wn “little cherub,” infant daughter Amelia Rose. He’s proud, too, that he can draw so deeply on his Swarthmore experience for every facet of his life. “Swarthmore fosters diversity, intellectualism, multiculturalism, and community service,” Goldberg says. “It was a great place for me to learn.” In addition to its performances, Cherub Improv also provides leadership and team-building workshops for companies and individuals of all ages, with the key takeaway being—when it comes to helping others on the stage, or in life— always say, “Yes!” Goldberg’s happy he took the plunge as he sees what he and his friends created: a well-established force for good, now in its 11th year, that has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. “We’ve come so far—we have systems in place, a fixed schedule, a board of directors,” he says. “Lots of brilliant people are involved, every one dedicated to bringing healing and happiness through laughter.” FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 61 class notes to helm the production of SaintSaëns’s Samson et Dalila for his Metropolitan Opera debut. In an article written after attending the World Economic Forum’s annual summit in Davos, Switzerland, Cori Lathan describes her family’s personal journey to love, support, nurture, and celebrate their transgender child, from research and learning, to confronting discrimination head-on, to galvanizing support from their daughter’s school, doctors, All-Star Cheer Gymnast community, and the community at large (bit.ly/CLathan). They are proud advocates for both of their LGBTQ+ daughters, who are thriving. Cori also reports that support from the Swarthmore community has been great—from fellow classmates to old friends who are on their own journeys with gender-expansive families. Keith Reeves was on set for the taping of “Everyday Racism in America,” an MSNBC townhall event exploring ingrained prejudices and bias. Dawn Porter focuses on the tragically short life of Robert Kennedy in her four-part docuseries, Bobby Kennedy for President, available on Netflix. The series explores the changes in Kennedy’s outlook and political beliefs after the death of brother John F. Kennedy in 1963, and delves into his brief race for the White House in tumultuous 1968, with a nod to today’s divided America. “With all the political upheaval America is living through,” Dawn says, “we all felt that there was no better time to study Bobby Kennedy’s life and legacy. I’m honored that Netflix entrusted me with a story of this scale.” Dawn joined the faculty of UC–Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she teaches production, is lead adviser to documentary students, and is the documentary program’s interim director for 2018–19. Before closing, let me circle back to our 30th Reunion. I mentioned feeling in my youth that I’d never reach such a milestone. I realize not everyone reached it, so I want to acknowledge our late classmates. Laura Cleland, David 62 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 Coates, Mamiko Kawai, Erika Berson Lange, Ken Reeves, and Marguerite Simpkins, you are not forgotten. Till next time. 1990 Jim Sailer jim.sailer@gmail.com Greetings! I attended reunion for a day this year, played catch with Chris Johnstone on Swat’s incredible new baseball field—with its own version of the “Green Monster”—and made a quiet visit to the bench memorializing Jennifer Nolan. The campus is as gorgeous as ever, and there is a new, very large bio-engineeringpsychology building that is reshaping campus’s northwest corner. Quite a change! Kai Campbell continues his sterling career in academic administration as provost and dean of Knox College in Illinois, following senior appointments at Morehouse and Swarthmore. Danielle Moss Lee, chief of staff to the president of the New York Civil Liberties Union, was appointed to the board of the New York Women’s Foundation. Congrats! It’s great to hear from Emily McHugh, who published her first book, which was five years in the making: The Little Girl’s Guide to Entrepreneurship: What I Know Now That I Sure Wish I Knew Then. “The book is semi-autobiographical and distills the essence of entrepreneurship. It’s for anyone who seeks to understand the vicissitudes of entrepreneurship, lessons learned, and strategies for success.” The book is available on Amazon and Casauri.com. Matt Peron was appointed chief investment officer of City National Rochdale, a division of City National Bank. Way to go! Congrats to Phil Weiser, who won a tough, close Democratic primary for Colorado attorney general in his first-ever run for elected office. He will face the GOP nominee in November. Good luck! Jonathan Shakes lives near Seattle but enjoyed experiencing campus vicariously the past few years by mentoring Yanyan Ren ’18, who started graduate studies in computer science at Brown. Jonathan volunteers for nonprofits, including a performing-arts family camp, Caz Northwest, that enables him to inflict his nerdy, loudsinging, bald-guy shtick on younger generations. Jong Yoon has lived in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, raising a family and pursuing his academic psychiatry career. (He’s been on Stanford’s faculty for 16 years.) Jong and his wife have two children, 15 and 12, and are just beginning the college-search process with their elder child. Jong doesn’t see as many ’90ers as he would like but keeps in touch with members of other classes. Deb Van Lenten Jagielow is busy. “With 10-year-old twins, our family life is filled with baseball, lacrosse, and soccer practices and games. The inconsistent weather in Connecticut means our cars are stocked year round with folding chairs, sunscreen, bug spray, sweatshirts, and blankets, which all could be used in one weekend of competitions. We were fortunate not to be hit by Connecticut’s tornadoes in May, though blocks north of us had major damage and our local state park will likely be closed through fall. School was extended until June 26 (yelp!) due to closings; it’s pretty miraculous how quickly they got roads cleared and power back around here. Counting our blessings.” Our featured update is from James Parchment: “I’ve worked at S&P Global Ratings for 12-plus years and really like it—it’s a good mix of finance and research. I visit Swarthmore and Haverford each year to speak with students about careers in finance, and I’ve been successful at getting a few to launch their careers at S&P. “I live and work in lower Manhattan, so I am still an island boy, but the Manhattan beach is very different from those of my childhood. “With work requiring more energy and attention each year, I try to focus on planning vacations that refresh my connections. I went to Cuba and (back to) Jamaica with a friend and my sister; I visited the Seychelles with relatives; and I try to visit Florida when I can with Todd Schiff ’91 to see David Malaxos and his wife.” Thanks for all the great updates! 1994 Kevin Babitz kevinbabitz@gmail.com The big Swattie in the news in Greater Washington this year has been former FBI official Andrew McCabe. Andrew isn’t a Swattie himself, but you know that when you saw the headline “McCabe Steps Down,” you were thinking about coming downstairs to get your reserved reading. Closer to my home in Silver Spring, Md., there have been green signs everywhere for Darian Unger ’95’s state delegate candidacy. A small step toward #ninetiesswatties ruling the world! Shulamit Shapiro Babitz ’97 and I celebrated a number of milestones this year. Three of our children— Nati, Elisheva, and Maddie— graduated from kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school, respectively, and our eldest, Rebeccy, took her first AP exam this spring. I write from our annual summer trip to Israel, where, inter alia, it is always a marvel to see how the typical 19-year-old wakes up much earlier for military or national service than I did for class. Don Easley reports that, after a short stint in the NBA’s D-League, riding the pine for the Santa Clara Karichs, he ended his dream of playing professional hoops and joined T. Rowe Price Investments in Baltimore. Don is now a portfolio manager, coming upon his 20th year at the firm. Don and wife Tara have four kids, ages 17 to 10. Our family visited Aaron “Neal” Feuer, his wife, Channi, and his eight children in New York in April. SPOTLIGHT ON … RACHEL GUY SCHUCHARDT ’94 Rachel and youngest daughter Marguerite in December 2017 All of the kids are as talkative as Aaron was in college, which creates quite an atmosphere in the Feuer household. Aaron is an executive compensation attorney for Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Looking forward to hearing from classmates near and far. Less than a year until our 25th Reunion! 1996 Melissa Clark melissa.a.clark@gmail.com Gerardo Aquino aquinonyc@yahoo.com Jerusha Klemperer writes: “About 10-plus years after everyone else, I had a baby, June, about a year ago! She enjoys regular visits from her future best friend, Hallie, daughter of Will Craig and Laurie Gerber (in addition to other Swattie aunties, uncles, and cousins).” Jerusha left her job at the organization she co-founded, FoodCorps, to help launch the rebranded FoodPrint (foodprint.org), a resource on cooking, shopping, and eating more sustainably. Dom Sagolla and partner Persiana had a baby boy, Wilder. That makes three for Dom, counting sons Leo, 10, and Ansel, 7. Dom is now product director at Bionic, creating In the spring, we profiled Read ’93 and Rachel Guy Schuchardt ’94, the parents of 10 children and grandparents of two. Read responded, but Rachel (understandably) was too busy. Happily, she found time to add her voice to the mix, despite a schedule of “homeschooling, musicals, bardic dinners, etc. It is a zoo around here.” “The average American marries at 29 and has 1.4 children,” says Rachel. “Swatties have never been average, and I think we have a responsibility in this area to mindfully and soberly consider opening our hearts and homes to more children than this. There is nothing in this world more valuable or more lovely than the human person. Move the decimal place!” + CONTINUED: bulletin.swarthmore.edu a startup/venture capability for large enterprises. Cristy de la Cruz got married last September and is “enjoying the adventure (the second time around) after letting go of being single, which I had thought was a firm commitment for me.” She welcomes Swattie feedback on her blog, meximinnesotana.com. We received our first-ever update from Andrew Medina-Marino! After Swarthmore, he completed a molecular neuroscience Ph.D. at Caltech and then joined the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service office, where he trained in epidemiology and outbreak investigations. Seven years ago, he immigrated to South Africa, where he lives with partner DanielDuncan Rheed. Andrew is head of research for a South African NGO, and conducts research on HIV and tuberculosis (bit.ly/AndrewMM). Nazanin Moghbeli took a leave from her cardiology practice in Philly and moved to Paris with her husband and three kids. She immersed herself in art— making paintings and soaking in exhibitions—and hosted many visitors, including Ruth Gauchman Blatt and family. Nazanin and family headed back to the U.S. this summer. Jason Adler was the officially endorsed Democratic candidate for the 35th House seat of Connecticut’s General Assembly. Lesley Tsina is writing for the Flintstones reboot, Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs, on Boomerang and the ThunderCats reboot, ThunderCats Roar, on Cartoon Network. Both premiere in 2019. Vijay Toke, a litigator in San Francisco, joined the intellectual property group at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. Chris Hourigan and family were delighted to have a visit from Paul Krause and family this spring. “The best friends from freshman year still have a lot in common, just 26 years later,” Chris writes. I, Melissa, still work at Mathematica Policy Research and enjoy life in Princeton, N.J., with my husband and two kids, ages 8 and 10. As always, thanks for sending updates! 