CLASS OF 1992 | 2017 | ISSUE 1

Greetings and salutations from Paul in D.C., where nothing (and I mean nothing) is normal. Luckily just down the road is a sign of light—the 25th Reunion where we can all gather to talk about anything else. I’m already psyched up, and the posts on our Facebook page suggest I’m not alone. If you haven’t done so already, join our page, Wesleyan University Class of 1992. Folks are planning pre-events and there’s an effort to round up some duffers to play some golf. Please just tell Sam Longley that high score does not win.

Christopher F. Arndt ’92 argues that conservatism is not what it pretends to be and that the American Right created Donald Trump in The Right’s Road to Serfdom: The Danger of Conservatism Unbound: From Hayek to Trump (Bulkington Press).

In case you need some ice-breaker material on the latest from your classmates:

In November, Jeff Kipnis and Lightning Squirrel, along with other comic book creators, participated in a fundraising effort for Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center, a nonprofit agency that delivers advanced disease management and quality end-of-life care. Proceeds benefit patients and families served by BHH.

Unbuttoned: The Art and Artists of Theatrical Costume Design, by E. Shura Pollatsek ‘92, with photographs by Mitchell D. Wilson, is out now from Routledge Press.

Doni Gewirtzman, law professor at NYU, made his CNN debut in January to explain the powers given to the president and answer the question of what Trump can and cannot do legally. I’m thinking he may be asked to come back…often.

Bill Kim, oncologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also hit the TV. He runs a research lab that was featured on 60 Minutes for their work with IBM Watson and how to apply artificial intelligence technology to cancer genomics and patient care. Search for “Robot Sofia” on the CBS News website and you can see him about 10 minutes into the episode.

A Tilted World, a book of poems by Carol Gabrielson Fine MALS ’92, is out now from Antrim House Books.

After two years of living in London, Anne Paris and family are back in Oregon, where she is teaching art, writing, and getting deeply involved in local activism in Portland. Speaking of Brexit (OK, that was a stretch), Simon Fulford, his wife, Clare, who he married in 2016, and his sons, Max and Alec, also recently relocated from London to Portland. For the past six years, Simon ran the UK arm of a South African NGO, Khulisa (khulisa.co.uk), delivering high-impact, short-duration violence-reduction and offender rehabilitation programs in English prisons and schools.

Sasha Cummings accepted an appointment at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as a circuit mediator and is an adjunct professor at USF School of Law teaching civil procedure and mediation.

Joan Matelli took a break from her year of wanderlust to canvass for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire with Ilana Wind Newell ’94. After the holidays she hit road for a week in Cuba with William Kirsner ’91.

Karl Mergenthaler lives in Westport, Conn., with wife Stephanie, and their two kids, Camille and Elise. He got together for dinner with Christine Padian Bolzan, who is heading up the committee for our Reunion. Christine also serves on the President’s Council.

Chris Arndt and his wife, Patty, and their two children, Alden and Graham, moved from NYC to Telluride, Colo., two years ago. He recently published his first book, The Right’s Road to Serfdom, The Danger of Conservatism Unbound: From Hayek to Trump. He also had a piece in Guardian Liberty Voice that mentioned Wesleyan.

Mike Gaddis has been named a principal at Fish & Richardson in the intellectual property litigation group. His practice includes complex business litigation, with a particular focus on trade secret litigation and qui tam/whistleblower litigation.

Kathryn Edgerton-Tarpley teaches Chinese history at San Diego State University.  Kathryn is married to an American Baptist pastor, Van Tarpley, and they have two boys, Peter and Isaac.

So you’re now caught up. Make your reservation and we will see you at Reunion.

Adam Berinsky | berinsky@mit.edu 

Paul Coviello | coviellop01@alum.darden.edu