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00 | Reunion Report

01 | It's hard to image that just over eight years ago the orientation counselors in their red T-shirts were helping us move into our dorm rooms.We will soon have the opportunity again to reside within those halls during our first class reunion, June 8-11, 2006. Until then, take the initiative to get back in touch with classmates you've lost touch with, and if you would like to help in any way with reunion preparations, please contact Audra Lifson at ARL8@cornell.edu.

This fall, Lauren Feldman began graduate school to study playwriting at Yale. Before participating in the World Interplay this past summer in Australia, Lauren worked as a Downstage Miami Playwright Fellow under the mentorship of Arthur Kopit and Tina Howe. Her recent work in the South Florida theater included playing Catherine in Proof, Catherine in The Memory of Water, and Rose in A Bad Friend. Checking in from Maryland, Jay Ronquillo, ME '03, is currently working at the NIH in Bethesda. Richard Cober is living in Manhattan, KS, where he is a third-year veterinary student at Kansas State U. College of Veterinary Medicine.

John Kent sends his warm regards from Ft. Benning, GA, where he is currently stationed with the Army and enrolled in officer candidate school. Last August he attended Ben Ruder's wedding and saw Ben and Kate McGill McClintic, Brian Donohue, and Julia Joh. John would like to hear from people, as letters are an extremely important gateway to sanity in Georgia. He can be reached at the following address: Officer Candidate John Kent, Class 02-05, 3rd PLT, A Company, 3rd BN (OCS), 11th IN REGY 7480 Riordan St., Ft. Benning, GA 31905-4410.

Congratulations to Steven Engelbrecht and Samuel Bradford '02 for winning the Forbes Online "Best of the Web" awards. Their company, Sitation LLC, is the Web development firm that created CustomGolfVacations.com, which won the award. They received their award alongside travel giants Expedia, Fodors, Priceline, and Orbitz. Steven was quoted as saying, "It's an honor to see our technology listed with some of the most recognized names in the travel industry." Steven founded Sitation five months after graduating from Cornell's Computer Science program. In 2002, he contracted with Custom Golf Vacations, which sells worldwide golf vacations, to create its booking engine and website. Steve and Sam look to expand Sitation by developing new software and leveraging its existing software to help businesses make better use of the Internet and achieve greater return on their technology investments. Congratulations also to Laurel Freas on being awarded the Physical Anthropology Section's J. Lawrence Angel Award by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences last February. She is a graduate assistant in the C.A. Pound Human ID Laboratory in Gainesville, FL.

Following graduation, Jim Alves worked in merchandizing for Abercrombie and Fitch in Columbus for six months before accepting a position with an investment bank in Sacramento. Jim now finds himself working for the Dept. of Finance in the Schwarzenegger Administration, where he recommends policy actions based on fiscal impact and assists in the development of the governor's annual budget for health and human services. In addition to his demanding employment obligations, Jim serves as the youngest member of the Ag and Life Sciences Alumni Association (ALSAA) Board of Directors, representing the Western US. Jim is also assisting the CALS administration office's recruitment activities in California and looks forward to continuing his relationship with the university.

Unlike most of the Class of 2001, Laura Lee Peyton has had the same job since graduation, happily working for Houston's restaurants since September 2001. Last April she was promoted to kitchen manager at Bandera in Brentwood, CA. She has been fortunate enough to be in L.A. the entire time, spending her days off at the beach, and can honestly say that she hardly misses the cold and snowy Ithaca winters. Her Cornell friends inevitably ask about her dog, Thatches, so for those wondering, she still has him and he is as lovable as ever.

Congratulations to Brad Schmidt '00 and Angela Bourne on celebrating their second wedding anniversary on June 21. Brad is pursuing his PhD at Cornell in Electrical and Computer Engineering and recently published a paper in the scientific journal Nature titled "Micrometre-scale Silicon Electro-optic Modulator." Angela continues to try to understand what her husband does for a living, and is busy studying for the GMATs. Last October 17, Natalie Martinez and Matthew Leopold were married at Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY.Matthew is pursuing his master's at Cornell.

