Mollie Pulver

Ag & Life Sciences

Little Falls, NY

mpulver3@twcny.rr.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Spent my 35 post Cornell years in financial services spending my free time on child advocacy and restoration of a Victorian money pit.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
2014 - University Council Meeting

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?
Partial Budgeting

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
100th Anniversary Utica Zoo Gala - an amazing evening in a great place after 15 months of planning

What are you looking forward to at our 35th reunion in June, 2015?
Dik Saalfeld & Corey Earl entertaining at the Lab of Ornithology

Lynda Spalding

Human Ecology 

Transitioning from Augusta, GA to Ottawa, ON

Cornell Name: Lynda Hershey 

elspalding@gmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Married 33 years to Eric Spalding, RPI '78.  Children - Rob(Parsons'10) and Julie'11. Lived in AR, VT, TN, VA, GA. Home Ec and yoga teacher.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
I have visited annually since our daughter matriculated in '07.  Last summer's visit was to help plan Reunion. That was a blast! 

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?
My professor advised me I would have students smarter than I so I would need to become a resource person!  I have earned that reputation!

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
I earned my 200 hour Yoga certification.  I love helping people keep their body, mind and soul healthy!

What are you looking forward to at our 35th reunion in June, 2015?
Old friends, new friends, ice cream, the McGraw Tower Chimes, Cayuga's Waiters, and a sea of red & white!

Chris Evans

Arts & Sciences 

Darien, CT 

evanscje@gmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
I began in engineering because I like math but got torn away by economics due to my interest in finance. I met fabulous people.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
2010 - to show my daughter the campus before she applied

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
I started my own software business and later, an investment firm. I worked for a time for one of the biggest hedge funds in the world.

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
Go and get help - reach out to TA's and other classmates. Cornell is not a nurturing place, academically.

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?
If I try I, can compete with anyone.

Nanette Cooper-McGuinness

Arts and Sciences  

Berkeley, CA

Cornell name: Nanette Michele Cooper

nanette22@gmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
#married Cornellian;#PhD UC Berkeley; great son; #opera in U.S. & Europe; #4 chamber ensembles; latest: Jewish Music & Poetry Project; #CDs

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
1980, graduation.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
3 CDs; toured Hungary 4 Daniel Pearl World Music Days; performed in Germany, Italy,& Czech Rep. translated 24 graphic novels  & kids' books

Laura Chessin

Architecture, Art & Planning

Richmond, VA

lchessin@vcu.edu

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
still asking weird questions, exploring big ideas

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
The Divine Comedy with a Dante Scholar

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?
That the blank page/canvas is terrifying to everyone.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Filming in Panama, Biking in India, Having a son at the age of 45. Run Boston Marathon (2x 2013-2014. finished before the bombs)

Share any random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians since you left.
Am now working with birds. Began my passion at —where else— Sapsucker Woods.

Hilary Schlinger

Ag & Life Sciences 

Albuquerque, NM

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
33 years of private practice as a midwife. Kids, grandkids, have split time btwn upstate NY and NM.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
2004 - living in Ithaca again for 2 yrs, worked at Planned Parenthood; went to campus for a concert.

Chris Van Holmes

Arts & Sciences 

Minneapolis, MN

Cornell Name: Chris Van Buren 

cv27@cornell.edu

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Grad school/World Champ & Hall of Fame Ultimate player/Husband(25+)Father(2 girls: 1 legacy)/UW Fishery research analyst/Still play tennis

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Mammology

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Won a World Championship/Baked the best bagel in the world/Travel to distant shores/Spent a summer in a MI woods frog pond

Which piece of advice or information turned out to be completely WRONG?.
Science is not politics

Please provide some items from your Bucket List.
See Grand Canyon - attend all 4 tennis grand Slams - Build a cabin - sail the Aegean

Judith Neustadter Naone

Human Ecology 

Maui, HI

Cornell Name: Judy Neustadter

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Japan, Law School, Portland OR, China, Honolulu, Maui.  My life after Cornell!

