Tag: 1980

Karen Murgolo is still surviving in book publishing and is editorial director of the nonfiction imprint, Grand Central Life & Style, at the Hachette Book Group. She works with fun chefs like Mario Batali, edited Ellen DeGeneres’ Home book, and is editor of Gwyneth Paltrow’s bestselling, It’s All Good, and upcoming It’s All Easy. Fun fact: She is currently working with Candace Nelson ’96, founder of the Sprinkles Bakeries and judge on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars on her amazing cookbook, The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secrets From Candace’s Kitchen.

Janet Grillo directed the feature film Jack of the Red Hearts, starring Famke Janssen (X-Men, Taken) and AnnaSophia Robb (Carrie Diaries, The Way Way Back); the story of a teenage con artist who convinces the desperate mother to hire her as live-in caregiver for her child with severe autism. Jack Of The Red Hearts won the Jury Prize at the inaugural Bentonville Film Festival, founded by Geena Davis to promote gender equality in filmmaking; played festivals here and abroad, winning 11 awards; and will open in 25 AMC theaters nationwide on Feb. 26th. It will air on Lifetime in April, Autism Awareness Month.

F.X. White writes: “My three children are growing up too fast. Sophia is looking at colleges, and I hope she considers Wesleyan. I’ve been active on the Bernie Sanders campaign, and in fact am running as a delegate for Maryland’s Eighth District pledged to him. Still haven’t made it to a Reunion in all these years, but keeping in touch with a bunch of Wes folks on Facebook, which has been fun. Working as a software developer and writing a book about the year off I took in ’78. The education I had in the COL still sustains me. Recently started a book club with some neighbors. Also coaching a fourth-grade soccer team. Life is good. Best to all.”

Peter Scharf writes: “I’m also in Boston, rather Cambridge. I’m cataloguing the 1700 Sanskrit manuscripts at the Houghton Library at Harvard with the help of two assistants from India. We’ve finished about half of them as of now (Feb. 3) and include them in our Sanskrit manuscript catalogue at sanskritlibrary.org under Reference. I plan to head back to IIT Bombay to teach linguistics in the fall.”

David Hafter writes: “Like many of my classmates whose parents struggle with health and life-management issues, I have my challenges. Otherwise, however, I feel pretty lucky. My 50s have been more exciting than I anticipated. For a therapist, getting older is generally a good thing and I am enjoying running a program for Yolo County schools, where we do one-to-one brief therapy (early intervention), group counseling and mental health presentations/assemblies. I also do trainings for clinicians around California. For fun, I re-formed my Wesleyan band, Wealth of Nations, with a great group of guys who, like me, started playing music young and never stopped. I have gone from solo performing in the basement of Wesleyan frats, to playing with the Original Wealth of Nations (with James Marcus, Kathy Bergeron and Vic Tredwell) at Wesleyan to the new full, seven-piece rock band, playing my originals, lots of Dead covers and other great music from our era. Playing with these guys is more fun than I could put into words. My son, Noah, also a singer/guitar player, is settled in Seattle. So, no complaints here, at least not now; I’m enjoying the moment.”

Wendy Buskop writes: “Daughter Jacqueline ’19 is now in her freshman year. She needs internships in earth and environmental science, if anyone can help out. Contact her at jbuskop@wesleyan.edu. Celebrating 25 years this year of Buskop Law Group—a private practice law firm providing patent drafting, filing, and issuance of patents and trademarks, with five patent attorneys and clients in 23 states and 15 foreign countries.”

Your own Jenny Boylan has left the faculty of Colby College after 25 years, and taken on the new role of Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence at Barnard College of Columbia University. “This has me in the classroom in New York in the spring semesters; each May I return to Maine, where my wife, Deirdre Finney Boylan ’82, and I live on Long Pond, in Belgrade Lakes. It’s been a super busy and crazy time, and I beg for you to forgive me for the inevitable alumna boast-o-rama. Ready? I continue as the national co-chair of GLAAD, the media advocacy nonprofit for LGBTQ people, and also serve as a trustee for the Kinsey Institute for Research on Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. On the writing front, I’m a contributing opinion writer for the op/ed page of the New York Times, with an essay appearing about every six weeks or so, or whenever I can think up something to say. My new novel, Long Black Veil, comes out in spring of 2017 from Penguin Random House; let’s call it a literary thriller with a twist. And I’m introducing my new line of fragrances, called KABOOM. No, wait, I’m only kidding about the fragrance. But I am not kidding about this: I’m a consultant and a cast member on I Am Cait, the E! Network reality show about Caitlyn Jenner, on which my primary role seems to be explaining to Cait that Everything She Knows is Wrong. It’s a weird position for me to be in, since playing yourself on TV turns out to be harder than pretending to be someone else. But I continue to believe that visibility brings acceptance, so on I go.

