Summer Scene 2009 by Colgate University

scene Summer 2009

News and views for the Colgate community

Set Our Feet on Lofty Places 88 Days A Writer and His Image

scene

Summer 2009

26 Set Our Feet on Lofty Places

President Rebecca S. Chopp led Colgate to new heights

32 88 Days

The harrowing at-sea tale of Paul Ridley ’05, who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for cancer research

38 A Writer and His Image

Exhibition showcases Colgate’s extensive George Bernard Shaw collection — and reveals some interesting Colgate connections with the playwright

Message from Interim President Lyle D. Roelofs

Letters

Work & Play

13 14 18 22 24

Colgate history, tradition, and spirit

The Big Picture

Stay Connected Call for nominations: Alumni Council candidates and awards

Class News 56 2009 Reunion awards 77 Marriages & Unions 77 Births & Adoptions 77 In Memoriam

Salmagundi

DEPARTMENTS

Life of the Mind Arts & Culture Go ’gate New, Noted & Quoted

On the cover: Won’t you be my baby? Gordon Granger ’59 gets a kick out of a Swinging ’Gates serenade at Reunion 2009. Photo and chapel photo by Andrew Daddio News and views for the Colgate community

scene team

scene online

Volume XXXVIII Number 4 The Scene is published by Colgate University four times a year — in autumn, winter, spring, and summer. The Scene is circulated without charge to alumni, parents, friends, and students. Vice President for Public Relations and Communications Charles Melichar Managing Editor Rebecca Costello Associate Editor Aleta Mayne Director of Publications Gerald Gall Coordinator of Photographic Services Andrew Daddio Production Assistant Kathy Bridge

Colgate Ladies in Moroccan Dress, Atlas Mountains, Morocco, by Evan Kramer ’09

Texting Along the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy, by Christie Lebano ’09

Contributing writers and designers: Director of Web Content Timothy O’Keeffe Art Director Karen Luciani Designer Jennifer Kirsteins Assistant Director of Athletic Communications John Gilger Director of Marketing and Public Relations Barbara Brooks Senior Advancement Writer Mark Walden Manager of Media Communications Anthony Adornato

Long Road Home, Hampi, India, by Sarah MacKenzie ’09

Contact: scene@colgate.edu 315-228-7417 www.colgatealumni.org/scene

Global Colgate

Alumni often say that taking advantage of Colgate’s study-abroad or extended-study programs provided them with some of their best experiences and memories. Go to www.colgate.edu/photos to see images taken by students who studied abroad this past semester. You’ll see photos from around the world. You also can see what students had to say about their trips on the Global Colgate blog: http://colgate. blogs.com/globalcolgate/. Want to share your favorite study-abroad experience? Go to the message board at colgatealumni.org.

Colgate Conversations: www.colgate.edu/podcasts Colgate parent Harold Ramis, whose film credits include Ghostbusters, Year One, and Groundhog Day, offers a funny and insightful look at making movies in Hollywood.

Look Photo Galleries: www.colgate.edu/photos See photographs from former President Rebecca Chopp’s last month on campus as she said goodbye to colleagues, students, and friends, and took part in her final commencement exercise.

Listen

Watch

Success After Colgate: www.colgate.edu/success Eight members of the Class of 2009 talk about their Colgate experiences and share their plans for the future in these unique video profiles. You also can track many other recent graduates on a Google “mashup” that shows what they are doing and where.

Get connected

Talk

Feedback form: http://www.colgate.edu/eeg The Economic Environment Working Group is charged with identifying scenarios for the strategic realignment of Colgate’s operating budget as a result of the economic downturn and investment losses sustained by the university’s endowment since the summer of 2008. Colgate alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to offer suggestions.

Printed and mailed from Lane Press in South Burlington, Vt. If you’re moving... Please clip the address label and send with your new address to: Alumni Records Clerk, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346-1398, call 315-228-7453, or e-mail alumnirecords@colgate.edu. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the university, the publishers, or the editors. Notice of Non-Discrimination: Colgate University does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship status, sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, physical or mental disability (including AIDS), age, marital status, sexual orientation, status as a disabled veteran of the Vietnam era, or any other category protected under applicable law. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the university’s nondiscrimination policies: Keenan Grenell, Vice President and Dean for Diversity, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346; 315-228-6161.

Online Community: www.colgatealumni.org Your class page has the latest news and an RSS feed highlighting classmates who are mentioned in the media. Log on and learn about your class! 10%

Cert no. SW-COC-00255 6

scene: Summer 2009

Message from Interim President Lyle D. Roelofs

It has been a few engrossing months

since the

Colgate Board of Trustees asked me to serve as interim president. While the 18-member presidential search committee, ably led by Peg Flanagan ’80, vice chair of the board, has been gathering feedback on what skills and qualities will be most important in our next leader, we also have reflected on what made President Rebecca Chopp so remarkably effective. Being a scientist, I am tempted to play with the metaphor a bit, as the double-stranded DNA molecule has such an interesting structure and function. In much the same way that pairs of genes, intertwined after reproduction in side-by-side strands, determine qualities such as the color of our eyes, consider what characterizes the uniqueness of Colgate. Here we are combining the best of the liberal arts model with its close facultystudent relationships, and the research university with its interest in generating new knowledge and providing a broad array of areas of study. This unique genetic combination of the liberal arts college and research university strands — the liberal arts university — is surely a fortuitous one, dedicated as it is to fostering the development of liberally educated, adventuresome, and achievement-oriented students and alumni. Alas, as adventuresome and achievement-oriented as we are, the coming year will challenge us to stay our course. Passion for the Climb: The Campaign for Colgate is well on its way to completion. We will continue to tackle issues of affordability and access. Following our governing strategic plan, diversity initiatives will continue to be important, as will continued innovation in the areas of student-faculty engagement beyond the classroom. As I move down the hill from McGregory Hall to the stately James B. Colgate administration building, I am grateful to the senior staff assembled by President Chopp who bring incredible strength and expertise to their positions. In the coming year, I will rely on them for their wisdom and skill. In addition, I am delighted that history professor Jill Harsin, a long-time member of the Core 152 staff and, until called to step up, the director of the Division of Social Sciences, has agreed to serve as interim provost and dean of the faculty. I am honored to serve as Colgate’s interim president for 2009–2010, following President Chopp, a leader whose impact on Colgate has been immeasurable and whose accomplishments will be celebrated for a long time. It promises to be a most interesting year, as together we sustain Colgate’s incredible momentum while shoring up resources in an adverse economic environment and awaiting the exciting outcome of the search for Colgate’s 16th president.

Andrew Daddio

In addition to confidence, determination, vision, and skill as manager of our complex and particular community, President Chopp had an admirable and certain generosity of spirit. She recognized and valued the contributions of everyone to the resultant good works. Lao-Tzu, the founder of Taoism who lived sometime around 600 years before the Christian era in China, said, “To lead people, walk beside them … When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!’” Indeed, under President Chopp’s leadership, we all celebrated — and took personal pride in — our very transformation. In this issue of the Scene, we are pleased to share a retrospective and a tribute to President Chopp’s very memorable seven-year tenure. Thanks in large part to President Chopp, I will preside in the coming year over an institution that is in a solid position despite uncertain economic times. We are secure in our status as a top liberal arts academic institution whose can-do character and larger size set us apart from even our most impressive peer institutions. Is this perhaps the Colgate DNA?

Since joining Colgate in 2004 as provost and dean of the faculty and professor of physics, Lyle Roelofs has been responsible for faculty personnel, curriculum, information technology, athletics, and overseeing instructional budgets. As interim president during the 2009–2010 academic year, he will focus on budgetary impact of the economic downturn; strategic planning for residential education; diversity issues; bolstering Colgate’s relationship with the village of Hamilton and the region; and sustainability and energy efficiency.

News and views for the Colgate community

Letters

scene

Bravos for new Scene

Spring 2009

News and views for the Colgate community

Democracy Without Politics Retired? Critical Conversations

The Scene welcomes letters. We reserve the right to decide whether a letter is acceptable for publication and to edit for accuracy, clarity, and length. Letters deemed potentially libelous or that malign a person or group will not be published. Letters should not exceed 250 words. You can reach us by mail, or e-mail sceneletters @colgate.edu. Please include your full name, class year if applicable, address, phone number, and/or e-mail address. If we receive many letters on a given topic, we will print a representative sample of the opinions expressed. On occasion, we may run additional letters online.

You have done such amazing things to this publication. I will admit, at first I wondered why we needed to upgrade. Our simple newsprint seemed just fine. But this latest issue (Spring 2009) fairly leaped off the pages. It was so vibrant, energetic, and engaging. My intention was to merely flip through while I waited for my computer to load, but 15 minutes later I found myself completely engrossed. And the creative use of graphics, particularly on that “Retired” story was wonderful. I could go on and on … but I can’t wait to get back to my reading! It is inspiring to witness the creative juices flowing up there in Hamilton, N.Y. Keep up the good work, and thank you! Elizabeth Stookey Sunde ’87 Wilder, Vt. I thank you for the Spring 2009 edition of the Scene. It is an utterly superb production. Very inviting and exciting! I can’t get over how the format has changed (and improved) over the years. Applause is deserved for you folks and those many others who work on the magazine. Joy, health, spare change.

such behavior persists, even if in one or a handful of students. Mission statements, creeds, and other efforts at governing civilized behavior are all good exercises, but everyone must continue to search their hearts for any pernicious symptoms and be their own healers. In the meantime, talk is good. cleaning a collection of World War II posters with a huge gum eraser, and cataloging hundreds upon hundreds of letters, photographs, and other miscellaneous pieces of information. The latter took most of my time, and I could not catalogue without stopping to read and examine just about everything that passed through my fingers. Colgate is the place it is because of the students, faculty, and staff who have put their stamp on the Hill over each passing generation. Keep showing us those glimpses back in time. Perhaps one day I’ll spot one of my relatives! Patricia Simmonds Azriel ’88 York, Pa.

Trinka Reed University of Pittsburgh CAS ’71, Law ’74, Library Science ’75

Page 13’s a hit Thank you for Page 13 of the Scene! I am a history buff, and my family has a long tradition at Colgate. My grandfather, uncle, and cousin all graduated from Colgate, my grandparents were married in the chapel in 1928, and my dad actually has a photo from 1939 of his mother, himself (age 6), and my mother (age 5) by Taylor Lake! I had the wonderful experience of working in the Case Library archives while I was a student. Ten hours each week, and boy, what a 10 hours they could be! Reorganizing the Rare Book Room and discovering the bejeweled tomes that lay within, meticulously

scene: Summer 2009

Retired but not retiring How wonderful it was to see Carol Kinne in “Retired?” (Scene, Spring 2009). My very first class at Colgate was her 8:00 a.m. Basic Studio — that is where my art career really began! She helped me build not only my skills as an artist, but also the confidence to express myself through my work and believe in what I was doing. Hers is a wonderful story, and I am deeply appreciative of her efforts as well as those of John Knecht, Lynn Schwarzer, and Jim Loveless. Congratulations on a happy retirement, Carol! R. Vincent Lunato ’91 San Francisco, Calif.

A tradition to continue

Allan Moore ’52 Rochester, N.Y. I’m the wife of one Colgate alum, Tim Reed ’71, and the mother of another, Carly Reed ’03. I agree that the Colgate Scene is quite a nice publication. Perhaps one day it will rival Pitt Magazine.

Steven Paul Mark ’69 New York, N.Y.

On the race and diversity dialogue I read with great interest the article on diversity and race (Scene, Spring 2009). In fact, so great was my interest that it prompted me to write my first letter to the campus since writing to the Maroon as a senior in 1969. About what? Race and diversity. In those days, we expressed ourselves first by taking over the Administration Building, deactivating from fraternities, and then talking about the issues. It’s heartening to see talk came first 40 years later. Unfortunately, racism and other intolerance is not an intellectual pursuit, but a poison that suffuses the heart. It would be instructive if those who shouted and painted epithets in anonymity could come forth and explain themselves. Not as an opportunity for the self-righteous to castigate or wag fingers, but to know how and why such septicemia gained footing in the first place. In an academic environment such as Colgate, it’s unfathomable that

When I received the last edition of the Scene, I was thrilled to see the photo of the orchestra in the chapel. It brought back many wonderful memories. Of course, almost all alumni recall Freshman Convocation, Baccalaureate, and concerts in that setting. Others have additional memories of performing there, whether in the orchestra or another campus musical group, as well as attending religious services and/ or a marriage there. But it would be a select group who would recall a bit of activism relevant to the chapel. When I arrived on campus in 1974, the chapel did not house the beautiful organ or extensive stage it now does. It was soon proposed that in order to make the chapel a “true performance venue,” the pews should be removed and replaced with theater seating. A group of students who felt a strong connection to the chapel initiated a campaign — a protest of sorts. Our voices were, gratefully, heard. Flash forward 30-plus years, and the Colgate community continues to appreciate the unique blend of the historical with the modern that is our chapel. I do not know the names of the decision makers of the past who made

this possible. But I thank them. And I encourage the current and future decision makers to look to the chapel as a physical example of Colgate’s continued ability to keep the best of the past traditions, while adding the best of the present innovations. Clare Kilpatrick Benz ’78 Wyomissing, Pa.

Alumni governance Lawrence Scharbach ’56 claims [Letters, Spring 2009] that A Better Colgate favors a Board of Trustees predominantly elected by the alumni. While I do not speak for this organization, even a cursory perusal of their website would show this is not correct. A Better Colgate supports having some significant alumni representation on the board, as many fine colleges and universities such as Amherst, Hamilton, and Dartmouth do. Scharbach further opines, “God help Colgate” if we ever really did have a majority of the trustees elected by the alumni, without offering any factual basis for this. Unsupported statements such as his do the many alumni who support A Better Colgate a serious disservice. Dr. Scott H. Stoller ’85 Pittsburgh, Pa. Much has been said about the dissenting group “ABC,” most of it negative. While a loyal Colgate alumnus, and not agreeing with everything on both sides of the debate, I do support some of ABC’s aims. Colgate never was a democratic institution; its leadership and policies have always been decided by a self-perpetuating cadre of — up to the present — competent leaders. Peer institutions are not necessarily democratic, either. What irritated this writer is the way that the Alumni Council has used the “party machine” of direct mailing and publications to propagate its views and quash opposition by stating in effect that it is all “lies and more lies.” They then showcase the many wonderful (and carefully chosen) alumni who have helped Colgate (the implication being that things are just fine the way they are, thank you). Perhaps it is time for Colgate to become a leader in the field of university self-governance, allowing alumni to participate more fully in choosing members of the Alumni Council. It could even help to improve the

poor standing Colgate holds among its peers in terms of the size of our endowment, through more alumni participation. One thing is crystal clear: the council’s strategies only foment more — and ever more radical — opposition. Yes, I did sign the ABC petition, not because I believe in every platform of ABC. I most emphatically do not, and I revile any attempt to bring back the so-called “good old days” as being retrograde and damaging to our commonly held beliefs of inclusion and progress. I signed because I believe that a healthy dissenting voice is a good thing, and a governing institution that believes otherwise is deeply flawed. Bruce A. Healey ’84 Cincinnati, Ohio I read Ron Joyce’s commentary regarding A Better Colgate (ABC) in the March 26 Maroon-News. I know Ron both as a classmate and fraternity brother, and have the highest respect for him. While Ron’s position is clear, I do not believe he addresses the simple message that ABC proposes: alumni electing alumni to Colgate’s Board of Trustees. Elections should be seriously considered. First and foremost, they would engage all interested alumni in the selection process. I believe more alumni will donate to the university if their engagement increases. Cornell elects 8 alumni trustees out of a total 64 trustees and also has student- and faculty-elected trustees. Other schools like Amherst and Dartmouth also permit alumni to elect alumni trustees. At Colgate, only a few “select” people control the selections. While it may be argued that this process is time honored and has resulted in excellent members, this is done at the price of leaving most alumni out of the process. Some might argue that elections would be expensive in these current economic times. I expect the Alumni Council would efficiently organize the process. Voting could take place over the Internet. Others might argue that elections would enable a group like ABC to elect its own members; however, the right to elect trustees does not give ABC any real advantage. While ABC could petition for a nomination slot, that nominee must still be elected by the alumni.

Voting for alumni trustees would give me and other Colgate “outsiders” (the true majority of alumni) a stake in Colgate’s future. I believe that would make Colgate a better and more inclusive university. Michael S. Walsh ’73 Winnetka, Ill. Gus Coldebella ’91, president of the Alumni Council, adds: A central part of the Alumni Council’s mission is to promote dialogue among alumni, students, faculty, administration, and the Board of Trustees on issues of importance to the welfare of the university. Rather than quashing opposition or propagating views, the council is working on new ways to foster alumni engagement, so we can communicate to all alumni what’s going on at Colgate, and hear (and communicate back) your views. Bottom line: Open, factual discussion on topics such as governance — the subject of the letters above — is key to alumni involvement, and the council plans to expand the forums to do so. For additional information on the Alumni Council and the Board of Trustees selection processes, you can visit www.colgate.edu/trustees and www. colgatealumni.org/alumnicouncil.

Coach Bob Wow! Talk about coincidence! A few months ago, I did a project with my 4th grade gifted students that focused on intergenerational learning and emphasized the wisdom that we can acquire when we listen to older generations. My students each had to pick a “grandfriend” and co-author an essay with that person for “The Listen to a Life” essay contest. My kids were amazed at some of the life experiences that their grandfriends shared (war experiences, the Depression, inventions, landing on the moon, Elvis, etc.), and it made them understand how much they can learn when they are willing to really listen. The

grandfriends loved having the opportunity to pass on their experiences, and it was a magical morning for all involved. One of my students was so moved by the experience that he wanted to find other older people to engage in conversation. One day at swim practice, Tyler started talking to “Coach Bob.” Tyler came to school the next day so excited to share all of these great details about Coach Bob’s life. They had spoken for more than an hour! Just tonight I opened up the Scene (Spring, pg. 46) to see the article about the very same Coach Bob, never knowing he was a Colgate alum. He really must be one remarkable man, and his impact on the lives of children is immeasurable! I can’t wait to show Tyler this article. Amanda Travis Simon ’93 4th Grade Math/Language Arts Pine View School for the Gifted Osprey, Fla.

