Summer Scene 2015

Page 1

scene Summer 2015

News and views for the Colgate community

The other Class of 2015 A stroll through Seven Oaks The few. The proud.



scene

Summer 2015

26 The other Class of 2015

The largest-ever group of retiring professors share their memories and wisdom

32 A stroll through Seven Oaks

18 tidbits about Colgate’s Robert Trent Jones golf course

34 The few. The proud.

From the Corps to the Core: the journey of four young Marines-turned-students

3

Message from Interim President Jill Harsin

4

13346 — Inbox

6

Work & Play

12

Tableau: “So Colgate”

13

Big Ideas: The Essence of Entrepreneur Weekend

14

Life of the Mind

18

Arts & Culture

22

Go ’gate

24

New, Noted & Quoted

44

The Big Picture

46

Stay Connected

48

Class News 73 Marriages & Unions 73 Births & Adoptions 73 In Memoriam

76

“Dubious Dedications” crossword, 13 Words or Fewer contest

DEPARTMENTS

On the cover: Kapuaonalani (Kapua) Aiu-Yasuhara of Honolulu, Hawaii, was one of 732 students who graduated with the Class of 2015. Photo by Andrew Daddio. Left: Dew melts, silence breaks, and the sun shines through the boughs of the Norway spruce on the Quad between Hascall and East halls, signaling the start of a new summer day. Photo by Tommy Brown ’79 News and views for the Colgate community

1


scene team

Contributors

Boris Dammer

Volume XLIV Number 4 The Scene is published by Colgate University four times a year — in autumn, winter, spring, and summer. The Scene is circulated without charge to alumni, parents, friends, and students.

Editorial intern Emma Loftus ’16, an English major from Rochester, N.Y., has pursued academic interests in the Cascade Mountains for GEOL120, Norway for ENST336, and a semester in Florence, Italy. The admission tour guide and Delta Delta Delta finance vice president also writes for the Maroon-News. This year, she will develop her own business venture through the Thought Into Action Entrepreneurship Institute and pursue an honors thesis.

Oliver Weiss (“The other Class of 2015,” pg. 26) is a whimsical illustrator working in mixed media for magazines, newspapers, books, and kitchenware products. He is dividing his time between Berlin and New York City. His clients include Random House, Kiplinger, New Scientist, Milken Institute, Scientific American, and Der Spiegel.

Crossword puzzle constructor Kyle Dolan ’06 (“Dubious dedications,” pg. 76) is a postdoctoral fellow in biomedical research at the University of Chicago, studying the gut microbiome and its effects on diseases such as colon cancer and I.B.D. He has authored multiple crossword puzzles for the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and others. His last Colgate Scene puzzle appeared in the autumn 2013 issue.

What’s online

colgate.edu/scene Visit us online to read articles you may have missed, add your comments, and share them with friends via social media.

Reunion Torchlight

colgate.edu/reuniontorchlight15 This reunion weekend Torchlight Ceremony video includes overhead footage shot from Colgate’s DJI Phantom quadcopter.

NY6BorderTrip

Zombies vs. Humans: 13-second video

colgate.edu/zombies Students in the Game’s Afoot club went over to the dark side during a zombie apocalypse.

colgate.edu/ny6bordertrip Tweets and Instagram posts from Colgate professors chronicled their journey along the U.S./ Mexican border as they learned about immigration policy, sponsored by the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium.

Beauty shots

colgate.edu/campusbeauty Between its architectural and natural elegance, Colgate’s campus is a standout. Check out the Campus Beauty Flickr album to see for yourself.

Go paperless :13

scene: Summer 2015

Contributors: Barbara Brooks, Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Marketing; Daniel DeVries, Admission Marketing Manager; Matt Hames, Manager of Media Communications; David Herringshaw, Online Community Manager; Jason Kammerdiener ’10, Web Content Specialist; Brian Ness, Video Journalism Coordinator; John Painter P’18, Director of Athletic Communications; Mark Walden, Senior Advancement Writer Contact: scene@colgate.edu 315-228-7415 colgate.edu/scene Colgate University 315-228-1000

Engage online

2

Vice President for Communications Rachel Reuben Managing Editor Rebecca Downing Associate Editor Aleta Mayne Designers Gerald Gall, Karen Luciani, Katherine Mutz University Photographer Andrew Daddio Production Assistant Kathy Bridge

To stop receiving the printed Scene, e-mail Scene@ colgate.edu with your name, class year, address, and e-mail address, and put Online Mailing List in the subject. We’ll send you an e-mail when we post new online editions (colgate.edu/scene).

Printed and mailed from Lane Press in South Burlington, Vt. If you’re moving... Please clip the address label and send with your new address to: Alumni Records Clerk, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346-1398 or call 315-228-7453. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the university, the publishers, or the editors. Notice of Non-Discrimination: Colgate University does not discriminate in its programs and activities because of race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran or military status (including special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran, or recently separated veteran), predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the university’s non-discrimination policies: Marilyn Rugg, Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346; 315-228-7288.


A message from Interim President Jill Harsin

Twelve professors retired

from Colgate this year — the largest

number of retirements ever in a single year. Their number includes founding members of our programs in film and media studies, women’s studies, writing and rhetoric, and environmental studies; leaders of study groups; nationally and internationally recognized scholars; and a former dean of the faculty and interim president. Colgate that values and encourages interdisciplinarity and the breaking down of walls. An annual gathering sponsored by the liberal arts core program brings together a substantial number of professors for two days of active panel discussions about teaching — always informed by careful attention to current issues on campus — during the week before commencement. Proponents of the liberal arts do not always explain themselves very effectively in the face of challenges from those who support only the teaching of skill sets currently needed by employers. We mutter something about “critical thinking,” and we sense that we have already lost our audience. But let me offer up the following: I wrote my dissertation on an old Smith-Corona. It and the typewriter of my dreams, the IBM Selectric with the ball cartridge, are both for sale on eBay as “vintage” machines. I used gallons of Wite-Out — still around, though its glory days are long past. I had an immovable wooden piece of television-furniture turned on to one of its three channels for background noise; I saw many latenight commercials inviting me to sign up for a credential in TV and VCR repair. (At the time, it sounded tempting.) I am currently writing on a device that would have seemed utopian 30 years ago, and that I now take completely for granted. Transitions of another kind are an annual event. Every year, we say goodbye to the senior class, applaud our favorite students as they get their diplomas, and eagerly keep track of their progress for subsequent years. Many of the students in our Class of 2015, those who just left us, may well end their careers in fields that do not yet exist; they will joyously reinvent themselves, and will have the conceptual tools to do it. A Colgate education is defined by depth, in the form of immersion in a particular discipline, finished by a capstone project or seminar; and by breadth, in the form of our liberal arts core courses and distribution requirements. Even if you aren’t going to be a scientist, we believe, you should know how a scientist approaches the world — or how the social sciences turn an analytical eye on human societies of the past and present, or how the humanities evaluate and make art. All students should have the experience of trying to master things they are less than confident about, and should have the opportunity to fall in love with a field they never would otherwise have considered. The liberal arts provide them with critical thinking, yes, but also with that spark of intellectual curiosity that is needed for creativity in all fields. So farewell to our 12 colleagues; and farewell to the Class of 2015. We will miss your daily presence, but will look forward to seeing what you make of yourselves. Andrew Daddio

In the feature article on pg. 26, these beloved teacher-scholars share their thoughts and memories about their lives at Colgate. Every retirement is both a loss and a gain. The losses include experience, institutional knowledge, stability, and leadership. Potential gains are obvious, as well: new colleagues, the development of innovative courses, the possibility of new collaborations between programs and departments — in short, the renewal that occurs whenever people with fresh ideas join a group. Academic departments, when faced with the need to replace a colleague, approach this task by looking at their course offerings and the current state of their field of study. Are there new subfields, new partnerships that might be made with interdisciplinary programs and other departments, a reshuffling of existing courses so that the new position can be reconfigured? This process of redefinition is also a part of the life of individual faculty members. My own course portfolio is very different today from what it was 33 years ago. I, like so many others, have gone through numerous transitions as a teacher because of changing departmental needs, the hiring of new colleagues to whom I was happy to cede certain courses, and my changing research interests that allowed me to develop expertise in different fields. Among this year’s emeriti are many who went through such reinventions: for example, trained to teach English or economics, then going on to develop courses in the emerging field of women’s studies. All of us on the faculty are also aided by an institutional structure at

News and views for the Colgate community

3


Inbox

scene

Investment suggestion

Spring 2015

News and views for the Colgate community

Compass The $2.5 billion math problem

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

I found the story about how Bill Lloyd ’80 saved the retirements of thousands (“The $2.5 billion math problem,” spring 2015, pg. 30) most interesting. Colgate offers a charitable gift annuity (CGA) with none of that risk, secure income, and eventual benefit to Colgate. When the interest rate on bonds dropped to almost nothing, I set up a CGA with Colgate using appreciated stock and now receive 7 percent per year interest, plus a tax benefit. Bob Youker ’55 Rockville, Md.

Print preference I think having the Colgate Scene online is good environmentally, but seeing the actual publication in print is much much better. I picked up a copy when I was at document services recently and was very impressed with the issue. Good to look at and good to read! I remain very impressed with the format and presentation — and stories. Nice job. Hannah McClennen Hubbardsville, N.Y.

Look for a military leader With regard to the ongoing search for a new president for Colgate, I suggest that the committee focus on a quality that may not be fully appreciated within academia. That quality is leadership, which, in my judgment, is critical if an institution is to advance among its peer institutions. Move beyond the usual focus on candidates within academia and shift to the plethora of retired and proven military leaders. Examples of universities that have successfully brought aboard military leaders as their presidents are Bryant and Monmouth. Ron-

4

scene: Summer 2015

ald Machtley assumed the presidency of Bryant in 1996, and Paul Gaffney served as president of Monmouth from 2003 to 2013. Both were graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy and served on active duty with the Navy. Both have led their universities with distinction, and both universities have experienced disproportional rapid advancement among peer institutions. Colgate prides itself on innovation and critical thinking, and perhaps now is the time to think outside of the academic box. I am grateful for the excellent education that I received at Colgate and am a very loyal alumnus, and this suggestion should not be taken in a negative context. Rather, it should be taken in the spirit of assisting to bring to the Colgate community a president who will help to regain the upward momentum that seems to have been lost in recent years. Robert O. Meyer ’60 Gladstone, N.J.

Remembering Coleman Brown Reading the life narrative of Coleman Brown and his zeal for social justice (In Tribute, spring 2015, pg. 63), I noticed that Coleman died on the same date (December 14) of another who was zealous about civil justice — George Washington. Coleman’s life narrative and my special memories also remind me of his integrity, the same integrity that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran pastor, theologian, and martyr, possessed. I believe that what Malcolm Muggeridge said about Bonhoeffer can be applied, as well, to Coleman: “Some words Gorky used about Tolstoy come into my mind: ‘Look what a wonderful man is living on this earth!’” Pastor Gordon F. Strunk ’78 Sewickley, Pa.

Coleman was one of the giants who made Colgate a stunning experience for me. In freshman P&R, Coleman took us more seriously than we took ourselves, and that changed us. He bypassed occasional student arrogance to touch our hidden, vulnerable concerns in a respectful way. If you felt called by God even softly, Coleman expected you to answer that call, and lent his support. One afternoon, during his Religious Understanding and Social Ethics seminar, Coleman sang a spiritual from his civil rights marching days. The hair on our arms stood on end; we were blasted with the power that enabled marchers to face hatred, fire hoses, and attack dogs. His way of living seemed to say, “You’ve been given a life. Ask what you’ve been sent here to do. Honor that.” Melinda Lappin Zipin ’76 Lake Park, Fla.

R.I.P., R.V. With the death of Robert V. Smith (a few weeks short of his 95th birthday), Colgate has lost one of its best teachers and notable characters. I met Bob the first weekend I was at Colgate, when University Church was having a softball game and barbecue. Bob was squatting behind home plate, a catcher’s mask on. His wife, Posy, was close by, tending to their youngest child, still in a pram. It was the beginning of a long and much-cherished friendship. I became a frequent visitor at their home on W. Kendrick and spent many evenings and weekend afternoons in discussion and laughter. I remember talks with Arnold Sio about race, Steve Hartshorne about the theology of Paul Tillich, and Bob’s own insights into various religions. Sometimes visitors


to the university would end up in Bob’s sitting room. I remember talking far into the night with Ralph Bunche and Thurgood Marshall about the United States and its problems. After I settled in England, I kept in touch with Bob. We would come to Colgate during the summer holidays, and spend a week with Bob and Posy. And Bob also came frequently to England with his study groups. When I was headmaster of a boarding school, Bob’s study group spent some days with us. After Posy’s sad death, Bob visited with Joyce Irwin, and we came to know her well. The last time I saw Bob was at my 50th Reunion in 2008. On Sunday morning, I drove Bob to the service at Memorial Chapel. The chaplain noted our thinly scattered numbers and invited us to introduce ourselves. I wondered what he would make of Bob, who was wearing one of his loud Hawaiian shirts, a tam-o-shanter on his head. “I’m R.V. Smith, and I used to run this joint.” Following the service, Bob suggested we ride up to the cemetery. I noticed the graves of Holmes Hartshorne, Jonathan Kistler (the finest teacher of English I had ever known), Doc Reading, Hunt Terrell, and Herman Brautigam. I suddenly had a thought that has remained with me: sometimes what we go for is not what we find, but what we find turns out to be very important. I had gone to Colgate because I was taken with the idea of playing football, the party life, and the “rahrah” atmosphere. What I found was something very much else. An introduction to serious thought, to literary criticism, to intellectual discourse, all of which were to serve me well in my 40-year teaching career. I never saw Bob again. A wonderful man; may he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Hubbard carried the ball I read of the passing of Marv Hubbard ’68. I was fortunate to see Marv in action all four years as he ran over, under, around, and through opponents. I was football manager for four years, head manager in our senior year. As a result, I was on the sidelines with my camera for the Colgate Maroon. I’ve sent two photos of Marv. The first is one of my favorites. It shows a line play at Princeton, probably in 1966. Marv is carrying the ball through a well-blocked hole, eluding a tackler who never had a chance. I believe Colgate won that game 7-0. The second is Marv carrying the ball against Buffalo in a “mud bowl” contest. Does anyone play in those conditions anymore? I’m sure many more accolades will come in, with remembrances of Marv. I just remember how often when a few yards were needed, Marv carried the ball with success, even though everyone knew who would get the ball.

Call for Nominations: Colgate Board of Trustees

The Nominating and Trustee Development Committee of the Board of Trustees welcomes recommendations for new members to bring guidance and wisdom to the university’s governing board. The board seeks energetic and committed people with expertise in areas including, but not limited to: higher education, finance, the arts, technology, global learning, legal affairs, marketing, or media relations. Nominees should display the ability to exercise informed, independent judgment and to act in the best interests of Colgate to properly steward the university’s academic, program, and fiscal resources. Candidates should be willing to fully immerse themselves in the work of the board. They should place Colgate as a priority in terms of time and philanthropy, and be committed to staying abreast of the changing landscape of higher education. The full board meets four times a year, and trustees are expected to participate in committee meetings and conference calls at other times. Trustees are also often asked to attend and/or host other university events. Each year, the board welcomes three to five new trustees for threeyear terms that may be followed by two additional three-year terms. Recommendations may be made by mail to: Trustee Nominating and Development Committee, c/o Robert L. Tyburski ’74, Secretary, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346; or by e-mailing rtyburski@ colgate.edu.

Al Scuterud ’68 Old Greenwich, Conn.

Picture this: stunning Colgate University photography, just a click away Visit our galleries at colgate.photoshelter.com to order customized photographic prints in a variety of sizes. Bring home images you’ve seen in the Colgate Scene and other university publications as well as scenic views from around one of America’s most beautiful campuses.

Fred Sessa ’58 Bloxham, Oxfordshire, U.K.

News and views for the Colgate community

5


work & play 6

Campus scrapbook A

A

A mythical adventure unfolded as students, professors, and staff members joined together for the Colgate Roleplaying Game Society’s weekly session. Photo by Anna Heil ’16

B

Boom! Clap! Generations stood shoulder to shoulder at Reunion 2015, which welcomed back the 0s and the 5s. Photo by Andrew Daddio

C

“Be present,” Whoopi Goldberg told an audience of 2,500 people in Cotterell Court in March. Her performance was a mix of comedy and grandmotherly advice, followed by a Q&A with Lee Woodruff ’82, P’13, H’07. Photo by Andrew Daddio

D

Shooting for the stars in Jeff Bary’s astronomy class. Photo by Gerard Gaskin

E

Get on your bike and ride: off-roading on the trails above campus. Photo by Nick Gilbert ’18

F

Striking a pose outside of the ALANA Cultural Center after the Spring Soiree, an annual event that recognizes students doing multicultural work. Photo by Dylan Crouse ’15

G

The annual HomeRun 5K and half-marathon fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity ended on a high note with a student musical performance on the Village Green. Photo by Nick Gilbert ’18

scene: Summer 2015

B C


D

E

F

G

News and views for the Colgate community

7


Andrew Daddio

work & play

Colgate’s 194th commencement exercises in Sanford Field House

First-generation college students in the Class of 2015 were honored at a luncheon during commencement weekend.

8

scene: Summer 2015

A degree of determination

Change can happen, but it requires a constant commitment, Eddie Glaude Jr. told the graduating class during his commencement address on May 17. “Those commitments don’t work like a tweet or a post on Instagram or comments on Yik Yak. They ought to animate the spirit of a life lived over time,” said Glaude, who is a Princeton University religion and African American studies professor. To underline his point, Glaude commended students for their sit-in last fall, but reminded them that a similar demonstration happened 47 years ago. “It is your inexhaustible voice, to paraphrase William Faulkner, your spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance that is the only possible salvation we have now.” The previous day, at the Baccalaureate service, Rev. Gay Clark Jennings ’74 also told students that they were “well equipped to think creatively and critically about how you will make an impact in the public square.” Jennings is the first ordained

woman to be elected president of the Episcopal Church House of Deputies. She is known for strengthening the church’s commitment to vulnerable children, immigrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Jennings and Glaude were among those who received honorary degrees at commencement. The others included emeritus Colgate computer science professors Elizabeth and Thomas Brackett; former Washington University Provost Edward Macias ’66; Harvard University sciences professor Naomi Oreskes; and outgoing President Jeffrey Herbst. See more of the 194th commencement weekend at Colgate.edu/commencement.

