocked at this revela- than 25 recipes and can be purchased You can watch the video here ( Jon under quarantine, and you, like tion because I immediately realized here: bit.ly/3gWNBZO. Schwarz, who is married to Mira me, might be looking for as much that this sister, to whom we had been Brian Cantrell, VP, acquisitions Lew, is the DP): bit.ly/2Y3JLaf. human interaction as you can get. speaking for months behind masks and capital markets at Vornado Meanwhile, Jasmine’s short flm, Sure, there are all those Zoom calls and fences was actually a classmate Realty Trust, was named one of Elinor Five Elizabeths, is an ofcial selec- for my job, but I miss real social of ours. Her birth name is Crain’s New York’s Rising Stars in Adams tion of the New Faces New Voices interactions with friends so much. and she is very good friends Real Estate. Christine Miola, flm festival in New York City this It makes me truly wistful for my with also a nun. Emily Zibart is the associate fall, most likely moving online for Columbia experience. Te idea Chrissy and I attended high school general counsel, corporate services streaming: bit.ly/2XPqUiZ. that incoming frst-years will not together in Baltimore. Both Elinor for Bridgestone . Abigail Krauser Shrier shares, get to experience NSOP and and Chrissy entered the order after Raj Patel is managing counsel at “My book is now available: Irrevers- COBOP/COOP and make all graduating from Columbia. I learned United Airlines. ible Damage: Te Transgender Craze those memories that colored my from my conversation with Sister Will Hu lives in San Francisco Seducing Our Daughters. It explores frst few weeks at school makes me Maria Teotokus (Elinor) that Sister with his wife, Jessica Meksavan the possibility that trans-identif- sad, but also grateful for all of you Maria del Fiat (Chrissy) lived in BC’05. He writes, “She joined cation has become one more peer and our shared experiences. the convent around the corner from MUFG about a year ago and I Ashish Agarwal contagion among teenage girls.” “lives in Mum- my home until a year and a half ago. joined the startup WhyHotel about Vernon Gibbs II writes, “I’ve bai, , and is married to Kay She now lives in Italy. Sister Maria the same time. We have two kids, been a stay-at-home dad for the last Kapoor BUS’05. We have two boys, Teotokus is pursuing a Ph.D.” Corinne (2.5 years) and Hugo (6 7 and 3. I run businesses in trans- Stories like the one Sara shared months). Everyone is happy and portation and real estate. Would are so exciting and help showcase healthy, and my hair is really long.” love to connect with classmates liv- how Columbians are truly every- Catherine C. Espaillat was ing in or visiting India!” where (this particular column places recently promoted to associate profes- Jasper Cooper recently them in Utah, India and around the sor of astronomy at . Columbia relocated to Utah with his family. corner from our homes, wherever College He continues to work for Moody’s you may be). I hope everyone stays (remotely) and is excited to start a well and safe, and keeps in touch. 2004 Alumni new chapter of his life. Jasper and his wife, Josie, welcomed identical Jaydip Mahida on Facebook twin boys Yoshua Reynolds Cooper 2002 [email protected] (5 lbs., 0 oz.) and Holden Henry facebook.com/alumnicc Sonia Dandona Hirdaramani Cooper (4 lbs., 11 oz.) on July 23. After obtaining an M.P.A. at NYU’s Sara Batterton [email protected] Like the page to get shares an excit- Robert F. Wagner Graduate School ing small-world story: “As is the case of Public Service and living in alumni news, learn Pam Pra- about alumni events with everyone right now, our world Class Notes for CC’02 is taking a California for nine years, is very small and proximate. We live hiatus for this issue and will be back dachith-Demler has relocated to and College happenings, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in the Winter 2020–21 issue; until the historic village of Schuylerville view photos and more. of Washington, D.C., about a mile then, stay healthy and be well. Please in upstate New York and opened a from the Capitol and the Supreme take a moment to send me a note. family-owned and operated farm Court. We currently take lots of Classmates want to hear from you! brewery. After decades of working in