Spoonful of memories I was at the Lovin’ Spoonful concert (Slices, Scene, Spring 2009) along with my good friend Wick O’Brien ’73. His father, Kenneth, was on the Colgate staff, so we both were faculty brats. As I remember it, Wick’s date was Mary Barnett, daughter of Colgate President Vincent Barnett. My date was Nancy Migonis, whose family still lives in Hamilton. It was our first rock concert. My parents made me dress up, which probably meant good school clothes. I do not remember if this was spring or fall of 1968; we would have been either juniors or seniors in high school. Enjoyable issue of the Scene. I especially liked the picture of Vet Ville (Page 13). When my parents moved to Hamilton in the summer of 1952, they lived there along with many other young faculty members and their new families. Kevin Sio ’73 Skaneateles, N.Y. Editor’s note: A number of alumni responded to the spring 2009 Slices photo contest (see pg. 80 in this issue for answer and winner) with fun reminiscences; we’ve posted them at www.colgatealumni.org/lovin spoonful. Check them out, and submit your own campus concert memory at www.colgatealumni.org/message boards or to scene@colgate.edu.

News and views for the Colgate community

work & play

Campus scrapbook

Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs. Students celebrate Earth Day in the Ho Science Center atrium. Photo by Andrew Daddio

So you think you can dance? More than 10 Colgate dance groups, from the Ballet Company to the Belly Dancing Club, cut loose at the spring 2009 Dancefest. Photo by Brooke Ousterhout ’10

Vising artist Zhang Minjie, chairman of fine arts at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, explains his mastery of multi-color reduction woodblock in a workshop at Little Hall. Photo by Luke Connolly ’09

Diplomas and hugs are handed out during Commencement 2009. Photo by Andrew Daddio

Despite an April snowfall, students enjoyed Holi, the Hindu celebration of colors welcoming the spring season. Photo by Luke Connolly ’09

Reconnecting with old friends was enough to lift alumni off their feet during Reunion 2009. Photo by Andrew Daddio

This student must have felt like a “superstar” while crowd surfing during a Spring Party Weekend performance by Grammy Award–winning rapper Lupe Fiasco. Photo by Luke Connolly ’09

scene: Summer 2009

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News and views for the Colgate community

Andrew Daddio

work & play

Powell meets with students, delivers public lecture

Buddhist ceremony marks Chapel House milestone

Andrew Daddio

Buddhist monks receive an offering of food during the Dana ceremony held at the ALANA Cultural Center.

Ret. Gen. Colin Powell — former U.S. secretary of state and one-time leader of 350,000 troops — knows how to make an entrance. “Sit down, you’re making me nervous,” barked the general in a good-natured tone perfected over five decades of Army leadership, politics, and diplomacy. Having stared down world leaders and having stood up to the four American presidents he served, Powell could hardly have been intimidated by the 50 students who rose in unison as he entered Golden Auditorium. Prior to Powell’s Global Leaders Lecture Series appearance in Sanford Field House, the students — who were chosen because of their interests in political science, international relations, and peace and conflict studies — participated in a 30-minute question-and-answer session. Among them were 18 first-year Benton Scholars, whose coursework has focused on global leadership. Fred Chernoff, Harvey Picker Professor of international relations and director of Colgate’s international relations program, moderated the discussion. Chernoff called on

scene: Summer 2009

students whose prepared questions addressed issues spanning the globe, such as: whether combining military and development forces in Afghanistan will jeopardize the development community there, how seriously to take North Korea’s nuclear threat, and whether success in Iraq means Jeffersonian democracy. “The Iraqis want us to leave,” Powell said, “but not until they can do the job [of governing] themselves.” He cautioned that every nation’s government must suit its culture and people. “Some will remain totalitarian and cruel,” he said, “but most are modulating their policies. We’ve been a little too cavalier about lecturing other countries that our form of democracy is the best kind.” Then Powell, eager for spontaneity, barked again: “Now — who doesn’t have a written note?” “What is your greatest failure?” asked Conor Tucker ’10. After total recall and certainty on every other subject, Powell admitted to a bit of a hedge. “I have a lot of failures and a lot of successes,” he said. “Rather than try to single one out, I just accept it all as a total body of experience. When I have a failure, I go into a funk, think about it, analyze it, and then roll it up in a ball and throw it over my shoulder. So to answer that question, I’d have to think about it, and I don’t like to do that.”

According to Buddhist teaching, giving is an act that can transform and purify the mind. On a Tuesday afternoon at the ALANA Cultural Center, approximately 30 members of the Colgate community participated in a 2,500-year-old Sri Lankan Buddhist ceremony of alms giving called a Dana. One by one, participants lined up to scoop a bit of basmati rice or raita, some lentil pilaf, or a piece of flatbread onto a plate and present it to one of five monks seated at a table. Dressed in yellow, orange, or maroon robes, the monks, who had come from the New York Buddhist Vihara, silently ate their food while the participants sat quietly in front of them. When the monks had finished their meal, the ceremony continued with unison and call-and-response chanting, and a presentation of gifts to the monks. The chief monk, Venerable Kurunaegoda Piyatissa, delivered

Brown bag Emotional response to wrongful conviction stories Tissues were being passed around the women’s studies center lounge as the audience reacted to panelists’ personal stories during the Exoneration and Wrongful Convictions Brown Bag. “I couldn’t believe that they took my son away,” said Sylvia Barnes, the mother of a local man who was recently exonerated after DNA testing proved he was innocent. Barnes’s story particularly touched panelist Kirk Bloodsworth, whose mother passed away three months before he was exonerated. In June 1993, Bloodsworth’s case became the first capital conviction in the United States to be overturned as a result of DNA testing. He remembers returning to jail after seeing his mother’s body and hearing her voice telling him to “Stand up.” Criminal defense attorney Mark Rabil pointed out that it wasn’t only DNA testing that freed these men from prison; it was also how hard they fought to see justice prevail. Rabil defended Darryl Hunt, who spent 19 years in prison and also was on the panel. “You recognize that you can’t get those years spent in prison back,” said Hunt. “I’ve learned that with the time I have left, I want to enjoy it. To carry anger or bitterness is going to shorten whatever life God gives me from now on, and I don’t want it to be short because I’ve been short nineteen years.” The luncheon was part of a three-day symposium sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology that also included a lecture about race and wrongful convictions as well as a film screening of The Trials of Darryl Hunt, an HBO documentary chronicling Hunt’s story. Also recently discussed…

Joseph ole Tipanko, a Maasai warrior from Maasailand, Kenya, shared information about his culture and traditions during a Brown Bag luncheon at COVE.

Graduates: Become ‘warriors of justice’

With the same conviction that characterizes his work as an advocate for education and social services reform, Geoffrey Canada urged members of Colgate’s Class of 2009 to continue the “pursuit of truth and enlightenment for the betterment of society and not solely for the betterment of yourselves. “I believe in you. You are about to join a select group who must be un-

afraid to take on the toughest issues,” said Canada during his address in Sanford Field House for the university’s 188th commencement ceremony. As graduates embark on their future endeavors and join what he called the game of life, Canada challenged them: become “warriors of justice” by joining the team fighting poverty. “Do you care about those who won’t make it without your help? I offer you the wondrous opportunity to join the losing side,” Canada said, to laughter. “We may not win the fight, but as long as you are here, we will never stop fighting.” He told the graduates it was becoming more difficult to triumph over the economic and political forces that condemn American children to spend their lives sick and impoverished. And he recalled his own experiences as a child raised by a single mother in the South Bronx and now as a crusader helping children who are growing up in conditions similar to those faced by his own family. He is nationally recognized for his work as CEO and president of Harlem Children’s Zone, a nonprofit that offers educational and social services to low-income families in Harlem, N.Y., with the aim of guiding poor children from birth to college. Prior to Canada’s address, President Rebecca S. Chopp told graduates that their education is truly just beginning. “Your education is not something behind you but something in front of you, something you will live forward for yourself and with others,” she said. Chopp went on to highlight the many ways this year’s graduates left their mark, noting that class members helped Colgate make real strides

Andrew Daddio

Commencement speaker Geoffrey Canada, CEO and president of Harlem Children’s Zone

Back on campus Reunion College Approximately 2,000 alumni filled Whitnall Field and Colgate’s classrooms during the late-May weekend for Reunion 2009. Alumni and their families participated in dozens of Reunion College sessions. Here is a sampling:

Andrew Daddio

a brief homily, bestowing blessings on all in attendance. The rest of those gathered then partook of the South Asian repast. “We offer food to the monks as an expression of our gratitude for their coming to Colgate and in respect to the manner in which, through their teaching and example, they bring blessings to others,” explained John Ross Carter, who is the Robert Ho Professor of Asian studies and director of Chapel House and the Fund for the Study of the Great Religions. The monks’ visit was the second in a yearlong set of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of Chapel House, the spiritual sanctuary and retreat house on campus. In 1959, the first guests at Chapel House were Buddhist monks from Myanmar (Burma). Earlier in the day, the monks discussed monastic life with students in Carter’s course The Path of the Buddha: Mahayana. In the evening, they conducted a Pirit ceremony of protection and blessings, chanting discourses from the ancient Pali canon while guests listened quietly, in a lounge at the O’Connor Campus Center.

Julian Padowicz ’54 read from his memoir, My Mother and Me: Escape from Warsaw 1939. At the age of 8, Padowicz and his mother escaped on foot from Soviet-occupied Poland through the Carpathian Mountains. Humorously reflecting on his perspective as a child, Padowicz described the eventful journey with his mother, whom he barely knew, having been raised by a governess until that point. Audience members got an inside

to become a more environmentally sound campus and invested in the university’s future by contributing to the senior class gift, an endowment to support programming in the recently renovated Donovan’s Pub. Chopp, who was to leave the university at the end of May to become president of Swarthmore College, received an honorary degree during the commencement ceremony. Honorary degrees were also awarded to Canada, Melvyn Klein ’63, and Lonnie Thompson and his wife, Ellen MosleyThompson. Klein, a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, is an entrepreneur, attorney, philanthropist, investor, and writer. Thompson and Mosley-Thompson are among the world’s leading researchers on climate change.

look into a sports director’s studio with Drew Esocoff ’79, who directs NBC’s Sunday Night Football and has 25 years of experience in the sports television business. Using a Denver vs. San Diego football game as an example, Esocoff showed the audience a version of what he looks at when directing: 20 cameras simultaneously broadcasting different views of the game, among which he chooses and directs the technician to telecast. A native of Littleton, Colo., where the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School occurred, Stephanie Stillman ’99 presented her research on how the shootings have affected the community in her talk, “The Making of Martyrs and Monsters: The Politics of Memory in the Aftermath of the Shootings at Columbine High School.” Stillman found that the community was searching for quick solutions, which manifested into some people using the events to advance their religious and political agendas. Stillman plans to publish her results in a forthcoming book, Remembering the Cruelest Month. For more information on these sessions and to see a reunion photo gallery, visit www.colgatealumni.org/ reunion.

Moody’s issues positive report on Colgate finances

Colgate received positive economic news at the end of May when Moody’s Investors Service affirmed the university’s Aa3 debt rating and reported that the university has a “stable outlook.” Administrators welcomed the important evaluation, especially in light of a Moody’s report issued in January that downgraded the overall higher education sector from stable to negative. The rating applies to the university’s $163 million of outstanding tax-exempt bonds. The bonds were issued through the Madison County Industrial Development Agency and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and have supported a wide range of university capital projects, including construction of the Ho Science Center and student residential

News and views for the Colgate community

work & play

Collaborative event provides help to two area centers

townhouses, and the major expansion of the Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology. Analysts from Moody’s said that Colgate’s stable outlook reflected their expectations for continued positive operating performance. They cited several factors, including Colgate’s: • Strong market position as a liberal arts university with an emphasis on undergraduate education and research and a national student draw • Healthy financial resources, with an expendable financial resource base of $490 million as of fiscal year 2008 • Prudent financial practices and careful management oversight that yield a consistent record of breakeven–to–positive operating results • Solid fundraising base as evidenced by the $340 million raised to date toward its $400 million capital campaign goal Carolee E. White, associate vice president for finance, pointed out that Moody’s analyzed not only Colgate’s financial statement from the latest fiscal year, which ended May 31, 2008, but also data from more recent months. That current information included the impact of the economic crisis on the university’s endowment, the budget for 2009–2010, application numbers, and the university’s strategic review of its operating budget. “It is a very thorough and real-time review that takes many factors into consideration,” said White, adding that the last review was in 2005, when the university’s rating and stable outlook were also affirmed.

A collaborative student initiative turned into a vehicle of support for the region and a timely response to a tragedy that struck an immigration services center in Binghamton, N.Y. The Latin American Student Organization, Korean American Student Association, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and the Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education co-sponsored the Refugee Benefit Banquet to raise money and awareness for Utica’s Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (MVRCR). The center has resettled refugees in the Utica, N.Y., area, arranging housing, education, employment, and social services. The new residents come from 22 countries, with about 40 percent from Bosnia, 21 percent from the former Soviet Union, and 14 percent from Vietnam. The event was originally planned to solely benefit the MVRCR. But after the 13 shooting deaths at the American Civic Association in Binghamton in early April, the MVRCR generously offered the organization 50 percent of the donations. “Everyone was thinking the same thing — How can we support Binghamton? No one hesitated,” said Ellen Kraly, the geography professor who has taken many student volunteers to work at the Utica refugee center. So on a Friday night in mid-April, the Hall of Presidents was filled with the spirit of sharing as people from across campus came together to support the hard work of their friends and the two centers. Ofelia Martinez ’09 and Javier Diaz ’10 performed, providing a tribute to their Latin American heritage. KASA members put on a skit about interracial relationships. And Colgate Groove awed the crowd with their dance moves. All in all, the event raised more than $1,300. “The whole environment came together with such beauty and good will,” said Kraly, who delivered the keynote address. “It was a metaphor for what needs to be done in the world, in our country, and on our campus.” — Brittany Messenger ’10 Brooke Ousterhout ’10

Ofelia Martinez ’09 and Javier Diaz ’10 perform at the Refugee Benefit Banquet held at the Hall of Presidents.

scene: Summer 2009

‘Narnia’ producer discusses gay rights issues

In early April, Colgate hosted its fourth annual Big Gay Weekend, a threeday event that provides LGBTQ and

Talking points “The personal passway to spirit is through song.” — Margot Adler, National Public Radio broadcast journalist, talking about Pagan rituals in her lecture “Contemporary Nature Religions in the U.S.” “If this were a quantum system, we would describe [Schrödinger’s cat] as being in a superposition of being dead and alive at the same time. This is the big leap you have to take when you are trying to understand quantum reality … There’s a lot of debate that goes on today where people talk about the quantum state as not being something real. That upsets a lot of physicists who I work with — there are experiments that prove otherwise.” — Mehul Malik ’06, PhD student, Boyd Research Group, Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, explaining a basic principle of quantum physics in his Physics & Astronomy Seminar talk “In the purest sense, as a collagist, I’m borrowing images from the public domain that are out there to make new images, new meanings, new connections between images, or to use sound to change the way images mean.” — Independent filmmaker Alan Berliner, Colgate’s Artist in Residence from March 30 to April 3, 2009 “If you told Laddie Milmoe thirty years ago that there would be a new technology that would enable him to eliminate the cost of paper, printing, and distribution, he would have been thrilled. He would not have thought that such a technology would also end up threatening to bankrupt his industry. There is only one way for newspapers to survive: they must figure out what they can offer that online publishers cannot.” — G. Bruce Knecht ’80, Wall Street Journal reporter, in his “Journalism in the New Millennium” talk, sponsored by the Cornelius ‘Laddie’ Milmoe ’30 Foundation

player since 1984, and just the second in program history, to be named an Academic All-American. Anderson has been accepted into George Washington Medical School. First, though, he will pursue an opportunity to play professional hockey for a year. “Colgate was the perfect fit for me because I was able to compete in Division I ice hockey and compete for a national title every year, while at the same time go through a rigorous neuroscience curriculum in small class settings,” he said. A four-year letterman, Anderson played in 128 games as a defenseman during his career. This past season, he was named an assistant captain. He earned numerous academic and athletic awards during his time at Colgate.

Student-athlete wins 1819 Award

A mural painted by students, faculty, and staff that depicts inspirational black Americans has become a traveling work of art that will be showcased around campus and at other venues in Hamilton. The project was envisioned by ALANA Cultural Center staff members in honor of Black History Month. Participants from around campus volunteered their time on a Saturday morning to complete the mural. A professional muralist and designer from Allentown, Pa., Matt Halm, was instrumental in designing the painting with Juls Buehrer of Colgate’s Center for Career Services. Pictured are Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, President Barack Obama, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., and author Zora Neale Hurston.

Head of Special Collections and University Archivist

A moving mural

Tell us about your work. I started in acquisitions in 1980, and then I became assistant to the special collections librarian. I took over in 1994. It’s a collections management thing: to make the rare book collection available to students, faculty, and staff, and to protect the irreplaceable material. For the archives, to help the college collect and preserve its records, and to help people with questions about Colgate history. You know so much about Colgate. Do you have a photographic memory? No, but I have a memory for trivia. A lot of it is just what I’ve been asked for. But mostly it’s because I indexed the Colgate Maroons up to 1990. I started with the first student newspaper in 1847. I did all of the Madisonensis. I did things like group the football games, so if someone were interested in all the games at Dartmouth, we could find it. How did you get interested in this field? I came in from the rare book side. I was a history minor, and I have an MFA in creative writing. As I went along, I got interested in other things, like Colgate photographs. Name some intriguing or surprising things in Colgate’s archives. Someone just found really nice copies of the first two U.S. postage stamps, on old Colgate correspondence. I found the first map of Hamilton Township, from 1797, folded in a book. My personal favorite is the Gould Hummingbirds, 25 volumes of all the hummingbirds of the world. If you put them under the light, the colors shimmer. I did a display once, and bird guys from all over the state came to see it. It was a gift from the Colgate family. What would people be surprised to learn about you? Probably that I have 50 aquariums in my basement. I breed tropical fish. They’re West African, all quite colorful, but they’re shy. There’s an international club, and I belong to a local one — basically friends who get together once a month and swap fish, and eat and drink beer. The usual stuff. You and Margaret [Maurer, professor of English] have been married for 30 years. Have you ever tapped her to help in documenting the university’s more recent history? Oh, all the time. She’s identified dozens of photographs, especially of faculty. I’ll call 7219 and say, ‘Who was the guy with funny hair? I know he was from philosophy, but I can’t remember his name,’ and she’ll say, ‘Roland Blum.’