1998 Rani Shankar rani_shankar@yahoo.com Amita Sudhir amitasudhir@gmail.com We’re fresh from the 20th Reunion and still on a Swattie high! It feels like yesterday we were students there—especially when walking around campus with the Philly summer in full effect and under the Sharples tent. We missed those who weren’t there but had a great turnout overall. There were so many conversations I, Rani, wanted to continue and people I didn’t get to catch up with properly. Let’s plan to see each other again at the 25th and, in the meantime, stay in touch. Speaking of: Amita and I are passing the baton to another pair of class secretaries. It’s been a good run these last 20 years, so this is our swan song—we’re ready to fly. Many thanks to Rachel Breitman and Shirley Salmeron, who have volunteered to take over. As I write, baby Nico, 8 months, crawls at my feet begging to be held. He was born Oct. 28, 2017. Sister Tabby, 4, and my partner, Mark, and I are thrilled Nico’s here and are still a little sleep-deprived (at least I am!). This year, we moved 1.5 miles down the road to Ridgewood, Queens, and now enjoy more space and quiet. Larry McDowell reports: “Though unable to make it by reunion, I was delighted to have Dan Attig visit me in Brooklyn during an all-too-rare trip stateside from Australia. Then a few weeks later, on July 6, my husband, Sam, our son Idris, 4, and I were thrilled to welcome daughter (and little sister) Eudora Esther Eren, named for my best friend Emre Eren ’99,” who tragically died last winter. Julie Falk planned to attend reunion but “I ended up being too pregnant to fly. Edith Renee was born June 15. Zach Kramer ’94 and I have two older children, daughter Susanna, 12, and son Marlow, 9. We’ve been in Portland, Ore., for 12 years. I am in my ninth year as executive director at Bitch Media. I hope to attend our 25th Reunion, but if you find yourself in Portland before then, please let me know!” Also on the West Coast, Justin Hall launched bud.com, a California benefit corporation delivering recreational cannabis. Justin is co-founder and CTO, and lives in San Francisco with his wife and their daughter, 2. Dan Gallant was named to the Fulbright Specialist roster and had two op-eds about social media ethics and strategy published in The Wall Street Journal (bit.ly/DanGallant). Switching writers: I, Amita, had an eventful year that included FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 63 class notes living three blocks from the Charlottesville, Va., park where the 2017 white supremacist rally occurred, and then being called in to take care of patients in the ER after a car drove into a crowd of demonstrators there. This made me particularly appreciative at the reunion of being on a campus where no buildings need to be renamed, since they were named after abolitionists in the first place. Maurisa Thompson received a creative writing MFA from UC– Riverside in 2016. She has a Walter Grant from We Need Diverse Books to complete a children’s novel. She is also working on a poetry manuscript and teaching high school English in San Francisco. Giridhar Srinivasan lives in D.C., working on infrastructure investments in emerging markets. He and wife Maya have two kids under 5, which explains why they “live in a playpen and are chronically tired.” Despite this, he found time to lead a dads’ group at his son’s school, discussing how to be a more effective parent. Giridhar would be happy to share the curriculum—“Swarthmore seminar forever!” After some soul searching following a traumatic car accident, Vincent Jones sought ways to have less stress—and Citizen Jones Travel, a bespoke travel company, was born. Julian Haffner is running for Maryland state delegate. Rachel Breitman and Cat Laine continued their trend of annual Swattie vacations, attending Montreal’s jazz festival. They invite others to join them for Newport Jazz Fest next summer. Kelli Tennent Griffis moved from northern Virginia to La Jolla, Calif., where husband Eric is starting as director of the Nikon Imaging Center at UC–San Diego. Jennifer Sorowitz and Seth Rosner welcomed daughter Isabella Rose Rosner last October. They happily live in Whitestone, N.Y., and Jennifer is an associate veterinarian in a small general practice in nearby Levittown. It’s been an honor and a pleasure keeping up with everyone’s news for the past 20 years. We look forward to sending in our own updates! 2000 Michaela DeSoucey mdesoucey@gmail.com Emily Shu emily.n.shu@gmail.com Hard to believe many of us are turning 40 this year! We have lots to report from our class. Katalyn Vidal very happily became Katalyn Vidal Loveless after marrying Charles Loveless in a beautiful May ceremony. Joining them to celebrate were Jeannie Gallego, Kim Foote, and Viviana Del Prado. The couple honeymooned in Spain, France, Italy, and Ireland in July. Kim was awarded a 2018 NYC Emerging Writers Fellowship from the Center for Fiction. Jeannie was promoted to Diversity Management Unit chief with NYC’s Department of Education. Her daughters’ school community in Brooklyn organized to send supplies to the students of Domingo Massol in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, many of whom are still without electricity, water, and/or homes. Jeannie encourages us to remain engaged with community service, awareness campaigns, and donation efforts for Puerto Rico. Christina Lutz was named to Chicago Lawyer magazine’s top 40 attorneys under 40. She saw George Flaherty and Anna Chirinos Archer in May as part of her husband’s birthday celebration. In Sioux Falls, S.D., Hugh Weber joined the national board of AIGA, the professional association for design. He spoke to the group’s Philly chapter this summer and brought his family to Swarthmore’s campus for the first time. Brendan Nyhan was named a 2018 Carnegie Fellow and is joining the Ford School at Michigan as a professor of public policy. He and his colleagues published a Knight Foundation white paper about political echo chambers and how people see information they don’t agree with more than we think. Tenure time for several of us! Dan Kraut was awarded tenure in Villanova’s chemistry department, where he is the new graduate program director. Paul Dickson received tenure in computer science at Ithaca, where he lives with wife Kathryn and kids Elyse, 6, Seth, 4, and William, 2. Laura Brown was awarded tenure in computer science at Michigan Technological University and celebrated with an amazing and delicious two-week trip around Peru with Jen Pao ’01. Jacob Krich, who researches highly efficient solar cells, received tenure at the University of Ottawa. He and wife Patti have been “taking advantage of an amazing program to directly sponsor refugees into Canada, increasing the total number of refugees resettled in the country. We have welcomed nine so far, and looking at the current policies to our south only makes the work seem more important.” Shalini Ayyagari is an assistant professor of music at the University of Pittsburgh. She, husband Andrew, and new baby Amir are moving to India for a year for her to work on a documentary about music-making on the India– Pakistan border. Samira Mehta writes: “I wrote a book! Beyond Chrismukkah: Christian-Jewish Families in the United States, published by the University of North Carolina Press.” Samira lives in Philly’s Mount Airy neighborhood. Desiree Peterkin Bell taught urban communication as a guest lecturer at Penn this spring. Jocelyn Kea Manigo completed her first semester as director of West Chester University’s Learning Assistance and Resource Center, where she oversees undergraduate tutoring and academic coaching. Marissa Colston lives and works at Westtown School as director of diversity and inclusion, and is an active member of the Swarthmore Black Alumni Network. Lars Jan discussed Slow-Moving Luminaries, his latest large-scale installation at Miami’s Art Basel, CLASS NOTES SONNET This year, I’ve written sonnets every day (with one or two exceptions), which I post on Facebook. Many Swatties write to say they like the verses, so I’ve had the most supportive, random contact with a range of Swat alums, including people who had never talked to me. But it’s not strange — it’s natural that our tiny, weirdo school 64 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 would foster warm connections many years away from camping in Crum Woods, McCabe, the black box, Sharples brunch, the joys and fears of being young. We’re somehow still the same: we seek out one another’s work and art, then offer feedback, using mind and heart. —CATHY MULLER ’00 LAURENCE KESTERSON ALUMNI PROFILE “I am fundamentally an urban human being,” says Talia Young ’01. “My interest in fish, and in living sustainably, is anchored in the city.” CASTING A WIDE NET She’s hooked on providing local, fresh fish by Kate Campbell AS A CHILD, Talia Young ’01 didn’t spend much time near the ocean. “I grew up in New York City, which is to say I did not have any relationship with wild fish,” she jokes. “But I was always interested in the environment. I spent a lot of time trying to convince people to recycle paper and help save the rainforest, but eventually began to wonder about the economic and social factors at play.” At Swarthmore, she had a chance to apply ecological theory to research while studying invasive green crabs in the Plum Island Sound estuary outside Boston. The internship through the Marine Biological Laboratory Ecosystems Center in Massachusetts was a turning point. “That was the moment I got hooked on salt marshes and the magic of those places that lie between the land and the sea,” she says. Now a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Young has masterfully combined her biology background, passion for working with diverse communities, and commitment to sustainability to create Fishadelphia, a local, innovative—and mobile—seafood program funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Promotion Program and the David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship. “It’s