“I loved seeing so many old friends at Wesleyan at our Reunion, and receiving the Distinguished Alumna award from the University was one of the great honors of my life. It is weird to think that I am being feted for being an out trans person; the very thought of coming out when I was a Wesleyan student seemed like the most unlikely turn of events I could imagine. But the world has changed, I reckon. Just like a lot of people I know. And my beloved Wesleyan classmates not least.”

KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY | kim_selby@yahoo.com

Paul Singarella writes in response to my seeing his family name on the firehouse in Beacon Hill: “That’s right Kim: The Singarellas, going back to my grandfather, were contractors and builders in the Boston area, building not only that sturdy firehouse, now a children’s center, but also part of Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo, part of the well-known Morrissey Boulevard, and the North Weymouth drive-in theater, which supposedly was the first one in the region. I, myself, am not a contractor, although that’s what I did during my summer vacations, starting at age 12. It does not feel like child labor when you are a 12-year-old driving a steamroller. These days, I am working as a lawyer on water scarcity issues, such as representing the State of Florida in its U.S. Supreme Court case against the State of Georgia, asking the Supreme Court to apportion enough of the river flow from upstream Georgia to protect the Apalachicola River and Bay of the Florida Panhandle, and the oyster that bears the Apalachicola name. Heather and I are empty-nesters in Irvine, Calif., with Nick (NYU 2013) living and working in the Bay Area, Natalie a junior at TCU, and Juliette a sophomore at Vanderbilt.”

Paul Oxholm writes: “Sarah, a Lehigh senior, is a double major in finance and marketing, with a psychology minor. Catherine is a Denison freshman with potential interest in one of nine majors. Karen continues to teach at school and coach the girls tennis team. I continue to run a small manufacturing company in central Pennsylvania, serve as a financial adviser for a few families, and watch my hair turn grey. Karen and I are entering a new phase as empty nesters with more anticipation than trepidation. Let’s hope that continues…”

Doron Henkin writes: “In October 2013, riding the joyous wave of advances in rights, I ’gay married’ Victor Hall at a ceremony on the eastern shore of Maryland, in a Jewish-Philippino-inclusive ceremony at Historic St. Martin’s Church in Berlin, Md. It was their first LGBT event, ditto for the reception hall in Salisbury. Nine months later our union was suddenly legitimized in Pennsylvania, when Governor Corbett declined to appeal from a Federal District Court ruling in Harrisburg in favor of the plaintiffs seeking marriage equality—which ended an odd period in which we were married in some states and on some tax returns but not others. Victor was born in the Philippines and worked in a number of nonprofits before going back to (culinary) school. He is now a dessert chef at a downtown Philadelphia restaurant. I continue my legal practice, focusing on business, bankruptcy and real estate matters. Children, Dan and Gil, have graduated college. Gil is in physics graduate school at McGill University in Montreal and Dan is looking for that first real engineering job after college. Daughter Hannah is a senior at the University of Michigan and played on Team USA (Women’s) at the recent 23-and-under Ultimate Frisbee World Championships in London, England.

Rebecca Hayden writes: “I am still living in the Cambridgeport section of Cambridge—I’ve been here since 1981 (with the exception of one year in Munich). My husband and I live a three-block walk from Central Square, which means he can bike to his job at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard, and I can walk the three miles to Brookline High School, where I am starting my 15th year teaching English. It couldn’t be a better match; I’m not surprised lots of BHS students go to Wesleyan. They are fun, challenging, quirky, sophisticated in all the right ways, and inspiring to teach. I still sing seriously and occasionally for money. Currently I’m in a large volunteer chorus and gig quite a bit at retirement communities. They enjoy my repertoire of parlor songs, vaudeville, operetta, spirituals, and the great American songbook. I was really fortunate the summer of 2014 to receive one of the last NEH grants awarded to high school teachers for foreign study—amonth in London studying The Canterbury Tales. It brought back great memories of Hope Weissman’s seminar on Chaucer. I am grateful for good health, a career I love, a happy marriage, and a circle of wonderful friends—many of them from Wesleyan: Almut Koester, Christian Herold ’81, Michael Shulman, and Suzy Shedd (with a shout-out to Randy Baron, too!).

Mark Zitter writes: “I’m the proud dad of three teens, including a high school senior and junior. Both of them are considering Wes as they look at colleges. I’m still running Zitter Health Insights but also am doing a lot with death these days. My physician-wife focuses on end-of-life issues in both her clinical practice and her New York Times columns, and we co-founded a telephone counseling service for dying patients that we sold a few years back. Recently I’ve chaired a series of interviews at the Commonwealth Club of California on dying, including one with Jessica. It’s fun to work together on this important issue.”

