Class Notes - Kenyon Alumni Magazine

1940s

1948

Ira Eliasoph, White Plains, New York, is happy to have celebrated his 90th birthday. He remains active and busy “teaching oculoplastic surgery at the VA hospital and playing some tennis.” Last spring, he attended the annual meeting of the Cogan Ophthalmic History Society in Washington, D.C., and he writes about medical history.

1950s

1950

Paul S. Buck moved to a senior living community in Bainbridge Island, Washington, near his middle son and his family. Having celebrated his 91st birthday, he writes, “My health is reasonably good. If there are any of my classmates living in the area, drop me a note.”

1950

Don R. Clark, Roswell, New Mexico, practices medicine daily and remains a competitive swimmer. “I swam when at Kenyon, 1947–49,” he writes, “and swam in the National Senior Olympics in June 2019 — 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke; 50 and 100 free; and 100 individual medley.”

1951

The Rev. Keith D. “Darr” Briggs, Brookville, Pennsylvania, turned 90 last year. He kept in touch with Richard H. “Dick” Needham ’53 until his death on May 29, and still talks with “old roomie” James H. Jones by phone.

1951

William H. Vickery explains why he continues to spend his holidays in Bali: “It’s tough finding a vacation spot when you live in Hawaii! Hope to hear of fellow classmates still enjoying life and contributing to our Kenyon. Much aloha to all!”

1951

““This note is prompted because I am tired of seeing no items under the Class of ’51. Where are you, remnants? Currently I am on a search committee for a new director of a public arboretum and also involved in a boundary dispute for a driveway between some houses and a 1788 one-room schoolhouse and cemetery. My current reading is divided between Uncle Wiggily and Hesiod.”
”

— Roger M. Whiteman

1953

““Mig and I are both well. She plays golf regularly, and I’m still playing InterClub tennis and a couple days of golf. We spend lots of happy time visiting grandkids at their high school, college and grad school graduations.”
”

— Ronald R. Ryan

1954

David Smith, Thousand Oaks, California, shares about taking up skiing in his mid-50s: “On borrowed skis and boots, my first attempts were made in the mountains east of Los Angeles. It was very strenuous, and lacking proper clothing I’d sweat going down and freeze on the lift; in the evening, stiffness and sore muscles. I joined a local ski club in 1987 and began going on weekend trips to Mammoth. Group lessons and annual weeks of instruction eventually made skiing less strenuous, and it became fun. As I approached 70, my reflexes began to slow: a few ‘DQs’ for missing gates and no more racing. Once I turned 80, skiing at Mammoth was free. Still fun, and the ambience and camaraderie were wonderful. Each year since, however, I’ve begun to fade earlier in the day, probably a mix of age and altitude. My last weekend bus trip was in 2018. This year I went to Park City for a week; the conditions were not good. Skiing was no longer easy and fun. When I groused to my daughter about this change, she remarked, ‘You’ve had a good run.’ She’s right. I have.”

1955

““In the middle of my life, age 53 to be exact, I met and married a lovely woman, Alice, teacher and artist. She was the love of my life, and we had 30 good years together until her illness and death in June 2018. Those years included frequent visits to Gambier, which we enjoyed fully. I am in the process of recovering and finding my way forward from here.”
”

— John L. Hammond

1956

Roger Alling Jr. and Dian sold their Florida house and enjoyed a winter in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, closer to their grandchildren. “Thankfully it was not too cold nor did we have too much snow,” he notes.

1958

Dale A. Neuman stayed active during his second winter in Maine as part of the cast of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Maine’s production of “Iolanthe.” He also sings with Evensong, the “musical arm of Hancock County Hospice,” he informs. “I participate in the poetry group and the writing group at Parker Ridge Independent Living Community, where I live in Blue Hill, about 75 miles from my daughter and her family. So I get to see them several times a month instead of once a year, as when I lived in Kansas City.”

1960s

1960

David J. Gury, Ocean Ridge, Florida, is divorced after 44 years following “a decision to recognize what I have known all my life, that I am gay,” Dave writes. “The family response has been positive. Karen moved to a continuing-care facility in Boca Raton, and I moved to the condo we acquired many years ago on the ocean. Ten months ago, I met and fell in love with a wonderful man. He left Cuba in the middle of the night with nothing to begin a new life in America and is now retired after a career as a psychiatrist and working in Florida public health. We are enjoying living together on the beach.”

1960

Brent E. Scudder, New London, New Hampshire, a retired meteorologist, has been storm-chasing across the Midwest as part of his bucket list.

1962

“George Brownstone teaches and supervises psychoanalysis from Vienna, Austria, sometimes by videoconference but also by traveling: “A few places I love to go to in person, like Belfast. Some of the best golf courses in the world.” He adds: “Trump, U.S. and world politics, and global warming are the big clouds on my horizon. The America my parents escaped to, where I grew up, which I loved and was proud of, is gone, and it’s heartbreaking to see it dismantled. I’m an expat with no patria. The world I’m passing on to my daughter and her children is nothing like what I once thought it would be. Kenyon’s smart, liberal, critical, well-educated people were never more important than now.” ”

— George Brownstone

1962

Richard A. Rubin, Mill Valley, California, is retired from chairing the Commonwealth Club of California Board of Governors. From an earlier visit by President Sean Decatur, Richard has the “impression that Kenyon is indeed making itself known in the national dialogue. President Decatur is focusing on ways we can restore and broaden civil discourse.” He celebrates the achievements of his six grandchildren, three of them belonging to daughter Pilar Rubin Prime ’00.

1962

David C. Newcomb, Silver Spring, Maryland, teaches meditation at libraries, meditation centers, expos, civic and professional associations, and Hindu temples, all free to the public — “about 500 classes to date,” he notes

1964

Stephen B. Goldenberg was re-elected to the board of PFLAG in Naples, Florida. He appeared in the Marco Island production of A.R. Gurney’s play “Love Letters” and as narrator in the VeronaWalk production of “High Noon at Gloomtown.”

1964

David S. Gullion, Boise, Idaho, is enjoying retirement from his oncology and hematology practice, missing his patients but not the electronic record or administrative headaches, he updates.

1966

Charles S. Evans moved to Topsham, Maine —“15 minutes north of L.L. Bean, near Bowdoin College”— to a community called Highland Green. Charlie works one day a week at a veterinary clinic performing physical therapy on canines: “a lovely way to make a living and keep my blood pressure manageable,” he writes. “A wife I adore, a job I love, good health and a community of lively and interesting people — I only hope everyone in the Class of 1966 is as happy.”

1966

Robert P. Moyer, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, showed 14 pieces from his art collection at a Southeast Center for Contemporary Art exhibit honoring outsider artist Sam “the Dot Man” Macmillan. Bob also organized the Haiku North America conference in August, convening 200 poets from around the world. “I’m also teaching fourth-graders how to tell jokes, third-graders Greek myth and second-graders how to write haiku,” he adds.

1966

Gerald E. Reynolds, Fairfax, Virginia, and his wife, Claudia, spent March in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, and visited Portugal and Austria in June. Jerry retired from Leidos, Inc., where he had been “instructing the fundamentals of critical thinking and intelligence analysis for the U.S. director of national intelligence.” Grandchildren attend Cornell, Dartmouth and Purdue. “Life is good, and we’re thankful for family and friends.”