78 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews the nonproft sector, she has realized values and skills have served me major in the Air Force selected to policy issues involved in imposing a lifelong dream of creating a space well as a physician, mother, wife commission into the new Space sanctions against dozens of human to build community over a pint of and innovator.” Force in September. I think I will be rights abusers worldwide.’” craft brew. Bound By Fate Brew- Tat’s all for this issue. Please the frst Columbia graduate to do so. Jonathan Truppman writes, ing is committed to social justice continue to send in updates, as we I work for the State Department as a “While the past six months seem and will routinely brew specialty want to hear from as many folks as military aide supporting space policy.” like a dream, they haven’t exactly batches that support local organiza- possible. Career and family updates Emily Hawkins has also been been very sleepy.” tions. Even though Pam opened are always fun, but please reach out making career moves: “In the midst of In February, as general counsel a small business in the midst of a to share about trips you may be unprecedented uncertainty, I’m beyond of Casper, Jonathan helped take the global pandemic while our county taking, any events you have attended grateful to have embarked on a new sleep brand public on the NYSE. confronts its complicated history or are looking forward to, or even professional journey with Amazon.” On March 14, he married Tile Alle- of systemic racism, she believes we interesting books or shows you have We also have two new books mann at Villa Mara in Mammee can emerge from this more united, come across. You can send updates to add to our CC’06 bookshelves! Bay, Jamaica, cocooning in a fnal creating a more perfect union for either to the email at the top of the Paasha Mahdavi published his frst bubble of paradise as the chaos of all people. Pam — along with her column or via the CCT Class Notes book, Power Grab: Political Survival COVID-19 drastically disrupted the husband, Brett Demler — is the webform: college.columbia.edu/cct/ Trough Extractive Resource Nation- wider world. After mini-mooning proud parent of Weston Otis (4) and submit_class_note. alization, which explores the rise and in Port Antonio and the Blue Elliott Roslyn (1). fall of leaders in oil-rich countries. Mountains with Jonathan’s mother- Scott Moncur and his wife, For the past two years, he has been in-law (who was stranded from Becky, welcomed their third child, 2005 an assistant professor of political Switzerland), Jonathan and Tile Emma, on April 12. Sister Madison science at UC Santa Barbara, where began their marriage cohabitating (4) and brother Andrew (2) wel- Columbia College Today he enjoys socially distanced hiking with Jonathan’s parents in Miami, comed her with open arms! Scott [email protected] with his 2-year-old son. Eliza- just like old times. also just took on a new role at the beth W. Carey’s frst book, Girls He says, “We are quarantining in Royal Bank of Canada as director of CCT wishes the members of CC’05, Running: All You Need to Strive, the Swiss Alps with my father-in- role strategy, starting in July. and your loved ones, good health Trive, and Run Your Best, was to be law in a village of 21 people, but Jacob Barandes (jacobbarandes. during these uncertain times. If you published this summer. look forward to descending from com), his wife, Shelley Barandes would like to share your news in the the mountain July 28 to close on a BC’01, and their daughters, Sadie Winter 2020–21 issue, please send house in Coconut Grove, Fla. Visit (11) and Emily (7), continue to live us an email. 2007 us (when that’s a thing again)!” in Cambridge, Mass., where Jacob Liz Miller (née Epstein) shares, is co-director of graduate studies for David D. Chait “Looking for things to do during the Department of Physics at Har- 2006 [email protected] quarantine, we took a family hike to vard, and Shelley is the owner and Inwood Hill Park. Lo and behold head designer of Albertine Press, an Andrew Stinger I continue to wish everyone in the we were met by the Columbia ‘C’ antique-letterpress and graphic- [email protected] Class of 2007 good health and all painted on the rocks of the Hudson. design studio and store. my best during this difcult time. I My kids were so excited to see their Jacqueline Shreibati writes, Tis summer I’ve spent a surpris- hope these updates from classmates future alma mater!” “I moved to the Bay Area in 2005 ing amount of time thinking back are uplifting. Chloe Raquel Woods Adebayo for medical school at Stanford on my frst few weeks as a transfer Julia Kite-Laidlaw writes, “My writes, “Tis is my frst time submit- and never left. My husband works student (am I even allowed to write twin son and daughter, Francis Ben- ting an update, but I have some in tech, and we have two chil- this note?!) into the Class of 2006. jamin Stewart Laidlaw and Daphne phenomenally good news to share! dren, Julian (4) and Natalia (2). I After arriving in Morningside Genevieve Laidlaw, were born on I was selected by the National Bar completed medical school, health Heights, I almost immediately May 12 in Manhattan. While I Association for the 2020 ‘40 Under services research training, an internal realized that getting the most out of defnitely didn’t have ‘give birth in 40 Awards - Nation’s Best Advo- medicine residency and a general my experience as a Columbia Lion the middle of a pandemic’ in my cates,’ as well as a 2020 ‘On the Rise cardiology fellowship at Stanford, would mean engaging in uncomfort- plan, I’m happy to say the kids are - Top 40 Young Lawyers Award.’ and after I graduated in 2016, I able discourse, listening to divergent at home in Queens and doing well, Te 2020 list of honorees is available joined a consumer health startup, points of view and giving myself and we look forward to less socially online at bit.ly/30Xt2Gb.” AliveCor, while maintaining a cardi- space to form or revise previously distant times.” Sarah Smick shares, “I’m proud ology practice at a community clinic held opinions. As our world encoun- Monica Ager Jacobsen shares, to report that I earned an M.F.A. nearby. I was chief medical ofcer ters no shortage of reckonings, I “I am an attorney adviser at the U.S. in writing for screen and television at AliveCor until December 2019, hope you fnd yourself courageously Department of State Ofce of the from the University of Southern when I joined Google Health. I still engaging in hard conversations that Legal Adviser, advising on human California, where I am also an see patients once a week, predomi- will no doubt shape the world we rights issues. Earlier this year I was Annenberg Fellow.” nantly Medicaid patients, for general fnd on the other end of a pandemic. honored to be named a fnalist for Rebecca Hartog writes, “My cardiovascular care, which keeps me And now for our classmates’ the Samuel J. Heyman Service to husband, Peter LaRossa, and I grounded and inspires my work in exciting updates on how they are America Medals (also known as welcomed our frst child on June digital health. already shaping their futures! ‘the Sammies’), which highlight 8. Adelaide June LaRossa is a gor- “I am grateful for all of the Brian Wagner was promoted to excellence in the federal workforce. geous redheaded spitfre, and we are mentorship and professional advice I lieutenant commander in the United Te nomination focuses on my work completely smitten. In July, I begin received at Columbia College: to be States Navy Reserve and is assigned implementing the Global Mag- my last of three years in a pediatric always curious, to push out of one’s to Commander, U.S. Tird Fleet. nitsky sanctions program and for cardiology fellowship with plans to comfort zone, to be comfortable Robert Wray has also been ‘playing a crucial behind-the-scenes pursue advanced fellowship in adult with being uncomfortable. Tose serving the United States: “I am a role shaping the complex legal and congenital heart disease.”

Fall 2020 CCT 79 Class Notes

Just Married! CCT welcomes wedding photos where at least one member of the couple is a College alum. Please submit your high-resolution photo, and caption information, on our photo webform: college.columbia.edu/cct/submit_class_note_photo. Congratulations!

1: Jonathan Truppman ’07 and 1 2 Tile Allemann were married at Villa Mara, in Mammee Bay, Jamaica, on March 14.

2: On October 12, Sharilyn Phillips ’09 and Joel Bowen were married in a destination wedding in Johannesburg, South Africa. In attendance, left to right: Princess Myrie ’06, Sonya Shadravan BC’10, the groom, the bride, Lucia Mattox BC’10 and Tifany

ADRIAN MCDONALD TYME PHOTOGRAPHY Dockery ’09.

3: Debbie Goodman ’11 3 4 and Matthew Schef were married at Temple Beth El of Cedarhurst in Cedarhurst, N.Y., on March 8. Left to right: Sharon Green PH’19, Laura Sperber ’11, Richard Goodman ’80 (father of the bride), the bride, the groom, Zoe Lubitz ’11 and Carly Solon BC’12.

4: Alena Lovi-Borgmann ’16 and Daniel Meyer GS’13 were married in Missoula, Mont., on June 13. SALZMAN & ASHLEY STUDIOS KRISTINE PAULSON

Eric Bondarsky shares, “I took ones. Be well, and let’s stay con- free access to incredibly innovative @BillyFreelandNY. Te Democratic four hikes this spring. I don’t think nected — send us an email. Class- medicines. COVID-19 trials are aim- primary is in June 2021. I’ve hiked in about 10 years.” mates want to hear from you! ing to recruit more than one million Jenny Lam has created a virtual Rebecca Hogue writes, “I participants, and this number is grow- version of “SLAYSIAN” — the graduated with a Ph.D. in English ing, which poses an unprecedented exhibition she curated in the spring and a Designated Emphasis in 2009 challenge for the medical research featuring 39 Asian-American artists Native American studies from UC community. Ancora.ai has been trying from Chicago and the Midwest Davis, where I was a Mellon/ACLS Chantee Dempsey to help accelerate this challenging area — which can be enjoyed in the Public Fellow. Tis fall, I will begin [email protected] process by empowering patients and safety and comfort of your home at teaching at Harvard.” healthy volunteers to participate. artistsonthelam.com/slaysian. As for Congratulations, everyone, on Despite a global pandemic, CC’09 Billy Freeland SIPA’10 her own artwork, Jenny is thrilled your exciting news! continued to thrive. announced in July that he is run- to announce that she’s been selected Emily Jordan recently cofounded ning for to receive a 2020 Individual Artists the health tech startup Ancora, an AI- as a candidate in District 5, which Program grant from the City of 2008 powered platform to connect patients includes the Upper East Side, Chicago’s Department of Cultural to clinical trials. Tey have been doing , East Harlem and Afairs and Special Events. Columbia College Today a lot of work on COVID-19 and have Midtown East. He is running on Michael Emerson and Adina [email protected] recently received several grants from a platform of afordable housing, Bitton BC’08 recently celebrated the EIT Health and Future Perfect. Teir investing in public transit, decarceral one-year milestone of their move to No news this time, but best wishes vision is to diversify and democratize policies, climate justice and tackling Jerusalem. Michael started working for the health and safety of the clinical trials, as they are one of the systemic racism. You can follow him at Pardes Institute of members of CC’08 and your loved best ways for patients to get early and at billyfreeland.com and on Twitter leading its recruiting and market-

