Nimbus Spring 2015

#76 Spring 2015

A publication of New College of Florida

MAKING A NAME FOR NEW COLLEGE’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST The Center for Engagement and Opportunity

Mastering Possibilities New College offers first graduate program in data science

* Managing Editor Jessica Rogers Acting VP of Advancement NCAA Communications Committee Colin Boyle-Communication’s Chair Jordan Clark Michael Dexter Hazel Bradford Shannon Strischek Art Direction/Design HuB Agency Contributors Jessica Rood Director of Communications and Marketing

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Kim Butler Creative Services Manager

Making a Name for New College’s Best and Brightest The Center for Engagement and Opportunity

David Gulliver News Services Manager Glen Van Der Molen NCAA Alumnae/i Coordinator

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Mastering Possibilities

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New College offers first graduate program in data science

Profiles Adam Kendall ‘02 Professor Katherine Walstrom Sarah Newberry ‘10 José Díaz-Balart ‘79 * Nimby-doodle by Eve Burns ‘13 ike our Nimby-doodle? Submit your version of the Nimbus L masthead for consideration to ncf.edu/submissions

Also inside this issue: On Campus > 1 We Heard You > 5 In the Community > 12 Op Ed > 15 Chapter News > 28 Class Notes > 30

Publisher Office of Communications & Marketing New College of Florida 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243-2109 941.487.4153 communications@ncf.edu NCAA Board of Directors Executive Committee Chair – Susan “Spozy” ’Sapoznikoff ’83–’87 Vice Chair – Frazier Carraway ’72–’76 Treasurer – Chad Bickerton ’05–’09 Governance Chair – Maia Hinkle ’05–’07 Communications Chair – Colin Boyle ’89–’95 Immediate Past Chair – Robert Lincoln ’77–’83 Hazel Bradford ’75–’80 Jordan Clark ’04–’08 Michael Dexter,’07–’11 Carla Eastis ’88–’92 Cindy Hill ’89–’93 Gera Peoples ’94–’97 Albert “Rick” Schofield ’85–’88 Norman (Norm) Stein ’69–’73 Shannon Strischek ’05–’09 Dr. Donal O’Shea President of New College For a full board listing, visit ncf.edu/bot and ncf.edu/foundation-bot

ON CAMPUS

THEN & NOW Rows of Novo Collegians await their pending graduation during a Commencement ceremony in 1967 and in 2014. Do you know more about then? Tell us! (ncf.edu/submissions)

CAMPUS NEWS

New College sees performance funding partially restored he Board of Governors of the Florida State University System restored $550,000 to New College, after striking that amount last year when the College did not meet a target level in the state’s new performance metric system for colleges. The BOG reduced state funding by about $1.1 million, or about 3 percent of the budget, but established a process for colleges to reclaim some or all of that money. New College pledged to meet specific outcomes in a performance improvement plan, submitted in June 2014, which the BOG would check as of Dec. 31 and May 31. The College submitted its report on Dec. 19, noting that it had met

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all of the target outcomes and additional goals as well. The BOG notified the College on Feb. 22 that it had successfully met the intended mid-year targets, triggering the restoration of half of the funds. The remainder would be restored after a satisfactory review in May. New College also greatly improved on last year’s score on the BOG’s performance metrics. The BOG revised one of its metrics, graduates’ starting salaries, to include all employed graduates instead of only those employed in Florida. The College also improved its graduation rate and it also expects to continue to improve on freshman retention after a full year of the College’s improved advising program and Navigating New College initiative. The launch of the Center for Engagement and Opportunity (see page 6) also should help the College with another metrics, the percentage of students employed or pursuing graduate studies one year after graduation.

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GRANT

Selby Foundation awards grant for Caples restoration NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA CAPLES BAYFRONT IMPROVEMENTS

he William G. and Marie Selby Foundation awarded the New College of Florida Foundation a $50,000 grant for restoration of the College’s historic Caples waterfront. The grant will go toward the removal of non-native invasive plants and the reconstruction of kayak racks, a boathouse and

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other structures. New College and the student government association also are contributing funds to the project. In addition to being a popular location for students, the Caples waterfront has been an important hub for community activities. University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee also uses the boating facilities. And the student-run SailFuture program, which mentors Booker High School students in academics and leadership training, is based at the Caples waterfront. “We’re grateful to the Selby Foundation for its generous support of the Caples restoration project,” said Jessica Rogers, Acting Vice President of Advancement. “The Caples waterfront is an important resource, not only for students of New College but the entire Sarasota and Manatee community. This grant will help us preserve and share this special part of the Sarasota Bay environment.” The Caples campus was the estate of Ralph and Ellen Caples, who bequeathed it to New College in 1962. Ralph Caples was a founding father of Sarasota and helped persuade the John and Charles Ringling to make the city the summer home of their circus, the beginning of the region’s Ringling legacy.

CHARTER CLASSES

Charter classes raise $2.1 million – and counting – for New College ew College’s Charter Classes have surpassed their goal for a class gift, raising more than $2.1 million – and nearly two years before their initial deadline. Members of the first three graduating classes had an initial target of raising $2 million by 2016, the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the third graduating class. With that amount in hand, however, they have set their sights on new goals. Now the classes hope to maximize participation, and to assemble the largest commitment possible by the end of 2016, said Kathleen Raskin, who was chair of the Charter Classes reunion. “It is an incredible testimony to the belief we have in the education we received at New College and our desire to share that education with students yet to come,” she said.

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The classes nearly reached their goal by Reunion Weekend, when they announced they had raised $1.7 million already. “What better way to say ‘thank you’ than to afford other students the opportunity that we had that changed our lives forever?” Raskin said. Jessica Rogers, Acting Vice President of Advancement, said the ongoing effort shows the classes have stepped up to the plate. “It speaks volumes that the relatively small, early classes have raised these funds, and it sets a precedent for future classes about their importance of their ongoing engagement and support of New College,” she said. President Don O’Shea sees the effort by graduates as vital to New College’s future. “The Charter Classes gift will enable the College to continue to provide a transformational education,” he said.

ON CAMPUS CAMPUS NEWS

New College gets preliminary approval for Heiser expansion, land purchase lans to expand Heiser Natural Sciences Complex and to purchase land along the south edge of campus are headed to the Florida state legislature. In January, the Florida state university system’s Board of Governors approved New College’s request for $7.4 million for the Heiser project and $320,000 for the land acquisition. (The board’s facilities committee approved the request in December.) The state legislature is expected to vote on the funding plan, which covers projects at New College and the other state colleges, in late April or early May. It then requires approval from Gov. Rick Scott, who has line-item veto authority on the projects. The Heiser project would add a third wing to the sciences center, to be built along the south edge of the adjacent parking lot, as it was originally designed. When Heiser center was built in 2000, 30 percent of the meticulously planned building was eliminated to comply with budget cuts. The planned 22,000-squarefoot addition will accommodate new faculty, and add classroom and lab space to meet the demand for classes in sciences and mathematics. “This is our chief priority. This is critical,” President O’Shea told the board’s Facilities Committee in an October hearing. O’Shea noted the wing was part of the original plan, and that since that time, the College’s student population has grown nearly 50 percent, with most students taking at least one science course. The College needs to hire faculty in biochemistry, mathematics and other fields, but has no space for office or labs needed to attract them. “Our faculty members do their research with undergraduates,” he said. “We want to get people who love their discipline but also love to teach.” The second request would create a land acquisition fund, so the College can purchase properties along 58th Street, also known as Pine Park Road, when they become available. The street runs between New College and the Ringling Museum, and has six privately owned lots. John Martin, vice president of finance and administration, said the long-term plan is to buy those parcels, then shift the road to the south. The College’s long-term plan calls for dormitories on the New College side of the rerouted street. The $320,000 in funding would only be a start to the land acquisition fund. Each purchase would likely be for that amount or more, based on current appraisals, Martin said.

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FELLOWSHIP

Two students awarded U.S. State Department’s Gilman Scholarships wo New College of Florida students have been awarded prestigious Gilman Scholarships, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Madeleine Yount was awarded $5,000 – the maximum award possible – for a proposal to study social justice and sustainable development in rural northeast Brazil. Shana Bergman was awarded $4,500 to study biology, mathematics and chemistry in Norway. Both are third-year students at New College. With the awards to Yount and Bergman, New College has had 14 Gilman Scholars since 2008. Nationally, only 30 percent of applicants are selected for a Gilman award. Yount is a first-generation college student from Fort Pierce, Fla., concentrating in international relations, and has written papers on educational disparities and the Afro-Brazilian culture of northeast Brazil. She plans to study Portuguese (Brazil’s official language) and Brazilian culture, then travel to the region to study agrarian reform and sustainable development, and work in a rural primary school. Bergman, from Plantation, Fla., is studying a combined program of biology, mathematics and chemistry, and her projects include a mathematical modeling of G-protein pathways. She plans to continue those studies at the University of Oslo, while volunteering at an animal shelter and visiting the remote Svalbard Islands to study rare wildlife, including polar bears and arctic foxes. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program was created in 2000 to provide scholarships for study abroad to U.S. undergraduates with financial need, including students from diverse backgrounds and students going to non-traditional study abroad destinations. The federally funded program is administered by the Institute of International Education.

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ON CAMPUS

What’s Happening TURKEY BOWL

MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST

n the annual Fall ritual to claim bragging rights between New College of Florida and the Ringling College of Art and Design, let the record show in 2014, it was all Nulls. New College thrashed the Ringling Armadillos 30-0 in the good-natured flag football contest Nov. 16 before a loud and enthusiastic crowd gathered at the New College athletic field. Colin Jordan, the director of New College’s Fitness Center and organizer of the Turkey Bowl, said the afternoon was a success, “Hey, we won, 30-0!” The game also benefited the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s “Season of Sharing,” which helps individuals and families on the verge of homelessness in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. Students were encouraged to bring a canned food item to the game. After the game, the “president’s wager” was paid in full, where the president of the losing school had his vehicle adorned with many slogans expounding upon the self-evident virtues and greatness of New College.