On April 16, Timothy Hentschel married Julie Shandy at Stonepine Estate Resort, Carmel, CA, which is owned and operated by his parents. The couple now resides in Newport Beach, CA, where Timothy is CEO/President of the online company HotelPlanner.com and Julie is a sales manager for the Hyatt Hotel. Nicole Longanecker and Leon Charkoudian were married June 4, 2005 in San Antonio, TX. Nicole graduated from Vanderbilt School of Medicine and Leon from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. They are continuing their residency training at the Hospital of the U. of Pennsylvania, Nicole in internal medicine and Leon in ophthalmology. Send news to -- Trina Lee, TKL6@cornell.edu; or LaurenWallach, LEW15@cornell.edu.

02 | After five months of interning this past spring, I finally met Martha Stewart face-to-face last week. She was rushing down the hallway toward me with her entourage and I just couldn't help myself. "I have to stop you; I have been dying to meet you for months!" I exclaimed. "Who are you?" she bluntly, yet somehow politely, replied. It's funny, every time I've met a celebrity, I am always baffled by the fact that they don't know who I am. And then I remember--oh yes, I'm not famous. Then she hurried down the hall mumbling something about having to make curfew. Still, she was quite radiant in person and it was a thrill to meet her.

I offer up my full admiration to our classmates currently engaged in various global and intensive military pursuits. After graduation, Phil Godemann joined the Navy and reported to Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL. "That lasted three months," he writes, "after which I was commissioned an ensign." Following OCS, Phil began flight school to train as a naval flight officer, which he completed in July 2004. Upon graduation he received orders to VAQ-129 at Naval Air Station,Whidbey Island,WA, to learn how to operate the electronic warfare system onboard the EA-6B Prowler. "Wow, what a job!" he exclaims. "I'm loving every minute of it and can't wait to go to the carrier. Joining the Navy was one of the best decisions I ever made! My transfer from Florida to Washington also gave me an opportunity to see a lot of the country, including the Grand Canyon, where I ran into a '92 alumna with whom I shared a picture. I also partied with fraternity brother David Ladd in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and visited with classmates Pete Ippel, Jason Litchney, ME '03, and Manny Alvarez in San Francisco. So far I am loving the Northwest and I look forward to an exciting naval career!"

We should not be surprised at the fabulous and honorable awards recently bestowed upon our classmates. Congratulations to Richard Bollinger, who is one of 14 students to receive a John F. Steinman Fellowship. The John Frederick Steinman Foundation selected 14 students pursuing advanced degrees in mental health fields as recipients of 2005 fellowships. These fellowships, which carry a total value of $48,000, are named for John F. Steinman, former publisher of Lancaster Newspapers Inc. Richard, of Lititz, PA, is working toward a doctorate in clinical psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola U. in La Mirada, CA. Per the e-mail I received, preference is given to those who obligate themselves to practice their profession for at least the number of years fellowship support is received, in a location serving residents of Lancaster County, PA. Congratulations to Julia Guarneri, who was one of 85 students nationwide to receive the 2005 Andrew W.Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies, awarded by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. The Mellon fellowships are designed to help exceptionally promising students prepare for careers of teaching and scholarship in humanistic disciplines. It covers tuition and required fees for the first academic year of graduate school, including a stipend of $17,500. A Brooklyn, NY, resident, Julia will enter a PhD program at Yale in fall 2005.

Some of you are still chipping away at graduate school or have landed outstanding positions since graduating. Nathan Pettit, MPS '03, spent the summer between his two-year graduate program at Columbia U.'s Teachers College working at Citigroup in their organizational effectiveness department. "Though wearing a suit every day is no fun, I certainly enjoy the free air conditioning during the summer in New York City," he reports. "Since obtaining my MS in Food Science at Cornell I've been working for Pepsi R&D in Valhalla, NY, as a food scientist, where I develop juice beverages for Tropicana Int'l," writes Jen Gruner, MS '04. Jen also wrote in to tell us that Adam Schoenfeld is in his last year of medical school at SUNY Upstate in Albany, NY. Amy Liesenfeld spent her summer as a law clerk at the Dept. of Justice and entered her second year of law school at William & Mary this fall.

