Fall 2019

Columbia College Today

CELEBRATING CENTENNIAL A CORE Q&A WITH PRESIDENT BOLLINGER

Y.A.’S QUEEN TEEN-LIT AUTHOR MELISSA DE LA CRUZ ’93 IS TOPPING THE BESTSELLER LISTS MEET ME AT THE PLAZA DIG INTO A JUICY READ ABOUT NEW YORK’S MOST FAMOUS HOTEL

DAMON WINTER ’97 FINDS THE LIGHT The Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist considers the decade after “Hope and Change” “My favorite work from the Core was Plato’s Republic. It helped me to learn how to think (still working on it!).” - John W. Lombardo M.D. CC’69

“The Core has been a huge part of my everyday life. It exposed me to a lifetime’s worth of enjoyment of the classics, philosophy and art.” - Ilan Hartstein CC’85

What’s Your Core Story?

Share a fun memory, favorite Core work or personal reflection and be part of our community memory project to honor the Core Curriculum’s Centennial. Submit online or email us your #CoreStories and join us this year for our #CoreCelebration.

core100.columbia.edu/corestories [email protected] Contents features

14 Finding the Light A decade after “Hope and Change” — and a Pulitzer Prize — photojournalist Damon Winter ’97 feels freer than ever before. By Boris Kachka ’97, JRN’98

22 The Core Endures President Lee C. Bollinger speaks about the curriculum’s enduring legacy. Interview by Alexis Boncy SOA’11

26 The Teen-Lit Queen CCT joins the fan club of bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz ’93. By Anne-Ryan Sirju JRN’09

Cover: Photograph by Béatrice de Géa Contents departments alumninews

3 Within the Family 36 Hittin’ the Books

4 A Visual Odyssey 37 Message from CCAA President Michael Behringer ’89 6 Message from Dean James J. Valentini Celebrate the Centennial by sharing your Core Stories. Reflecting on a century of shared intellectual experience. 38 Lions Jeffrey Kessler ’75, LAW’77; Katherine Katcher ’07; 7 Around the Quads Sari Beth Rosenberg ’97; Noël Duan ’13 This year’s Hamilton Medal honoree, CASE Gold for CCT and more. 42 Bookshelf Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto 12 Roar, Lion, Roar Hindman ’03, SOA’09 CCT talks with the author of Tough Luck: Sid Luckman, Murder, Inc., and the Rise of the 44 Class Notes Modern NFL. Celebrations

30 Columbia Forum: The Plaza: The Secret 84 Obituaries Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel Alex Navab ’87 by Julie Satow ’96, SIPA’01 A tribute to a well-lived landmark. 88 Core Corner Our Centennial cartoon caption contest kicks off with an illustration by Edward Koren ’57.

Now on CCT Online CCT

PRINT EXTRAS THE LATEST LION’S DEN | JUNE 20

• Thank you to our FY19 CCT donors TAKE FIVE | JULY 12 “I’m really good at reading. I know that sounds like a weird “[My favorite spot on campus] thing to brag about. And I wasn’t the Sundial or the know that everyone who went Like Columbia College Alumni library; it was the darkened to Columbia probably feels facebook.com/alumnicc room in which any given like they’re good at reading. art history class took place. I know I’m not the only one View Columbia College alumni photos Spending an hour with nothing who read five books a week instagram.com/alumniofcolumbiacollege to do but contemplate the throughout college. The beauty of paintings was problem with me is that I liked Follow @Columbia_CCAA church, psychotherapy and reading five books a week. Valium all in one.” That was a good pace for me. Join the Columbia College alumni network — Crime fiction writer So I decided to continue it — college.columbia.edu/alumni/linkedin Charles Philipp Martin ’76 for the rest of my life.” — Publisher and novelist Miriam Parker ’00, from “Reading, college.columbia.edu/cct Writing and … Not Much Else” JÖRG MEYER Columbia College CCT Today

VOLUME 47 NUMBER 1 Within the Family FALL 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Happy Anniversary, Alexis Boncy SOA’11 Core Curriculum! EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lisa Palladino oll out the sheet cake and start counting candles — we’ve got 100 to light DEPUTY EDITOR Jill C. Shomer for the Core Curriculum, which is celebrating its centennial this year with all due ceremony. The guest of honor needs no introduction. Generations of ASSOCIATE EDITOR alumni have gotten up close and personal with the Core, gained knowledge Anne-Ryan Sirju JRN’09 R and insight from its teachings, and had their hearts and minds opened to new ways of

FORUM EDITOR looking at the world. Rose Kernochan BC’82 Here at CCT, in this and each of the next three issues, we’ll mark the milestone with features and other special content. It felt only right to begin with a conversation with CONTRIBUTING EDITOR President Lee C. Bollinger, who speaks powerfully to the Core’s value in raising funda- Thomas Vinciguerra ’85 mental questions about life and society, and instilling habits of mind that last a lifetime. ART DIRECTOR The Core may be the signature program of the College, but as he observes, its mission Eson Chan resonates across all the schools of the University, and has a tremendous role to play in the nation and in the world. Other Core touches in this issue are a playful visual take on The Odyssey, one of the Published quarterly by the signature texts of Literature Humanities (page 4), and the launch of our Core Cartoon Columbia College Office of caption contest. This installment, on page 88, comes courtesy of the incomparableNew Alumni Affairs and Development Yorker illustrator Edward Koren ’57. The winning caption will be announced in our for alumni, students, faculty, parents and friends of Columbia College. Winter 2019–20 issue, with the winner receiving a print of the cartoon, signed by Koren. We also invite you to tap into your inner muse and send us Core haiku. Your 5-7-5 ASSOCIATE DEAN, stylings could be inspired by a text, a professor or any other aspect of your Core experi- COLUMBIA COLLEGE ALUMNI RELATIONS ence. A sampling from our early submissions is scattered throughout Class Notes, and AND COMMUNICATIONS more will be featured in the next three issues. Bernice Tsai ’96 Caption contest entries and haiku both may be emailed to [email protected]. Outside of the Core, our cover story considers the evolving eye of photojournalist Damon Winter ’97. It’s been a decade since Winter won a Pulitzer Prize for his images ADDRESS Columbia College Today of Barack Obama ’83 on his historic presidential first campaign trail; today, as The New Columbia Alumni Center York Times’s first Op-Ed photographer, Winter is finding ways to say more with his cam- 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530, 4th Fl. era than he ever thought possible. (Winter’s partner, Béatrice de Géa, who specializes in New York, NY 10025 editorial, documentary and portrait photography, is the talent behind our cover shoot.) We also catch up with bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz ’93, who’s built an avid PHONE fan following — as we saw at this past summer’s BookCon — among the young adult 212-851-7852 set. The prolific de la Cruz talks to us about her career in vampires, Disney villains and EMAIL dystopian themes (to name just a few of her subjects!), and speaks to why she’s become [email protected] such an ardent ambassador for the YA genre. Speaking of books, for a double dose of juiciness, check out the “Columbia Forum” WEB excerpt from Julie Satow ’96, SIPA’01’s new release, The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s college.columbia.edu/cct Most Famous Hotel, and our “Bookshelf ” feature about Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman ’03, ISSN 0572-7820 SOA’09. The latter played for four years in a professional classical musical ensemble that Opinions expressed are those of gave faked concerts. It’s a jaw dropper of a tale. the authors and do not reflect Welcome, to all our new parents reading CCT for the first time. And to everyone else, official positions of Columbia College welcome back — that fall feeling never changes; a new semester is under way! or Columbia University.

© 2019 Columbia College Today All rights reserved. Alexis Boncy SOA’11 Editor-in-Chief

Fall 2019 CCT 3 4 CCT Fall 2019 Fall 2019 CCT 5 Message from the Dean A Century of Shared Intellectual Experience

his issue of Columbia College Today is the first in Volume 47 of our alumni magazine. More significantly, it is the first issue published in the 100th anniversary year of the T Core Curriculum. Many things make Columbia Col- lege special, but the Core is the most special. The Core is not just a collection of required courses; it is also central to the identity of Columbia College and the expression of our ideals. So the Core — its past, present and future — is quite appropriately our focus this year. In this issue of CCT, you’ll find a variety of features that might remind you of the Core’s promise to all undergraduates, as well as invite you to revisit the unifying role the Core plays in the lives of so many former students. I believe the Core is the greatest communal, organized, general education effort in the world. Each year, the entire first-year and sophomore classes study in the Core, engaging with hundreds of instructors, thousands of pages of text, and countless discussions and debates. There is nothing on a scale like it anywhere else. The endurance of the Core conveys our conviction that there are certain things that every educated person should have exposure to. SEAS’20 DANIES JAIME When our students are exposed to fundamental, and often difficult, ideas, there is value in both knowing the ideas’ origins and also in and concentrations that allow them to explore their individual and developing a response and understanding of them that is shaped by specialized academic interests. By enhancing the experience of the who they are, who surrounds them and how they view the world. In Core we also prepare students for the intellectual engagements that this way, the Core is always the same and always changing. Always become their focus. The Core creates a tradition of close interaction the same in its clear objective to expose our students to philoso- between students and faculty for every year a student is an under- phy, literature, art, music and science that has been consequential graduate here, in classroom seminars, in labs and in undergraduate in civilization. Always changing because each student brings their research programs. own perspectives, experiences and values into a rich and dynamic Our goal as an institution is to prepare students for a world that conversation, where no one leaves the classroom quite the same as neither they nor we can know or conceive. What we do know is when they entered. In that sense the Core is always experimental that their success — personal and professional — will depend on — trying out new things and then seeing whether they advance the their ability to interact with anyone, anywhere in the world, at any achievements of its timeless objectives. time. The Core offers a learning environment where that ability During this centennial year, we will look back on the history of can be developed. This exchange of ideas helps students develop the Core and how it evolved during the last century. Just as impor- a profound level of self-awareness and empathy, and deepens their tantly, we will look ahead to the next century to ask how it can and understanding of humanity. So many recent events in the world should evolve, examining the components that are deeply loved as show us that the questioning, the intellectual openness of the Core well as those that are questioned and constructively criticized. Curriculum, has never been more important. It is a common intel- We should look to enhance and enrich the experience of the Core lectual experience that gives rise to a powerful sense of commu- by preserving those elements of the curriculum and the academic nity, not just between students, but also with all of you, our almost experience that have value now, and will continue to have value, 52,000 Columbia College alumni. and then adding things that are made possible by developments and And so, as we celebrate the first century of this shared intellectual improvements in technology and pedagogy. The entire Core, not experience, we say: On to the second century! just Contemporary Civilization, must remain timely in its imple- mentation so that its persistent objectives can be met. We continue to examine the eternal joys and challenges of human existence, and to learn how humans express those joys and challenges, and how societies of every scale have developed in response to them. The Core also is the first part of a complete and rich College James J. Valentini education; afterward, students transition to one of many majors Dean

6 CCT Fall 2019 Around Quadsthe

Hamilton Medal

The 2019 Alexander Hamilton Medal will go to Dr. George Yancopoulos ’80, GSAS’86, PS’87, president of and chief scientific officer at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a leading biotechnology company based in New York. Yancopoulos has built and managed Regeneron alongside Dr. Leonard Schleifer since 1989, a year after the company’s found- ing. Yancopoulos is a principal inventor, along with key members of his team, of Regeneron’s seven FDA-approved drugs and foundational technologies; he also is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has been on the Regeneron Board of Directors since 2001. Regeneron’s work targets a variety of conditions, including macular degenera- tion, cancer, high cholesterol and arthritis. The son of Greek immigrants, Yancopoulos grew up in Queens and graduated from Bronx Science. He was hon- ored with a John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement in 2013. The Hamilton Medal is the highest honor awarded to a member of the Columbia College community, and recog- nizes distinguished service to the College and accomplish- ment in any field of endeavor. The 72nd annual dinner will take place on Thursday, November 21, in Low Rotunda. EILEEN BARROSO

CCT Gets the Gold! own perspectives and actions relative to faculty and alumni reflecting on their Core activism and free speech.” experiences. There will also be breakfast, The Council for Advancement and The Circle of Excellence Awards honor a historical exhibit, and an opportunity to Support of Education (CASE) has outstanding work in advancement services, take photos or shoot a video at the Core awarded CCT a Gold Circle of Excellence alumni relations, communications, Storytelling booth. Award in the “Writing, Feature Writing, fundraising and marketing at colleges, A panel on the “Enduring Core,” with Column or Opinion Piece” category for universities, independent schools and the current Core faculty chairs, is slated Paul Starr ’70’s feature, “How the ’68 affiliated nonprofits. This year, upward of from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The heads Uprising Looks 2,800 entries were submitted across 100 of Literature Humanities, Contemporary Today,” half of categories. Read our winning article at Civilization, Art Humanities, Music our two-part college.columbia.edu/cct/issue/spring18. Humanities and Frontiers of Science Spring 2018 will discuss both the Core’s enduring cover story, “50 relevance and its distinction from other Years Later.” Core Centennial undergraduate approaches to education. The judges Midday refreshments will be available. said: “Starr A year of celebration in honor of the 100th Attendees must RSVP to secure a offers an anniversary of the Core Curriculum will space at this limited-seating event. For excellent kick off with a special event on Friday, more information, and to register, go to journalistic September 27, in Low Rotunda. Attendees college.columbia.edu/alumni. analysis of can come for all or part of the opening day, In addition, alumni are invited the 1968 uprising at Columbia, drawing which will feature refreshments, talks and throughout the year to participate in parallels with protests on campuses and activities. The festivities start at 9 a.m. with a community memory project, Core across U.S. cities today. Fifty years on, remarks from President Lee C. Bollinger Stories, which aims to give voice to he tells the story in a way that makes it and Dean James J. Valentini. the experience and impact of the Core. seem timely and topical … the piece also A “Core Stories” panel will follow, Reflections, memories and more may draws readers in to contend with their from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with Core be shared at core100.columbia.edu.

Fall 2019 CCT 7 Hall of Fame

The Woman Who First Crashed the College Gates

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

hen it was announced Columbia Engineering, she read the work you looking to disrupt the University?’ in January 1982, of feminist scholar Catharine Stimpson, Now, I’m a patient person, but he pushed following years of with whom she took classes at Barnard. my buttons. So I finally said, ‘Yes, I want intense, even hostile, But Kornbrot, the daughter of Polish to disrupt the University!’ Pouncey was negotiations with Holocaust survivors who settled as laughing his head off.” WBarnard, that Columbia College would garment workers in Flushing, didn’t (Asked to recall the conversation, admit women, a certain doctor of dental see herself as a trailblazer. Rather, she Rosenthal, chuckling, thinks he may medicine thought, “It’s about time!” was after a healthy dose of liberal arts. simply have been needling Kornbrot. “If That doctor was Anna Kornbrot “I valued my education so much that she has those memories, what can I say? SEAS’74, ’75. Uniquely, she was already the I wanted to get as much out of it as But it’s inconceivable that that was me. College’s first alumna — eight years before possible,” she recalls. “I didn’t want just We were delighted at the prospect of the coeducational floodgates were opened. math and science.” being able to pull the rug out from under “I don’t wear a sign,” Kornbrot says 44 She got her wish through a loophole in Barnard’s intransigence.”) years later. “I don’t need validation. But I the undergraduate degree options. During The anticlimax came in a letter do feel it deeply.” junior year, she noticed in her course dated June 13, 1974. Columbia College In the early 1970s, “women’s lib” was catalog something called a 4:1 program. admissions director Michael Lacopo exploding. Bras were burning, the Equal Under this arrangement, an Engineering wrote to Kornbrot, “I am delighted Rights Amendment was white-hot and student could earn a B.S. in four years to inform you that a joint committee the fairer sex wanted a fairer shake at and, with enough liberal arts credits — representing the School of Engineering all-male bastions of higher learning. “I including the four basic Core Curriculum and the College has granted your request was politically attuned,” Kornbrot says. “I courses — also graduate with a College for transfer to the College beginning did have my ERA T-shirt.” Enrolled in B.A. a year later. Nowhere was it written September 1974.” that women were ineligible. With her Engineering B.S. in hand, So Kornbrot walked into 208 Hamilton Kornbrot began her single year in the Hall, armed with the relevant passage. College amid little fanfare. “I wasn’t “The secretary looked at the catalog, looking for anything other than a seat in looked at me, and said, ‘I think the dean is the classroom and to just do my thing. I going to want to talk with you.’” savored every one of those courses.” The A minor kerfuffle ensued. “We would finale was Class Day, when the 5-foot-2 have to build you a separate gym!” fretted Kornbrot marched up to receive her Provost Wm. Theodore de Bary ’41, diploma. “You could see people’s eyes GSAS’53. Various administrators suggested watching this procession and then all of a that Kornbrot get her B.A. from Barnard. sudden you saw all these double takes: ‘Is Kornbrot’s most memorable sit-down this a short guy with really long hair?’” was with Dean Peter Pouncey and Associ- Kornbrot’s 4:1 loophole was almost ate Dean Michael Rosenthal GSAS’67. immediately amended so that female “Pouncey took a diabolical delight in the applicants would be admitted exclusively whole thing,” she says. “You could see the to Barnard. One other woman, Ann wheels turning about how he would deal Candy — now Dr. Ann Stein — was with Barnard.” (For years, that school’s grandfathered in, earning an Engineering administrators had resisted College coedu- B.S. and a College B.A., both in 1978. cation, fearing among other reasons that its Kornbrot went on to dental school at applications would suffer, perhaps fatally.) the University of Pennsylvania where, in Rosenthal was another matter. “It was her fourth year, two of her male classmates an interrogation. He was poking at me,” — but not she — were granted inter- Kornbrot’s yearbook photo from the 1975 Columbian. Kornbrot says. “He said things like, ‘Are views for a residency program in oral and

8 CCT Fall 2019 Around Quadsthe

maxillofacial surgery. She complained to says. “It’s hands on. It’s discrete. You have Her husband-to-be, Barry Klayman the dean, who told her, “‘You’re absolutely a problem, you solve the problem and you ’74, suggested she consult a particular right. You are being discriminated against.’ move on to the next patient.” professor at the Law School. “I asked Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, I A footnote: Kornbrot was unsure her, ‘What are my options? What are my said, ‘Now what?’” Following determined what she was going to do if the College chances?’ She said, ‘Schools have so much lobbying, she got her residency. wouldn’t admit her. “I really wanted to discretion in who they can take. Don’t Today, Kornbrot (who earned a D.M.D. go,” she says. “But how far was I willing to pursue it. You won’t get in.’” in 1979) practices in Philadelphia and go? Was I willing to go to court? Would The professor was future Associate teaches at both Penn and Thomas Jefferson I sue the University? All this stuff was Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader University Hospital. “I like surgery,” she swimming through my head.” Ginsburg LAW’59.

StudentSpotlight Santiago Tobar Potes ’20

CCT: What’s something interesting you CCT: What’s your favorite Core read- learned recently? ing so far, and why? Potes: I’ve been taking cognitive neuro- Potes: Augustine’s Confessions and science just out of interest. Neuroscientists Dante’s Divine Comedy. I love Confessions believe we have two types of decision- because I’ve been thinking a lot lately making systems: One of them is very old about what I love — it’s helping me to –– it allowed our type of humans to sur- develop my own value system. Augustine vive; it’s intuitive, and processes informa- says you should only love things that are tion and reaches conclusions quickly. The eternal, you should only love things that other is a newer type of decision-making will never change, things that you won’t system — it’s slower and more rational. I stop loving in a year, in a month. Now find that so interesting because I feel that that I’m in my last year of college I have a one of society’s biggest issues is deal- clear vision of what I like, so now I’m ask- ing with both of these decision-making ing myself why I like these things. systems; one that helped us as a species I was so touched by Dante’s Inferno in and the other that’s helping us to adapt to Lit Hum that I’ve been taking a yearlong new conditions. class in which we read the entire Divine Comedy. It’s taught by Teodolinda Baro- lini, and she has been the most impactful teacher I’ve ever had. The text speaks to fast facts me because of what it represents: meeting different people, learning from them, Major: No major, two concentrations: CCT: How do you like to take advan- East Asian Languages and Cultures, and improving yourself from what you’ve tage of being in New York City? Medieval and Renaissance Studies learned and keeping on with progress. Potes: I love New York City so much, Hometown: Born in Cali, Colombia, but CCT: What do you like to do outside moved to Miami at 3 and grew up there. and the relationship it has with Columbia. of class? I’ve been very lucky to be mentored by Favorite spot on campus: The Reference Potes: Room in Butler Library. “There’s a quotation I started playing the violin when some great alumni. The fact that the city on it that says, ‘A man is but what he I was 11 after hearing a radio show on has the highest number of alumni is also knoweth,’ and I look at that and think about NPR; I remember hearing the sound, why where we are is so incredible –– I the reason why I’m here. It’s beautiful in and being so captivated by it. I’ve been can schedule a coffee meeting in between itself and it’s a beautiful reminder of why in the Columbia University Orchestra classes and take the subway to talk to I’m here, despite the odds — I’m the first since freshman year. Last semester I was so many people. It’s not just that New person in my family to go to college.” in two chamber ensembles — one a string York is our classroom; New York is also a quartet and the other a piano trio. university unto itself.

Fall 2019 CCT 9 Around Quadsthe

LookWho’sTalking

Niamh O’Brien COLLEGE / COLUMBIA KILLIAN YOUNG Senior Associate Dean, Alumni and Undergraduate Career Development, Center for Career Education

You’ve been with the University since 2003, starting at SIPA, mistic about jobs that might not yet be defined, so we emphasize but transitioned to the Center for Career Education 12-plus exploration through counseling, tools and programming, to build years ago. What drew you to the role? self-awareness around interests and their sense of agency in I was drawn to and continue to love working with undergraduates deciding their futures. Career resilience is also a skill that we fos- as they embark on their career journeys; explore their identities, ter through our individual and group work with students. We also interests and career opportunities; and pursue and reflect upon keep them abreast of recruitment trends through our program- their experiences with us at CCE. The joy continues as we ming and our “In the Know” blog posts. We are also lucky to have work with alumni to help them progress in their career journeys incredible alumni who collaborate with us to share their stories beyond Columbia. and advice with students. What’s your typical day? What resource(s) do you wish more alumni would take My day starts very early, with the sunrise. Over breakfast, I check advantage of, and why? the University website for the latest news and the events page for Making and maintaining connections are key pursuits whether pop-up concerts, lectures or yoga classes that I can join. My work you are launching or progressing in your career. We encourage day also starts very early, with email catch-up and a review of my alumni to reach out to other alumni, and to join alumni clubs, calendar. I typically have meetings with students and collabora- our Columbia Career Connections group and/or the Columbia tive work with my team members and/or colleagues around the University group on LinkedIn. University. I’ll also deal with unexpected needs as they arise. What’s one thing about yourself that would surprise readers? How have students’ attitudes and approaches to “career” Many people struggle with my name and are surprised that the shifted in your time as associate dean, and what are some of “mh” is pronounced “v” so my name sounds like Neave and is the ways that CCE is meeting students’ needs today? spelled Niamh. The name Niamh is from Irish mythology. She Rapid changes in technology have shifted how students prepare was daughter of the god of the sea and one of the queens of for the future of work. We want them to be ready for and opti- Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth.

DidYouKnow? One of Columbia’s Oldest Known Trees Was a Gift from the New York Botanical Garden

athaniel Lord Britton SEAS 1879, the first director of the NYBG in 1891. a Columbia professor of botany Columbia donated its herbarium and many Nand a co-founder, along with his of its botany books to the garden in Britton’s wife, Elizabeth Gertrude Britton, of the New honor when the campus moved uptown in York Botanical Garden, was instrumental in 1897. It is thought that to reciprocate the acquiring one of the Morningside campus’s gift, the garden gave Columbia a tree for its oldest known trees. Britton was in charge new campus –– the spindle tree (Euonymus of Columbia’s botany department and bungeanus) that grows on the lawn to the left SCOTT RUDD SCOTT herbarium in the late 1800s and became as you face Hamilton Hall.

10 CCT Fall 2019 Let’s Roar in the ’20s at next year’s Columbia Reunion! Reunion 2020

Save the Date for Columbia Reunion Weekend June 4–6, 2020

All alumni are invited, with special events for milestone college.columbia.edu/reunion years that end in ’0 or ’5 or who are 2019. [email protected] ROAR, LION, ROAR

A Football Player’s Family Secret

id Luckman ’39’s rise from schoolboy football phenom in Brooklyn to All-American quarterback at Columbia to a 14-year career with pro football’s Chicago Bears is only part of the story told Sby R.D. Rosen in his new book, Tough Luck: Sid Luckman, Murder, Inc., and the Rise of the Modern NFL. While Sid was climb- ing to stardom, his father, Meyer Luckman, was being convicted of the gangland murder of his own brother-in-law and sentenced to 20-years- to-life in Sing Sing, where he died in 1944. How could this tale of celebrity son and mobster father go untold for eight decades? Former CCT Editor- in-Chief Alex Sachare ’71 spoke with Rosen in July to get the story behind the book, which was published by Atlantic Monthly Press in September.

CCT: You grew up across the street from Sid Luckman ’39 in Highland Park, Ill. Is that what drew you to write about him? Rosen: The book is deeply rooted in my experience of being a Bears fan and knowing that the great Bears quarterback lived across the street from where I played touch football fairly obsessively. A couple of years ago I was on my computer, looking for any films of Sid in the Bears’ championship games. I love sports history, and being able to see what he had done was exciting for me.

CCT: Was Meyer’s story what convinced you that there was a book to be written? Rosen: Absolutely. When sports writer and author Dan Daly told me Sid’s father had murdered his brother-in-law, I couldn’t believe it. I was surprised the story hadn’t been told in full. So I did it, because Sid deserves a book about ARCHIVES himself. He had prevented CCT ERIK LIEBER anybody from digging too Sid Luckman ’39 in his Lions football days. Author R.D. Rosen deeply. Remember, it wasn’t until [former baseball player] CCT: Tell us what happened that led to Meyer’s arrest. Jim Bouton wrote Ball Four: The Final Pitch in 1970 that players’ Rosen: Meyer, who at the time was about 60, and his brother ran private lives became fair game for journalists. a trucking company in Brooklyn that delivered flour to bakeries. In those days, if you wanted to be in business you had to play ball Take us back to the 1930s, when Sid was making CCT: with the mob. Meyer had a brother-in-law, Sam Drukman, who headlines as a football star at Brooklyn’s Erasmus Hall H.S. had a gambling problem, but he was family so Meyer hired him and his father was making headlines of his own. anyway. But after a while Meyer became convinced Drukman was Rosen: It may be unique in the annals of history that a father and skimming from the business to pay gambling debts and decided son were making headlines in the same town at the same time to do something about it. Why he didn’t get the mob to take care for such wildly different reasons. As Sid was leaving Erasmus and of it for him, I don’t know, but he chose to do it himself, with two going to Columbia, he had to sit in a courtroom and hear about accomplices. They lured Drukman to the company on a Sunday his father’s vicious murder of his uncle. night and strangled him.

12 CCT Fall 2019 CCT: Do you think it’s more than coincidence that Sid played for coaches who became father figures? Rosen: Paul Sullivan at Erasmus really was a fatherly guy. As far as Lou Little at Columbia, Sid was drawn to him immediately, and they did establish a father-son relationship. George Halas of the Bears was no one’s idea of a warm and fuzzy father figure, but he convinced Sid to play pro and then became very protective of him.

CCT: What new insight about Sid did you glean from writing this book? Rosen: I would speculate that Sid compensated for his father’s crime. And when I talked with his children and heard stories about his kindness and generosity, it really jumped out at me how on some

subconscious level he devoted his life to LIBRARIES COLUMBIA GEORGE ALLEN / COURTESY being above reproach. Columbia takes on Amherst College in a 1920 game on South Field.

CCT: What was the biggest obstacle you encountered in this project? Cheering Columbia Football Rosen: Sid died in 1998 and left no Columbia’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library is marking the 150th anniversary records. The family was ruled, in a sense, of college football this fall with “Roar, Lion, Roar: A Celebration of Columbia by the silent secret, and by Sid’s refusal to Football” (library.columbia.edu; select “Exhibitions” below “Events & Training”). be written about. I went to his son, Bob Running until December 20 in the RBML’s Chang Octagon, the exhibition features Luckman, and said, I used to live across the materials from the University Archives showcasing highlights of the Lions program street from you and I’d like to write a book — one of the oldest in the country — from its 1870 inception to the present. about your dad. When I told him the book The exhibition covers Columbia football’s early days (including an early 20th- would have to be about century ban of the game) and most famed victories (among them the 1934 Rose his grandfather, too, he Bowl victory and 1947 win over Army). It also addresses the 1970s teams that said, “Oh, Sid wouldn’t played under Coach Bill Campbell ’62, TC’64; the 1980s losing streak; the winning like that.” I said, “Your 1996 team; and the renaissance helmed by Head Coach Al Bagnoli. In addition, the father was a great man, exhibition highlights the coaches and players who have made a mark on Columbia a great historical figure, football. Historic photographs, programs and memorabilia all will be on display. but you can’t get that book unless it’s also about your grandfather. That’s just the deal.” Speaking of Football … Given the family reluctance, did CCT: Mark your calendar for Columbia Homecoming 2019, Friday, October 18–Saturday, you consider backing away? October 19. The big game takes place on Saturday, vs. Penn, with kickoff at 1:30 p.m. Rosen: Yes. I thought about that a lot. At Come early for the annual Homecoming Lunch & Lawn Party, a family-friendly what point does it become morally OK to event with food, drinks and games, hosted by the Columbia College Alumni Asso- share a family’s horrible secret? I’ve written ciation. The CCAA is also offer- other books in which I’ve had to convince ing a pair of new Homecoming people it was in their best interest to talk, ROAR! events: a Friday evening student/ and I took the tack with the Luckman Keep tabs on all the Lions news! For the alumni picnic on the lawn in kids that it’s better I write this book than latest, download the Columbia Athletics front of Butler Library, and a someone else. Of course, if Sid were alive, app or visit gocolumbialions.com. Saturday night after-party for you and I wouldn’t be talking. He had some young alumni at Hudson Terrace. powerful friends who would have come All events are ticketed; for more to me and said, “Mr. Rosen, we strongly information and to purchase tickets for the CCAA events, or packages of event and suggest you find a different topic to write game tickets together, go to college.columbia.edu/alumni/homecoming. Tickets for about,” and that would be it. just the game may be purchased separately at gocolumbialions.com.

Fall 2019 CCT 13 BÉATRICE DE GÉA FINDING THE LIGHT THE FINDING BY BORIS KACHKA ’97, JRN’98 KACHKA BORIS BY President Barack Obama ’83 at JFK International Airport, Queens, N.Y.; October 18, 2012.

A DECADE AFTER “HOPE AND CHANGE” — AND A PULITZER PRIZE — PHOTOJOURNALIST DAMON WINTER ’97 FEELS FREER THAN EVER BEFORE

Donald Trump at a campaign event in Dubuque, Iowa; January 30, 2016. hat do you do after “Hope and Change” and “simplistic.” In the years that followed, he says, “I felt gives way to fear and loathing? like I had a little more to say.” For photojournalist Damon Winter ’97, The moment that really made him reassess his ear- W the question wasn’t just political; it went lier work shouldn’t surprise anyone who follows the to the core of his life and work. After joining The New news. The election of a President who doubled as Media York Times in 2007, where he quickly earned a reputation Basher-in-Chief led the press to ask itself hard ques- for marrying expert technique with vivid storytelling, tions: What had they missed about the American voter? Winter went on the road with candidate Barack Obama How could they defend themselves while remaining ’83 and brought home the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for fea- above the fray? How could they maintain an objective ture photography. His indelible campaign pictures — of posture when so much of what the government was say- Obama pointing at a cloud, or greeting ecstatic children ing was objectively false? The dilemma was not limited or addressing thousands as rain, sweat and tears coursed to writers. We like to say the camera doesn’t lie, but that down his face — immortalized that season of light for doesn’t mean it has no point of view. Photographers were the paper of record. no more immune to the jeers of MAGA crowds or the Ten years later, having covered Obama’s more earth- candidate himself than the rest of the press pack. Having bound reelection run, war in Afghanistan, devastation in borne it for months, Winter emerged from 2016 with President Obama boards Air Force Haiti and the 2016 campaign of Donald Trump, Winter “this feeling of futility” that he couldn’t shake. One at Boston’s would be forgiven for feeling sentimental about those Ultimately, that feeling has hardened him against nos- Logan Airport; earlier, sunnier days. But he doesn’t. When he revisits the talgia; it’s also left him freer to say more with his cameras June 26, 2012. photos that made his career, he sees work that is “naïve” than he’d ever thought possible. He’s traveled a journey

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY DAMON WINTER ’97 / THE NEW YORK TIMES

16 CCT Fall 2019 FINDING THE LIGHT

Donald and Melania just extremely lucky to have stum- Trump descend bled into photojournalism.” After from their private the College, he worked at the Dal- jet at Wilmington las Morning News and other papers International Airport, Wilmington, N.C.; before landing at the Los Angeles November 5, 2016. Times, where he was a Pulitzer final- ist in 2005 for a photo essay on vic- tims of sexual abuse in Alaska. Two years later, The New York Times poached him, as part of a larger drive to give the paper more visual flair. “He has a real vision,” says New York Times deputy picture editor Beth Flynn. “When you look at an image made by Damon, it has all the ele- parallel to his readers — witnessing Obama’s disillusion- ments that an image should have — light, composition — ment, war and climate crisis, and a President who per- but it has the Damon Winter vision attached to it.” After sonifies chaos. Like many of us, including the newspaper he won the Pulitzer, he drew intensive feature assignments nicknamed the “Gray Lady,” he’s become a digital native, a around the world. multimedia creator. He’s also grown more forthright about Winter was up for those adventures — most of the his opinions — especially during the past year, as the first time. In his living room, he shows me a picture of troops in-house photographer for the Times’s Opinion section. evacuating a gravely injured soldier in Afghanistan; a He’s looking toward 2020 with a mixture of excitement helicopter downdraft throws sepia-toned dust over stoic and dread and, as ever, an exceptionally keen eye. soldiers, recalling iconic war photos like the Iwo Jima flag planting. Winter had had to walk through a mine- field, and saw a tech lose his legs — knowing he might inter’s home on the Upper West Side, which he be next. “This is before I had Noah and realized it wasn’t W shares with his longtime partner, photographer worth it,” he says. Béatrice de Géa, and their son, Noah, is a prewar duplex But after dodging mines on the battlefield, Winter that Winter is slowly converting into a light-flooded caught flak from his peers. In order to capture the inti- Pfc. David Gedert stands in a beam of haven of sliding doors and slatted wood. Oddly, only macy of life on the base, he took some pictures with a sunlight as he puts one photo is on display, in the phone and a Hipstamatic filter (the precursor to Insta- on his combat gear in bathroom. “Béa doesn’t want gram), breaking Times precedent against digital tweaks. Kunduz, Afghanistan; We like to to have to look at the same He addressed the backlash from purists in a long post on October 11, 2010. say the photos every single day,” Win- the paper’s Lens blog, argu- ter explains, while scanning his ing that it was the right tool camera vast portfolio on a laptop. for the job. “We are being doesn’t lie, It may be de Géa’s prefer- naïve,” he wrote, “if we think ence, but the lack of work on aesthetics do not play an but that display suits Winter’s reti- important role in the way doesn’t cence — a trait not normally photojournalists tell a story. mean it has associated with photojournal- We are not walking photo- ists (one colleague calls him copiers. We are storytellers.” no point “a silent assassin”). He started In 2010, Winter spent of view. shooting pictures as an under- many months visiting Haiti grad with a camera his mother after its catastrophic earth- gave him for his birthday, and quake, working on a series of fell instantly in love. He’d had an interest in environ- stories that allowed the Times mental science, but says he’s never fit into any field or to transcend the grief tour- clique: “It’s a sort of personal feeling that I’m an out- ism typical of disaster cov- sider.” On our first meeting, he’d apologized in advance erage. He sought “a way for for being an uninteresting subject, and here in his home, people to connect, not just to he seems reluctant to pick his favorite photos, which was be shocked or to get information, but to feel empathy for kind of the point of the visit. people who have gone through something really horrific.” Winter even casts his success as a lucky break. “It really Some of his work captures the carnage and raw grief, but is the beauty of photography that initially drew me to his favorite picture is of a girl walking uphill in silhouette, it,” he says. But “I don’t think I’m creative or crazy a full water-cooler jug on her head. It’s not about mourn- enough to live off the wiles of my own mind … I was ing or poverty, but the Sisyphean task of recovery. “I felt

Fall 2019 CCT 17 Eridiant Joseph collapses in grief like a different person when I came back,” Winter says. “I Obama was the most photogenic President,” says Mills, after discovering felt like I had done something worthwhile.” “but Donald Trump is the most iconic.” his sister’s body in By comparison, the next campaign was anticlimactic. Consider one of Winter’s most memorable shots the rubble from a The tone of Obama’s 2012 run was typified by a photo (below): Trump stands in front of a murky American 7.0 earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti; rich with subtext, in which the President speaks to a flag, every part of him obscured except a shock of that January 25, 2010. crowd: The glass of the teleprompter in front of him strange hair and a brightly lit hand pointing like a raised reflects an arrangement of flowers, while up in the sky gun. Winter had been trapped for hours behind bar- — in the real world — storm clouds gather. After Win- ricades along with dozens of other journalists, heckled ter compiled his coverage into a photo essay headlined by the crowd and ignored by hostile staff. “You’re stuck “A Face More Careworn, a Crowd Less Joyful,” White in this pen,” Winter says, “and you have time to really House press secretary Jay Carney complained to a col- contemplate: ‘What is it that I want to say? What can I league of Winter’s: “Who the fuck is Damon Winter and why is he such Donald Trump at a a terrible writer?” Winter laughed it campaign rally in off. “It reinforced the fact that I was Greensboro, N.C.; June 14, 2016. never his photographer,” he says. Winter’s next campaign made the skirmishes of 2012 seem quaint. Discussing assignments in 2015, he’d told photo editor Jennifer Dim- son he wanted to cover Trump. “I think he was interested in the chal- lenge,” says Dimson. “Nobody knew what kind of campaign it would be.” One of Winter’s colleagues, Times White House photographer Doug- las Mills, believes he just knew a rich subject when he saw one. “Barack

18 CCT Fall 2019 FINDING THE LIGHT

do within the confines of this situation?’” This particular situation was both more confined and more chaotic than usual, but the constraints worked to Winter’s advantage. He saw a fuzzy shadow — probably another reporter’s phone — obscuring most of Trump’s face, and started clicking and adjusting, knowing not only what the perfect picture would look like, but also what it would convey: “These sort of iconic big grand gestures that he makes, and his iconic hair — but there was nothing underneath.” It was the kind of work that made even seasoned Washington photojournalists ask themselves, How’d he do that? “He just sees things differently,” says Mills. “Everyone is looking for the right face, but Damon found a spot in the light, and turned a well-lit photo- graph into a silhouette.” Mills is on a text chain with photojournalists, and the day before he spoke to me, “We are being one of them had linked to naïve if a Winter photo of Mitch McConnell and captioned we think it, “DAMON. AGAIN.” aesthetics For all the groundbreak- do not play ing work, covering Trump took a psychic toll on Win- an important ter. De Géa noticed a shift role in the in her partner’s moods; on his rare visits home from the way photo- trail, she told him he had the journalists tell same “PTSD look” in his a story. We are eyes he’d had after Afghani- stan. “I would be angry and not walking impatient,” Winter recalls. photocopiers. “You’re being mistreated by the people running the cam- We are paign, by the supporters and storytellers.” then by the candidate, and witnessing this shift in the mood in the country that you didn’t really understand … At least in Afghanistan there were long lulls in between the really intense stuff.” Senate Majority He stuck with it, literally, to the bitter end. Winter’s beats and assignments. “It was easy to get lost in the shuf- Leader Mitch favorite photo from the campaign was one of his last. On fle,” Winter says. But then, in 2018, some good luck came McConnell; election night, Trump campaign staffers, never expect- his way. The Opinion Page had been looking to expand its December 19, 2018. ing to actually win, got precipitously drunk. Around online presence, and one idea was to assign a dedicated 4 a.m., a woman cut her bare foot on the shard of a wine staff photographer to give it a coherent style and exclusive glass, leaving a trail of blood on a MAKE AMERICA material. Winter’s photo essays were already straying into GREAT AGAIN poster. Winter started shooting the editorial waters, so why not loan him out? poster, and staffers berated him. “I said something back, The timing was perfect, not just for Winter but also for a like, ‘This is a really important picture,’” he says, laugh- paper trying to keep pace with the world. Old-school edi- ing. “I felt like it really told the story of what had hap- torial pages, with their godlike tone and throwaway photos, pened that night and what was to come.” In the end, it could never compete in an online ecosystem of hot takes never ran. “The editors thought it was too provocative.” and visual flash. In order to build digital subscriptions after years of giving away content, newspapers have been forced to both grab browsers’ attention and earn their loyalty by t wasn’t just the existential crisis of the new administra- distinguishing themselves from clickbait. Winter’s dynamic Ition that left Winter feeling adrift in 2017. The Times photography is leading the way on both fronts. photo department was also going through a shakeup, Winter’s first Opinion assignment was “sort of right which temporarily left staff photographers unsure of their up my alley,” he says — an eye-catching series of double-

Fall 2019 CCT 19 FINDING THE LIGHT

Reflection of exposed portraits of transgender people, their bodies layered on his own take. He’s done both while working Fair Bluff, N.C., in stagnant floodwater superimposed with artifacts of their lives. This kind of with the somewhat controversial writer Bari Weiss ’07. after a succession impressionistic trickery was “so different from what we Last year, he shot portraits for Weiss’s piece on a group of “once in a generally do for a newspaper,” he says. Another creative of right-leaning iconoclasts who make up the so-called lifetime” hurricanes; September 24, 2018. foray was an essay about a perpetually flooded North “Intellectual Dark Web.” He lit them dramatically in Carolina town. Looking at his photos, it takes a minute deep twilight, often in pompous poses, poking a bit of to realize that every single one is a reflection — an under- fun at their self-importance. “[Weiss] will probably hate water image of buildings or streets shot through stagnant me for saying this,” Winter says, “but I kind of wanted it floodwaters and flipped over. It was uncharted territory to be a little bit of a check and a balance.” both aesthetically and thematically: art in the op-ed pages. Yet he and Weiss connected deeply on a truly dark Shooting photos to accompany opinion pieces also assignment — covering the October 2018 mass shoot- meant grappling with writers’ points of view. Sometimes ing at the Pittsburgh synagogue Weiss had grown up Winter was fully aligned with them; other times he attending. They tried to gain entry to the crime scene,

20 CCT Fall 2019 “I’ve never been a fan of that National Geographic golden hour light. It’s Bibi Fell (right), portraits of multiracial people for a story. Another recent Spanish/Filipino/ just kind shoot was for a piece titled “The Lessons of a Hideous Chinese/German/ Forest,” about the flora growing over Staten Island’s Irish/French, and of uniform infamous Fresh Kills landfill. The pictures, juxtaposing Madelyn Fell, Spanish/Filipino/ and syrupy strangling vines with relics of trash, were twisted and Chinese/German/ sweet.” eerily beautiful. Their careful composition and abundant Irish/French/ shadows were recognizably Damon. Serbian, in Honolulu; “The whole dark thing — it’s not particular to Trump’s June 11, 2019. campaign,” Winter says. “I’m an equal opportunity offender.” It seems doubly strange, then, that his colleagues so often talk about how talented he is at “finding the light.” What does he make of the seeming contradiction? to witness and convey what really happened inside. “I’d “I’ve never been a fan of that National Geographic been thinking a lot about the way mass shootings are golden hour light,” he says. “It’s just kind of uniform and covered,” says Winter. “We have become so numbed syrupy sweet.” He prefers the constraints of a darken- by the rote imagery” — the antiseptic flowers and tears ing sky, sometimes even the flickering fluorescents of an papering over the murder of innocents. They were denied auditorium. “You can find beautiful, interesting light in access, so Winter chose to heighten the banality, mak- lots of different places.” ing note of “this orchestrated dance that follows these horrific acts of gun violence,” inuring us to a scourge we Boris Kachka ’97, JRN’98 is the books editor of New keep on doing nothing about. York magazine and the author of Hothouse: The Art Winter has kept up a frantic travel schedule, even if of Survival and the Survival of Art at America’s Most his assignments are less dangerous and more contempla- Celebrated Publishing House (2013) and Becoming a tive than they used to be. When we met at his house, he’d Veterinarian (2019). His feature “The Radical Authenticity just come back from several days in Hawaii, shooting 70 of Beto O’Rourke” was a CCT Online exclusive in February.