80 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews ing strategy, as well as working in and herbal medicine. Her practice, “I want to say my small piece about what it might mean to be alone, to development and fundraising on Weldon Wellness, will focus on sup- the systemic oppression of Black folks stand apart from a crowd, to not be the side. Adina masterfully led the porting people with chronic physical/ in the United States. I’m curious as liked, to sit in tension, and I think pandemic shelter-at-home eforts mental illness and neurodivergence, to what our newsfeeds will look like that’s why the world is messed up. keeping everyone busy with arts and including autism and ADHD. when this issue comes out. I had to My comment about just having a crafts, daily exercise and educational Rebecca Salley shares, “After reawaken recently to the horrors of good time is that this is how you activities. Daughters Maayan, Lital two years at the Legal Aid Society of this country. I had gotten comfort- get the shades pulled over you, and and Keren have adjusted smoothly Greater Cincinnati (and University able and fallen asleep. I spent most you forget about the reality of what’s to the new language, new schools of Michigan Law School, Class of of my 20s disconnecting from my happening in the world. Also, seek- and new environment. Michael and 2016) I joined the Cincinnati civil emotions, and it made me unable ing to live for a good time is such Adina wish classmates health, hap- rights law frm Gerhardstein & to feel the grief of what is happen- a boring existence. Get out, fght, piness and a better start to 2021! Branch Co. as an associate attorney ing to Black people in this country. I shake shit up. I’ll get back to you Brandon Shulman fnished his in December 2019. My litigation knew it intellectually, but I didn’t feel soon about how 2020 ends. For now, hand surgery fellowship at Harvard’s practice focuses on police brutality, something in my heart. As I am trying I’ll leave you with this Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center prisoner abuse, reproductive freedom, to own my complicity, the ways that I quote about how we tear down the and recently relocated to Connecticut fair housing and other anti-discrimi- have pushed racist ideas and agendas system: ‘For the master’s tools will with his wife, Brooke TC’11, and nation issues. Gerhardstein & Branch forward, I have become more aware of never dismantle the master’s house. daughter, Lily. Brandon is an orthope- is noted for representing plaintif Jim how this connection we have to other Tey may allow us temporarily to dic hand surgeon at OrthoConnecti- Obergefell at the Supreme Court people’s pain is important. In my own beat him at his own game, but they cut in Norwalk and Westport. in Obergefell v. Hodges (a marriage experience, I can best empathize with will never enable us to bring about Meredith Martin and Heron equality case) and Ohio’s reproduc- someone else’s vulnerability when I genuine change.’” Haas will move to the Raleigh tive health providers, including can connect it to the ways that I’ve felt area this fall with their son, Briar. .” isolated. All this to say that there’s a Meredith completed a Ph.D. in for- Chris Yim writes, “What the lot of work to do on ourselves, as we 2011 est ecology at the Yale School of the hell? Tis year has kicked me in the change the system. Environment this year and will be head, socked me in the jugular and “Author and scholar Ibram X. Nuriel Moghavem and an assistant professor of silviculture slapped me in the face. Tere are so Kendi says that because racism is so Sean Udell at NC State in January. She and many things to say about it, and it’s much about denial, anti-racism has [email protected] Heron would love to hear from 1 a.m. right now, so I’ll see what I to be about confession. I didn’t see [email protected] anyone in the Triangle! can up. I have been feeling or know anything about systemic Samuel Fury Childs Daly pretty downright depressed this oppression when I was in college, but Black lives matter. GSAS’17 is an assistant profes- week because I have this question when I look back, there were so many We are proud of the members of sor at Duke. His book A History of lingering in my head as I read news messed up things that I said, did and the Class of 2011 who are taking the the Republic of Biafra: Law, Crime, headlines, my Facebook newsfeed, supported. I wish that I had begun to time to refect on systemic racism in and the Nigerian Civil War will be see people outside and show up decolonize my mind earlier. (Just look our communities and who are step- published this year. in my own relationships, and that at all the names above Butler — I did ping up in their daily lives to produce Heather Robinson was awarded question is — how do I care about that recently on a run — they are all action and change. We hope our class, a Ph.D. in modern Iranian history others more than myself? I don’t white men.) I guess I’m just urging and the Columbia alumni community from the University of St Andrews feel super optimistic about people’s whoever reads this to confess your as a whole, will continue to participate this past summer. ability to be less self-centered. I own complicity in racism, own it in a in this worldwide movement for Tom Stewart is a father! He and think where I land on others’ ability deep way that forces you to sit with equality and justice in perpetuity. his wife, Alyson Pullman, welcomed to change is more a refection of the discomfort and vow to change it Tere is much work to be done. Luca West Stewart on July 5 (6 lbs., how I feel about myself than it is in the world. Columbia got me think- 8 oz.)! anyone else. So, I came to acting ing about the world that I want to Arita Thatte GS’15 graduated school in Brooklyn in January of this live in, and it’s one where people care 2012 from medical school and started her year. I had no idea what it would about the wellness of all. internal medicine residency at UW be like, but I knew that I wanted to “Does anyone else ever think Sarah Chai in Seattle. explore what it meant to transform. about how backward the world is [email protected] When I think about healing myself, sometimes? I fnd myself thinking my relationships and society, I think about this so often during these I hope that classmates are staying 2010 about transformation — our ability times (I guess times have always safe and healthy in these difcult to see ourselves diferently so that been backward), but I feel so sad that times. Please be well. If you would Julia Feldberg Klein we can be diferent. Te reason why humans are so infexible. I had friends like to share news in the Winter [email protected] I got into acting was so that I could in the Bay who just wanted to ‘have 2020–21 issue, send me an email. transform through storytelling. a good time,’ and I see a lot of people Laura Z. Weldon was awarded a “Anyway, this year has pushed me who graduated from our school who doctorate of naturopathic medicine to become more available to myself, have gone down the path of wanting 2013 from the National University of and as a result, it’s made feeling all to conform to convention — make a Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore., these emotions that I was previously lot of money, partner up, have a kid, Tala Akhavan on June 27. She earned a master’s in unaware of really taxing. COVID- conform, conform, conform — and [email protected] integrative mental health last summer. 19 has taken a lot out of me — the it’s not that conforming is bad, it’s just Laura plans to return to Kentucky collective sadness and sufering that that we paid so much to be able to Hello, Class of 2013! I hope every- this fall and begin practicing via tele- we’re experiencing have been very think for ourselves and to challenge one is staying safe, washing their medicine, specializing in natural and heavy. I am sad for all those who have our paradigm, but many don’t do hands and soaking up the last bits of integrative therapies such as nutrition lost loved ones. My condolences. that. We are so desperately afraid of summer as much as possible, given