1966

Michael C. Sivitz and wife Marta are reducing household clutter in their home of more than 30 years in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. He had spinal surgery in March, and is intensifying his studies of modern Hebrew. “Unlike Herr Lide’s 8 a.m. German classes in Ascension with the windows wide open,” he writes, “I just meet once a week in a heated room with six other adults at Gratz College. All my family came to celebrate the big 75th, which I guess most of you have had as well.”

1966

Roy F. Spalding retired six years ago from his professorship at the University of Nebraska and moved to Merritt Island, Florida. “The weather,” he describes, “with the exception of two hurricanes, has been terrific, and the fishing in the Atlantic is good. My wife and I spend as much time as possible fishing from our Carolina Cat boat and tending our citrus trees.

1967

““No more LA!” Bill and Gail moved to Aiken, South Carolina, on farm acreage where they designed and built their dream home and barn. “We have all the pastoral amenities in a private equine community — the quiet and comfort we never really assumed we would have in our retirement. Our sadness is that the boys are no longer with us, and Gail’s disabilities are very limiting. I have reopened a psychotherapy practice as a way of giving back to the religious and secular needs of this area, and folks are most generous in welcoming us.”
”

— The Rev. William C. Scar

1967

Michael L. Ulrey retired from Boeing in Seattle four years ago and now lives “on the nearest-to-Gambier side” of Mount Vernon. Mike spends mornings at Wiggin Street Coffee shop with friends old and new, attends Math Mondays and Physics Fridays on campus, works out at the KAC and walks his dog Yuri on the trails. “Acquired a 2019 Miata Club RF with all the go-fast bits,” he adds.

1968

Richard H. Levey, Detroit, remembers that “Kenyon encouraged us to think critically — and dare I say to act critically!” Thus his direct actions and four arrests for civil disobedience in the last year: “One dismissal and one fine for trespass (a lie-in at the state capitol); one jury acquittal for blocking the QLine in Detroit; and one disturbing the peace trial for wrapping the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in crime-scene tape.” He credits his work with the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign in part to a 1968 campus visit by James Farmer.

1968

Michael A. Liff, Portland, Maine, celebrates the difficult journey that led him to his current status: cancer-free. “I’m here today to write about it and, more important, I’ll be here to watch my grandsons grow up. To any who are fighting this fight, I encourage you to kick cancer’s ass!”

1968

Jack D. Train, Boston, joined other Kokosinger alumni last winter at the Union Street Restaurant and Bar “to toast the current group and enjoy their great singing,” he informs. “As an ‘original Koke’ it was especially sweet to hear the old and new songs, and fun to join the singing when we all belted out ‘Coney Island Baby.’”

1969

Kenneth R. Abraham, Dover, Delaware, continues his drive for criminal justice reform, saying, “I know that much of my success is attributable to my Kenyon education! Though not making any money, I am doing what I love: helping victims of our dysfunctional criminal justice system.”

1969

William M. Lokey, Tacoma, Washington, is a lecturer on cruise ships: “With my wife, Andrea,” he recounts, “we have been across the Atlantic, through the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, to Alaska, New Zealand, Australia and other points. Was between Alaska and Siberia during our 50th; miss you guys.”

1969

The Rev. Kendale A. Moore, Stone Mountain, Georgia, enjoyed a trip with a men’s choir to Wales and England, where they sang in concert halls and churches, including St. David’s Hall in Cardiff, Chester Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral and London’s Royal Albert Hall.

1970s

1970

Ron Ditmars, Brooklyn, New York, enjoyed a Kenyon Chamber Singers concert at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church of “17 compositions straight, without looking at a single sheet of music, and in about seven different languages. Uplifting, to say the least.”

1970

Edward L. Smyth, Shelter Island, New York, has been enjoying attention to “the group of us that made up the Pattern and Decoration movement between 1975 and 1985,” with shows at the Ludwig Museum in Aachen, Germany. the MUMOK Museum in Vienna. the MAMCO Museum in Geneva and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Ned informs. “It was interesting that each museum came to this idea without the knowledge of the other’s shows,” he adds. “Zeitgeist!”

1971

Coby Johnson, Leland, North Carolina, updates that he and Mary retired in 2016 and are “having a ball. Our five grandchildren think this place is Disneyland … I haven’t told them yet.”

1971

Scott D. Miller, Pewaukee, Wisconsin, founder and majority shareholder in ESI Equity, is thrilled to report that his partners acquired the firm last year. “My long-lost love for lacrosse is being reignited,” he adds, “as a board member on the Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation, the governing body for the sport at the state high school level. Exciting to attend local games, but in Wisconsin in March, really similar to outside ice hockey — brrrr!”

1972

The Rev. Preston Lentz was ordained a priest last April 6 in the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii. “The service took place at St. Christopher’s Church,” he updates, “which was our home parish when Mary Ann, the children and I lived in Hawaii in the 1980s. I will continue working full time with Cadinha & Co. The six-year process leading to ordination has been fascinating and life-altering.”

1972

Susan Emery McGannon serves as president of the Middle Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, an organization she helped create about three years ago. She also serves on the county and regional library boards and takes classes at Middle Tennessee State University. She enjoyed a European river cruise last summer.

1973

Kim S. Booth, Cumberland Center, Maine, retired after 42 years in hospital laboratory management. He and his wife, Lynn, enjoy their three children and three grandchildren in Portland, Maine, and welcome visitors.

1973

Robert E. Kirkpatrick retired as head of school at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, in 2016 and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bob is working part-time as an educational consultant doing executive coaching and head-of-school searches for the Education Group, and serving on the boards of a local independent school and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian.

1973

Lauren Elliott Woolcott, Middleburg, Virginia, reunited for walks, talks, sharing and support with friends of 50 years Ann Sugrue Kransdorf, Laurie B. Sherwood,and Cathi S. Gilmore.

1974

Thomas A. Andrew, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, completed his 41st year teaching high school English, the past 33 of which have been at Moses Brown, a Friends school. “My pedagogy in recent years has increasingly turned toward literature of place,” he writes, “especially the wilderness, and issues relating to climate change.”

1974

Edward A. Cohen, Minneapolis, enjoyed work on several film projects, including “Eighth Grade,” the acclaimed Bo Burnham directorial debut; “The Irishman,” a recent Scorsese film; and “Tales of the City,” based on Armistead Maupin’s books. “I’ve had time to practice and play with two bands, the Strolling Clones (rock) and the Broken Hipsters (Boomer-era folk), although mainly I enjoy hanging out with my wife, Abby Ruben, and our nephews, Jude and Symon, because their worldview is so fresh.”

1974

Michelle Hoffman Fitzpatrick recapped the 20 years since her last alumni note: “My husband, Terry, and I lived full-time in Portland, Oregon, for over 25 years and raised our daughter Vera there. We now happily spend time at our home in San Miguel de Allende, in the highlands of central Mexico, or traveling to far-flung destinations. I am winding down involvement with Marketivity Inc., the consulting firm I founded in 1999, which provides marketing and research for architectural and engineering firms. The ‘to do’ list for my next ‘careers’ keeps getting longer and more intriguing.”

1975

F. Jay Andress III, Cincinnati, reports that his work helped complete the second phase of the seven-mile Wasson Way bike and pedestrian trail last summer. In 2018, he received the local parks foundation’s Phyllis W. Smale Award for enhancing natural beauty in the city. “Can’t wait to ride the trail with some Kenyon friends as they pass through Cincinnati.”