Dan Connors writes: “Still living in St. Louis and love our baseball Cardinals while hating our football team that wants to leave for LA. Got my CPA a few years ago and now writing financial articles while trying to help small businesses in the area. Two daughters near college age, neither likely to attend Wesleyan and asking me how crazy I was to go so far away knowing nobody… At work for nearly three years now on my novel, which I may just have to self-publish once I get it done. Looking for Wes grads (or anybody else bored enough) who would like to read and critique it.”

Janet Grillo is delighted to screen the feature film she directed, Jack of the Red Hearts, at The Rome International Film Festival, Alice nella Città, in October, after showing it at four American film festivals since May, and receiving 11 awards. Jack (starring Famke Janssen and Sophia Anne Robb) will open in 15 select AMC theaters across the country on December 4th.

KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY | kim_selby@yahoo.com

A 35th year Reunion highlight for me was sitting in Memorial Chapel during the distinguished alumni awards ceremony listening to David Potts ’60 give his closing remarks from his presentation about his book, Wesleyan University, 1910–1970. He said, “I hope my book will nurture our sense of family, and help us achieve one of our key liberal arts goals—a deeper self-knowledge. That goal is well-served when we collectively gain a new measure of institutional self-understanding. And for us as individuals, the quest for self-knowledge is enhanced when each of us knowingly remembers where we came from.” There were about 50 of us at Reunion who had the opportunity to share the experience of remembering from where we came and to collectively gain a new measure of institutional self-understanding. (See the Web class notes for a list of those who were among those the Reunion attendees—too long to add here!)

With Reunion memories Liz Sikes writes: “Catching up with Cesar Noble was the best surprise—especially when he e-mailed me a few weeks later to say his daughter was impressed that he knew someone like me, by which I think he means a college professor scientist studying climate change, but the best part was I was a woman. Made my day! Especially because he is a judge and here I was talking to him and Brad Moss (both judges!) thinking to myself—wow, I feel like everyone here is so much more successful than I! The funny thing is I can’t remember who said that out loud—but someone did… and I think that was the take home moment for me—what an amazing class we have –so many have come so far…I like being in this club!”

Melissa Stern writes: “I had a great time at Reunion. It was a great honor to have been asked to design a tee shirt for our 35th Reunion and I got a kick out of seeing many current students wearing it! It was a great weekend. I particularly enjoyed the ‘writer’ panel with Julie Burstein, Jennifer Finney Boylan and Rachel Basch—a rich and meaningful conversation among artists.”

Not in attendance….Susan Kravit writes: “I have lived in Washington State, first Seattle then Olympia, since 1982. My hobby of breeding flat coated retrievers kept me from attending Reunion, as I had a litter of eight puppies.”

Wendy Buskop writes: “My daughter, Jacqueline ’19, will attend Wesleyan in September.”

Janet Grillo writes: “I am delighted to be back in NYC, teaching full time as an arts professor at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts undergraduate film and television program. The second feature film I directed, Jack of the Red Hearts, starring Famke Janssen (Taken, X-Men) and AnnaSophia Robb (Carrie Diaries, The Way Way Back), won the jury prize at the inaugural Bentonville Film Festival, co-founded by actress/activist Geena Davis, to promote women and diversity. It will be in national theatrical release next winter. Like my first feature, Fly Away, this film also dramatized the impact of raising a child with autism.”

Wendy Davis Beard writes: “While still based in Sydney with our 12-year-old daughter, we traveled to New York last June to enroll Eliza in a three-week summer program at Columbia University. Whilst in America during the summer for the first time in many years, we took the opportunity to visit family in Cape Cod and Pam Mitchell in Maine, which was a real treat, as her husband Mark, a volunteer fireman, was able to carry me up and down the steep stairs to their beautiful sea front home. While able to climb a few steps with my quad stick, a whole flight is still a very big challenge. This past December while visiting my husband’s family in London, including two older daughters and two little granddaughters, we had a lovely lunch with Peter Eisenhardt who has been based in London with his family for over 30 years! I continue to write my memoir of recovery from cancer (now complete) and from my disabling stroke, a recovery which is ongoing—and am also writing fiction. Meanwhile, Peter has written an award-winning screen play.”
Michael Shulman writes: “I live in Ann Arbor, unexpected boom-town of the rust belt, with my wife and our two daughters. My wife is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, as I am. We’ve been in Ann Arbor since our meeting in grad school, except for an eight-year sojourn in Boca Raton, where we lived quite differently, grew mangoes and grapefruit, but ended up longing to return to a place where the intellect stood a better chance of growing.