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he annual Midnight Breakfast was a big hit once again this year. Around 200 students mingled, noshed on waffles and posed for selfies with President Don O’Shea on Dec. 3, the week prior to exams. instagram.com/newcollegeoffl #Midnightbfast

DFL RECEPTION

welcome reception held Nov. 12 at College Hall was an opportunity for donors and volunteers to meet the Daughters for Life scholars, and importantly, for the Scholars, DFL Foundation and New College to thank donors and supporters. About 120 guests chatted with the Scholars, Dr. Abuelaish and O’Shea, and with the gratifyingly diverse range of community members present. At the reception, former Florida State Sen. Bob Johnson, a member and former chair of the New College Board of Trustees, announced a matching gift grant established through the estate of the late Heidi Turner, whom he represents. Although the amount is not final, Johnson estimated that it will be in the $250,000 to $300,000 range.

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WE HEARD YOU

Best of Social Media

3,210 People Reached

“If you educate the women, you educate a nation.” — Daughters for Life Scholars on NPR

TWITTER Mitch in @NCFadmissions is eagerly awaiting to hear from future Novo Collegians. Are you #NCFbound?

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(likes, comments & shares) New College Ranks No. 13 Among Kiplinger’s Top 100 Best Value Public Colleges

GOT INTO MY TOP SCHOOL!

#NCFBOUND “Couldn’t be happier! #NCFbound PS. The package had a shirt and CONFETTI!”

- Paola Bae-z Connect with New College ncf.edu/resources-for-alums

facebook.com/NewCollegeofFlorida

youtube.com/NewCollegeofFL

twitter.com/NewCollegeofFL, @NewCollegeofFL

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COVER STORY / CEO

Making a Name for New College’s Best and Brightest Team unites New College’s career programs BY DAV I D GU LL I V E R

EMILY WELLS IS AT A DESK, doing research – hardly unusual for a third-year New College student. It’s the research itself that is unusual. In front of her are two computer monitors. On one is the medical history of a Maryland woman who underwent hip replacement surgery. On the other is a something that looks like a spreadsheet. Wells is building a timeline of events in the woman’s case, turning a jumble of medical records into a play-by-play of

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how doctors managed her care, from diagnosis and implant surgery to treatment when the implant deteriorated inside her hip. She is working at the law firm of Maglio, Christopher & Toale, headed by New College alumnus Altom Maglio ‘90. The firm has built a national practice representing people injured by faulty vaccines or medical devices. Wells is one of dozens of New College students working in internships this year. They represent an often-overlooked

Left to right: Second-year Edline Francois, fourth-year Damien Clark, Altom Maglio ‘90 and third-year Emily Wells.

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aspect of the New College education, the way it provides a valuable and near-unique preparation not only for further study but also for a career. In that, they embody a belief of New College President Don O’Shea, that a liberal arts education is the best possible preparation for today’s workplace. “The whole purpose of liberal arts is to enable students to negotiate the world, one in which careers change, one in which they make connections between their studies and what they will eventually do,” he said. “The liberal arts is the best preparation for students to read well, to present well, to evaluate well, to think critically, to realize what information they have, what they don’t have, to imagine what other people are thinking, what other opinions are coming, and to be counted and take a stand.” In 2014, the Board of Governors of Florida’s university system made career preparation crucial to its formula for funding the member institutions. The “performance metric” system included two measures – average salary of recent graduates, and percentage of alumni employed within a year of graduation. Better linking the liberal arts education to the workplace has been one of President O’Shea’s goals since his arrival on campus in 2012. He addressed it in his four-year plan and soon after his arrival, hosted a talk with students on the topic. O’Shea believes that the idea of the liberal arts being somehow removed from the hurly-burly world of work is misguided. “The notion that liberal arts is divorced from what you do later on, this ivory tower thing, that’s always been wrong,” he said. “The liberal arts tradition has always been about living, about career and about the work one does after college. In some sense, we’re

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not doing anything revolutionary. We’re just doing what we should be doing.” The College now has turned those plans into action, creating a new hub of activity in the heart of the campus. That hub – the Center for Engagement and Opportunity, or CEO – opened this fall in former classroom space in the Jane Bancroft Cook library.

how, while still in high school, he built a company that later sold for millions, funding his venture capital firm. Students pitched him several ideas, from a bottled drink to a website template to a computer game, and he advised them on the next steps to take to see if their ideas were viable. New College might seem an unusual audience for Robin Hogan, given her The CEO background – a former Army officer and With its name and acronym devised now Morgan Stanley executive. She by students, the CEO merges three spoke on how to develop social skills, aspects of post-college life: internships, salesmanship and leadership. The talk fellowships and career planning. drew 30 students, and several stayed In just its first month, 535 students late to talk with her about Morgan and 62 parents visited or attended the Stanley’s internship programs. Center’s programs – not bad, for a Alumni, too, have been lining up in college of about 800 students. support, both by visiting and offering internships. Norm Worthington ‘77, “The whole purpose of liberal arts is to founder and chief executive enable students to negotiate the world, officer of Star2Star one in which careers change, one in Communications, stopped which they make connections between by campus to tell how he went from an their studies and what they will Environmental Studies eventually do.” -President Don O’Shea AOC, to law student, to technology entrepreneur The turnouts surprised Andrea Knies, and head of one of the fastest-growing the CEO’s internship coordinator, who companies in the country. (Star2Star also organized many of the programs. offers cloud-based communications “You can’t expect to shift solutions, and has won recognition organizational culture in a few from Deloitte Technology, Inc. months,” she said. “But thanks to the Magazine, Gartner and other industry outstanding support of this campus, we watchers.) made great strides in just one semester.” And when attorney Altom Maglio ‘90 The students have been coming in for heard from Andrea Knies, internship talks with people who have had coordinator at the CEO, he was happy successful careers in many fields. One to help – not just as a favor to the was Kate Byrnes, a diplomat with the College, but to help his firm. Organization for Security and “Everyone who works in our firm is Cooperation in Europe and a former extremely busy, and the ability to devote staffer with the Senate Foreign significant time to leaving no stone Relations Committee. She had a unturned on a particular question is a lunchtime talk with students in luxury we can’t afford,” Maglio said. September. “When we give a research project to The next month brought experts someone to do exactly that – to leave no from the worlds of finance, technology stone unturned – that’s extremely and entrepreneurship. Jesse Biter told valuable. We can rely on a New College

CEO / COVER STORY

student to focus on the important things, to separate the wheat from the chaff, and at the end of the day, distill the information they gather and write up something we can efficiently understand.” That was an apt description of Wells’ morning.

Improving their game

Soon after she arrived, an attorney dropped a task on her, related to the firm’s lawsuit involving illnesses caused by a vaccine. An opposing law firm had responded to them with a document citing several medical studies that would exonerate the vaccine. The attorney had Wells track down all the documents in the footnotes to see if they actually backed up the claim. On a shelf of her cherry desk are some of her resources: copies of “Clinical Infectious Diseases, a Practical Approach,” “Advances in Neurology,” “Vaccines – Third Edition” and “The Washington Manual of Outpatient Internal Medicine.” But what she needs is rarely at her fingertips. The environmental studies AOC has developed a skill in finding articles normally hidden by paywalls. She visits medical libraries, and at times has gone to Amazon to buy copies of long out-of-print journals or textbooks. In short, she no longer finds any task particularly daunting. “It was very intimidating going in there on my first day and finding a stack of papers and having them say, ‘This is what an attorney has found, now I want you to find everything else,” Wells said. “But after a little

while you get used to the pace. I had to up my game a little bit, but I’m glad, because this will put me in a much better position for school in the future, and for work as well.” Edline Francois is also learning to be nimble and thorough in response to client demands. The second-year transfer student, who is concentrating in biology, has an internship in data analytics with the Institute for the Ages, a Sarasota non-profit group. The Institute’s mission is to draw upon Sarasota’s large population of active senior citizens to provide companies with focus groups and volunteers to test products, services and policies. Francois works with the Institute’s database to match companies with the right volunteers for a specific project. Before she even arrived on campus, she spotted an email from Knies about the internship, and jumped at it, both because of her interest in biology and data, and her belief that society needs

to better value its oldest members. “I am fond of information and how we’re taking in that information and how vital it is to us today in technology,” she said. “I like to analyze things, and this just spoke to me because I love what the Institute stands for.” Director Tom Esselman praises her insight and ability to work independently. “She’s great. She has a real passion for working with seniors. She has the personality for it, and she’s bright, eager and adept when it comes to data.” Like Wells, Francois has learned to push beyond what she would normally do. “One of the most important things Tom has taught me is to not be afraid of failure. Failure is a stepping-stone to success,” she said. “That’s what he’s doing with the Institute for the Ages. He knows there are going to be roadblocks, but he’s continuing with his vision regardless. He has just said to me, ‘do not be afraid to take risks.’”

CEO team left to right: Kim Franklin, Andreas Knies, Courtney Hughes and Paige Diemer.

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Left to right: fourth-year Damien Clark, second-year Edline Francois and third-year Emily Wells.