First-generation celebration

What was intended to be a luncheon to honor first-generation students graduating with the Class of 2015 turned into an event where the students acknowledged their loved ones for supporting their journeys. The moving tribute took shape at the semiformal event on the Merrill House lawn as students took to the microphone and spoke directly to their families in whatever language was most comfortable for them — Spanish, English, Russian, or Chinese. One student, through tears, thanked her mother for adopting her, and making her the star of their family, while another talked about the sacrifices her parents made after coming to America as immigrants in search of a better life for their children. Admission dean Gary Ross ’77 read a portion of the original application essay submitted by a student from California who graduated with honors as a double major in Spanish and sociology and anthropology. “Even while being the first person in my family to go to college, I know that I will be able to break even more borders with that degree in my hands,” Ross read. “I know now that anything is possible as long as we put our heart and soul into it.” With admiration for the students, Ross said, “Most, if not all of you, knew your journey through college would not be easy; however, you considered academically demanding colleges and universities like Colgate … because of the fact that you knew it would be hard. You, too, were ready to pour your heart and soul into the journey.”

Views from the hill We asked students to creatively connect their academic concentrations, and here’s what they said: “I like talking about politics because it rocks.” Kegan Thompson ’16, geology major and political science minor, Hickam AFB, Hawaii “I like to argue about literally everything.” Kevin Costello ’16, philosophy and political science double major, Concord, Calif. “I am able to think outside the box.” Sara Hinton ’16, English with a creative writing emphasis and studio art double major, Scranton, Pa. “I’m passionate about discovering the exponential capacity and plasticity for the brain to learn and grow.” David Kim ’16, neuroscience major and educational studies minor, Seoul, South Korea


Andrew Daddio

Farewell, Adam and Eve

The mute swans that have graced Taylor Lake since 1929 will no longer make their home at Colgate. The announcement that Adam and Eve were moving on came after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) published new draft regulations governing their maintenance and care. The DEC regulations, proposed in March, will require that any person or organization owning mute swans hold a license for nonnative species; the birds were brought to North America from Europe in the 19th century to nest on New World estates. As well, swans must either have their wings

clipped or be confined to an enclosed space to ensure that they are unable to escape into the wild. In addition, the birds must be tagged and surgically sterilized. The DEC implemented its rules after conducting research into the impact of mute swans on the environment and allowing for a public comment period earlier this year. These requirements would have had a substantial impact on the quality of life for Adam and Eve. Therefore, the owner from whom the university had leased the swans decided to sell his stock to swan owners in Ohio, and Colgate will not seek to purchase or lease new swans. “When mute swans became a part of the Colgate tradition in 1929, they were little more than a curiosity in America,” said biology department chair Tim McCay. “DEC research now indicates that the population is capable of reducing the quality of native environments.” John Pumilio, director of sustainability at Colgate and ornithology instructor for the National Audubon Society, believes the new policies are in the best interest of the swans and the environment. “Mute swans consume up to eight pounds of aquatic vegetation per day, often uprooting more plants than they can consume,” he said. The swans also threaten native ducks, grebes, and mergansers that try to nest on and around Taylor Lake. With decades of alumni holding fond memories of our swans swim-

ming gracefully across the lake, Adam and Eve will live on in the hearts of the Colgate community.

Brookings calls Colgate #2 in value

In a study of four-year universities, Colgate was ranked second for “value added” with respect to mid-career earnings, according to the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. “Beyond College Rankings” is the first to compare a broad array of colleges on economic outcomes for graduates, using government and private data sources including LinkedIn and PayScale. It also factors in seven quality metrics: curriculum value, percentage graduating in a STEM field, alumni skills, graduation rate, retention rate, aid per student, and instructional staff. “It’s not the majors that are driving their student success, and it’s not the skills they list on résumés,” said lead author and Brookings fellow Jonathan Rothwell. “It may be they have access to great teachers; it may be that their alumni networks are strong.” According to Brookings, the survey improves on conventional rankings in several ways: it includes a much larger number of schools; focuses on factors that best predict measurable economic outcomes; and attempts to isolate the effect colleges themselves have on those outcomes, above and beyond what students’ backgrounds would predict.

Kori Strother ’15, an Africana and Latin American studies major from Saint Louis, Mo., received Colgate’s highest student honor, the 1819 Award. Strother helped lead the peaceful 100-hour campus demonstration in the fall of 2014, during which students called for a campus united against racial intolerance. In January, she gave a moving keynote address during Martin Luther King Jr. Week, encouraging the Colgate community to unabashedly confront issues of race. A 2013 summer fellow with the Colgate Upstate Institute and a 2014 Lampert Institute fellow, Strother captained Colgate’s Division I women’s track team, and was co-vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A Dean’s Award winner and member of the Raider Academic Honor roll, Strother also worked as a community leader in Residential Life, and was an intern in the Office of LGBTQ Life.

Andrew Daddio

Reaching new heights

Navigating the skies of Dubai. from takeoff to landing, is no easy task. But members of Colgate’s Aviation Club have been getting some practice thanks to a new flight simulator that lets users fly any plane in any weather condition in any city in the world. The new system, kept in CaseGeyer Library, is accessible to members of the community upon request. “The flight procedures and checklists are pretty much the same [as with a real plane] prior to takeoff and landing,” said club president Colin Shipley ’15. “We’re able to accustom students to small-aircraft controls and basic flight procedures before they step into an actual cockpit through our Discovery Flights program.” Colgate’s Aviation Club has existed for approximately a decade, but Shipley began expanding it in spring 2012 as a Thought Into Action (TIA)

Shirt Tales

From tap to Tahitian, the students sporting Dancefest shirts know all the right steps. This semester’s T-shirt was designed by Dancefest veteran Jenna Bryfonski ’15 and, here, is worn by the WolfPack. “Shut Up and Dance,” the opening number’s song, was also the theme of the event. More than 250 students performed in 16 dance groups for a live audience of 800 and an online audience of nearly 8,000 Livestream viewers. Dancefest has won the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement’s awards for Event of the Year and Best Colgate Tradition and it continues to be a highly attended event on campus. “It’s incredible to see the Colgate community come together with such positivity and energy,” said Danielle Iwata ’15, a member of FUSE Dance Company and the leader of the Colgate Dance Initiative. “It’s a reminder that although we all come from different backgrounds and our campus isn’t perfect, we can still celebrate the passion and dedication of the student body,” said Iwata. “It’s a testament to the Colgate spirit.”

News and views for the Colgate community

9


Andrew Daddio

work & play

project. “With the input of various mentors and student entrepreneurs in the program, I developed a strategy to market the club to the student body and interested alumni,” said Shipley. “Successful projects thus far include the introduction of Soaring Discovery Flights with the Iroquois Soaring Association and the purchase of radiocontrolled airplanes and helicopters.” The Aviation Club’s gift fund was used to purchase the simulator, with half of the funds given by Shipley’s TIA mentor Jason Griswold ’97. “Another alumnus [Per Sekse ’78] provided a professional headset for the simulator,” Shipley said. Every semester, approximately 60 students can go up in real planes through the Aviation Club’s Discovery Flights program at Hamilton Municipal Airport. From the ground, they can learn how to fly the club’s radio-controlled (RC) blimp and other aircrafts. “[The simulator] can help familiarize students with the particular type of aircraft they may want to fly in the future, or [help them prepare for] the Discovery Flights,” said Kevin Lynch, Colgate’s chief information officer and the club’s faculty adviser. “It’s not approved for actual flight training, but it is a useful tool for students,” explained Lynch, who builds and flies model aircrafts as a hobby. “Plus, it’s just plain fun.” Shipley, who graduated in May, plans to pursue his private pilot’s license. “From the limited flying I’ve

Colin Shipley ’15 (right) takes the controls of the new Redbird Jay flight simulator purchased by the Aviation Club.

done in small aircraft, the [simulator’s] controls and responsiveness to the pilot’s inputs are well done and quite similar to actual flight,” he said. “However, there’s only so much of a realistic experience you can have before looking left or right and realizing you’re still in Case Library.” — Natalie Sportelli ’15

Downtown incubator abuzz

Being selected for the Colgate Entrepreneurs Fund (eFund) can change everything for a fledgling start-up — especially when combined with incubator space and direct access to

Get your noodle bowl “As You Like It” — a nod to longtime Colgate English professor Margaret Maurer — at the new N13 restaurant opened by Scott Williams ’80 in downtown Hamilton. Other Asian delicacies joining this mix-and-match menu item include tamarind rice cakes and pork belly dumplings. Williams credits his daughters, Katie ’15 and Lacey ’16, with the idea for the noodle shop, located at 3 Lebanon Street next to the Hamilton Movie Theater. N13 opened its doors at 1300 hours on April 10, with three of Colgate’s a cappella groups performing a selection of songs at the grand opening. When he’s not at N13, Williams operates a Washington, D.C.–based communications and PR firm. His past restaurant experience includes helping launch two popular brewpubs in the U.S. capital. The Broad Street Gallery marked the addition of new artists, artwork, and a gift shop with a grand reopening celebration on April 11. Four new artists and artisans have helped fill the gallery with artwork. At

10

scene: Summer 2015

Thought Into Action (TIA) alumnimentor support for an entire summer in Hamilton. The $15,000 award that comes with selection opens doors for these new ventures. Some hire product engineers, web developers, or advertising buys; some use the capital to allow for full-time work on an idea in lieu of a day job. The eFund, originally seeded by Colgate parent Dan Rosensweig, is now funded by numerous Colgate parents and alumni. Now in its third year, the eFund has awarded a total of $255,000 to 17 ventures since 2012.

the gift shop, visitors can buy affordable prints, ceramics, cards, jewelry, and more. The Hamilton Public Library hosted a CaldecottNewbery Tea on April 18. While a handful of book lovers gave short presentations on the 2015 Caldecott Village Green and Newbery Award winners, attendees sipped tea and flipped through the selections. “I decided I’d rather be more inclusive with our audience, aiming the event for any teens and adults who have an interest in these books,” explained Hilary Virgil, the library’s director. The Colgate Bookstore joined in national Independent Bookstore Day on May 2 with stories, crafts, and snacks for kids. Later, teens and adults proved their knowledge of books with Literary Trivial Pursuit. — Meredith Dowling ’17


The mentoring and expertise that the entrepreneurs in the incubator space receive are just as valuable as the funding, they’ve said. “For most of the eFund entrepreneurs, this is the first time they’ve had the opportunity to spend one hundred percent of their time, focus, and creativity on their ventures,” explained TIA co-founder Wills Hapworth ’07. “They get to stop moonlighting on their idea, and make a hard push at creating success, with capital and mentorship to accelerate their growth … and we’ve seen it work for many of the teams.” This year’s eFund winners include: Adam Buys ’17 and Zy Mazza (Echo, a mobile app that uses geolocational data on your phone to highlight social events nearby); David Myers ’14 and Alex Drakos ’16 (Brainstorm Technologies, which aims to create a headset

Go Figure – Welcoming the Class of 2019 781 students 29.1% multicultural students 7% international students

56 children and

grandchildren of alumni

200 years since Colgate’s very first class arrived

7

pre-orientation programs planned for them

49 student Links ready to mentor and guide 122 student workers will help them move in

5

a cappella groups practicing to serenade on move-in day

6 first-year residence halls 246 student clubs and organizations registered for incoming students to get involved

4 years of friendships, memories, and

learning lie ahead

— Emma Loftus ’16

that boosts concentration through gentle electrical brain stimulation); and Alex Relph ’09 and Sam Breslin ’09, former Colgate football players (whose Platform Athletics is a webbased training platform designed for high school coaches in the development of student athletes); as well as Amanda Brown ’15, Jake Danehy ’17 and Caroline Danehy ’19, and Raffi Khatchadorian ’17 and Keshav Garg ’15 (read more about these five on Page 13).

Get to know: Mark Shiner

Crowd-funding kindness

The Konosioni Senior Honor Society has helped develop a new way to assist local nonprofits. Madison County Gives, a crowd-funding website, provides a platform for raising funds to support those organizations’ invaluable services. Each fall, Konosioni accepts funding proposals and allocates the proceeds from its annual charity auction to selected organizations. But sometimes, the auction proceeds cannot cover the full amount each organization requested. Now, with Madison County Gives, anyone can donate online to help the organizations raise the remainder. The website was conceived through a joint venture between Konosioni and Julie Dudrick of Colgate’s Upstate Institute. The nearly $25,000 raised at this year’s auction will be allocated through the site, along with other funds raised from the public. The eight organizations featured this year include Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, Chenango Nursery School, and the Mary Rose Clinic. Other campus groups also donated to Madison County Gives as part of their philanthropy efforts, which included a collaborative a cappella concert with the Colgate Activities Board that raised $500; Brothers Charity Week, which collected $2,500; and a Colgate Olympics event, hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which also raised approximately $500. Earlier in the spring, Konosioni held a brown bag luncheon and invited representatives from this year’s funded organizations to share their missions and talk about how they serve Madison County; they were also invited to this year’s charity auction. — Natalie Sportelli ’15

University chaplain Catholic campus minister When I was 8, I was in an adult Bible study at a little church in Freemansburg, Pa. The pastor said, “You have real insight for a kid your age. I want you to give a sermon.” So I prepared “What faith, hope, and love mean to me.” It was about five minutes — a gem worthy of Augustine, ha ha! By the time I was 10, I wanted to be a theologian when I grew up. I had intellectual difficulties with religion in my teen years, and I was really into playing drums. When I was at Berklee [College of Music], I read C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. I became transfixed. I transferred to Houghton College, which had both a great music program and a solid theology department. From there, I had some pivotal ministry experiences. I worked a summer in a shelter for homeless families. The director, who’s Rev. Jo Claire Hartsig ’78, was a mentor in connecting my faith to service. I love watching transformations in students — coming to grips with their behavior, with past hurts, and finding reconciliation, understanding, faith, healing. I get to know students so well that even the things they carry around as big secrets don’t surprise me. But I’ve learned how much hurt people carry around as well as a desire for wholeness, and how much hope goes into the enterprise of being human. It’s beautiful to see their capacity for compassion grow. Preaching is really fun, and really hard. All week, I meditate on the coming Sunday’s readings: how does this connect to campus, or people I’ve intersected with — somebody who’s worried, or obsessed with status, or feeling terrible? Sometimes my sermon is meant to be a comfort. Other times, to say, “Hey, we could do this better as a community.” I had an incredible experience with six Colgate people on the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage last summer. As you’re walking, you’ll see people have abandoned all kinds of things because they have to carry everything. Afterward, I was forlorn. The Camino was all I could think of. I couldn’t sort out why until my spiritual director asked, “What do you miss most?” Eventually I sorted out that I wanted to simplify my life. I’ve had some success with getting rid of a lot of possessions. It was a joyful thing to start. I’m in a jazz trio. We’re called OGD, for organ, guitar, drums. I like playing anything in the broad American idiom — jazz, R&B, country. My wife, Rebecca (psychology professor), and I have two children. Leo’s 18 and on his way to Brown University. Sophie is 14 and on her way to high school. If I could have dinner with anyone living or dead, I’d invite Francis of Assisi. I want to encounter that kind of sanctity in real life. And Thomas Merton. He’s had a profound impact on my intellectual life. As for living? My wife. I like my wife. The pope. And, I’d love to see what Annie Dillard’s like. — Rebecca Downing

News and views for the Colgate community

11


Tableau

“So Colgate” By Amanda Brown ’15 I had a realization about Colgate halfway through my senior year. It happened the way that most great Colgate realizations do: with an alumnus whom I hadn’t seen in a while, over lunch at a diner in New Jersey. We were talking about a mutual friend we both admired, and I said, “She’s so Colgate!” When he interrupted me to ask what “So Colgate” meant, I realized I didn’t really know either — so, we unpacked it for a while. “So Colgate.” I had said it countless times before, about different things. This particular instance was about someone in the Class of 2015 who embodies many characteristics I associate with our school. She’s driven, she’s compassionate, she’s involved all over campus. That to me describes most of our schoolmates; but she doesn’t necessarily represent most of our students. She’s a deacon from Alaska who majors in geography. She’s not “typical” by any means: most Colgate students haven’t walked in her footsteps. So what did I mean? When I started thinking about other seniors who I’d say are “Colgate” people, one after another came to mind until I realized something. All of these classmates, each of whom I felt embody Colgate, are Colgate, were completely unlike anyone else. They’re all different from everyone around them, and the identity we see on their surface says nothing to their full individual reality. It is that uniqueness, those hidden complexities, those unexpected trailblazing biographies: that is what screams “Colgate” to me. When I think about our “typical” Colgate classmate, it only highlights how atypical they all are when you get to know them. I think of the senior who majored in philosophy, but is also passionate about food justice, so in his free time, he plans how to end the food desert in Atlanta’s West End. I think of the senior from Darien, Conn., who commits herself to addressing privilege and pushes us all to do the same. I think of the senior Division 1 athlete who overcame eight concussions to get a neuroscience degree and then took it to Wall Street. I think of the senior who spent half her Colgate career advocating for sex positivity, breaking down our barriers, and facilitating safe discussions on sexuality. I think of the student who studied abroad in his senior spring semester, spends Friday nights challenging himself to share his poetry aloud with strangers, and whose mother flew here from Kenya for our graduation. I think of all of our classmates whose parents went to Colgate, went to a rival school, never went to college, have never been to the United States before. I think of the fact that if a stranger drew an image of a stereotypical Colgate student — with whatever identities, passions, backgrounds, and goals that they think are our “norm” — that image would not accurately describe the realities of our class. I can say that with sincerity, certainty, and pride. But when I was a first-year, I couldn’t have said that. As many students do, it took me a while to get into stride in college, and to truly understand the enigma that is Colgate. I knew it was cold (it only took me a few weeks to figure that out).

12

scene: Summer 2015

I knew there were a lot of friendly, smart classmates around — but before I really started to engage with them, most of them seemed pretty similar. I knew what sport that girl on my floor played, and what country my classmate was from. In my attempt to sift through this sea of strangers, many in a uniform of Bean Boots, I classified people by the first thing or two I learned about them. It made for an empty year, particularly in hindsight, now that I’ve lived a much fuller Colgate experience. My favorite writer, Chimamanda Adichie, warns of the exact trap I fell into as a first-year: the danger of a single story. She argues that when we know one thing about a person, place, or thing, we often presume we know them accurately and entirely. But, she said, “When we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.” I have found that paradise at Colgate. Ironically, when I think about the most “typical” thing I ever saw at Colgate, the most representative of what I love about Colgate, the most Colgate experience of my last four years, I actually think about last fall’s student-led sit-in. The week itself was not normal, expected, or characteristic of the rest of our four years here. But it finally highlighted the multiplicity that exists at Colgate, and celebrated it. I think about how those hours of personal narratives revealed that in this story of protest were infinite individual chapters. I think about the professors walking their students down to admission to hold class there in solidarity. I think about the campuswide acknowledgment that there is no Colgate experience, only Colgate experiences; no Colgate identity, only Colgate identities; no Colgate story, only many, many different Colgate stories. And that pluralism, which our class embodies, is not something to be taken for granted. Our community is about more than being unique or having multiple layers: it’s about challenging ourselves and our peers to see that in others, and to then act on it. Back in the Jersey diner off Route 46, I realized that this alumnus was quite Colgate himself, as was our friendship. He had studied theater and English; I studied war and religion. Our clubs, affiliations, and campus experiences never overlapped once. We never even met until his senior week in Myrtle Beach. Yet we could sit down over chocolate-chip pancakes, and talk for hours about Colgate, the people we met here, and what we learned and unlearned here. And that is why “so Colgate” is a beautiful characterization in my mind — it’s something all-encompassing and ever-changing. It means something different to everyone in our class. So, I conclude with a call to action. We’ll always be bound together in this messy maroon manuscript called Colgate. As you keep writing your own chapter, keep reading others’. Quote them, debate them, appreciate them. Find that your own story is not the summary on the back cover — nobody’s is. In that recognition, we discover what makes all of this truly Colgate. — Brown gave this speech at the 2015 senior class brunch. A member of Konosioni and Max A. Shacknai Award winner, she studied human rights in Nepal, Jordan, and Chile and tutored children in Fiji and Madison County, N.Y. She founded and is executive director of the USA branch of Children and Youth First, which works with the organization’s Nepal branch to fund and operate the Life Vision Academy boarding school (read more on pg. 13).