1975

Raye H. Koch, Plano, Texas, announces the birth of her first grandchild, Cameron Michael, on Nov. 7, 2018. She’s still practicing physical therapy, wintering in Texas, and spends summers in Chicago, where she regularly sees Mary Kay Karzas and Susan Schrier Davis.

1975

Charlotte J. “Shami” McCormick, Winter Springs, Florida, directed a production of “Bad Jews” for Mad Cow Theatre, and acted in “Rapture, Blister, Burn.” She continues performing at Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

1975

Eric W. Mueller and Jan E. Lenkoski-Mueller ’77, both retired, live in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. “We’re enjoying daily walks on the beach and excellent shellfishing just down the road,” Eric updates.

1975

Michael C. O’Connor returned to the Chicago area after 35 years away. “I work in talent development for CSL Behring, a biopharmaceutical company doing great things for patients with rare diseases,” he writes.

1976

David E. Griffith spoke last year at the Westminster School, his alma mater prior to Kenyon, on the topic “Race, Poverty and Privilege.” Read his remarks on his blog at WearMuddyBoots.com. He is the executive director and head coach of Episcopal Community Services of Philadelphia.

1976

Jeffrey B. Jewitt, Strongsville, Ohio, returned to his “original passion,” he writes — building acoustic guitars. “Still operate Homestead Finishing Products, which manufactures stains and other items for the woodworking and musical instrument industries. Still find time to teach — mostly luthiers who need help with finishing.” Jeff routinely converses with fellow luthier Christopher J. Myers.

1976

James W. Kraft, Carmel, Indiana, reports that his play, “The Novel Writer,” was a finalist in the one-act competition of the 2019 Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans.

1976

Rabbi Charles P. Rabinowitz, Larchmont, New York, updates that he has been named chair of the ethics committee for Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains.

1977

Rosemary P. Begley, Louisburg, Kansas, participated in the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Disney World, signing reproductions of four of her original paintings: Epcot’s England Pavilion with a Mary Poppins theme, Canada Pavilion, Spaceship Earth and Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. Her works show at all Art of Disney galleries there and at select resorts.

1977

““In the space of two days, I announced my retirement from the Trust for Public Land after 25 years (10 as VP/director of federal affairs); won a big legislative victory in Congress; and then promptly broke my foot on the way to the bar to celebrate! Sigh.””

— Katherine B. DeCoster

1977

Wiles W. Keeran, Canton, Ohio, was offered a job as an engineering slope technician at the world’s third-largest surface copper mine in Morenci, Arizona, but chose to decline: “Not looking for a job anymore. I am retired now!”

1977

Shari B. Miller Sims, Rye Brook, New York, a docent at the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUNY-Purchase and a contributor to the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, reports she has stepped back — into kindergarten and first grade. “At the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School, my daughter’s alma mater, I serve as a volunteer assistant in their STEAM program, helping integrate science, technology, engineering, the arts and math into hands-on projects. It’s as close to the ideal of a liberal arts education as any young child can get, and gives me hope for the future.”

1977

Thomas W. Toch, Chevy Chase, Maryland, joined the faculty of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, where he directs the education policy center FutureEd. Tom’s story on an innovative public school admissions program, “The Lottery That’s Revolutionizing D.C. Schools,” was published in the Washington Post magazine in March.

1978

Donna J. DeMarco updates: “After a difficult battle with breast cancer, I have finally opened my world dance studio, Serpentine Dance, in downtown Bethesda, Maryland.” She offers samba, zumba and, soon, Bollywood, along with belly dancing. “I have developed a form of restorative dance,” she adds, “to help cancer survivors and those recovering from debilitating illnesses to get their bodies moving again and enjoy physical activity. Stop by and visit!”

1978

Rabbi Michelle Werner, Rochester, Minnesota, reports she is “up and running again after open heart surgery in January 2019. All parts are now functioning at full capacity. I had wonderful support from friends, neighbors and my congregation.”

1979

Lindsay C. Brooks, who has been living in her condo in Harlem since 2012, realized that she has now lived in New York City for close to half her life. “Hosted three members of the Kenyon Chamber Singers for one night — enjoyed the concert and their visit. Were we ever that young?!”

1979

Laura L. Daykin, Martinez, California, is a trainer and instructional designer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in San Francisco. “Post-dance career,” she writes, “I’ve kept the creative flames stoked with a number of ‘that’s-so-San-Francisco’ activities, including Taiko drumming, Balinese gamelan, and crewing on art installations at Burning Man.” Laura also looks forward to doing more voiceover work once she retires from the law firm.

1979

Jody O. Holmes, Tucson, Arizona, has a large project underway at the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree Ring Science. She helps curate the nearly 100 years of samples collected since the technique was first developed, each of them useful for dating archaeological structures, fire and insect damage cycles, or global climate change.

1979

Robert B. O’Connor, Germantown, Tennessee, is board president of Thistle & Bee, a nonprofit that helps women escape the life of prostitution. Locally produced beekeeping products — honey, granola, gift packs — help women survivors and are available at thistleandbee.org.

1979

Margaret Whitman, Baltimore, writes: “I cannot believe it has been 40 years since we left Kenyon. The fastest 40 years I have ever known!” Margie retired in June after 13 years as an elementary-school nurse. Plans are to visit her two children in Denver and son in D.C. more frequently. “And who knows what else might come along?”

1980s

1980

James T. Parker informs that, after years of working in the health industry, he joined the Department of Health and Human Services as senior adviser for health reform to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “I’m commuting from Indianapolis to Washington and enjoying reconnecting with many old friends,” Jim writes. “Needless to say, Washington is a dynamic place to be!”

1981

Jonathan A. Bernstein, Cincinnati, celebrated his 36th anniversary with wife Lisa and has three grandchildren. He recently received the Distinguished Clinician Award from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “Still working full time seeing patients, doing research and teaching,” Jon reports.

1981

Margaret P. Calkins, Moreland Hills, Ohio, researches and consults regarding environments for people living with dementia. “Striving hard for work-life balance,” Maggie writes, “promising myself not to work more than 40 hours a week. Then there is time for wood-turning and silk painting.”

1981

Stephanie Resnick, a managing partner in the Philadelphia office of Fox Rothschild LLP, received a lifetime achievement award from The Legal Intelligencer for professional excellence in a career that “left an imprint on the legal history of the state.” Her firm described her as “a nationally ranked litigator who for three decades has blazed a trail for women in the law (and) among the first wave of women to reach the pinnacle of corporate litigation as lead attorney for Fortune 500 clients.”

1982

Victoria Kent Worth completed her doctorate in English, studying Anglo-Saxon manuscripts. “Living in western Massachusetts on an old dairy farm,” Vicky updates, “with dogs, cats, my husband and a 16-year-old daughter. Life is good!”

1982

Tameron T. Kugler, who lives a handful of miles from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, informs that she is “still steering the helm as tourism director for the Currituck Outer Banks” organization. “If any of my classmates are coming this way, let me know—I might have some insider information.” With her son and daughter-in-law having moved from Oahu to Virginia Beach, Tameron now enjoys seeing her grandson much more regularly.

1982

Emily J. Yukich, a managing partner in the Los Angeles office of Fox Rothschild LLP, was recognized in the 2019 class of Most Influential Women Lawyers by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Yukich was honored for her “exceptional legal skills across the full spectrum of responsibility” and her contributions to the Los Angeles community at large.

