NEW AT CSU Laura Bloomberg, the new president of Cleveland State University, has plans for greatness — and a green car.

EDUCATION

New at CSU

Laura Bloomberg took over the helm of Cleveland State University in April — and has a vision for excellence that embraces everyone.

Laura Bloomberg was named president of Cleveland State University in April and quickly showed her commitment to the school by purchasing a deep-green BMW electric car. “I don’t have it yet because of supply-chain issues, but I’m going to be driving around in CSU colors,” she says. “I’ve never in my life had a green car. I’m all in on CSU and Cleveland.” We checked in with Bloomberg to ask her about her big move and her goals for the university she now leads. Her past: Born and raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Bloomberg built quite the career over multiple decades at the University of Minnesota, most recently as dean and associate dean of the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Coming to Cleveland: In August 2021, Bloomberg moved to Cleveland to become Cleveland State University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. The job of university president wasn’t on her radar — until CSU and former president Harlan Sands unexpectedly parted ways this spring because of philosophical differences.

Why CSU? “My heart always has been in urban communities, in places where people are striving to thrive. My bachelor’s degree is from a state university. Those kinds of institutions speak to me, and Cleveland State spoke to me. We create opportunities here, and we have excellent scholars. Cleveland State exemplifies that you can be inclusive and excellent.”

Finding their way: Bloomberg and her husband, Jon, had never been to Cleveland, so they arranged a visit in which they took in the Cleveland Metroparks, Playhouse Square and, of course, the CSU campus.

What they found: “My husband and I said: ‘Cleveland? Could we go to Cleveland?’ Truth is, we hadn’t spent any time in Cleveland. Well, Jon and I came out here and spent four days walking the city. At the end of the four days, we both said, ‘Yes, we could see ourselves living here.’”

Challenges ahead: “I think we leave a lot of raw intelligence and horsepower on the table if we think that low-income students, or students who don’t come from a college-going family, can’t be successful. So what we need to do is find students who are really capable of success but might come with barriers — and help make it happen for them.”

Best book she’s read: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. “Abraham Lincoln wasn’t afraid to surround himself with opponents and people who would openly disagree with him in service of a greater mission.”

Saturday morning favorite:

Crepes at the West Side Market. “It’s fantastic. It’s the best.”

On Rascal House pizza: “One late night, when the fridge was bare and we lived down the street, we ordered Rascal House pizza. It was delicious.”

Her best teacher: Her sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Schamber. “She would talk about patterns in leaves, and how you can see the patterns in leaves and see a similar pattern in a mathematical equation or music or perhaps poetry. What Mrs. Schamber did was open my mind to the way math and science and art are integrated at a fundamental level.”

The lesson: “What we were exploring was the way we understand the world. It impacts me as a leader now, because I don’t think the world cares much about our departments or structures in higher ed. They care that we produce knowledge and graduate students who will help make the world a better place.“

An early start in academia: “In many ways, I’m an unlikely academic. I never set out to get a Ph.D. in that kind of traditional pathway. I forever have been passionate about education and the education system. That sounds a little wonky, but ever since I volunteered in a special-ed classroom when I was in the second grade, more than anything I’ve thought: I want to be in a place where people come together for the express purpose of learning and learning in community — and that’s school.”

Digging in: “We are going to grow our research and make it relevant to an urban-serving institution.”

The way forward: CSU 2.0, which sets a goal of 4,500 additional students and 200 new faculty members by 2025, was put in place before Bloomberg became president, but she’s totally on board with the aggressive plan for growth. “CSU 2.0 is an aspirational vision that is spoton,“ she says. “Once I pored over the CSU 2.0 blueprint, it was a big part of my realizing that this is where I want to be. I have no intention of shifting gears. I am fully in support of CSU 2.0. We might approach things differently, but the core principles stand.” The team: “Being the president of a university is as much a way of life as it is a job. I feel an incredible level of support from this community. I feel like people want me to be successful and are genuine with their contacts and connections and stories of the history of the institution. So, yes, it was a little abrupt, a little jarring to transition into the new role, but I have an army of people who are willing and eager to provide support.”

The ultimate goal: “To be an anchor and beacon institution. This part really resonates with me. So many people say that Cleveland State is essential to the city. We are right in the heart of things, an anchor in many ways. At the same time, we can be a beacon. We can draw people here ... great faculty from around the country; students from the region, around the country and, increasingly, internationally. We are known as being stable in the community as well as being an innovative presence in higher education.”

CSU in one word: “Aspirational. We’re aspiring, and we have students who aspire.”

ACTIVISM

STAND UP & SPEAK OUT

Following the shooting in Uvalde, rising senior Josh Mink became a voice for change at Shaker Heights High School.

JOSH MINK STOOD BEFORE A CROWD of 700 and spoke into the megaphone.

“Raise your hand if you have any little siblings. Raise your hand if you have any cousins. Raise your hand if you have any friends. Raise your hand if you’re a student of this school.”

Every hand was raised on the lawn of Shaker Heights High School.

Getting a group of teenagers to do, well, anything is a challenge. But following the shooting that killed 21 at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Mink, a rising senior, inspired his peers to fight for change.

After first asking permission from Principal Eric Juli, Mink organized a student body “walkout,” a style of protest first made famous during the labor movement. On May 26, students clad in orange — a color that shows support for the fight against gun violence — left the classroom to gather, share personal anecdotes, express anger and shed tears for their peers. They were joined in spirit by thousands of children across the country, who walked out of their own schools in the days following Uvalde.

“Our students today are the leaders of tomorrow,” says David Glasner, superintendent of Shaker Heights City Schools. “The fact that our students are informed, interested and engaged in issues that affect them and others directly is a positive sign for the future.”

