Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 1980sPosted on

CLASS OF 1987 | 2022 | FALL ISSUE

Several months after our 35th Reunion, I’m still smiling as I think of the wonderful conversations I had with so many of our classmates. Here’s an update:

Michael Bennet headlined a panel discussion about the state of American democracy, along with Robert Allbritton ’92, the founder and publisher of POLITICO. Many of the ’87 crew were in the audience at Crowell Concert Hall to hear the analysis. Take away for me: stay involved. Jeremy Mindich was on a panel about angel investors and how they decide how to invest capital.

Always looking for news to share here, I set up a table at the dinner to collect memories, and I shamelessly begged for participation. I got some notes. Naomi Mezey remembered having Michael Bennet as a TA for Modern American Novel, getting to be in Kim Sargent’s dances, and having a “spring fling” with Matt Paul during senior week that would change her life. In a separate note, Matt corroborated the story, adding that it was Bruno Weintraub’s senior week party where they met. They are now married and living in D.C.

Ken Mathews called out to me from his car near SciLi on Friday morning, but we missed seeing each other the rest of the weekend! Ken retired from his position as the supervisor of math at the New Haven Public Schools in June.

All over campus, we reconnected as if no time had passed. At our class dinner, I heard many conversations about the stage of life we’re in. Some are parenting kids who are navigating high school, touring colleges, or just out of school and working out the beginnings of their careers. Some are thinking about whether to retire or go the other way and amp up our careers. Some are hoping to travel. Some are downsizing; some are helping our parents. We stayed in the ’92 Theatre long after plates were cleared, pondering the questions, sharing the experiences, enjoying the company.

Those who couldn’t join us sent us some reflections too.

Giles Richter writes, “I was sorry to miss reunion this year, but I am still glowing from the great experience I had at the 25th, lingering in the shade by Butterfield C and the old Asia House at 200 College Street to reminisce about lifelong friends. Among them, I just got to see John and Susan (Toothaker) Skovron who visited with me this spring, and Debbie Krisher who I saw on my first trip back to Tokyo since the pandemic started. I am still working at Stanford managing the IUC Japanese overseas intensive program I attended 30 years ago.”

Alisa Kwitney remembered meeting her RA, Holly Harrison ’85—the start of a lifetime friendship. Now Holly and fellow alum Jim McManus’ (’85) daughter is starting as a freshling! Alisa also reports that her graphic novel GILT will be out soon, and you can tune in to Endless: A Sandman podcast to hear her memories of working on the comic and how the ’90s series was adapted into the Netflix show.

Michael Morris sent in these memories:

  • Meeting my wife Djenne-amal Nubia at a MoCon dance party in ’83 while she visited her cousin Lyle Ashton Harris ’88
  • Sitting in Downey House for hours after dinner with Zahara Deardre Duncan ’88, Joan Morgan, and Marilyn Anne McDonald Hendricks, dreaming about how we would change the world!
  • Sitting in the sun on Foss Hill, listening to the smooth sounds of the Neville Brothers performing live.
  • Seeing Jesse Jackson’s speech at Crowell Concert Hall. Who knew it was a prelude to his ’88 run for POTUS?

Michael Morris sent in his ID card. When we were students, we used our Social Security numbers for everything!

Despite the heat and humidity, the reunion on campus generated smiles and hugs, hundreds of group photos and selfies, a thousand small conversations, a million reconnections. The joyful weekend brought us back to our days as Wesleyan students. All too soon, we scattered back to our home bases, aging 35 years in the process.

Florence Dore has two new releases—a CD, Highways and Rocketships, and a new book, Ink in the Grooves: Conversations on Literature and Rock ‘n’ Roll. She says, “At Wes, I was a dB’s fan and an English major, studying Keats and rehearsing with my own band in an underground tunnel. After classes, in the glare of lamps stolen from dorm rooms, I sang, careful not to put my mouth too close to the microphone, experiencing a tiny, potent shock when I lost myself in the distortion and forgot. I married Will Rigby and got my PhD.

We have a Facebook group, a Spotify playlist, and a drive photo album of pictures from Reunion. Send me an email and I will share the information!

Till next time, friends!