Since leaving Wes, I’ve stayed in touch with Becky Hayden, Todd Martin ’81, Randy Baron, Christian Herold ’81 and Amanda Hardy. I would love to hear from Karen Murgolo, Claudia Lewis ’78, Leda Hartman ’81, Bradley Hess, or my COL mates from ’80 or ’81. Paul Schwaber ’57 and I, both psychoanalysts, have been in frequent touch in the past decade, despite having lost touch for the two before. A most wonderful recent reunion was sitting down with Henry Abelove in NYC, where we were presenting at the same conference. Maybe the most pleasant of all was hearing Henry’s account of his post-Wesleyan stints at ivy-covered schools whose students, however brilliant, preferred silence to vocal engagement.”

 

Welcome to the expanded version of Wes ’80 Class Notes where the more complete version of our classmates’ entries are here for you to enjoy.

John Snook writes: I have been volunteering at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York for 22 and one half years.  I had previously volunteered for over sixteen years at Lenox Hill Hospital (also in New York).  I have not kept in touch with too many classmates except Jim Burnett (also class of 1980).

Michael Shulman writes: I live in Ann Arbor, unexpected boom-town of the rust belt, with my wife and our two daughters. My wife is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, as I am. We’ve been in Ann Arbor since our meeting in grad school, except for an 8 year sojourn in Boca Raton, where we lived quite differently, grew mangoes and grapefruit, but ended up longing to return to a place where the intellect stood a better chance of growing. Since leaving Wes, I’ve stayed in touch with Becky Hayden, Todd Martin, Randy Baron, Christian Herold and Amanda Hardy. I would love to hear from Karen Murgolo, Claudia Lewis, Leda Hartman, Bradley Hess, or my COL mates from ’80 or ’81.  Paul Schwaber and I, both psychoanalysts, have been in frequent touch in the past decade, despite having lost touch for the 2 before. A most wonderful recent reunion was sitting down with Henry Abelove in NYC, where we were presenting at the same conference. Maybe pleasantest of all was hearing Henry’s account of his post-Wesleyan stints at ivy-covered schools whose students, however brilliant, preferred silent to vocal engagement.

Susan Kravit writes: I have been living in Olympia, WA since 1985.  I work as a Mental Health Counselor in my private practice specializing in treating trauma related problems, primarily with EMDR therapy.  In 2012 I married my then partner of 18 years, Kathryn. We have a 14 year old daughter.  I also raise Flat-Coated Retrievers and use them as therapy dogs in my practice.  I get together with Elizabeth Sanders (’78?) in Seattle from time to time, in fact we recently attended a Sweet Honey in the Rock concert together and were discussing our days at Wesleyan over dinner. The man at the next table came over and introduced himself and let us know he had been in Elizabeth’s class at Wesleyan!

Wendy Davis Beard writes: While still based in Sydney with our year12 daughter we travelled to New York last June to enroll Eliza in a three week summer program at Columbia University whilst in America during the summer for the first time in many years, we took the opportunity to visit family in Cape Cod and Pam Mitchell(nee Wheeler’80) in Maine which was a real treat as her husband Mark, a volunteer fireman, was able to carry me up and down the steep stairs to their beautiful sea front home. While able to climb a few steps with my quad stick, a whole flight is still a very big challenge. This past December whilst visiting my husbands’ family in London, including two older daughters and two little granddaughters, we had a lovely lunch with Peter Eisenhardt ’80 who has been based in London with his family for over thirty years! I continue to write my memoir of recovery from cancer (now complete) and from my disabling stroke, a recovery which is ongoing-and am also writing fiction. Meanwhile, Peter has written an award winning screen play.

David Hafter writes: Like many of us at this age, I am dealing with aging parents and all that goes along with it.  No reason to go into details; those of you sharing these challenges have your own stories and I have mine.  The great joy in my life is playing with my band, Wealth of Nations.  Some of you may remember the original line up at Wesleyan: James Marcus, Kathy Bergeron, Vic Tredwell and myself. I have resurrected the name and Wealth now plays shows in and around the Davis/Sacramento area.  This is tremendous fun for me and serves as a tonic to the stresses of daily life. We play my originals, favorite covers and a fair amount of Grateful Dead.  For a Deadhead like myself, the fun in playing this music and watching people dance joyously to it cannot be overstated…

