WINTER 2020 / 2021 ISSUE 57 RC QUARTERLY WINTER 2020 / 2021 ISSUE 57 ALE ASARIM VE ANAT ERKEZİ Disiplinlerarası Paylaşımlara İmkan Veren Üretim ve Buluşma Noktası tarafından desteklenmektedir. tepta_robertcollege_ilan_kasim2020_195x260mm_2.pdf 1 19/10/20 18:45 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K The cover for this WINTER 2020 / 2021 ISSUE 57 issue was once again illustrated by Kayansel Kaya RC L12 03. With a cover theme so close to her heart, Kayansel included objects that inspire the artist in her Alumni Journal published periodically by the illustration. There is RC Development Office for approximately also a nod to a beloved 10,000 members of the RC community: art book taught at RC for many years. graduates, students, faculty, administration, parents and friends. As we reflect on 2020 with all the surprises and changes it brought, and move into 2021 with hope and resilience, the RC Quarterly’s 57th issue turns its focus to the fine arts. Indeed, is there a better source of reinvigoration and inspiration than art? This issue surveys how art was taught at RC and how it is evolving to provide students new skills, as well as presenting the illuminating perspectives that our alumni in the arts offer (p. 34). Can Göknil ACG 66 was kind enough to allow us to reprint one of her works as a In postcard insert for this issue, and we thank her for her generosity. Because the precautions around the pandemic continue, the RCQ reports on how Robert College is handling it all in the 2020-2021 school year (p. 10). Details are up this to date as we go to print, but please note they could change again by the time the issue magazine reaches you. The pandemic did not stop our alumni from receiving awards, writing books, and being in the news, and the RCQ proudly features many of their accomplishments. As always, we would love to hear from you. If you have any comments or would like to share news, please write us at [email protected] Here is to a wonderful 2021! Happy reading! The RCQ Team Özel Amerikan Robert Lisesi Editorial Board Design & Production Kuruçeşme Caddesi 87 Nuri Çolakoğlu RA 62 Topprint Arnavutköy - Beşiktaş / İstanbul Deniz Alphan ACG 67 Merkez Mah. Seçkin Sokak DAP Vadi Tel: (0212) 359 22 22/289 Vicky Habif ACG 71 Jr. İ Blok No: 3/1 Kağıthane / İstanbul e-mail: [email protected] Nükhet Sirman RC 72 Tel: (0212) 264 33 11 www.robcol.k12.tr Elçin Yahşi RC 79 www.topprint.com.tr Nil Sarrafoğlu RC 89 Editors Printing Zeynep Karaarslan Başaran RC 88 Advertising Manager Umut Doğa Matbaacılık Lisa Johnson Betigül Onay Özman RC 02 Mas-sit Matbaacılar Sitesi 1. Cadde Betigül Onay Özman RC 02 [email protected] No: 160 Yüzyıl-Bağcılar, İstanbul Burcu Berent RC 96 Tel: (0212) 359 22 89 Tel: (0212) 438 02 05 Mehveş Dramur RC 96 M. Bertuğ Baloğlu Basım Yeri ve Tarihi: İstanbul, Şubat 2021 Yayın Türü: Süreli Yayın Periyodu: 4 Aylık Your feedback on the RCQ matters! Did you enjoy this issue? Write us at: [email protected] RC NEWS BOOKS 4 A Message from Head of School Adam Oliver Latest Novel from Hikmet Hükümenoğlu RC 89 62 5 RC’s New Director of Institutional Advancement Lale Deliveli Alp RC 98 Writes Book for Expecting and New Moms 6 A Class That Will Go Down in History Two New Poetry Collections from Gül Özseven RC 86 63 8 Where is the Class of 2020 Now? Ömer Eğecioğlu RC 72 Publishes Compilation of 10 Special Report: Covid Update Classical Music Articles 20 Annual Giving Kickoff Goes Global Riva Düvenyas Şalhon RC 88 Publishes Essay Collection 64 22 RC Stands Up Against Bullying Ezgi Emel RC 10 Shares Life Lessons Through Children’s Books Back to School Eray Çaylı RC L3 03 Offers a Multidisciplinary Approach to 24 Robert College Joins SDG 13 Climate Action Challenge Climate Change 65 Selva Mısırlı Bayındır RC 80 Releases Two New Books GIFTS 25 New Endowed Scholarships Established RC REACHES OUT Autism in the Workforce: Nevra Eker RC 94 Spearheads a CIP Transformation 66 CIP Expands Impact With Online Projects 26 Senem Başyurt RC 88 Champions Equal Opportunity in Education 67 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ESSAY 28 A Socially Distant Summer at Bizim Tepe The Vibrant World of Contemporary Art 68 GRADS IN THE NEWS 30 Jan Nahum RA 67 Receives Sabancı ONES TO WATCH University’s First Honorary Doctorate MVP Sophomore Helps Bring Home the Gold 70 Gülru Necipoğlu RC 75 Elected to the British Academy The Numbers Add Up for Lise 9 Math Whiz 31 Jale Parla ACG 64 Receives Prestigious Literature Award Bülent Sankur RC ENG 70 Recognized for Lifetime Achievement ALUMNI