Alumni News

Ursula Purwin ’04, Meredith Pope ’04, and Lauren Kocher ’04 (from left) reunited at Homecoming 2019 for their 15th reunion.

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1940s Luman Colton ’43, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, writes that he shall always be grateful for his four years at Cornell, adding, “They made me a better teacher and person than I might otherwise have been.” At age 98, he reports, he is relatively active and ambulatory.

1950s Herb Heberling ’52, Fairfield, California, still plays tennis, is involved in a bocce league, horseshoe competition, and a duplicate bridge group. He had a major stroke but with immediate emergency response has completely recovered with no therapy needed.

Marcia McKeag Hawker ’53, Manchester, Iowa, moved from her home of 40 years into a condo just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “I am very happy in it and will be even happier when I am able to have visitors again,” she writes.

Carol Hills Linder ’55 writes she is living happily in Tucker, Georgia, in suburban Atlanta, and always looks forward to reading updates from classmates and others.

Wayne Bicknese ’56, West Union, Iowa, is a retired veterinarian. After successful cancer surgery he developed complications and spent seven months in the hospital, a swing bed, and respite care. He is now at home with kids and grandkids checking in every couple of days.

Kermit Dirks ’56, Ames, Iowa, recalls a trip to Chicago with roommate Jim Hardin ’56 and two others during their sophomore year to see a car show. They stayed in a downtown hotel, enjoying a dinner and big breakfast before starting out for the arena in the morning. Once there they discovered they were short on money. “As we were wondering what to do next, a traffic cop came over to us and asked what our problem was,” he writes. “We told him our trouble and to our surprise, he offered us four free tickets to the show! We enjoyed the show and shared two bags of popcorn, arriving back at Cornell late that night!”

Jim Hardin ’56, Bellingham, Washington, recalls being required by upperclassmen to wear his beanie under his football helmet during practice. “Having never played football prior to college, it was even more fun as a freshman,” he recalls.

Craig Sidles ’56, Flagstaff, Arizona, was dean of men at Cornell from 1959–1966. He recalls that both Coach Paul Scott ’29 and Professor Toppy Tull could beat him at pingpong. Russell Cole ’22 and Arland Christ-Janer were presidents, Howard R. Troyer was dean, and Jean Tompkins was dean of women. He still corresponds with Marilee Dam and Kay and Professor Emeritus of Physics Cot Graber in Mount Vernon. Gib Drendel ’58 was his Cornell roommate.

Ken McKinley ’57, Kirkwood, Missouri, was widowed for the second time and lives near his five grown kids. He still plays golf, trying for his fifth hole in one.

Gary Wulf ’58 splits his time between Maine and Mendota, Illinois. His labor relations practice has had unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19. “Makes me humble and glad, in a way, that there are still things to learn, even for an old dog,” he writes.

Marion Eustis Noe ’59, Vancouver, Washington, became a great-grandmother for the second time.

1960s

WEDDING

Donna Day Dvorak ’66 to Richard Schimmel ’66, May 1, 2020

Ann Archer Harsh ’61 and David Harsh ’61, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, traveled to Conrath, Wisconsin, on July 4 to attend their daughter’s garden wedding. David officiated at the ceremony. One hour before the ceremony a true Wisconsin thunderstorm broke loose, which lasted right up to the ceremony, causing the bride to walk barefoot down the grassy “aisle” through four-inch puddles on the arm of her son.

Carolyn Memler McNee ’62, Littleton, Colorado, lost her husband, Gary McNee ’61, on Feb. 14, 2020. She is thankful for the love of learning acquired at Cornell and still takes online courses. Her granddaughter Kelsey Jamison—the daughter of Matt Jamison ’89 and Jody McNee Jamison ’89—plans to enter Cornell in the fall.

Ernest Norris ’63, Pittsboro, North Carolina, and his wife Ann sold their mountain home, rented a condo, started building a new retirement home just south of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and spent a few months in Europe while it was built. “COVID-19, as horrible as it is, has provided some respite from the feverish pace and allowed time to contemplate the importance of friends, old and new,” he writes. “My time at Cornell was among the best years in my life. I thank you, my friends and classmates, for that.”

Kenneth Phillips ’63, Grayslake, Illinois, traveled to Taiwan twice and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, once this past year to speak at learning and development conferences.

Cornell College proudly honored these alumni during Homecoming 2020

Rupert Kinnard ’79 Distinguished Achievement

Cartoonist and graphic artist who originated the Brown Bomber, the oldest continuing Black gay comic character in the U.S.

Jay Justin ’89 Leadership & Service

Longtime president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley who has dedicated his life to supporting children.

Eddie Moore ’89 Leadership & Service

A sought-after diversity consultant, educator, author, activist, scholar, and lecturer on social and racial issues; founder of the White Privilege Conference in 1999.

Tim Zimmerman ’84 Leadership & Service

A pioneer in the development and implementation of technical standards for Wi-Fi; his work has five patents and a revolutionary impact on inventory management.

Lindsay Bachman ’11 Young Alumna

Education coordinator at Hope Academy in South Carolina, where she values learning among students with special needs, especially those with autism.

TaSheena CunninghamRimmer ’06 Young Alumna

Assistant general counsel to the Chicago Housing Authority, with a passion for the pursuit of justice and equality.