Full spectrum

In contrast, Damien Clark’s workday is more regular, but just as challenging. He commutes four days a week to Largo, north of St. Petersburg, to work at Alakai Defense Systems. The technology company develops optical sensing technology for defense and homeland security purposes, such as detecting improvised explosive devices. Clark, a thesis student in chemistry and biology, works eight-hour shifts twice a week in Alakai’s lab, creating samples of molecules that would make up explosives. He creates the samples, tests them in the lab’s Raman spectrometer and records whether the programming identifies it correctly. The work helps Alakai refine the hardware and software it uses to collect and analyze the data. The company has only one full-time spectroscopist, so Clark is serving a vital role, one that demands the ability to solve problems independently. “Because I’m so integral, a lot of the times I have to troubleshoot if something doesn’t look right or if

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there’s an error with the program. It’s helping me build critical thinking skills – does this spectra look like it should, or is there a shift in the peaks, is there something wrong with it?” he said. Ken Pohl, director of advanced programs at Alakai, said the firm needed a scientist, not a technician, someone who could approach the work with an understanding of variables and controls. Clark has done just that. “He’s working out great,” Dr. Pohl said. “He’s able to work in an unsupervised manner, with very minimal oversight. We’re very pleased.” The businesses have benefited from the interns’ skills, and the students, in turn, have gained insight into the workplace. Clark is planning to attend dental school, but said his improved lab skills will help his future studies. Francois is considering medical school, but the internship has opened her eyes to the possibilities of combining her loves of biology and data analysis. She’s planning to pursue an internship with Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, which has a strong

relationship with New College, and could see herself in a medical research career. Wells said her plan is further studies in environmental science, but her experience has shown her how a law career is in keeping with New College’s tradition of altruism and empowerment. “They’re helping people who have been hurt, helping them cover their medical bills, and you really want them to get help,” she said. And her view of the day-to-day work in a law office is more realistic, too. “I was picturing these tough-as-nails business professionals in their perfectly starched shirts, and screaming, a lot of screaming, and yelling. I was picturing something a lot more intense,” she said. “They’re actually really nice, lovely people and they’re very good at what they do.” No matter what path Wells, Francois and Clark choose, their internships will serve them well. “Whether a student is planning to begin a career or attend graduate school, an internship is a vital

CEO / COVER STORY

“As we see success that we’re having with fellowships and with internships, we can see that the outcomes for our students are going to be limitless because they will have had the kind of experiences that we want them to have when they leave New College,” Kim Franklin, Director of Career Services, said. “One of the things that makes us really fortunate is that students have done really important and exciting things—they just didn’t know what to call it.” component to being competitive and successful,” Knies, the internship coordinator, said.

Fellowships

Internships are just a piece of the CEO’s portfolio. New College’s longsuccessful fellowships program has moved into the high-profile CEO, and that has generated much more interest, said fellowships coordinator Courtney Hughes, who held a similar role while working in the president’s office in Cook Hall. “There was something really difficult about them getting down to Cook Hall. It was a distance issue, and they just felt really uncomfortable not knowing where to go,” she said. “But the physical location of the CEO is so open and welcoming, and easily identifiable – it’s across from all of their classes in ACE, it’s right over the pedestrian bridge, right next to the library. That makes it really easy for students to just pop in and say, ‘I just left class with Prof. Wyman, and she recommended I apply for a Russian Critical Language Scholarship and I have no idea what that is, or if I’m qualified, but can we meet to talk about it?’ And that’s how a lot of the students have found their way here. “It’s been a really cool testament to faculty and staff working together to get students aware of these opportunities,” she said. And it is already paying dividends. New College students have won several Goldwater Scholarships, for exceptional promise in math or science. But this year, for the first time, there were so many applicants that the College had to

run an internal competition to narrow the field to the Goldwater program’s maximum of four applicants per college. Hughes said the key has been making her job a full-time position for fellowship programs. “Prior to this there were a bunch of us pitching in to help with scholarships and fellowships. But during peak times of the year, since this wasn’t in anybody’s job description, this fell to the wayside,” she said. “And it’s hard to recruit students. You have to stay on top of them. It requires a lot of meetings – a lot of meetings,” she said, laughing. “We’ve really made a push to have students be accountable in this process. Which takes time. They need to learn you can’t ask for a letter of recommendation two days before it’s due, or it’s on you to figure out how to get out of it.” Shana Bergman, who was recently awarded a Gilman Scholarship for study abroad, and is in the running for the Goldwater, said the staff commitment is making a big difference. She had applied for scholarships and fellowships before, but fell short each time – until now. “Courtney makes sure to prioritize each and every student and dedicates the necessary effort to assisting them, and then some,” she said. “Each step of the way, Courtney gave invaluable advice and sculpted my applications so that I would have the best shot at winning, from giving me initial background information to assisting me in submitting my final draft.” Now, she said, she’s considering perhaps the most prestigious opportunity of all, the new Frost

Scholarship, an initiative launched by Board of Governors member Patricia Frost, which provides a full scholarship for a master’s degree at Oxford.

Putting it all together

Internships and fellowships have their own inherent value, but they also serve as a training ground for the world of work – “building career competencies,” said Kim Franklin, the director of career services. “As we see success that we’re having with fellowships and with internships, we can see that the outcomes for our students are going to be limitless because they will have had the kind of experiences that we want them to have when they leave New College,” she said. “One of the things that makes us really fortunate is that students have done really important and exciting things— they just didn’t know what to call it.” Franklin recalled a recent visit to the fourth-year music seminar. She was telling them about the skills that employers look for, like teamwork and salesmanship. “So I said, ‘Talk to me about when you guys have worked in teams.’ And they all looked at me with that blank expression. Then I said, ‘Who plays in a band? And all of the hands went up. That’s teamwork! And what do you do when you play in a band? They said, ‘Well, we have gigs,’ and I said, ‘So you’ve negotiated contracts?’’’ “New College students have been doing it all along. One of the neat things I get to do is I help them put a name to it.”

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IN THE COMMUNITY

Sustenance and Service Snapshots of Fall 2014 Community Projects BY DAV ID GULLIV ER

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE. At least 128 New College students performed community service this past fall, putting in more than 3,000 hours at a wide array of organizations in Sarasota and Manatee counties. To students and alumnae/i, many of the names will sound familiar: the Humane Society, Meals on Wheels, Planned Parenthood, All Faiths Food Bank and Sarasota Literacy Council. Some are relatively new. Miracle League Manasota runs a baseball league for children with disabilities. Cat Depot is a Sarasota-based no-kill shelter that also assists with food and spay/neuter programs, founded in 2003. Still others were created by New College students. SailFuture uses the College’s boats and classrooms for life skills training and academic tutoring. And a team students goes to Robert L. Taylor Community Center several times a week to tutor students in one of Sarasota’s poorest neighborhoods – a program that began as an ISP in 2012.

Adopt a Family For the 10th year, New College of Florida supported the Manatee County Adopt-a-Family program, which helps needy families during the holiday season. Faculty, staff and students provided 72 gifts for 12 children from three Manatee County families. Over the past 10 years, New College has assisted more than 120 children from nearly 40 families.

Commencement 2015 Save the date for Commencement, Friday, May 22, 2015. This year’s speaker and honorary degree recipient is Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish. A Gaza physician, author and activist for peace, Abuelaish created the Daugthers for Life Foundation in 2011 after three of his daughters were killed by Israeli shelling. His hope is that educating women will empower them to bring progress and stability to the region. New College of Florida is partnering with the Daughters for Life Foundation, providing a transformational education experience for young women across the Middle East, preparing them to become the future leaders their homelands desperately need. For more information, visit ncf.edu/daughters-for-life.

Next Step Foster Care Tutoring Next Step is a tutoring program for children in the foster care system. The Children’s Guardian Fund, connects guardian ad litems with New College students willing to serve as tutors. Some 40 Novo Collegians expressed interest in tutoring, and the program paired seven of them with children for anywhere from two to 12 hours per week. Lacy Mraz, the College’s VISTA coordinator, said the program went so well that another 15 requests have come in for the spring. One student had missed a tutoring session, and Mraz and his tutor were concerned. They checked on him, and learned he had caught up so well that he wouldn’t need more tutoring for a while – and in fact was likely to be moved up a grade

SPARCC and SHARE SPARCC, the Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center, has been assisting victims of rape and domestic violence in Sarasota since 1979, and New College students have a long history of working with the group. SHARE, the Sexual Health and Relationship Education center, is new to the campus, opening in September 2014.

level. As less than 10 percent of foster care kids graduate college, she said, it’s a sign that the program makes a difference. “The students who volunteer with Next Step really value education, and see it as an important tool for changing some of the injustice that we see in today’s society,” she said. “This gives them a nice opportunity to really utilize their skill sets for the greater good.”

Founded by student Cassandra Corrado, SHARE is an unstaffed resource room for survivors of sexual violence, those who support them, and for information about healthy relationships. Its board also organizes programs and events. As students worked through finals and prepared for the holiday break, SHARE put together a holiday drive for people living at SPARCC’s shelter. The drive collected nearly $500 in grocery gift cards, as well as bus passes, menstrual products, children’s books and toys and $200 in cash. A team of six students also made 14 baby blankets. At the time of the donation, there were 17 women and 11 children at the shelter. When someone goes to a domestic violence shelter, Corrado noted, they often leave everything they have behind. Their finances often are controlled by their abuser, leaving them without money, without transportation, even without a job, while they face large medical and childcare expenses. “People who have been victims of domestic violence tend to feel alone and secluded, even when they have friends around them,” Corrado said. “This is a way to say, ‘There’s someone here for you.’” The New College community’s generosity, she said, allowed every single person currently staying at the SPARCC shelter to have a gift card to cover their grocery expenses, diapers and wipes for their young children, and books, toys and handmade blankets to provide comfort to children dealing with family upheaval.

