Oberlin

AMAM 100, PEEK OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE FALL 2017 P. 2O PERFORMANCE, P. 42

INTRODUCING PRESIDENT AMBAR PAGE 14 WALTER NOVAK Contents

DEPARTMENTS FEATURES

2 From the President 10 Thought Process 14 Introducing 42 Booker Peek’s Sci-fact writers, drawing President Ambar Empowering Words 3 Obereactions academy, poem, top of the Bop Meet Carmen Twillie Ambar, Following a nearly half-century Stop, electric car—unplugged, Oberlin’s 15th President. run, the Oberlin professor 4 Around Tappan Square Dying questions, plus Bookshelf brings his gap-bridging Tappan Map, the other Oberlin 20 To Keep Bright the educational program to a close. museum, teen memes, sanctuary 46 Class Notes city 1940s-style, Chaon TV, STEM Torch of Learning grant, awards and fellowships 60 Losses One hundred years ago, the Allen Memorial Art Museum 64 Endquotes opened its doors.

This page: The Cass Gilbert-designed Allen Memorial Art Museum, along with the Venturi-designed addition. On the cover: Carmen Twillie Ambar, WALTER NOVAK WALTER photographed by Tanya Rosen-Jones ‘97

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 1 From the President

VOL.112 NO. 2

Editor Jeff Hagan ’86

Art Director Emily Crawford ’92

Designer Ryan Sprowl

Editorial and Photography The World Needs Oberlin Projects Manager Yvonne Gay his is my first column for the oberlin Alumni Magazine, and it might be the Copy Editor Rudd Crawford first time that some of you in the Oberlin community will hear from me. I hope that it’s the beginning of a productive dialogue. Director, Print and Publications I plan to be in touch often—all of my statements will T Kelly Viancourt be easily available online—and I welcome feedback. I want to use this space now and in the future to talk Vice President for Communications a bit about our purpose together. We know these are Ben Jones ’96 times of national challenge. We know we have challenges a transcendent vision about what higher education specific to higher education, and to Oberlin in particular. could mean, not only to individual souls, but also to the Executive Director, Alumni Just two years before the founding of Oberlin, our soul of a nation that had been from its inception a Association nation found itself in the midst of tremendous political source of great hope, and yet, in equal measure, a source Danielle Young and social tumult. At that time, there was an outsider of great despair for many of its citizens. president who captured much of the nation’s attention Oberlin was an early institution—the first in a num- The Oberlin Alumni Magazine and had successfully helped orchestrate an Indian ber of crucial instances—in demonstrating that hope (ISSN 0029-7518), founded in 1904, Removal Act in 1830; in 1831 the first tribes from Ohio needn’t be misplaced, that despair needn’t be defining. is published quarterly by Oberlin’s and other states were forcibly removed and marched Oberlin was born in a period of national struggle Office of Communications and westward. That year also saw Nat Turner’s rebellion in and crisis. There was great contention about who we distributed to alumni, parents, and Southampton County, Virginia. William Lloyd Garrison, were, and who we were to become. Oberlin’s founding friends of Oberlin College. the great abolitionist leader, began publication of The has me asking today: What is the purpose of an Oberlin Liberator. A Second Great Awakening was underway. education in times of national crisis? EDITORIAL OFFICE 247 W. Lorain St., Suite C Here at Oberlin, the seeds of a new college were I think often of what we saw in Virginia this past Oberlin, OH 44074 being planted. A new vision was soon offered about who summer. As I watched those marching in Charlottesville, PHONE: 440.775.8182 could be educated, who could teach, and who, indeed, I was struck by their youth. They looked as if they were FAX: 440.775.6575 could one day lead. It was the beginning of a vital the age of many Oberlin students. I began to say to EMAIL: [email protected] history, not without flaws and imperfections. Yet, it was myself—given what we hope our Oberlin students will www.oberlin.edu/oam go out and do, to change the world for good—that our OBERLIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION mission of academic excellence and social justice has Dewy Ward ’34 Alumni Center never been more relevant. Our charge, then, is to be 65 E. College St., Suite 4 good stewards, to make the difficult decisions that Oberlin, OH 44074 PHONE: 440.775.8692 ensure Oberlin’s sustainability. Because Charlottesville FAX: 440.775.6748 says that we are needed more today than we have ever E-MAIL: [email protected] been needed. www.oberlin.edu/alumni

POSTMASTER carmen twillie ambar Send changes to Oberlin College, President, Oberlin College 173 W. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074 TANYA ROSEN-JONESTANYA '97

2 Obereactions

was a one-year program that utilized the Students and faculty members must always Oberlin

BONNER THE SORRELL OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017 CENTER AFFEKT, SPOTLIGHT, P. 3 8 P. 28 resources and strengths of Oberlin College, meet the highest academic standards. A topic the Oberlin City Schools, and the local can be relevant to both scholarly debates and community toward a Master of Education to social, political, or economic controversies. degree. After the program ended in 2009, Such a topic can be studied as rigorously as there were quite a few educational materials any other, and the results can be presented remaining. These included an iPod for listen- with proper documentation, clarity, and order. ing to picture books and chapter books, big For example: take a white, middle-aged, male, books for group reading, jeweler’s loupes for unemployed, one-time factory worker—racist,

Marvin Krislov sketching, and tiny plastic bears for practic- sexist, homophobic in his feelings and jokes. Says Goodbye PAGE 18 ing counting. He regularly listens to right-wing talk shows, Professor Deborah Roose, former director and he votes for right-wing candidates, WAITING TO EXCEL of GTEP, wanted to ensure these materi- even occasionally attends rallies for them, i loved reading the piece from Lilah Drafts- als went to a good home. We are pleased to though at those rallies he only stands and Johnson ’18 (“All Roads Lead to Oberlin… report that Roneisha Kinney Campbell ’08 cheers, nothing violent. Are there moral rights Eventually,” Summer 2017) about being (GTEP MEd ’09) now uses these materials in that this “deplorable” doesn’t have because of waitlisted at Oberlin. I think a lot of us, in her third-grade classroom in Canton, Ohio. his attitudes and conduct? If so, which ones retrospect, appreciate that Oberlin may have All of the children in her school are on free and why? handed us our first real taste of rejection and or reduced lunch, and her students did not Alumni must help maintain Oberlin’s tra- failure. Those of us who do truly appreciate it have many supplies and enrichment materi- ditions. One tradition is outreach beyond the no doubt realize how these experiences have als. Roneisha reports that her students loved campus, and one way alumni could continue shaped us into the best, most resilient versions the gift and use the materials all the time. this work would be to organize conferences— of ourselves. To lack the experience of failing Each year, most of the children in her class on campus but also in places where there are is to never truly know oneself. The constant make almost two years of academic growth. resource-rich Alumni Association chapters— struggle to maintain perfection keeps us from The success of Roneisha’s students is a prime at which relevant topics would be treated becoming who we were meant to be in this example of how great teachers and rich, in intellectually responsible ways by experts world. Thanks for your story, Lilah! engaging materials matter. We are proud (including, as appropriate, some of the many of all of our Oberlin classmates who are alumni who have become professors), with alison doniger ’08 teachers and are grateful that our class could presentations geared to educated non-special- Berkeley, Calif. support the important work of Roneisha and ists and sessions open to non-Oberliners and, other GTEP alumni. if possible, posted online. One topic might Well done, Class of 2007! be the physical, economic, and legal obstacles THERE’S ALWAYS TIMARA facing homeowners trying to reduce their i finally found time to read “The Conserva- julia doctoroff ’07 personal dependence on fossil fuels. Another tory at 150” (Oberlin Conservatory Magazine, London, UK might be doing more to protect workers from 2015) and wanted to add to your timeline mathilda mcgee-tubb ’07 harmful impacts of globalization and techno- for the year 1989. This was the year TIMARA Boston, Mass. logical change. became an official major; until then it was only Too many of those in power today do not offered as an “independent major.” I served as The writers are president and vice president, care whether the poor have health care, think it the student representative on the committee respectively, of the Class of 2007. is better to win than to have allies, and all but to create the official major requirements and boast of their invincible ignorance regarding also became its first graduate. If I remember global warming. Decent people should respond correctly, Professor Gary Nelson and Visit- RESOURCE-FULL to the harm they do. Members of the Oberlin ing Professor Denise Ondishko were the two here are some ways the Oberlin com- community should go beyond protest and use faculty members on the committee. As noted munity of students, faculty, administrators, the resources they share to limit or offset the in the timeline, this was the same year that the and alumni might function as a special social harm. jazz studies major was also formalized. resource in these terrible times. Oberlin must always nourish and celebrate charles newman ’65 joshua salesin ’89 the arts. The Allen Memorial Art Museum Jackson Heights, N.Y. Santa Cruz, Calif. could exhibit the works of refugee artists; the conservatory could put on concerts in which

refugee musicians perform; and art students Oberlin Alumni Magazine welcomes comments from CLASS CONSCIOUS could make posters to publicize local job readers. Please address your letters to Oberlin Alumni a decade ago, the Class of 2007 donated a fairs and then sell the posters and donate the Magazine, 247 W. Lorain St., Suite C, Oberlin, OH 44074-1089; or email: [email protected]. Letters large portion of its class gift to the Graduate proceeds to support programs for residents of may be edited for clarity and space. Additional letters

TANYA ROSEN-JONESTANYA '97 Teacher Education Program (GTEP). GTEP Lorain County facing hard times. may appear on OAM’s website at www.oberlin.edu/oam.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 3 Around Tappan Square

AUGUST 28 Five black cats sit single-file in a driveway on South Cedar Street, onlooking traffic. Locals do not report any nearby witch sightings.

SEPTEMBER 2 Oberlin’s City-Wide Community Spectacular Yard Sale can make you question just how much stuff people keep in their attic, but AUGUST 31 rumor has it you can find amazing Professors of history and Africana steals. Deal of the day? studies explain how and why A vintage couch for $3. Charlottesville isn’t an isolated event during a presentation and question- and-answer session in King 106.

SEPTEMBER 8 Have you ever wondered what role root beer plays in Oberlin’s history? The Oberlin Heritage Center has the AUGUST 24 answer, plus free floats at Root Beer The Lorain County Fair crowns its senior Float Friday. king and queen: Jeanne Williams (who declines to provide her age, saying she’s “old enough”) and Jerry Myers, 81.

INFOGRAPHIC AUGUST 29 Ben Franklin wants you to Oberlin on feel warm and fuzzy on the inside and outside, which is the Map why the store hosts open-knitting sessions BY TYLER SLOAN ’17 ILLUSTRATION BY MJ ROBINSON ’14 every Tuesday from 1–4 p.m. for your crocheting Small Town, Ohio — boring, right? and knitting needs. Not really. There’s often so much happening in Oberlin it can be difficult to keep track of news and events. From convocations to concerts and plays to protests, here’s what two weeks look like in Oberlin.

4 Around Tappan Square

AUGUST 30 The first Splitchers of the year at the ‘Sco! Historically, Splitchers earned its name by famously serving half-priced pitchers of beer AUGUST 28 on Wednesdays. That deal doesn’t A missed connection posted on exist anymore (thanks, Ohio law), Oberlin Classifieds reads: “Yeal but the splitching tradition lives on Leah Friedman: You left in my at the ‘Sco, which is particularly garage around 1995 an item you packed on Wednesdays. may have been looking for. And thought it lost forever. Anybody know where she is? Maybe married by now with other name?” Yeal? Are you out there? We’re dying to know.

SEPTEMBER 8 Conservatory jazz students jam at the Cat in the Cream in performances free and open to the public every Friday. Also, there are freshly baked cookies. Need we say more?

AUGUST 30 What do Spongebobology, Contemporary Black Queer Film and Culture, and Rock Climbing have in common? You guessed it, they’re all student-taught ExCos offered at Oberlin this fall. The ExCo fair in the Carnegie Building allows people to survey and sign up for one of 50-plus rotating mini courses that students plan and teach each semester.

SEPTEMBER 5 Students and community members gather for a candlelight vigil in Tappan Square following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will be discontinued. SEPTEMBER 7 The first Thursday of the month is no small deal at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. September’s event kicked off the 2017–18 academic year series, “First Thursdays,” with an evening of Chinese classical music featuring Weichih Rosa Lee on the guzheng, a stringed instrument similar to the zither.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 5 Around Tappan Square

lot of colleges, the Oberlin museum eventually faded away. As the sciences changed and methods of inquiry changed, they were seen as out of date and taking up too much space. Those collections that were retained were dispersed among departments.” Margaris, along with other faculty and staff, are now working to bring these objects to the forefront and assemble them—at least digitally— into a “Cabinet 2.0.” Digitizing objects from the long-dispersed collections provides a wide range of research opportunities. “We not only make it possible for researchers at Oberlin and beyond to find and use our collections in research, we can also learn more about what we have,” says Digital Initiatives Librarian Megan Mitchell. “We’ve been contacted by scholars abroad who have used our digital collec- tions and provided us with additional information about objects. There’s a lot of potential for making connections with people, places, and things.” Professor of Geology Karla Hubbard is one such faculty member who has been part of the initiative. Hubbard is working to digitize the MUSEUM PIECES “Their sister objects are still at the Smithsonian in thousands of objects in the paleontology collec- a famed collection,” Margaris says. tion of the former Oberlin College Museum. “It is Reunifying Oberlin’s And while this collection is noteworthy, it’s a very slow and careful process,” she says. “The just one of many on campus that Margaris dubs collection has been languishing without serious Natural History the college’s “dangling collections”—objects and curatorial attention for a very long time, so as we Collection specimens spread across campus that once had a work on digitizing the specimens, we also update home in the college’s natural history museum. the information associated with each [object]. BY HILLARY HEMPSTEAD So why do we have these collections? And The database we create will be available to inside king hall, associate professor of what happened to the museum? students for research projects and laboratory Anthropology Amy Margaris ’96 sifts through bins The Oberlin College Museum, explains exercises, as well as something available to the of plastic sleeves. In each is a carefully preserved Margaris, began as a small-scale natural history global research community interested in fossil object from the department’s ethnographic “cabinet” that was administered by Albert Wright, a specimens from all over the world.” collection. Margaris gingerly holds a colorfully professor of geology. Wright gathered the early As for the 36-piece Arctic collection, the threaded sack made from the pericardium, the items in the 1860s from Northeast Ohio and anthropology department and Mudd library are membrane that surrounds the heart of an animal. during trips to Jamaica, New York, and out west. working with a student research assistant this fall The once pliable bag, Margaris explains, used to The items were kept in what was termed the to incorporate the objects into the online database flex and bend to hold whatever was placed inside. College Cabinet. of the Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection, a Alongside the delicate bag are other objects: Contributions from Oberlin alumni, many hub for Oberlin’s many ethnological materials that a bentwood cedar box whose purpose was likely for doing missionary work across the globe, helped were once housed in the former museum. berry collecting, and an oblong wooden bowl whose the collection expand rapidly. In 1875, the Moving these objects online not only allows dark stains suggest it was a vessel for holding meat. collections moved to Cabinet Hall, a structure access to the collections by students and research- These are just three of the 36 items in Oberlin’s built specifically for exhibition and recitation ers, it also gives access to individuals whose Arctic collection, an assemblage of ethnographic space. The building caught fire three times yet, ancestors created the objects. artifacts that came to the college in 1889 as part of miraculously, no specimens were damaged. As the “These objects are cultural treasures,” says

a collection exchange with the Smithsonian collections grew, the College Cabinet was termed a Margaris. “What we see happening more and CONGRESS OF LIBRARY EXHIBIT: Institution (known then as the United States “museum,” as was the fashion in the 1880s. more are Native people visiting collections such National Museum). Each of the pieces was Specimans were moved to various locations, as this as a way to learn old techniques and gather obtained by a who’s-who of 19th-century including a fireproof building at Spear Library on new knowledge. They’re not repatriating the Smithsonian naturalists who travelled to Native Tappan Square, but attempts to fund a museum in objects. Instead, they’re repatriating the associ- communities in Alaska and Canada to meet its own building never came to fruition. ated knowledge so that young people can learn Yup’ik, Inuit, and Innu peoples. The objects still “Many schools at the time were building these about their ancestors and how they lived and

possess the Smithsonian’s handwritten tags; kinds of collections,” says Margaris. “But like at a carry that knowledge forward into the future.” MANNA JENNIFER

6 RIVALRY Oberlin vs. Kenyon: A Tale of Two Meme Pages May 24, 2017, began like any ing to engage in petty internet to ensure posts are Oberlin- other day in Oberlin. Students squabbling is moral victory, this specific, but the page is far were peacefully posting opportunity for meaningless from unique in form. Similar institutionally specific memes conflict is irresistible to me.”) groups have exploded at on a Facebook page called Despite the clear poll results, colleges across the country. Oberlin Consortium of Memes the anti-Kenyon memes, UC Berkeley Memes for Edgy for Discourse-Ready Teens, posted (mostly) in jest, contin- Teens has more than 100,000 SHOWCASE poking fun at both them- ued rolling in. Kenyon students members; Harvard Memes for selves and the administration. responded with more memes, Elitist 1% Tweens has approxi- Exhibit on Japanese Comment-section banter and Oberlin naturally counter- mately 36,000 members; and American Internment blissfully ensued, with content punched. Even Buzzfeed got now students can even major ranging from political debates involved, publishing an article in memeing at Northwestern to Visit Oberlin to memes of memes inside a headlined, “You Won’t Believe University. meme of a meme. The Meme War Between These The world has begun oberlin will host a national traveling Then it happened: an Obie Two Small Ohio Colleges.” Thus, embarking on the journey to exhibit and event series in the spring focusing on infiltrated Kenyon College’s the battle went down in history unpack this cultural phenom- the internment of Japanese Americans during Memes for Philandering Teens’ as one of the greatest meme enon. Is it a collective form of World War II and the communities—including Facebook page—uncovering wars of all time between small commiserating and bonding Oberlin—that welcomed them. an image implying Kenyon’s liberal arts colleges in Ohio. that helps forge real rela- “Courage and Compassion” is the work of the superiority— and promptly Long before the historic bat- tionships? A social tool that Go For Broke Foundation, a Los Angeles-based reported the discovery to the tle, however, Oberlin’s meme facilitates high rates of valida- group that commemorates our shared story of the discourse-ready Obie teens. page was thriving with its own tion from peers? Or perhaps Japanese American World War II experience. The True to Oberlin’s aesthetic, hilariously self-deprecating a sign of the early decline of another student organized a content. With more than 2,300 the English language and that exhibit tells the general story of internment, while poll on how to proceed with members (Kenyon’s page has soon we’ll begin communicat- the 10 communities it visits tell their own. the newfound information. 1,020 likes, but who’s counting?), ing exclusively via memes? Oberlin admitted Japanese American students More than 220 people voted in Oberlin’s meme group plays on Whatever it may be, we can all during the war, a welcome that was extended by the favor of “There’s a reason they age-old tropes about students enjoy, and perhaps even relate town. The exhibit will be on display in the Richard meme about us and we don’t and the college. to, the internet art that D. Barron ’64 Gallery of the East College Street meme about them.” (Only 169 Admins from Oberlin’s Oberlin’s meme page produces. Project from February 17 through March 18, 2018. Obies picked “Although refus- meme group monitor content —Tyler Sloan ‘17 Educational events, including films, lectures, and presentations, will coincide with the exhibit’s run. Tours and special programs for school groups and Oberlin alumni are planned, as is a module course for Oberlin students focused on the issues of internment and the idea of sanctuary cities and campuses. Renee Romano, chair of the history department and an organizer of the local exhibit, says Oberlin was selected as one of sites after publication of a 2013 Oberlin Alumni Magazine article that told of the school’s decision to recruit and admit Japanese-American students during the war and the support the students received from the

EXHIBIT: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OF LIBRARY EXHIBIT: community. That issue featured internee-turned- Oberlin-student Alice Takemoto ’47, who appeared on the magazine’s cover. Takemoto will be among the project’s featured guests, as will Cassie Guevera ’13, whose in-depth research provided much of the background for the OAM story. For more information, visit go.oberlin.edu/

