CLASS OF 1988 | 2026 | SPRING ISSUE

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Happy spring, classmates. Hope you’re enjoying the season wherever you are. Steve writes for this column.

Elline Lipkin’s third book, Girl in a Forest, was published by Trio House Press in October 2025. It was a bright spot in a challenging year that started tragically: “My home was one of 9,400 structures lost in the Eaton Fire that tore through Altadena on January 7 and 8. Most of 2025 was spent on ‘recovery,’ and now that we’re past the one-year mark, I’m hoping much of 2026 will focus on ‘restoration.’” Elline’s looking forward to a panel with Kate Bernheimer on the use of fairy tales and myth in contemporary writing at the Associated Writing Program Conference (AWP) in Baltimore in March and hopes to say hello to any alums who might be there.

Christie Trott stays active with substitute teaching and volunteering at a women’s correctional facility after retiring from full-time teaching. Her highlight of 2025 was time spent with her dad, Steve Trott ’62: “At 86, he is busier than I am—regularly performing magic shows and lecturing on the Supreme Court and Beethoven for his fellow retirement home residents (many of whom are retired Stanford professors). I aspire to be just like him at that age!”

Her husband, Brad, will join her in the retirement club this year, and they look forward to adventures traveling and hiking as much as possible. They’re also in another highly popular club with ’88ers: the kids in college club! Daughter Sam is a (third generation!) Wesleyan sophomore and son Josh is a Stanford freshman. She also wants to say she’s proud of Wesleyan President Michael Roth for his courageous leadership and for speaking out in stormy political times.

Peter will write for the next update. Thanks for sharing your news and please keep it coming.