Fall 2019 CCT 21

TheCore Endures

President Lee C. Bollinger speaks about the curriculum’s continuing legacy

Interview by Alexis Boncy SOA’11 | Photographs by Jörg Meyer The Core Endures

Throughout the 2019–20 academic year, What do you think makes the Core Curriculum unique and enduring? Columbia College will be marking the Centennial of the Core I think it’s fair to say that, for a number of reasons, it’s Curriculum. As our alumni and faculty well know, this set of almost impossible for any university in today’s world to common courses — required of all undergraduates — is one put together core knowledge as meaningful as Columbia’s Core Curriculum. One reason for that is, it’s very difficult of the defining experiences of a College education. It began to get a current consensus. The challenge when you’re try- in 1919 with the class that became Contemporary Civiliza- ing to create something new is different than when you’re tion and evolved and expanded in the decades that followed taking something that’s inherited and trying to evolve it. Many people find the Core to be intellectually thrill- to embrace Literature Humanities, Music Humanities, Art ing. To be a young person and to be exposed to great texts, Humanities, University Writing (formerly Logic & Rheto- great objects of art, and great music of the world over time ric) and, most recently, Frontiers of Science. To kick off this — and to be exposed to that directly, not intermediated by some secondary or tertiary texts or lectures — is an experi- year of celebration and reflection, we asked President Lee C. ence they will never forget. It is reflected in the thousands Bollinger to sit for a conversation about the Core and its sig- of comments I have received from current students and nificance, not only to the College but also to the University alums who say, “The Core changed my life.” We all feel a need to connect great thought, great beauty and great achieve- and, more broadly, as testament to the far-reaching benefits ments to our current lives. The Core is a concentrated, very of a liberal arts education. direct way of making that experience available to young people, which I think is part of its enduring legacy. It’s really so much more than a course of study. Absolutely. The Core offers an introduction into the scholarly mind. A university is not just a place where knowledge is transferred from one generation to the next; it’s a community, a culture. It is a way of thinking, a way of life, a way of approaching almost everything you experience over the course of a life. It encourages a sense of modesty, a sense of your own ignorance, a need to use reason and logic in constructing how you’re going to think. You are introduced to that immediately through the Core, and that is very special. It’s also important to recognize that you don’t necessar- ily have an expert teaching you. It will be a serious scholar, but it may be someone coming to the subject with fresh eyes. And so, very early on as a student, you understand that you don’t have to be intimidated by expertise. It’s powerful to be told and shown by example that even though you aren’t as well equipped as someone else might be, it’s still your responsibility — and your life will be made better by making the effort — to understand. You’re speaking, of course, about the seminar- style format of the Core. Are there other benefits to that approach? One of the things about having to speak and write is that it makes you confront your own ignorance, your own incapacities. It’s very easy to sit back and be critical when other people are speaking — to think, “That’s all completely obvious.” But as soon as you try to write, and as soon as you try to explain things, you have to confront the fact of how difficult it is. If it were so easy to absorb Shakespeare or Montaigne or Aristotle or Virginia Woolf, we wouldn’t need universities, and we wouldn’t need the Core Curriculum.

24 CCT Fall 2019 Every person has had the experience, I think, of reading a great text, looking at a great piece of art or listening to a fine piece of music and thinking certain things, admiring “To be a young person and certain things — but imagine then having a scholar help to be exposed to great you to unravel that art’s complexities. You would begin to see things that you hadn’t, and it’s amazing, and by the texts, great objects of end you develop a habit of mind; you know that you will art, and great music of never take a great work or any work for granted, and that, too, is an enormous educational benefit, a life benefit. the world over time is There seems to be enormous benefit as well in the an experience they will community learning aspect of the Core. never forget.” Early on in my presidency, somebody in my family said that it was striking to walk up the Low Steps and to see so many students sitting quite separately, reading Plato or Aristotle. And that symbol of a young person on the world — these are under assault. In one sense, there has Steps, outdoors, reading the same great text as someone always been anti-intellectualism in societies and certainly sitting a few yards away, is an example of what you’re in American society. Universities have to contend with talking about. When you are doing the same thing that that, and they have to address it. But, in today’s world, this all of your peers are doing, it reinforces the seriousness of anti-intellectualism is essentially an assault on what it is what it is that you are undertaking. I think it also must be that universities stand for. So, universities, and the Core incredibly stimulating to be able to compare notes about Curriculum in particular, need to continue to be sources classes and readings; it’s an immediate bond with other of responses to those attacks. After all, our mission, ulti- individuals. The objective, of course, is to give our students mately, is to discover new knowledge and pursue the truth. so much more than the skills they need to read a great text. We want them to understand the value of being able How do you view the Core’s place and mission to discuss difficult and important ideas with other people within the larger University? who may not share their views. We want them to continue The Core is, of course, the signature program of the to do it throughout their lives. College — but we have 16 schools here. So, I have said, and will say again, that the Core Curriculum is to the How do you view the questions around diversity University what the University is to the world and the and representation in the Core? nation. It’s easy to say we are about the search for truth, There has to be an ongoing discussion about the charac- and that can sound banal, cliché. But underlying those ter and the content of the Core. And not only about the words is a whole tradition of respecting human inquiry Core, but also about scholarship generally — any univer- into truth, knowledge and understanding. That tradition sity worth its salt will embrace that continual self-exam- of inquiry has brought enormous benefits to the world — ination and self-criticism. Issues of inclusiveness need to capitalism, free markets, open economies, political systems be addressed. Issues of a more international and global of self-government, democracies — and these are really, world need to be addressed. Issues about the unfair- really important. But what’s incredibly important, what ness and inequality that informed or characterized the underlies those systems and organization of societies, is a societies in which many of these works arose or emerged respect for truth and a desire to expand your knowledge. need to be addressed. It’s all part of what it means to be I believe in universities. They are very special institu- an institution that respects reason and knowledge, and tions, and I think part of America’s success as a country is to carry forward values that we, over time, have come rooted in its commitment to colleges and universities and to realize are incredibly important — values of equality, what they represent — liberal arts education, professional values of addressing invidious discrimination, values of education, and not just in terms of preparing people for being respectful of other people, of being tolerant. So, I professions, but also educating people in the broadest sense. think the measure of the continuing success of the Core But universities are fragile. They’re different from the rest Curriculum will be its capacity to change as new values of society, and they emphasize certain values — reason are introduced and old values are rethought. and explanation; respect for different points of view; being skeptical, being modest. We take all of those values to an You’ve said that “the education afforded by the extreme and that creates a culture. The Core Curriculum Core has never been more relevant to the world we is the essence of that and representative of what we do at inhabit.” Can you elaborate? all of Columbia’s schools. Studying the Core exposes our We’re living at a moment when the attack on basic facts, students to the best of this culture and prepares them to on the use of reason, on reporting on what you see in the carry forward this way of thinking into the world.

Fall 2019 CCT 25 MARIA CINA QQ t’s the first Saturday in June, and thousands of fans another autograph seeker gushed, “My friends are freaking have crowded into New York City’s Javits Center, out that I’m meeting you!” A Sunday giveaway for advance lining up since early morning for a chance to meet review copies of the first book of her new series, The Queen’s their heroes at BookCon. The two-day celebration Assassin (coming in early 2020), was so mobbed that the ofI books and pop culture brings together authors and read- publisher had to call security. Rock star status: confirmed. ers of young adult (YA) literature, a booming market that has made rock stars out of writers. And one of the indus- try’s brightest lights is Melissa de la Cruz ’93. o say de la Cruz is prolific would be an understate- On that Saturday, de la Cruz perched at a table as the line T ment. In the nearly 20 years since she published her for her book signing snaked around stanchions and out of first novel, the author has written more than 50 books, view. Excited fans rolled through to take selfies, meet de la penned three television movies, helped develop two thriv- Cruz and talk Hamilton (de la Cruz had just come from a ing book festivals on opposite coasts and, oh yeah, cumu- packed panel –– “Making Out Between the Pages” –– where latively her books have spent years on The New York Times she discussed the final book in her Alex & Eliza trilogy, Bestseller List. But ask the bubbly de la Cruz how she which follows Alexander Hamilton CC 1778’s romance with manages her workload and she answers, with a laugh, Elizabeth Schuyler). Near the front of the autograph line, a “Absolute procrastination and then absolute desperation!” girl clutching all three Alex & Eliza books complimented For de la Cruz, writing has always been a passion. She de la Cruz on her striking gunmetal-grey eyeshadow, while grew up with parents who loved and encouraged reading, and as a child she devoured everything from Little Women to her mother’s Jackie Collins romance novels (she describes herself as “the kid who always had a book”). But reading an interview with Francine Pascal, creator of the Sweet Valley High tween series, opened her mind to being on the other side of the page. Pascal “talked about how she had created the [Sweet Valley] world, but the women who actually wrote the books were 22 years old! They were three girls who were just out of college and they were her ghostwriters,” de la Cruz recalls.

By Anne-Ryan Sirju JRN’09 The Teen-Lit ueen CCT joins the fan club of bestselling QQ author Melissa de la Cruz ’93 The Teen-Lit QQueen “At this time I was 11 and I thought, ‘They’re 22? Maybe in who happened to be vampires, was released in 2006 and 11 years I could be writing books like these.’” rode the wave of late-aughts vampire popularity. Although When de la Cruz was 12, her family left her native Manila it first became a bestseller in 2008, Blue Bloods continued to and settled in California. Columbia and the East Coast called pop up on the list until as late as 2011; the story grew into to her, as she was inspired by both Jay McInerney’s Bright a nine-book series. De la Cruz’s first take on adult fantasy Lights, Big City and the Beat Generation –– “[Columbia’s] literature came in 2011 with Witches of East End, which reputation rested on being the home of Jack Kerouac and spawned a six-book series and a Lifetime TV show, which Allen Ginsberg, and for having produced all these beautiful ran for two seasons. writers and just having that edgy, alternative reputation,” she After success writing about vampires, witches and dysto- says. “It felt like the kind of school you would go to if you pian futures (the Heart of Dread series, co-written with her were a little artistic.” husband), de la Cruz was looking for the next big thing. A De la Cruz majored in English and art history, and stayed fortuitous lunch with Jeanne Mosure, then-head of Disney in New York for a decade after graduation, writing about Publishing Worldwide, led to an offer de la Cruz couldn’t beauty and fashion for publications from Marie Claire to refuse: a deal to write a middle-grade (readers ages 8–12) series about the children of Disney’s villains, tied into the “I had just talked to my agent about wanting upcoming Disney Channel movie Descendants. “I thought it was so funny,” says de la Cruz. “I had just talked to my agent to do a fairy tale and here I was being about wanting to do a fairy tale and here I was being handed handed the entire Disney universe.” the entire Disney universe.” The offer turned into 2015’s The Isle of the Lost, which reigned on the Times Bestseller List for 50 weeks (“We ran out of champagne!” jokes de la Cruz) Allure to the Times. In 1999 she sold her first book — the adult and has spawned an entire book and movie series; the fourth fiction novel Cat’s Meow — and in 2003 she and her husband, book, Escape from the Isle of the Lost, was released on June 4, Michael Johnston GSAPP’99, moved to Los Angeles. and the Descendants 3 film debuted on August 2. De la Cruz’s first YA novels were contemporary fiction, De la Cruz reflects on her accomplishments as being covering wealthy teens in the Hamptons and regular high hard won: “There are a lot of ups and downs in creative school life. Then everything changed: Thanks to the success careers, and I was fortunate to be with people and raised by of the Twilight book series (which launched in 2005), vam- a family that said, ‘When it’s time to celebrate, it’s time to pires and supernatural creatures were suddenly big busi- celebrate,’ because you don’t know how long the moment ness. De la Cruz’s Blue Bloods, about wealthy New Yorkers will last –– you can’t take things for granted.

JÖRG MEYER

28 CCT Fall 2019 “The first time I hit the bestseller list was in 2008, and I had been a writer for about 10 years by then,” she says. “I felt really validated. When Descendants did so well and was on the bestseller list for a year, it was hard not to get used to it. But I was really cognizant that these things don’t last and you have to enjoy them while they’re happening.”

n the Friday night before BookCon, de la Cruz sat O on a panel with six other YA authors also represented by Penguin Teen, hosting a free trivia night at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble. Among the crowd of excited teens and young adults was an elderly man who stepped into the Q&A to ask why the authors were wasting their time writing fiction when they could be writing something educational for young people. De la Cruz, there promoting All for One (the third book in the Alex & Eliza trilogy), was diplomatic in her response: “I write books to enter- tain, I write them to amuse myself –– I hope they amuse other people. But I do think that they teach something that’s so much more important than how to put together an airplane. They teach us how to love, and that’s the most MARIA CINA important lesson of life.” She continued, “I wanted to write about Eliza Schuyler because I wanted to write about a good person, a decent she had enlisted every major publishing house in New York American. In the climate that we’re in, I wanted to cel- and in our industry.” ebrate that [decency] –– everything that is good about our YallFest brings dozens of YA authors to South Carolina country was in this one person.” for a weekend of panels, signings and special events. De De la Cruz is ardent in her belief that reading about la Cruz notes, “A lot of the cities in the deep south aren’t different people and places can teach empathy and open- normally on the book tour circuit, and a lot of the kids we mindedness. Her 2005 book Fresh Off the Boat drew from met during our first festival were so thankful that we came her own family’s immigration story and was one of the there.” When YallWest launched in Santa Monica, Calif., first Filipino-American themed YA books published in the the organizers wanted to continue bringing YA literature United States. A decade later, publishing company Harle- to underserved communities, and so the festival sponsors quin Teen came to her about an imprint they were launch- kids from Title 1 schools (public schools with a large con- ing with Seventeen magazine about teens going through centration of students from low-income families) to come real-life issues. Their request: Could she write about a to the festival for free and to receive free books. “There teenager experiencing the effects of illegal immigration? aren’t that many people who can demand the attention of Her instinct was to say no, she didn’t want to relive the an entire industry and their dollars, and that’s what Mel difficulties of her own immigration story (her family came can do,” Stohl says. “It’s really just this one person who has to the U.S. legally on her father’s business visa, but it was a transformed opportunity and access long journey to a Green Card). “But then I thought that it for children. She’s sort of the unof- would be kind of necessary to tell the story now,” she says. ficial CEO of the YA community.” Hamilton! “This country was founded by immigrants; we were always At BookCon, after speaking to a Read an excerpt from All for One, the proud to be immigrants in this country.” The book, Some- jam-packed room for “Making Out final book of de la Cruz’s Alex & Eliza thing in Between, was released in October 2016. Between the Pages,” fans lined up at trilogy: college.columbia.edu/cct/ latest/feature-extras/allforone. De la Cruz wants YA to be celebrated in its own right, microphones to ask everything from and to that end she’s been instrumental in raising the how de la Cruz and her fellow writ- genre’s profile during the two decades she’s been writing. ers found their passions in life to She has participated in the Charleston, S.C., young adult thanking the panelists for creating diverse characters that book festival YallFest for its entire nine-year run, and is the speak to the readers’ real-life experiences. Moments before co-founder of its West Coast sister show, YallWest, begun de la Cruz headed into the panel, she reflected further on in 2015. Author Margaret Stohl, the co-founder of both her Friday night comments about love, decency and the festivals, says, “The incredible power of Mel is that she will power of books. The questions “‘how to love, who to love’ see something and immediately know how to make it bet- have fueled generations of readers and books,” she mused. ter, fund it, roll it out, take it to the next level. She came [to “From Jane Austen to Shakespeare, it’s the immortal ques- the first YallFest] as an author and then, as my friend, said, tion. How do you learn about love but through books and ‘Oh honey, you’re doing this all wrong!’ And by the next year putting yourself in someone else’s shoes?”

Fall 2019 CCT 29 Columbia Forum

A Well-Lived Landmark Julie Satow ’96, SIPA’01 pays tribute to the Plaza Hotel

For many New Yorkers, the Plaza Hotel is a symbol of Subrata Roy, the Plaza had an almost mystical ability to wealth and romance, embedded like a low jewel in the blind rich investors to the vagaries of its often-tenuous city’s skyline. To Julie Satow ’96, SIPA’01, the Plaza bottom line. Trump, who drove the Plaza into bank- also seemed like a personal landmark — a figure always ruptcy proceedings just four years after he bought it in traced into her life’s backdrop. On some high school 1988, called the purchase his “Mona Lisa,” while for the afternoons, she’d sit in the Sheep’s Meadow in Central 21st century’s international buyers, the world-famous Park, the hotel’s silhouette visible in the distance. As a château was “the ultimate global calling card.” teenager — and during her time at Columbia — she’d Satow, for one, didn’t let the romance of the Plaza blind venture inside to visit her grandmother, who stayed her to its seamier side. The hotel has always been a locus there on city visits. Satow’s 2009 wedding was held in for scams and scandals as well as for opulent refinement; the Terrace Room, its ornate walls decorated with flow- her book, The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most ers and Roman statues. Famous Hotel (Twelve Books, $29), rips open the embroi- “The Plaza always dered Edwardian curtains and pulls up the rugs to reveal represented glamour the grime. During construction, a retired cop was thrown and excitement to me,” down two unfinished stories; in the 1970s, Central Park Satow says. South was known as Prostitutes’ Promenade. Satow’s Satow became a well-received history is, as The Wall Street Journal puts it, journalist, writing a “lively and entertaining portrait” of a beloved landmark first about business with an “astonishingly unsavory past.” and then real estate. Satow writes movingly about revisiting the Plaza for In 2015, by then a a night when she had almost finished her book. She contributor to The New wanders through the hallways, past a boutique, a hair York Times, she de- salon and the still-popular portrait of Eloise, to the cided to write her first ornate but empty room where her wedding took place. book and thought of The building is a hybrid now, part condo and part hotel, the mythic hotel she’d with pied-à-terres owned by shell companies on the known since child- floors where eccentric widows and their servants used to

EMILY ASSIRAN EMILY hood. The allure of its live. Despite the sometimes awkward alterations, Satow story was undeniable: is still moved by the Plaza’s graceful presence — and The Plaza had been a beguiling, elusive trophy from she’s hopeful about its future. Like any fixer-upper, all it its earliest days, the kind of real estate prize that had needs is a lot of cash — and the newest owner, Katara both seduced and frustrated those who possessed it. (the hotel arm of Qatar’s Investment Authority), clearly From the “rakish adventurer” Harry Black, who owned has deep pockets. “With sufficient investment,” Satow the hotel in the early 20th century, to the Sonna­bend says, “I am sure the Plaza can return to its former glory.” family, from Donald Trump to the jailed Indian tycoon — Rose Kernochan BC’82

30 CCT Fall 2019 Chapter 1 was meant to be minding the Plaza newsstand, but while her fellow employees were busily preparing for Parade of Millionaires the grand opening, she had aimlessly wandered over to the desk when she saw the clerk momentarily leave his post. It was at that exact moment that Vanderbilt “Great hotels have always been social ideas, flawless made his entrance. mirrors to the particular societies they service.” “I suddenly realized that the newsstand, where I was — Joan Didion supposed to be on duty, wasn’t even in sight from where I sat,” Doyle recalled in her memoir, Life Was Like That. n the morning of October 1, 1907, the “But, not knowing what else to do, I remained where I hotel bellmen and front desk staff were was.” As the debonair millionaire looked on bemusedly scurrying about the marble lobby, smooth- at the young girl with thick blond hair and a snub nose, O ing their uniforms and making final there was “a slightly strained moment of silence.” Then, preparations. Upstairs, maids in starched white aprons “with a barely perceptible trace of sarcasm,” Vander- checked the sumptuous suites, fluffing feather pillows bilt inquired if he might not check in. “Still sitting on and straightening the damask curtains. As the hotel the desk, I reached out casually, swung the brand-new manager barked orders, a troop of nervous doormen, register pad around in front of him, and dipped and dressed in black satin breeches and jackets inlaid with handed him a pen.” Vanderbilt bent over the large yellow braid, filed outside the Plaza’s bronze revolving book and on the first line of the first page signed, “Mr. door, arraying themselves along the entryway’s red- and Mrs. Vanderbilt and servant,” forever inscribing carpeted steps. himself as the Plaza’s inaugural guest. Along Fifty-Ninth Street, crowds had been gather- ing since the early hours. At 9 a.m., a shiny black car- he Plaza was the most expensive hotel in the city’s riage finally pulled up in front of the entrance and out T history, its looming eighteen stories dominating stepped Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, one of the coun- the surrounding skyline. Its arrival was so monumental try’s wealthiest men. The excitement grew palpable as that it ushered in new behaviors that would leave their onlookers jostled one another for a glimpse of the New mark on New York for generations. York princeling, while newspapermen called out for a The Plaza’s opening, for instance, coincided with the quote. Wearing a top hat and a wide grin, the dash- debut of one of the city’s most enduring symbols, the ing Vanderbilt strode past the spectators, up the hotel’s modern taxicab. On that first day, those in the crowd grand staircase, and through the revolving door. who ventured to the Fifth Avenue side of the hotel Once inside, Vanderbilt headed straight for the front discovered a fleet of twenty-five bright red cars. These desk. But instead of meeting the clerk, he was con- vehicles, imported from France, featured gray interiors fronted by a young Irish girl perched atop the coun- with long bench seats and two facing single seats that ter, absentmindedly clicking her heels. Mary Doyle could be turned up when not in use. The drivers were

Fall 2019 CCT 31 Columbia Forum

decked out in matching uniforms made of a similar instead into hotels. The term “hotel” is a bit of a misno- gray-blue as the interiors. To generate publicity and mer, since the terms “apartment” and “hotel” were often entice wealthy fans on this first day of business, these used interchangeably. Guests like Vanderbilt, Gates, and prototypes for today’s ubiquitous yellow cabs were 90 percent of those who checked in that day were per- being offered free of charge to Plaza guests. manent residents with plans to stay indefinitely; some In 1907, cars were still novelties — it would be thir- would remain for a lifetime. By living in hotels, these teen more years before the first traffic light graced Fifth new apartment dwellers avoided what was dubbed the Avenue. New Yorkers who didn’t own carriages often “servant problem,” or finding and keeping affordable, depended on two-wheeled hansom cabs to get around well-trained help. The New York Times marveled at “the town. But these new taximeter cars, with their decidedly large number of suites to be occupied by people who faster pace and clearly marked odometers — charging have hitherto had their own private residences.” 30 cents for the first half mile and 10 cents for every There was also the draw of the Plaza’s unsurpassable quarter of a mile after — quickly replaced horse-drawn modern amenities. Guests could order exotic dishes hansom cabs as popular transport. “The hansom cabbies like turtle soup and enjoy the ease of such conve- were curious at first” about the cars, remembered Tom niences as thermostats, telephones, and automatically Clifford, a Plaza doorman who was there that first day, winding clocks. “Certainly, no private house, however “but it was plain to see that trouble was coming.” expensively equipped can, as yet, show the appliances In only a few short years, the calls of “Cab, cab, cab!” for making life not only comfortable and easy, but also from hansom drivers perched high upon their plat- hygienic,” the fashion magazine Vogue wrote in an early forms were replaced with insistent honking and belch- review of the hotel. Guests didn’t have to hire decora- ing from the new red cars. In 1912, when a New York tors, as every one of the Plaza’s eight hundred rooms Times reporter stood outside the Times Square news- came replete with the most elegant of furnishings, room to count traffic, he found that of the forty-eight including dark wood armoires and sofas upholstered vehicles that passed by, just five were driven by horses, in rich brocade. There were three-button panels that while nearly one-quarter were taxis. Ironically, today allowed guests to call for a bellboy, maid, or waiter, who the only place one can find horse-drawn cabs is directly were stationed on every floor. And room service was across from the Plaza, where the New York City taxis delivered through an elaborate system of pneumatic that marked their death knell were first introduced. tubes and dumbwaiters, so it would arrive still warm The advent of the Plaza ushered in other new behav- from the cavernous kitchens below. iors, besides the use of modern taxis. In the wake of Of course, not every guest appreciated the modern the hotel’s opening, for instance, wealthy New Yorkers conveniences. When the famed tenor Enrico Caruso began embracing a wider public life. Those who had first moved into his suite at the Plaza, the loud tick- long maintained enormous Manhattan mansions, with ing emanating from the automatic clock in his room their large staffs and expensive upkeep, began moving interrupted his vocal training. In a fit of pique, he put BYRON COMPANY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) / MUSEUM OF THE CITY NEW YORK N.Y.) (NEW YORK, COMPANY BYRON the annoyance out of commission with a blow. But he failed to realize that each clock was connected to a master clock, and the destruction of one machine ruptured the entire system. Sleepy guests who awoke “to glance at the room clock, discover[ed] that the day evidently was standing still,” noted a dispatch in the Baltimore Sun. “Those who had luncheon engagements were assailed by ennui as they waited for the hour that came not.” Irate guests began hounding the front desk, and a manager was dispatched to investigate. When he arrived at the door of Caruso’s suite, he was told by the tenor’s servant that “Chevalier Caruso” could not be interrupted since “such annoyance was disconcerting to the aesthetic soul.” The manager insisted, and when he eventually won entrance, he was confronted with the necessary proof. There, “beneath the embarrassed face of the clock in the Caruso suite hung a mass of broken and twisted wires.” The opening of the Plaza also influenced fashion H.N. TIEMANN & CO. / MUSEUM OF THE CITY NEW YORK H.N. TIEMANN & CO. FIRST PLAZA: The first Plaza Hotel was an eight-story structure with a brick- and social patterns. Since the 1890s, the elite of society and-brownstone facade, 400 guest rooms and a famous painting of a lion by had paraded their finery along Peacock Alley, a three- Massachusetts artist Alexander Pope Jr. It was, for a time, considered one of hundred-foot marble corridor that ran the length of New York’s grandest hotels. Here it is in 1894. the fashionable Waldorf-Astoria hotel. It was a grand

32 CCT Fall 2019 WHITE BEACON: The Plaza was designed as a French château in skyscraper proportions, with a facade of marble and white terracotta, and a copper mansard roof that reflected the green of nearby Central Park. Here it is in 1920, dominating the skyline. spectacle that epitomized the excesses of the Gilded detailed one columnist, in a piece titled “Jewels Out- Age. But now, with the Plaza, this behavior became a side Your Furs.” broader phenomenon. It became popular to go out to Even those with less wealth could successfully lever- restaurants and eat among strangers, and to spend eve- age the publicity offered by a hotel. As one reporter nings ballroom dancing to an orchestra with hundreds archly noted, all you had to do was host a relatively of other couples. The Plaza and its compatriots became inexpensive party, “amounting to no more than after- preeminent places to show off, enjoy one’s wealth, and noon tea,” and you would find yourself the exalted sub- cement one’s status in high society. At the Plaza, you ject of an item such as: “Mrs. So-and-So entertained could march through the lobby in the latest fashion 50 guests at luncheon at the Plaza Hotel, the company and be assured of appearing in the society column, the afterwards playing bridge.” hotel hallways being clogged with reporters in search And long before the Beatles drew frenzied fans to of gossip to fill the next day’s papers. the Plaza, highly anticipated celebrity sightings were The Plaza also offered new levels of celebrity, a attracting crowds. A year after the Plaza opened, precursor to reality stars like the Kardashians. For word leaked out that Miss Gladys Vanderbilt, sister instance, when one of New York’s wealthiest society of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, and her betrothed, the matrons, Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish, arrived at the Plaza one Count Laszlo Szechenyi, would be having tea at the evening dressed in a broadtail fur cloak fastened with Plaza’s Palm Court. They were to arrive at the same a conspicuous diamond brooch on the outside of her time as Miss Theodora Shonts and her fiance, the Duc coat, it caused a flurry of copycats. “In a flash this inno- de Chaulnes, and the public, anxious to catch a glimpse vation had sunk deep into the hearts of other women,” of the titled royalty, began swarming the hotel.

Fall 2019 CCT 33 Columbia Forum

ally every one of them well pedigreed,” according to Life magazine, which later published a multipage fea- ture on the phenomenon. “Like their owners, Plaza dogs tend to be exception- ally well dressed and well fed. They find life at the hotel unhurried and pleasant,” the magazine noted. There was Nana, a French poodle who boasted her own room fea- turing a miniature bath, a dog tutor, a dog nurse, and, of course, a specially designed dog-food menu. There was also Pelleas, a chic Pekingese owned by a famous Belgian author; and Bonzu, who at thirteen was the hotel’s old- est canine inhabitant. Given the wealth of its residents and the life of ease many enjoyed, it made sense that the Plaza was known for its dogs. As Thorstein Veblen, the economist who coined the phrase “conspicuous con- sumption,” noted, the dog, unlike the mouse-chasing cat, “commonly serves no industrial purpose.” A dog is

BYRON COMPANY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) / MUSEUM OF THE CITY NEW YORK N.Y.) (NEW YORK, COMPANY BYRON merely “an item of expense,” its “unquestioning subser- PLUNGERS: The Plaza was sumptuously outfitted with lavish furnishings in vience and a slave’s quickness in guessing his master’s brocades of rose and green, more than 1,000 crystal chandeliers and elevators mood” making it an ideal showpiece for the rich. featuring glass doors through which the mechanical pistons could be seen. Not all dogs, however, were showpieces. A tiny Called “plungers,” these elevators were a technological feat, and remained in use well into the 1970s. Here, the lobby on opening day in 1907. Pomeranian named Digi would prove Veblen wrong when he accomplished what even a New York City police detective could not. Digi’s mistress, Patricia “Within half an hour the corridors were impas- Burke, a socialite visiting from Los Angeles, had lost a sible. Visitors took possession of bellboys’ benches and diamond-and-pearl ring somewhere in the vast reaches every available chair,” noted the New York Times. The of the hotel. Employees were dispatched to look for hotel closed the Palm Court’s glass doors against the it, and a detective was called. But it wasn’t until Digi, throngs, but “the crowd was undismayed and courte- who had been following his mistress about the hotel all ously stormed” the room, forcing the maître d’hôtel day, began making strange noises that she finally paid / MUSEUM OF THE CITY NEW YORK N.Y.) (NEW YORK, COMPANY BYRON to use his “broad shoulders” to “resist the advances of a flying wedge of well-dressed women.” In the end, when the famous guests arrived, one couple was sur- reptitiously escorted to their table by way of the hotel’s ground-floor pantry, while the other snuck in through a lobby brokerage office. Another draw of hotel life was the dining. It was from hotels that Parker House rolls, Waldorf salad, and the Manhattan cocktail originated. The Plaza’s popular subterranean Grill Room, located beneath the lobby, featured a glass refrigerator from which patrons could pick their own steak or pork chop. As an added bonus, the restaurant unexpectedly offered ice-skating during the warm summer months. As June rolled around, the hotel flooded the Grill Room’s tile floor with water they then froze, so that customers could while away the time between courses skating, a full orchestra dressed in white tuxedos providing the musical accompaniment. As notable as ice-skating in the summer was, the service that the Grill Room offered to patrons who had pets was even more astounding. The restaurant featured a “dog check room,” presided over by a French GREGG SALOMONE COURTESY maid who provided her pampered pooches with a McCARTNEY MOMENT: While countless young fans tried to sneak up the Plaza’s back staircase into the Beatles’s 12th-floor suite, Gregg Salomone, whose father selection of large and small padded baskets, pans filled managed the hotel, strolled through the front door of the musicians’ rooms. Here, with water, and an unending supply of dog biscuits. a 6-year-old Gregg stands with Ringo, Paul and George, as well as his sister In fact, at any one time, the Plaza was home to nearly Lourdes and her friend Bunny Castalano. Gregg’s hand is hovering because three dozen dogs, “many of them imported and virtu- moments earlier, Paul had pointed out that his fly was open.

34 CCT Fall 2019 TEA TIME: The tea room, later named the Palm Court, featured a curved ceiling made of colored glass that let in daylight, and oversized palm trees and rubber plants, lending the room a garden-like ambience. It was here that British actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell scandal- ized patrician patrons by lighting up a cigarette shortly after the hotel’s opening. him some heed. “Miss Burke looked at Digi, and there, what sounded almost like a nursery rhyme, each cook to her amazement, was the ring gripped tightly in the was tasked with a specialty, including a bread baker, an teeth of the Pomeranian,” reported the Washington ice cream maker, and a candy creator. It wasn’t unusual Post. Another useful dog was Captain, a bulldog who for the kitchen to prepare such fare as kangaroo meat belonged to Plaza resident Mrs. Benjamin Kirkland. or to string up giant game or oversized tortoises on Every evening, Captain appeared at the front desk to racks to ready them for the ovens. collect a leather case filled with valuable jewels, which Even the Plaza’s air was rarefied. The hotel used he would then carry — “never did anyone touch the an elaborate ventilation system to purify the oxygen bag in the Boston bull’s mouth” — to Kirkland’s room pumped into the building, and a network of thermo- in time for her to dress, according to one retelling. stats ensured “there is no annoyance with furnaces that A multitude of employees was needed to care for will not burn, with steam radiators that refuse to be hot, these pets and serve the Plaza’s exacting guests. If a or that persistently compel us to endure either a tropi- team of ironworkers striving in unison was necessary cal heat or dangerous draughts from windows opened to erect the hotel, then a collaboration of hundreds in despair,” Vogue wrote approvingly. The refrigeration of staff was critical to the Plaza’s operations. When it equipment was also a modern wonder, used not only to came to dining, for instance, the heart of the enterprise produce ice for tea and cocktails, but to circulate brine was the subterranean kitchen, a maze of white-tiled all the way up to the hotel’s seventeenth floor, above rooms located in the building’s lower reaches. It was the guest rooms. There, it was used to cool a storage overseen by Monsieur Lapperraque, a French master room for guests’ fur coats. chef, the “Grand Poo-bah in this underground land of saucepans,” who surveyed eighty-three cooks from From the book THE PLAZA: The Secret Life of Amer- a glass-enclosed office “like a watchful spider in the ica’s Most Famous Hotel. Copyright (c) 2019 by Julie midst of his web.” There were separate rooms for stor- Satow. Reprinted by permission of Twelve/Hachette ing meat, fish, dry goods, and green groceries, and in Book Group, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Fall 2019 CCT 35 alumninews

Contents HITTIN’ THE BOOKS 37 CCAA Message Class is in session, and Butler beckons. The library, 38 Lions + Newsmakers Jeffrey L. Kessler ’75, LAW’77; Sari Beth Rosenberg ’97; originally named South Hall, was built in 1934 to Katherine Katcher ’07; Noël Duan ’13 replace Low Memorial Library, which had run out 42 Bookshelf of space for its growing collection. In 1946, Sounds Like Titanic by South Hall was renamed to honor Columbia Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman ’03, SOA’09 President Nicholas Murray Butler CC 1882, who 44 Class Notes had retired the previous year. The largest of Celebrations Columbia’s libraries, Butler houses the University’s 84 Obituaries collections in the humanities, with a particular focus Alex Navab ’87 on history, literature, philosophy and religion. 88 Core Corner SCOTT RUDD Core cartoon caption contest!

36 CCT Fall 2019 Message from the CCAA President alumninews

Celebrating Core Stories

By Michael Behringer ’89

his academic year marks one of the most meaningful mile- stand the world around us. It was exhilarating, and I developed Tstones in Columbia College’s history: the 100th anniversary of skills that have served me well in my professional and personal life. the Core Curriculum. It will be a year of celebration and reflection Some 30 years later, my Core textbooks still hold a prominent place on the defining element of our Columbia experience — and on on my bookshelves. Worn and tattered, they are a regular reminder something that is uniquely ours as College alumni. that the lessons of the Core are indeed lifelong. Beginning with the Centennial launch event on Friday, Septem- The Core is about more than what happens in the classroom. ber 27, alumni and students will have the chance to participate in It’s a vital piece of the collective Columbia College Journey, push- special programming, along with other opportunities to relive and ing students outside their comfort zones, celebrating their curios- celebrate their Core experience. I encourage you to join as many ity, and allowing them to engage in discussions and tackle subjects events as you can. that they might not have been exposed to anywhere else. The Core As part of the College’s commemoration, the Columbia College prepares College students for not only a life of engaged citizenship, Alumni Association is asking alumni to share their “Core Stories” but also a life of greater enjoyment. — reflections on and memories of their Core experience and the As we reflect upon the Core’s 100 years, it’s also important that influence it has wielded in their lives. You can submit a Core Story alumni look to the future. Operating the Core is no small feat. (which can be as short as one sentence), read others’ accounts and It requires substantial financial, intellectual and physical resources. learn more about the centennial on the Core Centennial website, Consider the following: core100.columbia.edu. • the Core comprises more than 25,000 hours of instruction, My own Core Story began in high school. For me, the Core and with more than 120 Lit Hum and Contemporary Civilization Columbia were one and the same, and it was what attracted me to instructors per semester; attend. I had very little prior exposure to the Core texts, and intimately • the College’s class size is substantial (the Class of ’23 totals studying these great works seemed to me what the ideal undergradu- 1,406), yet the College is still committed to teaching Core ate education should be. What I remember and cherish most were our classes in seminars of no more than 22 students; and passionate small-group discussions. I went to a large, Catholic high • Core instructors come from departments such as history, school, and it didn’t have many classes smaller than 30 or 40 students; classics, philosophy, political science, art and music, and are unsurprisingly, most of our backgrounds and worldviews were similar. asked to teach a multi-disciplinary course outside their primary In the Core classroom, we learned to disagree without being dis- field of expertise. Coordinating the talent that teaches Core agreeable. The Core emphasized the value of listening to differing classes takes extraordinary effort. viewpoints and challenging personal assumptions to better under- All of which is to say that maintaining the Core is a massive undertaking. It’s also an expensive one, because each and every student is a guaranteed participant. Columbia relies upon alumni contributions, including gifts to the Core through the Columbia College Fund, to help underwrite those enterprise costs as well as to fund innovative programming and events for students. I hope the Centennial serves as a call to arms for Columbians to Sounds Like Titanic by ensure that the Core remains vibrant and impactful as it enters its Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman ’03, SOA’09 second century. There are so many ways alumni can invest in the Core, and gifts of all sizes are both needed and welcome. To learn how you can support the Core and be part of this exciting effort, please visit core100.columbia.edu. This year promises to be a momentous one for Columbia and the Core. I look forward to both hearing your Core Story and celebrat- ing this anniversary together. ROAR!

Behringer still has many of his Core books at home.

Fall 2019 CCT 37 lions

ANDREW BURTON / GETTY IMAGES The Champions’ Champion

By Jamie Katz ’72, BUS’80

he electrifying performance of the U.S. women’s soc- objectives,” says Kessler, who specialized in antitrust law before his cer team this summer furnished Jeffrey L. Kessler ’75, practice became increasingly involved in sports. “So in a strange LAW’77 with something unique in his career as a high- way my childhood inspirations have come to roost in my career, Tprofile sports lawyer: the thrill of watching a beloved team totally unplanned and unexpectedly.” compete for international glory while vying for an historic legal Among many key episodes to be found on Kessler’s career high- breakthrough under his guidance. While the players’ talent and light reel, he litigated the 1992 case McNeil v. NFL, which resulted swagger was catching the world’s eye, Kessler was masterminding in free agency in the NFL; negotiated the current salary cap/free the team’s pursuit of pay equity and equal treatment, a cause that agency systems in the NBA and NFL; and challenged the amateur- reverberates far beyond the soccer world. “I can honestly say I’ve ism provisions of the NCAA. He represented Patriots quarterback never been involved in a sports matter that has had such pervasive, Tom Brady during the Deflategate controversy, defended the right widespread public support,” he says. of NFL players to take a knee during the national anthem and A top member of the international law firm Winston & Strawn, argued for the right of double-amputee track stars Oscar Pisto- Kessler has long operated on the front line of athletes’ rights and rius (years before his murder conviction) and more recently, Blake interests as individual competitors, employees, union members Leeper, to compete in the Olympics despite their use of prosthetics. and citizens. Some of his earliest heroes, he notes, were sports fig- The heart of the women’s legal fight is a lawsuit Kessler filed in ures who bucked the establishment to follow their conscience and federal court this past March on behalf of all 28 team members, assert their rights. “I was inspired to become a lawyer in part by accusing the sport’s governing body, the United States Soccer Fed- people like Curt Flood, Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and Kareem eration, of years of gender discrimination, in violation of the Equal Abdul-Jabbar, and the idea of using the law to achieve social justice Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The

38 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

federation not only compensates the women’s team considerably “They’re inspiring,” Kessler says of the U.S. team. “They are maybe less than the U.S. men’s team, the suit charges, but also spends less under more pressure than any group of female athletes has ever been. on coaching, training, medical personnel, marketing and travel. And they not only performed amazingly throughout the tournament, Compensation for the national teams is not a straightforward but they also did so well handling the media and the world on this process; it is determined by a tangle of collective bargaining agree- important issue of equal pay. So to be able to do both of those things at ments, payments from FIFA (the sport’s international governing the same time in the fashion they did is really just incredible.” body), sponsorships and other factors. Some have argued that men’s Viewing the World Cup final live from France on a 65-inch soccer generates far greater revenue worldwide, justifying the pay plasma TV in his Manhattan apartment, Kessler allowed himself differentials. Kessler counters not only that the U.S. women’s team to set aside the legal briefs and enjoy the drama. generates greater revenue than the U.S. men, but also that, under law, As the match got underway, he was confident. “I just felt in my the federation cannot compensate players unequally based on gen- heart that they were going to come through, because they always der. As of late July, the case appeared headed for mediation. have,” Kessler says. Yet as the 60-minute mark passed with the All along, public opinion has weighed heavily in favor of the American and Dutch squads locked in a scoreless tie, he admits, U.S. women’s team. The throngs who cheered them at a tickertape “I was glued to my seat.” And then, when U.S. co-captain Megan parade along the Canyon of Heroes three days after the World Rapinoe banged in a penalty kick in the 61st minute, followed Cup victory — chanting “Equal pay! Equal pay!” — certainly soon afterward by an insurance goal by midfielder Rose Lavelle, “I understood that the event was both a celebration of sports heroics jumped up and shouted for joy,” Kessler says, “even though no one and a rallying cry for women’s rights at a time when they are felt else was in the room.” to be under assault. After the final horn sounded on the United States’ 2–0 victory over the Netherlands on July 7, tennis legend Former CCT editor Jamie Katz ’72, BUS’80 has held senior edito- and feminist icon Billie Jean King tweeted: “These athletes have rial positions at People, Vibe and Latina magazines and contributes brought more attention, support, & pride to women’s sport than to Smithsonian Magazine and other publications. His feature on Wah perhaps any other team in history. It is long past time to pay them Chen ’92, “Small Business with a Social Conscience,” appeared in the what they rightly deserve.” Summer 2019 issue.

Katherine Katcher ’07 Advocates for the Formerly Incarcerated

By Molly Shea

atherine Katcher ’07 says she was never quite sure what she wanted to do after graduating. “I’ve always leaned toward advocacy, and have always admired people whose Krole in life has been to fight for justice and stand up for people who’ve been oppressed,” she says. “I admired Jewish attor- neys who went to the South and fought in the civil rights move- ment. I’ve felt like my calling is to figure out, what are the biggest human rights issues of our time? How can I fight for justice today?” As she fumbled for the answer, Katcher, an anthropology major, found herself in an offbeat class: “Literature of the Sea,” with Pro- fessor Robert Ferguson. “We spent a whole semester reading Moby Dick, then rereading it — dissecting it. What is the whale? What is the sea? Who are the foes, and who are the allies?” she recalls. “[Ferguson] was a law professor, so he used literature as a vehicle to go more deeply into JOSIE DIETHER-MARTIN some of these questions of how we define good and evil.” The class proved eye opening and helped propel Katcher into Katcher spends her days leading a team of lawyers and advocates a career as an advocate for prison reform — as the founder of the working on behalf of the formerly incarcerated. Her organization Oakland, Calif.-based criminal justice reform nonprofit Root & helps released offenders reenter society, guiding them through the Rebound. “I work with a lot of people who are both victim and parole system while educating the public on the ins and outs of hiring offender,” she says. “Most perpetrators of crime have suffered employees with a prison record. “Though [the law] has often been used immensely in their lives, and that course taught me to look at peo- against certain communities, we use it as a support,” Katcher explains ple in a new way.” of her organization’s approach to helping end mass incarceration.

Fall 2019 CCT 39 Lions

Katcher worked at nonprofits after graduating, but kept bump- “We’re lawyering alongside communities that are most impacted,” ing up against frustrating policies she couldn’t change without legal she says. training. “I wanted to do more in terms of fighting for justice,” she And 12 years after leaving Morningside Heights, Katcher is eye- says. “I wanted to get to the root of these issues on a systemic level.” ing a return to her Columbia roots. She’s in talks with the Busi- She founded Root & Rebound in 2013, almost immediately after ness School’s Tamer Center for Social Enterprise to create a guide graduating from UC Berkeley’s law school, hiring a classmate as her for hiring people with criminal convictions, and working with the first staff attorney. Together, they developed the team’s three-point school’s Justice Lab to analyze data on opportunities for success strategy: educating people and families affected by mass incarcera- within parole and probation policy reform. tion on how to reintegrate into their communities post-prison, Her overarching goal, Katcher says, is to help others act on what providing legal services directly to the currently and formerly incar- they know is right, like she did. “I did not grow up in any way cerated and their families, and advocating for policy reform on a state directly affected by mass incarceration, and I still feel like all of us and national level. “Six years later, we have 24 people on our team; have a role to play in undoing a lot of these harms.” offices in Oakland, Fresno, Los Angeles and San Bernardino; and we recently launched a sister site in Greenville, S.C.,” Katcher says. Molly Shea is a journalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her last article The plan is to continue working with grassroots organizations for CCT was “Who Wants To Live Forever?” in the Winter 2018–19 that are already established but could use some legal support. issue’s “Bookshelf ” section.

For This History Teacher, There’s No Time Like the Present

By Rebecca Beyer

here was a time when Sari Beth Rosenberg ’97, TC’02 “Everyone’s arguing about history,” Rosenberg says of the had to dig deep into her well of storytelling skills to create pundits and politicians who dominate the news, “including a lot enough dramatic tension to hold the attention of her New of people who shouldn’t be because they don’t know what they’re TYork City public high school history students. talking about. Kids are more interested than ever before. They have No longer. an incentive to learn.” Now, their interest is piqued on a daily basis by what they see For the past few years, Rosenberg has been part of a small team on the news and read on social media, and Rosenberg uses those of teachers hired by the city’s Department of Education to remake current — and often controversial — events as touchstones for the the U.S. and global history curriculum. The goal: to move students relevant topics she covers in her U.S. history courses. away from rote memorization and toward a more active engage- ment with historical events — in other words, not just “this hap- pened,” but “this happened because.” There’s also a renewed focus on providing multiple perspectives, especially when talking about marginalized people. “It’s doing something with the history versus just gazing at it,” she adds. Rosenberg’s efforts are getting noticed. Earlier this year she received the Paul A. Gagnon Prize from the National Council for History Education, which recognizes efforts to promote and pro- tect history in the K–12 curricula. The city’s DOE also selected her as one of its #DOESHEroes for Women’s History Month, in part for her work co-leading a feminist club at her high school (the group’s other leader is Alexander Marx ’98). Rosenberg studied history at the College and says in her early teaching years she tried to emulate one of her favorite professors, Ann Douglas, who taught a popular course on the Beat Genera- tion, and then followed her love of literature into publishing before earning a master’s in social studies education. In 2002, she joined the staff of NYC’s High School for Environmental Studies. She says she never thought she’d still be teaching nearly two decades after she began, but she finds the work too rewarding to MAXIMILLIAN RE-SUGIURA leave behind.

