Categories Class Notes | 1970sPosted on

CLASS OF 1971 | 2014 | ISSUE 3

 

Newsmaker: Michael Yamashita ’71

Newsmaker: Michael Yamashita '71 A photographer with National Geographic, Michael Yamashita '71 received the National Journalism Award from the Asian American Journalists Association for his work, "DMZ: Korea's Dangerous Divide." The award, presented at the Unity Journalists of Color Conference this summer, recognizes excellence among Asian American journalists and outstanding coverage of Asian American issues. Yamashita's most recent book, Marco Polo: A Photographer's Journey (White Star, 2004), a 504-page photographic journal, retracing the 13th-century explorer's route to China, is setting records as a bestseller around the world. It has been translated into 13 languages, and is again available.

A photographer with National Geographic, Michael Yamashita ’71 received the National Journalism Award from the Asian American Journalists Association for his work, “DMZ: Korea’s Dangerous Divide.” The award, presented at the Unity Journalists of Color Conference this summer, recognizes excellence among Asian American journalists and outstanding coverage of Asian American issues. Yamashita’s most recent book, Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey (White Star, 2004), a 504-page photographic journal, retracing the 13th-century explorer’s route to China, is setting records as a bestseller around the world. It has been translated into 13 languages, and is again available.

Newsmaker: John Lippincott ’71

Newsmaker: John Lippincott '71 The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) announced that it has named John Lippincott '71, MAT '72 (and father of Sarah '07), as president of CASE. He had been serving as CASE's interim president since January 1. Prior to assuming the interim role, Lippincott was CASE's vice president for communications and marketing beginning in 1999. Previously, Lippincott served for nearly 12 years as associate vice chancellor for advancement at the University System of Maryland. A College of Letters major, he began his career teaching humanities courses at community colleges in Connecticut, New York, and Oregon.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) announced that it has named John Lippincott ’71, MAT ’72 (and father of Sarah ’07), as president of CASE. He had been serving as CASE’s interim president since January 1. Prior to assuming the interim role, Lippincott was CASE’s vice president for communications and marketing beginning in 1999. Previously, Lippincott served for nearly 12 years as associate vice chancellor for advancement at the University System of Maryland. A College of Letters major, he began his career teaching humanities courses at community colleges in Connecticut, New York, and Oregon.

Newsmaker: Barbara Casey ’71

Newsmaker: Barbara Casey ’71 Barbara Casey ’71 was honored at the 10th annual Angels in Adoption awards ceremony, held in Washington, D.C. The program is organized by The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to raise awareness about children, in foster care and orphaned, in need of permanent, loving homes; Senator Arlen Specter nominated Casey, who directs Adoption Associates, LLC, a licensed Pennsylvania adoption agency, and also heads a law firm specializing in adoption issues. She is a fellow of the Pennsylvania Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, and Resolve. She earned a master’s degree, as well as a JD, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Barbara Casey ’71 was honored at the 10th annual Angels in Adoption awards ceremony, held in Washington, D.C. The program is organized by The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to raise awareness about children, in foster care and orphaned, in need of permanent, loving homes; Senator Arlen Specter nominated Casey, who directs Adoption Associates, LLC, a licensed Pennsylvania adoption agency, and also heads a law firm specializing in adoption issues. She is a fellow of the Pennsylvania Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, and Resolve. She earned a master’s degree, as well as a JD, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Aloha, classmates; time for more news but none of you sent me anything in the last several months. I thought you guys and gals would just periodically drop me an e-mail without me having to remind you, but I guess not. So that means you get to hear about my life.

But before that, we received some sad news: James C. Nevius died suddenly on July 13, 2013. He was retired, having spent 25 years with Amerada Hess Corp., and then his own consulting firm. He left a wife, Angela, of 28 years, three sons and a grandson. He was 64.

I still think it is interesting that the secretaries of the Class of 1970 and 1971 live on a 550-acre rock in the middle of the Pacific and within a few miles of each other. Russ Josephson ’70 and his lovely and beautiful wife, Vera Benedek, stopped by recently for drinks and food on a typical beautiful Kauai day. Russ is in the process of trying to start building his house in the Kalihiwai river valley. His will be the first home in the valley. He seems to be enjoying Kauai, especially since he is no longer frozen in the north of Alaska. He drives around the island with his iconic license plate “YBCOLD”!

As for me, I have been in my home, overlooking Kalihiwai Bay and the ocean, for almost 12 years. Time flies! I am a part-time farmer with my 100 fruit trees, 1,000 tropical hardwoods, and 200 vanilla plants. I dabble in helping the Kauai planning department create policies and ordinances to keep the island rural and beautiful despite the inevitable growth both internal and worldwide. Our newest investors from Korea and China are buying up property at exorbitant prices. 

Most of my time recently has been spent trying to establish a palliative care medical practice team. Palliative care, like hospice, is for people with life-limiting or -threatening illness. We work with their treating physicians as part of a team, with a nurse, social worker, chaplain, and others, to provide relief of any physical mental, emotional, or spiritual suffering. We are attempting to make western medicine more holistic. The movement is going on across the country. Katy Butler mentioned it in her book and has a Facebook page “Slow Medicine” about palliative care and hospice care. If you or a loved one has a complex illness check in your area for palliative care; it can really be an aid to you and yours. Trying to get more insurance companies to cover it and make it more routine. It was deleted from the Affordable Care Act, because it was mistakenly credited with being a death squad, which is the furthest from reality for this specialty. Anyway, life is going well for me. Married off one son here on Kauai a year ago and he and wife are doing really well. Another son is in anesthesia residency and the daughter works in the hotel industry for Four Seasons. What more can a proud dad ask for than loving, independent children?

Well enough about me. Please on reading this send me some news about you so I have something to write about next time. All the best and Aloha…

NEIL J. CLENDENINN | Cybermad@msn.com
PO Box 1005, Hanalei, HI 96714

Intern at the Wesleyan Office of Communications for Spring and Summer 2015. Currently working towards meeting the requirements for an Economics and Government dual major. A Wesleyan Posse Veteran.