Oldest Living Chimesmaster Celebrates Reunion
Oldest Living Chimesmaster Celebrates Reunion
At Reunion 2012, a special class record was broken: the Class of 1937 set the record for most attendees at a 75th, with eight alumni returning.
One of them was Irv Friedman '37. Irv is a musical man: he played the violin in the orchestra and the glockenspiel in the marching band. But his most cherished Cornell memories are of being a chimesmaster.
After college, Irv served in the Army and went to law school. He helped write the first New York State disabled access legislation and later became an administrative judge, handling employment and disability insurance denial cases until he retired in 1976.
But Cornell was never far from his heart. He was a class officer and Reunion chair for many years. He has kept a cardboard model of McGraw Tower on his dining room table for more than a decade. He still loves listening to Cornell songs, especially the Alma Mater, on his player piano at home. And he always relished the opportunity to play the chimes during his Reunion visits—reminding everyone that his wife, Janet (now deceased), could always tell when he was playing.
When he returned for his 75th Reunion in June, Irv—believed to be Cornell's oldest living chimesmaster—was unable to climb McGraw Tower's famous 161 steps, but the current chimesmasters made arrangements for a special performance. They did their best to bring him the full chimes experience, performing a mini-concert on the old practice stand on the first floor. Per his request, they played "Ode to Joy" and several renditions of the Alma Mater. The finale was a multi-part Alma Mater duet that featured four chimesmasters. Irv proudly sang along each time the Alma Mater was performed.
After his private concert, the students climbed the tower, and Irv and his family moved outside (with chimes adviser Jennifer Lory-Moran '96, MAT '97, and program coordinator Marisa LaFalce '96) to hear the bells ring out from above. It was an emotional musical trip down memory lane for all.
Once a Cornellian becomes a chimesmaster, he or she is one for life, and may return to campus any time to practice and play. In honor of his visit, Friedman was presented with an access card to enter McGraw Tower— hopefully, at his 80th Reunion.
CLAA Stirs Up Interest with 'Café Con Leche'
To attract new members and raise its profile, the Cornell Latino Alumni Association (CLAA) hosted a networking event in Miami in April. Held in conjunction with the Law school and the Johnson School, Café Con Leche ("coffee with milk") was part of the third biennial Cornell Latin America Alumni Symposium, which attracts alumni from the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, Colombia, Nica ragua, Venezuela, and Brazil for discussions on the region's diverse business, legal, and social issues.
Along with Cuban coffee and snacks, Café Con Leche offered the chance to network with local and international Latino alumni. More important, the event—along with a mixer held in New York City a few weeks later—focused attention on the newly invigorated organization, which is seeking to increase participation among the thousands of Latino Cornellians. "CLAA looks forward to organizing other career and professional events in the future and promoting Cornell Latino involvement in alumni activities," says its newly elected president, Jonathan Kracer '08, BS Hotel '07.
Supported by Cornell's Diversity Alumni Programs and International Programs, Café Con Leche featured remarks by Gustavo Arnavat '84, U.S. executive director of the Inter- American Development Bank, the largest source of development fi – nancing for Latin America and the Caribbean. Arnavat discussed the importance of the bank's role, his journey as a Latino Cornellian, and how his efforts correlate with CLAA's goals of fostering the interests of a broad and diverse Latino constituency.
2012-13 Cornell Alumni Association Board
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President Immediate Past President Vice Presidents Treasurer/Secretary |
Directors at Large |
Directors fr om the Region |
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In addition to the individuals listed above, each of Cornell's undergraduate and graduate schools has a representative on the CAA board, as do each of the four major diversity groups and other major alumni boards, including the President's Council of Cornell Women, Cornell Association of Class Officers, Cornell University Council, CAAAN, and the Board of Trustees. |
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Eight Alumni Leaders to Receive Rhodes Awards
Having been nominated by their peers, eight longtime volunteer leaders will receive the 2012 Frank H. T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Awards. This highest honor of the Cornell Alumni Association is given in recognition of at least thirty-five years of service to the University as an outstanding volunteer leader.
This year's recipients are:
- Priscilla Edwards Browning '56
- Rolf Frantz '66, MEng '67
- Carolyn Chauncey Neuman '64
- Almeda Church Riley '58 and John Riley '55, BArch '56
- Elizabeth Chapman Staley '60 and Robert Staley '57, MBA '59
- Martin Tang '70
The awards will be presented ata dinner on Friday night of Homecoming weekend.
University Council Elects Members
Last spring, the Cornell University Council elected more than 100 members—sixty-two of whom are new to the group. An additional fifty-four members were eligible for re-appointment following a twoyear period off the council.
Alumni are elected to the University Council based on their volunteer leadership, professional stature, and devotion to community and civic affairs. Council members serve as University ambassadors, host events, support fundraising, and serve on advisory groups.
The Council also added new members to its administrative board, which is chaired by Katrina James '96. Teresa Port '84 was elected to a one-year term as a vice chair; she joins Deborah Gerard Adelman '71, MS '74, Jay Carter '71, MEng '72, Scott Pesner '87, and Annie Wong '77, who were appointed to second one-year terms. Joining the administrative board as members-at-large are Nicole Del Toro '91, Elia Colon-Mallah '88, DVM '92, Sarah Thole Fischell '78, MEng '79, Terry Horner '92, PhD '98, James Irish '74, Jason McGill '88, Murem Sakas Sharpe '70, and Enrique Vila-Biaggi '94, MEng '95.
New Boards for CBAA, CUGALA
The Cornell Black Alumni Association (CBAA) has elected a new board, with Anika Daniels-Osaze '96 as president. In addition, the Cornell University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association (CUGALA) formalized a board structure and appointed Emanuel Tsourounis '00, JD '03, as its president.