40 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

“I’m not saying it’s all To Sir, with Love moments,” she says with written for A+E Networks’s #SheDidThat series (and was hired for a laugh. “It’s not all magical. A lot of the time, it’s just, ‘Everyone the job by Lea Goldman ’98) and appeared in an episode of the Travel put your phones away and stop talking.’” Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum to discuss arsenic in wallpaper. Outside the classroom, Rosenberg consults with New-York His- All that “definitely aligns with my overall goal of sneaking [his- torical Society curators, sitting in on focus groups and offering notes tory] into the mainstream,” she says. “It’s just so important to being on written materials for its exhibitions, including the recent Hudson a citizen right now.” Rising, which focused on industrial development, commerce, tourism and environmental awareness around the Hudson River. She also has Rebecca Beyer is a freelance writer in Boston.

Noël Duan ’13 Creates a Doggy Domain

By Molly Shea

oël Duan ’13 remembers sitting in her freshman Lit- erature Humanities class, analyzing The Odyssey, when a particular topic of discussion really sank in. N “Odysseus comes home after 20 years, and no one recognizes him in his home city, not even his wife,” Duan recalls. “His appearance has changed that much. His dog Argos, who was a puppy when he left, is the only one that recognizes him. “We studied The Odyssey because it was supposed to teach us about human civilization, but what I remember was realizing, oh, that’s really representative of the human-dog relationship.” That light-bulb moment stuck with Duan through the rest of her degree in sociocultural anthropology, a master’s in women’s studies at Oxford and her first full-time journalism job. After being laid off from said job, her first decision was to adopt a dog. Artemis, her now-4-year-old pup, opened her eyes to a new New York — and her next career move. “Suddenly I started meeting my neighbors. I would take Artemis to the park and talk to other dog owners. I realized that having a dog is a great way to get to know people.” Inspired by her new way of seeing the world, this past spring Duan launched Argos & Artemis, an online community for dog people. The site features conversations between Duan and promi- nent dog-owning New Yorkers, including makeup mavens Bobbi Brown and Linda Rodin, Columbia classics professor Marcus Folch, indie magazine founder Verena von Pfetten ’05 and galler- ist Lauren Wittels ’89, GSAS’92. “Dogs are a great entry point to intimacy,” says Duan, who notes that in talking about their furry friends, people often reveal a lot of themselves. Duan also pens humorous essays for the site (e.g., “All the Men Who Pretend to Have Dogs on Dating Apps”), offers practical tips and generates a newsletter, The Dog Park. Plans for the site include events for dog owners, and, down the line, an e-commerce rollout for pet (and human) products. “I’ve ROSOKOFF SYLVIE been lucky in that I’ve had access to a lot of cool dog people, and I’ve seen what they’re buying,” she says. “I do think there’s a big And nothing prepares you for the shock of entrepreneurship like need for a curated hub.” adopting your first puppy. “There’s no handbook for getting a dog,” This isn’t Duan’s first project launch — she started Columbia’s Duan says with a laugh — though writing one might lie some- first fashion magazine, Hoot, her freshman year. “It taught me a lot where on her list of what’s to come. about plunging forth and being entrepreneurial, and doing things before you get permission,” she says. (Duan and her fellow editors Molly Shea is a journalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her last article once draped Alma Mater in balloons for a photoshoot. They were for CCT was “Who Wants To Live Forever?” in the Winter 2018–19 chased down by campus security, but got the shot.) issue’s “Bookshelf ” section.

Fall 2019 CCT 41 bookshelf

The Sound of (Faked) Music

By Jill C. Shomer

he premise sounds like the best cocktail party story you are genuinely moved by the per- ever heard: An amateur violinist gets hired by a profes- formance, unable to differentiate sional classical music ensemble led by a mysterious, messi- real from fake. Tanic conductor and tours the country for four years, giving Feeling psychologically destroyed, she left the tour in 2006 and fake concerts. The musicians play quietly while speakers blare music got a job at CUMC that offered a tuition benefit for grad school. from prerecorded CDs. And hardly anyone ever finds out. “My negative experiences as an undergrad were mostly tied to But Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman ’03, SOA’09’s riveting debut money, and once that was taken out, getting my M.F.A. was the memoir, Sounds Like Titanic (W.W. Norton & Co., $25.95), turns best educational experience of my life,” she says. out to be much more than a gossipy exposé. Her fascinating per- Hindman is now a professor of creative writing at Northern Ken- sonal story is intertwined with bigger-picture observations about tucky University, where she recently won the Outstanding Junior American notions of success, what is “real” and “fake” in our cul- Faculty Award. “College was the time in my life when I most needed ture, and the challenges of making ends meet and navigating young help, but was least able to ask for it,” she says. “Now I try to look out womanhood. “What are one’s options in America, land of the for students who might be going through similar things. exceptional, if one is born average?” Hindman writes. “I certainly have a different perspective now on what it means Hindman grew up in the Appalachian mountains of West Vir- to succeed and what it means to fail,” Hindman says. “The illusion ginia and Virginia. As a child, she was turned on to the violin after of ‘perfection’ or immediate success is in fact an illusion — people hearing Vivaldi’s “Winter” in a cartoon movie, and begged her par- who seem to ‘have it all’ may still be struggling in some way. ents to get one for years before they gave in. She began lessons at “I also used to think that if you worked hard enough, you could age 8 — the nearest teacher was achieve whatever you want. But now I see that there are huge soci- a four-hour round trip — but etal forces at work that just stick people, and it has nothing to do despite years of practice, Hind- with how smart they are or how hard they work. I know it’s not man never felt accomplished as very uplifting, but I think an important takeaway is that ‘failure’ is a violinist. not always a personal failing.” Her story is driven by her Titanic is narrated in second person, partly, Hindman says, as a attempts to support herself at way to distance herself from some of the more painful parts of her the College. Before joining the story. The “you” also helped her to universalize her experience. “It ensemble in her senior year and was a way to say this book is not just about me or this guy; it’s about meeting the man referred to other people,” Hindman says. “I think by using different pronouns, only as The Composer, Hind- you can make some kind of psychological switch — you can see man joined the Air Force yourself better as a character on the page.” ROTC for the benefits; then, And though exposing the identity of The Composer could have after quitting, she sold every- been a juicy hook, Hindman opted to keep him anonymous. “What thing from long-distance tele- I was trying to do was bigger than just him,” she says. “Having the phone scams to massage oils to Internet piling on this guy didn’t need to happen. These were char-

VANESSA BORER VANESSA her own eggs. Struggling to pay ity concerts, so it wasn’t out-and-out fraud, and really — people tuition and dogged by feelings just loved the music.” of mediocrity, she colludes with The Composer’s scam (“the classi- Hindman is similarly tender with herself in hindsight. In her cal music version of Milli Vanilli — ‘Milli Violinni’”) not only for epilogue, she writes that after a few semesters of teaching, she had the money, but for the praise of the listeners. “As someone who had a revelation: “Faking is pedagogy. Faking is teaching and faking is only worked menial jobs, being seen as a successful musician was learning, from babies faking speech to teenagers faking coolness … extremely alluring,” she says. Ultimately, Hindman spirals into an It’s in the faking of other people’s writing that one learns to write. identity crisis and disillusionment as she “plays” for audiences who Faking is the way that all human beings grow.”

42 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Misfire: The Tragic Failure of the The Last Days of Paul Rimbaud Turkey Shoot by Geoffrey Dutton engagement in schools and empower M16 in Vietnam by Bob Orkand by Thomas C. Lewis ’63. The last ’66. Dutton’s debut novel is an readers to implement interventions ’58 and Lyman Duryea. Orkand, a novel in a trilogy about Rimbaud, international conspiracy thriller (Academic Press, $87.58). retired Army lieutenant colonel, a Vietnam veteran who has set in Greece and Turkey in fall The Daughters of Temperance combines insider knowledge of buried his memories of the war 2015, as a young Iraqi refugee Hobbs: A Novel weapons development with firsthand (340 Press, $19.95). takes part in a terrorist mission by Katherine combat experience to tell the story (Perfidy Press, $15.99). Howe ’99. A New England history of the oft-malfunctioning firearm Big Cabin by Ron Padgett ’64. A new professor must race against time to that was rushed into troops’ hands collection of poems about mortality, Entrenchment: Wealth, Power, free her family from a curse (Henry in 1965 (Stackpole Books, $29.95). consciousness and time, written over and the Constitution of Holt and Co., $28). three seasons in a Vermont cabin Democratic Societies by Paul Starr The Obsoletes: A Novel Artistic Collaboration Today: (Coffee House Press, $16.95). ’70. Pulitzer Prize-winner Starr by Simeon Profiles of Creative Teams in describes politics today as a struggle Mills ’00. Mills’s debut follows two Diverse Media by Victor M. Cassidy Learning to See, and Other over entrenchment — efforts to teenage brothers as they navigate high ’62. A report on more than 40 Stories and Memoirs from bring about change in ways that school while hiding a secret: They’re collaborating sculptors, painters, Senegal by Gary Engelberg ’65. opponents will find difficult to undo actually robots (Skybound Books, $26). printmakers, photographers, Engelberg, a co-founder of Africa (Yale University Press, $28.50). Range: Why Generalists Triumph architects and performers who have Consultants International, an in a Specialized World worked in tandem with other artists NGO that promotes cross-cultural The Next Republic: The Rise by David (McFarland, $45). communication, health and social of a New Radical Majority by Epstein ’02. A New York Times justice, has lived in Senegal, D.D. Guttenplan ’78. Guttenplan, bestseller that makes a case for breadth Semmelweis, The Women’s West Africa, for more than 50 years a national political correspondent, and late starts (Riverhead Books, $28). Doctor by Anthony Valerio ’62. The (BookBaby, $25.19). profiles nine activists who are An October to Remember 1968: life and work of pioneering feminist changing the course of American The Tigers-Cardinals World physician Ignaz P. Semmelweis, The Complete Poetry of Giacomo history (Seven Stories Press, $23.95). Series as Told By the Men Who known as “the Father of Antisepsis,” da Lentini translation and notes Played in It who discovered the causes and means by Richard Lansing ’65. The first A Rosenberg by Any Other by Brendan Donley ’15. of prevention of childbed fever translation of the complete poetry of Name: A History of Jewish Donley traveled the country to gather (Amazon Digital Services, $9.99). da Lentini, the first major Italian lyric Name Changing in America the accounts of the remaining players poet, and the inventor of the sonnet by Kirsten Fermaglich ’92. This first of the famed Tigers and Cardinals (University of Toronto Press, $24.95). history of name changing offers a teams (Sports Publishing, $24.41). window into American Jewish life Trillion Dollar Coach: The SUBMIT YOUR You Say You Want a Revolution: throughout the 20th century Leadership Playbook of Silicon CCT SDS, PL, and Adventures in (New York University Press, $28). BOOK TO Building a Worker-Student Valley’s Bill Campbell Alums! Have you written by Eric Alliance edited by John F. Levin ’65 Handbook of Student Engagement Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and a book in the last year? Interventions: Working with Tell us about it! and Earl Silbar. Former members of Alan Eagle. Management lessons the Worker-Student Alliance recount Disengaged Youth edited by Jennifer from legendary football coach and college.columbia.edu/cct/ and evaluate their participation in A. Fredericks ’92, Amy L. Reschly and business executive Bill Campbell ’62, submit_bookshelf the struggles of the 1960s and early Sandra L. Christenson. The authors TC’64 (HarperBusiness, $28.99). 1970s (1741 Press, $18.95). pull together the current research on — Jill C. Shomer

Fall 2019 CCT 43 classnotes

SCOTT RUDD

Golden fall member of the New Jersey State and established a law firm in New 1942 Legislature, where he was a steadfast York. This game was announced by leaves contrast Conservative member for several Bill Stern, now deceased, one of the Melvin Hershkowitz years. This writer, whose political preeminent sportscasters of that beautifully 22 Northern Ave. views were different from Arthur’s, era. Gerald became the varsity first with Columbia Northampton, MA 01060-2310 was friendly with both Arthur and baseman at Columbia and once hit a [email protected] his wife, Regina, who attended many home run into the Harlem River. blue as the alumni events and were loyal Lions. Kind regards to all classmates. seasons change In early June, I had a phone call Best wishes to Daniel and his family. from Daniel Albohn ’81, son of Dr. Gerald Klingon (98), a on campus. our late classmate Arthur Albohn retired neurologist living in NYC, 1943 SEAS’43. Daniel is a telecom exec frequently calls me to discuss and is devoted to our athletics Columbia affairs. He recently Columbia College Today teams. He commented on the reminded me of the historic 1939 Columbia Alumni Center Spring 2019 issue of CCT, and baseball game versus Princeton at 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 was enthusiastic about Columbia’s Baker Field, which was the first New York, NY 10025 increasingly competitive status in televised sporting event. Columbia [email protected] the Ivy League, especially in football lost to Princeton, 2–1. Gerald, then and basketball. a freshman, saw the game. Our From Bernie Weisberger: “Hello, Arthur was a chemical engineer pitcher, Hector Dowd ’40, graduated classmates of 1943. I just read my by profession, and also a longtime from Harvard Law School in 1943 last entry, in the Summer 2019 issue,

44 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews written to cover the final days of “So there’s my report. Please, all 2018, which were somewhat dismal. of you out there, don’t leave me to COLUMBIA SCHOOL DESIGNATIONS Alas, winter of the current year be the sole and therefore lonesome Barnard College wasn’t much of an improvement: contributor to this column.” BC Columbia Business School ‘If you have tears, prepare to shed BUS Pharmaceutical Sciences them now.’ CP DM College of Dental Medicine “Don’t worry, though, I will spare 1944 GS School of General Studies you all howls of despair — but the GSAPP Graduate School of Architecture, brute facts aren’t that pretty and Columbia College Today Planning and Preservation there is redemption in a happy Columbia Alumni Center GSAS Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ending. In short, just at Christmas 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 HN Institute of Human Nutrition week my wife, Rita, fell and broke New York, NY 10025 JRN Graduate School of Journalism an ankle and perhaps other foot [email protected] JTS Jewish Theological Seminary bones, which initiated a long winter, LAW Columbia Law School first in surgery, then in a rehabilita- CCT, and your classmates, would LS Library Service tion facility learning to walk safely love to hear from you! Share an NRS School of Nursing again, and finally with home care, update on your life, or even a PH Mailman School of Public Health which only ended recently. Plans for favorite Columbia College memory, PS College of Physicians and Surgeons a winter cruise had to be scrapped, by sending it to either the postal SEAS The Fu Foundation School of Engineering leaving us at the mercy of a really address or email address at the top and Applied Science bitter winter. OK, OK, it should end of the column. SIPA School of International and Public Affairs there, but it didn’t. SOA School of the Arts “It was my turn to wrench an SPS School of Professional Studies arm practically out of its shoulder 1945 SW School of Social Work socket in an unlucky descent from Teachers College Columbia College Today TC a Chicago Metra (suburban) train, UTS Union Theological Seminary and only a short while later to fall Columbia Alumni Center backward, landing precisely on that 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 shoulder. Which meant that all the New York, NY 10025 [email protected] weeks since then passed with me John Weaver: That is the roster unable to use my right arm, requir- 1948 of attendees at our 70th reunion. ing up to the present day the help No news this quarter! Share an update Jane Billings (guest of William Columbia College Today of a couple of aides to shave, shower on your life, or even a favorite Colum- Chinowsky), Ruth Lubic and Columbia Alumni Center and dress me, and make breakfast bia College memory, by sending it Naomi Lipman, steadfast members 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 and perform other household chores to either the postal address or email of our dwindling group, joined us New York, NY 10025 for us both. Likewise, I need a address at the top of the column. for a warm and loving journey down [email protected] walker to get around and one or the memory lane. other of the caretakers to accompany We had a stimulating visit by Alvin N. Eden me in case it slips out of my control 1946 Dr. writes: “I am and discussion with Dean James and dumps me on the pavement happy to report that I have been J. Valentini. The focus was on the Bernard Sunshine again, to be rescued. It destroys all very lucky — still able to practice admissions process and the growing 165 W. 66th St., Apt. 12G possibility of accomplishing any pediatrics and teach third-year medi- diversity of the College student New York, NY 10023 work before noon. cal students at my age. Next project is body. The impression with which I [email protected] “Such is life in one’s 90s, so I writing my memoirs without delay. I was left is one of admiration for the know many –– if not most –– of would like to hear from any classmate dean. He provided a reassurance that us in the Class of ’43 could match No updates for this issue, but please whether they remember me.” the College is in good hands and is these stories and more, though I do take a moment to share an CCT, and your classmates, would approaching the rapid changes in hope you haven’t. update with the class. Wishing you a enjoy hearing from you, too. Share demographics with a positive and “However, there is a happy happy and healthy fall season. an update on your life, or even a constructive attitude. I think we can ending. I can’t travel alone, or at favorite Columbia College memory, all take heart that the Core is in safe least not without daunting difficulty, by sending it to either the postal hands. And, if you share my convic- but toward the end of May, helped 1947 address or email address at the top by my daughter and son-in-law, of the column. Class Notes are submitted by I attended the graduation of my Columbia College Today alumni and edited by volunteer ‘middle’ granddaughter, Miriam Columbia Alumni Center 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 class correspondents and the Rich, from Harvard with a Ph.D. 1949 staff of CCT prior to publication. in history and a job as a lecturer at New York, NY 10025 Opinions expressed are those Yale in hand. And while exercising [email protected] John Weaver of individual alumni and do not my grandfatherly bragging rights, I 2639 E. 11th St. reflect the opinions of CCT, its class correspondents, the point again to Miriam’s older sister, Nothing to share this time! Share Brooklyn, NY 11235 [email protected] College or the University. By Abigail, who is in San Francisco an update on your life, or even a submitting to Class Notes, you providing legal aid to asylum favorite Columbia College memory, acknowledge that the text is eli- seekers, which, if I were more by sending it to either the postal Wiliam Chinowsky, Arthur Feder, gible to appear in print as well as religious, I would say was surely address or email address at the top Joseph Levie, Marvin Lipman, on CCT Online and in archives. the Lord’s work. of the column. William Lubic, Richard Sachs and

Fall 2019 CCT 45 Class Notes

tion regarding the importance of Pennsylvania. I rowed in lightweight the home games. It brought back a 16-point average victory over the Core, the political future of our crews with the exception of one race. fond memories of the 1951 baseball opponents, but I left out that the land will be well tended by the next “I remember the positive influences team. We were honored with a trip 1950–51 team had a 21-point aver- and future graduating classes of our of all the coaches: Stan Smith, Ed to Brazil and Puerto Rico that sum- age margin of victory! beloved alma mater. Taylor, Bill Hayer and Hube Glendon. mer. The mission was to promote the “The travel team included Jack I am writing this in the midst of I remember, too, that the University game at these locations, plus a ‘free’ Molinas ’53, Bob Reiss, Al Stein, the July heat wave and am conserv- chaplain, Chaplain Knox, was a great weekend in Rio. Andy Coakley was Howard Rosenfeld, John Azary ’51, ing energy with the aid of a fan and oarsman on the Hudson River. the head coach, but Johnny Balquist Bob Sullivan SEAS’51, Paul ‘White’ the classic “window” AC. By the “In the morning I would take CC 1932 was head coach for this Brandt ’53, Stan Maratos ’53, Lee time you are reading this, cooler classes at Amsterdam Avenue and trip. The lineup was Don Kimtis ’52, Guittar ’53, Jack Rohan ’53, Frank heads and hearts –– to say nothing 116th Street at the Van Am Quad, catcher; Tony Misho ’52, first base; Lewis ’51, Tom Powers ’51, coach of armpits –– will prevail and we can and in the spring and fall in the Jack Rohan ’53, second base; Bobby Lou Rossini, trainer Red Romo and look forward to the changing sea- afternoon I would be practicing with Walker ’52, third base; Lee Guittar manager Gerry Evans ’51. sons as well as the growing intensity my confrères on the waters of the ’53, shortstop; Walt Mitardy ’53, left “Other facts of interest: They aver- of the 2020 election season. Let us Spuyten Duyvil and Harlem Rivers. field; me, center field; Tom Powers, aged 16 more rebounds than oppo- all hope for sanity, intelligence and At least two of the members of the right field; Kermit Tracy ’52, pitcher; nents. Three of the top-10 scorers in integrity to prevail as we make the crew had Dutch surnames. and Gordie Martin ’52, pitcher. the Ivy League were Azary, Molinas choices that may well determine the “My last employer before I retired “As I recall, we were undefeated, and Reiss. The New York All-Met continued existence of the pursuit was a Dutch company for whom I or close to it! I remember a phone team, which was the center of college “to form a more perfect union.” worked for a time in Hoboken and call I received while in Puerto Rico, basketball in those days, listed Azary, on Park Avenue. from my dad, wanting to know Molinas and Reiss among the top “My life, one may say, started with my return home date. I told him, 10 players. Azary, the team captain, 1950 the Dutch when in 1943 as a student ‘Thursday.’ His reply: ‘Good, because was voted ‘Most Valuable’ in the Ivy in school on 91st Street off Amster- you have been drafted and must League and ‘Most Outstanding’ in REUNION 2020 dam Avenue I received a Times report this Monday.’ the Metropolitan area as the Hag- JUNE 4–6 Current Events book prize, Van Loon’s “I became a Marine Corps pri- gerty Award winner. This team’s main Events and Programs Contact Lives by Hendrik Willem Van Loon, vate that Monday, followed by Parris component was that they epitomized [email protected] who also autographed my copy, Island, San Diego and Pendleton, that there was no ‘I’ in ‘team.’ Development Contact ‘Arthur Thomas, his book. Hendrik ultimately becoming an officer “Us football guys gave out and sold [email protected] Willem Van Loon May 1943.’” candidate (Quantico), for possible programs at the home games and can selection to officer training. Survived vouch for the skilled team effort. Columbia College Today one month of ‘hell,’ and made the “Red Romo was also an out- Columbia Alumni Center 1951 grade. Spent eight months in Korea standing trainer for football. He 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 and received an award for valor in ended his long career at the Naval New York, NY 10025 Columbia College Today combat. Was active duty for two and Academy, spending a good 30 years [email protected] Columbia Alumni Center half years and reserve for 10 years. at Annapolis, and was honored with 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 Retired as a major, USMC. a building in his name.” Happy fall, Class of 1950! Please New York, NY 10025 “Would love to hear from any of take a moment to send in your news [email protected] the old teammates. Forgive me if I for a future issue, and be well. left anyone out!” 1953 From David Berger: “After 25 From David Kettler GSAS’60: CCT, and your classmates, would years in Madison, Wis., we’re still “Two items of news. First, I retired enjoy hearing from you, too. Share Lew Robins enjoying all this university town has from my post-retirement employ- an update on your life, or even a 3200 Park Ave., Apt. 9C2 to offer. Here’s a status report, in the ment — which lasted 29 years — at favorite Columbia College memory, Bridgeport, CT 06604 form of a short poem I recently wrote: Bard College on my 89th birthday, by sending it to either the postal [email protected] July 1, 2019. And second, I finished address or email address at the top Ambling a book (with a collaborator, Thomas of the column. Greetings, Class of 1953. Share Wheatland) on my Columbia your stories, news or even a favorite My body is ambling teacher in political theory, Franz L. Columbia College memory by send- toward the end of Neumann, which was scheduled to 1952 ing a note to either of the addresses its useful life. appear toward the end of July. It is at the top of this column. Your class- the monumentally long sequel to an Columbia College Today mates would love to hear from you! Not all the structure and hydraulics article on Neumann that I published Columbia Alumni Center are in topflight working order. a few years after his death. He was a 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 Sometimes the end is in sight. major figure for my generation, but New York, NY 10025 1954 he also has much to teach us all in [email protected] But life is good: the age of Trump. I hope the book Bernd Brecher every friend is a blessing, will be read and discussed.” From Howard Hansen: “In the 35 Parkview Ave., Apt. 4G and each day a gift. Edgar “Yogi” Coghlin sent a Summer 2019 issue I mentioned Bronxville, NY 10708 nice handwritten letter: “I enjoyed that the 1967–68 basketball team [email protected] From Arthur Thomas: “In the Class Note from Howard Han- was inaugurated into the Columbia 1947–49 I rowed in competition in sen ’52 in the Summer 2019 issue University Athletics Hall of Fame It was grand seeing and celebrating Columbia College crews in New depicting that great 1950–51 bas- prior to the 1950–51 undefeated with nearly two score classmates, Hampshire, Massachusetts, Con- ketball team. I remember that team, team’s acceptance. As previously including many wives and four necticut, New York, New Jersey and as I was a ticket-taker for most of stated, the 1967–68 team had widows of classmates, the 65th

46 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

the ages of our grandkids. The Col- Our farewell gala dinner on lege panelists were enlisted with the Saturday night, in Butler Library, help of Spectator’s editor-in-chief. was highlighted by Saul Turteltaub Our opening speaker at Friday’s LAW’57, who regaled us with his welcome dinner in Lerner Hall was take on Hollywood wit, and the Roosevelt Montás ’95, GSAS’04, Hon. Alvin Hellerstein, who sent a frequent guest speaker at our us off, citing some of his cases, with reunions who began teaching in a reinforced and nuanced under- the English department in 2004 standing of the law. and who later was director of the Stanely Fine PS’57 wanted Center for the Core Curriculum us to know that “it was wonderful for 10 years. Currently, Roosevelt is seeing some of my old friends at senior lecturer in American studies reunion. Hank Buchwald and I go specializing in Antebellum Ameri- back many years and we try to see can literature and culture, with a each other whenever he comes to particular interest in American town. On Sunday we visited with national identity. He addressed the Simeon Pollack PS’57, who wasn’t LYNN SAVILLE LYNN challenges to keeping the Core able to make the reunion, and had a Members of the Class of 1954 (and four widows of classmates) at their 65th relevant in the 21st century and on wonderful afternoon.” reunion on campus. the cutting edge of liberal education Thanks, Stan, for reconnecting. in a rapidly changing world. Want to sign up for our 70th? Roosevelt was followed by Dean Ted Spiegel, photographer anniversary of graduation over the Kenen BC’54, GSAS’74 (Peter James J. Valentini, who also is vice extraordinaire and chronicler of long weekend of May 31–June 1. Kenen), Phyllis Skomorowsky president for undergraduate educa- today’s West Point, once again

As requested by class members, our (Peter Skomorowsky), Marilynn tion and who personally welcomed shared one of his special productions events and activities were concen- Talal (Norman Talal PS’58), and our attendees. Our concluding with all our reunion attendees. His trated on CC’54-specific interests Eleanor Frommer (Herb Frommer speaker on Friday evening was our annual wall calendar, this time of Henry Buchwald and speakers over two-plus days. DM’57). Several other interested valedictorian, the Hudson River Valley, was a “take

While many “regular” reunionites ladies were sorry they were not able PS’57, who came from Minneapolis home” appreciated by all. Richard Bernstein attended, it was gratifying to our to participate this time. The concept with his wife, Emilie BC’57; daugh- SEAS’55, 11-member Reunion Committee for the BLC was based on a hoped- ter, Amy; and her husband, Danny taking a breather from his medical that several “never before” or “not- for class/College family relationship Woodburn, a well-known TV and practice and diabetes specialty, wrote for-many-years” classmates attended. and continuity that would be valued movie actor. Henry delivered his –– and distributed in the hospitality Our mission was to connect, by all involved. (Note: We will update, “Valedictory 2.0,” and we room –– a story called “Big Ben,” reconnect, and self-assess how some gladly share our process and likewise noted that similarities 65 years apart about his time as a student in Benja- Class of Destiny members may have solicit recommendations from other were numerous while differences min P. Dailey’s advanced chemistry fulfilled their destinies. (The Sum- reunion classes.) in American life –– externally and course and his subsequent life lead- mer 2019 CCT Class Notes covered A special treat at our 65th technically — have dramatically ing to medical school (announced at major events of our reunion.) was one session arranged with evolved. Henry is working on a our 25th reunion at Arden House) We used a dedicated hospital- the cooperation of the United project on which I tried unsuccess- and his career as physician, innova- ity and meeting room in Alfred Nations Association of New York, fully to assist him, and about which tor, and researcher. Dick will be glad Lerner Hall both for events and meeting with two extraordinary, I quote a recent letter of his: “Thank to send you a copy on request. presentations and for our meet- just-graduated Columbia alumni, you for researching the information On Friday afternoon we were ing and greeting headquarters. Ji-Young Kim SIPA’19, recipient about the percentage of graduates wowed by a presentation with video Highlights included an open mic of a UNANY Summer Scholars going into medical school from and charts that might well have made session at which we heard from Fellowship (for Egypt), and Erick Columbia College at various time an impact even in the White House several classmates about their lives Regalado SIPA’19, recipient of a spans. I am dedicating several of my on the doubters about climate change. and challenges; two sessions with UNANY Summer Scholars Fellow- columns in General Surgery News to The Thomas Alva Edison/Con panels of Columbia students and ship (for Belarus). The discussions the question of the doctor-patient Edison Professor, Dean of Science, CC’54 classmates, one on facing the and Q&A covered the world, and all relationship and how it has been Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and realities of today’s world, and one attendees concluded that the world destroyed in the current world of Director of the Center for Climate on the values and significance of a might soon be in good hands. medicine as business. This would and Life in Columbia’s Lamont- Columbia education then and now; a Closer to home, another special have been a nice piece of informa- Doherty Earth Observatory Peter B. dramatic presentation by the director event was a “super panel” of our tion. I believe that today’s young de Menocal educated and enlight- of Columbia’s Center for Climate classmates (Larry Scharer PS’58 doctors, who so readily accept being ened a capacity audience of classmates and Life; and presentations at two and Jack Blechner) joining with employees in a job, do not have the about the undeniable threat of man- dinners by two special guest speakers two just-graduated alumni ( Jordan same enthusiasm of my generation made enhanced climate catastrophe who took their turn on the rostrum Singer ’19 and Adam Resheff ’19) and those before us. I believe this that the world is facing. Ron Sugarman, with several of our classmates. and one student ( Joon Baek ’21) to status will eventually lower health- who expedited At long last, we launched our discuss the significance, advantages, care standards in this country.” and introduced the Lamont- Class of ’54 Bicentennial Ladies and challenges of a Columbia edu- Now there’s a challenge to the Doherty event, thanked Professor Club (see letter later in the column), cation 65-plus years apart. I moder- scores of CC’54 doctors and others de Menocal for “a most personable comprising classmates’ widows ated both programs, and all of us who may want to weigh in. and extraordinary presentation ... who have always felt “part of the at both sessions were impressed by Henry, thanks for never having bringing insight, facts, and data to class.” We were joined by Regina what we learned from young adults stopped being provocative. share with us, and responding to our

Fall 2019 CCT 47 Class Notes questions with great clarity and a for suggestions, “ ... my thanks for The special class luncheons are teacher’s desire to connect.” including me in the celebration of still being held at Faculty House. The professor’s coverage the 65th anniversary of the Bicenten- Recent attendees have included addressed topics such as, “Where are nial Class of 1954, on behalf of Herb. Anthony Viscusi, Roland Plottel we on the continuum? What are the He would have loved every moment and Allen Hyman. principal contributors to the accel- of it. I would be interested in meeting We have dinners being put together erating rate of temperature increase? regularly, formally or informally, as by Dan Laufer and Alfred Gollomp. How long can temperatures Regina (Kenen) mentioned. Is it Bob Schoenfeld reminds us continue to rise unabated before the possible to come up with a different about his father, who was an out- world would be facing catastrophic designation? ‘Ladies’ Clubs’ went out standing basketball referee. Bob lives consequences? Can the rise still be with the Fifties … Perhaps there are on Long Island, and we expect him mitigated, halted, reversed? What others who would like to join us.” to be at the festivities. needs to change now? Where is the You bet, Ellie, and beginning with Sad news to report about the point of no return?” you four, you all now “own” the BLC, passing of John Naley in early July; “I am happy that you enjoyed the which was a working title, and we among the funeral attendees were book that took me 60 years to make. I hope you will be represented on our George Raitt and Jack Freeman. Steve Easton ’56 (left) and thought that you of all people would 70th anniversary Reunion Committee. The class will be advised about Bob Lauterborn ’56 met up in North Carolina. appreciate the images made by a very That’s it for this Fall issue, gents. reunion events and speeches. Start young and innocent American … ” Thank you all for your input and planning now; you don’t want to be writes Stanley Fellman in acknowl- support for our 65th. Join our 70th left out. Let the good times roll. edging my appreciation for his gift, a Reunion Committee. Meanwhile, as Love to all! Everywhere! Museum in Trenton and found a slim volume titled Europe Then, con- always, write, email, and/or call, and metallic print on display by Arthur taining some of the most memorable be well, do well, do good –– help Rothstein CC 1935 (1915–85), who black and white photographs I have cure the world. Excelsior! 1956 founded the University Camera Club. seen in a single collection. Sadly, I have learned of the They were taken during 1957–59 Robert Siroty passing of Robert Cabat Ph.D. while Stan was a dental officer in 1955 707 Thistle Hill Ln. His obit in The New York Times the Army, stationed in Germany. Somerset, NJ 08873 noted that from Columbia, which Stan practiced dentistry in Hartford, REUNION 2020 [email protected] he entered as a Ford Scholar, he Conn., for more than 50 years, but JUNE 4–6 went on to a life fostering Spanish his passion has been and continues Events and Programs Contact Alan Broadwin, Al Franco language and culture, and was the to be black and white image making, [email protected] SEAS’56 and I met for breakfast author of class textbooks. He also and he continues to work in his Development Contact in Low Library on June 1, during served as NYC director of foreign darkroom. He writes, “Thank you and [email protected] Reunion Weekend, followed by the language education. the Reunion Committee again for Dean’s State of the College Address, Keep the news coming! taking all the time and effort to make Gerald Sherwin then the Reunion Keynote in Alfred anniversary number 65 very special.” 181 E. 73rd St., Apt. 16B Lerner Hall. John Censor was there Thank you, Stan, for your service New York, NY 10021 as well, but we couldn’t find each 1957 and your art. (Some of the images in [email protected] other. Ralph Kaslick and Barbara and the book are in the permanent col- Jerry Fine joined us for a barbecue Herman Levy lection of the New Britain Museum Next year promises to be a terrific lunch on South Field, followed by 7322 Rockford Dr. of American Art, in Connecticut.) one for our reunion. You won’t want lectures in the afternoon. Always Falls Church, VA 22043 David Bardin LAW’56 reports to miss out on the 65th anniversary seems like we feel 20 years younger [email protected] that James Taaffe of Tuscaloosa, of our graduation. We expect class- walking on campus. We started our Ala., died on July 3, 2019, as per mates from far and wide and near summer program of tennis and lun- A report from Mac Gimse: “On information from his widow, Alli- and far. You will be part of exciting cheons at Dan Link’s club in July. June 4 I brought home a new bronze son, who said, “Jim always praised speeches, awards, the dean’s note- Please keep the good news com- from the foundry. I got to suit up his Columbia professors as model worthy update and more. We expect ing. It is time to start planning our in leathers and help pour about 240 teachers and scholars. English was classmates such as Barry Pariser, 65th reunion, which will be held in lbs. of 1,000-degree hot metal. It’s a his subject and John Milton his Stan Zinberg, Marv Winell, Jesse less than two years. We need volun- blast. The finished product is called forte. He earned his master’s (’56) Roth, Harry Scheiber, Ed Lubin, teers, particularly from areas outside Moses in a Mushroom Cloud. Moses and Ph.D. (’60) in English at the Doug Lasher, Matt Loonin and, of the immediate Tri-State area. saw the burning bush that did not University of Indiana. He taught of course, Herb Johnson from From Bob Lauterborn we learn disappear, so here he is standing English at Williams, Vassar, Case Black Mountain, N.C., and Dan of his visit with Jordan Bonfante in the atomic blast but he is not Western Reserve University and Wakefield,the noted author from and Len Wolfe. Bob reports that consumed. It’s because he is holding the University of Alabama. He co- Indianapolis. From the West Coast Len and his wife, Ruth, have a third set of tablets that have the authored the Milton Handbook (with are Richard Mazze and David Gor- moved from New Haven, Conn., to Nuclear Law, or the ‘New Clear Holly Hanford) in 1970.” don. We will have locals like Chuck Pennsylvania. He also reports that, Law,’ to love your neighbor or kiss Jim is also survived by daughter Garrison, Bob Brown and Norm although retired, he still lectures at the world goodbye. The key is that Lauren and son Patrick. He had Goldstein, who tells us he is still UNC Chapel Hill, and recently met nuclear energy has not been used entered Columbia from his home- busy and loving it. Jerry Catuzzi with Steve Easton and his wife, in warfare since those explosions in town in Ohio. and his buddy Ben Kaplan are Elke, at a get-together he described August 1945. And we still live in One of our class widows, Eleanor expected as well. Jack Stuppin has as a “lightweight football reunion.” dangerous times. Frommer, who attended the reunion, been in touch with us in the plan- I took my grandson from Colum- “The poetry that follows is Never wrote in response to my request ning stages of some of his paintings. bia, S.C., to the New Jersey State Again…Evermore, Children of the

48 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Nuclear Holocaust, which I began Never Again…Evermore folks, offer interesting work and pay they had done in 2018 against Yale. writing at age 10, when we all were Child-angels lie in wait for the his reasonable rates. Perhaps this fall will see football kids and heard about the atomic embers of their “Aside from his work, Art had a as competitive as the spring teams bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. sintered lives to cool inside their variety of interests, including singing were. Let’s hope so. Well, that was the first jolt. I’ve taken wounded souls. in many choral groups, attending a As noted, the Class Lunch is Tom Ettinger students to Hiroshima six times since Dream…dream of children dawning history book club (and two James now hosted by and 1977 and each time it got more raw. to rekindle their youthful glow. Joyce book clubs), reading lots of is held on the second Tuesday of The poem was set to music by my Never Again…no more nightmares. magazines and newspapers, biking, the month in the Grill Room of the composer friend, Daniel Kallman, for Evermore…bring me skiing and spending time with his Princeton Club, 15 W. 43rd St. ($31 the St. Olaf Choir to sing in Japan dancing into a world with joy in life. family. The family included three per person). Email Tom if you plan and South Korea in summer 2017. children, a son-in-law and daughter- to attend, even up to the day before: It premiered in the Ordway Concert Never Again…Evermore in-law, and four grandchildren. Art [email protected]. Hall in St. Paul, Minn. It had solo With memories of the nuclear was pleased to say that he had the and spoken parts and when it ended holocaust, I pledge never again privilege of wiping seven bottoms! there was silence. It made me shiver.” to harm the sweetness of my child in Finally, I want to add that he much 1959 laughter, evermore. enjoyed seeing his classmates, espe- Never Again…Evermore, Norman Gelfand Feel…feel the infant heartbeat cially at the monthly lunches that he Children of the Nuclear c/o CCT pulsing through my veins. hosted at the Princeton Club.” Holocaust Ernie Brod Columbia Alumni Center Never Again…no more heartache. comments on 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 Evermore…bring me love unending. Miriam’s last remark: “Many years New York, NY 10025 Coils of clouds toss megatons of Promise me peace to last beyond ago –– nobody remembers exactly [email protected] snarling chaos down onto streets this day. how long ago –– Art took on the job swept dry by flames, of people of coordinating the monthly Class of stilled, fear-frozen in a flash. Never Again…Evermore 1958 lunch, which he carried out with Our class held its 60th reunion May Watch…watch playgrounds drain his patented wit and style. It was only 30–June 1. Our reunion began with of joy. appropriate that 16 of us attended the a well-attended Class of ’59 recep- Never Again no more hurting. 1958 May 14 lunch (organized and hosted tion in the Dodge Fitness Center’s Evermore bring me shelter. by Tom Ettinger) to reminisce about Lou Gehrig Lounge, near the site Cover me with your arms Peter Cohn him. Miriam joined us, giving her the of the old University Hall. The of embrace. c/o CCT opportunity to see where and how the next morning, breakfast was served Columbia Alumni Center lunches took place and to hear our in John Jay, where the strength of Never Again…Evermore 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 stories about a friend whose cheerful the CC’59 contingent seemed to All life stops with thunders of New York, NY 10025 manner and offbeat humor will be outnumber several of the younger hot ash blowing. [email protected] sorely missed.” anniversary classes. Friday morning A singe of odor breathes of melting To that we can only add, “Amen.” activities were an individual’s choice. leather onto hairless flesh. Once again, we begin on a sad Other attendees at the May Lunch was served under a tent on Touch…touch tiny fingers as they note. Art Radin died suddenly and lunch, in addition to Tom and South Field. This was followed reach for coolness. unexpectedly on April 24. His wife, Never Again …no more burning. Miriam Katowitz BUS’74, shared Evermore …bring me balm. some thoughts with us: “Art had Lay on me your hands of healing. continued to go to the office four Core Analytic Freud, days a week working with clients Never Again…Evermore Haiku as an accountant, having given up Synoptically wed Humans fall in heaps of doing audits about four years ago. to Wealth of Nations walls, tumbling, While Art claimed to have had scattered over stains of ground, the same job for 66 years, having — Paul Kantor ’59 each body started working at 15 in his father’s etched into shadows of amber halo. CPA firm, he in fact had a long and Listen…listen as kindergartens fade rich career doing everything from Joe Dorinson, Harvey to their final breath. audits of large and small entities Ernie, were by the first of two sessions titled Never Again Feuerstein, Peter Gruenberger, …no more suffering. (both public and private), to taxes “Looking Back, An Opportunity to Evermore Paul Herman, Dave Marcus, …bring me gentleness. for corporations and individuals, to Hear from Each Other,” in which Bernie Nussbaum, Howie Orlin Sing me your songs of soothing. writing manuals, and reviewing and classmates were offered the oppor- Shelly Raab, writing articles for The CPA Journal (and his wife, Anita), tunity to describe, in most cases, Never Again…Evermore Howard Presant, Bob Waldbaum, on a variety of accounting topics. their lives after graduation and the Eli Weinberg Mark Weiss. Nothing remains but eternity to The latter ranged from overload and impact of the College on their lives. stretch into, leaving of requirements to sustainability We end this report on a brighter After attending, or not, one of many the last terror shown forever reporting. I had the pleasure of writ- note: As predicted, the tennis team receptions or lectures that followed, shouting on my face. ing some of the articles jointly with won the Ivy title (the streak is now we gathered at V&T for pizza, wine Hear…hear little ones sobbing him. He continued to learn new five in a row) and the baseball team and good conversation. inside their screams. topics, including tax law, but still finished second in the league stand- Saturday began with breakfast Never Again …no more crying. found time to be on the editorial ings, thereby qualifying for the Ivy in the Low Rotunda, with other Evermore …bring me quiet. board of The CPA Journal. He had championship playoff series against anniversary classes, and hosted Give me angel’s wings to fly away many clients for more than 30 years, first-place Harvard. Unfortunately, by Dean James J. Valentini. We from tears. asking only that his clients be nice our lads could not win the title, as then retired to the C.V. Starr East