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REUNION

Alumnae/i Reunion Weekend Celebrating the 50th anniversary of New College of Florida’s first class of students, alumnae/i returned to campus for the Charter Classes Reunion, bearing gifts in all shapes and sizes BY THE CLOSE OF REUNION, at a brunch on Sunday, Nov. 2, the Charter Classes – New College’s first three graduating classes – announced they have raised nearly $1.7 million for their alma mater. About 315 alumnae/i representing nearly every class returned for the reunion, with one, poet, actress and director Glenda Cimino, coming from as far as Ireland. Some 420 guests attended Clambake, the weekend’s main event. “We’re thrilled that so many of our alumni returned to the College for this special weekend,” President O’Shea said. “Their experiences are invaluable to our students, and the Charter Classes gift will enable the College to continue to provide a transformational education.

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01) Don Goldberg ’67 speaking with students during the NCSA alum-student mixer 02) Rachel Findley ’64 (center)

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03) Carmelidia Ogburn, Dick Ogburn ’65, Luke Salisbury ‘65 and Jessica Rogers

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04) Charter classes alums enjoying Clambake 05) Mac Miller teaching a mini-class during reunion 06) Harry Felder ‘65, John Peters ‘64, Esther Barazzone ’64, Chuck Hamilton ’64, Carol Hamilton, and Anna Navarro ’64, at the Charter Classes welcome reception

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The New College Alumnae/i Association asks you to save October 16-18, 2015 for reunion this year! We will be celebrating the College’s 55th anniversary! We hope that you can join us this coming fall and we look forward to seeing you there.

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OP ED

Looking Ahead: Life After College Tracy Collins, Assistant Professor of Economics

NEW COLLEGE IS FINDING WAYS for students to meet with professionals in their possible career paths. We’ve started to partner with companies in the area, like Morgan Stanley, to allow students to intern for a day and learn about the field. We’re also connecting students with entrepreneurs in a variety of fields. Students have interned at the HuB, a dynamic space and community in Sarasota. One project involved collecting data on video advertisements and social media used by all the county Conventions and Visitors Bureaus in Florida. They then analyzed the data and pitched a possible marketing strategy. Other projects included analyzing bitcoins and providing data for an article on the currency, and collecting and analyzing data and pitching an action plan on a bike-sharing program in Sarasota. Students also worked with the Bright Ideas on the Gulf Coast (an initiative of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation) to develop a viable strategy for possible future business ventures. What those projects have in common is that they help New College students successfully transition from college into a specific career.

Altom M. Maglio ‘90, Attorney

HOW DID NEW COLLEGE PREPARE ME FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE? Poorly – because law school is a much lower level of education than New College. I had a law and economics class when I was at New College that was on an intellectually higher level by far than anything I had my first year of law school. It’s a little better in the second- and third-year classes, but the first year, law school, coming out of New College, was kind of a joke. I actually had a difficult time adjusting to it, realizing that the things that I was focusing on in law school were not important there. Putting that aside, all those skills that I used to be an effective law clerk and be effective in a law office, were not from law school. They were from New College. I could write because of New College – you don’t learn to write in law school. I could reason and think through problems much more effectively because of New College. I am certainly a much better lawyer because of New College.

Saif Iqbal, Second-Year, Political Science AOC

NEW COLLEGE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE, life-changing places in the world. It changes the way you think, the way you interact with others, and the way you look at the world. This makes New College students different from most others, and also makes the process of transitioning into the real world very different. Where at a large university you are one of thousands of students, at New College every individual has the potential to stand out. Students tend to forget the vast resources available to them; having a one on one relationship with professors and alumnae/i would be unheard of at any state school. Some find it difficult to transition to a career after graduating, but if students start early, make connections, and have some sort of plan, they can be very successful.

Join the conversation on twitter #Nimbus

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PROFILE / ADAM KENDALL

An Office with a View From his ninth-floor office, financial analyst Adam Kendall ’02 advises and mentors BY ROGE R DROUIN AS A SOPHOMORE AT NEW COLLEGE , Adam Kendall ‘02 began an office overlooking the downtown Sarasota Bayfront. internship at Morgan Stanley’s Sarasota branch—an experience During an interview in December, the sun gleamed on the that grew into a part-time, longer-term opportunity at the water. Inside orchids lined the windowsill. The orchids, a multinational firm. On most days, he’d go to class after or before passion that “rubbed off on him” from his mom, help bring the work. outdoors into his office. While the setting is pleasant for an Thus, for much of his last two years at New College, Kendall office, clients come to Kendall for his guidance on investing, and wore a suit on campus. “I was the only guy wearing a suit,” newly-hired financial advisors come to the Kentucky native— Kendall recalls. “Actually, I was the only one wearing shoes.” who became a Financial Advisor Associate Coach in 2012—for Although he was dressed a little formally for campus, Kendall, mentoring. 35, found a supportive environment among his peers, and Kendall has earned several certifications and is currently guidance from his professors. He recalls dynamic class enrolled in a distance-learning program at The School of conversations about global post-Sept. 11 economics. He worked Theology at Sewanee: The University of the South. He tells closely with his thesis advisor Cathy Elliott (now retired) on his younger advisors to not be afraid to ask questions. “Always ask senior thesis examining the nuanced behavior of stock market questions. You’re not expected to know everything. Inquire as investors during financial calamity. And economics Prof. much as you can.” Richard Coe helped Kendall turn the process of achieving his And he tells them to be sure to listen carefully to their clients. securities certification as a financial advisor into a College That’s something he learned while working on his thesis project independent-study project. “It has been great stepping-stone for at New College. The project, titled “The Parody of Hysterics: my entire career,” Kendall says about his studies at New College. How Simple Rules of Thumb Manipulate Stock Market Before he graduated in 2002, Kendall went from making cold Mentality” had Kendall studying economic trends, behavioral calls and folding envelopes to being able to finance, and how investors react. advise clients on what was happening with He learned people react differently “Always ask questions. AT&T stock. Today, Kendall, a vice to situations based on the financial You’re not expected to president and certified financial planner, is risks they’re willing to take over a know everything. still at the Sarasota branch of Morgan certain period of time. Stanley—except now with a ninth-floor “I thought I would be able to Inquire as much as you can.” study psychology and behavioral finance and then be able to sit down with Mr. and Mrs. Client, and tell them this is what you should do,” Kendall said. “But each family has different needs, goals, and desires. I determined that the Nobel Prize-winning concept, “Modern Portfolio Theory,” was a good approach to constructing investment portfolios to increase return and lower the risk. That’s something I took from my thesis.” Kendall lives in Venice with his wife, Judith. Currently, he is also working on an enterprise to develop a website and app that would help employees find training opportunities and match companies to skilled workers. He’s working closely with New College Prof. David Gillman and two recent grads on research and site development to bring the project, called Certrek, to fruition.

SARAH NEWBERRY / PROFILE

Charting her Course Sarah Newberry ’10 is chasing her Olympic sailing dreams BY B ETH LUBE RECKI THOUGH SARAH NEWBERRY ‘10 was born into a family of sailors, she didn’t take to the sport right away. In fact, her enrollment at age eight in a learn-to-sail program was something of a disaster. “I hated it,” she recalls. “I would cry so I wouldn’t have to go, until my parents finally took me out of the program.” Things didn’t start clicking on the water until middle school, when she joined her Miami school’s sailing team. Though her skills were lacking at first, she drew inspiration from the nationally ranked youth sailors who were also on the team. “I took it seriously then,” she says. “Once I started doing it, I wanted to beat them.” She’s gone on to beat a lot of other sailors over the course of her sailing career, which now finds the 2010 graduate of New College of Florida campaigning to represent the United States in mixed multihull sailing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “I feel very confident in my approach and in my plan,” says Newberry. “I feel like I have a really good shot.” It’s been a long road for the 26-year-old to get to this point. As a youth, she raced sailboats with a single hull, mainly dinghies. She first dipped her toe into multihull sailing when she was 14, prompted by her uncle, who raced catamarans and had done an Olympic campaign of his own. He started pairing her up with his friends, big guys who needed a smaller partner to prevent their boats from being too heavy. In 2006, she became the first female driver to win the U.S. Youth Multihull Championship. In 2008, while a student at New College, she got an unexpected call from someone looking for a last-minute partner for his Olympic campaign. “We had no real shot—people train for this for years—but it was such a good opportunity,” says Newberry. She flew to San Diego for several weeks of intensive training and a firsthand look at the campaigning process. “I told myself that as soon as I can do this I want to do it,” she

says. “Then right after that, the Olympics pulled multihull out of the Games.” So Newberry put it out of her mind while she finished her arts studies at New College. She didn’t race much while at school, instead coaching at the Sarasota Youth Sailing Program and instructing at the New College Sailing Club. After graduating in 2010, she worked as a freelance graphic designer, continuing to sail in her free time. She raced in a handful of events during the year, but the expense of doing so as an adult gave her pause. “I realized that I couldn’t keep spending money I hardly had to go participate in this sport as a hobby,” says Newberry. “I said to myself either I’m quitting it, because it’s torture to know that I can be someone competitive but can’t invest myself in it, or I’m going to do it full-time. Right after that, they reinstated multihull in the Olympics, and as soon they did that I was full throttle.” That same description could be applied to multihull sailing as well. “It’s really fast, very intense, physically challenging—and wet,” she laughs. “It’s just nonstop. The platform that we race on is so small, and so while we’re racing around a course we’re racing around the boat too. We’re all over the place in the boat.”

PROFILE / SARAH NEWBERRY

Photo by Will Ricketson.

