Class of 1965 | 2014 | Issue 1
Dear Classmates, Members of our class gathered on campus over Homecoming weekend and had an enjoyable and productive two days. Attending were Dave Dinwoodey (and Mary Ellen), Rob Abel, Bob Barton (and Prudy), Jay Clapp, Win Chamberlin (and Lee), Mark Edmiston (and Lisa), Bill Knox (and Carolyn), John Hall, Kirt Mead (and Susan), and Hugh Wilson. We had a pleasant Friday dinner in the spacious and attractive Usdan Campus Center, a wonderful addition to the campus. For those of you who haven’t been on campus lately, Usdan is located just beyond center field of the baseball diamond. On Saturday morning we met first with the Alumni Association and heard from several faculty members and President Michael Roth ’78, who spoke about Wesleyan’s involvement in a new online education initiative, Coursera, which offers courses from many leading universities. Coursera gives people of all backgrounds and ages from around the world the opportunity to learn from Wesleyan professors and gives the university positive global exposure.
We then met for several hours to discuss early planning for our 50th Reunion (May 20–24, 2015). In that regard, please e-mail me if you’d like to be involved in the Reunion in any way or would like more information about opportunities to help with the Reunion itself, class seminars, outreach, publicity, our class “book” or gift, etc.
Following our meeting, we all enjoyed the football team’s exciting victory over Williams to capture the Little Three Championship! Mike Whalen ’83 has done an amazing job of building the football program in the four years he’s been head coach. The team finished 7-1 and, despite a disappointing final game loss to Trinity, shared the NESCAC championship with Amherst and Middlebury who were also 7-1.
Earlier in the day, there was a well-attended ceremony at which the Phi Nu Theta (Eclectic) House was named a state and national historic landmark. Dave Dinwoodey and other loyal Eclectic alumni were in attendance.
Further news: Hugh Wilson writes: “Well, I’ve finally taken the plunge. As of Jan. 1, 2014, I have decided to become professor emeritus, the academic equivalent of retirement. I get to keep my university office and lab, but I will no longer have to teach or serve on university committees. Thus, I’ll have a lot of time for research plus time to write and travel extensively. The Centre for Vision Research (of which I’m former director) held an international conference in my honour last June. The speakers included my wife, Fran, (a scientist in the same field) and colleagues including two former students who are now professors at Columbia University and Glasgow, U.K. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, including a hilarious roast by one of my closest colleagues from Vanderbilt. Hope to see everyone at our 50th Reunion in 2015.” Congratulations, Hugh!
Bedford Bonta is professor, division of neonatal medicine, at Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City, Tenn. Bedford is a graduate of the Medical Center of Vermont and previously at the naval hospitals in Portsmouth, Va., and San Diego.
Ellen and Ted See sent a welcome and informative card and family letter early in the year. They are busy and happy in their Connecticut and Rhode Island communities: volunteer and church activities; racquet and water sports; travel to visit their four grandchildren in Seattle; birding trips (Ellen had 80 sightings in Arizona) and a visit to Nova Scotia. Ted reconnected in Gabon (Central West Africa) with a Peace Corps buddy with whom he served 45 years ago. They built a school, teachers’ houses, and a brick kiln. (Ellen saw some photos of them at the village and remarked that they were certainly “hunks”!) Their children are doing well: Kevin is restoring salmon in the Columbia River basin; Virginia is pursuing her master’s in speech therapy while working for an environmental consulting firm; Greg is building and restoring various structures in Seattle; and Tyler is teaching at a Quaker-based alternative school in Nevada City, Calif., that focuses on global awareness, peace studies, and sustainable living.
A recent seminar at Wesleyan, Narrative in the Age of Distraction, featured Molly Barton ’00, daughter of Prudy and Bob Barton. Molly is global digital director for Penguin Random House. She leads digital business relationships with global partners for Penguin and oversees their digital publishing efforts, including apps, deluxe eBooks, and more. She will teach a course in Wesleyan’s Writing Certificate program this spring.
Steve Badanes continues to be in the news as he was featured in a new movie about Seattle’s Freemont Troll, known as one of America’s “five strangest roadside attractions.” It’s a great example of unusual public art (a huge troll under a bridge) and is typical of Steve’s cutting edge and witty creations. (For more on it, simply Google “Freemont Troll.”)
PHILIP L. ROCKWELL
860/693-1832; prockwell@wesleyan.edu