Andrew Daddio

When Mark Anderson ’09 wasn’t passing the puck or delivering a hit along the boards in Starr Rink, he was pursuing a neuroscience major and conducting complex research in Olin Hall. The Hastings, Neb., native excelled in both settings, and his passion, dedication, and work ethic were recognized by the university when he was named the 1819 Award winner. The award is the most selective and prestigious the university gives to a graduating senior. All the academic awards going to seniors were presented during commencement weekend. Anderson earned a 3.84 grade point average, and this year he was one of three finalists for the ECAC Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year. His junior year, he was the first Raiders hockey

Get to know: Carl Peterson

Andrew Daddio

allied sudents with the opportunity to socialize and network with peers. The keynote speaker was bestselling author, film producer, and gay rights activist Perry Moore, who is best known as executive producer of The Chronicles of Narnia film franchise and author of the book Hero, which won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award. Moore talked with students about his experience growing up as a young gay man and his career in the entertainment field. “Perry Moore had a great time connecting with students and felt it was the best group of students he’s had the opportunity to work with,” said Emily Blake, assistant director for student life and academic LGBTQ initiatives. The weekend’s events also included workshops and various social events. — Megan Foley ’09

What would you like alumni to know? Don’t throw out Colgate stuff! It’s the ephemera they’re more likely to throw out that we’re more likely to not have. They’ll think, why would they want this ratty old football program from 1938, and in fact, I’d walk 10 miles to get one! One nice woman’s husband, who died, had a complete set of Colgate drinking glasses. We didn’t have any examples of them. She was going to put them in a yard sale, and then she thought to call us.

News and views for the Colgate community

work & play 12

scene: Summer 2009

Passion for the Climb The greatest part of your heart is the piece you give away By Taylor Buonocore ’08 Before graduating, Taylor Buonocore ’08 was offered a management consulting job. She turned it down. Instead, using her own earnings and a grant from her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, Buonocore traveled to the Ecuadorian Amazon and Galapagos Islands, to do volunteer conservation work for a nongovernmental organization, and then to Tanzania to help improve the lives of orphans as a volunteer at the Rift Valley Children’s Village and teacher at a neighboring primary school. “I was really ready to be a part of a cause that’s bigger than me,” she said. She documented her experiences on her blog, http:// taylorbuonocore.blogspot.com. The sun sets in three places over the Rift Valley Children’s Village in northern Tanzania. It dips below the rolling hills of Oldeani in the west, as expected. But each evening, it also casts glowing evening light on the clouds in the north and southeast. The hues are so brilliant that I find it nearly impossible to tell where the first light radiates from. It’s spectacularly beautiful, and here, it happens every night. I still haven’t figured out what it is about this place that makes a triple

sunset possible. Curiosity would normally motivate me to do a little research: is it the altitude, the atmosphere? But in this case, I’ d rather not know. It’s just another thing that makes this place special. As the sun sets, the 55 children at the Rift Valley Children’s Village are just getting ready for dinner. They live in five houses, each named after a national park. Serengeti House is most special to me; that’s where I live. In Serengeti House, the Mamas announce “saa ya kula!” and 12 kids come running in what seems like a scramble, although their places at the long white table are the same from night to night. Christopher and Joshua sit at the ends, with Happy, Paulo, Isaka, and Vicent along one side, and Mole, Christina, Janie, Eva, and Simon along the other. Three kerosene lamps light their way through chapati with cabbage and beans, pilau, ugali, or a similar Tanzanian dish. “Welcome, Taylor,” they say every night before they begin to eat. After dinner, the bedtime routine begins. First, we read a story. In my early weeks, story time was crazy. The kids would argue over story choices, then jump all over each other, jockeying for a good spot to see the book we’d chosen. This quickly spurred me to learn to awkwardly read upside down, with the book perpetually facing my audience. Once I started reading, though, I’d have their full attention, and at least four of them were always in the mood to snuggle. I love it. And I see it as one of the most important parts of the day to make them feel safe and loved. When we finish the story, I tuck them in. In my first weeks, that’s when the mayhem would really start, especially with the boys. I would be carrying each of the eight boys to his bed, launching every other one up to the top bunk (the logistics of which required strength I never knew I had!). But within a few seconds, I’d turn my back to find the recent bed deliveries anxiously awaiting a re-do drop-off. “Yeah, riiiiight!” I’d say, and they’d giggle and affix themselves to my legs like superglue. When they finally all got into bed, I would begin the hugs and kisses. On my first night, I didn’t anticipate the excitement with which my little boys would approach goodnight kisses. But it didn’t take long to figure out that they had a plan: work togeth-

er as a team; if one of us can get her on the lips, we all win. Christopher was the winner the first time. As I leaned in to give this cute 9-year-old a hug and a kiss, he swooped in without warning and planted one straight on my lips. The entire boys’ room erupted in laughter as my jaw nearly hit the floor from a combination of embarrassment and total delight in the scene that made them laugh so hard. Needless to say, I have yet to be tricked again. In the weeks that followed, each of the boys developed his own hug-andkiss tuck-in routine. Vicenti, who is 7, has me lift him into bed every night. He gives me the tightest hugs of all. Paulo and Isaka both sleep on the top bunks. Their beds form an L; I fit right between where the beds meet. Each night I stand between the two and receive simultaneous pecks on my cheeks. This has become the “cool” way for the oldest boys in the house to say goodnight. No matter the night, Boazi, who is also 7, is always the last to be tucked in. “Wait!” he says as he tugs on my arms for another hug. I lean down and kiss him on the cheek. “How much do I love you?” I whisper. “This much,” he says as he holds out his arms as far as he can reach. These are the moments that make my heart most full every day. Only eight sunsets remain for me here at the Rift Valley Children’s Village. Eight more sunsets; eight more nights of stories and tuck-ins; eight more days to spend with these kids, opening their eyes to the world around them and being part of the potential that lies within them. It’s been absolutely incredible to watch them learn and grow, even for the short three months that I’ve been here. My only consolation in leaving is the unbelievable will I feel to come back someday soon. Just before I close the boys’ door each night, I blow eight kisses into my hands and throw them out to the room. In the shadows I see eight hands reach up to catch them. “Lala salama, nawapenda sana,” I say in Swahili, wishing them sweet dreams. I tell them I love them, and I really mean it.

8 Read more essays from our Passion for the Climb series, or see how you can submit your own essay, at www.colgate.edu/scene/pfcessays

Commencement yesterday and today

While some things have changed, much remains the same in Colgate commencement traditions. Early commencements were week-long affairs, complete with oral public examinations, student orations, and peddlers touting provisions. The ceremonies were first held in the Baptist Meeting House, later in Alumni Hall auditorium, then outdoors for the first time in 1955 on the quad, and then near Taylor Lake, until several consecutive years of inclement weather brought them into the field house this past May. At the first commencement in 1822, Professor Kendrick addressed the class; 100 years ago, the Commencement 1909 speaker was alumnus Charles Evans Hughes 1880, New York State Governor and

future Secretary of State and U.S. Chief Justice (bottom stereoview photo, second from right.) Traditions of yore include Pipe Day (bottom right), started by the Class of 1887, where seniors gathered on the quad to smoke pipes, thumbing their noses at faculty and administrators who prohibited smoking, and Class Day, inaugurated in 1865, which featured oration, history, poems, prophecy, farewells from the three lower classes, and planting of a class tree. Programs highlighting the weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events were, for a time, leather-bound and stamped with the chapel dome and Colgate seal. The beloved Torchlight procession was started in 1930 by Frank M. Williams 1895, alumni corporation president, and Bernard P. Taylor â&#x20AC;&#x2122;24, secretary of the college. University marshals typically lead the commencement procession, but no one carried a ceremonial mace until then-biology professor and university marshal Bill Oostenink commissioned one, first used in 1991. The mace features the chapel dome at its apex; a 13-segmented staff; a solid gold university seal; and a carved oak leaf and acorn theme. Page 13 is the showplace for Colgate tradition,

history, and school spirit. What are you interested

in learning about? The Scene wants to know.

Write to us at scene@colgate.edu.

scene: Summer 2009

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, easily moved from lecturer to town hall host as he initiated a rigorous dialogue with students and community members who filled every available seat and lined the aisles of Memorial Chapel in late March. Gingrich spoke without notes during his lecture, in which he said America is in a dangerous place with an economic situation not seen in 80 years. No one has a clue about how to address the crisis, he said, including members of Congress who are “culpable, not capable.” Striking a populist tone at times, Gingrich advised audience members to view the recovery efforts with caution. “Over the next three, four, or five months, read, watch, think,” he said. “Don’t assume that the lessons learned in the last forty years apply. We’re in the early stages of fundamental change. You have to go back to first principles because you don’t have a road map to help you.” Gingrich, who served for 20 years in Congress and won widespread recognition for developing the Republican Party’s “Contract with America” in 1994, lambasted the CEOs of Citigroup and other struggling financial institutions. But throwing taxpayer money at failing banks is not the way to go, he said, because it doesn’t create the momentum needed to enact meaningful change. “I hope people do listen to him and work to make changes,” Sarah Demaree ’09 said after listening to Gingrich. She is working as an intern this summer in the Washington, D.C., office of Rep. Greg Walden, a Republican from Oregon.

Kevorkian named Schupf Fellow

In April, Colgate named Theresa Kevorkian ’09 to the Paul J. Schupf Fellowship, which funds two years’ study at Oxford. Having spent the last four years studying Arabic and Islamic history, serving as event director for the Student Lecture Forum, coordinating a Middle Eastern film series, and discovering a love for original research, Kevorkian took it all in stride. “She is an organizer by nature, someone who takes on multiple tasks and sees them through,” said Alan Cooper, associate professor of history. “She represents the ideal product of a liberal arts education.” Kevorkian originally intended to earn a law degree, but she changed her career path after studying abroad in London and digging in the British National Archives. “My time in London showed me two things,” she said. “First, I enjoyed historical research … Second, I loved traveling and really enjoyed living in England.” Thanks to the Schupf Fellowship, Kevorkian will be back on the other side of the pond this fall, reading for an MPhil in Islamic studies and history. She hopes that the knowledge she gains will allow her to take part in Middle Eastern diplomacy after graduation. To be eligible for the fellowship, Kevorkian applied for the nationally competitive Rhodes Scholarship through the Colgate Committee on Graduate Fellowships. She was invited

Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images

Andrew Daddio

life of the mind 14

Gingrich spurs lively dialogue in jam-packed Chapel

Gingrich took numerous questions from audience members, ranging from the economy, AIG bonuses, and church-state issues to gay marriage. “People react to him strongly, and the question-and-answer session gave it that vitality,” said Robert Kraynak, professor of political science and director of the Center for Freedom & Western Civilization, which cosponsored the event with the College Republicans. “Because we have begun a new era in American politics with the Obama administration, I believe we need to begin a respectful but critical discussion about whether that administration is leading us in the right direction or the wrong direction and whether America is heading for prosperity or decline,” Kraynak added. “Newt Gingrich is the best person in America today to lead us in this discussion.” — Brittany Messenger ’10

Corruption Jerk of the Year Bernie Madoff is the poster child for bad behavior. This, according to an informal survey of Colgate Scene readers. In my research on corruption, I often survey members of the public to determine current social standards of right and wrong. So when I wrote “Democracy Without Politics” for the last issue of the Scene (Spring 2009), the staff and I thought it would be a good time to find out what Scene readers think about those standards. We posted “How Corrupt Is That?” at the Scene online, and 66 readers responded to our informal survey. They judged 22 hypothetical actions on a scale ranging from “Not at all wrong” to “Seriously wrong,” offered comments, and nominated a “Corruption Jerk of the Year” (with credit to Bill Hinds and Jeff Millar, whose Tank McNamara comic strip features a “Sports Jerk of the Year”). Closely following Madoff, former Governor Rod Blagojevich placed second, putting on (in true Illinois fashion?) an impressive surge among later voters. The rest of the votes were widely scattered, with former Vice President Dick Cheney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi receiving nominations, and miscreants ranging from Rush Limbaugh and Tim Geithner, to A-Rod and “half the British House of Commons” all receiving mention. You can see the survey and read my analysis of the responses and comments on this issue’s Life of the Mind webpage at www.colgatealumni.org/scene. To all respondents and readers, sincere thanks. — Michael Johnston, Charles A. Dana Professor of political science

to stand as a candidate for the Schupf Fellowship and then applied for admission to Oxford. Trustee emeritus Paul J. Schupf ’58 endowed the Schupf Fellowship in 2000, providing select Colgate students with the rare opportunity to continue their studies for two years at St. Anne’s College, one of Oxford’s 39 core institutions. Future funding has been augmented thanks to a special friendship that Schupf developed with current Colgate student Evan Lorey ’10. Schupf and Lorey formed an investment partnership, and their success as investors has led to an additional gift to sustain the Schupf Fellowship for academic year 2010–2011. Through his participation, Lorey has provided the largest gift ever made by a Colgate student. While helping a classmate succeed, he absorbed a few lessons for himself: “I’ve learned the value of giving back,” said Lorey. “I realized that I don’t have to wait to give back, to be involved.” Kevorkian and other top graduates reap the benefits according to Interim President Lyle Roelofs. “Placing them in preeminent postgraduate programs around the world advances their careers, enhances their potential for future impact, and expands our reputation.” Schupf, who has also endowed a chair in his father’s name, the W.S. Schupf Professorship in Far Eastern Studies, and funded the creation of the Paul J. Schupf Studio Arts Center

along with many other gifts to Colgate, has two fundamental hopes for recipients of his fellowship. “All I expect is that they benefit to the greatest possible extent from the experience,” he said. “And that they keep in touch.”

molecules, is viewed on the instrument’s video camera. It is roughly the size of a pinhead, or about 100 microns in diameter. The crystal is shot through with an X-ray beam, scattering it in many directions. By looking at the many diffraction patterns and running them through a series of computational models, Rowlett and van den Heever can turn what appears like spots on a computer screen into a picture of the protein’s atomic structure. Determining the molecular structure of proteins is critical to understanding how they operate, and that knowledge is vital in the study of diseases and for developing new pharmaceuticals. “Proteins are the molecules that do the dirty work in all living organisms, so understanding how they work is fundamental to many things we’re interested in,” said Rowlett. Before Colgate acquired the diffractometer, researchers would have to travel to Brookhaven National Laboratory in Stony Brook, N.Y., or a similar lab to conduct tests on crystal samples. “It’s been great to have this instrument here so we have access to it all the time,” said van den Heever, a biochemistry major. “I’ve gained a lot of good experience working on a difficult technique.” Rowlett was the lead investigator on the NSF proposal, working with fellow chemistry professors Anthony Chianese and Rick Geier, who will be able to use the instrument for their research of smaller molecules. Rowlett is excited by the research conducted so far and the potential for further collaborative studies. In fact, he led a “crystallography camp,” or training program, in July for about a dozen visiting professors and students who were eager to utilize the power of the diffractometer. “This instrument puts Colgate on the leading edge of undergraduate research capability,” said Rowlett. “We’re excited about the possibilities it provides us.”

Instrument pushes Colgate to new level of research

A sophisticated instrument tucked in a Wynn Hall laboratory is providing Colgate researchers with critical information about the structure of small molecules and proteins, data that support the most advanced research practices in chemistry and biochemistry. The instrument, a dual-source X-ray diffractometer, was commissioned in December after the university was awarded a highly competitive grant of $410,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Chemistry professor Roger Rowlett said Colgate is the first undergraduate institution in the nation to acquire such an instrument. “It provides our undergraduates with direct exposure and training to research methodologies that are essential to protein chemistry,” he said. “We can now more easily tackle complex problems that our peer institutions would find impractical or impossible.” Rowlett and his research assistant, Katherine van den Heever ’09, recently demonstrated how the diffractometer works. A crystal, composed of a highly ordered array of protein

Katherine van den Heever ’09, a biochemistry major, works with the dual source X-ray diffractometer at Wynn Hall.

Andrew Daddio

Seniors, alumna awarded prestigious fellowships

Several graduating seniors and a recent alumna have been awarded prestigious fellowships that will take them around the world to explore their interests, ranging from documentary filmmaking to sustainability-related issues. “I ultimately hope to learn more

Live and learn

During spring break, eight students from WRCU radio and the Colgate Activities Board (CAB) traveled to the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, and applied what they learned to their organizations. James Gerken ’11 reports: The conference is actually a triad of three separate festivals: music, film, and interactive. The trip was a culmination of several months of preparation that resulted in a unique experience. We learned that SXSW is a digitalminded festival, from the mobile Wi-Fi hotspots all over downtown to the afternoon panels about blogging and social networking. We fit right in with our own blog, Flickr photo galleries, and Twitter page. Even with the ubiquitous technology, the power of human connections was apparent. “I found it surprisingly easy to approach band members, venue managers, and agents, which I know will be invaluable for CAB and for booking shows at Colgate,” said Ceci Menchetti ’11. The presence of thousands of people with a similar passion for music provided us with some memorable encounters. Liz Le ’09, who met the manager of a small southern California jazz-metal band, said, “Just talking to her about her experience was one of the most helpful things I did.” David Ryan Pokorny ’10 spoke with representatives of other college radio stations and sought inspiration for WRCU. He also attended meetings regarding Internet marketing and promotion and plans to use information from those sessions to start a new student group on campus aimed at promoting Colgate artists. Moving from one venue to another, it was clear that SXSW was a unique festival. Bands with little touring experience were performing alongside some of today’s big names, such as Kanye West, and even some seasoned veterans, like two of the biggest headliners, Devo and Metallica.

News and views for the Colgate community

As a recipient of the St. Andrew’s Society of the State of New York Scholarship, Kelly Henderson ’09 will pursue a graduate degree in sustainable energy systems at the University of Edinburgh. “While conducting research in Colgate’s physics department, I discovered my interest in the technology behind alternative energies,” said Henderson. “This scholarship will help me take my passion for sustainability to the next level.” Victoria Martucci ’10 received an honorable mention for her Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship application. At press time, decisions were still pending for several other Fulbright applicants as well as nominees for the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship and the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship.

mission has a full-time staff operating from offices in Albany, Rochester, and New York. “I’m honored to have been selected by the governor for this commission, which I believe provides important oversight of our state’s judicial system,” said Moore. “My hope is to add as much to the commission’s deliberations and investigations as I am sure I will learn from being part of the process and interacting with the finest jurists and attorneys from across the state.” Moore has been at Colgate since 1998. She is author of Governing Race: Politics, Policy and the Politics of Race (Praeger 2000) and various articles and papers on the Supreme Court and Congress. She received her BA from Knox College and her MA and PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. Prior to Colgate, Moore held teaching positions at DePaul University, the University of Minnesota, and Loyola University of Chicago.

Governor appoints Moore to state commission

Colgate professor Nina M. Moore, associate professor of political science, has been appointed by Gov. David A. Paterson to a four-year term on the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The commission is the state agency responsible for investigating complaints of misconduct against judges of the state unified court system and, where appropriate, determining to admonish, censure, or remove from office those judges found to have engaged in unethical behavior. Composed of 11 members, all of whom serve without pay, the com-

Faculty promotions

Congratulations are in order for a few professors for whom the Board of Trustees approved promotion to full professor: Evelyn Hart, mathematics; Damhnait McHugh, biology; and Ann Jane Tierney, psychology.