Fall 2019 CCT 49 Class Notes

Asian Library in Kent, where we reunion. Leading them has been, yes, and have them thank you, the Class opportunity to learn from a society resumed the “Looking Back” open a challenge, but also a privilege. Some- of 1959, for being here, being you, to which you had not been exposed. mic presentations by classmates, one has said chairing a reunion com- and making this 60th reunion one You had to learn to keep your eyes followed by lunch. It is my intention mittee is like herding cats: true, but in of the great memories of our and ears open and learn! over the next few issues of the Class this case those cats are Columbia lions Columbia experience.” “‘Student and Teacher:’ As a Notes to include the presentations and that makes all the difference. Steve then read the talk prepared resident physician I learned from that people sent to me. You need not “Special thanks to Joel Rein, by Steve Trachtenberg. (I will do my seniors and attending physicians. have attended reunion or presented who suggested having open mic my best to make the text of his talk I also taught junior residents and at the open mic sessions to send a sessions as the format for our class available to all.) medical students. After beginning contribution to me. It might take a events and for his Solomonic direc- The dinner, and the reunion, my own practice, I continued to while to be published, but if I am tion of one of those sessions; he ended with a rendition of Sans Souci. ‘teach’ resident physicians over the successful in setting up a location on brought tact, patience and humor to I think that most, if not all, who next several decades. I say ‘teach’ the web, all your contributions will the challenge. attended the reunion had a very because I was always learning from be available online. “There is one more major thank good time. I know that at least them. I was also learning from my The final event of our reunion you, and that’s to you, our class- some who were unable to attend patients and my colleagues. was our class dinner, held in Faculty mates, and your spouses, significant the reunion were unhappy with “‘Our Future:’ We can all continue House on Saturday. After dinner, others and guests. It’s really all of their inability to come. Let us wish to learn from those around us. Many the chair of our Reunion Commit- you who deserve our thanks for a full recovery to Dave Clark, have retired from their profession tee, Steve Buchman, made some your energy, enthusiasm and sharing Ted Graske, Ben Miller, Steve but can still stay involved in learning remarks and then read the speech these last two and a half days. You Trachtenberg and Bill Zangwell, and teaching. Mentoring students, prepared by Steve Trachtenberg. are the real stars of his show. From and anyone else whose medical volunteering in libraries or hospitals, problems prevented them attending, working with community service so that they can join all of us at the organizations and so forth are great next reunion. ways to continue to give back some of Core Netted butterflies I hope to print the shorter pre- the gifts that Columbia has given us. Haiku sentations in our Class Notes as well “And always remember to ask Morningside in Plato’s shoes as submissions from classmates for the question that I would ask my Apple core consumed whom time did not permit to make patients and you should ask those oral presentations, as well as from around you: ‘How can I help?’” — Edward R. Wolpow ’59 classmates not able to attend the reunion. I hope to be able to make all written submissions online. 1960 Bob Nelson contributed this to Steve Buchman delivered the our rain-soaked Thursday evening the conversation: “‘The Individual:’ REUNION 2020 following remarks: “Hello again. reception, when you shed your sod- We were all very bright; our mothers JUNE 4–6 After two days of reunioning, den raingear and discomfort in the told us so. In fact, we would not have Events and Programs Contact reminiscing and moving across the lobby and moved into Lou Gehrig been admitted if we were not. The [email protected] campus of our memories, we’ve come Lounge for our first meeting: the Core Curriculum opened our eyes to Development Contact to the final class event of our 60th vitality in the room was infectious a world that, for the most part, was [email protected] reunion weekend –– the closing and ran us over schedule by about unfamiliar to us. Yes, we may have remarks of Steve Trachtenberg. But an hour. At the opening John Jay had some exposure to literature, poli- Robert A. Machleder this year there’s a twist: Steve was not breakfast on Friday, when the tics, philosophy, art or music, but this 69-37 Fleet St. able to join us, as you know. He’s in audience was asked for a show of was different and did change us. Forest Hills, NY 11375 London, recovering well, and, as he hands of classes present, our 60th “We made good friends during [email protected] says, looking forward to joining us at attendees far outnumbered the 10th, those years but were always expected our 65th reunion. He has, however, 25th and 50th grads who were there. to work on our own, not to cooper- Congratulations to Terrence been a presence at this reunion and in At Friday’s lunch on South Field, ate in our work products. It was all McNally, who was honored on June our thoughts each day. the three tables we’d had set aside individual and no teamwork unless 9 at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards “It’s been an honor and a pleasure for the Class of ’59 were insuf- you were involved with extracurricu- with a Lifetime Achievement chairing the Class of ’59 Reunion ficient; we needed to commandeer lar activities or athletics. Award. Described as “a probing Committee in organizing our two more to hold us all. Our open “This attitude persisted for the and enduring dramatist” and “one program for you, all with the goal of mic sessions were more than we’d most part into grad school, or what of the greatest contemporary play- making this a special and memorable hoped for: participation, patience I call ‘vocational training’ (otherwise wrights the theater world has yet 60th … and there are people to thank. and attentive audiences made these known as engineering, law or medi- produced,” not only has Terrence’s “Our Alumni Office planners and very special gatherings and provided cal school). Not until these studies career spanned an extraordinary six ‘handlers’: they’ve guided us since more shared memories. Our dinner were completed did we begin to decades, but his work also has been last September with ideas, logistical at V&T last evening showed no work as teams. remarkably diverse, including plays, support and their presence at each of lessening of the weekend’s energy. “‘The Team:’ As we moved along musicals and operas. In his accep- our events. Please thank them with “The alumni staff who attended in our careers we were exposed to tance speech, Terrence noted that your applause. our events continued to express their different worlds, different cultures. “the world needs artists more than “I want to again acknowledge the amazement at our engagement and For me it was Virginia and Cincin- ever to remind us what kindness, Reunion Committee and ask them all liveliness and left their registration nati of the early ’60s. Neither were truth and beauty are.” to stand and be recognized for their desks to join us. strongholds of civil liberties but In 2018 Terrence was inducted contributions, efforts and commit- “So, I’m going to ask the Reunion there were liberals as well as conser- into the American Academy of Arts ment to their classmates and this Committee to stand, once again, vatives. Naval service was another and Letters. He is a recipient of the

50 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achieve- The job interview went well; the Neil Markee submits the follow- Long Island and six months in Palm ment Award and the Lucille Lortel security clearance, a tad less smoothly. ing synopsis of his post-Columbia City on Florida’s east coast, adjoining Lifetime Achievement Award. He The lengthy security questionnaire life. As a member of NROTC, Neil the towns of Stewart and Jupiter. We has won four Tony Awards: two for inquired whether the applicant or any spent the six years after graduation plan to eventually become full-time the plays Love! Valour! Compas- family member was or had been a on active duty: the first three on an Florida residents. Our daughter, sion! and Master Class and two for member of any of a list of organiza- old LST (“landing ship, tank”) and Jennifer, is heavily involved in the the musical books for Kiss of the tions deemed security threats, or the next three putting a new LPH professional show jumping equestrian Spider Woman and Ragtime. He also of any organization not listed that (“launch and recovery platform, community, based in Wellington, has written numerous TV scripts, advocated the violent overthrow of helicopter”) into service. As Neil Fla., to our south.” including Andre’s Mother, for which “the government.” Tom, committed to describes the latter assignment, “I Keep in mind that the Class of he won an Emmy Award. Terrence responding truthfully, acknowledged worked for some of the best officers 1960 has a 60th reunion coming up. has received two Guggenheim Fel- having relatives who had engaged in around. Working directly for the Sixty years? Is that possible? Good lowships, a Rockefeller Grant, four activity to overthrow the government. XO [executive officer] during health to all; send me your notes; Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille The head of security suggested that commission provided a seminar and hope to see you at the 60th. Lortel Awards, two Obie Awards he delete the entry as “it would cause on leadership. As the radio officer and three Hull-Warriner Awards trouble.” Tom refused, whereupon on the amphibious forces flag ship from the Dramatists Guild. In 1996 the head of security said, “It’s on your during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I 1961 he was inducted into the Theater head, dammit; go ahead.” Tom got was offered a ringside seat for some Michael Hausig Hall of Fame. the job, and security clearance, despite of the events.” 19418 Encino Summit He wrote the libretto for the the conduct of grandfathers several After separating from the San Antonio, TX 78259 operas Great Scott and Dead Man generations removed who had fired at Navy, Neil joined Educational & [email protected] Walking, both with music by Jake the king’s troops in April 1775 as they Institutional Cooperative Services, a Heggie. Terrence’s many plays marched toward Bunker Hill. nonprofit purchasing and contract- Tom Lippman include Mothers and Sons; Lips Tom was assigned to a group that ing cooperative serving the needs of ’s latest book was Together, Teeth Apart; The Lisbon included draftsmen, computer pro- higher education. For the ensuing recently published: Crude Oil, Crude Traviata; A Perfect Ganesh; The Visit; grammers, a mathematician and a seven years he was responsible for Money: Aristotle Onassis, Saudi The Full Monty; Corpus Christi; Bad variety of engineers. He was the only E&I’s activities in the Northeast, Arabia and the CIA is the story of a Habits; Next; The Ritz; Anastasia; It’s one with an astronomy background. from Maine to Pittsburgh. During little-known Cold War drama with Only a Play; Where Has Tommy Flow- His main job for the three years that time period he married Susan a big cast of colorful and ethically ers Gone? and The Stendhal Syndrome. working on Apollo, as he explains Haley, an elementary school teacher, dubious characters. The king of Terrence has been a member of it, “was determining a back-up and their daughter, Jennifer, was born. Saudi Arabia gave Aristotle Onassis the Council of the Dramatists Guild technique for lunar orbit rendez- “Seven years later,” Neil continues, a contract that would have broken since 1970 and was VP 1981–2001. vous, radar accuracy requirements “I moved to higher education’s the American monopoly on the And, not to be forgotten, in 1992 for the on-board radars during the professional association for campus Saudi oil industry and disrupted Terrence was presented by the Col- return of the LM from the Moon to purchasing officers as its CEO. the maritime shipping business lege a John Jay Award for distin- the orbiting CSM (Command and Although we were based on Long worldwide. Seeing this as a possible guished professional achievement. Service Module), fuel usage for the Island I spent a good bit of time in opening to Soviet meddling in Distinguished achievement, indeed. RCS (reaction control system) and a Washington, D.C., where many of Saudi Arabia, Eisenhower ordered Tom Hamilton reflects on his few other minor issues.” the other higher professional associa- the Dulles brothers to make sure the work in 1963 at Grumman, which One of Tom’s singular experi- tions are based. Together we repre- contract never took effect. This book had received the contract to build ences was a simulated test flight. sented the business side of higher is about how they did it. the lunar module intended as the Situated on the roof of one of the education in dealing with the federal Tom is a Washington-based spacecraft to carry the first people Grumman buildings was a large blue government and other organizations. author and journalist who has to the moon. Tom had just started sphere. Tom describes it: “The inside “Twenty-five years later, Susan specialized in Middle Eastern work at a well-known computer had been adapted for a ‘full mission and I announced our early retire- affairs and American foreign policy manufacturer with a commitment simulator’ that astronauts were ment –– only for me to be offered for more than three decades, and that he would work in Manhat- expected to use in training. But first, an attractive position with a San is an experienced analyst of Saudi tan, thus enabling him to continue select Grumman employees were Francisco-based dot-com. Working Arabian affairs and U.S.-Saudi rela- his pursuit of graduate studies in sent to test it, and test themselves. from home and the Bay Area as an tions. He is a former Middle East astronomy. Soon after he started, Someone decided my work on the advisor was an interesting experi- bureau chief of The Washington Post, however, he was told that he would planned lunar orbit rendezvous of the ence. As my two-year contract was and also was that newspaper’s oil be reassigned to its Poughkeepsie, LM and CSM made my flying the winding down, we were acquired and energy reporter. Throughout the N.Y., office. One of his colleagues simulator a good idea. It was truly by SciQuest and I again planned to 1990s, Tom covered foreign policy forwarded his name to an engineer impressive, with a view of a shrink- retire for the second time, only to and national security for the Post, at Grumman, who was recruiting ing lunar surface as I ascended into learn that the online publication we traveling frequently to Saudi Arabia people to work on an Apollo Project space to link up with the CSM. I felt had launched had been acquired by and other countries in the Middle contract to build what was then embarrassed when the control panel the two nonprofits I had worked for East. As an independent writer, he referred to as the Lunar Excur- showed I had rammed into the CSM earlier, and they offered me a posi- has visited Saudi Arabia every year sion Module. Tom’s educational at 19 feet per second, when the limit tion as editor-in-chief and a major but one in the last decade. Tom background in astronomy made was under 10 feet per second. But I content provider for the publication. discussed his new book at the New him an attractive candidate and was told most people missed rendez- The job was to be from home, part- York City class lunch in July; it’s he was invited for a job interview vous and had the LM wander off in time. I held the position for 22 years available on Amazon. at the Grumman headquarters in lunar orbit, while a few crashed back until earlier this year I again retired. Tom is an adjunct scholar at the Bethpage, N.Y., to be followed by a on the moon. I was congratulated for “Susan and I live roughly six Middle East Institute in Washing- security clearance procedure. an excellent first (and only) flight.” months a year in Port Jefferson on ton, D.C., where he is the principal

Fall 2019 CCT 51 Class Notes

media contact on Saudi Arabia equally part of the future. That’s one in golf in 2017. He also maintained Three Google executives –– Eric and U.S.-Saudi relations. He was a of the reasons Bob has not retired; a summer home in Wellfleet, Mass., Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and member of the Council on Foreign sharing ideas with people the age of where he requested to be brought, Alan Eagle –– are the authors. Relations and was formerly an their grandson is exciting, he says, one last time, a week before he died. Here is an excerpt from the book: adjunct senior fellow there. and also it lifts the burden of being Dave is survived by his brothers, “As [Columbia President] Lee C. A project Gene Milone has in charge. And as a professor, getting Michael and Larry; wife, Isabel; Bollinger says, ‘Bill had the highest been working on for the past six paid to do it is a gift! daughter, Beth Jones, of Alexandria, capacity to understand the people years has come to fruition with the Bob Salman is teaching a course Va., and son-in-law, Jamie Jones; he was working with. He had an acceptance of a paper on the project on the history of impeachment granddaughter, Isabel; grandson, intuitive sense of people and what by The Astronomical Journal. The this fall at Brookdale Community James; son, John D., of New York; motivated them and how to move work involved running more than College. It’s open to political science daughter-in law, Amy Kean; and them forward.’ He accomplished a 70 models and exploring nearly students and is part of Brookdale’s grandsons, Kean and Oliver. lot of this by looking for tension, the every physical nuance that can affect Lifelong Learning Program. smoke to a problem’s fire … People the motions and brightness of an Bob and his wife, Reva, saw Stu would simmer, and Bill would spot it. eclipsing binary star. This one, DS Sloame and his wife, Ellen, when 1962 “Listening to more than words Andromedae, lies in a star cluster the Sloames were in New York City requires keen observation. Not just some 1,500 light years from Earth. in June. John Freidin listening … but noticing the body lan- The work permits us to obtain its On a sad note, I report the pass- 654 E. Munger St. guage and side conversations. So many distance, among other properties, to ing of two classmates. Middlebury, VT 05753 of the people we talked to commented high precision and reasonably high Norm Kurnit GSAS’66 passed [email protected] on Bill’s ability to sense when people accuracy, and to understand a little away on February 6, 2019. After were frustrated. This is not a natural better the age and distance of the the College, Norm went directly to All’s too quiet on the 1962 front. skill, but one that can be developed. star cluster as well. GSAS, where he earned a master’s Please help me avoid making up You have to listen and watch. Gene was keen to finish this work in 1962 and a Ph.D. in 1966, both stories by writing in. “Jim Rudgers, who was on Bill’s and have it published before eye in physics. He spent the majority of Anthony Valerio has published coaching staff at Columbia, recalls problems and the inevitable conse- his career working at Los Alamos another acclaimed book, Semmelweis: Bill’s remarkable ability to see the quences of aging take their toll. National Lab and lived in Santa Fe, the Women’s Doctor. It’s an intimate entire field of 22 players as a play Bob Pollack continues as a N.M. Norm is survived by Ellen, his biography of a great mid-19th- unfolded. ‘Hold up a finger and look professor of biological sciences at wife of 50 years; two children; and century scientist. Anthony explores at it,’ Jim says. ‘That’s how most of Columbia, a position he has held two grandchildren. Semmelweis’s complicated character, us watch football; the finger is the since 1978. He hopes to write at Dave Schwartz DM’65 passed his research uncovering the causes player with the ball. But Bill could least one book during his academic- away on July 7, 2019, after a nearly and means to prevent childbed see, recall, and assess the things that year-long sabbatical, which began seven-year battle with multiple fever, which was then considered happen on the periphery as well. He July 1. But just in case, he will myeloma. Dave practiced oral surgery unpreventable and killed nearly 30 brought that skill to team meetings. continue to co-teach a course on for more than 50 years in Queens. He percent of new European moth- He wouldn’t just see the speaker; he human identity with his daughter, was on the Board of Trustees of both ers who delivered their babies in could see the entire field and gauge Dr. Marya Pollack ’87, PH’92. the Queens County Dental Society maternity hospitals. Semmelweis reactions and intents even with the Bob and his wife, Amy, sold their and the New York State Society of correctly determined that the disease people who remained silent, the Vermont schoolhouse when the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. was caused by doctors’ failure to wash ones without the ball.’” commute got to be too much –– six An avid golfer, tennis player, their hands effectively, and prescribed hours! Currently, they escape up the skier, guitarist and singer, Dave was that they scrub in a solution of chlo- Hudson to Saugerties, N.Y. –– two a longtime member of the Bonnie rinated lime. 1963 hours and they are in the woods. Briar Country Club, where he was Nevertheless, Semmelweis’s Their motto: Everyone alive is the Super Senior Club Champion obstetrical colleagues disdained his Paul Neshamkin work and ostracized him. In 1865, 1015 Washington St., Apt. 50 he supposedly suffered a nervous Hoboken, NJ 07030 breakdown and was treacherously [email protected] committed to an asylum by a col- Holler at Us league. He died –– or was he mur- I joined Henry Black, Doron Gop- dered? –– at 47 from a gangrenous stein and Lee Lowenfish to march in Haiku! wound after being beaten by the in the Alumni Parade of Classes on asylum guards. Class Day on May 21. As always, it Core, one hundred years! Burt Lehman wrote that he is was a great event –– it’s a pleasure What’s a fun way to note it? reading a fascinating new book, to see the happy graduates and their Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership families, as well as greet old friends Poetry from you. Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Camp- as we proudly hoist our class banner. bell. Burt says “the book focuses Join us next year. We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would mostly on Bill Campbell TC’64’s Gary Rachelefsky writes, love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But extraordinary influence on some of “Retirement is a word that was never there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your Silicon Valley’s stars and his way part of my vocabulary; I thought of of coaching them how to deal with it as an end-of-life word. The brief 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and their underlings, in particular. There stop before the undertaker came we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. is a section on Bill’s undergraduate calling. Boy, was I wrong. After a and coaching days at Columbia, successful and satisfying 46-year which are nostalgic.” career in medicine, I was ready (and

52 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews luckily healthy), with my wife, Gail Because of this ‘discovery,’ Roberts, (married 52 years), being supportive. whose book was still in galleys, I could not be happier; my advice added the information to Chapter is to spend lots of time planning it 15, and thanked [my wife and me] and doing activities you never had in Footnote 51 for the world to see!” the time or the energy to do. So I Phil Satow writes, “My wife, learned to cook, play golf (exercise Donna GS’65, and I had the pleasure and ‘boy friends’), joined a couples of visiting Israel during the last part of book club (so I now read books), June and attending the Genesis Prize go to the sports club, talk to my Ceremony in Jerusalem. On June 20, wife, be a real poppy to my eight the prize, a $1 million award, was grandchildren, travel, spend a social granted to Bob Kraft. The Genesis evening without my patients calling Prize is given annually to Jewish peo- and/or falling asleep. I even read ple who have attained recognition and The New York Times and Wall Street excellence in their fields. Bob brought Journal each morning. I volunteer at 25 NFL players and their spouses two Native American reservations who had not visited Israel before. helping in the care of children and It was a well-attended and exciting adults with respiratory and allergic evening, and the prize was awarded Four members of the Class of ’63 marched at the Alumni Parade of disorders. I still only sleep five to six to Bob by Bibi Netanyahu. The next Classes. Left to right: Doron Gopstein, Henry Black, Lee Lowenfish and Paul Neshamkin. hours but I need all that awake time day I attended an American football to complete my day. I am available scrimmage at the Kraft Family Sports for free consultations.” Campus in Jerusalem, where the NFL Henry Black sent me the follow- players coached two Israeli teams.” that last week. I hoped the summer’s Charles E. Miller GSAS’66 Ed Coller ing historical footnote about how he writes, “There is an heat and humidity would abate and reports the filing on July 22 in the got mentioned in Andrew Roberts’s annual public affairs lecture named then I could reach 25,000 soon.” U.S. Supreme Court of the first most recent biography, Churchill: for my parents at the Hillcrest Jew- Hey, gang, can any of you match amicus curiae brief of the Associa- Walking With Destiny. Henry writes, ish Center in Flushing, N.Y. (the Don’s record? I sure can’t. tion of Amicus Counsel in a case, Paul Gorrin “I’ve been a student of WWII and 50th is this fall). Jim Shenton ’49 writes, “Our oldest Peter v. NantKwest, Inc., involving an admirer of Churchill for decades. spoke in 1986, and he chose immi- son, Dan, and his wife, Leah, who one of the legal profession’s favorite With that in mind, my wife, Benita, gration as his topic. Near the end of teaches high school math, have topics: court-awarded attorney fees gifted me with an autographed the lecture he said that his analysis a new baby, Max Michael, and a in administrative law cases involving letter from the great man written to of demographic trends led him to daughter, Bailey (4), who loves being patent and trademark applications. Nicholas Murray Butler CC 1882 in believe that if immigration policies a big sister. Our younger son, David, The AAC, of which Charles is and his barrister wife, Sally, have president and one of its found- an 8-month-old daughter, Eleanor. ing members, is an independent Our oldest daughter, Ellen, teaches nonprofit of lawyers having diverse Core Mukasey and Barr middle school in Millsboro, Del. affiliations and law practices and Haiku Our youngest daughter, Emily, is who, by training, scholarship, experi- Grooved on Machiavelli finishing a mental health nurse prac- ence and breadth of discernment in Holder skipped that class titioner program at the University of their respective areas of the law, are Delaware. My wife of 39 years, Ann, possessed of the requisite abilities in — David G. Hitlin ’63, GSAS’68 after being for 14 years the Sussex appellate advocacy and proficiency County coordinator for the non- in producing and submitting amicus profit Read Aloud Delaware, which curiae briefs as may be helpful to arranges for volunteers to read courts and other tribunals in cases 1931, and typed on Waldorf-Astoria remained the same, sometime in the one-on-one to at-risk children, now involving issues of contention. Such stationery. The contents seemed early 2000s the population would be is a program manager for Delaware briefs are designed to call attention to bland and unimportant at the time on the brink of being less than 50 Health and Social Services. pertinent matters and viewpoints not (and only about three sentences percent white and that there would “I’ve retired from an internal previously recognized or addressed by long). One evening last fall, we be a major movement to essentially medicine and an allergy practice, am the parties or the decisionmaker(s). attended a lecture by Roberts at the close the doors to non-white immi- a member of the Rehoboth Beach Neither the AAC, nor any of its New-York Historical Society, where grants and a real battle of conscience Writers Guild, a life member of members or their other affiliations he is scholar in residence. Afterward, over how sincerely we believed in the Delaware Medical Society and who participate in or whose name(s) while dining at the restaurant, Rob- the myths of being the open door to a founding member of the Seaside appears on a brief of the AAC, will erts passed by our table and I had a the tired and poor. He then went on Jewish Community in Rehoboth have represented a party in the case brief moment to tell him about our to brilliantly make the case for keep- Beach, Del. I met my wife in or will have otherwise had a direct letter. He handed us his card and ing the doors open. The guy called it Vermont shortly after completing financial stake in the outcome. In asked us to send him an image of 33 years ago.” a fellowship at the University of addition to parties supported by the Don Margolis the letter, which we promptly did. reports, “I have Vermont in chest disease, which AAC, non-parties represented are Turned out that the three sentences been riding my bike for the last 17 became a lung cancer suppressor those wishing to express their views in the letter contained a tiny factoid years and targeted 25,000 miles when cell study. It was this introduction to on issues in precedent-setting adju- heretofore unknown by Churchill someone told me that was the circum- the immunology of the respiratory dications whose outcomes will affect biographers (there are about 1,005 ference around the equator. Then I saw system that I brought to my medical the public interest, including their biographies of the great man). that it was only 24,901 and I reached practice, but that seems so long ago.” own and of others similarly situated.

Fall 2019 CCT 53 Class Notes

It is for these reasons that the rized to speak with the astronauts the years I worked on many different month, and don’t forget to send in AAC was conceived, established once the flight began). He also areas of the law, including litigations, your answer to the questions: “What and exists: to promote and assist in touched on the afterlife of the mis- gifts and estates, compliance with the do you wish you had known when advancing the science of jurispru- sion –– his two appearances on The increasing complexity of governmen- you were 18?” and “What advice do dence through amicus briefs that Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson tal regulations, and University gover- you have for the members of the advocate the correctly informed (were any of you on this show?) and nance and real estate. In addition, for College’s next graduating class as judicial development of the law in the different complexities and risks many years I served as parliamentar- they face becoming ‘adults’?” the time-honored tradition of amici of a trip to Mars (for example, the ian of the University Senate. What curiae –– “friends of the court.” distance from Earth to Mars is so no doubt was the highlight of my If you’re back in NYC, you can great that a distress call from Mars work at Columbia was participating 1965 reconnect with your classmates at may take too long to reach Earth, or in seeking the regulatory approvals our regular second Thursday class the response from Mission Control and numerous property site acquisi- REUNION 2020 lunches at the Princeton Club. The may take too long to reach Mars). tions needed to create the overall JUNE 4–6 next lunches are on September 12 Reunion began with a Thursday Manhattanville campus. Events and Programs Contact and October 10. evening reception in the art-filled “After retirement, I have con- [email protected] In the meantime, let us know Manhattan apartment of Maya and tinued to serve on the board of the Development Contact what you are up to, how you’re doing Larry Goldschmidt LAW’67, and University-affiliated Community [email protected] and what’s next. over the next two days there were Impact, a nonprofit that annually lunches on South Field and a range serves more than 9,000 low-income Leonard B. Pack of tours and lectures from which to residents of Harlem, Washington 924 West End Ave. 1964 choose. Reunion concluded with Heights and Morningside Heights New York, NY 10025 a Saturday dinner at which Phil through the work of about 900 [email protected] Norman Olch Lopate gave a witty, insightful and University student volunteers. 233 Broadway poignant reminiscence of his College “My wife, Kathryn, and I have Gene Feldman sent me a fascinat- New York, NY 10279 experience. A standing ovation of planned a cruise to Alaska. We ing note triggered by his temporary [email protected] appreciation followed, and I and are spending more time with our stay at the King’s Crown Hotel. I others there hope Phil will reprint his children and grandchildren.” was one of the “handful of us.” Gene Who would have thought there is a talk in a future book of his essays. Howie is also a regular presence writes, “At the start of our first year, connection between our 55th reunion Bob Liss and his good friend at Columbia basketball games. We a handful of us were temporarily and the 50th anniversary of the Diane Levy flew in for reunion from wish him and his family much hap- housed in the King’s Crown Hotel Apollo moon landing? Well, our class- San Francisco, where Bob is a psy- piness in retirement. on 116th Street due to a snafu mates who organized reunion did. choanalyst. He earned a J.D. at Yale After attending reunion, Dan in dormitory planning. I became In a joint reunion effort with and a Ph.D. at NYU. On the website Nussbaum, who is at the Depart- friends with a few men such as Don Columbia Engineering, the speaker First of the Month, Bob contributes ment of Operations Research at Norris and Richard Taruskin. And at the first of two dinners was Larry articles on basketball. His most the Naval Postgraduate School in I tried cheap Chianti for the first Kuznetz SEAS’64, SEAS’65, a recent (as of this writing) begins, Monterey, Calif., made his way to and last time. A few weeks later, I central figure at NASA’s Mission “Damn! Those NBA playoffs take Baku, Azerbaijan, for a seminar on relocated to a suite in New Hall, the Control in 1969. In a fascinating forever!” For more of that refreshing energy security. Dan writes: “At the high-rise dorm awaiting a benefac- after-dinner talk, Larry (with accom- angle, go to firstofthemonth.org/ seminar, the new U.S. ambassador tor to name it. panying PowerPoint presentation and author/bob-liss. to Azerbaijan made his first public “I barely recalled the episode until videos) touched on topics ranging After decades with Columbia, statement on U.S. energy policy in I learned this history. In 1939, Enrico from the trial and error in making a Howard Jacobson LAW’67 has the Caspian region, and I and my Fermi fled fascist Italy. Professor space suit to the hierarchy at Mission retired as deputy general counsel team were invited to attend the George B. Pegram of the Columbia Control (only one person was autho- of the University. All sorts of legal July 4 celebrations at our embassy. physics department wisely recruited issues arise for a major university like While it was an honor to attend the him. When Fermi arrived, they put Columbia, and for many years Howie celebrations, and the food and music him up at the King’s Crown Hotel. was at the center of things. He writes, were good, the moving moments for Leo Szilard, another refugee nuclear “I retired on December 31, after 40 me were the conversations I had with scientist, serendipitously met Fermi years working for Columbia. Before foreign diplomatic, military and com- in the hotel’s lobby. The two geniuses I came to Columbia, I served as a mercial personnel, who uniformly collaborated intensely, despite their law clerk to federal judge William B. expressed their strong appreciation oil-and-water temperaments. They Herlands, and then worked for about for the consistent and principled soon realized that a nuclear chain 10 years at [what was then the] Kaye leadership that the United States reaction was possible. Stay in Scholer law firm, in New York. provides in this strategic and highly “Szilard argued that this reaction Touch “At the General Counsel’s Office, contested part of the world. I know should be used to build a uranium I worked with every in-house general that we hardly ever hear conversa- super bomb to stop Hitler’s war Let us know if you have a counsel in the University’s history, tions about the Trans-Caucasus and machine. Their fortuitous partner- new postal or email address, beginning with the first one, John Caspian regions, but historically they ship lead Fermi to create the first a new phone number or Mason Harding, through the cur- are important, and they are even controlled chain reaction in a secret rent one, Jane E. Booth LAW’76. more important now as a region of laboratory on December 2, 1942. even a new name: (Before Harding, all general counsels great power competition — for their The immigrants got the job done. college.columbia.edu/ were members of outside law firms.) energy content, and for their location Now an atomic bomb seemed pos- alumni/connect. When I began there were three as gateway to Central Asia.” sible. A phone call announced suc- attorneys in the General Counsel’s Remember, our informal class cess to President Roosevelt’s advisor, Office; today there are 20. Through lunch is the second Thursday of each cryptically saying, ‘The Italian navi-

54 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews gator has landed in the new world.’ mobile methods to screen patients for tion. Every day was a new chance funded by taxes on wealth, because Everyone in the lab celebrated with cardiovascular risks and raise aware- to see Iceland’s natural wonders tax deficits funded by harm to lower a bottle of good Chianti, and all ness about heart disease. –– geysers, geothermal mud pools, tiers maximized the damage that signed the basket. “In 2011, he received the waterfalls and volcanic lava fields tax does to human happiness. Then “The Los Alamos team then built National College Football Founda- –– and become acquainted with the I said rewrite the ‘dividend’ rules so a few bombs intended for Germany. tion’s Distinguished American daily lives of Icelanders. On July 4, that the dysfunctional earnings and But after Hitler’s defeat, Japan award. In 2018, he received the John our ship, the National Geographic profits account doesn’t matter, and became the target. Fermi still had F. Kennedy Award from Holyoke’s Explorer, cruised north to Grímsey so that there is not a tax without the President’s ear. He and Szilard St. Patrick’s Day parade committee.” Island, crossing the Arctic Circle. gain. Then I said taxpayer has no urged FDR to detonate the bomb in Bob Yunich also gave us an Due to the island’s geophysical capital gain, unless the taxpayer the Pacific, demonstrating its fear- update: “Over the past few years, I’ve attributes, it produces inexpensive has basis. Then I took down four some power to the Japanese while enjoyed a wonderfully unrestrained hydroelectricity, which has fueled Harvard professors, a Stanford Law sparing civilians. The politicians and life. I’ve become more active in volun- an immense aluminum smelting professor and the president of the generals had other plans. teer work; my wife, Joanne, and I have industry (aluminum ore is imported, American Economic Association. I “While most physicists had been traveling and taking advantage of converted to aluminum ingots or expect an email telling me ‘the veil chosen narrow specialties, Fermi our second home in Andes, N.Y. rolled stock, which then is exported). has fallen from my eyes’ any day mastered all the major areas. He was “For more than five years, I This is the story line of the 2018 now. I am writing an autobiography dubbed ‘The last man who knew have been a credit crisis counselor/ movie Woman at War. with technical tax talk, which of “This summer, we had planned to course my kids won’t understand. go on an Abercrombie & Kent safari But I am still having fun.” to Botswana, but had to cancel due Michael Garrett writes that, Core Along with my boys to health issues. We are confident within the last year or so, he spent a Haiku Botswana will always be there and month in Japan, a month in the Baltic Hamilton & Obama that we can go another time. In the region and a month in Australia/ A proud College grad meantime, we’re planning a trip to Indonesia/Singapore, and will spend London around Christmas and maybe the September in Spain and Portugal, — Gerald Kruglik ’65 Croatia and Lisbon in the late spring. January in the Galapagos and Ama- “I have scaled back my financial zon, May in New Orleans and August advisory practice with a view toward in eastern Europe. When you add fully retiring in the next few years. I to that a 50th Law School reunion, everything,’ the title of a biography financial coach with the Community am looking forward to our reunion a variety of interesting activities and by David N. Schwartz from which I Service Society of New York. I have next year and hope many, many projects at Columbia College, the learned some of this story. David is been helping people in one-on-one classmates can participate.” Business School, the Law School, the son of the late Columbia profes- meetings deal with problems such as Your correspondent and your the Libraries, University Seminars, sor Mel Schwartz ’53, GSAS’58, adverse credit reports, stifling credit classmates would like to hear more Colloquia and Alumni Singers; who, like Fermi, was a Nobel Laure- card debt, default judgments arising from you. As Gene’s note suggests, some grandparenting, photography, ate. Professor Schwartz inspired my from delinquent debt obligations you can even write about a thought piano, theatre and classical music; love of physics and my career.” and the quagmire around –– and triggered by Columbia. Whatever and events at the University Club Last October, The Republican, crippling amounts of — outstanding you write, it will be eagerly con- and the Chautauqua Institution, it all a local newspaper for Chicopee, student loans. sumed by your classmates. results in a very stimulating and most Holyoke, South Hadley and Granby, “For the past year, I’ve been rewarding retirement that –– on the Mass., reported that Holyoke working with Trout Unlimited to sound theory that this life is not a H.S.’s first Hall of Fame class was increase funding for an awesome 1966 dress rehearsal –– he plans to continue inducted. Archie Roberts was one program, ‘Trout in the Classroom.’ as long as his and his wife’s Sandy’s of the inductees. From the article: TIC is a hands-on, STEM-focused, Columbia College Today health and energy level can support it. “The Class of 2018 honorees also environmental K–12 education Columbia Alumni Center From Jeff May: “My wife, include a father-son duo, 20-year program that enables students to 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 Connie, and I moved after 40 years football coach Archie Roberts and raise trout from eggs to fingerlings New York, NY 10025 in Cambridge to Tyngsborough, Archie Jr., who excelled in three in an aquarium in their school [email protected] Mass. Our daughter (who went to sports. In 1959, his father’s last classroom. Following eight months Smith College) and her husband season as head coach, Archie Jr. of care and observation of their Greetings for fall, Class of 1966! (who went to UMass) have given quarterbacked Holyoke to a 9–0 trout, students release their fish into From Calvin Johnson: “I teach tax us two wonderful grandchildren, record and its first AA Conference streams and participate in a day of at the University of Texas School Gabriel (3) and Eliza (1). Our son, title. He also starred as a basketball outdoor stewardship activities, forest of Law, and jump valiantly into the Ben SEAS’00, works at NewYork- point guard and baseball shortstop. hikes and stream studies. In New intellectual fray. My last articles Presbyterian/Columbia University At Columbia, he broke 17 passing York City, many of the students are said that Elizabeth Warren’s wealth Irving Medical Center in IT; he records and also played basketball from inner city schools and wouldn’t tax was constitutional, because the and his wife, Ola, run a cat rescue in and baseball as the university’s last otherwise be exposed to the environs defining aspect of direct tax was that Washington Heights. three-sport athlete. outside the five boroughs. I would it had to be reasonably apportion- “We recently sent off the second “After a brief time in the NFL, he be delighted to hear from classmates able. Before that I said that under- edition of our first book (of four!), completed studies for a medical degree, who are interested in learning more valuation of property transferred My House is Killing Me! The Home and went on to a career as a renowned or supporting TIC. at death means estate tax captures Guide for Families with Allergies and heart surgeon. After retiring in 1997 “In June, 2018, we took the only 25 percent of what the statute Asthma, to the press. as an active surgeon, he founded the National Geographic/Lindblad says it is supposed to collect. Then I “I continue to do indoor air Living Heart Foundation, which uses ‘Circumnavigate Iceland’ expedi- said the Trump deficits needed to be quality investigations with the

Fall 2019 CCT 55 Class Notes

unbelievable assistance of Connie, wedding. Also miss my friend Rich who quit working at the Cambridge Forzani, whom I met during fresh- School of Weston (after 30 years of man football and who, being a Jersey teaching and administration) to help boy, remained a friend I would see me in the office. We love our new on occasion during the decades fol- digs but the best part of moving was lowing our graduation. landing a five-minute drive from “I am hoping to get a few more Princeton Station, where we try to novels out, particularly since I am go rock ’n’ roll dancing to live bands in a situation where I have the time every weekend.” to do just that without being played Barry Nazarian: From “Three out from a long day at work. out of the four children I raised as a “My best to my classmates out single father have been in Califor- there with hopes that we will gather nia for the last 15 years, so after 66 again at least once in decent num- years of living within 10 miles of bers before that final dismissal.” Columbia I decided to join my kids Mike Gengler writes, “I have and grandkids and moved across the published a book about school country: I am now completing my desegregation in my home town of ninth year in San Diego. Gainesville, Fla.: We Can Do It: A The 1967 lightweight crew had a reunion at the Eastern Association of “I think the move was a good one Community Takes on the Challenge of Rowing Colleges Sprints on May 19 in Worcester, Mass. Left to right: Jon Jarvik ’67, Jeff Brensilver ’67, Bob Malsberger SEAS’67, David Blanchard ’67, as it’s pretty stimulating to switch School Desegregation. To my knowl- Gerry Botha ’67, Richie Miller ’67 and Eric Dannemann ’67. cultures after six and a half decades, edge, after extensive research (thank and change is a good form of mental you, Walter Metzger GSAS’46 exercise for those of us now con- and others, and my mentors at fronting aging. Spectator), this book is the only one nearby photos and a brief update on Eric Dannemann was in the “I have made a lot of new friends that details adjustments in schools our classmates. Navy, and later went to business Jon Jarvik and for a pretty serious bicycle racer, during and after desegregation. is a cellular and molec- school. After various management I could not have picked a better Despite Brown, the South continued ular biologist at Carnegie Mellon. assignments, he has spent the past Jeff Brensilver place to be living and training. under lower court rulings to oper- PS’71 has had 30 years in the art business. Retired “Sitting in occasionally with my ate its side-by-side separate white a long career as an internist/ in Connecticut with the love of his son’s rock band and enjoying the and black schools as long as black nephrologist/educator/department life and three great kids. fact that there are several Columbia students could choose to attend the chair in teaching hospitals in the Be well, all of you, and do write … people around my class who long white schools (‘freedom of choice’). New York metropolitan area and ago moved to this ideal climate, I Not until 1968 and 1969 did the still loves his work. Bob Malsberger SEAS’67 am also doing the heap of sitting Supreme Court put an end to the 1968 required to make a house a home South’s dual school systems. In became a career engineer, starting in with many of my neighbors who Gainesville, two-thirds of African- aerospace and mutating to biotech. Arthur Spector share what is labeled an ‘active American students and many Along the way he somehow managed 4401 Collins Ave., 2-1417 senior community,’ which I think is teachers chose to remain at Lincoln to be part of an energetic family. Miami Beach, FL 33140 David Blanchard an appropriate description. H.S. Its students struck for 11 days grew up in [email protected] “I lost my incredible lifelong in 1969 to protest its closing. Deseg- Texas, went to graduate school Charlie Pitchford, friend with regation was a process, not an out- at Brown and lived in California, Wishing the members of the Class of whom I roomed all four years at come. White and black communities Mexico and Vermont for the last 1968 a happy and healthy fall. Please Columbia; I was the best man in his had to work together to bring their 40-plus years, homesteading, pot- take a moment to share your news or public-school systems through this ting, parenting, paddling, special a favorite Columbia College memory crisis. For more information, please educating and soaking up the beauty with the class by sending an email to see wecandoitbook.com.” of the mountains. [email protected]. Gerry Botha SEAS’68, SEAS’70 started out with AMF in Connecti- 1967 cut; went to business school in Mas- 1969 sachusetts; worked at Ford in Illinois, Albert Zonana West Virginia, California and Scot- Michael Oberman 425 Arundel Rd. land; was with Ferranti in Scotland, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel Contact CCT Goleta, CA 93117 New York and Georgia; was with a 1177 Avenue of the Americas [email protected] consulting group in Atlanta; worked New York, NY 10036 Update your address, with Ametek in South Carolina and [email protected] email or phone; submit a The 1967 version of the lightweight Florida and Nilfisk in Minnesota, Class Note, new book, crew had a reunion at the Eastern Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Our milestone 50th reunion, held photo, obituary or Letter to Association of Rowing Colleges Italy; settled down in Vermont, with May 30–June 1, was by overwhelm- Sprints on May 19 in Worcester, consulting, property management, ing consensus a grand success. We the Editor; or send us an Mass. In May 1964, the freshman grandchildren and endless to-do lists! had both class-specific events, as Richie Miller email. Click “Contact Us” at crew culminated its undefeated retired from a well as the events open to all alumni, college.columbia.edu/cct. season at this event. The crew has 30-plus-year career with AT&T as described elsewhere. Our goal in remained close through the years. and the USAFR to become a full- planning the reunion was to create Eric Dannemann supplied the time grandpa. ample opportunity for classmates

56 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews to reconnect, and also to provide Columbia shaped my deviant career Gabel, Bill Giusti, Jerry Gliklich, college, and wish I had known them some content and entertainment. On in medicine and what we need now Sam Goldman, Jesse Goldner, sooner. The Reunion Committee did Thursday night, we had a reception at to fix health care” (for many years, Neal Handel, Fred Harbus, an excellent job of combining time to the Columbia Alumni Center, which Jerry has focused on the economics Edwin Harnden, John Herbert, socialize and time for lectures.” — despite heavy rain — still gener- of pharmaceuticals); and James Michael Ingrisani, Bill Kelly, From Larry Berger: “The reunion ated a crowd that filled the room. On Coromilas SEAS’69 talked about Marty Konikoff, Joseph Kushick, surpassed my expectations. More Friday night, we had a capacity-crowd “Heart disease — will we tame it?” Dwight Lee, Mark Leeds, Hal classmates turned out than I had reception in the C.V. Starr East Asian Then Steve Valenstein gave us Lemberg, Hal Lewis, John Van expected, and I was able to spend Library in Kent Hall. These opening “Insights from analysis of health Dusen Lewis, Woody Lewis, considerable time with some. Sadly, events allowed classmates to spend policies,” and finally, David Sokal George Lindsay, Jim Lo Dolce, 10 percent of our class are no longer extensive time together, sometimes addressed “Male contraception: John Lombardo, Andy Markov- with us, clearly indicating we should with no contact in many a year, and challenges and impact.” Here, too, its, Joe Materna, Dick Menaker, make a constant effort to take even to meet classmates previously there was much substance of interest Jerry Nadler, Jerry Nagler, Fred advantage of these reunions. There unknown to them. and importance from a policy and Neufeld, Michael Oberman, were two events that I particularly Initially, we had no class-specific personal perspective. Michael O’Connor, Peter O’Hare, enjoyed. The Art Humanities course daytime activities scheduled for Fri- The weekend culminated with a Manny Organek, Gary Otsuji, was skillfully managed by our profes- day. However, responding to requests reception and dinner in Low Library Fred Pack, Bob Papper, Harold sor, who, using the Socratic method, from classmates, Dick Menaker for both the College and Engineer- Parker, Hart Perry, Richard immediately engaged us in lively organized a tour of the Manhat- ing 50th reunion classes; with guests Prouser, Norbert Rainford, Rich- discussion and highlighted points tanville campus, including a brief and spouses, we had more than 150 ard Rapaport, Marc Rauch, Alan made by the participants who were look at the interior of the Jerome L. for the dinner. Ahead of dinner, the Romanczuk, Oren Root, Dave plentiful. Also the Reunion Keynote Greene Science Center and a visit to official class photo was taken on the Rosedahl, Gary Rosenberg, Mike [featuring actor Maggie Gyllenhaal the other two completed buildings. Low Steps. The Alumni Office has Rosenblatt, Irv Ruderman, Eric ’99 and screenwriter Beau Willimon Dick led a hike back to campus posted Reunion Weekend photos on Saltzman, Jack Schachner, Joel ’99, SOA’03], from both big and small along the Hudson River Greenway its Facebook page (facebook.com/ Scharfstein, Don Schenk, Mike screen, and their perspectives as actors for those wishing to hike. alumnicc/photos). During dinner, Schnipper, Jeff Schwartz, David and directors, as well as their Colum- On Saturday, we were joined for Dick Menaker gave welcoming Silverstone, Bill Sleeper, Dave bia experiences and relevance to their our lunch and dinner programs by remarks, then turned the microphone Columbia Engineering alumni. The over to George Baker, who portrays lunch programs were held at Faculty John Adams in a variety of venues, as House. Following a brief reception he did for us. (Staying in costume, he Core In Plato’s dream cave and time for lunch, Dean James J. really stands out in the class photo.) Haiku Valentini welcomed the class back to Our main speaker was Professor we see only shadows of Rich Wyatt the campus. then moder- Ken Jackson, the authority on the whom we’re yet to be. ated a lively open mic session, where history of New York City; he gave memories were shared (many arising lively and informative comments — Rabbi James B. Rosenberg ’66 from the blackout). A common on the city at the time of our births, refrain was the benefit of learning during our College years and now. from classmates having a different And there have been many changes. background. We paused to recall To close out the evening, the Sokal, Alan Sparer, Alan Sullivan, profession. Panels in which classmates those of our classmates (sadly, now Alumni Singers performed Roar, Mike Teitel, Dave Turner, Steve participated on climate change and more than 80) who have passed away. Lion, Roar and Alma Mater, with Valenstein, Mark Webber, Jeff health care were enlightening both Bill Bonvillian, who teaches at extensive selections from Gilbert Weintraub, Julian Wheatley, Eric for content as well as appreciation of MIT, led a panel on climate change, and Sullivan before that. Witkin, Rich Wyatt and Joel Ziff. the expertise and knowledge offered joined by Sir Alex Halliday, director Who attended? This list of I invited those who attended to in these areas by classmates!” Scott Michael Jacoby Brown: of Columbia’s Earth Institute; classmates was compiled based on help frame a sense of the event. From From Anderson , former curator at the those who registered and/or checked John Bernson: “The reunion was “It was good to reconnect with some Museum of the Amazon (Museu in at a class specific-event; if you’ve totally swell. The class-specific events people I knew and have not been in Paraense Emílio Goeldi )in Belém, been left off the list or included by were congenial –– I ran into some touch with for 50 years. I saw some Marc Rauch, Brazil; and now with error and you’d like a correction, long-lost classmates and old friends. people I knew slightly and had some Lawrence the Environmental Defense Fund. please let me know: The intellectual content was excellent. good conversations. I assume differ- Dick Menaker Aaron, Michael Agelasto, Domi- As aptly put it, “I A high point for me was the tour of ent people want different experi- nick Agostin, Ron Alexander, have rarely seen so many key issues The Met Cloisters, which was led by ences from a reunion. I was looking Jim Alloy, Scott Anderson, Bob handled so swiftly in so little time.” a brilliant professor who is writing a forward to hearing what classmates Mike Rosenblatt Appel, Jerry Avorn, George then anchored book about Genghis Kahn. Finally, had learned over 50 years. … I think Baker, Larry Berger, Richard a panel of doctors, which he had put the campus looked beautiful –– a vast the open mic session lacked the kind Berger, John Bernson, Chuck together, focused on the need for improvement, and also a great time of serious reflection I was looking for, Bethill, Bill Bonvillian, David innovation in improving health care. of year to see it.” although I assume others wanted just Borenstein, James Boyce, Eric Jerry Avorn, Mike focused on the topic “Where From Don Schenk: “The reunion to have fun. Like I was Branfman, Michael Braudy, Andy will new medicines come from?”; was a great success. I reconnected surprised that there was no mention Gary Rosenberg Bronin, Michael Jacoby Brown, addressed “Can with so many great friends and wish of the events of Spring 1968, and Peter Buscemi, Ira Cohen, we optimize treatment for both so many more of my crew and swim- as Jerry said, there seemed to be a Steve Ditlea, John Erickson, the individual and the popula- ming team [friends] had come. I also ‘blackout’ of this time, although there Jerry John Fogarty, Miles Freed- tion, and can we afford it?”; had the pleasure of meeting several were lots of memories spoken about Avorn man, Robert Friedman, Robert ’s topic was “How my years at classmates whom I had not known in the electricity blackout.”