Nakyda Dean ’08 Young Alumna

OB-GYN physician serving patients in Malawi and in the Navajo Nation, dedicating her career to bringing quality health care to underserved populations.

Richard Small ’50 Athletic Hall of Fame

Member of the legendary 1947 national championship wrestling team and 1949 MWC champion at 165 pounds; a giant in Cornell’s history who has made a widespread and lasting impact on campus through leadership and philanthropy.

WEB EXTRA

Read more at crnl.co/2020awards

In mid-June Dennis Bark ’64 reported that there was not a single case of the novel coronavirus where he and his wife live, which is one of three campuses of a retirement community in Portola Valley, California, with 788 residents and staff.

David Wilkinson ’64, a retired Methodist minister in Tucson, Arizona, wonders if we can in some ways be grateful for the pandemic, particularly with how we are becoming a planetary family awakening to our oneness with all of creation. “I’ve already experienced the impact this crisis has had in our neighborhood. We are not shaking hands, nor hosting large gatherings, but there is a feeling of solidarity, concern, and compassion that is genuinely having an impact on our hearts. We are talking more with each other. Our bodies are six feet apart, but our hearts are increasingly intertwined,” he writes. “If it can happen in our neighborhood, it can happen on planet Earth. Maybe that is cause for gratitude.”

Donna Johnson Wright

’64, Chicago, Illinois, retired in 2017 after 30 years working as a Chicago public schools social worker. She and her late husband shared 32 years of marriage and two children. She has an 18-year-old grandson. “I still live in Chicago’s south side and enjoy all that the city has to offer. I was part of the group of Cornellians that became Peace Corps Volunteers. I served in Togo, West Africa, as a teacher, an experience that influenced the direction of my life.”

After teaching and coaching at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School for 34 years, Robert Becker ’65, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was inducted into the Jefferson Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2007 he was inducted into the Teachers’ Hall of Fame. “I attribute such honors as an indication of the education I received at Cornell,” he writes.

Richard Chambers ’65 still works and divides his time between Barrington, Illinois, and Naples, Florida, with his significant other, Pamela Schiewe. In recent years they have been able to tour Europe and make an annual trip to a Scottish golf club. He was married for 40 years before his wife died in 2008 and has two daughters, one son-in-law, and two grandchildren. “I look forward each year to spending several fall days with Delt brothers in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, playing golf and re-re-re-telling stories about our time at Cornell.”

After almost 15 years as a CASA (court-appointed special advocate) volunteer representing the best interests of abused or neglected children in court, Tom Herbert ’66, Hopkinton, New Hampshire, called it quits. This was partially due to his Parkinson’s and also the difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Paul Lubenkov III ’67, LaGrange, Illinois, retired from college teaching to devote time to the promotion of his poetry collection “Tap Dancing on the Razor’s Edge,” as well as to work on a book of interlocking short stories. “Or as the classic rock group The Who so perceptively sang, ‘Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss,’” he writes.

Aleta Grillos Trauger ’68, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville, became the first woman to receive the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award in the Sixth Circuit. “Judge Trauger has demonstrated extraordinary industry, character, and intellect in every position she has held in her distinguished career,” her nominators wrote. “Even more remarkable is the fact that, throughout her career, she has been the first or one of the first women to hold each position.”

Mike Conklin ’69, Highland Park, Illinois, is teaching a summer class, “Reel News: Journalism as Depicted in Hollywood Films,” at Lake Forest College via distance learning. Since the class goes for one month, he says it’s similar to the block plan.

1970s

WEDDING

Pamela Rechel ’72 to Deborah Brown, Sept. 22, 2018

Tom McKay ’70, Hampton, Illinois, appeared on WHBFTV’s “Living Local” to share information about how he is using his most recent novel, “The Old Guard,” to help independent bookstores during the pandemic. He also explained a one-on-one telephone tutorial he is giving titled “Introduction to Writing Short Stories.”

Jackie Lockridge Wallace

’71, Mount Vernon, Iowa, was selected as one of the 9 Who Care sponsored annually by ABC-affiliate KCRG-TV. She has volunteered at Miracles in Motion, a therapeutic horseback-riding program, since 1989. She also volunteers through Cedar Valley Humane Society as a pet therapy visitor to care centers and adult daycare facilities.

Following retirement from Disney’s legal department after almost 40 years, Lee Schmudde ’72, Celebration, Florida, plans to complete his family’s 50-state vacation goal and 50-country travel goal this year. He has been asked by Disney to become president of a subsidiary supporting military families but will continue traveling with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He writes that “experiential education is key in this time where liberal studies are de-emphasized in schools.” Jane Stave-Viemeister ’72, Carmichael, California, retired in July after 45 years of teaching piano and music classes. At her most recent position at Sierra College, she was chair of the music department for six years. Her plans are to create a website and populate it with a backlog of a variety of pedagogical levels of original piano pieces. She’s also downsizing her large collection of scores and books, childproofing for visits from her grandson, and enjoying pool time in the afternoons. “My wife and I enjoy our two yappy dogs and large black cat and look forward to what’s next!” she writes.

