00paw0605_coverNOBOX_00paw0707_Cov74 5/21/13 3:09 PM Page 1 Asian-American studies Princeton Class of 2017 Alumni Princeton curator meets Weekly Hollywood director FOND FAREWELL PAW looks back at Shirley Tilghman’s presidential legacy June 5, 2013 • paw.princeton.edu “Obsessively thorough reviews from landscaping to housekeeping to roofing to the family doctor. Written by people just like you.” Angie Hicks, Founder At Angie’s List, you’ll find in-depth, detailed reviews, including pricing and project timelines. Companies can’t pay to be on Angie’s List, so you know you can trust what you’re reading. You’ll also find great deals, insightful articles, helpful videos and photos, useful tips and more. Visit AngiesList.com today and find out why over one million members make their most important decisions— from home repair to health care—here. Visit AngiesList.com or call 1.800.825.1875 today. 130508_AngiesList.indd 1 3/20/13 11:18 AM 01paw0605_TOC_01paw0512_TOC 5/16/13 9:01 PM Page 1 Princeton Alumni Weekly An editorially independent magazine by alumni for alumni since 1900 JUNE 5, 2013 VOLUME 113 NUMBER 14 President’s Page 2 Inbox 5 From the Editor 6 RICARDO Campus Notebook 10 BARROS Optimism grows for Asian-American studies • IDEAS: Small-town life: myths and reality • Making hydrogen fuel • The Tilghman years 20 Poet, professor Paul Muldoon on grade By W. Raymond Ollwerther ’71 deflation • New offerings for student screenwriters • Mideast envoy George ACADEMICS: Growth in the sciences, a revolution in the arts. Mitchell among key speakers at collo- By Brett Tomlinson quium • Jump in students majoring at STUDENT LIFE: More social options, but some wish a return to wilder days. WWS • Princeton losing 32 professors By Mark Bernstein ’83 to retirement • Admission statistics for ARCHITECTURE: A building boom changed the face of the campus. Class of 2017, entering grad students • By W. Barksdale Maynard ’88 ON THE CAMPUS: Late night at Princeton DIVERSITY: Changes in the undergrad student body, slower progress elsewhere. Sports 18 By Jennifer Altmann Student sets records in hammer BUDGET AND FINANCES: After a deep recession, a quick recovery. throw • EXTRA POINT: Beloved squash By Zachary Goldfarb ’05 coach retiring A Moment With 31 Curator Don Skemer, on Fitzgerald ’17 What’s n ew PAW ONLINE and Gatsby @ Perspective 32 TRIBUTES TO TILGHMAN A journey in faith Browse a slide show of images from April’s By Jeff Chu ’99 Shirleypalooza celebration, Alumni Scene 34 watch a video highlighting Caroline James ’05 works to give President Tilghman’s architect her due • TIGER PROFILE: Krista commitment to the arts, Gregg Lange ’70’s Haley ’99, rum maker • STARTING OUT: and read faculty tributes to Alexis Branagan ’11 • Newsmakers • the outgoing leader. Rally ’Round the Cannon READING ROOM: Mason Williams ’06 A look at four campus writes about unlikely New Deal walks and their partners • New releases REUNIONS PHOTOS presidential namesakes. Class Notes 37 View images from Reunions 2013 and submit your own for Tablet users Memorials 56 PAW’s reader-photo contest. Download a PDF of PHOTOS: Princeton Exchange 62 LATE-NIGHT LAUGHS the June 5 BEVERLY Final Scene 64 Watch video from David issue. SCHAEFER Drew ’14’s campus talk show, ON THE COVER: Illustration by Serge Bloch. All-Nighter. THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE Our 20th President pril 21 was a glorious day for our University, As often as students ask me what a president actually for on that day the members of the Board of does, they are even more mystified by the role the provost Trustees elected Christopher L. Eisgruber ’83 plays. Officially, the provost is the chief academic and budget the 20th president of Princeton. I suspect officer — the chief operating officer, to use the terminology of Athat by now readers of the PAW are familiar with the the business world. The provost’s job is a very demanding bare facts of his remarkable career — studying physics at one because he or she must reconcile the responsibility to Princeton; two years at Oxford studying political theory continually move the University forward with the limitations as a Rhodes Scholar; a brilliant sojourn at the University of a finite budget that must be balanced each year. This of Chicago Law School, where he rose to become editor- means that occasionally the provost must disappoint faculty, in-chief of the law review; clerking for U.S. Court of students, and staff who have terrific ideas that simply cannot Appeals Judge Patrick Higginbotham and U.S. Supreme be funded. I am often reminded of the late Professor of Court Justice John Paul Stevens; and teaching at the New Sociology Marvin Bressler’s admonition to