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Skiing, sociology, fairy tales, film studies

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?.
Be ready to walk uphill

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
1987, showing my younger brother the campus, he was choosing where to apply to college at that time.

Maura Kates-Rutkin

Agriculture & Life Sciences  

Great Neck, NY

Cornell name: Maura Kates

Maura@rutkin.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Practiced small animal medicine 1983-2004 then took a hiatus which is ongoing. Married 27 years, three children.

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
2012, college visit with daughter

Luc Chabot

Engineering 

Katy, TX

LGChabot@hotmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
I have been involved with engineering of  offshore oil platforms that are some of the largest structures built and moved by man. 

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Structural Engineering, Physics 201

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?.
Don't rely on Codes, You must always be able to justify the solution using first principles.

Which piece of advice or information turned out to be completely WRONG?
I would not need to learn to type because I would have a secretary.

Do you have a favorite memory from a Class of 1980 reunion?
Meeting with one of my professors (He remembered me!). Asked me if I was still a practicing engineer. Proud to tell him I was.

What are you looking forward to at our 35th reunion in June, 2015?
Just being on campus and pretending 35 years had not gone by.

Jarett Wait

Arts & Sciences 

New York, NY

jwait@jfwaitadv.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
#family #lehman #tokyo #london #hongkong #sigmapi #usskiteam #cfr #bigredlacrosse #jacksonhole #olympics

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Wall Street with Professor Ed Burton

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Travel to Tibet, Galapagos and Heli Ski in Alaska

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Sigma Pi Rock n'Roll Tea - May 19, 1978

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
Look at the big picture by picking your head up from your mobile device! Develop a point of view based on research and execute.

Brian Myers

Industrial & Labor Relations  

Winston-Salem, NC

bpmyers58@gmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Moved to Carolina, never looked back.  UNC MBA.  Career in Pharma sales.  Married....since 1982.  2 adopted kids.  Growing older, not up!

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Psych 101: A rite of passage.

Which piece of information or advice did you pick up while a student at Cornell that has been useful in the past 35 years?
Cornellians are probably the best, brightest, funniest, and most loyal friends you will ever have.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Been to 42 Jimmy Buffett concerts.

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Phi Delt run to the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid.

Philip Leinbach

Engineering

Maumee, OH

toledophil@sbcglobal.net

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Lived as if work was the most important part of life; had encounter that taught me otherwise; have been learning to live with new purpose


Please provide some items from your Bucket List.
Visit Israel and experience the Holy Lands first hand

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Lived in Dominican Republic for two months with  my wife & young children; taught English, practiced Spanish, and loved people - still do

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Singing and making lifetime friends & memories with members of the Cornell University Glee Club under Thomas Sokol.

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
There is such a thing as absolute truth -- find it! It is the only thing that matters.

Mary T. Farrell

Industrial & Labor Relations  

New York, NY

mtf1106@gmail.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Practiced HR while doing WNY theatre, back to school for BFA, moved to NYC, got stuck on Wall St. Am now back to the Arts and seek day job!

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Theatre/Literature electives this ILRie took! As a starving artist & AARP member I say, "Class of 2015, recognize your love AND DO IT NOW!"

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
In 2012, the "Eddy 8" celebrated the 30th wedding anniversary of Nancy Schlicht Hall and her fab townie and Cornell employee hubby Mark!


Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Spending silly, irresponsible time with the women of the Eddy 8. I happily report that this is something I still enjoy in the present day!

Michael Cogan

Ag & Life Sciences

Germantown, MD

mwc28@cornell.edu

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Graduated with dad, Howard '50, MPS'80; law school, FDA, Senate staff, local govt, telecom, private practice;  marriage, kids, unmarriage.

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Chem/Roald Hoffman, biochem/Renee Alexander, hist of science/L.Pearce Williams, newswriting/Randy Shew, Film Club!