Michele Merrell Bryan ’73, St. Louis, Missouri, retired from private practice in marriage and family therapy in November of 2019. Along with her recently retired husband, she planned a number of trips for 2020 that were canceled when the pandemic arrived, but she writes that they are blessed to be healthy, financially stable, and have their three grown children and two grandchildren in St. Louis. She was able to have a physically distanced get-together with Cornell roommate Ann Carbee Jones ’73. They phoned Chris “Jenna” Hanus Hiratzka ’73 while together.

William Rapier ’73, Plano, Texas, and his wife Melanie were exposed to COVID-19 by their daughter and son-in-law, who traveled to Arizona to look for a house, leaving their two boys with grandpa and grandma. Everyone survived, but until there is a vaccine or immunity booster enhancement, they won’t be able to travel to Arizona for a visit.

Andrea Baker Banning

’74 and her husband began the pandemic in self-isolation at home in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, after a trip to Maui. She reports that Canada was proactive with early closures and feels fortunate that they have an excellent health care system.

Richard Bentley Jr. ’74, Hacienda Heights, California, spent most of the last 45 years as a United Methodist pastor, mainly in Southern California. For the past 20 years, he has been involved in building international bridges between progressive Methodist churches in the United States and not-so-progressive Methodist churches in other countries. He is married to Ruth and has a daughter named Hope, who is following her father’s footsteps as a minister in Minnesota. He plans to remain active in establishing global connections for peace and social justice.

Wendy Buresh ’74, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recently retired from her solo family medical practice and, pre-pandemic, planned to spend as much time as she could traveling. She has two children and, in Wendy’s words, one of them, unfortunately, followed her into the medical profession.

Linda Chin ’74, Concord, Massachusetts, has been practicing international trade and business immigration law. She has four children, is an avid vegetable and flower gardener, and even more avid world traveler. Before the pandemic she traveled about four months of each year.

Ann Edmonds ’74, Rye, New York, worked for a bank for over 40 years and has retired. She spends time gardening, sewing, and traveling.

Susan Even ’74 attended medical school and has been practicing family medicine in Columbia, Missouri. She served as director of student health for the University of Missouri. She has two sons and one grandson.

Jerry Gale ’74, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, volunteers for Democratic political campaigns in Minnesota and occasionally posts to a blog at mndemsvolunteer.com Lisa Gillis-Keating ’74, Darien, Illinois, has worked as a real estate agent for over 35 years. She also works as a fundraiser for a real estate political PAC that protects homeownership rights. Lisa is married and has one son and three grandchildren.

Nancy House-Winiecki ’74, Dyer, Indiana, retired about 10 years ago after working for 33 years as a teacher, coach, and guidance counselor. Nancy reported that she, Wendy Buresh ’74, Barbara Bartlett Spalten ’74, and Jennifer Nielsen Erbes ’75 took a vacation in April to Paris and London. She has two children.

William Maxson ’74, St. Louis, Missouri, coached swimming after Cornell, then got married and decided he needed to earn more money. He entered the financial planning business and has been with the same firm for 37 years. He became a managing partner in 1996. During this time, he stayed active in swimming. He has been on the USA Swimming board of directors for more than 30 years and was president of USA Swimming for four years. For the last eight years, he has served on the board of the USA Swimming Foundation. Bill spends time in Fort Myers, Florida.

Following graduation, Marcia Radosevich ’74, Wellington, Florida, earned a doctorate and taught sociology on the East Coast for a few years. Then she went into the private sector and started a health care IT company. She ran it, took it public, and then sold it after nine-and-a-half years. For the past 20 years she has been busy riding horses, sitting on corporate boards, and investing in health care IT start-ups. Regarding the next 45 years, Marcia said she is investigating several opportunities, including starting a living seed cooperative to help prevent the extinction of certain seeds.

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Cornell Connect is your passport to the Cornell College network, and we invite you to join! cornell-connect.com

Barbara Bartlett Spalten ’74, Uniontown, Ohio, is retired after spending over 27 years working at Paychex. She has two children and two grandkids. Prior to the pandemic she spent her time volunteering, going to the gym, visiting friends, and traveling.

After Cornell Elizabeth Marbach Thompson ’74, Elmhurst, Illinois, taught briefly, then went to graduate school and started at the futures market in Chicago. She was there during an exciting time as the market expanded into other commodities. She retired about 20 years ago and has focused on raising her stepson and traveling with her husband.

After many successful years working in business, education, and government, Mark Weston ’74 retired to Estes Park, Colorado, where he hikes in the mountains three times a week. He posts pictures from his hikes on Facebook to make everyone else jealous of what he sees outside his front window.

Steven Anderson ’75, McLean, Virginia, was named by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to serve as a member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Consultation Panel. Producing a vaccine is one piece of the task, but another equally critical component is ensuring public understanding, acceptance, and participation in any vaccine campaign. Steve was also selected to serve as chair-elect of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and as chair of the ASAE Research Foundation board.

Ronald Farrier ’75, Columbus Junction, Iowa, retired from the John Deere business after 20 years but still farms around 2,000 acres. He and his wife celebrated 43 years of marriage and have five grandchildren.

Jane Griesy ’75, Two Harbors, Minnesota, reports that her grandkids are such blessings and joys.

Nancy Wickersham

Haaheim ’75 and Gary Haaheim ’75, Chaska, Minnesota, report that Nancy began a COVID-19-related leave of absence from the local bakery in mid-March while Gary’s substitute teaching job also vanished. They are strictly quarantining due to their high risk status. They report enjoying their time at home and keeping in touch with their four kids via Facebook video chats. Nancy is deeply involved with a local political campaign for the Minnesota Senate.