BIG IDEAS

The Essence of Entrepreneur Weekend Imagine you have five minutes to present the idea that means everything to you to a celebrity panel with the power to award crucial investment support — the lights are bright, your adrenaline is pumping. This was the scenario for students in a Shark Tank–esque competition at the fourth-annual Entrepreneur Weekend in April. During “E-weekend,” Thought into Action (TIA) Entrepreneurship Institute students also

L if e Vision Academy

SOC IA

N L JUSTICE ORGANIZATIO

Amanda Brown ’15 $23,000 and $10,000 of scientific equipment (also a $15,000 eFund* winner) A boarding school for Nepali youths, funded and operated by Children and Youth First USA working with the organization’s Nepal branch

received valuable feedback as they promoted their ventures in a demo fair and open house. In the words of mentor Lynn Plant ’77, “It’s a supportive crowd whose shared love for Colgate breeds a unique, open forum. There’s no shortage of brutally honest conversations.” Students received powerful advice to enhance their inspired ideas. Here are three highlights. — Emma Loftus ’16

Fair Harbor ACTI VE LIFESTYLE BRAND Jake Danehy ’16, Caroline Danehy ’19, Sam Jacobson (USC ’16) $4,500 from Shark Tank (also a $15,000 eFund winner)

I n d i fy DIGIT AL MUSIC SOLUTION Keshav Garg ’15, Raffi Khatchadourian ’17, Matthew Pavia (Lehigh University ’15), Connor Lawrence (Marist College ’15) $10,000 from Shark Tank (also a $15,000 eFund winner)

men’s bathing suit company born from a A passion for surfing and the outdoors, and dedicated to the use of recycled materials

Helps record labels discover talent faster and for less money

“ I was abroad in Nepal and my host mom was the woman who built the school. In doing research with Professor Susan Thompson in peace and conflict studies, I gained a lot of background for why these kids are in these situations. I ended up writing my senior thesis on the civil war in Nepal.”

INSPIRATION

INSPIRATION

KEY ADVICE

KEY ADVICE

INSPIRATION

“ I’ve learned through Andy Greenfield ’74, P’12 how important your personal brand is even when you’re doing social entrepreneurship. I never realized how much how I carry myself has to matter.”

“ I was in one of my geography classes talking about over-consumption and it was frustrating to me to see how much we throw out. So I found this technology where they break down plastic bottles and turn them into fabric.” – Jake Danehy

“ Find a celebrity or a swimmer or a surfer to be the face [of your company] and to market it.”

“ All of us have a passion for independent music, so we wanted to make sure that the right artists were being heard.” – Keshav Garg KEY ADVICE

“ It’s a fantastic concept and all you really need there is data science and sales.” – Jennifer Hyman, Rent the Runway

– Jessica Alba, Honest Company

“ You need to be an entrepreneur even if you never start a business.” — Neil Blumenthal, Warby Parker

Shark Tank all-star panel (top): Greg Coleman, president of Buzzfeed; Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and CEO of Warby Parker; Jennifer Hyman, Rent the Runway co-founder and CEO; Jessica Alba, founder of the Honest Company; serial entrepreneur and entertainer MC Hammer; Dan Rosensweig P’15’17, CEO of Chegg *Read more about the eFund on pg. 10 and learn more at colgate.edu/entrepreneurship.

13 Page 13 is the showplace

for Colgate tradition, history, and school spirit.


scene: Summer 2015

iStock

Greeks at War

When a course’s subject matter dates back to antiquity, it can be challenging for students to find meaning. Robert Garland combatted this in Colgate’s first massive open online course (MOOC), Greeks at War: Homer at Troy. Integrating voices of modernday veterans, Garland drove the discussion to pertinent topics such as the possibility that Achilles suffered from PTSD, and the benefits or detriments of daily contact with family members for soldiers at war. Recollections from veterans, many of them connected with Colgate, highlighted parallels between modern wars such as Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Cold War and the ancient Trojan War. Garland, the Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of classics, even shared the experiences of his own father. “He had been a prisoner of war,” he said. “I found myself reflecting on him and drawing him into the discussion at various points.” The six-week course attracted an enrollment of 3,735 individuals from 106 different countries. Students responded to prompts posted by Garland, interacting online with him and others registered for the course. Having previously offered courses through Udemy.com and the Teaching Company, Garland used his developed online education skills to broaden Colgate’s reach, while serving a sizable Colgate audience, including parents and alumni. For Garland, offering MOOCs to a wide audience “gives the humanities, particularly the classics, visibility and meaning.” Other liberal arts institutions seem to agree; in May, Davidson College, Hamilton College, and Wellesley College joined Colgate in

a new consortium focused on online teaching and learning, including on the edX platform. “The Internet has offered [Colgate] the possibility of reaching out far beyond its boundaries to people of all ages and backgrounds,” wrote Garland in a closing letter to his online students. These individuals had the opportunity to connect academically with people they would never have interacted with otherwise. — Emma Loftus ’16

This fall, 200 sophomores and 200 first-year students will move into the first of four residential learning communities (RLCs). The muchstudied model of living and learning in one place shows students making a smoother transition to college both academically and socially, said Dean of the College Suzy Nelson. The new RLC system, intended to become the centerpiece of a Colgate education, is built on personalized mentoring relationships, with professors partnering with staff members and students to provide direction and purposefulness. A number of first-year seminars will be taught in the residences, where professors will also hold office hours and meet with advisees. “We hope residential learning communities will fundamentally shape students’ lives,” Nelson said, “by fostering health and wellness, and teaching them that embracing diversity where they live is a way of furthering human understanding.” The idea for this Dean of the College/Dean of the Faculty collabora-

Curtis and Drake halls will be home to the university’s first residential learning community.

Andrew Daddio

life of the mind 14

Linking living with learning


Honoring Harpp

Whether the topic is volcanology or the advent of the atomic bomb, Professor Karen Harpp’s innovative, engaging approach has made her a campus legend. For that, her list of teaching accolades now includes the 2015 Jerome Balmuth Award for Teaching and Student Engagement. She is the sixth faculty member to win the award, which was created through a gift from Mark Siegel ’73. Described by students as “clear, helpful, approachable, and motivating,” Harpp (geology and peace and conflict studies) exemplifies the kind of teaching that Siegel wished to acknowledge with the award named after another legendary teacher, Jerry

Body language

The way a woman carries herself is integral to how she is perceived — in the workplace, in academia, and in the world. These are the findings of a new study published by April Bailey ’14 and psychology and neuroscience professor Spencer Kelly. While it’s not always the case for men, Bailey and Kelly found that body language and other nonverbal cues are incredibly meaningful in the perception of power in women.

Participants were shown images of men and women in both dominant and submissive positions, rapidly followed by power-related vocabulary words such as “coercive,”“powerful,” “passive,” and “compliant.” They were then asked to classify the images as either dominant or submissive. Bailey and Kelly measured how many errors participants made, along with their reaction times, in an effort to determine if the words and images implicitly shared the same theme. “For women, nonverbal displays appear meaningful,” said Bailey, who double majored in women’s studies and psychology at Colgate. “How they hold their bodies seems to impact the ways that they’re perceived, at least during rapid impressions, whereas for men, gender might be more important. Even men in submissive poses were not rapidly associated with submissiveness.” “Picture power: Gender versus body language in perceived dominance” was the culmination of Bailey’s senior honors thesis, completed under Kelly’s guidance. She had been a research assistant in Kelly’s lab and enjoyed working with him, so she developed a thesis topic that would combine their interests. “Spencer let me run with the idea,” Bailey said. After the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior published their co-authored article online, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a psychology and brain science professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, took their findings one step further in Psychology Today. “For women, if you want to appear powerful, you have not only

How to: Buddhist chanting

iStock

Balmuth, Harry Emerson Fosdick Professor of philosophy and religion emeritus. Harpp arrived at Colgate in 1999 from Lawrence University, where she began her career as assistant professor of chemistry. Currently head of the Benton Scholars Program, she was the first Colgate professor to offer an online course via the university’s edX platform. “You constantly need to find new and better ways to have students collide with material,” she said. “That means not being afraid to experiment with new technologies.” It’s a lesson she learned from her father, an organic chemist who teaches at McGill University. From her mother, a high school teacher, she learned that, “the entire world can be your classroom, which opens up endless possibilities for new ideas.” In keeping with those lessons, Harpp has taken students around the globe, teaching them about World War II on the beaches of Okinawa and about geology on the shores of the Galapagos Islands.

After a whole week’s work, how would you start your weekend? Every Friday this past spring, approximately 10 people from the Colgate community joined Professor Mahinda Deegalle for an hour of Buddhist chanting. Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Deegalle is a Buddhist and scholar who has authored many books, including Popularizing Buddhism: Preaching as Performance in Sri Lanka. During the chanting sessions, Deegalle used a traditional collection of sayings of the Buddha written in Pali. An English translation helped students understand the meaning. To try chanting yourself, here’s what Deegalle says you need to know — or not know! — Iris Chen ’17 1. Relax. There is no fixed position. When you begin a session, pick your favorite spot in the room. Sit on a chair, a cushion, or just on the floor. Choose your most comfortable position, and start. Chanting is a kind of meditation. All you’ll need is to relax and let the sound carry you away. Many Americans feel uncomfortable meditating because of the silence, but during chanting, there is no awkward silence.

Professor Karen Harpp, winner of this year’s Balmuth Award

2. Break down the syllables to learn the pronunciation. Once you know how to separate syllables and how to read them together, the rhythm of the poetry becomes easy. My students only spent about 10 minutes learning each verse!

Lorenzo Ciniglio

tion came out of Colgate’s 2014–2019 strategic plan, Living the Liberal Arts in our Third Century. The pilot RLC, in Curtis and Drake halls, will be co-led by Rebecca Shiner, professor of psychology, and Mark Shiner, university chaplain. The Shiners bring expertise in human development and well-being, a history of creating co-curricular programs, and, said Rebecca, “idealism about the power of living together well.” Mark said he hopes to “help new students feel welcome and returning students feel part of something meaningful.” Colgate will build on this model each year; by 2018, all first- and second-year students — as well as some upper-level students — will live in faculty-led residence halls on campus. Each learning community will be affiliated with an annex on Broad Street, where older students will live. Annexes will give each RLC space for sponsoring social and cultural events, and keep members connected throughout their four years at Colgate. The second RLC, to open in fall 2016, will be located in Bryan Complex. In April, the Board of Trustees approved funding for the schematic design of a new residence hall that is expected to be home to the third and fourth learning communities. Working to bring the future communities to life are co-directors Antonio Barrera (history, Africana and Latin American studies) and Pilar Meija Barrera (Romance languages); Jeff Bary (physics and astronomy) and Mary Simonson (film and media studies, women’s studies); and Frank Frey (biology, environmental studies) and Brenda Frey (advancement).

3. Just do it. When you first start to chant, you might be nervous about whether you are pronouncing the words correctly — but don’t worry. The repetition and musicality of the text will help you master it, and after that, you don’t need deliberate effort to continue. Once you learn everything and get going, it becomes like a song.

News and views for the Colgate community

15


Real-world problem, real jury

When the students in Strategy and Security: Theory and Practice presented their proposals for security development in Somaliland, they were judged not only by their instructor, but also an official from the self-declared independent state. The spring 2015 peace and conflict studies class explored the co-evolution of military practice and ideas of security. For their final project, course instructor Jacob Stoil gave students the challenge of proposing a development plan for Somaliland, with a budget of $15 billion plus $1 billion per year. Stoil had invited Rashid Nur, Somaliland’s head of mission representative to the United States, to join him in hearing and evaluating the students’ proposals. Drawing inspiration from key military strategists like Giulio Douhet, Julian Corbett, Alfred Thayer Mahan, and Mao Zedong, students applied the strategy principles they had learned to the context of Somaliland. To ensure the stability of the nation both in the short term and the long run, one group tackled the problem through military, economic, and international relations perspectives. For example, they suggested that Somaliland

Speeches and sushi

establish trade relations with China. This would not only allow Somaliland to better tap the potential of the fishing industry, but would also result in more secure waters and international flotillas. Most groups also talked about boosting border security with Puntland, a country that has a territorial dispute with Somaliland. Nur said that he was impressed by the performance and knowledge of the five groups who presented. “What they suggest are the priorities of Somaliland. I will ask Professor Stoil for their proposals to read more thoroughly,” said Nur. “Although Somaliland is a functional democracy, it is still unrecognized internationally, and that affects the maintenance of security and the growth of the economy, which are the two big challenges Somaliland faces today.” During his visit to Colgate, Nur also delivered a talk titled “Somaliland: Security and Development in an Unrecognized State,” and dined with a few students. “Somaliland is a good case for students to synthesize what they have learned,” said Stoil. “This project is like a bridge between theoretical and reality, and is a practical level to learning.” To the students, such a high-stakes presentation was an interesting challenge. “I think the biggest challenge for this project was to decide what was the most important, practical, and efficient strategy,” said P.J. Benasillo ’17, a member of the winning team, from Staten Island, N.Y. “That really gave us a perspective about strategy analysis in the real world.” — Quanzhi Guo ’18

Before the start of the Japanese speech contest, a choir sang classic songs.

Zoe Zhong ’17

life of the mind

to walk, but [also] to stand and sit [powerfully],” she wrote. “It doesn’t take designer clothes, expensive suits, killer heels, or even short hair, to show that you’re in charge. Your body’s pose will tell it all.” Bailey continues to explore the subject in the social psychology PhD program at Yale University. — Emma Loftus ’16

16

scene: Summer 2015

The Japanese speech contest celebrated its 13th year this April with a lineup of 13 competing speakers, food, and performances. Organized by Professor Yukari Hirata, the event provides students with an opportunity to improve their language skills and gives members of the local community a chance to share their interest in Japan. The contest judges are Japanese people from the surrounding area; two of them have been a part of the event since the beginning. “It’s amazing to see how students benefit from the continuity,” said Hirata. “Few have the guts to [compete] as a first-year student, but after watching the event, more will sign up in the following year. By their fourth year, people are ready to shoot for first prize.” This was the case with classics major Elizabeth Johnson ’16, who watched last year and decided to give it a try this time. Her speech, about her internship at a tatami shop (making traditional Japanese floor mats), earned the Japanese Culture prize. Although she was initially nervous, she said, “When it was time for me to deliver my speech, I was really excited because I had worked really hard on it.” Dang Minh Nguyen ’15 was one of the few brave enough to participate in the contest when he was just a firstyear student, but his approach has changed since then. “I used to spend more time polishing my grammar and practicing, but this year I decided to write a little more loosely.” It clearly worked, because his speech about graduation won the prize for humor, and the audience hardly stopped laughing throughout his delivery. Although he is not a Japanese major, Nguyen said that he feels like one, and many others who regularly participate in the contest feel similarly. The cultural highlights included a choir, a taiko drum performance, and a traditional tea ceremony. During the reception afterward, attendees sampled a variety of Japanese food, such as yakisoba (fried noodles) and inarizushi (rice inside thinly sliced tofu). “We want to be open to people who are vaguely interested in Japanese culture, even just in anime,” Hirata explained, “so they come in, eat food, and mingle.” — Meredith Dowling ’17


No man is an island

Turquoise waters, white sand, and azure skies give the beach at Anse Cafard the guise of a tropical paradise. But “you feel like something really horrible happened there,” said Mahadevi Ramakrishnan, who leads Colgate’s alternative spring break trip to Martinique. More than just a feeling, 20 8-foot-tall somber stone statues line the beach and symbolize a darker past. In 1830, a slave-carrying ship crashed and capsized; the shackled slaves aboard drowned. “Being there, everything is so light, the sun, the weather, it’s beautiful… And then you have the weight of these statues,” said Ali Kadhem ’17, who went on the trip this past March. A Romance languages senior lecturer, Ramakrishnan has taken groups to the Caribbean island four times. This year, students studying French and those in her ALST/FRE 226: Interplay of Culture, Language, and Identity in Martinique class spent six days learning about a history steeped in colonialism and slavery. As Kadhem said, “The experience taught me how to become a traveler, and not a tourist.” Jessica Pearce ’18 commented on visits to a sugar plantation and a distillery where the students learned about the manual labor required to produce rum. “I couldn’t have comprehended it fully without being there, seeing all of the manpower involved and thinking about how many people had to sacrifice their lives for the production of a good,” she said. At a local high school, the group spent one morning helping Martinican students with their English in exchange for learning about the Creole language. They left having made friendships and shared contact information. A walk through the rainforest included a tour of a greenhouse with plants used for medicinal purposes. Pearce was enthralled to scratch and sniff the bark of a cinnamon tree they passed.

Act 2 A week after returning to campus, students dug deeper into their exploration of slavery, race, and identity — on stage, with members of the theater department. The collaboration began earlier in the semester when Christian DuComb, a University Theater professor, contacted Ramakrishnan about an intriguing discovery. His friend Andrew Daily, who is a University of Memphis history and French professor, stumbled upon a historically valuable play from the 1970s that was buried in Martinique’s archives. Titled Histoire de Negre (Black History), it compares the anticolonial struggle in Martinique with the civil rights movement in the United States. Daily and Emily Sahakian, a French professor from the University of Georgia, translated the play from French and Creole into English. Through a Colgate Arts Council grant, Daily and Sahakian then spent a week working with students — providing historical context and helping them digest the content — for their on-campus performance on March 29. “This play is intense and quite raw,” Ramakrishnan explained. “We wanted to make sure that the students were emotionally and intellectually prepared.” Pearce recalled reading the play in class before the trip, “and elements of it didn’t make sense to me. But after going to Martinique, it all started to connect.” The group also recognized commonalities between what they’d learned and current events. “I

could understand the importance of performing this play, especially on campus after the sit-in last semester,” Pearce said. “People sometimes forget that what happened in history still makes an impact on our behavior now. Tying them together made me more aware of the fact that we don’t live in a post-racial society.” Finale On another stage, this time in New Orleans, La., the educational and personal journey concluded for this year’s group when four of Ramakrishnan’s students formed a panel at the Caribbean Studies Association Conference. The students were Laine Barrand ’17, Nicole Jackson ’18, Matthew Kavanagh ’17, and Linh Le ’18. Ramakrishnan supported them from the audience as they played the taped performance of Black History and reflected on the experience as a whole.

