Class Notes

1960s

Kathleen Coty ’64 I’m semi-retired but still working part-time as a psychotherapist, living and loving DeSoto Acres in Sarasota (two acres of Florida native land right near New College). After the first two months of the shutdown, I started to expand my social network to six small, socially distanced dinner parties and soirees. I bought a grand piano so that I can have musicians here to play. I found the slowdown a gift but have so much sorrow and grief in my heart for the many who lost so much. As you can imagine, as a therapist, I have been busier than ever, with little time for my fused glass artistry. I’m going to a twoday glass workshop to stimulate my artistic spirit. I miss most the connection with students (I used to host small dinners for them but that has not been possible). So I’m alive and well.

Glenda Cimino ’64 I’m living in Ireland. In December 2019, I was invited to give a paper in Athens at a Myth and Art Conference based on my play, Puppets of the Gods. During the third COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland, prohibiting most normal human contact and activities, I have been writing with a considerable degree of success at publication. I have had poems published in the Bealtaine Workshop pamphlets, a haibun in the international Haibun Journal, haiku in Seashores, and senryu in Failed Haiku online. My documentary film, Donnybrook’s Hidden Treasure, about an ancient cemetery in Dublin, has been shown in festivals and won third place in the international Spotlight Festival in Atlanta. My short play, Deja Vu, was shortlisted in the international Short and Sweet festival last year, and another haibun won an honorary mention in the 2021 Genjuan International Haibun Contest. And yet I feel I am doing nothing at all except attending Zoom meetings and sometimes walking the dogs. I now have three young Irish grandchildren, who I hope to visit when the present lockdown ends (they live on the other coast in beautiful Dingle).

David Adams ’67 After several years of planning, I helped purchase an approximately 9,000-square-foot, 19thcentury commercial building in 2019 in the downtown historical district of Hudson, New York. That December, some local artist friends and I opened a new multi-purpose visual arts center called Lightforms (lightformsartcenter. com). Since then, despite the pandemic, we have presented a series of events, including concerts, lectures and art exhibitions—starting with a large show of more than 30 American and European artists entitled Metamorphosis and the Living Forces of Nature. This was followed by a first-time exhibition of Swedish artworld sensation Hilma af Klint, as well as works by M.C. (Mary Caroline) Richards (author of Centering, which was very popular with New College students in the late 1960s); Judy Pfaff; and numerous other artists, including some that were shown in the United States for the first time.

Although retired now from nearly 30 years of teaching art history, I continue to edit, do layout, administrate and often write for an international visual arts magazine called the Art Section Newsletter (which, like Lightforms, emphasizes artwork created out of spiritual or idealistic inspiration, especially relating to anthroposophy). Recently, Lightforms was added by

Artforum to its listings of the best places to see art in upstate New York. If you are ever nearby Hudson, please stop by 743 Columbia St. I still live in California.

2000s

Justin Clark-Doane ’01 After 7½ years as a tenure-track assistant and then associate professor in Columbia University’s Philosophy Department, Justin got tenure! He is ecstatic about the intellectual freedom that this promotion facilitates, and has already begun branching into the foundations of physics. He thanks his great professors and friends at New College for setting him on this exciting life course.

Lauren Keenan ’02 moved to the following address in July: 69 Harmon Ave., Pelham, NY 10803. In October, her second son, Charlie, was born.

Maia Valkuchak Hinkle ’05 accepted a position at Vizient, Inc. as the senior director of CRM Strategy and IT BRM in July 2020. In 2019, she and her husband (Don) and son (Max) welcomed Elizabeth Grace Hinkle, thanks to modern science with in vitro fertilization. They are all surviving COVID-19 as a unit and enjoying the time they would have lost on commutes. Maria looks forward to rejoining the New College Alumni Association Board of Directors in the coming election. She and her family are still in North Dallas, Texas, and would welcome anyone traveling or studying in the area to visit.

Timothy Richardson ’09 is pleased to let you know that, after quite a few years of working for another financial adviser, he has started his own business, Greenspace Financial. Greenspace is here to make tax preparation, investments and insurance as easy as it can be for the client. Not only are taxes, investments and insurance complex, but they are deeply intertwined. Timothy is joining forces with accountant and financial expert Francine Cornaglia to bring comprehensive services to clients. Francine originally inspired him to join the financial services industry nearly a decade ago when he saw how much she loved working with her clients. At Greenspace, the team optimizes tax filing, builds and manages a tax-smart investment portfolio, and develops financial plans to help clients’ goals come to life. Timothy is currently accepting new clients, so if any Novos need help with their money, he would be happy to lend a hand.