Bruce Hillner ’75, Richmond, Virginia, is 90% retired with lingering involvement in a research project. Following a 2018 kitchen renovation, Bruce continues to be delighted each day at home with fresh coffee from the Miele built-in coffee maker that complements his three-newspaper habit. He still runs regularly and travels domestically and internationally with friend Tricia. Bruce has two grandchildren.

Kent Knopp ’75, Monticello, Iowa, is retired and still working on his old house and caring for aging parents.

Yvonne Bauer Livingston

’75, Aurora, Colorado, is semi-retired and self-employed doing property management and FCC licensing. Her two girls are now in their 30s, and she has one grandson.

Molly McMahon ’75, Rochester, Minnesota, is an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, specializing in caring for critically ill patients who require intravenous nutrition or tube feeding. She is president of the Mayo physician staff and of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. She enjoys summer and winter sports at their family cabin in northern Wisconsin near Hayward.

Robert Obst ’75, Roswell, Georgia, works as a psychologist in Atlanta. Along with his wife Carol, a psychiatrist, they run a clinic in Atlanta. He enjoys trail running, tennis, music, books, and reflecting on fond memories from the Cornell years. Three years ago Bob Pierce ’75, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was reacquainted with a widowed high school friend—and last summer they enjoyed a honeymoon in Paris, with side trips to Monet’s garden as well as the Normandy beaches. He retired in February and is enjoying more control over his schedule, home projects, catching up on reading, and spending time with his wife. “During my visits to Florida to see Pam, I was privileged to get reacquainted with [the late] Charles Milhauser. I am glad I got the chance to thank him for all he did for me. His response was: ‘So, I didn’t ruin your life?’ Most assuredly he did not.”

Bill Smale ’75 sold his dwellings, landed in Thailand to go scuba diving, got locked down in Thailand, and then banned from entering his country of residence, Japan. After all hotels closed in his area, he found a hotel in the next province where he became the only customer and was granted a huge discount for the suite room with private patio, free use of a motorcycle and free dogs and cats to enjoy, not to mention the short ride to the beach. His stay enabled the owner to eat and pay basic bills. Thailand is granting refugees visa amnesty until Sept. 26, “which should give me time to plan the great escape to Japan, Croatia, or any other country that will accept an old American with two backpacks, now my only possessions,” Bill writes. He is keeping a travel blog at folksytravel.com

John Guthmann ’76, St. Paul, Minnesota, writes that Cornell prepared him for an unpredictable world. He recently called upon his history degree to write an article, “Clara Anderson vs. City of St. Paul: A Woman’s Fight To Save Her Job in the Face of Discrimination” for the Ramsey County History magazine. In 2013 Ann ScholtenSampson ’76 began a one-person business to provide editing of college and university-level papers, proposals, and articles written in English by non-native speakers in the Netherlands. Joining a countrywide association of other expats doing similar work helped in many ways. “But thanks to the basis of liberal education followed by medical technology and medical geography (and 34 years with a physicist), I can tackle nearly any subject. The fun part is learning something from every assignment!” she writes.

Richard Harris ’77, McLean, Virginia, is working in his third “career.” After 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and 13-plus years in the Department of Homeland Security, he is currently working for the MITRE Corporation helping the U.S. and foreign governments increase their cybersecurity capacities. This work has taken him to Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe over the last couple of years. He and his wife of 35 years have lived in the same house for 15 years, which is the longest he’s lived in one place since his four years at Cornell.

Harley Newell ’78, Minneapolis, Minnesota, welcomed his fourth grandchild in March. He still enjoys taking family and friends out on Lake Minnetonka, golfing, reading, and staying ahead of house projects. He also reports that the pandemic precluded the Boyz of Tarr Hall from attending their fourth annual Get Down Days celebration at the Iowa farm of Karl Kost ’77. While sheltering in place, Brian Tyndall ’78 has been hosting a Zoom call so a few of the fellows (including Harley and Rob Lothrop ’78, Gordy Hellwig ’78, John Day ’78, Jay Burhans ’77, Dan Morse ’77, and “Dandy” Don Fraker ’77) can keep in touch and share their stories, book, and movie or show reviews, and family happening updates. He reports: “We are all doing well and in good health (maintaining our sanity may be another thing though).”

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Victoria Martin Phipps

’79, Houston, Texas, retired from her partnership at Littler Mendelson in Houston and started working as a hearing officer at Texas A&M University. She and Darryl Phipps ’77 celebrated 42 years of marriage in December. Both of their children are lawyers in Houston. They love to babysit their two grandchildren.

1980s Jeff Etienne ’81, Richfield, Minnesota, retired in 2017 after 32 years teaching and coaching in Richfield. In retirement he works as an educational and health-wellness consultant.

Laurence Kinsella ’81, St. Louis, Missouri, was featured in the online Bicycling Magazine article “Why This Neurologist ‘Spin Doctor’ Wants You to Keep Riding: Physician Laurence Kinsella Believes Movement is Medicine—and Teaches Spin Classes to Prove It.” In addition to his law practice, Kevin Drendel ’82, North Aurora, Illinois, is on the board of directors of Administer Justice, a national faith-based legal aid organization; serves on the local advisory board for Administer Justice in the northern Illinois region; and operates the Aurora Legal Aid Clinic. Any Cornell attorneys who would like to open clinics in their areas may contact Kevin at kgd@batavialaw.com: “We will provide $5,000, all of the forms and protocols to open a clinic, training, resources, and ongoing support from the home office in Elgin, Illinois.”