1983

Suzanne Hershey, Austin, Texas, enjoyed a visit from the older daughter of the late Julia M. Boltin. “We ran around Austin,” Suzanne writes, “dove into old photos and letters (Julia and I were avid epistolary pals), and talked about what her mom was like in college and her twenties. It was amazing to catch a glimpse of Julia in her wonderful daughter.”

1983

Amy McCloskey continues supporting Kenyonites at “the sexiest bar in New York City,” Madame X. She hosted a fundraiser for a new web series created by Shelley Fort ’11 and Claire Fort ’07 called “Dear Sister.” She also helped stage a weekly play about Toulouse-Latrec, created by Lisa Timmel ’91. Over spring break, she hosted Thao Nguyen ’21 while she interned at another alum’s law firm. “May I say, Kenyon produces some quality people!” Amy writes. She describes her Brooklyn guest room as a “comfy place to stay at the shockingly low rate of $0. We enjoy getting to know all y’all.”

1983

David M. Scott, Lexington, Massachusetts, updates that his 2014 book “Marketing the Moon” was the inspiration for the three-part miniseries “Chasing the Moon,” which aired on the PBS show American Experience in July. David served as consulting producer.

1983

Charlotte (Pillsbury) Wood, San Ramon, California, was promoted to director of marketing at Family Giving Tree, a nonprofit serving Bay Area low-income families and students in need. Her oldest son, Carson, is pursuing his aviation commission in the Marine Corps, while younger son Dawson enters college this fall. Husband David is assisting in the post-fire recovery efforts around Paradise, California.

1984

Helen C. “Missy” Bemis, Skokie, Illinois, held a six-month GlaxoSmithKline fellowship with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, working in Laos on HIV, TB and improving supply chains. “Incredible experience!” she shares.

1985

Sarah M. Corvene, Medford, Massachusetts, left Harvard after 20 years for Tufts University, explaining, “I couldn’t say no to an interesting position that’s only a 10-minute walk from my house. Anyone visiting Tufts, swing by the Tisch Library and say hello.”

1985

Jennifer M. Mizenko, Oxford, Mississippi, produced her 29th dance concert at Ole Miss, titled “Calling Terpischore!” She then presented a workshop at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, based on her book, “The Laban Workbook for Actors.” That was followed by hosting the South Regional Conference of the American College Dance Association, with 300 participants from 25 schools attending. All within a one-month period — “and then I slept for about two days!” she adds.

1985

Virginia B. Seyler, Baltimore, celebrated the graduation of her 22-year-old triplets: from University of Maryland (a teacher), from Towson University (psychology degree), and from the DePaul School of Music in Chicago (a jazz musician). Ginny runs the statewide in-person assistance program of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, the state insurance marketplace. Last year she visited Tuscany and touched base with William J. Taylor and Lawrence H. and Sarah VanOosterhout Shannon.

1985

Richard Lincoln, with his wife and son, relocated to their boat, Apricity. From Prince Edward Island, Canada, they were headed south to the Bahamas, Florida Keys and their new home on St. John in the Virgin Islands, where they planned to spend the winter and spring before more cruising. Follow their adventure at mv-apricity.blog.

1986

Brother Christopher Derby, S.J., executive director of the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, welcomed Doc Locke and the Chamber Singers for a concert on their 2019 tour. “On that snowy March Sunday,” Chris writes, “the Chamber Singers filled our chapel with an hour’s worth of glorious music. So wonderful to host them!”

1986

John F. Pollard, Seattle, enjoyed a visit with Robert B. Plotkin, who, John reports, is “doing very well, and is a pioneer in tele-psychiatry.” John “wrote the last college tuition check; has a cabin project in the San Juan islands; and business continues to be fun. Best wishes.”

1987

Jessica Greenstein hosted the Chamber Singers at her synagogue, the Woodstock Jewish Congregation in Woodstock, New York. “The audience was spellbound by the impeccable performance,” she writes, “giving them a standing ovation. Over half the singers stayed overnight with hosts from our congregation. I hope to have them back on their next East Coast tour.”

1987

““I have retired after 30 years in the corporate world. Planning to spend more time on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, lower my handicap, cycle more and serve on some boards. Have been enjoying serving on the board of the U.S. Soccer Foundation with fellow Delt Charles “Cully” Stimson ’86.”
”

— Peter B. Luther

1987

Adam C. Smith, St. Petersburg, Florida, who spent much of his career as political editor of the Tampa Bay Times, is now senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs, a global public strategy firm, where he advises political campaigns, advocacy groups, businesses and governments.

1987

Catherine “Katya” Uroff Brill received the 2018 Prairie Schooner Glenna Luschei Award for her short story “Dolphins.” Her latest, “You Are Not Alone,” was published in Hobart. She works as a product marketing manager at Konica Minolta, which involves a lot of international travel. She and Kenneth E. Brill ’83 reside in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and if she is “so sad” that son Henry D. Brill ’19 graduated in May, it’s only because “it’s been so much fun to be on campus again.”

1988

“ “So fun to host three current Kenyon students overnight while they were in town with the Chamber Singers performing at St. Bart’s. A little weird to realize they weren’t even born when we were at Kenyon.” ”

— Aileen C. Hefferren

1988

Nina L. Oldenquist loves her work as an architect in Glens Falls, New York, where she enjoys life in the Adirondacks.

1988

Maria-Teresa (Wilson) Samwick, Norwich, Vermont, submitted what she thinks might be her first ever alumni note: “The Brooklyn girl got transplanted a while back — I came up for a two-year stint 23 years ago. Stayed. Married. Kids. Other stuff. Flash forward — the kids are both teenagers.” Terry is enjoying producing middle school and high school musical theater. “Why did it take me this long to figure out I liked teaching and directing?” she adds. “Genuinely rewarding and fun to finally put my Kenyon degree to some use after a few decades of letting it collect dust!”

1989

Lisa A. Kerscher, Missoula, Montana, is education director for the K-12 educational nonprofit Brightways Learning, which “supports students and educators in personalized, collaborative and culturally responsive learning, along with growing overall resiliency for lifelong well-being,” she writes. Getting to know people in more than two dozen communities in Alaska has been especially interesting, and she is now co-developing curriculum for a native language revitalization project in that state’s interior.

1989

Taylor V. Ruggles is enjoying his return to Arlington, Virginia, after seven years abroad in the U.S. Foreign Service, happy to be back home with his wife, Erica, and Labrador retriever, Bailey, he reports.

1989

Susan (First) Withers, Lakewood, Ohio, celebrated the graduation of daughter Juliana P. Withers ’19: “It’s been a fun four years comparing notes. My best Kenyon Mom moment was being at her volleyball senior night party and getting asked to select the next song — ‘Take on Me,’ by a-ha. Yep, I know you’re humming it right now. Every single person in the apartment knew it and was singing all the words at the top of their lungs! In case there was ever any doubt — K80s rule!”

When In Seattle

Thinking about a visit to Washington's largest city? Seattle resident Abbe Jacobson '89 has some tips.

1990

Peter K. Kyle Jr. moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he is an assistant professor of theater and dance at Trinity College. He and husband Scott Giguere jumped into being first-time homeowners with an 1835 stone farmhouse that will be their latest long-term art project. “After decades of wonderful living in Brooklyn,” he writes, “the move to ‘the country’ is a welcome change.” In addition to teaching and choreographing internationally, last year he became associate director of Bearnstow on Parker Pond, a historic summer arts retreat in rural Maine.