Fall 2020 CCT 81 Class Notes these crazy times. Here are a few opportunities in sustainable develop- Having started her pre-med dissertation considers the Tower exciting updates from classmates. ment, and last year moved back to journey at Columbia, where she of London’s use as a state prison On a personal note, in July my her hometown, Paris, after what had graduated with a major in neurosci- in early modern England and the husband, Andrew Wood ’14, and I been 10 years abroad. Rebecca now is ence, ChiChi Mpamaugo is proud to role of status in determining prison welcomed a baby girl, Mila, into our a sustainable fnance analyst at Vigeo announce that this year she graduated privileges. She says that while there, family. We spent the summer enjoying Eiris, a research com- from the University of Pittsburgh it’s been wonderful for her to con- getting to know her (in quarantine!) pany afliated with Moody’s. With School of Medicine. She obtained nect with many fellow Columbia and taking advantage of the outdoors her team, she does an independent both an M.D. and am M.P.H. Tis grads studying or visiting Oxford! in Los Angeles, where we now live. evaluation of the environmental and year, she started her pediatric resi- After the university temporarily Patricia Howard was planning social aspects of “green” and “social” dency at closed in March, she went to North to open Dame, a modern English fnancial instruments (e.g., bonds Seattle Children’s Hospital, where Dakota, where she’s been working restaurant, in the West Village and loans), assessing their expected she has an interest in cardiology and for the state’s COVID-19 response this fall with her partner, chef Ed contribution to sustainability. health inequality. She looks forward unit. She hopes to return to the U.K. Szymanski. With the opening Over the past year, Alejandra to moving to the West Coast for the soon, and she shared a photo of her postponed by COVID-19, they Jimenez has been working on writ- frst time and seeing what Seattle has and Alex Randall at Oxford. pivoted to a more casual, to-go- ing and producing a solo alternative to ofer. As we continue to fght two From Katrina Martell: “After my friendly outdoor concept, Dame rock EP under the name Agent viruses, both COVID-19 and ongo- frst job out of college, I became a Summer Club, which specializes in Envy. Her leading single, “My Own ing racism, ChiChi hopes to make senior fellow for Humanity in Action, fsh and chips, Pimm’s Cups and Summer,” was released on all plat- a lasting impact on the lives of her through which I traveled to Bosnia, Eton mess. All profts are donated to forms (Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, patients and within her community. and later began a policy fellowship charity, with a diferent cause every etc.) on August 14, with additional in Washington, D.C. Yes, I still miss month; June’s profts were donated original singles of the EP to follow New York! I serve as communications to NAACP and July’s to Harlem in the coming months. Check out 2014 director and policy advisor for Rep. Grown. Located at 85 MacDougal her Instagram profle (@agent.envy) Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), a senior St., the pop-up is open Tuesday– for the latest updates. Rebecca Fattell member of the Congressional Black Sunday through October. Dame will Ryan Mandelbaum married [email protected] Caucus and Democratic leadership. continue to operate various pop-up Brittany Widseth in a private Since I got here in 2018, Dems won concepts until opening a permanent ceremony on April 20. He works If you would like to share news in back our House majority, formally location is safe and sensible. Stop at IBM, where he runs a blog on the Winter 2020–21 issue, please impeached President Trump and by to taste the treats and support a quantum computing. send me a note. Be well, and let’s entered 2020 grappling with a (dou- Columbia-owned business! Katie DeSandis returned to stay connected! ble) pandemic — COVID-19 and a Iman Nanji graduated with an Columbia in 2017 as an assistant long-overdue national demand for an M.B.A. and an M.P.P. from UCLA coach for the varsity feld hockey end to systemic racism in policing. in June. She will join the Boston team. She was named head coach 2015 “I am honored to be advanc- Consulting Group as a consultant this past June. ing many important goals — from in its Los Angeles ofce in January Congrats, Katie! Kareem Carryl minority rights, equity in education, along with two other members of Bridget DeSandis graduated [email protected] justice in policing, human trafck- the Class of 2013! Iman got a fel- as a doctor of physical therapy from ing awareness and public health, to lowship through BCG to work for a Arcadia University in January, and No news this time, but best wishes women’s rights, among other things nonproft and learn Portuguese until was awarded the Jill Sisenwine Berger for the continued health and safety — during such a tumultuous, historic she starts her job. Te highlight of Physical Terapy Award (presented of the members of the Class of 2015 and, yes, very much still a hope- her summer, she says, was meeting to a physical therapy student who and your loved ones. Let’s stay con- ful time. I let my ‘D.C. basic’ shine Tala Akhavan and Andrew Wood best exemplifes the core values of nected — send me a note. through in my love of brunch and 14’s beautiful baby girl, Mila! the physical therapy profession — happy hours, and am always up for Caitlin Hoeberlein got engaged accountability, altruism, compassion in London over the New Year holi- and caring, excellence, integrity, 2016 day. Tis spring, she graduated from profession, duty and social respon- (virtually) sibility). Bridget graduated on the Lily Liu-Krason and has since relocated to Seattle Dean’s Distinguished Honors list, [email protected] with her fancé. She’ll start work as a member of the Alpha Epsilon as a litigation associate for Perkins Lambda - Phi Chapter and as class Hey, 2016. Tis has been a hard year Coie this fall; in the meantime, co-president. After graduation, she for me so far. Many of you wrote in she’s volunteering with the Fred spent time working at the Friends of sharing similar feelings, but through T. Korematsu Center for Law and Redeemer United Physical Terapy the ups and downs of 2020, I am Equality on race and Clinic in St. Elizabeth parish, Jamaica, inspired by the determination and in Washington, D.C. Any Lions out prior to beginning her job at Excel perseverance among us and the west, feel free to reach out! Physical Terapy this past spring. ability to make me smile, laugh and After earning a master’s in Blaine Harper completed a Ph.D. refect all at once. Here are some Budapest, Rebecca Smith lived for in psychology at the University of words and updates from your class- fve years in Barcelona, where she Arizona this year, and is on the job mates (and keep nominating your learned Spanish and Catalan and market in data science. If anyone in wonderful friends). spent time with her freshman-year CC’13 knows of interesting data sci- Catherine Jenkinson started RA, Adina Rose Levin ’11, who also ence roles, please reach out to Blaine! a D.Phil. in history last fall at the moved to Barcelona. She felt the Harry Flager is the pastry chef at a , where she is Isabel Robinson ’16, Justine Horton time had come for more professional fne-dining restaurant in San Francisco. a student at Hertford College. Her ’16 and Yixin Sun ’16 went hiking.