Jackie Clark ’83 is retiring from her long and successful teaching and coaching career in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area. Coach Clark has 22 published books with several publishers covering a wide range of topics, and a bestselling book of poetry in Japan. She will devote more time to writing books. Sean Minear ’84, Weld, Maine, has taught in a culinary arts program at the Foster Career and Technical Education Center for 27 years, and he’s been executive chef for Camp Kawanhee for Boys for 22 years. He’s also been president of the Weld Historical Society for 26 years, writing and publishing three books relating to Weld history while volunteering for the society. However, his longest position of employment has been as sexton of the 210-year-old Mountain View Cemetery. He mows, paints fences, rights stones, sells plots, and digs graves by hand. “I have come to realize that my PAAC co-president training at Cornell taught me well in terms of organizing and being involved in one’s community,” he writes.

David Arvidson ’88 and Sue Caponi Arvidson ’88, West St. Paul, Minnesota, celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary while quarantined together. Their daughters—Clare, 26; Catherine, 23; and Mary Cecilia, 19—helped make the celebration special. Sue was elected to the board of the American School Counselor Association and will serve a three-year term supporting school counselors around the country. She is one of the lead school counselors for the St. Paul Public Schools. Dave recently celebrated over 30 years with Wells Fargo.

David Hanses ’88, San Diego, California, is executive director of development at Scripps Institution of Oceanography on the University of California San Diego campus. Its research and other programs took him across the country and around the world. Now with COVID-19 he began working remotely March 11. Cornell Zoom happy hours and game nights with friends have been a great way to keep connected.

Mary Jo Huebner ’88 joins Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Sept. 8, 2020, as vice president for admission and financial aid. She recently served as interim vice president of enrollment management at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa.

Janene Panfil ’89, Iowa City, Iowa, writes that red wine and dark chocolate have been among the keys to surviving COVID-19 in the Panfil-Stumbo household. Their son kept them well stocked with sourdough bread through the spring, and they’ve been brewing their own kombucha.

1990s

WEDDING

Kristin Morgan ’95 to Victor DiPrizio ’96, June 20, 2020

Ilene Crawford ’92 and Robert McGuire ’92 moved to Mount Vernon, Iowa, where Ilene now serves as Cornell College’s provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. She is Cornell’s first chief academic officer to study under the One Course At A Time curriculum. Robert is an independent marketing consultant. Though a cross-country move during the pandemic was challenging, they love being back after 28 years away, and they’re looking forward to getting to know the region and their new neighbors better.

Ari Maduff ’92, Flossmoor, Illinois, reports that since 2015 he’s had some interesting court cases. He argued the case of Pension Litigation to the Illinois Supreme Court, which ruled 7-0 to strike the Illinois pension fix as unconstitutional, and got the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to reinstate a $120,000 sexual harassment jury verdict after one of the most exciting oral arguments he had ever had. He argued U.S. v. Bales (the Kandahar Massacre) to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. He writes that he is working from home and doing well, “though my 9-year-old is very frustrated with what must seem to him like being on house arrest for the last four months.”

Kaitlynn Lewis Griffith ’93, Coralville, Iowa, is beginning her life as an empty-nester as the last of her four children is off to Northeastern University in Boston in the fall. She will be looking into new hobbies and volunteer activities.

Chae Couser Rice ’94, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, taught private vocal lessons for 30 years and retired last year to care for her mother. She homeschooled all her children (ages 23, 21, 18, and 11) and enjoyed her mom role immensely.

Lisa Kruis Pavalon ’95, Plainfield, Illinois, had an awesome time attending the small wedding of Kristin Morgan ’95 and Vic DiPrizio ’96 on June 20, 2020. Others in attendance included Adam Lindenlaub ’96 and Kim Bever Alles ’95.

Peter Hoehnle ’96, Homestead, Iowa, taught history classes at Cornell during Blocks 3 and 4 this past year. He is a park ranger at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch.

Jack Lumanog ’96, Atlanta, Georgia, was promoted to 4th Degree Master Black Belt in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan, a discipline he has studied since he was in sixth grade. For two consecutive years Jack has held three Top 5 world titles in the North American Sport Karate Association as a competitive martial artist under his own organization, Lumanog Martial Arts. In June Johnnie Johnson ’97 was named vice president for admission at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, after serving as interim vice president for a year. He has worked at Transylvania since 2011 and is immediate past president of the Kentucky Association for College Admission Counseling. Johnnie began his admission career as a Cornell student tour guide and, after graduation, as an admission counselor at Cornell.

Cheyenne McClure Martin

’97, Mountville, Pennsylvania, published a novel, “Onyx:05” under her pen name W. C. McClure.

In 2019 Wendy Miller ’98, Byrnes Mill, Missouri, went on a northern Europe trip with her mom and 9-year-old, visiting nine countries: England, Scotland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Russia, and Finland.