Fall 2019 CCT 57 Class Notes

From Jim Lo Dolce: “I very One further benefit of reunion Martin Newhouse: “I am for me, my fellow traveler is a world- much enjoyed seeing some old planning that some classmates noted: soldiering on as president of the class mountaineer. Best wishes to you acquaintances, as well as talking to Even among those classmates who New England Legal Foundation in and the Class of ’70.” Philip Roath classmates whom I did not recall could not attend, many of us got to Boston (NELF; nelfonline.org). My notes: “My wife, knowing. I was energized to hear visit with them by phone or email as big news is the arrival of a grandson, Kathy, and I both recently retired and about all the interesting lives and we tried to see if they could come — Herman Katz Newhouse, last moved to Pearland, Texas (south of adventures our classmates have had. and to catch up in the process. October. He is the son of our son Houston), from North Dallas. We are I was impressed that a lot of us are Lastly, there is one important Sam Newhouse and his wife, our closer to our grandchildren (2 and 4), still working and contributing to item to report: the success of our daughter-in-law, Samantha Mitch- our two daughters and son-in-law. society. I think our class as a whole Class Gift. In total, we had 157 ell. That happy couple, and little We live in an active 55-plus commu- has had a big impact on the world.” donors, 32 at the John Jay Associates Herman, live in Philadelphia. nity on a golf course. Life is good.” Arthur “Wickes” Rossiter From Hal Lewis: “Thoughtfully level, with direct contributions to “In January I completed a five- writes: arranged and well-timed events were the Columbia College Fund of more year term on the Massachusetts “I believe this is my first correspon- a good backdrop for learning more than $293,000, and total donations Supreme Judicial Court’s Clients’ dence with the Class of ’70 and, about classmates who were casual of more $1.38 million. A great way Security Board (the body that amazingly, a lifetime has passed by acquaintances and reengaging with to cap Reunion Weekend. recompenses clients who have had since we graduated. I practiced as a longtime friends. Greatly enjoyed their money stolen by their lawyers; C.P.A. for many years (Arthur Young extended time with former roomies Massachusetts is unique I believe in & Co., now Ernst & Young, among Michael Agelasto and Richard 1970 having no cap on the amount that others) then moved to an industrial Rapaport and reencountering other we pay back to the defrauded cli- equipment and supply company in Lewises, John Lewis and Woody REUNION 2020 ents). Having completed that duty, I Needham, Mass., as treasurer and Lewis. Pleased our class seemed more JUNE 4–6 was appointed to and am serving on general manager. I retired in June focused on the value of our undergrad Events and Programs Contact the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial 2018 to Scarborough, Maine. I was experience in navigating a seismically [email protected] Court’s Standing Advisory Com- sorry to read in the past year of the changed world than on the minutiae Development Contact mittee on the Rules of Professional deaths of George Stade GSAS’65 and of our years here. Maybe a sign of our [email protected] Conduct. Finally, in addition to my Wallace Broecker ’53, GSAS’58, two collective general health and well- duties at NELF I teach professional particularly memorable teachers. I Leo G. Kailas being despite early senescence?” responsibility and transactional skills visited Columbia for the first time in Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt From John Lombardo: “In my at Suffolk University Law School.” many years in May year to attend our 885 Third Ave., 20th Fl. view, the reunion was a complete Joseph Spivack: “Enjoying daughter’s graduation from Teachers New York, NY 10022 success. One could feel the wonder- my third year of retirement! Busy College and was reminded how much [email protected] ful spirit of community at all of the as an angel investor in New Jersey I regret the chaos that prevailed on events. It was remarkably free of all and elsewhere. Traveling a good bit. campus during our four years there. I the negatives that others describe Your class correspondent was Hiked in Scotland and Patagonia wish I could start again as a freshman with respect to their school reunions. absolutely overwhelmed by the Class this year. Volunteering as a trail (probably minus the blue beanie!).” Sam Estreicher What stands out? First, the self- of 1970’s response to my solicitation builder on the Appalachian Trail in Professor says critical humor of the beloved Woj, of news! In fact, I received so many Harriman State Park and else- that in January he received the and the great spirit of togetherness. notes that they can’t all fit in the where. Helped celebrate Richard Brooklyn Technical H.S. Alumni I think I was correct in insisting print magazine! Go online to college. Polton’s 70th birthday in Montclair. Association Award for Outstanding that the event remain apolitical. For columbia.edu/cct/issue/fall19/article/ Renovating a studio apartment in Alumnus. The association plans to me, the reunion has also generated class-notes and type “1970” in the Manhattan. Busier than ever!” dedicate the school’s moot court- Michael an invitation to a 50th anniversary search bar to read news from First-time contributor and nature room in his honor. Aeschliman, David Lehman Dan Feldman wedding party of a classmate, who and enthusiast Tom Barrett writes: “I’m sent a happy note: Bill Moore. got married in our chapel. It was a first-time contributor getting a jump on 50th anniversaries “I had a wonderful sabbatical year Vladimir Danyl- wedding I was privileged to attend.” I start with later this summer by heading to in 2018, in which I spent the spring evich, From David Turner: “So great with whom I was friends Yosemite National Park, where I first semester as a full-time gradu- to see you and our classmates at throughout my undergraduate years. worked as a seasonal ranger at Tioga ate student in philosophy at the the great and grand reunion. The Vladimir is a computer project Pass in 1969. (In later years, with CUNY Graduate Center and the feeling of connection and recollec- manager and systems integrator. some interruptions, I worked my way fall semester in Rome as an associate tion remains strong. Among so many He is also an ordained Eastern up to garbageman, sanitation worker, at the Institute for Regionalism, wonderful and meaningful conversa- Orthodox priest who baptized gas station attendant, trail-crew Federalism, and Self-Government tions, the moment I cherish and will my youngest daughter, Shirley, 30 laborer, trail-crew cook and surveyor’s of Italy’s National Research Council, long celebrate was at the banquet, at years ago. Vladimir reports: “Son helper.) The park, and in particular studying the efficacy of Italian the end of Professor [Ken] Jackson’s Andre lives in Los Angeles and its wilderness high country, to which anti-corruption institutions (results speech on the living history of is a post-production manager for I’ve returned again and again for to be published shortly as a chapter New York City, when he asked for the Fox sci-fi series The Orville. long, often solo, for backpacking in a book). Shortly after returning questions. He called on Rep. Jerry Daughter Theodora ’03 has finished trips, has formed the bedrock of my to my teaching responsibilities at Nadler, and we had the opportunity a Ph.D. in English, is married and mental landscape ever since. We’re John Jay College in 2019, however, I to stand and applaud one of our teaches at Georgetown. Daughter planning a 50-miler this year –– me was guilt-tripped into accepting the own, a man at the very point of our Ksenia is married and teaches at the and one of the many lifetime friends directorship of our MPA–Inspec- nation’s discourse and labors. Colum- Bethesda Waldorf School. Daughter I made 50 years ago –– into the north tion and Oversight Program, which bia College and we of the Class of Elizabeth has been tonsured a nun end of the park, which encompasses makes up about 40 percent of our ’69 can take pride in what we learned in Greece and is now Sister Ionia. one of the largest roadless areas in 800-student overall MPA program. and shared, and aim to do as well Finally, youngest daughter, Anna, is the lower-48. It’s been some years When I left full-time government when we are called upon.” painting icons.” since I’ve been that way. Fortunately work in 2010, I had hoped not to

58 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

have to run anything anymore. No theless, I now have lots more time and visiting their country house in such luck. However, I have made to travel with my wife, Meri-Jane Connecticut. Steve was a corporate 1971 it clear that when my term expires Rochelson BC’71, and to work on lawyer and Linda was a private after another two years, I will not some visual arts projects, swim, visit school teacher. Lewis Preschel accept reelection and will return to my kids and grandkids, and read for Robert A. Leonard GSAS’82 c/o CCT teaching and writing. pleasure. No complaints here!” reports: “As the 50th anniversary of Columbia Alumni Center Dov Zakheim “Better news: our son got an reports: “Recently Woodstock approached, our creator, 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 M.P.A. from NYU in May and is returned from Mexico City, where my brother George Leonard ’67, and New York, NY 10025 a senior manager for data analytics my grandson Max and his basketball the 11 surviving members of the [email protected] and strategy (or something like that) team won the gold medal in the Pan original Sha Na Na, 10 of whom are at NBC News. Our daughter got American Maccabi Games. I work CC grads, had been asked for a lot Hello, Class of ’71. This is my first her master’s of marine affairs degree ‘half-time’ — 40 hours a week. In of interviews. For example, ‘How did column, so please, bear with me as I from the University of Rhode Island, the last few months I have been to a group of Columbia undergrads go work out the kinks. also in May, and started a two-year London (twice), Paris, Rabat and, of from campus performances straight I remember our class’s orientation stint in the coastal management course, Mexico City. Still racking up to one of Andy Warhol’s nightclubs, and our first days on campus in fall section of the New York State those miles.” where we were discovered by Jimi 1967. Even though I had been on Leonard Department of State as a National Good news from Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and wind College Walk many times before Levine: Oceanographic and Atmospheric “I had successful colon can- up, only a few months after George with my family, at that moment, I Administration fellow.” cer surgery in August 2018, followed gold-lamé’d and choreographed us, stood on those red bricks feeling Joel Mintz reports: “In June, by chemotherapy.” opening for Jimi at Woodstock?’ isolated even while surrounded by a David Sokolow, Ted Wirecki and Another first-time contributor, “Our hit TV show, Jocko Marcel- crowd of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds. Michael P. Link, I got together for another of our Professor says: “I lino ’72 tells me, was syndicated in The familiar atmosphere, changed annual guys’ getaway weekends. This am a pediatric hematologist/oncolo- 33 countries. Three of us still tour forever at that moment: I was a Elliot Cahn time we spent three relaxing and gist, and have been a faculty member more than 30 gigs a year. Columbian and Columbia was enjoyable days in the Rockies near at Stanford for 40 years. I’ve had a became Green Day’s formative man- family. Very few of us knew any of Vale, Colo. A great time was had by pretty good professional run. Happily ager, and Ed Goodgold ’65 did the the others, and yet, more than 50 all! I recently semi-retired from my married with two girls, and we enjoy same for Phil Collins and Genesis. years later, we have bonded through job as a full-time professor of law living in the San Francisco Bay area. “The press also likes to write about common experiences. We arrived at Nova Southeastern University We are avid skiers, and we love the how many of us went on to unusual from Kansas, or California, or Shepard Broad College of Law, beauty and opportunities (mountains, careers outside of rock. Just to men- Massachusetts, or wherever we had where I had taught environmen- wine country, Pacific Coast and great tion two, Alan Cooper ’71 and I were lived before, but this was no longer tal law and related courses since weather) that California offers. Con- the original basses in Sha Na Na Kansas, Toto — this was college fall 1982. My employer was kind templating retirement, but I still have (né the Columbia Kingsmen). Alan and we were on our own. We were enough to appoint me as the C. a few irons in the fire. New York is a sang lead in the one song we got in adults. I’m getting flashbacks of William Trout Senior Fellow in wonderful place to visit to catch up the original Woodstock movie (‘My that experience as I write our class’s Public Interest Law. This fellow- on opera and so on, so I am grateful Teen Angel’ was added in the later column for the first time. It makes ship allows me continued use of my for my Columbia years that allowed director’s cut). Alan got a Ph.D. at me a little nervous and a lot excited. office, student research assistance me to feel at home in the Big Apple. Yale and became the provost of the Please send me information about and an annual stipend to cover But we are stuck on the West.” Jewish Theological Seminary. I got your lives so we can share it between Steve Boatti my expenses in participating in and his wife, Linda, my Ph.D. at dear old Columbia and us: [email protected]. professional conferences. I have also are happily retired and the proud became a forensic linguist, teaching Robert Mayer reports on a continued working on some writing grandparents of two grandchil- at Hofstra and working with the FBI, continuing tradition that started in projects and serving on the boards dren. They live in Riverdale, the British intelligence, Joint Terrorism summer 1980. Anticipating Billy of two environmental NGOs. None- Bronx, and spend time traveling Task Force and counter-terrorism Crystal’s City Slickers, Robert struck units worldwide –– especially the on the idea of New Yorkers going FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit-1 off the grid in the great outdoors for (counterterrorism and threat assess- relaxation. He and his brother Alan ment). My civil suit clients include Mayer ’72 backpacked the Wind Holler at Us Apple, Facebook and the Prime River Range in Wyoming that Minister of Canada. Very dear to summer. They enjoyed it so much, in Haiku! my heart is the Forensic Linguistics it became a tradition. This summer Capital Case Innocence Project I was the 40th annual hike/trip. The Core, one hundred years! started, where my grad students and I group includes Dr. Larry “Spider” What’s a fun way to note it? reanalyze language evidence that has Masket and Elliot Cahn ’70, who put people on death row for murder. sang with Sha Na Na (photo at Poetry from you. In 2012 TIME magazine deemed college.columbia.edu/cct/issue/ me the second smartest rock star in fall19/article/class-notes). Robert We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would history, behind Brian May of Queen, also gives a shout out to Lloyd love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But who is an astrophysicist; I think I Emanuel, Phil Nord, John Jaeger Terry Kogan there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your shall sue. Know any good lawyers?” and . He is glad to have Don’t forget to go to college. the friends he made at Columbia. 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and columbia.edu/cct/issue/fall19/ Arthur Engoron is an elected we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. article/class-notes to read updates New York State Supreme Court Michael Aeschliman, David from justice, sitting in Manhattan. He Lehman Bill Moore! and commutes to Centre Street from

Fall 2019 CCT 59 Class Notes

Great Neck, N.Y. He is married with Now our class has to watch Serie common experiences. Tell me about Doug, Steve and I all grew up in four children, one of whom became a A football on cable. We have a root- yours. I cannot write this column Canarsie and spent 10 years in lawyer. The others are 13, 11 and 10, ing interest. without your information. Please school together, from seventh grade so their occupations are pending, as Juris Kaža lives and works in help me: [email protected]. through graduation at Columbia, are their tuitions. Arthur formed and Riga, Latvia, although he is tech- but we hadn’t all been together since runs the Wheatley School Alumni nically retired and collecting unspec- our Columbia days. Association for his high school. tacular pensions from Sweden, the 1972 Across the table from us, with Lambert Chee is practicing United States, Latvia and Germany. his wife, Susana, was Ron Weigel. cardiology in Walnut City, Calif. From 2006 to 2013 Juris worked Paul S. Appelbaum After getting a Ph.D. in zoology Ray Stricker PS’78 practices for the Latvian news agency LETA. 39 Claremont Ave., #24 from the University of Illinois, and medicine in San Francisco, specializ- Subsequently, he became a stringer New York, NY 10027 doing a post-doc at UCLA, Ron ing in tickborne diseases, which are for The Wall Street Journal in Riga. [email protected] spent 28 years at Illinois as professor a worldwide epidemic. He recently With the economy of Europe as it of epidemiology and biostatistics in spoke at a large medical conference was, he was kept busy. During this No reason why you should know the College of Veterinary Medi- in Sonora, Mexico, about these time, he also became a stringer for this, but the high school that sent cine. After retiring in 2015, he and diseases. When his work allows, the Spanish news agency EFE. the largest number of students to Susana — who met while ballroom Ray and his wife, Gina, travel. His Juris’s youngest son, Matīss, gradu- our class at Columbia was my alma dancing and are Argentine tango daughter is traveling in Asia while ated from NYU’s Tisch School of the mater, Stuyvesant H.S. in New York. enthusiasts — retired to Athens, authoring the next Great American Arts last spring. He spent a semester Hence, one of the reasons I was so Ga., where Ron had done some Novel. His son works for a drug at the American Film Institute in looking forward to my Stuyvesant research early in his career. design company. Los Angeles, but suspended his class’s 50th reunion (only a year late) At other points during the eve- Ray poses the question that has studies to make a film. He received was having a chance to catch up ning, I had the pleasure of speaking puzzled Columbians since Jack funding from the Latvian National with many of our Columbia class- with a couple of other classmates, Rohan ’53, TC’57’s team won the Ivy Film Centre to do a feature-length mates. So one evening this past June including Sherwin Borsuk, who League Basketball Championship: fiction film, a Western set in Czarist at the Princeton Club (sorry about entered with us but, with the magic “Why did the Princeton team line up time with gunfights, an anarchist that), my wife and I sat down for of advanced placement courses, grad- at midcourt and stare at our players and the Czar’s armed forces. Matīss dinner at a table that included three uated two years early. Sherwin lives in during warm ups, before the champi- also produced the documentary One other members of the Class of ’72. Meriden, Conn., with his wife of 46 onship playoff game in 1968?” Ticket Please. It was entered in several Next to me sat Doug Weiner years, Ruth, and is now retired from Ray, if Princetonians are so intel- festivals and won some prizes. He is GSAS’84, who summarized life the practice of radiology, having led ligent, they would have used the completing his second documentary, since graduation this way: “Before a 10-person radiology group. Their time to warm up, too. They needed which is set in multiple locations resuming doctoral studies in Russian children, Ethan and Amaranth, are to locate the basket. We beat them around the world. history (Columbia), I took three years a cameraman and college professor, and made the NCAA tournament. Juris’s oldest son, Davis, is mar- off, driving a taxi (night shift) and respectively. Interesting tidbit: Sher- The final answer to the question is: ried and the editor of a Swedish working in the Post Office. After a win holds two patents/trademarks for Coach Rohan prepared his team for newspaper in Umeå. Number 2 son, postdoc at Harvard, I taught at Indi- a digital book. everything. Any stare generated by Nils, has provided two grandsons: ana and Tufts before assuming my Walter Zaryckyj GSAS’78, who a Princeton player could not come Dante (4) and Elliot (10). They live current position at the University of stayed at Columbia to get a Ph.D., close to “the ghost” Jack gave to our in Stockholm. Arizona. An extreme nationalist Rus- is executive director of the Center guys when they did something fool- Juris’s wife, Una, works for a sian daily, Zavtra, credited me with for US Ukrainian Relations, “an ish on the court. He gave it to them call center in Riga. She is also a bringing down the USSR, but this is informational and cultural platform in practice and during many games, filmmaker, having trained at the surely an exaggeration. A pioneer in for representatives of the political, so they were ready. Go, Lions. Gerasimov Institute of Cinematog- researching Russian environmental economic and cultural establish- As reported in The New York raphy in Moscow. history (my first two books), I was ments of the U.S. and Ukraine to Rocco Commisso Times on June 6, Last year, Louis Rossetto visited president of the American Society for exchange views on issues of mutual SEAS’71, BUS’75 purchased the Juris in Riga, and they spent several Environmental History.” interest.” Walter taught for 30 years Serie A soccer club ACF Fiorentina. days catching up while they toured Doug has lots of interests, includ- at NYU and says he “was married Rocco has always given to the sport the shady bars in town. ing the piano and birding — I saw to the most marvelous angel in he loves, and as his teammate on the As a group, we were selected in some great photos on his phone — the world (I might be biased) who undefeated Columbia freshman soc- spring 1967 and thrown together and he’s a devotee of the excellent wandered the planet with me,” his cer team of 1967, I know firsthand on 116th Street in the fall. For years Arizona Theater Company in Tucson. wife, Marta, who died in 2010. As his determination to win and be the we walked by each other on campus; Steve Bellovin, who sat next to for the next generation, “I have a best. Rocco has received the Ellis some of us stopped and talked, oth- Doug, is the Percy K. and Vida L.W. terrific youngster pursuing a master’s Island Medal of Honor, is the chair- ers continued on to study at Butler Hudson Professor of Computer in gastronomy in Italy.” man of cable provider Mediacom Library or play pool in Ferris Booth. Science at Columbia, and an adjunct One of the reunion’s organizers and was the chairman of the New We drank with each other in The faculty member at the Law School, was Al Sheiner, who greeted me at York Cosmos soccer team. He is West End or elsewhere. We watched where he teaches a seminar, “Cyber- the registration desk. Al practices quoted in the article, “... given the Sha Na Na under the stars in front security: Policy, Legal and Technical prosthodontics on Manhattan’s fact I was born in Italy, my love for of Low Library. We went to mixers Aspects.” Steve, who earned a Upper East Side, although he lives in Italian soccer and what soccer has (remember when they had mixers Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and New Canaan, Conn. At Columbia, done for me, I wanted to eventually or socials and people did not find a has been elected to the National Al played freshman football and buy a quality team here in Italy, and date online?), dated Barnard women, Academy of Engineering, lives on lettered in heavyweight crew; he’s still I’m very proud, happy and honored saw Broadway plays and watched our Morningside Heights. an active guy, now the rides director to buy Fiorentina, a club that’s got football team lose so often, it eventu- What was particularly nice of the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club. great traditions.” ally set a national record. These are about the mini-reunion is that He’s also a member of the executive

60 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews committee of the Columbia Alumni firm. He is still seeing patients as a The greatest excitement came (professor at the Law School) is chair Association of Fairfield County. Al general and child psychiatrist. He’s from the gatherings of classmates at of the New York City Conflicts of and his wife, Shean-Mei Sheu, “live happiest about his three adult chil- beautiful venues around campus: The Interest Board, which enforces rules with an Italian poodle named Etro, dren, who all live near him and his Friday night cocktail party on the top on NYC government officials and who also functions as a therapy dog wife, Barbara, in Newton, Mass.; they floor of Faculty House; the Saturday employees. Nearing the end of his for my patients.” have four grandchildren, ages 6–12. luncheon on a beautifully manicured five-year term, Richard will soon step During the reception, Al said to Mike and Barbara are both 70 (!), South Field; the reception and dinner down. Richard’s wife, Sherry Glied, me, “You’ve got to include all the and have been married 49 years. Now in the World Room in Pulitzer Hall became the dean of the Robert F. Columbia people here in the next that is something to shoot for! (it was called Journalism in our day). Wagner Graduate School of Public Class Notes.” So I did. From Jose Sanchez: “My One classmate commented on how Service at NYU two years ago. We colleagues and I were able to get a little of the interactions were about also had a chance to meet up with street named for Angelo Falcon careers. Instead it was much more of Joel Almquist (an attorney with 1973 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at the personal questions –– how the kids the Kirkpatrick & Lockhart law intersection of Havemeyer Street are doing, health challenges and plans firm in Boston) and his wife of two Barry Etra and 1st Street. This is the neighbor- to retire. Few in the class seem to years, Tanya Chermak. Tanya does 1256 Edmund Park Dr. NE hood where Angelo spent most have already retired, but at my table leadership training for physician Atlanta, GA 30306 of his youth and the last 15 years. at the Saturday luncheon I heard Dr. groups. Those of you who missed the [email protected] This is the same street where his Steve Schonfeld (a neuroradiolo- Saturday dinner missed Joel’s rendi- father owned a bodega and his uncle gist at University Radiology in East tion of one of the bawdy limericks “Time it was, And what a time it was. owned a barber shop. This was an Brunswick, N.J.) say he was gradually from his days with the Marching It was ... a time of innocence. A time acknowledgement by the city that cutting back under a department pro- Band. He also told us he now has of confidences. Long ago ... it must be Angelo was a great contributor to gram that he had designed. Dr. Larry three grandsons: newborn Edmond ... I have a photograph. Preserve your city and national politics. This honor Stam (a nephrologist at NewYork- joins Henry (3) and Charlie (5), all memories. They’re all that’s left you.” was bestowed on June 18. The skies Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist children of Joel’s son, David. So wrote Paul Simon 50 years were threatening rain all morning. Hospital) was also reducing his hours Dr. Alan Rosenberg (a VP at ago this year, as we were preparing to A downpour came at the end of the in a more freeform way. By the time WellPoint) made it to reunion from enter the College; how did he know? ceremony, as we removed the cover we gather for our 50th reunion, I bet the Chicago area. At the Saturday Stew Sterk has reached the over the street sign. It was almost as we will hear of a lot more who have dinner, he told us how busy he and 40-year milestone as a professor at if Angelo had influenced the clouds fully retired. his wife, Debra, have been: going to the Benjamin N. Cardozo School to delay until we finished.” On the wall at both the Friday art galleries, plays and the Whitney of Law, and “continues to enjoy all Hasta, all. and Saturday events was the somber tour, as well as the class events. He aspects of the job.” He was honored “memorial board,” which listed our also passed on that Debra has been at William and Mary last year for classmates who have passed away. taking classes at Chicago Dramatists property law scholarship, and has 1974 Around four dozen names were for the past few years. Her latest been named a “Best Professor” at listed –– about 10 percent of our play is expected out this fall. Cardozo 15 times. He and his wife, Fred Bremer graduating class. While this first There you have it. A few of the Carol, enjoy kayaking in Mama- 532 W. 111th St. seemed shocking, it is probably typi- tales of a great reunion of guys who roneck, N.Y., and skiing in Vermont New York, NY 10025 cal for a group now in its mid-to- met in September 1970 –– nearly a with their two daughters. [email protected] late 60s, but it still was disturbing. half century ago! More to follow in Bill Miller sent a pic (that we Reading through the names brought future columns. could not include here) of the sum- “Columbia knows how to do it back memories of classmates who mer 1969 WKCR-FM Program right! A wonderful reunion with were not with us. Guide, on which he was featured. old friends,” started the email from Two classmates who did not 1975 He also muses, “It does not seem Roger Kahn (managing director at know they are neighbors in Sleepy possible that it was 50 years ago.” Capstone Headwaters in NYC). Hollow, N.Y., met at the Saturday REUNION 2020 This was the start of his career in “This is the best reunion we’ve night reception. Jean-Pierre “J.P.” JUNE 4–6 broadcasting and media, which had –– so far!” said Dewey Cole Van Lent (an attorney with the law Events and Programs Contact continues today. (lawyer, librarian, professor –– firm Cullen and Dykman in Man- [email protected] Barry Kelner sent greetings from depending on the day). hattan) got together with Dr. Peter Development Contact sunny Minnesota, where he’s spent These are typical of the reviews Zegarelli (a dentist in Tarrytown, [email protected] his career in financial services; he’s from most classmates who attended N.Y.). We learned that Jean-Pierre now at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis. our 45th reunion, May 30–June 1. has the unique achievement of being Randy Nichols He is hoping for a repeat this year of They told how they enjoyed the chal- the father of twin 7-year-olds. Peter 734 S. Linwood Ave. the Twins’ 1991 World Series win! lenging Mini-Core Classes and panel said he is planning to retire later this Baltimore, MD 21224 His son Malcolm is an actor and discussions on current topics. They year and looks forward to having [email protected] writer in Los Angeles, son Jackson enjoyed the Broadway shows, ballet more time to tend to his bees and is an i-banker in NYC and daughter at Lincoln Center and tours of the his gardens –– and to dote on his Fernando Castro and Ta’Yer Sage is at Penn Dental (their first National Jazz Museum in Harlem, one grandson. He will also be kept Productions presented his version “Penn-tist,” he quips). Barry’s wife, the Hamilton Grange National busy with his new company (Ema- of Eva Peron at the Hudson Guild Nancy, is an estate-planning attor- Memorial (Alexander Hamilton nate Biomedical), which is manufac- Theatre in Hollywood in July. From ney in suburban Minnetonka. CC 1778’s homestead) and a guided turing a drug delivery device. the ad for the show, I don’t think it Mike Jellinek left his last job tour of the Whitney Biennial 2019. I With reunions only happening was the standard production! running community hospitals and especially liked seeing the “Core Cur- every five years, sometimes we gather Posting on Facebook, Dan services after a merger and started a riculum Treasures” in Butler Library’s “news” that isn’t so new. For instance, Deneen wrote, “Yes, I know it’s CEO/senior management consulting Rare Book & Manuscript Library. we learned that Richard Briffault kind of pathetic to leave Vermont

Fall 2019 CCT 61 Class Notes

for NYC and head straight to the of what commas were for, then the real and personal property financing. Risk with a group of dedicated ’76ers. Ramble. But great news –– there are meaning of ‘What, me worry?’ would Shortly after, Bob and his wife, Most of all, I remember Pedro’s hermit thrush in Central Park.” have been seen as the anodyne shrug Regina Mullahy BC’75, came to outrage when anyone else would I had to remind Dan to beware of it really is.) (And, of course, I’d have Baltimore for a visit. We toured the dare to build their Risk Army on the other “wildlife” in the Ramble, with been robbed of one of my childhood’s American Visionary Art Museum continent of Australia. Pedro’s lasting emphasis on the “wild.” He replied to primal mysteries ....) and the National Aquarium in legacy, to me, is certainly bringing me, “Careful; you’re dating yourself!” “So, I’ve been reading the various Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. many newborns into this world that LOL! obits this week, grudgingly agreeing Do you want a Bobfather ESB? he long ago conquered by starting In a later post, Dan bemoaned with pronouncements of Mad’s If so, head to Wynkoop Brewing Co. his journey from the continent of the passing of Mad magazine. Dan claim to cultural significance over in Denver. The ale is brewed with Australia on 2 Hartley. He is survived has such a way with words, and his the decades … also, lots of thinking, the oldest beer yeast strain in North by his wife of 40 years, three sons and words in this case probably apply ‘Wait a minute. If Mad was a war, America, isolated by Bob Sclafani. many grieving friends. to many of us –– it is just too good then I’m a veteran of the Battle of Siege: Trump Under Fire is In more joyful news from sum- not to share in full. He posted: “So, the Bulge. I was there! They’re talk- Michael Wolff’s account of the sec- mer 2019, I had a great trip to there’s been all this coverage of Mad ing about me and my idiot friends! ond year of the Trump administra- Cooperstown, N.Y., where I went magazine shutting down. I didn’t But it was just Mad magazine. That’s tion. Published in June, it is a sequel to the National Baseball Hall of even know it still existed. In the all. And Alfred was just a geeky to Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump Fame and Museum, the Fenimore 1970s, I didn’t know it still existed. loser with a runny nose who picked White House, which was a bestseller Art Museum and the GlimmerGlass in 2018. Michael claims that Steve Opera performance of Show Boat. Bannon described the Trump The trip ended up with a stop in organization as a criminal entity and Syracuse to see Mika the dog and Dennis Core At just eighteen years predicted that investigations into the couple (Linda and Haiku the President’s finances will lead to Goodrich) whom Mika allows to Like eating your vegetables — his political downfall, when he is live in her house. Also, Mika is bark- Core Curriculum revealed to be “not the billionaire he ing a lot about Washington, D.C. said he was; just another scumbag.” Also heard from Rich Rohr about — Mark Steven Denardo ’75 Recent reporting by The New York what used to be called Dean’s Day, Times and other sources seem to then was briefly called All-Class support Bannon’s claim and Wolff ’s Reunion and now is simply part reporting of it. Will we have another of Reunion Weekend, with no But in the mid-’60s I read every on smaller kids. For most of us, Mad Wolff account of the third year of special name: “Reunion Weekend issue, like every other boy I knew magazine was just a phase that came the Trump presidency? featured two days of events open to –– maybe the girls were reading it, after comics and before Playboy. In closing, do you believe it all classes, including ours. ‘Dean- too, but how would I have known? ‘What, me still clueless?’” is almost that time again? Our tini’ [Dean James J. Valentini] was Then I outgrew it, along with brush By the way, I saw a stack of the 45th reunion is next year. A small pleased to note that no one bribed cuts and going to Mass, and like magazine at a recent flea market, Reunion Committee, including Jim their way into the Class of 2023. an imaginary friend who vanishes and purchased one to send to Dan Dolan, Steve Jacobs, David Stein More seriously, he described a new without a trace, Mad disappeared. to help him work through his grief. and yours truly, Randy Nichols, and initiative, My Columbia Journey, “And the fact is, I was happy to let Jim Dolan and his wife, Yasmin, led by Ira Malin, has begun prelimi- with 13 specific competencies that it go, because something about Mad spent time in May in their new nary planning. Stay tuned for details. students should seek to develop and the rituals of reading Mad scared favorite city, Copenhagen. Jim We hope to see lots of classmates on over four years. These are not degree the shit out of me. It was ‘kewl,’ and describes it as “totally chill … heard campus next spring! requirements but are intended to funny, sure, and naughty enough that no sirens or truck noises … hell, the help students plan their studies. it seemed weird that Mom and Dad cars all shut down at intersections “Contemporary Civilization turns actually let us read it. And it was and only restart when the light turns 1976 100 this year. CC was an outgrowth intimidating. I could never really be green.” Quite different than the sure I was in on the joke –– was in street noises in Philadelphia, their Ken Howitt fact pretty sure I wasn’t. And it was hometown. Jim proposed to Yasmin 1114 Hudson St., Apt. 8 really creepy, it made me want to not and they became engaged at the Hoboken, N.J. 07030 be a kid anymore. At 10, 11, 12 years top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and [email protected] old in the world of suburban Detroit then married 15 years ago, during a boys, what was in each new issue was monsoon, in Baltimore. No music this time. Not in the mood. necessary, vital information. I wanted The Dead Don’t Die, the latest Terry Corrigan reached out just after to be 30, so I could ignore it without from Jim Jarmusch, kicked off the the last issue closed with the news the worry that I’d miss out on some Cannes Film Festival in May, 35 that Pedro Mencia passed away essential shared snickering. Alfred E. years after his landmark 1984 feature, in April 2019 of esophageal cancer. Neuman’s viciously smug and stupid Stranger Than Paradise, played the Pedro was an ob/gyn for 39 years and look wasn’t funny to me; it was scary. same festival and won the Caméra practiced in Pennsylvania and New ‘What, me worry?’ represented some d’Or prize for best first feature. York. Terry’s email brought back opaque meaning that I never grasped, After 22 years with Cuddy & great memories of our junior and beyond knowing that it would be Feder, Bob Schneider retired as senior years, when the south balcony really stupid to ever admit it. (If special counsel in July. He had han- of 2 Hartley was the location of Seinfeld had been on TV back then, dled commercial and public finance Terry and Pedro’s great three-room Ken Howitt ’76 (left) and Dennis or if I knew any people like that back transactions, long-term and revolv- suite, where there were many parties Goodrich ’76 with Goodrich’s then, or if I’d had any understanding ing credit loans and commercial, and long nights of Hearts and/or dog, Mika.

62 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

can see it over the horizon. I teach months in the United Arab Emir- in the Department of History at ates, where he was working on an Georgia Southern University and engineering project. He, his wife, live in Savannah, Ga. Kathy, and “our two large dogs “My wife, Toni, passed away last and I made it home just before the December –– I met her through a oppressive summer heat descended connection in Butler Library some on Abu Dhabi. My current work 35 years ago and our first date was at assignment will keep us confined Symposium on West 113th Street. to North America and presents the I’m doing the usuals –– giving opportunity to make it to Home- papers, attending conferences (next coming once again this year, with Several members of the Class of 1976 met in July for dinner on Morningside one is in Lecce, Italy), conducting the usual bribe of a Broadway show Heights. Left to right: John Connell, Mark “Wojo” Wojciechowski, Steve Davis, study-abroad programs and the so Kathy will join me at the game Robert Erlanger, Mozelle Thompson, Ken Howitt and Jon Margolis. like. Anyone who remembers me is on Saturday, October 19.” welcome to give me a heads up if I was also glad –– and impressed they’re going to be in Savannah.” –– to hear from Jon Fraser that his from a course offered during WWI hoc gathering outside of a formal In closing, let’s keep reconnect- play The Last Box was included in to educate ROTC students about university setting. I have been sug- ing. Homecoming is Saturday, Octo- Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2019, and the issues leading to war in Europe. gesting just this kind of gathering ber 19, and I hope to see you all at that his latest one-act play, Ms. Thule The focus switched to maintaining since taking over Class Notes, and the pre-game barbecue. Look for Won’t Be Coming Back, was produced peace and became the course that now we have a core group and a great the table that has the Leo the Lion by New Circle Theater Company as you remember. place. With the stories, conversations, puppet (seriously!). It will be great part of its Inferno Project: Greed & “The Reunion Keynote featured laughs and drink, it was just like a to see you. Wrath festival at The Chain Theatre actor Maggie Gyllenhaal ’99 and night on 2 Hartley almost 45 years Most importantly, stay in touch, in New York City in June. screenwriter Beau Willimon ’99, ago. Be in touch if you want to enlarge and let us know how you, your Please take a moment to send in SOA’03 talking about the challenges the Magnificent Seven! We will do it career and family are doing. your news, and have a great fall! of telling stories in films and televi- again before the end of 2019. sion. Ms. Gyllenhaal appeared for a A few classmates sent regrets 9:30 a.m. session after working until that they were not able to join us: 1977 1978 2 a.m. filming the next season of The Mike Yeager, Steve Mackey and David Gorman Matthew Nemerson Deuce for HBO, indicating marked Robert Siegfried. Robert sent this 111 Regal Dr. 35 Huntington St. devotion to alma mater. update: “I’m at Adelphi University, DeKalb, IL 60115 New Haven, CT 06511 “I spent a night in Wallach Hall; and my wife, Kathy, and our son, [email protected] [email protected] it was called Livingston in our time Jason, and I live in Oceanside, N.Y. and has been extensively renovated (Long Island). Jason is due to finish and modernized. The rooms are his bachelor’s after this semester as a Some of us are retired now; others, It is clear to me that climate change small, bathrooms are in the hall (but computer science major with a his- not so much. has finally impacted the class column Peter quite nice) and the furnishings are tory minor. And as long as my mind/ In the first category is –– what else can explain the pitiful Beller spartan, but for $99 a night with body permits me, I’ll keep teaching. , who retired in June from lack of enthusiasm to share precious free parking, it’s a great bargain for “A former student of mine, Kathy Hartford Hospital, where he was news with your classmates? I chalk it a New York vacation. It’s not too far Herbert, is married to John Berger, for 12 years medical director of the up to the 100-degree weather across from our 45th reunion, and I hope one of Professor Koji Nakanishi’s Women’s Ambulatory Health Ser- much of the country that holds vast to see all of you there.” former post-docs. I had Professor vices. “Now playing golf, riding my numbers of 1978ers. While you were I had a great dinner in July with Nakanishi for Organic Chemistry 2 bike and paddling my kayak. Also deciding it was too hot or humid Steve Davis, Robert Erlanger, and while I struggled to understand doing per diem coverage at Planned to bother with dear old Columbia, Jon Margolis, Mark “Wojo” his English (the acoustics of 309 Parenthood clinics,” he reports. “So I was in the always-seasonable Wojciechowski, John Connell and Havemeyer didn’t help), I found him far, so good.” Galapagos Islands learning about the Mike Mozelle Thompson. We all were to be quite gracious in my limited In the second category are finer points of evolution and seeing Aroney Greg Ball. interested to hear Mozelle’s views direct contact with him. John and and In 2014, what sort of natural vegetation led to on the presidential race and he was Kathy were at his 90th birthday Greg moved from Johns Hopkins to stronger alumni participation on one very reluctant to share his opinions celebration. It’s humbling and awe- the University of Maryland College island versus another. Something to (NOT!). But more importantly, we inspiring to realize that I had the good Park to become dean of the College do with bar stool height at The Gold talked about Steve on 7 Carman, me fortune to be taught by people like of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Rail as opposed to average room size on 10 Carman and Mark, Mozelle Ronald Breslow, Koji Nakanishi and Having finished a term and gone in John Jay or Carman. Or was it the and Rob on 13 Carman during our Arthur Nowick GSAS’50. (Nowick through the review process, Greg color of the ivy on Hamilton Hall? first year at Columbia. John and Jon was in what is now Columbia Engi- reports that he has “been informed by But I digress. Kevin Vitting, started as commuters and ended up neering). We had the opportunity to the provost that I will have a second when he’s not in John Jay (appropriately!) before walk in the shadows of giants.” five-year term that has just started. doing the things you do in the the end of our freshman year. Lots When I sent an email request- So my academic life will continue.” Nephrology Group in Ridgewood, of laughs, good food at Pisticci and ing updates, I mentioned my recent At least until 2025, if I’m count- N.J., has other pursuits and reports great memories. The only downside sign-up for Medicare. Tim Teeter is ing right. Greg adds, “I’m always that he’s been “enjoying my summer for me was that I had to spend two also a Medicare team member and happy to welcome fellow Columbi- reading sessions with the Masterwork and a half hours with six lawyers. sent this: “First, I am myself starting ans in the D.C. area.” Chorus –– so far we’ve sung Men- Side note on the dinner: This was Medicare but still work and am not Meanwhile, Mike wrote in July delssohn’s ‘Elijah,’ Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ the first time that ’76ers had an ad planning to retire quite yet –– but I that he’d just returned from seven and Haydn’s ‘Lord Nelson Mass.’”