Andrew McKenna writes: Jacquie and I continue to raise two very bright and talented girls who are now in middle school and bringing home new challenges daily.  Over the past 2 years, Jacquie had taken advantage of some of the contacts we made while living in South Africa for 7 months in 2012, and has now started importing and selling some of the beaded animals and other African artwork we found so appealing while we were over there.  See www.zimbu.us  Jacquie is also consulting with GFA in Hamburg on a project in India supporting the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency in their efforts to put a German provided line of credit facility to work in the Indian markets for renewable energy.  I’m still running Bella Energy as well in our efforts to developing, financing, and installing commercial and utility scale Photovoltaic projects, mostly for third party owners who sell the energy to non-profit entities.  Our current projects are located in California, Colorado, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York State, and Maryland, so it would seem we’ve become a nationwide business.  www.bellaenergy.com I’m also scheduled this coming June to return to Nikumaroro in the Phoenix Islands as a team member of the TIGHAR Amelia Earhart Expedition, continuing our investigation into the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan.  This time we intend to deploy a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) down to 620 ft to examine an anomaly in the sonar survey that was completed in 2012, as well as survey by SCUBA parts of the reef downhill from an object photographed on the reef flat in 1937.  Should be a great adventure!  Keep your fingers crossed, if we find what we’re looking for, it will be big news.  see  www.tighar.org

Gary Gilyard writes:

I was so sorry to hear about Julia Wu. I will always remember her smiling, and full of energy…..so sad. My wife Linda and I just returned from taking our youngest Shelby W16 back to school yesterday. She is a Biology major and plays Lacrosse for Wesleyan. So far she has lived exactly where I lived when I was a student. This year is William Street. I always love to be back at Wes. She is our youngest, the middle daughter just got married 6 months ago and lives in Phoenix (hopefully temporarily), and the oldest is in Chicago. I can’t believe this will be our 35th reunion it really doesn’t feel like that long, but neither did my 30th wedding anniversary this past May. We will be back for homecoming as well as the reunion! My practice is going well. I am an Orthopedic Surgeon at the Detroit Medical Center specializing in Sports Medicine. I love what I do and am not even beginning to think about slowing down. My wife is a NICU nurse at the University of Michigan.  I’m really looking forward to seeing as many classmates as possible this May.

Pam Keon writes:

Thanks for sharing the very sad news about Tag.  She touched so many lives in too short a time.  My life is full.  Although I’ve not had many opportunities to see Wes friends over the years, I was very lucky to reconnect recently with wonderful Lisa Kaufman, who I’d not seen since graduation day.  Over an all too brief lunch here in Mill Valley, sitting by the water in the company of her lovely husband Peter, we attempted to catch up on the past 34 years.  It was an impossible but delightful task.

I am in the throes of trying to batten down the hatches as I head off in a few days for our first family vacation in 13 years!  My son Will and my daughter Mollie and I are meeting in Ecuador to visit the Galapagos – a trip of a lifetime for us.  Mollie just earned her undergraduate degree from Emerson, and Will just earned his graduate degree from Harvard, so it’s an unusual moment in time when everyone is in transition and not fully tied down by vocational obligations.

In order to keep my “day job” from being all-consuming, I spend my time doing a range of other things that gratify me.  I sing in a women’s chorus, which is going to Rome in March to sing a mass at the Vatican.  Inspired by the photo documentation of Scott Phillips’s exploits I have committed to take golf lessons for the first time – other than that one-quarter PE class I took at WES for an easy credit.  (What made it particularly “easy” is that I think I only attended twice but still passed!)  I’m on the board of the local historical society, working with the City to develop a historical preservation ordinance.  As a volunteer at the library, I have been developing a database of local historical structures, and also coordinate donations and acquisitions for the history room.  When I can, I volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children who are dependents of the court.  I feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful area, and my two Australian Shepherds are eager hiking companions.

I am definitely experiencing the “sandwich generation,” as I am responsible for my demented father while sending encouragement to my children as they take wing.  I also spend a great deal of time helping one of my sisters who just became the single parent of twins, and thoroughly enjoy being able to indulge in holding babies without all the responsibilities that accompany parenting young children.

Having recently had my 56th birthday, I’m beginning to suspect that there are certain things that may not actually happen in my life.  There’s a strong possibility that I will not become a fighter pilot, a premiere ballerina, or a US ambassador.  As I look around however, I’m content with what I have done and feel blessed by each day that comes.

Alan Jacobs writes:

Recently, I did the math and realized that I would have two kids in college for seven consecutive years. Apparently, we forgot to do that math when we were starting a family. Gil is graduating this year from Brandeis, Ron is a junior at Wesleyan, Avia is a senior in high school, being recruited/pushed by her dad to play soccer somewhere in the northeast next fall, and Guy is a freshman in high school.   I’m having a great time in the entertainment business here in Los Angeles. I’ve had the good fortune to work with many talented and inspiring people and though my heart will always be in New York, it’s been a great place to raise kids and make movies.  Along the way, my company has provided summer internships to over a dozen Wesleyan students, most recently Ming Zhu ’15, Zoe Broad ’14 and Jenna Robbins ’13.

