CLASS NOTES ALUMNI highlights 3 1 2 5 4 6 Our alumni have incredible stories and milestones to share. Here are a few highlights from Class Notes. 7 8 1 Paul Mraz ’89 is senior vice president of OrthoPediatrics Corp. 5 Amanda Andersen Gujral ’09 and Amar Gujral ’09 and general manager of ApiFix Ltd., a medical device company have co-founded Minds Matter Houston, a nonprofit that connects commercializing a unique motion-preserving scoliosis correction students from low-income families with the people, preparation, technology treatment. and possibilities to succeed in college. 2 Paul Casalaspi ’84 is director of IT at the Library of Virginia. 6 Mira van Roon Brand ’92 opened a photography business He has shared a photo of him and his colleague Kathy Stewart specializing in photographing wildlife, landscapes, flowers, and Jordan ’91 wearing their Pard Pride. Kathy is director of digital the night sky. initiatives and web presence. 7 Rich Howden ’84 is currently launching a new venture, 3 Marijeanne Seeley Carino ’85 had her Montclair, N.J., home Swiss Cocktails LLC, which features a line of pre-mixed cocktails. featured on the cover of The New York Times real estate section, thanks to her and her son’s love of lights and holiday lighting. 8 Eileen Murray ’93, associate professor at Montclair State University, took a leave of absence to work as the director of strategic initiatives 4 Susan Barnes Carras ’76 was recognized by Connect Media at Math for America (MÆ’A), a nonprofit that provides four-year as one of the 2020 Women in Real Estate Award winners for her fellowships for accomplished public school mathematics and expertise in leading debt and equity transactions as well as having science teachers. tremendous success as a broker. 44 LAFAYETTE SPRING 2021 1 CLASS NOTES PARDPICS 5 4 3 2 6 7 8 10 9 12 11 13 14 15 LAFAYETTE SPRING 2021 45 FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ALUMNI ASSOCIATION The Lafayette Network—A Point of Pride Tracy Hagert Sutka ’82 P’17 president uring the month of January, over 130 alumni [email protected] participated in the first-ever Explore and Connect program, launched by the Gateway ALUMNI RELATIONS Center. On behalf of the Alumni Association, Rachel Nelson Moeller ’88 P’21 DI would like to thank all of you who volunteered your executive director time and expertise to connect with our current students [email protected] through this initiative. For a list of Alumni Council members As in-person externships were not possible this year, and Alumni Relations staff, the Gateway Center developed this program to give visit alumni.lafayette.edu students the opportunity to learn from alumni in their field of interest. Alumni from a wide variety of industries 223 Pfenning Alumni Center and professions hosted over 350 students. As a result of Easton, PA 18042-1768 their worthwhile experience, many participants plan to 610-330-5040 host students in person next January. Connections have Fax: 610-330-5833 been made! A special shoutout to all our young alumni [email protected] who hosted a student: You may be just starting your CLASS NOTES careers, but to undergrads, your perspective and advice are invaluable. [email protected] As an alumni admissions representative volunteer, I am frequently asked by applicants if Lafayette has a strong alumni network. When considering a college, most high school Dale Mack, graphic designer seniors ask about the current students, popular majors, accessibility of professors, and social life. They want to know their chances of acceptance and success as a Lafayette Visit lafayette.edu and choose College student. But college admissions has become more competitive for both the “alumni” to learn about special events, institution and prospective student. Students and their parents are increasingly focusing the Alumni Association, benefits, on return on investment for the tuition they are about to pay. More and more, applicants travel, and volunteer opportunities. are thinking beyond the four-year college experience; they want to know what the alumni Go to leopardlink.lafayette.edu network can do for them while they are students and after they graduate. and log in with your Lafayette user I love when I get the Lafayette network question in an interview! As Alumni Association name to register for events, update president, I can respond with numerous and specific examples of ways that Lafayette your profile, share photos, and alumni contribute to the alumni network as it pertains to career services. connect through social media. The goal of the Gateway Center is to make students “career ready” by the time they graduate. From their first day on campus (virtually in the case of this year’s first-years), LafayetteCollegeAlumni students can partake of the services, programs, and guidance of our career center @LafayetteAlumni professionals. Alumni are key