It requires constant focus, but it’s exactly what Newberry wants to be focusing on at this point in her life. “When I’m in the Gulf Stream in Miami and the water is the most amazing blue color and the fish are flying and there are massive waves, it’s the best thing I can imagine in my life, to feel the way I do out there,” she says. “And part of the reason why I feel like that is that I really enjoy excelling at my sport. Every day that I’m out there doing it, it’s empowering and creates momentum.” She’s also kind of a one-woman show when it comes to She credits her years at New College with giving her the fundraising and logistics, running her website (usamulticourage to pursue sailing full-time, even if it meant quitting her hull2016.com), processing and acknowledging donations, and day job. “It gave me the confidence to say that I am the kind of maintaining and arranging transportation for her equipment. person who can be self-motivated and create what I want to She’s gotten support from the U.S. Sailing Team Sperry achieve and not be afraid of it,” she says. “Without that Top-Sider, sponsors like the International Seakeepers Society environment, I’m not sure I would have had the same experience and law firms Moore & Company and Lott & Fischer, and a slew doing this Olympic campaign—and of family and friends. learning how to do it from scratch. It “The Miami community has “Only one team goes to the Olympics, definitely allowed me to grow into a been so supportive and receptive,” and quite a few American teams are person who’s confident in deciding to says Newberry. “It’s amazing to be campaigning. The class is incredibly pursue something they’re passionate supported by people who really about.” want to see me do well.” competitive, and it’s not going to be Taking on that kind of pursuit Her campaign has undergone easy to win the trials. But right now I involves much more than just some changes recently, when she think I can hold my own.” spending time on the water, although and longtime partner John Casey there’s plenty of that. “It’s meant decided to go their separate ways. changing what I eat and how I structure my day,” says Newberry, She’s now partnering with Matthew Whitehead, a two-time who is based in Miami. “I went from being someone who didn’t youth world champion in the F18 catamaran class. spend hours in the gym every day to being really aware of my “We’ve known each other and raced against each other for body and how I treat it.” years,” she says. “He has an amazing resume, and his technical level is through the roof.” Newberry knows she still has a long road ahead of her. Mixed multihull is a new class at the Olympics in 2016, and is utilizing a new boat, the Nacra 17. And although she has lots of past successes on which to build, including recent first-place finishes at the Nacra 17 North American Championship and U.S. Nacra 17 National Championship, what counts is how she performs when a spot on the Olympic team is on the line. “Sarah was among the first Americans to begin training in this new boat,” says Craig Leweck, editor of Scuttlebutt Sailing News, a Web site that reports on the sport. “This next year (2015) will be critical for Sarah to refine her skills, but the opportunity for her to represent the United States in the Olympics is quite real.” “Doing a campaign is like having a really long job interview,” says Newberry. “Only one team goes to the Olympics, and quite a few American teams are campaigning. The class is incredibly competitive, and it’s not going to be easy to win the trials. But right now I think I can hold my own.”

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KATHERINE WALSTROM / PROFILE

Building toward the Future Prof. Katherine Walstrom has become chair of the Division of Natural Sciences at a major growth moment BY B ETH LUBE RECKI

IN HER LAB, Katherine Walstrom is closing in on the conclusion of 16 years of research. But the biochemistry professor is at the center of projects outside the lab as well. Walstrom became the chair of the Division of Natural Sciences last August, placing her in the role of managing major changes to the sciences program at New College. In response to student demand, the College is adding new biology faculty. And with a new master’s degree program in data science starting in fall 2015, searches for new math and computer science faculty are in progress. “Getting that new influx of faculty is really exciting, because they’re bringing new ideas and more opportunities for collaboration,” says Walstrom. “Having the new people, with the new master’s program, along with planning the new building—I think it’s a really exciting time.” That “new building” she refers to is an expansion of the Heiser Natural Sciences Complex, which will add “We have the training more teaching, research, programs available and office space for a to have a really good variety of disciplines. New workforce. And we College has received approval for the planning wanted to bring more money from the Florida industry people to New legislature, has chosen an College, because a lot architectural firm, and is of people in the area selecting a construction manager. The next step don’t realize that New will be for the users of the College has a strong building to brainstorm science component.” about the best ways to divide the space in the new wing. “We have a certain amount of money to build the building, enough for a certain square footage,” says Walstrom. “Everything that we put in there has to fit in that square footage, so that’s why we have to prioritize things.” Contributing to the need for the expansion is the fact that New College has seen an increase in the number of students interested in the sciences. “We’re attracting more science students, or admissions is going after more science students, or there are just more people interested in science in general,”

says Walstrom. “So having the new master’s program will be a really good addition to the Division; the students who get out will be ready to get good jobs and be really productive.” To further spread the word about New College’s science programs, Walstrom helped organize an expo on campus last September for the local chapter of BioFlorida, a statewide association for the life-sciences industry. Some 150 people attended the event, which brought together local educational institutions and life-sciences businesses. “We wanted to advertise the fact that there are really good science training programs in the area,” she says. “We have the training programs available to have a really good workforce. And we wanted to bring more industry people to New College, because a lot of people in the area don’t realize that New College has a strong science component.” In addition to helping usher in lots of changes for the natural sciences division, Walstrom continues her own research on RNA helicases, which she started when she first came to New College in 1998. Using the small nematode C. elegans, she’s found that the proteins are involved in sperm regulation and is working to learn more about how and why. “We think we’re pretty close to figuring out what this protein is doing in the sperm,” she says. “So that’s really exciting, because this has been a longstanding project and it’s taken a long time to figure that out.”

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PROFILE / JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART

Exclusive Coverage From interviews with the President to dialogues on immigration, José Díaz-Balart ‘78 is on the story

Photo by Telemundo.

BY R O GE R D R O U I N

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA took a whirlwind trip to Nashville on Dec. 9 to promote his actions on immigration reform. He gave exclusive interviews to just two journalists. One was with José Díaz-Balart ‘78. The Telemundo anchor and MSNBC host had 17 minutes with the president -- just enough time to question him on big topics, from a U.S. Senate report on torture to the president’s executive order on immigration. It was also long enough to sense an urgency and focus in the president. “He is not taking those last two years for granted,” Díaz-Balart said the day after the Nashville interview. The exclusive was hardly unusual for Díaz-Balart. The New College alumnus has had more than a half-dozen thus

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far with Obama, who is reluctant to give one-on-one interviews with the press. “The relationship I have with the president is one of mutual respect,” Díaz-Balart says. “He knows what I’ve come to do, and I know his role and honor his office very much. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I have to ask him tough questions.” Because Díaz-Balart has interviewed the president on numerous occasions—more than most of his television colleagues—there is some ease of protocol, as the president now knows how Díaz-Balart conducts interviews. But “there is never any advance discussions on what I’m going to ask him,” Díaz-Balart says.

Photo by MSNBC.

Díaz-Balart’s on-camera interviews with the president stand as just one journalistic feat for one of the most renowned Spanish-English TV anchormen in the country. Díaz-Balart, who graduated in 1983, is the recipient of three Emmy awards. Each weeknight he anchors Telemundo’s national news, and every morning he hosts “The Rundown with Jose Díaz-Balart” on MSNBC. In addition to millions of live viewers, the veteran news anchor’s interviews with the president have been rebroadcast or quoted in media outlets from The New York Times to CNN to NBC Nightly News. In particular, his coverage of Obama’s recent effort to reform immigration policies has been keenly watched—with his December interview in Nashville and a previous 2013 interview with the president spurring dialogue across the media spectrum, says David Schoetz, executive producer of “The Rundown.” Immigration policy and issues have been something Díaz-Balart has been working tirelessly to cover for “his whole career,” says Schoetz. And tirelessly is how Díaz-Balart works on any story he is covering—from immigration reform to the protests in Ferguson, Mo. His workday typically starts at 5 a.m., and doesn’t conclude until around 10 p.m. “His schedule is unbelievable,” Schoetz says. “It’s pretty much a constant day,” Díaz-Balart says, “an exciting one every single day. One that I feel privileged to be able to do. But there’s not a lot of down time. Not a lot of down time at all.” Between being on air for both MSNBC and Telemundo—for two live shows daily and a Sunday news show—the host and anchor finds time to prepare and research, an element of Díaz-Balart’s work that those who work with him say is a key part of what makes him such a consistent and reliable TV journalist. He gets feedback and ideas from Twitter where he personally engages with viewers. “He is a thinker,” Schoetz says. “He has to think things through. That is how he prepares. He does research on his own and talks things over.”

“A constant stream of studying”

While at New College, Díaz-Balart studied politics and history, but he also was interested in philosophy, theology, and music. His education there was “well-rounded in every single way,” he remembers. “New College really is a gem of an institution because it helps one really fine tune one’s critical thinking and also helps one chisel one’s intellect,” Díaz-Balart says. His thesis was on Cuba and Batista’s military coup of 1952. He enjoyed studying because he was able to focus in on “things that weren’t normally class material,” and analyze materials, and he believes this aspect of his education has prepared him well for his career. “New College was so important for me. My life is a constant stream of studying, in journalism that’s what you have to do,” he says. “I’m studying all the time.”