JENNIFER MANNA JENNIFER courage-and-compassion.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 7 Around Tappan Square

former president of AWARD programming at HBO, in adapting his novel Grant Encourages STEM Study for the small screen. While at HBO, Lombardo oberlin is one of 24 colleges and include underrepresented ethnic minorities, oversaw such mile- universities nationwide to be awarded a $1 first-generation college students, and working stone series as Game million grant through the Howard Hughes adults with families. of Thrones, Girls, True Medical Institute (HHMI)’s Inclusive Excellence “We’re thinking differently about how HHMI Detective, and The initiative. Oberlin’s goal is to promote the can help move science education forward,” says Leftovers. success of all students in STEM fields by HHMI President Erin O’Shea. “The challenges “I’m excited to changing the ways the science community is this program addresses are important for all of collaborate with actors, built and the curriculum delivered. us who care deeply about developing a more directors, and other writ- “Oberlin’s Inclusive Excellence proposal was inclusive and diverse scientific community.” BOOK ON TV ers to see what this the result of two years of community collabora- The focus of the new initiative has shifted the project is going to look tion. This speaks to the strong and heartfelt locus of responsibility onto the schools— Chaon Pens like,” says Chaon, who commitment of the college to working toward improving the structure of the curriculum and New Work, directs Oberlin’s Creative Writing Program. “I’m the success of all of our students,” says Professor the way it’s delivered; adjusting school policies Adapts for TV also excited to be able to of Biology Marta Laskowski, program director and procedures; training faculty; and improving share the experience for the Oberlin grant. In developing the the climate and culture. Dan Chaon, Oberlin’s with my students when proposal to HHMI, she worked with grant “Too many times we approach diversity with a Delaney Professor of I teach film and TV codirector and Associate Professor of Chemistry deficit mindset in which interventions are aimed Creative Writing, writing.” and Biochemistry Jason Belitsky; Associate at ‘fixing the students,’” said David Asai, senior finalized a deal with He anticipates that Buster Productions as Professor of Biology Taylor Allen; Center for director for science education at HHMI. Instead, the novel’s storyline will writer, executive Learning, Education, and Research in the the new initiative focuses on the important work change and expand. “So producer, and creator of Sciences Director Marcelo Vinces; Associate of making the culture of the institution more much of the novel is in a limited television Dean and Professor of Geology Steven Wojtal; inclusive, he said. “We want to change the way the characters’ interior series based on his 2017 and Dean of Arts and Sciences Tim Elgren. schools do business.” minds, and there will be novel, Ill Will. A finalist The Inclusive Excellence initiative’s broad For decades, educational grants—including a lot of work to for the National Book objective is to help colleges and universities some awarded by HHMI—focused on interven- translate that into Award and author of the encourage participation and cultivate the talent tions aimed at the students, such as summer dramatic scene. Some New York Times of students in the natural sciences. HHMI research apprenticeships, tutoring, advising, and parts of the novel won’t bestseller Await Your ultimately work in film, challenged schools to identify the reasons summer bridge programs designed to ease the Reply, Chaon also so parts of it will need students are excluded from science and to find transition from high school to college. While signed a major to be rethought.” new ways to include students in opportunities to these interventions can help the students involved, two-book deal with Chaon’s other novels achieve science excellence. In particular, the they don’t generally address long-term issues that, publisher Henry Holt & include Among the HHMI initiative focuses on undergraduates who if changed, could have a more sustained impact, Company. Sleepwalk, a Missing, a finalist for come to college from diverse backgrounds and Asai said. “Our goal is to catalyze changes that last contemporary story the National Book about a middle-aged pathways. These “new majority” students well beyond the lifetime of these five-year grants.” Award; You Remind Me loner living off-grid of Me, named one of the whose life is upended best books of the year when his biological by the Washington Post, daughter, whom he’s San Francisco Chronicle, never met, turns up and Entertainment seeking refuge after Weekly; the national stumbling into a domes- bestseller Await Your tic terrorist plot; and Reply, a New York Times The Men Who Killed, a Notable Book that also historical tale involving appeared on more than an orphaned brother a dozen “Best of the and sister who fall in ‘97 TANYA ROSEN-JONES WATSONS: Year” lists; and Stay with a gang of South Awake, a finalist for the Dakota bandits, were Story Prize. Ill Will has each acquired by the COLOR FIELDS Exploring Beauty and Truth in Worlds of Color: A Conference on Race, Art, and Aesthetics in already received plenty the 21st Century took place at the Hotel at Oberlin for two days in late September. The conference was “a publisher following a of critical acclaim, with dilation of the growing acknowledgement of the importance of race and diversity in the field of aesthetics,” three-day auction. the Washington Post says Associate Professor of Africana Studies Charles Peterson, who organized the conference. Nearly 40 For the television critics, theorists, and practitioners—including alumni Aria Dean ’15 (above right), Caitlin O’Neill ’11 (above left), calling it “the scariest project, Chaon will work and a number of Oberlin faculty members, including Associate Professor of Theater and Africana Studies novel of the year.” with Mike Lombardo, Justin Emeka ’95—discussed race, art, and aesthetics as they exist in cultural and artistic work. CHAON: ULF ANDERSEN

8 Additional Fellowship and Award Winners:

Jasmine Anderson ’17 Sophie Davis ’16, a Bikalpa Baniya ’19, an received a Fulbright violin performance and economics major, English Teaching environmental studies received the Davis Assistantship (ETA) to double major, received Projects for Peace teach in Germany. a Fulbright in Interdis- award to work on a Emma Baxter ‘17 ciplinary Studies to venture to help sustain WATSON TWINS received a Fulbright study violin in Samoa. an innovative grade Double-Degrees Score Watsons ETA to teach in Mitchell Miller ’17, a school in Nepal. Taichung, Taiwan. double-degree student Monique Newton ’18, a BY AMANDA NAGY Rebecca Deutsch ’13, in organ performance scholar athlete with a double-degree graduates kirk pearson ’17 and paulus van horne ’17 a theater major, and German studies, double major in politics were each awarded a coveted 2017 Watson Fellowship, an extraordinary received a Fulbright received a Fulbright and law and society, opportunity allowing them to travel the world this year in pursuit of an ETA to teach in Greece. research grant to study was named a 2017 independent project. organ performance in American Political Grace Evans ’17, an Pearson holds degrees in composition from the conservatory and in cinema Germany. Science Association East Asian studies studies and geology from the college. Van Horne majored in Technology in Xavier Tirado ’17, a Ralph Bunche Summer major with a politics Institute Scholar. Music and the Related Arts in the conservatory and environmental studies in minor, received a biology and sociology the college. Each earned $30,000 from the Thomas J. Watson Foundation to Fulbright ETA to teach double major, and Kate Ryan-O’Flaherty conceive an original project and execute it outside of the United States. in Taiwan. Jason Heitler-Klevans ‘19, a religion major, Pearson’s fellowship, “an odyssey of invented instruments,” began in ’17, a physics major, was awarded a Critical Holly Hoang ’17, a received Woodrow Language Scholarship August and is taking him to Paraguay, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, South history major, received Wilson Academy to study Urdu, the Korea, and Japan in search of like-minded “tinkerers” working to expand a Fulbright ETA to Design Fellowships to native language of our instrumental lexicon. Pearson plans to research robots that play teach in South Korea. work on the creation of Pakistan and regions instruments in ways humans cannot, live with a community that turns Marie Lilly ’17, a a new graduate school of India. gardens into synthesizers, and scout his way through forgotten buildings biology major, received of education for Mattea Koon ’17, an that are now home to unforgettable sonic installations. a Fulbright ETA to teachers. English and anthropol- “This is a project that will let me celebrate the many disparate aspects of teach in Colombia. Lindsay Brubaker ’19, ogy double major, my personality—I am a musician, technician, avid tinkerer, and follower of Harald (Hank) Miller ‘17, an East Asian studies accepted a USTA award cultural-political currents,” says Pearson, a native of New York City. “While I a Russian major, and environmental to Austria and was have been lucky enough to direct films, build installations, and publish scientific received a Fulbright studies major, received selected for a Fulbright papers, no project I have done before has let me work so extensively with people ETA to teach in Russia. a State Department ETA to teach in Critical Language Study Germany. who synthesize every one of these aspects in totally innovative ways..” Oliver Okun ’17, a award to study Van Horne is taking a journalistic approach to exploring “noise and Russian major, Kameron Dunbar ’19, a Japanese in Hikone, the megacity” by studying the sonic landscape of the world’s megacities— received a Fulbright politics major, received Japan. urban centers with a population exceeding 10 million—to learn how residents ETA to teach in Russia. a Mount Vernon Kiela Nelson ’18 Fellowship, a summer live with increasing noise. Stops include Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, Miriam Plane ’17, a received the Benjamin institute that develops and United Kingdom. sociology major and A. Gilman Scholarship leaderships skills and Van Horne, who grew up in New York “surrounded by the commotion of Gender, Sexuality and to attend the Dakar provides mentoring three adjacent apartments on top of the noise of traffic and police sirens,” will Feminist Studies Institute’s Summer and networking. interview local urban planners about noise pollution, engage experimental Program minor, Program in Senegal. musicians about their artistic uses of noise, and meet residents and activists who received a Fulbright Helen Kramer ’17, a are on the front lines of quieting the din. Through human interactions and ETA to teach in Berlin, Briana Santiago ’17, an math major with a sound recordings, Van Horne hopes to piece together patterns and portraits of Germany. economics major and concentration in peace Africana studies minor, and conflict studies, sonic life in with an eye toward the future of the urban metropolis and its health. David Zager ’17, a received the Congress- received a Humanity in “My quest to is to find out how my fellow megacity residents have learned double major in Bundestag Youth Action Fellowship in to live with the noise of urban life. How have they adapted noise for their comparative American

WATSONS: TANYA ROSEN-JONES ‘97 TANYA ROSEN-JONES WATSONS: Exchange for Young Germany, a summer studies and in gender, purposes such as protest and art? Have any of these residents been successful Professionals (CBYX) program that facili- sexuality, and feminist in reducing or eliminating urban noise? The world’s largest and fastest fellowship to spend a tates dialogue on studies, received a growing cities are the best sites for this investigation.” year in Germany human rights and Fulbright ETA to teach Pearson and Van Horne are among two dozen of their Oberlin peers who studying, interning, and social justice. in Brazil. received scholarships and fellowships during the 2016-17 academic year. living with hosts on a For more information As in years past, the Chronicle of Higher Education named Oberlin a cultural immersion on all the award Fulbright Program “top producer” for landing two of just 40 fellowships program. winners, visit oberlin.

CHAON: ULF ANDERSEN awarded in 2017. edu/news.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 9 Thought Process

From left: Fliesler ‘82, Lind ‘06, Sabin ‘14, Trivedi ‘92

SCIENCE problem is a fear of science. People There is a certain segment of the Dyani Sabin ’14 is a freelance feel they can’t understand it, a feel- population that refuses to believe science journalist based in Lost in ing that’s probably rooted in their things like climate change, evolu- Chicago: early education. Even as adults, they tion, or vaccine safety. But I am an I have found that scientific issues Translation can’t get past it. Another difficulty optimist and won’t admit that such that challenge people’s core oberlin alumni science is that science is couched in jargon, “science deniers” define the general identifying beliefs are the most writers took part in the symposium and scientists have forgotten how public. Instead, I think there is misunderstood. Something like Translating Science in September, to share their ideas and passions in another scientific concept that is evolution or climate change sharing with students their advice everyday language. They talk too much more misunderstood, challenges religious or political on science writing and related much about their methods and potentially much more harmful identities. Once that happens, you careers. Organized by Ally Fulton ’16 their molecules and not enough (or at least confusing), and much aren’t arguing with logic, but with and faculty, staff, and students about the “big picture”—because more pervasive, even among those a person’s identity, and so people from the sciences, rhetoric and the practice of science, especially who think they understand it: the push back. composition, the libraries, and for junior scientists, is very much long tail of statistics. Medical the Career Development Center, incremental and “little picture.” survivorship, for example, is Bijal Trivedi ’92, freelance writer, the symposium was intended to Also, since science is fluid and new commonly misunderstood. A specializing in biology, biotechnol- raise awareness of the importance knowledge is always emerging, particular cancer might have a 27 ogy, and medical research: of communicating science to the conclusions of individual studies percent survival rate, but what does The politicization of science poses general public as a foundation can contradict each other. This that mean for a particular patient? a serious threat to our democracy, of sound political and personal can foster a feeling of mistrust of How about a 5 percent survival our health, and the planet. For decision-making, as well as to science. The job of a science writer rate? Or a 95 percent survival rate? example, climate change, vaccine inspire students in science writing is to restore the wonder of scientific Stephen Jay Gould wrote a efficacy, and renewable energy are careers. discovery and make it relevant to wonderful essay on this, “The all issues that have been rigorously The Oberlin Alumni Magazine the person on the street—but also Median Isn’t the Message,” after he examined through the scientific asked the four alumni panelists to put the findings in proper per- was diagnosed with a particularly method—but peer-reviewed to answer the question, “In your spective. We do this largely by serv- deadly cancer. He went on to live science is being rejected for politi- experience, what is the scientific ing as translators and teachers. I many more years, one of the cal gain. The challenge for science issue that is most misunderstood by think it’s a great career for Oberlin patients in the “long tail” of writers is to present these topics the general public?”Here are their students, who are naturally curious, survivorship. Nate Silver has also through language and storytelling answers: passionate, and verbal. famously discussed the long tail that connects with everyone across in the contexts of sports and politics, the political spectrum. Another key Nancy Fliesler ’82, senior science Brianna Rego Lind ’06, freelance such as with Hillary Clinton’s loss issue is that current budget propos- writer at Boston Children’s science writer and historian to Donald Trump. The long tail is als would significantly slash federal Hospital and editor of the science specializing in history of 20th- everywhere where there is any funding for basic science and and innovation blog Vector: century biomedicine, industry “chance” of anything, and the longer medical research. The private sector It’s not so much an issue that’s science, science policy, and the tail, the more instances there and nonprofits cannot fill the gap

misunderstood—I think the basic controversial science: will be within that tail. when government support wanes.” ROSEN-JONESTANYA ‘97

10 EXCERPT POEM skeptical into a believer. Totaled Agassi was in the Tel Aviv To the Daughter BY BRIAN BLUM ‘83 office of Idan Ofer, chairman of the Israel Corporation, I Never Had BY ROB HARDY ‘86 “For a moment, suspend your Israel’s largest publicly listed disbelief.” company, and one of the richest I saw you today at the playground. This was Shai Agassi’s men in Israel, at the time worth You were wearing a little dress signature opening statement. nearly $4 billion. Also in the that reminded me of all the dresses He used it when talking to room was Mike Granoff, who I never bought for you, CEOs and students, to those headed up Maniv Energy all the sundresses and twirly skirts, in corporate conference rooms Capital, a small venture capital all the Hanna Anderson. and in the corridors of power, to firm, and who was responsible his devoted employees and to for arranging the meeting. You were on the swing, leaning back, the more than a million people Agassi would have 45 minutes to reaching up with your candy-striped legs, who would watch and share pitch Ofer on a plan for a as if to reinsert yourself his viral video presentation. talking, charismatic entrepre- business that, if successfully into an imaginary heaven, Today, he was saying it to neurs the high-tech world has executed, would quite literally into the realm of possibility. one of the wealthiest men in ever seen. Like his idol, Apple make the world a better place. You didn’t see me watching you Israel, at the start of a polished co-founder Steve Jobs, Agassi— FROM THE INTRODUCTION TO TOTALED: speech that would change the a poker-playing Israeli boy THE BILLION-DOLLAR CRASH OF THE from a future in which you don’t exist, destinies of everyone in the room. wonder—is never at a loss for STARTUP THAT TOOK ON BIG AUTO, but sometimes you smile at me BIG OIL AND THE WORLD BY BRIAN from the face of another man’s daughter-- Agassi was—and still words. After just a few minutes, BLUM ’83, PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2017 remains—one of the smoothest- he can turn even the most BY BLUE PEPPER PRESS. a smile that contains all the mornings we never baked bread together, all the cartwheels you never turned,

all the stories you never told me about all the things that never happened. You are six, or nine, or fifteen, and always

as beautiful as I imagined, growing up smart and graceful and strong, and I am glad, and it breaks my heart

that you have become all this without me. I have spent what would have been your entire life breaking up

fights between the boys, scrubbing the floor around the toilet, trying to get them to change their underwear,

and knowing that I could not love anyone more-- not even you. Perhaps someday you will understand

how it’s possible to regret ACADEMIA the life that never was, and still love nothing Drawing from Experience more than the life that is. Julie Schumacher ’81 has made a career in academia and a second career skewering it. A professor of FROM THE BOOK DOMESTICATION: COLLECTED POEMS 1996-2016, PUBLISHED BY SHIPWRECKT creative writing and English at the University of Minnesota, she wrote the 2014 novel Dear Committee BOOKS IN RUSHFORD, MINNESOTA, IN FEBRUARY 2017 Members, a collection of hilarious off-the-rails letters of recommendation that was a best seller and AS PART OF THE UP ON BIG ROCK POETRY SERIES. won the 2015 Thurber Prize for American Humor. She’s back with Doodling for Academics, a coloring HERO NOW THEATRE IN MINNEAPOLIS PUBLISHED book illustrated by Lauren Nassef (published by the University of Chicago Press) that features HARDY’S ADAPTATION OF AESCHYLUS’S ORESTEIA, WHICH INCLUDES AN INTRODUCTION BY OBERLIN’S bathroom wall graffiti possibilities (“Schrodinger’s Cat’s Litter Box: full or empty?,” a limerick that NATHAN A. GREENBERG PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS includes the phrase “surfeit of cathexis”), a dartboard taking aim at helicopter parents, and a Chutes & EMERITUS THOMAS VAN NORTWICK, IN THE SPRING

TANYA ROSEN-JONESTANYA ‘97 Ladders-style game of academic success (and failure). Above is a selection from the book. AND PRODUCED THE PLAY IN SEPTEMBER 2016.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 11 Thought Process

material—many of them WORKLIFE had never seen anything like it before, in film or Improvising a Career Path in life. So that got me BY SAMANTHA SPACCASI ‘17 thinking about docu- mentary taboos and a circuitous route “Jim was a guest lecturer,” The owner instead donated the rarity of cameras through Oberlin led directly Pollack recalls. “When I the club to the Music recording actual death. to a dream job for Gabe received the grant, I asked Settlement, a community The digital part came Pollack ’11. After initially him if I could intern at music school in Cleveland’s later, when in my majoring in environmental Nighttown to get more University Circle neighbor- research I realized how studies, he added a con- experience. I moved to hood that represented the Bop important digital servatory major in jazz Cleveland and worked for Stop’s best hope for revival. In technologies had become trumpet his sophomore year. him for a summer. When 2014, when the Music in helping people, But by his fifth year, this the grant ran out, he hired Settlement began looking for both professional and ONE QUESTION now double-degree student me. I worked there for three Bop Stop leadership, Pollack non-professional, record had changed course again, years as a booking agent updated his resume—and Jennifer deaths in progress and, crucially, distribute their designing an individual during the day and doing dusted off his old business Malkowski ’04 footage unencumbered major in jazz entrepreneur- sound production at night.” plan from Oberlin. ship that was geared toward As Pollack was learning “I interviewed for the Jennifer Malkowski is an by some of the the music business and the industry on Cleveland’s management job and assistant professor of censorship models of film and media studies media in the past. venue management. east side, a jazz club across submitted my Oberlin paper at Smith College. Her As for the impact on “For my final project, I town was floundering. with my application,” he says. book, Dying in Full Detail, me, it was definitely wrote a business plan for a The sleek and intimate Bop “And they hired me.” published by Duke harder on an emotional jazz club and applied for Stop, built in 2002, had Under Pollack’s direction, University Press in March level to research this some grants,” Pollack says. enjoyed a nine-year run at its the Bop Stop has thrived, 2017, is a thoughtful material than anything He earned funding through home overlooking Lake Erie boasting a steady schedule exploration of docu- else I’ve written. I’m Oberlin’s Creativity & before the owner decided to of local and touring jazz acts, mentary depictions of happy to have the book in Leadership program, which sell. Among the few suitors including some 30 Grammy print now and to finally dying in the digital age. supports innovative entrepre- was someone who envisioned Award winners and counting. be able to encounter neurial efforts by Oberlin the place as a burger joint, It was voted Best Jazz Club news stories about grisly What’s the origin of students. He spun that into Pollack recalls hearing. by Cleveland Scene in 2015 deaths captured on your interest in the a summer internship at “The potential buyer and 2016 and was even topic, and was it a hard camera without feeling the Cleveland jazz club said, ‘This is a great space, but named Cleveland’s “best date book to write? immediately obligated to Nighttown, whose marketing what am I going to do with spot” by the online match- This book actually began click on the video and coordinator, Jim Wadsworth, that?’ and pointed to the maker eHarmony, an honor at Oberlin as an watch. That’s a hard undergrad honors thesis thing to do for many he had met through a class stage. After that, the owner Pollack calls “hilarious.” supervised by Geoff years of book research, at Oberlin. kicked him out.” The club also boasts a new Pingree and Pat Day in but I also feel that the cinema studies. Other pain and injustice than me having been a suffered by many of the morbid person since people whose recorded childhood, the origins of deaths I write about puts the book come from a my own discomfort with screening I attended in the footage in perspective. 2003 of a 1976 In other words, it feels documentary, Dying, by petty and privileged for Michael Roemer (which me to complain about I write about in chapter having to watch the two), that follows several recorded deaths of others terminal patients through who had to actually their last months of experience them. But I life. Despite the age of felt there was a political, the film at that point, it and not just intellectual, was clear to me in the importance in watching Q&A that followed that and thinking carefully the audience was about this kind of footage, unusually moved and and I hope that comes through in the book. surprised by this POLLACK: CROOKSTON-GULENKO JULIE ’15

12 BOOKSHELF recording studio donated by Cleveland radio personality Recent Releases Robert Conrad. “We can do high- The Vietnam War: An Intimate History end recordings here,” says Pollack, Geoffrey C. Ward ’62 and Ken Burns noting that the studio recently KNOPF hosted a Blue Note session for Vietnam has become the prism through which nearly every subsequent Terence Blanchard. “It’s pretty U.S. military engagement has been viewed, the oft-asked question cool to have Blue Note call you being, “Will [fill in the blank] become the next Vietnam?” The cultural up and ask if one of their artists shifts it ushered in and domestic divisions it uncovered also linger can record in your studio!” to this day. Which is why this book—and the recent PBS documentary The Bop Stop also maintains series to which it is a companion—are still important studies for understanding where we are today. Ward, the author of 19 books, has close ties to Oberlin, with teamed up with Burns for public television documentary series before, student groups and faculty and their takes on the Civil War, baseball, and jazz, among other members regularly making the topics, have led to renewed interest and fueled fresh and productive rounds onstage. “The space gives debates on the subjects. student musicians an opportu- nity to play in Cleveland,” says Pollack. “It can be hard when you’re relatively far from a major CA 21132 city like New York.” All works on this disc were recorded in Beall Hall, on the campus of the University of Oregon. thorn 3:59 david lang thorn molly barth Brian McWhorter – producer Molly Barth – flute Lance Miller – engineer Mastered by Nick Lloyd at Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT. lend/lease 4:05 Molly Barth – piccolo David Lang’s music is published by Red Poppy, Ltd. and administered worldwide by G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP). A recent three-night stand Stuart Gerber – woodblocks Grammy-Award winning flutist Molly Alicia Barth is the Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Oregon. short fall 4:08