Debate Society wins award and ranks 16th in the world

Andrew Daddio

life of the mind

Students in Professor Krisjon Olson’s Core 182 class on Guatemala participate in a roleplaying exercise about the plight of immigrants.

about myself and the world as I embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey,” said Sachi Schuricht ’09, recipient of a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for a year of independent exploration outside the United States. With the $28,000 prize, Schuricht plans to make a documentary film about the international subculture of “speedcubing,” the sport of competitive Rubik’s Cube solving. She will visit speedcubing communities in Japan, China, Indonesia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Russia, and Hungary. Sarah MacKenzie ’09 and Jacquelyn Harris ’08 were accepted into the U.S. Student Fulbright Program, which provides scholarships to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges. MacKenzie will teach conversational English to high school students at public and private schools as well as Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. Harris will be working as an English teaching assistant in German schools. She looks forward to acting as a resource for German students to not only further their understanding of English, but also in obtaining a perspective of American culture.

scene: Summer 2009

Capping off a triumphant year, the Colgate Debate Society received the Debate Program of the Year award from the Society Advocating More and Better Argumentation. The award is given annually to the college debate team that “best illustrates the qualities associated with the founding ideals of the organization”: winning with grace, losing with class, and demonstrating concern for bringing the community together, even under the pressure of competition. Following the 2009 World Universities Debate Championships in Cork, Ireland, the Colgate team was ranked 16th in the world, up from 63rd last year. Beating out teams such as Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, Colgate is ranked third among U.S. colleges. The rankings are based on total point accumulations for the past five years of competition in the world championships. As a conclusion to the academic year, society members gathered in Donovan’s Pub for the championship

Andrew Daddio

Faculty retirements

James H. Cone, widely credited with founding the black theology movement, spoke in Memorial Chapel about racism in America.

round of their annual intramural debate tournament called the Class of 1884 President’s Cup. Austin Schwartz ’11 and Henrik Temp ’11 came in first place and split the $500 prize. Coming in third, Steve West ’09 won the tournament’s Top Speaker Award and the Class of 1884 Award, which honors the top senior debater for excellence in debate, judging, and mentoring during the course of his or her participation in the society. “I’m already looking forward to fall and our continuing adventures,” said team coordinator John Adams. “Their dedication to the pursuit of debate is inspiring.”

Prestigious fellowships awarded to professors

What do neorealist films from Italy and the effects of climate change in the Russian far east have in common? Two Colgate professors were recently awarded fellowships to continue their research in these areas beginning in the early fall. Luca Caminati, associate professor of Italian and film and media studies, is the recipient of a Paul Mellon/National Endowment for the Humanities Post-Doctoral Rome Prize, a residential fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. During his 11-month fellowship, he will explore the origin of the neorealist movement that began in Italy in 1945 and compare the films from that time with pre–World War II documentaries. Referred to as “springtime in Italy,” neorealism was born when the fascist regime ended, leading to an explosion of artistic freedom, particularly among filmmak-

ers. The American Academy in Rome awards the fellowships to 30 artists and scholars to create an interactive community. Caminati said he hopes to collaborate with a scholar of Italian culture who will “help me define this issue of documentary and realist cinema during the fascist period.” He will be writing a book based on his project, which is provisionally titled The Real Realist: Rossellini, Documentary, and the Formation of Italian Neorealism. Jessica Graybill, assistant professor of geography, will be expanding on her previous research when she travels to the Russian far east in August to begin a six-month exploration of “Climate Change, Oil, and Salmon in a Globalizing Resource Periphery: Narratives of Vulnerability Around the Sea of Okhotsk.” Graybill is the recipient of an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. Graybill will develop her findings through interviews with residents of three communities around the Sea of Okhotsk, participant observation, and reading the current research by Russian scientists. “The Arctic and sub-Arctic areas are some of the first to experience climate shifts, and people who live in these regions and depend on the land for survival are feeling those effects first,” she explained. “Research into how people are dealing with these changes and will be dealing with them in the future can lend greater insight into what’s going to be happening with our environment due to climate change,” she said. “And that’s what motivates me — understanding the human side.”

Four members of the faculty — two from the same department — were recognized at commencement for achieving emeritus status upon their retirements. As a member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy since 1984, Joseph Amato “is known to his students and fellow faculty as a demanding professor who always seems to find the time to help others understand the intricacies and beauty of physics,” said longtime colleague Tom Balonek, who is also chair of the department. Amato has served the university in many capacities, including twice as department chair, chair of the Scientific Perspectives Core, director of the natural sciences and mathematics division, and most recently as co-author of the Middle States Review. With research interests including the properties of materials and devices at very low temperatures, superconductivity, the physics of impact cratering, and physics education, he has been a major innovator of the physics curriculum both at Colgate and nationwide. Co-author of the textbook Modern Introductory Physics, he developed several novel laboratory apparati and experiments that have received national awards. He received his PhD in experimental solid state physics from Rutgers University. As a member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy since 1968, Shimon Malin has taught popular courses on the physics of space-time, relativity, and physics and philosophy. “Shimon is known as a patient, gentle, thoughtful teacher, who has challenged science and non-science students alike as they studied to understand and appreciate our place in the universe,” said Balonek. Malin holds a PhD in theoretical quantum mechanics from the University of Colorado. He has authored dozens of papers and a textbook in his research specialties, which include the foundations of quantum mechanics, general relativity, and cosmology. His recent book Nature Loves to Hide: Quantum Mechanics and Reality, a Western Perspective, aimed at a general audience, probes the relationship between science and philosophy. Dierk O. Hoffmann joined the Colgate faculty in 1977 after completing a PhD at the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 1973. He had also done postdoctoral work funded by the German National Research Funds, and worked in educational publishing. His scholarly work has focused on methods and theory of critical text editions, German literary life in early 20th-century Prague, and second-language acquisition. In recent years, his passion shifted somewhat toward technology and the classroom, an area where he has been one of the pioneers at Colgate. His work brought living German authors and contemporary German theater into the Colgate classroom — not only via electronic media, but also in person — and in turn took Colgate out into the world through his many collaborations, both at home and abroad. “All of his work — as a scholar and as a teacher — has been marked by a tremendous enthusiasm for the unconventional,” said Alan Swensen, chair of the Department of German. “Dierk inspired generation after generation of our students with this same enthusiasm.” Ibrahim A. Ahmad joined the Department of Mathematics in 2005 as Neil R. Grabois Professor of mathematics. His career as a respected expert in nonparametric statistics, life testing and reliability, actuarial science, and applied probability included various administrative posts both in academia and in industry. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Nonparametric Statistics. Among his honors, Ahmad, who holds a PhD in statistics from Florida State University, is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, American Statistical Association, International Statistical Institute, and the Royal Statistical Society. “While at Colgate, Professor Ahmad has shared his enthusiasm for his field with many students at the introductory and the advanced level,” said Evelyn Hart, chair of the department.

Joseph Amato

Shimon Malin

Dierk O. Hoffmann

Ibrahim A. Ahmad

News and views for the Colgate community

Visiting poet laureate infuses readings with humor

Charles Simic, the 2007 poet laureate, speaks about his work at the Ho Lecture Room.

Cornell were part of the ArtsMix forum, sponsored by the Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts. Professor Peter Balakian introduced the poet laureate at the public lecture. “The poems are inflected by apocalyptic images, burning cities, the nameless something lurking out there,” Balakian said. “Simic’s persona is a Houdini artist, finding ways to keep navigating the mad world.” Despite the gravity of the topics Simic explores, he let it be known that he does not take himself too seriously. He spent much of his talk reading poems from his early work rather than his most recent book because, “When a new book comes out, you keep reading it over and over again and get really tired of the poems,” he joked. “Nobody loves themselves that much. At least, I don’t.” Simic’s sense of humor also came through when he discussed the difficulty of writing love poems. “What a hassle it is to find new ways to describe her hair and eyes and chin, because the whole point is you’re supposed to say she’s the most beautiful creature, but anything that comes to mind is really a cliché,” he said. His answer to that dilemma was in his poem “My Beloved”: “Her eyes are flies in milk, her eyes are baby Draculas, to hell with her eyes.”

Charles Simic, 2007 poet laureate, delighted an intent audience with his dark humor on an April night in the Ho Lecture Room. “The corpses like cigarette butts. In a dinner plate overflowing with ashes,” he read from the title poem of his latest book, That Little Something. Author of more than 60 books, Simic has won numerous literary awards, including the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his collection of prose poems The World Doesn’t End. In between reading his work, Simic told personal stories that offered a glimpse into each poem’s background. “At one point, I could beat every grown-up in my neighborhood at chess,” he revealed before reading a poem about the game that brought him some peace during wartime. Simic was first exposed to war at the age of 3 when Nazis attacked Yugoslavia and bombed Belgrade, where he was born in 1938. “I’ve written so many poems about war because I’ve lived through so many — little did I know there would be more of the same in the new century,” he said. Explaining that English words had “been in his head” since childhood because he had grown up watching Westerns, Simic developed his fluency when he emigrated from Yugoslavia to Chicago as a teenager. At that point, he hadn’t yet discovered his love of language through poetry — he wanted to be a painter. Both the public lecture and a noontime discussion in which Simic discussed his book about artist Joseph

Colgate awards Schupf Art Prize

Andrew Daddio

arts & culture

Go figure – Art

scene: Summer 2009

Amy Elizabeth Long has received the 2009 Schupf Senior Art Prize for her installation Bricks. On display in Little Hall as part of the senior art show, Bricks resembles a wall, approximately 20' x 12', lying horizontally on the floor. It is formed from 1,600 hand-made paper pulp blocks. All are white and rectangular; each has its own texture, personality, and elevation off the concrete. Looking down, the viewer is gripped by an ambitious sense of scale and entrancing rhythm. “It’s a very mature work,” said Picker Art Gallery Director Scott Habes — mature of its conceptual nature and the deep meaning it obviously holds for Long, he explained. “I think it’s a very subtle, very powerful work of art,” added the prize’s creator, Trustee Emeritus Paul Schupf ’58, who, along with Habes and art professor Bob McVaugh, helped select the winner. “It’s very hard to scale up a work of art like that and have it hold together.” The Schupf Prize brings an award

40 art and art history majors in the 2009 graduating class

11,000+ works in the Picker Art Gallery collections

62 video display screens in film and

media studies professor John Knecht’s studio and storage areas

90,000+ images in the 35 mm slide collection in the Visual Resources Library

108 tape recorders in individual file

cabinet drawers in artist-in-residence Alan Berliner’s interactive sculpture, Audiofile

1 ton of hand-laid stone stacked into

a beat-up car in Amputechture by John Emison ’09

2,268 movie minutes played in the past academic year’s Friday Night Film Series in Golden Auditorium

of $500 and places Bricks in the Picker’s public art collection. It will be one of many pieces used in spaces up and down the hill to beautify campus and edify the community.

Author who has taught, read at Colgate wins Pulitzer

Author Elizabeth Strout, who taught creative writing at Colgate in the fall of 2007 and will return to campus this fall, has won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Strout won for her book Olive Kitteridge, a series of 13 connected short stories centered on a school teacher living in a hardscrabble town in coastal Maine. The Pulitzer citation says her collection of stories “packs a cumulative emotional wallop, bound together by polished prose and by Olive, the title character, blunt, flawed, and fascinating.” Strout returned to campus last spring for a reading of Olive Kitteridge, and she is scheduled to come to campus again Oct. 22 as part of the Living Writers course taught by professors Jane Pinchin and Jennifer Brice. “Liz is a generous writer,” said Pinchin, chair of the English department. “There’s real joy here for all who know her. And we look forward to having students read her work this fall, and get the chance to discuss it with her.” Strout is the author of Amy and

Andrew Daddio

Harold Ramis meets with students in Ryan Studio in Little Hall.

Isabelle, which won the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize, and Abide with Me, a national bestseller and Book Sense pick. She has also been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize in England. Her short stories have been published in a number of magazines, including The New Yorker and O: The Oprah Magazine.

Harold Ramis talks moviemaking with students

Colgate students had a chance to meet with director, actor, writer, and producer Harold Ramis, who spent two days on campus talking shop and showing special previews of his upcoming movie. Ramis, whose son is a rising sophomore at Colgate, is a veritable Hollywood heavyweight, with many

popular movies under his belt such as Caddyshack, Analyze This, Animal House, and Ghostbusters. Ramis met with students in a film history course and two theater classes, and had lunch with Colgate’s improvisational group, Charred Goosebeak, and with the Student Lecture Forum. Students responded to Ramis’s down-to-earth nature and quick humor as they quizzed him about his career. One student elicited a roar of laughter from classmates and Ramis himself when he asked: “I saw one of the movies you were in, and the character really spoke to me. So I just wanted to know, what was the profound meaning of Knocked Up?” “It was so interesting to have a man with such diverse talents in class. He was so funny!” said Arianne Templeton ’10. “I was surprised at how many great anecdotes he had about these huge stars like Robert De Niro.” Ramis was asked what advice he would give to someone looking to enter the entertainment world. “I never want to discourage anyone. You don’t need me to tell you the odds are against you. Be as good as you can be. If you’re gonna do it, don’t hold back,”

Liana Hadarean ’09 explores “the proliferation of images” in her senior art project, 1st sentence — analytical proposition.

Open mic Students in Peter Balakian’s spring 2009 advanced poetry workshop presented a reading of their work at the Colgate Bookstore to celebrate National Poetry Month. Here is a taste — the first stanza — of three.

Kunks

By Jihan Jude ’09 After a roaming dog marked its territory in airy petals of azure plumbagoes cousin Nickesha dared me eat, rank odor among Grandma’s bushes,

Bentleyville, PA

By Danielle Lanzet ’11 Static as the gray of the old man’s head, I see him stationary like the chair beneath him. Stubborn from overcooked steak and potato hash, He sits with perfect posture on his recliner, And mines for fuel over the depreciated hill with John the Bottomer, though Bentleyville, PA, shut down long ago.

Mangoes

By Erin Fenn ’09 The air is soft this afternoon, I lick the juice from the side of my mouth, the tough mango skin stuck in my teeth. Kingfishers hum and images start to form as I look beyond my picnic blanket to the easel on the grass.

Warren Wheeler

Read the full poems, and watch a video of the reading, at www.colgate.edu/scene.

News and views for the Colgate community

Derek Soter

pioned the film because they identified with some part of its message. At the screening, the audience was treated to a preview of Ramis’s newest comedy, Year One, which was released June 19. Film students in one of the earlier classes saw 36 minutes of the “biblical comedy,” which stars Jack Black and Michael Cera and is directed by Ramis and produced by Judd Apatow. Ramis also showed a preview to Hamilton Central School students, who were thrilled to have a chance to spend an afternoon with him. He told them that plans are progressing for Ghostbusters III, in which he expects to have a cameo role along with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Rick Moranis. — Megan Foley ’09

he said. He also shared one of his special talents with the class — his ability to do accents. He performed his lines from the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story in which he was required to speak in Yiddish. At a screening of Groundhog Day in Golden Auditorium, Ramis talked about how the film, which he directed and co-wrote, was not fully appreciated at first, although the reviews were good and the audience was solid. What really struck Ramis about the movie was the overwhelming response from different communities. He said everyone from Hasidic Jews to Buddhists to psychoanalysts all chamPerformed by Margareth Kammerer, All Good Everything Good is director Jay Scheib’s choreographic work based on Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Kammerer was the sole performer in this “minimal study on the unrequited love disguised as unreasonable revenge” in Clifford Art Gallery, sponsored by Colgate’s Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts.

‘Placebo’ takes effect on Colgate community

Warren Wheeler

arts & culture

Placebo director Henry Prince ’07 (right) offers direction to actor Jon Prescott.

scene: Summer 2009

Students, faculty, and Hamilton residents packed into the Hamilton Movie Theater at the end of April to see some familiar sights on the big screen. Placebo, a new short film directed by Henry Prince ’07 and produced by Jacob Lindauer ’08, was filmed on and around Colgate’s campus last October. Placebo was a work in progress for 10 months, and the weekend before the showing in Hamilton, it premiered at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in Florida. It was also chosen to be part of the Los Angeles United Film Festival in May. The story line follows a cool con man who travels from one college town to the next selling “drugs.” But he’s not selling the uppers and downers he claims to have; he’s really peddling cold medicine and sugar pills. In the narrative, the main character, Derek, explains that he’s selling the “experience of buying drugs.” His

scheme is threatened when he crosses a campus safety officer. As Derek’s 1969 purple Plymouth Road Runner drives through Hamilton and nearby Earlville, you see Broad Street fraternity and college houses, Andy Kerr Stadium, and Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology, where some scenes were shot. “We wanted a picturesque college campus for our location,” explained Lindauer. Some familiar faces are in the movie, too. Patrick Slevin ’09 and Matthew LaTronica ’09 had larger roles, while a number of students played extras and were production assistants. Area resident Greg Hilcox appears in a scene at the Hourglass tavern, where he is a bartender in the movie and in real life. They acted alongside professional actors Jon Prescott (Derek), who has been on As the World Turns and Law & Order, and Jamie Benge (Officer Bain), who has been in a number of short films and commercials. “I nervously accepted, knowing that I would be on camera with professionals,” admitted Slevin. “Filming was actually much more relaxed than I thought it would be. The experience was surreal, but fun.” Prince and Lindauer’s former film professor, John Knecht, helped them get the word out to involve students with the making of the film. And Hamilton Movie Theater manager Chuck Fox ’70 was kind enough to leave the marquee on when the film was being shot at night, in addition to agreeing to host the Hamilton premiere. Returning to Hamilton for the screening was the filmmakers’ way of thanking those in the community who participated. “We think it’s so important for people who work on films to see the finished product and be proud of the work they did,” said Prince. “This movie could not have been made without Hamilton, without the Colgate students.”

Senior art project: Amputechture John Emison ’09 explained that his senior art project, Amputechture, is a “portmanteau of amputate, technology, and architecture.” The idea for Emison’s project was sparked on a trip with his senior studio seminar to the Chelsea galleries in New York City. Between two of the many galleries the class visited that day, he saw a van with its back doors

Amputechture by John Emison ’09

open and full of cement bricks, “as if the cargo space had been filled up with stone,” he described. “I joked that it was the most interesting thing that I saw all day, until I realized that it really was the most interesting thing that I saw,” Emison said. The image stuck with him until he decided to begin executing an art piece. “The final realization of that idea came across very strongly as a tomblike structure within the car, which made sense because of my interest in anthropology and minor in sociology and anthropology. Along with the

prehistoric context, there is a material comparison that I find interesting — the stone and the decaying metal, paint, plastic, and glass,” he explained. Emison hopes to leave the piece in a space for several years “where the local vegetation can grow over and around it, allowing the earth to reclaim it, and periodically revisit the piece to see how the car continues to decompose while the stone stays rather unaltered.” To see more senior art projects, visit Arts & Culture at www.colgatealumni. org/scene.