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PROFILE / JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART

Díaz-Balart learned the importance of research when he read His coverage of the immigration issue embodies that original scholarly works in both English and Spanish for an commitment. It has included exchanges with viewers who independent study project with political science Prof. Peggy follow Díaz-Balart on Twitter, and live, bilingual interviews with Bates, a central figure in his education. those affected by the immigration policies. One of those “In many ways, she was my guide,” he says. interviews was with Maria Cruz Ramirez, an undocumented He still recalls how Bates stressed the importance of always immigrant and a mother of three DREAMers. attributing information to sources. The professor would “The face of immigration reform isn’t only a politician who interrupt the young Díaz-Balart and his fellow students. speaks perfect English, or an ‘expert’ on the issues,” Díaz-Balart “Quote your sources,” Díaz-Balart remembers her calling out. wrote in an op-ed on MSNBC.com “The face of immigration Although they were studying the working of the United reform is also María Cruz Ramírez, the mother about to be Nations, the death of Francisco separated from her three children because Franco, or other political topics— of our country’s disastrous immigration and not journalism—the lesson was system.” “New College really is a an important journalistic principal. “Jose is very interested in making sure “Never make a statement you’re not all voices are heard in the communities he gem of an institution able to quote. Thirty-five years later is covering,” says Colon. because it helps one really that message has helped me,” he “The opportunity to give voice to people says. “I think about that today.” who may not be able to have those voices fine tune one’s critical In the newsroom, Díaz-Balart is listened to, that is part of what keeps me thinking and also helps one known for being a diligent going in my drive,” Díaz-Balart says. researcher. Díaz-Balart comes from a political chisel one’s intellect.” Aly Colon, a John S. and James L. family. He is the son of Rafael Díaz-Balart Knight Professor of Media Ethics at y Gutierrez (a former Cuban politician). Washington and Lee University and a former colleague, has seen He has three brothers, Rafael Díaz-Balart (a banker), Mario the studious side of Díaz-Balart. Colon says the anchorman tries Díaz-Balart (a U.S. representative) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (a to go into reporting a story knowing as much information as he former U.S. representative who is also a New College alum). can beforehand, so he can ask the best questions during For the middle brother, straying from the family tradition and interviews. going into journalism wasn’t a hard decision. Like Schoetz, the executive producer who works with Díaz“It wasn’t like: Should I go into politics or journalism. It was Balart at MSNBC, Colon, has watched the veteran journalist more like: what can I do to make a difference,” Díaz-Balart says. dedicate the time to research before he reports. “He is very “I got into journalism as a way of serving. I think what I do in a thorough,” says Colon. “He reads widely and does a lot of really way is trying to make a difference, trying to serve.” preparation so he is prepared.” Díaz-Balart doesn’t get to spend as much time with his wife and two daughters. That’s part of the sacrifice of the service. “A voice” But he does love returning home. After his interview in Díaz-Balart’s interviews with the president and other Nashville, he was flying to Washington DC for a day. Then it was politicians are only half of the story. Díaz-Balart says he strives back to Miami. “I always end up in South Florida, and that is a to “give voice to people.” good thing.”

Year-End Giving Annual Fund Give now for your fiscal year-end gift. Student scholarships, student research and travel grants, and faculty support all need your support. We can do so much more! Please help us secure New College’s future and donate now before June 30, 2015. 22 donate.ncf.edu New College of Florida | nimbus

MASTERING POSSIBILITIES / FEATURE

MASTERING POSSIBILITIES

New College’s first graduate program, in data science, also boosts undergrad program BY DAVI D GU LLI VE R

Professor and director of the data analytics program, Pat McDonald. PAT MCDONALD HAD AN UNUSUAL SUMMER VACATION. While most of us were going to the beach, mountains or theme parks, the New College mathematics professor went to Google and Amazon and other places you don’t find listed in guidebooks for beautiful scenery or historic value. On an August day, he was at the San Francisco office of Ancestry.com, in a conference room where floor-to-ceiling windows offered a gorgeous view of the bay. He was talking with Jake Byrnes, population genomics technical manager,

which was not unusual. McDonald had been his advisor and they had stayed in touch since Byrne’s 2000 graduation from New College. This time, though, there was little small talk. With them were Bill Yetman, Ancestry’s vice president of engineering, and Blane Nelson, senior architect of packaging and pricing, who both flew in from the company’s Utah headquarters for the meeting. McDonald’s colleague David Gillman, professor of computational science, had also traveled out for the talk.

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FEATURE / MASTERING POSSIBILITIES

As with every stop on the tour, the professors asked the big offer AOCs in computer science and in applied statistics, the hitters of data science the same question: What skill sets do latter he believes to be a “criminal shortcoming” of the you want to see in the people you consider for jobs? current curriculum. “We just collected all that data and we looked at it,” said Those offerings should make New College appealing to McDonald. “And we looked for where everybody was saying many more prospective students. the same thing or similar things.” From there, they developed “I think that’s going to make our school much, much the structure for New College’s new master’s degree program stronger and much more attractive to students who are in data science. The two-year program launches in the fall. looking for a liberal arts experience,” McDonald said. “Right McDonald is the program’s director. He, Gillman and a now it’s game over for a lot of students who visit New College, committee of 30 faculty and staff from all three divisions have as soon as they see, ‘We can’t really offer you a computer built a program that they believe is both like nothing else in science degree, we can’t really offer you modern statistics, we American higher education, and yet completely in keeping have nothing to say about data science.’ That is all going to with New College’s tradition. change.” “It’s very much a part of our age,” said New College The master’s program will be limited to around 15 students President Don O’Shea. “The liberal arts is about information. a year, which should lead to a strong, elite pool of applicants We have students already interested in while remaining small enough that it does handling information. We should be not change the College’s character, he said. building our infrastructure there. And And the way data science will be taught is “I think that’s going we can serve a need of the nation and of in keeping with New College tradition, to make our school Florida, and provide opportunities for rooted in the humanities while modern and our current undergraduates.” innovative. much, much stronger That argument proved persuasive In the first year, along with courses in and much more with the Florida legislature, which in math and computer science, they plan a June 2014 approved $885,000 for the course tentatively called “Ethics for Data attractive to students data science program. O’Shea had Science.” It will team-taught by experts in who are looking for a begun developing the proposal a year philosophy, political science and law. “It’s earlier, seeing it as a natural fit for to give people a feel for what their liberal arts experience.” designed New College. responsibilities are as a member of the Several of the country’s best liberal community that’s working with huge data arts colleges offer selected graduate sets,” McDonald said. “That’s a course you degree programs in their areas of strength, O’Shea said. won’t see in most programs.” Williams College has a master’s degree in arts, while MiddleThe technical courses will be in topics like data visualizabury College has master’s degrees in languages. Wesleyan tion, statistical inference, distributed computing and machine College and Bryn Mawr College, among others, also offer learning. In the second year, students will put those skills to graduate degrees. the test, in a structure more like a New College seminar or ISP. Expanding New College with a wide slate of graduate That’s in keeping with what McDonald and Gillman heard programs would be a clear case of “mission drift,” O’Shea said. from the Ancestry.com team and others. What companies It’s essential that New College limit itself to a graduate need, Byrnes said, is a program that teaches the advanced program that builds on – and reinforces – existing strengths. computing skills required to manage large datasets, a keen New College already graduates many strong students in sense of experimental design grounded in the scientific mathematics and in quantitative-heavy social sciences, method, and the statistical knowledge needed to identify and making that a natural area for growth. “We should be building apply the appropriate methods for each specific problem faced. our infrastructure there,” he said. “It’s an area in which we can Byrnes graduated with an AOC in biology and mathematics, shine. But we should always remain a primarily undergraduate got a master’s degree in statistics, and was in a postdoctoral institution.” fellowship at Stanford in molecular evolution and population McDonald sees the master’s program through the lens of genetics when a supervisor told him Ancestry.com was looking the College’s primary mission. “I’m primarily interested in the for a consultant on a project. undergraduate program, and I think this master’s program is Now he’s part of the company’s 12-person DNA Science going to be an enormous boost,” he said. team. Ancestry.com offers customers a genetic test that can Creating a master’s program requires more faculty, profesidentify their ethnicity, and if desired, match them with sors who will also teach undergraduate classes, he explains. potential relatives. Byrnes’ job is working with the massive That means for the first time, New College will be able to genetic database and seeing what data they can draw from it.

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Assistant Professor of Computer Science, David Gillman, and student.

He thinks the program is well-designed and will meet the needs of companies in many fields. “I am very excited about this,” he said. “From my perspective, it’s an incredibly important area of need that should be growing.” He’s also impressed with the design of the program’s second year. Small teams of students will be given a data set from a partner organization, such as Ancestry.com, and a set of questions to answer. They’ll spend the semester building a solution, then present it to the partner group and be evaluated on their work. The final semester will be a practicum, where the students will become members of the data teams at the partner organizations. That meets two needs of the burgeoning data science field, Byrnes said. The San Francisco Bay area is a microcosm of the country, in that there has been an explosion of tech-driven companies – he calls it a “second boom,” particularly in health care, as companies see opportunities in the huge amounts of data coming from health medical records. Companies from Google and Facebook to Amazon and Ancestry all struggle to find quality undergraduate and graduate-level interns, he said. This explains why Blane Nelson, who heads Ancestry.com’s internships, wanted to be in the meeting. And the companies also vie for full-time employees who have the right kind of data science training. “There are going to be lots of companies looking for people with these skills,”

Byrnes said. “I think in a lot of cases there’s a possibility for these internships to turn into full-time jobs.” McDonald rattled off a list of companies that already have expressed interest, from Analact, the data arm of advertising conglomerate Omnicom, to Star2Star, the telecom startup founded by alumnus Norm Worthington ’77. And the College’s long-running association with Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute – which already spawns data-driven internships for students – has spurred interest from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, at Yeshiva University, and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. The reason, McDonald said, has to do with the unique design of the program. “I think that what we’re proposing is unique in the market,” he said. “If you look at small liberal arts colleges, we are going to offer something they can’t offer, and the reason is it takes an enormous amount of new resources to do this. It just so happens that by circumstance of space and time, we are in a remarkably fortunate situation where we can think about making a real claim to this particular space.” In the end, he said, the data science master’s degree program benefits New College as well as its students. “Whether we like it or not, the school is going to grow. It has to, it’s already been mandated by our board. What we can do is control how we grow, which students we recruit, and being able to recruit from a much broader, deeper pool is extremely important if you’re in growth mode. And that’s what this program is going to allow us to do.”