1990

Thomas A. Witherspoon started his “dream job” as senior technical writer for Harmonic Inc., an Oregon software company working in television broadcasting. Tom also joined the board of Twilight Theater Company, a small up-and-coming theater in Portland.

1991

After Alison J. Black, Marlborough, Massachusetts, completed marathons in all 50 states back in October 2017, she set a new goal: 100 half-marathons. Last winter, she achieved that goal in the Maui Oceanfront Half Marathon. “Now I’m taking a break from races,” she writes, “and focusing on strength training and weight loss. Life without races is very different, but I’m enjoying the change of pace.”

1991

Reid S. Carlberg reports that after more than 20 years in Chicagoland, in 2016 he “took Taco Tuesdays on the road” and landed in Evergreen, Colorado, in the Rockies, west of Denver. While still working for Salesforce, he notes, “It’s great to be in a place where arctic vortexes don’t mean much, the snow is fun, and herds of elk cause minor traffic inconveniences.” He calls his supervision of 10 fifth-graders in First LEGO League “a delightfully insane way to spend a few months.”

1991

Tracey Guest Kinahan, Forest Hills, New York, traveled to Paris with Noelle Bernard Hallahan and Christie Getto Young in March for their “nifty fifty” birthday. “Soaked in lots of culture and architectural marvels,” she reports, “enjoyed food and wine, and laughed hysterically throughout—not unlike Kenyon in the ’90s!”

1991

Holly Hatch-Surisook, Minneapolis, celebrated 23 years of marriage, 11 years of owning and running a restaurant, a weekend in Colorado with Kenyon friends, opening a second restaurant, “witnessing my oldest child become an adult, and celebrating my 50th birthday in NYC,” she writes. “Counting my blessings for each trip around the sun with the ones I love.”

1991

Anthony H. Jones, Jersey City, New Jersey, left careers in law, justice system consulting and sandwich-making “to pursue something I have been passionate about since 1995—wine,” he updates. “In 2014, I started as a wine runner at Balthazar (at $12 an hour) and then worked at a retail wine store on the Lower East Side of New York City. From there I transitioned to working as a sommelier at various restaurants.” In September 2019 he became a sommelier at Le Coucou, a Michelin star restaurant in SoHo, where everyone now calls him “Bones.”

1991

Alexander A. Novak and Angela (Karnosky) Novak ’89 celebrated their 25th anniversary with a Bahamas sailboat cruise and a week in Israel. Alex finished running a 100-mile race in 29 hours and 30 minutes—“third to last but happy to have finished,” he reports. Living in Bethesda, Maryland, more than 20 years, Alex is publisher of a history book-publishing imprint.

1992

Mike Hallenbeck, Minneapolis, reports a good year with music and sound house Junior Birdman Audio, creating FX, original scores and final mix for TV spots and social media for clients such as Michelob, 3M and AT&T. “I also recently mixed a documentary about Cuban drag queens,” Mike notes.

1992

David D. Kim, New York City, and his wife, Clara, welcomed a son, Milo, last Feb. 18. “We are overjoyed and loving every moment of being parents to him,” he writes.

1993

Robert F. Cardone Jr. and his family have lived in Hillsborough, North Carolina, for “more than a decade now,” he writes. There, his sons, Nicholas and Grant, “have discovered the love of lacrosse, so I am back involved with the lacrosse community after a 13-year hiatus.”

1994

Christopher G. Calvosa, Bronx, New York, was married in 2018 and became the father of a 7.5-pound boy on March 1, 2019.

1994

Philip A. Musser, Alexandria, Virginia, left Boeing for a position running the government affairs operation at NextEra Energy, “the largest producer of clean energy in the world,” he informs. Phil’s daughters Abby and Alex are growing “way too fast,” he adds.

1995

Patricia L. McGinnis, Brooklyn, New York, was promoted to executive vice president of the Center for Health Care Strategies, a nonprofit resource center dedicated to improving the health of low-income Americans. A nationally recognized expert in health-system transformation, Tricia has been with the organization since 2010.

1996

Pia V. Catton, New York City, describes her “career pivot to nonprofit fundraising” as being “in full swing.” She is on the development team at National Dance Institute, which brings arts education, via dance classes, to public schoolchildren.

1996

Jennifer L. Marek has not only made the cross-bay jump after 14 years in San Francisco to a residence in Oakland, California, she’s now traveled to all seven continents, after an “epic trip to Antarctica,” she updates. “My digital production shop, Thunderbeast, is entering its fourth year. Our motto: Work hard, be brave!”

1997

Jeremy R. Collins, an Indianapolis resident since 2001, works for Health and Hospital Corp. “We run the Marion County Public Health Department, Eskenazi Hospital and the county EMS,” he explains. He is a volunteer and the director of operations and facilities for HOBY Indiana, a youth leadership seminar program, and also runs the Indianapolis Amateur Volleyball meetup group.

1997

Amanda Mason Gadrow, Pickerington, Ohio, is the director of quality assurance and support at RStudio, and has been “quite active in the data science community lately,” she informs. She co-taught a course at the Women in Statistics and Data Science conference in 2018, gave a conference presentation on writing reliable R code last January, and delivered a keynote speech on data-driven business decisions at the Women in Analytics conference in March. Last April, in Rosse Hall, she sang the soprano solo in the Community Choir’s performance of Haydn’s Mass in B-flat Major.

1997

Adam Hunter Howard, Studio City, California, wrapped up his 17th year at Harvard-Westlake School, his fifth as an academic dean/college counselor. His two young boys, Andrew and Max, take most of his free time, but he continues “to write and act a little on the side,” he shares. “I had the privilege in January,” he adds, “of officiating the wedding of Daniel E. Fishbach ’98, a great chance to catch up with some alums, including a handful of Kokosingers.”

1997

Eric S. Newman, West Chester, Pennsylvania, retired from the world of finance and is spending more time with his five children, helping Lora Ballinger Newman with their home-schooling. He finished writing a travel book titled “Iceland with Kids.” On a trip to Wellington, Canada, he joined a dragon boat team and caught up with David M. Cowart ’96 and his family.

1997

Larae Bush Schraeder, Columbus, Ohio, helped Nationwide Insurance close its library, which opened in 1936. “We managed to find a new home for most but not all of the collection,” she updates, “but it’s still bittersweet to watch the focus shift exclusively to digital resources.” Alumni Council work returned her to the Hill, where she enjoyed meeting current students: “Most were anxious about jobs and tired of the gray skies and construction,” she describes. “It brought back memories.”

1998

Ryan L. Berry, Marysville, Ohio, and his wife are busy working and raising two children, Claire and Clayton, on a little farm they converted back to native prairie grass and wildflowers. They also built a pond, the realization of a longtime goal.

1998

David W. Carroll and Teena Conklin Carroll live in Abingdon, Virginia, “in the heart of the central Appalachians,” they update, where they have moved into their dream home —“awesome mountain views” and a wildflower meadow they planted. Teena is a math professor at Emory and Henry College, while Dave is a choral music educator for grades 6-12.

1998

Arthur H. Stroyd, Pittsburgh, enjoyed “a mini-reunion of Dekes in Florida” in March, he reports, with R. Barry Tatgenhorst ’67, Walter R. Butler ’68, Denis B. Pierce ’66 and James E. Nininger ’70. They look forward to seeing a larger group at their next DKE get-together this year in Gambier.