82 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

From Polina Porotsky: “I feel summer with Farah Al Chammas, overseeing 16 specialty lending ver- like Cosmo told us that your 20s are a a Syrian refugee and anthropolo- ticals and solutions partners’ annual confusing and tumultuous time. ‘Not gist. Both Julien and Farah studied advertising, content, digital, sponsor- for me it won’t be!’ said naïve, 16-year- how the act of sharing meals has ships and social campaigns. Tj was old Polina. But here we are, and I am profound political and social mean- recently honored with the Gramercy reporting unprecedented levels of ing. Te goal is to use food to tackle Institute’s Return on Investment confusion on my part, ranging from the political and social divisions Award – Lead Generation category questions about my purpose in life to that are tearing America apart. for her “Grow New Markets Dif- Alex Randall ’16 and Catherine my fashion choices. After Columbia I Every episode profles a difer- ferently – Commercial Equipment Jenkinson ’16 met up at Oxford. made the unexpectedly scary decision ent immigrant chef, and features a Finance” campaign. to not go to medical school. It felt like roundtable mealtime conversation Katie Smith will be staying I’ve been preparing to be a doctor my among people of diferent political/ in her native Ohio to attend the scary movies, tennis or a good run. If whole life and suddenly I wasn’t sure economic/racial identities. Te show University of Cincinnati College you’re in D.C., please connect!” whether I was making conscious deci- is running a Kickstarter campaign, of Medicine. To Katie, Cincinnati From Iman Fears SOA’19: “After sions or trodding along because of the and you can fnd the trailer online as feels like the biggest small town in I graduated from Columbia, I moved sunken cost fallacy of sorts. well: bit.ly/3hMInQr. America (she has never said hi to so to Atlanta to work at an advertising “I ended up in journalism school, Briley Lewis recently earned many people before on the street). agency, where I helped to develop writing about ants, diabetes, pig a master’s in astronomy and Tat, in addition to the welcoming AT&T’s media and brand strategy. poop and all other kinds of stuf. astrophysics from UCLA and is admissions team, innovative curricu- Tere were a lot of hectic-yet-fun Since then I’ve worked at NBC, continuing on to her Ph.D. She also lum and rewarding connection to moments, like launching the Taylor Psychology Today and other publica- decided that working from home the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Swift NOW x AT&T app (which tions, as well as at a documentary for the foreseeable future meant it’s Medical Center, makes her ecstatic I’m pretty sure no longer exists). After company. I’m also fnally back to the perfect time to adopt a dog, and to begin this fall. one year, I returned to NYC to earn playing piano regularly and making welcomed Rocky, a sweet 8-year-old an M.F.A. in fction at Columbia, memes. You can always drop me a Husky rescue mix, into her life. He graduating with a half-written YA line at [email protected].” loves belly rubs, meaty treats and 2020 novel. Ever since then, I’ve worked in Yixin “Sunny” Sun was recently exploring the outdoors. the Brooklyn ofce of Mission North, the subject of Te Dilemma of Desire, María Muratalla Maes is Santiago Tobar Potes a Silicon Valley-based tech communi- a documentary that explores the directing and producing a feature- Stephen Cone cations agency. My clients include AI work of four women who are shat- length documentary that is a [email protected] companies, VCs and fntech startups tering the dominant and outdated self-determined representation of [email protected] like Betterment and Albert. In March sexual narratives that have mostly Indigenous peoples militarized 2020, I fnally fnished my novel, and gone unexplored and unchallenged by the México–U.S. borderlands CCT welcomes the CC’20 class cor- in April I signed with a wonderful in our society. Te documentary also to protect the sacredness of the respondents, Santiago Tobar Potes literary agent who really believes in weaves in the stories of fve young land, her peoples and her creatures. and Stephen Cone! Below, they my work. Publishing is weird right women (including Sunny!), inti- Specifcally, María is looking introduce themselves. Please take a now because of the pandemic, but I mately exploring what it means for into permanent surveillance moment to send them your news. hope I’ll be on bookshelves in a few them in “real life” to fnd their voice apparatuses that are being built From Santiago: “Hello, Lions! years! Message me if you want to go and the courage needed to own their in the backyards on the Tohono Our Class Notes column allows you on a social-distancing walk.” sexuality. To stay updated on screen- O’odham Nation reservation. She to share announcements with our From Madison Ford: “Dear ings, follow the documentary on is also choreographing, directing, memorable Class of 2020, as well alumni, like so many of us, I was Instagram @dilemmaofdesire. producing and editing a short as the broader Columbia College promised quite a few things when dance flm about ancestral grace, alumni community. Share with us I (my dad) wrote that frst tuition resilience and unity, which features your career changes, engagements check to Columbia. Global respect. 2017 many Columbia and Barnard folx and marriages, vacations or reloca- Unending connections. Fortune. as collaborators and dancers. tions, and more, including pictures! Ideally fame. But here we are, eight Carl Yin Who knows who you’ll (re)connect years and a billion tuition checks later [email protected] with down the line? Write me — (a bunch I am having to write now, 2019 especially if you are also in the NYC too), and I am simply poor. I am very Class Notes for CC’17 is taking a area. Let’s outdoor-dine!” funny, and very cool, do not get me hiatus for this issue and will be back Emily Gruber and From Stephen: “Hello, fellow wrong. And I do have some respect in the Winter 2020–21 issue; until Tj Aspen Givens Columbia College graduates. While in some very small, niche circles. then, stay healthy and be well. Please [email protected] I unfortunately did not meet all of But where is the wealth, Columbia? take a moment to send me a note. [email protected] you throughout our time together Where is the alumni network lifting in Morningside Heights, we can me up and shooting me toward the Josh Schenk is enrolled in Yale still learn about each other’s exciting stars? Tese are hard times. Scary 2018 Law, Class of 2022. He is a U.S. post-graduation lives (New jobs! times. Uncertain times. And we need Senate Judiciary Committee law Graduate school! Weddings! Fun to be there for each other. But more Alexander Birkel and clerk in Washington, D.C. Columbia memories!) through the than anything, we need to be there Maleeha Chida Tj Aspen Givens recently Class Notes. Please feel free to for me. So. Please fnd it in your [email protected] completed the Fortune 500 M&T email me with any and all updates. hearts to donate money and connec- [email protected] Bank: Management Development I look forward to seeing you all tions to this sad, unwashed white girl. Program. She works at the frm’s again soon during our in-person And if you cannot spare connections, Julien Reiman started a docuse- Park Avenue location as a com- graduation (frst reunion?) sometime money is fne. Go Lions!” ries, Talk With Your Mouth Full, last mercial banking marketing manager, in the future.”