me that a great York University Law School before joining our faculty in university administrator is someone who can say “no” to a 2001. It is hard to imagine a more glittering resumé for a faculty member’s request and have the faculty member leave Princeton president. with a smile. While no But what that resumé one could have a perfect cannot capture are the record on that score, personal qualities that Chris has come very will make him such a APPLEWHITE close to Bressler’s ideal fine president. When by always taking time to DENISE I asked him to serve explain each decision and as provost in 2004, he sympathizing with those would be the first to say he must disappoint. that his appointment It was that instinct for came as a surprise transparency that Chris to both him and the called upon during the campus. He had been at Great Recession of 2008- Princeton for only three 09 to bring Princeton years, and although through the crisis with he was directing the a minimum of drama. If new Program in Law there is one time you do and Public Affairs, President-elect Chris Eisgruber ’83 meets the press, flanked by Board of not want to be a provost, the administrative Trustees Chair Katie Hall ’80 and me. it is during a period requirements were when the endowment not demanding. What I saw then — and what has been drops 23.4 percent in the space of six months! With Chris amply confirmed in the nine years we have worked in the lead, the administrative team acted quickly to align together — was an individual of extraordinary intelligence, our more limited resources with the University’s core needs sober and wise judgment, and the highest standard of and highest priorities, such as financial aid. integrity. I also saw someone who loved Princeton and The provost is often perceived as the “insider” to the with whom it would be great fun to work. For Chris has president’s “outsider” role. In the last several years that a fabulous and wicked sense of humor. I am planning on distinction has blurred as Chris has become a prominent spending my last few weeks in office deleting the e-mails and respected national voice on a number of key issues he sent to me over the years that had me laughing out in higher education, including how to measure student loud in an empty office. achievement and how colleges and universities themselves A Princeton president cannot be successful if he or she should be measured for impact and effectiveness. He has does not have a great provost. I have had the privilege of also taken the lead in helping Princeton navigate the brave working with two of the best — Chris and President of the new world of online education, serving on Coursera’s University of Pennsylvania Amy Gutmann — and it is a Advisory Board. Finally, as some of you know firsthand, he source of immense pride that both are now or soon will be has spent increasing amounts of time with alumni around presidents of Ivy League universities. With Chris I have the country and the globe. In short, he is ready to be had a true partner. While we disagreed from time to time president, and we are very lucky to have him at the helm. about the best strategy to employ in order to accomplish a goal, we never disagreed about the goal or the fundamental principles and values that informed our decisions. THE ALUMNI WEEKLY PROVIDES THESE PAGES TO THE PRESIDENT ftu-20130605-1.0bcd.indd 1 5/8/13 10:05 AM Annual Giving Creating Pathways “The opportunities, the community, and the lasting connections are just a few of the invaluable things Princeton gave to me, and to so many students who walk through FitzRandolph Gate. I count myself incredibly fortunate to be here, and Drezner grateful for the Bentley experience I’ve had.” Photo: Jamie Joseph ’13, from West Windsor, NJ, is concentrating in the Woodrow Wilson School and pursuing a certificate in global health and health policy. Outside of the classroom, she serves as president of Tower Club, sings with the Tigressions, and is social chair for the Class of 2013. Please make your gift to Annual Giving today to help generations of students create their own pathways. This year’s Annual Giving campaign ends on June 30, 2013. To contribute by credit card, please call our 24-hour gift line at 800-258-5421 (outside the U.S., 609-258-3373), or use our secure website at www.princeton.edu/ag. Checks made payable to Princeton University can be mailed to Annual Giving, Box 5357, Princeton, NJ 08543-5357. 04-09paw0605_InboxMastEdito_SWandMN_Letters 5/16/13 9:49 PM Page 4 Princeton Alumni Share your favorite Weekly Reunions 2013 An editorially independent magazine by alumni for alumni since 1900 photos and JUNE 5, 2013 Volume 113, Number 14 EDITOR Marilyn H.