“People sometimes forget that what happened in history still makes an impact on our behavior now.” — Jessica Pearce ’18 “I was impressed and touched by how much thought and work had gone into their presentations,” Ramakrishnan said, “particularly the connections that they drew between the play, the class, and their experiences during the trip.” “The trip and the conference helped to actualize my studies; they showed the pertinence and realness of what we studied in class,” said Kavanagh. “In this context, the performance took on a new meaning for me, one of necessity and importance in the development and expression of a society that most of the world knows nothing about.” As for Ramakrishnan, she’ll continue to educate others about Martinique’s complex identity — not only with future students, but also with her new book: Interplay of Cultural Narratives in Martinique (Caribbean Studies Press). — Aleta Mayne

Zoe Zhong ’17

Kayaking through mangroves to observe the island’s ecosystem and biodiversity, the group also noted the symbolism of the mangrove’s resiliency. “A pod can be dropped anywhere, and it will still flourish and grow,” Pearce said. Comparably, much of the Martinican population is rooted in slaves having been brought to the island, and despite the “three centuries of brutality, they rise above,” added Ramakrishnan.

The student reading of Histoire de Negre (Black History) — a play found buried in the Martinique archives — was the first time it was performed in the United States.

News and views for the Colgate community

17


Zoe Zhong ’17

arts & culture

Professor Peter Steele leads a class on Balinese Gamelan music.

Dylan Crouse ’15

Ryan Endris conducts the Colgate University Chamber Singers in Vienna.

18

scene: Summer 2015

Gamelan style

If you walked into James C. Colgate Hall on a Monday afternoon in the spring, you might have heard unfamiliar yet intriguing musical sounds flowing out of classroom 209. That would have been Colgate’s new Balinese Gamelan Ensemble rehearsing. Traditional music of Java and Bali in Indonesia, Gamelan predominantly features percussive instruments — most commonly different types of metallophones and hand-played drums that register the beat. “The first thing I thought of when I came to Colgate was to start a

Sound of music

Gamelan course,” said visiting professor Peter Steele, who has studied the music, instruments, and Balinese culture for 14 years. “It offers a nice complement to standard Western music.” Most of the 13 student musicians didn’t have any experience with Gamelan music when they started rehearsing in February. Steele let the students try all the instruments and choose their own. “I wanted them to see the ensemble from different perspectives,” he explained. There isn’t notation or sheet music, so the students learned by ear. They recorded rehearsals to help remember the music and practiced at home. “The hardest part is the damping,” said Jeremy Bayer ’15 of the technique in which the musician dampens the previous note while playing the next. “You have to be very quick,” added Jade Hoang ’17, “and it’s easy to make mistakes.” Steele admitted being surprised by the students’ enthusiasm. “I didn’t know what they would think of it because it’s unlike anything they’ve heard before,” he said. “But they put

In May, the Colgate University Chorus had the opportunity to perform the program for our spring concert in the cities where the musical pieces would have originally been heard. During the nine-day tour, we held concerts in Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest. The program included Mass in D Major by the Bohemian composer Antonin Dvorak; Two Motets (Op.74) by Johannes Brahms, who spent most of his career in Austria; a piece by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt; and three works by American composers as cultural exchange. “Each concert was a fantastic learning opportunity because we had to make adjustments for each performance space,” said choral director Ryan Endris. The first concert was held in St. Savior’s Church, the oldest Protestant church in Prague. Although it had been three weeks since we’d last rehearsed, everyone was excited and well prepared. “It was great coming back together and singing as a group,” said Amanda James ’17. Approximately 200 people attended, giving the tour a great start.

a lot of hard work into it, and they all seemed focused and interested.” The professor invited guest artist I Dewa Ketut Alit to compose a piece for the ensemble’s concert on April 27 in Brehmer Theater. “Alit writes very forward-thinking, experimental music,” said Steele. “It’s challenging to both the audience and the musicians.” Watch a rehearsal at colgate.edu/ gamelan2015. — Iris Chen ’17

Beauty in austerity

Photographer Tommy Brown ’79 has made a career through noticing the artistic value in things that others regard as mundane. A resident of Sherburne, N.Y., Brown captures the charm of rural central New York in images that encapsulate the serenity, simplicity, and sometimes neglected nature of his surroundings. A collection of his photographs, titled A Burdened Pilgrimage, went on display in Case Library in January, and it will remain there for a year. The images include a range of landscapes, buildings, and people. Yet, Brown sees more than fields, barns, and central New Yorkers — he considers them

There was an unforeseen hiccup at the Jesuit Church of the Holy Redeemer in Bratislava when our pre-concert recital was interrupted by an unexpected Mass and we had to quietly step out. “I was incredibly impressed by the professionalism of the students,” said Endris, “and their ability to [still] give an outstanding performance.” The surprise and confusion in Bratislava was soon washed over by the recital in the Stephansdom, one of the most important religious buildings in Vienna. “It was so cool to be able to sing in such a musically historic space,” said David Wall ’18. Also, the cathedral’s massive scale was vastly different from any other place we’d sung in. “It was interesting to experience the acoustics,” said David Huang ’16. For Lydia Mesler ’15, the final concert, in St. Michael’s Church in Budapest, was her favorite of the four, “because the crowd was so great.” The audience gave slow, steady applause, which, according to our trip organizer in Budapest, represented the highest praise given to a performance. “We all realized that it was the last time that this group of people would ever sing together,” said Christy Mills ’17. “From that came the drive to do our best.” A dinner cruise on the Danube after our Budapest concert marked the end of the tour. We gave cheers for friendship and music. Check out our tour blog and watch performance videos: blogs.colgate.edu/off-campus-learning. — Iris Chen ’17


“The Infinite Dance” delights

What do J.S. Bach’s Partitas and traditional Chinese erhu (violin) music have in common? For one thing, a new concerto, called by one reviewer “quite original” with “soaring melodic loveliness” and “magical” effect — a “minor masterpiece.” But for music professor and composer Zhou Tian, a deeper commonalDead End by Tommy Brown ’79

ity served as his inspiration: both are musical forms inspired by dance. “I am fascinated by the frequently similar energy ... even though their musical roots cannot be more different: partitas were composed based on matured Western music theory, while erhu music is often freely improvised,” Zhou explained. “Being a mixture of cultures myself, I wanted to add a new perspective to the mix, and to convey a sense of continuity of musical ideas from my cultural roots but presented with modern romanticism and energy.” So, he subtitled his concerto “The Infinite Dance.” Zhou was also inspired by the instrument: having always loved its sound, and with his father and his wife both being violinists, “composing this piece felt like a release of that love.” The 25-minute work consists of three movements, and, in addition to the typical string, wind, brass, and percussion sections in the orchestral accompaniment, Zhou’s score calls for instruments heard less frequently in a string concerto, from vibraphone, harp, and glockenspiel to crotales, tam-tam, and snare drum. Zhou composed “The Infinite Dance” for violinist Caroline Goulding, who premiered it with conductor Stewart Robertson and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra in celebration of the orchestra’s 25th anniversary, via a commission underwritten by the Rappaport Foundation. All four of its premiere performances, in Palm Beach and Stuart, Fla., in mid-April, received standing ovations.

Senior art This year, there were eight studio art majors — all of whom happened to be women. In their final senior projects, they explored themes such as nature, the human body, architecture, memories, and space. Here’s a taste: Jessica - Olivia - Nimra - Jenna - Regina - Mabel Charcoal on stonehenge paper “Women are constantly negotiating their image. This work represents the extent to which a woman is pressured to measure her value by her appearance, but it also shows just how little of a person can be represented by their image alone.” — Miri Reinhold

Mark Williams (3)

inspiration for his visual “poetry.” The collection includes works such as Dead End (pictured below), taken outside of a dilapidated home as dusk falls over the Chenango Valley. Flag features a twisted American flag in front of a partially painted home. Moreover, Revival shows a group of men raising their hands in awe at a demolition derby. Others have different but complementary themes. Most of the photographs featured in the exhibition were taken within 10 miles of his home, but a few were shot on the North Fork of Long Island. As Brown said, “Pictures are everywhere.” “There’s a realness in Tommy’s photography,” said art collector Paul Schupf ’58, who curated the exhibition. “It’s not glorifying, it doesn’t try to make it more beautiful than it is, and it’s not condescending, either. It just is what it is.” As a Colgate student, Brown majored in art, then earned his master’s degree in photography from the Yale School of Art, which accepts only seven applicants per year. He has been a professional photographer for more than 35 years. See more of his work at tommy brownpictures.com. — Emma Loftus ’16

I saw the forest, I saw the trees Birch, maple, and fir trees; wax; gold leaf; and enamel paint “This project began with a selection of material and grew from there. I am interested in the process of making itself … choosing a material and altering, modifying, and manipulating it to the point that the focus becomes what it looks like rather than what it actually is.” — Katherine Norbom

Irony Strip metal, steel nuts

“The female body is frequently described as soft and delicate; however, my focus for this sculpture was to use an abstraction of the muscular system to highlight the strength that is often overlooked when thinking of the stereotypical female form.” — Alyssa Chaulklin

News and views for the Colgate community

19


20

scene: Summer 2015

Mark Williams (2)

arts & culture


A modern interpretation of an early Renaissance concept brought together peculiar pieces of community-created art this past spring. The 16th-century “cabinet of curiosities” functioned as a kind of encyclopedic microcosm of the world, combining specimens, diagrams, and illustrations from a plethora of disciplines; many specialists regard them as a precursor to museums. Mark Dion, the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation Artist in Residence, invited students, professors, and area residents to fashion individual sculptures and paint them neon green in what he called the Phantom Museum Wonder Workshop. The finished products (many of them fauna and flora) were then displayed in a cabinet made by Daniel Stoltzfus of Custom Woodcraft in nearby Munnsville. Dion modeled his career on the ideal that “the job of the artist is to go against the grain of dominant culture, to challenge perception and convention.” His particular interest lies in a vision to give “new life to objects from the past, ones recorded through engravings

of cabinets of curiosities of long ago, by recreating them in the present,” explained Ellen Rogers, a Colgate professor, local artist, and former wildlife veterinarian who was involved in the workshop from start to finish. “Developing a project with a [university] and being the artist in residence is a little bit different than having a normal exhibition,” said Dion. “You want to do something that engages the students and gives them a little taste of the culture of being an artist and what it means to make things.” “There were people of all different ages working on this project — that made it really beautiful,” said Denise Stillwaggon Leone, a Hamilton resident who specializes in architectural art glass. “I’m in my 60s, my son is in his 20s, and there are kids from Colgate who are 18. We were all working together to realize a project that was lots of fun.” The final project was on display in Clifford Gallery from March 25 to April 10. Watch how it took shape: www.colgate. edu/wonderworkshop. — Emma Loftus ’16

News and views for the Colgate community

21


For the second time in program history, the men’s lacrosse team streaked their way to the conference title when they defeated Army 11–8 on April 26 in Annapolis, Md. A win over Army yielded the Raiders their first Patriot League championship since 2008. The team also returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since being an at-large entry in 2012. Cameron Williams ’16 scored a natural hat trick to spark the Patriot League championship win, scoring three times in a five-minute span during the second quarter to give the Raiders the lead for keeps. He added another goal in the third to keep Army at bay, while Ryan Walsh ’15 scored two goals and Brandon Burke ’17 made eight saves. Colgate began the season with four-straight wins and then fourstraight losses. But four more in the win column — over Loyola, Lehigh, Holy Cross, and Army — led to a share of the Patriot League regular-season title. And then, two convincing wins in the Patriot League tournament handed Colgate double crowns. Advancing to the NCAA tournament, the Raiders lost to North Carolina 12–19 in Chapel Hill, concluding their season 10-6.

Golden Gates

Sports banquet keynote speaker Erik Stolhanske ’91 and Athletics Director Victoria Chun ’91, MA’94

the eighth-annual Golden Gates allsports banquet. Stolhanske has starred in and helped produce such movies as Super Troopers, Puddle Cruiser, and Beerfest. Born without a fibula, he has worn a prosthetic leg his entire life and has been traveling the country to speak about overcoming that adversity. A Minnesota native, Stolhanske was captain of his baseball team in grade school and was also featured in the original P90X video workout series. “I’m living proof that there’s no conceivable way to predict the future,” he said. “And there’s a reason I come back to Colgate as often as I can. This is the place where I learned to adapt — to get back up after getting knocked down.” During the awards ceremony, two of Colgate’s 500 student-athletes were each honored as Athlete of the Year: seniors Mike Armiento (football) and Caroline Brawner (women’s soccer).

22

scene: Summer 2015

Brawner picked up a second award when she and senior Spiro Goulakos (captain, men’s ice hockey) were each named Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The 2014–15 Senior CLASS Award Winner for men’s ice hockey, Goulakos excelled in the classroom, earning dean’s list after posting a 3.58 GPA during the fall semester. On the ice, Goulakos tallied 14 points (3 goals and 11 assists) in 26 games. He garnered AllTournament Team recognition at the ECAC Hockey Championship, and he helped the Raiders advance to the title game for a second-consecutive season. Earlier in the evening, Colgate recognized two first-year athletes with Rookie of the Year awards: Anthony Abbadessa (men’s lacrosse) and Haley O’Hanlon (women’s lacrosse). Men’s basketball coach Matt Langel received the Howard N. Hartman Award for coach of the year. In his fourth year at the helm, Langel led the Raiders to their best season since 1996. The John LeFevre ’41 Appreciation Award went to local businessman Michael Clare, owner of Oliveri’s Pizzeria. Senior Student-Athlete Advisory Committee leaders Alex Lagowitz (men’s golf), Brawner, Nick Harper (men’s track and field), and Kori Strother (women’s track and field) were also recognized for their efforts.

Swimming for smiles

Bob Cornell

The men’s lacrosse team, 2015 Patriot League Champions

A crowd of more than 600 welcomed keynote speaker Erik Stolhanske ’91 of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard for

Bob Cornell

go ’gate

Men’s lacrosse league champions

In April, the men’s swimming and diving team swam nonstop for 48 hours in Lineberry Natatorium to help children in Thailand and Myanmar. Haakon Brekke ’15 organized the swim-a-thon to fundraise for his nonprofit organization Kids Action for Kids, which works in conjunction with Operation Smile to provide surgeries for children born with facial deformities, cleft lips, and cleft palates. Many children in rural parts of Southeast Asia who have such deformities cannot afford surgery (which costs approximately $800) and struggle with malnutrition. They’re also often ostracized. Brekke, while attending high school in Thailand, helped establish Kids Action for Kids with his brothers and mother, and another family. Since 2009, the nonprofit has funded more than 600 successful surgeries, working closely with Thai telecom company Dtac, which matches every dollar raised. “It’s easy to see the difference you’re making … you know that for


Future-coach coaching

Bob Cornell

Lacrosse alumna to play for Israel

Carole Harris ’15, Mariah Jones ’15, and Missy Repoli ’15 (women’s basketball) want to call the shots someday instead of just shooting them. So, Head Coach Nicci Hays Fort and her staff suggested the WBCA’s “So You Want to Be a Coach” Program. With the financial support of Colgate’s athletics department, Harris, Jones, and Repoli were among 58 graduating student-athletes selected for the 13th-annual workshop April 3 to 5 in Tampa. It was held in conjunction with the Women’s Final Four and WBCA Convention. Participants learned about recruiting, the administrative side to coaching, how to get hired, skill development, and work-life balance. Colgate’s first-year assistant coach Katherine Menendez participated in the program after her playing career, so she helped the students prepare for the workshop’s intense 12-hour-long days. Harris said that serving as a team captain opened her eyes to leadership and how it develops chemistry on the hardwood. Those traits aided her selection for the workshop. “It’s very different to go from being a teammate to becoming a captain,” she said. “You have to be able to enforce but also see it from their perspective; be a leader on and off the court, but also be able to talk to each one of your teammates.” The workshop also served as an entré into finding a job by introducing the students to the WBCA community.

The softball team finished the season with a record of 17–21. Catcher Alyssa Chaulklin ’15 (#24, pictured) ended her Colgate career after seeing action in 96 games and starting as catcher in 84 games.

17 teams earning Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA. The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason and can face penalties for continued low academic performance.

To be in the top 10, the required scores ranged from 980 to a perfect 1,000, depending on the sport. The APR measures eligibility, graduation, and retention each semester or quarter. The most recent APRs are multiyear rates based on scores from the 2010–11 through 2013–14 academic years.

This year’s 50th Reunion class has etched its name into Colgate history. Thanks to gifts totaling more than $22 million, the university’s new athletics facility will be known as the Class of 1965 Arena. The building will include the Steven J. Riggs ’65 Rink — named in honor of their classmate and hockey captain who was killed in Vietnam in 1968 — as well as locker rooms and office space for the ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer programs. Construction began in April, and the facility is expected to open in October of 2016.

Andrew Daddio

every four hundred dollars you raise, you’re changing a child’s life forever,” Brekke said. The event participants swam 137 miles and raised approximately $14,000. “It’s great to see that [the team] really rallied around this, and they’re passionate about doing something to help others. The energy that we put into this is really, really cool.”

Former standout Courtney Miller ’12 will represent Israel in the 2015 European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) European Championships. In May, Miller relocated to Israel and has been training with the team to prepare for the competition, which will be held at Sportovní Centrum in Nymburk, Czech Republic, from August 6 to 15. A native of Chappaqua, N.Y., Miller was a four-time First-Team All-Patriot League selection who helped the Raiders capture back-to-back league titles during her first two years with the program. Miller ended her career in Hamilton as the program’s all-time leader in draw controls (201). She also ranks among the school’s career leaders in points (241/3rd), goals (168/3rd), and assists (73/4th). The Israel women’s team is ranked 8th in the world, but unranked in Europe because 2015 marks its debut

Bob Cornell

Bob Cornell

Stroke, stroke, stroke: Captain Haakon Brekke ’15 and his teammates swam for 48 hours straight for a good cause.

in a European championship event (which is held once every four years). Israel joins 16 other countries who are vying for a gold medal in the small city located on the outskirts of Prague. To advance to the playoff round, Israel must finish in the top two. Wales — widely regarded as one of the top teams in Europe — and Israel have never met, so the opening-day match is one of the most widely anticipated on the schedule. In conjunction with the Israel Lacrosse Tzedakah Program, each player will compete in honor of a charity of their choosing, with a portion of the team’s general fundraising committed to each.

17 NCAA Recognition Awards

In the latest Academic Progress Report (APR), Colgate improved from 12 to

News and views for the Colgate community

23


new, noted , & quoted

Books, music & film Information is provided by publishers, authors, and artists.