Fall 2020 CCT 83 obituaries

Editor’s note: In recognition of the toll received a Purple Heart, a Combat decades, specializing in cross-border taken by the COVID-19 pandemic, Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star. 1954 transactions and litigation. Vincenti CCT wishes to acknowledge those in After his discharge in 1945, Pagliaro co-founded and for 33 years was a our community who have died from resumed his studies and earned two Seymour Hertz, retired attorney, partner of Vincenti and Schickler in complications of the virus. Teir obitu- degrees from GSAS, an M.A. in New York City, on May 24, 2020. Manhattan, then formed Vincenti & aries are marked with a ö symbol. 1948 and a Ph.D. in 1961. He taught Born on July 12, 1932, Hertz earned Vincenti with his sons, John ’90 and at Columbia until 1964, when he a degree from the Law School in Paul, and practiced law for an addi- moved to Swarthmore and taught 1956. He was a former partner in tional 20 years. For more than 50 1947 18th-century English literature and the New York frm of Paul, Weiss, years he was a member of the Tiro English romantic poetry until his Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. A Segno social club, where he was a Harold E. Pagliaro, retired professor, retirement in 1992. He chaired the He is survived by his wife, Elaine; director and ofcer, helped draft its Swarthmore, Pa., on February 15, English literature department 1971– daughter, Patricia; and son, Stephen. constitution and bylaws, and chaired 2020. A renowned scholar of 18th- 74 and 1986–91 and was its foundation. A longtime supporter century English literature, Pagliaro 1974–79. Pagliaro authored several Ronald F. Thompson, attorney, of the College and former president books on English literature as well as Philadelphia, on January 21, 2020. of the Columbia University Club of Naked Heart: A Soldier’s Journey to the Born and raised in Brooklyn, Long Island, he was an avid fsher- Front (1996), based on letters he had Tompson earned a law degree from man, and an insatiable reader with a sent to his parents while stationed in Yale. He devoted much of his career strong independent streak and a zeal Europe. He is survived by his wife, to being in-house counsel at United for lifetime learning. He is survived Judith GS’66; sons, Robert, John and Technologies Corp. for various by his wife, Edna; son John ’90 and Blake; daughter Susanna; fve grand- divisions, including Otis Elevator in his wife, Kampf; son Paul and his children; and one great-grandchild. Paris, France. His passion was music; wife, Christina; and four grandchil- he was an active choral singer for dren. Memorial contributions may most of his adult life, singing with be made to the Core Curriculum 1952 the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers, the c/o the Columbia College Fund Hartford Symphony Chorale and (college.givenow.columbia.edu). Richard A. Symes, retired reverend, St. Mark’s Choir in Philadelphia. Granville, N.Y., on April 3, 2020. Tompson is survived by his wife, Symes earned a bachelor of divinity Susan; daughters Diana, and Dana 1958 Harold E. Pagliaro ’47 from Princeton Seminary and a doc- Goldberg and her husband, Jacob; torate of divinity from San Francisco and Zoe Katz and her husband, ö Charles Goodstein, psychoana- was provost emeritus and the Alex- Teological Seminary. He served par- Jeremy; and four grandchildren. lyst, Tenafy, N.J., on April 30, 2020. ander Griswold Cumming Professor ishes in Detroit, New York, Palo Alto, Memorial contributions may be Born and raised in NYC, Goodstein Emeritus of English Literature at Calif., and Caracas, Venezuela, and made to Penn Medicine Hospice, graduated from Stuyvesant H.S. Swarthmore. Born and raised in the also served on national committees of Bala Cynwyd, Pa., or Magee Reha- After graduation from the University Bronx, he spent two semesters at the the Presbyterian Church. Before he bilitation Hospital, Philadelphia. of Pittsburgh Medical School, he College before he was drafted into began parish ministry he spent a year served as a captain in the Air Force the Army during WWII, where he in Germany, including a semester at Vito R. Vincenti, attorney, Wood- and then became an adult and child served on the European front and the University in Bonn. Along with land Park, N.J., on July 21, 2020. psychoanalyst in Tenafy. Goodstein members of his congregations, Symes Vincenti was born and raised in was a clinical professor on the faculty marched for civil rights and in pro- Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and was of NYU Medical School, teach- test of the Vietnam War, yet despite a longtime resident of Manhasset, ing as part of the Psychoanalytic Obituary Submission his antiwar stance he collected and N.Y. After graduation from the Law Association of New York. He was a Guidelines painted miniature soldiers. Some of School in 1957, he was a com- devoted family man with enthusiasm Columbia College Today the churches he served became More mercial attorney for more than fve about the world, an ability to make welcomes obituaries for Light (LGBTQ) and Sanctuary everyone laugh, a fair for the dra- graduates of Columbia College. churches. He was a volunteer prison matic and a never-ending intellectual We do not publish obituaries chaplain in New York and a visitor to curiosity. Goodstein is survived by for undergraduate or graduate the local federal prison in retire- his wife of 58 years, Carolyn; son, alumni of any other Columbia ment. Symes and his wife of 60 years, Cliford; daughter, Catherine Wal- University school. Word limit Patricia, retired to Granville, where lace; brother-in-law, Ian Wallace; is 200; text may be edited for he had built a summer cabin in 1973. and two grandchildren. length, clarity and style at the Tey traveled extensively in the early Norman P. Herzberg, editors’ discretion. Links and/ years of retirement, particularly in retired math- or addresses for memorial Italy, and he added Italian to other ematician, Princeton, N.J., on March contributions may be included. languages he had learned. In addition 29, 2020. Born in Brooklyn, Herz- Please go to “Contact Us” at to his wife, Symes is survived by his berg graduated from James Madison college.columbia.edu/cct and fill sons Christopher, and Preston and H.S., then magna cum laude from out the “Submit an Obituary” form. his wife, Jennifer; two grandchildren; the College and earned a Ph.D. in and sister, Barbara Jones. He was mathematics from MIT in 1965. He predeceased by an infant son, Mark. Vito R. Vincenti ’54 was employed by the Institute for

84 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

William F. Haddad ’54, JRN’54, Journalist, Politician, Crusader

William F. Haddad ’54, JRN’54 Haddad died on April 30, 2020, cessful bid for a seat in the U.S. was never one to stay in any place, or in Poughquag, N.Y. He was 91. House of Representatives in 1964 any job, for very long. But wherever Born on July 25, 1928, in Char- and never ran for ofce again, but he went, he made his presence felt. lotte, N.C., Haddad lied about his advised on RFK’s 1968 presidential As a journalist, he helped bring age so he could join the Merchant campaign and managed Cuomo’s down New York power broker Marine at 15 and served aboard victorious 1982 New York guberna- and founded a cargo ships in the Pacifc during torial campaign. weekly newspaper, the Manhattan WWII. While at the College, he In the 1970s, Haddad taught Tribune, with Roy Innis, national simultaneously earned a master’s at Sarah Lawrence, returned to director of the Congress of Racial from the Journalism School. the New York Post, worked for Equality. As a politician, he advised He joined Kefauver’s staf in 1954 DeLorean for two tumultuous years, many ofce holders, including Estes and helped to secure his nomina- chaired a state panel on education Kefauver, Robert F. Kennedy and tion as Adlai Stevenson’s vice- and directed the State Assembly’s Mario M. Cuomo. As an activist, presidential running mate in 1956. ofce of legislative oversight and he was the frst inspector general of Haddad then became a reporter at analysis, where he investigated TED RUSSELL / GETTY IMAGES the Peace Corps, spearheaded the the New York Post, where, along with corruption in banking. In 1974, sale of generic drugs and helped other reporters, he linked Moses to he persuaded the legislature and to make way for the use of generic bring afordable AIDS medica- paybacks, fnancial corruption and Gov. Hugh L. Carey to let doctors AIDS medicines and to reduce the tion to Africa. As a businessman, organized crime, leading to Moses’s prescribe generic drugs in place price of lifesaving drug cocktails. he was marketing director for John downfall after more than 40 years as of higher-priced brand names. A Haddad’s marriages to Kate DeLorean, the charismatic carmaker the city’s most powerful politician. decade later, he took his campaign Roosevelt, a granddaughter of whose company would implode due Haddad received a George Polk nationwide and was instrumental in President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to DeLorean’s corruption. Award, one of journalism’s highest shepherding landmark legislation and Noreen Walsh ended in divorce. In his heart, Haddad considered honors, in 1958, and shared another that removed longstanding legal and He is survived by his daughters from himself a crusader. “I’m a provocateur,” in 1959. regulatory hurdles to the manufac- his frst marriage, Laura Whitney- he once said. “I learned that from In 1961, Haddad became a top ture and sale of generic drugs. Tomas, Andrea and Lulie; children Estes Kefauver. I used to ask him, assistant to R. Sargent Shriver, Haddad devoted the latter part of from his second marriage, Amanda ‘Why do you get into all these battles?’ founding director of the Peace his career to lowering the cost of drugs Reina and Robert; stepson, Steve and he would say, ‘Never let one go by.’ Corps, and was its associate director used to treat HIV/AIDS in Africa Walsh; 13 grandchildren; and two I wish I could. I wish I could learn to and frst inspector general. A friend and elsewhere. In 2001, he worked great-grandsons. keep my mouth shut. But I can’t.” of the Kennedys, he made an unsuc- with Cipla, a drug company in India, — Alex Sachare ’71