Fall 2019 CCT 63 Class Notes

From a longtime, first-time (as requirement. What a relief I didn’t of Muslims in mainstream media. I think WFAN still allows people have to take Russian like Sid Holt 1979 The thesis was published a few to self-identify) classmate we hear, ’79. Too hard! But on May 13 I was months before 9-11 as a book, Islamic one hopes not for the last time, from formally made a Chevalier de l’Ordre Robert Klapper Peril: Media and Global Violence, for Daniel Kohn: “I am the rabbi of the des Arts et des Lettres at the French 8737 Beverly Blvd., Ste 303 which I received the 2001 Robinson town of Bat Ayin, Israel, for close to Cultural Services in New York, so Los Angeles, CA 90048 Book Prize. I am a professor at Car- 28 years. I have seven children; five I guess I’m more French than I [email protected] leton University’s School of Journal- are married with children. I teach, realized. Naturally, in my speech, I ism and Communication in Ottawa, facilitate psycho-therapeutic groups, thanked my mother, Christiane, who Ethan Heisler reports: “After retiring Canada, and director of the Carleton conduct Jewish meditation seminars is 94 and an alumna of Columbia’s from Citi in May 2016, I launched a Centre for the Study of Islam. and host musical evenings at which American Language Program, where paid subscription newsletter and ran The interview will be published as I play and sing. My wife, Batya, runs she learned English and fell in love it for 22 months, then got hired by the chapter titled ‘Unpacking the a school for young women seeking with the novels of John Dos Passos. Kroll Bond Rating Agency last year Production of “Islams”: My Journey to deepen their Jewish spiritual life.” I’m sure her Columbia connection to continue publishing my newsletter of Forty Years.’ My email address is And finally, from the man who had a lot to do with my wanting to on its platform. I work from home [email protected].” introduced me to sports radio go to the College.” on Long Island and, at 62, found a Fernando Koatz attended our many decades ago, Tom Mariam I want to recognize that our gig I can continue for, I hope, years to 40th reunion and writes, “I am notes, “Excited to report that my class’s prodigious talent at leading come. Regards!” practicing law in my own firm, son Michael graduated from journalistic enterprises continues: in Allan Hoving updates us: “Two keeping busy with work, lecturing Blind Brook H.S. and is now at addition to Harper’s (Rick) and The years ago, we dropped off our young- and traveling when necessary. My Emory University.” New York Times (Dean Baquet), est at Scripps College in Claremont, kids are out of college; one working Not one to pass up a chance at an D.D. Guttenplan has now taken the Calif., and I wondered why we in San Francisco for LinkedIn, easy pun, when commenting on the helm at The Nation. This is from his were heading back to Connecticut, the other one here in New York Yankees’s chances, Tom weighed in: introductory letter a few months ago, especially after driving down along doing marketing and social media. the coast between Los Angeles and My wife is an assistant principal San Diego. In May, we relocated to in a public school in Forest Hills, a little beach town north of La Jolla Queens, where we have been living Core Hidden in a wing and we’re not coming back (except for nearly 30 years.” Haiku for periodic dental cleanings; that Thomas A. Kligerman’s update: of The Met, I read Ovid; hygienist is a keeper!). My digital “We recently sold our house in Bird-like diva trills marketing work has turned free- New Jersey and are now full-time lance/remote; I’m an online instruc- residents of New York City. We have — Richard Stukey ’78 tor in the graduate program of the bought an apartment in Murray Hill S.I. Newhouse School of Commu- and are about to embark on a total nications at Syracuse University, and renovation. Given that I see con- my agent is trying to sell two novel- struction up close on a daily basis, I Yes, they are good, “though it’s hard “Though I’ve been an editor-at-large las to the movies or streaming TV. am filled with excitement tempered to Judge.” and contributor to this extraordinary Sorry I missed the 40th, but sending by a good dose of trepidation. During the almost-as-hot publication for many years, serving regards from the Golden State.” “Our youngest daughter, summer of 1978, John R. “Rick” its vaunted legacy as editor makes me Michael P. Kelly is finishing Magdalen, is in her second year at MacArthur and I drove to even more keenly aware of the criti- his 10th year as chair of McCarter The American University of Paris. Washington, D.C., where he was cal role reader support plays in our & English in Wilmington, Del. Katherine, our middle daughter, about to start an apprenticeship at strength and independence.” He shares, “My daughter Joanna is entering her final year at the the old Washington Star, back when My new company, Budderfly, is graduated from the College in 2014. University of Texas at Austin School it was a good paper and a classic doing well; we raised $55 million I am happy to report that I am of Architecture. Our eldest, Rebecca, “front-page” type opportunity –– to expand our energy efficiency as cancer-free after being diagnosed lives in Brooklyn and does PR for he worked every beat, including a service business to areas such as with stage IIIB gall bladder cancer various companies to New York City. police and obits. I was working for governments, commercial properties, in 2017. Thanks –– from the bottom “As I write this I am sitting in a Sen. Abe Ribicoff (D-Conn.) that assisted living and the businesses of my heart –– to my fellow CU shingle-style cottage in the seaside summer. A few years later when that actually use the most electricity alums who offered their prayers and town of Weekapaug, R.I. We take I was working at the Washington per square foot of any in the country encouragement. Hope to see you at this house from June 1 through the Monthly, our paths crossed again, –– fast food. the next reunion.” end of August every year. It is the and I tried to recruit Rick to join It turns out that America wastes Karim H. Karim writes, “I hadn’t perfect antidote to Manhattan. I the Monthly as an editor. Just about about a third of its commercially planned to write my memoirs in any have been coming here since I was that time, Rick’s grandfather died used electricity, or about $60 billion form, but was interviewed recently 10 and have friends here that go way and the rest is, as they say history, worth a year. And so, we end where about my career studying Mus- back –– more than half a century. As as Rick convinced the subsequent we began. While some of you are lims for the forthcoming book The we all know, time flies. foundation’s board to purchase writing about the end of the world Production of ‘Islams.’ The questions “Work at the Ike Kligerman Bar- Harper’s Magazine, where he has on a daily or monthly basis, our inevitably took me back to my years kley architecture firm is very busy. remained (I assume) the longest- company is trying to save the world studying at Columbia for a major I feel incredibly lucky to have great serving publisher in America. for a few more years. Which means in Islamic studies. I went on to earn clients who want houses in an array Rick writes, “When I was a fresh- that some of you will have to keep a master’s at McGill’s Institute of of beautiful places. We have projects man I thought the best thing about writing in to the column, because Islamic Studies and then crossed the underway in Martha’s Vineyard, growing up in a bilingual household this is the one place that will always campus for a Ph.D. in communica- South Carolina, Canada, California was placing out of the language be very cool. tion studies, examining the depiction and the Hamptons, as well as New

64 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

York City and other places. A lot of “I found out that Bob’s given it clear to all of my listeners what are celebrating the birth of a second travel but a lot of great experiences! name is Roberto, and that many of a special talent he really has. Who granddaughter, and being close by, “Periodically, I walk around the his friends have called him Robby knew that in creating this column, this involves helping with childcare, Morningside Heights campus. The Klapper, which really made me smile. such a beautiful reunion on the radio carpools, shopping and so on. Daniel architects who designed the campus, (I reminded him that I had the only would be possible? is working remotely for Shalem, McKim, Mead & White, are a Jewish mother who did not throw “Roar, lion, roar!” and is back into the world of child constant source of inspiration for away her son’s baseball cards; she raising (an exhausting and humbling me, as are all the things I learned at had saved my shoebox filled with the reminder of why they had children Columbia and my memories of this entire 1968 Topps set and, in addi- 1980 decades ago!). Daniel recently great university.” tion to Nolan Ryan’s rookie card, my published his 12th book, We Stand Robert C. Klapper: “Today’s favorite card is of Roberto Clemente, REUNION 2020 Divided: The Rift Between American Columbia memory actually comes the legendary Pittsburgh Pirate from JUNE 4–6 Jews and Israel. from this column. I got a nice note Puerto Rico.) This is my favorite Events and Programs Contact As it’s the class correspondent’s from legendary baseball writer Bob card in the set because his name is [email protected] task to share both good and bad Klapisch about his new book, Inside listed as ‘Bob’ Clemente, because in Development Contact news, what follows is certainly the the Empire: The True Power Behind America in 1968 they were not going [email protected] latter. I learned from Ed Klees that the New York Yankees. As I put to call him ‘Roberto.’ Bob reminded Stephen McPartland passed away together this column, it occurred to me that his mom is Brazilian and Michael C. Brown last year. Steve had many health me that I have never met or spoken he has a whole other life as Roberto London Terrace Towers issues, moved to Florida decades ago with Bob. Truth be told, during the Klapisch, where he writes for a 410 W. 24th St., Apt. 18F and pretty much kept to himself. four years on Morningside Heights, Spanish-speaking audience. New York, NY 10011 He was a beloved member of Fiji, I got some of his mail, and I’m sure “I’ve interviewed hundreds of [email protected] and when word got out, we swapped he got some of mine. guests on my show –– from Dick memories of being with Steve McP “I couldn’t help but let him know Butkus to Isaiah Thomas –– but Bob Fall is almost here. Lions Head many years ago. that I have hosted a radio show on was, by far, one of my favorites. You Football Coach Al Bagnoli has the Those who knew him all had ESPN for eight and a half years and can hear the interview on the ESPN team competing at the highest levels, a favorite Steve McP story. Steve that I would love to have him on as podcast for Weekend Warrior. Bob’s and let’s hope that Dave Maloof’s was described by his classmates as a guest to talk about all things base- gift as a storyteller is second to none. Jets are playing well. I hope to see extremely smart, funny, kind/gentle, ball –– and maybe a little bit about “He very heavily credits his four many familiar faces at Homecoming with keen powers of observation –– his memories of playing baseball years at the College with helping on Saturday, October 19, enjoying he wasn’t pushy or loud, and was an at Baker Field. If you recall, in our him see the beautiful connection the tailgating experience. extremely genuine guy. There was a yearbook there is a full page devoted of art and sports. It made me once It’s hard to believe that in 2020 bit of mystery to Steve McP; he was to Bob. He’s on the pitcher’s mound again appreciate the value of the we will celebrate our 40th reunion. dubbed “the James Bond of Bayside.” wherein the four-sequence photo Core Curriculum on my life these Seems like only yesterday that we I thank Ed for letting us know, you see him winding up, throwing 40 years after graduation. Bob’s story were ascending upon Morningside and for Jason Zweig ’82, Jeff Pun- the pitch, then realizing ooo! the of riding the subway to Baker Field Heights, full of energy and big ideas. dyk, Brian Krisberg, Jeff Haberman ball’s been hit and then seeing him for the first day of baseball practice Keep an eye on our Facebook page, ’80, Jon Dahl ’80, Louis Napoli ’83 looking up at the home run he has and encountering a violent gang “Columbia College Class of 1980 and Mike Kinsella for sharing stories just given up, without ever showing who took over the subway car, and Reunion,” for details. about his life. To attend Columbia in you the batter. It’s a classic. how he survived the train ride, made Best to all, and drop me a note at the late 1970s was to be exposed to [email protected]. true individuals such as Steve McP, and for this I’m incredibly grateful. 1981 1982 Kevin Fay 8300 Private Ln. Andrew Weisman Annadale, VA 22003 81 S. Garfield St. [email protected] Denver, CO 80209 [email protected] I heard from Daniel Gordis, who has spent the last 21-plus years in Greetings, gents. After a two-issue Jerusalem, where he helped found respite –– due in part to my email Israel’s first liberal arts college, Shalem going on the fritz and a general mal- College, based (in part, and not aise experienced by all of us –– we’re surprisingly!) on the Core Curriculum. back in business. On the eve of turning 60, Daniel I’ve decided to get the ball rolling and his wife are taking a short break with an update of my own. It was from daily Jerusalem life and have bound to happen: In June I turned relocated to Cambridge, Mass., for 60. The wife, Jody (née Abramowitz) a couple of months. Their daughter BC’84, SIPA’85, and I have now is living in the United States while been married for 33 wonderful years Longtime friends (left to right) Shawn FitzGerald ’80, Mike Brown ’80, studying at MIT, and their son-in- and we celebrated my birthday by Eric Blattman ’80, Joe Ciulla ’80, John Hall ’81 and Scott Ahern ’80 met up law is at Harvard (this explains the riding our bicycles from Vienna to on the North Fork of Long Island this past summer. Cambridge sabbatical, I guess). They Prague. Amazing time, and I highly

Fall 2019 CCT 65 Class Notes recommend you put this on your Another pleasure was seeing the be good. In April 2018 my former in freshman year. I sometimes stay bucket list! club’s house band, the Stanhope employer RUSAL was sanctioned with him and his husband, Stephen After three years, my term House Rhythm & Blues Revue, by the U.S. Treasury Department, Reis, when I’m in Los Angeles. as president of the Society of perform. The Revue featured a at which point it would have been “I am a musical director, conduc- Columbia Graduates came to an dozen top-notch musicians, includ- impossible to continue working tor and vocal coach for Broadway end. It was an amazing and fulfilling ing a three-piece horn section. Every there. But I didn’t leave Russia performers. Through the years, I’ve experience to have the opportunity Tuesday, after the open mic, I would because of anticipated sanctions. amassed one of the larger privately to present the Great Teacher Award stay up into the wee hours, watching I left because the thrill was gone; held collections of sheet music three times. The award ceremony the Revue rehearse. I was an audi- Russia had become grimly predict- around. I get requests for that obscure occurs during Reunion Weekend; ence of one, and they didn’t seem to able. In Vienna I’ve taken up writing piece of sheet music that no one can it’s open to all and well worth 90 mind my being there. They were my about Russian domestic and foreign find every day. My teaching has taken minutes of your day to celebrate our favorite band. policy. The Foreign Policy Research me all over the world. For the past 10 talented and generous professors. “Recently, I’ve made a niche for Institute recently published two of years, I’ve been teaching twice a year Jody and I were blessed with three myself playing percussion, especially my articles: The Sources of Post- all over Australia in its conservato- wonderful children. Our oldest, Han- bongos, at the open mic. Occasion- Soviet Conduct (Russia is aggressive ries. I’ve also taught in Singapore, nah, is now putting the final touches ally, I will sit in with some of the abroad because it is weak at home Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, on her doctoral dissertation at the Revue’s members, and I’ve become –– neurotic, really) and Anatomy Lausanne (Switzerland), Italy, India London School of Economics. Our bold enough to start playing with of a Muddle: U.S. Sanctions against and many more places. I love travel- middle one, Izzy, completed a year as them regularly, which brings me RUSAL and Oleg Deripaska (United ing. I’ve been Executive Platinum on a graduate fellow with the National great joy! I recently played an entire States was pressing buttons like a American Airlines for many years, Nuclear Security Administration set with the band on their home monkey at a typewriter). I’m now which shows my obsessiveness with while doing research at Lawrence turf. We were scheduled to play halfway through writing a book mileage! I’m in my 30th year living Livermore Laboratory. She recently again two weeks later, and yes, I’ll be about the Russian political protests across the street from Juilliard/Lin- started working for “Z-Division,” a playing with my favorite band again! from a few years ago. Working title: coln Center. I don’t get to Columbia joint venture between the Depart- “The band is fronted by Jon ment of Energy and the CIA. How Kline, the 75-year-old owner, with scary is that? Your guess is as good as a voice like sandpaper and glue. This mine as to what she does there. Our man lives and breathes the blues. I Core Gloomy freshman year youngest, Henry, finished Regis Jesuit owe my place in the band thanks to Haiku H.S. here in Denver (interesting his kindness and big heart. Reading books I cannot pronounce; choice for a bar mitzvah boy, don’t you “My parents have passed away, My mind freezes over. think?) and is now at Colby College but my frequenting the club regu- in Maine. If any of you get to Denver, larly, and sitting in with the Revue, — Kevin Cronin ’83 look me up –– dinner’s on me! continues. My parents were always A couple of folks checked in this supportive of my music. I know that period. Mark Monane says hello to they would be pleased that I am now everyone and bemoans the recent pursuing my passion for music, and The Ephemeral R/Evolution. The Art that often, but when I do, I love just lack of classmate participation. Larry especially, my playing at the S.H., of Russian Civil Protest 2011–2014. walking through the campus. I’d love Braverman checked in with some with great approval!” My next project will be a musical to hear from fellow alumni. I’m at serious concerns about the meager John, thanks for the wonderful comedy about terrorism and assas- [email protected].” funding of the Columbia University update! sination, No Polonium, Please. We’re Victor Cha: “It’s a year of Marching Band and its fight over their Now let’s all chip in and send news! British! In this dark, Merovingian- anniversaries for me. This year, I appearance in Butler Library on Orgo like age we live in, I think it’s best to have tallied 25 years of teaching Night; clearly that cherished 40-plus have a martini and a laugh.” at Georgetown University where year tradition must be protected! 1983 Michael Lavine: “I have such fond I hold the D.S. Song-KF Chair in Last but not least, our devoted memories of my time at Columbia. Government and am vice-dean of classmate John Mastrodimos Roy Pomerantz Two of my favorite professors were faculty and graduate affairs in the checked in: “In 2014, I moved in Babyking/Petking Wallace Gray and Peter Awn (who School of Foreign Service. I also with my parents to be primary 182-20 Liberty Ave. passed away on February 17, 2019). completed 10 years as senior advisor caregiver. They were under hospice Jamaica, NY 11412 When I took my junior year abroad in and Korea chair at the Center for care at the same time for a year and [email protected] London, I found myself in Dublin on Strategic and International Studies a half. It was a difficult time in my James Joyce’s 100th birthday. I picked in Washington, D.C. My work as an life. I found solace in The Stanhope From David Lyle: “Paul Lerner up copies of all the local newspapers NBC News and MSNBC contribu- House. The S.H. is a legendary and I got together for lunch at the and gave them to Professor Gray. He tor brings me back to New York roadhouse and blues establish- Huntington Botanical Gardens in then gave them out as prizes to his frequently, and I enjoy occasionally ment in Stanhope, N.J. On Tuesday Pasadena. My husband, Douglas star students in his great ‘Eliot, Joyce, sneaking up on the 1 train to 116th nights I would venture to the club Murray, and I and our daughters, Pound’ class. street and sitting on the Steps for for its open mic night. The club is Mary and Frances, were visiting “I can picture Sam Steinberg sit- coffee and reminiscing. One of my 10 minutes away from my parents’ Los Angeles from Nashville. Paul’s ting outside Ferris Booth Hall like sons was a campus organizer for home. I could go out for the evening husband, Stephen Reis, was part of it was yesterday with his chocolate John Delaney ’85!” knowing that if my parents needed the company, too.” bars shouting ‘I’ve got the big ones!’ James Lo: “I’ve been creating me, I was but 10 minutes away. Bill Spiegelberger: “After 15 I actually have three or four original compositions and sound designs for “I play percussion: drums, bongos years in Moscow, I left Russia in Sam Steinberg drawings on rectan- downtown contemporary dance, the and timbales. Playing at the open December 2017 to rejoin my family gular cards. I’m in touch with Paul last three of which were for Donna mic was one of my few pleasures. in Vienna. The timing turned out to Lerner, whom I met my first week Uchizono at The Joyce Theater, Neil

66 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Greenberg at The Chocolate Factory Tom Licata: “After 25 years in this past summer. Somewhere there’s up to a woman on the street and Theater and Molly Lieber/Eleanor the semiconductor industry, I retired a photo of our white Saab with a slapping her. A man walking up and Smith at New York Live Arts. I also from that sector, earned a Series roof rack crammed with my stuff, down Broadway sticking a needle develop interactive props and set 79 investment banking certifica- including a bike, parked in front of into people. I loved it all because I pieces for theater, and am excited to tion, and now do ad hoc work with Beta Theta Pi, with its red, white and carried so much pain inside and it be adding basic robotics to my bag start-ups, and some consulting. I blue columns, on West 113th Street, expressed what I felt. of tricks. There are days I miss the also vigorously participate in musical off Broadway. Dave Humor, a friend “And there were the little flowers big enterprise software tools I used activities. I’ve gotten back to my of my high school buddy Stephen, pushing through the pavement. The to use, but I never miss the pressure, roots with the Columbia Glee Club, had found a room in the run-down, camaraderie of friends. A soulful arbitrary engineering trends or singing with the Oregon Chorale rat-infested, trash-strewn, alcohol- street singer. Block party dancers. politics of my old job. I’m happily for the past few years, performing a soaked fraternity for the summer. Merengue and salsa. Lovers on married to Amy Chin BC’83, whom broad repertoire including classical The three of us lived there that sum- Sheep Meadow. Ninety-year-old I hope to be more like someday. I masterworks by Mortan Laurid- mer, across the street from campus. communists in a basement club- Michael Azerrad ran into seven sen, Ralph Vaughan Williams, The night we got here Stephen and house, with a beautiful dream still. years ago at the Pitchfork Music Heniyk Gorecki and so forth, and I rode our bikes from West 113th The afternoon light on the ornate Festival, which was coincidentally occasional performances with the Street to the Battery, where we stood old buildings of the Upper West the last show I played as a drummer. Oregon Symphony and Beaverton and looked out across the harbor at Side. The determination and passion Time appears to be accelerating; can Symphony Orchestra. We recently the Statute of Liberty. in the faces of every complexion. you feel it?” completed a tour of Eastern Oregon “We had loft beds, which the rats The clothes, the clothes, the clothes, Eddy Friedfeld : “I’m getting a to support the local groups there. couldn’t reach. We listened to Some wild hats and crazy coats and white second bite at the apple on this entry “Through 2018 I was executive Girls (‘rats on the west side/bedbugs gloves and plaid shorts and red fish since CCT inadvertently left out producer for my older son’s first pro uptown/this town’s in tatters/look at net stockings and black leather pants my good friend and now longtime album, Thom Moot – Moot Points, me!’). We followed the Sandinista and feather boas and platform shoes doctor, the brilliant dermatologist which can be found on bandcamp. Revolution, rooting for the Sandini- and alligator boots and the girl with David Kriegel. and Mohs surgeon com. I also provided the keyboard stas. NYC was dirty and dangerous the faraway eyes and Puerto Rican We’re going to do this until we get it work for the song ‘Autumn.’ I don’t and loud with graffiti all over the girls just wanna and it doesn’t matter right: ‘On September 29, 2018, I had currently have a hobby band up subways and muggers everywhere and and when the whip comes down the honor of performing the wed- and running, but some previous weed and coke and music and beggars and shattered shattered and you’re Tracy Klestadt ding ceremony of instances can be found on Sound- and squeegee men and ceilings falling so respectable and the White House to Esther Duval in Bridgehampton cloud including Cats and Jammers, in and no heat or hot water and sirens lawn and I’m so hot for you and in a sunset wedding on the beach. Port4 and RainTrek. These are all and scammers and sweaty dancers you can’t give it away on Seventh Since graduating from Columbia, live recordings made just for fun. and sex –– in other words, heaven for Avenue, in 1979.” I have also had the privilege of “Best wishes to the Columbia three 19-year-old boys. alternatively officiating, being best community! The light of truth and “I must have lost my bike because man, groomsman, toastmaster or sound governance are needed now I bought another at Metro Bikes on 1984 Adam writing about the weddings of more than ever!” West 96th Street, next to the plant Bayroff, Paul Ehrlich, Neal Smolar, Dennis Klainberg Jon Ross: “I went to Indonesia store, and got a job with mobile Danny Schultz, Roy Pomerantz, Berklay Cargo Worldwide for June and July to do an assess- messengers. For the next couple of David Kriegel, Len Rosen, Steve 14 Bond St., Ste 233 ment on Lombok and to visit our months I rode up and down the Arenson, Great Neck, NY 11021 Jon White ’85 and Allison [MicroAid] projects in Nepal. Please avenues carrying packages to model- [email protected] White BC’86 (née Breitbart), and let me know if you want to visit or if ing agencies and ad agencies and Judy Landis BC’85 (née Enteles), you have contacts in Indo.” taking in the street scene. honors I hold dear, and all of whom David Hershey-Webb: “I first “At night we sat on the Low With thanks to the Reunion Com- remain close friends.’” came to NYC to live 40 years ago Steps and drank and talked about mittee and the Alumni Office staff, history and philosophy and revolu- our 35th reunion was great fun and tion and music. We were Marxists a huge success. The stories! The and idealists and hedonists. reminiscences! The career updates! “One evening that summer The interactions with old (and new) Holler at Us Jimmy Carter gave what came to be friends. Simply put, a real pleasure called his ‘malaise’ speech. I watched for all who attended. in Haiku! it with the frat boys. I agreed with Events included a get-together much of what Carter was saying and with many Barnard alumnae at La Core, one hundred years! was not a little frightened by the Palapa (with thanks to owner Bar- What’s a fun way to note it? drunk frat boys screaming ‘fuck you’ bara Sibley BC’92); various classes; at the TV screen. A little more than lunches; a wine tasting; a joint Poetry from you. a year later they’d bring us Reagan, reception with the Classes of ’74 and later the unnamable one. and ’79; our class dinner; and a final We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would “I was in Love. With NYC. chance to “dance under the stars” on love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But But it was an odd kind of love. I Low Plaza and College Walk. Jon Abbot, there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your loved it in part because it was bad. In attendance: It was gruesome murder and the David Adler, Madhu Alagiri, Paul 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and stench of poverty. It was greed. It Auwaeter , Michael Bozzo, Paul we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. was scamming. It was heartbreak. Burke, Newt Burkett, Antonio It was broken glass. A car smashing Cancio, Evelyn Chaleki, Tom into a light post. A man walking Chaleki, Daniel Cohen, Patrick

Fall 2019 CCT 67 Class Notes

Conroy, Christine Cronin, John in September. He writes, “It is a Feeney, Robert Feinstein, Law- powerful piece, about the hidden rence Finkel, Thomas Gilman, HIV/AIDS epidemic in the black David Godfried, Langham Glea- community, which I co-created with son, James Gorton, El Gray, Mark pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline Green, Michael Hall, Eric Han- (see more info at bit.ly/2LUV7J8). sen, Reggie Henderson, Ronald As Much As I Can is regarded as a Hubsher, Patricia Huie, Larry seminal work of theater based on Kane, Brian Kennedy, Dennis personal stories of the subjects of Klainberg, Frank Lang, Rupert a five-year ethnographic study, as Li, Douglas Lindgren, Elias Lolis, profiled in this New York Times Douglas Mintz, Christopher Nol- Magazine cover story from 2017: Four track teammates and a friend went to London in January to watch some let, Najmuddin Patwa, Nathan- nyti.ms/336WJVx. Premier League soccer games. Left to right: Chris Erker, Andre O’Reggio ’87, Ward Bobitz ’86, Doug Teasdale ’89 and Dave McCarty ’86. iel Polis, Ben Pushner, Tom “There’s an interesting story in Samuelson, Steven Saunders, the saga of how As Much As I Can Michael Scherz, Peter Schmidt, came to be from a corporate com- Karl Schmuck, Paul Schwartz- mission — from a drug company, landing, bore what would become we had a reception in Brian Cousin’s baum, Phil Segal, Chip Seibert, no less — and the creative journey the series’ hallmark: narrating Cold law firm’s office, and we went to the Larry Silo, Mark Simon, John we’ve taken over the past two and War anxieties through a mix of sci- New York City Ballet and saw John Stackfleth, David Stewart, Edwin a half years from Jackson, Miss., to ence and superstition. Phelan’s amazing daughter). Trayner, Wayne Weddington, Jim Off-Broadway. And speaking of anniversary Just hold the reunion dates, and Weinstein, Carlton Wessel and “Our show won a Cannes Lion, years, our 35th reunion will be cel- details will be forthcoming. Barak Zimmerman. Special guests one of several prestigious media, ebrated Thursday, June 4–Saturday, Even if you can’t attend, help in at our class dinner included Beth creative and social consciousness June 6. Please mark your calendar the planning or suggest an event, at Knobel BC’84, David Filosa ’82 and honors that have been bestowed and try to be there for some, if not the very least you can send me a nice spouses/partners/children/friends. upon the piece since our New York all, of the weekend. Just as impor- long update about where you are, Kudos and many, many thanks run in Harlem last May.” tantly, please volunteer to be on the how Columbia still has an impact on to our riveting and simply amazing My wife, Allison, attended a Reunion Committee. There’s not you 35 years later, what your most Michael Massimino guest speaker, swearing-in for new citizens in a ton of work involved –– one big memorable moment is and so on. SEAS’84, an accomplished engineer Suffolk County, and saw Magistrate goal is to maximize our attendance, Gary Brown and astronaut, and now a professor officiating. I was told and to do this we will want to get a at Columbia Engineering. (to my complete non-surprise) that wide range of ideas about what kind 1986 Tom Gilman Special thanks to Judge Brown did an amazing job of venues might be fun. To help get Carl Wessel, and who were the co- overseeing the ceremony and offer- classmates here, we would love to Everett Weinberger chairs of our Class Gift Committee. ing wonderful words of wisdom and have plenty of folks to reach out to 50 W. 70th St., Apt. 3B Looking forward to seeing you congratulations. Even more exciting, classmates and encourage them to New York, NY 10023 all in five years, or at Homecoming Gary has been re-nominated to attend. Aside from the usual phone/ [email protected] (Saturday, October 19) or at one of serve as a district judge on the email lists, the best way to do that our old stomping grounds (V&T, United States District Court for the is through clubs or teams or dorm Congrats to Ben Schmidt on his Symposium, Mondel, The Hungar- Eastern District of New York. Gary floors/suites that were part of your daughter, Isabel Schmidt, join- ian Pastry Shop, Koronet, Tom’s), has served in the Eastern District Columbia community. I have found ing the Class of 2023. Ben is the or one of my new favorites (Le since his selection in 2011 and also that this is consistently the best way Giovanni and Amne Costigan Monde, Mel’s Burger Bar, Dinosaur serves as an adjunct professor at St. to increase the size of our group. Endowed Professor of History at BBQ, The Heights and other great John’s University School of Law. Even if you can’t help out with the University of Washington in neighborhood venues.) He served on the Committee of the planning, feel free to shoot me Seattle. Ben, who earned a master’s Roar, Lion, Roar! Administration Magistrate Judges an email with your ideas about and Ph.D. from Harvard, teaches System, appointed to manage more our class-specific events. The “big some interesting-sounding classes at than 1,400 Superstorm Sandy cases. events” are pretty much locked into UW. Last winter, he taught “Spain 1985 Prior to his appointment to the the overall reunion schedule (class and Its Golden Age, 1469–1700,” bench, Gary served as the director dinner, certain evening receptions, and last spring, “Exploration and REUNION 2020 of litigation and chief compliance lectures and tours). However, there Empire: The Art and Science of JUNE 4–6 officer of CA Technologies and as are a few class-specific opportuni- Global Power, 1300–1800.” Events and Programs Contact an assistant U.S. attorney in the ties in which we can plan unique Ward Bobitz sent us a nice [email protected] Eastern District of New York for events. We have had dinner at V&T update: “I have been in Richmond, Development Contact more than 15 years, concluding his a few times –– should we go back, Va., for nearly 23 years, working the [email protected] service as the chief of the Long or is there another place to go to entire time at Genworth Financial, Island Criminal Division. reminisce? (Unfortunately CDR, where I now am general counsel. Jon White In this 50th anniversary year of Cannon’s and The College Inn are My career at Genworth, the world’s 16 South Ct. Tom the Apollo 11 moon landing, gone –– if you haven’t been back to largest underwriter of long-term Port Washington, NY 11050 Vinciguerra JRN’86, GSAS’90’s Morningside Heights in a while, you care insurance, has been extremely [email protected] most recent New York Times piece won’t recognize the neighborhood!) interesting. In addition to confront-

was appropriately titled, “How ‘The If any classmates have a space we ing the societal challenges of fund- James Walsh is directing a new Twilight Zone’ First Saw Man on can use/tie into an event, or a neat ing the long-term care needs of our show, As Much As I Can, at Joe’s the Moon.” The 1959 pilot episode, connection for a lounge area for a aging population, I have also been Pub/The Public Theater in NYC airing a decade before the first moon party, please let us know (in past years, exposed to a variety of geopolitical

68 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews issues, as we have been operating fiancée, Regina; Mark Foss ’87; specializing in all things travel and the other side of my wall), wrote under a merger agreement to be Andrew Upton ’85; Arthur Ajzen- individual sized, from baked goods with news of our friend and fellow acquired by a Chinese company, man ’83 and his wife, Lisa; William and snacks to personal care products. Carman 5 denizen, Hugh Cushing. China Oceanwide Holdings Group, Flick ’87, with his wife, Leslie, and I protect the intellectual property of Ralph writes, “In January, Hugh and since October 2016. We continue to kids, Will, Charlie, Max and Nina; technology and business innovators his wife, Louise Dubin ’92, had a baby seek the required regulatory approv- Dominic DeCicco SEAS’84 and his at SoCal IP Law Group.” girl. Hugh, who started with our class als to close the transaction. The son, Dante; Bob Watson SEAS’86 Many of us knew Alex Navab ’87 but graduated in 1988, has already stamina that I developed running and his wife, Sandy; and Michael and were shocked and saddened to started planning for their daughter to cross-country at Columbia is truly Goldfischer with his sons, Jacob, learn of his death on July 7, 2019, join the Class of, let us say, 2039.” being put to the test by this deal! Jared ’21 and Noah. The Columbia while on vacation with his family in I was also so happy to receive a “On the personal side, my wife, spirit was enhanced by other alums, Greece. He was a star at KKR for note from Michael Rubin. He wrote: Kelley (Brown ’87), and I have including Edward Zahos and his 24 years, and had launched Navab “By now, all of us are ‘of a certain age’ three great kids, Jack (20, a junior wife, Marilen, and kids, Alexander Capital Partners in April with a fun- and given to reflecting on our Colum- at Brown), Sam (18, at Michigan) and Isabel; Joe Policastro ’87 and his draising goal of $3 billion. Alex was bia experiences from a distance. In and Cate (16). I frequently see many daughter, Alessandra; and Columbia a class act and a mensch, and will be my case, however, although we live of my track teammates, includ- Lions Living Legend Danny missed and remembered. [Editor’s in the Boston area, I’ve been quite ing Jon Sycamore ’85, SEAS’85; Upperco ’85. note: See “Obituaries.”] happy to stare at Columbia regularly. Terry Jones ’85; Dave McCarty; “The musical entertainment In early 2019 I dropped my younger Andre O’Reggio ’87; and Doug consisted of Jeff playing lead guitar daughter off on campus for her fresh- Teasdale ’89. Nearby is a photo of with his newest band, Charlie Don’t 1987 men spring semester. And my first Dave, Doug, me, Andre and a non- Surf; Michael Goldfischer on lead daughter graduated from the College Columbia friend from our January electric mandolin with his band The Sarah A. Kass in May 2018. Of course, in 1983, trip to London to watch a couple of Outside Band; and musical chairs PO Box 1006 at the College’s inaugural coeduca- Premier League soccer games. Most with other great musicians hopping New York, NY 10113 tional Class Day, I would never have of us are too old to do any serious up and jamming, including Dominic’s [email protected] predicted I’d have two daughters, and running, but we do enjoy watching son, Dante. Nothing could prevent both would go to Columbia. soccer, which is probably influenced the day from being a rousing success, At press time, the shock waves are still “On the home front, I’ve been by our enjoyment of the great not even a torrential downpour, which reverberating from the tragic, sudden interviewing prospective Columbia Columbia soccer teams of our era.” almost blew down the stage. Dominic death of Alex Navab. There are many students as part of the Alumni Michael Goldfischer reports on once again provided commemorative moving tributes and reminiscences Representative Committee, and I’m a fun Columbia-themed party: “On T-shirts, this year’s in Columbia blue. elsewhere, but I am hoping that some on the board of the Kraft Fam- June 29, Jeffrey Ammeen, along From retelling old stories from 114th of you will send in stories over the ily Center for Jewish Student Life with his daughters, Jade and Aja, Street, to catching up on growing next few months. It would be lovely (Columbia/Barnard Hillel). It’s hosted the family’s Fifth Annual families, sharing a few cocktails of to publish a collection. Please consider great fun to be involved with the Summer Solstice musical celebra- Clyde May’s Whiskey, Prospero contributing to the column. [Editor’s next generation! When not writing tion –– ‘Jeffapalooza,’ a day of family, Tequila and Nemiroff Vodka, it was note: See “Obituaries.”] checks to Columbia, I’m the CEO friends, live music, Columbia blue a day to remember. For those of you Recently, my father, Alvin Kass of an augmented reality start-up and spirit and Fiji purple brotherhood. who can’t get enough of CC’86 live ’57, and I ventured to Mamaroneck, baking sourdough. I would love to The Dude count was high at this rock and roll, the second annual Win- N.Y., to pay a visit to our former hear from ‘old’ friends from McBain one, and you can’t tell me there was terpalooza is scheduled for March 7 professor Henry Graff GSAS’49. and Carman 8 (has everyone a better party going on anywhere. In at the Stanhope House in Stanhope, We had read the previous week of recovered by now from experiencing attendance were fraternity brothers N.J. The night will once again feature the passing of his wife, Edith, and a dead body wrapped in a carpet William Golden BUS’93; Paul Mar- three bands fronted by CC’86ers: Jeff learned there would be a shiva in on our floor?). You can reach me at shall ’85; James Hirshfield SEAS’87, and The Doctor’s bands mentioned the assisted living facility where [email protected].” who attended with son Jack and earlier, opening for the headliner, and Professor Graff and his wife had Sherman Ewing. Now Roar, Lion, been living. What a wonderful visit! Roar and Rock, Lion, Rock.” Despite some physical infirmities, 1988 Our class’s Jacques Cousteau, Professor Graff (97) seemed as sharp Steve Klotz, headed to Beqa as ever, discussing with us topics Eric Fusfield Lagoon, Fiji, this past summer to ranging from baseball to politics. 1945 South George Mason Dr. observe and study inter-species Professor Graff once told my father Arlington, VA 22204 shark feeding behaviors. His and I that we were possibly the only [email protected] son, Daniel, studied at a summer father-daughter pair that he had program in Saint Petersburg and ever taught; he had taught many Professor Graham Dodds of Mon- Moscow. His daughter, Alyxandra, fathers and sons, but as far as he treal’s Concordia University writes started law school at The George knew, we were the only father and that in June, “A half dozen CC’88ers Washington University in D.C. daughter. (If anyone knows of other got together for a barbecue in Trum- Mark Goldstein updated us from father-daughter pairs he taught, bull, Conn.” Dr. Stephanie Sudikoff Thousand Oaks, Calif: “Exciting I’d love to hear about it!) While of the Yale School of Medicine transitions for our family. Shira is a we were there, we also had a lovely hosted the gathering. Others attend- freshman at University of North- chat with Dr. Allen Hyman ’55. All ing included Al Bundonis, Nikos ern Colorado, and Risa is a junior in all, a wonderful and meaningful Andreadis, Shari Hyman and Bill Flick ’87 (left) and Michael in high school at the Besant Hill Columbia experience! William Woo. “The first five of those Goldfischer ’86 enjoyed music School in Ojai, Calif. My wife, Julie, Ralph Stone, my next-door six all lived on Carman 9 back in the at “Jeffapalooza.” is purchasing manager for Minimus, neighbor in Carman (literally on day,” says Graham. “It was great to

Fall 2019 CCT 69 Class Notes

late-night diner hang with Adina on the sound around Vashon Island Safer BC’89, who is a healthcare ever since.” consultant in San Francisco, and my Raymond Yu SEAS’90, who former roomies David Streitfeld, a recently returned from an extended computer programmer with Intuit, trip through Europe (Madrid, Bar- also visiting from the Bay Area, celona, London and Paris), writes, and John Libertino ’88, who came “Two highlights of reunion: reunited in from Philadelphia to surprise with all of my Carman 8 suitemates everyone. Speaking of roomies, I (813) and ended Saturday night by was sorry that Michael Schrag and going to Koronet and then drinking Erik Price could not make it, as Erik and playing darts at Mel’s!” was celebrating his 25th wedding Wid Hall SEAS’89, SEAS’91 has anniversary in Spain, and Mike and been to every one of our reunions Dr. Andrea Franchett were other- and traveled from Germany to join wise enjoying life in the Bay Area as us again. Wid writes, “My favorite soon-to-be empty nesters, with their part of the 30th reunion was that so second and third kids heading off many people attended. I think the LESLIE JENNINGS-LAX to college soon. Saturday night was 30th was at least as big as the 25th!” Some CC’88ers got together in June for a barbecue in Trumbull, Conn. Left equally fun, catching up with (among Alix Pustilnick, who was men- to right: Stephanie Sudikoff, Al Bundonis, Nikos Andreadis, Graham Dodds, others) Dr. David Kooby, an oncolo- tioned by Jeff Udell earlier, writes Shari Hyman and William Woo. gist at Emory University; Laura that reunion “was especially mean- Dower (née McTaggert), a writer ingful to me. I felt a lot of gratitude of children’s books; Alix Pustilnik, a and joy simply to sit on the Steps see so many friends from Columbia I asked classmates for their lawyer who most recently was general in the sun and reconnect with folks at an event other than a reunion, remembrances from the weekend. counsel of the Battery Park City and see how much the Core still wedding or funeral.” Here are some: Authority; and Tom Kamber, who resonates in our conversations.” Stu Kaplan PS’92 writes that From Jeff Udell, who has been has lived on a boat on the Hudson Roger Rubin, Newsday senior he “recently obtained an M.B.A. at practicing law for the past few years River and now runs a group that reporter, wrote that he was thrilled the University of Amsterdam and at Walden Macht & Haran, a bou- helps senior citizens get online and to connect with classmates and came back to the States (Bay Area) tique firm in Manhattan: “Reunion navigate technology.” dear friends including Greg Watt, to become the executive director of Weekend never disappoints, as it is Michael Barry, who works at who came in from the Boston area; Okizu, a cost-free camp for children, always great both to reconnect with Ironstate Development and lives Dave Winter, an attorney in D.C.; siblings and families affected by old friends and to spend time with in Short Hills, N.J., writes that he and Rusty Kosiorek (I promise childhood cancer.” According to Oki- folks who share that bond formed in “enjoyed [Dean] Jim Valentini’s to write more about Rusty later). zu’s website, “The mission of Okizu Morningside Heights some 30 years address and his clear affinity for Of reunion, Roger writes, “Our is to help all members of families ago. The Thursday night off-campus the Class of ’89. I spent most of the class continues to astound me with affected by childhood cancer to heal outing was a ton of fun; I caught night catching up with a few friends, the way its members are drawn to through peer support, respite, men- up with Chris Della Pietra, Steve interspaced by a few conversations one another and cannot wait to be toring and recreational programs.” Metalios and his wife, Joy Metalios with classmates I didn’t really know reunited. I expected that after the Keep the updates coming! I look SEAS’90 (née Kim), who explained that well. A fun night all around.” 25th, the passion and intensity of forward to hearing from you. that the reason Steve appeared in From Stephanie Spencer, who the 30th would in some way pale in every single one of the photographs traveled from Washington state: “I comparison but this reunion was as on the bar television slideshow was really enjoyed my time in the city. much fun –– possibly an even better 1989 because he was the only one who I only get to NYC every five years, time –– than the last.” answered the request to supply them. for reunion. I always enjoy balancing Emily Miles Terry “Also was great speaking with my time between reunion events and 45 Clarence St. Tajlei Levis, a writer of books touring. I very much enjoyed visiting Brookline, MA 02446 and lyrics for several musicals (see with old friends and acquaintances, [email protected] glimpsesofthemoon.com); Dan Fut- and I also really enjoyed the Mini- terman, who described his research Core Classes and lectures. I loved More than 150 of us gathered in process for his The Looming Tower being on campus and staying in Wal- May to celebrate our spectacular miniseries, which is based on the lach –– it only took 30 years to land 30th reunion as only CC’89 could, rivalry between the FBI and CIA a room in Wallach. I never did have with classmates traveling from all prior to 9-11; Julie Jacobs Menin, much luck in those housing lotteries.” Send in over the world. There is nothing who in her position with the NYC For the last four years, Stephanie Your News like reconnecting with people who Office of the Corporation Counsel has been director of teaching and loved us before we had careers and helped successfully challenge the learning on Vashon Island, Wash., Share what’s happening in property and titles and domestic Trump administration’s proposed where she oversees professional your life with classmates. imperatives like soccer games and 2020 Census citizenship question development for staff, writes and Click “Contact Us” at dirty dishes. Being with our dear (later stricken by the U.S. Supreme manages grants, and works on policy old friends helps us remember and Court); and Luis Penalver, who is and procedures. Stephanie’s son is college.columbia.edu/cct, appreciate who we were at 19, and a corporate lawyer at Cahill Gordon in the sixth grade, and last summer, or send news to the address the stories recounted of our youthful & Reindel. “the two of us restored my grand- at the top of your column. selves are strengthened through our “The highlight for me on father’s 100-year-old, cedar-strip collective memories. Thursday night was a post-event, canoe, and we’ve been enjoying it