RJ Holmes-Leopold ’99, Eagan, Minnesota, was elected to serve as an inaugural co-chair of the Voice of the Liberal Arts Committee of the Liberal Arts Career Network (LACN), a consortium of 41 top U.S. liberal arts colleges. He will also begin the executive doctorate in higher education management program at the University of Pennsylvania in August. He and his husband, Marvin Holmes-Leopold ’11, live with their four-legged kids Tazz and Carlee.

Kathleen Megonigal ’99, Fort Worth, Texas, accompanied her mom on a trip to Hawaii last year. “Mom’s getting older, so a trip together is a special memory experience I’ll treasure—even though I told a security guard not to find my lost mom!” she writes.

2000s

WEDDINGS

Michael Helgens ’05 to Josh Molitor, July 4, 2019

Christina Lorraine Brady

’07 to Chad Everett Stone, Sept. 21, 2019

Lydia Brock ’07 to Joel Richardson, Oct. 11, 2019

BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS

Aubrie Allard, May 1, 2020, to

Tara Drollinger Allard ’04

and Mark Allard

Sadie Mae Parizek, Oct. 3, 2019, to Trisha Parizek ’04 and Chuck Gent

Amelia James and Miles Amir Bangura, March 27, 2020, to

Andrea Arzuaga Bangura

’05 and Yusuf Bangura

Millie Rose Lienemann, April 11, 2019, to David Lienemann ’05 and Sydney Lienemann

Logan Olivier Brock-Richardson, June 18, 2020, to Lydia BrockRichardson ’07 and Joel Richardson

Caleb James Knorr, Jan. 16, 2020, to Kristin Krile Knorr ’07 and Michael Knorr

Robert Sebastian Mosetick, May 23, 2020, to Kate Mendenhall Mosetick ’09 and Ben

Mosetick ’11

Terri Sonnek LeBlanc ’00, Marion, Iowa, is co-owner of Swamp Fox Bookstore in Marion. Their goal with the independent bookstore is to open in a larger space in Uptown Marion when it becomes available. “But for now, we are finding our footing and talking to the community about the kinds of books they want to see on our shelves,” she writes.

Star Simmons ’12 married Shawn Wall in July 2019, and they celebrated their marriage on Nov. 2, 2019, in Dubuque, Iowa. Cornellians present, from left, were Robin Dye Wall ’87, Chris Dean ’08, Kara Federow ’09 with Jace, Star Simmons Wall ’12, maid of honor Katie Walusiak ’10, bridesmaid Tara McConohy ’12, and Hannah Garvey ’15.

Heather Carmichael

Scoville ’00, Ladora, Iowa, was appointed to the 2020-21 Iowa Science Leadership Team, made up of science teachers, curriculum consultants, and administrators who shape the future of science education in Iowa. Her son, a high school senior, planned to attend Cornell’s One Course Summer Institute that was canceled because of the pandemic, but is considering making the Hilltop his college home.

Cornell College Trustee Harper Reed ’01, Chicago, Illinois, has been named as one of the Tech 50 in Crain’s Chicago Business, which says its 10th edition of the list is mostly for all-stars. The article says, “Reed, 42, is one of Chicago’s most celebrated technologists. He went from chief technology officer at T-shirt company Threadless to Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign before launching mobile-commerce startup Modest, which sold to PayPal in 2015.”

Anna Norstedt ’02, St. Paul, Minnesota, lost her grandmother at age 95, exactly 21 years after her grandfather’s death. Once the pandemic arrived her work with homebound teaching and banquet serving was shut down, although she was able to continue work with other tasks, and was hired for summer school. “I am currently getting to know the Little Free Libraries, C-SPAN, public access channel, Hallmark Christmas specials, and any murder shows,” she writes.

Ryan Devereux ’03 has been named principal of the 7-12 grades at Belle Plaine, Iowa, Community Schools.

Tara Drollinger Allard ’04, Stacy, Minnesota, and husband Mark welcomed their third child, Aubrie Esther Allard, May 1. Tara continues to enjoy her job as a special education teacher at Roseville Area Middle School. Elizabeth Ashe ’04 works as the exhibit and events technician for American University in Washington, D.C. She is lead curator for “Not So Concrete,” an exhibition that went online with a custom-built viewing room at ashe-and-norton.com, supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Trisha Parizek ’04, South English, Iowa, welcomed Sadie Mae Parizek on Oct. 3, 2019. She joins siblings Karlee, Jacob, and Mason.

Andrea Arzuaga Bangura

’05, Chicago, Illinois, and her husband Yusuf welcomed twins on March 27. “Both babies are healthy and thriving, and we are spending lots of quality time together due to giving birth during a pandemic,” she writes.

Addy Free ’05, St. Paul, Minnesota, became registrar at Amherst College.

David Lienemann ’05, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and his wife moved to Alaska from Washington, D.C., in 2017. While there he freelanced and worked in the governor’s office. In April 2019 they welcomed baby Millie, and then immediately moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to enjoy some sunshine. David’s book, “Biden: The Obama Years and the Battle for the Soul of America,” recounting his eight years as White House photographer for Vice President Joe Biden, is slated for release Sept. 8.