In the spring University Theater production of The Lady’s Not for Burning, Ela Dugan ’12 (left) played the character Jennet Jourdemayne, who, at the end of the play, has been cleared of charges of witchcraft and convinces Thomas Mendip (played by Alexander Korman ’09, right) to run away with her.

Andrew Daddio

Warren Wheeler

Get to know: Mark Williams

Studio Technician, Department of Art and Art History What was your background before coming to Colgate in 2002? I was a Macintosh support technician for a consulting company in the Utica area. I did photography and drafting in high school, and graphic design in college. I worked in the printing field for quite a few years, which led back into graphic design as we got into computer-based design and typesetting. Tell us about your job. I help students with their projects in Video Art, Digital Studio, and studio arts classes, such as with scanning and Photoshop for printmaking. I give demonstrations such as how to use InDesign and our large-format printer to make posters for art history thesis presentations. I do technical and software support for the department — we have an ITS technical support assistant, but they come to me first because I’m right here. I design postcards and brochures. Working with the students is the fun part. I can help them, and it gives me a little bit of a creative outlet. What’s the neatest project with which you’ve ever helped a student? This year, Amanda Katz [’10] has been sculpting a big ship out of welded metal. As part of it, she was working with an outside vendor to rout words into wood. I helped her determine how she could set it up on a computer program for him to create what she wanted. What’s this giant ampersand doing on your table? Lynnette Stephenson [art professor] just gave me that. She had one like it in her office. I was joking with her one day. I told her if she keeps bugging me, I’ll take her ampersand. So she bought me one! I’m kind of an amateur typographer. What do you do when you’re not working? Last year, I started the Kirkland Cyclocross Race (the cycling equivalent to cross country) in Clinton, where I live with my wife, Janice. I’d been involved with cycling for quite a few years. I’ve been a runner even longer — I’ve run four marathons. I just got involved with the Colgate photo club; we’re doing an exhibition in the Barge. What are your go-to websites? Because I’m such a Mac head, MacDailyNews. For cycling information, VeloNews.

Luke Connolly ’09

What three things would you want to have if you were stranded on a desert island? I guess a computer wouldn’t be much good! A bike could serve a dual purpose of transportation and entertainment. A survival manual. Some kind of hunting weapon. I guess I think functionally.

News and views for the Colgate community

go ’gate

End-of-season Colgate awards

Meghan Lawler ’10 (#12) catches a pass in the offensive zone during the Raiders’ 17-4 romp over Navy in the Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Tournament.

Nine student-athletes were honored with awards at the second annual Colgate All-Sports Banquet on April 30. Brandon Corp ’09 (men’s lacrosse) and Emily Murphy ’09 (women’s swimming) were respectively named Colgate’s Male and Female Athlete of the Year; Nate Eachus ’11 (football) and Kimberly Sass ’11 (women’s hockey) were honored as the Male and Female Rookies of the Year; Dan Kerley ’09 (men’s soccer) and Mark Anderson ’09 (men’s hockey) shared the Male Scholar Athlete award; and Meredith Remmer ’09 (rowing) and Jessica Kielty ’09 (cross country/track and field) shared the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. Jim Nagle (men’s lacrosse) and Heather Bliss (women’s lacrosse) were named the 2009 recipients of the Howard N. Hartman Coach of the Year Award. Kiki Koroshetz ’09 of women’s soccer was the first recipient of a new award named for her. The award will be presented on occasion by the head coaches to an individual who has exemplified unwavering strength and remarkable courage.

Opportunity knocks

Offensive linemen Nick Hennessey ’09 and Steve Jonas ’09 each signed free agent contracts following the

2009 NFL Draft. Hennessey, a 2008 first team all-American for the Raiders, inked a contract with the Buffalo Bills, while Jonas, a 2008 first team all-Patriot League honoree, joined the Detroit Lions.

Big Mac

At the conclusion of the hockey season, the honors and awards started to pile up for David McIntyre ’10. The junior was not only named a first team all-ECAC Hockey honoree, but also garnered first team AHCA/Reebok Men’s East All-American honors. McIntyre became the 14th All-American in the Raiders’ storied hockey program and first since Andy McDonald ’00 accomplished the honor in 2000. The native of Pefferlaw, Ontario, also was a national finalist for the prestigious 2009 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, and received all-College Hockey News and first team all-Inside College Hockey All-American recognition.

Raider asks Just before retiring on June 30, Bob Cornell, director of athletic communications, let Raider ask him about sports trivia he’s stored in his memory over 33 years.

You’ve worked every football game since 1976. What fun Colgate-NFL connections have you seen? For a school our size, we’ve been well represented in the Super Bowl: Mark Van Eeghen ’74, twice with the [Oakland] Raiders, Mark Murphy ’77, twice with the Redskins, and Eugene Robinson ’85, twice with the Packers and once with the Falcons.

Sloane makes pro debut David Sloane ’09, who signed an amateur free agent tryout agreement with his hometown Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL in mid-March, made his NHL debut on April 9 in Madison Square Garden as the Philadelphia Flyers played the New York Rangers.

How have some of the facilities changed since you arrived in 1976? The first major building that went up was the field house. Where it stands used to be an old wooden-board track. They would shovel it off in the winter. And the ski slope was still open. When I first came, there were just two sets of rickety bleachers at Andy Kerr Stadium, so the Dunlap Stands were a major addition, as was the creation of Tyler’s field. Originally, there was an eight-lane bowling alley in Reid Athletic Center — they took four lanes out to create locker room space for women.

Beyond the countless athletes whose stories you’ve told, what other students made an impression on you? The kids who’ve worked in the sports information office. They were all smart, and many went on to related fields. My very first student worker, Craig Neff ’79, is an assistant managing editor for Sports Illustrated.

Luke Connolly ’09

Didn’t they ask you to change your name when they offered you the job? (Don’t even answer that.)

scene: Summer 2009

Do you have a Colgate sports trivia topic suggestion or question for Raider? Send an e-mail to scene@colgate.edu and put Ask Raider in the subject line.

Hunt wins national skills competition

Samantha Hunt ’09 ended her collegiate hockey career by capturing the Top Female Performer in the NCAA Frozen Four Skills Competition in Washington, D.C. The senior helped the East squad double up the West 16-8 overall. Hunt posted the event’s hardest shot of the evening, registering 75.3 on the meter.

Women’s lacrosse nets second Patriot League win

For the second consecutive season, the Colgate women’s lacrosse team captured the Patriot League title. The Raiders blasted Navy 17-4 in the finale to earn their second berth into the NCAA Tournament and fourth bid in the program’s history. Colleen Bubnack ’11 was named the tournament MVP, while Molly Carroll ’09, Maddie Kearns ’09, Sara Drexler ’09, and Meghan Lawler ’10 were named to the all-tournament team. Colgate, which finished with a 14-5 record, fell to second-ranked Maryland 20-4 in the opening round match-up in College Park, Md., on May 10. Kearns also received the league’s defensive player of the year honor. It marked the sixth time a Raider has received the award and first since current assistant coach Heidi Ross ’06 captured the honor in 2005.

All-Patriot League accolades

Colgate placed 30 student-athletes on all-Patriot League teams during the spring semester — 16 on the first team and 19 on the second team. Women’s lacrosse and women’s track and field led the way with five first team selections. Representing women’s lacrosse were Brie Moran ’10, Meghan Lawler ’10, Colleen Bubnack ’11, Courtney Miller ’12, and Maddie Kearns ’09, while Curry Knox ’09, Ashley Mecone ’09, Michelle Miller ’11, Ashley Niness ’10, and Julie Tarallo ’11 garnered first team recognition from the women’s track and field team. Brandon Corp ’09 (men’s lacrosse), Martin MacIntyre ’09 (men’s tennis), Calla Yee ’09 (softball), Erin Gomez ’09 (softball), Elise DeRose

’10 (women’s tennis), and Meredith Remmer ’09 (women’s rowing) rounded out the first team selections. Second team honorees included Ashley Didio ’09 (women’s lacrosse), Kevin Collelouri ’09 (men’s lacrosse), Nick Montastero ’09 (men’s lacrosse), Mike Crown ’10 (men’s lacrosse), Greg Perkins ’11 (men’s lacrosse), John Nogueras ’10 (men’s tennis), Jesse McCarrick ’10 (softball), Tiana Tyeskey ’09 (softball), Stephanie Hartquist ’12 (softball), Amanda Eccleston ’10 (softball), Phil Natoli ’10 (men’s track and field), Alex Atkinson ’12 (women’s track and field), Sarah Chabal ’10 (women’s track and field), and Andrea Fugazot ’09 (women’s track and field).

League players of the year

Three Colgate seniors were honored as Patriot League players of the year in their respective sports. Brandon Corp ’09 was named the Offensive Player of the Year for men’s lacrosse for the third-straight season. The senior, who was a finalist for the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy, led the nation in scoring for a great portion of the season. Curry Knox ’09 was named the 2009 Most Outstanding Female Track Athlete of the Meet. She captured league titles in the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles, and was part of Colgate’s winning 4 X 100-meter relay squad. Knox also gathered second team all-league honors in the 200 meters. Her 100-meter time of 11.70 met NCAA Regional qualifying standards and broke Colgate and Patriot League records.

Spring league coaches of the year Heather Bliss (women’s lacrosse), Laura Nardelli (women’s track & field), and Vickie Sax (softball) were chosen as Patriot League Coaches of the Year in their respective sports. Bliss led Colgate to a 14-5 record, its second-straight Patriot League title, and second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. This marked the sixth time a Raiders’ women’s lacrosse coach has received the honor. Nardelli concluded the season by leading the Raiders to a third-place effort at the 2009 Track and Field Championships. Colgate was chosen to finish seventh in the preseason league poll. Sax guided the Raiders to a 25-18 overall record and second place in the Patriot League regular season. It was the second time that she has garnered the honor.

Get to know: Heather Bliss

Andrew Daddio

Sloane saw 6:44 of action in a 2-1 loss. Two other former Raiders signed amateur tryout agreements with the AHL: Jason Fredricks ’09 joined the Providence Bruins and Nick St. Pierre ’09 signed with the Syracuse Crunch.

Head Coach of Women’s Lacrosse – Hometown: Manlius, N.Y. – College lacrosse experience: University of Connecticut, starter at midfield, four years – Previous lacrosse coaching experience: Head coach, Davidson College, 2004–2006 In your first season coaching here in 2007, Colgate had a 6-12 record after the Patriot League Tournament. This year, your team won 14 of 18 games and defeated Navy 17-4 in the Patriot League Tournament finals. What led to the amazing two-year turnaround? [Part of] it had to do with the trust the girls had in our coaching staff, but a lot of it had to do with the leadership of the senior class. Did you always know that you wanted to be a women’s lacrosse coach? I did. I always wanted to give back to the sport that had given me so much. My mother had started the lacrosse program in my town, and she and all of my coaches on my high school, Empire, and college teams showed me that if I was able to pass this sport down to others, then I should. How did you find yourself at Colgate? They called me, and I was flattered. I was successful at Davidson (Bliss led Davidson to its highest single-season win total in school history), so they brought me up for an interview. I liked the staff, the athletic director, and the facilities here. What do you do when you’re not coaching? I’m always hanging out with my family (Bliss married Colgate football wide receivers coach Chris Young on July 4, 2009). I love snowboarding, skiing, water-skiing, wakeboarding, and hiking. I basically like anything that doesn’t keep me inside. What has been your most challenging moment both as a player and a coach? As a player, it was being able to understand the concepts the coach was teaching and to do the things she was expecting. As a coach, it’s learning how each player works and getting the most out of each player. I think part of our success is that our staff has been able to figure out what buttons to push in order to motivate players and bring out the best in them. On the flip side, what has been your favorite moment? As a player, it was when I got to compete in the Carrier Dome [at Syracuse University]. I had played some high school games there [Bliss attended nearby Fayetteville-Manlius High School], but it was great when I went in there as a first-year for a Big East game. We were undefeated going in and tied at halftime, and it was awesome that UConn’s side of the field had more people than Syracuse’s side. As a coach, it was definitely the back-to-back Patriot League Championships. I’ll always remember both of those teams. What is your favorite place to eat in town? I’m going to have to say [my house] when I’m in season, so I can eat Coach Young’s cooking and I have don’t have to do anything. — Paul Kasabian ’10

News and views for the Colgate community

new, noted , & quoted

Books, music & film

array of characters and engages in a discussion about what it means to be Irish today.

and food stylist for national television broadcasts. Russell Reich is a writer and creative director.

Information is provided by publishers, authors, and artists.

Crude

Ananios of Kleitor

Three years in the making, this cinéma-vérité documentary from filmmaker Joe Berlinger ’83 (Brother’s Keeper, Paradise Lost, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) is the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases in the world. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion “Amazon Chernobyl” case, Crude is a real-life, high-stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly disappearing indigenous cultures. Presented from multiple viewpoints, the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines a complicated situation from all angles while bringing a story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. Crude premiered in January to critical acclaim at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and has picked up numerous awards on the international film festival circuit. The film will be released to theaters nationwide in September, followed by a DVD release and television broadcast on the Sundance Channel in 2010.

Ananios of Kleitor introduces this ancient Greek poet’s extant poems and fragments, as well as the record of their reception and preservation. Ananios and his scholars perform their work at the edge of the real world and the margins of a thoroughly historicized and critically acute context, George Economou asserts. The book is a medley of verse and prose as well as a diversity of genres, ranging from the epistolary novel to scholarly annotations and an Index Nominum.

Armenian Golgotha

Professor Peter Balakian, co-translator (written by Grigoris Balakian) (Knopf) Peter Balakian, Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor in the humanities, co-translated (with Aris Sevag) Armenian Golgotha: A Memoir of the Armenian Genocide, 1915–1918, written by his great uncle. Grigoris Balakian was a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the time of the genocide and later became a bishop. He wrote about his arrest in 1915 with some 250 other intellectuals and leaders of Constantinople’s Armenian community. It was the beginning of the Ottoman Turkish government’s systematic attempt to eliminate the Armenian people from Turkey, a campaign that continued through World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. For Grigoris, it was the beginning of a four-year ordeal during which he would bear witness to a seemingly endless caravan of blood.

A Pint of Plain

Bill Barich ’65 (Walker & Company) After Bill Barich moved to Dublin, he found himself looking for an Irish pub like the one in John Ford’s classic movie The Quiet Man, offering talk and drink with no distractions. But such pubs are now scarce, and for Barich, this signaled something deeper at play — an erosion of the essence of Ireland. Blending history and reportage, Barich offers an homage to the traditional Irish pub, and to the central piece of Irish culture disappearing along with it. From famed watering holes to the tiny village pubs, Barich introduces an

scene: Summer 2009

Joe Berlinger ’83 (First Run Features)

Notes on Cooking

Lauren Braun Costello ’98 and Russell Reich ’85 (RCR Creative Press) Notes on Cooking: A Short Guide to an Essential Craft is a primer that can help anyone become a better cook — without a single recipe. The book’s 217 “notes” deliver culinary truths, standards of conduct, and gems of cooking wisdom that have been taught and passed down by top chefs for generations. Lauren Braun Costello is a private chef, instructor,

George Economou ’56 (Shearsman Books)

Something Out There

Chi McClean ’98 (Independently released) Something Out There is the debut album by William “Chi” McClean, who writes acoustic rock songs marked by a “haunting Southern style.” Many of his songs take a straightforward look at love, loss, and, in the end, opportunity. The album is often described as melodic and soulful, drawing on complex guitar riffs, solid drum beats, upright bass playing, gritty B-3 organ, and vintage electric pianos. It was recorded in San Francisco at Flying Kitchen and Studio D by Boone Spooner, mixed in Los Angeles by Kevin Shirley at the Document Room, and mastered in New York by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound.

You Are Here

Jennifer Smith ’03 (Simon & Schuster) In Jennifer Smith’s second novel for young adults, main character Emma Healy never fit in with the rest of her family and has grown used to being the only ordinary one among her extraordinary parents and siblings. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother whom she never knew

In the media she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she feels like a part of her has been justified in never feeling whole. Suddenly, it seems important to visit his grave, to set off in search of her missing half. She and her next-door neighbor head from upstate New York toward North Carolina, finding out more about each other and what they’re looking for along the way.

The Adirondack Book

Annie Stoltie ’96 (co-authored with Elizabeth Folwell) (The Countryman Press) The Adirondack Book is an updated handbook to the historic, cultural, geographic, and recreational opportunities that abound in the park and its

BookCase

A selection from the new titles shelf at Case Library • American Hybrid: A Norton Anthology of New Poetry Edited by David St. John and Cole Swensen • The Book of Night Women Marlon James • The Charged Void: Architecture Alison Smithson and Peter Smithson • Heatstroke: Nature in an Age of Global Warming Anthony D. Barnosky • Johnny Cash: The Biography Michael Streissguth • The Kindly Ones Jonathan Littell and Charlotte Mandell • Magic Bus: On the Hippie Trail From Istanbul to India Rory MacLean • Overcoming Katrina: African American Voices from the Crescent City and Beyond D’Ann R. Penner, Keith C. Ferdinand, and Jimmy Carter • The Presidents We Imagine: Two Centuries of White House Fictions on the Page, on the Stage, Onscreen, and Online Jeff Smith • Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel Dave Gibbons, Chip Kidd, and Mike Essl

gateway cities, including Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls. As editors of Adirondack Life magazine, Annie Stoltie and Elizabeth Folwell provide candid reviews of the area in which they are immersed. The book includes more than 100 up-todate detailed maps and photos to use as a guide.

“It’s similar to the debate over whether you want to arm airline crews.”

Perfectly Imperfect

“It’s important to see that the world is bigger than the place you live.”

Lee McConaughy Woodruff ’82 (Random House) Lee McConaughy Woodruff chronicles her life as wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend in Perfectly Imperfect: A Life in Progress. Bob Woodruff ’83 writes the introduction to his wife’s deeply personal and, at times, humorous stories that highlight universal topics and how life never seems to go as planned. This book is the testimonial of a woman who embraces the chaos of her surroundings, discovers the splendor of life’s flaws, and accepts that perfection is as impossible to achieve as a spotless kitchen floor.

Also of Note:

Encountering Disgrace: Reading and Teaching Coetzee’s Novel (Camden House), edited by Bill McDonald ’61, is a book of essays devoted to Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee’s controversial novel set in post-apartheid South Africa. The 10 critical essays and 8 essays on teaching the novel grapple with the ethical issues Disgrace raises: rape, gender, race, and animal rights. The 18 contributors to the collection are all faculty members or graduates of the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies at the University of Redlands, where McDonald is emeritus professor of English.