Scott Hecker writes:

Greetings from San Diego, which has now been home for over 10 years for me and my family (wife Gail, daughter Claire (13) and son Niall (11).  Twenty years after leaving my cushy job at Pfizer to join the crazy world of biotech start-ups, and after twice experiencing the high of going public only to be dashed by seeing the stock price go through the floor, I finally have a modicum of success to report.  My latest company, Rempex Pharmaceuticals, was acquired in December 2013 by The Medicines Company (headquartered in New Jersey).  We have discovered and are developing a new antibiotic to deal with those nasty bacteria in hospitals that you keep hearing about.  And, unlike most biotech acquisitions, we all still have our jobs! We spent a few days in New York this summer, and one of the highlights was seeing The Lion King on Broadway, with Robert Levin (’82 I think) performing one of the feature drum parts.  Hoping that Wesleyan will invite Urban Renewal back to play at reunion/commencement in 2015 or 2016!

Al Spohn writes:

I’m into year 24 of doing IT at the Mayo Clinic.  Married with kids aged 2,6 and 8… I’ve essentially become the grandfather that can’t run away. Not much else to report.  Oh, I also accepted an adjunct faculty position at the Minnesota College of Art and Design this fall.

Jenny Anne Horst-Martz writes:

I am living and working in Philadelphia, where I am a project manager at a law firm.  My husband of more than twenty years is a teacher at a Friends school, and we have two kids.  My daughter, Emma, is off to Connecticut College, where Katherine Bergeron ’80 – a fellow Catholic feminist of the Fr. Charlie Gonzalez era – is the new college president.  It was great to see Katherine again at move-in day, and to hear that Brad Moss ’80 is also sending his son to Connecticut College this year. Some of you may not be aware that Connecticut College for Women was founded in 1911 when Wes kicked the women out.  Now, both schools are coed with similar missions, but I’ll tell you, the campus at Connecticut College is even more beautiful than Wesleyan, and it retains a good deal of spunk from its origins, embracing the dromedary as its mascot.  Go Camels! I remain in touch with the French House gang, including Ina Shea, Ken MacElwain, Tak Tamagawa, Sarah (Shull) Peterson, and Doron Henkin, and with Marty Saggese.  I live around the corner from Deb Lipschutz.  My primary care doctor attended Wes, too, and Chris Satullo and Jane Eisner have been fixtures in Philadelphia journalism and nonprofits for years.  I always say that it might be six degrees of separation in New York, but in Philadelphia, it’s one.

Susan Tietjen writes:

As I think this is the first and only time I have submitted notes, I will provide a brief timeline of my past 35 years. (Boy, was that scary to write!)

After graduation, one year in NYC as paralegal with Davis, Polk & Wardwell. Then, one year studying in Marburg, Germany on a Rotary Scholarship. Then, University of Michigan Law School, J.D. ’85. One year of studies in Hamburg, Germany. Six years practicing corporate law with Shearman & Sterling in NYC. Moved to Prague, Czech Republic in 1992 and lived there until 2003. Practiced law there with Altheimer & Gray for five years, then with Weil, Gotshal & Manges for five years. Met my husband, Bob Votel, a fellow American, there and married in 2001. In 2003, we adopted identical infant twin boys, Nikolas and Gabriel. They are of Roma descent and are now 12. At the end of 2003, we moved to Minneapolis, where I have been a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) ever since, except for 2007-2010, when I was a SAHM in Hong Kong. Now, back in Minneapolis and managing hockey practice, baseball practice, soccer practice, music lessons, Boy Scouts and various therapies for my boys.

KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY | kim_selby@yahoo.com

For those of you who didn’t hear, our dear classmate Julia Tag Wu Trethaway passed away on July 9, 2014.

Gary Gilyard writes: “I was so sorry to hear about Julia Wu. I will always remember her smiling and full of energy…..so sad. My wife, Linda, and I just returned from taking our youngest Shelby ’17 back to school yesterday. She is a biology major and plays lacrosse for Wesleyan. So far she has lived exactly where I lived when I was a student. This year is William Street. I always love to be back at Wes. She is our youngest. Our middle daughter just got married six months ago and lives in Phoenix (hopefully temporarily), and our oldest is in Chicago. I can’t believe this will be our 35th Reunion. It really doesn’t feel like that long, but neither did my 30th wedding anniversary this past May. We will be back for Homecoming as well as the Reunion! My practice is going well, I am an orthopedic surgeon at the Detroit Medical Center specializing in sports medicine. I love what I do and am not even beginning to think about slowing down. My wife is a NICU nurse at the University of Michigan. I’m really looking forward to seeing as many classmates as possible this May.”