Do-It-Yourself Foreign Aid: One Couple’s Mission to Save the World Thomas Brackett (Self-published)

In 1992, nearing retirement and grateful for the life they had enjoyed in America, Liz and Tom Brackett set out to see if they could give back. Traveling to Thailand, they found a noble people in the Karen, who, despite their terrible suffering as refugees from Burma (Myanmar) in the world’s longest continuous civil war, accepted Liz and Tom into their lives with respect and gracious hospitality. In a deeply emotional and spiritual journey surpassing anything they could have imagined, Liz and Tom heard tales of tragedy and courage, and experienced moments of magic. Their lives changed forever. The Bracketts built a foundation to help refugees receive an education and returned every year for the next 22 years to work with the people they had come to know and love. This is the story of that journey, their work, and the lessons they learned. At commencement this year, Liz and Tom, emeritus Colgate computer science professors, received honorary degrees for their humanitarian work.

Death at Beggar’s Knob and Other Adventures Owen Magruder (Cozy Cat Press)

Individuals vanishing from within fairy circles near Loch Ness. The origins of the worldwide phenomenon known as “the hum,” a strange low-frequency sound few people can hear. An artist who seemingly sucks the life out of his subjects as he transfers their images to canvas.

24

scene: Summer 2015

Murders in Edinburgh and in a small American college town. In Death at Beggar’s Knob, John Braemhor, a Scottish retired investigator, and his wife, Mary, tackle six different but related mystical adventures woven with legends of folklore and true historical events. Hamilton, N.Y., resident and retired Colgate professor William Edmonston publishes his novels under the pen name Owen Magruder.

players — and a general readership — manage their money better. Drawing on experiences from his career, as well as interviews with current and retired athletes and financial professionals, Foyle compiles a comprehensive list of money pitfalls as well as practical approaches to avoid them.

House of Echoes

When Mumbai is driven to its knees by a merciless blizzard, Saam the watch mender is cornered into a difficult position. As Shiva’s only earthly demigod child, it falls upon him to stop his indomitable father. Bred for war, the son of destruction, Saam rides with six extraordinary companions into the horror of a crumbling world to face Shiva. He is forced to join hands with Ara, the half-brother he can never fully trust, and take with him his own mortal beloved, Maya, in this desperate attempt to stop the End of Days. But his path is littered with death, danger, and betrayal. Warrior weaves together Indian mythology, epic adventure, and heroism.

Brendan Duffy ’01 (Ballantine Books)

In this thriller, Brendan Duffy ’01 tells the tale of a family’s escape to their dream house in a bucolic small town, only to find themselves trapped by its dark legends. The protagonist, Ben Tierney, inherits land in the village of Swannhaven, in a remote corner of upstate New York. The Tierneys believe it’s just the break they need, and they leave behind all they know to restore the sprawling estate. But as Ben uncovers Swannhaven’s chilling secrets and his 8-year-old son, Charlie, ventures deeper into the surrounding forest, strange things begin to happen. The Tierneys realize that their new home isn’t the fresh start they needed, and that the village’s haunted saga is far from over.

Winning the Money Game: Lessons Learned from the Financial Fouls of Athletes Adonal Foyle ’98 (Amistad)

Over his 16-year career, former NBA center Adonal Foyle ’98 has watched other professional athletes burn through their salaries as well as money from endorsements and merchandising, creating serious financial and legal hardships. Although top pros make millions, many have little in their bank accounts soon after hanging up their jerseys. Winning the Money Game offers advice and insight to help these

Warrior

Olivier Lafont ’01 (Penguin India)

August Wilson’s TwentiethCentury Cycle Plays: A Reader’s Companion Sanford Sternlicht MA’55 (Texas Tech University Press)

This literary guide explores the work of one of America’s great 20th-century playwrights. Beginning with an account of Wilson’s life, from his impoverished childhood in the Hill District of Pittsburgh to achieving national acclaim, the book introduces his “Century Cycle” plays. The series of 10 plays (one for each decade of the 20th century) depicts African-American life during that time in Pittsburgh, illustrating the hardships, suffering, small victories, and the ultimate triumph of the community. Sternlicht is a professor emeritus of English at Syracuse University.


In the media Where the River Burned

David Stradling ’88 and Richard Stradling (Cornell University Press) In Where the River Burned, David and Richard Stradling describe Cleveland’s nascent transition from polluted industrial city to a viable service city. When the Cuyahoga River caught fire in the summer of 1969, Cleveland was polluted and impoverished, struggling to set a new course. Carl Stokes, the first African-American mayor of a major U.S. city, had come into office a year earlier with energy and ideas. Stokes adopted ecological thinking that emphasized the connectedness of social and environmental problems and the need for regional solutions. Although he was acutely aware of the persistent racial and political barriers that held back his city, Stokes was ahead of his time in his vision for Cleveland and a more livable urban America.

The Last Moriarty: A Sherlock Holmes Thriller Charles Veley ’65 (Thomas & Mercer)

A young American actress goes to 221B Baker Street on a cold November morning, desperate for Sherlock Holmes to protect her from the threats of a mysterious, menacing man who has recently appeared in her life. Holmes agrees to help, even though he has just promised the prime minister that he will solve the murder of John D. Rockefeller’s security agent before the incident can derail an upcoming British-American summit. To find the agent’s killer — and help the young actress — Holmes will need all his talents for deduction and deception. For Holmes and Watson, this is the case that will change everything.

Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman’s Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong Shannon Young ’09 (Blacksmith Books)

When 22-year-old Shannon Young ’09 followed her Eurasian boyfriend to his hometown of Hong Kong, she thought she was bringing their long distance romance face to face. But a month later, his company sent him to London. Shannon embarked on a wide-eyed newcomer’s journey through Hong Kong — alone. The city enchanted her, forcing her to question her plans and face a choice between her new life and the love that first brought her to Asia.

Also of note:

Three Yards and a Plate of Mullet (CreateSpace) by Adam Sachs ’85 is a flashback to 1980s Florida. The book unites the worlds of high-stakes high school football with newsroom drama and eccentric characters. Tyrannosaurus Sex (Cedar Forge Press) by Kevin Glynn ’76 is a comic comingof-age novel that takes readers back to the heady days of the sexual revolution. A Penny for Piggy: The Tale of Save, Spend, and Share (Doodlebugz Publishing House) by Trish Lisa Wilson ’00 assists adults in teaching young children how to handle money and understand fiscal and social responsibilities.

Footnotes

Not long after its initial release as an e-book, Philip Beard II ’85 has republished his baseball novel Swing in paperback. Swing received high praise from other authors and news sources, including a great review in The PostGazette. The Post applauded Beard’s writing style, character development, and storytelling, in addition to his “careful blending of baseball nostalgia and muscular literature.”

“We’ve been waiting for years to do this, and meow the time has come. Our mustaches are thick, furry, and authoritative. The script is written and we’re getting all antsy in our pantsy to start shooting.”

— Jay Chandrasekhar ’90, Kevin Heffernan ’90, Steve Lemme ’91, Paul Soter ’91, and Erik Stolhanske ’91 in a New York Daily News article about their Broken Lizard Industries crowdfunding campaign to make Super Troopers 2

“It smells like rotten flesh, and this week it’s in bloom.” — Syracuse.com, about the voodoo lily in the Colgate greenhouse

“It’s exciting for us, knowing we got the guy everybody was looking for.” — Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville on signing Kyle Baun ’16, on CNSChicago

“Once I started putting all the clips together, I became more and more excited about it and stopped caring about looking like an idiot.” — Andrew Brummer ’16 on wearing a GoPro while traveling, in “Not Your Average Abroad Album,” The Blog for the Huffington Post

“We’ve kind of allowed ourselves to drive along in New York State thinking things are a little sleazy but fundamentally workable. That’s almost impossible to sustain anymore.” — Professor Michael Johnston talked to the Buffalo News about political corruption in Albany

“Government can provide a promotive environment, but it will be the responsibility of management and labour to supply the ingenuity and skills that will allow new firms and industries to prosper in the global economy.” — Jay Mandle, professor of economics, in “Joint effort needed to move country forward,” Barbados Advocate

News and views for the Colgate community

25


The other Class of 2015 As far as anyone can tell, this year marks the largest group of professors ever to retire from Colgate — a venerable dozen representing 4 percent of the full-time faculty. With a collective 391 years as teachers and scholars, they have also been leaders in their fields, and have helped shape the university itself.

To acknowledge this significant passage, we asked these esteemed — and vibrant — Colgate personalities to share some thoughts. They reflected on their proudest moments, lessons learned, teaching philosophies, and scholarly passions, and looked to the future. Our hope is to evoke on these pages a sense of their impact — of the knowledge and understanding they have given thousands of individuals, on this place, and on the greater world. By Rebecca Downing / Illustration: Oliver Weiss

26


1981–2015

Film and Media Studies / 34 years My favorite course: History and Theory of Cinema introduced students to motion pictures from the 19th century to the second half of the 20th. We began with the origination of the lens, the camera obscura, the magic lantern, and photography. I placed films within the context of the social, artistic, and political atmosphere of the time and place of origin. The students were confronted with the fact that “cinema” is an art form that demands rigorous intellectual engagement. We wrestled with theory from the earliest writings to issues of psychoanalysis, Semiotics, Marx, queer theory, issues of reception, and race. Many students told me the experience changed their lives. It allowed me to channel my passions. My proudest moment: The privilege of working on the creation of Little Hall. I had the job of convincing the administration and Board of Trustees that this was an important undertaking. I helped raise funds. Never once did I hear “no.” The faculty designed the studios and classrooms; we worked with the architects. I made friends with engineers, contractors, and guys pushing wheelbarrows full of cement on cold winter days. The design concept: a neutral place for making, exhibiting, and projecting images of art, to support the teaching of studio art and art history. Changes in the “tools of my trade”: When I first started at the University of Oklahoma in 1974, my students would spend $2,500 to end up with 10 minutes of projectable 16mm film. Color video cameras were as big as small cars. Sound was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and transferred by a commercial lab. When I came to Colgate, students did animation with a 1936 Kodak film camera, and worked in super 8mm. In 1985, we integrated a Commodore Amiga into production and post-production. These were some of the first art courses to use digital tools at Colgate. Other schools used us as a model. Now everything is made in a digital format. On teaching: Students usually entered my classes thinking they already knew what movies were. They had grown up in front of the TV and went regularly to movies at the mall. My challenge was to convert them from being satisfied by the shallow pleasure of being entertained by a narrative based on theatrical empathy, to an experience that demanded critical

thinking about larger issues intersecting with a consideration of the formal aspects of the medium. I knew that when they left my class and went out into the familiar culture of the day, they would be snapped right back to the center, as a rubber band relaxes after being stretched. But I would sleep better at night knowing that they had been out there on the edge. If my scholarly career were a movie, what would it be called, and who would play me: Monkey Shines III, played by an out-of-focus apparition, shimmering jaggedly in the light of the silver particles projected on the white screen

Nancy Pruitt Biology / 32 years

1983–2015

John Knecht

My favorite course to teach: Biology for non-majors. It was less important to delve into the nitty-gritty details, freeing time to indulge in the myriad exciting aspects of the field. I used to call it “all dessert, no vegetables” teaching. Something I always told students: Because biological phenomena often occur on surfaces (e.g., cell membranes, epidermis, cuticle of animals and plants, or even surfaces on the Earth), I used to tell my classes that if they were completely stumped by a test question, they should simply answer, “This helps to increase the surface area,” regardless of what the question actually asked. In about half the cases, this would get the student at least partial credit. Of course, I ended up receiving this answer on MANY of my test questions — even if the question had nothing to do with surfaces! If my scholarly life were a movie, it would be called: Life on the Edge (because I am interested in biological phenomena in extreme conditions). What I’ve learned from students: Know when to take crazy risks in research; but be sure to have a “plan B.” I had a few students who pursued research projects that, on their face, seemed unlikely to yield anything. Most of them did not pan out, but the ones that did were tremendously successful. Some even steered the direction of my research for years. Office memorabilia I will save: Several of my international students brought me trinkets from their home countries. I value these items, and think of my students each time I look at them.

(it would be shot on celluloid film). The frames would be made individually and animated. The many scratches and chemical stains would have as much presence in the frame as the figure dancing in a jerky, unsettling yet beautifully rhythmic sequence. It would be 20 seconds long and dedicated to William K. Dickson, chief motion picture technician in the 19th-century laboratory of Thomas Edison. Office memorabilia I will keep: A painting of Elvis on velvet and hundreds of student films. My favorite spot on campus: Little Hall. I plan on haunting it. I will be entertaining. I promise. What’s next? I am making new work and my gallery exhibition of new “electric paintings,” along with work from the last 20 years, opens at the Massry Gallery at the College of St. Rose in January 2016. I am on the board of several nonprofits and continue to work with the New York State Council on the Arts. I need to keep my collection of old Fords running; and have plans to start a new rock and roll band when I turn 70, which is fast approaching.

Changes in the “tools of my trade”: The tools of the biologist have undergone unprecedented change in the past 30 years. I started my career studying the properties of proteins; now we go right to the genes that encode those proteins.


Nancy Pruitt, continued

glasses in a pub in Wales that the students had framed to give me.

My favorite spot on campus: I love the trails above the old ski hill. They are great for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Sometimes I go there just to clear my head.

Biggest change in the “tools of my trade”: Unquestionably, access to the bottomless pit of the Internet, which I believe makes it harder to learn to think than it was for me when I was a student.

My proudest moment: The day I got tenure. I felt free to take bigger risks in both my teaching and my research.

My favorite spot on campus: I like to survey the trees and shrubs.

What’s next? I am already enjoying time with my family and friends, to a degree I was not able to while working. In the fall, I have plans to work with a community-based organization in Washington, D.C., which helps students from underserved communities get into and succeed at elite colleges.

Alumni relations: Former women students of Language and Gender have shared with me their decision to take their husbands name in marriage, or not. I have also heard about changing pronoun usage — always full of political implications. I’m most proud of: Students credited me with creating a particular atmosphere of listening and sharing ideas that did not have to be “defended.” I have never learned well in an attack/defend atmosphere, and so I never wanted that kind of contest in my classroom. I wanted my students to consider opposing ideas together, building interpretations and conclusions without forcing anyone to stand by them.

Margaret Darby My favorite courses: The course that exemplified my favorite methods was Introduction to Writing in the Humanities/Writers and Readers. In some ways, it used ordinary best practices in composition and rhetoric, but in others it was unique to my pedagogical philosophy. The students usually wrote personal memoir, so I got to learn a lot about their own lives, especially their families and experiences before college. Because we spent so much time with rough drafts in class, they got to know each other in a special way as well. They had to be willing to expose themselves linguistically, and they always treated each other’s writing with great respect. Oft-taught principles: In Language and Gender, all semester, we explored the implication that words mean what a community of speakers means by them, going way beyond what any individual speaker intends; and, that all language is radically context dependent. Memorabilia I will save: The picture of the 1993 Manchester Study Group participants raising their

28

What’s next? Teaching always took priority, and I accepted that for nearly half a century of careful attentiveness. I am ready to give priority to other things in retirement, but I expect to keep my Colgate e-mail address for the rest of my life, and I will always want to know how my former students and colleagues are doing.

Phillip Richards English / 28 years

1987–2015

1986–2015

Writing and Rhetoric / 29 years

My favorite course to teach: My 400-level course in the novels of Henry James. We are living in another Gilded Age of enormous wealth at the top of the society; a careless, spoiled leisure class; and oppressed laborers. My senior English majors took to James’s descriptions of the manners, psychology, and habits of the rich (and would-be rich) like fish to water. In Washington Square, a cad is wooing a wealthy doctor’s daughter. When the father is away, the cad comes into the house and smokes the father’s cigars and lounges on his chairs. I remember a student said that this cad was used to sponging off of rich people because he didn’t notice the servants and maids who must have been moving about the room. I thought that was one of the most acute observations of social life that I had ever heard.

They are outsiders to this world who, all the same, succeed in it. They do it by working hard and keeping their heads down. They often have trouble at first, but as they move on, they rise to the occasion. The longer I was here, the more attention I paid to the kids who had a couple of courses with me and who were doing better in their junior and senior year than when I had them as first-years. Some people thrive on a kind of challenge that being an outsider presents. On scholarship: Colgate has been very kind to me, generous, and sympathetic. I could never have traveled and done research without Colgate’s funding. That’s been an important part of my life here. Recent extracurricular activity: In 2013, I began editing an international arts journal, DoveTales, published by Writing for Peace. As I wrote in the first edition’s introduction, the awakening to both politics and art demands the alert observer’s discriminating judgment of power and beauty. Literature and art seek a renewal of spirit as surely as they make an equally urgent contemporary demand on our cultural and political attention. I’m most proud of: Gaining tenure and being promoted to the rank of associate professor

A classroom ritual: I began, at some point, reading a chapter of my autobiography, An Integrated Boyhood: Coming of Age in White Cleveland, for the final class. The event became a ritual, and my classes began to ask for a chapter before the end of the semester.

Best advice I ever received here: Just before I received tenure, George Henry, a black West Indian economist — an accomplished man who had written a number of books — told me in his fatherly way that I would be exceptionally lonely in the Chenango Valley; however, out on the fringes of Colgate life, I would nevertheless find congenial companions.

What I’ve learned: The importance of persistence, from students and colleagues who, over the years, struggled until they met and surpassed their goals.

What’s next? I would like to continue reading, writing, and thinking, perhaps traveling more than I have been able to in the past.


Michael Johnston Political Science / 29 years

Teaching moments: I put a strong emphasis on writing. I told my students three things: First, the best way to become a good writer is to read good stuff. Second, they are not really writing until they are rewriting. You have to rip stuff out, rearrange, rewrite. Third, writing is a conversation with oneself. What am I arguing? Do I make this point well? Writing is not the output or outcome of the scholarly process — it’s the process. My classic assignment: I’ve got an imaginary country I call Malgovernado. Depending on the class, I challenge students to come up with a democratization strategy or an anticorruption plan. I throw in a variety of details, some of which are relevant and many of which are meant to fog the issue. When I make it optional, students never do it. But when I make it compulsory, I get some decent answers. I’ve used it off and on for 40 years. I’m most proud of: I was recognized with the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. One thing I have tried to do over 40 years is to get the anti-corruption thing better established within my discipline, and that was maybe evidence that a whole bunch of us who’ve been working on that have succeeded. It was nice to be recognized, and I hope the book (Syndromes of Corruption) and the award have brought attention to the people around the world who are opposing corruption at great risk.