heady and terrifying to be an entrepreneur,” says Young about the community-supported fishery program she developed and launched in February. But it’s working, thanks to the help of her project partner, Tasha Palacio, and their high-energy colleagues: 28 middle- and high-school students at Mastery Charter Thomas Campus, a South Philadelphia school where she once taught biology. “Our model was to have an environmental education program where we also got to work on leadership, team-building, and business development skills,” says Young. “The students we’re working with are the loveliest group of young people and are central to our success.” And mentorship from Swarthmore professors continues to be an important part of her professional trajectory: “Sara Hiebert Burch ’79 and Rachel Merz have both been invaluable mentors and cheerleaders for me, for this project, and in general.” In its pilot season this spring, Fishadelphia sold seafood to customers from diverse communities across Philadelphia, providing 790 pounds of fish—including flounder, skate, and porgy, as well as squid— and 3,400 bivalves from New Jersey fishermen, harvesters, and processors. Student workers weighed in on many of the business details, including how to address their customers, many of whom do not speak English fluently. Fishadelphia also held a savory cookoff, where neighbors traded recipes. Young led group field trips to the docks and processing plants in New Jersey where customers and students met the people who caught and harvested their seafood. “Our fishery colleagues are another important part of this story,” says Young. “How we connect our harvesters to our customers helps the students study the relationships in business— when they visit the docks, they see it’s a multimillion-dollar operation.” Stepping out of the academic role and into the world of business has delighted Young, who hopes to expand Fishadelphia to other neighborhoods in future rounds. “I’m super excited,” she says. “It’s fun to be doing something where all the domains come together. It’s all we could have hoped for.” FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 65 class notes with artsy.net (bit.ly/LarsJan). Check out this Elle article by Jenny Yang about her experiences as a stand-up comedian: bit.ly/ JennyYang00. Jenny returned to Swarthmore for a performance and discussion last fall. Kevin Schlottmann has a new job at Columbia University’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library as head of archives processing, overseeing the archivists that care for materials selected by the library’s curation team. Michael Waddington is program director of a small osteopathic residency in Connecticut. He has a daughter, Penelope, 2, whose favorite stuffed animal is named “Sauerkraut Foxamus.” In May, Nadia Murray (now Robinson) married Jason Robinson in an intimate ceremony in St. Lucia. In January, Miriam Freedman welcomed baby Ezra, who joins brother Noam. Congratulations also to new dad Cameron McGlothlin! He and husband Andrea met new son Matteo in February right after he was discharged from the hospital, after they were chosen by his birth mom in an open adoption. They are over the moon and sleep deprived. Cameron works in refugee resettlement as a civil service employee at the State Department (a great program, though struggling under this administration). As for us, Michaela started tennis again as her 40th birthday present and happily played singles on a competitive old-lady team this summer, and Emily found inspiration in her high school students’ artwork and writing in the Bronx, as profiled on Gothamist this spring (bit.ly/EmilyShu). Please keep us in the loop with your news! 2002 Tanea Harris married Joseph William Dunton on May 11 in Santa Swarthmore College Bulletin / 2004 Danny Loss danny.loss@gmail.com Tanya Wansom swarthmore2002@gmail.com 66 Barbara, Calif., where they live. Peter Austin and wife April added a family member in 2016: Son Jamie is 2 and largely gets along with brother Liam, 4. Joanna Brown welcomed son William Alexander in March. Her family is happily settled near Boston. Christine Crumley Nay and her family relocated from northern Virginia to Silicon Valley in June for her new job at EY. More running, cycling, yoga, and tennis await! Andrew Alderete and his wife moved to Boulder, Colo. He is continuing his work with CineConcerts, managing more than 900 film concert performances in 48 countries, through the end of 2018. Dan Blim wrote from Florence, Italy, while on a break from doing archive research on composer Steve Reich in Basel, Switzerland. He spent the past year on leave working on his book as a visiting fellow at the University of Rochester’s Humanities Center but is excited to return to Denison University and the classroom this fall. Sonia Mariano is an urgent care doctor in Hamilton, New Zealand, where she surfs a lot and is waiting for a visa to Australia. She caught up with Maya Peterson in Santa Cruz, Calif., when she passed through for a conference. I, Tanya Wansom, am having fun raising my sons (ages 1 and 3) with husband Chris in Bangkok. As always, I love hearing from you. Please contact me to share news or update your email address to receive my biannual call for class notes! FALL 2018 Rebecca Rogers rebecca.ep.rogers@gmail.com Family updates! Stephanie Gironde Best and her husband welcomed Andrew Robert Best in October 2017. Amir Jaima and his wife’s family grew Jan. 10 with the arrival of daughter Somanya. Somanya’s brother blames his parents for the diminished attention and is very sweet toward his sister. They all moved from New York to Houston in June. Renuka Nayak and husband Tony Singh welcomed daughter Zoya Singh Nayak in April. Renuka was awarded a National Institutes of Health grant of about $900,000 to continue research on the microbiome’s impact on rheumatoid arthritis treatment. David and Jerusha Rodgers Sinsley welcomed son Soren in February. The family, including older son Logan, live in Seattle where Jerusha works for Amazon.com. Rachel Fichtenbaum and Sarah Langer ’07 got married in November, with purple-andorange festivities attended by many Swatties. Friends and family descended on Somerville, Mass., from as far away as Seattle, Los Angeles, and England. Special thanks to Maria-Elena Young and Kate Penrose for offering a toast, Teresa Kelley ’07 for reciting one of the seven blessings, and Max Ray-Riek ’05 for holding the chuppah and reciting a blessing. Susan Roth married partner Sonia and published her eighth romance novel under the pen name Rose Lerner. Artists updates! Collector Peggy Cooper Cafritz selected Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s The Beautiful Ones, #1a to grace the cover of her book Fired Up! Ready to Go! Hernease Davis had a solo exhibition at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, N.Y., drawn from her series “A Womb of My Own (Mistakes Were Made in Development).” In Lancaster, Pa., Emily Alvarez received board certification and was promoted to lead art therapist with the Children’s Aid Society. She completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training and enjoys being a yogi to keep life balanced. She’s also the proud mom of an adventurous, wonderful 6-year-old boy who completed kindergarten in June. Kellan Baker co-authored an article for Scientific American on the importance of science to the transgender community. Adrienne Mackey’s company, Swim Pony, received a $150,000 grant for a project with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to create a mobile app that embeds original storytelling onto the Philadelphia area’s Circuit Trail network. She’ll oversee the creative side to create a GPS-triggered experience where listeners hear an unfolding drama as they walk a trail. Wuryati Morris is back home in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she’s working on sustainable fisheries, an unexpected new passion. Visitors welcome! Thanks to Sam Dingman, Morgan Simon was on the Bad with Money podcast to discuss social investing and Swarthmore’s endowment. Sam has a podcast of his own, Family Ghosts. ACLU lawyer Nate Wessler spent some quality time with Justice Sotomayor and friends arguing Timothy Ivory Carpenter v. United States (cellphone-tracking admissibility case). We, Rebecca and Danny, continue to settle into suburban life in Arlington, Mass. Danny started as advising coordinator in Harvard’s general education program. Given the earnestness with which he ticked off his PDC and W requirements at Swarthmore, this seems a good fit. Rebecca always enjoys crossing paths with Swattie internists at the Society of General Internal Medicine conference—this year with Alison Landrey and Anna Morgan. Rebecca and Alison also had the good fortune to break away from the conference for lunch with fellow internist Katey McCaffrey and daughter Rose! 2006 Wee Chua wchua1@gmail.com Sad news to share: Jeff Billion died in August 2017 in Seattle. Zach Zaitlin moved back to Philly in August 2017 after five years in his home state of Maine (Portland, to be exact). Zach teaches piano, sings in a couple of choirs (including Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia with Caitlin Butler, music professor Jon Kochavi, and other Swatties), attempts to compose music, and is working at his second Friends school (Friends’ Central, as assistant choir director), milking the Friends–Swarthmore connection for all it’s worth. He even taught piano lessons at Swarthmore, working with students enrolled in Music 9. In his spare time, Zach enjoys running, cooking, and attempting to keep up with the mass quantities of fur shed by his two cats, Toni Scratchton and Ding-Dong. Jon Greenberg enjoys dad life in Alameda, Calif. (equal parts hilarity and destruction). He still manages to find time to play Frisbee and was to reunite with old friends and head to the World Championships in July as part of Team China. Two years ago, Abraham Howland and Jessica Larson moved to Austin, Texas, where Abe is a computer programmer and Jess is a computational biologist. More recently, they have been racing each other in sprint triathlons. Lisa Nelson and Anthony Manfredi ’07 had baby Peter William Nelson Manfredi on March 7, joining brother Carl, 3, in St. Paul, Minn. Since returning to Pittsburgh two years ago, Danielle Miller Bond has transitioned from full-time academia to full-time engineer with CPower Energy Management. She enjoys teaching part time at Point Park University as well as hiking with husband Chris. Adam Roddy’s plant research garnered media attention (bit.ly/ AdamRoddy1, bit.ly/AdamRoddy2). Rachel Shorey crunched the numbers on activism translating into action (bit.ly/RachelShorey). Katia Lom’s graduation film Triptych was screened this summer at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival, where it won first prize for Best Experimental Film. And Arthur Chu was back in the news, this time the subject of a SPOTLIGHT ON … ROMANE PAUL ’10 Romane Paul ’10, a political science and education special major at Swarthmore who gave the senior speech at the 2010 Commencement (bit.ly/RPaul10), recently addressed another graduation audience—as Columbia Law School’s J.D. class speaker. His advice for future graduates? “Remember that there is a part of the world awaiting your discovery and your creative touch. Trust your journey.” + documentary … where answers were not given in the form of questions (bit.ly/ArthurChu06). 