A Conversation with Chris Marshall
By Stephanie Fox '89
One of the best things about volunteering for Cornell is the opportunity to work with the talented staff at our Office of Alumni Affairs. I remember well the day I learned the new associate vice president for alumni affairs had been hired, and that he would be in Chicago the next week and available for lunch. So it was that I met Chris Marshall over a plate of sushi and was introduced to his dynamic vision for Cornell alumni. I knew that in his role, Chris would be responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership to Cornell's global alumni program. I left our lunch that day feeling excited and hopeful about the plan that Chris shared, in particular the vision for CornellConnect and alumni affinity groups. Now that Chris has had a chance to get settled and work on his objective of engaging alumni, let's see how things are going both professionally and personally:
SF: It's been two and a half years since you came to Cornell. What about this job has surprised you the most?
CM: There are two things. First, while I was completely ready for the size and scale of the move from Lehigh University to Cornell—everything here is three to four times the size of Lehigh—I am still adjusting to is the decentralized complexity of a very large university with ten distinct colleges. Second, a rather pleasant surprise: the alumni volunteers at Cornell really volunteer. It is a labor of love that they take very seriously, and they provide significant value to the university. We could not be successful without the volunteer structure that we have built over the years.
SF: What do you like best about life in Ithaca?
CM: My wife and I love the spring, summer, and early fall; winter, not so much, but even a certain amount of snow has its charm. We love the short commute to work (we live about four and a half miles north on Cayuga Heights Road). We find the Ithaca/Finger Lakes region delightful, particularly the Farmers Market, Buttermilk Falls (great hiking trails), Taughannock Park and Falls, Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, Seneca Lake Wine Trail, Skaneateles, and the Science Center (my eight-year-old son's favorite place). We're also foodies and have come to love Maxie's Supper Club (my favorite), the Heights Café (my wife's favorite), Doug's Fish Fry, and—of course—Glenwood Pines; there's nothing like a Pines Burger.
SF: What do you like best about working for Cornell?
CM: I tell people that it is absolutely the big time. By that I mean that I feel like I have stepped into the big leagues and I'm playing for a championship team. I work with extremely bright people, I get to learn from some of the most amazing leaders I have ever met, and I have the good fortune to travel around the world and meet Cornellians who continue to impress and amaze me.
SF: You're pretty well connected in alumni affairs. Compared to other schools, how are our programs doing?
CM: In terms of alumni interest, support, and passion for the alma mater, we are absolutely Number One. In terms of a mature alumni affairs program, we're a little behind some of the top places, but we are closing the gap quickly. Simply put, Cornell was under-investing in alumni affairs staffing and programs for decades. My predecessors did a phenomenal job with relatively sparse resources compared to our peer institutions in the Ivy-Plus group (eight Ivies plus Stanford and MIT). Compared to those nine other schools, in 2008 Cornell was dead last in dollars per alumnus and in staff-to-alumni ratio. In the two and half years I've been here we've just about doubled our program budget and staffing levels to a point where we're near the top of the Ivy-Plus group. That is a big statement given the financial crisis we've been through.
As a division, Alumni Affairs and Development has reduced our work force overall. What we did, however, was to redeploy the FTEs (full-time equivalents) into our priority areas, which included investing in our alumni engagement strategy as described in the strategic plan that was published in February 2009. The investment we have made in our enhanced alumni affairs program—coupled with our rabidly loyal alumni—will pay off in increasing levels of engagement in the future. Cornell and Cornellians will benefit from that engagement in many ways.
SF: What's on your wish list for 2011?
CM: We are launching several new initiatives after a year of staffing up and continued strategic planning. My wish is for these programs (and these new staff members) to quickly get off the ground and become success stories. These include the completed launch of our online tool CornellConnect, student programs, young alumni initiatives, use of social media and other technologies, undergraduate affinity programs, a re-imagined Mosaic program, volunteer training and recognition, a new metrics program, and alumni career services. That is a lot of "new," but we're building on a very solid foundation of class and regionally based efforts that have been in place for decades.
SF: From an Alumni Affairs standpoint, what can alumni do to best support Cornell?
CM: Here is my top ten list: (1) Attend alumni events on and off campus; (2) join the CornellConnect online community and sign up for your NetID; (3) stay current with Cornell news through the e-news, the Cornell web-site, and Cornell Alumni Magazine; (4) reminisce with a Cornell friend about the good old days; (5) visit campus for Homecoming, Reunion, anything—just come back; (6) network with other Cornellians—hire a Cornell-ian, refer a fellow alumnus, call a classmate; (7) promote Cornell in your hometown and help recruit new students to this great institution; (8) mentor a student or recent graduate; (9) give to your alma mater by making an annual gift of any amount; (10) volunteer your time for Cornell—there are plenty of opportunities.
SF: How's your new baby, Jack, doing?
CM: Jack is doing great, getting big and just about sleeping through the night. Jack's dad is tired, but I can't complain— because Jack's mom is exhausted!
Stephanie Fox '89 is a vice president of the Cornell Alumni Association.
Alumni Honored at Gala Events
Several alumni organizations have recognized Cornellians for their outstanding personal, professional, and volunteer achievements over the past few months.