A contemporary music specialist, Molly was a founding member of the new music sextet eighth blackbird, and is a Molly Barth – piccolo david lang co-founder of Duo Damiana and the Beta Collide New Music Project. Molly plays a Burkart flute and piccolo. Matt Albert – violin For more information, visit mollybarth.com. Jeffrey Zeigler – cello Molly Barth would like to acknowledge the support of her collaborators, David Lang, the Oregon Arts Commission, David Riley – piano

and the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance in the production of this CD. thorn featured Conservatory Professor involuntary 3:14 Zachariah Galatis and Molly Barth – piccolos David Lang would like to thank Molly Barth for her musicality and commitment. Plus all the presenters and molly barth Sarah Viens and Joshua Silva – trumpets commissioners and funders and musicians and tech people involved with this recording. And Kenny Savelson, Philippa Thompson, Tim Thomas, Mike McCurdy, Sruly Lazaros, Brian Petuch, Bill Murphy, Adam Cuthbert, Stuart Gerber – percussion Denise Burt, Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe and Suzanne Bocanegra. vent 8:01 Pearls Before Swine Experience . Molly Barth – flute Executive producers: Michael Gordon, David Lang, Kenny Savelson and Julia Wolfe . Huntington Trio of Advanced Improvisation and David Riley – piano Carin Levine . Label manager: Bill Murphy Andrew Sterman . Cantaloupe sales manager: Adam Cuthbert burn notice 6:23 Photography and art direction: Denise Burt / elevator-design.dk Molly Barth – flute & © 2017 Cantaloupe Music, LLC. All rights reserved. Cantaloupe Music is from the creators of Bang on a Can. Jeffrey Zeigler – cello Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Cantaloupe Music, 80 Hanson Place, Suite 301, Brooklyn, NY 11217 | CA21132 www.cantaloupemusic.com David Riley – piano (1988) was commissioned by the Omni Ensemble , Dinosaur Annex and Earplay

Percussion Jamey Haddad and (2011) was commissioned by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s for opening frag 7:02 music cantaloupe (2008) was commissioned by the London Sinfonietta , in honor of its 40th birthday. (2000) was commissioned by the Molly Barth – flute (1993) was commissioned by

For more about everything you hear on this CD, visit cantaloupemusic.com or davidlangmusic.com. To get specially priced Melissa Peña – oboe (1984) was commissioned by the (1990) was commissioned by advance copies of all our new releases, as well as catalog discounts and other perks, sign up for the Cantaloupe Club or our Jeffrey Zeigler – cello digital subscription service at http://cantaloupemusic.com/fans. with support from Meet the Composer/Readers Digest . thorn lend/lease short fall involuntary vent burn notice frag his intergenerational, interna- DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York. tional band, Under One Sun, Paste OFA tag here. performing tunes from the Hidden Mother Infrastructural Thorn Skyfishing: A Grand Laura Larson ’87 Ecologies: Alternative Molly Barth ’97 Tale with Grandpa album of the same name. The ST. LUCY BOOKS Development CANTALOUPE MUSIC Words by Gideon concert included percussionist Part photography book, Models for Emerging Thorns can be prickly, but Sterer ’11, Pictures by Patrick Graney ’17 in his final part extended essay, Economies they can also latch. Poly Bernatene performance before leaving for Hidden Mother tells the Hillary Brown ’71 and That’s certainly true with ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS Berlin to pursue a jazz career. story of the adoption of Byron Stigge this new album of Pollack’s own Oberlin years Larson’s daughter from MIT PRESS chamber music by Barth, Do you need a body of water to go fishing? It included several crucial steps Ethiopia as mapped With renewed attention a founding member of depends on what you’re that led him to where he is today. through 19th-century on the crumbling contemporary music hoping to catch. Sterer’s hidden mother photo- infrastructure in the pioneers eighth blackbird. “Being part of the conservatory tale is of a grandfather graphs. The term “hidden U.S., Brown’s book on On Thorn, she performs was challenging, but worthwhile,” who loves to fish, but mother” refers to the developing nations could the music of David Lang, he says, recounting his own when he moves to the widespread practice in end up being a woulda- whose connections to city to live with his experiences making music. “It 19th-century child shoulda-coulda argument Oberlin are numerous. family, has no place to seemed like a lot of doors were portrait photography for developed nations. What starts as short cast off. His grand- closing, but when one door in which the mother, Brown, a professor at the bursts of flute soon daughter suggests they closes, another one opens. My though present for the Spitzer School of Architec- catches and stays with drop a line off of the fire shoot to hold or support ture and director of the the listener—catchy and experiences in the conservatory escape in their city the child, is somehow City College of New York’s edgy at the same time. helped me figure out what I apartment—and they concealed in the master’s program wanted to do after graduating. catch…a Flying Litterfish. photograph. The scant in sustainability in the The first catch was “You learn a lot from your evidence of the mother’s urban environment, followed by even more courses, but the connections I presence in the image proposes strategies for exotic fish—plants made with people as a student presents the idea of planning infrastructural (Green Danglers), socks were important too,” he says. the mother there and services and waste (Laundry Eels), and, soon, not there, a meditation handling in developing “There are lots of Oberlin bigger fish: hats (Capfish) on the meaning of nations that are holistic, graduates that are touring and jewelry (Goldfish). motherhood. integrated, resilient, musicians, and it’s fun to book The world might not be sustainable, economical your oyster, but with them at the Bop Stop. It’s and equitable, creating enough imagination, it important to take advantage of infrastructural ecology could be your ocean. opportunities outside the that functions more like

POLLACK: CROOKSTON-GULENKO JULIE ’15 classroom, too.” natural ecosystems.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 13 Introducing President Ambar Say hello to Carmen Twillie Ambar, Oberlin’s 15th president. By Jeff Hagan ’86 | Photographs by Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97

carmen twillie ambar stands at the head of long oak confer- explain that the room is usually used for meetings of Oberlin’s senior ence table in the Cass Gilbert Room of the Cox Administration Building. leadership. “Every aspect of campus gets discussed in this room.” The She is surrounded by paintings of important figures from Oberlin history agenda for her next meeting is about what investments should be made such as Asa Mahan, Charles Finney, James Fairchild. All but one of the around campus that might lead to better student retention. “We try in these portraits depict white males. meetings to have substantive conversations.” She is working to demystify At the table with her is this year’s freshman class of Posse Scholars, what happens in Oberlin’s conference rooms and corridors of power for a group of 10 students from Chicago public high schools who have strong these Posse scholars, who are often of color or first generation college potential but who may have been overlooked in the traditional college students or both. An advocate of visualization, who has used it for selection process. The Posse Foundation partners with schools like Oberlin everything from piano competitions to swim meets, Ambar wants the to provide scholarships and supportive environments to participating students to visualize not just their graduation, but their presence at tables students. where important decisions are made. “That hasn’t been lost on me my Ambar is leading these students on a visioning exercise in which they entire career,” she says afterward. “You walk into the room, and there’s no enact the moment they walk across the stage on Tappan Square to receive one like you in the room.” their diplomas. “In four years,” she reads, “you will graduate from this Before saying goodbye, she tells the Posse scholars that she’s expecting institution.” Just 19 days into the job at this point, Ambar is as new as they them to be in their own boardroom someday. Before she leaves, she’s asked are. She tells them she’ll always feel connected to them since they started to pose for a picture with them. “Great,” she says. “I’ll post it on Twitter.” together. She calls out each student’s name, hands each a scroll expressing “You’re on Twitter?” a student asks in the kind of disbelief only an faith in their ability to succeed, and shakes their hand firmly. The students 18-year-old can express about the assumed social ineptitude of anyone over receive hugs from Gina Perez, a professor of comparative American studies, 25. Ambar, who has gone virtually paperless in her office and runs her who is mentoring this class of Posse scholars. world through a smart phone and a smart watch, answers with mock Once the students are back in their chairs, Ambar takes a moment to indignation. “Yeah, I’m on Twitter!”

1414 Introducing President Ambar

Carmen Twillie Ambar, Oberlin’s 15th president, in the living room of the President’s house. TAKING THE BATON President Ambar takes a turn conducting the opening concert of the Oberlin Orchestra (left); Ambar gives the heavy bag, held by trainer Wendy Reddinger, a left jab on may 30, 2017, in the azariah root room of the carnegie and dance faculty, including serving as program chair, at the University of building, under the painted gaze of Oberlin’s previous presidents—all but Arkansas in Little Rock. one a white male—Carmen Twillie Ambar was introduced to the Oberlin Ambar begins her remarks with words of thanks to them. “Somehow community as its new president. Since 2008, she had been the president of [my mother] got in her mind to get a PhD in dance and related arts. There Cedar Crest College, a women’s liberal arts college in Allentown, Pennsylva- were no images to look to to know that what she wanted to achieve was nia; she is the only president in Oberlin’s history to have already served as a possible. I always say to her it was simply divine intervention. Watching my college president. Before Cedar Crest, she was vice president and dean of mom in that pursuit demonstrated to me that a life of the mind and family Douglass College at Rutgers, the youngest dean in that university’s history; life could exist in the same human being, could exist in this woman, could assistant dean of graduate education at the Woodrow Wilson School of exist in this woman of color. That’s what she taught me.” Public and International Affairs at Princeton; and assistant corporation Ambar says that as a young man her dad would look up from the hot counsel with the city of New York. She earned her law degree from beating sun of the cotton fields and say to himself, “I don’t know what I Columbia Law School, a master’s in public affairs at Princeton, and a BS in want to do, but I know I don’t want to do this.” foreign service at Georgetown University. Ambar, who comes from a family “My dad, because he had the opportunity to go to college and then go on with twins on both sides, has 10-year-old triplets with her husband, Saladin to graduate school—he not only changed his personal trajectory, he Malik Ambar, an associate professor in the department of political science changed his family’s trajectory,” Ambar tells the room full of board and senior scholar at the Center on the American Governor at the Eagleton members, administrators, faculty, students, and staff. “I’m one generation Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. “I was just being efficient,” she removed from picking cotton. We’re five generations removed from slavery. likes to say. My dad had the opportunity to change his trajectory, and to change my Present that day in the Root Room were her parents, Manuel Twillie, a trajectory, because I have the opportunity to be the 15th president of retired public school principal who picked cotton as a child in Arkansas Oberlin College. Those intertwined missions: academic excellence, social and grew up to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and her mother, justice, equity, access, opportunity—that is in my DNA. I’m deeply Gwendolyn Brown Twillie, a PhD who was for three decades on the theater committed to that work.”

What’s your favorite movie but I’m a ’70s kid who loves What’s the best way to Luke, and these guys are 10 12 of 33 of all time? my disco. spend a Saturday morning? years old. Questions: My husband is part Italian Oh gosh, if I had a chance and part African American, If you could, which to sleep, it would be so awe- What’s the best way to Oberlin’s Office of so I have to go with The Broadway play or movie some! Honestly I would go decompress? Communications produces Godfather, parts one and would you star in? old style: New York Times Bad TV—always a good videos of Oberlin faculty two. But don’t give me three. Our family has been printed, good cup of coffee way to decompress. I don’t members in which they It’s just not very good. obsessed with Hamilton in bed, with nowhere to go. get a chance to do Netflix answer 33 questions. Here for the past 18 months, so That’s the best way to spend it. that often, but if I have a are a few of the answers What do you listen to while we literally can sing every chance, it’s always nice. I did from President Ambar’s you’re driving? line of it. There are so many [The Ambars’ triplets enter a couple of months ago get video, available at go.oberlin. I have a really eclectic style, parts. Because they were the frame] through all of Game of edu/33q/president-ambar. but if you want to know willing to do sort of “blind And who do we have here? Thrones, so I was ready for what my go-to music is— casting,” I will take one of This is the crowd that is the season opening. I felt I’m just a disco person. I the traditional male parts the most fun for me. This so much like a part of a know that may sound bad, and be Aaron Burr. is Gabrielle, and Daniel, and community! ORCHESTRA: YEVHEN GULENKO

16 (middle); Ambar meets the staff of the Oberlin Review in the basement of the president’s house, one of many gatherings planned for the space.

even before ambar officially began her duties at oberlin, she possibly accomplish in these early days of her administration, but about had begun her duties: addressing various groups of new students during what’s ahead for the college itself. For the past two years, Oberlin has orientation, leading a faculty meeting two days before she became president. missed its enrollment targets, despite the fact that it had the third-highest During this time she would joke, “Right now, I’m just an unemployed applicant pool in its history last year. With its modest endowment, woman living in college housing.” Oberlin’s revenues are primarily dependent upon tuition, so the shortfall Once her tenure and the semester began, Ambar shifted into overdrive. reverberates throughout the budget and will continue to do so as the lower Her packed schedule includes visiting as many classes as she can so that enrollment numbers cycle through school years. The result this year is a $5 when she talks about the quality of an Oberlin education, she can speak million operating deficit and, to Ambar, clear evidence Oberlin needs to from experience. She hosts student and staff gatherings in what was the rethink its financial model. basement family room of the president’s residence that she renovated Ambar doesn’t pull her punches when discussing the challenges that lay specifically for that purpose, a practice she lifted from her time at Cedar ahead for Oberlin. She’s also aware that members of the Oberlin commu- Crest College. She appeared on the student-hosted WOBC radio show nity often hold—and express—strong opinions. “You’re in a relationship Muse for Hire, sharing a dozen or so songs that were important to her with the college,” she tells her audiences. “And in a relationship, you can’t throughout her life (most of the show’s other guests are college students, so, just tell the other person what you don’t like about them all the time. at age 49, her catalog is a little deeper). Her hosts took it in stride when she Sometimes you have to tell them what you do like.” She advises alumni, demonstrated all the dance moves from the video to Prince’s “When Doves faculty, staff, students, and others to consider the things they value about Cry” in the station’s cramped, grungy studio. Oberlin and commit to working on them. At every venue, she stresses that she’s there to listen and learn, and she makes a point of letting her audience know not to expect answers and at every gathering of every constituency—whether it’s pronouncements from her. “I’m, what, on day 13?” she asks a colleague during cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, safety and security officers, emeriti one speech; “I’m at three weeks today, I think,” she jokes at another event. faculty, or members of the general faculty—the president shares the same Ambar is managing expectations not just about how much she could message regarding financial sustainability: “There’s a flashing red light up

Have you have had a Favorite thing to eat? What was the best gift my nap!” If you’re a mom What’s your best advice teacher who really If I had a go-to thing, it you’ve ever received? of triplets, a decent nap is for someone when they hit influenced you? would be pizza. I mean, I’m a mom of triplets as hard to come by. a creative wall? It was my third-grade you can’t go wrong with a you’ve now seen, and when When you hit a creative teacher. Her name was good slice of pizza. There’s a the triplets were about a What’s the best thing about wall, the thing you have Ms. Compton, and she wrote lot of debate about what couple of months old— living in Oberlin? to do is to remember those on my report, “Carmen is city, but my husband is a they were born in April so The best thing about living things that inspire you and better in math than she New Yorker, so I have to go Mother’s Day happened in Oberlin is the community, to go fighting to find them. thinks she is.” It was that with New York style. afterwards—my husband I think. People have really one statement that I think gave me these little passes welcomed our family, and made me end up being an Least favorite thing to eat? that I could redeem for a we are totally acclimating economics major and I’m not a beets person. nap, and it was the best ourselves now. made me have that math I think I could do it if I had gift ever. I remember getting confidence that I think so to, but it’s not my preferred that pass and calling all many girls need. thing to eat. my friends and saying, “Don’t ORCHESTRA: YEVHEN GULENKO call me because I’m taking

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 17 “At Oberlin, we’re going to have to idea. If tomorrow someone asks you to invest $50,000 a year for the next four years, you would ask tough questions about outcomes. We can’t shy rethink who we are in order to ensure away from that and act as if we’re offended by the question. It’s a reasonable question, and we should be able to answer it. that this institution will be here for “At Oberlin, we’re going to have to rethink who we are in order to ensure that years to come. That will be difficult. this institution will be here for years to come. That will be difficult. But the difficulty will be worth it, because what Oberlin offers and the types of students But the difficulty will be worth it, that we educate and the work that they’ll do is good work that the world needs. because what Oberlin offers and the “Oberlin is more relevant today than it has ever been. We are wading through choppy waters in this country, in particular around income inequality, types of students that we educate access to affordable health care, and issues of race and class in ways that feel and the work that they’ll do is good like we are losing ourselves a bit as a nation. Oberlin has a chance to hold up our values in substantive ways. We have the opportunity to educate the next work that the world needs.” generation to carry those values forward in powerful ways. That’s why Oberlin is so important. But if we can’t sustain ourselves, meaning we can’t have our financial model work , then we miss the opportunity to shape society.” ahead, and while we’re not at it yet, we’re getting closer.” Oberlin must make Ambar believes that it will take more than money to meet Oberlin’s chal- some difficult decisions now, she says, to avoid being forced to do “something lenges. “I’ve been at Princeton—just having money doesn’t totally do it,” she says. catastrophic” in the future. But what if she had a magic wand? What would she do? “It is a sobering message, but it’s also an optimistic one, in that I believe “I would use a magic wand to help us have the resilience to do this we can do it,” she says. “And I think we have a mission that is so relevant and challenging work. I don’t think I’d need a magic wand, and that’s a good important that we must do it. And yet, because it’s asking us to do something thing, because I don’t have one.” we may never have had to do before, it will require all of us to be more open to change, more open to thinking outside of how we’ve seen ourselves.” it’s 5:30 in the morning on a friday in september. president What that looks like, she doesn’t yet know. The question on the minds of Ambar bounds into Phillips Gym, greeting her personal trainer, Wendy many is: how much can Oberlin change and still be Oberlin? Reddinger. Clad in black workout clothes and pink sneakers, Ambar heads “Would it fundamentally change the character of Oberlin if, for example, upstairs to begin a warm-up routine on the elliptical, Pitbull playing on her there were graduate programs here? I wouldn’t think so, but some people smartphone. Ambar tries to exercise every morning but saves the hardest might. Would it fundamentally change the character of Oberlin if we had to workout for Fridays: “That’s when I box,” she says with worrisome glee. discontinue certain majors or certain programs? Some would say yes to that.” At the command of her trainer, Ambar cycles through a variety of hitting These questions are part of the bigger discussion about what it means to styles on a heavy bag: small, jackhammering punches with frenetic footwork, be a liberal arts college. “In my own view, it’s not a defined set of majors. It is followed by punishing hooks and jabs. “Stop it, Wendy!” she shouts, as if whether we can deliver on what it means to have a broad-based education Wendy is the one making her do this routine. that offers critical thinking, writing skills, and cultural competency skills.” The night before, at Ambar’s invitation, the staff members of the Grape, Ambar says she will work with faculty, staff, alumni, and students to Oberlin’s alternative newspaper, held a staff meeting in her basement. “I’m figure out what the Oberlin of the future looks like, yet adds, “I don’t think just here to hang and see what you guys do,” Ambar told them. While the we maneuver our way out of this just by cutting. As an institution, you have Grape staff went about their business, Ambar resisted the urge to chime in to build toward what you’re becoming. Yes, we have to reduce our expendi- with ideas and advice. And she didn’t flinch when the topics turned openly tures, but we also have to think about ways to increase our revenues. Some of NC-17 (one of the recurring features of the Grape is a column called “Bad that may be in growth areas, like new majors that have an ability to bring Habits”). But she did graze on the spread of chips and salsa—a subject that more students to Oberlin. came up during her boxing workout the next morning. “I think the breadth and depth of how you think about how people can Seeing a parallel to what she faces with the college’s finances, she laughs shape the world is broader than just working in just one field or organization. and says, “I don’t want to out-eat my results.” That work happens in a variety of areas. We can’t pigeonhole what we think At this early hour, not many people are in the gym—“This is not a is the type of student who could be transformed by Oberlin.” Ambar’s ‘happen to show up’ crowd,” says Ambar—and by the time she takes off her thinking is partly informed by the results of surveys of admitted students gloves for the next exercise, she sees another regular—fourth-year student who chose not to attend Oberlin. Federico Consuegra, who usually comes with a buddy. While Oberlin is facing its own specific issues, it is also confronting issues “Where’s your friend?” she asks as he passes by. facing higher education in general. The declining number of high school “He didn’t show up today,” Consuegra answers with gentle disapproval. students nationally has resulted in fierce competition among colleges. “That “Tell him I noticed,” says Ambar. She’s smiling, but she’s not kidding. means that you’re asking Oberlin to win every battle in order to maintain its She moves onto the next phase of the workout, something awful called enrollment numbers. And people are questioning the value of a liberal arts the “ab roller.” degree and asking if it’s worth the investment. We have to demonstrate more “I really don’t want to do this,” she says to no one in particular. And then clearly that it is, and some of that has to be about demonstrating more she does it. n clearly the relevance of our curriculum to their life after Oberlin. JEFF HAGAN ’86 IS THE EDITOR OF THIS MAGAZINE AND THE FATHER OF A MEMBER OF “Parents are not as willing to buy the ‘I’m just here on campus exploring’ OBERLIN’S CLASS OF 2021.

18 THREE’S A FUN CROWD President Ambar with her husband, Saladin Malik Ambar, and their 10-year-old triplets, Daniel, Gabrielle, and Luke (from left).

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 19 Students in the environmental studies course Nature Culture Interpretation view a pastoral scene by Paul Bril (Flemish, 1554–1626), Landscape with Nymphs and Satyrs, 1623; oil on canvas. Photograph by Tanya Rosen-Jones ‘97

To Keep Bright the Torch of Learning One hundred years ago, the Allen Me morial Art Museum opened its doors.