And while some say protests don’t do much, the students’ stride for change is already causing ripples in their community.

On June 14, the Shaker Heights Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution in response to House Bill 99 that states Shaker Heights schools will not allow their staff to have firearms on the school premises as a means of defense.

“This issue is so prevalent,” says Mink. “So many students took that experience from school and brought it home to the dinner table and to their friends, to other schools, social media, and it spread through the Shaker community and hopefully the Cleveland community, as well.” — GRACIE WILSON

TRAVEL

Diamond on the Finger Lakes

Just four hours from Cleveland, the Lake House on Canandaigua was voted one of the top 30 hotels in the world. We set out to discover why.

IT’S HOT AS HELL (190 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact) inside our private, cedar barrel-shaped sauna, but out of one glasscapped end we have a full view of Lake Canandaigua in all its summertime glory. We also have the promise of our upcoming break, including a cold shower and the bliss of the lake breeze.

The sauna ritual ($75 for the first person, $45 for each additional person) is built on the theory of contrast bathing — each hot-and-cold cycle releases beneficial hormones and neurotransmitters that refresh both body and mind.

While that may be hard to prove, the allure of the 60-minute sauna experience was not.

“I feel amazing,” I tell my husband and 18-year-old daughter during our second break while lounging in an Adirondack chair and sipping cool water.

It was the first of many times I’d use that adjective over the course of three days at the Lake House on Canandaigua, a 124room resort in the Finger Lakes region that opened in 2020 and was voted the 30th best hotel in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine in 2021.

Other things to amaze us were the pristine white- and cream-toned rooms boasting 7-foot-deep balconies, the dining, the joyful landscaping of astilbe and hollyhocks, the invigorating morning yoga and the region as a whole.

With rooms starting at $370 a night in summer, the Lake House is certainly upscale. But the American flag flying on the pier, expansive lawn with cornhole and more of those Adirondack chairs, and the friendliness of the staff (let's just say that no one was put out when my 12-year-old son managed to order a solitary orange juice from room service without me noti- cing) worked together to wipe out any pretentiousness that mar some resorts. You almost feel as if you’re at your Barrel-shaped saunas own family comadd a touch of whimsy pound. to a family legacy. But in reality, the Lake House is owned by the Sands family, which made its money in the wine- and beer-distribution business (hence the wine barrel-shaped sauna) and still live on the lake. The resort’s 9-acre site

WHEN YOU GO

The Lake House on Canandaigua 770 Main St., Canandaigua, New York 585-394-7800 lakehousecanandaigua.com

also features a lakefront pool, 42-slip boat dock, timber-frame events center, the Willowbrook Spa, a game room, cozy library bar and a full lineup of activities.

We head out after our sauna to explore the leafy, rural roads that circle the lake, then return to the resort for dinner at the Rose Tavern, which offers more of the same stunning view. Standouts include the beyond-tender black Angus beef tenderloin ($45) and King Trumpet Mushrooms ($24) served with slow-cooked fennel, fermented black bean and leeks.

Dinner the next night is at the Sand Bar, which bumps up against the white oak boardwalk lining the lakefront. The salt-baked beets ($15) served with ricotta cream, citrus and candied pecans do not disappoint. Nor does the lobster risotto ($28), which called to me with its zucchini pesto, Parmesan and Meyer lemon.

But it’s the small things — like the custom globe lights throughout, reception desk carved from a willow tree and elevators that smell like lavender — that create a vibe of friendly luxury.

The only thing left wanting was more time. I would have liked to ride a bike down Main Street to explore the town of Canandaigua, kayak on the lake, sip a Manhattan in the cozy library or just read a book while savoring the view. I can also very much imagine returning in the winter to experience the coziness of a hot sauna overlooking a frozen lake.

One final observation: I’ve stayed in more than a dozen hotels in the last two years, and this is the first time housekeeping made an appearance. There was even turn-down service topped off by a plate of made-in-house chocolates.

Amazing.

Exploring the Finger Lakes

It’s hard to leave the comfort of the Lake House on Canandaigua, but here are three places worth the effort.

Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum boasts the world’s largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles and a mansion built in 1816 for Gideon Granger, the postmaster general to the United States under President Thomas Jefferson. grangerhomestead.org Inspire Moore Winery offers a cheery porch with expansive views of the vineyards and an award-winning semidry Riesling called Love ($14.99) that boasts notes of juicy apricot, white peaches and honeysuckle. inspiremoorewinery.com

Young Lion Brewing Co. is a short walk from the resort. Since opening in 2017, it’s become one of the largest microbreweries in New York. Head upstairs for yet another gorgeous view of Lake Canandaigua. younglionbrewing.com

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FEAST FORAGE &

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FIGHTING SOARING FOOD COSTS

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ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

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JOSH DOBAY PRODUCTIONS FRESH A P P E TITES

THAT ‘70S BAR

GUIDE TO DETROIT SHOREWAY

PINS AND NEEDLES KINDA LOOKS LIKE EVERY BASEMENT IN CLEVELAND. Maybe that’s why — amongst low-sinking vintage velvet couches, a vinyl record wall, a light-up bar, a neon sign and shag carpets — we feel so at home at the the new ‘70s-themed cocktail lounge in the basement of Lakewood’s Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Or maybe it’s the list of dad beers, high balls and 19 throwback drinks, such as the Blue Hawaii ($10), which blends rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice and sour mix into an ever-so-groovy concoction. It's all curated by the beverage geniuses behind Tremont’s beloved Cloak & Dagger. “We wanted to perfect the recipes for these ’70s classics,” says Cory Hajde, owner of Mahall’s and co-owner of Cloak & Dagger. “It’s kind of like a time portal.” pinsandneedlescle.com