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FEATURE / MASTERING POSSIBILITIES

John Denning ‘92: Achieving Landmarks in Artificial Intelligence AS NEW COLLEGE PROFESSORS PLANNED THE NEW MASTER’S PROGRAM IN DATA SCIENCE, THEY MADE SURE THEY MET WITH ALUMNUS JOHN DENNING ‘92.

The reason: In June 2014, Denning and his colleagues achieved a landmark in artificial intelligence. Denning was a member of a team that developed the first computer program to pass the Turing Test, a measure of computer intelligence derived from papers by the British genius Alan Turing (recently depicted in the movie “The Imitation Game.”) And Denning was the only native English speaker on the team, meaning he fielded the Western media interviews. In story after story – in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, NBC News and more – reporters interviewed him about the breakthrough in AI. (Read these stories at: nimbe.ncf.edu) Now, months after the buzz died down, Denning says both the hype and subsequent criticism missed the point. “The world changed around us. The program became more relevant,” he said. “And at the same time, people ascribed more meaning to the Turing Test and passing the Imitation Game.” Turing proposed the game and test in two academic papers, in 1952 and 1954. In them, the idea evolved to a situation where a group of people converse, via typing, with a computer. Could the computer respond well enough to fool 30 percent of the people into thinking it was a person? In 2001, Denning and a group of his friends in Princeton, N.J., were bored with their corporate jobs. They got together at night and thought about bigger challenges. “And the biggest challenge we could think of was passing the Turing Test,” he said. They formed a company, Princeton AI, and that year took their first shot at the test, held that year at the London Science Museum. In that test, and for the next decade, their program fared well. It always scored among the top few entrants, but none reached Turing’s 30 percent benchmark. By 2012, they had improved, to convincing 29.7 percent of the judges. This time, Denning got a text from his teammate Vladimir Veselov, saying “we passed.” “Passed what?” he replied. The Turing Test, with a 33 percent score, he was told. But they had participated remotely – no one from the team was in London. They scrambled to put out a media release and the coverage took off. The resulting hubbub was both overwhelming and disappointing – too much talk of machines becoming self-aware, like HAL in “2001: A Space Odyssey” or Skynet in “The Terminator.” Denning sees the Turing Test, as formulated, as just a milestone, like the four-minute mile.

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“That’s all it is,” he said. “It doesn’t mean machines are intelligent. It doesn’t mean they’re out to kill us. Nobody is playing trumpets and saying it’s suddenly the dawn of man merging with machine. What it means is that machines are now believable, and it doesn’t take a ton of investment to make this happen.” Like other entrants, Denning and his colleagues developed a “chatbot,” a program that examines a person’s inquiries, consults its knowledge base, employs algorithms and responds. Denning’s team, mostly from Russian and Ukraine, devised a persona of “Eugene Groostman,” a Ukrainian teenager speaking in his second language. That drew fire from some in the AI field, who said the team gamed the test by using a non-native speaker who sometimes responds in slang and jokes. Denning says that’s both biased and misses the point. “We created a persona that was believable,” he said. “It would have been a lot easier to make a dentist from Bradenton. It would have been more boring, too.” The point, he said, is that his team tackled a problem and solved it, where big-name, big-budget teams failed. “We did it for fun. We weren’t doing it for profit. We were doing it because it’s a cool problem. It’s the kind of problem that New College students try to solve,” he said. “Sandy (Gilchrist), Tony (Andrews), Maria (Vesperi) – they taught us to solve problems in the simplest way we could.” He notes that he’s not a computer scientist – he studied anthropology at New College before getting master’s degree in health policy at Cornell. One team member was a fine arts student. They attacked the Turing problem with creativity, not dollars and manpower. “The thing that’s amazing – it wasn’t IBM or Microsoft or Apple that passed. It was this motley little team. It’s like a garage band story. Maybe we’re one-hit wonders, but the thing is, it’s pretty cool to have gotten this one hit.” Denning, though, may have another hit on his hands. A far more advanced engine than the one powering Eugene is part of Denning’s primary venture, Wholesale Change. The company – which includes New College alumnus George Konstantinow ‘69, uses their universal AI engine at the center of a system that helps consumers choose the optimal Medicare plans for their individual situations. It’s a field Denning knows well. He was the product manager of the EpicCare electronic medical record system and the enterprise architect for Kaiser Permanente’s computerized record system. Wholesale Change’s system is in market tests in several states now. While the details are confidential, Denning says its performance is outstanding, with the vast majority of people who try it actually following through and using it to purchase their plan. In part, it’s because of the Turing Test, and the societal change Denning notes: “Now people think it’s perfectly reasonable to talk to computers.”

PROGRAMMING/ACHIEVEMENT

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Travel Grant Anna Rodriguez ‘12 was awarded a $4,280 Student Research and Travel Grant from the Sarasota Chapter of Zonta International to study abroad in Morocco. Anna worked on thesis research covering Multiculturalism and Human Rights.

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Herbstman gift A $170,000 gift from Barbara Herbstman, mother of the late New College alumna Deborah Herbstman, has been made to create the Deborah Marsha Herbstman Endowed Scholarship for Science. This scholarship will be awarded to a recurring in-state student at New College of Florida with a preference for a student studying in the sciences.

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Holiday Reception The New College Foundation hosted a Holiday Reception for its most generous supporters. The sixty-eight attendees were entertained by three students of the New College a capella group, which included a heartwarming rendition of “May the Road Rise up to Meet You.” Thesis student, Elizabeth Sockol spoke to our supporters about her personal journey with New College and how private philanthropy has impacted her life.

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Phonathon This year phonathon has gone high-tec and digital! Thank you everyone who spoke with our student callers, they really enjoyed the conversations they had with you. During our September, November and December calling sessions, our student fundraisers were able to raise $68,000 in gifts and pledges. It was all because of your support. Thank you!

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CHAPTER NEWS / ALUMNAE/I EVENTS

SOUTH FLORIDA

August 9, 2014 Alumnae/i, incoming students, friends and family at Oleta River State Park in South Florida.

APOLLO BEACH, FL

NORTH CAROLINA

August 9, 2014

October 11, 2014

Professor David Harvey, Matt Newton ‘05, Frazier Carraway ‘72, Shannon Duvall, Donal O’Shea and Claire Bailey Carraway ‘75 together at David Smolker’s ‘72 home in Apollo Beach, Florida.

Professor John Moore, alums Mark Winston ‘79, Jen Latham-Robinson ‘95, Sara Seidel-Beall ‘97, Amber Roux ‘01, plus family, friends and dogs at the High Cove reunion in North Carolina.

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TAMPA, FL

November 19, 2014 Duncan Kirby ‘00 and Florence Foster ‘72 at Pane Rustica in Tampa, Florida.

WASHINGTON, DC

December 18, 2014 Dr. Freddie Clary ‘70, Gabriel Rodriguez ‘05, Carmela French ‘06 and Juliana Paré-Blagoev ‘89 at a Holiday gathering at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Board Announcement: Alumnae/i Association Appoints Board In 2012, after years of debate, discussion and input from alumnae/i, the New College Alumnae/i Association (NCAA) decided to change from an elected board to an appointed board. When the change was made, it was acknowledged that the change would be revisited after the first three-year cycle. The first year’s appointment process exceeded expectations both in terms of volume of response and quality and diversity of the response. However, each successive year, the applications fell off. The three-year cycle is at a close and the NCAA board of directors held two meetings to discuss and review the process. A general alumnae/i body survey was also sent out to collect input from the alumnae/i population. Alumnae/i feedback clearly showed a preference for a mixed appointment and election hybrid model.

The board held a special meeting on Feb. 11, 2014 to decide what to do in light of the survey results. There are a number of possibilities as to how a hybrid board can exist and the board voted not to rush to amend the bylaws before our current Jan. 15, 2015 deadline, but rather to take time to develop and implement the new system thoroughly and properly. Before Jan. 2016 the NCAA will determine the hybrid system and voting procedure, and revise its bylaws accordingly. The standard appointment system will be in place for the 2015 year and all applications for the NCAA board of directors must be received by April 1, 2015. For more details on the 2015 cycle and to download your application, please visit our website at: ncf.edu/board-of-directors.

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CLASS NOTES

1960s Carlene “Val” Valenite Llewellyn ‘66, taught children with behavior disorders/emotional disturbance for eight years. Carlene then worked as a behavior specialist and coordinator of a program to support children with behavior issues in school. After Carlene retired, she needed to continue trying to help these needy children. Recently Carlene completed training to become a CASA (court appointed special advocate) and has just received her first case. John Horn ’69 recently published a book titled “The Siege of Petersburg: The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864.” The book offers insight into the nine-month siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War. John has published articles in Civil War Times

Illustrated and America’s Civil War. His books include “The Destruction of the Weldon Railroad” and “The Petersburg Campaign” with Hampton Newsome (author of Richmond Must Fall) and Dr. John G. Selby (author of Virginians at War). John co-edited “Civil War Talks: The Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard & His Fellow Veterans.”

1970s Erika Walker ‘70 is co-author of “Denver Mountain Parks: 100 Years of the Magnificent Dream” which recently won the Colorado Book Award in the history category. Glen Merzer ‘74 will have his first novel published in December. “Off the Reservation” is a comic novel about a Congressman who runs for president. Glen’s last two books, “Food over Medicine” and “Better than Vegan”,

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were published in the last year by BenBella Books; both books advocate the plant-based diet. Glen has a short video up on YouTube about his veg history. Vince Koloski ’75 was commissioned to create an artist book for the Unbinding the Book exhibition sponsored by Blurb. com. The piece was “The Cabinet of J. Alfred Prufrock” and consisted of a small chest of drawers with the drawers serving as the pages of the book. The text was laser-etched on clear acrylic and illuminated by LEDs. The exhibition premiered at the London Artist Book Fair in September of this year and will travel to New York and San Francisco next year. Times Literary Supplement had a review of the exhibition with some kind words and even a photo.