Thanks to Samantha Buckingham, correspondent for the Class of '03, for forwarding the following news from her friend (and our classmate) Tamera Lee Stover. Tamera will be attending Berkeley in the fall to pursue a PhD in sociology. She says she'll miss all of her Cornell D.C. crew. She writes, "I was recently promoted to an analyst at the Corporate Executive Board. In March, I visited brother and sister-in-law Matt '95 and Sonya Hand Stover '96 in London." Tamera also sent updates on several other classmates: Mary Lovejoy will be attending the U. of Chicago to pursue a JD; in her free time in D.C., she sings in the Thomas Circle Singers and teaches LSAT classes at Kaplan. Jen Chunn is excited to be working for Cornell U. Inst. for Policy Research in D.C.'s Dupont Circle. Nina Frant will be attending Howard U. in the fall to pursue her JD. Vanessa Ulmer has been shuttling back and forth between D.C. and Europe, working at the German Marshall Fund. Last, but not least,Mikush Schwam-Baird will be attending Oxford U. in the fall as a Marshall Fellow. He's looking forward to vacationing with his family and girlfriend, Vanessa Ulmer, in Italy. -- Carolyn Deckinger, cmd35@cornell.edu; or Elizabeth Richards, elizabethlauren_richards@yahoo.com.

03 | Summer is in full swing as I write this column. Having just arrived on the West Coast a month ago, I find myself living in Edmonds,WA, working as a food and beverage outlet manager at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle. I started my trip by driving from the naval base in Norfolk,VA, to my parents' place in Connecticut for a brief visit before continuing north to Ithaca, where (only after loading up on Wegmans snacks for the car and a new Moosewood cookbook) I said my good-byes to Cornell and formally started my ten-day cross-country journey. Along the way I was fortunate enough to spend a few nights in Las Vegas visiting Zach Conine, who graciously let me crash at his place. Zach is working as a manager of strategic planning at the Golden Nugget--he is working hard and planning large, as usual! Another fellow Hotelie, Molly Hoyne, is here at the Olympic with me, in the same department, as a manager. She has been at the hotel since graduation and recently met up with IleneWolf here in the Emerald City.

I recently heard from Esther Tang '04 about KeithMenin's success with his boutique hotel, Sanctuary Sobe, located in Miami, FL. Keith was interviewed about the property by Hotel News Resource. The article lauded Keith's innovative management: "Each suite at Sanctuary embraces modern luxury. Bianca Calacatta marble-countertop kitchens feature glass-fronted beverage centers, microwave ovens, and deluxe espresso makers. A 42-inch, flat-screen plasma TV, custom-designed seating, and CD stereo complete the living room. Bathrooms are mini-retreats, with Lapis Lazuli blue terrazzo tile and Rain Head showers."You can check out the hotel online at http://www.sanctuarysobe. com/.

Peter McFerrin writes, "I just finished an MA in economics at U. of Southern California, where I will be staying to begin a PhD in urban planning this fall. After four years in Ithaca, the past 18 months in Los Angeles have been a refreshing departure, although I probably could have done without being mugged just a month after moving here." Peter can be reached at pam35@cornell.edu. Carlos Vargas was married on June 5 on Long Island. His bride, Karen Lee '01, graduated from Buffalo Medical School in May and started her residency at Stony Brook.

Thanks so much to those of you who found the time to write and keep me updated with all the changes going on in your lives. I always enjoy the diversity and reading about our shared experiences. Thanks again and please keep contributing! -- Samantha Buckingham, swb9@cornell.edu; and Sudha Nandagopal, sn58@cornell.edu.

04 | First, CONGRATULATIONS to Vikrant Nanda, who married Sandhya Kumar in New Delhi, India, on December 30, 2004. They are based out of the First State working for JPMorgan Chase & Co. Jiaeh Kim is a graduate student at Columbia U.'s School of International and Public Affairs. She is specializing in international finance and business. Sharon Erickson is working as a manager of destination services at the Pointe South Mountain Resort in Arizona.

Medical school is luring Cornellians. Yusuke Teraski is in Ghana teaching science at a local high school. He will be there with the Peace Corps until 2006. Yusuke is also applying to medical school next year, and Brian Changlai enrolled at the St. George U. School of Medicine this past January. Emiley Fong is attending medical school at Temple U.