Cornell Black Alumni Association
In November, CBAA held a gala at Uptown Grand in Harlem, owned by Joseph Holland '78, MA '79. There, Katrina James '96 was honored for her outstanding alumni leadership. Katrina is a past president of CBAA and a past board member of the Cornell Association of Class Officers (CACO); she currently serves as vice president of the Cornell University Council. In addition, CBAA recognized James and Janice Turner. James Turner was the first director of Cornell's Africana Studies and Research Center, while his wife, Janice, is a retired associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. The event marked the launch of the James and Janice Turner CBAA Scholarship Endowment campaign, whose goal is to raise $400,000 in time for CBAA's next reunion on campus in 2012.
Cornell Asian Alumni Association
In January, Roderick Chu, MBA '71, was honored at CAAA's annual banquet, which drew more than 300 Cornellians and friends to the Grand Harmony restaurant in New York's Chinatown. Chu is currently a vice president of the University Council. Also in attendance were former Cornell President Frank H. T. Rhodes, university vice president Susan Murphy '73, PhD '94, dean of students Kent Hubbell '67, BArch '69, and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher..
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
At a dinner at the Statler Hotel in November, Lynn Calpeter '86, Edwin Fessenden '54, Frederick Frank '79, Jules Janick '51, and Joseph Manelski '56 were given CALS 2010 Outstanding Alumni awards; Scott Belsky '02 received the Young Alumni Achievement Award. In addition, animal science professor David Galton and landscape architecture chair Peter Trowbridge were honored with Outstanding Faculty/Staff awards.
REPORTS OF OUTGOING ALUMNI-ELECTED TRUSTEES
What a Ride
By William Eaton '61
Honored to be chosen as the first alumni-elected trustee from the Hotel school and boasting more than thirty-five years of working closely with segments of the University, I felt confident that I was well versed in Cornell as a whole. It was only about fifteen minutes into our first orientation meeting in June 2007 that the truth was revealed, and I realized that my full knowledge was only a fraction of the complexity of Cornell's inner workings. Thanks to then-Provost Biddy Martin, the senior staff, and my trustee mentors, Diana Daniels '71 and Dwight Bush '79, I became acclimated.
The four-year term, now moving toward its end, commenced with the country in a strong economy and a rising stock market. It was a great time for everyone, and particularly a great time to be more deeply involved with Cornell. The summer and fall were a whirlwind of activity as we observed and absorbed the enormous breadth and depth of the responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, and understood the true importance of the responsibilities that being a trustee embraced. An early and critical activity was to reconfirm need-blind admission and then extend a new financial aid program to all entering students.
By then we were on different terrain, one with enormous financial issues to tackle and solve. A talented team of fellow trustees, senior administrators, staff, and faculty joined to take the greatest of universities and keep it stable and viable—and in fact make it greater and better. The results are amazing, but not unexpected. Cornell is stronger than ever before.
My own focus was alumni affairs, student and academic affairs, and the administrative board of the Cornell Council. To have the opportunity to work side by side with David Skorton, Kent Fuchs, Susan Murphy '73, PhD '94, Charlie Phlegar, Pete Meinig '61, Bob Katz '69, and so many others in these areas is a once in a lifetime experience. While my own activities were, for the most part, to support the great leadership of the team, just the chance to be a part of making Cornell better in some way is the greatest reward that an alumnus can receive.
Reimagining Cornell
By Stephen Ettinger '62, DVM '64
Thank you, Cornell alumni, for electing me to the Board of Trustees and providing me with four more years on the Hill. Unlike my undergraduate days in CALS and my time as a graduate student in veterinary medicine, I now view our University differently. As undergraduates, we tend to be focused on our own college, major, and future. The successful University, however, must be seen from a broader perspective.
During these four years, I have admired the difficult but necessary steps taken by the administration to cut costs and revise the budget. Reimagining Cornell focuses on how to sustain Cornell's core competencies over the next fifty years. Our staff is older and many are nearing retirement. Replacement and continued growth requires that the University have a plan. New building must be curbed. Rebuilding and growing Cornell's endowment will sustain growth and excellence in Ithaca and New York City. We must also find better ways to engage all segments of society.
Susan Murphy, Kent Hubbell, and their staffs have ably led student affairs through incredibly difficult times, including financial constraints, the H1N1 epidemic, and psychosocial events on campus; I am impressed with their dedication to enhancing the student experience. This sincere and loving attention has been the single most significant student-related process I experienced during my term. Kudos to those who care about all the people on our campus every day.
I feel honored to have served as the first veterinary graduate elected to the board. Being a board member is a university-wide function. Cornell's future lies in the dedication of our chairman, Peter Meinig, our skilled president, David Skorton, our provost, Kent Fuchs—who oversees day-to-day management of this incredibly complicated and diverse University—and the entire staff. The board functions to support and advise. It is the leadership that keeps Cornell a truly outstanding educational and research institution.
I thank my fellow alumni for giving me this opportunity to serve. My Cornell education, including this stint on the Board of Trustees, has afforded me opportunities from the day I graduated, and I am very grateful.
Voting for Alumni-Elected Trustees Begins
The Committee on Alumni Trustee Nominations, chaired by Robert Joy '72, BArch '73, has selected four candidates for election to the Board of Trustees for four-year terms. They are:
Gregory Galvin, PhD '84, MBA '93
Rana Glasgal '87, MEng '92
Mitchell Lee '90, JD '96
Eva Sage-Gavin '80
This year, alumni will be able to vote either via mailed paper ballot or online; alumni were sent an e-mail in December asking which method they preferred. Those voting online were sent an e-mail with a Web link; just enter the validation number in the e-mail and the last two digits of your class year.
Voting concludes April 1.