— Douglas Macdonald, associate professor of political science and an anti-piracy expert, offering analysis to MSNBC.com for a report about efforts to thwart pirate attacks on shipping vessels

“College is when I first got struck by the notion that using video to tell a story could possibly change the outcome of human-rights situations.”

— Filmmaker Sandy Cioffi ’84 speaking to the Sun Gazette (Springfield, V.A.) about what sparked her interest in producing documentaries

— Maria Marinucci ’09 describing to the Sun Journal (New Bern, N.C.) her experience building homes as part of an alternative spring break trip

“That was the most important thing to me: to tell that story as richly as I could in the best language that I could.”

— Peter Balakian, Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor in the humanities and professor of English, in an Armenian-Mirror Spectator article about his recently re-published memoir, Black Dog of Fate

“Academics played a big part of it. Colgate is a prestigious school.”

— Brandon James, an incoming first-year and soon-to-be Raiders basketball player, talking to his hometown newspaper, the Poughkeepsie Journal (N.Y.) about his decision to attend Colgate

“It’s not just reaching out to two or three contacts. They [students] have to keep coming back.”

— Teresa Olsen, associate director of career services, explaining graduating seniors’ job-hunting strategies to the Associated Press

“To have that energy back in the space, and to hear the old names that came up … It’s just great to get a picture of the station through the years.”

— Bill Gabler ’07, assistant director of the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement and adviser to WRCU, remarking to The Chronicle of Higher Education about the history of the campus radio station and recent dedication ceremony of its new home in the Blackmore Media Center

“They [printmakers] drew people into the political process. They wanted to energize the people.”

— Joachim Homann, Picker Art Gallery curator, talking to The PostStandard (Syracuse, N.Y.) about the Chinese woodblock print exhibition at the gallery

“When people are nervous about the economy, they’re not going to take on a large new loan.”

— Nicole Simpson, associate professor of economics, speaking about the downturn in the housing market to The Observer-Dispatch (Utica, N.Y.)

News and views for the Colgate community

Set our feet on President Rebecca S. Chopp

trust, between the faculty and the Board of Trustees. Rebecca could explain us to each other; she had insight and compassion for both groups, and she used those to teach us. She was a really patient teacher.”

led Colgate to new heights In her Colgate University inaugural address, Rebecca Chopp quoted a phrase spoken by one of her predecessors that would become a theme, a mantra, an ethic, if you will, for her presidency. In calling upon the community to “work together, to continue our traditions revised, renewed, reclaimed for the twenty-first century,” she also proposed the manner in which we should proceed, in words first stated by Colgate’s sixth president, George Merrill, at his own installation 103 years before: “Always straight, onward and upward.” How fitting now to look back and see that, with a sense of spirit, elevation — dare we say levitation — this is what she did, from day one. As Colgate’s first woman president, said then–Provost and Dean of the Faculty Jack Dovidio that September day in 2002, “Rebecca Chopp has already taken us places we have never been before.” And for the next seven years, she led Colgate on an unprecedented climb. Members of the community responded in force when asked to comment on the ways in which a leader led, and a university flourished.

– Rebecca Costello, Managing Editor

“Rebecca saw immediately that debate was not only something that Colgate could do, but something without which Colgate could not do. That was thrilling for those of us who wanted to debate, but had nowhere to do it. She also threw her support behind what began as a wing of the Debate Society and took on a life of its own, the Student Lecture Forum. It was a chance to create a community where we

Chopp and her husband, Fred Thibodeau, celebrate together during her inaugural celebration. (September 2002)

scene: Summer 2009

– Padma Kaimal, Associate Professor of Art and Art History; member, Strategic Planning Committee

“Working with Rebecca is a lot of fun, and never dull. In good situations and challenging times, she bolsters morale when the chips are down, maintains focus when everyone else is flagging, persists when it would have been easy to fold. She built a strong team and constantly worked with us to solidify our strengths as individuals and as a group. I learned an enormous amount from Rebecca about effective leadership. She embodies patience and grace under pressure, humility and courage, intelligence and compassion, determination and foresight. Colgate has taken giant strides forward, in ways that retain the best of its identity.” President Rebecca Chopp with her dog, Lady

could investigate interesting ideas socially through enlightened conversation, part of her expansive vision for debate: a culture of communication fully integrated with the Colgate landscape. What did this mean for me? It allowed me fully to engage at Colgate.”

“Rebecca’s positive mindset transformed every challenge into an opportunity for advancement. She focused her attention on amplifying the board’s aspirations to underscore our academic excellence. She

– Kim Waldron ’81, Secretary of the College

– Pat Kabat ’06, former president, Harry C. Behler Debate Society

“Rebecca made Colgate a better place in so many ways. One for which I am most grateful is that she built much stronger connections, and even points of

Chopp became known for her dedicated engagement with alumni at events on and off campus.

Civil — but lively — discourse at a practice of the Harry C. Behler Debate Society

lofty places articulated this in the strategic plan and captured its essence with the phrase, ‘The leading liberal arts university.’ Her real genius, however, has been in her execution of that plan — her ability to get different groups of people to share a common vision, understand its positive consequences, and appreciate that its success depends upon each individual’s commitment and contribution to it. Colgate has moved from strength to strength under her leadership. We are in her debt.”

– Christopher Clifford ’67, Chair, Board of Trustees

“While she cared deeply for all our constituents, her unshakable commitment to students was evident in the classes she taught, by standing in a snowstorm at Andy Kerr Stadium for a playoff football game, in her passion for the Debate Society, in her promotion of the arts, to attending dinners at Delta Upsilon and other Greek-letter organizations, and events with the ALANA Cultural Center, COVE, Upstate Institute, and more. She seemed to be everywhere at the same time; our ever-present president.”

– Robert Tyburski ’74, Vice President and Senior Philanthropic Advisor

“Rebecca’s positive mindset transformed every challenge into an opportunity for advancement.” — Christopher Clifford ’67 “One of the things I admire most about Rebecca is how she related to everyone on the same level. No matter who came into the office, they felt comfortable sticking their head in the door to say hello.”

– Deb Barnes, Assistant to the Secretary of the College

“I first met Rebecca Chopp on the cross country trails at Colgate as we walked our dogs together. She remained interested in our municipality and its inhabitants. Rebecca understood the seriousness with which we govern our small village, and was careful never to let Colgate be overpowering. Then, there is the Fourth of July parade, when the crowd in the village swells to as many as ten thousand people. She joined the village board members at the front of the parade, year after year. We’d chat and distribute candy, and then she’d go off to cook chickens at the

Methodist Church barbecue. President of Colgate she may be, but for that day she was one of us. “Rebecca’s departure is bittersweet for my husband and me, as we are Swarthmore alumni. She will dazzle them, as she did us. I’ve written to the mayor of the Borough of Swarthmore so they’ll be prepared!”

– Sue McVaugh, Mayor of Hamilton

“As a member of the committee that developed the strategic plan, I know how much all of us were encouraged and inspired — and, truth be told, often firmly prodded! — by Rebecca to think in the broadest and most ambitious terms about ways to enhance every aspect of Colgate’s academic, cultural, residential, and social life. The plan, and Rebecca’s eloquent championing of it, has also helped Colgate achieve a clear sense of its distinctive identity as

Cultivator Colgate’s Division 1-AA playoff win over the University of Massachusetts during the most successful season in Raider football history (November 2003)

Chopp was a regular participant in the Village of Hamilton’s Fourth of July parade.

The Outdoor Education Program’s first climbing competition at the Angert Family Climbing Wall (March 2007)

News and views for the Colgate community

Innovator

what we now aptly call a liberal arts university. Indeed, although there are no doubt more tangible signs of her impact, I suspect that its full implementation may well prove to be one of the most notable parts of her vital legacy to Colgate.”

– Linck Johnson, Professor of English, member, Strategic Planning Committee

“Rebecca’s management style is one to emulate. I never left a meeting with her that I did not feel was run perfectly, that much was accomplished, and that I learned something. She never shied away from tough questions or issues, but was ready to take anything head on.”

– RuthAnn Loveless MA’72, Vice President of Alumni Affairs

“As a religion major and budding women’s rights activist, I discovered the possibilities for reconciliation in the feminist theology created by Rebecca and her contemporaries when she co-taught Women In Religious Thought. We all know Rebecca the administrator, but I got to understand her as the forwardthinking, relevant academic that she is.”

ries we faced. Rebecca’s solid advice, wisdom, vast experience in searches, and quiet sense of humor inspired us throughout.”

– David Tatel, former chair, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit

“I am pleased to see the arts today stronger and better integrated into the fabric of the university. This required more than simply encouraging support of the arts. In Rebecca, we have had a president who simply could not imagine how a university can flourish without a dynamic arts scene.”

– Mary Ann Calo, Director of the Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts (2006–2008), Professor of Art and Art History

scene: Summer 2009

– Gary Ross ’77, Vice President and Dean of Admission

“Rebecca’s seven years of steadfast and relentless work helped us rethink diversity and inclusivity on campus. Her — at times — soft and quiet ways of effecting change have impacted the status of students and faculty of color. She made all of us part of her triumphs without taking any credit for it.”

– Lourdes Rojas, Professor of Spanish

“When Rebecca agreed to teach a first-year seminar with me, I have to admit that I assumed that she would be a kind of honorary professor rather than a full-time participant in the class. It became clear at the very beginning of that fall 2008 semester, however, that she intended to be my co-professor in every sense of the word. Rebecca was not only an incisive discussion leader in our seminar, Political Theology, she also enthusiastically embraced the other role of an FSEM professor: introducing students to academic life at Colgate, and to the rigor and excitement of research and learning. We covered a lot of ground on the relationship between politics and theology, but we also learned a great deal about how administrators, faculty, and students experience life at Colgate, and about how we can better interact with each other across what can sometimes be fairly wide institutional divisions. I can’t count the

Women’s soccer players celebrate their Patriot League Championship. (November 2004)

Global Leaders Lecture Series hosts His Holiness the Dalai Lama. (April 2008)

“For almost 10 years, I had the privilege of serving with Rebecca Chopp on the Board of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. All of our endeavors benefitted immensely from Rebecca’s deep understanding of Carnegie and its educational priorities. She played a particularly insightful role in our search for a new president. Her incisive questions always cut to the core of the difficult quanda-

“Rebecca has a commitment to look at any issue or situation and have as her sole focus to ‘do the right thing.’ Nowhere has this been more evident than in her commitment to making a Colgate education

– Sarah Compter ’04

The annual student-organized Colgate Arts! Initiative Festival

accessible and affordable to the very best and brightest young women and men from all backgrounds and traditions. So many outstanding students would not be here today were it not for the fact that she made financial aid a top priority in her administration.”

I knew right then that we had a jewel as president of Colgate. Rebecca made profound changes. She established transparency from her first day on the post, had a vision, and shared it. She is like a comet that swooshed past us, lighting our path. Now she continues her journey to light the way for others. I will miss her.”

– Rosalia Miller P’06, Board of Trustees

“Rebecca’s drive and spirit make you want to be a part of her team. In seven years, there was never a bad day at the office! I feel blessed by the opportunity to work with such a talented, remarkable person. And you’ve got to love a boss who enjoys Gilligan’s ice cream, chocolates, and chicken wings!”

Chopp listens to a Benton Scholar’s perspective during a Political Theology FSEM discussion. (October 2008)

number of times that the students (and I) turned to Professor Chopp in order to gain greater insight into the decisions and challenges that were being faced every day by President Chopp. I will miss sitting at the seminar table with her and our eager students, and hearing her say: ‘So, what did you think in response to the reading that was assigned for today?’”

– Tim Byrnes, Professor of Political Science

“Rebecca Chopp was the reason I came to Colgate. I first became acquainted with her when I attended the Frye Leadership Institute in information technology at Emory University in 2000. Rebecca was on its faculty, and her vision of what was needed by library and technology leaders in higher education was impressive. By the time I arrived here in 2005, one of Rebecca’s top objectives was to build the state-of-the-art Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology. I quickly benefited directly from Rebecca’s facilitative leadership. I have been

With the transfer of house ownership to Colgate, fraternities and sororities moved forward as members of the Broad Street Community.

able to help guide the Colgate libraries forward to realize their mission to support the curriculum and scholarship.”

– Joanne Schneider, University Librarian

“I met President Chopp during our daughter Luisa’s first year. I wanted to learn her plans regarding diversity — an issue dear to my heart. She immediately replied that bringing in students from different countries and different colors was at the top of her list. We spoke about economic diversity as well.

– Claudia Caraher, Assistant to the President

“I was the first chair of the $400 million Passion for the Climb campaign. President Chopp was an amazingly passionate and effective fundraiser for Colgate. Even in these challenging times, I am confident that the goal will be reached and exceeded. For that, Colgate will be forever thankful to her. Rebecca has the courage of a lion, the decisiveness of a top chief executive, and boundless energy. Colgate is so fortunate to have had her lead us for seven wonderful years of growth in academic excellence and significant improvement in the student experience (I have my son Denis ’09 and daughter Megan ’10 at Colgate). She has earned a little vacation time at Swarthmore!”

– Denis Cronin ’69, Trustee Emeritus

“Rebecca did not tell the Alumni Council what to do, but she made it clear she was counting on us to do great things. She sought differing perspectives,

“She made all of us part of her triumphs without taking any credit for it.” — Lourdes Rojas

Chopp (left) and Professor Ellen Kraly train for their Mount Baker climb for breast cancer research with a snowshoe outing on campus. (February 2004)

The largest grant ever received by Colgate, nearly $1 million from the NSF, supported a four-year investigation into the effects of acid rain on the Adirondacks.

News and views for the Colgate community

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listening for nuances to help her see issues from all sides. She earned the respect, support, and friendship of alumni across generations. At a football game a few years ago, I overheard a group of alumni arguing about a recent decision by the administration. When their talk turned to President Chopp, however, they reached quick consensus and expressed what I’ve heard from many alumni. Colgate, they enthusiastically agreed, was very lucky to have her.”

– Joanne Spigner ’76, Board of Trustees and former president, Colgate Alumni Council

“Like a breath of fresh air, Rebecca Chopp arrives at Colgate, sweeps away the cobwebs of uncertainty and indecision, and forges an immediate action plan to move Colgate to the forefront of the very best liberal arts institutions in the country. The beautiful, new Robert H.N. Ho Science Center — a magnificent facility, dedicated to interdisciplinary science and to the relevance and value of a liberal arts education — is just one tangible result. I will always be indebted to Rebecca, and to Mr. Ho, for their gracious support in making a dream come true.”

– Richard April, Dunham Beldon Jr. Professor of Geology The Robert H.N. Ho Science Center, a new home for collaborative, multidisciplinary learning

“I have been the treasurer of the Delta Upsilon Alumni Corporation for nearly 40 years. Back in 2003, I had questions about Colgate’s plan to buy the fraternity and sorority houses. Several meetings with President Chopp convinced me that the plan was sound, and in the best interest of the chapters. Judging by alumni giving, which is at an all-time high, and the tone on campus at graduation and reunion, it is clear that most alumni, students, and parents recognize that the move was good for the

university. The Greek System is thriving as part of the Broad Street Community. On behalf of Delta Upsilon, thank you very much.”

– Lee Woltman ’65

“I was personally inspired by Rebecca to stretch for Colgate, think imaginatively, and to never forget cherished traditions. She spoke often of Colgate’s

“I was personally inspired by Rebecca to stretch for Colgate, think imaginatively, and to never forget cherished traditions.” — Ron Joyce ’73

The new townhouses offer expanded opportunities through the residential education program. (August 2005)

scene: Summer 2009

The Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology — beyond stacks and study carrols, a hub of collaborative learning and scholarship

unique DNA, which she not only respected but also integrated personally. She will leave our alma mater a measurably improved place. I can’t say I ever saw her sweat, but she had the energy and drive of an eight-oar crew. She graduates summa cum laude! I wish she’d stay on here for a graduate degree.”

– Ron Joyce ’73, former president, Colgate Alumni Council

“Rebecca Chopp taught me how to work with people, handle conflict, navigate tough real-world politics, and get things done. When I stumbled, she used it as a learning experience for me. “When our football team reached the national championship, she was our ‘Cheerleader-in-Chief.’ The SGA wanted to find a way for students to attend. She helped make sure we had the resources to get

Robert H.N. Ho ’56 signs a beam before it is set into the framing of the science center named in his honor (June 2006). A happy Chopp looks on.

Builder

everyone possible in attendance. I had so much fun cosponsoring a pep rally at the Palace Theater with her. We celebrated the football team’s brilliant season in front of a packed crowd of students, families, and townspeople. The Colgate energy was incredible.”

– Bart Hale ’04, Student Government Association President, 2003–2004

“Rebecca was always present, even during her painful recovery from extensive foot surgery, offering advice, making tough decisions, and encouraging everyone to do what is right for Colgate and its students. What I will miss most about Rebecca is not the way in which she galvanized the Colgate community with her extraordinary charm and leadership capabilities, but the boss, colleague, and friend whose commitment to excellence for Colgate was genuine morning, noon, and night, from the very first day she and Fred arrived in Hamilton.”

– David Hale ’84, Vice President for Finance and Administration

“Rebecca strongly supported getting the Upstate Institute up and running, which was the most rewarding work of my career at Colgate. The Upstate Institute, Hamilton Initiative, and continuing commitment to the village, town, schools, and day care are evidence that she understands that Colgate’s success is tied to the success of its community! She pushed both the global and the local, knowing that students and faculty would grow with new opportunities in the world and right at home.”

– Jill Tiefenthaler, former Colgate economics professor and Director of the Upstate Institute; now Provost, Wake Forest University

“Rebecca has become the face of Colgate. Certainly, Colgate athletics has benefited from her presence at games, as well as her support and thorough understanding of having a Division I athletics program. For me, she has been the quintessential role model and mentor. I will miss her smile, her snappy outfits,

– Vicky Chun ’91, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator

“Rebecca Chopp was the right president for Colgate at a crucial juncture in our history. She brought both the skill sets — honed at a leading university — and temperament to help Colgate not only regain its forward momentum, but also to dramatically enhance our prominence and position as a leading liberal arts university. She was able to meet the imposing challenges of appealing to Colgate’s many constituencies while making difficult decisions that she and the Board of Trustees concluded were in the best long-term interests of the university. She has accomplished in seven years what many of her peers fail to achieve in fifteen. My deepest gratitude, and my best wishes to Rebecca and to Fred as they explore a new challenge. Colgate is truly the better place for Rebecca Chopp having served as its fifteenth president.” – John Golden, Chair, Colgate Board of Trustees 2001–2007; Trustee 1994–2007

8 Rebecca Chopp discusses her presidency and hopes for Colgate with her friend Professor Ellen Kraly at www.colgate.edu/video Editor’s note: The headline for this article is a line from the university hymn, “God of Grace and God of Glory,” by Harry Emerson Fosdick, Class of 1900.