2008 Mark Dlugash mark.dlugash@gmail.com New York, N.Y.: Anna Mello moved back to NYC and is teaching middle-school science at the Chapin School. She hopes to meet up with East Coast Swatties. Jonathan Harris was back in NYC as a summer associate at JP Morgan’s private bank. He has one year left on an MBA at Georgetown McDonough. After more than five years in London, and many miles of travel, Kyle White and wife Whitney are moving back to New York in November. Both are excited to be closer to family and friends but will miss being two-and-a-half hours from Italy! Working life: Anne Searcy accepted a position as assistant professor of musicology at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Patricia Kelly started as a primary care provider with Kaiser Permanente in Atlanta and joined Morehouse School of Medicine as an adjunct. Rasa Petrauskaite is getting more involved volunteering with the CONTINUED: bulletin.swarthmore.edu animal-rights organization Direct Action Everywhere, disseminating content for newspapers to publish. Catalina Martinez and Evan Trager moved to Menlo Park, Calif., to start new positions at Stanford. Catalina is a bilingual clinical associate for the Stanford Teacher Education Program, and Evan is completing a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship with the School of Medicine. Although not their first foray to the Bay (Yay!) Area, they have been gone for several years and look forward to catching up with friends there. Celebrations: Leah Handel and Nathan La Porte celebrated the birth of second son Felix Clay Handel on May 8. Big brother Cyrus enjoys having a new audience for his goofs, and Leah and Nathan are adjusting to the elevated chaos level. Ethan Giller and Holly Stewart (Bryn Mawr ’08) excitedly introduced daughter Avery Helen Stewart Giller to the world May 10. Alicia de los Reyes, Andrew Quinton, and new big brother Paul welcomed Manuel “Manny” Reyes Quinton on June 15. The family enjoyed summer in Seattle. Ben Bradlow and wife Fenna Krienen welcomed daughter Miriam Daphne Krienen on March 18. She is being clothed in handme-downs from a close group of Boston-area friends, including several Swatties. After a year conducting field research between Johannesburg, South Africa, and São Paulo, Brazil, Ben is writing his dissertation on the political sociology of these two mega-cities. He also organizes around local development issues at home in Somerville, Mass. Finally, Adam Dalva co-created and co-wrote a comic novel, Olivia Twist, which “follows a rag-tag gang of girl thieves struggling to survive in a dangerous future London” (bit.ly/OliviaTwist). 2010 Brendan Work theworkzone@gmail.com Thank you for adopting an alum! Bringing one of these sweet, obedient 20X Swatties into your home will be a decision you’ll never regret. This facility operates on the generosity of your updates, so please remember to donate yours to ensure that every alum is watered and fed. We are, for the time being, still a no-kill shelter. Among our most adoptable and adorable alumni are our doctors. Consider the soft, pleading eyes of G Patrick, who in a yearlong general surgery residency at Pittsburgh’s Allegheny General Hospital has maintained his love of Latin dancing and added the West Coast swing to his repertoire; or the unmatched pedigree of Benjamin Mazer, who by the third year of a Yale pathology residency finally “almost has a FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 67 class notes good answer when people ask him what pathologists do”; or the qualifications of Ashley Miniet, in her last year of an Emory pediatrics residency in Atlanta. Do you want to adopt, but your home isn’t ready for a doctor? Take a look at this loyal, housebroken Colin Schimmelfing. He was an engineering manager for six months at the education technology company Clever, then hopped on a container ship from Oakland, Calif., to China to travel, after which he hoped to find work related to climate change. The cuddly corporate litigation attorney in the corner is Shaun Kelly, now a Connolly Gallagher associate in Delaware, and that alumnus behind the crowd of admirers is Gary Herzberg, a recent Wharton MBA grad and McKinsey associate. And that sleek coat and playful grin belongs to David Weeks, who moved to NYC last November to run the company he started in Beijing six years ago, Sunrise International Education, and has proudly joined the Rent is Too Damn High Party. Many of our Swatties are rescues from Ph.D. programs, where they were subjected to horrors unspeakable. Take pity on Julissa Ventura, who finished an educational policy studies Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin– Madison, or Roseanna Sommers, a Yale J.D. and psychology Ph.D. graduate moving to Chicago for a two-year fellowship at UChicago Law, where she will teach legal writing to first-year law students and research the psychological and legal complexities of consent. Have you nothing in your heart for Simone Fried, still in her Harvard educational policy doctoral program, doing improv comedy on the side and making rugs out of recycled bedsheets? Does your conscience not stir for poor Suzanne Winter, who began a history of science Ph.D. at Berkeley shortly after breaking her fifth metatarsal, requiring months of home cooking from Julia Wrobel? Only a very few of our alumni have behavior problems. Joel Tolliver cannot stop wandering to rural parts of central Georgia to 68 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 lead expansion for Boys & Girls Clubs, and Caitlin O’Neil has an unhealthy addiction to working on the California state prison budget and sentencing policy, while doing capoeira and gardening. The lovable Jake Ban has a minor tic in which he has to teach thirdgraders at the San Francisco Friends School, and Mattie Gregor MacDonald keeps traveling to New York to visit Laura Wang and stare at the Statue of Liberty. But can you blame them? They just want to be loved. Saving an alum lends you years of companionship and yields lots of unexpected benefits. If you let Justin diFeliciantonio of Georgia into your life, he’ll include you in his tennis clinics and support your yoga and meditation program at the Isha ashram in Tennessee. Adopt Rachel Bell and she’ll tell you about the time she watched the MPR raccoon scale the UBS skyscraper in Minneapolis in person. And Alice Evans comes with beautiful baby boy Moss “Rio” Evans-Moyer, born to Alice and partner Lisa Moyer on Dec. 27 and welcomed into a large, loving extended family. These fascinating, furry, and funloving friends are ready to step into your lives, if you’re ready to make the commitment. For the low cost of one update every six months sent to theworkzone@gmail.com, you can make a difference in the life of a 20X alum. Please act now. 2012 Maia Gerlinger maiagerlinger@gmail.com A lot of movement this time— people are finishing projects and leaving cities. It takes courage to stick with something, but it also takes courage to begin again. New England: Kara Stoever finished med school in the Bronx and started an OB/GYN residency in Providence, R.I. Michael Xu left Beijing’s startup world for an architecture summer program in Cambridge, Mass. Elizabeth Hamilton finished her first year at Harvard Law. New York: Dante Fuoco left New Orleans to train at NYC’s Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Fabian Castro is a media strategist at an ad agency and DJs on the side at Brooklyn’s House of Yes. He also runs a record label, HOMAGE, which released its fourth EP in July. William Campbell transferred from NYC to Singapore and would love for Swatties to reach out! Natalia Cote-Muñoz finished a master of public policy at Harvard and is moving to New York with David Weeks ’10. “Looking forward to spending 90 percent of the salary of the job I don’t have yet on a closet-size room!” she says, accurately. Lindsay Dolan finished a political science Ph.D. at Columbia and is starting a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton’s Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance. I, Maia Gerlinger, left Jersey City to begin a comparative literature master’s at Paris’s Sorbonne University. Anastasia “Tasha” Lewis has a solo show this fall at the Philadelphia Magic Gardens featuring hand-sewn sculptures. Hanna Kozlowska wrote a Quartz piece about fake-news claims that Parkland, Fla.’s survivors were crisis actors (bit.ly/HannaKParkland). Jessie Cannizzaro (pg. 27) was interviewed by Broadway World about the filming of Puffs, an off-Broadway comedy in which she acts (bit.ly/JessiePuffs). Anna Shechtman ’13’s crossword puzzles are now on The New Yorker’s website (bit.ly/AnnaNewYorker). Linnet Davis-Stermitz finished law school and moved to New York to clerk for a federal judge. “I’m eager to reconnect with bagels—I mean Swatties—on the East Coast!” Linnet also sent updates about somebody else—so sweet! “You FOLLOW US! Facebook and Instagram: @SwarthmoreBulletin #SwatBulletin should give a shout out to Sahiba Gill’s (a) graduating law school and (b) somehow also being the primary author on a 130-plus-page report about labor abuses at NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus—i.e. being completely amazing and inspiring.” This is what friendship looks like. Pennsylvania: Dan Ly finished med school and began a pediatrics residency at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Margret Lenfest is in her final year of Penn vet school. Timothy Brevart does software development at Nasdaq in Philly and is a member of Volunteering Untapped, helping children and families in need. Kristen Allen passed her qualifier exams and finished the second year of a Ph.D. in engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon, focusing on pregnant women’s language to understand their mental and psychological risks. She also received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Most important, though, she has a “splendid” cat—and she sent pictures. Everyone should do this! Zachary Gershenson graduated from Penn and is an analyst specializing in oncology and gene therapy at SAI MedPartners, a pharmaceutical consulting firm. He and wife Karen live in Harleysville, outside Philly. He offered to send pictures of his cat and dog, but did not take the kind of initiative that Kristen did. Alex Burka defended a robotics Ph.D. thesis at Penn and is “plotting his escape from academia.” Shawn Doherty Gonzalez completed a comparative literature Ph.D. at Rutgers and started teaching in the Princeton Writing Program. She lives near Philly. Manuk Garg works in health care and “spent a lot of time sipping tea.” John “Wes” Willison and wife Hana Lehmann ’13 live in