Maudemarie Clark Philosophy / 28 years

Changes in “tools of my trade”: In terms of the technological revolution, I am not entirely persuaded it’s all to the good. Too many students and their enablers believe that research is “retrieving information.” It encourages short attention spans and intellectual passivity. There are good things as well: you can assemble a data set in an afternoon that would have taken a month’s work otherwise. I don’t see what’s wrong with the old chalk-and-talk model. Boundaries are essential. My approach more closely resembled a doctor-patient relationship than Mr. Chips. What’s next? We’re moving to Buda, just outside of Austin. Our younger son, his wife, and their two boys are there. My wife is a Texas grad, both sides of her family are Texan, and half of mine is, so it seems like a place to live well and relatively inexpensively, in a community with an academic presence. I’m writing a book called Corruption, Inequality, and the American Dream. The notion is that inequality problems have a lot more to do with corruption than we think, and that they take their toll at the level of things people think they’ve been promised in this society — not that they can have a house and a car, but that they’ve been promised fair treatment, a voice, the right to be taken seriously. Focusing on America is a change for me. My work has had more to do with the international arena, so I’m kind of bringing it home. Watch your favorite newsstand in 2017!

1987–2015

1986–2015

Most satisfying class to teach: Political Science 313: Political Corruption, which is related to my research, writing, and policy work

What was your favorite course to teach? That is like asking a mother to choose between her children! I’ll give you three: My Nietzsche seminar, Kant and 19th-Century Philosophy, and Core 152: Challenges of Modernity. What I love about teaching is being able to get students to feel and see the aliveness and excitement of thought. Those three courses do that in different ways: Nietzsche by getting deeply into the thinking of one person. With Kant, by showing how four great thinkers thought about the same issues. Core 152 has a broader sweep. It was a lot of fun to teach opera, for example. You could see the students thinking about the material: “So why does he have the gypsy scene here?” (This was Traviata.) If your scholarly career were a movie, what would it be called, and who’d play you? Will the screenplay emphasize my sense of humor and light touch, or my passion? If the former, it would be called Inventing Nietzsche. If the latter, A Life in Philosophy. It’s gonna have to be Meryl Streep! If she can play Julia Child, she can play me. My favorite spot on campus: Hascall Hall is a great old building; more specifically, its lounge. I’ve had great conversations in there. My favorite thing about it was in 2007. I was department chair at the time. I came in and graduating women students were having a PJ party. To see them there with their pillows and blankets was great. I’m most proud of: Various of my students winning fellowships and admission to grad school. Helping to build a terrific philosophy department; they are all great philosophers and really nice people. And, my work on Nietzsche. As Brian Leiter put it, my

News and views for the Colgate community

29


Anita Johnson

Maudemarie Clark, continued

1990 book (which basically got me tenure) was the “turning point” in Anglo-American Nietzsche scholarship, due to its combination of “meticulous scholarship” and knowledge of the relevant philosophical issues. Memorabilia I will save: The cover of the January 1999 Colgate Scene, of Rhodes Scholar Antonio Delgado ’99. I was his thesis adviser. Also, a photo of me teaching outside Alumni Hall from the 1999 calendar. Ellen Myers, our secretary, came into the lounge and said, “Maude’s a pinup girl!” And, my copy of Schopenhauer’s World as Will and Representation signed by members of the 1990 Colgate hockey team that went to the NCAA finals. I was teaching it in my Kant class and one of the students got me the autographs. My partner, Connie Jones, and I went to every home game that year and followed the team to Detroit, where they played the University of Wisconsin. I received my PhD there — it was the only time I’ve ever cheered against UW. What’s next? I will continue to teach half-time at the University of California-Riverside. I have at least three more books to write: the Nietzsche book for the Rutledge series “The Philosophers”; a book on Nietzsche and Morality (my dissertation topic); and, David Dudrick (philosophy) and I wrote a book on the first part of Beyond Good and Evil — I want to do the rest of it. I will also be working on translations of that and The Gay Science with Alan Swenson (German). I’ll still be in Hamilton for the summers and falls for at least three more years — Connie and I have been partners for 38 years, married for almost 4. She worked at Colgate’s Counseling Center for 11 years and is now at Bassett (in Cooperstown).

1987–2015

Romance Languages and Literatures / 28 years My favorite course: I was delighted to teach my Contemporary Spanish Theater seminar. I gave an intense historical background about the Spanish Civil War, so they could understand how the arts and literature suffered during 40 years of dictatorship. I’d bring in taped interviews with Spanish playwrights. I also invited playwrights from Spain to come, including the best playwright of the postwar years, Alfonso Sastre, in 1989. I also loved teaching Core 151: The Greeks. I love Antigone; it’s the tragedy I’ve taught most of the time. We also read The Odyssey, the quintessential metaphor for the journey. On teaching: I always tell my language students, lose your inhibitions. Everybody has to struggle; you will all experience embarrassment at some juncture, so get over yourselves! I was always pretty funny in my classes. I would say something outrageous. There would be this pause, and then a student would say, “Are you serious, Professor Johnson?” I’d say, “Good for you! You understood.” My favorite classroom exercise: I’d give them one minute to think, and then we’d go around and everybody had to add one thing to compose a tale. As they were speaking, I’d write it on the board. That impromptu use of Spanish used to be the funniest source of entertainment. Off-campus experience: My second year at Colgate, I was the first person in the department to lead the year-long Madrid Study Group. I had 45 kids — 15 each from Colgate, Vassar, and Wesleyan. I was teaching during the day, writing at night, and

taking excursions with the students. I finished my dissertation in Santiago de Compostela the final week of the study group. Words to live by: I’ve shared with my classes quotes of one of my favorite comics, George Carlin: “Laugh until you gasp for breath.” “The tears happen. Endure. Grieve. And move on.” “Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it’s beyond what you can improve, get help.” “Be alive while you are alive.” That speaks to the way I’ve lived my life. Keep finding books that speak to you when moments of the void come. Keep asking yourself, what does it mean to be human? This is the great thing about teaching — you get up there and offer sermons! My favorite place on campus: My office in Lawrence Hall is my academic woman cave; it’s where I’ve done some really good work. And it’s my counseling office — I think my students have found my office very welcoming. Memorabilia I will save: The masks on my office wall. I’ve always been interested in the Italian Commedia dell’arte, but through the Greek tragedies that I chose to teach, I became enamored of the roots and origins of theater. Students would bring me masks from everywhere: Korea, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Capri, and Venice. They are all so meaningful. Extracurricular activities: When I was living in Madrid in 1983, I met the editor of an American journal on Spanish theater, Estreno. I wrote reviews of the theater seasons and then was their book review editor from 1996 until 2006. In 2007, I was put on the editorial board. I was also on the board of Acotaciones, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s journal. If my life were a movie: I love traveling and meeting people in different cultures, which explains why I adopted my daughter Ling Ling from China. So, it would be a travelogue — of meeting Spanish playwrights, painters, and philosophers; teaching English to Spanish president Adolpho Suarez at his home in the mountains; meeting United Fruit Company workers and the president in Costa Rica; being robbed at knifepoint in Morocco. Cameron Diaz would play me. What’s next? I am moving back to Boston, where I grew up. I intend to surround myself with what I love: family, pets, keepsakes. And I’m playing with the notion of doing theater myself.

30

Summer 2015


My favorite natural landscape: I went to Antarctica when I was 21. I was dropped off, by a helicopter, for four months, and lived in a tent with another guy. There is nothing living, nothing green. When there’s no wind, there’s no sound. Just ancient rock with all its secrets and this enormous ice sheet. It brings you fundamentally to what’s important on the earth. On retiring: I’m a Red Sox fan. In 2004, they were in the playoffs. I went to the Colgate Inn because I don’t have a TV. I got totally abused by the Yankees fans. When they went into the World Series, that first game, there were only five people there, all Sox people. We saw all those four games together. When they won, we started to cry. Driving home, I got very depressed — because suddenly they were no longer the Red Sox that I knew. This is what happened to me with retiring. I didn’t expect it. I was happy to retire, but suddenly I got sad. I realized that I am no longer the person I have been all my life. What’s next? I started watercolor painting natural landscapes six years ago. Also, reading, thinking, hiking, cross-country skiing. And writing about managing barrier islands. Colgate will support the work for five years, which is very generous. And I will teach a course every year.

Paul Pinet

On teaching: I brought in jazz and improvisation. I had a collection of topics. I don’t have A, B, C, D. I begin with A. Depending on a response, I might go to G, H, or J. It keeps the class engaged. Depending on what they ask, I build on it, and they build on what I have been saying. I had the opportunity to develop Ecology, Ethics, and Wilderness, a CORE Scientific Perspectives course that took up moral and social issues. At first, the students didn’t know what to expect. Then it got more comfortable. I really enjoyed it because, just like in jazz, mostly you don’t get to where you want, but what is produced is powerful. I could see the glow in people’s faces. It took all of us to get there. Words to live — and work — by: With exams and papers, I’d ask them to respond to situations they’d never heard about. Students would say it was unfair. But I’d tell them, when you go to work, reallife problems are complex. They have no specific answers. If your boss asks you to do something, you will have to work it out. That is what I am getting you ready for, no matter what your career. Memorable moment: I wanted my students to try something different with something they had thought about. These four guys, hockey players, exchanged photos of natural landscapes, and each wrote a poem and worked together to improve them. When it came to giving the reading (it was a big class, about 80 people) they sat in different parts of Olin Hall. They dimmed the lights and started to read their poems. When the lights came on, everyone was crying.

Extracurricular activity: In the early 1990s, I met up with others to form the International Association for Feminist Economics. When you start a new project and are up against the big guys, you have that pioneer spirit and get to know each other very well. At the conferences each year, I meet up with good friends. Memorabilia to save: I have a little wooden bowl that a student from Romania gave to me. She came to Denmark the first time I took the class there. There was something about her. One day, I had taken them down to the ocean. It was a warm day, and the beach was deserted. Someone said, “Oh, wouldn’t it be nice to take a swim!” She and I looked at each other, then just stripped down and went into the waves. I think the fact that she was also European was why we were the only two. The others (it was all women) were standing there laughing to see their teacher do something so completely crazy!

Ulla Grapard Economics and Women’s Studies / 30 years

1985–2015

1978–2015

Geology and Environmental Studies / 37 years

guardrails. Five-year-olds learn to cut with knives. It was extraordinary for them to observe that the children become competent about their limitations.

My favorite courses: Gender in the Economy, based on my interdisciplinary studies in feminist economics, which pays attention to activities that don’t go through markets, such as caregiving labor — of children, the sick, the elderly. Few students have thought seriously, how do we go about our daily lives, and provide for each other? They gain respect for all the unpaid work being performed that is crucial for the paid world to exist. My women’s studies course Scandinavian Welfare State: A Gendered Perspective also really matters to me. One of Colgate’s first extended study courses, it has economics, politics, sociology, film, and cultural studies on the syllabus. We’d go to Denmark (where I grew up), for four weeks. I got gender researchers, politicians, and trade union women to talk with my students. We also visited kindergartens, where they would realize that what happens in the classroom is a reflection of democracy in action: how you create the citizens who have high expectations about social policy and democratic governance. Our students loved to see the children play, but would just about have a heart attack because Danish children grow up taking risks. On the playground, slides have no

My favorite spot on campus: The Center for Women’s Studies. I was director for four years. It attracts a very interesting group of students. They often have more diverse backgrounds than the students I would meet in my economics classes. Most satisfying: The human relations, the friendships that develop with colleagues across the university. And my involvement with women’s studies has been very important both professionally and personally. I was happy when I was directing it and able to get young women faculty involved. What’s next? I have living in my house my 4-year-old grandson, Jacob. I am looking forward to spending more time with him. I have all these books I haven’t gotten to read. And there are things I’d like to write about — issues of immigration into Western Europe, in Scandinavian countries as well as the rest. News and views for the Colgate community

31


Joseph Wagner

students to ponder this when we study Candide. In a way, this is what Voltaire meant when he advised his characters to cultivate their garden; work is a crucial ingredient in solving life’s challenges.

Memorabilia I will save: The three torch medals given to me by seniors in French in 2014 Changes in the “tools of my trade”: When I started, it was notebooks, pencils, and the library. Now, teaching tools like Moodle and Blackboard are an important part of my pedagogy, and fantastic digital images can be projected from my iPad. These technologies have made the classroom a muchmore engaging place for learning and discussion. My favorite campus spot: I have many happy memories of the chapel — concerts, convocations, award ceremonies — the rituals that structure academic life on a campus like Colgate, and that I find uplifting.

Bernadette Lintz 1983–2015

Romance Languages and Literatures / 32 years My favorite courses: I love teaching advanced French grammar and composition. I love explaining the subtleties and beauty of the language. Of my literature courses, I have most enjoyed my seminar on the Romantic period novel. Over the years I enhanced the content of the course. When I recently taught it in Dijon, I focused on the role of monuments and space in the construction of meaning, since the students visit Notre Dame and other Parisian places featured in the texts. There is so much nuance in those great novels by Hugo, Stendhal, and Balzac, and they are still relevant to the issues confronting every young person. Planting a seed: In Alsace (where I am from), there is a strong cultural value attached to work and diligence. The household garden was a place of work and practical rewards. So an adage I’ve conveyed in my teaching might be: give all your activities the care you would give your garden! I often ask my

32

Summer 2015

Study group staying power: The Dijon Study Group has been an important part of my life. Directing a study group is intense — you are professor, dean, administrator, travel guide, and confidante for the students. I’ve done it seven times since 1986. I still get news from students from my first group, and I’ve attended two weddings of former students. I’m most proud of: I take much satisfaction in seeing my students develop into multifaceted, responsible adults who have the skills to make a major contribution to their professions and our society. And one small part of those contributions traces back to sensibilities they have gained from their careful readings of novels like Le Rouge et le Noir or their study of the significance of the plusque-parfait! What’s next? I will continue to do what I love best — reading, reflecting, writing, listening to French podcasts. I have a project underway on Victor Hugo’s writings on revolutionary violence, and several other research ideas. I am also intrigued at the idea of doing cultural writing having to do with the area of Alsace. It is steeped in history, the site of many battles and trauma, and there are stories to be told. I’ll also have more time for fun! I am moving to Dearborn, Mich., where my husband, Dan, lives. So there is much to look forward to.

1979–2015

What I’ve learned: I’ve had several students who have overcome adversity — loss of a parent or friend, serious illness, financial difficulties. I’ve often been impressed by the resourcefulness and courage that young people are able to summon. Coming to see this capacity for growth has been an important insight.

1974–1976

If your scholarly life were a movie, what would it be titled, and who would play you? Deciphering the Deviant (fallen women, corrupt dandies, rotten emperors) — Helen Mirren (as DCI Jane Tennison)

Political Science / 38 years

My favorite courses: Foundations of Political Thought and my Contemporary Theories of Justice seminar. Both are richly and deeply conceptual and counterintuitive. When I came to Colgate, besides being interested in politics and history, I had a strong interest in physics. Beginning in the mid-’80s there was exciting stuff coming out in neuroscience and paleoanthropology that fit well with the themes I was interested in. Several of my courses had a large political psychology component. My classic assignment: It starts with something conceptual — matters involving justice, morality, the contrast between reason and feelings. The assignment is to build an argument where you write one paragraph giving the reasons and arguments for one side, and in the next you have to criticize the point you have made in the preceding paragraph, so you get to some deeper truth or understanding. Maybe 25 years ago, one student warned the rest of the class: this is the kind of paper that makes you bleed from your ears. Changes in “tools of my trade”: The ability to talk about thinking in terms of the way different parts of the brain operate. One of the most interesting things to come out in the last 25 years is the understanding of dual processing. We share very old parts of our brain with all living animals that respond to things in the environment before we are visually aware, in sometimes a quarter of a second. But without much-newer parts of the human brain that make it possible to conceptualize all objects in the world, there would be no objects for us. Most students have difficulty grasping that. I often tell the story about S.B. Weathers, who, climbing Mount Everest, was caught in an avalanche and got severe frostbite. They replaced his nose, twisting a piece of skin from his forehead over the cartilage. It grew into a normal nose, but every time his nose itched, he scratched his forehead. I love things like that, because it provokes students to think differently. My proudest moment: I have had the extraordinary good fortune of having a student who won the Marshall Fellowship, Steve Garvey ’87, and another, Antonio Delgado ’99, who won the Rhodes. And I’ve been adviser to three valedictorians: Steve, Michele Alexandre ’96, and Katie Schmidt ’01. Unusual contribution: In 1986–87, I wrote a significant piece of software to keep track of affirmative action at Colgate. And I taught the first course ever for faculty on desktop


computing. Those are kind of odd, because I am a philosopher in some ways, but I like puzzle solving.

What’s next? I’m working on a 350-page manuscript and an article I’m excited about. I want to join a social service group that does political lobbying. I am interested in compassionate choices and am deeply concerned about inequality in this country. I am also being encouraged to start a blog.

English; Interim President, 2001–2002; Provost and Dean of the Faculty, 1994–2001 / 46 years

1969–2015

Cat in a former life? I have a perverse pride in having had seven near-death experiences. Several have to do with Colgate — one very directly. Back in 1980, the faculty who taught in the core used to go to Colgate Camp at Saranac Lake for a workshop. I thought I’d go canoeing to unwind. As the sun came down, the wind came up, and the canoe turned over in 55-degree water. First thing I thought was, my wife was going to be really pissed with me if I die and leave her with two children and a dissertation she had supported for years but never got completed. I grabbed the canoe and decided there was an island I could get to. As soon as I got out, every muscle in my body was shivering. A man came by with his motorboat. His wife scanned the lake every night with a telescope. She saw me in trouble, and sent him out.