Pam Keon writes: “Thanks for sharing the very sad news about Tag. She touched so many lives in too short a time. My life is full. Although I’ve not had many opportunities to see Wes friends over the years, I was very lucky to reconnect recently with wonderful Lisa Kaufman, whom I’d not seen since graduation day. Over an all-too-brief lunch here in Mill Valley, sitting by the water in the company of her lovely husband, Peter, we attempted to catch up on the past 34 years. It was an impossible but delightful task. I am in the throes of trying to batten down the hatches as I head off in a few days for our first family vacation in 13 years! My son, Will, and my daughter, Mollie, and I are meeting in Ecuador to visit the Galapagos—a trip of a lifetime for us. Mollie just earned her undergraduate degree from Emerson, and Will just earned his graduate degree from Harvard, so it’s an unusual moment in time when everyone is in transition and not fully tied down by vocational obligations.” See complete entry on WesConnect for some interesting special interests of Pam’s.

Alan Jacobs writes: “Recently, I did the math and realized that I would have two kids in college for seven consecutive years. Apparently, we forgot to do that math when we were starting a family. Gil is graduating this year from Brandeis, Ron ’16 is a junior at Wesleyan, Avia is a senior in high school, being recruited/pushed by her dad to play soccer somewhere in the Northeast next fall, and Guy is a freshman in high school. I’m having a great time in the entertainment business here in Los Angeles. I’ve had the good fortune to work with many talented and inspiring people and though my heart will always be in New York, it’s been a great place to raise kids and make movies. Along the way, my company has provided summer internships to over a dozen Wesleyan students, most recently Ming Zhu ’15, Zoe Broad ’14 and Jenna Robbins ’13.

Scott Hecker writes: “Greetings from San Diego, which has now been home for over 10 years for me and my family (wife Gail, daughter Claire, 13, and son Niall, 11). Twenty years after leaving my cushy job at Pfizer to join the crazy world of biotech start-ups, and after twice experiencing the high of going public only to be dashed by seeing the stock price go through the floor, I finally have a modicum of success to report. My latest company, Rempex Pharmaceuticals, was acquired in December 2013 by The Medicines Company (headquartered in New Jersey). We have discovered and are developing a new antibiotic to deal with those nasty bacteria in hospitals that you keep hearing about. And, unlike most biotech acquisitions, we all still have our jobs! We spent a few days in New York this summer, and one of the highlights was seeing The Lion King on Broadway, with Robert Levin ’81 performing one of the feature drum parts. Hoping that Wesleyan will invite Urban Renewal back to play at Reunion/Commencement in 2015 or 2016!

Al Spohn writes: “I’m into year 24 of doing IT at the Mayo Clinic. Married with kids aged 2, 6 and 8… I’ve essentially become the grandfather that can’t run away. Not much else to report. Oh, I also accepted an adjunct faculty position at the Minnesota College of Art and Design this fall.”

Jenny Anne Horst-Martz writes: “I am living and working in Philadelphia, where I am a project manager at a law firm. My husband of more than 20 years is a teacher at a Friends school, and we have two kids. My daughter, Emma, is off to Connecticut College, where Katherine Bergeron—a fellow Catholic feminist of the Fr. Charlie Gonzalez era—is the new college president. It was great to see Katherine again at move-in day, and to hear that Brad Moss is also sending his son to Connecticut College this year. Some of you may not be aware that Connecticut College for Women was founded in 1911 when Wes kicked the women out. Now, both schools are coed with similar missions, but I’ll tell you, the campus at Connecticut College is even more beautiful than Wesleyan, and it retains a good deal of spunk from its origins, embracing the dromedary as its mascot. Go Camels!” See Wesconnect to see the other nine people Jenny mentions.

Reunion 2015 marks our 35th. Hope to see many of you there. 

KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY | kim_selby@yahoo.com

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

The call for class notes echoed with these victories and personal homecomings.

I learned that Marty Saggese was nominated for Top Association CEO for his leadership of the Society for Neuroscience since 2002. Under his direction, the group’s annual meeting is now one of the largest scientific gatherings in the U.S. He increased the profitability of the group’s flagship scholarly journal, and last year the group launched BrainFacts.org, an informational website that has already started winning awards. This is what the nominators had to say about him: “Saggese effuses that rare combination of charisma, innovation, rigor and attention to detail…Few associations in the USA today can boast of such a leader.”