Philly. Wes has finished two years of a master’s of divinity at Princeton. D.C./Maryland: Sara Blanco finished a master of public policy at George Washington and works for Running Start, training young women to run for political office. Naomi Glassman graduated from Georgetown Law and also earned a Latin American studies M.A. She took the bar this summer before a human rights fellowship. Elissa Wong finished a toxicology Ph.D. at the University of Rochester Medical Center and now works at the FDA in Silver Spring, Md. David D’Annunzio and Emilia Thurber ’11 married June 2 after meeting as members of Mixed Company almost 10 years ago. Jes Downing was a bridesmaid, and Alex Israel ’11, Mary Klap ’11, and Eva McKend ’11 performed readings. Many former Mixed Company members also attended: Julia Cooper, Jack Nicoludis, Brenna DiCola ’11, Will Treece ’11, Nemo Swift ’11, Julian Thomas ’10, and Chris Klaniecki ’10. Other Swatties included Andrew Zimmerman ’11, Brendan McVeigh ’11, Ben Lipton, Michael Shin ’11, Aaron Stein ’11, and Hannah Edelman, along with Swarthmore men’s soccer coach Eric Wagner and the bride’s father, Mark Thurber ’77. And another wedding! Lisa Shang and Zachary Weiner honeymooned in Croatia after getting married in May in Zach’s hometown, Baltimore, where the couple moved from NYC. Lisa completed a statistics M.S. at Texas A&M and is a senior programmer analyst for Mathematica Policy Research; Zach is a financial adviser for Benjamin F. Edwards. Also, Zach now knows he has a sesame allergy. South: Shiran Shen, a new assistant professor of environmental politics at the University of Virginia, loved visiting Swat as an external examiner for the Honors Program and “(re) appreciated the value of a liberal arts education.” Christopher Shea really loves his cats. Midwest: Angela Meng graduated from Wharton and will work for General Mills in Minneapolis. Adam Hardy is finishing a Ph.D. at UChicago, and wife Laura RodgersHardy is in the midst of an M.D./ Ph.D. at the University of Illinois. They are close enough to Linnet Davis-Stermitz, Chris Sawyer ’10, and Reid Wilkening ’10 for fairly regular game nights. Hannah “Alex” Younger finished an MFA in Chicago. “My loan exit counseling advised me that I should get a $200,000 salary to pay them off,” she writes, “so I have also learned that the federal government has very high hopes for my future.” Instead, this summer, she taught children sculpture and fashion design while doing a residency. Ozan Ertürk is moving from Ankara, Turkey, to Lafayette, Ind., for a Ph.D. at Purdue, and is “happy to host slumber parties.” West Coast: Adam Bortner finished med school in Baltimore and cross-country road-tripped before a residency at Family Health Centers of San Diego. Molly Siegel is in the second year of an OB/ GYN residency in Portland, Ore. Joseph O’Hara quit Columbia Business School to be director of strategy at San Francisco’s JUUL Labs. “Basically, I stopped buying stocks and started selling vapes.” Jared Nolan and Allie Lee moved to Oakland, Calif., last summer; Jared is completing a city-planning master’s at Berkeley, and Allie works at a San Francisco startup. They have a dog named Hatch, after the chili pepper, as well as an area D&D campaign with Aaron Eckhouse, Halleh Balch, and Andreas Bastian. Arsean Maqami rejoined WeWork as director of construction on the West Coast. Eleanor Glewwe published a short story in the online teen magazine Cicada. Abroad: Brice Jordan is finishing at the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia after “daily injera for almost two years.” He will be in D.C. for training until May, after which he will move to Guatemala for his next post. 2014 third year of a Ph.D. at UChicago. He is in the Committee on Social Thought with Danielle Charette. This summer, he taught/mentored undergrads of color, as Mellon Mays fellows from around the country came to Hyde Park for a summerlong research program. In March, he received an honorable mention from the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, and this fall he will start his dissertation proposal, preparing for his research on theories of love. Congrats, Paul, and good luck! Anthony Collard will attend Drexel’s LeBow College of Business to earn an MBA. Ammar Dahodwala started a USC medicine–pediatrics residency in June. Congratulations! Jake ’13 and Cally Deppen Neely bought a house in Massachusetts’s North Shore and, over the summer, welcomed baby Fiona. Congrats! Cally is finishing a master’s in health studies and has started work in women’s health. Kate Derosier is working on a neuroscience Ph.D. at UC–San Francisco, and she also adopted a very anxious—but very sweet—rescue dog. Robert Fain completed Goucher College’s postbaccalaureate premedical program in May and started at Brown medical school in July. Before moving to Providence, he visited Mexico City and the Outer Banks and used some free time to get back into triathlon shape to, hopefully, enter some races. Danny Hirschel-Burns finished his second year of a political science Ph.D. at Yale. He took the last exam of his life in August! This summer, he was home in Michigan watching the World Cup with brothers Tim ’17 and Nick ’21. Sophie Libkind finished her third year of teaching middle-school computer science and started a math Ph.D. at Stanford this fall. Pendle MarshallHallmark received a Fulbright to participate in the binational business program in Mexico City. Great work! Eleanor Pratt is leaving D.C. after four years to start a master STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION Title: Swarthmore College Bulletin Publication Number: 0530-620 Date of Filing: 8/27/18 No. of Issues Annually: 4 Mailing Address of Known Office of Publications and Headquarters Office: 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, Delaware County, PA 19081-1397 Publisher: Swarthmore College Editor: Jonathan Riggs Brone Lobichusky blobichusky@gmail.com Average No. of Copies of Each Issue Published During Preceding 12 Months: Welcome to another exciting roundup of our class’s whereabouts! Kimisha Cassidy completed a geography master’s, moved to Montana, and is now a fellow with the Society for Wilderness Stewardship, working with the U.S. Forest Service to implement a wilderness-character monitoring program. Paul Cato finished his A. Total No. Copies 25,893 B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation 1. Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors and Counter Sales None 2. Mail Subscription 22,826 C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation 22,826 D. Free Distribution Outside the Mail, Carrier or Other Means, Samples, Complimentary and other Free Copies 1,589 E. Total Distribution 24,415 F. Copies Not Distributed 1,539 G. Total 25,954 H. Percent Paid 93% Average No. of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: A. Total No. Copies 25,860 B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation 1. Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors and Counter Sales None 2. Mail Subscription 22,807 C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation 22,807 D. Free Distribution Outside the Mail, Carrier or Other Means, Samples, Complimentary and other Free Copies 1,665 E. Total Distribution 24,472 F. Copies Not Distributed 1,615 G. Total 26,087 H. Percent Paid 93% FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 69 class notes of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She’s not psyched about the weather, but she is excited to live across the street from Erin Lowe. Roomies forever! Yena Purmasir completed a yearlong research internship in NYU School of Medicine’s World Trade Center Health Program. She is trading her Swarthmore garnet for Harvard crimson as she pursues a master’s in theological studies, focusing on South Asian religious traditions. Yena still actively writes: This October will see the release of [Dis]Connected: Poems & Stories of Connection and Otherwise, an anthology exploring the inspirational relationship between poetry and fiction. Patrick Walsh is also leaving D.C., headed to the University of Illinois–Chicago to pursue a mathematics Ph.D. In September, Alison Ryland started at Columbia’s Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences program. Riana Shah interviewed Sampriti Ganguli ’95 for her podcast, Venture Vignettes. Emma Sipperly graduated from Northeastern University School of Law, and upon bar passage will begin work as an assistant district attorney for Middlesex County, Mass. Sarah Timreck graduated from George Washington in May with a master’s in Middle East studies and is settling into her new role as program coordinator for the Armed Services Arts Partnership, a nonprofit working with veterans in D.C. and Hampton Roads, Va. She looks forward to exploring D.C. and welcomes area Swatties to join her. Congrats, Sarah! Heidy Wang started her fourth year at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Cici Zhang is enjoying an editorial fellowship with Chemical & Engineering News in D.C. but hopes to find a full-time science journalism position this fall. She had the privilege of connecting with Corinna Wu ’92, a senior editor at C&EN. As for me, Brone, I greatly enjoyed my third year of medical school at Temple and just submitted residency applications for general surgery programs. I also participated in a fun-filled, rewarding medical mission trip to 70 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 Ecuador. We served indigenous communities in the Andes and saw a vast amount of the gorgeous country. I was thankful to see and treat unique medical diseases, learn some of the ancient Quechua language, and buy many beautiful, handwoven alpaca sweaters. 