1998

Tyler A. Studds '98 and Lauren MacKay ’96 and their daughter live in Los Angeles so Lauren could pursue a master’s in yoga studies at Loyola Marymount. “After 10 years of working to grow the offshore wind sector in Massachusetts,” Tyler writes, “I am excited now to be working for EDP Renewables, where I am leading the development of the first offshore wind farm on the West Coast.”

1999

Molly M. (Harsh) Gutridge, Utica, Ohio, announces the birth of son Liam, born Jan. 30, 2019: “He’s amazing and growing like a weed! Trying to get the hang of being a first-time mommy at 41 years old — whew!”

1999

Kamille A. (Johnson) Harless '99 and Jamie C. Harless ’95 live in Atlanta, where Kamille teaches chemistry at her old high school. Vice president of the Alumni Council, she offers: “If you have any questions or concerns you would like to raise, please feel free to reach out to me or any other members.”

1999

Alice M. (McCunn) Hensley, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and her husband celebrated their 16th anniversary in September. In her work as a school psychologist, she has been training teachers in educational neuroscience, trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning. “Every day is different, and I love that about my work,” she shares.

1999

Erich K. Kurschat lives with wife Katie in Chicago’s South Loop and sings with Apollo Chorus and Chicago Chorale. At Harmonyinsights.com, he helps teams communicate productively in the workplace, and with HRhotseat.com he connects HR pros with enjoyable, fruitful networking opportunities.

1999

Zachary Nowak teaches food and environmental history in Harvard University’s history department. Zach also still directs the Center for Food and Sustainability Studies at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy.

1999

John C. Rutledge III, Seattle, returned to Seattle Pacific University for his master’s in teaching. Now at a public middle school, he teaches special education, working with students overcoming a variety of disabilities. “We work a lot on adaptive life skills, communication and motor skills,” he describes. “We get to sing and dance in class, too!”

One of Us: Kamille Johnson Harless '99

The Alumni Council president has forged her own path since her days at Kenyon.

2000

Jacques D. Delori, Brooklyn, New York, celebrated the birth of son August in December 2018. Kathleen S. (Birck) Florea, a nurse practitioner in Kingman, Arizona, celebrated the first birthday of Nickolas Anthony last September. “We are amazed at the greatest blessing in our lives, our son,” she updates. “Enjoying life with two kitties, two tortoises and our baby!”

2000

Maraleen D. Shields, Allentown, Pennsylvania, eagerly anticipates a family trip to Gambier for the reunion this spring. In the meantime, she worked at maintaining a streak of daily workouts. Last winter, she reconnected with first-year roommate Rebecca Kent, as well as Meredith Methlie, Benjamin D. Bagocius and Kristin Meister.

2000

Molly Vogel, Westerville, Ohio, returned to Kenyon in an official capacity in June when she was hired as development writer and advancement communications director.

2001

William J. Bielefeld, Washington, D.C., and his wife, Katherine, welcomed a baby boy in November 2018. “He’s keeping us busy,” Bill writes, “and has been fortunate to already have had Kenyon visitors!”

2001

Kelly (Duke) Bryant and Matthew M. Bryant, Wenonah, New Jersey, celebrate the birth of third child Ava Marie, born Feb. 26, 2019. She joins siblings Isabel and Owen, and “has brought more joy and love to our family life,” they update.

2001

Daniel J. Connolly, Memphis, Tennessee, married Ayleem Betances, who is from the Dominican Republic and now teaches high school Spanish. The marriage came “relatively late in life (at age 39),” he writes, “but I know I chose the right woman.” Daniel was honored when Jeffrey S. Reed flew in from New York City for the ceremony, which was held in both English and Spanish.

2001

Christopher W. Filson, Arvada, Colorado, and his wife, Andrea, welcomed first child Harry Pierce Filson to the world in January 2019.

2001

Beth A. Harrod, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, graduated from nursing school with her B.S.N. and took a job as a neonatal ICU nurse at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. “I look forward to an amazing career,” she writes, “and am just so grateful that nursing school is done!”

2001

Jeffrey S. Reed, New York City, was elected partner at Kilpatrick Townsend. Jeff leads the firm’s state tax practice.

2002

Marian L. Frazier, Burbank, Ohio, welcomed second daughter Iris Elora in January 2019. “Big sister Bianca is adjusting surprisingly well,” she reports. “Craig and I aren’t — we’re getting too old for this!”

2002

James J. Greenwood, Watertown, Massachusetts, describes “a Kenyon-filled winter, meeting up with alums and friends of the college at the Kokes concerts in both Cleveland and Boston.” He spoke at the Boston Campaign kickoff event last February and also here on campus. After three years at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he became dean of equity and inclusion at St. Paul’s School, Concord, New Hampshire.

2002

Joshua M. Schmidt, Columbus, Ohio, leads a business delivering sustainable environmental solutions to large manufacturers, he updates, “guiding some of the biggest and most recognizable brands to achieve their zero waste and sustainability initiatives.” Josh connects frequently with David B. Wiant, Nathaniel M. Semple Jr., Benjamin J. Mellino, Adam C. Exline ’01, and Brendan P. Rogers ’01. “I also had the fortune of running into fellow Upper Arlington resident Zackary A. Prout in Florida; chance brought our families together for some dolphin spotting, shelling, a wonderful lunch and some storytelling.”

2002

Alison M. Trulock has been in Washington, D.C., for 10 years and “still appreciates everything living here has to offer,” she updates. “I was recently promoted to associate archivist of the U.S. House of Representatives. Looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of the new role.”

2003

Megan Rafferty Barnes has been pumping up her three sons’ college savings accounts unconventionally: by winning TV game shows. An avowed trivia buff with a memory for facts, she won $16,000 in 2009 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire; $105,000 on Jeopardy! in 2011; and $6,200 on Wheel of Fortune in 2014. On the “gamified crowdfunding” platform Givling, she racked up more than $9,000 last spring. Part of her winnings this time went toward a trip for her and a cousin to attend an aunt’s funeral. “Aunt Helen was always the most generous, giving person,” Megan told Givling, “so I felt it was a gift from her in heaven.”

2003

Meghaan M. Blauvelt, Seattle, joined The Riveter as senior director of marketing. “Already awestruck by the team and the mission to support women in work,” she writes.

2003

Nathan N. Hara and his family were evacuated from Caracas, Venezuela, in January 2019. “I am now in Washington, D.C.,” he reports, “waiting to see what will come next. My family and I desperately want to return to Caracas, and our hearts are with the Venezuelan people.”

2003

Rose N. Meiri, Winnetka, California, updates that her art career is blossoming: “A fabric I designed and painted is being carried by a baby clothing store in England (lovebeebaby.com), and a tourist shop in Canada is carrying prints of quail that I painted. They love quail up there.”

2004

Alexander L. Barron finished his seventh year in the English department at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore, where he teaches ninth grade and AP language and composition. His 3-year-old twins occupy most of his “free time,” Alex writes.

2004

Porsche Depew Beetham, a family physician in Cadiz, Ohio, serves as the Harrison County coroner in eastern Ohio, while T. Owen Beetham ’03 is Harrison County prosecutor, alongside his private law practice. Last spring, with daughters Phoebe and Adeline, they journeyed to Washington, D.C., for the Cherry Blossom Festival, where they visited Marc G. Marie, Daniel Z. Epstein ’05 and Kevin E. Friedl ’05 and their families.