20 To Keep Bright the Torch of Learning One hundred years ago, the Allen Me morial Art Museum opened its doors. AMAM at 100

By the f irst decade and a half into the 20th century, Europe Bwas torn apart in a war it hopefully, but with tragic inaccuracy, called the war to end wars. Russia’s revolutions came in such short order that they went by the names of the months in which they But in Oberlin on June 12, 1917, following a luncheon at the home occurred. The poet Yeats would of college president Henry Churchill King, guests filed into a splendid new building devoted to fine art, designed by one of the leading archi- tects of the time. The Allen Memorial Art Museum was formally

soon famously fret over dedicated in an afternoon ceremony at the college chapel, where the ARCHIVES COLLEGE OBERLIN audience heard remarks by architect Cass Gilbert, museum benefactor things falling apart, centers not Elisabeth Severance Allen Prentiss, and director of the newly opened Cleveland Museum of Art Frederic Allen Whiting. The service included holding, and a rough beast a closing prayer by Reverend Edward Bosworth and an organ postlude composed by Professor George Whitfield Andrews. slouching toward Bethlehem. Also speaking was Clarence Ward, who had arrived at Oberlin from

22 Cass Gilbert (American, 1859–1934), Study for Art Building and Cloister, Oberlin College, ca. 1915; charcoal, graphite, wash and gouache on tracing paper

Rutgers a year earlier to direct the new museum and serve as the Adelia initiative, is sure to rise again from the ashes of the world war. To keep A. Field Johnston Professor of the History and Appreciation of Art. The alive this individual initiative, to preserve this background on which the juxtaposition of this genteel moment in Oberlin and the turmoil of the future is to build, is the duty of a college art department in time of war.” times was not far from his thoughts that day. “For such a future,” he added, “it is the duty of the colleges and “It is perhaps unnecessary to remark what is in everyone’s mind, that universities of America to keep bright the torch of learning, that its light we meet to dedicate an art museum in times which seem far removed may lead in the days to come, when things beautiful will again take their from the thought of art,” he said. place among things practical which for the moment have necessarily “The present is a time of efficiency, efficiency often at the expense of absorbed the greater portion of our attention.” the beautiful,” he continued. “It is our duty to yield, in a measure, to the For the next century, scores of directors, curators, professors of art unusual circumstances of the day. We must for the moment, at least, bury history and other disciplines, students, alumni, and donors kept bright

the individual in the mass. But pure knowledge, developed by individual that torch. ▼

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 23 w

AMAM at 100 KING SCULPTURE COURT: GULENKO;KING SCULPTURE YEVHEN COURTYARD: YINGRAN ZHANG ‘16 “I had never set foot in an art museum until I was a freshman at Oberlin in 1983. Not only was the Allen my f irst introduction to the history of art, having access to its collections shaped my understanding of what it meant to be an artist. To have the Allen host the ‘Hidden Mother’ exhibition was an incredible honor and homecoming.” —Laura Larson ’86, photographer and professor of photography and integrated media at Ohio University

24 w

“My f irst job at Oberlin was working in the director’s office at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Sharon F. Patton was the director, and, I didn’t know it then, but after more than a decade in the art world, I realize how rare it was to have an African American woman running the museum. My time at the Allen was transformative. I didn’t grow up going to museums, so that work-study job was my first prolonged experience with a museum. I loved every second of it. Without that job and the Allen, I don’t think I would be where I am today.” —Lauren Haynes ’04, curator of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

“I started going when I was a little boy—1941 on. It was my playground. And then when I came back to Oberlin as an art student, the museum was a place that was essential to what I was doing. I could play soldiers and knights in that courtyard—my grandfather (museum director Clarence Ward) used to make me swords. I sort of had the run of the place—he was the boss.” —Writer and former studio art major Geoffrey C. Ward ’62

Left: King Sculpture Court, with its recently restored ceiling; right: courtyard behind the art museum.

25 AMAM at 100

A Collection Built on a Solid Foundation As the Allen Memorial Art Museum celebrates its 100th year, a new exhibition focuses on the modern works donated by one of the founders of Maidenform. By Andria Derstine, John G. W. Cowles Director, Allen Memorial Art Museum

visitors to the allen memorial art performed in England, and it was there that he Museum over the years can be forgiven if, in the and Enid met. Together they became ballroom dazzle of European modernist holdings, they failed dancers and entertainers. Joseph had been due to to look closely at the small panels of wall text that sail on the Titanic to New York City in April 1912, accompany the works. What they would have he later told an associate, but, having gotten a gig found on the labels of two dozen works in the in England, prolonged his stay. collection—including many of the museum’s most By the early 1920s, Enid had opened a dress important paintings—is the phrase “Gift of Joseph shop, Enid’s Frocks, on 57th Street in midtown and Enid Bissett.” Though many may overlook Manhattan. There she designed an early version of their names, it would be hard to overlook the the brassiere, at first integral to her dresses, to SMITHSONIAN HISTORY, AMERICAN OF MUSEUM NATIONAL LIFE, COMMUNITY AND HOME OF DIVISION BRASSIERE: contribution of a singular couple whose 24 gifts enable the dress to hang in what she felt was an / ADAGP, PARIS YORK NEW (ARS), SOCIETY RIGHTS ARTISTS © 2017 DUBUFFET: AMAM; BISSETS: INSTITUTION; during the 1950s and ’60s helped to form the heart attractive manner. (As a former dancer, she was of the museum’s holdings in mid-20th-century aware of the need to “corral” one’s assets.) Along European modernism. While the works they with her friend and partner, seamstress Ida donated tell important stories in the history of art, Rosenthal, she began to produce and sell the the story of the Bissetts is no less interesting, with brassieres separately from the dresses. Together the poignant twists of fate, a tale of immigrant success, pair formed the company that would later attain and a fortune founded on that most 20th century international success as Maidenform, having of American icons: the brassiere. designed their brassieres to celebrate a woman’s That the Bissetts would become important art feminine “maiden” form, as opposed to the collectors and museum supporters isn’t readily “boyish” form then in fashion. Along with Ida’s suggested by their early lives. Enid was born in husband, William, the women opened a factory in England in 1893 as Elsie Sellars, and, having Bayonne, New Jersey. For some years Joseph, changed her first name, sailed to New York City known as Joe, was active in the company in sales. from Liverpool aboard the Lusitania in 1914 Through the success of Maidenform, the (which was sunk by a German submarine the Bissetts had the means by the 1930s to begin following year). At some point, she met and collecting art. Many of their works were purchased married Joseph Bissett, who in the early years of through the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York Above: Enid and Joseph Bissett at the the 20th century performed as part of the City. Matisse, the son of artist Henri Matisse, was a February 1954 gala opening of an exhibition of works from the AMAM collection at vaudeville act Bissett and Scott. His father had major force in mid-century European modernism. Knoedler Galleries in New York City. emigrated to the United States from Russia and For many years he was the representative in the Top: Enid Bissett and partner Ida Rosenthal he too had changed his name—from Siegel, a United States of Jean Dubuffet, one of the most in the company that became Maindenform found success selling brassieres like this 1936 name his father, a cantor, had chosen when he important French artists of the 20th century. The model called “Variation.” arrived in the United States. Bissett and Scott had Bissetts were among Dubuffet’s earliest patrons in

26 A Collection Built on a Solid Foundation As the Allen Memorial Art Museum celebrates its 100th year, a new exhibition focuses on the modern works donated by one of the founders of Maidenform.

Jean Dubuffet (French, 1901–1985), Lili noir de fumée, 1946; oil on board

27 AMAM at 100

the United States and became close friends with in France and New York City. It was on the return Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Georges Rouault, him and his wife, Lili. Enid had written to Dubuffet from a trip that included a visit to the Dubuffets and Max Weber. Also included is one 19th-century after purchasing the portrait Lili noir de fumée in in Vence, in the south of France, that the Bissetts painting, by Alfred Sisley, and the painting December 1948 from Pierre Matisse, starting a had the harrowing experience of surviving the Harmonizing by the African American self-taught 20-year relationship between the Bissetts and the sinking of the liner Andrea Doria on July 26, 1956. artist Horace Pippin. Pippin had been championed artist that lasted until Joe’s death in 1968. That To complement the seven works by Dubuffet by famed collector and educator Albert C. Barnes, painting and its acquisition are emblematic both that the Bissetts donated to the AMAM—six with whom Enid was in touch in 1940 regarding of Dubuffet’s “outsider” tendencies and of what he paintings and one collage—Joe Bissett donated advice on art acquisitions (the same year that she would later describe as Enid’s “audacity;” it was parts of Enid’s correspondence with the artist and acquired the two earliest of her purchases to come featured in the December 1948 issue of Life his wife to the museum following her death, to the AMAM, the paintings by Dufy and Rouault). magazine in an article titled “Dead End Art: A including a letter written by Dubuffet upon These works, by a diverse group of artists Frenchman’s Mud-and-Rabble Paintings Reduce learning they had survived the shipwreck. The representing seven national origins, have not been Modernism to a Joke,” strongly critical of the museum also received, directly from Dubuffet, a on view together since a brief showing at the artist’s practice. Notwithstanding this assessment, manuscript he had written about the self-taught museum in 1968. They are a testament not only to many Americans—including Jackson Pollock, artist Emile Lebrun, part of his significant life’s the Bissetts’ discerning eye, but also to their belief who cut out the image and put it on his wall, and work to promote what he termed “art brut,” or in the power of art for education. At first they had Claes Oldenburg, an artist well represented in the “raw art”—art by self-taught “outsider” artists, considered donating their collection to the AMAM collection—greatly admired Dubuffet, including psychiatric patients and prisoners. Museum of Modern Art. That institution, however, whose works are now celebrated for their Dubuffet is not, however, the only significant already had strong holdings in European modern- anti-authoritarian individuality and experimental 20th-century European artist represented in their ism, and on the advice of their nephew, J. R. materials and techniques. donation—the others include Marc Chagall, Raoul Judson—who graduated from Oberlin in 1948 and AMAM The Bissetts and Dubuffets visited each other Dufy, Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, went on to become an eminent art historian in the

28 The Bissetts’ wish that these works would be used to further students’ educations has been fulfilled over many generations. Their inspirational gifts form the heart of the museum’s modern European collection and provided a singularly important work by Horace Pippin.

Opposite page: This page, left: This page, right: their collection and ensuring that the works would and famed architect Gordon Bunshaft, who Amedeo Alberto Horace Pippin come to Oberlin after both had died, even though previously owned Miró’s Women, Bird and Modigliani (Italian, Giacometti (American, they were formally accessioned—or made an Serpent in Front of the Sun. 1884–1920), (Swiss, 1888–1946), Nude with Coral 1901–1966), Harmonizing, official part of the museum’s collection—over the The story of this remarkable donation by an Necklace, 1917; Figure, 1951; 1944; oil on course of the years 1955 to 1966. extraordinary couple—neither of whom had a oil on canvas oil on canvas canvas The Bissetts’ wish that these works would be college degree—is one of many that the AMAM used to further students’ education has been seeks to highlight this year and is a testament to fulfilled over many generations. Their inspira- the generosity and foresight of the diverse group tional gifts form the heart of the museum’s of people, including alumni, staff, donors, and modern European collection and provided a others, who have helped to build the museum’s field of Northern Baroque painting—they instead singularly important African American work by impressive, irreplaceable collections over the past decided in 1952 to give them to the AMAM, Horace Pippin. They are often used in teaching 100 years for the benefit of Oberlin’s students, expressly emphasizing their interest in having their across disciplines and as part of programs for the faculty, and general public. n gifts further the education of students in an museum’s general public. The donated works also ANDRIA DERSTINE IS THE JOHN G. W. COWLES DIRECTOR OF academic setting. Hazel Barker King, the museum’s demonstrate links with other figures important in THE ALLEN MEMORIAL ART MUSEUM. SHE ACKNOWLEDGES curator, visited the Bissetts at their home in New 20th-century history, including the art critic and THE KIND ASSISTANCE OF J. R. JUDSON ’48, CATHERINE York in September 1949, having been introduced anarchist Félix Fénéon, who had previously owned COLEMAN BRAWER, ALVIN LESTER SITOMER, MAXINE AND JOAN SIEGEL, AND DAVID O. FRIEDRICHS, AS WELL AS THE to them via J. R. Judson, and by the time of a visit Modigliani’s Nude with Coral Necklace; the SUPPORT OF AN H. H. POWERS GRANT FROM OBERLIN by museum director Charles Parkhurst in January French Surrealist poet Benjamin Péret, for whose COLLEGE AND THE BROWN FOUNDATION FELLOWS PROGRAM 1952, Enid Bissett had decided to formalize the benefit Picasso donated the proceeds of his Chair AT THE DORA MAAR HOUSE, PART OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON. THE EXHIBITION MAIDENFORM TO donation intent. Arrangements were made in the with Owl, as Péret had been stranded in Mexico MODERNISM: THE BISSETT COLLECTION, IS ON VIEW IN THE ensuing months, enabling the Bissetts to live with following World War II and needed funds to leave; AMAM’S JOHN N. STERN GALLERY THROUGH MAY 27, 2018.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 29 AMAM at 100

“When I was a 15-year-old early entrance student at Fisk University, my father died. I was so traumatized by the loss of my dad that my mother urged me to continue my college education at Oberlin where I could be near my sister who was a double major in voice and piano in the conservatory. During the first days that I was at Oberlin, I went to the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Walking among exquisite works of art brought comfort to my grieving heart. As I slowly began to adjust to the loss of my father, I did not stop going to Allen. For what had been a place of solace for me became a place where I received the countless gifts that a truly outstanding art museum offers.” —Johnnetta Cole ’57, emerita director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

30 “The Allen Art Museum is a stunning collection that punches well above its weight for such a small town and college. I was ignorant enough to ignore it when I was a student, but not anymore. I always make sure to spend some time there whenever I visit Oberlin now.” —author Tracy Chevalier ‘84

The Ellen From left: Eva Hesse Johnson ‘33 Frank Stella (American, born Gallery, funded (American, 1936-) in Germany, by Ruth Coates Agbatana III, 1936–1970), Roush ‘34, 1968; acrylic on Laocoön, 1966; to honor the canvas; Larry plastic tubing, longtime Poons (American, rope, wire, professor and 1937-) Away Out papier-mâché, collector. on the Mountain, cloth, and paint 1965; acrylic emulsion on

TANYA ROSEN-JONESTANYA ‘97 canvas;

31 1

The “Oldenburg 2 Addition” adding onto cass gilbert’s original by not attempting to mimic What wasn’t mentioned in embrace of the complex coexistence of Renaissance-style building seems like it. It was daring without being Huxtable’s rave was the impish the sculpture’s contemporary subject PLAIN DEALER; 4: ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVES, U PENN; ARCHIVES, ARCHITECTURAL 4: DEALER; PLAIN a risky endeavor. Architect Robert disrespectful. And it caused a splash. influence of Claes Oldenburg, whose and the architecture’s historical Venturi understood it as one, It was, wrote Huxtable, “true Giant Three-Way Plug—his first large symbolism closely paralleled Venturi’s

comparing the task to “drawing a Venturi—urbane, cultured, deeply public commission—had been approach to his own commission at III/ TIMMONS LONNIE 3: AMAM; 1: 2: PAFA; moustache on a Madonna.” responsive to history and art, and installed shortly before plans for the Oberlin,” she wrote. And, in fact, when Celebrated New York Times unusually understanding of existing addition had begun. he created the sculpture for Oberlin, 5: ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART. AMERICAN OF ARCHIVES 5: architecture critic Ada Louise values—a solution of an extremely Oldenburg’s sculpture had an he picked the three-way plug because Huxtable put it best: “Having thus sophisticated, subtle, sympathetic, important impact on Venturi’s design he felt it had “a sort of a Renaissance succinctly stated the problem, and sometimes wry sensibility.” She thinking, not just for the Allen aspect.” [Venturi] proceeded to solve it,” she credited its “thoughtful logic” to the addition, but for other works to come, Among the papers of Ellen wrote in her January 1977 review. “exceptionally happy” collaboration wrote art professor Katherine Smith Johnson, the much-celebrated art Venturi’s adventurous addition to between the builders and then-direc- of Agnes Scott College in the Archives history professor, collector, and the Allen in 1976 honored the tor Richard Spear. of American Art in 2009. “Oldenburg’s benefactor, is a small sketch by

32 3

1: Claes Oldenburg 4. Preliminary 4 (1929-), Oberlin elevation study by Project: An Venturi, 1973, Alternate Proposal shows nixed surface for an Addition to pattern. 5: Venturi’s the Allen Memorial sketch showing Art Museum, positioning Oberlin, Ohio, 1979; possibilities for color etching and Oldenburg’s aquatint on paper sculpture at Allen 2: Oldenburg poses Memorial Art with Giant Museum. Three-Way Plug in 1970. 3: Robert Venturi and his wife and partner Denise Scott Brown in 2007.

Venturi in which he notes three Times Square information kiosk that 5 options for placing the Oldenburg featured a truly big Big Apple on its once the addition was complete. On roof—“a Pop-art monument in the that scrap of paper is a note in manner of Claes Oldenburg.” Johnson’s handwriting: “Venturi’s drg. Oldenburg himself took his Where he’d like to put the plug (on outsized whimsy to an even more top is where he’d really like it).” outsized extreme when he created his Though Venturi had explicitly own playful Alternate Proposal for made clear in his architectural theory an Addition to the Allen Memorial Art writings a fascination with Olden- Museum, Oberlin, Ohio. Its multi- burg, the artist’s influence on input and output plugs might not Venturi’s designs were even more have pleased Ada Huxtable, but it pronounced after the Oberlin offered endless options for electric commission. Most notable was a expansions. n

33 AMAM at 100

Words on the Walls Read the label. Good advice for buying groceries, taking medicine, and visiting art museums. While museums increasingly use text alongside artwork to help put the work in context, part of the story is in the fine print. Along with the name of the artist, the title of the work, the medium used, and the year it was created, the text— which often begins with “Gift of...”—offers a glimpse into how a piece comes to be part of a museum’s holdings. The Bissett collection is one of the richest of the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s holdings, and the label ELISABETH SEVERANCE ALLEN PRENTISS Joy to All

“Gift of Joseph and Enid AMAM; OBERLIN COLLEGE ARCHIVES The words “Mrs. F.F. Prentiss Bequest” the fortune behind those names sprinkled on labels throughout the bankrolled the entire museum Bissett” dominates an entire Allen’s galleries obscure the identity building. Elisabeth, the daughter of one of the most important bene- of Rockefeller oil business partner gallery. Here are the stories factors: Elisabeth Severance Allen Louis Severance, married Dudley Prentiss. Her string of last names Peter Allen, Oberlin Class of 1875 and behind a few of the others. represents some of the wealthiest, a surgeon, professor, and eventual most prominent Cleveland families Oberlin trustee. The couple pledged By Jeff Hagan ’86 at the dawn of the 20th century, and funds to build a structure to house

34 Elisabeth Allen said at the building’s “North-Italian Byzantine” and by dedication in 1917. “A lover of the Clarence Ward as “an adaptation of beautiful in nature and in art, he had North Italian Renaissance.” In a 1977 coveted for many years for Oberlin a rave review of the Venturi addition, building such as we are dedicating the original building was described as today, where the aesthetic side of the “a Renaissance palazzo out of student life might be stimulated and Brunelleschi by way of Cass Gilbert developed. When this vision became a and the Beaux Arts.” In fact, a spring reality, he was one of the most joyful 2017 exhibit at Oberlin’s art library and active members of the commit- organized by art librarian Barbara tee to consider plans. That he was not Prior to celebrate the centennial permitted to see these foundations shows a clear debt to Brunelleschi’s laid, to watch these walls rise, was a Foundling Hospital in Florence. tragedy. It has therefore been my Whatever its style, the architecture privilege and a sad pleasure to was universally praised. Too bad it perpetuate his deep interest in this didn’t always have great art. particular department of the college Eventually Elisabeth brought Left: A portrait of Above: Cass life, and to erect this building, which I remedy to that, bequeathing Elisabeth Gilbert in 1924. now present in memory of Dudley hundreds of thousands of dollars Severance Prentiss Below: the Peter Allen to the President of the to Oberlin when she died in 1944. by Philip Alexius museum under Board of Trustees, with the hope that Geoffrey C. Ward, a grandson of László de Lombos. construction Gift of Mrs. John A. in 1916. within its walls may come an Clarence who grew up using the Hadden, 1946.24. inspiration to many and a joy to all.” museum as his own play yard, Elisabeth and Dudley admired remembers stories of how his other campus buildings designed grandfather was able to inspire by architect Cass Gilbert, and Elisabeth’s generosity. By then she Elisabeth stayed closely involved had married Francis Fleury Prentiss, throughout the museum’s design and the labels denoting works and construction. bought through her, including the Gilbert’s design for the original 1841 Turner masterpiece View of Allen has been described in comically Venice: the Ducal Palace, Dogana, varied ways—dubbed at the time in and Part of San Giorgo,” bear her the Oberlin Alumni Magazine as final married name.

ELISABETH SEVERANCE ALLEN PRENTISS Joy to All

the college’s growing art collection, which until then was spread through- out buildings on campus. Dudley died before the museum opened, but Elisabeth honored the pledge…and then some. “As many of you know, dear friends, the interests of his Alma Mater were very dear to the heart of Doctor Allen,”

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 35 AMAM at 100

ELLEN JOHNSON ‘33 Good Friends With her ability to see around corners as to what was coming up in the art world, Professor Ellen Johnson ’33, who also earned a master’s degree from Oberlin, gained the respect and loyalty of artists like Jim Dine, Larry Poons, Claes Oldenburg, Bruce Nauman, and Frank Stella—in part for her early recognition of them. She helped present the Young Americans show at Oberlin, which brought to campus contemporary artists before they became household names, including Joan Mitchell, Robert Rauschenberg, and Chuck Close. And upon her death in 1992, Johnson bequeathed to Oberlin her impressive collection of contemporary art—more than 300 works, many gifted by the artists she befriended—as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright house that was her home. Andy Warhol’s 1964 silkscreen Jackie, Roy Lichtenstein’s 1964 Craig, and a 1976 portrait of her by Alice Neel all bear some variation of a credit line that leads back to Johnson, and her connections and collections helped to make the Allen the powerhouse college art museum it is today. Since 1940, Johnson’s other legacy is Oberlin’s celebrated art rental program. Not only has it brought art of the masters of all eras into the dorm rooms and apartments of generations of Oberlin students, it spawned a duplicate. Alison Caplan ’00, director of education at the Akron (OH) Art Museum, organized an art rental program in conjunction with the Akron-Summit County Public Library; 26 original works of art will be available for rent from the library beginning in February. Oberlin faculty member Kristina Paabus is represented in the collection, which AMAM; OBERLIN COLLEGE ARCHIVES represents mostly regional artists or artists who have shown at the Akron museum. “Our hope is to inspire people to feel that art is accessible to anyone and connect them with artists and related resources in the community—very much in the spirit of Ellen Johnson,” Caplan says.