2016 Stephanie Kestelman stephaniekestelman@gmail.com Z.L. Zhou zzlzhou@gmail.com Cosmo Alto moved from his hometown of Portland, Ore., to NYC. He is a field service engineer for Thermo Fisher Scientific, installing and repairing electron microscopes for area universities. He is in the Netherlands for half a year of intensive training before heading to Rockefeller and Columbia to install new microscopes. Kara Bledsoe graduated from the Pratt Institute School of Information and works at an arts and culture consulting firm in Beacon, N.Y. Sara Brakeman works at the African Leadership University in Mauritius, where she is on the technology team and is product manager for all student-facing tech systems. She is living her best island life: eating coconuts, stand-up paddle-boarding, and scuba diving. Hanyu Chwe spent part of the summer in Monteverde, Costa Rica, jamming out and playing Magic with Daniel Eisler. This fall, he starts the first year of a network science Ph.D. at Northeastern University. (Brennan Klein ’14 is also in the program.) Rachel Flaherman spent the past year in D.C. and was grateful for the warm company of classmates, particularly DK13 dormmates Sun Park (for taking her clubbing and soothing her existential fears) and Nicole Walker (for inspiring her to become a lawyer). Though physics will always hold a special place in her heart (and Cornell 2nd will always be her favorite place), she starts law school at NYU this fall. Martin Froger Silva lives in Berkeley, Calif., and is a video storyteller for FWD.us, a political advocacy nonprofit working on immigration and criminal justice reform. He enjoys the foggy weather, the ocean, and hanging out with Abigail Dove, Shantanu Jain ’17, and Cappy Pitts. After two years with AmeriCorps near Chicago, Olivia Edwards moved abroad to pursue a master’s in education at University College London. Swarthmore tiny-home-dweller Nathan Graf was showcased in AOL’s Dream Big, Live Small (bit. ly/NathanGraf). Nathan continues to work toward saving us all from climate change, one carbon-free storage unit at a time. Veda Khadka moved to Boston after two warm, sunny years in the Bay Area to begin a microbiology Ph.D. program at MIT. Deborah Krieger became the full-time curatorial assistant at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington. She also still freelances and lives in Philly. Claudia Lo graduated with a game studies M.Sc. from MIT and hopes to move to the Bay Area. Constance Mietkowski is a senior business analyst in management consulting at A.T. Kearney, working on public-sector projects in the Middle East. She traveled to Petra, Jordan, in March with Julia Wakeford ’19 and Gloria Kim ’19; to Moscow in April with Gabriela Campoverde ’15; and to Greece in June with Pauline Goodson ’14. Catricia Morris received a master’s in prevention science and practice from Harvard. She will stay another year in Cambridge to complete her certification. A’Dorian Murray-Thomas is still a rock star. She wrote for Glamour on the eve of the March for Our Lives: “I believe that the longtime, decades-old trauma and resistance of inner-city youth deserves a louder voice in the conversation around gun control. Our very survival is a political act. Every breath we take is a form of resistance.” Molly Petchenik is back on the East Coast to start at Yale Law School. Stephanie Kestelman could not be happier that she can now drop by Molly’s house in two hours, rather than six. Kelly Smemo completed her second year with AmeriCorps and College Possible and will start a master’s in higher education and student affairs at Boston College. This summer, she spent two weeks road-tripping through Canada with Elaine Zhou. She also returned to Swarthmore to be a counselor at the New World Magischola LARPing camp, with Leonie Cohen, Nathan Graf, and Emma Puranen ’18. Here’s to all the magic they made! She and eternal partner in crime Richard Monari are excited to have expanded to two podcasts, announcing their passions for a very specific band (bit.ly/ KellyRichard). Jihoon Sung moved to New Haven, Conn., to pursue an economics Ph.D. at Yale. He had lived in Chicago for the past two years, working for Chang-Tai Hsieh ’91. Tania Uruchima left D.C. for Madrid, where she will be a language and culture assistant at a high school through next June (unless she renews her contract and stays longer!). Tania is super excited to run around Europe, to take a breath and rethink her life and career. Maria Vieytez received a master’s in humanities from UChicago and is venturing into literacy-focused nonprofit work. Ciara Williams was named one of eight up-and-coming black leaders of the environmental movement. Ciara works with Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restored Spaces Initiative, helping artists, environmental activists, and community members improve public spaces. Follow some of her work at bit.ly/PhillySustainability. Alex Zabrodskiy started as a technology analyst for Goldman Sachs’s equity derivatives desk after completing a computer science master’s at Oxford. He lives in London with his giant Siberian kitten, Anyuta, and would happily meet with any Swatties who are around. their light lives on our friends will never be forgotten expanded tributes at bulletin.swarthmore.edu Louise Stubbs Williams ’34 Louise, a birthright member of the Religious Society of Friends, died July 17, 2018. Beloved by her large family, Louise enjoyed golf and played into her 90s. Vernon McHugh ’36 Jeanne Cotten Blum ’40 Jeanne, a pioneering executive and civic leader, died May 16, 2018. Beginning her career at IBM as a demonstrator at the 1939 World’s Fair, Jeanne rose to become personnel director and president of the IBM Employees Club. She also raised seven children and endowed a named Swarthmore scholarship. Vernon, a World War II veteran who built a corporate career before becoming a rural mail carrier, died Sept. 2, 2009. An avid golfer, Vernon also loved dogs, especially his dock hound, Snoopy. Elizabeth Sicard Sita ’37 A world traveler, Elizabeth died Feb. 11, 2013. Known for her loving spirit, “Biddy” was dedicated to charity work and her family. Jean Abrams Roberts ’40 Jean, who ultimately graduated from Skidmore, died Dec. 30, 2010. An editor at the New England Aquarium, Jean also directed its volunteer program. Charlotte Speight ’40 Charlotte, a talented artist and editor, died April 15, 2015. The co-author of many books on ceramics, Charlotte created art for art’s sake, including dreamlike paintings with swan imagery. Philip Lorenz ’41 A top research chemist and passionate environmental advocate, Philip died May 14, 2018. In addition to his distinguished scientific career—including his 1943 recruitment to the Manhattan Project— Phil served as a deacon, elder, choir member, Sunday school teacher, and volunteer in the First Presbyterian Church in Bartlesville, Okla. His loved ones honored his longtime request for his body to be given to the University FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 71 in memoriam died June 5, 2012. A World War II veteran decorated with the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, “Red” founded a still-successful sales agency business and loved to play golf, read, and volunteer in retirement. Sally Yocum ’43 Preston Buckman ’41 An insurance executive who was the son of a matchbox couple and father of an alumna, Preston died June 15, 2018. During World War II, he served as a medic with the 104th Infantry Division in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and was invested as a Chevalier de le Legion d’honneur by the Republic of France. of Oklahoma Anatomical Donation program. Margery Brearley Ward ’41 Margery, a devoted environmentalist, teacher, Quaker, and mother of four, died May 7, 2018. An avid gardener and naturalist who, with her husband, restored their 18th-century home of 65 years, Margery traveled the world and was much beloved for her hospitality, kindness, and “always sunny presence.” Charles Carpenter Jr. ’42 Charles, who ultimately graduated from Wilmington College, died April 11, 2015. Beginning as a caseworker, Charles rose through the ranks to become the commissioner of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.’s Department of Social Services. Philip Pendleton ’43 Philip, who rode the rails across the country during the Great Depression, 72 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 Sally, who attended Swarthmore, Barnard, and Smith, died June 6, 2013. As her loved ones wrote: “She believed life was to be enjoyed: Dessert first was always an option for Sally, who boasted that she never did a sit-up in her life. Sally was loyal, generous, tough, and unflappable.” John Graves ’45 John, who was known as Jack to family and friends, died May 24, 2015. A research veterinarian, Jack traveled the world to help other countries develop anti-viral vaccines for livestock. John Pichtelberger ’45 A Navy veteran who served in World War II, John died May 14, 2018. In addition to his award-winning, three-decade career working for the Naval Air Propulsion Center—where he retired as head of his division—John was also proud of his 1945 title as amateur light middleweight boxing champ. Marjorie Colwell Boardman ’46 Marjorie, who was married to the late Harry Boardman ’44, died April 2, 2013. “Marjorie exemplified grace and beauty while caring more about others than herself, including many friends, animals, and those in need,” her loved ones wrote. Cay Sawyer Colberg ’46 Cay, a dedicated teacher who loved sewing, gardening, and politics, died Nov. 1, 2011. An advocate for medical education, Cay donated her body to science. Yoneji Fukunaga ’46 Yo, beloved by his large family, died March 10, 2015. Martin “Ernie” Luther ’46 Ernie, a writer who loved music and gardening, died Feb. 3, 2016. George D’Angelo NV An eminent thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon, George died Nov. 23, 2014. Ultimately responsible for mending more than 7,000 patients’ hearts and touching countless lives, George was also devoted to giving back to Erie, Pa., where he served as president of the Philharmonic for six years, founded the D’Angelo Young Artist Competition, and supported the Boys and Girls Club to help create a preschool that bears his name. August Giulianelli NV August, a Navy veteran and mechanical systems engineer, died Dec. 27, 2011. Receiving several commendations for his work on the Apollo Space Program, August was proudest to be known as Irene Bany Magaziner ’43 Irene, a compassionate, worldchanging librarian and community activist, died March 11, 2018. Described by her loved ones as “a broad-minded, philosophical individual with a wonderful sense of humor who was easy to talk to and a great listener,” Irene helped form the Open Space Committee of Upper Dublin (Pa.) that ultimately ensured six percent of the township remained recreational space. a loving father, devoted husband, and dedicated friend. Ronald Hill NV A veteran who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and returned to serve in the Korean War, Ronald died June 20, 2012. As a civilian, Ronald built an impressive career at Martin Marietta as an assistant subcontract director and also sang in his church’s choir. Frederick Schofield Jr. NV A native Philadelphian, Frederick died March 13, 2011. Beloved by his family, Frederick was also a retired real estate broker. Robert Shurts NV A World War II veteran who served in the Pacific Theater, Robert died May 25, 2011. Graduating from Lehigh University, Robert received the school’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 1998. natural world. He was a man of considerable intellect, emotional constancy, and surprising humor. He was accomplished in his educational and professional pursuits: generous in his contributions to his family and the communities he called home.” Janet Gay Nyholm ’47 A creative, faithful life force who lived in Europe and Israel after graduation, Janet died March 5, 2018. After marrying a Danish trout farmer and artist, Janet moved to Denmark, where the couple raised five children in an old farmhouse in the woods. “Like her husband, Janet was cremated, and their urns are sat down in a small hill where long grasses and wild flowers are blooming near our childhood home,” Thomas Trafzer NV Thomas, an engineer whose seven-year Navy career included stations in Rhode Island and Hawaii, died July 2, 