Nikki Bonar Hinton ’06 and Dustin Hinton ’07 moved with their four children (Keira, 12; Kiefer, 11; Kealah, 10; Keo, 8) to Fairfield, Iowa, in 2017, where Dustin took a job as an associate enterprise scrum master at Cambridge Investment Research. In June 2020, Dustin was promoted to scrum master manager, responsible for managing a team of 10 scrum masters servicing around 25 teams in the technology organization. Dustin and Nikki were married in 2006 while students at Cornell. Next February, they will celebrate 15 years of marriage. Chelsea Yates Sims ’06, Iowa City, Iowa, was a student worker in Cole Library when Jean Donham was director, studied and collaborated with Jean in graduate school, and now is coauthor of the fourth edition of Jean’s “Enhancing Teaching and Learning: A Leadership Guide for School Librarians” (2020). “I approached updates from the point of view of a new or practicing librarian and asked myself what I would have wanted to know that wasn’t already included in the text,” she reports. “Diversity and inclusion were among the essential elements to expand in this edition, as well as an articulation of the connection between makerspaces, coding, and other recent trends to the mission of school libraries.” Chelsea is a teacher librarian at South East Junior High in Iowa City, Iowa, and an active presenter at conferences locally and nationally. She has served in leadership roles within the American Association of School Librarians and American Library Association affiliate organizations.

Ryan Taugher ’06 lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife Corinne Porter-Taugher, and is director of the Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of State, which implements international training to prevent proliferator states and terrorist groups from developing weapons of mass destruction.

Darius Ballard ’07 was named interim principal of Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Many of the skills I honed at Cornell have positioned me to get to this point,” he writes. “My education and life science were critical. And, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout-out to Megan Hicks and John Harp. Their investment in me was huge. And, Marty Condon has spent so much time with me, long after my undergrad experience had concluded. I was definitely shaped by my experience on the Hilltop.”

Lydia Brock-Richardson ’07, Houston, Texas, was married in 2019 to Joel Richardson and had a baby boy, Logan Olivier, on June 18, 2020.

Kristin Krile Knorr ’07, Moorhead, Minnesota, gave birth Jan. 16 to Caleb James Knorr. She reports that “returning” from leave during quarantine to work from home with an infant was interesting, but she treasured their bonus three months together before heading back to the office. Caleb is popular during Zoom meetings. She leads the N.D. Afterschool Network, working to increase access to highquality, safe, and affordable out-of-school programming for Pre-K-12 students.

Gabrielle Read-Hess ’07

and Matt Roberts ’09 bought a home on an acre of land in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the end of July. They have dreams of one day starting a small organic vegetable farm. In the interim, they’re just excited to expand their own gardening and give their fur baby more room to run. Matt is in his 10th year in marketing with Premier Media and Premier Guitar magazine. Gabrielle is approaching her seventh year working in operations with the Office of Alumni & College Advancement at Cornell, where her career is taking another step forward as she recently took on many new responsibilities.

Jennifer Rutt ’07, Lincoln, Nebraska, received her doctorate in educational studies (educational leadership in higher education) in May.

Nicholas Creal ’08, Bozeman, Montana, continues to serve Petra Bozeman as associate pastor while also working as a construction project estimator and marketing manager at Golden Eagle Woodwork until he’s asked to be in full-time

ministry. He and his wife have three children and recently closed on their first house—and are trying to grow gardens and raise chickens.

2010s

WEDDINGS

Twila Zoerner ’11 to Casey Cotter, Dec. 20, 2019

Star Simmons ’12 to Shawn Wall, July 23, 2019

Jacob Fields ’14 to Adrianne Isaacson, Oct. 6, 2019

Haley Severance ’15 to Matthew Howard, Oct. 27, 2019

BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS

Robert Sebastian Mosetick, May 23, 2020, to Kate Mendenhall Mosetick ’09 and Ben

Mosetick ’11

Charlotte Tanguay-Ward, May 14, 2020, to Julia Tanguay ’11 and Christopher Ward

Junia Grey Bailey, April 17, 2020, to Calla Holmes-Robbins Bailey ’13 and Peter Bailey

Marie Katherine Randall, April 4, 2020, to Olivia Cotton Randall ’13 and Joshua

Randall ’14

Amelia Grace Latow, July 9, 2020, to Alex Latow ’15 and

Kelsey Boss Latow ’15

Greyson Charles Moen, March 11, 2020, to Alexander Moen ’17 and Kayla Moen

Abbey Bavley Kobylinski ’11, Roeland Park, Kansas, started an Etsy shop called Bleach Bae, featuring acid wash sweatshirts, crops, and tanks. She adopted a chiweenie (dachshund-chihuahua mix) that is “the cutest good boy who ever did chase a squirrel.” Benjamin Thompson ’12, Durham, New Hampshire, writes that his sanity depends on Zoom calls with old friends long absent.

Diego Verdugo ’12, Phoenix, Arizona, was chosen as a member of the 2020 class of 40 Under 40 by InvestmentNews, a list of top young professionals in the financial planning industry. Born in Mexico and growing up near the border as the child of Mexican immigrants, Verdugo arrived at Cornell College with $60 in his pocket and some food packed by his mother. At Cornell, Diego relied on both academic and need-based financial aid in order to complete his studies— something he’s very grateful for. In his role at Principal, Diego provides consulting support to financial advisors and their clients around advanced financial planning needs such as retirement, education, and estate planning. He now serves as leader of the corporate affairs team for the Phoenix chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America and teaches financial literacy as a volunteer director of Junior Achievement, all while studying for his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and spending time with his family.