2004

Taryn A. Myers and Brian D. Schiller ’05, Virginia Beach, Virginia, welcomed a daughter, Quinn, in June 2018. Taryn also won the Samuel Nelson Grey Award for Distinguished Teaching at Virginia Wesleyan University, where she continues to serve as chair of the Psychology department.

2004

Marjorie L. Rathgeber and Daniel Harrell, Baltimore, welcomed daughter Maisie last Jan. 8.

2004

Harrison David Rivers reports that he has been enjoying life as an assistant visiting professor of drama here on the Hill. “My play, the bandaged place,” he updates, “won the 2018 Relentless Award, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman. It has received readings from New York Stage and Film and New Group.

2004

Devika Saxena and husband Max welcomed baby Neal Shankar Bruce on Jan. 17, 2019, in Albany, California. “Thanks to all our Kenyon friends who have reached out with good wishes,” she shares, “as we figure out this whole parenting thing!”

2005

Hall Carlough spent a year in culinary school and cooking for high-end restaurants and events in New York City, but returned to his roots: He now works as director, experiential at Vox Media. Hall explains: “I oversee all IRL marketing events and efforts on behalf of our seven digital networks: Eater, Vox, The Verge, Polygon, Recode, Curbed and SB Nation. My husband, Michael, our dog, Eric, and I split our time between Manhattan and the Hudson Valley—generally always trying to figure out our next great meal.”

2005

Caitlin M. (Looney) Landesberg, her husband, Stuart, and daughter, Frances, welcomed their second child, Hayes, in December 2018. “His entrance coincided with selling my craft beer company to Sierra Nevada,” she updates. “Being a mom CEO isn’t without challenges, but I’m loving every minute of both worlds. We still live in San Francisco.”

2005

Nora Schweighart, Chicago, and her husband, Jarod, celebrated the birth of their second son, Mac, last January. “Big brother Griffin was delighted.”

2005

Jonathan W. Sessions reports he is “tiptoeing the balance of life” as the elementary school principal of Academy School in Brattleboro, Vermont; a doctoral student at University of Vermont; and father of three kids. He gets time on his skis and bike any chance he gets, “usually with kids in tow.”

2005

Andrea S. Turnipseed expanded her mental health clinic to a second location in Austin, Texas, last summer. The new clinic offers expanded access to the breakthrough treatment of PTSD with the drug MDMA, she informs. “This will be in addition to standard psychotherapy, medication management and psychedelic psychotherapy currently offered in our clinic.”

2006

Kelly P. Burke and husband David welcomed Andrew Owen Liu to the world last January. “We live in Cambridge, Massachusetts,” she writes, “where I’m in the midst of my medical oncology fellowship. I would love to hear from other alums in the area.”

2006

Emily E. Morgan, Pittsford, New York, celebrated the birth of second daughter Margot last winter, joining big sister Franny. “Upstate New York is treating us well.”

2006

Laura L. Richardson, Portland, Oregon, updates: “Things have been really crazy. I started a job as in-house counsel for Intel, am chasing around a super-defiant toddler and I got bangs. I hope things settle down a little and the bangs grow out.”

2006

R. Laine Scott-Nelson, a family nurse practitioner in rural Maryland, writes that she and Michael are “pleasantly enough muddling through our thirties here in Baltimore.” They welcomed a second child, Rosalind Bea.

2007

Brittain H. Brantley welcomed his first child, Holden Waddell, in December 2018. “We love living in Nashville, Tennessee,” he writes, “and enjoy connecting with other area alums.”

2007

Sophie N. Smith updates: “Finally made my way back to Maine, after a twisting journey through Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Texas. Up one husband (Greg) and one child (Theodore) since graduation, I’m a librarian by day and planning adventures by night.” Over the summer she visited Annie E. Lambla in Italy.

2008

Marc E. Christian, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, and his wife welcomed first child Connor Vern Christian on Sept. 5, 2018.

2008

Sean P. Ryan married Griffin Phillips in Danville, Kentucky, on Dec. 29, 2018. “We both serve as pastors,” he informs, “me as associate pastor at Centenary United Methodist Church and she as associate pastor of youth and young families at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).”

2008

Jennifer S. Sarma, Washington, D.C., and her husband, Chris, welcomed a baby girl, Abigail Pearl, last January.

2008

AnnaLaura M. (McCormick) Scandrett updates: “My husband, Aaron, and I are still living in Oakland, California, and were thrilled to welcome our daughter Evelyn” in October 2018.

2008

Josephine (Comas Bardot) Trueblood, Monrovia, California, reports: “We are officially a family of four!” In November 2018, she welcomed second daughter Iguazú Bardot Trueblood. Last winter, Josie adds, “Ushuaia and Iguazú had a blast with their favorite Kenyon aunties, Agnese Melbarde and Olga Novikova.”

2009

Andrew C. Stein was elected a director of the Montpelier Roxbury school board, serving Vermont’s capital city. Late in 2018 he was appointed Vermont deputy state auditor since late 2018. “This past year,” he adds, “I also officiated the wedding of Alexander A. Gladstone to Heslat Tursun.”

2009

Michael T.S. Vanacore serves as associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where he lives with wife Rosa, a public defender in the immigration practice of the Bron
x Defenders.

2010s

2010

Matthew P. Colburn, Bethesda, Maryland, teaches at two institutions, both of which honored his work. Matt won the 2018 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty of the Year Award at the University of the District of Columbia Community College, and a 2018-19 Part-time Faculty Excellence in Teaching/Counseling Award at Montgomery College. According to the latter, his students like his teaching and find his online videos helpful — youtube.com/ColburnClassroom has more than 500 subscribers.

2010

Katherine Ernst Mehta and her husband, Amrit, celebrated the birth of third son Aditya Paul, born last Jan. 28. She still runs her college counseling business in New Delhi, India, but bought property in Traverse City, Michigan, “which we plan to set up as our U.S. home base in the next few years,” she writes.

2010

Alexandra C. Shaeffer sends everyone a happy hello from Astana, Kazakhstan, where she is a linguistics and French professor at a big English-language university.

2010

Samantha M. Turner, who works at Kenyon’s Center for Global Engagement, traveled to Belize with current students on their spring break service trip to install and wire solar panels on schools and other buildings. “It was my first time in Central America,” Sam reports, “and certainly won’t be my last.”

2011

Ashley G. Gray, Brookline, Massachusetts, processing archivist at the Berklee College of Music, updates: “After four years of juggling positions in the archives of Boston orchestras, I’m excited to get to know a different segment of the performing arts world and return to an academic setting. But the thing I’m probably most jazzed about is the health insurance.”

2011

Rebecca F. Katz moved to Canada. “I am a baker now!” Becca writes. “Like, professionally! I have forgotten what sunshine looks like.”

2011

Nicholas P. Loud, Traverse City, Michigan, shot courtroom and interview footage during the trial of disgraced Olympic gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar for the feature documentary “At the Heart of Gold,” whose world premiere was at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in April. It aired on HBO in May and is available for streaming.

2011

Sara H. Nash and John J. Postel ’10 welcomed second daughter Hilton Ann Postel last January. They and big sister Delaney live in Chicago.