2012. Proud of his large family, Tom was also a world traveler who eventually explored all the non-arctic continents. Graham “Pete” Harrison ’47 A former member of Swarthmore’s Board of Managers who also served as president of the U.S. Steel and Carnegie Pension Fund for more than 25 years, Graham died June 12, 2018. As his loved ones wrote, “For nearly 95 years, Graham walked the planet with humility, a strong commitment to social justice, and deep respect for the beauty and fragility of the Robert Bair Jr. ’48 Robert, a Navy veteran who graduated from Penn State with a degree in engineering, died March 14, 2011. An avid fisherman and golfer, he was also active in the Episcopal Church. Donna Larrabee Rigali ’48 Donna, a Navy veteran and badminton champ at Swarthmore and beyond, died May 30, 2018. Going for her master’s in library science when her youngest son entered kindergarten, Donna built a 35-year career as a reference librarian and loved needlework, playing the piano, and traveling with her family. Jane Ann Jones Smith ’48 A chemist, lecturer, and half of a Quaker matchbox marriage, Jane Ann died May 22, 2018. Born on the high seas on a ship bound for France, Jane Ann volunteered with the League of Women Voters, was president of the East Williston School District Board of Education, and served as vice president of academic affairs of Friends World College until her retirement. Roderick Specht NV Roderick, who served as an ensign on the USS Fanshaw Bay and later built a career in food service equipment sales, died Oct. 12, 2013. An avid skier, sailer, and camper, Rod was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranford, N.J., for 49 years and was also the assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 80. her children wrote in tribute. George Corse Jr. ’48 Edgar Kendall “Ken” Landis ’48 Kendall, a former Swarthmore vice president and board member who passionately championed the performing arts as well as the Scott Arboretum, died Sept. 13, 2018. Ken spent his early career with Citibank, which led the Landis family to live abroad in Paris, Saudi Arabia, and Beirut. After earning an M.A. from Wesleyan University, Ken joined Swarthmore as its first vice president for alumni, development, and public relations. “Ken is best remembered for his warmth, sly wit, and persuasive charms,” said President Valerie Smith, “all of which he put to effective use in service to the College.” George, who was born and raised in Swarthmore and served in the Marines in World War II, died Nov. 27, 2017. A lifelong devotee of antique cars, George loved to restore them as well as to garden, travel, and spend time with his family. Mary Fallin Porter ’49 Remembered as “the kindest and most caring person,” Mary died June 21, 2018. As her loved ones wrote, “Mary met the love of her life [Bill Porter ’50] on a bus on her way to Swarthmore College, where she graduated with degrees in psychology and astronomy.” Later in life, the couple and their four children loved to travel, sail, fish, and birdwatch. Dorothy Brodie Clarke ’50 Dorothy, who taught law, served as a law librarian, and contributed to law school FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 73 in memoriam Gwendolyn Hamilton Stevens ’50 Gwendolyn, a hugely gifted pianist since age 6, died July 30, 2018. Gwen followed up her Swarthmore history degree with a bachelor’s and master’s in music from Yale. A devoted educator who once taught as an assistant professor at Vassar College, Gwen also organized two still-thriving organizations: Patrons for Young Artists, which sponsors concerts in private homes, and the Howland Chamber Music Circle. Christian, died Feb. 23, 2013. An active volunteer, John also ran a private dental practice for more than 40 years in Wayne, Pa. Dominic Cusano ’53 Dominic, who rose through the ranks of the Scott Paper Co. to become vice president of human resources, died Nov. 20, 2017. Passionate about history, golf, art, and his family, Nick was admired by his loved ones for his affectionate nature and generosity. Robert Gumnit ’53 textbooks, died May 17, 2018. Meeting her husband over crossword puzzles they worked together in class in grad school, Dorothy went on to become a volunteer who gave much of her time and creativity to Church Women United, the Girl Scouts, the Barstow Parents Association, the Swarthmore College Alumni Association, and Rotary Auxiliary of Kansas City. Edwin Ernst ’50 Edwin, who graduated from Lehigh University, died Oct. 10, 2012. A decorated Navy veteran, Edwin served in the submarine fleet during World War II and later became the president and owner of a company serving the banking and library industries. John Giles ’50 John, who played varsity tennis at Swarthmore, died March 17, 2014. College ties ran in his family: John’s wife, Marjorie Giles ’50, and daughter, Laura Giles ’75, were also alumni. His classmates memoralized him in the Halcyon as a “history major in honors, with a penchant for renaissance court life … paint-stained jeans and Shakespeare in crum … one of the few who really understand the art of give and take in conversation.” Alan Ward ’50 An engineer and veteran of the Korean War, Alan died June 25, 2018. His son, Andrew Ward, a professor at Swarthmore, wrote of his fond 74 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 memories “of Alan attending and very much enjoying both his 50th and 60th reunions at Swarthmore. Alan particularly liked attending the special lectures, as, like so many Swatties, he was a lifelong learner. “Alan was a skilled engineer, avid reader, world traveler, accomplished downhill and cross-country skier, and appreciative of the arts, ballet, opera, professional tennis, and movies,” Andrew added. “Above all, he cherished time with his family.” An acclaimed epileptologist, public health advocate, and professor, Robert died Oct. 15, 2017. A leading creator of the model for comprehensive epilepsy care, Robert founded the National Association of Epilepsy Centers in 1987 and served as president for 25 years. Mary Katherine Yntema ’50 Mary Kate, a mathematics professor who taught and traveled around the world, died July 26, 2018. Dedicated to her Baha’i faith, Mary Kate also completed a pilgrimage to Haifa, Israel, and served for several years as a live-in caretaker of the Urbana Baha’i Center. Bruce Graves ’51 Bruce, a scientific glassblower, teacher, and researcher, died June 26, 2015. An enthusiastic outdoorsman and environmentalist, Bruce was also active in the peace movement. Margery Davis Romberger ’51 Margery, who majored in biology at Swarthmore, died July 12, 2018. Half of a matchbox couple with the late John Romberger ’51, Margery was beloved by her large family. John Henefer ’52 John, a family man and devout Susan Harvey Houston ’53 Susan, an editor, marketing services manager, and politically active Chicagoan, died May 31, 2018. A longtime Quaker who hosted a meeting at her house for many years, Susan also served on many local boards and was instrumental in saving the stained-glass windows of the St. James Cathedral at Quigley Seminary. Irving Kennedy Jr. ’53 An anesthesiologist who ultimately cared for more than 40,000 patients, Irving died June 1, 2018. Also an accomplished long-distance runner, Irving loved sailing and collecting fine art from around the world. Eve Anne Johnson Kulberg ’53 Eve Anne, who raised five children and built a career that included stints as a dance camp director, art teacher, and secretary, died March 1, 2018. Her daughter, Pam, wrote in tribute: “She will be remembered for her stories, dancing, teasing ways, teaching of art, and love of parties. Her ashes will spread at the Noyes School of Rhythm arts retreat center where she spent many summers.” Andrew March ’53 Edwin Freeman ’51 A dedicated teacher and practitioner of psychiatric medicine, Edwin died June 29, 2018. As his loved ones wrote: Ned’s “life was full of many passions, and he had a special gift for creating community and connecting with people wherever he went. He was especially drawn to people who, like himself, loved to tell stories. He was always a thoughtful listener and faithful adviser to friends and family alike.” A Navy veteran, author, and professor of geography, Andrew died July 15, 2018. As his loved ones wrote: “He will be remembered as a devoted humanist who loved nature, language, literature, and ideas. He believed in nonviolence and simplicity of lifestyle and found spiritual comfort in nature, meditation, and the silent gatherings of Quaker meetings.” Roger Sale ’53 Roger, a charismatic teacher, bibliophile, and author of 13 books, died May 11, 2017. An expert in multiple genres of literature who taught at the University of Washington, Roger “particularly relished teaching groups to informally act out The Importance of Being Earnest,” according to a tribute his loved ones wrote that also highlighted how he “loved digging in his garden, the smell of rain, and watching sunlight as it moved across the trees.” Alan Smith ’53 A distinguished scientist who held seven patents, Alan died Aug. 3, 2018. Outside of work, he loved to help his sons tinker with cars and home repairs, and enjoyed jogging, swimming, and restoring antique radios. Jonathan Fine ’54, H’93 Jonathan, who helped found the Nobel Peace Prize-winning advocacy organization Physicians for Human Rights, died Jan. 17, 2018. As the Boston Globe wrote: “Over the past three decades, the organization has investigated and documented the medical effects of war crimes and mass atrocities in more than 60 nations around the world—in its early days often with Dr. Fine leading the way, bearing witness to abuses in places such as Iraq and South Korea.” The tribute also quoted patient Jose Amado, who said, “A man like Jonathan, the U.S. needs millions like him.” Leighton Whitaker ’54 A clinical psychologist who also directed student mental health services at three institutions, including Swarthmore’s Worth Health Center, Leighton died May 10, 2018. Lee was also “a lover of biographies, Rachmaninoff, the Ink Spots, sports, storytelling, and barking out of car windows at dogs,” his loved ones wrote. “He will be sorely missed as well by a lifetime of patients and colleagues, countless readers, and a world in search of emotional healing.” John Clark ’55 An influential pastor renowned for living his faith, John died May 30, 2018. After shepherding the Lansdale (Pa.) Reformed Presbyterian Church for 36 years, John retired to Florida with his wife, but continued to serve, teach, and lead, calling his spiritual work “the best job in the world.” Julien Gendell ’55 Julien, a chemistry professor and antiwar activist, died June 20, 2018. Jane Stevenson Heitman ’55 Jane, a longtime newspaperwoman who spent 21 years as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s daily advice columnist “Martha Carr,” died May 18, 2018. The developer of a pilot preschool program that later became the Head Start program in St. Louis, Jane was passionate about volunteering for organizations such as the Girl Scouts of America, the American Cancer