– Melissa Madaio ’09, Vice President, Student Government Association, 2008–2009

The Glendening Boat House on Lake Moraine, built to meet the needs of Colgate’s NCAA Division I rowing program, and offer recreational boating

“President Chopp has been a strong role model for me. She has always been receptive to student issues, and a constructive and knowledgeable adviser and supporter, from the SGA, our athletic teams, Coop renovations, and the new Donovan’s Pub, to the linkage between residential life and our academic experience, and engaging students with the community, to her Colgate spirit. She will always be a Colgate Raider in our hearts.”

and her ebullient spirit and character. Best of luck at Swarthmore, Rebecca!”

Colgate’s vision of global education is duly represented in the O’Connor Campus Center’s transformation into a campus “village green.”

The Hamilton Movie Theater, one of several historic properties revitalized by Colgate’s Hamilton Initiative that are now populated by viable businesses

News and views for the Colgate community

88 Days

By Aleta Mayne

ON JANUARY 1, 2009, PAUL RIDLEY ’05 SET OUT TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. HIS MISSION: TO HONOR HIS MOTHER’S MEMORY BY RAISING $500,000 FOR CANCER RESEARCH. HIS CHALLENGE: HE WOULD BE GOING IT ALONE THE WHOLE WAY. IN A 19-FOOT ROWBOAT.

scene: Summer 2009

tanding in front of the congregation at Christ the King Lutheran Church, wearing a button-down shirt, jeans, and flip flops, Paul Ridley ’05 looked relaxed. But the topic of his talk — his 88 days rowing solo and unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean — had the parishioners on the edges of their pews. Having completed the row on March 29, Paul was spending an April weekend in his hometown of Binghamton, N.Y., addressing the community that had been praying for him throughout his journey. His father, Pastor Mark Ridley ’72, stepmother, Pastor Nadine Ridley, and sister, Joy, sat in the front row. During the next hour, Paul would admit things like the fact that he doesn’t enjoy swimming and gets seasick easily. He described how the Milky Way would illuminate the sky at night and how he’d make faces at himself in the reflection of the boat hatch for entertainment. As the sun shone through the church windows, the rapt audience listened to the young man who has grown up in front of their eyes and, at age 25, became the youngest — and only the third — American to successfully complete the expedition. Paul’s row was motivated by a cause important to his family. After seeing both of their parents battle cancer, he and Joy founded the nonprofit organization Row for Hope. Their mom, Katherine Ridley, died of malignant melanoma in 2001. A few months later, their dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, Mark was successfully treated and is cancer free today. “We had a dramatic example of what the two different outcomes are when someone is diagnosed with cancer: my mom’s case, which doesn’t have effective treatments available and doesn’t get the research dollars that the other cancers get, versus my dad’s case,” Paul explained. “We want to have more cases like my dad’s and fewer like my mom’s.” Paul had been introduced to the idea of ocean rowing through a colleague at his workplace, Greenwich Associates. He said it started out as a joke, but he soon realized that this was how he could “do his part” for cancer research. Paul had been in the rowing seat before, having rowed for the Raiders and after graduation with the Norwalk River Rowing Association. His discomfort with the ocean only added to the appeal of the challenge. “I knew it was something outside of my comfort zone, and part of what attracted me to the ocean in the first place was the fact that it was so far beyond what I was accustomed to,” he explained. When Paul started planning for the approximately 2,950-mile journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua, he informed the partners at Greenwich

Associates and told his dad of his ambition. They all agreed to support him, but no one quite believed that three years down the road they would be praying for him to make it across the ocean safely. “I’m a great believer in denial, and so I said, ‘That’s fine,’ and just assumed it would never happen,” Mark said. Through the years of preparation, he added, it started to become a reality. “But he convinced me from a safety point of view that he wasn’t taking a big risk,” Mark explained. “I think he was as prepared as anybody could be for the expedition that he undertook.”

The birth of Liv

Preparation began with the craft that would carry Paul across the ocean. He collaborated with British boat designer Phil Morrison for eight months to design a boat with minimal accommodation for a single rower; at 19 feet, the yellow rowboat would end up 5 feet shorter and significantly lighter than most ocean rowing boats. The aft cabin had just

Erik Olsen

Joy Ridley

“I knew it was something outside of my comfort zone, and part of what attracted me to the ocean in the first place was the fact that it was so far beyond what I was accustomed to.”

HE NAMED THE BOAT LIV, WHICH MEANS “LIFE” IN NORWEGIAN AND TRANSLATES IN OLD NORSE DIALECTS TO “PROTECTION” AND “DEFENSE.”

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Paul asked him for northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots... enough room for Paul to lie flat to sleep — with a half inch of clearance — and sit up. The fore cabin stored 95 days’ worth of 8,000 calorie-per-day meals as well as his sea anchor. Although he had no chase boat or means of resupply, Liv was equipped with the technology of an ocean racing yacht. A solar-power system provided electricity for an expedition-style PDA, an Automatic Identification System transponder (radar that sends data through radio signals to other ships), a satellite phone, and a position indicating beacon. The solar-powered system also juiced up Paul’s Panasonic Toughbook laptop — on which he would post daily updates on his blog at Rowforhope.com — and his 160-gigabyte iPod filled with music and a number of books on tape, from Shakespeare classics to Into the Wild. He named the boat Liv, which means “life” in Norwegian and translates in old Norse dialects to “protection” and “defense.” The second important part of the equation was Paul’s physical stamina, which he built through training with a rowing coach, weight lifting, cardiovascular work, and even Bikram yoga. “It’s a great way to relax, work on flexibility and core strength, and do some different mental exercises,” Paul said of yoga. After all, he knew that his mental strength would be the biggest challenge. Consulting with numerous ocean rowers, he was told many times that “you can train all you want, but if you can’t get your head on straight to get into that rowing seat, it will never matter.”

Shoving off

On Saturday, November 8, 2008, Paul said goodbye to Liv as she got her first taste of the open ocean when he sent her to the Canary Islands in the belly of a cargo ship. A month later, Paul and his family followed her, to the departure point of the island La Gomera.

BLOG ENTRY, DECEMBER 12, 2008: “I MADE

IT SAFELY TO THE CANARY ISLANDS AND GOT MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN THAT I’LL BE LIVING ON FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. MY FIRST REACTION — LET ME AT IT!” The Ridleys spent the first few days on La Gomera wiring Liv’s electronics and packing her cabins. For safekeeping, Paul mailed a box of his personal possessions, including his wallet and Blackberry, to

scene: Summer 2009

his home in Greenwich, Conn. Then came the waiting game. Although Paul had planned to depart on December 16, he spent the next couple of weeks biding his time until the Spanish government issued his port clearance and the weather forecast predicted enough northeasterly wind to help him progress west. The rest of the Ridley family eventually had to return home, so Paul was left alone to wait. On Christmas Day, he climbed to the top of a cliff overlooking La Gomera where a giant statue of Jesus watches over the town. Paul asked him for northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots, and then returned to his rental apartment to listen to Christmas carols. On December 30, Paul’s Christmas wish came true. He received his port clearance and the forecast looked favorable. Paul’s odyssey began on New Year’s Day. Departing simultaneously was another rower, 58-year-old Leo Rosette, who was attempting to break a different age record, the oldest American to cross any ocean. There to see both of them off was experienced ocean rower Simon Chalk of Woodvale Challenge, an organization that supports ocean rowing races.

BLOG ENTRY, DECEMBER 31, 2008: “IN

COLLEGE I WENT ON A SHORT CRUISE FROM MIAMI TO MEXICO AND BACK. I WAS SEASICK THE ENTIRE TIME AND SWORE THAT I’D NEVER GO ON ANY MORE SILLY OCEAN TRIPS. OOPS!” As anticipated, seasickness struck Paul for the first few days, preventing him from eating as much as he needed to maintain his energy. An inability to sleep through the night didn’t help. During his first night at sea, he was repeatedly awakened by the sound of his collision-avoidance alarm. Meant to detect the proximity of other boats, it was instead warning him that Liv was near herself. Until he figured out a way around the alarm glitch, Paul turned it off and set a timer to wake himself every 20 minutes so that he could visually scan the ocean for approaching boats. With no choice but to row through the queasiness and exhaustion, Paul began adjusting to life at sea. In this early part of his voyage, a few daunting events would mark certain days. Approaching the second week, just as Paul was feeling like he had his sea legs and that the “warm-up” was over, the wind and seas started building. After a particularly rough day of rowing and getting soaked by the crashing waves that were growing increasingly larger, cold and drenched, Paul crawled into his cabin to try to

sleep. The next morning (day 13), he climbed out of the cabin and was aghast to see dark skies and 25-foot waves. “It was a scary time,” he said. As the day progressed, Paul watched the waves continue to grow. “When it got dark, although I had incredible faith in the boat and my rowing ability, I had the strong sense that I was going to need help,” Paul recalled. He saw the first star and started wishing, “Star light, star bright,” but couldn’t remember the rest of the rhyme. So he abandoned that plan and said a prayer, something he then did twice a day for the rest of the row. Within 24 hours, the winds calmed down and Paul was able to continue making progress westward. “I asked for help, and I got it,” he said. Two days later, another challenge would arrive when a high-pressure hose ripped out of the main water desalinator — a dangerous type of equipment failure that has forced the premature end of several past expeditions. Paul managed to fix his drinkingwater maker temporarily so that he could again settle into his daily routine. But it would continue to present problems and he would often have to spend time away from rowing to fiddle with it.

Rough waters ahead

Throughout the frustrating episodes, Paul’s blog entries would stay positive, but also hint at his challenges. The monotony of eating freeze-dried variations of chicken and rice soon became evident. His third week of blog entries focused on the foods he was missing from home — Dinosaur Barbecue chicken wings, pizza from Ye Olde Pizza Pub, and Binghamton’s famous spiedies.

LA GOMERA

2,950 miles ANTIGUA

“When it got dark, although I had incredible faith in the boat and my rowing ability, I had the strong sense that I was going to need help.” As the weeks passed, Paul’s craving for human interaction also started to kick into high gear. Daily phone calls with his dad helped. Keeping in line with Paul’s one-day-at-a-time strategy, Mark learned to focus the conversation on what Paul had accomplished that day. News from land was kept to a minimum — Paul had given specific instructions to his team to not give him any bad news from home. “There was enough time out there to eat at my brain,” he explained.

BLOG ENTRY, DAY 24: “FOR THE FIRST

COUPLE WEEKS MY FIRST THOUGHT AFTER OPENING MY EYES WAS ALWAYS, ‘WHERE AM I? WAIT … DON’T TELL ME I’M IN A ROWBOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN … NO, NO, NO…’” As he had been forewarned by experienced ocean rowers, one of his biggest hurdles became getting out of the cabin and into the rowing seat to begin his morning shift. He began using candies that his stepmother Nadine had given him in La Gomera as bait. From the cabin, Paul would take a Lifesaver — a delicacy in the middle of the ocean — and toss it into the seat. “I knew that if it sat there, it would wash away, so I had to get into the rowing seat to save the Lifesaver,” Paul said. But instead of popping it right into his mouth, he would stash it in a safe place and treat himself at the end of the four-hour shift. Other motivational tools Paul used while at sea were his iPod — he jokes that he’s now an expert on the American Revolution after listening to 1776 numerous times — and the daily blog comments from his supporters who were writing from all over

the world. “I’d read them about four or five times a day,” he said. “They kept my mind occupied for hours while I was rowing. That took the oars out of my hands physically and kept my mind in a completely different place.” Paul’s supporters could also follow his progress on a Google map that was updated every day through his tracking beacon. Everyone from K-Rock radio fans in Binghamton to elementary school kids around the country wrote in with inspirational words, philosophical quandaries to contemplate, and questions about what he was experiencing. Wildlife became a main topic on the message boards, especially after Paul began describing the petrel birds and flying fish that he was seeing. The young son of a coworker sparked a lively discussion about sharks and what Paul should be on the lookout for. When Paul did finally report on a shark sighting, he had to admit it didn’t quite live up to the Jaws hype that had built online. As the shark swam near his boat, Paul went into the cabin to get his camera and came back just in time to take a picture of its dorsal fin moving away. Keeping a careful eye out for fins was a necessity several times throughout the row. Periodically, Liv needed some housekeeping that required Paul to jump into the water. Using a rope, he would tie himself to Liv and jump into the 14,000-foot–deep ocean, plastic cement spreader in hand, to scrape the barnacles that would build up and slow down the boat. “I’d spend the morning looking around for sharks, and then in the afternoon when the sun was out, sit on the gunwale for 5 minutes, giving myself a little pep talk before actually going in,” he said. A picture of a Portuguese man-of-war, which Paul named Benny, also gained blog notoriety and even led to a joking comment about Paul sounding dangerously like Tom Hanks’s stranded character in Castaway.

BLOG ENTRY, DAY 37: “THE PETREL IS STILL

HERE, AND THE SEAGULL STOPS BY ONCE OR TWICE EVERY DAY. NEITHER ARE BIG TALKERS, THOUGH … YET.” Of course, the loneliness did engulf Paul at times. Breaking a 29-day streak without his seeing any sign of human life, a plane flying overhead brought tears to his eyes. “The thought of all these people in such a high-tech, human environment, sitting in perfectly straight rows, sipping drinks, was incredible,” he explained.

Overall, his positive attitude and sense of humor helped Paul through the difficult times. And all the while, his true cause was never far from his heart. On February 5, the eighth anniversary of his mom’s death, he wrote: “I witnessed her struggle unfold at a particularly formative point in my life when, as a senior in high school, I was beginning to realize that the decisions I made in the next several years would go a long way toward determining who I’d be as an adult. The impact my mom’s death had on me was profound, and is single-handedly responsible for where I am at this very moment — 31 degrees 35 minutes West, 18 degrees 20 minutes North — in a 19-foot boat 359 nautical miles from the nearest land (Cape Verde) and 1,736 nautical miles from the end of my journey.” Almost to the halfway point, physical challenges began to test his resolve. Salt sores had developed on his legs and backside, making it difficult for him to sit comfortably.

BLOG ENTRY, DAY 46: “I’M RUNNING OUT OF

WAYS TO SIT WHERE I’M NOT DIRECTLY ON TOP OF, OR ROLLING OVER, A PAINFUL SORE EVERY TIME I TAKE A STROKE… TONIGHT I HAD THE FOLLOWING ARRANGEMENT AS FAR AS SEAT PADDING GOES: WHEELCHAIR PAD, MINI-CELL FOAM PAD, GEL PAD, THEN TWO LAYERS OF SHEEPSKIN.” Luckily, he had managed to avoid the claw grip that inflicts many ocean rowers, but it did become a struggle to close his hands. On February 18, Paul crossed the east-to-west midpoint. The champagne he’d been saving for the

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occasion turned into a disappointment when Paul tasted the warm liquid that had suffered from 49 days in a hot boat. The next 34 days would prove to become more difficult mentally, something Paul didn’t expect. “It got harder as I got closer to land,” he explained. “I felt less connected to everyone back on land. For them, the anticipation of my arrival was building. But for me, every day was exactly the same.” Accepting that he would have to adjust his outlook and not think about Antigua until the very end, Paul stayed focused on the task at hand. He also took the time to be grateful for his experience, writing about the blanket of stars he slept under, and showing his sense of humor with “beard watch” postings to his blog — photos showing his facial hair growth over the trip.

The final strokes

In the last quarter of the expedition, just as Paul planned to start adding night shifts to shave off a few days, the weather dealt him another blow. On day 66, after spending four hours rowing and making no progress in the right direction, Paul lowered his sea anchor — an underwater parachute that filled with water to slow his negative progress while sleeping and in times like this. For three days, while he waited for the winds to change direction, Paul was unable to row.

BLOG ENTRY, DAY 70: “I’M EXHAUSTED

PHYSICALLY AND, AFTER ALL THIS WEATHER NONSENSE, NEARING THE END OF MY ROPE MENTALLY.” Following the 72-hour delay, Mother Nature started sending signs of land Paul’s way. Increasing numbers of seagulls hovered and attempted to land on deck, and Paul spotted a bug on board for the first time since leaving the Canaries. Signs of the human world gave him hope as well; in one day, seven airplanes flew overhead. But with just 130 nautical miles between the young rower and his destination of Antigua, the sea wasn’t ready to give him up yet. As the sun beat down on Paul daily, he became locked in a combination of winds and currents that were pushing him south in the direction of Guadeloupe, where he feared he might have to land. Adding to his frustration, the main water desalinator was on the fritz again. “It was the classic story of the fifty-cent part taking down the five thousand–

scene: Summer 2009

dollar water maker,” he said. Not wanting to sacrifice time away from rowing to fix the desalinator, Paul relied on his backup water supply and a manual pump he brought with him. He had also run out of his favorite rowing foods of Ramen noodles, army biscuits, and chocolate bars. “At the end of an expedition that long, it’s not a deal breaker, but it didn’t help morale,” he said of his significantly decreased meal options. Feeling glum and defeated, Paul gritted his teeth and battled his way north, adding hours to his rowing shifts so that he was rowing 12 to 14 hours a day. “I had to deal with real questions about whether or not I’d actually be able to make it to Antigua, where friends and family and everything I’d been dreaming about for the whole trip were waiting for me,” he recalled. “The idea that I could potentially miss them was crushing.” Meanwhile, his family had arrived in Antigua. They enlisted the help of Antigua Barbuda Search and Rescue, which had advanced software to track the wind and weather patterns. “I felt like I was the most closely watched person on earth for the last few days,” Paul said. The search and rescue authorities predicted that Liv would hit a north-tending current, which Paul could use to overcome the winds from the northeast and make a turn to the northwest toward Antigua. They were right, and like the wind, Paul’s luck was turning around. That same day, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean Rowing Crossing Line — the official measure of a completed ocean row — which he hadn’t realized was so close until the previous day. His spirits lifted, and Paul concentrated on getting himself safely to Antigua. On the morning of day 87, just 49 miles away from Antigua, Paul came out of his cabin and saw a welcome sight — his first glimpse of land. Paul decided that he would accept a tow into English Harbour, so the next day Mark and Nadine, a few family friends, and two representatives from the company that built Liv chartered a catamaran to go out and bring Paul in. The rest of the 19-member welcoming party abandoned their poolside stations to get a glimpse of the yellow boat from the cliffs at the mouth of the harbor and then ran to the dock. Paul’s friends from Binghamton and Connecticut had traveled to Antigua, as well as six of his Colgate cronies: Sheila Chun ’05, Allison Kelley ’05, Anna Kolich ’05, Keely Lowe ’05, Katy Romano ’05, and Dan Solomon ’05.