Dan Ryan ’77 is working this year as adjunct professor of technology and social science at the New Lovine Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation at USC. Robert K. Lincoln ‘77 a member of the law firm of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, P.A., has recently become Board Certified by The Florida Bar in City, County and Local Government Law, making Robert one of the 249 Florida Bar attorneys who have achieved board certification in this area; only nine of whom practice in Sarasota. A member of Icard Merrill since 2004, Robert is recognized as one of America’s Best Lawyers in the areas of land use and zoning law, as well as land use and zoning

litigation. He was also named by Florida Trend as a Legal Elite in Environmental and Land Use Law. Olga Ronay ‘77 welcomes Novo Collegians to visit the High Cove community in the North Carolina Mountains near Asheville. An intentional community with a focus on the arts, environmental stewardship, and lifelong learning, High Cove was founded by and continues to be shaped by New College folks. Professor John Moore is a resident wood sculptor and advisor on all things classical, while Professor David Brain takes the stage occasionally with his band, Passerine. Come for an event like an arts-science weekend, moth party, or music festival, or any time to enjoy great meals, hikes (or strolls) in the woods, gathering around a bonfire, or rocking on the porch. Look for the 6th annual New College gathering in mid-October. www.HighCove.com Caroline Chambliss ’79 has joined the Family Promise of Sarasota to manage fundraising, community outreach, grant writing and partnership development. Caroline joins the organization with a wealth of knowledge in the non-profit sector, having spent the last two years at ITNSarasota and the eight years prior at the YMCA Foundation where she was instrumental in the development of the YMCA Scholarship program and the growth and administration of the Community Coalition for Children.

1980s Elizabeth Green ‘81, has been named to 2015 Best Lawyers List. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area

receives this distinction. Elizabeth was recognized for their work in bankruptcy Law. She was also named Orlando “Lawyer of the Year”. Robert A. Bilott ‘83 was selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® 2015 for his work within the Environmental Law and Litigation – Environmental practice areas. Mr. Bilott has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2010. Robert is also listed as a 2015 Cincinnati Leading Lawyer by Cincy Magazine.

both officers of the Portland Association of Teachers. As Math instructors and leaders of their union, they represent over 4,000 teachers in Portland,Oregon. They continue to fight for quality education and social justice. Jess Falcone ‘94 received tenure and was promoted to associate professor of anthropology at Kansas State University. Jess also got married to George Wame Matthews, a Theatre faculty member at K-State, in Hawaii in August 2014. They were joined by friends and family from around the country. Raya, their flower girl, is the daughter of New College alums, Colleen Butler and Jon Broad.

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. The Best Lawyers lists of attorneys are compiled by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on the lists.

1990s Suzanne Cohen ‘94, vice-president, and Al Rabchuk ‘77, secretary, are

Matthew Grieco ‘94 received the 2014 Louis J. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for Excellence in the Practice of Law from New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood nominated Matthew for the Lefkowitz Award for his appellate work as an

Assistant Solicitor General defending the authority of New York State agencies to promulgate regulations in response to pressing social and public policy problems, including health-care spending, environmental control, and highway safety. Thanks, in part, to Andrea Bailey Cox ’95, Executive Director and CEO of Art & History Museums – Maitland, Central Florida has its first National Historic Landmark. Under Cox’s leadership, A&H’s Maitland Art Center was recently named a National Historic Landmark – a designation that applies to places that “exceptionally illustrate or interpret the heritage of the United States.” A&H’s Maitland Art Center showcases the ornate Mayan Revival influences of art deco architect Jules André Smith (1880-1959), a U.S. Army artist in World War I who was a leading architect, printmaker, painter, sculptor, illustrator, set designer and writer. Jonathan Smiga ‘75, CEO of Barnies CoffeeKitchen, is part of the A&H’s Maitland Art Center board of directors and was also involved in the process. For more information about the colony and the designation, visit artandhistory.org. Rebecca Schaaf ’97 is being promoted to senior vice president of stewards of affordable housing for the future (SAHF). Having served as the vice president of the SAHF Energy division for nearly two years, Rebecca will be leading SAHF’s energy and water conservation work following the retirement of SAHF energy president, Richard Samson.

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CLASS NOTES

2000s Jessica Casciola ’00 and Wendey Walker were the first same-sex couple to receive their marriage license in Manatee County, Florida. Jessica and Wendey have been together for eight years.

This past fall Anne Mira Guha ‘01 completed her third graduate degree, an M.S. in Library and Information Science (with a focus on Law Librarianship) from the Catholic University of America Previously, Anne had earned a JD with honors from the George Washington University Law School and an MA from the Elliott School of International Affairs. After a short term with the Law Library of Congress, Anne recently accepted a position at the Georgetown Law Library, where she provides legal research, reference, and instructional services to law students and faculty. Anne lives with her husband, Joseph Zeranski, just outside Washington, D.C. Dr. Sarah Stamper ‘02 was recognized by the International Society

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for Neuroethology, winning a 2014 Young Investigator Award. This award recognizes “fellows who have shown outstanding promise and have already made a significant research contribution in any aspect of the field of neuroethology.” The award was announced in August at the 11th Congress for Neuroethology in Sapporo, Japan. At the Sapporo conference, Sarah presented her research on the electrosensory control of social and locomotor behaviors in weakly electric fish. This research spans her doctoral and postdoctoral work with mentors Dr. Eric Fortune and Dr. Noah Cowan at Johns Hopkins University. Sarah began her career as a neuroethologist in the Psychology Department at New College working with Dr. Gordon Bauer on sensory processing in a variety of critters, including manatees, dolphins and honeybees. She also collaborated with New College alum Dr. Caroline DeLong, while at Brown University, on sensory processing in humans and bats. A link to the award can be found here: www.neuroethology.org/ebusisne/ AWARDS/YoungInvestigatorAwards. aspx. Annie Frazier Crandell ’05 published a short story, “Sakura,” in the 2014 issue of the North Carolina Literary Review. She started writing the story in a creative writing class at New College with writerin-residence Jennifer S. Davis. The story was chosen for publication in NCLR after being a finalist for the magazine’s Doris Betts Fiction Prize. The editors of NCLR have also nominated “Sakura” for the Pushcart Prize for fiction.

John Emanuello ’06 married Krisztina Schlessel ‘05 on December 20, 2014. Ross Berlin ’07 is now a law student at Northwestern University of Law. After graduation, Richard Decal ’07, in his words, “did the sensible thing: I sold my stuff, packed a backpack, and bought a 1-way ticket to China.” I was attacked by Tibetan macaques on a sacred Chinese mountain. I hitchhiked 9,000 miles across Australia. I lived with a village chief in northern Laos. I rode a bicycle around Taiwan and across New Zealand. I volunteered on a tiny speck of land in the Pacific-- paradise! I visited the sketchiest hotel in Hong Kong. I’ve eaten everything. I hiked the fjords in New Zealand and became an art collector’s artist in residence. When I got back to the U.S., I visited 25 states and rode a bicycle 1,000 miles from Seattle to San Francisco (actually, my bike died half-way so I hitchhiked the rest of the way). Finally, a friend gifted me a ticket to Burning Man at the last minute, wrapping up my three-year adventure! While I was hitchhiking around Thailand, I was applying to a NIH training grant. They awarded it to me! I am now a computational neuroscientist at the University of Washington. I research how information is represented in the mosquito brain and then create advanced simulations of their decision-making.

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For updated Chapter events, be sure to check our website at ncf.edu/chapters and “like” our facebook page: facebook.com/NewCollegeAlumAssociation

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PICTURE PERFECT

PETER BYNUM ’74 IS A NEW YORK-BASED ARTIST best known for light-infused paintings on glass that depict paint behaving like a living organism. The Museum of Art & Design in New York, which featured Bynum and light artist James Turrell in a major 2013 exhibition, named him one of the most influential artists of the last half-century who work with glass. His six-month exhibition in the New York Public Library’s 5th Avenue windows was the most viewed exhibition of paintings in the world for 2014. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in Rome, Shanghai, Cologne, Basel, New York and Miami Art Basel.

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COLLEGE FOR EVERY STUDENT

The college hosted a day-long visit from College

for Every Student, a non-profit that helps disadvantaged students prepare for and attend college in October. About 20 students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade from Booker Middle School attended.

Suzanne Setti, who graduated from New College

last year, is a lead mentor with College for Every Student. She works with students at Booker, and worked with several faculty and staff members to plan a sciencecentered day at New College. Students heard a presentation on psychology of dolphins and manatees by alumnus Candice Frances. They visited Prof. Amy Clore’s greenhouse, home to her National

Science Foundation-funded research on maize, and looked at corn stalk cross-section through a fluorescence microscope in her lab. Other stops included a series of chemical reaction demonstrations led by Brenna Kirk, Anne Emig and other students, under Prof. Steve Shipman’s outreach tutorial. They also talked with a panel of students in Clore’s lab about their various research projects, from the fascinating creature called the tardigrade, to fungi that live in and work with plants. Prof. Sandra Gilchrist organized tours of Pritzker Marine Biological Research Center. Students Sean Patton and Abigail Oakes led the middle-schoolers along the bayfront, introducing them to ospreys, egrets and marsh creatures, then into the building for up-close looks at corals, clownfish, mantis shrimp and more.