Anne Jones writes,"Hi everyone! I'm having a fun and challenging year as a first year student at the U. of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's School of Osteopathic Medicine. I think back longingly to the Hill time and time again, but I'm having a great time remembering Cornell through the alumni network here. Now,more than ever, I am fully seeing the prestige that Cornell garners outside of Ithaca, and I'm constantly meeting people who have some familial or friendship tie to Cornell (or have a love of hockey!). Go Big Red!"

Former grad student John Ngunjiri, ME '04, writes, "I had previously worked for a smaller company and upon graduating from Cornell last May, it scared me to join a large corporation such as ExxonMobil.While the world out there continually points fingers at oil companies, I decided to join in and find out the truth for myself. Discovery: although working with petrochemicals is a risk in many ways, the lengths to which petrochemical companies go to ensure safety are unmatched the world over."

I hope you all had a great summer! Tell me about it. Send in your updates. Also, join the Cornell 2004 group on both friendster.com and thefacebook.com. -- Vanessa Matsis, vgm3@cornell.edu.

05 | The class of 2005 kicked off the summer by making running history.With several recent grads cheering them on, Emory Mort and Galen Reeves finished first and second, respectively, in an Ithaca beer mile. Emory's time was the eighth fastest recorded beer mile in the world, while Galen's finish places him within the top 20. (For official rules on the beer mile, please refer to www.beermile.com.) Tour guide extraordinaire Katie Wickham also went for distance, but rather than run, she drove from Horseheads, NY, to Palo Alto, CA. She is working at an in-house PR office and has given herself the title of "Minister of Free," due to the amount of company-logo-emblazoned pens and pencils she lords over. Although she's currently living in company-provided housing, she'll be moving soon into a posh apartment of her own, which--unfortunately for Katie--also means paying her own rent.

After surviving Reunion and spending two months working with Class and Reunion Programs at Alumni House, Mike Allen has also moved to Northern California. He's house-sitting for a family friend while searching for a job in the Bay Area. Though signed up for Cornell's NorCal Alumni list serve,Mike also welcomes potential employers to contact him at mea29@cornell.edu. Melissa Zgola and Julia Meier '04 are also headed west, stopping where there is sun and ice cream. Embarking on a postbaccalaureate road trip, they plan to do some soul-searching, beach-bumming, and pony-farming.While the trip is loosely sketched, the duo would like to visit California, Oregon, and Alaska before settling into their true (see somewhat predictable and tame) "adult" status.

Speaking of predictable and tame, Matt Tyhach recently became a working stiff at Raytheon, advancing the company's radar system products, and feverishly maintaining his hard-line conservative stance in the blue state of Massachusetts.When not taking in the summer sights of downtown Boston with his girlfriend Lea,Matt enjoys watching Fox News with roommate and fellow Republican Kevin Wolfe '04. Andy Riesenberg also made the jump from East Hill to Boston, to join Marketing and Planning Systems, one of the city's consulting firms.He'll be putting his recently earned "research distinction honors," and CPRS background to work as a research analyst.Most likely to be seen bumming around town with Andy (i.e., people who have also moved to Boston) are Philip Lane and Matt Nagowski. Phil is continuing his atmospheric science studies while pursuing a PhD at MIT.Matt is employed as a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Congratulations go to Dhipthi Devabose and Michael Mulligan, who were recently wed in a beautiful ceremony at the Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg, FL. After the honeymoon,Michael began working on missile systems at Lockheed-Martin, while Dhipthi started studying medicine at the U. of Florida.When not blowing things up, or memorizing infectious diseases, the happy couple enjoys spending time in their ridiculously large house with their equally as ridiculously large home theater system, both on loan from Dhipthi's parents while the couple is in the Orlando area.

Finally, I'd like to encourage all of you to send updates as you finalize your post-Cornell plans, especially if you are attending (or know someone who is attending) graduate school or participating in the Teach for America program. --Matthew Janiga, mwj3@cornell.edu; and MichelleWong, mrw29@cornell.edu.

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