70 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Ellen Vaknine writes, “As at amazing, smart, interesting and funny brother, Max, is a junior at Penn and past reunions, not only did I enjoy women whom I’m lucky to have as 1990 on its lacrosse team. Stephen Winick spending time with friends and friends. Another highlight was get- took me on a acquaintances from my time at ting to spend a couple of hours with REUNION 2020 stroll down memory lane when he Columbia, but I also ended up Shaquan Nelson SEAS’19, a former JUNE 4–6 sent me a link to a January story about speaking at length with several student of mine. He’s a remarkable Events and Programs Contact Ken Hechtman. You should read it classmates whom I hadn’t previously young man, and it is such a joy to see [email protected] online (bit.ly/2YysDGN) if you didn’t known. It’s great to learn where how he has grown since I taught him Development Contact catch the story on the news. we’ve all ‘landed’ and the varied seventh-grade math. Columbia was [email protected] As for Steve, he’s staying out of paths we’ve taken since Columbia.” lucky to have him, and I’m so proud trouble. He shares, “I continue to be Rachel Cowan Jacobs Ellen lives on Long Island and of the person he is.” the editor in The American Folklife [email protected] recently sold her kosher catering For those who haven’t connected Center at the Library of Congress, business to focus on real estate with our Class of ’89 Facebook our national folklore archive and Thom Chu, investing/property management. group, please do. an What a fun summer I had seeing study center. I write and edit our Andy Baehr BUS’96, who has estate attorney in New York, cre- classmates on my travels. In June, blog, Folklife Today (blogs.loc.gov/ attended our 20th, 25th and now ated a great post there that I recap work took me to San Francisco for folklife). A couple of years ago I 30th reunions, comes to reunion to here with his permission: “Great a conference, where I had the great, authored the fourth edition of our reconnect and proudly reminisce memories made over our 30th annual pleasure of hanging out with fieldwork manual, Folklife & Field- about being part of the gang that reunion weekend: classmates at Larry Momo ’73 and Liz Pleshette work: A Layman’s Introduction to Field carried the goal post after our the John Jay Associates celebra- ’89. If there are any other Columbia Techniques. Since then I’ve steered it famous streak-breaking football win tion; seeing rare works on paper at alumni who do college counseling, through the process of being trans- over Princeton in 1988. Andy works Avery Library, including some by please identify yourself! lated into Spanish and Chinese. at a finance startup, after 20-plus Frank Lloyd Wright; connecting I also spent some time visiting “This year I created a podcast for Joel Tranter years in banking. He earned an with former work-study supervisee with and his son, the Library of Congress, Folklife M.B.A. from the Business School Ben Jealous ’94, the youngest CEO Ellison (7). The three of us hit the Today; you can listen online at bit. and lives in Tribeca with his wife to serve the NAACP; enjoying Alameda County Fair one of the ly/2KkySZD. It tells stories about and two children. rainbow-hued Jell-O shots at the days of my visit. Joel has a jockey traditional culture and the people Carol Remy, who brought her LGBTQ reception; Dr. Alexis friend who was racing that day, who keep it alive. For example, did 11-year-old daughter to reunion, Pauline Gumbs BC’04, Lambda and he made quite an impression you know that Ralph Ellison was loved revisiting “our old haunts Literary Award nominee, with her on Ellison. After we watched his a folklorist? He collected folklore Brian Timoney –– Koronet, The Hungarian Pastry collage of the Rev. Pauli Murray, a first race, kept us for the WPA in the 1930s before Shop” and cherished “a slow walk queer civil rights activist and first updated via text from Colorado on becoming a celebrated novelist. In through the Cathedral Church of St. African-American woman to be the jockey’s six other races that day his manuscripts I found a story he John the Divine,” and showed her ordained in the Episcopal Church; while we took in the rest of the fair. collected in Harlem from someone daughter Carman, where Carol lived four Hunter College H.S. Class of My timing in the Bay Area coin- named Leo Gurley, about a man Peter Neisuler freshman year. Carol writes, “My ’85 and Columbia University Class cided with ’s family’s nicknamed ‘Sweet the Monkey.’ daughter remembered where the owl of 1989 undergraduates, includ- return from their State Department Sweet the Monkey was an African- Alix Pustilnik, Paul Radvany was immediately upon arrival. She ing post in Amman, Jordan. They are American man in South Carolina Steven Chulik SEAS’89; found the owl when she was 6, at and and spending two months road-tripping who was able to turn himself our 25th reunion, and remembered dancing under the stars by Low in the United States before report- invisible. This story is clearly one it at our 30th. Maybe we have a Library. Thanks to all for making a ing for duty at their next diplomatic part of the inspiration for Ellison’s CC’30 in our midst!” memory for a lifetime!” post, in Tel Aviv. Peter is working novel Invisible Man. That story is Daniel Halberstam, who came in Please send more updates and in the political section on Iran, and in the episode ‘Hidden Folklor- from Ann Arbor, where he is associ- reunion memories for future columns! Mariana is in the economic section ists.’ We also have episodes about ate dean for faculty and research at I wish I could focus only on the covering energy and cyber issues. Agnes Vanderburg, a Salish elder Michigan Law, the Eric Stein Profes- joyful recap of our reunion, but days Luckily, we were all able to meet for in Montana who ran a school for sor of Law, and director, European after we were mingling our group dinner before I headed back east. traditional Indian ways; about our Tony Joy Legal Studies Program, writes, “I was grew smaller, as we lost Back on the East Coast, Civil Rights History Project, which Augello SEAS’89, Metalios SEAS’90 especially struck by how cozy the who passed (née Kim) is collects narratives from leaders of campus felt, given its vast intellectual away in Southern California, where making a name for herself — on TV! the civil rights movement; about the expanse. It was a nice reminder of he was an engineer. Tony attended She’s the host of The American Dream complicated history of the spiritual what a punch Columbia packs into Purdue University for a master’s TV show in Connecticut, a national ‘Come by Here,’ better known as that incredible campus.” and then UC Berkeley for a Ph.D. real estate show that airs in about 40 ‘Kumbaya; and about lots of other Eliza Armstrong, a math teacher Tony was an avid Boston sports cities across the country. Her local topics. I co-write, co-produce and at North Star Academy in Newark, fan throughout his life. He lived in segments explore different neighbor- co-host the podcast.” Dean N.J., writes, “The highlight of Newport Beach, Calif., and worked hoods, businesses and trends in the Professional news about Sonderegger reunion for me was getting time with for Group Delta Consultants. Tony local market, showcasing lifestyle, SEAS ’90, SEAS’91: Lisa Carnoy and Wanda Holland was a dear, sweet friend to many community and real estate. You can In May, he was appointed senior Greene, two of my dearest friends. and will be greatly missed. Of Tony, catch all her shows on Apple TV, VP and general manager of Wolters Michael Behringer I brought one of my daughters to wrote, “You’ll Roku and Amazon. Joy’s first episode Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., a the opening cocktails on Thursday remember Tony for his happy smile, aired in early June and –– as exciting company he joined in 2015 as head night, and another to the events on gentle soul and love for his friends, as that was –– her daughter’s high of Legal Markets & Innovation. In Saturday. They also love Lisa and fraternity (Fiji), football team and school graduation was even more his new position, Dean continues to Wanda, and it is always special when Columbia. He was one of the best exciting. Zoe ’23 lives in Carman and spearhead the company’s focus on my kids get to spend time with such and will be missed.” plays on the field hockey team. Her customer-focused innovation, with a

Fall 2019 CCT 71 Class Notes

amazed at how our kids, Oskar (17) ing with people who pretty much Or Josh Shannon, who was about and Carmen (13), are growing up looked exactly the same as they did to head off to the Free University of into amazing people despite our lack a quarter-century ago. (Does that Berlin for a year. of parenting skills,” Jonathan shares, mean we’re all aging gracefully, or did Throughout the weekend, there adding that he “would love to hear we just look like 40-somethings in was ample opportunity to remember from old Columbia pals!” college?) So, permit me a few random and relive. And yet, there still wasn’t Andrew Vladeck has a new ramblings from reunion: enough time. If I missed you there, album, Visions and Revisions. Keep Catching up outside Ferris Booth or if I missed you in this column, my track of his work on andrewvladeck. Hall (is it even called that anymore?) sincerest apologies. Jen Cohen-Glasser com! (It’s how I found out about with Marina, But that’s all the more reason to Brian Orefice, the album.) and talking about send in an update! Even more so Eric Los Angeles Mayor the sobering stats on admissions if life events conspired, preventing Garcetti SIPA’93 opted not to join rates shared at an afternoon panel … you from making it to reunion at all. the crowded field competing for the Chatting with our unrivaled social Because one thing is certain: Even Penelope 2020 Democratic presidential nod. I media class cheerleader 25 years later (or maybe because it’s Kliegman thought I should flag that Eric has at the Wine Tasting … 25 years later!), the Class of 1994 hired a new communications direc- Rave reviews for the talks by likes to stay connected. Derek Fairchild-Coppoletti, Joel Tranter ’90 (left), Rachel Cowan tor, Dae Levine BC’92. Until next time. Jacobs ’90 and Peter Neisuler ’90 Please keep writing in! This col- Camilla Jones (née Jackson), enjoyed dinner together in June in umn doesn’t work unless you do! Rebecca Oppenheimer, Elliott the Bay Area. Regenstein and Lavinel Savu … 1995 Talking with Milos Naumovic 1993 and Alex Rosenstein about the REUNION 2020 strong emphasis on the rapid devel- perils of introducing The Breakfast JUNE 4–6 opment of advanced digital products Betsy Gomperz Club to our kids … Events and Programs Contact and services to enhance legal profes- [email protected] Shawn Landres insisting that [email protected] sionals’ efficiencies and workflows. all photos be taken in portrait mode Development Contact Very exciting times for Dean! Greetings, classmates. I only have — he’s right, they’re better! — and [email protected] one update this time, and it comes listening as he, Matt Eddy and from Jenny Hoffman, who is Ocean MacAdams reminisced Janet Lorin 1991 returning to Morningside Heights! about high school … [email protected] Jenny is a lecturer/adjunct professor A trip to Koronet with Kay Margie Kim Bailey Danny Franklin, at the School of Professional Studies and which Our class counts a star in the wine [email protected] in the Master of Science in Enter- led to an existential crisis for me: world, Dan Petroski, named wine- prise Risk Management program. The slices were SO BIG! I honestly maker of the year in 2017 by the San Wishing the members of the Class of She writes, “I am excited to be did not remember that. Did I Francisco Chronicle for his Massican 1991 a happy and healthy fall! Please back on campus and would love to somehow never go to Koronet? Or label. Jon Bonne ’94 is an influential take a moment to share your news or reconnect with any of you in New did the intervening 25 years erase wine writer. And now, the prestigious a favorite Columbia College memory York. Aside from the Columbia gig, knowledge of these slices? ... James Beard Foundation has recog- with the class by sending an email to I am also senior VP at Global Risk Sitting on Low Steps, hearing nized the culinary talents of Ann Kim. [email protected]. Intelligence, a boutique risk advisory about the sports consulting business In May, Ann won the James Stephanie Geosits firm in Washington, D.C.” has launched Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid- Hope you all had a great summer! in Toronto, and then heading over west for her Minneapolis restau- 1992 Please take a moment to send in with her, Elliot and Kay to Tom’s for rant, Young Joni. The competition a note! egg creams (another thing I never included chefs in Iowa, Kansas, Olivier Knox had in college; who knew no eggs Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, [email protected] were involved?) … North Dakota, South Dakota and 1994 Delightful conversations during Wisconsin. (Illinois, Michigan, Hello, Class of 1992! the Friday night reception at the Ohio and Indiana are in the “Great Jonathan Henick Leyla Kokmen Sofia wrote from Manhattanville campus with Lakes” grouping.) [email protected] Dumery, Estelamari Rodriguez his perch at the State Department Ann has two other restaurants: Shelley Schneiderman- (25-plus years) to say he “wrapped and Pizzeria Lola opened in Minneapo- Ducker, up a job as the deputy coordinator On the way uptown to Reunion among many others … lis, and Hello Pizza followed. They for the Global Engagement Center, Weekend (complicated by the 1 train More delightful conversations were partly inspired by her pizza- where I helped stand up our efforts not running all the way to 116th throughout the Saturday class eating days at Columbia; Koronet Amit to counter Russian, Chinese and Street that weekend), I shared an dinner at Faculty House with ranks as her top choice. Mary Bose, Ben Grant, Erik Groothuis, Iranian disinformation.” amusing text exchange with Ann arrived at Schapiro Hall our Killackey Marina Groothuis Alfredo Jollon, John Katz, Mason Jonathan is now a few months and freshman year from Apple Valley, Kirby, Lillian Koo, Allegra Lowitt into his gig as deputy assistant sec- (née Gurin), the crux of which Minn., south of Minneapolis, drawn to Negar Nabavi, retary for South and Central Asia, revolved around wearing comfortable (née Wechsler), the school for its proximity to theater. Steve Ruddy Andrew Russo with responsibility for Central Asia (but still cute) shoes. Because who do and . She remembers seeing Broadway and press and public diplomacy. we need to impress anymore, anyway? It was a special treat to catch up shows with groups of students and “More importantly, of course, I That was, perhaps, apt branding for with some of our far-flung class- a professor and buying discounted Jessica Craig, am celebrating 19 years of marriage our 25th (25th!) reunion, a delightful mates, like who lives tickets at TKTS. “For me, it was to my bride, Dominique Freire, and weekend of comfortable reminisc- in Barcelona and is a literary agent. mostly soaking in whatever New

72 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

York had to offer,” Ann said in a Professor Robert Maguire SIPA’53, for 2019. Rebekah enjoys seeing train and began strolling through phone call this past summer. “I saw a GSAS’60. Natasha recalls that I Athena Bendo Ole every Jazz Fest. the lobby of the Grand Florid- lot of music, jazz and theater.” always sat to her left, by a window Her twins, Elizabeth and Eva, are 6. ian Resort & Spa, heading toward Ann’s first Broadway show was that overlooked College Walk, and Carl Pavel is practicing pulmo- our car, we noticed the charming Les Miserables, and she saw it again she fondly reminisces: “It was a nary and critical care medicine in sounds of a live, vintage-style jazz –– about five more times. memorable class. Reading Gogol’s the Chicago suburbs. In their spare orchestra, comprising mostly elderly She’s still in touch with her crew hilarious play The Inspector General time, he and his wife, Sarah, and his musicians, playing wonderful jazz of friends, many of whom have might have been the apotheosis of four children enjoy trying new play- standards from many decades ago in made the trip to Minnesota to my Columbia experience. It was like grounds, exploring the state parks the hotel lobby. Hearing the music sample her fare. we were members of an esoteric club. system and driving into the city. made me really miss living in New Young Joni, where pizza is a I remember the feeling of camarade- As for me, Kerensa Harrell, as I York City, when in my dancing days staple and a wood-fired grill offers rie in the room, 25 years out.” wrap up this column in mid-July, I’ve I frequented the famed Rainbow other dishes that look delicious on Well put, Natasha –– I thor- been thinking about how much fun Room (late 1990s/early 2000s) with its website, was named best new oughly concur with that sentiment! I’ve been having this summer with my friends and we would spend restaurant in 2017 by several publi- Natasha also sent the following my 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, hours on the magical revolving floor cations, including Esquire. update: “For the past 15 years, I have Amara. A few months ago we moved of the 65th floor of Rockefeller Ann and her husband live with been the middle school librarian at from our house, which at 4,000 sq. ft. Plaza while dancing the foxtrot and their dog, Lola, for whom she The Chapin School, a wonderful was far too large for just the two of swinging to a live jazz orchestra. As named her first restaurant. gig that allows me time in July and us. We remain in the Orlando area, those memories began flooding my I hope to see Ann and many of August to pursue drawing at The but have downsized to an apart- mind, Amara excitedly turned to me you at reunion. If you are interested in Art Students League of New York, ment in a brand-new building. Each and exclaimed, “Mama, let’s dance!” helping to plan it, please get in touch. and a pleasantly geeky/intellectual life year-round. 1996 “I am married to Josh Goldberg BUS’97, with whom I probably Core Core Curriculum. rubbed elbows at some point at the Ana S. Salper Haiku Uris Caf (which we agree offered Protested. Got arrested. [email protected] the superior sandwiches on campus). Son reads Plato now. It took us until 2009 to actually Dear classmates, where, oh where, did grab lunch, though. We now share — Red Delicious ’97 you all go? I am disappointed to say a home on Pierrepont Street in that I have no notes this time around. Brooklyn Heights, with our daugh- Weren’t there around 800 of us in the ter, Mila (7), who, like her parents, class? There have to be at least some loves to go to a lot of shows (most morning we are greeted by a dozen and insisted that we start dancing of you who have some news to share! recently, The Losers Lounge tribute gigantic and colorful hot air balloons together, right then and there. Ah, Please send in notes so that our to ABBA at Joe’s Pub!). that magically float down from the luckily the apple does not fall far column is not devoid of news. “My favorite memories of Colum- sky and land right before our eyes from the tree! I wish you all the best for the fall bia involve the pecan pie at John in the field across from us. Amara As I sign off now, let me end with and look forward to hearing from Jay, discovering a ton of new music, has been helping me select the new a song that my daughter and I like to you! I leave you with this: books and movies (remember when furniture, fixtures and furnishings for dance to and sing along with at home. “In the end we will remember not Pulp Fiction came out?), and discov- our home (she loves letting me know It’s the waltz song from the Min- the words of our enemies, but the ering the East Village, back when what she wants!). I am trying to brush nierella episode of a TV series called silence of our friends.” there wasn’t a bank on every corner. up on my feng shui knowledge, with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The lyrics are — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “In terms of my CC’97 network, the goal of perfecting a harmonious I appreciate keeping in touch with arrangement of the décor. “Come on, let’s dance together! Heidi Kirk (whom I visited in As usual, it was a very hot summer We’ll be best friends forever! 1997 Shanghai in ’05, and who is pres- here in Florida, and we cooled off Oh, who else could it be ... ently Berlin’s coolest tour guide), in the evenings at our clubhouse’s But you and me!” Kerensa Harrell and with Avideh Moussavian saltwater swimming pool, which is [email protected] and Elizabeth Chiles (who, post- walking distance from our apartment. Blessings to all, and please do McBain, are kicking butt in the During the day we met up with send me your updates. Keep in mind Dear classmates, I hope you all worlds of immigration advocacy and Amara’s little friends for fun activi- that they needn’t be just about the enjoyed a fun-filled summer! the visual arts, respectively). ties; I’ve also been homeschooling her usual topics like career/marriage/ Our first update comes from “For those of you with middle- in reading, writing and geography. birth announcements –– they can be Natasha Goldberg (née Bartolf ). school-aged kids in need of book She’s amazingly good at geography, on your exotic travels, your exciting We met during our final semester at recommendations, or who just want for only being two and a half –– she adventures, your fascinating hobbies, the College, when by chance we took to reconnect, you can find me at can already locate and identify all your philanthropic endeavors, your the same class in Hamilton Hall. @finelibrarian. Hope everyone’s the states on her puzzle map of the charming children, your daring It was a seminar on the writings of been reasonably happy, healthy and United States, as well as find a bunch projects, your poetic musings and/ the famous 19th-century Russian well-behaved!” of countries on her world globe, or your flowery reminiscences. Or writer Nikolai Gogol, held in a cozy Rebekah Gee PH’98 shares that which she loves to spin. simply tell us about some delight- classroom with one long table. This she is still the secretary of health for Recently we were heading home ful local event that you attended seminar, comprising around half a the state of Louisiana. Recently she from having spent a few hours at or a family vacation that you went dozen students, was led by one of the was named one of Modern Healthcare the Magic Kingdom, where we have on. If nothing else, you can always world’s preeminent Gogol scholars, Magazine’s “Ten Women To Watch” annual passes. As we exited the write us just to say hello! It would

Fall 2019 CCT 73 Class Notes be splendid to hear from as many short research fellowship at the Stephen Del Percio SEAS’00 and authored by Helena Andrews-Dyer of our classmates as possible. I look NASA Frontier Development Lab, Laura Hertzfeld BC’01. and the incomparable R. Eric Thomas. forward to hearing from you. In a research accelerator that brings Also in L.A. is our resident sock Kimberly Blumenthal is an allergy lumine Tuo videbimus lumen. together machine learning specialists mogul Erica Easley, the founder and specialist and researcher at Mass and space scientists. He is on a team owner of Gumball Poodle, a sock General in Boston and an assistant as the machine learning specialist company famous for its knee-high professor of medicine at Harvard 1998 applying deep learning to heliophys- Obama socks and “gangsta” socks Medical School. Her research is on ics, or the study of our sun. He lives worn by Beyoncé in a music video. drug allergies, and how over-claiming Sandie Angulo Chen in San Francisco in the Mission Her socks are sold everywhere –– a penicillin allergy is contributing to [email protected] District with his wife, Abby, and their check her out at gumballpoodle.com antibiotic resistance. Recently, The daughter, Cameron (1 and a half ). and @gumballpoodle on Instagram! New York Times, The New York Post Laura Happy fall, CC’98! Hope you all We also chatted with If there are any classmates who and The Wall Street Journal did articles Colarusso, had a wonderful summer. Please who has been the digital have started their own companies, covering her research. Kimberly’s take a moment to send a note managing editor at WGBH News please let me know so we can sup- husband is a cardiologist and they live –– travel, work, family, favorite for two and a half years. She and her port your entrepreneurial ventures! in Wellesley, Mass., with their boys, Jason Saretsky, Columbia memories, anything you husband, have two I’m excited to report that I joined Jonah (7), Eli (4) and Ari (2). want to share. Your classmates want children, Olivia and Owen. the board of The Roger Lehecka Ksusha McCormick (née to hear from you! Also, now seems a perfect time Double Discovery Center, a Colum- Boutov) has lived in Harlem for six to mention that our esteemed cor- bia-based nonprofit whose mission years and works for an investment Adrienne Carter, respondent, is is to increase high school gradua- firm specializing in distressed and 1999 going to be making a big move. As tion rates and college enrollment niche credit. With Sean she has two of this fall, she’ll head up the Asia for low-income and first-generation daughters, 4 and a half and 1 and a Adrienne Carter and desk for The New York Times, and so college-bound students in Harlem half. “Our eldest is starting kinder- Jenna Johnson she’ll be moving to Hong Kong. and Washington Heights. Roger garten this fall at P.S. 145, a Russian [email protected] Meanwhile, we’ve been filing Lehecka ’67, GSAS’74, our former dual-language elementary school on [email protected] these reports for about four years, so dean of students, helped found DDC the Upper West Side,” Ksusha writes. it’s about time we graduate and pass in 1965, and it has since helped more She never imagined her kids could Dear classmates, on a gorgeous the duties to some fresh-eyed class- than 15,000 students! Each year, 90 get a Russian language education in Saturday night in June we made mate. Our goal was to reach out to percent of DDC high school seniors a public school, “but living in New the journey back to those beloved all of you listed in the current class graduate on time and attend college. York is a gift that keeps on giving!” old Steps for a bit of catch-up and contacts spreadsheet, and we’re very Please consider supporting DDC. In engagement news, con- reunion. It’s been 20 YEARS. Some nearly there. So we’ve earned our A gift to DDC will count as your gratulations to Andres Zuleta, who folks are still spry enough to dance graduation, yes? If you’re interested annual gift to Columbia. You can proposed to Christina Soto in San under the stars (though it is, more in becoming the class correspon- learn more (and make a contribu- Diego with a surprise all-female than ever, ill-advised to wear heels on dent, send a note to us at the email tion) at ddc.college.columbia.edu. mariachi band. College Walk). Among those spotted addresses at the top of this column, Thanks, and look forward to Genevieve Thornton lives in Laurent Vasilescu, in attendance: or to CCT’s Class Notes editor, hearing from you! the West Village with her 3-and-a- Martin Mraz, Brad Neuberg, Annie Sirju, at [email protected]. half-year-old identical twins (Class of Chris Schettino, Sameer Shamsi, 2038?) and continues to be involved Andrew Chen, Laura Colarusso, 2001 with the Columbia College Alumni Sahil Godiwala, Wendy Liu, 2000 Association. She encourages everyone Stephen McGrath, Andrew Park, Jonathan Gordin to donate to Columbia and to mentor Anna Remet, Dominique Sasson, REUNION 2020 [email protected] a current CC student (college.colum- Stacy Rotner, Adam Spiewak, JUNE 4–6 bia.edu/alumni/odyssey-mentoring)! Nina Tannenbaum, Sally Woo , Events and Programs Contact Hello, CC’01 –– hope you all had Caitlin Schrein, David Schach [email protected] an excellent summer! Please take SEAS’99 Jason Saretsky. and Development Contact a minute to share your news. Your Everyone was in good spirits, though [email protected] classmates want to hear from you! many were missed. We toasted every one of you and hope you’ll make the Prisca Bae trek for the 25th. [email protected] 2002 In non-reunion news, Patrick Radden Keefe has another book to Nick Dierman has lived in Los Sonia Dandona Hirdaramani Submit add to his “also by” page. Say Nothing: Angeles for 16 years, practicing as [email protected] A True Story of Murder and Memory an in-house attorney. He recently Your in Northern Ireland, was published by left his role as senior corporate Hope everyone enjoyed the summer! in February and has received raves counsel at Westfield, the shopping Albert Lee SEAS’02 was selected Photo from a range of readers and reviews center development company, to as a 2019 NextGen institutional CCT welcomes Class Notes –– from Gillian Flynn to Colum join Maryland-based Federal Realty investor by Chief Investment Officer photos that feature at McCann to the Wall Street Journal to Investment Trust as its chief West magazine (formerly its “40 Under least two College alumni. Entertainment Weekly to The New York Coast counsel, based in El Segundo, 40” list). Times. [Editor’s note: See “Columbia Calif. Nick’s partner, James, and their New book alert! Reclaiming Her Click “Contact Us” at Forum,” Spring 2019.] blended family of three dogs live in Time, is a deep dive into the life, wis- college.columbia.edu/cct. At reunion, we caught up with Miracle Mile. Nick is in touch with dom, wit and legacy of American icon Brad Neuberg, Lauren DeMille, Jennifer Glaser, who started a Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), and is

74 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

promoted to managing editor. When Please send in updates, as we an invitation to the Columbia com- 2003 I started in 2005, I was one of five want to hear from as many folks as munity to engage with us! Learn employees in a small office in Chicago. possible. Career and family updates more at refugeeinvestments.org.” Michael Novielli Today, Pitchfork is part of Condé are always fun, but also feel free From Tanya Franklin: “I’m [email protected] Nast and has a staff of 50. I have an to share about trips you might running for school board for Los office in One World Trade Center, take, events you have attended or Angeles Unified. Los Angeles Uni- Our classmates continue to have an overlooking the Statue of Liberty.” are looking forward to, or even fied School District is the second- impact on a variety of industries, Stacey-Ann Johnson writes, interesting books or shows you have largest school district in the country, including higher education and “My husband, Yves Noel, and I were come across. You can send updates and it’s where I grew up, where I entertainment. We are also excited blessed with a little girl, Maya- either via the email address at the taught for five years with Teach For to learn about additions to a number Simone Noel, in December 2018. top of the column or through the America after graduation and where of classmate families. Please remem- We got married in October 2017. CCT Class Notes webform, college. I’ve been working since 2011 with ber that I’m happy to include an Also, Gladys Chang got married in columbia.edu/cct/submit_class_note. the Partnership for Los Angeles update about anything that’s new in May of this year to Andrew Ho. The Schools, aiming to transforming your lives –– it need not necessarily wedding was officiated by Simone some of the highest-need schools in be a new job or baby; you can share Sebastian and attended by Diane 2005 the district.” about a new volunteer gig, a recent Webber SEAS’03.” Please take a moment to share trip you took or even restaurant/bar Paul Morton writes, “I received REUNION 2020 your news. We would love to hear recommendations. I hope to hear a Ph.D. in cinema studies from the JUNE 4–6 from you! from you soon! University of Washington last year. Events and Programs Contact Adam Libove writes, “I’m I will soon be a lecturer at the Uni- [email protected] delighted to report that on April 28 versity of Washington. I frequently Development Contact 2006 at 7:09 a.m. my wife, Barbara, gave publish my work at the Los Angeles [email protected] birth to our daughter, Maya Sasha, Review of Books.” Michelle Oh Sing who weighed in at 7 lbs., 6 oz., and Mark J. Mann is an assistant Columbia College Today [email protected] was 19 inches long. Mom, baby and professor in the urology department [email protected] brother Aaron are doing great!” at Thomas Jefferson University. Wishing the members of the Class Oscar Chow writes, “My wife Katie Benvenuto BUS’12 Happy fall, CC’05. The 15-year of 2006 a happy and healthy fall. and I welcomed twin boys, Axel and continues to serve alma mater as the reunion will be here in June, so mark Please take a moment to share your Elliott, on September 21, 2018. Our senior executive director for devel- your calendars now! news with the class by sending an daughter, Kiva (3), now loves her opment for Columbia College, Arts Brendon-Jeremi Jobs writes, email to [email protected]. brothers very much.” & Sciences and Athletics. “I have had so many opportuni- Andrea Paul (née Herbst) ties to really drive my inclusion writes, “My husband, Jacques Paul work to some unexpected spaces 2007 SEAS’03, and I live in Somerville, 2004 since attending Harvard’s Gradu- Mass., and I am in-house corporate ate School of Education’s Race David D. Chait and securities counsel at Akebia Jaydip Mahida Equity & Leadership workshop [email protected] Therapeutics in Cambridge. We [email protected] in the spring. I sat for two podcast have two young daughters who just interviews related to the work of Thank you, everyone, for sharing started at a French-English bilingual I hope this issue finds everyone well equity, inclusion and social justice in your exciting news. Now for exciting school. We would love to reconnect and that those of you who were able schools. The themes I’ve been think- updates from our classmates! with classmates who come through to attend Reunion Weekend 2019 ing about are ‘Practicing Habits for Rebecca Boti (née Liu) shares, the Boston area!” had a great time. It was fun catching Engaging the Racial Elephant’ and “With heavy heart we left our per- Beth Mickle writes, “I’m the up with so many old friends –– and ‘Storytelling as Empowerment in fect Brooklyn apartment and made production designer on a (pretty big!) I think we will all fondly remember Schools.’ The first –– with German- the great migration to the suburbs of movie for Warner Bros./DC Comics, Steph Lung’s speech for many, town Radio’s ‘The (Not So) Hidden Westchester this year. As we settle The Suicide Squad — a reboot of the many years to come. Agenda’ –– focused on storytelling into our new existence and plug comic book movie franchise. James Christine Luu writes, “Recently as empowerment in schools. The into the local network, we would be Gunn is our director. And in Novem- moved to Agoura Hills, Calif., with second –– on Third Space with Jen excited to connect with fellow alums ber, I have another movie coming out my wife, Lindsay, and started a job Cort –– offered space for me to and families here. Please reach out!” that I production designed last year, at DC Entertainment (home of DC reflect on the role of the diversity David Greenhouse writes, Motherless Brooklyn. It was written Comics and a subsidiary of Warner director in schools. This past sum- “My wife, Emily, and I are happy and directed by Edward Norton, who Bros.) in Burbank as a director of mer I attended the Teachers College to report the birth of our daughter, is also the lead actor in the film. It’s business affairs. I can’t believe it’s Reimagining Education Conference Elleda Louise, on May 29 in Berlin.” based on the Jonathan Lethem novel been 15 years since we graduated. before heading to San Diego with Philippa Warodell writes, by the same name.” Hope to catch up sometime. Send- my partner to visit my littlest sister, “We continue to live happily in Amy Phillips writes, “I recently ing everyone good wishes.” who is training in the Navy.” Stockholm, and I am working for celebrated four years of marriage Rachel Neugarten writes, “After From John Kluge: “In June, H&M’s new advanced analytics and to my husband, Elia Einhorn. Our seven years living and working in I formally launched the Refugee AI function. Hoping to get to New daughter, Alana Conwy Ann Phil- Washington, D.C., I am moving Investment Network, the first York during my maternity leave, but lips (we call her Conwy), is 2. We to Ithaca, N.Y., to begin a Ph.D. impact investing and blended traveling with two children under 3 live in Brooklyn. program in the natural resources finance collaborative dedicated to is looking daunting ….” “August 1 marked my 14-year department at Cornell University. I durable solutions to forced migra- Josie Raymond JRN’08 (née anniversary at the music website welcome any CC alums to visit; let’s tion. This is truly a global, all-hands- Swindler) shares “I finished my Pitchfork. Earlier this year, I was hike some gorges!” on-deck effort, so I’d love to extend first session as a Kentucky State

Fall 2019 CCT 75 Class Notes

Also congratulations to Jia Guo Michael Emerson and Adina BUS’15, who shares, “My husband, Bitton BC’08 are moving to Jeru- Wei Ke SEAS’03, BUS’09, and I are salem, Israel, with their daughters, very excited to announce the arrival Maayan, Lital and Keren. Michael of our baby boy, Theo, born on June spent three years working for The 27 at over 7 lbs. and 20 inches long. Wexner Foundation as director He is happy, healthy and eagerly of the Wexner Service Corps, a exploring the world.” teen service-learning fellowship in Alex Gartenfeld is artistic direc- Columbus, Ohio. Look them up tor at the Institute of Contemporary next time you’re in Israel and sched- Art, Miami. He recently organized ule a coffee date to catch up. major exhibitions and catalogues for Ashleigh Aviles earned a BERNARDO Ettore Sottsass and Paulo Nazareth. master’s in human development and FRANK BAEZ Forthcoming are first museum family science from the University JOE D e Eric Bondarsky ’07 (left), Ezra Dweck surveys for Sterling Ruby and Allan of Texas at Austin in her doctoral Kaitlyn DeBernardo (née Busler) ’10 ’97 (center) and Bashar Mourad McCollum. Alex has edited 20 program this past spring. and Ralph DeBernardo ’09 at their in December at an event hosted catalogues during the past two years, Dan Amrhein is moving with his daughter’s July 14 baptism at Our by NYU Langone Orthopedic Lady of Good Counsel Church in added 100 works to the museum’s wife, Melissa, and infant daughter Pulmonary Associates. Washington Township, N.J. collection and led a successful cam- from Seattle to Boulder in October. paign for ICA Miami’s launch. Dan spent the last decade (?!) Great work, Alex! researching the physics of the oceans Representative both more frustrated Thanks to all who wrote! Please and climate, which included a hometown of Indianapolis. The and more determined than ever. The take a moment to share your news couple of swashbuckling sea voyages couple met after college through majority passed unconstitutional in an upcoming issue by writing but mostly involved using climate a mutual friend from Columbia, bills that will be struck down in to the email address at the top of models to study Earth’s geologic and worked backward to figure out court and did little to improve the the column. past. In Boulder he will work at the they’d attended all the same dinner daily life of the average Kentuck- National Center for Atmospheric parties at Potluck House. Alumni in Rahel Aima, ian. I continue to build a coalition Research. He is looking forward to attendance included Becky Davies, Megan Eardley, supporting pre-K for all and full-day 2009 hiking the Rockies, building a pizza Kabita Parajuli, Kate Redburn, kindergarten, the single most impor- oven and somehow morphing into a Laura Seidman, Salman Somjee, tant investments we can make for Chantee Dempsey ripped triathlete, like everyone else stronger communities.” [email protected] in that town. Jonathan Battat SEAS’09, John Ralph DeBernardo and Kaitlyn Klopfer ’09, Jardine Wall ’09 and David Derish (who earned an Busler DeBernardo ’10 welcomed Dave Plotz ’06. Laura Weldon 2008 M.F.A. from the School of the Art Charlotte Mia into the world on writes, “I still Institute of Chicago in 2015) is the April 14. Ralph shares, “Charlotte have one more year to go to finish Columbia College Today recipient of a 2019–20 award from came in at a solid 8 lbs. and almost my medical degree, but I received [email protected] the inaugural grant program of The 21 inches long, solidifying her as an M.S. in integrative mental health Cooper Union to develop a multi- a future Columbia Lion volley- this past June! I am a neurodiversity Happy fall, CC’08! media resource to assist students in ball player –– Class of 2042! We advocate and am researching autism.” Vedia Eidel- Kaitlyn DeBernardo Congratulations to establishing an independent, envi- celebrated her baptism along with and Ralph man Vlad Eidel- (née Biton) and ronmentally responsible studio art godfather Gene Kaskiw on July DeBernardo ’09 welcomed their man SEAS’08, who welcomed a practice. He is the studio manager 14 at home in New Jersey. We had first child, Charlotte Mia, on April baby boy in August 2018! for the Painting Department. multiple CC grads in attendance, 14, weighing 8 lbs. and measuring including Gary Mesko and Megan 20.75 inches long. On July 14, she Donovan ’10.” was baptized in New Jersey, where Please send any life updates to be Gene Kaskiw ’09 was named her included in an upcoming issue! godfather. Charlotte is already mea- Holler at Us suring off the charts and her parents are hoping she will be a Columbia in Haiku! 2010 athlete like they were! Morgan Parker’s debut young Core, one hundred years! REUNION 2020 adult novel, Who Put This Song On?, What’s a fun way to note it? JUNE 4–6 will be published in September. Her Events and Programs Contact third collection of poetry, Magical Poetry from you. [email protected] Negro, was released earlier this year. Development Contact In June, Michael Bossetta We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would [email protected] completed a Ph.D. in the political love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But science department at the University Julia Feldberg Klein there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your of Copenhagen. His research [email protected] examines social media’s impact on 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and politics and elections. Michael will we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. Jordan Fraade and Emma Curran continue his research during a two- Hulse ’09 were married on June 2 in year postdoctoral fellowship at Lund Brown County, Ind., near Emma’s University in Sweden, where he is

76 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews leading the project “Self-Effects said. ‘People are just drawn to him. Teacher and then a Founding Sci- on Social Media and Political He is an extraordinary human being.’ ence Teacher for grades K-2. He Polarization.” Using data from the “Trevis, 30, passed away Thursday, later worked as a Second Grade 2019 European elections, the project May 9, 2019, at Northside Hospital Teacher at KIPP Ignite Academy in investigates whether posting about in Atlanta, Ga., after years of living South Los Angeles after moving to politics on social media encourages his life joyfully and valiantly in the California. Throughout his teaching the polarization of public opinion. face of a terrible cancer and in defi- career, Trevis made a point of reach- The project was awarded a Seal ance of its attempt to define him. ing out to the students who needed of Excellence from the European “‘If you knew Trev, I know him most. The mother of one of Commission and is funded by you loved him,’ his wife, Maxine his students commented, ‘Trevis Sweden’s Innovation Agency. You Welcome-Joyner, wrote. ‘My heart is meant the world to me and mine. can find out more about Michael’s breaking for all the people who will be He is forever in our hearts. Know research by checking out his podcast, saddened by the passing of him. Let that his time here in New York was Social Media and Politics. grief take you where you need to go, well spent impacting so many young but also be joyous. He was joyous and minds. He is forever a part of our Columbia varsity soccer teammates laughing to the very end, and I know family.’ Another parent wrote, ‘Tre- Nick Faber ’12, Zach Glubiak ’12, 2011 he would want everyone else to be.’ vis was my daughter’s kindergarten Will Young ’13, Nick Scott ’13, Ronnie “Trevis was not only a son, teacher in 2013 at KIPP in NYC. Shaban SEAS’12, Jesse Vella Nuriel Moghavem and husband, and brother, but also a She loved him and had a special SEAS’12, Francois Anderson ’12, Sean Udell teacher, mentor and friend. He was bond with him. He was so good to Henning Sauerbier ’14 and Michael [email protected] a graduate of Lithia Springs H.S. in her. When she heard the news he Mazzullo ’12 (along with some friends) met up to play in New York City. [email protected] Douglas County, Ga., and Columbia had passed, she was sad and calmly University in New York, where he said, ‘He taught me how to read. I Hey, 2011. It’s with a heavy heart double majored in computer science am going to miss him. He just got that we report the loss of Trevis and psychology. He also attended me.’ She was a shy student and he and former co-worker, described Glenn Welcome-Joyner. Trevis, Culver Academy in Culver, Indiana, definitely had an impact on her.’ … Trevis as ‘the rock of our friend ever the loving force, was a remark- which introduced him to the sport “Throughout his life, Trevis never group’ whose boundless love and able classmate. The void created by of fencing. He later went on to fence lost his thirst for learning. He was a enthusiasm for food, music, and his death this past May will be felt in college and was a member of the deep thinker with an intellectual curi- children left a deep impression on in our community for a lifetime. Columbia Fencing Team when they osity that drew people in and encour- all who knew him. ‘Eight years was We remember Trevis by dedicating won the Ivy League Championship aged dialog. When others spoke, Trevis not enough time to have known you, this column to his memory. The in 2008. let them know he was listening. … my friend. We had a lot more living following (from which excerpts were “Trevis was a dedicated teacher “‘It was hard for anyone to meet to do,’ she wrote. ‘In his honor, talk pulled) was originally published on and most recently worked as a him and not love him right away,’ to a stranger, try a new food, laugh the website for the Cremation Soci- second-grade intervention specialist wrote Helen Werbe, one of Trevis’s with your children, dance. Live life ety of Georgia. The excerpts have at KIPP Strive Primary School, a close friends from college. ‘In fact, I to the fullest, because we know that’s been reprinted with its permission. public charter school in Atlanta’s have so many friends and family he what he would be doing.’ “Trevis Glenn Welcome-Joyner Westside neighborhood. He began met over the years on who he made “After his passing, Tracie received had the kind of warmth of personal- his career in education at KIPP such positive impressions that they, this message from someone she had ity that inspired and changed the AMP Elementary School in even if they had only met him once, never met, ‘You don’t know me, but I people around him, from small chil- Brooklyn, New York, where he was would continue to ask how he was recently heard the news about Trevis. dren to people decades older. ‘He is a Founding Kindergarten Teacher, doing. To me, this was incredible. What I will always remember about magnetic,’ his mother, Tracie Joyner, followed by a Founding First Grade No one else would be remembered him is his joy – his joy in people, his like that.’ … joy in food, music, dance, everything. “Trevis faced a devastating Trevis inspired everyone he met to be diagnosis in the fall of 2015, but a better person, and also to live life rather than allowing it to shatter with joy. He inspires me! I will live him, he chose to embrace a new my life as joyfully as I can, because phase of life. He moved to Los that’s what Trevis would do!’” Angeles with Maxine, he traveled, read, ate and loved. When he and Maxine moved home to Atlanta, he 2012 drove cross country with his younger brother, Hayden. To the delight of Sarah Chai friends and family, he and Maxine [email protected] were married in December 2018 in a ceremony that the two of them cre- Hey, all! Hope you had a great sum- ated. Trevis’s vows to Maxine were mer and are looking forward to fall! largely improvised. When he spoke A core group of some Columbia from his heart, Maxine’s tears were varsity men’s soccer teammates play in joined by those in attendance, many New York every Saturday, but on one of whom traveled across the country summer weekend some additional A group of CC’11 classmates at graduation (left to right): Dave Feig, Jonathan to witness this special union. guys were in town for a wedding. Tanners, Dhruv Vasishtha, Louis Fisher, Trevis Welcome-Joyner, Javed Basu- “In an online remembrance, Nick Faber, Zach Glubiak, Will Kesselman, Ben Berger, Mujib Mashal and Sam Frank. Claire Turner, another college friend Young ’13, Nick Scott ’13, Ronnie

Fall 2019 CCT 77 Class Notes

Celebrations CCT welcomes wedding photos where at least one 1 member of the couple is a College alum. Please submit 2 your high-resolution photo, and caption information, on our photo webform. In this issue, we also highlight three engagements of couples in which both alumni are 1. James Glynn ’15 and Lisa 4. Taylor Willis (née Troutt) ’18 College grads. Congratulations! Harshman ’15 recently got married Titus Willis ’18 in Gadsden, engaged. Ala., on August 11, 2018. Left to right: Jesse Thorson ’18, Saúl De 2. Jeanine Alvarez ’14 and Mycheal La O Villa SEAS’18, the groom, Crafton SEAS’14 got engaged in the bride, Rebecca Ohaeri ’18 and June at the American Museum Rachel Lipski BC’18. of Natural History. In attendance to celebrate were friends Nelson 5. Many CC alumni gathered Castaño ’14, Cathi Choi ’13, Johnny at the August 2018 wedding of Fells III SEAS’16, Akinyele Jordan Jenieve Guevarra-Fernández ’12 ’15 and Jachele Vélez ’11. and Amín Guevarra-Fernández ’11 in Elizabeth, N.J. First row, left to 3. On August 25, 2018, Alisa right: Christina Ortiz ’12, Alejandro Parker ’07 (née Gross) married Hal Ortiz SEAS’15, Melanie Ortiz, Parker in Philadelphia. Top row, Ximena Fonseca BC’15, Jasmine left to right: Chris Danzig GS’05, Ruiz BC’15, Christina Gee BC’14, the Sari Linson Danzig SEAS’06, Ellie bride, the groom, Steven Martinez Bernick BC’11, Carey Gibbons ’11, Robert Taronji, Eric Kay Kyere ’03, Max Talbot-Minkin ’07, Risa ’12 and Richard Parraga SEAS’14. Chubinsky ’07, Susan Millenky ’07, Second row, left to right: Christian 3 Roger Stefin ’75 LAW’79, Katie Morales SEAS’14, Ernesto Jacobs SWEETWATER PORTRAITS SWEETWATER Kluger Kenigsberg BC’07, Kwame SEAS’13, Johanna Miele ’12, Julian Spearman ’06 and Laura Lariu Vigil SEAS’17, Andrew Padilla, Doric Roberts ’06. Bottom row, left to Sam and Lucelys Popoter BC’14. right: Ruth Gross (Alisa’s niece), the Third row, left to right: Carolina bride, Professor Emeritus Jonathan Stairs GSAS’13, Emmanuel Arnaud Gross, Rena Gross ’02 and Andrew ’13, Juan Carlos Garcia SEAS’12, Napier LAW’13. Brian Velez SEAS’14, Gilbert Nunez ’13, Elizabeth Angeles ’13, Michael Barrientos SEAS ’12 and Michael 4 Elias SEAS’15. Forth row, left to right: Jibreel Adekiigbe SEAS’14, JINNY K PHOTOGRAPHY 5 Jason Tejada ’13 and Jose Escano.

6. Andrew Ren ’15 and Sida Li ’15 got engaged on April 26.

6

MICHELLE VARELA OF OCEANLAB STUDIOS

VICTOR N. 78 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Shaban SEAS’12, Jesse Vella missed and remembered by the SEAS’12, Francois Anderson, Columbia community. Robert Sigmon: Henning Sauerbier ’14 and Michael “I’m confident Mazzullo were able to catch up over there has never been anyone quite like the game! Brian DeVeau. I was fortunate enough I hope to hear from the rest of to befriend Brian as an incoming you soon. You can submit updates freshman at Columbia when he by writing to me at the address at was still entrenched in his phase of the top of the column or via the oversized sweatpants, buzz cuts and CCT Class Notes webform, college. carrying around a gallon of water columbia.edu/cct/submit_class_note. everywhere he went. It didn’t take long Until next time! for him to become one of the most beloved individuals in the program and one of my closest friends. He 2013 didn’t need many words (and even fewer over text messages) to make Tala Akhavan his mark on those he cared about. He [email protected] led by example on and off the field by Left to right, Shad Sommers ’13, Seyi Adebayo ’14, Cameron Ross ’13, Ryan showing an unbreakable commitment Murphy ’13, Xander Frantz SEAS’13 and Brian DeVeau ’13. It is with a heavy heart that we to his teammates, friends and family. dedicate this quarter’s Class of 2013 He was the ultimate teammate and column to the memory of Brian a brother to many on the team, DeVeau, who sadly passed away on including me. Through college stories, and I probably have enough been the same had I never met June 23, 2019. and two years of rooming together anecdotes to fill the magazine. I Brian. I cannot think about my time Brian was a beloved member of afterward, he taught me the value will summarize by saying that I will at Columbia without thinking of the class and a devoted player on the and importance of being authentic. always remember Brian as three Brian’s presence in all of it. From our varsity football team. He majored in Brian was never afraid to be himself, things: a great teammate, a special first days of moving in to Carman economics and, in football, he played and that’s what made people gravi- person and an incredible friend. Hall to going out to Senior Nights defensive back and offensive slot back. tate toward him. You will always be “Brian was a tremendous team- together, Brian was an integral part Many classmates remember Brian’s missed and loved, Bri.” mate. He loved football, always of everything on and off the field. Sean Brackett: signature bright smile lighting up our “Brian was a put the team first, and displayed Among the many memories, I will campus. He was an investment analyst great friend, teammate, roommate a tireless work ethic. In the locker always remember living down the with Merrill Lynch before becoming and even better person. We ‘grew up’ room, he was revered and loved by hall from him in Broadway over the an associate investment banker with together, from 17/18-year-old public all of his teammates. He even saved summer going into our senior year, Mizuho Bank. Most recently, Brian school freshmen with no idea about my butt (and his!) one day when we hanging out on Saturday nights after was the managing director of mergers our futures, to Ivy League graduates. both walked to the bus together for wins and losses with our teammates and acquisitions at Taylored Services, Literally every time I saw Brian, he practice, only to realize that there and the time spent at his family’s a portfolio company of Saybrook brought a smile to my face. Whether was no bus and that none of our home in New Jersey. I will always Corporate Opportunity Funds, while it was his choice of style/fashion (or teammates were standing at 116th treasure the countless hours we spent pursuing an M.B.A. lack thereof as an underclassman!) and Broadway. While I was already together and our friendship over all In memory of Brian, we’ve col- or his unique phrases and sayings running through the many different these years. Brian represented the lected thoughts, memories and short that he was so known for, he was horrible scenarios of how we would very best of Columbia and I know stories about him from members of always in good spirits and showing be penalized for being late, Brian I join all of my classmates and all of the Class of 2013. He will be deeply his positive light to others. He was hailed a cab for us and told the my teammates in saying that we will a fierce competitor in everything cab driver we were late to practice. miss him deeply.” he did; football, working out, in the Incredibly, we somehow made it to Nicholas Mills: “Brian and I classroom. Brian was always going Baker on time to quickly get dressed were Carman 12 suitemates; we to give his absolute best. I will miss along with our teammates, many of shared the suite with both Steve his laugh, his positive energy and just whom were already in their pads. I Santos and Sean Brackett. talking to my boy. I’m blessed to have can say I was never late for anything “One of my first memories of made so many great, crazy, hilarious, in four years because of Brian! Brian was teaching him how to awesome memories with him. He “Beyond football, Brian was a do laundry in the sub-basement of Submit will always live on through these special person and a terrific friend. Carman. I recall him knocking on memories. Rest easy, my brother. I He was a great man from a great my door to ask for help; he took Your love you. Roar, Lion, Roar forever.” family. His trademark smile and me to the washer he had previously Andrew Weiss: “Because we both vibrant laugh will not be forgotten run a batch of clothes through and Photo played football, Brian was one of the by those who knew him. He was asked why they weren’t clean. I then CCT welcomes Class Notes first people I met at Columbia. We incredibly selfless and eventually I asked if he put laundry detergent in photos that feature at grew up about 15 minutes away from came to realize that his frustrating before he ran the washer, to which least two College alumni. each other in New Jersey and even text message exchanges –– with he responded ‘no.’ I knew right then played football against each other one-word questions or comments I had my work cut out for me. Click “Contact Us” at when we were younger. When you –– were simply his way of checking “Brian and I hung out when we college.columbia.edu/cct. spend nearly every day with someone in on those he cared about. could; I remember he had originally for four years, you cannot help but “But above all, my college experi- started college as a pre-med student acquire countless memories and ence, and my life, would not have and we had similar class schedules.

