CLASS OF 1980 | 2014 | ISSUE 2
There are many happy returns from the April 1099 request for class notes—no extensions required!
Ken Miller writes: I won the 2014 ASJA Award in science/technology writing for my story “Mushroom Manifesto” in Discover. It’s a profile of the visionary mycologist Paul Stamets, who was inspired to study fungi as a teenager when psilocybin mushrooms cured his severe stutter. Stamets has discovered ways to use mushrooms for some highly unorthodox purposes, including cleaning up oil spills and atomic fallout. You can read the article here: bit.ly/Q2df2R.
Suzy Shedd writes: Hey, Kim—Great to hear things are going so well for you! I’m happy to say that I have added the position of Disabilities Support Specialist at Goddard College to my menu of work activities. Meanwhile, Vermont is FINALLY seeing signs of spring–mud season!
Faith Elizabeth Fuller writes: I am still in Berkeley, Calif., renting my Oakland house out to my daughter and a large group of 20-somethings. I am on the board of the “Prevention Project,” a national coalition to promote the use of research in the social sciences to save lives and reduce government costs. It’s a great project, because it can appeal to us liberals who want government to step up to the plate and to conservatives who want to reduce government spending; preventionproject.us. It ties into my efforts to reduce incarceration levels for drug offenders in California by offering rehabilitation as an alternative to prison. I am working as a consultant (proposal writer and evaluator) to the courts in four bay area counties: Alameda, Solano, Marin, and Francisco.
My son, Jack Madigan (age 26) went to Israel to shoot a documentary called The Village of Peace. It is the story of a group of African-American Hebrews who went to Israel in the 1970’s to form a Utopian community. It is quite an amazing place, and the film was showcased at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February. My daughter, Ali Madigan (now 25), has been working with a British artist named Kesh and also is finding her own creative success.
Ellen Haller writes: “After stints as the director of the psychiatry residency training program and the director of clinical services, I’m now happily the director of the adult psychiatry clinic at the University of California, San Francisco, where I’m about to enter my 26th year on the full-time faculty. Outside of work, I still play hockey regularly and love playing in tournaments including one in Florida (naturally) for women over 50 and the Gay Games later this summer. A big shock is that a) my kid is now finishing his junior year in high school, and b) he is interested in applying to Wesleyan (Yay!). We’re off for a tour of several New England schools over spring break. Can’t wait to see the campus again!
Wendy Buskop writes from Houston, Tex.: The Wesleyan experience of getting one out of their mindset has helped me write and issue about 900 United States patents. I enjoy all the energy- related, maritime-related, and software patents. It’s been fun to patent arctic expedition vessels and fast ferries for clients that invite you to take a ride… I especially like the rides on 400 foot vessels that go 40 knots like giant speedboats. Come see us at the following Trade Shows: South Texas Oil Show, San Antonio: July 9th & 10th, Booth 693; Permian Basin Oil Show, Midland: October 21st-23rd, Booths B83 & B114.”
Cathy Andronik is writing her doctoral dissertation on recent Australian literature for teens, focusing on Aussie authors who have been honored with the Printz award. She should receive her degree from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, by the end of 2014.
John Singer writes: “Have seen a lot of alums in the past several weeks. Had lunch with Dave Fagelson and Jon Nimer, while Jon was visiting DC for work. Had dinner last Friday in Philadelphia with Peter Eisenhardt, Brad Moss and Lew Gitlin ’79. Sadly, Peter was in the US for his father’s funeral. I also regularly see David S. Block ’81. Our wives were roommates at Penn; our children were classmates and go to the same summer camps.
“In December, Karen and I celebrated our 25th anniversary. Our son, Charlie, is a sophomore at Tulane, and our daughter, Amy, is a senior at the Bryn Mawr School, where I regularly see former Clark Hall neighbor, Maureen Walsh ’79, the headmistress. Amy will be a first year student at UVA in the fall. Coming up on 20 years at the Federal Trade Commission. After doing mostly appellate work the past 13 years, I just switched back to doing primarily trial work after being asked by the Director of Consumer Protection to start a new enforcement program concerning deceptive on-line negative option sales. All in all, life is pretty good as we approach our 35th(!) Reunion.”
Walter Calhoun writes: “I am going to San Francisco for my aunt’s, Gertrude Martin’s, 100th birthday party on April 19. Gertrude Martin was married to Louis Martin who received an honorary degree from Wesleyan at our graduation ceremony in 1980 ( I know you remember!). Hope to see Steve Freccero, an assistant United States attorney, who prosecuted Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber while I am there.”
Mike O’Brien writes: “On Feb. 2nd, I joined Dave Stern, Tom Kovar ’76, and a large number of singers, guitarists, drummers, bass players, pianists, and far more ukulele players than you would think likely, at the 6th Annual Beatles Open Mic, an event organized by Dave, in Florence, Mass. I was part of the house band, and over the course of the evening played guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. A personal highlight for me was doing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with Dave on lead vocal and me on lead guitar, a complete role-reversal from the days in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s when he and I played in bands together. One of these years, we will get Jack Freudenheim ’79 to join us for this shindig.”
Melissa Stern writes: “I’ve just returned from a six–week artist residency in Israel. Had great adventures working in South Tel Aviv, far off the tourist trail, in a neighborhood of artists, manufacturing, refugees and motorcycles! Here’s a link to my blog, where I chronicled some of my adventures: speakingintongues.melissa-stern.com/. I continue to write about art for CityArts, here in NYC and once I get un-jetlagged, I look forward to getting back in the studio!”
Liz Sikes writes: “It was a heck of a winter, wasn’t it? Only news from here is that after spending the last two summers in Bremen, Germany on a Hanse fellowship (to study how ancient carbon may be getting into our estuaries). I am really looking forward to being parked back on the east coast for the summer. I’m hoping to be up on the Cape, too, doing some work at Woods Hole. My daughter is surviving her first year at Wes and pretty well—but that’s not really news is it?”
KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY | kim_selby@yahoo.com