Defense Analyses at Princeton from August 17, 1939, Friedman lived in retiring in 2004, and continued to Citicorp before joining GE Capital 1968 until his retirement in 2000. Westchester County and Manhat- compose music that is available on in 1978 as general manager and Herzberg published several papers tan after graduation. As a partner the Naxos, MSR, and Music & Arts VP for consumer fnance. In 1981, on his specialty, number theory, and of Founders Capital Group, he was labels. He is survived by his wife, Tompson moved to Marine Mid- wrote numerous classifed papers a skilled dealmaker who loved his Claire Rydell. land Bank and was president and while at IDA. He and his wife of 52 work. Friedman was an avid run- CEO 1985–90. He remained CEO years, Barbara, whom he married in ner and expert skier who enjoyed Geofrey A. Thompson, fnancial after Marine Midland was acquired the MIT Chapel in 1967, traveled travel, singing and spending time executive, Lyme, Conn., on August by HSBC and sat on the board for all over the world together, often with his family. He is survived by 3, 2020. Born on October 26, 1940, eight years. He later worked in the to Greece and the nearby islands. his son, Ted; daughter, Jennifer ’93, in White Plains, N.Y., Tompson executive search business and private Tey also went to Malta, Morocco, LAW’98; brothers, Daniel and Jona- grew up in Central Valley, N.Y., equity, and sat on several corporate Madeira, Mexico, , Egypt, than; and two grandchildren. as the oldest of fve siblings. He boards. A lifelong lover of sailing, India, England, Ireland, Scotland, attended Deerfeld Academy and Tompson is survived by his wife of France and Italy, among other places. spent a year working on a sheep 54 years, Claudia; daughter, Marina Herzberg was an avid and skilled 1963 station in the Australian outback Cummins and her husband, James; photographer and documented their before majoring in history at the brothers, Jonathan and Kimberley; travels extensively. In addition to Paul V. Reale, retired composer, College. After two years in the sister, Kathy McCurdy and her hus- his wife, Herzberg is survived by his Canoga Park, Calif., on July 22, Navy, he earned an M.B.A. from band, John; and two grandchildren. brother, Edward; and sister, Susan. 2020. Born on March 2, 1943, Reale Harvard in 1967. Tompson often earned an M.A. from GSAS in joked that he held 72 jobs in his 1967. He was a prolifc composer life, from waiting tables and driving 1964 1961 of classical music whose output taxis to running a bank and serving included works for every musical on corporate boards. He started his Frederick W. Kantor, New York Joel Friedman, investor and real instrument. A professional pianist, professional career at Newsweek but City, retired physicist and inventor, estate developer, New York City, on he wrote countless solo keyboard switched to banking in 1970 and on May 15, 2020. Born in NYC July 20, 2020. Born in Denver on pieces. Reale taught at UCLA, held positions at A.G. Becker and on July 19, 1942, Kantor entered

Fall 2020 CCT 85 Obituaries

guard to fulfll work-study obliga- tions, Guttlein earned three graduate degrees from Columbia: international fellow in 1976 from SIPA, M.I.A. in 1979 from SIPA and J.D. in 1979 from the Law School. He practiced criminal and immigration litigation law for more than 30 years, including in the Latino community. In 2007, he founded the Bronx frm of Jorge Guttlein & Associates and mentored many young attorneys. He was an avid student of history, a foodie and a benefactor of the arts. Guttlein is sur- vived by his wife, Luisa De La Nuez; son, Juan Carlos and his wife, Jessica; stepdaughter, Pamela Gonzalez; and two grandchildren. 1977

Nicholas L. Bogen, , Durham, N.C., on , 2020. Bogen entered with the Class of 1971 and was active in the student protests before leaving the College in 1969 and working as a carpenter for EILEEN BARROSO several years in upstate New York. He earned an M.A. and an M.Phil. in geological sciences in 1981 and 1982, with the Class of 1963 and earned entered the College in 1960 but respectively, and a Ph.D. in earth and a Ph.D. in physics from GSAS spent a year studying Talmud in 1970 environmental sciences in 1983, all in 1973. For his doctoral thesis, Israel prior to his senior year. Azriel from GSAS. Born on May 2, 1949, in Kantor invented a way to polish Genack ’64 recalled Steiner as Charles I. Linzner, attorney, Yardley, NYC, Bogen moved with his family the surfaces of an X-ray telescope. being “deeply engaged with fellow Pa., on June 6, 2020. Born in Phila- to Port Washington, N.Y., when Although the rocket carrying students and faculty, especially with delphia on August 30, 1948, Linzner he was young, and there he began a the telescope he built crashed on Professor Sidney Morgenbesser,” earned a J.D. from NYU in 1974 lifelong love of sailing and nature. He takeof at Los Alamos, N.M., his with whom he developed a close and began his professional career at taught geology at the University of patented design was replicated by friendship that lasted until Morgen- Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer Michigan before moving in 1989 to Lockheed for NASA. His other besser’s death in 2004. After a Ful- & Wood, where he worked in NYC Durham, where he worked in geo- patents included new ways to make bright Fellowship at Oxford, Steiner 1974–77 and 1980–83 and in Paris logical consulting. Bogen volunteered air conditioners, to carry away earned a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1977–80. He became VP, general at Habitat for Humanity and the sewage waste and to help people 1972 before becoming an instructor counsel, for Squibb Medical Systems Durham Public Library and helped with macular degeneration to read at Columbia. He moved to Israel in Bellevue, Wash., in 1983; associ- to found the Lerner Jewish Com- again. He developed an approach in 1977 and chaired the philosophy ate general counsel for Squibb in munity Day School in Durham. He to physics that was captured in his department at Hebrew University Princeton, N.J., in 1985; and general is survived by his wife, Emily Klein groundbreaking book, Information in Jerusalem in the 1990s, although counsel of U.S. operations for Squibb BC’78, GSAS’89; son, Jeremy; daugh- Mechanics (1977). Kantor had an ear he often returned to Columbia to in 1988. Since 1991, Linzner was ter, Alexis; and brother, Timothy. for music and taught himself guitar, teach during the summer. Steiner VP, senior counsel pharmaceutical piano and organ. He is survived by also translated a series of Jewish research institute/worldwide business his sister, Susan G. Zepeda and her philosophy books from Yiddish to development, for Bristol-Myers husband, Fred P. Seifer; and brother, English. In his most famous book, Squibb. His interests included moun- Paul B. ’59 and his wife, Carole J. Te Applicability of Mathematics tain climbing, technical rock and ice Kaplowitz Kantor. Memorial as a Philosophical Problem (2002), climbing, skiing, scuba diving and fy contributions may be made to the Steiner argued that man’s ability to fshing. He is survived by his wife of Columbia physics department or the discover natural laws means that the 29 years, Nancy J. Meyer. New Jewish Home in Manhattan. universe is innately user friendly and that there is meaning and reason in things. He is survived by his wife of 1975 1965 54 years, Rachel Freeman BC’65; brother, Richard; sons, Hillel, Yoel Jorge de Jesus “George” ö Mark J. Steiner, philosophy and Aharon; daughters, Hadas and Guttlein, attorney, Bronx, N.Y., on professor, Jerusalem, Israel, on April Navah; and many grandchildren and December 23, 2019. A history major 6, 2020. Born in the Bronx, Steiner great-grandchildren. who was a residence hall security Nicholas L. Bogen ’77