Jane Pinchin

My first day: I had just turned 23 when I first entered a Colgate classroom (before returning to Columbia to finish a PhD and teach at Brooklyn College). Manhattan born and bred, I’d learned to drive only months before coming here. My car broke down as I came up the hill; I abandoned it and walked to Lawrence Hall, where I was teaching Core 15, a common syllabus. Topic: Aristotle. One of the students in this all-male class asked the first question: about the Greeks and sexuality, so clearly designed to make me uncomfortable. I relaxed instead. Teaching would be a great pleasure from here on. My favorite course: Ah, so many candidates here: study group courses where England was one’s lab; courses in the core, seminars (Wallace Stevens, the Brontës, Woolf, and Forster). But best actually came last: Living Writers with Jennifer Brice. In five years we never taught the same text twice. The joy of team-teaching with Jennifer, and of engaging with the likes of Jennifer Egan, Junot Diaz, Salman Rushdie, V.S. Naipaul, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jonathan Franzen, and with alumni as well as with students. What a privilege. The most important thing I learned from students: How hard it is to be different from those you consider the norm. When I first taught here, a young man who is gay spoke of what he felt he then had to keep secret. Others — poorer, from upstate, or racially “different” — have worked through what it is to redefine the center at Colgate. I learned about bravery. Changes in the “tools of my trade”: Ours is a time in which teachers can present students with materials at our, and their, fingertips. In which we can teach in conversation with one another, as in Living Writers where we had 60 students on campus as well as 800 alumni and friends, using video interviews, live-streaming, blogs, and text. But we are left with some important questions: What are the consequences in the new emphasis on technology for the future of liberal arts colleges? Are there consequences for the values of contemplation, for time and space to think and create and read? When Coleman Brown (who died this year) retired in 1996, he wrote for the Scene about the issues that had shaped his vision, on the meaning of a life worth living. About the gifts of education, action, and contemplation. Coleman used only pen and ink and wonderment. Memorabilia I will save: I love the book jackets Virginia Woolf’s sister, Vanessa Bell, designed, copies of which hang on the walls of my office. But the one piece of memorabilia I cherish most is the framed introduction to the Alumni Corporation Humanitarian Award: begun in 2003 in my honor, and each year honoring someone with a “devotion to community.” It brings me joy. What’s next? First, I want to take some time to consider seriously what’s next. But there are certainly some things on my plate now. I have a book on E.M. Forster and Bloomsbury to finish. A two-year-old grandchild, and another on the way in September: the most extraordinary life-changing pleasures. A husband aching for travel. And I serve on the Bowdoin College Board of Trustees and the board of our local hospital. The constant that is Colgate: I’ve had a lot of jobs at Colgate — directing two academic divisions, working as provost/dean, interim president, as a VP for academic advancement, as acting head of the Picker Art Gallery, and, finally, as chair of the English department. I’ve seen a curriculum grow, and Colgate’s ambitions expand in every corner. And I’ve noted, of course, how much coeducation and diversity have changed the place. But to do justice to that topic — and to examine what is needed for the completion of a project, begun here and elsewhere at liberal arts colleges in the ’60s and ’70s — requires extensive and serious talk. That change is still an important work in progress. The constant is a loyalty, deep and sincere. Students leave here surrounded by the spirit of place and in love with an institution that has won their minds and hearts. Why? Perhaps because of the beauty of the space, but more likely because of a superb faculty and staff that daily give their all. It would be hard to overestimate the quality of Colgate’s faculty — teacher/scholar/citizens of note: pedagogical innovators, doing internationally respected research, and claiming their place as stakeholders in this institution. You could not be taught better anywhere. Full stop. News and views for the Colgate community

33


A STROLL

Seven Oaks THROUGH

Andrew Daddio

Summer 2015 marks the 50th year of Colgate’s Seven Oaks operating as an 18hole golf course — but its history goes back much further, to the original nine holes above West and East halls now known as the “Old Golf Course.” So, we’ve teed up 18 facts from yesterday and today. BY REBECCA DOWNING

34

scene: Summer 2015

1

Originally called Hamilton Golf Club, the course opened in 1916. It was renamed Seven Oaks in 1928 in honor of the Colgate family estate, Filston Farm, near the community of Sevenoaks, in Kent, England. With a planned relocation to the Payne Farm across Hamilton Street from the campus in mind, Robert Trent Jones Sr. first designed the course in 1934. His approach followed British and American Open title holder Gene Sarazen’s vision to create an “Augusta of the North.” Major world events including the Great Depression and World War II, as well as property acquisitions over time, required many revisions. Built in two phases, the first nine holes were dedicated July 4, 1958, and holes 10 through 18 were first played in 1965.


4

The first foursome to play the freshly finished back nine, on Sept. 4, 1965: Stuart Benedict ’62, Jim Harberson ’64, William Burke ’54, and Don Tiffany ’43

5

“Finicky Cow Snubs Golf Balls” Hamilton, N.Y. – Lant Gilmartin’s cow Susie today refused to eat any more golf balls. For five years, Susie has leaned hungrily against the fence of her pasture, which adjoins the Seven Oaks Golf Course, waiting for a sliced drive. Then Susie has eaten the golf ball as if it were an apple. But today, perhaps because it is the 13th, Susie sniffed disdainfully at a ball and returned to eating grass. “Maybe she’s got a little touch of indigestion,” said Lant. “I can’t believe she’s getting finicky in her old age.” — Binghamton Press, Sept. 13, 1932

6

Greens fees

$.50 2015 $50

1922

(9 holes, public, daily)

2

First hole-in-one: Captain Richard B. Morrin MA’60, on the 141-yard #2 with a five iron in June 1959. History professor Kenneth O’Brien testified to it.

3

2015 Patriot League Championship In April, the Raiders golf team hosted at Seven Oaks for the sixth time, tying Lafayette for third for Colgate’s best finish in 14 years. Chris Wilson ’17 finished fifth for a spot on the All-Patriot League First Team. Keith Tyburski is head men’s coach.

(18 holes, public, Friday)

7

NCAA National Golf Championship — June 8-11, 1977 Scott Simpson of the University of Southern California took the title at Seven Oaks with a one-over-par 289 for four rounds. He went pro, playing on the PGA Tour until 2007 and winning seven events, including the 1987 US Open, and is still competing on the Champions Tour.

8

Seven Oaks Pros James Dalgety Thomas Parnell Gilles Gagnon Francis “Buddy” Powers Marian (Burke) Blain Ben Pasquith

9

1928–1962 1963–1974 1975–1980 1981 1982–2013 Current

Ribbon cutting in 1958 by Carl Kallgren, Prudence Hawkins, and Lawrence Appley

9 Now, 9 Later The front nine holes for the “new” course — first called the University Golf Course — officially opened July 4, 1958. Colgate students looking for extra dough were hired in fall 1957 and spring 1958 to rake stones, smooth rough areas on the fairways, and collect debris. Once the new nine-hole course opened, the “old golf course” on the campus hill was used for intramural play and phys. ed. instruction for two years. Colgate retired it because of the expense of running two courses.

Groundbreaking in 1956 by Everett D. Barnes ’22, University President Everett Case, J. Leslie Hart ’30, and Robert C. Roberts

News and views for the Colgate community

35


Hemline hurrah As of July 4, 1954, the women of Seven Oaks can wear shorts with a length of 1 inch above the knee. — Mid-York Weekly, July 1, 1954

10

Stand at the roadway Look toward the 10th tee You will see Seven oak trees

12

To coin a phrase Sayings of Sherburne business owner Joe Shaheen, a colorful member of Seven Oaks for many years, as recalled by Dick Carroll MA’66:

11

“Right in the middle on the right side.” “ Take your time — I’ve got until 10:00 tonight.” (While playing early in the morning)

“It’ll be a good lie if I get there first.” 13

A brickyard and kiln that supplied bricks for several buildings in Hamilton once sat in the area of the 13th tee.

Robert Trent Jones submitted 13 different course designs for Seven Oaks between 1934 and 1964.

Robert Trent Jones, far left

14

Before you hit the links Try the Perkin-Sumption Driving Range, which opened in 2006. When excavating for it, local heavy-equipment operator Stub Baker unearthed a large cache of fossils. He notified the geology department, and soon professors, students, and local fossil buffs were swarming the area to collect trilobytes galore.

15 Colgate Alumni Golf Tournament — 2015 marked the 33rd annual event.

36

scene: Summer 2015


17

18

A good read Local historian Jim Ford’s Seven Oaks: A History of Golf at Colgate University (Upstate Institute at Colgate University, publisher, 2013) was a great source of many tidbits and photos for this article.

Background photo: Hamilton Golf Club c. 1920

16

You did it! You just finished the 18-hole course that TravelGolf.com says “is good enough to be included in Golf Magazine’s list of the top 20 public golf courses in New York for 2010. The flawless condition of the golf course, as well as being tough enough to challenge collegiate golfers (with a 74.6/146 slope/rating), is the biggest reason why.” Golfweek says:

Best Campus Course (22nd nationally, 2011) Best Public Course (15th in New York, 2010) “19”

The “19th hole” — Seven Oaks Clubhouse Originally the home of Deacon Charles C. Payne, the ninth of 16 sons of Colgate founder Judge Elisha Payne, built circa 1835. Purchased by Dr. I.N. Wheeler in 1905. Sip an Arnold Palmer and warm up with some Birdies before slicing into a golfy-sandwich: try the Seven Oaks Club, Malloy, Van de Velde, or maybe the Duffer is more your speed. Eat overlooking the “back six,” whether on the porch or Donald Tiffany ’43 Terrace.

The Wheeler Home, c. 1909. The barn in the background would become the Pro Shop at Seven Oaks in 1959.

News and views for the Colgate community

37


THE FEW

THE PROU FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF TAYLOR LAKE

By Aleta Mayne and Mark Walden

Marine instructor Dan Luntzel ’17 took this photo while leading a Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure course. His students were practicing boarding the ship from a Coast Guard vessel in Apra Harbor, Guam. “It was really pouring on us that day!” Luntzel recalled.


D

In the summer of 2014, just before Peter Coladarci ’18 pulled onto the shores of Taylor Lake for the first time, he spent the weekend white-water rafting in Pennsylvania with Kevin Varga ’16. Although it was their first time meeting, there was no need to test the waters of their soon-to-be friendship; as Marines, they assumed an instant bond. Currently, at Colgate, four Marine veterans are on a mission to secure a liberal arts education: Varga, Coladarci, Cory Nettnin ’16, and Dan Luntzel ’17. Their personalities differ greatly, but because of their shared experiences, a natural brotherhood exists. Varga and Nettnin were the first to come to Colgate through the Leadership Scholar Program, which assists Marines with college admissions nationally. They then welcomed Luntzel and Coladarci with an “Ooh Rah!” General Tom Morgan ’52 tied the knot between the Leadership Scholar Program and Colgate. “The puzzle I was looking at was, what could we do to open the doors to veterans at Colgate,” said Morgan, who retired in 1988 as assistant commandant (the second-highest ranking officer) of the Marine Corps. He had been following the development of the national Yellow Ribbon Program as it came to fruition in 2008, bolstering tuition benefits to veterans through the Post9/11 G.I. Bill. Morgan called up Gary Ross ’77, Colgate’s dean of admission, and got him on board. Next, Morgan reached out to his daughter, Beth Morgan, who is director of the Leadership Scholar Program and once worked in the student affairs divi-

sion at Colgate. He also spread the word about Colgate’s strong liberal arts education to the senior commanders within the Marine Corps. Through General Morgan’s efforts, Marines who are finishing their service learn about Colgate’s participation in these programs supporting veterans’ educations. In addition to offering Yellow Ribbon matching grants, Colgate goes above and beyond: vets who enroll will incur no more than $2,000 in tuition and all other charges (such as room and board) in any given year. Varga, Nettnin, Luntzel, and Coladarci were introduced to Colgate through a Marine administrative message from Beth Morgan. Later, they received a personal introduction when Ross interviewed Varga, Luntzel, and Coladarci in California at Camp Pendleton (a base under the command of Brigadier General Edward Banta ’86, P’19), and spoke to Nettnin by phone. On campus, they’ve lived together in various combinations, with the exception of Luntzel, who is married. The rafting trip was one example of how they welcomed each other and formed an alliance from day one. Their varied interests at Colgate take them in separate directions, but the four “get together every once in a while, just to see how everybody is doing,” Luntzel said. “We do share a bond that we don’t with our other classmates, even though we come from all different backgrounds.” From the base of their little group, they’ve deployed into the Colgate community: interacting, enhancing, and providing a distinct perspective.

News and views for the Colgate community

39


VA R G CLA A, KEV IN SS O F 20 AGE 16 : 26 RAN K: C ORP ORA L

Back in 2007, Kevin Varga ’16 knew what he didn’t know. Calm and positive by nature, he was preparing to graduate from high school, unfazed by the fact that he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life or what he would study if he went to college. “[College] just didn’t seem like the right opportunity for me at the time,” he said. Sitting at home in Moon Township, Pa., wasn’t an option, either. So Varga started a five-year journey to discover his calling. The first step took him to a Marine recruiter. One conversation led to another, and before long, he had signed on for a five-year enlistment with a contract in aviation electronics, “a great technical field where you could learn a lot,” he said. Enlistment included a 687-mile trip south to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C., for basic and combat training, then 220 miles northwest to Athens, Ga., for computer training. Along the way, Varga went from high school graduate to computer systems specialist. He joined the fleet at Camp Pendleton, Calif., in July 2008, and spent the next 15 months maintaining computer software and network hardware for helicopter squadrons. Varga’s training stateside was put into practice overseas in October 2009. He deployed with helicopter squadron HMLA 367 to Camp Bastion, a NATO base in Afghanistan’s southern

Helmand Province. Fighting the swirling sand, Varga ensured that the squadron’s computers, which tracked maintenance and mission planning, operated properly. “[They] would constantly need to be cleaned out,” he said. “I remember digging trenches to run cables through hard-packed desert. All of the networks are hard wired — no Wi-Fi. There was constant construction going on at the base, so crews would cut cables … there were quite a few problems.” Varga also learned to fix large power generators — “other duties as required” in a war zone. But that wasn’t the only knowledge Varga was gathering. Back at Camp Pendleton by May 2010 and looking forward to his discharge in April 2012, he received an e-mail from his father. It was a simple message to a number of family members, and it included photos of men spelunking into a South American cave. Varga replied all: “How do I do that for a living?” His mother responded with a one-word question, “Geology?” Central Texas College offered an environmental geology course at Camp Pendleton, and Varga enrolled, tapping tuition remission offered by the Corps. “I really liked it, and that has been my plan ever since,” he said. Varga executed his plan by applying to Penn State, Columbia, and Colgate through the Leadership Scholar Program. He received an admission offer

from Columbia, but, on close consideration, “Colgate seemed like a better fit for me,” he said. Finally knowing what, where, and when, he arrived on campus with the Class of 2016 in August of 2012. “It was like the anti–boot camp,” he said. “Instead of having a sergeant there shouting, ‘You are nothing!’ everybody was like, ‘We love you.’ It was cool to experience.” Varga joined the rugby team and the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department, where he is now a certified EMT. While he hasn’t yet had the chance to rappel into a South American cave, he did conduct geological field research across the western United States with Professor William Peck. He also has participated in Colgate’s Australia study group, joined extended study trips to Ecuador and New Zealand, and is making plans to research his senior thesis in the Galapagos Islands with Professor Karen Harpp. Varga has brought a new perspective to the classroom, whether abroad or in Hamilton. “It’s just having an appreciation for the little things,” he said. “So many students get stressed out and worried. I constantly try to tell them, ‘Try to enjoy it. Relax a bit.’” What lies ahead for the Marine veteran who’s soon to be a Colgate veteran as well? “If I could become a volcano technician, that would be my dream job.” Not bad for a small-town kid who was unsure of what to do with life after high school. It turns out that, in some cases, what you don’t know can actually help you.

“ C ORPS” LESSON:

“ Always have my s*** together. In better terms, be self-driven.”

40

scene: Summer 2015


out the Marines for his first full-time job. “The Marines offered the biggest challenge,” Nettnin said. “I just figured I’m already going to go out of my way to do the most challenging thing in my life, so I might as well go all the way.” “All the way” meant boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., specialized computer training in Pensacola, Fla., and his first duty station in Okinawa, Japan. From there, Nettnin was deployed to Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia. After a brief return to Japan from mid-2009 to mid-2010, he was sent to Washington, D.C., where he finished out his enlistment in 2012. Along the way, the Corps changed certain aspects of Nettnin’s personality. “I’m not big on talking in general,” he admitted. But, he was constantly meeting new people while working in an IT customer-service environment. Some of those people outranked him, though they might be younger, and some ranked below him, though they might be older. So interpersonal communication in the Corps forced him out of his quiet comfort zone while challenging his intellect, making good on the promise that Marine life would offer the biggest challenge. “It’s pretty easy for me to talk to random people at this point.” This determined, quiet communicator arrived at Colgate with the Class of 2016 and attended first-year orientation, not because the administration required it, but because he wanted to be able to identify the programs that would be useful for future Leadership Scholar Marines. “I didn’t really know anybody, so it was a good use of my time,” he explained. Practical curios-

“ C ORPS” LESSON:

“ Show up early; work as hard as you can, whether you enjoy doing it or not; and volunteer for things, whether or not you want to do them.”

Zoe Zhong ’17

Cory Nettnin ’16 arrived at his new Washington, D.C., duty station in the summer of 2010. The signals intelligence specialist was there to make sure that the machines that encrypt secret messages were firing on all cylinders. Before long, he found himself moving the cylinders — from the Navy Annex in Arlington, Va., to new offices in the Pentagon. Nettnin and seven other Marines worked nearly around the clock for two days, moving and reinstalling more than 300 computers, printers, and phones. “Our office essentially ran intelligence operations for the Marine Corps,” he said. “We needed to be down for as little time as possible.” Those 48 hours formed a defining moment in his military experience. They also affirmed that Cory Nettnin is first and foremost a man of action. Preparing to graduate from high school in 2007, Nettnin wasn’t interested in continuing with school, but he still wanted to learn and to do something meaningful with his life. So he singled

Andrew Daddio

RY CO , N TNI 016 NET S OF 2 S T CLA 26 EAN E: G R G E A K: S N A R

ity also led Nettnin, a computer science major and avid gamer, to take over the leadership of Game’s Afoot and the Trading Card Game Club. He joined the Ballroom Dancing Club and, after three appearances at Dancefest, has proved to be a quick study on the quickstep. Discovering a love for Middle Eastern studies, he joined the Muslim Student Association. “I’m Christian,” he said. “I’m there to experience something new, learn about something I don’t really know about.” Nettnin, a newly promoted senior, can look back over the past three years and see how his time in the Corps influenced his Colgate experience. He’s still seeking challenges. And he’s still quiet, but capable of engaging strangers in conversation. Sometimes, though, he prefers just to listen: “In classes, I don’t usually speak up too much because I like to hear the viewpoints of people who haven’t been in my situation.” But don’t let the quiet demeanor mislead you. This former Marine will work all night to achieve an objective, complete an assignment, or beat you in a game of League of Legends.


Andrew Daddio

COL A CLA DARCI , PE SS O TER F 20 AGE 1 : 24 8 RAN K: S ERG EAN T

Perched atop a truck traveling the dusty roads of Afghanistan at high speeds, Peter Coladarci ’18 had the best seat in the house — at least, from his perspective — when he was deployed. “I had my M-240 Bravo attached in the turret, then I had another rifle, a pistol on my hip, and two grenades and a rocket launcher in the truck,” he said. “I was ready to go.” Coladarci chose this position because, from day one, he wanted to be at the center of the action. In fact, he went into the service because he was inspired by the story of the SEAL snipers who saved Captain Richard Phillips, the merchant mariner who was held hostage by pirates in 2009. Coladarci was a first-year student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln at the time and read the newspaper daily. After encountering the article about the snipers’ operation to save Phillips, Coladarci went to see a recruiter. Lack of 20/20 vision in both eyes disqualified him from that possibility, so he signed up for the Marines. After celebrating his 20th birthday in boot camp, he was sent to Twentynine Palms, Calif. Located in the Mojave Desert, the Air Ground Combat Center is where Marines train before overseas deployment, but it was Coladarci’s permanent base. “It’s the hottest place I’ve ever been, and there’s no fresh water. It’s probably one of the worst places

“ C ORPS” LESSON:

“ I can always push myself a little harder, and my limits are beyond what I thought they were.”