36 Ellen Johnson, 1977

37 38 AMAM at 100

CHARLES F. OLNEY The Slenderness of the Teacher’s Pocketbook

Although 2017 marks 100 years Room by June 19, 1908, and represents in part the native taste since the Allen opened its doors, exhibited each day of the college’s of Mr. Olney, which was both fine Oberlin’s art museum actually weeklong celebration of its 75th and catholic, in part a compromise began a few years before 1917 and anniversary. between this taste and the miles away from its current site at As Art Professor Frederick O. slenderness of a teacher’s the corner of Main and Lorain. It Grover stated diplomatically in the pocketbook, in part the mistakes began…in Cleveland. college’s 1907-08 annual report: “In inevitable to lack of training in Charles F. Olney, who was a estimating the value and character art expression. Although as a New York public school teacher of the collection, it should be consequence very unequal in and administrator, began collecting remembered that it is the product merit, it is as a whole a collection R.T. MILLER JR. art in the 1850s. In the early 1890s, of rather intermittent collecting of unusual artistic excellence, he began displaying the works in a extending over a period of forty of wide scope, and of large Making the building that adjoined the years or more, and that it is the commercial value.” Allen Collection Cleveland home he shared with his expression of lifelong interest in When the Allen Memorial Art wife, Abigail, in the neighborhood beautiful objects on the part of Building was dedicated in 1917, “Important” of Tremont, a small pocket just a man of little or no specific art Frederic Allen Whiting, director of Up until 1939, the Allen had “no more south and west of downtown. The training, and with an income by no the Cleveland Museum of Art than a handful of good original works,” Olneys willed their collection to means large. For thirty years prior (which had opened the previous according to a 1947 article by Wolfgang Oberlin, yet when Charles died in to 1888 Mr. Olney was a teacher year) predicted that the fine Cass Stechow. But it would soon experience a 1903 and his wife a year later, the in the New York public schools, Gilbert building would attract a dizzying influx of high-quality pieces college had no appropriate space and during that time he had, I great many gifts. But Whiting thanks to the donations of R.T. Miller Jr., to house it. The artworks remained understand, a comparatively small urged Oberlin not to bind itself to an 1891 graduate who had founded a in the Cleveland gallery (thanks to income besides his teacher’s keep collections together, nor to correspondence school in Chicago. the generosity of the house’s new salary with which to satisfy his accept exacting conditions on its Clarence Ward once recalled Miller owners) for several years until art instinct.” gifts. He felt this would obligate telling him that Oberlin had a fine Oberlin created a temporary space Grover continued along these Oberlin to display inferior works building in the Allen, “but very little of in its newly built Carnegie Library. lines, avoiding putting too fine a alongside excellent objects. importance in it.” The main portion of the collection point on it. “The collection which But Oberlin was way ahead of Miller helped to fix that. Each year was placed in the library’s Art was finally gathered together him. The college accepted the from 1940 on, without being solicited, Olney gift with the understanding Miller donated funds for the purchase of that portions of it could be sold to art—an average of $25,000 annually for buy works of higher quality. Of more than two decades—with the the 8,000 or so objects the Olneys stipulation that the funds be spent donated, the Allen kept about within a year or two. The R.T. Miller Jr. 700. But the Charles F. Olney Fund Fund allowed the Allen to purchase designation can be spotted on works by Cezanne, Gorky, Kirchner, labels throughout the museum Monet, and—among its best-known today, attached to works as works, Ter Brugghen’s St. Sebastian diverse as Giovanni Benedetto Tended by Irene. Castiglione’s 17th-century etching And because Miller’s gifts were of Circe Changing Ulysses’s Men to money and not art, the resulting works Beasts and Ernst Ludwig reflect not the idiosyncratic interests of a Kirchner’s 1915 painting Self- gifted amateur, but rather the best Portrait as a Soldier. Today, the wishes and most-informed choices of a Charles Olney Fund is generally string of curators, directors, and members used to conserve Olney gifts. of the museum’s collection committee.

In a bulletin sent by the museum Upper left: Opposite page: following Miller’s death, curator Hazel R.T. Miller Jr.’s Hendrick King recalled that despite his large senior college ter Brugghen donations, Miller steered clear of portrait, 1891. (Dutch, ca. Left: Ernst 1588-1629), influencing purchasing decisions, even Ludwig Kirchner Saint Sebastian though he was often invited to weigh in. (German, Tended by He’d told her: “Now, Mrs. King, if you 1880-1938), Irene, 1625; oil were to ask me to help you select a Self-Portrait as a on canvas riding horse, I would do it with the Soldier, 1915; oil on canvas greatest pleasure, for I know something about horses.” MILLER: OBERLIN COLLEGE ARCHIVES; TER BRUGGEN AND KIRCHNER: AMAM

39 40 AMAM at 100

Lasting Impressions A number of Oberlin’s most important faculty members and museum directors returned for the Allen’s centennial. Standing, from left: William Chiego, Emeritus Director, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; Stephanie Wiles, Richard J. Schwartz Director, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University; John Pearson, Eva and John Young-Hunter Emeritus Professor of Art. Seated, from left: Richard Spear, Mildred C. Jay Emeritus Professor of Art; Affiliate Research Professor, University of Maryland, College Park; Athena Tacha, Emerita Professor of Art; Past Curator of Modern Art, Allen Memorial Art Museum; William Hood, Mildred C. Jay Emeritus Professor of Art; Visiting Professor, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University; Anne F. Moore, Museum Consultant and Fine Art Appraiser, New York. Portrait by Tanya Rosen-Jones ‘97

41 4242 Booker Peek’s Empowering Words Following a nearly half-century run, the Oberlin professor brings his gap-bridging educational program to a close. By Justin Glanville | Portrait by Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97

thirty million words. comparatively large vocabularies of That’s the surplus in spoken their college-educated tutors. language heard by children born The longest-running of those into affluent families, as compared programs, Words Are Very to children born into low-income Empowering (WAVE), ended last families, by the age of 3. This year after a 46-year run. The phenomenon—sometimes called summer program, taught by the “word gap”—was first identi- Oberlin College students, annually fied several decades ago and is served about 100 elementary and blamed for vast differences in high school students from Oberlin educational achievement between and beyond, offering coursework low-income and affluent students. to both at-risk and advanced But to the dismay of Booker children. The program consisted of Peek ’66, the general public still morning sessions in the King regards this gap as news. Building geared to young children, “I saw it reported on TV two who met in small groups to days ago, as if it’s a surprise,” says practice simple sentences and math Peek, shaking his head. “Our problems, while afternoons were society is still coming to terms with reserved for drop-in tutoring the fact that poor children do not sessions for high school students get exposure to the language of the During his many years super- culture that’s in power.” vising WAVE, Peek—often dressed Working to close that gap has in his trademark denim jacket, been a primary driver of Peek’s white shirt, and tie—became a near 50-year career at Oberlin (he familiar and inspiring sight to retired from teaching in 2011). The public school students and families courses he taught as a professor in Oberlin, Lorain County, and of education and later of African beyond. American studies grounded “He personally had a positive students in the reality of racial impact on hundreds of students inequality in early childhood over the years,” says Kofi Lomotey upbringing and education. ’74, a former Peek student and Off-campus, it motivated him current professor of educational to create direct-service programs leadership at Western Carolina for local low-income students and University. “I can think of students students of color. These programs who are physicians, who are provided one-on-one instruction lawyers, thanks directly to him and that exposed students to the his work.”

43 Peek himself views WAVE as one of his most important achievements, as much for its social benefits as its academic ones. “Words and knowledge allow you to persuade people, and they also create peace,” he says. “If you have words, you don’t need guns or knives or fists.” guns and knives and fists were not far outside peek’s own repertoire when he first arrived in Oberlin as a graduate student in 1964. He’d grown up in Jacksonville, Florida, during the height of the Jim Crow era, attending strictly segregated schools and living in an all-black neighborhood. As a teenager, the anger and frustration he felt at his situation drew him to a group of boys who were routinely arrested for theft and other misdemeanors. Peek viewed them as heroes, emulating their poor classroom behavior and earning F’s and D’s on his report cards. “I wasn’t as bad as some of the guys, but I was close,” he says. Then two things happened. First, the ringleader of the group was imprisoned for shoplifting, removing the most compelling negative role model from Peek’s life. Second, he fell in love—with a smart, optimistic girl who found empty rebellion unattractive. “I’d been interested in her for years, and I knew she was looking at guys who were staying in school, getting good grades,” he said. To ask her out, Peek knew he had to turn around his grades and his reputation. So when he reached tenth grade, he tried something simple: “I started paying attention,” he says. “That was really it. I didn’t work harder or study more, I just started listening in class.” Within a semester, the D’s and F’s became straight A’s. His crush said yes when he worked up the nerve to ask her out, and Peek was voted “most dignified” in a class poll. Nearly half a century later, the girl, Annette, is his wife of nearly 60 years—a woman he credits with everything from persuading him to attend college to teaching him how to smile. And that “most dignified” designation? It means more to him in retrospect than it did back then. “You can’t be dignified unless you respect people. You want people to do their best and be their best.” The moment he started doing that, he says, is when his life began to change. But challenges lay ahead. While at Oberlin pursuing his master’s degree in teaching, Peek found his academic gains and newfound self-confidence overtaken by apprehension—and not just because he was far from home. “They allowed me to be who I am, to pursue what I wanted,” Peek says, Due to his segregated primary school education and his undergraduate then pauses. “I’ve come to realize, especially since retirement, that my life has years at the historically black Florida A&M University, Peek’s exposure to been defined by people who valued me in a way that I didn’t value myself.” white people, particularly affluent white people, had been minimal. “Up until that point—and I was 24 by then—I had not met a white fostering a sense of self-worth underpinned much of peek’s person that I could talk to or even look in the face,” he says. “My upbring- teaching at Oberlin and in programs like WAVE. He started WAVE in ing, how separate I’d been from whites—I think it gave me the thought 1970—the same year he joined the faculty—as a way of nudging low- there was something wrong with me.” income students onto the path that he himself had taken out of poverty Peek was the only black student in the master’s program. He dropped and marginalization. WAVE provided instruction in a variety of subjects— out after his first term, impulsively hopping a bus back to Jacksonville and math, science, reading—and helped to prepare students for standardized vowing to stay in Florida forever. But then two of his Oberlin professors, Ira tests and college entrance exams. Steinberg and the late Frank Laycock, contacted him and asked him to “The idea was, how do we bring every child under the same umbrella of return. Peek says he was surprised and touched by the gesture—and by love and support that we would give our own children?” Peek says. their invitation to join the department’s faculty after he graduated. Kevin Gilfether ’13, who was a student of Peek and a WAVE tutor, OBERLIN COLLEGE ARCHIVES COLLEGE OBERLIN “What did they see in me to give me this chance?” he asks. “I was never remembers one of Peek’s favorite acronyms (and Peek, he says, loved going to be a traditional academic. In fact, I was very clear with them that I acronyms): ISME, or “instant success, minimal effort.” had no interest in that.” “He wanted to give disadvantaged kids an early sense of how pleasurable Steinberg and Laycock were adamant in their wish: simply that Peek be success is,” Gilfether says. “So you start with easy stuff, like asking students a great teacher, be it on campus or off, with or without his terminal degree to say their name in French, give them over-the-top praise for that, and (without), or whether or not he published (he did, although little). then they’re energized to move on.”

44 Oberlin resident Dena Pfenninger, whose two daughters attended WAVE CLASS ACT Seen in this undated photo from the Oberlin between 2008 and 2012. “That let my kids know that if you like something, College Archives, Peek maintained a commitment to educate you can do it, whatever your background.” Her older daughter recently young people at all levels, not just his college students. started college, and her younger, still in high school, wants to be a scientist. Pfenninger, whose family identifies as African American, remembers Peek’s frequent visits to the tutoring sessions as significant in themselves. “To know that he’d grown up in the South, rather poor, and had made his way through college and was making a difference, he was definitely a role model for my daughters,” she says. Because WAVE worked mostly at the interpersonal level—and because Peek rarely sought media attention or formal publication in academic journals, his contributions, and those of the program, were easy to underestimate, says Lomotey. “His commitment was consistent, and it was in both word and deed,” he says. “Parents would call Booker up and say, ‘Can you help me with my son?’ and he would say, ‘Bring him over.’ It wasn’t uncommon for him to have students in his garage over a summer while he helped them prepare for graduate school or medical school entrance exams. He wasn’t a traditional academic, but I’ve still never seen anyone as committed to education, particularly of black students, as Booker Peek.”

these days, peek’s concerns center mostly around his home, a contemporary colonial on Oberlin’s north side that bustles with near-con- stant activity. On a recent weekday morning, his daughter Angela, a kindergarten teacher, breezes through the kitchen on her way back from a workout, giving her father a kiss as she passes. His granddaughter hovers nearby, holding out her drinking cup for Peek to look inside. “We have a rule that she needs to finish her water before she can watch TV,” Peek explains, smiling, before checking the cup and giving her a nod of approval. (Peek, who once weighed 260 pounds, says raising his water intake helped him achieve his now-trim figure.) Peek ended WAVE in part to devote more time to caring for his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 15 years ago. When he’s not actively caring for her, he often sits on a couch in his window-walled sunroom, a video monitor of her bedroom at his side. The approach made sense to Gilfether, who grew up in a low-income “I realized just this morning that right here, in this seat, I’m surrounded family in Oberlin. “In a college town like Oberlin, there’s a strong class divide, by my life story,” he says. “Annette is here on the screen, my kids and and if you grow up low-income you’re very aware of that,” he says. grandkids surround me, and over there”—he points out the window, across As a tutor, Gilfether watched countless students grow in performance and his backyard—“is the house of the man who basically brought me to confidence. Tutors worked mostly one-on-one with kids in a variety of Oberlin.” The house belonged to Frank Laycock, his education professor, academic areas, either to bring them up to a level with peers or simply to keep who died several years ago. The two men moved to the neighborhood at their skills fresh over the summer. “We called the program Words Are Very the same time so their families could be close to each other. Empowering, but it was also Numbers Are Very Empowering,” Gilfether jokes. Over the course of his career, Peek believes, there have been advances and But it wasn’t just the instruction that was valuable. WAVE sessions were setbacks in the education of black and low-income students in the U.S. On typically held in buildings on Oberlin’s campus, which exposed the students the one hand, school segregation by race and income has returned to levels to college life and a wide range of college students. not seen since the 1970s. On the other, he sees a rise in black students’ “I liked that the student tutors were from all different backgrounds,” says self-image and in their conviction that whites and blacks should have the same quality of education. Whether that leads to measurable change, he says, will likely take years to gauge. “Words and knowledge allow you to “If I were to come back in 200 or a thousand years, there’s only one thing I’d want to see,” he says. “What is happening with our 1, 2, and 3-year-old persuade people, and they also children? If I find they are learning the language of those who are the most create peace. If you have words, you powerful, that would tell me that we’ve finally arrived.” n JUSTIN GLANVILLE IS A CLEVELAND-BASED WRITER AND THE AUTHOR OF NEW TO don’t need guns or knives or fists.” CLEVELAND: A GUIDE TO (RE)DISCOVERING THE CITY.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 45 Class Notes

physician who settled in Canada in 1967 after the first 10 lectures in his “The History of the refusing to serve in the U.S. Army Medical Jews in America” series, which begins with 1950s Corps in Vietnam, was honored for his Jewish settlement in Spain during Roman 1954 achievements in maternity care. Also a professor times and continues through the present day. Historian Stephen W. Sears, who wrote 2003’s at McGill University and the University of “If you are bored with late-night television, Gettysburg, has a new book on the Civil War. British Columbia, he has been a leading watch these lectures and then sleep soundly as Lincoln’s Lieutenants: The High Command of advocate for family-friendly birth practices. a more educated Jew!” he suggests. The the Army of the Potomac was published earlier videos can be found on YouTube by search- this year by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ing “We Saw the Lifted Lamp.” Kenneth was ordained in 1966 at the Hebrew Union 1955 College-Jewish Institute of Religion in The music of composer Cincinnati. He has written several books, H. Leslie Adams was including Lone Stars of David, which featured in a variety of chronicles Texas Jews. [w] https://www. settings in the past year. youtube.com/channel/UC33sRwvGF6CtROx In 2016 his Piano Études, LMUbKf2w Part II were performed by Thomas Otten in Stull Klein ‘60 1964 Recital Hall and at Alan Cowles received Juilliard, his chamber the 2017 Helen Fluker Rotberg ‘55 music was performed at 1961 Award for Open and Cleveland Clinic’s Martin Luther King Library, Ann Clymer Bigelow retired from Current Accessible Govern- and his composition “Prayer” was sung by Digest of the (Post-)Soviet Press 10 years ago ment in March 2017. mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves ’85 in a recital at and has since enjoyed researching and writing He was honored for the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. In articles about early Ohio social history—par- his work with state 2017, Leslie was a panelist at Cleveland Opera ticularly care of the mentally ill. Her son Dan lawmakers to amend Theater’s New Works Festival and was a member and his family live in Connecticut, and her the Kansas Open Monroe ‘64 of the Composer’s Roundtable following a grandson Adam attends Carleton, his father’s Meetings Act. n Ervin performance of his art song “Since You Went alma mater. n Historian Richard D. Brown, Monroe earned the National Flute Associa- Away,” part of the U.S. Army Band’s Chamber Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of tion’s Lifetime Achievement Award at its Music Series at the National Museum of African History Emeritus at the University of Con- annual conference. Ervin’s long career American History and Culture in Washington. necticut, has written a new book, Self-Evident includes 40 years as principal flute of the In August, Leslie’s “For You There Is No Song” Truths: Contesting Equal Rights from the Detroit Symphony and principal flute roles was performed by baritone Ryan Speedo Green Revolution to the Civil War, published by Yale with the Bolshoi, Royal Danish, and Royal at the Ravinia Festival. n Robert I. Rotberg, University Press. His previous books include English ballets. He has served as an NFA board founding director of the Program on Intrastate Knowledge Is Power: The Diffusion of Informa- member, founded The Flutist Quarterly, and Conflict at the Harvard Kennedy School, tion in Early America, 1700–1865; The served on the faculties of Wayne State and president emeritus of the World Peace Founda- Strength of a People: The Idea of an Informed Oakland universities. n Robert Tittler, a tion, and author of Africa Emerges, Transforma- Citizenry in Early America, 1650-1870; and the professor of history emeritus at Montreal’s tive Political Leadership, and When States Fail, coauthored microhistory, The Hanging of Concordia University, was elected a Fellow of has a new book from Princeton University Press. Ephraim Wheeler: A Story of Rape, Incest, and the Royal Society of Canada. The Corruption Cure: How Citizens & Leaders Justice in Early America. n Rabbi Kenneth D. Can Combat Graft puts some 35 countries under Roseman of Corpus Christi, Texas, uploaded 1966 an anticorruption microscope to find solutions Harvey Baker helped the Golden State to defeat sleaze and graft. Robert is a fellow of Legends win the title in the U.S. Adult Soccer KORNER MASTER the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Association’s 2017 International SoccerFest former president of Lafayette College. Todd Barkan ’68, who (aka Veterans Cup). The team took joy in beating its archrival, Kizuna of Japan, 2-0 in created San Francisco’s the semifinal. Harvey coaches high school

influential Keystone soccer in Waynesboro, Tenn., and operates a ARCHIVES COLLEGE OBERLIN 1960s Korner jazz club in Long custom woodworking business. He enjoys 1960 organic gardening with his wife, Dorie. Michael Charles Klein received the Order of Beach, was named a 2018 n Pianist and conductor David Montgomery Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian released his second book, Unfinished History: honors, in recognition of service to the National Endowment for A New Account of Franz Schubert’s B-minor community and the nation. Michael, a the Arts Jazz Master. Symphony (Brown Walker Press). Its foreword

46 SKETCHY STUDENTS Art students learn from the masters at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in this undated photo.

was written by fellow conductor David Zinman was soloist for the Slovak Radio Orchestra in rate even further, and she and her mother are ’58. David lives in the San Francisco area, where Bratislava—a concert sponsored by the U.S. left to find their way through seemingly he loves meeting up with fellow Oberlinians. Embassy—and was guest conductor with the endless challenges. Elbland Philharmonic in Germany. He would 1967 love to catch up with Obies who travel through 1968 Robert Merfeld has written Utah. n Set in 1950, Sarah Levine Simon’s new Edna Chun and Jay Kyung Chun were on hand the book Is It So if You novel Winged Victory (Black Opal Books) to present the second annual Alexander D. Think It’s So? Thoughts on follows a 9-year-old Jewish girl in Pittsburgh, Chun Compassion in Surgery Award, an award Teaching and Performing whose world is split between a sick father and a for a resident physician at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chamber Music—An mother who cannot hear. Persecuted by those Miami Beach, Fla., to Derek Nieber. The award Anti-Manual. It has already around her, she retreats into a world of books is named for their son, Alex ’08, who died in Rosenberg ‘67 earned acclaim from and imagination until family matters deterio- 2015. Alex was a physician assistant at the musicians including Richard Goode, Joseph hospital. Alex’s friends and family members Lin, and Arnold Steinhardt. Robert is a former also established the Alexander D. Chun ’08 student of Emil Danenberg. n Joel Rosenberg’s Scholarship in Neuroscience at Oberlin. n rich career in music includes great memories of Richard M. Isackes has written a book on the his Oberlin experiences, among them Oberlin Hollywood scene painters whose trompe l’oeil Orchestra performances at Carnegie Hall, backdrops for films such as North by North-

OBERLIN COLLEGE ARCHIVES COLLEGE OBERLIN Symphony Hall in Boston, and the Academy of west and The Wizard of Oz were generally Music in Philadelphia, and hitchhiking to uncredited by the movie studios. A collabora- Kennedy’s funeral with friends—and running tion with Karen L. Maness, a colleague at the out of money while there. In 1995 he founded University of Texas who curated the images, the Salt Lake City nonprofit Festival Concerts, The Art of the Hollywood Backdrop (Regan whose performances benefit numerous Arts) has been widely acclaimed as the charities. A violist and conductor, Joel recently Levine Simon ‘67, Chun ‘68 definitive work on these unsung artists, and is