2012

Thea Goodrich celebrated six years at W.W. Norton, where she is in the college editorial department. She has put her English degree to good use working on Norton Critical Editions, she reports: “I even helped revise one of the editions I used in a Kenyon class.” At the MLA Convention in Chicago, she caught up with Jane E. Pryma, Brooke J. Stanley and Sara J. Carminati ’13. In 2018, Thea traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, with Habitat for Humanity; on her day off touring an elephant sanctuary, she ran into first-year hallmate Hannah L. Stewart. “After a few years in Brooklyn,” Thea adds, “the first two with Hanna Halperin-Goldstein, I now live in Hamilton Heights and keep the window open in case Rebecca A. Kobayashi flies by.”

2012

Leigha K. Grosh joined the Title IX team at the Ohio State University as an intake and outreach coordinator. “In my role,” she explains, “I provide resources and support options to students and employees who have experienced sex or gender discrimination, including sexual violence.”

2012

Rebecca A. Kobayashi works as a translator at a small corporate communications company in Japan. “After nearly three years of commuting from the next prefecture over,” she updates, “I’m finally taking the leap and becoming a resident of Tokyo’s central 23 wards. It’s crazy to think I started studying Japanese my freshman year on the Hill and now, here I am, using it every day. I think everyone should visit Japan at least once if possible.”

2012

Katherine (Ey) Turk and husband Jonathan live with their rescue pup, Luna, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she works from home as a user experience (UX) writer.

2012

Jack Whitacre passed the comprehensive exams for his doctorate in global governance and human security at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Through his program, he’s traveled to Norway, Rwanda and Uganda, and he thanks Kenyon’s English professors — “especially Professor Ivonne Garcia” — who made his journey as a writer and researcher possible.

2013

Lauren E. Amrhein writes from Paris, France, where she’s working as a freelance designer and teacher, noting that she’s “been able to connect with some awesome Kenyon folks here in the city of lights and wine,” including visitors Lily Miller, Ainsley Lockhart, Sophie Schechter, Emily Palmer, James Dennin, Heather Brennan ’14, Lauren Ross and David Williams.

2013

Elizabeth H. Hyland reports that she is under commission as a playwright with three Chicago theater companies, and her musical, “Seagulls,” set at “a small liberal arts school very much like Kenyon,” Beth notes, premiered at a regional theater in the UK in the fall.

2014

Jameyanne Fuller, Concord, New Hampshire, signed with a literary agent and worked on revising her book for submission to publishers. She graduated from Harvard Law School in May — “a long three years, and I’m finally there!” she reports. Her summer was spent studying for the bar.

2014

Natalie Thielen Helper is the institutional giving coordinator at Signature Theatre, a nonprofit off-Broadway theater that celebrates playwrights. Having moved to Brooklyn, she spends her spare time learning Spanish, doing volunteer work on immigrant rights, seeing plays and searching for the right karaoke bar.

2014

Leland T. Holcomb “currently lives in the woods” outside Hartford, Connecticut, he updates. He scouts early-stage startups and helps entrepreneurs turn their ambitious, “often crazy” ideas into reality, he writes. Happy to stay in one place for more than a couple of months, he enjoys “taking up hot yoga, adopting two ‘male’ finches who proceeded to lay eggs, starting a chocolate review Instagram and other ridiculous side projects.”

2014

Stephanie G. Ladman, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is an assistant manager with EF Educational Tours. She returned in March to Buenos Aires (her study abroad destination) and led a professional development program for educators last summer in Berlin. “I love to keep my schedule full,” she writes, “and when not working you can find me with Adelante Shoe Co., a conscious footwear brand producing high-quality shoes made to order by talented Guatemalan craftspeople.” She is also a committee member for the Susan G. Komen “Catwalk for the Cure” event.

2014

Catherine M. Nortell, Grants Pass, Oregon, works in health care, building population health workflows in electronic medical records. “Additionally,” she updates, “I’ve been project-managing the Epic implementation at a new local clinic that cares for families affected by opiate addiction.” Her house renovated, she spent last summer back on hiking trails and at vineyards.

2014

McKinley J. Sherrod, Chicago, was “knee-deep in foam-core prototypes and systems diagrams,” she updates, as she finished the first year of her master’s of design at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design. Her current “passion project,” she describes, “involves forecasting a future where doctors can interact with volumetric representations of patients’ experience with pain over their lifetime — including inherited trauma — to craft better care plans.”

2015

Rosemary M. Ouellet and Peter W. Birren were married on a beautiful day in September 2018. In attendance and “partying hard,” Rosie writes, were Emily M. Sussman, Edward G.H. Baxter, Megan H. Shaw and Michael A. Bazany III.

2015

Abigail K. Sagher, Chicago, works with first-generation college students at an education nonprofit and is “walking as many dogs as possible” she updates.

2016

Morgen L. Barroso finished her master’s in philosophy and criminology at Eastern Michigan University and set off for law school at the University of Connecticut on a dean’s scholarship. She also started a therapy dog program for the local juvenile court system and ran her first half-marathon.

2016

Sarah A. Schnebly has partnered on a post-apocalyptic audiodrama podcast with Rioghnach Robinson, James S. Currie and Colton T. Flick. Titled “Still Lives,” it’s on iTunes and at stilllivespodcast.com.

2017

Morgan C. Harden returned for a second year as a Fulbright teaching assistant in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. During her first year, she reports, “I hiked around Patagonia, translated a contemporary Argentine poet and volunteered in an English class for kids, using the game Minecraft.”

2017

Evangeline V. Kennedy, a Fulbright Fellow, went to Argentina last year to work as an English teaching assistant.

2017

Jenna L. Wendler wrapped up a year of teaching English in northern France. She loved her time abroad but also enjoyed a summer at home, eating American food, hanging out with family and working as a staff supervisor at Camp Scherman in California’s southern San Jacinto Mountains. “Maybe I’ll finally learn to drive,” she adds. “Maybe.”

2018

Stephanie A. Holstein, Hudson, New York, works as the editorial assistant of Princeton Architectural Press, a small publisher specializing in architecture, design and visual culture.

2018

Houlder L. Hudgins, Richmond, Virginia, performed laboratory vaccine research before taking a position at the United Network for Organ Sharing, a nonprofit that manages the U.S. organ transplant system. He helps to match donated organs with patients in need across the country. He welcomes anyone visiting the area.

2018

Natalie S. Kane was the assistant director of the spring musical production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” at a New Jersey high school. She writes that she enjoyed “putting all that I learned in the Kenyon College Ballroom Dance Club to use to choreograph and teach the waltzes for our production!”

2018

Erin R. Keleske moved to Milwaukee to work in the city’s Environmental Collaboration Office on water conservation, green infrastructure and its single-use plastics reduction campaign. She is also a consulting writer for the Fund for Lake Michigan, showcasing environmental projects and leaders.

2018

Colleen E. Kelley moved to a rural Ugandan village which, she writes, is “surprisingly smaller than Gambier!” A Princeton Africa Fellow, she serves as the field communications manager and videographer for the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project. “Despite having no hot water and missing the KAC showers,” she reports, “I still spend my free time running through the Ugandan hills!”

2018

Jack Marooney, Washington, D.C., is working as the executive coordinator for the Headfirst Cos. and looking forward to baseball season.

2018

Matthew M. von Roemer moved to D.C. after graduation with Michael Arman, but after attending the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference last winter, he was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays. Matt now works in Dunedin, Florida, as a minor league affiliate analyst. He spent spring and summer on the road with the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League, handing all of their advanced analytics. “It has always been my dream to work in major league baseball,” Matt writes.”