42

scene: Summer 2015

on earth,” he said with a smirk. “It was originally an Air Force Base, but they deemed it inhospitable for human life, so the Marines snagged it right up,” he joked. There, he learned everything from operating different heavy machine guns to driving and maintaining a Humvee. In early July of 2011, he got word that he would be deployed to Afghanistan in three months. “I was a little nervous; I wasn’t sure what to expect,” he recalled. “But, that’s what I had been looking forward to. You join to deploy. It’s like our game: all the practice, all the training, you want to play eventually.” Stationed in Kabul’s Camp Phoenix, Coladarci was part of convoy security for the Afghan National Army as they transported arms, ammo, and equipment. He convinced his superiors to “put me up in the machine gun [turret] — it’s probably the most dangerous job.” Driving through chaotic traffic, Coladarci’s responsibility was “looking for an anomaly in the

baseline,” he said. “You have to be able to tell, if you look at a town and there are no females, or if people are doing something shady with their body language, something might be up,” he explained. “It’s learning to see things that most people wouldn’t.” Taking trips lasting several hours and some lasting several days, he saw much of the country. “We went up north over the mountains a few times, which is very different. It was pretty cool going through all these tunnels that the Russians built when they were fighting there, so from a historical perspective, it was interesting to travel those roads.” Coladarci spent seven months in Afghanistan, with no off days. In June of 2012, he returned to Twentynine Palms for two years. In that time, he was promoted through the ranks: vehicle commander, then squad leader, and finally a section leader, in charge of 24 Marines. (This past January, right before finishing his active duty, he was promoted to sergeant.) “I had plenty of time to think about going back to school,” Coladarci reflected. “One day, I was out training in the field, it was about one hundred and twenty degrees outside, and I was sitting in a Humvee. I decided at that point that I really wanted to take an Italian course in college.” So, when he received an e-mail stating that Colgate was accepting Marines into the Class of 2018, Coladarci went for it. In his first semester at Colgate, Coladarci took that Italian class, and followed through with his second promise to himself by joining the baseball club. He’s considering majoring in economics, but is keeping an open mind. “I’m trying to get a broad education, and Colgate’s good at that.” As a gunner in the Marines, his job was to survey the landscape and assess the situation. Now Coladarci is among the ranks of Colgate students who are looking for the unexpected, thinking critically, and drawing meaningful conclusions.


come — it’s an unofficial slogan for the Marines, and it’s a mind-set that Dan Luntzel ’17 wants to help Colgate students embrace. Through the Thought Into Action Entrepreneurship Institute, Luntzel has advanced an initiative he calls disruptEd. The project is to build a makerspace at the university, which will start with 3D printers and grow to include other tools to foster creative endeavors, from woodworking to gardening to knitting. “It’s an incredibly empowering and transformative experience to create something,” said Luntzel. “The maker movement is all about open-source collaboration and sharing information, technology, and skills.” Luntzel believes that his vision will complement the liberal arts education and better prepare students for their careers. “I see flexibility, creativity, and perseverance as some of the critical skills for success in a changing world. ‘Making’ is a good step toward [developing] these traits,” he explained, “because when you take an idea out of your head and manifest it in real space, you often encounter challenges that you didn’t see at the outset of the project, then have to learn an entirely new skill set and re-attack.” In his own life, Luntzel has had to change tack in response to the unexpected. Growing up, his dream was to join the Air Force, just like his father and grandfather. As he was about to graduate from high school, he found a congressional sponsor and survived several rounds of cuts before getting waitlisted for the Air Force Academy and ultimately not being accepted. Instead, he secured a Naval ROTC scholarship at the University of San Diego. But, ROTC, classes, and a night job overextended the young man; he dropped out. At the university, Luntzel had met a group of Marines whom he admired, and they helped him to ultimately get his career off

“ C ORPS” LESSON:

“ If you have heart, you’ll be able to overcome any other shortcomings you might have.”

Andrew Daddio

EL ANI D , L TZE 017 LUN S OF 2 T S EAN G R CLA 33 SE E: AFF T AG S K: RAN Improvise, adapt, and over-

the ground. One, in particular, talked to him about reconnaissance, “and it sounded really exciting: parachuting, diving, shooting — the G.I. Joe stuff.” So, Luntzel enlisted, and when the opportunity arose, he volunteered for the reconnaissance unit. “It was reputably the most difficult place to get into in the Marine Corps, so that attracted me.” During Luntzel’s approximately 10 years in the service, he completed three Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments on a ship that traveled the Pacific Ocean, spent a number of years in Okinawa (where he met his wife, who’s Japanese), and did recon in Iraq for seven months. For his last four-and-a-half years in the Marines, Luntzel was an instructor in Okinawa, teaching a range of skills: from marksmanship to team tactics to boarding ships. It was a natural transition for Luntzel to continue as an instructor during his eight months of terminal leave before coming to Colgate. He worked for a small defense contract company in northern Virginia, where they were hired to train the Boston SWAT team and his former unit in Okinawa. As a Colgate student, Luntzel began to really think about education and the future: what skills should he and his fellow students be learning to help them succeed? When retired Navy SEAL Mark Divine ’85 delivered an inspirational keynote during the 2014 Homecoming, Luntzel took note:

ON POINT “Each one of these young men is what we seek in all of our applicants,” admission VP Ross said. “They’re high-achieving individuals, and they seek a challenging liberal arts education.” That said, they also bring “a diversity of experience based on their service to our country, and that makes Colgate a stronger campus,” Ross noted.

“He talked about writing your own story, not letting someone hand you a script. “I thought, how could I help shift the educational culture here on campus, from students being passive receivers of education toward self-directed, active learners?” His solution: a makerspace. “Being an instructor and working in uncertain and dynamic environments, I learned that success in a fluid, changing world is about personal skills and character traits,” Luntzel said. Admitting that he has “grand ambitions,” Luntzel has planned a phased rollout for disruptEd. At the end of the spring semester, he received approval for a Makers’ Club. At press time, Luntzel was about to launch a website where people could donate to fund the purchase of equipment. And, this summer, Colgate’s ITS department hired him to facilitate their own 3D printer initiative. Next semester, one printer (possibly two) will be available for public use at the Digital Learning and Media Center in Case Library. “Colgate is perfectly poised to set the tone nationally for the role of makingculture in the liberal arts,” he said. While talking with the Scene, the dual computer science and philosophy major was wearing a shirt that stated, “The future is not what it used to be.” Well, the future may be shifting, but Luntzel will adapt — and create some changes of his own.

In this way, the university is benefiting twice from the devotion to country that Varga, Nettnin, Coladarci, and Luntzel demonstrated in the Marine Corps. For years, they kept us safe. Now, they’re expanding the minds of their classmates as they prepare for future adventures as alumni. Ooh rah, indeed.

LEARN MORE Watch Bob Woodruff ’83 interview these students at colgate.edu/veteransvideo


44

scene: Summer 2015


Andrew Daddio

News and views for the Colgate community

45


stay connected

An Entrepreneur Network panel discusses fundraising at IAC, hosted by Greg Blatt ’90.

“We wanted alumni to see professional networks as gifts from Colgate to them — a unique opportunity to connect and learn.” — Jennifer Stone, Director of Professional Networks

46

scene: Summer 2015

Students attend a CREC-sponsored immersion trip to New York City.

THE INSIDE TRACK Networks help alumni and students go pro

Summer was well underway when a group of tech-savvy Colgate alumni and students gathered at Airbnb. The event was hosted by Airbnb’s Public Affairs Manager Christopher Nulty ’09 and the Colgate Digital Media and Technology Professional Network. Participants were there to meet, greet, and do some networking, but something else was going on — something as different as the environment in which they had convened. You know you’re at Airbnb when you walk through the door, because their offices look like apartments offered for rent around the world via their website. In a similar fashion, you know when you’re attending a Colgate Professional Networks event. Colgate’s alumni office and career services staffs have carefully shaped associations within the university community that are based on common career aspirations rather than traditional demographics and geography favored by peers at other schools. Networks currently include common good, finance and banking, the Colgate Real Estate Council, health and wellness, entrepreneur, digital media and technology, and the Colgate Lawyers Association. “We wanted alumni to see professional networks as gifts from Colgate to them — a unique opportunity to connect and learn,” said Jennifer Stone, who directs the program.

The networks serve as an on-ramp for students seeking post-graduation employment in a challenging economy; strengthen ties between alumni; demonstrate the crucial role that alumni play in society; and provide a chance for alumni to give back to the university that prepared them for success. “The outcomes in such a short period of time have been remarkable,” Stone said. “Students have landed jobs and internships; alumni have made business deals and contacts.” Last year alone, more than 158 alumni connected with the Colgate community for the first time in years, thanks to the initiative. There is a significant, individual impact every time a professional network hosts an alumni networking event, a panel conversation, or a bootcamp training session on campus with students. The list of names and the catalogue of faces have grown too long for a full review. Instead, here are two examples of the power of these efforts.

— Mark Walden

Colgate’s Health and Wellness Professional Network. Gilman’s path to full employment stretches back to early spring of her senior year. She had entered Colgate as a pre-medical student but quickly switched to psychology. She knew from her volunteer work at Huntington Memorial Hospital back home in Pasadena, Calif., that she wanted to work with patients. But she was unsure how she could do that if she wasn’t going to be a doctor. Last March, the Center for Career Services teamed up with the Shaw Wellness Institute and the Health and Wellness Network to bring a panel of alumni to campus to discuss alternative careers in the wellness field. This was an important moment for those who weren’t interested in becoming physicians or dentists, and it opened Gilman’s eyes to new possibilities.

Connecting well by doing good During commencement on May 17, Anna Gilman ’15 went from Gamma Phi Beta sister, figure skater, campus lifeguard, tour guide, and peer health educator to a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) session assistant. She earned the job through long hours of hard work at school — and connections she made through Anna Gilman ’15


She was inspired by alumni like Rachel Stahl ’11, a clinical dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and began to think in earnest about becoming a dietitian. But the Colgate network wasn’t done with her yet. Because she was a peer health educator, Gilman received an invitation to travel to New York City in April for a Health and Wellness Professional Network event. In his comments that evening, North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Jon Sendach ’98 stressed the importance of hiring Colgate students and alumni, because they make such solid employees. “I was excited to hear that,” she said, “and to know that I’m entering an alumni network that is so strong.” Gilman met Mallory Rowley ’14, an MSKCC session assistant, at the event. They talked about Gilman’s plans for the future and her job search. Based on her own knowledge and experience, Rowley had a suggestion. Why not apply for an open position at MSKCC? Gilman could use the time to build her résumé, make contacts, and develop an understanding of exactly what it’s like to work at one of the world’s top medical facilities.

“ I was excited to know that I'm entering an alumni network that is so strong.” — Anna Gilman '15

It was a daunting proposition, given the number of applications that MSKCC receives, but a personal introduction to the hiring manager could cut the response time from three months to less than three weeks. Gilman jumped at the opportunity. She filled out the online application, took an aptitude test, and submitted her résumé by mail. Within two weeks, she received an invitation to the interview that would,

ultimately, lead to a job offer. When Gilman reports to work at the MSKCC Ambulatory Care Center this August, she’ll serve as a liaison between patients and doctors, a role that she will relish. “I have a genuine interest in helping people, and as a specialist, I’m going to be able to give them care and reassurance that they’ll need during cancer treatment and recovery,” she said. Colgate’s professional networks have been a point of distinction for Gilman. “I wouldn’t have had this position if I didn’t go to the alumni network,” Gilman said. “I know that for sure.”

The real (estate) deal When she was in sixth grade, Kelechi Oguh ’08 decided she wanted to work in real estate. “I was in a scholarship program, sponsored by the Wight Foundation, that sent me to boarding school. The founder, Russell Wight, is on the board of Vornado Realty Trust, which is a huge real estate company with an international portfolio. So I had the idea of going into real estate before most kids are thinking about what they want to do when they grow up.” At Colgate, Oguh majored in Africana studies and English, but she kept her eye on the future. During Real World 2008, real estate executives Dan Hurwitz ’86 and Bill Hecht ’86 came to campus to talk with students. Oguh still remembers the main points she heard during the conversation. “You have to have a good work ethic, a great personality, and a little bit of luck,” she said. “Seeing those guys talk about their work and the passion they had, it attracted me.” Oguh graduated in 2008, a challenging year for financial markets in general and real estate in particular. She called Wight for advice — or, even better, a job. But her longtime mentor was already laying off veteran employees and couldn’t commit to bringing Oguh onto his staff. So instead of a paycheck, he gave her some valuable advice: take a sales job. Any sales job. Oguh was

already building skills by selling Colgate as a member of the annual fund’s student calling team, and she had spent time in the retail world as well. “If you can sell a pencil, you can sell anything,” she said. “You need to learn your product, but the basics are all the same.” Following Wight’s advice, she joined the health services company Cigna, thanks to a connection she made with Robert Picinich ’82, who was general manager at the time. “When I went into insurance sales, I had the mind-set that this was just a training ground. I already knew that I would revisit real estate in a few years,” she said. “I used my first position to train myself up so I could be equipped to do real estate sales.” She spent the next four years in that training ground before a visit to the Colgate alumni website changed the course of her future. She noticed that the university was just launching a new professional network, the Colgate Real Estate Council (CREC), chaired by James Nelson ’98. Alumni in the industry, and those who were merely interested, would be attending an inaugural event across the street from her office. “I walked into the room,” she said, “thinking my goal is to get a job or at least get an interview, informational or otherwise, that could lead me to a career transition.” The first person she met was Presidents’ Club Chair Kevin Danehy ’83, who proceeded to introduce her to friends like Brian Collins ’82, Paul Massey ’82, and many others. This crew of new mentors helped Oguh to decide exactly what kind of real estate work she wanted to pursue. “Paul Massey told me that it’s OK if you don’t know what you want to do, especially at a young age,” she said. “But his advice was to meet 100 people. By the time you’ve done 100 informational interviews, you’ll have an idea.” It only took 30 before she knew that she wanted to go into office leasing at CBRE Commercial Real Estate Services. Working her CREC connections, Oguh was employed at CBRE within six months

Kelechi Oguh ’08

of attending her first network event. She began in research, inputting data so that she could learn the market, and only weeks later, she was thrown into sales — in the industry she had been planning to enter since sixth grade. Today, Oguh is one of several core CREC leaders. She and her fellow volunteers have even met with representatives from Amherst, Middlebury, and other northeastern colleges to help them launch their own real estate professional networks. “In the beginning,” she said, “Kevin helped me understand that, when you’re building relationships, it’s important to have a give and take.” From Chicago to Dallas to Denver, Colgate’s professional networks deliver unique opportunities for alumni and students in all career paths because they tap into personality traits found in so many community members. Colgate people set big goals, and then they work passionately and collaboratively to achieve them. And, as Kelechi Oguh discovered, it’s the back-and-forth nature of Colgate-style career development that pays such rich dividends to all involved. This fall, Colgate will launch three new professional networks for community members: STEM, communications, and consulting. Want to get involved? E-mail Jennifer Stone at professional networks@colgate.edu and visit colgate.edu/networks.

Alumni Council calls for nominations The nominations committee of the Alumni Council seeks recommendations for this 55-member volunteer board. Each year, 11 to 13 positions are filled. For a full list of qualifications, visit colgate.edu/acnominations. The awards committee also seeks nominations from the classes ending in 1 and 6 for awards to be presented at Reunion 2016. A full list of categories can be found at colgate.edu/alumni-awards. Send nominations by Sept. 1, 2015, to: Tim Mansfield, executive secretary, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346. For guidelines and more information, visit colgate.edu/alumnicouncil. The Health and Wellness Network discusses alternatives to medical school. News and views for the Colgate community

47


salmagundi

13 Words (or fewer)

Puzzle by Kyle Dolan ’06

Dubious Dedications Use these to spice up your next campus tour! Across 1 "___ Ado About Nothing" 5 Eponymous unit of capacitance 10 Plank on a slope 13 Peek follower 14 Part of an environmentalist's mantra 15 Labor 16 "Some Like It Hot" actor 18 It begins, "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness" 19 Disheveled 20 Patron of France 22 "What am ___ do?" 23 Problem area? 26 Mischief-maker 27 Best Actress winner of 1964 32 Agrees 35 "Rule, Britannia" composer 36 "Terrible" tsar 37 "Yeah, right!" 38 Steep cliffs 39 "I, Claudius" role 40 Predetermination 41 Good sign? 42 Archimedes' ___ (water pump) 43 English sea captain knighted in 1581 46 Flare ___ 47 Delhi wrap 48 NYC's Penn, e.g.

76

Submit your creative, clever, or humorous caption of 13 words or fewer for this vintage Colgate photo to scene@colgate. edu or attn: Colgate Scene, 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, NY 13346. The winner will receive a Colgate Scene T-shirt, and the winning caption will be announced next issue. Deadline: September 8, 2015

scene: Summer 2015

51 Character in "The Scarlet Letter" 55 Shoot daggers 57 10-Down, once 58 American philosopher/activist (who visited Colgate in 2012) 61 Prop for Frosty 62 Remove, as a brooch 63 Jellied English dish 64 It can have one or two heads 65 Lighthouse locale 66 Fix, in a way Down 1 Mother: Prefix 2 Wolfpack member 3 "Heart of Darkness" setting 4 Hall-of-Fame pitcher Wilhelm 5 Unlikely to splurge 6 Ireland's ___ Lingus 7 Groove 8 How garage sale items are sold 9 Predetermines 10 57-Across, today 11 New Zealander 12 Pandora's release 15 Classic work of political theory 17 "L'Étranger" novelist 21 Deg. first awarded at Harvard 24 Pageant crowns 25 They used to run the news 27 Turbofan, e.g.

28 Sweater material 29 "Did you ___?" 30 Ending with hard or soft 31 Feature of many a Colgate scene 32 Sec 33 Letter-shaped support 34 One of Colgate's fraternities, briefly 38 It may be part of a collection 42 Expertise 44 Edit out 45 Silver, on a coat of arms 48 Beat in convincing fashion 49 ___ Motors (Palo Alto company) 50 Like craft shows 51 Old man 52 Operating system invented at Bell Labs 53 "Clue" weapon 54 Taboo 56 Is short 59 ECAC Hockey sch. 60 Diarist Anaïs See pg. 69 for the solution.

’Gate Plates Allan Chagan ’64 of Wayne, Pa., shared this photo of his tag. Send us a pic of your tail’gate (or sightings!): scene@colgate.edu


Above: Students enjoy the balancing act of stand-up paddle boarding on Taylor Lake during a PE class led by Outdoor Education’s student instructors. The class also tried yoga and slacklining at different campus locations. Photo by Nick Gilbert ’18. Back cover: A reflection off of Payne Creek illuminates the Willow Path. The creek was named after the family whose 18thcentury farm on the hill is now Colgate’s campus. As a result of the family’s influence, Hamilton, N.Y., was originally known as Payne’s Settlement. Photo by Andrew Daddio.

News and views for the Colgate community


scene: Colgate University

13 Oak Drive Hamilton, NY 13346-1398

colgate

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Colgate University


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.