Calla Holmes-Robbins

Bailey ’13, Valparaiso, Indiana, and her husband Peter and son Levi welcomed Junia Grey Bailey into the world and quarantine on April 17. She notes that Junia has been in COVID-19 quarantine her entire life.

Victoria Johnson ’13, Inkster, Michigan, completed her Peace Corps service in Tonga in 2019. She served as an English teacher and facilitator in a small village and worked on community development. “What I am most proud of are the strong friendships I made in different communities and the remodel of my primary school, which included a water tank to provide fresh water to my host village,” she writes. Melissa Mannon ’13, Arlington, Virginia, transitioned into state government in December 2020 to be the senior policy manager for value-based purchasing in Virginia’s Medicaid agency. “I know that title sounds like 100% jargon (because it is). My job boils down to designing economic and nonmonetary incentives to ensure high quality care for members and sustainable costs for the program,” she writes.

David Zabner ’13, Cambridge, Massachusetts, received a master’s degree in computer science from Tufts University, got engaged, and will be teaching computer science as a lecturer at Cornell College this fall.

Narda Aldaco ’14, Phoenix, Arizona, enrolled at Thunderbird School of Global Management to pursue her executive master’s degree in global leadership this fall—in pursuit of becoming a foreign service officer and, one day, a diplomat. She bought a house and continues to work for the city of Phoenix as a re-engagement coordinator.

Jacob Fields ’14, Mine Hill, New Jersey, is the vice principal at Achieve Community Charter School.

Liane Olson ’14, Minneapolis, Minnesota, purchased her first home.

Kelsey Boss Latow ’15 and Alex Latow ’15, Deltona, Florida, welcomed a baby girl, Amelia Grace, on July 9. Alex is moving the gym he owns to a new location.

Roman Meyers ’15, Solon, Iowa, began his duties as finance officer with the City of Solon in January 2020.

Tianzi Zhang ’15, Seattle, Washington, successfully defended her dissertation in chemistry from the University of Washington. She was a founding graduate student of the lab where she investigated asthma and kidney disease. Laurel Fraser Capesius ’16, Los Angeles California, was commissioned as provisional clergy in the United Methodist Church. She was also published in a new devotional called “Speaking Truth: Women Raising Their Voices in Prayer,” which centers on marginalized voices and features clergywomen under the age of 40.

Muriel Grubb ’16, Stillwater, Minnesota, completed her master’s degree in anthropology with a certificate in geographic information science and technology at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

Sarah Johnson ’16, Chicago, Illinois, joined the firm Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff PC. Sarah earned her juris doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2019. She will focus her practice on litigation, with an emphasis on coverage and other insurance-related cases. Previously Sarah worked as a law clerk for the Chicago Court of Claims under Judge Neil Hartigan, served as a legal extern at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and performed research for Professors Cynthia Ho and Jordan Paradise.

Bethany King ’16, a secondyear student in the doctor of osteopathic medicine program at Des Moines University, received the 2020 Bioethics Discipline Award during the College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean’s Award Program. She received the award for demonstrating excellence in intent and performance in the college’s two ethics courses. Bethany was a teaching assistant in ethics for first-year students, was the

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Low-Residency Program

UPCOMING RESIDENCY DATES Dec. 30, 2020–Jan. 7, 2021 (online) July 1–9, 2021

cornellcollege.edu/mfa

treasurer of the Geriatrics Club, and an educator for a mobile app developed to help pregnant women monitor the well-being of their babies during the third trimester of their pregnancy.

Since 2017 Hana Martin ’16, Duluth, Georgia, has taught Spanish at a large high school outside Atlanta, Georgia, where she lives with her two cats and many plants.

Kaitlyn Christensen ’17, Fort Collins, Colorado, finished law school at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, Illinois, where she was president of the International Law Society and an editor for the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal. She worked part time at the global law firm that has hired her, Alvarez & Marsal. Gregory Hill ’17, Phoenix, Arizona, bought a house and has been rewatching “Star Trek: Voyager” for the 100th time between enjoying “Dark,” a German sci-fi time travel show, on Netflix.

Alexander Moen ’17, Mount Vernon, Iowa, married his wife Kayla in 2015, transferred to Kirkwood Community College for a nursing degree and, on March 11, their son Greyson was born.

Marikate Murphy ’18, Albion, Michigan, is associate head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Albion College.

After graduation Sydney Pratt ’18, Irwin, Iowa, landed a long-term choir substitute teacher position at North Cedar Junior-Senior High School. Now she’s in her second year of teaching music and talented and gifted at the IKM-Manning School District. She also adopted her first cat. Oliver Vale ’18, West Des Moines, Iowa, is employed by the U.S. Probation Office for the Southern District of Iowa as a U.S. probation and pretrial officer.

Andrew Hanson ’19, Escondido, California, is the product development engineer at Microtek Inc.

Ryan Wiley ’19, Batavia, Illinois, works for Woofbeach as a certified dog trainer, teaching pups all sorts of things from basic and advanced obedience to working through behavioral issues such as aggression and anxiety. 2020s Morgan Barnard ’20 got a job as a high school English teacher at Pekin High School in Pekin, Iowa, and is moving to a new house in Brighton, Iowa.