enthusiastic partners in all of these efforts. Not surprisingly, in developing our soon-to-be-announced Alumni and Parent Engagement Plan, alumni identified “the professional and career support of students” as their No. 1 priority. Thank you to alumni from all academic majors, class years, professional backgrounds, FOR MORE CLASS NEWS and geographical markets who host internships and externships, attend networking events, For all class news, photographs, baby and wedding announcements, reunion planning, and participate in Career Tracks, conduct mock interviews, or offer to look over a student’s more, go to leopardlink.lafayette.edu/classnotes. résumé. We appreciate the many gifts to the College you have made in support of Gateway Click on “search,” then type in your class year. student internship stipends. Thank you to all who have registered on GatewayLink, the Updates can be made through Leopard Link College’s exclusive platform for alumni and student networking and mentoring. or sent directly to your class correspondent. There’s a lot of information on the Gateway website (gateway.lafayette.edu), but here’s To volunteer to serve as a correspondent, where alumni should click to volunteer their time and talent: contact the Alumni Relations office. Class Notes may be edited gateway.lafayette.edu/career-planning/volunteering for length and clarity. leopardlink.lafayette.edu/s/1699/interior.aspx?sid=1699&gid=2&pgid=3762 Please upload notes to Leopard Link or pass them along to class correspondents Keep connecting with and hiring Lafayette graduates! by these deadlines: Summer Issue 4/15 With Pard Pride, Fall Issue 8/15 Spring Issue 12/15 Tracy Hagert Sutka ’82 P’17 President 46 LAFAYETTE SPRING 2021 For more class news and photos, go to leopardlink.lafayette.edu/classnotes; click on “search,” then type in your class year. CLASS NOTES a mechanical engineer from Lafayette. Columbus. Contributions in Stephen’s He was a 1942 Easton High School memory may be made to the James Keppel 1949 graduate and served in the U.S. Navy Scholarship Foundation (c/o Stephen Norman Sigfried Carlson, 94, of Holland for three years to the war’s end. David Keppel, 503 Forrest Court, Carrboro, Township, N.J., died Aug. 17, 2020. An was employed by Warren Webster & NC 27510). A memorial service is to be outstanding basketball and baseball player Co. of Camden, N.J., manufacturer of scheduled by the family. of West Orange High School, Norman heating and cooling equipment, as a was named to the all-time New Jersey sales engineer for 16 years, then as sales Correspondent: Open baseball team and was chosen for the manager for S.I. Handling Systems West Orange Sports Hall of Fame. He of Easton for 21 years, after which he played semiprofessional basketball for changed to sales of automobile telephones the Lemar New Jersey All Stars. Norman and was a consultant to the Easton Area 1950 entered the U.S. Army in 1943 and served Industrial Land Development Co. David Atlee “A l” Robinson writes: “After in the Pacific Theater as an interpreter of was an active golfer at Harkers Hollow graduation, I worked for a number of small Japanese. He came to Lafayette in 1945 and Club, a member of the Pomfret Club companies while getting a master’s degree earned a bachelor’s degree in economics of Easton, and was a lifetime member from Rutgers University. I worked 19 years and business. He was a member of the of College Hill Presbyterian Church. for Sherwin-Williams in Dayton, Ohio, in Leopards basketball and baseball teams. David is survived by daughter Kim, son management. I also worked for DAP, and He earned a master’s degree in economics Kevin, five grandchildren, and two great- finally found myself unemployed. I got a at Rutgers University. He was the treasurer granddaughters. His wife of 62 years, degree from Sinclair in business and landed of Thomas A. Edison Co. Norman made June Wesley, predeceased him. a job as an analytical chemist working for his home in beautiful Hunterdon County, Frederick Joseph Trumpbour Jr. the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Base N.J., where he devoted his farm to a rescue died Oct. 29, 2019, survived by his wife, in Dayton, Ohio. I developed and tested haven for aged horses and wildlife. He gave Patricia, son Jason F., grandson Graham fuels and lubricants for 14 years before many years of service to the Hunterdon K., and sister Betty Jane Finnerty. Memory retiring in 1996. County SPCA and Hunterdon Humane tributes may be sent to the family at “My wife, Betty, and I now live in a Society. Norman’s philanthropic interests evansfuneralchapel.com. cottage in retirement outside Dayton, also included Lafayette, Johns Hopkins Stephen C. Keppel Jr., 93, of Nazareth, Ohio, and I returned for three reunions, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Pa., a Navy veteran of the Pacific Theater which I enjoyed.