2010s

Sean Patton ’11 has an environmental consulting company called Stocking Savvy (stockingsavvy. com) and recently finished a research paper on floating butterfly gardens! How cool is that?!

Robert Manley ’11 recently became the sole owner-operator of the Sarasota-based Boombacha Kombucha, which was previously available at local farmers’ markets. Since the pandemic began, Rob has been focusing on expanding the wholesale side of the business, and his kombucha is now available at several local restaurants. Direct-to-consumer sales are also available within the general SarasotaManatee area via Instagram @ BoombachaKombucha.

Alexis C. Jenkins ’16 (amazon.com/ author/alexisjenkins) is proud to be a self-published children’s author and illustrator with 16 books on the market. Jenkins graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics and is so thankful to have had the instructors, mentors and friends she made at New College.

ncalum@ncf.edu

Chris Garside, son of James (Jim) Ackerman ’64, sends word that his beloved father passed away on March 15, 2021. Garside writes: “He lived an amazing and colorful life— from Lake County, Oregon, through Wavy Gravy’s soup kitchen in San Francisco, to Mexico and back, and to Washington D.C. and back and back again—singing and writing, creating and learning until the very, very end. A skilled researcher and seeker of truth, writer and musician, carpenter and highly skilled artist and craftsman, one-of-a-kind and perhaps the nearly last of a breed, forever shaped and etched into the minds of many. Fare thee well, Great Traveler, upon your final journey from this plane.”

Headstone By James Ackerman

When I saddle up my spavined old nag And totter off across the pasture where they Put you out to if your galloping days Are done and you lost your knack at the stud, Point me toward the sun. The time to brag Is done. Hooves crash to earth with a dull thud. The herald trumpets blare without the praise Of glory in the fanfare, timbre gray As lead and heavier, bluegrass gone tan, All the fences unjumpable and stout, The gate locked behind you. I have a plan And a favor I would ask roundabout. The theme: Give my headstone a bit of grace. Here a good man lies, may he rest in place.

Diann Inge ’67 passed away on March 18, 2021.

As this issue of Nimbus was going to print, we learned of the passing of Sharon Matola ’78 on March 21, 2021 in Belize. We will share a full tribute to her in the next issue.

New College Foundation and Alumni Association Events

The New College Foundation’s October Annual Fund 1960 Campaign was successful and exceeded expected goals. Many Foundation Board of Directors members and alumni helped rally donations totaling $51,239.

The New College Alumni Association held a Town Hall on October 14, hosted by President Donal O’Shea. A College update and conversation were enjoyed by 35 alumni.

The Alumni Relations and VISTA staff teamed up in November for a two-week fundraising event that raised more than $2,000 in donations for the campus food pantry.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Foundation staff participated in a “Thankful Tuesday” event on December 2, calling and emailing donors to thank them for their support of New College.

The Alumni Relations staff facilitated a virtual talk on December 3 entitled “COVID-19: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Pandemic.” The panelists were three New College professors directly involved in the creation of the course: Manuel Lopez Zafra, Ph.D.; Queen Meccasia Zabriskie, Ph.D. and Jing Zhang, Ph.D. Maneesha Lal, Ph.D., associate director of faculty development and associate director of corporate and private Foundation relations, moderated. This event was virtually attended by 30 alumni.

NEW COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEW COLLEGE FOUNDATION, INC. THE KEATING CENTER 5800 BAY SHORE ROAD SARASOTA, FL 34243-2109

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PEI FOR THE FUTURE

Preserving the legacy of I.M. Pei

The New College Foundation has launched a $15 million fundraising campaign to refurbish the College’s residence halls, which were designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. After 55 years, these iconic structures are showing their age, and the Foundation invites the campus community (and beyond) to participate in preserving Pei’s work. Campaign funds will be used to replace roofs, seal buildings against water intrusion, install new cooling and heating systems, renew the courtyards, and renovate and upgrade the dorm rooms.