Author: classnotes

Categories Obituaries, Obituaries | 1950-1959Posted on

Leon M. Protass ’51

Leon M. Protass ’51 passed away on August 15, 2025. His son, Harlan, wrote:

I write to report the death of my father, Leon M. Protass, at age 95, on August 15, 2025. He graduated from Wesleyan University with honors in 1951. Upon graduation, he attended the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, from which he graduated in 1955. He was board certified in both Internal Medicine and Neurology and practiced in the field of neurology for close to 70 years. He was affiliated with both the Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine for approximately five decades and was on the Staff of New Rochelle Hospital (now a part of the Montefiore Medical Group) for roughly two decades. He also maintained a private practice in New Rochelle, NY, where he lived for more than 60 years.

Medicine and science were my father’s passion. He was widely respected for his diagnostic skills, intellectual approach to the practice of medicine and bedside manner. Even though he largely worked in urban areas, he always practiced medicine as if he were a small-town doctor in New Britain, Connecticut, where he was born on October 11, 1929 and raised by his parents, Benjamin and Beatrice Protass, alongside his sister, Judith Poliner, who predeceased him by 12 years.

He is survived by his wife of 60-plus years, Barbara Protass, his son, Harlan Protass, and his partner Charity Scribner; his son, Joshua Protass, and his wife, Julie Selsberg; four grandchildren (Sydney, Cole, Simon, and Meret), as well numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was beloved by all.


Categories Class Notes, Class Notes | 2020sPosted on

CLASS OF 2024 | 2025 | SPRING ISSUE

Hello, Class of 2024! Please enjoy these postgrad updates from our classmates!

Sam Anderson has been working as a project assistant for a lab at USC, using novel machine-learning models to identify risk factors for Alzheimer’s via a combination of neuroimaging (MRI and CT) and genetic data. 

Rachel Wachman is working as a journalist at the Concord Monitor in Concord, New Hampshire, where she moved in August. Rachel says, “Missing my Wes friends but enjoying the mountains!”

After graduation, Luka Netzel began working in professional theater. Luka says, “A few weeks after graduation, I got a last-minute company management gig at a small theater in Lincoln, New Hampshire, for their summer stock season. After this, I headed south to Sarasota, Florida, where I am currently working as the company management apprentice at the Asolo Repertory Theater.”

In other professional news, Lucas Hughes got a job as a clinical research coordinator at MHM research in the Hudson Valley, Rebecca Drucker moved to Bethesda, Maryland, to begin a teaching fellowship, and Savannah Ryan got a job as a biochemist at a biopharmaceutical company and a new car! 

Naomi Whitlock spent her summer after graduation working in Yellowstone National Park and recently moved to Colorado to work as a dogsled musher and guide. Naomi says, “In other news, the manuscript I wrote about my genomic research in Barry Chernoff’s lab was published in Scientific Reports in December!”

Other Cardinals continued their education postgrad. In the spring, Emma Dhanda will be graduating with an MA in psychology through Wesleyan’s BA/MA Program. Sara Beth Bouchard is in the PhD program in chemistry at UConn, in a lab that studies proteins as polymers. Sara Beth says, “I never saw myself joining a synthetic polymer lab . . . so I will have plenty to learn! I am hoping to kick-start my research project this spring. Missing the Wesleyan sailing team and looking forward to the Parent Alumni Regatta!”

As for travel, Max Fan, Chris Noh,and Oliver Wang took a road trip across the U.S., while Naya Jorgensen moved overseas. Naya says, “Hello, fellow Wes alumni! Thanks to the support of the Wesleyan French department, I’m currently living in Paris and teaching English at a university, which gives me a new appreciation for what our professors went through with us! I hope to cross paths with some continental Cardinals as time goes on. Hope everyone is having a great start to 2025!”

Happy New Year, everyone!