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 47 Class Notes

now in its third printing. A resident of Austin, RITORNO Texas, and Otter Rock, Ore., Richard has been Artist Nanette Carter ’76, married since 2010 to Alisa M. Gabriel ‘72. who spent her junior year studying art in Perugia, 1970s Italy, four decades ago, 1970 returned last spring for an Stewart Edelstein’s book How to Succeed as a Trial exhibition of her work Lawyer was published in a at the Alessandro Berni Monti ‘71 second edition by the Gallery there. American Bar Association, scientist at Rho Inc. She has been elected to a earning favorable reviews. three-year term as vice president of the Stewart lives with his wife, American Statistical Association. Language and Literature at Northwestern Lynn, in Stockbridge, University and also teaches English, religious Mass. He retired after 40 years as a trial lawyer, 1973 studies, and classics. during which time he taught clinical courses at Richard Haass released his latest book, A Yale Law School for two decades. He currently World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy 1976 serves as an arbitrator for commercial disputes, and the Crisis of the Old Order (Penguin Press). Bill Frelick attended recently taught an adult-education course on It examines the history of world order from the the April 2017 Climate etymology, and is president of the board of the rise of the modern state system to the end of March in Washington, Stockbridge Library Association and a board the Cold War, reflects on momentous shifts in D.C. n Dena Netherton’s member of the Stockbridge Land Trust. the last quarter-century to shed light on our new novel, High [e] [email protected] current state of affairs, and outlines specific Country Dilemma steps we must take to begin addressing the (Anaiah Press), follows 1971 many challenges we face. Richard is president Fallon Hart, whose Judith Yaross Lee was named a distinguished of the Council on Foreign Relations. theatrical aspirations professor at Ohio University, where she has Frelick ‘76 have her dreaming served on the School of Communication 1975 of a life beyond her small Colorado home- faculty since 1990. In the past year, she also Barbara Newman was elected to the American town...until she encounters handsome served as a Fulbright professor of American Philosophical Society in Humanities in April firefighter and amateur actor Lucas O’Farrell. studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. 2017. She is the John Evans Professor of Latin Originally from the San Francisco area, Dena “I became an English major at Oberlin through has also cultivated a life in performance, both the inspiration of Dewey Ganzel, my professor onstage and behind the scenes. for the introductory literature class I took as a ALUMNI TRUSTEE ELECTED sophomore because I missed reading for Georgia Yuan ’75 was 1977 pleasure when I thought that I wanted to study confirmed by the Jennifer Moore Ballentine was named chemistry as a freshman,” she says. “By the Oberlin College Board executive director of the California State time I graduated, I was taking five literature of Trustees to serve a University Institute for Palliative Care at Cal courses a semester—in Spanish and Russian four-year term after State, San Marcos. She previously served as winning the 2017 as well as English, including Ganzel’s course president of the Iris Project and executive Alumni Trustee on Faulkner—to my everlasting delight.” Election. Yuan brings to service as a director of the Life Quality Institute in n Katherine Lane Nuckolls Monti and John G. trustee her professional background in Denver. She has also been a research Huck were married May 20, 2017, in Elgin, Ill. higher education and a unique perspective program strategist for the Denver Hospice- Attendees included Kathy’s two and John’s on the larger trends in education gained University of Colorado School of Medicine three grown children and their combined seven from working in the Obama administration. and director of programs for the Colorado grandchildren, as well as Matron of Honor She is also the parent of an Oberlin Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. graduate, Kimberley ’07. Janneane Ferguson Gent (pictured left of n Robert M. Wolff of the Cleveland office of The Trustee Search Committee seeks bride) and Martin Gent and (right) Camille the employment and labor law firm Littler to expand its pool of potential candidates Larson ‘69. Kathy, Janneane, and Martin all met was named one of the 100 Most Powerful (college and conservatory) for future in Intro to Calculus in September 1969. Kathy elections. If you wish to suggest a Employment Lawyers for 2017 by Human earned her PhD in biostatistics from the candidate, please contact Danielle Young, Resource Executive magazine and Lawdragon. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in executive director of the Oberlin Alumni He was also awarded top recognition by 1975 and worked until January 2017, when she Association, at [email protected]. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers retired from her position as chief statistical for Business.

48 “Over the years I’ve seen the students Norman Henderson was Norm, like many alumni only filling in temporarily grow, and they’re 70½ years old and older, has when he joined Oberlin’s just as passionate, started taking advantage of psychology department as an the IRA Charitable Rollover instructor. “My wife and I just as dedicated as when making his gift to moved here in 1961 and I’ve Oberlin. An IRA Charitable been here ever since. when I started Rollover is a great way for you to make a TAX FREE gift to “I make my gift to the 56 years ago. And so Oberlin from your individual general fund because I trust IRA account. It allows you the college to spend the are the faculty.” to satisfy your required money wisely. The catalog minimum distribution for the —NORMAN HENDERSON, of classes available is just year, reduce your taxable PROFESSOR EMERITUS so rich, and an Oberlin income, make a gift that isn’t education really opens the subject to the 50 percent doors for students. deduction limits, and see an immediate impact. “Over the years I’ve seen the students grow, and they’re just as passionate, To learn more about how just as dedicated as when an IRA Charitable Rollover I started 56 years ago.” can benefit you and Oberlin The man for whom the College or to work with Norman D. Henderson our officers to plan a gift Endowed Professorship in that works for you, contact Psychology was named the Office of Gift Planning at adds with a smile, “And 440-775-8599 or email so are the faculty.” [email protected]. Class Notes

1978 Larry Ball coauthored an article that appeared in the July 2017 issue of the American Journal of Archaeology. It lays out the recent activities of the Pompeii Forum Project, of which Larry is assistant director. “We are conducting a system- atic study of the standing architecture in the forum area of Pompeii, the street grid around it, and urbanistic and chronological issues raised by this systematic study,” Larry says of his work with coauthor and PFP director John J. Dobbins. The article is available at www.ajaonline.org. Clohossey ‘80, Zack ‘81

Fellow in crafts and sculpture. Her work will be and feels that despite the climate, it remains a 1980s featured at the Front Room Gallery in New sane place to live. Since leaving Oberlin, she has 1980 York’s Lower East Side in March 2018. n Cathy worked in journalism and public relations and Daniel Clohossey participated in the Climate Zack met up with fellow Obies in Houston in had three children. She reports that she is March in Washington, D.C., in April. He was February 2017. After 23 years in office practice currently in the midst of a midlife crisis with no accompanied by Ivy Main and marched with as a family physician, she moved to a part-time end in sight. After teaching and publishing for fellow Obies Lynn Shaw ’66 (pictured with Daniel), hospitalist position in 2014 at Middlesex two decades in Oceania, Linda Crowl ’82 now and Mark Nelson. “It was truly inspiring to see so Hospital in Connecticut in order to spend teaches political science at Lone Star College in many people from all over the country, including more time with her husband, John, and the Houston area. Michelle Brot ’82 is a scientific 450 buses from states near and far, all standing up children, Dave and Arianna. Laura Marsh, a researcher at the University of Washington in for climate, jobs, and justice,” Daniel reports. geriatric psychiatrist, directs the Mental Health Seattle, where she lives with her husband, two Care program at the Michael E. DeBakey college-age sons, and a goldendoodle. Ellyn 1981 Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston. Kusmin ’82 was operations manager of the New Joanne Ungar is the 2017 New York State Council Ann Dugan ’82 returned to Canada after York Philharmonic and assistant to André Previn, on the Arts/New York Foundation for the Arts 20-plus years in Japan, London, and New York, and she currently works for James Taylor. She

children and pressed for for several years beginning in from the national YWCA for programs dealing with race, class, 1998, and under her leadership exemplifying outstanding and the disadvantaged. Under Lorain City Schools hired its first community service and embody- her leadership, the Y has provided female superintendent, and five ing the spirit of the award’s support services for grassroots years later hired its first African namesake. In 2015, she received organizations and developed American and female superinten- the distinguished service award joint ventures with minority dent. Recognition of her accom- from the Oberlin Alumni Associa- organizations. plishments has been bipartisan: tion. The award is presented to an In 1995, she secured over In 2002, Republican Gov. Bob Taft alumna or alumnus whose work $700,000 in federal funds to appointed her to the Ohio Civil or volunteering reflect Oberlin’s establish the first Transitional Rights Commission and in 2005, values by directly improving the Housing Program in Lorain Governor Ted Strickland, a quality of life for humanity. County. This was followed by Democrat, appointed her chair- As the leader of the Fair another award to establish a person of the commission, which Minded Coalition of Lorain County, ALUMNA KEEPS Permanent Supportive Housing made her the first female she told Lorain County commis- FIGHTING THE GOOD Program for women with chairperson in the 49 years of the sioners in June that she and FIGHT disabilities in downtown Lorain. commission’s existence. Addi- thousands of others would not be Jeanine Donaldson ’75 joined the That same year, Jeanine won tional honors include being attending that summer’s county staff of the Elyria (Ohio) YWCA a the first of three four-year terms named a recipient of the Ohio fair because it included a vendor year after she graduated from as a member of the Lorain Board Department of Health’s “Woman selling the Confederate flag. Oberlin. Only three years later, of Education, the only African- Making a Difference Award,” “For people who believe it’s she became its executive director, American board member in a which acknowledges women who just a piece of cloth or a piece of a role she has held ever since. school district where 60 percent have made an impact in the history, in today’s world,” she told Throughout her career she has of the enrollment was comprised elimination of health disparities the Elyria Chronicle, “it’s the pioneered innovative programs of Hispanic and African-American among women and people of color, number one recruitment tool for for low-income women and students. She served as president and the Sojourner Truth Award neo-Nazi groups.” DONALDSON: TANYA ROSEN-JONES ‘97 ROSEN-JONES TANYA DONALDSON:

50 HEALTHY PROMOTION younger son Adam recently sang in his high school production of Spamalot. Tim’s wife, Richard van Breemen ’80, author Sara Laschever, lectures widely on women professor of pharmacy and negotiation. [w] timrileyauthor.com n Wendy Uhlmann writes: “Oberlin taught us to Save at the University of think critically and comprehensively about Illinois at Chicago, was challenging issues. Therefore, it is no surprise that there were at least five Obies at the 4th Ethical, named director of Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Congress, the Oregon State University’s Genomics and Society: Expanding the ELSI, held Linus Pauling Institute, June 2017 in Farmington, Conn. Gail Henderson ’71 chaired the last ELSI Congress in 2011, and Date! which studies the role Wendy, Dave Kaufman ’90, and Joy Boyer ’83 all took part in the 2017 planning committee. Also Commencement/ of vitamins and other in attendance was Kate McGlone West ’03. micronutrients in Reunion Weekend: 1984 enhancing health and Matt Lehrman of Scottsdale, Ariz., has opened May 25-28, 2018 preventing disease. Social Prosperity Partners, a process design and (Note: This is Memorial Day weekend!) facilitation practice “dedicated to restoring trust, inclusivity, and optimism to the practice of civic Your class reunion is has been co-producer on several Grammy- engagement,” as Matt puts it. approaching! Past attendees will nominated jazz and pop albums. tell you that connecting with 1985 classmates and revisiting campus 1982 Tom Gardner and his was a highlight of their year. Paul P. Marthers was named to the newly wife, Alina, welcomed Commencement/Reunion Weekend created post of vice provost for enrollment a baby, Israel Stephen, 2018 promises to be an amazing management at Emory University. Paul will lead on the first day of celebration of class/cluster enrollment and retention efforts at the Passover. Tom is the reunions and commencement. university’s four undergraduate schools and rabbi of Riverdale Look for a schedule booklet and play a key role in shaping a transformative Temple in the Bronx. registration information to arrive Emory student experience. Previously, Paul was in early spring. associate vice chancellor at the State University 1988 of New York, Albany, and chief enrollment and Susan Olson has published a new book for student affairs officer for the SUNY system. young readers, Time Jump Coins: An Adventure Volunteer for your Before that, this first-generation college in Historic Philadelphia. It’s a tale of time travel 2018 reunion! graduate was Oberlin’s director of admissions. that leads its 10-year-old protagonists through a Join other classmates in shaping n fourth book, The Alchemy of series of historic adventures and, ultimately, to a Will Weigler’s the activities of your next reunion. Astonishment (University of Victoria), won the textile mill where they are forced to work with 2017 Distinguished Book Award for outstand- other children amid treacherous conditions. ing contribution to the field from the American 15th: 35th: CLASSES OF CLASSES OF Alliance for Theatre and Education. The book 1989 2002, 2003, 2004 1982, 1983, 1984 and a supplementary deck of teaching cards Deborah Smith won the H.W. Wilson Scholar- grew out of Will’s PhD research on what makes ship Fund Award from Kent State University’s 50th: a theater performance unforgettable. 25th: CLASS OF 1993 CLASS OF 1968 1983 65th: John Becker’s meta-list website, Make Lists, Not CLASSES OF War, recently garnered its 200,000th view. It 1952, 1953, 1954 contains best-of lists on a wide range of topics, from arts to science. [w] www.beckchris. wordpress.com n Tim (Mikesell) Riley was TO GET INVOLVED, CONTACT awarded tenure at Emerson College. Tim is the THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS graduate program director in journalism and AT 440.775.8692 OR teaches music and cultural criticism. His son [email protected]

DONALDSON: TANYA ROSEN-JONES ‘97 ROSEN-JONES TANYA DONALDSON: Moses ’19 is a geology major at Oberlin; his Weigler ‘82, Becker ‘83

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 51 Class Notes

“Knowing that I can achieve my dreams with the help of an Oberlin education inspires me. Waking up every morning and finding the resources to help me reach my academic and professional goals inspires me to do better. And my professors inspire me with their support and dedication.” —Salam Karahawa ‘20

From left: González-Rivera ‘90, Stirling-Harris ‘91, Cohen ‘92, Fisher ‘92, Purdy ‘92

School of Library and Information Science, where she is pursuing a master’s degree. She hopes to become a family history or government librarian. 1990s 1990 Historian Victoria González-Rivera earned an ACLS fellowship to coauthor a book on the last 100 years of LGBT history in Nicaragua, where rights for such people have often been trampled. “Nicaraguan LGBT people have not received the attention they warrant in histories of the period,” Victoria writes. “By examining intersections among sexuality, state formation, and capitalist develop- ment in Nicaragua, this study shows that Nicara- guan history was not made solely by heterosexuals, that LGBT Nicaraguans were not socially marginal, and that the country’s past is understandable only by attending to sexuality.”

1991 Gregory Hampton was named full professor of English at Howard University. He specializes in the study of 19th- and 20th-century African American and American literature and gender studies. He has written two books, Imagining Slaves and Salam’s dream of an Oberlin education was made possible from the generous support of Oberlin alumni. Gifts to the Oberlin Annual Fund, the college’s collective giving fund, provided the CLEVELAND SWINGS necessary scholarship funding for Salam’s education. Your annual fund support helped make In August, Randall Salam’s education possible. Most annual giving—nearly 90 cents of every unrestricted dollar donated—supports scholarships and financial aid, making an Oberlin education a reality for Fleischer ’81 conducted those who otherwise could not afford it. Collectively, annual fund gifts allow Oberlin to achieve the Cleveland Orchestra its highest priority—meeting 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all students. in a swinging tribute to SPANO: YEVHEN GULENKO YEVHEN SPANO: jazz vocal legend Ella Please consider a gift this fiscal year. Your support, of any amount, makes a difference. Fitzgerald, in celebration Visit go.oberlin.edu/salam or call (800) 693- 3167. of what would have been her 100th birthday.

52 Gardner ‘85

Robots in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture: at the end of his life, in the 1890s as his fame was and ethical possibilities of silence, not-doing, Reinventing Yesterday’s Slave with Tomorrow’s growing, the poet was selling copies of his latest and disavowal.” n Mary Purdy is happily settled Robot and Changing Bodies in the Fiction of works by hand to visitors at his small house in in Seattle, where she works as a registered Octavia Butler: Slaves, Aliens, and Vampires. Camden, New Jersey.” n Leslie Ferguson’s first dietitian with Arivale, heading up clinical He also serves as director of the English published work, How Many Wholes: Circles, is a training for fellow dietitians and providing department’s Graduate Studies Program and hands-on math game for students who struggle nutritional counseling using personalized the Office of Faculty Development’s Scholarly with fractions. The game pieces are cut from the genetic data and functional labs to guide clients Productions Workshop. n Katie Stirling-Harris book, and each player chooses a domino from a to improve their health and prevent disease. She and Earl Stirling were married on April Fool’s bag for a denominator, without looking, and then is also the host of the web series and podcast Day 2017. Katie is associate professor of history spins a spinner for a numerator. Students “Mary’s Nutrition Show: Where humor meets at the University of California, Davis. They live assemble this generated fraction using pieces of a health.” [w] www.marypurdy.co in Berkeley and East Oakland. circle. After three rounds, the student with the most “wholes” wins! Keep an eye out for Leslie’s 1993 1992 next project, How Many Wholes: Rectangles. n Urmila Seshagiri, an associate professor of Pianist Kate Boyd performed works by Sofia Tom Fisher has written Writing Not Writing: English at the University of Tennessee, Gubaidulina, Elaine Agnew, Bach, Chopin, and Poetry, Crisis, and Responsibility, published by Knoxville, devoted her summer to rebuilding Prokofiev in a May 2017 concert in Weill University of Iowa Press, which explores the role the life of Virginia Woolf through support Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Active as a soloist of an artist in a time of crisis. The book discusses from a National Endowment for the Humani- and chamber musician, Kate has played solo the work of a number of poets, including George ties Summer Stipend. A specialist in 20th-cen- recitals at Schubert’s birth house in Vienna, the Oppen, who said, “There are situations which tury modernism, Urmila is preparing the first National Concert Hall in Dublin, and the cannot honorably [be] met by art,” such as when scholarly edition of Woolf’s memoir, A Sketch Musikhalle in Hamburg, among other a neighbor’s house is burning. To write poetry of the Past. “Despite its decades-long canonical prominent international locales. She is a faculty then, the poet argued, “would be a treason to status, this posthumously published autobiog- member at Butler University and the Interlo- one’s neighbor.” Tom’s book looks at “the political raphy has never been edited, annotated, or chen Center for the Arts. Her first solo CD, Music for the End of Winter (Ravello), consists of previously unrecorded works for solo piano GOOD CONDUCT by Daniel Koontz, Michael Schelle, Frank Felice, Grammy Award-winning conductor, pianist, composer, Howard Frazin, and John Halle. Her second and teacher Robert Spano ’84 kicked off Oberlin’s solo recording, consisting of works by John 2017-18 Convocation Series with a conversation Cage (Navona), received more than 150,000 moderated by Conservatory Dean Andrea Kalyn on digital downloads and streams to date. September 14, 2017, in Finney Chapel. Spano drew on his 17-year career as music director for the Atlanta n Matt Cohen has published Whitman’s Drift, Symphony Orchestra, offering perspectives on the which draws parallels between the expanding innovative ways new generations of musicians are communications technologies of Walt Whitman’s forging careers in the arts. 19th century and those of today. “Whitman’s

SPANO: YEVHEN GULENKO YEVHEN SPANO: Spano, who is a professor of conducting in the works sometimes ran through the ‘many- Conservatory of Music, is known worldwide for his intense artistry and distinct communicative cylinder’d steam printing press’ and were carried ability. He is one of two classical musicians inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The in bulk on ‘the strong and quick locomotive,’” series, presented under the auspices of the Finney Lecture Committee and the Office of the Matt points out. “Yet during his career, his President, presents free, public discussions of cutting-edge issues by some of the country’s publications did not follow a progressive path most prominent thinkers from an array of disciplines and professional fields. toward mass production and distribution. Even

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 53 Class Notes

introduced for contemporary scholars,” she says. “A scholarly text of A Sketch of the Past would establish Woolf’s artistic conception of the memoir, which is not fully visible in its current form.” She conducted the bulk of her work at the Mortimer Library at Smith College and the Houghton Library at Harvard DEAR OBERLIN FRIENDS University. eciding on this letter’s topic has been a struggle. in a toxic political 1994 environment, what events should I highlight? Do I dare tell you what I really think? I Ben Lapidus was part of Andy Gonzalez’s don’t have any answers, but I cannot ignore the challenging times we face today. Grammy-nominated recording Entre Colega; With natural disasters, unconscionable violence, and a caustic, polarizing president, they performed the music together at Jazz at I am rattled to the core. Homes, schools, and businesses, completely destroyed due to Lincoln Center in September 2016. In Novem- hurricanes and fires in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and California. Lives have been ber of that year Ben received the Chico Dlost or forever changed in Charlottesville and Las Vegas. In addition to these current tragedies are O’Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award from those that have been festering for generations. The immigration debate, Islamophobia, fear of LatinUSA for his contributions to the genre. persecution in the LGBTQ community, poverty, lack of access to quality education and health care, He is associate professor and chair of the art the degradation of women, and the opioid crisis grind away at the notion we’ve been taught that all and music department at John Jay College. of us are created equal. The list goes on. I’m angry, I’m sad, and I’m scared. But that’s where Oberlin n Since 2006, Devon Strolovitch has produced comes into the discussion. the Philosophy Talk podcast, which is hosted by Thirty-four years ago I chose to attend Oberlin because of its commitment to social and racial Stanford philosophers John Perry and Ken justice, its focus on the liberal arts, and its dedication to the arts. Through good times and bad, those Taylor. [w] www.philosophytalk.org values helped me make sense of a world that seemed off-kilter and out of whack, just as it does today. Oberlin was not perfect then and it’s certainly not perfect now, but the people who work, teach, and 1995 study there today still embody the core principles that made it the right place for me. While I am Mark DeLancey’s book Conquest and daunted by the state of our country today, I remain hopeful in part because I see in my fellow Obies Construction: Palace Architecture in Northern the light that can lead us out of this dark tunnel. Cameroon (Leiden: Brill) investigates the Carmen Twillie Ambar, our new president, has joined this community. All of us associated with palace architecture of a region that was the institution will profit from her unique experiences, training, and perspectives, all of which will help her get to know Oberlin, warts and all. My wish for Oberlin is that President Ambar will help guide it through some serious challenges and secure its rightful place as a leader in higher education PERFECT PLURALISM and an incubator of discourse that will have ramifications for the future of our nation. It has been my distinct honor to serve as president of your Oberlin Alumni Association. In this, In September, Benjamin my last column, I thank my family for supporting my service to Oberlin. I am especially grateful to Wittes ’90, a senior my husband of 25 years, George Bent ’85, for his constant encouragement, love, patience, and understanding. More specifically, I am profoundly indebted to my many Oberlin mentors, especially fellow at the Brookings former president Chuck Spitulnik ’73 whose support has meant more than he could ever know. I am Institution and editor-in- grateful for Danielle Young and her dedicated Alumni Office staff. With impressive colleagues President-Elect Carol Levine ’84 and Secretary Bálint Gergely ’00 at the helm, the Oberlin Alumni chief of the blog Lawfare, Association is in excellent hands. I have been honored to serve with current and former Alumni received the Muslim Leadership Council members—my Oberlin family; they are a fun-loving and dedicated group. But, in the end, my greatest thanks go out to you, the people who have made this place such an Public Affairs Council’s inspiring and influential institution to me and to generations of students who have learned as much “Empowering Voices” from each other as they have from their talented faculty. You have shown me what it means to live a life of purpose, how to fight the good fight, and how to resist and represent when the chips are down. award, which honors In these troubling times, take care of yourselves, and whenever possible, do what you can to make the “political and cultural world a better place. There is hope because of you… leaders working to Lorri Olan ’87 perfect American plural- LEGACY: TONY MORRISON President, Oberlin Alumni Association ism by championing the civic and political empowerment of American Muslims.”