Fall 2019 CCT 79 Class Notes

there for you. His smile and laugh explain the laughter and moments could brighten up a room and he we shared, but I will always hold will be deeply missed by many.” them close to my heart. Bob Hauschildt ’12: “Brian was “I am sending my prayers, love one of the hardest working people and best Brian smile to you and your I’ve ever met. He would put his family. Nothing will replace your heart and soul into every single loss, but you filled us all with great thing he did. His intensity was joy that we will have forever.” unwavering, whether it be on the Sabaah Jordan: “Sending all football field, in the classroom or my love to the friends and family simply tossing a ball around. But the of Brian DeVeau. He was a truly thing I’ll remember most is he did awesome guy, always kind and funny, all of this with a massive smile that always working hard in the gym. He went from ear to ear. Brian smiled was one of the people who made my with his whole body and that will Columbia experience memorable in always stay with me. Brian was a the best way. I am deeply saddened great teammate and a better friend and know his loss will be a heavy and he will be sorely missed.” weight on everyone who knew him.” Maria Sulimirski: “I will always remember Brian’s kind eyes and big smile. He had the same sweet pres- 2014 ence in our elementary and middle school classrooms in Kinnelon, N.J., Rebecca Fattell as he did when we crossed paths [email protected] JJ5 freshman floormates met up at their fifth reunion this past June. Left to again moving into Carman a few right: Alexander Pensler ’14, Suhas Thalapaneni ’14, Kevin Zhang ’14, Nick years later. Sending all of my love It was wonderful to see so many Parker ’14, Jonathan Hofman ’14, Solomon Hoffman ’14, Joel Camacho ’14, and prayers to his beautiful family.” of you at our five-year reunion! It’s Dana Benami ’14, Yaas Bigdeli SEAS’14, Anthony Ramirez ’14, Nim Gumaste ’14, Andrew Heinrich: “Brian was, hard to believe that five years have Sarita Patankar ’14, Rebecca Fattell ’14 and Vikas Vavilala ’14. above all, a great teammate. He passed since graduation. Our JJ5 cared deeply about all of us, and was freshman floor did an excellent job always fun to be around. What I of finding each other for a picture, We definitely spent a NYE together had a natural curiosity about things, remember most about Brian is how and I got to see Alexander Pensler, in NYC, though I can’t recall the albeit I had a hard time discern- he continued to be a great ‘team- Suhas Thalapaneni, Kevin locale. He had his group of football ing when he was being genuine or mate’ even after our final game. Brian Zhang, Nick Parker, Jonathan players and I had my group of sarcastic. I assumed the latter almost always took interest in what we were Hofman, Solomon Hoffman, wrestlers but we were certainly always yet entertained his inquiries. doing and did his utmost to support Joel Camacho, Dana Benami, friends. He honestly didn’t go out He was a good friend.” us. Nothing epitomizes Brian more Yaas Bigdeli SEAS’14, Anthony much, but I do remember one night Cameron Ross: “Brian was than the texts I would get with ideas Ramirez, Nim Gumaste, Sarita at the now-throwback Campo; he a great classmate, teammate and he had for me to use at work or when Patankar and Vikas Vavilala. wasn’t afraid to dance but he was friend. His strong work ethic built he would show up to my work events Roniquee Marksman had a great wonderfully awkward at it. His smile through sports carried over into just to show his support. I think my time catching up with classmates at was absolutely contagious and he his personal life. He was loyal to a ultimate memory of Brian is him reunion! After three years at Ember laughed a sort of laugh that was fault once you got to know him and tracking me down in Ferris our junior Charter School in Brooklyn, she will distinguishable from thousands. He a genuine person who was always year with notes he had written out be pursuing a master’s in Chicago. If with ideas for how to take something I was working on to the next level.” Ashley Zambito: “Brian, you always made a room shine, and Holler at Us you will forever shine down on us. Your caring heart exhibited such in Haiku! brilliance and you were loved just as much, if not more, in return. Core, one hundred years! “I for one, will always remember What’s a fun way to note it? our special times at Columbia. I enjoyed learning more about you Poetry from you. each year as our major, sports and general interests fueled our friend- We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would ship. As you tended to keep quiet love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But around most, I knew you to be there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your incredibly caring and that you were always there for me, your teammates 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and and your friends. From our fun trips we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. downtown, to our almost daily study Karina Brasgalla ’15 (left), Chris sessions, to doing our best to enjoy Canales ’14 (center) and Nora Rose all of our econ classes, words can’t BC’15 played trivia in El Paso, Texas.

80 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Here’s what some of our friends submit updates to Class Notes by have been up to lately: writing me at the address at the top Another reason to thank Colum- of the column or via the CCT Class bia Housing: Sida Li and Andrew Notes webform, college.columbia. Ren got engaged in New York City edu/cct/submit_class_note. on April 26. They met on campus and were RAs together! Lisa Harshman and James 2016 Glynn have also recently gotten engaged! Congratulations! Lily Liu-Krason Courtney Garrity is 700 miles [email protected] into thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail! She writes, “I did the first Hey, CC’16! From talking to many 550 on my own and am now hiking of you at Reunion Weekend 2019, the next 400 with a research group it seems we’ve all been pretty busy! conducting avian, herptile, vegeta- Here are some highlights: tion and eDNA surveys through the From Tyler Huyser: “Being bira- southern Sierra Nevadas.” cial, I’ve always been asked, ‘What Stella Zhao let us know that are you?’ Confused by the question CC’15 friends recently traveled to Chicago to visit Bitania Wondimu. Left to Esme Levy founded a clothing and the frequency with which it was right: Wondimu, Vishal Alluri, Kareem Carryl and Mihika Barua. company that mainly designs yoga asked sparked a desire in me to learn pants that makes leg prints of about the racialized and cultural insects as the yoga pant print to raise experiences of others from an early you are in the area and would like to Chris Canales is chief of staff awareness for vulnerable ecosystems. age. After completing my film degree Kristine connect, let her know. to Rep. Cissy Lizarraga in El Paso, Stella also let us know that at Columbia and moving south to Sam Kazer Musademba, Chloe Durkin and Julia Sayles and a professional soccer referee and begin a career in the burgeoning Esme Levy BC’14 were married overlooking in the USL Championship (the flew to Houston for 48 Georgia film industry, this fascination the Long Island Sound in New second division in the United States hours to cheer her on for her first was transformed into action when Rochelle, N.Y., on July 13. The and Canada, one level below Major crochet competition. Fun fact: The the hateful dialogue of the 2016 couple met at a Musical Mentors League Soccer). He recently got event lasted 14 hours with 68 meters election grew deafening. I sought to party thrown in Sam’s Ruggles suite engaged to Nora Rose BC’15, and of yarn. Her friends stayed for the compile the stories of others with the during their junior year. Sam taught they plan to tie the knot in NYC whole event! intention of creating a platform to Julia how to play beer pong, and next year. They’ve also formed a pub And a quick update from me: I share them with the world. the two bonded over playing Cards trivia triad, Updog, with Karina recently traveled to Chicago with “The project morphed from a Mihika Barua Vishal Alluri Against Humanity. Now living in Brasgalla ’15, and they love to and for simple interview series (à la Humans Bitania Boston, Sam and Julia fill their time host visiting Columbia friends in a weekend of fun visiting of New York) into a virtual reality Wondimu, outside lab and teaching with pub the Borderland to help them crush who is attending North- project, Walk In My Shoes. It has trivia, MasterChef, home brewing the competition. western University Feinberg School since blossomed into a media com- and making music. of Medicine. pany that links innovative technol- Jeanine Alvarez and Mycheal As always, your classmates want ogy with storytelling media in order Crafton SEAS’14, SEAS’17 got 2015 to hear from you. Please be sure to to create high-impact platforms engaged this June at the American Museum of Natural History. There REUNION 2020 to celebrate were a few of their clos- JUNE 4–6 est friends, Nelson Castaño, Cathi Events and Programs Contact Choi ’13, Johnny Fells III SEAS’16, [email protected] Akinyele Jordan ’15 and Jachele Development Contact Vélez ’11, LAW’17. [email protected] Finn Vigeland graduated in May from the Harvard Graduate School Kareem Carryl of Design with a master’s in urban [email protected] planning and moved to Washing- ton, D.C., in July, where he lives Hello, Class of 2015! By the time with Jay Rappaport ’18. Finn is a you read this, we will be less than transportation planner at Foursquare one year away from our five-year Integrated Transportation Planning reunion. I cannot wait to see you all in Rockville, Md. He hopes to fix there and learn more about what the MTA someday, but for now is you all been up to! But do not wait looking forward to meeting Lions in until then –– as we start to see more the D.C. area! graduations, new jobs, engagements Eric Ingram is completing a and other life happenings, please master’s degree/teaching credential write to me, or feel free to nominate program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate someone for me to reach out to! We CC’16 alumni met in April to support Madison Ford at the NYC screening School of Education to become a high would love to have more stories and of Nathan’s Kingdom, in which Ford stars. Left to right: Grayson Warrick, Dan Multer, Ford, Brandon Martinez and Lily Liu-Krason. school English teacher in California. photos for Class Notes!

Fall 2019 CCT 81 Class Notes

Ford and Brandon Martinez to know anyone there going in. よろしく support Madison in her leading role お願いします ! Brian Manzo in the film Nathan’s Kingdom at its This fall, will start New York screening. in the statistics Ph.D. program at What have you all been up to? As the University of Michigan. Brynn Harris always, write in to say hello! writes, “After graduating with an M.P.H., I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where I’m 2017 the administrative fellow for the University of Utah’s Hospitals & Carl Yin Clinics. I’m enjoying the mountains [email protected] and can’t wait to take my baby pug, Vegas, hiking with me.” Carl Yin Elle Wisnicki moved to San Diego And a note from me ( ): and became a homeowner! I am moving to the Bay Area in the Karisma Price recently completed fall, and would love to connect with a master’s program at NYU and anyone out there! graduated with an M.F.A. in poetry. This fall she is a visiting assistant pro- fessor at Tulane University. 2018 It’s been a wild year and a half Alexander Birkel and since Marina Chan’s last Class Maleeha Chida Note, thanks to a casual lunch with [email protected] her former theatre professor, Hana Phantila Phataraprasit ’16 and Caitlin de Lisser-Ellen ’16 co-founded the [email protected] Worthen. That lunch ended up sustainable furniture company Sabai Design. launching a one-year series of panel discussions conceived, curated and Thanks to everyone who sent us organized by Marina, in collaboration their exciting updates! As always, that inspire inclusivity. We recently Design. Inspired by the movement with the Barnard Theatre Depart- keep us posted about your adven- launched on social. Follow us on to rethink excessive consumption in ment and the Asia Society’s Perform- tures, big or small. Antonia Georgieva Instagram @walkinmyshoesmedia to other entrenched industries, Sabai ing Arts Department. The series, writes, “I check out our stories.” aims to challenge the fast furniture “Asian Americans in Theatre: Art and am based in London, working on an Shen Qiu successfully hit five model and make pieces that are Activism,” consisted of three panels M.F.A. in advanced theatre practice continents in a month on a work sustainable, beautiful and work with involving theater professionals and at Royal Central School of Speech trip helping Uber Eats grow its a flexible lifestyle. The “Closed Loop” scholars discussing Asian-American and Drama. Recently, I founded business globally. He lives in San program will extend the lifecycle theater, artistic identity and activism, the female-led Aslant Theatre Francisco and is looking for a of the pieces through a buy-back with an eye to expediting aware- Company, and we performed our language buddy to practice French, program, where any Sabai sofa can ness and change. The series (and a debut production, MUSE, as part Spanish and Japanese — let him be purchased back at a discount and corresponding lecture Marina gave at of the Camden Fringe Festival in know at [email protected] if sold secondhand. Follow them on Barnard) came at a ripe time, filling London in August. The show will you’re interested! Instagram @sabai.design or email in dire gaps in Marina’s knowledge transfer to the Tristan Bates Theatre Phantila Phataraprasit Cait- and them at [email protected]. and coinciding with what turned out lin de Lisser-Ellen Grayson launched their In April I went with to be a watershed year for Asian- Warrick, Dan Multer, Madison sustainable furniture company, Sabai American representation in enter- tainment. Ideally the momentum will continue, for all minorities. Now, with the series completed and having recently returned from Holler at Us a family trip (worst part: purse theft in Stockholm; best part: Rovaniemi, in Haiku! Finland, gateway to the Arctic Circle and home of Santa Claus and his Core, one hundred years! reindeer!), Marina will strive to con- What’s a fun way to note it? tribute to that momentum through playwriting and she hopes perform- Poetry from you. ing, as well, if she isn’t too rusty (see- ing as her first role was the Tin-“Gal” We’re celebrating the Core Centennial this year and would in The Wiz, in middle school!). love to hear your memories of the Core Curriculum! But Nate Barasch is moving to Tokyo there’s a catch — you need to tell us in haiku. Send your for a year at the end of September to work in the IT innovation depart- 5-7-5 recollections to [email protected], and ment in the head office of Sumitomo we’ll run our favorites in the next three issues’ Class Notes. Mitsui Banking Corp. He would love Perry Kerner ’18 (left) and for classmates who live there or will Dylan Cooper ’18 met up in Nyhavn, Copenhagen. be visiting to reach out, as he will not

82 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

go to Paris to better my French and Chiu SEAS’17, composer Julien do some ‘soul searching,’ as self-help Leitner ’20 (stage name Jude Icarus) handbooks would probably term the and line producer Lora. The project sum of my museum-going, cinema- is supported by the National Culture hunting and historic site excursions Fund of Bulgaria, Derida Dance of ambiguous nature. I enjoy the Center, and is an associated project immediate, sentimental reactions for Plovdiv 2019 - European Capital paintings and sculptures have been of Culture. Glance from the Edge is giving me. Walking in the streets of a short film about six individuals Paris, seeing a largely similar picture who find themselves swept across a of the city as Parisians during the tapestry of 12 Bulgarian landscapes Belle Epoque and stepping into pal- as they struggle to establish relation- aces that housed kings and queens ships, place and belonging. Through 400 years ago, I sense how history the medium of dance, their interwo- elevates me from a relatively mun- ven stories of growth and loss offer a dane version of life. Two months glance from the edge of the human after graduation, I feel readier for condition and its inherent dangers. my future, and I hope you do too.” Kosta and Lora graduated Dancing alumni Kosta Kara- with their degrees in dance and kashyan and Lora Beltcheva are economics/sustainable develop- collaborating on the film Glance ment, respectively. “We can’t wait from the Edge, which wrapped up for the premiere to be presented in filming this past summer across 12 Sofia and Plovdiv in autumn 2019,” cultural/historical sites in Bulgaria they shared, “The team is looking –– Sofia, Plovdiv, Prohodna cave, the for a partner for United States and Black Sea coast, Ovech Fortress and European distribution.” Members of the crew of the upcoming film Glance from the Edge, filmed in many others. Kosta is directing and Matthew Petti writes with a Bulgaria, posed in a lavender field. Included in the photograph are Kosta choreographing the film in collabo- career update: “I recently got a job Karakashyan ’19, Lora Beltcheva ’19, Stephanie Handjiiska, Kevin Chiu ration with fellow Bulgarian dancer/ as a national security reporter at The SEAS’17 and Julien Leitner ’20. choreographer Stephanie Handjiiska National Interest. My first two articles after they worked together on a were about the British ambassador’s project in Egypt last year, and Lora row with Trump, and British-Iranian for a weeklong run in November. is their invaluable line producer, tensions over oil tankers.” Josh Schenk We would love to see any Columbia 2019 making sure the budget, travel and spent the summer alumni there!” filming logistics are all in order. surfing and working with Cory Perry Kerner and Dylan REUNION 2020 Glance from the Edge is a Bulgar- Booker on his presidential campaign. Solomon Wiener Cooper started medical school in JUNE 4–6 ian-American collaboration between and several CC August at SUNY Downstate Health Events and Programs Contact co-directors and choreographers friends traveled to Thailand and visited Sciences University and Hofstra [email protected] Kosta and Stephanie, DoP Kevin Ayutthaya, an old Siamese capital. University, respectively. Before all Development Contact the hard work began, they met up in [email protected] Nyhavn, Copenhagen! Kelly Powers is getting a Ph.D. Emily Gruber in classics at Florida State Univer- Tj Aspen Givens sity. She originally enrolled in the [email protected] master’s program there but switched [email protected] into the Ph.D. program during her second semester. Her degree track Congratulations, Class of 2019! We focuses on ancient Greek and Latin are officially alumni and are excited language and literature. Kelly’s to stay in touch. Send Class Notes areas of interest are Greek and for future issues to Emily Gruber Latin poetry, gender and sexuality and Tj Aspen Givens to either of in ancient poetry, and reception of the email addresses above. We will poetry (how later writers interact miss you all during back-to-school with and respond to earlier writers). season on Morningside Heights! This past June, Maleeha Chida Here are our first updates returned from a year in northern as alumni! Spain as a Fulbright Scholar. She Alan Blaesser is teaching sailing taught English at a secondary school lessons on the Cape. in La Rioja, Spain’s wine-growing Elise Fuller recently moved region. While she misses her school to New Jersey and is a consulting and the beauty of the northern Span- analyst at Accenture. ish landscape, she is excited to be back Heidi Hai sends an update from in New York City, where she is an Paris: “In preparation for attending Solomon Wiener ’19 (second from left) and several CC friends traveled to analyst at the law firm Kobre & Kim. NYU Law in the fall, I decided to Thailand and visited Ayutthaya, an old Siamese capital.

Fall 2019 CCT 83 obituaries

years. He published his final aca- a zoot-suited teen covering NYC 1941 1945 demic paper at 80. The last decades jazz for his high school paper and of Jacobson’s life were rich and became a serious art history student George T. “Ted” Wright, Arthur D. Taplinger, retired professor varied, even after his wife of nearly at Columbia, from the College engineer, Fort Lee, N.J., on February emeritus, Louisville, Ky., on May 1, 50 years, Guadalupe Savedra, passed through his 1966 Ph.D., earned 12, 2019. Taplinger entered with 2019. Wright was born on Staten away. With Betty Owen, he toured at GSAS. In 1960, Mount was the Class of 1941 but earned three Island, N.Y., on December 17, the Western states that she’d grown awarded a Rockefeller Foundation degrees from Columbia Engineer- 1925. He earned an M.A. in 1947 up in. Political activism was one of Fellowship to do field research on ing: a B.S. in engineering in 1943, an from GSAS and a Ph.D. in English the key values that he shared with post-WWI African art in sub- M.S. in chemical engineering in 1944 literature in 1957 from UC Berkeley. his progeny. Raised in a questioning Saharan Africa. His book African and an M.S. in mechanical engineer- Wright had a distinguished teaching Jewish household and married to a Art: The Years Since 1920 was the first ing in 1947. During his career as an career, beginning at the University Catholic, Jacobson was for 70 years volume of contemporary African instrumentation engineer, he worked of Kentucky as assistant professor, a Unitarian. He is survived by his art published in the United States. for companies such as American 1957–60, and continuing at the sons, Carlos and Ramon; daughters, Mount was an art history profes- Can Co., DuPont, Lever Brothers University of Tennessee as associate Mercedes BC’82, PS’87 and Raquel; sor and department chair at Finch and Lockwood Greene designing professor, 1961–68. He then began seven grandchildren; and two great- College, NYC, and the University control systems for plants that made a long tenure at the University of grandchildren. They provided him of Benin, Nigeria. He also taught at pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, Minnesota, where he was profes- new audiences for his old jokes, and the Fashion Institute of Technology coke (a grey, hard and porous fuel sor, Regent’s Professor, chair of in return, they were tech support (SUNY) and Washington Square with a high carbon content and few the Department of English and for his phone. Memorial contribu- College (NYU), among other impurities, made by heating coal or finally Professor Emeritus. Wright tions may be made to Union of institutions. With an FIT George oil in the absence of air) for steel received two Fulbright awards, an Concerned Scientists and CMU’s T. Dorsch Endowed Fellowship he mills, and beer, among other things. NEH Senior Research Fellowship Department of Physics. spent several months researching During WWII, he worked on the and a Guggenheim Fellowship, traditional art in the cultural festi- Manhattan Project. Taplinger loved among other honors and awards. He vals of Cameroon’s Grassfields, lead- classical music, played the violin, authored six books about poets and 1948 ing to an exhibition/catalogue at the painted and for a while in his youth poetry, including the works of Eliot, QCC Art Gallery (CUNY). Mount flew piper cub airplanes. He was a Yeats, Pound and Auden, but his Alan S. Kuller, real estate executive, also loved music, far-flung travel, longtime resident of Englewood, specialty was the examination of the Rye, N.Y., on December 7, 2018. films and cooking. His is survived by N.J., and for the last five years of his metrical qualities of Shakespeare. Kuller graduated from Erasmus Hall his wife, Caroline Katz Mount; son life lived in Fort Lee. Taplinger was Wright wrote dozens of articles in and won a Randolph Hearst Ameri- (from his previous marriage), Chris- predeceased by his wife, Estelle Pine professional journals of English, can History Award. At the College, topher ’85, and his wife, Stephanie; Taplinger, and his partner later in published about 80 poems in he edited Spectator and the Columbia and grandson, Julian. Memorial his life, Edith Woods. He is survived periodicals and published a volume, Law Review, and was a Harlan contributions may be made to the by his son, Michael ’79; daugh- Aimless Life. Wright was predeceased Fiske Stone Scholar. Kuller served in African Wildlife Foundation. ter, Susan; and the many friends, by his wife, Jerry Honeywell Wright; the Navy during WWII. He earned acquaintances and strangers whose brother, Lawrence; his sister-in-law, a degree from the Law School in lives he touched with his kindness, Joyce; sister, Norma Weaver; and 1949 and became senior VP and 1949 generosity and optimism. brother-in-law, Robert Weaver. He head of real estate for Caldor for is survived by his nephew, Raymond; many years. Intellectual curiosity, Dominick P. Purpura, physi- and nieces, Pamela Rehman, Col- humor and irreverence marked his cian, professor, researcher and leen Long and Sharon. attitude toward life. Kuller loved academic administrator, New York Obituary Submission to travel off the beaten path. He City, on May 16, 2019. Even prior Guidelines was active in his local synagogue to graduating magna cum laude Columbia College Today welcomes 1946 and played a significant role in its from Harvard Medical School in obituaries for College alumni. adult education program. Kuller 1953, Purpura was the lead author, Deaths are noted in the next Baruch S. “Barry” Jacobson, available issue in the “Other was predeceased by his wife, Nancy as a medical student, on a paper Deaths Reported” box. Complete retired professor, Wynnewood, Pa., Schoenbrod Kuller; and leaves his examining the neurophysiology of obituaries will be published in an on February 29, 2019. Jacobson longtime, devoted partner, Myra spinal neurons. After training at upcoming issue, pending receipt of graduated from Bronx Science at 16 Lehman; brother, Lewis; daughters, Columbia’s Neurological Insti- information. Due to the volume of and enrolled at the College before obituaries that CCT receives, it may Debora Shuger, Judith Verhave and tute of New York, from which he take several issues for the complete serving in the Army in Germany at Lisa Kuller (Dalessio); six grandchil- graduated in 1954, Purpura devoted obituary to appear. Word limit is 200; the close of WWII. Upon returning dren; and two great-grandchildren. himself to laboratory research and text may be edited for length, clarity stateside, he moved to northern Memorial contributions may be integrated a wide array of tech- and style at the editors’ discretion. California and farmed chickens, made to Community Synagogue of niques and approaches to study the Click “Contact Us” at college. then earned a Ph.D. in physics from Rye Adult Education Program, 200 nervous system. His exceptional columbia.edu/cct, or mail materials UC Berkeley. Jacobson became a to Obituaries Editor, Columbia Forest Ave., Rye, NY 10580. technical abilities combined with College Today, Columbia Alumni professor at the University of Texas, his keen intellect allowed him to Center, 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530, University of Minnesota and Cen- Marshall W. Mount, art professor tackle difficult and pressing ques- 4th Fl., New York, NY 10025. tral Michigan University (CMU), and researcher, Jersey City, N.J., on tions in brain sciences, including where he was on the faculty for 20 November 25, 2018. Mount was pioneering work on epilepsy and

84 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews intellectual disabilities. Purpura was medical articles for the layman, Live, instrumental in establishing the Work, and Be Healthy: A Top Medical Society for Neuroscience, and the Director’s Common-sense Advice and OTHER DEATHS REPORTED second free-standing neuroscience Observations for the Working Person. Columbia College Today also has learned of the following department in a medical school. He Verdesca was a crossword puzzle con- deaths. Complete obituaries will be published in an upcoming also introduced the first modern structor, publishing almost 50 puzzles issue, pending receipt of information. Due to the volume of medical school and post-graduate a year at the time of his death. He is obituaries that CCT receives, it may take several issues for the neuroscience curriculum, which survived by his wife of 57 years, Ann; complete obituary to appear. quickly became a national model. son, Stephen ’85, and his wife, Patri- Purpura’s scientific accomplish- cia Durner; daughters, Julia Lucivero ments secured him membership in and her husband, Philip Joseph, 1951 Richard B. Morron, retired business manager, the National Academy of Sciences and Edith Kaplan and her husband, Madison, Conn., on April 18, 2019. and the Institute of Medicine. He Christopher; and five grandchildren. was dean of Stanford University 1954 James G. Taaffe, professor of English, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and of the Albert Einstein College on July 3, 2019. of Medicine. Throughout his career, 1952 Merritt Chandler Nauts Jr., retired educator, Purpura was remarkable for his love 1955 Ann Arbor, Mich., on July 2, 2019. of science, his approachability and Albert Ackerman, retired ophthal- his mentorship. mologist, Arcadia, Calif., on July 16, 1962 John V. Pellarin, retired dentist, Andover, N.J., 2019. Ackerman made significant on July 4, 2019. medical advances as a leading 1951 ophthalmologist in the Tri-State 1965 William L. Goring, antiquarian book dealer, area. He was a charter member of Torrington, Conn., on July 31, 2019. Arthur S. Verdesca, retired physi- The Retina Society (founded in cian and corporate medical director, 1967), whose mission is to reduce 1969 Thomas T. Rapp, retired attorney, Phoenix, Ariz., Morristown, N.J., on August 11, worldwide visual disability and on July 28, 2019. 2018. Verdesca earned an M.D. blindness, with particular emphasis 1975 Peter S. Zisson, retired, Austin, Texas, on August 7, 2019. from P&S in 1955. While doing on vitreoretinal diseases. Ackerman post-graduate training in internal established retinal services at several 1999 Lea Kronenberg (née Miller), attorney and real estate medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital in hospitals in New York and New entrepreneur, New York City, on July 30, 2019. New York City, he served as a captain Jersey, including the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. 2011 Trevis G. Welcome-Joyner, elementary school teacher, He was on the faculty of Albert Atlanta, on May 8, 2019. Einstein College of Medicine, as well as other medical schools that 2013 Brian T. DeVeau, managing director of M&A, are affiliated with teaching hospitals. Kinnelon, N.J., on June 23, 2019. Ackerman was a warm-hearted, generous, loving and caring person

bridge, Ohio. He excelled at sports Mary, Mitch and his wife, Sharon, at Waite H.S.; he was All-City in and Anne Hammersmith and her basketball and continued the sport at husband, Don; 12 grandchildren; the College. Shortly after marrying three great-grandchildren; and many Rosemary, in 1952, he was deployed nieces and nephews. to Korea while in the Marine Corps. After his discharge, he pursued a Charles W. Young, medical Dr. Arthur S. Verdesca ’51 master’s in educational psychology at oncologist, New York City, on the University of Toledo. This started December 31, 2018. Young gradu- in the Air Force at Stewart AFB in a 40-year career at the university ated from Harvard Medical School Tennessee; he was chief of medical as director of student activities. In in 1956. During his 42-year tenure service 1957–59. From 1961, when 1980, Seemann completed a Ph.D. in at Memorial Sloan Kettering Can- Verdesca finished his training at St. educational psychology and became a cer Center, he was chief, Devel- Luke’s, until 1985, he worked for psychology professor. He remained in opmental Chemotherapy Service Western Electric in New York as Dr. Albert Ackerman ’52 the Marine Corps Reserve, attaining (1979–92); head, Clinical Pharma- headquarters medical director. From the rank of colonel. He also had a cology Laboratory, Sloan-Kettering 1985 to 2005, he was corporate who would reach out to his patients lifelong love of music and playing the Institute (1979–93); and Professor medical director for American Inter- under any circumstances. He is bass; he founded The Dan Seemann of Medicine, Cornell University national Group, also in New York. survived by two children and his Quintet with friends and played Medical College (1982–99). Young During his service in Tennessee, and long-term partner. locally for years. Seemann was prede- was also an advisor to the American until 1968, Verdesca broadcast a one- ceased by his wife, and by his siblings Cancer Society and National Cancer hour classical music program, Mostly Daniel C. Seemann, retired uni- Bob, and Patti Jones. He is survived Institute. To his patients, Young was Mozart, on several radio stations in versity director of student activities by his brother John and John’s wife, caring and kind. To his colleagues, the New York metropolitan area. and professor, Sylvania, Ohio, on Carol; sister Joan Gannon and her he was known for his innovative In 1980, Van Nostrand Reinhold September 3, 2018. Seemann was husband, Lee; children, Jeff and his approaches to cancer treatment. Co. published a collection of his born on April 29, 1930, in Wal- wife, Nadine, Greg and his wife, To his family, he was a source of

Fall 2019 CCT 85 Obituaries strength and wisdom. Young is form tennis player, actively involved was class president and an Eagle survived by his wife, Helene; sons, with various community organiza- Scout. While at Columbia, Gold 1961 Stephen and his wife, Sara, and tions at Heritage Hills of Somers, pledged with the Alpha Epsilon Matthew; and stepchildren, Bonnie, N.Y., and a member of the Knights Pi fraternity, and met his first wife, Norman A. Kurnit, physicist, and Benjamin and his wife, Lily. He of Columbus. He is survived by his Lucienne “Lucy” Kacew, whom Santa Fe, N.M., on February 6, was predeceased by his eldest son, wife, Carol (née Frueh); son, Ronald he married the summer after 2019. After graduating from the Michael, and sister, Jean. Memo- Jr., and his wife, Donna; daughter, graduation. They lived in Jersey College, Kurnit went directly to rial contributions may be made to Carolyn Doan, and her husband, City while Gold attended Rutgers GSAS, where he earned a master’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Jim; and two grandchildren. Law School. After graduation, in 1962 and a Ph.D. in 1966, both Center ([email protected]). Gold worked for the New Jersey in physics. He spent the majority of Department of Agriculture and was his career working at Los Alamos 1956 an assistant state prosecutor before National Laboratory and lived in 1954 founding his own law practice in Santa Fe, N.M. Kurnit is survived Robert Cabat, retired educator, Flemington, N.J., with his brother, by Ellen, his wife of 50 years; two Michael R. Naver, retired govern- Staten Island, N.Y., on June 5, Stephen. Gold participated in children; and two grandchildren. ment public affairs specialist, Bal- 2019. Cabat began his career as a Democratic politics, including timore, on March 29, 2019. Naver middle and high school teacher of serving as Hunterdon County David Schwartz, retired oral was born on February 15, 1933, in Spanish and French in Brooklyn, Democratic chairman. He married surgeon, Larchmont, N.Y., on July New York City. He graduated from N.Y. He then became chair of Virginia D’Andrade in 1979 and 7, 2019. Born on May 2, 1939, in Stuyvesant H.S., where he had his foreign languages at New Utrecht relocated to California in 1980, Brooklyn, N.Y., Schwartz was raised first bylines as a reporter on the where he designed a computerized in White Plains. He received an school newspaper. With a New York Worker-Right-to-Know system, academic scholarship to attend the State Scholarship, he enrolled at the a database used to settle asbestos Dental School and graduated in College, where he earned a liberal liability cases, and a litigation 1965, second in his class. Schwartz arts degree. Naver joined Spectator support business. With his wife, completed his oral surgery training and rose to news editor by his senior he also established the Virginia M. at The Roosevelt Hospital in 1968 year. He earned a master of liberal Woolf Foundation, which converts and immediately joined in private arts degree from the Johns Hopkins written materials into large type practice with Dr. Bertram Blum. University and in 1958 joined the for the visually impaired. Gold is He, along with Dr. Debra Blum staff of the Baltimore Evening Sun as survived by his daughters, Pamela (in 1985), practiced oral surgery at a local reporter, where he stayed for Gold and her husband, Jay Brandt, Blum, Schwartz & Blum for more 10 years. In November 1968, Naver Kathrine Gubner and her husband, than 50 years in Queens. Schwartz became a public affairs specialist at Kenric, and Jennifer Minotti and her served on the Board of Trustees of the Social Security Administration husband, Tod; four grandchildren; both the Queens County Dental in Woodlawn, Md. His career lasted stepchildren, David D’Andrade and Society and the New York State 30 years, and he received several Robert Cabat ’56 Anne McNally; and sister-in-law and Society of Oral and Maxillofacial agency awards, including its highest brother-in-law, Gale and Fred Driver. Surgeons. An avid golfer, tennis award, the Commissioner’s Citation. H.S. in Brooklyn; it was during this player, skier, guitarist and singer, Naver retired from government ser- period that he received a Ph.D. in he was a longtime member of the vice in 1999. He married the former Spanish literature from NYU. Cabat 1959 Bonnie Briar Country Club, where Irid Bucci in 1965; she survives him, eventually became head of foreign he was the Super Senior Club as do their children, Richard and languages for the entire New York Vincent H. Demma, retired Champion in golf in 2017. Schwartz Meg; and two grandchildren. City DOE, and after retirement was military historian, Lanham, Md., also maintained a summer home in a professor at several institutions. He on September 18, 2018. Demma Wellfleet, Mass. Schwartz had said, was the co-author of several popular was born on December 9, 1937, in “The best part of my job is getting 1955 secondary-level textbooks, and was Brooklyn, N.Y. A graduate of the to know my patients and feeling the president of the American Asso- University of Wisconsin at Madison, that I’ve helped them to feel bet- Ronald P. McPhee, retired insur- ciation of Teachers of Spanish and he moved to Washington, D.C., in ter.” He is survived by his brothers, ance executive, Somers, N.Y., on Portuguese. He was extremely proud 1962 to be a military historian for Michael and Larry; wife, Isabel (née June 25, 2018. McPhee was born to have been able to use his Colum- the United States Army Center of Clippinger); daughter, Beth Jones; on May 13, 1933, in Manhattan. bia education to help improve the Military History, where he served son-in-law, Jamie Jones; son, John; He grew up in the Bronx, graduated lives of thousands of students and until his retirement in 1999. As daughter-in law, Amy Kean; and from Cardinal Hayes H.S. and was dozens of teachers across the years. a historian of the Vietnam War, four grandchildren. awarded a scholarship to Colum- Cabat is survived by his wife, Janet; Demma was widely consulted and bia. He was captain of the varsity children, Joshua ’86 and Abigail; and contributed his expertise to several basketball team in 1955. After the three grandchildren. documentaries and books. He is 1967 College, McPhee joined the Air survived by his wife, Stephanie Force, became a pilot and rose to (née Lippman); children, Mat- Robert G. Segel, retired invest- the rank of captain. Following his 1957 thew, Rachel, and Sarah Klein; ments executive, Key Biscayne, military service, he found work with children-in-law, Rachel Demma Fla., on September 6, 2017. Segel TIAA-CREF, where he worked Michael Gold, retired attorney, (née Shapiro) and Philip Klein; four earned an M.B.A at the University for 40 years and from which he Harbor City, Calif., on January 30, grandchildren; brother, Peter; and of Michigan. He started his career at retired as a VP of insurance services. 2018. Born in New York City in many nieces and nephews. Memo- Tucker Anthony and rose to become Throughout his adult life McPhee 1935, Gold grew up there and in rial contributions may be made to managing director. Segel founded was an avid tennis player and plat- Hillside, N.J. At Hillside H.S. he the Southern Poverty Law Center. Park Street Capital in 1997, initially

86 CCT Fall 2019 alumninews

Alex Navab ’87, University Trustee, Former BOV Chair, Prominent Financier

Alex Navab ’87, a University by 2008 had become co-leader of While on the BOV, where he was trustee and former chair of the the firm’s North American private a member from 2005 to 2017, with Columbia College Board of Visitors equity business. He took sole leader- terms as vice-chair from 2011 to (BOV) who recently formed his ship of the division six years later, 2014 and chair from 2014 to 2016, own investment firm, died on July 7, and as head of North American Navab led the effort to develop a 2019. He was 53. buyouts helped the firm raise nearly strategic plan for the College; this Navab was born in Isfahan, Iran, $14 billion for its 12th North became the foundation of the Core on November 24, 1965, to Dr. Ali American private equity fund, one to Commencement campaign, the and Katina (née Armenakis) Navab. of the biggest of its kind. Navab first campaign uniquely dedicated to The family — Navab was one of four left KKR in 2017 and announced Columbia College students and fac- children — fled to Greece after the in April 2019 that he had formed ulty. In partnership with Dean James Iranian revolution in 1979 before Navab Capital Partners. J. Valentini, Navab helped shape a moving to the United States. Navab, who lived in New York plan that would focus on strength- Navab worked at Goldman Sachs City, was an involved and gener- ening the student experience, from 1987 to 1989 before earning ous Columbia alumnus; his giving enhancing the Core Curriculum and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business of his time and energies began as supporting faculty committed to School in 1991; he graduated as president of his sophomore class teaching undergraduates as priorities NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and a Baker Scholar (High Distinc- and continued as president of the for the College’s success. the Robin Hood Foundation, among tion) and was presented the Edna Columbia College Student Council Navab became co-chair of the many others. He was elected a Uni- E. Wolfe Award. He then worked his senior year. An outstanding Core to Commencement campaign; versity trustee in 2017, was presented at the investment bank James D. student who graduated Phi Beta he and his wife, Mary Kathryn — a John Jay Award for distinguished Wolfensohn, Inc., before joining Kappa, Navab also captained the who survives him, along with their professional achievement by the KKR — then known as Kohlberg varsity lightweight crew team, and three children and his parents — College in 2011 and was awarded Kravis Roberts — in 1993. maintained close ties as a benefactor. gave $6 million to Columbia to cre- the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Overseeing numerous leveraged He donated two shells in summer ate the Navab Fellowship Program, a national award that recognizes buyouts at KKR, including the 2018 and was presented the 2018 announced this past December, recipients’ public service and patrio- takeovers of the Nielsen Company, King’s Crown Rowing Association to fund internships for students. tism as well as their connection to Yellow Pages and Borden, Navab honor this past December. Navab was also a board member of their ethnic heritage, in 2016.

as a joint venture with Tucker ported numerous organizations. He Harvard School of Dental Medi- history, economics and education. Anthony Sutro. Following the served on the Board of Trustees of cine, earning an D.MSc. and then After teaching high school science Royal Bank of Canada’s acquisition, his children’s schools, Buckingham continuing as an assistant professor. in NYC, he earned a Ph.D. in eco- Segel left the company to allow his Browne & Nichols in Cambridge, From 1980 on, Feldman was chief, nomics and education from the Uni- private equity business to become an Mass., and Ransom Everglades in dental service at the Philadelphia VA versity of Idaho and then taught at Coconut Grove, Fla. A devoted hus- Medical Center and a professor at Kansas State University. Rosenblatt band to Janice Sherman, Segel was Penn’s School of Dental Medicine. then moved to Des Moines and had also the father of Julia and Michael. He was an active alumnus with the a distinguished career in mortgage He especially loved and was loved by College, the Dental School and the banking before retiring as a principal his dogs, Callie and Wilma. Segel’s Columbia Club of Philadelphia. partner at Fortress Wealth Manage- sense of humor, genuine warmth and Feldman enjoyed his retirement ment. He was a world traveler and ability to talk with anyone allowed with his wife, Nadia Rosen, who an avid golfer, and served on the him to create lifelong relationships survives him and was his co-manager boards of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, with everyone he met. of Night Sight Farm, a horse farm the Jewish Federation of Greater in Bucks County, Pa. He was first Des Moines and Planned Parent- married to Barbara Abrams, now hood of the Heartland. Rosenblatt is 1969 deceased, and is survived by their survived by his wife, Susy; daughters daughters, Lauren and Emma; and Betsy Beck and her husband, Paul, Roy S. Feldman, retired chief, den- Nadia’s children, Louise and Oliver. and Katherine; brothers, David tal service, and professor of dental and his wife, Robyn, and Larry and Robert G. Segel ’67 medicine, Jamison, Pa., on March Ronald R. Rosenblatt, retired his wife, Linda; sister, Ann Arbeit, 8, 2019. Feldman spent eight years financial executive, West Des and her husband, Stuart; and many independent entity. He worked tire- at Columbia, majoring in Greek Moines, Iowa, on February 24, 2019. nieces and nephews. Rosenblatt lessly for 40 years in the investment at the College while fulfilling a Born in New York City on January was predeceased by his brother, Bill. business, committed to excellence journalism urge as editor of the 1969 31, 1947, Rosenblatt graduated Memorial contributions may be and treasuring his close relationships Columbian, and then as a predoctoral from Scarsdale H.S. At the College, made to The Jewish Federation of with his partners. In addition to student in the Dental School, from he played on the varsity basketball Greater Des Moines or the South- his professional pursuits, Segel was which he graduated in 1973. From team. Rosenblatt earned a B.A. ern Poverty Law Center. civic-minded and generously sup- 1973 to 1980, Feldman attended the and M.A. (in 1974 from TC) in art — Lisa Palladino

Fall 2019 CCT 87 corecorner

CORE CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST In honor of the Centennial, we asked four artistic alums to take inspiration from the Core; for this and the next three issues, we’ll provide a cartoon in need of a caption. We’re kicking things off with longtime New Yorker contributor Edward Koren ’57. The winning caption will be published in the Winter 2019–20 issue, and the winner will get a signed print of Koren’s cartoon. Any College student or College alum may enter. Submit your idea, along with your full name, CC class year and daytime phone, to [email protected] by Friday, November 1.

ILLUSTRATION BY EDWARD KOREN ’57

88 CCT Fall 2019 Being at Columbia“ has opened a plethora of doors, allowing me to explore all the avenues of who I am and who I want to be, while providing me with the resources to push myself beyond what I once thought possible. — Maryam K. Hassan CC’20

Gifts to the Columbia College Fund provide funding for vital student life initiatives, which enrich the Columbia College journey for Maryam and so many students like her.

In addition to supporting student life, the Columbia College Fund supports financial aid, internships and the Core Curriculum.

MAKE YOUR GIFT AT COLLEGE.GIVENOW.COLUMBIA.EDU Columbia College Nonprofit Org. Today U.S. Postage CCT PAID Columbia University Permit No. 724 622 W. 113th St., MC 4530 Burl. VT 05401 New York, NY 10025

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

“Paid internships for students focused on non-traditional or non-linear career paths can be hard to find. Regardless of a student’s financial circumstance, they should all have access to summer experiences in art, culture, media and tech that could set them up for future success in these areas and beyond.” — Abby Pucker CC’14

Abby and others like her have funded thousands of summer experiences for College students as part of the Core to Commencement campaign. Join her in creating opportunities for students to explore their interests and passions through global experiences, research fellowships and internships.

Support Students Beyond the Classroom college.columbia.edu/campaign