86 CCT Fall 2020 alumninews

Robert L. Gnaizda ’57, Civil Rights and Public Interest Attorney

Robert L. Gnaizda ’57, a promi- of pleasantries and small talk .... preventing Black people from voting nent public interest attorney who Tat is, unless you’re lucky enough in Clay County, Miss., that helped advocated for social justice and civil to fnd yourself with him in a quiet, infuence the Voting Rights Act of rights, spent fve decades fghting on uncrowded place and you happen to 1965. Te following year, during the behalf of the underdog. During his ask about what exactly he was doing era of Cesar Chavez, he co-founded career he took on myriad powerful in Mississippi during the 1960s. California Rural Legal Assistance opponents, including Southern coun- “Suddenly his eyes are twinkling and took class action cases on behalf ties that tried to disenfranchise Black as he tells you his best stories, the of farmworkers forced to work for low voters, employers who discriminated ones of ingratiating himself with wages in poor conditions. in hiring and banks that redlined suspicious ofcials through friendly In 1973 Gnaizda co-founded neighborhoods to prevent minorities baseball trivia or his tale of faking Public Advocates in San Francisco from obtaining loans or mortgages. a federal order to hold hearings in to discourage fnancial institutions “Bob Gnaizda was, in my opinion, the deep south about the mistreat- from discriminating against the most imaginative, creative and ment of Black voters. To most of Black and Hispanic home buyers. consequential public interest lawyer of us it’s history come to life, but to He served as deputy secretary of his generation in the United States,” Bob it’s just tales of the good old health and welfare for the State said J. Anthony Kline, presiding justice days, hiding people on the foor of of California under Gov. Jerry Reserve of the impending subprime of the California Court of Appeal in his back seat so that he could stir Brown 1975–76. mortgage crisis. San Francisco, who, with Gnaizda up legal trouble to shake down the In 1993 he co-founded the “Bob saw the world as it is, yet he and two others, formed a pioneering powers-that-be.” Greenlining Institute, bringing moved through it as if he could just public interest law frm in California Born in Brooklyn on August 6, together a diverse group of commu- mold it to his will and forge new in 1971 that won a legal battle that 1936, Gnaizda’s passion for civil nity leaders to fght against redlining pathways toward justice and equality forced the San Francisco Police and rights was sparked when he was and for the economic empower- for all,” said Kee, his former deputy. Fire Departments to end discrimina- young. Growing up in Brownsville, ment of communities of color. He Gnaizda is survived by his tory hiring and promotion practices. then a tough Jewish neighborhood, later was general counsel for the wife, Claudia Viek; sons from a Gnaizda, who graduated from he defended friends against neigh- National Asian American Coalition previous marriage, Josh and Matt; Stuyvesant H.S. and earned a law borhood bullies, and later watched and the National Diversity Coali- and one granddaughter. degree from Yale in 1960, died in San the abuse to which Jackie Robinson tion, fghting on behalf of universal — Alex Sachare ’71 Francisco on July 11, 2020. He was 83. was subjected from some fans and access to afordable housing, small Rebecca Kee ’05, who was Gnaiz- even fellow players at Ebbets Field business loans and equal opportu- Read more about Gnaizda’s and Kee’s da’s deputy and became his lifelong as he broke baseball’s color barrier nity. Gnaizda was interviewed for work together in CCT Online’s “Like friend, described him to CCT as with the Brooklyn Dodgers. the Oscar-winning documentary Minds” Q&A, “Talking Social Advo- “brilliantly smart, quick-thinking and As a young lawyer, he collected Inside Job (2010) about his eforts in cacy with Robert Gnaizda ’57 and focused on his work, to the exclusion testimony on how white ofcers were the mid-2000s to warn the Federal Rebecca Kee ’05”: bit.ly/31FDHp0.

Donations may be made to Habitat and very tall ... towering over a sea of Dartmouth. In baseball, Aurrichio was for Humanity of Durham, the Lerner musicians, just waving his hands with a two-time All-Ivy League selection, Jewish Community Day School or great joy and truly no idea of a down- including a frst-team honoree as a Judea Reform Congregation. beat! Encouraging and enthusiastic sophomore after slugging a team-high about making the band a fun refuge, 13 home runs. He fnished his career Harlan was nonetheless an exemplar third on Columbia’s all-time home 1981 of hard work and dedication, manag- runs list with 23, and his 13 home ing to keep up an internship at runs in 2010 still rank third in single- Harlan H. Simon, fnancial execu- Citibank during his senior year and season history. His baseball coach, tive, Chappaqua, N.Y., on June 22, forging a successful career in fnance.” Brett Boretti, described Aurrichio as “a 2020. Simon earned an M.B.A. from Simon is survived by his wife, Eden huge personality that everyone fed of Penn’s Wharton School of Business M. Platt; sons, Nathaniel and Jacob; of and enjoyed being around,” and his and was a foreign exchange trader at daughter, Rebecca; father, Morton; soccer coach, Kevin Anderson, said, Bank America International. As an and sister, Leslie. “When he walked into a room you Alexander Aurrichio ’12 undergrad, he was the conductor of knew it, and he made you feel it deep the Marching Band and a member of into your soul.” Aurrichio moved to Nacoms. He supported the Marching 2012 In soccer, he earned the starting Australia in 2014 to pursue a career in Band Alumni Board and maintained goalkeeper role his frst semester and football and played for several teams, Alexander Aurrichio, lifelong friendships with classmates, profes- maintained it through his senior year. most recently the Waratah Football band members and Nacoms. Dennis sional athlete, Dix Hills, N.Y., on As a sophomore, he played every min- Club in the Northern Territory Klainberg ’84, a fellow band member, June 8, 2020. During his four years ute of every match, recording 76 saves Football League. He is survived by his recalls Simon as “superbly non-musi- at Columbia, he was a starter on that included a 9-save performance father, Louis; mother, Jill; and siblings. cal, lanky, intelligent, confdent, droll both the soccer and baseball teams. in a shutout against nationally ranked — Alex Sachare ’71

Fall 2020 CCT 87 captionthis!

CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST CONTINUES

We got so many responses for our previous caption contests that we’re keeping the creativity going! This installment is by editorial cartoonist R.J. Matson ’85.

The winning caption will be published in the Winter 2020–21 issue. Any College student or College alum may enter; no more than three entries per person. Submit your idea, along with your full name and CC class year, to [email protected] by Tuesday, December 1.

88 CCT Fall 2020

Over 1,300 Columbia College students on financial aid saw summer employment and paid internships disappear due to the global pandemic. In response, Columbia College waived their expected work contribution so they could continue their education this fall, without financial disruption.

This one-time grant aided our students with more than $4 million and was made possible in large part by the philanthropic support of College alumni and parents.

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