54 conquered in the early 19th century by primar- ily semi-nomadic, pastoralist, Muslim, Fula forces and incorporated as the largest emirate of the Sokoto caliphate. n Brent Durbin was promoted to associate professor of government with tenure at Smith College. n Martin Regan earned an Arts & Humanities Fellowship from Texas A&M University. He is an associate professor and associate head of the Depart- ment of Performance Studies in the College of Liberal Arts. His award will support the recording of a series of compact discs that will feature his works for Western orchestral instruments and voice.

1996 In January 2017, NYU Press published the first book by Vince Schleitwiler, Strange Fruit of the Black Pacific: Imperialism’s Racial Justice and Its Fugitives. The book traces the interrelated migrations of African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Filipinos across U.S. domains.

1997 Thorn, the new CD from Eighth Blackbird cofounder Molly Barth, consists of music by Pulitzer Prize-winning and Oscar-nominated composer David Lang. It also includes Matt Albert ’96 and Stuart Gerber ’96, former Kronos Quartet cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, and several of Molly’s colleagues at the University of Oregon. A May performance at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, N.Y., heralded the CD’s release. n Amy Evans’ new play The Champion, inspired by the legendary musician and activist Nina Simone, had its world premiere at TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Ark., this fall. The play is Amy’s third mainstage production and her first U.S. premiere.

1999 Sarah Jovan works for the U.S. Forest Service, for which she conducted groundbreaking research on moss as an indicator of air quality. Among other things, she discovered unexpect- LEGACY: TONY MORRISON edly high levels of heavy metal pollution in Portland, Ore. Sarah’s studies have resulted in interviews with The New York Times and PBS. OBIE OFFSPRING Oberlin’s Class of 2021 includes 37 legacy students—those with at least one parent She is a finalist for the 2017 Samuel J. Heyman who also attended Oberlin, many of whom are pictured here with their parents. Legacy families often Service to America People’s Choice Award. include multiple generations that have maintained strong connections with Oberlin College and shared n The daughter of Mandy Fischer was a experiences with each other. The parents of legacies represented the classes of 1966 to 1994.

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 55 Class Notes

kindergarten classmate last year with the son of Zach Williamson (pictured with Mandy and their respective kids) and Kim Brockway in Burlington, Vt. 2000s 2000 Will Alexander has released a novel for young readers called A Properly Unhaunted Place, published by Margaret K. McElderrry Books. The story revolves around a pair of kids who try to save their town by bringing back its address entitled, “You Are My Dwelling Place: Cheaper, Faster, Better Way to Get the Business ghosts. Will won a 2012 Black Male Vocal Worship as Autoeroticism in Education You Need, a practical guide to using National Book Award Gospel Performance” at the Race-ing Queerness massive open online courses from top universi- for his book Goblin Symposium of the American Musicological ties to get a business education that mirrors a Secrets. Society in Vancouver. The research presented in traditional MBA. The book grew out of Laurie’s her keynote address for the symposium will be blog, NoPayMBA.com, which chronicled her 2001 published in Women and Music Journal in 2018. efforts to get a top-tier business education Adam Giannelli’s n Laurie Pickard and husband Daniel Handel without going into debt. recently published book welcomed twins Holly and Owen in February of poems, Tremulous 2017. This fall, Laurie celebrates the release of 2005 Hinge (University of her book Don’t Pay for Your MBA: The Meagan Brus and her husband, Gerad, welcomed Iowa Press), won the daughter Matilda Paige O’Shea in November Iowa Poetry Prize. His 2016. Meagan also released an album called poems have appeared Lieder/Canciones with her voice/clarinet/piano in the Kenyon Review, chamber group, sTem, in September 2016. New England Review, Ploughshares, Yale 2006 Review, FIELD, and Anita Arthur is a human medicine student at elsewhere. He is the Michigan State University, where she received the Alexander ‘00, translator of American Medical Association Foundation’s Giannelli ‘01 a selection of prose Excellence in Medicine Minority Scholars Award poems by Marosa di Giorgio called Diadem for 2017. Prior to enrolling in medical school, (BOA Editions), which was shortlisted for the Anita was a high school chemistry teacher, a 2013 PEN Award for Poetry in Translation. MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT surveillance epidemiologist at the Florida DREAM OUTING Department of Health, and an epidemiologist at 2002 During a July trip to Los Angeles, Julia the Michigan Department of Community Health. Cleveland-based nonprofit arts administrator Christensen, associate professor of She intends to treat patients and practice public and freelance double bassist Matthew Charbo- integrated media at Oberlin, gathered a health in an underserved area. n Violinist Edwin neau was appointed chair of the Center for number of her former students from Huizinga recently toured New Zealand, where he Music at the Music Settlement in Cleveland. He different classes whom she thought would and a fellow musician worked with indigenous will lead the teaching faculty and future hit it off. The group met at Kismet, whose Polynesian schoolchildren. At the end of their time chef, Sarah Hymanson ’09, fresh from direction of the 104-year-old organization’s together, the children honored the teachers with a being named one of the Top 10 New Best music education programs, including the traditional Haka war cry in the school gymnasium. Chefs by Food and Wine magazine, joined programming focus of the new settlement “As these young students began to cry out, stomp, them. Pictured left to right: Claire Read ’14, campus being built on the west side of Cleveland, cofounder and codirector of a curatorial shake, show their tongues, beat their chests, tears which is scheduled to open in late-summer 2018. group and project space called AUTO BODY; were flowing down my cheeks,” Edwin remembers. Aria Dean ’14, assistant curator at “The unbelievable sheer energy coming from these 2003 Rhizome; Alie Cirginski ‘09, regional kids, the focus, the emotion, the history. I felt like I Alisha Lola Jones is assistant professor of director for North America for a Singapore- was on the edge of an ancient world.” In recent ethnomusicology in the Department of Folklore based strategic communications firm; years, Edwin has turned his attention to writing, and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University. In Julia; artist Isabel Yellin ’11; and chef Sarah. and he was commissioned this year to compose a October 2016, Alisha delivered a keynote work for solo violin and dance for Opera Atelier of

56 TAKEN BY THE WIN Musician and songwriter Rhiannon Giddens ’00 was named one of 24 winners of a 2017 John D. and Catherine T. From left: Fischer ‘99, Brus ‘05, MacArthur Foundation Pickard ‘03, Buzdygon ‘07, Dodd Peterson ‘07, Lacheva ‘08 Fellowship. The fellowship, which includes a grant

Toronto. n Pooja Rangan, an assistant professor director of the Collaborative Piano Institute, of $625,000 awarded over of English in film and media studies at Amherst which she says may be the only summer five years and is sometimes College, has written Immediations: The Humani- program of its kind in the world. The first tarian Impulse in Documentary, published by institute took place in June 2017 at the referred to as the “genius Duke University Press in 2017. The book Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minn. award,” honors “exception- examines the tropes often used by filmmakers to Her photograph was taken by Simon Pauly. “give a voice to the voiceless” that also set up their ally creative people.” subjects as the “other.” Instead, she advocates for 2009 “an approach to media that aims not to humanize Rob Chew, a research data scientist at RTI Science, a public-private partnership to but to realize the full, radical potential of giving International, was selected as a 2017-18 Data advance data science and address the chal- the camera to the other.” n Michael Sakir has Fellow by the National Consortium for Data lenges and opportunities of big data. Rob’s joined Opera Memphis as music director. “The project is called SMART: Smarter Manual company and city felt like home two years ago Annotation for Resource-constrained when I first music directed 30 Days of Opera, and collection of Training data. n Peter Kim again this past spring when I guest conducted Jake (pictured center) married Haydee Naula in Heggie’s Three Decembers,” Michael says. Over Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2017. In attendance were the summer, he participated in OPERA America’s (from left): Cheska Tolentino, Jeayoon Lee ‘08, 2017 Leadership Intensive in New York City. Niels Bantilan, Margaret Kent ‘10, Brendan Shea, Joel Solow, Daniel Tam-Claiborne, 2007 Christina Giuca Krause, Yvonne Lin ‘10, Kenny Kym Buzdygon married Ema Blumhagen in Liao, Andrea Landin, Eugene Kang ‘10, Andrew June 2016 in a wedding attended by many Yoon, Shibo Xu ‘08, and Yerin Kim. n Soprano Oberlin alumni. Pictured from left: Meaghan Nikoleta Rallis and her husband, Aza Sydykov, Pugh, Ema, Kym, Nereida Heller, and Saman- have launched a pair of international music tha Kushnick; not pictured: Gus Visscher ’05, festivals in New York City and Wilmington, Molly Danielsson, Celeste Eustis; Jake N.C. The Eurasia Festival introduces musicians Grossman, Sarah Kotcon Katie “O” Ortner, from Russia, the Baltics, the Caucasus, and and Vanna Waldron, all Class of 2008; and Central Asia to New York audiences. “Our Ruth Allanbrook ’09. n Emily Dodd Peterson festival events will provide a source of celebrated the birth of a daughter, Grace Ivy, high-quality performances to music lovers and has moved back to her hometown of thirsty for exposure to works they’ve never Portland, Ore., to teach chemistry at her former heard before,” Nikoleta says. “And we intend to high school. n Soprano Alice Teyssier has com- DJ’S DOC provide an added bonus: the chance to meet pleted a DMA from the University of Califor- DJ Savarese ’17, a writer and advocate for our performers and make new artistic friends nia, San Diego, and was appointed clinical nonspeaking autistic people, returned to in comfortable salon settings.” The Wilmington assistant professor of performance in the Music Oberlin in September for a screening of the Music Festival is dedicated to promoting music Department of New York University. documentary film about him, Deej. Filmed education in Nikoleta’s hometown. They plan over a six year period, it’s an insider’s look to offer performances and affordable instruc- at autism. Savarese’s work has been tion by world-renowned artists. “I am so proud 2008 published in the Iowa Review, Seneca Pianist Elena Lacheva has joined the music Review, Prospect, and Disability Studies of Wilmington and so lucky to have been staff at Louisiana State University School of Quarterly, among other outlets. brought up here,” she says. “I want to give Music and is the cocreator and program something back to my home!” n Everett

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 57 Class Notes

BAE OF THE BARD Marina Shay ’12 landed the lead role in the Cleveland Playhouse’s recent production of Shakespeare in Love.

Schlawin and Jung Mee Park celebrated the arrival of their first child, Alden J. Schlawin, in June 2017. Everett is a postdoctoral researcher in the astronomy department at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory. n Sarah Moon Stamey and her husband, Brent Stamey, welcomed daughter Margaret Genevieve in July 2016. The family resides in Bloomington, Clockwise from top left: Kim ‘09, Rallis ‘09, Schlawin Ind. n Alyssa Greenberg and Simon Nyi ‘10 ‘09, Greenberg ‘09, Moon were married on May 6, 2017, in Chicago. Stamey ‘09. Later that day, Alyssa received her doctorate in art history and delivered the student com- mencement speech at the College of Architec- ture, Design, and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Over the summer, she Hughes ‘10 began a postdoctoral fellowship at the Toledo Museum of Art. Alyssa and Simon would love 2010s to connect with Obies living in northwestern 2010 Ohio and southeastern Michigan. Baroque violinist Fiona Hughes and organist Wesley Hall ’12 performed in the 2017 Boston Early Music Festival in June. Their program included works by Bach and Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber.

2013 2017 Alice McAdams and Brook Luers ’12 were Nimo Ahmed Ismail has returned to her native married July 1, 2017, in Madison, Wis. They Somaliland to work as a teacher and dean of met on a 2010 winter-term trip to Guadalajara, girls at the Abaarso School. Nimo attended the Mexico. Both are now pursuing PhDs at the school from 2009 to 2013 and received a University of Michigan. Obies in attendance at scholarship to Oberlin. She is also helping their wedding were Dylan Luers Toda ‘09, Abaarso launch a teachers’ college in Somalil- OBERLIN PRESS Asaki Toda ‘11, Peter Manheim ‘12, Ian Martin and and will eventually take on the responsibil- Alice Ollstein ’10, a reporter with Talking ‘12, Sophia Bamert ‘13, and dance professors ity of its admissions director. She hopes to Points Memo, posted this photo on Carter McAdams and Nusha Martynuk. attend law school and someday sit on the Facebook, with the caption, “TFW you’re Somaliland Supreme Court. The Abaarso a key swing vote on Obamacare repeal 2015 School was started in 2009 by Jonathan Starr, a and you’re surrounded by dogged Obie Katelyn Emerson won the National Young former hedge fund manager who invested reporters.” Ollstein was referring to Artist Competition in Organ Performance, held $500,000 of his own money in the school. It Alaska’s Senator Lisa Murkowski on her in Houston in June 2016. Open to organists has since been featured on 60 Minutes and in way to a July 20, 2017 vote, bookended ages 22-32, it is the premier competition for numerous major U.S. newspapers. in this photo by Ollstein, far right, and CQ Now healthcare reporter Sandhya the American Guild of Organists and a springboard for young musicians. Katelyn Raman ’10, far left (note to some readers: CLASS NOTES are prepared from a variety earned a cash prize, performance engagements, TFW=”that feeling when”). Ollstein’s of sources, including news media reports, press previous credits include the Oberlin a management contract, and a CD project. releases, and other material sent to us. Send Alumni Magazine. Nicholas Capozzoli ’16, MM ’16 and Kirk Rich your news—and high-resolution images—to

’10 were also finalists. [email protected]. OLLSTEIN: AP PHOTO/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

58 ITH OBER W LIN LD E R X O P E W R

T

E S

H

T

E

E TOUR S ATION S SOCI ALUMNI TRAVEL PROGRAM AS NI ! UM S L IDE A AS YOUR GU

VENETIAN MASTERPIECES SOUTHERN INDIA: THE CULTURAL June 2-9, 2018 AND MUSICAL SOUL OF INDIA Escorted by Allen Memorial Art Museum Curator January 8-21, 2019 Andaleeb Badiee Banta Escorted by Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology Discover the rich tapestry of artistic and architectural marvels and Anthropology Jennifer Fraser that transformed Venice from a small harbor into the ‘Queen Let India’s cultural complexity envelop you as tranquility and of the Adriatic.’ Explore the city’s greatest art collections, from chaos vie for your senses, and peacocks and Brahman cows the lauded halls of the Accademia to the tiny local churches cross your path. Our wide-ranging itinerary aims to examine that house magnificent paintings. Discover the rich history of many fascinating topics, including India’s rich musical and performance and operatic traditions with visits to the oldest dance traditions, Tamil Hindu culture, foreign influences theaters in the city. Leave the bustle of the Grand Canal behind and trade, silk weaving, temples, the Spice Village Thekkady, for the quiet local neighborhoods of Cannaregio and the and South India’s wildlife. This tour, designed exclusively for Old Ghetto, where Venetian history has been painstakingly the Oberlin Alumni Association, includes many “must see” preserved. Tour the best contemporary art exhibits the city has destinations in Southern India: Kanchipuram, known as the to offer and visit local galleries to get a sense of what modern Golden City of a Thousand Temples; Madurai, where we will Venetian artists are creating. Highlights of the tour will include explore flower and vegetable markets by rickshaw; Kumarokom, an exclusive after-hours tour of St. Mark’s Basilica, access to known for paddy fields and inter-linked canals; Periyar the contemporary art exhibits of Palazzo Grassi, and behind- Wildlife Reserve, where we will try to spot elephants, sambar, the-scenes access to the storied Teatro La Fenice opera house. and langurs by boat; and much more. The tour will also be Brochure available. laced with music as we learn about India’s musical traditions. We hope that you will join Oberlin alumni and friends as we journey through India’s soulful south. Brochure soon available.

For more information about alumni travel opportunities, visit http://new.oberlin.edu/office/alumni/travel-tours/. If you would like to receive electronic news and brochures

OLLSTEIN: AP PHOTO/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE about our programs, please call 440-775-8692 or e-mail [email protected]. Please consider traveling with fellow Obies! Oberlin parents are always welcome! Losses

Faculty, staff, and friends 50 years, Joseph Huntley. Together they worked for many years, including formal teaching stints Dr. Ralph Harold Turner was a faculty member for parishes in Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida, South at Ashland College and Bloomfield College. A in Oberlin’s Department of Psychology from Carolina, and Virginia. Ms. Huntley was active piano and organ student at Oberlin, she later 1947 to 1979, serving as department chair for 11 with groups for the young and old, including the completed a graduate degree at the Eastman years. He received a BA and MA from Ohio Leisure Time Group at Epiphany Lutheran School of Music. For nearly 40 years, she served Wesleyan and a PhD from Ohio State University. Church in Richmond, Va., which she continued as organist and choral director at numerous He was a member of the Oberlin Unitarian to coordinate for years after the death of her churches in northern New Jersey. She also sang Fellowship and enjoyed science, movies, and husband in 1997. She died July 26, 2017, leaving with the Robert Shaw Collegiate Chorale in music. As a resident of Kendal at Oberlin, he was a daughter and numerous loved ones. New York City and the Oratorio Society of New involved in discussion groups, woodshop Jersey, and she directed the Madrigal Singers activities, and presenting classic movies. Dr. 1945 with the Upper Montclair Women’s Club from Turner died April 16, 2017, at Kendal. He was Polly Comegys Olmsted Fine died June 9, 2017. 1970-72. For 15 years, she performed as half the predeceased by his wife, Louise Turner. piano duo Pedersen & Platt. Ms. Pedersen died n Dr. George H. Langeler received a PhD from 1946 June 11, 2017, following the deaths of her the University of Michigan in 1959. That same A geologist by training, Dr. Peter T. Flawn husband of 61 years, Martin Pedersen, and a year he arrived on Oberlin’s campus to serve as a served two stints as president of the University stepson. She is survived by three daughters, six biology professor. He soon followed with a series of Texas at Austin and previously held the same grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and two of administrative positions—including registrar position at the University of Texas at San great-grandchildren. and Oberlin’s first director of financial aid— Antonio. He earned a doctorate at Yale until 1966 when he took on the role for which University and worked for the U.S. Geological 1949 he was most known, dean of students. During Survey before rising to prominence in his role A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Oberlin, Barbara his tenure as dean, which lasted until 1989, Dr. with UT’s Bureau of Economic Geology, which Schott was a medical technologist for Hacken- Langeler helped introduce transformations to he directed for 10 years. He later assumed the sack Labs in New Jersey until her retirement in campus life that would be later adopted across role of professor of geological sciences and 1995. She remained active with numerous the country, including the establishment of one public affairs in 1970, then Leonidas T. Barrow volunteer efforts and with the West Side of the nation’s first coed residence halls and the Professor of Mineral Resources. Dr. Flawn’s first Presbyterian Church, where she sang in the formation of one of the first campus dispute- stint as UT president was marked by his Chancel Choir for 60 years. Ms. Schott died resolution programs. Dr. Langeler died declaration of “war on mediocrity,” which he March 28, 2017, leaving her husband of 66 September 30, 2017, at Kendal at Oberlin. He waged in part by raising faculty endowments years, Frank; a son and two daughters; six was 89. A Memorial Minute for Dean Langeler from 112 to 851, sponsoring $100 million in grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. will appear in a future issue of this magazine. research awards, and spearheading construction of five new research buildings. Upon Dr. Flawn’s 1950 1937 retirement in 1985, the Peter T. Flawn Academic Kathryn Burnett earned a master’s degree from Elizabeth Ropp of Durham, N.C., died March Center was named in his honor. In addition to Smith College and was the school’s music 16, 2016, at the age of 104. his work in academia, he was elected to the librarian and chief cataloger for 50 years. In National Academy of Engineering and served as 2002 she became the first recipient of the Music 1942 president of the Geological Society of America Online Computer Library Center User’s Group Dr. William Breuleux Muchmore devoted his and the American Geosciences Institute. Dr. Distinguished Service Award for her contribu- professional career to the University of Flawn died May 7, 2017. He was preceded in tions to the music library community. Away Rochester, where he taught biology for 36 years death one year earlier by his wife of 70 years, from the library, she was an avid hiker who and became an international expert on Priscilla Pond Flawn, and also by a daughter. n created and maintained the Mt. Tom State pseudoscorpions, several of which were named Dorothy Anne Higinbotham Osgood was an Reservation trail system; the reservation’s in his honor. He served with U.S. Army hospital administrative secretary for the newly formed KayBee Trail was named in her honor. Ms. units in the South Pacific during WWII and Federation of American Scientists in Washing- Burnett died May 28, 2017, leaving many loved completed his PhD at Washington University ton, D.C. It was there that she met the man who ones. n Georgine Kretzmann taught first grade upon returning home. An avid naturalist, he became her husband, a Foreign Service officer for many years in Mundelein, Ill. With her volunteered for 30 years at the Genesee Country with whom she lived in numerous international husband, Connie, she often opened her home Village. Dr. Muchmore died May 11, 2017. He locales—from Germany to Suriname to to foreign exchange students, high school was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie, and Malaysia—for many years. As a Foreign Service students in need of homes, and fellow is survived by two daughters, seven grandchil- wife, Ms. Osgood served in numerous capacities members of their church who visited from dren, and 10 great-grandchildren. while raising the couple’s children. In retire- around the world. For decades, she served a ment, she remained active in folk dancing and plain meal of rice every Wednesday to bolster choral groups. Ms. Osgood died April 5, 2017, solidarity with those less fortunate. Ms.