Julia “Tag” Wu Trethaway writes: “In early July I was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and the doctors told me I was at Stage 4, as the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes. At first I was shocked, but I was lucky enough to have an ‘in’ at Sloan Kettering and three days after I was diagnosed I was seen by the top esophageal oncologist in the entire world, so that was my first blessing. I also feel incredibly lucky because I have terrific health care through the Hotchkiss School and they gave me a paid medical leave for the first semester. I started chemotherapy right away in July, but the cancer kept growing until I couldn’t swallow or eat and had to use a feeding tube for two weeks while being hospitalized. Then at the end of July, after two chemo treatments, the drugs kicked in and the tumor started shrinking and I gained back all my weight (at 100 lbs. normally, I was down to 89). Yay! I stopped using the feeding tube at the end of August and last week at the end of October they yanked the tube out (literally)! I continue to feel blessed on this journey that we call life through all the twists and turns we all face daily, monthly, yearly. I have learned not to judge others: everyone has a story. I feel blessed with a devoted husband (Tom Trethaway) of almost 30 years (this June 2014) and two grown children who are both employed in New York City (one at Sotheby’s and one at Davis Polk) and both are economically independent, whew. I have no idea what the future will bring. I know I am a BAMF and will beat this eventually, but for now I am soaking in every minute of every day knowing that I am blessed with a loving and supportive family, mounds of friends like some of you who remember me from the late ’70s, and first-rate health care at MSKCC. How lucky that I didn’t get hit by a bus or get maimed in a car bomb! Blessings to all of you out there. (P.S. I’d love to hear your ‘story’; feel free to e-mail me at jtrethaw@hotchkiss.org.).”

David Hafter writes: “With James Marcus ’81, Kathy Bergeron, Vic Tredwell,and I had a band back at Wesleyan named Wealth of Nations. I had some of my best college times playing with these people. Over the (gulp) decades, I have performed alone and infrequently, playing fundraisers here and there. All the while, however, I had myself in ‘training’ for the day when I might be able to get back in a band. When my son, Noah, moved out for school and beyond (he’s now almost 21 and also a singer/songwriter), I started playing in public more often in Davis and Sacramento, Calif. I met up with other local musicians and, long story short, resurrected the Wealth of Nations name with new bandmates. We play my originals, Beatles, the Band, Grateful Dead and more. I’m having a great time with guys my age who, like me, never stopped playing.”

Mark Zitter writes: “I spent a few weeks of vacation this past summer with my family in Europe. We had a great time in London, where I had dinner with our classmate Scott Phillips. He’s been living in London for about 15 years, and at this point his English is excellent. Scott has a bunch of kids—I lost track of how many, maybe four?—but they’ve basically survived his parenting and left the nest. Now his wife, Crystal, has to put up with him without any distractions. Not sure how that’s going but she was out of the country when I visited.”

David Gould writes: “Very nice to read your look-back at what sounds like a fine year. My story is similar. After graduation my whole tilt was toward New York and away from native Boston (Needham). Lived in Manhattan, lived in SW Connecticut, raised a son and daughter, worked in magazines, media (travel, golf), editing, consulting all that good stuff. Was married all that time to a Wes ’80; our marriage ended in fall of 2009, I moved back to Mass. (Falmouth, then Needham), went to LOTS of Red Sox games, usually last-minute on impulse… knew all along that I missed the Boston/eastern New England cultural whatever-it-is but had no idea how much.”

Suzi Shedd writes: “I’m happy to say that Bob Purvis ’72 and I moved into our new home—with a big view of the Worcester Range (a sub-range of the Green Mountains) at the end of August. We are located between one of my brothers and my parents, so neighborhood association meetings on our dirt road are known as ‘family dinner.’”

Susan Kravit-Smith writes: “My victory this year was one I shared with the State of Washington, where I have lived since 1981: I married my partner of 18 years. We legally wed as soon after the marriage equality vote as we could (12/12/12) and then had a marriage celebration in July 2013. We had an outdoor ceremony in my gardens with 200 people, live music throughout the ceremony, and a 12–piece funk band afterwards, with dancing under the stars! It was a magical time, wonderful to celebrate with old and new, straight and gay, 3- to 85-year-old friends and relatives. Everyone was so happy to share this new freedom with us. My 13-year-old daughter put it well when she quoted John Lennon at the ceremony: ‘It matters not who you love, but that you love.’”

Alan Jacobs writes: “I’m ‘living the dream’ in Hollywood, running an entertainment company that produces films and manages talent. There is a large, well-documented but unexplainable Wesleyan Mafia out here in Hollywood (see the Film Center walls for details). We’ve had some wonderful summer interns/future Mafia members from Wesleyan over the years, especially this last summer (Jenna Robbins ’13 and Zoe Broad ’14). Biggest Wesleyan trip: Learning that my son Ron ’16 is friends with Matan Koplin-Green ’16, son of my buddy Jeff Green. None of the creative writing classes I took at Wesleyan or… prepared me to imagine that!”

KIMBERLY OFRIA SELBY
kim_selby@yahoo.com