Share any random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians since you left.
Many wonderful encounters with dad & classmate Howard Cogan ('50, MPS '80), radio legend, adman, "Ithaca Is Gorges" creator, IC professor.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Visited Prague 4 mo. after Velvet Revolution, mule ride in Grand Canyon, on Senate floor to pass bills I worked on, wrote lots of local laws

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Sunday brunch splurges on strawberry pancakes at Noyes Lodge dining.

Roberta Goodman

Arts & Sciences

Cornell name: Roberta Walter

Nashville, TN

roberta_walter_goodman@yahoo.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
MBA, Wall Street analyst 15 yrs, now p.t. residential real estate development and equestrienne, married w 2 stepdaughters & 7 grandchildren

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
History courses with Richard Polenberg, Alvin Bernstein, Joel Silbey

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Travel (Israel, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia, Tanzanian safari);  Wall Street career; having great step-daughters & grandchildren; HORSES

Share any random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians since you left.
Sorority sister Sheri Frumer '80 turned up in the seat next to me on a flight from Sydney Australia to the US in 1995.

Kathy Valliere

Human Ecology

Cornell name: Kathy Biondolillo

Fairport, NY

kbv5@cornell.edu

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Department Store Buyer,29 yrs married,stay-at-home Mom to Paul & Stephanie,volunteer and community leader,golfer,seamstress,10 yrs at Amica

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Apparel Design IV when I designed a no-sew outfit and guided an Ithaca 4th grade student through the process of making it for herself!

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
We took a family golf trip to Ireland in 2004 and are looking forward to a trip to France this July.

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Working on the Cornelian yearbook as a sophomore and junior and becoming Editor-in-Chief as a senior.

What are you looking forward to at our 35th reunion in June, 2015?
Reconnecting with classmates and Tri-Delta sisters!

Steve Benjamin

Engineering

Saratoga, CA

Steve@Stromiga.com

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Got my MEng and MBA.  Worked in Air Freight, then a PR firm with my wife, Sheri. Sold it in '99, now a RE developer. 2 kids, 27 (CU '10) 25

In what year did you last set foot on the Ithaca campus, and what was the purpose of your visit?
2014.  Member of Cornell Council, frequent guest lecturer (former Entrepreneur in Residence).  Also celebrated the "Double Nickle" with Fiji

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Playing Rugby, "The Stairs" at Fiji, Going to Lynah Rink.

Tell us about the most interesting things you’ve done since 1980.
Started a PR firm with my wife. Sold it in '99.  Since then redeveloped shopping centers in Saskatchewan. Being EIR when Megan attended '10.

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
Learn about the breadth of Cornell.  Make friends with kids in other Cornell Colleges.

Myra Boenke

Engineering

Williston, VT

myra1@cal.berkeley.edu

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
BellLabs optical cable; Princeton; divorce; UCBerkeley; IBM GaAs lasers; married; 2 sons; IBM Foundry RF Silicon, soon to be GlobalFoundries

Provide your favorite memory of your time at Cornell.
Sliding down the rocks and jumping off the cliff in the gorge.  Walking across a frozen Beebe Lake. Wandering the Herb Garden and Arboretum

Which piece of advice or information acquired at Cornell turned out to be completely WRONG?
If you don't go straight to grad school you will never go back.

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
Get involved in on-campus groups and/or research projects.

What are you looking forward to at our 35th reunion in June, 2015?
Fellowship receptions and exploring outdoors

Eric J Levy

Hotel Administration

Singapore

eric@tsi.sg

Please provide a tweet-sized synopsis of your life after Cornell:
Non-stop travel, assimilate into various cultures, 2 kids, two dogs, only one wife, learn and educate within the narrow field of hospitality

List your favorite class(es) while at Cornell.
Entrepreneurship, Astronomy, Food Chem

Please provide some items from your Bucket List.
Go to Italy and Cuba. Go to final brackets of NCAA Bball

What advice would you give to a member of the Class of 2018?
Socialize with classmates and stay in touch