NEWS 71 32 Emine Fetvacı RC 92 Appointed to Calderwood Professorship Deniz Tortum RC 08 Wins Awards for Latest Film FACULTY AND FRIENDS NEWS 74 33 Ayşe Erkmen ACG 70ex Recognized with Sculpture Award Sertaç Yeltekin RC 88 Hosts News Program OBITUARIES 76 COVER STORY 34 The Fine Arts of the Robert College Experience 86 42 Street Art:A Conversation with Club Advisor Narciso Argüelles FACULTY AND FRIENDS OBITUARIES 44 RC Alumni in the Arts: A Wide Range of Disciplines MEMORIES 58 A Passion For Her School 4 rc news Our Reunion Will Feel Liberating and Joyful Head of School Adam Oliver social distancing our reunion will feel had been in his role for a little over liberating and even joyful. Schools eight months when the pandemic hit. should be full of noise and life, so it A seasoned school administrator, he may be a little like the coming of spring and the rest of RC’s Senior Leadership after winter as we reconnect with Team have had to be agile during this each other and our beautiful campus. extraordinary time. The RCQ asked I also hope that we can re-open for him how he has adjusted and how alumni as soon as it is safe. The spring the lessons we have learned during will also bring challenges of course: this time will affect our program going we need to make up for lost ground, forward. which will require both hard and clever work from us all. How is your role as an administrator different during the pandemic than What have we learned or done it was before? differently that you think will be Rather than “different”, it has in some applied to our program post-Covid? ways been a case of “more”. I have Crises push us hard, and therefore had to make more decisions than sometimes lead to inspiration and usual, and often to do so with less innovation. The most significant time for consideration and with less silver lining may reside in what we information. That has been a good have learned about the power of learning exercise for me! technology. Most of us are probably looking forward to reducing our Of course, some things have been screen time for a few months, but very different. As a school faces new after that well-deserved respite we experiences, all the individuals in should consider how we can harness the ability of software like Zoom to it need to change and adapt: if we Head of School Adam Oliver don’t evolve, we can’t thrive ourselves, bring the RC community into closer contact internally and extra-murally. nor help others to flourish. I have How do you envision the spring We are already shaping new e-pen- certainly needed to give more time to semester will be? communication, as one example, to I have learned that it is very difficult pal schemes, with students in touch try and keep up with the volume of to predict the future right now! I am with their peers on the other side of uncertainty we have faced. probably expecting that we will have a the world. In the past couple months, staggered return for students, though the Community Involvement Program It has also been a balancing act, as we at the moment we have no news other has been working with groups that it have had to constantly do our utmost than to be re-opening on March 1 for otherwise would not be able to reach. to care for everyone’s health and well- face-to-face learning. These are just a couple instances of being while also trying to maintain technology’s ability to help us make the excellent all-round education that When we do come back together, I new connections. characterizes RC. think that despite the need for careful rc news 5 Meet RC’s New Director of Institutional Advancement: Monika Mraz followed by UNICEF USA where I spent like environmental education and ten years. My work at UNICEF USA social entrepreneurship, expanding offered me numerous opportunities the scholarship pool so more students to learn and grow – from organizing in need can access an RC education, or multimillion-dollar society galas and creating an environment where today’s managing global partnerships with students benefit from the wisdom and Rotary, to supporting the Philippines knowledge of our alumni. country office in the recovery from typhoon Haiyan – I learned a great How do you intend to engage with deal and built lifelong relationships. alumni? And now I am excited to bring all of When we can gather again on campus, those experiences to Robert College to I can’t wait to shake hands and enjoy not only contribute to the Institutional lunch with our alumni at reunions, Advancement team’s work but the Homecoming, or any random Tuesday.