Society, the St. Louis Better Business Bureau, and the Food Crisis Network. One of the organizers of the first national teach-in held in Washington, D.C., to protest the Vietnam War, “Julie” also wrote two chemistry textbooks that are still in use today and served as a family services counselor. Fred Van Arsdel Jr. ’56 Fred, who loved tennis and completed his bachelor’s degree at Ohio Wesleyan, died May 5, 2013. A veteran of the Army Reserves, Fred flew for Pan Am for several decades, retiring as captain, but counted his proudest moments as the births of his three grandchildren. Donald Zinn ’58 An attorney in the Bay Area of California, Donald died March 2, 2018. Proud that his younger brother and sister, Karl Zinn ’59 and Sue Zinn Eisinger ’64, followed in his College FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 75 looking back in memoriam Mary Woelfel Poole ’58 Mary, who majored in history at Swarthmore, died July 16, 2018. As her son wrote in a tribute for her loved ones: “She went out on the day she came in and squeezed in an amazing 82 years in between in which she fell in love with life and with you all.” Ann Carter Bohan ’60 A Philadelphia native who lived in Asheville, N.C., Ann died July 3, 2018. A “caring, spiritual, and thoughtful” wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, Ann “made herself available to her family and her closeknit circle of friends,” her loved ones wrote in a tribute. “Her loving and generous spirit will be missed by those who knew her.” Norman Passmore III ’65 Norman, who parlayed his gift for math into a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Delaware, died May 9, 2018. Beloved by his family and friends, Norman also enjoyed running, skiing, and playing the cello. Stuart Reasoner ’69 Stuart, whose post-Swarthmore journey included stints in the military, television production, news reporting, and Seneca Foods, died June 2, 2018. Fascinated by theology and Scripture, Stuart was a devout Catholic as well as an avid reader and conversationalist. He loved opera and animals, giving his pets names from Greek mythology. Jeffrey Remmel ’70 A distinguished mathematics professor at the University of California–San Peter Euben ’61 A beloved political theory professor and mentor to generations of students, Peter died May 28, 2018. As his loved ones wrote: “His singular teaching style mixed intense intellectual engagement and passionate commitment to political action with a mischievous sense of humor (bad puns were a specialty) and dramatic flair that made ideas—and their consequences— come alive.” Robert Hopkins Jr. ’64 Robert, who was deeply loved by his family and friends, died Jan. 12, 2014. Bob was also a founding member of Harvest Bible Chapel in Traverse City, Mich. Paul Todd ’64 A paralegal and volunteer who worked to make wherever he lived a better place, Paul died Feb. 27, 2011. Paul received a master’s from Western Michigan University and loved softball, skiing, and Anchorage, Alaska, where he became a community pillar. 76 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 Diego, Jeffrey died Sept. 29, 2017. A tribute the university wrote quoted fellow professor Mark Thiemens, who said: “Jeff was a magnificent mathematician and scholar, teachermentor, creator of new academic programs, and administrator. He did it all. I was fortunate to work with him every day for more than 15 years and see all that he was accomplishing. I was simultaneously astounded and humbled by Jeff.” Richard Hegner ’71 Richard, who graduated with honors in political science from Swarthmore and was beloved by family and friends, died May 13, 2016. Thea Duell ’72 Thea, a regal Renaissance woman, pioneering lawyer, businesswoman, and artist, died June 27, 2018. “She was an incredible cook, insatiable reader, and had a lifelong passion for traveling the world, especially in Italy, where she lived for a time outside of Florence. It was a time she cherished,” her loved ones wrote. “With a fiery joie de vivre and sense of humor, she was never one to take life too seriously. Even in her dying days, Thea had poise, wit, and a timeless grace, as if from another era. She truly was.” Lucille Curry Frieder ’75 Colin Wordley ’64 Colin, a programming entrepreneur and “well-known Jedi warrior,” died May 28, 2018. As his loved ones wrote in their tribute, “He was stereotypically English and was a soccer coach and an avid gardener. He gave up his first love of alcohol to become a ‘teetotaler’ and was sober for 39 years. He was part of the fellowship of Alcoholic Anonymous in Delco where he refined his Force powers. He was often known to wear his Yoda shirt at local AA meetings and say, ‘Do or do not, there is no try.’” + A brilliant psychologist and devoted mother, Lucille died May 15, 2018. Beloved for her quick wit and sense of humor, “Sam” enjoyed reading fiction and spending time with her family, never missing a celebration or holiday. Cynthia Kogut ’84 Cynthia, a voracious reader who founded a one-woman company specializing in editing medical literature, died July 11, 2018. As her loved ones wrote in a tribute: “An avid folk dancer, Cindy toured with the Mandala folk dance ensemble at festivals in Eastern Europe. She was a skilled pilot and flew whenever she could. “Family and friends will miss her spirited conversations, sharp wit, and lefty politics.” to report a death notice, email records@swarthmore.edu CHRISTIANE MOORE footsteps, Don came to Swarthmore as a physics major but, after a year abroad in England, changed to political science. Outside of work, he loved spending time with his family, sailing, playing the trumpet, keeping up with the Giants, and listening to Fats Domino. OCT. 30 MARKS the 80th anniversary of Orson Welles’s 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast. My favorite Swarthmore memory is our 1948 rebroadcast on WSRN. My freshman roommate, the late Ted Conant ’51, had a 16-inch radio transcription bootleg recording. “SN” was the center of all sorts of weird, interesting, and seminefarious activities, so we used it to do our own broadcast with Swarthmore inserts. (“From Parrish Hall, I can see the Chester shipyard cranes by the light of the flames!”) Our signal was limited to campus and Michael’s, the drugstore in the Ville, through an amplifier and loudspeaker. But my recollection is that a Chester Times reporter in Michael’s heard it and interviewed us for the paper. We enjoyed what we did, and I don’t remember any scoldings from the administration. By that time, they were used to the high jinks at SN, of which there were plenty. —KEN KURTZ ’51 FALL 2018 / Swarthmore College Bulletin 77 spoken word How has comedy evolved? If the typical, eternal comic plot is “boy meets girl” and “boy gets girl,” that changes dramatically as ideas about men and women and marriage evolve. Things like divorce, queer studies, and feminism have changed the way comedy gets presented now. It’s much less often a static story about a man winning the girl of his dreams. What comic themes are eternal? Mistaken identity. People losing control—like bodily functions—always seems funny. Pretension and misuse of power can always be mocked: It’s the way they’re laughed at that differs, and whom they’re associated with. HUMANISM OF HUMOR by Elizabeth Slocum WHAT DOES COMEDY SAY about society? That’s what students explore through English 011: Comedy, led by English Literature Professor Nora Johnson. A Swarthmore mainstay— “How long have I taught it? Oh, a scandalously long time,” Johnson quips—the class dives into comedic works ranging from ancient Roman plays to contemporary Hollywood rom-coms, engaging in a criticism on witticisms. 78 Swarthmore College Bulletin / FALL 2018 Why did you develop this course? Comedy is something that seems like it hasn’t changed since the classical period, yet it’s a sensitive register of cultures and historical moments. What topics do you cover? We follow how comedy works in different periods and cultures. For example, Plautus’s The Brothers Menaechmus, a mistaken-identity plot, serves as the source of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors—which is the basis of a 19th-century American blackface minstrel parody. So we’re able to study the same plot over three wildly different contexts. We also look at Oscar Wilde; we read Caryl Churchill’s play Cloud 9, a gender-bending, rule-breaking critique of colonialism; and we look at TV— going back to I Love Lucy to see how its plot techniques continue on into new media. Plus, we study a series of comedic films on remarriage—and ask why that genre has popped up in the 20th and 21st centuries. How will today’s comedy be studied in the future? It’s a period of intense historical change, with uncertainties about the ethics of laughing at “risky” humor that pushes the limits of being offensive. What are the social boundaries? What ties us together? How does comedy fit into that? It’s ambiguous politically. And it’s interesting, because comedy can seem really liberating, but it can also be an incredible disguise for deeply reactionary ways of thinking—about women, about people of color, etc. Why’s comedy crucial to humanity? It provides a finely adapted way of talking about who we are in this moment, and who we fear that we might be—what we think might be out of control, whether we think our societies are flexible enough to make us happy, whether we think happiness is possible, how we see our individual desires being gratified, or not, by the world around us. It allows us to talk about big questions. LAURENCE KESTERSON LAURENCE KESTERSON What do you find funny? I really love verbal wit. There are works that I find funny sometimes and appalling other times. Funny is a loaded thing, right? It’s enjoyable. It can be about communal bonds, and it can be about communal differences, too. I may be wrong, but I think nothing is ever purely funny. It’s always funny in relationship to anxiety. in this issue BEST IN SHOW 44 by Kate Campbell “The title of my painting is Slow to Shed,” says Martha Harrell Howard ’75. “For accuracy, it draws on my intimate knowledge of miniature donkeys and this one, Black Knight, in particular.” DOWELL HOWARD Hee-Haw The wondrous world of the miniature donkey. MOMENT IN TIME At a Sept. 20 celebration hosted by President Valerie Smith, Gil Kemp ’72 (right) and Barbara Guss announced their gift to transform Sharples Dining Hall. “In the end, a wholly reimagined Sharples will emerge,” Kemp says, “a welcome phoenix.” + READ MORE: bit.ly/SharplesGift FALL 2018 Periodical Postage PAID Philadelphia, PA and Additional Mailing Offices 500 College Ave. Swarthmore, PA 19081–1306 www.swarthmore.edu SWARTHMORE COLLEGE BULLETIN “ALEXA, MAKE A GIFT TO SWARTHMORE.” FALL 2018 RAY YUEN / SARAH LUGER ’97 “DID YOU SAY, ‘TAKE A LYFT TO SEE THOR’?” Hey, even a near-omnipotent repository of data gets it wrong every now and then. But you don’t have to! When you support Swarthmore students, you can make the world a better—and more joyful—place. lifechanging.swarthmore.edu SWA-HA-HA p26 LAST LAUGH p38 HEE-HEEYORE p44