An immediate feeling of relief swept over Paul when he saw people waving to him from the catamaran, he said. They towed him in and cut him loose at the mouth of the harbor so he could row the last leg into the dock. As he rowed into the harbor, photographers on dinghies swarmed around him. The search and rescue boat was spraying a fire-hose rainbow. People out on their sailboats waiting for his arrival and at the waterfront restaurants applauded. The Queen song “We Are the Champions” was being piped over a sound system, and he heard his Colgate classmates yelling coordinated cheers. Only expecting to see his friends and family there, Paul said “It seemed like the whole island had come out to see me.” Pulling into the dock, Joy was there waiting to grab his hand and guide Liv to the wall. A TV news crew was on hand with a bottle of champagne. It felt so cold to Paul when he grabbed it, he said, that it chilled him to the bone. Overcome by emotion, he sputtered out a few words, greeted friends and family with hugs, took “the longest shower of my life,” and within an hour was on the phone being interviewed by CNN. The “after” party began at a bar and grill fittingly called Life.

Land legs

A cheeseburger, a cold drink, and a soft bed gave Paul immediate satisfaction, but it took some time for him to readjust to land. For days, he would still wake up 15 minutes before sunrise. Having lost strength in the muscles that hold the body upright and provide balance, Paul had to get used to walking again. Another pace he had difficulty keeping up with was the quickness of conversations.

BLOG ENTRY, APRIL 3: “ON THE BOAT I HAD

ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO FORMULATE MY THOUGHTS IN GREAT DETAIL AND IN A VERY ORGANIZED, BUT NOT EXACTLY LIGHTNING-FAST, WAY. AFTER ARRIVING, I COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW QUICKLY CONVERSATIONS WOULD SWITCH FROM ONE TOPIC TO ANOTHER, LEAVING ME STRUGGLING TO KEEP MY BRAIN MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP UP.” Social situations in general felt different, he said. Returning to affluent Greenwich, Paul felt uncomfortable amidst the expensive SUVs and material excesses. At sea, his most prized commodities had been Ramen noodles and army biscuits. “The most valuable things had to do with my sustenance, keeping myself alive,” he said. Back on land, with the ability to buy as many Ramen noodles as he desires, Paul said, he has developed a great sense of gratitude for his life — and for his changed viewpoint. “My perspective on this culture, this society, all this stuff we have, it’s a little different, and I’ll always continue to feel lucky for what I have, which is a great outcome.” Waiting in line at the DMV to get his new driver’s license (his wallet never made it back in the mail from La Gomera), Paul contemplated how much he missed the freedom of the ocean. “It sounds really strange because I was in a boat, getting thrown around by the weather, and if I wanted to get to land, I had to row,” he said. “But there, I at least had the sense that I was the captain and the final decision maker on what happened in the boat — I had my own little sphere.” He also missed Liv. Watching a truck carry her away to a container port in Antigua was an emotional moment for Paul. “She kept me alive for 88 days going through one of the harshest environments on earth,” he said. Liv will be back on the Atlantic Ocean next year, but without Paul. He sold her to 22-year-old Katie Spotz, who will try to break his record as the youngest American, and if so, could also become the youngest person in the world to row an ocean solo. “It would’ve been great to keep Liv and have my grandkids paddling her around a lake, but at this point, I can’t afford to have a $60,000 boat sitting around,” said Paul, who spent his life savings and took out a loan to fund the expedition. He’s still not entirely comfortable with certain

“Having been out there and back, I think that it’s going to be much harder to resist the urge to do something else.” aspects of life on land — like sticking to such a busy schedule — but Paul has become more accustomed to life before Liv. After he was interviewed by everyone from Fox News to the Bonnie Hunt Show, graced the 25 fittest list in Men’s Fitness, and was used as an example of extreme fundraising methods by Forbes, the media frenzy has since died down. Greenwich Associates has given him leeway to continue his speaking tour, visiting classrooms, churches, and various organizations including Colgate alumni clubs. And, with all the work dedicated to building the nonprofit, Row for Hope is still a priority for the Ridley family. Paul raised more than $100,000 of his $500,000 goal. The organization will continue to fundraise for cancer research at the Yale Cancer Center by supporting regattas, and even athletes outside of the rowing world. Back in Binghamton, Pastor Mark delivers a Bible reading about Jonah, who discovers that even in the belly of a whale, he can talk to God, and God will listen. As the story goes, Jonah lives to perform the mission that God has in mind for him. Like Jonah, Paul learned that he could talk to God in the middle of the ocean, and he’s waiting to learn his life’s mission. He admitted that another expedition is likely — although it will be a different format than a solo ocean row. “Having been out there and back, I think that it’s going to be much harder to resist the urge to do something else,” he said. Paul added that he would consider rowing in a larger boat with a team of people. And he’s open to other ideas. “There are a lot of great expeditions that you can do to help advance science,” he explained. “People carry weather stations to the top of mountains and bring samples back from the jungle. I think there are a lot of ways to get out there and do some good, and that’s something I want to do.” The congregation joined in singing, “If the Lord had not been on our side, all the raging waters and the mighty flood would have swept over us.” And Mark closed by telling his son, “You were the youngest and the third American to row across the Atlantic solo and unsupported, but you were not unsupported and you were not alone.”

Paul’s 88 days by the numbers Boat measurements: 19 feet, 4 inches; 400 pounds Times listened to Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama: 5 Most hours rowed in one day: 15 Total pounds lost: more than 30 Amount of freeze-dried food stored in Liv: 276 pounds; 76 cases Average calories eaten per day: 5,500 Most daunting day at sea: Day 13 Total miles rowed by Paul across the Atlantic: 3,500 Rowers who have attempted an east-to-west transatlantic crossing in the last 40 years: 85 Percentage of those attempts that have succeeded: 60 percent Official Atlantic Ocean Rowing Crossing Line: longitude 59°37W Times he washed his hair during first shower back on land: 4 Funds raised by Theta Chi brothers at their semi-formal dedicated to Row for Hope: more than $2,300 Donations matched by Bob Glendening ’71: more than $9,000 Total money raised to date by Row for Hope to support cancer research: more than $100,000

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This portrait, a prime example of Yousuf Karsh’s masterful lighting techniques, was taken in Karsh’s Ottawa studio during Shaw’s 1933 visit to Canada.

scene: Summer 2009

©Yousuf Karsh

A Writer and

His Image By Rebecca Costello While George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) may be best known as a prolific Irish playwright, novelist, and music critic, there are other aspects of the man with which fans of his literary works may not be familiar: photographer, cartoonist, socialist, provacateur, and, one might say, egotist. H.G. Wells once joked that a person could travel to the most remote island in the Pacific Ocean, and, within three-quarters of an hour, could come upon a photograph of Shaw. Not surprising, for Shaw never once refused to have his photograph taken, according to Dan Laurence, editor of Shaw’s letters.

He estimated that there were “tens of thousands” of Shaw photographs in existence. Shaw was the only person ever to win both the Nobel Prize in literature and an Oscar, for Pygmalion — upon which the musical My Fair Lady is based. He was also one of the founders of London School of Economics, as well as a charter member of the peaceful middle-class socialist Fabian Society. An upcoming exhibition at Colgate, A Writer and His Image, reveals much about both the wellknown and the lesser-known Shaw. Curated by Carl Peterson, head of special collections and university

archivist, the exhibition is drawn from Colgate’s significant holdings of Shaw items, given by alumnus Richard S. Weiner ’68. Weiner first fell in love with Shaw while on Colgate’s French Study Group. Upon graduation, he began collecting Shaw letters, books, and artifacts. “I was intrigued by his philosophy. He made me laugh,” Weiner told the Scene in 1998. “The very first thing I bought was a small photograph signed on the back. I thought it was very exciting that this original photo had passed through Shaw’s hands.” Over the years, Weiner amassed more than 1,500

An avid photographer, Shaw recorded the photographs he made while visiting Italy in 1904 in his tiny, precise script in his Wellcome’s Photographic Exposure Record and Diary. Reproduced here approximately actual size.

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letters, manuscripts and proof copies, virtually every book Shaw published, as well as playbills, photographs — his own, as well as portraits by several of the most famous photographers of his day — cartoons, paintings, drawings, caricatures, and other renditions of Shaw, ephemera such as his gardening gloves, and even a few items with a Colgate connection. Beginning in the 1980s, Weiner, who owned and operated the rare book store Escargot Books in Brielle, N.J., began donating his collection to Colgate in installments. He died in 2002. The images presented here are just a few of those included in the exhibition, which will open October 15 at Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology.

This mixed-media drawing of Shaw, with cloth and wood by someone named O.P., was autographed by Shaw with a touching note in 1948.

Thanks to exhibition curator Carl Peterson for his contributions to this article and to Warren Wheeler for his photographic assistance.

The exhibition of George Bernard Shaw items, A Writer and His Image, will be on view at Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology from Oct. 15 until Dec. 1, 2009. For information, call 315-228-7305. For information on other arts events, visit www.colgate.edu/arts

Alvin Langdon Coburn’s photogravure of Shaw appeared in the April 1908 issue of Alfred Stieglitz’s well-known photographic journal Camera Work.

scene: Summer 2009

George Bernard Shaw plays produced at Colgate November 1951 Androcles and the Lion, Russell Speirs, director April 1954

Candida, Russell Speirs, director

November 1960 The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet, Russell Speirs, director November 1961 The Devil’s Disciple, Russell Speirs, director October 1964

Arms and the Man, Russell Speirs, director

July 1975

Candida, Jerome Kilty, director (Colgate Summer Theater)

July 1977

Heartbreak House, Atlee Sproul, director (Colgate Summer Theater)

July 1979

Major Barbara, Euan Smith, director (Colgate Summer Theater)

March 1991

Misalliance, Jerome Kilty, director

February 1992

Candida, Dean Keppler, director

Permission of Joanna T. Steichen

Colgate Connections

This 1929 photo, taken at a London hotel, depicts Shaw with Colgate’s academic dean at the time, William Crawshaw (pictured to the right of Shaw), and several students. Crawshaw, who was the acting dean of “The Floating University,” which sailed around the world with students from various colleges, describes the meeting in his memoir, My Colgate Years (1937).

Eduard Steichen’s four-color halftone portrait of Shaw appeared in the same Camera Work issue as the Coburn (facing page).

Shaw liked to divide his time between London and his country house at Ayot St. Lawrence (Shaw’s Corner). Wartime rationing made this impossible; hence, he announced his confinement in London with a caricature of himself, circa 1941.

Sir Robert Ho Tung (right), the Hong Kong industrialist and philanthropist, and father of Colgate alumnus and benefactor Robert H.N. Ho ’56, inspired, in part, Shaw’s play Buoyant Billions. L.F.H. Beard took this photograph on July 4, 1949, just before Shaw’s 93rd birthday, and 16 months before his death, on the back porch of his home, Shaw’s Corner. Sir Robert was repaying an earlier visit by Shaw to Hong Kong. He also brought the colorful Chinese robe that Shaw is wearing, which later became part of the permanent display at Shaw’s Corner.

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scene: Summer 2009

Andrew Daddio

News and views for the Colgate community

– Alumni Council member since 2006; co-president, Alumni of Color; class president – 5th and 10th Reunion program chair; career services and admission volunteer – Former professor and consultant, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute – PhD in U.S. history, Columbia University

Questions? Contact the alumni office at 315-228-7433 or alumni@colgate. edu

What professors were strong mentors for you? Pete Banner-Haley, who said I should go to graduate school for my PhD, and Andy Rotter, who helped facilitate that process. What’s your fondest Colgate memory? My mother passed away in my junior year. The following fall, my friends went to Gary Ross [admission dean], Nan DeVries [chaplain], and Ernie Cross [administrative services VP] and said, ‘How can we help Jung?’ The university allowed us to plant a tree on the old golf course. I will forever be grateful for that — that the institution itself could care about one person. Diversity is an important issue to you as an Alumni Council member. Why is that, and what would you like to see happen? We have to work at making sure that everybody is included. Alumni of color who don’t participate often have reasons that are different from the majority population. What inspires me is alumni who did experience nasty things at Colgate but come back and volunteer anyway. I hope that more will volunteer — hosting a student for Career Services’ A Day in the Life, for example — because it’s important for students to see alumni of color in positions of influence and power and realize that diversity is a lived reality, not just a slogan for four years at Colgate. As the Alumni of Color (AOC) group has increased its activities, what’s been the most interesting? We’ve joined the communications revolution, which has been particularly effective in drawing in younger alumni and students. Loncey Mills ’02 and Pablo Gonzalez ’01 have done amazing things. They’ve set us up on Facebook, created online surveys, and redesigned the AOC web page on colgatealumni.org. What figures in history would you like to have dinner with? It would be great to talk to Lyndon Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr. about the dynamic between policy making and community activism. They were transformative figures who worked together to make civil rights a legal, institutional, and social reality. And Eleanor Roosevelt, who reminds me that you don’t have to be in an established position of power to influence international — never mind domestic — policy. Do you have any hobbies? I’m taking a basic drawing class at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Va., and I’m hoping to move up to painting, eventually!

Alumni bulletin board

scene: Summer 2009

Alumni Council Notes Call for nominations

Andrew Daddio

stay connected

to know: Know:Jung Name Here Get to Pak ’96

The nominations committee of the Alumni Council seeks recommendations for candidates for this 55-member volunteer board. From unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds, the council advises the university; opens lines of communication between Colgate and its alumni; mentors the next generation of graduates; and proudly tells Colgate’s story to the world. Each year, 11 to 13 new members are selected to represent specific eras and geographic areas as well as at-large positions. Candidates, initially identified through the nominations committee, are ultimately ratified by the full council. Ideal candidates exhibit several of the following qualities: • Varied Colgate volunteer service • A demonstrated commitment to Colgate over time • Meaningful personal or professional accomplishments or contributions to the greater community • Readiness and willingness to become more involved on behalf of the university • A consistent history of giving financial support to Colgate The awards committee of the Alumni Council seeks nominations from the classes ending in 5 and 0 for awards to be presented at Reunion 2010. Categories include: • Ann Yao Young Alumni Award (Class of 2005) • Maroon Citations • Humanitarian Award • Wm. Brian Little ’64 Alumni Award for Distinguished Service* *All candidates having previously received the Maroon Citation will be considered.

Send nominations for alumni awards and Alumni Council candidates by Sept. 1 to: RuthAnn Loveless MA’72, Executive Secretary, Colgate University, 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, NY 13346. Please include a supporting statement for each person you nominate. For more information, visit www.colgate alumni.org.

Alumni Club Awards With more than 300 events, Colgate’s district alumni clubs had a banner year thanks to terrific volunteer leadership. We are pleased to recognize this year’s club award winners, as well as our volunteer of the year. Congratulations to all! Gateway Clubs: Most Outstanding: St. Louis. Most Improved: Saratoga. Sustained Excellence: London. Small Clubs: Most Outstanding: Portland, Ore. Most Improved: Rhode Island. Leadership in Community Service: Chenango Valley. Medium Clubs: Most Outstanding: the Rockies. Most Improved: Puget Sound. Revitalization Efforts: Rochester, N.Y. Large Clubs: Most Outstanding: Northern California. Most Improved: Chicago. Sustained Excellence: Philadelphia. Metro Clubs: Most Outstanding: NYC (48 events this year!). Most Improved: Washington, D.C. Sustained Excellence: Boston. Alumni Volunteer of the Year: Steve Solomon ’76, London

Navi’Gate with Colgatealumni.org Link your colgatealumni.org and Facebook accounts with Facebook Connect! Simply click the icon on our login page and follow the directions. Then, your Facebook password will access colgatealumni.org. You’ll be able to alert your Facebook friends when you RSVP for a Colgate event or support the university through our online giving page. Questions? Visit www.colgate alumni.org/faq.

salmagundi

Rewind Persistent Dream At college again seated in Russian Revolution With Doc Perry who stowed away on a tramp In Odessa in 1918 escaping both Reds and Whites It comes to me the class has been underway For five weeks and I have none of the texts No notes and Perry his eyes pushed into slits By high fat Tatar cheeks and gleaming malice Asks me what Kerensky was doing When the Winter Palace was stormed At college again where I stagger from the Coop Off to my first class after buying all the texts Anticipating a great year learning and learning Chaucer under Earl Daniels scholar and man of the world Sitting at attention waiting for his first words Ready to listen ready to take part ready ready When he says we will begin by dissecting A pickerel frog found in ponds and bogs with plant life Now Potter please expose the spinal cord

Puzzle by Puzzability

Varsity Letters As in sudoku, use logic to fill each of the eight squares in each row, column, and two-byfour box of this grid with a different letter in COLGATEU. When you’re done, one row or column will contain a bonus message. See page 75 for the answer key.

Servin’ up Slices Matty Goldberg, father of Alexander Goldberg ’12, won a Slices T-shirt for his correct entry in the drawing for the Spring 2009 photo ID contest. His caption read: What’s Shakin’?: John Sebastian and Joe Butler from the Lovin’ Spoonful perform at Colgate. A number of alumni sent fun reminiscences along with their entries; we’ve posted them at www. colgatealumni.org/lovinspoonful. Check them out, and submit your own campus concert memory at www.colgatealumni.org/messageboards or to scene@colgate.edu.

scene: Summer 2009

At college again where I was recently graduated But am going around again attending classes I already passed with younger people I do not know But who defer to me granting some ambiguous status And when I am seated in Hartshorne’s Greek Philosophy He asks me why the Pythagorean theorem Was guarded as a religious mystery and I reply I don’t have to do this I’ve done this before If you think so he said pityingly you must be dreaming – Royal F. Potter ’52 Do you have a reminiscence for Rewind? Send your submission of short prose, poetry, or a photograph with a description to scene@colgate.edu.

Stay tuned for another Slices contest next time!

Above: Hammer time. Ryan Nelson ’12, David Ko ’11, and Mohammed Rahman ’12 (L to R) put the finishing touches on the porch decking at a Habitat for Humanity volunteer building project. Their alternative spring break trip to New Bern, N.C., was organized by the COVE (Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education). Photo by Luke Connolly ’09 — check out his narrated slide show about the trip at www.colgatealumni.org/habitat. Back cover: The greenhouse at Robert H.N. Ho Science Center. Take a tour of this state-of-the-art facility at colgate.edu/video.

News and views for the Colgate community

scene: News and views for the Colgate community Colgate University 13 Oak Drive Hamilton, NY 13346-1398

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