1943 GAY YVONNE Carolyn Jane Harrison Huntley coordinated leaving Tedd, her husband of 60 years; three Kretzmann died June 22, 2017. She is survived numerous church programs in the faith children; and four grandchildren. n Marion E. by her husband, three children, seven grand- communities served by her pastor husband of Deininger Pedersen played and taught piano children, and four great-grandchildren. n Royce

60 Losses

McWharter devoted a 36-year career to the mental health field, much of it working directly hall director for Noah Hall. After the couple with teens and families in New York and separated, YB lived in an apartment in Pennsylvania. He served in the Air Force Noah while raising her young son, Meiraff. during WWII before enrolling at Oberlin, During her years as the residence hall where he lettered four times on the baseball director, YB created an indelible bond with team. He later earned a master’s degree in students. It’s also when she developed a social work from the University of Pittsburgh. knack for negotiating conflicts and An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing disputes. Although she had no formal expeditions to Quebec and playing tennis. Mr. training in mediation or conflict resolution, McWharter died March 17, 2017. He leaves two she had a natural gift for helping students better understand each other. sons, daughter Karen McWharter ’77, and four IN MEMORIAM The college administration took notice grandchildren, including Jackson Evans ’15; he of YB’s skills. She became an assistant was predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Eunice Yeworkwha Belachew dean of residential life in 1989, then ’51, whom he met at Oberlin. n Mary Owen 1952-2017 interim director of residential life in 1998. was a fine artist and printmaker Rosenthal In 2000, then-president Nancy Dye who earned an MFA from Western Michigan Yeworkwha Belachew, or “YB,” as she was known to almost everyone, pioneered the appointed her to the newly created University. She died April 18, 2017, following role of ombudsperson and conflict mediator position of ombudsperson. the death of her husband, Vincent Arthur at Oberlin. She was beloved for her warmth A year after settling into the role, YB Rosenthal. They had three children, three and openness. She described her approach set out to start a formal mediation grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. to mediation as one of inclusiveness, of program at Oberlin. Working with Leah viewing people on their own terms and not Wing ’84 and Diane Kenty ’77, she facili- 1951 according to societal labels. “People are tated a design team to explore a variety of Violinist Sarah Scheiber Evans played in more important than where they’ve come mediation program models. From the numerous string quartets over many years and from,” she told the Oberlin Alumni start, a guiding principle of the dialogue enjoyed taking lessons on the instrument into Magazine for a story on the renaming of center was multipartiality—the ability to her 80s. She earned a master’s degree in social the dialogue center in her honor. “You count meet the needs of each party in a dispute. work from Boston University and supported on every word, so that every person has an “Sometimes an ombudsperson seems the arts throughout her life. Ms. Evans died opportunity to be themselves.” [like] a very powerful person, but really the July 17, 2017, leaving her children and “Throughout her career at Oberlin, YB was power belongs to the people,” YB told the Oberlin Review in 2005. “About 80 percent grandchildren, among other loved ones. n a cherished and dedicated counselor, friend, of my time is spent mediating between Originally an elementary school teacher, and mentor to all who knew her—from individuals: student to student, student to M. Myra Parker Hogan devoted her efforts to students to presidents,” says Professor David Kamitsuka, a longtime friend. “She faculty, employee to supervisor, sometimes raising children before finding a new calling in even parent to institution. I’m very blessed midlife. Early in her career she earned a deeply loved Oberlin students. Her personal and professional credo was to do all she to work at an institution where my input is master’s degree in elementary education from could to affirm the dignity of each person in really valued, but I still have to work Columbia University’s Teachers College. In the the Oberlin community. We honor her extremely hard. This is a 24/7 job.” 1970s, she took up studies at Claremont School legacy by endeavoring to do the same.” In 2006, YB worked with students to of Theology and the University of California, One of YB’s greatest achievements create the Social Justice Institute, which San Diego; she became a diaconal minister in was establishing, nurturing, and guiding invites first-year students to participate in 1978 and was ordained a deacon in 1997. In 30 the Oberlin College Dialogue Center, which a two-day event during orientation week, years of ministry, she developed a daycare and is celebrated nationally as a best-practices with the goal of making them more aware preschool program, expanded summer day model. “Her impact on the Oberlin commu- of the ways oppression and privilege camps, and led teacher-training workshops. nity has been enormous,” says former influence people’s lives. While at Oberlin, she met a dozen of her closest Oberlin College President Marvin Krislov. YB retired in fall 2015 after 35 years of friends, who for 66 years have remained in “Oberlin will always benefit from her legacy service to the college. Upon her retirement, touch through a system of letter writing. Rev. of commitment to dialogue and under- she was honored with the renaming of the dialogue center as the Yeworkwha Hogan died March 3, 2017. She was preceded standing. She helped Oberlin become a Belachew Center for Dialogue at Oberlin in death by her husband, Hurst, and is survived stronger, more inclusive institution.” College. A staff award bearing her name by her two children and a grandchild. Not one to share much about her personal life, YB came to Ohio from also was created, and it is given annually to an employee who has gone above and 1952 Ethiopia in the 1970s. She and her then- husband studied at Bowling Green State beyond in service to Oberlin College. E. Eugene Maupin served as a chaplain’s YVONNE GAY YVONNE University and moved to Oberlin in 1978. YB died June 14, 2017. A service and assistant in the U.S. Navy in Fort Lauderdale in He taught in the African American studies reception in her honor were held at First the mid-1940s. He was an organ student of department, while she became a residence Church of Oberlin. Grigg Fountain, a piano student of Emil

OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 61 Losses

Danenberg, and a devoté of longtime Oberlin 1970s and ran it for two decades. In 1992, Dr. department into an internationally recog- eurythmics teacher Inda Howland. After London’s study of more than 109,000 nized program in economics teaching and graduation, he moved to Frankfurt to study patients in China and Senegal identified key research until his retirement in 1996. harpsichord with Maria Jäger, conducting risk factors for liver cancer in those countries. Following his retirement, he and his wife with Kurt Thomas, and organ with legendary He served as vice president of the board of Margaret spent 10 years at the Academy German professor and international the Hepatitis B Foundation and its research Village in Tucson, Ariz., before moving to the recording artist Helmut Walcha. The arm, the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, which St. Louis area to be closer to their son. He following year, he worked in Paris with in 2015 announced the endowment of a died September 15, 2016, and was preceded André Marchal. Upon his return to the U.S., professorship in his name. He earned his in death by his beloved wife, Margaret Mr. Maupin took church jobs in Niagara medical degree from Cornell University Schlosser Wu. He is survived by his daughter, Falls, N.Y., and Bristol, Va. He held university Medical College and was a member of the Jennifer Wu ‘90; a son; and six grandchildren. teaching appointments in Bristol as well as in American Association for the Advancement Fairfield, Iowa, and Lexington, Ky. In 1972 he of Science, a founder of the American Society 1956 was instrumental in the installation of a of Preventive Oncology, and editor of several Jean Elliott Johnson was a teacher in monumental two-manual Flentrop organ at scientific journals. Dr. London died June 3, numerous settings, including 20 years Virginia Intermont College in Bristol; the 2017. He leaves his wife of 60 years, Linda; devoted to the Friends Seminary. There she instrument forever changed the organ three daughters; and eight grandchildren. n developed a world history manuscript with landscape of Virginia, West Virginia, and After graduating from Oberlin, Mary Ann her husband, Donald Johnson, that became Tennessee. Also at VIC, Mr. Maupin formed a Siegfried set out to aid U.S. troops in South the popular high school textbook series The civic concert choir that performed large-scale Korea with the American Red Cross. Upon Human Drama. She earned a graduate works by Vaughan Williams, Menotti, returning she began work with the Asia degree from Columbia Teachers’ College and Poulenc, Mozart, and others. Equally at home Society, a nonprofit dedicated to introducing won a Klingenstein Award in 1983. Ms. on the theatrical stage, he presented Americans to Asia. As editor of a newsletter Johnson died April 4, 2017, leaving her meticulously detailed performances of works on Afghanistan for more than 25 years, she husband, three children, and three grandchil- by Christopher Fry, Thornton Wilder, and became an expert on the country and dren. n Judy Manwell Moore was a longtime William Shakespeare. His teaching style was traveled there and to other regions exten- social worker whose roots in service included always encouraging and never denigrating, sively. In retirement, she was a loyal volunteer three years teaching English in Taiwan as and he exposed his students to his vast at Springs Library in East Hampton, N.Y. Ms. a Shansi rep and later a stint on the Shansi European experience. Many went on to enter Siegfried died November 25, 2016, leaving board. She earned an MSW from the exclusive music schools and universities and numerous loved ones. University of Chicago and worked for the are professional musicians to this day. Mr. Salvation Army. Through her Unitarian Maupin died February 21, 2016. 1954 church, she met the Rev. Christopher Moore, n Dr. William J. Sheppard enjoyed a career of Susan Cort Kotta was a teacher of French founder of the Chicago Children’s Choir, more than two decades with Battelle and secondary English and a translator of and they married. She enjoyed traveling to Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio, French literature, all while raising two sons. China, and upon moving from Chicago to where he focused on economic analysis of She completed a master’s degree at Columbia Cummington, Mass., she became involved in the chemical industry, a role that included University, where she met her eventual local government. Ms. Moore died December considerable world travel. He earned a PhD husband, Albanian exile Nuçi Kotta, who 16, 2016, leaving a son and two grandsons. in organic chemistry from Harvard Univer- died six months before the birth of their She was preceded in death by her husband. sity and began his career teaching at second child. Following the collapse of the Swarthmore College. Dr. Sheppard died July Soviet Union, Ms. Kotta began working with 1957 24, 2017, leaving his wife of 62 years, Eva K. missionary groups to aide newly liberated Mary Lou Beaman Paschal was a music Sheppard; their two children, including Albanians. She died July 7, 2017, and is instructor for three decades at Central George S. Sheppard ’84; and five grandchil- survived by her sons. n Dr. Shih-yen “Sam” Piedmont Community College, where she dren, including Julia C. Sheppard ’15. Wu was born in Taigu, Shansi, China, on the developed an early music program before Oberlin MingHsien campus and arrived at retiring in 2001 as director of the division 1953 Oberlin College via Taiwan in 1950 to study of music, art, and design. In that time, she Dr. W. Thomas London was a highly chemistry but found a life-long passion in also served as an organist and choir director respected internist and endocrinologist who the study of economics. Dr. Wu received a at Sharon United Methodist Church, one of was part of a team that made vital break- PhD in economics from Northwestern several church music positions she held throughs in the understanding of hepatitis B University in 1960 and began his career as a throughout her life. She earned a master’s of in the 1960s and who later led international lecturer of economics at the University of music degree from the University of initiatives to promote vaccination from the Minnesota, before joining Los Angeles State Mississippi, with additional graduate disease. He spent most of his career with the College. In 1964, he joined the University of studies at Winthrop and Harvard universi- Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he founded Iowa economics faculty, where for more than ties. Beginning in 1995, she toured Asia, the Liver Cancer Prevention Program in the 30 years he helped build the economics Australia, Europe, and the U.S., playing

62 piano with her niece, flutist Teresa Beaman. Thomas R. Wolanin embarked on a career of the choir and a frequent soloist with St. Ms. Paschal died May 7, 2017, leaving her that took him in three distinct directions. Timothy’s Episcopal Church of Massillon and husband, John, and a son. He began as a teacher of American politics a volunteer acting coach in local high schools. and education policy, first at Oberlin College Widely talented, he cofounded the nonprofit 1961 and then at the University of Wisconsin- Ohio Opera Theatre, created a private chef A former high school valedictorian, Cynthia Madison, George Washington University, and service called the Quintessential Epicurean, Chapin Ballou Lerner created and ran her the Warsaw School of Social and Economic developed educational software for children, own social work practice in Maryland for Studies, in addition to an administrative role and enjoyed cabinet making. Mr. Busse died more than 40 years. She earned a master’s at New York University. He later transitioned May 15, 2017, leaving countless loved ones at degree in social work from the University of to work with the federal government, home and around the world. Chicago and enjoyed staying in touch with including service to various U.S. congress- Oberlin friends from the Class of 1961. Ms. men for 17 years that centered on education 1969 Lerner died March 13, 2017. She is survived reform. In 1993 he was appointed by Dr. David Edward Kempner was a highly by her two children, a grandson, and her President Clinton as deputy assistant regarded labor and employment lawyer at former husband, Charles Lerner. n Karen secretary for legislation and congressional Pear Sperling Eggan & Daniels in Ann Arbor, Davis Mayer taught French and Spanish and affairs in the Department of Education. He Mich. He earned his law degree from the was recognized by the state of Michigan as then worked for a decade as a consultant for University of Michigan and harbored a the High School Foreign Language Teacher the Institute for Higher Education Policy. deep love of golf throughout his life, of the Year in 1999. She earned an MA from He was widely celebrated for his work in attending tournaments across the U.S. and Michigan State University and was married developing federal grant and loan programs Europe and competing against other for 38 years to John P. Mayer. In retirement, that improved access to higher education accomplished amateurs. Dr. Kempner died she served as an elder at her church and sang for millions of Americans, and he authored June 12, 2017. He is survived by his wife of in the DePaul Community Chorus. Ms. or coauthored four books, eight monographs, 45 years, Patty; their three daughters; and Mayer died July 21, 2017, leaving two and more than 60 articles and reviews. He four granddaughters. daughters and three grandchildren. earned a PhD in political science from Harvard University. Dr. Wolanin died April 2, 1971 1962 2017, leaving Donna Christian, his wife Raised on a sailboat in the Caribbean, Joyce Ann Congling Cogdell earned a master’s of of more than 25 years; two sons; and two Erdman Way met the love of her life, Greg music in piano from Boston University and grandchildren. Way ’71, on her second day at Oberlin College. was a pianist and artistic director for 31st St. They moved to Canada in 1970 and remained Concerts. She was the wife of John Cogdell, 1967 there, with Ms. Way delighting in taking care whom she married in 1965. Ms. Cogdell died Jeffrey Charles Goldman was beloved for of her family as a homemaker and cook. She July 31, 2017. n Dr. Charles F. Wells was a his deep passions—especially for music and loved the water and would swim as often as mathematics professor at Case Western family—and his unrelentingly positive she could. She died May 13, 2017, leaving her Reserve University for 35 years and an attitude. He died January 14, 2017, leaving husband of 48 years, their daughter, and two Oberlin Affiliate Scholar. He earned a PhD his wife Dianne. n Martha Graham Judd grandchildren. from Duke University and focused through- taught French and enjoyed traveling for out his career on finite fields, group theory, many years with her husband, Bob Judd ’67. 1974 and category theory. In retirement, he She died March 29, 2017, leaving her Dr. Jonathan Ballon died April 30, 2017. He enjoyed singing with his church community husband, their two daughters, and four is survived by his wife, Linda. in Minneapolis. Dr. Wells died June 17, 2017, grandchildren. leaving his wife of 54 years, Jane Wells; two 1978 sons; and two grandchildren. 1968 Vincent Emerson Taylor was a reporter in Barry Lee Busse was a world-renowned Washington, D.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; 1965 tenor whose career spanned 30 years, Rochester, N.Y., and Montgomery County, Lloyd Lee Loope was a conservation biologist including a stint at Radio City Music Hall as Md. He died June 9, 2017, leaving his wife, for the U.S. Geologic Survey and worked at a soloist, as Santa Claus, and as a tap-dancing Suzann Ludlow, and a son. Haleakala National Park in Hawaii. He Easter Bunny. He earned a master’s degree devoted his efforts to thwarting invasive in voice from the Manhattan School of Music 1979 species on the islands, and he also worked at and master’s degrees in education from Steve Meyer was a geology student at Oberlin times at Grand Teton National Park, Ashland College and Walsh University. As who held a career with several petroleum Everglades National Park, and UNESCO in an opera singer, he was equally at home in companies, primarily Shell, for which he Paris. Mr. Loope died July 4, 2017. He is traditional and contemporary repertoire, relocated to Holland. Recently retired, survived by his wife, Keri Duke-Loope, as including the roles of Don Jose in Carmen Mr. Meyer died December 19, 2016, leaving well as three children and four grandchildren. and the title role in David Lang’s Nosferatu. his partner of 15 years, Jo Van Teylingen, and n The first in his family to attend college,Dr. In his Ohio hometown, he was a member a daughter.

63OBERLIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2017 / FALL 63 Endquotes Is It Time to Paint a New Canvas? Imagine living in a community that celebrates the arts and learning. Whether enjoying the latest exhibits in the galleries at Kendal, the treasures of the Allen Memorial Art Museum, “I can hardly conceive “A play is not a tweet. concerts at the Conservatory or a class at the college - Kendal at Oberlin residents experience “The problem isn’t creative culture in many ways. of a more interesting It can’t be compressed that the government and embedded and Are you looking for retirement living with art, music and lifelong learning? Then picture and completely is broken. It’s that yourself at Kendal at Oberlin today. worthy candidate for it definitely can’t be delivered apologetically. it’s fixed.” Greg Coleridge ‘81, who works for Move to a statue alongside The very act of saying Amend, a coalition fighting to “end corporate rule (and) legalize democracy” General Lee. I do not anything more nuanced offer this merely as a than ‘us good, them bad’ “We must face the fact is under attack.” P bland way to sweep that we are a society Actor Corey Stoll ‘98, about performing in controversy under Shakespeare in the Park’s production of where far too many the rug in the name Julius Caesar, in vulture.com black and brown men, of maintaining a women and children live “I spent 30 years as with the fear of their domestic tranquility a man, 25 as a liberties being trampled that some clearly woman, and now on for no other reason think is specious. gender bores me. than they fit the profile. This is a challenge. No one is 100 percent For these Americans, An artfully placed comfortable there is no safe space in the streets and no solace statue of John Mercer with the gender roles Langston beside that in the courts. When put on them.” the laws of a society are of Lee would give a Transgender activist Holly Boswell ‘72, founder of Asheville, North Carolina’s Phoenix Transgender enforced in an unjust Support Group, who died in August 2017 more rounded picture manner, where do the Artist and Kendal resident, of the national “For what it’s worth, I average go for their Peggy Kwong-Gordon, in epic than anything think the (Tappan Square) justice?” her Oberlin studio. Michael Sorrell ‘88 in the Dallas News, else that I at any rate squirrels are actually the website of the Dallas Morning News leucistic and not albino.” can imagine.” Photo by Dale Preston. Lou Tanner, a history teacher at Renaissance Bronwen Densmore ‘98, in a discussion on the “Next time, please School in Charlottesville, writing in the Oberlin alumni Facebook page, September 8, 2017 Scottish newspaper The National about Langston, The Place to Begin is Kendal at Oberlin! Oberlin Class of 1849 (M 1852) arrange for “Bronwen Densmore— fewer ex-girlfriends Kendal residents have moved to Oberlin from 36 different states. Many are Oberlin College most Oberlin comment alumni and faculty. Contact us today to learn more about our life plan community, located ever. I think I love you.” to attend.” less than one mile from Oberlin College and the Conservatory of Music. A member of the Class of 1976 in a post-reunion Robin Moore Lasky ‘88, in reply 40th reunion survey

KENDAL® Follow us at Facebook.com/KendalatOberlin Together, transforming the experienceat Oberlin of aging.® • 64 600 Kendal Drive Oberlin, Ohio 44074 1-800-548-9469 • kao.kendal.org

KaO - OC Alumni Mag - Summer 2017.indd 1 6/9/2017 3:48:49 PM Is It Time to Paint a New Canvas? Imagine living in a community that celebrates the arts and learning. Whether enjoying the latest exhibits in the galleries at Kendal, the treasures of the Allen Memorial Art Museum, concerts at the Conservatory or a class at the college - Kendal at Oberlin residents experience creative culture in many ways. Are you looking for retirement living with art, music and lifelong learning? Then picture yourself at Kendal at Oberlin today. P

Artist and Kendal resident, Peggy Kwong-Gordon, in her Oberlin studio.

Photo by Dale Preston. The Place to Begin is Kendal at Oberlin! Kendal residents have moved to Oberlin from 36 different states. Many are Oberlin College alumni and faculty. Contact us today to learn more about our life plan community, located less than one mile from Oberlin College and the Conservatory of Music. KENDAL® Follow us at Facebook.com/KendalatOberlin Together, transforming the experienceat Oberlin of aging.® 600 Kendal Drive • Oberlin, Ohio 44074 1-800-548-9469 • kao.kendal.org

KaO - OC Alumni Mag - Summer 2017.indd 1 6/9/2017 3:48:49 PM Oberlin Alumni Magazine 247 West Lorain St., Suite C Oberlin, OH 44074

NONPROFITNONPROFIT ORG. ORG. U.S.U.S. POSTAGE POSTAGE PAIDPAID OBERLINOBERLIN COLLEGE COLLEGE PERMITPERMIT NO. NO. 8 8

“I THINK WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS SO RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT THAT WE MUST DO IT. AND YET, BECAUSE IT’S ASKING US TO DO SOMETHING WE MAY NEVER HAVE HAD TO DO BEFORE, IT WILL REQUIRE ALL OF US TO BE MORE OPEN TO CHANGE, MORE OPEN TO THINKING OUTSIDE OF HOW WE’VE SEEN OURSELVES.” —PRESIDENT CARMEN TWILLIE AMBAR